The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, linking the city to Marin County. I’ve written before about the Golden Gate Bridge, but noticed that today was the 70th anniversary of its opening. ____________________________________________________________ Tags: architecture, b5media, California, flight attendants, Flyaway Cafe, San Francisco, travel, travel blogs, vacation, Golden Gate Bridge

Today is Admission Day for Vermont, our 14th state, admitted to the Union on March 4th, 1791. Vermont is located in the northeastern part of the United States, an area typically referred to as New England.  With a colorful, independent-thinking history, Vermont was once an independent nation known as the Republic of Vermont.  Today, Vermont is a small state, both is total area, 45th of 50, and population, 49th of 50 (only Wyoming has less people). Vermont is frequently called the Green Mountain State, although it is unclear where the name comes from.  One theory is that it is called that because the state is more heavily forested than neighboring states.  Another theory is that the name came about because of the existence of green-hued shale.  Whatever the official explanation, fall brings about beautiful panoply of color.  The state capital […]

Today is Admission Day for Ohio, our 17th State, admitted to the union on March 1st, 1803.  The date of admission was actually determined retroactively, because no formal date of statehood was set by the original legislation.  It wasn’t until 1953 that the date of admission was set as March 1st, 1803, the date that Ohio’s first legislature convened.  (Photo above of Ohio Statehouse) Back in 1835, Ohio fought a war with Michigan, known as the Toledo War.  Somehow, my US History class missed this important battle, but as a result of it, Michigan got the western part of its Upper Peninsula as part of its state boundaries, and Ohio got the Toledo Strip.  Located in the Midwestern United States, and part of the Great Lakes region, Ohio is a heavily populated state (ranked 7th in population).  Its largest city is […]

Today is Admission Day for Nebraska, our 37th state, admitted to the union on March 1st, 1867. Located in the middle of the United States, on the Great Plains, Nebraska has a history deeply rooted in farming.  In the 1860’s homesteaders arrived in Nebraska, claiming free land granted by the federal government.  These first settlers staked out their plot of land, and turned the Nebraska prairie into a land of ranches and farms. The state’s largest city is Omaha, followed by the capital city of Lincoln, but small cities and town’s dominate the landscape. I’ve not been to Nebraska, and must confess that prior to doing a little research about it, didn’t know much about the state other than it was located in the middle of the U.S., in an area called Tornado Alley.  I would guess, that unless you […]

Location:  Napa Valley Vineyard. One of my most enjoyable weekend trips is to spend time wine tasting in the Napa Valley (California).  While several large, major wineries are located in Napa, I’ve found that some of the most fun are the smaller, limited production, family wineries. Photo:  Aaron Logan ____________________________________________________________

Excitement is running high in Detroit right now, as the countdown begins for this weekend’s opening of the North American International Auto Show, and the annual unveiling of what’s hot, what’s cutting edge, and what’s in the future of the car industry. From its inception in 1907 (how many cars were they showcasing then?) to the international showcase that it is today, Detroit has showcased our love affair with the car.  Originally called The Detroit Auto Show, this event now ranks with the best of the best in the auto world, holding its own with the major auto shows in Frankfurt, Geneva, Paris and Tokyo.  In 1989 it became known as the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). Some highlights of past shows: 1992 ““ The President of Chrysler “crashed” a Jeep Grand Cherokee into the site through a special […]