All across America, cities and towns and villages light up for the holidays, and the mundane, functional and ordinary are magically transformed. Harsh edges soften, familiar monochrome buildings turn luminous, everything glows, nostalgia sets in. The traditional sights, sounds and tastes of the season are embracing, triggering memories of Christmas past, of loved ones now gone, of simple pleasures and simpler times. We take our children to experience these comfortable traditions hoping they, too, will catch the feeling and create memories of their own.
This was my favorite of the many New York tours offered! The guide is amazing and the content is funny, interesting and enjoyable. The New York TV and Movie Sites Tour starts at 11am daily next to Ellen’s Stardust Diner. For a treat, spend some time with the Diner’s singing wait staff!
The three hours flies by as one filming site after another is showcased on this tour. We even got treats! We saw current and classic sites, learned about the TV and Movie industry, best sites to spot a celebrity or see something filmed and where the stars lived. It was action packed. I appreciated several opportunities to step off the very nice shuttle bus for short walks to great sites like the “Friends” opening scene building (pictured) and the Cosby Show House.
Planning your next vacation? Looking for something on the stranger side? The United States has some really strange museums. Here are some of the strangest.
Museum of Bad Art (MoBA) – Not sure how else to describe this museum… the title sums it up pretty well. The Museum of Bad Art describes its mission perfectly – “dedicated to the collection, preservation, exhibition and celebration of bad art in all its forms.” Artists that are featured at the MoBA are talented, esteemed artists that have created works that cause fans to say “what was he thinking?”. Founded by Scott Wilson who began the museum with its first masterpiece in 1993, “Lucy in the Field of Flowers”, apparently discovered in a trash pile in Boston. Museum Of Bad Art, Basement of Dedham Communitiy Theatre, 580 High Street, Dedham MA, Telephone: 1-781-444-6757 www.museumofbadart.org
I love Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida because of the details. The extraordinary details of every experience within those walls. Yes, I understand that it is a created world. Yes, I will still visit Europe even though I’ve been to Epcot and yes, I get the part about the crowds, prices and merchandising. Still, I love it.
I have always loved Halloween…It was my first experience at becoming another character, assuming another identity for just a little while. No, I didn’t just put on a costume. I became that character. My early memories are vague and fuzzy. A hobo, a devil, a clown. As I got older the costumes became more sophisticated…more realistic. Now, I portray historical characters year round but Halloween holds a special place in my heart. Walpurgisnacht…All Hallows Eve…Samhain. Here is a roundup in one convenient location of our haunted tours and attractions at Trusted Tours. Enjoy!
Atlanta Segway Ghosts and Legends Tour
Get this. I’m trying a new restaurant called the Shellfish Grille in St. Augustine, Florida near my house when the waiter introduces himself and announces the specials. Mussels, Pasta, Fish of the day and then…crab cakes. He said “Crab cakes” just like that. I fixed his gaze on mine and said as I have hundreds of times before, “I’m from Maryland…are they really good?”
Now most servers given this information would begin to backpedal. Knowing I’m a Marylander, born on the Chesapeake with Old Bay seasoning in my veins they would say something like, “Well, many people order them” or “they’re popular around here” to quietly steer me away from a mediocre cake.
Are you kidding me? At least he wore a latex glove for protection…
This is my buddy Jim doing what he does best. Defying Death. He is so attuned to the hundreds of gators here that it’s eerie. I’ll pass on the hand feeding of 12 foot gators, thank you very much. I’m brave… but really.
The St. Augustine Alligator Farm and Zoological Park in St. Augustine, Florida is a sheer delight. One of the finest animal sites I have ever visited. They hold the rare distinction of exhibiting every known species of the 23 crocodilians in existence. They even have white albino alligators and the ferocious saltwater crocodile, Maximo weighing in at 1250 pounds and stretching to over 15 feet.
I love to eat and drink. It is a passion with me. Taking the Local Tastes of North Beach Tour in San Francisco, California was a must. I was impressed.
North Beach is the “Little Italy” of the City. On this walking tour we tasted espresso that was freshly roasted and bread right out of the oven, after visiting the kitchen to watch them make it. Next were fresh deli meats, olive oil and cheeses from local artisans followed by chocolate from one of the top ten chocolatiers in America. We visited the church where Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe were married and the Purple Onion café where Bill Cosby and Phyllis Diller got their start.
All across America, cities and towns and villages light up for the holidays, and the mundane, functional and ordinary are magically transformed. Harsh edges soften, familiar monochrome buildings turn luminous, everything glows, nostalgia sets in. The traditional sights, sounds and tastes of the season are embracing, triggering memories of Christmas past, of loved ones now gone, of simple pleasures and simpler times. We take our children to experience these comfortable traditions hoping they, too, will catch the feeling and create memories of their own. 
