Finding the Signature Event of a City…

November 3, 2017

New Orleans has Mardi Gras, Washington, DC has the Celebration of the 4th, Gilroy, CA has the Garlic Festival, Plant City, FL has the Strawberry Festival,  Portland, OR has Feast Portland….

What is your hometown’s signature event?  Do you still travel home for the celebration?

When I was growing up in New Jersey, my hometown had something called Fishawack, ok so not as big as Mardi Gras, but it was something my town hosted every two years to celebrate the cultural heritage of Chatham, NJ.  I loved it.  Sidewalk sales, a fun run, art festival, face painting, fishing derby, and an all out celebration of a town that dates back well before the American Revolution.

Where I live now, it is a signature series of events called WaterFire along the basin in Providence, Rhode Island.  Organizations sponsor the lighting of many braziers along the water, originally developed to share the rich cultural history and provide a launchpad for urban renewal.  The celebration is a living and breathing art, theater and food festival several times during the year.

Recently, I went to the September 30th full lighting sponsored by the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Research Foundation to honor all of those affected by the disease, survivors and to the angels who so valiantly battled the disease.  One of the most moving parts of the evening was a Celebration of Life and a Passport to Survivorship Procession from the Rhode Island State House to the basin.  Here are some pictures.

An incredibly moving evening and this signature event captures the spirit of the city of Providence.

This weekend is the last WaterFire of the season and the event will honor our Veterans, current and active service members and their families.  I am looking forward to honoring all this weekend.  For more information, click on the following link: https://waterfire.org/schedule/2017-waterfire-providence-event-schedule/

Local festivals help you connect with the community around you, which we do not do enough anymore.  The local festivals and its sometimes unique and sometimes strange and unusual traditions build communities.  Wikipedia actually has a site to find the festivals around the world:  Festival Guide

New Orleans Magazine put up a guide of must do’s, what you need to bring, and how to act like a local and this guide can be helpful for all.  Festival Guide

Turn off Netflix and get out there and have fun. Together in your community celebrating whatever will bring you to feel more connected and ultimately more loved.

 

The Endangered Sky

September 28, 2017

Having lived near New York City for 15 years, I forgot what it was like to look up and see the stars each night.  Light and air pollution near major cities in the USA mutes the ability to star-gaze.  This is a shame and you could say that our sky is endangered.  This blog post will focus on finding those places to reconnect with the universe and knowing our place in it…

Getting the Scoop:  Finding your Stargazing Sweet Spot

Astronomy magazine has a wonderful website that has a news section describing “The Sky This Week.”  Yes, every season has a different sky and some planets have a summer.  This past summer was a Saturn viewing party from beginning to end.  Head to the site to find out about local events taking place focused on Astronomy.   Astronomy.com

I do have a favorite spot for regular viewing, Frosty Drew Observatory & Sky Theatre in Charlestown, Rhode Island.  The observatory is open each Friday night to the public at no charge (I do put donations in the box).  On a particular Friday night this summer, we could see Saturn in all its glory.  The place is an incubator for inspiring the next generation of astronomers.  Onsite astronomers and enthusiasts are available to answer questions and share their expertise.  Looking forward to “Spooky Stargazing” on Friday, October 27th.  If you want to find an observatory in your area, go to http://www.go-astronomy.com/observatories.htm

You can also check out the Light Pollution Finder to see if where you live could be a place to star-gaze?

From my experience, the best sunsets occur in some of the largest national parks.  Find a National Park

Dark Sky Finder helps you search by Zip Code for the dark places that will maximize your viewing pleasure.  I do like the search feature and listing places by tier for the super sites for stargazing.  It is limited for sites that join their network and it misses the opportunity to have a comprehensive list of observatories.

Using Technology to Map the Stars

There are some amazing apps to support you once you get to that stargazing place or even in your own backyard.

SkyView:  Explore the Universe 

This was the first app that I downloaded and I was not disappointed.  It helps you to find planets, stars, constellations and EVEN satellites that orbit the Earth.  There are all these neat enhancements like augmented reality.  You can use your smartphone to map the sky to truly take a celestial journey and actually know what you are looking at.  I did add the today widget to tell me of upcoming views of Venus and this summer’s amazing views of Saturn.  This app is really kid friendly and you can even share your data and observations on Facebook and Twitter.  Or email…

Sky Guide AR

This is one I paid a few dollars for in the app store.  I describe this app as the tourist’s guide to the sky and it also can make you a time traveller.  By plugging in the date, the app will take you in time to what you will see.  I did like the notifications of when the International Space Station was passing over.  The animations on this app are spectacular!  You do not always need the internet, so when you are hunting the stars away from your wi-fi, it still works.  This one is only available on iOS.

Some thoughts about Stargazing

Recently, I purchased and watched an amazing thirty-nine minute film called “Under an Arctic Sky” about surfers searching out a remote corner of Iceland for the perfect surf.  Chris Burkard, a phenomenal photographer shared pictures of the journey and many included the Northern Lights.  I keep watching the movie over and over.  It inspired me to really focus for the next few months, I need to learn how to capture pictures of the Milky Way and the Northern Lights.  I am ready!

 

for participating in Kraft-in association's House of Carpentrycourses held at the Kraft-in office and showingexemplary performance in the courses taken.

Look up my friends and you might just find your way through stargazing.

Doing Good Work when Traveling

August 28, 2017

As I watched television during the last weekend of August 2017, I was moved to tears watching the devastation in Houston and all of the areas affected by Hurricane Harvey.  Relief efforts will be required for months to help the region recover from the catastrophic storm and the incredible flooding that followed.  Besides donating money to the following organizations, you may want to donate your time.  Here are a few places to donate:

Red Cross

Save the Children

Salvation Army

This past February, I had a plan to go to New Orleans, LA for the entire week before Mardi Gras to enjoy some of my favorite parades and festivities.  Three weeks before, a tornado had hit East New Orleans and I knew I had a few days that I could do some relief work. I just could not go and celebrate the festive season and know that the community a few miles away was suffering.

I chose to reach out to one of the churches in East New Orleans to see if they needed help.  It was easy, the church had a website setup where I could sign-up and they reached out to me with some options for me to support their congregation and neighbors.

 

Pictures from East New Orleans in February, 2017.

How do you plan for doing relief work?

  1. Above all, do no harm.  There are times when the military and professionals need to be working and you may be getting in the way.  By reaching out to a local church, the relief team could identify where my time and skills would best be served.  And I would not be a burden.
  2. Get your shots, bring antibiotics, pain-relief, and anti-diarrhea medication.  Before you go, ensure you have the right immunizations, as affected areas are prone to outbreaks of diseases due to compromised utilities, standing water, and .  Tetanus shots are a must if you will be working with the clearing up of debris or on clean-up duty.
  3. Be prepared for what you will see.  Even during the debris clean-up work, I found myself talking and counseling to some of the locals.  This community was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina and many of the old wounds and fears came out with this tornado. Be strong and hug if appropriate and tell them that they are in your prayers.   Sometimes you just need to hold their hand and cry with them.
  4. Know where you are going to stay before.  Lodging in affected areas can be challenging to come by, as many displaced residents are using the hotel rooms in the area.   I stayed downtown and had to travel in by Uber and bus to the sites.
  5. Bring your own supplies.  I stopped at a local hardware store before I headed to New Orleans to get heavy-duty rubber gloves and other work gloves and a few boxes of trash bags.  The church said they would supply the shovels and other larger tools.  And do not forget to bring hand wipes and other cleaning supplies if needed.
  6. Pack your Lunch.  I brought water and my lunch with me and also brought some treats for the other workers to show some love to their incredible efforts.  Most members of my crew had been working for weeks and they needed some love and appreciation.
  7. Post-relief work.  I collected the names of the crew I was working with and sent them an encouraging card from home.  As it was a religious group, I included a laminated prayer and note of how much their efforts are helping their community.  I knew the crew would need some lifting.
Other ideas for doing good work while traveling….

There are some 300+ travel organizations that help you become a voluntourist, but really think about the work and not the photo opportunities that you might get at an orphanage, etc…  Can you make a long-term commitment and can the work you do have lasting effects?  Voluntourism can help you find those opportunities.

I am a fan of the Lonely Planet series of books and they have just updated their guide, Volunteer: A Traveller’s Guide to Making a Difference Around the World, 2017.  

As Nelson Mandela once said:

We can change the world and make it a better place.  It is in your hands to make a difference.

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The Eclipse that the Clouds Almost Hid

August 23, 2017

If you read my previous Eclipse Planning post Click Here to find it!, you knew that I was planning on traveling to Charleston, SC for the Eclipse…

My friends and I were glued to the evening news the night before the Great Eclipse of 2017 to check out the weather.  Being on the Isle of Palms in South Carolina at the Wild Dunes Resort, our viewing extravaganza was definitely at risk due to a front the would bring in clouds and a possible storm.  But we already knew when booking our trip that the Low Country of SC is a typical hotbed of thunderstorms in the summer, especially in the afternoon.  Would we see the Solar Eclipse totality around 2:42pm?

We lucked out and I will share pictures a bit further down.

But it really got me thinking, how do we deal with disappointments or challenges while traveling?

The unpredictable nature of being outside your routine with travel will bring on some challenges from time to time.  How you deal with these hiccups, cancellations, rain storms, delays, a difficult travel companion, etc… will make a huge difference in your experiences.  And it may even introduce you to something or someone who becomes life changing.

I have a couple of travel challenges that I quickly remember:

  1. On a three week trip to England around my 10th Birthday, it was rainy and cold for all but the last 2 days.
  2. My Mom and I have the same first and last name and on a trip to Charleston and Kiawah Island, Continental Airlines cancelled one of our seats and no luck for a few days to get me rebooked.
  3. My first trip to Portland, OR brought me to my knees or water to my knees with record-breaking rain fall.
  4. While diving on the Great Barrier Reef, I was pushed up against poisonous vegetation on my neck during some rough seas.
  5. A hotel a travel agent had booked for me was in such an awful neighborhood and on New Year’s Eve the clientele were hustling in and out hourly.

My favorite quote growing up was,  “I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.”  from Jimmy Dean. This just has to be your motto when you travel.

First thing to think about when something happens when I travel, am I ok?  Am I safe?  Are my loved ones or other travel companions ok?  In both #4 and #5 above, I really needed help and quickly.  I was not OK.

Obviously, I survived and here is how I did it.  When the on board medical kit did not work, my credit card was able to get a doctor to meet us at the dock and I was attended to.  The wound was cleaned of poison and I had some antibiotics to safely recover.  What about that hotel?  The world has changed, now we can check online reviews and get feedback.   I called my travel agent back then and she switched my location.

Secondly, weather is unpredictable and you do have to adjust your sails a bit on the road.  Buying rain pants or a unbrella and heading to an inside museum due to the sudden storm will help you with that.  One of my favorite museums on the planet was discovered on a morning of intense rain in Helsinki, Finland or a cancelled festival day brought me to my new favorite restaurant in New Orleans.

Thirdly, have a positive attitude.  A couple sitting next to me on the beach before the Eclipse was correcting everyone who was negative about our chances to capture a view with the heavy clouds.  “It’s supposed to clear.”  She spread around her joy all through the afternoon and we had amazing views for the duration.  We exchanged business cards at the end, as she was such a lifter.

Here are some of my pictures of the Eclipse, clouds and all.

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And if I did not get the chance to see the Eclipse myself, I would have been able to cherish some other amazing shots…

Best Eclipse Pictures from the Air

Photographer Mike Cohea’s Instagram

Photographer Richard Bernabe

Travel anyplace at anytime can be unpredictable and we need to adjust our plans and deal with some disappointments along the way.  As I am reminded, many people do not get the opportunity to travel and I should feel blessed with the opportunity and adjust my sails a bit and enjoy the experience.

 

Pick your Own…Mid-Summertime

August 18, 2017

Summertime means heading to the local farm to pick-your-own fruit, vegetables and flowers.  I follow a few of my local favorite farms on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to make sure that I know what is ripe and available to pick.  While visiting the Wicked Tulips Flower Farm in early May, I saw a sign for the farm across the street highlighting their summer’s bounty.  Blueberries, Strawberries, and the usual summer vegetables were on the list, but then I saw the word, Sunflowers.

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My favorite flower is and always will be the majestic Sunflower.  I knew that I would be back to visit the Dames Family Farm in Johnston, RI in mid-July for their fields of Sunflowers.  Pick-your-own Sunflowers, just like in France, but closer in my newly adopted state.

A few weeks before the fields opened, the farm highlighted what you need to do to book your visit and what tools you would need to bring for your Sunflower picking session.   Your own garden shears of clippers and my suggestion, a pair of garden gloves.  They supply the basket.

Cost:  $5 entrance fee plus $2 per stem.

Mom and I headed out to the farm early on a hot summer day and just spent an hour taking pictures to capture the beauty of a field of Sunflowers.  The field was a spectacular backdrop for pictures.

As every Thrifty Weekender knows, one of the best ways to save money is to plan ahead.  How many Sunflowers will fit in your vase at home?  That is what you should pick and pay for.  I knew my big blue vase could handle 7-8 big Sunflowers.  I picked eight Sunflowers.

Where can you find the pick-your-own farms near your home?  The most popular times of the year are both Summer and Fall for pick-your-own farms.  Strawberries, Blueberries, Tulips, Sunflowers in the Summer are tops.  Pumpkins, Apples, Squash, and Gourds can be found in the fall.  And many of the Apple Farms have both Cider and the prized Apple Cider Doughnuts.

Pick your own website…

The Coffee Escape

July 12, 2017

I woke up to some good news on Tuesday, 7-11-17 (in palindrome week).  According to two research studies, coffee will prolong my life.  Could it be the elixir of a long life?

After a long weekend jam-packed with family visits, celebration,  and even a college visit with my niece, I was seriously in need of a few cups of coffee to get through the work day. Honestly, I will travel for good coffee and unique coffee bars.  It is sometimes my gateway to a community and my first stop.

When I get off a plane in Miami, FL, my first stop in the airport is Cafe Versailles for a Cafe con Leche (coffee with milk).  And my future cups will be found at my favorite bookstore in Coral Gables, Books and Books and also a treasure of a shop called Threefold Cafe.

And usually, I try to make my first meal in New Orleans at Willa Jean for the best Iced Latte on the planet (it is the intelligentsia Coffee brand)–see below.

Willa Jean Coffee

I see too many people heading for the big chains and to what they know when they travel.  You should not go to Applebees and TGIF’s when visiting NYC.  Go local to me includes going local on my coffee.  There are apps for this and a great place called Delocator on the web.  I will admit to having 4 coffee finding apps on my phone.  I love the “Cups” app best.

Why go local for your coffee shop?  You get a real vibe about the community and what is important to them and the community board has a list of public events that are up for the weekend.  A good, cheap breakfast is also something you can find at most coffee shops.  You can ask a local in the shop, where they like to grab a bite to eat for lunch or dinner.  Oh, and a good coffee shop allows you to sit and chill for a few and take in the scenery.

The morning coffee drink is not the only one to think about.  Here are some other options:

  1. Coffee Milkshake (Frappe, Fribble, Cabinet, Egg Cream, Awful, Awful, etc…)
  2. Coffee Milk (it is a RI thing, but so worth stealing)
  3. Coffee Syrup
  4. Coffee Ice Cream
  5. Donuts (ok, so good donut shops usually have good coffee like my favorite, Allie’s of North Kingstown, RI).
  6. Kahlua and Cream
  7. Mudslide

Coffee syrup.jpg

On a thrifty weekend away, you need a daily launch pad and do not be afraid to use the coffee shop as your launch pad.  Do you have a favorite coffee shop when you travel?

A 4th of July Parade

June 26, 2017

Fourth of July!

Everyone loves a parade.  And parades are free.

Recently, I found a great list of parades in Erica Owen’s article in “Travel & Leisure.”  Check it out:  Best 4th of July Parades

I grew up in a town that had an annual 4th of July Parade, Chatham, New Jersey.  George Washington slept in a few homes in town during his encampments during the Revolutionary War and Chatham took this really seriously.  I marched a few years myself, but I enjoyed waving my flag along the route and watching the parade as a spectator much more.

This year, I am heading to Bristol, RI for the oldest parade in the USA.  Our day will start bright and early by saving a spot on the Hope Street parade route at 6am.  Yes, it does get that busy and an early start ensures a good spot.  We will pack our coolers with treats and drinks, bring our folding chairs, and lather up with the sunscreen.  And celebrate America!

Where can you find a parade in your area?

 

 

 

 

Following in the Footsteps of Harriet Tubman

June 21, 2017

It is probably not surprising to all who follow this blog, that I was a History and Geography teacher.  I have always been inspired by historical figures who transcend their circumstances, inspire others, and symbolize hope in the darkest of times.  Harriet Tubman’s quotes continue to inspire me.

Here are two of my favorites:

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.

’Twant me, ’twas the Lord. I always told him, “I trust to you. I don’t know where to go or what to do, but I expect you to lead me,” and he always did.

Three years ago, my family spent two weeks on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in the lovely town of St. Michaels. The Eastern Shore is most known for the beach communities of Ocean City and Dewey Beach, but the rest of the region is a agricultural region that cradles much of the DC Metro Area in fresh fruits and vegetables.

During the Civil War, Maryland was considered a border state and the Eastern Shore tended to side with its southern neighbor, Virginia on the slavery issue.  Did you know that the state song, “My Maryland, My Maryland” had a couple of different versions, depending on which side of the Civil War you were on?

I saw references to the building of a visitor center to honor Harriet Tubman when in St. Michaels.   My niece and nephew drove some of the byways on the Eastern Shore to follow some of the markers of the Underground Railroad, but we really thought a museum would help all to understand the brilliant woman who started the movement of slaves to safety.  In March, 2017 the building was dedicated and opened to the public.  I have already started to plan my trip, about 8 hours from where I live.  Here is the info about the new center:

Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park

The visitor’s center is located in Church Creek, MD, about 6 miles to the south of Cambridge, a bustling fishing community with plenty of places to stay.  Check out their town site to get more information:  Cambridge, Maryland

Cambridge does have an airport nearby, but cheaper flights can be booked through Baltimore Washington and Washington’s Reagan National Airports.  A 2 hour or so drive based on traffic.

If you are planning a “Follow in Someone’s Footsteps” weekend, studying the figure is a really great way to prepare to visit the location.  Just because you are on a Thrifty Weekend, does not mean your will not take home inspiring stories of courageous Americans.  Here are some books to think about:

Harriet Tubman:  The Road to Freedom by Catherine Clinton (New York:  Little Brown and Company, 2004)
Auburn, New York’s paper, The Citizen put together this list of children’s books on Harriet Tubman that I feel are worth a look:  Children’s Books on Harriet Tubman

If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If there’s shouting after you, keep going. Don’t ever stop. Keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going.

Harriet Tubman

 

 

 

 

 

Eclipse Planning

June 17, 2017

My usual travel group is a collection of work (current and former) colleagues from around the USA.    A couple of times a year, we plot a quick weekend trip.  The group size differs each time based on availability, sometimes large sometimes small.

We have a wish list of cities and some favorite places, but mostly we choose places based on the cost of airfare, hotels, and special events.  One such special event, the total Solar Eclipse on August 21, 2017 caused all of us to be pretty creative.  First we did research and found the places with the best view on the following site:
National Geographic Eclipse 2017

And here is a great Science-focused website that communicates great sky-watching events for all:  Space.com

  1.  First we plotted the airports within close proximity of the full Solar Eclipse.
    • Portland, OR
    • Boise, ID
    • Omaha, NE
    • Kansas City, MO
    • St. Louis, MO
    • Nashville, TN
    • Asheville, NC
    • Charleston, SC
  2. Used the Hipmunk App to build “Fare Watches” from each of our home airports to these cities around the August 21st date.  Hipmunk will notify you when fares change.  It quickly became clear that Savannah, GA would be the city,  an hour south of Charleston (too expensive to fly to directly).   Choosing a thrifty city to fly in and out for all of us meant, we had to widen our focus a bit. By doing this, we knew the most expensive cities vs. the cheaper options.
  3. We checked out hotel prices in Savannah for a few days and booked early (summer brings lower prices due to heat and humidity).  We also pool hotel points to keep our cost low.
  4. Made reservation within 10 minutes of a prime location for August 20th just east and north of Charleston.  Traffic might be really challenging on the day and we did not want to risk missing the start around 11am, the 2:00ish full viewing, and the partial eclipse ending around 4pm.  The full eclipse will only be a little over 2 minutes in length.
  5. Rental car free weekend points will keep the rental car price low.  This is ALWAYS the most expensive part of our Thrifty Weekend, so we try to avoid a rental car when possible.  This time we MUST have one.

Safety is key for the viewing of a full Solar Eclipse.  We ordered the special glasses several months in advance to make sure we have the right glasses to view.  Even my telescope with phone camera mount and computer hook-up has a solar eclipse filter.  OK, some of us qualify as Science Geeks.  😃

On the day of, we will head to an early breakfast and plan a day to be in the prime spot early.  A trip to a local grocery store and a cooler packed with food and beverages will make this our “Eclipse Picnic/Tailgate.”  It will be hot, so we may have to get a few items like a beach umbrella, etc…

Have you planned your Solar Eclipse 2017 viewing or trip?  For my friends, a few with Science Teacher backgrounds, this is an event not to be missed!  

 

Looking for the Special Spaces to Quiet the Soul

June 16, 2017

When I moved to the NYC metro area in July of 2000, I was overwhelmed by the sheer busy-ness of the entire area.  “The city that never sleeps”, the mantra that NYC lives by, cannot be maintained without needing a spiritual or quiet weekend to restock the soul.

I stumbled across a book around the time of my move, called, “New York City:  The Guide to Sacred Spaces and Peaceful Places” by Edward L Bergman (2001).  The tour book is a treasure with sites from sculpture gardens to walks along the Hudson, to churches and synagogues to a midtown Manhattan butterfly garden.  Places I would have never known about.

What kinds of places and spaces exist where you can go to renew, be quiet, and find peace? 

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Cathedral in Prague, Czech  Republic

  • Churches
  • Public Gardens
  • Museums (sculpture garden, atrium, zen garden and pathways are often found on the grounds of a museum)
  • Atriums
  • Synagogues
  • Parks
  • Bike Paths
  • Retreat Center
  • Memorial Garden
  • Labyrinth (Worldwide Labyrinth Locator)
  • Nature Path
  • Waterfall
  • Library
  • Cathedral
  • Temple
  • Lake
  • Lighthouse
  • Tea House
  • River Walk
  • Boardwalk
  • Farm
  • National Park
  • Forest
  • Wildlife Refuge
  • Beach or Coast
  • Pier
  • Cliff Walk

The following quote really focuses in on why finding peaceful places to just “BE” is so very important.

“Ego says, “Once everything falls into place, I'll feel peace.” Spirit says, “Find your peace, and then everything will fall into place.”