Sparks Ignites

There is an annual event in Philadelphia, and for all its notoriety, there is still an audience that hasn’t experienced its unique beauty and creativity. The event is the Philadelphia Flower Show presented by The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) .   It is the world’s largest indoor Flower Show, and the longest running event of its kind. Held currently at the Philadelphia Convention Center, it is a cultural gem for the area. Even with its publicity, and the length of time it was been in Philly, I still come across people who say that they haven’t been, and have no clue what the Flower Show is all about. It is time for all the flower virgins to blossom, and become enthusiasts for a great event. You don’t know what you are missing! I want to clear up any misunderstandings about what the Flower Show holds for its visitors. I was a former flower naysayer, who thought that the annual Bloom Fest was a bunch of ancient, mainline garden ladies, gazi...

Neither, Gary or I, are really gamblers, so we try to find other activities to occupy our time when visiting Vegas. We have visited Red Rock, Hoover Dam and Valley of Fire State Park on previous visits. We had even traveled as far as Zion National Park in Utah, during an earlier stay. There are definitely natural beauties to discover while in Nevada, and they have nothing to do with showgirls or stripper poles. This visit was about relaxation and ringing in the New Year, so we didn’t need to stray far from Vegas this time. We bought tickets for a concert featuring Kristin Chenoweth. She is a very talented singer and actress best known from Broadway shows, movies, and multiple guest appearances on GLEE. The concert was on New Year’s Eve at the newly built Smith Center. Although she is about three feet tall, Kristin has a powerhouse voice. She sang songs from her career and, of course, sang one of my favorites “For Good” from WICKED. It was a great way to ...

How would I greet the New Year? This became the question during the holiday rush. I needed a change of environment. An escape, if you will, from grayness of winter, the cold, and the sadness over my mom’s death. 2013 had not been a great year, and I needed to get away. Everyone needs a change of scenery at times, which is why the caveman packed up his rocks and left for newer caves. That is how the vacation started. I needed to wake up in a different location and refresh my mind. Las Vegas was decided upon, because Gary’s mom lives there, and also it seemed like an interesting place to spend New Year’s Eve. We could enjoy Sin City, but wouldn’t have to stay with the throngs of tourists at the casinos. We could head west into the sun, and recharge ourselves in the glitz of Lost Wages. I had received a very fashionable piece of luggage for the holidays from Geri and Brian. It is the new hard shell luggage, with a 360-degree spin capability, which ...