Educational Travel Blog | From Sea to Shining Sea

Harry Potter in Orlando, Florida

After much anticipation, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ is now open at Universal Studios Islands of Adventure^®.  This new area is filled with Harry Potter-themed rides, shops and dining options, which have become an instant success.  In the first month the headline attraction, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey™, had more than half-a-million rides by visitors to the park.

 

Since opening, the theme park has had large increases in foot-traffic, which has caused long lines and wait times for visitors.  Universal Studios^® has been working tirelessly to fix these problems.  They now issue paper receipts with return times and inserted a new “plan your visit” component into the map.  With these solutions Universal has been able to rework the traffic, but still highly recommends late afternoon visits for the best experience.

 

Fans say that it is worth the wait, once inside this enchanted area, Universal has been able to capture the essence of the Harry Potter series and make it come alive.  Harry Potter fans cannot wait to get a taste of the non-alcoholic Butterbeer, which was made popular in both the books and movies.  You can even try making your own Butterbeer at home.  Don’t miss out- be sure to stop by this new attraction when traveling to Florida.

 

Three weeks after the grand opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, guests jam the attraction Friday morning. (JOE BURBANK, ORLANDO SENTINEL / July 10, 2010)

 

 

Wizarding World of Harry Potter grand opening (RED HUBER, ORLANDO SENTINEL / June 18, 2010)

New York City street vendors

There are many landmarks in New York City: the Empire State Building, Central Park, the Chrysler Building and Ground Zero to name a few.  Then there are the typical New York City traditions: visiting Canal Street to go shopping for souvenirs, going to a Broadway show and buying lunch from New York City street vendors.  From hot dogs to jerk chicken to authentic barbeque, New Yorkers and tourists alike can purchase just about anything from a street cart. 

Last year Gourmet Magazine featured an article on their top street-food vendors in New York.  They asked chefs to divulge their go-to spots for a quick lunch on the street.  From their list, I think I want to try Pizza Moto Brooklyn first.  Dave Sclarow, Pizza Moto’s chef, has created a homemade brick oven, which he mounted on a boat trailer. The authentic New York City pizzeria uses fresh, gourmet ingredients including San Marzano tomatoes, Sicilian oregano and Aeillo’s Mozzarella of Brooklyn.  Yum!

 
Hiroko Masuike for The New York Times

My experience traveling

Leisha Arbogast has traveled with both Smithsonian Student Travel and our international divison, EF Educational Tours.  Here she talks about her past domestic tours and what it is like to plan a tour as a parent.

 

I am always struck by the excitement Smithsonian Student Travel tours bring to students; it is what encourages me to continue offering these opportunities to them.  My previous Washington, D.C., and New York City tours were incredible, and I am happy to say that both the students and parents want to return to Washington, D.C.  So with that, I have another tour in place for next year!  I cannot wait to return for the third time to learn even more about our nation’s capital. 

 

As a parent offering these trips, it is a bit harder to reach out to the students, but I have already put up posters at the school and started encouraging students to look for summer work to pay for their trip.  Although it is harder to recruit students as a parent, I do think it is easier to lead a tour because you set the rules and boundaries.  This actually gains you respect rather than a teacher making rules that some students may find unfair because of their opinions of a teacher.

 

I’ve worked with a new tour director during each tour that I’ve taken, and I have found I like always working with someone new.  Each tour director has added a unique perspective on the trip, and I have always found their insights to be excellent.  My participants who have been to Washington, D.C., in the past on their own are astounded at how much more they learn and see when traveling with Smithsonian Student Travel.  It is a wonderful experience for me to see their faces as they walk through the White House and Capitol Building, touch the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and experience the Korean and WWII Memorials lit up at night.  I cannot wait to bring another group of students back next year! 

 

 
Leisha and her group in Wasington, D.C., in front of the Marine Corps War Memorial

Norman Rockwell’s “Telling Stories”

See a new twist on famed American painter Norman Rockwell’s work!  A new exhibition, “Telling Stories” is now open at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C.   

 

Rockwell is one of America’s most iconic painters. He had the ability to capture American lifestyle and make a story come alive within a painting.  Norman Rockwell said it best himself: “Without thinking too much about it in specific terms, I was showing the America I knew and observed to others who might not have noticed.”

 

What makes this exhibit different from other Norman Rockwell exhibits?  It is the first major exhibit to focus on the connection between Rockwell’s iconic paintings and the films produced by filmmakers George Lucas and Steven Spielberg.  All 57 pieces in the exhibit are from these two men’s personal collections.  Lucas and Spielberg, both widely successful in the film industry, produced films that have become iconic for Americans such as Star Wars,  E.T., Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park.

 

What do these filmmakers have in common with Rockwell?  That is exactly what this exhibit delves into.  The exhibit features a short film with Lucas and Spielberg sharing what appeals to them about Rockwell’s art.  When viewing the works of these three men, shared themes are ever present: unlikely heroes, life in the country and of course imagination and irony. 

 

Below are a few paintings from the collections of Lucas and Spielberg:

 

 

Norman Rockwell, Boy Reading Adventure Story

1923, oil on canvas. Collection of George Lucas

© 1923 SEPS: Licensed by Curtis Publishing, Indpls, IN. All rights reserved.

 

Norman Rockwell, ---And Daniel Boone Comes to Life on the Underwood Portable
1923, oil on canvas. Collection of Steven Spielberg

Artist: Norman Rockwell | Collection of Steven Spielberg | Courtesy SAAM

 

Norman Rockwell, Shadow Artist
1920, oil on canvas. Collection of George Lucas

Artist: Norman Rockwell | Collection of George Lucas | Courtesy SAAM

 

Introducing our newest writer

My name is Mary, and I am the Marketing Assistant at Smithsonian Student Travel. I’m very excited about joining From Sea to Shining Sea and being able to share information with you.  I will be writing on a variety of different topics, so look for my first post at the beginning of next week.

Philly's best cheesesteak

When you travel to Philadelphia you'll see the Liberty Bell, visit Independence National Historic Park and will have a cheesesteak for lunch.  The Philly cheesesteak was created in the early 20th century by combining thinly sliced sautéed beef, onions and melted cheese in a small loaf of bread.  Pat Olivieri, a hot dog vendor who opened Pat’s King of Steaks in 1930, created the sandwich by cooking chopped beef on his hot dog grill.  Rumors spread about the alluring aroma the steak sandwich created, and Olivieri’s creation was suddenly in high demand.  In 1966 Joe Vento founded Geno’s Steaks, which is located directly across the street from Pat’s.  Vento says that he was the first to add cheese to the cheesesteak, but Pat’s King of Steaks maintains that employee Joe Lorenzo was actually the first to add cheese.

And so the rivalry began: Geno’s versus Pat’s.  Pat’s claims to be the “the first and the originator of the Philly steak and cheese steak” while Geno’s simply claims to be “the best from south Philly.”  Tourists, locals, politicians and celebrities have all weighed in, but the two sandwich shops are still battling for the cheesesteak crown.  Who do you think has earned the title of Philly’s best cheesesteak?

To try the Philadelphia delicacy for yourself, you can follow this authentic cheesesteak recipe from Pat’s King of Steaks.

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons Soya bean oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 24 ounces sliced rib eye or eye roll steak
• Cheese (store processed recommended); American or Provolone
• 4 crusty Italian Rolls
• Sweet green and red peppers, sautéed in oil (optional)
• Mushrooms sautéed in oil (optional)
• Ketchup

Directions

Heat an iron skillet or a non-stick pan over medium heat and add 3 tablespoons of oil to the pan and sauté the onions to desired doneness. Remove the onions and add the remaining oil and sauté the slices of meat quickly on both sides. Melt the cheese in a double boiler or in the microwave. Place 8 ounces of the meat into the rolls, add onions, and pour the store-processed cheese over top. Garnish with sweet peppers, mushrooms, ketchup.

Photo Credit: B. Krist for GPTMC

Broadway's "In the Heights"

I recently saw “In the Heights,” a Broadway show about the community in Manhattan’s Washington Heights.  The musical showcases the neighborhood, describes the sweet coffee from the corner bodega, which is served with a smile, and it shows the relationships formed amongst the residents of Washington Heights.  The community is on the verge of change, and the characters, Spanish-speaking American dreamers, describe the daily struggles that prevent them from realizing this dream.

“In the Heights” has won best musical, best choreography, best score and best orchestrations.  Rave reviews for “In the Heights” have been published, and I have to say I agree.  The music and choreography are the highlights: the blend of Latin pop and rap with the rhythm of salsa makes for a lively, entertaining show.  Below you can watch the cast perform the number “96,000”!