More Than Dinosaurs

                                                              

I love going to museums, and I love taking my grandchildren, nieces and nephews to museums, too. In a society hooked on Social Media and the latest Xbox games, museums might appear to be a tame place to visit, but I am here to dispute that fallacy right now. Can a museum entertain better than a video game? Find out after the jump.

Rockettes, Disney Characters & Snow Storms! Oh My!

                                                         

 

I don’t get to spend enough time in New York City, but that will change this spring when I plan to spend a whole weekend sightseeing with my daughter, granddaughter and travel buddy, Tracy. This December 15^th, the four of us had traveled by Starr Tours Bus to see the famed Radio City Rockettes. Were the Rockettes as awesome as promised? Meet me after the jump to find out

The Trip

Tracy and I had become good friends during my first trip to Italy where I signed up for the Leisurely Tuscany Tour. Tracy had mentioned that she’d always wanted to see the Rockettes and to think of her if I decided to go. After my grandson who’d finished his five year service with Marines and his wife, Kimberlea, moved back to New Jersey, I had the perfect reason to travel to New York. We booked our trip with Starr so we knew that everything for this adventure was taken care of.

                                                           

As soon as we reached the city, the bus driver handed out maps and a list of restaurants to visit before the show began. On our way to find Planet Hollywood, we came across some Disney Characters who offered to take photos with us. Stupid us thought that they were provided by the city, but after taking a few photos of us with Kimberlea’s cell phone, they began to ask for tips. My daughter gave the main spokesperson five dollars, but they wanted more. Our South Philly attitude is no match for New York con games...and the characters backed off.

                                                         

The sights and sounds of the busy Times Square area were truly exhilarating. I freaking loved the hustle and bustle of shoppers and workers as they made their way to their destinations. At Planet Hollywood, we had fun checking out all the memorabilia while we waited for our food. I would definitely return to this restaurant for the ambiance and the tasty food.

The Rockettes

I can’t say enough great things about the show. The staff and security made sure the lines getting into the theatre were organized and moving steadily. The dancers were fabulous, especially performing one of my favorite routines with the wooden soldiers. There was even 3D segment at the beginning of the show. If you haven’t treated yourself to this event, please do so.

                                                             

When we left the theatre we were faced with a full-fledged snowstorm. Luckily we were able to warm up with some hot chocolate at Starbucks. Our bus ride home was longer than expected due to the nasty weather and unbelievable traffic. I will never complain about Philly traffic again.

Conclusion

I’m a big kid at heart and I love to escape the stress from this past year’s election. Traveling to the Big Apple with family and friend, and our seeing Times Square up close and personal was a real treat as was the Radio City Rockettes.

                                                                   

There is one final note on those Disney photo hounds. They are everywhere and, it’s up to you to say no, then quickly run away.

 

Gilbert Speaks on "The Patron Saint of Blogging"

This past Wednesday on December 6^th we lost a literary knight in shining armor. Sir Glenn, a nickname that was lovingly given to Glenn Walker, was a mentor to the members of the South Jersey Writers’ Group, and a friend to anyone who strived to be the best blogger out there in social media land.

I am still trying to come to terms with his death. I’m not alone. Glenn touched everyone and anyone who wanted to write. He is sorely missed by his friends at SJWG, and his fellow bloggers at the Canadian Pop Culture site: Biff Bam Pop!

Andy Burns, who is the Editor-In-Chief of Biff Bam Pop, wrote a beautiful tribute to Glenn and you can read it here. Glenn Walker was involved in so many projects: Welcome to Hell; Biff Bam Pop; The Gar Podcast; The Make Mine Magic Podcast; but his love was all about pop culture. He was a library of information on almost every comic book out there, and although he loved to review movies and television series, his blog “French Fry Diary” was a big hit with many who considered themselves true connoisseurs of fast foods. Glenn’s short story “Live to Write” is featured in the anthology of speculative fiction, Strange World.

                                                     

Glenn and I first met after I had retired from the Academy of Natural Sciences. My granddaughter, Katrina, was already a member and it was she who introduced me to the members of the South Jersey Writers’ Group and to Glenn. Glenn was responsible for me becoming one of the writers for Biff Bam Pop.

My fondest memories of Glenn were when I began writing the reviews for “The Walking Dead” on BBP. I was a retired grandmother of nine, who was not only tech challenged, but naïve with the mechanics of blogging. Glenn would wait until the early morning hours for me to post my review. As Andy’s second-in-command, Glenn was responsible for editing the post before it could go live.

 

Glenn never lost his patience even after explaining the purpose of tagging multiple times. It became a running joke after a while, but he never gave up on me. I was always eager to get Glenn’s input whenever I wrote a review for Biff Bam Pop even if we often had a different point of view on a specific episode.

Before moving to Florida with his lovely bride, Jennifer, Glenn would hold court at a local coffee shop once a month. He gave freely of his time and experience to anyone who needed help with their blogging. It wasn’t long before we grateful bloggers began calling him “Sir Glenn the Patron Saint of Blogging.”

                                                           

I miss my friend very much, but maybe if the universe is kind, Sir Glenn will find himself in some heavenly coffee shop. Maybe they will serve French fries and milkshakes in that angelic coffee shop. Maybe my friend will be surrounded by other writers and bloggers. I miss you, kiddo.

R.I.P Glenn Walker

Steampunk Granny’s Review of Spy

                                                       

I’m not a big fan of Melissa McCarthy. I’ve never watched Gilmore Girls or Mike & Molly, but I did see her in The Heat with Sandra Bullock and in Identity Thief with Jason Bateman. I wasn’t that impressed. Tonight, my opinion of Melissa McCarthy changed, and for the better.

                                                           

My daughter and I went to see her new film, Spy, starring Jude Law, Jessica Chaffin, Rose Byrne and Jason Statham. The film, directed by Paul Feig, played out just like a real James Bond film with plenty of intrigue, assassinations and explosions to make everyone happy.

                                                           

Maybe, it was the director, or maybe, Melissa had found her niche in films, but whatever it was; I truly enjoyed her performance in this film. She wasn’t so over the top with her cursing or rudeness that can sometimes be overwhelming. She was just perfect with her one-line zingers and, the interaction between her and Jason Statham was one of the highlights of the film.

                                                            

      

My daughter and I laughed so hard, we want to go back and see Spy a second time. This movie is definitely perfect for a girls’ night out. I’m sending out the call to all my female friends and relatives to join me for a night at the movies spent with the talented Melissa McCarthy. It’s a blast!!!

I could use a Clone or two, or three: Orphan Black

Orphan Black on BBC America is returning on April 18th. I can't wait. This is smartly written science fiction show about cloning. We follow Sarah, Cosima, Alison and Helena as they try to find out who was behind their cloning and, who now wants them all dead. The very talented Tatiana Maslany plays all the clones, including Pro-Clone, Rachel Duncan.

                                                     

The show relies on the latest theories and scientific principles known about cloning and this is one of the reasons that Orphan Black is so popular. The storyline is believable and asks ethical question of the legality and social problems that real clones would have to deal with. Do clones have the same rights as the people they're cloned from?

Luckily, Sarah has her sister clones looking out for her and her daughter, Kira (Skyler Wexler). Kira's blood might be able to keep our clones from getting sick.

My favorite character is Felix Dawkins (Jordan Garvis). He plays Sarah's adopted brother and when he and Soccer Mom, Alison get together, all kinds of crazy stuff happens.

                                                                

This will be the third season for Orphan Black, but if you missed the first two seasons, you can read my review of Season one and two on Biff Bam Pop and catch the reruns on Demand. I'll be posting a weekly review of this show and I can't wait.

                                                                 

Orphan Black on Biff Bam Pop

A Day in the Life of Steampunk Granny

                                                           

Last night I was with a dear friend and her friends from Drexel. Loretta is more like a sister to me and we’d become friends when we both worked at the Academy of Natural Sciences.

                                                                 

We were heading over to the Helium Comedy Club in Philly to see comedian Joe Matarese.

                                                                 

      

Joe is an amazingly funny guy and his take on growing up Italian and Philadelphia was not only right on, but hilarious. Check Joe out on his web page www.joematarese.com

                                                                  

                                                              

Today, I was at The Book Asylum in Blackwood, New Jersey for a book signing. Rosemary and Jeff have made this quaint little gem a place to come and lose yourself in their large collection of old and new books. But this is not just a book store. Rosemary can whip up the best coffee in town and I’ve been told that she makes one hell of a Chai tea.

The Book Asylum has music on Friday nights and it hosts a writing group on Thursday nights led by author Laura Kaighn aka Lady Hawke. Check out her site: http://home.comcast.net/~ladyhawkestorytelling/site/

I intend to do an interview of Rosemary and Jeff to find out why so many people love to spend hours at their place. One couple even has a reserved table. Say hi to Kevin and Rebecca.

                                                       

Rebecca was the first one to buy my book and you all know my tradition. I have to get a picture.

                                                             

 

Laurae also stopped in to shop and I took her picture too.

                                                           

 

I sold a few books, had some great coffee and chatted with delightful patrons of the shop.

I would say it was the perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Life with Fred & Lucy, Episode 36: Evening In Paris

                                                            

No, Fred and Lucy never went to Paris. I don’t think my father ever went farther than Wildwood, N.J. in his 90+ years. My mother on the other hand had visited her sister Anna on several occasions when Anna lived in Oklahoma. Mom also spent time in Reno when applying for her divorce from Fred before moving to Napa California with her boyfriend. Long story and I don’t want to talk about this part of my childhood on the blog. What I do want to talk about is the perfume that I had always associated with my mother when I was growing up and...after she left.

                                                         

My mother loved using Evening in Paris. It was for a long time her favorite perfume. I remember Jane, little Lucy and I sneaking into our parent’s bedroom when they were busy working in the family grocery store and investigating my mother’s stuff.

                                    looked something like this, but nicer                     

Mom had a vanity set that was to die for. It looked like something right out of the movies and this is where Mom would sit and put on her make-up and jewelry. She kept her bottle of perfume on the top shelf of the vanity and we three girls would spritz the perfume on our neck after we would put on Mom’s makeup.

                                                           

Evening in Paris had a strong scent, at least to me, and even though I wasn’t particularly fond of the scent, I still spritzed. When we three sisters were done spritzing and putting on makeup, we would pull out mom’s fancy slips and make believe we were famous actresses.  

                                                        

Sometimes we’d forget to wash off the perfume and makeup before heading downstairs for dinner. Mom would ask, “Were you touching my stuff again?”

“No??” we lied, but I think the smell and the rouge gave us away.

“That’s expensive perfume. Don’t touch it,” she’d counter every time.

Recently someone sent me some photos about the old days. I shared them on a blog. One of the photos was a bottle of Evening in Paris. I thought about my mom. She stopped using Evening in Paris way before she took off to Reno. I think she was using Channel # something or other; it really doesn’t matter.

                                                   

On one of my sister Lucy’s and my visits to Napa, we were in Jane’s kitchen having coffee with mom. I don’t know how we got on the conversation of perfumes, but when Jane, Lucy and I began laughing about our ritual of playing movie stars with mom’s belongings; my mother denied ever using Evening in Paris. “You’re all crazy. I didn’t use that cheap shit.”

“Yes, you did!” we countered in unison. Mom was in her mid to late stages of dementia by then, but we hadn’t picked up on how bad it was at that time. We just thought she was being “Lucy”.

Even though hostile to each other while alive, my mom along with Fred decided to spend their afterlife in my attic. I don’t know why except my dad’s commode is up there, and in their old age before they died, they both considered bowel evacuation as the highlight of the day. It probably has something to do with old age. I hope I don’t get like that, but I told my daughter that if I ever started talking about bowel movements, she is to put me on a block of ice and send me out to sea. It would be time “To Flow.”

                                  

                                                            

So my parents are haunting my house and I’m perfectly fine with it. They help me with my Fred and Lucy stories; not too crazy about my zombie stories. Anyway...when I looked at that photo of Evening in Paris, I heard mommy say, “I did use it.”

                                                                
And just for a moment, a blink of an eye second as time stood still, I smelled the perfume.

Steampunk Granny Interviews Amy Holiday of Hypothetical Press

I saved the best for last, but we finally get to hear from the Editor-in- Chief, Owner and Publisher of Hypothetical Press, Amy Holiday, about her publishing company and her story that is included in the just released, Reading Glasses

Steampunk Granny: Amy tell us about yourself and what you enjoy writing about?

Amy Holiday: I'm currently the president of the South Jersey Writers' Group, and took over organizing in 2009. It's exciting to be moving to a professional organization. I also like outdoor adventure activities and have 60lb lab mix named Pixie. I mostly write middle grade and young adult fiction.

                                                             

Steampunk Granny: Since you’ve not only published Tall Tales and Reading Glasses, what do you enjoy doing more, writing or publishing?

Amy Holiday: Very different animals! Publishing is basically a list of tasks to cross off, which gives a feeling of accomplishment. But along with publishing comes accounting. I definitely *don't* like accounting! I like editing more than publishing, and editing an anthology--working with other authors to bring out the best, truest meaning of the story--is a fantastic learning experience (for me, and them too I hope.)

But the short answer: writing wins. I like making stuff up and it's nice to have an excuse.

                                                                     

Steampunk Granny: What was your inspiration for Fox Rose?

Amy Holiday: The first two backers at the "Name a Character" level on the Kickstarter campaign for Reading Glasses were two SJWG members and friends, Jord Fox and Nanci Rainey. Nanci wanted to be a mysterious figure, a spurned lover of sorts; she came up with the name Rose. And Jord is naturally a superhero. I came across writing prompt involving a "visit from an ancestor," and about the same time I visited Longwood Gardens. Combining one of the old Fairmount Park summer homes with a painting of a woman in a garden, which housed a ghost that haunted generations, was the initial seed. (There was also a donor who requested the character be named after his daughter Annika!)

For the Philadelphia buffs, Fox Run is not a real place, but I imagine the location as being Lemon Hill. There are no streams or gardens at Lemon Hill, but at the right angle you can see downtown Philly from the trees. I love the old homes and history in Fairmount Park.

                                   The Daring Amy Holiday on Trapeze                                 

 

Steampunk Granny: You’ve strayed from what you normally like to write; children’s stories and young adult. Did you like writing about the paranormal for a change?

Amy Holiday: Hmm. Yes, it was interesting. I don't remember where this concept of "do what you like" came from, but the idea of spirits in the afterworld helping us make decisions is compelling. (Ghosts with personal agendas may be a different story!) My original idea was for it to be a more scary kind of ghost story. But I think I don't really like scary stories!

Steampunk Granny: What other stories are you working on?

Amy Holiday: I just finished NaNoWriMo (whew!). That project was Summer Kids, a YA contemporary about kids who live at the Jersey shore (no, not that Jersey Shore! A nicer one.) I made the 50,000 word goal, but still have to finish the story, so that's my project for December. After I finish that first draft, I'm going back to the Middle Grade contemporary novel Belinda the Ninja Doesn't Dance. I had to put that on hold to finish up Reading Glasses. But Belinda is closer to completion, and I'm hoping to start pitching and querying by the end of 2015.

And, of course, there's the second collection due out from our Kickstarter Fundraiser, Tall Tales and Short Stories Volume 2! (Publication hopefully this summer.)

                                                                   

Steampunk Granny: Thank you so much for sharing with us, Amy, and we will all be looking forward to reading both Reading Glasses and Tall Tales & Short Stories Volume 2.

Reading Glasses can be found here: http://www.hypotheticalpress.com/

Amazon

Create Space.com

Smashwords.com



 

Crafty Bazaars at the Audubon Treehouse Coffee Shop

                                                                     

Yes indeed! Tina and Randy are hosting a weekly Crafty Bazaar every Tuesday night from 6 to 8 p.m. for the month of December. The Treehouse is located on 120 W. Merchant Street in Audubon, New Jersey.

                                                                      

This week, I dropped by and interviewed a few of the vendors: Megan Karetny, Jaclyn English, and Bob the Soap Man.  I love that the Treehouse is doing these weekly bazaars because we should support independent businesses as much as possible and especially independent artisans.

                                                                       

Designer, Jaclyn English at www.hergamejewelry.com had a collection of fun jewelry that looked like Lego pieces...and wait...they were made for Lego pieces. I know a lot of my friends are going to want the earrings and bracelets and she’s also making Lego necklaces. She had a large assortment of rings, too.  Check out her site.

                                                                       

                                                                     

Megan Karetny (Megan Made) had a nice selection of home-made stationary and wreaths, but the show stopper were her tee-shirt scarves, which she is modeling here. You can find Megan on her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Nutmegcreativecafe

                                                                          

 

 

Bob the Soap Man is also one of The Treehouse Coffee Barista’s and besides whipping up the best coffee selections, he makes his own soap that is sold at the Treehouse. Stop in and buy a bar. They smell yummy.

                                                                    

This Thursday night on December 11th from 6 to 7, The Treehouse is hosting an event called Dinner with Santa.Kids get to decorate a cookie with the purchase of 1 adult and 1 child dinner. Guests are welcome to take photos with Santa. He will not be posing in a big chair, but hanging out sipping coffee and munching on scones.

                                                             

On December 16^th, next Tuesday, Steampunk Granny (me) will be there selling Roof Oasis, the first book in her apocalyptic series. Think of Romeo and Juliette meet “The Walking Dead” written by Jules Verne.
 
                                                               

             
Yep, lots of action and a thoughtful glimpse into the future where a mysterious tyrant controls the food and water distribution of a dying Earth. What are the long term effects of polluted oceans and eating genetically modified food? Find out in Roof Oasis.

                                                              

There will be plenty of venders there with fine jewelry and crafts and Christmas is right around the corner, so come out on the 16^th and shop.

                                                               

                                                           

Tina and Randy’s oldest son, Matteo, has a message for you all. The collection takes place next Thursday.

Post by The Treehouse Coffee Shop.