The Eastern State Penitentiary - America's Most Historic Prison

Experience an interesting guided tour of the world's first true "penitentiary" when you are around Philly area. The Eastern State Penitentiary is located on the corner of 22nd and Fairmount Ave., just 5 blocks away from the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

The Eastern State Penitentiary (ESP) has a soaring castle-like Gothic architecture, with a Quaker-inspired design system of isolation that was finally opened in 1829.

It extends up to 11 acres in size equipped with central heat, running water, and flushing toilets, making it once the most famous and expensive prison in the world.

The founders of the penitentiary believed that solitary confinement could reform convicts through strict isolation, inspiring penitence and true regret.

ESP was built in a way resembling a church with each cell containing a Bible and a skylight representing as the "eye of God". It purposely was designed to rehabilitate rather than punish, pushing the convicts toward spiritual reflection and change. ESP was the first one to use solitary confinement, because reformists believed that isolation will lead to reflection and ultimately penitence, thus it came up with the word "penitentiary".

But the effect of solitary made many convicts become insane instead. The existence of tortuos punishments of the inmates carried by the prison's staff also contributed to this.

After 142 years of use as a penitentiary, ESP finally shut its doors in 1971.

Today, as you start walking through its corridors, you will witness the deteriorating effects of the decaying corridors as it nears 2 decades of abandonment. Nowadays, it stands in ruins with crumbling cell blocks and empty guard towers.

ESP also once held many of America's most notorious criminals, including famous gangster, Al Capone and bank robber Willie Sutton ("Slick Willie"). 

Al Capone's cell is still on display for viewing, which was restored as a 19th century cell. While he spent his sentence in the penitentiary, he was allowed to furnish his cell with rugs, antique furnishings and oil paintings, making him spent most of his sentence in a relative comfort at the Eastern state.

Al Capone's Cell

Tours include a glimpse of how was life like inside the prison's historic cell blocks. You can also choose to do the guided tour by one of the staff, an audio tour if you prefer to  do it at your own pace, or choose the "Terror Behind The Walls."

London Grill Restaurant in Philly!

Located at Fairmount Ave., Philadelphia is an award-winning restaurant; - The London Grill! It has also been named the "Best Neighborhood Restaurant" by the Philadelphia magazine.

Food is great! :)

Best part is, - if you're a tourist, you're eating in a restaurant at the heart of the art museum area. It is also a few meters away to the Eastern State Penitentiary, a tourist attraction! 

The Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Tour

If you are planning to visit the statue and Ellis Island, please take note and be aware that there are two ferry routes coming to and from the islands. One is a ferry coming from/to Liberty State Park (New Jersey side) and the other one is coming from/to Battery Park (New York side).

The same thing is true when you are going back. Be sure you are taking the right ferry back to where you came from, unless you plan to change your route in going back to either on the New York side or New Jersey side.

Before boarding the ferry, all visitors will have to undergo primary security screening, similar to airport security procedures. Sharp pointed objects, big bagpacks, luggages and bikes are NOT allowed.

There is a second security screening at the statue's monument entrance before visiting any area on or in the Statue.

The Statue of Liberty in the U.S. is one of the most visited park in the country, and where security is everybody's top priority. The areas worth visiting are the statue's pedestal, the crown and the Liberty Island Museum. But these areas require ticket reservations. You must either have ticket reservations to either crown or pedestal areas in order to visit the Liberty Island Museum as well.

Before you get access to the statue, you have to undergo a second security screening. Once you get past the screening, you will be entering the lobby at the pedestal area. At the center of it is the statue's original torch constructed in 1876, and was replaced by a torch made of copper in 24K gold leaf in 1984. There used to be an access to the statue's torch, but it has been closed since 1916.

Just a few steps up above the lobby is the Liberty Island Museum. At the entrance, is a huge face of Statue of Liberty made of copper.

There are lots of facts and information inside the museum comprising historical timelines and chronicles about the statue before it was built as a symbol of freedom. You will also learn about the various interpretation of the changes of the statue's design since it was erected in 1886. Tons of interesting facts that you will discover!

There are 2-3 plight of stairs going up the pedestal viewing area, but there is also an option to use the elevator if you have difficulty going up the stairs.

Once you are at the viewing deck, you'll get to see the panoramic views of the New York Harbor, Ellis Island, New York and New Jersey. Take note though that the viewing area can become so crowded. It can sometimes hinder you from taking good photos as the space around the viewing area is narrow.

Visiting the statue's crown is another separate ticket reservation. Did you know that reaching the Statue of Liberty's crown is like walking up to a 22-storey building? Yup!...it's a fact! :)

If you plan to visit the crown, be sure you are able to walk at least 154 steps shaped in a spiral staircase. Another thing to take note is that there is only a limited view of the Brooklyn area from the crown level.

There are various choices you can do as well, such as self-guided audio tours (free) on the grounds of the island, as well as park ranger tours are also available daily at the park. Park Ranger tours start at the Liberty Island Flagpole that last 30-40 minutes.

Ellis Island Immigration Museum:

Just a few minutes from the Statue of Liberty is Ellis Island & the Immigration Museum. The building where 12 million immigrants used to pass through in the years 1892-1954 is now called the Immigration Museum, located in Ellis Island.

All the stories of many of these immigrants are displayed in the museum. Mostly are documented in photos, statues and memorabilias, while some are video and audio interviews.

Some display areas used to have artifacts that are no longer available due to the aftermath of hurricane Sandy.

At the upper floor of the museum is the Registry Room, ("The Great Hall").

This area was where the immigrants were inspected and processed before they could enter America. The architectural designs are still amazing including the Guastavino tiled ceilings with the Tiffany chandelier still hanging below it!

The Mutter Museum

The College of Physicians in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is considered to be the birthplace of American medicine. It became an essential institution in the field of health due to its goals it strives to enable every individual, families and communities to take greater responsibilities in caring for their health, as well as to improve public health through service of health professionals.

It was founded as early as in the 17th century, one of the oldest professional medical organization in the country.

Today, there are almost 1,500 fellows who continue to work toward serving the public health for the better.

As part of their goal to provide the community as well as for the medical professionals a place to learn about medicine, both as a science and an art, - The Mutter Museum was born!

The Mutter Museum contains collections of various anatomical specimens, medical instruments, models and other exhibits related to human body with a goal to help both the public and health professionals learn and appreciate the historical diagnosis and treatment of diseases better. The collections are placed and done in a 19th century "cabinet museum" setting making it a unique environment to learn more about medicine and health and discover the mysteries and beauty of the human body.

Each collection is beautifully preserved with the help and care of a curator to maintain as well as to expand the collections.

The first collection actually started as early as in the 18th century as a donation from Dr. Thomas Dent Mutter whose goal was to improve and reform the medical education.

Today, the museum is continously rising in its popularity making an attendance of visitors annually to more than 130,000.

If you plan to visit, take note that photos are NOT allowed inside. So, reserve your photo sessions outside the museum. Tours are mostly self-guided.

Bass Guitar Buying Guide For Newbies

Learn Bass Guitar techniques when it comes to buying one without compromising your budget. At the same time, learn how to choose the model, the convenience it can give you, and the specific features it can give you for your music.

Being a beginner in choosing your bass guitar can be tricky if you are not careful. You have to be familiar about the types and styles and at the same time stick with the recommended buying guides. You won't regret it once you do, because it's gonna be worth it at the end.

911 Museum & Memorial Tour (NY City)

The museum was dedicated on May 15, 2014 and has been recently opened thereafter in honor of the memory of those killed in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 and the February 26, 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

The museum has a huge collection of displays including artifacts and other materials that were destroyed during the attack. Displays of photos, videos are also included as well as the timeline of events of what happened in the morning of September 11, 12 years ago.

Timelines of the events are shown through images, audio, video as well as first-person accounts. Take note that the timelines contain some graphic images and sensitive contents associated with the 911 terrorist attack aftermath.

Adjacent to the museum now stand a memorial, - the twin reflecting pools which now sit where the Twin Towers used to stand before the collapse.

The 2 reflecting pools each has an acre in size and they are considered to be the largest man-made waterfalls in North America.

Bronze panels edging around the pools contain the names of all the people who died both in the 2001 and 1993 attacks. This is a powerful event as a result of a foreign attack to the US where a lot of lives was lost and where a great single loss of rescue personnel's lives were taken in the US history.

Just a quick note though: A security screening is mandatory for all visitors who enter the museum. All bags, purses, equipments and belongings should all go through the security belt. Things allowed are handbags, backpacks, tote bags as long as they are limited to 8x17x19-inch size per item.

Items such as alcohol, glass bottles, weapons or tools like knives and cutting tools, any type of marking materials like paint and markers, powdered substances and liquid soaps are NOT allowed!

Cell phones are allowed but should be placed on mute and shouldn't be used while you are inside the museum's exhibition premises.

There are places in the exhibit areas where photos are NOT allowed, but other than that, feel free to take photos as long as no flash photography is followed.

Another important reminder; - there is only one cafeteria inside the museum basing on our last visit (10/2014) which serves only cookies, bagels, coffee, juice and soda.

So, if you need to eat a decent meal, you have to go out and find one outside the museum.

Exploring Ocean City, Boardwalk (Maryland)

Ocean City is considered to be the East Coast's favorite family vacation destination, particularly during summer wherein it becomes the 2nd most populated town in Maryland as vacationers would flock the area making its visitors go up to 8 million at least in a year.

Its world famous boardwalk stretches up to 10 miles of clean beautiful beaches from the inlet to the Delaware state line.

The Ocean City Boardwalk is at the southern tip of the strip. It is where the main shopping district is, as well as an entertainment area of the town. The boardwalk has also amusement parks and recently a museum, namely the Trimpers Rides and The Pier.

Along the strip are now full of hotels, apartments, condos and shopping centers.

Experience wise, I and my husband only explored along the boardwalk, where the shopping districts are mostly located ;). Take note that Ocean City also has a downtown neighborhood marked by Victorian style houses and some other buildings, and the city is still continously expanding for more business establishments and attractions.

Exploring the boardwalk involves a lot of walking, so if you plan to be in the area for shopping, be sure you can walk at a long distance. There is a trolley that runs back and forth along the boardwalk for those who want to skip the long walks, but the trolley has a charge of $3. per person.

Otherwise you can still opt to stop fora rest. Benches are situated along the edge of the boardwalk. It's ideal to still walk if you are a shopaholic, :).

The Yellow Barn @ Shenandoah Caverns

Few meters away from the caverns is the valley's newest entertainment location, - the Yellow Barn! It offers small town shopping, historic displays of model trains and various collections of restored carriages and other farm vehicles, wine tasting, home decors, small accessories, and many more.

There is also an indoor beehive in the store where you can see the bees making their honey. But take note that the beehive is not available for viewing in the cooler months.

Kids can also enjoy playing at the playhouse, just in front of the building, and the giant frog statue for a photo session! :)

Their souvenir shop carries a wide variety of items from local wines to arts, crafts, trinkets and mementos.

The Trip Down Main Street of Yesteryear

This elaborate, full of colorful unique, animated and antique store window displays opened in 1996. It shows more than 100 animated figurines of window displays most of which of them were originally displayed in city department stores a half century ago.

The idea of opening this window displays came from the fact that there were those times in the past, many years back when children get so excited during the holiday season wherein they couldn't wait to visit department stores just to look at those animated displays through the store windows.

Today, children can now experience enjoyment and fun the same way as before when they visit Main Street of Yesteryear.

When you are visiting Shenandoah caverns, you can either choose to visit these displays before or after your cavern tour as the place is just adjacent to the caverns.

The cavern tour or a visit to the Main Street of Yesteryear starts at the shop where both entrances are. Those coming from the cavern tour will still have the choice to be dropped off from another entrance to the Main Street through the elevator.

Big brown bears displayed along the side of the stairs came from the Rose Parade in California.

As you start your visit to Main Street of Yesteryear, you will be greeted with glass cased windows filled with fully restored antique displays such as the three-ring circus of clowns, twirling elephants, jugglers and ferocious tigers.

You will also see the thrilling sight of the miniature version of the presidential inaugural parade, completed with miniature military units, bands and floats.

Don't miss Cinderella going to the ball ;).

This is one ideal place for children to visit. The displays have buttons to press making the characters move.

My Shenandoah Caverns Tour Experience!

For more than 90 years, the Shenandoah Caverns has been receiving many visitors. It is here that you will discover what they call an underground world of wonder, - Virginia's only caverns with elevator service! They also added more convenient walkways without using stairs, much more for the benefit of the elderlies and those who have difficulty walking up and down the stairs. It also means that 80% of the cavern is accessible by wheelchair :).

The cavern maintains a 56F degree temperature yearly round, so always bring a jacket if you are going for a tour. The tour lasts for one hour with a walking distance of one mile exploring all the 17 rooms with each of its unique extraordinary crystalline formations and incredible geological features. You will be amazed as you will see the famous "bacon" limestone formations, the rainbow lake, cardcross castle, and the capital dome formations.

You will also see the breathtaking, sparkling calcite crystals of the Diamond Cascade!

Diamond Cascade

Capital Dome

You will also get to learn how the caverns were formed. Interesting tour!

Bring your camera and take tons of photos!

Efficient Water Heaters

I live in the East Coast, and knowing we have 9 months of cool to cold to freezing temperatures and 3 months of summer, it's just proper to say water heater is a must in every home. 

But on the other hand, not only residents in the east coast use water heaters of course, because each home in the US is mostly equipped with one.

Water heater is one aspect of the home that is essential in every home and one top priority not to ignore when it breaks or when we need to install one.

Are you in the Indianapolis area? Then, you're just lucky if you are needing a water heater installation or a repair. How about checking Water Heater Indianapolis? 

You can also request some other services they offer such as water analysis or ask about drinking water systems for safe drinking water in your home. Contacting them is easy. Just check the link given on my post and you can start from there. :)

American Celebration on Parade @ Shenandoah Caverns

This interesting museum is just one of the most visited place when you are at Shenandoah Caverns. It houses unique collections of stunning parade floats, props and stage settings from famous presidential inaugurals and floats, - from Rose & Thanksgiving Day parades to other national celebrations.

You can also get the chance to see massive full-size parade floats and props up close as you walk pass through them.

Do you see me?? ;)

Earl Harlgrove Jr., the owner of Shenandoah Caverns also owned Hargrove, Inc., -a large decorating company which happened to be the company that began making presidential inaugural floats that started in 1949 for Pres. Traumann, and since then, had been making all the inaugural floats.

This is one place for many visitors to experience seeing and stand for photo keepsakes where famous personalities once stood...a once in a lifetime experience!

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These deals won't last long. So, you should not miss it.

The Monacan Indian Exhibit

As you pass beyond the Natural Bridge while visiting the area, you'll find yourself walking along the Cedar Creek Trail.

A few minutes along the way, you'll find the Monacan Indian Village in which you can step back in the past 300 years of their history and explore their lifestyles, homes, their skills and their products inside a small authentic village.

As you enter the village, you can obviously see the Ceremonial Lodge covered with exterior barks. There are also some few small mini workshop shelters made of tree barks.

There wasn't much to see that time of my visit except some few exhibits, but still has some valuable info you can pick up regarding on how they make a living during their time.

The entire exhibit area is surrounded by a wooden fence made up of smaller pieces of wood branches and twigs. One interesting thing to know about was their hunting skills showing animal skin exhibits such as elks and skunks!...out of these come a beautiful coat that they make to protect them from cold.

Upgrade Your Kitchen Cabinet Organizers

Are you getting bored of your kitchen cabinets and pantry organizers or perhaps you hate those outdated designs and you wanted a more modern ones and yet you are too scared to risk hiring a professional designer or handyman because your budget doesn't allow you to? 

Actually, you don't need to spend a lot of money hiring a professional to do it for you. Just a basic knowledge of DIY techniques is a smart idea to start up with, and then you can get your budget-friendly cabinet hardware and woodworking supplies from here.

Tons of designs, brands and smart ideas to choose from. You can directly shop the items you need without any hassles. :)

The Natural Bridge and "Drama of Creation"

Being a nature's wonder, the Natural Bridge is one attraction worth seeing, located in Rockbridge County in Virginia. Once owned by Thomas Jefferson, it is now considered a National Historic Landmark, located adjacent to The Natural Bridge Hotel in Natural Bridge, Virginia. 

Thomas Jefferson bought the Natural Bridge in 1774 including its 157 surrounding acres from King George III of England for about &2.40! ; - equivalent to the sum of 20 shillings of good and lawful money. But prior to Jefferson purchasing the bridge, it was said in the legend that in 1750, George Washington who was still in his youth visited the bridge and scaled some 23 feet up on the left wall of the bridge, then carved his initials "G.W", which can probably be still seen today. (I was there while visiting but wasn't able to see it though :(..)

Prior to the coming of the white people, the Monacan Indians who used to reside in the area called the Natural Bridge "The Bridge of God."

The Natural Bridge is carved by fingers of nature, composing twenty stories of solid rock, a stunning, majestic monument ingrained in America's past. It was formed when a cavern collapsed and still now appears as it is like today.

The Natural Bridge's "Drama of Creation" is also one of the attractions that is open seasonally, and is only available from April-October beginning at dusk. The new scheduled show times is now every 5pm every Fridays and Saturdays.

The "Drama of Creation" shows the Natural Bridge through a moving lighting effects while a dramatic narration about the 7 days of creation of God based from the Bible is being heard from the background. It is accompanied by a gripping music as the lighting effects move and change into various colors.