Part Time Vagabond

American Pickers: One man’s junk is another man’s treasure

By ChrisCavs // // May 12th, 2010 // 3 Comments » // ROADSIDE

There’s a new TV show on the History Channel called American Pickers, where two scruffy, Laurel and Hardy looking guys travel around America looking for treasure among our junk. I love this show, mostly because I’d love to be doing their jobs. You know, if I had the audacity, determination, and sheer will to do what they do every day. Part treasure hunter, part schmoozer, and all lunatic, being a picker looks like a difficult, sometimes dangerous, but always fun way to make a living.

As a reader of the Part Time Vagabond blog, I assume that you, like me, have obligations that keep you from pursuing a life of junking like the gents on American Pickers, but there’s no reason why we can’t dream about it and then live out our fantasies on the weekends. In New England, flea markets, garage sales, and weekend scavenging are a way of life usually reserved for wealthy folks with too much time on their hands. But there are treasures lying in wait in someone’s basement, ready for you to find them. Continue Reading

Friday Snapshot: Sedona, Arizona

By ChrisCavs // // May 7th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // SNAPSHOT

I know, I know, I keep posting Arizona pictures. But seeing as I just returned from the area, I thought it’d be nice have a new image to show you. This was taken on a hike a few miles outside downtown Sedona (the trailhead was right behind my hotel, in fact).

Friday Snapshot: Bristol, Maine

By ChrisCavs // // April 23rd, 2010 // No Comments » // SNAPSHOT

Sometimes, you have to take a macro shot, close up, to see the big picture. I don’t imagine there’s a big story here: a crab walking at low tide, a gull snatches it up, drops it on the rocks below, and has a nice lunch. But how did this claw get here, at least thirty yards from the water? Where is the rest of him? Why here? You could ask yourself all these questions, or you could just snap a picture and move on.

BREWS: Sam Adams Noble Pils; Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale

By ChrisCavs // // April 19th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // GRUB & BREWS

A double-decker today. It never hurts to start the work week with a tasty beer, so I thought I’d review two brews I recently tasted, because it is that good of a Monday: Samuel Adams Noble Pils and Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale. These two beers are very different in their own rights, but they both keep me coming back for more.

Samuel Adams Noble Pils (5.2%ABV)

When people say a beer is crisp and clean, it elicits an image of a warm, sunny, summer afternoon. Birds chirping, the orange glow of the setting sun, a warm breeze gently rustling the trees. When I take a sip of Samuel Adams Noble Pils, a relatively new seasonal from the Boston Beer Company, I’m immediately transported to summer evenings spent on a porch with friends. Seems strange for a beer that’s only released January through March, but those are the images I get from this traditional Bohemian Pilsner that’s brewed with all five Noble hops.

On the nose, Noble Pils is light and crisp, with some citrus notes floating around in the bouquet. Its golden color denotes something a bit richer and fuller, but Noble Pils surprises with a nice, complex bite from all five Noble Hops, balanced by the sweet honey taste of the Bohemian malts. At 5.2% ABV, there isn’t much of an alcohol burn as a pleasant warming in the throat enhanced by the hops. The description on the Samuel Adams website says there’s a “piney” taste to the beer, but I didn’t get that. It does however elicit a strong feeling of sunny days, fun barbecues, and warm breezes.

Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale (7.2% ABV)

If you’re looking for a heartier beer than the Noble Pils, the Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale is like a thick juicy steak on the grill. In fact, it might actually pair nicely with one. A deep brown color characterizes this triple threat combo of American Brown, Scotch Ale, and India Pale Ale.

Starting on the nose, it emits an awesome sweetness, caramel wafting out of the creamy head. The Indian Brown Ale (IBA) has a nicely rounded mouthfeel, and a sweet, warm, toasty taste on the tongue. The Dogfish Head website describes it as having the characteristics of a Scotch Ale, which is apt. Dry hopped like an IPA (it’s rated at 50 IBU) but malted like a Scotch Ale, and flavored with brown sugar, this beer has the best of all worlds, which is great for someone who is generally not a fan of super hopped beers. Available year round, the Indian Brown Ale has quickly become a favorite of mine, with a fantastic balance of sweet and bitter.

Part Time Vagabond Email Newsletter

By ChrisCavs // // April 15th, 2010 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

If you haven’t been following Part Time Vagabond on Twitter, you’ve been missing out, especially on signing up for the PTV newsletter. Make sure you sign up soon, because you’ll be first in line for a special giveaway coming to Part Time Vagabond in the next few weeks! Sign up at the link below or in the sidebar of PTV to get a head start…and pass the word!

http://eepurl.com/iCQY

Singalong Adventures!

By ChrisCavs // // April 12th, 2010 // No Comments » // Feature

I have the coolest friends. I really do. The geekiest too.

My friend Amber has a Life List, where she ticks off things she wants to do before she kicks the bucket. She’s done things like getting a tattoo of a feather on her foot, making a blueberry pie from blueberries she handpicked, and hiking in the rainforest. She wants to do things like “memorize ten inspiring works of poetry” and “own a 100% sustainable, zero-impact beach house, with room for a dozen friends.” Some of the items are a little bit crazy and a lotta bit fun, but all of them are achievable.

This past weekend, Amber crossed another item off the list: Have a Singalong with Strangers. Take a look at some pictures and video from this awesome event after the jump.

Continue Reading

Your Favorite Airport

By ChrisCavs // // April 9th, 2010 // 3 Comments » // Feature

I’m going to be traveling to Arizona in a few weeks, and I’m anticipating a fun trip through some of the country’s less appealing airports. The thing is, I love airports. Call me a nutjob, but I like hanging out in the terminals, watching people either bored out of their minds, or running to catch a connecting flight. The kids, the trams, the blur of the departure boards, the noise, and sometimes even the quiet, they all combine to form an experience like no other.

Some airports were born better than others. There’s really no way around it. Some airports are utilitarian and sparse, like Newark, New Jersey’s EWR. Some are tiny and quaint, like Madison, Wisconsin’s MSN. Some are ginormous and flashy, like Minneapolis, Minnesota’s MSP. And some have rocking chairs, like Charlotte, North Carolina’s CLT. No matter which airport you’re stuck in, however, they all have one thing in common: no one – aside from the workers – is staying there very long. Airports are like giant malls where no one is there to shop, and you have to take your shoes off to get inside.

Despite the craziness that accompanies all airports, there is something simultaneously exciting and soothing about them to me. It may simply be the attitude I go into them with, but I actually enjoy airports. I think my favorite one so far has been CLT, if only for the novelty of the rocking chairs.

No matter how much we complain about air travel, it’s nice to step off a plane and enter a cool, fun, interesting airport where we can relax comfortably for a bit, grab a bite to eat, and recharge our batteries – literally and figuratively. What’s your favorite airport? Which one has the tastiest restaurants? The best shopping? The The most interesting design? Leave a comment and let us know.

PartTime Vagabond featured on Travel Blog Sites!

By ChrisCavs // // April 8th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // GRUB & BREWS

Last week, Part Time Vagabond was featured on the new blog “Travel Blog Sites,” which is run by the same people who run TravelPod. I’m really honored to be counted in such esteemed company! Woo! We got a nifty badge in the sidebar of PTV now too. Looks good!

Time Lapse Video from Around the World

By ChrisCavs // // April 7th, 2010 // No Comments » // VIDEO

I am a sucker for time lapse videos. People are shooting some fantastic footage of landscapes, cityscapes, and everything in between. The video below is from a Vimeo group called “The Good Stuff,” and showcases some gorgeous time lapse footage from around the world. Shot by Sean Stiegemeier during his travels to locations like Prague, Japan, Banff, Utah, Oregon, and California using a Canon 5d Mark II DSLR camera, the video is sure to wake up the traveler in even the staunchest homebody.

Nothing New Today

By ChrisCavs // // April 5th, 2010 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

No new posts today. I fell behind on editing the last of the Path Less Pedaled videos, and haven’t been able to post anything new to the blog. Don’t worry, there’s more to come this week, and BIG NEWS coming soon! Thanks for your patience, and keep checking in!