Music In The Vines

Picnicking in the rolling hillside of Franklin County is a great weekend activity for the entire family.  This summer, take advantage of the free admission concert series in The Courtyard at Arrington Vineyards.

Music In The Vines is an event that invites you to layout the gingham, relax to live music and watch the sun go down.  With sandwiches and an open bottle of the vineyard's Sweet Liberty wine, you'll be in the full swing of one of America's favorite pastimes.

Arrington's unique Tasting Lodge is famous for its daily wine tastings, rustic timbers and Tennessee Fieldstone.  You'll be immersed in this beautiful atmosphere when you take in the view of the vineyard from the deck.  Outdoor bistro tables, chairs and festive lights accent the vast porch.

If you don't have time to pack a picnic basket, the gift shop offers a wide variety of gourmet cheeses, crackers and Arrington wine.  The famous raspberry wine chocolate truffles, made exclusively for the vineyard by Schakolad Chocolatier, make great impulse buys.

The evening shows usually draw a crowd of over 200 people.  This Friday night, come and enjoy the acoustic pop soundings of Reed Pittman--a Nashville native with a strong local following.  If you plan on getting a table, arrive early because they are on a first-come, first-serve basis.

www.visitwilliamson.com

100 Years of Autochrome

This is the last week to see the "100 Years of Autochrome" exhibit at the Amon Carter Museum.  Learn how autochrome brought color into a black and white world.  First marketed in France in 1907, it remained the principal color photography process until it was surpassed by the advent of color film in the 1930s.

The Carter Museum is home to a vast collection of American Art donated by Amon G. Carter.  This week, take special notice of the works by Laura Gilpin.  Considering the color of the subject's clothing, Gilpin's "Woman in Black and White Striped Skirt Seated in Chair" may seem an unlikely choice for the autochrome display.  But you'll marvel at the verdant background of this photo that amply demonstrates the charm of color photography.

Come and celebrate the wonder of imagery by retracing the invention of the first commercially viable color photographic process.

100 Years of Autochrome

08/18/2007 thru 07/27/2008

Amon Carter Museum

817-738-1933

www.fortworth.com/FW/calendar/event/active.jsp?Month=6&Year=2008

Franklin on the Fourth

Celebrate Independence Day in Historic Franklin County.  This quaint rural area is rich in heritage, beauty, and the all-American traditions that make the Fourth of July a sacred holiday.

Located 16 miles south of "Music City, USA," Nashville, Tennessee, Franklin County is the heart of Middle Tennessee.  Come and immerse yourself in patriotism in a town named after a signer of the Constitution.

You'll enjoy a patriotic, family concert event on the Public Square in historic downtown Franklin.  There will be entertainment, children's activities, food and crafts.  The celebration will be followed by a fireworks finale that takes place near Mack Hatcher/Hillsboro Road.

Free Admission

When: Independence Day

Where: Main Street & Public Square, Franklin

Top 10 Hot Springs in New Mexico

When the Spanish explorers first discovered New Mexico's hot springs, they thought they'd found the fountain of youth.  There are hot springs across the globe, but here are some of America's finest.

Battleship Rock & McCauley Hot Springs

These large 99 degree hot spring pools are located near the Battleship Rock in Jemez Springs.  

Charles Motel & Spa

A characteristic 1940's-style motel and mineral bath house in Truth or Consequences, the Charles was built specifically as a healing center.

Fire Water Lodge

Located in Truth or Consequences, this lodge offers geothermal hot mineral water tubs in their rooms.

Gila Hot Springs Vacation Center

This primitive river campground has three mud pools ranging in temperature from 105 degrees to 110 degrees.

Jemez Springs Bath House

A historic hot mineral bathhouse located in a rich geothermal area that is named after the Jemez Springs.

Manby Hot Springs

Manby Hot Springs has two hot pools located in the ruins of an old stagecoach stop.

Montezuma Hot Springs

A collection of hot springs bubbling out of the side of a hill, feeding a variety of rock and cement tubs.

Ojo Caliente

The only hot springs in the world with a combination of four different types of mineral water: lithium, iron, soda and arsenic.

Riverbend Hot Springs

Unique and affordable, this resort spa is the only riverside springs in Truth or Consequences.

Spence Hot Springs

Pristine hot springs on the side of a steep hill that form several soaking polls.  Spence springs have a reputation as a hangout for nudists.

For more information please visit http://www.newmexico.org/relax/hot_springs/index.php

Bumper Sticker Shocker

Five cities to avoid on the family road trip this summer.

A recent study by Colorado State University could influence the route you take on your next road trip.  It warns drivers to steer clear of vehicles plastered with "territorial markers."

Social psychologist William Szlemko concluded that drivers of cars with bumper stickers, window decals and personalized license plates are far more likely to display road rage.

"The more markers a car has, the more aggressively the person tends to drive when provoked," Szlemko told The Washington Post.

If the 2008 In The Driver's Seat Road Rage Survey is any indication, you'll have plenty of reading material when bumper to bumper in the Northeast.  Auto Vantage found that the least courteous city in the country is Miami, followed by Boston, New York, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

So, the next time you are distracted by some witty decal display, heed Szlemko's advice and proceed with caution-- maybe even switch lanes.

About Me

Hi, I am Victoria Paige.