Travel Smart With Jodie – Travel suggestions and tips

Escape to Palm Springs for Modernism Week

Frank Sinatra's Twin Palms home in Palm Springs. (Jake Holt photo) — Frank Sinatra’s Twin Palms home in Palm Springs. (Jake Holt photo)

You may love or not, mid 1900s modernism architecture and furniture but if you just don’t want to be in the frozen Midwest this weekend/week, be impulsive and fly down to Palm Springs for Modernism Week.

I grew up in a typical “modernism” style split level with more than typical “modernism” style furniture because the family was in the advertising business with connections to the type of custom designed furniture that is now making a comeback in the 2020’s. (See the Antique Roadshow)

What you’ll experience in the Palm Springs area at this event, February 13-23, 2025, are mid last century neighborhoods where the style is prized and where LA based celebrities built homes as escapes from filming close enough to their California action that they can become weekend jaunts.

See Frank Sinatra’s and other celebrity homes on one of the bus tours and
take advantage of a double-decker neighborhood and architectural bus tour or do a home tour and check out special events and activities.

Visit CAMP at Modernism Week, ‘Community and Meeting Place’ headquarters open daily 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Hyatt Palm Springs – 285 N Palm Canyon.

Modernism Week is a fun escape!

For more details visit Modernism Week 2025 | Modernism and Complete Guide to Modernism Week 2025

February full moon shines now

Unlike the February Full Moon in 2024 that appeared late in the month, the one in 2025 is shining now although it isn’t at full illumination until Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 7: 53 a.m. CT. Look for it tonight, Feb. 11.

Native American tribes called it the Snow Moon. They definitely had it rightfully pegged this year. On Feb. 12, 2025, the Midwest is expected to get its largest snowfall (so far) of the season with about four to seven inches.

If you noticed how bright the night was last night and happened to look out you would have seen a far off moon. The February full moon looks small. It is the year’s smallest looking full moon because it is furthest from Earth at 293-968 miles. See EarthSky for its position an a graph and Snow Moon Is the Full Moon in February at Time and Date.

Watch for the full moon in the South Eastern sky tonight.

According to the Old Farmers Almanac animal names were popular for the February Moon (and yes, not just when it was full but for the whole month).

The Cree called the February Moon the Bald Eagle Moon and Eagle Moon while the Cherokee named it the Hungry Moon and the Ojibwe noted it as the Bear Moon. Some Algonquin peoples said it was Groundhog Moon.

See Live Science for more information. It said to look for the moon’s companion star, Regulus, in constellation Leo.

Spring baseball

Cubs signs are famiiar but different at Sloan Park in AZ (JJacobs photo)

Are you hearing the ump yell “Play Ball.”

Yes, weather has been strange so far in 2025 but spring must be on the horizon because the annual gathering of baseball teams in Florida for Grapefruit League games and in the Phoenix area for Cactus League matches start the weekend of Feb. 22.

Hopefully you can still book airline tickets to your team’s spring location.
Why go? If you haven’t tried it before you quickly find out that Spring Training games are casual.

You sit closer to the action and often can interact more with players before and after the games. It’s fun.

Getting game tickets: For Cactus League games such as the Cubs, it is easier to get tickets to watch your team play at opponents’ parks. That is not a problem because the 15 teams are located within 47 miles or less

However, if you can catch a Cub game at Sloan Park (2330 W. Rio Salado Pkwy, Mesa) it will feel like Wrigleyville West with roads called Waveland Avenue, Clark Street and Sheffield Avenue.

BTW the White Sox are playing the Cubs right off the bat, so to speak, on Feb. 22.

No matter which Cactus team you yell for there is a lot to do and see while visiting its spring baseball home. Visit Mesa, Glendale and AZ’s nearby baseball stadium towns. Check out more info at Cactus League Spring Training.

As to the Grapefruit League it’s not as much about traveling around Florida, as it is enjoying the weather while cheering your team.

From the A’s in Venice to the Washington Nationals in CACTI Park in the Palm Beach area you can relax in Florida’s sunshine while watching your favorite Grapefruit League team.

Find more information at MLB Official Information | MLB.com

So many events and so little time

Consider a trip to the Chicago area for early February

Groundhog Dy in Woodstock. (JJacobs photo) — Groundhog Dy in Woodstock. (JJacobs photos)

Right now some restaurants and neighborhoods are celebrating the Year of the Snake. Chinese New Year (4723) begins today, Jan,. 29, 2025. Navy Pier is turning its upstairs ballroom into a cultural celebration Feb. 1 and Chinatown is having its parade Feb. 9.

While Punxsutawney Phil will do his prediction of when Spring will come to Pennsylvania, Midwesterners should go over to Woodstock, IL for Woodchuck Willie’s insight Feb. 2 and tour the sights in the famed “Groundhog Day” movie. It was mostly filmed in Woodstock.

Chicago Restaurant Week 2025 began the end of January but goes through Feb. 9. There are so many participating restaurants one week is just not enough to take advantage of the good meal discounts.

Some folks are combining restaurant week with shows during Chicago Theatre Week, Feb 6-16 2025. But even if the dining deals are over, the shows are still at good prices $15 or $30.

Two Midwest events worth seeing

7_North Dakota_Some Things in Life

North Dakota “People’s Choice 1st Place 2024 Award”(Photo courtesy of Lake Geneva and the Snow Sculpting Invitational)

It’s easy to overlook events in late January and early February before we start planning short trips in spring when the weather is better. But here are two happenings really worth seeing and enjoying no matter the weather.

Lake Geneva, WI Winterfest

Enough snow to turn into very large sculptures won’t be a problem this year but even when it is the Lake Geneva Winterfest brings in huge blocks for teams to use as competition-worthy, story-telling objects.

A charming town that historically is known as a summer Chicago society getaway, Lake Geneva, WI has been holding the Snow Sculpting Invitational festival for 30 years. To mark its anniversary, 15 former championship teams from around the United States have been invited back for this year’s competition.

Held this year over the weekend of Jan. 29 through Feb, 2, 2025, visitors can watch the sculptors at work, see the final products and vote on Feb. 1, for a favorite. Judges will also be voting in various categories that day.

The event is free and held in Riviera Plaza and Flat Iron Park along the shore of Geneva Lake (yes, Lake Geneva, WI is on Geneva Lake). The sculptors get their snow block on Wednesday and have to finish on Saturday, February 1.

Sculptures will be displayed until they melt but most visitors drive over on Saturday and leave on Sunday. Meanwhile, do the Downtown Ice Sculpture Walk, shop the boutiques and see art galleries and dog racing.

Lake Geneva has numerous restaurants and places to stay.

The Orchid Show of Wonders at the Chicago Botanic Garden

Chicago Botanic Garden

This event is indoors. Every February orchids take over the Greenhouses and main hall inside the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, IL. With a nod to Orchids’ exotic growing locals, this year the show is called “India Blooms” and runs from February 8 to March 23, 2025.

Plus and donor level members are free. Otherwise tickets are as follows: Adult $12 member / $22 nonmember, children ages 3 – 12 $8 member / $15 nonmember and children 2 and under, free. Parking fee is not included in price for nonmembers. Member Preview is Feb. 7 from 5-8 p.m. featuring light bites, live music and cash bar.

Special ticketed Events: Orchids After Hours Feb. 14 ,21, 28 and March 13, 14, 20 and 21 from 5 -8 p.m. cocktails and delicious bites.

In addition there is the Weekend Orchid Market Place on Feb. 8-9, 15-16, 22-23 and Mar.1-2 to buy orchids, and supplies from vendors, the Illinois Orchid Society Show and Sale on March 8 – 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to view orchid arrangements and shop and an Indian community Marketplace March 22-23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to shop for Indian products.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is at 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL just east of Edens Exp.

More information at Chicago Botanic Org/orchids

Put the Chicago Travel and Auto Shows on the calendar

2024-Gallery-Image

With two major shows coming to the Chicago area in early February the frigid month of January is really the get ready to go month.

First, is the Chicago Travel and Adventure Show at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center (Hall F), 5555 North River Rd. in Rosemont, IL on Feb. 1 and 2, 2025. More than 250 exhibitors and dozens of speakers will be talking about places and type of trips from around the globe.

Times: Saturday, February 1 is 10 a.m. -5 p. m. and
Sunday, February 2 is 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Cost: $15 parking. Tickets in advance: Adults 17 and over $16 one day, $23 two days.

What: More than 250 exhibitors to discuss places and type of trips around the globe. Check out the Speakers days and times to get the tips you want for where and how.

By The Way – the show is simply fun with goodies to pick up at booths, food and entertainment.

2024 Chicago Auto Show

Then, there is the Chicago Auto Show, the biggest and best of its kind, Feb 8-Feb 17,2025 at McCormick Place, 2301 S. King Dr, Chicago.

Cost: $17 for adults, $12 for seniors aged 62 and older, $12 for children 4-12, free admission for children 3 and younger when accompanied by a paying family adult.

Attractions: Indoor and outdoor test tracks, the concepts cars and kids play area are just a sample of what to expect. It’s busy but fun.

Wolf Moon

If your sky is clear tonight you are likely to see what looks like a full moon. It actually is at peak illumination tomorrow, Monday, Jan. 23,2025 at 4:22 p.m. CST, (2227 UTC according to the U.S. Naval Observatory) but it looks full the day before and day after that.

This full moon is called the Wolf Moon. It is also known as the Moon after Yule and the Ice Moon. A note on the NASA Science site says the January moon is “the start of Prayag Kumbh Mela; Shakambhari Purnima; Paush Purnima; the Thiruvathira, Thiruvathirai, or Arudhra Darisanam festival Moon; and Duruthu Poya.”

If you like to gaze at the sky or look for planets you should also note that the full Wolf Moon will pass in front of Mars but first watch for its rising in the eastern horizon around sunset. To find out when to see the January full moon check Moonrise Calculator.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac lists other names for the January Moon. And yes, the names apply to the whole lunar month, not just when it is full.

Here are some of those names: Cold Moon (Cree), Frost Exploding Moon (Cree) and Great Moon (Cree). There is also Freeze Up Moon (Algonquin), Severe Moon (Dakota). Hard Moon (Dakota), Canada Goose Moon (Tlingit), Greetings Moon (Western Abenaki) and Spirit Moon (Ojibwe).

Since many full names reflect the season or weather the question is why “Wolf Moon?”

Wolves are thought to do more howling in January (winter) to find pack members, coordinate hunting and define their territory.

For more January Full Moon info click on The Next Full Moon is the Wolf Moon – NASA Science, Wolf Moon: Full Moon in January 2025 | The Old Farmer’s Almanac, January full moon 2025: The Wolf Moon hides Mars | Space.

Watch the sky before Friday dawn

The new year of 2025 opens with the peak of a meteor shower! But you have to get up really early to watch on Jan. 3 or stay up really late tonight, Thursday, Jan. 2. Also, look north.

It the the Quadrantid shower. And it’s a good one. However, unlike other meteor events the peak is short but sweet. Expect close to 100 meteors flying across the sky for a few hours before dawn, Friday. But even 200 have been known at its peak.

The Quadrantids actually started in late November and continue until mid January but their peak at more than 80 an hour. It is when their radiant is high overhead early this Friday morning. The sky should be dark because a waxing crescent moon will have set early the night before.

This shower gets its name from the Quadrans Muralis, an obsolete constellation. Its radiant is near the Big Dipper which will be in the far northern sky tonight so not easily visible in the Southern Hemisphere. Its parent is the asteroid 2003 EH1.

BTW This is the only good meteor shower to watch until April.

For more info visit EarthSky, Time and Date, Space.

Winter comes Saturday

Winter solstice

Winter
You don’t have to look up or at the horizon. Just step outside and you know the Winter Solstice starts this weekend.

In Chicago the Winter Solstice also called hibernal solstice begins Dec. 21, 2024 at 3:20 a.m. CT. which will later in the day translate into 6 hours, 6 minutes shorter than the summer (June) solstice according to Time and Date.

This is when the North Pole is at its maximum tilt from the sun in the Northern Hemisphere. Thus it will be the shortest amount of daylight and the longest night.

That tilt means about 7 hours and 40 minutes of daylight according to Space.

The Farmers Almanac describes solstice: It comes from the Latin words sol (Sun) and sistere (to stand still) because, during the solstice, the angle between the Sun’s rays and the plane of the Earth’s equator (called declination) appears to stand still.

That’s good to know at a dinner party so Happy Holidays.

Catch falling stars but note full moon

Look up,the Geminids are here. They will be around until Dec. 24 in 2024, but they peak December 13-15.

Flying across the sky at about 120 to 150 per hour, the Geminids are among the best meteor showers of the year.

Instead of seeming to come from (known as the radiant) a comet, the Geminids are from the 3200 Phaethon which is an asteroid. That’s the good news.

Not so good is that December’s full moon, called the Cold Moon, will be lighting up the sky at the same time. It looks full Dec. 13-16 but reaches full illumination the morning of Dec. 15.

The problem is the full moon really will lite up not just the sky but your landscape making it hard to catch the Geminids. EarthSky has a couple of suggestions to counter the full moon including looking for a spot that is in shadow.

The moon’s”Cold” name reflects the weather at this time of year. However, it is also called the Long Night Moon because of its proximity to the winter solstice, Dec. 21. You’ll probably notice the morning starts darker now and night comes quickly.

For more info go to EarthSky, Time and Date and Old Farmer’s Almanac