Turn Five

When I was wondering where to book a hotel in New York, a friend of mine suggested that I find one located close to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, knowing that once I stepped into the museum, I would most likely be spending a lot of time there, and he was right.  I thought it was funny when I was younger, and I did not really understand it when I would see people in movies, just standing in front of one painting for an extending period of time.  I wondered just what they were looking at for so long.

But as I grew older, I became involved with painting, and as such, spent a lot of time flipping through art books at the paintings that were part of museum collections thousands of miles away.  Famous paintings that I did not know if I would ever see in person.  And that first time I walked into the Met, was my first time being in the same place as some of those paintings I had only before seen in photographs.  I found myself in the room with the Impressionist paintings.

I did not have a map of the museum, and I was not really sure of just what work was housed there, and as I strolled along taking it all in, I caught sight of something that took my breath away.  Out of the corner of my eye I saw Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. There were a couple reasons my heart started pounding and hands started sweating.  First, reproductions of this painting are everywhere, on everything from tee shirts to coffee mugs to computer mouse pads.  Non of them do it justice.  I had no idea that the colors were so…so there, so vivid, and that the paint was oh so thick.  The paint was so thick that as I stood there looking at it, I noticed a hair from an oil paint brush.

And this is the second reason my heart was pounding…that hair was attached to the brush that was in Van Gogh’s hand as he laid that paint down.  A man that today, some make jokes about his sanity, or alleged lack there of.  A man that although he was starving, kept on painting.  I must have stood there for an hour, just looking at the brush work, and wondering about the day he painted the piece.  I didn’t realize it until a small girl tugged my jacket and handed me a Kleenex, that I had tears on my cheeks.  I smiled and thanked her, I gestured towards Starry Night and said to her, “Amazing huh?”…and she said, “Truly it is.”  She knew why I was staring at the one painting for so long, she was a NY little girl, and she had one-up on a little girl from a small town in the middle of nowhere.

The West has long been known for its independent thought; it’s certainly true of Texas, and so it’s not surprising that some of the more unusual museums and artifacts in the world may be found in San Antonio.  Long known for The Alamo, its Riverwalk, and luxury San Antonio hotels, the city also contains such unusual sites as the world’s biggest wooden nickel.  Remember the phrase, “Don’t take any wooden nickels”?  It would be almost impossible to take this one, which is thirteen feet and four inches in diameter and five and a half inches thick and weighs a total of two thousand five hundred pounds, over a ton of nickel (no matter if you calculate that in US tonnage [2,000 pounds] or United Kingdom tonnage [2,240 pounds]).  There’s also a mighty big pair of boots in town, too, measuring forty feet tall and thirty-five feet wide, also the world’s largest.

But in all the states, perhaps nothing quite beats Barney Smith’s Toilet Seat Art Museum.  Perhaps it’s not so strange if you consider that Mr. Smith used to be a master plumber; he worked at transforming toilet seat lids into art for over thirty years and has now over 800 pieces of art, which are displayed in a private garage.  Recent reviews of the work from July of 2009 remain enthusiastic about the art and passion that went into it.  Why would one work with wooden toilet seats as an art form?  Mr. Smith started out by looking for a place to mount a deer antlers.  Inspired by the world around him, both personally and internationally.  One toilet seat lid depicts the international time zones and a map of the world, along with the words, “Time keeps ticking wherever you are.”  Another seat contains a real leaf of marijuana and a skull and crossbones to indicate poison, with the words, Stop Drugs, “Say No.”

While you can view them, even take a group tour of the garage, Mr. Smith would not sell the works, considered too personal to part with.  The Chief of San Antonio police has even signed the back of the seat, providing legal permission for the leaf for the purposes of education.

No matter where you choose to go on your visit to San Antonio, whether its to look at big shows, big nickels, painted toilet seats, or more established fare, such as the Riverwalk, the Alamo, and related festivals, you’re sure to have an interesting time.

I know what it means to miss New Orleans.  All it takes is one visit, and the energy there will hook you in.  It’s everything Andrei Codrescu says, and it even has that same mad, manic lyricism that characterizes his descriptions.  There are moments in any visit that are just outrageous, rather impossible to replicated anywhere else on earth, and also very funny.  It’s a funny city.  There are more than a few stories of tragedies that have passed through here, too, of course, and they give a very definite bite to the sweetness here, and that’s probably part of the charm.  There are plenty of luxury hotels in New Orleans that are perfect for anyone with a more discerning taste in accommodations, and plenty of hospitality.

The history of music in the U.S. has its pattern echoed here.  It’s been home to some of the greatest musicians the past century has seen, and the rest of them seem to pass through here at one time or another.  It’s impossible to talk about the city and the music without mentioning the great Buddy Bolden.  He’s considered by most to be the real Father of Jazz, and it’s actually difficult to see exactly why.  His work was never recorded, but everyone who plays the style will admit their enormous debt to him, and his life is as mysterious as the city itself.

His instrument was the cornet, and he played by ear, picking up pieces from memory and then infusing them with other styles, including blues and gospel, and developed something that would change the history of music.  He also died a pauper.  After playing for only a few years, less than a decade, he was hospitalized for dementia related to alcohol, although schizophrenia was also part of the diagnosis.  His story is remarkable, and has been told a few times with deftness, but I personally like Gus Edwards version of his life the best, capturing the elusiveness of the quest to find his traces, along with some fantastic stories about one of the great figures in New Orleans.

For those who harbor any hope of seeing Manu Chao perform in New York City this year, now is the time to start working the bandwagon.  There’s a good deal of public talk on this, and another voice is always welcome.  Especially because it would work beautifully with the populist leanings of this amazing musical artist.  New York seems like the perfect place for him, too.  In the midst of all the fine Manhattan business hotels, there are many different voices working in different mediums, and from any kind of perspective, the city is a barrage of multiple rhythms that don’t stop.

It suits his music perfectly, and it only makes sense that he performs again here as he makes his way around the world.  With things as they are, we need his voice here now more than ever.  The madness in the music has always been the perfect dada response to a world gone wrong.  On the sunniest days, it can make you feel the juiciest rhythms of the soul, combining influences from French and Italian sources, with a spirit that is wholly Latin.  And on rainy days, it can strike a wonderfully absurd chord in the back of the heart, to remind you that laughter is something that no one can ever take away from you, even if it has to be a cackling, insane giggle.

The man is as interesting as his music, which should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with his multi-layered, chaotic, and sometimes surprisingly simple works.  He was born in Paris in 1961, and both of his parents are from Spain.  His formative years were spent in France, and when punk came to town with the Clash, Manu Chao started to find his calling.  He would eventually play as the front man for Mano Negro, where you can hear a lot of the multiple languages and cultural influences present in his recent work.  His solo career has been a very exciting one to watch, earning him the respect of other artists, the music industry, as well as the multiple alternative communities he crosses into and out of with a radical deftness.  It’s a remarkable feat for anyone.  He should play New York.

When you find a room at one of the luxurious hotels around Fremont CA, click here, you will be amazed a the area. There is a lot going on in the surrounding areas. There is always the quick shot over to San Fransisco for a day on the Wharf or out circling Alcatraz. Or you can get a limo and go hit the near by wine country for some beautiful scenery and great wine tastings. Notice I said you could get a limo? Don’t drive or you will be passed out on Coppola’s Winery lawn from all the amazing wineries you won’t be able to keep yourself away from.

There are a few famous people who come from Fremont and still live in the area. Like the amazing and beautiful Kristi Yamaguchi. Her latest project was here very successful season on Dancing with the Stars. She got another win under her belt from that. I am sure that she has had plenty of dance lessons to go with her figure skating career and it showed in this reality TV dance contest. During the season she held the number one spot for six weeks. She had quite the different styles of dances to perform such as the Foxtrot, Mambo, Tango, Jive, Cha-Cha-Cha-, Samba, Viennese Waltz and Freestyle. She danced to songs such as Rio by Duran Duran, Hey Baby by No Doubt and The More I See You.

Her figure skating was the ultimate catalyst in getting her name splashed all over the news. She won the women’s singles in the 1992 Olympics. She won the World Figure Skating Championships in 1991 and 92. She has been inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. She has been a commentator for figure skating events during the 2006 Winter Olympics for NBC out of San Francisco. She worked very hard for many years and that work paid off. The world love to watch her skate and now she is a star from Fremont California.

The Gin Blossoms are coming back to New York again, and this is really good news for their long-time fans.  For the new fans, too, this is a good thing.  I’ve been following them for years, but I know there are those who are just getting to know them from their last cd.  New York is a special place to hear anyone perform, and if the band has a little bit of history here, every show is like a homecoming.  This might not make it to too many eyes before the January show at Outpost in the Burbs, but if you missed it, too bad.  They’ll come back, though, they always do. 

My girlfriend and I (yes, she’s still my girlfriend, and yes, it’s serious, we just haven’t tied the knot yet, and after 18 years don’t see any good reason to) first heard them in Tempe, at Long Wong’s.  It’s weird to think how we can get accommodation in Manhattan and make it one of those long and lovely East Coast weekends.  We used to crash on our friend’s floor, a little house off of Mill avenue in the 1980s.  This was a time when you could hear local bands like the Rundles, who seemed to only play whenever they felt like it.  That was the kind of work ethic we all loved back then, because it meant that we were really living in generation x (before anyone even gave us a name like that). 

In those days, we’d drive up from Tucson to visit friends.  We’d hang out at 6 East, the Beast, which I heard has been closed for awhile now.  Then we’d struggle out of our little pocket of comfort there, saying goodbye to all of the black leather pool players and head down to Wongs.  There were some nights when the Gin Blossoms weren’t there at all, but instead, they’d been magically replaced by a band called the Del Montes.  This was an exact replica, only a lot drunker.  There was also a guy named Elvis, a homeless man they would take care of.  I’d love to see him in NYC, because it might fool me into thinking those days aren’t gone.  But with this new tour, some things remain.

Take your pick of one of the elegant hotels located in Duluth Minnesoda. The best time to visit this city is in the summer. If you go in the late summer you may have a chance to see some of the trees changing color. It is a beautiful sight with combination of the green hills and the grey ocean waters. If you are looking for something to do that may capture your imagination then you may be interested in the Glensheen, the Historic Congdon Estate. It is right along the shores of the great Lake Superior and it was built in 1908. It is a beautiful historical house mansion and it is taking visitors in to tell its stories of the building and the people who lived and worked there.

This mansion was the home of the Congdon family. Chester became a prominent lawyer and investor and he eventually got involved with politics. Clare Congdon, wife, mother and apparently designer. She was the one who worked with all the architects and designers to give this home all of its stately charm. Together they had seven children and that home did become the home of generations of the Congdon family. The last member to live in the home was daughter Elisabeth who lived there until she died in 1977.

Elizabeth’s death is added a final thrill to the home. It looks like her ghost is not at rest. The story is that her adoptive daughter’ Marjorie Congdon’s husband killed Elizabeth and her nurse. Apparently he wanted the money that was left so he took the elderly lady to her death. The nurse was killed for being a witness to the murder. He was convicted of the crimes and put away. Margorie Congdon as of 2007, was still evading the charges. People will drive by at night and see lights going on and off and sometimes there is the figure of a woman standing in the window.

Everyone loves a day at the beach, and as far as family road trips go, I remember traveling across the Southern states as a little girl, in the back of my Grandparentsmotorhome .  We traveled through New Mexico, across the great state of Texas…the great big state of Texas.  Through Louisiana and Alabama and across Florida, until we finally set up camp along the shores of Miami.  When I was a kid I was obsessed with books that described ‘fun facts’ about people, places and things, “Ripley’s Believe it or Not” was one of my favorite.  I waited patiently each year for the new and updated version to come out.

As we set off for our trip, my Grandmother handed me a book of facts, about Miami.  I didn’t know where Miami was, but I knew that that was where we were headed, so I was excited not only to hit the road, but to read my book along the way.  Miami, the word, stems from the Tequestan word Mayaimi which means sweet water.  Looking back and remembering the beach on that first day, I know why that name was applied to the city.

The Banyan tree, a fig tree with large roots that sit above the ground as the tree ages, is indegineous to Miami, and the city competes with the Indian city of Phuket, for the largest and oldest tree, many of the trees live to 300 years old.  Miami has he largest port for cruise ships in the world, and is also the number one ranking international port for import and export.  Miami sits at the South Eastern most corner of the United States, and is the third most popular site of tourist’s destination, behind New York and Los Angeles, in the country.  And, Miami is the only American city to be planned and designed by a woman.

I read off these facts all along our trip, and I am pretty sure the adults were getting tired of hearing me start every sentence with “did you know?…”  My Grandfather treated us to an elegant dinner in one of the luxury hotels along the beach of Miami, as we had been camping out and eating “road food” for a couple of weeks.  And later on in the evening my Grandmother and I walked along the beach, and she asked me to tell her more about Miami.  All I could really say to her at moment was, “did you know?…that I love Miami?”  She smiled and we kept on walking into the sunset.

Seattle is the land go between the Pugent Sound and Lake Washington. It is a major port city where many people spend time on the water in so many different ways. If you are the type who likes to spend time in unique hotels around Seattle there are a few to check out. The city itself is rather unique and eclectic. Creativity and brilliance have made this city truly thrive since it began with the first European settlers arriving in the early 19th century. It was named after Cheif Sealth who was the leader of the Suquamish and the Duwamish Native tribes who were living in the area when the settlers came. It seems he set the tone of the area by being a gracious host and working with the new settlers. The city today is all about working together in community for the good of all who live here.

The early industry in those days was of course timber since there was plenty of it at the time. But there is always a change in demand and so this industry fell out and new ones came in. Today Seattle is a mecca of technology. Bill Gates created the super business of Microsoft in this great city. This has brought brilliant minds from all over the world to live and work here. Another one of the fuels of the city is coffee. Yes, the first time I had a cappuccino was in Seattle right before it was the new decadent beverage to have. Starbucks has become a world renown coffee phenomenon and of course it originated in Seattle. Now when I am visiting places like Baden Baden Germany there is a Starbucks in the old cobbled stone courtyard.

One of the many things to do in Seattle includes some time at the Pikes Place Market. Visitors can spend the afternoon shopping for crafts, flowered, fresh produce and the famous ready to go fresh fish. Another thing to do in Seattle is of course have some lunch in the rotating restaurant up in the Space Needle with its full range view of the area. Seattle’s Underground Tour is also an interesting and entertaining experience to have while visiting this diverse city.

New York is a city of immigrants.  More than any other city in the world, it’s apparent here that everybody, or nearly everybody, comes from somewhere else.  There is a Native population here who are the only ones who can make any claim to being truly local.  There are, of course, plenty of residents who were born here, or could be considered 2nd or 3rd generation New Yorkers, but the vast majority hail from other parts of the world.  This is very good news for everyone, because any visitor here can conceivably be as local anyone else.  In Manhattan, accommodation is the rule of the day, and it’s one of the most fluid and mutable cities in the world.

Cultures and traditions and even languages are adopted and adapted here.  It is also a city that can hold extremely maladjusted people and give them a place to develop their individual talents.  This is where Denis Leary comes in.  Although he is not from here, and in fact, has roots in Boston, and also holds dual citizenship in Ireland and the U.S., making him extremely suspicious and worth watching.  He is enormously volatile, and did not own anything of value until he was 35 years old.  He is also one of the most original and funny voices in the entertainment industry in the U.S.

All of his past and present have been fodder for his unusual stand-up, and his fast-talking, hyper-macho persona is always balanced by a terrifically complex self-effacement.  His sense of humor took the world by storm, making him an overnight sensation after having worked extremely hard for over 15 years to get any kind of attention.  His short spots on MTV, which were really brilliant bursts of intelligent criticism of the culture at large, caused enough people to wonder if he might have something to say.  It turns out, of course, that he did.  Denis Leary has done a number of films, television shows, and comedy albums.  He has also contributed to Firefighter causes for many years, after having lost a cousin and close friend in Massachusetts in 1999.  He’s an American Original, with multiple influences, and rock and roll is probably the most apparent.

Last year, while wondering the streets of Edinburgh sometime around midnight, I decided to take a “ghost tour”.  Many tours are offered so late at night in that Scottish city, adding to the lure and the lore, for what is better in the middle of the night than a really great ghost story?  I joined a group that was headed up by a fine Scottish gentleman, but his accent was just out of my understanding, and lo and behold I ended up on a “torture” tour.  I met that night though, another American.  While we listened to the stories of the various sites, we formed a bond…a need for a ghost story bond.  And when we found that we were actually from the same city in the US, we planned a trip for the coming year, to tour the US and find the sites of the best ghost stories.

Last month we found ourselves plotting out our plans in one of the best San Antonio hotels.  There are many ghost stories to be investigating in the US, and as it turns out, San Antonio has quite a few.  We had discovered online the existence of the Donkey Lady of San Antonio.  She is said to inhabit the south side of the city, around one of the bridges at the junction of Applewhite Road, and Jett Road.  Some stories depict her as a ghost, while others claim that she is of this world, half woman and half donkey.  For the young lovers of the city, she is known to have wreaked havoc by jumping on their cars while they were “parked” too long.

The origins of the Donkey lady are just a varied as the stories about her, and while Chris and I were curious as we “parked”, we were a bit nervous as well.  We had heard that she “honks” the donkey bray, and the best way to catch a glimpse of her, was to honk your horn.  So we pulled over, cut the engine and started honking.  We saw a few shadows in the trees, and laughed nervously as we wondered if she would appear.  We did not see her that night, but next year, we plan to go back once again.  So funny to find someone so close to home, in such a faraway place.  Next year it will be a ghost tour honeymoon, a very cool ending to a story that is still happening.

We live in a fast-paced, technological world that is always looking for a new and more efficient ways of getting the job done. For business owners this often means new ways of marketing their business and product.  It is no longer enough just to have a well-designed, easy to use website.  With millions of websites currently live, it is easy for one to get lost and fall between the cracks.  This is where search engine optimization can help.  Search engine optimization not only increases the websites ranking on search engines such as Google, but it also increases the traffic to the website.  This will help draw in new potential clients as well as advertise to new customer bases.  With an increase in internet and social media site use, marketing has never been easier or more affordable.

However, as with most things, we must take the good with the bad.  With more and more people creating and using blogs and personal sites, one disgruntled customer, or former employee, is all it takes to tarnish a business’ reputation.  In a method similar to the search engine optimization, marketing agencies can begin a process of reputation management.  This involves increasing the ranking of positive sites in an effort to lower the ranking of the negative.  It is not necessary to wait for those negative sites to pop up.  By beginning this process early, before there are any negative comments, there is less damage control that will need to be done if and when they do show up.

Reputation management is a method that is often used by politicians, celebrities and other high profile people.  If an effort to save their businesses, positions and endorsements they utilize the methods of reputation management.  However there are cases, such as Tiger Woods, where there is not much that can be done.

Someone once told me that I would either love New York or hate it. I both loved it and hated it. I found the cities raucous atmosphere intoxicating, but at the same time, seeing Starbucks on every corner, which to me typifies capitalism gone rampant. I fell in love with the people of New York, they are a fantastic bunch and as diverse as they can be, they all have a ‘gene se qua’ that’s quiet appealing. I found it hard to fault how abruptly rude they can be, because they just tell it like it is, which I appreciated and found it to be quite endearing.

I also found out that no matter where you go in New York there is always something happening. On my first day here, I took a walk from one of the top New York hotels, where I was staying, through Central Park. It was a Saturday, so Central Park was bustling with joggers, walkers, sunbathers, in-line skaters, and all kinds of sports being played ranging from hockey, to softball, to ultimate Frisbee.  The softball games I found to be the most entertaining with all the yelling going on between the umpires and the players. Later, I decided to change avenues, but I had no idea that I would feel like I changed continents! There were thousands of dancing and cheering Latinos all lining the street. It really took me aback for a few minutes. Someone finally told me that I was witnessing the Dominican Republic Day parade. It felt like all of New York was participating, there were police, firemen, politicians and tons of others parading down the street.

I did visit the Statue of Liberty, a Burger King, the Empire State Building, the what was the World Trade Center, Manhattan Bridge, Times Square and rode the subways from end-to-end without getting mugged. I guess the city really is cleaned up. Amazing. Walking the city, I found to be a real treasure as I absorbed the atmosphere and watched as New Yorkers went about their day. It was so different than how T.V. portrays the city. It’s so much better.a

In the economy of today, the future belongs to people who are competent, caring and willing to learn.  Companies throughout the world are realizing that by continuing employee training programs through the recession they are ensuring that when the global financial situation recovers, their staff and their company will be ahead of the game.  That is what the concept of investment is all about, setting one’s sights on future possibilities, and making certain that the actions one takes today, allow for those possibilities to become realities.

In the continuance of education, in marketing, communication and sales training, is key to making certain that your business will not only survive the current economic climate, but that your employees will not only become more knowledgeable and productive, but so as you invest in them, they too will invest in you.  Technology and materials are plentiful, and very easy to access…what is not so easy to access are employees that are loyal and sufficiently satisfied with the work in which they do, but taking the time to train and offer classes which will benefit them, says quite simply that not only do you care about your company, but you care about them as well.  Knowledge and statistics are good, but they will not hold up for true achievement of long term goals.

In order for long term goals to be attained, a glimpse into the future must be something that all can see, that all can visualize.  It is this kind of innovative vision that will set one company apart from another.  Looking not only at what is in the now, but towards future products, future projects, and future services to be offered.  Seeing the future relies not only on knowledge, but in-depth knowledge and wisdom, taking from today and looking towards tomorrow.  This involves the investment in the skills of one’s employees.  It will be these companies that we will see next year, and in the next five years.  Investing in one’s employees, is one investment which will pay off, in more ways than one.

In the south of Italy, overlooking the Bay of Naples, Sorrento with its 16,500 inhabitants lies at the south-eastern part of the Circumvesuviana rail line, which places it within easy reach of Pompeii.  Spend your nights in one of the hotels Sorrento accords its guests, imbibe limoncello for which the city is known (made from water, sugar, lemon rinds, and alcohol), and enjoy the views of Naples, but by day take a trip to the ruins of one of the most famous disaster sites in the history of the world: Pompeii.

Famously buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D., Pompeii was considered a kind of pleasure city.  When the volcanic eruption collapsed the roofs and buried the city under sixty feet of pumice and ash, it was lost to history for one thousand seven hundred years, before it was found again in 1748.  Some of the discoveries made then must have shocked the archaeologists, because they kept hidden a number of finds involving a high number of brothels and erotic art.  Today, the city remains one of the most popular reasons to go to Italy (in recent years, records suggest that over two million people visit the site), and is only one of the trips possible if you stay in Sorrento.

Back from the day trip, the nights can be spent in fine restaurants or cafes.  The city offers interesting walking tours as well.  Medieval buildings abound, from architecture throughout the centuries, with examples from the eleventh, thirteenth, fourteenth centuries, as well as the eighteenth and nineteenth, contained in such places the Piazza Tasso or the Palazzo Correale, and inside the Cathedral of San Fiolippo and Sangiacomo.  Note, too, that in addition to limoncello, Sorrento is known for its fine wood inlays and marquetry.  If you take a look inside one of its museums, for example the Museo Bottega della Tarsia Lignea, you’ll find a number of 19th Century marquetry furniture.  Most of all, though, Sorrento is a place to relax and enjoy yourself.

The world tennis star Andrew Murray is only twenty-two years old and has already achieved more than what most professional players will throughout their entire career. This is an impressive status and Murray himself does not seem to be satisfied with the level he has reached. In the last year alone he has made progress on his clay court game, which has always been second to his hard court playing. He has won championships and is recognized throughout the world. Last year, in 2008 he was second to Roger Federer, finishing as the runner up in the US Open.

Murray plays right handed, backhand and two handed and is excellent with aggressive plays as well as swiftrank recovery both on the court and off. He was ranked as number two in the world during the summer of 2009 until he was unable to move beyond the fourth round in the US Open which placed him back to the world ranking of number four. It is through extreme efforts and determination that will improve that status in the future and the discipline to do so is owned by few players. This is in part what the recovery perspective deals with and is part of a continued career high progression.

He won his first major award when he was twelve years old and participated in the Orange Bowl. Winning this prestigious event gained him a high level of respect and attention. He later moved to Barcelona, Spain to study at the Schiller International School. These early years taught Murray his first sacrifice needs regarding choosing such a huge goal and life ambition. Moving away from his family and friend was difficult and so would be the opponents he would come to face on the court throughout his career. Sacrifice, discipline, endurance, and unbelievable hard work are the actual elements behind the perceived glamorous life of this and other sports stars. Murray has what it takes and it will be interesting to watch him throughout his career.

Den Haag Netherlands has been a city of turning for a very long time. So many things have happened and continue to happen to day. I has become quite an important city since its small beginning. It makes a worldly contribution every single day. If you find yourself here at one of the fine hotels Den Haag has and are looking for more information there is a lot to be found. Like many other cities of Europe there is that fantastic blend of old and new in everything. If you are from the young America then it is so amazing to stand in the streets of a city that is been developing for centuries.

The Hague, as it is also known as, has some great museums and buildings to admire. If you go down to the political center of the city you will see what I mean with the blend of old and new architecture. There is the charming bricks, arches, domes and windows of older days mixed in with modern sculptured steel buildings. And what goes on in these buildings is very important to peace and justice for the whole world. Take a guided tour of the Binnenhof buildings. There you will see the Dutch parliament buildings, the Hofvijver and the Hall of Knights, Ridderzaal.

Next you have the museums and art buildings. The Maritshuis is an old mansion built in the 17th century. It is now an art gallery that has many Dutch and Flemish paintings. There you will find some art work created by Rembrandt, Vermeer and Rubens. It is an amazing building to see. The Escher Museum is also inside an old building that was a Palace. Inside, is an exhibit of famous Dutch artist M.C. Escher.  He was famous for his work in tessellations and impossible objects. He uses many art mediums to create some eye catching art.

Philadelphia is a must visit city if your interested in the early history of the United States. This was one of the cities that had housed some of the most important people and their decisions that shaped the country to become as great as it is today. So find a fabulous hotel, Philadelphia has many to choose from, and head over to the Independence Visitor Center. This is the ultimate concierge of history for the city. It is smack in the heart of downtown Historical Philadelphia. It is a great place to get information on what happened in the city and were to see the landmarks and museums to check it all out. It is really close to the Liberty Bell Center, the National Constitution Center and of course the not to be missed Independence Hall. You can get tickets for all the main attractions and get a reminder history lesson so you can really make the most of what you see by what you know.

The Liberty Bell Center is the new home of the Liberty Bell. There you will find a wonderful display of historic documents, images and facts about the Bell. You will get to see if any Myths you know of are true or not. Independence Hall is a great view into the place were the lawyers battled out the separation from the King. The Assembly Room is set up the way it was during the Constitutional Convention. The original ink stand used to sign the Declaration sits along the side of the original draft. If you need a patriotic boost continue on to the National Constitution Center. This is were a very influential four page document, the Declaration of Independence is presented and explored with artifacts, interactive displays, high-tech exhibits, music, and acting all to drive the truth and message that We the People stands for. So find a great hotel, Philadelphia has plenty of them, and set out to be inspired by the founding of this country.

Singapore has had it’s land occupied since the eleventh century. With so many rulers in the world for thousands of years, it would not be possible to go without someone trying to take over Singapore. Every major Empire has tried to take this town/city. Early on there was the Srivijayan’s and the Portuguese fought over the area in 1613. The Dutch tried there hand at taking the city and did gain control of the port. It was apart of the Dutch taking many ports in the area creating a monopoly in the trade of spices. The British were of course next to come and stake their claim to the area. A British port was established by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles in 1819. That is when the city started to become more important and the port feed that growing trade business.

The more recent big battle for the city was when the Japanese were trying to build their empire. The city was bombed with daily air raids where many civilian places were destroyed. Many people died while they took the city. The Japanese won and 1942 to 1945 was a very dark time for the city of Singapore. The Japanese Occupation took its toll on the city. The Japanese army was very hard on the local people of the city with harsh punishments. So many horrible acts were committed by the troops especially the military police. They were the ones responsible for the Sook Ching Massacre.  This execution took 25,000 to 50,000 peoples lives in Singapore and Malaya.

After they Japanese surrendered to the allies in 1945, the British came back into the city only to find it destroyed. Most of the infrastructure was gone. The people were hungry and poor. It took several years to bring the economy and city back to previous levels. The pain left in the people against the British for not being able to protect them stirred up an independence. In 1946 the Straits Settlement was torn up and Singapore finally became a separate Crown Colony. Come to and stay at one of the new Singapore spas and see what this beautiful city has become.

In today’s market there are so many options for outdoor kitchen designs, structured and additional elements that cooking out in one’s one backyard has become as diverse as dining in the best barbeque restaurant. In addition these great outdoor grills and kitchen areas add a great deal to the overall ambiance of any backyard design and they serve as the perfect place for family gatherings, birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, social gatherings and holiday parties. Obviously the list could go on and on. However, with just the options mentioned it becomes clear that investing in a backyard kitchen can actually save a household a great deal of money in the long run.

So, realizing all of the benefits of an outdoor kitchen is the easy part. The next step, which includes making the major decisions, planning the area design as well as choosing what all to include, becomes a bit more complicated. Many outdoor kitchen countertops and islands include built in bbq grills, which makes some of the decisions a lot easier. The built in grill is incredibly useful for all aspects of cooking and is conveniently located in the already established countertop or island design.

These grills are also easy to maintain and they make the ideal place to cook a quick hamburger or hotdog meal, or to be a little more elaborate with kabobs and other options. It is easy to prepare the food and all the ingredients right there on the counter next to the grill and in many ways this is a more convenient cooking option than what exists in many indoor kitchens. Don’t be surprised if after having decided on an outdoor kitchen model the family ends up spending more time in the backyard than in the house. And when the great built in grill is considered with other elements such as a fireplace or large screen television, spending time in the backyard becomes utterly irresistible.

Our final stop of our trip, and indeed for the day was to the resort of Sentosa Island. To reach the island, we had to take a cable car located at the top of Mt. Faber, across the bay, then go through a building, go across the bay again and then down to the island. The view from the cable car was stunning, plus the cable cars bounced around that it almost felt like a ride in an amusement park.

Once at Sentosa, we headed directly to one of the best Sentosa, Singapore hotels where we had reservations and checked in, but before we got there, we were greeted by this massive Merlion statue, apparently it’s the emblem of Singapore. It was huge, towering over us like a snake mountain, we were in awe with all the neon lighting and LEDs brilliantly shining forth. Truly skating on the line of tackiness and wonderment. We wondered if the rest of Sentosa was bordering on that same knife’s edge. After we checked into our hotel, we headed out to the main Boulevard where there were fountains and sculptures, and these too were all lit with an astounding array of incandescent sparkles of luminosity. Frankly, I found it marvelous and great fun.

When we reached the end of the Boulevard, we found several pubs, which we took full liberty to stretch out on the beach with some ice cold lagers. If was our reward for a hard day at playing tourist. We chatted and relaxed before we checked out this audio-visual spectacular show called ‘The Song of the Sea.’ At least that’s what we were told. But, really, the show was, well, lame. The actors mimed the soap-opera story and the songs were pretty hard to listen to, but the lasers projecting into the water was great! This laser projection led into a 3D hologramatic effect, which was totally thrilling and entertaining, very nicely constructed. We pretty much figured the ‘Song of the Sea’ must be for children.

This was our final event in all of Singapore. The next day we headed back over to Singapore and to the airport, tired, but happy.

Every peak in Colorado has a town at the bottom of its hill. Every town has a choice of hotels. Colorado is geared up for fun, sport and leisure. Any time of the year you come to visit Colorado you will find something to do. So many things to do that you will really have to decide between some grand adventures. If you fly in you will most likely make it into Denver first. This is of course the big city of the state. Here you can partake in the night life like other modern cities. There is a wonderful music and theatre scene along with some fantastic restaurants and shopping.

The real adventure begins when you get to some of the smaller towns through out the state. Just getting to these many towns you will drive through some of the most glorious majestic scenes you will ever see. This state has it all from the sandy dunes of the east to the snow crusted peaks of the west. From the high desert of the south to the highest peaks in the north. People come from all over the world to see and experience this amazing state. Colorado’s Pikes Peak was the inspiration for the poem by Katharine Lee Bates which was published in a church periodical on one July 4th day in 1895. Samuel A Ward put his music, which was the old hymn O Mother Dear, to Bates’s poem and published the morphed America the Beautiful in 1910. This now being one of the most patriotic song of America. It even sits in for The Star-Spangled Banner  now and then.

Pikes Peak can be visited out of the town of Colorado Springs just south of Denver. There is a tram that will takes visitors to the top. However Mount Elbert is the tallest peak in Colorado. Your gonna have to get to it from Leadville which is nestled in to the mountains nice an snug.

I was not really sure what I wanted when I walked into a Next Day Blinds Virginia store.  I explained to the sales person that I wanted to update the look of my apartment, and needed a bit more privacy from the people walking by on the busy street outside my kitchen window.  I had never been in before, but a good friend of mine recommended that I take my business there as not only did she have a great experience shopping with the company, she was sure that they would be able to help me come to a decision about the not only the various designs, but the colors as well.

The years of experience of the staff, has given this company a bit extra, extra in the way that they provide customer service, and what they have to offer, through actively working with so many different people and clients over the years, is really something special.  As soon as I walked in the door, I really felt as though the sales person was there not simply to just sell me some blinds but to make certain I was going to leave completely and thoroughly satisfied.   She suggested that the best blinds for my kitchen and my bathroom would be smaller, mini-blinds as they fit into the smaller spaces much better, and she said, that the blinds made from vinyl are very easy to clean.  We then took a look at the colors.

I had just finished painting my apartment, and happened to have the color swatches in my bag, and she took the time to look over the different shades, and we decided on contrasting colors for the bathroom and the kitchen.  We then moved on to my front room, the painting studio.  I really needed to be able to control the light coming in through the windows, and she suggest some shades that were made from a very thin material, which would let light in, but not create the slatted shadows across my paintings.  When I left Next Day Blinds, concerns that I’d had about my little place vanished, and I knew that once those window coverings were installed, I would be happy to call that tiny apartment, “home, sweet, home”.

New York is full of incredible art galleries and exhibit spaces. Work for famous artists as well as the latest generation of up and coming innovators is displayed and scene here. There are examples of the avant-garde experimental scene as well as the most accessible mainstream and popular works. The fact that tourists visit the city to see one of the current Broadway hits is well known thought it is also extremely common for the guests staying in one of the best hotels Manhattan to be in the city to visit some of the art galleries. It is also common for many people to enjoy visiting various galleries during the day while attending a major Broadway musical at night. It’s important to remember to eat, if you’re one of those always on the go people and many of New York’s restaurants cater to the pre-theatre crowd.

The Gagosian Gallery, owned by Larry Gagosian has become one of the leading contemporary art galleries in the world. It has seven locations and four of those are in the United States. Of those four, three of them are in New York City. The gallery has gained a solid reputation for curating high quality and museum ready shows. It has shown the work of some of the top practicing artists and has also represented unknown artists who have demonstrated amazing skill and high quality works.

The New York spaces have current exhibits that range in genre and subject matter. The location at 980 Madison Avenue is currently featuring the sculpture work of CY Twombly. It also has a current exhibit titled Modern Masters, which features the work of Pablo Picasso and David Smith. The work of Roger Ballen is also being featured at this location in an exhibit titled Boarding House. The exhibit is a collection of photographs that were taken between 2004 and 2008. The work is exclusively in black and white and Ballen is known for using photography to evoke the essence and core sensations of the human psyche.

There is more than one thing to do and one place to go in or around Miami Florida, but there is definitely only one place called Monkey Jungle. This amazing establishment is incredibly entertaining, engaging, fun and educational. It is a one of a kind monkey encounter and leaves many guests with an entirely knew perspective on non-human primates. The company logo states that this is the place where the humans are cages and the monkeys run free. This of course is in reference to maintaining safety standards because it is true that these monkeys are free. Many of the guests who stay in one of the hotels Miami Florida enjoy a trip to Monkey Jungle as part of their visit.

The jungle began in 1933 when animal behaviorist Joseph DuMond set free six monkeys out into the South Florida hammock. The original intention was simply to study their adaptive behavior patterns and that event has grown and transitioned into three generations worth of the Java Troup. The jungle has helped to evolve zoological perspectives on facility development, structure and design. It remains to be one of the few existing protected habitats for endangered species and it is also the only one that allows the general public to explore it.

The Java monkeys are incredibly interesting to watch and many of the visitors are impressed with the diving and fishing skills. There are scheduled feedings along the riverbanks and mangrove swamps that demonstrate the water skills of these monkeys and the spectators love to watch them as they dive into the water and retrieve fresh fruit. Another feature of Monkey Jungle is the promotion of awareness of and appreciation for some of the species. During their visit the audience is introduces to the orangutans and gets an inside view of their natural daily lifestyle. Most people walk away surprised by and impressed with their spontaneous antics. Monkey Jungle his home to a total of thirty species and works hard to protect and conserve endangered species such as the Golden Lion Tamarin, which is native to the jungles of Brazil.

One of the many design ideas to consider when choosing to install your own hot tub, is if you are going to put it outside, which garden should you surround it with?  Well, in the desert of Arizona, that is something we consider no matter what.  The water it takes to keep plants and trees alive in the summer, when the are not native to our environment, is…well, a lot.  Sometimes in the middle of August, no matter how much you water, you will lose some of your favorites to the heat, and sometimes just in the matter of a day or two.

Add to that restrictions that are placed on watering your gardens or lawns, in order to conserve the water of the Colorado River, and careful landscape planning is a must.  So when you are planning where to put your spa, and considering the design of your garden, many of your questions will be answered by contacting the staff at choosehottubsdirect.com.  Their knowledge and experience will help with those tough decisions, and put your mind at ease.

Some of the cacti of the Southwest can actually add color, seriously, they are more than oddly shaped and prickly.  One of the most beautiful blossoms I have seen is that that sits atop the Opuntia aciculata, or more commonly known as the Prickly Pear.  This particular species offers up stunning and vibrant blooms and is perfect to enhance the beauty of any desert, cactus garden.

Mix this in with a few of the standard species of Prickly Pear which sport yellow blooms, and the warmth of your hot tub will be reflected in the visual surroundings.  These plants will grow to just about three feet in height, and for a hot tub or spa that is installed in the ground, they will provide the perfect private desert oasis.  Many of the mesquite trees will provide shade and covering, but be aware of their droppings, of the pods and their needle like leaves, as these can be a bit of trouble when keeping your new spa clean.

Carley went to London as part of her school’s drama club. It was a special summer college credit trip that she had one a scholarship for and was incredibly excited to go. Aside from the long plane flight the moment the trip began it was filled with excitement and some unexpected thrilling encounters. It began at Heathrow Airport in London. Carley was standing in a long line and was exhausted when she noticed a small crowd of people gather in one area near what she assumed was an exit. Suddenly two people moved aside and she had clear view of Sir Elton John. She was sure it was him and just as she turned to get her friend June’s attention, he disappeared out of sight. June, of course, didn’t believe her so he asked the nearest airport assistant if it was him. He simply replied that he could not comment on anyone’s identity. June laughed and called her friend crazy. To this day Carley is certain that she saw Elton John there.

After making it through the airport the small group of students and their drama coach settled into their rooms in a quaint hotel London. Part of their trip included participating in a workshop with the Royal Shakespeare Company and this meant a trip out to Stratford-upon-Avon. This was incredibly exiting for the students as well as the drama coach and the day would include a tour of the Shakespeare’s house. Meanwhile, the following day, the day before they would attend the workshop, they planned to tour the Globe Theatre in London. This was a rebuilt version of the original Globe Theatre that Shakespeare built and worked it. It was made of some of the same materials and wood that his original theatre, called The Theatre, was made from. The group would be seeing a production of Romeo and Juliet and afterward they would discuss some of the themes of the play and approaches taken by the actors in performing in it. This was definitely and exciting and educational summer trip for Carley and her fellow students.

If you thought Australian food hasn’t improved beyond the Vegemite sandwich or boiled, salted beef, then you haven’t had a chance to check out the Taste Festivals in Australia, featuring some of the finest cuisine local restaurants have to offer.  In March, there will be a Taste of Sydney, but the most recent festival has been the one in Melbourne, and in case you missed it, here are a few words about what you might find the kinds of cuisine now offered, a look, perhaps, at what you might find next year if you decide to fly in and check into one of the luxury hotels Melbourne Australia has to offer its visitors.

Thanks to Geoff, I didn’t have to pay a thirty dollar entry, but it looked as if there were a great deal of complimentary tickets, because there was a sign that reminded folks to validate any free tickets.  Still, we paid about sixty dollars in order to buy the food we wanted, so it wasn’t inexpensive; however, it was a great opportunity to get a taste of what all the restaurants in Melbourne are serving — and it’s a far cry from the aforementioned Vegemite and beef.  Here’s a sampling of the cuisine we had that day:
Lamb Kustilji which is lamb ribs, crispy, with spices and roast nuts, yogurt, and lemon.  Really enjoyable dish to eat while standing; we had cuttlefish, slow-cooked, with chickpeas and chorizo, which was very welcome, but I think I would have liked the braised beef, accompanied by the paprika & saffron mixed with potatoes.   One of the items I was really anticipating was a black cod with miso, and that was everything I wanted it to be.  Amazing food.

If you want to sample the cuisine of a particular city in Australia, these Taste Festivals are certainly a way to go.  I came across so many different types of food, including a favorite of mine, a sandwich called the char siew pau — a steamed bun, spring onion with hoisin sauce and pickled carrot — which sounds odd, I know.  Maybe I do have different tastes than everyone else.  But I guarantee everyone might enjoy the chocolate delice, with basil, coconut and a salted caramel popcorn.  You couldn’t eat a lot of it, it was so rich, but excellent anyway.

It was a terrific way to spend an evening in Melbourne.

To Timothy, Fort Worth, Texas definitely seemed like a place where the cowboys ruled and the buffalo roamed. He was born and had been raised in Chicago and had never been to the great state of Texas prior to his trip there with his wife to visit her brother. Timothy, who had strong symbolic imagery associated with the city of Fort Worth imagined Diane’s brother Buck to pick them up from the airport in his Stetson and chaps. Diane was about to take offense to the stereotype when she realized that Timothy actually respected the archetype and it was something of a thrill for him to get to go to Texas. Still, she thought, it just doesn’t excuse his tremendous naiveté.

When they met Buck at at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Timothy was slightly disappointed that he wasn’t wearing a Stetson after all. However, as soon as they sat down in his Chevy Silverado, Buck put on his rugged Resistol hat and Timothy gave Diane a slight nudge. He drove the couple to his favorite steak house and tried to make one last insistence that they stay with him at his house. Diane was firm though and did not want to be a burden to her brother and his family and insisted that they keep their reservations with their luxury Fort Worth hotels resort.

That night the two families got together for an evening out on the town. Timothy was impressed with Buck’s hosting abilities and really provided the couple with a great tour of the city. Timothy quickly began to realize his misguided illusions about Fort Worth being the wild west and dismissed is expectations to witness a train robbery. Nevertheless he and Diane had a great time there. And Timothy thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated Fort Worth for the city that it is. On that first evening Buck took them to the Sundance Square area of downtown. They had a great time in this vibrant community and danced in a couple of the nightclubs. Timothy had a great time and knew he would want to visit again soon.

Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State, has been making her rounds through out the world. She has been met in many cities of many country’s with a lot of security. Delhi India hotels have had their eye on the highest fortress of all, the Taj Palace, where she stayed. On top of the red carpet, the palace beefed up their security for her stay. They brought in the local police, national security guards and even the special forces to conduct deep searches of all coming in and out of the fortress.

On here visit here, Hillary Clinton met with many Indian leaders. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Minister S M Krishna where two of the main meetings she had. Getting there was a crazy planning extraviganza from the plane flight to driving around the city. The plane came from Mumbai. It was a special air plane that had layers of security around it. There were 2,000 staffers from the local police and the NSG placed at the Taj Palace and along the path she traveled. They kept her movement a secret by trying to always change the plans for the routes she traveled. Of course, the security form the US was always with her as well. They always sent teams of security to the cities ahead of her arrival to survey the areas and places she will be going.

The security forces both local and from the U.S. had taken part in many drills at the Taj Palace. The defiantly accomplished there goals in keeping Mrs. Clinton safe during her visit. She took the time to go to the Delhi University before she met with top officials. She did get up in front of a few select students and professors and gave a lecture at the Convention Hall in the Old Vice Regal Lodge. This was an event you needed an invitation to get in. Of course, attendees still needed to get past the dog squad.