Archive for the ‘United States’ Category

Washington DC: The Money Factory

Posted in Travels, United States, US, Washington DC, tagged , , , on Saturday, 17 January, 2015| 5 Comments »

The Money Factory is the official website name for the The Bureau of Engraving and Printing. And what a money factory it is.

It’s only open for tours during the weekdays which makes scheduling a visit a little harder for the working folks but for tourists, it’s another interesting and free place to explore during their stay in Washington DC. Especially on a cold & windy winter’s day.

Engraving and Printing Bureau

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing was established by President Lincoln in 1862. The original office was located in a single room in the basement of the Treasury Building. There were six employees who printed and sealed $1 & $2 notes. Today, there are over 2,500 employees working out of two sites in Washington DC and a building in Fort Worth Texas. Together, they print over a billion dollars a day. I found that an amazing amount and re-checked with the tour guide. Yes, a billion!

In the past, the Bureau has also printed currency for the following governments: Cuba (1934), the Philippines (1928), Siam (Thailand – 1945) and Korea (1947). Each government paid for all the work connected with printing their money.

The Secretary of the Treasury is responsible for all designs on paper currency including the portraits. In 1929, the size of the notes were reduced and are all the same size. This is a common complaint I’ve heard from my non-American friends. They find the same size notes to be confusing. And I won’t even get started on how they feel about our coins.

The $100 note is the highest denomination still in circulation. The portraits of well-known statesmen on the currency are as follows:
$1 = George Washington
$2 = Thomas Jefferson
$5 = Abraham Lincoln
$10 = Alexander Hamilton
$20 = Andrew Jackson
$50 = Ulysses Grant
$100 = Benjamin Franklin

The 40-minute tour begins with a short film and then takes you through the steps of the printing production. It was a lot more complicated process then I had previously thought. It’s the off-season and not a highly advertised tourist destination so I was expecting the tour to be sparsely attended but it was full. Be sure to get a ticket in advance during the summer months.

For security reasons, photography is not allowed on the tour but you can snap a few shots in the waiting area and at the gift shop (which sells uncut sheets of notes). Here are my photos:

Printing & Engraving One Million Dollars
“One MILLION dollars” (said in my best Doctor Evil voice)

Printing and Engraving display
Uncut monetary notes for sale

Jefferson Memorial
The Jefferson Memorial is within easy walking distance of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. I would recommend a visit there before or after the Bureau tour. Also, next door to the Bureau is the Holocaust Museum.

Click here for ticket/tour times.

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Washington DC

Posted in Photography, Travel, Travels, United States, US, Virginia, Washington DC, tagged , , , , , , on Thursday, 15 January, 2015| 17 Comments »

When you fly into National Airport (Reagan) and you’re sitting in a window seat, be sure to have your camera ready. Here are a few photos from my most recent flight (December 2014):

Lincoln MemorialView from the sky
Lincoln Memorial

Georgetown
Georgetown University Campus

Georgetown University
Georgetown University Campus and a little of the surrounding area

Georgetown II
Georgetown, Washington DC

Watergate Complex
Watergate Complex

Jefferson Memorial
Jefferson Memorial

Washington Monument
Washington Monument

Couple of photos with the wing of the plane.

Washington Monument
Washington Monument

Jefferson Memorial
Jefferson Memorial

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Charleston, South Carolina: Calhoun Mansion

Posted in Charleston, South Carolina, Travels, United States, tagged , , , on Wednesday, 7 January, 2015| 6 Comments »

Given the chance, I can’t resist peeking into other people’s homes and I’m so glad we stopped to tour the Calhoun Mansion which is the largest private residence in Charleston, South Carolina. It’s located just a few steps from White Point Gardens on the riverfront at 14 Meeting Street.

George Walton Williams built the house in 1876 as a testament to the resurgence of Charleston after the Civil War. At 24,000 sq. ft. and $240,000, it took five years to complete and employed hundreds of out-of-work artisans and craftsmen in desperate need of work after the war. The house is named for John C. Calhoun’s grandson who married the owner’s daughter and lived in the house. After Mr. Williams’ death in 1903, the house had many occupants causing deteriorating circumstances to the house until 1972 when it was condemned.

A native of Charleston purchased the house in the late 1970s for $220, 000. He invested five million dollars over the next 25 years in restoring the Mansion to its former glory. The current owners live in the house and allow tours from 11 -5 daily. If the owners are physically present in the house when a tour takes place, you may not be able to see their office/bedroom but we were allowed to look into all of these rooms.

The mansion is a feast for the eyes with a 65 foot entrance hall, 14 foot ceilings, gorgeous Tiffany chandeliers, and my personal favorite, the music room with a 45 foot glass skylight. It’s NOT a museum and my first thought was “Millionaire Hoarders” but after seeing a couple of the rooms I came to appreciate the clutter expensive collection. There’s no rhyme or reason, that I could discern, as to how the collection is presented. The rooms are roped off so you have to lean in.  Not sure if I would have enjoyed the tour as much with 17 other people (the max on a tour is 20). Also, the tour guide will point out highlights in each room but it helps a lot if you already know about artwork ~ think Matisse, Cezanne, Kandinski and Klimt. We arrived for the 11 am tour the day after Christmas and it was just the 3 of us. The tour we took cost $16.00 per person for an approximately half hour tour. There is another tour for $75 per person which is an hour and a half. It includes the cupola. More information here.

Photos are not allowed on the inside of the mansion but the beautiful garden is fair game:

Calhoun Mansion
Calhoun Mansion

Calhoun Mansion Water Fountain II
Calhoun Mansion Garden Fountain

Calhoun Mansion Sun dial
Cherub in the garden

Calhoun Mansion Statue of Mercury (Hermes)
Statue of Mercury (Hermes)

Calhoun Mansion Garden Statue
Garden Statue

Calhoun Mansion Duck Statue

Charleston House Across from the Calhoun Mansion
Beautiful House across the street from the Calhoun Mansion

Charleston Bench
A great spot to sit and rest at the Calhoun Mansion

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Charleston, South Carolina: Cooper River and the Ravenel Bridge

Posted in Charleston, Photography, South Carolina, Travels, United States, tagged , , , , on Thursday, 1 January, 2015| 5 Comments »

Driving over the bridge connecting Charleston with Mount Pleasant is a much more relaxing experience since the new Arthur Ravenel Jr bridge opened in 2005. Prior to that, I used to hold my breath while driving across either the Grace Bridge (1929) or Pearman Bridge (1966) ~ both were scary, shaky, narrow drives. Fearful is a good way to describe the old drive to Mount Pleasant.

Cooper River Bridge
Cooper River Bridge (1981) from the deck of the USS Yorktown. The bridges were removed in 2007.

The new bridge is named for a local Charleston legend, Arthur Ravenel Jr. He’s an 8th generation descendant of French Huguenots who arrived in 1686. He was involved in local politics for years, but it was at the urging of a friend, Ravenel ran and was elected to the South Carolina State Senate in 1996 and remained a State Senator until 2005. Within a year, he created legislation for the South Carolina Infrastructure Bank. With the help and support of former U.S. Rep. Henry Brown, they put together the financing for the new bridge and other transportation projects.

Charleston Ravenel Bridge fog
Ravenel Bridge on a foggy day

Ravenel Bridge
Sunny skies and the Ravenel Bridge

Every spring, there’s the Cooper River Bridge Run. It’s a 10K which starts at Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant, goes across the bridge and ends at Marion Square in Charleston. I’ve added the run to my travel wish list…

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Fort Sumter National Monument, South Carolina

Posted in Charleston, South Carolina, Travels, United States, US, US Military, tagged , , , on Tuesday, 30 December, 2014| 12 Comments »

My last visit to Fort Sumter was in August 1997. The air was heavy with moisture to the point of being just shy of raining, it was 95 in the shade and I was six months pregnant. My only recollection of the visit is the air conditioned gift shop which is where I spent most of my time on the island. Fast forward 17 years and it was hat and gloves weather with a whole lot of fog on my most recent visit.

Charleston Church Flag and fountain
View from the ferry-boat looking back at Charleston

South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union and on April 12, 1861, the Confederate Army fired on the Federal soldiers at the yet completed Fort Sumter. It would be four bloody combat years and over 600,000 dead before the Union Forces recaptured Fort Sumter. The Civil War’s first fatality occurred at Fort Sumter on April 14, 1861, the day after the battle ended. Private Daniel Hough died while loading a canon for the Union’s 100-gun salute to the U.S. flag. The canon round discharged prematurely and killed him.

Fort Sumter is part of the National Park Service. Liberty Square (near the Aquarium) and Patriots Point (Mt Pleasant) are the two locations where you can catch the ferry to the island. Once there you can choose to wander around on your own or listen to the roughly 10 minute historic talk by the Park Ranger which I found very interesting. Click here for scheduled times.

Fort Sumter Park Ranger
Our Park Ranger ~ interesting with a touch of humor. Careful though, he’ll test your Civil War knowledge

IMG_4045
A Canon facing out to the water ~ we couldn’t see far due to the heavy fog

Fort Sumter
Gallery area

Fort Sumter II
Another view of the Gallery

Fort Sumter Canons
Heavy Artillery within the Gallery

Fort Sumter Canon swivels
Swivels for the heavy artillery

Fort Sumter Battery Isaac Huger
Battery Isaac Hunger, named after Brigadier General Isaac Huger, is a concrete fortification built on Fort Sumter in 1898-99 as part of a major coastal defense upgrade.

Charleston Bench through the porthole
A restful spot inside the fort

Fort Sumter 100 years ago this month 2014
A reminder of what happened 150 years ago in Charleston

Fort Sumter One of the shells
An artillery shell embedded in the wall

Fort Sumter outside the walls
Outside wall of Fort Sumter

Fort Sumter fishing in the fog
Fishing in the fog just off the island of Fort Sumter

Fort Sumter Heron
Heron in the fog

Fort Sumter bird and rope
Another Heron bracing against the wind

Fort Sumter Bottle on the beach
We were hoping there was a message in this bottle ~ but there wasn’t

Charleston two dolphin playing at the front of the ferry boat
Bottlenose dolphins escorting us back to Charleston. The Park Ranger on the ferry explained the dolphins like to swim in front of the boat because it creates a wave they can ride. It was obvious they were having a lot of fun!

Charleston Dolphin surfing at the front of the ferry boat
A single dolphin riding a wave

General Anderson, who was in command when Fort Sumter fell into Confederate hands, returned (from retirement) on April 14, 1865 to re-raise the Federal Flag when the Union Forces recaptured the fort. Sadly, it was the same day President Lincoln was assassinated in Washington, DC while attending a play.

raising-flag-fort-sumter
Image of the “raising the flag” ceremony on April 14 1865. (a Library of Congress image)

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Charleston, South Carolina: Ghost Walk and Historic Walk

Posted in Charleston, South Carolina, United States, tagged , , , , , on Sunday, 28 December, 2014| 8 Comments »

There are over 450 licensed walking tour guides in Charleston and we chose to take two tours: a ghost tour and a historic tour. Usually Tripadvisor leads me in the right direction but, despite many rave reviews, the ghost tour with Tricia from the Ghostwalk was a disappointment for me.

Personally, I tuned out after she spoke about General Robert E. Lee haunting the Mills House Hotel (supposedly he’s been spotted running down the hallway). From what I’ve read about Lee, he was in Charleston for a short period in 1861. I’m guessing he would be haunting Gettysburg or Appomattox not the Mills House Hotel. Her story speculated the ghost of General Lee has also been seen on the balcony waiting for the CSS Hunley (submarine) to return. The dates don’t match up though ~ the Hunley sank after sinking the USS Housatonic in October 1863. To be fair, General Lee did watch the fire of 1861 engulf the city (start of the fire is unknown) from the balcony of the Mills House. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the story we were told.

Tricia seems like a very nice person but her tour was a mix of disjointed storytelling and lack of historic perspective. Mostly she showed photos with “orbs” that she considered to be ghosts. If you’re looking for a tour which is actually looking for ghosts, dwells on flickering lights and possible misty photos then she’s the tour guide for you.

Charleston St John's Lutheran Church Graveyard
Lutheran Church Graveyard

Charleston along the ghost Tour part of the magazine
The Powder Magazine ~ the house next to it is considered haunted (by a benevolent ghost)

Having taken Ghost Tours in many cities such as Quebec City, Alexandria (VA), London, Edinburgh and the Queen Mary (Long Beach, CA), which were all excellent, I was expecting more Charleston history included in the haunting tales.

The History of Charleston tour with Anne Middleton Herron was much more informative and interesting. Anne is a 13th generation Charlestonian and her family dates to the original settlers of 1670. Both her parents grew up on Church Street and Anne grew up in Charleston. She shared not only her extensive historical knowledge of the city but also her personal experience of roaming the city as a child. Her personal anecdotes and perspective added so much to the tour. She’s smart, easy-going, and kept us all interested throughout the two hours. It rained quite hard for the first hour but we were all so enthralled, we barely noticed. The tour ended at her parent’s home on Church street and we were treated to lemonade in the garden. Click here for more information and to make a reservation.  A few photos from the walking tour:

Anne Charleston Tour Guide
Anne ~ great tour guide and love her hat, too

Charleston Philadelphia Alley
Philadelphia Alley

Charleston part of Old wall
Charleston was one of three walled cities in the New World and this is a part of the original wall recently excavated.

Charleston Longitude Alley
Longitude Alley which is not on a longitude line

Charleston Carriage step II
These “carriage steps” are found throughout the historic part of Charleston

Charleston Cabblestone street V
One of the cobblestone roads

Charleston a peek into a garden
Peeking into one of the many beautiful Charleston private gardens

Charleston Hugenot Church architect
Steps of the French Huguenot Church ~ E.B. White was the architect for the church as well as other buildings in Charleston

Charleston Custom House
The tour met at the US Custom House

Dock Street Theater
Dock Street Theater ~ originally opened in 1736 but was most likely destroyed in the Great Fire of 1740. A hotel was built on its site but fell in disrepair. In the depression, it became a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project and a new theater was built within the shell of the Planter’s Hotel. The theater underwent a three-year, 19 million dollar renovation in 2007 and reopened in 2010. Next time I visit Charlesotn, I plan to see a production in the theater.
Charleston pre revolutionary brick home

Prerevolutionary Brick House

If you take only one walking tour in Charleston, I highly recommend Anne.

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Cleveland, Ohio: Ohio City and West Side Market

Posted in Cleveland, Food, Photography, Travel, Travels, United States, tagged , , , , , , on Monday, 1 December, 2014| 2 Comments »

Ohio City is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Cleveland, Ohio. It’s located immediately west of the Cuyahoga River and has eclectic shops & restaurants including the fabulous West Side Market.

West Side Mural
Beautiful Mural

Yogurt shop on the West Side
Vegan Yogurt Shop

Cigar Sign
Cigar Store

Cleveland Bridge
Bridge to the West Side

Statue on the Cleveland Bridge
Statue as you cross the bridge heading back into downtown Cleveland

West Side Market is Cleveland’s oldest publicly-owned market has over a 100 vendors offering meats (lots and lots of meats), seafood, fruits, vegetables, tasty baked goods, dairy, beautiful flowers, ready-to-eat foods, spices, local honey, Ohio maple syrup and nuts.

West Side Market Sign

West End Market Slovenian Saugage
Slovenian sausage

West Side Market Beef
More beef…

West side market olives
Olives and all other Middle East delights

West Side Market Oranges
Bright and Delicious Oranges

West Side Market Pommegranets
Pomegranates ~ we got 11 for $10

West Side Market V
West Side Market

Westside Market 2014
Spices and Spiciness

Westside Market American Flag
Flag at West Side Market

Westside market est 1976
Don’t forget to pick up some CAKE

Westside Market signs 2014
Ice Cream and more

Westside market clock 2014
The 137 foot clock tower has been a Cleveland landmark since 1912.

The Market is open year-round on Mondays & Wednesdays from 7-4:00pm and Fridays & Saturdays from 7-6:00pm. The Market is closed on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Located at 1979 West 25th Street (Cleveland), the market is easy to get to either by public transportation or by car (parking is free). Click here for directions.

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Cleveland Ohio: Great Lakes Brewing Company

Posted in Cleveland, Food, Photography, Travel, United States, tagged , , , , , on Sunday, 30 November, 2014| 6 Comments »

Great Lakes Brewing Co

If you find yourself in Cleveland, head over to the West Side and check out Great Lakes Brewing Co. We stopped in for lunch and I was blown away by the superb (and very informative) customer service, overall great atmosphere, and the delicious food.

Great Lakes Sausage
For the Meat Lovers, it’s the all-sausage plate

Great Lakes Squash Ravioli
For the Vegetarians, delicious Butternut Squash ravioli

Beer Tasting Sampler at Great Lakes Brewing Co
The beer sampler is a great option if you’re not quite sure which beer you want to order. The sampler is a collection of Great Lakes beers including the newest ones served only on location.

Beer Menu Great Lakes Brewery
My favorite ended up being the Aloha Ale but the Eliot Ness was a close second. The good thing is Great Lakes Beer can be found in many states so I can restock if needed. Unfortunately, Aloha Ale is only available at the Cleveland location.

If you decide to go, especially on the weekend, be sure to arrive early. They don’t take reservations except for parties of 8 or more Monday through Thursday only. Another bonus, the prices are great ~ it won’t put too much of a dent in your wallet.

Unfortunately for me, all the tours of the Brewery were booked. If that’s of interest to you, make a reservation as soon as possible. Click here to check dates/times on all their events.

A few more photos of our Great Lakes Brew Pub visit:

Beer barrels at Great Lakes Brewing Co
Beer Barrels

Delicious Beers at the Great Lakes Brewing Co

Great Lakes Brewing Co Sign

Great Lakes Brewing Co

Great Lakes Tasting beers II

IMG_3293

Great Lakes Brewing Co

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Washington DC: Early Morning on The National Mall

Posted in DC, Photography, United States, Virginia, Washington DC, tagged , , , , , on Saturday, 6 September, 2014| 6 Comments »

DC Sunrise
US Capitol Building

As an early morning person, I love walking around cities before most people are up. Today, I took complete advantage of John’s jet-lag and the fact he was still mentally seven time zones ahead of DC. By 6:30 am, we were walking The Mall with our very happy dog, Maya. Other people were out and about early, mostly joggers, walkers and a whole lot of police. Not sure what was happening later in the day but they were definitely preparing for something big.

DC National Gallery
The National Art Gallery

DC Birds in flight
Birds in flight at the National Art Gallery

DC Benches
Benches waiting to be filled

DC Washington Monument early morning
Early morning light on the Washington Monument

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Washington DC: Theodore Roosevelt Island

Posted in Islands, Photography, Travels, United States, Virginia, Washington DC, tagged , , , , , on Sunday, 31 August, 2014| 12 Comments »

“We have fallen heirs to the most glorious heritage a people ever received, and each one must do his part if we wish to show that the nation is worthy of its good fortune.”        Theodore Roosevelt

Roosevelt Island Statue

Theodore Roosevelt Island is a living memorial to the 26th President of the United States. It’s a perfect way to honor a man who was a great conservationist and loved being out-of-doors. During his presidency, Theodore Roosevelt’s conservation achievements included adding approximately 200 million acres to the national forests, reserves and wildlife refuges. He also advanced large-scale irrigation projects. President Roosevelt created the U.S. Forest Service and established five National Parks. He was a busy and effective conservationist.

Roosevelt Island The Path

In the 1930s, Mason’s Island was revamped from being overgrown and neglected to what is now the beautiful, forested wilderness called Theodore Roosevelt Island. The island is covered with trees and surrounded by water giving the feeling of being away from it all when in reality the city is very close-by.

Roosevelt Island Runner

The island is a great place to spend a morning or evening with your family, friends or your dog. There are several trails on the island for walking or running. My favorite is the Swamp Trail ~ about 1.3 miles around the island. I’ve visited the park several times and even if the parking lot is full, I haven’t felt crowded. On this visit, I saw two big yellow school buses but the students were all in one area doing exercises.

Roosevelt Island Fishing
Fishing off Theodore Roosevelt Island

Roosevelt Island near the water
Walking along the water

Roosevelt Island Log
Fallen log along the trail

Roosevelt Island Benches
Relaxing along the trail

Roosevelt Island view of Georgetown
View of Georgetown from the island

Roosevelt Island Youth
“Youth” statue on the Roosevelt Island

IF YOU GO: Theodore Roosevelt Island is open year-round from 6 am to 10 pm. No fees to enter the island but a permit is required if you plan an event on the island such as a wedding, memorial service, or group activity. The island is a .6 mile walk from Rosslyn Metro Station (Blue, Orange and Silver lines).There are restrooms on the island but they are closed during the winter (usually from October to April) ~ during this time a portable toilet is located near the restrooms. There are no food vendors so bring your own water/food. Occasionally there are ranger lead tours, for more information click here for the schedule.

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