Fort Knox, in Maine

Did you know that Maine has its very own Fort Knox? It does! They don’t keep any money in it, though. More’s the pity.

Maine’s Fort Knox is located in the town of Prospect, on the banks of the Penobscot River. The fort was established in 1844 to combat possible border disputes with British Canada, after the area was invaded and occupied by British forces during the American Revolution and the War of 1812. Today it is one of the best preserved and maintained fortification in New England.

The interior of Fort Knox in Maine.

Visitors are welcome to explore the interior and exterior of the fort at their leisure, from May 1st through October 31st. The grounds themselves are open year-round for visitors. The recently constructed Penobscot Narrows Tower Observatory, located on the bridge spanning the Penobscot Narrows section of the river, towers 420 feet above sea level, offering stunning aerial views of the fort and surrounding area.

Admission fees for Fort Knox including the Tower Observatory are $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for Children ages 5-11, and children under five are free. The fort’s address is 711 Fort Knox Road, Prospect, Maine. Take Route 1 to Route 174 from the surrounding areas.

Photo Credits (in order of appearance):
- “Fort Knox ramparts” by Calliope on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “Fort Knox hallways” by Calliope on Flickr Creative Commons.

A painting featured during ArtCrawl Harlem

Soho and Chelsea may grab all the attention when it comes to New York’s art scene but Harlem boasts a vibrant array of galleries and museums, minus the crowds.   Artcrawl Harlem rounds up some of these art discoveries with a three and half- hour trolley tour that supplies historical background and a reception with food and live music at the end of the tour. For its second year, the Artcrawl focuses on East Harlem galleries and Spanish Harlem history.  If you’ve ever tried to explore Manhattan landmarks in an afternoon, you know that New York’s long stretches of streets and sprawling layout don’t make it easy.  Artcrawl Harlem’s trolley tour gives you easy with 30-minute trolley stops at 5-7 galleries and art spaces, giving you time to actually peruse the art without worrying about parking or schedules.

For November’s tour, the Artcrawl will visit El Museo Del Barrio, to view Latin American and Caribbean artists from before WWII, My Art gallery to view Colombian artist’s Cecillia Moreno-Yaghoubi’s three dimensional work, Poet’s Den Gallery to witness Michael Lindwasser’s abstract photos, Medianoche for a Czech Republic installation and Taller Boricua/Puerto Rican Workshop to see the  group exhibition  ’Crossing Bridges/Cruzando Puentes”.  A tour guide explains the context and history for each gallery as well as public art spaces and murals.  These tours are exciting and exhaustive, they make a perfect excursion for a New York weekend.  Stay in the area at the Sugar Hill Bed and Breakfast, a restored brownstone with elegant rooms dedicated to jazz greats that hung out in the area like Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald and Miles Davis.

Ending reception at Artcrawl Harlem

Artcrawl Harlem’s Fall tour kicks off on November 7, at 12:30-4:30 for trolley tour, the ending reception runs until 6:30 PM

ArtCrawl Harlem tours are offered in November, April and August

Tickets are $55

Photos courtesy of ArtCrawl Harlem

Is Your Vacation Safe From Swine Flu?

It’s not just schools that are thinking about the spread of Swine Flu.

Travelers all over the world are talking about how safe their vacation plans are with the widespread H1N1 virus on the loose.  Theme parks are of particular concern for families as they debate whether or not to cancel their trips to some of the happiest places on earth.

Places like Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida are known for their rides and attractions.  But they are also home to thousands of international tourists, crowds and close encounters with other guests and costumed characters.  In other words, it’s a potential gold mine for germs!

Rest assured, park officials at most major theme parks are taking extraordinary precautions to keep their tourist havens safe.  Disney World has installed over 200,000 individual hand sanitizing stations across the parks.  Employees are being vaccinated and taught to closely monitor whether guests they come in contact with show signs of illness, and how to respond accordingly with things like costume changes.  (If you sneeze on Goofy, he’s going to be changing his shirt.)

Experts at the CDC say that theme parks aren’t necessarily any more dangerous than any place else, pointing out that there are numerous opportunities for people to catch the H1N1 virus during their normal day to day activities.

There are, of course, a few things you can do to help stay health while you travel.

How To Prevent Swine Flu On Vacation

1.  Consider getting vaccinated. The H1N1 vaccination is available and safe for most Americans.

2.  Talk to your doctor about getting a prescription for Tamiflu before your trip. Tamiflu is a drug that can be taken after the virus is contracted to help combat the flu.

3.  Purchase Travel Insurance. If someone in your party does get sick before your vacation, protect your investment so there’s no hesitation about staying home for health reasons.

4.  Wash your hands frequently. This remains the best way to prevent the spread of Swine Flu.

5.  Carry antibacterial sanitizing gels.

6.  Stay away from sick people. No, really.  If someone is sneezing or coughing, step away from them.

7.  Take care of yourself. Get plenty of rest, drink plenty of liquids, eat right, and take your vitamins.  Keep your immune system as strong as possible so that it’s ready to fight off infection.

8.  Stay home if you’re sick. Not only will you help prevent the virus from continuing to spread, but you’ll fight off the infection faster by staying home and taking care of yourself.

The bottom line, officials say, is that you should take the same precautions on your vacation as you would in your daily life.

Photo Credit: cote on Flickr

Orlando Makes Kids Smile!

Building on the recently ended 67 Days of Smiles promotion, the Orlando/Orange County Convention&Visitors Bureau is offering kids between the ages of 13 and 18 to win an Orlando vacation.

This time Orlando CVB is teaming up with the Florida Film Festival and KIDS FIRST! to give away  an Orlando vacation for four.  The prize includes airfare, lodging for three nights, rental car, theme park tickets and full filmmaker passes for the 19th annual Florida Film Festival in April, in addition to having their short film premiered at the festival.

How do you (or your children) enter?

Make a three minute video that answers the question “Why does Orlando make you smile?”

AND be willing to pay $25 to enter.

Normally I’d warn people to run screaming from a travel contest with an entry fee, but the Orlando CVB is a respected organization that just finished up a successful contest – including awarding an all inclusive trip to Orlando.

In addition to the contest open to 13 to 18 year olds, there is another category for people 19 and over to enter with a short film answering the same question.  Entries for all categories must be received by January 11, 2010, and winners are expected to be announced sometime in February.

Get everything you need to enter the contest at http://www.kidsfirst.org/Orlando.html.

Photo credit: Britt Reints

A dragster at Firebird International Raceway.

My husband is a huge fan of the drags. I’d never attended a drag race myself, before I met him. As a matter of fact, on one of our first dates we attended a “Jets vs. Funny Cars” event at Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, AZ.

Jet dragsters, which are drag cars propelled by a jet engine, undergo a kind of warm-up phase where the driver lines up on the track, then kind of rev’s the engine. The jet “booms” in a succession of five or six hits, and it’s like your breastbone is a bass drum. You can FEEL the percussion in your body. It’s really cool.

(I don’t pretend to have a working knowledge of all of the technical details, here, so bear with me as I muddle through the definitions.)

A dragster doing a burnout at FIR.

Funny Car is a drag racing class in which the vehicles have forward-mounted engines and carbon fiber bodies fitted over the chassis (making them look vaguely like the showroom model versions of the car). Then we have the Top Fuel racing class, which uses a combination of nitro-methanol fuel. The cars themselves are open wheel, rear-engine, with large tires in the back and small, skinny tires in the front. Fire burn-outs are performed at the line, and as they race past the audience it sucks the wind right out of the lungs.

The Pro Stock drag racing class races stock (unmodified) cars against one another. Similarly, the Pro Stock Motorcycle class uses frames built specifically for drag racing, but otherwise adheres to strict stock engine rules.

Well, look at me go. My husband has turned me into a fan! Certainly whenever NHRA is hosting an event, we will typically find a way to attend. FIR even hosts boat drag races, monster truck rallies, VW Bug derbies, classic car shows, and just about every other automotive-oriented event you can think of.

Funny Cars racing at FIR.

We always have a great time when we go, especially in the fall and winter months when we’re not getting fried by the sun. The pits are well laid out so you can peruse the pit area of your favorite driver and maybe get an autograph. Souvenirs and merchandise are all too readily available. Food and beverage stalls abound, so you can get a dog and an ice-cold beer before you settle in the stadium to watch the action.

Ticket prices vary by event – visit the FIR website for the full schedule. To get to the track, from the Phoenix Metro area, take I-10 to exit 162 (Wild Horse Pass) and follow the signs for Firebird International Raceway. From the Tucson area, go north on I-10 to exit 163 (Queen Creek Rd.) take Queen Creek Rd. west 1/2 mile and make right hand turn onto Wild Horse Pass (Maricopa Rd.)

Be sure to wear a hat, slather on the sun block, and bring ear protection (especially for the little ones).

See ya at the drags!

Photo credits (all): Laura Charon.

Swirling Hurricane at Margaritaville

You don’t have to be a Jimmy Buffett fan to be captured by the zaniness of Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville in Myrtle Beach, SC.  Personally, I’ve never been a fan of Jimmy’s pseudo-tropical, off kilter tunes but I forgot all that as I nibbled jerk salmon and conch fritters.  The sprawling, two-story restaurant anchors the popular Broadway on the Beach shopping  district and tops the list for Myrtle Beach  family friendly activities.  Jimmy Buffett fans are called Parrot Heads and the first thing you’ll see are tons of people roaming around in balloon parrot hats. You’d think this was a draw for the kids but you’ll spot more adults wearing them.  The other spectacle that greets you is a swirling hurricane, complete with sound effects and weather forecasts.

Even with reservations, waits can climb to two hours, which can be whiled away at the shops on Broadway at the Beach or at the kitchy  Margartitaville souvenir store.  Filled with tongue-in-cheek references to Buffett’s famous “Margaritaville” song, you can scoop up t-shirts  emblazoned with “Blew my Flip Flop Stepping on a Pop Top,”  signs announcing “Parrothead Parkway” and key chains jingling the elusive shaker of salt.  Touch the mermaid ship mast on the way to your seat and the fun begins.  The menu focuses on tropical dishes like mahi mai, peel and eat shrimp and the jerk salmon but there’s also the cheeeburger in paradise and macaroni and cheese for kids.  But the food isn’t really the point. It’s the party atmosphere that draws the crowds.  Live bands perform pop classic that streams from a stage, reggae videos flash from a screen and a local meteorologist supplies periodic  ”hurricane party warnings.”   The  Margaritaville  highlight unfolds when the video for “Margaritaville”  plays.  Apparently, the song boasts rituals and accompaniments along the same lines as Rocky Horror Picture Show.  Women stand and wave during the “woman to blame” verse and the chorus of “searching for my lost shaker of salt” triggers deafening screams of  salt! salt! salt!  An excursion at Margaritaville is sure to leave you and the kids happily worn out.  Fortunately,  nearby hotels like  the Holiday Inn Express and Dunes Village Resort  ensure that rest is just a short drive away.

A tongue-in-cheek sign on sale

Photos by Rosalind Cummings-Yeates

Orlando Family Vacations

Orlando, Florida is well known as a family vacation destination.  However, one of the common misconceptions I hear from families is that they have to wait until the kids are “old enough to appreciate it” before they can invest in a family trip to the theme park capital of the world.

To a certain extent, I agree.  Places like Universal Studios and even Disney World are not great for kids under five.  They can’t go on roller coasters and a lot of young children are terrified of the rides that are supposed to be made for them.  My daughter was so scared of Magic Kingdom’s Snow White ride that we had to leave through one of the emergency exits.  And don’t even get me started on Universal Studio’s 3D Shrek experience.  (Note to attraction designers: small children are scared of the dark AND graveyards AND ghosts.  Duh.)

It makes sense to avoid these places until your children are old enough to appreciate the hundreds of dollars you’ll be spending in admission prices.

But what if you have one kid who is the perfect age to experience these things and another much younger child?  Can you plan an Orlando vacation that includes activities for younger children?

Absolutely.

Let’s discuss amusement parks first.  Sea World is a great park for kids of all ages.  There are plenty of things for toddlers and preschoolers to enjoy while the older children are whooping it up on the new Manta ride.  Toddlers and preschoolers are certainly old enough to watch the animal shows, including the infamous Shamu attraction.  They can stand in awe for hours watching penguins and whales and manatees.  The bravest and most adventurous little ones will also get a kick out of being able to touch rays and dolphins as they swim in open tanks.

Dolphin and Whale Show at Sea World

Touching the rays at Sea World

The great thing about Sea World is that adults, teenagers, school-agers and preschoolers can all find something to be fascinated by.

Next up – the beach.  I am amazed how many people visit central Florida without ever heading to one of the beaches.  How amazing is it to show your child the ocean for the first time?

There is no minimum or maximum age for enjoying the beach.  Even babies can sit in the sand under an umbrella.  My daughter happily made sand castles and hunted for seashells for years before she got the courage to put her toes into the surf.  As a four year old, she spends hours running knee deep into the waves and giggling as they chase her back to the shore.

Venturing into the ocean for the first time

Children are never too young for the beach.

It’s never too soon to take your family to Orlando.  If you have young kids, just make sure to spend a few days doing activities that don’t require they be confined to a stroller.

Photo credit:  Britt Reints

Brad Paisley at the White House

Meet Brad Douglas Paisley – country music singer, song writer and guitarist all rolled into one.

And now he’s got himself another 7 nominations to this year’s  County Music Association Awards, which by the way – he’s co-hosting again with Carrie Underwood on Nov 11 in Nashville, TN.

Brad Paisley is clean as a whistle – a family guy, and the only thing that keeps him in the limelight (and on the road) is his voice, his lyrics and his guitar.

For country singers, doing the honky-tonks of Route 66 is a rite of passage. Brad Paisley did one better, and got himself instant fame in a TLC special by performing Route 66 (the song) live on a bridge in Kansas.

Being on the road with Brad Paisley certainly doesn’t involve any of the usual hedonistic pursuits that celebrity performers wallow in. So what does it feel like?

He says he finds inspiration on Route 66 from the common man, which you can’t find on the Interstate. The video above shows him with a colorful character who can twist his feet completely backwards. And this common touch that he finds on the road is what helps him connect with his audience while on stage.

10 days on the road with Brad Paisley begins with a special night on Oct 15 in Jacksonville, Fla. Something to do with the sale of 1 million Brad Paisley tickets for the ‘American Saturday Night’  Tour. The couple who bought the millionth ticket were flabbergasted when they were handed the keys to their brand new Chevy Truck. 

After a sold-out show in Tampa, the next stop was a headliner in Madison Square Garden, New York City - where the security was heavy and Michael J. Fox dropped in before the show to say hello. The crowd started chanting “USA, USA” during the performance of ‘When I Get Where I’m Going’ because of the 9/11 tribute on the screen.

Brad Paisley at Madison Square Garden, New York City

From there, it was on to Baltimore and then to State College in PA, where Brad and company lit into the many flavors of icecream available at the famed Penn State Creamery.

The last stop of this year’s tour came on Oct 24 at Uncasville, CT. There was a lot of fun on stage, with pranks involving Dierks Bentley and inflated condoms, and Jimmy Wayne landing up on stage in his underwear.

Bottomline – it’s no accident that Brad Paisley is one of the living legends of the Country Music scene. He’s got oodles of talent, works hard, and keeps it real by connecting with his fans on the road.

If you’re planning to be in Nashville on the 10th of November, don’t forget to add the Brad Paisley-Carrie Underwood pre-CMA concert to your list of attractions. Free admission.  

White House photo - public domain from White House photo stream; Mag covers courtesy Sony Music, Nashville; NYC photo by Ben Enos, courtesy Sony Music, Nashville.

Stylin' girls at the mall.

There are twenty-five days until Black Friday, my friends! Time to get your gameplan together!

Black Friday, that traditional chaotic Christmas shopping day that qualifies as a quasi-holiday all on its own, is the Friday after Thanksgiving in the U.S. every year. This year, plan your Arizona shopping to visit these fine establishments:

The Scottsdale Fashion Square- 7014-7590 East Camelback Road – Phoenix, Arizona. Swank shops and boutiques mingle with great dining and people watching near the heart of Scottsdale.

The Chandler Fashion Center – 3111 West Chandler Boulevard – Chandler, Arizona. Indoor and outdoor shopping, dining, movies, and much more.

Scottsdale Fashion Square

The Outlets at Anthem- 4250 West Anthem Way – Phoenix, Arizona. 90 brand-name outlet stores that’ll save you tons of cash.

The Arizona Mills – 5000 Arizona Mills Circle – Tempe, Arizona. Manufacturer and retail outlets, an IMAX theater, and dining.

Biltmore Fashion Park – 2502 East Camelback Road – Phoenix, Arizona. Open air, upscale shopping at its very finest.

The Desert Ridge Marketplace – 21000 N. Tatum Boulevard – Phoenix, Arizona. A pedestrian-oriented shopping village with retailers, restaurants, and entertainment.

Macy's - Black Friday 2008.

Kierland Commons – 15800 N 66th St – Phoenix, Arizona. An “urban village” shopping concept covering 38 acres of multi-level retailers, lush landscaping, and fountains.

The Borgata – 6616 North Scottsdale Road – Scottsdale, Arizona. Local specialty shops and national/international retailers, boutique shopping, and fine dining. Architecture and cobblestone streets reminiscent of Renaissance Italy.

Tempe Marketplace – Loops 101 and 202 in Tempe, Arizona. THE current hot-spot for the youth and young adults of Arizona. Live concerts, retail shopping, games, dining, and much more.

Photo Credits (in order of appearance):
- “Free Mall Girls Riding on The Escalator” by Pink Sherbet on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “Scottsdale Fashion Square” by HH Studio on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “Macy’s” by NoDents on Flickr Creative Commons.

Last spring, the Orlando Convention & Visitor’s Bureau announced their 67 Days of Smiles contest and promised two lucky winners the chance to visit Orlando for 67 days.  The idea was that it would take a tourist 67 days to experience everything that the Orlando area has to offer.  Kyle and Stacey were chosen for the job and have been recording their trip on the 67 Days of Smiles blog since August 28, 2009.

As a Central Florida resident, it’s been fun to watch all of the local places and activities that have been featured over the last two months.  Of course the pair hit the area’s most popular attractions, including Disney World, Sea World and Universal Studios.  But they’ve also introduced me to things to do in Orlando that I had never heard of, like the Orlando Shakespeare Theater.  I am an avid fan of live theater and had no idea this place even existed!

The 67 Days of Smiles web site has recorded over 67,000 hits and their twitter account has almost 1,000 followers.  The traveling duo has been featured by several media outlets, including the New York Times.  It appears that the promotion has been a success for the Orlando CVB, and the web site is now a great resource for Orlando residents and vacationers!

Photo credit: Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau.