Nomad: Niagara Falls

when you are stuck in NYC over any holiday, the one thing on your mind is usually, "Get Me Out of Here...". Thanksgiving weekend we were stuck here in the city - we spent Thanksgiving day with friends, and then we decided to rent a car and drive up to Niagara Falls. neither of us had been there, and we thought it would make a wonderful road trip.

we started off on our journey driving through the Catskills and eventually making our way into Niagara. i was a bit surprised to see the casino's there, and the Canadian side looked like a small Vegas. we stayed in a cheap roadside motel (which happened to be one of the cleanest places we've stayed), and started our trek early the next morning. i was surprised to see the American side look so run down, but once we crossed the boarder (you need your passport) the Canadian side was like a breath of fresh air - clean streets, nice people, and it was open to the public - The falls were so much more visible, and breathtaking. hope you enjoy the photos...

Photo 1: American falls (in foreground) shot from American Side

Photo 2: shot from American falls (you can see Canada from this angle)

Photo 3: shot from Canadian Side (those are the American Falls)

Photo 4: shot from Canadian side (these are Canadian falls)

Photo 5: Canadian falls

Photo 6: Canadian falls

Photo 7: this is a shot of Niagara River separating the U.S. (seen on right) & Canada

Photos by: David Y.

Herban: Happy Thanksgiving

Herban Nomad: Merchant's House Museum

Sunday afternoons in NYC are reserved for late afternoon brunching, long walks in the park, or through the endless rows of brownstones. we are big fans of walking through the brownstones, and taking self-guided tours of the many charming, turn of the century homes. there is nothing better to me than a historic home, preserved in it's natural state and walking through it's original owners prized possessions.

there is only one such home here that still exists, "The Merchant's House Museum" - here you will find the original painted walls, decor, and personal items owned by the family. the museum owns several of the original Post-Mortem photographs, which were haunting, along with the family's beds, sofa's, and original drapes. built in 1832, the house is in great condition, and is a wonderful place to visit on a crisp Autumn day.

Photo's by: D. Ybarra

to learn more about the Merchant's House click here

Herban Nomad: Van Cortland House

we live in a loud city, among 8 million neighbors tightly woven into a quilt of traffic, bustling sidewalks, and sleepless streets. when you live in NYC, or any other metropolitan area for that matter, you need to get away to clear your head, listen to your inner voice, or just veg. out with a good book. i have always loved going for long drives, or in our case, a long train ride to a remote part of the city to find a hidden treasure with camera in hand. anywhere in NY you find a quiet spot, you will find a handful of territorial people not willing to budge for a seat on the grass - needless to say, quiet places are few and far between.

when i started at my current job, my boss gave me a book called, "New York’s 50 Best Places to Find Peace and Quiet" and i didn't put it to good use till this summer. the book mentions several spots that are mostly now bustling, but some of the best places are high up in the Bronx far away from the cabs, and tourists.

the site we chose to visit was the Van Cortland House up on the Bronx/Westchester boarder. the house sits quietly in Van Cortland Park and is very well preserved. since the Van Cortland's were in the mercantile business, the house sits close to the Hudson River where ships used to bring in the goods. i took a handful of pic's of the property, and interior - i do hope you get a chance to visit, and find you a quiet place to call your own...

Photos by: D. Ybarra

Herban Body: Dr. Bronner's...

one of the first organic items we purchased was Dr. Bronner's Classic Liquid Castile Soap (in Lavender). initially we were drawn to the packaging but once we used it we were hooked, it created a great lather and we came out of the shower feeling squeaky clean - i am more of a bar soap kind of guy, and luckily they make that product too. once we started using Bronner's we did some research and found out they make several other products including: Hair Rinse, Shaving Creams, Face Wash, Lip Balm, Body Balms, and even Snacks!

The bottle of the Classic Liquid boasts it's 18 uses, which include: Shampoo, Hand Cleaner, laundry Detergent, Face Wash, Bubble Bath, Household Cleaner, Dish washing Liquid, and Pet Cleaner.... to name a few. if you use this product then you know what i am talking about, if you don't, then i suggest you going out and picking up a bottle... it will make you happy to clean with a Clean Conscience.

to learn more about Dr. Bronner's click here

Herban Body: Cinnamon

one of the great things about public transit is the ability to sit and read without interruption - well, usually. tonight on the way home i was reading our latest issue of Herb Quarterly, and ran across an article: Cinnamon For Diabetes. "20 million Americans have type - 2 Diabetes, which accounts for about 95% of all diabetes". This was alarming to me, especially since i am a type 2 diabetic - Cinnamon helps reduce blood sugar levels in diabetics. if you are a diabetic, like myself, then you should be sprinkling it on everything: Tea, Coffee, Toast, Yogurt, Smoothies, etc. why take the pills when you can enjoy the flavor?

Photos by: Unknown

Herban: Green Tip

some Facts:

1. 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are used every year, worldwide.

2. About 1 million plastic bags are used every minute.

3. Every square mile of ocean has about 46,000 pieces of plastic floating in it.

4. The U.S. goes through 100 billion shopping bags annually at an estimated cost to retailers of $4 billion. (the wall street journal)

5. According to Algalita Marine Research Foundation, these plastic bags cause the death of many marine animals (fish, sea turtles, etc.), every year when animals mistake them for food.

You can read more facts on This article.

Photos by: D. Ybarra

Lancaster County: Amish Country

recently we took a trip to Lancaster Pennsylvania to see the countryside, and of course the Amish. going into the trip i had my expectations of a Laura Ingalls Wilder experience - not that she was Amish, or lived in Pennsylvania for that matter - but the wholesome aspect of her life. i remember spotting the first carriage coming over the hill (the picture above) and immediately became mesmerized. the simple idea that everything we do, our day to day activities all developed from a manual way of doing things. i am convinced that the Amish are the gate keepers of green living - although recently read that around 500 Amish farmers are using GMO crops. putting all that aside, i hope you enjoy the pictures,and if given the chance please go and visit.....and have some shoofly pie!

Photos by: D. Ybarra