Syndey Royal Easter Show
There are some events that take all of the central elements of a place and its cultures and put them on display. Sometimes, the events will focus on one thing, such as live music, in order to narrow down the valiant attempt to show off everything. In the case of Sydney’s Royal Easter Show , the focus is on the agriculture and livestock. There are plenty of other things to see here, however, which showcase the lifestyles of some of the populations in and around Sydney, and it can be a pretty spectacular thing indeed.
For visitors staying in Sydney hotels , it’s not long before it’s apparent that Sydney has a lot to see and do. This is true any time of the year, but the 10 day festival in the Spring, which is Fall down here, there are sights one can’t see just every day. Horses and cattle are the prize attractions here, and the ones the locals get the most emotional about. There are also vast numbers of shetland ponies, and other animals for the young ones to pet. Carnival rides are plentiful, and the scrumptious foods of Australia are all well-supplied here. It’s a chance to see what the land offers, and what the people can make of it.
Key West Florida and Margaritaville
Key West, Florida, even the name of the city sparks images of great spring break and summer vacations for people from all over the world. Visions of beautiful beaches and amazing sunsets and great memories of romantic dinners and relaxing afternoons in the sand are standard associations to this great city in Florida. In addition, many people also recognize it as the setting for Jimmy Buffet’s hit song Margaritaville. And while it was written in Fort Myers, Florida, Key West basically hijacked the rights to association and it has been theirs every since. Hijack might be a strong term, but ask the residents of Fort Myers and see what they think.
Regardless of the inspiration behind Margaritaville, and actually both places are perfectly fitting and they could even share the title, Jimmy Buffet himself has strong ties to Key West and so the association remains strongly attached to this city. The city itself has never used the song for marketing or claimed and identity attachment to it. Less disputable are other popular references to the city in song. John Cougar Mellencamp released a song in 1996 called Key West Intermezzo and while it landed on the Billboard chart at number 14, it never achieved the iconic status of Buffet’s.
The strongest literal association the city has to Buffet’s song began in 1991 when throngs of people flocked to its beaches to celebrate the Parrott Heads in Paradise Convention. This has occurred annually since then and usually takes place sometime in November. Buffet launched a restaurant chain named after this song and there is a Margaritaville Cafe located in Key West, though there are others throughout the country. Regardless of any association to Buffet, though also not intending to mitigate it, a luxury hotel Key West is full of happy guests who simply love the city for the beauty and atmosphere it contains.
Mermaid Parade in New York
The New York Halloween Parade is pretty widely known, but there’s another event in the city that’s also pretty spectacular. It’s more locally recognized than the Halloween event, but it does get enough press. As far as the organizers are concerned, it seems to be exactly as big as it needs to be, and it’s a quintessential New York phenomenon.
There used to be a Mardi Gras celebration in Coney Island, that lasted from 1903 to 1954. As most people could imagine, a Mardi Gras celebration here is bound to have its share of highly unusual spectacle, and a very broad spectrum of humanity, defining publicly their idea of fun. The Coney Island Mermaid Parade is an homage to that event from the past, and it’s rolling in the present in typically fantastical New York fashion. It marks the opening of the beaches for the summer, and is also a bit of a nod to the ancient celebrations of the change of seasons. It takes place on the first Saturday on or before the first official day of summer, so occasionally it hits it exactly right on the solstice.
There are typically a couple thousand participants, and a hundred thousand onlookers, and it really is something to behold. Anything that someone could imagine in a mermaid parade is here, and there are lots of things that no one could have imagined. The event goes from about 2pm to 5:30, after which a King and Queen arrive. In 2010, the happy couple was a New York duo, Laurie Anderson and Lou Reed , who tied the knot in Boulder, Colorado in 2008.
Those staying in NY hotels who are in town for the parade are always strongly advised to take the subway to Coney Island. Cabs there are extremely expensive, and parking a car at any public NY event can test anyone’s nerves. There’s also a ball afterward, and here is a chance to have some real New York fun. It’s a different world, and there are even more different worlds that open up when people are dressing up in New York, re-defining what a bachanale can be in the 21st century.
Dining in Downtown Los Angeles
While staying in downtown Los Angeles your going to want to make a point to have lunch or dinner at Wurstkuche Restaurant for a great sausage experience. This place made me aware of how many kinds of sausages there are in the world. How about a buffalo, beef, and pork sausage with chipotle peppers? There is also rabbit, veal and pork filled sausages with a white wine sauce. The serve them up with some classic Belgian fries and many kinds of dipping sauces. They pair up their sausages with some amazing beers from all over the world. This place is a real treat for the sausage lover.
There are many five star hotels in Los Angeles and one of them is bound to be near The Edison . This is one of the most retro establishments in the city. The theme of the place celebrates the days of discovery in light, sound, and vision. The industrial age and the lifestyle that went along with it. They have classic cocktails with a twist and many beers to choose from. Take part in all the treats at the well stocked bar. The menu is simple Tesla fries and the Ruben. Entertainment is happening in the Radio Room on a nightly basis which features live music, DJ’s and burlesque shows.
Then there is the Nickel Diner with its modern twist on the diner experience. Gourmet food with a diner feel. They add the avocado to the BLT sandwich. There is a tuna burger along with the classic beef burgers. The salads have more than just iceberg lettuce and tomatoes. And there is chili made for the Vegan. But don’t worry there is still enough grease in the place to call it a diner.
So now you aren’t completely lost as to were to experience the most unique dining in the Downtown Los Angeles area.
Thing to consider on a trip to Miami
Florida is a wonderful state to visit year round but there are many factors to consider when choosing your destination. Right now Miami is an ideal vacation spot. It’s not immediately in the Gulf of Mexico so the oil spill hasn’t effected it’s beaches yet. Like it has so many other beaches from the Florida panhandle along the Gulf coast of Texas and into Mexico. Also, hurricanes only strike during a set season and can be tracked to avoid entirely or to reevaluate your plans before they’re interfered with by mother nature.
Miami During the Spring and Summer is the classic times to visit. The weather is hotter so there’s less clothing and the beautiful people seem to be out in force. On the flip side of that it is hotter and most forget to plan accordingly the best Miami hotels to stay in during the summer are going to be the ones along the beach or within walking distance. If you’re particularly sensitive to the suns rays you might even want to see about a hotel with an indoor pool. When you plan to hit the clubs remember some have dress codes that require dressing nice so light natural fabrics like silk and cotton are your friend, linen dresses and suits are particularly summer friendly. Do NOT forget to pack or purchase plenty of sunblock and insect repellent . Miami is near a swamp and there are going to be mosquitoes in the early evening and just after dawn times of the day. The need for sunblock should be mostly self explanatory. The savvy traveler should also keep a filled water bottle on them at all times; just because the climate is humid doesn’t mean you can’t dehydrate.
Fall and Winter are great times to visit Miami and Southern Florida. While you’ll still need the sunblock and bug spray the weather is much milder and you are less likely to ruin that nice suit or new dress when you hit the clubs from over heating. This time of the year is usually when you’ll encounter some of the more interesting festivities as well. Halloween in Miami is special with it’s variety of cultures and several attractions hosting haunted houses and parties. What do you think about the idea of working on your tan during Christmas vacation? You should dress for warm weather but just in case of the odd cold spell remember to have a light jacket or coat on hand; the South is known for spontaneous weather changes.
Mauna Loa Macadamia Nuts in Hilo
It is difficult to come up with any city or region of an Island of Hawaii that is not attractive to tourists. Though, it is also true that each island and city on it has unique offerings and can be inviting for their own reasons. And with this in mind, it is also true that the underling thread of beauty, interest and captivating attention is the incredible beaches and coastal waters that all over and around each of the islands. Hilo is located on the island of Hawai’i and is its largest city. In addition to being located on the Hilo Bay and having that beautiful geographic location it is also well known for being one of the world’s leading producers of macadamia nuts. Guests at the hotels Hilo are lucky to find a macadamia nut in their room.
Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Corporation is located there, and it is also one of the most famous and highly trusted nut producers in the world. Hawaii is known for producing some of the most delicious macadamia nuts in the world and they are continually increasing in popularity and uses. The trees are beautiful and have a graceful appearance with glossy leaves. Historically the trees were planted specifically for their beauty because the nutshells are so hard that for generations no one could crack them. They are actually the hardest nut shell in the world, even more so than the hickory.
By 1946 the plantation that would become Mauna Loa was established and the rest is history. Today the company is probably the largest macadamia nut distributors in the world. In addition to eating the nuts roasted and salted there are numerous recipes that incorporate this delicious sweet nut, and they are also sold with various seasonings and coverings. Chocolate covered nuts are the most popular variety and they are absolutely delicious. In addition they are available with chocolate and coconut or toffee. There are honey roasted and even garlic and onion varieties. Kona coffee glazed are gaining in popularity and the wasabi spiced are generally met with a bit of hesitation but are surprisingly good. Macadamia nuts also have vitamins and minerals and are good sources of protein.
Give In Before You Give Up at New Orleans Mardi Gras
If you have ever thought about visiting New Orleans, okay that was really kind of a joke with the intention of having a reader respond with, ‘are you kidding?’ And actually there is no punch line, the entire point was to stress the idea that almost if not everyone has at least thought about and wanted to visit New Orleans at some point in their lives. And many of those people fulfill their wish, while others are simply reminded of it around Shrove Tuesday of each year. And for anyone who wonders what I’m talking about at this point, you should probably give up. Or, better yet give in to your desire to visit one of the luxury hotels New Orleans and find out what Mardi Gras is all about.
First, you might want to know what Mardi Gras and Shrove Tuesday have in common. Well, everything actually, other than their language. They both refer to Fat Tuesday with the former being the French version and the latter being an older English version. Metaphorically they both represent the Carnival celebration traditions that occur just before Ash Wednesday, which the first day of Lent. This is a period of solemn abstinence and generally includes fasting and the giving up of other habits.
Mardis Gras, or Carnival, in addition to being Fat Tuesday or the day before the beginning of Lent refers to that immediate season and traditionally been a period of abandoned revelry and indulgence. This has been a time when all social roles and norms are turned upside and anything goes. This excess ends abruptly on Ash Wednesday when the period of giving up begins. New Orleans has the largest and most famous Mardi Gras celebration in this country. People from all over the nation make an annual pilgrimage to Louisiana for the chance to catch some beads and other goods along the Riverwalk. Parades, live music, costumes, great food are all part of this annual event. So, if you’re going to go to New Orleans, make sure you pack a mask or costume of some kind in your suitcase.
Alec Baldwin Wants to Redeem Image with HGH
Alec Baldwin recently showed off a softer side of himself. He played a character who was in touch with his sensitive side. The look of this character was in the realm of being metrosexual. Let’s put it this way; the character was interested in spray tans. Baldwin couldn’t bring himself to do the spray tan thing but he did make an attempt to get a tan and ended up turning pretty orange in the process.
Although Baldwin likes to push himself to play different types of characters he is starting to feel like this one was a bit of a stretch for him. Now he wants to take on a more manly role so that he can redeem his macho image. He mentioned wanting to take human growth hormone to buff up so that he can play a much tougher kind of guy in his next role.
Of course, Baldwin is aware of the side effects of hgh. This is always something that actors have to think about whenever they do anything to their looks for a role. In the same way he had to think about the impact of tanning when he played the metrosexual character. Baldwin seems more than happy to accept those hgh side effects if it means getting his body back.
Unusual Christmas Gift Requests
What did the people in your life say that they wanted for the holidays this year? Did you get them what they were asking for? A lot of people make strange gift requests that their loved ones feel weird honoring even though it’s what the individual really wants.
Some unusual Christmas gift requests that I heard this year included:
- A full set of fluorescent light bulbs and a Fulham Ballast or LED lamp. This is a type of green lighting that is popular for both homes and businesses. There is nothing particularly weird about the product but it seems odd to request it as a Christmas gift.
- A Nine Inch Nails guitar. The band just finished their last tour and their guitars are being auctioned off. It’s not that strange of a gift but it’s WAY up there in priciness so it’s an odd thing to ask for unless you happen to be asking someone who has a lot of money.
- Peace and quiet. This is what my mom asks for every year. We joke about it but I think she means it. Thinking about it makes me realize that it’s a bit of a weird request.
- Nothing. A lot of people ask for this but nobody really means it do they?
What weird gift requests have you heard?
Dog Training Video
This is a great video on the basic elements involved with dog training.
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