There’s nothing like a Kool-Aid stand on a hot summer day and, if you head to Hastings, Nebraska from August 12-14th, you can visit the world’s largest! With 14 flavors pouring at any given time, the stand serves up a gallon of Kool-Aid every minute. It’s all part of Kool-Aid Days, a celebration set in the birthplace of the fruity drink that draws over 50,000 people every year. Events include a parade, a golf tournament, a Kool-Aid drinking contest and carnival games. Of course, the Kool-Aid man himself oversees the festivities! Check out the official site for more information and a full schedule.

Kool-Aid Days

Although it opened just 8 months ago, The National Pinball Museum in Georgetown, VA will close on September 1, 2011 after losing its lease. The good news is that you still have just over a month to check it out! The museum features exhibits about the history of Pinball and 300 machines, 50 of which are available to play.

Admission is just $3.00 (free for kids under 9) and games are $0.75/play. Every Thursday from 12-8pm, admission is $20 and includes unlimited play all day.

The National Pinball Museum

A huge part of the U.S. is heading into a heat wave and what’s better than ice cream on a hot day? I recently came across this great list of the country’s craziest ice cream flavors in Newsweek. In case you are wondering, I’ve only had the Brown Bread at Scoops in L.A. personally…..it was delicious.

A little known fact about the Pepsico Headquarters in Purchase, NY is that the grounds are a beautiful sculpture garden and it’s open to the public. There are 45 sculptures on the perfectly landscaped 168 acres, most by well known modern artists. A security guard at the entrance will hand you a map detailing the well maintained trails that take you past all of the pieces as well as several fountains, topiaries and a lily pond complete with frogs. The best part? It’s completely free!

There is no official website for the gardens but you can find more information and directions on the NY Times website here.

When the weather is nice, we love hiking and being outdoors and Will especially loves waterfalls. Located in Kent, CT, Kent Falls State Park is a great place to spend an afternoon. There is a hike that loops around the falls which is only about 1/4 mile each way and has lots of good viewpoints. Although it’s not long, it is steep and I recommend wearing good shoes.

The park is pretty much in the center of town and there are a lot of cute, little shops and fantastic restaurants to explore after you check out the falls.

Kent Official Site
Kent Falls State Park

The Marina Bay Sands in Singapore is one of those hotels that just takes your breath away. In addition to 2,500 rooms, it has a casino, exhibition space, theatres, over 50 restaurants and over 250 high end retail stores. Of course, it’s the Skypark which connects the property’s three buildings on the 55th floor that really makes it distinctive. The observation deck is longer than the Eiffel Tower and boasts a spectacular, panoramic view of Singapore.

Marina Bay Sands

Recently, Will and I visited Wave Hill, a 28 acre, public garden in Bronx, NY. It’s a bit small but it’s such a peaceful place to take a walk and the view of the Hudson River is beautiful.

Wave Hill

A few months ago we were driving around Westchester County, New York when I spotted a giant dam and made Will pull over so we could investigate. As it turns out, it is part of a county park called Kensico Dam Plaza. The park is small but it’s perfect for a picnic or as a quite place to lay out and read a book. We also spotted a few kids riding bikes. The main attraction is the dam, standing 300 ft wide and 1830 feet long. It was built in 1915 as part of the Kensico Reservoir which still supplies a small amount of water to New York City. Also located in the park, a sculpture called The Rising serves as a memorial to Westchester residents killed on September 11th.

Kensico Dam Plaza

One of my favorite things about travelling is discovering unique places to eat. While wandering around Washington D.C. in search of a snack, Will and I stumbled upon Co Co Sala. Although they do have meals, we visited during an in between time when they were only serving drinks and desserts. Will ordered a Mokha Java which came in a french press and was quite big. I decided to try the Hot Cocoa Trio Flight which let me select three flavors of hot chocolate. I chose Peanut Butter, Salted Caramel and Dark Chocolate. All three were delicious but my favorite was the silky salted caramel, topped with one of their homemade vanilla marshmallows. We also shared the chef’s plate of artisanal chocolates which we enjoyed so much, that we stopped in their chocolate boutique next door to pick up a box to bring home. The chocolates are all excellent but we especially loved the banana-ginger….so different, so incredibly tasty!

Co Co Sala Chocolate Lounge & Boutique

Cuyahoga Valley National Park, in Ohio, is a preserve along the Cuyahoga River containing the Ohio and Erie Canal. The most frequently visited section of the park is the Towpath Trail which runs beside the canal from Cleveland to Akron along the route that mules would walk to tow boats. The scenic trail can be hiked or biked and it passes many interesting points of interest including the canal locks and several visitor centers. It’s also not uncommon to spot some wildlife, espcially birds of prey and beavers!

Cuyahoga Valley National Park