11/09/2005
Best Breakfasts
Today I'm in the mood for Eggs Bernardo at Cafe Bernardo. Two poached eggs, housemade hollandaise sauce atop toasted rosemary brea, served with potatoes and smoked ham $8.75.
2/22/2005
ALABAMA
Shakespeare With A Southern Accent?
The Alabama Shakespeare Festival, located in Montgomery - Alabama's state capital - is the sixth largest Shakespeare festival in the world and attracts more than 300,000 annual visitors from all 50 states and over 60 countries. Upcoming Plays 2006-2007 To Kill a Mockingbird March 05 to Sun., July 23 Twelfth Night March 12 to Sun., July 23 Man of La Mancha April 09 to Sun., July 23 The Trojan Women May 28 to Sun., July 23 The Honky Tonk Angels August 06 to Sun., September 03 The Three Sisters August 13 to Sat., August 26 Crowns October 01 to Fri., November 10 Beauty and the Beast November 17 to Sat., December 23 James and the Giant Peach January 13 to Sat., February 10 Gees Bend January 19 to Sun., February 11 Henry 6 Part A February 23 to Thu., May 17 Death of a Salesman March 02 to Sat., April 07 Henry 6 Part B March 16 to Fri., June 08 Richard the Third April 13 to Sun., June 10 Thinking of You April 20 to Sun., May 20 Fair & Tender Ladies June 01 to Sun., June 24 Dr. Faustus June 22 to Sat., June 30 Add your suggestions for Things You Should Do in Alabama by clicking on the comments button.
ALASKA
Kayak Alaska
A Sea Kayaking Adventure is the perfect way to explore the coastal waters of Southeast Alaska. Glide silently along coastlines and gently though icebergs in harmony with the marine life that surrounds you. GLACIER BAY ESCAPE Explore the pristine West Arm of Glacier Bay, famous for its stunning scenery, glaciers and wilderness waters. This is a fun, active trip but less energetic than our eight-day Glacier Bay Expedition. 5 days. Alaska Discovery, a Mountain Travel Sobek company offers unparalleled adventure travel experiences of a lifetime! An Alaska vacation with Alaska Discovery will allow you to explore Alaska's most beautiful and pristine wildlands on an unforgettable adventure by sea kayaking, river rafting, canoeing or hiking. Choose from wilderness camping or lodge-based explorations. Discover the real Alaska with Alaska Discovery this summer! Add your suggestions for Things You Should Do in Alaska by clicking on the comments button.
ARIZONA
Hike the Grand Canyon with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Hike For Discovery is The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's new adventure fundraising program that prepares people, from beginners to seasoned hikers, to experience a natural wonder in a special way. As a program participant, you'll receive everything you need to be ready for the experience of a lifetime. Five million people a year visit the Grand Canyon, but only a small fraction of them venture into it. Now you can hike the Grand Canyon and experience it from a unique and thrilling perspective. We'll train you and provide everything you'll need to make your adventure successful and fun! As you train, you'll raise funds to help the Society cure leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. More than 747,000 Americans are battling these blood cancers. Your participation in Hike For Discovery will bring them hope and support. Add your suggestions for Things You Should Do in Arizona by clicking on the comments button.
ARKANSAS
Welcome to Heaven
Paradise can be found at the RiverWind Lodge, Arkansas' #1 log cabin resort, located high in the Ozark mountains on the Buffalo National River at Ponca. "Welcome to heaven," is the greeting you’ll most likely hear when you come through our door. And heaven on earth it is. Because of the beautiful, lush Ozark Mountain wilderness surrounding us, and the pristine Buffalo National River flowing through it. Heaven because of the many wonderful ways we can help you explore it. And, because of the luxurious, restful escape you’ll discover at Arkansas’ premier Ozark Mountain log cabin resort. Add your suggestions for Things You Should Do in Arkansas by clicking on the comments button.
CALIFORNIA
California Dreamin'
See my original list of the Things You Should Do in California -- Over 100 suggestions of exciting adventures. Add your own suggestions for Things You Should Do in California by clicking on the comments button.
COLORADO
How many of these beers have you tried?
The Brewers Association (BA) is announcing details for its 2006 Great American Beer Festival, September 28 – 30 at the Colorado Convention Center (at 14th Street and Stout Street) in Denver, Colorado. The 2006 edition will be the 25th installment of the nation’s premier, annual celebration of America’s breweries and rich brewing culture. The festival will feature 1600 of the nation’s best beers from over 380 American breweries. Once again, it will be the biggest selection of American beers ever gathered together in the United States. “The 25th anniversary of the GABF is truly a celebration of the creativity, excitement, flavor and diversity of American Beer,” says Charlie Papazian, GABF founder and president of the Brewers Association. “At our first festival in 1982 we had 20 brewers, and only three or four were microbrewers. We were really trying to draw attention to the traditions of flavor and diversity that were being lost, that were beginning to be recovered by microbrewers at the time. Today, the GABF and the number of craft beers made by America's small, traditional and independent brewers has grown beyond our biggest dreams.” The GABF is deemed the ultimate event for tasting the beer’s of the globe’s greatest brewing nation. “The Great American Beer Festival,” says Garrett Oliver, brewmaster for Brooklyn Brewing, “is the swirling, dynamic, luminous core of what is now the most exciting beer culture on the planet.” GABF visitors enjoy one-ounce beer samples from the fest’s breweries. These breweries are arranged on the festival floor by regions of the country, giving beer lovers a walking tour of the nation’s beer-blessed landscape. Many of the booths are staffed by the brewers themselves. Over 29,500 beer enthusiasts from Colorado, the US and around the world attended last year’s GABF. The 2006 GABF will cover 188,000 square feet in the newly renovated Colorado Convention Center. The GABF also hosts one of the world’s largest and most prestigious tasting competitions. Over 100 professional beer judges from the United States and abroad evaluate over 2,300 beers entered by more than 450 domestic breweries. Gold, silver and bronze medals in 69 beer-style categories will be awarded September 30 at the 1:30 p.m. awards ceremony held during the Special Connoisseur Tasting Session. This year, the GABF’s popular food & beer pairing seminars will feature an A-list of America’s brewers will join local and national celebrity chefs for demonstrations on how to cook with beer, and pair different styles of beer with various dishes. Last year, 2700 volunteers from around the world helped staff the GABF, and they put in over 40,000 hours of volunteer labor. The festival will also present live music by Colorado artists, beer education booths, and other attractions. Add your suggestions for Things You Should Do in Colorado by clicking on the comments button.
CONNECTICUT
Sing a Sea Shanty
Mystic Seaport - Celebrating 75 Years as America's Leading Maritime Museum A legendary maritime destination – for over 300 years. Long before Mystic Seaport’s ships, shops and shipyard, the banks of the Mystic River were filled with...ships, shops and shipyards. Since the 1600s, this historic area has been a center of shipbuilding. Between 1784 and 1919 – the golden age of American maritime enterprise – more than 600 vessels were constructed along the Mystic River. But with the advent of steam power and the decline of wooden shipbuilding after the Civil War, textile manufacturing became Mystic’s dominant industry. Big dreams during the Great Depression. As the great Age of Sail gave way to steamships and railroads, wooden ships and boats were turned into firewood and the nation’s seafaring traditions began to disappear, three Mystic residents decided to work together to keep the past alive. On December 29, 1929, Edward E. Bradley, an industrialist, Carl C. Cutler, a lawyer, and Dr. Charles K. Stillman, a physician, signed the papers incorporating the Marine Historical Association, today known as Mystic Seaport. Their dream: create a dynamic, educational institution to preserve America’s maritime culture – and turn the achievements of a past era into an inspirational force for the future. Time to get growing. Despite the economic conditions of the Great Depression, Mystic Seaport grew rapidly. Donations of log books, photography, ships plans and other maritime artifacts poured into the one-building museum. In 1941, Mystic Seaport acquired the Charles W. Morgan, the country’s last wooden whaleship from the once-great Yankee fleet. Historic buildings from across New England were also moved in to complement the Morgan – and the authentic coastal village area of Mystic Seaport was born. Over the next 50 years, Mystic Seaport experienced explosive growth, amassing the world’s largest collections of maritime photography (over 1 million images) and boats (nearly 500), as well as collecting two million other maritime artifacts. And the 1970s saw the creation of the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard, additional exhibition buildings and several new accredited educational programs. Mystic Seaport reaches its goals. Then, sets new ones. By the 1990s, Mystic Seaport was widely recognized as the nation’s leading maritime museum. In 1996, Mystic Seaport underscored its mission to create a broad public understanding of the relationship of America and the sea with a six-week seminar entitled America and the Sea, which encouraged college professors from around the country to incorporate maritime history into their teachings. In 1998, Mystic Seaport began construction of the freedom schooner Amistad – marking a major educational program centered on the re-creation of an historic vessel from the keel up. In 2000, the Museum published its 70th publication, America and the Sea: A Maritime History, described by Kirkus Reviews as “the definitive work on the subject.” And in the summer of 2000, the dramatic exhibit Voyages: Stories of America and the Sea opened to national acclaim. Bringing hundreds of years of history into the future. Now, Mystic Seaport is making the history of America’s relationship with the sea even more accessible to all-new audiences. As part of a $35 million renovation that includes new exhibit halls and reception areas, the Museum’s new, state-of-the-art Collections Research Center provides easy and convenient ways for scholars and researchers from around the world to access Mystic Seaport’s renowned archives, via the Internet and integrated databases. It’s just one of many ways this showcase of the past two centuries is preparing for the next one. Add your suggestions for Things You Should Do in Connecticut by clicking on the comments button.
WASHINGTON, DC
Cloak and Dagger at the International Spy Museum
Hurry to the fabulous International Spy Museum before the Spy Treasures of Hollywood Highlights from the Danny Biederman Spy-Fi Collection is exterminated Special Engagement Ends June 30, 2006 James Bond’s Walther PPK handgun. Maxwell Smart’s shoe phone. Mrs. Peel’s trademark leather pants. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to infiltrate our latest special exhibit and scrutinize these and over four dozen other objects now on display at the International Spy Museum. The exhibition Spy Treasures of Hollywood: Highlights from the Danny Biederman Spy-Fi Collection gives the visitor an intimate look at an amazing collection of movie and television spy props: what they are, who used them, and how spy fiction compares to spy fact. Internationally recognized pop spy fiction expert Danny Biederman has amassed a Spy-Fi collection that is the world’s largest, with over 4,000 artifacts from I Spy to Alias—and now you can see the very best of it in this evocative trip through spy fantasy. Special Items in the Exhibit Bond’s Walther PPK 7.65 mm Handgun A View To A Kill, 1985 James Bond makes ample use of his license to kill—since 1962, 007 has bumped off over 150 villains. This prop Walther PPK served Roger Moore to fend off Max Zorin, the fiendish product of a Nazi genetic experiment who sought to destroy Silicon Valley and corner the world’s microchip market. While real intelligence officers rarely use lethal force in the field, weaponry may be issued for self-defense and, occasionally, assassination. In World War II, a British Special Operations Executive hit team liquidated notorious Nazi General Reinhard Heydrich. Emma Peel’s Pants The Avengers, 1961 - 69, Britain; 1966-69, ABC-TV Emma Peel (Diana Rigg) was an irreverent, charming and combat-proficient amateur agent—and her tight-fitting leather pants caused a sensation in the 1960s. She was also ahead of her time as Cold War espionage was mostly a man’s world. While male officers ran spy operations around the globe, the few women in intelligence plugged away as secretaries, translators and, occasionally, “swallows”—honeytrapping foreigners in compromising situations. Espionage has come a long way since then. Today, women hold key positions in most Western intelligence agencies, and in 1991, Britain’s MI5 received its first female director. Maxwell Smart’s Shoe Phone Get Smart, 1965-69, NBC-TV; 1969-70, CBS-TV The best spy fails if he can’t communicate his intelligence quickly and securely to headquarters. The famous shoe phone, used by bumbling Agent Maxwell Smart to contact his agency CONTROL, thus represents a crucial component of the intelligence cycle. It also anticipated today’s cell phone by several decades. And during the Cold War, shoes actually served a “spy” purpose as intelligence services outfitted heels with bugs to eavesdrop on the bearer’s conversations. Check out a real shoe with heel transmitter in our main exhibition and compare it to Smart’s trademark gadget! James West’s Suit The Wild Wild West , 1965-69, CBS-TV U.S. Secret Service Agent Jim West donned this smart-looking bolero jacket to create the persona of a high-living East Coast gentleman. In fact, every good spy needs a convincing cover. Many intelligence officers operate under the cover of Embassy staff, but spies can assume many identities: businessmen, press correspondents, exchange students. In 1980, a CIA team entered Iran disguised as a Hollywood production team, and successfully exfiltrated six American diplomats who were hiding to evade capture from revolutionary students. Dr. Evil’s Ring Austin Powers, 1997, 1999, 2002 Dr. Evil, Dr. No, THRUSH, KAOS, or simply “the enemy”—no spy-fi production would be complete without the scheming evildoer and his henchmen. The megalomaniac villain was developed in the Cold War by scriptwriters who sought to avoid explicit references to the Soviet Union in order to prevent networks from becoming entangled in international relations. But with the Cold War framework gone, good villains are sometimes hard to find—in fact, Austin Powers had to travel back to the groovy ‘60s to cross swords with his arch-enemy, the ring-touting Dr. Evil. Add your suggestions for Things You Should Do in Washington, DC by clicking on the comments button. Add your suggestions for Things You Should Do in Washington, DC by clicking on the comments button.
DELAWARE
Hoist the Sails
Welcome Aboard the Kalmar Nyckel! Today, you can experience what it must have been like in 1638 by sailing on a re-creation of the original vessel! Every trip on the Kalmar Nyckel is unique. The Kalmar Nyckel Foundation regularly invites the public onboard for deck tours and sailing experiences at ports along the Eastern Seaboard. The Kalmar Nyckel offers a wide array of sailing opportunities—from May through October—for up to 49 passengers, including three-hour sails, hour-and-a-half cruises and daylong transits from port to port. The Kalmar Nyckel can also comfortably accommodate up to 90 individuals for a deck-top dockside reception or special event. Add your suggestions for Things You Should Do in Delaware by clicking on the comments button.
2/21/2005
FLORIDA
Fairways and Greens
The Doral name has long been associated with an elegant legacy of extraordinary golf and superlative service. Indeed, for almost a half century Doral has continually raised the bar on standards of resort excellence while maintaining the classic style and ambiance envisioned by its creators. Our ongoing commitment to quality ensures The Doral Golf Resort and Spa will continue to merit its place among the timeless, premier golf and spa resorts in the United States. Nestled in tropical Miami, Doral features 5 championship golf courses (host to the PGA Tour since 1962) and five restaurants. The Spa at Doral offers a range of high-end spa luxuries and facilities. The Blue Lagoon water park includes Camp Doral, with a full program for children. Add your suggestions for Things You Should Do in Florida by clicking on the comments button.
GEORGIA
Jazzy Georgia
Swing over to the Ritz Carlton Lodge Reynolds Plantation Greensboro, GA to hear Joe Gransden
Joe's next dates at the Reynolds Plantation include June 2, June 16 & June 24, 2006. Check his schedule to find additional dates.
A widening schedule has found Joe performing at The Jazz Corner in Hilton Head, South Carolina, The Museum of Art and Design in midtown Manhattan, and Tehema Golf Club in Carmel, California (where Joe recently played a party for Clint Eastwood).
Joe's lastest cd "PLAYS AND SINGS" is a collection of Jazz favorites and originals by both Joe and his Father Robert Gransden. Joe is featured alongside jazz great Earl Klugh as well as a 15 piece string orchestra. Other special guests include Rene Marie, Jerry Weldon and Russell Gunn.
Fellow musicians across the country hear a talented trumpet player whose ace in the hole is a well-developed voice. But around Atlanta and New York Joe is also a well-respected human being, a nice guy who treats people fairly. He has always managed to keep every aspect of his career and life in balance. In this tempestuous decade, Joe's lyricism is like a breath of fresh air.
Just 75 minutes east of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Georgia's Lake Oconee, The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation draws on local history and culture as the foundation of the guest experience. Offering 99 holes of golf, a 26,000 square foot spa and lake activities, this luxury resort offers guests an unparalleled experience.
Add your suggestions for Things You Should Do in Georgia by clicking on the comments button.
HAWAII
America II challenged Dennis Connor of Star and Stripes in Fremantle, Australia in 1987. The first American 12 meter with the now famous winged keel, America II is one of the world's fastest racing hulls.
Today she proudly sails from historic Lahaina Harbor, just minutes away from wherever you stay in Maui. The Pacific winds carry her over the incredibly blue Hawaiian water between the islands of Maui, Lanai and Molokai.
This is one of the coolest tourist activities I've ever done! We were really moving! - the Irish Lass
Add your suggestions for Things You Should Do in Hawaii by clicking on the comments button.
IDAHO
Sun Valley Serenade
Although a few professional skaters performed the principal acts, the first Sun Valley Ice Shows featured skaters who could barely make their way around the rink. Young people employed by Union Pacific to work at the resort in other capacities were given a costume, a pair of skates and instructions that were often as sketchy as, "just move around!" Guests were also engaged in the chorus numbers and their photos printed in the society pages of the local newspaper back home. Skating outside in the summer was as unique an experience then, as it is today. The ice surface, from 1937 to 1955, consisted of a small, 120' x 60' outdoor rink. In 1955, a larger, 180' x 90' outdoor rink replaced the small one and remains as the rink today. The skating shows grew as the rink expanded and they continued to expand. Guest and staff performances were eventually replaced by visiting and local skating students. By the late 1970's, the shows were comprised mainly of children, with one famous skater or skating pair a summer. Peggy Fleming, Tai and Randy, and Dorothy Hamill skated here in that era. Between 1980 and 1984, the number of high-profile skaters participating in the ice shows increased dramatically. "Suddenly we had quite a few big, big shows," remembers Rainer Kolb, Director of Recreation at Sun Valley. "Scott Hamilton came up every year when he was the World Champion. Kitty and Peter Carruthers, who were the U.S. Pair Champions for four years and Olympic silver medalists, skated here." All were amateurs at the time. "Then that group became professionals after the 1984 Olympics and we were dealing with agents instead of skaters, coaches and moms. But we were able to bring up the new amateurs and the pros came back year after year. They started networking with other pros, telling each other how much fun it was to skate in Sun Valley." The spectacular scenery and fresh, mountain air are some of the reasons that visitors and locals, amateurs and professionals enjoy skating here. "The top skaters love to perform in our shows because they love skating outdoors, looking up and seeing the stars," says Rainer Kolb. "It is low key here and they like to combine the work with time for vacation." Schedule Jozef Sabovčík June 10 Olympic Bronze Medallist 2x European Champion Margarita Drobiazko & Povilas Vanagas June 24 World Medallists 8x Lithuanian Champions Philippe Candeloro July 1 2x Olympic Bronze Medallist 2x French National Champion Evgeni Plushenko July 4 2006 Olympic Gold Medallist 2006 European Champion 2006 Russian Champion Rena Inoue & John Baldwin July 8 2006 United States Champions 2005 United States Silver Medallists Tanith Belbin & Benjamin Agosto July 15 2006 World Bronze Medallists 2006 Olympic Silver Medallists Xue Shen & Hongbo Zhao July 22 2006 Olympic Bronze Medalists 2x World Champions 7x Chinese National Champions TBA July 29 Alexei Yagudin August 5 2002 Olympic Gold Medalist 4 X World Champion 3 X European Champion Todd Eldredge August 12 World Champion 6x United States Champion Evan Lysacek August 19 2006 World Bronze Medallist 2006 United States Silver Medallist AND Sasha Cohen 2006 World Bronze Medallist 2006 Olympic Silver Medallist Irina Slutskaya August 26 2006 Olympic Bronze Medallists 2006 European Champion 2x World Champion Jamie Salé & David Pelletier September 2 2002 Olympic Gold Medallists World Champions Canadian Champions Elena Leonova & Andrei Khvalko September 9 2x World Professional Champions 2x American Open Champions Add your suggestions for Things You Should Do in Idaho by clicking on the comments button.
ILLINOIS
Eat Your Way Through Chicago
This favorite Chicago tradition offers cuisine from more than 70 restaurants, plus entertainment and activities for the entire family in Chicago's Grant Park. Next year's Taste of Chicago will take place June 29-July 8, 2007. In 1980 a group of restaurateurs approached the Mayor of Chicago with the idea of a food festival on the Fourth of July, and Taste of Chicago was born. Inspired by a “build it and they will come” attitude, a $150,000 budget, and confidence the event could attract 75,000 people, plans for the one-day food frenzy got under way. The festival was held in a three-block area of Michigan Avenue bordered by the Chicago River and the upscale stores and buildings that were then beginning to grace the Magnificent Mile; and between the architectural wonders of the Wrigley Building and Tribune Tower. It was a huge success, (250,000 attended the first “Taste,” and food and soda sales grossed $330,000) destined to change the way Chicago celebrates the Fourth of July. The Site Due to the overwhelming response from the people of Chicago, a larger space to accommodate even more people and restaurants was deemed necessary and in 1981, Taste of Chicago was moved to Grant Park (Chicago’s “front yard”). Grant Park is centrally located, easily accessible to public transportation and parking, and is identifiable to citizens and visitors as the center of the Grant Park Cultural community which includes the Art Institute, Adler Planetarium and Shedd Oceanarium, Field Museum, Cultural Center, Michigan Avenue and State Street Shopping. The use of Grant Park as a venue would also afford utilization of the Petrillo Music Shell, originally designed for us by the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra. This would handily give access to a stage, dressing rooms and showers for performers, as well as seating for 5000 people. Description of Taste of Chicago The Taste of Chicago that evolved from that steamy July 4th in 1980 is the second largest tourist attraction in Illinois. For ten days, this free- admission festival, now in its 24th year, is the place to be, infusing the city with a holiday spirit and attracting lead stories each day in newspapers and on television. It is an impressive scene. Colorfully decorated tents surround the outside kitchens of more than 70 restaurants from all over Chicagoland, which also includes a daily upscale restaurant serving in the Gourmet Pavilion. Exotic aromas permeate the air and no visitor leaves a food booth empty handed. Last year’s “Taste” attracted more than 3.5 million visitors from all over the city, the suburbs, the midwest and the country. In 1989, Mayor Richard M. Daley’s first year in office, the focus for Taste shifted to a family theme and the event became “America’s City Picnic.” In that spirit, many other attractions with family appeal were added. The Family Village presents special programs for kids, which involve audience participation, activities and musical entertainment. In 2003, a carousel was added to the Family Village. For kids of all ages, the Taste stage is programmed with all Chicago talent. A wide variety of musical styles include folk, blues, Latin, country and more. For festival goers who want to satisfy more than their appetites, a popular attraction is the Dominick’s Cooking Corner where local chefs and guest stars demonstrate their wares and confide the secrets of their culinary success. The delightful results are then shared with whomever in the audience can still find room for more to eat. Another area added to Taste in the 90’s is the Living Pavilion. Now festival goers can not only feed their stomachs, but also their souls, learning flower and gardening techniques, feng shei and massage therapy. But the star attraction of Taste, especially on July 3rd, is the line-up of big name, National and international stars who perform on the main stage at the Petrillo Music Shell. In 2003, several Grammy Award winning artists graced the stage including Erykah Badu, Elvis Costello, The Wallflowers, and Sheryl Crow. Chicago gets the early jump on Independence Day with a July 3 presentation of the Grant Park Orchestra performing Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and other patriotic favorites to an amazing display of fireworks. The festival is ever evolving and in 2003, a new pavilion was added to highlight foods from other regions, Taste of the States. Summer in Chicago is built around one event each year, Taste of Chicago. Add your suggestions for Things You Should Do in Illinois by clicking on the comments button.
INDIANA
The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
Here is the history of some of the most popular and enduring traditions of the “500,” written by Indianapolis Motor Speedway Historian Donald Davidson: 500 Festival Parade The 500 Festival Parade took place for the first time in 1957. It, and several other related activities, largely came about following a series of newspaper editorials by local columnists over a two- or three-year period, who had witnessed the several-day celebration in advance of the Kentucky Derby. “Back Home Again in Indiana” Although there are reports that “Indiana,” as the song was originally titled when published in 1917, was played by a trackside brass band as Hoosier driver Howdy Wilcox ran out his final laps on the way to winning the 1919 “500,” it was not until 1946 that it was sung on race morning. James Melton, of the New York Metropolitan Opera Company, was a collector of classic cars, and was at one time president of the Antique Automobile Club of America. He supplied several of the vehicles which participated in a race-morning lap of classic automobiles around the track in 1946, and approximately 45 minutes before the start of the race, he sang “Indiana” with the Purdue University band over the public address system. It was so well received that he was invited back the following year, and in 1948, it was decided to “move it up” to its current slot in the order of the day, just prior to the firing of the engines. Among Melton’s better-known successors have been Mel Tormé, Vic Damone, Dinah Shore, Ed Ames, Peter Marshall, Dennis Morgan and Johnny Desmond, with popular Jim Nabors having missed only a handful of years since 1972. Balloons Before the Start It is believed that 1947 was the first year for the release of multi-colored balloons on race morning and that it was Tony Hulman’s wife, Mary Fendrich Hulman, who made the suggestion. By 1950, the release had been timed to coincide, as it does to this day, with the final notes of “Back Home Again In Indiana.” Borg-Warner Trophy The Borg-Warner Trophy, one of the most recognizable trophies in all of sports, has been awarded to the winner of every Indianapolis 500-Mile Race since 1936. Crafted out of sterling silver by Spaulding-Gorham of Chicago, it was unveiled at a dinner in New York in February 1936, featuring bas-relief sculptures of every “500” winner up until that time. The new winner has been added every year since, and in 1986 (the trophy’s 50th anniversary), the final space became filled. The solution for 1987 was to add a base, but this too became filled, and in 2004, an even larger version replaced it, this one with enough spaces to last through 2034. The only sculptured face not of a winning driver is that of the late Speedway owner Tony Hulman, whose likeness, in gold, was placed on the base in 1987. The Greatest Spectacle in Racing It was on Race Day 1955 when the world heard this famous phrase for the first time. While made famous by Sid Collins, chief announcer for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network broadcast of the “500,” it was actually a young lady who coined it. Dating back into the mid-1920s, radio broadcasts of the “500” typically consisted of a few minutes of coverage of the start and the finish, with brief updates in between, aired every 15 or 30 minutes. When the track created its own network in 1952, this same format was continued. In 1953, however, history was made when the race was covered in its entirety, with no breaks at all except for commercials. When representatives of the skyrocketing number of subscribing stations were asked for comments and feedback, the most common request was that their engineers could be alerted to an impending commercial break by use of a standard “out cue.” The request was turned over to the sales staff of Indianapolis radio station WIBC, the network’s “flagship” station, and it was a female copywriter in her early 20s named Alice Greene who suggested the enduring classic, “Stay tuned to the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” The Yard of Bricks The Yard of Bricks is another nostalgic link with the past. After the track’s original surface of crushed rock and tar was abandoned after only a few days of use in August 1909, it was replaced during that fall by 3.2 million street-paving bricks, trucked in by rail from the western part of the state. Approximately 90 percent were Culver Blocks, manufactured by the Wabash Valley Clay Company of Veedersburg (near the Illinois border), the remainder being supplied by other firms in the same general area. The bricks were laid on their side in a bed of sand, staggered in rows and separated by about 3/8th of an inch on either side so that mortar could be poured between them for strengthening. In the spring of 1936, patches of asphalt were applied to the rougher portions of the turns. Over the next couple of years, more and more asphalt was applied, so that by the time of the 1939 race, only about 650 yards of the main straight were still of bricks. This portion survived for another 22 years until October 1961, when it too was covered over, leaving exposed only 3 feet for the entire width of the track at the start/finish line. The entire 2½ miles has been resurfaced several times since then, with a fresh batch of the original bricks being inlaid at the start/finish line once the new surface has had time to harden. Winner’s Drink of Milk Three-time “500” winner Louis Meyer regularly drank buttermilk on a hot day, as his mother had told him it would refresh him, and he consumed some in Victory Lane as a matter of course after earning his third “500” victory in 1936. A dairy industry executive happened to see a photograph of this in the following day’s newspaper and, believing it to be regular milk, vowed to make sure this would be repeated in the coming years. Milk was part of the Victory Lane ceremony between 1937 and 1941 and then again in 1946, the first year after World War II, but disappeared between 1947 and 1955. The tradition was revived in 1956 and continues to this day. Winner’s Wreath Long used in Grand Prix racing, the winner’s wreath at Indianapolis appears to have debuted in 1960, when a wreath featuring several exotic-looking, dark-yellow and brown flowers was placed on the shoulders of Jim Rathmann. A garland of white and red carnations of the type normally associated with horse racing was placed around the shoulders of A. J. Foyt in 1961, and in 1962, Rodger Ward wore a wreath not too dissimilar from those seen today. Underwritten by Borg-Warner Corporation, the wreaths were the creation of William J. “Bill” Cronin, a longtime Indianapolis florist, who was at one time a floral consultant for the parades of the Rose Bowl, Cotton Bowl and the 500 Festival. He died in 1989. For most of the last 30 years, the wreath has featured 33 ivory-colored Cymbidium orchids with burgundy tips, plus 33 miniature checkered flags, intertwined with red, white and blue ribbons. Yellow Shirts From the time the Indianapolis Motor Speedway opened in 1909 until immediately after World War II, all events at the track were policed by the Indiana National Guard. Shortly after Tony Hulman purchased the track in November 1945, one of his right-hand men, Joseph Quinn of the Clabber Girl Baking Powder Company, set up a Board of Safety which sought input from all of the major law enforcement agencies. By 1948, the track’s own Safety Patrol had been established, featuring dark-blue uniforms and pith helmets, those of department heads painted gold, and the rank and file, silver. The long-sleeved shirts, made of wool, were extremely uncomfortable to wear, both on a hot day and when soaked with rain. In the early 1970s, some of the senior staff members switched on weekends to considerably more comfortable short-sleeved yellow shirts, while golden plastic “bump” or “batting” helmets replaced the pith helmets. By 1975, all of the blue uniforms had disappeared completely; baseball caps had replaced the bump helmets and the term “yellow shirt” had come into vogue. Add your suggestions for Things You Should Do in Indiana by clicking on the comments button.
IOWA
Build it and they will come ...
E X P E R I E N C E T H E M A G I C . . . People young and old from every comer of the globe believe in the "Field of Dreams" and its ambassadors, the "Ghost Players." The dream, began by the enormously successful Universal Pictures film "Field of Dreams," is alive today and more vivid than ever. The field itself remains a major American tourist site. Nestled within a Dyersville, Iowa cornfield, it is a destination visited by more than 800,000 people over the past fifteen years. The movie, based on W.P. Kinsella's book "Shoeless Joe" and released in 1989, was an Academy Award nominee for Best Picture of the Year. The field is open April through November from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. From Memorial Day until Labor Day, the hours of operation are 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. NO ADMISSION IS CHARGED. While at the Field, make sure you visit our souvenir store by third base and look over our unique gift items. The store's hours are the same as the Field's hours of operation. No trip to the ballpark would be complete without ice cream, popcorn, and a cold beverage. You can purchase all of these at Left & Center Field of Dreams. We also provide baseballs, bats, and gloves for your use at no charge. Baseball fans of all ages will agree that a visit to the "Field of Dreams" is about as close to heaven as you can get. This season, go down swinging at the world's most famous ballpark, the "Field of Dreams". For more information about the "Field of Dreams" or for year-round mail ordering, please call 1-800-443-8981 or 563-875-6012. Add your suggestions for Things You Should Do in Iowa by clicking on the comments button.
KANSAS
Jazz Greats Live On
The sights and sounds of a uniquely American art form come alive at the American Jazz Museum. The Museum includes interactive exhibits and educational programs as well as the Blue Room, a working jazz club, and the Gem Theater, a modern 500-seat performing arts center. Located in the historic 18th and Vine District in Kansas City, Mo., this is the place where jazz masters such as Charlie Parker, Count Basie, Big Joe Turner, and hundreds of others defined the sounds of the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. Today, scholars, students, musicians, and fans are drawn here to learn about the legends, honor their legacy, or simply enjoy the best music America has to offer. For more information, call us at 816-474-8463. Celebrating the artistic, historical, and cultural contributions of jazz, the American Jazz Museum includes: Rare photos, album covers, memorabilia, and personal items telling the stories of jazz legends Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and Charlie Parker More than 100 recordings of the greatest jazz ever played Studio 18th & Vine, where visitors experiment with harmony, melody, and rhythm Films and special collections honoring the impact of jazz on the American experience Special exhibits highlighting Kansas City’s unique contributions to jazz The Blue Room: Named after the famed 18th & Vine nightspot in the old Street Hotel, this working jazz club is open four nights a week and features the best local and national artists in an intimate, creative, smoke-free setting. The Gem Theater: Behind the restored 1912 façade is a modern 500-seat performing arts center. In addition to our annual "Jammin' at the Gem" jazz masters' concert series, the theater hosts many community events and theatre productions. The Changing Gallery: Four times a year, the American Jazz Museum presents special artistic exhibits inspired by jazz, baseball, and African-American life. Add your suggestions for Things You Should Do in Kansas by clicking on the comments button.
KENTUCKY
Mint Juleps in May
Since the 1st running of the Kentucky Derby in 1875, the 40-acre Churchill Downs infield has been a gathering place to exercise the first rite of spring. Attracting folks from all over the country, the infield at Churchill Downs regularly becomes home to 80,000 fans for Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby days. For many, one visit to the infield is enough to last a lifetime (about all you may see of the races is a cloud of dust and a flash of silks); others come back year after year, graduating from the fun of their youthful college days to family picnics with the little ones. Whatever the activity, the infield revelry on Derby Day ranks as one of America's great parties. Add your suggestions for Things You Should Do in Kentucky by clicking on the comments button.
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