Chunkin Punkins

MA Exit 30B: We have seen the future of hotels, and it is green. We walked into Westin’s new green concept hotel, the Element, in Lexington MA, and our jaws dropped. We sleep around quite a bit, so it takes alot to wow us. To start with, the hotel is gorgeous, spare, functional, lots of clean white balanced with taupe and accents of green. The green refers to the hotel’s LEED certification, which endorses sustainable building practices. LEED mandates efficient use of energy and water, reduction of greenhouse gases, a healthier environment and the reduction of waste.

In the lobby, natural light infuses a social gathering space, with lots of white tables on which to open up your laptops, and the day we were there, there was a wine tasting and free nibbles going on. The sleek extended stay suites have been built with low VOC paints, flooring made from 25% recycled content, CFL/LED bulbs, wood bed frames from certified forests, art mounted on recycled tires, soap & shampoo dispensers to save on waste, Energy Star GE appliances and water efficient faucets and fixtures. You can sit on your couch cushions or eat them - they’re made from soy.

Functionally, the 359-degree TV (with a DVD player below and plug & play docking station) swivels to face the bed, desk or sofa, there’s a kitchenware- stocked kitchen (toaster, wine glasses, good knives) with a dishwasher and full fridge. We liked the rain shower and hand wand and, of course, their trademark heavenly bed. In the glass-topped desk you can see what you left in the drawers, and it offered up a jack pack for every one of your toys, ergonomic task chair and a recycle bin for your waste. For fun, the room had a white board to write notes-to-self, and magnetized maid messages which stick to the outside of the door. Oversized windows overlook forests and lawn and you can see that in the parking lot, hybrid cars get priority spots. The morning food area is right in the open-concept great room (lobby), and you can eat the complimentary hot breakfast at bar stools, tables or couches all scattered about. Element Lexington by Westin, 727 Marrett Road - B, Lexington, MA. Tel: 781-761-1750 www.elementhotels.com

VA Exit 74C: Stew Masters from across the South (around 40) will converge on Richmond, VA on November 1st to stir their pots. The 17th Street Farmers' Market (one of America's oldest public markets dating back to 1737) and the Shockoe Bottom Neighborhood Association host the 9th Annual Brunswick Stew Contest. What is Brunswick Stew? After researching for our Drive I-95 book we became addicted to this soupy, stewy, tomatoey, oniony, corny, lima beany bowl of yum which also may have okra, chicken, rabbit, beef or our favourite - barbeque pulled pork.

You can sample the best recipes for $1 each - a sampling size is about a cup of soup - while enjoying live entertainment with MC Bill Bevins from Lite 98. For the "of-age" crowd, there will also be adult beverages, so you can scarf down your favorite stew with a perfect brew. Voting is done by people’s choice, so can you cast your vote for your favorite stew. Location: 100 North 17th St. corner of 17th & Main Streets. Date: November 1st, Saturday. Festival Time: 11 am - 4 pm. Stew Sampling time: 11 am - 2 pm. Beginning at 1 pm (and lasting until they are sold out), the stew is sold in all quantities, so you can take some for the road. FREE admission and FREE parking. Tel: 804-646-0477 www.17thstreetfarmersmarket.com

FL Exit 131A: Head to Fort Pierce FL, the birthplace of the Navy Frogman, for the Navy UDT-SEAL Museum’s 23rd Annual Veterans’ Day Celebration (Muster) on November 15. The day starts at 7 am with an annual 5K run/walk along the beach (with registration starting at 6 am). The highlight for many is the demonstration by the Navy’s Parachute Team, made up entirely of special operations sailors, the “Leapfrogs”, who parachute onto the museum grounds. Afterwards, there’s a live demonstration by Navy SEALs, featuring a building assault, sniper demonstration and simulated engagement with close air support.

Remember Rudy Boesch “Survivor: Borneo” - he's a SEAL and will be attending, as well as authors Marcus Luttrell and Richard Marcinko. You too can get a chance to try to be a SEAL for a moment on the Navy’s SEAL Accelerator, where you can be challenged with pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, and rope climbing. There is a virtual tour experience with video, mannequins, and an interactive career information center which simulates what it would be like to work in special warfare or operations. Recruiters will allow “potential enlistees” to have their photo taken so they can see what they would look like in uniform.

The Navy UDT-SEAL Museum preserves the history of the Navy SEALs and their predecessors, which included the Underwater Demolition Teams, Naval Combat Demolition Units, Office of Strategic Services Maritime Units and Amphibious Scouts and Raiders. Location: 3300 North A1A North Hutchinson Island, Fort Pierce. Admission: FREE for museum and parking. Tel: 772-595-5845 www.navysealmuseum.com

When we’re on the road, we are invited to be guests on the many television and radio stations along our route. Since most of you would not be in the viewing area of these shows, we have decided to give you a glimpse of what our husband-wife team is like outside of our car. Here is the link to our WYPR Baltimore interview where we had fun for a whole hour talking with Dan Rodricks (and he gave us a great tip for a bakery on an exit for our next book!). Next stop: reality TV show???

Don't forget that other radio and TV interviews can be seen on our site at www.drivei95.com/photo_gallery.html , as well as some of our YouTube videos.