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LA Theme Parks

It’s impossible to know how many families travel to Los Angeles every year just to visit the area’s many theme and water parks. No doubt the number would be very high, if it could be calculated. With four major theme parks and four large water parks all within easy distance of the Los Angeles Airport, it’s clear that many of the families making use of the shuttle to LAX services are headed to one or more of the parks.

Knott’s Berry Farm holds the distinction of being the oldest theme park in the United States. It was also the first theme park to open in America. It features modern rides as well as a recreation of a ghost town circa 1880.

The big kahuna of theme parks is, of course, Disneyland. Founded in 1955, it was the first Disney park. In 2001 the California Adventure Park opened, providing a much needed expansion of the park and featuring a back lot tour.

Universal Studios is the other park with a Hollywood connection. The Studio Tour is part movie history, part ride and the premiere attraction at Universal. There are also movie-based rides, shops, and entertainment.

Located in the San Fernando Valley is Six Flags Magic Mountain. It has some of the most popular and famous rides in the country. The park encompasses the Warner Brothers Theme Park, with rides based on Warner Brothers Films.

The four water parks in the area are Knott’s Soak City and Hurricane Harbor Water Park (part of Six Flags), Wild River Waterpark, and Raging Waters which is the largest water park in California.

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Money Tips for Touring Canada

When traveling to another country, dealing with money can be just as foreign as the language — and in the case of Americans taking canada tours , the differences may be completely overlooked given the number of similarities. It is very important for tourists to take note of a few important points regarding the Canadian economy.

Canadian currency is known as the dollar, but it is not the same as the US dollar. Currently, the Canadian dollar is worth slightly less than the American version. Paper money in Canada comes in denominations of $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100 bills. Coins match the US in name and value for penny, nickel, dime, and quarter, however Canadians also have a loonie or $1 coin and a toonie, the $2 coin.

The best currency exchange rates can be found at the nationally chartered banks. Currency can also be exchanged at airports and exchange service offices. ATMs can be used to withdraw locale currency, but in addition to noting the exchange rate offered, customers should take into account ATM fees that will be added to the transaction. The same goes for using a credit card from a foreign bank to conduct transactions.

Canada has a national Goods and Services Tax that applies to all sales. The various provinces also have their own sales taxes on top of the GST. As for tipping, the accepted practice in Canada is to tip bar or restaurant staff between 12-15 percent. Cab drivers expect 10-12 percent tips and motorcoach drivers and tour guides should get between $1-2 per person per day.

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Orlando Tourists Need a Car

Sooner or later many families find themselves heading to Orlando , Florida. This may be because they have family or friends in the area to visit, but most people are drawn to the area due to the concentration of nationally — and internationally — famous theme parks. Disney and Universal Studios both have numerous parks within driving distance and there are many other theme parks nearby.

A very high percentage of these visiting families will need a car rental Orlando Airport in order to navigate the region. Sure, a few will get a courtesy shuttle from the airport to the Disney resort and then spend their entire time on the property, never needing outside transportation. However, a vast majority will want to visit other amusement parks or take advantage of the various attractions in the area, including heading to the beach. These families will want to rent a car at the airport rather than waiting until they get to their hotel. This way they won’t have to worry about transportation for duration of their trip.

One of the biggest advantages of having access to a car while on vacation in Florida is freedom. Families without vehicles are at the mercy of shuttle, tram, and monorail schedules. Their other alternative is to get a cab, but the fares involved in traversing the distances between parks or even into Orlando’s growing shopping and entertainment district can quickly outstrip the cost of a budget rental car.

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Lodging at the Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is more than just an amazing view. It’s a living, growing ecosystem that can best be experienced in person. Aerial views and perching at the Rims aren’t going to be enough. People need to venture into the Canyon itself to get the full experience. The geology, wildlife and plants, to say nothing of the wind and water, can only be seen by those who venture down into the Canyon. To do that experience justice, they will want to arrange their trip to be more than a drive by of scenic viewpoints.

Finding lodging at the Canyon can be a problem at the height of tourist season, as there are only so many hotels and campsites available. However, with careful planning or a willingness to visit at other times of the year, lodging can be found.

Camping is a popular choice with naturalists and other outdoor enthusiasts. They want the unencumbered and pure experience of sleeping under the stars and cooking over a campfire.

Those that prefer creature comforts can check out Tusayan hotels on the South Rim. These range from the basic motel to a three star resort with pools, tennis courts and other amenities. Most lodgings will have basic comforts like air conditioning and internet access.

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Passport to London

London is an amazing, cosmopolitan city. First-time visitors to England must allow plenty of time to explore all the city has to offer. From historic sites to art galleries, from shopping to entertainment and dining, the London experience can be one of the most memorable of a lifetime.

It can be overwhelming to try to choose what to do when first arriving in this historic city. There are so many museums, neighborhoods, castles and churches to see. Getting a London Pass or travelcard can make the process easier. They grant tourists access to dozens of the top attractions in the city for one price. In addition to offering discounted admission, they allow visitors to skip the lines to buy tickets, which gives them more time to explore and experience a given attraction.

The best approach to visiting any city is to sit down and list what attractions are a personal priority. Never assume that just because everyone goes to the Tower of London and St Paul’s Cathedral that you would enjoy it. Figure out what you and your family enjoy and then find the attractions that suit you. Designing your own vacation is half the fun.

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D.C. Rally to Restore Sanity

Billed as the rally for people who are too busy to go to rallies, the Rally to Restore Sanity is an anti-rally of sorts. Headed by Jon Stewart of television’s The Daily Show, the event is scheduled to take place on the National Mall in D.C. on October 30, 2010 — a date that Stewart says has no significant at all. It’s for people who are tired of extremists hijacking political debate in the US and was inspired by the tea party rally in September led by Glenn Beck.

The website for the Rally claims it’s for the Busy Majority — those who are too busy with families, lives and jobs, or looking for jobs — to spend time yelling at the top of their lungs — those who believe the big issues facing the country during this election season are best addressed in rational debate, using inside voices. For those who can’t find the time, or money to stay in top Washington hotels , satellite rallies are being organized around the country in places like Chicago.

A counter-rally, being hailed as the March to Keep Fear Alive is being held at the same time by Stephen Colbert of the Colbert Report. Stewart and Colbert maintain a faux rivalry on their respective “news” programs, which are where attendees can get all updates and announcements for the competing rallies. No doubt there will be some entertaining and exciting interplay both on television and at the actual rallies in Washington.

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The Montreal High Lights Festival

It’s one of those events that has to be seen to be really appreciated. There is plenty of live music, from multiple genres, gathering in a very cultured city to perform work that makes intellectuals nod, and everyone else start to shake. There are performances by bands as well as other acts, like magicians and performers of all kinds of art, that number over 100. One can find their way here pretty easily from a Montreal hotel , and enter into landscapes where artists create new worlds for children and adults. This is one of the more concentrated efforts to put on a large-scale public art event anywhere.

The Montreal High Lights Festival also offers plenty of foods, served up by chefs from all over the world. The 2010 edition offered focuses on Portugal and New Orleans, and the culinary goodies spoke of these places, and the music also reflected the eclectic traditions from these parts of the globe. It’s held every year in February, and the underlying mission is to bring light to the darkest part of winter. Technically speaking, it’s not the darkest, but anyone who’s spent time in a chilly place understands why February can be the longest month. For this reason in particular, it’s a wonderful chance to see some stunning work, and get to know how the local community stays warm.

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Blues & BBQ in New Orleans

October brings the annual Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival to New Orleans. The 2010 event will be held October 16th & 17th at Lafayette Square Park. This free festival is organized by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation and claims to showcase the best barbecue in the South along with two stages of great music and a crafts fair.

Blues & BBQ is one of several festivals sponsored by the Jazz & Heritage Foundation, which also produces the annual New Orleans Jazz Fest every Spring. Other festivals feature R&B, Latin Music, Cajun, Zydeco, and even African drumming. The Foundation produces several jazz and gospel concerts throughout the year as well as hosting lectures and literary events. In 2008 the Foundation opened the Jazz & Heritage Center and maintains the Jazz & Heritage Archive.

This year’s Blues & BBQ featured performers include Taj Mahal, Ruthie Foster, Li’l Ed & the Blues Imperials, Barbara Lynn, Corey Harris and Henry Gray. The event will feature an Oral History Stage, the crowd-pleasing Voodoo Blues Challenge, and a new Sports Bar area as well as a variety of craft and food vendors.

So, book a New Orleans boutique hotel and make a weekend of it in the Big Easy.

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Types of Insurance for Traveling

Before traveling outside of their own country larger numbers of people are beginning to wonder if they should take out a health insurance policy for their trip. And while this is an excellent question, it really only has one answer. Yes, you should definitely look into getting a health insurance policy for your travels. It is a common mistaken belief that people only need to have insurance if they are going to be gone for extended periods of time. And while it is absolutely essential that you have insurance in those situations, it is also important to access a visitor insurance policy when you are going on vacation.

Of course there are various considerations, and mitigating factors and if you live in the United States, are extremely healthy and are simply crossing the border into Canada for an afternoon picnic, you may not want to go to the trouble acquiring insurance, unless there’s mayonnaise on the sandwich you’re eating and it’s been in your backpack since yesterday. However, if you plan to go on an extended trip, for any reason, then you will definitely want to look into the various policies that are available for you. Generally, you can get a policy that is specific to the needs of extended work related travel, traveling for study or even vacations. And if you’re heading to Africa to climb Mount Kilimanjaro there is even a policy for you.

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Saint Louis Coffee Culture

It’s a phenomenon that’s happened quite suddenly, but surely, across the country. It’s not that difficult any more to find a great cup of coffee in any of the big cities, and St. Louis is no exception. The city that’s famous for bars and clubs that are a continuation of its fantastic music history also has a culture that loves the bean. Although it may be somewhat new to this century, the phenomenon of the coffee house goes back a very long way. Its endurance, and ability to cross borders and cultures stems from the allure of hanging out with friends for an afternoon discussing news and the great ideas of the day.

Visitors to Saint Louis hotels will have ample opportunity to find spots for a great espresso, and may even discover some rather charming company as the locals start to gather. Most of the houses offer food, and some are open for all the meals. The Coffee Cartel , the city’s largest coffee house, holds 250 people and is open 24 hours a day. For a more relaxed atmosphere, there’s Mokabe’s , a more socially-minded spot where everyone is welcome. And the Mud House is a favorite spot for early jolts of caffeine served with full breakfasts.

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Colorado Mining Towns

The state of Colorado has a remarkable presence in the imaginations of tourists and locals, who’ve been to the many charming towns to enjoy a bit of skiing, bookstores, and live music. There are many other charming attractions all over the state, making five star Colorado hotels the perfect choice in any city.

The history of each city is inevitably rather interesting, and certainly guaranteed to be filled with colorful characters. Colorado has always been home to some of the most interesting people, whether they’re rugged individualists, civic-minded world leaders, or relaxed young artists looking for the best place to enjoy all that life has to offer. For all the towns one can visit, one of the most popular is Silverton .

It’s outside of Durango, where the road follows some famously windy turns until the town itself is revealed. Silverton is famous for being one of the most intact mining towns in the country. Here, one can get a glimpse into a real part of the old west that often gets overlooked. It’s an amazing find, and most people who are familiar with it hear about it when they take the famous train ride that stops in town so that the tourists can look around, and enjoy all the restaurants. There are also plenty of quaint shops, including Jerky Safari, where one can find some of the best homemade jerky any side of the Rockies.

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Drifting in Las Vegas

The best time to be in Las Vegas this summer is in August. The Formula DRIFT Series is returning to The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on August 21, 2010 for the Back-to-School Bash doubleheader. Since the grand opening of the Las Vegas 500 Indy Racing League in 1996, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway has gained instant popularity. The venue provides both a 1 ½ mile speedway and a short-track offering of a 3/8 mile paved oval track, a dirt track and drag strip.

The Formula DRIFT completes on a specially prepared course, the fastest track on the Formula DRIFT circuit. Monster Trucks, Drag racing and Jet Cars will thrill the fans on the quarter mile. Formula DRIFT series attracts the top competitors from the U.S., Ireland, Japan and Sweden.

Located at 7000 Las Vegas Boulevard North the Formula Drift; Back-to-school Bash begins at 6pm and last till 11pm. If you’d like to attend the Formula DRIFT Qualifying trials the day before the event, you can purchase a 2-Day ticket for Friday, August 20 – Saturday, August 21, 2010 for $30 and $15 for children (6-12). If you’re staying at any of the Las Vegas hotels , ask the front desk if they have any discount coupons.

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Portland’s Sculpture Garden at Grant Park is a Children’s Paradise

At Portland’s Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden in Grant Park’s north end are three life-sized bronze statues, celebrating all the character’s from author Cleary’s beloved Ramona Quimby series of children’s books. The writer/illustrator grew up in this neighborhood, and Grank Park is where her stories take place, located at Northeast 33rd Avenue and Brazee Street.

There is a statue of mischievous Ramona in her raingear, the tall and serious Henry Huggins, and Henry’s playful dog Ribsy. The characters stand around a central fountain, which is perfect for children to splash in during warm weather. Around the water fountain slab are granite plaques engraved with the titles of the Cleary books that take place in Portland, including all the Henry Huggins books, Ribsy, Otis Spofford and all the books involving Ramona and her older sister Beezus.

The Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden is a great place to visit if you’re from out of town and staying at any of the Portland boutique hotels and have grown up on Cleary’s books or if your children are currently reading the books; they’ll love visiting the park and the neighborhoods around Grant Park where all the characters hang out and they’ll enjoy the bronze statues becoming sprayers during the summer months. If you’re children aren’t familiar with the series, this is a perfect opportunity to check the books out from the local library nearby, have your hotel pack you a picnic lunch and head off to the Sculpture Garden and read to you children

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Miami Has the Best Japanese Sushi Restaurant

If you’re a resident of Miami, then you already know where the best place is to get Sushi, but if you’re a visitor to Miami, then you must try Sushi Ko Japanese Restaurant . The restaurants glitz and glamour is not a part of the lure to bring you in, it’s the sheer amazing quality of its food that keeps people coming back. Operating on the concept that an unpretentious restaurant can serve up exquisite Japanese dishes in a simple fashion, is what has earned this restaurant a name for the best Sushi in Miami.

Sushi Ko is located at 7971 SW 40th Street, near an excellent Miami spa resort , and within walking distance to the Tropical Park , which is a destination point for locals, university students and tourist sin order to relax and play hard. Sushi Ko opened in 1992 with a vision to create a high-energy, family friendly and value oriented Japanese restaurant. The owners pride themselves on offering the freshest and highest quality fish that Miami can dish up.

The food is amazing, a true hidden treasure for the locals and for those lucky enough to stumble upon this establishment. The staff is great, the food is unbelievable and the prices are great, what more could you ask for? Yes, you’ll be able to meet with the master chef and the owner, they wouldn’t have it otherwise.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

Django in Manhattan

The Django Reinhardt New York Festival, will be celebrating its 11th anniversary in November 2010, at the famous Birdland Jazz club. So, make your reservations now, not only for the Festival but for your hotel accommodations as well, because Django Reinhart fever is catching and a growning appreciation for his style of jazz is exploding.

The Django Reinhardt Festiva l inception was in the year 2000 and was the first ever festival of its kind in America. The Festival celebrates the music of the legendary gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt who was known to team with another great jazz muscian the violinist Stephane Grappelli in the 30′s and 40′s. Together, they created the Quintet of the Hot club de France, which then went on to become one of the most important jazz partnerships in history. The ‘Hot-Swing’ style of jazz had its roots in American popular music with reverence to Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. Django (pronounced ‘Jango’), played with an unparalleled virtuosity in which today still inspires young guitarists around the world to continue perpetuating his legacy. Django, with his extraordinary talent for jazz guitar, was also highly regarded as a composer, writing standards such as ‘Nuages’, ‘Belleville’, and ‘Minor Swing’.

Some of the best American jazz masters combined with Europe’s jazz players and other jazz musician’s from around the world come together for the Festival, such as James Carter, Joe Lovano, Paquito D’Rivera, Frank Wess, Ken Peplowski, Joel Frahm, Harry Allen…and many, many more, to carry on his legacy and to bring joy to the public with his swinging sound, romantic melodies, and his sheer virtuosity.

Even though Django’s music is well over 65 years old, it’s still consider on the cutting-edge and as enjoyed a new resurgence all over the world, some go as far as calling Django’s style of jazz as ‘Hip Hot’! The Django Reinhardt Festival serves to carry on this legacy with the top players from Europe combined with America’s great jazz stars to bring joy to the public with its swinging sound, virtuosity and camaraderie with all the musician’s.

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New York Nights at an Airport Hotel

Recently travelers have learned that trips may be interrupted for unexpected weather, whether it’s a heavy snowfall or a gigantic, erupting Icelandic volcano.

If you want to be ready for anything, on your next trip to one of the world’s best cities, you may want to choose a New York airport hotel in advance. Not all airlines cover their passengers for prolonged travel delays, and you may even have to be extra persuasive in order to receive a voucher to stay overnight in a comfortable room, as opposed to the floor or hard plastic seats at an airport gate. However, with a little planning ahead, knowing the hotels near the hotel may save you some time.

If you’re delayed in New York, you’ll find yourself with a kind of good news/bad news scenario. The bad news is that you’ve been delayed; the good news is that you’ve been delayed in New York City, one of the great urban centers of the world. What can you do with your time here? Almost anything you’d like!

With a room secured for the night, you may venture out into the city itself. Take in a play on Broadway or off-Broadway. Dine at some of the cities more interesting restaurants, such as Pete’s Tavern , the oldest bar and restaurant in New York City, established one hundred and forty-six years ago in 1864, or at Mars 2112 , one of the city’s comparatively newest restaurants, which is a space-themed restaurant in the center of Times Square. What other city gives you the option of dining in a place where O. Henry wrote in one of its booths the famous short story, The Gift of the Magi, or in a place that simulates dining on another planet, and still gives you time to return to your hotel and catch your plane the next morning?

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Wrestling with Nashville

Nashville, Tennessee is on the verge of a reinvention, like a lot of cities these days, drawing deeply upon its own local tradition and ingenuity of its residents, to create things all over again. It’s a fantastic time to visit this city, because the reinventions are much more innovative than most, bringing to life some of the most captivating ideas, and certainly not afraid to appear low-brow. This willingness to cross forms and barriers has served the music scene very well, and some of the best new performance work might be variations on an old theme: professional wrestling.

It would be ironic perhaps but also very fitting if this sport could start bringing more visitors from around the country and the world, spending time at Nashville luxury hotels and enjoying all the other things the town has to offer. There’s a lot of feast to choose from, but the United States Wrestling Organization is offering some of the best spectacle. This isn’t the new wave of wrestling, where the performers acted a bit like athletes, and seemed to take themselves as seriously. It’s true that there is some of those macho boasts and taunts, but there is also a particularly fantastic kind of tongue-in-cheekness here about the whole thing.

The father-son circuit angel is just one clue as to what’s seeming to be happening here. In a room that doesn’t fit more than 200 people, this isn’t meant to be the large-scale spectacle that other wrestling fosters. Looking at Tony Falk, one of the regulars here, there is suddenly an idea that this might actually be a return to the very first wave in the US. That was the era where wrestlers would adopt super-hero like alter egos, based in a kind of vaudevillian sense of humor that verged on the absurd, and sometimes grotesque. Earlier photos of Falk in his days where he was quoting Boy George in his dress, something else comes to the surface, and this sport starts to fall into the realm of art.

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Hip Honolulu Hop

Honolulu is a paradise on earth in many ways, and one of the more complex places in the world historically. This makes it rather interestingly positioned to be a kind of powerhouse for hiphop. That particular music, which is composed of many other kinds of music mixed together, depends upon historical complexity and cultural diversity. It also needs a lively youth culture for it to really work, and all of those ingredients are here. Honolulu may not be the first place that comes to mind with underground hiphop, but it has a growing and developing scene, that’s absolutely worth paying attention to.

There are lots of clubs in town, and many out of the ordinary places, where people can go to see hiphop. Nontraditional spaces really are a tradition in the music, and they lend themselves to the almost-secretive nature of the musical form. It’s a pleasure to be able to find your way into a space that’s recently converted, and listen to new beats and innovations into the deep hours of the morning. And all this surrounded with the natural splendor that is Hawaii, this is some new kind of paradise that has precious resonation. It’s sometimes a hit and miss operation, where places like Higher Ground close their doors on some of their operations, like the coffee house part, and a lot of the hip hop, and it takes a little persistence, but it’s a rare treat to find the real thing in town.

It’s totally possible to find the real thing, too. Tempo Valley , with its astoundingly large line-up and revolving band of collaborators, has been playing for a few years now, and they have talent and skill. The styles are all over the map, making for a new form of music that is undeniably hippity hoppity, and also very much a product of the place. The islands that are famous for gorgeous hotels also offer terrific developments in world culture, and it’s worth a look, because the future could be right here.

Tags: gorgeous hotels

Shipwrecked in Atlantic City

There are lots of people coming to Atlantic City to try out their luck, and some of the more unlucky ones might feel like they’ve been through a shipwreck. However, there are other shipwrecks in the area, and one in particular, that was no metaphor. In the days before the city became a gambler’s paradise, before the turn of the 20th century, even, there were other gambles being taken. In the middle of the 19th century, there were massive waves of immigrants coming from Europe to the U.S., traveling by ship, and the voyage to a new life was often perilous, and there was never any guarantee that they would get there for sure.

Judging from the makeup of the citizens of the country, many of these hopeful immigrants did make it to the shores, but there are plenty of stories of those who did not. One of the most infamous, and certainly of interest to residents and visitors in Atlantic City, was the sinking of the Powhattan . This happened in April of 1854, where an estimated 300 plus people lost their lives as the ship crashed and sunk, in a hurricane that combined with a snowstorm, for disastrous results.

There is a mass grave at the Old Manahawkin Baptist Church , where 145 unknown victims were buried, and the Abescon Lighthouse was even erected as a memorial to the event. Visitors staying in the local hotels would have the chance to explore some of this history, where the majority of the people on board were coming from either Germany or France. It would appear that there were people from all walks of life on board, as well, from the well-to-do to the moderately poor, hoping to begin a new life here. This sad tale also underscores how recent these things happened here, and how the hope for a better life is something that hasn’t eroded with time.

Tags: local hotels

Stars of Missouri

What do Vincent Price, Dick Van Dyke, Betty Grable and Ginger Rodgers all have in common? They were all born in Missouri and went on to make it big in Hollywood. Vincent Price is known for his horror movies like “Tower of London,” “The Invisible Man Returns” and “House of Wax.” Dick Van Dyke is best known for his television series “The Dick Van Dyke Show” in which he played Rob Petrie, a writer for a TV comedy series. Betty Grable, who was made famous for her bathing suit photo during the World War II era, went on to make “Whoopee!,” “The Gay Divorcee,” and “Mother Wore Tights.” Ginger Rodgers became famous for her partnership with Fred Astaire and won an Academy Award for her role in “Kitty Foyle.” It is nice to see the local folk make it in the big city.

For all you future Missourian movie stars, or better yet, movie buffs like me, you may want to attend one of the state’s film festivals. Pick a date, find a place to stay , and come on out to the Show Me state. Two smaller scale film festival offerings include The Kansas City FilmFest from April 14-18 and the Springfield Little Film Festival . The St. Louis International Film Festival has been named one of the ten best international festivals and focuses on American independent productions and human experiences from around the globe. Those interested in making films have the opportunity to interact with the filmmakers during question and answer sessions or during educational sessions. This type of offering is invaluable to amateurs like me. Past years schedules included films from China, Canada, France, and the Philippines, to name a few. The film categories include features, documentaries, and shorts. Audiences are involved in voting for three awards: Best Film, Best International Film, and Best Documentary. There are also juried competition awards that include both the films and filmmakers. Plan on attending the St. Louis International Film Festival in early November and maybe you can be one of the Stars of Missouri.

Tags: st louis international film festival

Cleveland Indians Look Good at Spring Training

While the Cleveland Cavaliers continue their reign of terror on the basketball court, the Indians are making a strong showing during the Spring Training games in baseball. Sports are a strong aspect of most of the nation’s major cities, and the residents of cities such as Cleveland take great pride in their teams and are very supportive. Of course when most of your professional sports teams are demonstrating top of the line potential and season winding down results, it is extremely easy to show your support. And while the out of town guests in the luxury hotels of Cleveland may be aware of their city’s winning teams, they are likely not as enthusiastic as the residents themselves.

And most of the players on the great sports team are also prone to becoming local and sometimes national celebrities. Of course players that are strongly associated with specific teams, such as Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants, he may be famous across the nation, but he is most loved by his hometown and regional supporters. The rest of the country certainly knows who he is, but greats sports stars tend to generate a love or hate response and this is typically based on which team the play for.

The Cleveland Indians , though they are still in Spring Training, look like they have a solid season ahead of them. Pitcher Justin Masterson is just one of the players on the team who is getting some attention. He first joined the Indians, after having been traded by the Red Sox, in 2009 and the young relief pitcher is showing his skills and potential early. He did the same thing while he was with the Red Sox and became the first pitcher since the year 1912, almost a hundred years ago, to make his first four starts winning ones and have them take place in Fenway Park. And while this might not have meant much to Cleveland fans two years ago, it demonstrates high hopes for their new team member.

Tags: luxury hotels of cleveland

Missouri Legend of the Ghost of Goat Milk Woman

My boyfriend Carl and I were visiting my aunt and grandma in Jefferson County Missouri last summer. They live in a little rural area and my family all thought it would be the perfect place for a family reunion. I hadn’t been back to visit my grandmother in years and was eager to see her so I decided to help my mom make the trip happen and I applied for the time off of work and tried to help plan it. As it turns out only a couple of cousins were able to go and the whole reunion agenda kind of fell apart. And because of the small response I decided to ask my boyfriend to go with us because it didn’t seem like a lot of reunion activities were going to happen and I thought maybe we could take my cousin and go into St. Louis to see a show or something and spend the night in one the hotels to kind of night burden my grandma and aunt so much.

So, it turns out the four day visit was actually really fun and not only did Carl get to meet everyone, but my cousins and I were able to have a great time and it was so good to see my grandma. One afternoon my cousin Shirley asked my grandma about a ghost town that was supposed to be in the area. My grandma said she must be talking about Hematite, though it really wasn’t much of a ghost town, according to grandma. We decided to make a little road trip out of it though and followed the directions three miles off of highway A. It was actually more fun to explore some of the area’s history than to investigate a stereotypical ghost town setting. Hematite, named after the iron ore that was mined there, was established about 1867 after the railroad had been there for about ten years. There are few old vacant homes and a graveyard from the time. We heard a story about an old lady outside of town that used herd goats and sell their milk. This was a remedy at the time and she used to care for people using the goat milk. Apparently she died of a heart attack and her ghost can still be fond wandering around trying to help people. We looked for her on our way out though we never saw anything.

Tags: goat milk, Hematite, spend the night

Bloomington Art

If you have made it to the heart of America town of Bloomington Indiana and you are looking for a great place to stay you will find many fantastic accommodations here at www.bloomingtonhotel.net There is a list of great places to stay that will fit all styles and budgets. While you are in the city you will need to find something to pull you away from room service and the HBO Channel. You will find there are some quaint things to do that will give you a much needed break from your travel or work routine.

With all the universities in town there is undoubtedly going to be some high creativity and performance. The IU School of Music is turning out some amazing musicians that you will find performing. You may catch them in a more structured format like with the Bloomington Pops Orchestra or blowing of some steam of their own in the local bars and pubs in their original bands. The fine arts department has some great young artists motivated to hang their masterpieces in the many galleries located through out the city. There is a great one stop place called By Hand Gallery which has all sorts of treasures. They have furniture art pieces, jewelry, blown glass, hand woven articles as well as prints featuring mostly local and regional creators. It has been around for 25 years.

If you are a sports fan you may enjoy taking in a local high school or college game. There are also ways to get into the game at the Twin Lakes Recreation Center. They offer plenty of ways to get some exercise with there large weight training room and fitness area. They also have room for a lot of group sports with five basket ball courts, indoor soccer field and volleyball. So give them a call maybe they need another person to fill a team.

Tags: Bloomington Pops Orchestra, By Hand Gallery, www.bloomingtonhotel.net

Silence and Breath in NYC

It can be a little more difficult to catch your breath in New York City than in other places, and it’s not necessarily because of the air.  For me, it’s difficult to find a place that is not buzzing with excitement, some little nook where adventure or glamour or simply the mad flow of life doesn’t enter.  These quiet places are never very quiet for very long.  The other option, of course, is to purchase one, or to buy time in one where the owners have already purchased some quiet.  There are some excellent hotels where these things are possible, and sometimes even likely.

Churches and synagogues are also great places to go to get a moment to yourself, but there aren’t a lot of buildings open at the hours you might need a little time to reflect.  Yoga studios in New York are a relatively inexpensive way to grab an hour of calm, and it’s not a bad way to get back to that place where things seem to be in equilibrium.  Doing yoga helps to teach you that you’re already in equilibrium, and so if everything else that’s here.  It’s one of my favorite ways to stop the noise in my head, so I can listen to the beat of my own heart.

There are also masseuses, and other ways of buying your way into silence, but yoga and meditation taught me my very favorite place.  It sounds corny, perhaps, but it’s called the Here and Now.  When I can get calm, there are places inside the mind and body that open up.  I’ve learned that I can always get calm, if there is the possibility of taking a single slow breath.  This is free, and it reminds me that I am also free.  I can walk through the crowded streets in the busiest part of the day, and taking the breath can make my concentration rise to where I can send out my focus, and it returns to me with a very precise sense of being, that feeling of being the breath that was caught.

Tags: excellent hotels, taking the breath, Yoga studios in New York

Louisiana Began

America got a great expansion in 1803 when they bought a large territory from the French. The Louisiana Purchase was made and the French Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte, who made the deal with a little bit of a plan to take down England. He saw the the Unites States forming into a great power that would humble the English crusade. It was a big moment for the president, Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson had some constitutes question his purchase claiming it may be unconstitutional, however, he did not see the conflict. He did not see any provisions for gaining new territory and he felt this purchase would help to protect the country from possible trade blocks in the port of New Orleans. France and Spain both had to much power in the port and he felt it best to end that situation.

There are many elegant hotels throughout Louisiana to come and explore the early history of America. There are many museums spread across the state that can help fill in any gaps of knowledge you may have about the history of the area. If you are the true buff than it is always so exciting to see the actual places and feel the artifacts that notable people stayed and carried. In the world we live in today, it is hard to imagine the life that was lived with the lack of technology or even just plain modern conveniences.

Anyway, the Louisiana Purchase started as plan to protect interests in a port of of city but ended up expanding into many new states. Today the area of the original purchase makes up parts of New Mexico, South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota. The whole states of Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Missouri and Arkansas were created out of the purchased land and all have been major contributors to the country we know of today.

Tags: elegant hotels throughout Louisiana, Napoleon Bonaparte, Thomas Jefferson