Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge MA Interior

10 Reasons To Love the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge Mass.

We took a day trip to Western Massachusetts to visit the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge MA. Just over two hours from Boston, the museum holds the world’s largest collection of original Norman Rockwell art. It is home to hundreds of the artist’s original paintings, This includes the famous Norman Rockwell self-portrait (“Triple Self-Portrait”), the “Four Freedoms,” and “The Runaway.”  In addition, the museum showcases the complete Rockwell series of Saturday Evening Post covers and Rockwell memorabilia.

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3 Spectacular Botanical Gardens I Love at The Huntington Museum

I grew up in New England, a fickle region for gardening. The summers are short and unpredictable; the winters involve a deep freeze and frost heaves; springtime—if we have one at all—is wet and fleeting. Despite these tricky conditions, I am an avid gardener. My visit to the spectacular Botanical Gardens at The Huntington Museum was a highlight of my trip to Greater Los Angeles. My daughter and I explored three of sixteen themed gardens: The Desert Garden, The Rose Garden, and The Japanese Garden. Each was spectacular in its own way.

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Hollywood’s Unsung Hero: The Bradbury Building – Architectural Landmark

If you’re looking for a free attraction in downtown Los Angeles, you won’t want to miss Hollywood’s unsung hero: The Bradbury Building. Built in 1893, this Hollywood superstar and architectural landmark is on the National Register of Historic Places. In fact, it’s one of the most filmed buildings in L.A., having starred in hundreds of movies, TV Shows, and works of fiction.

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Travel Rhode Island Newport Mansions Holiday Events The Breakers Great Hall | Enjoy Travel Life

5 Festive Holiday Events at the Newport Mansions

Each year, the Newport Mansions put on a festive celebration to usher in the holiday season. Christmas trees and lavish decorations festoon the mansions, once homes to prominent families of Newport, Rhode Island. You’ll find Nutcracker performances, dinner parties, and music events that lead right up to New Year’s Eve.

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Luxury Lifestyle: The Newport Mansions Decorated for Christmas

The Newport Mansions at Christmas

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Scenes from the Gilded Age

A visit to Newport, Rhode Island is incomplete without seeing the Newport Mansions at Christmas.  There are ten incredible estates that The Preservation Society of Newport County maintains year-round. Guests may explore independently or follow guided tours by a headset.

Of course, the mansions are a “must-see” at any time of year, and especially nice as part of a romantic getaway to Rhode Island.

Through the holiday season, though, four mansions are open daily to visitors: The Breakers, Rosecliff, The Elms, and Marble House. Each was once a private residence for the well-to-do, including famous families like the Vanderbilts, who retreated to the mansions’ grandeur along the cool shores of Rhode Island for summer months.

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California's Largest Used and New Book and Record Store

California’s Largest Used and New Book and Record Store [Photo Tour]

In the heart of downtown Los Angeles, I discovered a reservoir of quietude. It’s a peaceful refuge for Creatives and others longing to escape from the city’s frenzied pace, if only for a moment.

I joined the dreamers and writers, book lovers and music enthusiasts, artists and eclectics, and curious travelers who passed through the oversized door on 5th Street.

This oasis was The Last Book Store. Turns out, it’s California’s largest used and new book and record store. It’s also one of the largest independent bookstores in the world.

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best views of downtown Los Angeles - OUE Skyspace Los Angeles

High Above “The City of Angels” at Skyspace Los Angeles

The Best Views of Downtown Los Angeles

My daughter, Alison, showed me around L.A. while I visited for her college graduation. Following our excursion to The Last Book Store, we checked out one of the best views of downtown Los Angeles at The OUE Skyspace Los Angeles. It was the perfect pinnacle from which to get a bird’s-eye view of Los Angeles’ expansive cityscape.

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