Getting Educated by the Big Apple

  With New York City acting like Sin City's older brother, sometimes it can be hard to see all of the educational opportunities and historical significance that this City has to offer.  Fortunately, we made some time to let the City school us.  These are the landmarks we visited this time around, along with a couple "visitor friendly" tips.

 The Morgan Library & Museum

225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street

Manhattan, NY

http://www.themorgan.org

  When we first entered the Morgan Library, we didn't exactly know what to expect.  The museum employees near the front door directed us to the right-hand side of the building and said that we should start there.  In the first room we went into, there was a brochure that included descriptions of the significant items in the room.  We made our way around the room and then went into a second room and wandered from there.  The complex holds an amazing amount of rare artifacts, artwork, books, letters, prints, and manuscripts.  The Morgan boasts the world's largest collection of Mahler manuscripts plus many compositions by Mozart, Chopin, Brahms, and Schubert.  The Morgan can also boast about having the largest collection of Rembrandt etchings in the U.S. along with the only surviving manuscript of John Milton's "Paradise Lost".  During the time we were visiting in December, there was a huge Beatrix Potter display on the upper level of the museum.  The exhibit showed how Potter, through private letters, developed the animal characters which are now so widely known to children everywhere.

  General adult admission to the Morgan Library is $15, however it is free admission every Friday from 7-9pm.  We chose to visit the Library on a Friday.  We arrived shortly after 7pm and there was a line of people waiting to check their bags and other belongings.  We didn't have anything to check so we went right in and started walking around.  Friday is the only day the Morgan Library is open late.  Tuesday through Thursday the Library is open until 5pm and Saturday and Sunday it is open until 6pm. 

The Frick Collection

1 East 70th Street

Manhattan, NY

 http://www.frick.org/ 

  Just like with the Morgan Museum, I didn't know what to expect with the Frick Collection.  The "Collection" is housed in the former residence of Henry Clay Frick.  Frick was a successful industrialist who amassed a great collection of paintings, sculptures, and decorative art.  Frick's wife outlived him, but after her death in 1931, their house was opened to the public in 1935.  Visitors can view beautiful works by Titian, El Greco, Goya, and Bellini, along with many other great artists.  We were directed to start in the rooms on the lowest floor of the house and then we worked our way around to the main floor.  On the main floor, in the center of the house, there was a beautiful atrium with a water feature and plants displayed for the holidays.  Overall it was a nice experience.  Some of the rooms became quite crowded but I'm sure that's because we came during the "pay what you wish hours".  The Frick is open every day of the week but provides pay what you wish hours only on Sundays from 11am to 1pm.  The difference between free hours and pay what you wish hours is that guests are expected to give something for pay what you wish, almost like a donation.  General admission to the Frick Collection is $18 outside of the pay what you wish hours.  They do expect guests to check coats and large bags.  They have a no photo policy.  I find the no photo policy a hit or miss with museums.  Some museums don't mind visitors snapping photos left and right while others forbid cameras.

Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace

28 E. 20th Street

Manhattan, NY

http://www.nps.gov/thrb/index.htm

  We were walking around the Union Square area when I noticed a marking for Roosevelt's Birthplace on my map.  After walking up and down a couple of streets, we stumbled upon his childhood home and were pleasantly surprised.  We entered his home through a lower level door and were warmly greeted by a park ranger.  Their next home tour was not for another 2 hours (we came during lunchtime) so we instead watched a movie and looked at some artifacts.  We noted the tour times and came back the next day for a 10am tour.  A friendly park ranger guided us and since we were the only ones there, we had our own private tour.  From the lower level of the house (the former servants' quarters), we walked up the stairs to the main level of the house.  We got to see Roosevelt's former nursery, his parents' bedroom, and living areas.  Our guide was very informative and we learned a lot of interesting facts about Roosevelt and his life growing up in NYC.  I do have to say that Roosevelt's Birthplace is a hidden gem.  The National Parks have worked hard to restore and maintain his birthplace and surprisingly the tours are completely free to the public.  If you have a few minutes, take a look at the artifacts.  If you have an hour, I would highly recommend a house tour.  Find Teddy's home tucked away in the hustle and bustle of the Union Square/Flatiron Districts. 

  I found this out shortly after our trip but I just had to add a little fun celeb tie-in.  After visiting Roosevelt's Birthplace, I read in a magazine that Miley Cyrus has a tattoo of a quote from Theodore Roosevelt's 1910 "Citizenship in a Republic" speech.  A 100+ year old Roosevelt speech has found a quirky yet interesting place in our modern culture.

Australia Presentation by Cynthia Clampitt

  Last Monday evening, my husband and I enjoyed another great travel presentation by Cynthia Clampitt at the Schaumburg (IL) library.  This presentation was about Australia.  The first time that Cynthia visited Australia, she spent 6 months there.  She traveled all over Australia including Kangaroo Island.  Her book, "Waltzing Australia", tells about her experience and includes beautiful photos and expert tips.   Throughout Cynthia's presentation, she enlightened us with her vast knowledge about Australia and her good humor.  Here's a list of a couple of the many interesting facts that I learned about Australia during her presentation:

• Australia is almost the same size as the United States but has a population size close to the population of Illinois.

• Australia has been nicknamed "The Land of the Parrot" or "The Land of the Orchid".

• About 85% of all of the world's opals come from Australia.

• Camels are a big part of Australia's past and present.  Australia has the only thorough-bred, disease free camels in the world.

• Australia has 2 types of crocodiles.  Their freshwater crocs average about 5-7 feet in length while the saltwater crocs can reach up to 25 feet in length.

• In the northern part of Australia, there are giant termite mounds with the termites living in an underground tunnel system.

• The flower for Western Australia is the Kangaroo Paw.  It has red stems and green petals.

• Kangaroo Island has its own species of kangaroos.

• The Tasmanian Devil's back legs are slightly shorter then its front legs.

•  The Australian War Memorial, in Canberra, has a very large collection of Victorian Crosses along with a vast array of other war artifacts.

These are just a few things I learned at this wonderful presentation.  This presentation made me yearn to travel to Australia and have my own adventures Down Under.
For more information about Cynthia's book on Australia, please visit her website Waltzing Australia.

Travel Expo Follow-Up

 Today I spent the afternoon checking out the Travel Expo in Rosemont.  It was my first time going to this annual event so I didn't know what to expect.  I love finding out new travel info and hearing about other people's travel adventures.  This expo had a little of the best of both worlds.  The 2 lectures that I saw today were by Rick Steves and by Patricia Schultz.  I also wanted to see Pauline Frommer but her lecture was scheduled on Saturday.  Rick Steves gave a very insightful presentation complete with beautiful photos from all over Europe.  By the time his presentation was over, I was itching to go back to Europe.  He touched on almost all the areas of Europe, including Turkey.  Turkey has been a country that I've always kept in the back of my mind of a destination I would love to explore and learn more about.
  After Rick Steves was Patricia Schultz, author of "1000 Places to See Before You Die".  She also had some wonderful photos and advice for travelers looking to go just about any where in the world.  I think the two lectures that I sat in on made the expo the most worth-while.  There were a bunch of booths set up where I did collect some info for future trips.  Many of these booths were passing out great Visitors Guides and other useful brochures.  For me, the only drawback was that I kept getting asked to fill out raffle drawings.  One raffle even wanted us to give our signature which would "o.k." the company to call us for marketing purposes.  Even after I have signed up on the "Do Not Call List", I still get telemarketer calls so I opted to not fill out any raffle drawings today. 
  There were plenty of activities for children including an area that SeaWorld occupied with 2 live penguins.  They were in a little display case where the glass went up to their shoulders.  Their little heads would look over the glass and their little beady eyes would look around.  I have such a heart for animals and couldn't get enough of them.
  Overall I think the expo was worth the buy 1 ticket get 1 free Groupon that I purchased online.  The booths are good if people are looking for more info for a specific trip or trip idea.  I enjoyed the lectures, especially Rick Steves who has been to so many places that I would love to go.
  People always say that planning the trip is half the fun.  I can somewhat agree with that however for me, the planning part gives me that excited, anxious feeling that I have something to look forward to, something that I can experience and remember forever.
  Seize The Day and Travel!

Travel and Adventure Expo in Chicago (Rosemont)

  For Chicagoans and Chicago visitors alike, there is a Travel and Adventure Expo going on in Rosemont this weekend (January 26-27).  It is at the Donald E. Stevens Convention Center and includes travel seminars, culinary demonstrations, and lots of info about travel.  A couple other enjoyable highlights include learning to scuba dive in an indoor pool, getting a photo taken with a sled dog, and riding a segway.
  Tickets are $9 a person but Groupon did have a deal for buy one get one free tickets (my friend told me about that one, thank you!)
  Click here to see the website and find out more info.
  If you aren't in the Chicago area this weekend, try to catch a Travel Expo in California in February or in Washington D.C. in March.

  Have fun and get inspired to travel!

Preparing for Gotham

  Back in December I spent a week in the city that never sleeps, also known as NYC.  I can see why this city never sleeps....there's just too much darn noise.  There's noise, activity, and adventure and I made sure to plan well before the trip to take in as much as I could.  I have decided to split up my NYC trip into multiple blog posts so that I can put more focus on different aspects and highlights of the trip.
  I would like to start my trip review by mentioning a little about what I did to plan for NYC.  For those travelers interested in museums, I would highly recommend "googling" or doing an internet search of free days and free hours for NYC museums.  There are a few museums that are always free or are free with suggested donations.  However for the museums that are charging quite a bit to get in, free days are definitely worth while in this expensive city.  Sometimes travelers only have a couple hours to spend in a museum and balk at an $18 entrance fee.  Visiting during free hours definitely gives the pocketbook a rest. 
  During previous visits, we visited a couple of the "biggie" museums:  the Guggenheim and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  This trip I found that the J.P. Morgan Library Museum had free hours on Fridays nights and the Frick Collection had free hours on Sundays.  I had also wanted to go to the Rubin Museum of Art, which has free hours on Friday nights as well, but decided to save that for a future visit.
  Since we were staying in NYC for a week, I decided to group activities and sights into the different areas of NYC and try to do a different area on each day.  I didn't want to have every single minute of our trip planned so I left plenty of free time too.  We had a few schedule changes and didn't get to see every thing we had planned on seeing but overall we had quite a wonderful and entertaining trip.  To help cut other costs, I would recommend using a few Groupons or Living Social Deals.  I bought 3 deals in advance of our trip and we were pleased with all 3 deals.  (All 3 deals were for food and beverages.)  I did not want to buy too many deals and then have to spend time running around the city making sure to use them all. 
  Since we went in December, holiday decorations were everywhere and made the city extra enjoyable.  Beware, it's hard to tell from the photos but Rockefeller Plaza was packed with people vying for the perfect Christmas tree photo.

 

  In my next posts, I want to share our NYC adventures and we'll see if I was able to take a bite out of the Big Apple or if I was the one that was chewed up and spit out.

Venice Beach - March 2012 - Who am I Watching?

  I've been meaning to post this video for a while.  Back in March 2012, during our trip to L.A., we took a stroll down Venice Beach.  We saw the usual....forlorn looking potheads, "entertainers" jumping on broken glass for money, and beach "bums" chasing birds with palm tree branches.  Then we came across a young group of musicians that looked like they were filming a music video.  I got some of their practice shots on my own video.  Now I'm on a quest to find out who they are.  Can anyone help me?  Gracias!

What are you doing for New Years Eve?

  I apologize for being MIA for the past month.  December ended up being very busy for me.  I visited my sisters in NYC and then they came home for Christmas to visit.  I was able to get in some nice family time and now it looks like the year has already come to an end. 
  I had originally thought that I would be in NYC for New Years but we ended up visiting a couple weeks ago.  Really any time of year is nice to visit NYC....well, except for during Hurricane Sandy when my sisters had no electricity for 5 days and there was a fire in their apartment building.  I will have plenty of future posts about my NYC trip but right now I wanted to focus a little on New Years.
  Reflecting back on traveling in 2012, I am grateful that I was able to take some very nice trips.  We kicked off the beginning of 2012 with Ecuador.  We left January 1, 2012 and arrived in Panama City for a 1 night layover.  We flew on to Guayaquil and the Galapagos Islands.  I saw Lonesome George before he died in June 2012.  In March 2012, I visited a good friend in Los Angeles.  It was still a little too cold for beaches but we had fun at an Anaheim Ducks game, hanging out in Hollywood and people watching in Venice Beach.  We did an Oktoberfest weekend in Iowa in September and then ended the year in NYC. 
  2012 had its fair share of negative events like Hurricane Sandy devastating the East Coast and the loss of lives in the Sandy Hook and Aurora theater shootings.  We also had many positive and fun events like the explosion of Gangnum style and Kate Middleton's pregnancy. 
  Wherever you are....Times Square, Chicago, California, or anywhere outside of the United States...I wish you a Happy and Healthy New Year!
   Please enjoy my Times Square photo taken a few weeks ago.  I can only imagine how crazy and crowded it will be tonight.  Let the new year be a time of new travels, new adventures, and spending time with both new and old friends. 

The Galapagos Tortoise

  Recently I was at Brookfield Zoo in Brookfield, IL.  The last time I had visited Brookfield Zoo was this past spring and I remembered that the zoo had taken in some young Galapagos tortoises.  At the time, I was very excited to see the little guys because we had just gotten back from our Galapagos trip in mid-January.  During our visit a few days ago, the Galapagos tortoises were in the second animal house that we visited.  They had grown some in the last 6 months and were very active.  They were definitely more active then the other types of tortoises that were in displays nearby.  Here are a few photos I snapped of the Galapagos tortoises from Brookfield Zoo.

Here are a few of my favorite young tortoise shots from our January trip to the Galapagos. 

A couple giant tortoise facts:

1.  There were 11 types of giant Galapagos tortoises but with the death of Lonesome George, there are now 10.
2.   They are the world's largest tortoises.
3.   They have common ancestors from the mainland South America and are believed to have traveled to the Galapagos by water.

Where In The World? - November 19, 2012

  Besides my "Did You Know?" posts, I've also decided to do a new type of post called "Where In The World?".  I like to be tricky so look closely at the photos that I have chosen for these types of posts.
  Here is my first Where In The World? photo:

  Initially, one might think that I am in some part of Asia. However those smarties out there would notice that there are a few signs in English including a sign in the lower left corner that reads "Manhattan Bridge".

                                                     I am in Chinatown in Manhattan. 

Croatia - Did You Know? Fun Fact #2

  I previously did a fun fact on Croatia but wanted to add a second one just because Croatia is on my top 10 list of places to visit. 

  Did You Know that the Best Preserved Roman Palace in the World is in Split, Croatia?

It is the Palace of Diocletian and was build in A.D. 295.  The Roman Emperor, Diocletian, had this palace built in preparation for his retirement and because he was originally from Dalmatia. 

This is from Joseph Rosendo's Travelscope "Cruising the Mediterranean".

November 14th Article about the Galapagos

  I just stumbled across an article on MSN and wanted to share.  Click here to read "Rat kill in Galapagos Islands targets 180 million".  It discusses the non-native rat problem in the Galapagos and how it is being dealt with to save the native animals of the islands.  I remember hearing about the rat problems when we were visiting last January, however I did not see one rat while we were there.  I got lucky.  When we were on Isabela Island, we visited their tortoise reserve and there were very young tortoises that were in locked up enclosures.  Our guide said that the baby tortoises had to be protected from rats that would eat them.  If the plan does work for these rats to be exterminated, then I hope it really helps the native species of the Galapagos to keep reproducing and creating more and more generations for all of our human generations to see.

 

Monroe, Wisconsin

  Monroe, Wisconsin, home of beer, cheese, sausage, and everything else that your cardiovascular system loves.  Today I enjoyed a little of all of that.  From Chicago's northwest suburbs, Monroe is between an hour and a half to two hour drive.  We enjoy visiting Monroe before the holidays so we can do a little early Christmas shopping but Monroe is fun to visit any time of year.  Cheese Days in Monroe is every September.
   Both this year and last year we checked out the Swiss Colony Shop and Alp and Dell Cheese Store.  Both have a variety of meats, cheeses, and gifts.  Today we checked out Brennan's Market for the first time.  I tried samples of cheeses and spreads that I had never even known existed.  Have you ever tried Cranberry Cheese?  This is probably nothing new for Wisconsin residents.
   Last year we had a lot of fun at Minhas Brewery.  We tried a bunch of different samples and checked out the beer museum in their basement.  This year we discovered that they opened a distillery with tours.  We found the gift shop and tasting area over-run with people getting out of a tour.  We did another quick run through of the beer museum and then picked out a 8 pack of their Lazy Mutt and two large bottles of Mystical Jack beer and Imperial Jack beer.  They have a variety of beers that are new to most people and kids can enjoy the cream soda and root beer.
   Despite the rainy weather, I enjoyed our day trip to Wisconsin.  If you're looking for delicious gifts or just a day of dairy, beef, and brews, check out Monroe.
   Seize The Day and Travel!
     

Hurricane Sandy

  In the aftermath of this horrible event, I would like to say a prayer for those who did not survive the disaster of Hurricane Sandy.  Thankfully everyone that I know that has friends and family on the East Coast are saying that they are hanging in there.  My sisters lost power in NYC but are surviving.  They're cold but safe.  I know that people and communities will be there for each other as they piece their lives back together.  Disasters like this could happen anywhere, anytime and I want those suffering this hardship to know that people all over are thinking of them.


November 2nd Update:
Yesterday my sisters' apartment building gained power after 4 days without it, however it wasn't all good news.  One of my sisters was home alone in the building and a fire started in one of the lower apartments.  My sister got out of the building unharmed and actually because she was in the building, she was able to let the firemen in when they arrived to put out the fire.  She saved valuable time by letting them into the building and they were able to put out the fire before it spread.  I know people all over New York and the East Coast have been having tragic experiences all week and my heart goes out to these people.  

Happy Halloween 2012!!

  Happy Halloween Everyone!!  I am currently watching "Pumpkin Wars" on HGTV.  It showcases two towns, Highwood, IL and Keene, N.H., that are competing for the world record of most displayed jack-o'-lanterns.  Since I live in Illinois, I'm partial to Highwood but I am very impressed with Keene.  Keene is determined to win even though it doesn't have the population like that of the Chicagoland area.  Click on this link for more info from HGTV's website. 
 
 

Chicago vs. The World

  This past Friday night, we went to a charity hockey game at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL.  It featured the players from the 2010 Champion Blackhawks team and other NHL players including many that flew in from different states.  Also, former Cubs Ryan Dempster "coached" the Chicago team and Bears Robbie Gould "coached" the World team.  The game was to raise money for the Ronald McDonald Foundation and 11,649 fans showed up.  What made this really amazing was that it was all planned within 2 weeks and had no advertising besides a couple of write-ups in the newspaper.  People traveled from all over Illinois to see this game and I even saw some cars with Indiana license plates.  It was a fun game for a good cause.  Here are a few photos from the game that I thought I'd share: 

 

  Be on the look-out for other charity hockey games going on throughout the U.S., especially with the NHL lock-out.  Friday night one NHL player from Minnesota had mentioned that he was playing in a charity game tonight (Sunday night).  This game will take place at the University of Minnesota and will benefit the children of members of the military.

Croatia - Did You Know?

  Did You Know that it's believed that the Zinfandel wine grape originated in Croatia?

I learned this tonight on Joseph Rosendo's Travelscope:  "Cruising the Mediterranean".

Who Has The Top Transportation Systems?

  After seeing how many people used the Metra train to get to the Ryder Cup in Medinah, Illinois this past September, I started to think about all the times I've used public transportation in other cities around the world.  In Madrid, we took the metro to get to a bullfight.  In Munich, we took the S-Bahn to get to the Hofbrauhaus.  I've taken a train from Saint Raphael, France to Italy and then from Italy to Monaco and back to Saint Raphael.  I can not ever recall having issues with the public transportation that I have taken so far.  I think Chicago public transportation is about average.  Some days I get to and from work without an issue but other days train delays really work my patience.
  So what cities have the best transportation systems?  Here's what a little internet research turned up:

CNN provided a list of cities on May 3, 2012:

 10.  Coppenhagen, Denmark
  9.   Singapore
  8.   London, England
  7.  Sao Paulo, Brazil
  6.  Paris, France
  5.  Montreal, Canada
  4.  Madrid, Spain
  3.  New York City, U.S.
  2.  Tokyo, Japan
  1.  Guangzhou, China



 Below is a photo we shot from the Cathedral overlooking the train system in Cologne, Germany.

 

Humboldt Park - Chicago, IL

  Despite the dreary weather, this past weekend we made it to a Chicago neighborhood for the Open House Chicago.  After much debate, googling, and mapquesting (I don't know my way around every neighborhood in Chicago), we decided to visit Humboldt Park.  For those movie-savvy readers, Humboldt Park was the backdrop for the movie "Nothing Like The Holidays".  The movie is about a Puerto Rican family coming together to celebrate Christmas.  It's true that Humboldt Park is a mostly Puerto Rican area and this is what makes it so unique. With its Boat House, lagoon, and gardens, Humboldt Park is a green oasis in an urban setting.

  Humboldt Park has gone through many different waves of immigrants.  It started with Germans and Scandinavians towards the end of the nineteenth century.  The Germans erected statues of Alexander von Humboldt (1892) and Fritz Reuter (1893).  Then in 1901, Scandinavians enjoyed their statue of Leif Erikson (below).  Poles immigrated to the area and cherished their statue of Thaddeus Kosciuszko.  The 1920s and 1930s brought German and Russian Jews as well as Italians.  Finally, the 1950s brought large influxes of Puerto Ricans with some Mexican immigrants.

   When we arrived in Humboldt Park, it wasn't raining yet so we seized the opportunity to check out the Boat House (1440 N. Humboldt Dr.) and surrounding lagoon and gardens.  Walking along the path was very peaceful and I was surprised at how many areas there were where people could get right up close to the water.  There was even one guy that was fishing.

  Next we visited the Field House (1440 N. Sacramento Ave.)  On the main level there was a workout area and basketball courts.  Behind the Field House was an area that used to be a beach.  Now it just looks like a bunch of water-logged sand.

  After the Field House, we headed over to the Institute of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture.  We didn't really know what to expect but were pleasantly surprised when we were greeted by a trio of college students who gave us a tour.  We viewed a lot of interesting artwork and photographs.  We also got to see the former office of landscape architect Jens Jensen (1860-1951). Originally from Denmark, Jensen at one time lived in Humboldt Park and designed the garden areas along with those of Garfield Park.  Jensen also helped to establish the Illinois State Parks system, the Cook County Forest Preserve, and the Indiana Dunes State Park.  The building that the Institute is housed in was once stables for horses.  Years ago, people would use the Institute building to park their carriages and have their horses tended to.

  At the Boat House, Field House and Institute, we were able to park for free.  We had to pay for street parking when we made our way down Division Street.  We stopped at Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School (2739-41 W. Division St.).  This is a charter school with an average class size of 12 students.  We got a tour of its rooftop green house which took a lot of money and effort by the school to make happen.  The green house is a hands-on learning tool for the students and they even grow and harvest their own vegetables there.  One of the science teachers told us what they went through to get the green house up and running and what kinds of things they were growing.  He also showed us tropical fruit plants that he had brought back from a trip to Puerto Rico.  Even with our harsh winters, Chicagoans still try to find ways to bring the tropics to the Windy City.
  Next we moved on to Cafe Colao (2638 W. Division).  After viewing the Cafe's century-old ovens in the back of the restaurant, we enjoyed an avocado sandwich.  Quite delicious!  Across the street from the Cafe is La Casita De don Pedro (2625 W. Division St.).  La Casita is a traditional Puerto Rican style house where cultural and educational events are held.  It has a zinc roof and porch and inside there are some traditional Puerto Rican decorations and furnishings.

 
    We ended our Open House tour with a visit to Architechs Inc. (2541 W. Division).  The owner gave us a nice tour where he described what he went through to acquire the office space and how he designed the interior.  All different types of materials were used and it was interesting to see what he did to make the space look and feel a certain way.
  As we walked back to our car, I had a big smile on my face just thinking about how much I learned in one day.  It's amazing how Chicago has all these nooks and crannies that I didn't even know existed!  Even though this is only year two of Open House Chicago, I'm hoping that it grows and envelopes even more areas of Chicago. 

Open House Chicago

  Last weekend was Open House NYC, this weekend it's Chicago turn to show us what it's got.  Open House Chicago is the one weekend a year where different buildings around Chicago are opened up to the public.  The public can see areas of buildings that they would not normally be able to see.  Some buildings are giving special tours, others are showing off some of their secret gems.  These areas of Chicago have Open House buildings:  Downtown, Gold Coast, Pilsen, Rogers Park/West Ridge, Uptown, Hyde Park, South Shore, Bronzeville, Little Village, Garfield Park/North Lawndale, and Chinatown.
  For more information visit:  http://www.openhousechicago.org/

Pandas - Did You Know?

  I wouldn't call myself a huge TV person but I do have to share that I absolutely love the Nat Geo WILD channel.  Animal Planet and HGTV are tied for my second favorite TV channels.  The main reason I love HGTV is because they have House Hunters International.  Even though I've read online that this show is somewhat fake, I still enjoy seeing the different cities and what types of housing there is outside the U.S.
  Sometimes while watching Nat Geo WILD, I learn these really fun facts which I like sharing.  I've decided to once in a while do posts called my "Did You Know?" posts.  Then you have to tell me whether or not you knew these fun and interesting facts.

Today I have 2 facts on Pandas:

Did You Know that Pandas are rented from China (usually by zoos) for $1 million a year per Panda?

Did You Know that Pandas are only fertile for 36 hours a year?

Both of these facts I learned from "Miracles Babies" on Nat Geo WILD.