Tourism chiefs in Lanarkshire launch a plan aimed at attracting more visitors to the region in the coming years…. From BBC News. Full story

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I won a 2 night stay at this beautiful new posh resort called Parkside in downtown Victoria and we loved it so much we stayed an extra night.   This is an urban vacation resort that I’d have no problems recommending to my family, friends and colleagues.  They are very service oriented and they are also very respectful of your privacy at the same time.  We have stayed at ‘fancy’ places before but some of them we never returned to due to snobby or bad service.  We were treated very well and had a great experience during our stay there.   Parkside’s run by Aviawest and it is targeting LEED® Platinum Certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design; Green Building Rating System and principles of sustainability).  A lofty but very responsible business model and goal.  I have more respect for companies who are environmental and/or socially responsible.

We were impressed by the beautiful outside facade and the landscaping work before we had entered the building.   If you’re environmentally conscious you’ll also love that their underground parking lot is already set up for electric cars with chargers on the walls; the lot is also heated.

We checked in the evening of November 26th and were greeted by two young staff members.  Our check-in agent was very friendly and took the time to give us a briefer on the resort’s layout.  She also gave us information on the art show that was happening in the resort’s atrium area that evening and updated us on what movie was playing in the private theatre as well.

Our suite had contemporary and comfortable furniture and everything was as clean as expected for a brand new resort.  The suite featured 2 gas fireplaces; one in the living room and one in the bedroom with remote controls for setting the temperature.   The kitchen has all brand new appliances including a full stove/ranges, microwave oven, new fridge with a freezer that has compartments, a dishwasher and an electric kettle.  There is also an in-suite washing machine in one of the side closets.  Just off from the kitchen is the first bathroom; this one had a shower.  The main bathroom is accessed from the bedroom and featured a deep bathtub that is big enough to fit two people.  The bed is very comfortable and the sheets were fit for royalty.  For entertainment you can get your fix with either one of the two flat screen TVs in the suite.  A large one is in the living room and a smaller one is mounted in the bedroom.  The suite has a nice sized deck and you’re protected from harsh weather conditions by the surrounding buildings and walls.

After we settled and unpacked we decided to head down to check out the pool and hot tub facilities.  I had gone down to the atrium a bit earlier to see the art show there.   My partner isn’t as keen about viewing art so he stayed in the suite while I went to look and talk with the artists.  The first place we entered as we went to the pool was the changing area.  The change rooms were immaculate and there are lockers for guests to use but you’ll need your own padlock if you want to secure your items.  There were only 3 other people using the facilities when we went down the first evening.  Dean and I both enjoyed the hot tub area but we both found the pool to be a tad too cold to stay in for too long.  It would be lovely if the pool temperature was increased by a few degrees for a more comfy indoor swimming experience.   What I loved most about the pool and hot tub is the fact that they are both high in ozone and low in chlorine.   I’m pretty sensitive to chemicals like chlorine and usually have red eyes or some kind of irritation when I use facilities that have a high chlorine content.  Neither of us had any physical irritation after using Parkside’s facilities!  There’s only 10% chlorine in the pool and hot tub so it didn’t even bother me that much when some water went up my nose!

The next day my parents and my friend Tina came to visit me at the resort.  While we were chatting in the suite I received a call from the concierge, Jeff, asking me if I was interested in a tour of the resort.  I thought it would be a fab way to learn more about it and invited my parents and friend to come on the tour with me while Dean was at work.   Our tour guide was Jonathan, a friendly young man, and he did a nice job of showing us the features.  We loved the atrium and lobby areas; both are furnished and decorated beautifully and plants are abundant.  The Penthouse lounge and patio were wonderful and although we didn’t spend too much time up there we thought it would be a great place to gather with other guests and friends.  The waterfalls in and outside the resort are a great way to numb one against the downtown traffic noise; it’s like sleeping while there is a rainstorm outside.   Dean and I will most likely be back at the resort next Spring or Summer to see what has changed since our initial visit.  I’m looking forward to seeing how the roof top patio gardens bloom and smell – apparently there is a lot of lavendar plants up there and it will be a ’scentual’ heaven come Spring!

Two features of the resort that I wish we had spent more time using were the private movie theatre and the fitness room.  We didn’t have time to utilize all the features available but that is even more reason to go back there for another staycation/respite time.

What I wished that Parkside offered or would change:

1] In-room menus of local restaurants for guests who wish to order in food
2] In house restaurant or cafe that offered breakfast; apparently there’s a cafe being built on the lower level but I’m unsure if that will offer full breakfasts
3] Telephone directories in each suite – there was none in ours nor in the suites of some other guests we talked to while there
4] Increasing the temperature of the pool so it is more comfortable to swim in
5] Bathrobes for guests
6] Staycation packages for locals

I love staycations because I’m a caretaker for a disabled parent, am disabled myself and sometimes just need a short break from the daily stress/responsibilities.  Staycations allow me to remain close to home in case there’s an emergency to be attended to and they definitely cut down on transportation expenses.  Try out Parkside for your next vacation or staycation – you won’t regret it!

Ed Gein?  Maybe yes, maybe no.

Jeffrey Dahmer?  Probably.

The 14-year old boy who was brutally killed in Whitnall Park?  Yes.

You won’t be surprised to discover that, in the course of researching Haunt Spots, I run across a lot of murders.  Sometimes, it’s a fit of passion that ended tragically.  Sometimes, it’s more extreme — as illustrated by these first two names.

If the crime occurred long ago, the energy of the area may have become tolerable and the crime has passed into folklore.  There’s no magic number of years, though.  The boy mentioned earlier was killed in 1974, but there will need to be many more years before his story could be considered for a Haunt Spot.  The energy is too painful.  His story is too heart-breaking.

There are still plenty of bullys to encounter.  On the “A No Safe Haven Caper” tour, Explorers go through a mini-cleansing before leaving one Haunt Spot.  It’s for their well-being and my conscience.  No-one wants that meanie to follow you home.

Conscience does make cowards of us all, Hamlet, Act III Sc. 1.   Hey!  I’m not a coward!  My conscience is a personal gauge of right and wrong.  Far be it from me to censor anyone, but I’m responsible for the quality of your experience.  It’s my job to help Explorers have a good time.  If I think a Haunt Spot is too dark or too fresh, I’ll ask other opinions.  Thus far, the opinions have all agreed.  There are a few locations that you may never see.

They aren’t my stories, but I get to tell them.  I do so with a sense of adventure but also a sense of care.  So, no you don’t get all the haunts.  Some should be left, if not in peace, in respectful solitude.

For now.

Happy Haunts,

Susan

Contemplating whether to staycate or vacate? Remaining at home for recreation may not be as easy as it seems. Even if you are able to ignore the usual demands and responsibilities, just feeling their pull and mustering the energy to resist them can be draining in and of itself. Even worse is the temptation to stick with what’s familiar, rather than challenge and stimulate yourself and your family with new experiences. Don’t let the following myths keep you at home:

1) Staycations are easier than “real” vacations.
When most of us dream about getting away from it all, we actually mean we want to get away from it – all of it – even for just a few days. We can’t completely relax or recharge with all the distractions and responsibilities embedded into our usual surroundings. That’s why many people who could work at home choose not to: They know they don’t have enough discipline to stay on task. When the task becomes something that’s supposed to be fun – like vacationing at home – most of us find it very difficult to say “no” to things like checking email, paying bills, answering the phone, doing errands, etc. and what should be a week or even just a weekend off, turns into a few hours, at best. We may even revert to our usual paths of least resistance, ie our familiar and not really optimal ways of unwinding – like vegging in front of the TV. Thus, taking ourselves out of our usual routines when we remain in our usual surroundings is actually more difficult. And, if you tend to be super-disciplined, it can become even harder to “staycate” – and the temptation to just “check in” at work gets to be too great.

2) Staycations provide the same benefits as “real” vacations.
Part of the joy of traveling is meeting other people who are also away from their usual lives and being able to share experiences with them. That won’t happen if most of us start taking staycations. Going elsewhere on vacation is a wonderful way to keep ourselves stimulated by new challenges and exposure to new surroundings and ideas. Getting away from home and from what’s familiar, removing ourselves from our comfort zones is a necessary part of growth. Sharing new, foreign experiences and adventures also binds us as families and as a national culture. We can read about diversity, and try to teach our kids about it, but unless we go out and experience it, we’ll never truly understand different peoples and cultures. And, what a shame if we don’t get a chance to come back to our homes and share what we’ve seen and experienced with friends, neighbors and co-workers who have themselves, traveled other places.

3) It’s environmentally irresponsible to drive somewhere just for a vacation.

It’s interesting that this issue is only coming up because the price of gas has increased – it’s not like the effect on the environment of burning fuel suddenly became a bad thing. But now that we are all suffering along with our planet, people are taking a righteous stand whenever someone “wastes” energy. It’s important to remember that on vacation, each spouse is not commuting to work daily in separate cars – let alone even more mileage used if the kids drive vehicles of their own. If gas prices worry you, consider going somewhere that has good public transportation. Or, if traveling by car, rent an energy efficient one, or bicycles for the entire family to use once you get to your destination. What about taking the train? The solution to the energy crisis shouldn’t be to do away with our mobility, it should be to develop the technology and the means to stay mobile, and use whatever best alternatives are available to us now. The more demands we make on our current modes of energy efficient transportation, the better and more widely available they will become.

Confession — it’s all about the day.  Sunny day, everything is sharp.  Cloudy day, everything is movie-set atmospheric.  Either way, we win.

Another confession — It was this time of year when I got hooked on researching Wisconsin haunts.  Night time chill didn’t matter because we went out during the day.  The natural atmosphere of some of the places we explored was ramped up to the nth degree when combined with the look of bare trees or the dusky cloud cover.  Those impressions are such a part of my memory that when I re-visit a Haunt Spot later, I’m often surprised at the difference.  If a place has got it, it’s got it — but this time of year is special.

Be Brave and Happy Haunts,

Susan

Downtown San Diego is awesome!  The Gaslamp Quarter and Sea Port Village area are alive with people eating, sightseeing, dancing, and my personal favorite people watching.  Over the Thanksgiving weekend Alisa and I were blessed with a staycation.  My brother and sister-in-law took both of our kids for the long weekend giving us plenty of time to relax and do a couple of things we wouldn’t otherwise do.

We try to get a weekend away at least once or twice a year to reconnect and recharge our marriage.  The last time we had an overnight without the kids was in July when Alisa and I attended a marriage conference in Indian Wells.  We always head out of town for such an occasion, but this time we decided to forgo the cost of a hotel and stay at home.  We instead splurged on some great food at Croce’s Restaurant where the sounds of Yavaz, a latin jazz band played with gusto while we ate.  Afterwards we walked along 5th street enjoying the sights and sounds of the Gaslamp.

The following morning we lazed around the house enjoying the quiet that comes with not having kids around.  With rain coming down on and off all day we decided to head to the USS Midway Museum.   All I can say is wow!!!  We spent close to 3 hours on the USS Midway and didn’t see the whole ship.  After being aboard the USS Midway I have a new appreciation for all of our servicemen and women who protect and serve us with their lives.  Thank you to each and everyone of you.

That evening we attended church before heading to The Barrel Room.  Another fine restaurant with a very relaxed atmosphere.  Alisa and I decided to sit on a comfortable leather couch as we talked and ate our dinner.  There is just something about hanging out on a couch side-by-side eating a meal.  The Seared Ahi Salad was simple and tasty while the garlic fries added a good kick to the meal.

Sunday came and we were off to Los Angeles to pick up the kids.  The joy of seeing them again was fantastic and the quality time spent with Alisa allows us to be the lovers and parents that we are called to be.

So to sum up the weekend:

Dinner at Croce’s: $80
Tickets for the Midway tour:  $30 (AAA discount, use it if you have it)
Dinner at the Barrel Room:  $6 (with a $25 gift certificate)
Not staying in a hotel:  (-$250)

A weekend to rejuvenate our marriage:  PRICELESS

Are you ready for a staycation?  Take the Lead and make it happen for you and your spouse.

Tony

Tools ‹ Haunt Spots Tours — WordPress.

Think it’s too late to book a vacation at a decent price this holiday season? Maybe not.

The Louvre, Paris. I.M Pei's signature glass pyramid serves as the canopy from an underground arcade that includes retail, restaurants, and two Metro stops, not to mention the entrance to the Louvre itself!

Labor Day came, and you waited. Halloween passed, but you waited. Thanksgiving came and went, and still you waited. Now Christmas at hand and you figure it’s too late to book a holiday trip for less than extortionary rates, right? Not necessarily.

Under most circumstances, your best bet is to book sooner rather than later. Sometimes, though, it pays to wait, right up to the last possible moment.

Last-minute travel is a gamble. The stakes are your vacation. Play your cards right and you can come away with a great trip at a great savings.

The key is flexibility, and I mean total flexibility.

VACATION or “STAYCATION?”
Can you leave on short notice? Can you leave and/or return in the middle of the week? Are you willing to use a smaller airport a little farther from home? Can you go a couple of days earlier or later than your original plans called for? Willing to go a long way for a short stay?

If the answer to those questions is yes, you could be in line for some jaw-dropping bargains. On the other hand, if things don’t fall exactly your way, your vacation just became a “staycation.”

That’s the risk you take, and clearly, a gamble of this size is not for everyone.

Many of us are tied to work or class schedules that leave no wiggle room when it comes to travel. The airlines, hotel chains and resorts are fully aware of that, which explains why they jack their rates sky-high during the holiday periods.

Still, when it comes to holiday travel, airlines, hotels and the like aren’t much different from your family during Christmas dinner: Everybody wants to be full. And to get that nice, satisfied “full” feeling, many of them are willing to drop prices on remaining seats, rooms or trip packages.

WEEKEND IN PARIS
This is one of the reasons why you can have three people sitting in the same row in the same class on the same plane on the same day — and no two of them paid the same price for their seat.

Here’s an example from one site, lastminute.com. Leaving from Los Angeles (LAX), a weekend in Paris…this weekend…air, hotel, taxes, everything. When I first clicked on it, it was $996. In the time it took me to click on a different window on my computer and come back to it second later, it had dropped to $956. It could go up again just as fast — and two hours later, it did, to $967 — but that’s not really the point.

So what is the point?

Go to Air France and book an LAX-Paris (CDG) flight for those same days — no hotel, only the flight — and you’ll be paying $4,041. That presumes you’re lucky enough to score the last remaining seats on the cheapest available return flight. If you’re not, the price goes up to $4,606.

CRUISING FOR STEALS
And yes, that’s in Coach. I’d tell you what the Business or First Class fares are for those same days, but I can’t give you CPR through the computer.

Last-minute booking also can yield you a bargain just as big or even bigger on cruises, especially if you live in or close to a port like Miami, New York, New Orleans or Long Beach. If you don’t, there’s a monumental catch that can undo the whole thing.

If you have to fly somewhere to meet your ship, and there are no cheap last-minute airfares left to that destination, any savings on your last-minute cruise booking could be wiped out by the cost of the flights.

The same can hold true with land-based resorts in sun-friendly winter locales like the Caribbean and the Pacific islands. If the last-minute bargain rates doesn’t include airfare, odds are it won’t be a bargain at all.

LOOK AROUND…FAST!
So how do you find the last-minute deals? Same way you find anything else in travel: Shop around. You just may have to do it a little faster this time.

There are Web sites that specialize in this form of vacationing, and their very names will tell you pretty much which ones they are. You’ll find some of them listed on the Cool Travel Sites page.

In addition, airlines, cruise lines, hotels and resorts may offer their own last-minute fare sales, as well as reservation sites that don’t necessarily specialize in last-minute bargains.

As always, ask plenty of questions and know exactly where you stand before you put your money down. One of the disadvantages of last-minute travel is that you’ve got virtually zero time to do damage control if something goes wrong with your reservations, so it’s imperative that you get everything right the first time.

Now that you know some of what to look for, why not prowl the Web a little bit and see what kind of last-minute travel deals you can track down, just for the experience, the practice, the fun? So what if you can’t actually go this time?

Paris — and the rest of the world’s great destinations — will still be there next weekend.

I went to Brighton for a day at the seaside on Sunday, damn was the weather rough.  As soon as I turned the corner onto the coast road I was pushed back by the wind and literally felt bruised by the rain.  The sea was crazy rough with the highest waves that I have ever seen in the UK.  In fact higher waves than I saw in California this summer.  Pretty intense.

Here’s a taster, obviously other cooler pictures will feature in an obligatory facebook album that shall appear at a later date.

Stand by for a real blog entry tomorrow.

in a bid to launch dark tourism in Guyana to follow-up with another brilliant initiative called stayathomecation minister of tourism industry and commerce in the presence of US Charge d’Affaires Karen Williams ended it all with a potent dose of cool-aid at Jonestown site. he was last heard screaming I love you Jim Jones, I love you!! Jim Jones had a bipolar manic depressive personality[and was also a] bisexual behavior.
he leaves behind two drug runnning sons, navin and ravi. navin also murdered rajendra jailall while driving drunk and was miraculously never locked up.

Manniram Prashad moments before taking his own life in a Jonestown cyanide & rat poison laced cool-aid drinking reenactment

Like many Americans, you won’t be electing to fly this holiday, but don’t expect gas prices to be your friend. The American Automobile Association is reporting the price of gas will increase for the third straight year this year.

They are saying gas prices will be about 70 cents a gallon more this year than this time last Thanksgiving. Still, most people (inclusing this writer) will not be deterred. Despite gas hikes, and traffic, I think, if its an option, the Road is the way to go.

Welcome to part 3 of 3.  LM and her crew of intrepid Haunt Spots Explorers have made their personal paranormal connections and are inspired to think of those who’ve affected them…

“One of our group members has suggested that next Dia De Los Muertos, (not today, unfortunately, because it’s a bit too last minute,) we go back out there for a proper Day of the Dead picnic. I asked if this means we have to cook for 4,000 and she laughed and said no — just as long as we have SOMETHING there for them to pay them proper memory and respect. I pointed out that they probably don’t eat much anyway, what with being transparent and all.

All in all, the entire group agreed that it was a fantastic day, and couldn’t stop talking about how the person who decided not to go with us was silly and had missed out on an amazing experience. I was so happy to have been able to share that day with them, and to make them all so happy too. Like I said, things that I try to organize generally don’t go well — parties, excursions, adventures, etc. But this worked out VERY well. (Oh yes…thanks for including nearest addresses and GPS coordinates on the itinerary, as well as descriptions of the area. In classic “me” fashion, I got us lost at least once on the way to every single location, but we were still able to find our way there.)

Thank you so much for this, and I hope to post our pictures soon. (You will LOVE the one of our youngest expedition member at the EB, suddenly struck by a “writer” moment where she just HAD to sit down and take out her notebook.)

Happy November to you, and thanks again on behalf of my friends for a fantastic Halloween!”

– LM

(PS from Susan…  No, LM — Thank YOU!  And, by the by — the spirits of PF are happy to have met you and your friends.  They look forward to your next visit.)

And, LM’s Halloween Haunt Spots Exploration continues…

(More ghoOOOOOOOOOOoooosts!)

After WP, we stopped for food at this AMAZING Indian restaurant about 6 miles away from the park. Tiny place, looked kinda sketchy from the outside, but it was incredible. (Royal India Restaurant. Tell your friends.) Two of our group pulled out a notebook and started an impromptu Nepali / Hindi language lesson, which our waiter eavesdropped on and must have decided he liked us. We all got free chai and a free appetizer.

I wasn’t sure how much further our group would want to continue, seeing as it was cold and dark and at least two of them were not wearing appropriately warm footwear or coats. I asked them if they wanted to continue to the last location, or just skip it and go home now that we were all warm and full of comfy food. They all insisted they wanted to continue.

PF was by far the most active place we went. By the time we got there, it was well past nightfall, though the moon provided some decent light. (Oh — and we met up with another Caper tour! We met this couple at WP and asked them to take our picture, then encountered them again at PF. This was just WAY too much coincidence, so I asked if they were on your tour and they said yes. Our skeptic, on the other hand, insisted that they were “ghoOOOOOOOOOOoooosts!”)

Walking out into PF was a bit creepy for several of us, simply by virtue of the fact that we knew we were walking over unmarked graves. We got to John Schwab’s headstone at the center and stood there for awhile, talking and taking a few pictures, and then I stopped and realized something.

I realized we were alone. Just the six of us. Ordinarily, this wouldn’t have been a particularly profound thought, except what I realized was that this entire time, I had been feeling as though we were standing in the middle of a crowd. It was so matter-of-fact that I hadn’t questioned it before, but at that time I stopped to think about it. This was not, in fact, a crowded plaza — but it sure felt like one. I asked if anyone else had the same feeling and they all immediately responded that yes, they did — they just hadn’t wanted to mention it, or weren’t sure how.

All except our skeptic, of course. In stark contrast to us, he said he felt VERY alone — like his back was exposed, and someone was about to steal his wallet. He was exceptionally creeped out, and I think it was pure politeness to the rest of us that kept him from demanding that we leave right then.

Then, as soon as we crossed outside the fence surrounding the field, the feeling went away. For all of us.

(to be concluded in part the third)

What are you sitting around reading blogs for? Today is a beautiful Sunday all over the United States (thank you weather.com!) Then there’s the dilemma. You can’t figure out which one is tighter: your money or your time. And while the thought of getting out and playing with your  family today sounds just like what the doctor ordered, you find yourself sitting at home, yet again because of these two factors. On and on this downward spiral goes…

Never fear friends….there are gajillions of things you can do right now, many ideas of which yours truly will post here in the coming weeks. Frankly, the ideas are just what they are- ideas. Anyone can have them- the real trick here is to actually DO IT! So please, Gentle Reader, consider this post your official KICK IN THE PANTS; think of me as your family-play-drill-sergeant. So FALL IN SOLDIER!

Staycation Idea:

Our national parks are perhaps our most valued treasure. Anyone who caught the Ken Burns series on PBS recently knows that. Now take itto the next dimension: visit your nearest national park with your family this weekend. To find the one nearest to you, visit the official website here.

Welcome to our newest Guest Blogger “LM” — now known as the Infamous LM of Haunt Spots Tour Leader Extraordinaire fame.

LM has shared her wonderful write up of their Halloween Haunt Spots ghost tour exploration.  Enjoy, part the first …

(ghoOOOOOOOOOOoooost!   —  read on, you’ll get it…)

EB from A Hard Luck and Loss Caper

Susan –

We had an absolutely fantastic Halloween expedition! The entire group was thrilled to have had a day like last Saturday, and I was thrilled that something I planned actually worked out for once.

We ended up having one too many people to all fit in one car, so we split into two cars and then just regrouped at the parking lot of each location to huddle in my car and listen to the audio CD. Our token skeptic had a lot of fun chiming in with “

OoOoOoOo…!” at various moments, as well as mimicking fake ghost coughing at appropriate locations. He also declared that, since it was Halloween, we couldn’t just say “ghost” — we had to say it “ghoOOOOOOOOOOoooost!” All day long. Every three seconds. Every rock, tree, and twig we came across was somehow a “ghoOOOOOOOOOOoooost!” Likewise, I assured him that it was a “ghoOOOOOOOOOOoooost” that kicked him in the shins repeatedly, rather than me. (No worries,though — it was all in good fun. After we were done for the night and headed home, he asked if we could please put the audio CD back in so he could listen to all the stories about the places we had just been. I asked if he wanted to skip past the M one, since we didn’t actually go there, and he said no — he wanted to hear it.)

The first two places we stopped, we didn’t find much in the way of activity. Rather, we just soaked up the absolute October beauty of it all. At least two of our explorers wanted to stay there for hours, I think, and thanked me repeatedly for bringing them there. We had one unexplained experience at WP — ironically, witnessed by our skeptic. Four of our group had continued down the path by the waterside, while two of us remained behind to take more pictures. As we went to catch up with the others, the skeptic reported that he’d seen a reflection of a person in the water and assumed it was us — but upon looking up, couldn’t see us approaching from where he stood. We thought maybe it was a trick of the angle or the brush obscuring the path and tried recreating it later, but we couldn’t.

(to be continued…)

At a recent gabfest of Caper Company Researchers and Explorers, we told spooky and fun tales of our Haunt Spots experiences.   As we chatted, a thread emerged.  It became obvious that each person had an individual primary type of experience or interaction.  This primary type of experience was not the only thing that happened to people, but it seemed more predominant than others.

It comes as no surprise that if you’re in tune with atmosphere, one sensitivity will exhibit itself more often.  There are Caper Company Researchers who always seem to capture EVP’s or unexplained phenomena in photos.  There are Explorers who hear things, smell things, feel things… you name the sense or experience and there’s someone who tunes into it.   I’m going to call this your Personal Primary Paranormal Sensitivity – or PPPS, for short.

I’ve had various odd things happen when researching Haunt Spots.  For me, a common phenomena is buzzing from electrical interference.  How about you?  What’s your PPPS?  If it doesn’t immediately spring to mind, think about your answer to the question, “What’s your ghost story?”   How do you tell your story?  Is it of strange noises?  Have you ever captured something on film?  That may be your primary sensitivity.

So, I’ve told you mine.  What’s yours?

Happy Haunts,

Susan

Just because you aren’t going somewhere exotic this year doesn’t mean you have to suffer in your dining choices.  Many of us travel far and wide for a good bite, yet are completely unaware of the options that are all around us every day, bringing attention to how even our local restaurants develop their menus to appeal to what we want.  I would compare this behavior to the example of residents of Manhattan who have never visited the Empire State Building.

Many of us eat lunch when at work, but how many actually enjoy lunch?  When visiting Chicago this year, I couldn’t get enough of the numerous small dining options available in the shopping district of the Miracle Mile; yet the locals seemed to be gravitating towards the more well known brands.  One can’t help but to roll one’s eyes at another diner waiting in line for a $5.00 foot long sub when another block away there is the best little German restaurant with a $5.00 lunch counter serving heaping portions of sausages, braised meats, salads, and sandwiches in 2 minutes or less with a smile and a sincere “thank you.”

On a recent trip to the San Francisco Bay, I stumbled into a foodie’s paradise of gourmet shops in the Ferry Building.  This area of the wharf was (just as it sounds) a former ferry building; now converted into what I believe must be heaven on earth for gourmands the world around.  There were artisanal cheese shops, salami stores with hand cranked meat slicers, groceries serving hand-picked fruit and melons, and lots and lots of cafes.  I wondered if the locals even knew about this place that I wished I could take with me in my suitcase back home with me.  These gourmet markets aren’t essential to a good meal, but when you are eating an aged prosciutto and ciabatta sandwich with arugula, olive oil and aged parmesan shavings with a side of fries cooked in duck fat; it’s easy to say they can’t hurt.

Welcome to the World!  Introducing our newest Haunt Spots tour, “A No Safe Haven Caper”.  All new audio stories and adventures await the final key ingredient — You.

In this newest exploration of Wisconsin’s ghosts, you will experience a haunt so deeply rooted that the spirits moved with the buildings, trek haunted trails with their own legend trip, and investigate a tragic road to nowhere.  This tour includes one Bonus Haunt Spot — a haunted theatre.

Details…

Time of Day / Access:  All destinations are accessible during daytime hours.  The first destination must be explored by 9:00 pm, and the third and fourth by 10:00 pm.  Explorers must be able to walk uneven terrain and to cover at least 1 mile in distance. Exploring after dark will require flashlights – and a big sense of adventure.  Estimated total tour length is 3.5 to 5 hours.  We suggest that you arrive at your first Haunt Spot no later than 6:30 pm.

General Tour Area:  The tour route begins approx 15 minutes west of Milwaukee and then heads southwest down I-94.

Starting Points:  Caper Company provides directions from Milwaukee, Waukesha, Madison, Mequon, Racine, and West Bend.  Other starting points are easily available upon request.

Special Tour Price: Only $26.00 per downloaded itinerary.  Offer expires 12/31/09.

Click the link to hear an audio snippet for the first destination on “A No Safe Haven Caper”.

Happy Haunts,

Susan Scot Fry

Caper Company Tours LLC — What’s Your Ghost Story?

Today you should take five minutes to imagine something that you would want to do if you were a tourist in your own city.  This could range from cheesy (go to a small, local historical museum) to epic (all-day hike).  Pick something to do this weekend, set a date and time, and then call five of your friends and invite them along.  This should take another 10-15 minutes.  – Nora Hoxha and Andrew Samtoy

A Garden For All: Creating Happy Places

Perhaps it’s the full moon. Or maybe it’s the change in weather. It could be economy. Maybe because it’s autumn. Maybe it’s the news I watched on TV this morning. Maybe it’s….

…maybe it’s just me.

Do you ever have one of those days when you don’t want to stay in your own skin?

Well that would be the kind of day where you need a happy place to go to.

Oh, Aruba! Take us now! PLEASE.

That would be nice right about now, wouldn’t it? To just to take off for a day, a week, or two, whenever you like? For some of us, that idea can be as far away as, well, Aruba.

So, let’s bring it back here. Let’s bring it to right now. Where is your happy place?

Here’s how we did a quick change from Halloween to haven, using (you guessed it) a miniature garden:

We took a centerpiece that was made for Halloween – it was a miniature greenhouse carved out of ghost pumpkin. We cut the pumpkin in half, and carved windows into the top half to make it look like a greenhouse, more or less. We planted some young starts, moss and grasses that love to be indoors, into the bottom half. We added couple of mini pumpkins, a tea light, a wee bench to sit on, and a couple of tombstones and created a very haunted mini garden for a centerpiece for the Halloween table.

And now, we want to turn that into a happy place, and pack up the Halloween décor until next year.

(Keep in mind that this is planted in a pumpkin and will only last a couple/few of weeks so go ahead and have some fun!)

We took out the tea light out and put in a wee pool with that lovely Caribbean blue color. (We are coming Aruba! Hold on!) Added miniature garden art: a rusted fish stake. Poured a beach on one side of the pond with some superfine sand. Borrowed an idea from Thryza (the Terrarium Artist in my previous blog post), and sprinkled in some tiny beads to add some sparkle and zest to the scene. Found some tiny shells  – and oh, don’t forget a log to sit on!

Ahhhh, now isn’t that better? Now, you can escape anytime you like.

Plants used:
- Variegated Boxwood, Buxus sempervirens ‘Variegata’
- Miniature Sweet Flag, Acorus gramineus ‘Pusillus’
- 2 different mosses found growing on soil.

Hey, I’m just beta testing here.  Now’s not the time for a paranormal experience.  Oh, yeah?

Last night, we were checking out the final destination in Caper Company’s newest tour “A No Safe Haven Caper” – scheduled to debut on Thursday.  We need to make sure that the written directions will get you where you need to go, that the Caper is all do-able, etc. Check — check — check.  Couple tweaks here and there and it’s looking good.  We’re on track to get this baby off the launching pad. 

(actual stream of consciousness) “Oookaaay…  what’s that smell?  OMG!  It’s the smell I described in this tour at this destination.  Is it?  Yes, it is!  It’s an honest to goodness confirmation of one of the reports of paranormal activity for this Haunt Spot.  Yes!  Wait!  Augh!  Get me out of here!  Hey, does Ron smell that too?  Yes!  Wait!  He never detects anything paranormal.  Does that mean that this place is especially potent or … what?  Who cares!  Get me out of here!”

This experience reminded me of something one Caper Company fan wrote to me recently about how it doesn’t matter how many time she visits this Haunt Spot destination — something always seems to happen.  Ditto.

When you least expect it.

What’s Your Ghost Story?

Susan

When last we met up with our Guest Haunts Blogger “E”, they had intrepidly faced their whole tour.  Join us for the conclusion of this expedition…

10:00pm
We headed back to our rendezvous point.  It was warm by the fire, and we gladly partook of cookies and beverages and gushed excitedly about our evening’s adventures.  Next time I’m taking more people, and I’m going earlier in the evening, right up until dusk!  Going in the dark was great and creepy, but we couldn’t actually see very many details, and we couldn’t ignore the real risk of being three girls out at night in secluded, unlit areas.

I loved the tour so much! It was totally worth it (even though we ended up skipping #3), and it was so much creepier than I anticipated.  We went in with a “yes!” attitude, and we ended up laughing at ourselves more and more as it got scarier.  And we didn’t have to do any work or research ahead of time – everything in the tour package was ready to go and user-friendly. I haven’t felt this spontaneous and adventuresome in a long time!  Thanks, Caper Company!

Thank you, E!

And my reality is this:  I cannot keep up with two blogs!

I have decided that my first and original blog, My Living Canvas, needs a little brightness and I have decided to pull all the Bright Side blogs back over to My Living Canvas.

While this change will redirect you to a new web site, rest assured the Brightness will Continue!  I love blogging about bright things and this new venture has really caused me to notice things I would not have otherwise picked up on before so I promise the brightness will continue on over at My Living Canvas.

Thanks for being a part of My Brightness!  :)

Ms. Poure:
This summer (before I got laid off) I was at the pool of the hotel we were vacationing. (That was back when we could afford to “vacation”! Now, we will be all about the “staycation” mixed with the almost always “no-cation”.)

I was doing basic “mom” stuff – dealing with the kids. DH was doing basic “DH” stuff – nothing. I kept busy keeping track of the offspring’s toys, playing with them in the pool, making sure they had sunscreen and didn’t drown. All that stuff. DH, on the other hand was busy lounging. Here’s what happened next:

This lady came and sat two chairs down from DH and told him how well I played with the children and that she had been admiring me for the past few minutes. I was thinking, “Okay why doesn’t she tell me that?” She continued on and on and DH just said thank you and whatever, you know being polite. She asked if he and his family were from around the area and he replied with where are we from. Coincidentenally, she was also from Aisulov! By the way, this woman was still speaking to him as if I completely did not exist. WAIT FOR IT, IT GETS BETTER! HERE COMES HER BIG QUESTION:

“How much do you pay for your nanny?”

I sat straight up at this point. At first, DH was taken aback and he said, “Excuse me?” The woman repeated herself, “How much for your nanny?” At that point DH decided to have fun at my expense and he answered back, “Well, we pay the agency x amount of money a week and she works Monday through Friday. Sometimes we pay extra for weekends. And during vacation we pay an additional 20 percent to include accommodations and travel expenses.” I was like, “EXCUSE ME! DH, what are you doing?” He responded with, “That is Mr. DH to you!” The lady, still not getting it, then offered to try to make a deal with me and steal me away from my “employer.” She offered me more than what the “agency” was “paying” me with better benefits. OMG! I had just entered an episode of Pimp My Nanny. I had had enough. I informed the lady of her ignorance and her blatant stupidity!

When we got back from vacation, a letter from the school board was waiting for me. It said that due to budget cuts my services would no longer be needed.

DH’s immediate reply? “You should have taken the nanny job!”

Ms. Dephicit:
My thoughts exactly. I’m sure you would have gotten better pay and free food too!