Aug
12
I didn’t know London could have a good nightlife, especially when I found out that all the pubs close around 11pm. But, when I walked into the Asylum in New Kingston, I felt like I was a Jamaican clubber. That’s where I found out where else I could go for the few nights I have here in London. I was so happy to get this list, I wrote them all down on a bar napkin and stuck it in my pocket, hoping to not lose it while I danced the night away in total club bliss.
London, has several clubs like Cameos on Margaret and W1, my fellow clubbers told me it’s more upscale and located right in the heart of London’s West End. But they told me is a must before I leave. The next place on my list is Buds, Lower Clapton road and Hackney, a small intimate club which specializes in ‘bashment’ style music. I didn’t know what that was, but I acted like it did, so I would still look cool in front of my new found clubbing friends. Third on my list was Subterrania, Ladbroke Grove, Chis Goldfinger and David Rodigan spin there on different nights, and oh yeah, I wrote, Chris Goldfinger also spins at Cameos. I do hope I managed to make it to Subterrania, that sounds perfect for me, a modern mix of music is played there.
I flipped my napkin over and wrote down, Nightmoves on Shoreditch High Street, it’s there favorite place that recently re-opened and caters to a more mature crowd, playing reggea, soca, dancehall and lover’s rock. I don’t know why a mature crowd is one of their favorite places to chill, but if I have the time, I’ll check it out. Mature crowds sounds to old school to me. Last on my paper napkin list was Illusions Club, on Streatham, a mix of hiphop, R&B, reggae is played there. Hearing about all these clubs made me happy that I booked a City Hotel http://www.cityhotel.co.uk, I was worried that London just wasn’t a clubber’s heaven. In these next few nights I’m hoping to be proving wrong, big time.
Aug
7
Herefordshire is a county in England that is truly unspoiled. There is a wide variety of landscapes and outdoor activities to participate in as well as markets and villages filled with character. The rich and lush environment of the natural world proves to the be the perfect setting for a lifestyle that is at once leisurely and filled with inspiration and innovation, all influenced by the historic past of the rural settlements. It is a region of the United Kingdom that combines modern ways of life with the rich cultural and historical heritage. The city has many quaint and charming options for accommodations in the Herefordshire hotels, ranging from cottage type architecture to those of a more elegant design, all surrounded by gardens that are well tended by those who enjoy nurturing the plants and the flowers of the region. This is an area, as in many areas of the continent, that is filled with the beauty and the splendor of grand cathedrals. The oldest of Europe’s music festivals is held here. Every 3 years the Hereford Cathedral hosts the Three Choirs Festival.
Many of the establishments located throughout Herefordshire offer up a selection of home grown, local produce. One of the smaller towns in the area perfect for those that enjoy walking through open air farmers markets is the town of Kington. Another fine town known for their markets is just north of Kington, is Ledbury . There is a variety of architectural styles located within walking distance, such as the High Street hotel called the Feather’s. Close to Ledbury is the Coddington Vineyards. This one vineyard produces about four thousand bottles each season of three different grape varieties. The vineyard was once an orchard of apples, that was replaced by grapes in 1985, producing the first harvest by 1989. This location is said to one of the most breath taking in all of England. This is a wonderful excursion for those who love tasting wine and walking through the countryside.
Aug
7
Buxton, England is a beautiful place to holiday at and a great place to bring the entire family. There are many excellent Buxton Hotels to accommodate the most hard to please clients. If you plan to stay more than a few days in Buxton there’s plenty for you and your family to do, like explore Poole’s Cavern, spend a day walking and picnicking at the Pavilion Gardens or if you have no children, you can check out the Opera House.
For Poole’s Cavern, you’ll be surrounded by rich woodlands and Poole’s Cavern is by far one of England’s best show caves. The cavern is natural limestone and goes approximately 300 meters deep into a hillside. There are many astonishing stalactites and stalagmite formations. The visitors center will educate one with information about the cave dwellers during the Bronze Age, metalworks by the Romans and various other historical details.
Pavilion Gardens will be a nice treat after the Caverns. It’s located right in the center of Buxton and offers 23 acres of green oasis and handsomely landscaped gardens. There are several lakes to play around, and check for times when bands will be performing at the bandstand. The children will enjoy the adventure playground, the miniature train rides, the adults will enjoy the newly renovated Victorian conservatory where there’s a quaint cafe’.
If Opera is your thing, then by all means go to one of the Opera’s at Buxton’s Opera House. It opened in 1903 and is one of the best examples of a surviving and thriving theater. The architecture is Edwardian and at one time was turned into a movie house, but with much restoration and fanfare, it reopened as an Opera House once again in 2001. There are now over 450 performances every year, and it’s not just only Opera. They have dance, drama, comedy and music. Plus, annually holds the prestigious Opera Festival and the International Gilbert and Sullivan Festivals. So, no matter what time of the year you take your holiday in Buxton, there will be something fantastic going on at the Opera House.
Aug
6
Our second city to visit during our stay in the United Kingdom was Cardiff. After we arrived by train and got settled in our room at the Cardiff Hotel, we decided to first check out the National Museum Cardiff and then on our second day here, we thought we’d see a show at St. David’s Hall.
The Cardiff Museum was highly recommended to us by fellow passengers on the train, we were hoping we might bump in to them while we were here, but we never did. They recommendation though, was superb. The Museum had a remarkable collection of European sculptures and paintings. We attended a lunchtime talk and strolled through some new exhibits, but what was really fantastic was the exhibit that took us on a 4,600 million year journey which showed us how the evolution of life changed in Wales. We still had some time left during the day, so we indulge ourselves shopping. We found the Victorian Arcades where there were all kinds of quirky and unusual shops. Like an exotica clothing boutique next to a coffee shop and that was next to a very high end chic fashion store. Oh, and a shop that sold nothing but violins right next to a surf shop. Really, quite a lot of fun.
The next day we decided to skip the show and instead take a tour of Cardiff Castle, which was transformed into a Gothic era on steroids. The castle is located right in the center of Cardiff, it was originally a Roman fort, but now it’s a mixture of buildings from many eras. After the tour, we were still in the mood to shop so we took a boat tour from Cardiff Bay over to Mermaid Quay. After all of that, we were exhausted, but pleasantly happy. We were glad we but Cardiff on our list of places to go.
Aug
5
To be honest, I’ve never been to a Crush game. A friend of mine did give me four tickets for one game last season, complimentary Sports Tickets were given to the entire staff at her school, so the tickets weren’t special and I couldn’t even go game night, so I ended up giving them away. What I mean to say is, ‘winning’ the tickets would qualify as special. Yes, I’m shameless, I would really like to be awarded tickets to a Crush game.
It’s not because I’m tight with the wife of one of the players, but because I’m an amateur sportswriter, and I would love to see a Crush game live and then write about it. If I won the tickets, I promise to write a good relations story about Crush and post it in my blog, which gets a thousand hits a day. Arena Football will be my first attempt at football sports writing and I think I’ll be able to put a whole new spin on the game and bring in more season ticket holders with my story.
So, that’s my plea, my shameless plea. I deserve to win free tickets to the game, so I can write a sports blog about Arena Football which focuses on Crush. Just to seal the deal, I would like to reiterate that I am the best friend of one of the player’s wife. If that’s not a better reason than writing a sports blog, then I don’t know what is. I
I have never been to a Crush game. In all honesty, I did receive four tickets last season, but was not free on game night, so I gave the tickets away. But even though I did get complimentary tickets so did nearly the entire staff at school, so it was not special. And the tickets did not come from Lani herself, so it really doesn’t count, does it? I’m begging you, please let me win those tickets.
Aug
5
Michael Jackson will be missed by millions of people across the world. He was an amazing human and phenomenal musician. Upon his death it was immediately declared the King of Pop had died, and it is a title that will remain with him as willhis great musical legacy. It is similar to the labeling of Elvis as the King of Rock and Roll when he died, and the phrase was often included in news casts that covered his death. He was loved for his music, his dancing, his personality and the many charities to which he contributed.
Jackson began his career as part of the Jackson Five, which was comprised of the Jackson brothers. He achieved great respect and recognition at a very early age and propelled the band to many hits. They quickly became a Motown favorite, which was uncommon for youth bands at the time. His fast moves and angelic voice impacted audiences across racial boundaries. This would become one of his major contributions to the industry, as he would later blast through boundaries that kept black artists from performing on the fledgling MTV program. His Thriller video would become the most popular and highly demanded video MTV would present.
Jackson came into his own as a performer with his solo album Off The Wall, though he had previous albums that were well received. This was his first major release as an adult artist and began his rise to superstardom. It was the release of Thriller, however, that solidified Jackson in the hearts of people across the world. It became the number one selling record of all time. Thriller contained the hits Billie Jean, Beat It, Wanna Be Startin’ Something, PYT and more. His concerts always sold out instantly wherever he performed. It is unfortunate that he was not able to perform his final tour, and promoters offered refunds for the concert tickets that were sold for the London performances. Many people declined the offer, however and instead decided to hold onto their tickets as a tribute and memento to this great artist.
Aug
5
Enya is a 48-year-old Irish singer with a very unique voice that can leave you almost spellbound. Born in Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland May 17, 1961, she is one of ten children. She is known the world over and has been captivating audiences since her career began in 1980. That is when she joined the Irish band, Clannad in which her brothers and sisters were already being featured. She was a member of this group for two years before she teamed up with producer Nicky Ryan and lyricist Roma Ryan. She is a Grammy winner, composer and instrumentalist. Her music has such an unusual quality to it and is mesmerizing to her listeners. There is such a calming, soothing effect attached to her music and yet it draws you ever nearer to the music itself. Some of her most popular albums are Paint The Sky With Stars, Watermark and Shepherd Moons, although all her albums have been very successful for her.
Traveling extensively, Enya makes many appearances throughout the year in various venues, creating and performing her music to the delight of audiences everywhere. Although her music is classified as New Age Celtic music http://www.ceolas.org/ceolas.html, her fans range in age from young to those not quite so young but her music is not restricted to a certain age or sex. She is a very gifted artist whose talents are appreciated far and wide. She is very deserving of all the recognition she has earned. She has received many nominations and awards and two honorary degrees. One is from the University of Galway with a Doctor of Music and the other from the University of Ulster with a Doctor of Letters. When Enya is on tour, if she’s performing in a city near you, make sure you have a ticket for the event and are in attendance to experience first hand this beautiful lady with the haunting voice. After hearing her, you will be a fan forever.
Aug
4
My grandson is almost 14 is an avid concert fan, as is his mother-my daughter. He’s lucky his mother shares this passion with him and is willing to get tickets for the concert and off they go. Course now at his age it isn’t really cool to go with your mother, but they have a great time together and he really wants to go! One of the most recent concerts they saw was Bruce Springsteen in Glendale, Arizona and they have plans to see the upcoming concert of Green Day in Phoenix. There is also a three-in-one concert coming up in Phoenix and they will see Def Leppard, Poison and Cheap Trick. AC/DC is another one they will see in Phoenix in October. On his list of really wanting to see is Slash with Velvet Revolver, Elton John and The Fallout Boy. Some of these I have never heard of, or seen, but he’s excited so I listen and am excited with him.
Now if we talk about Johnny Cash or Don Williams or Conway Twitty or George Strait…those were concerts I attended and can really get excited about! Talk about entertainers and talent, that’s a whole different story. I saw Johnny and June a couple times in Omaha, Nebraska many years ago and what a show they put on. I was a young woman and thought Johnny was the greatest thing since sliced bread. And of course the excitement and electricity of being there was unforgettable. I saw Don Williams, Conway Twitty and George Strait after moving to Phoenix, Arizona and their concerts were just as exciting. I’m lucky because Jared also enjoys a lot of Country singers I do. But no matter your age or generation, no matter your taste in music, you go to a live concert and it forges yet another common bond of happy memories that erase the years between a granny and her adored grandson. Memories that take up residence in a special place in both hearts, memories that will live on.
Aug
4
To stand in line outside a movie place in order to buy the Event Tickets of the year: Episode I – The Phantom Menace felt like I was being duped. What on earth, would cause someone to stand in line for days in order to get tickets to a movie? But, here I was, being just as silly as all the other hundreds of people waiting in line for a movie I probably won’t even enjoy, because I’m too critical when it comes to Star Wars.
I, of course, have fallen for all the hype drooled out by Lucasfilms excellent campaign strategy. A strategy that said if you don’t see it on the very first day, then you’re a sucker and a loser. The Lucasfilm campaign, even though it’s subtler than how I just describe it, worked. The most cleverest marketing campaign in history in my books. Not only am I standing in line, days before the tickets go on sale, but I am actually camping out in line. Alarming isn’t it? I’m really not a desperate kind of guy, I usually don’t fall for hype and follow the crowd into slaughter; I should just pack up my camping gear a leave. But, …I’d be missing out on an historical event and not only that, but a special opportunity. To be apart of pop-culture. To say that ‘yes’ I was a part of the crowd who stood in line for days, looking like a total geek-dork-wad, that was me.
Is the movie worth all that? Well, probably not the movie itself, but the spectacle, it’s the spectacle I’m in love with, plus great stories to tell my kids and grand kids. Of course, I’ll have to find a geeky-dork-wad girl to marry. I mean, really, what girl would honestly marry a guy like me? But, someone in love with the spectacle as much as me, and one who wants to tell Star Wars stories to her kids and grandchildren. Now, there’s a good reason to camp in line for days.
Aug
4
I first saw doggy-sports on ESPN, where they would have competiting dogs jump as far as they could into a pool of water. Purina sponsored the sport, it’s called Dock Diving. I was never so fasinated in all my life. It was great to watch these dogs just do what they love to do, take a running jump for their favorite toy and jump as long as they can to try to catch it. Fortunately, they do get to land in water. The owners were fun to watch just as much as it was fun to watch just how far dogs can actually jump.
So, when the opportunity came to purchase some Special Sports Tickets for some other type of dog competitions, I ‘jumped’ at the chance. I managed to get tickets for a dog sports event that covered 3 types of agilities. It’s called Flyball. It’s a realy race with 4 dogs on a team. The course consisted of a starting line, some hurdles spaces about 10 feet apart and a box. The first hurdle is approximately 6 feet from the starting ling and the box is about 14 feet from the very last hurdle. It seems like the whole course was about 50 feet in length. The dogs are supposed to jump the hurdles and then step on a spring loaded box that will propel out a tennis ball. Then the dogs supposed to catch the tennis ball and jump over 3 more hurdles. When the dog crossed the starting line then the next dog on the team of 4 goes next. The first dog team that has all 4 dogs run with no errors wins.
I have to tell you, that was the best live sports event I’ve been too, seriously. I’ve been to professional sports like baseball, basketball and football, but I’ve never enjoyed myself so much as when I attended this Flyball Dog sport. I figured out why too, it’s because the stars of the show, the dogs, have no egos. They are in pure heaven and their enthusiams is an amazing site to behold. The dogs truely do it for the ‘love of the sport’. Oh, okay and maybe a treat and a hug.
|
