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Zurich is located at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich, from which it derives its name as well as some incredible views. It is the largest city in Switzerland and has an estimated population of almost two million people. It is an extremely popular tourist destination and this is due to the incredible cultural and beauty of the city as well as the amazing natural geographic elements that surround it. People come from all over the world to visit Zurich and many of them do so for a variety of reasons. However, regardless of the specific reason anyone might go, there are some standard attractions that almost everyone visits.

There are some incredible museums in the city and a large number of them. Some of the most popular with guests in one of the Zurich hotels include the Swiss National Museum and the Zurich Museum of Art. The National Museum’s collection contains a diverse assortment of artifacts and items that relate to the culture and history of Switzerland. There are stained glass works, painted furniture and other items that reflect the aesthetic interests and trends of the country. The Zurich Art Museum has one of the largest collections of Classic Modern art and includes works by Picasso, Munch , Braque and many others. There is also a large library of photographs.

There are huge sharks swimming around in Las Vegas! At the Shark Reef Aquarium that is. Located at 3950 Las Vegas Boulevard South, right inside one of the more popular Las Vegas hotels , giving it a most unique distinction amongst other high-end hotels.

Shark Reef Aquarium is not a typical aquarium, it’s more like a total sensory experience that will transport you from the desert scenery of Nevada to an undersea ocean of thrilling sights, sounds and encounters with huge sharks, but first you have to journey through an ancient temple that is slowly being submerged by the sea. Then you’ll get to experience 14 breathtaking exhibits that are devoted to very dangerous aquatic predators. The largest out of the 14 is a 1.3 million gallon shipwreck where you’ll walk through an almost 360-degree acrylic tunnel going right through an aquarium filled with sharks, fish and other aquatic creatures.

Another exhibit, The Touch Pool, allows you to touch an ever-changing collection of animals including rays, sharks or horseshow crabs. Shark Reef Aquarium is a state-of-the-art aquarium where you’ll enjoy a beautiful array of sea turtles, stingrays, blue sharks, eels, alligators, monitor lizards and an educational jellyfish display with black lights.

Tickets are $16 for adults; $11 for children 12 and under, and children 4 years or younger are free. This exhibit is a ‘must-see’ for the entire family.

There’s a great aeronautic museum in Denver called ‘Wings Over The Rockies Air and Space Museum’ . Located at 7711 E. Academy Boulevard, this museum occupies hangar number one on Lowry Campus, which was formerly known as the Lowry Air Force Base . When you visit, you’ll be able to view 31 aircraft from a World War II Corsair to the B1A Bomber, plus experience many extensive exhibits about the history of Lowry Air Force Base, about World War I and II, former President Dwight Eisenhower, and you’ll even get to learn about the Hubble Telescope at the Science of Flight section, which includes a Space Station simulator.

Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum maintains a collection of over four dozen aircraft and space vehicles. The Highlights of the collection includes: a rare B-18A Bolo; 5 of the Century Series fighters; an RF-84K Thunderflash parasite; an Alexander Eaglerock; and a B-1A Lancer. Their collection keeps growing and aircraft and models are acquired and restored onsite.

If you staying at any of the Denver five star hotels , you’ll want to make it over to the museum, especially if you brought your children, they’ll love running around the aircraft hanger, zooming from one airplane to the next, and they’ll really love the Space Station simulator. Hours are Monday – Saturday: 10am to 5pm and on Sunday: 12pm to 5pm. Adults will pay $9, Children 4 to 12 will cost $6.

Every child wants to be able to fly, and there are a number of adults who have felt that way as well. What if you could take your vacation and learn to fly?Not in a plane, but on your own. That is the fun of the Zero Gravity amusement park in Dallas. It is an easy drive from any luxury dallas hotel .

As one would expect out of an amusement park that lets you fly there is just about as much falling as there is flying, but what goes up must come down again. Coming down doesn’t have to be boring or painful though, as can be seen from their bungee jumping attraction. You will fall seven stories. It is nothing like their sixteen story free fall into a net, but there are more safety features so it is usually a good attraction to get started on. Their bungee jumping equipment is made to keep you safe and make sure that you don’t hit the ground.

If you are wanting less of a fall and more of the flight, try out the Skycoaster which will let you glide at over 100 feet above the ground. Three people at a time can go, so it can be mom, dad and one of the kids, or each parent can take up to two little ones on the ride at a time. You are laying on your stomach and there is no better way to make you feel like Superman.

Portland, Oregon has the most amazing attractions that will provide enjoyment for any visitor and for locals alike. Bring the entire family, because Portland has something for everyone, especially if you’re the outdoor type; the beautiful Pacific Northwest scenery and magnificent landscape will hold you captive for hours on end, such as the Hoyt Arboretum.

Located on 187 acres, Hoyt Arboretum is a living museum of trees, plants and flowers from all around the world. Just 2 miles west of downtown Portland, at 4000 SW Fairview Boulevard, conveniently located next to some of the best Portland hotels around.

The all volunteer staff at the Visitor Center will gladly answer any of your questions and help with identifying any tree you’d like the name of or its classification. The Arboretum offers several trails and trail maps, and for educational self-guided tours, take a brochure , which is free to all visitors.

The Arboretum may not seem to be the ideal attraction for the entire family, but you’d be surprised at just how fascinating the place can be, because every tree has a story to tell and all the trees are organized by plant families and geography. The identification labels help you learn about any of the trees that capture your interest. Plus, the Arboretum is a living laboratory, where scientists and students can study trees and plants that would otherwise not have grown in Portland’s climate.

There are well over 1,000 trees in the Hoyt Arboretum collection, and all are exquisitely beautiful.

So, you’re planning on spending your summer vacation in Miami, Florida? Well, so are tons of other people. And while that is definitely into intended to change your mind or reduce your interest or even fear that all of the south beach Miami hotels will be full, it’s actually intended to let you know you will be in for good company. Miami is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country and while the summer is definitely its most busy season, it is actually full of tourists all year long. And there are many reasons for this.

Of course one of the main reasons that people visit is that it is full of incredible beaches and gorgeous views. Water sports and beach party fun is one of the strongest summer attractions, though there are numerous others and Miami is actually a major cultural center. The Miami City Ballet is one of the top dance companies in the state and is known for presenting a variety of dance forms. In addition, the city has thriving theatre scene and companies such as the Actor’s Playhouse, Coconut Grove Playhouse and the Jackie Gleason Theatre provide quality entertainment and intriguing performances. Regardless of your main reason for visiting Miami or your specific entertainment preferences, there is something for everyone in this great city and you are sure to have a wonderful time when you visit.

By far, the NASA Air & Space Museum is one of the most compelling offerings of the Smithsonian Institute. Located on the National Mall in Washington DC, near the Capitol Building, it contains such historic sites as the Spirit of St. Louis, Charles Lindbergh’s aircraft that he flew solo across the Atlantic ocean, and such incredible artifacts as the space suits Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin wore when they became the first men in the history of the planet to walk on the surface of the Moon. For travelers to the nation’s capital, this is one of the first stops after checking in to some of the best hotels in Washington . As the history of air and space has continued to move on in the 21st century, though, so has the NASA Air & Space Museum, which has opened a sister facility, near the Washington Dulles International Airport.

The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center continues the story of man’s journey into the air above and space beyond. The center opened in 2003, after Steven F. Udvar-Hazy provided the single largest donation in the 153 year history of the Smithsonian Institute — 60 million dollars. This aviation businessman continues to work to collect more funds for the museum, enabling the center to expand, exhibiting artifacts from space and the field of aeronautics, including aircraft and spacecraft.

Among other items, visitors to the center will see the Space Shuttle “Enterprise,” the first space shuttle orbiter, which was used for flights in the atmosphere and ground tests. This particular shuttle was not designed to fly into space, but to test various aspects of the shuttles that did. Among the space exhibits, guests will encounter a Mercury Capsule from Freedom 7 and a Mobile Quarantine Facility. There are displays of various rockets and missiles and artifacts from World War II aviation, as well as exploration of commercial aviation, including a Concorde jet plane as well as a Boeing 367-80 Jet Transport. The Concorde, of course, was the first supersonic airliner to enter service and could fly at twice the speed of sound, taking passengers across the Atlantic in fewer than four hours (compared to the original solo Atlantic flight by Lindbergh, which took about 33 hours and 30 minutes).

Combined, the two museums give a comprehensive look at the world of air and space travel — from Lindbergh to the Concorde, from Freedom 7 to humanity’s first landing on the Moon.

The praises of a city like Boston can only be sung by those who know how to hit many notes. There’s too much happening at any one time to be able to speak with any authority. There are just too many circles of influence, and too many cycles of activity to keep track of all of it. But there are some who know how to sing it, not just because they’re from here, but because they have a gift in their voice.

This is where Ed Ames is able to show where he really excels. He’s been a famous singer in a few incarnations, not the least of which were as the lead vocals in the Ames Brothers . No one could forget the solo work that saw such songs as “Who Will Answer?”, a hiphop anthem if there ever was one, and one that preceded the form by a generation. Like that song, the man himself has never been afraid of asking complicated questions, and he asked them with a life that’s been lived to make things known.

He is a master of languages in the spoken realm, too, not only the singing planes. Graduating from Boston Latin School, he speaks six languages. He also graduated from UCLA after having made a career already, showing a dedication to learning that comes from roots and generations. Those visiting his hometown with a stay at a Boston hotel might find traces of the mental stimulation that got him wondering as a child what the world was.

Of Ukrainian descent, he had a look that, at the time, was confusing to Hollywood and the entertainment industry at large. He would find himself cast in the role of Native Americans throughout his career, interestingly enough. He played the Chief in the stage play for Cuckoo’s Nest, played Mingo in Daniel Boone, and also famously threw a hatchet at Johnny Carson. He also has been very outspoken and active in Native issues, suggesting that he understood that there are important issues of representation here, and that some voices cannot stand in the place of others, not even for a dashing man from Boston.

Miami is the most tropical city in the United States outside the Hawaiian islands. Located south of the everglades and north of the Caribbean it’s a sultry humid environment that lends itself to sitting in the shade and drinking a nice daiquiri or margarita. This city is both an urban jungle and located on the edge of what equates to a natural one so you may want to explore the idea of a jungle themed vacation. You might even be able to find the perfect hotel to fit your tropical vacation theme among the multitude of boutique Miami hotels available.

It’s Miami so you’re going to have a blast in the sun and along the beaches. Make sure if you plan to make the most of your “jungle get away” that you hit up Jungle Island. Jungle Island isn’t your standard zoo. Many of the birds fly free and the habitats seem very natural. Of course the natural feeling is partially due to the island being a man-made jungle paradise. In the 1930′s Franz Scherr moved to the Miami area with a dream of building an attraction where birds would be free to fly where they pleased and despite expectations they would fly off settled on the island. Now the island is home to thousands of birds and tropical plants. The Jungle is also home to the largest cat in the world; Hercules the liger is a Guinness record setter at over 9ft tall.

For a taste of the local nightlife fitting our theme there’s no better club in Miami than Mango’s Tropical Cafe . This club is open all day until last call so you can stop in to enjoy a bite to eat at lunch or you can come and dance your heart out after dusk. There’s no telling what you’re likely to hear played on a given night so be sure to check their calendar for a live band.

When it comes to dinner theater you want to be entertained, join the actors in their fun and get to eat some of the finest food. Nothing delivers on this better than Tony and Tina’s wedding . When you first see that name you might think like many have why you are being allowed to join in a stranger’s wedding, but when you find out what it is you quickly realize that not only is it fun and silly, but is perfect for a number of occasions including bachelorette parties , birthday parties or just a night out on the town.

The characters in this party are hilarious, but what makes it even more funny are the guests reactions to them. Arriving for the dinner party you stop being guests really quickly and enter a role that you have probably practiced a few times: friends of the bride and groom. This is not your conventional wedding however and how things turn out are really up to the party guests who influence the play as much as the play entertains them. The bride is still a party girl and her soon to be husband is raudy and charming. The priest thinks he’s hip, the maid of honor is obviously pregnant. It turns out that everyone there is a little bit wacky.

Tickets might seem a little expensive, which is why most people use this as a special event plan instead of a regular everyday event. Tickets can be as high as one hundred twenty dollars per person but they include a night of entertainment, interactivity, food, wedding cake and dancing. There really isn’t another event quite like this anywhere else, except maybe the other locations it is shown. It has taken of exceedingly well in San Francisco where you can get to it easily from many of the San Francisco Bay hotels , but it is also doing fairly well at the other locations in places like New York and Las Vegas. The same person has been going around putting up productions of it, so it stands to reason that if you can’t see it while you are in Sn Francisco you may be able to find it if you travel to one of the other locations as well.

The history of writing is a fascinating one, as history is inextricably connected to the act of writing. Putting a pen to paper is a daily activity that most of us don’t even pay much attention to, it has become so natural. At the core of it, however, is the notion that this is an act of placing symbols in a particular order on a thin sheet of wood or other materials. The symbols are used to stand for other symbols, where the written language is a reference point for an oral language. The oral language is itself a construction of symbolic sounds that in turn refer to something else.

In the philosophy of language, then, the act of writing is something that’s removed at least two times from actual meaning, and from here it gets even more complex. It would make sense, then, that there is an interest in writing in Philadelphia, home to many philosophers and academics engaged in the process of meaning making, and also home to the place where writing literally created histories. People travel far and wide to stay at luxury Philadelphia hotels to enjoy the city and get a first-hand look at some of the country’s most important historical sites and artifacts.

So it comes as no surprise that there are groups here like the Philadelphia Pen Cpllectors Group . It’s a conglomeration of pen enthusiasts, devoted to collecting famous, interesting, or simply lovely fountain pens. They have regularly scheduled meetings, and take trips together to all the pen shows in the world, and there are a large number of these. The most dedicated members can talk at length about their hobby, but at the root of all the enthusiasm there is a deep interest in the act of writing. It’s a new history being created, where writing is seen as important as history itself, and in some respects, they might be the same thing.

Although it may not be the first thought when romance is mentioned, Vermont has a number of romantic getaways for the newlywed couple, the couple who have been married a number of years, or even the couple taking their first vacation together. It is important to get away together at least once a year and let the rest of the world bubble away. Whether that is in the summer, winter, Valentines day, or a birthday, here are a few ideas to make a stay in Vermont one of the most romantic trips you take together.

Since the key to any great romantic adventure is the hotel, make sure to get a deal on one of the best Vermont resorts . It should be the type of place that you wouldn’t have to leave for the whole vacation if you don’t want to. Talk to the hotel staff before hand and discuss what ways there are to make the room more romantic. Many hotels are happy to scatter petals through the room, or decorate with flowers, have some chilled campaign or fresh made chocolates available as soon as you arrive.

If you two ever do decide to get out of bed try going on a scenic backroad tour through the wilderness of Vermont. Like any good tour, there are a number of ways to go about this and there are a few companies that can show you about out there. If you are interested in going back out again on your own after the tour, make sure to get some information about how to tell which roads are safe to explore on your own and where the hiking trails are. There are also tours for those people who have not yet been married but are instead just about to be, such as the bachelor’s, or bachelorette party tours that are sometimes made available. If you remember anything the next morning you can show your spouse once you are married all the beauty of Vermont.

If you are staying in one of the small towns throughout Vermont you may also want to check out a farmers markets , or just go to the farms on your own. There are many of them around the cities that offer fresh produce and will bring you back to the smaller towns of America some years ago. Buy some food, take it back to your hotel room and make a special meal just for the two of you.

Why not make touring San Francisco a green event. The Segway PT is a great way to get that up close and personal with the local sights with out exhausting ones self. All one has to do is lean forward or backwards to get the unit to start and stop. It is powered by a battery so you won’t have to worry about gas mileage or exhaust. They travel at about 12.5 miles an hour so it won’t be to over bearing on the sidewalks. There is a computer on board that helps keep the unit moving and the passenger just needs to keep balanced.  

The Segway was first brought to the public in 2002 and the Electric Tour Company has a fleet of them ready to take you all over the city. They have different tours set up so you could actually take a different tour on a Segway each day for six days. They will give you a lesson on how to operate the unit before they hit the streets. Everyone has to be safe an confident. You can take a tour of the waterfront day or night. During the day you will see all of the amazing sights across the bay and up the hills. Once you are comfortable with the Segway then sign up for the advanced Segway Tour where everyone is lead up the hills into the neighborhoods and even down the famous switchback road, Lombard Street.  

You may even zip past your fantastic SF hotel  but you wont be able to get to Alcatraz. The Segway doesn’t tread water yet but you just never know what they will come up with next. That would be crazy, seeing all these battery powered, single person vessels scooting across the bay, like mad, trying to get to Alcatraz. The tour would need a satellite head seat to get the historical facts. Anyway, have a great time visiting San Francisco on the Segway. You won’t be disappointed.

There is an incredible, delicate beauty about Corsica, that breathes the salt air and hints at an afternoon spent in exile, in longing, and nostalgia. There is also a furious beauty at work here, and the two sometimes come in on the waves at the same moment. It doesn’t have to be an afternoon, a morning will do, but the light is particularly powerful when the day is about to end, and it’s easy to imagine how this might go on forever.

With any kind of moment in exile, in nostalgia, that thought is coupled with equal parts fear that it will fade, and parts that resemble the moment before falling asleep after the night finally works its magic. Remembering Matisse, who found something here that made impressions on his eye and heart for the rest of his life. It could be his wife, Amelia Parayre , or it could be the landscape she introduced him to, or perhaps they are the same thing.

Not to participate in the usual fit that marries body and landscape, it was her influence that brought him here. This was the beginning of a career that was obviously failing, and one that made him a very anxious young artist. After Appolonaire declared him reasonable, and thereby offering the worst offense one could give at the time, it was difficult to find the things that fed his vision.

Although there are many who credit Picasso with pushing him into his great phase that lead to Fauvism , the seeds were already there. With Amelia, he was able to see the colors that matched an unborn palate in his mind, and suddenly, one day suddenly, one day much later, he could see, and he could paint what he saw in a way that left an imprint on the great beach of contemporary art.

A night on the beach could soothe a soul, and a night in a hotel in Corsica might also lead to unimaginable longings, and it’s impossible to predict where they may lead.

In the state of Hesse, the fifth largest city in Germany is known as Frankfurt am Main, but to tourists and foreign businessmen, the city is known more simply as Frankfurt. The name itself gives a part of the city’s history, which dates back to the Romans somewhere in the 1st Century. Frankfurt on Main, comes from the title Franconofurd from a Germanic tribe known as the Franks; the “Furt” part means “Ford,” which is a part of a river shallow enough to cross by wading. Today, the need to cross a river by wading has long since passed; however, if you still desire to take a walk in this town, then you might want to check in with Frankfurt on Foot .

This three hour walking tour begins every day of the year at ten-thirty in the morning. If you’ve just checked into one of the Frankfurt hotels and haven’t had a chance to make arrangements, there’s no problem here. There’s no need to make a reservation.

Simply arrive at the meeting point which you’ll find on Braubach Strasse. If you get there early, you can pick up a cup of coffee or pastry from the Starbucks on the Romerberg in order to be properly fortified for this informative tour of the city.

The tours cost about ten or twelve Euros and are very popular with people who have not been to Frankfurt before. Conducted by native English speakers, they’re a part of Insider Tours, and you’ll able to see most of the major sights, including the Dom, the Holocaust Memorial Wall, the Alt Nikolai Church, the Stumble Stones, and the Old Opera House .

In the summer months, you’ll be able to take a second tour that starts in the afternoon around three o’clock, titled “Where Once Was a Wall,” and this will take visitors around where the city wall once stood. If you don’t have much time in town, you’ll be able to see and discover far more than walking out on your own. It’s a perfect way to start your trip in Frankfurt, enabling you to find out what you want to see and do later in the week.

One of the most popular tourist attractions in the city of San Francisco, California is visited by millions of people from around the world every year. This is also one of the city’s major landmarks and has been a somewhat controversial island throughout many social phases in recent decades. It is famous for housing one of the most notorious prisons in American history and also served as a military base with a military prison prior to its transition into a federal penitentiary. After this basic introduction it is extremely unlikely that any reader is not able to identify and give the name of this famous landmark. In fact, it can easily be seen by looking out the window of a hotel. San Francisco is known for a lot of reasons, and the island of Alcatraz is one of its most notorious. And touring this island and its infamous prison is the most popular thing for tourist to do while visiting the city.

The tour of the island begins with a beautiful ferry ride from Fisherman’s Warf. The short excursion lands guests at the island where they receive a brief orientation to the services offered and attractions they will find interesting. Most of the military prison is off limits for visiting, which is fine for most of the tourists who are their primarily to see the federal prison that housed so many notorious and famous criminals. There is a introduction video that offers interesting facts and important information about the prison, its history and inmates and is a recommended starting point for visiting the prison. There is also a quality audio narrative that is available on head set, in multiple languages, and guides visitors through the various cell blocks. Some of the most famous inmates to ever have served time at Alcatraz include Al Capone, George ‘Machine Gun’ Kelly and Robert Stroud who was known as the Birdman of Alcatraz.

I’ve always been a big fan of Johnny Cash and I’ve always wanted to say I’m going to Jackson. I don’t know why I’ve always had that fantasy, but last summer when a friend of mine said he was going to go visit his aunt who lived there I was more than happy to ride along. Oh, he invited me of course. It’s a six-hour road trip and he wanted the company. And I wanted, well, you know what I wanted. In addition to being able to say the words I was also extremely excited to check out the city. I wanted to know what all the fuss was with this city with soul.

So we took off and Jack told me all about his aunt and the great food she would cook and she even played a little blues guitar. I’m not kidding, Jack said she’s the one that taught him his first chords and apparently they had always been really close while he was growing up. He told her he would be brining a friend and mentioned that we would stay in one of the Jackson hotels , which didn’t sit well with his aunt who quickly told him we would be staying with her. He knew she would have that response but wanted to be polite. I don’t think his aunt thought it was so polite. Anyway, we finally arrived at her place and his old Aunt Maddie greater us on the porch. I could smell something good coming from inside the house and Jack told me it was her famous peach cobbler.

We had a great time on that trip. Aunt Maddie can definitely cook and it’s true she can play guitar. She can also play cards, which we did quite a bit of. The two of them took me around the city and showed me some of the major attractions. We went to the Mississippi State Capital , which is a beautiful building. It turns out the city also has some incredible landmarks and historical sites. We saw the Dupree House and Mamie’s Cottage that was designed in the Greek Revival style. We also went to the Farish Street Historic District. I really enjoyed this area of the city and love to tour the historic areas of any place. It just gives me a strong sense of the personality of the city or something. Anyway, we had a great time, and Aunt Maddie invited back again this summer. So guess what, I’m going to Jackson.

The land that is now the home of the famous gaming town of Las Vegas was a major stop for the indians and early pioneers who needed water along their journey. It was located along the Old Spanish Trail that carried early traders. In 1844, John C. Fremont, a leader of the United States Army Corps of Engineers, came to the area and gave it some merrit. Then came along Brigham Young with an assignment to build 30 missionaries of the Mormon faith to try and convert the Paiute Indians into their religion. But they abandoned it not long after. I suppose the Indians weren’t going along with the plan. Eventually, Las Vegas became more established with the railroad coming through in 1905. The city would become incorporated soon after in 1911. After some years of mining in the near by areas, Las Vegas got its next big boom with the building of the Hoover Dam in 1935. Right along Lake Mead is America’s largest man made lake and reservoir. This draws people out of their glamorous hotels for an afternoon or evening drive into U.S. history. The draw to the Hoover Dam is so large that they are now building a bypass bridge over it so that the tourist traffic can be avoided. It is not uncommon to be stuck in line for an hour to get over the damn. The main attraction to Las Vegas, however, is still the strip of gaming and entertainment. People come from all over the world to see what has been built up since gambling was legalized in 1931. Even in the 50s, Las Vegas was a small town were the pit bosses and the families knew each other. It was more personal. The early hotels had show rooms with stars playing before they were legends and Liberace sang happy birthday to the local kids during his show. Now the strip is filled with lots of strangers and is so massive in size. It would take so long to see everything that is available. It is an amazing city and filled with some interesting history which can be found in places like the Nevada State Museum and Historical Society were visitors can see how it all came together.

The city of Palmdale, California has some of the most popular and exciting water and theme parks in the region. In addition it has some great skateboard parks that are always full of variously skilled skateboarders who are eager to show off their skills, as well as continue to develop them. This peaceful and calm southern California city has the above mentioned as well as numerous other outdoor recreational opportunities and this aspect of the city frequently surprises tourists who are simply expecting the serenity the area is known for. Click here for information on places to stay if you’re planning to visit Palmdale. Most of the area hotels will have good information on the various places to visit and what all you can expect from the various parks. And while the amount of recreational activity opportunities frequently surprises many guests, others are visiting Palmdale for specifically that reason.

The Chris O’Leary Skatepark is one of the primary skating parks in the city. There are strickly followed rules and guidelines for use and anyone who plans to visit the park for skating purposes should be extremely familiar with them. All skaters are required to obtain city-issued Facility Fun Pass and anyone who is under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to obtain the card. This reason for most of the rules that are associated with park use similar to that for most parks. It is a strong concern for the safety and well being of the skaters. There are always risked involved with skateboarding even the most skilled skater can have an unexpected accident. All skaters skate at this and other public parks at their own risk. Even if you’re not a skater yourself, watching all of the skateboarders at one of these parks can be extremely entertaining and is a great way to spend a little of your free time on a beautiful afternoon.

Will the topic of the Academy Awards never die down? Well, probably not. They are the most important celebrational event in Hollywood and winning one, and even being nominated can make a career. Of course generally by the time you are even considered for an Oscar you have established yourself in your career, but this is not always the case. And this year’s awards clearly demonstrate the power of talent that is sometimes present in individuals before they have years of experience behind them. Regardless of how much training or previous experience an actor, director, designer or writer may have, audiences who wait outside along the red carpet in hopes of catching a view of some of the stars as they enter the Kodak theatre adore them and eagerly await their autographs. luxury los angeles hotels are usually filled with these loyal fans and they are part of what makes the evening special.

An example of talent outweighing a lack of experience was demonstrated in one of the night’s nominees. Gabourey Sidibe was nominated for the coveted best actress award, which went to Sandra Bullock for her performance in The Blindside. Sidibe’s nomination came for her incredible work on the film Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” By Sapphire , which also happens to be her film acting debut. This rarely happens and the recognition alone, not to mention the fact that she was even cast in the role, is a major achievement. She also received a Golden Globe nomination for that work and a great deal of critical acclaim and popular support. It will be exciting to see what she does in the future and watch the continued development of her career. Meanwhile, she is one of the reasons while Oscar buzz just doesn’t die down that quickly or easily. And by the time it does, talk about next year’s award will already be in the works.

Author Dorthea Benton Frank’s books reflect her love of South Carolina’s Lowcountry and her respect for the Geechee (also known as Gullah) culture that dates back to 1670. Nearly half of the slaves imprisoned in the Atlantic slave trade arrived through Charleston Harbor in the 1700s. Today, far from slavery, the Geechee/Gullah culture is celebrated and revered in South Carolina. Readers of Dot Frank’s books have been flocking to Charleston for years to discover more. Find a comfortable place to stay in the present for a journey back to the past.

Known for their craftsmanship, buying a contemporary Gullah artisan’s sweetgrass basket is akin to purchasing a piece of southern history. First used on the plantations for rice cultivation, basket making became an art form for slaves unable to work in the fields. The community of Mt. Pleasant, located north of Charleston, is arguably the best place to purchase sweetgrass baskets made by Geechee artisans. Basket stands are located along Highway 17. If venturing out of Charleston is not an option, baskets are available for purchase on Meeting, Market and Broad Streets.

Also crafty in the kitchen, the Geechee people are heralded for their cuisine. Located south of Charleston, Dye’s Gullah Fixin’s in Hilton Head is an authentic place to sample Gullah grub. Dishes with unusual names like hoe cake, perlo and swimp and grits are staples. Swimp is not misspelled; it’s simply the Gullah name for shrimp. Geechee/Gullah is not only a culture, it’s a language. “Chillun” stands for children and “box-up” means closed tightly.

The Geechees also have a unique belief system. For example, hair that remains in a brush must be flushed away or burned, and fish will not bite during a full moon due to their sore mouths. No patterns for sewing should be cut on Fridays, and horseshoes can be hung above a front door for good luck only if they are placed to form the letter “u” ??otherwise the luck might run out. Gullah history includes the practice of uncommon medical treatments. Bandages made of spider webs were used to control bleeding and small pieces of brown paper, licked like postage stamps, were stuck on foreheads to stop hiccups.

For Dot Frank’s fans and anyone else curious to learn more about Geechee/Gullah history, Charleston is the perfect destination to discover more .

London is a spectacular city.  It has all the appeal of a very contemporary metropolis, with fantastic art and live performance, and a generous selection of fine hotels.  Tourists seem to agree that it’s never waned in their hearts as one of the premiere travel destinations, where lively culture continues to set the pace for the rest of the world.  There are always plenty of things to see and do here, with a dizzying array of attractions and sights, ranging from the cutting edge to the deeply historical.  History has left some very deep marks here, with so many wars from all the centuries past, and the ghosts of World War II still haunting the city.

For some, there is no better chronicler of a post-war sensibility than the incomparable Leonard Cohen.  When he came here last year as part of his world tour, it was splendid enough to warrant a dvd and cd release of this spectacular event.  This tour was something that brought the reclusive singer-songwriter out of his meditative brooding, so that he could brood, and play fantastic music, for thousands of fans.  There were plenty of rumors that this tour was sparked by a need to pay a lot of debts, but the star seemed to be here only because of the debt that he felt to his fans.

The thing about Leonard Cohen is, he really does love to play.  It’s obvious that he has tendencies toward melancholia, and it’s also obvious that this is an arena that he is very comfortable in, and it cheers him up.  His dark and fatally-romantic songs have a strangely healing effect on the crowds, keying in on a layer of emotions that we all feel, but are often leery of entertaining.  For someone who began writing poetry inflected with musings on the holocaust, the move to international fame is somehow surprising today, but it makes a sense that’s only accessible when love and history start to dance together, showing us who we’ve been and who we will be tomorrow.

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!

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.

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.

We started our day visiting the world’s largest McDonald located in Orlando, Florida. We had breakfast there, we are all huge suckers for stopping off anywhere that has the words ‘World’s Largest’, in it, so this was no exception. The Largest McDonald’s really doesn’t look that big on the outside, but when we went inside, we were impressed. There was a large arcade area, a painted jungle, that singing Mac Tonight, a 50′s style jukebox and of course food. We ordered off the bistro menu, which serves your food on an actual porcelain plate and real cutlery. We felt it was worth the stop.

We then headed off to Tallahassee where we had reservations at one of the better Florida luxury hotels for a night, in order to make it there to day we had to really push the 256 miles. We wanted to explore Florida’s Capital before we headed on to New Orleans. We made it into Tallahassee by 3pm and after we checked into our fabulous hotel, we checked out the downtown area and the Capital Building. We some how stumbled upon the Governor’s Mansion, so we took several photos and walk around the park nearby. We were tired for a long day of driving, and wanted to take full advantage of all the amenities of what a luxury hotel can offer. On our way back to the hotel, we spotted a Cracker Barrel, our favorite place to eat, but we pushed ourselves past the restaurant and forced ourselves step by step back to the hotel.

The first thing we did is go to our room and order room service, we ordered almost everything on the menu, and then we made an appointment at the spa tomorrow morning, for a full treatment.

Tomorrow, we have no real set plans besides heading west on I-10, all we could hope for is seeing more ‘The World’s Largest Something’ sign.