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Mardi Gras has been synonymous with New Orleans for over 150 years, but the man behind some of the most stalwart traditions of Fat Tuesday is trying to change his city from a one-holiday town. Blaine Kern, the owner of Kern Studios, which produces 80 percent of the floats that zigzag through the city throughout Mardi Gras season, is on a mission to make New Orleans the nation's new Halloween capital. In 2007, he started the Krewe of Boo, a month-long series of events that culminates in a huge all-out Halloween parade. "We have cemeteries, voodoo parlors, haunted houses, and Gothic architecture," Kern said recently, enumerating the city's many creepy assets. With all that spooky stuff, it was a no-brainer for him to launch a new parade and encourage visitors to take part in the costumed revelry.

But the root of Kern's efforts isn't simply a passion for goblins and ghouls. He created the event as a way to raise money for his charity, The First Responders Fund, which helps house and support the city's fire, EMS, and police departments, many of which are still recovering from the impact of Katrina. "I found out that after Katrina most of the police were going home to trailers at night," Kern says. "The only way I know how to raise money [is to throw a parade]. " He has partnered with the Salvation Army and plans to construct 10 homes for first responders in the Algiers neighborhood of the city this year. This year's parade will be held on October 24th, at 7 p.m., followed by the annual Costume Exposé. Tickets to the party are $100, and all proceeds from both events go toward the fund.

[Krewe of Boo]

Photo: Krewe of Boo

In conjunction with his upcoming book, Here Is Where: In Search of America's Great Forgotten History, we've been following historian and Legacy Project founder Andrew Carroll as he drives, flies, walks, boats, buses, bikes, and hikes to seek out little-known historic sites in all 50 states. Today he shares his last blog post, at a site that inspired him to start the project. You can find all of his past posts here.

Pittsburgh is where I officially launched this 50-state journey last July, but in many ways the first stop of my journey was in New Orleans two years ago. The Big Easy was my "test" city back in the fall of 2007, and I hired a local guide named Rob Florence, considered the best in the business, to see how many unmarked history sites we could locate. I especially wanted to pinpoint spots that were unfamiliar to local residents--perhaps even to Rob himself.

Rob is exactly what you want in a guide: genuinely passionate, friendly, and, of course, knowledgeable about almost every nook of the city. He has also been instrumental in preserving the past. Rob helped place a new marker at the gravesite of Homer Plessey (of the infamous Plessey v. Ferguson Supreme Court decision) and has been involved in countless other activities to ensure that New Orleans' rich history is not lost.

In 2007 Rob and I found numerous forgotten history sites, including a secluded burial mound miles outside the French Quarter, a decrepit building at the corner of S. Rampart and Perdido where the "father of jazz" Buddy Bolton is said to have gotten his start, and, in a parking lot behind Houston's Restaurant on St. Charles Street, the scattered remains of the factory where Andrew Higgins built amphibious landing craft used in the 1944 D-Day landings (pictured, above). At the time, General Dwight D. Eisenhower credited Higgins and his boats with helping to win the war in Europe. After this first visit to New Orleans I decided that a larger, 50-state trip was in order.

I recently went back to see Rob, and I asked him to help me track down some additional forgotten history sites, especially one that, although not nationally significant, is personally meaningful to me.

Emory University senior Caitlin Etherton writes to us from Oxford, Mississippi, where she has tasted what she calls "unregrettably unhealthy food."

As a poor college student heading into the writing world after graduation, I'm always eager to explore beyond campus and find off-the-beaten-path places deeply rooted in local culture and community. And if that it happens to involve some fried catfish so good that people tailgate in the parking lot for hours just to get a table--then I'll take the extra step and the restaurant's T-shirt. In the case of the Taylor Grocery, I paid more for the T-shirt than for my meal.

Our trip began in Oxford, Mississippi, when a friend and I asked a family for directions to "That Catfish Place" we'd heard about. They gladly gave us directions to nearby Taylor, and even invited us to stay with them if it got too late to drive back to Atlanta. We thanked them for the offer and wound out of town past Ole Miss' Grove, William Faulkner's home, and the Big Truck Theater, a 200-seat barn where concerts start on the bed of a 1960 Ford truck.

Taylor Grocery was originally built around 1889 as a dry-goods store. I assume not much has changed about the storefront since then. Luckily, football season hadn't quite begun, so when we walked in there was no wait. We split a whole catfish dinner, two fish and two sides, making it completely reasonable to also order two desserts - homemade pecan pie and chocolate cobbler.

The fried catfish was crispy and perfectly seasoned. Service was fast and friendly. Live blues music bounced off walls that had been covered with signatures. Every table brimmed with families and students enjoying the sweet tea and hush puppies. When we left people were still sitting on the porch talking and drinking from Styrofoam cups (this restaurant is all about BYOB). I hope the next time I come the wait is extra long, just so I can sit on the porch myself and catch a good story or two.

Taylor Grocery, Taylor, Mississippi, +1 662 236 1716.

Photo: Caitlin Etherton

Thanks to all those of you who offered up suggestions for my Labor Day trip down to Charleston, South Carolina. Here are some of the highlights from my visit:

Cruising through Charleston with the dog in the front seat. That's me in the mirror, taking the picture.

There is perhaps no better way to see Charleston then from the seat of a maroon 1974 Buick LeSabre convertible. That's how I got my first glimpse of the city, thanks to my friend Abby, whose fine ride was passed down to her by her grandmother (and, thanks to the new engine she installed a few years ago, will probably outlive us all). I didn't have big plans for my Labor Day weekend, but I did manage to take some of your tips and, more importantly, relax. Because things move slower in the South, and there wouldn't really be any other way to do it.

Ok gang, it's time again for another round of Plan My Trip. I'm doing the drive down to Charleston, South Carolina this weekend to see family, and it's my first time visiting the fine city.

Now, I have to admit I've been briefed by Andrew Nelson, our contributing writer, who wrote the Insider's Charleston piece for the magazine a few years ago. And I've got some great suggestions thanks to the help of reader Currie, who submitted her I Heart My City entry for the city. (She also gave one of my favorite responses to our "What celebrity would your city be?" question: "It'd be Andie MacDowell, well-mannered and sophisticated, as well as Southern and sultry.")

But I'm positive there's more. Tell me, as I have a long drive ahead of me, and plenty of time to get excited.

Read More: Readers tell the editors where to go in past Plan My Trip! entries.

Photo: Bob Sacha for National Geographic Traveler

In conjunction with his upcoming book, Here Is Where: In Search of America's Great Forgotten History, we're following historian and Legacy Project founder Andrew Carroll as he drives, flies, walks, boats, buses, bikes, and hikes to seek out little-known historic sites in all 50 states. Bookmark all of his posts here.

Before arriving in Atlanta, Georgia, I received a call from a local WSB-AM radio reporter named Jon Lewis who wanted to talk about my search for unmarked historic sites throughout the country. I confessed I only had two sites to check out in Atlanta--one of which was already marked, and the second one I had yet to locate on a map. So throughout the day it was Jon who guided me around the city pointing out one fascinating, little-known site after another.

A few highlights:

To date, the worst hotel fire in the United States occurred in what was once the Winecoff Hotel on 176 Peachtree Street, and is now the Ellis Hotel. One hundred and nineteen people were killed on December 7, 1946, in what was supposedly a "fireproof" building--despite the fact it had no sprinklers or fire escapes. (The tragedy prompted cities across the country to enact stronger fire safety measures.) A young graduate student named Arnold Hardy won the Pulitzer Prize--and he was the first amateur to do so--for a picture he took of a woman falling from the eleventh floor. Miraculously, she survived. The building was put on the National Register of Historic Places only earlier this year.

Not all parking garages are created equal. For example, look to the Ballet Valet Parking Garage and Retail Center in Miami Beach, on 7th and Collins, in the heart of the Miami Art Deco Historic District.

Designed by the French firm Arquitectonica, engineered and planned by Desman Associates and constructed by McCarthy Building Companies, the structure transforms the upper levels of the garage into a hanging garden.

From PointClickHome.com:

The building includes street-level shops, a restored Art Deco façade and six parking levels concealed behind a trellised, carbon-dioxide-absorbing planting of Clusia guttifera [a flowering shrub with leathery leaves], Conocarpus erectus, var. sericeus [silver buttonwood] and Scaevola frutescans [a tropical beach shrub]. Palm trees planted along the sidewalk provide shade.

The imaginative landscaping takes some of the sting out of driving a greenhouse-gas-emitting vehicle.

UPDATE:  For more info about the Miami Art Deco Historic District, which is celebrating its 30th year on the National Register of Historic Places, and for info about their annual Art Deco Weekend in January, check the Miami Design Preservation League website here.
 
Photo by Dan Forer, courtesy of Arquitectonica

At this year's annual Jazz Fest in New Orleans, representatives from the four main industries of Louisiana's cultural economy--music, food, art, and film--gathered for a roundtable discussion on how their unique cultural heritage holds the key to economic recovery and growth in the region. With Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu as the host, local luminaries such as Grammy-winning musician Terrance Simien, chef John Besh, folklorist and radio host Nick Spitzer, and artist James Michalopoulos shared their perspectives on how to keep local cultural traditions alive while building sustainable livelihoods.  

A couple of themes emerged, such as the necessity of collaboration among the various industries, which is critical to the success of the whole cultural economy. Richard McCarthy, who runs the Crescent City Farmers Market, spoke of his partnership with chef John Besh to build relationships between local farmers and the city's renowned restaurants. The role of local government in both creating the space for cultural activity and providing economic incentives for cultural development was another important theme, with the most notable example being the tax incentives which have fueled Louisiana's burgeoning film industry.  

I left the roundtable inspired by the creative synergy I witnessed among the panelists. As the region rebuilds from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, it seems that New Orleans will be, as Nick Spitzer noted, "even greater than it was before." This is a destination to keep an eye on. 

Video: Susanne Hackett

What better way to explore some of the country's greatest natural treasures and historic sites than a bicycle tour through the back roads of Florida? And now, you can do it any time of the year! In an effort to help make Florida tourism greener, non-profit organization Bike Florida is bringing back year-round, long-distance bicycle touring for the first time in 25 years.

To inaugurate the new initiative, Herb Hiller and Linda Crider, co-founders of the modern-day Florida bicycling movement, will lead a week-long bicycle tour this October 10-16, starting and ending at Palatka, a rural county seat by the St. Johns River in northeastern Florida.

"For too long there's been no organized comfortable cycling way to discover backroads Florida," says Crider.  "These tours are organized for that, but also for fun."

It worked for the Wright brothers, but what can wind do for beer? Sam Boykin shares the secret of the country's first wind-powered brewpub.

It was the Outer Banks' strong and steady winds that attracted Orville and Wilbur Wright to North Carolina's Kill Devil Hills. And while the Outer Banks Brewing Station may never measure up to the Wright brothers' landmark first flight, it too is using the wind to make history. When owners Aubrey Davis and Eric Reece erected a turbine above their laid-back little brewpub on Earth Day 2008, it became the first wind-powered brewery in the nation. And for folks traveling to the Outer Banks, a picturesque, 200-mile stretch of barrier islands along the East Coast, it's definitely worth a visit.

Davis and Reece first dreamed up the idea of starting a brewpub while volunteering for the Peace Corps in Thailand. Aubrey had spent many summers at his grandparents' place on the Outer Banks, and felt it was an ideal place to launch the business.

The pair, along with award-winning master brewer Scott Meyer, came up with a business plan for an environmentally-friendly restaurant that celebrated the uniqueness of the Outer Banks and its history. They eventually convinced nearly 30 friends and family members to invest in their dream, and in 2001 opened the Outer Banks Brewing Station in a two-story, 7,700-square-foot building inspired by turn-of-the-century lifesaving stations. Some of the custom design details include a boat-shaped bar and two pathways, made from local recycled bricks, which lead from the bar to the brewpub's big bay windows.

Contributing Editor Andrew Nelson is back from a long weekend along Florida's Gold Coast, where he found the economic downturn has had an impact on the high life.

More posh. Less dosh. For travelers looking for resort bargains, these are, as Natalie Merchant said, the days. No more so than the Sunshine State. Last winter tourism fell off the stove along with the stock market. "There was no season this year," complained one taxi driver heading up the Gold Coast from the Ft. Lauderdale Airport. "I've never seen it like that."

The recession combined with the traditional slow season - the humid Florida summer - offers bargains for the traveler. Even Boca Raton, one of East Coast's glossier destinations, is discounted this year.

Exhibit A is the august 1047-room Boca Raton Resort and Beach Club, now part of the Waldorf-Astoria collection. The resort, which started life as the aristocratic Cloister Inn (more on that later), just dropped $110 million on rejuvenating its Beach Club, a swankienda rising like a mid-mod Phoenix from the Atlantic sands. Despite the new pool and a terrific, South Beach-style lobby that makes even the knobbiest-knee-ed schlump feel himself George Clooney, the Club and the Cloister are lopping their rates during the summer with prices starting at $99 a night. Some deals offer a third or fourth night free.

Ironically, Boca Raton has been at this rodeo before. Founded by Florida's own Great Gatsby, the Jazz Age architect and shameless self-promoter Addison Mizner (1872-1933), the town owes its very existence to real estate speculation. The roly-poly Mizner, who was often accompanied by a pet monkey on his shoulder and a gaggle of swells in tow, was a driving force behind the creation of Palm Beach in the early 1920s. Looking to replicate his success further south, he began purchasing land in Boca Raton, first building the preppie-pink Spanish Revival Cloister Inn in 1926 with the hopes of attracting Northern investors. It all worked like a charm until it didn't. Mizner sold $26 million worth of real estate in 24 weeks, but then speculation and the infamous Miami hurricane that year popped the state's property bubble. Boca was "nixed by nature" observed Addison's brother, Wilson. Mizner's Boca holdings were finally sold for $71,500. He died broke in 1933.

In recognition of the anniversary of D-Day Amelia Mularz offers a glimpse of the new wing of the National World War II museum in New Orleans.

Tomorrow marks the 65th anniversary of the D-Day invasion, and while most thoughts will be directed towards the shores of Normandy, I can't help but set my sights on a coastline a little closer to home, New Orleans.

As if you needed another reason to visit the Big Easy, the city's National WWII Museum is in the midst of a $300 million renovation. The massive project, which will quadruple the size of the current museum, is set for completion in 2015. But overanxious museum-goers (myself included) can breathe easy--the first three attractions will open as early as November 6th of this year.

One such attraction is the Victory Theater, a 250-seat space with a 120-ft-wide and 30-ft-tall screen. So what film could possibly be worthy of such an incredible theater? Beyond All Boundaries, a WWII documentary produced by Tom Hanks and exclusive to the Victory Theater, fits the bill. Hollywood's latest slew of 3D movies has nothing on Boundaries, which uses 4D technology. Beginning with the attack on Pearl Harbor, the movie screen literally grows as the US plunges into war. Later, seats rumble and in-theater weather effects transport audience members from the jungles of the Pacific, to the blistering cold of the Battle of the Bulge...much more intense than a pair of glasses.  

Afterwards, decompress at the Stage Door Canteen, another feature set to open in November. Rock out to Big Band tunes and catch a glimpse of swing dancers in the new museum cafe, modeled after the original morale-boosting canteens of the 1940s. While Lauren Bacall won't be available for a jitterbug or Mickey Rooney for a joke, but there will be plenty of live performances, cocktails, and a bite to eat.

In our search for the authentic, we're always on the quest to highlight the homemade - Hungarian chimney cakes, New Zealand cocktails, even Virginia dumplings. But what about homemade music?

On June 13 and 14, Tampa will be hosting the second annual Homemade Music Symposium, a free festival featuring a quirky mix of homegrown musical talent and international business gurus. Originally created to give local musicians the chance to learn industry tips from business greats, the event combines workshops and performances, with an emphasis on public access. Any aspiring musician can meet with legends like Tony Michaelides, a record promoter who served David Bowie, U2, and The Pixies, among others, on the Manchester rock 'n roll scene.

The corrugated tin roof of the House of Dance and Feathers slopes up like a jaunty cap over the glass-paneled building in Ronald K. Lewis' backyard. "Everything in this building has a story," says Lewis, as he pushed open the door to the museum he curates behind his Lower Ninth Ward home. Inside, the walls, ceiling, tables and floor are all lined with relics from the Mardi Gras Indian "tribes" that live in the area. There are intricately-beaded panels from Indian costumes, and huge fans and plumes of feathers dangling from the rafters. Photographs cover almost every available inch of wall space, and piles of books are stacked on the tables. You begin asking questions, and patiently, Lewis takes the time to share the stories inside.

House of Dance and Feathers has been Lewis' passion since 2000, when is started as a shed where he taught local children about the area's culture. A retired streetcar conductor, today Lewis is the president of the Big Nine Social and Pleasure Club and the former Council Chief of the Choctaw Hunters. His museum celebrates the history of the Mardi Gras Indians in the Lower Ninth Ward, and since Katrina, has become a small ray of hope within a community that is still struggling to recover. (When I arrived during my visit, the home next door to Lewis' was empty, and still bore the telltale cross that signified whether a body had been found by rescue crews).

"When Katrina came, I wanted to rebuild and become a beacon within my community," says Lewis. "It gave me a venue to tell the world what happened to us. Three and a half years later we're pushing forward. We're trying to do anything we can do to keep the glue within our community."

Chris O'Toole reminds us that even if you can't make it to the Kentucky Derby this weekend, you can still go "out to pasture" and see champion stallions any time of the year.

Attention job hunters: If you're an experienced racehorse with a few million in winnings under your saddle, consider a second career in bluegrass country. In Lexington, Kentucky, the track superstars of past Kentucky Derbies extend their rich-and-famous life style, earning six-figure stud fees as they sire future champions. Aside from the obvious romantic perks, they get to retire in the prettiest part of the state. There's plenty of that famous fodder, and the local limestone supplies shimmering ponds of pure drinking water, used by humans to make bourbon and by racehorses to make strong bones. Want to visit Big Brown, Smarty Jones, and other legendary thoroughbreds? Come on down.
 
At Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Jen Roytz leads groups through barns with mahogany stalls more elegant than my first apartment (recall the horse-breeding scene in Tom Wolfe's A Man in Full and you've got it right). The reservation-only tours continue through 1,500 acres, where each stallion has a private pasture.
 
At Three Chimneys, horse breeding is ultra-serious business; top stud Dynaformer commands a $150,000 fee for his services. (Don't even think about petting his nose.) But drive scenic Old Frankfort Pike towards the city to the state-owned Kentucky Horse Park for plenty of kid-friendly attractions. Fifteen thousand horses compete annually at this year-round equine center, and daily public events include a Parade of Champions of past racing stars, horse-drawn tours, mare and foal shows and an excellent little museum. You can even camp on site. Just watch your step. 
 
Photo: A mare and her foal in the spring at Three Chimneys Farm, by Lee Thomas

Following on the heels of a great New Orleans Jazzfest weekend, I decided to check out the Ponderosa Stomp festival last night at the legendary House of Blues in New Orleans' French Quarter. Described as a tribute to the "unsung heroes of rock 'n roll," the Stomp is one of many smaller--but by no means less fun--music festivals that fill the days between the two weekends of Jazzfest. And it's not only music, but a series of panel discussions where historians, artists and industry bigwigs talk about "rock's secret history."

I'm standing next to a guy who tells me he's from "across the lake." (Pontchartrain, I gather.) "I barely go to Jazzfest anymore," he tells me. "It's all about the Ponderosa Stomp for me. This festival pays homage to the roots of rock n' roll." He's holding a freshly autographed book about the band that just performed, The Remains, who performed with the Beatles on their last U.S. tour. "It's great, because you can go to the conference during the day and hear these guys talk about their music, then come here at night to hear them play."  

Nick Spitzer of American Routes introduces the next artist, Howard Tate. About halfway through his set, Tate says he's going to sing a song he recorded back in 1967 on Verve Records. It turns out to be "Get It While You Can," an old favorite of mine which I'd mistakenly assumed to be a Janis Joplin original (and have sung in the shower myself more than a few times). I'm not the only one in the House who's singing along to Tate's soulful rendition, and the crowd erupts with cheers when he finishes.  

There's still one night left, so if you're in the Big Easy tonight, head down to the House of Blues to hear these unsung heroes sing.  And if you want some truly local color, be sure to check out today's Chazfest, a quirky, homegrown Jazzfest alternative named after local washboard player Chaz Leary.

Photo: Howard Tate performs at the House of Blues, by Krista Rossow 

The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (kicking off this weekend) isn't the only big spring show in town. The Ponderosa Stomp Festival and Concert may not have quite as high a profile, but for eight years the event, organized by anesthesiologist "Dr. Ike," has more than met its mission of "celebrating the unsung heroes of American music."

The 2009 edition, April 28 and 29 at the House of Blues and other venues, will feature the Legendary Stardust Cowboy, the horn section that backed up Al Green, Dan [he wrote "The Letter"] Penn, a tribute to the great piano man/singer Eddie Bo, who passed away this year, and the Jean Knight, whose 1970s hit, "Mr. Big Stuff," is part of the French Quarter soundtrack (you can listen to it here). Knight is hoping recent toe surgery won't keep her from climbing the steps to the stage this year. Marc Silver spoke with the singer about her plans for the show.

Your toe might keep you away?

I can't wear the shoes I want to wear.

What kind?

Oh, I like glitter shoes, I'll be glittering.

Is the Stomp a special kind of concert?

Oh yeah, it's fun. It'll be real packed, packed with people. They love it.

Is "Mr. Big Stuff" your favorite song to sing?

"Big Stuff" is my favorite. But let me tell you, when I came across that song, I didn't like the melody. It sounded like some kind of church song.

Hi there city-lovers! Today we're bringing you the Southern charms of Charleston, South Carolina with the help of Currie McCollough.

Want to see your city on IT? Copy and paste our list of fill-in-the-blank questions into an e-mail, fill in your answers, and send your responses to IntelligentTravel@ngs.org. And if you're still waiting for us to feature yours, fear not! We're going to keep posting as long as we keep getting them (please include photos and links!).

Charleston, South Carolina is My City

The first place I take a visitor from out of town is the Battery, also known as White Point Gardens. You can see Fort Sumter where the first shots of the Civil War were fired.

When I crave oysters I always go to Bowen's Island.

To escape the heat I head to the Charleston Aquarium.

If I want to look at old houses I go up Highway 61 to Drayton Hall, one of the finest examples of Georgian-Palladian architecture in the United States.

For complete quiet, I can hide away in the Unitarian Church graveyard.

If you come to my city, get your picture taken with an American Revolutionary War soldier on the steps of the Old Exchange Building.

If you have to order one thing off the menu from Hominy Grill it has to be the buttercream pie.

Sugar is my one-stop shop for great baked goods.

Hello, city-lovers! Today's Southern city is New Orleans, which just wrapped up its Mardi Gras celebrations a few weeks ago. Read below to find out Erin Krall's favorite picks around Crescent City.

Want to see your hometown on IT? Copy and paste our list of fill-in-the-blank questions into an e-mail, fill in your answers, and send your responses to IntelligentTravel@ngs.org. And if you're still waiting for us to feature yours, fear not! We're attempting to post them as fast as we can (include photos and links!).

New Orleans is My City
 
The first place I take a visitor from out of town is the local bar in my neighborhood, The Avenue. It's my home away from home, and a friendly place that is a great, authentic introduction to our daily life here.

When I crave a perfect New Orleans setting with great food, history, drinks and service I always go to Napoleon House.

To escape the frustrating urban issues that come with city life I head to City Park, an oasis of tropical birds and vegetation.

If I want to relax in the heart of downtown (the CBD) I go to the Piazza D'Italia.

For complete quiet, I can hide away in Crescent City Books, a used bookstore with two floors of great finds to hunt through and relax on a coach over looking Chartres Street in the French Quarter.

If you have to order one thing off the menu from K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen (Paul Prudhomme's restaurant) it has to be the Shrimp Remoulade and Fried Green Tomatoes appetizer.

Zara's is my one-stop shop for great local groceries and over-stuffed po' boys, plate lunches, and other local dishes served at a counter in the back of this small corner grocery.

Hello city-lovers! We're heading south for today's city--Louisville, Kentucky. IT reader Michelle Ray is proud of her "mid-sized city with a small-town feel and big-city dreams." Read on (and check out her blog) for her Louisville (pronounced Lou-a-vull) picks.

Louisville is My City

The first place I take a visitor from out of town is to The Highlands for shopping, dining and nightlife.

When I crave delicious Asian cuisine, I always go to the all-vegetarian Zen Garden.

To escape stress and car exhaust fumes, I head to Bernheim Forest near Clermont, Kentucky.

If I want to go camping and hiking, Louisvillians go to the Red River Gorge.

For complete quiet, I can hide away in my apartment with a good book from one of our public libraries.

If you come to my city, get your picture taken with the "big bat" in front of Slugger Museum.