During the holiday season, I went east to visit Heather’s friends and family. We ranged from South Carolina up to New Jersey and everything in between. In Charlotte, we went to the famous Schweikert Holiday Party. From there we headed north through the rural woods and fields of North Carolina and Virginia to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. We rolled through Maryland on our way to Delaware and Bethany Beach. The quiet little beach town was incredibly quiet in the off-season.
On our way to New Jersey, we detoured through Washington DC to see the National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center and the Space Shuttle Discovery. Heather’s friend near Baltimore went with us to the B&O Railroad Museum. In New Jersey, I had the opportunity to work with master glassmakers at the Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center. While my time on the east coast was short, we had a great time and saw a lot of wonderful people. I’m looking forward to my next trip east!
Schweikert Holiday Party – The most famous holiday party in Charlotte.
Driving Through North Carolina and Virginia – It gets very rural very quick when you get away from the big cities.
Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel – A wonderful piece of engineering whisks us over and under the water.
Welcome to Maryland! – We cross into Maryland on our way to Delaware.
Bethany Beach – This quiet little beach town is dead in the winter.
Driving to Washington DC – The road to Washington DC from southern Delaware crosses an impressive bridge and goes by an equally impressive temple.
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center – The Space Shuttle Discovery now lives in the Smithsonian hangar at the Dulles airport. Wow what a sight it is to see the shuttle!
B&O Railroad Museum – We took a tour of the wonderful B&O Railroad Museum. I visited this place as a kid. It is even better than I remember!
On the Road to New Jersey – We head for New Jersey and see a few sights along the way.
Making a Paperweight at the Wheaton Arts Glass Studio – I had the honor to make a paperweight with one of the premier artisans at Wheaton Arts Glass Studio. He also let me help him blow a glass vase.
Out on the River by the Homestead – Heather’s parents’ house is on a beautiful little tidal river.
Allen’s Clam Bar – A great little seafood joint in South Jersey.
Longbeach, New Jersey After Superstorm Sandy – A tour of Longbeach after the devastation of Superstorm Sandy. An awful lot of damage was done by the hurricane/storm/frakenstorm/superstorm.
Atlantic City at Night – We drive through Atlantic City but don’t stop. The pretty lights aren’t quite as impressive as Vegas.
Sunset on the Dock – The tidal river behind Heather’s parents’ house is beautiful at sunset.
Getting Ready for a Party – We prepare for a party with Heather’s friends from high school. Instead of soft drinks and juice, we make something a bit stronger.