Filmed On Location

There are so many movies that are filmed in locations I would love to see with my own eyes and of course take pictures of. Those I listed on the right side of my blog are only a few of just such movies, using a mix of historical and natural places. Below are two photos I took at Independence Hall a few years ago. Besides the history, this stairway is featured in the scene of "National Treasure," as Ben Gates (Nicholas Cage) and his friends go in search for clues to the treasure.

I'm hoping to go on a movie tour in Philadelphia soon, which covers a great deal of other movies filmed in the area. Of course, as my list of movies shows, my favorite locations on the silver screen go beyond the local scene.

A few days ago, "Rebel Without A Cause" aired on the Turner Classic Movies in honor of Dennis Hopper. If I ever get the chance to visit California, Griffith Observatory is on my list of sites to see. It was a great setting for the teen characters that James Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo played in the main roles. Griffith Observatory seems to be a very popular filming location, also featured in "Transformers."

Within the past week or so, I saw an article online about Astoria, Oregon...home of one of my favorites when I was younger, "The Goonies." The article was about tours focused on the locations used in that movie. Well, besides being featured in a favorite 80's movie, I'd like to visit that area for its dramatic coastal views.

The 2010 remake of "The Wolfman," was added onto my list of favorite film locations just from seeing the trailers. I loved the spooky, atmospheric scenes set in late 1800's England and couldn't wait to see the movie. I actually didn't see it until today, but it was worth the extra wait. The filmmakers did a great job with the look and feel of the classic monster tale, with haunting scenes indoors and out. My love of old architecture, historic settings, and even those with an eerie vibe to them draw me to film locations like those in "The Wolfman." The same goes for many other movies filmed in the British Isles.

I consider myself to be a growing fan of movies, with new interests watching not only the blockbusters, but indie films and documentaries. No matter what the genre, I find many film locations used that I would love to see. When it comes to movies in general, I feel that they inspire people in some way or another. They definitely inspire me in terms of travel and places that I would love to do photography.

Around Lancaster

I have been out to the Lancaster area many times over the years, mostly to have lunch or dinner at the popular Shady Maple Smorgasbord. This time was to celebrate my Mom's birthday, so I rode up there with her and my Dad. The variety of food is always enjoyable, as is the overall atmosphere in the dining establishment of rural settings. A bowl of Apple Crisp is what I love to top of my meal there. It just seems like the perfect country dessert.

Something else I enjoy about going out the Lancaster is the wide open space scenery, dotted with farms just by the road or off in the the distance. It's a whole different world from my area, which is suburban, yet sometimes I feel like it is too congested. So, I always say that I want to move to a rural area for a more relaxed pace among pretty scenery and any nearby historic attractions. Another thing about wide open spaces...room for horses. I've always loved horses and wish I could be around them more. While in the Lancaster area, I tried to take some photos of some horses in their paddocks. However, I didn't have too much luck trying to capture such images from my front passenger seat on the way to Shady Maple. The best horse photo I took is this one below...blurry, but I still like it, and the horse is beautiful! I'll have to try for better horse photos next time out that way...less blur, more close-up, etc.

Visits to the towns of Ephrata and Lititz were also included in the day, however we were a little short on time for full tour of any sites. Both are charming places in my opinion and worth another visit sometime. It was actually my first time going out that far along Route 322, so I finally caught a glimpse of the historic Ephrata Cloister. Even just in briefly passing by, I didn't take a photo of it in either direction. However, I managed to take some photos of some old buildings here and there. I wish I could find a tour of some kind that would allow for more photos of all the old architecture. A lot of what I saw in the way of old architecture was spotted where it was hard to take a photo. Maybe next time out there, while stopping at a local business, I'll take a short stroll to capture more images of the pretty architectural details. Below are some photos I managed to take, which I think were from good timing.

I edited the color in the photo with the flag outside the window, mostly because in the original photo, the window shutters looked too bright. It was even difficult to see the middle section of open shades in the original photo's lighting. After the color editing, the column looked better against the dark porch.

In the photos below, the tower features some very ornate Victorian details that I don't see too often. This is definitely something I imagine on the exterior of my dream house...the whole tower with its beautiful detail.

The photo below was taken somewhere on the way to Shady Maple, and what caught my attention was simply the very unusual wooden detail. Like the Victorian tower detail, it was not often seen...in fact, I had never seen the rollerskate-wheel-like details featured on a house before.

This photo of the star-covered silo is my favorite of the farm photos I took during this particular Lancaster area trip.

As an end to a day of being in beautiful rural towns, I snapped this photo below. This are seen elsewhere in PA of course, reminding us to respect the state's natural beauty throughout it. Sometimes, I like taking photos that are more of a photojournalistic style even if the photo isn't of something happening. As a nature lover and communications student who isn't always near an event (for example, an environmental meeting), I would sometimes just take photos of something that represents the environmental issue.

I hope to enjoy more natural beauty of my home state as time goes on. I've been out toward Western PA as far as Johnstown, and going north, somewhere a bit west of Easton, PA. So I still have quite a bit of Pennsylvania to see.

Rose Tree Park

This park is a place which I have driven by many times on the way to work over the years, but had never really explored before. However, recently I visited the park to check out a picnic area for a reunion my friends and I are planning. So for any tourists coming to Philadelphia and the surrounding areas, I have a few thoughts on why they should make a stop at Rose Tree Park.

The history / old architecture buff will love the historical buildings within the park. The Leedom House, in my photos below, is beautiful and features columns, a classic architectural detail in my opinion. It also has an arched walkway through the structure, a nice feature not seen very often.

There is also the stone-faced Rose Tree Tavern in my photo below, dating back to before 1750. The tavern was moved a few years ago from where it once stood, near the road, to further inside the park grounds. I'm curious to see whether or not it will be restored fully, up and running at some point. Even at its current state, boarded up windows and all, there is something interesting about it. It really gives the sense of how old it is, connecting you back to its earlier days.

Another old structure in the park came into sight from certain points near the picnic area. I didn't see any mention of it online, so I don't know anything about it. However, as someone who loves old buildings, it caught my eye. As you can see in the photo, it is a lonely, old structure...mysterious and hidden from view. You won't see it from most points in the park.

Rose Tree Park features a fourth historic building, standing along the left side of the driveway leading towards the picnic area. At the moment, I don't have a photo of it. However, it is a stone-face with columns along the porch. This and the Leedom House are currently in use at the park.

Another reason to visit Rose Tree Park is the scenic aspect, which includes an expansive view toward the rear of the park. The landscaping brings out the natural features within the park, such as in the photo below, which I took a few years ago. The fence seems to bring your eyes right to the tree's foliage.

I took the photo of this gazebo during my recent visit to the park...very pretty addition to Rose Tree. I would love to have one of these myself!

Here is another photo I took a few years ago...partly scenery, partly the entertainment venue of Rose Tree Park. During Summer 2009, I met up with some of my friends for one of the many free concerts held here. These free concerts are held all Summer long each year, and I'm looking forward to a few this year as well. So, for the music lover, this is a great place for Summer entertainment without worrying about budgets!

The Fabulous Greaseband is who my friends and I saw last year. They played 50s, 60s, 70s...a great variety! I definitely recommend seeing them...they rock!

Last, but not least...Rose Tree Park is very patriotic, featuring a huge American flag and memorials for fallen police officers and firefighters. I took the photo of Old Glory as viewed though the trees a few years ago, and the firefighter memorial photo was taken during my recent park visit.

So, these are the reasons why Rose Tree Park is worth a visit...history, scenery, free concerts, and patriotic displays. I'm looking forward to the reunion my friends and I will be having there this Summer.

An Outer Banks Rental

This week, I tagged two of my Facebook friends associated with the Outer Banks in this beach house photo (above) which I took during June 2004. It was one of my favorites that I only saw in passing on the way to the Cape Hatteras Motel, and again to head for home. So I didn't catch the name of it anywhere at the time and wondered about it whenever I look back at my vacation photos. All I did remember was that it was near the original location of the Serendipity beach house (in my photo below), which is known for use in the film "Nights in Rodanthe." Particularly, it was slightly north of that spot and on the sound side of Highway 12.

It didn't take long at all to find out the name of the very unique beach rental. Someone saw my photo on one of my tagged friend's pages and sent me an email about it. The beach house is called the Green Lantern and is rented out by Midgett Realty. Midgett, by the way, is apparently one of the surnames on my mother's side and through her father. We have a lot of Outer Banks ancestry, which explains my family's great interest in the popular travel destination.

Back to the beach rental, one I'd love to rent if I could get enough family members together at the same time. I'm hoping to find out some reviews on it by former renters as more people see my photo of the Green Lantern. Reviews, as well as more detailed photos of the property on the Midgett Realty Web site would be very helpful in getting family interested. It's just a matter of our varied schedules of course. That's why my family's Outer Banks visits have been very spaced out.

I first went there with my family when I was very young, five or a little older. We ran into tropical storm Dennis. At one point when the storm had calmed down a bit, we were out on a sand dune. The wind was still blowing enough to make the sand feel like it was stinging! I also remember the wind's ghostly howl around our relative's Hatteras Village house.

The next time I visited the Outer Banks was not until June 2004, what with work and school schedules. The original plan was to visit in September 2003, yet a variety of things came up. It was a vacation worth a little bit more of a wait in the end. It was the first chance I had to really use the new camera I had at the time. I took a mix of b/w and color photos of scenery, boats, waves, the lighthouses, and even the cemetery stones of ancestors. The 2004 trip was party for ancestry research purposes anyway.

My cousins and I wanted to go to the Outer Banks as a first-time vacation together. Plans were a little too last minute for 2009, and money has been tight of course with this economy since then. But maybe sometime in the near future, it'll work out. I wonder if in some way, I can make it sort of a journalism adventure. I am definitely more into this path than during my 2004 Outer Banks vacation. I only took photos at the time, no writing about the experience. Also, I didn't capture certain aspects of the time spent there...documenting the restaurants, noting any opinions on them, taking photos of them. So I want to do that as well next time...full coverage of dining out, taking in the attractions, capturing images both in photos and videos. I want to do the same for the ancestry angle of the next visit as well.

I think it will be a fun experience whenever we finally get to the Outer Banks again. At least three of us going will be taking a lot of photos, so there will be plenty of great memories no matter where we stay!

The Space Shuttle

As I write this, I'm waiting for the news to cover the launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis for its STS-132 mission. I tried to arrange going to Florida and getting tickets for a viewing tour for this particular launch. In the process, I found out a lot of useful information...just in case I can find a way to see one of the two remaining launches. Talk about coming down to the wire, after so many years of wanting to see a space shuttle launch in person!

So, here is what I found out. These aren't necessarily "little known" tips for viewing a launch...just things that were unknown to me as a would-be first-time visitor to Florida. The first thing is that the best place for viewing a launch is on the NASA causeway. Not being familiar with Florida myself, I would have wanted to get there with a tour company that sells tickets for the causeway viewing area. I found one company that gives a listing of particular tour bus pick-up spots, some of which are accommodations. That's one convenient option...staying at one of the hotels that also happens to be a pick-up spot. I made a note of all such places just in case things work out for one of the final two launches.

Getting tickets from a tour company for the causeway view seems to be easier than trying to buy them through the KSC Web site...at least in my case anyway. On the day I tried to buy launch viewing tickets for the causeway, I made a mistake in the hour that tickets would officially go on sale. I woke up thinking that tickets went on sale at 8 a.m., however, they would go on sale an hour later. When the time came, I went onto the Web site and saw that it was set up sort of like being in a virtual waiting line. Visitors would be picked at random for their turn to buy tickets, and I only had 40 minutes to hope I'd be picked. So, I decided to try another option and that led me to Google searches of space shuttle launch tour companies.

For next time, my two biggest pieces of knowledge...accommodations on the tour bus pick-up route and buy causeway viewing tickets through the tour company. Beyond that, the hardest part will be getting to Florida and back. If I fly, I'd need a rental car...and I don't know if I could afford both of those plus accommodations and shuttle launch viewing tickets. Of course, I am unfortunately a long way from Florida by car. The other thing is that both of the upcoming and remaining two launches will be within my Fall semester. I'm not sure how it will work out in getting to see either launch, however this is a long-time goal. It would mean seeing a part of American history involving people I've always felt were heroes, the astronauts.

The photo I used for this post is one I took at the Wright Brothers museum while visiting the Outer Banks in 2004.

Dreams of Ireland - Becoming Reality?

Whether I go to study abroad or for travel unrelated to education, my first choice is Ireland. This is because of all the ancestry I have going back there on either side of my family. I also love castles and the scenery in books, or used in film and TV.

I've been looking into study abroad options for a few years now, and thought it would have to be for no more than one 12-week semester. A full year program anywhere would be way out of budget. However, a single semester could be $15,000...still over budget. So it comes down to Summer programs, and I found one offered through a college in Ireland that also directly relates to my communications major. I can take something in visual arts or a course on Ireland in film and TV. That one would be perfect, because I love film locations in many films. Some of my favorites are the scenes in films with stories set in previous centuries of the U.S., the British Isles and Europe in general.

There is a lot I'll have to do in order to get ready. I don't have a passport yet, but I don't have to apply for this program until sometime during the coming Fall semester. I also have to decide if I really want to do the whole study abroad thing. I figure that to travel just as a citizen rather than as a student, it will cost more money. I'd lose out on the student rates. Of course, planning to go as a student, there are all the application processes involved. I'd also be the oldest person going with a group of other students. But being 10+ years older than everyone else I'd be going with isn't really a big deal. I just want the chance to go to Ireland and elsewhere. The entire group would have in common wanting to see famous sites, and it might be a first time visit for someone else besides me.

The other thing is that maybe I can always go back for an at-my-own-pace visit throughout Ireland. Something I'd also love to do is to visit Scotland, England and Wales...all of which I also have a great deal of ancestral ties to. I'm not sure if there would be time to get all of those in during a study abroad experience. If there is time, it will only be a bonus to the whole experience.

Just going to another country is full of firsts for me. I have not only never left the U.S., I have never flown anywhere. I never actually had a reason to travel by plane, since none of my travel experiences required it. I've never done any major travel on my own; or even with a group, without any family or old friends also being there. It will definitely be an exciting time and I hope that I'll be able to visit Ireland soon...for study abroad or non-study-abroad travel. No matter what other country or countries I get the chance to visit, Ireland will always be my favorite.

Wildlife

Since Spring has arrived, I've been out taking photos of wildlife seen on my campus. Well, actually, wildlife encounters this year started with the first day of classes when I was just leaving my neighborhood.

There is a wooded area in my neighborhood, and people have seen deer grazing along the edges every so often. Yet I had never seen a deer there...only deer tracks in the front yard on a rare instance. So when I saw the deer I captured in the photo below, I was surprised...and I only had my camera with me that day in case I wanted to take photos of things around campus.

Here is a more cropped version I have, in order to see a closer view of its face and antlers.

This is one reason I have my camera with me whenever I leave the house anymore! Otherwise, I would have had another, "I wish I brought my camera with me" moment.

Anyway, now for wildlife encounters at my college campus. On one day just a few weeks ago, the geese were honking so loud, I was expected a whole flock to land in the grassy across the driveway from where I stood. I never did see any geese until I went into the building, walked halfway down the hall and exited through the front lobby doors. Then I just sat on a bench outside, watched for a while, taking photos here and there. Here are some of my favorite geese photos...some from that day, some from other days since.

All of the above photos were taken while sitting outside the front lobby of an academic building, just across from the campus library. Of course, the geese don't just fly over...they are geese wandering the campus grounds in various places.

Here is one more bird photo I took while sitting near the beautiful mansion on campus.

This curious Robin, while still looking right at me after I took this photo, tilted its head to one side but I didn't get that shot. I wish I had managed to zoom in on this one just a little bit more.

Besides the bird population, there are the numerous squirrels roaming around...on the ground, up in the trees, etc. So I have a few photos of them as well. The one in the first photo had managed to climb to one of the highest branches on a very tall tree by this point. I should mention here that my college has a brochure with a map of trees featured on campus. Some of the tall trees on campus are of the tallest tree species in Pennsylvania. There is a Web site about that listed on the brochure, but I'll have to add that later on...maybe I'll make that a separate blog post after exploring the map of trees some more.

Just like the Robin, this squirrel seems to spy me as I take its photo!

Well, that's all for the campus wildlife encounters...for now anyway. This past week, I saw a raccoon and a fox (on different mornings) while entering the campus. Also, a deer was walking along the edge of one campus parking lot. There is a rumor of an albino deer being seen on or near campus, according to what one professor told me. I've also seen a stray black and white cat twice.

As far as future wildlife photography goes, I would really love to visit America's national parks out west. I want to see wildlife in its natural habitat...wildlife I've never seen in person, except for bears at a zoo. There is also a wolf preserve in Lititz, PA that I want to visit. I love wolves, as you can see, and also did a paper on them recently for my environmental communications class. So, if I start out with a visit to the wolf preserve soon, that will be another blog post as well.