Travelsmartplanet

Presented by Henry Morrison Flagler Museum, the first museum exhibit devoted to the image of the World War I pilot-hero, Knights of the Air honors the daredevil pilots who risked everything for the cause at the dawn of aviation.

Imbued with a sense of adventure and fierce patriotism, aviators became the face of the War efforts back home. Works of art, souvenirs, postcards, and newspapers celebrated their valiant efforts. After the War, the romance of flight was embodied in new types of daring aviators, such as barnstorming aerial acrobats, air mail pilots, and bootleggers.

Popular pulp magazines such as George Bruce’s Squadron and Hollywood films like Wings (1927) capitalized on the appeal of the brave World War I aviator, inspiring many future pilots who would serve America in commercial aviation and future military conflicts.

Organized by the Flagler Museum in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of America’s entry into World War I in 1917, Knights of the Air features works of art, artifacts, and printed materials on loan from the private collection of Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf, and other private and public collections.

Guided exhibition tours will be offered Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., beginning October 25. The exhibition and tours are free with Museum admission. The Flagler Museum will offer free Museum admission to active duty, reserve, and retired U.S. Military each Wednesday for the duration of the exhibition (proper identification required).

Illustrated Lecture
11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 11, 2017
Free with Museum Admission
Space is limited, reservations are required.

Join exhibition curator Janel Trull on Veteran’s Day for an illustrated lecture about Knights of the Air: Aviator Heroes of World War I, to learn about these heroic pilots and their lasting legacy.

Image: Collection of Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf

Location: Henry Morrison Flagler Museum,One Whitehall Way
Palm Beach, FL 33480
Dates: until Dec 31, 2017
Hours: Sun – 12pm – 5pm, Tues – Sat – 10am – 5pm
Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
Tel: 561- 655-2833
flaglermuseum.us
For Regional accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: thepalmbeaches.com

The excitement of the fashion runway come to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts this spring with Yves Saint Laurent: The Perfection of Style. showcasing highlights from the iconic designer’s 44-year career.

Drawn from the collection of the Fondation Pierre Bergé—Yves Saint Laurent,  and other private acquisitions, this impressive compilation offers an intimate and extensive view at the lifetime achievement of Yves Saint Laurent, one of history’s most avant-garde  and influential fashion designers.

Featuring 100 examples of haute couture and ready-to-wear garments—some never shown publicly before—this exhibition reveals Saint Laurent’s artistic virtuoso, as well as his working technique, and the origins of his design inspiration. Witness his immersive operative process from his first sketch and fabric selection to the various stages of production and fitting before a final garment was realized.

In addition to haute couture ensembles and ready-to-wear clothing, Yves Saint Laurent: The Perfection of Style also includes accessories, photographs, drawings, films, and video from the Fondation’s vast archive.

Photo by David Stover © VMFA

The exhibition traces the trajectory of Saint Laurent’s style as it developed over the course of his career, beginning in 1953 with the Paper Doll Couture House that he created when he was a teenager, the exhibition is a journey from his first days at Dior in 1958, through his groundbreaking designs in the 1960s and 70s and the splendor of his final runway collection in 2002.                            

Location:Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Boulevard, Richmond, VA 23220
Dates: Until August 27, 2017
Hours: Daily: 10 am – 5 pm, Thu & Fri: Until 9 pm
Tel: : 804-340-1405
vmfa.museum
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: visitrichmondva.com

Nature enthusiasts will relish the natural unspoiled and virtually unmarked by man Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge that was established in 1937 to preserve the Okefenokee Swamp. The refuge encompasses over 400,000 acres of canals, moss draped cypress trees and lily pads which provide sanctuaries for hundreds of species of birds and wildlife.

Okefenokee has the great distinction of not only being a part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, but also the National Wilderness Preservation System. Swamp habitats comprise open wet “prairies,” cypress forests, scrub-shrub vegetation, upland islands, and open lakes. Wildlife species include wading birds, ducks, alligators and other reptiles, a variety of amphibians, bobcats, raptors, white-tailed deer, black bears, and songbirds.

To assist you on your exploration, Okefenokee Adventures offers a full range of tour options and is located inside the refuge on the historic Suwannee Canal.  Canoe, kayak, or boat the mirrored black waters of the Okefenokee Swamp: You can join a regularly scheduled 90 minute guided boat tours, or reserve a 2 hour sunset tour or arrange a half or full day private excursion with an expert, professional guide. Their staff includes well-known authorities on alligator biology, wetland ecology, and Okefenokee cultural history. 

Experience canoe camping in the back-country wilderness of the Swamp interior, or head out on your own in a canoe or kayak. You can bike or drive the Swamp Island Drive, visit an authentic Swamp homestead or walk the nature trails and boardwalk and  get bird’s eye views of the swamp from atop the observation tower.

Location: Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, 2700 Suwanee Canal Rd, Folkston, GA 31537 , Tel: 912-496-7836 or 877-860-6787

Location: Okefenokee Adventures, 4159 Suwannee Canal Rd., Folkston, GA 31537
Hours: Open: ½-hour before sunrise every day,
Closed: 7:30pm – March 1 through Oct 31, Closed: 5:30pm – Nov 1 through end of Feb
Tel: 912-496-7156, 866-843-7926
okefenokeeadventures.com
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: visitkingsland.com

Christmas is that special time of year when lights illuminate the night sky. In South Florida, they have an annual tradition of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel Winterfest Boat Parade where privately owned boats and yachts take over the intracoastal waterway and display all of their Christmas glory.

The Boat Parade sets sail for 12 miles starting in downtown Fort Lauderdale heading North to Lake Santa Barbara in Pompano Beach. Approximately one million spectators view the parade, along with millions more via television and the internet, bringing national and international recognition to South Florida. The event is the Top 20th Parade in the World and considered the Greatest Show on H2O.

Private boats to the giant showboats and corporate mega yachts will be adorned with hundreds of thousands of lights, music, entertainment, decorations, celebrities, musical groups, beauty queens and many other exciting entries. Parade highlights: Grand Marshal Showboat, Galleria Mall Reindeer Barge and the Santa Showboat.

Fun, Family entertainment. Free admission along the Riverwalk.

This is Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach. You can normally not see it from the road due to the high hedges, but when Trump hosted a press conference here concerning his nomination, the hedges were trimmed, and we were able to get this view. It was originally built by Marjorie Merriweather Post.

Over the top Christmas decorations on a private home in Whitestone. This is the same private home in summer and winter. What a difference!