Sexy Savanah

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.

Over the past decade, Dubai has done it’s job to attract the wealthy rich and famous of the world to come and buy into this developing metropolis. The Beckhams, David and Vicoria, where among the first to get a villa of luxury in this unique city. The two got busy these past few years and now seem to not be in town much. Their family, however, are able to call this their home. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were able to buy there own island. That should be a great way to accomodate their growing family. The got a peice of The World island, you know the place everyone is talking about. The island that is built in the shape of the world map.

Armani, not only has a home in Dubai but he is making a considerable contribution to the designing of Dubai. He is responsible for the luxurious Burj Dubai tower. He is the perfect contributor to the prestige and quality that the UAE is so wanting. Then there is the former Wimbledon champion, Boris Becker. He is getting into the game of real estate here by endorsing the Boris Becker Tower. This tower is built in the center of the business district offering 19 stories of the best commercial space. Oh and with freehold titles.

Michael Schumacher has also found a new thrill in Dubai. He got a new spot in the prestigious “World” development and is was for free. What an amazing gift given after he retired from Formula 1 racing. Hillary Swank is taking the business tip in her signing on with the Aquitiania development. Donald Trump, it is has real estate it has Donald Trump. Ivana Trump has also become quite the real estate tycoon. She’s getting her own Le Dimond property development too. Yup from Bollywood to Golf the stars are flocking in to get a piece of the action. So you never know who you may see at the mall when you have checked into one of the many five star hotels Dubai has built and enjoy the town.

New York City. Just the name itself sets a person’s thoughts and images racing. All the things you have heard and read about this place comes to mind. New York City. Well, have you heard of the trendy new boutique hotels springing up? Have you thought about staying at a boutique hotel in New York? Let’s explore this concept. They have taken old factories, warehouses and other buildings and with extensive, and very pricey, renovations and imaginative decorating, turned these old buildings into absolutely gorgeous boutique hotels.

The ambiance hits you as soon as you walk through the doors. You are immediately transported to another time, another dimension, another era. Any stresses or worries are left at the door. Savor the mood, wrap yourself in the glamour, let the exquisite elegance surround you, affecting all your senses. The Casablanca, inspired by the movie of the same name, embodies romance and mystery. The beautiful woods, flooring, staircases, furnishings are Moroccan. Take a few steps and you are at Times Square. The Library is another such hotel. The ten floors are devoted to the 10 major components of the Dewey Decimal System. Each room displays art and books to carry out a specific theme.

There are also the boutique hotels that have gone with the very modern, trend setting designs, and with that comes the ultimate in electronic sophistication. Manhattan’s Dream Hotel answers that call. The Time Boutique Hotel is another modern cosmopolitan hotel boasting intriguing multilingual news broadcasts on every floor. You owe it to yourself to experience a New York boutique hotel. All have extremely well trained staff to attend to your needs and amenities you have probably only dreamed about. The restaurants are fabulous, the chefs top in their field, the menus unbelievable, the flavors superb. Dining in elegance at a beautiful hotel in New York. Now that’s living.

As is sometimes common for couples who are having difficulties with their relationship, Tom and Denise thought that getting out of town on a private vacation was just what they needed. The two had been dealing with various economic struggles and also great scheduling conflicts and outside commitment complications. They rarely saw each other and generally when they did both of them immediately began complaining about issues and making demands on the other. This was about a one hundred and eighty degree turn around from two years ago when they were loving and supportive of each as well as thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company. If only they could get back to where they were.

The couple checked into their room at one of the best Tampa hotels and it was almost as if the stress of the last two years immediately started to drift away. They loved the amenities the resort provided and almost felt like kids as they broke right into their refrigerator and enjoyed a glass of wine with cheese, crackers and nuts. They also enjoyed the beautiful views of the bay and after settling in decided to take a quick dip in the hot tub. After relaxing for an hour or so they got ready and headed out onto the town.

The following morning they took a trip over to Sarasota and spent some time on one of the beautiful sandy beaches. Later they took a tour of the Ca’ d’Zan, which was the former residence of John Ringling, the famous circus owner. They next day they were back in Tampa and enjoyed a leisurely tour of Ybor City. They were both fascinated by many of the historical buildings and particularly loved the early 1900s social clubs. Just as they were hoping, everything about this trip brought them back to a place of excitement for life and each other.

South Africa is an amazing place, with a fantastic, complex history that has seen the beginning of many different civilizations.  There are many local cultures, and even the street fairs can attest that there is nothing singular about South Africa, except perhaps its singular uniqueness. One of the places that culture performs itself in a way that’s readily accessible is through its cuisine.  The culinary traditions here are on display in the many local restaurants, offering a spectacular variety of foods.  There is a tendency toward international cuisine in the many of the top restaurants, where the chefs are well-schooled in world cooking techniques, taking the best of the traditional and applying contemporary twists.  There are also many local restaurants that offer varieties of local dishes, and all of these are worth sampling.

A place with this much to offer has to have a great variety in luxury hotels.  South Africa can certainly provide splendid accommodations, appealing to any taste and particularity.  There is a magnificent sense of hospitality here, and you’ll likely find yourself well-rested, and ready to explore the city.  Wherever you go in South Africa, there are lively and energetic music scenes.  The birth of all the rhythms in the world happened on this continent, and there are new evolutions in music every day.  South Africa has a particularly rich musical history, and today continues to attract the world’s most ingenious musicians, coming to take part in this legacy.

Some are here by accident of birth, and some travel here.  Dmitri Voudouris was born in Athens, Greece, and his parents moved here, and he grew up in Johannesburg.  His complex electronic music is based on studies of human cognitive behavior in relation to changes in the environment.  He is also interested in how new media affects the composer, and is looking at how music will survive in the new century.  He is also a practicing pharmacist.  He has also studied cultural anthropology.  He is also interested in wine.  You probably get the idea.  South Africa has an enormous number of terribly interesting people, and Voudouris’ music is even more complicated and varied than his own biography, and worth hearing while you’re here, at festivals, or in conjunction with other art and media projects.

When a property owner decides to hire a management company, they are literally putting the success of that property into the hands of someone else.  It is important to find a company that is reputable and one that will care for one’s building as well as the tenants who are renting space in that building.  The team at Transglobe Property Management create a sense of community that is difficult for others to compete with.  This sense of community creates a positive atmosphere as the tenants will know that they are supported and taken care of by the best of the best.  This also creates a rallying system, in that if the tenants are well cared for, so too shall they care for the space in which they are renting.  They will consider the choices and the decisions that they make and this will only have the most positive of results.

One way the staff at Transglobe Property Management promote this sense is by getting to know their renters and showing interest in what they do, genuine interest.  Holding regular events at either apartment complexes or commercial buildings will bring everyone together.  Not only will the tenants support the management team, but they will also support each other the more they get to know one another.  Again, the benefits of this kind of interaction are amazing.  With a company that is so honest and open, tenants know that they can call on them with any of their needs.  These are two aspects that are essential to the formation of any community.  Input from the residents will be considered and taken note of, as well as ideas and suggestions.  And knowing that they are being heard serves to only increase the support they have of the team of managers as well as the property owner.  The benefits of this can be seen the moment one steps onto any of the properties looked after by the Transglobe company.

One of the most vibrant cities in the world, Kuala Lumpur is a splendid place to stay, for business or for pleasure, offering a feast of attractions all around the calendar year.  There are plenty of museums and performance spaces to get lost in the creative culture in Malaysia, and there are also wonderful festivals celebrating the local culture.  There are plenty of things to make guests feel right at home in Kuala Lumpur.  Hotels are plentiful, and there are some spectacular choices here.  Surely there is something to fit every budget, and to please every taste and sensibility.  With a generous hospitality that speaks of old world manners and customs, as well as a keen sense of the contemporary, Kuala Lumpur is always on the cutting edge, while maintaining a magnificent sense of the best of the old.

History and culture intertwine here in dizzying ways, and there is always something new to see, and something new to discover.  It’s difficult to see the city all at once, and impossible to see in one trip, because it is always changing, always in flux.  This is very much visible in the art that’s on display here, and the galleries generally have an extremely cosmopolitan sensibility with a focus on the local, and these qualities certainly come together in the work of Simryn Gill.

This visual artist was born in Singapore, and grew up in Malaysia.  She now works and lives in Sydney, Australia, and her work is widely exhibited there, but it also has a fairly visible presence here in Kuala Lumpur.  The work of Gill has many different possibilities for classification, which is itself an interesting comment on her work, which involves classifications of a different kind.  She’s a photographer with an eye for installation work, and her exhibitions are other worlds, a place where the viewer can enter and get lost.  But in getting lost, one finds many parallels to this world, especially when it comes to themes of history and identity, and her playfulness with words, with literal text, makes for subtle and overt commentaries.  After a little bit of time in her worlds, one finds a new writing of history, and it creates the possibilities for re-writing a present moment in terms of the great themes of unstable identities, and the construction of self within new paradigms of memory.

Arrived in Bangkok early last night and this city is a huge, massive city. Plus at midnight the temperature was 30 degrees Celsius. I’m not sure why I even bothered taking a jacket or a pullover, I could have use the luggage room for other clothes instead.

I’ll be here for a month, and I have no idea that one of the five star hotels Bangkok where I’ve booked only for 2 nights, will give me a deal if I book the rest of my stay here. I really like this hotel, I’d hate to leave it for some lousy hostel. Before I arrived at my hotel, I took one crazy taxi ride. The driver was doing 140 plus nearly the whole way here. It was so surreal, kind of like an adventure all on it own. Even waiting at the traffic lights, where they have the digital clocks counting down the time before the light turns green, my driver would turn each green light into a drag race. It took me a few days before I’d step inside another taxi, I took public transportation instead.

All the research I did on the plane, yes, I didn’t research before hand, suggested that the best accommodations were to be found on Soi Rambuttri, but my driver took me to Sathon Nuea street. I’m kinda glad him did, I found out that those hotels on Soi Rambuttri, where not as accommodating as the hotel I’m in now.

So far, I got to watch soccer alongside a few Germans. I dined out and feasted on deep fried grasshoppers, really crunchy and delicious. Took snake blood shots with this French bloke, because French won the soccer match. Tomorrow, well it’s a huge day. I booked a day excursion to the ancient capital of Thailand and then when I get back, I’m off to do a ‘low boat’ six hour ferry ride to Ko Samui. The low boat will involve being in the hull of the ferry in an area that’s 80 centimeters high. I won’t be able to sit up. Now why am I doing that? It’s the only way to get to Ko Samui.

I know Dayton, OH may not sound like an exciting place but I have a fondness for Dayton and had many wonderful experiences and a lot of fun there. I went to Dayton University and graduated from there in the early 1980’s. Those years were full of fun and games, oh yeah and some learning. My friends and I would get together and explore the area in our spare time to avoid doing homework and working on projects.

We had a real fascination for the Woodland Cemetery that is adjacent to the university campus. On warm spring days we would get a bottle of champagne or two and pack up a gourmet pick nick lunch and go over to the cemetery. We would read the names on the stones and find one that seemed to have some meaning to one of us. There we would spread out the blanket, unpack the food and pop the cork on the champagne bottle and begin to get drunk. We would hang out there all afternoon and sometimes in warmer weather well into the evening. Of course the usual scary story telling and jumping out from behind something to scare someone was all part of the fun. On some occasions we would take out tablets of onionskin paper and make rubbings of some of the older and more interesting head stones in the cemetery. I still have one rubbing that I did and particularly liked in a frame to this day.

This spring there are going to be several of us that hung out together back then coming together for a reunion of sorts in Dayton. We have rooms reserved at Dayton hotels near the university and are looking forward to reminiscing on the old days, see the campus today, and relive the memories of those bygone years and yes we are planning a graveyard pick nick for old time sake.