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Bird Lovers Flock to Wings Over Water Festival

Bird lovers, rejoice! From March 10th – 12th 2017, Wings Over Water Northwest Birding Festival celebrates the Spring arrival of migratory birds to the Pacific Northwest.

Beach Birds

Set in scenic Blaine, WA. near the Canadian border, the festival attracts advanced and novice bird lovers of all ages.

Toast this year’s 15th annual celebration with a day trip or weekend getaway to experience exceptional birdwatching. From opening festivities, to birding and wildlife cruises, guided bird-watching tours and workshops, Wings Over Water has you covered. Spring into Spring here with your fine-feathered friends.

Start Your Weekend at the Blaine Community Pancake Breakfast.

Beach Landscape

Bird lovers need food to sustain birdwatching activities. So why not kickstart your day with a hearty breakfast? Pancakes and waffles, French toast, biscuits and gravy, sausage and eggs abound. This is a fun way to connect with locals, engage with like-minded bird enthusiasts, and plan your day ahead.

Visit the Vendor Expo.

Food, crafts and plenty of activities for kids make this a popular place to spend time during the birding festival. Check in here for festival information, exhibits and special events.

Go on a Guided Bird Walk.

Birdwatching

What kinds of birds can you expect to view in their protected habitat? Snow geese, Great Blue Herons, bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, Belted kingfisher, to name a few. Nearly 300 species call the Northwest home here.

See for yourself on an all-day guided field trip to Reifel Bird Sanctuary, Delta, B.C., Canada. The Sanctuary is located on over 850 acres of managed wetlands and natural marshes in the Fraser River Estuary.

Reserve your spot in advance. And pack your passport, camera, binoculars and sunflower seeds for chickadee feedings. Dress in layers and be prepared to walk on gravel, grass and wet trails. If you forget your binoculars, not to worry. You can borrow a pair or pick up snacks, birdseed and books at the gift shop on-site.

For shorter visits, naturalist Paul Woodcock, vice-president of North Cascades Audubon, leads birders on a leisurely two-hour stroll along Semiahmoo Spit.

Take a Nature or Wildlife Cruise.

The Historic Plover

Hug the shore for a short ride aboard the historic MV Plover Foot-Passenger Ferry. Look for birdlife as you tour Drayton Harbor and Semiahmoo Bay with your own on-board wildlife naturalist.

For a two-hour, open-water wildlife cruise, hop on board the 50-foot Salish Sea to view seabirds in Boundary Bay and the Georgia Strait. See if you can spot the birds before your ship naturalist does. Bonus points if you’re the first one to also identify the birds.

Attend a Presentation.

Extend your fun festival escape by attending featured speaker presentations. Pick up wildlife photography tips from this year’s keynote speaker, Paul Bannick, author of Woodpeckers of North America, A Naturalist’s Guide. Additional featured speakers add their expertise in such topics as bald eagles (David Hancock), trumpeter swans (Martha Jordan) and local birding field trips (Joe Meche).

Extend Your Stay at Semiahmoo Golf Resort & Spa.

Semiahmoo sunset

Pacific Northwest hospitality awaits at this recently-restored Northwest iconic treasure. As our resort receptionist advised upon check-in: “Take one day to settle in, or two to change your life.” After reveling in spellbinding sunset views, fine dining, an outdoor bonfire and beachcombing, we got the message. We came away relaxed and rejuvenated from just an overnight stay.

Semiahmoo appetizer

Pizza at Semiahmoo

And in case you need a little special pampering after all your birding activities – and you know you do – there’s a full-service spa on site. Before check out, enjoy a delicious brunch in Pierside Kitchen or head over to nearby Semiahmoo Marine Café for a more casual-style breakfast.

Explore Birch Bay.

Not ready to leave quite yet? Visit Birch Bay just a short drive away from the Wings over Water festivities. While the beach town is best experienced during the summer months for outdoor activities, there’s something special about wandering quiet beach towns in the off-season.

Thanks to my hosts for the opportunity to attend the Wings over Water festival and for my stay at Semiahmoo. 

For more information, visit:

Wings Over Water.
Semiahmoo Golf Resort & Spa.

Wander on, bird lovers!

Nancy

What’s your favorite Spring festival in the Pacific Northwest, wanderboomers?

 

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Mardi Gras Revelry in Mobile, Alabama!

All Aboard for Mobile’s Magical Mardi Gras Tour!

Where better to celebrate the fun and festivities of Mardi Gras than in the city that claims its rightful birthplace in the United States? If you’re guessing New Orleans, cher, guess again. We’re in Mobile, Alabama, “The Little Easy,” where moon pies, music and merriment abound in the city “born to celebrate.”

Dining with a View of Mobile at Dauphin’s Restaurant

It wasn’t hard to coax this Pacific Northwest wanderboomer to a land of sunshine, southern hospitality, grace and charm in February. Add good old-fashioned family fun for Mardi Gras, and my bags were packed.

Ready to plan your own Mobile Mardi Gras adventure? Here’s how to make the most of your visit:

Start Your Day with Traditional Southern Foods.

Breakfast at Royal Street Café

Nothing says “Rise and shine!” in the South more than a breakfast of biscuits, gravy and grits. Order the cheese grits and cathead biscuits at local favorite Royal Street Café. Cathead biscuits? Fluffy, light-as-air, these delicate concoctions seem so-named because of their size, about as big as a cat’s head.

Have a hankering for hot beignets instead? Head to Panini Pete’s to experience Mobile’s version of this New Orlean’s classic. Tip: Ask about Panini Pete’s wet vs. dry baking process and adding a twist of lemon to your beignets.

Miss Ruby

How about an order of bananas foster French toast? You’re in good hands at Miss Ruby’s Spot of Tea downtown where exceptional service is a way of life.  “Everybody eats two meals a day and we never know when someone comes to our door what they walked away from and what they’re walking back to. My thrust in life is that people are fed well and have gotten information about what Mobile has to offer.”

Miss Ruby makes the rounds at each table in her role as part concierge, part Mobile ambassador, asking patrons about their interests. It’s also her way of keeping up to date on what’s happening in the city. “If at the end of the day, my customers ask themselves what they experienced, they would say at Spot of Tea someone looked me in the eye and paid attention.”

Stroll the Downtown Commercial District.

Mobile is home to seven historic districts within 600 square blocks, each with its own distinct character. Before jumping into your fun Mardi Gras events, take time to get acclimated in your Southern surroundings. Walk off your hearty breakfast with a leisurely tour of Royal and Dauphin Streets for an overview of popular restaurants, restored Art Deco, brick and stone buildings and museums.

Notable stops on Royal Street (besides the Royal Street Café) include: Fort Condé, where visitors can explore the city’s colonial past; the History Museum of Mobile, with its permanent collections and rotating exhibits; and the beautiful Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa.

Rest up from your shopping excursion on Dauphin Street in one of Mobile’s public parks, Bienville Square or Cathedral Square. Or stop in to view the beautiful art glass windows and hand-carvings at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

Take a Driving Tour of Mobile’s Historic Homes and Districts.

A grove of century-old oaks welcomes visitors outside the Bragg-Mitchell Mansion in the Midtown Historic District. Inside, a grand circular staircase, immense double-parlor ballroom, crystal chandeliers and treasured antiques, hint at Southern-style entertaining of times gone by. A fainting couch prompts our guide’s comment: “If you think about the corsets they had to wear, you know why they needed them.” 

Soak up more Southern ambiance in the Greek-revival architecture that defines the Oakleigh House in the Oakleigh Garden Historic District. In the home’s authentically-restored period rooms, visitors can step back in time to 1833 when James Roper began one of the first homes built outside Mobile’s city limits.

Visit the Mobile Carnival Museum.

For a preview of coming Mardi Gras attractions, learn about its history at the Mobile Carnival Museum. From intricate costume designs to elaborate float constructions, you can view past parades and balls through videos and exhibits. By the time you have finished your museum tour, you’ll be ready to join in the neighborhood parties and line the parade routes, if you haven’t already.

Rent Your Ballgown or Tux.

If you receive an invitation, or purchase a ticket when possible, to one of the Mardi Gras balls, you will need to dress the part to attend. “Costume de Rigueur Strictly Enforced” means white tie and tails for men and floor or ankle length dress for women. No military uniforms allowed. No exceptions. Otherwise, you will not be admitted.

To avoid getting turned away at the door, pack your formal wear or visit Francia’s Formal Wear for your tux or gown fitting.

Line the Parade Routes.

So many Mardi Gras parades, so little time! To join a parade, you will either need to be born into one of the groups hosting one or pay for the privilege.

Party Reveler at Joe Cain’s Parade

The good news is you don’t need to be in a parade to enjoy the revelry. Plan to see as many parades as possible during your stay. The more the merrier! From the Floral Parade with its MCA Juvenile Court, including a king and queen for children, to Joe Cain’s “People’s Parade,” one of the oldest and most secretive krewes (group hosting a parade, ball or social events), each has its own unique history and festival theme. Look for the schedule, a list of balls and parade routes in Mobile Mask, The Reveler’s Guide to Mardi Gras.

Along the parade route, partygoers throw bushels of Mardi Gras beads, small toys and moon pies from their floats. Before long you will be toe-tapping, screaming and reaching for throws along with everybody else. Trust me. Just be sure to stay alert to avoid getting hit in the eye.

Party On! 

Mystics of Time Ball

By the time you wrap up your Mobile Mardi Gras adventure, you’ll be a party-goer pro. Memories of good-time parades, coronation balls, delicious Southern dishes and warm hospitality will dance in your head for years to come.

For more information:

Mobile Mask
Alabama Travel
Visit Mobile
Hunter Livery

Many thanks to Alabama Travel for the opportunity to join in the revelry for Mobile Mardi Gras!

Wander on!

“Miss Nancy” 

What’s your favorite Mardi Gras memory, wanderboomers? Please share with us here.

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Daytripping at Seattle’s Nordic Heritage Museum

Nordic Heritage Museum in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood

Quick: Can you identify the five flag emblems on the Nordic Heritage Museum (in order from left to right)? No fair Googling. (answers at the end of this post)

Since 1980, the Nordic Heritage Museum has held a special place in the hearts of Seattle’s Scandinavian community. Through rotating art exhibits, permanent collections and special events, the museum is the only museum in the U.S. to celebrate the cultural heritage of all five Nordic countries: Norway, Iceland, Finland, Denmark and Sweden.

Warm Welcome for Visitors

Currently, Nordic Heritage Museum is housed in the former Daniel Webster School in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood. But with construction already underway, anticipation runs high for its move to a new, 57,875-sq. ft. state-of-art facility in Ballard in 2018.

Why not get a head start? While dreaming of your own visit to Norway, for instance, you can still visit the museum at its present location to get an overview of the ties between Scandinavia and the Pacific Northwest. You can even register for language classes, watch a movie, attend a lecture or learn a new craft like Norwegian Rosemaling (decorative folk art), Nordic woodcarving or Scandinavian knitting.

To view the exhibits, start your tour on the first floor with a walk through “The Dream of America” exhibit.

Waiting to Embark on a New Life in the Dream of America

Attracted by the promise of tillable farmlands, logging and fishing opportunities in the Northwest, emigrants from the five Nordic countries packed their bags and trunks and headed to America.

Boarding the Ship for America

Recreated scenes help us imagine the emigrant journey, from boarding the ships to settling in the New World. Considering the current focus on U.S. immigrants, the exhibit offers a poignant reminder of our connection with people and cultures across the globe.

On Board Bound for America

Dream of America Display

Museum Library

Continue to the second floor to discover more about the fishing and logging industries that brought settlers to the Northwest.

Museum Gift Shop

In addition to offering a library and gift shop, the new Nordic Heritage Museum will include a café, auditorium and cultural resource center.

Display Outside the National Heritage Galleries

For more detailed information on each of the five Nordic countries, view the National Heritage Galleries on the third floor.

“Norway in the Northwest” Exhibit

* Answer (in order from left to right): Finland, Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden.

For more information, visit Nordic Heritage Museum.

Wander on!

Nancy

What about you wanderboomers? What’s your favorite cultural heritage museum?

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Jacob Lawrence Migration Series: Seattle Art Museum

Panel 1

The Migration Series by American artist Jacob Lawrence
Bold. Brilliant. Monumental.

From January 21 – April 23 2017, visitors to the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) have the rare opportunity to view a treasured work of art in its entirety: The Migration Series by American artist Jacob Lawrence. Thanks to loans from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and The Phillips Collection, the exhibit is now on display for the first time in over two decades on the West Coast. The two museums share the complete, fragile collection of sixty panels: the Phillips houses the odd-numbered panels, MoMA the even-numbered panels.

The Migration Series at SAM commemorates the 100th anniversary of Jacob Lawrence’s birth in his adopted home city. Lawrence had accepted a teaching position at the University of Washington in 1971. Together with his wife, artist Gwendolyn Knight Lawrence, the couple were strong supporters of the arts in Seattle.

Former student and leader of the Northwest African American Museum, artist Barbara Earl Thomas describes Lawrence as “humble and generous.” Thomas elaborates: “He helped you be the best at what you wanted to be, not who he thought you should be. He went through many risings and fallings in his life, but his philosophy was, if you believe in what you’re doing, keep doing it.”

Background

Panel 24

Lawrence completed the series when he was just 23 years old (1941). The panels tell the story of the exodus of African Americans from the rural South to the industrial North between World War I and World War II.

The artist had received a government sponsorship for the arts and was living in Harlem. Here he conceived the idea of a large mural representation of this significant chapter in American history. His own parents had been part of the early migration wave. He had absorbed the history of the Movement by listening to the personal stories of his mother and her friends. The Migration Series captures their stories in spare, unflinching, colorful detail on canvas. 

The Process

To bring the Movement to life, Lawrence created the epic journey in casein tempera on hardboard panels, each measuring 12 x 18 inches. Through unity of color, composition and display, the overall effect is rhythmic, an echo of the Movement itself. In a 1998 interview with MoMA curator Ann Temkin, the artist explained how he worked quickly from drawings to painted completion over a six to eight-month period. In painting all sixty panels in the same color at one time, he intended for the panels to be considered a unit.

The Panels

In his vivid, vibrant portrayal of the African American exodus, artist Jacob Lawrence invites us to walk with him through a significant event in American history.

The story begins with a simple inscription in Panel 1: “During World War I there was a great migration north by southern African Americans.” In this one image, we sense the scope of the Movement. We view the scene from behind a multitude of migrants bound by train for Chicago, New York and St. Louis.

Continuing through the exhibit, we move alongside the migrants as they head north. In Panel 3, we learn “From every southern town migrants left by the hundreds to travel north.” Panel 6 shows us how “The trains were crowded with migrants.”

Panel 6

In Panel 12, “The railroad stations were at times so over-packed with people leaving that special guards had to be called in to keep order.”

Viewing the flat, faceless, angular forms of a collective in transition has a somber effect. The narrative and images of the harsh social conditions that drove the exodus reinforce the mood: “They were very poor” (Panel 10). “Food had doubled in price because of the war” (Panel 11). “For African Americans there was no justice in the southern courts” Most stark of all, “There were lynchings” (Panel 15). In the shapes of the downcast, hunched figures viewers experience the weight of social oppression and upheaval on the journey to cultural change.

Panel 49

Yet despite facing new challenges in the North, like discrimination (Panel 49), house bombings (Panel 51), race riots (Panel 52) and tuberculosis (Panel 55), Lawrence’s panels evoke resilience. The migrants kept coming.

Panel 58

Ultimately, the artist leads us to a hopeful vision. In the final panels of his series, migrants receive more educational opportunities (Panel 58) and the right to vote (Panel 59).

Panel 59

If You Go:

Seattle Art Museum
1300 First Ave., Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 654-3100 & TTY (206) 654-3137

For more information, visit:
Seattle Art Museum (SAM)

Wander on!

Nancy

What about you, Wanderboomers? What’s your experience with the art of Jacob Lawrence?

 

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Top 5 Tips for Taking a Taxi in Vancouver, BC

yellow-taxi

The next time you travel to beautiful Vancouver, BC, here are 5 top tips when taking a taxi as your vehicle of choice:

Catch a Cab at Convenient Locations.

Your odds of catching a waiting cab are exponentially higher at designated taxi stands at popular tourist arrival spots. Think airport, train, bus station or hotels. From your hotel, you can schedule a cab pick-up in advance by phone (though it may take several minutes to get through to a dispatcher), via an app on your smart phone, or through the services of your hotel concierge.

Outside of transit hubs or your own hotel, your best bet of flagging down a cab is in the downtown corridor. Not having any luck? Simply walk to any nearby hotel like the The Listel Hotel on Robson Street or the Hyatt Regency in the downtown core and catch a cab from there.

Know Where You’re Going.

When you hop in the cab, you should expect the cabdriver to get you where you want to go by the most convenient route possible. But for hotels with more than one location in the same Vancouver vicinity, it’s not enough to say, “The Fairmont,” for example, because your driver will ask, “Which one?” If you respond, “Downtown,” you probably mean the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, but you might also mean the Fairmont Pacific Rim or Fairmont Waterfront because all three locations are in close proximity to each other, relatively speaking.

If you didn’t know there was more than one Pinnacle Hotel in Vancouver, you also might think that “Pinnacle Hotel Waterfront,” and “Pinnacle Hotel on-the-Pier” are one and the same location. However, one gets you to a downtown location (Pinnacle Hotel Waterfront) while the other (Pinnacle Hotel on-the-Pier) takes you across the Lions Gate Bridge into North Vancouver. Oops! Play it safe and be sure you know both the name and address of your destination.

black-top-taxi

Note: While both the body of the Yellow Cab and the Black Top Cabs are yellow, they are two different cab companies. If you plan to use vouchers from a travel company, verify with which cab company the vouchers may be used.

Plan Ahead for Special Needs and Unexpected Delays.

While taxi stands are available at major city attractions like the Vancouver Aquarium, cab sightings are fewer in non-peak hours or off-season so plan accordingly. Also, just because you can book a cab ahead of time doesn’t mean the cab will be there for you at the reserved time. In a nanosecond, rain and everyday traffic tie-ups can impact your schedule, from dinner reservations to departures and everything in between. Add road closures due to construction or dignitary motorcades like during William and Kate’s recent royal visit, and you have all the makings for taxicab angst.

In 2014 the Vancouver Taxi Association, together with the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities, implemented an enhanced taxi training program, Ask-Listen-Act. The goal of the program is to ensure accessibility, safety and respect for everyone. When reserving your cab ahead of time, confirm that your driver and taxi are equipped to handle any special needs you may have for your comfort and convenience.

Have Your Payment Ready.

Plan to pay your driver with Canadian currency, if possible. But don’t worry if you haven’t exchanged your US dollars into the local currency yet. Vancouver cab drivers are happy to accept U.S. dollars, especially considering the current favorable exchange rate. If you pay in US dollars, be mindful of that exchange rate between the two currencies. In most cases, you can also pay with credit card. Be sure to check with your bank beforehand to be aware of foreign transaction fees. Tipping ranges from 10 – 20% of the cab fare with 15% the standard.

Download the Free YVR Zone Fare Map.

Wonder what the typical cab fare is from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to your destination? Download the free YVR Zone fare Map. For further information on Vancouver cab fares, visit Taxi Fare Finder.

Many thanks to Tourism Vancouver for the opportunity to explore Vancouver, BC. Some, though not all, of my expenses were hosted. All opinions are my own, as always.

Other Helpful Links:
Tourism Vancouver
Yellow Cab app
The Listel Hotel Vancouver

Wander on!

Nancy

What’s your favorite way to get around a city, wanderboomers? On foot? By bus? Trolley, Taxi or Towncar? Please share with us here.

Hello fellow wanderboomers! I’m a Seattle-based travel journalist, specializing in fun travel adventures for the young at heart. My articles have been featured in Hemispheres, AAA Highroads Magazine and Northwest Travel & Life Magazine where I'm a frequent contributor. When this Wanderboomer isn’t traveling, I help global executives polish their personal and professional brand for long-term results.
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