January 2009 Archives

President Barack Obama is a big fan of Abraham Lincoln, as we saw during his campaign for the country's top political spot. All the parallels to the iconic former president are timely because the nation's capital is celebrating 200 years of Lincoln's birth with a slew of special exhibits, lectures and events.

Now that the inaugural crowds have cleared, here are some reasons to plan a day trip south during February's celebrations of American presidents.

*The National Museum of American History is showing off historical treasures associated with Lincoln's life, including his famous top hat and the iron wedge he used to split wood.

*On the second floor of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, you'll find a special exhibit dedicated to Lincoln's second inaugural ball.

*The National Portrait Gallery's Mask of Lincoln and the National Postal Museum's Lincoln-related family festival (July 11) are others to note.

Is this one implying that the owner is a born-again Christian? That he was never a child? Help me out...

RoadRUNNER Motorcycle Touring & Travel magazine recently released a DVD featuring a four-day tour of south central Pennsylvania.

Publisher Christa Neuhauser, senior editor Chris Myers and journalist Florian Neuhauser stop at York's Harley-Davidson Factory, ride through Lancaster County's Amish Country and tour Yuengling Brewery in Pottsville during the trip.

For details, or to check out a clip from the DVD, click here.

I've been meaning to post this sign for a while now, but never got around to it. I first discovered it in August, when I came to look at the house I now live in. The sign belongs to my neighbor. It's posted on his garage door, which faces an alley.

Such a sign is especially important on two days of the year: Jubilee Day and the evening of Mechanicsburg's annual Halloween Parade. The lady who lived next to my old apartment had a no parking sign, too, but I like this one better because it has attitude!

Check out this story questioning whether the $5,000 US Airways offered to each passenger on the plane that landed in the Hudson River is compensation enough.

On the one hand, it's great the airline took the initiative to compensate the passengers when what happened was an accident in the truest sense of the word. But some are questioning whether it's enough money to cover lost valuables (cell phones, work papers, etc) and what they went through.

What do you think? I'm not quite sure which side of this issue I fall on, so I'm anxious to hear your thoughts.

I just went outside without putting on a coat, and it wasn't that bad. Today, Jan. 23. Can you believe it?

I'd say it's about time after spending the past month or so feeling like I'm an ice cube 24-7.

I'll keep my fingers crossed that it sticks, but I doubt it will. Meanwhile, I'll enjoy!

What's this one trying to say? Why would you put this on your plate?

Now that I have your attention, I will tell you that I really don't hate D.C. -- in fact, I lived there for four years during college and love many, many things about our nation's capital.

What I hate is all the unnecessary pomp and procedure that comes with being in the political center of the universe. Especially the people whose job seems to be keeping others from doing their job.

Let me explain.

Sunday night, a photographer and I went to an inaugural ball where dancers and musicians from our area were performing. We had received media access and permission to be there with our local groups during the event.

I snapped this picture Sunday night while writing about a York County musical group performing at the Lincoln 2.0 Inaugural Ball at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

This woman was one of the many revelers who walked through the D.C. museum's galleries all evening, snapping pictures and dancing in front of the visages of former presidents in the National Portrait Gallery's Presidential Portrait Gallery.

I thought it was an appropriate snapshot to post here on this most historic of days.

Speaking of the Presidential Portrait Gallery... I couldn't help but wonder why some presidents such as Abraham Lincoln and Bill Clinton got full-size vertical portraits while others, such as the two Bushes, got smaller portraits. Do the sizes of the presidential portraits say something about their presidencies? Anyone know the answer?

I just got back from an evening in D.C. with the Susquehanna Travellers and the Victorian Dance Ensemble, two local groups invited to play at the Lincoln 2.0 Inaugural Ball at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery.

Cute.

A local woman is organizing a bus trip to visit the Longaberger Basket headquarters in Ohio.

For $300, fans of the popular baskets get transportation to Longaberger country, lodging and meals from May 7-9. A deposit of $50 is necessary to reserve your seat.

For details, contact Tina Gingerich at 846-3018 or send an e-mail to TMGingerich@comcast.net.

Last week, I went to check out the new Hershey Story: The Museum on Chocolate Avenue which replaces the old Hershey Museum.

Of course, I had to do the chocolate tasting in the building's Cafe Zooka.

For $8.95, a tasting assistant will pour you samples of six warm liquid chocolates: one each from Mexico, Ecuador, Sao Thome, Madagascar, Tanzania and Java.

If you are the parent of a child say 3 or older, are pulling your hair out trying to keep him or her entertained on the long chilly weekends, you might want to head to the Whitaker Center for Science & the Arts in Harrisburg.

A new exhibit opening Saturday lets kids learn "How People Make Things" in an interactive, hands-on way. I got a sneak peek today, along with some middle school kids from Hannah Penn and Edgar Fahs Smith, and I must say, it's pretty cool.

You can smash and texture pennies, put together a golf cart and trolley car, squirt liquid into molds and die-cut your own horse or box.

It made me wonder if the folks who work in factories -- as engineers, designers or right on the manufacturing floor -- aren't having all the fun.

Check out my complete report in the living section of next Friday's YDR. If you visit, stop back and leave a comment here with your thoughts!

Tara Baker of Windsor Township took this photograph in the town of Doolin while visiting County Clare, Ireland in September.

Her travel tip: Pack a rain jacket. I used this more than anything else on my trip. It can go from warm and sunny to cool and drizzly in a matter of minutes.

YDR photographer Bil Bowden took this photo during a 2007 visit to the Sturgis Pretzel Factory in Lititz.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation just released its 2009 list of Distinctive Destinations -- and one of our neighbors is among 12 towns in the entire nation it highlighted!

The annual picks give props to places that offer an authentic visitor experience by combining dynamic downtowns, cultural diversity, attractive architecture, cultural landscapes and a strong commitment to historic preservation and revitalization.

Congratulations to Lititz, in neighboring Lancaster County. If you're looking for an interesting, inexpensive day trip, this might be just the place. Check out this Oct. 2007 story by YDR photographer Bil Bowden.

At first, I thought this was a play on the tropical drink, the Mai Tai. Then, I realized that this Dodge Caravan is the owner's toy.

For more fun vanity plates I've encountered, click here

Terry Lazarus of York Township took this photograph of an iceberg in Dunfield, Newfoundland, in late July while traveling through Canada in a small motor home with his dog, Sprocket. It was the last iceberg of the season.

He writes: "The provinces of Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland) are stunning in their beauty, the people are incredibly friendly, and the pace of life is like going back in time 50 years."

His travel tip: When traveling in Canada, make sure you always stop at the visitor center when entering a new province. The centers are a wealth of information, with maps and guidebooks that give you information on "out-of-the way" places, and routes other than the main highways.

During the holidays, my friend Stacy and I started looking at possiblilties for a warm, mid-winter vacation.

Since she has never traveled outside the United States, I didn't think a third world country would be a good idea. And much as I love South America (Argentina in particular), I feel like I need at least two weeks off if I'm going to travel that far.

Costa Rica seemed perfect. We both like the outdoors, of which Costa Rica has plenty spectacular offerings. And we found round trip flights for about $350.

Last week, after reading that many airlines had discounted their fares to get people traveling despite the horrid economy, I went online to check ticket prices.

I found a round trip flight from Baltimore to San Jose (stopping in Houston) for $230! Yes, no typo there.. $230!!!! I've paid more to go to the West Coast of this country.

Costa Rica, here we come...

Bob Reiter of Loganville sent in this picture of his family's vanity plate, which refers to their miniature dachshund, Emma.

"The little girl down the block would come up to our home to see 'Emma Dog,' so that's where the name came from," he writes. "Her family owns Elsie's restaurant in Loganville, and the hot dog on the kids menu is called the 'Emma Dog!' "

Too cute.

Yesterday, I went to Hershey to check out the new museum on West Chocolate Avenue that opens to the public today.

Having visited the old museum by the arena, I can tell you the experience is much more cohesive. There's no more wondering why there are Native American displays next to items from Milton Hershey's personal home and then details about chocolate production together with an exhibit of Germans in the area.

It's well designed, with many interactive features, such as the one that took my photo and allowed me to put myself into a pretend newspaper article above.

My one criticism would be that the $10 admission to walk through the exhibits is a bit steep for a museum about a man whose life's work had to do with making a luxury product accessible and affordable to the masses.

In August 2008, eight members of the York Hiking Club, pictured above, traveled to the Canadian Rockies for 10 days of hiking and exploring between Banff and Jaspar in Canada's Alberta Province.

They visited the Athabasca glacier and ice fields, Edith Cavell glacier, Lake Louise and Johnston Falls. They also journeyed into the back country where they saw more glaciers, ice fields, mountains, flora, and fauna -- including one grizzly bear.

From left to right in the photo: Kim Herbst, Phyllis Morley, Tom Morley, Alice Frick, Bernie Frick, Gwen Loose, Jim Hooper, and Joyce Hooper.

The picture was taken at an Alpine Hut above Bow Lake. Access required a seven-mile hike and a climb to 8,400 feet where they spent two nights. It snowed that night.

Their travel tip: Pre-planning your lodging using hostels makes for an interesting trip. Plan for all types of weather and walk in, don't drive by.

Submitted by: Phyllis and Tom Morley of Manchester Township

Visitors to Hershey will have one more must-see to add to their lists soon. The new Hershey Museum opens to the public Friday, filled with three floors of interactive and chocolatey delights.

The new building on West Chocolate Avenue replaces the old museum that closed in September near the arena. Not only is it expected to better tell the story of Milton Hershey and the town he created, but it will offer visitors a more complete experience.

In the chocolate lab, visitors can grind coffee beans, temper, mold and dip chocolate to learn about the candy-making process. In Cafe Zooka, they can sample warm drinking chocolate made from cocoa beans in different parts of the world and note the differences in taste.

I'm going to check it out tomorrow, so stay tuned to this blog for a full report. Look for a complete backyard travel story in the living section of the paper next Friday.

This weekend, I decided that a decade without a world map is way too long.

When I was growing up, I always had the latest version of the National Geographic world map hanging on my bedroom wall. Anytime I'd read or watch something that mentioned a far-off place, I'd turn to my handy map to locate it. I think it helped me fit my own little life into the context of something larger.

Now that I have my own house and don't have to worry about poking too many holes in a landlord's drywall or plaster, I've decided it's time to put the world back on my wall.

It seems like I'm always the last one to catch onto things.

Today, I discovered the wonderfulness (yes, I know it's not a word) of two things most of you have probably known about and enjoyed for a while now... Red Box and IKEA.

Since the closest IKEA store is in White Marsh, Md., I had never been to one before. And because I associated the brand with ultra-modern furniture, I didn't ever want to.

Today, that all changed.

When my parents decided they weren't up to hosting our annual New Year's Eve party this year, I was bummed.

What to do?

I had another party invitation, but felt like sticking closer to home. Chatting with a few friends, I discovered they were in the same boat. So, yesterday afternoon, I suggested they all converge on my house in downtown Mechanicsburg.

We could eat and drink wine and play board games. And if we got the energy, put on our coats and go outside to check out the wrench drop. Despite living in Mechanicsburg for eight years, I had never seen it because I was always elsewhere.