North America

Butchart’s Gardens

Butchart’s Gardens is a National Historic Site of Canada. We had no plans of coming here on this trip but our hike tour was cancelled last minute. It’s a beautiful garden, the most beautiful we’ve ever seen. Continue reading →

Victoria, Canada

This was an amazing trip. We fell in love with British Columbia. It’s a nature wonderland and exactly what we have been craving for. It took us a few trips to understand what we like in vacations – nature. Victoria turned out to be a wonderful surprise. We didn’t expect to feel so at home. We ended up here because we wanted to go hiking and we don’t drive (a NYC handicap). Victoria had the type of tours we were looking for. Continue reading →

CONEY ISLAND OVERHAUL SHOP & TOWER

Choo choo!!! I just love trains especially the old locomotives but those aren’t common place anymore. NYC’s transit system never fails to impress me. Yeah, we’re aggravated all the time about service and grumpy when the cars are crammed but you can travel far and get around really easy without a car. It is the busiest rapid transit system in the US and the world. In 2015, there were 1.76 billion rides, 5.7 million daily rides on weekdays and a combined 5.9 million rides each weekend. Continue reading →

Chinese Lantern Festival

For Memorial Weekend we hopped on a bus and stayed overnight in Philly. We go there a lot. We love it there. But this time around we wanted to check out the Chinese Lantern Festival in Franklin Square. It’s really cute. It opened April 22 and closes June 12th. It’s $17 a ticket for adults, kids (ages 3-17) $12, $15 for seniors and military, kids 2 years and under are free. They have performances, food vendors and stands where you can buy trinkets. Continue reading →

Elfreth’s Alley

Elfreth’s Alley is a street in Philadelphia and referred to as “Our nations oldest residential address.” It dates back to 1702 and is a National Historic Landmark. The cobblestone street and Federal and Georgian style houses that line the street were common back in the 1700s. It’s named after Jeremiah Elfreth, an 18th century property owner and blacksmith. Trades people lived on this street and was once full of printers, carpenters, and different types of crafts people. Continue reading →

NY Farm Colony & the Cropsey Legend

NY Farm Colony is located in Staten Island. It was a poorhouse, a government run facility to support and provide housing for the dependent or needy. The Farm Colony was abandoned in 1975. After sitting empty for so many years, the Farm Colony will get a second life. 5 of the ruin buildings will be rehabilitated and turned into senior housing for people 55 years and older, commercial space, green space, and parking. It will be called Landmark Colony. Some of the units will be set aside for affordable housing. One ruin, the men’s dormitory will be a stabilized ruin and the others will be demolished. The condition is so bad in some of the buildings they can’t be preserved. Continue reading →

Bialystoker Synagogue & Congregation Beth Hachasidim De Polen

Bialystoker Synagogue is at 7-11 Bialystoker Place which use to be known as Willet Street. The building was constructed in 1826 and was the Willet Street Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1905, the synagogue bought the church. Continue reading →