Commze

Portland is one of the great towns in the NorthWest. It’s reputation is strong all over the country as a city with something interesting going on all the time. There seems to be a local culture where they learn how to not take themselves too seriously, but also taking good fun seriously. It’s a delicate balance, but it’s worth the visit, and Portland hotel rates tend to pretty reasonable.

The music scene has always been rather solid, and these days are no different. With bands like Gossip working here, there’s evidence that the scene is not dying at all, and in fact, shows signs of another revolution in the works. These are interesting times, and times like these call for interesting tunes.

It’s latest album, Music for Men , shows evidence that there are excellent musicians playing here who have both chops for technique, and the raw ability to experiment. The rhythms blend to form something that sounds like a dance party that’s happening somewhere in a rainy outdoor cafe at the end of the world. That place might just be Portland, but it also might be the best time in the world to visit, because there’s something kind of stunning about this music, and this album won’t be their last.

One of the best ways to really see the Sonoran Desert is to get out on the back roads from Phoenix Arizona. The city itself has some lovely areas with great places to see desert plants and wild life such as at the Desert Botanical Garden and maybe that is a great place to start, but eventually you may want to take a real adventure.

There are some great ATV tours that can be taken in many areas of this beautiful desert terrain and give an added bonus of some adventure. Take a ride on a quad through box canyon which is a dry river bed that got it name from the historical wild west days. This is were the Indians would attack the mail coach as it was passing through, from the cliffs above.

Once can take one of the hardest off road trails from the recreational Lake Pleasant up the back roads to Crown King. Crown King is an old mining town that has a few inhabitants and an 100+ year old saloon ready to serve up a cold brew after a long dusty ride.

One can always take a horseback ride, mountain bike ride, hike or walk through the desert but nothing will get you as far as an all terrain off road vehicle with a great view. Check with the best hotels in phoenix for more information on an off road adventure.

The city that saw the birth of Edgar Allen Poe has had a bit of a grudge against the writer for a long time. However, last year, the efforts of professors and students at Boston College have helped to bring him back to his rightful place in the city’s heart, just in time for the Bicentennial Celebration of his birth.

The grudge has been a rather justifiable one. Poe spent his childhood here, but a good part of his life away, although in the final moments he wanted to be returned so he could be buried here. Instead, his body rests in Baltimore, but there’s a lot of his spirit left in the city he once scorned. He was none too fond of the people he grew up with, and famously fought with many of the other local writers, such as Longfellow and Henry David Thoreau. But those were different times, and the literary movements of his day would eventually come to bear the marks of his excellence. It’s difficult not to see how this hopelessly romantic author changed the way people think about books.

The people, too, are much different now, and time has brought in a very different feel to the place, where myriad cultures and traditions enter into the idyllic East Coast refuge for artists and poets. A Boston hotel is much different than it was 200 years ago, too, and now the decor and hospitality are the culmination of cosmopolitan charm. It’s a far cry from the provincialism that he once abhorred.

The corner of Boylston and Charles streets have been renamed in honor of him, to mark his birthplace, and public art projects are planned. It’s all part of the effort to welcome the icon of the macabre back home. It might have struck the writer as absurd, or ironic, but it’s more likely that he would have found it a touch sentimental, too. Although he was known for his horror writings, his first love was a deeply romantic poetry, and it’s hard not to hear some of it still resounding when people say his name with reverence.

Every city has something to make its place in the history of great culinary contributions. A place as big and as varied as Chicago is bound to have a number of them, but one that people keep coming back to is the hot dog. For some, this might be a dubious honor, because of the hot dog’s place in the scale of great foods of the world. However, a truly authentic Chicago dog is absolutely worth all the attention it gets, because the ingredients are of a superior quality.

It does have a working class connotation, and so does ratatouille. In cultures all over the world, the folk cuisine has the potential to make it into the gourmet realm with a little bit of practice. It’s because the tastes appeal to a mass of people, but they also contain just enough difference to make them shine.

It doesn’t take a hot dog to make a ball game, and the shine comes from it not raining, but there are plenty of good reasons to visit a 4 star hotel in Chicago . One of these is centered around the likelihood of tasting the local hot dogs, and ball games certainly are the preferred location. But there are plenty of street vendors serving these up, and sometimes the ones from the carts can be better than anything served indoors.

An open mind isn’t really necessary, because the hot dog should do the convincing. There are some good things to know before tasting these, so one can know what to expect, and when to recognize it’s being done correctly.

It’s all in the layering. A hot dog is steam cooked, and placed on a poppy-seed bun. Then it’s topped, in order, with mustard, relish, onions, tomato wedges, a pickle wedge, peppers, and finally, a dash of celery salt . That’s the works, and it’s a kind of local ordinance that it has to be made in this order, because this way insures that a bit of every flavor will get in every bite. They are a bit of a sacred cow, or dog, here, and one bite will explain everything.

For some people, Eureka, California is somewhere on the way between San Francisco and the Great NorthWest. Some drive through without stopping, and that might be a wise choice, because the ones who do stop inevitably find they don’t want to leave. It’s a fairly gorgeous place, with access to forests, and the ocean, and a very vibrant culture that seems to take the sleepy town possibilities and turn it into a source of endless inspiration. With a nearby university, there is always something happening, and the whole things adds up to a very well-kept secret.

If there are any defining characteristics here, it’s the lack of adherence to any defining characteristic. These are individuals, but not necessarily of the rugged sort. It has a laid-back atmosphere that makes it a perfect place to stop and spend time in the hotels. Eureka has a way of charming its visitors, and the long-time residents also seem to feel that pretty keenly. In terms of a musical identity, the field is well-populated, and also still very wide open. One can see acts representing the far north of California, but also work from the sister cities like Portland make their way down. One of the acts that seems to capture a new kind of sound that seems to make sense here is the Shook Twins .

They have played with Michele Shocked, along with Soul Asylum, and the Bodeans. Their list of inspirations is also very well-pedigreed, but they are certainly originals. Like so many things that happen in Eureka, to hear them play one might wonder why more people don’t know their music. But there’s a deep suspicion that soon everyone will, so for now it’s best to just enjoy the intimacy of it while it happens here. They are indeed twins, Katelyn and Laurie , and they’ve been playing together for 5 years. At only 25 years old, they have a sound that is remarkably developed, and one that could only come from people who have spent some time in the same womb.

One of their most startling tricks is the electronic loop. It’s nothing new in contemporary music, but it is interesting, and in their hands it’s a tremendous instrument. They already have the same vocal chords, and when these are further doubled, their harmonies reach geometric heights that are mathematically and artistically blissful.

For a great view of the Seattle skyline, check out the Gas Works Park , located at 2101 North Northlake Way on the north shore of Lake Union in the south-side of Wallingford neighborhood. The Gas Works Park is a great example of urban renewal at its best. This 20 acre area of Lake Union, in 1906, was cleared in order for Seattle’s Gas Light company to produce gas from coal for all Seattle residence. The plant ran for 50 years before closing down. The city of Seattle Parks and Recreations and transformed the area into a fantastic park. Popular for summer concerts, kite flyer’s and picnicking, plus, if you happen to be in Seattle for the 4th of July, the Gas Works Park is the best spot to watch the fireworks.

Gas Works Park, for many years was the exclusive site for a series of ‘Peace Concerts’ that begin in June and last through September. This years line-up specifically at the Gas Works Park happens on August 15, 2010 and will feature performances by the Red Hot Blues Sisters, Duffy Bishop, Nick Vigarino, Chris Carlson, Mia Vermillion, Peter Damann and Teri Anne Wilson. The Grand Finale of the Peace Concert will be held on September 19th at the Park and will feature Randy Hansen, The Whole Bolivian Army, Jef Jainsun, Cherry Cherry and Don Glenn.

For over 25 years the Gasworks Park Kite Shop has been a shopping destination for kites, banners, windsocks and games. The Kite Shop carries a superb selection of the latest in kite technology. Gas Works Park has plenty of free, open space that is ideal for kite flying, there’s even an artificial kite flying hill with an elaborate sculptured sundial built into the summit. The shop is only 3 blocks away at the North end of Lake Union.

Finally, for many years, this park has hosted one of Seattle’s 2 major Fourth of July fireworks events, and in 2009, this park was the only fireworks event in Seattle! Don’t worry about how to get to the park, the best Seattle hotel is nearby and any of the staff members will be glad to tell you how to get to the Gas Works Park.

Santa Ana is one of the beautiful cities in California, though that actually doesn’t say much. When one hears the phrase California city, it is common to have images of beautiful geography and gorgeous skylines come to mind, so the phrase itself is almost redundant when used in connection to California city. But enough of that. Santa Ana has many unique and incredible aspects that make it stand out among others and attracts numerous people to it every year. In addition to all of the afore described aesthetic factors, there are also some significant cultural attractions that serve as major tourists visitation destinations and also entertain, educate and keep the city’s residents happy. And that’s a good thing no matter where you are.

The hotels Santa Ana are excellent places not only to rest your heads but also gather information on some of the city’s top attractions. The Discovery Science Center and Santa Ana Zoo are just two of the great establishments that are extremely popular with tourists and residents alike. The Science Center includes more than one hundred hands on exhibits that were designed to inspire the minds and imaginations of children. In addition, the museum serves as visual landmark for the city with its ten story solar array cube.

The Santa Ana Zoo is located on the east side of the city. The majority of the animals that are housed here are species from Central and South America. The zoo is owned and operated by the city and was established in 1952. It retains its original focus on education, conservation and recreation and has various services and programs that contribute to these efforts. It is well known and respected for its extensive primate population and the monkeys are one of the zoo’s number one attractions. The amount of monkeys at the zoo is due in large part to a requirement that was part of the land grant donated by Joseph Prentice. The gift stipulated that the city must keep at least fifty monkeys in the zoo at all times.

The best Italian food is served in Florence, Italy, but the only problem you’ll run into is picking which restaurant to eat at. There are hundreds of great restaurants in Florence, but the list compiled below are the best of the best.

The Yellow Bar, located between the Museum Bargello and the Duomo, look for the yellow ball lamp light outside the restaurant. They have the greatest pizza in Florence; every pizza is baked in a wood burning stove, you can even get up and watch them make it. What makes this place different from all the other pizza joints in Florence is the menu, besides pizza, The Yellow Bar serves pasta dishes and salads of every type. So, a nice pizza, with a salad, a beer, great price, next to major tourist sights and great hotels in Florence , makes this pizzeria one of the most popular places in the city.

Trattoria dei Quattro Leoni , is tucked away in a corner of old Santo Spirito District, serving traditional, wholesome cuisine in an intimate, cozy surroundings. They serve a variety of attractive cheeses and vegetable-based starters such as cold cuts, pickles, hot bowls made of cheese, artichoke hearts with cream cheese, dried beef and truffle oil, zucchini with cheese and much more, all of which complements their fish dishes cooked to true Tuscan tradition and that respects the healthy Christian precept that advises to abstain from meat on Fridays, plus they have an excellent wine selection. There are photos on the walls of famous personalities who have eaten there.

The ‘I Quattro Amici’ , which is only a few footsteps away from the main station, is a fabulous restaurant that cooks a mean fish dish at a great price and the service is outstanding. The fish is the freshest in all of Florence, because they only serve what fish is available that day at the market. The Venus clams, sardines, oysters and marinated salmon carpaccio is the best antipasti in all of Italy. Their first course, includes lobster, scampi, and fresh pasta with fish sauce. Their main course, is of course fish, but cooked in the most interesting, tantalizing ways.

Naturally, this is only a few of the best restaurants that Florence offers, but at least going to these restaurants first sets the bar for all the other restaurants to live up to.

Kapalua, is a premier resort area located on the northwestern edge of west Maui, Hawaii on the foot of the verdant Kahalawai mountains. Kapalua, loosely translated means ‘arms embracing the sea’, the lovely shoreline is lined with 5 bays and 3 white-sandy beaches, one of the beaches has received numerous ‘best beach in America’ awards, including being named on Dr. Beach’s Top 10 beaches, and also by the University of Maryland’s Laboratory of Coastal Research.

Kapalua, from its location in natural lava coves, has a view of two islands off Maui’s coast, Lana’i and Moloka’i. Nestled within greater Kapalua, in the 1800′s, Kapalua was known as the Honolua Ranch and then the Honolua Plantation. Today, the 23,000 acre, master planned resort ensconced with pristine forests, ancient lava flows and ocean vistas, award-winning restaurants, over 20 boutique shops, 2 world-class, renowned golf courses: the Plantation Course , which is home to the prestigious PGA Tour SBS Championship and the Bay Course, which is home to the Kapalua LPGA Classic, walking and hiking trails, zipline adventures and is home to the Ritz-Carlton resort, the best beach hotel Hawaii has to offer.

Kapalua is also the host of the renowned Kapalua Wine and Food Festival , Hosted by Master Sommelier Fred Dame. This event which takes place every year in late June, convenes all-star winemakers and sommeliers, celebrity chefs and connoisseurs from around the world in a series of exceptional wine tastings, festive evening functions and gourmet cooking demonstrations; making this a perfect getaway, nestled amongst Cook pines and surrounded by acres of pineapple fields, and a great way to indulge in the luxurious side of Maui. This nationally acclaimed food and wine extravaganza includes alfresco samplings of reserve bottlings and the bounty from Hawaii’s ocean prepared by top Hawaii chefs. Opening event is The Grand Tasting and the closing event is Kapalua Seafood Festival.

Thanks for the guest post, Richard Fowler!

Recently we traveled to Beaufort, SC to see replica’s of Christopher Columbus’s ships the Nina and the Pinta. Before we left we gassed up the car, fed the dogs, and set the home alarm (which we love, by the way: click here). The boats were only docked there for a few days and then would travel up the coast of South Carolina to Georgetown. The ships offered special school field trips and you could even have a private party on them. We were really amazed at the workmanship of these two boats. They were hand made and made to size of the original vessels. One of them was actually made without any type of power tools. It was an exciting site to see. They had no outboard motors to run the ships with, they are powered by sails. The rutor that is used to steer the boat was very large and looked really heavy. It takes a few men just to be able to steer the boat and keep it on its course. The vessels were actually small compared to the boats we see today. It was hard to imagine a large crew of men, crossing the Atlantic Ocean in that small of a ship. It was easy to see why they had so many sicknesses on those earlier journeys, the men were confined to such small areas. If one person came down with a illness I imagine it went through the whole ship rather quickly. If you are a history buff this is something that you should see. If they are docking in your area, you should make the effort to go and see them. You will be glad you did.