Zappa’s Monterey

Monterey, California has an awful lot to offer any visitor, with a wide variety of attractions, and a wealth of things to do. It’s very famous for its seaside life that attracts a kind of mythic quality. There are some days of glorious sunny beach weather, and other days where there is all the aura and the mystery that the sea can bring, and it’s not been lost on a number of famous artists and writers. John Steinbeck might be the most famous resident, and it’s interesting to note that he eventually had to leave because his complex reputation made it difficult to live anywhere he was recognized.

One of its other famous sons, and no less complicated, is Frank Zappa , who was born on the east coast, but lived here for a time. Following any of these footsteps is worth a trip here, and there are plenty of fabulous hotels to make the stay a pleasant one. It’s difficult not to have a pleasant time here, and it’s even a bit hard to imagine Zappa being gloomy here. Of course, he was always a bit gloomy everywhere, or at the very least somewhat sardonic. Perhaps the sea air is a kind of balm, offering a kind of clarity to look at the world with a critical eye.

Frank Zappas ’s time here was relatively short, having moved here with his military father, and staying for a few very formative years, before moving further south. Considering the breadth and depth of his musical canon, it’s worth wondering over his high school band years, where classical music was the music of the day, and thinking of how these notes were slowly seeping into his mind. This same mind would later proved to the world a remarkable dexterity, and a sponge-like quality that accompanies genius. Sitting on the wharf in Monterey, puzzling over how we get from one place to another, the lure of the sea continues to call, and inspire.

read comments (0)

Local New York

The list of famous New Yorkers is extensive, to say the least.  Not only is the city famous for giving birth to a whole bunch of famous people in all fields, but there are recent philosophical ideas that suggest that our definitions of famous should be adjusted.  This isn’t that simple idea that Warhol had, where everyone would be included until it became irrelevant and ridiculous, but more nuanced, making us rethink what is valuable and important in our multiple cultures.  We are certainly seeming to become more local, that’s for sure, with more focus on what’s essential in our own back yards.

The big picture is also very much a part of how we do things, now, and this might all be a complex way of talking about the local and global idea.  New York is one place that really seems to have this notion ingrained in the consciousness, and perhaps because it was practically invented here.  There might not be another place in the world right now that has the mix of cultures and ideas that New York has.  It’s possible that Los Angeles comes close, but that’s probably as close as one might find.  There is a sense of being in Rome, or any of the cities that have been the place where all the cultures converge.  It might not be a renaissance right now, but there have been significant moments when a rebirth was happening here.  Visiting here is a good way to get in touch with what’s really happening, to get the view on the ground, and this site has some great hotels.

While there are many global sensitivities that are part of the landscape here, there are also great concentrations of the local population who are working to make the city a better place.  There are many different neighborhood initiatives to help the underprivileged, create jobs, recycling, community gardens, green awareness and many other important and worthy concerns.  This is a great demonstration of how thinking locally and acting globally can work, where we can truly focus on our own gardens, with the understanding that these, too, are all connected.

read comments (0)

Norah Jones in Atlanta

Georgia is a great place to see concerts.  Its rich musical history acts as a not-so-silent witness to the spectacular musical present, and it’s possible to see multiple forms working at once.  There are influences here that run very deep, and it’s no wonder that so many interesting and talented artists come out of Georgia.  The blues has been a long presence here, as well as jazz, Georgia being part of that essential cultural framework that gave birth to these forms.  It’s also a great place for alternative rock, hiphop, r&b, and a number of other exciting musical forms.

All of this is a great prelude for the upcoming event, where all the hotels should be brimming over with Norah Jones fans.  She’s coming to Atlanta this summer, and the show promises to be a very exciting evening of musical virtuosity.  It’s been a couple of years since she’s had a big world tour, and it’s also been awhile since she’s had a new album, and with the Fall just released, it’s high time to get the songs in your blood, so you can hum along during the show, or politely mouth the words.

Her career has been a fast rise to where it is right now, which is pretty much right up there on top of the world.  Born in Brooklyn in 1979, with Ravi Shankar as her father, she had a musical upbringing that few people in the world can lay claim to.  She has worked with a stunning number of very influential people, such as Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Atlanta’s own OutKast, and Will Sheff, on a number of side projects.  It seems as though she’s always working, creating new sounds and songs, and also giving time to help with charity causes.  Her voice is a haunting thing on disc, and it’s an impossible thing to behold in a live setting.  This is a hot ticket.

read comments (0)

Golfing in Orlando

Okay, can you believe that we went to Orland, Florida and did not go to Disney Land? And if you believe that, then can you believe that we’re also fun loving adventure seekers who get the most out of life? Hmmm, are those mutually exclusive statements or can they actually be applied to the same people? Okay, this isn’t a guessing game and the truth is that both of those statements are true. We were in Orlando and do love thrilling life adventures and while we had a great time there, we did not make it to Disney Land. There, the truth is out, but not the full truth and nothing but the truth.

In actuality, we were only there for a few days and actually only intended to pass through on our way to Miami to visit relatives. It was a road trip my husband and I took together while we rarely orient our travel agendas according to road trip structures, this was really one of the most relaxed and fun vacations we had taken in a while. We pulled into town and were just going to spend the night in a hotel like the Florida Orlando hotels described in various travel brochures. We had some early dinner at Cala Bella and the fabulous sent of garlic seduced our senses as we walked in the door.

Later we stopped at a couple of clubs and had such a nice time that we decided to stay the whole next day and leave the following. We woke up and decided it was a prefect day for some golf. We found the Eagle Creek golf course and were pleased to find out that not only was the course beautiful, but they also had equipment available to rent. We really had a nice time that day and enjoyed a great lunch in the clubhouse. We thought about going back to Cala Bella for dinner, but wanted to explore more of the city so that’s what we did. We pretty much drove around, wandered through some shops and just kind of got an overall feeling for the city on our third day. We finally left but decided that Orlando is definitely a place we would like to visit again. And of course we’ll go to Disney Land when we do.

read comments (0)

Lafayette and Migration Patterns

Cultures migrating and cultures in migration voluntarily is sometimes understood as a very contemporary phenomenon.  There is a history of peoples being forcibly removed through acts of violence and terrible injustice, or the idea of cultures moving because of oppressions from social conditions, the state, or economic conditions.  There are also the countless wars that have left populations nomadic.  In this light, it’s rather easy to see how the idea of migration would come to signify negative connotations, and also be linked with a history of fear.  At the same time, there is a growing body of evidence that some shifts in population have come about voluntarily, and more often than not, seem related to the ways we might think about travel today.

It is easy, for example, to have a room reserved at a Lafayette hotel and set out to learn about the history of the cultures here.  The stories will be enormously rich, and no doubt fascinating, demonstrating that local populations are never as steady or sturdy as they seem, and we’re always witnessing acts of people in flux.  This is as true here as it is anywhere, with the history of how the French became enmeshed in the political structures that make contemporary Louisiana what it is.  One would need to start investigating the French Creole to get an idea of how this all came about.  This would perhaps lead to an idea of where things might be going in the future.

Interestingly, determining the future here is not only as unlikely as it is in any other venture, dealing with human populations makes it much more difficult.  We might move because of violence, curiosity, love, or sometimes it’s just a matter of whim.  This is not only true for Louisiana, of course, but applies to every place.  And it’s becoming more certain that some populations that have always been believed to be sedentary are not that in the least.  For many of the so-called ancient or primitive cultures, there are long histories of travel and transcultural contact.  People are curious, and if there are other people nearby, or thousands of miles away, we tend to like to meet them.  What happens next complicates the world, and makes life worth living.

read comments (0)

A Beverage Museum in Atlanta

If you’ve come to Atlanta, Georgia, and you’re an American, it almost seems a rite of passage that you should go to the World of Coca-Cola Museum.  The soft drink has been around since 1886 when an Atlanta pharmacist named John Pemberton mixed together a dark liquid the color of caramel and took a couple of doors down to Jacobs’ Pharmacy; there, he mixed the solution with carbonated water and everyone at the drug store that day agreed they liked the taste.  Frank Robinson, the bookkeeper for Pemberton named the drink Coca-Cola, and wrote it out by hand with flourishing penmanship.  The famous logo of Coca-Cola was born and for the first year Pemberton sold at five cents a glass a total of nine glasses a day.  In 1888, Pemberton died, and the company was sold to a man whose name few Americans will know, Asa Griggs Candler, for less than three thousand dollars.  Today, the company makes ten billion gallons of syrup a year to mix with carbonated water, an astonishing rise in fortune.

Whether you’re staying in a hostel or in luxury in the Atlanta hotels, the World of Coca-Cola Museum seems worth a tour.  I recall the Coca-Cola Museum in Las Vegas (long since closed) and how much fun it was to wander around the various Coca-Cola items in the gift shop and to do taste-testing of Coke products most of us have never heard of before.  You may find the exhibit a bit of an advertising for a corporation, yes, but it’s also a part of American history.  If you have a bad back, I’d be sure to avoid the 4-D experience or sit in the non-motion chairs (even at the risk of the tour guide asking in front of everyone whether or not you wish to sit in the non-motion chairs; you’ll thank yourself later for not going through any pain).

You’d think for a drink that’s so ubiquitous, most people would know where the product originates.  But even a visitor from South Carolina (fairly close to Atlanta, Georgia, as states go) didn’t realize where Coke had its humble beginnings.  He won’t make that mistake after his visit to this commercial-oriented museum.

read comments (0)

Seattle Sounders are Supreme

After a long walk to downtown Seattle, I started to walk some more, all the way to the Space Needle. Along the way, I snapped some pictures of the building featured in the TV show ‘Grey’s Anatomy‘. Once I reached the observation deck, which is 520 feet up, I started taking more pictures while the sun was peeking through the always present clouds. I headed back down and hit the gift shop. Then I went across the street over to Zeek’s Pizza and grabbed a few slices of pizza.

After I filled my belly, I went down by the waterfront to and checked out the Olympic Sculpture Park. Then I continued to walk along the waterfront and came upon the Christopher Columbus statue and a pier. Then it was time to do some shopping, I needed some clothes for this soccer game I and my best friend were going to attend later. I got a sweatshirt, a hat and a jersey, oh a one large foam finger…Go Sounders!

On my way back, to pick up my friends dog from the doggy day care, I ran into the Hammer Man statue, but I had to climb too many steps. When I picked up my dog from the ‘Downtown Dog Lounge’, I purchased the t-shirt they were selling. It says ‘I (heart) Dogs’ and it has the store logo on the back. I dropped off the dog and the t-shirt at my friends apartment. She gave me a key to her apartment, and I could have stayed with her, but then I’d be missing out on the great accommodations offered at my luxury hotel that I found at this site.
After dropping off her dog and her new t-shirt, I finally reached the my luxury hotel and took a little time to relax before I needed to change my clothes for the soccer game and before my best friend to come by and pick me up. When we got to the sports arena, the Seattle Sounders were already playing against the Kansas City Wizards. The Sounders ended up losing, 1-0, but they really played quite well, especially since they were one man down and their backup goalie was ejected. After all my walking, I told my friend to just drop me off at my hotel, I needed much rest.

read comments (0)

St. Louis Massacre and Missouri During the Civil War

Missouri is one of those states in the Midwest that has states all around it. Some of those states seemed surrounded by other states, which of course they are, but I mean they really seem like they’re closed in. I guess it’s no different than states that sit on one of the coasts, they have something else on all borders and it’s easy to fill wrapped in by the sea. I think with Missouri I mean more the amount of states, or other elements, that actually surround it. Do you have any idea how many states border the state of Missouri? Eight states. That’s right, there are eights states that border the single state of Missouri, that’s a lot right? I mean, if I were a resident I think I would feel a little nervous, but that’s ridiculous of course. It may have more states that border it but it doesn’t have as much land area as what say state like Texas or California has. And I’m from California, but our borders don’t make me at all nervous. I guess I don’t know what I’m talking about. Other states don’t try and take over states, I must belong to a previous time period, like the Civil War or something.

Missouri has had an incredible interesting history, and was the location of the Mormon War, if you can remember that. There were other states with Mormon wars, like in Utah, it was just called the Utah War and Illinois had a minor Mormon war, which is typically known as the Illinois Mormon War. Anyway, it as the Civil War that interests me and sometimes I’m even led to believe in reincarnation based on my fascination with it. It’s more than just interest, sometimes I feel like my life perspectives are more in tune with that time in Missouri’s history than in the current. Tourists will usually visit memorials and be interested in aspects of the St. Louis Massacre and you can find information here on hotels that have different battle sites locations and stuff. Missouri was originally a Union state and May of 1861 Union soldiers battled with civilians on the streets of St. Louis. At least 28 people were killed during the confrontation and over one hundred were murdered. This event caused a lot of Missouri citizens to back the Confederacy. Conflict between the two sides continued to plague the state throughout the war.

read comments (0)

Son de Mi Tierra en Tampa

It’s not difficult to find good Cuban music in Tampa.  The city itself is small, but the Tampa Bay area has a fairly large population, and it’s one of the more diverse places in Florida.  There is a lively local culture, or constellation of cultures, which means there is always something interesting to do.  It’s always a good idea to get plugged into the local community, but if the time here is too short, then it’s good to come with a few basic ideas about what’s happening in town.  A good source for hotels is here, and for music, there are many different nightclubs where you can hear popular as well as new musicians trying out their rhythms on usually responsive audiences.

There are also other groups that perform for cultural and spiritual functions, and these might be a bit more difficult to find.  For the spiritual traditions, there’s no question that these songs have some of the most intense and complicated rhythms in the world.  Basing the measures on African instrumentations, as well as mixing in the local Cuban influences, there is a depth to the beats that are difficult to translate into secular circumstances.  However, some groups have perfected these songs for performances that are more folklore than religion, and these are more accessible to newcomers.

Son de Mi Tierra are a great example of a local band who captures some of the essence of Cuban music, while still maintaining a performance aesthetic that can translate to popular music aficionados as well.  This is a good place to begin looking, as they do play many local community events, such as Halloween festivals and Hispanic Heritage celebrations.  Look for them, and keep your eyes and ears peeled for recommendations.  It might not be likely to hear any lengthy discussion about African rhythm in Cuban music, but if your Spanish is good, and you happen to have the chance to speak with a drummer, there are probably a few good conversations that can come out of the deal.

read comments (0)

The History…of the New York City Hotdog

The frank, the dog, the weenie, the frankfurter…the hotdog.  This is subject of the quest that I was asked to take with my father.  He had recently retired from the Phoenix Police Force.  After 20 years of patrolling South Phoenix, and another ten years as a detective working with stolen cars, he wanted to take it easy, but not do nothing.  So he bought a hotdog cart.  He told me that he wanted me to come with him to New York City, the home of the “best hotdogs in the world” he said, recalling a story when he was 7 and had the best dog of his life on Coney Island.

This was a “research trip” to find the best hotdogs and bring them back to Phoenix to sell from his new hotdog stand. I told him I would go, but that the hotdogs must be strictly daytime fare.  At night I wanted to go to the nice restaurants of the city, I wanted to experience the variety of cuisine, made by some of the top chefs.  He agreed.  I found my list of my desired nighttime destinations at this site, and we were on our way.  On the plane ride he began to tell me the history of the hotdog.  He said they come in all sizes, from the large frankfurter to the tiny cocktail weenie.  This I knew as one of my grandmother’s favorite holiday dishes was the BBQ cocktail weenie delight.

My father went on to tell me the statistics, that most hotdogs in the United States are eaten between the months of May and September, “a summer time treat” he said.  He noticed that my eyes had begun to cross, as too much information about something like hotdogs just kind of tended to scramble my brain.  This is when he pulled out ancient Greek mythology, and informed me that hotdogs were basically a sausage, and were mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey.

Pushcart hotdog sales became popular with the German immigrants in the city of New York during the late 1800’s and to this day the lines at lunch time, in the carts from 5th Avenue, to Brooklyn, to those outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art stand testament to the time trial of the love of the hotdog.

I loved traveling through the city with my father, and enjoyed his stories along the way, but I must say that each night I looked forward to a sit down meal in one of the lovely restaurants the city has to offer.  He did bring home the world’s best hotdog, and each day at lunch, hungry Phoenicians line up to buy one of my father’s dogs, and to listen to his stories while they take their lunch breaks.

read comments (0)

Ghosts, Candlelight and Williamsburg

Who would suspect that the most entertaining thing to do in Williamsburg, Virginia, might be to hunt down ghosts?  For the last fifteen years, the Original Ghosts of Williamsburg Candlelight Tour has been named the Number One Most Requested Evening Program.  Perhaps it shouldn’t surprise me.  Ghost tours are extremely popular throughout the world; I’ve been on them in London and Edinburgh, in Albuquerque and New Orleans, even in downtown Hollywood.  And when one considers ghosts, one doesn’t think about modern ghosts, recent passings, as it were, one thinks, instead, about the past.  For that, Colonial Williamsburg is a fine fit to pursue its many hauntings.

This particular ghost tour offers a guide who will take you through the city streets of Colonial Williamsburg, leading you by candlelight (perhaps to make the experience just that much more eerie).  A number of past visitors with the Original Ghosts tour have taken some fairly startling photographs: mysterious faces and bodies behind windows (taken in front of the Bruton Parish Church, about a month ago); weird floating orbs and ghost mist in the air (taken over on W. Nicholson St.).  Despite the many interesting photos, I remain a skeptic, especially about orb images, which often seem to me to be more than dust captured in the camera’s light.

The ghost tour through Colonial Williamsburg is based on L.B. Taylor’s book, “The Ghosts of Williamsburg.”  Taylor is the author of 18 books filled with stories and eyewitness accounts, providing historical background and information about the culture and buildings of the time the ghosts first appeared.  In fact, Taylor’s book is a good thing to read once you get back from the tour, safe in your hotel room in Williamsburg, to really delve into this matter of ghosts.  Perhaps I shouldn’t be so skeptical.  It’s more likely than not in a city that dates back to 1632, which is plenty of time to build up the ghostly population.

read comments (0)

Third Day in New York was the Best Day in New York

Our third day in New York City, we slept-in, that was our first good nights sleep. When up, we went straight to the Natural History Museum. There was an exhibition that was all about ‘Extreme Mammals’, which was very fascinating. Then we purchased tickets to see a Space show, which my husband wanted to see, he really liked it, I could have done without. Afterwards, my husband needed to watch the England game, so we asked about where there might be a place we could watch it on TV, we got a few recommendations on which bars to try and one of the three that was recommended was showing the game, but they wanted to charged us $20 to enter the establishment! My husband didn’t need to see the game that bad.

We ended up hopping on the tube to 5th Avenue so I could do what I’ve been wanting to do ever since we arrived, shop! We we got off the tube, we notice that there was a crowd hanging outside the plaza. We saw a film crew and a few cranes with lights hanging on them. I told my husband that I bet they’re filming ‘Sex and the City’, but he just rolled his eyes at me. Then, when we crossed the street and realized that the street was blocked off and saw this man pushing the crowd away, I went up to him and asked what was going on? He said they’re filming ‘Sex and the City 2!’. I rushed over to where I could get a better view, husband in tow and I managed to get a few good photos. Now that’s what I’m talking about! New York’s fantastic!

We hung around until the filming stopped and I didn’t have the urge to shop anymore, so we began to leave 5th Avenue. That’s when I recognized the writer just standing there, so I approached him and asked for his autograph! I had a nice little chat with him about London and all the while, my husband was all starstruck!

We headed back to our suite at the hotel, here’s the site: http://www.newyorkhotelsuites.com, if you’d like to check it out. Once we recovered from all the excitement, we decided to use the complimentary tickets our hotel gave us for a Comedy Club located on Broadway. We got to laugh hard at six very excellent comedians, or were we just drunk, hard to tell, but we did stagger a bit on our way back to our suite. I have a feeling tonight we’ll have another good nights sleep.

read comments (0)

Mob Bosses in Brooklyn

There’s always been a lot of interest in the Cossa Nostra, and it has an uncomfortably large number of fanatics who know every detail.  There are scores of films, documentaries, and books about the mafia in the U.S., and in other countries as well.  But it’s got a peculiarly local flavor.  A lot like linguini with clam sauce to be specific, but made by an Italian-American chef in a New York kitchen.  People visiting New York City are always impressed by the sheer number of famous people who have lived, and died, in the city.  In some of the old neighborhoods, you can find stories about mob bosses, people like Joe Masseria, who is buried at Calvary Cemetery in Brooklyn.

There are many different ways to get close to this history, and there are also many reasons not to get too close.  But for fans of Scorcese films, it’s possible to visit some of these famous places.  Of course, if you’re staying in New York, business hotels are a great way to go.  They cater to the traveler with more immediate needs than others, and specialize in offering the same splendid hospitality you’ll find elsewhere, but with more amenities to help you get your work done.  Writers looking to research a new article or book will find excellent services here, and will lose none of the charm and sophistication of other hotels.

Brooklyn is within easy reach of any of these establishments, and is in fact one of the easiest boroughs to get to from Manhattan.  There is a spectacular history here, and it’s not surprising that it’s been one of the best hot spots for the new generation of artists moving the New York to begin a career.  It also has some old neighborhoods, where there might even be residents who remember something about the Masseria family.  However, it’s always a good thing to keep a good head on your shoulders.  In the cemetery where Joe was buried, there are also rival gangsters buried here, and it’s best to keep any unkind words between families and just politely observe.  If you know what’s good for you.

read comments (0)

No More Hostels While in New York

We arrived to JFK with stinging eyes due to watching a handful of films during the flight from Australia, and also due to several glasses of red wine. We hit the subway to make our way to our hostel located in the Soho area of New York City. The subway ride seemed forever, but we finally arrived at our destination. There was this big man in a black leather coat standing in front of the hostel telling anyone arriving that the hostel was closed down because the NYPD found it to be a fire trap.

So, here we are, after a 25 hour flight, with no accommodations and on a Saturday night! Yes, we were frustrated. Luckily, though, there was an Internet terminal that wasn’t disconnected at the hostel, which the man let us use. I managed to find a hotel on this USA hotel site: http://www.newyorkusahotel.com that had rooms available and it was only a block away! We really didn’t have the money in our budget for the room, but we figured why not splurge for one night, then find another hostel. This allowed us to have the experience of a great private room with great amenities that we fully took advantage of before we moved on to a hostel. We figured it was meant to be, so we relaxed and had a great time.

The next day was a bright sun shiny day, so we headed up to Times Square, which wasn’t far away and decided to get in the queue and try our luck at getting tickets for the musical ‘Hair’. We managed to get discount tickets and the musical was still very relevant even in today’s world. Well, after all it was written for the Aquarius age, which is now. We really liked how the cast wasn’t only performing on stage, but through out the audience too; actually, the closing song, there were more audience members on the stage then there were cast members! We were so uplifted after the show, that the thought of staying in a hostel didn’t seem to appeal to us right at the moment, so we managed to book our room for one more night of comfort and luxury.

read comments (0)

Leonard’s Indiana

There are always wonderful things going on in Indianapolis.  It’s known for being one of the cities that represents the heart of the U.S., at least in the idea of what the mid-west is like.  In many iconic definitions of the country, the mid-west seems to stand in for the average Joe and Jane, although everywhere who lives here recognizes that it’s much more complex than that.   Indianapolis speaks to this complexity with an acute ability to articulate itself.  There is a gorgeous ambience here that does speak to something old and rather wholesome, where things like old-fashioned values might find expression.  But just as often, there is also a sensibility here that speaks to a connectedness with the world at large, something almost global in vision, and recognizing the potential of its own citizens.

It’s hard to match the city for beauty, however, and it’s a spectacular place to visit.  Indianapolis luxury hotels offer global sophistication with the sumptuousness of the heartland, and it’s a fantastic place to escape from the rush of the rest of the year.  There are plenty of elegant distractions that will refresh the eyes and the soul.  There is also magnificent theatre to see here.  Indianapolis has a solid history of producing new and essential work for the stage, and continues to be one of the most fascinating places to see new works.  The diversity of the local population is often reflected in the more interesting theatres, and there are multiple sensibilities at work here.  You may have the opportunity to see a work by one of Indiana’s famous sons, Jim Leonard.

He was discovered at a young age, when he wrote And They Dance Real Slow in Jackson, which won him an ACTF award.  He worked with New York’s famous Circle Rep, continuing to write plays based on life in rural Indiana.  He has won multiple awards, and is now based in Los Angeles, working on projects for television and film, as well as developing new plays for a theatre that is hungry for vital and interesting work.

read comments (0)

Hiring a Car in New York is a Great Stress Reliever

It was a nice Friday afternoon and I just got out of school for my February vacation. I’ve been so tense and stressed with all the exams, papers and rehearsals that it felt so very nice to just get out of the ‘atmosphere’ I call my hometown. We I arrived in Manhattan from Boston, I went to a New York City car hire company to pick up a car that a friend of mine reserved for me, which was great! I slowly made my way through the city, seeing the skyscrapers and honking back at all the taxi drivers, which was fun and helped me release some built up tension from the previous week. I even yelled at a taxi driver who was yelling at me. That was great! I can now see why they like to do it, it really is great fun.

I managed to find my way to the Upper West side, to the Museum of Natural History, which is directly across from the hotel where I have reservations. I let the hotel valet take my car as I checked in for the night. The hotel lobby was stunning, lots of marble, wood and elegant furniture. My room was just okay, I was expecting more after seeing how luxurious the lobby was, but my room paled in comparison. After I unpacked and changed my clothes, I went back out and had valet bring my car hire around. I know New York’s a walking town, but I really enjoy driving in a huge city. I feel like I was born to weave in and out of heavy traffic, honk, yell and bully my way into a lane.

I managed to make my way to a restaurant called ‘Becco‘  to meet my dear friend, the one who reserved the car hire for me. Once again, I took advantage of the restaurants valet service. See, most people won’t hire a car in New York thinking that it’s impossible to find parking. It’s not, most reputable places offer valet parking, even if I’m not going to that particular establishment, I’ll use the valet service anyway; makes it so much easier and if the valet seems to have an issue that I’m not using the establishment, I just give a bigger tip.

The restaurant my friend picked out was Italian and was pretty good. We stuffed ourselves with some of the best pasta dishes in New York. We walked around Times Square and bought tickets for a Broadway show, which was absolutely hilarious. After the show, we walked back to the restaurant and I picked up my car and drove him back to his apartment and me back to my hotel, but naturally, I took the most congested routes.

read comments (0)

TransGlobe and a Different World

It’s a radically different world from what our grandparents knew.  In earlier days, moving from place to place wasn’t something that people could do very easily, as it often involved boarding ships and leaving things and relationships behind.  Now, it’s something that we take for granted.  Most people move to a new location every five years or so, whether it’s from town to town, or apartment to apartment.  It’s still a very stressful change, however, even though it is a lot easier, but there are also great advantages to moving in this day and age.  With companies like TransGlobe Property Management. it’s possible to do a lot of the hardest work online.

Their extremely user-friendly database has literally thousands of properties to choose from, for your business and your housing needs. It truly is spectacularly easy to find something in your idea of the perfect neighborhood, and the team is extremely courteous and well-trained, and know the territory well.  This is another benefit to living right now, because we do know a lot more about the places we’re going.  The old days depended on word of mouth, and a very reliable network of friends and relatives to offer advice on the best places to live, as well as the locations that have the most opportunities.  Today, the need for a network is stronger than ever, but there is also a wealth of information available to us.

TransGlobe Property Management has a very strong online presence.  This means that you can take time to find out all the wonderful things this company does outside of their usual day-to-day business operations.  You can also learn plenty about how they do things, and know you’re in good hands with a company with a spectacular reputation.  You can also get a very good picture of the spaces you’re moving into ahead of time, with resources like online descriptions, photos, and video.  There’s also the peace of mind that comes when you know you’ll be working with real human beings to help take care of your specific needs, when you leave the virtual sphere and enter into the world again.

read comments (0)

Singapore Grand Prix at the Marina

There are numerous activities, performances and cultural attractions that offer endless opportunities for fun, adventure and excitement during one’s visit to Singapore. One of the favorite areas for residents and tourists alike is the artificially created bay associated with the Singapore marina. This part of the city lies near the central region and is east of the downtown core. Since its creation, the marina area has become extremely popular for shopping, restaurants and other commercial business establishments. It is also common to see individuals, couples and families walking along the bay in the evening and during sunset. It has definitely become essential to the Singapore social encounter.

One of the popular attractions that became part of the marina area in 2007 is the Formula One Race. The actual inaugural race took place in September of 2008 and was Singapore’s first Grand Prix. It took place on a street circuit course through the Marina Bay. It was also the first Formula One Grand Prix to occur in the night and it was lit by a floodlight tracking system. This exciting event drew large crowds and brought a new perspective and sports attraction to the area.

The Marina Centre is the primary shopping and commercial zone associated with the Marina Bay. It includes the Suntec City Mall, the Singapore Flyer, Millennia Walk, and Marina Square. There are also numerous resorts and hotels in the area and these include the Ritz-Carlton, Millennia and the Fairmont Singapore among many others. The Centre is a popular spot both day and night and there are plenty of beautiful views that accompany the shopping and entertainment events. Regardless of the reason for visiting Singapore most of the city’s guests spend time in the shops, cafés and restaurants along the Marina Bay and find it to be one of the their favorite aspects of the city and their stay there.

read comments (0)

Adam Hurst is Cellist of Swiftrank Stature

Becoming the best at something is an incredibly difficult thing to do. In addition, being recognized as the best is also a difficult thing to accomplish. Many of the world’s great artists, musicians and actors never emerge into the greater mainstream public eye but are seen performing at various venues across the nation and world. This is due to many reasons and one of them is the fact that some artists are focused entirely on the work itself and don’t have celebrity ambitions. Adam Hurst is a musician who has achieved critical recognition and has a solid support and fan base. His focus seems less about his ultimate swiftrank appeal than on creating the music that he resonates with most soundly.

Hurst is a cellist who also writes his own music. He has performed throughout the United States as well as in various European locations. He has received numerous commissions for composition for ballet, contemporary dance, belly dance and more. In addition his work has been featured on the soundtracks of independence films, such as Anima, a film by Craig Richardson. He is also a popular musical attraction to many of the Pacific Northwest’s regional festivals and celebrations.

In the professional world of cello playing career paths are predominately oriented toward gaining a seat in one of the leading orchestras. It is a classical music centered instrument and it can be difficult to forge a living and career outside of the symphonic world. Durst is one example of possibilities that can be achieved when you remain focused on your true purpose and pursue your own passion. His strongest musical inspirations come from Middle Eastern genres as well as Indian Raga and various European traditions. He has created his own style and is recognized by many as being true to his intent of blending different melodic elements and music traditions.

read comments (0)

Hot Tubs Are Great For Relationships

Overhauling backyards were once considered to be major projects that required a lot of hard work. Well, perhaps work is still involved though they have become a lot more exciting and fun to plan and even create than ever before. Backyards have become an extension of various rooms in the house and are frequently considered to be a room unto themselves. This is technically not the case but rather relates to the amount of attention in design elements and various features that are often incorporated into backyard themes. Two of the most common elements added to contemporary backyards are outdoor kitchens and hottubs.

Both of these aspects can be as detailed and luxurious as one wishes or as simple and economic as individual tastes prefer and budgets demand. It is also extremely common to renovate the yard and include both a kitchen and hot tub as part of the plan. Frequently a deck is incorporated that may serve as both a dining area and lead into the hot tub which creates a link between the two. Either on their own or combined to create the overall backyard atmosphere these additions to any home provide excellent opportunities for social entertaining and parties.

In addition, the outdoor kitchen or grilling area as well as the hot tub offer plenty of opportunities for quality family time and bringing family members closer together. Many people seem to open up and communicate more freely in hot tubs, which can be beneficial to relationships of all kinds. Even business meetings and negotiations seem to go better when they take place in a soothing home spa. And a first date is certain to end romantically when it involves a great barbeque followed by a nice dip in the hot tub with some romantic music playing on the stereo and ambient lighting radiating from within the bubbling water.

read comments (0)

A Fireplace Makes a House a Home

When I was young, one of my favorite things to do was to go to my Great-Grandfather Bonnie’s home.  Fireplace stories were his speciality, and even though I did not understand many of the stories of the days of old, I remember the way he tilted his head, and I remember the soft glow of his fireplace.  Even at 98 years old, he chopped and stacked his own wood each spring, in order to give the wood the time to dry thoroughly through before the winter time months rolled in.

My Great-Grandfather was from Scotland, part of the MacGregor clan, so part of my trouble with understanding his stories was simply in understanding his accent.  For although he had lived in the United States for fifty years, he never seemed to loose one bit of it.  Looking back, I realize how important those quiet times are, sitting around the fireplace with family members and listening to bits from their history, or their stories from a day spent yesterday in the garden.  A fireplace gives a family a place to relax, to communicate and to reconnect with one another.

Now days, it is not necessary to chop wood, and haul it through the forest or the field.  For one thing, you can buy a bag of wood at the store.  And for another thing, there are gas burning fireplaces and electric models which make the lighting of the fire, and the cleanup afterward, a cinch.  Giving you more time to sit and have a long chat late into the evening hours.  Around the holidays, nothing can beat the ambiance of a fire burning, with empty stockings hanging on the mantle. waiting for the night that they get filled with treats and other goodies.  My Great Grandfather, is no long here, but the memories I have of him remain to this day, and always when I am sitting in front of that same soft glow.

read comments (0)

Hot Tubs Incorporated Into Diverse Outdoor Settings

One of the most common features that is associated with the installation of one of the home hot tubs is an outdoor deck. They are available in various materials though the most common is wood and also different sizes. Some are intended to be professionally built and installed while others are of the do it yourself variety. However, it is important to remember when completing this or any other building project that you should always access professional advice and services whenever in doubt.

Other aspects of hot tub installation include a complete redesigning of the backyard landscape and installation of common features such as televisions and sporting equipment or games. These examples are intended to demonstrate the diverse lifestyles that hot tubs are incorporated into as well as the excitement that comes along with purchasing a home spa system. What often begins as a simple consideration of the hot tub purchase frequently transitions into planning a complete overhaul of the backyard environment.

This makes a great deal of sense when considered in the social context of hot tub use. There are many personal benefits and uses with them, however they are also great components of parties and outdoor barbeques and other gatherings. It’s difficult to imagine an evening that could wind down better than with a nice dip in a therapeutic tub. Of course they also serve to liven things up or even to get the party started. Dynamic lighting systems and great stereos are an essential component of many hot tub purchases and while these are absolutely associated the party atmosphere created by a hot tub they are more common to standard daily uses. Remember, the stereo can play calming and meditative music and atmospheric sounds as well as party or dance music. And lighting can also contribute to calming and therapeutic atmospheres as well as to liven things up.

read comments (0)

Hot Tub Helps Sell Home

As Miles and Jackie grew closer and more committed in their relationship Jackie coincidentally began looking for a home to buy. The two of them formed a somewhat unexpected an unlikely couple though their attraction to each other was obvious, complete and ultimately made perfect sense. They were both incredibly independent and had strong minds and wills. They had both said independently and prior to meeting each other that they would were not interested in relationships or marriage. However, the day they met, the sparks flew and they have become extremely close in a relatively short amount of time.

Miles had decided to buy a new home about a year ago, though the market situation just didn’t seem like it was the best time for him to do so. However, in the last couple of months, his realtor has been encouraging him to begin looking, which is what he did. This was going to be a starter place for Miles and he knew he would want to move on eventually so he was looking at townhouses and condos. Last week he happened to discover two places that he was strongly interested in for different reasons.

One of the homes had a great view and was in close access to shopping and the freeway. The second home had a quiet neighborhood a hot tub in the backyard. This was suddenly very appealing to Miles who had imagined quiet romantic nights in one of the models of the two person hot tubs in a home improvement store just two weeks ago. Jackie had expressed a love for hot tubs and the calming and almost therapeutic effect they had on her. She also enjoyed hot tub parties and watching movies while soaking in tubs. Knowing all of this about Jackie, and being exceptionally interested in hot tubs himself, Miles opted for this home over the one that had the great views.

read comments (0)

The Solar System’s Corner Fireplace

For good reason, ever since we’re children, we’re told not to stare at the sun.  The sun, after all, is pretty bright, considering it’s about 93 million miles away from us, capable of providing the planet with all its heat and light and life.  It’s size is incredible, with a diameter of about 865 hundred thousand miles and is the 109 times the size of the planet Earth.  It’s no wonder that so many early religions, stories, and, in modern times, research has been devoted to this immense corner fireplace of the solar system.

Every once in a while, it’s nice to check in and see where we are in the universe, and right now, as you read these words, we’re on the Earth, in the Sol System (the center of which is that aforementioned 93 mile-distant fiery ball of hydrogen and helium, with a surface temperature of 5,510 degrees Centigrade, generating its heat by nuclear fusion, turning the hydrogen nuclei into helium.  It appears today that this star, once thought fairly small and insignificant in the solar system, may be brighter than 85 per cent of the other stars in the Milky Way Galaxy.  Many of the other stars appear to be dimmer red dwarfs), and right now, we’re traveling through an area known by astronomers as the Local Interstellar Cloud in the Local Bubble zone inside the rim of the Orion Arm of the Milky Way.  If you are outdoors, the light that allows you to read this blog took eight minutes and nineteen seconds or so to get here and illuminate your laptop, desktop, or page (if you’ve printed this out).

In a meditative mood, as a child, I might scribble out my address as Los Angeles, California, United States, Planet Earth, the Sol Solar System, the Milky Way Galaxy, and the Universe.  That address has grown a bit: LA, CA, US, Earth, Sol System, Local Interstellar Cloud, Local Bubble, Milky Way Galaxy, and the Universe.  Once parallel universes are proved, we’ll probably have to add those, too.  It’s a lot to contemplate, so instead, during these winter months, I’m going to get some hot chocolate, build a fire and watch the flames roar in the hearth, perhaps one of the most comforting small things I can think to do in such a large place!

read comments (0)

A Bit of History on Sentosa Island

Spent two days on Sentosa Island that was developed strictly as a recreational island. There are beaches, golf courses, an underwater world, historical sites, a Luge ride and many other things to do. The island was well planned as is everything in Singapore. The only way to get there is to take a cable car from Singapore. It’s not far away, basically, there is only a river between Sentosa and Singapore. The cable car was gives a spectacular view of Singapore and seems to be a ride in and of itself.

I was told Sentosa is now in the process of building a casino, which I’m sure will top any casino in Las Vegas. My first official ride, besides the cable car, was kind of cheesy and it took me to Fort Siloso, or what the locals refer to as ‘the island of no return’. As legend as it, an entire population was wiped out by malaria, and only a few survivors escaped to Singapore.

Sentosa and Singapore were originally populated by Indonesian immigrants and in World War 2, when the Japanese invaded Malaysia and Singapore, Singapore surrendered. Singapore was under Japanese Occupation from 1942 to 1945 and was a very sad time. The Japanese created many work camps and all the people living there were treated very poorly. In 1945 a rebel group was planning a huge attack, but then the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan, which made the Japanese surrendered, and Singapore was once again returned to the British. Singapore remained a British colony until the 70’s, and Singapore negotiated a treaty to become an independent nation. There are still lots of cannons and the Surrender Chambers, where the Japanese Occupation paperwork was signed resides at Fort Siloso.

There wasn’t much time to do much else on Sentosa, so I booked a room at one of the Singapore Sentosa hotels for the night. I’m hoping tomorrow morning to ride on the Luge and watch a 3-D movie. I should check out the beaches too, but it looks like the weather might turn, so I just stick with all the inside attractions, like the Underwater world. Sentosa, from what I can tell, seems to be a very fun and intriguing place.

read comments (0)

Original Sin is Singapore’s Original Vegetarian Restaurant

Steve began to notice he was getting hungry as Dale went four above par at the Marina Bay Golf course. And since he had golfed with Dale on more than one occasion he knew he needed to address the upcoming issue of getting food right away though he was also well aware that it was going to be a while before he could actually eat. So he brought up the idea of finding a nice restaurant as soon as their round was over. Dale ignored the suggested and criticized Stave for not commenting on his nice put. That was Dale. He was a great guy and a really good friend, but when he was out on the golf course, nothing else existed.

So, as they finished out their next three holes, slowly and methodically as Dale was prone to do, Steve traced back in his mind all of the places he remembered passing as they drove through Singapore earlier that day. He brought them up one by one as they came to him so that a decision could be made before they got in the car and they could go straight to the restaurant in Singapore.

At least Steve knew how to plan getting his lunch. He rattled off a list of names and the only thing Dale responded to was the unique title of the place called Original Sin. Steve agreed and that was enough for him. After they finished their golf he guided them back to where he remembered having seen it. They found out that the name was based on Michelangelo’s painting of the Sistine Chapel. Dale said he hoped the food would be as good as the painting. Well, it was certainly a valiant effort. They were both impressed that the restaurant catered to vegetarians, though they were even more impressed with the food. This place obviously knew how to handle their spices. And all of the ingredients seemed to be very fresh.

read comments (0)

Melbourne’s Puffing Billy

Are you a train enthusiast?  Does the idea of boarding a passenger car with a steam engine sound more exciting than another museum or architectural wonder?  If so, and if you’re in Melbourne, you may want to seek out Puffing Billy, the last surviving narrow-gauge steam railway that once connected Melbourne to the surrounding countryside in the early part of the 1900s.  The effort to restore and maintain Puffing Billy was carried out by volunteers.  And anyone who makes the effort to travel to this particular train is in for a treat.  The train departs on a regular schedule from Belgrave Station, passing through dells and over wooden trestle bridges, finding their way to the Emerald Lake Park.  At night, the trains also act as luxury diners, for the romantic at heart.  You can even charter the train, if you like.

Most likely, though, you’ll want to try a day trip, which you can book either at the desk of a hostel or the concierge of a Melbourne luxury hotel.  A typical tour fee will include the following: a pick-up as well as a return from and to your accommodation, breakfast and morning tea, the train ride, lunch, as well as the fee to enter the Healesville Sanctuary for animals.  You’ll be taken to the Dandenongs mountain range where an Australian style of breakfast will be set up in a picnic area, which will include biscuits and Vegemite, billy tea and lamingtons. You might even see local birds, such as rosellas and lorikeets.  Next, you’ll be on your way to Puffing Billy.

The 100-year-old working steam train will travel on wooden tracks past residential and forest areas to Menze’s Creek, where a tour bus will take you through the Yarro Valley vineyards, stopping at a winery for lunch.  Afterwards, you’ll have time to purchase some of the local wines and pick up souvenirs.  Once back aboard, the train will take you to Healesville Sanctuary, the last stop, where you’ll be able to see a wide range of Australian wildlife — echidnas, koalas, tasmanian devils, platypuses, wombats, kangaroos and wallabies!  It’s a great trip and a tour no one should miss.

read comments (0)

TransGlobe Transforms Stress into an Open Door

When looking at a new space for work or for living, it’s important to have a sense of belonging, to feel connected to the building as well the neighborhood that holds it.  Human beings are immensely adaptable, but we’re also creatures of habit, and we are intuitively attuned to our surroundings in knowable as well as inexplicable ways.  Canada’s neighborhoods are some of the finest in the world, with a spirit of civic responsibility that most neighborhoods hope to strive for. It’s a testament to our character that we’ve made a place for ourselves with a wonderful sense of community, and a very high quality of life.  This comes from a genuine connection to place.

Even when contemporary living means moving around more often than the past generation, there’s still a necessary sense of belonging for a home or a business to function smoothly and efficiently.  This is where the excellent business record of TransGlobe Property Management comes into play.  With over 15 years of service to Canada’s neighborhoods, and with thousands of rental and commercial properties, they have the experience in the place, and this helps the residents and businesses to adapt to a new environment with ease and security.  Canada has wonderful opportunities for business as well as building a beautiful life for people and their families, and during a move, it’s nice to have a helping hand.

Usually, choosing a new location for a business doesn’t involve a lot of room for selections.  There’s usually a pre-determined area we have to relocate to, and within a finite amount of time, and it can certainly be a little worrisome.  With TransGlobe Property Management, the entire transition is much easier.  But more importantly, perhaps, is that because there are literally thousands of properties to choose from, the capacity for selection enters into the picture again.  Where once it may have seemed a terrible hassle, now it becomes an open door, with some fantastic choices in front of you, and that’s a wonderful way to begin a new chapter of a new adventure.

read comments (0)

Chinna Sarada, Awarded in Delhi

India is a fantastic place to explore, and there are some wonderful opportunities here to get away from the world you know, and totally immerse yourself in new experience.  It’s one of the most fascinating countries on the planet, with an amazing history, and a dizzying array of cultures and traditions, and Delhi is one of its more exciting metropolises.  The whole spectrum of human behavior can be observed here on any given day, and sometimes in any given hour.  The city holds a multiplicity of attractions for visitors of all ages, and it’s a very welcoming place for tourists.  With its excellent variety of restaurants and four-star hotels, Delhi can be enormously hospitable, and it has a reputation for offering a new adventure for anyone.

It’s a very good idea to have some kind of luxury to fall into while you’re here, because the city is an amazing place that can also be overwhelming.  Even the most relaxed itinerary can have some room available for doing nothing and letting yourself be pampered, in order to replenish your energy and see more of this exciting place.  Accommodations can offer you a perfect respite, so you’ll be refreshed whenever you need it.  There is simply no end to the possibilities for adventure here. They are infinite, the possibilities are endless, and they only come to any kind of fruition in a cosmic dance that has no end, and it is no coincidence that Sarada Hoffman was awarded the Rukmini Devi Medal for Excellence in the Arts from the Center for Contemporary Culture here in Delhi.

She was one of Rukmini Devi’s students, and has had many students herself, and for this perhaps Chinna Sarada could be mentioned in the list of India’s most influential people.  Rukmini Devi was the founder of Kalakshetra, and was responsible for bringing dignity back to the Bharat Natyam.  She was also very outspoken for animal rights, and was herself a devout vegetarian all of her life.  Chinna Sarada was one of the few to absorb her wisdom first hand, and although she is very humble, is also extremely wise herself, having grown up in a Theosophist family, and being exposed to many important sacred texts, and her life is a tribute to the fascinating mix of art and science.

read comments (0)

Quality Food in Melbourne and Australia

Whenever anyone mentions British food, people tend to think of steak and kidney pie or shepherd’s pie, or fish and chips, something either flaky or dull, or something greasy and dripping, and the same was once true for Australia, but then a kind of renaissance occurred Down Under, and in places like Melbourne and Sydney, the cuisine is now varied and inventive and of the highest quality.  If you’re traveling, and you check yourself into one of the luxury hotels Melbourne has to offer, then you’ll discover the boiled beef and meat pies, the rolls of sausage and sandwiches consisting of bread and Vegemite have competition.  Now you’re more likely to find such items as kangaroo fillet, seared, with beetroot greens, wilted, and roasted onion, in establishments that range from a cafe on the beachside to a fine dining restaurant.  Places which serve just chips and burgers at least put together focaccias, King Island fresh cheeses, and fruits of an exotic nature.

Why the change?  One, the richness of excellent produce and unique food native to Australia, as well as, the many international dishes that immigrants have brought, literally, to the table.  In the past, Australia dined on an English diet — salted meats, baked or roasted.  The settlers were used to tinned beef and a substance called damper, which was a very basic bread: flour, water, and a little salt.  Nothing seemed to change much over time.  Even as late as the 1960s, Australian meals were a bit strange, including such dishes as Pavlova fruit and cream in a meringue pie shell, or Lamingtons which are chocolate and coconut-coated cubes of sponge.  And Vegemite, which for those who haven’t tasted it, is a black and salted spread of yeast.

Presently, Aussies recognize the quality of the ingredients around them: Australia is literally a kind of Garden of Eden for food (not meaning to imply that all they have are apples).  The Australian menu favors seafood, specialized farms grow poultry and gourmet beef, and Australian cheeses, olives, and wine, may in fact be far superior to the usual imports from France, Greece, and Italy.

In Melbourne, in the state of Victoria, you’ll find the area is well-noted for specific produce, such as Gippsland beef, chicken cornfed, Malle squab, and Meredith lamb.  Other regions have different specialties, such as New South Wales (Hunter Valley wines, Illabo milk-fed lamb, and Sydney rock oysters), or South Australia (Baroosa Valley wine, olive oil, tuna, Coffin Bay scallops), and Tasmania (trout, salmon, oysters, cheeses, King Island cream, and raspberries).

read comments (0)