Stone Mountain and Laser Show in Atlanta, Georgia

Stone Mountain - FlagsOn a trip to Atlanta to see some friends and visit the World of Coca-Cola and Centennial Olympic Park, we went to Stone Mountain. It was summer, June 2012, so there were quite a few activities going on, including a laser light show in the evening.  For those of you who have not heard of this place (I hadn’t before our trip), it is a major recreational area in Atlanta, with 3,200 acres of wooded parkland and lakes. In the center of this massive park is a  monument to the Confederacy.  There is a carving on the huge monument which depicts three Confederate figures during the Civil War: Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee, and Jefferson Davis. carved out by Gutzon Borglum, the same person who carved Mount Rushmore in South Dakota.  Thought that was pretty interesting. Continue reading “Stone Mountain and Laser Show in Atlanta, Georgia”

Perrine Bridge – Twin Falls, Idaho. Majestic Scenery

Perrine Bridge - 2 The Perrine Bridge is a spectacular bridge which spans the majestic Snake River Canyon on the northern edge of Twin Falls. It is 1,500 feet long and 486 feet above the Snake River. The four-lane bridge has pedestrian walkways with views of the river, sheer cliffs, the Blue Lakes, waterfalls, and can’t be missed as you come into town. It is jaw dropping beautiful. Continue reading “Perrine Bridge – Twin Falls, Idaho. Majestic Scenery”

Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln – The Cornhusker State

 Nebraska State Capitol - FrontOn a trip to see some friends and visit the State Capitol in Des Moines, Iowa, we decided to spend a few nights in Nebraska and check out their capitol in Lincoln.  The Nebraska State Capitol is often known as the “Tower on the Plains,” and its 400-foot tower can be seen as far away as 30 miles. We definitely saw it from quite a distance as we neared Lincoln in May of 2010. Unless I am wrong, this is the 2nd tallest capitol next to the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge.

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Angell and Phelps Chocolate Factory – Daytona Beach, Florida

Angell and Phelps StoreWe had a nice time in Daytona, even if it was hot and humid. Heck, it was June 2017, so we weren’t surprised, lol. One of the things we did on one of the hotter days was taking a tour of Angell and Phelps Chocolate Factory.  Since we have done the Hammonds Candies tour here in CO, and the Jelly Belly Candy Tour in CA, we figured it would be similar. Surprisingly it was quite different. However, I did find it interesting that Hammonds also started in the 1920s. Continue reading “Angell and Phelps Chocolate Factory – Daytona Beach, Florida”

Trafalgar Square in London – The Heart of the City

Trafalgar Square - 1While on a trip to London in May of 2006, we had to stop and check out Trafalgar Square. It was really amazing, even though it was cold and we got rained on quite a bit. Lol  It is an interesting little square with a lot of history. The square contains a large central area with roadways on three sides and a terrace to the north, in front of the National Gallery. The roads around the square form part of the A4, a major road running west of the City of London. The square was formerly surrounded by a one-way traffic system, but apparently, in 2003 some work was done which reduced the width of the roads and closed the northern side to traffic

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Celestial Seasonings in Boulder, CO – True to Their Roots

Celestial Seasonings - SignAs the world flocks to coffee houses every morning like their lives depend on it, I am heading for my cup of tea. I am not a coffee drinker, but I understand that some people can’t function in the morning until their first cup. I just never acquired the taste I guess. But I have grown a fond liking of Celestial Seasonings teas, here in Boulder, Colorado, especially the Peppermint and Mint Magic, yum. Continue reading “Celestial Seasonings in Boulder, CO – True to Their Roots”

Millennium Park and “The Bean” – Chicago, Illinois

Millennium Park - SignWhile doing research for our trip to Chicago in  I knew I wanted to see some of the main attractions, like the Willis (Sears) Tower, the Art Institute, Navy Pier, and a few others. One thing that really wasn’t on my list was Millennium Park.  I am so glad I read about it and added it to our to-do list during our trip in June of 2016. It was amazing and we happened to visit on a perfect night. I will share more about that and our visit in a bit, but I wanted to share a little bit about the park first. Continue reading “Millennium Park and “The Bean” – Chicago, Illinois”

Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey Tour – Lynchburg, TN

On a trip to Tennessee in February 2013, we met up with some friends and decided to do the tour at Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg.  We had a blast and learned a lot about the distilling process. For those of you who don’t know, Jack Daniels is the top selling American whiskey in the world, owned and by the Brown-Forman Corporation since 1956.  An interesting note, is that despite being the location of a major operational distillery, Jack Daniels home county of Moore is a dry county, so the product is not available for consumption at stores or restaurants within the county. Crazy huh? Continue reading “Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey Tour – Lynchburg, TN”

Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington – Let’s Go Shopping

Pike Place Market - SignOne of the things Gene really wanted to see and do while we were in Seattle in May of 2016, besides Boeing and Museum of Flight, was visiting the Pike Place Market. He claimed the main reason was to watch the guys throw some fish around. I really didn’t see the appeal on the fish-throwing part, but I did want to see the market.  We spent a few areas one afternoon before heading next door to Safeco Field to watch my Angels play the Mariners. We had a great time walking about the market place which I learned opened on August 17, 1907. Wow, I had no idea it has been around that long. Continue reading “Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington – Let’s Go Shopping”

OdySea Aquarium – An Oceanic Adventure in Phoenix, Arizona

OdySea Aquarium FrontMy niece Alex and I had an incredible time in the Phoenix area in March of 2017. We had a great time running around South Mountain Park and the Open Air Farmers Market, but we especially enjoyed our visit to the OdySea Aquarium in Scottsdale. It is wonderful and full of wonder. 🙂  The last aquarium I had been to was the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, many years ago, so I was really looking forward to our visit.  Since neither of us had been here, I did a little research on their website before we left. I found out that they had only been open since September 3, 2016, and was I was excited when I read about all their exhibits. Continue reading “OdySea Aquarium – An Oceanic Adventure in Phoenix, Arizona”