Here are the Top Ten on the list:

1. Empire State Building
2. The White House
3. Washington National Cathedral
4. Thomas Jefferson Memorial
5. Golden Gate Bridge
6. U.S. Capitol
7. Lincoln Memorial
8. Biltmore Estates
9. Chrysler Building
10. Vietnam Veterans Memorial

As I browsed through the list, I noticed that although I have visited 59 of the buildings on the list, I have only written about a handful.  Those that I have written about include:  Empire State Building  (1), Lincoln Memorial (7), Washington Monument (12), Supreme Court (15), Rockefeller Center (56), TransAmerica Pyramid (61), Corning Museum of Glass (136), and MoMA (146).

You can get the full list of 150 at the AIA 150 website.  AIA member architects provided the nominations, and voting was conducted via a Harris Interactive poll.

How many of these buildings have you seen?

Photo credit:  wikimedia

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February 19th is Presidents Day, a federal holiday here in the United States.

Originally, the holiday was designated as Washington’s Birthday, and was celebrated on George Washington’s actual date of birth, February 22nd.  In 1971, however, as part of the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill, the holiday was moved to the third Monday in February.  The holiday has also been expanded to honor Abraham Lincoln (birthday February 12th).  Various states choose to observe the holiday on different days, under different titles, and even different presidents, but as far as federal holidays go, today is Presidents Day.

I have already written about the Washington Monument and Washington’s estate home in Mount Vernon, but I haven’t written about Lincoln.

The Lincoln Memorial is at one end of Washington DC’s National Mall.  The building looks like a Greek Doric Temple, with huge columns, and a bigger-than-life marble statue of Lincoln.  The statue is 19 feet tall and 19 feet wide.  Above the statue of Lincoln are inscribed the words:

In this temple
As in the hearts of the people
For whom he saved the Union
The memory of Abraham Lincoln
Is enshrined forever

On the south interior wall is inscribed the Gettysburg Address, on the north wall is inscribed Lincoln’s second inauguaral address. 

The memorial steps was the site for Martin Luther King’s 1963″I Have a Dream” speech, part of the March on Washington.  A tile on the step marks the spot from where Dr. King delivered his speech. 

The Memorial is open 24 hours, every day exept Christmas.  I’ve seen the memorial as different hours of the day, and is particularly spectacular at night.  There is no fee to visit the Memorial.

The Lincoln Memorial is at one end of the Reflecting Pool, with the World War II Memorial at the other, and beyone that the Washington Monument.  Metro access to the Lincoln Memorial requires a bit of a walk, but is reachable from the Smithsonian or Foggy Bottom stop, both on the Orange and Blue Line.

If you can’t make it to Washington DC to see the Lincoln Memorial, all you have to do is grab some US money. You can see Abraham Lincoln on the front side of the penny (commonly called the Lincoln Penny), and the Lincoln Memorial on the reverse side.  Lincoln is also depicted on the front side of the five dollar bill, with the Lincoln Memorial on the reverse side.

Photo credit:  Memorial at night; statue

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Ford, like all Presidents, amassed volumes of “stuff” during his term of office ““ even though he spent less time in the White House than many others.  What happens to all that stuff?  I mean, I knew it was collected, catalogued and filed away ““ but I didn’t know exactly what that meant.  I had heard other Presidential Libraries ““ but, so what? 

After President Ford died, I started researching some of these Presidential Libraries.  I discovered that volumes upon volumes of paper, from the most important documents like schedules and plans, to the most minor, like casual notes jotted on a napkin or scrap of paper, are collected, eventually winding up in the respective President’s library. 

Added to this, of course, are the additional documents and details of a life of public service from before and after the time in the White House.  This is a pretty impressive amount of information, and an incredible peek into the life of a public official.  While some of the information is not available to the public, or has parts of which have been redacted, it collected together, and found in a Presidential Library. 

The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the Presidential Library is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on the campus of Ford’s alma mater, the University of Michigan.  His is the only library/museum to be located in two geographically separate building. 

The Ford Museum, which opened in September 1981, has permanent exhibits that allow visitors to review political history, as well as providing a look into the life of a President, and the personal things that he held dear:  his wife, family, and love of sports.  It’s a personal and emotional look at the responsibilities and privileges of democratic citizenship.

Special events at the museum include naturalization ceremonies for new citizens, community festivities (including fireworks) on Independence Day, and a variety of other celebrations.

Location:  303 Pearl Street NW, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Hours:  Daily, 9 am ““ 5 pm., closed New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Admission:  $7 adults, $6 seniors and military, $5 college students, $3 youth ages 6-18, and free for children under five years of age.  Parking is free.

The Ford Presidential Library houses documents and audio-visual materials that follow Ford’s life, career, and presidency.  The Library, administered by the National Archives, was dedicated in April 1981.  At the Library you’ll find archival materials on both domestic issues and foreign relations during the Cold War era.  To give you an idea about the in-depth nature of what’s collected, the Library’s current holdings include over 22 million pages of memos, letters, meeting notes, reports, and other historical documents, and over 325,000 still photographs.  Then there’s the AV material!

Location:  1000 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan, University of Michigan North Campus.

Hours:  Monday ““ Friday, 8:45 am ““ 4:45 pm.  Closed on Federal Holidays.

History and politics have always held a special fascination for me.  I can’t believe that I have some how missed, or neglected, to visit any of the Presidential Libraries.  I’m putting that on my ever-expanding list of things to do.

Photo credit:  White House Photograph courtesy of Gerald R. Ford Library, Photographer Karl Schumacher

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On a recent visit to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC, I had the opportunity to see the Carmen Lucia Ruby, a 23.1 carat Burmese ruby.  Burmese rubies of this size are extremely rare.  And extremely gorgeous, I would add.

Donated to the Smithsonian by Peter Buck in memory of his wife, Carmen Lucia, the ring is set in platinum, has diamonds on both sides, and is part of the museum’s Gem Collection.  The oval ruby is a deep, rich, red color, with a high degree of transparency.  The light seems to dance in the many facets of the stone, further reflecting its gorgeous color. 

Rubies are my birthstone, and they have always been one of my favorite gems, and this piece of jewelry is truly, spectacularly beautiful.

And now, getting back to those diamonds — just around the corner from the Carmen Lucia Ruby is the famous Hope Diamond.

A French merchant traveler originally purchased the  diamond, a 112 3/16th carat stone.  It was somewhat triangular in shape, and although rather crudely cut, had a beautiful violet color.   The diamond was sold to Louis XIV of France in 1668, along with several other stones.  The stone was eventually re-cut, to a more modest 67-1/8th carats.  After the cutting, the stone took on a more steely-blue color, and became known as the “Blue Diamond of the Crown” or the “French Blue.”  It was placed on a ceremonial ribbon and worn for royal occasions.

The diamond was passed down through various kings, but was eventually turned over to the French government after it was seized from Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette while they were trying to flee France.  It was later stolen from the French Royal Treasury.

It is believed that the diamond was eventually acquired by King George IV of England, and then later sold privately to pay his debts.

The diamond’s next appearance was with owner Henry Philip Hope (from whom the diamond takes its name), and following his death it was sold a number of times, each time the proceeds being needed to pay off debts of the current owner.

After again passing through a number of hands, including jeweler Pierre Cartier, the diamond was re-set into its present setting — a diamond pendant surrounded by 16 white diamonds, both pear-shapes and cushion cuts, set on a chain of diamonds.  In 1958, the Hope Diamond was donated to the Smithsonian by then owner Harry Winston.  With only a few minor absences, the Hope has been a permanent resident of the Smithsonian since that time.

As it currently exists, after changing hands and shapes a number of times, the Hope Diamond now weighs 45.52 carats, and is approximately 25.60 mm in length, 21.78 mm in width, and 12.00 mm in depth.  Its color is classified as a fancy dark grayish-blue.

Describe it however you want, this is one stunning piece of jewelry.

The National Museum of Natural History is located at 10th Street & Constitution Avenue, and is open daily 10 am ““ 5:30 pm.  The closest Metro Station is the Smithsonian Station on the Blue and Orange line.   There is no admission charge at any of the Smithsonian museums.

Photo credit:  Smithsonian

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Details:  Today is the anniversary of the dedication of The Pentagon.

The Pentagon is the headquarters of the US Department of Defense, and although it’s mailing address is Washington DC, the complex is actually located in Arlington, Virginia.  It is one of the largest buildings in the world, and has five side, five floors above ground, and two basement levels. 

Photo credit:  Department of Defense, photo by Master Sgt. Ken Hammond, U.S. Air Force

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Washington State sent a 65-foot Pacific Silver Fir tree, from our Olympic National Forest, to the “other” Washington for the Capitol Christmas Tree.  With the theme “A Gift from the Evergreen State,” the tree is decorated with 3,000 Washington state themed ornaments made by area students.

Details regarding the December 6th tree lighting ceremony can be found at The DC Traveler (thanks Jon).

Photo credit:  2005 Capitol Tree, flickr

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Relaxing around the house and eating leftovers?  Watching football?  Listening to holiday music and putting up the holiday decorations?  Or are you one of the many, many people who will be heading out to the stores for the kick off of the holiday shopping season?

No matter how we may rebel, there’s no getting around the fact that the upcoming holiday season means shopping.  I hope to make that process a little easier for you, by showcasing a variety of products and services that would make great gifts for travelers and travel lovers.

Today’s suggestion is a city map.  While you may need a map for a variety of reasons (planning a route, figuring out how to get from Point A to Point B quickly, trying to decide which way is north), many times what you really need is a map to tell you where things are.  That’s why I’m a big fan of the Red Maps series.

For example, if you are looking at the New York City – Midtown Red Map, you would know that if you come out of the front door of Sak’s Fifth Avenue (Fifth Avenue between 49th & 50th) and turn right you will find:  St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and Armani AX, H Stern, Gant, Gianni Versace, and Cartier.  If you had turned left, you would find American Girl, Benetton’s, and Sephora.  And across the street from Sak’s you will find Kenneth Cole, Cole-Haan, and the promenade to Rockefeller Center.  This is the stuff that you really need to know when you’re in a city environment.

Red Maps aren’t just about shopping either.  It lists the streets, parks, major attractions, of course, and also museums, stores, libraries, hospitals, neighborhoods, galleries, hotels, gardens, and lots more.  These maps won’t be the only ones that you need, but they are a wonderful resource for getting around the city core.  I have several.

Red Maps are available for U.S. cities:  Boston, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York City (Chelsea, Downtown, Midtown, SoHo), Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.  International cities available:  Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Florence, London, Madrid, Paris, Rome and Venice.  They retail for around $6, and are also available in multi-packs for large cities that require more than one map.

You can purchase Red Maps at Amazon (aff), and at many bookstores.  You can check here for a list of stores in your area.

If you have travel lovers on your shopping list, you’ll want to be a regular reader of Fly Away Café.  You can subscribe by email in the subscription box in the left side bar, add the RSS feed to your reader in the right side bar, or simply come back to this site every single day.

Happy shopping!

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Travelers and residents of Washington, on either coast, have a new resource with the addition of two new city specific travel blogs.

The DC Traveler, written by Jon Rochetti, covers Washington DC, and nearby Virginia and Maryland neighborhoods. Jon says: I look forward to writing The DC Traveler and hope that it provides insight and resources about visiting and experiencing all that Washington DC has to offer – to not only the first-time tourist but to life-long locals as well.

The Seattle Traveler, written by Mary Jo Manzanares who also writes at Flyaway Cafe, covers the greater Seattle-Tacoma area of Washington State. Mary Jo says: Whether you’re visiting the Seattle area for your first time, or one-hundredth time, there’s always something new to see or do. And if you’re a Seattle area resident, hopefully you’ll get some new ideas for exploring your own hometown.

Join with b5media in traveling coast to coast with the addition of these two new blogs to the Travel & Culture Channel.

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I contributed my post about the beautiful Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens just outside of Washington DC.

A very big thanks to Trip Hub for sponsoring this roundup of great travel writing.  Be sure to go read all the other articles!

Photo credit:  Jon Rochetti, c. 2006

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The question doesn’t need a lot of other detail, or further explanation.  It’s the kind of question that shaped a generation, just like previous questions:  Where were you when the President was shot?  Where were you when you heard about Pearl Harbor?

I was in Southern California five years ago.  I had gone to Anaheim with a friend to watch a little baseball.  The Seattle Mariners were in town to play, and we thought we’d follow the team to the sun, catch a couple of games, and take in a little sun. 

We’d made a late night of it on September 10th, having gone to the game and then out for drinks.  We had planned to sleep in the next morning, then hit the pool, or maybe do a little sightseeing.

I’m not a big television fan, and rarely turn on the television in a hotel room.  Shortly after I jumped into the shower, my friend did turn it on, and I had just lathered up my hair when I heard a pounding on the door, and “come out here, you have to see this!” 

My first reaction was one of annoyance.  I was enjoying the nice hot steam of the shower, and really didn’t want to be disturbed.  But the pounding continued, and I jumped out, grabbed a towel, and, like most of the nation, remained glued to the television for hours.

At first it felt surreal.  I couldn’t really believe what I was seeing.  But as reality sunk in, I sat shaking my head, trying to understand a situation for which there really was no explanation. 

My next thoughts went to the crew onboard the aircraft, the pilots and Flight Attendants, who had to face their worst nightmare. 

We are trained for hijackings, and other onboard violent and emergency situations, always hoping, however, that those skills are never needed.  That morning it was apparent that those skills were needed, but simply weren’t enough.  They met their death doing their job, victims of the situation as much as the passengers onboard.  I still get angry that you don’t hear much about the Flight Attendants that lost their lives.

We drove back to Seattle from Southern California.  Airlines wouldn’t take back to the skies for a while longer, and our jobs would never be the same.

Five years have gone by, and this morning I’m watching television once again.  For me, as for everyone, the memories come flooding back.  There will be lots of emotions expressed today:  sadness, grief, anger, frustration, rage, and lots of tears.

Today is a day to mourn not only the tremendous loss of life, but also our lost innocence.

(I’ll be back with regular posting tomorrow.)

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