Space Invaders! Memories flooded back as I spotted the game. Pac-Man! Centipede! My visit to the Musée Mécanique and its collection of antique and vintage penny arcade machines struck a chord with me. Anyone who grew up in the 70s will remember these games, fondly or otherwise. I only played occasionally, quitting when I lost…
USS Pampanito and SS Jeremiah O’Brien: WWII maritime history in San Francisco
After learning about how “Rosie the Riveter” constructed Liberty Ships in the Kaiser Shipyards in Richmond, across the bay from San Francisco, it seemed to me that the obvious next step was to tour an actual Liberty Ship. (See my post on the Rosie the Riveter Museum here.) I ended up seeing not only a…
The Rosie the Riveter Museum: Fascinating WWII home front history
When I heard about a museum dedicated to Rosie the Riveter, I had to see it. Who was Rosie the Riveter? The name “Rosie the Riveter,” according to Wikipedia, was first used in a 1942 hit song, praising an assembly line worker helping in the war effort. The popular image of Rosie the Riveter stems…
Deb Thompson on 1001 Travel Tales: Little House on the Prairie
This week’s 1001 Travel Tales podcast has a literary theme. Deb Thompson, of justshortofcrazy.com, tells about her experience following the historical footsteps of Laura Ingalls Wilder. To listen on Soundcloud, just click on the image below. If you prefer to download the podcast, you can do so here on iTunes or here on Stitcher. [soundcloud…
Visiting Orlando: 8 ideas that aren’t Disney
What’s the first word that pops into your head when you hear the word “Orlando”? Unless you’re an Orlando Bloom fan, chances are you thought of Disney World. Disclosure: The following is a sponsored post; I received payment for writing it and including a link. All opinions, however, are my own! I enjoyed Disney World…
Atlanta beyond “Gone with the Wind”
Disclosure: The following is a sponsored post; I received payment for writing it and including a link. All opinions, however, are my own! If you mention Atlanta to me, I picture Gone with the Wind: stately rows of homes in the city, antebellum mansions in the countryside. Fragile, pale white women wear corsets and bell-shaped…
The African Burial Ground of NYC
New York City’s African Burial Ground National Monument has an interesting history. Or, rather, two histories: one of the people who were buried there, the other of the rediscovery of the graveyard and the establishment of this monument. Disclosure: This article contains an affiliate link. If you click on it and spend money, I will…
New York City: A Photo Essay
For a while I’ve been meaning to create some photo essay posts. Whenever I write about a place I’ve visited like New York City, (for instance, about the High Line Park, or two small museums in New York City, or free or cheap things to do in New York City), I choose pictures that best illustrate…
Marina Del Rey: LA’s playground
Los Angeles is one of those places that everyone wants to visit someday, to glimpse some stars on Rodeo Drive, visit the Hollywood Walk of Fame, or enjoy the original Disneyland. The city is very spread out, though, and the Los Angeles area includes some great beach communities, including Marina Del Rey, called “LA’s coastal…