As big of a fan as I am of seeing the world, I’m likewise a fan of seeing my own community. So it was with that in mind that I’m staying close to home this Labor Day Weekend. The Seattle weather forecast is sunny and warm (score!), there’s tons to do around the King-Pierce-Snohomish area, and it’s a chance to see some of the things that it is so easy to take for granted. So I headed off to Woodland Park Zoo for the day. Woodland Park Zoo is located in the Phinney Ridge area and has been serving as the city’s zoo for over 100 years. It is often cited as one of the best zoos in the U.S. Today, the zoo complex spreads out over 92 acres, and includes animals and exhibits, open space, a rose garden, many […]
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Hollywood in Ohio with The Shawshank Trail
In 1982 Stephen King published a simple little novella titled Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. It was part of a collection of stories and was hailed as a masterpiece. The novella was adapted for the big screen as The Shawshank Redemption and was a modest hit. . . at least until awards season rolled around when it received seven Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Picture. and catapulted into the stratosphere of top-watched movies. Many people, myself included, had never heard of the novella until the movie came out, but in the years since it’s release in 1994 Shawshank has achieved nearly cult status. The plot is a simple one: Young banker (Andy Dufresne played by Tim Robbins) is convicted, perhaps wrongfully so, for the murder of his wife and her lover. He is sentenced to two life sentences […]
Read MoreSmall Plates Delight at Julian Serrano at ARIA Las Vegas
Last fall I stayed at the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas and became a fan of the LEED certified property. While there, I saw the Cirque du Soleil show Viva Elvis!, spent an afternoon at the spa, and had many fine meals, one of which was at Julian Serrano, a Spanish restaurant. Julian Serrano offers classic Spanish fare that includes hot and cold tapas, paella, and a variety of seafood dishes. My first visit was as part of a large group attending Blog World Expo. Since then, however, I’ve been back quite a few times – both with friends and as a solo diner. The restaurant has an open floor plan, and is vibrant and noisy as guest pass, share, and talk about their choices. If you’re looking for a fun and lively meal, this is the place. […]
Read MoreNorth Dakota Road Trip
Summer is the time of year for the classic road trip. Whether you pack up the family car, RV, or score a discount car rental, a road trip screams out to get away from the crowds and try something new. For me, a road trip would be to places that I haven’t been before, so let’s spin the map of the U.S. and see what we can come up with. How about North Dakota? It’s a state that I haven’t been to, somewhat obscure in the travel promotion department, and it just seems like the kind of place that would make for a good road trip or family vacation. Now, what’s there to do or see? According to North Dakota Tourism, I’ve been missing out on a lot, as the state is Legendary (their tourism slogan). Here are 10 reasons […]
Read MoreArtfully Displayed at New York’s Museum of Modern Art
In a city filled with wonderful museums, New York’s MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) stands out as a real gem – and my personal favorite. From an initial gift of eight prints and one drawing, the collection has grown to include over 150,000 paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints, photographs, architectural models and drawings, and design objects, along with over 22,000 films and over four million still photos, making it one of the most influential museums of modern art in the world. The exhibitions maintain a nice balance of subject, style, mediums, and time periods. It’s the kind of place you can spend a few hours or the entire day, depending on what your schedule will allow. It’s a great place to spend a cold wintry day, warming up with the art as well as a stop off in the cafe. With […]
Read MoreBeach Shopping at Ron Jon Surf Shop
Shopping is one of the top activities for travelers. That’s right, surveys show that millions of travelers want to spend a little time shopping on their holidays. Whether it’s a major shopping expedition, or just picking up a few souvenirs, I’m not certain, but there’s no doubt that a lot of money is spent shopping while enjoying a little holiday time. Being stuck inside shopping while traveling to a beautiful destination seems a real shame to me, but if the Orlando area is in your plans, I can recommend stopping off at one of my favorite spots, Ron Jon Surf Shop. Although there are several Ron Jon locations, my favorite is the one at Cocoa Beach, a short drive to the east of Orlando. This store is huge! It has over 52,000 square feet of shopping and displays, and a […]
Read MoreHistory Lesson at Women’s Rights National Park
Turning on the news these days inundates us with struggles for democracy around the world. Even here at home, there are reminders to be ever vigilant about our civil liberties and individual rights, and I cannot even imagine a life in which women couldn’t vote or didn’t have individual freedoms. But the history is not all that distant. To honor the continual struggle for equal rights, and to celebrate National Park Week, why not take the family to the Women’s Rights National Park in Seneca Falls, New York. The first Woman’s Right Convention was held in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848 when five women organized a meeting to protest the laws and customs that discriminated against women. While those determined, courageous women are long gone, a visit to Seneca Falls today will allow you to “meet” the women via […]
Read MorePolynesian Cultural Center Invites Visitors to Participate in Island Life
The Polynesian Cultural Center is a popular attraction for visitors to the island of Oahu, and with its new Go Native! programs, visitors will have even more opportunities to learn about the Polynesian culture. Guests will be enticed into participating in traditional aspects of daily life from Pacific island cultures like those of Samoa, Tahiti and Hawaii, as they are introduced to activities that include coconut tree climbing, canoe paddling, spear throwing, and what looked to be my favorite – cooking. Visitors will learn about building a traditional Samoan aboveground oven, or umu, and then sample traditional Samoan food that they’ve prepared and cooked with their own hands, and to be a part of the meal preparation from start to finish. Food and fire preparations start at noon daily in the tunoa (Samoan kitchen) at the Samoan village. Villagers […]
Read MoreNational Archives: See Great Documents on Display
If you have a love of history, or want to instill it in others, research the budget flights to Washington DC, and check out some of the vital documents of our nation’s history with a visit to the National Archives. The National Archives is the repository for documents related to the business of running the country, which in turn are made available for public viewing. Thee aren’t some dry and dusty pieces of paper, though, these are some of the most legally and historically significant documents of our country’s history. The most significant documents to me are those related to the founding of the country and, in fact, they are some of the most often visited displays. The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution are proudly displayed in a Rotunda, with the original documents preserved and displayed in glass […]
Read MoreMardi Gras Celebrations Around the U.S.
I’m currently on a plane (yay inflight wi-fi), heading to Shreveport-Bossier for my first Mardi Gras celebration. When I was younger, the idea of partying and whooping it up at this quintessentially decadent holiday had great appeal with all the drinking, parades, and beads. Somewhere along the way to adulthood, the allure faded and the idea of a Mardi Gras celebration had more appeal in my mind that in my reality. At a recent travel event, however, I had the opportunity to meet and chat with some lovely people from the Shreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourist Bureau. I’ve never been to Shreveport, but they shared the knowledge and enthusiasm about their area, and convinced me that Mardi Gras there was just as much fun, while still being primarily family friendly. Sure, there were still some of the traditional activities – parades, […]
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