201 Street

On most days, the idea is to keep your ship afloat, but on December 30th of 2009, right before the end of the decade, the ship known as the Sea Taxi was towed to a spot off Key Biscayne and sunk, simultaneously changing its name to the Ophelia Brian.  It became the biggest ship ever deliberately sunk to become an artificial reef in Miami-Dade County for the sport of scuba diving.  This ship was originally constructed in 1965, forty-five years ago, by J.J. Sietas in Hamburg, Germany.  The 210 foot vessel was christened Hoheburg, and has had a number of name changes over the years — the Marianne C., the Wilma, the Black Sea, the Ocean Breeze 1 — but ended its life above water as the Sea Taxi.  Today, the Ophelia will serve as an artificial reef, which will provide another place for recreational diving, for eco tourism, even for fishing to the locals at home in Miami and the travelers in that city’s hotels.   Previously, two other ships were sunk as artificial reefs — the Herbert Horn Type 458, sunk in 1984, and the Marie Horn Type 451, sunk in 1976.  Below the surface of the water, their names changed, too, to Ultra Freeze and Deep Freeze.

These deliberately created wrecks will last for decades, and furnish a home for corals and marine fish, in addition to the opportunities made possible for fishing and diving.  South Beach Dive and Surf is one of a number of sea diving companies that enable you to visit and explore these artificial reefs.  You’ll find the PADI Five Star facility in the center of the fashionable South Beach area and within an easy walk to restaurants and hotels and other popular tourist sites.  Established in 1995, they boast an experienced staff that will help you make your dives, according to your own level of experience.  If you’re into diving, or know someone who is, this is an excellent way to explore a side of Miami most people don’t get to see, the world of Miami underwater!

While I wanted a tattoo really bad, the trip we planned in Florida would’ve prevent me from doing any swimming or diving, so we left the tattoo parlor and returned to South Beach. We walked around Miami Beach, checking out all the Art Deco area and taking in all the cafes and restaurants. We were lucky that the sun was shining, because later in the day thunderstorms began to brew. We heard later that a tornado touched down only a few miles away from our hotel in West Florida!

While we were walking around South Beach, we were offered free money! We knew there would be a catch, and there was, it was a ‘Time-Share’ ploy. If we listened to a 90 minute talk we’d get $80! We thought what could it hurt, and it turned out to be better than we thought, after waiting for about 50 minutes, we were told there was no representative available to talk to us, so we got our $80 and a ride back to South Beach – easy money!

The next day, we rented a car and headed down to the Florida Keys. We stopped in Homestead, which is on the east section of the Everglades National Park, that’s when we heard about a hurricane heading our way, we decided to head down to the Keys anyways and if a hurricane happens, we’ll deal with it then. But, the authorities had other plans, they began to evacuate all the residence and the tourist from the Keys, so we had to change our plans.

We drove all night and well into the morning back to our hotel, we weren’t too upset because we’ve been to the Keys before. Maybe now it would be a good time to get that tattoo, since the hurricane has made it awful to go to the beach!

The Tempe Little Theatre has been a standard city institution since it was originally established in 1971. It is also the city’s only all volunteer non-profit company and was founded by people with a passion for theatre who wanted to establish an affordable, yet quality production company for the community. This original desire remains in its productions today and the theatre is popular with residents of Tempe and the great Phoenix area as well as with tourist who are in town and considering entertainment options near the Mill Avenue area. Information is available regarding great places to stay in Tempe and in turn the hotels should have information on the Tempe Little Theatre and the Tempe Center for the Arts in which it is located.

The theatre is located just north of the main old town attractions and is close to the Tempe Town Lake. It has a standard season structure of four plays per year and in recent years the company has focused on presenting a selection of classic comedies as well as musicals, which seems to be fitting for the times and continues to build a strong audience base. TLT is located near Arizona State University and students are frequently interested in participating in the production process. They also form part of the audience base.

One of the progressive elements of TLT is its commitment to the needs and interests of the community and to consistently offer quality entertainment at affordable prices. All members of the community, regardless of their extent of theatre experience and training are invited to participate in the production process. The company’s production of the hit musical Sweet Charity will open next month. And it will be followed by a production of the satirical comedy The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife, by Charles Busch. This is scheduled to run June 4 through the 20th. Tickets can be purchased at the theatre’s box office an more information on the productions and performance dates can be acquired as well.

Thanks to Bob, My husband and I got to attend the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Plus, thanks to Bob, our Burbank hotel is great! He booked it for us, since we didn’t know which one would be the best. The Tonight Show was one reason we are here in California, my husband, for the longest time, has been wanting to see a live taping. Bill Maher was one of the guests and we had no idea who he was, but he was hilarious! We thought he was one of the funniest men we’ve ever seen, and he’s so correct with everything he says, we really appreciated how he says everything we were thinking, but he says out loud and with a good sense of humor.

We weren’t allowed to take pictures during the taping of the show, or even afterwards, but we did manage to get our picture taken with Jay Leno! The studio will send us the photo, we just hope it turns out well. Anyways, we had a blast and my husband finally got to see Jay Leno live. But, now he wants to find out where we can see Bill Maher live!

The next day we made it to Universal Studios, and this one we can thank Joy for, she purchased the ticket for us and mailed them to us before we left on our trip around the US. Thanks Joy! We walked around and saw so many cool things. I tried on a Sponge Bob hat and I thought it looked pretty cute, but where would I wear it? There was so many things to try we didn’t know where to start, so we decided to walk around the entire area first. Then pick what we wanted to do first. Our first pick was to go through the House of Horror, I got a little spooked, it was so dark in there. Afterwards we looked at sets from famous movies, like Notting Hill, Jurassic Park and Back to the Future.

We found an ice cream parlor and went in to get water and a scoop of ice cream, both helped cool us down, it was a hot day in Hollywood! Then we went on the Revenge of the Mummy ride, the ride was fun. We would have spent the whole day there, but we had to get back to our hotel and pack up, our next stop was up to San Francisco!

There were a couple of reasons I wanted to explore Nova Scotia. I had been considering moving there after reading so much about it, but had yet to experience it in real life. What interested me was that I had read that the live music scene was incredible, mainly the Celtic and Folk scenes. And the cities that are situated along the coast such as Sydney, Yarmouth, and Wolfville seemed to be calling my name. I had always wanted to live along the coast, so I was going there with intention of finding a great place to rent, and perhaps staying for a little while.

Food is another pleasure of mine and when I got into Halifax, I was overwhelmed with choices as there are more than four hundred restaurants, a very dense concentration choices. The city is very cosmopolitan. I had read that but I still had the idea that it would just feel older, more traditional, I mean the city is almost 300 years old. The Victorian architecture however is mixed in with many funky cafes and pubs, and the plethora of cultural activity gives that city a certain buzz that is modern and happening.

Each night Cape Breton Island has a couple locations where live music is played, folk legends such as Natalie MacMaster, Gordie Sampson, and the Rankins all got their careers going here while their friends, neighbors and families paid their support by dancing the night away. Other live music genres thrive in the city as well, everything from country to hip hop to roots and reggae.

This is a region that is extremely diverse and multi-cultural. I asked a fellow at my hotel for suggestions on how to go about looking for a place to live, as I had made my decision that I did in fact want to spend more time learning the history and getting to know the people of Nova Scotia. He directed me to a property management company called TransGlobe, and I went in and told them what I was looking for. Within a week I made arrangements to have things shipped from the States, as I sat in my brand new, older Victorian apartment overlooking the sea.

Keeping up with the latest trends for home decor is no easy task; some would even say it is impossible. Much like clothes, what is cool and trendy one year will out-of-date the next. With so many styles and designs to choose from it is hard to decide on just the right one; then trying to add that personal touch is enough to give anyone but the best designers a headache. While we all know, or should know by now, that shag carpeting is definitely out, we often feel at a loss when it comes to creating sophisticated modern decor.
The key to designing any room with a modern flare is simplicity. Most modern furniture and accessories that you find will consist of mainly straight lines and geometric shapes. For instance, a modern couch will most likely be a straight bench and backrest, perhaps at an obtuse angle, with simple straight legs. There is not much extra fluff or stuffing added for comfort. Another key design element for modern style is color. Most modern design is based on neutrals, such as black, tan and white; however, bold solids also work as well if they are kept to a minimum. Metallic silvers and golds also compliment the modern style well.
One aspect of modern design that can be particularly challenging is the window blinds. You do not want anything that is going to be so loud that it detracts from the rest of the room. Shades are good choice for a modern room because they are simple, they do not draw too much attention, and they are available in a variety of different colors. You can check out some examples at http://www.nextdayblinds.org/ or visit the Next Day Blinds design center for more tips, ideas, and suggestions.
With so many resources available in stores or online, you are only a few steps away from a modern design that is all yours.

So you get a flat tire. This is an inconvenience but provided you have good spare, and it is not the middle of the night on a lonely desert road, it is a relatively easy problem to solve. You may get a bit dirty, but you will be back on your way in no time. The question then becomes, do you buy a new tire to replace it or can you simply have it repaired or patched up. The answer to this question of course varies on what shape the tire is in, and what it was that caused it to go flat. Many antique tires have inner tubes, just like the tires of a bicycle, and if the tire was simply popped, the inner tube can be replaced.

On the tires of modern car makes and models, such as Nitto tires or Hankook tires, you may need to take the tire to a mechanic shop or a tire store and have the technicians assess whether the tire is too damaged to be repaired. Some times it is obvious, as when you experience a blow out or you see that the tire is gashed or torn. Also, if your tire was worn a bit in the first place, if the tread is shallow or it is showing cracks on the sidewall, it is best to just have it replaced. The best way to assess a tire that has been punctured by a nail or another smaller sharp object, it is recommended that you remove the tire from the wheel. Many times it is easy to the culprit. The shiny head of a screw or nail may be visible. At this time is good to check the rest of the tires as many times they too may have nails and have just not gone flat yet.

There are a couple of ways to fix a puncture hole in a tire. The best way is to take the tire to the shop and have them patch it. The patches work great, and at around $15 they are less expensive than buying a new tire. Another solution is to plug the tire, but this should always be acknowledged as a temporary fix. This is a convenient temporary solution however, as you do not need to remove the tire from the rim. However, once you get to where you are going, or have the time, the best thing to do is to take it in and have the plug replaced with a patch. A flat tire is a pain in the neck, but it does not have to mean the end of the life of the tire.

My wife and I had been visiting a marriage counselor for the past six months. I’m no longer afraid to admit that though I have to admit that I used be a little embarrassed by this fact. Truthfully, I used to think that therapy was kind of ridiculous and I know that attitude might offend some people but I’m actually telling you the honest truth so that you can also understand my change of heart through the entire process of my attitude transition. Well, and there’s also the fact that one of the most beneficial therapeutic moments happened when I went with Joann on a business trip she took to Florida.

Okay, so it’s also true that she had only been asking me to go with her on some of these trips for the last five years, which also happens to be the length of our marriage, and I flat out refused every single time. And who could blame me? Who would want to go on a business trip if they didn’t have to? Well, it turns out they can actually be very fun. We upgraded the business class accommodations that her company provided and spent our time in a luxurious suite, which of course is romantic in its own right.
And one of my previous concerns was that I would be stuck in a hotel room by myself while she was working all day. It turns out that this wasn’t true at all though I could easily have hung out in the hotel Jacuzzi and they also had pool tables in the lounge, where I also could have spent a few hours.

However, while my wife was working I was down at the beach enjoying a beautiful day in the sun and sand. I enjoyed great views and delicious pizza while she worked hard throughout the day. Oh, I definitely got back to the room and was showered and ready to take her out for a nice evening every night, which I think was one of the keys to my continued daily outings. As it turns out I had a great time both day and night. I was able to dance with my beautiful wife well into the evening and relax in the sun during the slow afternoons. And guess what all of those great times cost me? Nothing at all, except the anger and resentment of my wife. She was so grateful that I had come along and was demonstrating some effort in spending quality time together in the evening, she didn’t even realize that it was all win win for me. The best cure for marriage problems is definitely to go with your wife on business trips. The end.

Find a great room with a spectacular balcony over the beach in one of the prestigious Malibu hotels presented here and get out the binoculars. If one would sit on the beaches of Malibu who would they eventually see? Who do fans want to see? How about Robert Downey Jr.. That would be so fantastic. I think is is a brilliant actor and am so glad he as been able to turn his life around and share is wonderful gift with the world once again.

He has been an actor for most of his life making his debut in one of his fathers films when he was five. He stayed busy in the industry every since. He was mixed in with the group of young actors of the 80′s called the Brat Pack in the film Less Than Zero. The official members of the Brat Pack included fellow stars like Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Judd Neson, Molly Ringwald, Andrew McCarthy, Anthony Michael Hall,Demi Moore and Ally Sheedy. In the 90s he put out some great performances with film like Chaplin for which he gained a nomination for Best Actor with the Academy Awards for his role playing Charlie Chaplin.

The last few years of the 90s he had a hard time keeping himself together which was heartbreaking. But his has triumphed over his demons for a while now and has come back with vengeance taking on amazing role of Iron Man were his performance was brilliant. Tropic Thunder was a crazy comedy but Downey’s roll was the one that really took on a maturity to perform correctly. He once again pulled it off. Sherlock Holmes was also a fantastic fit for him, he chooses his roles well. I am really excited about Iron Man 2 coming out and I sure hope that he can continue to hold his life in his own hands.

There are quite a few things I hadn’t thought of about brakes. I have been reading our two car repair manuals, just so I can talk a little more shop with my husband since he has become interested in maintaining our own cars. All car owners know that it is important to keep your breaks serviced. It says in the Pontiac Sunfire repair manual to remember to also check your parking break and actually walks through how to adjust the break itself. Each model’s parking brake is different I found out when I looked into it in the jeep grand cherokee repair manual for our other vehicle. I don’t understand most of the difference to be honest, but that is what I get for delving into something without understanding all the basics.

Another thing about the brakes I didn’t understand was why ninety percent of the brakes is in the front of the car. This results in the majority of the brake pads you go through are in the front of your car also. This was never the impression I got from watching commercials or listening to mechanics. I did gain an understanding of when the best time is to replace the brake pads however and it turns out I’ve been wearing down my break pads way too far. When you can actually feel like the car is having a harder time stopping, if you are hearing the breaks squeal, the brake pad is probably below 1/4 of an inch and could be damaging your car. It’s best to just look at the brake pads every so often and decide if they need replacing by the visual cues. This can keep you from having to pay for really costly repairs later. The break pads really should not get lower than 1/8 of an inch.

I do feel like I’ve learned a little in these past few days and I know my husband hopes that by us learning this we can save some money on costly repairs later. I really suggest picking up a repair manual for your own car.

As I write these words, it’s eighty-one degrees and sunny in Miami, Florida.  For the rest of the country, it’s quite a bit chillier.  In Hutchinson, Kansas, for example, it’s thirty-four degrees and snowing.  Even in Los Angeles, it looks like rain.  With Super Bowl XLIV behind us, hotels in the Miami area should be freed up for vacationers who wish to escape the colder climates.  If you go, you’ll find a surprising amount of things to do from the standard, such as great museums, to the bizarre, such as…  well, just read on and see!

For museums, you can take your pick of a number of outstanding choices: The Miami Science Museum, the Patricia and Philip Frost Art Museum, or the Gold Coast Railroad Museum.  At the Miami Science Museum, you’ll find exhibits that feature the Cabaret Mechanical Theater, a collection of current and past mechanized puppet-machines, some of which date back to the 1800s.  At the Frost Museum, there’s a host of intriguing art work, including an exhibit titled, The Fantastic World of Jose Gurvich.  This artist’s very life brings together a number of different cultures.  He pulls together images that bring together New York and Israel and Uruguay, focused on a pairing of the ordinary and the fantastic.  The Gold Coast Railroad Museum provides you with the chance to take a trip in a locomotive cab.  You’ll want to call to see that a) the trains are running, and b) to see about seating: there’s only four seats per ride in the engineering cabs, although the trains do run every half an hour on Saturday and Sunday from eleven in the morning to four in the afternoon.

What about the bizarre times to be had in Miami?  Check out the nearby Coral Castle located in Homestead, Florida.  It’s a series of structures built by Ed Leedskalnin, a Latvian American man who built this work in the middle of the last century, with over a thousand tons of stones, all perfectly balanced and precisely placed together.  It’s still a mystery as to how this man put this work together.  Get out of the cold and into the sun, and see a few museums and one man’s really intriguing accomplishment.