Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for new york
America’s First Presidential Library
By Linda Tancs
The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum is America’s first presidential library. Depicting the life and times of President Roosevelt and his wife Eleanor, it was conceived and built under FDR’s direction on his 16-acre property in his hometown of Hyde Park, New York. The only library used by a sitting president, the study marks the site where FDR delivered many of his wireless “fireside chats.” Recently renovated for the first time since its opening in 1941, the property is easily accessible by car or train. In the late spring through early autumn a free shuttle service operates from the train station at nearby Poughkeepsie, New York, among the presidential estate and library and other attractions such as Eleanor’s country home and the Vanderbilt estate.
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A Merry Go Round
By Linda Tancs
For those appreciating antique carousels, you won’t want to miss the collection of vintage French carnival rides at Fete Paradiso, an exhibition on New York’s Governors Island. Ending on 29 September (the last day of the island’s seasonal opening to the public), the display includes a magnificent pipe organ, bicycle carousel and flying swings. Located just minutes from the southern tip of Manhattan by ferry, the former military base is also home to Castle Williams, a red sandstone circular fort operated by the National Park Service. Pick up the free ferry ride to this New York City gem at the Battery Maritime Building on South Street.
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Starship Enterprise
By Linda Tancs
According to the law of gravity, what comes up must come down. After the shuttering of the shuttle space program, Enterprise (NASA’s original orbiter) made its way to The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City in a highly publicized series of movements involving a specially outfitted 747 and a barge procession past the Hudson River’s most iconic landmarks. The shuttle and its pavilion have been temporarily closed following damage from storm Sandy, but don’t miss the opportunity to visit this gem of the space program when it reopens shortly. Enterprise has been added to the National Register of Historic Places as of March 13, 2013, the first orbiter to receive such recognition.
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Four Freedoms in New York
By Linda Tancs
In New York City a three-minute tram ride from 59th Street and Second Avenue brings you to Roosevelt Island, a seeming haven in the middle of the East River. Part of the City, the two-mile-long island has a population 12,000 strong, with an enviable mix of playgrounds, parks and recreational areas. The newest park pays homage to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Named for his famous speech on the “four freedoms” during World War II (freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear), Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park offers amazing views of the City skyline from the expansive lawn. The Presidential memorial is a place for peaceful walks and contemplation–a respite from the onslaught of bikes, boards, skates and amplifiers in Manhattan’s “other island.” Here, serenity rules.
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The Call of the Wild
By Linda Tancs
Just a 40-minute drive from Lake Placid, New York, Tupper Lake is one of those old, quaint lumber milling towns. Today you’ll find a different calling echoing from the virgin pines and hardwoods of this Adirondack tourist destination–the call of the wild. The Wild Center, a 31-acre site of trails and overlooks, gives visitors ample opportunity to interact with the natural world. The area boasts moose, river otters, peregrine falcons and native trout. A new exhibit, Planet Adirondack, features a floating interactive Earth, highlighting the effects of human engineering on the planet.
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Sailors’ Delight
By Linda Tancs
In 1801 Captain Robert Richard Randall died, his will decreeing that his New York City estate become a haven for retired seamen. Following a protracted will contest, his desire was fulfilled through the purchase of land in 1831 along the harbor in Staten Island instead. Located on the north shore, that enclave is known as Snug Harbor. Thanks to its popularity among retired sailors, the property grew to include a chapel, more dormitories, and a Beaux-Arts-style music hall. Boasting over 250,000 annual visitors, the Snug Harbor Cultural Center offers a glimpse into the life of a mariner. For art aficionados, there’s the John A. Noble maritime art collection. A year-round venue for performance art, the park is also notable for its botanical garden, one of the largest in the New York area.
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Nation’s Largest Orchid Show
By Linda Tancs
In Chinese culture, the orchid has long been a symbol of refinement and nobility. No doubt its beauty and enchanting nature is reason enough why orchid cultivation has blossomed into an international industry. In the United States, the largest orchid exhibition is taking place through 22 April at the New York Botanical Garden’s Orchid Show. The curated show sports a mother lode of exotic orchids in every shape, size and color imaginable. Of course, there will be orchids for sale, along with care demonstrations, mood music and cocktail evenings among the blooms.
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100 Years Grand
By Linda Tancs
Arguably the nation’s most famous terminal, New York City’s Grand Central Station turns 100 this year. Completed in 1913, the Beaux-Arts landmark is one of the most shutterbug friendly sites in the city. You can celebrate the grand dame’s heyday with a model train exhibit at the New York Transit Museum Gallery Annex at Grand Central. Better hurry, though, the exhibit ends on 10 February. Did you know that Grand Central boasts 68 shops and 35 dining options? See all the nooks and crannies with an audio tour, available at “GCT Tour” windows on the Main Concourse. You’ll learn little known secrets and discover a few hidden gems like The Campbell Apartment, an upscale cocktail lounge. Formerly the private office and salon of 1920’s tycoon John W. Campbell, the comfy enclave’s “drinks from another era” feature concoctions with names like Prohibition Punch, Flapper’s Delight and Robber Baron.
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Three Centuries of Hospitality
By Linda Tancs
The Madam Brett Homestead is the oldest building in Dutchess County, New York. Located in Beacon, a city used as a signaling point during the American Revolution, the house has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1976. Built circa 1709 by Roger and Catheryna Rombaut Brett, the home’s original acreage of over 28,000 was inherited by Catheryna from her father, who purchased the land from the Wappinger Indians. Seven generations, spanning three centuries, have lived in its rooms. During the Revolutionary War, special guests included George Washington, Marquis de Lafayette and Baron von Steuben. Today visitors can enjoy period furnishings, including a colonial-era kitchen, China-Trade porcelain and 18th and 19th century furniture scattered among the drawing room, colonial-era bedroom and Federal-style dining room. The property’s remaining six acres include woodlands, gardens and a brook.
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A Presidential Retreat
By Linda Tancs
Nowadays our U.S. presidents retreat to Camp David for a little respite. But in Teddy Roosevelt’s day, Sagamore Hill was a presidential oasis–actually, the homefront–for one of the first presidents to be extensively chronicled. Located in Oyster Bay, New York, the grounds comprise the stately Roosevelt home, the museum at Old Orchard (formerly, eldest son Ted’s home), a visitors’ center, and a nature trail leading to the national wildlife refuge on Cold Spring Harbor. Although the house is closed for renovations, why not take in a peaceful visit of the park grounds during this off-season. The museum and vistors’ center are open Wednesdays through Sundays.
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