A Grand Old Ship

After visiting Independence Seaport in Philly on Saturday, May 21, I took this photo of the SS United States.







There are efforts under way to preserve it, which you can find out more about on the SS United States Conservancy website. Since I took the photo from a distance, I want to go to where the ship is docked and take some close-ups of it sometime. Anyway, I wanted to share this as someone who is interested in maritime history. Anyone who loves maritime history will find a lot of interesting stories from this great ship's past. I hope its preservation will be successful.

An Adventure at Ricketts Glen

Years ago, I went to Ricketts Glen State Park and within recent days I found out that a snowshoe / hiking trip there was being planned through my college. I was thinking about going on the trip, because I never tried to snowshoe before. The opportunity seemed to jump out at me, even though I'm not really one who likes Winter and snow. I just wanted to try something different because I haven't in a while. The trip takes place this weekend, on Feb. 20, and would be a great photo opportunity. Ricketts Glen State Park has a lot of beautiful waterfalls, and I remember seeing some of them during my past visit there. Unfortunately, I didn't have a camera with me at the time. The person in charge of putting together the event emailed me about a change in the trip's location because of difficult conditions. Even though I would have liked to visit Ricketts Glen again, a new location altogether for the trip would mean a place I haven't been to before. So that is an equally positive aspect in my opinion because I like getting to see places that are new to me. It turned out that I can't make the trip this time around. However, it's something to think about for a future excursion. I probably wouldn't have thought of trying a snowshoe trip if it wasn't for hearing about this activity through campus recreation. So I definitely give credit to my college, Cabrini, for the inspiration to try this outdoor adventure later on down the road. I have a new "bucket list" item...go on a snowshoe adventure!

Smedley Park

My high school friends and I were originally going to have our 1st reunion at Rose Tree Park, but changed it to Smedley Park. It is located next to the Springfield Mall in the Delaware County area of Pennsylvania, not too far from Rose Tree.


Anyway, I thought I'd share a few photos of the scenery at Smedley in this post. One of my friends might do a full write-up on her blog page about the reunion itself. So I want to save that for her, and just post photos I took of our surroundings at the park.

I may go back to Smedley another time and take some more scenic photos of other areas there. The road into the park winds around past a few picnic areas until finally reaching a dead-end a few hundred feet beyond where the Blue Route sits overhead. At that point, it just curves around in a cul-de-sac so visitors can easily make their way back out.




And there is a snapshot of the Blue Route going overhead, which provided us with some extra shelter beyond the tarps we had set up. This is a view looking northward at the highway, which spans from Delaware County to the PA Turnpike.

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.

Around Norristown

Due to recent weather and other various reasons, it has been a while since I've been on an outing for photography. Most recently was on Feb. 1st, when I was scheduled for day one of a tutoring project with classmates from my social justice class. The tutoring would be at a K-12 school within the Norristown area, and having arrived in the area an hour or so early, I decided to take some photos. This includes the one above, which I took because I thought the stones and wrought iron detail of the window looked interesting together.

The first set of photos below were taken within the downtown part of Norristown. That steeple has to be one of the tallest I've seen in areas outside of Philadelphia.

I'm not sure what this castle-like structure is, so I'll have to find out. It's very impressive, though...and reminded me of photos I've seen of Eastern State Penitentiary.

The following photos were taken outside of the tightly-packed downtown Norristown area and into the parts on the opposite side of route 202, where many Victorian houses could be found.

Still further out from the downtown part of Norristown, I came across this old abandoned building. It had a number of "No Trespassing" signs hanging on it, so I took the photo below from a little parking lot across the road.

There is a farm off in the distance behind this house and its large barn...maybe originally part of the farm property long ago. Whatever the case, this is another building I'd love to learn more about. Some people actually go and explore the inside of old, abandoned buildings since, in some cases, people can get permission from whoever the owner is. It would be interesting to know what they find, and see what photos they take, in their ventures.

The Main Line

On Monday, January 11, I finally had the chance to work on what I call my Main Line Photo Project to capture images of historic architecture. I wasn't able to photograph everything I had wanted to, and also found a few more impressive places along the way.

Some places I managed to take photos of included this old structure below, which has a sign on the side of it that reads: "Historical Inn and Tavern." The sign also had contact info on it, but I thought I should block that out before posting.

The historical inn and tavern unfortunately didn't have the actual name anywhere on it, but I wish it did just for the purpose of finding out any history about it. It is definitely the most intriguing place I came across along the Main Line.

Another old place is this lonely, forgotten looking one below.

There wasn't anything indicating a name or any historic significance. Maybe in this case, it is just simply an old style of architecture instead of having a great deal of history. Although, given the history along the Main Line and its role in American history going back to the Revolutionary War, you never know. There may just be some interesting undiscovered stories in there.

Although I didn't concentrate on the entire building in the photo below, I liked its detail of stone work surrounding stained glass. This building neighbors an Entenmann's outlet store, which has the old-time lighting detail (below), and is just across from The Ship Inn.

So, this is what I have for the moment. I'll be taking more photos of historic architecture along the Main Line in the near future. Maybe along the way, I'll also have dinner at The Ship Inn to compliment photographing historic architecture in the area. The restaurant itself is historic as well.

Main Line Photo Project

As viewed from the St. David’s exit of the Blue Route, this is a photo I took of some insignia detail that crosses over Lancaster Avenue. Taking this exit is the way we often go when heading out to the areas of Wayne, Berwyn, Devon and Paoli. A recent drive heading toward those areas from Exton, PA inspired the idea for my Main Line photo project.

I was coming from a family dinner at the Cracker Barrel in Exton and afterwards followed Lancaster Avenue / Route 30 back to the towns mentioned before. Along the way, I noticed a number of historic structures dotting either side of the road often referred to as the Main Line. Although a passenger on this particular trip, I didn’t get to take photos of these structures as most were in difficult spots or noticed at the last minute.

However, I managed to map these structures out with the help of Google Maps and made note of anything nearby when next approaching them. The street view feature also helped in finding some places to get off the road to capture images of these intriguing old structures. Now if only I could find out about the history of each one to go along with any photos. There are always the historical societies…and whatever I find out, I’ll add in a future post.

I have to say that I’ve been interested in this stretch of road, and the area surrounding the Main Line, since my high school days. That is when I first started to see the areas of Wayne, Berwyn, Devon and Paoli on a regular basis. Back then, I remember thinking, “I would really love to live around here someday.” The back roads are so scenic, but I love to see the little shops right along certain parts of Lancaster Avenue as well. Overall, when going through this area, I can feel of real sense of the local history and American tradition.

In the near future, I’ll head back up for a drive along the Main Line and look for my planned out photo stops here and there. A couple of the structures I want to get photos of are abandoned and have no historical markers onsite. These types of old buildings always draw me in, wondering what the history is behind them and if they’ll be restored to their former glory. In the meantime, they inspire my imagination about their stories going back to various times.

Check back soon for photos and any history I can dig up.

New Jersey

Although a neighboring state to me, New Jersey is another place that I have not explored all that well over the years. I have family Clarksboro and Lakewood, and have been to a few other areas including some of the shore points. However, there are a number of places in the Garden State that I have found out about online and would like to see as well.

For starters, there is the town of Lambertville which I found something interesting about after someone on Facebook posted photos of a trip there. In particular, the photos were of the old abandoned Lambertville High School and of course that was intriguing to me right away. So I’m planning to stop in that area when I visit New Hope, PA as Lambertville is just across the river.

Another town I’d like to check out is historic Smithville, having seen something about that on the Travel Channel. The town was featured on of the Travel Channel’s programs about weird destinations due to being linked to the Jersey Devil legend. Well, with or without the Jersey Devil legend, I know I’ll enjoy a visit to Smithville for some historic small town scenery. I’ve always been more into settings like that instead of a big city life.

Also, I am hoping to go back to Cape May on Halloween this Saturday and if I do, I’ll write about that and post photos as soon as possible. I love Cape May, yet unfortunately, never get to go there on a regular basis; my last two visits there being in the late 90s and before that in 1993 on a high school trip. As for shore points I haven’t been to…those include Asbury Park, Point Pleasant, Sea Girt, Barnegat and Avalon…but those will be for other trips to the shore. A boat tour of New Jersey lighthouses would be nice, too, now that I’m thinking of multiple shore points.

While writing about New Jersey travels, I’d like to recommend the River Winds Restaurant in West Deptford to anyone who is looking into holding a special event somewhere. I went there this past weekend for one cousin’s baby shower and everyone loved the location with its beautiful maritime themed detail and great views of Philadelphia.

The restaurant is new, having still been in construction back in the late Spring / early Summer part of this year. Here are some photos I took of both the restaurant and its riverfront views.

Next Stop - Philly

I have been to Philadelphia, the closest big city to me, a number of times and it is amazing how much I still haven't seen. So, while in the City of Brotherly Love next weekend, I hope to visit multiple sites.

The photo below is one I took during my last visit into the city, which was fairly short; just to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.

Other times, I have only gone to Penn's Landing for fireworks and stadiums for concerts. It has been years since I visited the zoo and major museums of the city. As for what I would like to see / do in and around Philadelphia for the first time, the list includes:

• The Betsy Ross House
• Old City Tavern
• The Mutter Museum
• National Constitution Center
• Elfreth's Alley
• Fairmount Park
• Boathouse Row
• Laurel Hill Cemetery
• Museum of Art
• Dining on the Moshulu
• Cruise on the Spirit of Philadelphia
• Carriage ride
• Ride the Ducks
• Double decker bus tour

With all of those things to see and do, I probably couldn't get it all done in one day's time and I'll only be in the city for one day.

I'm actually not much of a big city person, although I do like day trips into the city. One other trip into the city, by train, was for a job interview years back. It was the first time I went into Philadelphia by myself and I was so nervous, but only half of that was because of the interview. I didn't get that particular job in the end, but everything else went well. One thing is for sure though; it is somewhat hard to believe that I ventured into the city by myself back then. Only the job prospect made me do so, but it was a moment of adventure for me when I think about it.

That adventure is still in me, only for the sake of travel itself...although fulfilling travel goals has been difficult what with the economic situation these days. I think about all of the places I want to visit, local or not. I hope I get to see as many of them as possible because of the inspiration that these places give to people.

Being in a big city for just a day is exciting to me, with so much going on and so much to check out; definitely a source of inspiration. So I'm looking forward to next weekend and how many sites I'll cover while in Philadelphia this time around.

Return to Valley Forge, Part 2

While exploring Washington Chapel, I came across a number of things to photograph both in and outside of the structure dedicated to our first president. I definitely didn’t capture all I wanted to, so I’ll definitely have to go again at another time.

Inside the chapel is a breathtaking sight with very detailed pews, miniature revolutionary soldier statues and colorful stained glass. The high-vaulted ceilings, like the one in Washington Chapel, are always impressive architectural features to me as well.

Also, like the tower room containing the Justice Bell, there was a sign in the chapel pertaining to fundraising efforts to maintain it.

Walking the open-air halls or standing in the courtyard, I was surrounded by beautiful Victorian Gothic stone windows. It was like exploring an old abbey somewhere in the countryside of England, rather than being in Valley Forge, PA.

This particular scene below I felt was my favorite one near the chapel because it looked so enchanting and timeless. It looked like a movie setting in which a medieval maiden awaits the return of her knight in shining armor.

Aside from the surrounding ornate windows, my favorite details within the courtyard included these two pieces below. The flower plant looks like something I would use to decorate a garden with because of the particular old look to it. The statue of the kneeling woman was a little difficult to figure out a decent angle for photographing the statue, though, but is a nice photography subject all the same.

There are definitely a lot of beautiful details at the chapel; too many to get all of them in one visit, so I know I'll have to go back another time.