There's a huge abandoned prison in the heart of Philadelphia that we learned is now open to the public. How could we not go?

We were expecting to meet the standard ticket sales team for mansions, arboretums and anything else historic: mean old ladies sworn to protecting the place by condescending the visitors; sometimes even making up arbitrary rules involving pointless waits so that we just leave; always totally outraged that I've brought a camera; and generally distrustful of our semi-youthful appearances (see: The Breakers, Planting Fields Arboretum).

Then we assumed that once we purchased our tickets and waited the requisite 59 minutes for the next tour to begin, we'd be lead around a very limited part of the grounds by an inept and inarticulate guide (see: Howe Caverns, The Breakers).

Not so! Not only were the ticket sellers really nice kids, do you know who your tour guide is? Steve Buscemi.

It turns out that nearly the entire place is open and totally self-guided. You can peruse the marked points of interest while listening to Mr. Pink's insightful account of the prison's history or you can opt to wander around on your own; there's no better way to visit a historical attraction.

Opened in 1829 when corporal punishment was out and self reflection was in, the philosophy behind the prison differed dramatically from every other jail in the world. Basing their penal concepts on traditional Quaker values, the founders (among them was one Ben Franklin) believed that through total isolation, hard work and the bible, inmates would become penitent. Each prisoner was furnished with a single cell and attached to a small yard which they never left during their stay (unless they were hooded); communication with the outside world was totally forbidden.

The prison is pretty massive, it's also pretty run down, over 11 acres large, it held about 250 prisoners when it opened. As crime went sky high and more folks were incarcerated, the Pennsylvania system of quiet reflection was abandoned as the prison's population exceeded its capacity. It finally closed in 1971.

But now you can walk the halls of the famous prison that once held Al Capone unmolested–and they have a Halloween haunted house that must be down right terrifying, the place is eerie enough at noon time on a Sunday.

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Posted on December 3, 2007

Doodletown, NY was a functioning mining town with residents and buildings in use through the 1960's. All that remains are the building's foundations with historic markers with information, creepy cemeteries, and the country road which ran through the village, which now serves as an excellent hiking trail.

The entrance to the trail is not easy to find. Here are directions. The parking area is a very small clearing on the side of the road and the sign, pictured here, is within the woods at the opposite side of 9W.

Once you begin the climb up the hill, you can imagine the town as it once was, an isolated village in the 1890's. You can envision, as you run out of breath, the tragic steep climb the horse and carriage had to make as the doctor arrived too late with medicine to save his wife. Thomas Edison, who had property there, probably watched the procession from the warmth of his home, basking in the glow of his invention, electric light. As you can tell, the area is conducive to all sorts of mind wanderings.

It's a large park, in a few hours we had only explored the Eastern half of it, taking our time taking in the inspiring landscape surrounding the dam (built in the 1970s) and exploring the surrounding woods.?The views from the trail are breathtaking and Autumn is an ideal time to hike there to enjoy all the beautiful colors.

Eastern trial highlights are the two cemeteries. One, small and ancient, sat at the end of a long road. Along that road was an overgrown field with a Tim Burton-esque uprooted tree that made us stop in our tracks with its creepiness, then an animal, larger than a cat or bunny, with pointed ears bounded out of the overgrowth, scaring the bejesus out of me. The second cemetery is still in use for ancestors of residents and is picturesque, if only a bit eerie.

Speaking of eerie, despite being classified as a “Ghost Town”, Doodletown doesn't feel haunted at all.?Rocks, walls and steps are all that remain of the buildings; the residents either moved or were kicked off the land, so it's not like it is full of restless souls. There is, however, a more modern building that is totally creepy, that had this hanging from its gate, like a trophy.

And there was that pointy eared beast…

We plan on exploring the other half of the area at another time. I'll report my findings then.

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Posted on November 19, 2007

Pick for the week of April 30th
Here's what I said then:

Jim and I took our second annual vacation in Mexico and instead of getting easy on the beach with our man King and naked dutch women, we were spying with binoculars on people with Jim's grandmother's friends and recalling world war two stories in the jungle. Jim's grandmother, Nonny Peg, spends much of the year on one of the most transcendently beautiful beach coves on earth.

Mismaloya is located about 18 miles from the bustle of Puerto Vallarta proper; a rickety bus on a winding road littered with huge abandoned condominiums and luxury hotels takes you there. The town of Mismaloya is figuratively, not literally, a one horse town because several horses do graze there and provide many villagers with a living. We went to a lovely outdoor restaurant where we fed iguanas, had fresh fish, and heard the emotional outpour of our talented waiter/singer/guitar player. We ventured past the town with a very great lady named Helen on a mountain hike up to Chino's Paradise, a hidden restaurant and wonder to behold, before trekking further up the trail that ultimately leads to the site where Predator was shot. It was another two hour walk to get there, so we didn't go any further than the bullet ridden signs. The ladies informed us it was a tourist trap with bad food and only a hulking helicopter to take your picture with.

As semi-locals they always knew the deal, which was a great help in our travels. If you can ever see a place with the people that know and love it, I highly recommend it. And to look at the view from her condo, no wonder Nonny Peg is in love with Mismaloya.

The beach itself is well known (or maybe less and less well known as the years go by) for being the location of the excellent (and brix pick) Night of the Iguana. The set still stands but, unfortunately, you can no longer go inside–but we did meet an actual iguana guarding the gate.

Many activities await you on the beach including kayaking (which I did for the first time) and snorkeling to the famous Los Arcos rock formations off the coast. If you're looking for a relaxing vacation where you can do as much or as little as you please in an exquisite setting with beaches and jungle, Mismaloya is muy perfecto!

Runners Up:
Rockfeller State Preserve
Plimoth Plantations
Howe Caverns
Rye Playland
Dingman's Ferry, PA

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Posted on November 5, 2007

Behind every good man is a good woman and behind every good mansion open to the public is a bitchy old bag who is really concerned that Jim is going to take pictures and wishes we would all just go to Hell and leave her in peace. But trust me, it's worth enduring their ire to see so much gaudiness and genuine beauty mingling under the same massive Italian Renaissance style roof.

Some of the rooms are truly spectacular, I'm a particular fan of one of the oval bedrooms which, due to the no indoor photography policy, I can't find a picture of. The mansion, which served as the summer home of Cornelius Vanderbilt II, was still in family hands in the 1960's; before dull and boring guides stalked the halls and exit signs were installed next to the imported French fireplaces. I would have loved to have seen the parties thrown in those last days–and I wonder, if it had stayed in the family, would wild parties still be thrown by Vanderbilt's great grandson Anderson Cooper.

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Posted on October 22, 2007

Seeing as the season for seaside visits is drawing to a close, we decided to take a day trip to Montauk. The key is to get a early start with enough food in your belly so you won't get cranky on the longish journey. It takes about two and a half hours (on an October Sunday morning–I can't imagine how long it takes on Summer weekends).

However long you're in the car though, you will be rewarded considerably if you stop on the Montauk Highway between Amagansett and Montauk at The Lobster Roll a.k.a. “Lunch”, called so because of the enormous LUNCH sign on top of the building. It's no frills, just like I like my seafood joints, and the lobster roll is overflowing with meat, a bit of mayo and celery. We also tried a half dozen very fresh clams on the half shell and a new one for me, fried “puffers” – boneless blowfish. They also tasted remarkably fresh and the thin batter was not too greasy or overwhelming. The best fried fish I have ever, ever had. If they are available I highly recommend you partake!

Then we were off again to the tip of the island, Montack Point State Park. We skipped the crowds at the lighthouse and wandered along the beach, trying to find the trails, walking over rocky terrain and purple sand against high winds before we thought we may have found an official hiking trail. It's not a park with lots of signs and you often feel as if you're trespassing, especially the farther inland you go. It's actually kind of creepy in a good way. Along the shore, there are tons of fishermen and mostly dead wildlife, like starfish, regular fish (eaten by seagulls), and (we think?) a little bottom feeding shark. This is a beautiful part of the world and the wild, untamed park offers many different views and environments.

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Posted on October 8, 2007