The Philadelphia Museum of Art is as important to the City of Brotherly Love as it was to boxer Rocky Balboa, the unlikely here of the movie Rocky and its sequels. Rocky, played by Sylvester Stallone, trained for his first big fight by running up the steps of the museum. While a visit to the museum will usually find someone running up the steps, known as the Rocky Steps, merely walking up them gives you entrance to a very special world of art and culture. And yes, there’s plenty of people grasping their hands overhead in the Rocky stance! The museum was founded in 1876 in conjunction with the Centennial Exposition and opened to the public the following year. The current building, quasi-Greek revival in design, was opened in 1928. The museum houses impressive collections of paintings from Renaissance masters, […]
Read MoreCategory Archive: United States
Dinner & Movie at Foreign Cinema
Long the classic date, dinner and a movie usually requires delicate timing. And early dinner and a late movie? Or an early movie and a late dinner? With both choices fraught with potential for timing disasters and arguments, why not do both at the same time — at San Francisco’s Foreign Cinema. Movies, which start at dusk, are screened in the covered outdoor courtyard. Seating is available in the courtyard, inside by the fire, and upstairs in the semi-private mezzanine that overlooks the dining room. In addition to the dining room, cocktails and a complete menu are served in the main bar and on the patio. The menu and wine list, which changes daily, are heavy on California-Mediterranean cuisine, and features a good selection of plates suitable for sharing. If you’re not ready to call it a night after dinner and […]
Read MoreHonolulu’s Punchbowl Honors Veterans
Overlooking the city of Honolulu is the extinct volcano Punchbowl Crater, home to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, frequently referred to as Punchbowl Cemetery, or simply the Punchbowl. In addition to its tremendous views of the city, Waikiki, Diamond Head, and Pearl Harbor, the Punchbowl is the final resting place for veterans of World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. During holidays, the individual graves are decorated with small flags, making it a quite sobering view. Marble slabs called the Courts of the Missing list the names of military personnel who are missing in action or who were lost or buried at sea (in photo above). At the base of the staircase leading up to the Courts of the Missing reads the following inscription: In these gardens are recorded the names of […]
Read MoreHotel Review: ARIA Hotel at City Center, Las Vegas
Earlier this month, while I was in Las Vegas for Blog World & New Media Expo, I had the pleasure of staying at the ARIA Hotel at City Center. Over the years, I’ve spent more than my fair share of time in Las Vegas. It’s a haven for conference, convention, and trade shows, and at only a couple hours out of Seattle, it’s a popular choice for a quick getaway weekend. I’m not jaded at everything that the city has to offer, it’s just that I’ve seen most of it and so it takes a lot to impress me. But impress it did! Like most hotel properties on the strip, ARIA is best reached from the airport via cab. The fare from the airport to the hotel will run about $15-16, including tip and the required airport add-on fee. The […]
Read MoreA Little Austria in Montana: Cathedral of St Helena
Seen from a distance the Cathedral of St. Helena is impressive, but when you get inside, impressive doesn’t begin to convey the beauty of the neo-Gothic Cathedral. If your travel plans call for a visit to the area, it’s worth the time to stop off to check it out. Located in Helena, Montana, the Cathedral is modeled after the Votive Church of the Sacred Heart in Vienna, Austria. It was opened in 1914 (when the first service were held), but wasn’t finished, however, until 1924. Although the Cathedral was seriously damaged in an earthquake in 1935, it was reconstructed preserving both the impressive architecture and adding earthquake-proofing construction. It still maintains an impressive and imposing presence in Helena, attracting worshippers and travelers alike. As you walk up its stone stairs, take a moment to look behind you at the downtown […]
Read MoreNew York City Airport Transportation
If a visit to New York City is in your plans, you’ll enjoy today’s guest post outlining your options from getting into the city from the area’s three major airports. One method not mentioned, and I think worth exploring, in the train/subway connection. Do your homework and you’ll save time and money. —- Whether flying for business or leisure, planning transportation can often bet the most challenging part of a trip. Not only that, but if there is something that travelers typically forget to plan for, transportation and parking is often that one thing. Thus, many travelers have to settle for the most convenient transportation and parking options, which aren’t always the most economical. This couldn’t more so be the case than in NYC, which has multiple airports, including the big three, LaGuardia, JFK and Newark. As one of the […]
Read MoreLatino Culture on LA’s Olvera Street
Olvera Street, also known as El Pueblo Historic Monument, is the birthplace of the City of Los Angeles. The block-long street, one of the oldest in the city, features historic buildings lining a traditional Mexican style plaza, and is home to one of the most colorful marketplaces that you’ll ever see. The street was originally a short lane called Wine Street. The lane was eventually extended, and the name changed to honor Agustin Olvera, the first county judge of Los Angeles. Although it became a dirty, unused alley for a period of time, the area was eventually rehabilitated, closed off to vehicles, trees were planted, and a large wooden cross was put up at the south end of the street. Olvera Street officially opened on Easter Sunday 1930, and provided a place for Mexican American vendors to sell their goods […]
Read MoreRevolutionary History at Boston’s Old North Church
Students spends lots of time learning about the revolutionary history of the country, and some of the heroes from that era. I remember memorizing the words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow describing the famous ride of Paul Revere: One if by land, and two if by sea; And I on the opposite shore will be, Ready to ride and spread the alarm Through every Middlesex village and farm The poem refers to hanging a lantern (or lanterns) in the belfry of the Old North Church in Boston as a signal that the British were coming, a signal to Paul Revere to alert the neighboring villages to prepare and take action. The Old North Church still stands in Boston today, and is the city’s oldest surviving church structure as well as a National Historic Landmark. It’s 191 foot tall steeple makes it […]
Read MoreThe Floating White House in Jack London Square
The USS Potomac was used by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt as his presidential yacht, and to this day it is affectionately referred to as the “floating White House.” The ship was a 165-foot Coast Guard cutter before it was commissioned by the US Navy in 1936 and put to its new purpose. FDR hated to fly, preferring to travel by ship or train, and the USS Potomac was outfitted to accommodate his mobility issues. It could cruise along at speeds of 10-13 knots, and FDR would often hold informal strategy meetings aboard, enjoying the privacy and seclusion the yacht provided. Visiting dignitaries were entertained on the yacht, and at least one of FDR’s famed radio broadcasts originated from on board. There were many “secret” meetings held aboard, only some of which have been made public, leaving us to speculate about […]
Read MoreA Garden to End All Gardens: U.S. Botanic Garden
There are gardens, and then there are splendid gardens, and the latter is exactly what you’ll expect and get at the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington DC. The name Botanic Garden is somewhat misleading, as this collection is more than just a garden — it’s a museum of living plants. The site is located on the National Mall, at the foot of the Capitol Building, and is comprised of the Conservatory, National Garden, and Bartholdi Park. The USBG dates back to 1816, with the concept of collecting, growing, and distributing plants from around the world that might contribute to the welfare of the American people. The idea started, and then sputtered, but eventually caught on after the Wilkes Expedition brought a collection of living plants from around the world back to Washington. Walking through the gardens, you’ll likely find some […]
Read More