There's something comforting about these vintage pictures of Disneyland from the fifties and sixties, which evoke a carefree era when father knew best and more doctors smoked Camels than any other cigarette. The park opened in Anaheim, California in 1955, blending classic Americana with future modernism and fantasy, and it defined the idea of the family vacation for years to come. ]]>
The London bell known as Big Ben turns 150 years old this year, giving writers around the world license to use the word bong in dozens of news stories. After all, bong describes the sound this famous bell makes throughout the day, striking the musical note E every hour. Four other bells strike G sharp, F sharp, E, and B on the quarter hours, broadcasting the song Westminster Quarters throughout the Parliament grounds and beyond. How about those bongs? ]]>
Along with the tasty barbeques and popping fireworks of the middle of summer come the re-enactments of historical battles. To help you plan fun excursions to watch guns go off, we're listing our favorite battle re-enactment sites all this week.. Any suggestions or questions? Let us know.
With the Fourth of July coming up way too quickly, we've got to start deciding on where we'll be unfolding our portable chairs and breaking out the iced tea, and New York State's Old Fort Niagara Historic Site seems like a serious contender with their scheduled 2,300-strong re-enactment of the 1759 siege of the Fort. Although the siege actually lasted three weeks, this year's 250th anniversary of the French and Indian War will only be a weekend of remembrance.
Head up to the limestone "French Castle" fort, see artillery barrages, musket volleys and skirmishes from the fort's walls, stroll through the re-enactors' "living history camps" and watch demonstrations of 18th-century military life. Or just eat hot dogs and take pictures with people wearing period outfits; whatever floats your boat.
Related Stories:
· Old Fort Niagara [Official Site]
· Siege re-enactment draws thousands of history buffs to New York's Fort Niagara [USA Today]
· Historical Travel Coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: David Duprey, AP]]]>
Today's a big day in the world of Greek antiquities, as the massive New Acropolis Museum in Athens opens its doors to the public for the first time. The fancy new building was designed by architect Bernard Tschumi, and incorporates classic and contemporary elements to display 4,000 artifacts, more than ten times the number of the inadequate old museum it replaces. The New York Times has a nifty article and slide show of the $200 million museum, which it calls "one of the highest-profile cultural projects undertaken in Europe in this decade." ]]>
If you ever find yourself visiting Philadelphia for the first time, the Liberty Bell is going to definitely fall into that category of "I've got to see it once, but OMFG there are way too many people here!" Fortunately, Jaunted has your how-to guide for checking this must-do tourist trap off your list. ]]>
What’s the deal with Mardi Gras beads? Every year there is new footage of drunken ladies baring all just to get their hands on a string of cheap plastic beads. That got us thinking: how did it all start, and how do we get in on the action? More specifically, what do we have to do to get the best beads. After all, Mardi Gras is only a week away.
With a little diligent research, here’s what we found out. Apparently the cheap trinkets thrown from various floats at Mardi Gras rack up millions of dollars in sales each year, with individual float riders disbursing nearly a thousand dollars worth of junk each. That means everyone in the crowd is sure to go home with something—even if it’s just a hickey and a bad hangover.
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There’s nothing that Hollywood loves more than an excuse to party, so it makes sense that every celeb short of Fred Thompson is packing their patriotism and heading to Obamarama 2009. DC will have more celebs-per-square-foot than Betty Ford after the holidays, and we’ve got the inside track on where you can find them:
The Hay Adams: The man himself will be staying at the historic Hay Adams hotel in the days leading up to the swearing in. Though your chances of getting a close-up look are slim, it’s probably the closest you’ll get to the Barackstar during the festivities. (Or during the next four years.)]]>