philly: eastern state penitentiary

Touring creepy places is a hobby of mine, so I jumped at the chance to visit Eastern State Penitentiary during our recent trip to Philly. A working prison up until the early 1970's, Eastern State was the first jail to adopt the practice of keeping prisoners in separate confinement (which is now the norm). Educational and interesting, Eastern State is one of my favorite spots in Philly so far.

©all photos by me

carnegie hall

It's been awhile since I've done something really "new york-y" so I was excited to visit Carnegie Hall. While the show was pretty incredible, I also enjoyed the Rose Museum which showcased some incredible gems from the venue's one hundred and twenty year history.

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castle williams

Castle Williams, on Governors Island, has served as a fort, prison, and haunted house over the course of its 200 year old history. There is also a very nice view of the Manhattan skyline from the roof.

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central park zoo

In what must have been the extreme opposite experience of our trip to the Bronx Zoo, we visited the Central Park Zoo on a most picturesque summer day. Although much more convenient, the Central Park outfit rather paled in comparison to the Bronx.

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bannerman castle

Bannerman Castle is located on a small island in the middle of the Hudson river, just south of Beacon. If you've taken Metro-North to Poughkeepsie, then you've seen it from the train. There is a lot of history if you are interested, but basically it's a rich guys fantasy come to life. Unfortunately, the rich guy wasn't an architect, so the structures aren't doing so good. It's a pretty train ride (about an hour and a half from NYC) and you are sure not going to see anything like it anywhere else! 

What the castle looked like in 2009:

And today:

© all photos by me

taliesin: the house

Taliesin is the home that Frank Lloyd Wright built for himself and his mistress (if you've read Loving Frank, you are familier with the story) on land owned by his family in Spring Green, Wisconsin. We took a fascinating 4-hour tour that led through the house, as well as some of the other structures on the property. In addition to the living quarters, the house also contains a drafting studio, a chicken coop and stables (the latter has now been converted into living quarters) all with expansive views of the valley below. Again, this is a must if you find yourself in this part of the country!

Like the Hollyhock house, we weren't allowed to take photos inside, so this is my only shot of the interior:

© all photos by me.

house on the rock

If you follow me on Instagram, then you know that one of our weekend adventures was a visit to House on the Rock. Bear with me as I try to explain what this is...if you follow this blog regularly, then you already know that I am a fan of unconventional experiences, but House on the Rock might be the most unconventional yet.

The "house" is actually a complex of structures built and designed by Alex Jordan over the course of his lifetime. An avid collector and inventor, the complex features music machines, extensive and varied collections (from doll houses to scrimshaw to cash registers) and the world's largest indoor carousel. 

If it sounds confusing, that's because it is. It's also incredibly dark inside, making photos near impossible to shoot (hence the random assortment here). It's suggested to allow six hours for your visit. We were there for four, leaving only because the property was closing.

Nautical memorabilia:

Music machines:

World's largest carousel (valued at over $4.8 million!):

There is also a restaurant on site (please note the "brat" option):

It's a random place in a random location, but if you ever find yourself in that part of the world, don't hesitate for a second to visit. I guarantee that you've never seen anything like it!
© all photos by me