The Sheriff - Indianapolis

 Remember that post where I was flying by myself for the first time? Well, that trip was to Indianapolis, a place I had never been before. It turned out to be a great trip and I loved all of the people I met while I was there.

Manning 18 - First retired jersey number in Indianapolis Colts history. NFL all-time record holder upon retirement: Five-time NFL MVP, passing touchdowns (539), passing yards (71,940), game-winning drives (54), comeback victories (45), total offense. Dedicated October 7, 2017 "The Sheriff" Sculptor: Ryan Feeney, Indianapolis, Indiana

As a Denver-ite and American football fan, you know that I had to look up some information about Peyton Manning. He played for the Colts from 1998-2011 before being picked up by the Denver Broncos from 2012-2015, managing to earn his teams 1 Super Bowl championship each.

Lucas Oil Stadium is located in the heart of the city allowing me easy access and I couldn't stop looking at this very cool homage to The Sheriff himself:

If you are an American football fan, this is a must-see on a trip through Indianapolis. I was there for about 29 hours and managed to squeeze it in just after my plane landed.

"The Sheriff" Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts Quarterback 1998-2011, The number one pick in the 1998 NFL draft, Peyton Manning went on to become one of the game's all-time greatest players, starting every game in his first 13 seasons and providing Colts fans with some of the most prolific moments in sports history. He was also one of the game's most popular players and personalities, re-nowned for his dramatic play-calling, colorful audibles, and heart-pounding comeback victories. Manning led a Colts team that set an NFL record for most victories in a decade, and he held seven NFL all-time passing records upon his retirement. He played in 14 Pro-Bowls, was named First Team All-Pro seven times, and was the MVP of the Colts Super Bowl XLI victory. He was also named the NFL MVP an unprecedented five times, and was the 2005 NFL Man of the Year. The people in our community will forever be grateful for Peyton's contributions, and for his role in bringing Indianapolis and Indiana their first major World Championship. "Always a Colt"  

Art in Philadelphia

We were fortunate to have the chance to visit several places containing art. Within Philly it is varied and beautiful, along with historic and long-lasting.

The first place we found some amazing art was in the Curtis Center lobby. There stands the 100 year old Tiffany mural, Dream Garden, installed in 1916, and based off of a landscape painting by Maxfield Parrish. Using Tiffany glass the design covers a 15' by 49' wall in the back of the lobby, and is strikingly lit for maximum viewing.

Secondly, we visited the Magic Garden. Local artist Isaiah Zagar lived in the property next door and started collecting materials and creating his artwork all over the empty lot next to it. When the landowner wanted to sell the property and came to visit he discovered Isaiah's artwork and asked him to remove it all. Instead Isaiah was able to raise the money to buy the property (at an exorbitant price) in order to maintain and display his art.

Although we did not get a chance to explore the whole area due to rain, I would go back again and again to walk through the art!

Lastly, we attended music Friday at the Philadelphia Art Museum. For the regular price of entry there is a live band and catered food and drinks (for an extra cost), plus access to the galleries until 8:45pm. As a bonus, the ticket includes 2-day admission to the museum and others nearby.

We ate some dinner, listened to music, and drank a bit of wine. Afterwards, we spent about an hour wandering through just one part of the very large museum. Lucky me got to see Van Gogh's Sunflowers!

There are several other art museums that we did not have time to see, but based on what we could visit I would guess that there is a lot of great artwork abounding in this city.

Oh, I can not forget to mention the statue of Rocky Balboa outside the art museum: 

The Historical District of Philly

Throughout the week we could see Independence Hall and the building housing the Liberty Bell from our hotel window. On Tuesday we finally toured each.

The Liberty Bell is free to see and is held in a long building containing information on the history of the bell and uses throughout that time. Upon entering the building visitors are asked to walk through metal detectors, so in high times expect a wait, luckily winter is not a busy time, so we made it in the door within 5 minutes.

There is a volunteer historian standing around the bell to help answer questions and occasionally will start speaking to the crowd gathered to give some background on the bell. It was fascinating to learn that the bell really had no special beginnings, it was just a bell amongst many in the city. During the British occupation of 1777 it was hidden along with the other bells, outside the city so it was not melted down and used for musket balls. So, maybe that's the appeal of it all, humble beginnings to a great symbol of freedom and unity!

Through the back of the building one can view Independence Hall and if the lighting is right a nice picture of both can be captured.

After leaving the Liberty Bell we traveled across the street to view Independence Hall. It also provides a free tour, given by National Park rangers, and includes a walk through a metal detector.

Originally the hall was used as a courtroom and is still set up as such. Across from the small court room area is the hall where our Founding Fathers discussed, created, and signed the Declaration of Independence.

The infamous Sunrise chair is also located in this room. I posted a picture of myself sitting in the replica here.

There are other buildings on the premises as well, including the first rooms where the newly created Congress and House met. It is amazing to think that so many influential men walked those halls and built a country from the ground up.

The First Night in Philly - Feel the Love

Last February I had the chance to travel to Long Beach, CA for a conference. Later on, my boss said we could not afford to go to the 2018 conference, so, much to my surprise when she called me in November to ask if I was available for the 2018 conference I jumped at the chance! This year it is in Philadelphia and I have never been, so of course Thickblackglasses tagged along too, we booked flights a few days early and here's what happened in the first 12 hours:

Our first few days were booked at the Klimpton Hotel Monaco. The staff was really friendly while checking us in, and recommended 3 cheesesteaks restaurants right away. Ishkabbible, Jim's, and Geno's. Jim's and Ishkabbible are just a few steps from each other, and when we reach Jim's the line was out the door - always a good sign, but we were hungry, so we turned a stepped toward Ishkabbible. It is a small, unassuming place, but it was packed. We stepped in the door, found a place at the bar, which was a mere 2 feet from the grill, and ordered up a cheesesteak "provolone without" and "wiz with" (picking up some of the lingo in web guides) and some fries.

"Wiz with" means cheese wiz and onions

We watched the chef cook all the meats right in front of us then stack it on the typical roll. It was a delicious first taste of the city. Gooey, a tad under-seasoned, but fresh and the roll was soft. We dug in without any hesitation and finished the lot. The restaurant only has seating for about 9 people, and 6 seats were taken when we arrived, but people were coming and going in a constant stream during our half hour at the bar.

Stepping back into the street we started to walk in one direction to check out the area. After a few blocks we stumbled upon the Tattooed Mom, which Thickblackglasses had read about before our arrival, so of course we had to visit. Right in the door we found a more mellow, restaurant area that was artfully decorated. The doorman directed us upstairs to a more rowdy and packed atmosphere. We ordered drinks at the bar and found a place to stand and take in the sites. The walls are covered in stickers, graffiti, and other art, plus the music was up-tempo and dance inducing. Tired of standing we decided to check out the first floor, a bit more calm yet still fun we were able to find a table and take in the sites. Our table faced a window full of very cool art. The waiter brought us temporary tattoos, and a few little plastic toys to keep us busy.

After posting on social media about the place, my boss immediately responded that it looked awesome, so I told her we would come back when she arrives in town in a few days.

It was time to hit the street again and discover another bar, this one German themed, called Brauhaus Schmitz. The waitresses were clad in the typical German wench get up and the menu was almost fully in German (with hints of what type of beer it was), so we bellied up to the bar and ordered. You cannot enter an German establishment and not eat a pretzel, so a soft, buttery roll was soon set before us!

3 liters later it was time to hit the streets again. Our goal was the hotel, but we happened by a poutine restaurant. Drinks had made us hungry and poutine seemed to be the cure, so we wandered in and ordered the original. Chunks of cheese curd were drenched in gravy topping the fries. We dug in with a fork and devoured it. My Canadian friends had now idea Smoke's Poutinerie had establishments south of the border - good to know it's straight from Canada!

It was successful first night and we fell asleep excited for the week ahead of us!

Salem, MA

I do not even know where to start with Salem! Really I would have liked more time to explore and see more of the museums, maybe even take in a second ghost tour, but alas time was not on our side. We had about 5 hours in Salem, so we planned a visit to the Salem Witch Museum, shopping, and a ghost tour.

The Salem Witch Museum was surprisingly disappointing. You sit in a large room and watch the story unfold about how the Salem witch trials began and what happened to the poor souls who lost their lives during that time. Then you move into a room with some more stories about witches throughout the last few centuries since the witch trials (late 1600s) and that's it, now go shop. Overall, I would not really recommend this museum and that could contribute to why I wish we had more time in Salem.

Patrick Dougherty - Stickwork

Samantha from Bewitched

We had planned a ghost tour for the evening (of which I highly recommend!), but did not really plan the in-between time, so we wandered the town a bit. There is a lot of shopping to be had, and of course plenty of witch themed souvenirs. Keep in mind that real witches still inhabit the town of Salem, so you can find actual books, and supplies for those that practice Wicca. If you are interested, this is definitely the place to find out!

If you find yourself with some time in Salem or are not sure what to do, make your way toward the cemetery, a bit east of the main town. There you will find the Salem Witch Memorial.

Nathaniel Hawthorne's House of the Seven Gables is in Salem too, so be sure to save time to discover that gem!

Penscola Lighthouse

Penscola was just our entry and exit point for Alabama and the Gulf Shores, but it contains some shopping, some beautiful beaches, and a fantastic lighthouse placed right next to a naval base. There is plenty to do on the base, like a aviation museum and Blue Angel viewings, but we did not have much time before our flight and opted for the lighthouse.

The lighthouse was lit for the first time in 1859. It replaced a less bright lighthouse that was built half a mile away. The US government had recognized the importance of protecting this entry point and had built forts in the area surrounding the lighthouse.

A view of the beach from the top

A view of the grounds around the lighthouse

During the Civil War the lighthouse changed hands between Union and Confederate troops, and even went dark for a few months during transitions.

Blue Angels in the nearby naval base

The lighthouse lens

The bottom third of the lighthouse is painted white to contrast with the trees, while the top two-thirds is black to contrast with the sky. It is officially on the National Registry for Historic Places and many of the out buildings have been restored.

Going down the stairs

Going up the stairs (yep, that's me, Sassafrass, coming down and freaking out!)

Food in and around Gulf Shores Alabama

Thickblackglasses and I knew that going to the Gulf would involve a lot of seafood, and we were looking forward to it! To prepare ourselves we tried some oysters at an upscale restaurant in our hometown. Being far away from the ocean can be make it tricky to find fresh seafood, but this restaurant's oysters were not too bad. It still could not prepare us for the fresh delishousness of oysters (and other seafood) at the Gulf!

Our first oyster experience was at Felix's Fish Camp, near the USS Alabama in Mobile. Since we had tried raw oysters at home we decided baked oysters would give us a new experience. Felix's offers a mixed plate with two of each of their baked oysters: 2 Rockefeller (with spinach), 2 Casino (with bacon and Parmesan), and 2 Felix's (with breadcrumbs, cheese, and garlic). My favorite were definitely the Felix's while Thickblackglasses opted for the Casino, but we enjoyed all of them and would highly recommend getting this plate!

Our second experience with baked oysters was at the Oyster House in Gulf Shores. Although they were not as good at the Felix's Felix oysters, they were still really tasty!

Baked Oysters and gumbo

During this meal we also decided to taste the raw oysters. The waitress made the cocktail sauce tableside which made for an even better experience.

At the Oyster House we also tried fried alligator. It came out in tiny bite-sized pieces and was breaded so it's hard to tell what it really looks like, but, for some, that may be better! They were well fried and crunchy. [We also had fried alligator in Texas (March 2013) a few years back, but failed to write about it.]

Thickblackglasses also went fishing, not deep sea, but out enough that he caught us all some delicious fishes! We brought them home to be grilled and fried. Both ways were delicious and we were lucky enough to package it and ship it home after vacation.

I cannot forget our stop at Matt's Ice Cream. Delicious homemade ice cream was perfect for a hot day in Alabama - I could not resist trying the banana split!