The Lost Acorn

 

Get ready for a rather unusual blog! I live in Houston, Texas and one creature we are not by any means short of is grey squirrels. They thrive in our trees eating there way into our roofs and though our electric air conditioning wires. However, these pesky little critters despite all my practical human complaints are incredibly cute and impressively loyal when it comes to family.

Today when I arrived home I found my dog in rather a state of duress. Incredibly excited and distracted by something the other-side of the laundry machines. I became slightly nervous as I climbed on top of them to see what had her so enthralled. There, trembling behind the dryer was a minut baby squirrel, with incredibly short fur, an almost bald tail and a respiratory system that was going at such a rate I thought it might explode. Locking my dog in another room I set up my Go Pro and decided I would wait and see if the little guy would walk out on his own or if he was in need of a rescue. Little did I know at the time but although he was in desperate need of rescue, I would not be the one running the rescue mission. Check out my video to see what happened...



 

The House that Anne Frank lived in.

Amsterdam is a strange city with all sorts of things to offer; good cheese, beautiful tulips, famous works of art, and sinful temptations. Yet the most influential and interesting of all, the one that is most likely to have a profound impact on your life is an old house sitting along a canal which is now one of the most popular attraction in Amsterdam, the Anne Frank House.

Anne Frank, a young girl who has touched so many lives after having so tragically lost hers at such a young age. Thanks to her fathers survival and persistence to publish her diary. Little Anne is the author of one of the most read books about the Holocaust.

The queue to enter the museum starts well before it even opens and grows so quickly you can easily wait for 3 or 4 hours in whatever the weather before you manage to get through the doors. There are a couple little shops you can take advantage of while you wait for a quick drink, a snack, a sweater for the cold,  or an umbrella to shield you from the rain.

Once inside the queue does not dissipate but continues on. Walking through the museum in a never ending line of people it is a relief that photography is not permitted inside as it allows you to move along gradually with the crowd uninterrupted from your thoughts. Each persons experience of the Anne Frank house is different. It is powerfully emotional, gut wrenchingly sad, and sickeningly real. Standing where a family once lived in hiding for years in fear of the Nazi regime suddenly makes that dark era of our history come to life making you appreciate the lives we live much more.

The museum is organized fantastically, taking you through the history of the Holocaust, the Frank family's secret annex, the conclusion to the story of the residents of the secret Annex, showing you the original diaries of Anne Frank and finishing with a powerful memoir of Anne Frank's impact of people throughout the world. There is a small coffee shop with a pretty view at the end of the museum which is a great place to sit, collect your thoughts and discuss your experience before heading back out into the city.

Needless to say the Anne Frank house should be at the top of anyone's to do list while in Amsterdam. Just make sure you go early to minimize your wait time and maximize your ability to enjoy the rest of your day outside for little Anne who so longed to play outside in the fresh air.

Magical Murals - Shinhwa Art Village

In honor of my blog's one year anniversary I am ready to share with you one of my most randomly spectacular adventures. This is what I love about traveling, I love experiencing different cultures with all of my senses and seeing what makes a place unique in person with my own eyes. Stumbling  upon something as fantastic and unknown as Shinwha Art Village and being able to share it with the world in the hopes that more people may be able to enjoy it is priceless. This is why I travel and this is why I blog. The world is such a spectacular place and instead of collecting things I am out to collect memories and experience each and every part of our amazing planet Earth.

Shinwha Art Village

Hidden away in the large industrial city of Ulsan, South Korea, there sits a quaint little local village which has been enveloped by the growing city. More than just a simple village, it is unique to any I have yet seen on my travels. An art village, decorated with stunning murals of everything from pop culture to folk lore it completely took my breath away.

Shinhwa Art Village is comprised of several cobblestone roads and walkways which wind through the various dwellings and shops. Almost every wall is ordained with a mural of a different theme and style. Though most revolve around whales and the sea, due to the villages close proximity to the ocean, there are also murals featuring pop culture icons, cartoons, and politics.

One could easily view the whole village in half an hour but as I had the time I took advantage of it. I felt at peace wandering the colorful pathways and spent several hours admiring the art and engaging with the locals. I was quite obviously the only non local in the village. Wandering around in my bright blue ski jacket taking photos of every square inch of art I stood out like a sore thumb and had a few people wave at me and say hello. There is no charge to view the art as it is just a part of where they live and it was obvious that although it is sign posted from the road as an art village it doesn't get all that many visitors. I made a point to buy a drink and a snack from the two local shops and bought a fabulous photo of the village buried in snow from a sweet lady in her photography studio.

Unlisted on the top tourist sights such as Trip Advisor, Shinhwa is an under-appreciated local gem that should be on the top of any tourists to do list. Most people probably stumble across it as I did and wonder why in a town with so little for tourists to do it wasn't listed anywhere. Hopefully this will soon change but until then you will just have to take my advice and head there yourself.

(Show your taxi driver the pictures of the street signs below and they can get you there!)

Hope You Enjoy the Photos!

Thanks for reading and Cheers to another year of blogging!

Sketch out of this World...

Champagne in the Parlour

Have you ever been to a restaurant that can make you feel like you are travelling through different eras and genres? One minute you are enjoying a drink in a swanky parlour and the next you are enjoying dinner in an explicable pink art gallery. Every centimeter of Sketch was planned out so flawlessly that they even managed to make a trip to the toilet unforgettable. In fact Sketch is so incredible that even if the food were horrendous it would draw people in for the unique environment alone, so once you consider the top notch quality of the the food anyone could understand why Sketch is a must see London hot spot.

Boasting a two Michelin star restaurant called the Lecture Room, Sketch is a culinary mastermind creating tantalizingly tasty dishes. The Lecture Room is a cozy restaurant reminiscent of a modern twist on a bourgeois club/restaurant from the 20s. With comfortable armchairs around well dressed tables one can relax while feeling incredibly posh.



If you can not manage to score reservations for the two Michelin star Lecture Room then it would hardly be a hardship to wrangle a reservation for the Gallery. The modern art gallery surrounds its guests with original works of art from the walls to the tableware. Its menu, totally inspired, takes the familiar and unfamiliar and molds them into culinary masterpieces, food in the form of art to compliment that gallery in which you sit. Undergoing a total remodel every two years, the Gallery is a fluid canvas that evolves with the times, keeping up with the hottest trends of the art world.

Interested in visiting Sketch but either couldn't get a reservation or don't have loads of money to spend on food? Visit the Parlour or the Glade for a deliciously comforting menu in a luxuriously sexy setting and enjoy a divine cocktail while you wait.

Whether you are there for dinner or just fancy, you must pop into the East Bar to enjoy the hip and artistic atmosphere. Great for casual conversation with friends or an unpredictable date night with a loved one, this bar provides an intimate setting in a club like atmosphere for a classy & exclusive night out on the town.

(Check out this video walking through the restaurant... you will be surprised where we end up...)