Years ago, on a road trip through southern Idaho, I stopped in the tiny town of Blackfoot. As a lifelong fan of weird roadside attractions, I couldn’t resist visiting the Idaho Potato Museum. Right outside the entrance is a giant baked potato sculpture the size of a small car—complete with a pat of butter. Inside, the museum walks a fine … Read More
More Quirkiness — Museum of Clean – Pocatello, Idaho
If you’vr a cleanliness freak (I am not) you need to visit Pocatello, Idaho, home of the one, the only, Museum of Clean. This 75,000-square-foot shrine to cleanliness celebrates everything from vintage dustpans to early vacuum cleaners the size of a Smart Car. There’s even a horse-drawn vacuum named Puffing Billy, which sounds like a children’s book character but actually … Read More
More quirky American towns – Hell, Michigan
More quirky American towns – Hell, Michigan Just 15 miles northwest of Ann Arbor lies a little slice of the underworld on Earth—Hell, Michigan. It’s a town prone to puns, where the devil is always in the details and residents take pride in saying, “Welcome to Hell—and thanks for dropping in.” The origin of “Hell” is debated—one version says it … Read More
Quirky Canadian Towns – Vulcan, Alberta
I’ve never been to this small town, but it’s on my radar should I ever be anywhere near there. Nestled in the Canadian prairies, the town’s unique identity comes from its connection to the Star Trek universe. It is a pilgrimage site for Trekkies (Star Trek fans). It was named Vulcan long before the Star Trek TV show was developed. … Read More
Quirky American Towns – Deadwood, South Dakota
While on a car trip through the US, I drove to Deadwood, SD. Originally a lawless gold rush settlement, Deadwood now leans into that history in a big way. Wandering its streets is like stepping onto the set of a Western—except it’s real. Boardwalks line the main drag, saloon doors swing, and every other building claims some connection to Wild … Read More
Quirky American Towns – Marfa, Texas
I haven’t been to Marfa, but it is very high on the list of places I want to visit. For years, I’ve heard about this town filled with mysterious lights and minimalist art in the middle of nowhere. From all descriptions, Marfa feels like it shouldn’t exist. A high desert town with a population of about 1,800 people, it is … Read More
Quirky American Towns – Magdalena, New Mexico
Years ago, a friend from Albuquerque drove me to Magdalena to see the Very Large Array (VLA). It’s located approximately 24 miles west of Magdalena. I’d seen the movie Contact starring Jodie Foster and wanted to see where it was filmed. The 1997 science fiction film was set at the VLA, a fitting backdrop for the film’s exploration of extraterrestrial … Read More
Quirky American Towns – Lucas, Kansas
Over the past year I’ve been giving talks about quirky American towns. For the next week or so, I’ll be sharing some of my favorites. I first learned about Lucas, Kansas when I attended the Kansas City Art Institute. Friends insisted we visit the “Garden of Eden” a large art installation in Lucas Kansas. It was created by Samuel P. … Read More
Less is More When Traveling
While working on my next book, I came across this snippet: “We’ll land in Milan and spend a few days there. Then we’ll take the train to Venice. Maybe going to Lake Como on the way. Next, we want to visit a small town where my husband’s family is from. We figured we’d rent a car for a couple of … Read More
Chicago – Day 5
Yesterday was my final day in Chicago. With the help of my new friend Louise, it was amazing. She picked me up early and we headed towards the Garfield Park Conservatory. Rather than going on the highway or sticking to main streets, Louise had plotted a route that allowed me to see a number of other neighborhoods that I’ve never … Read More