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472 Miles to Cleveland
December 7th, 2008 | Devin Pratt
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Last week Ajla and I made our way back to Cleveland for my third annual Bosnian Thanksgiving. We did a last minute scurry for flights and then decided it was too expensive, so we just ended up driving. I actually like the drive to Cleveland, even though there is almost nothing between New York and Ohio. The main route is Interstate 80, which runs straight through Pennsylvania — and a lot of truckers consider it the loneliest, most desolate stretch of highway in the country, but in some strange way I find it relaxing.
There's actually a small town called Jersey Shore, Pa. in the middle of Pennsylvania, along I-80. Hunter S. Thompson worked as sports editor at the newspaper here when he was in his early 20s.
My favorite part of the drive is when we clear New York and New Jersey and the highway opens up to nothing but countryside. I pop on my favorite iPod playlist ("DP's Ramblin’ Mix") and just drive in a straight line for over 400 miles.
Here are a few of my favorite things from this year's trip:
Sheetz
This is a chain of convenient stores common to Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. I know, it’s not the most exciting way to start my highlight list, but it’s the best cheap food and gas you can find. I’d like to think I have climbed a few notches on the social ladder since college, but I still can’t resist the Nachos Grande from this gas station.
A welcome sight when you're out in the middle of nowhere
Sheetz Nachos Grande
Bosnian Thanksgiving Dinner
OK, now to the really good part. This is the third Bosnian Thanksgiving I’ve had so I’ve become accustomed to the different types of food — and I love it! Ajla’s mom makes so many delicious dishes but one of my favorite’s is burek, which is thin flaky layers of dough known as phyllo, that’s usually filled with feta cheese, minced meat, potatoes or spinach. It’s very similar to the Greek spinach pie.
In addition to the burek, we also had: falafel, hummus, tahini, portobello mushrooms with feta cheese (incredibly good), grilled fish, bean salad, cottage cheese and scallion salad, seasoned potato wedges, and, of course, turkey.
And, of course, baklava! This has come to be one of my favorite desserts and, lucky for me, not too many Bosnian meals are complete without the sweet pastry. Baklava isn’t solely a Bosnian dessert — Greece, Turkey, and several other countries lay claim to the dessert as well — but one thing I’ve learned is that each country seems to be very possessive of their version of baklava.
Delicious baklava
Bosnian Coffee
I wasn't a coffee drinker until about a year ago. One day I just started sucking it down and now I can't function without it. I've even gotten used to the high-octane Bosnian coffee, which roots come from Turkey. The Bosnian style is thick and strong and leaves a mud-like coffee ground residue in the bottom of the cup. After you finish the coffee, you're suppose to turn the cup (fildjan) upside down to let the grounds slowly run down the walls of the cup. Whatever pattern it makes supposedly reveals your future.
Traditional Bosnian coffee
Fig liquor (rakija)
Another Bosnian tradition is to have a little fig liquor (aka Fire Water). This clear, homemade liquor is equivalent to moonshine. Just one sip burns your mouth and allows you to slowly trace its passage down your esophagus and through every inch of your intestines. Every time I taste this stuff I wonder how much Eastern Europeans must laugh at American drinks.
Cleveland Museum of Art
During this trip, we had the opportunity to check out the Cleveland Museum of Art’s “Artistic Luxury: Fabergé, Tiffany, Lalique” exhibit. It was really interesting to learn about the history behind the iconic designers. This exhibit wasn’t necessarily my thing, in terms of the jewelry and antique furnisher, but I really liked how they explained the history behind the items on display. I was also impressed with the museum itself. It’s currently under renovation but it’s still a really nice facility. I would love to go back once the construction is complete.
The impressive Cleveland Museum of Art
Songs from "DP's Ramblin' Mix"
"Moving to L.A." — Art Brut
"Up On Cripple Creek" — The Band
"Born To Run" — Bruce Springsteen
"Maggie's Farm" — Bob Dylan
"Fortunate Son" — Creedence Clearwater Revival
"Diamond Dogs" — David Bowie
"Hurdy Gurdy Man" — Donovan
"Greencard Husband" — Gogol Bordello
"Red House" — Jimi Hendrix
"Smile Like You Mean It" — The Killers
"Sunny Afternoon" — The Kinks
"Paper Planes" — M.I.A.
"Cocaine Habit" — Old Crow Medicine Show
"Kodachrome" — Paul Simon
"Amsterdam" — Peter, Bjorn & John
"Lay Down" — Priestess
"All The King's Horses" — Robert Plant
"Rhythm Of My Heart" — Rod Stewart
"You're Gonna Miss Me" — Roky Erickson
"Country Honk" — The Rolling Stones
"Itchycoo Park" — The Small Faces
"I Wanna Be Your Dog" — The Stooges
"Runnin' Down A Dream" — Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
"Fuck It Up (Acoustic Version)" — The Towers Of London
"Country Death Song" — The Violent Femmes
"I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" — Warren Zevon
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472 Miles to Cleveland
(via Facebook, MySpace, Digg, email and more)