Yesterday I discovered this Stuck at the Airport song:
Today, we continue the musical theme with the lovely covers for these songs about airplanes discovered in the Lilly Library collection at Indiana University in Bloomington:
Air King by Harry Appel copyright: 1911
The Aeroplane: rag and two-step. By Jack Glogau. Copyright: 1913.
Hmmm… should I make this Stuck at the Airport song by SCIENCE one of the official songs of StuckatTheAirport.com?
In my msnbc.com column this week –Fresh airport amenities make the wait fly by – I offered a run-down of some of the programs and services air travelers can take advantage of this summer.
One amenity that didn’t make it into the story is self-service ice-cream sundae machine at Boston Logan International Airport.
We all scream for ice-cream at the airport
Using a touchscreen, customers choose a flavor (12 are available) and a mix-in. The machine then prepares and delivers the dessert. Boston Logan Airport has two MooBella machines installed: one is at Terminal C at the Back Bay Café (Gates 11-21); the other is at Lean & Green (Gates 40-42).
If you test it out, please send a report – and a photo.
What else is fresh and new at airports this summer?
Mimes among the entertainment at PHL this summer
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) now has free wireless and a Passenger Chillin’ Zone with sofas, tables, chairs, ottomans and foliage (Gate D-3). Throughout the summer, PHL is also hosting a Just Plane Fun program with live music, appearances by mascots from local sports teams, contests and other activities.
From now through the end of August, Miami International Airport is throwing weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) parties with a different theme each week. This weekend’s theme is Havana Nights, with domino tables, mojito demonstrations, a DJ, rumba dancing and cigar rolling. August 20-23 you’ll find a flamenco dance show, Latin food sampling and more.
Observation Deck at LAX now open on weekends
At Los Angeles International Airport, the outdoor observation deck on top of the Theme Building in the center of the airport is finally open. Closed since 9/11, and during the building’s $12.3 million renovation and earthquake retrofit, the deck is open weekends, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with free telescopes offering great views of arriving and departing aircraft, the airport grounds and the surrounding area. Pink’s, an iconic Hollywood hot dog stand, has also opened a branch in the Tom Bradley International Terminal.
At Outagamie County Regional Airport (ATW) in Appleton, Wisconsin, they’re still lining up to get candy from the giant purple machine with flashing lights.
Willy Wonka candy machine dispenses mixed candy treats
Located pre-security, the Willy Wonka candy machine is one of 25 such machines in the country (there’s one at the Mall of America) and is currently the only one at an airport.
Passengers had so much fun during the special events held at Vancouver International Airport during the 2010 Winter Olympics games that the airport decided to host Take-off Fridays festivals all summer, complete with face painting, DJs spinning music, prize drawings, meal specials and frees samples from a variety of airport shops.
And San Francisco International Airport is presenting You are Hear concerts again this summer. Performances take place every Friday through August 28th between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at three different stages in the airport. This week the line-up includes Quinteto Latino in the International Terminal, Lavay Smith & The Red Hot Skillet Lickers in the United hub and, in Terminal 1, Threeocracy. See the SFO website for the full season schedule.
Enjoy!
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) has kicked off its summer-long “Just Plane Fun” program and well, it looks like fun.
Last week, just in time for the busy 4th of July holiday travel weekend, PHL announced that the airport-wide Wi-Fi service would now be free.
Now that’s fun!
This week? Well, there’s not much that can match free Wi-Fi for excitement, but on Wednesday there will a CPR/AED (Automatic external defibrillator) workshop. And on Thursday and Friday – live music.
For times and locations, see the PHL website.
What’s next? Throughout the summer, travelers are promised art demonstrations, pep rallies with local pro sports teams and team mascots and, our favorite, free stuff.
Last week, the airport also unveiled a new art exhibit honoring the Liberty Bell.
(Philadelphia Mayor Nutter was at PHL for the exhibit opening)
Picturing Liberty: Philadelphia’s Legendary Bell includes 50 black and white photographs about the history and legacy of this iconic American item. The exhibit is in Terminal A-East, post-security through June 2011.
Nancy Coplin, the music coordinator at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, has an enviable and very important job. The airport has four performance venues and eleven live concerts each week and she’s the one in charge of the schedule.
In Austin, of course, you can’t spit without hitting a Grammy-winner or two, so when Nancy drops a note to say she was tickled by the performers at the airport that day, I take notice. Here’s her report on some special guests at the airport earlier this week:
“Today we had the Bill Carter Trio. Bill is probably the premier songwriter in Austin-having written songs for Stevie Ray Vaughn, The Fabulous Thunderbirds and many more. Stephen Doster, is a great musician and a great record producer. The 3rd person today is Denny Freeman, who is playing the airport for the 1st time. He just finished touring as Bob Dylan’s guitarist and has played with many greats, including Stevie Ray and Jimmie Vaughan.”
Why didn’t she send out the alert earlier? “We didn’t know they’d all be here!”
We’ll let her off the hook – this time – but only because Nancy was kind enough to send these photos along for Souvenir Sunday – the day we take a look at some of the fun, inexpensive treats you can find while being Stuck at the Airport. Great music – for free -certainly fits the bill.
Group shot: Denny Freeman, Bill Carter and Stephen Doster
(Denny Freeman)
(Bill Carter)
(Stephen Doster)
Curious to see who may be playing next time you pass through Austin-Bergstrom International Airport? Check the airport Website. The schedule for at least one of the stages is usually posted.
And.. if you find a great souvenir while you’re stuck at the airport – something under $10, “of” the city or region and, ideally, a bit offbeat, please take a photo and send it along. It may end up featured on a future edition of Souvenir Sunday.
All Photos Sandy L. Stevens, courtesy of City of Austin
Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport has more than 100 shops, an equal number of cafes, pubs and restaurants, casinos, a Yotel, a great art collection and a branch of the Rijksmuseum that’s currently showing the Sunny Skies exhibition, featuring nine works by Dutch 17th century landscape artists inspired by the Italian landscape.
Speaking of inspiration, Schiphol’s Cone Bar, in Lounge 2 (post-security) recently installed these specially-designed Massage-O-Matic (MOM) chairs that offer eight minutes of privacy and Shiatsu massage for about $5.50.
More music at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
If you’re heading to Austin for the SXSW Music Festival, don’t rush out of the airport when you land. The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport offers live music in the terminal year-round, but during the SXSW festival, the airport is an official showcase venue. And since you can’t spit in Austin without hitting a Grammy-winner, it’s a sure bet that even if you haven’t heard of the band, you’ll enjoy one of the free shows.
The airport’s SXSW showcase kicked off yesterday with an appearance by Ray Benson (of Asleep at the Wheel) with the Marshall Ford Swing Band. Here’s a link to the other performances you can see at the airport this month.
Elements, the newest exhibit at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), includes painting “with gravelly texture, collages layered with translucent, water-like colors, leafy items frozen in motion and metal coins fused together in hot wax.”
Hot wax? The work of four Austin artists – Sharon Kyle Kuhn, Kristy Darnell Battani, Michelle Belto, and Jacqueline May – is included and each of them makes encaustic art; paintings made by melting beeswax and using it as a pigment.
For example, in her piece, Rocky Road, Sharon Kyle Kuhn takes a bicycle wheel, a rustic heavy chain and decomposed granite to comment on bike travel.
The encaustic art exhibit is on display at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport through January 5, 2010, post-security, in the Airside East Gallery, behind the Austin Article bookstore across from Gate 8.
While you’re there, don’t forget that Austin-Bergstrom has several performance venues in the airport and you can hear live music in the terminal every weekday. Here’s a link to the current schedule.