Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for travel
Best of British
By Linda Tancs
There are 14 events scheduled for the month of May alone to celebrate the Best of British Festival, running 25 May to 26 July in Winchester. Those events include author Claire Tomalin’s take on Charles Dickens, a hog roast to celebrate the upcoming Diamond Jubilee, a reading of the Churchill letters and a chat with Field Marshal Lord Vincent. Dame Judi Dench is headlining this festival; so put this on your to-do list.
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Ducks Rule in Memphis
By Linda Tancs
The Peabody Memphis, a Forbes Four-Star, AAA Four-Diamond historic hotel in Tennessee, epitomizes southern hospitality and charm. A symbol of elegance and good taste, it attracts visitors worldwide. Of course, it’s within easy reach of many Memphis attractions like Beale Street, the Memphis Museum of Rock & Soul, Orpheum Theatre, FedEx Forum (home of the Memphis Grizzlies), AutoZone Park, Graceland and Sun Studio. But arguably its greatest attraction are the rooftop residents: five ducks who’ve been marching their way down from the Duck Palace to the Italian marble lobby fountain at the direction of their revered Duck Master since 1933. The march is held every day at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.; you better arrive early if you want to secure your place along the red carpet running from the elevator door to the fountain. The ducks are yours to cherish from 11 until the five o’clock run, when it’s back in the elevator and up to the penthouse suite, so to speak, for those plucky mallards.
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A Whale of a Time in Washington
By Linda Tancs
Orca whales are seen the most in San Juan Island between May and October when the salmon runs are strongest. Only 90 miles north of Seattle, San Juan Island provides visitors with an array of boating and kayaking excursions to observe these highly social oceanic dolphins. Learn more about the killer whale at the museum in Friday Harbor, the main city on San Juan Island. You can get there via the Washington State Ferries from Anacortes.
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A Shard of Glass in London
By Linda Tancs
If you thought the views from the London Eye were amazing, wait until the viewing galleries for The Shard at London Bridge Quarter open next February. Hailed as a vertical city, the glass pyramid undergoing final construction in London will offer 40 mile views across the city. The Shard is the EU’s tallest building at 1017 feet. You can pre-register now for updated visitor information.
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Premier Art Collection Comes to Philadelphia
By Linda Tancs
Dr. Albert C. Barnes was a Philadelphia native and co-inventor of an antiseptic silver compound used in the prevention of infant blindness. The product’s commercial success enabled Dr. Barnes to acquire a vast art collection comprising post-impressionist and early modern art. Beginning on 19 May founding members of the Barnes will be the first to experience the collection at its new home in Philadelphia on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Nestled on 4.5 acres of landscaped grounds, the new building features a light-filled indoor court, functional classrooms, and intimate galleries surrounded by a series of external garden spaces. A special exhibition gallery will feature regular temporary exhibitions of past and contemporary art to complement the Barnes Foundation’s collection. Nonmembers won’t feel left out of the action. During the weekend of 26 May, 56 consecutive hours of free access and activities for all ages will feature some of Philadelphia’s finest cultural and performing arts organizations, such as Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra, Relâche, Peter Tang’s Chinese Music Ensemble, and AfroTaino Productions.
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California Dreamin’
By Linda Tancs
In the ultra luxe enclave of Belvedere Island, California, a one-square-mile suburb of San Francisco, stately homes command spectacular views of San Francisco, Angel Island, the Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito, and Mt. Tamalpais. One stunner is Locksley Hall, a 10,000-square-foot house that sits at the tip of Belvedere Island. On offer for a mere $65 million in 2005, its wraparound veranda with Corinthian columns affords a 360-degree view of the above-named sights. Belvedere is derived from the Italian expression for “beautiful view.” Yes, indeed.
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A Village for the Ages
By Linda Tancs
The Historic Village at Allaire in Farmingdale, New Jersey promotes the historical, aesthetic, and cultural significance of the Historic Howell Works, a mining and manufacturing company founded by industrialist James P. Allaire and one of the earliest examples of a company town. Its Howell Iron Works Company Store, arguably the largest general store in the state when it was built, has been retailing goods for 175 years. Other notable venues in the village include workers’ residences such as the row houses, the foreman’s cottage, the manager’s house, the gardener’s cottage and the mansion, a 1790 farm house that Allaire ultimately occupied.
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Taking Off in London
By Linda Tancs
London, England is a treasure trove of cultural enrichment, architectural design and—airports? That’s right. As if Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted and London City weren’t enough to service London and the surrounding area, you now have a sixth option: Southend. Located less than 40 miles east of Central London and less than 38 miles from Stratford, Southend is easily accessible to passengers by car, rail, coach, bus or taxi. The airport officially opened on 5 March. easyJet, the UK’s largest airline, celebrated its inaugural flight from Southend to Belfast on 2 April. With flights to other popular European destinations like Barcelona, Amsterdam and Malaga, the seaside resort-turned-air hub may give the other contenders a run for their money.
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Honest Burgers in London
By Linda Tancs
London offers a menu to suit any palate, but who would’ve known that Brixton’s old covered market area in the southwest area of the city would become a culinary hotspot? Better get in line early for places like Honest Burgers, where the beef comes straight from happy cows on the Yorkshire Moors. Served on a toasted glazed bun with hand cut, triple-cooked rosemary chips, this bit of comfort food is honestly delicious.
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Forging Ahead in Millstone
By Linda Tancs
Blacksmithing was a crucial trade across countless centuries. The blacksmith–literally, one who smites iron–fashioned accessories for the aristocracy, ploughs for the working class and weaponry for the militia, among many other things. Industrialization may have vastly reduced their numbers, but the craftsmen behind this ancient art (practiced in some form as early as the Iron Age) are still celebrated through demonstrations and well preserved shops. In particular, Old Millstone Forge in Millstone, New Jersey is the oldest continuously operating blacksmith shop in the state. Open every Sunday from 1 April through 24 June, the museum gives visitors a glimpse into the life of the blacksmith and his role in society over the millenia.
