What’s there to do on a warm, sunny evening in Chicago?
On a recent evening there, friends and I didn’t have to think twice before deciding on a trip out to Wrigley Field to watch the Cubbies play a make up game against the Houston Astros.
The stadium is located at 1060 W. Addison Street, in a residential area called Wrigleyville. Movie fans may recall that this is the home address given by Elwood Blues (played by Dan Aykroyd) in The Blues Brothers. The area around the stadium has lots of little bars and restaurants, and we had no problem finding a …read more

Today is Admission Day for Tennessee, our 16th state, admitted to the Union on June 1st, 1796.
Long before I knew all the states, or had visions of traveling to all of them, I knew about Tennessee. Although I may be dating myself here, it all goes back to watching the Disney movie, Davy Crockett, who was “Born on a mountain top in Tennessee, The greenest state in the land of the free. . . .” (If you’re not familiar with the song you can listen to it here.) Well, maybe that didn’t tell me much about the state, but the …read more

A day of remembrance and thanks to those who gave their life in service to our country. Their sacrifices, securing our liberties and freedoms, are not forgotten.
Photo credit: MorgueFile
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I have many favorite places to visit when I’m in New York. There are lots of great places for shopping, eating and drinking, and just wandering around. One of my very favorite places, however, is a quiet oasis in the otherwise frenzied pace that is Manhattan — the New York Public Library.
I’d seen the library in movies long before I saw it in person. It was featured in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Escape From New York, and the library’s basement was the location of a ghost sighting in Ghostbusters. If a movie is set in New York, watch carefully, and you …read more

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), often called “The Big Board,” is the largest stock exchange in the world by dollar volume and ranks second in the number of companies listed on its exchange.
The exchange is located in Manhattan at 11 Wall Street (between Broad & New), but actually consists of five building, or “rooms,” that are used for trading. The main building (18 Broad Street, between Wall Street & Exchange Place) is a National Historic Landmark.
The roots of the NYSE reach back to 1792 at the Buttonwood Agreement. From that agreement, named for the buttonwood tree that it was …read more

If you were planning a romantic escape, where would it be?
If you were vacationing alone, and wanted to visit a city where there were lots of friendly people, which city would you choose?
These, and other similar questions, are answered by prospective travelers on a regular basis, because although travelers may want to see some of the major attractions in a city, they do not want to feel like a tourist. It’s a delicate balance between seeing the sights, and going where the locals go. That balance is part of what I hope our Travel & Culture blogs bring to your …read more

Today is another happy day for me — not only as an avid traveler, but also as the Travel & Culture Editor for b5media –because today we add another blog and blogger to our list.
A very big, and excited. welcome to Matt B, and The Chicago Traveler.

As regular readers here at Flyaway Cafe know, I get to the Windy City on a not infrequent basis, and Matt has already written about lots of things that interest me. I’m always looking for places that the “locals” go, for that fun blend of being a tourist, yet feeling like a local. So …read more

Today is Admission Day for Minnesota, our 32nd state, admitted to the Union on May 11th, 1858.
Minnesota is the 12th largest state (geographically) in the U.S., and is the northernmost of the contiguous 48 states. Most of the residents of the state (60%) live in the Minneapolis-St Paul area, which is generally referred to as the Twin Cities. The state ranks 21st in population.
The Twin cities of Minneapolis/St Paul combine the largest city in the state (Minneapolis) with the capital city (St. Paul). It is the hub of the state, and the center for business, industry and culture. The rest …read more

With the busy summer travel season nearly upon us, many of us are looking for ways to shave a few dollars off our travel plans. A few dollars here and there all add up. And, it means we’ll have money to splurge in a few other areas.
Here are some tips for this month:

While I wish that all airports offered free wi-fi, that just isn’t the case. If you need access, but object to the daily fee, you can try sitting outside one of the airline club lounges to see if you can pick up the free connection …read more

This is Be Kind to Animals Week, a chance to recognize the unique bonds between humans and animals, and how they enhance the quality of our lives each and every day.
Those of us who have pets and travel, frequently have to balance a variety of issues in order to be good pet owners. Some people take their pets with them when they travel, others find pet sitters, others leave them alone for short periods of time, and enjoy quality relationships with them when they’re home. There’s no one right answer.
Sometimes the most responsible choice is to not be a pet …read more