Moving is not something most people would necessarily describe as “fun”. Yeah, looking for a new place is fun. Picturing how to decorate, is fun. The thought of clearing away old things, may not be fun but it is a nice way to think about starting over fresh. The planning for a move may seem overwhelming, and may consume a lot of brain time, of life time. It may cause some stress and anxiety, but it does not have to be that way.

There are a few things that one can do to ensure that most of the stress is taken out of the picture before the picture even comes into focus. It’s all in the planning stages, these are the moments when it is possible to choose the aspects that will affect a person, and the person can make the conscious decisions, to remove the aspects that are just not working. If it is possible to get access to the new place , then going in and taking care of necessary cleaning will help. It will ensure that the new place is a welcome place. A homey place, for which to bring one’s belongings into. Plus, it provides the opportunity for a bit of forward and proactive planning to take place.

One can begin to visualize the “best spot for the couch” or where to put the dining room table. With so much to consider when packing, it may prove to be helpful and may serve to relieve stress, knowing ahead of time, where the objects one is packing will eventually end up. It is a great way to organize the packing process. It is a way to look towards the future, while dealing with present, especially when the present seems a bit overwhelming. Moving really should be kind of fun, it’s a new start, a new beginning in many ways, and whatever can be done to take the stress out of it all, is so worth it in the long run.

There is a popular alternative-country band famous today, well–famous to those who love the genre, not big time famous like Elvis Presley and his mansion, Graceland of Memphis, but famous in the smaller Nashville way.  This band is called the Old Crow Medicine Show and one of the lines in their songs refers to pickin’ a barrel of Dogwood flowers.  I had never known the significance of the line until I booked a room I found on this site, www.hotelsknowxville.com. Now, Nashville isn’t Knoxville, but the vegetation is the same and what I learned, is just what a Dogwood flower is.

In Knoxville, Tennessee the Dogwood tree is celebrated in many ways.  One of those ways is to be found in the Dogwood Arts Festival that runs each year during the last three weeks of April.  This timing of the festivsl is not random.  It coincides with the blooming of these trees.  A few years ago, a tour was added to the calender of events, a calender that includes art, live music shows, and Southern home style, good for the soul kind of cooking.  This tour is called the Granddaddy Dogwood Tour,  and is a celebration of some of the oldest Dogwood trees in the city.  One of the main characters included on the tour is a Champion Black Oak, an oak that was standing before the Civil War and and oak which has a trunk measurement of eighteen feet around.

The tour continues on a trail through the city, noting the different trees on the different street corners.  I took this tour and not only was it a great way to see the city of Knoxville, I understood why the blooms of this tree made it into a Tennessee band’s song lyrics.  This is a fascinating concept for a tour.  New York offers a similar tour, a tour of trees.  In this day and age, when so much of the old is destroyed to build up the new, it is nice to know that, just as trees still stand in Brooklyn, New York…so too, do they still stand in Knoxville, Tennessee.

There are many luxurious hotels around Georgia www.luxuryhotelsgeorgia.com to stay in while you are searching out the history of the state and our country. Being one of the first states of the union, Georgia has a rich history of people and events that happened there. During the Revolutionary War, British troops invaded the state in 1778 and most of it was lost to them but a few years later the situation would change and the settlers of Georgia started to fight back regaining their homeland.

The next wave of battles came out of the Civil War eighty years later. Some of the bloodiest battles fought in the war were fought in Georgia. The battle at Chickamauga was a really bad one. Visitors can visit the Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park to see the memorial and hear the battle story that happened there. General Leonidas Polk lead his men into battle here against George Thomas by the end of the fight here 18,000 Confederate soldiers and 16,000 Union soldiers were killed and the area was named Chickamauga which means River of Blood in Cherokee.

There was a great battle for the railroad in the Allatoona Pass Battlefield. General John Bell Hood led his army in to take back the Western and Atlantic Railroad that ran between Chattanooga and Atlanta. The best area they thought to accomplish their goal was in the Allatoona Mountains which were east of  Cartersville. Visitors can see the path of the Confederate assault moving up the hill to the star fort. It is interesting at the star fort to see how the camp was run and were things were stored. There is also the grave of the unknown soldier by itself and also another grave for 21 Confederate soldiers who were killed in the battle.

We wanted to spend our Valentine’s Day in Austin, so we booked a night at a luxury hotel in Austin and drove over on Saturday. A friend of ours told us about a local Mexican restaurant called Polvo’s. She told me that it was a bit of a hole-in-the-wall eatery, but that the food was really authentic and would I bring her back a taco?

After we checked into our hotel, which was really a luxury hotel (my first time staying at one) and we were treated like royalty, the staff really spoiled us. We took a taxi to the recommended restaurant. Polvo’s was brightly painted on the outside, even the name was painted across the outside wall. Inside, they strung Christmas lights everywhere they could. All the tables and chairs were mismatched and the paint was chipping and pealing off the walls, but it did appear to be clean and the wait staff were very friendly, they actually seemed to be having fun!

Polvo’s was the first Mexican restaurant that we’ve been to that had a salsa bar! We sampled many different types of salsa and the wait staff kept our chip bowl full. We were becoming full on the chips alone! I ordered the chili rellenos and my husband ordered the vegetable enchiladas. I scarfed my dish down, but my husband wasn’t too impressed with his enchiladas. He did like the cheese sauce on top. We also had several margaritas and we were feeling pretty frisky.

We wanted to see a bit of downtown Austin before we headed back to our hotel room, but being February, it was bitter cold outside, plus we found out that most of Austin closes on Sunday, which is nice, I guess, for Austin, but not for tourists! We managed to find a coffee shop open not far from the restaurant. I ordered a mocha and my husband pointed to the sign saying the coffee shop closes at 7pm, it was 7pm. So, I downed my mocha and we called up a taxi to take us back to our sweet luxury hotel. Needless to say, our Valentine’s day turned into a great Valentine’s evening.

After my visit to Snoqualmie Falls, which is located about 40 minutes away from Seattle by bus, I wanted to go see the Jimi Hendrix memorial. Getting there took a lot longer than expected, I had to change buses 3 times, but it was well worth the trouble. The memorial, which is located in Renton, is very impressive. I could see lip marks on Jimi Hendrix’s image of his face. There were a lot of messages written around the monument commending Jimi for his work to promote peace, love and freedom; it seems that a lot of people not only loved him for his music, but for his beliefs.

I returned back to downtown Seattle and headed to some bars. I really like how many Microbreweries are here, their pub like qualities made me feel at home. I stopped off at the Pike Brewhouse, which is located underneath the Pike Fish Market, it was just like being in an English pub and the beer was really good. I walked back to my hotel, which I booked online just before I arrived here, I found my Seattle hotel, at this site and I got a great deal on my room because I booked it online. I took a quick shower and grabbed a short nap, then headed back out to Seattle Central.

There are a few museums there, the Space Needle and the Experience Music Project. I bought tickets for the EMP and that place is wicked cool, I loved it. Especially the Jimi Hendrix exhibit, which was very extensive and informative. Plus, they had a great collection of Hendrix memorabilia, like the costumes he actually wore on stage, his smashed guitars and many other items. I also liked the exhibit that showed the evolution of the guitar, there were hundreds of models showing the changes since its inception.

My ticket to the EMP also got me into the Science Fiction museum, which is right next door, but I’m not much for science fiction, so I wasn’t to interested in the exhibits. Needless to say, I didn’t stay long. The Space Needle was next to that, so I thought I’d check it out and maybe get some lunch. The revolving restaurant is at the top of the Space Needle and since I purchased a ticket for the observation deck, I also got to have lunch. The view would have been amazing, I’m sure, but it was a pretty cloudy and foggy day, so I really couldn’t see much. My lunch was good though.

It was time to go back to my hotel and pack, I’ll be catching a flight to San Diego at 7pm.

I know that most people associate the city of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania with that incredibly destructive battle that occurred during the Civil War and of course also with the famous Gettysburg Address that was delivered by President Lincoln following the battle to honor the fallen soldiers, however from now on I will have to associate the city with falling in love. That’s a pretty odd combination of associations I know, but hey Pat Benatar said it best, love is a battlefield. Anyway, it all happened in one of the Gettysburg hotels, oh wow, did that add a certain element of intrigue to the whole story? Well, it shouldn’t that’s not actually the most significant part, though I will say that it was a great hotel and the accommodations and additional offerings were fabulous.

It turns out that I was in Gettysburg as part of a special field trip for school that some of the honor school students were able to take part in. Oddly enough while we were there I noticed that Travis, another student in the program, was looking particularly attractive and I started to develop a slight crush. The reason this was odd is because I had never thought of Travis in the romantic sense, nor had I ever thought he was particularly attractive. So, naturally when I started to feel and think that he was I wondered what on earth was going on in my head.

Then, on our last day in town we were having lunch at a place called Dunlap’s Restaurant, and Travis and I ended up sitting right next to each other. Oh, on side note, it’s actually a great restaurant. I had the grilled chicken sandwich and Travis had a mushroom and Swiss hamburger. I think everyone really liked their food and it was a super friendly atmosphere. Anyway, we started talking about some of the things we had seen and we just started making jokes and laughing and then suddenly it felt like we were the only two there. Afterward my friend Rene told me that everyone noticed the connection that happened between us and they all thought it was surprising. Travis and I started hanging out a lot after that and it just seemed natural that we started dating. I still don’t understand it, but I don’t’ really care.

The words, “Roadside Attraction”, make me think of a book I read years ago, by Tom Robbins –”Another Roadside Attraction”.  It was a book that left me feeling a bit strange, as though I had walked through a carnival of freaky things, but for some reason those “freaky things” felt normal.  It was the normalcy that made me feel strange.  Well, that is the feeling I left with after visiting what is known as the original “Roadside Attraction of Florida”, Gatorama.  This is a trip I was not intending to take, but a friend of mine had come to my hotel in Tampa,  and offered a road trip that I would never forget.  How can you possibly say no to an offer like that?

So we headed out, just a short trip from Tampa actually, took about an hour.  And when we pulled into the parking lot I had to question just what it was that I had gotten myself into.  Alligators?  Come on…I mean I know they are all over the swamp lands of Florida, and so to have a park dedicated to them made sense.  But the truth is that they scare the life out of me.  They are too prehistoric and have too many teeth for my comfort.  However, the park was crowded with naturalists and photographers, so I decided to push those fears away and enjoy this day…I was “in Rome” and I was fulling prepared to “do as the Romans do”.  This is the largest breeding facility for captive ‘gators’, and there where many shows throughout the day, with alligators performing in their own ways with their trainers, much scarier than the seals bumping beach balls in Sea World, but fascinating none the less.

There are also many other animals throughout the park such as peacocks, bobcats, and crocodiles.  The love of the animals is all around.  We stopped for a bit of lunch, some Florida barbecue.  I had made my way through my second rib when my friend asked how it was…I said, “Delicious!”…he said, “BBQ Alligator ribs!”  This is where the strange kicked in.  It was a bit like going to the zoo and then eating a lion or an orangutang for lunch.  Images of brightly faded carnival paint and dancing elephants popped into my head.  I mean, it was a park for ‘gators’ and I had just eaten a ‘gator’.  It was bizarre, and yet it was so normal.  So if you’re the type that cherishes the bizarrely normal, or the normally bizarre, take a little drive outside of Tampa on your next trip.  You will not be disappointed in this…another roadside attraction…

“Have you ever been to Irvine, California?” That was actually the first thing my husband ever said to me. And since he’s now my husband and we didn’t know each other when he said it at a club one night, I guess that makes it one of the greatest pickup lines in history. Oh, well I guess that also depends on what you consider to be the point of a pick up line. If it’s to gain the ultimate commitment and introduce you to the love of your life well than it wins. However, if the point is to meet as many women as possible on the no strings attached agenda, well than this line is definitely a flop. At any rate, it worked for us and we are now happily married.

And the reason he asked about Irvine is actually kind of simple and came about honestly. He went to UC Irvine and swore I looked exactly like a girl in his biology class. Of course that’s when I thought it was a total line but six months later when we were dating I happened to be at his house and he showed me his yearbook. He remembered the girl’s name and found a picture of her. It’s true, we were total ringers. Oh well, the whole thing still could have been made up I guess, but in that case I guess it makes it one of the most elaborate pick up lines, right? Well, my husband is nothing if not committed to detail and thoroughness.

That’s partially why he also made me take a trip to Irvine with him to tour the campus, and yes, of course a visit to the science building where he had the fateful biology class was part of the agenda. It’s actually a beautiful campus and I had a great time there. We stayed in a really cute little hotel near the campus and walked over to it in the morning. You can find information here on places to stay in Irvine if you’re planning a trip. It happened to be in October when we visited and the Global Village Festival was going on. This was a really cool festival and there were performers from all over. There was also great food and a lot of arts and crafts and other merchandise. I had never heard of it before but had a great time at the festival.

Fifteen miles to the Northwest of Atlanta and South of the North Georgia mountains, you’ll find the town of Marietta.  Founded in 1834, one hundred and seventy-six years ago, the town enables travelers to take a look at the Civil War and the Confederacy through a number of sites, such as the Marietta Confederate Cemetery, the Marietta Museum of History, and the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.  However, a quick check of the area will show any prospective visitor that Marietta is also the home of a number of amusement theme parks, such as Six Flags White Water and American Adventures Park and Mountasia Family Funcenter.  For classic movie lovers, though, one of the most interesting places to see in Marietta must be the Gone with the Wind Museum.

Most people have seen the film, Gone with the Wind, and some have even read the Margaret Mitchell novel.  James Cameron’s Avatar may now be the record holder for the most money ever made by a film (somewhere in the range of two billion and climbing, at the time of this writing); however, Gone with the Wind still holds the record for the most tickets sold; in a time of inflation and recession, isn’t that a more reliable method of determining the success or popularity of any given film?  In 2003, the Gone with the Wind Museum was established to give people a place to celebrate this beloved work of fiction.  It features primarily the collection of one man, Dr. Chris Sullivan.

Sullivan saw the film when he was in sixth grade and from that moment on he began collecting artifacts, such as a 1936 printing of the book signed by the author.  He’s collection hundreds of items related to the film and book, including the bengaline gown that Vivien Leigh wore as Scarlett O’Hara.  Sullivan decided to display his collection in order to share the items with the rest of the world.  The museum draws in international patronage, with visitors from all fifty states and forty-one countries finding their way to the museum.  In the last seven years, the passion of this endocrinologist from Akron, Ohio, has given the fans of one of the great movies of the twentieth century a place to call home.  To experience it yourself, come to Marietta, stay a few days and see all that the town offers.  For the best places to stay, click here.

Tommy wanted to be a pilot from the time he was ten years old and he received a small glider for his birthday. It was basically a toy and never really got off the ground but it felt like to Tommy that he was soaring through the sky and wanted to be on that thing from the moment he woke up until the moment he went to bed. It was his uncle that gave him the gift and at first his mother thought he was a hero because it was an excellent tool for occupying the active boy that Tommy was. However, once it became nearly impossible to remove him from the glider and he threw fits every time he had to leave it, Tommy’s mother was no longer a fan of his uncle. This was all in good humor and they were actually all rather amazed with the amount of attention and love little Tommy gave his glider. It was actually the glider that taught him how to properly care for his belongings.

Naturally, when Tommy entered Junior high and his friends and teachers began talking about career decisions Tommy didn’t have to wonder about his possibilities. Without hesitation he announced that he would be a pilot when the class survey came around to him. When Tommy was fifteen his uncle invited him to go with him on a business trip he was taking to Dayton, Ohio. They would stay in the hotel room provided by his company and explore some special features of the town when he was off work. Tommy and his uncle were close so he accepted without question. The true reason for the invitation, however, was so his uncle could take him to the home where the Wright Brother’s grew up. In addition to flying Tommy had a fascination with history and loved to tour museums and various historical sites. He also planned to take him to the Dayton Aviation Heritage, a National Historic Park dedicated to the accomplishments of the Wright Brothers and other early aeronautic pioneers.

Austin, Texas is a bike friendly city, which is a good thing considering the champion rider and worldwide inspiration Lance Armstrong calls this city his home when he is not on his bike in some far away land.  Travelers will find that when they bring their own bicycles along with them, a myriad of options open up before them.  To find a bike friendly hotel, click here. To find the best places to ride and to get a map for the Lance Armstrong Bikeway, visit Armstrong’s own bike shop, Mellow Johnny’s.  This is an incredible project, the bikeway. 

Eric Anderson conceived of the idea, he is a local activist and an avid cyclist.  His vision of a boulevard for bicycles, that will run through the heart of the city from the east to west, which will link up with pathways heading off to other parts of Austin, much in the same way subway or an elevated train system is designed.  This was proposed by Anderson to the 1999 Transportation Enhancement fund for the state of Texas, and received the approval for the funding at the beginning of 2000.  This was the only program of the city of Austin to receive funding that year.  Anderson and his Lance Armstrong Bikeway project received 3.2 million dollars to begin work on the bicycle highway. 

A few years later, in 2007 Austin was awarded with a level of Silver for being one of the most bike friendly cities in the country, by the League of American Bicyclist.  The city was evaluated in several areas including the encouragement and promotion of cycling, the educational programs and the engineering of safe bike paths for bicycle commuters and enthusiasts. The western section was recently open and provides a quick and safe way through that portion of the city.  More cities across the country are stepping up their participation in ensuring that their residents and visitors have access to safe transportation routes when they chose to pedal their way through town, and the city of Austin is right up their amongst the top.

Atlanta is a stunningly beautiful city, and one of the most appealing things about it is its modesty.  You get the feeling that it’s been cool for a very long time, and no matter how much word gets out about its coolness, it still refuses to cater to any sensibilities other than its own.  It is very diverse, culturally, and attracts visitors from all over the world.  At one time, it was only frequently visited because of the airline, but today people come here to experience the city.  There’s always a lot to see.  The local talent is very high, and there’s a lot of interesting new work in theatre, visual art, and music.  There are also some great acts that come through here.

In March of 2010, one of the more anticipated concerts of the season will be Rodrigo y Gabriela.  This would be a perfect time to book your Atlanta Hotel.  Luxury is always high, and you can learn for yourself why Southern hospitality is so widely regarded.  It’s an art form that they’ve really honed to an elegant perfection.  It also has a kind of homespun flavor that isn’t overwhelmed by its ability to cater to an international audience.  The same thing could certainly be said about the music of Rodrigo y Gabriela.

The duo hails from Mexico City, where they met while playing in a heavy metal band.  They discovered a mutual interest, and talent for, playing complicated guitar riffs at high speed.  They started to collaborate, and found that together they made something with a very charming energy.  It’s always a hard world for artists, and so when they discovered that Dublin had a reputation as a decent place for touring musicians, they went overseas.  They’ve been based there ever since, and have enjoyed success in Europe while seeing their fan base rise on this continent as well.  This is a great opportunity, then, to see how the music has evolved, and should be a fantastic evening.

Not too many swimming pools can lay claim to being on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, but if you travel to Miami, Florida, you’ll find one nearby in Coral Gables: The Venetian Pool. Created in 1923 from a coral rock quarry, this pool is fed with 820,000 gallons of spring water each day and contains two waterfalls, grottoes and coral caves. It’s surrounded by Venetian-style designed buildings and was a way for the uncle of the man who founded the city of Coral Gables to morph an ugly rock quarry into one of the most gorgeous swimming pools on the planet, including an island of palms, a beach, a bridge of cobblestones and porticoes and loggias.

If you visit, you’ll want to find a place and stay more than one night to truly appreciate this amazing place. In 1989, sixty-six years after it was built, the Venetian Pool underwent a major restoration. The pool obtains its waters from underground artisan wells; through a lot of effort, the pit was transformed into the Venetian Casino. During that period in the 20s, gondolas floated in the pool, and the world’s most famous swimmers, Esther Williams and Johnny Weismuller (one of the original Tarzans), used it. Orchestras played poolside, and dancers moved under the night sky on outdoor dance floors. The place drew in dignitaries, bathing beauties, even William Jennings Bryan, a three time presidential nominee, gave speeches here.

Over a hundred thousand visitors arrive at the Venetian Pool each year. Many generations of locals learned to swim in this amazing Florida pool. You may wonder about whether there’s a waste of water, considering that the pool each summer night is drained and refilled with so many gallons of water. There’s no need to worry about that. Twenty-two years ago, in 1988, a new technology allows water to be drained and recycled, preserving the natural resources. If you’re in Miami and want to take a dip, then what better place than an official historic place?

Orlando is convenient, so my husband and I are making our third trip north to the fun times of the city. It’s only a two hour drive from where we live, but we always book a room at one of the resort hotels that Florida offers to all its visitors.

This trips focus is on using up our Sea World Tickets, they expire next month and then use one of our Disney Quest tickets to see ‘Cirque du Soleil’. After arriving to our resort hotel, we relaxed a bit poolside and then went for a massage. Later, we grabbed some dinner, but it was Friday, which means every restaurant is packed. We had to wait about 45 minutes to get a table at one of our favorite restaurants. But, as always, the cuisine did not disappoint. After dinner, we stayed the rest of the evening at Disney Quest. This visit, we experienced a very crowded Disney Quest, there were people of all ages enjoying themselves, just like we were. The games there range from the old-school Pac Man to the new tech-interactive games. Our favorite is the Pirates of the Caribbean and any game that has to do with racing.

The next morning, we went to Downtown Disney for lunch at Wolfgang Puck Cafe and to purchase an extra ticket for ‘Cirque du Soleil’. After we purchase our tickets for tonight’s show, we drove to Sea World and spent the rest of the day there. We been here many times, but we always enjoy it here. After Sea World, we had dinner at Pardiso 37. This was our first time at this restaurant and we’ll certainly dine here again. The cuisine was great, the service was superb and the music was lively.

It was time to make our way to ‘Cirque du Solie’. Our seats were in the back, but they are higher up, so our view was great, especially for the acts performed in the air. For anyone who isn’t familiar with ‘Cirque du Soleil’, it’s hard to describe how this ‘no-animal’ circus transports you into another world full of amazing feats and whispers of magical moments. The music alone is wonderful and the performers are all beautiful and exquisite. Go if you haven’t, you will not be disappointed and then you will kick yourself for missing it all these years.

We headed out today toward Santa Monica, but decided to continue down the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu. PCH allowed us to check out the great houses along Malibu. We stopped at the tourism building, which apparently doubles for a little league center. Michael Landon is what they named the tourism building. It was extremely windy at Malibu and that made it hard for us to actually close our car doors! The wind was pulling them open as we really struggled to close our car doors. We had our backs to the wind as we walked to the building, that was a struggle too. We no longer had a hard time imagining why the winds are devastating when there are fires here. We could tell that this building was lucky to be saved from a previous fire, there were burnt bushes on the coast side, only about a meter away.

As we walked around Malibu, we could see where the fire had been. The place we stopped for lunch, the palms outside were scorched! The fire came so close to PCH that many backs of buildings still show fire and smoke damage. We remembered hearing on the news about a multi-million dollar home, built like a castle, and was sold just before the fire, burnt down. We’re pretty sure we saw that the only thing standing was the stone chimney.

We spent the entire day at Malibu, looking at the wonderful homes, ones that weren’t in the fire, and hanging around the beach that we decided to see if there was a room available here, we walked right up to the first hotel in Malibu we came across and booked a room for the night. The accommodations were fabulous and for not having any reservations, the price for being beach-side wasn’t so bad. We ended up watching the sunset out on our hotel rooms balcony. It was a nice end to an interesting day.

My husband and I visited Epcot Center in Disney because there was a Food and Wine Festival event. Last year, was our first time there and we thoroughly enjoyed our experience. Disney is only 3 hours away from us, so it’s a nice weekend getaway for us to take when ever we can. So far, that’s been once a year.

Millie and Joe had worked unbelievably hard all year and were just barely at a point of getting caught up on their bills when Joe came home one evening and said he had a great idea for the two of them. This struck Millie as interesting and wanted to hear Joe’s idea though the last time he mentioned anything like this it was to sell their home during the recent mortgage crisis. So, while there was high hope for the quality of the idea, it would certainly be interesting and Millie wanted to hear it. She tasted the simmering pasta sauce before putting down the spoon to hear him out. Joe saw the serious expression on his wife’s face and smiled. He knew he would not be living down some of the recent decisions he insisted the young couple make and was also aware how lucky he was to have such an intelligent wife that didn’t let his passionate proclamations drive them into financial ruin.

“Well, I’ve been thinking,” he began slowly, deciding that he might as was well through a little mystery and suspense into the evening. “Yes, I’m sure you have” was all Millie would say, though she really couldn’t wait to hear the rest. “You’ve worked hard and struggled all year,” continued Joe. “And don’t think I haven’t noticed you’ve bailed us out of a couple of tricky situations, yet have somehow maintained your incredible beauty and charm.” Oh, this was going to be a big one thought Millie, he’s really buttering me up. “Uh huh” was all she said.

“And so I thought you, well both of us, deserved a nice vacation in southern Florida” he blurted out the rest quickly. Millie was silent and the pasta boiled over on the stovetop. She hurried to tend to their dinner while Joe pulled out two plane tickets and a reservation for four nights at one of the Florida beach hotels. “Where did these come from?” she asked in growing excitement. “I won them at work! It was a raffle for the company’s top five management staff and I actually won!” Millie couldn’t believe it, she threw her arms around her husband and hugged him tightly. They were actually going to take a vacation and not only that it was going to be five full days at a beautiful Florida beach. Millie wondered how she was going to look in her bikini as the pasta boiled over behind her.

George Lucas was born in Modesto, California in May of 1944. He is one of America’s most well-known and respected film directors, screenwriters and producers. Some of the major epic movies attributed to him include the Star Wars and Indian Jones series. He has risen through the ranks to become one of the country’s most successful Independent producer/director. Tourists who visit Modesto can take part in its annual festival that celebrates one of Lucas’ all time cult classic films American Graffiti. Any hotel Modesto will be full of guests who are eager to attend Graffiti Nights, which is the name of the festival.

American Graffiti was both co-written and directed by Lucas. It starred Richard Dreyfus, Cindy Williams, Harrison Ford, Ron Howard and Mackenzie Phillips among others. It was released in 1973 and was a quintessential coming of age film, which was set in the 1960s. It traced the lives and told the stories of various young individuals who were on the cusp of adulthood and trying to find their place and identity.

The idea for this film, as well as the majority of its themes, was based on Lucas’ own life growing up in Modesto. Lucas had a difficult time getting it financed and even after it was picked up by Universal Pictures it had difficulty finding and continuing a city to shoot in. The majority of the film was shot in Petaluma, which is located in California’s Sonoma County. When the film was finally finished it received immediate audience approval and critical acclaim upon its release. In addition, American Graffiti was nominated for an Academy Award that year in the category of best picture. Many of the film’s actors are major Hollywood stars and while a few of them, in particular the child stars Ron Howard and Mackenzie Phillips, were already well known, this film was the launching pad for many of their careers.

Everyone knows about the shopping opportunities along New York’s 5th Avenue.  But what about the other, less expensive and more funky streets of the city?  I myself, found one of my most treasured material objects in an open air market in Alphabet City…a green, butterfly, choker necklace filled with jewels–costume jewels but it sparkles none the less.  And it was only ten bucks.  Along the streets of the Financial Disctrict and Lower Manhattan, close to many a boutique hotel in New York, sits some of the larger named companies such as Ann Taylor and Abercrombie & Fitch.

While these are fine stores, they are not exactly “funky” in nature.  Go a bit further into Chinatown and you will find unique shops with unique and eclectic items.  This is a good place to shop for electronics and items such as DVDs and CDs, but to be honest, it’s best to stick to the items of art and fashion, toys and house decor.  The Orchard Street Shopping District has many a deal on items such as shoes, luggage, fabric and linens.  Many artists have been coming into this neighborhood in recent years, not only to live but to sell their creations as well.  It is becoming hip and increasingly upscale, so to find the great deals, it is best to get there soon as it may go the way of Chicago’s Wicker Park, with Starbucks on every corner and chain restaurants the name of the game.

Soho, sadly to say, has become a yuppie mecca, albeit with fashionable stores–but expensive stores.  Nolita is the place of the moment, where you can still find grassroots boutiques with stores offering fashions of India and Southeast Asia.  And of course the is always the East Village.  This has, and will always represent the bohemian, artistic, hip and funky side of Manhattan.  Regardless of the neighborhood, there will be something to bring home, and that something will no doubt, be a funky something.

Also known as the Baltimore Botanic Gardens, or the Peter Rawlings Conservatory, the Druid Hill Conservatory is one of the relics of architectural and botanical worlds of the Victorian age in the city.  The garden still blooms today, and brings joy to many people living in the city as well as those coming to visit and finding accommodations at one of the Baltimore luxury hotels that are located close by.  Two sections of the garden were built in 1888, those being the Orchid Room and the The Palm House.  Three more greenhouses were constructed later, which include species from the tropic, the Mediterranean, and the desert environments of the world.  The gardens are so lovely that people will schedule events such as birthday parties and weddings on the grounds.

At one time, there were many conservatories in the city of Baltimore and the surrounding area, however the Druid Conservatory is that last of its kind.  Carroll Park, Patterson Park and Clifton Park were popular hothouses years ago, but none of these three were cared for properly and as a result, fell into disrepair and were soon demolished.  The Druid, surviving still, and remaining a thriving park, was renovated in 2004.  The project cost upwards of four million dollars, and connected the old with the new.

Structures were built in fact, that connected all of the sections of the garden, together with the greenhouses, making this one of the most visitor friendly botanic gardens in the country, and also allowing people the freedom to enjoy the gardens even throughout the colder winter months.  In the greenhouses, the tropical and exotic species bloom year round.  And should you find yourself in the city during Easter time, the Druid is famous for their holiday Easter Egg Hunt.  And if this is not enough enticement, the park is open to the public, free of charge.  A two dollar donation is suggested, but should you find yourself there without the cash, you will still be welcome to enjoy the surroundings and benefit from the relaxing and beautiful atmosphere that has graced the city of Baltimore for more than one hundred years.

Find a room at one of the hotels Santa Monica has waiting for you, preferable with a balcony, so you can people watch. Then hit the Third Street Promenade. It is right in the heart of downtown Santa Monica. It is just up and across the street from the famous beach. The promenade was closed for vehicle traffic a number of years ago so it is pedestrian friendly. Yes, you can switch back and forth across the street as you see your next shop to rummage through. Some of the greats you can expect to find are Abercrombie & Fitch, L’Occitaine, RipCurl, Sephora Cosmetics, Borders Books and many many more. It runs for 30 blocks and is filled with retail stores, some entertainment and many great places to catch a bit to eat. You can just sit and watch the people go by or read a great book. It is not far from some of the other points of interest in Santa Monica.

How about the Santa Monica Pier? It is not a far walk along down the boardwalk. The pier is rather interesting. There have been many piers over the many years but the one that is standing now has some interesting history. It is actually two piers adjoined together. They are owned by two different owners. The long and narrow Municipal Pier was opened in September of 1909 as a way to carry the sewer pipes beyond the breakers. The short and wide pier on the south side is called Newcomb Pier and was built in 1916 by amusement park pioneers, Charles I.D. Looff and son Arthur. The Carousel was built in 1922 on Pleasure Pier and then rebuilt in 1990. There used to be the La Monica Ballroom which opened in 1922 but was closed in 1962. It served many purposes while it was open. It was the home of Spade Cooley in the fifties and it was a roller skating rink in the late fifties and early sixties.

Singapore spas are no doubt a great place to spend at least one day while visiting this wonderful city. Let to true relaxation begin with a nice soak in perfectly heated tub. Let the elements touch all of your senses with water, light, air and smell. Move the aches and pains out of your muscles with movement or massage. Round up your girl friends for a ladies day at the spa with some manicures, pedicures and  facials while you indulge yourselves with the conversation of life and love. Invite your significant other to join you in some special time while you get his and hers packages filled with all your favorite treatments guaranteed to make you feel light and refreshed.

Once you have refreshed yourself it will be time to spend the next day out in the city and near by area learning about the history and culture. Singapore is a unique place to take in and there are many ways to do it. So many to mention there are a few to note. How about a day or night tour around Chinatown. Yes, test out your clever bargaining skills along the narrow streets filled with shops selling hot fashions, leather, electronics, souvenirs and so much more. Or how about a tour of the harbor? You can take in the sunset as it glistens across the water, lighting up the towering buildings along the shores. Have a wonderful dinner and cocktails and snuggle with the one you love.

If you are a history buff you may enjoy the Changi WWII War Trail and Museum Tour. This is a bus trip that takes you to the Changi Museum and then some of the surrounding neighborhoods that had some significant things happen during the Japanese occupation of Singapore. Though the stories may be hard and sad they are a tribute to the brave people who fought to save their home.

Although a great deal of Texas follows the Gulf of Mexico, few people associate the Lone Star State with the ocean, especially places like Grand Prairie, which is a few miles outside of Dallas-Ft. Worth.  If you book yourself at one of the hotels Grand Prairie has to offer, you’ll find yourself within easy driving distance of all the attractions a major metropolitan city has to offer, including the Dallas World Aquarium.  If you have children, it could well be at the top of your list.

The kids will definitely love it, and you’ll find them talking about for days about the shark and the otter feedings.  Get to these attractions early, though, for the best view.  Another word of advice: Arrive early in the day, because the crowds start to form later on; in the middle of the week during the summer, for instance, you may walk right on inside in the morning, but there’ll be a line by the afternoon.

The aquarium is arranged differently than most aquariums.  It’s a multi-level structure that makes you feel as if you’re strolling in a rain forest.  You’ll start at the top level and work downstairs through the various stages of a rain forest.  It actually feels as if you’re high above ground in the tree tops and work your way down under water, an amazing experience all on its own.  The enclosures make it appear as if the rain forest creatures are wandering freely in a natural habitat — there’s bat exhibits, crocodiles, snakes, a jaguar, penguins, flamingos, and a lot more.  Then, on the lower levels, it feels as if you’re walking under the water, where there’s a walk through tunnel, and you’ll see sharks, sawfish and rays.  Be sure to be in this tunnel for feeding time, too.   At last check, the parking lot for the aquarium charges six dollars a day; there’s also other lots for five dollars, as well as a smaller amount of parking meters.  It’s a terrific day for the family.

I spent one of the best days in the Tuscan countryside just outside of Florence. I met with a tour group in the lobby of one of the best hotel Florence is known for and off we went. The sun was out and the sky was a gorgeous blue, which was only interrupted by an occasional cloud drifting by.

I was one of eleven tourist and we drove to a private villa and got to tour their wind making facilities and they even had an olive oil making facility. We went to another farmhouse and tasted some great white wines, Chiantis and we were served dessert wines as we devoured bread soaked in the smoothest extra virgin olive oil. I noticed that since I’ve been in Florence, the bread seemed almost tasteless, but I found out through this tour that the tradition here is to not salt the bread because, historically, salt has been a precious commodity. Plus, it also makes the local prosciutto stand out. I still found it tasteless, no matter how they explain it to me.

We then were taken to another wonderful farmhouse, which was on top of a hill overlooking their vineyards and a small forest. It was Sonoma and Napa but 3-times better. We got to make spinach and ricotta ravioli, which we all got to eat later for lunch. Some people took a walk through the countryside, I chose to do the cooking and wine tasting. One of our tour guides assisted me with the cooking and we had a marvellous time. Later after lunch, another tour guide treated us to his superb singing voice.

The last part of the day, a lovely Italian couple hosted us at their home! She cooked us a wonderful 4 course Italian meal. Her husband, spent the day shared some stories with us of his time as a race car driver and how he and his wife spent time in the Mediterranean conducting cruises for several years. I was amazed. It was time to head back to Florence, and I good thing to, the weather was turning.

Tomorrow I’ll be in a part of the Cinque Terre to watch the sunset.

Are you looking for a room at one of the nice hotels Mannheim Germany has to offer? Well it’s now wonder, there are some sites to see in Mannheim and the surrounding area. It is a really large city these days. It used to be just a coastal fishing town but now it has grown to be a real metropolis. It is located in the middle of where the Rhine and Neckar Rivers merge. You will find this city in the Baden-Wurttemberg state of Germany. Today it is the home of 2.4 million people. In the center of the city there is a very large eighteenth century palace.

The Mannheim Palace is a wonderful and the largest, baroque palaces in Europe. It was the residence of the Prince electors originally. Now it is the University of Mannheim. This city was founded in 1606 and this palace sits on the site that was once a fortress called Friedrichsburg. Elector Karl III Philip had troubles in Heidelberg so he changed his the Palatinates’s capital to Mannheim. He is the one who built the new palace on the old site. The construction of the palace was completed in 1778. Then of course Karl Theodor eventually became the Elector of Bavaria and then moved his court to Munich.

The palace endured the coming and going of Napoleon of course during the Napoleonic Wars. Then during World War II the palace was bombed heavily and partially destroyed. There was a back and forth talk about whether they should just tare it down for a new modern city to be developed. In the end, they reconstructed the palace to how it stands today. The University is mainly a business university and the main library and many lecture halls are still housed in the palace. The modern trend of universities having mini campuses around the city has taken hold with the University of Mannheim today.

Quinn was trying to begin his professional career as a cellist. He had splayed the instrument since he was five and just recently finished his bachelor’s degree in music performance. He as played for money and has also taught beginning cello to private students, though he has never had a major position in a professional symphony. This was the career goal he had since about the age of 12 when he knew he wanted to play the cello forever and as his job. He based this on what is frequently the natural assumption associated with cello performance and was the expected pursuit of most or all of the top students.

Now that he was out on his own in the world and encountering the tough reality of the field’s extreme competition, he began to question his goals and reevaluate his perspective. This by no means indicated that he was considering giving up or not playing professionally. Nor did it mean he had begun to feel defeated or that he couldn’t make it. Quinn sat in his room at one of the Indianapolis luxury hotels and thought about all of this before he headed out to attend a concert by the Indianapolis Symphony.

That evening the concert was amazing. The Indianapolis Symphony performed the Jupiter Symphony (also known as Symphony 41) by Mozart, who was actually one of Quinn’s favorite composers. This was Mozart’s final symphony and it was a great performance by the Indianapolis Symphony. Of course Quinn also loved Bach and some of the well known composers who wrote great works for the cello, such as Dvorak and Edward Elgar, but Mozart had special place in his heart. He realized while he was there that he truly did belong with a symphony and we would do whatever it takes to attain a position with one.

Namaste! My adventure began after setting down at Delhi airport and with a Swine flu screening. Passengers had to fill out a health declaration form and then monitored with a thermal imaging camera. Anyone with a temperature above normal was immediately escorted away for tests! Welcome to India! I grabbed what looked like the oldest bus in the world and we traveled 5 kilometers across the air field, stopping occasionally to give the right away to jumbo jets. I saw exotic birds and monkeys playing in the trees. Definitely not at home anymore.  We arrived at the domestic terminal and were greeted by armed guards and had to show our passport and tickets in order be let inside.

Once in the terminal, I exchanged 20 pounds for some rupees. I caught the Kingfisher flight to Bangalore and then to Trivandrum, the capital in Kerala, my first destination. Upon arriving in Trivandrum is when I noticed India has a distinct smell, which I was unable to place, it was sort of like hot machine oil. I took a taxi to one of the best hotels Kerala can offer. The taxi ride was manic, with all the beeping of horns, swerving to avoid pedestrians and overtaking in the path of oncoming traffic. This is how they drive in India, far different than England, this is when it finally dawned on me what I was getting myself into.

When I got to my room, I attempted to sleep, but the combination of jet-lag and traffic noise made this impossible. I laid awake for most of the night, I occasionally got up to get a drink of water. I only got a few hours of sleep. When I woke up, I was tired and I had a headache. So, I set out in search of food. I found a restaurant not far from my hotel and ordered thali along with lime juice and a bottle of water. A thali is about 9 small pots of curry along with a japate, rice and a popodom. Eating in India is a new experience, using no cutlery and only my right hand only, because one should use the left hand for other business.

After this wonderful meal, I walked a couple of miles to a park. It was so fascinating to see a the city, with lots of small shops and people everywhere. The traffic is chaos and the heat is intense. When I got to the park, I was thirsty enough to buy a glass of apple juice, which contains local water, and thankfully I got no ill effects. I took a tuk-tuk back to my hotel. Back in my room, to try to sleep this time, I couldn’t help wonder just how amazing India is.

Goa has a particularly fascinating history, with Buddhist origins, a period of troubling occupation by the Portuguese, and a present that attracts tourists from within India, as well as all over the world.  The history and culture of the place are all worth getting to know while you’re visiting, because they add to the depth of knowledge and understanding.  It’s a fantastic place by any accounts, with an enormous biodiversity and absolutely splendid beaches.   There are many different ways to see Goa, spa resorts offer a particularly splendid view from which to explore this amazing city.

They’re all inclusive, and offer a chance to be in an exotic setting that’s very much like paradise, without having to worry about leaving the hotel at all.  The rooms are spacious and gorgeous, there are fantastic meals to be had here, work out rooms, and tennis courts, access to the beach, as well as shopping malls, and it’s a whole city in one location.  There are plenty of things to see in Goa, however, and should you decide to venture, there are many different traditions of music that converge here.

It might catch your attention, and it certainly caught the attention of Rui Torres and the other organizers of Digital Power Poetry.  This is an organization devoted to developing and marking a new digital poetics that exists in the virtual realm.  They’re itinerant in nature, and never stay in one location from year to year.  Looking at poets who work in the digital realm, using electronic means in some significant way in their work, they serve to introduce the public to the work and to the artists.  When they brought their project to Goa, they also included panels that discussed the different poetic forms that are extremely local to Goa, with some exciting and illuminating revelations.  It also maintained a rough and energetic slam poetry aesthetic, and was an extraordinary work of transcultural dialogue, in action and ethereal, like poetry written on the water.

Traveling in Bali is one of the most perfect beach getaways one could ask for.  It’s the savvy world-traveler’s dream, offering a spectacular seaside way of life that’s usually only dreamed of.  There is an exotic lushness in the air all the time, with natural escapes all around you, as well as a lively cultural scene to keep your evenings full of late-night fun.  It’s a great way to make those daydreams finally come true, spending time in the presence of the sea, which offers a constant sense of renewal to the tired spirit.  When looking for ways to make your stay even better in Bali, beach resort accommodations are a splendid idea, where the lodgings are designed to keep the sense of rejuvenation flowing all day and night.

Waking up in resort settings is always lovely, and does something to the mind and body that is immensely pleasing.  You can begin your day with an ease and comfort, where all that’s on the agenda is to figure out how to enjoy all the amenities here, and still get to see Bali.  Life in the resort is fabulous, and outside the resort is also pretty fabulous.  If you’re coming in the summer, you might very well wish to time your trip so that it coincides with the fabulous Bali Arts Festival.

This is a showcase of local groups performing music and dance, as well as puppet theatre, and you can see many different types of traditional Balinese and Javanese performance.  There is also work from other parts of the world, such as Australia, and the U.S.  The festival is almost a month long, and there are an incredible number of works displayed.  This is a feast for the cultural tourist, looking for a taste of ethnographic spectatorship, and a place where the people that live here represent themselves for themselves, in view of tourists as well as theatre-goers.  It’s an amazing event that is impossible to see anywhere else on the planet.