Jodie – Page 34 – Travel Smart With Jodie

This Weekend: Snow sculpting and more in Lake Geneva

A winning sculpture from a few years ago

Take a snow day to get away from political campaigns and shrug off Super Bowl 50 hype.

Lake Geneva, WI annual hosts the US Snow Sculpting Competition the first week in February. Teams from across the country that already won their local championships are now competing for national recognition.

And it doesn’t matter what Mother Nature has in store. Snow blocks are made at the Grand Geneva Resort because it needs the machines for its ski slopes.

The blocks are dropped off in the park near the Riviera on Geneva Lake (no typo, the lake really is a reverse of the town name).

Teams start carving their snow blocks this week to be ready for the judging this Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. There are professional judges but visitors also get to vote for the “People’s Choice Award.”

You really have to see the snow sculptures to believe how incredible they look and the skill it takes to make them.

But snow sculpting isn’t all that is happening at this vacation town this weekend. The competition is part of Winterfest which includes helicopter rides, ice skating on a nearby lake, skiing and a slew of other activities at the Grand Geneva Resort plus open houses at several stores and galleries in town.

Parking is free for the week but there also is a shuttle bus from the nearby Home Depot.

Lake Geneva is a charming town about an hour’s drive northwest of Chicago just over the Wisconsin border. However, there is enough to see and do to it make it an overnight getaway. Check Visit Lake Geneva for accommodations and full list of activities.

“China – Portrait of a People” reveals a diverse land

"China - Portrait of a People" unveils a diverse people and land — "China - Portrait of a People"

Amazing what can be found when cleaning one’s desk. Sitting in a pile of I-will get-to-this-tomorrow items was photographer Tom Carter’s astonishing book “China – A Portrait of a People.”

Published in Hong Kong by Blacksmith Books in 2008 and re-released in 2012, “China” is way more than a coffee-table book. Photographed while backpacking over two years, it captures people, landscapes and structures in the country’s 33 provinces.

It is not a book to peruse in one sitting. Composed of 800 color photographs across 638 pages, it is an honest reveal of life in cities, back roads, desert climes and subtropical jungles.

The book is available from Amazon. To see and hear Carter, check out this video. It starts with him in a classroom where he was teaching English. From it you understand he has a sense of humor and appreciates the importance of the individual.

Art and architecture make The Broad museum memorable

The Broad is a don’t miss experience no matter what style or period of art peaks your interest

The Broad experience begins in an unusual lobby

What do you try to visit when you travel?

Certainly scenic views are high on my list as well as most travelers’. But next to nature’s wonders I seek out art museums. So luckily our California daughter picked up tickets for The Broad, a new museum downtown LA where visitors may wait in line for hours for a ticket if not reserved in advance.

And yes, it is worth the wait if need be. But if going to LA, reserve tickets ahead of time. Admission is free but the museum just opened in September 2015 so is still on everyone’s to-do list.

BTW, the building and art collection is a gift of Eli and Edythe Broad (pronounced Brode with a long o) to the public, thus the free admission. However, special exhibits and programs will have fees. Check programs .

Much of the free museum collection is on the first and second floor. The third floor will have special installations.

So why all the excitement? First, the building, itself, is an architectural attraction. Described as a “veil and vault” construction, it was designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro with Gensler for about $140 million. Indeed, as visitors descend from the second floor they can peer through a window into the vault that holds more art works. The veil is the building’s honeycombed-style roof and sides.

Another $200 million has been put in trust by the Broads to cover maintenance, operating expenses and acquisitions. The “docents” there will tell you they really are paid staff with art backgrounds and not volunteers.

Secondly, the collection is an art history lesson of some of the best examples of works from the 1950s to now. Not all pieces in the 2,000 work collection are up at one time. To see some of the collection and its artists on line click here.

Among them are works by Henry Moore, Ed Ruscha, Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons and Cy Twombly. Chicagoans who have recently seen the “New Contemporary” exhibit recently donated to the Art Institute of Chicago will recognize editions of some of the same and similar pieces.

If you go, stop in a darkened room to see “The Visitors,” a video installation by Ragnar Kjartansson that shows eight musicians in different places and on different screens but all playing the same music.

The other must-do stop is “Infinity.” To go in to it you have to sign in at a registration screen in the lobby because only one person is allowed entry at a time so entrance is a time slot.

A Roy Lichtenstein sculpture is set off by the honeycomb's reflected light

The Broad is a don’t miss experience no matter what style or period of art peaks your interest. For more information visit The Broad.

Fun holiday shopping ideas

Museum gift shops are a treasure trove of unique, artistic items.

First, toss away the idea that museums visits are just for occasional drop-ins to see current exhibits. Their gift shops are a treasure trove of unique, artistic items.

Secondly, think two-for-one when shopping at a museum store. You are getting a special item and a portion of the price goes to the museum so you are helping a not-for profit place you enjoy visiting.

Third, you can go in person to spend some fun hours browsing or shop at the museum store online.

Here are three museums with fun and fascinating gifts for the holidays.

Find artistic gifts at the Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S, Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60603

It’s fun to walk through the main store in the original building to see cases of jewelry, shelves of ties, stationery, cards and books and displays of pottery and art glass. But don’t forget the shop in the Modern Wing for its home decorative items. Many of the items are online so you can go to art institute shop and call 1-855-301-9612. If you go in person be sure to stop downstairs to see how some of the Thorne Rooms are decorated for the holidays.

The Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605

The museum is always worth a visit to see dinosaurs, American Indian artifacts and wander inside an Egyptian pyramid tomb. But for the holidays also go to lose yourself in The Field Museum’s huge shop where you roam among large stuffed animals, exotic art items, out-of-the-ordinary jewelry and clothing and fun t-shirts. Best plan is to visit in person but when time doesn’t allow go to fieldstore.

Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60637

Go to see the museum’s Grand Tree in the Rotunda and the 50 smaller trees that for years are a holiday tradition because they are decorated by Chicago’s ethnic communities. While there go through the museum’s Mirror Maze and visit the robots currently moving around a special exhibit area. However, the museum store is also a good place to find a great gift for your budding scientist or an historic photo for someone’s wall from the photography store.

For a fall getaway, catch the Horicon Marsh bird migration

You can hike, bike, kayak and canoe. To say bird watch would be an understatement. Thousands of ducks and Canada geese land here each fall.

Pair of cranes photographed in Wisconsin

You can capture two fall happenings at one time by traveling over to Horicon Marsh in Eastern Wisconsin. Horicon is a 33,000 acre (right, count the zeros) of wildlife, freshwater plants and a fall bird migration stop just south of Fond du Lac and about 1.5 hours north of either Madison or Milwaukee. Its bordering trees make photos here picture perfect.

Divided by two government entities, the north two thirds is operated by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as the Horicon National Wildlife Refuge. The southern third is managed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources as the Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area.

You can hike, bike, kayak and canoe. To say bird watch would be an understatement. Thousands of ducks and Canada geese land here each fall.

The marsh is the largest redhead duck nesting place east of the Mississippi and sees the largest migrating flock of Canada geese. Mid-September is fine but to capture nearly 200,000 geese in your lens go in mid-October. As with TV that ads say, “wait, there is more,” you are likely to see some of the marsh’s 300 bird species including cranes and pelicans.

Among the largest freshwater marshes in the United States, Horicon is filled with muskrats, fish, frogs and red fox. Check events at the HoriconMarsh.org site for hikes.

There will be a guided hike and bird watch event Oct. 3 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Also a sunset crane watch is at the Palmatory Overlook, 1210 N. Palmatory St., Oct.17 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

A stay at the Honeybee B&B turns a Horicon visit into a vacation

A good intro to the marsh is the Emporium, a new interactive center that is fun for kids and adults.

Turn the trip into a vacation by staying nearby at the Honeybee Inn. The breakfasts are great, the rooms comfy and innkeepers/owners Barb and Fred Ruka are knowledgeable about the marsh and other area sights.

Honeybee Inn Bed & Breakfast is at 611 East Walnut Street Horicon, Wisconsin 53032, 920-485-4855 . http://honeybeeinn.com/area/

The Horicon National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center is on the east side of Horicon Marsh, 3.5 miles south of State Highway 49 on County Road Z at W4279 Headquarters Road, Mayville, WI 53050, 920-387-2658. The Wildlife Center is at N7725 HIGHWAY 28, Horicon, WI 53032, 920-387-7890.

Historic landmarks to seek out when in Chicago

you have heard of the Great Chicago Fire and probably are aware that John Dillinger got his at a Chicago movie theater

Of course you have heard of the Great Chicago Fire and probably are aware that John Dillinger got his at a Chicago movie theater. So, if you have time when visiting Chicago to see some sites either laden with history or are city landmarks, then check out these remarkable places.

Biograph Theater

Lincoln Avenue has lots of good restaurants and shops but a good place to stop is the theater at 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. Designed by Samuel N. Crowen in 1914 it was where FBI agents shot John Dillinger in 1934. Dillinger had been watching a gangster movie inside then was shotin the alley as he left the place. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and has been designated a Chicago Landmark. The theater is now home to Victory Gardens Theater, a stage venue known for excellent productions. Although remodeled, the theater still has its grand staircase

Buckingham Fountain

At night you might spy the huge, gorgeous Buckingham Fountain by its aura of changing lights. During the day, find it by walking south from the Art Institute of Chicago along Michigan Avenue and see if you can spot a really high water spout. A designated Chicago Landmark, the fountain was dedicated in 1927 after Kate Buckingham had it built in memory of her brother, Clarence. Yes, it’s pretty fancy. It was inspired by the Palace of Versailles’ Latona Fountain. The waters put on a 20-minute show from about mid-April through mid-October.

Navy Pier has had many lives ranging from Military to college and entertainment

Navy Pier

Sticking out 3,300 feet into Lake Michigan from Grand Avenue, Navy Pier really does have military roots. Its Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Children’s Museum and restaurants make it a fun place to visit, today. But its air of holiday fun also dates back 1916 when it was designed by Daniel Burnham as a multi-purpose pier. Over the years it has housed Navy operations, some Army personnel and the Red Cross. It also served as a campus for the University of Illinois Chicago. Ships still do dock there but instead of carrying military personnel or freight they are tourist excursion boats, and sometimes, the Tall Ships that sail the Great Lakes.

Great Chicago Fire Sculpture

A conflagration that destroyed about 3.3 square miles, the Great Chicago Fire burned from Oct. 8 to Oct. 10, 1871. Mrs. O’Leary’s cow has been exonerated but the fire did first burn down the O’Leary’s shed. “Pillar of Fire,” a sculpture of a flame by Egon Weiner, was erected there in 1961. To see the spot go to West DeKoven and South Jefferson Streets. It is next to a City of Chicago Fire Academy.

Site of Fort Dearborn

A historic location where tourists are bound to walk without knowing its unhappy story is the northwest corner of Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive at the Chicago River. Look for a

Look for Fort Dearborn plaques at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive

plaque that mentions Fort Dearborn. Built next to the river in 1803, it was destroyed during the War of 1812 and later rebuilt in 1816. But it was during its first existence that its residents were ambushed and killed by Potawatomi Indians when they left the fort.

Photos (c) Jodie Jacobs

Travel to London to see the sights or Charlotte Elizabeth Diana

Excitement is definitely in the air in London. It’s time to go to see royalty and possibly catch a glimpse of Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s baby daughter.

Excitement is definitely in the air in London. It’s time to go to see royalty and possibly catch a glimpse of Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s baby daughter.

If you haven’t been there before, pick up a London Pass to cut the cost of such attractions as the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey and avoid the ticket lines.

See Westminster Abbey, snap a red phone box and do The Eye (back) Ferris type wheel

Just go.

Visit Buckingham Palace. Pop into Harrod’s Food Hall and gape at the statuary along the store’s stairs.

Forget taxis. Stoplights and traffic make a cab ride slow and expensive. Walk or take the Tube and go to St. Paul’s Cathedral designed by Sir Christopher Wren. You can take a break downstairs in the café.

Then, head out the back way to stroll across the Thames River on the Millennium Bridge to the Tate Modern.

Pull out the Smart Phone or camera because you are on a pedestrian suspension bridge where you get great views. The UK’s famed modern art museum is housed in the Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron starkly-designed conversion of the former Bankside Power Station.

It still looks like a power station inside. At the Tate, you can lunch upstairs on Level 6 with a higher view of London but it is a bit pricey. Or lunch on the main level with a view of the river and walkways.

London has so much to see and do that you should consider spending a week there.

On Wednesday or Saturday, antique hounds should go to the Camden Passage Antique Market. Any day is good to find a food gift to bring home from Fortnum & Mason near Piccadilly Square.

Sightseeing really depends on your interest. There really is something for everyone at Trafalgar Square.

For music, visit St. Martin in the Fields Church to one side of the Square. Go early for lunch downstairs in the Café in the Crypt. Save time for art. The National Gallery faces the Square and the National Portrait Gallery is around the corner across from St. Martin in the Fields.

Then, relax and rest the feet while indulging in sweets and petite sandwiches with an upscale tea. The Langham Hotel’s Palm Court is famous for its afternoon tea but any of the hotels on Park Lane would also be a good choice.

The Marble Arch is a Hyde Park landmark at Oxford Street and Park Lane

Stay

Think about location when looking for a place to stay. The Ampersand in London’s South Kensington area is good for the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Natural History Museum and programs at the Royal Albert Hall. Just as good, South Kensington borders the Knightsbridge (think Harrods) and Chelsea shopping districts.

Or consider the Marriott Park Lane across from the Marble Arch on the Hyde Park corner of Park Lane and Oxford Street. A Tube station right outside the door will take you everywhere. It’s also a couple of blocks from Marks & Spencer for men’s clothes and from the large Selfridges which is fun to browse.

If time allows, fit in Kenwood House. A beautiful villa operated by English Heritage on Hampton Heath in the north area of London, Kenwood has a fine art collection that includes Gainsboroughs, van Dykes, a Vermeer and a Rembrandt. It is the highest point in the area with is a fine view of London.

There are many more things to do and places to visit and shows to see than mentioned here such as The British Museum, Kew Gardens and the Churchill War Rooms. So you will just have to come back. For more London sights visit London.

Catch the Travel and Adventure Show for tips and ideas

The Chicago show is a good chance to find out more about distant places such as African Safaris or European explorations or closer-to home towns and resorts such as Traverse City and Crystal Mountain about six hours north of Chicago.

Experienced guides are happy to answer questions at the Travel and Adventure Show

You can still catch representatives from hundreds of destinations, exotic tastes, travel speakers and fund to-do activities at the Chicago Travel and Adventure Show, today. The show continues this weekend at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center until 4 p.m., Jan. 18, 2015.

Indeed, afternoon is good.

Travel Channel Host Samantha Brown speaks Sunday at 1 p.m. and Travel Ambassador Angel Castellanos speaks at 3 p.m. on the Savvy Traveler stage.

In addition, the early risers will be leaving so parking space in the connecting garage across River Road might be easier to grab.

The Chicago show is a good chance to find out more about distant places such as African Safaris or European explorations or closer-to home places such as Traverse City and Crystal Mountain about six hours north of Chicago.

Representatives from far and near destinations are at the Travel and Adventure Show

BTW, if you don’t make it today, the show will be in San Diego and Los Angeles in February and Wash dc and Philadelphia in March. Check out the dates at Travel Shows. http://travelshows.com/

The Travel show is at Donald E. Stephens Convention Center,t 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont, IL 60018, For more information call 847-692-2220 and visit Travel shows Chicago. http://travelshows.com/chicagoplan

How to beat January cabin fever blues

Wait until Groundhog Day Feb. 2 to find out when Spring will come or try one of these four remedies.

Cabin fever? It’s early January but cold and snow have already moved Spring up high on the wish list.

We can wait with fingers crossed until Groundhog Day, Feb. 2, 2015, to hear what Punxsutawney Phil has to say in Pennsylvania or Woodstock Willie in Illinois when they predict Spring’s coming. Or we can bring spring closer with these steps.

Woodstock Willie predicted lots more winter last year

1. Go to the Chicago Travel and Adventure Show Jan. 17-18 to collect ideas and colorful brochures on places to go for spring or summer vacation. The show is in the west suburban Donald E, Stephens convention center in Rosemont. Turn it into a mini break by staying at the nearby Loews Hotel near the upscale Fashion Outlet mall.

2. Breath deeply a botanic garden’s indoor spaces. The Chicago area has the historic impressive Garfield Park Conservatory west of the downtown Loop and the lovely Lincoln Park Conservatory north of the Loop. In the northern burbs there are lush tropical and flowering desert plants in the Chicago Botanic Garden’s greenhouses in Glencoe.

Feast the eyes on colorful plants and breath warm air inside a greenhouse when outside temps dips way below freezing.

3. Host a Super Bowl party with a desert theme. NFL’s Super Bowl XLIX is February 1 in sunny Arizona at the U Of Phoenix stadium, Glendale. Turn up the heat, wear shorts, serve margaritas and be inspired by some of Phoenix’s Mexican restaurant menus.

4. Or just celebrate winter with a trip to Lake Geneva, WI for the National Snow Sculpting Championship the last weekend in January. Teams come from across the United State to sculpt amazing, fantastical forms and vignettes. The town will be celebrating Winterfest with lots of food and fun. Stay the weekend at the Grand Geneva Resort for its ski slopes and spa.

No stress last minute shopping

As much fun as fighting for a space at a shopping mall may sound, there are alternatives when seeking a perfect present.

Yikes, there are almost no shopping minutes left but the list still needs check-offs.

There’s the present for the hair stylist and we have to get hostess gifts for a couple of New Year’s Eve parties. Then, we have to get something for the in-laws but just haven’t had time. Counting the presents to bring to the family dinner there doesn’t seem to be one for a niece.

Don’t despair if any of the scenarios sound familiar. As much fun as fighting for a space at a shopping mall may sound, there are alternatives when seeking a perfect present.

Check out your grocery store and local drug store, really.

A stop for bread may mean passing the fruit section where a basket is already holiday wrapped in cellophane and topped by a bow.

You know about bringing a bottle of wine but the next aisle is likely to have bar tools and clever corkscrews.

Fresh, extra virgin oil is in. More grocery stores now stock oils you can fill in bottles.

Now, think drug store. Walgreens and CVS carry picture frames, perfumes, jewelry and toys. They also have gift cards for other stores such as Barnes & Nobel and Macy’s. As for gift wrapping, make it easy with holiday bags and tissue paper found in the card section.

Whew! Done.

Travel Smart With Jodie wishes everyone a Happy Holiday and a safe, healthy New Year.