Bob Travel

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.

Well we weren’t in Singapore for long, only 3 days, but we had a really great time. It’s a very nice city and out of everywhere I’ve been so far, this is probably the one place in which I thought would be a cool place to live. It was so easy and inexpensive to get from the airport to the boutique hotel in Singapore where we had reservations. We took the MRT and there was a stop only 5 minutes away from the hotel.

We took a walk to the shops, as Singapore is the mall capital of the world. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many shopping centers in one place. We ended up going to an art museum, I don’t really like modern art, I just don’t get it I guess, like one of the pieces of art was a black canvas with one black brush stroke. I mean, what’s up with that? Later that night we went to the cinema and watched ‘500 Days of Summer‘ and then got a bite to eat.

The next day we decided to do the Hippo tour, it’s an open top Double-Decker, like the ones in London. We saw a lot of the city that way. Saw almost everything on two routes and then we jumped off a couple of times to look at things close up. Singapore is split into quarters, almost like Paris is, so it was cool to see the India and Chinese quarters. Both were celebrating different festivals, so the streets were all decorated. We had a great tour guide who told us about the history of the city and his own thoughts on life. He was a very intriguing man. He even asked us a bit about ourselves and why we were here in Singapore. He then announced our upcoming wedding in Brisbane to the entire bus. Applause shewed forth and we were both embarrassed.

We just missed the Grand Prix, but we got the see a section of the road, which was still cordoned off because they were in the process of removing the barriers. It was time to head back to our hotel, but we kept that information to ourselves.

A great management training program will give new managers an idea of the job that lies ahead of them.  One of the main roles of the business team manager is the planner.  The further up you advance, the likelihood is that you will be responsible for looking further into the future.  The long-term goals become the focus, and you will be planning and creating the atmosphere for your team to not only clearly establish and communicate those goals, but that they are will be responsible for seeing that gets accomplished.

They must choose those goals wisely and in an organized fashion, for with proper employee training, the staff will know exactly what is expected of them.  The consequences of today, will be seen as how they will one day affect the future.  The team may work on those plans together in brainstorming sessions, and the manager will take the most optimal of the plans and see that it is implemented.  They will be able to see where problems may be occurring and solve them quickly and efficiently.

This is not only true for the project at hand, but the manager will have the foresight to see the needs, and create the plans for the next project in the works as well.  The manager will ensure that the team is provided with all that they need, the resources and the information that they will need to perform those tasks successfully.  The manager will have the authority in some cases to acquire information that the members of the team need, it is a job that often times, they are the only ones who can do that.  A great manager is a great team leader, and encourages everyone on the team to work in creative and collaborative ways.  This will ensure that all runs smoothly, and that not only are the goals of today achieved, but those of tomorrow as well.

Seville, the financial, cultural and artistic capital of Southern Spain…  Originally known as Hispalis, this city dates back thousands of years, and has a rich history, rising and falling, experiencing rough times in the first millennium after Christ, as the city regularly changed hands from Romans to Arabs to Normans to Phoenicians, eventually becoming the fourth largest city in Spain.  Whether you find yourself staying in the city for only a few days in one of the luxury hotel Seville, Spain, affords its travelers, or for a much longer stay, you may wish to experience shopping for food the way the locals do….

There are many favorite places from which to shop.  Like many of the farmer’s markets you might have at home, they provide the best possible fish and meats and local produce.  With a wide choice of vendors, you can make sure you get the best each and every time you go.

A few tips on local courtesies: At a fruit and vegetable stand, you wait for the owner to come to you and select the produce, although you can ask for a particular piece.  If there are other customers waiting, you are to ask who is list in line, ensuring you know when your turn occurs.  For this, ask the following: Quine es el ultimo?  The next-in-line shopper will raise his or her hand, and you simply keep an eye out, waiting for them to be served.

When dealing with meats and fish, ask for the meats by weight or pieces.  Also keep in mind that on Mondays, there’s no seafood in the markets, because fishermen take Sundays off (a good reason not to order fish in a restaurant on Monday!  It may well not be fresh!).  Most markets are open in the mornings early and close at around 2 in the afternoon.  They’re never open Sundays.  Here’s a quick list of the major markets around the city:  Encarnacion, Feria (the oldest market in the city), Triana (one of the newest), Arenal, and Puerta de la Carne.

Edgar Allen Poe wrote psychological thrillers.  His passions were dark, tormented and sometimes appeared to be neurotically concerned with violence and death, all the while holding on to the appreciation and the beautiful tragedies of life and the depths of the psyche, his own psyche and that of the people who surrounded him.  The tragedy of life, a funny phrase.  Perhaps he was consumed by the death of both of his parents.  This happened when he was just a young boy of three years old.  His stories resonate, and in modern times have been played on stage too many times to count, have been made into movies and series for television shows.  His work continues to influence the writers of today.  Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts.  Both of his parents were actors, David Poe and Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins.  After his parents died he moved to Richmond, Virginia where he was raised by John and Frances Allen.

As a young man he moved to Baltimore and lived with his cousin.  This is where he sold his first stories to the Baltimore Saturday Visitor, for fifty dollars a piece.  In any Baltimore pub or restaurant you will still hear stories told of the man today.  Just as his horror stories always contain an element of mystery, so to does the man and his life.  Poe lived for most of his time in the city at 203 Amity Street.  The small house is a museum now, open for visitors every weekend.

There is a public housing development next to his house, the first one in Baltimore, named for Edgar Allen Poe, and one of the stories you may hear is that there is a spirit, “Mr. Eddie”, who takes care of his house and those in the housing development.  There are also many people who claim to have seen a woman’s ghost wandering through the house from time to time.  Poe is buried, along with many other notable Baltimore figures, in the Westminster Church Cemetery. This is also a famous visitors location.  During the year you may visit the cemetery from sunrise to sunset.  Small gatherings take place throughout the year, one such night happens of course on Halloween, when Poe’s fans and admirers hold candle light ceremonies in honor of the man and his work.  And in keeping with the mystery, each year since his death in 1849, a bottle of Cognac appears on his grave, with a single red rose.  Edgar Allen Poe, a piece of the rich cultural history of the city of Baltimore.

Travel in Australia has held a powerful attraction to world travelers for many generations, drawn to the cultures and the extraordinary sense of culture.  It’s never been easier, either, and it still holds many fantastic things on the surface, and many mysteries beneath the ground.  The contradictions between the visible and the invisible are particularly keen in the larger cities, and Adelaide has many stories to tell.  On its surface, it’s a spectacularly charming place, and there are few cities as sweet as Adelaide.  Boutique hotels are exceptionally lovely here, combining the old world charms with all the contemporary conveniences of our complex lives.

But even the complexity can seem small when you’re here, and the sweeter the accommodations, the more simple life can seem.  The basic pleasures of sleeping in a perfectly soft bed, and a particularly nourishing meal, can take you back to a state of heavenly balance.  In this marvelous state of well-being, you’ll be able to really appreciate all the city has to offer, as well as take the time to contemplate its deeper mysteries.  Art has a way of revealing certain hidden truths so that the ordinary world never looks as ordinary as it once did, paving the way for new ways of thinking and being.

This is certainly the case in the works of Garry Shead, whose intense and lyrical figures speak of a reality that’s recognizable and at the same time fading into the distance.  His work is some of the most acclaimed in the country, and he’s won the Archibald and the Dobell Prize.  You may very well come across his work while you’re here, from his paintings inspired by D.H. Lawrence, or may even see some of his experimental films from the 1960s.  He’s one of many artists who’s been deeply influenced by the dark and lingering poems of the great Ern Malley, and shares an obsession that’s rather common here, or better to say, uncommon but not uncelebrated, or even better perhaps, simply ecliptic.

I have worked in the service industry for many years, mainly in the restaurant business.  I have witnessed great cases of customer service, and not so great.  What I have noticed through waiting on people, is that the kindest gestures often hit the customers unaware, they get side swiped and before you know it, everyone has tears in their eyes.  Now, every customer is different, and knowing when to leave someone in peace to eat their meal, well, their body language will say it all.  But for the most part, people do want to engage in conversation, dining out is an experience after all.  One such occasion took place a few years ago when I was working in a high end steak house.

An older couple came in and I waited on them.  Their son was a sergeant in the US Army and he had just come home from a two year tour in Iraq.  They bought him a gift certificate and told me to wait on he and his wife when they came in.  A few days later, they were sitting in my section.  They enjoyed a great dinner, a little wine and a wonderful desert.  The restaurant manager would often take a dessert or an appetizer off of the bill for the soldiers who had returned from war.  I questioned him before I brought their check, and he took off everything.  Their entire meal was on the house.  I brought their check to them, which now totalled zero.  I left the check on the table and went to help another table.

When I came back, they looked at me with confusion written all over their face.  And this soldier said with tears in his eyes, “thank you”.  And wouldn’t you know, tears welled up in my eyes and I had a hard time getting out the words, “no, thank you”.  Now, that restaurant is a large corporation, and we were constantly barraged with secret shoppers trying to find us doing something wrong.  When I waited on that sergeant and his wife, I know I didn’t say things in “right” order, I may have left out an ingredient in the nightly special, but when no one was looking, my manager allowed me to go above and beyond the corporate and the scripted way in which were were to act, to wait tables.  This is what Steve Barbarich expects, and what all great owners should expect, managers and employees that take the extra step.

New York, New York.  People rarely believe me when I tell them I’ve never been to New York, even though it’s a city I’ve long wanted to see, so I have to amend what I say by explaining that, yes, I’ve seen New York, as I landed at Kennedy Airport, and changed planes, on my way across the Atlantic, to London, England.  But that’s not being in New York.  That’s not experiencing one of the world’s greatest cities, and almost everyone has to agree.  At least, I do get reports from time to time, from friends and relatives who have made the city their home.

If I ever do go, I think I know most of what I’d try to do.  First, I’ll check into a New York boutique hotel, and then make my way down to the Half Price Ticket Booth to see what shows or musicals I can see on Broadway or Off-Broadway.  Of the five boroughs of New York — The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island — I’d spend the majority of my time in Manhattan.  Over the years, I’ve had a number of friends move in and out of New York, telling me about fantastic restaurants and plays they’d seen.  I’ve had two sets of relatives raised in New York, living in everything from a cramped studio apartment to the entire floor of a building with a view of the skyline, and all of them thrived in the city, describing it as more than a place to live; people connect with New York, its architecture, its culture, and its people, and I would expect to experience a little of each.

As of a year ago, in August, New York City had about five thousand and a half high rises, with fifty skyscrapers higher than six hundred and fifty-six feet, only second to Hong Kong in the number and size of the world’s buildings.  New York is one of the few places in the world that I’ve never been yet I’m familiar with its buildings, like the Woolworth Building, the Chrysler Building, or the Empire State Building.  I’d attend plays and walk in Central Park, along with that park’s other annual thirty million visitors.  I’d take a look at the Zoo, the Conservatory Garden, and attend the Delacorte Theater (where “Shakespare in the Park” is performed), as well as take a look at the nature center in the Belvedere Castle.  Maybe take a tour on the State Island Ferry.  And then just spend some time in the restaurants and coffee shops with my friends, while they ask me why I haven’t made the move yet.  It’s a question I’ll have to consider.

Your home away from home may be as close as your own backyard.  Gardens to plant, vegetable plants to tend, flowers to water, a portable spa to soak in with friends and with family, these are the things that allow us to all take a step back from what is not really important, in order to take a look at what really is…important.  A backyard spa allows you to sit, and think, and to talk, and to relax.  Creating a space for such a retreat just takes a bit of design, a bit of planning.  Where to install your hot tub is an idea to consider.  Many people choose to build a gazebo around the tub, which in my opinion, is great.  The scents of cedar or oak lattice work, enhance the experience of nightly soaks.  It creates a gateway to a world that is free from trouble, free from worry…it is the kind of sanctuary that every home should have.

Not only do cabanas and gazebos provide protection from environmental conditions, they increase your living space, taking your life outside into the fresh air.  Sometimes just sitting aside the hot tub while it is bubbling away, reading a book is enough to give you a bit of time away.  A bit of the sound of water.  Not to mention the time you will spend actually inside the tub, your muscles, your joints and your mind relaxing.  It is an escape from the world, needed every now and then which allows you to continue on in the world, or to see new ways of looking at that world.  Gazebos which surround a hot tub?…the design options are limitless.  Whether you choose to drape them in tiny white lights, or plant vines of jasmine, your time in your portable spa will be enhanced, through visual means and through scents and sounds.

Grand Rapids, Michigan is located on the Grand River about 30 miles from Lake Michigan. Around the start of the 19th century, European missionaries and fur traders began settling in this area. The Ottawa Indians had lived along the Grand River for many years and established a fairly peaceful existence with the white settlers, trading their fur pelts for the metals and textiles of the settlers. The first European/Indian trading post in west Michigan was established by Joseph and Madeline LaFramboise. More settlers came to the area, growth was quick and before long many businesses and industries sprang up. In the early days, the city gained the nickname Furniture City, as that was the major industry then. Now the health care, automotive and manufactured consumer products industries have taken over the economic structure. Grand Rapids was actively involved in the auto industry from the beginning, with the Austin Auto Company in business from 1901-1921.

Like most cities, there are drastic changes from the onset of a little settlement to what it is today. Now when visiting Grand Rapids you will find a very progressive, modern, vibrant city brimming with cultural and artistic activities to enjoy. Walk through the museums and be taken back to the early days, view the fabulous sculptures, attend the Festival of the Arts, take in a play, visit the botanical gardens, shop and shop some more, dine in elegance or sup at a dive, enjoy the nightlife with music and dancing. Visit the historic district and gaze upon the magnificent Victorian homes.

And of course you will need to stay at one of the fine hotels Grand Rapids has to offer. There, more of the city’s fine architecture can be found. Take in the detail of the ornate designs and once inside allow yourself to be pampered. Relax and enjoy the wonderful amenities these hotels offer. Grand Rapids is a unique city; let your trip be unique as well.

So you have decided to spend the extra money and purchase custom truck wheels and tires.  One of the best ways you can protect this investment is to make certain that the new tires are properly balanced.  This will not only provide you with a smoother ride, but it will reduce the occurrence of uneven wear, and will extend the life of your tires.  This is important to maintain throughout the life of your tires.  Some people do not pay attention to, or do not think that proper balance is really all that important.

But the tires and wheels of cars today, are supporting lighter and lighter vehicles as technology and design elements improve.  This is good for things such as reducing you fuel use, but actually, the older heavier vehicles smoothed out the ride, the weight suppressed the bumps and the jars from the road.  They put pressure on the suspension.  Tire technology too, while improving the responsiveness, has made the feedback from the road more felt by the driver and the passengers.

As a result of both of these components, even a slight imbalance will be felt in the modern cars of today.  This is important as well, for the high performance plus sized tires.   When new tires are mounted onto the wheels of your car, there are just two units that are joined, that weigh approximately forty pounds total.  These are units that are seldom perfect, and the precise distribution of weight is impossible.  Just one ounce of difference is all it takes to start your car to vibrating, causing damage to the wheels and the cheap rims, causing more wear and tear on the tires, and creating a very bumpy ride for the driver.

There are two kinds of terms used to describe the kind of imbalance you will experience, static and dynamic.  When the imbalance is static, your car will be affected vertically, kind of hopping down the road.  When the imbalance is dynamic, your car will wobble back and forth…horizontally.  Either way, this will not only be annoying, but could be a safety hazard as well.  The balancing of tires is an important step to maintaining the life of your tires and the over all performance of your vehicle.

One of the questions that many people have before choosing to install a hot tub is whether they are safe.  This question can be asked about any appliance really, about installing a swimming pool, about refrigerators or washers and dryers.  What is necessary is just common sense.  Knowing when and who will be using the spa.  Young children and pregnant women are always advised to stay out of hot tubs.  And when the hot tub is not in use there are covers that lock, preventing anyone from accidentally falling in.  The heat is just too much of a risk factor for these two groups.  The health benefits are great, such as increased circulation and decreased stress levels, and adding a hot tub will most always be a great decision.

Many people are choosing this smaller and less expensive option to the installation of a full sized swimming pool and many models, such as portable hot tub, can be installed by the homeowner.  The only way to not experience the benefits is when the hot tubs are not used in the recommended ways.  Such as the temperature of the water.  Water that is too hot may damage and certain health concerns.  Also the time spent in hot tubs should be about ten to fifteen minutes at a time.  Especially if you choose the high end of the recommended temperature of either 40 degrees Celsius or 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

One of the popular things to do while relaxing in a hot tub is to have an alcoholic beverage.  This can be extremely dangerous for a couple of reasons, most importantly being that the higher temperature will speed up and increase the effects of the alcohol.  It is best to avoid drinking while using spas and hot tubs.  Another concern some people have with regards to hot tubs, is the hot tub rash.  This is a simple thing to prevent.  It just involves making sure that you clean and maintain the water of the hot tub.  The only time this kind of rash will happen is when the water is contaminated.  So, just as with most things in life, common sense will always dictate the safety of certain activities.  The hot tub is safe, when common sense and maintenance are practiced.

Pam had been wanting to visit Seattle every since she saw the movie Sleepless in Seattle playing on the television late one night. This was seven years ago and she was now 24 and felt the time was definitely at hand. So she convinced her friend Tina to go with her and the two of them headed off for their week long stay in one of the Seattle luxury hotels. Tina was pretty much along for the ride so she let Pam be in charge of most of what the saw and did. However, she had one request and that was to visit the Space Needle, something she knew Seattle was famous for after she saw it on The Bachelor.

The friends did go to the Space Needle, which of course was also on Pam’s agenda though she let Tina believe that it was her choice. They enjoyed an incredible lunch while viewing the panoramic scenes of the city and sound. Looking out over the water Tina realized that she would also like to take a ferry trip. Without batting an eye Pam agreed that this would be fun and it was a good idea. Meanwhile she was able to cross off another item on her schedule. They took an hour long cruise of Elliot Bay and were amazed at the beauty of the Cascade and Olympic Mountains. They both were able to get some beautiful photographs and thought this would be one of the highlights of their trip. So far they had two.

While they were at the Marina Tina noticed a lot of activity along the Piers. She thought this seemed incredibly interesting and suggested the two of them spend the following day along the waterfront. Pam smiled and agreed that Tina had come up with another great idea and secretly crossed off yet a third item on her list of attractions. The two of them had a great time along the Piers and shopping at Pike Place Market. Tina couldn’t believe that Pam didn’t suggest this place herself and wondered if she had even known it existed. Then Tina realized that up to that point she had been suggesting all of the ideas for places for them to visit and mentioned this Pam stating it was a good thing she brought her along. Pam started laughing and agreed it was a good thing because the trip was so much more fun with a friend and then she showed Tina the list of attracts with three of them crossed off. They both had a good laugh while they enjoyed a delicious bread bowl of clam chowder.