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 |   Theses are my thoughts and ramblings as I forge my way through this thing they call life. |
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These are my thoughts and ramblings as I forge my way through this thing they call Life. I blog with these groups:     "Blogging Circle of Friends "  [E] 
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30 Day Blogging Challenge - Toronto, Canada Lyn says: We're heading north today Ladies, hope your passport is up to date. Toronto has a population of 2,600,000 making it the biggest city in Ontario. It operates on the EDT time zone. We'll be here until Wednesday and doing lots of fun things together. https://www.songkick.com/artists/273059-beach-house#biography Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto, ON, Canada https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g155019-d183090-Reviews-The_Westin_Harb... I hope you slept on the plane because we're going the Royal Conservatory of Music for three hours this afternoon before we hit the concert. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g155019-d2525570-Reviews-Royal_Con... Oh Canada. I can breath a sigh of relief... I am almost home... well, closer to home. I live about an hour and a half to the west, but I love Toronto so having a chance to stay over and explore is great. The Weston Harbour Castle... I believe I walked in there back in the 80's for a cup of coffee and got a tiny little cup for $2.50 without refills. I was in my early twenties at the time, still in university, and I thought that was way too exuberant for a single cup of coffee. That was thirty years ago... long before Starbucks and their $6 coffee creations. At least the $6 atrocity is 20 oz, that little cup was barely 250 ml.... 8 oz!!!! As for the Conservatory of Music... I may have been there.... years ago when I was part of a larger choir - our high school joined several choirs to perform Andrew Lloyd Weber's Requiem at Roy Thompson Hall - back in 1985?? I think we had a few practices in here... checking out the acoustics. Amazing, by the way. This is the song I picked, but to be honest, I did not listen to the whole thing.... because I did not care for it. |
30 Day Blogging Challenge - Las Vegas - Day 2 Lyn says: Noyoki made a request so ladies we're switching hotels. Hello Mandalay Bay https://www.mandalaybay.com/en.html After we get our luggage dropped off in our rooms we're heading to the Shark Reef Aquarium https://www.mandalaybay.com/en/entertainment/shark-reef-aquarium.html then we're hitting the pool party https://www.mandalaybay.com/en/nightlife/daylight.html and ending our evening with the 9:30 show MICHAEL JACKSON ONE BY CIRQUE DU SOLEIL https://www.mandalaybay.com/en/entertainment/michael-jackson-one.html and if you still have energy then hit the casino https://www.mandalaybay.com/en/casino.html We're virtual the limits are whatever we make them. We are continuing in Las Vegas. Lyn has us changing hotels... which in reality, I would hate, but on a virtual trip... I can handle. Mandalay Bay is gorgeous with such a vibrant party atmosphere. Everything we are doing is right here at the hotel. The Shark Reef Aquarium, the pool party and the Cirque Du Soleil performance. I attended a Cirque Du Soleil performance in Ottawa several years ago and I loved it. Each one of these shows is dynamic and has a huge WOW factor. This show was fabulous. I did not bother with the casino. I am more inclined to watch others than lose the money myself. https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/michael-jackson-one?cid=ps:mj1_us-nv-01_multi:SKG... |
30 Day Blogging Challenge - Las Vegas, NV Lyn says: City of Sin, remember what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas Rolling We're here for the weekend. https://963kklz.com/event/joan-jett-blackhearts/ Time:8:00 pm Star of the Desert Arena 31700 S Las Vegas Blvd Primm, NV 89019 United States We'll be staying at the Rio https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g45963-d91673-Reviews-Rio_All_Suite_Hot... If Joan Jett isn't keeping your attention you can always check out some male eye candy. https://www.chippendales.com/vegas-show at the Rio. It's going to be an interesting weekend ladies. You're free to explore the strip or hang out at the pool. I was in Las Vegas years ago and I enjoyed the people watching more than anything else we did. The tourists were colourful. Everything from kids to rich Asian dudes with $100 bills padding their wallets. When we were here last the pools was only 65 degrees (F).... not something I was eager to jump into. This time the heat has me rethinking that plan. I have checked the weather and noticed Las Vegas had has had the highest world temperature at 41 degrees Celsius. Thank goodness most of the hotels are air conditioned. Joan Jett was a badass and she still is! I anticipated that this concert would be loud so I put in my ear plugs to save my hearing. I could still hear and I sang along to any of the songs I knew... there were a few. I do know her music, it is not a favourite, but she is decent. |
30 Day Blogging Challeng3e - Day 17 - Philadelphia, PA Lyn says:Old Dominion Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA, US https://www.songkick.com/artists/1652671-old-dominion#review-94747 We're going to catch this band on their way up, they are about to explode on the music scene! Seeing Old Dominion on the small stage, just by themselves at the MN State Fair was a huge treat! The Leinie bandstand was packed for both shows. This was our 3rd Old Dominion show in MN this year, so it was nice to have this personal glimpse of the band. A new album by the band is pending, and so looking forward to their new music, which they played several during their concerts at the State Fair. Also they have written for so many other artists and they covered their own songs, which is fun to see. I am still waiting to hear them cover the song they wrote with Sam Hunt "Make You Miss Me". Old Dominion writes their own lyrics and music, and they are a full band with such great depth of talent, between Matthew, Trevor and Brad who are the writers, singers and guitarists, Brad leading the guitar talent, and Trevor also on the keyboard. Matthew, the lead has such a rich voice with a full range of emotion packed into it. Whit on the drums and Geoff on bass complete the band. The humor the band shows in many of their songs comes through when on stage. Man, I can't believe I missed the opportunity to have taken you to my home state, Old Dominion was playing in Bangor Maine,August 16th while we were in Joliet. *Headbang* We're staying at the Doubletree in Philly, right near the Avenue of the Arts. Awesome location. http://doubletree3.hilton.com/en/hotels/pennsylvania/doubletree-by-hilton-hotel-... We're taking in a bit of culture today at the Philadelphia Art Museum https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60795-d10800264-Reviews-Philadelp... If we have time we're going to do one of Philly's famous duck tours before we head over to Citizen's Bank which is also the home of the Philly Fliers (baseball team). Anybody up for running up those steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art? In virtual time, I could do it. Rocky Balboa would get a run for his money. A little culture will balance the evenings entertainment... which sounds a bit more country - which is why I have never heard of them. An art gallery will also balance off yesterday's NASCAR driving experience - we gotta balance our lives. In the vicinity of the Museum was a used bookshop called Bookhaven. Well, you know I had to go in and browse. Can't turn down a shop with a resident cat - Molly and Harry. These guys don't sound too bad.... though I can't say, Cute video, too! I get the impression that Lyn is a big fan. She's taken us on a wild ride so far... some of it, not to my taste, but others have been fabulous. So I am thinking tonight will be a blast. |
30 Day Blogging Challenge - Joliet, Illinois Lyn says:We're staying at the Hampton Inn. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g36185-d90579-Reviews-Hampton_Inn_by_Hi... https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g36185-d7295640-Reviews-Rusty_Wall... We're going to learn how to drive like Nascar drivers before kicking our heels at the Polka Festival. http://www.bicentennialpark.org/featured/concert-on-the-hill-polka-party-august-... 10-acre park by the river with an outdoor bandshell for music concerts & theatrical shows. Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park - 201 W Jefferson St, Joliet, IL 60432 Ladies, we're going to a Polka Festival. It’s a Polka Party time with our favorites…rain or shine! We’ll move indoors if needed. ACTS: Eddie Korosa, Jr and the Boys & Girl from IL with special guest “Mr. Slivo” John Churnovic on button box Frank Rossi & The Sounds of Sinatra EMCEE: Joliet Councilwoman Jan Quillman Enjoy the sweet sounds of summer music every Thursday at 6:30 pm – for FREE! Bring blankets and chairs for hill seating. Concessions are available, including beer and wine. We're going to participate in the polka activities, I hope you brought your dancing shoes. Polka Festival.... that makes me nervous. Outdoor, free concert... that I can handle. Being able to wander around is great. You can head closer for interesting music and further away if the music is not to my taste. Here is a taste of what we... had to listen to... This was tolerable... Frank Rossi and the Sounds of Frank Sinatra. I will say the 'learning' to drive a NASCAR car was fabulous fun. |
30 Day Blogging Challenge - New Orleans - Day 2 Lyn says: Did you really think we'd leave New Orleans without checking out some Blues? We're doing the 11:00 am City of the Dead tour, ladies. https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g60864-d11453062-New_Orleans... We're doing the 3:00pm Haunted History Ghost tour before heading to the Blues Club. https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductDetail-g60864-d11448695-New_Orleans... We're doing the early show and hitting Happy Hour at B.B. Kings Blue's Trio and BB Kings All-Star Band before we hit the tours. http://www.bbkings.com/new-orleans/ I've scored a special tour for us that begins at 9pm instead of 8 pm. https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g60864-d11453064-New_Orleans... By the time the tour is over, we still have time to hit the Blues club again and maybe have another pub crawl *Rolling* I can so handle another day in New Orleans. This is one town that seems rather worldly. I enjoyed my own personal pub crawl last night and I am glad Lyn has decided to take us on a group endeavour today. I began my day with good coffee and more of those delicious beignets. At 11 am we went off for the City of the Dead tour. We met at the corner of Royal and Conti Streets in New Orleans' French Quarter. Our guide took us to see some of the well-known architecture of the area, such as the Creole townhouses and shotgun homes. Our guide told stories about the city’s rich voodoo history and famous practitioners of the religion such as Marie Laveau. Your guide takes you to St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, one of the city’s oldest cemeteries, which opened in 1789. At the cemetery, we saw the famous tomb of Laveau, as well as other former voodoo masters. Having a guide was great because it's often difficult to view the city's cemeteries without one.... it ensured that we were able to find the most interesting tombs and get in quickly. We even went into a voodoo ritual shop, and stopped by Congo Square. We ended near Jackson Square. We were able to grab some yummy lunch and rest our feet before our next tour. At 3 pm we set out on another tour - this one of the dark history of New Orleans filled with voodoo, vampires, witches and ghosts. It was excellent for our creative urges. I jotted notes and took plenty of pictures for my 'creative well'. We started at the corner of Royal and Conti Streets in the French Quarter. Our guide knew the best route to chilling sights including Madame LaLaurie’s Creole mansion, home of the rumored vampire, Jacques St. Germaine. We learned about the suspicious history of the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum and the concoctions it sold. We even tired to spot one of the well-known ghosts in Muriel’s Jackson Square. We finished at the corner of St. Ann and Rampart Streets, just about five blocks from where we began. Just in time to grab some local food and spirits in a glass.... and put our feet up for a bit at B.B. Kings Blues Club. The music was rich and perfect. I like the idea of experiencing what the city has to offer, instead of running off to some concert somewhere. Lyn got us into a 9 pm tour. This one did the spirited sites and haunted history places in the dark. We met our ghost‐hunter guide at Reverend Zombie’s Voodoo Shop. Starting off with a walk through the Vieux Carré (Old Square). It was a cool way to admire the nocturnal nature of the city’s cultural hub,. We got to pass residences of ill‐repute such as the infamous LaLaurie House, where the wicked mistress Madame LaLaurie performed horrifying deeds to slaves, and centuries‐old haunted bars and hotels. Pirate enthusiasts will enjoy a stop at Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, former property of the famous privateer Jean Lafitte. One of the city’s oldest buildings, this functioning bar was once the base of a massive smuggling operation. We got to enjoy a drink here in the company of fellow travelers and supernatural buffs. Between stops, we heard other creepy stories. By the end of this chilling 2‐hour tour, we fully understood why New Orleans is often called the most haunted city in America. When we finished we were only too happy to do a little pub crawling.... nobody was too eager to head off to bed. I expected my dreams would be riddled with haunted tales. |
30Day Blogging Challenge - New Orleans. Lyn says:We're going to Smoothie King Center 1501 Dave Dixon Driven 70113 New Orleans, LA, US https://www.songkick.com/concerts/33863359-young-thug-at-smoothie-king-center Young Thug, J. Cole, Jaden Smith, and EarthGang https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g60864-d89148-Reviews-Hotel_Monteleone-... We're going to stay in the Historic Old French Quarter. The hotel looks really nice. https://hotelmonteleone.com/ After the concert, I'm heading to.relax after with the hotel state-of-the-art rooftop fitness center and heated pool with breathtaking views of the downtown New Orleans skyline. , New Orleans is just too fun to spend just one night here. Relax today and enjoy the concert,because tomorrow 8:15 we'll be doing the really cool vampire and ghost tours, spending time in the cemetary and the haunted house. The headliner is Young Thugs and what I listened to had too much swearing for my tastes so I not even going to post them here. Jaden Smith - this has got to be Will Smith's son.. now I like Will Smith, but this.... not so much... I listened to a YouTube video for each one.... and I know there is no way I could sit through this concert... sorry. Rap is so not my cup of tea. I will let you all go and plead a headache. As for New Orleans... I would much rather explore this city and all it has to offer. We are staying in a fancy hotel within walking distance of the French Quarter. I decided to take a History tour starting at the Café du Monde.... and had the most amazing beignets and café au lait. An hour and a half to explore. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. An afternoon swim and a shower and I was off again, slipping away from the group to go take in the New Orleans nightlife. Bourbon Street captured my interest. I was off to a night of jazz and blues and all it had to offer. https://www.neworleans.com/plan/neighborhoods/french-quarter/ I am looking forward to the ghostly tour tomorrow. |
30 Day Blogging Challenge - Alpharetta, GA, Lyn says:https://www.songkick.com/concerts/33182819-five-finger-death-punch-at-verizon-am... Five Finger Death Punch, often shortened to Five Finger or Death Punch, also abbreviated as 5FDP or FFDP, is an American heavy metal band from Las Vegas, Nevada. Formed in 2005, the band's name comes from the kung fu movie The Five Fingers of Death https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g29196-d86080-Reviews-Hampton_Inn_Alpha... I don't know about you ladies but these late night cocktails are making my jeans snug, How about some hiking https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34877-d3499260-Reviews-Big_Creek_... Heavy metal... ugh! I will surely be putting on my headphones to block out some of the sound and save my hearing. I will also be opting for being as far back as I can to let the true fans get right up to the front to enjoy the proceedings. Lyn, your suggestion of a hike is right up my alley. I need to walk and it is the best way to explore a place... I don't even know this place. Apparently, it is a suburb of Atlanta. So the day was filled with hiking, and some good food and coffee, of course and then back for a good long swim before getting ready for the concert. Here is one of the band's numbers... scary crowd. I think my ears where ringing afterward even with the headphones! |
30 Day Blogging Challenge:- Bakersfield, California Lyn says: We're taking an early flight to Bakersfield. Hope you can sleep on the plane. We're seeing Keith Sweat, Jon B and High Five.at RABOBANK ARENA (1001 Truxtun Avenue, Bakerfield. Ca.) http://www.rabobankarena.com/events/detail/keith-sweat-rewind-fest-2018 Sorry, no high end hotel tonight, We're at the Hampton Inn. http://hamptoninn3.hilton.com/en/hotels/california/hampton-inn-bakersfield-centr... There's a lot to see here. I'm going to let you decide. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g32037-Activities-Bakersfield_California... I need a little zing today. It is my... what you call it now... my EX-Anniversary. And I am trying to let it go and just enjoy myself - in real time I am doing much the same - going to a writing group in downtown Burlington for the morning. In virtual time... California will be a great change as we zig zag across the country again. None of the bands are familiar to me, but I am going to remain open to the experience. The inn is sweet, not overly ostentatious... so I won't feel guilty enjoying the town instead of feeling like I need to get my moneys worth in the hotel. I just need a place to rest my head.... and a pool is always a bonus. I did manage to sleep on the plane. Last night's concert was everything I had hoped. The songs are still humming through my system and I can't keep the upbeat smile off my face. I think many of our group are feeling similarly. I decided on a gentle day. I took a walk along the Positive Mental Attitude Trail at the Park at River Walk. https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attraction_Review-g32037-d7188746-Reviews-The_Park_at... https://www.movoto.com/guide/bakersfield-ca/moving-to-bakersfield/ Then the concert... Keith Sweat: Jon B. High Five: |
30 Day Blogging Challenge - Chicago, Illinois Lyn says: Chicago and Smashing Pumpkins https://www.songkick.com/concerts/32872679-smashing-pumpkins-at-united-center United Center 1901 West Madison Street, Chicago, IL, 60612 https://www.smashingpumpkins.com/ We're staying at the Holiday Inn in the downtown. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g35805-d90969-Reviews-Holiday_Inn_Chica... Things to do, I'm leaning toward the Prohibition Tours but I'll leave you the list https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionsNear-g35805-d90969-Holiday_Inn_Chicago_Do... Chicago. I decided on the Riverwalk Tour as a relaxing thing to do. https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attraction_Review-g35805-d3743225-Reviews-Chicago_Riv... Smashing Pumpkins I have heard of... but I would not say I am a fan. Here is a little synopsis: All I can say is I was happy when it was over and I could do back to the hotel to bed. |
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Sometimes I feel like a ghost... there but not there.