Allison

i love visiting salem to learn about my ancestor’s and my “witch” heritage. i am a descendent of the Towne family who had 3 sisters jailed for being witches during the hysteria, two of them were convicted and killed. the most famous of the sisters is rebecca nurse. her and her sisters are (were, would be?) my great(x12) aunts. i love having such an interesting family story, even though the whole thing was so tragic. it’s still really fascinating.

ok, i lied, it’s really not that worth visiting yet, but it’s getting there. i also grew up there so i’m kinda negatively biased towards it. the area is actually a good location and the scenery is pretty (living there you forget that not everyone gets to look out their windows and see at a mountain). new, cute shops have been going in so the town is looking a little better. still doesn’t compare to northampton, but there’s more to do there than southampton and westhampton combined, which must count for something. i’m rooting for the town to have a comeback and i think it’s on its way.

p.s. my mom runs a thrift store in the center of town next to the big white church called “The Parson’s Closet” and it’s a cool place to poke around and find random stuff for cheap.

A great atmosphere with friendly people, and a lot of interesting things to look at. There are limos with bull horns on the front, cowboy chaufers, a gift shop, a giant rocking chair, painted motel, giant bull, great food and of course the huge-ass steak dinner you get to watch people try to eat. This was only one of many stops on a cross-country drive, but definitely one of the most fun and memorable places.

The Ikil Sinkhole is one of the many deep wells of water found in the Yucatan. This one is located on the grounds of a restaurant and people are allowed to walk down its many steps to the bottom where you can take a swim in the fresh water or dive off the rocks.

Don’t know if it’s the right one, but I’ve been there a million times.

I even saw Lorelai while I was there!

My month in Australia was a trip of a lifetime. The pinnacle was traveling to the Great Barrier Reef to snorkle and scuba dive. In middle school I had to do a science paper on the Great Barrier Reef and I decided then that someday I would go there, and that day was a fullfillment of that long-standing dream. I am forever greatful for that experience and for everything I saw and did in Australia. Someday I will go back and share that beautiful country with someone else.

I went to school at Elmira College where the study is now located and the school is all about Twain, which every freshman learns early on when they have to read his works. The study was basically just something I saw every day and didn’t really appreciate much for what it was, but it is pretty interesting to go into the room where Mark Twain wrote many of his famous novels. Also on campus is a statue of Twain on a pedestal etched with the names of his works, as well as a life-like bornze depiction of him sitting on a bench in the library. For those really interested in Twain, the school also owns the farm where Twain’s wife’s family (the Langdons) lived and where the study was originally located. Down the street from the school is the Elmira Cemetary where you can see the family plot of the Langdon’s as well as Twain’s grave.

I was lucky enough to have visited New Orleans about 2 weeks before the hurricane hit. My friend and I were only there for one night (a stop on our cross-country drive), but it was an amazing time and we were in awe of the culture, music, drinking, food, people, clubs and architecture. One night was far from enough and I hope to return someday.

If you ever get the chance to live in L.A. for a while, you should. It is a fast-paced, high-fashion, interesting and diverse city with show-biz and star-eyed people all around. In the summer it is 75 and sunny every day, and you just can’t help but be affected by that much healthy sun and trips to the Santa Monica Pier and the beautiful beaches of Malibu. There is so much to do and see, espcially if you’ve never done all the crazy, Hollywood tourist stuff. Plus, Universal Studios, Warner Brothers and Disnyland are all close by. Lastly, go downtown on the weekend to the fashion district for designer knock-offs and a look at a very different way of life. I know I will live there again, and I can’t wait.