A little RAM fun

A couple Saturdays ago (the 30th), I made my first official trek to the Riverside Arts Market (RAM). Now most locals know what RAM is and I was probably one of the last ones in my age bracket who had
never gone. I really don't know why. I am sure I have come up with a myriad of excuses, mainly being that I am "too busy" or "too much grading has to be done". This is really a lie because I usually spend most of Saturday doing a whole bunch of nothing. Don't get me wrong, doing nothing is one of my favorite "activities" but I don't really want to become a hermit either. Moving on...

The RAM is already one of my new favorite things to do. One visit is all it takes to appreciate this event. I really think there is something for everyone, but I could be wrong. Then again I am a sucker for markets. Recently I was enjoying lunch with a former athlete of mine who is studying in London this summer (as I write this). He wanted to hear about some of my favorite places in Londo

n, and one of my favorites is the Borough Market. The RAM isn't quite as large but then again the Borough Market isn't right on the river.

OK, so I am sure you want to know exactly what you will find at

the RAM. As the name suggests,

there is a variety of art to see and purcha

se. Most artists are local but a few travel from other areas of Florida and South Georgia for the market as well. You will also find lots of food at the market. Fresh produce, local honey, fresh pasta, bread, herbs and spices, jerkey, and of course food to eat there. You could easily eat a day's worth of meals here. A bagel or sandwich for breakfast. Some pizza for lunch. Ice cream or kettle corn for a snack. A veggie burger for dinner. Other vendors sold clothing, personalized items, cutting boards, etc. There is always free entertainment at the RAM as well. The market always features a couple different music groups/artists set up on a stage right on the river. On this particular day there was also a juggler and a palm reader (free).

Now what did I buy?

1) A lacrosse keychain and a couple gifts for a friend who is getting married from a vendor who's name escapes. It is one of those that sells lots of cutesy items like bows and headbands. The sort of things any sorority girl would love to have (ducking).

2) Some fresh ravioli and gnocchi from Tampasta.

3) A few peppers and a tomato from Black Hog Farm.

4) Creamed cinnamon honey from Queen Bee Company. Basically this is spreadable honey & they sell several flavors. Look for their stand or ask me for the phone number to order.

If you have not been to the Riverside Arts Market before, there are two main transportation options. The traditional one is of course by car. The RAM is located in Riverside (on the northbank) under the Fuller Warren Bridge. Free parking is available in the parking lot where Roselle meets Riverside. If you are feeling a little more daring or adventurous, I suggest you bike to the market. The market has a free bike valet courtesy of Bike Jax. You don't have to worry about finding a place to lock your bike because they will secure your bike until you are done visiting the market. I spoke with the gentleman who was working that particular day and found out that he bikes all the way from Bayard. Yes, I did feel like a bit of a slacker for not even being able to get up early enough to get the market before noon.

The Riverside Arts Market runs every Saturday, rain or shine, 10-4. If you want to bike down there one Saturday, let me know.

Meeting Sue: A Friday at the MOSH and the Friendship Fountain

On Friday, Tropical Storm Debby began her slow creep along the gulf coast of Florida. A storm which ultimately overstayed her welcome made for a soggy Friday-the perfect day for a visiting a museum. I discovered that the Museum of Science and History, aka the MOSH, is $5 on Fridays and open until 8:00. Now I admit that I have been to the MOSH several times. I am certain I took at least 3 field trips to the museum in elementary school as well as many other visits over the years. While it is no Smithsonian, given the space available the museum is managed quite well. They have a variety of exhibits and try to keep each one as relevant the Jacksonville as possible. On the first floor you have the option to start with one of two exhibits: Atlantic Tails or The Body Within. Atlantic Tails is centered around the museum's life size model of a right whale, one of the 10 most endangered whales on the planet. (Source: Mother Nature Network) This exhibit also highlights other marine mammals, including pilot whales and manatees. The Body Within is about, well, the human body. It is designed so that you enter through the mouth, travel through the digestive system, and exit out the "rear". I decided to end my tour with this exhibit, but I suggest that you start with this one. Taking the opposite route and exiting at the mouth is not as interesting as you might think. Also, a side note, if you are at all squeamish you should avoid the TVs in the center of the room. Each one shows a different surgery, each of which fascinated me but other patrons were not as amused. Moving along, also found on the first floor is the JEA Water Expo, Florida's Naturalist Center, Water Worlds, and the museum courtyard. The Naturalist Center actually houses many different animals and the staff give two shows daily to provide more information about a specific species. I actually attended the Marsupial show and touched a juvenile opossum. Any of the my students can tell you that out of the the marsupials, I consider the opossum to be the ugliest and meanest of them all. (They usually tell me a story about the strength of a kangaroo kick at that point.)

The second floor is home to Currents of Time, the Bryan-Gooding Planetarium, and special exhibits. Currents of Time has been a mainstay of the MOSH for as long as I can remember. Visitors travel through the history of Jacksonville and the surrounding areas. Despite being a long-term exhibit, it is one of my favorites as I am a history junky. If the name "Cowford" means nothing to you or you think the only plantation in Jacksonville was Kingsley plantation, you need to visit this exhibit. This month's special exhibit is A T-rex named Sue. Sue (see above) is the most complete T-Rex fossil discovered to date. This exhibit includes a large sand box where children can practice their skills as paleontologists and station that mimics the movement of a T-rex's arms. Yes, you can actually make sure your arms are properly t-rexin' when you are creepin'. The Bryan-Gooding Planetarium is a large improvement from the planetarium I visited as a child. The shows vary depending on the time of year, but always include cosmic concerts on Friday nights. The music for these concerts changes each week. I recommend the Pink Floyd shows, available the first Friday of every month. (Planetarium information)

The MOSH does have a third floor, which is simply a gallery featuring different exhibits throughout the year. Running through July 8th is Victory Begins at Home: Florida During World War II. I already mentioned that I am a history junky. I am especially a WWII junky. (Really, I took an entire class on Nazi Germany and another on The Holocaust in college.) Irea

lly liked that this exhibit focused on Florida, and included as many artifacts from Jacksonville as possible. National museums usually provide artifacts and information on how the war affected NYC or Chicago or DC, but rarely anything from Florida. Another nice feature of this exhibit is that the museum has provided QR codes on many cases so that visitors can listen to commentary on their smartphones. Other points of interest at the museum include its KidSpace and the courtyard. (Museum information)

If you decide to venture to the MOSH, I suggest that you spend some time after your visit enjoying Friendship Fountain Park. Anyone who went to high school in Jacksonville probably took Prom pictures at the fountain at least once. (Yes, I did, but I never

got a copy of the pictures from the photographers. Ah, the days before digital media.) The fountain has been renovated over the past few years and the construction is almost complete. The original design features, including the lights within the fountain, are still present. The city has already added more lights, benches, and music as part of the renovation. The music usually matches the season, which means the current theme if patriotism. If you are not a fan of God Bless America, my friend Davis might think you are un-American but don't worry there is a song for you: Freedom by Akon. The last piece of the park renovation which appears to almost be complete is a large arbor. I am sure the arbor will ready for next year's Prom season to improve the tradition of taking photographs at the fountain. (Friendship Fountain Information)

If you want to see more of my pictures from my vacation to the MOSH and Friendship fountain, you have to be my facebook friend. No, I will not accept friend requests from strangers. Sorry!

Born to travel, stuck in Duuuuval

<---Me on vacation in Boulder last summer.
Have you ever played the ice breaker game "If you really knew me"? When I play that game my first answer really depends on the company I am in. The real answer though should always be "I live to travel." You are probably think that being a teacher makes it really easy for me to travel, and it would if travel wasn't so expensive (or if I was paid a more reasonable salary). Since I can't live out my original plan to drive cross country to Northern
California and visit my friends and family a long the way, I decided that this summer I would attempt to be a tourist in my own city, Jacksonville. Yes, I was born and raised in this city. Jacksonville is so spread out that it is easy to stay in your own pocket of the city (mine being Mandarin) and never venture anywhere else. In fact, it is easy to stay within a 15 minutes radius of my own house as everything I need can be found just that close. (I say minutes because Jax natives measure everything in time instead of distance.) Jacksonville is the largest major city in the USA, so needless to say there is a lot of the city I have never even seen. My crazy roommate suggested I blog my adventures. I am a science teacher so let me apologize in advance for grammar errors and nerdy scientist-like comments.

My city from the Southbank Riverwalk-->