Monthly Archives: February 2010

Little Rivers in Ocean City

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I love the Little River Band, and I always have.  Ever since I first heard that song about the loser, I knew that these guys had somehow snuck into my room when I was sleeping and read all my mail.  And since then, I’ve been a number one fan, and one of the things that I really love about them is how they didn’t know what to call themselves, because they were Australian, and wanted to do music that the whole world would like, and when they were passing by a little river, the name was settled on, because it stuck.  But then over the years they’ve gotten to embrace their Australian roots even more, and this is an exciting evolution.

It’s great to hear that they will be playing in Ocean City this summer, because it’s to celebrate 35 years of their history as a band, and that’s the perfect age to be settled into an identity.  They keep changing, though, as multi-faced as the sphinx, and as timeless.  It would be a good idea to get a hotel ahead of time, and it would be a great excuse to get to see New Jersey.  This is the New Jersey with the shore and all the things in the Cool Change song, so it would be a romantic evening as well as an evening to reminisce about the past 35 years.

They’ve had a really great run, with a lot of hits in all of these years.  Every song speaks to a certain time in my life, when I had questions, or just wanted someone to be singing about what I felt.  They use harmonies, which is one of their big trademarks.  Even with all the different members they’ve had over the years, they’ve managed to keep that part of their musical vision intact.  Take It Easy on Me was the song that I loved the most when I was in high school, and I would play it whenever someone didn’t like me the way that I liked them.  It’s different now, being older, and that lonesomeness is replaced with a kind of beautiful move into an older me.

Hayden Planetarium in New York City

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I know this might sound like a cliché statement but honestly one of the best trips I’ve ever taken was when I went to New York. And yeah, in addition to sounding cliché I must also sound kind of pathetic because I’ve only been there once in my entire twenty eight years of existence. What do you make of that? Anyway, I still want to talk about it because I’ve really been thinking about that trip lately and want to try and find a way to get back. There are plenty of great theatre packages available at some of the luxury New York City hotels and I really want to look into some of the possibilities. I want my good friend Cheryl to go with me, and part of my method of talking her into it will be to tell her about some of the great deals I find.

Anyway, the first trip, ha okay, I mean the only trip I’ve ever taken to New York happened six years ago and I went with my two best friends from astronomy class, Denise and Candy. We went to the Hayden Planetarium, I was the only one of the group that wasn’t planning on pursuing a career in astronomy though I really loved the class and have remained something of an amateur astronomer in my adult life. The planetarium is located in a beautiful building that kind of issued forth a sense of awe before we even entered. I found this to be common with most things in New York, which just seemed to take on a sense of grandeur and significance.

The planetarium and museum are located on Central Park West and actually, it turned out that there was really quite a bit to do there in the park. I always imagined a pretty empty open space with a few joggers and fountains. I couldn’t have been more wrong. There are tons of people all through the park and there was a dance performance going on while we were there as well as a lot of other stuff. That reminds me, I want to spend a whole day exploring the park when I go this time. Also, I hear the planetarium has a new show that’s supposed to be pretty incredible and is narrated by Whoopi Goldberg. That reminds me that I used to have a desire to be the narrator for the planetarium presentation. When I was in school I couldn’t imagine a better job.

All Around Jackson

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It has been a rather hard year for so many towns that rely on tourism like Jackson in Jackson Hole area. There are always some die hard hunters that come through every year to get there fill but some of the other parts of town are having a harder time with less travelers coming to town for skiing or hiking. So it is a great time to find a great deal on hotels in Jackson and have a great vacation in spite of the economy. There are so many fun things to do in the Jackson Hole area during any time of year. You have the Grand Teton Mountains and Yellowstone Park close by to spend time exploring. The town of Jackson has many fun things to see and do all of its own.

The minute you pull into the center of town you will be taken with the Town Square. You can’t miss the amazing arches built up on each corner of the little park. The arches are made out of hundreds of elk antlers. It seems like thousands when you look at them. There is a memorial for soldiers that came from that area in the center of the square. On each street across from the park there are many shops, galleries and restaurants to spend your time in. Maybe you can find a deal on some trinket to remember your trip by.

There is a museum in town that is over 50 years old. The Jackson Hole Museum is on Glenwood Street and has over 12,000 artifacts and antiquities that come from early Native American tribes and tools that were used by the first settlers, trappers and traders that lived in the area. There are some stories that go along with some of those items and it should keep you captivated for a while. Then there is a short trip out to the National Elk Refuge. They have saved some land as a preserve for more than 5000 elk who migrate to the area every winter. You can take your kids on a horse drawn sleigh ride during the winter months.

Annapolis Naval

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One will find themselves in a city were many things began when staying at a Annapolis Maryland hotel www.annapolishotel.net. There are many nice places to stay and you will find them all on the mentioned site, in one place, for a convenient and easy comparison. One might be visiting this town specifically for the Annapolis Naval Academy that has been here since 1845. It is was originally built on the site of Fort Severn along the Severn River. They have expanded it over the years by reclaiming the land from the river to make more space. It is no wonder they built this academy here along a militarily strategic river. An early proponent of having an organized training for sea military was Commodore Matthew Perry. He fought in many early wars both at home and abroad. Some believe it was because of him that the Academy was built. If you have a chance to visit the academy while you are in town you could see the replica of the Gokoku-ji Bell that was a gift from the Ryukyuan Government which Commodore Perry brought back to this country.

One can get a glimpse of some of the academy on the movie titled, Annapolis, which take the viewers on a journey on what it means to become a naval officer. Some of the notable buildings are the Bancroft Hall which is the largest building on campus as well as the largest dormitory in the world. The Memorial Hall and the Rotunda are open to the public. The Navel Academy Chapel is also a beautiful place to visit. It is located in the center of campus and houses the remains of John Paul Jones, who was the first notable naval fighter serving in the American Revolutionary War. It is a very large place. A city with in a city. And the starting point for many fine naval men and women who are eager to serve there country on the high seas.

Riverwalk Arts District in Fort Lauderdale

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One thing is certain, and that is that Fort Lauderdale, Florida is not the place for everyone. In fact, if you’re not interested in having a great time and enjoying your days on fabulous beaches and spending your nights dancing in clubs and enjoying a beautiful evening then Fort Lauderdale may not be the place for you. Oh, there is also great shopping opportunities, entertainment options and interesting cultural landmarks and events, so if none of that appeals to you or if you’re offended by great festivals and fine dining you should stay away from Fort Lauderdale. I’ve been saying this for years and meanwhile the tourists who continually fill the rooms in some of Fort Lauderdale’s hotels and luxury resorts never seem to get the message.

Okay, so I am being slightly facetious but that’s because I actually encountered a person who felt the way I described above. About five years ago I went with a group of friends and we all had an amazing time except one person, Morrie. He actually did not want to go to the beach with us and complained the entire afternoon when we dragged him along. He also didn’t want to go anywhere to get any food because he was afraid, oh I don’t remember what he was afraid of but something. And he simply complained about every thing everywhere we went. Finally we just stopped dragging him with us and let him hang out in the hotel everyday, where he still wasn’t happy. It was the oddest thing. We spent an afternoon that Riverwalk arts district, this was when we were still dragging Morrie with us, and he did nothing but whine the entire day. There was some really incredible music playing and art pieces along the way and he wasn’t interested in any of it. I’ve never known anyone like Morrie, but just as a warning always be sure you know the travel temperament of anyone you vacation with

Arizona Has the Best Golf Courses

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We’ve been plenty of times to Myrtle Beach for golf, but this year, we decided to change it up and head west. We picked Scottsdale, Arizona and we thoroughly enjoyed what Scottsdale offers. There’s great golf, great food, the weather is warm in the winter, there’s a young University crowd, and we could see why people chose to retire here. There’s no humidity, it only rains occasionally, there are tons and tons of golf courses, no earthquakes, no hurricanes, no mosquitoes and the desert lawns need no mowing. What else could anyone need?

After we check in to our resort hotel, which we found this site: online, we went out for dinner, we were in the mood for Satori Sushi and the restaurant we found was very delightful, it’s called Pearl. They had a great special the night we were there, 2:1 sushi! They had a bar that was both on the inside of the restaurant and on the outside. At the bar we got to watch some sports as we ate very delicious sushi.

The next morning, we started off by going to the PGA superstore. After we purchased several golf items, we hit the golf course. It became very evident that there was a great amount of young people working at the courses and at the golf stores. This is so opposite of Myrtle Beach, where most of the people are retired and working at a reduced rate in order to keep there Social Security benefits. Scottsdale was teeming with young blood.

We never saw a rattlesnake, but we did see one on top of the tee box who had lost the battle to a nine-iron. Since we were here during the shoulder season, we got to pay reduced rates, which allowed us to play 9 rounds at 8 different golf courses. We heard if we come back in June, the rates drop even lower, but we doubt we’d enjoy golfing in 100 degree weather. We also found out that if we do come back during the Arizona summer, hotel rates drop dramatically also. Plus, if we purchase what’s called a ‘Southwest Pass’, this pass gives up to 50% discount on certain golf courses. We didn’t find that out until we were heading back home.

Humperdinck in Tampa

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Tampa, Florida is a fantastic city for living, and it’s also a splendid place to visit.  The mix of gorgeous tropical weather, along with a very lively, multi-cultural local population, is a very sure recipe for an interesting time.  Visitors from all over the world, and all walks of life find something to enjoy here, and for the locals, there are many hidden secrets that make it an endlessly unraveling puzzle.  Many people come to visit with the idea that they might move here someday, and this site has some excellent lodgings for people coming to check things out.

Musically, there is a wide variety of tastes in Tampa.  You’ll no doubt hear a lot of pop and top 40 coming from car stereos, along with a heady blend of urban, hiphop, and Latin-inflected rock and rap, and a lot of the crooners will echo around at any given stoplight.  There is a very strong Cuban heartbeat here, and Cuban variations of urban and folk music can be heard from stereos as well as live renditions.  In this mix, then, one of the most anticipated events of the season will no doubt be the Engelbert Humperdinck concert in Clearwater in mid-February.

This show will be exciting particularly for students of culture, because it is a bit unusual, and it will be extremely fascinating to see who turns out.  The centuries will start to collide with each other as this Anglo-Indian singer from England performs his own brand of popular song.  Humperdinck was born Arnold Dorsey, and changed his name to honor the German composer of Hansel and Gretel.  The singer crosses cultures as well as histories, and it will be interesting to see how the local trickster gods of time and space negotiate this performance.

Courtroom Legal Series Matlock Filmed in Atlanta

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Matlock was a television series that was popular from the mid 1980s to the mid 1990s. It starred Andy Griffith as the sharp instinctive and intelligent defense lawyer Ben Matlock who frequently proved his client’s innocence by trapping in the witness chair the individual who actually committed the crime. The series was set in Atlanta, Georgia and area hotels were a periodic setting for scenes. The series was a huge success for Griffith who had enjoyed a lifetime of great television characters and was well established in the minds of generations of Americans.

The show’s format was similar to that of Perry Mason, another popular legal drama thought it existed in a much earlier time period and ran from approximately 1957 to 1966. The basic difference between the two shows was that Mason’s clients usually endured the entire trial process and his outcome was usually decided by the jury, while Matlock generally concluded his cases in the pre-trial hearing. This is more of a difference that would be noted by legal buffs and courtroom followers rather than suspense and mystery fans, which simply enjoyed the story, and process of Matlock’s investigation and discovery. As with many television shows that are set in city’s across the country tourists frequently try and visit various set locations and this was the case with Matlock and visitors to Atlanta.

The show went through various transitions and changes in cast members as it continued through the years and one area that saw changes was in Matlock’s assistance and daughters. A few of the enduring characteristics of Matlock’s character and the series is that he remained a simple and down to earth person and always seemed to win his case. He was known for taking extremely difficult murder cases where everyone in the world, other than Matlock, believed he was guilty. It wasn’t until his final questioning of the actual murderer in the witness stand did everyone else realize that his client was innocent. And Matlock also seemed to have an interest in representing only those that were truly innocent of the crime and sincerely needed his help, though they paid large sums of money for it.

The “Strange” Stories of Portland

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The quiet Northwestern town of Portland, Oregon is home to many things, gardens, bike trails, farmer markets, art festivals, organic restaurants, best Portland hotels …and ghost stories.  From large cities to small towns, one of the things that every community has in common are the myths, the legends and the tales that produce chills on cold nights around a campfire.  There are many old buildings in the city of Portland, all of which lend themselves to spooky tales and stories of ghostly sightings. 

One such building is the Pittock Mansion.  The mansion is more than one hundred years old, and was purchased by and renovated by the city in 1964.  Since then there have been many sightings and stories of strange things happening.  Pictures move from wall to wall, and misty figures are said to take tours along with real live visitors.  Some say that they can detect the strong aroma of roses, while other hear the sounds of heavy footsteps.  People who work in the mansion have their own stories as well.  One tour guide reported that windows have a way of shutting and locking themselves, only to be opened back up a few moments later. 

In taking a tour of the haunted buildings of Portland, there are a few others that should not be missed.  The Bagdad Theatre is allegedly haunted and the woman who runs it now has some pretty scary accounts of things happening in the theatre late at night.  Lights coming on by themselves, and chilling breezes running across the stage.  And of course there is a haunted pub, there always seems to be a haunted pub.  The White Eagle Tavern has become a favorite spot for those wishing to catch a glimpse of the paranormal.  Menus and the “Specials” boards have been seen to fly through the pub late at night, causing the staff themselves to believe in the strange and unusual.  Ghost tours of any city are fun, provided you are aware that you may see something that will blow your mind and make you question reality as you know it.