You may not realize it, but one of the most recognized houses in the world stands in tiny Eldon, Iowa. American Gothic House, Eldon, Iowa This humble house, built in the early 1880′s, caught the eye of Iowa artist Grant Wood because of its beautifulGothicwindow which he called, “pretentious for such a small house.” After asking permission to use the house as abackgroundfor a painting, Grant Wood went on to create an icon recognized the world over. In fact,Lonely Planet’s “Best in Travel 2012″ lists the American Gothic House as one of the “Top 10 Places to Put Yourself in the Picture”. Visiting The American Gothic House Tiny Eldon, Iowa is located in the south east corner of the state. Most people who find the house are following the Grant Wood Trail or are luck upon it on their way to the Villages of Van Buren. Next to the American Gothic House is the Visitors Center. This free museum shares the history of Grant Wood, i...[more »]

Mix It Up I love going to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and marveling at the paintings of the Impressionist Masters. My brother inherited all of my mothers artistic abilities, so I have always wondered what it felt like to be able to create or replicate something beautiful. When we were invited to a friends milestone birthday party at The Paint Bar in Newton, my only question was whether or not alcohol would be served. Thats the only way I could survive an evening of painting lessons. Our Guide For The Evening With the word bar in the name of the place, it was confirmed that beer and wine would be available and so I confirmed our attendance. When we arrived that evening, we found a very bright and packed room filled with blank canvases awaiting our creative works. After being outfitted with smocks, the appropriate paint, brushes and an adult beverage, we chose our stools and awaited instruction. I must say that the example of the painting we would be recreatin...[more »]

Every time we begin plotting vacation ideas here in the US I am always amazed by the vast size of our country. How incredible it would be if we could just move into an RV and drive, coast to coast, north to south, exploring every state at our leisure. This year we will visit a few places new to our family as well as places my husband and I visited before we had kids, which we can’t wait to explore with the girls. Also included is a small wish list of destinations we would like to make it to, if time and money allow. The Desert Southwest Apache Junction February will find my eldest daughter and I enjoying a long weekend in Chandler/Tempe/Mesa/Apache Junction, Arizona. I have visited in the past, but this will be Brenna’s first time seeing large cactus, mountains, and a real desert. We won’t get to the Grand Canyon, but have it on our when the girls a re a bit older list. The Gaylord Opryland View of Conservatory from Balcony If you ever find yourself in...[more »]