Two milestones occurred within days of each other, giving me pause. Mel Brooks turned 100, and the United States turned 250. That means Mel has lived through more than one-third of our nation’s entire history.
It struck me that we are still a remarkably young country…and that many of us, along with even more of our children and grandchildren, will witness an extraordinary amount of history yet to come. Visiting Richmond, Virginia, last week sharpened my awareness of the significance of events unfolding every day. I realized that today’s headlines become tomorrow’s history.
My awareness of living history was sharpened when I attended the reenactment of the moment Patrick Henry delivered his electrifying “Give me liberty or give me death!” speech. Around me sat George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and other notable delegates passionately debating whether Virginia should form a militia to challenge England’s rule.
And here’s my confession.
If I were a delegate, I would have voted no on independence.
The colonists had no real plan, no money, and no compelling reason to move so quickly. In fact, after touring the Virginia State Capitol, I came away convinced that without the French, we probably would have lost the Revolutionary War.
Patrick Henry
In the end, Patrick Henry’s resolution passed by just five votes. Five votes! Such a tiny margin changed the course of world history. What tipped the balance? My guess is that the colonists hated being told what to do. England had managed its colonies poorly, and eventually even privilege wasn’t enough to overcome the desire for self-government.
In this week’s newsletter, you’ll discover:
Ask Adriane: What’s the Best Art Galleries across the country? (Oh boy, Kathy, did you ask a tough one!)
News You Can Use: FlixBus ride, US REAL ID program and STEP program
Culture Vulture: Why Richmond, Virginia, belongs on every history lover’s travel list.
Luxury Travel for Less: The Museum of the American Indian and Free NYC Hop-On-Hop Off Bus
On this week’s The Ageless Traveler Podcast, I interviewed the publishers of Purgula, the magazine devoted to beautiful living, about how to bring the comfort, elegance, and serenity of a luxury hotel into your own home.
Never stop traveling
Cheers,
Adriane
P.S. . . Several of you have signed up to become Travel Coaches. If you’d like to learn about this fascinating way to turn your love of travel into an income stream, check out my podcast HERE.
P.P.S. I receive so many great cruise bargains each week that I can’t possibly include them all in this newsletter. Don’t miss out! KEEP UP WITH weekly cruise bargains BY JOINING OUR FACEBOOK SALON where I post cruise discounts every week. Not on Facebook? Just check out CruisesIt at The Ageless Traveler discount link.
On Our Podcast
Make Your Home Like a $2000 Per Night Hotel–With Guests Rukmani Ramdari and Robert Spears, Pugula.com
In this episode of The Ageless Traveler, we turn our homes into vacation spaces for year-round health and fun. It’s more than a staycation; it’s living as beautifully and luxuriously as if you were staying at a $2,000-a-night hotel.
My guests, Rukmani Ramdari and Robert Spears, the dynamic husband-and-wife duo behind Purgula.com, show you how to transform your living space into a sanctuary, offering insights into neuroaesthetics, biophilia, and the importance of wellness in home design. Learn practical tips for creating a peaceful environment, ensuring safety while traveling, and embracing sustainability in your home.
I had a ball Culture Vulturing in Richmond, Virginia. Here are just two of the outstanding museums and two memorable performance venues you need to visit:
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VNFA) featured a terrific Mughal exhibition. The museum also houses an impressive permanent collection of Fabergé Imperial Easter Eggs and Russian decorative arts including jewels, silver, and exquisite objets d’art.
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
VMFA also features an internationally respected collection of American art, with masterpieces by John Singer Sargent, Winslow Homer, Georgia O’Keeffe, Edward Hopper, and many other renowned artists.
My personal favorite was the Edgar Allan Poe Museum. I was thoroughly spooked when my phone suddenly began taking only black-and-white photographs—even though it was set to color!
Edgar Allan Poe Portrait and Museum
As for theaters, the TBEX conference, which brought me to Richmond, ended with a wonderful evening at the famous Hippodrome Theater jazz venue. The singers were Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, and Nat King Cole impersonators, all performers who actually appeared there during its heyday. picture
The 5th Wall Theatre, near the Richmond Convention Center, is exactly the kind of hidden venue I love discovering, much like the small basement theaters I seek out in New York and London. Opening performances were offered on a “pay what you wish” basis before regular $30 tickets went on sale. The musical Tambo and Bones traces the history of Black Americans from the Chitlin’ Circuit through hip-hop and into the future.
I covered the Chitlin’ Circuit in my Pine Bluff podcast, where the same prejudice that stained our nation’s history forced Black performers to build their own theaters and entertainment network.
Luxury Travel for Less
The Virginia State Capitol
My visit to the Virginia State Capitol reminded me how welcoming government buildings can be when they are designed with visitors in mind. Picture Designed by Thomas Jefferson and inspired by an ancient Roman temple, it remains one of America’s most important public buildings. Free guided tours allow visitors to explore the historic chambers, Rotunda, and exhibits while learning how Virginia helped shape the nation.
Don’t miss the busts in the Rotunda and the life-size statue of George Washington made from a plaster cast sculpted by the celebrated French artist Jean-Antoine Houdon, who also created the famous bust of the Marquis de Lafayette. Houdon traveled to Mount Vernon in 1785 to make a life mask and detailed measurements of Washington, making this one of the most accurate likenesses of America’s first president ever created.
3. Lower Manhattan Free Shuttle
My final morning in New York City provided true luxury for less.
I started at State Street and Whitehall Street to board the FREE Downtown Connection shuttle bus, which serves 30 stops throughout Lower Manhattan—from the Staten Island Ferry to Tribeca.
You can hop off at any stop and catch another shuttle about every 15 minutes.
Walking through neighborhoods filled with art galleries, historic churches dating back to New Amsterdam, and the New York Stock Exchange offers an extraordinary luxury: world-class history at no cost.
Its contemporary art exhibitions and interactive displays for adults and children are outstanding. I even sent my husband a photo of the beautiful corn plaque, which helps visitors understand the importance of this remarkable grain in our nation’s history.
National Museum of the American Indian
A museum filled with art, history, and culture deserves our attention.
And best of all—it is FREE.
Don’t Forget to Download Our FREE Ageless Traveler eBooks–Simply Click on the Book(s) of your choice.
