Philadelphia Museum of Art

The museum has expanded! Art lovers, time to visit this museum when you are around Philly. A good news indeed for those who love photography, sculpture, fashion and textiles.

The Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building was added, which was the first expansion of the museum since it was opened 80 years ago.

The building was renovated costing to $90 million in public and private funds. Its interior features a skylit galleria that links the existing structure to a 59,000 sq. foot addition. There are four main galleries; a high-ceilinged space for sculpture, a gallery for works on paper, space for modern design, and a gallery for customes and textiles.

With the new expansion, the costume display can expand to more than five times its original size.

It's worth visiting for the art lovers, don't you think?

There will be a minimal admission fee to visit the Perelman Building alone. If you prefer visiting the whole museum, you have to pay at least $14 - to cover entrance to both buildings.

Enjoy the various displays of art! :)

RoseCliff - Newport, R.I.

Another Gilded-age mansion worth visiting is the Rosecliff. Today, it is considered one of America's most romantic settings for weddings.


Rosecliff is snow-white covered mansion with classic lines, and has the largest ballroom in Newport. Once captivating design inside the mansion is the heart-shaped staircase which provides the ideal setting for wedding occasions.

This house was completed in 1902 costing to $2.5 milion. It was then became the venues for many most lavished parties, fairy tale dinners including a party that featured the famed magician Harry Houdini.

The Elms - Newport, R.I.

Me at the back portion of The Elms

This mansion was formerly a summer residence of Mr. & Mrs. Edward Berwind from Philadelphia and New York. Berwind was famous in the coal industry where he got his wealth.

The Elms was built in the 18th century and completed in 1901 with a cost of $1.4 million. Its interior furnishings and decorations are Renaissance-inspired with accents of an 18th century French and Venetian paintings and Oriental Jades.

The Berwind couple obviously love the gardens with classical revivals that were developed between 1907 and 1914.

It also has marble and bronze sculptures, a park and with a lower garden that displays marble pavillions, fountains, a sunken garden and carriage house with garage.

Carribean Luxury Vacation

Are you looking for a place for your Carribean get-away vacation with you and your family?
Family Friendly Vacation is the perfect one for you wherein you and your family can savor a gourmet of inclusive experiences that fosters togetherness.
Azul Sensatori Hotel is an ideal place to take your kids and teens, as well as parents or your group of friends. You will be assured of good memories as well as great fun for your kids. It's an all-in-one place to go to for various activities, entertainment, and good restaurants and bars.
One of the best thing they offer you is an easy and convenient vcationing with your smaller kids and requires zero planning. You and your loved one can as well spend private moments alone, while the kids are out for fun ;).
Check their family highlights, and start booking your trip the soonest!
Have fun!

The Breakers - Newport, R.I.

While the Marble House is considered to be the extravagant summer house of the Vanderbilt family because of its extravagant architectural designs, The Breakers is considered to be the grandest of Newport's summer "cottages".

The Breakers were purchased as a wooden house by Cornelius Vanderbilt II, grandson of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt in the 18th century. It was then renovated to a villa replacing the earlier wood-framed house that was destroyed by fire.
Richard Hunt, (also the architect of Marble House) redesigned the villa creating a 70-room Italian Renaissance style palazzo as inspired by the 16th century palaces of Geno and Turin.

Furnishings and fixtures were done by Allard and Sons of Paris, while the relief sculpture was done by Karl Bitter, an Austro-American sculptor. The family quarters' decorations were courtesy of Ogden Codman, an architect from Boston.

The Marble House - Newport, RI

This is so far my favorite visit in seeing a mansion, - the Marble House. It was built in the 18th century and is one of the most extravagant summer house or "cottage" built for Mr. & Mrs. William Vanderbilt during America's Gilded Age, built in Newport, RI. The couple hiredRichard Morris Hunt as the builder and designer of the mansion.
Hunt was inspired with a neoclassic design and combined it with massive Corinthian columns, a 10-ton bronze, steel and crystal grille entranceway.

The main entry hall (as you can see above) is made entirely of yellow Sienna marble!

As you go along, you'll just run out of descriptions as you'll be amazed with the fully lavished designs all thorughout! If you want to visit, you can either opt to choose an audio tour for your convenience and learn the detailed history about Marble House.

NOTE: Strictly, photos are NOT allowed inside :(.

Rhode Island - The Ocean State

Rhode Island is famous of its nickname as "The ocean State" or to some it's called "Little Rhody." It's the smallest state in the US with only 1,545 square miles including Narragansett Bay. It's name was derived for the Isle of Rhodes (in the Mediterranean Sea ) or for its red clay. Adriaen Block, a Dutch explorer perhaps named it "Rood Eylandt" which means Red Island in Dutch.

Although the state is small, there are lots of interesting places and scenic visits to see. If you are planning a trip and you plan to be driving mostly, prepare for those narrow, mostly one-way roads in Newport. I am not sure driving around Providence, but we were in Newport most of our visits, so that was an experience on our part. If you have your map, you won't get lost...remember, it's just a small area :).

Buildings of ancient architectural designs such as mansions and castles are plenty to visit. They are mostly in one area in Newport.You can either choose to walk while visiting the mansions one at a time, or you can drive.

Aaahhh! We had a wonderful time visiting different mansions!

(more on my next post...)

Unique Trip Experiences to Switzerland

I haven't been to Switzerland yet, but I'm hoping someday my dream of visiting Switzerland will come true! I travel a lot in the US and doing all the itineraries as planned are all worth memorable.
It amazes me to know that there are lots of unique experiences to be done in Switzerland! Being a country of dramatic landscapes and with strong cultural influences, it must be a memorable experience to cherish.
Trip experiences can be enjoying and I believe it includes enjoying the culture of the country you are visiting as well.
Discover Swiss "Pearls" and you will be amazed that Switzerland has a lot of unique trip itineraries to enjoy. One of the activities worth doing that I would like best for example is to see the Grandstand View. I would also love to try the experience of doing the medieval papermaking. Just in case, it would be the most unique and productive trip experience I have done in all my trips. It's nice doing an actual activity and at the same time learning the history behind it.
I am basically a nature lover and I love to visit and learn various histories of nature, and as I see it, Switzerland has a lot to offer for travellers.

Here are my top 5 picks of the activities I consider unique and worth enjoying when visiting Switzerland:

Grandstand View

Staring an elephant in the face

Medieval Papermaking

Learning About Our Neolithic Ancestors

Ghost Walk through Zurich

Switzerland has a lot of special things to consider when visiting. Discover those "gems" today!

Our Rhode Island Adventure

I know I'm a little bit behind sharing our trip to Rhode Island, couple weeks ago. Although, I'm a li'l bit delayed I would like to share some few to begin with. I will try to recall all the places that we visited later.

Anyway, the whole trip was a lot of fun. The only thing that was a bit of a hassle on our part was that the place where we were supposed to stay (Lady Victorian Inn), wasn't able to accomodate us due to the fact that the in keeper messed up the date. Instead of putting on the correct date, the record said it was on another month! Harry, (the inn keeper's name) was apologetic, and was able to recommend us a nice place (another inn), the Spring Season Inn few blocks away from their place.

We started our planned itinerary that same day we arrived...and the day was so sunny and warm! :). I will continue on my next post :).

Disney's California Adventure - 3

Golden State:

• Soarin' Over California

This ride is like a virtual reality. You get to sit in an open simulated airplane and then see a seem-like breath taking scenes of California. The scenes are in a big screen but looks like you're in it! :). It feels like you're really up in the open air, and soaring and swooping like an eagle! Gosh! Did I tell I'm scared of heights?...I closed my eyes most of the time. LOL!

• Mission Tortilla Factory

This is fun thing to do if you love tortillas. You go take behind-the-scenes look at tortilla production. Of course, you'll always get a free taste! :).

• The Bakery Tour

Another tour where you can watch as bakers create fresh sourdough bread before your eyes. With free taste of a freshly baked dough! :).

Best Web Hosting Site

There are more than hundreds of web host providers in the internet, and for sure more are still adding on the list. On the other hand, it is a big challenge if you are looking for the best that fits your needs for your website, right?
If you are into unix web hosting and currently looking for the best unix web host that suits your needs, you don't need to waste your time searching and surfing all over the internet. Why not check webhostingrating.com?
Webhostingrating provides independent customer ratings that features comprehensive information on all Unix web hosting providers which also includes promotional and discount coupons that some unix host providers offer. The ratings come from real customer-users and their host rating system is based on the customer's satisfaction, affordability, reliability, uptime and technical support.
You can as well check the top ten Best Unix Web Hosting list for 2009. Each provider on the list has its own rating from users which for sure will help you find your best choice! It is even much more convenient for you without the hassles of surfing all day and night, don't you think?
If you are searching for cheap webhosting, you can get some helpful tips to avoid unexpected rip-offs from webhostingrating. Don't forget to check and read the articles. It's full of tips and helpful informations.
One click on webhostingrating.com site and you got it all. What more can you ask for? Visit webhostingrating and see it yourself:).

Disney's California Adventure - 2

There are lot of things to do inside, but I would only be sharing my experiences to the attractions I went into.

Hollywood Pictures Backlot:

1. The Twilight Zone-Tower of Terror - I thought this would only be a regular elevator ride with ghostly effects...well, I like those things, but hubby and I didn't have the idea of sitting in that huge elevator and had a free fall of more than 100 feet down (3 times)! Take note: Be sure to wear that seat belt...or else, you would find yourself flying and hit yourself all around, LOL! My legs were shaking on that ride and I won't do it again!

2. Turtle Talk with Crush - Good place to take your kids. You'll get to see a turtle called "Crush" who talks with the kids. An interactive chat session for kids and Crush is just cute to see him talking to the kids. Humorous turtle too! :).

"Bug's Land:

3. It's tough to be a Bug! - This is a 3D show with the usual 3D glasses that they provide to watch the show. On the show, you also get to feel crawling "friendly" bugs under your seat...eeewww! But above all, it's fun! Nothing creepy!

FREE Shows Online

Do you enjoy watching TV shows, and sometimes, you can't hardly access them because you need to pay extra on your TV subscription? Well, check this: Spreety TV Online : Watch TV Shows Online Free. Yes, you are not dreaming. The Spreety site a place where you can watch your TV online legally. You can watch your favorite sports, news, movies, entertainment, etc.
Check it out for more it can offer!

Disney's California Adventure - 1

December 9 & 12, 2008
We had visited Disney twice since our hotel (Doubletree) is close to the park in Anaheim, California. It was nice to be in the park (in another place, lol!) due to the fact that we frequented Disneyworld in Florida the previous years...much bigger. But nothing else is much different when it comes to Disney. It's always a good thing to become "child-like" once in a while :).

Honestly, we enjoy kiddie rides better than the roller coasters and other high thrill rides, LOL! I and my husband are scared of heights, although in my case, I would always want to overcome and try thrilling rides, which I would end up NOT doing it when I'm alone, hahaha...

More coming on my next post.

See ya'll!

Drive Safe This Summer

For drivers, whether you like it or not, the fact is that the biggest cause of fatal car accidents is driver distraction.
Talking on cell phones for example is considered dangerous, according to the National Highway Traffic Administration. During summer, drivers are most likely to make calls thinking driving conditions are fine and it's just okay to take their mind off the road.

Did you know that when you compare reflexes and response time of a driver on a cell phone with that of a drunk driver, those ones on the cell phones face worse? And another thing, it's even not a valid reason using headsets because they aren't any safer! Drivers are 4x more likely to get into car crash when they're on any phone, even a hands-free one.

It's because conversations can lead to "inattention blindness" in which you miss up to 50% of safety cues, like flashing brake lights on the car infront of you.

So, next time you're on the road, buckle up, stow your cell phone away, - and pull over if you must take a call. A trip delay is much more worth than losing your life! That makes sense, right?

Drive safe!

Auto Body Shops

Here is one low cost auto body repair shop you should check - the Collision Repair Experts. They are large nationwide network of reliable collision experts that offer low cost auto body repairs. Colorado residents can now check auto body shops colorado for the nearest and most convenient places to go to. You can easily use their search box on the homepage to find those ones near them by providing their city or zip code. It's that easy!
And if you think you have what it takes to be considered as a collision expert, you can as well join the network of expert repair body shops with Collision Repair Experts. Call them today!

Lackawanna Coal Mine

A tour going underground! That's Lackawanna Coal Mine Tours in northeastern Pennsylvania. The tour begins with a 250-foot descent below the earth, through a mine car, once used by miners. You will be led by a tour guide to a one-half mile through the winding underground gangways and rock tunnel while explaining the mining geology, etc... The tour group will also experience the extreme darkness, the way the miners usually work.

The Anthracite Heritage Museum is located separately just next to mine in Mcdade Park. Here, more information will be learned about the history and the people in the region. The museum is open year-round, from 9AM to 5PM, Mon.-Sat. and noon to 5PM Sunday.

If you want to experience the Lackawanna Coal Mine Tours, it's an hour tour and are offered daily from 10AM-3PM frm April 1 to November. Or better yet, visit lackawannacounty.org

Have fun!

Discover Philly (Part 2 )

The National Constitution Center is worth visiting in learning America's history. The center is made of impressive limestone complex in which the famous opening words of the US Constitution was engraved on its facade. This center was opened in 2003. One of the favorites is the Signer's Hall, where life-size bronze statues of the Constitution's 39 signers and 3 dissenters are displayed. You can even choose to sign or dissent :).

The Old World Charm can be your historic dreams. This continues at the Thomas Bond House built in 1769. This is the former home of the cofounder of the Pennsylvania Hospital which was being restored. With it are 12 guestrooms and decorated with period furniture and all feature views of Welcome Park.

Ride The Ducks Tour provides you an opportunity to relax and enjoy the scenery from a duck's eye view on a 70-minute ride on the river. Once aboard, you first cruise the streets of Philly before splashing into the Delaware River.

More has to be discovered as you go along. So, enjoy your historic vacation.

Happy July 4th!!!!

Discover Philly (Part 1)

Philadelphia's old city neighborhood is a historical place where during the 1770's the founding fathers began America's quest for freedom and independence.

The Independence National Historic Park is considered to be the most historic square mile in America. It is now visited by millions of tourists every year (also known as the Independence Mall), which also includes the Liberty Bell Center and the Independence Hall.

Did you know that there are more than 200 years of American history to be explored in Philadelphia's Independence National Park?

Why not begin your visit at Independence Visitor Center. Here, it will be your first stop to Independence Hall. Tickets are available in first-come, fist-served basis, so be sure to get an early spot. It sells like hotcakes! Just close by is the Liberty Bell Center where you get up close with the bell, America's famous bell.
Your tour inside the hall will take you to the Assembly room where the declaration of Independence was adopted and where the Constitution was drafted and signed. You can further proceed outside to the Independence Square where the Declaration was first read. You can also visit Congress Hall, Old City Hall, and the Philosophical Hall. Then stop by at Carpenters Hall, Franklin Court, the 2nd Bank of the US and Todd House just within the steps of Independence Hall.

You might also want to explore the colonial graveyard with a $2 entrance fee, the fmous Christ Church Burial Ground where it was the final resting place of Benjamin Franklin and his wife Deborah. The grave is visible from the sidewalk. Don't forget to toss a coin on Franklin's grave as a sign of good luck and respect :).

Visit Philadelphia Mint, the oldest mint in the country, where the first US coins were minted in the original facility.

Moshup Beach

This beach located at the foot of the famous Aquinnah Cliffs in Massachusetts is rated as one of the top 10 "best walking beaches in America. It's due to the fact that te Moshup sand is not too loose and not too hard packed for walking. It has a sandy seaside path on Martha's Vineyard, a perfectly scenic New England island.

To give you a clearer picture of the beach, just think about cobblestone streets, picket fences, fishing boats, lighthouses and church steeples.
Surfers will enjoy the gentle waves of the water and the scenery is breathtaking.

There are many things to be shared about this beach. Like for example, its 200-foot high walls of red clay are striated with various shades of green, gray, red, white and yellow. There are so much things to be treasured, such as the rainbow-colored cliffs, tide-smoothed sand, crashing waves of brilliant blue and sounds of sea birds are just one of the few.

The place, Martha's Vineyard island can be accessible by ferry or by air. During summer months, ferries are available at least a dozen times for 45 minutes each trip.

Enjoy your summer! :).