December 30, 2011
Blame it on years of living in New Orleans, where locals still hold picnics in the stunning above-ground cemeteries. Or blame it on a somewhat morbid fascination with all things dark yet beautiful. Regardless, Dad and I are particularly enamored by cemeteries, and make it a goal to see the major burial grounds in each ...
December 29, 2011
I’m a bit of a government nut, always keeping up with the latest Senate and House debates. So when Dad and I were in Austin, Texas during the spring of 2011, I was excited to tour the Texas State Capitol complex. As it turned out, the state legislature was in session, offering us the chance to ...
December 26, 2011
When Dad and I headed out on our Western adventure in the spring of 2011, we actually knew relatively little about the region. But we were eager to learn as much as we could. In states as diverse as New Mexico, Utah and Arizona, we sought out major museum complexes and tiny roadside attractions looking ...
December 24, 2011
Dad is a mid-generation Baby Boomer. His teen years were filled with the hallmarks of the turbulent 1960s–the Beatles, the Vietnam War, race riots and protests and seismic shifts in the cultural zeitgeist. But perhaps no single event had a bigger effect on him than the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. As Dad ...
December 23, 2011
Dad and I are from the flatlands. Having spent a lot of time in Central Florida, we are familiar with the Walt Disney World mountain range: Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain and the Disney version of Mount Everest in Expedition Everest. But actual mountains? Not so much. When we headed to the ...
November 14, 2011
It all started in Roswell, New Mexico. After visiting the Roswell UFO Museum, Dad and I stopped at the Chamber of Commerce to find out what else might be going on in town. We happened to meet a wonderful employee who was happy to help us plan out the rest of our stay in New ...
November 13, 2011
Dad and I love ghost tours. It might have something to do with having lived in New Orleans, where it is said that the veil between this world and the next is a bit thinner than it is in most places. Or maybe it’s just an extension of our love for Halloween. Regardless of the ...
November 12, 2011
When Dad and I headed to the American Southwest this summer, we had very different ideas on what we would see. My vision of the West was filled with the organ pipe cactus, an imposing species that can grow more than 20 feet tall. Dad is a huge fan of old Westerns, particularly Bat Masterson ...
November 11, 2011
Las Vegas, Nevada is world famous for its casinos, nightclubs and other adult-focused entertainment. What is less well known is the sheer number of family attractions that the city offers. Dad and I both love history and science, so when we heard about Springs Preserve, we knew we had to visit. About Springs Preserve Opened ...
November 10, 2011
I have always thought of myself as a city girl. New Orleans, Anchorage, New York City and Washington, DC rank at the top of my all-time favorites list. Yet when Dad and I headed to the American Southwest this summer, I discovered a new passion for wide-open spaces and tiny rural communities. Still, when we ...
