Author Archives: Travel Spirit

I’m in Love!

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I’m in love!  The colors in the gulf are surreal!  As promised in yesterday’s post, here are some images I captured walking to the beach and then with my zoom lens from the balcony of my condo…

Symmetry appeals to me…

Standing at the top of the steps…

These are from the balcony…

I have a Mac laptop with iPhoto and that’s what I use to tweek photos if necessary.  Most of these are the true colors that were captured.  I can’t believe how beautiful our world is!!

I’m a lucky girl!!

It was still early so I drove 4 blocks down the road to Rosemary beach, which is the cutest planned beach side development I’ve ever seen!  It’s upscale and trendy.  Not much of a night life…but there were a few places.  There was a musician singing and playing the guitar at one of the restaurant/bars that offered outside seating.

I stopped a lady walking by and asked her for suggestions.  Her name was Paige and as we were going over the options, she said I could come with her.  She was going to pick up pizzas and salad from one of the restaurants and taking it back to a friend’s home around the corner, where there were about 10 women celebrating one of them turning 50!  We had a glass of wine and then walked around the corner to the home/condo.  I really enjoyed talking with them.  I think they were surprised that Paige had picked up a visitor to bring back.  The condo was gorgeous and the women were well traveled and interesting!  Paige had attended the prestigious Vanderbilt University.  I love meeting new people and solo travel definitely encourages you to expand beyond your comfort zone!

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Historic Pensacola, Florida

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Pensacola, Florida has a lovely historic area contained within a few blocks, consisting of 27 properties, 11 of which are open to the public (for a fee).  I packed a lunch and drove the hour and 45 minutes to Pensacola from Seacrest, with no agenda or knowledge of the area.   Along the way, I passed through a variety of beach towns–Santa Rosa, Miramar, Destin, and Fort Walton.  Destin reminded me of Myrtle Beach…very commercialized with shops, restaurants, putt-putt golf…and lots more!

A stop at the Visitor’s Center and I had information about the historic area.  The Old Christ Church is located there…

I’ve never seen a green wooden fence…

I LOVE brightly colored homes with porches…

This looks to be a nice area to sit and relax…

Not sure what this is…I parked momentarily in a pay lot (but didn’t pay)…so I had to hurry.

I have a big treat for you tomorrow!  After I drove back home…I walked to the beach and have some extra special photos!

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Seacrest Beach, Florida…Ahhhh!

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I arrived in Seacrest Beach, Florida at noon Central Standard Time on the 7th after a 7 hour drive from Savannah.  I remembered I had audio books on my I-Pod which made the last couple of hours go by quickly.  Seacrest is located in between Destin and Panama City beaches…Rosemary Beach is a few blocks to the East.

I’ve never been to the Panhandle of Florida and am delighted with the area!  The sand is soooo white!  I called a few Vacation Rental By Owner (VRBO) properties and negotiated a rate of $350 inclusive of tax and cleaning for a week’s stay!  The owner even included use of her bicycle during my stay because I asked.

This isn’t their busy season, but the weather is supposed to be 70-75 degrees during the day and 50-60 degrees at night.  Perfect for walking/jogging on the beach and bicycling on the 18 mile stretch between the beach towns.

This is the view from the balcony of my studio condo.  The ocean is a couple of blocks away.

There’s a “Murphy bed” (it pulls down from the wall/hidden behind doors during the day) behind where I stood to take the photo.

After I unpacked, the hot tub was calling my name!  I basically have the place to myself.  I saw one other person walking their dog.  I hope I don’t get lonely! 😦

I know…it’s hard to feel sorry for someone in a place like this!

The grocery is located about 5 miles from the condo and I purchased my week’s supply of food.  Eggs for omelets–homemade blueberry preserves–fresh strawberries, blueberries and yogurt for smoothies–Boar’s Head Chipotle Chicken lunch meat, cheese, and freshly baked bread Italian 5 grain bread for sandwiches–crisp romaine lettuce, avocado, tomato, red bell pepper, squash, and cucumber for salads–a frozen organic Mediterranean pizza–a frozen lemon & dill wild caught salmon–baby peas–a frozen P.F. Chang’s Shrimp Lo Mein dinner–Crunchy Shrimp Sushi–and Coco Lopez cream of coconut, pineapple pieces and rum for Pina Coladas!

After putting the groceries away, I ate the Sushi for dinner and noticed the sun was getting lower in the sky.  I was informed that the beach access was 1 block East and then 1 block South, but I shimmied through the gate of a community right across the street (bad Sherry)!

Here are my photos…

Can you say…Ahhhh!

p.s.  I realized there is no oven/stove here.  She does have a George Foreman type grill, a toaster oven, and microwave!

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Tybee Island, Savannah, Georgia

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My second and final day in Savannah was spent taking a drive to Tybee Island with Sonya (my Couchsurfing host).

Located approximately 30 minutes by car from Savannah, with lots of shops and restaurants, it’s a great spot to spend the day!

As soon as we walked onto the beach, there were lots of birds!  Seagulls and Black Skimmers!  I started running alongside them so they would fly for our photos…

We walked onto the pier…

And under the pier…

It was a windy 60 degree day.  Here’s Sonya…

After leaving the beach, we stopped at some shops that had interesting items…

On the way home, our next stop was the grocery where I purchased ingredients for the dinner I was preparing!

Sonya and her husband Graham had booked an evening carriage ride in Savannah, so we had a nice tour of Downtown after dinner.  It was a little chilly, but they had blankets.  I had seen much of what we saw during my self-guided walking tour, but the Tour Guide had some interesting tid bits to share.  I didn’t know that most of Historic Downtown Savannah is built on top of a grave yard!  Unfortunately, none of my photos came out…it’s difficult to take night photos when you’re moving!

I hope you’ll keep following my adventures as I travel to the Pensacola/Destin/Panama City Beach area tomorrow!

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Savannah in a Day

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I left Alexa’s (my Couchsurfing host) at 7am to drive the 2 1/2 hours from Charleston, S.C. to Savannah, Georgia.  I parked at the Visitors’ Center (it’s free for the first hour and only $1 for each additional hour), spoke with a very nice lady about Savannah and started walking on my self-guided tour.  Before arriving, I was wondering how it would compare to Charleston.  Both are walking cities…if you don’t mind walking for a few hours.

This is the first photo I took at the Savannah College of Art and Design.  They own over 80 buildings in Savannah!

I walked about a mile down Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. to the Savannah River and turned right.  There are restaurants and shops lining the River and it extends about 10 blocks.

The weather started out in the 50’s and cloudy, but warmed up to the 60’s with some sun.  You can see the river in this shot…

This is the WWII Monument, “A World Apart“, symbolizing a world divided by war.

The steel globe is overlaid with bronze oceans and copper continents. The pathway lists the 527 Chatham County residents killed during the war.

This is the Waving Girl Monument…

I couldn’t resist asking if I could take a photo of the barbershop…(they looked at me oddly)!

A puddle of water…:)

Savannah has a variety of types of architecture.  In comparison to Charleston, the City seemed a bit run down, but still beautiful!  Historic Downtown Savannah has 22 beautiful squares with a statue or fountain and benches for sitting.

The Cathedral of St. John is massive and spectacular!  I’m not posting a photo because it’s difficult to take a photo to do it justice!  There are quite a few Churches in Savannah, but I’ll just post this one…

The Oak trees with the Spanish Moss hanging down are beautiful and are everywhere!

This stairwell caught my eye…

I drove to the home of my Couchsurfing host–Sonya, her husband Graham, and 16 yr. old son–Val.  Sonya is from Bulgaria and full of life!  We spent a couple of hours looking at her photos from Bulgaria and Belgium.  She was in the Bulgarian Army for 17 years and has only been in Savannah for two months.  Her husband is still in the Army and is leaving for Afghanistan after Thanksgiving.  I was in the Army years ago…so we all have something is common!

She made Chicken and stuffing for dinner.  Tomorrow Sonya and I are going to Tybee Island and she made a reservation for all of us to go on a carriage ride in Downtown Savannah in the evening!

See you then!

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Fun Activities in Charleston, South Carolina

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Charleston is known not only for their historic architecture in Downtown, but also their picturesque beaches!  The next two photos are from last night.  I posted so many photos yesterday, I thought I’d save a couple of them for today!

Since Alexa was driving, I was able to take a photo while crossing the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge at sunset!

As we were driving across another bridge, I asked if we could stop because the view was breathtaking…

Sunday morning we went to Yoga!  It wasn’t quite what I expected.  The instructor was a lovely lady and she gave us a good workout, but she had very strong views on not killing anything, including animals for the purpose of eating them.  During most of the 1 hour and 45 minute session, she either lectured or played tapes loudly espousing the negative karma associated with doing so!  I still enjoyed it…because I’m learning how to take what I want from situations and leave the rest.  I told Alexa I was in the mood for Steak and Shrimp after we exited the building (hee, hee)!  Actually, I was a vegetarian for about six months a few years ago.  Who knows, I may try it again!

We stopped at Harris Teeter, a local grocery store and purchased produce for a nice luncheon salad.  And we picked out a juicy roasted chicken and asparagus for dinner!  After lunch we drove to Sullivans Island…about 15 minutes from her condo and took a three-mile walk along the beach.  Here are some of the photos from our jaunt.

How did they come up with a fine of $1040?

We both loved the foot prints in the sand.  Not sure why they look raised, but we like it!

Here’s Alexa…I asked her to stand for a reflection shot…

She pointed out all of the birds surrounding a shrimping boat…

There were also a pod of Dolphins very close to the shore, frolicking in the water, that we enjoyed watching!  I don’t have a photo though!

After leaving the Island, we stopped at a Red Box and picked up the movie “Magic Mike”!  We both had heard a lot of positive reviews, but after watching it, felt it was a bit cheesy, although we did appreciate their physiques!

It was a nice Sunday and tomorrow I leave for Savannah!  I’ve really enjoyed my time here in Charleston and with Alexa!  I’m trying to play matchmaker, because she’s single, beautiful, intelligent, and personable!

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I Love Charleston

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This morning I left Alexa’s home early…about 6:30am and headed to Starbucks, where I savored a Tall Caramel Brule, while checking my e-mails and preparing a blog post.  I turned around and asked a man seated behind me a question about Charleston and we talked for a few minutes.  He was originally from Cincinnati.  The odd thing was that the day before, while sitting in traffic, with my window down, a man next to me in a vehicle asked if I was from Cincinnati.  He could tell from my plates.  Anyway…he said he used to live in West Chester (a suburb of Cincinnati) and moved to Charleston four years ago for work.  I asked if he liked it here and he said yes, especially the weather, but he missed Cincinnati sometimes.  What’s that saying…”It’s a small world”.

My next stop was the Isle of Palms beach…so I could take photos of the sunrise.  It was less than 10 minutes away, but I had to rush to make it.  I pulled into a public parking lot and ran through a condo complex to the beach.  There was a gate and a code was required.  The sun was beginning to rise as I scanned from side to side, wondering how to get to the beach.  I entertained the thought of climbing over the gate, or going through the dunes and jumping a fence, but my common sense took over.  I ran back the way I came and saw a sign that said “Public Access to beach”!  I ran down the path just in time for this…

 

After taking two photos, my SD card said “Full”!  Frantically I began looking through the photos from my trip to Africa back in May/June and deleted some of them.  (They’re already loaded onto my computer, but I like to have a backup).  Then I was able to take a few more.  Here’s one of them…

Driving across a bridge I had to stop to take a photo…

I parked along the Waterfront and started walking…

There were people scattered around the Downtown area painting…

A cool cat must live here…

The devil’s in the detail…

I think everyone loves cobblestones!

I enjoy stark–contrasting–colorful photos!

I’ve never taken a photo quite like this…I like it!

After walking for a few hours…I made my way back to the car and took a final parting shot…

It was lunch time so I drove to a recommended restaurant named “Taco Boy” and sat outside sipping a margarita and eating fish tacos!  I had driven across the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge coming from Downtown Charleston going to Mt. Pleasant (where Alexa lives) and wanted to take a photo…so I found a spot and used my zoom lens.

And this photo…

Later that evening, Alexa and I went out to eat at a restaurant called “Rita’s” at Folly Beach.  I had Shrimp and Flounder with Grits…yum yum!  Then…we went to a Couchsurfing event at someone’s house.  It was mostly 20 somethings.  Someone even called me “Mam”!  There was a fire pit out back and we stayed for about an hour.

Join me for my last day in Charleston tomorrow before driving to Savannah!

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Charleston at first glance

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I arrived in Charleston from Asheville, N.C. shortly after noon on November 2nd and stopped at the Visitor’s Center to pick up maps and information.  Finding a reasonably priced place to park can be a challenge.  Luckily, Alexa, the Couchsurfing girl I’m staying with told me about free parking at the Battery, located right on the waterfront.  I began walking from there and was so excited to begin exploring all of the beautiful architecture and landscaping!

Here are some of the treasures I found…

Paths are so intriguing…you never know where they’ll lead…similar to life!

I absolutely LOVE all of the pink hues in Charleston…

This photo is interesting to me because it’s a building with dead vines, a lit lamp, a reflection in the window and in the background to the left…a tree!

The gray, white, and black make a nice combo…

There were lots of large homes to take photos of…but more often than not…I was drawn to other buildings…

The Crape (or Crepe) Myrtle tree is found everywhere in Charleston.  They remind me of camouflage!

If you haven’t figured it out yet…I really like vines growing on buildings!

I love this outdoor lamp!

As I was walking along, a man in a suit saw my camera and commented that there was a lot to photograph in Charleston.  I agreed with him and asked if he was in real estate.  He said no, I’m an Attorney, but please don’t hold it against me.  He sounded just like Forest Gump.  When I showed him my walking tour and my next stop, he said he could walk with me part of the way, to show me where it was.  Like they say, people in the South are extra friendly!

I believe this first church is St. Philip’s Church…it had a nice cemetery!  Charleston is known as the “Holy City” because there are so many churches.  I’m told by Alexa that there are no buildings in Historic Downtown Charleston that are taller than the church spires, by City ordinance!

I had a self-guided walking tour map with me, but mainly referred to it for directions.  I’m not a big history buff, so for me it was more about taking photographs.

Alexa wasn’t getting home from her 2nd job as a dance instructor until 9pm, but I headed to her place to go through my photos, eat some soup for an early dinner and rest.  The combination of driving, walking a lot, and sleeping in unfamiliar surroundings contributed to me feeling tired!

I’ll be taking another long hike through the streets of Charleston tomorrow…see you then!

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Historic Grove Park Inn

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Karen…the lady I was Couchsurfing with…recommended visiting the Grove Park Inn.  I’m glad I did!  It reminds me of one that I saw at Glacier National Park in Montana.

The entry way is massive…

The views from the back were swept with beauty!

I stood by the stone fireplace to warm my hands.  You could fit a few people in there!

I saved the best for last…my “artsy” photo!

I went down to their spa thinking I may get a massage…wrong…$190!  Meet me in Charleston tomorrow!

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Asheville’s Amazing Architecture

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Asheville, N.C. has it all!  Amazing art, architecture, scenery, four seasons (but winter’s not too long), and friendly people!  A couple of days ago, I took a walking tour of downtown and posted about the street art.  Now…I’d like to highlight some of the architecture.

The Basilica of St. Lawrence has the largest elliptical freestanding dome in North America, unsupported by wood or steel.  An ancient Moorish technique was used to build it!  After photographing it, I crossed the street and a homeless guy said, “If you haven’t been inside you should go…it’s beautiful!”, so I went and he was right.  Plus…it gave me time to warm up and say a prayer!

I don’t always need to know the name of something to like it!

The center structure is the Vance Monument and stands tall as a symbol of tolerance!   The history behind this is truly remarkable and interesting…but lengthy…so if you’d like to read about it…here is an article!

Through the mirror of my mind…Time after time…I see reflections of you and me…

The City Building has a pink roof…how cool is that?

You can’t tell from the photo…but this is like an amphitheater…there’s seating!

I wasn’t able to visit Pack’s Tavern…but I’m sure it’s a favorite of the locals!

The Asheville Art Museum looks very “artsy”!

This building says…I can touch the sky!

I wasn’t planning on going into the Grove Arcade…but I needed a restroom.  I’m glad I did…multi-level…lots of quaint shops!

Like this one…

I spent a couple of days here and really enjoyed exploring the Town!  Tomorrow we’ll take a quick look at the historic Grove Park Inn!

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Downtown Asheville Street Art

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Asheville, North Carolina has some fun and funky street art!  Armed with an Urban Trail/Public Art Map from the Visitor’s Center,  I parked in the Wall Street lot (free for the first hour…75 cents ea additional) around 8:30am and set off to explore.  These photos aren’t in chronological order.

This is a flat iron and reflects the architecture located behind it…

Musicians busy making music…

I love entry ways…

This mural really looks like a street…

Sculpture at the Federal Building…

Sooo whimsical…

This sculpture on Haywood Street is called “Shopping Daze” and represents the time in history when Haywood Street was the region’s fashionable shopping district!

This wasn’t on the map…but it’s quite eclectic!

Richard Sharp Smith, the supervising architect of the Biltmore House, is honored by this bench and sculpture…

The following murals were also not on the map…but they’re lovely!

Last…but certainly not least…nature’s street art!

Asheville definitely has an artsy…hip vibe!  Tomorrow we’ll view some of Asheville’s amazing architecture!

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River Arts District

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The River Arts District in Asheville, North Carolina reminds me a bit of the Pendleton Arts Center in my hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio.  There are studios, galleries and restaurants located near Downtown Asheville, along the French Broad River.  Many of them are in converted warehouses.   After visiting the Biltmore Estate yesterday, I stopped in this area to check it out.

As I wandered through the buildings/studios, I would ask before I took photos.  The artists seemed to appreciate that.

These are some of the paintings that caught my eye…

If you’ve followed my blog for a while…you know I like fire escapes!

Because I’m taking such a long trip…I’m trying to be smart with my money, so I’d like to try to eat out for lunch only.  Lunch is less expensive than dinner when dining out.  Yesterday, I ate lunch at the Clingman Cafe and enjoyed  one of their special sandwiches.  It was yummy!  Then…for dinner it was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

I stopped in Downtown Asheville to see the sights and take photos…but I’d only gotten a few streets over before my camera’s battery went dead…so that’s where I’ll head today.

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Ultra Light Teardrop Camper

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Yesterday, I mentioned I went to check out something I’m thinking of buying!  It’s a Little Guy Teardrop Camper!  The manufacturer is located in Massillon, Ohio and they’re built by Amish craftsmen.  You can find a dealer in 35 of the States.

These used to be popular back in the 50’s and have just recently begun to take off again because of the high gas prices.  Weighing in under 1000 lbs., most vehicles, even small cars like my Honda Civic, can tow them!  Although my car is rated to tow 1000 lbs., when you get all of your stuff into one, I’d prefer to be under that weight!

I want to take a road trip…stay for free occasionally in Wal-Mart parking lots…when I’m not staying at campgrounds.  Perhaps through North Carolina to the coast…down to Charleston…Savannah…Destin Beach, Florida…New Orleans and then on down to Florida.  My friends laugh when I say I might stay in Wal-Mart parking lots!

This is the Silver Shadow model.  It has the most features and the largest price tag.

The 5-Wide Platform is 5-ft. wide inside (imagine that)–queen size bed–and as you can see has a sink and built-in propane stove.

The Little Guy Joey weighs in at less than 500 lbs. and at $5,000 is quite affordable.  The kitchen counter folds down when not in use.  The dimensions of this one are 4’x7′ with a full size bed… so when I laid down in it my feet were hitting the kitchen table (remember I’m 5’11” tall).  They make a 4’x8′, but I think it’s a bit too small and I would rather have a sink.

This is the silver shadow interior…

After scouring the internet for a couple of days, I found the Nestegg Campers out in California.  They weigh 700 lbs. and range in price, depending upon extras, from $10,000 to $11,000.  You have to wait a couple of months for them to make one for you.

Serro Scotty is very similar to the following Prolites below, but they weigh 960 lbs. and I’m trying to keep it below 800!

There’s a company in Canada called Prolite and I was really excited to find them.  As you can see from the below brochure, you can cook and do dishes inside and they have a lot of standard features.  I like the idea of being able to put your feet on the floor inside.

The Eco is $15,000 (Canadian dollars) (750 lbs.), but the Cool 13 is only $12,500 and 850 lbs.  Those prices are including the extra $1500 they charge for misc.

There is an even lighter model called the Suite that looks similar to the Eco, weighs 550 lbs. and is only $8,500.00.

Here’s the inside…

I would have to drive 9 hours to Canada to pick it up.  What’s a girl to do?

P.S.  I’m also thinking of just taking my trusty tent and camping!

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Thurman’s Cafe in Columbus, Ohio

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My annual Girl’s Weekend was in Columbus, Ohio this year.  It’s only one and one-half  hours drive there from Cincinnati, but I had a great time…as usual!  For the past five years we’ve been going to Cities…Nashville, Indianapolis, Louisville, and Lexington!  Anyway, this Cafe was made famous on the travel channel show–“Man vs. Food“.  They’re known for their huge hamburgers!

Every square inch of the interior was filled with an interesting mix of signs, games, art, and photos!

The four of us split two burgers and they were deeelicious!

We stayed at “The Residence Inn by Marriott” in a two bedroom suite in the heart of downtown and loved it!

The decor was modern, stylish and functional…

Although we only used the kitchen to make coffee and to make sandwiches for lunch one day, it’s nice to have!

Let the games begin!!

 

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Meetup.com…Wine in Mt. Adams

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Meetup.com is a great way to meet people.  I was divorced about five years ago and  wanted to meet more single people my age, so I joined a hiking meetup and enjoyed that so much, began to join a number of the meetups.   No matter what your interest, there is almost assuredly a meetup for that!

Last night I attended a wine meetup in Mt. Adams, Ohio.  The venue, “Mount Adams Pavilion” overlooks Downtown Cincinnati and has a really cool interior.  I took quite a few photographs and really enjoyed seeing friends!  Over 100 people had signed up…but usually about 60% show up.

This fountain is located around the corner from the bar and seemed to have a lot of life radiating from it…

The walls inside the bar were painted by artists and as you can see…there were a lot of sexy women portraits…

I really loved the vibe and creative energy in the rooms…

 

The lighting was perfect…a variety of colors and more subdued!

 

The deck in the back has a wonderful view of the Ohio River and a portion of downtown.  You’ll notice that most people have a name tag on.  It may seem silly, but it definitely helps you remember names!

As dusk arrived, the view was spectacular!

The lighting on the street reminded me of Christmas!  Definitely gives you a warm feeling…

Get out and meet people!

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