Category Archives: Arts & Culture

When in Rome, Do as the Romans and also the Tourists

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When in Rome do as the Romans, right? Yes of course, but what does that actually mean? Well, at the very basic and metaphoric level in means to respect the culture of the city, region or country in which you are visiting. But if you’re going to visit Rome, Italy you should absolutely take it at the most literal level and enjoy all aspects of the city that the residents love. And of course this means that while you are there you will absolutely have to have some pasta, pizza, wine and dessert. And really, is that too much to ask?

The friendly staff in a Rome hotel will be an excellent resource for determining some of the favorite local establishments. And while that it is absolutely recommended to pursue this, you should also enjoy some of the standard tourist destinations. And these include visiting some of the more historic landmarks such as some of the ancient cathedrals and also the Colosseum . This is perhaps the most famous of al the remains of ancient coliseums and it testifies to the greatness of classical Roman culture. It also demonstrates some of the more controversial aspects of society. And you can’t visit Rome without paying a visit to Vatican City and all of its great art and buildings.

Art, Music and More in Santa Monica

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Santa Monica is one of the beautiful coastal cities of California, and just like all of the others it has incredible views of the Pacific Ocean, and the geography in and around the city is breathtakingly beautiful. This is one of the most desired residential areas for many people who live in the greater Los Angeles area, and the charm and harmonious atmosphere that is prevalent throughout most of the city, gives it a unique and independent feeling. Residents are extremely proud of and even in love with their beautiful city and tourists frequently find it to be almost like what their feelings about paradise would be like. And of course that sounds particularly dramatic or overly grandiose, but it is true and you have only to ask a resident or someone who has been there to confirm it. Of course you could also spend some time in a Santa Monica luxury hotel and find out for yourself just how beautiful this city actually is.

Meanwhile, as you’re testing the above thesis, there are some incredible cultural attractions in the city that you might want to visit while you there. The Santa Monica Museum of Art is one of the city’s prestigious institutions that is included in the city owned art gallery station of Bergamot Station. This is one of the most popular places to visit while you’re there and shouldn’t be missed. The Third Street Promenade is one of the major tourist, as well as residential, population gathering spaces. It is an outdoor mall that offers some of the best shopping opportunities in the city and features plenty of great caf (c)’s. Palisades Park is another great place to visit and sees large numbers of tourists throughout the year. If you like music, you may want to make a stop in McCabe’s Guitar Shop , which remains one of the most popular performance spaces. Santa Monica is one of those beautiful cities located in a mild climate that allows it to be tourist friendly all year long. And people from around the world are happy to take advantage of this.

San Francisco Nights

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Well you have made it back to your San Francisco hotel www.hotelsanfrancisco.com after a long day of shopping to kick your shoes off and take in a nap. Then you will want to decide what to do for dinner and your night time activites. There are places to eat all over town with an emphasis on different ethnic foods you can head over to Japan Center for some sushi or Chinatown for some chinese cuisine. There is always some great Italian food in the North Beach area of town which also has Coit Tower to visit and see the skyline of the city lit up. Seafood can be found all over town but there are some great waterfront restaurants down on Fishermans Wharf. After you have had a great meal what do you want to do next? You sure don’t want to fall asleep to soon. You have to take in as much as possible and sleep when you get home.

How about taking in a some sort of live performance. There are always some out of the ordinary shows that you could only see in places like San Francisco, London or New York like Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band. For those of you who don’t live in one of these mega cities you may not know that Yoko Ono is still influencing the art and music world while keeping her world peace campaign going. She is now 76 years old and is releasing her latest project which is a blend of many musical styles. Fans can see her at places like the Fox Theatre in Oakland.

I like to find the comedy clubs in different towns especially in places like San Francisco where the truly talented go. There are some that have dinner available as well which is perfect for that one stop fun destination. Check out Punch Line Comedy Club on Battery Street. In February and March you will be able to catch Chris hardwick, Kevin Camia, Al Madrigal, Tony Rock, Rob Cantrell, and Robert Kelly. So take part in some real stress therapy and laugh.

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.

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

Revolving Museum in Lowell

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Lowell, Massachusetts, is where the Industrial Revolution really took hold in the United States in the 19th Century.  Known as the Mill City, Lowell in the 21st Century now features a National Historic Park, turning several mill buildings into museums that thoroughly explores that historical era.  You’ll find such museums as the Boott Cotton Mills Museum, which explores the Boott Mills and its one hundred and twenty year life, which ended in 1955 (you’ll find here original mill equipment, allowing visitors to both feel the vibrations of these machines and hear their constant, thrumming roar).  While the American Textile History Museum is currently closed to the public, you can certainly see the National Streetcar Museum as well as the New England Quilt Museum.
 
More interesting to me, though, is the Revolving Museum in Lowell.  This facility is designed to be a kind of “evolving laboratory of creative expression,” intended to serve people in different ages and abilities and backgrounds.  The idea is to allow people to express themselves and experience art’s power as an experience of transformation.  How is this done?  By exhibiting public art displays, both at the Museum and other locations, using educational programs, working with Lowell’s residents and students.  Just three years ago, in 2007, the Revolving Museum won the Massachusetts Culture Council Commonwealth Award, an award intended to honor how the Museum integrates the arts, the sciences, and the humanities in Lowell. 
 
The museum’s founder, Jerry Beck, operates from the principle that “art can be made anywhere at anytime with anybody.”  At first, the Revolving Museum was centered in Boston, some thirty miles away from Lowell, from 1984 to 2002, moving from location to location. Finally, the museum made a permanent home in Lowell in the historic Lowell Gas & Light building, constructed in 1859.  Since its time in Lowell, only a few years, the museum has held fifteen major exhibition, promoting social values with Lowell’s youth as it does so. 
 
If you should happen to stay in one of Lowell’s hotels, take the time to check out this intriguing museum and its work for the community.

Finding True Love in New York City

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Okay, this time I really just could not wait to arrive at LaGuardia Airport in New York. I had only been to the city three times prior to this last trip and while I’ve thoroughly enjoyed each of them, I have to be honest and say that my excitement and also reason for visiting this last time was not surpassed by any of my previous experiences. Even when I saw Kathleen Turner on Broadway in Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Okay, so yeah, that was a great experience, and one that I will never forget. Nor will I forget seeing Cyndi Lauper and Allen Cummings in Bertolt Brecht’s Threepenny Opera. Oh, and to be fair the music for that show was by Kurt Weill. So yes, those great Broadway shows and my previous experiences in New York City were absolutely incredible, but still, they just can’t compare to my most recent trip.

And yes, I guess after all that over the top introduction, anyone reading this certainly deserves to know the reason why my last trip was so special. And if you haven’t already figured out why I was so eager to settle into my five star hotel New York City, I was going there to finally meet in person the love of my life. Well, maybe that sounded a bit strange without being privy to the actual background of this relationship.

It just so happens that I met Alex through an online dating service. It was actually as a fluke that it happened, especially since I don’t even live in New York. A friend of mine was desperate to meet someone and she wanted to join this service but was too nervous to do it alone. She begged me to sign up as well, and while it’s not like I had date offers lining up at the door, I was just never really interested in these services. So, to help my friend I went ahead and put up a profile, but I listed New York as my preferred search area. It just seemed like a big enough city that my actions couldn’t come back to haunt me. Well, I guess the joke would be on me if I wasn’t the one laughing. It turns out Alex responded to my ad and we just started talking regularly. I would still be a skeptic, but we’re getting married next month so I guess I can’t be.

Fame, Swiftranking Elks

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The culture of instant stardom is something that takes a toll on everyone, whether you have close ties to the entertainment industry, or if you’re living far off the map, planning an internet-based revolution.  It’s difficult to escape that instant need to look at three or more things without putting them into some kind of order in your mind.  This could very well be the result of the shows where people compete and try to have talent in front of other people.  There are judges, and there is a pithy host, and there is usually an audience, and all of these units have the ability to make a judgment.

Sometimes it’s a swiftrank, and sometimes it’s less quick, but we have a new reflex in us that we’ve never seen before.  It’s a fascinating phenomenon, but it may be one we will have to reckon with in the years to come.  Who knows what kinds of realities are shaped when we can have access to all kinds of new information in seconds?  This becomes even more complex when we add the culture of stardom to the equation.  Of course, the idea of celebrity is really nothing new.  Milan Kundera’s Immortality has some fantastic and elegant passages about the history of the sound bite, arguing that it was in existence long before the phenomenon of recording media accessible today.

We have always had an uncanny ability for discernment, and it’s one of the great pillars of wisdom.  What’s possibly novel, in these times, is not our ability to discern, but the need to judge.  It is built into how we look at the world, and it’s certainly something that’s peculiar to the age where rising stars are often determined by instant ratings on television and the internet.  What’s peculiar here is not the act of judgement itself, but the impulse behind it.  We are programmed as if our ability to make quantitative judgments was in fact a life of death proposition.  And the fact of the matter is, there is no giant elk running toward us, threatening our lives if we don’t decide who is the better pop singer.  Interestingly, we are at the point where we all have ready answers, and are willing to speak into the elk’s antlers at the drop of a hat.

Ana María Moíx: Barcelona Poet

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Five-star Barcelona hotels should offer a lush combination of the old and the new, to place the traveler well within the luxuries and comforts of this amazing city.  We offer the best of old-world values, like hospitality and gracious service, and the most contemporary design and technology.  We take pride in our ability to consistently dazzle our guests, turning a casual stay into an otherworldly experience that replenishes the energy reserves so that the city can be seen with fresh eyes.  With amenities and extras that meet or exceed the highest standards of the industry, our hotels are chosen with extreme care in order to meet your own high standards.
After a delicious night’s rest and a splendid meal in one of our hotel restaurants, where internationally-renowned world cuisines are meticulously prepared by top chefs, you’ll be ready to take in the city.  Barcelona is one of Spain’s largest cities, and is often considered to be the economic and cultural center of the country.  As such, it offers a heady array of distractions and attractions that will hold the interest of every member of the family.  After looking through one of the local museums, browsing one of our excellent bookstores, and taking an espresso on a sidewalk café, take some time to relax and see the city.  You might see movie stars, theatre stars, or one of Barcelona’s literary darlings, such as poet Ana María Moíx. 
In 1970, José María Castellet edited an anthology of new Spanish poetry, Nueve novísimos poetas españoles, that is regarded as a classic, and announced a new generation of writers to the world.  Of the nine collected, there was only one woman in the volume, Ana María Moíx.  At the time, she had only a few rather slim volumes of poetry to her name, but is widely regarded for her ability to create sonic references to a reality that is wholly contemporary and wholly Barcelona.  Today, she is still considered to be one of the finest poets alive, and she still represents a very particular generation.  Rejecting the ideas of Franco as well as the dictates of the academy, they value pop culture over the canon, and were known for their ability to stir trouble.  It’s a sensibility that speaks to youth culture today, and has a resonance that is keenly felt in Barcelona.

Writers Associated with Winchester

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Winchester is one of the historic cities of England. It is located in the region of Hampshire, which is in the southeast area of the country. It is full of beautiful architecture and often known as a cathedral city due to its major landmark being the Winchester Cathedral. This amazing building is one of the largest cathedrals in Europe. This is certainly one of the reasons numerous tourists visit the city every year. However, guests staying in one of the Winchester hotels has many more landmarks and attractions to visit that will fulfill and enrich their stay.
In addition to the beauty of the natural scenery and the wonder of the historic landmarks and icons, Winchester has had the distinction of being the home to some of the world’s major literary figures. Jane Austen was there at the time of her death and was buried in the cathedral. In addition John Keats spent time in Winchester and completed some work while there. Keats was a poet during the early 19th century. He lived a very short life, having been born in 1795 and died in 1821. Though he died young, he his work was profound and placed him as one of the primary writers of the Romantic era.

Jane Austen was also writing in the early 19th century, and while she lived longer than Keats, though she herself died relatively young, she also produced a much more voluminous body of work. She was much more focused on realism in her work and used biting wit to create social commentary and rich characters. She was also a master of irony and these qualities have contributed to her status as remaining of one the most read and loved English writers in history. Interestingly, Austen published her works anonymously and received very little personal recognition for her books during her lifetime. It would be interesting to for her to be the amount of love and respect readers and critics from around the world have for her work.