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National Park Homage
Happy 98th birthday to our National Park Service! Â In celebration today they waived the entrance fee to the 400 parks national wide so everyone could get involved and enjoy the scenery. Â In honor of the big bash I’ve compiled some of my favorite photos of my more recent National Park trips to Acadia in Maine. Â Check out the National Park Service website to get more information about the celebrations!
- Asia, California, Canada, Europe, France, Ireland, North America, Northern Ireland, Pennsylvania, Scotland, Thailand, UK
My 13 memorable moments of 2013
It’s the last day of 2013! Â What an amazing, exciting and rewarding year I’ve had and I can’t wait to see what awaits in the coming year. Â Until then, here is a list of my thirteen best moments of 2013 in no particular order! Â Enjoy and have a happy new year! 13. Â Behind the scenes at Aquarium of the Bay in San Francisco, California. As a child you dream of being an oceanographer, a Sea World employee (until you watch Blackfish) swimming with the dolphins or in a job surrounding yourself with wildlife for your 9 – 5. Â The Aquarium by the Bay in San Francisco makes you feel like…
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Winter Delirium: my sunny Florida daydream
It’s cold and I have a cold. I’m bundled up on the couch looking out the window as flakes gently fall on the snow covered ground. My head is pounding and I’ve been sneezing so much that I’m giving Rudolph a run for his money in the red nose department. In my fever induced hallucinations I’m seeing a sterotypical mirage full of palm trees swaying in the breeze, a cool mist floating over the clear water. Â It’s a Christmas miracle! Then I realize I fell asleep and my computer was playing a slide show of my most recent trip to Florida, the steam from my tea wafting across the screen,…
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World’s Most Famous Cemeteries
 Why are we so interested in cemeteries? That eery feeling, the tragic stories or the spooky architecture? Whatever the reason, people have been intrigued by cemeteries for centuries and we have been visiting famous grave sties so frequently that the term “tombstone tourist” was coined to describe the millions of grave goers each year. Peruse through my personal list of the world’s most famous cemeteries. Père Lachaise, Paris France “We die only once, and for such a long time.” — Molière Located in one of my favorite cities, Paris, this is possibly one of the most well known cemeteries around the world.  Famous musicians, writers, politicians and thousands of others…
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My Maine Squeeze
Northern Maine is stunning. Â Throughout my drive along the coast I had the constant problem of wanting to stop at every small town and photograph the surroundings, every bit as incredibly beautiful as the last. Â I had just returned from a trip to Ireland and I thought seeing all of the green, lush, rolling Irish hills would make me less impressed with what our northern states have to offer and I’m happy to report, I was so wrong. Â The vast rows of pine trees sneak up into the skyline and the view is infinite. Â On a sunny day of driving you feel like you are the only car on the…
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Tour of the Capes: Road Tripping Part Deux
So I made it to Maine!  Late summer in New England is really everything you romanticize about. Cool breezes greeting you on a warm afternoon with beautiful ocean views, families and friends gathering together at the beach for a last summer vacation or rendez-vous, that last little bit of feeling of freedom before autumn rolls in.  And let’s not forget about the seafood, oh the seafood. Cape Porpoise As I continued up the coastline I had the opportunity to stop in Kennebunkport, the iconic presidential vacation spot.  This small beach community is out of a movie set.  Boutique shops and quaint restaurants line the main road, as you drive closer…
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New England Road Trip: Touring the Capes
A New England Road Trip “So what brings you to Maine?” people asked when I was driving up the coast and the answer is silly, because this New England road trip started out basically for one thing. The Lobster. When I have a wedding in Massachusetts to go to my mind automatically thinks, “I’m already in New England, I may as well drive up to Maine and get some end of summer lobster dishes.” Â Then, logically, my next thought is, “Well if I’m that far north I should just drive the rest of the way and see Prince Edward Island and if I’m there, I may as well visit Nova…
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Summer Drama at the Capital
After coming back to the states following my amazing trip to France and Ireland, I made a quick stop at the beach before I went to Washington D.C. to rediscover some of the monuments and museums that I haven’t seen since I was in middle school. I happened to stumble into town during a week of scandal, excitement and surprises involving misquoting MLK Jr, a mysterious monument vandal and a flower that smells like death. Green Machine Last week Washingtonians and tourists alike were puzzled when several monuments and churches were vandalized by someone throwing green and white paint on statues and organs. A 58-year-old woman was finally arrested last…
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From the Velveteen Chair: A Chamber Music Review
The aftermath of the events at the Boston Marathon had me wanting to shut off my thoughts and the television and get lost in something mindless.  Luckily I had the perfect escape and I went to the final performance of the Pittsburgh Chamber Music Society 2012-13 Season.  The Ebène Quartet was playing last night at the Carnegie Music Hall connected to the Carnegie Museum of Pittsburgh in Oakland.  I love going to museums at night.  It brings out a giddy, imaginative, childish quality in me.  There is something that feels really sneaky about being in a museum after dark, like you may live out your childhood dream of being locked…
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8 Great Photo Tips for Beginners (from a fellow neophyte)
Disclaimer: I am in no way a professional photographer but I have had my moments. A good camera makes it easy, but it doesn’t work miracles. I learned a lot from a college photojournalism class and I’ve always wanted to be that “artsy friend” that takes her Nikon out on a quick shoot and comes back capturing beautiful moments. Maybe someday, but for now, I’m more like the friend that has a good eye and by the grace of god sometimes gets lucky. In some ways getting some advice from a novice is just as important as getting pearls of wisdom from a professional. I feel your pain in wanting…
