This Is the Most Punctual Airline in the U.S. – for the 18th Year Running

Hawaiian Airlines continues to live up to its reputation for timeliness as the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has named it most punctual for the 18th year.
According to data released by the DOT last month, the carrier was on time for 90.14% of its 60,654 flights operated in 2021, making it the number one American airline for punctuality.

This Country Was Just Named Happiest in the World

By Rachel Chang

Every year for the past decade, the World Happiness Report ranks how people in more than 150 countries evaluate the quality of their lives to find the world’s happiest countries. And for the past four years, the top spot has been claimed by Finland.

ROBERT MATZEN

Author of “WARRIOR: AUDREY HEPBURN” on Our City Tonight

The 10 Best Cities in the World for Art Lovers

Courtesy of Jessica Poitevien

For art aficionados looking to plan their next trip, the resident experts at Money.co.uk conducted a study to find the best art and culture-filled cities around the world. The study used a variety of data points to rank 40 global cities already known for their unique arts and culture scenes.

When did women swap skirts for trousers?

When did women start wearing trousers? The short answer is in prehistory, and there have been many civilizations throughout human history that have survived the ‘scandal’ of its women wearing trouser-like garments.

The 5 Most Popular Arts and Crafts Museums in America

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has been revealed as the most popular craft museum in the United States,according to a new study by Design Bundles. Often shortened to the MET, comes on top, with a total of 368,000 monthly searches and 406,170 Instagram hashtags. One of the most popular landmarks in New York, primarily famous for events like the MET Gala and its exhibitions, holds numerous craft pieces, with mediums spanning clay, fiber, glass, metal, and wood.

MORE ON Arts and Crafts MuseumsLESS ON Arts and Crafts Museums

STRONG WOMEN IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE CINEMA

Sally Field, Norma Rae (1979)

Audrey Hepburn, The Nun’s Story (1959)

The Origins of 12 Caribbean Music Styles

Cha Cha Dance Lesson for Beginners

From reggaetón to the cha-cha-cha to the “singing newspapers” known as plena, Caribbean and Latin American musical genres have interesting origin stories and collaboration, across countries and cultures, is always key to their creation.

Let’s travel around the Caribbean for a tour of the names and origins of some of these musical styles.

Lessons in Survival from 5 Powerful Women of Our Past

It becomes obvious that we can learn a great deal from these powerful women, especially if we apply their advice, their words and the examples they set to our own modern lives.
Dr Estelle Paranque highlights five powerful women from history and the qualities they possessed.

Catherine de’ Medici: The power of resilience

Catherine de Medici was the queen consort to Henry II of France and the mother of three French kings: Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry III. The most valuable quality we can learn from this powerful woman is, without a doubt, patience; and you cannot have patience without resilience. Born into a noble Florentine family, Catherine was never meant to be queen. In 1533, she was married to Prince Henry, the son of French king Francis I, at the age of 14; at the time of their marriage, Henry was not in line for the throne, and only became heir apparent upon the death of his elder brother in 1536. Catherine remained in the shadows of the French royal court, both of her father-in-law and later her husband. Her spouse allowed her little political influence, and even worse, Catherine became the ‘third wheel’ in her own marriage, having to suffer the presence of Henry’s royal favorite at court: Diane de Poitiers. Following the death of her husband in 1559, and after more than 25 years of countless humiliations, Catherine finally had the opportunity to overshadow Diane and cast her rival away from court. She went on to become a powerful influence in 16th-century France during the reigns of her sons, particularly during the French Wars of Religion.

Roxelana (Hurrem): Another example of the power of resilience

Another example of 16th-century resilience is the case of the Ottoman sultana, Roxelana (also known as Hurrem). Born in what is now Ukraine in c1505 and sold into slavery, she became a concubine in the harem of Sultan Suleiman ‘the Magnificent’. During her time at Suleiman’s court, Hurrem changed the course of her fate and, consequently, of Ottoman history. She seduced Suleiman and the couple fell in love, which led to Suleiman breaking with centuries of tradition in order to please her: he gave up on all other concubines, freed her, and married her – making her his queen. By 1534, after the death of the sultan’s mother, the couple became inseparable. Hurrem remained in Suleiman’s palace and became his trustworthy confidante. This turn of events did not happen overnight and, in many ways, Hurrem showed great patience, resilience and incredible intelligence during this time.

Mary I: the power of compassion

Mary I of England all too often only remembered as ‘Bloody Mary’, to the point where most people forget that she also knew how to rule with compassion and care for her people. In 1554, when a group of rebels led by Sir Thomas Wyatt took arms against her to protest her marriage to Philip II of Spain, Mary showed prudence. When the traitors were later apprehended and arrested, she gave a moving speech at London’s Guildhall, during which she professed: “On the word of a prince, I cannot tell you how naturally the mother loveth the child, for I was never the mother of any; but certainly, if a prince and governor may as naturally and earnestly love her subjects as the mother doth love the child, then assure yourself that I, being your lady and mistress, do as earnestly and tenderly love and favor you.”

It was a quality also favored by Mary’s sister, Elizabeth I of England, who would reiterate and used this motherly love to her people during her own reign. She claimed in her 1559 speech: “And reproach me so no more that I have no children: for every one of you, and as many as are English, are my children and kinfolks.” Mary had clearly paved the way for her becoming the mother of England.

Marie Antoinette: forgiveness and compassion

Previously, Maria Antonia of Austria, the daughter of Empress Maria Theresia of Austria and Holy Roman Emperor Franz I.

Two centuries later, Marie Antoinette, wife to Louis XVI of France and the last queen of France before the French Revolution, also demonstrated that the right path to happiness and fulfilment was via forgiveness. Before her own execution, in her last letter to her sister-in-law Madame Élisabeth. Marie insisted that her children should “never seek to revenge our death. In her final moments, the queen wanted her legacy to be about forgiveness and compassion instead of hatred and revenge. To be noted, Marie Antoinette was a firm believer in the U.S. Revolution; sending troops, weaponry, fleets of battleships, often funded by the sale of her own jewels. She insisted that her husband, Louis XVI, underwrite colonial America’s war with the British but had to raise taxes on his own citizens in order to do so. As this took place during a flour shortage in France, it was this very revolutionary French populace that abandoned the monarchy, leading to the death of both king and queen at the guillotine.

Nzjinga of Ndongo and Matamba: the power of overcoming misogyny

Njinga of Ndongo and Matamba – in present-day northern Angola – ruled in the 17th century; she assumed power over the kingdom of Ndongo in 1624 after the deaths of her father and brother, later conquering Matamba and joining the two kingdoms in c1630/1. Like Elizabeth, Njinga also had to find ways to legitimize her power and authority because of her gender.

Njinga of Ndongo and Matamba had to find ways to legitimise her power and authority because of her gender, writes Estelle Paranque. This queen, however, went further in her goal to override the misogyny around her. Her biographer, Professor Linda M Heywood, explains that the queen forced her inner circle and followers to refer to her as a man, and no longer as a woman. She even married a man and made him dress as a woman, demanding that everyone address her as king rather than queen. She also took several men as her concubines and acted like any other king of the time. With her new role, she continued to fight the foreign forces that tried to invade her homeland. She was the ultimate warrior queen of the 17th century.
In many ways, one might wonder why we bother learning about the lives and accomplishments of past female leaders? We all do it – women and men – for several reasons. We do it to be inspired, to understand the struggles they faced and how they overcame them, and to continue the fight for women to be respected and valued as true leaders in their own right.

Dr Estelle Paranque is a lecturer in early modern history at New College of the Humanities. Her books include Elizabeth I of England Through Valois Eyes (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018) and a forthcoming joint biography of Elizabeth I.

Staying Adaptable in Perpetuity

By Dr. Kathleen Allen

Russia’s War on Ukraine Has Already Changed the World

By Rick Steves –

Russia’s aggressive action is heartbreaking for the death, suffering, and economic turmoil it has caused in Ukraine and beyond. Here at Rick Steves’ Europe, we hope that a diplomatic solution can be found and peace will return to that fragile and long-suffering part of our world.

Make Your Own Darn Bed: Hotels Ditch Daily Housekeeping Services

Whether out of necessity due to staffing shortages, out of respect for social distancing or perhaps just to save money, one of the primary amenities that sets a hotel apart from your home – daily housekeeping – is disappearing.

The days of returning to a wrinkle-free duvet are likely gone. Forget fresh towels, and accept that your room’s trash might never get taken out during your stay.

The trend of no more daily housekeeping – while largely initiated by COVID-19 – has become the norm at many hotels. During the pandemic’s early days, when transmission was more of a mystery, many hotels cut housekeeping services to reduce contact between strangers. But more than two years later, housekeeping still hasn’t returned.

Marriott’s policies vary by property, but housekeeping is usually offered only upon request, with all rooms cleaned automatically every sixth night. Hilton’s default is no more daily cleanings at most properties unless requested. Walt Disney World reduced service to light housekeeping every other day. That entails towel replacement and trash removal but doesn’t necessarily include services you might expect, like getting your bed made.

Other hotels have schedules, like the Hotel Solares in Santa Cruz, California: Three-night stays or fewer, no service, while six-night stays or fewer are cleaned once. The hotel recommends you leave trash outside your door.

Those service reductions aren’t always welcome.

“Guests don’t want to have to ask every time they need their trash emptied or dirty towels replaced,” said D. Taylor, international president of Unite Here – a U.S. and Canada hospitality workers’ union – in a prepared statement. “Without cleaning, what stops a hotel from being just a more expensive Airbnb?”

Why cut out housekeeping?

In many cases, the cutbacks may be more about money than safety. For some hotels, there’s not enough money to cover the cost. For others, it’s an opportunity to make more of it.
The nationwide labor and materials shortage has hit hotels particularly hard. For instance, the leisure and hospitality industry lost 8.2 million jobs in March and April 2020 which is an employment decline of 49% , according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While there has certainly been rehiring hope (travel-related jobs are now among the fastest-growing sectors lately), the industry is still about 1.5 million jobs short of its pre-pandemic levels.

Meanwhile, supply chain and inflation issues are ongoing. Hotels reported a 79% cost increase of cleaning and housekeeping supplies, according to a November 2021 American Hotel & Lodging Association survey of about 500 hotel operators.

Other hotel operators have explicitly stated it’s about money.
“The work we’re doing right now in every one of our brands … is about making them higher-margin businesses and creating more labor efficiencies,” Hilton CEO Christopher Nassetta said during a February 2021 investor earnings call. “When we get out of the crisis, those businesses will be higher margin and require less labor than they did pre-COVID.”

How to keep getting housekeeping on your vacation

RESEARCH BEFORE BOOKING: Hotels typically post cleaning procedures online. Look for pages on individual hotel websites labeled something like “amenities,” or “COVID-19 safety.” If the cleaning calendar is not up to par, consider booking elsewhere.

BOOK HIGH-END HOTELS: Most high-end hotels are notably absent from this trend. Some Hilton brands, including Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, LXR Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts, still offer daily housekeeping. Most Four Seasons offer twice-daily housekeeping.
But that’s not always true. Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – frequently deemed Walt Disney World’s most opulent resort – offers housekeeping only every other day, like all Disney resorts. Nightly rates range from $757 to $4,428, according to theme park data site TouringPlans.com.

REQUEST SERVICE: Of course, booking high-end hotels might be an unrealistically expensive solution. But here’s another trick that can work at even budget hotels: Ask nicely.

Be polite, and staff might take pity on your mess. After all, they don’t want stinky odors of days-old seafood takeout emitting from your room either. And the beach sand you tracked in could easily spread if not promptly vacuumed anyway.

For hotels where housekeeping is available on request, you can generally ask at check-in. Other hotels require you to request it each day.

The bottom line

Some economists have pegged a new word to this phenomenon where, rather than raise prices, companies cut services previously provided: skimpflation. Skimpflation could mean reduced staff, thus longer lines or phone hold times. It might entail the end of free headphones on airplanes or restaurant bread service.

And for many travelers, skimp flation in the form of no more daily housekeeping has become a particularly unpleasant and – quite literally – messy trend.

The post Caribbean Music, Strong Women on Film, Trousers appeared first on Traveling Archive.

I Love Lucid

I’m no dream expert but I watched a video (Thoughty2) that explained what lucid dreams are about. The host said that you can actually tap a high potential of your mind when you reach that sleep stage. It’s the place where a fountain of ideas come from. It’s where the outliers in your thought patterns solve problems you could not otherwise accomplish in your waking moments. I hope that what I share today will make you aware of your hidden super power.

Most of the time, we don’t know we are dreaming. But there are golden opportunities when we do know. This explains why I’ve solved programming problems, composed songs, designed logos, remembered people and places when I was half awake. Ever since I watched that video I have been consciously looking out for that “lucid moment” (where I am conscious I am in a dream) and I try and solve problems or brainstorm with myself. Of course the biggest problem is remembering what transpired when I wake up. I do try to jot down these ideas in a little notebook.

Not all dreams are serious. I had a most enjoyable dream last night. I watched some clever and humorous animations just before I went to bed and that set the stage of my dream. I don’t remember a lot but the last dream sequence showed the importance of accents in a dramatic movie. In my dream, I was approaching God’s throne MGM style. There was a glorious choir of angels in the background. The clouds parted and this blinding light flashed in front of me. Then I heard a thundering voice with a strong Italian accent:
“Bow down!  I ema yo-ra Gaaad!”

That just killed the moment. And I couldn’t stop laughing. Why an Italian accent? I don’t know. It was my lucid mind who wrote the script. Isn’t it fascinating how our brains can keep the rest of our body in suspense?

Don’t miss your opportunity. Remember, Joseph interpreted the Pharaoh’s dream and he saved humanity. Martin Luther King Jr had a dream and changed American culture. What’s your lucid dream? Instead of molehills, why not climb the mountaintop?

TGIF people!

Raoul

“Don’t put limits on yourself. Not every dream will come true, and not every dream is from God. But when your dreams connect with God’s plans, you’ll find open doors that you never thought you’d see.” – Max Lucado

“We are God’s masterpiece, created anew in Christ Jesus, so the good that He planned for us a long time ago may become our way of life.” — Ephesians 2:10

Joke of the Week

Thanks to Chuck of Whittier, CA for sharing this pun.

Video: Sophisticated Dancing Boy

Thanks to Mel of Washington, D.C. for this confident little fella.
He’s gonna break a lot of hearts when he grows older.

Video: VW Korea’s Flying Car

Thanks to Naomi of N Hollywood, CA for this sci-fi technology that blew my mind.
What’s really amazing is it’s already into production.
This is gonna give Tesla a run for its money.

The Latest In Personal Transportation. Can you imagine a million of these on the road? This is real. Prototypes have been delivered to several Asian countries. It’s made by VW in Korea. It will be in Europe and Asia by the end of 2022. In addition, it doesn’t use magnets….It uses ducted air jets.

Parting Shots

Thanks to Mel of Washington, DC

Thanks to Debbie of Moreno Valley, CA
Not a joke but it makes you wonder what our pets are thinking.

Another one from Debbie

Last one from Debbie

Thanks to Tom of Pasadena, CA

Last one from Tom of Pasadena, CA

The post Off Color Joke appeared first on Traveling Archive.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Doctor

Over two years ago I had pain coming from my lower abdomen. I started to wear a stomach belt hoping it would eventually go away. Wrong! On my next checkup, my doctor felt the bulge and told me I had a hernia — a hole in my stomach. If you have been reading my TGIF joke email for a while, you might recall I shared my appointment with Doc Hollywood who put a mesh on that sucker. This is a follow up story.

The operation went well. Unfortunately, the pain returned after the anesthesia wore off. My doctor said my discomfort was normal and that the pain would go away after a few weeks. Months rolled by but the pain got worse and I went back to wearing that stomach brace.

I went back to my regular doctor who felt the same hernia plus another one on the other side of my stomach — “you have a double hernia!” he declared. He said I should get an ultrasound before the surgery.

Because of the Covid situation, I never had the appointment made until a few weeks ago. All the while, the pain was on my side and I was wearing this band around my mid section for fear that hole would tear all the way open.

At the ultra sound room, the two attendants jabbed their probe up, down and side to side around my belly It took almost an hour. All the while I’m pointing where the pain was but all the while also wondering why it didn’t hurt anymore.

Back at home, I’m telling my wife I didn’t feel any pain anymore … maybe I should cancel the surgery. She looked at me strangely. The next day I get a confirmation from the doctor who analyzed the ultra sound images.

“I don’t know what to tell you Mr. Pascual … I do not see any hernia.”

“Doc, you may be right because I don’t feel any pain anymore.”

He couldn’t explain it. I couldn’t explain it. Dare I say I experienced a miracle?

The Pharisees (the religious leaders) asked the the blind man:  “how can this Jesus, a sinner who did not follow our religious laws, perform a miracle that made you see?” It was illogical, unbelievable, impossible. All the blind man could say was “I was blind but now I see.” (John 9)

I have no explanation. “I had a hernia … but now it’s gone.”

Miracles still exist. There is no formula. It is nothing we can boast of. God just gifts it to us. Please don’t minimize the miracles in your life. When we recognize these heavenly presents, we gain a greater understanding of how amazing HE is and how undeserving WE are. Count your blessings (your family, your work, your health … I’m sure there are a lot of them), bask in his warm embrace and share your joy and give hope to those who need it. We have an awesome God.

TGIF people!

Raoul

“Jesus said ‘For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.’ ”  — John 9:39

Joke of the Week

Thanks to Don of Kelowna, B.C. for sharing this joke.

Video: It’s Friday Mufasa

Thanks to Maling of New Manila, Philippines
I never saw someone so happy that it’s Friday.

Video: Getting a Room

Thanks to Don of Kelowna, BC for this very quick video

Parting Shots

Thanks to Mel of Washington, DC

Thanks to Peter Paul of South Pasadena, CA

Another one from Peter Paul

Thanks to Tom of Pasadena, CA

The post It Snowed this Morning appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Onward to Glory We Go!

The notorious Covid year has come to a close. With the vaccine finally out, fear and apprehensions are easing up. Kudos to the people who made this miracle drug available in record time. Unless some new evil genius out there tries to pull another fast one, we will be safe(r) for now.

Pondering on what’s ahead this year, my mind raced back to the last chapter of the book of John. Jesus had already been crucified, buried for 3 days and had risen from the dead. The disciples knew he was alive because they had seen him walking and talking with them. But Jesus was no longer like them because He would bodily come and go as He pleased. They would never see Jesus go to sleep, wash his face, groom his hair… things were definitely different. After 3 1/2 years of incredible made-in-heaven escapades, their leader was gone and life was back to a boringly normal existence. How do you top those miraculous years? What were they to do now?

Then Peter, the leader of the pack said “let’s go fishing!” No one had any better idea so they picked up their nets and jumped on their boat. But the fishes weren’t biting. All they were getting was an early morning tan. And then a stranger on the beach cried out to them to throw their nets towards the right side of the boat. Weird! But following the unorthodox advice, suddenly there was so much fish their nets were about to tear. John was the first to realize that was no stranger — that man was their Master!

I imagine the victory song of Don Quixote from the Broadway musical of “Man of La Mancha” playing in the background as Peter, exuberant with rekindled joy, jumped out of the boat to greet Jesus — ever ready for the next chapter of their great adventure. “Here we go! The team is back!”

After their hearty breakfast, Jesus pulls Peter (originally named Simon) to the side for some heart to heart talk:
“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Master, you know I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

It took a few more hints from Jesus until finally Peter realized, there was indeed another adventure in store. But this time, Jesus wasn’t going to be with them physically but spiritually. Their training was over and they were to make their own decisions now. They were to feed their own sheep/disciples. Like any adventure there was going to be struggle mixed with hope and joy … BUT definitely NOT boring. They were to be ambassadors (representatives) of their Master. Their mission was to teach the world the wonderful truth of God’s love and the blessings (oh the many blessings!) for those who carry the torch.

This New Year, we have a choice: Life as it was in 2020 or life as it could be … filled with REAL joy. If you’re a believer and have no joy, you probably missed the secret spice of the adventure because there SHOULD be joy no matter the circumstance.

Be safe, be healthy, and remember: Don’t die without embracing the daring adventure your life was meant to be. TGIF people!

Raoul

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”
— Henry David Thoreau Walden

Joke of the Week

Thanks to Peter Paul of S Pasadena, CA  for sharing this joke.

Video: Chest Hair Removal

Thanks to Art of Sierra Madre, CA

Video: One English Word Puzzle

Thanks to Debbie of Moreno Valley, CA

Video: Do You Love Me?

Thanks to Mike of New York

Don’s Puns

Thanks to Don of Kelowna, BC who sent this pun

Parting Shots

Thanks to Naomi of N Hollywood, CA

Thanks to Tony of Los Angeles, CA

Thanks to Mel of Washington, D.C.

Thanks to Tom of Pasadena, CA

Thanks to Peter Paul of South Pasadena, CA

Thanks to Maling of New Manila, Philippines

The post Happy New 2021 appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Schwinn Krate EVO

The Schwinn Krate EVO is truly a beautiful bike. It’s stylish, sleek while some might notice the nostalgic elements such as the seat, it features all the modern updates to make the bike comfortable and a perfect fit for most children between ages 3-7 (38-48” tall). It comes with training wheels and can be used without as well. It is available in blue, red, black, yellow and pink, the bike retails for $169 at Walmart, Target and SchwinnBikes.com.

Bullseye Bow — Bow & Arrow

The Bullseye Bow is sturdy, fun and made in the USA. The set includes the bow, a removable quiver, three foam tipped arrows, and a cut-out target. Easy to use, they can reach distances of up to 60 feet or more. The arrow guide is positioned in the handle for a straight, accurate shot every time.  Just click the arrow nock to the string, pull back, and release.  A target is included too. It is a great toy for enhancing fine motor skills. It is super fun for adults too, and is a great stress reliever as you have to focus on the process and not on anything else.

The V-tech Video Camera

Get out of the box, and into a blast of creativity with the KidiZoom Creator Cam. It is a great starter camera for kids who want to delve into producing their own videos. It includes a green screen with over 20 animated backgrounds. Kids can host a dance party, get chased by a T-Rex, venture into outer space. It includes a tripod and has a built in microphone as well as on screen editing tools and creativity tools to help your kid become the new big Hollywood producer. The camera has a microSD card to increase storage.

Dance Charades

Keep a fun family vibe going as you dance the night away with Dance Charades. Simply pop the CD in a player or and pick one of the charades card and get silly. The CD gives a 40 second clip so you can dance out whatever the card you pick says to do. Great for kids and adults.

Please join my mailing list for the latest relaxation techniques, natural products, greatest toys and activities for adults and kids and more. Would be great to hear from you so please connect with me! #schwinn #bike #dance #charades #vtech #camera #fun #adventure #family #charades #stayhome #activekids #kids #outdoor #happy

The post Amazing Adventure Activities appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Roller Coaster Decade

Joke of the Week

Thanks to Don of Kelowna, B.C.  for sharing this joke.

Video: Did You Steal My Makeup?

Thanks to Bok of Quezon City, Philippines
You don’t have to teach them how to lie.

Video: Chinese Village Couple’s Joyful Dance

Thanks to Ernie of Fresno, CA
Uplifting film of a farming family who just love to dance.

Tom’s Puns

Thanks to Tom of Pasadena, CA who sent these puns.

Parting Shots

Thanks to Mel of Washington, D.C.

Thanks to Don of Kelowna, B.C.

Thanks to Peter Paul of South Pasadena, CA

One more from Peter Paul

The post The Zipper appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Just seconds after “Alexander the Great” applies the brakes in front of the Crown Plaza Hotel Ligovsky, my four-star digs while in St. Petersburg as a guest photojournalist of Insight Vacations on its “Easy Pace Russia” journey, I hop off the luxury motor coach and make a bee line for Varenichnaya № 1, just up the prospekt, for an all-Russian fare dinner, the lip-smacking part of our two-part folksy night in the city.

“Varenichnaya,” notes Gennady, Insight’s Moscow-born tour director-concierge, “means dumpling house.” He adds, “It’s one of the most traditional, tastiest and economical restaurants in St. Petersburg.” To prove his point, he takes me inside.

As with most eateries frequented primarily by locals, the menu at the “Dumpling House,” with its retro Soviet decor and Cold War-era prices, is in Cyrillic script. Not to worry, I’ve got Comrade G standing by to translate and help me make my selections.

With just over an hour to devour, I order way more food than I should: a crunchy white cabbage salad; eggplant wraps; deep-fried pike fish cakes with a creamy mound of mashed potatoes; pumpkin fritters with sour cream; blinis stuffed with cherries; and, a few glasses of Permskoye Gubernskoye, a Russian-brewed European pale lager, to wash it all down.

While I wait for the parade of mouthwatering dishes to begin, I pass the time staying within the lines as I experience the latest dining craze: adult coloring sheets. How’d I do?

One of the main avenues of St. Petersburg, running perpendicular to Nevsky Prospekt, is Liteyny Prospect. Once lined with foundry workshops tasked with casting the very first canons for the new Russian Navy, the Liteyny of today is a grand boulevard of upscale neighborhoods dotted with luxurious palaces, ornate apartments and stylish public buildings, like the Officer’s Assembly House, where we alight for the second and final leg of this folksy night in St. Petersburg.

They say a visit to Mother Russia is not really complete until you get up close and personal with the barynya (landlady). Monthly rent payments aside, this landlady is a top-flight folk show of traditional Russian song, dance and music that plays out on an old stage inside an ornate early 20th century music hall that was part of the then Red Army House.

One of ten optional experiences on the Easy Pace Russia itinerary, the folklore show, nearly two hours of entertainment with a champagne-filled intermission, is the absolute best way to experience the history, spirit and traditions of Mother Russia in one evening.

I score a front-row, center-stage seat and clap and stomp along with the troupe during this cornucopia of melodious folk songs and traditional dances. Fab singers and athletic dancers in colorful costumes perform historical pieces from the different provinces of Russia: lyrical dances of the north, fierce dances of the Cossacks, and humorous numbers from the Urals and Siberia.

As the curtain closes on the final act and the audience rises to its feet to acknowledge the folkloric troupe with a well-earned standing-O, I quickly check my wallet to make sure I’ve got enough rubles. This month’s rent is due and I really don’t want to hassle with the barynya.

Go here for detailed information on Insight’s six itineraries to Russia, as well as more than 100 other premium and luxury-escorted routes around Europe, or call toll-free (888) 680-1241, or contact your travel agent.

It’ll be another relaxed start tomorrow as we head inside one of the oldest, largest and most impressive museums on the planet: The Hermitage. See you in the queue.

The post Easy Pace Russia: A Folksy Night in St. Petersburg (Dispatch #5) appeared first on Traveling Archive.

As animated on the big screen, the Live in HD simulcasts offer an up-close and personal look at the opera’s staging — beads of sweat-on-the-brow, and all — that is truly thrilling. Moreover, with the easy-to-read supertitles, it is simple to follow the story line, even if the libretto is one of opera’s more notoriously convoluted plots. Additionally, the Saturday afternoon simulcasts are often shown again on the following Wednesday evenings, with an encore screening. The transmissions are accompanied by engrossing intermission segments — behind the scenes, say, with the scenic or costume department, or an interview with a popular tenor or soprano, or an informative segment about a modern composer. It is always a rewarding afternoon, culturally, educationally, and visually.

Fathom Events is one of the largest overall distributors of content to movie theaters and is well-known for its domestic presentations of event-cinema, including high-definition performances of not only the Metropolitan Opera, but also dance and theater productions, such as performances of the Bolshoi Ballet and England’s National Theatre; additionally, Fathom presents screenings of classic films.

Tickets for The Met Live in HD 2018-19 season can be purchased online at Fathom Events or at participating theater box offices. For a complete list of theater locations, visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change). Details on ordering tickets for the 2018-19 broadcasts vary from country to country.

The Met Live in HD series is made possible by a generous grant from its founding sponsor, the Neubauer Family Foundation. Global sponsorship is provided by Bloomberg Philanthropies. Transmission in Canada is made possible through the generosity of Jacqueline Desmarais, in memory of Paul G. Desmarais, Sr.  Within months of their initial live transmissions, many of the operas from the Live in HD programs are shown on the Public Broadcasting System. The PBS series, Great Performances at the Met, is produced in association with PBS and WNET, with support from Toll Brothers, one of America’s luxury home builders. Additional funding is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.

The 2018-19 season began in early October with a broadcast of Aida, and continues with the following roster:

SAMSON ET DALILA (Camille Saint-Saëns) – New Production / First Time in HD

Saturday, October 20, 2018 – 12:55 p.m. ET/ 11:55 a.m. CT/ 10:55 a.m. MT/ 9:55 a.m. PT
Encores: Wednesday, October 24 – 1:00 and 6:30 p.m. local time

Saint-Saëns’s biblical epic Samson et Dalila stars Elīna Garanča and Roberto Alagna in the title roles; the pair was last seen together by HD audiences in the acclaimed 2010 transmission of Bizet’s Carmen. Laurent Naouri co-stars as the High Priest, with Elchin Azizov as the Philistine King Abimélech and Dmitry Belosselskiy as the Old Hebrew. Darko Tresnjak, the Tony Award–winning director of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder, makes his Met debut directing the first new Met production of the opera in 20 years. Sir Mark Elder conducts.

LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST  (Giacomo Puccini) – Revival

Saturday, October 27, 2018 – 12:55 p.m. ET/ 11:55 a.m. CT/ 10:55 a.m. MT/ 9:55 a.m. PT
Encores: Wednesday, October 31 – 1:00 and 6:30 p.m. local time

Soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek sings Puccini’s gun-slinging heroine in this romantic epic of the Wild West, alongside star tenor Jonas Kaufmann in the role of the outlaw Dick Johnson. Baritone Željko Lučić is the vigilante sheriff Jack Rance, and Marco Armiliato conducts.

MARNIE  (Nico Muhly/Libretto Nicholas Wright) – Met Premiere / First Time in HD

Saturday, November 10, 2018 – 12:55 p.m. ET/ 11:55 a.m. CT/ 10:55 a.m. MT/ 9:55 a.m. PT
Encores: Wednesday, November 14 – 1:00 and 6:30 p.m. local time

Nico Muhly’s Marnie, based on Winston Graham’s novel, which in turn inspired Alfred Hitchock’s suspenseful thriller, has its U.S. premiere at the Met this season. Isabel Leonard stars in the title role opposite Christopher Maltman as her blackmailing husband Mark Rutland, Iestyn Davies as his brother Terry, Janis Kelly as Mrs. Rutland, and acclaimed mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves as Marnie’s mother. Robert Spano makes his company debut conducting.

THE MAGIC FLUTE  (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) – Revival; a special presentation of the festive opera for the holiday season, and not a simulcast of a live opera that afternoon.

Encore: Saturday, December 1, 2018 – 12:55 p.m. local time

Julie Taymor’s dazzling production returns to select cinemas this holiday season in an encore presentation of the company’s first-ever Live in HD transmission. James Levine conducts a winning ensemble including Matthew Polenzani, Nathan Gunn and René Pape in this abridged, English-language version of Mozart’s classic fable.

LA TRAVIATA (Giuseppe Verdi) – New Production

Saturday, December 15, 2018 – 12:55 p.m. ET/ 11:55 a.m. CT/ 10:55 a.m. MT/ 9:55 a.m. PT  
Encores: Wednesday, December 19 – 1:00 and 6:30 p.m. local time

Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Verdi’s timeless tragedy La Traviata. Directed by Michael Mayer, this new production features a dazzling 18th-century setting that changes with the seasons. Diana Damrau is the doomed heroine Violetta, opposite Juan Diego Flórez as her lover, Alfredo, and Quinn Kelsey as Alfredo’s protective father, Giorgio Germont.

ADRIANA LECOUVREUR (Francesco Cilea) – New Production / First Time in HD

Saturday, January 12, 2019 – 12:55 p.m. ET/ 11:55 a.m. CT/ 10:55 a.m. MT/ 9:55 a.m. PT
Encores: Wednesday, January 16 – 1:00 and 6:30 p.m. local time

For the first time at the Met, Anna Netrebko sings the title role of Adriana Lecouvreur, the great 18th-century actress in love with the military hero Maurizio, sung by Piotr Beczała. Gianandrea Noseda conducts Cilea’s tragedy, directed by Sir David McVicar, with the action partially set in a working replica of a Baroque theater. The cast also features Anita Rachvelishvili as the Princess of Bouillon, Adriana’s rival for Maurizio’s affections; Ambrogio Maestri as Michonnet, Adriana’s faithful friend; and Carlo Bosi as the duplicitous Abbé.

CARMEN (Georges Bizet) – Revival

Saturday, February 2, 2019 – 12:55 p.m. ET/ 11:55 a.m. CT/ 10:55 a.m. MT/ 9:55 a.m. PT
Encores: Wednesday, February 6 – 1:00 and 6:30 p.m. local time
Saturday, February 9 – 12:55 p.m. local time

Clémentine Margaine is opera’s ultimate seductress, opposite Roberto Alagna, who captivated Live in HD audiences as Don José in 2010. Louis Langrée conducts Sir Richard Eyre’s lively production, a favorite in the Met’s repertoire.

LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT (Gaetano Donizetti) – Revival

Saturday, March 2, 2019 – 12:55 p.m. ET/ 11:55 a.m. CT/ 10:55 a.m. MT/ 9:55 a.m. PT
Encores: Wednesday, March 6 – 1:00 and 6:30 p.m. local time

Bel canto stars Pretty Yende and Javier Camarena team up for a feast of vocal fireworks on the Met stage. Maurizio Muraro is Sergeant Sulplice, with Stephanie Blythe as the outlandish Marquise of Berkenfield. Enrique Mazzola conducts.

DIE WALKÜRE (Richard Wagner) – Revival

Saturday, March 30, 2019 – 12:00 p.m. ET/ 11:00 a.m. CT/ 10:00 a.m. MT/ 9:00 a.m. PT
Encores: Wednesday, April 3 – 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. local time

The second installment of Wagner’s Ring cycle, Die Walküre, stars heroic soprano Christine Goerke as the warrior goddess Brünnhilde, whose encounter with the mortal twins Siegmund and Sieglinde, sung by Stuart Skelton and Eva-Maria Westbroek, leads her on a journey from Valhalla to earthbound humanity. Philippe Jordan conducts.

DIALOGUES DES CARMÉLITES (Francis Poulenc) – Revival / First Time in HD

Saturday, May 11, 2019 – 12:00 p.m. ET/ 11:00 a.m. CT/ 10:00 a.m. MT/ 9:00 a.m. PT
Encores: Wednesday, May 15 – 1:00 and 6:30 p.m. local time

Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin leads an accomplished ensemble in Poulenc’s devastating modern masterpiece of faith and martyrdom. Isabel Leonard is the young Blanche de La Force, opposite Met legend Karita Mattila as the First Prioress.

© 2018  Ruth J. Katz  All Rights Reserved

The post The Metropolitan Opera Live in HD Returns for the 2018-19 Season appeared first on Traveling Archive.

In the cold war of the 70s the U.S. and Russia pointed nuclear missiles at each other. Fortunately, there was a sober FEAR that  no one would survive after a single launch. A healthy respect for each other’s strength held them at bay.

I was in a breakfast meeting last Tuesday and someone reminded me of a destructive epidemic in society today. I too had been noticing this phenomenon but I didn’t realize how fast it is spreading. I felt I needed to address this. Disagreements and debates have always been the hallmark of a free society but today the respectful  exchange of ideas has been replaced by a juvenile shouting match. This modern warfare may not have a nuclear payload but it is just as destructive and should be prevented from spreading.

Where did all this hostility come from? I blame the Puppet Masters of hate. They’re in the news media who gives us a daily dose of new reasons to hate and be angry … and they rarely admit their mistakes because scandals sell advertising. They’re among our leaders who model the way to bratty behavior. Many live on THEORIES and faulty stereotypes rather than HISTORY. They’re in the schools that do not prepare their students to respect other opinions. The students were taught to question but they were never taught to provide concrete answers. What good is complaining without a solution? They’re in the courtrooms that emphasize subjective justice over kindness and common sense. Puppet Masters walk among the greedy tech giants who experiment with people’s lifestyles. Remember, not everything NEW is good and not everything OLD is bad. And Puppet Masters are the hypocrites who only see things from their side of the telescope. News flash! We ALL can play the victim. That’s why I admire those who just work harder with the challenges they are given.

Have you ever seen male animals battle for their females? First come the beating of the chest, or the display of colorful feathers, or the resonating arias. Then come the heckling. Then the push … the interlocking of horns. The macho contest crescendo until one of the males wakes up from the spell and looks at the giggling Female Puppet Master in the sideline and realizes how she has been manipulating the confrontation. What’s really  interesting is animal fights rarely lead to death. Only man, with his huge dangerous ego, does this. Think of Helen of Troy and the 1000 ships launched to satisfy one Puppet Master’s testosterone.

The pride of man (and woman) mixed with immaturity prevents common courtesy. Are we blinded by hate? Is it hard for us to listen to other opinions? Let’s snap out of it! Let’s listen to the other side. Look up and see the giggling Puppet Manipulator above us!

Of course, this is just me.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourself.” 
— Philippians 2:3

TGIF people!

One Day at the Nunnery

Shared by Tom of Pasadena, CA

Oops! There Goes the Ball Boy
Sent by Don of Kelowna, B.C.

I admit I found it funny at first but then I realized it could have been a serious accident. I love how he composed himself and pretended that nothing happened. Glad he’s okay.

WATCH VIDEO

They May Be Seniors But Boy They Can Still Boogie
Sent by Debbie of Moreno Valley, CA

I can only guess how many parties over the decades these two have danced with each other. They put the young dancers to shame. No arthritis here.

WATCH VIDEO

Just When You Thought Your Day Was Going So Well
Sent by Don of Kelowna. B.C.

Some days you should have just stayed in bed. Better still, don’t go to a bull ring.

WATCH VIDEO

Don’s Puns

From Don’s collection of puns

Parting Shot

Thanks to Naomi of North Hollywood, CA who shared this photo

The post Tired of Chardonnay appeared first on Traveling Archive.

It was the crazy 70s era of the Vietnam war. Greg was among his fellow draftees days before their Aptitude Exams to properly match their skill to their position in the military. There he got a word of wisdom that changed the course of his life. “Be sure to fail all the mechanical and physical questions … anything that had to do with outdoorsmanship and guns” said some of the guys, “… but get all those clerical stuff right.”

On the day of the exam, Greg remembered a scrawny guy named Romo, who bragged about his Master’s degree. He was the envy of the batch because his impressive credentials would surely place him at some strategic division away from harm’s reach. Off the draftees went for 3 weeks worth of testing to seal their fate. Gregg remembered the early advice.

When the results came in, poor College Educated Romo was sent to the “Gulag” Infantry front lines where death was sure to follow while Street Smart Greg was relegated to desk duty. Greg didn’t know a thing about working in the office. He typed with one finger feeding the punch card computer.

A Charmed Life
Greg was stationed in the “Beverly Hills” (comparatively speaking) barracks where the Colonels lounged. It came complete with a mini-golf course and an outside theater. It wasn’t all that great because they would poop on a can and they would flush it with jet fuel and the stench with engulf the camp. He was nervous the whole time he was there because (surely) this would be a prime target for the enemy. He managed to squirm out of this rat hole just in time because a month after he left to go home, the enemy launched a bomb which killed 25 of his friends who were watching a movie at that time. He should have been among them.

When he returned as a civilian, with no career plans, he decided to help a friend rebuild cars in an auto body shop. That was start of his 47 years in the industry. Today he owns 2 shops and his 4 daughters run the show for him.

Death Comes Knocking
A few years ago, his health went downhill despite his diligent exercise program. “Are you sure there’s nothing wrong with me?” he asked his doctor from Kaiser (reputably one of the top hospitals in America), “… because I have a hard time breathing.” The doctors gave some lame excuse. It was only after it was too late that they discovered there was a problem with his heart and his kidneys. No one saw it coming. A big “Ooops!” for the doctors and a major recalculation of Greg’s life expectancy. So they sliced him up and gave him a portable pump to filter his blood. He carried that sucker for a year waiting in line for a proper donor. Greg’s health deteriorated but he would advertise his shop at business meetings and his tag line was “I’m still looking for parts” which always brought some chuckles mixed with concern.

Prayers poured in and, miraculously, a few months ago, the doctors found a match and they replaced his heart and kidney from a 32 year old donor. Today he looks healthier by the day and he says he’s never been more content.

He gave me permission to share his story. And I told him I would entitle this article “Lucky Greg” but he corrected me: “Not ‘LUCKY’ … but BLESSED Greg.”

Songwriter, Rod Stewart wrote these secular lyrics in the mid 70s:
“Some guys have all the luck.
Some guys have all the pain.
Some guys get all the breaks.
Some guys do nothing but complain.”

To some people life is a matter of luck. Good for Greg, in his senior years, he knows where all that good stuff comes from — he knows they’re blessings from above.

TGIF people!

Lexophilia

Contributed by Mel of Washington. D.C.

“Lexophile” describes those who have a love for words, such as “you can tune a piano, but you can’t tuna fish”, or “To write with a broken pencil is pointless.” An annual competition is held by the New York Times to see who can create the best original lexophile.

No matter how much you push the envelope, it’ll still be stationery.

If you don’t pay your exorcist you can get repossessed.

I’m reading a book about anti-gravity. I just can’t put it down.

I didn’t like my beard at first. Then it grew on me.

Did you hear about the crossed-eyed teacher who lost her job because she couldn’t control her pupils?

When you get a bladder infection, urine trouble.

When chemists die, they barium.

I stayed up all night to see where the sun went, and then it dawned on me.

I changed my iPod’s name to Titanic. It’s syncing now.

England has no kidney bank, but it does have a Liverpool.

Haunted French pancakes give me the crepes.

This girl today said she recognized me from the Vegetarians Club, but I’d swear I’ve never met herbivore.

I know a guy who’s addicted to drinking brake fluid, but he says he can stop any time.

A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.

When the smog lifts in Los Angeles U.C.L.A.

I got some batteries that were given out free of charge.

A dentist and a manicurist married. They fought tooth and nail.

A will is a dead giveaway.

With her marriage, she got a new name and a dress.

Police were summoned to a daycare center where a three-year-old was resisting a rest.

Did you hear about the fellow whose entire left side was cut off? He’s all right now.

A bicycle can’t stand alone; it’s just two tired.

The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine last week is now fully recovered.

He had a photographic memory but it was never fully developed.

When she saw her first strands of gray hair she thought she’d dye.

Acupuncture is a jab well done. That’s the point of it.

Those who get too big for their pants will be totally exposed in the end.

TGIF Videos

Extreme Winter Olympics
Sent by Ernie of Northern California

Now I’ve seen everything.

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Dance At Your Own Risk
Sent by Sent by Art of Sierra Madre, CA

It’s OK to enjoy your music with your headphone when you’re out in public but try not to get carried away. And I mean that literally.

Watch Video

Parting Shot

Thanks to Don of Kelowna, B.C. who shared this photo

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