I forgot the phone number for Rainbow's End:09 262 2030.
SORRY!
SLE
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Friday, July 15, 2016
Steve's Top 10 Cool Places To Take The Kids Next 4th of July
I know, I know, we just recovered from THIS 4th of July (and, on a more serious note, the violence that has been rocking the country), but it's never too early to start planning! A VERY good friend wants me to write a children's travel book about American history-related 4th of July vacations, but these days, you CAN'T have a travel book for kids, adults, or...I don't know, SMURFS, without web addresses, information about which airline goes to what airport, or ANY of that important stuff, and if you aim it squarely at the little rugrats, they're liable to take your wallet while you're off in Dreamland, disarm the security programs on your computer, go on to the web, and run up a bill equivalent to the national debt of a banana republic, and we don't want that, now do we? PLUS, even though my opinion of Donald Trump (and, to a similar extent, Bernie Sanders) is best reserved for another blog, he does have a point. and NOT just on his pointy little head: THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED! The European-owned publishers (and British-owned Penguin Random House, or, as I like to call it, Pungent Rancid House) that control the American book industry only publish books by established best-selling authors and celebrities that have signed gazillion-dollar contracts and kick the rest of us to the curb UNLESS you give them all your personal belongings and they (haha) "SELF-publish" it and sell it on Amazon. (Why in the name of Benjamin Franklin is it called "SELF-publishing" if somebody else does it? You REALLY want a self-published book? You take your manuscript to your local copy shop, get 100 copies, and sell it yourself to your friends and neighbors.) But, Buckaroos and Buckarettes, blogspot.com has given me the freedom to say what I want and share it with the world without jumping through a lot of hoops. So, with all that in mind, check your appointment books, give the little ankle-biters some incentive, fasten your seat belts and hold on to your hats, cause it's time for (Drumroll, please.)
STEVE'S TOP 10 COOL PLACES TO TAKE THE KIDS NEXT 4TH OF JULY
10. NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM (http://www.baseballhall.org ) 25 Main Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326 1-888-HALL-OF-FAME info@baseballhall.org twitter.com/baseballhall facebook.com/baseballhall instagram.com/baseballhall google.com/+baseballhall youtube.com/baseballhall
To the untrained eye, Cooperstown, NY may seem like just another small town where you might want to spend just one day and then move on to the big city, but look closely and you'll find opera, ballet, museums, one of the largest Christmas Villages in the country, and, OF COURSE, baseball. With so many people watching, talking, and playing America's National Pastime, they don't call this "The Town Where Baseball Lives" for nothing! The National Baseball Hall Of Fame traces the game's beginnings and possible (English!) inspirations, continues through the many "base ball" clubs that popped up in the 1840's and 1850's and continues to the present day. Don't be surprised if your favorite mascot or player pops up in person (or in creature!). but, unfortunately, the closest (minor league) team playing today's game is the Tri-City Valley Cats in Troy (The other two cities are Albany and Schenectady.), a Houston Astros farm club playing in the New York-Penn League. (Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, 80 Vandenburgh Avenue, Troy,NY 12180, http://www.tcvalleycats.com ,twitter.com/valleycats , facebook.com/valleycats, You can see "Bull Durham" or "Pride of the Yankees," listen to a playlist ranging from "Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball?" by Natalie Cole to "Centerfield" by John Fogerty, and even see exhibits concerning your particular favorite team. There's no ONE official hotel for the Hall, but there are a whole lot of nice small hotels and B&B's owned by people who really love the Grand Old Game. (Check your favorite hotel site for the best hotel for the money.) Trailways, Greyhound, and Adriondack Trailways have a lot of nice buses for Cooperstown leaving from Port Authority Bus Terminal in NYC and Union Station in Albany. PLAY BALL!
9. HERSHEYPARK (http://www.hersheypark.com) 100 West Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, PA 17033
844-330-1813 twitter.com/hersheypark facebook.com/Hersheypark, instagram.com/hersheypark,
Take the Amtrak Keystone Special from Penn Station in New York, Newark Penn Station in New Jersey, or30th Street Station in Philadelphia, to Harrisburg, PA where your special Hersheypark shuttle awaits and you may see a bustling small city, but looks CAN be deceiving! You can run out of things to do VERY quickly and the young 'uns may seal themselves off in their hotel room and threaten bodily harm if you bother them before the "SpongeBob" marathon is over. But take that Hersheypark shuttle to your official Hershey hotel (More on them later!) and you'll see a fantasy world which may be smaller than Six Flags but closer than Disney and just as magical. Ride their legendary roller coasters (IF YOU DARE!), get wet on the Boardwalk, an entertaining mashup of the Coney Island, Rehoboth Beach and Atlantic City boardwalks, and shake hands with a giant Hershey's Kiss, and no, you're not getting a hallucination from a chocolate OD! But the fun doesn't stop there! You can spend the night(s) at The Hotel Hershey (100 Hotel Road, Hershey PA 17033,1-884-330-1711, http://www.thehotelhershey.com), or Hershey Lodge (325 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033,1-884-330-1802, http://www.hersheylodge.com), have a nice lunch at Friendly's, Bob Evans,or Houlihan's in downtown Hershey, or take in The Hershey Story, a multimedia exhibit on the founder of the town, the park, and the chocolate empire that made it possible, Milton S. Hershey (Go to Google or Yahoo! for more information.) and the school that also bears his name, see a classic car museum, or shop till you drop at Tanger Outlets, featuring Skechers, Famous Footwear, and Disney, among others. How can such a small town have so much fun? (BTW, if you live in NYC and get homesick for Broadway, there's the Hershey Theater at 15 East Caracas Avenue (717-534-3412),hosting everything from its own symphony (playing the best of John Williams) to a full slate of Broadway musicals, (http://www.hersheyentertainment.com/hershey-theater for more information) to Weird Al Yankovic. (Oh, well, nobody's perfect!)
8. SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS (http://www.salem.com)
When this reporter took the Salem trolley in 2008, he wore a T-shirt featuring the then-current, and, sadly, final cast of the TV series CHARMED, (about three sister witches who tried to live normal modern lives while protecting the human world from black magic in San Francisco),Alyssa Milano (Phoebe),Rose McGowan (Paige),Holly Marie Combs (Piper), and Kelly Cuoco (Billie), and the operator observed, "Sir, there are witches on your shirt." Since this city was once the site of the most notorious witch hunt in American history, and therefore, a dark period in Colonial American history, I WOULD have been worried that the operator would throw me right off the trolley were it not for the fact the Salemites love the Charmed Ones as if they were real people living right in their neighborhood, but my choice in T-shirts did not escape her eye. She said, "Excuse me, sir, you have witches on your shirt." Well, it only stands to reason, as Salem has witches on its street signs, police department uniforms,public parks, and college campus. Not surprisingly known as The Witch City, Salem is just a drive or T ride away from South Station in Boston (More on THAT later!) and ready to share its magic. Not only are there more witch museums than you can wave a wand at, but you can park your broom and hang your conical (or pointy, if you prefer) hat at the Hawthorne Hotel (http://www.hawthornehotel.com ,18 Washington Square West,Salem, MA 01970, 1-800-SAY-STAY, facebook.com/hawthornehotel, twitter.com/hawthornehotel,, pinterest.com/hawthornehotel), a must-see landmark hotel. You can also see art from all historical periods at the Peabody-Essex Museum, see a live reenactment of the Salem Witch Trials, and take a ferry to Boston. Although Halloween is a long ways away, they won't mind if your little angel decides to dress in public as Glinda or Elphaba, (Just wanted to make sure all you WICKED fans were reading!), as a matter of fact, they encourage it with a veritable plethora of costume shops open and ready to attend to your every need any WITCH way it can! (Sorry, couldn't resist!) Whether you want to find out about author Nathaniel Hawthorne, one of Salem's most famous residents and the author of the timeless classic, THE SCARLET LETTER, take George Santayana's advice and relive a tragic time in our history before we are all doomed to repeat it, or just plain love witches, Salem, MA is the bewitching destination for you. (For the record, when a comic shop owner in San Francisco asked me how I was and I said, "CHARMED, I'm sure!" she just gave me a blank stare.Guess they think when you've inspired one TV show you've inspired them all!)
7. THE BERKSHIRES (http://www.berkshires.org)
Staying in the Bay State, the Berkshire area (Pittsfield-Great Barrington-Lenox-Lee-Stockbridge) is a delightful study in contrasts, from college sports, comprehensive art museums, restaurants on a par with those in Boston and New York, landmarks related to historical figures from Herman Melville to W.E.B. duBois to Arlo Guthrie (who's very much alive and ready to meet you at Alice's Restaurant in Stockbridge) to factory outlets for Nike, Reebok, Nautica, and other 5th Avenue brands and Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, its own jazz festival, and pop superstars like homeboy James Taylor. Take a Bonanza bus down the road a piece and have a slam dunk day at The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame (http://www.hoophall.com, 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue, Springfield, MA 01105 1-877-4-HOOPLA @hoophall on social media) in Springfield where hardwood history comes alive from the days of a peach basket and a soccer ball to the Beethovens and Mozarts of the NBA such as Jordan, Ewing,Kareem, and, oh yeah, LeBron. From small towns to small cities, the Berkshires have it all for the 4th. After all, isn't variety what America is all about?
6. WALT DISNEY WORLD (http://www.disneyworld.com) World Drive, Orlando, FL 32830 407-W-DISNEY facebook.com/WaltDisneyWorld twitter.com/WaltDisneyWorld
Yeah, I know, the crazy ISIS A-hole had contemplated WDW and they've had to write Louis the Sachmo-inspired alligator out of their "Princess And The Frog" spectacular after the tragic alligator incident at the Grand Floridian Hotel, but the Disney brand is nothing but resillient, and I'm sure things will be back to normal by next July 4th. There's usually a great patriotic Audio-Animatronic show at EPCOT Center, the Hall of Presidents, an outgrowth of Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln, features a special appearance from "Barack Obama" and a stirring narration by none less than Morgan Freeman, although that could change next year. Take a bus to Disney Springs to see the latest movies (from Disney and other studios) at their AMC theatre, enjoy Cirque du Soliel, and dine at a smorgasbord of restaurants including Rainforest Cafe. (Of course, you can still meet Mickey and Minnie, but if you want a taste of American history, Pocahantas holds forth at Disney's Animal Kingdom and the Princess show at Disneyland City Hall, and no, I don't mean Elizabeth Warren, and you can call the guy with the silly hat and long ears Goofy, not her!)
We're at halftime, and our Canadian readers as well as the millions of American voters planning to move to Canada for four years no doubt want to know the Top 3 Cool Places To Take The Kids Next Canada Day (July 1st), soooooooo.
3rd Cool Place in Canada: ROGERS CENTRE (http://www.rogerscentre.com) One Blue Jays Way,Toronto, ON M5V 1J1 (416) 341-3000
Since its 1989 debut as "SkyDome," the "Rog" has become a cherished part of the Toronto skyline and heaven on Earth for sports fans.Under the leadership of Rogers Communications (SportsNet Canada, City tv Toronto,and a veritable potpourri of great radio stations) since 2005, this multi-purpose arena has enjoyed record attendance for Toronto Blue Jays baseball, Toronto Argonauts (and occasional Buffalo Bills) football, family events including Disney's World On Ice, monster truck shows, and even traveling carnivals. You can take a guided tour, work out at GoodLife Fitness (If you're a member of 24 Hour Fitness, you can work out absolutely F-R-E-E, my favorite four letter word starting with F!), even get a mobile phone at the Rogers store if you're on a carrier that doesn't work in Canada. If the Rog isn't reason enough to holiday or live in Canada, I don't know what is!
2nd Cool Place in Canada: HOCKEY HALL OF FAME (http://www.hhof.com) Brookfield Place, 30 Yonge Street,Toronto, ON M5E 1XB (416) 360-7765
Sure, Torontonians in particular and Canadians as a whole like football (NFL and CFL) and baseball, but if you really want to understand them, you have to understand their national game which started on frozen ponds in Canada before moving inside in 1875 at Victoria Skating Rink in Montreal, I refer, of course, to ICE HOCKEY. Although the Hockey Hall Of Fame is a distinctly Canadian institution, as much a part of Canadian life as Cooperstown is of American life, don't be surprised if you see more than a few guests wearing T-shirts and hockey jerseys bearing the logos of their fave American teams, and when the Stanley Cup isn't skating across North America with your favorite team, you can say hi to it at the Hockey Hall. This is one GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL it should be easy to achieve! (And they also have players, coaches, and TSN talent on hand to teach the kids how NOT to be hockey pucks when it comes to teamwork!)
AND THE COOLEST PLACE TO TAKE THE KIDS NEXT JULY 1ST:
CANADA'S WONDERLAND (http://www.canadaswonderland.com) 9850 Jane Street, Vaughn,ON L6A 1S6 905-832-8131
SplashWorks AND Planet Snoopy in the same place? Good grief! Actually, you can check your grief at the door, take a chill pill at the Best Western Plus Toronto North York Hotel and Suites nearby, take the fam to see "Robinson Crusoe 3D" at the Action Theater,ride an authentic carousel from the turn of last century,see Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the Peanuts gang in great live shows,and buy outstanding "Made In Canada" merchandise at True North Gifts. Get on the ball before Lucy pulls it away and check this place out!
And the countdown continues...
5. GRAND OLE OPRY (http://www.opry.com) 2804 Opryland Drive, Nashville, TN 37214 1-800-SEE-OPRY
Country music is the soundtrack of America, and it's highly unlikely popular music as we have come to know it would exist without it. Longtime readers of Welcome to Steve Country (http://www.welcometostevecountry.com) know that the original broadcasts of the Grand Ole Opry radio program live from the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville introduced beloved artists from Hank Williams and Johnny Cash to Carrie Underwood and Chris Stapleton into the mainstream. Today, what started out as a live local broadcast on The Legend 650 AM WSM has become an American institution heard around the world on US Army bases and its own app. There's a full slate of concerts and live broadcasts every week of the year, and, of course, backstage tours.and you can hang your 10-gallon hat at Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center (now owned by Marriott, but don't let that stop you) just a two-step away. Y'all pay 'em a visit, y'hear?
4. WASHINGTON, DC (http://www.washington.org)
Sure, PBS' "A Capitol Fourth" isn't exactly perfect, but as you are bound to find out when touring the White House and the office buildings for both houses of Congress, (Security is understandably tight, so stay tuned to the local media for information that may affect your visit, We The (Imperfect) People do our best with what we've got, and it's served us well for the past 240 years. More than 75 museums welcome you, including the Smithsonian and the US Holocaust Museum, the famous monuments are definite must-sees, and restaurants such as Ben's Chili Bowl and the near-legendary Four Guys. I'm Steven Eisenpreis, and you'll approve this city!
3. COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG (http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org) P.O. Box 1776, Williamsburg, VA 23187, 888-965-7254
You can read about history in a book, or you can see it up close and personal in Colonial Williamsburg. If you choose the latter option, you and the entire family are in for a treat. The "Interpeters" are aware of recent trends in live entertainment and the decline of college interest in American history courses, and they are doing everything humanly possible to make sure that Colonial Williamsburg continues to fulfill its promise "That the Future May Learn from the Past." Add hotels for every pocketbook, a PGA-quality golf course, and proximity to Busch Gardens The Old Country (where your little patriots can meet those Great Americans, Bert, Ernie, Big Bird, and an AUTHORIZED, OFFICIAL Elmo, not one of those Times Square knockoffs!), Ripley's Believe It Or Not! Odditorium,and brand name shopping, and you have a completely revolutionary way to spend the 4th! (You can also take a bus to Jamestown, where legend has it that if you listen very carefully, you can still hear Pocahantas sing "Colors In The Wind." OK, I got that confused with Disney, but you can STILL see a comprehensive Pocahantas exhibit! You can also spend a great beach day in Yorktown, and get some history with your tan!)
2. BOSTON,MA (http://www.cityofboston.gov)
Before I go any further, I would like to apologize to my fellow New Yorkers (http://nycgo.com) if I've given the Big Apple short shrift, because Fraunces Tavern is an important part of American history as is Richmondtown in Staten Island and the New York Stock Exchange and we DO have the best and biggest fireworks show in the country,but Boston IS where America as we know it took shape with the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere and the Boston Tea Party. Boston's Fourth Of July celebration is virtually unchanged from its original format in 1776, and the highlight has always been the Liberty Address, which has been delivered by luminaries from JFK to Julia Child. The Boston Red Sox play a traditional home game at "America's Most Beautiful Ballpark," Fenway Park (where you can get a selfie with their mascot Wally the Green Monster, named for the centerfield wall where pitches go to die), and the Boston Pops put on a show for the rest of the country with fireworks and a variety of local and international talent. Like the song says, "PLEASE come to Boston!"
Before we reveal the coolest place to spend the 4th of July, it has come to my attention that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is planning to move to New Zealand if a certain candidate becomes President. The best place to join her for holidays in the early part of January (The closest thing Australasia has to the 4th of July) is RAINBOW'S END (http://www.rainbowsend.co.nz, Two Clist Crescent,Manakau, Auckland, New Zealand, Mailing Address: Private Bag 76-924, Manakau, Auckland,2241.) Rai n Bow, the official greeters,have no intention of building a wall around THEIR magic Maori kingdom to keep anybody out, and Princess Sapphire,Sir Prised A Lot, Rover The Dog,and Iris The Fairy are all happy to meet kids of all ages,and not one of them has a combover! Count on the Bumper Boats and Go-Karts for YUGE family fun,and magic shows make your blues disappear faster than Trump Airlines, Trump Steaks, Trump Magazine...you get the picture! ANZ and Qantas have the wings, YOU have the fun!
AND THE COOLEST PLACE TO SPEND NEXT FOURTH OF JULY,
PHILADELPHIA,PA (http://www.visitphilly.com)
Cradle Of Liberty, Birthplace Of America, need I say more? Actually, I can. The week before the 4th proper, Wawa Welcome America has tons of free events including concerts, meet and greet events with historical interpeters bringing Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross, George Washington, and friends to life,but the crown jewel is the Celebration Of Freedom outside Independence Hall on the 4th of July.
This year, I had the pleasure to see Leslie Odom, Jr. from HAMILTON read an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence and a special ceremony honoring Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, the fathers of The Sound Of Philadelphia made famous by artists such as Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes, the Intruders, the O'Jays, the Three Degrees, and MFSB (Mother, Father, Sister, Brother). The Phillies knock one out of the park at Citizens Bank Park in South Philly, and you have your choice of dining options from Chick-Fil-A and McFadden's Bar and Grill (an offshoot of a Citi Field fave in NYC) at the Park to Geno's Steaks across the street at Xfinity Live. You can also run up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art like Rocky (and take a picture with "him"outside),catch up with your reading at the Free Library,catch a cool science show at the Franklin Institute, even see a Broadway play at the Academy of Music, Kimmel Center, or Walnut Street Theater. (I saw SISTER ACT at the Walnut. It was the most divine night I spent at the theater!)
So, there you go! Some great 4th of July suggestions, without benefit, if you can call it that, of publishers! (I hear that an editor is about to kill another super hero. Will they ever learn?) If any other rejected authors are as mad as you know what and not gonna take this anymore, shoot me an email at steveneisenpreis@gmail.com, and we'll show those pompous publishers that our First Amendment right to be published is nothing to be trifled with!
God Bless America and the brave men and women in blue and olive who protect her at home and all over the world!
Steve
STEVE'S TOP 10 COOL PLACES TO TAKE THE KIDS NEXT 4TH OF JULY
10. NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM (http://www.baseballhall.org ) 25 Main Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326 1-888-HALL-OF-FAME info@baseballhall.org twitter.com/baseballhall facebook.com/baseballhall instagram.com/baseballhall google.com/+baseballhall youtube.com/baseballhall
To the untrained eye, Cooperstown, NY may seem like just another small town where you might want to spend just one day and then move on to the big city, but look closely and you'll find opera, ballet, museums, one of the largest Christmas Villages in the country, and, OF COURSE, baseball. With so many people watching, talking, and playing America's National Pastime, they don't call this "The Town Where Baseball Lives" for nothing! The National Baseball Hall Of Fame traces the game's beginnings and possible (English!) inspirations, continues through the many "base ball" clubs that popped up in the 1840's and 1850's and continues to the present day. Don't be surprised if your favorite mascot or player pops up in person (or in creature!). but, unfortunately, the closest (minor league) team playing today's game is the Tri-City Valley Cats in Troy (The other two cities are Albany and Schenectady.), a Houston Astros farm club playing in the New York-Penn League. (Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, 80 Vandenburgh Avenue, Troy,NY 12180, http://www.tcvalleycats.com ,twitter.com/valleycats , facebook.com/valleycats, You can see "Bull Durham" or "Pride of the Yankees," listen to a playlist ranging from "Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball?" by Natalie Cole to "Centerfield" by John Fogerty, and even see exhibits concerning your particular favorite team. There's no ONE official hotel for the Hall, but there are a whole lot of nice small hotels and B&B's owned by people who really love the Grand Old Game. (Check your favorite hotel site for the best hotel for the money.) Trailways, Greyhound, and Adriondack Trailways have a lot of nice buses for Cooperstown leaving from Port Authority Bus Terminal in NYC and Union Station in Albany. PLAY BALL!
9. HERSHEYPARK (http://www.hersheypark.com) 100 West Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, PA 17033
844-330-1813 twitter.com/hersheypark facebook.com/Hersheypark, instagram.com/hersheypark,
Take the Amtrak Keystone Special from Penn Station in New York, Newark Penn Station in New Jersey, or30th Street Station in Philadelphia, to Harrisburg, PA where your special Hersheypark shuttle awaits and you may see a bustling small city, but looks CAN be deceiving! You can run out of things to do VERY quickly and the young 'uns may seal themselves off in their hotel room and threaten bodily harm if you bother them before the "SpongeBob" marathon is over. But take that Hersheypark shuttle to your official Hershey hotel (More on them later!) and you'll see a fantasy world which may be smaller than Six Flags but closer than Disney and just as magical. Ride their legendary roller coasters (IF YOU DARE!), get wet on the Boardwalk, an entertaining mashup of the Coney Island, Rehoboth Beach and Atlantic City boardwalks, and shake hands with a giant Hershey's Kiss, and no, you're not getting a hallucination from a chocolate OD! But the fun doesn't stop there! You can spend the night(s) at The Hotel Hershey (100 Hotel Road, Hershey PA 17033,1-884-330-1711, http://www.thehotelhershey.com), or Hershey Lodge (325 University Drive, Hershey, PA 17033,1-884-330-1802, http://www.hersheylodge.com), have a nice lunch at Friendly's, Bob Evans,or Houlihan's in downtown Hershey, or take in The Hershey Story, a multimedia exhibit on the founder of the town, the park, and the chocolate empire that made it possible, Milton S. Hershey (Go to Google or Yahoo! for more information.) and the school that also bears his name, see a classic car museum, or shop till you drop at Tanger Outlets, featuring Skechers, Famous Footwear, and Disney, among others. How can such a small town have so much fun? (BTW, if you live in NYC and get homesick for Broadway, there's the Hershey Theater at 15 East Caracas Avenue (717-534-3412),hosting everything from its own symphony (playing the best of John Williams) to a full slate of Broadway musicals, (http://www.hersheyentertainment.com/hershey-theater for more information) to Weird Al Yankovic. (Oh, well, nobody's perfect!)
8. SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS (http://www.salem.com)
When this reporter took the Salem trolley in 2008, he wore a T-shirt featuring the then-current, and, sadly, final cast of the TV series CHARMED, (about three sister witches who tried to live normal modern lives while protecting the human world from black magic in San Francisco),Alyssa Milano (Phoebe),Rose McGowan (Paige),Holly Marie Combs (Piper), and Kelly Cuoco (Billie), and the operator observed, "Sir, there are witches on your shirt." Since this city was once the site of the most notorious witch hunt in American history, and therefore, a dark period in Colonial American history, I WOULD have been worried that the operator would throw me right off the trolley were it not for the fact the Salemites love the Charmed Ones as if they were real people living right in their neighborhood, but my choice in T-shirts did not escape her eye. She said, "Excuse me, sir, you have witches on your shirt." Well, it only stands to reason, as Salem has witches on its street signs, police department uniforms,public parks, and college campus. Not surprisingly known as The Witch City, Salem is just a drive or T ride away from South Station in Boston (More on THAT later!) and ready to share its magic. Not only are there more witch museums than you can wave a wand at, but you can park your broom and hang your conical (or pointy, if you prefer) hat at the Hawthorne Hotel (http://www.hawthornehotel.com ,18 Washington Square West,Salem, MA 01970, 1-800-SAY-STAY, facebook.com/hawthornehotel, twitter.com/hawthornehotel,, pinterest.com/hawthornehotel), a must-see landmark hotel. You can also see art from all historical periods at the Peabody-Essex Museum, see a live reenactment of the Salem Witch Trials, and take a ferry to Boston. Although Halloween is a long ways away, they won't mind if your little angel decides to dress in public as Glinda or Elphaba, (Just wanted to make sure all you WICKED fans were reading!), as a matter of fact, they encourage it with a veritable plethora of costume shops open and ready to attend to your every need any WITCH way it can! (Sorry, couldn't resist!) Whether you want to find out about author Nathaniel Hawthorne, one of Salem's most famous residents and the author of the timeless classic, THE SCARLET LETTER, take George Santayana's advice and relive a tragic time in our history before we are all doomed to repeat it, or just plain love witches, Salem, MA is the bewitching destination for you. (For the record, when a comic shop owner in San Francisco asked me how I was and I said, "CHARMED, I'm sure!" she just gave me a blank stare.Guess they think when you've inspired one TV show you've inspired them all!)
7. THE BERKSHIRES (http://www.berkshires.org)
Staying in the Bay State, the Berkshire area (Pittsfield-Great Barrington-Lenox-Lee-Stockbridge) is a delightful study in contrasts, from college sports, comprehensive art museums, restaurants on a par with those in Boston and New York, landmarks related to historical figures from Herman Melville to W.E.B. duBois to Arlo Guthrie (who's very much alive and ready to meet you at Alice's Restaurant in Stockbridge) to factory outlets for Nike, Reebok, Nautica, and other 5th Avenue brands and Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, its own jazz festival, and pop superstars like homeboy James Taylor. Take a Bonanza bus down the road a piece and have a slam dunk day at The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame (http://www.hoophall.com, 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue, Springfield, MA 01105 1-877-4-HOOPLA @hoophall on social media) in Springfield where hardwood history comes alive from the days of a peach basket and a soccer ball to the Beethovens and Mozarts of the NBA such as Jordan, Ewing,Kareem, and, oh yeah, LeBron. From small towns to small cities, the Berkshires have it all for the 4th. After all, isn't variety what America is all about?
6. WALT DISNEY WORLD (http://www.disneyworld.com) World Drive, Orlando, FL 32830 407-W-DISNEY facebook.com/WaltDisneyWorld twitter.com/WaltDisneyWorld
Yeah, I know, the crazy ISIS A-hole had contemplated WDW and they've had to write Louis the Sachmo-inspired alligator out of their "Princess And The Frog" spectacular after the tragic alligator incident at the Grand Floridian Hotel, but the Disney brand is nothing but resillient, and I'm sure things will be back to normal by next July 4th. There's usually a great patriotic Audio-Animatronic show at EPCOT Center, the Hall of Presidents, an outgrowth of Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln, features a special appearance from "Barack Obama" and a stirring narration by none less than Morgan Freeman, although that could change next year. Take a bus to Disney Springs to see the latest movies (from Disney and other studios) at their AMC theatre, enjoy Cirque du Soliel, and dine at a smorgasbord of restaurants including Rainforest Cafe. (Of course, you can still meet Mickey and Minnie, but if you want a taste of American history, Pocahantas holds forth at Disney's Animal Kingdom and the Princess show at Disneyland City Hall, and no, I don't mean Elizabeth Warren, and you can call the guy with the silly hat and long ears Goofy, not her!)
We're at halftime, and our Canadian readers as well as the millions of American voters planning to move to Canada for four years no doubt want to know the Top 3 Cool Places To Take The Kids Next Canada Day (July 1st), soooooooo.
3rd Cool Place in Canada: ROGERS CENTRE (http://www.rogerscentre.com) One Blue Jays Way,Toronto, ON M5V 1J1 (416) 341-3000
Since its 1989 debut as "SkyDome," the "Rog" has become a cherished part of the Toronto skyline and heaven on Earth for sports fans.Under the leadership of Rogers Communications (SportsNet Canada, City tv Toronto,and a veritable potpourri of great radio stations) since 2005, this multi-purpose arena has enjoyed record attendance for Toronto Blue Jays baseball, Toronto Argonauts (and occasional Buffalo Bills) football, family events including Disney's World On Ice, monster truck shows, and even traveling carnivals. You can take a guided tour, work out at GoodLife Fitness (If you're a member of 24 Hour Fitness, you can work out absolutely F-R-E-E, my favorite four letter word starting with F!), even get a mobile phone at the Rogers store if you're on a carrier that doesn't work in Canada. If the Rog isn't reason enough to holiday or live in Canada, I don't know what is!
2nd Cool Place in Canada: HOCKEY HALL OF FAME (http://www.hhof.com) Brookfield Place, 30 Yonge Street,Toronto, ON M5E 1XB (416) 360-7765
Sure, Torontonians in particular and Canadians as a whole like football (NFL and CFL) and baseball, but if you really want to understand them, you have to understand their national game which started on frozen ponds in Canada before moving inside in 1875 at Victoria Skating Rink in Montreal, I refer, of course, to ICE HOCKEY. Although the Hockey Hall Of Fame is a distinctly Canadian institution, as much a part of Canadian life as Cooperstown is of American life, don't be surprised if you see more than a few guests wearing T-shirts and hockey jerseys bearing the logos of their fave American teams, and when the Stanley Cup isn't skating across North America with your favorite team, you can say hi to it at the Hockey Hall. This is one GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL it should be easy to achieve! (And they also have players, coaches, and TSN talent on hand to teach the kids how NOT to be hockey pucks when it comes to teamwork!)
AND THE COOLEST PLACE TO TAKE THE KIDS NEXT JULY 1ST:
CANADA'S WONDERLAND (http://www.canadaswonderland.com) 9850 Jane Street, Vaughn,ON L6A 1S6 905-832-8131
SplashWorks AND Planet Snoopy in the same place? Good grief! Actually, you can check your grief at the door, take a chill pill at the Best Western Plus Toronto North York Hotel and Suites nearby, take the fam to see "Robinson Crusoe 3D" at the Action Theater,ride an authentic carousel from the turn of last century,see Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the Peanuts gang in great live shows,and buy outstanding "Made In Canada" merchandise at True North Gifts. Get on the ball before Lucy pulls it away and check this place out!
And the countdown continues...
5. GRAND OLE OPRY (http://www.opry.com) 2804 Opryland Drive, Nashville, TN 37214 1-800-SEE-OPRY
Country music is the soundtrack of America, and it's highly unlikely popular music as we have come to know it would exist without it. Longtime readers of Welcome to Steve Country (http://www.welcometostevecountry.com) know that the original broadcasts of the Grand Ole Opry radio program live from the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville introduced beloved artists from Hank Williams and Johnny Cash to Carrie Underwood and Chris Stapleton into the mainstream. Today, what started out as a live local broadcast on The Legend 650 AM WSM has become an American institution heard around the world on US Army bases and its own app. There's a full slate of concerts and live broadcasts every week of the year, and, of course, backstage tours.and you can hang your 10-gallon hat at Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center (now owned by Marriott, but don't let that stop you) just a two-step away. Y'all pay 'em a visit, y'hear?
4. WASHINGTON, DC (http://www.washington.org)
Sure, PBS' "A Capitol Fourth" isn't exactly perfect, but as you are bound to find out when touring the White House and the office buildings for both houses of Congress, (Security is understandably tight, so stay tuned to the local media for information that may affect your visit, We The (Imperfect) People do our best with what we've got, and it's served us well for the past 240 years. More than 75 museums welcome you, including the Smithsonian and the US Holocaust Museum, the famous monuments are definite must-sees, and restaurants such as Ben's Chili Bowl and the near-legendary Four Guys. I'm Steven Eisenpreis, and you'll approve this city!
3. COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG (http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org) P.O. Box 1776, Williamsburg, VA 23187, 888-965-7254
You can read about history in a book, or you can see it up close and personal in Colonial Williamsburg. If you choose the latter option, you and the entire family are in for a treat. The "Interpeters" are aware of recent trends in live entertainment and the decline of college interest in American history courses, and they are doing everything humanly possible to make sure that Colonial Williamsburg continues to fulfill its promise "That the Future May Learn from the Past." Add hotels for every pocketbook, a PGA-quality golf course, and proximity to Busch Gardens The Old Country (where your little patriots can meet those Great Americans, Bert, Ernie, Big Bird, and an AUTHORIZED, OFFICIAL Elmo, not one of those Times Square knockoffs!), Ripley's Believe It Or Not! Odditorium,and brand name shopping, and you have a completely revolutionary way to spend the 4th! (You can also take a bus to Jamestown, where legend has it that if you listen very carefully, you can still hear Pocahantas sing "Colors In The Wind." OK, I got that confused with Disney, but you can STILL see a comprehensive Pocahantas exhibit! You can also spend a great beach day in Yorktown, and get some history with your tan!)
2. BOSTON,MA (http://www.cityofboston.gov)
Before I go any further, I would like to apologize to my fellow New Yorkers (http://nycgo.com) if I've given the Big Apple short shrift, because Fraunces Tavern is an important part of American history as is Richmondtown in Staten Island and the New York Stock Exchange and we DO have the best and biggest fireworks show in the country,but Boston IS where America as we know it took shape with the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere and the Boston Tea Party. Boston's Fourth Of July celebration is virtually unchanged from its original format in 1776, and the highlight has always been the Liberty Address, which has been delivered by luminaries from JFK to Julia Child. The Boston Red Sox play a traditional home game at "America's Most Beautiful Ballpark," Fenway Park (where you can get a selfie with their mascot Wally the Green Monster, named for the centerfield wall where pitches go to die), and the Boston Pops put on a show for the rest of the country with fireworks and a variety of local and international talent. Like the song says, "PLEASE come to Boston!"
Before we reveal the coolest place to spend the 4th of July, it has come to my attention that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is planning to move to New Zealand if a certain candidate becomes President. The best place to join her for holidays in the early part of January (The closest thing Australasia has to the 4th of July) is RAINBOW'S END (http://www.rainbowsend.co.nz, Two Clist Crescent,Manakau, Auckland, New Zealand, Mailing Address: Private Bag 76-924, Manakau, Auckland,2241.) Rai n Bow, the official greeters,have no intention of building a wall around THEIR magic Maori kingdom to keep anybody out, and Princess Sapphire,Sir Prised A Lot, Rover The Dog,and Iris The Fairy are all happy to meet kids of all ages,and not one of them has a combover! Count on the Bumper Boats and Go-Karts for YUGE family fun,and magic shows make your blues disappear faster than Trump Airlines, Trump Steaks, Trump Magazine...you get the picture! ANZ and Qantas have the wings, YOU have the fun!
AND THE COOLEST PLACE TO SPEND NEXT FOURTH OF JULY,
PHILADELPHIA,PA (http://www.visitphilly.com)
Cradle Of Liberty, Birthplace Of America, need I say more? Actually, I can. The week before the 4th proper, Wawa Welcome America has tons of free events including concerts, meet and greet events with historical interpeters bringing Ben Franklin, Betsy Ross, George Washington, and friends to life,but the crown jewel is the Celebration Of Freedom outside Independence Hall on the 4th of July.
This year, I had the pleasure to see Leslie Odom, Jr. from HAMILTON read an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence and a special ceremony honoring Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, the fathers of The Sound Of Philadelphia made famous by artists such as Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes, the Intruders, the O'Jays, the Three Degrees, and MFSB (Mother, Father, Sister, Brother). The Phillies knock one out of the park at Citizens Bank Park in South Philly, and you have your choice of dining options from Chick-Fil-A and McFadden's Bar and Grill (an offshoot of a Citi Field fave in NYC) at the Park to Geno's Steaks across the street at Xfinity Live. You can also run up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art like Rocky (and take a picture with "him"outside),catch up with your reading at the Free Library,catch a cool science show at the Franklin Institute, even see a Broadway play at the Academy of Music, Kimmel Center, or Walnut Street Theater. (I saw SISTER ACT at the Walnut. It was the most divine night I spent at the theater!)
So, there you go! Some great 4th of July suggestions, without benefit, if you can call it that, of publishers! (I hear that an editor is about to kill another super hero. Will they ever learn?) If any other rejected authors are as mad as you know what and not gonna take this anymore, shoot me an email at steveneisenpreis@gmail.com, and we'll show those pompous publishers that our First Amendment right to be published is nothing to be trifled with!
God Bless America and the brave men and women in blue and olive who protect her at home and all over the world!
Steve
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