July 2021

Gold Aurene Vase, Steuben Division - Corning Glass Works, ca. 1927-1933; Steuben invented the aurene process which involves spraying the glass with stannous chloride or lead chloride and reheating it to create the iridescent sheen

Cameo Vase, Durand Art Glass, ca. 1928; Durand art glass was made between 1924 and 1931 and quickly gained fame for its beauty and quality; sadly production ceased in 1931 when Victor Durand died in an auto accident

Ice Cream Tray, Hobbs, Brockunier and Co, ca. 1886; glassmakers reheated glass containing gold or uranium in the 1880s to create a new process called heat-sensitive glass which made deep red, pink and salmon-colored pieces

Vase, TG Hawkes and Co., ca. 1890; in addition to silica, an alkali is needed to make glass in order to lower the very high melting point of silica; historically, soda and potash have been popular alkalis

Egg Cup, Atterbury and Co., ca. 1875-1885; an early silver egg cup was found in the ruins of Pompeii; today collecting egg cups has become popular and there's even a name for it - pocillovy

Liberty Bell Candy Jar, ca. 1900; it's easy to see a household item like this and immediately realize how consumers are altering the planet since the majority of similar items today would be plastic

Basket, Steuben Glass Works, ca. 1910; founded in Corning NY (in Steuben County), this firm was acquired by Corning Glass Works in 1918; in 2011, after having been acquired by new owners, Steuben's Corning factory was closed

Bull's Head Covered Mustard Pot and Spoon, Atterbury and Co., ca. 1888; originally mustard was used on the table in its dry state but in the 18th century mustard use switched to a wet form and the need arose for containers

Cruet with Stopper, ca. 1800-1825; glass can be molded like pottery, cast like metal, carved like stone or softened by heat and inflated with air; in non-pandemic times you can visit a glass studio across the street from the museum

Bar Decanter, ca. 1850; Venetians reintroduced glass decanters (pioneered by Romans) during the Renaissance and introduced the style of a long slender neck that opens to a wide body, increasing the exposed area of the wine, allowing it to react with air

Sugar Bowl, Providence Flint Glass Works, ca. 1831-1833; glass had become such an integral part of life by the 19th century that glassmakers began designing pieces that were simply for decoration

Log Cabin Covered Dish, Central Glass Co., ca. 1884-1891; it is difficult to eliminate all of the impurities found in glass ingredients so it's actually challenging to remove color from glass

Whale Oil Lamp, ca. 1830-1840; heat of 2300 degrees is required to melt the ingredients in a typical silica-soda-lime mixture to make glass

Punch Bowl, TG Hawkes and Co., 1904; the basic processes to make glass include blowing, molding, pressing, casting, cutting and engraving, etching and fusing

Compote with Cover, ca. 1870; the invention of the mechanical press in the 1820s made glassmaking quicker and cheaper than labor-intensive glassblowing

Salt, J Robinson and Son, ca. 1828-1835; by adding different elements you can create color, such as bright yellow from uranium; cadmium makes red, iron makes green and cobalt makes blue

Six Inch Plate, ca. 1832; to make glass strong and water-resistant a stabilizer is needed in the production process; common stabilizers include lime or lead

Kerosene Lamp, Ripley and Co., ca. 1870; glassmaking was America's first industry, introduced in 1608; first products included windows and bottles for storage

The Classic Revival SC State House was completed in 1875 with construction delayed by the Civil War; the impressive building houses the General Assembly as well as the offices of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor

The hugely popular Soda City Market takes place every Saturday from 9a-1p; each of the 150+ vendors must make or grow their own products with the food trucks doing a great business

The world's largest fire hydrant is 40 ft tall and weighs 675,000 lbs; the band Hootie and the Blowfish are from the city (their 1994 debut album, Cracked Rear View, is the 19th-best-selling album of all time in the US)

The Hampton–Preston House was used as the headquarters of Union Maj. Gen. John A. Logan during the occupation of Columbia and is now a museum that epitomizes the lives of the planter elite in antebellum SC

In 1860, the SC Secession Convention took place in Columbia where delegates voted for secession, making this the first state to leave the Union; the first six states to secede were those whose planters held the most enslaved African Americans

This was the home of Woodrow Wilson from 1871 to 1875 (when he left to attend Princeton); completed in 1871, this is the only home Wilson's parents would ever own after having lived in church-provided housing in Augusta GA prior to this

The 359 acre campus of the University of South Carolina is spread out across downtown Columbia (reminding me of a smaller UT campus); this view is of the U-shaped quadrangle known as the Horseshoe, where most of the original buildings are

The Longstreet Theatre was built in the style of a Roman temple in 1855 by the University of SC as a chapel; it's named after a president of the University who was a staunch Secessionist (things are slow to change here)

The Darla Moore School of Business at the University of SC is well known for its undergraduate international business program; it's named after a USC graduate and Wall Street financier who donated $25 million

The Seibels House is thought to be the oldest surviving building in the city; records were lost when the city burned in 1865 on Sherman's March but a beam in the basement is carved with 1796 (city was founded in 1786)

When Columbia Mills opened in 1894 it was the first totally electric textile mill in the world (and the first major industrial installation for GE); the building now houses the huge SC State Museum

The Manns-Simon Cottage (1850) was the home of the first African-Americans to own property in the city; the property stayed in the same family for 130 years until it was turned into a small museum

EdVenture is the largest children's museum in the SE US and second only to the one in Indianapolis (the world's largest); opened in 2003, the 92,000 sq ft museum also now has a branch in Myrtle Beach

Built in 1823, the Robert Mills House is now named for its builder (he also designed the Washington Monument) rather than its original owner; it's one of five National Historic Landmarks in the city

The huge mural, Tunnelvision, shows a craggy portal to a world under a different moon which, if it were real, would be large enough to drive a large car through

The Gothic-Revival Trinity Episcopal Cathedral was completed in 1857 and was modeled after the York Minster in York, England; it is the oldest surviving sanctuary in the city and is just across the street from the SC State House

Strom Thurmond was governor before serving as US Senator representing SC for 48 years; the statue of this staunch segregationist and civil rights opponent was revised to add the name of his mixed race daughter

Town Theatre, built in 1924, is the oldest community theatre building in continuous use in the US; thanks to the University, downtown Columbia was vibrant with new residences, businesses, and plenty of bars and restaurants

In SC, the University of SC is known as Carolina (school colors are garnet and black) with the Gamecocks being their mascot; however among wiser people Carolina usually means the more respected University of NC

Columbia is often abbreviated as Cola, leading to its nickname as Soda City; the city is located about 13 miles NW of the geographic center of SC and has a population of roughly 140,000 (metro area 830,000)

The Columbia Museum of Art had an excellent permanent collection but rather dull temporary exhibits; Georgia O'Keefee taught at USC in 1915 while Jasper Johns grew up in SC and attended USC in the late 1940s

Ainsley Hall, a wealthy Columbia merchant, had this house constructed in 1818; it was purchased a few years later by former War of 1812 general Wade Hampton I, a wealthy cotton planter

To commemorate the Civil War centennial in 1962, the Confederate battle flag was raised atop the dome of the SC State House; it was taken down in 2000 and moved to the Confederate Monument (on the grounds) before finally being removed permanently in 2015

When I first visited the Statue of Liberty in the 1970s with my parents we were able to climb all of the way up to the crown; with the pandemic, visitors now aren't even allowed inside the base of the statue

There was a very interesting movie in the museum that detailed the incredible work that went into designing and building Bartholdi's sculpture in France, then completely disassembling it for shipment to the US and reconstruction here

The original torch, damaged beyond repair, was removed in 1984 but is now displayed in the museum; the flame the Statue now holds is a gilded, closed copper shell lit from the outside as Bartholdi originally intended

Raleigh-born Lillie Blake said at the dedication - In erecting a Statue of Liberty embodied as a woman in a land where no woman has political liberty, men have shown a delightful inconsistency which excites the wonder and admiration of the opposite sex

The only way to reach the Statue of Liberty is with Statue Cruises either from Battery Park in lower Manhattan or from Jersey City; no private boats are allowed to dock on Liberty Island

Through urging the American public to donate money towards the pedestal in his newspaper NY World, Pulitzer raised $100,000+ in 6 months- more than enough to ensure the pedestal's completion

The new $70 million, 26,000 sq ft museum may be visited by all who come to the island, as opposed to the museum in the pedestal, which only 20% (during non-pandemic times) of the island's visitors have access to

It was French political thinker and staunch abolitionist Edouard Laboulaye who first conceived the idea of a statue to honor liberty, affirm the historical French-American alliance and celebrate the centennial of US independence

Jersey City has the third-highest density of any US city with 100,000+ people, behind only New York City and San Francisco; the city's population peaked in 1930 but redevelopment of the waterfront has created Wall Street West

Almost 5 million people each year visit Liberty Island; the 7 rays of the Statue’s crown represent the 7 seas and continents of the world; there are 31 tons of copper in the statue and 125 tons of steel

Eiffel's design is one of the earliest examples of construction in which the structure exterior is not load bearing, but instead supported by an interior framework; he included 2 interior staircases so visitors could reach the crown observation point

In 1985, the great US Congresswoman Barbara Jordan spoke these prescient words - Liberty can gradually suffer erosion just like the Statue itself has suffered erosion. You have to attend to Liberty.

This 3 story Maryland waterfall greets visitors at the entrance to the aquarium; despite having opened in 1981, I was very impressed with the quality and breadth of exhibits here

Snowy grouper; there was a cool exhibit on North Atlantic puffins (between the glass and the speed of the birds my photos were horrible) that brought back memories of seeing them in the wild across Iceland

Sea anemones are named after and resemble flowers, but they’re actually invertebrates related to corals and jellies; the Aquarium has 16 different, colorful species exhibited

Like most other zoos and aquariums these days, the National Aquarium has more behind the scenes experiences and encounters with the animals that you can purchase ($$$)

National Aquarium has an annual attendance of 1.5+ million visitors and is the largest tourism attraction in Maryland; tickets are $39.95 and also require a timed reservation (despite capacity controls, it was packed during my visit)

Once the male longsnout seahorse is pregnant the female visits him every morning and holds his tail; they have monogamous relationships, and the male cares for the unhatched eggs, regulating the conditions inside the pouch where the eggs are stored

Three-eyed flounder, often referred to as summer flounder, can be found from NC to MA and are an important crop for both recreational and commercial fishing; my photos of more active fish weren't nearly as successful

One of the larger members of the macaw family, the blue-and-yellow macaw is a popular species as pets since they can live 65-70 years although they have a tendency to scream for attention

The yellow-headed Amazon’s stout, hooked beak is used not only for cracking nuts and seeds, but also for grasping, exploring and climbing; its feet, with two toes pointing forward and two pointing backward, are highly adapted for grasping

The white-blotched river stingray, native to Brazil, is unique for its large pup litter size; most stingrays have only 4 pups in a litter but this species has 7 or 8 and as many as 12

The giant waxy tree frog, native to the Amazon region, lays its eggs on large leaves overhanging the water; as the eggs hatch, the tadpoles fall into the water to begin development

The reticulated whiptail ray was one of the species found in the Blacktip Reef exhibit which lies in the center of the aquarium; you can look down on it from several floors above or even examine the reef from a couple of floors below the surface

Atlantic horseshoe crabs (though more closely related to spiders, ticks, and scorpions than to crabs) play a major role in local ecosystems, with their eggs providing a food source for shorebirds, and the juveniles and adults being eaten by sea turtles

Native brook trout are endemic to the Eastern US depending on cold, clear freshwater streams for their survival; the aquarium did a nice job highlighting the Chesapeake Bay and Appalachian Mtn ecosystems

Wood turtles are native to the Northeast but are now endangered due to habitat destruction and road traffic; rarely seen more than several hundred meters from flowing water, they hibernate in the winter

The Northern hogsucker, native to the US and Canada, prefers clear, fast-flowing water, where it can forage on the riverbed for crustaceans, mollusks, aquatic insects, algae and detritus

Blue crabs are one of the most important commercial and recreational catches in the Chesapeake Bay but have been declining in recent decades due to overfishing; Maryland crab cakes are famous

This gorgeous animal is a diamondback terrapin which is native to the brackish coastal tidal marshes of the eastern and southern US; I can see why the Univ of Maryland has a terrapin mascot

The shovelnose sturgeon, the only commercially fished sturgeon in the US, is the smallest species of freshwater sturgeon native to North America; it is mainly fished in the Missouri and Mississippi River systems

Moon jellyfish, typically 10-16 inches in diameter, are capable of only limited motion, and drift with the current, even when swimming; living only about 6 months, they can be an important food source for turtles and birds

The threatened round ribbontail ray can be found throughout the nearshore waters of the tropical Indo-Pacific, as well as off islands in the eastern Pacific; the popular touch pools were closed due to Covid

The little skate is of minimal commercial importance and is mostly used as bait for lobster traps but is significant as a model organism for biological and medical research

The scarlet macaw is recognizable for its vibrant coloring (what is known as disruptive coloration) which helps the macaws in flocks confuse predators; when the flock takes off, the bold colors create visual noise that obscures individual birds

Blue poison dart frogs release toxins from the skin that are distasteful and potentially lethal to would-be predators; native to Suriname, they are found near streams however, they lack toe webbing and are poor swimmers, so they are not found in the water

I didn't expect to see a two-toed sloth at an aquarium but he is part of the Upland Tropical Rain Forest exhibit; the species is known for sleeping 20 hrs a day but, interestingly, they mate and give birth while hanging upside down

Atlantic spadefish form fields of fast-moving stripes that bewilder predators by making it nearly impossible to distinguish one fish from another; the Aquarium was sold out the days of my visit but I lucked out since I just needed a single ticket

Poison dart frogs are not always poisonous; toxic skin secretions come from a diet of tropical rain forest insects like ants, termites and midges; without these foods, the frogs here at the National Aquarium aren't poisonous

Yellow-banded poison dart frog; in recent travels I've noticed more inexpensive hotels charging hefty resort and/or destination fees with some even now charging a housekeeping fee; always look to see the total price, not just the nightly rate

Parking around the Aquarium can be $25-$30 an hour in the nice, new garages; you're better off parking a block or two further away on the street where the rate is only $2 an hour

I was very impressed with the National Aquarium given its broad scope of exhibits and visitor-friendly layout; its also right in the heart of the Inner Harbor area where there are lots of other tourist sights

One of the most impressive exhibits is Shark Alley where you descend 5 levels of stairs surrounded by a 225,000 gallon tank filled with sharks; definitely a great place to bring kids

Lotus Pagoda Library Lamp, Tiffany Studios, 1905; the NY Historical Society (Central Park West at West 77th Street) has one of the world's largest collections of Tiffany lamps (132 in the Dr. Egon Neustadt Collection)

Woman in a Pergola with Wisteria, Tiffany Studios, ca. 1910-14; this window was commissioned (displayed above the grand staircase in the entrance hall) by Joseph Raphael de Lamar for Pembroke, his $15 million (100 yrs ago!) Glen Cove, Long Island estate

Favrile Paperweight Vase, Tiffany Studios, ca. 1914-15; Favrile glass differs from most iridescent glasses because the color is ingrained in the glass itself, as well as having distinctive coloring

Turtleback Hanging Lantern, Tiffany Studios, ca. 1905; although now famous for his stand-alone pieces, Tiffany was often commissioned to decorate church interiors or entire homes, including furniture and lighting

Wisteria Lamp, Tiffany Studios (Clara Driscoll), ca. 1901; Driscoll designed more than 30+ Tiffany lamps and was head of the Tiffany Studios Women's Glass Cutting Department (aka the Tiffany Girls)

Seascape Window, Tiffany Studios, ca. 1910; Louis Comfort Tiffany, heir to the Tiffany jewelry fortune (founded by his father), started out as an excellent painter before pursuing interior design and eventually glassmaking

Tulip Vase, Tiffany Studios, ca. 1909; In 1865, Tiffany traveled to Europe, and in London he visited the Victoria and Albert Museum, whose extensive collection of Roman and Syrian glass made a deep impression on him

Pond Lily Library Lamp, Tiffany Studios, 1905; Tiffany glass refers to the many and varied types of glass developed and produced from 1878 to 1933 (most at a factory in Corona, Queens, NYC)

Favrile Paperweight Vase, Tiffany Studios, ca. 1913; Favrile was the first art glass to be used in stained-glass windows; admission to this outstanding museum is free

Favrile Agate Vase, Tiffany Studios, ca. 1898; Favrile glass is a type of iridescent art glass developed by Tiffany; Tiffany won a grand prize at the 1900 Paris Exposition for his Favrile glass

Dragonfly Library Lamp, Tiffany Studios (Clara Driscoll), ca. 1905; Louis Comfort Tiffany hired Driscoll in 1888 but she had to leave (married women couldn't work) in 1889 when she got married; her husband died in 1892 so she went back to work at Tiffany

Daffodil Library Lamp (with Dragonfly Light Screen), Tiffany Studios, ca. 1905;Tiffany lamps, part of the Art Nouveau movement, gained popularity after they were introduced at the Worlds Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893