Coffee Cup Stain

Most people go to Philadelphia to see all of the historical sights that mark the beginning of America. It is truly the best thing to see in Philadelphia and you would be missing a lot if you didn’t stop by places like the Liberty Bell Center, Independence Hall, the National Constitution Center and the other many homes and places where the forefathers of your country laid the foundation of the America we know today.  

There are some days were it is nice to get a piece of normal on a vacation is just what the doctor ordered. Sometimes we just want to do what we might do at home on a Sunday but in a different city. One of America’s great past times involves shopping and there are some nice places to step away from the tourist filled places and into a few shops. One of those wonderful afternoon walks in the sun can be found in Manayunk . This is a beautiful street filled with lots of little shops and restaurants. There are a few brand name stores like the Banana Republic but most of what you will find are specialty shops like Showing with Style for the pregnant loved one in your life.  

If you want to stay in the area of the historical sites but want to through in a few shopping adventures head over to Old City . This is going to be the best of both worlds. You have Betsy Ross’s house in among the shops and restaurants between 2nd and 3rd on Arch Street. There are some areas with some street performers. It is fun to take a load off your feet and take a carriage ride through the area. It is a fun way to get the general feel of the place. This is also the area to go for some great art galleries, restaurants and pubs. There are plenty of boutique hotels. Philadelphia has them located all over the city so find one near the areas you want to spend your time.

OK, you have done your share of theme park snack food and chain restaurant dinners and now its time for the real cuisine to hit your lips. The kids are tucked into their hotel room bed with a Disney classic movie on HBO and the hotel sitter is near by. Now its your turn to have some romantic night out with your spouse. It’s time for Mommy and Daddy to have some grown up time. There are some really nice and sophisticated restaurants in Orlando that you will enjoy.  

How about a family owned steakhouse? Del Frisco’s Prime Steak and Lobster may be just what to adults are calling for. This place has some mouth watering steaks and seafood which is done to perfection. They have a simple menu and so they do a few things perfectly. They have some lovely wines and classic cocktails to accompany your dinner and make the evening special.  

There is a special place in Orlando that has an amazing mix of worldly cuisine and it is called Norman’s This restaurant is very elegant in atmosphere with its modern decor and use of round spaces. There is a lovely patio along a golf course that is breath taking. The dishes are fresh in both ingredients and presentation and there is a guarantee that one will be very happy when they have left this place. The restaurant was built by Norman Van Aken who is known for his infusion of Latin, Asian, African and American flavors and textures. He is from Florida and he has created new creations from the influx of traditional recipe’s that have migrated into the state. His cuisine is the dining example of the melting pot of culture that has made Florida what it is known for today.  

Speaking of Culture? Have the one of the five star hotels orlando is known for help you find your way to MoonFish for some Asian fusion cuisine at its best.

Visiting Boca is one of the great moments in any life. It’s such a beautiful city that usually one visit isn’t enough, and there are a number of guests who like it so much that they even decide to live here. If the appeal of Boca hotels becomes so strong that it seems like this would be a place to settle down, then there are a number of people who feel exactly the same. In fact the population has increased tremendously in the past few years, and this has spurred some very positive initiatives all over the city toward making Boca green .

This begins by being more conscious of everything that people do. Taking care to look at the way food is considered is a very important first step, and in Boca, there are a number of local farmer’s markets. These are wonderful places to find great organic produce, and a number of other local offerings. One of the great benefits of shopping this way is that it’s not only a very healthy way to eat, but it also keeps the local economy strong. It also helps to keep the farming traditions alive at a time when they are facing new challenges in competition from mass-produced foods.

Local Harvest is an excellent organization that helps to pinpoint the local farmers in any area, and also provides helpful hints in learning how to eat according to the growing seasons. There are also efforts in place to helping the locals learn ways of growing food as well as decorative plants that are earth-friendly, as well as Florida-friendly . Learning how to raise produce in one’s own living space is an excellent way to keep the carbon footprint softer, and it’s also very educational, and lots of fun. There is a splendid community for these activities in town, and even weekend tourists are benefiting from the efforts, making it more possible to recognize the delicate beauty of the place, and finding ways to preserve it.

Vermont is known for processing the best maple syrup in the country and this is incorporated into the beautiful geographic imagery associated with the state. And while the manufacturing of syrup is a major aspect of the culture and economy of the state, it is not the only thing Vermont has to offer. There is actually much more to the culture and society of Vermont than what this sticky, but oh so delicious, substance would indicate.

Meanwhile, a lot of the great recreational activities that are part of the standard lifestyles of this stay do have to do with its incredibly beautiful geography and many of Vermont’s residents spend a lot of time outside, in rain, snow or shine. And it can get pretty cold in Vermont. But hey, there is always skiing , and that is one of the biggest reasons many people visit this great New England state. And interestingly, tourism is one of the main economic factors of the state and the luxury Vermont hotels are incredibly accommodating and throughout the season are full of eager skiers.

In addition to the great slopes, Vermont has a romantic feel to it that attracts large numbers of couples. It is the prefect place for a romantic weekend getaway and major ski slopes also offer great exercise, thrilling glides and major challenges. Sugarbrush, one of the largest in the state is a great example of a beautiful snow filled mountain slope that also offers diverse challenges and amazing ski opportunities. And the ski season is not the only time people visit Vermont. Lake Champlain attracts numerous people who enjoy camping, fishing, boating and other recreational activities all summer long. Oh, and don’t forget, you can enjoy the freshest pure maple syrup on your griddle cakes every morning while you’re there.

In the history of art, there are moments when things fall together in beautiful ways, where the conjunctions of ideas and people are simply there at the right time and place. It’s sometimes just a matter of connecting the dots. Of course, there has to be someone who’s willing to do the footwork and make the dots connect, and it usually depends on a mutually beneficial support system. That’s not entirely difficult, especially with artists who have had to struggle at least a little bit.

At other times, it’s not necessarily a question of fortuitous moments, but seems driven by a decision to make a moment because there is a need to have something happen. This seems to be the case with The Philadephia Ten , a group of women artists who worked together to promote their works together from 1917-1945. Recent exhibitions have been making the public aware of the group’s work and activities, and making works of their members, like Isabel Branson Cartwright very much in demand once again.

The works themselves are not particularly revolutionary in style, and don’t really break new ground in terms of a high level of experiment, but they’re solid and demonstrate a very consistently high level of skill. What becomes important, then, is the way they organized and exhibited. This is such an exciting idea that it just might bring critics, art lovers, and other young artists to luxury Philadelphia hotels to see what makes this city so terribly interesting.

It doesn’t matter much the time or the place. Safety in numbers is a rule that always works. For artists, then, it can be a means of survival. Because The Ten clearly saw that the odds were very much against them, but if they joined forces, then there might be no stopping them. It caught on, too, over the years they were together. They started with ten painters, and soon involved sculptors, too, and by the time they were at their peak, there were 30 in the 10, and they all recognized the historical moment, because they were also in the process of creating it.

In a city where the broad strokes of history have taken some very bold moves, in the realms of both comedy and tragedy, there are places where it looks as though time stood still. Subculture is a fascinating thing, and one that will never find its most appropriate endgame, because there is no end. And when a new generation decides to adopt a fashion and a sensibility from another time, like the Mods have always done, it’s never frozen in place.

Tourists in London can find a city that is everything they dreamed it was, but there’s always so much more. Although it’s still a place where one can find excellent theatre, and a lovely hotel, London has a series of underground circles that continue to twirl forward into history, and often into visibility in the life on the streets.

When porkpie hats and short jeans are seen, it’s a good indication that this is the middle of another Mod revival . There is a presence in the city of Vespa scooters with lots of mirrors, and people who look like they might be the third generation of children of Marx and Coca-Cola. Unlike some subcultures, this one isn’t based on a blind faith in something unseen, but has always been put forth as a cynical response to the times.

It’s very reasoned out, this Mod world-view, and it’s one that’s actually somewhat enticing. The original manifestation of the Mods started as a kind of across-the-pond version of the Beat culture. They came from the working class neighborhoods of South London, and had a taste for existentialism. The favorite hang-out was the coffee house, not because of any moral choice on drunkenness, but because the cafes were open late. They could hang out and talk about philosophy and poetry into the wee hours.

They were also terribly fashion conscious, looking to Italy for clues about style, and them modifying these answers to fit their own tastes. While they were developing their own codes, which included an egalitarian perspective on sex roles, the music was trying to catch up, and once it did, it never stopped.

The Bay residents, and out-of-town guests, will be getting a very special treat this fall, and it’s one that’s been anticipated, and then disappointed, and now anticipated again. It’s been a twisty road to get the Flaming Lips back to play Jannus Landing again, but when 2010 is over, people will agree that it was all worth the wait.

Band member Steven Drozd was hospitalized this past April, which lead to the cancellation and postponement of several important shows for the band, but the rescheduling here has been successful, and arrangements made so that the tickets bought already will be honored on October 13 . And although it might be an interesting act in terms of sheer performance art effect to keep postponing indefinitely, that’s not like the band. They love to have fun and do crazy things for the sake of absurd effect, but they never like to let their fans down.

They will be drawing fans from all over, too, since their shows are legendary, and it’s been a long time since they’d toured together. The locals will be waiting at the gates, their floors covered by couch surfers, and even the best Tampa spa resorts will have a few old Flaming Lips fans waiting to see the show in style.

Frontman Wayne Coyne has always captivated audiences with his intelligence, sharp wit, and deeply self-effacing sense of backwards humor. One suspects that this mind is a major force behind a lot of the gimmickry that’s characterized the Oklahoma band during their career. It started in 1983, and has lasted much longer than anyone thought it could, combining pop culture with psychedelic sensibility to make music that is more like a dada performance than a concert. Inspired by bands like The Tubes, and Frank Zappa, they play differently and interestingly, and are responsible for a number of innovations in contemporary music in live performance. This will be one for the record books.

Hawaii is a place that’s legendary for its glorious views and natural settings that are the perfect accompaniment to a lovely vacation. It’s also a prime spot for honeymoons, but anyone will feel welcome here. People traveling alone and looking for a place to unwind and get in touch with another kind of world have found many wonderful moments in Hawaii, and many wonderful spots to enjoy solitude as well as great social activities. As legendary as it is for vacation and travel, it also has its own legends that are local, and come from the local traditions.

Hawaii is a fascinating mix of cultures, and native Hawaiians draw their cultural history from the local islands, Japanese and Polynesian culture, and also from their own unfolding histories. The stories about the natrual landmarks here are particularly fascinating. They speak to a deep love of the land and the sea, and metaphorical interpretations reveal deep wisdom about the natural forces here. The stories are not only metaphors for how things used to be, but for how things are and could be once again. The geology and geographies are still in flux, and a few days here can demonstrate just how delicate the natural world is. But as delicate as an ecosystem can be, there is also a sense that the deeper energies of the earth itself at are work in Hawaii.

One of the lovely stories is centered in Kewalo Springs , where there were two children that came to the village, hungry and thirsty. They were taken care of by the locals, who wondered about their origin, as a rainbow seemed to follow them. They discovered that the rainbow was in fact their cruel stepmother, setting out to look for them. However, a sacred dream revealed that their real mother,now dead, was still watching over them, and lead their father and his hunters to them so that they could regain their rightful place as royalty.

Today the site where the children found water is across from the Honolulu City Hall , which is very telling. The politics and the island’s divine history are connected, and the deeper mysteries are beneath the surface of things. Learning about them from the splendor of five star Hawaiian hotels is a great place to begin to discover why the islands are so captivating.