If you were to poll a group of football fans and ask them to name five states with the best college football program I don’t think Hawaii would make one list. If you asked that same person to name five states they would most like to vacation at then Hawaii would have a great shot at making every list. But the University of Hawaii had a quarterback who played for them a few back named Colt Brennan that changed peoples’ perception of Hawaii football all over the country.
Before Colt got a shot to play at Hawaii his career took an unfortunate turn and almost ended before he could begin. His freshman year at Colorado he was drunk and entered a female students’ room and wouldn’t leave. They pressed charges against him and he was kicked off of the team. Next Colt enrolled at Saddleback Community College and many schools decided that they didn’t want to risk bringing him in and him getting in more trouble.
June Jones, the coach at the University of Hawaii, decided to give Colt a second chance to show his skills and play football. Coach Jones’ and the team cashed in off of the chance they took. Colt Brennan went on to throw 126 touchdowns which were the most by a NCAA quarterback in history. Colt led the team to an undefeated season and to heights in the rankings they had never been and even to a Bowl Game. The Bowl Games are important because it brings the school a large amount of money, exposure to the entire country, and can be used as a recruiting tool to bring in new talent. Colt Brennan took his second chance and ran with it, or should I say he threw it for touchdowns and carried Hawaii on his back and into the minds of American football fans. For information on five star hawaiian hotels visit the site and be sure to check out a game to see some great football .
I was getting prepared for a move to Vancouver. I must say that I was putting it off, as I was busy with work, and I did not really know what my new apartment would be like, as I had secured it over the phone. Oh, I knew how many rooms I had to deal with, but I had yet to receive an email with photographs, so I could not picture it. I have to be able to picture things in my mind, in order for me to get a move on it, so to speak. And I was dealing with the fact, that for the most part…I do not lead an organized life.
I had always been aware of that to some extent, but preparing for a move brings it all out into the open. I was faced, with myself. And in this case, it was not a great thing to look into that kind of mirror. For what it revealed, was that I had collected too many unnecessary things, and I now had to decide what to keep and what to toss. And then I had to decide how to pack those things that decided to keep. It was time for me to become organized, in a way that I had not been before…as moving from house in Florida to my apartment in canada was going to be a long journey, not just in terms of mileage, but in terms of … well, everything.
I started by making a list. I know that people do that all the time, but for me it was something new. As I said, I lead a somewhat unorganized life as an artist. I just take it as comes and wait to see how it may work out. But I knew that this move was something that would require a bit more of my focused attention To be honest, that simple list helped out quite a bit. It focused me in to the importance of getting my utilities turned on before I crossed the border…I knew the when I reached my new home, I’d at least be able to turn on the lights. It helped when it came to packing, and deciding upon which things to toss and which to keep. It really helped in every way, to be just bit more organized…and sitting here in my new place, I can honestly write that, while I still my be a bit “out there” at least I’m a bit more organized about it all.
It’s been terribly curious how Dallas seems to be rising in popularity as a major hub for contemporary culture in the U.S. today. It’s true that the city has always been a center for art and commerce, being the capital of a very large state, but it’s always been a rather humble player in the larger cities in this country. Lately, however, there has been more new art and new cultural scenes here to suggest that the city is finally coming into its own. It’s certainly possible that the rest of the world is simply waking up to what’s always been here, but it also seems likely that we’re witnessing a large push on the part of the creative citizens of the city to make sense out of the current position of this city in the world at large.
Visiting here is easy, and this site has some great accommodations to offer visits in hospitality and splendor. It’s always good to see cultural movements first hand, where there’s a sense of participating in and even helping to create a buzz that’s heard around the world. Next month, there is a stunning lineup of live concerts in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and this is a gorgeous time to come check out what the buzz feels like. As unlikely as Dallas might seem for a place on the edges of culture, it’s even more unlikely that a cappella could see a comeback.
But that’s exactly what Straight No Chaser is offering. This group of 10 young men from Bloomington, Indiana are reinventing the form of vocal music by returning to its origins. The emphasis here is one harmony, and judging from the success of their Christmas music last year, it’s something that audiences are ready to here. There are also plenty of covers, where they perform versions of some of the most elegant popular songs of today, as well as old classics. It’s interesting to see that some of the old styles can get reinvented today, to make marks in contemporary culture by revamping the best of the past.
While you are in San Francisco you get the opportunity to eat at all sorts of places. Through out the day there are some quick stop places that you can catch a quick bit while you are shopping and snooping around the city. There are many new modern style restaurants furnished with new elegance and serving up wonderful gourmet blends of ethnic cuisines to enjoy. There are also some classics in a city with so much history. If you like to catch a little bit of the nostalgia of a city than you might find some interest in eating and spending time in some of the older more historical restaurants.
How about the oldest Italian restaurant still in operation in the country. Yes. The country. Fior D’Italia has been open and busy in the family since 1886. It is located in the North Beach area of the city, which makes sense because that is sort of like the little Italy of San Francisco. The locals love to eat here and so will you. For true food enthusiasts it is a must eat at place in the city. In 1908, there was a sort of Bogart style of restaurant called John’s Grill that opened. Visitors, including celebrities, have visited this restaurant for all these years. They serve up some American classics like steak dinners along with fresh seafood and pastas. It will take you back with it’s original period furnishings and offering a museum of memorabilia along the dark oak walls.
All you need is a room at one of the luxury hotels located in San francisco such as these to spend time out in a place like the Far East Cafe which is right in the heart of Chinatown. This will bring you back in time from another place far away. It was established in 1920 and has been operating every since. The decor is ornate with the tall ceilings dripping with chandeliers and the Chinese murals painted on the walls. Much of the art work was brought over from China more than a hundred years ago.
On your next trip to North Carolina look out for the fourth garden, the Gateway Garden which should open in 2010. The first phase was begun in May of 2009 and is located about one half mile from Business 85 and the I-40 near Barber Park. The city of Greensboro has been planning this garden for over ten years and should represent everything learned from four decades of building gardens. The master plan includes eleven acres on which you will find the Michel Family Children’s Garden, the Greensboro Heritage Garden, a Japanese Garden, a Rain Garden, a Rose Garden, a Visitors Center, and a walking trails that lead into the White Oak Forest.
I had the best Valentines day. I had been planning this for weeks and all I told my girlfriend was to take some vacation time off. Now and that I had a trip planned to last her a lifetime. I packed a bag for her and told her to dress for warm weather because when we hit our destination she was going to appreciate it, but I still wouldn’t tell her where we were going. She figured it out though because they announced it in the airport. I guess I didn’t think that part through all the way.
We arrived in Kauai, Hawaii a two days before Valentines day and can I just say, all we managed to do was go to the hotel and passed out we were so tired from the trip. We had gotten in late afternoon and the warm air, and having woken up early and flown across the continent, we slept all night. When we woke up the next morning I had a plethora of activities planned for us. We rented beach bikes and bought some cheap snorkels and rode along the beach to an area that didn’t have so many people. We got off our bikes and just swam around. It was absolutely gorgeous and she loved all the fish we saw. That evening, we we went to a huge Luau on the beach and met up with some other tourists who told us about all the activities in Hawaii. They had been coming here for years and had stayed on all the islands. Finally when we were too tired to think anymore, much less dance, we went to bed.
The next morning was Valentines day and I told her we were going for a hike. I was once told that Wailua Falls is the most romantic spot in the world. She said she would pack a picnic basket and that we could make a day of it. I hadn’t planned on that, but it seemed like a great idea to me. It really was the most romantic spot I’d ever been, and getting there was a beautiful little hike. It seemed like it was now or never, so I got on one knee and asked her to marry me. Everything was perfect and she said yes as long as next year it is on one of the Hawaii cruises so we can see all the islands next time.
This year is shaping up to be a fantastic year in Singapore for music. It’s probably not a stretch to say that every year in Singapore is a good one, considering the wide variety of excellent entertainment that comes from the creative talents of the people who live here, along with the dizzying array of performers who make this one of their stops. The city-state is a popular destination for musicians from Europe, the U.S., and also from all over Asia. Singapore has been a world-class city for some time, drawing on its potential as a major trading port. The exports and imports here are not just food and goods, but often takes the form of ethereal entertainments.
For a perfect evening of ethereal entertainment, one of the best bets this year will be the Sam Hui concert. This event is coming in late June, but is already causing small waves of excitement among the locals here. It’s a perfect excuse to take a trip over, and enjoy an evening out, with dinner at one of the excellent Chinese food restaurants in town, and then get ready to see the show. Audiences here are very discerning, and for events as anticipated as this one, they are also extremely generous, and not afraid to show their enthusiasm. This is one way of getting in touch with the local culture, and also experience the world of global pop, with one of Hong Kong’s most beloved stars.
Sam Hui had retired from performing, and from his illustrious film career, years ago, but picked it up again in 2004. This was very good news for the long-term fans, who can be wonderfully fanatical about this pop star. He comes from very humble origins, making his rise even more meteoric than other stars who come from wealth and privilege. His reputation has always been very strong as a voice of the people, giving the audiences what they want in terms of energy and enthusiasm, and in the process, keeping the spirit of hope alive for millions.
Now that the Superbowl is over, the great flux of visitors washing in and out of Miami, perhaps this is a good time to take a visit and really relax in the nation’s most South-Eastern state. You’ll find here plenty of amazing beaches, great cuisine (of the Floribbean variety — part Caribbean, part Floridian, if you will), and any number of terrific museums and attractions. One of my favorites is the Miami Art Museum. I happen to be somewhat compulsive about museums; whenever I’m in a town overnight, staying in of the city’s hotels — for more information about that, visit this page — I want to see the local museums. With the Miami Art Museum, there’s a number of interesting permanent and traveling exhibits.
Unfortunately, you’ve just missed the Miami-Dade County Student Artwork exhibit, which concluded on Valentine’s Day, February 14th. However, there’s still an opportunity to see Carlos Bunga: Metamorphosis. This work is two big structures made from perishable materials and the idea is to explore the connection between architecture and urban spaces. A Portuguese artist, this is Carlos Bunga’s first U.S. solo exhibition. It runs until February 28, 2010. Also running until Feb. 28th, is a collection of works in an exhibit titled Space as Medium. The art here combines work from those artists of the 60s and 70s of the last century with the work of younger artists to create pieces which “engage” with the pieces of the museum itself — such as its walls and floors and ceilings.
In the near future, you’ll be able to see a “Miami Point of View” on art from the museum’s permanent collection, displaying work from the 20th and 21st Centuries. This exhibit begins on February 28th and continues. There’s no end date given. Another exhibit you’ll be interested to find is Carlos Cruz Diez: The Embodied Experience of Color. Here, you’ll find an installation where lights challenge perceptions of museum patrons as they move in a world of shifting space and color. This intriguing exhibition runs from March 20th until June 20th of 2010.
When people arrive at there fabulous hotel in San Francisco and get there belongings situated they call the concierge to see how to get to the Golden Gate Bridge. The bridge is one of the top attractions in the bay. It is a magnificent bridge that is fun to see from any angle. On a very clear day and coming in from the right angle you may see it from the window of your airplane. As you make it into town you may see it off in the distance. From the top of Coit Tower you may see the bridge brighten up the entrance to the bay. If you are very lucky or persistent you might be able to sail under the bridge and see how truly massive it really is.
Here is a small about of information of the Golden Gate Bridge. Technically, it connects the San Francisco Peninsula to the Marin Peninsula and spanning over the strait that comes in from the Pacific Ocean to the San Francisco Bay. The bridge was completed in 1937 and at that time was the longest suspension bridge in the world. Now there are eight other suspension bridges that are longer than the Golden Gate Bridge. Joseph B Strauss was the designer and builder of the Golden Gate Bridge. He got one million dollars for taking on the project as well as a lifetime bridge pass. He had some other architects working with him, a couple, Irving F Morrow and Gerturde C Morrow. They were the ones to add the art deco and simple structures to the design. They also chose it’s color.
It was named the Golden Gate because an early topographical engineer named the strait that when he came through in 1846. It reminded him of another harbor located in Istanbul. The building of the bridge didn’t go without some dangerous situations. Thankfully, there was a netting that went along under the bridge for safety. It worked. Nineteen men were saved by this net when they fell of during the construction.
Lafayette is a gorgeous city in the middle of some of the more scenic places in the country. Louisiana is a fascinating place, rich with histories and cultures that intertwine, disconnect, and meet up again further down the road to intertwine again. It has all the mystery that a swamp should have, along with a very vibrant culture. There are plenty of things to see in town, and plenty of inspired people. That’s certainly the case with Sarah Mikayla Brown, who grew up here, and had some of the more formative years in the beginning of her wild and adventurous career.
It’s possible, then, to check into a cool hotel, and start poking around the city, finding little hubs of culture here and there that can be very inspiring. It’s also a fantastic place to come to get away from a busier schedule. The pace of life is different here, and the geography certainly does enter into the world view of the people. This is the home of Cajun culture, after all, and the blend of hospitality and taste come together in a deep appreciation for the simply things in life. For the artists, however, it’s never all that simple, no matter where you live.
As Brown certainly knows, to make a mark in the incredible competitive theatre market, it takes a lot of hustle. She learned that she was apparently born with immense inner resources that would drive her to do impossible things. She worked with Acting Up!, an improv troupe, in town, before moving to Chicago. There, she she’s begun the Chicago Fringe Festival, which is no small feat in a world where the odds are very much stacked against you for these kinds of ventures. Along the way, she’s also has the chance to work with Rude Mechanicals, Tantaus, and Corn Productions, among others. It will be thrilling to see how this next year’s festival goes, and hope she gets all the credit she deserves.
Most visitors to Santa Monica come for the chance to hang out on the beach and maybe do a little star-gazing, and definitely a little shopping. So it’s sometimes strange to be here in the middle of the night, looking for clues to the secrets of life and death, and a chance to wonder at why we are all here. We also wonder sometimes what we are here for, and when the questions become too heavy, and when the night is too long, we remember how we dance, and we dance, at the edge of the water. This is the place where the sea and the sand meet. In other times and other realms, there are stories about the marriage here, and how they can no longer be together because they destroy each other.
It’s a hard lesson for the middle of the night, in winter, when there are no new birds yet to come calling to us and wake us out of our dreams. Sleeping on the beach is a thing of the past, and today the hotels in Santa Monica are close enough to every direction we need to go. We come here to enjoy the sun and the mystery, and sometimes we, too, go shopping. We buy belts, we buy purses, we buy jewelry made of shells because someone say there are authentic and we think that’s so charming. We drink chai on the sidewalk and we listen to Najite Olokun Prophecy, because of the connection to the mother and the father.
Sometimes the mysteries are large, like a woman who disappears when she tries to leave the ground and touch sky, and a plane is found. Sometimes the mysteries are much softer and simpler. We wonder about the meaning of things, but we also sometimes wonder what the skin is asking for, and the answers are always different, and always the same motion toward eternity.
Augusta Georgia famous for The Masters golf tournament held every year. Which brings in many famous people both as players and spectators. They flock in to the rooms at the fabulous hotels around Augusta click here and add flair to the game festivities. I am sure the economy of the town gets a nice boost from the event. While that spectacle only brings in the rich and famous for a couple of weeks there are some rich and famous that were born here. From the early developers of the country to the modern entertainers of the world, there are some interesting notables that came for this town.
How about Woodrow Wilson, the twenty eighth President of the United States, as a native to Augusta. The current Federal Reserve chairman Ben s Bernanke is also from this quaint town. There were some big time military men that came from here like Archibald Butt who was the military aid to Presidents Roosevelt and Taft. He died on the RMS Titanic and there is a the Butt Memorial Bridge in Augusta that is dedicated to Major Butt. then you have Montgomery C. Meigs who was a Quartermaster General of the US Army during the Civil War. He was also an engineer and built some military forts and other impressive monuments.
Then there is the musicians that were born in Augusta. James Brown tops the list of household name musician. Then you have jazz trombonist, Wycliffe Gordon and singer Sharon Jones. Amy Grant started her life in Augusta then moved to Nashville where she blossomed into an amazing singer and songwriter in the country pop music field. Steve Morse is a musicians musician guitarist who is the founder of the fantastic Dixie Dregs. He was also the guitarist in the band Deep Purple. His work can be found on over eighty projects during his long career as one of the greatest guitarist in the world.
Oh my gosh, okay so I totally forgive my family for being embarrassing nerds and actually love them. We just had the best time in Atlanta and I can’t wait to go back again. We visited for a week, well actually we were visiting my aunt who lives in a small town just outside of Atlanta, but we went in to the city for a couple of days and stayed in one of its fancy hotels. My two sister and I had a great place to sleep at both the hotel and my aunt’s house and there was never any complaints about space. Oh, and my aunt is a great cook and has two cats and a dog so that was also nice. We don’t have any pets, well except for a goldfish, at my house.
While we were in Atlanta my dad asked my aunt what she would like to do. She suggested taking the family to Six Flags White Water. That immediately caught the attention of all of us, my mom included who seemed to have a look of concern. My brother and sisters were all excited and so was I and we really didn’t even know what Six Flags White Water was. But anything that could put that kind of a look on mom had to be fun. After very little discussion the adults decided that we could go to Six Flags the next day as long as we were all behaved. Now, that was a difficult thing to arrange with four kids, but we all made an effort and there were no problems the rest of the day, even when Jill caught Mike stealing a french fry.
The next morning we woke up early had a small breakfast at the Original Pancake House. My mom was worried we would upset our stomachs at the Six Flags but also wanted us to have something in them. She was always contradictive like that, but I love her. There were really a lot of amazing looking rides there that I was too small to go on but I definitely want to go back every summer until I’ve ridden on everything. We had a great time on the Lizard’s Tail and the Banzai Pipeline. Well, we had a great time on everything we went on. My favorite though was definitely was the Mutiny Chute. I could go on that a hundred times.
The beaches in the state of Virginia are wide, well maintained, and expansive. All of the beaches are protected by life guards throughout the summer season, from the months of May through September, and many vendors offer their goods along the coast, from boogie boards to umbrellas and chaise lounge chairs. When staying along the beachfront there are many wonderful options when it comes to best Virginia hotels, many of them with their own private beaches, close to rental companies where you can take a tandem bicycle out for the day, or rent a pair of roller blades for a trip along the boardwalk.
Along the 3 mile boardwalk one will also find a plethora of restaurants and cafes overlooking stunning beachfront views, and during the summer months there are many family oriented activities planned, such as the Art Show and Festival Weekend, the North American Sand Soccer Championships, and Sandstock: The Blast from the Past. Two other options for activities with the children include the Aquarium and Marine Science Center of Virginia and the Virginia Beach Oceanfront Waterpark.
For those who are in love with nature, there are many state parks worth visiting in Virginia. The Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and the False Cape State Park will offer a remote and peaceful look into the plants and the wildlife that live in the woods and on the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean. One of the most popular beaches along the Eastern coast is the Cape Charles Beach. There are virtually no waves, and the waters are shallow, providing the perfect swimming spot for families traveling with small children.
There is also the pier, aptly named the Town’s Fun Pier, with amusement rides and entertainment, located close to many of the wonderful restaurants just off the coast. Many of the beaches on the coast of Virginia are calm throughout the year, and with the various annual festivals, one can be certain that while they will be relaxed, there will always be something new to experience in the state of Virginia.
When I had the idea, I couldn’t understand why no one had ever thought of it before, and didn’t take the time to look it up before I acted on it. I just started to get ready to go. I’ve been preparing to live in Manhattan ever since I realized that I could move out of my home town. I nurtured it, then, from a very young age, but hadn’t had the perfect idea until now. My playing was very good, and I do live, breathe, and sleep the electric guitar. I know I’m not alone, because anyone who’s ever been a teenager, or considered it, has something of this in their past. I was also very fast and very loud and I still knew that this wasn’t enough.
In New York, they say, you gotta have a gimmick. And I finally had one. I booked a room in a New York cheap hotel, had my guitar and a good-sized extension chord that I’d dug out of my dad’s garage, an old pair of ice skates, and the main thing, which was a block of ice. My plan was to play on the corner near the hotel, wearing the ice skates and standing on the ice, and when the ice melted, the performance would be over. It was a cool idea, I had thought.
Only there were a few problems. First, I had not booked far enough into the spring, and it was near 34 degrees most of the day, and for ice to melt, it needs sun, and it was dark and windy. It didn’t melt for a very long time, even though I was grinding it and sometimes kicking the ice with my skates. The other big problem, of course, was, as one passer-by noted, “Laurie Anderson has already done that.” I did not realize, until I read about her Duets on Ice, and then realized that I probably read about it somewhere, and stolen the idea. There was one other little issue, and that was the fraying in the extension chord. Ice will melt, and when it does, it might not respond to electricity the way you’d like it to, and small electric shocks were running through my idea-stealing hands.
Skipper had just found out he did get the job he had auditioned for in Charlotte, North Carolina. At first he almost couldn’t believe his luck, but his mother was quick to remind him that it was his skill and professionalism that won him the position, and that luck had nothing to do it with it. Of course this was hard for Skip to believe, well at least in entirely because there were so few professional symphony positions available and so many, so very many musicians trying to fill them that he knew many of them possessed equal or greater talent to his and had at least a competitive experience level. He had no idea what caused the music directors and conductors to award positions to whomever they eventually chose but it certainly never seemed like having a bit of luck wouldn’t help.
He remembered well the day last month he was in Charlotte for the audition. Click here to see some Charlotte hotels similar to that he stayed in. It was a beautiful morning and he felt like he was in a solid place to perform. The concerto he had worked on, and played with his local symphony last year, was feeling like it was at a great place. He sipped his morning coffee in the resort café and though he was careful not to drink too much, he didn’t want to become nervous or worse create shaking hands, he thoroughly enjoyed his morning caffeine.
After the audition he went straight to the North Carolina Zoo, which he had preplanned to do. He enjoyed the short drive and was happy to get out of town and be in the open air. He always had a relaxing yet interesting and attention-diverting place to go after auditions, which helped him to not be too critical. He liked to observe and judge his performances, but he tried not to analyze auditions immediately after them because his well being always received a severe blow. So, he remarked at the beauty of the zebras and thought how fortunate they were to have such fabulous and distinctive stripes.
Curtis needed to make a change. And by that I mean a major change. I have known him for over four years and for most of that time I have heard him state a variation of the phrase, “man, I really need a change.” The interesting part of this is that he has lived in the same studio apartment and worked at the same job the entire time I have known him. In fact, it’s when I began working for the company that we first met. In Curtis’ defense, I will say that he has dated three different women in the time that I have known him, so that has changed some, although they all had blonde hair, so there wasn’t that much of a change.
With all of the above information in mind, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise when I add to it that he recently quit his job and moved to Atlanta, Georgia. Okay, that’s a slight exaggeration, he didn’t actually quit his job but requested a relocation transfer and moved as soon as it was granted. What is really strange is that Curtis has only been in Atlanta once before and that was six months ago when he stayed in one of the hotels Atlanta while looking for a house to rent. It turns out that Curtis had finally decided he was going to move to another city and actually had it narrowed down to a choice between Chicago, Illinois and Denver, Colorado. So, how did he end up in Atlanta? It’s a good question, but not as good as the answer.
It turns out that Curtis had narrowed down his choice of cities two years ago and was just never able make a final decision. One day he decided he had had enough of this and was simply going to flip a coin. Just as he dug out a quarter an old friend from high school called him. He told his friend his dilemma and how he had decided to leave it to chance when his friend jokingly told him he should just move to Atlanta, where he lived. And that was all it took. A didn’t believe he would actually go through with all of this until the day he cleaned out his desk and the next day I saw him drive off with his U-haul. And now I’m left here missing him and am toying with the idea of submitting my own change of location request.
There is breakfast in bed waiting for you at one of the beautiful hotels around Hartford Connecticut. After you have woken up from a good nights sleep and had your breakfast its time to get out and city the sites. This is the city were Katharine Hepburn was born. It was a very different city when she was born and it is certainly a different city of one of her famous films, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Yes this small town girl ended up being considered the greatest female star of the American film industry. She ended up with the record of four Oscar Awards out of twelve nominations for Best Actress.
Hepburn was so well known for being such a headstrong independent woman. Maybe her father had something to do with that. Her father insisted that his daughters be athletic which drove Hepburn to be the best at it all. During the filming of her movies, she often did her own stunts, most noted in the film Bringing Up Baby. She developed her skills as an actress during her college studies at Bryn Mawr. Her clumsy start in early shows and her non-conformist attitude off the set, a few in the industry didn’t think she would ever become a big star. Until the Oscar Awards came rolling in. The first was for Morning Glory, then Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, then The Lion in Winter and the On Golden Pond. Of course there were plenty of flops in between but there were also many nominations and a couple wins for the Golden Globe Award, Emmy Awards, Tony Award and BAFTA Award.
In her life, Katharine Hepburn became quite the humanitarian. She was always encouraging others to take care of each other. In her later years she traveled to many foreign countries to help others who were sick and had nothing. In Hartford area you can visit the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center as well as take tours of the homes and places that her and her family spent time in. Her modest grave is also here and can be visited.
Step inside a room at one of the nice hotels Irvine has in store for you and then step out into the fresh air and have some fun. There are some nice parks in the area that will guarantee a fine day spent outside. Currently there is the Preview Park that is featuring The Great Park Balloon. This is a helium balloon that takes on passengers to soar hundreds of feet of the ground giving breathtaking views of the park and its surrounding area. They have recently updated the balloon and it should be ready to serve for a few years now. There have been over 100,000 people who have been lifted up in the previous balloon.
There are some other great experiences to see and do. Kooza by Cirque du Soleil will be in hosted at the park through February 14 2010. The story KOOZA is about an innocent loner who is trying to find his place in the world. As in outstanding Cirque du Soleil fashion the story is told with acrobatics, clowning costumes and brilliant lights and music. It is a special feature not to be missed. Other shows that come to the park are summer concerts featuring all styles of music from all over the world. There is also a Comedy Corner that has been a real hit with the locals.
There is a new section of the Great Park that is still under construction and you can see the plans at the Preview Park. They are converting the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station into and extension of the park. There will be a man-made lake and agricultural farming areas, plenty of gardens and wildlife areas and also a sports park to enjoy. They have done a special homecoming for the marines and their families who were here when it was a functioning base. They had the opportunity to give oral histories as well as public histories. They will continue to honor the site in the future building of the park.
While luxury may be one of the last things you might think about regarding a trip to Alaska, it’s what you’ll find if you stay in one of the luxury hotels Alaska can offer travelers bound for colder climates. Whether you’re headed to Juneau or Anchorage, Fairbanks, Sitka, or even Wasilla, you’ll find the right place to meet your needs and enable you to explore the wilderness and cities of America’s largest, most northern state.
In my youth, I spent a lot of time in the Northwest, and my brother once traveled to Alaska with a high school group, touring the glaciers and bays. His description of that trip was one of my first introductions to the state. Years later, one of my friends moved to Fairbanks, working for one of the universities. He talked about the difference there is in living at the top of a planet — how in summer there’s little night, how in winter there’s little daylight. I’ve always wanted to travel to the state in order to properly see the Aurora Borealis, that amazing light show of energetic particles that come from the Earth’s magnetosphere. I’m betting most people might not know about the magnetosphere, but nearly everyone has seen pictures of these fantastic colors shifting in the night sky. The colors are created by collisions with atoms or molecules taking the energy of energetic particles from the magnetosphere above the Earth. All of these things, the extreme natural wilderness of the place, the prolonged days and nights, and the Aurora pull me toward the North and make me want to spend some time in one of the state’s seventeen National Parks, which all have places to stay, from three to four star hotels to inns and self-catering chalets.
The state takes its name from one a word from one of its native tribes, the Aleut. Alaska means “the mainland,” and remains one of the most beautiful places on the planet — from mountaintops, such as the country’s highest peak, Mt. Mckinley, to imposing glaciers to volcanoes and tidal shorelines, the state remains a place for the adventurous and for those looking for something truly different. When the United States bought Alaska from the Russian Empire in 1867 for 7.2 million dollars (at roughly two cents an acre), they clearly made a fantastic deal.
There is a kind of luscious pleasure about the South that only those who come from there can speak to with any degree of authority. There are plenty of people who can attest to it, and there are fantastic stories that come out of the memories of those who’ve lived there. It’s also very rare to hear anyone who’s spent part of their life in Georgia, speak of it without getting a kind of rare glint in the eye, that speaks to a magnificent array of beautiful and strange experiences, all contributing to a great love of the place. There are many different sides to Georgia, of course, and many different layers. From pockets of extreme poverty to luxury hotels. Georgia is a kind of microcosm for the country.
There are multiple histories here for all of the levels, and the further one looks into it, the more complex things get. It’s always fascinating, however, and it’s always interesting to spend time considering how things came to be. Today we can look at contemporary phenomena, like hip-hop music, and see, with groups like Outkast, connections to some very old roots here, as well as connections to multiple points of culture all over the planet.
It’s like that with everything here, because the Georgia that we know is formed by memories and experiences of complex and difficult lives. It is also vastly more in touch with the world at large than is usually imagined, and has contributed to modern culture for a long time. With the case of Outkast, formed by Dre and Big Boi, who were students in the same high school in East Point in Atlanta, there are several influences going on simultaneously. It’s easy to see their own contribution to global hip-hop culture, as well as to trace how it has worked in creating their own musical vocabularies. What makes their music so distinctive is its uncompromising ability to drive through the whirlpools of negativity and create new harmonies that can’t help but leave the listeners feeling more right with the world than before. Their complexity and layering speaks to a sensibility that is very much part of the local scene, historically and right now.
The sculptures in New York City’s Central Park, offer not only a visual delight, but a bit of the history and the lure of the ages as well. One of the most famous sculptures throughout the city, of the people sitting in the cafes in any boutique hotel in New York, to those standing on the street corners, is that of Alice and Wonderland, the “unbirthday” party. All of the favorites from the Lewis Carroll story are brought to life through bronze, seated atop and surrounding an incredibly large mushroom. The character of the Mad Hatter is said to have been modeled after the man who commissioned the project, George Delacorte, a well known benefactor to the art world of New York City during the 1950’s. And the likeness represented in Alice is said to be that of the sculptor’s daughter, Donna.
The sculpture is the work of José de Creeft, commissioned by Delacorte as a gift to his wife in 1959. Around the base of the piece, de Creeft carved out lines from one of Mrs. Delacorte’s favorite passages in the book which is the poem of “The Jabberwocky”. The sculpture is very tall, and the feeling you get from taking it in is one of not only whimsy, but of warmth and love as well. See, over the years, many people, young and old alike, have passed their hands over these beloved characters, which has created a patina on the piece which glows.
There are more than one hundred and thirty sculptures in the gardens of Central Park, from Hans Christian Anderson and his Ugly Duckling, to characters from Shakespeare’s play, “The Tempest. Representations and portraits of such artists and characters as Beethoven, Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Mother Goose. The first time I walked through the park I was overwhelmed, not only by the artistic nature of the sculptures, but of the feelings of nostalgia that many of them provoked. It was a bit like walking through my childhood, and my adulthood, all at the same time. Incredible really, in the way that can only be the New York way, the magical way.
In the world of today, not only is there information to be found on the Internet, but there is the opportunity to put up one’s own site, to write one’s own interpretations and views on the world, on politics, on the practices of various companies and individuals. This is what is referred to user generated media , social sites such as My Space, Facebook, and Twitter. And the individual blogs that people create to express themselves. Reputation management is becoming a growing field that is meeting a growing need.
Businesses and individuals must be able to protect themselves from the reviews that are unwarranted about their company, or the slander that is unwarranted towards them personally. The kinds of sites have been proven to greatly influence the public decisions on with which companies to do business, and in some cases can seriously damage the reputation of a company with false information, from a disgruntled individual or group. This is when online reputation management steps in.
Companies that specialize in this come in to protect their clients from attacks of this nature. Once the damage is done, it is very difficult, not impossible, but difficult to “un-do”. Many businesses are hiring online management companies, before they actually need them. They take control before a situation occurs, by seeing what has or is being said or written about a business or a product, and manage the content of what appears on the first page of an Internet search, such as Google.
It does not take much for a company to have their reputation damaged, a few posts on Youtube or a few posts written on someone’s own personal blog may take years to rectify. By taking control before this happens a company will ensure that what they have written is what people will see when they search online. The unfavorable and slanderous comments will not have a chance to pass up their rankings, to override their authority. In this day and age, it is imperative that public figures, businesses and even private citizens monitor what is being posted online about them, and with the right online reputation management firm on your side, you will be one step ahead of everyone else.
There’s a spectacular sense of being dazzled that is particular to Singapore. This unusual island city state is a fantastic location for tourists, offering the whole array of attractions that travelers expect in a world class city. There are magnificent hotels, excellent shopping, and superb restaurants, from Japanese to Italian and so much more. Its long history as a major trading port means that it has a great sense for hospitality, and an ability to treat guests to a wonderful time. It is also one of the cities in the world where eastern and western culture mixes rather freely, and rather splendidly at times. There is a great love of pop culture from all over the world, but of course, Asia in particular, and there is also a deep sense of high culture as well.
The port status is partially responsible for the cultural porosity, since it has been a place where cultures do come to meet. Ingredients from all over the world are available here, which is one of the reasons why the food is so good. There is also a sense of artistry that enters into the culinary world, as well as many other layers of society. Chinese, Malay, and Indian influences are very apparent here, and there is also a very strong current of influences from Japanese society. Some of the most splendid innovations in world pop culture come from the way Japanese pop is blended with Singapore sensibilities. This is one of the reasons why cosplay in Singapore.
Cosplay is a contraction of costume play, and it refers to any public display of costume that is not specifically, or formally theatrical. Nov Takahashi, of Studio Hard in Japan, is credited with coining the term, in 1984 at a science fiction convention. Its close alliance with sci fi culture is still very strong, and most of the personas that people don come from Japanese manga. It is sometimes seen as a frivolous activity, but it also seems to be extremely fun. Kids who engage in cosplay talk about how they get to turn into superheros for awhile, and there is also a lot of gender reversal. Generally speaking, it’s a way of making identity more fluid, and is absolutely fascinating to witness. But more fun to participate.
Kelly could not wait to go to college. She had been sure what school she wanted to go to since she was twelve years old and her older cousin had mentioned what a great school the Colorado State University was and told story after story of the great times he was having in Fort Collins. It took on almost a mythological status to the young and impressionable Kelly and once that dream took hold she never let go of it. In fact, the Colorado State University was the only school she applied to being so sure that she was destined to go there.
Her parents, however, being of a much more practical nature, at least when it came to matters regarding their daughter did alternative school investigating on their own and after they were satisfied that Fort Collins offered a competitive program for Kelly the decided they would visit the city during the summer of her junior year of high school. They made reservations to stay in one of the hotels Fort Collins and though they planned to spend the majority of their time investigating the school they also hoped to tour the town and look at apartments for Kelly.
Immediately after arriving in the city both of Kelly’s parents not only thought it was beautiful but also had a great atmosphere. They toured the campus on their first day and they were all impressed. It was definitely going to be the paradise Kelly suspected. They also drove through some of the neighborhoods and even though it would be another year before she moved there Kelly’s parents wanted to get a feel for where she might be living. Kelly also loved the city itself and thought it had an interesting blend of its significant military history as well as a progress or energetic college feel. She thought she would be as happy there as her cousin had been before her.
Staying in a Santa Monica hotel in California will place you right next to one of the great places on Earth: The 100-year-old Santa Monica Pier and beach. In post cards, you’ll see Pacific Park, the only amusement park on the West Coast actually on a pier — the place lit up at night, its Ferris wheel and roller coaster, all on a wooden pier jutting out into Santa Monica Bay. A row of restaurants and video games. Spots for fishermen, patiently waiting for their next catch off the far end. The 1922 historic Carousel. I’ve lived in Los Angeles for over fifteen years, just six miles away from this spot, and often go out of my way to find my way down to the pier, to walk the length of the wooden planks for exercise, and to watch the sun set over the bay.
The pier opened on September 9, 1909, bringing in thousands of tourists. Entrepreneur Charles Loof, who built the first carousel for Coney Island in Brooklyn could see the Santa Monica Pier had potential. In 1916, he build his own “pleasure pier.” Loof’s Pier had a number of attractions, including a Hippodrome building with vintage merry-go-rounds, a wooden roller coaster, and a funhouse. The Loof Pier did extremely well in the 1920s, but the 1930s things changed. The Santa Monica Pier endured difficult weather, and the Blue Streak roller coaster was taken down. By the 1970s, interest in the two piers had diminished so much that the Santa Monica City Council ordered them demolished; however, Santa Monica residents who recognize what the piers provided fought together to save the Santa Monica Pier. By 1975, the Hippodrome building and carousel became a Los Angeles County historical landmark.
In 1988, after years of improvements to the Pier, the city council ordered a new substructure of concrete to be built, adding to the Pier’s stability, creating the Santa Monica Pier we see today, with a number of shops, restaurants and rides.
Whenever I entertain visitors from out of town, whether they stay at my place or a Los Angeles cheap hotel, I run through my head the usual list of places to take the tourists: Universal Theme Park at Universal City, downtown Hollywood and Grauman’s Chinese Theater, down to Anaheim for Disneyland and Downtown Disney, or out to Long Beach for a tour of the Queen Mary, or to the coast for a stop in Venice to see the beach. And then… my head runs dry of ideas. If I were more a little more adventurous, I could arrange for tours at the major studios themselves (almost every one of them offers private tours, but you have to know to call the studio and arrange for it), such as Paramount or Warner Brothers. That’s seems to be most of what tourists want to see… unless they’re into museums, and then we’re off to the Getty overlooking the Los Angeles Basin, or the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, or up to Pasadena for the Norton Simon Museum, all of which offer some pretty amazing work: The Getty and Norton Simon both house impressive displays of impressionism, for instance.
Almost everyone who comes to L.A. wants to see stars, and if you know where to go in Beverly Hills and Hollywood, you may easily see any number of people. Just by dining out on occasion, I’ve seen (over several years, mind you) Natalie Portman, Robert Duval, Leonardo di Caprio, Adam Sandler, and many, many others. You can see some celebrities at The Ivy, an expensive restaurant on Robertson, although most of these people I’ve seen across the street in the more reasonably priced Newsroom, a cafe and bar. There’s not stars every day (or you may not recognize them), but if the paparazzi are outside, you can bet someone’s inside.
One place I take people first seems like a major tourist attraction: The Farmer’s Market on Third and Fairfax, and the relatively recent addition of The Grove, now several years old, an outdoor mall designed like a town square. But I don’t take people here for the movie theater or the restaurants. Instead, I take them to the top of the eight-story parking lot, from which you can get an incredible view 360 degree view of Los Angeles. It’s great for letting people know exactly where they are in the world.
Using wood for heat inside houses has a long and rich history. From the early times of man, fire has protected people not only from the elements, but from predators as well. Later on, many thousands of years later on, the people living in the Victorian era also used wood and fire to heat their homes, but this also became considered to be a classy addition to ones home and decor. Everyone knows that sitting around a warm and crackling fire ads a coziness and a very homey feel. A fireplace now added to the environment of one’s home in a different way.
Just as with everything, fireplaces have changed over time, the style and the technology have both made leaps and bounds to the way in which the fireplaces are used and designed and the way in which they function. The various techniques of the casting of them, have given designers many more options, for many more styles and creative expressions. The basic fireplace however still remains the same, which are the elements of the insert and the surround. The insert is the place where the actual fire is burned, usually constructed with cast iron, and decorated with a variety of tiles…different colors and different patterns which will all add a personal touch to your home.
The surround is the part of the fireplace that as the same suggests, surrounds the insert. This section is made with a variety of materials, the most common are iron, marble, wood or granite. Both of these elements of the fireplace provide the homeowner with a myriad of options, and can be a great way to create a much more quaint and charming atmosphere in your kitchen, front room or dining room. You can choose from the old fashioned style with a mantle, or a sleek design that runs flush with your stucco walls. When you add a fireplace to the architecture of your home, you will feel the warmth, not only of the temperature, but of the vibe and the feel you will now be able to experience.
Welcome to Hong Kong! Home to over 7 million people; all packed in like sardines on a few small islands. After we disembarked the plane, completing a swine flu form and a fast passport check, we found ourselves in an very modern airport. Nice!
We didn’t even have to put a foot outside the airport to get to the city center. The airport express train virtually comes right into the arrivals hall! The train doors opened and we just hopped on. Hong Kong welcomes you with a sleight-of-hand, from the outside it appears to be Western with all the gleaming skyscrapers, a public transportation system that any city should envy, business people in expensive suits, clean streets, fashion conscious folk wearing the latest designer clothes, but in reality there lies a culture and tradition that could not be more Chinese.
Twenty-two minutes later we were standing in the central metro station, then we caught a subway ride to a stop where we thought we could find accommodations. We heard wonderful remarks about a Hong Kong hotel, so we were hoping to book a room and spend a week living in luxury. The first one we found was extremely accommodating and lived up to all five stars.
Over the following week, we saw Chinese herbalists dispensing a variety of plant, animal and mineral extracts, shopkeepers still using the abacus, local Chinese haggling at the fish market, butchers carving pigs and other delights on the street, devotees at temples offering fruit to the Gods and scenes of several people practising Tai-Chi in the parks. In other cities, clashes can occur when East meets West, because western values often seem to undermine traditional Asian beliefs, but that’s not what I’m witnessing here in Hong Kong. It’s more like the two blend together and make a delight full mix. For example, it’s not unusual for a shrewd business owner to hire a Feng Shui master to arrange his business in such a way the his business will prosper. Another example is for locals to give offering in a Taoist temple to ensure their shares on the stock exchange continue to grow! This is what makes Hong Kong one of the best modern cities in the world. They’ve manage to make both philosophies, East and West work.
Marcus was a country and western guitar player with quite a few years under his still somewhat young belt. He has worked as a studio musician and played with various well-known bands and solo singers. It can be a challenging life out on the road and he was well accustomed to some of the associated pit falls and difficulties. Eventually this freelance status began to get tiring and Marcus stated to consider various options. He knew he needed a break from touring with established bands and was also sure he didn’t want to form his own band.
He remembered that he had always wanted to spend a chunk of time in Texas and thoroughly explore the state. He had only been to Dallas and Austin, where he played at the Austin City Limits Music Festival once as a guest guitarist for a band that was booked there. Without giving it much thought, Marcus knew what he was going to do. He packed his bag into his Toyota Tacoma and headed for the great state of Texas. He had previous experience of playing on street corners and at farmers markets for tips, and Marcus decided he would tour Texas by doing just that.
Things were going well for Marcus and he met a lot of interesting people. When he pulled into San Antonio he had an odd sense of having been there before though he couldn’t remember having done so. He thought the city had a great energy and loved its sense of history. He toured the Alamo and sang improvised cowboy songs outside of it. He ended up meeting quite a few people in San Antonio that he considered to be friends and did well enough performing that he was able to stay in one of the luxury San Antonio hotels for three months. Finally he decided that he wanted to make the city his home and found a house with a barn that he could turn into a music studio. For the first time in his life Marcus felt that he was right where he needed and wanted to be.
RECENT Comments