Articles about 'USA'
April 11th, 2013
My family and I took a trip to Washington DC last weekend. It’s the first time we’d been there in many years and there have been a lot of changes. Several new major monuments have opened.
One of the most impressive is the FDR Monument. It’s a particularly great destination if anyone in your party...
April 1st, 2013
"La nuit porte conseil" is French for "sleep on it". It means, think about it overnight and don’t make a decision until tomorrow… often good advice!
The photo is this saying on the door of a Broom closet in Herald Square (New York).
–Mama Lisa
December 22nd, 2012
It’s a tradition in the US and the UK to tip people at the end of the year who perform services. Some of the people who are tipped are: Mail Couriers, Sanitation Workers, Hairdressers, Milkmen, House Cleaners, Nanny’s, Music Instructors, Dog Groomers, Teachers, etc. Many people wonder if they’re tipping the right amount. This seems...
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September 8th, 2012
MoMA Unadulterated is an unofficial audio tour created by kids about modern art at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
"Each piece of art is analyzed by experts aged 3-10, as they share their unique, unfiltered perspective on such things as composition, the art’s deeper meaning, and why some stuff’s so weird looking."
Here’s...
March 20th, 2012
Jeremy Shatan wrote from New York: "It’s the vernal equinox, the first day of spring. Around this time of the year, my mom would always say: ‘Spring has sprung, the grass is riz, the boid is on the wing.’ Yes, just like that."
This saying is all in "New Yorkese", a New York accent. It...
September 1st, 2011
MP3 of Broadway
Broadway by Sarah Teasdale
THIS is the quiet hour; the theaters Have gathered in their crowds, and steadily The million lights blaze on for few to see, Robbing the sky of stars that should be hers....
April 6th, 2011
Adult humpback whales are 39 – 52 feet long and weigh approximately 79,000 pounds! If you visit Hawaii during breeding season, you can help count them in an effort to maintain their future health and safety.
Stephanie Spengler Batzer wrote to me about how she’s involved in counting humpback whales in Hawaii. Here’s what she wrote…
Hawaiian...
January 21st, 2011
This is the Year of the Rabbit according to the Chinese Zodiac. The Chinese Zodiac is followed in China, as well as Japan.
Ayako wrote to me from Japan about the Year of the Rabbit…
We have twelve different signs (animals) in Chinese lunar calender called “干支”.
We call the men of the year “toshi otoko –...
April 13th, 2010
Here’s an alternate version of the traditional song Daisy, Daisy, sent to me by Bretta Gerhard…
Daisy, Daisy
Daisy, Daisy,
Give me your answer due.
I’m half crazy,
All for the love of you.
It won’t be a stylish marriage.
I can’t afford a carriage.
But you’ll look sweet,
Upon the seat,
Of a bicycle built for two.
Michael, Michael,
I’ll give you my answer true
I’m not...
April 11th, 2010
Here’s a poem about blocks by Robert Louis Stevenson accompanied by a drawing by Gracie and an mp3 recording…
Block City
by Robert Louis Stevenson
What are you able to build with your blocks?
Castles and palaces, temples and docks.
Rain may keep raining, and others go roam,
But I can be happy and building at home.
Let the sofa be...
March 28th, 2010
Here are some photos of Washington DC thanks to Ray Lee. It’s Cherry Blossom Season, so it’s a great time to visit D.C.
The Washington Monument.
The Jefferson Monument.
Cherry Blossoms.
Many thanks to Ray Lee for sharing these photos with us! Check out the Official National Cherry Blossom Festival site for info about special events in...
March 5th, 2010
Jesse Catano wrote:
Hello,
Was wondering if you could help me, was wondering if any chance you knew of a song, it was one my dad use to sing to me when i was little. My dad is from united states, but perhaps he learned it from his father who was raised in Mexico. ...
October 17th, 2009
I’ve been asked several times for the Pennsylvania Dutch Version of the German rhyme Dies Ist der Daumen – This Is the Thumb. Today I received the version below thanks to Luke and Mary Martin. Here’s what Luke wrote…
My wife and I are also familiar with many of the German songs. This...
March 13th, 2009
New Wonton Garden in New York’s Chinatown is a delicious, inexpensive restaurant. It’s not fancy by any means. But it serves yummy dim sum and wonton soup (oddles of varieties). A great place to go if you’re looking for taste without spending a fortune. We fed four for less than $40...
February 25th, 2009
Check out the Toulouse Blog about life in New Orleans.
Here’s an excerpt of what he had to say approaching the Mardi Gras…
When one is called to Carnival, the first question will always be: what do I wear?
…You must simply find or make a mask, one that calls you to wear it, that dictates the...
December 9th, 2008
WWD Fashion asked designers to send in sketches for clothing designs for Michelle Obama and her daughters to wear on Inauguration Day on January 20th – when Obama officially becomes President. Check out the results at WWD.com.
The sketch above was done by Isaac Mizrahi for Michelle, Sasha and Malia.
My daughter and I...
November 1st, 2008
The Phillies won the American baseball World Series on Wednesday. Yesterday they had a parade in Philadelphia to celebrate it.
My friend Ray Lee sent me this photo below. He took it from his office building when the parade was passing by. I love the photo and wanted to post it here. ...
September 18th, 2008
Guest Blogger, Ed Gawlinski, has been involved in many cultural organizations throughout his life. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York, near Bay Ridge, which was then a Norwegian neighborhood.
The Norwegian neighborhood is now a great place for Middle Eastern cuisine. There are many fine restaurants in this area. Many of the...
September 15th, 2008
Guest Blogger, Ed Gawlinski, has been involved in many cultural organizations throughout his life. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York. You can tell his heart still belongs there by something he wrote to me the other day, “It is a small world, and in some ways it revolves around Brooklyn!” Here’s...
September 11th, 2007
Last month we brought our children to the Amish country in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
The Amish are a group of Christians originally from Germany, Switzerland and the Alsace region of France. They immigrated to the US in the 18th century. They believe in being separate from the society around them.
Amish people...
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