VidMama

The Women’s Museum in Dallas

Not all Smithsonian museums are to be found in Washington DC. Affiliates of the famous institute established in 1846 are spread out across the country, from Hutchinson, Kansas, at the space museum of the Cosmosphere , to the Women’s Museum: An Institute for the Future in Dallas, Texas. In Dallas, you may come to the 70,000 square foot building and explore women’s contributions to society throughout history.

Established in September of 200, this ten year old museum offers interactive exhibits to the public which tells the stories of the accomplishments of women and what they offered to the history and life of America. These exhibits include “Dreams of Flight: A Journey through Air and Space” which runs from July 23 to October 31, and “Changing the Face of Power: Women in the U.S. Senate,” running from November 1st to December 31st, 2010.

The former exhibit will take a look at the boundaries women have broken to become pilots, astronauts, astrophysicists, and scientists, featuring the first women in America to fly planes, and the first women to serve as pilots, flying military aircraft for the U.S. Army during World War II. It also explores how women were tested to be astronauts in the late 1950s, creating a group known as the Mercury 13.

The latter exhibit offers photographs of the 13 women in the U.S. Senate in 2001, growing that number of 14 in 2003. The photographer, Melina Mara, convinced most of these senators to let her document their role in the Senate not only in public, but behind the scenes as well. Permanent exhibits in the museum are broken into sections on women in history, breaking boundaries, women’s health, and business and technology.

Whether you’re in town on business or pleasure, staying with friends or at the 5 star hotels Dallas is known for, take some time out and head to 3800 Parry Avenue to appreciate the role of women in American society. The museum is open six days out of the week, from noon to five p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays. It’s closed on Mondays. Admission is relatively inexpensive as well: Five dollars for adults, four dollars for senior citizens and students aged 13-18, three dollars for students aged 5-12, and free for anyone under five.

Tags: 5 star hotels dallas

Get Noticed In An Interview

With so many people out of jobs there is a lot of advice that everyone can give youngsters to differentiate themselves from everyone else as they search for a job. One of those great pieces of advice that isn’t told to them enough is to practice your interview skills every single day. Interviews are about three things. Employers learning the skills you have, watching you communicate clearly and concisely, and you selling yourself. This last one is especially important if you are planning on trying to get a job in sales. There are a number of ways to gain this skill at selling yourself, but there is no better way than to do a summer internship selling door to door like those that Southwestern Company offers.

When you are selling door to door you have to sell yourself as much as your product. Each time the door opens is another sales call where you have to present who you are, what your product is, and if you want to be successful. You can never let the rejection get to you, at least not let it affect your behavior. Because of this you have to practice selling yourself, and therefore your interview skills every day. If you are only practicing three times a day it is far too low. You should be out there getting in practice at least thirty times a day. You will learn with each mistake and you will be able to make corrections as necessary.

If you don’t have a job or an internship like Southwestern Company where you get to practice your interview skills everyday, get together with a friend and try to sell your self to each other. Talk about all of the best reasons to hire you, or to buy this product from you. Keep each mini interview at under thirty minutes. Answer questions concisely, but leaving the person understanding why they will have an advantage after hiring you. Make sure you are positive and upbeat even at the beginning before the interview really happens because nothing brings down an interview more than a bad mood. You also can’t sell anything when you are in a bad mood, not even yourself.

Tags: southwestern company

Boston’s MOBA

In all of the popular discussions of art in contemporary times, one of the running themes revolved around the artist’s intention. There are some who feel that the intent of the artist is always beside the point, that the meaning is entirely up to the viewer. Other’s feel this is a mix between the creator and the audience, where meaning is determined by complex relationships between the two, but there are always hidden texts that enter the picture without any conscious intention, or even reception. The artistic criteria of the Museum of Bad Art , however, is very clear.

With two locations now, in Dedham and Somerville, MOBA started in a private collection in Boston, in someone’s basement. The locations are still in basements, although there is certainly more room these days, and they are definitely worth visiting. It’s a unique opportunity to escape from the lovely surroundings that a boutique hotel Boston, USA might offer, to get to a lofty space where the worst of art is on display for visual consumption.

They have over 500 pieces of bad art in the collections, with displays that are always revolving. As long as people are making bad art, they can find their home here, although never willingly. The collection will only allow in those works that have a serious intent, and any attempt to make bad art on purpose are simply not allowed.

It’s perhaps odd to admit that seeing bad art can be enormously refreshing, but it is. Gone are the usual pretenses to try to understand why certain pieces are receiving praise, and everyone likes to be a critic. It might be said that this is a collection of paper tigers, waiting like victims to be burned at the stake by willing audiences, but there are also some stunning moments of beauty, too. Even in bad art there are glimpses of another world, where dreams might begrudgingly take flight. For those who can’t get enough, there are bad art gifts to take home, suitable for framing.

Tags: bad art gifts

Shakespeare’s Globe in London

In the 18th century, Samuel Johnson once wrote, “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” Described by some as the most distinguished man of letters in the history of England, he was a teacher and poet, an essayist, literary critic, and editor, and moved to London where he wrote the Dictionary of the English Language, published in 1755, about 255 years ago. This book was considered one of the greatest single achievements in scholarship, a work that existed as the prime English dictionary until the Oxford English Dictionary was written 150 years later. Johnson also wrote a good deal about another man who lived approximately a hundred years before him — William Shakespeare, whose contributions to literature undoubtedly helped turn London into a place that offered “all that life can afford.”

Shakespeare performed his plays in a venue known as the Theatre, owned by James Burbage, the first building to be built as a playhouse in London. Shakespeare became resident member of the troupe there and the company survived in that spot for 20 years. However, when Burbage died in 1597 and the lease expired on the Theatre (known then as the King’s Men), the players leased a plot near the Rose, which was a rival theatre company in Southwark, demolished the old theatre and rebuilt the Globe using its timbers. The Globe had a run of 14 years and presented most of Shakespeare’s best plays.

In 1949, when a man named Sam Wanamaker arrived in London for the first time, he discovered there was no lasting memorial to Shakespeare and his theatre. Twenty years later, he developed the Shakespeare Globe Trust, which, eventually, in 1997 allowed for the recreation of the Globe Theatre on the South Bank of the Thames.

Theatre lovers who have booked a hotel in London will not only want to see the West End, but also visit the South Bank for an evening’s entertainment, and see Shakespeare as it was performed centuries ago. The Globe also has exhibits about Shakespeare and the theatre of his time.

The Shakespeare Globe Trust strives to create an international reputation for the excellence of its productions of Shakespeare, and to become a focal point and resource for the study of the Bard’s plays in performance. This summer, the Scottish play, MacBeth, may be seen until June 26th; Henry VIII is available until August 21st, and Henry the IV, Part I may be seen until October 2nd; while Henry IV, Part II will be presented from July 3rd to October 3rd; The Merry Wives of Windsor will be onstage, too, from August 14th to October 2nd.

Even after 255 years, Samuel Johnson’s words about London remain true as ever; certainly, as long as Shakespeare is still performed.

Tags: hotel in london

Understanding the Field of Property Management

For those that are new to the real estate industry and, more specifically, to rental property, the field of property management may be a bit vague. They understand the function of property and the basic process of renting that property out, but anything more than that is out of their league. While experienced property owners can handle most of the details themselves, the vast majority utilize the services of a property manager.

Property managers can be hired as individuals or from a company like Transglobe property management . Property managers are skilled in handling the rental property from beginning to end.

To begin, the property manager will assist with advertising the property . This may include putting ads in the paper as well as utilizing online directories and resources. A good property manager will make the most of a variety of different resources to make sure the property is well advertised. Then, once inquiries are made, the property manager assists with showing the property and receiving offers.

When an offer has been made and the owner accepts it, the property manager handles all of the legal documents. This includes the lease agreement, deposits, etc. It is important the property manager is well informed of landlord/ tenant laws from the area.

Once a tenant moves in the property manager is responsible for taking care of problems or complaints that the tenant might have, from rent issues to repairs. Sometimes the property manager takes care of repairs himself; while others have the work contracted out. Often times the owner will set limits on how much can be spent on repairs without getting their approval and will request a list or summary of expenses.

Property management is a large and encompassing field. It requires that employees be detailed and reliable, as well as able to multi-task. Reputation is important, even to companies like Transglobe Property management .

Tags: advertising the property

Palm Beach Writers’ Sons

There are always a thousand good reasons to visit Palm Beach. It’s lovely tropical weather and ocean living are really rather legendary, and it attracts a very interesting and eclectic stream of visitors every year, looking to enjoy the Palm Beach luxury hotels and tap into the local culture. Restaurants and night life are as buzzing as they need to be in a town where the majority of people are avid fans of relaxing and enjoying the good life. Life is good here, too, where the average income is significantly higher than most places on the planet.

It’s no stranger to luxury, and Palm Beach is also no stranger to famous residents. Both John Lennon and Michael Jackson lived here for a time, although not at the same time, drawn in by the promise of a fine time where one could enjoy the moments in relative solitude. It also has an interesting attraction for famous writers, as well as writer’s sons. Both Burroughs and Nabokov had children who call or called it their home.

William Burroughs son, William Burroughs, Jr. , is probably the more colorful character of the two. Burroughs, or “Billy,” as he liked to be called, only lived to see the age of 33 before dying of liver problems associated with his life-long alcoholism. Like his father, he wrote novels that looked at the wild side of things, and like his father, they were largely based on autobiographical experiences. Also like his father, he accidentally shot someone, but for the son it wasn’t a fatal incident. It still cost him dearly, however, sending him into a psychic trauma that he could never really get over.

Dmitri Nabokov, the son of the famous Russian novelist who wrote “Lolita,” Vladimir, has a less dramatic, although no less interesting, life. He still lives here, and he also writes just like his father, but it’s under a pen name that he won’t reveal. In his earlier days he was an accomplished opera singer (one of his classmates was Pavarotti), and he also raced cars semi-professionally. In 1980, in a severe crash, he fractured his neck and was lifeless for a few moments. In his return to this side of the grass, he’s been not only writing his own work, but also working as a key figure in translating the works of his father from Russian to English.

It’s quite a town.

Tags: translating the works of his father

Fort Collins Smiles & Shoeshines

It’s hard to talk about the evolution of Smile and a Shoeshine without knowing much about their previous incarnations. The word on the street, however, is that Samuel Graf’s latest work with this band shows a definite maturity after the two-year hiatus. It’s very dense and provocative work, demonstrating more reflection than bravado, and that’s rare for a punk band. It’s also a little heartening to be learning about the Fort Collins scene, where there’s apparently been as many punk re-visions as the rest of the world.

Fort Collins has always been a great place for music, of course. Being a college town that’s close enough to Denver that they share some of the same vistas means that there is a ready-made road for artistic communication. It might seem that in recent years Fort Collins has come into its own, but it’s also apparent that it always already was. The excellent local Scene Magazine is centered on a very thriving music industry in town, and there’s also plenty of other indie culture markers here, too, including a very lively underground film scene.

Colorado really does have everything, with some of the most interesting cities anywhere in the country, and some very interesting populations. With as many subcultures as Seattle, it’s a perfect spot to find out if the latest art city might be this one. It has everything else, for anyone looking for a perfect vacation in the city and the country, making it a great place for a few nights in a luxurious hotel. Fort Collins also has a reputation for being not just one of the best cities to live, but has scored at the top, and at number two. The combination of fresh air, a great community, and a college scene to keep things interesting turns out to be good for everybody.

Tags: hotel fort collins

There’s Never a Dull Moment in Singapore

Singapore is anything but boring, there’s a great melting pot of Malay, Chinese, Western and Indian cultures, ingredient that adds to a unique rich, diverse stew, making the claims that Singapore is a sterile utopia and a dull city to be an extreme exaggeration. Yes, the trains run on time and are graffiti free, the traffic jams never happen and everyone you see looks wholesome and clean-cut, but isn’t that exactly the kind of place you want to visit? A place where chaos, poverty and pollution is a thing of the past? It’s a fantastic vacation spot!

The food is mouthwatering, and is one of the best reason’s to come to Singapore. The hawker centre alone is worth writing home about; it’s the best place to get the best in Asia delights. Pull up a wooden chair, crack open a Tiger beer and allow yourself to be immersed in a stupendous range of outdoor cuisine and culture; heavy in flavor, light on your wallet and eye stimulating beyond description. Don’t be surprised to see a hawker torching a huge pig head, preparing it for sale; the torching is to remove the facial hair of the pig’s head, which will sell for around $12 US, and is a great bargain. Today, only traditionalist buy the head as part of a temple offering.

If you have a little more to spend, all the better! Singapore has the best Southeast Asia’s shopping hands down, for example: All the stores on Orchard Street , offers any tourist a class act and an aire of opulence. You can’t step outside of your hotel in Singapore without passing by a great restaurant, really! Step inside any restaurant and you’ll get the best tasting dishes, with the best service, and it doesn’t matter what part of Singapore your in either, all the food establishments and eateries offers great cuisine for even the hard to please.

But, Singapore isn’t all about food and shopping, there’s plenty of outdoor activities, like water sports, walking tours, cycling, going to the museums, or checking out any art gallery, because Singapore’s government has helped create a thriving art scene, plus the government promotes Singapore as an art hub. If you’re in need of respite, head for the center of the island and you’ll step into a leafy forest where you’ll hear the noise of chattering monkeys and other wildlife. This is just the tip of the iceberg for things to do in Singapore, there’s literally so much to do here, that you’ll want to come back for another visit.

Tags: hawker centre