What About Bob

Utterly Ridiculous

Ice Cream at Scoops in Hot Springs

Voices of Liberty at Epcot

Another video flashback to our May trip to Disneyworld.  We just stumbled onto this group not knowing a thing about them.  Awesome sound...especially in the rotunda.

Family Friday - Turtle Talk with Crush

One last Disney momento...  In Epcot, they have a nice exhibit for Nemo; one of Eli's favorite movies. Once you finish the Nemo ride you can then see "Turtle Talk With Crush"    
This latest milestone in Disney's legacy brings characters to life in an incredible way. Crush, the sea turtle from "Finding Nemo," chats, plays and jokes with guests in a unique, personalized way. The 152-year-old turtle recognizes guests and asks them questions about themselves and the human world in the first-of-its-kind live, real-time animated show.

Crush had a little conversation with Eli and Brandi.  Here is a snipet of our experience.

The Arlington in Hot Springs

It's been a crazy two weeks with our trip to Disneyworld and another trip immediately after. We had time to re-pack and head out last week.  Blogging has been a little splotchy. 

Part of this past Sunday and Monday was spent in Hot Springs, Arkansas.  This is our 3rd trip to the Spa City.  On past trips we rented a boat and had a great time on Lake Hamilton and Lake Ouachita.  On this trip we stayed at the Arlington Hotel which was built in 1875 on Bath House Row in dowtown Hot Springs. 

It's noted that the notorious Al Capone frequented this Hot Springs landmark.  Hot Springs is America's First Resort.

The Arlington was a wonderful retreat.  It's an older hotel but is continually updated and maintained.  This is a nice hotel by any standard of today but there is also an aura of elegance of days gone by as you walk through the lobby and dining halls.   

When you stay at the Arlington, you must visit the pool / spa area.  It's a little Heaven on the 7th Floor right against the Hot Springs National Park.  The deck is sandwiched in between the hotel and the mountain.  The view is awesome and the two tiered pool with waterfall has a nice touch.  But the best attraction about this hotel is the access to the hot springs mineral water throughout the hotel.  Not only could you use the hot tub located on the 3rd tier of the pool area, but in our room we had it on tap....  literally.

We enjoyed the relaxed feel of Hot Springs.  But most importantly, Brandi really enjoyed it.  It was our 12th wedding anniversary this past week-end and we needed a restful moment before it gets hectic in June. 

Happy Anniversary, Brandi.  God has blessed me with a wonderful wife who is my partner and friend.
Check out her take on our trip HERE.

Louisiana Capitol History

The epic story of Louisiana Governor and U.S. Senator Huey P. Long remains to be in the common knowledge of most Louisianians.  If you're not from Louisiana, Huey P. was a larger-than-life politician who gained national attention as Louisiana's "Kingfish" during the Great Depression era.  He was quite a character...very charismatic rallying the poor to support his fight against big corporations like Standard Oil; but also ultra political and bordered on a socialistic society with his Share Our Wealth plan.  Check out this link HERE to read the story.  That era of Louisiana can accredit much good to his leadership...paved road, new bridges, free text books to students, and a new capitol in Baton Rouge.  
When visiting the capitol, you can actually walk the path were Long was assassinated and view the bullet holes in the wall and column.  I've seen this so many times.  I must see it when I visit.

They've got a display that is actually hiding additional holes in the wall.  Long was assassinated by Carl Weiss, a medical doctor.  Theories say that it wasn't the bullet from Weiss but from stray bullets fired by Long's bodyguards.  Long died a few days after the shooting.

There are many books and movies based from this real-life story.  The most recent was "All The Kings Men" starring Sean Penn.  This movie was loosely based on Huey.  That movie was filmed in Louisiana while we lived there.  Brandi was actually an extra in that movie.  She also has spent much time at the capitol as a lobbyist.  So you could say that Louisiana's capitol will always be a place of importance to our family and all of our home state. 

NYC Tour Guide

It's been a year or two since my last trip to NYC but I'm there now vicariously.  Two separate couples are there doing the NYC thing and have asked me for some long-distance advice.  So here it goes...

Monday Morning - After Breakfast, head south to Battery Park to start the day.  You will work your way back to Time Square. 

Statue of Liberty
walk up 4 blocks on Broadway to Wall Street....
Wall Street - New York Stock Exchange
walk back to Broadway and North to Liberty Place take a left go 1 block
Ground Zero - Trinity Church
you're about 20 blocks from Little Italy.  Hop a taxi to take you to Little Italy-Mulberry Street.
Little Italy - Mulberry Street  for Lunch
off of Mulberry, walk down Canal Street which turns into...
ChinaTown
now take Subway North to 5th Avenue & 34th Street for...
Empire State Building
Subway back to Time Square
Down Time at Hotel before Evening plans