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John "underpaid civil servant" F.'s Profile
Places to Go, Things to Do
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1. Kensington Market
Toronto, ON M5T 1K6
(416) 593-0616
Categories:
Farmers Market,
Used, Vintage & Consignment,
Local Flavour
Neighbourhood: Kensington Market
I reviewed this neighbourhood previously for TripAdivisor and noticed a lot of negative comments, apparently from people who either did not bother to explore the whole thing or were too snobby (or too suburban) to appreciate it. I love it. Not only…More »
2. Cappelle Medicee
50123 Firenze
Italy
+39 055 2388602
Categories:
Landmarks & Historical Buildings,
Museums,
Churches
It has been under restoration since 1999 and probably will be so for a long time further. Admire the the ceiling of the dome (fully visible), than head to Michelangelo's sacristy for his masterpiece tombs containing the world-renowned sculptures of…More »
3. Santuario Della Consolata
This beautiful church was designed by both the amazing architect Guarini and his successor Juvarri in a combination of high Baroque and Italian Roccoco. It is absolutely splendid - so over the top and yet so perfect. One thing visitors might want to…More »
4. Sinagoga di Firenze e Museo ebraico
The Jews in most of Italy were not really liberated until the 1840's or so. As a result there was no opportunity to build impressive synagogues until the mid nineteenth century. This one dates from about 1878 and has a dome to rival most of the…More »
5. Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore
50122 Firenze
Italy
+39 055 294514
Categories:
Churches,
Museums,
Landmarks & Historical Buildings
The most famous building in Florence and the exterior (remember the facade is not from the Renaissance but was actually added in the 19th century) is magnificent. The interior, apart from Vasari's dome painting and a few other works, is remarkably…More »
6. Parliament of Canada
Go on a weekend as they are not in session and the tour guide will take you inside the Library and Senate chambers.
The tour was excellent and the guide was able to easily answer questions not on their script. The building is a lovely example of two…More »
7. Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal
A must see site in Montreal. The interior is beautiful, especially the altar piece. This is not a bright church but has a pleasantly etherial feel. The French Gothic revival interior reminded me of religious music of Gounod or Franck. Tour (more…More »
8. Golden Griddle Family Restaurants
Toronto, ON M5B 2H9
(416) 977-5044
Category:
Breakfast & Brunch
Neighbourhoods: Church-Wellesley Village, Downtown Core
Maybe it should be called the Golden Turd instead. Awful. Went here Saturday for a group brunch:
1. Buffet has little in the way that combines health and tasty. Most of the offering are fatty and overly sweet.
2. Except for the omelet station…More »
9. Andersonville Chamber of Commerce
Chicago, IL 60640
USA
(773) 728-2995
Category:
Public Services & Government
Neighbourhoods: Andersonville, Edgewater
I can't afford to live there, but I really like the restaurants and businesses a lot. For a home owner on the far Northwest Side, it is a good place to go for dining/shopping without impossible parking (we usually feed the meters in the diagonal…More »
10. Maui Ocean Center
Don't overlook this place on your next trip to Hawaii. It is a great aquarium in a beautiful setting on one of the two southwest corners of the island. Exhibits are not only pretty but well organized and educational. Descriptions are good for kids…More »
11. Ellis Island Immigration Museum
New York, NY 10004
USA
(212) 363-3200
Categories:
Museums,
Landmarks & Historical Buildings
This is an awesome museum even if your ancestors did not come through this place. If they did, you have the opportunity to see what they went through first hand. The restoration is loving and the monument outside is impressive. Stop at the…More »
12. Bohemian National Cemetery Association
Chicago, IL 60630
USA
(773) 539-8442
Category:
Funeral Services & Cemeteries
Neighbourhood: North Park
If you like interesting old cemeteries, this is a great one! Lots of neat late Victorian sculptures and mausoleum and the tomb of Cermak as mentioned by a previous reviewer. This place would photograph really nicely on a foggy day whent the trees…More »
13. Mt Carmel Cemetery
Hillside, IL 60162
USA
(708) 449-8300
This Catholic cemetery contains a large mausoleum in the center with the remains of the 20th century archbishops of Chicago. Whether or not you think it is appropriate, they are surrounded by the final resting places of many of it most famous…More »
14. Millennium Park
Chicago, IL 60686
USA
(312) 742-1168
Categories:
Parks,
Local Flavor,
Venues & Event Spaces
Neighbourhood: The Loop
This has become the greatest free attraction in Chicago. The Cloud Gate, the fountains, skating, Gehry pavilion and beautiful gardens all show off this expensive but spectacular addition to Chicago's greats. A must for out-of-towners.
15. Crazy Horse Memorial
An absolute must if in the Black Hills. Don't be put off by the unfinished nature of the work. It is like the construction of a great European Cathedral during the Middle Ages, but on a much vaster scale, and will probably not be completed in your…More »
16. Rosehill Cemetery & Mausoleum
Chicago, IL 60660
USA
(773) 506-3692
Category:
Funeral Services & Cemeteries
Neighbourhoods: Andersonville, Edgewater
We recently got interested in cemetery exporation after buying Matt Huck's book on Chicago cemeteries and visiting his wonderful website, http://www.graveyards.com.
This is probably the most important cemetery in Chicago. Graceland has more…More »
17. The House On the Rock
I recently visited this attraction in order to take two children there. At first, I thought I'd sit in the car and wait while the two other adults led them through. I was very glad I did not. The place has grown enormously since I last visited in…More »
18. Eleanor Roosevelt Center At Val Kill
Unlike some restored homes where one just sees a bunch of furniture, this was lovingly restored to its photographed appearance in 1962 after Eleanor's death, including replicating her library with the same books in the same order. As a result, you…More »
19. Roosevelt Home and Library
Hyde Park, NY 12538
USA
(845) 229-9115
Category:
Landmarks & Historical Buildings
The library is the more interesting of the two places here, being the first of the Presidential Libaries to be established. It exhibits loads of intersting memorobilia from the Roosevelt years. The house has some personal effects of Roosevelt, but…More »
20. Death Valley National Park
Of the national parks I have visited, this is my favorite (even more so than Yellowstone, I think). It is not crowded, has an enormous variety of scenery (plus a castle!) and is easy to get around by car. There is so much to see in this huge park…More »
21. Devil's Tower
Anyone of a certain age will remember this as the setting where the aliens from "Close Encounters of a Third Kind" landed. But there is really nothing either alien or diabolical about it. It is a beautiful and impressive natural wonder, the largest…More »
22. Cathedral of Learning
Probably one of the most interesting university buildings in the US and certainly the tallest (supposed surpassed only by the University of Moscow). Nationality rooms are exquisite. Visit the beautiful Heinz Chapel nearby, as well.
23. Custer State Park
A state park that should have been made into a national park! One of the highlights of the Black Hills, with striking rock formations, the spactacular Needles Highway, a buffalo herd, prairie dogs, antelope and much more. One could spend weeks…More »
24. Badlands National Park
Striking rock-like formations (they are really very hard dirt) are the highlight of this famous national park, which is very easy to access due to its proximity to I-90. They also have a prairie dog village and some interesting plant species. Much…More »
25. Hemingway House
I am embarassed to say that I saw this on a visit to Florida but have not visited the Hemingway sites in his home town of Oak Park near Chicago.
This is a great literary museum and the guide offers a nice tour with fun stories about Hemingway. Rooms…More »
26. Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
This National Park is unlike all others (including Haleakala, the other one in Hawaii) because it comprises an active, currently erupting volcano. When I was there a few years ago, you could walk out on freshly cooled lava and even go up to an…More »
27. Haulover Park
This place has the advantage of probably being one of the few nude beaches in the US with easy access for the less physically fit (no rocks to climb and no long distances to hike) and onsite concessions. While not large, it is easily accessible,…More »
28. Spencer Gorge Conservation Area
This park, with a modest $5 per car admission (they trust you to pay it), is a great places to enjoy the Niagara escarpment as well as two beautiful and very different waterfalls, one a tall narrow "bridal veil" type and the other a striking double…More »
29. Mason City
This charming little city offers a lot to see! Meredith Wilson grew up here and you can visit his boyhood home and museum. There is also an art museum; a Frank Lloyd Wright house open to the public; a collection of beautiful prairie style home…More »
30. Saint Louis Zoo
I visited this zoo over 45 years ago as a child and decided to return on a trip to St. Louis. It is still a spectacular -- and free -- zoo and probably in the top two or three in the US. Habitats are spacious and realistic. For example, the hippos…More »
31. The Breakers
Newport, RI 02840
USA
(401) 847-1000
Categories:
Landmarks & Historical Buildings,
Tours
Though it's not as large as the Biltmore in North Carolina, this is the most splendid of the restored Vanderbilt palaces and the poshest in Newport. This is the one to see if you have time and money for only one Newport home. My partner is from St.…More »
32. Savannah City of
Savannah, GA 31415
USA
(912) 651-6639
I have been to Savannah and Charleston and found Savannah to be the more interesting of the two. The historical area is smaller though the population is larger. People are down to earth and gracious here - I found a number of folks in Charleston…More »
33. Chicago Opera Theater
Chicago, IL 60601
USA
(312) 704-8414
Category:
Performing Arts
Neighbourhood: The Loop
Chicago's other opera company. This is a good choice for those who cannot afford full Lyric subscriptions and would like a short season (3 operas) with more innovative repertoire. The current regime here started out by avoiding anything from the…More »
34. Court Theatre
Chicago, IL 60637
USA
(773) 753-4472
Category:
Performing Arts
Neighbourhood: Hyde Park
Interesting theather company does five plays per season. The focus is on classics, either antique or modern, combined with chamber versions of musicals and a few miscellaneous shows. Production quality is very high and they have some first rate…More »
35. Devil's Lake State Park
Lovely crystal lake ringed by palisades on either sides with hiking trails along the escarpments. Many camping areas. Beautiful fall foliage. As other reviewer mentioned, a great escape for Midwest flatness even if there are no high mountains.
36. Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill
A must see in Kentucky. This place is a beautifully restored Shaker Village combining a museum of Shaker life with active demonstrations, a hotel/conference center where you can stay in authentically furnished Shaker dwellings, and a restaurant with…More »
37. Mark Twain House & Museum
One would think that a town as old as Hartford would have a lot of top notch attractions, but this and the nearby Harriet Beecher Stowe house are really about the only ones.
If you are interested in Twain, you must see this place. Not all furniture…More »
38. Olana State Historic Site
This is not interesting so much for its Moorish Revival architecture, though lovely, as for the fac tthat it was the home and design of Fredrick Church, the greatest of the Hudson River school painters. While you can only see the first floor, it not…More »
39. St. Patrick's Cathedral
Not being a Catholic or ex-Catholic, I don't come with any emotional baggage when I go to this place. I love it because it it is the only church in the US which truly reminds me of the great Gothic cathedrals of Europe. Nice place to rest your feet…More »
40. Baha'i House of Worship
Note that this is anarchitecture review and has nothing to do with opinions on the Baha'i religion:
This building is supposed to be the largest in the world of poured concrete and it is a fascinating thing to see, despite some obvious engineering…More »
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Recently updated lists from John F.
Places to Avoid (66)DON'T GO THERE! |
Luscious Gardens (16)Places to go if you love flowers and landscaping. |
Fun Museums (30)Either extensive collections or out of the ordinary! |
Worthwhile Organizations (3)These might be of use to you... |
Shopping: Special and Ordinary (52)My favorite places to spend |
Eating Places from Special Occasion to Fast Food (67)Some of my favorite dining destinations as well as more informal choices. |
Professional Specialties (10)Here are some recommendations for ones I use and like. |
Places to Stay (11)For vacation or necessity |
Local Places and Services (10)Recommendations for non-shopping and non-eating places near Chicago and Toronto. |
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North York, ON
Yelping SinceJune 2006
Things I LoveThai food, antique maps, boxers (dogs, not underwear or pugilists), shar pei, chocolate, photography, Bach, Handel, Purcell, Schubert, Renaissance polyphony
Find Me InToronto, Ontario, Canada
My HometownPoughkeepsie, NY
My Blog Or Website When I'm Not Yelping...I'm taking photographs or editing them
Why You Should Read My ReviewsI have lived in two countries and love to travel.
My Second Favourite Website The Last Great Book I ReadGalileo's Daughter, by Dava Sobel
My First Concertopen rehearsal of Andre Watts playing the Rachmaninoff 3rd with the BSO
My Favourite MovieThe Producers (original version)
My Last Meal On Earthbeluga caviar, seared tuna steak, tiramisu