Tag: united states

Colonial Williamsburg - Emily James as Edith Cumbo Inside R. Charlton Coffeehouse

Colonial Williamsburg – 5 Tips for Visiting & Photos of America’s Past

Posted on by Keane Li

Colonial Williamsburg is heaven for anyone even remotely interested in America’s past. The living-history museum covers 301 acres of land in Williamsburg, Virginia, not far from Jamestown and Yorktown, two other notable sites. Built with no small amount of funds and effort from the philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, Jr., along with a number of community organizations, the town meticulously preserves the sights and sounds of Williamsburg right before the American War of Independence.

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Christmas in Hawaii - Honolulu City Lights 2014

Christmas in Paradise – Honolulu City Lights 2014

Posted on by Keane Li

It’s that time of the year again! The Honolulu City Lights at Honolulu Hale (Honolulu’s city hall) are up for the 2014 Christmas season with the traditional Hawaiian holiday displays, the Christmas tree and wreath competition, and Santa Claus for all the little kiddies. Rides and food vendors line South King Street outside. There was even a new display this year, a whole family of carolers complete with a dog and a guy fishing. Check out the photos while listening to Keola and Kapono Beamer’s classic Hawaiian hit, “Honolulu City Lights,” a song about the city lights applicable any time of the year.

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SF Giants World Series 2014 Parade

Photos from the 2014 SF Giants World Series Victory Parade

Posted on by Keane Li

Orange October comes to a glorious end for our beloved SF Giants with a classic confetti-filled parade. Led by mascot Lou Seal, the 2014 World Series champs slowly (slowly) made their way down Market Street amidst a sea of adoring baseball fans. With three World Series wins in the past five years, San Francisco was more than prepared to host a proper homecoming celebration. The parade ended at Civic Center with a televised ceremony.

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Sunset in Decorah, IA

Romance with the Heartland, 4th of July in Decorah, IA

Posted on by Keane Li

When thinking of great places to visit in the world, Paris, Rome, New York and London are just a few of the cities that top most lists. Rarely does one hear “Iowa” mentioned, seldom does one call out that landlocked state seen mostly from above by those traveling from coast to coast and sometimes to Chicago.

I had always romanticized the Midwest, most likely a consequence of watching one too many Westerns or my strange predilection for obscure American history, so I was more than excited when a friend invited me to stay with her on her family farm in Decorah (pop. 8109; 7.04 sq. mi.), a small town located in Northeastern Iowa.

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Trees at Dhamma Manda Northern California Meditation Center

I Went to a Vipassana Meditation Center for my Birthday and Survived

Posted on by Keane Li

A jealous sigh of “oh mah gawd, that sounds relaxing” was the common response when I told people I was heading to Kelseyville for a meditation retreat at the Northern California Vipassana Center (Dhamma Manda) over my birthday. I had to explain it would be an intense 10 days of meditating from 4:30 am to 9 pm, living without our phones, the Internet and any contact with the outside world, including access to new episodes of Game of Thrones (but thankfully also all overzealous Game of Thrones tweets and Facebook posts — the universe has a way of balancing things out).

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Aquatic Park Sunset with Golden Gate Bridge

Fisherman’s Wharf by Night: Aquatic Park Sunset to Pier 39 After Dark

Posted on by Keane Li

It was one of those rare San Francisco days when the approach of sunset didn’t also mean the onset of obliterating coldness. The hottest days in this city yield the most magical warm evenings, luring locals to the waterfronts to take in what would otherwise be environments far too frigid for relaxation.

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Dunes Beach in Half Moon Bay

A Magical Day in Half Moon Bay

Posted on by Keane Li

When I was little, our school took us to Half Moon Bay, a coastal town 23 miles south of San Francisco along Highway 1, for the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival. All I remember was standing in a field of orange globes with a bunch of other students, each of us searching for our ideal one. All the other kids took home big pumpkins, while I selected one much smaller. Maybe it was laziness, but I like to think I found value in the less desirable pick, the diamond in the rough, the scrappy upstart of a squash… No, definitely laziness.

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Golden Gate Bridge at night in the rain

Golden Gate Park & the Golden Gate Bridge in the Rain

Posted on by Keane Li

San Francisco is one of the most magical cities in the world. It’s even more magical in the rain, should one be so brave to endure it. Here are some photos from two of SF’s most popular attractions, Golden Gate Park and the Golden Gate Bridge, in the rain, exhibited for your convenience so you can stay warm and dry while still experiencing the mystery.

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