Situated on the bluff, Fort Mackinac watches over the Island. The lilacs blooming are in historic Marquette Park.

Since this is my last entry for this blog, I thought that I would make my point of interest somewhere in Michigan.  Every year my family goes to Mackinac Island for my birthday.  It is absolutely my favorite vacation spot.  There is so much to do! It amazes me every time how there are no cars on the island (except a couple emergency vehicles).  To get to the island you have to take a ferry, or some kind of water vehicle.  In the winter most of the island is closed.  Some stores will open if you call and request for them to open.

Taking a tour is a great way to understand the island’s history. Walking tours and carriage tours available.  You can also take your own tour and take a bike around the island.  You are able to go horse back riding through trails, on the main streets, or you can take a carriage ride.

The island is famous for their fudge.  You can watch the fudge being made and you have dozens of flavors to choose from.  The island also has a beautiful butterfly house.  You can walk through the butterfly garden as hundreds of butterflies flutter around you, and if you’re lucky one will land on you.  Shopping is also something you have to do while on the island.  Unique shops fill the islands streets, there are many things you can buy on the island that you would never find anywhere else.

The Grand Hotel is absolutely a site to see. It is the most beautiful hotel I have ever seen in my life.  I love the lunch buffet the hotel has, it’s delicious.  There are many other hotels on the island. Usually we stay in St. Ignace or Mackinac City, which are right across the water from the island.

The island is host to festivals such as the Lilac Festival, the Fudge Festival, and there are constantly art shows going on throughout the island.

I definitely recommend everyone visit Mackinac Island at least once in their lifetime.  It is a truly joyous place filled with fun activities for any age.

my logo

In class we were asked to create a new logo for iPod. It’s like a button more really… When I think of an Ipod I think of headphones, so I thought I’d include some headphones in my design… but anyways this was my logo I created.

Chris McCormick from Eastland, TX

SandFest is a fun and fully sponsored sand sculpting festival in Port Aransas, Texas.  SandFest had 26 Master Sculptors competing in 2009.   It has become the largest Master Sand Sculpting Competition in the US.  SandFest is spread over three days, with a solo and a duo master’s contest and one day with over 200 amateur sculptors.

Everyone can enter the contest.  Like I said it is fully sponsored, so that means it is completely free (asides from food and beverage of course).  Sand sculpting is not the only way to win at SandFest.  There is also a photo contest! You can take pictures at the SandFest and there are winners for best all around pictures, best people picture, funniest picture, best pet picture, and many more.

SandFest is an all around fun event for the entire family!

Playing in the snow

The city of Snowmass village is best known as the location of the Snowmass ski area the largest of the four nearby ski areas operated collectively as Aspen/Snowmass.  The four mountains include Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk.  The mountains usually open for snow activities in late November and stay open until mid April.  On average these areas see 300 days of sunshine per year, which is only one of the reasons over 70% of it’s visitors return.  During the summer the mountains keep alive by attracting visitors for camps, fishing, hiking, concerts and recreational paintball games.  If you’re looking for somewhere you can be active during the day and cuddle up next to a warm fire at night Snowmass village is the perfect vacation spot for you.

Zhen Zhen,the San Diego Zoo's baby panda.

The San Diego Zoo is one of the largest and most progressive zoos in the world. This zoo has the largest species count of any zoo in the United States with 800 species and 4000 animals! The San Diego Zoo provides great opportunities for everyone to have a truly magical experience with the animals.

The zoo offers programs and classes. They even have a couple art classes coming up in December. Also in the winter you can walk the zoo at night and watch as beautiful lights brighten up the zoo. Some of the lights take the form of monkey’s playing in trees, elephants spraying water and much more.

To further enhance your zoo experience you can purchase either a backstage pass or a sleep over deal. With the backstage pass you can meet the zoo animals up close and personal. You’ll be introduced to furry, feathered and scaly critters. You’ll even have a face to face encounter in the rhino park. You can touch them and even bathe them if you choose to! Sleepover packages include packages for girl scouts, families, school, and adults only. This exciting overnight experience allows you to sleep overlooking the spectacular African field exhibit.

Adopting an animal can provide an extremely personal connection with the animals. Your donation will help pay for things such as food, toys and the up keep of the animal.

The San Diego Zoo is one of the best zoos to relax, have fun and to be amazed by your favorite animal.

Shipshewana Amish Barn

Culture and character are woven through Shipshewana. The area is defined by its surrounding Mennonite and Amish communities and the small town character that makes this town so attractive to residents and to thousands of visitors from around the country.  These Amish communities have interacted with others outside their communities, allowing others to understand and respect Amish traditions.

Shipshewana is the home of the Midwest’s Largest Flea Market. Every week, on Mondays and Wednesdays from the first of May through the end of October, you can find hundreds of vendors selling everything from fresh fruit to handcrafted furniture.

They also have extremely fun festivals such as the MayFest and the Ice Festival.  A great attraction for chocoholics is Chocolate Day.  This is a day where you can take your empty chocolate box and a list of stores to visit and fill your box to the brim! During Christmas Shipshewana turns into Shipshewanderland where the streets shine bright with Christmas lights and the spirit of Christmas is shown by caroling through the streets.

Shipshewana’s Amish faith and simpler way of life holds a special attraction in an age when speed and change are the hallmarks of modern-day culture.

Photo by Matt Nettheim/Warner Bros. Pictures

“ONE OF THE MOST BELOVED CHILDREN’S BOOKS OF ALL TIME IS NOW ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES OF 2009… PURE MAGIC “
-MICHAEL PHILLIPS

The film tells the story of Max, a young boy who doesn’t enjoy his home life.  He feels misunderstood, like many children.  Unlike most kids though, Max decides to escape.  He goes to where the wild things are.  Max lands on a mysterious island where he meets large strange creatures.  These beast’s emotions are as wild and unpredictable as their actions.

Spike Jonze fearlessly plunged ahead to weave whimsical movie magic to bring Maurice Sendak’s 1963 “Where the Wild Things Are” to the screen.  The premiere was on October 13th at The Lincoln Center and New York celebrated the movie’s premiere with Wild Things week.  During Wild Things Week (October 12–16), kids and their parents could find enough activities around town—including celebrity book readings, museum exhibitions, kids’ art workshops and rugged outdoor adventures—to get their imaginations running wild.

The film’s New York premiere created quite the buzz in New York and left everyone feeling completely connected with their inner child.