The Fight To 50

First, I owe you all a major apology. Not only have I not gotten to really travel in MONTHS, I haven't posted anything here in weeks and weeks. I will make much better efforts to keep this blog updated from now on.

With that being said, I have to admit I'm getting a little nervous. I'm more than a year in, and still haven't cracked ten states...or have I? According to some who set travel goals (such as visiting all 50 states) all you need to count is eating a meal in a state, staying a night there, or like myself, have memorable moments there. You can read the complete Fox News article here.

I have chosen that any visitations I had prior to August 2011 don't count, and that I have to have what the article calls "National Geographic moments" in order to be included in my blog. For multiple reasons my previous rapid pace has been greatly slowed, but I'm still hopeful that I will reach my goal by August 2016! While end of the year travel plans fizzled out (I was supposed to get to both northern Florida and Ohio by year's end), next year I am (planning!) to get to Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Alaska for various conventions and family/friend events, let alone any other random trips I may be able to take.

Thank you for bearing with me and for all of your support and feedback!

Stupid Stamps!

Remember I ordered up these nifty postcards to send to all the locations I'd visited during my journey? Well, I went to the post office the other day to buy more postcard stamps as I was about to run out... and learned that in January the cost of mailing a post card went up! All this time I'd been mailing post cards- and not knowing I wasn't paying enough postage! And I've gone quite a few places this year, I feel so terrible about this! One of my Twitter followers (follow me! @50states5years) told me that they may have still been delivered but that there would be postage due once the places I'd gone to collected their mail, if that was the case. In reality, I know that means none of my 2012 cards sent were received, and this saddens me a little bit. Well, at least now I know.

In the meantime, I'm busy planning the next twelve months, and I have to say it's actually a bit overwhelming to try and cover each state by August 31, 2016 but I'm determined to get it done! I will get to Ohio and the Florida panhandle by the end of this calendar year, and will try to squeeze in West Virginia if the winter doesn't get too crazy too soon. 2013 already promises trips to Georgia, Illinois, and Massachusetts and a sincere effort to make a trip to Alaska with my godmother at some point as well.

Hope all is well, and I'll be back soon!

Pennsylvania - Oram's Donut Shop

First of all, I owe you all the biggest of apologies. I haven't posted since July- and that is not acceptable! I hope you all can understand that while I may not have been posting, I have kept this journey in my heart and on my mind nearly everyday- to the friendly annoyance of anyone who asks about me traveling anywhere. In order to make my postings not only more frequent, but easier for me to manage, I've decided to make a few changes to how I am approaching the blogging of my journey. First, gone are the super long posts about each destination. I think that although they are overall interesting, they can take a while to read. Also, rarely do I get to go someplace and do everything in one trip. The Part I, II, III, etc. seemed a little too formal, so I've decided to just blog about each place as I get to them. With that being said...

ORAM'S DONUT SHOP

I was watching PBS (that's the Public Broadcasting Station for my international readers) with my grandmother, and being in Pittsburgh, many of the shows we see focus on the history and culture of Southwestern Pennsylvania (to my delight!) One of the shows had a segment about this small bakery, and there were lots of people on the show who praised the shop, it's staff, donuts, and most of all it's famous cinnamon rolls. I was determined that I was going to try them for myself!

Normally, I rely on Google Maps to show me the public transportation directions to places once I'm close to a site I want to visit, but Oram's is not in the same county as Pittsburgh, and the county it is located in (Beaver County) does not yet have it's transit system uploaded to their database. After a few calls to the bakery and the Beaver County Transit Authority I determined which bus I needed to take from the city (Route 1, which only comes into the city Monday-Friday) to make the nearly two hour trek to Oram's. The good news- it was a coach bus and not a standard public transportation bus.

Inside Oram's Donuts

Once I arrived to downtown Beaver Falls (well, I assume it was their downtown) I was immediately drawn to all of the extra old but beautiful buildings. Didn't get to snap any pictures of them, but for all of my fellow old building lovers, it would be an amazing walk-thru trip. I went straight into Oram's, which was a lot smaller than I thought it was going to be based on the TV show, and completed my order. See, I went there on a Friday, and their website said that it's best to call ahead on Fridays and Saturdays to place an order and make sure that there will be donuts available as they tend to run out after the morning. I called ahead and requested that six of their famous (gigantic) cinnamon rolls be held for me, and I would pick out my remaining six once I arrived and could see them for myself. I'm glad I did that because just as the woman came from the back with my large white box half filled with the cinnamon rolls, two different customers were saddened to find out that my six were the last six of the day. The remaining donuts were pretty slim pickings as well, so I picked two each of the three flavors that had the smallest numbers- to me meaning that they were the most popular ones. That left me with Glazed, Pumpkin Cake, and Vanilla Cream. My box was packed up, and I lugged (yes LUGGED- that box was heavy!) my donuts home.

My donuts!

The Vanilla Cream was good, but a little too sweet for my personal tastes (but I'm highly picky about my vanilla cream so don't let that influence you too badly! It had a wonderful true-vanilla flavor and a creamy texture), and the Glazed and Cinnamon Rolls were delicious warmed up in the microwave. My favorite were the Pumpkin Spice, that had just the right balance of flavors to keep the flavorful and moist! Be sure to check out the entire menu- because they have quite a few flavors that I wasn't able to try (sounds like another trip will be in order someday...) I spent $11.50 on the dozen donuts, and the Beaver County bus was $2.75 each way (side note- that has to be the FRIENDLIEST driving staff I've ever experienced! The drivers knew ALL of their regular passengers names, and called ahead if they thought they would miss another route at the county transit station to ask the bus to wait because they had passengers who would need to transfer. Amazing service!)

You can see the rest of the photo's from my trip to Oram's (as well as all the photos from all of my adventures) on my Facebook page and related pics on my Pinterest page. Follow me on Twitter and feel free to send me your comments, questions, and suggestions!

Thank you for reading, and I'll see you next adventure!

Go Team USA! 2012 Olympics

Just realized this is the only Olympic Games that will take place during my five year quest. I don't have much else to say except I thought it fitting to show my support for all the athletes in the Olympics, and especially cheer for my homeland, the United States!

This website I found gives information about our Olympic team, and what states they are from! Hope you enjoy!

Team USA

Handling Airline Complaints

I had such a horrible experience with my last plane trip, I actually made a YouTube video about it. Rather than rehash all the irritating details of that experience, I decided to write a post about how to handle airline complaints if you ever need to make one. I found two articles online that dealt with this, but I've also summarized them below.

What Airlines Do When You Complain

How to Complain About Your Airline Service

1. When writing a complaint, try to keep your emotions out of the situation, and stick to the facts. You are more likely to be taken care of with respect when the person reading your complain does think you are a raving lunatic. (That actually applies to all areas of life...but I'm a travel blogger, not a life coach...moving on...)

2. Be specific...and realistic...about what you would like for compensation. Delays suck, but an hour delay (unless it completely ruins your connections/travel arrangements) aren't at the same level as lost luggage or a flight cancellation. Your request should be comparable to the annoyance you suffered.

3. Threatening the airline to never fly them again generally doesn't work. This isn't a bank or cable company- it sounds cold but losing one customer generally won't hurt their business the way you think it would. They have no incentive to spend money on righting a situation once you've sworn you will never step foot on their planes again.

4. Spamming the employees (especially CEOs) of an airline with your complaint letter will not get your problem solved faster. It will only get forwarded to the complaint department anyway. Let them decide if it must be escalated to a higher level staff member. If you aren't getting a response, keep track of how many times you've had to contact them, and let them know that you are requesting a response.

While I do not regret making my YouTube video, I now see the areas where I could haven handled the situation differently, as well as things I did that were ok. Hope this helps someone!

Tennessee - Part I (Memphis)

I'm back! I had an amazing time in Memphis. I was in town for an event filled weekend with friends, sorority sisters, and fraternity brothers, and managed to get my inner nerd fed in between outings at several museums and sites. In fact, I actually had to pare down my list of things to do because of social and financial reasons- but what I found I am more than excited to share with you!

The now-defunct Memphis Pyramid.
Soon to be a Bass Pro Shop (lame!) it was the building I was pretty geeked to see.
I mean seriously, how cool is it to have a PYRAMID in your city?!

Having never been to Memphis (well, I passed through the airport once on my way to Alabama several years ago...but that doesn't count), there were four things that I heard that defined the city: Great music- especially the blues, Beale Street, amazing barbecue, and Elvis/ Graceland (technically the fifth thing I always heard was an abnormally high crime rate-- but I'll keep the blog positive and not dwell on that). For a detailed history (which I found interesting!) of the largest city in Tennessee, you can click HERE, but for the fun touristy things I did in my three days there, read on!

W.C. Handy Memphis Home and Museum

W.C. HANDY MEMPHIS HOME AND MUSEUM

Hidden at the end of the touristy end of Beale Street, the W.C. Handy Memphis Home and Museum, tells the story of W.C. Handy- the Father of the Blues. I was the first visitor of the day, getting there right as the lone attendant/ tour guide opened the door. He actually seemed a little surprised I was there, saying that other than tourists from Europe and Asia, and the occasional school group, few people (and especially not locals) came to visit. Quite sad because it sets a beautiful tone for enjoying and seeing everything else on Beale Street and the general music history of Memphis, and it only costs $4 to see. No pictures are allowed inside, but there isn't really much to take pictures of anyway it's only two rooms big. The first is set up with some period pieces and a few artifacts that actually belonged to him, and the second has pictures and sheet music covers framed in (cheap) frames, and a table with merchandise for sale. There's a bathroom and I'm assuming an office or closet that I was told was added on later. While not thoroughly impressed with the presentation (I understand that money is tight for places like this, but I think a fixtures upgrade and thorough dusting is very much so doable) I loved the story of this place and the important life and history it preserves.

Gibson Factory in Memphis

THE GIBSON RETAIL SHOP AND FACTORY

Another no-photos-inside location, this isn't Gibson's headquarters, but actually their third (and newest) manufacturing plant. The lobby had a piano, a few juke boxes and guitars, and what looked like a rentable ballroom that was being aired out- but nothing super notable. Tours cost $10, sell out quickly, and last about 40 minutes give or take. If you're lucky (as I was on July 14th!) you'll get to see the actual employees working on making guitars- a much more labor intensive process than I originally thought! You walk into a large warehouse like facility stacked floor to ceiling with cases and a rainbow of various guitars. As you are guided through carefully marked off walkways that snake between different work stations, you learn about Gibson's special methods for preparing and cutting wood, assembling different guitar shapes, and getting them painted, polished, and ready for purchase. If you are there when the workers are using their tools and equipment, it gets pretty noisy, so it's best to stick as close to the tour guide as possible so you can actually hear what's going on. 

Sun Studio

SUN STUDIO

You know how Graceland is supposed to be the Mecca of all things Elvis? Yeah, well, I refuse to pay $30+ to tour that place- even if I wasn't on a budget I just think that's a little astronomical. Luckily, there's another way to get your Elvis fix in the city that has such a deep connection to "The King"- Sun Studio, the place where Presley was discovered. But that's not all Sun was known for. In fact, one of the first artists to record there was B.B. King. Howlin' Wolf, The Prisonaires, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and more, all recorded in this building- and there are photos, records, documents, and other memorabilia all over the place, telling not only the history of the physical place, but the evolution of blues and rock by Sun Studios. This was another two room tour (and cost about $13 after taxes), but the second room is certainly the highlight: the actual studio where all that musical magic happened! According to my amazingly awesome tour guide, the floor, wall and ceiling tiles, and reception area are all original. People still record there today, and at the end of the tour you have the option to take a picture with the microphone that Elvis actually used to record with- in the same spot he stood in while recording. It should be noted that while I didn't utilize it, there is a free shuttle to and from Sun Studio that also goes to Graceland. Good option for those of you not afraid of that Graceland admission fee!

Stax Museum of American Soul Music

SOULSVILLE USA: STAX MUSEUM OF AMERICAN SOUL MUSIC

This was actually the last place I went to before going home, and was the only place my friends decided to tag along to. I can honestly say this place was probably my favorite. With a student ID I got into Stax and the National Civil Rights Museum (more on that later) for $18. The tour starts with a 20 minute video of the history of the Stax label and soul music in general. While in the theater, you also learn about the charter school and other charitable work done through the Soulsville organization. Then you enter the galleries, which have an actual old Baptist church (to talk about the gospel music at the roots of soul music), and the history of the genre and label through instruments, costumes, awards, and even Isaac Hayes' blue and gold plated Cadillac that rotates so you can see the white fur interior. There was a section that had clips of Stax artists that appeared on Soul Train on a mega screen, complete with a dance floor so you could dance along. 

Isaac Hayes' Cadillac

Towards the end of the tour there's a room with a huge green screen where visitors can play dress up with costume pieces from the 50s and 60s, and be superimposed onto different backgrounds- including a disco dance floor and the front of Stax with the blue Caddy parked in front (of course the option we chose!)

Entrance to the National Civil Rights Museum

THE NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM

I'll be honest about this museum- it is EXCELLENTLY executed. It's immaculate, easy to navigate, informative about well known and lesser known issues in the struggle for African-American equality, and has probably THE friendliest staff of any place I went to the entire time in Memphis. However, if you've ever been to any other civil rights themed museum (as I have), the only selling point that makes this place a must-see is the fact that it is located at the hotel where MLK was assassinated. That sounds incredibly harsher than I mean it to be- but it's the truth. With that in mind, the highlights of this place for me where being able to look into the room King stayed in, and seeing the balcony where he lost his life. A newer expansion has also purchased the property across the street from the hotel, and allows you to see the gun that James Earl Ray used to snipe King, as well as look into the bathroom he stood in to complete this crime. Very surreal indeed standing in both places, seeing things from both the perspective of victim and murderer, and to be honest I didn't take a photo of either direct view because I just felt it would be a little disrespectful.

Outside view of the balcony where MLK was shot

Another selling point for my fellow museum-hoppers is the fact that you can save a few bucks by purchasing tickets for both this place and Stax. But honestly, you can take a photo of the balcony outside without having to pay admission if you just want to see this historic spot but not pay to go inside. 

Doormat to the hotel

THE PEABODY HOTEL DUCKS

Apparently, in order to be a really cool old school hotel, you have to have an animal mascot and tradition that goes back in history a really long time. My first experience with this was The Jefferson in Richmond, Virginia who used to keep gators in their fountains ans still uses them as a logo to this day. In Memphis, this is accomplished by The Peabody Hotel and it's world famous duck march! Pretty much four ducks get treated like royalty for a few months, and twice a day (at 11 and 5) they "march" from their penthouse, to an elevator, down a red carpet, and into a lobby fountain where they play and pretty much ignore the hundreds of people that photograph and film them (like myself! I even got a picture with their Duckmaster!) The event is actually pretty quick, but upon the advice of a hotel employee, I watched the ducks from the upstairs balcony, and filmed this footage:

My footage of the Peabody Ducks

Mind you, I didn't actually STAY at The Peabody- it's a little pricey. I actually stayed at the Econolodge two blocks up the street, but perhaps next time!

EATING IN MEMPHIS

Okay, so I ate a LOT my two and a half days in Memphis. In an effort to wrap this up I decided to lump them all together. I had dry rub barbecue ribs at Rendezvous- and loved the flavor so much a brought a jar of the seasoning home with me.  I ate chicken and waffles for breakfast at Miss Polly's Soul City Cafe on Beale Street before my Gibson tour. And for lunch one day, I had sauce-drenched take out ribs from A&R BBQ that was actually right next door to my hotel. A&R was the favorite (of the two rib places) of my friends actually from Memphis- who all especially demanded I avoid Corky's because of it's "touristy flavor". 

Rendezvous dry rubbed ribs with slaw and beans

Miss Polly's Chicken and Waffles

A&R take out BBQ ribs with baked beans and green beans

Well, that concludes my time in Memphis. I had an amazing weekend, even outside of the places you see here- I WAS in town to fellowship with my fraternity brothers and sorority sisters. That was fun too, but I'm glad I got to get blog things accomplished as well. As always, check out my Facebook page where you can look at all of my photos and "like" my page. Take a gander at my Pinterest page where you can see state themed pics I gather on the internet. Finally, see all my videos on my YouTube channel, and subscribe. Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next adventure!

How to Pack a Suitcase for Airline Travel

I'm ten days away from my next adventure- Memphis, Tennessee! I have my sites-and-sights-to-see list written out, and friends that are from the city willing to take me to all the favorite food places of the locals- but I'm not ready yet. I still have to pack. Once I figure out which clothes are cute and yet functional for the heat and humidity that I'm sure to face (an important point- check the weather before you go anywhere folks!) I have to figure out how I'm going to get said clothing safely to Memphis and back.

In this age of pricey fees for checked bags, I make sure to only take a carry-on sized bag to keep more money in my pocket and off the balance sheet of some billion-dollar airline. Carry-on sizes vary for each airline, so don't rely on the labels on the suitcase to be enough. You can learn about your specific airline requirements HERE. Not only does this option save money, but it's simply easier to tote around as little luggage as possible than to have to lug around a coffin-sized box on wheels.

So what's the best way to pack? TSA has a few suggestions to help make your trip through the security lines as quickly as possible. You can read the article I found HERE, but I've paraphrased them below as well.

1. Roll your clothing instead of folding it, or worse, just throwing it in the suitcase haphazardly. Not only does this maximize the space you'll have to pack more items, it makes it easier for TSA agents screening your bag to quickly determine your bag is safe and cleared to go on the plane.

2. Because it's a carry on bag, all liquids/creams/gels you pack will have to be 3.4 ounces or less, and should ideally be packed in a clear plastic freezer bag for easy identification. Here's where you have to be discerning. Do you really need three and four different types of lotion for a trip? Will you really use multiple hair gels and sprays, or will you most likely style your hair as simply as possible to enjoy your destination as much as you can? I can hear all the girly girls of the world protesting that all of these things are absolutely essential, but trust me, they aren't.

Personally, I pack my deodorant, a small jar of Vaseline, a travel sized bottle of sun screen and bug repellent if I'm going into hot places or plan to be outside often, and a small makeup case with the lightest, least liquidy makeup options I have in case I need to get glamorous at the last minute. If I need more, I've never been anywhere where I didn't have a chance to get to a drugstore or Walmart on the other end to pick up a cheap bottle of something. Since I usually will be in a hotel (or cruise ship), I use the complimentary lotion and toothpaste there if need be. Are there times I wish I had a specific body splash or eye shadow or face cream that I can just SEE laying on my dresser while I'm away someplace? Sure! But you learn to make it work.

3. Pack shoes on top on your clothes. Sounds like asking to get your clothes dirty, I know. If the soles of your shoes are THAT dusty before you leave, take a moment wipe them off or put them in plastic bags before resting them on top. You can tuck odds and ends into the shoes to help save packing space, and if you use bags to wrap them in, they can serve as dirty laundry bags for your return trip. Also, arrange shoes as if you are playing a game to stiletto Tetris. Don't be married to the idea that the shoes HAVE to be next to each other if placing them in opposite corners makes better sense to pack. It's a small suitcase, I promise you'll easily find them once you reach your destination.

On that same note, pack shoes that "go" with a variety of outfits. The fewer shoes you need to take, the easier it will be to pack because you'll need fewer items. If it's practical, wear the largest/clunkiest pair to the airport to make more room in your suitcase (for example, wear your Nikes to travel in, but leave the flip flops in the bag since they take up less room).

4. If you are carrying heavy things like books (remember those you Nook-sters?) or a laptop, try to spread them out in the suitcase to help evenly distribute the weight and keep balance in your suitcase. It will also help prevent objects from getting crushed. Remember to keep them as close to the top as possible.

5. Don't pack prohibited items. It seems like this would be common sense, but I've seen first hand how surprised people are when they can't take scissors or metal nail files on their trips. If in some crazy universe someone could take whatever it is your debating about and use it as a weapon-- best to leave it at home.

I hope these tips have been helpful. I can't WAIT to see Memphis and report back to you what I see. Also, I didn't forget about my Miami transportation vlog...I recorded it with my webcam, but at some point the audio and video fall out of sync, and I've been having a heckuva time correcting it-- I may just have to rerecord it.

Happy (early) Independence Day! Safe travels, and you'll hear from me soon!

How To Travel With Others

I follow a few travel blogs and sites for different ideas, inspiration, advice, etc. from my fellow wanderlusts- and not all of them deal with strictly US travel. One such site is www.traveldudes.org where I read this article about choosing travel buddies wisely- and on making traveling with buddies easier and not a terrible experience.

I felt compelled to share it with you guys because often I find friends (all with the best of intentions!) suggesting things that either sound boring, horrible, not relevant to the point of my blog, or some combo of the three. Now, some suggestions have been awesome (like white water rafting in West Virginia!), but, to me, it's not worth it to plan and travel to eat at chain restaurants and shop in cookie cutter malls. I am the nerd who actually LIKES touristy things, museums, old houses, and memorials. As I learned in Miami (when my travel partner lost her cool and snapped on me and made me feel rushed and flustered until we separated!), not everyone is into the same things. She wanted to go to the beach and dance and party all day- fun!- but not what I was about to waste my time on. I say this to say KNOW THE TYPE OF PERSON YOU ARE TRAVELING WITH, AND MAKE SURE BOTH OF YOU ARE ABLE TO BE FLEXIBLE IN YOUR ACTIVITIES.

Here's where I mention my best friend and I. We too have different personalities in travel- but not so much in activity as we do in how we like to spend our time. I like to plan ahead. Google, travel guides, word of mouth, pop culture, and other resources are my travel bibles! Not only do I like to know what I should do, I like to know how far apart everything is from each other, and since I am the queen of public transportation, I want to know what buses/trains/walkways, etc., take me to my destination, how much they cost and how long the journey will be. And I like to hustle. I don't spend 5 hours in one location- two to three hours MAXIMUM and I'm ready to go unless the place is just truly that huge or that interesting. She, however, tends to plan very little in advance so long as she has a general concept of where she will be, loves to spend long hours absorbing the "atmosphere", and will pay for a cab in a heartbeat if it means getting there faster or avoiding weather. Oh yes, we tend to butt heads while traveling (and even prep each other and ourselves for the arguments we KNOW are going to occur), but we are still BFFs! We know each other, and we know how to make it work-- we don't want to be stranded someplace and not able to help ourselves because we are angry about how much time we spent in a cafe lol! Again, I say, KNOW WHO YOU ARE TRAVELING WITH AND LEARN TO BE FLEXIBLE!

Mind you, I've had great travel experiences- like my journey to Annapolis with my friend Alicia for one. We had an awesome time, so it IS possible to have a great travel partner-- but better safe than sorry!

Florida - Part I (Miami)

After three months of waiting for my next adventure into my homeland, I am finally able to present a new installment into my personal journey: a brief visit into Miami, Florida!

Settled by Americans in 1825, and formally incorporated in July 1896, the city has roots that go back thousands of years when the area was inhabited by the Tequesta Native Americans,  the 1560s when it was claimed by the Spanish, and 1763 when the Spaniards surrendered the area to the British. Miami is the largest metropolitan area in the southeastern United States, and the fifth largest metro region in the entire country. It is also the number one passenger cruise-line port, and just like in my visit to Puerto Rico, it was a cruise to another country (this time the Bahamas with my two sisters and oldest niece) that brought me to the city. I spent one day before and one day after the cruise in the city, and here's what I saw:

A fountain at the Lincoln Road Mall

LINCOLN ROAD MALL

     I only spent about two hours or so in this area of Miami with my sisters and my niece, but I will say it seemed to be a very happening place! There were lots of chain stores (like Victoria's Secret, MAC, etc) and a few specialty boutiques, so if you just want to be able to say you bought something in Miami but not be pressed about if it is reflective of the culture or region or if it is overly catered to tourists, this is where you would go. Lots of folks walking dogs, sitting at the ample outdoor seating in many of the restaurants, and a few people with creative hustles that were very entertaining (for example, I gave a dollar to a man who was painted and dressed in all white holding an all white guitar and not moving, who would dance and move to Elvis songs when you dropped a dollar in his guitar case). I had sangria and chicken fajitas with my family at The Cafe at Books & Books. Laughed, sang, danced around, and enjoyed my evening there.

Alligators in part of the Everglades

EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK

     What else can one say about the Everglades but "Wow!" One of America's most famous natural wonders, it is the third largest National Park. I took an airboat ride and tour at the Everglades Safari Park as a post-cruise excursion, and I learned a lot about the Everglades, including that the Everglades are not a swamp like many people think, but actually a massive slow moving river system. Water from Lake Okeechobee flows into the Everglades at a rate of about a mile each day, and the water is optimally around two feet deep most of the time.

     As we lined up to board our airboats (which we were told do minimal damage to the park because they literally float on top of everything- the water, sawgrass, and even harmlessly over animals!), Hector, one of the two dominant male alligators, and about ten different birds of varying species greeted us at the walkway towards the vessels. We were given earplugs to drown out the sound of the loud engines (and you need them!) and were on our way! At first, we went pretty slow as the airboat operator told us random facts about the park (sawgrass is edible and looks like a small onion at it's roots! String lilies are one of many flowers and plants native to the Everglades!) but we sped up to about 50 mph as the tour went on. It was surprisingly fresh smelling and cool out on the water, and there was no shortage of birds, gators, turtles, and other animals to see and take photos of.

     

     After the thirty minute airboat tour, we got to see an alligator show hosted by a man named Jeff who told us how to differentiate between alligators, crocodiles, and the rare caimans. He also showed us how quickly and powerfully their jaws can snap shut, and after a few more demonstrations and factoids, allowed us to take pictures holding a "baby" alligator named Snappy (of all things!) Probably the coolest thing I've done so far this year!

Me holding Snappy...and Jeff nearby in case he lives up to his name!

     Also on site at this particular part of the Everglades was a short walking tour with pens holding different types of gators, crocs, and caimans, and a small circular one room "museum" with Native American crafts and histories, and tanks with snakes, turtles, and baby alligators. It was dark, cobweb riddled, and looked like it hadn't been visited in months if not years. But if you could look past it's shabby presentation, the information included was quite interesting!

The Versailles Restaurant in Little Havana, Miami

VERSAILLES RESTUARANT

     After the Everglades excursion, I was dropped off at the Miami International Airport, where after charging my phone a few minutes (thank God I keep my charger in my purse!), I caught the 37 South Miami Station bus and after about a 10 or 15 minute ride, found myself a block away from what Lonely Planet, Yelp, and my friends who are from the Miami area all say is the best Cuban cuisine in South Florida- the Versailles Restaurant. Although I felt a little hesitation to give me a table and menu, I'll chalk it up to not being everyday a black girl with a giant afro, beaming smile, and a suitcase come sashaying into the place asking how everyone was in Yankee-accented English, but after I sat down, I was totally fine. I ordered vaca frita de pollo - grilled shredded chicken with onions, served with white rice and sweet plantain. The food came out in less than ten minutes (seriously, closer to five) and was THE best food I'd had all weekend! Flavorful, and more than your money's worth, it was all excellent!

Vaca frita de pollo from Versailles

     It should also be noted that they had an extensive dessert menu, and a bakery connected to the restuarant next door, however, because the person I was traveling with had a bit of an attitude, I felt rushed out of the restaurant and didn't get to try any of those buttery, flaky looking pastries. *insert sad face here*

   
VIZCAYA MUSEUM & GARDENS

     My last stop in Miami was the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. In case you haven't gotten the gist of things by now, I have a nerdy fetish for antiques and old architecture. Something about the history of a place or object makes me fall in love with it, it's like walking into another world or time- and that's how beautiful Vizcaya is. Sure, it cost $15 to come in (and sadly, no photos are allowed inside the mansion, but are allowed outside), but I didn't know places like this really existed in America. It was like an old Spanish or Italian villa had found itself lost on the tip of Florida. Since I'm a little tired to paraphrase the history of this gorgeous location, I'll let you read it straight from their website:

Vizcaya was the winter residence of American industrialist James Deering from Christmas 1916 until his death in 1925.  Deering was a Vice President of the International Harvester Company, which produced agricultural equipment for a worldwide market...The house was intended to appear as an Italian estate that had stood for 400 years and had been occupied and renovated by several generations of a family.  It has 34 decorated rooms with 15th through 19th century antique furnishings and art objects. The house appears to be only two stories high but between the main public rooms and the bedrooms, there is an intervening level with 12 rooms for servants and service...Over the years the effects of South Florida’s humid climate and salt air have taken their toll on Vizcaya, necessitating continuous restoration.  Although the house’s design allowed the free flow of breezes through the open courtyard, the need to preserve the building and contents required the installation of a climate and humidity control system, including enclosing the open courtyard in glass. Today we can only imagine how Vizcaya felt as an open-air house, with the sounds of birds and the bay, the sudden rain showers, and the fragrance of flowers.

    

     The house rooms are each designed to pay homage to various European nobility or events, and there is an Asian inspired tea room that overlooks the Biscayne Bay. It had a round dining room table with large statues of a man and woman inside, guarded by four blue stone dragons at the outside door. A giant organ, hidden in the walls somehow, played music that could be heard throughout the house. And whereas before in my visit to Mount Vernon I thought Washington had the best back yard ever- Vizcaya took that idea and shattered it into a million pieces! I literally gasped out loud when I saw all that water, architechture, and grandeur in one place. They were setting up for some lucky girl's wedding, and the staff informed me that early spring and late fall are heavy wedding times for the Museum- and frankly I can see why! Anyone who's ever dreamed of having a princess fairy tale wedding- or even thought they looked pretty- would die a million deaths at the sight of this place!

Well, the photos are up on Facebook, so don't feel shy about hitting that "Like" button, and if you haven't started following me on Pinterest, please feel free to do so. I'll be doing a vlog about Miami public transportation within the week, and as always, will be on Twitter tweets US history facts, and other travel information. Feel free to comment, email, etc., and I'll see you on the next go round!

Date a Girl Who Travels

I happened across this blog entry on Facebook... as a "girl who travels" I thought I should share it here- on my travel blog!

Date A Girl Who Travels from the 'Solitary Wanderer' blog.

Other than that, not much to update you guys on...but there are some big changes in the works! I just agreed to join a blog mentoring group...so hopefully I'll be able to whip my cute little blog up into something fun, professional, and exciting that everyone (including my 1000+ established faithfuls) will want to read.

Update: Where Am I??

Hi everyone!!

No, I haven't forgotten about my readers, or about my Twitter and Facebook pages, and most of all not my blog! I haven't officially gone on any new adventures yet, but I felt I owed it to everyone to at least let you know what the hold up is.

Like I said in a previous post, I moved from the DC area -and my career- to return to my hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to help my grandmother out. I've been here exactly one month, working part time, looking for a full time job, and bonding with my granny. I've learned I apparently get my adventurous side and passion for travel from my grandmother (who by the way, will be 90 in August, and still goes on short trips once or twice a year!) She's told me how whenever her husband (my grandfather who died about 50 years ago) would get too "fussy" she would pack up, go to Greyhound and get on the next bus leaving- for however long she felt like it. She's told me how she had a small group of friends that would travel together, and one of the quartet of women was afraid of escalators (remember, she's old enough to remember when that was a "new" thing so I can imagine her friend not trusting it lol). Folks often told her to just leave this friend behind, but she always managed to coax her either to finally get on or would walk with her to the nearest stairs. But her favorite travel stories are the ones with  her best friend Russ (who passed away a few years ago). They went all over the country (and Canada and Mexico) together, and when I explained what a blog was, and that I had one about visiting all 50 states, she was excited, and suggested places for me to try.

I've been getting a TON of brochures, pamphlets, and other information from all over the country (most notably Texas and Ohio by volume...) with things to do in their neck of the woods. It is slightly overwhelming, but there is a lot of good information within them. I just cringe a little when I think of all the trees that have died in this process! Never fear though, I've gotten a boatload of emails from river boat cruise companies and from Texas and Mississippi tourism bureaus about trips I could take. I'm most excited about the possibility of going on a Mississippi River riverboat cruise and live like I'm in the era of Mark Twain or something. I've also gotten a ton of tweets from Ohio and Washington state. As well as a ton of companies and people all over the country with ideas, suggestions, and support! I've been taking notes on all of this, and plotting out the remainder of 2012 (assuming I get a job to financially support these travels...that's key!! I'm the queen of saving money on travel, but you need a steady source of income in order to)

Other than that, I'm still here, getting restless because I'm ready to goooooooo! But I did want to check in and keep you up to date. What travel adventures have you been on? Oh, and one last thing, President Obama has a plan to increase US tourism. I think I mentioned it before, but in case you missed it here's the link (click the word "link"). I hope in my own small way I can help support that initiative!

See you soon everyone!

Miss America State Favorites

Miss America State Favorites

I saw this photo-article on the Travel Channel where all 53 Miss America contestants were asked for their favorite places in their home states. I immediately thought two things...

1. Wow, I can get a lot of insight on where to go and what to do in every state I haven't yet blogged about, and...

2. 53??!! Man, I thought I was doing big things blogging about the 50 states (and DC) for a total of 51. You add in my Puerto Rico bonus entry and we are at 52. Now, the US Virgin Islands too! Sheesh! I mean, technically I DID go to St. Thomas on the same cruise that landed me in Puerto Rico at the end of the trip...but I didn't DO anything there (my friend and I made it as far as about a half mile from the ship before the sun thoroughly whipped our tails!) Well, we'll see what happens between now and August 31, 2016!

Interesting though, the places mentioned in states I've already covered:

Miss Virginia says her favorite place to go in her state is the beach. (Not very descriptive, or specific, but we'll assume she means Virginia Beach...)

Miss Puerto Rico named the Arecibo Observatory (which I did not visit), home of one of the most powerful radio telescopes in the world.

Miss Pennsylvania said she loves the Hershey Factory in Hershey, PA. Mind you, I haven't finished the state yet but I have it pretty much planned out... a whirlwind of PA made goods- including the Hershey Factory, a visit to Philadelphia, and the Frank Lloyd Wright house Falling Water (and its sister site Kentuck Knob if possible!)

Miss Maryland cited Baltimore's Inner Harbor (check!!!) as her favorite place.

Miss DC named the H Street Country Club as her favorite place (Really? A country club? In my mind... that's a poor choice, but that's her opinion)



Great insight though! I'll probably refer back to this article as long as it's available online for more ideas. Check it out and see if these ladies named one of your favorite places in your favorite states!

A Charming Couple

A few months ago, I met a couple (Paul Richman and Maureen Sheehan) that was moving from England to New Zealand who decided to road trip across the USA before they flew to their new home. We talked literally for hours about all sorts of things, and they were a big motivation for me in the very beginning of my blog. I recently revisited their site and see that they completed their cross-country journey in 29 days. In that time they took some stunning photos. I'm inspired and excited again about completing my own blog in 2016. Please feel free to check out their blog and journey.

http://moandpousa.blogspot.com/

Virginia - Part III

I started my Virginian adventures with the attitude that I was not a fan of the state, but I've actually had a lot of fun exploring and learning within the commonwealth. I've fallen in love with the city of Richmond, and learned that the best way to learn about people who I may not think I have anything in common with (IE, NRA members and those who fondly remember the Confederacy) is to be bold and learn as much as I can about them. I actually had to force myself to stop finding neat things I've never tried before so that I could focus on other activities and states. I'll end with my last two stops- the Alexandria Black History Museum and Mount Vernon. (Sorry this didn't get posted until after the New Year- I hope everyone is off to a great start in 2012!)

Across the street from the Alexandria Black History Museum

THE ALEXANDRIA BLACK HISTORY MUSEUM

So, when I think of Virginia, particularly Northern Virginia (or NoVA as those of us in the DC metropolitan region sometimes refer to it as) I honestly rarely think about African Americans- even though I know they have been around in the area for centuries. I think of government retirees, and young buppies clutching their Starbucks, both fearing going beyond their borders to venture into DC and unable to even fathom what it feels like to step into Maryland. I learned about this museum while trying to find an internship for grad school sometime in 2010. While the timing for internships didn't work out, my curiosity about this place stayed put.

A ten minute or so walk from the Braddock Road Metro Station found me at the front door of the museum. The structure itself actually used to be a library that was built for blacks who were not permitted to use the "regular" library. When you enter you see Welcome Desk in a small room crowded with merchandise, with jazz, blues, and gospel-inspired music playing. It costs two bucks to enter the museum, and if you go to their website, you can print a coupon that gives you 10% off in the gift shop. To your left is a gallery that discusses the journey to NoVA blacks faced from slavery from before America became an independent country up until fairly recently. I learned that at one point Alexandria had a thriving sugar industry, and the gallery showed artifacts from archaeological digs in the area. It also discussed how blacks fared after slavery, and highlighted prominent African Americans from across the 400 or so years covered, including Benjamin Banneker. I was very impressed with the quality of the exhibit design, and was glad that there was plenty of learning to be had for all- bright colors and simple sentences for younger visitors and more complex, lengthier passages for adults to pull information from.The second room is a temporary exhibit space and room that I suppose can be rented out for meetings or special events. Currently, there was a photography exhibit (In Black and White: Photography by Nina Tisara and Peggy Fleming) that has pretty neat shots of African American church life, and of an unofficial league of black chess players.

Worker takes a water break from molding sugar cones and wrapping them in paper

Altogether I spent about an hour in the museum. When I asked a question about the Alexandria sugar mills to the woman at the Welcome Desk, she called upstairs to a curator. I think I accidentally got her reprimanded or fussed at because you could hear the person on the other end sounding loud and irritated that she called with a visitor question. I hope that wasn't the case, because it would be a shame that the people "in charge" would be "too busy" in such a small museum to answer one question from someone interested in their subject. Otherwise this was a really quaint place- a good start for anyone interested in learning niche areas of African American or American industrial history.

Washington's Mansion

MOUNT VERNON ESTATE, MUSEUM, AND GARDENS

On an unseasonably warm December day (Mid 60s the week of Christmas? In the Mid Atlantic? Yeah, that's crazy warm) I ventured to Mount Vernon- my last stop in the commonwealth of Virginia. I know there are tours available- Gray Line bus tours costs $40 or $50 dollars- but I refuse to pay that much money to go on a tour of a place I technically live near. Not when public transportation is available and I am still its Queen! I rode the Metro to Huntington Station (that's the very end of the Yellow line) and caught the Fairfax Connector bus to Mount Vernon. Now, there are several ways to do this- as I learned the hard way. The 151 and 152 Connectors drop you off directly at the Estate, and you have to go to the upper level of the station to catch them. The 101 takes you close to the Estate, but stops about a block and  half away from the entrance. The signage at the station isn't very clear that there are two levels the Connectors stop on, and I waited for an hour on the WRONG level for the 151 or 152 until I finally called the customer service line printed on each of the buses and asked what the issue was. I was quite irritated, but I ran down to catch the 101 that was turning the corner. I paid with my SmarTrip card (a re-loadable fare card) so I don't know exactly how much I paid- but I'd guess it was a total from my house to Mount Vernon of less than $5. Much less than the tour buses!

Washington's snazzy and crazy big back porch/yard/view

Admission for adults is $15, and you are handed a small stack of papers including maps and daily events. I happened to have visited during the Christmas season, which means there were lots of special events going on around the Estate. I missed a demonstration and tasting of 18th century chocolate making that only lasted for 30 minutes (thanks a lot confusing Connector signs!!), but did get to see most everything else. Basically split into 3 attractions (Museum, Mansion, and the Grounds), this place is huge! When they say wear comfortable shoes, they are NOT kidding. The museum is split into two sections- an actual exhibit space and an interactive education center. Photographs are not allowed in the museum, but inside were tons of personal items owned by the Washingtons. My favorite artifact was the seed pearl brooch in the shape of a flower that was owned by Martha Washington (I love brooches!). In the education center, you learn about Washington from birth to death (including a reproduction of his coffin), and how his legacy has impacted America all these centuries later. A highlight was a wall sized map of the US, showing the cities, counties, landmarks, schools, and other things named for Washington in every state of the Union. Pictures were allowed in there, but not of the General's famous teeth.

In the mansion (which is actually pretty huge considering how small houses used to be back then), you are grouped up and sent room by room with tour guides in each major section explaining the space and what would have happened there. Because of the holiday season, the 3rd floor of the mansion (which is normally closed to the public) was opened and we were permitted to tour it as well. It was kind of surreal looking into THE room where George Washington died. One cool thing I remember was that Washington had been gifted a key to the Bastille, and it is still on display in the front room of his home. I also see why he picked this particular location for his home- in the back of the house, there is an absolutely stunning view of the Potomac River. The entire tour took about 20 minutes or so.

No one came over to pet the camel until I got over there :-/

The grounds are amazing. Because of the holidays, the turkey that President Obama pardoned at Thanksgiving and the annual "Christmas Camel" (this one was named Aladdin- Washington paid 18 shillings one year to bring a camel to the grounds to show his guests an exotic animal) were in makeshift pens. I've never been that close to a camel before, and Aladdin is massive! I got to pet him, but avoided his big camel kisses that he seemed determined to give me. Many of the work houses (such as the smoke house, the carriage house, the spinning room, etc.) are still standing, with mock ups for what they would have looked like in Washington's day. Also still standing were some of the slave quarters, with stories about specific slaves on display. You can still walk through Washington's "fruit gardens" (basically a  mini-orchard), go down to his wharf (where people still fish), and visit both his old and current tombs. There is also a memorial for the slaves of Mount Vernon, and a vague mention of their burial grounds, which is unmarked. The gift shops are amazing- and very large. they have a wide variety of items you can purchase, including regional foods and whiskey made at Washington's distillery about 3 miles away. There is also a restaurant on the premises, that I assume serves colonial food but I didn't have time to explore.

Mount Vernon Slave Memorial

Overall I enjoyed my time here, and I hope I can come and visit when I am not stuck at a Metro station for an hour trying to figure out how to get there. I loved how knowledgeable everyone I met was about the property and history. I also liked how much obvious care is given to maintaining the property, and how many different things there are to do. I disliked the poor crowd control in the mansion. Already dealing with small spaces, I felt not enough direction was given by staff to not only keep people going in the right direction, but also to have them be mindful of traffic flow and the others on the tour. One family had a son who was loud and kept running around, and they kept going against the flow of traffic after entering spaces. Another couple lingered in front of rooms having intimate conversations with each other for so long that anyone in back of them had to do quick glances of the same spaces before being hustled along. I think had the attendants asked them to keep it moving everyone would have had equal amounts of time to take everything in. I also was a little miffed at a comment one of the guides said on the second floor of the home- that slaves sacrificed their freedom to keep the home running, but the Washingtons sacrificed their privacy because of the influx of visitors they had. Um- excuse me?? I don't think anyone would equate the woes slavery with having too much company...I get what she was trying to say, but comparing the two was slightly offensive and probably should have been worded differently.

Did I mention this place was huge? I actually broke out into a sweat hoofing it from the wharf back up to the main grounds and was slightly out of breath. This place is not for those who would wear cute sandals or high heels, but is a definite must see for visitors to the area.

Washington's wharf...a lot further away than it looks I'll tell you that!

Finally, I want to comment on the fact that I did not include Southern or Western Virginia (as in the west of the state, not West Virginia the actual state) on this blog. One, I said early on that I have lots of friends from Virginia, and based on their suggestions, I saved myself a lot of time and money from going down into Smithfield to try and find Virginia ham. What I did get, though, was a fat can of Virginia peanuts- specifically Feridies peanuts from Courtland, Virginia. I had no idea that Virginia was also famous for growing peanuts (but have always known about it's tobacco and ham). Virginia peanuts tend to be larger and crunchier than peanuts grown elsewhere, and the honey roasted variety I purchased certainly fit that description. (By the way, peanuts are actually legumes- and not nuts...just another interesting factoid I picked up.)

So, Virginia is done. I hope you enjoyed my adventures into the state! Make sure you check out the Facebook page for more photos, and follow me on Twitter. We'll see you next adventure!