Your Fall Travel article (“On the fly,” Sept. 23) was entertaining. We were surprised, however, that the article on Richmond, Va., should include only shopping, Colonial Williamsburg (tourist trap), Busch Gardens (yawn) and Chincoteague (few horses, lots of mosquitoes!).
A little adventuring would have yielded loads more interesting entertainment. Drive a couple of hours west of Richmond and north to Lynchburg to visit Poplar Forest, Thomas Jefferson’s newly restored country home. Stay at one of the many charming B&Bs that were once homes of the wealthy. Gawk at the architectural marvels of this old-South city. Gaze at the meandering St. James River, clamber up and down and marvel at the steep river valley stairs and shop at the many antiques stores.
TAD AND CYNDI GAGE / Evanston
I JUST READ JESSICA Reaves’ article on her trip to the Rockies, and I wanted to say thanks for making me laugh out loud. I look forward to reading more articles by her.
MARIA SOBCZAK / Quincy
THE ONLY THING your travel issue’s experiment in quick weekend getaways left me with was the hope that I would never have to be at a social gathering with your travelers. Talk about jaded attitudes.
Your experiment failed to take into account that if someone pursued these unplanned, short-notice vacations, they would be doing so with a true sense of excitement. That excitement would be reflected as enthusiasm and a sense of adventure for the destination.
ROGER WEIR / Chicago
Not kosher
I enjoyed the narrative portion of Leah Eskin’s column on challah (Home on the Range, Oct. 2) in the Sunday magazine section of the Tribune. However, I take issue with your recipe, which contained both milk and butter, for the Rosh Hashanah holiday meal.
Traditionally, Jewish bread recipes are pareve-they contain neither milk or meat products-and thus can be served with either meat or dairy meals. With the exception of Shavuot, virtually all Jewish holiday meals are meat meals-such as the traditional Friday night dinner for Shabba-and thus most cake recipes also are dairy-free.
There are many sources of excellent challah recipes that would not have contained either ingredient. A wonderful book for such traditional foods is “Spice and Spirit: The Complete Kosher Cookbook.”
MERYL SUSSMAN / Burr Ridge
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LEAH ESKIN REPLIES: Readers who prefer nondairy challah can adapt the recipe by substituting water for milk and vegetable oil for butter.
Madigan convert
Thank you for your insightful look into Lisa Madigan’s life and character (Sept. 11). I, too, was very doubtful of her ability to manage the top legal job in this state, and I didn’t vote for her. However, everything I’ve heard so far about her tenure as attorney general has been courageous, honest and truly in the interest of the people of Illinois. If she decides to run for governor one day, I will cross party lines and vote for her because she truly cares about Illinois and not her own personal agenda.
JENNIFER MIHIC / St. Charles
Keeping score
I feel compelled to write after reading Rick Kogan’s “StopSigns” (Sept. 25). I agree that scoring a baseball game is indeed a lost art, one that I was taught by my father and one that I cherish to this day. Your article reminded me of a completed scorecard I once sent to my father with a note that said:
Went to a game on 6-27. Thought you’d enjoy seeing my attempt at scoring. Thanks for teaching this to me year’s ago!
When he passed away a year later, I found it in his rec room prominently hanging on the wall.
Thank you for reminding me of how special this “art” is to me and to generations that follow. I am resolved to teach this to my children.
SHERRY HAGER / Barrington
Lyme’s threat to dogs
Your article on Lyme disease (Aug. 21) affirmed my professional observations, as I have diagnosed and treated a slow but steadily increasing number of Lyme disease cases over the past five years. But not in people-I am a veterinarian.
In the U.S., dogs are 50 times more likely than people to contract Lyme disease. Given their active outdoor lives, that’s not surprising. Still, dogs’ symptoms are often overlooked and sometimes misdiagnosed. In fact, the number one sign of Lyme disease in dogs is no sign at all. Symptoms such as a stiff, painful gait, swollen joints and fever are often mistaken as signs of other common diseases, or even old age.
By paying attention to our dogs, we can be alerted to potential dangers in our shared environments. I encourage owners to get their dogs tested annually for Lyme disease.
THOMAS LASSITER, DVM / Downers Grove
Luciano lament
I was very distressed to read in Sidewalks (Sept. 11) that Luciano’s restaurant had closed to make way for a condominium building. My husband and I went there 15 years ago after we married at City Hall. We were going to return this November.
Are any remnants up for sale? We would love to get something to remember it by.
LIZA MARTIN / Chicago
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Alas, Luciano’s did not offer any memorabilia for sale.
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