Globe Corner Blogs

Julia Child's Kitchen at the Smithsonian - photo by Cecilia

I count 39 museums and galleries in the Washington DC’s Official Visitor’s Guide, and I read that the Smithsonian alone has 19 separate museums. It is my last day here, and I have only one afternoon to see something of this city. When I was in DC two years ago, we visited the Mall, the White House, the Natural History Museum, and walked Constitution Avenue. With the “basics” covered on this rainy afternoon, the obvious selection was a museum. I just had to choose from those 39+ options. Looking at the map in the city’s visitors guide, I discover the National Museum of American History (one of the Smithsonian’s museums), and I decide to visit when I  read that Julia Child’s kitchen and Kermit the Frog are there.

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I am generally not a big sports fan…which can be a bit of a problem living in Boston. I grew up on Pac-10 football and golf, but every four years I do catch World Cup Fever.

During the last World Cup I was spending the month of July in Sarajevo, Bosnia. I had rented a small room from my beloved “adopted” Bosnian Grandma, Tecvida. She soon began to treat me as family and not just as a traveler that she had taken in to help support her meager pension. She is a Bosnian Muslim, but explained to me that I could eat all the pork and drink all the alcohol I wanted in her house; she just asked that I please not disturb her during her prayers.

During my stay, I learned many things from her. She taught me how to cook some dishes -  including some vegetarian dishes, a lot of Bosnian vocabulary, how to properly cover my head so I could enter the non-touristy mosques, but maybe most importantly she taught me about football and the importance of the World Cup. Continue Reading »

A guest post from fellow horse race-goer Kerry Skemp

Turf Race: photo by Kerry

Baltimore may be famous for its gritty nature, but the city’s also home to a slightly more upscale activity: horse racing. Pimlico Race Course hosts the Preakness Stakes, the second leg in horse racing’s Triple Crown, sandwiched between the noble Kentucky Derby and the oft-forgotten Belmont Stakes (which happened Saturday, June 4). Though less famous than the Derby, the Preakness Stakes is actually older—first run in 1873. These days, each Preakness has the hope of a Triple Crown contender. Many folks cheer for the Derby champ to finish the 1 3/16 mile race first, while others root for a longshot to come out on top. Regardless of who wins, it’s difficult not to be entertained by the Preakness’ unique blend of blue collar and bluebood, a tribute to Baltimore’s working class spirit. And with Baltimore a relatively quick, cheap trip from much of the East Coast, there’s no reason not to check it out next May. These tips from my own recent Preakness experience may help guide your experience.

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Photo by Llalan

There are days when I am so hungry that nothing I have in the pantry will do. No local take-out will even satisfy me. In fact, nothing in this entire state will sate my hunger.

On this fine, sunny Saturday morning, I am starving. I do not, however, want a pastry from the 7-11 across the street. What I want right now – right now -  is fresh pineapple from Thailand. It comes in a little clear plastic bag with a wooden stick to stab each piece with, juice collecting in the bottom corners. Every triangle of fruit melts in my mouth and I eat it all, even though it gives my tongue painful little bumps. It’s worth it.

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Bruges Canals: Photo by Kate

Bruges is beautiful…  It’s an incredible place to see: a tiny town of canals and swans, weeping willows and ivy, and not a single building that looks like it was built after the year 1500. Brick gingerbread houses with stepped Dutch roofs, tiny cobblestone bridges crossing calm canals, and shady squares with gnarly old trees and tweeting birds. It’s all yours… to share with about 20,000 other tourists! Really, it’s so crowded with tourists there that it’s almost enough to make you lose your appetite for waffles. We found two pretty good ways to avoid the hordes: first, get to the sites you really want to see as early as possible, and second: get a bike! Continue Reading »