Category: Architecture

The art of buildings and bridges

Architecture, ART, Attractions, Decorative Arts, DESTINATIONS, Fashion, Gardens, Museums, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Sightseeing in OKC

Jane Sadek

MEMORY MAKING: FROM DEATH TO LIFE IN OKC

We’re taking a short trip to Oklahoma City. Yesterday we hit the Cowboy Museum and our primary goal today is the Edith Head Exhibit is OKCMOA, but we started the day at the OKC National Memorial. Come along!

OKC National Memorial

I don’t do it. I sat on the bus when a tour I was on went to Auschwitz. I didn’t go anywhere near the Twin Towers Memorial when I went to NYC. I try to avoid all JFK-related sites in Dallas. To me, sites like this memorialize horror and visiting them is not a tribute to the dead, but to those who caused the trauma. I realize others don’t feel that way and so they should go, but I don’t. I also know that saving these sites is a message to the future, but I’m not the future.

 I base my actions on Philippians 4:8, which admonishes us in this way, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

On this particular morning in OKC, Vicki & Deborah wanted to go to the OKC Memorial. I didn’t want to, but I also didn’t want to make a big thing of my thing, one not unique to me, but certainly not common. We walked the few blocks to the Memorial. I took a few pictures. but mostly I just waited for my friends. When they were done, they compared various sites with similar purpose, but I had nothing to contribute, because I choose not to.

Edith Head at OKC

“Whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Certainly, these words describe the work of Edith Head. She was a costume designer in the heyday of Hollywood, designing costumes for Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Bob Hope, Barbara Stanwyck and so many others who graced the silver screen.

We all know I adore clothes, shoes and accessories. I inherited the passion from my mom and my Aunt Edie. In these days when comfort trumps style for our younger generation, there’s a creeping reverse snobbery against those of us who appreciate the days when our handbags matched our shoes. That’s fine for them, but I refuse to succumb.

The Edith Head exhibit was gorgeous, nostalgic and wildly entertaining. Each carefully crafted costume had a story and told a story. I could stand at each display and see layer upon layer upon layer. First, I thought about the in-depth research Edith Head would do, so that she actually understood the clothing of the era she was trying to depict. Then she had to consider the materials available to her, what would look good made enormous for theaters around the world by a camera’s lens. Then she had to deal with the whims and demands of the stars, each one comparing the work she’d done for them and trying to decide if she was doing her best and making them look their best.

Then there was the impact her work had on people. The glamour she created, the stories she helped to tell and the stars she made shine more brightly. I was one of those people. The list of movies I watched with Edith Head costumes is long and I loved seeing outfits I’d first admired on screen, right in front of me. Then there was the workmanship. It was impeccable.

I didn’t take a picture of every dress in the exhibit, but as you can see, I took many. I think I could have stayed all day, sometimes just strolling leisurely through the exhibit to enjoy the overall impact and then next time going at a snail’s pace to read every word about every display. Then again to pick out my favorites.

I think I would love to travel on my own. My husband and my bestie think I am insane. It’s not that I don’t love them and want to be with them, it’s just that my interest in some things go beyond the rational. I would go to New York and day after day, show up at the Met to soak in the masterpieces. I would sit alone on the deck of a ship and stare into the distance. I would sit at a Parisian curbside coffeeshop all day long and watch people. But pursuing those dreams would alienate the people I love most. So, I travel with them and have a wonderful time, but sometimes, I want less of them and more of what I’m seeing. That’s how I felt that day.

Chihuly Was Calling

On this particular day, it wasn’t just the attention spans of my friends I was concerned about. Edith Head wasn’t the only artist we had come to admire. OKCMOA has some of the most amazing Chihuly pieces I’ve ever seen. I’d only recently returned from Washington State, where Chihuly is one of the main attractions, but I was eager to see more. On top of that, we needed to get back home that day and Vicki had a bit of a crisis to manage when she got there.

So, we went to the floor with Chihuly and soaked it in. What can I say about Chihuly? His work says it all. Here’s a sample:

Alive at Crystal Bridge Conservatory

I promised a day which went from death to life and Crystal Bridge Conservatory is a very alive place. My two companions thought it was too hot out in the conservatory to enjoy the plants growing there, but I needed it for a bookend to the sad beginning of my day. Vicki stepped out for a short visit, but Deb, who had seen it, opted to stay in the a/c. I soaked up what I could as quickly as I could. Enjoy these few shots.

Then it was time to head home. Traffic was not nice to us and we spent entirely too much time trying to get some gas for the ride home. Tardy, but elated with our day we went back to Rockwall & Heath.

Next week we’re headed to another of my favorite places: ARIZONA. Come back and enjoy several days in the desert!

Accommodations, Architecture, ART, DESTINATIONS, Restaurants & Bars, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

The National of OKC

Jane Sadek

MEMORY MAKING: MARRIOTS “THE NATIONAL” – AN ELEGANT & HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE

Like most people, I have a budget when traveling. When I’m with Bill, the full cost of the room will land on our credit card, but when I travel with the girls, I only pay for half a room. I’ve been known to get us into some interesting places so I can save a little money, but this time I stretched the budget as far as I could. We stayed at The National and it was a wonder. Come see what I mean.

Gorgeous Inside & Out

As I pulled up to our hotel I was gobsmacked at the elaborate exterior, but I also had to figure out how to we would handle the logistics of unloading and parking. Vicki immediately solved that quandary by saying, “Go ahead and valet. I’ll pay for it.” My husband is valet adverse. A forgotten valet ticket in my car can ruin a perfectly good outing. “Is this what I think it is? Why did you do that?” But if Bill found out about this valet parking session, then I could say, “It’s Vicki! She paid!”

The bellman pointed us inside and gave us direction to go up the elevator to the lobby. This place was gorgeous and I was walking around like a rube who’d never been to the big city. The main floor looks just like an elaborate bank lobby from the 20’s or 30’s, which it was, but instead of gutting it and modernizing it, they went with it. It was so very cool.

We checked into our rooms and made plans to meet back in the lobby for drinks. The rooms were very modern, elegant and well-appointed. I was loving this place more every minute.

Drinks & Dinner

At the appointed hour we found a table in the lobby of The Nationial and ordered up some drinks. It was a blast to sit there and people watch, around the teller cages which had become a central bar.

We’d made reservations at Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse, which is a very popular (and very good) restaurant on the canal in Bricktown. Nothing to complain about except that it was not the Mantle’s Deb and I had enjoyed during a 2015 visit to OKC.

That meal at Mantle’s is remembered by us as one of our favorites – ever – and we’ve been around the world together! The atmosphere was amazing, the food was great and we had one of the best waiters ever. He’d thought we were going to be a couple of old ladies ordering a Caesar Salad and undertipping. We had a little bit of everything and I am sure we over-tipped. By the end of the meal he was our new best friend (we get a lot of those as we travel) and we wanted to take him with us.

By comparison, the sterile sports-focused steakhouse of today just couldn’t compare. The food and service were great. No complaints really, it was just sad not to have the opportunity to visit an old favorite. It had only recently closed and we’re sure that in the ensuing years they’d probably “improved” it, but I have to give it a shout out.

I’m guessing we ubered back & forth between the restaurant and the hotel, because we didn’t want to move our valeted car and find someplace to park in Bricktown, but now, a year later, I can’t remember! Back at the hotel, three tired girls went back to their respective rooms and slept up for the big day of walking ahead of us.

The next day we saw the OKC Memorial, the Edith Head exhibit at OKMOA and the Crystal Bridge Conservatory. Come back next week and join us.

Accommodations, Architecture, DESTINATIONS, Shopping, TRAVEL, Travel Planning, United States

Getting To & Into Seattle

Jane Sadek

MAKING MEMORIES: TALE OF TWO FERRIES, AN AIRPORT AND A TRAIN

Welcome to the back half of our Washington State vacation. We were about to close our big circle of Western WA State: SeaTac, Snoqualmie, Tacoma, Olympia, Olympic National Park and Victoria B.C. We’ll take two ferries and a train before we can go to sleep. Come along!

Two Ferries

The first ferry was right across the street from our hotel and we were supposed to be there at 9 AM. Then they made us wait for 90 minutes. This was the sort of thing that had caused Bill to put off getting on the ferry on the Port Angeles side until the very last minute, but it was an unavoidable delay. They needed to get everyone inside the fence and through customs before we could drive aboard the ferry. It was not fun.

From Port Angeles we turned left and headed towards Seattle. Though some travel books touted this area as a wonderful place to visit, we didn’t see much wonderful as we drove along the main road to the Bainbridge Ferry. It took longer than we had anticipated, so we rolled into the boarding area moments before the 3:30 cutoff. And then we waited, because the ferry was running late.

No adventures, yet, but I was feeling quite clever. I’d purchased Orca Cards for getting around Seattle and as seniors, that made it free for us to travel on the ferry. We had to pay for the car, but being a senior citizen has its perks.

The Artic Club Hotel

Praises to the Black Ball Ferry Line, our hotel in Seattle was one I paid for with them and got a significant discount. The hotel is a doozy. When Seattle was a stopping off point for the Klondike, gentlemen who returned rich could join the Artic Club, a magnificent building on Cherry Street, around the corner from Pioneer Square. What made it particularly attractive to us, was the light rail station across the street.

We’d chosen it for location, location, location, but it was a stunning edifice. A small reception area with a bell hop station fronted the generous lobby where rich gold miners once held court. Close observation reveals many ties to its days honoring the bounty of the Klondike – like the walrus staircase.

Our arrival and initial visit was brief. We got our keys, unloaded our rental car and headed back to the airport, but it was hard to leave the large, well-appointed room we’d be staying in.

The Transportation Game Plan

So, our goal was to return the car to the rental company at SeaTac, take the light rail train to the Cherry Street Station and then walk across the street to our hotel. Everything went well until we were a few stops away from Cherry Street and suddenly we were inundated with a raucous crowd. They’d just left a sporting event and to say they were rowdy would have been an understatement. We couldn’t hear the announcements of the stops and soon realized we’d traveled too far.

So, we got off at the next station, made our way to the other side of the tracks and caught the next train heading back to Cherry Street. We were tired and hungry so this didn’t feel like an adventure. It was more like torture by transportation.

Beautiful Hotel, Mediocre Food & Beverage Services

Safely returned to our hotel, we decided to have a light supper there at the hotel, in spite of the fact that it was a bit pricey. We discovered it was worse than pricey, it was also sub-par. Initially, I was ready to give them a break. A crowd had just left the lobby bar for a concert in the auditorium of the hotel, reportedly a grand souvenir left over from the hotel’s days as the Artic Club. The previous patrons had left quite a mess and it seemed as if the wait staff might have gone to the concert with the patrons.

Once a waitperson did arrive, it became obvious the chef had definitely departed. It took forever to get our food and it wasn’t exactly gourmet. The server seemed to resent the fact we’d shown up at all and certainly didn’t think we deserved anything more than poor service. I assumed it had to do with the concern crowd.

However, as our stay continued things didn’t get any better. There was a free breakfast in a venue downstairs. The food was adequate. The service was not. The service was also bad the afternoon I went down to have a glass of wine while Bill took a nap. So, the Saturday concert crowd aftermath was not an unfortunate fluke. The Artic Club Hotel just needs a new Food & Beverages Manager!

Poor food & beverage service aside, we loved staying there for four nights and we absolutely loved our room. It was so large it felt more like an apartment, especially the generous bathroom. Come back next week and let’s see Seattle.

Architecture, ART, Attractions, Decorative Arts, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, International, Museums, Road Trips, TRAVEL

More Victoria Sightseeing

Jane Sadek

MEMORY KEEPING: Castles, Culture and Canadian Charm

There was still a lot of day left after we left Butchart Gardens and grabbed a late lunch. I had a long list of things I wanted to see, so we started knocking them off the list. Come along and enjoy the afternoon with us.

The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria

Thursday evenings are free at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, so since it was a Thursday, this venue was high on my wish list. Only we got there before the free started, so Bill wanted to go back to the hotel for his afternoon coffee break. This was not on my list, but after his fussy morning at the garden, I thought maybe some coffee and a quick nap would help his attitude.

It did and when we went back to the Gallery, we found it quite interesting. Its galleries are a mixed bag of art for sale, permanent collection, special exhibitions and classes. The backyard is some kind of temple. It’s a really mixed bag, but who can argue with free, right?

Government House Gardens

Government House is the Official Victoria Residence of the Governor of British Columbia. You don’t actually visit the interior of the Residence without some kind of official invitation, but the Garden is open for viewing by the general public pretty much all the time.

Huge gates with the official seal were wide open for our visit. It was a lovely experience. The house itself, though stately, wasn’t my cup of tea, but the gardens around it are spectacular.

We first wandered off to the right where there was sort of a natural garden. It was certainly well tended, but instead of the trimmed boxwoods and fountains you might think of with an official residence, the gardens were more like what you might find behind a garden gate in the Cotswold.

Behind the Residence the ground fell away to a valley and great rock walled terraces filled with greenery took up the back side of the house. That’s where we ran into a really nice lady who was out walking her very large cat. In fact, it was the largest domestic cat I think we’d ever seen. It was a long haired tabby, like Bill’s Mesh Mesh had been, and when she let him hold the feline, I wondered if he was actually going to give it back to the nice lady or would cut and run. He did finally return the beloved pet, but remembers holding it as one of the highlights of the trip.

As we came around the other side of the house, we found row after row of irises. Irises are one of my favorite flowers, but no one loves irises as much as my best friend, so I had to take lots of photos for her. I texted them to her to let her know she was on my mind.

In front of the Residence was a large water feature with many unique rock formations. It’s amazing they allow the general public to just come hang out, but it was a marvelous experience.

Craigdarroch Castle

Thrilled we’d seen both the Gallery and the Residence, I was quite satisfied, but then I realized Craigdarroch Castle was nearby. It was so late we couldn’t get a tour, but we were able to wander around outside. On the front lawn folks were gathering for the performance of a Shakespeare play and we stayed for the opening speeches.

There’s a mistake on the photo book page above. We did enjoy a meal at Wind Cries Mary, but it was the next day, not this one. I worked on my photo album during an online crop and was so intent on earning badges and completing challenges that I didn’t do any fact checking. I keep a detailed journal of all my trips, but I’d taken the trip just a couple of months before and thought I remembered everything the way it happened. Obviously, I didn’t! In reality, my fast food loving husband had gone to Wendy’s for breakfast. Then we’d had a late lunch at Red Robin. After the castle he stopped back by Wendy’s for a light supper.

So, next week, we’ll be visiting the Parliament Building, going to Fisherman’s Wharf and having dinner at Wind Cries Mary. Come back and go with us.

Accommodations, Architecture, ART, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, International, Restaurants & Bars, Road Trips, TRAVEL

Hotel Grand Pacific – The Way to Stay

Jane Sadek

MAKING MEMORIES: WELCOME TO VICTORIA B.C.

If you’re as close as a ferry ride from Victoria B.C. then get on that ferry and spend some wonderful days at the Hotel Grand Pacific. These were some of Bill’s favorite days of the trip. See what you think about our arrival.

Well, Excuse Me!

We drove off the ferry, across the street and parked under Hotel Grand Pacific. I made my way to the reception area and began my transaction with the nice guy behind the desk. Suddenly, there was a woman standing so close to me that she was almost touching me. Wild hair, loud voice and a sort of bright floral house dress. Here I was checking into my room with my billfold, vouchers and notebook wide open and she’s so close to me she could put her hand in my pocket. I was afraid that was her goal and it rattled me.

I think she was merely rude and boundary-less, but I had to complete my entire transaction with her standing right next to me, chatting up both myself and the reception clerk. I must have checked to be sure I had all of my belongings a dozen times, but I couldn’t get away from her fast enough. Bill was outside taking photos.

To say we loved this everything about this hotel would be an understatement. The room was a little tight, but well appointed with a great view. The hotel had bicycles for guests and so our first order of business once we’d dumped our luggage and parked our car properly was to grab a pair of cycles and take off.

Remember that not listening to me stuff. I tried really hard to let Bill know the route he should take on our bike ride, but before I could even get started he was already down the street zooming through the traffic. I thought I was going to get killed. Eventually, he did ask me where he should go, but by that time I was so shook by near death experiences I had no idea where we were or where we should go.

Somehow, probably luck more than anything else, we were at the entrance to a park I wanted to visit. I followed Bill to a bench, got off my bike and spent my time praising God for being alive. Once I was in the park, I’d studied the map of Victoria so much, that I was able to guide us back to the hotel.

Back at the Hotel

Once we returned to our room, it was time for coffee and snacks. Then Bill took his nap. This gave me the opportunity to arrange the room for three blissful days of not packing up and moving EVERY DAY. Then, I caught up in my travel journal and did crossword puzzles, while sitting next to our picture window, drinking a glass of wine.

Come dinner time, Bill decides we’re going to drive somewhere. I usually just go along to get along, but I’m the one who had done the research and I knew everything we wanted was within three blocks of us. We were not going to drive anywhere and try to park in Victoria. And that was that.

Our Evening Stroll

I think Bill cooperated so he could prove me wrong, but we were out of the hotel and on the sidewalk, so I didn’t care. We came to a restaurant called Mosaic Grille & Bar. Bill then decides there are actually restaurants within walking distance and he’s ready to go check out the rest. I really wasn’t up for that. I was afraid I’d end up with fast food and I wanted a meal. I didn’t exactly put my foot down, I’d already done that once within the same hour, but I made a strong case for taking advantage of what was right in front of us.

Once we had dinner, we strolled around the area, taking a closer look at the Fairmont Empress. Then back at the hotel, we went to the spa where the exercise facilities were. I knew then what I’d be doing first thing on the next morning!

The next day started at the gym, but then we went to Butchart Gardens. You don’t want to miss that!

Accommodations, Architecture, ART, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, Music, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Surprises in Olympia WA

Jane Sadek

MAKING MEMORIES: A CAPITAL DAY AT THE CAPITOL

We’re moving along to our next destination in Washington State, Olympia, the Capital. We were in for some surprises along the way. Some were good, some were not so good and one was amazing! Come along and see what happened!

Hilton Garden Inn

I might have mentioned that we were less than thrilled with our accommodations in Tacoma. They were a big let down after the Snoqualimie Inn by Hotel America, but for a budget stay, nothing major to complain about.

I was also looking for a bargain in Olympia, but the bargain ended up being several notches above the Best Western and that was one of our good surprises. Bill was thrilled when we pulled up to the attractive new hotel. He flirted with the cute reception clerk. Then he was absolutely giddy when we got to the room and he saw the TV screen with the personalized greeting.

Food was next and he’d seen a Mickey D’s nearby. That suited him just fine. In the old days, it would have suited me, too, but now I am gluten free, so I suggested I just get one of the frozen food packages in the lobby. I figured, how much could a frozen food meal cost. Try $12! This was the next surprise and I was not happy at all about it. However, we got another surprise, that nice girl who Bill flirted with was embarrassed the food cost so much and sold it to me for $6. That was more like it. Then it was jammies and bed for this girl.

Memorial Day Celebration

The primary reason we were in Olympia was because I had read they have one of the most beautiful capitols in the States. It being Memorial Day, I figured it would be locked up tighter than a drum, but I’d also learned the had beautiful grounds. Even if the hype was wrong and it was just another state capitol building, we were closer to the rain forest and we hadn’t had to spend another night at the Best Western.

There had been no way for me to know that instead of being locked up tighter than a drum, there would be a marvelous Memorial Day Ceremony inside the capitol. That was a biggest and most wonderful surprise in Olympia.

For your information, the capitol building and grounds are beautiful and if you are anywhere near Olympia, they are worth seeing. When I did my research I learned of several free tours you could take around the building and sadly, those were not available, but the celebration honoring the Veterans was a real treat.

We didn’t stay for the whole thing. We wanted to tour the gardens and get to our next hotel by nightfall, so we just enjoyed the opening ceremonies and the initial music offerings. As I said, truly lovely, but soon we were headed further west.

Travel Day Monotony

Washington is a gorgeous state, but when you have the pedal to the metal trying to get somewhere all that gorgeous green stuff can get a little monotonous. As we headed west, that was what we had. I suggested to Bill we might want to go all the way to see the Pacific Ocean and get some fresh seafood for lunch. We did drive out to Ocean shores and Bill loved walking along an empty stretch of beach, but then it was back on the road. No, seafood for lunch.

After leaving the beach area, we headed back northwest and soon there was no question about it – We were in the rain forest. Washington State had been green and beautiful everywhere we had been so far, but suddenly it was greener and more beautiful than we could imagine.

Before we knew it, we’d come to South Shore Drive in Quinault, WA. This was our turnoff for Lake Quinault Lodge – something I anticipated would be one of the highlights of our trip. I was right. Come back next week a see what an amazing place I had found to stay the night!

Architecture, ART, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Museums, TRAVEL, United States

Sing an Anthem to Tacoma Art Museum

Jane Sadek

MAKING MEMORIES: FROM DISAPPOINTMENT TO DELIGHT

I hope you’re enjoying this visit to Washington State with us. We’ve just been disappointed by a major Tacoma attraction, so I’m not expecting much from the rest of the day. Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised at the offerings of the Tacoma Art Museum.

Coffee First!

When Bill requires a caffeine fix, it’s best to accommodate him as soon as possible, but I’m always happy when there’s something besides a Starbucks nearby to accomplish that. Not being a coffee drinker, the ubiquitous coffee emporiums are like the WalMart of coffee shops to me, except they have the opposite pricing plan.

The alternate on this day was called Anthem. According to their website, they have locations all around Washington State and a few in Arizona. Bill liked the coffee and I liked the view. We caught our breath between museums.

Choosing the TAM

Tacoma has three great museum in close proximity in their downtown area. As we came across the Bridge of Glass, we could have taken the stairs down to the WA State History Museum or head between the buildings to the Tacoma Art Museum. I, of course, wished we could do all three, but I was most interested in TAM, so Bill followed my lead.

After a photo session with a Alonzo Victor Lewis’s statue of a pioneer, in front of the Washington State History Museum, (Please note, the statue was better dressed than anyone else I had seen this day!) we made our way to the more modern facade of the TAM. Confession, I wasn’t expecting much, because it is an edifice devoted primarily to modern art and I’m not much on modern art, but they do have Chihulys, so I was going in.

At the desk I nearly lost my composure. I understand gender and sexual preference can be fluid this day and time, but every potential variation on that theme was sitting at the reception desk in that one person. The hair was clipped close on the sides and was fuller on top. There were multiple piercings and there were tattoos. The person was very buff and obviously worked out, a lot, but they also spoke in a lispy falsetto. Yes, there was eyeliner, but there was also a hairy chest sticking out of the shirt. The fingernails were cut very close, as if they were a nail biter, but they’d also painted the nails an interesting combination of colors – one color on each nail. I remained respectful and polite, but I wondered what they thought they were representing and how they thought I should be responding to all the various stimuli they offered. I did not laugh, but I have to be honest – I wanted to.

Below is a sampling of some of my favorites displayed in the museum. The architecture of the building was outstanding – sort of midcentury modern on steroids, and I loved it. First up was a collection of offerings from Washingtonians. Several items caused us to stop and think.

There was only one room of Chihuly, but the selections were varied and well displayed. I thought they did more honor to the artist than the whole Museum of Glass. Around every corner was a surprise and while leaning to the modern side, were not so off the wall (excuse my pun) that I couldn’t appreciate them. I remember fabric offerings, glass and even jewelry. One room was part display, part performance art. After looking around the room, you were supposed to take a piece of fabric and tie it to the art piece. I obliged.

We spent several pleasant hours enjoying all the galleries. Some even had traditional figurative art. I enjoyed watching the people, also. The patrons of the museum had much in common with the person at reception. One guy wore a flowing sheer jacket of many colors and carried handbags. He also danced on the concourse between galleries. A masculine sort of girl stuffed into a little-too-tight camouflage fatigues with a backpack, sat on a benching watching the dancer with a look of disgust. Not sure what all was happening there, but it was interesting.

Coffee Again?

After our visit to TAM, Bill once again needed a caffeine fix and this time he wanted to brave the street and the railway and go to the Starbucks. We made it across and they did have coffee, but it wasn’t your usual Starbucks. There was no comfy furniture to lounge in or counters for your laptop web-surfing activities. They had a few small round tables you could stand at, if you wanted to, but who would have wanted to. Bill asked them what was up and they said the normal Starbucks accoutrements were the victims of Tacoma’s homeless population. They had to get rid of the furniture, to keep the homeless people from sleeping in there.

So we’d had a successful day of sightseeing. I think Bill would have been content to take a nap and revisit the MOD Pizza, but I had different ideas. I wanted to check out the McMenamins Tacoma Elks Lodge. Come by next week and see why!

Architecture, ART, Attractions, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, Memory Keeping, Photography, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Back to LA

Jane Sadek

MAKING MEMORIES: GREYSTONE MANSION

Too Many Sad Stories

I go to a lot of historical homes and palaces. One thing most of them have in common is sad stories. He built the home for the love of his life and she died shortly after it was finished. They built their dream house, but were then bankrupt. He never finished his castle, because he committed suicide. The bought the house, did extensive remodeling for their coming child, then the mother and child both died in childbirth. I’m just drawing these out of the air, but each one probably has at least five places I’ve been that would fit the story. It’s rare to find a happily-ever-after house.

Greystone Mansion is no different. “On the night of February 16, 1929, only five months after the family had moved in, Ned Doheny was found shot to death inside the home, at the age of 35 and the victim of an apparent murder-suicide perpetrated by his longtime personal friend and aid Hugh Plunkett,” says beverlyhills.org.

You are welcome to enjoy the grounds, but the interior is off limits. The facility is frequently used for grand affairs and as a location for filming movies, TV shows etc., but most of the time it just sits there sad and empty. There is a tour of the interior every first weekend, but that’s not when we were there.

All the signs say photography is not allowed, but then no one is there to stop you and we ran into some people scouting it as a filming location and they offered to take our picture for us, so if you go, snap away. I do believe what they say about filming, because just a few days after we got home, I saw a TV show where the characters were standing under the lamp in the photo above.

Here’s what the mansion looks like.

From the mansion, we drove around Beverly Hills a bit. We thoroughly enjoy looking at rich people’s stuff. Then we returned to our nephew’s house for the evening and had dinner at an Italian restaurant that was supposed to be historical, but it was really just dirty and old and the food was awful.

The vacation was winding down. We’d be flying back the next day, but I had one more trick up my sleeve and it turned into one of the things we enjoyed most of the whole vacation.

Accommodations, Architecture, ART, Attractions, Decorative Arts, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, Memory Keeping, Photography, Road Trips, Scrapbooking, TRAVEL, United States

Leaving Pismo for Santa Barbara

Jane Sadek

MAKING MEMORIES: PISMO LIGHTHOUSE SUITES & CASA DE HERRERO

Pismo Lighthouse Suites

I can’t abandon Pismo without a shout out to our wonderful accommodations. After the grandeur of the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort, pretty much anything else would have to be a step down, but we didn’t have to step very far down. Pismo Lighthouse Suites proved to be an excellent choice for a stay.

Don’t expect swanky, because it’s not, but it is nice. Very roomy with a bedroom totally separate from the living area and a full kitchen. Bill didn’t think much of the décor, but I thought it was very functional and everything was clean. Who could ask for more when you’re watching your pocketbook at little?

One thing we certainly loved was the breakfast every morning, served in a community room and if you couldn’t find something you liked, then you are really too picky. I’d sure stay here again.

Casa de Herrero in Montecito

Bill usually leaves most of the vacation planning to me, but when he does make a suggestion, it’s a jewel. I didn’t find it in any of my research, but it should be on every must-see list for Santa Barbara. It’s a little pricey and hard to schedule, but it is a gem.

The home is open to the public at 10 AM and 2 PM on Wednesdays and Saturdays – PERIOD! And the tickets are $50 per person. I’ll wait for you to catch your breath. If budget is not a constraint and you can be there on their schedule, then you have to go. You will love it. Lotus Land was $60 each, but it seems to me there was a whole lot more to it. Still, I’m glad I had the opportunity to go.

We pulled into Montecito about 1:15 PM and had to kill about half and hour in a shopping center parking lot. We couldn’t just go hang out by the Casa. They keep the gate closed until a few minutes before the tour and you aren’t allow to park in the neighborhood. Parking is at a premium everywhere in Montecito and the signs at the shopping center were very threatening, so we couldn’t even lock up the car and go for a walk. We had to pretend one or the other of us was visiting one of the establishments, while the other guarded the car.

Finally, it was almost time for them to open their gate, so we made our way to the home. When the tour started, we were informed we couldn’t take photos inside, but think San Simeon’s dining room turned into a full house. Very Spanish and a little dark.

The original builder and owner of the house was George Fox Steedman from San Luis Obispo, who started out as a metalsmith and woodworker, threw in a few real estate deals and became filthy stinking rich. The house had a metalsmithing and woodworking studio where Mr. Steedman pursued his interests. The house is full of valuable antiques from the Golden Age of Spain, but they are pretty dark and depressing.

Counterpoint to the interior with it’s nod to the Inquisition, outside was delightful and you could take photos. And that’s what you’ll see on the photo book pages I’ve included below.

Accommodations, Architecture, ART, Attractions, Decorative Arts, DESTINATIONS, Gardens, Photography, Road Trips, TRAVEL, United States

Detroit’s Art Deco Treasure

Jane Sadek

TRAVEL THERE: A STROLL IN DOWNTOWN DETROIT

The Guardian Building

We’d started our day in an empty world headquarters, had breakfast in ghost town food court and taken a ride on an abandoned monorail. We were beginning to wonder if anyone actually lived or worked in Detroit. Still, finding gems off the beaten path is one of my favorite things to do, so this hunt for The Guardian Building was just my cup of tea.

It was Travel Advisor which clued me in on the existence of a pristine Art Deco skyscraper in Downtown Detroit. Once we got off the People Mover I asked Google Maps to find The Guardian Building and as I thought, it was just around the corner from the monorail stop. Instead of trying to describe it, I’ll just share some of the photos we snapped.

Gorgeous, right? Like the Renaissance Center, there wasn’t much in the way of human occupation. There was a security guard behind a desk in the central lobby and up the stairs was a large open area. A barista lurked behind a coffee bar and there was a tour company office on the other side and that was it. Where were the rest of the inhabitants of Detroit?

Campus Martius Park

While the Riverfront and Greektown are obviously popular areas in Detroit, we’d be seeing those with the family later in the weekend, so I wanted to focus on things we wouldn’t see with them, which took us to this downtown park.

It was here we finally connected with humanity. As we strolled along a well landscaped path between the skyscrapers, we happened upon a beach bar. Yes, I said a beach bar. Sand, lounge chairs and drinks with fruit in them. Don’t believe me?

It would have suited me fine to take a load off and sample their wares, but Bill was not in lounging mode. He was doing his best to play tourist, but he was distracted. Not only were most of our credit cards compromised by hackers, but the market was open and we’d just turned over our real estate photography company to the new owner. We were supposed to be celebrating that last bit, but after nursing our enterprise to success for six years, we were having some separation anxiety. Was this guy going to be able to handle it? It’s not that we weren’t happy to see it go. We just didn’t want it back!

At the end of the park is One Campus Maritus, the Compuware headquarters, famous for this 14 story waterfall.

And that left one final stop along Woodward Avenue we wanted to visit, The Grand Circus. It’s not a circus with a tent, but a park in a circle. It was a much quieter venue than Campus Maritus with its beach bar and perhaps we would have skipped it altogether had we known, but it was right next to a People Mover station, so it turned out to be quite convenient.

On to our Next Accommodations

The People Mover took us back to Renaissance Center, where we claimed our rental car and headed to Pontiac/Auburn Hills. That was the location of the Residence Inn which would be our home away from home over the next few days. It was close to all the family events and had just what we wanted.

Certainly the Renaissance Center Marriott was more glamourous, but the Residence Inn offered a comfort the swanky hotel did not – a separate sitting room I could escape to each morning. I wake up so early out of habit, but Bill knows how to sleep late and I like to give him that luxury. On the way, we stopped at a grocery store to get some items to enjoy during our stay – wine, bottled water, fruit, protein bars etc.

I’m a pretty easy-going traveler. I don’t think I have ever rejected a room, even though there have been a few times I should have. Bill on the other hand is a little harder to please. He will go down to the desk and complain when he doesn’t like something. At the Residence Inn, he didn’t like the view. It’s a suburban Residence Inn, so I didn’t expect a view, but he did. We got a different room and don’t tell him, but I sort of liked the first one better. It seemed a little more convenient and not quite as dorm-like, but Bill did like the view better, so we stayed.

The Family Weekend

Over the next few days, we were involved with family. We had a get together at a local restaurant Friday night and the big Gender Reveal at a Country Club Saturday. Sunday we hung out at the Riverfront, had lunch in Greek town and a game of golf in the afternoon. On Monday, the main event was an absolute feast, fit for a Pharaoh with all our Egyptian favorites. While it was a lot of fun, it wouldn’t be of much interest to anyone outside the family. (It’s a boy by the way. Our Grand Nephew will arrive in October.)

After the feast, we went back towards Detroit and stayed at the Smithfield Westin. It was a nice hotel, but we were just there to sleep. In the morning I was finally getting to do something that had been on every version of my itinerary the Detroit Institute of Art. Come back next week and enjoy our visit.