61 days in a car?!

I have to admit, I actually enjoyed myself at the America on Wheels Museum. It was pretty cool considering cars aren't that interesting to me. But actually, I found that there was a lot of history of the U.S. preserved in the cars and photos that the museum displayed.

One of the most interesting facts that I learned was that in 1919, before the national interstate highway system was designed and constructed, it took President Dwight Eisenhower 61 days straight to cross the U.S. by car. Now that's a long time to be in a car. At the time, Eisenhower was serving in the Army, but during his presidency, that experience led to his support of the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956.

So I'll add that fun fact to my repertoire of random information, and maybe I'll consider going back to the museum when its rotating exhibit changes. I was surprised by my interest in the information there, and I would guess that the Valley has many other places that would do the same.

Here's a few photos we took!

 I LOVE photo ops!

 Car colors were so much prettier back then!

Feeling a little bit adventurous for a Thursday

So my boyfriend Shawn and I will be celebrating our sixth anniversary next weekend, on March 3. I've been looking around for something fun and interesting to do that's local and somewhat inexpensive. While I was surfing Discover Lehigh Valley, I found the America on Wheels museum is right in Allentown. While I'm no car buff (Shawn totally is though), I thought it would be an interesting place to visit with Shawn.

Right now in the changing exhibit gallery, the museum has a display titled "100 Years of Chevrolet," which seems fitting since Shawn owns an atomic orange 1977 Corvette. I'll be taking him there today, since it's only 15 minutes from Lehigh's campus and $7 for general admission. Despite my somewhat lack of interest in cars, I do enjoy going to museums and art exhibits, and I'm sure it will be something Shawn will enjoy and appreciate.

It's not hard to find a museum, gallery or exhibit in the Lehigh Valley. The area is overflowing with them in fact. Allentown has the Museum of Indian Culture, The Liberty Bell Shrine, The Mack Trucks Historical Museum, the Allentown Art Museum. In Bethlehem there's Lehigh University's art galleries, the Banana Factory, The Moravian Museum of Bethlehem, The National Museum of Industrial History. And Easton has the National Canal Museum, Abbey Hill Art Gallery and The Crayola Factory (Yes, I'm 20, but I went there a few weeks ago with my family, and we had a blast!). And there are so many more that this area has to offer.

There's so much culture and history preserved in art galleries and museums. I've always enjoyed going on tours or just wandering around for myself. It's always so interesting to see what other people are working on or have done, and I love seeing exhibits or displays that are something my mind could have never thought up. That insight into someone else's thought processes is something I find so fascinating.

It's important to take advantage of what these historical places have behind their walls. You can learn so much about the history of the Leigh Valley and the people behind it. And besides the fact that these places are learning experiences, they are also new, exciting and fun things to do! And since they're usually fairly inexpensive, why not get out there and experience them?

Last November I traveled to New York City to see an art exhibit at Bard College that was centered around hats. I'm not really a hat person, but to see some of the ideas designers and artists come up with was so cool. Whether it was using obscure materials to create their designs or the shapes and patterns of a veil or mask, every display case had something new and interesting. There was even some history preserved in the exhibit, which included hats from historical and famous figures (Like one of Andy Warhol's wigs and Babe Ruth's baseball cap). I wasn't expecting to see so much in that tiny exhibit, but it was a pleasant surprise.

Now that I've done a little research, I know the Lehigh Valley has all that to offer its residents too. You don't have to travel to New York or any other major cities to find interesting museums and exhibits to go to. And, chances are the ones you find locally are probably cheaper than paying an admission fare in the city.

Well, I'm off to America on Wheels now. If they let me take photos, I'll post some later tonight!

Shop for a Cause

This weekend, instead of fleeing to the Lehigh Valley Mall for a shopping spree, why not stick to downtown Bethlehem? From Feb. 17 to 19, the Downtown Bethlehem Association is supporting a Shop for a Cause event. This means that while you shop for yourself, 10 percent of all your purchases at participating locations with go to a charity of your choosing. Better yet, when you dine at participating restaurants, 10 percent of your bill will also go to your charity.

The way it works: Print out a “Shop for a Cause Purchase Form” off of the website of the charity you pick. Then, bring that form to the store or restaurant you decide to shop or eat at and have the owner fill out the form. That’s it.

For a complete list of participating businesses, go to the event’s page on the Downtown Bethlehem Association’s website. The site also has a tab with a list of charities to choose from, including the Bethlehem Special Olympics, Boys and Girls Club of Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley Children’s Centers and United Way of Lehigh Valley, just to name a few. See online for the rest of the charities you can choose from.

This event is a really great way to support a local cause, but also get something for yourself out of it too. Of course, we always feel better about ourselves when we can do something nice for someone else, but there’s also the added benefit of picking up a cute top or grabbing a nice meal at the end of a stressful week.

It seems that people are always more inclined to do something if they can get something out of it too. Incentives are pretty powerful sometimes, and this is a pretty good one. Shop for a Cause offers virtually no effort on your part, besides printing the form. So why not participate?