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The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is a world renown establishment that is primarily known for its great collection that spans centuries, art genres and cultural perspectives of items. However, the museum is also focused on and greatly contributes to the continued development of new works and artists. Education and research is also a fundamental aspect of the organization. The progressive nature of this seemingly conservative establishment can be found not only among some of its rooms and hung across the walls but also on its ruff top. In fact, many of the hotel guests in some of the near by resorts may be able to see this new installation piece from their balcony windows.

This is just one of the works of art this is currently making the news and getting random attention throughout this great city, though it is also one of the most dynamic and complicated. The piece is titled Big Bambu: You Can’t, You Don’t and You Won’t Stop. The installation is made of bamboo and includes a suspended walkway above the roof. The entire project will last through the end of October and will continue to be worked on until the time it is dismantled. The most report indicated that intricate web of bamboo rose about twenty five feet into the air above the roof of the museum.

The ongoing installation project, conceived and constructed by Doug and Mike Starn , who happen to be identical twins, is anticipated to receive somewhere in the neighborhood of 400,000 viewers, though this projection is somewhat dependent on the weather. Meanwhile, some incredible tours will be offered, though it is important to understand that there is the possibility of experiencing some unexpected and sometimes severe cases of height anxiety and fear. In addition, there may be some physical and health restrictions related to participating in the tours.

You might not consider visiting New York for a nice meditative, relaxing time, but believe it or not, you can if you attend the New York Insight urban center . The NYI programs include talks, weekly sittings and courses as well as daylong, weekend retreats and workshops that integrated meditation teachings into every day life. They strive to be a center that reflects the vivid diversity of the city. The center is a place where anyone, of different ages, nationalities, cultures, sexual orientation, languages, ethnicities and spiritual and religious backgrounds – is welcome to begin or to deepen their meditation practice based on the teachings of the Buddha.

Insight meditation as taught and practiced at the New York Insight center is a way to develop wisdom and compassion, to cultivate mindfulness of the body from moment to moment, without judgments, distortions or projections, to see things as they are, to watch nativities weaken as you begin to cultivate a peacefulness in the mind and an openness of heart. The foundations of the practice include sitting meditation, in which you’ll learn to acquire steadiness of the mind and the ability to see deeply into the truth of your experience; walking meditation, in which you develop a greater awareness of your body in the present moment; and mindfulness in daily life, the art of conscious living. NYI offers a full schedule of talks, courses, sittings, retreats and workshops aimed at developing the art of mindful living. A majority of the programs are designed especially for beginners.

You’ll leave the comforts of your luxury New York City hotel and enter a light-filled loft space located near Herald Square , has become the physical and spiritual home of the community since it opened in 2004; with a main meditation room and a classroom, the center provides a safe space for spiritual inquiry. New York Insight Meditation Center is located on 28 West 27th Street on the 10th Floor.

Though many states are still buried deep in snow, there are many more than are experiencing the warmer weather of spring time.  With such nice weather, there is no excuse not to get out of the house and enjoy nature.  This week is National Park Week and to celebrate over 300 national parks are offering free admission as well as special events and programs for the kids.  It only runs through Sunday so make plans to take part.  For more information and to take advantage of this offer visit the ChicagoSunTimes.com.

For anyone traveling to or from Europe, the volcanic ash cloud that has been covering northern Europe for the last week has been more than just a hassle. It has caused thousands of flights to be rerouted, rescheduled, or cancelled. Many people on both sides of the Atlantic have been stranded with little hope that their flights will be resumed quickly. However, hope came today with announcements from Scotland, Germany, and several other countries that they will be resuming flights early this week, some even today. Though there have been some debates aviation authorities and airline executives who believe the continued hold on flights is unnecessary, everyone will be grateful when things return to normal. For the whole story, visit the LATimes.com.

The musical Next to Normal was recently announced as the winner of the Pulitzer Prize in drama. This came as a surprise to some people and was also seen as a somewhat controversial move on the part of the Pulitzer Board. This is because the board passed over all three of the official recommendations by the jury which included The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, by Kristoffer Diaz; In the Next Room, or the vibrator play by Sarah Ruhl, and Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo by Rajiv Joseph.

Tourists who stay in New York may be impressed with the numerous stars that perform in these shows and the number of impressive awards and critical acclaim they receive, though they are frequently unconcerned with the politics of how the award system works.

In the case of the Pulitzer for drama, there have been some recent conflicts between the board and jury, though most of the theatre fans have only accepted the results and also have frequently celebrated them. This is largely due to the standard status quo structure of the award, which typically means that it goes to a mainstream attractive play. And with the case of Next to Normal, the issue seems less to do with the fact that it was this particular show that one, but with the manner in which it did so is what is troubling to some. Some of the controversy is due to the fact it was not part of the original choices of the jury as well as that many of the board members who ultimately chose this show saw it the night before the final vote was made.

Next to Normal is playing at the Booth Theatre on West 45th Street and opened about one year ago on April 15 of 2009. The show is a face paced musical that deals with the crisis faced by one family who is dealing with some mental health issues. The show is a riveting sound and spectacle experience and the stage is structured so that the action takes place on three stories. The set serves as a home, a doctor’s office and also a school. Audiences typically walk away from this show feeling a strong sense of having been entertained as well as exploring various thoughts that were inspired by some of the issues and circumstances that are presented. Meanwhile the music is engaging and the lyrics are smart and memorable.

I don’t watch the news that often; frankly I find it rather depressing.  However, when I was skimming through some stuff online I found this article.  It tells the story of dad, Albert  Snyder, who is suing the Westboro Baptist Church for protesting his Marine son’s funeral.  The group has some extreme beliefs when it comes to war and the causes of death; this is not the first time they have done this.  Regardless of whether or not you believe in the Iraq War, it seems like there should be uncrossable line when it comes to protesting soldiers funerals.

The proceedings have brought into serious debate the extent of our 1^st Amendment rights and the results will end up effecting us all sooner or later.

As we venture further into the glory of spring, cities across the nation continue to experience extremes and differing degrees of weather. This aspect of this time of the year is just one of the many reasons people are continually drawn to visit Miami a city that frequently experiences some of the most beautiful weather in the country. This is also just one of the many reasons while spring break in Miami is one of the main annual vacation destinations and for many people has taken on the status of a rite of passage.

The weather in Miami during the spring can typically be extremely beautiful. It doesn’t reach some of the high temperatures that can be found during the summer, though the afternoons are gorgeous and there will still be plenty of sun. Interestingly, it is actually the spring months in Miami that constitute the sunniest days of the year. The temperatures remain mild and the humidity is not very high during this time, which contributes to an almost ideal climate. In addition, it is a time of year when the city is not overly saturated with tourist and winter visitors, though there is that infamous spring break week, it still makes spring a great time to be in Miami.

Although spring sees some of the sunniest days of the year in Miami, this week in particular will experience some possible rain and thunder showers. The temperatures will still reach around 83 degrees on Monday and Tuesday though this is when the city will see its highest chance for showers. Wednesday will also be in the low 80s and see another chance for rain, though not as much as the first two days. Later in the week it will cool down into the high 70s, and the sky should remain partly cloudy with no rain. The temperatures are typical to an April afternoon though generally tourists, residents and any other person in the city can expect nice amounts of sunny afternoons.

So, this is currently one of the most popular videos of YouTube; although I have to say I find it rather random.  It is strangely reminiscent of the song Barbie Girl by Aqua that came out in the 90’s.  Anyway, I welcome your comments.

If you are one of the 14 million people currently looking for a job, you may be in luck.  The U.S. Labor Department just released their most recent Unemployment report and things are looking good.  There was a significant increase in jobs specifically in the retail, restaurants, hotels, and transportation industries.  While some numbers are down from last month, there is still significant improvement from last year and the start of the recession.  To read more of the report, click here.

Bethesda, Maryland is located just northwest of Washington DC and is a beautiful town in its own right. Much of the atmosphere remains orientated to a peaceful and quiet little town as it continues to grow in popularity and residential status. In addition, it is an incredibly attractive alternative to living in Washington and many people find it to be a great place to raise their family while they establish and continue their careers in Washington. Meanwhile, Bethesda has a great deal to offer on its own right and there is a great deal to do and see. Tourists in the Washington area frequently prefer to find their accommodations in Bethesda and base their trip from this small town.

The town of Bethesda is known for having some of the highest educated residents in the country. This helps to create an overall atmosphere that recognized the importance of educating and starting it early. There are numerous public primary, middle and high schools as well as some great private schools. In total there are eight private schools in the town and three public high schools. The Walt Whitman HS , Walter Johnson HS and the Bethesda-Chevy Chase HS are the three public institutions. In addition, there is a federally funded health science university.

The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences has a major purpose of educating students who will serve in the Medical Corps of the Armed Forces. The institution prepares students not only to provide necessary medical services and treatments but also do perform their jobs while serving in the Army, Air Force, Marines or Navy. The programs offered by the school include the F. Edward Herbert School of Medicine and the Graduate School of Nursing. This is a well respected educational institution and one of the top programs focused on service training. Within the unincorporated boundaries of this small Maryland town, there are numerous quality educational institutions and the community has a strong awareness of the importance of these.

The Aintree John Smith Grand National is one of the most expected horse race in the world right now and the date has come upon us far quicker than many of us realized. For those who don’t know, it is a jumping race, which obviously means that obstacles are placed in the way which the horses must jump over. What makes the John Smith Grand National so special is the intricate history it has and feelings it leaves in the national memory.

Of all the races this one has come particularly far from it’s roots and now stands as one of the nation’s favorites. Starting back in 1829 organized by a syndicate, the first race was a flat race won by a horse named Mufti. For a while they had three meetings a year, each time accompanied by almost 40,000 people. It would start significantly changing in 1835 when they added the first stone walls and made their first jump fixtures on the track. Lottery was the first winner of these races, becoming a national favorite as well as sealing the horse race into national memory which allowed for the race track to continue to expand. With the growing popularity, they had to make an expansion and in 1953 another race track was added for jumping races. Feeling prosperous the owners built a motor racing track as well the next year, bringing in more people. They even hosted a number of Grand Prixs because of this expansion.

The good times could not last and the property had to be sold. This caused much turmoil for people nation wide as no one seemed quite sure if the new owner really had is heart in the races like themselves and this feeling never really went away after he tripled the admission price to the largest of the races, the Grand National. When Davies announced he was selling the whole thing, many fans were dismayed but ran to their pocket books when it was suggested that all the fans could put together enough money to save the race course. They did not make it in time, but were bailed out by someone else, who has made a point of restoring the old course back to it’s old recognition as one of the best. It has been successful securing great horses, jockeys and sponsors to keep the sport and the event alive and well in Liverpool.

It is now associated with Red Rum one of the most famous horses to race, being the race that really made him give it his all. With the new walls that have been built it once again stands as the true test of a horse.

You don’t have to be an entertainment buff to be aware of the building tension between Sandra Bullock and Jesse James. For the past month, the allegations that he has had multiple affairs during his almost 6-year marriage have hit the Internet, news, and magazine stands with a vengeance. Despite all the negative publicity, Sandra has been relatively quiet about the whole situation…until now. The New York Post has reported that Sandra has prepared the papers and will soon be filing for divorce. Fortunately for her, she went in to the marriage with a strong pre-nup so he won’t be receiving a dime. You can read more here.

The Cleveland Cavaliers continue to make the news on both a local and national basis. They remain the number one team in the NBA’s Eastern Conference and have cinched that status for the finals and are many people’s pick for the playoff favorite. The team has made these kinds of headlines in the past having secured the Conference Championship as recently as in 2007. And while they are currently the most winning team in the NBA, that does not immunize them against an occasional defeat. Most recently they lost to the San Antonio Spurs when they played the Texas team at the Spurs home arena. And while the achievements of the Cavaliers continues to make news across the nation, it is actually a bit more surprising and newsworthy when they have a loss, as their fifty seven win to sixteen loss record indicates the rarity of the event.

It is unlikely that most of the guests who are staying in one of the Cleveland luxury hotels will be fans of the city’s basketball team, though they are certain to have a level of respect for the players and coaching team. Meanwhile, the city itself loves the team enough and the Cavaliers enjoy a tremendous amount of local support. Since 1970 this expansion team has thrilled fans and been a major company of the city’s social atmosphere. Their most recent period of success has been largely attributed to the arrival of LeBron James , who first landed in Cleveland after the 2003 draft. This also ushered in a period of hope and renewed enthusiasm after a decade of losses and struggles. Last year they added the star center Shaquille O’Neal who was traded from the Phoenix Suns. As the playoffs approach, the prospects for the Cavaliers to take the Eastern Conference Championship look increasingly better and they are the top choice for the NBA Championship in many analysts’ pick.

Many people will associate cheese steak sandwiches with the culture of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. And they will definitely not be wrong in doing so as the city is known for having some of the best cheese steak in the country. And while the following aspect may not be one of its most famous national traits, the music scene of Philadelphia is extremely diverse and another major aspect of its culture. Guests who are enjoying a room in one of the city’s great places to stay will likely be interesting in sampling the cheese steak and they are likely to discover the music scene while they are there.

The Morris Arboretum at the University of Pennsylvania is not only one of the school’s great establishments but also one of the city’s multifunctional and dynamic cultural attractions. It is one of the university’s as well as the city’s historical public gardens that also serves to host many interesting events and concerts. Every summer there is a special concert series that occurs at the garden and blankets or chairs are welcome accessories for the audience members to bring. You can also bring a picnic though Bruno’s cafe is open on concert evens and there is also snack food at the concert venue.

Another popular concert venue in Philadelphia is the World Cafe Live . This diverse establishment has musical offerings for all genre fans as well as a special series of children’s shows. In addition it hosts private parties and celebrations and it has a restaurant, which its name implies, that serves great food before the concerts. There are concerts on the downstairs and upstairs levels and many of the top local bands and solo musicians as well as national performers appear on its stages. Country award winning musician Jack Ingram and Matthew Good are two of the upcoming shows scheduled at this venue. These are just a couple of the great music offerings found in Philadelphia and tourist will find that great music is all around them.

Denver, Colorado is an extremely popular city for many reasons. One of the obvious ones is its close proximity to some great ski resorts, though that is definitely not the only thing that attracts guests to its friendly hotels . There are numerous cultural attractions and landmarks that entice people to this mile high city, and once they are there they frequently discover a favorite aspect of it that they were previously unaware. Denver has some incredibly beautiful parks and recreational areas and they are typically full of not only residents but also tourists. Some of the parks are centered around historical aspects of the city and area, while others are specific plant life and cultural and entertainment attraction oriented.

The Four Mile Historic Park is one of the favorite visitation centers for tourists, and this is also one of the parks that visitors are frequently aware of before arriving. This large park is located on twelve acres of land and is just four miles from downtown. It includes some of the city’s oldest buildings and is full of reminders of the pioneer days. In addition, the park hosts some exciting events and festivals. The Seventh Annual Colorado Corks and Cuisines is just one of them and is one the schedule for May 3rd. The festival this year has been expanded and there is more food and drinks planned as well as art exhibits.

The Lakeside Amusement Park is located, appropriately, right on the lake at Sheridan and I-70. In addition to the great attraction features of this theme park, there are incredible scenic views of the lake and surrounding mountains. This is an extremely popular place for families and is also suited to be a celebration venue for large parties. There are numerous rides in the park and they are for children and adults. There is a special Kiddie’s Playland area that children absolutely love. There is a new ride in this area and it has become one of the kids’ favorites. It is the Mini Skater ride, one that mini humans can’t get enough of. There are numerous food options available and patrons are also welcome to bring their own picnic items.