Recently, we had the divine pleasure of having Kim Pace, of Kim Pace Photography; share a personal guest story of her Travelin’ Local in her home state of New York. It was accompanied by her awesome, inspiring, and emotionally brilliant photographs of her trip to Long Island’s amazingly beautiful Bayard Cutting Arboretum.

Today we have a much anticipated encore from Kim; and it covers a couple of topics that are among my favorites—parks and the beaches. I’d have to say that I love beaches almost as much as anything else in the physical world. Along with art, books, architecture, and education, family is on my short list of life’s loves.

Kim’s passion and sense and sensibility shines as she shows us her interpretation of Long Island and its cultural and physical aesthetic as seen through her lens meant for our consumption.

And what a treat.

Interestingly enough, I’ve discovered a bit about Robert Moses. Leaving his legacy to the biographers and historians, it is a fact that Robert Moses was one of the most famous city planners in the world and he was for New York.

Moses led the way to fight the wealthy land barons in upper New York State who conspired together to deny others access to its beaches; because the wealthy landowners at that time would not allow for any right-of-ways for roads to be built for the residents of New York to go to the beaches because there was no access. Moses changed all of that.

He led the charge for the building and creation of Fire Island and the beach and ancillary aquatic facilities; and from Kim’s ode to Fire Island proves, sometimes a good fight is worth it in the end. Not only she, but now her children get to go the beach and enjoy for the rest of their lives its living legacy.

Moses was responsible for many of New York monuments—including the Brooklyn Bridge, the Triborough Bridge, and was the mover behind Shea Stadium and Lincoln Center, and contributed to the United Nations headquarters.

Robert Moses State Beach is a state park which is located in the state of New York.

Here is Kim’s inimitable, interesting, and penetrating guest story; and her experiences while Travelin’ Local in Long Island–her long time home and love.

Robert Moses State Beach

Robert Moses State Beach is located on the western end of Fire Island outside of the boundaries of Fire Island National Seashore.

Long Island has been my home for my entire life.  I have always had the luxury of being 20 minutes from the beach.  This luxury is not something I take lightly either.  I love the beach.  I love the smell of the beach. The sound.  The tranquility that comes from the second your toes feel the sand.

Robert Moses Beach has always been the beach I return to year after year.  It is the beach I will bring my boys to every summer.
Long Island is still trying to break into Spring, but a few weeks ago we had a freakishly beautiful day.  I chose to head to the beach with my camera to welcome the new Spring season.  It was chilly and the brush was still brown from the cold winter but the feeling of tranquility was still as powerful.

There was the ocean, with the seagulls running around. The light house, that stands in the background, watching over it all.

The smell of the surf.

I love it. I cannot wait to bring my boys to Robert Moses beach over and over again to create the memories I have cherished about living on Long Island.
I hope you can see some of the beauty through my lens of Robert Moses Beach.

Before I provide Kim’s biography in her own words, I feel compelled to provide readers with my interpretation of her amazing and visually stunning photography.

Her images always have a fine touch of humanity, with technical grace and sophistication, but always tell us—the viewers–a story, at a time in space, and a space in time, reserved for only a few select artists like Kim, who are able to produce a palette of colors, light, line, and hue, with her fine selection of both subject and topic; finely textured and wrapped within a single image.

For that, alone, I’m in awe of Kim. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that we share a lot in common:

Both of us are mothers, professionals, and photographers. Although we live on opposite sides of the coasts, our common passion of the photographic and written arts is the least of our similarities. It’s the glue that makes us relate to one another. It’s a journey that I hope to share with Kim for a long, long time.

About Kim Pace

Photography has been an act of discovery for me. I shoot with my heart and try to capture the tiny moments that create a story. As a mother to two young boys I know all too well how fast time flies. I try to carry my camera at all times so I can capture the perfect moments and the not so perfect moments. Happy accidents are usually the best photos.

Bayard Cutting Arboretum

This spring season has not been very kind for us Long Islanders.  It appears that April Showers theory was being put to very good use.  Sitting around last Wednesday night I turned to my husband and confessed, “I really need a day with my camera.”  So, last Thursday on my day off from work I decided after dropping the kids off at daycare I was going to take the entire morning and shoot.

My husband suggested the The Bayard Cutting Arboretum.  Living on Long Island my entire life it is sad to say I have never been to this park. I arrived at 10:00 when they opened and did not leave until a little after noon.  If I had brought some snacks to munch on I can assure you I would have stayed longer.  It was that beautiful.

The weather was a cool 70, and the flowers and trees where still waking up from the winter, but what filled me with joy was the pure peace I was at just wondering around a new place.

The Bayard Cutting Arboretum is a New York State Park which comprises approximately 690 acres along the Connetquot River.

The Bayard Cutting Arboretum, was donated to the Long Island State Park Region by Mrs. William Bayard Cutting and her daughter, Mrs. Olivia James, in memory of William Bayard Cutting,

Along with the Bayard Cutting Arboretum, there’s also a 5 nature walk throughout its grounds.

Upon the family’s philanthropic donation, they stated the following as their main reason for such a huge and generous civic donation:

"To provide an oasis of beauty and quiet for the pleasure, rest and refreshment of those who delight in outdoor beauty; and to bring about a greater appreciation and understanding of the value and importance of informal planting."

No matter the city or town that you currently reside in, by Travelin’ Local, Kim has shown us her neighborhood in a breathtaking manner during her respite from her daily routine.

learn new things, and start billion dollar companies, from the comfort of our own homes, using nothing more than our own personal computer.

Seriously though, Travelin’ Local’s mission is to provide its worldwide readers glimpses into locales and neighborhoods, as seen through the eyes of the locals who live there.

And then came Urban Panther, whose Guest Post today will knock your socks off. The pictures are to die for, and in case you didn’t notice she’s no slouch with the written word. Although this is not her local neighborhood, because she’s Canadian, that’s good enough.

Good enough too in that I also want to visit the Vancouver Islands after reading UP’s travel journal about her trip.

The Urban Panther is a Business Architect by day and a Writer by night.  She lives in Quebec, Canada, with her beloved Urbane Lion. She’s English and he’s French, so life is never dull! You can follow her adventures at Urban Panther’s Lair.

Pacific Island Paradise … in Canada!

A nice (read cheaper) way to travel, is going along for the ride on my boyfriend’s, the Urbane Lion’s, business trips. Of course, I’m selective. Trenton, Ontario, uh, no. (No offence to Trentonians). Vancouver Island? Oh ya, baby!

This involves a five hour flight to Vancouver, with the last leg of the journey over the Canadian Rockies. I am not a mountain person. Having the horizon blocked in all directions makes me quite claustrophobic. But even I have to admit that looking down on mountains is quite awe inspiring.

Upon landing at the Victoria Airport, we picked up our sah-weet ride! I haven’t been in a convertible since waaaay back in the day when my dad owned MGs. We actually have an MG in our driveway, but some assembly is required. Okay, a lot of assembly is required. The Lion took it apart a number of years ago, and there it sits. So, it was nice to roar around the Island in this puppy.

Then, it was off to Comox, where the Lion was giving a presentation at the Military Base.

However, the real vacation started when we headed out to Tofino in the Pacific Rim National Park. I have been to the Atlantic Coast many times, but this was my first visit to the Pacific Coast.

We stayed at the Wickaninnish Inn, and all I can say is WOW!

Let me repeat that. WOW!

The darling bellboy (is that what they are called?), Cory, showed us up to our room, and then spent a good five minutes explaining how the CD player, the coffee machine, and the remote one the TV worked, and the contents of the bar fridge. When all we wanted him to do was leave so we could scream with pure unadulterated joy.

Because this was the view from the two person bathtub.

And this was the view from our private balcony.

Throw in long walks on the beach …

Some sea critters …

And some uberly fantastic food ..

And we will be back.

We might have to rob a bank, or kill off some rich relative (of course, we’d have to have a rich relative), but we shall return!

P.S. no idea how I took this shot! Must have thought I was hitting the power button on the camera, but I think it sums up the mood of the trip very nicely!

By way of further introduction, Travis’ own biography and background is provided by him as:

"D. Travis North is a photography enthusiast with a strong interest in the photography of landscapes and architecture (among other things). His website, Shutter Photo, is dedicated to the sharing of his works, wisdom, experiments and anything that seems relevant."

Today, Travis takes us Travelin’ Local to his hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Through his words, photographs, and passion, it’s not hard to quickly realize just how beautiful Philadelphia is, and exactly why it’s an urban genome and testimony to the celebration of Cultural ethnography, geography, development, ethnicity, eclecticism, infrastructure management, and prudent and wise understanding of how people and their neighborhoods and cities interact with each other. Although quietly understated, Travis also takes us on a journey to understand the types and kinds of things that we should expect–and need–from the cities where we live.

Travis’ professional background in landscape architecture and photography, provide a grounded reality check as to how we can better appreciate and visit our own neighborhoods when Travelin’ Local:

The shape of a building, the lines of a park, the beauty of a store, or the portraiture of people.

After reading this, who wouldn’t want to move to Philadelphia?

Philadelphia’s Cultural Infrastructure

Philadelphia is best known as the birthplace of the United States. This historic city has seen the document that started the American Revolution and served as a temporary home to a young new government. It is host to many firsts including the first public grammar school, the nation’s first public library, the nation’s first hospital, the first American public bank, the first American Stock Exchange, the first municipal water system and first Zoo in the United States. And let’s not forget all of the National Parks assets including, but not limited to, Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and Carpenter’s Hall. Unfortunately for its 1.5 million residents, all this history overshadows one of the city’s greatest assets: its cultural infrastructure.

Fairmount Park

Cited as one of the largest urban park systems in the country, the Fairmount Park system – named after the largest of its parks – is made up of 63 regional and neighborhood parks spanning nearly 9,200 acres – nearly 10% of all city land (To give you a rough idea, New York’s Central Park is 843 acres). The park system is, in my opinion, the backbone of the city’s cultural infrastructure. East Park, along with the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, literally cuts a thin wedge of green through the city, terminating at Love Park just short of City Hall. All along the parkway and all throughout the Fairmount Park system are literally hundreds of sculptures and fountains. Most are classic sculptures of famous Philadelphians, but modern art is well represented as well. Fairmount Park, as a whole, serves as a place for activity and socializing and utility. Many picnic, exercise or play games in the Philadelphia parks. But in Center City, where you won’t have to travel more than a few blocks to find a park, most of the city’s museums and cultural centers front on the parks, squares and boulevards.

Museums

The Philadelphia Museum of Art, with architecture that resembles a Greek temple, is recognizable even to outsiders. It sits atop a hill that overlooks the city and its many museums. Unknown to many, however, the Griffin Society – the non-profit organization that runs the museum – has one of the largest art collections in the United States: Over 225,000 pieces. Believe it or not, The Griffin Society owns one of the largest collections of Rodin’s works as well as Monet’s works. In fact, the collection is so large that The Philadelphia Museum of Art built a separate Rodin Museum dedicated exclusively to Rodin’s work. But Philadelphia’s cultural exhibitions aren’t limited to art. Also calling the city home are the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology, The Please Touch Museum (an activity center for kids that also exhibits the collections of classic toys), The Museum of Archeology and Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania (home to an exceptional Egyptian collection), and The National Constitution Center. Probably one of the most unique museums is the Mütter Museum, a medical museum that hosts medical oddities, pathological specimens – dissected brains, still-born babies in jars and tripinnated skulls – and some of the most bizarre tools you’ll ever see.

Performing Arts

Broad Street is the main north-south route through center city, and the several blocks south of City Hall is referred to as the Avenue of the Arts. Probably the Avenue’s most notable building is the classic Academy of Music, the former home to the world renowned Philadelphia Orchestra. While the Academy is still in use today, the Orchestra now has a new home: The Kimmel Center. The Kimmel Center, a large multi-theatre complex, was a much needed upgrade for the city. Not only can the state-of-the-art facility host multiple events at once, but it has smaller theaters for more intimate performances. Traveling stage shows are not uncommon to both the Kimmel Center and the Academy of Music, but many of the Off-Broadway performances will be found at one of the city’s many theaters. But not all performances are limited to buildings built specifically for such purposes. One of the most extraordinary experiences will be found at the Macy’s on Market and Broad Streets (formerly The John Wanamaker’s Department Store): The world’s largest playable pipe organ. As legend would have it, The Wanamaker Organ was built to appease Mr. Wanamaker’s obsession, and it is played twice every day (or every hour during the holiday season) for all to appreciate. This picture does it little justice, however, as the pipes nearly completely fill all four walls and three floors of the main plaza in the store. Just to see it is awe-inspiring. To hear it played…that’s indescribable. But to carry out Wanamaker’s tradition, performances are absolutely free.

Cultural Melting Pot

While racial harmony is still many years off, I like to think of Philadelphia as a place where we are at least moving in the right direction. Culturally diversified neighborhoods like Mount Airy or Manayunk, where several cultures collided without prejudice, are not entirely uncommon in Philadelphia. Philadelphia is a place where you can live in the same skyscrapers that are home to world renowned businesses or you can own a townhouse just across the street from a museum (though admittedly, they aren’t cheap).Mixed use is all the rave in the land development these days, but Philadelphia and other historical cities have been doing it for centuries. The overlap of uses allows many great things. Easy access to public transportation, environmentally friendly lifestyles and inner-city farmers markets like the great Reading Terminal Market. Here you will find products from all sorts of cultures including Amish food stuffs, Italian and Jewish Delis, Chinese and Japanese cuisines and clothing and other products from Africa and South America.