Archive for June, 2010

Florence Has David!

Arts & Culture | Posted by admin
Jun 29 2010

When in Florence, above all else, you must see Michelangelo’s David, located at The Accademia Gallery, Viz Ricasoli 60. The statue of David was housed in the Piazza Signoria for more than 4 centuries, but is now exhibited in a hall especially constructed just for this statue; designed by architect Emilio De Fabris. There are other works by Michelangelo that follow the sculptor’s artistic development, from his famous David to his ‘Slave’ series and his sculpture of San Matteo.

Accademia Gallery stands on a site formerly occupied by the ancient Monastery of San Matteo and Convent of San Niccolo di Cafaggio, whose grounds covered the entire area lying between Piazz Santissima Annunziata and Via Ricasoli. The Gallery also features an impressive collection of paintings ranging from the 13th century to the 16th century, and besides the highlight of the Statue of David, the Gallery includes important works by Taddeo Gaddi, a 24-panel representing scenes from the life of Christ, and St. Francis; the Sienese school Crucifix from the 13th century; and the Pieta by Giovanni da Milano.

No matter what great works are housed at Accademia, it’s still the Statue of David that everyone comes to see and so should you, even if you’re strapped for time, staying one night at a hotel Florence offers its tourist, you must fit this in your itinerary. The statue of David and the unfinished Michelangelo statues that lead the way to the main attraction, is worth the ticket price or even extending your stay. The perfection of the human body, down to the veins protruding from the hands, the stance of the body with muscles, and the determination seen in David’s eyes will take your breath away. This masterpiece is why Michelangelo is considered the greatest sculpture ever born.

Hours are Tuesday through Sunday: 8:15am to 6:50pm. Cost of a ticket is 6.50 Euros. European Union and regular state teachers receive a 50% discount. Free admission for groups of Italian and schools accompanied by their teachers, tourist guides with an official document, tourist interpreters accompanying a group with an official document, Members of ICOM and European citizens under 18 or over 65.

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Pantheon and Circus Maximus in Rome

Travel | Posted by admin
Jun 25 2010

There are some many sites to see when visiting Rome and it is really impossible to see them all in a short period of time. It would be best if one could live there for a year and take the time to learn about the hundreds of sites and explore them completely. For most that is not possible. Most travelers have only a few weeks, days or even hours to spend in Rome. The first places many of these people go is to Vatican City which is great because that includes the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica. It is a whole day event just to visit the Vatican. The next big stop is the Colosseum. It is the most famous building of the Roman Empire and is also a must see. This site doesn’t take a whole day but the surrounding area has a lot to see as well.  

One of the sites you might see if you get on a tour bus and travel through the city is the Circus Maximus. Today it looks like a large rectangular park but this was once the best place to catch the famous chariot races of the Roman times. It is about 150 yards wind and runs about a third of a mile long and researchers believe that there were up to 250,000 people who would line the track. There were more than likely only 150,000 seats but there were always plenty of people standing to see the events. This was one event were people of all classes ended up sharing seating areas. So keep an eye out for it.  

Another amazing place to visit if you have some time is the Pantheon. The city built itself up around the Pantheon over more than 1800 years in and it seems to be a bit big in the courtyard were it sits today but it is very rich inside. This building was created to honor all the pagan Gods. One of the most amazing things about the building is the massive dome that was the only source of light in the early days. The marble and artifacts inside this wonderful building is really worth seeing if you have a chance. Check with your great hotel in Rome or with your favorite travel directory for more transportation information.

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Manhattan Italian

Travel | Posted by admin
Jun 22 2010

The idea of an Italian restaurant in Manhattan is one that creates a kind of perfect place in the imagination. In its platonic ideal, this is the place of dreams, where everything anyone could want is there for an evening that extends into eternity. The music is just right, and the company is romantic, witty, and flirty beyond abandon. The food is impossibly good, and there is no telling where the night will go.

There are many places like this all over the city, and it would take a lifetime to try them all. Perhaps it would be worth a lifetime, because at the end of the 80 or so years, it’s hard to imagine not being enormously happy. And one of the great things about New York City is that there are plenty of exercise clubs to work off too much pasta and butter. If one is so inclined.

It might be necessary to find a place to work out after an evening at Ennio and Michael’s , where they serve it up in a delightful old school Italian style. Perfectly placed in the Village on La Guardia place, this is a space where one can escape from the noise of the city and get into the serious business of eating.

It’s reputed to have one of the best recipes for linguini with clam sauce in the city, but it’s best to save opinions until the end of another 80 years, when all the Italian places have been thoroughly researched.

For now, this is as good a place to start as any. It’s a wonderful night out, enjoying time on the city while staying at one of the five star hotels Manhattan offers. There may be music in the air, and it might be the restaurant, or it might be coming from the heart, playing the sweet sounds of falling in love.

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Boston’s Fenway and Blues

Music | Posted by admin
Jun 19 2010

Boston has a long list of historical places to visit and Fenway Park is one of them. This is a ball park that will take you back to what it was like in the beginning of baseball. One of the reasons that fans love to see a game from the stands and not their living room. The Boston Red Sox have call this home since 1912. While other major league ball teams have moved to new facilities, the Red Sox continue to call this classic park their home. This makes it the oldest major league baseball field to be in continued use in the country. Only the Boston Red Sox, as an organization, has been around longer. Whether one is coming out to see the Red Sox play or their rival for the day, serious baseball fans find a way to get to this park before they die. Today, the best boston hotel couldn’t keep a baseball fan in.

While in Fenway Park area fans can spend a little time enjoying the businesses and establishments that are around the park. There are always some good sports bars outside of the park were fans can come before and after the game to talk about current sports events over a few beers and listen to some great bands. There is a House of Blues across the way from the park ready to rock the city. They have some solid local acts and many national and international acts hitting the stage. In fact, many people find themselves here even on a non game night. This is a good place to get a steak or a burger and a beverage from their loaded bar. From Ted Nugent to Cindy Lauper there is a night for everyone to have a great time at the House of Blues.

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Seattle’s Where Science Meets the Circus

Entertainment | Posted by admin
Jun 17 2010

Seattle is a wonderful place for a summer vacation. Currently, the Pacific Science Center (PSC) has ‘Circus! Science Under the Big Top’, exhibit happening now till September 6, 2010. The Center is located at 200 Second Avenue North, Monday – Friday from 10am to 4pm and on Saturday – Sunday 10am to 6pm. Bring your entire family, because at the Circus, there’s something for everyone.

You and your family will discover what science has to do under the Big Top at the Circus. For instance, you’ll find out how exactly the human cannon ball works, how do sword swallower’s swallow those swords, you’ll learn the aerodynamic of the aerial acrobatics, where you’ll get strapped into a harness on the high wire and find out how good your balancing act is as you make it across the 20 foot long wire. You’ll find out just how much force is necessary to bend an iron bar; discover how your body can use leverage, compression and tension to perform amazing feats of strength, and you’ll learn how 100 clowns can fit into a small car . ‘Circus’ is an interactive, highly sensory, educational extravaganza, one that will let adults live out their childhood dreams of running away to join the circus, and create new dreams for your children, but not ones of running away, but ones where the Circus is a place of exploration.

The Pacific Science Center is visited by people from all over the world and is conveniently located next to any boutique hotel Seattle USA can offer its throngs of visitors each year. The PSC has met the challenge of delighting tourists and locals and continues to strive at improving their guests enjoyment, like adding the show ‘Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man’, at their Eames IMAX Theater, which is a musical and visual celebration of the mystical journey through the stages of humankind, from birth to maturity. ‘Circus’, is a great attraction and you and your family will find that the imagination has become a reality in this one-of-a-kind summer exhibit. Be sure to book enough days at your hotel, because ‘Circus’, isn’t the only exhibit, at PSC, like the ‘Dinosaurs: A Journey Through Time’, and ‘Adventures in 3Dimensions, are only a few of all there is to explore. Book now, and during the summer, you and your family will be amazed at just how much fun science truly is.

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Admitting Addiction is First Step in Drug Rehab

Society | Posted by admin
Jun 14 2010

If you are concerned that you are demonstrating signs of drug and or alcohol addiction, this is not a message that you should take lightly. In fact, the first thing you should do is thank and even congratulate yourself for posing the question. The second thing is to remember that it takes more courage to seek assistance with the problem than it does to pretend like it doesn’t exist, meaning to ignore or it, or try to handle it on your own. Unfortunately, the majority of people have an initial belief that it shows weakness to admit you have a problem. This is one of the common misconceptions about substance abuse that is extremely destructive and only leads to great instances of addiction and generally assures that treatment will not be sought.

One of the best ways to counter the misguided belief is to stress the fact that addiction is a disease , it is not a character flaw or form of personal weakness. And seeking treatment requires strength and courage, to ignore or deny the problem is the much weaker response. This is frequently a difficult thing to accept, and that is frequently part of the denial process.

However, participants of non-court ordered drug rehab treatment centers have almost always accepted the fact that they have a problem before they enter the facility. And while this is an essential aspect of recovery, it is just the beginning of a long process. Depending on the specific drug that you are addicted to the extent of your program can vary. Regardless, your in house treatment is focused on getting you through the psychological withdrawal phases and also to start processing the effects of addiction as well as potential triggers that can cause a relapse. In house treatment will also be oriented toward developing some coping skills that can be put to use back in the real world, where additional outpatient counseling or twelve step meeting attendance will likely be recommended.

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Grand Prairie Music and Dancing

Travel | Posted by admin
Jun 12 2010

Put on your best hat and boots. Grab your best girl and head out to a night club while your in Grand Prairie Texas. Nestled in between the hotels. grand prairie as a few night life gems waiting for you to come out, meet the locals, and relax. If your hungry, you may want to head over to Tommy’s Bar and Grill for some pre dance dinner. They have some great burgers in a nice relaxing atmosphere. They have some fun bar games like darts and game machines. You can drop some coins in the jukebox and enjoy the food and beverage from the servers with a smile.  

Mary’s Outpost should keep you and the crooners in your group happy. They have quite a selection of songs and good drink prices. They also have bar games including pool tables and dominoes. This is also a great place to catch your favorite sports games. They are open all week long and ready to serve up your favorite beer or cocktail.  

If your looking for some cowboy dancing action then head over to Cowboy’s Arlington . This cowboy dance hall has some experience in the business of keeping their clients movin. They have a couple of clubs in Texas and one of them is just down the street from Grand Prairie. For the teenager traveling with you, this club has a special night for them. They open the doors for the teens to come in and mingle with their friends and do some two steppin from 7pm to midnight. They better get their best boots on for the dance contest. There is even a bull riding contest on the mechanical bull. Sorry parents, it is teens only so your going to have to keep movin down the road for a place that will let you in.

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Sight-Seeing at the Miami Metrozoo

Leisure | Posted by admin
Jun 09 2010

In 1948, on a small island off the coast of Miami, Florida, the Crandon Park Zoo had its start when three monkeys, a goat, and two black bears were purchased for the price of $270 from a road show. Nearly 20 years later, in 1967, the collection of animals swelled to 1,200 animals, and the zoo was named among the top 25 zoos in the United States, receiving international recognition that same year for the first captive birth and rearing of an aardvark.

That same year, the zoo obtained two Asian elephants, Dalip and Seetna, who produced three offspring, also an uncommon achievement in the middle of the 20th Century. The following year, 1968, the zoo received an animal that was only the second of its kind brought to the U.S. — a white tiger — all this, despite severe damage from a hurricane three years earlier in 1965.

In the five years that followed, the Zoological Society Board decided to find a new home for the zoo, and applied for 600 acres of the recently available Richmond Naval Air Station land, beginning the first steps of what would become the Miami Metrozoo .

Travelers today, passing through the city or staying at a boutique Miami hotel , may see over a hundred exhibits at the zoo, which now contains over two thousand animals that represent more than 400 species, a long way from the original monkeys, goat, and bears. Over forty species represented are endangered; there’s seventy species of birds alone in the Wings of Asia Aviary. In an exhibit known as Dr. Wilde’s World, there are ten thousand to fifteen thousand Italian honey bees. The zoo serves as a kind of botanical garden as well, with over a thousand species of trees, palms, and other types of plants. The Eastern Airlines Orchid Society also cares for hundreds of orchids in the trees.

Animals first purchased for the zoo include a two-year-old black rhino named Cora, in 1973. Since that time, the zoo continued to grow, with the establishment in 1984 of the Wings of Asia exhibit, which allows birds a 1.6 acre free-flight aviary. The following few years saw the addition of African hoofed stock in the African savanna section. Toward the end of the 80s, the zoo saw the addition of a section on Australian animals, such as koalas, kangaroos and wallabies. The zoo, in 1989, had the distinction of having the first koala born on the East Coast.

With all the animals visitors may see here — animals such as Asian otters, a blood python, clouded leopards, muntjac deer, fly-river turtles, Cuban Crocodiles and Squirrel Monkeys — children might best like the camel rides available for the last two years in the Children’s Zoo. Guests may sit atop a dromedary camel — one humped, seven feet tall, and about a thousand to thirteen hundred pounds in weight — and experience this ancient African and Asian form of transportation.

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Big Music in Austin

Travel | Posted by admin
Jun 07 2010

It is no joke when they say that Austin is the music capitol of the world. There is every kind of music available in Austin and at any hour of the day or night, any day you are there someone will be playing in a restaurant, concert hall, or someplace else. There is a lot of undiscovered talent in Austin, and because of the talent that has been discovered there more and more talent just keeps moving in. Sometimes it is nice, having all these great musicians around all the time, but sometimes it can be a little much. You can’t go to one event without missing out on someone’s event, you can’t even go to sleep without missing an event, but there isn’t enough money in the world to be able to see everything all at once.

In the next couple of months there will be at least one major musical event going on. The Austin City Limits music festival with over 130 bands such as the Eagles, Muse, the Flaming Lips, Phish and the Strokes among a much larger list of those who will be playing and thousands of fans taking up all of the Austin best hotels . Austin City Limits has been made particularly famous by PBS doing a show on them that allows those who are not down in Austin to get a taste of the huge musical variations that play at Austin City Limits. The show and the festival are now different though, so you shouldn’t confuse the two as one of them will be going on all year round and the other one has only one small weekend.

All this music doesn’t even include the small hole in the wall bars and restaurants that will be featuring numerous artists both big and small, or even the larger bars and restaurants that often have big name stars such as Houston formed ZZTop and many others come over there and play. What will really get you will be the music in all the unexpected places, such as in the airport when you first fly in. There are performances in grocery stores and along the sides during races. Everything may be big in Texas but there seems to be nothing big enough to hold all of the talent in this place.

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Ionian University on Corfu

Society | Posted by admin
Jun 02 2010

The beautiful Greek island of Corfu is incredibly attractive to tourists and the fact that it is steeped, okay maybe that’s a bit strong, but it’s at least associated with ancient mythology and this certainly contributes to the overall intrigue and charm of the island’s atmosphere. And while it’s peaceful charm and harmonious beauty is one of the most attractive aspects of it today, it is difficult to imagine though interesting to know that the island has experienced a turbulent history and has been the focus and location of many battles and conquest efforts.

All of the above topics, the island’s turbulent history and its associations to Greek mythology can be studied at the Ionian University , which is located on the island. The university was established in 1984, which makes it relatively new and it continues to gain respect and recognition. And students from around the world are becoming interested in it. And aside from the quality programs it offers, this is understandable as many people include the location destination as one of the fundamental features in choosing a school. Of course, there is the other population of students who considers only program quality and university prestige, but then it’s difficult to notice a beautiful view with your head constantly in the books.

It’s also a great idea for parents and future students to tour a university before enrolling in the first class. What is usually considered to be a troublesome task is an exciting journey that is frequently turned into a family vacation when the student is considering attending Ionian. The great Corfu hotels are happy to accommodate perspective student families, and anyone else who happens to be visiting the island. Some of the different programs offered by the university include Asian studies, history, music, foreign languages and others including post graduate studies. And can you imagine a more beautiful place to attain your degree?

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