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Great Bongs of the World: Big Ben Turns 150

July 11, 2009 at 4:06 PM | by Victor Ozols | 1 Comment

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?

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Re-Enacting History: Battle of Fort Niagara's July Fourth Bash

June 22, 2009 at 2:37 PM | by JetSetCD | 0 Comments

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]

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New Acropolis Museum Reopens Age-Old Debate Over Elgin Marbles

Where: Athens, Greece
June 20, 2009 at 12:41 PM | by Victor Ozols | 0 Comments

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."

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Jaunted How-To Guide: The Liberty Bell

Where: 500 Market St [map], Philadelphia, PA, United States, 19106
June 8, 2009 at 11:27 AM | by BS | 2 Comments

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.

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Are Mardi Gras Beads Worth Going 'Girls Gone Wild'?

February 17, 2009 at 3:20 PM | by EricRosen | 2 Comments

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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Where To Stalk Celebs At The Inauguration

January 14, 2009 at 12:30 PM | by colleenclark | 1 Comment

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.)

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5,000 Inauguration Parade Tickets Going On Sale Today At 1 PM

January 9, 2009 at 10:14 AM | by colleenclark | 5 Comments

The Presidential Inaugural Committee has announced plans to sell 5,000 seated tickets along DC's parade route. Tickets, which are limited to four per person, go on sale via Ticketmaster at 1 pm EST today. (Thanks for all the notice!) Get your clicker fingers ready, as these are likely to sell out in a matter of seconds.

Although tickets are not required for viewing the parade, they'll save you from having to spend long hours in the frigid weather fighting for a spot. Standing room will be available on a first-come, first-served basis along a 1.7-mile stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue. The Secret Service won't allow people to begin lining up along the route until after 7 am on January 20. For entry points, click here. For a map of the parade route, click here. Keep in mind that you will only be able to cross Pennsylvania Avenue at certain points and at certain times. Be sure to map your route if your seats are on the opposite side of the street to be sure you cross at the right place and time.

Keep Reading for Tips on How to Survive the Inaugural Parade

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Police Plan To Close Huge Chunks Of DC For Barry's Party

January 8, 2009 at 4:05 PM | by pbb | 2 Comments

Every bridge crossing the Potomac and 3.5 square miles of downtown DC will be closed to traffic from January 19 until the morning of January 21, the Secret Service has announced. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff says the closures are part of "the most security, as far as I'm aware, that any inauguration has had."

Thanks to the bridge closures, Virginia has decided to close the inside-the-Beltway sections of Interstates 66 and 395. Maryland hasn't yet announced similar measures, though the state's transportation department compared the odds of finding a parking spot on January 20 to those of hitting the Mega Millions.

For those trying to get to the parade route, there will be just 13 walk-up security checkpoints, which seems like not many given that more than 1 million people will likely be in town for the event. In its typically humorless fashion, the Secret Service has this advice on its inaugural security website:

It is expected that lines may be long.

Related Stories:
· US Secret Service Inaugural Plan [Official Site]
· Inauguration to Close Bridges, Streets in DC [AP, via HuffPo]
· Sail To The Chief: Inauguration Transportation Options [Jaunted]
· DC Bikers To Get Special Inauguration Parking [Jaunted]

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The Best Of The Inauguration Jams

January 6, 2009 at 5:26 PM | by colleenclark | 3 Comments

Inaugural weekends are usually set to a mix of John Philip Sousa marches and patriotic easy listening schmaltz. While we aren't above a little flag-waving (or karaoke renditions of Neil Diamond's "America"), we're psyched that the Obama bash holds much more interesting options for music lovers of all stripes. Here are our top picks:

January 16: Jay-Z kicks things off with an inaugural party at DC mega-club Love. Warning: It's in a rough neighborhood far outside the city. Parking is pricey and lines are long--and specific ticket information has yet to be released.

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DC Bikers To Get Special Inauguration Parking

December 29, 2008 at 4:00 PM | by pbb | 0 Comments

The Washington Area Bicyclist Association wants to make attending the inauguration easy for people who'd rather ride their bikes than the metro. So the organization is setting up "bike valets" near the Mall so you can pedal to the festivities and stash your ride worry-free.

Volunteers will staff parking areas and hand out claim tickets so folks don't have to track down unsupervised bike racks and hope their transportation doesn't get stolen during the festivities. Political operatives should already be familiar with urban biking: They had the chance to try it out during the conventions this summer.

While WABA's official website says exact locations are still TBD--and the group asks bikers to RSVP so they can plan for crowds--a report on Fox News says McPherson Square and the Jefferson Memorial will have bike valets on January 20.

Related Stories:
· WABA Inaugural Bike Valet [Official Site]
· Bicycle Group to Offer Valet Service on Inauguration [Fox News]
· Inauguration Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: thepostalservice]

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Everyone Poops

December 15, 2008 at 4:15 PM | by pbb | 0 Comments

We're still not buying the prediction that 4 million Obamaniacs will show up in DC to drink themselves stupid this January. But even if the crowd isn't that record-setting, you're still gonna be facing some serious bathroom lines. So Jennifer Lynn has written up "Where To Pee in DC: The Insider's Guide on Where to Go," a digital booklet you can print out at home that's on sale via eBay for just $2.50.

She gave the Washington Post a few tidbits from her incredibly niche guide to DC:

Among potentially less-crowded Mall locations, for example, she suggests the east wing of the National Gallery of Art, the combined National Museum of African Art, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery and Freer Gallery of Art, and the US Botanic Garden. "There are some less well-known spots," she said in an interview.

Lynn says her insider's view of downtown bathrooms comes from years of working in the Reagan Building--one of the best places to "go" on Inauguration Day, she claims.

Democrats: Their guy hasn't even been inaugurated yet and they're already dumping on Reagan.

Related Stories:
· During Inauguration, Places to "Go" [WaPo]
· Inauguration Travel coverage [Jaunted]

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The Ultimate Bipartisan Rental

December 10, 2008 at 9:19 AM | by pbb | 0 Comments

Yesterday we got a few yuks out of the fact that Republican Fred Thompson plans to rent his one-bedroom pad to some Obama fanboy for $30,000. But the inherent joke there is nothing compared to this rental featured on the Best of Craigslist:

Me: Heartless, greedy right-wing oppressive type looking to make a buck.

You: Obama's election was Christmas/your first kiss/May Day all wrapped into one. You dutifully wore his button--which you have yet to remove--contributed money to his campaign from your non-profit job and chanted "yes we can" as if it were the 11th commandment. A strange void now exists in your life and--like an old hippie looking to recapture the spirit of Woodstock--you are undertaking a pilgrimage to Washington for one last gulp of the Kool-Aid.

Along with my bedroom you will have access to the house's many amenities including cable television (not that you watch much TV) for viewing Keith Olberman's latest unhinged rants and CNN in high-def. Wireless internet means that the Huffington Post and DailyKos are only a click away on your MacBook. American flags and other patriotic paraphernalia in the room can be removed upon request.

How much will all this goodness cost you?

Rather than state a price I am requesting that you bid on this fabulous opportunity to ensure profit maximization on my part so that I can better weather the Bush Recession.

Serious offers only!

Related Stories:
· Even More Rental Home Rip Offs [Jaunted]
· Inauguration Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: martinstelbrink]