Delve into an art lovers paradise at the 22nd annual Cornelia Arts Holiday Show, fromDecember 4th through the 6th.  A beloved tradition in Chicago’s artsy Roscoe Village neighborhood, the Corneila Arts Holiday Show features the work of 40 local artists in an array of  fine art mediums. Choose from  original paintings and drawings, photography, printmaking, ceramic mural tiles, fiber arts, hand -blown glass, jewelry, sculpture and even handmade goats milk soap.  Add to your personal art collection or buy one-of a-kind–gifts while mingling with artists during the free reception on December 4th, from 6PM-9PM. Read More »

A view from the Apache Trail.

The Apache Trail – officially designated as AZ Rt. 88 – is forty miles of steep, winding, and mostly unpaved roads that connect the Arizona towns of Apache Junction and Globe, through the Superstition Mountains and Tonto National Forest. It was developed in the 1800′s as a stagecoach trail running through the mountains, and named after the Apache Indians who originally used the trail.

The hike up to Tonto National Monument

Traversing the Apache Trail is tricky and not for the faint of heart, but travelers are rewarded with magnificent views of the mountains and local flora and fauna. It is along this route that some of the most dense forests of saguaro cacti in the state can be seen. There are several large lakes along the route for boating, picnicking, hiking, and swimming – Saguaro Lake, Canyon Lake, and Apache Lake all lead up to the Theodore Roosevelt Lake and Roosevelt Dam. Other attractions along the route include the Goldfield Ghost Town and Mine Tours, the Lost Dutchman State Park, Tortilla Flat (population six!), Fish Creek, and the Tonto National Monument, before finally reaching the town of Globe.

The Theodore Roosevelt Dam.

To get to the Apache Trail, take U.S. 60 east all to Apache Junction, to the turn-off for AZ88/Idaho Road. Follow the signs through Apache Junction toward Canyon Lake. Once in Globe, the ride back to the Phoenix metropolitan area is a quick drive north on I-10. It is NOT recommended to drive large vehicles or RV’s along the Apache Trail due to very narrow roads and switchbacks.

Photo Credits (in order of appearance):
- “Apache Trail” by eflon on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “The Hike up to Tonto” by randwill on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “Theodore Roosevelt Dam” by randwill on Flickr Creative Commons.

Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield have watched heavy metal grow and spread out of the underground and morph from St. Anger to become part of the mainstream. 29 years from inception, Metallica remains one of the only two bands in history with five successive albums debuting at No.1 on the Billboard 200.

Metallica - James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich & Kirk Hammett

There’s no denying the longevity and magnetism of Metallica, and they’re proving it yet again by packing in the crowds for a marathon 2-year Magnetic World Tour.

On this tour, which started in 2008 and continues well into 2010, Metallica is promoting their ninth album Death Magnetic. Their December schedule includes sold out shows in Vegas and Anaheim, along with shows in Boise, Idaho and Sacramento and San Jose in California. As of now, Metallica tickets are available for these shows, on a limited basis.

If it isn’t possible for you to be on hand at see Lars Ulrich punish his Tama signature snare drums and watch Hetfield shred his larynx, Metallica has a backup plan for fans who miss out on the live shows.

In fact, the tour – which started off as an effort to promote Death Magnetic, has now taken on a life of its own. Read More »

Sleeping Beauty's Winter Castle

If you’ve never been to Disneyland during the winter holiday season, allow me to submit that a visit to the park at this time will cure your “been there, done that” blues.  The enormous Christmas tree, the holiday music piped in, the lights over Main Street USA, the LED icicle-draped Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle at the center of the park – all conspire to melt the heart of the Scroogiest among us.

I’ve been to the park twice in just a few months, after a very very long spell of not ever visiting at all.  My first visit was on my birthday, a Wednesday in September that, besides being my birthday, was just another day in the life of the happiest place on Earth.  Since it was my two young sons’ first time there, I looked at everything with a critical travel blogger’s eye.  We all had a great time, but for the ticket price of $72 for adults and $62 for children, I expected perfection and that is not what I found.  Read More »