Following the Torpedo of Truth - Part 3 3.26.11

If you’ve watched TV or listened to the radio or been online recently, you’ve likely been forced to hear of Charlie Sheen’s firing (and possible rehiring) from Two and a Half Men, his rants over the “trolls” at CBS and how he deserves to make more money, his short-lived podcast, how much he’s been “winning” and how he’s used the power of his mind to overcome his drug and alcohol problems overnight. I suspect it’s the tiger blood coupled with the Adonis DNA, but it could also be his 10,000 year old brain that us normal people just couldn’t comprehend being in for more than 2 seconds. He might be right…or he could be the leader of a new cult. Either way, Charlie’s got a lot of followers, and not just on Twitter (at 3 million and counting). Anyone near a town that’s hosting Charlie’s new one-man show My Violent Torpedo of Truth: Defeat is Not an Option has had several seconds to purchase a ticket. I mean that literally, as all the shows have sold out in under two minutes. If you were quick-handed enough to get your own tickets, bravo!

Also, if you were so excited to see Charlie that you are willing to travel to do it, then you must read the other two parts of this post, too. I’ll be going through the cities that are confirmed to be welcoming the well-known actor into their event venues to let him improv 80 minutes of thoughts on anything and everything and also share his personal poetry. I’m sure that traveling to just see 80 minutes of ex-Charlie Harper is a highlight, but you might want to do other stuff before and after the show, so here’re some ideas on how to save money on your trip. Now you’re bi-winning!

Cities 11-15 on the Railway of Rants:

Washington, D.C. – There are so many things to do in our Nation's Capital than just visiting the Reflecting Pool and driving by the White House. 

• Hop-on Hop-off double-decker bus tour - This is one of the best deals anywhere, because you pay one price and then get to stop to look at only those sites you're interested in and enjoy a nice commentary about the city along your way.

• John F Kennedy Center for Performing Arts - While you can purchase tickets to shows here, you can enjoy free performances here on the Millenium Stage every day at 6pm.

• U.S. Bureau of Engraving & Printing - Since you've spent your hard-earned money on show tickets, go take a free tour and watch money being made.

Atlantic City, New Jersey – The Garden State has many things to offer besides ways to throw your money down the drain (not that I don't love to play at the casino).

• Boardwalk Empire - If you're a fan of the HBO series or just enjoy 1920's prohibition history, you can take a tour of iconic and historical locations within Atlantic City.
• Walk the plank - Take a walk along the famous boardwalk for unique shopping and dining, as maybe  quick jaunt into a casino to try you luck on a slot machine.
• If it's warm enough, you might find you can bring your swimsuit and take a dip in the Atlantic...or just hang out on the beach.
• Absecon Lighthouse - The tallest lighthouse in New Jersey and the 3rd largest in the U.S. is free to enter the museum and gift shop or only $7 per person to ascend the lighthouse and see a wonderful view from the top.

Atlanta, Georgia – You may not be a Real Housewife, but that doesn't mean that you can't also enjoy Hotlanta. With so many things to do, it's hard not to find any affordable vacation options.

• Catch a Hawks game at the Philips Arena if you're a basketball fan and watch them on the road possible to the championships. 
• Decatur - This funky neighborhood is filled with boutique shops, delicious eateries, pubs, art galleries and a history center. It's right on the MARTA line, so you don't even have to drive yourself. 
• Georgia Aquarium - Another one of my favorite things to do on vacation is a trip to the aquarium. Watch the undersea creatures swim in the world's largest aquarium. If you have more than one day in Atlanta, you can buy a CityPASS and do the aquarium as well as many other attractions for one low price.
• Atlantic Station - A neighborhood with it's own zip code! Atlantic Station moved in where the old steel mill used to live (you can still see remnants of it with smoke stacks still standing). It's a 24/7 neighborhood where you can window-shop, see free movies, visit the open-air market and more.

Denver, Colorado – There's more than just skiing in Denver. The Mile-High City has plenty of things to do, even when you aren't dead. While it's known for being an expensive place to visit, there are still some cheaper options.

• Butterfly Pavilion and Insect Center - Do you like butterflies? If so, this is a must-do. While it can be disconcerting to have them flying around your head, it's also very cool. The 7,000 sq foot conservatory has over 1,200 free-flying butterflies of many different varieties. You can also observe different plants, birds, turtles, frogs and fish.
• Colorado Railway Museum - If you love trains, you can see over 50 classic trains at the museum, including the oldest working train in Colorado. It's open daily for the affordable entrance fee of $8 per person.
• Colorado Inside and Out Tour - Looking for something interactive to do? This is a tour and scavenger hunt that takes you to many Denver landmarks in order to solve a mystery. There is quite a bit of walking on this tour, so be ready for some exercise. While not exactly cheap, at $40 per person, it will be one of the cooler things you do on a vacation and can take 3 hours to finish at your own pace.

San Francisco, California – You can never run out of things to do in the Bay Area and the city of San Francisco is no different. See my previous post on cheap and free things to do in the city HERE.

New dates are being added every day to the tour, so to find more dates, cities and buy tickets, check out Charlie Sheen's website.

With so many fun things to see and do, you're going to want to capture it all on film. Get yourself a great camera that is compact, easy to use and takes fantastic pictures in any situation. The waterproof Fujifilm Finepix XP10 is one such camera. It comes in a variety of fun colors, including lime green and pink and has a large screen that also tells you clearly what every setting does, so you don't have to carry around a manual or try to remember what each option does. You can take this camera to the beach, too, because it's waterproof, not just water-resistant. Take it in the water with you to take underwater photos, or even if you just don't want to worry about breaking it when it rains heavily or gets mixed up in your bag with your wet swimwear.

Join in the discussions on Spring Fashion on the Frugal Living Community over at Blog Frog or right here! There are several great members over there that are fashion experts and can also tell you how to look great for less! Join in some of the conversations, including my latest on Spring Travel Fashion. Do you have a favorite piece of Spring clothing? Tell us about it!

Following the Torpedo of Truth - Part 2 3.24.11

Yesterday we started our tour of Charlie Sheen’s one-man show tour route. Amazingly, he’s sold out in every city he decides is worthy of My Violent Torpedo of Truth: Defeat is Not an Option and hasn’t looked back. Of course, any city that has people with burning pockets is a city Charlie is willing to bestow his knowledge in, so it’s not really a selective process. Do you have tickets to one of these potentially awesome and inspiring shows? If you were fast enough to hit the buy button within the first minute or so, you are among a chosen few. You will have to share with the rest of us what, exactly, Sheen can be talking about for 80 minutes that we haven’t already heard. Is he still “winning every day”? With the payout he’s getting from these shows, even if he’s a total screwball, I tend to think the answer must be yes.

Packing your bags and hitting the road to follow Charlie Sheen’s ego? I’m honestly jealous of you, but I’m still going to go ahead and help you save on the rest of your visit to cities graced with Charlie’s presence, because I’m cool like that and I like you guys. There are 15 cities confirmed so far. Wednesday we covered the first 5, today we cover 6-10.

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Those in the path of destruction:

Wallingford, Connecticut – Never heard of Wallingford? You’re probably not alone and I bet the trees will be beautiful and green by the time you make it there to see Charlie “perform”.

·         Celebrate those who gave their lives for our country with the many memorials that Wallingford has to offer: With the Wallingford Soldiers Monument, Vietnam Veterans Monument, Korean War Monument, Revolutionary War Monument and more, you can thank everyone personally within a short drive.

·         Nehemiah Royce Museum – Step back in time with this amazing American Colonial Saltbox home that was once visited by George Washington.

·         Barker Animation Art Gallery – For the less adult of you who love cartoons and animated films, visit the Barker Animation art gallery in Cheshire. Art from artists who worked on Warner Bros, Disney, Hanna Barbera and 20^th Century Fox are featured. Since I wasn’t able to find an admission fee online anywhere and they sell what they have on display, I’m going to go ahead and assume it’s free to get in. If I’m wrong, feel free to send me an email to yell.

Boston, Massachusetts – Clam Chowda’ anyone? Seriously, if you want fresh seafood, Boston is the place to be. Find super fresh shellfish everywhere you look. Not your bag? Well, check out my previous post that gives you ideas on what to do in this lovely city.

Seattle, Washington – The Emerald City that is the home to grunge rock and Starbucks has some pretty cool stuff to do. Check out my last blog post on Seattle HERE. Don’t forget to get yourself a CityPASS, too.

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Vancouver, B.C. – Our neighbors to the north are not to be forgotten, plus they have money to burn, too, so why not visit Vancouver, British Columbia.

• Granville Island: Who says no to free entertainment? Not me! After spending $80+ on a single event ticket to see Charlie ramble on, free is a good thing. Take the aquabus or ferry to Granville Island and enjoy 37 acres of unique shops, restaurants, artists and more.
• Stanley Park: On 1,000 acres, Stanley Park offers indoor and outdoor activities, wither you want to pet animals, play golf, go hiking or running, check out new restaurants or visit the Vancouver Aquarium, there is something for you. You can even swim there! The Aquarium charges $23.50 per person for admission.
• BC Film Commission: Watch a movie being filmed. If you’re lucky, your trip will coincide with a filming. It’s always free, though you will have to have patience as these things can take a long time to set up.

Ontario, Canada – One of the stops on the tour that appeals to budget travelers is Ontario/Toronto. The city is beautiful and has a fantastic waterfront view.

• Grab a Toronto CityPASS and save 45% off top attractions like Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto Zoo and Casa Loma, which is an awesome castle estate built by Sir Henry Mill Pellatt.
• Enjoy Lake Ontario for free and get in some sunbathing and swimming.
• Kensington Market: Shop local fruit, thrift stores and eat in quaint pubs while watching people and taking in some free music and entertainment at the weekend.
• Save some bucks and pack a picnic lunch to enjoy on Toronto Islands. Make sure to wear your walking shoes and pack a swimsuit, because you can go hiking and enjoy the beach or go kayaking.

Come back on Saturday for a continuation of our roadie tour for Charlie Sheen when we look at the last 5 guaranteed stops on the route. Want to know what you’re waiting for? How about Washington, D.C., Atlantic City, Atlanta, Denver and San Francisco?

Take Shereen Travels Cheap with you everywhere with Kindle! Subscribe on Amazon and get each blog post sent right to your Kindle the instant it gets published. Don't have a Kindle? That's okay, too. Download the free Kindle reading app on any of your web-enabled devices, like your iPad or Android, and it works just as good! (or you can buy yourself a brand-new fun gadget!)

                                                  (Again, with my gadget that's not a gadget.) With so many options to go swimming, you might want to be ready with a new swimsuit. Sears has a great sale on reversible swimsuits by Joe Boxer and other designers. In fact, I got a cute tankini with reversible bottoms just last week for my upcoming trip later this year. It’ll hide some of the areas I don’t feel confident about, it’s got fun colors and for another look, I can turn my shorts inside out. You can also find swim trunks that reverse and bikini/tankini tops, too. Make sure if you buy online to purchase through Ebates to get your cash back! It’s like free money in your pocket. And with double cash back this week on many clothing stores, your spring travel just got more fun…and it’s a good reason to spruce up your wardrobe.

Join in the discussions on Spring Fashion on the Frugal Living Community over at Blog Frog or right here! There are several great members over there that are fashion experts and can also tell you how to look great for less! Join in some of the conversations, including my latest on Spring Travel Fashion. Do you have a favorite piece of Spring clothing? Tell us about it!

Following the Torpedo of Truth 3.23.11

Whether you think Charlie Sheen is a crazy drunk or a marketing genius, you have to admit that he is everywhere, spewing his “knowledge” to anyone who will listen to it. Well, now that Sheen’s Korner is on “hiatus”, Charlie’s taking the country by storm with a tour of his 80-minute one-man show My Violent Torpedo of Truth: Defeat is Not an Option. Coming soon to a town near you! You might be like me and so intrigued by Charlie’s rants that the $79.50+ ticket price isn’t surprising to you and would definitely think hard about not going to one of these shows. If Sheen was stopping in Portland, I might have to break out my credit card and see what the show’s all about, if for nothing else than my own amusement. Personally, I would shell out the larger ticket price if there was some way to get a tour going with Charlie, Mel Gibson and Gary Busey! Now there’s a troupe of truly extreme wordsmiths that would be a crime to miss.

Sheen’s been adding tour dates faster than you can count and, with 80% of the profits from tickets going straight into his pocket, is going to rack up at least $8M from people coming to the first block of dates to listen to his life philosophies and recite his own poetry. So, what else can you do in these cities if you were lucky enough to get tickets to one of these shows? (Since they all sold out in minutes.) Find out how you can be WINNING by saving on the rest of your trip with these cool things to see and do in each stop along the tour. So far there are 15 firm city dates, so we will look at some of them today and more tomorrow and Saturday.

Detroit, Michigan – The Great Lake State is one of Charlie’s first stops. If it’s warm enough, bring a swimsuit to test out some of their beaches. Other than that, here are some cool things to check out.

• Check out Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum: Bring some quarters to this free museum, as you will undoubtedly want to try some of the coin-operated exhibits

• Ford Rouge Factory: Want to see how the Ford F-150 series is made? Check out this assembly line walking tour. It’s self-guided and runs $15 per adult, but for a tour that could be pretty awesome and potentially waste 3-4 hours of your day, that’s a decent deal. Purchase your tickets online before you go. 

• Morley Candy Factory: Get a taste of Disney’s candy without actually going. Morley produces and supplies candy to the theme parks. This factory tour is free, but you will want to bring your wallet with you for the gift shop at the end. Get a sundae at the ice cream counter and then take home some candy and Sanders hot fudge.

Fly Delta to Detroit from just $164 roundtrip, but you must purchase by 3/24.

Chicago, Illinois – Do you know anything about Chicago, other than it’s the Windy City? They have some great food (deep dish pizza, anyone?) and a rockin’ club scene. Unfortunately, they are also an expensive city, so here are some cheap (or FREE) things you can do.

• Don’t forget to get yourself a CityPASS if you will be in the area for more than the day! Skip the lines and visit fun attractions like the Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium and Skydeck Chicago for a big discount.

• 
  Navy Pier: Take a ride on the giant ferris wheel or check out the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows for free. If you’ll be heading to Chicago later in the year, from Memorial Day through Labor Day there is a free fireworks display every Wednesday and Saturday night!

• Lincoln Park Zoo is Free every day. You can go to the underwater viewing area to see sea lions swimming.

• The Chicago Greeter Program offers free walking tours of the city given by resident volunteers.
  

Cleveland, Ohio – I hear Cleveland rocks, but I also hear a lot of other things about the city. Did you know that half of Ohio is farmland? I didn’t! You probably aren’t going to wander around cornfields all day, even though it’s free, so here are some other ideas.

• “You’re gonna shoot your eye out!” Just kidding, but for $8 per person, you can tour the actual A Christmas Story House. It’s open year-round and across the street is the ACS Museum. For those that love the movie, this is a must.

• Cleveland Botanical Garden: For flower-lovers everywhere, don’t skip the CBG. Each month new events are happening. Right now they are showcasing Orchid Mania: Purple Reign. Check the calendar for your visiting dates. Admission is $8.50 per person.

• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Come on! You can’t have a trip to Cleveland without making a visit…unless you HATE music. While a bit pricey at $22 per person, you’ll probably be shunned if you don’t go. Just sayin’. General consensus from those who visited? Totally worth the price, especially since it takes a long time to walk through. Plan to spend most of your day there. When you start to get hungry, you’ve been there long enough.

    

Columbus, Ohio – Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492…And now you can at least discover the capital of Ohio, including a replica of the Santa Maria sailing ship that brought Chris to our fine country.

• The Santa Maria Tour: For just $4 per person, you can tour the replica of the sailing ship that Columbus sailed across the Atlantic in. Tour guides help you relive the drama of such a voyage and let you interact with exhibits and games.

• Columbus Food Adventures: Sample cuisine in 5-7 restaurants on this fun foodie tour. Choose from a variety of itineraries, such as a taco truck tour or ethnic food tour or all dessert food tour, which range from $45 to $60 per person. Each tour has only around a dozen people in it and lasts around 3 hours.

• Columbus Zoo: For me, no trip is complete without a visit to the local zoo. Perhaps I’m prepping for children or perhaps I just love animals. In any case, the Columbus Zoo is here for you to ogle new, exotic animals that you may not have at your own zoo. Over 600 species are on display, which comes out to roughly two cents per amazing animal variety for the $12 admission fee.

New York City, New York – It’s up to you! There are so many things to do when visiting the Big Apple, it’s hardly worth mentioning any of my feeble attempts at giving you an experience to last a lifetime. You already know the draws of NYC, so I will just give you a few ways to save on this trip.

• Make sure you purchase your CityPASS here, too. With NYC being known for helping you go bankrupt on a vacation, it’s a plus to save right off the bat. Explore top attractions like the Empire State Building, Museum of Modern Art and Statue of Liberty for the low, low price of $79 per person (less for children, obviously). You save 46% off the admission to 6 attractions (choose from 8 that are valid with your pass) and can skip the queues.
• As always, make sure you hit up BroadwayBox to find theater tickets to Broadway shows. You can save up to 50% and sometimes also get dinner thrown in there, too. You can also find discounts for attractions (if you won’t have enough time in the city for a CityPASS) and accommodations.
• I am told that street vendors have excellent food in NYC, so bring your walking shoes and a supply of wet naps and save money over a sit-down restaurant by hitting the pavement.

Next stops: Connecticut, Boston, Seattle, Vancouver and Ontario. These will be the focus of my (extra bonus!) blog post tomorrow.

Take Shereen Travels Cheap with you everywhere with Kindle! Subscribe on Amazon and get each blog post sent right to your Kindle the instant it gets published. Don't have a Kindle? That's okay, too. Download the free Kindle reading app on any of your web-enabled devices, like your iPad or Android, and it works just as good! (or you can buy yourself a brand-new fun gadget!)

I don’t like to profile, but New York and other large cities are known more for muggings and pickpockets than other destinations are. Keep your valuables safe with a good looking and purposeful bag from Pacsafe. With industrial strength wire mesh in the handle and inside the lining, it prevents you from being a victim of a “cut and run” or the thing I like to refer to as a “slash and grab” where thieves cut open the bottom of your bag and then steal anything that falls out…hopefully, your wallet. Pacsafe bags comes in many different style options, including shoulder bags, backpacks and crossbody bags. Another good thing about these bags? With the extra weight from the mesh (which I assure you is minimal), you can beat attackers off with your bag! Make sure it’s zipped up properly though.

Join in the discussions on Spring Fashion on the Frugal Living Community over at Blog Frog or right here! There are several great members over there that are fashion experts and can also tell you how to look great for less! Join in some of the conversations, including my latest on Spring Travel Fashion. Do you have a favorite piece of Spring clothing? Tell us about it!

Where this crazy train stops: