Boasting over 300 clear nights a year, Kitt Peak National Observatory, located about an hour outside of Tucson (Arizona), offers stunning view of the night sky. Kitt Peak has the world’s largest collection of optical telescopes, 21 in all, and offers a number of viewing programs sure to get you hooked on Astronomy.  Daily observatory tours begin at 10 am, 11:30 am, and 1:30 pm, and last approximately one hour.   You’ll get to see the telescopes from a gallery, and tour guides will provide you with information about the work going on at the observatory.  It’s an informative tour, and the only downside is that there is no telescope observation during daylight hours.  Although there is no official charge to visit the observatory, a recommended donation is $2 for adults and $1 for children.  It’s worth it! The Nightly Observing […]

Fans of Kerouac, Burroughs, and Ginsberg, probably already know about The Beat Museum, and it’s certainly no surprise that the home of The Beats is now the home of The Beat Museum. Having moved to San Francisco’s North Beach area from a prior location on the coast, The Beat Museum continues to celebrate the beatnik generation of art, music, and way of life.  The lure of The Beat is probably as strong as it’s ever been.  It’s been 50 years since Jack Kerouac published On the Road, and it is arguably more popular today than it was when originally published. The Beat Museum is located at 540 Broadway (at Columbus) in San Francisco’s North Beat area (map it). It is open Tuesday – Sunday, 10 am – 10 pm.  Closed on Monday.  Depending on your interest in the topic, and your […]

Every geographical area seems to do its own special version of a hot dog, and for a tasty dog Hawaiian-style, Puka Dog is the place to go. What is a Puka Dog?  It’s a special bun-sized loaf of bread with a hole at one end, pierced through the length of the bun, forming a hole throughout.  Secret-sauces, relishes, or just the usual mustard and catsup, are then poured into this hollowed out bun creating a soft nestling area for a Polish-type sausage.  Take a look a the photo to get an idea of what it looks like. To order a Puka Dog you specify sausage or veggie, followed by your choice of garlic lemon sauce (mild original, spicy jalapeno, hot chili pepper, or hot hot habanero), followed by your choice of relish (mango, pineapple, papaya, coconut, banana, starfruit, or catsup, […]

Most of the 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill, the first major British-Colonial battle of the Revolutionary War, didn’t take place on Bunker Hill at all — most of the fighting took place on Breed’s Hill.  But the geographical error continues to this day, and the 221 foot tall Bunker Hill Monument stands proudly on Breed’s Hill. Construction of the monument was an on again, off again process, building furiously when funds were available, then halted when funds were gone.  Eventually, battlefield grounds had to be sold off to help complete the monument, leaving only the summit where the monument stands.  The monument was dedicated in 1843, with remarks from noted orator, Daniel Webster. The Monument is an obelisk, that is, its tall, narrow, granite sides taper into a pyramid at the top.  In front, is a statue of William Prescott, memorable for […]

The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia is one of the oldest science museums in the country.  Founded in honor of Benjamin Franklin, the Institute consists of three centers, The Science Center, The Franklin Center, and The Center for Innovation in Science Learning, with a mission to create an understanding of, and passion for, science and technology.  I visited The Franklin Institute Science Museum earlier this year when I visited Philadelphia to see the King Tut Exhibit.  The Science Center is hosting the traveling exhibit Tutankhamen And The Golden Age of The Pharaohs, which will run through September 30th. There are lots of things to see at the Science Museum, and while we were waiting to get into the Tut exhibit, we wandered around looking at the other exhibits.  The exhibits are simply presented, and designed for young minds to learn about and develop […]

The weekly Thursday night Villagefest is one of my favorite events in Palm Springs.  The event was originated by former mayor Sonny Bono, and for over 16 years has been the home for local vendors of food, fresh produce (straight from the farms), music, art, handicrafts, and entertainment. Villagefest operates year round, from 6 – 10 pm, October – May, and 7 – 10 pm, June – September, along Palm Canyon Drive between Baristo and Amado.  This weekly event has become as popular with local area residents as it is with tourists and visitors.  Many of the shops and galleries along Palm Canyon Drive stay open late on Thursday nights, and the Palm Springs Art Museum offers free admission. Over the many years that I’ve been going to Villagefest, I’ve purchased tasty local produce, a couple of pieces of art (including one large, stunning, […]

Catalina Island is located off the coast of southern California, about 22 miles southwest of San Pedro, near Los Angeles. It is part of the Channel Islands. The only city on the island is Avalon, and although over a million tourists visit the island every year, the population hovers around five thousand people. When I’ve visited Catalina, I’ve taken the ferry from Long Beach. You can also get there by ferry from Newport Beach, Dana Point, San Pedro, and Marina del Rey. The last time I took the ferry to Catalina, I had a very serious case of sea sickness, so I don’t have a terribly fond memory of the boat trip. I think, however, that it took a little over an hour to get to the island from Long Beach. You can also get there by helicopter. Motor vehicles […]