Sexy Savanah

For many people there a just a few selections of words or phrases that will come to mind immediately when asked to name something associated with the city of Rome. I actually tried this on a few different people, in different places and from different demographic backgrounds and aside from my brother, who said, pizza, they all responded by saying the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican, the Colosseum, the Pope , the Catholic Church or architecture. Okay, a few more people said pizza than my brother. In fact quite a few said pasta, pizza, Italian food or wine. I was just anticipating that they would all say something from the above-mentioned list. And while many, maybe even most did, there was actually a much larger percentage that first thought of the food and drink of this historic city than what I expected.

So, it turns out that Italian food isn’t just popular in the United States, it even has quite a following right there in Rome. And there are plenty of cafes and restaurants that serve the finest of local cuisine as well as great food from around the world. However, for my brother and other individuals in my study, not to mention the many guests in some of the historic suites in a Rome hotel , pizza, pasta and dessert and wine are on their minds.

Da Baffetto is one of the local pizzeria’s that is perfect for eager tourists who want to enjoy some of Rome’s best pizza as well as take in the city’s ambiance. This is also an inexpensive and affordable place to enjoy a delicious pizza and there is seating both indoors and out on the sidewalk. It is covered and heated during the colder winter months, but is open and a great place to sit and enjoy the passersby as you eat your pizza. Trattoria Monti is a great option for a wider variety of pastas and foods and most of its selections are based on the regional offerings of the Marches, which is located just northeast of Rome. And while so many people are interested in the great food of the city I’m sure that as soon as they’re finished eating, they’re planning on running straight over to view Michelangelo’s work in the Sistine Chapel.

I drove out from Albuquerque and got to witness tons of hot air balloons in the sky, I knew the city was known for its hot air balloons , but I had no idea just how much; there must be a festival going on this weekend. They were beautiful floating up in the sky; kind of made me sad I was leaving, but I was on my way to San Antonio, Texas.

After about 200 miles driving through New Mexico, I entered into Texas. Texas is approximately 870 if you continually drive through on the I-10 interstate, San Antonio is only 572 miles, which is still pretty far, especially the drive is pretty boring going through desert nothingness. When I drove only about 100 miles, I was stopped by a US Customs station! That really perplexed me, I mean, what was a Customs station doing in the middle of the I-10? It’s not like I anywhere near the border, or that I crossed the boarder to get here, really confusing. So, I pull over and the Border Control agent asked if I was a citizen of the United States and then wanted to know where I was going! I can’t believe my taxes are paying for this!

I told her I was heading to San Antonio, and then she wanted to know why, and then where I was going after that! She then wanted to know why I was going to Baton Rouge! Then she asked if my bags are with me in the car…I mean, really! I can see that it’s important to make sure no terrorist are crossing our borders, but this is not the border! She asked to see what was in my trunk, I popped the trunk open for her and she saw that my bags were indeed in my trunk. She came back around and told me I could go. I drove through California, Arizona and New Mexico, all on the I-10, and there wasn’t a US border station in any of those 3 states. Texas really is in a different state of mind.

I finally arrived in San Antonio and I got all confused, the I-10 splits with an upper level and a lower level, my GPS didn’t help me at all. So, I pulled over and pulled up the map that my hotel provides at this site and saw that I was heading in the right direction. I found the hotel with no problem after bringing up their map online. After I checked in and went to my room, I took a nap and had all these strange dreams about being in Texas. I just hope that San Antonio has a different atmosphere then what I’ve experienced of Texas so far. If the hotel staff is any indicator, then I believe I’ll have a great time.

It is rather refreshing and even a bit delightful, although it feels a bit contrary, to think that there’s another Churchill that immediately  comes to mind when we think of London now.  Perhaps it shoud be a bit contrary, when the other person is Caryl Churchill.  She’s been writing plays for a few decades now, and the idea that she’s still writing new work is reason enough to go to check into a hotel in London and start waiting right now.

When she comes out with a new work, it is a very big deal, and she’s been so very prolific all her life that there are lots of opportunities to enjoy these big deals.  Maybe enjoy isn’t the perfect word, because although her plays do offer a certain pleasure, but they can also be very tough.  One of the last productions  I saw by her was a version of the Skriker, and it was an astounding and riveting evening of theatre.  But it was also incredibly disorienting, being about mad faeries that haunt two women in London.  This was her most fantastical work, in the pure sense of the term, but by no means unexpected.

She has had quite a career.  Her first writings that got attention were radio plays in the 1960s, and even in these first works, we see a profoundly developed sensitivity to the forms of drama, coupled with an enormously astute critique of the world at large, but London social norms in particular.  She moved into plays, working with the Royal Court Theatre, and then the Monstrous Regiment, where she developed a collaborative way of constructing her remarkable works.  They continue to serve the audiences with an enormous wit, deep intellect, and a profound sadness that makes her the logical successor to Bertolt Brecht.

Get what I did on my recent trip to New York. Oh, and keep in mind while you’re thinking up options that the production of Hamlet that starred Jude Law has already closed and that I went there with my good friend Charlie. Okay, so obviously I’m a Shakespeare or Law fan and that might be a clue save for the fact the show as closed. Of course I could just be a fan of Broadway, and hey who isn’t, but then why did I say that show specifically? Oh, yeah don’t forget about all of the great art galleries and museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art located across from Central Park. And that reminds me of all there is to do at the park itself, such as the Zoo and Hayden Planetarium and stuff.

Okay, with all of those head starts, if you’re thinking about any one of those you’d be going in the wrong direction. So far you’re not even close. Okay, yeah, it’s true I love pizza and am a little bit Italian, but don’t get too excited, that’s still not a bell. And all of the clubs and places that play live music like CBGY’s and other places are off the list too. Okay, so I guess you could use some help and here is the sad truth. After we settled in the hotel room Charlie announces that he has free bus passes to Atlantic City and that I should get ready to go.

I didn’t object, and of course Atlantic City is a cool place in itself, but come on, we’re in New York City and I don’t get to go there that often. Charlie on the other hand is always going to New York and he’s the one who invited me on this recent trip. So, I agreed to go to Atlantic City and Charlie being something of, well I’ll just say passionate gambler, we stayed there the entire weekend. We got back in the city just in time to check out and make it to Kennedy for our flight home. So, I bet you never would have guessed that’s what I did on my recent trip to New York, huh?

This year comes on with all the force, and all the drama of a tiger.  It is a perfect fit, too, because this Year of the Tiger will demonstrate very large changes.  The New Year began on Valentine’s Day, and all of these things will come into play.  We don’t know how it will turn out, but we can guess.  She wants me to keep in mind that everything is negotiable, and everything that we decide can be reconsidered, if it becomes clear that the one true path is not as true as it looked from afar.  This is the time when things are not what they seem, and can’t be decided until we can see them when they are sleeping.

We might, however, find ourselves learning the next part of our romantic cycle from the inside of a Chinese restaurant.  Singapore is lovely most any time of year, and the city-state is built for travelers, it seems, or at least it is particularly welcoming for those who come when they are in love.  I want to ask the Tiger if we will be in love for the entire year, and if there is a year beyond this one.  All this is to say, I want to know where this is going.  But the tiger is a year, and the way a year speaks is by unfolding, week by week, and you can’t ask it to skip ahead.

Time understands itself, however, and maddeningly is always assuming that everyone else has the language and thought to understand it too.  I am not stuck in any particular moment, but am becoming very fond of the present one.  A day can sometimes determine a future faster than a year, even if that year is a Tiger.  The year might be asking me to move too quickly, to plan a wedding before the first kiss, but the day will always open up to tell us both that everything we ever wanted is possible in this moment, and no other moment.

As in any great business, in a business that is run well, there are key elements which are necessary. Many companies do okay, but there is more to being a great property management company than performing an okay job. What it takes begins quite simply, with honesty. There are many options for online advertising today, be it for goods or for services. This is one area where honesty is particularly valuable because when doing online business, the customer or client is not face to face with the property manager . If a website is not truthful, it will come out in the end so what is the point? This leads to the next element, one that is necessary to attain in order for a business to grow and to thrive and one in which is a direct result of honesty and truthfulness in business transactions . That is integrity. Integrity is the way in which transactions and relations are handled, a way that is open, honesty and direct. This is a viewpoint of others that must be earned. In order for a business to be referred to as operating with integrity, they must themselves, conduct operations in such a manner. Transparent operating procedures mean that everything is above board. There are no secret or hidden agendas. There is actually truth in a company’s advertising and in their services. People who manage the rental properties of others have a responsibility to both the owners and the tenants. They have two different kinds of people to take care of. They will need to make promises to both parties and they will need to keep those promises. Whether it is by collecting the rent on time or making the bank deposits, or whether it is fixing leaking plumbing, the only way the manager will be successful is to honor those promises each and every time one is made. People say that it is hard to do business in the world today. But it has always been simple to do good business. Good and honest business filled with integrity just comes from doing what is right.

Grand Prairie Texas became a host city for the defense and aviation industry during W.W.II. There have been a few great air craft built in this town by the North American Aviation plant. Some of the air crafts produced included the P-51C Mustang and also the K Mustang. The P-51C Mustang was fighter plane that was designed and build in only 117 days. It was used as a fighter bomber that was sent over Germany. It also was used in the start of the Korean War as the U.S. main fighter until the super jet fighters came on the scene. The Mustang car built by Ford was named after the fighter because of its amazing reputation for being fast, durable and well made.

The North American Aviation plant was taken over by Vought Aircraft after the war. The name changed to Ling Temco Vought and then back to Vought. They also created the F-8 Crusader which was the last American fighter with guns being the main weapon that was used int he Vietnam War. It also was used in the Cuban Missile Crisis were it played an important role by gaining lower level photographs that wouldn’t have been gotten otherwise. The A-7 Corsair II was also built in Grand Prairie.

If you work with or for Lockheed Martin than you may need to find a room at one of the hotels in Grand Prairie found here because they have still operates out of the area. Lockheed Martin is the largest defense contractor in the world. The Aerospatiale, a French aerospace manufacturer of civilian and military air crafts, moved into the area and then became a part of EADS. EADS stands for European Aeronoautic Defense and Space Company. If your in for some business than maybe they will let you out to the Quicktrip Park were you can see the minor league baseball team, The AirHogs, play. Wonder were they got that name.

For the last three days, it’s been pouring rain so hard that three holes in my roof now leak water into my bedroom like a sieve.   Buckets and waste baskets have been set to catch it all, but at this moment, I wouldn’t mind being anywhere but here — especially, if it that anywhere were Miami, Florida.  I saw bits of Miami on the Superbowl the other week and it was sunny and dry, but this terrific city has a lot more to offer than just great weather.  It’s packed with museums and beaches and wildlife attractions, and host to a number of engaging sights.

For museums, there’s the Miami Museum of Science and Space Transit Planetarium.  Since Florida is where the Space Age flourished in the 1960s (at Cape Canaveral, and later, Cape Kennedy), you might expect the state to boast a very fine science and space museum, and you wouldn’t be disappointed.  The planetarium has daily shows that will help kids and adults alike to comprehend the vastness of the universe outside the planet.  With beaches, of course, you’ll find in Miami a number of fine hotels lined up along the shore, with the Atlantic Ocean their swimming pool.  Of course, many of these hotels also feature actual swimming pools, if you find the ocean a bit too salty and filled with wildlife for your taste.  Speaking of wildlife, there’s the famous Miami Seaquarium and ,Parrot Jungle Island, places to find animals that entertain and animals that talk!

In addition, there’s fine cuisine, Venetian swimming pools carved from limestone quarries from 1923, mysterious coral stone castles constructed in the mid-20th Century by a single man (called the Coral Castle, take a look!), and many others.  Much better than my leaky, damp apartment.  And now that the Superbowl has been over for at least a week, traffic is probably decent, too!

One of my favorite ways to get to know a new city, is by walking through it.  I spent hours one night walking around the city of Chicago with a friend who had grown up there.  He told of the history of certain sites, such as the “alley”–which is now a building, of the famous Al Capone Valentine’s Day Massacre, the Biograph Movie House where John Dillinger was turned in by the woman in the red dress, and the histories of the Drake Hotel and the Chicago Tribune building.

My first trip to New York, I was alone, and wanted to take a walk, but I wanted to be informed about the sights that I was seeing, and while I do not usually like big guided group tours, I signed up for a the Food and Culture Walking Tour of Greenwich Village.  The guide for the tour was extremely knowledgeable and as it turned out, very well known around the Village, so not only did we get his stories, but many of the stories of local restaurant and shop owners as well.  I love cities and I love their stories and so this was perfect.  The tour cost forty two dollars, but this included tastings at many of the restaurants in the Village, timed just right throughout the three hour walk.

This is an area where not only do the people have a history, but the buildings do as well, from the pubs and the taverns of the beat poets, to the unique hotels of NYC, to the restaurants that have been family owned and operated for many years.  The tour is offered year round, so should you find yourself taking this same tour, be sure to dress appropriately for the weather of the moment.  And while the tour is taken at a comfortable pace, it is a two mile walk, so very comfortable shoes are a must.  I love the tour of Greenwich Village, the food and the coffee along the way was incredible, and when we had finished I found that I had gained a lot of knowledge about this small corner of New York City.

What is a “parade ground”?  I had heard the word, and had no idea what it meant, as parades take place on city streets, not confined to a “ground”.  A parade ground is an area of a city park, that is set aside from the park proper, an area where sports are played without worry to the damage that could be caused to the stretches of green lawn and the landscaping.  They could be called simply baseball diamonds, or soccer fields.

The Parade Ground in Prospect Park has not only provided the residents with memories and incredible stories, but is the historical site where some of the best and most famous ball players in early history first stepped up to bat, or first took to the pitching mound.  Every time I have visited and stayed in one of the best hotels, New York City has offered me these kinds of historical tidbits, these stories of the past that make it all seem so much more real, as if I was there the first time Johnny Franco or Joe Torre stepped up to bat.  And I’m not even into the sport of baseball, but it is a nostalgic quest for me I guess.

Many aspects of public parks were changing in during the 19th Century, due to the innovative designers, and the Parks Commissioner of New York,  and the Parade Ground was one of the many examples of a growing interest in urban design.  It was based on the grounds used for military training exercises, grounds that were stomped on, walked on, and marched on extensively.  In Prospect Park, the grounds were a place to play, to play ball!

As with many of the buildings and facilities of the park, during the early half of the 20th Century, the Parade Ground was in need of restoration.  Now it is the site for baseball games, complete with lighting for night time games, a lawn bowling green and a Youth Center.  Upon restoration, many long time residents wrote in with stories of themselves, either playing or experiencing the first years of some of the major ball players careers.  It was not just a section of a park that was renovated, but the spirit of the city as well.

Drive through any major city and you can quickly see that payday loan and check cashing stores are becoming as frequent as Starbucks in New York City, but as every new lender opens its doors the controversy and debate over their place in our society increases. As with most debates ‚ political or otherwise ‚ it is best to gather all the facts before making any decisions.
For those who oppose the payday loan industry, their argument is clear. While consumers may look at payday loans and only see the signs for ‚ “no credit check required” ‚  they warn it does come at a price. Payday loans are only gained through high interest rates, sometimes more than 500%. Many believe that payday loans are paving the road to bankruptcy for those in low or fixed income situations. Many states are also trying to pass laws that would increase regulations on the payday loan industry.
On the other hand, there are many who strongly support the payday loan industry. Money Mutual Montel Williams have teamed up to help promote the benefits of payday loans, especially during this economically trying time. Supporters continue to express that payday loans are not meant to be long term. They were created to help in a sudden, unexpected emergency when fast cash is needed in order to avoid incurring NSF fees or bouncing checks. For most people they will be a one-time deal. For more information about how the payday loan industry works you can visit the Money Mutual site at moneymutual.com. They have a Q&A section that can answer many of the questions you may have.
This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the payday loan debate and, as with most debates, it is rarely cut-and-dry; however, if we keep an open mind and do our best to find the facts perhaps supporters of both sides can better understand the other. And with understand we can reach a  compromise that will bring this debate to an end.

Is it true that you can get great cheese steak in Philadelphia? Peter was determined to answer that question when he and his good friend Bob visited the city last summer. Bob had fallen in love with a girl named Tina who he had met six months prior while she and her family were visiting Tucson, Arizona where both Bob and Peter were going to school. Bob had convinced Peter to go with him and even offered to pay for their accommodations in one of the nice Philadelphia hotels. With that final offer on the table Peter figured he had nothing to lose and agreed to go with his friend on his quest to reclaim love.

So, on their first afternoon in Philadelphia Bob was scheduled to meet Tina at a the Last Drop coffee shop and Peter decided he would pursue his own quest to find a delicious cheese steak sandwich. They were to meet back at the hotel at five o’clock and make plans to either hook back up with Tina or go out on their own that night. Well, as it turned out Peter had no luck finding the perfect cheese steak because he was hesitant to just start sampling them. He didn’t have a lot of time and wanted to go straight for the best but he started looking around at all the people he could possibly ask and he couldn’t decide who he would trust with the best opinion. At four thirty he realized that he could poll people and make a decision based on the most popular place he heard mentioned.

However, it was too late to begin all that and he needed to return to the hotel and meet Bob, who had enjoyed a much better time that day on his own pursuit. Peter had to listen to the great conversation Bob and Tina had as well as the rest of the great time they shared. This was it, Bob felt he was truly in love. Meanwhile, Peter told him that was great, but he needed to find a cheese steak. Just then the phone rang and it was Tina. She was able to hang out with the two of them that night. Peter suddenly realized he could ask Tina about the cheese steaks, which he promptly did when they picked her up. Hands down and without a doubt, Tina was sure that the best cheese steak in Philly could only be found at Jakes. The next day Peter found out for himself and was content that both he and Bob found true love in Philadelphia.

Traveling with kids?  In many cities, it sometimes seems that there’s a lot for adults to do, but not that much for children.  I’ve been noting a trend, though, that increasingly cities have children’s museums, designed specifically for the young, and a perfect place for a family on the road.  If you’re stopping at hotels in Lafayette, LA, for example, you’ll want to check out their Children’s Museum of Acadiana,  which has a slogan of “Learning by Doing.”

 
Exhibits at the museum include a variety of learning opportunities for kids, such as the health-focused All About Me, which allows kids to role play doctoring, complete with X-Rays (simulated, I’m sure), and babies to weigh and monitor.  The All About Me area includes Geo-Fitness exercise mats, providing kids to combine motion with geography, dancing along to videos.  Many of the exhibits here have a health theme: Healthy Pet Hospitals, Food Pyramid, and To Tell the Tooth (a dental exhibit). 
 
There are a number of other exhibits designed to teach kids about the real world: Kid’s Cash, a banking exhibit; Kid’s Kondo, a toddler playhouse; a Ham Radio Station; Petit Magasin, a grocery store; Reuseum, a recycled arts studio; and Bubble Factory.  In the latter exhibit kids can make gigantic bubbles using the Children’s Museum recipe for bubble; they can even get inside a small tower that allows them to surround themselves by one immense bubble.  In Cafe des Enfants, kids can “work” in a hands-on restaurant exhibit, where they can act as customers or cooks or servers. 
 
Increasingly, cities have Children’s Museums, from the Explorium of Lexington, KY, to the Children’s Museum and Theater of Maine, to the Children’s Center for Science and Technology in Youngstown, Ohio.  Wherever you’re headed, from Lafayette to Hollywood, you can check out these museums at the Association of Children’s Museum,  and plan your trip accordingly!

The garage had to be sloughed of its guts, and my friend chose me to do it. Her name is Geraldine. Her old job was for a big auto industry. She never learned how to change oil in her years there but it was not necessary for her. She worked doing leadership training for managers and directors. It did provide her with source information on the trucks that were the greatest buys. Geraldine loved to ride in trucks because it was what her father drove her in every time the two of them went for ice cream after her softball team won a game.

There were all kinds of books in her garage. Books about team building program , books about magic tricks, books about Mexican papercutting. She actually had a few paper lamps she had made from directions in the books still hanging in her garage. They were in colors of a sunset in Florida. She had CDs from NIN and Soundgarden and Nirvana . She had videotapes of Reservoir Dogs and Clueless and Goodfellas. It was her life throughout the 1990s coded and catalogue in a dusty garage. A lot of it she wanted to keep, but when I asked her why she had bothered to invite me over if that was the case, she started to dump out boxes of it into her truck, and eventually mine too when I proffered it to her.

There were a few things she could not bear to part from but she still did for some reason. A mood ring from prize machine in a down and out Domino’s Pizza, her favorite restaurant since college, in Florida: she got it right after she got off the phone with her brother who told her their mother had just died after a nine month battle with cancer. A junky copy of a PeeWee Herman photograph and signature: she got it when we went out to one his shows. The last thing she wanted to keep but placed in the dumpster was rusted Swiss Army knife. I didn’t know the story behind that one.

Anyway, I took them and keep them in my garage now. In case she changes her mind.

Well there are now some luxurious hotels located in Kansas and some of them are in Dodge City. In the old days, settlers had to pass through Kansas to get to the west. There are many famous legends who came through this state and many of them liked to hang out in Dodge City. Taking it way back to Civil War times General George Armstrong Custer made his way through this town as he headed for the Indian Wars of the Northwest. And through out the state of Kansas there were many soldiers who fought in those battles.

The first settlers of the town built a civilian fort called Fort Mann in 1847. The Santa Fe Trail was a wild and rugged stretch of land for which Dodge City was in the middle of. It didn’t take long for the Indian’s to burn down the fort. In fact it only took a year. The U.S. Army tried to set up forts over a few years time until finally Fort Dodge was opened and remained active until 1882. The settlers survived the area and became traders of Buffalo hides until the railroad made it to town and the industry turned to cattle.

The city boomed with business around cattle. This brought all sorts of characters to town. During that time there were more famous gunfighters working in that town than any other western town. Giving it the reputation as being the wickedest city in America. In 1883, the Dodge City War took place as the good and bad fight for the whiskey trade that was prevalent to the city. Part of the peace keepers in town included Wyatt Earp. He ended up  negotiating a peace between the party’s in conflict and ended the war before there were any deaths.

Today you can visit the old town of Dodge City and get the whole history of the town and the people who started it.

My initial plan of going by Greyhound from Chicago to New York City ended up by the wayside; I decided flying would be quicker and a more comfortable trip. I landed in La Guardia and the moment I stepped outside the airport, I was hit with a blast of cold weather. My friend Sutta came to pick me up and take me to one of the luxury hotels in New York, where I have reservations.

But, before he dropped me off, he was nice enough to take me to his favorite Indian restaurant and treated me to one of the better Indian meals I’ve had in a long time. My friend was a very busy person, so I was so happy he had time to pick me up at the airport and take me out for dinner and a very late dinner at that; which was extremely generous of him and his precious time. After he dropped me off at my hotel, I checked in and went straight to sleep.

I woke up with only 4 hours of sleep, feeling the urgency of not really having any time here, I decided that my only day here would be for the Downtown area and if I had time, I’d check out the Midtown area. So, my one and only day in this great city  I took the Metro to the World Trade Center. The Metro whizzed through the city and brought me quickly to the WTC. I stepped out of the station and was a bit confused with all the numerous barriers and maze like paths leading to the center, not much to see there yet.  Eventually, I found myself at Battery Park Esplanade and walked down to the Liberty Island Ferries. The place is beautiful and somewhat isolated, it faces the Upper New York Bay and the Hudson river and has an amazing view of the Statue of Liberty. I didn’t purchase tickets in advance to go up to the Crown of the statue, so I just went on the regular tour. I really liked the panoramic view of the New York skyline from here. I also when to Ellis Island.

It took me 4 hour to visit the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and then to return to New York City. I was extremely hungry and called up Sutta to see if he had time for lunch, he did, so I met him on Wall Street, where he works and we once again had another wonderful meal together. The rest of the day and evening, I spent walking around the downtown area, where I saw the Raging Bull, the American Exchange, Wall Street, South Street Seaport and the amazing Brooklyn Bridge.

I had dinner at the restaurant inside my hotel and went to bed. During my lunch with Sutta, I offered to return the favor and told him to come to Mumbai for one day and I too will pick him up at the airport, take him to his hotel and treat him to two lunches.

After a nice sleep-in at one of the Casino hotels in New York, we loaded our car and headed for the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. There’s a toll to pay of $3.40, which we promptly paid and crossed the Rainbow Bridge in to Canada. We then had to pass through an inspection station. We were mostly interested in the Falls, so we followed the signs and turned into a parking lot, which was actually not a parking lot until we passed this whole tourist area. We almost turned around thinking we read the sign wrong. It cost us almost $17.00 to park!

The first thing we did was head down to see the falls. The Canadian side is different than the US side, from here we could see both falls in their full splendor and from many angles. The US side, we could hardly see the famous Canadian Horseshoe Falls off the observation tower. The Canada side is worth paying the toll and for the parking. We walked along the path taking photos and then stepped inside the gift shop. We headed back out and walked to the entrance to the Maid of the Mist boat ride. The pass out these plastic blue rain ponchos for us to wear so our clothes won’t get wet. We were right in the middle of the group that boarded, which seemed to be a prime spot if you don’t want to get soaked. We pulled away from the dock and passed by the American Falls. Then we approached the Horseshoe Falls and that’s when the fun began. I began to scream, but I wasn’t the only one! I could barely hold my hood on at the same time use my video camera, so I gave up on filming and held tight onto my hood.

The mist was so overwhelming, and the waves would spray up into the boat and we trudge upstream, know I know what salmon go through. We were all drenched by the time the Captain turned the boat around to go back downstream. I have to say, WHAT FUN!  After getting off the boat and removing our ponchos, we walked to a nearby restaurant and had lunch. The view of the falls from the restaurant was fantastic and dry!

Many years ago, I spent a few weeks in the city of New York working on a play, a show on 42nd Street. This was in the very steamy month of August, part of a festival of small, off-off-off Broadway theatre titled Ninety Plays in Ninety Days. This was the first time I had ever been to the city, and was amazed at just about everything, from the way the 5 star New York hotels, and businesses seem to operate twenty-four hours a day, to the incredible slices of pizza to be found for just a dollar on nearly every street corner. Another amazing aspect, was that you can find anything in that city, and I mean anything, no matter how specific or specialized your tastes and your interests seem to be. I found a sock store, sandwiched in between and electronics shop and a small market. The socks store was very tiny, just two narrow rows of nothing but socks.

My friend came to join me during the second week, and her mission was to find the chess club in the East Village. That’s all we had to go on, as her boyfriend back in Phoenix could not remember the name of the chess shop, but knew that it was famous, and he wanted a tee-shirt. We set out, thinking that this was going to be a hard place to find, but as soon as we got to the East Village, we stopped into the White Horse Tavern for a quick pint and asked the bartender. “Of course,” he replied…”that would be the Marshall Chess Club!” It was just down the street, so we finished up and headed out. We walked into the cigar filled room, and it was like walking back in time just a bit.

There were men of 80 years old sitting at tables with teenagers, playing chess and passing the afternoon. This is not only one of the oldest clubs in the city, but in the United States as well. The Manhattan Chess Club was its only rival, but they closed up in 2002, leaving the 95 year old club the most famous spot in the city for a game of chess and some great conversation. Neither my friend nor I were familiar with the game, be we stayed and watched for a bit before buying the tee-shirt and heading on to meet the rest of our group. This is a great place to stop on a tour of the city, one in which to experience a bit of the history of Manhattan, as well as a place to just simply hear some great New York stories from the people who live them.

Tennis rackets actually have an interesting history, originally made from human skin, and by monks no less.  Why human skin?  Because racquets as we know them today had not yet been invented so players had to use their hands to throw the tennis ball around.  Obviously, this grew uncomfortable and irritating to the hand, so gloves started to get used.  For some, webbed gloves proved useful but were not by any means as efficient as the paddle others used, which was way more effective.

Eventually, the form of the first tennis racket came into being during the English medieval period.  They were positively delicate in shape and form with small heads and long handles.  Playing against walls stopped too as the net was now a requirement of the game as it continued in its evolution to help players make better tennis scores.  In England, the majority of the changes to the game occurred in the 1900s under the eye of Walter Wingfield.  He had a patent that would alter how tennis was played and what you played it with it.  Ultimately, he helped to standardize the game with rules and the equipment with exact sizes and measurements to ensure a fairer and more even playing environment.

For the tennis racket this meant that with laminating and strings that bounced the ball better, players had a better edge.  However, laminating does not exactly make for the lightest technology by which make something.  Rackets back then that have been tested in their weight were an astounding fourteen ounces, which might not seem heavy at first, but after a couple of matches, it can be a lot more heavy than it was.  The heads also continued to be small, which made little since, though the strings did allow the ball to bounce better.  The very best of them back then cannot compare to modern technology and synthetics materials used to create superb tennis rackets used at place like the Australian Open.

The Civil War was a big boost to the city of Boston in the early start of America. The war started from this area so this is were the weapons and men gathered to take on the British. Some of the early manufacturers of weapons, boots, clothing, blankets and other supplies were created here to help the American troops. Yes, in the late nineteenth century Boston was a great industrial city. It continued to grow as more and more people immigrated to America from all over the world. Now there were a wide variety of goods for military and home use. But this was setup for one purpose and when the purpose was served things would change.

The manufacturing took a decline with in the first ten years of the twentieth century. The factories and mills quickly became obsolete. They just became old and decayed buildings without use. Many of the businesses that lived off the thriving factories closed and the business men moved south for more opportunity. Those that stayed moved into other forms of business. There was a new purpose for the city of Boston which included banking and finance, service industries, wholesaling and retailing. This is where they held it and suffering through the Great Depression.

World War II brought the cities industry back. They replenished the old factories with new technologies to create the latest weaponry. During this war, Boston thrived again and a major player in the manufacturing of arms. In the 1950s Boston jumped on the technology wagon. To modern day high tech and computer industries are a main stay for the city. There are many skyscrapers and office towers showing of the evidence of success in these fields. Now many people travel to the city to see so much of the history that remains from a city that helped start it all in what we know of as the United States. So check into a Boston hotel and see for yourself the richness this city has to offer on every level.

The seasons are changing in many cities throughout the United States.  Not only does this bring the amazing sights on the hillsides filled with trees and the impending holidays, in the Maryland city of Baltimore this brings differences on the menus of many of the restaurants.  Chefs are taking advantage of the autumnal differences being offered in the fresh produce at the various farmers markets.  Many appetizers are being offered that utilize of course, the pumpkin as well as many other varieties of squash.

The Baltimore Farmers Market and Bazaar which takes place every Sunday is one of the favorites of the local chefs for finding a plethora of ideas for new and creative dishes.  On these Sundays, chefs will bring their skills to the market, team up with a particular farmer, and offer demonstrations, cooking tips and advice, and the most important of all tastings.  This showcases not only the splendid dishes they will offer at their restaurants in Baltimore, but gives kudos to the individual farmers as well.

This is a great learning experience for all those in attendance, not only in the learning of the recipes and the various delicious new dishes, but in the learning about the vendors themselves, the food that they grow and sell, and they will learn how to make choices that are based on the growing seasons of the various produce.  This is the new way of eating green, to buy locally and to buy was is in season.

They will also be introduced to the world of herbs, and to bring home a potted starter garden to use in their own kitchens at home.  And for those wishing to take care of some Christmas shopping during the day, the Bazaar has been newly added to the Baltimore Market on Sundays.  This section offers a variety of hand made creations by some of Baltimore’s finest crafts people, unique gift ideas that fit into every one’s budget.  The changing of the seasons, a great time to be in Baltimore and to experience everything that this city has to offer.

The beautiful island of Curacao is located in the southern Caribbean Sea of the coast of Venezuela. The territory known as Curacao actually includes the larger mainland of the island as well as a smaller island near it. It is part of a collection of five different island areas that are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The island is known for its beauty its name is derived from the Portuguese word for heart or for healing and there are various arguments for both etymological basis. Tourists who visit the island and stay in one of the hotels Curacao are familiar with its namesake liqueur, which is frequently called Blue Curacao and frequently associated that deep color with the island itself. The two potential references to its name are typically associated with the trade industry of the island, which corresponds to its being called the heart and also to the numerous healing plants that are found on it, which of course refer to the potential for it to be called the healer.

Some of the interesting landmarks on the island are the buildings that were designed in the style of Dutch architecture. Some of these are responsible for the Island being listed UNESCO’s world heritage acknowledgment list and are also popular places for tourists to explore. The island’s beaches are absolutely beautiful and also represent the deep blue that its name is typically associated with. Some of the shore area on the northern end of the island have great coral reefs and are extremely popular with scuba divers. One of its unique features is that the drop off to much deeper waters generally occurs just a few hundred feet off of the shore and this provides well trained and experienced scuba divers excellent opportunities though these areas, and the famous one known as the Blue Edge, are dangerous to lesser experienced and skilled divers due to their rocky nature and the lack of beach area in this region. The popular and beautiful tourist beaches are found on the southern end of the island.

Entertaining at home has become extremely common and popular in recent years and when considered in context to the economic downfalls, it has also become a great way to save money while spending time with family and friends. Recognizing this new and likely ongoing and progressive trend it is great to know that there are now more options for backyard kitchen features as well as sports and entertainment options than ever before. They are also more diverse and suited to a great spectrum of budgets and lifestyles. And while they are a frequent aspect of new home building designs they are also becoming more and more added to already existing homes and are a major aspect of backyard overhauling and landscape changes.

In the past it has been common to consider these backyard fire magic grills and kitchen counter tops with built in appliances and great accessories as luxury items, which really had no connection to daily lifestyles or household needs. However, as it can be clearly demonstrated in recent years, the outdoor kitchen elements are great not only for major entertainment events such as holiday, anniversary and birthday parties but they also encourage greater outdoor activities among teenagers and other family members.

It has become more common for students to return home from school and grab a snack from the outdoor refrigerator before settling down to complete some homework. It is also a great way to spend an evening with the family by grilling in the backyard and then play a game of volleyball, table tennis, badminton, or other outdoor games. Therefore it is obvious that by investing in these great outdoor kitchen elements you are not only adding value to your home property your are adding quality time for your family and are likely going to form greater connections and communications between household members.

In every business there comes a time when a conflict will arise, either between co-workers or between staff and customers and clients.  In the 1970’s two psychiatrists came up with ways of defining how different people handled conflicts and uncomfortable situations.  The two men were Ralph Kilmann and Kenneth Thomas, and they made conclusions regarding peoples’ overall personality types, and the way that they handle difficult times.  At Next Day Blinds, issues regarding customer service never occur, but let’s face it, it is not possible to please all people–all of the time.  Some times people are just grumpy, and learning how to turn these situations around is an art form that will securely place your business at the top.  Different styles are most effective when used for situations that are best solved in this “personality theory“.  The styles are Competitive, Collaborative, Compromising, Accommodating, and Avoiding.

I personally have come across each of these styles of conflict resolution, and some feel so much more healthy than others.  Knowing and training your staff concerning these different styles and educating them in all matters concerning product knowledge, customer service and design, Next Day Blinds has become one of the foremost companies when it is time to decorate or re-decorate your house and your window coverings.  Through many renovations, I have gone to Next Day Blinds for advice on which shades or blinds would be best for the house I am working on at the time.  And each of those time, I have been treated with a warm respect that many businesses seem to lack in modern times.  Knowing what really makes people tick, knowing what makes them satisfied, and what to do when they are not satisfied is something that this company is very good at, and they will continue to be at the head of the line, now and far reaching into the future.

Take time to review some safety tips that will ensure the time you spend relaxing in your hot tub will be worry free and more enjoyable.

Start by always checking that you use an adequate level of sanitizer to keep the hot tub water clear of unhealthy microorganisms. Keep track of the total alkalinity and the pH factor to provide a health balance. Regularly shock the water, this will help the sanitizer’s ability to do its job and control the bacteria with more efficiency. Make sure you have all the cleaning components, chemicals and additives in a dry, cool and well ventilated place that gets no direct sunlight and is well out of the reach of children. Do not mix the chemicals prior to adding them to the hot tub water.

It’s a good idea, and a bit more stimulating, if you do not sit in a hot tub for too long. Relaxing in a too-high temperature will raise your body’s temperature to a dangerous level. The most the water temperature should be is at 100 degrees to 102 degrees Fahrenheit and for only 15 minutes, which is the recommendation of medical authorities. If hot tubs don’t have a digital temperature indicator, then purchase a floating thermometer. If children are involved, the temperature and time should be reduced. Many medicines stop functioning at certain body temperatures, so for very young children with medical conditions, as well as adults with medical conditions, you should first make sure their doctors approve of time relaxing in hot tub. This can’t be stressed enough, children should never be unsupervised around hot tubs, even if the covers on, children are way too curious and a hot tub will peak a child’s curiosity. Hot tub covers should always be used when the hot tub is not in use and should have a locking device.

Electricity and water don’t mix. All the electrical devices and outlets should be located at a safe distance from the hot tub. Never have electricity at the edge of the hot tub. Don’t even handle a telephone or a corded appliance in the hot tub, or out of the hot tub and you’re still wet.

Heads should never go under the water. Safety standards were developed requiring hot tubs to have drain outlets and drain covers that will prevent hair entanglement in the drain itself. But, even with this safety measure, it’s important to adhere to a rule that no heads go underwater while enjoying the hot tub. No where your power disconnect device is installed and know how to use it just in case of an emergency.  Consider using a non-slip surface around the hot tub and keep dry towels with in reaching distance. Keep good maintenance with any steps leading to the hot tub and install handrails, these will help prevent a fall or aid in a misstep when entering or exiting the hot tub. Finally, if you use the hot tub at night, which most people do, install an adequate amount of lighting at ground level.  Safety enables everyone to enjoy the pleasurable benefits of a hot tub.

Chevy Chase was honored at the 2009 Boulder International Film Festival. Generally abbreviated to BIFF, the festival is produced by the Colorado Film Society. The festival is dedicated to providing the dominant film audiences from the Denver and Boulder metropolitan areas with an early viewing of the best new films from the international scene. It also provides interviews and discussions with directors, actors and producers as well as sponsoring parties and networking opportunities. The festival has continually grown through the years and has become attractive not only to locals but also draws in numerous guests who fill the hotels Boulder.

During the 2009 festival Chevy Chase was presented with an award of excellence in comedy. He has been a major force in the American comedy film scene for decades and is well known for is roles in National Lampoon’s Vacation, Fletch and Caddyshack. He has won numerous awards throughout his career including an Emmy Award. He has worked as a stage comedian, film actor and writer and gave the audience at the BIFF a live show. His most recent success is on the new television series Community.

Chase was born in New York in October of 1943. His father Edward Tinsely Chase was New York magazine writer and prominent book editor. His mother Cathalene Parker was a concert pianist and librettist. The family lived in Lower Manhattan during his early years before his parents divorced when he was four years old. In addition to his acting, Chase is a drummer who played with Donald Fagen and Walter Becker in a college band before they reformed into Steely Dan. He also played drums and the keyboard for a rock band called Chamaeleon Church. He became a house hold name when he began working on the popular late night weekend television series Saturday Night Live.

Robson Square in Vancouver is located close to many properties under the care of TransGlobe Property Management. While living in Vancouver one can spend time in the park skating, or dancing the night away.  This is town square, that while it is open air, it is also partially underground.  Located in the middle of town just between the court buildings and the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Every Friday night the dancing is free and the music is provided by local live musicians.  Classes are given for those who wish to take part, in swing dance and Latin moves of the Salsa, and you can either dance with friends or sit in the grass and watch.  This is an all ages park, complete with skate board parks just in the Skytrain.   Another meeting place for the residents of Vancouver is Vanier Park.  This is the place to be if watersports are your game.  There are places to rent canoes and kayaks, sailing classes and windsurfing.  And this is the popular spot for all ages to come to to just simply fly their kites. This is the spirit of the city as well as the spirit of TransGlobe Property Management.

Living in a community is what life is all about, and the staff at TransGlobe brings this feeling into the rental properties that are under their management.  So when deciding on where to move, or when making choices about your vacation rental, the choice to go with this company is an easy one, as there is really no better company to put your life, or your holiday in the hands off.   So head to the beach in Stanley Park, enjoy the swimming pools and the mountain hikes, or take a ski vacation through Cypress Mountain or Mount Seymour and trust the rest to TransGlobe Property Management.

On your next trip to the Perth hotels Australia, you might consider going to prison.  Fremantle Prison, that is.  Also known as Fremantle Gaol, the grounds are now an historic site, built by convict labor in the 1850s, used as gaol for local prisoners, and closed as a prison in 1991, then managed by the government of Western Australia, they re-opened as a public museum.  The fifteen acre site includes the prison itself, perimeter walls, a gate house, tunnels, cottages, and the art of prisoners.  Daily tours are given in the prison that review the facility’s one hundred and forty year history.  During that time, gallows were built here, and the place became the only legal spot to execute prisoners in Western Australia between the years 1888 to 1984, for ninety-six years.  One woman and forty-three men were hanged in the prison, each one with murder convictions.

In addition to the day tours, the prison provides “torchlight tours”, usually on Wednesday and Friday nights.  This tour lasts ninety minutes and you’ll see the main cell block, the whipping post, the gallows, and cells for solitary confinement, and includes discussion of ghosts and the people who have encountered ghosts on the site.

To attend a torchlight tour, calling ahead is recommended highly, and you can call the following number: 618-9336-9200.  If you’re already in the area, you’ll only need to dial 9336-9200.

The prison is located about 14 kilometers or nine miles outside Perth.  The prison museum won the Major Tourist Attraction category of the Western Australian Tourism Awards in 2006, 2008, and, most recently, 2009.  The prison will be inducted into the Western Australian Tourism Awards Hall of Fame in 2010.  It’s also a finalist in the Major Tourist Attraction category of the National Tourism Awards, which will be announced in February 2010, in Hobart.

There are many fantastic reasons to visit Agra in India, but none is perhaps as popular as the opportunity to visit the Taj Mahal.  It is the most famous monument, and one of the most celebrated in the world, and it’s absolutely worth seeing while you’re here, but there are hosts of other spectacular reasons.  There are the many other famous forts and monuments and temples here, to be sure, making for some splendid times seeing some of the most celebrated sights on the planet.  There are also many attractions here that will keep visitors of all ages quite content, and eager to learn more about the place.  Because of its spectacular sights, there is a fantastic capacity for hospitality here, and some of the finest hotels can be found.

For those looking to step up the level of splendor, there are also many excellent choices for luxury hotels.  Agra knows how to treat its guests to an excellent serving of comfort and beauty, and some of the accommodations are amazingly gorgeous, providing a sweet sense of calm and grace, which is a lovely way to travel.  Total relaxation and rejuvenation can allow you to really enter into the spirit of a place, and to put your busy mind at ease, so you can focus on taking in all the new sensations and stimuli around you.  You might start becoming interested in the local traditions, and it’s happened before that complete strangers to Indian culture get caught up in the magic of Gharana.

Gharana in India can refer to schools and lineages of music, where songs and dances are linked to various methods and traditions.  Agra Gharana usually refers to a particular vocal pattern as well as intonation, and does indeed fit into a school that not only speaks of the musical style, but also the deeper philosophy behind it.  Gharana is a tradition that was passed to the Mughals from the Rajputs, and its roots run very deep in Agra.  There are many elders these days who are lamenting the tradition, as it’s becoming harder to find young people who practice it, or are even interested in it.  It’s worth looking for, not only because it may be more difficult to find in the coming years, but also because it is a lovely sound that speaks to the passage of time as much as anything else.

Dubai has enticed the best golfers in the world to knock the ball around the Dubai Creek Golf Course. It doesn’t matter which room you choose at one of the many amazing hotels. Dubai UAE is going to really get you when you hit the golf course. The club is packed full of all the best amenities and facilities. Who wants to spend much time with amenities when one can get the most thrill out of the course itself. It has been voted one of the top 100 must play courses in the world. The design, ambiance, operation and grooming of this course is tip top. The challenging level will appeal to everyone.

This is a par 71 course measuring at 6,857 yards. It guarantees a memorable experience as the players make it to the 18th whole. The creek itself becomes a part of the course for at least four holes. These well manicured fairways roll through out and between mounds, trees and water. Not only does the creek become part of the course but there are a few lakes that have been built in. All adding to the absolute beauty of the course as a whole.

After keeping out of the date and palm trees, hopefully, and making the perfect shots down the fairways, the course sets a thrilling end. There are two par four holes to close with. The Seventeenth whole can still be won by just playing smart. The 18th whole, however, takes full concentration and understanding of the elements of the day. If you make the big shots and are wanting to keep the games going, hit the driving range, a par 3 course or the outstanding practice range that are equipped to keep you there all night. However, if you had a poor day on the course, get signed up for a lesson at the first Golf Academy in the region. Get some advise from the pros.