Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Ohio: First Ladies Museum in Canton




Forgotten First Ladies

Jan. 21, 2015 - Sep. 11, 2015
Next occurs on: Jan. 28, 2015 view all dates and times

Event Time: 09:30 AM to 02:30 PM
Forgotten First Ladies is an overview exhibit of the 19thcentury First Ladies who are overlooked by history for the very reasons they were revered during their lifetimes – they were women who remained out of the spotlight but were the backbone behind their husband’s success.  

All tours are guided and include both the changing exhibits at the Education & Research Center & the Saxton McKinley House, the restored Victorian home of First Lady Ida Saxton McKinley.

Tour Hours:
Tuesday – Saturday
9:30 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
12:30 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
2:30 p.m.

Tours last 1 ½ hrs

Call for more details or reservations 330-452-0876


Location:
National First Ladies' Library
205 Market Avenue South
Canton, Ohio 44702
Get Directions


Event Contact Info
330.452.0876
View Website

  

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Hotel Review: Underwhelmed by the Park Plaza Boston

We stayed at the Park Plaza in Boston Saturday night. We needed to stay overnight since we got out of the concert at 1 a.m.

The Park Plaza is a Historic Hotel of America and it looks its age in many ways. There are major renovations going on in the lobby area but our rooms all looked pretty tired. Very generic, think Comfort Inn generic. 

On the plus side, the bed was comfortable and the bathroom updated. Dust was evident in the room, the soundproofing is non-existent and the windows are drafty. 

So, while we slept okay, I would be hard pressed to recommend anything but the location.

Monday, January 26, 2015

Massachusetts: Garth Brooks in Boston

I was at the Garth Brook's World Tour  Concert Saturday night at the TD Garden in Boston. His wife, Trisha Yearwood also performed and there was a surprise visit by Lee Brice. 

The concert was amazing and I would love to see it again, however, never again at TD Garden. They were the worst organized venue I have ever visited. The concert started about 45 minutes late and it was scheduled to begin at 10:30 p.m. We ended up having to walk around a parking lot with hundreds of other people before entering. 

We had hired a limo and could not get closer than 3 blocks to the TD Center and this is the town which has applied to host the Olympics. If a Garth Brooks Concerts shuts down the town, what would the Olympics do?

Got to love Boston but actually, you can skip the Park Plaza Hotel as well, it was pretty pedestrian. 

In spite of all the things that went wrong, we had a great time and I highly recommend seeing Garth and Trisha.

Friday, January 23, 2015

Pennsylvania: Heading to the Lake Photo Tour

This is going to be a bit of change from my usual Photo Friday posts. This is about the lake where were have our vacation home and some of the things we do when we are there. Tannersville is where the antique store, Odd Lots and the Brew Pub are located. It is about a half hour drive south of our home down Route 380.
Lake Spangenberg in the Fall

Antique Mall in Tannersville

We love to shop here

Got to love Buffalo wings

Can you guess it was around Halloween

Fall colors

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Spend President's Day Weekend with a President

A Presidential Weekend in Springfield, Illinois

SPRINGFIELD, IL - Springfield is a true original, offering visitors access to world-renowned historic sites and museums devoted to the life and legacy of our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. The long President’s Day weekend in February is an opportunity to soak up some presidential history and beat the winter blues by enjoying a getaway to “Mr. Lincoln’s Hometown.”

Get to know Lincoln the man, the father, the husband and the politician as you can only do it walking the same streets he walked over 150 years ago. Visit the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, the Old State Capitol and the Lincoln Tomb, among others, and be transported to an era of gas lamps and hoop skirts, top hats and tin ceilings.

Then continue your journey by experiencing a different kind of authentic Springfield. Sip a classic cocktail or enjoy a locally-sourced meal from the heartland of America.  Browse shops and galleries in the charming downtown and relax at a choice of accommodations from intimate inns to full-service hotels.

Entertain your curiosity with a trip that combines the best of our shared history with a spark of the unexpected over President’s Day weekend. 

To book your stay in Springfield, Illinois over President’s Day weekend visit http://www.visitspringfieldillinois.com/Where-To-Stay.  For more information about everything there is to see and do in Springfield call 800-545-7300.

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Belgium: Quick Tips for Traveling in Belgium

Nothing in the world is as good as Belgian chocolate and Belgian lace. They make perfect gifts to bring home. Every town will have several choices and frankly, we tried most of them with delightful results. The prices vary greatly, so don’t be afraid to look somewhere else if they seem too high.

We made our base in Laarne. Van Hercke Bed and Breakfast is the ideal location, close to the highway, within an easy drive of all the cities of Flanders, and a delightful host and excellent bargain are hard to beat.

Getting around

You will need a car to reach most of the cities I mentioned in my previous post. If, however, you want to make your home base in Brussels or Antwerp, it is possible to take the train, the bus, or a tour to most of these cities.

Traveling in Flanders is both fast and confusing. Most of the town names are both in Flemish and French, so keep a sharp eye out. Parking is problematic in almost every city and town. Again, it will be pay and display. Always look for a machine, even if you are parked along the road; there will be one not far away. 

In parking garages, you should bring your ticket with you when you leave your car. You will pay at a machine. You insert your card, and the machine will tell you how much you owe. You can pay in cash or use a credit card. The credit card is inserted into the same slot as the card. Look for the parking signs as you enter a city. The larger cities will tell you which garages have space available and how many spaces are empty.

Friday, January 16, 2015

Virginia: Old City Cemetery in Lynchburg

Old City Cemetery is the oldest cemetery in Virginia which is still in use. It is a not to be missed destination if you happen to be in Lynchburg and of course we were. Usually, what attracts me to a cemetery is who is buried there. Not so Old City Cemetery. It is what is here that attracted me, the Mourning Museum. 
Entrance to Old City Cemetery
Monument in City Cemetery
Gazebo at City Cemetery


Hearse at the Cemetery Center

Of course we pressed the button

Connecting to the Civil War

Inside the Mourning Museum

There was a pest house here.

For more information check out their website.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Africa to Virginia Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation Theme for February


'Africa to Virginia' Theme in February at Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation Museums

 
‘FROM AFRICA TO VIRGINIA’ THEME SHAPES FEBRUARY PROGRAMMING
AT JAMESTOWN SETTLEMENT, YORKTOWN VICTORY CENTER
‘African-American Musical Imprint Weekend’ February 14-15 at Jamestown Settlement

WILLIAMSBURG, Va., January 12, 2015 – February is “From Africa to Virginia” month at Jamestown Settlement and Yorktown Victory Center history museums.  Gallery exhibits and daily interpretive programs highlight the culture of the first recorded Africans in Virginia and the experience of people of African descent in colonial and Revolutionary America.  “African-American Musical Imprint Weekend” at Jamestown Settlement on February 14 and 15 will feature performances by “The Storyteller” Dylan Pritchett, the Northern Neck Chantey Singers and Legacy of Weyanoke.

Jamestown Settlement Galleries

The “From Africa to Virginia” theme is reflected in a printed family guide of Jamestown Settlement’s expansive gallery exhibits, which chronicle the nation’s 17th-century beginnings in Virginia in the context of its Powhatan Indian, English and African cultures.  The parent culture of Africans brought to Virginia in 1619 is portrayed in a diorama that includes a full-scale dwelling and artifacts from the Ambundu culture of Angola.  A dramatic multimedia presentation describes African encounters with Europeans, the impact on African culture, and the development of the transatlantic slave trade.

Other exhibits tell about Virginia’s tobacco-cultivation economy and its relationship to the evolution of slavery in the colony.  A structure re-created from an archaeological site depicts a late-17th-century slave quarter alongside a planter’s house and Indian cabin, also based on Virginia archaeological sites.  Decorative objects of ivory and metal made by west-central-African craftspeople, and archaeologically found objects made or used by enslaved people in Virginia can be seen in the gallery exhibits.

Jamestown Settlement gallery African exhibit themes are reflected in two special tours available to groups with advance reservations.  “African Red Gold,” a premium-theme private tour for parties of 14 or less, highlights the museum’s African collection and features a behind-the-scenes visit with a curator to see objects of copper, known as “red gold,” not currently on display.  “From Africa to Virginia,” a one-hour gallery tour for groups of 15 or more, focuses on the story of the 1619 arrival of the first recorded Africans in Virginia.

Daily Interpretive Programs

At Jamestown Settlement, “Life on the Waterways” at 10:30 a.m. daily in the re-created Powhatan Indian village invites visitors to help fashion a dugout canoe and compare and contrast Powhatan and Angolan cultures while learning about canoes and fishing.  “African Arrival,” a role-play experience at 1 p.m. daily at the replica 1607 English ships, illuminates the circumstances of the 1619 arrival in Virginia of 20-some Africans who had been captured by English privateers from a Portuguese ship en route from Angola to Mexico.  “Weapons and Warfare” at 2:30 p.m. at the re-created fort compares African and English warfare techniques and culminates with the firing of matchlock musket.


At the Yorktown Victory Center’s re-created Continental Army encampment, at noon daily, historical interpreters will discuss the roles of African Americans in the Revolutionary War and the 1775 proclamation by Lord Dunmore, Virginia’s royal governor, promising freedom to people enslaved by rebellious colonists, if they came to the British side.  Representations of a coat worn by formerly enslaved people who joined the British 33rd Regiment of Foot and a hat from the American army’s 1st Rhode Island Regiment, which for a time during the Revolution included several companies of African-American soldiers, will be displayed.  At 2 p.m. daily, the re-created Revolution-era farm will offer a glimpse of the lives and roles of enslaved people on a small farm and African influence on American foodways.
  

African-American Musical Imprint Weekend

Storytelling and musical performances will take place Saturday and Sunday, February 14 and 15, inside Jamestown Settlement’s Robert V. Hatcher, Jr., Rotunda.

“The Storyteller” Dylan Pritchett will present tales of Africa and African-American heritage at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. both days.

The Northern Neck Chantey Singers will perform, at noon and 2 p.m. both days, examples of work songs that coordinated the efforts of African-American watermen of eastern Virginia as they hauled in nets filled with their catch.

At 3 p.m. on both days, the a cappella vocal ensemble Legacy of Weyanoke will take the audience on a musical journey that pays tribute to African ancestors and their history.


Visiting the Museums

Combined admission to Jamestown Settlement, located at Route 31 and the Colonial Parkway near Williamsburg, and the Yorktown Victory Center, located at Route 1020 and the Colonial Parkway in Yorktown, is $21.00 for adults, $10.50 for ages 6 through 12.  Individual Jamestown Settlement admission is $16.75 for adults, $7.75 for ages 6-12.  Yorktown Victory Center admission is $9.75 for adults, $5.50 for ages 6-12.  Children under 6 are free, and parking is free at both museums.

The “From Africa to Virginia” guided tour of the Jamestown Settlement galleries for groups of 15 or more with advance reservations is $16.40 for adults, $6.25 for students K-college, and includes admission to the entire museum.  The “African Red Gold” premium-theme private tour at Jamestown Settlement for parties of 14 or less is $145 per party plus individual museum admission.  Reservations for either tour can be made at (888) 868-7593 toll-free or (757) 253-4939.
                              
Jamestown Settlement and the Yorktown Victory Center are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.  For more information, call (888) 593-4682 toll-free or (757) 253-4838, or visit www.historyisfun.org.

Monday, January 12, 2015

Belgium: In Flanders Fields

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row"

Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae-  "In Flanders' Fields"


To understand Flanders, you need to understand a little about its history. History here began in the 9th century when the First Count of Flanders Baldwin Iron Arm built a castle at the junction of the Leie and Lieve Rivers as a defense against the marauding Norsemen. Flanders became an independent fief owing fealty to the King of France. France was much too busy with its own internal problems to pay much attention to Flanders. It thrived on its independence in the north. The cloth that was produced in Flanders was highly valued all over Europe. This very wealth brought it back to the attention of the French.

A strategic marriage between Phillipa of Hainault and Edward III of England turned the loyalty of Flanders toward the English and against the French. The Hundred Years War saw the power move back and forth between the English and the French. When the Count of Flanders died without a male heir, his daughter was forced to marry the brother of the King of France, the Duke of Burgundy and thus began the rule of Burgundy. A marriage between Burgundy and the Hapsburgs swung the rule into the Empire. Napoleon forced French rule back on the Flemish and finally after his defeat they became a part of the newly formed Belgium. Today there are two distinct parts of Belgium. Flanders where Flemish is spoken and Wallonia where French is spoken.
Basilica of the Holy Blood in Brugge
All of Belgium is roughly the size of Maryland so visiting a variety of cities in Flanders is both easy and enjoyable.

Kortrijk:/Courtrai Home to the Battle of the Golden Spurs this is a place of particular pride to all of Flanders.
Church in Leuven where St Damian the leper is buried

Bruges/Brugge: This UNESCO city is as perfect a medieval city as you will ever see. It is as beautiful as it is war and historic.

Ghent/Gent/Gant; Often overlooked because of it’s flashier sister Bruges, this is a vital and beautiful city that has some of the finest art in all Flanders.

Mechelen/Malines: Beautiful Churches and a not to be missed museum make this a must stop.

Louvain/Leuven; This is the quintessential university city with a fair dose of history, art, and a very famous saint.

Tournai/Doornik: Though technically in Wallonia it is close enough to be included. 

Where to stay: Van Hercke bed and breakfast



Thursday, January 8, 2015

Flashback Thursday : What is not included in cruise prices



Cruising is sold as an all-inclusive vacation. Before you set foot on the ship, you have already paid for that cruise. The upfront price includes your room, the taxes, port fees, most dining and some drinks and entertainment. While this is indeed all-inclusive, it is not everything that will be available to you and the opportunities to spend additional money will be abundant and varied.

Specialty dining

If you want to dine in one of the specialty restaurants on your cruise ship, you will need to pay an additional fee and have a reservation. Depending on the restaurant, the fees can be minimal or quite high.

Alcoholic drinks

It is hard to escape from the bars on every cruise ship. There is a bar at the pool, drinks are offered in the theatre, the restaurants and just about anywhere you are on the ship. There are daily specials but no matter what form your drinks take, it is going to cost you and it is shocking how fast that can add up. Many people have been stunned by the amount of their bills just from a drink here and a drink there.

Spa treatments

Most cruises include a spa and a beauty salon. You can have just about any beauty treatment that you would like to have. On days when the ship is in port, there are often specials offered for the cruisers who chose to stay on the ship and get pampered. Prices are similar to prices for services offered on land.

Some exercise classes

Using the exercise equipment in the gym is free but there are classes offered just about every day and many of them come with a fee. However, if you have ever wanted to try Pilates or Yoga, it is well worth it to give it a try.

Internet access

Some of the newer ships are offering wireless in your cabin, for a price of course. It may be that you will have to use the Internet Café. Prices are very high on most cruise lines but if you want to stay in touch, it is a necessary expense.

Soda

If you are a soda drinker, the best thing that you can do is to purchase a soda pass. This will allow you to drink as much as you would like for a set fee. Ice tea is free as is tap water.

Excursions

Any time that you are in port you have the option to take a variety of excursions. You can have a great cruise without excursions but most people don’t take that option. Excursions can be anything from a boat tour to an encounter with dolphins. The prices vary accordingly. If you are like most cruisers, you will take several excursions and if there are two of you, double the price.

Casino games

If you are a repeat cruiser,  you may get some token money to get your gambling juices flowing but you will need to have a line of credit to gamble.

Bingo

One of the most popular games on the cruise circuit is bingo and it can cost you a pretty penny to take a chance at winning the big jackpot.

Specialty coffee

Most cruise ships have a coffee bar. You can get your daily fix of latte, espresso or macchiato but you will have to flash your card to get these special treats. When you are dining in the main dining room or at the buffet, you will be able to drink coffee or tea for free but not special coffee drinks.

Tips

These days, many cruise lines are adding the tip automatically onto your bill when you leave the cruise. This can add up to several hundred dollars. When you consider the level of service that you receive on a cruise, it is well worth treating your cabin steward, waiters and just about everyone on the ship to a tip.

Most of the additional costs that are not included in the price of your cruise are optional. You could have a very nice cruise without spending an additional dime, except on the tips. Chances are however, that you won’t.