By Design

On December 28, 2009, in Travel, by laura
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Darmstadt is a rather large city for Germany. It actually is one of the largest. It is also top ranking in many areas of business and life through out Europe. There are many things that draw visitor to the city. There are many industries that fuel the economy in the city giving it a nice diverse way of staying financially healthy. There are many top research  and development companies here. There are also many sports facilities here that house the games of many popular competitive sports. Then by design you have the quaint and charming environment that people get to enjoy everyday. The city has wonderful nature landscaping of the Odenwald Mountain Range and the wine growing areas along the Rhine, Main and Neckar Rivers. It is close to an airport and is a connection along the major highways and railways.

Some of the historical sights that visitors would enjoy seeing include the Mathildenhohe, the Hunderwasser House, a Residential Palace ,the Old City Hall and the City Church which are next to each other. The Mathidenhohe, means artist colony, so there must be some interesting things to see there. This artist colony was created by the Grand Duke Ludwig in 1899. There were only seven original artists involved namely, J.M. Olbrich who was an amazing architect and Peter Behrens, who did a few art mediums. Then there was P. Huber, H.Christiansen, P.Burck, L. Habich and R. Bosselt. They had to first build living and working spaces to share with the public. The first exhibit was presented in 1901 which was the first to put Darmstadt on the countries map. So come stay in one of the pleasant Darmstadt hotels and see for yourself what this city was designed to be. You may want to stay a while.

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Sandy Castle

On December 22, 2009, in Travel, by laura
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Are you ready to practice making sand castles. How about doing it in Florida. Take a break from your winter woos and check into one of the fabulous Florida beach hotels and let the sand inspire you. You may want to get a room right above the beach area you are working in. If you get to serious about this sand castle building thing you are gonna be up all night staring at your creation on the beach waiting for more ideas of how to make it even greater than it was the day before. Yup better pick a time of the month that give you a full moons’ light to see it in the dark. Oh, and be prepared to give you wife and kids lots of shopping money cause your going to be obsessed for a week.

So there may be a few tricks to keep in mind when deciding on what to make in the sand. Well while your deciding on what you want to make you will need to get your tools together. You will need some tools to pull it off. A shovel is a must have so add that in first. Get a real one not one with a short handle. You will hate it later. Then you may want to get a bag together with some carving tools. It will help you carve some great detail into your castle, like windows. Or eyes on a sand man.

Now there is the technique. How do you get a towering castle to stand high in something as fluffy as sand. The word here is compaction. Compaction is the real art to molding sand. There are different ways to compact sand. Softpack is the place where we all start. Moist sand in the hand patting and squeezing it into some sort of shape. Handstacking is where you build on each section and get a little height out of it. Then there is the use of molds. Yup, molds. It’s not magic, the secret lies in molds. You can find some pre-made sand casting molds to buy or you can get your tool handy friend to make you some molds. No matter what the technique, the most important thing is to have a great time.

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Reflecting the Fire in Fireplaces

On December 19, 2009, in History, Home, by laura
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Fire throughout history has not only been an element that has protected people, served to cook their food, and to keep them warm on cold nights, it has also been considered an element of great beauty.  As a young girl I could sit for hours on the banks of the lake, in front of a campfire just watching the flames as they swirled, as the colors changed, and as the logs and the embers burned and twinkled.  During the Victorian age, the fire was brought into new light, as fireplaces were built into almost every house, and while they were utility in nature, for providing warmth, they at this time became one of the symbols, or the aspects rather, of an elegant home.

Throughout time, fireplaces have become even more so, with new designs, new fashions in architecture and new technology.  There are many options when it comes to adding a new fireplace to your home, not only in the styles but in the materials as well.  New fireplaces and mantles are now made with stone, tile, marble and cast iron.  And should one wish to enhance the visual dance that the fire presents, there is something that can be added to any fireplace in the house and that is called a ‘fire back’.

Not only does this enhance the fireplace with elegance when there is no fire burning, when there is a fire…the fire-back serves as somewhat of a mirror, reflecting the fire from behind, creating a visual feast and just kind of boosting the look of the entire fireplace.  This is just one of the many new design features we in the modern world are lucky enough to have access to.  When the people sitting on the floors in their wood huts, with the fires blazing right in the middle of that dirt floor, looked into the flames, could they have imagined where time would take them?, take us?

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Hot Tub Completes New Home Renovation Projects

On December 18, 2009, in Home, by laura
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Phillip purchased a new home last year, well to him it was a new home however it was also considered to be a fix-me-up property. It was the first house he had ever purchased and was excited about owning a home and even excited about the various projects he would need to undertake. He felt pretty confident that he could complete many of these on his own and was willing to take a few fix-it workshops to ensure his success. However, after the sell was final and he moved in he quickly discovered that the needs of the house extended his capabilities and he had to contract out most of the work. This created more expense than Phillip had anticipated and he was forced to hold on some of the more aesthetic oriented as well as major entertainment features he was looking forward to completing and installing.

However, being a determined individual and maintaining his excitement for his new home throughout the entire experience, one year after moving in Phillip felt his dream home was well on its way to being complete and could begin working on the backyard. He planted various plants and flowers around a small garden fountain and also installed a nice outdoor kitchen island with a built in grill. He would eventually install a large screen television on the patio wall and also wanted to put tile down in the dining area. In one corner section of the backyard he was going to put in a large deck with a hot tub and that was the project that was next on his list.

He explored the various hot tubs and spas that he found at online businesses and was amazed at all of the options that were available. He finally decided on what he felt would be the perfect system for his home and made the purchase. He coordinated with a local deck building company to complete the surrounding deck area and had the entire project complete within two weeks. At long last he sat outside after grilling some shrimp on the barbeque and then enjoyed a soothing soak in his new hot tub. This was absolutely greater than he imagined it could be and he gazed up at the stars on that clear night and remembered how he had done the same thing so many times before and dreamed of the moment he was now enjoying.

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Almeria Area

On December 18, 2009, in Culture, Travel, by laura
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At the foot of the Alcazaba Fortress lies the capital city Almeria which is in the province of Almeria. This is a city that gets some visitors from the Roquetas de Mar hotels. Roquetas de Mar is a little port town about fifteen minutes drive to the coast. It has become quite the resort town over the past number of years. Through out this whole area there are some wonderful nature reserves and parks to visit. This port town also has some historical sights like Our Lady of the Rosary Church built in the eighteenth century, the remains of the Roman built Santa Ana Castle from the sixteenth century and the Santa Ana lighthouse. If you are interested in even earlier history, Roquetas de Mar also has some ruins that date back from before the Roman rule. There are many artifacts left behind by the Phoenicians that were at the Torrequebrada site.

The food here is wonderfully fresh. This town is a great blend of agriculture and fishing so you can find some of the best restaurants ready to serve up the local flair. There are some wonderful Mediterranean fish dishes served up with fresh salads in fine Olive oil. This style of food is truly one of the healthiest ways to eat. Eating and drinking are a wonderful way to celebrate life with family and friends.

Speaking of celebrating, there are some Festivals that go on in Roquetas de Mar that serve up some celebration as well. There is the Virgen del Carmen which celebrates the patron saint of fisherman. The Noche de San Juan is a coastal celebration event. There is a time when the town honors Santa Ana with a festival. Then of course there are some Spanish holidays and festivals like the Three Kings and Semanda Santa that are held throughout the year.

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Many Mining Towns

On December 16, 2009, in History, Travel, by laura
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After you have checked into one of the hotels Colorado has to offer you will want to leave the great hospitality for the wild mountain terrain. Bring your hiking boots and you layers of clothing because you are in for quite the scenic treat. Get in the car and head up the 550 highway. You can catch it in the southwest part of the state in the town of Durango. It winds its way through the mountain tops to Montrose where it splits off into the 50 east and west. This is one of may favorite drives.

If you start in Durango, you may want to give yourself a day just to spend in that area. The town is a wonderful historical town with many old time buildings mixed in with the shops and restaurants. There is also the Silverton Train. This is the train that was used in the filming of “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” staring Robert Redford and Paul Newman. Visitors can catch this train and take the famous trip up to the first mining town up the mountain, Silverton. Make sure you dress with layers and give it a whole day to go. The train doesn’t move as fast as a car. If your only have half a day then take the early train up and catch the bus back down.

If you take highway 550 up past Silverton you will reach Ouray. This is the home of the first jeep tours that are now really popular in the western states. The towering rugged mountains that surround this tiny little town have been called the Alps of America. They are the play ground for so many winter and summer sports. Depending on what time of year you visit Ouray you can go hiking or ice climbing. Right around the mountain from this town is Telluride a major ski resort for the rich and famous.

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Ditchmyroutine in Singapore

On December 10, 2009, in Culture, Music, Travel, by laura
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Travel in Singapore has never been easier, or better.  A fantastically cosmopolitan place, with attractions to please discerning guests of all ages, it is a city state that holds many delightful surprises.  There’s something new to see every month, with an arts scene that is enormously vibrant, offering glimpses into local and world culture that are truly amazing.  In the midst of all this creative activity, there are many vibrant cultures that make up the place, and you can find some of their finest expressions in restaurants in Singapore.

The history of Singapore as a major port is still very much a thing of the present, and there is always a fresh supply of fresh ingredients to make meals that are really out of this world.  You can find pretty much everything you’re looking for here, as well as a generous portion of the unexpected.  A wonderful way to begin any evening out on the town is with a lovely meal, and there are many excellent choices.  The same goes for the art.  And with groups like ditchmyroutine, there are marvelous offerings for even the most jaded visual sensibilities.

It’s very difficult to be jaded for long here, however, because the scene is built by the extraordinary talent and vision of the residents and visiting artists.  It’s as exciting as a barrel of monkeys, which also happens to be a theme of one of ditchmyroutine’s latest installations.  DMR, as they are also known, is made up of Suhirman bin Sulaiman, Deb Tan, and Rif Zaini, the impetus for their art-making comes from questioning social structures, and other extremely lofty and engaged ideas, and it often finds its expression in delightful forms.  This installation, “We’re dealing with serious matters,” is an excellent case in point, where the viewers engage in constructing a chain of colorful monkeys, just like in the children’s game from the mid-sixties.  It’s interactive, giving art-viewers a chance to engage in making real connections in real time for real fun.

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Street Musicians in New York

On December 9, 2009, in Travel, by laura
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Many young hopeful artistic individuals who are particularly attracted to New York City and want to move there are doing so to pursue a career on Broadway or at least on stage in a theatre. There are also many who arrive on the scene who are pursuing a life as a painter, sculptor, photographer or other media art form and New York offers a strong and respectable scene for them. It has some of the top galleries and museums in the world and the phrase if I can make it there I’ll make it anywhere is certainly applicable to the visual art world. And then there are singer songwriters like Eric, who plays the guitar and can harmonize with the best of them, who arrive on the streets of New York looking for a gig. He dreamed of the day the tourists who stayed in the New York luxury hotels would be visiting the city to see him play.

Eric did this when he was twenty two years old. He moved to New York on his own and didn’t know a single person in the city, save for a high school friend whom he had heard moved there a year ago, but with whom he had no communication or way of reaching. He was virtually on his own, save for his guitar and his songs and a couple hundred dollars in his pocket. Eric started playing on the streets though his second day there he gained the attention of some local policemen who told him he couldn’t play there. Eric had thought that street performance was legal in New York since 1970 when Mayor Lindsay repealed the ban, however he was not about to ask the friendly officers and decided to pack it in for the day.

What initially seemed like an obstacle or block in his road turned out to be an opportunity. Eric stopped in for a quick cup of coffee in a little café across the street. The owner happened to be there and heard him playing. He mentioned that Eric had talent and Eric said that he didn’t have enough to get police approval. The owner of the café thought for a moment and offered Eric the opportunity to play in the café every morning on a trial basis and for tips only. Eric immediately accepted and this became one of his favorite jobs to date.

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Spa Country

On December 8, 2009, in Travel, by laura
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Darmstadt Germany is the home to many American soldiers these days. Like many of the cities near big cities of Germany friendly support troops have bases there and contribute to the economy of the town. Darmstadt is in the south central area of Germany in the State of Hessen. The military barracks are not the only feature to this town. This city also known as spa country. There are healing springs that people come from the cities like Frankfurt, which is 25 miles north or Heidelberg which is 40 miles south of Darmstadt, to relax and renew themselves. They come and check into one of the Darmstadt hotels and relax into the area.

Darmstadt is the beginning of the  Bergstrasse/Odenwald Nature Park. It has endless dense forests but also the mildest climate of the country. If you want to catch an early spring in Germany, Darmstadt is the place to be. The Romans planted the Bergstrasse orchards and vineyards and they still bloom wonderfully today. Near Darmstadt are two other cities Babenhausen wich is much smaller, more like a town and Aschaffenburg. These are also some nice places to visit while in the area. Babenhausen has the old German Kaserne style to it making it more old world quaint. Aschaffenburg is a more like a city and is located in the state of Bavaria. Here visitors can see the Renaissance Castle, Johannisburg, which sits right on the main river. Visitors really enjoy the quaint old timbered houses and stone alleyways that lead to beautiful parks. They can also escape into the deep forest and may discover some other little towns nestled in.

If you speak English and are a first time visitor, no worries. They speak English really well in Germany and they like to practice with the English speaking vacationers. You will find a few American soldiers who came here as part of their duty and decided to stay. They become so much apart of the towns and cities that you don’t really know they are Americans unless you sit in one of the pubs and talk to them.

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Fremont Silent Film History and Museum

On December 2, 2009, in Travel, by laura
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Charlie Chaplin was well known and loved by all audiences during the early days of American Cinema. He was one of the greatest stars of the silent film and touched the art as well as the artistic creativity of millions. He developed the character of the tramp who was able to reach the sympathetic response system in most of the people who encountered this larger than life character on the larger than life screen. Well, of course, the screen wasn’t always larger than life, nor was Chaplin, though they both grew to become so. One of the points of pride for many people who live in Fremont, California is that it was one of Chaplin’s favorite film shooting locations.

The Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum pays tribute to Chaplin and other greats from the silent era. This is a popular attraction for many of the guests who visit the Bay Area and stay in one of the hotels Fremont. The Museum is an excellent resource for information on the production of silent films in addition to offering viewers great pictures, artifacts and posters of the major stars and films from the area. In addition, it features the viewing of some of the films that were created by these movie making pioneers and they are viewed in the same theatre that both Chaplin and Broncho Billy Anderson sat watched their work screened.

Broncho Billy Anderson was also a star of the silent screen who chose Fremont as a filming location. He was well known for his early western films and one of his most famous was the Great Train Robbery. While Chaplin focused his themes and work on symbolic movements and an emotional connection, Anderson’s films were adventures and action packed. He starred in an amazing number of productions and was one of the nation’s favorite heroes for many decades. While their styles of performance and film genres were different, the two artists taped into identifying with some of the nations strong archetypes, which created great connections with their audiences.

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