You asked for it.
.
This is the first time I’ve tried using Google Maps to create a shared map that can be edited by other people.
In theory.
It seems that, in order to make changes or additions, I need to invite you to do so. If you’re interested and didn’t receive an invite, leave me a comment so I can add you to the loop. I’d love to hear advice for things to do at each marker, or if there are any other important stops to make — as long as they’re not too far off my planned route. And before the Colorado people bite my head off, here’s the thing: Denver? Pretty far out of the way. Anything in, say, the southwest corner of the state worth seeing?
Either way, check it out.
First, an announcement: I apparently am needed in Florida for Easter this year, so it’s pretty much been decided for me that I’ll be taking a crack at the Northeast, after all (though still minus Maine, sadly). It’s either that, or sit around at home for a couple extra weeks with nothing to do. Easy call. An updated itinerary should be finalized later in the week.
Now, without further ado, my recent information intake:
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
- One benefit to sticking with the Northeast? I can finally visit the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art! So pumped for this celebration of the gorgeous images that accompany both iconic and contemporary stories for children.
- How to be a Frugal Traveler is one of the latest missives from the New York Times‘s Seth Kugel. I love saving money. I love travel. I love him. The title says it all.
- Ani lives pretty close to the town of Lily Dale in New York, and ever since one of my professors mentioned it in class, I’ve wanted to visit. Check out the Lily Dale Assembly web site for more information about this town completely populated by registered spiritualists. (I also see that there’s an HBO documentary that came out last year called No One Dies in Lily Dale — might have to put that in the Netflix queue.)
- Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York claims to be the birthplace of the area’s famous wings. Anyone know if this is the best place in Buffalo to get wings? If so, it’s going on my list for when I’m in the area.
- Ice wine? Huh? It appears there may be some benefit to visiting the Finger Lakes region during the tail end of winter, if this 2004 New York Times story still has any truth to it. “In the Finger Lakes, The Sweet Taste of Winter” points out the curious practice of harvesting grapes that are allowed to freeze on the vine, creating a sweet, dessert-style wine called ice wine.
I’m kinda maybe sort of procrastinating regarding my next goal for 2011 — figuring out what’s under the hood of my car. I got as far as consulting Daddy-o and then purchasing a hilariously outdated Reader’s Digest car manual. Said manual is sitting on my coffee table under a pile of unwanted flyers and some CDs, pretty much untouched since it arrived in the mail last week.
I can’t help it that there was still one season of Dogtown left for me to watch on Netflix. I’ll get started soon, promise. In the meantime, some (just some) of John Steinbeck’s greatest hits, circa Travels with Charley.
On growing out of the restless travel itch: “In other words, I don’t improve; in further words, once a bum, always a bum.”
Filed under: inspiration
"Travels with Charley," published in 1964.
I love books — so much so, that when we were younger, my brothers were certain I was going to become a librarian when I grew up. (I think that was meant as an insult.) But as someone who loves to read and excelled most in English courses, I have a somewhat shameful secret: I hate classic literature. Hate it. I could probably count on one hand the number of books I had to read for school that I actually enjoyed. But when I started planning this trip, John Steinbeck’s travelogue Travels with Charley: In Search of America kept popping up as required reading. I was wary, but the book is fairly short and I recalled liking The Grapes of Wrath enough to give it a shot.
Greeaaaaaat.
When I was little, my parents were desperate to shove me off into an organized activity of some kind. (When I was little, my mom also worried that I was pretending to murder my stuffed animals, but that’s another story.) As a result of their attempts to get me to socialize and exercise, I have, in my lifetime, quit ballet, field hockey, girl scouts, lacrosse, competitive swimming, gymnastics, basketball, tennis, soccer, and ice skating. (Give me some credit, though: I did all of them for at least an entire season, minus that 2-week lacrosse camp. Girls lacrosse is hard!)
lost, for a little while 