Sexy Savanah

posted by Savanah on Mar 8

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.

posted by Savanah on Feb 27

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.

posted by Savanah on Feb 26

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?

posted by Savanah on Feb 16

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.

posted by Savanah on Feb 14

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!

posted by Savanah on Feb 8

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.

posted by Savanah on Jan 28

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.

posted by Savanah on Jan 21

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!

posted by Savanah on Jan 19

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.

posted by Savanah on Jan 19

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.

posted by Savanah on Jan 18

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!

posted by Savanah on Jan 15

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.

posted by Savanah on Dec 28

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.

posted by Savanah on Dec 14

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.

posted by Savanah on Dec 1

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.

posted by Savanah on Nov 30

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.

posted by Savanah on Nov 30

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.

posted by Savanah on Nov 24

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.

posted by Savanah on Nov 23

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.

posted by Savanah on Nov 23

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.

posted by Savanah on Nov 19

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.

posted by Savanah on Nov 18

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.

posted by Savanah on Nov 17

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.

posted by Savanah on Nov 16

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.

posted by Savanah on Nov 3

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.

posted by Savanah on Nov 3

Nick could eat a lot of food. His mother loved to cook and he developed this skill from her, which made him a real catch for many women. And being a good Italian boy he loved to cook for others. Another thing Nick loved to do was go out to eat. This was his third favorite activity following eating his mothers cooking and cooking food himself. However, sometimes it was just nice to go in and sit down and have someone else do all of the work and all of the clean up. That was his least favorite activity, though his mother firmly instilled the philosophy that every mess must be cleaned, whether it was in the kitchen or life. Nick’s mother also believed in the value of the lessons that could be learned from messes, though she insisted that the learning came through the cleaning up process. So, she reasoned that if you never cleaned your messes you would walk through life being completely ignorant. And she would not stand for her little Nicky to walk through life being ignorant.

And Nick learned well, he always cleaned up his messy and he always made quite a few. He actually reasoned that this was a positive thing and must meant that he was pretty wise for all the lessons he learned cleaning them up. However, on that particular Tuesday night, Nick was not in the mood for cleaning or learning so he went to one of his favorite Italian restaurants with a few buddies of his and had a nice meal. Nick’s favorite dish, or at least one of them, was shrimp scampi with a side of pasta. He loved garlic, he loved butter, he loved shrimp and he loved pasta and he especially loved them mixed together. He would often cook scampi on the grill in his backyard for small get-togethers with friends. Nick also had a policy about taking dates to restaurants. He loved to treat his date to a nice meal, but before he would he insisted on making her a candle lit dinner himself.

posted by Savanah on Nov 2

Training a staff in customer service skills can be a complicated endeavor when the basically principles of excellent service are not understood. When developing customer service guidelines for any business it is a good idea to first consult with other companies in your field or genre. Secondly it is important to understand your basic consumer demographic so that some general customer approaches and expectations can be expected. However, this does not mitigate the value and need for cultural awareness understanding and respect for diversity and others. Successful and ethical businesspeople such as Steve Barbarich understand the sometimes intricate dynamics of excellent customer service, which is why their businesses tend to thrive even in difficult economic settings.

Regardless of the type of business or demographic of the target audience, excellent customer service will begin with an un-compromised respect and attention priority for the consumer. And while it does not mean that a staff person must change the rules or even bend them in response to an irate and inappropriate behaving customer, it means that the consumer’s behavior should not direct the course of the staff person’s behavior. It is possible and important to remain respectful even if the staff person believes the customer is not doing the same.

Engaging in a power struggle or attitude competition with a customer can only spell disaster for the encounter. Chances of a purchase being made or continued relationship being established are zero at best and the odds of a complaint getting filed against the staff person escalate. This can affect their job security and the financial stability of the company. However, if a staff person can remain calm and respectful they can often times redirect an irate customer into a positive mood and create a fruitful exchange for both parties. In the worse caser situation where the customer is actually behaving in a threatening or verbally abusive manner proper behavior and response guidelines should be in place for the staff person. This is an extremely rare occurrence, however, and staff people should always intend to rectify and unpleasant situation or interaction.

posted by Savanah on Nov 2

Jaipur is, by any account, a beautiful city.  Its central grid, based on the principles of a mandala, and designed so that the citizens here would be blessed with health and luck, there is a sense of the fantastic here that permeates everything.  It has a lively nightlife, but also offers plenty of quieter diversions, and travelers looking for fun or relaxation will probably find a whole lot of both.  There are plenty of attractions for the young ones, so that they will have plenty to see while they’re here, and there are also plenty of things to do that can take you late into the evening.  There are many things to see and do in Jaipur.  Hotels are plentiful, and there are some magnificent accommodations.

You can find something that will suit every taste, and every budget.  It’s a spectacular feeling to wake up when you’re on vacation, and realize that the day has to offer whatever you might put into it.  Beginning with a splendid local breakfast is a delightful experience, introducing you to some of the finest foods in the region, and it’s always nice to spend time in a local cafe, watching the local culture wake up and begin its daily bustle of activity.  If you’re here in the Spring, you might want to arrange your visit to coincide with the Jaipur Festival.  This is an annual event celebrating the cultural heritage of Jaipur, and is a fantastic thing for visitors of all ages.

It’s sponsored by the Jaipur Virasat Foundation, a non-profit devoted to preserving the cultural diversity in Jaipur.  It is very refreshingly artists-oriented, focusing on those who are working in any of the local traditional arts.  You can see some stunning work in dance, music, and folk theatre traditions come to life, and get to know the local culture from a point of view not generally accessible to outsiders, and see what the artists who work in traditional forms are doing right here at this very moment.

posted by Savanah on Oct 28

Two events are happening in the next couple of days at the Portland Art Museum.  One is an art exhibit and the other is a lecture on architecture.  I am a painter and my brother is an architect so we have planned to take trip, book a room in one of the best Portland hotels, and head to museum for a few days in a row.  “My” exhibit consists of just one painting that will be seen for the first time ever in Portland as the painting rarely makes it out of Italy.

This is a rare opportunity to see this masterpiece of the Renaissance time period by none other than Raphael, “The Woman with the Veil”.  Bring the piece to Portland took over a year’s worth of negotiations between the Portland Art Museum and the Palatine Gallery in Florence, Italy. Raphael was known for his portraits and his still lifes, his balance and his composition.  Raphael used a technique similar to Da Vinci in applying layers of thin paint over a long period of time, which created richness of color and luminosity.  The subject of the portrait is believed to be a woman named Margherita Luti, a model in depicted in many of his works, and also believed to be his long time companion.  The painting will be in the Museum for just over three months, opening night is the 24th of October and she will leave the museum on January 3rd.

The architect to speak is Yung Ho Chang.  This will happen at 7 o’clock on Thursday night.  Yung was born in Beijing, China and studied design and environmental architecture at the University of California @ Berkeley.  In 1993 he moved back to Beijing and began the first independent firm ever in the country of China.  He is not only one of the most influential and innovative architects in his country, but is fast becoming known so throughout the world.  He goes from designing homes to museums and factories.  The firm constructs installation art pieces and builds furniture which combined the contemporary ideas of global harmony and practice with the traditional designs of country.  Both my brother and I are excited as these two men from different times, affect our times so much.

posted by Savanah on Oct 27

The city of San Antonio is set along the banks of the river of the same name.  That River Walk draws many tourists and locals alike year round, for the activities and the festivals in the summer, to celebrations and the festivities that occur throughout the holiday season.  The River Walk extends along the banks of the river for three miles, and offers many different activities from night clubs to restaurants and unique shops.  This river was once intended to be filled and covered with cement, however the city developed it in accordance with strict policies regarding the preservation of the environment, and now the River Walk has become one of the models for urban development and renewal.

The Alamo, is not only the landmark of the city, but a symbol for the country signifying freedom.  This is one of just a few of the cities of Texas that was founded before the state had gained control from Mexico.  Missionaries arrived in 1691 and built a settlement surrounding the Mission San Antonio de Valero.  The city is a mix of cultures, of those that came before Texas was a state, such as the Mexican, the Spanish and the Native American population, added with those who have immigrated in the last hundred years such as the Germans and those from the states of the US.

This mix affects everything from the cuisine found in the restaurants and in San Antonio’s best hotels, as well as the various dialects, art, architecture and music.  There are many other things to see and do in this vibrant city, such as the Market Square farmers market, with vendors selling everything from produce to arts and crafts.  Or for those architecture buffs, a walk through the King William District will give one a look at the brilliant mansions in the Victorian style.  For those traveling with children the Museum of Art and SeaWorld offer interest and fun for both children and adults alike.  The city offers a myriad of historical sites, entertainment opportunities and has become one of the preferred destinations in teh State of Texas.