Barn Find

See Rock City Barn, Gainesville, Georgia, USA

At one time, there were almost 900 "See Rock City" barns spread across 19 states from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes.  Now, fewer than 100 remain.  We spotted this old barn near Gainesville, Georgia while meandering down Old Cornelia Highway.  The new Cornelia Highway, U.S. 23, is a high speed extension of Interstate 85.  Surely, this barn and the sign are from another time.  When we drive the older roads, we're often rewarded with surprises like this historic structure.

On a side note, we took all sorts of shots of this with our Canon Powershot SX40, but our Apple iPhone 4 tracking shot (for GPS) was the best.

Celebrity Convenience

Men's Bathroom, Los Angeles, California, USA

This bathroom at the historic Los Angeles Athletic Club is a real throwback to a different era.  The building dates back to 1912, but we suspect this bathroom has been renovated many times since.

Over the years, many movie stars and famous athletes (many Olympians) have belonged to the club.  In this room, Harold Lloyd, Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin, and Johnny Weissmuller may have discussed their next picture or stunt.

Weissmuller, like fellow club member Esther Williams, was an award winning swimmer who parlayed athletic prowess into a movie career.

Better My Biscuit

Sweet Potato Biscuits, Mentone, Alabama, USA

We enjoyed these delicious sweet potato biscuits at the Wildflower Cafe.  We can't wait to go back for more!

Swingtime

Swing Ride, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Riding on the swing ride is more adventurous than it seems.  It looks like a relaxing jaunt through the air, but spinning quickly in circles many feet above the ground on a wobbly chair can at times be a bit scary.

Where Are the Plains?

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA

While we see no waving wheat and no open plains for the wind to come rushing down, we can see that you're doing fine Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city in Oklahoma.  The North Canadian River (bottom of the photo) passes through the city and is temporarily renamed the Oklahoma River for those few miles.

Like so many aerial photos taken from a commercial airliner, the original shot was washed out.  We used Picasa's I'm Feeling Lucky filter to enhance the photo's colors and contrast.

Ted's Happier Days

Turner Field, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Turner Field (aka The Ted) is the home of the Atlanta Braves.  The baseball stadium began life as Centennial Olympic Stadium for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games.  It was later reduced and remodeled to serve The Braves.

This is what The Ted looked like back in January 1999.  We took this photo during a site-seeing flight.  At that time, Turner Field was the pride of Atlanta.  Visitors and residents alike admired it inside and out.

The Braves have announced that they are moving north of Atlanta and will demolish Turner Field once their new stadium is built.

The Braves are reportedly moving to be closer to their fan base, but their move and promise to demolish Turner Field brings a sad and undignified end to an important part of Atlanta's history.  This, in our opinion, is another example of Atlanta's shortsighted outlook on historic sites, buildings, streets, etc.

Dig A Pony

Pony, Palmetto, Georgia, USA

Seeing this little fellow reminded us of the Beatles' song Dig a Pony.  We met this cute pony and its friends during a visit to the Serenbe Community.  Serenbe is a planned community with wide open spaces and some nice shops and restaurants.  Next time you're in this part of North Georgia, check out Serenbe.

Aluminum Luxury

Airstream, Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia, USA

We found this Airstream tucked into the woods while exploring in the mountains.  Airstream trailers and motor-homes are immediately identifiable by their rounded, aluminum bodies.  Based on the rusted bumper and wheels, we suspect this Airstream hasn't plied the roadways in decades.  The aluminum skin, however, still looks good.

Feel the Spirit

Strip Mall Sign, Flowery Branch, Georgia, USA

You have two ways to feel spirited at St Village.  You can feel the spirit of religion at Trinity Religious Gifts or the warm glow of liquid spirits at Village Spirits Package Store.

Start Your Day Right

French Toast, Springdale, Utah, USA

When you're on vacation, there is nothing so good as a filling breakfast to start your day.  A nutritious, well balanced breakfast is also important.  This delicious French Toast breakfast at Wildcat Willies included a starch (toast), protein (whipped cream), and fruit.  What could be healthier?

A Good View From Above and Below

Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

We love this building for its extended and curved balconies.  These balconies are like little shells or coins adorning the building.  We imagine that guests at the hotel feel like they don't just step out onto a balcony, but into the sky.  If you look at this just right, it looks like a bunch of theater goers all lined up in their seats facing a stage.  Whether you're looking out at the landscape from a balcony or looking up at the balconies from the street, you're sure to enjoy the view.

Which is Colder?

Icelandair 757, Denver, Colorado, USA

We found it ironic to learn that Icelandair offers non-stop service between Reykjavik and Denver.   You might think that Colorado is like Miami Beach for the folks in Iceland, but sometimes (even in winter) it is colder in Denver than Reykjavik.

Still Celebrating?

New Year's Reveler, Puerta del Sol, Madrid, Spain

Back in the early Naughties (2000's), we spent Christmas and New Year's in Spain.  It was fun to be in a new place experiencing old traditions in different ways.  New Year's Eve was definitely different than what we had known or expected.

We heard about the fun to be had at Puerta del Sol, in the heart of Madrid.  We figured it was going to be like Times Square, but in Spanish.

First of all, there was no countdown, at least not formally.  When midnight passed, no one seemed to notice.  We felt let down.

Basically, the Spaniards had been celebrating for so long that when the clock struck midnight they were too drunk to notice.  At around 12:15 am, they realized they were in the new year and the crowd went wild.  Madrid kept partying well into New Year's Day.  What the Spaniards lacked in punctuality they made up for with enthusiasm.

We feel that the young man in this photo captured the entire spirit of that night.

Good Morning 2014

Sunrise on the Pacific Ocean, Hawaii, USA

This was the beautiful sunrise that greeted us the morning we sailed into Hilo.  As the sun rises on 2014, we wish everyone a beautiful year.  Happy New Year!