So, I was wondering what all there would be to do in Atlanta, Georgia. It turns out that my good friend Tammy won two round trip plane tickets to Atlanta and hotel accommodations for a three-night stay. She won the trip through a drawing at work that was part of the annual convention and seminar event. The point of all this, which might be obvious, is that she invited me to go with her and not being one to pass up a free trip I accepted. Meanwhile, I had never been to Atlanta before and was wondering what all we might want to do there.

About the only aspects I was aware of before looking into the local entertainment and cultural aspects of the city was the fact that the Atlanta Hawks were their NBA team and the Braves were their baseball team. And of course the Atlanta Falcons are their football team. There, that was the extent of my knowledge about Atlanta, Georgia. However, now I can say I’m actually much more familiar with it, well and of course I have been there and explored the city by now, but I also did my homework before arriving.

It turns out that in addition to all of the major professional sports teams, Atlanta really has a lot of dynamic cultural institutions and entertainment options. We also had a great time at some of the local nightclubs. We love to go dancing and sort of mingling with new people and our first night in town we went to a place called Compound. It’s on Brady Avenue and is really a cool and kind of chic, but not pretentiously, in its own way. We also went to happy hour at a place called Loca Luna just because Tammy liked the name. The happy hour was great and they’re known for their appetizers. This has just been a light sampling, but we had a fabulous time in Atlanta and I recommend it as a vacation destination for anyone.

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It doesn’t take long for someone like me to get the hang of how these gambling schemes work. I can see pretty easily how they play into your desires to get something for nothing. It’s a lot like living in those cities where big things happen to people all the time, just for showing up. I understand the game. It’s a pretty tricky game, but I’m a pretty tricky fellow, and it’s hard to pull a fast one over on me. Like those guys who throw those three cards on tables in New York City street corners. The guys named Monty. They have something pretty sweet going on, but it’s easy to see the trick once you get the hang of it. They have fast hands is all, and they all are named Monty, and that’s trickery of the highest degree.

I can appreciate it, though, and once I started to appreciate it so much, that I appreciated a month’s salary away, being there on the sidewalk, appreciating Monty. However. When I have the opportunity to see how it’s really done, how gambling really works, I take it. There’s a site right here where you can set yourself up for a great weekend with your friends and family members of all ages to enjoy a million kinds of fun.

I don’t go for the casinos any more. That had to stop a long time ago, and I learned my lessons. It’s not that I don’t get it, I mean, I am a smart cookie, I understand it. But I get to understanding it so much that I forget it’s an experiment on my part and end up throwing all sorts of money on things that look interesting. And in these places, everything looks interesting. These days, I love the buffets and the entertainments. There’s something for everyone. There’s a trick to these things, too, and they can’t pull one over on me, because I see that the trick is that they do things you want to see, and they give you the food you like to eat, and that’s enough for me.

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The history of the success of Hong Kong is a long history. Rumors had been going around various countries for the ten years following the handing over of Hong Kong to China from Great Britain. But those rumors of the social and the economic demise of the city were unfounded and the Hong Kong has become a booming center for trade, commerce and tourism. The Hong Kong hotel industry as well as the other service industries of the restaurants, the bars, and the convention centers have been steadily becoming more successful.

And the day to day living has become more normal, in the political sectors as well as the social and financial realms. This is a very small region that is having a global effect, and doing so with the self confidence gained from the years of struggle and the successes related to that struggle. In a world wherein many countries are suffering from financial and economic downturns and the effects of the recession, Hong Kong markets, and the city itself, are busier than ever. And while the city is again part of the motherland of China, they are under their own independent rule, with their own governments systems in place. Only ten percent of the land mass of Hong Kong, is home to just about seven million people.

And added to that number are the floods of tourists, from South East Asia as well as from around the globe. Those traveling to the city, and the locals as well, are generally fond of one of the two aspects of the city. One aspect is the busy metropolis and the incredible architecture of the skyscrapers. Many love to walk along the city streets and feel the vibe of excitement while others prefer to view from the top of Victoria Peak. The other aspect is that of the outdoors. There is an expanse of undeveloped countryside surrounding the city, and this draws many bikers, hikers and campers to the region. The city itself has been gradually becoming more westernized, however the peaceful core of the philosophy remains totally Chinese in nature. These contrasts are what make Hong Kong one of the most interesting destinations in the world.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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In the culinary imagination, drop in grills change the way we daydream about food. There is something more exotic about having the possibility of cooking outside always at our disposal than even a limitless number of burners inside. There is a primal element to grilling that also comes with a feeling of being ultra-civilized, and the combination can be quite sumptuous. It certainly adds to the experience of cooking and eating, and there is nothing like the taste of food on the grill.

One of the staples of childhood, grilled cheese, can be re-invented on the drop in grill, and the taste is so sensational, you will wonder why you didn’t always prepare it this way. The thrill of the grill marks on bread that you cut yourself never gets old, and there is an enormous versatility here that will have you experimenting with your own idea of the perfect grilled cheese sandwich. Suffice to say, grilled cheese on a grill is something that one needs to add to their outdoor cooking repertoire. One idea about outdoor grilled cheese that is worth a few experiments is the addition of other ingredients. All chefs agree that grilled cheese marries very well with other flavors, and also, a little can go a long way. So, it’s important to choose with consideration, and also to keep the other ingredients to one or two, in order to not overwhelm the meal.

For meats, pepperoni and ham seem to be the most popular choices, and there are of course many other salted meats that can be tried to find your favorite. There are also options like hot peppers, and olives, and all the different types of these are worth sampling. For cheese, thinking out of the box is recommended, as there are many types that all melt differently. Recipes that call for halloumi in grilled cheese on the grill have earned a soft spot in our hearts. And there are certainly more, and they all make childhood seem present, only perhaps even tastier.

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I awoke around 5:30 am, got ready and headed north. I picked up 2 of my fishing buddy’s, Steve 1 and Steve 2. We drove to our favorite fishing stream, Toccoa River, one of the only streams in Georgia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_(U.S._state) that remains chilly even in the middle of summer. We picked a nice day to go, the weather was perfect. We put on our waist-high waders and went walking toward the middle part of the stream.

Fishing was good for all three of us. We caught the few dozen fish using a zebra midge, a pheasant tail nymph and a olive hare’s ear dropped beneath a grass-hopper pattern. Half the fish we caught were fingerling’s and the other half being rainbows and browns around 8 to 15 inches long. I caught the 15 inch rainbow using the hopper pattern and the 13 inch brown using the pheasant tail. I knew we were all having a good time catching fish by listening to the steady stream of Wooo-Whoos coming from Steve and Steve 2.

We drove on up a bit more to Steve 2’s cabin. I nice little place set way back off the main road. We unloaded our gear and proceed to get the fish cleaned. We told Steve 2 that with all the fish we caught that he sure could use a couple of more outdoor sinks. But, the one will do for now. Steve 2 fired up the outdoor grill and we placed has many fish on top the grill that would fit, sat down with our beers and started telling each other our fish stories while the fish cooked. Steve 1 told us a fish story that wasn’t even a fish story. He said while he was down stream of us that he spotted something floating towards him, it was too far for him to reach out for it, so he wondered if he could use his fly technique to catch what it was floating past him. He did and the fly caught the object and Steve 1 reeled it in, it was Steve 2’s sunflower bag. Steve 2 didn’t even knew he lost it. What a perfect evening to top off a perfect day.

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The Ear Inn is an historical landmark, on the registry of the U.S. Department of the Interior. This building was constructed in 1817 for James Brown. Not the singer, but an aide reported to have served during the revolution under George Washington. The famous painting of Washington in the small boat crossing the Delaware River by Cass Gilbert, features Brown at Washington’s side. Preceding the war, Brown moved to New York and became a farmer in the lucrative business of growing and trading tobacco. He carried on business in the Southern United States as well as some of the countries in Europe. He was quite a successful businessman and moved to Greenwich Village, just aside the Hudson River, the restaurants, and a number of Manhattan accommodation that were beginning to thrive in the neighborhood. His residence was close to Washington’s, and then later presidents and New York politicians such as John Adams and Aaron Burr.

This is one of just a couple federal houses still standing in New York City today, still representing the architecture and original work of the time. One critic of architectural structures states that the building encapsulates the sense of the time period. A need for an intimate space, a close scale that indicates the psychology of another way of living and a different century, with different sets of cultural needs and values. Once James Brown died, Thomas Cooke moved in. Cooke made is own beer and sold whiskey to the sailors coming into port. By the mid 1800’s the building was gaining quite a reputation, as a brothel, an alcohol smuggler’s den during the prohibition, a boarding house, and a haunted house. Legend has is that some poor sailor by the name of Mickey still roams the halls ‘waiting for his ship to come in’, literally. The Ear Inn is still in operation today, a lounge, a restaurant specializing in home cooked meals, and hotel is the more respectful terminology, but those who work there ask of those who stay there, to tell of stories or strange occurrences that may go bump in the night.

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One of the most exciting events in Singapore is the ZoukOut Dance Music Festival that’s held in the month of December. The festival is a spinoff from the popular Zouk night club in Singapore which has been consistently voted as one of the best clubs in the world. Sentosa Island is turned into a fabulous beach party and has become one of the coolest events of the year. Attended by clubbers and partiers, the festivities go on from sundown to sun up.

In addition to the numerous dance locations, each having its own dj and distinct type of music, there are also many other festivities. Siloso Beach on Santosa Island is ground zero for the event. Even though this is mainly a dance party, the island winds up being invaded by all kinds of fringe events. There’s always something to do if you get tired of the music. A favorite is the holistic tent where massage and special treatments are available. Or, you can find food vendors, flea markets or even mandala art. There are areas to hang out and rest or to just visit with friends.

Because of the international recognition this event receives, tickets for the party are often sold out. The festival draws trendy clubbers from all over the world. Political, cultural and social differences disappear as the partiers enjoy endless music and great company for hours. At a recent festival over 15,000 tickets were sold, with a fair portion being sold to overseas fans. With the draw of international dj’s, local talent, and music from all genres it’s not surprising that this festival has become world famous. The city of Singapore has a pulsating music scene which solidifies its’ reputation as the entertainment capital of Asia.

As the sun comes up and the festival comes to an end, transportation back to the mainland can be difficult. Traffic is a mess and the roads are jammed. The best alternative is to reserve a room in one of the five star hotels in Singapore. You can find one on Sentosa Island and will be able to walk to and from the party.

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Today the fashion elite begin to gather in New York for their twice-annual runway extravaganza. The newly-named Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week will run in Bryant Park through February 20th. The event showcases the fall lines of many of the top American designers and design houses to fashion critics, press, and buyers.

Fashion Week dates back to 1943 when Eleanor Lambert an important fashion publicist, organized the event to call attention to American designers. In the middle of World War II it was impossible for the press and buyers to travel to France. “Press Week” forced the media to focus on American innovators and trends. A great success, fashion magazines began to feature more and more American fashions in their pages.

While there was some question about the success of a luxury event in the current economy, Fashion Week is going on as usual. However, many designers are scaling back their expenses. Some are showing fewer designs to save on fabric and production costs while others are forfeiting a runway show in the park and instead inviting guests to drop in shows. Magazines are sending fewer representatives to save on their costs, as the fashion publishing world has been hit not only by the economic crisis, but also by the decline of magazine publishing with the rise of the internet.

None of this means that the glamour will be missing from the event. Celebrities will be filling up New York hotel suites in the area and top designers will still be putting on elaborate and exciting runway shows in the huge Bryant Park tents. Look for ongoing media coverage in television, newspapers, and online.

The Spring Fashion Week will be held in September. Next year Fashion Week ill move to Damrosch Park in Lincoln Center.

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I’ve been going to concerts most of my life. Some of my earliest ones were rock bands in the early 70s then I started going to jazz concerts in the 80. These days I go to whatever seems good to me.

These days if I’m looking for concert tickets I usually look and book online. I would love to get Aretha Franklin tickets and I know my daughter is desperate for Jonas Brothers tickets.

Although there are lost of tours doing the rounds there are only certain ones I want to go to. Hopefully they are coming to a location near to me. I dont fancy the extra cost of having to travel to another city to see a concert.

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