As the weather gets colder, I’ve been pulling my quilts out of the closet and getting them on the beds in the house. Most of my quilts were made by family members, and have great meaning in both the design and the love and care that went into making them. Quilting is an art form that also shares a history – of a family, a community, a culture, or a country. The International Quilt Study Center & Museum is dedicated to the preservation, study and exhibition of quilts and to sharing the resources with the public. On display you’ll find a selection of approximately 50-75 quilts. In addition to the permanent galleries, you’ll find rotating current exhibits include. The Museum is located at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (1523 North 33rd Street, Lincoln, Nebraska) and is open Tuesday – Saturday […]
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Hauntings at Boston University
Haunting stories come out during Halloween time, and some interesting ones come from college campuses. Whether they’re reports of true paranormal activity, or merely urban legends, I’ll let you decide. Boston University students, both former and current, have had their share of haunting habitats, with two sites rumored to be sources of paranormal activity. Of course, this time of year the re-telling of these stories and legends circulate a little more widely! The Charlesgate Hotel (20 Myrtle Street, Beacon Hill area of Boston) was built in 1891, and since the beginning has been rumored to be a site for paranormal activity. Once a Boston University dormitory, and later a dorm for Emerson college, there were many reports filed by students who claimed the building was haunted during the 1970-90’s. Today, as the Charlesgate, an upscale residential property, the rumors seem […]
Read MoreBack to Basics: Find a Cheap Meal on a College Campus
It the food part of your travel budget is running a little low, but you just can’t face one more trip to the local grocery store for bread and peanut butter, try heading to a nearby college campus to find a hot meal for a reasonable price. While many students take their meals in their dorm dining halls, most campuses still have other student dining facilities. Whether it’s a snack bar, cafe, full restaurant or bar, the prices are geared to a student budget. Of course, the food is geared to a student palate as well, but if you’ve been subsisting on a diet of cold snacks, a burger may seem pretty darn tasty. Most non-dorm dining facilities are open to the greater campus community – meaning visitors as well as students. Plan on using cash, as not all accept […]
Read MoreNorman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts
A couple hour drive west of Boston, nearly to the New York state line in Stockbridge, is the Norman Rockwell Museum. The site was Rockwell’s home for the last 25 years of his life, and was turned into a museum housing over 700 of his paintings, drawings and studies (the largest collection in the world), along with a huge collection of personal artifacts. Rockwell is perhaps best known for his 321 Saturday Evening Post covers, with his first in 1916, “Boy with Baby Carriage.” His inspiring “Rosie the Riveter” and “Four Freedoms” series remain lasting visual tributes to World War II, and his holiday images take us back to a kinder, gentler era. Although many art critics and historians do not consider Rockwell a “serious” artist, there can be no doubt of his immense public popularity, and he is one […]
Read MoreA Monument to “Crazy Judah”
One morning I get up and I’m on the west coast, and when I go to bed that night I’m on the east coast. And I think nothing of it. So it’s easy to forget that at one time cross the country wasn’t quite so easy! The Theodore Judah Monument in Sacramento (Second & L Streets), celebrates a time when we crossed the country by railroad. Judah was the engineer responsible for creating the plan that became the Transcontinental Railroad. So set was he on seeing this plan come to fruition that he became single-minded in his focus on this seemingly impossible project that he became known as “Crazy Judah.” If your in downtown Sacramento, take a minute and look at this monument – before you head off on that transcontinental flight! Photo credit: flickr _____________________________________________
Read MoreDenver Botanic Gardens are Even Greener
About ten minutes east of downtown Denver are 23 acres of gardens and plants that will make you feel like your much further away from the concrete of the city. The Denver Botanic Gardens (1005 York Street, Denver) contain 45 gardens and over 32,000 plants. (I discovered the York Street gardens while on a shopping expedition; they are very near the Cherry Creek Mall.) The gardens represent a wide range of gardening styles and plant collections, covering diverse parts of the world. It’s an interesting blend or culture with flora and fauna. And, because this is the mile high city, there’s some focus on high altitude climate and how that can impact a garden. While it’s hard to believe that a botanical garden can be even “greener," Denver seems to have done it with the city’s first green roof. It’s […]
Read MoreKauai: The Garden Isle
Kauai is the oldest of the main Hawaii Islands, and is the fourth largest of the islands, and is about a 100 miles from Oahu. Often referred to as the “Garden Isle,” Kauai is one of the wettest spot in the world, with an annual rainfall of 460 inches. I’m most familiar with the town of Lihue, on the southeast coast of Kauai. Most visitors, however, may be more familiar with Waimea, once the capital of the island, and the first place in Hawaii visited by Captain James Cook. While there’s still beaches and sand, the lushness of Kauai lends itself to lots of other outdoor activities. To learn more about Kauai, and all the other Hawaiian Islands, head over to The Hawaii Traveler, and read what Jody has to say about one of the top vacation spots in the […]
Read MoreTake a Venetian Gondola Ride in Las Vegas
No, it’s not Venice. It’s the Gondola ride at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Okay, it’s a little touristy, and it’s definitely NOT Venice, but it’s still a bit of romantic fun away from the flashing lights and noise of the casinos. You need to take a break from the fast paced action some time, and this isn’t a bad choice. The gondolas have been fashioned after authentic Venetian ones, each seating four, and operate rides both indoors and out. If your party doesn’t fill the gondola, you’ll likely be paired up with others. The indoor gondolas float their way through the Grand Canal Shoppes, beneath bridges, shops, and cafes that have been created to give the feel of Venice. The ride lasts about 15 minutes. The outdoor gondolas offer a more “authentic” feel (since you really are […]
Read MoreMaking Crime Pay at The Gangster Museum of America
Crime may not pay, but visitors will have to if they want entry into The Gangster Museum of America in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Hot Springs is known for it historic downtown area, and now with the addition of the recently opened Gangster Museum, it’s edgy history from the 1920-40’s is also showcased. After all, back in “the day” Hot Springs was a popular vacation spot for many members of the mob, including Al Capone (in mug shot above) and Lucky Luciano. It’s said that they came for the waters, the healing powers of the area’s hot mineral baths. Inside the museum are exhibits from the town’s history, including artifacts a slot machine and a roulette wheel from the Southern Club, and dice and poker chips from other local gambling clubs. There’s also a Tommy Gun (a Thompson submachine gun), a 1928 […]
Read MoreA Little French Gothic in Newark, New Jersey
The Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark, is an impressive French gothic cathedral with intricate sculptures, bronze doors, and over 200 stained glass windows. It’s about the size of London’s Westminster Abbey – only in Newark, New Jersey. Following nearly 95 of planning, building, planning some more, and changing plans, the cathedral was finished in 1954. The Cathedral was elevated to the status of a Basilica by Pope John Paul II when he visited in 1995. Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart is located at 89 Ridge Street, in Newark, New Jersey. In addition to the Mass schedule, the cathedral is open to the public Monday – Saturday, 9 am – 7 pm, and Sunday 1-3 pm. Concerts and other musical performances are offered throughout the year. Sacred Heart is the […]
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