The Landscape and Garden Blog
Apr
15
The Windy City bursts into bloom each spring. This fact is most evident in the annual Chicago Park District Spring Flower Shows. The Shows run during the early spring, ending on Mothers Day, and encompass two locations: the Lincoln Park Conservatory and the Garfield Park Conservatory.
Garfield Park Conservatory is one of the largest in the country. It spans 4.5 acres and is a little over 100 years old. It has several permanent collections and a standing exhibit on how sunlight “feeds” plants. The Lincoln Park Conservatory dates back to the late 1800s and is housed in an impressive Victorian glass house. It features ancient fern species, rare orchids, and tropical plants in addition to native blooms.
During the annual Flower Show, residents and visitors to the city will have the opportunity to see spring flowering plants at their best. The Show traditionally highlights azaleas, especially the great azaleas that have been a Chicago landmark since the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. Many of the blooms featured in the show are direct descendants of those original blooms.
Tourists heading to the city and armed with a Go Chicago Card will probably have a full schedule of sights to see. They should definitely consider adding the show to their itinerary to get the full springtime in Chicago experience.
Oct
19
As society becomes more mobile and business becomes more global, the number of people who travel regularly is increasing. No longer are rock stars the only ones who globe trot as consultants, executives, and other business workers find that their job is no longer limited to one city, state, or country. At the same time more people are finding freedom from the confines of nine-to-five jobs and figuring out how to make money from their personal brand, which allows them the ability to travel the world without missing a beat.
A common need of all these travelers is health insurance. Unlike traveler insurance, global health insurance is designed for the long term. It provides comprehensive medical coverage in every country, including the US so that constant travelers don’t need to carry multiple policies. It’s also a good option for non-immigrant workers in the United States who aren’t eligible for the same policies as residents.
A good global health insurance policy will have provisions for emergency treatment, preventative medicine, and medical evacuation. Better policies also offer maternity and mental health coverage when needed. This coverage is ideal for so called permanent travelers, cruisers, and international workers.
Sep
24
September 30th kicks off the 10th annual Bike Fest in Vegas . The city is bracing itself for more than 30,000 bikes to gather for competitions, concerts, a custom bike show, the Miss Las Vegas Bike Fest Competition and a huge Vendor Village. It’s a chance for bikers to relax, have fun, and check out the latest and hottest new bikes and accessories. The Fest will take place at various locations including some of the iconic hotels Las Vegas is famous for.
One of the main attractions is the Vendor Village. This year the Village will be home to 250 booths offering motorcycles, parts, and accessories. There will also be unique bike exhibitions and lots of biker apparel available for purchase. As part of the 10th Anniversary, there will be three separate Grand Prize Giveaway motorcycles, including a 2010 Triumph Speedster , a 2011 Harley-Davidson (winner’s choice of three models), and a 2010 Harley-Davidson Custom Fatboy. There will also be a special drawing for a custom Coffin Couch.
Popular events include bikini contests, wet t-shirt contests, cruising the Strip, and plenty of concerts and parties. Whether bikers are there for the poker runs, the competitions, the beer bashes, or the rock and roll, the main draw remains the chance to be with other motorcycle fans and celebrate their rides.
Aug
19
When you visit Zurich, Switzerland it can be difficult to decide where to begin your sight seeing adventures. It is an incredibly beautiful city and serves a major cultural center for the country. It is also the largest city in Switzerland and attracts millions of tourists every year. The architecture alone in this historic city could account for the entire visitation agenda for many trips. Though there are also some incredible cultural attractions and entertainment options that you will definitely not want to miss. From museums to theatres and also some great restaurants, nightclubs and shopping opportunities, there is a great deal to do and see in this beautiful city.
If you’d like to tour some of the architectural aspects of Zurich, which actually you can’t help but doing just by visiting the city, you will want to visit the Old City District and pay attention to the works of Gustav Gull. He was a prominent late 19th century architect who is responsible for building the Swiss National Museum among other buildings. There are numerous cultural attractions in the city and the Zurich Opera House is extremely popular with the guests in one of the city’s great hotels. In Zurich you can find great theatre, music and all other forms of performance arts and it is common to find a great Shakespeare production or interpretation of Goethe’s Faust .
Aug
14
Imagine driving back from a trip to Las Vegas through the Mojave Desert , and your check engine light comes on, or your air conditioner or your alternator stops working. The check engine light might just be an electrical problem or a warning about something worse. No air conditioning in a desert is certainly a problem, but no alternator is an even greater one. Without it, you’re hoping you have a cell phone that receives a signal, because you may not be traveling again without a tow truck. If you don’t know anything about your car’s engines, you’ll be forced to trust whatever mechanic you can find. However, with a little preparation before your trip, you can learn a few things about auto repair .
Basic automotive repair information may be found online, and will give you a fighting chance to know what an unknown mechanic is talking about. Familiarity with how an engine works, and, more specifically, how the engine of your particular car works, is crucial in these situations. Reviewing repair manuals for your vehicle is one way to be prepared; you may not be able to fix the car yourself, but at least you’ll know what the mechanic is talking about, and whether or not the mechanic may be trusted.
Aside from packing your vehicle with water and food, knowing your car’s capabilities inside and out is the best defense against a breakdown — unless, of course, you win big in Las Vegas. In that case, you can always buy a new car when yours breaks down.
Jul
28
When in Arizona a ‘must-do’ is WestWorld Equestrian Center of Scottsdale . WestWorld is nationally recognized as a premier equestrian and special event facility that provides recreation and entertainment for the entire family.
This open-air arena is home to a great number of horse shows, international car exhibitions such as the world-renowned Barrett Jackson Classic Car Auction and many other exciting activities throughout the year, like the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show, and the McDowell Mountain Music Festival .
Coming August 22, 2010, is the Blue Ribbon Horse Show; on August 28th the AZ Reining Horse Fool ‘em and School’em, which is an event where competitors have to complete one of 10 approved patterns in the arena, for instance, a trademark pattern may include large and small circles of various speeds, flying lead changes, 360 degree spins in place, roll backs and sliding stops; all geared to show the close relationship between the horse and its rider and fun for the whole family.
If horsing around doesn’t suit you, check out WestWorld’s Sanctuary Golf Course, built on the Western slope of Scottsdale’s McDowell Mountains right next door to the equestrian center. Acclaimed golf course designer Randy Heckenkemper has transformed the Bureau of Reclamations’ storm water retention area into one of the premier Scottsdale golf courses; 6,624 yards, par-71 and a haven for native plants and wildlife; it even acquired status with the Audubon Society.
The WestWorld Equestrian Center and Sanctuary Golf Course is located at 16601 N. Pima Road, next to several five star hotels Scottsdale is renowned for throughout the world.
Jul
1
When you’ve had a great day of golf in Rancho Mirage , then it’s time to have a great meal at ‘Shame on the Moon’ restaurant , located at 69550 Frank Sinatra Drive. This restaurant is warm and extremely welcoming with its busy main room and romantic patio and has been serving its desert patrons since 1983. There’s nothing better than to sit down to a great Continental cuisine as you and your golf partner recount your great day of golf.
The menu, under the direction of Jorge Villabona features everything from wild mushroom ravioli to one of the best sauteed calf’s liver in town. The homemade veal meatloaf served with garlic mashed potatoes, and the grilled filet mignon glazed with a fabulous blue cheese Cabernet sauce is an exquisite, tantalizing dish not to be missed. The desserts are made right on the premises, including a tasty banana napoleon and the freshest creme brulee possible.
The menu is extensive and expensive, but still less than its competitors, and besides the cuisine, it’s the staff you’ll fall in love with, from the moment the Hostess, Ginger, greets you by name and escorts you to your table, which by-the-way, also has your name on a placard, to having a cocktail at Johnny’s bar, to the wait staffs excellent personal service, you’ll feel as if you’re one of the family. Plus, now that it’s summer, Shame on the Moon offers a summer special, their annual summer $19.95 three-course menu, which is available Sunday through Friday until August.
As you head back to your hotel Rancho Mirage offers its resort guests, you’ll regale in the most excellent day of golf and a night of excellent dinning. Even if the next day, your golf game is a little off, head on back to ‘Shame on the Moon’, where the staff and the food will make you only remember the good swings.
Jun
25
There are so many beach and coastal towns and cities in Florida and each of them seems to offer their own thematic atmosphere and various cultural attractions and activity structures. And this is particularly true for Panama Beach, which has one of the state’s paradise like beach atmospheres. It is not as populated and chaotic as some of the major spring break locations such as Fort Lauderdale, which has its own attractive charm and tourist interest, though the pristine and more quiet sands of Panama Beach are perfect for romantic getaways. And you can frequently find honeymooners and anniversary celebrating couples on these beaches.
Panama Beach is also a great place for families to enjoy their summer vacations. The beaches are full of fun and friendly family oriented attractions and many of them are specifically intended to satisfy the imaginations of children. From Ripley’s Believe it or Not to the Shipwreck Island Waterpark, there are exciting, enticing and fun loving activities and establishments that will make your stay in a one of the hotels Panama Beach the best vacation your family has ever experienced.
Ripley’s Believe it or Not is a three story museum that includes fifteen galleries of some of Ripley’s odd attractions and relics. Many of these have been part of the world-based rotation tours and the items always create a curious fascination with visitors. The Shipwreck Island Waterpark encompasses twenty acres and is all about family fun. The Lazy River is one of the most popular features in the park and it is a relaxing ride through Panama Beach and it includes great views through lush landscapes. The Tadpole Hole is a favorite for young children and is also intended specifically for their enjoyment. This waterpark has something for everyone and is a great way to spend your afternoon.
Jun
17
Oregon has some very interesting and mysterious things going on. The most mysterious place to visit in the state is The House of Mystery which lies on a piece of land that is considered a vortex. All sorts of strange things happen right in front of ones eyes that are unexplainable for most people. See bottles roll up hill or how people seem to just get shorter or taller depending on where they stand. It is near the town of Gold Hill and it has been entertaining travelers since the 1930s. This place is really fascinating but you may want to check into one of the best hotels in oregon to get some real rest. The accommodations here are a little rough.
If you find yourself in the Eastern part of the state check out the Wallowa Lake Tramway . This a great way to catch a view of the Eagle Cap Wilderness as you float up to the top of Mt. Howard on a tram. When visitors reach the top they are encouraged to take a walk or hike on some of the trails and see the plant life and other vegetation.
The Pendleton Underground Tours is anther interesting tour. The town of Pendleton has a whole tour of the underground town where the Chinese railroad laborers lived. There are underground businesses including the Hop Sing’s Chinese laundry and a card room used during the Prohibition years in the 1920s. This is another almost unbelievable live lived in the history of the state.
Then there is all of the interesting and fun activities going on along the Columbia River Gorge as it flows from the Eastern region to the Western region. On a windy day one can see many windsurfers and boats playing in the white tipped waves. There are plenty of ways to join in the fun with water sport companies to get you hooked up with a fun toy.
Jun
15
Lisle, Illinois is one of the loveliest places to visit, and it’s also a pretty nice place to live. It’s close enough to Chicago to take advantage of all the culture and night life, but still far enough away to maintain its own identity. Residents enjoy a very high quality of life, and for anyone who’s rich and single, it’s a suburban paradise.
The present is lovely indeed, making it very welcoming to visitors with its relaxed atmosphere, fun attractions, and a generous share of excellent hotels. Lisle also has a particularly interesting past, being founded as a town a little over 50 years ago. Some of the best legacies of the past, in fact, are reflected at the Morton Arboretum . This is a family-friendly place where people can go and see what’s growing in the area, with educational and research initiatives to help preserve the natural wonders of the area.
It was named after the same Morton who made Arbor Day a national holiday, and the family is one who’s presence is at nearly every kitchen table in the country. This is the same Morton that’s on the label in salt, and Morton Salt has been a leader in providing one of the most essential ingredients in cooking all over the world.
It’s headquartered in Chicago, where it’s found a home since 1910, and its big claim to fame has to do with the addition of another ingredient, magnesium carbonate. This helps the salt to flow, and anyone who’s used sea salt in a humid climate knows that salt tends to cake up when it gets particularly moist outside. When it rains, it is particularly susceptible to caking. So the raining and pouring on the label is a riff on an old proverb, but also tells the consumer about the very useful qualities that the magnesium carbonate offers.
Jun
9
Considering a trip to the Hawaiian Islands? Here are a few facts before you go: The eight major islands and smaller islets and atolls stretch across a space of sea fifteen hundred miles long, from the island of Hawaii in the south, to the Kure Atoll in the northwest, which is connected to Green Island. Collectively, these islands form the fiftieth state of the United States, and among them, the island of Kauai, some 65 miles away from the island of Hawaii, is the oldest.
This “Garden Isle,” offering incredibly scenic waterfalls, deep valleys, and mountains, also contains some of Hawaii’s best hotels. Kauai was created by volcanic activity, its highest mountain, Kawaikini, rises to a level of 5,243 feet. Here, travelers will discover one of the wettest places on earth, where a high annual rain has carved out the land. On the west side, for instance, you’ll find the town of Waimea and the mouth of the Waimea River, whose waters formed Waimea Canyon. A part of the Waimea Canyon State Park , this tremendous rift in the earth’s surface is 3,000 feet deep and ten miles long, and also known as “the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.”
Lava flows in Kauai date back five million years, and approximately four million years ago, as the volcano on this island erupted continuously, a part of the island collapsed, in which a depression formed that was then filled by lava. Rain, pouring down the sides of Mount Waialeale eroded Waimea Canyon along one side of the collapse. Cliffs on the canyon’s west side are made of thin lava flows; on the opposite side, the cliffs are made from thicker lava flows that pooled in the depression. Over time, basalt, exposed to the air, changed from its original black color to a bright red, creating the incredible views.
Today, the park is comprised of 1,866 acres and is a great destination. It may be found by heading out of Waimea along Hawaii state road 550, about 18 miles distance, and heading into Kokee State Park.
May
22
Melbourne happens to be the second most populous city in the country. It is also the capital of the state of Victoria. It should certainly come as no surprise then that it is also full of incredible landmarks, points of interest, cultural institutions and entertainment options. There is so much to do and see in this incredible city that it can be a little overwhelming for the guests in one of the great hotels in Melbourne to try and choose among the many options. Of course this doesn’t stop them from trying, though it certainly helps to have an idea of the landmarks you’d like to visit before arriving in the city. You could take up your entire vacation by simply visiting all of the interesting historic and cultural landmarks that are found throughout the city.
The Melbourne city centre is the main commercial hub of the city. It is defined by the incredible cityscape outline that is particularly prominent and beautiful in the evening. And while you can get lost in this large city center area, it is also a nice place to begin and determine your visits from there. One of the places you may want to visit, in fact it may even be your point of arrival into the city, is the Flinders Street Station . This incredible spectacle of a building sees over one hundred and ten thousand commuters passing into and out of the city every weekday. It is one of the city’s establishments that is registered on the Victorian Heritage Register , which lists points of cultural heritage in the state of Victoria. The original terminal began operating in 1854 though original station was replaced later in the century when the government decided in 1882 to build a new central passenger station. A competition was held to determine a designer for the new building and the winner was Fawcett and Ashworth. The design was titled Green Light and it was created in the style of the French Renaissance.
May
15
Families traveling to the top half of the Florida peninsula may only have mouse ear caps and Harry Potter on their minds, anticipating Disney World and the new Harry Potter theme park, but local residents know the area offers even more to visitors who find themselves checking into an Orlando hotel . While this is the city containing the Park of the Americas, Universal Studios Florida, the Mall at Millenia, Gatorland , and Wet ‘n Wild, for those who like the value of an education mixed in with their fun, there’s also the Orlando Science Center .
For more than five decades, the center has been a place for the curious to explore, combining entertainment with knowledge. If you’ve exhausted yourself on the larger parks, or if it’s pouring down rain, then the Science Center is an excellent alternative that’s entirely indoors, containing four floors of exhibits, gigantic movie screens and live programs which should engage the whole family.
Specifically for children, on Level One, you’ll find KidsTown, an area where kids under four feet tall may explore in a “town” designed for them. The mini-town will introduce scientific concepts to children through hands-on interactive exhibits and creative play; there’s an opportunity to pick and select oranges at the Orange Grove Factory, climb in a KidsTown tree, find out what’s beneath a city street, sail boats at a Waterfall, or play the part of a mechanic at the Super Service Center.
On Level Two, in All Aboard, kids will be able to explore in child-sized models of planes, trains, and even the space shuttle.
On Level Three, there’s the SimMan, who is a life-sized patient simulator; a contemporary piece of medical technology that’s used by health care professionals to train, allowing visitors to see how technology and the workforce intertwine.
On Level Four, Dr. Dare’s Lab allows kids to play scientist with hundreds of experiments that take a look at the properties of light and electricity and chemical reactions.
Of course, the larger parks are going to take the attention of most families, but if you’re a scientific-minded person, the Science Center is an excellent place to foster that interest in your own kids.
Apr
24
Some people call it the worlds busiest arena. It calls itself the worlds most famous arena. The locals call it The Garden and the world calls it Madison Square Garden . The building that stands on 8th Avenue between 33rd Street and 31st Street is the fourth building to carry the name. The arena was built over the Pennsylvania Station when the station tore down the above ground buildings but kept the underground train station. The train station was a Beaux-Arts historical building and the people of Manhattan were not very happy to loose the historical sight so the dispute lead to the creation of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.
People come and fill up the quality hotels all over Manhattan just to see a sports game or other event at the Madison Square Garden. It is the home of the New York Knicks as well as the Rangers. Even the ladies get their game on when the New York Liberty basketball team gets their spot light at the Garden.
The venue also has many other events going on so there are over 300 events taking place at Madison Square Garden each year. The Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus comes to this arena each year. The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show shows up the talent in this arena. It has also hosted both Republican National Conventions and Democratic National Conventions. It used to be the place to hold the NFL Draft each year. The show list goes on for ever. Major concerts ranging from Elton John and the Police to John Lennon’s final concert before his death. There are also some smaller venues inside the Garden such as the WaMu Theater which seats any were from 2,000 to 5,600 people for smaller concerts, meetings, ceremonies and stage shows. It looks like they are getting ready to renovate Madison Square Garden in the next few years. Time will tell how they will improve on perfection.
Mar
25
The Commonwealth of Virginia is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast down South in the United States. The state of Virginia is nicknamed the “Old Dominion” and some people have also nick named it the “Mother of Presidents” because was birthplace of eight former U.S. presidents. Its proximity to the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay, are the reasons for its climate. The capital of the state of Virginia is Richmond. Virginia Beach is the most popular vacation destination in the State and also the most populated. While visiting check out this site to find an affordable room to stay at. The states population is nearly eight million people.
The area’s history begins with indigenous settlements, and the founding of the Virginia Colony in 1607 by the Virginia Company of London as the first permanent New World English colony. Land that was taken from Native American tribes and slave labor have each played a significant role in Virginia’s early politics and plantation economy. Virginia was one of the Thirteen Colonies in the American Revolution and later joined forces with the Confederacy in the American Civil War, during that time Richmond was the Confederate capital and the state of West Virginia had separated.
The state government is home to the oldest legislature in the America and is ranked most effective by the Pew Center on the States. Virginia’s economy has many sectors such as its agriculture in places like the Shenandoah Valley; federal agencies in Northern Virginia, including the Department of Defense and CIA, and military facilities in Hampton Roads, which is home to the region’s main seaport. The growth of the media and technology sectors have made computer chips the state’s leading export, with the industry based on the strength of Virginia’s public schools and universities. Virginia does not have a major professional sports franchise, but is home to a few of the top collegiate sports programs that are ranked in the top 25 annually. One of the most popular teams are the teams at Virginia State .
Mar
22
The best things for children to do in Columbia, MD. are free. This affluent bedroom community of Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, is ranked as the 3rd richest place in the nation. Columbia offers a healthy amount of upscale amenities, hotels and experiences to fit the best of lifestyles for you and your children. It also offers countless activities and attractions that are free, plus activities for families not pinching their pennies.
The Mall in Columbia caters to children every Thursday morning. They can dance, sing and laugh with a very popular entertainer like Pam the Kindersinger, or Kidsinger Jim. Plus, they will enjoy the Mayhem Magical Circus. The lake at Centennial Park is a great place for a days outing that will keep your children occupied by counting all the wildlife ranging from frogs, foxes, ducks, great blue heron, white cattle egrets, and that’s just for starters.
If you want to encourage your children’s creativity, take them to explore ‘PlayWise Kids’, it’s a hands-on activity and learning center. They can make-believe they are playing a piano, shopping, pretending to be a fireman or do arts and crafts. There’s a designated area specifically designed for toddlers, so you don’t need to worry about them being hurt by the older children. Speaking of toddlers, you can enroll them in a tumbling gym at several of the gymnastic places in town or let them try their hands at rock climbing , you can rock climb together and watch how your toddlers is building up their skills. If your child needs a bit more discipline and needs a challenge, why not enroll them in either a TaeKwonDo or karate class. If the martial arts aren’t to their liking, try enrolling them in a dance class. Note that these last four activities are not free.
Columbia, Maryland is a perfect place to raise a family, and no matter what your children are interested in, you will find that this planned community has what your children need to become well rounded adults.
Mar
10
Some historical sites are somber by the nature of the events commemorated. In the midst of downtown Washington, D.C., on a busy but less traveled 10th Street, NW, stands a red brick building. Ford’s Theatre has been through several refurbishings and remodelings, most recently reopening in February 2009. Perhaps surprisingly, it is operated by the National Park Service. Today it is an active theatre, as it has been since 1968.
Built in 1833 as a church, by April 14, 1865, this structure had morphed into a theatre. Five days earlier, General Lee had surrendered his army to the Union and, on this night, a relieved President Abraham Lincoln was relaxing in a balcony seat observing a performance. Surely you already know the story of the assassination by John Wilkes Booth and the ensuing course of history.
Interestingly, immediately after the assassination, Congress directed that the building never be used again for purposes of public entertainment. The structure served various government functions until the 1930s and was unused thereafter until Congress agreed to fund the restoration. What this National Historic Site offers you is the opportunity to transport yourself into the setting, to observe the building and the nearby Peterson House where President Lincoln died, and to see artifacts and interactive exhibits that enable you to vividly imagine the events of that evening. Many items related to that fatal night are on display.
With an ironic title, given the theatre’s history, the musical “Little Shop of Horrors” is set to open on March 12. Asia Nine is around the corner, ready and willing to serve hungry theatre patrons. Make sleeping arrangements through .
The emotional turmoil and events from that evening in April 1865 still affect us today. Visiting Ford’s Theatre is a moving experience well worth your time.
Feb
27
New trends in health and exercise are always fun to watch. They’re also fun to take part in. At the beginning of a trend, it’s a lot like most exercise programs. We’re excited because the novelty of it is still enticing and fresh, and it’s a great opportunity to move our bodies in new and different ways. Sometimes the trends are over very quickly, however, because the second time around, it’s not as much fun, and soon enough it turns into regular work. There are some trends, however, that are based in very old ways of moving and doing things, and these usually have a better chance of lasting.
If you’re booking a Key Largo hotel any time in the near future, you’ll be likely to notice a new craze here, called Stand Up Paddle Surfing. Also known as simply SUP, or Stand Up Paddling, Stand Up Paddle Surfing is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. You stand on a surfboard (other boards can be used, and for certain, in any new trend, there will be more expensive versions that will be designed for those who like to spend their money on things that are specially designed), and use long paddles to move yourself through water. It sort of looks like the elliptical skiing machines, except the ground is constantly shifting and can pull you under at any time and drown you.
The new craze, then, is actually very, very old. It’s based on how people move themselves around in geographical areas that have a lot of shallow water. One of the great benefits of Stand Up Paddling is that you can do it in rough or gentle water. The rough waters work the core much more than gentle water, but all of them work the core very well. That’s another one of the benefits to it, to go with the era of washboard stomachs, where the core is all that some people seem to care about. The same thing sometimes happens in yoga classes, but fortunately they get all the other extra benefits anyway.
Feb
25
New York itself is a complex system of signs, and the system is in continual process of self-construction. The people who live in the city are sometimes so accustomed to how things work, that they stop questioning the apparatus in place. The most interesting thing that happens here is that they can sometimes forget that they are the same people who constructed this. This can be both good news and bad news, since it means that there are large forces at work moving things forward, and it seems sometimes to be out of control. And at the same time, if the people themselves are responsible, then there is always a menu of possibilities for taking things apart to put them back together better.
There are some excellent hotels here, where you can find a place to stay while you investigate these systems the next time you’re in the city. It will be a buzzing place for Art Fair Week, during the first week of March, as it always is, and there are some heady ideas being thrown around, as there always are. This is a gathering of international art dealers from all over the world, and the art on display has a very wide range. It’s not only wide in terms of historical scope and contemporary focuses, but also in terms of styles and forms.
New York being a place that is hyper-conscious of itself, of constructions, and of meaning-making in general, this is a fantastic setting for Hybrid Forum. This has multiple arms, and multiple focuses, too, and has all the markings of the beginning of another movement. Or perhaps that’s only my own optimism about these things, because it could very well also be the end of art as we know it. It always seems to be on a precipice these days. This forum is dedicated to rethinking the exhibition and the art fair in general, and there are some very prominent key players involved. It promises to be an extremely lively discussion.
Feb
20
There are many reasons people decide to become a vegetarian but as they learn more on the topic they discover some interesting things. Cross contamination of animal diseases to humans seems to have happened before. It sounds more like some horrific science fiction movie but there have been some studies on the matter and it looks like it is possible. Salmonella is the most everyday version of cross contamination of animal disease to human disease. There is some study that says at least one third of all chicken in the Unites States market is contaminated with Salmonella and it could be as high as half.
We have all heard of Bird Flu, Swine Flu and Mad Cow disease in the news over the past few decades and this is what they are talking about. It is still rather rare but they are concerned about it becoming a pandemic some day. There is a historian by the name of Norman Cantor who believes that the early pandemic Black Death was more than likely from animal to human contamination. He believes that there was some sort of anthrax in the cattle and that may have contributed to massive sickness. These things are still very rare but maybe it won’t hurt to find a great vegetarian restaurant or two on this site to have peace of mind.
Feb
15
Boston is an exciting city. It’s one of the oldest in the country, and has a tremendously fascinating history. There are plenty of opportunities to dig in to the local culture here, and you can explore an level of history. There are native cultures that have traces here that go back for thousands of years. There is the history of the contemporary U.S. that begins over 200 years ago, and there is also pop culture that has a history with its origins somewhere in last week. It doesn’t matter which direction you go in Boston, because it’s all enormously interesting, and there’s a lot to learn.
You don’t have to necessarily plan too far in advance either. There are great hotels here and you can make up the rest of your itinerary as you go along. One of the truly marvelous things about this city is that its roots are old enough and deep enough that there are multiple connections everywhere. You can start exploring in one direction, and it will ultimately lead in a dozen more, and all of them are equally interesting to pursue. There is no final frontier here, because it’s endlessly creating new frontiers based on connections made by the human beings that make up the city.
There are also virtual connections to Boston that are fun to investigate while you’re in town. For fans of final frontiers, Boston Legal is based in this city, and one of the stars is none other than William Shatner. This show suffered a very dear loss just recently when Shatner’s co-star, Justin Mentell, was killed in a driving accident in Wisconsin. The show will surely go on, but it is a heavy weight to bear for the cast and for his family, but the show, like Boston itself, is made from hardy stock.
Feb
8
There’s worse things you can do that to chase after something ineffable, and try to pursue an impossible ideal for the rest of your life. In fact, it might be said that there are many lives that have been dedicated to these kinds of missions, like the main message of the Man of La Mancha. The Quixotic search is something that’s been haunting us for a long, long time. Generations before us had a sense of the absurdity of it all, and generations that follow us will no doubt think the same, and every once in awhile, someone will come along who understands that knowing the quest is bound for failure can make it even sweeter.
It’s what drove George Lucas at a young age, after all, cashing in on the myth of the Great Goddess, and personifying her in his first major success. Young people following in the filmmakers footsteps may eventually find it necessary to take a trip to Modesto, hole up in a nice hotel, and try to find some of the things that inspired American Graffiti. There are lots of things all over town that will speak to his own childhood and teenage memories, because it’s the town that inspired him.
It’s ironic that the town, which has become a very sweet and lively place to visit in the past couple decades, refused him the right to film his early work, which has become such an iconic piece of film art. It’s also interesting that the blonde in the white thunderbird would always seem to fall into great misunderstandings when she speaks, but these ironies are what makes the film so true. Chasing after the girl of your dreams is never what it seems when it’s attainable, but can only hold power when it has the capacity and necessity to continue to escape again and again.
Jan
26
When Michael found out he had been accepted into the University of Dayton he was overjoyed. That had been his first choice of schools since he was a sophomore and really began to consider colleges. His parents also loved the idea of his going to Dayton as that was the alma matter of his aunt Sheila, his father’s sister. As soon as he received the letter and told his parents his father called his sister who was very happy and also proud. She mentioned that one of the things she remembers most fondly and loved the most about her college years was the beauty of the campus. That seemed like a simple pleasure to Michael whos was focuses on the music department.
He had played the piano since he was five years old and while that had been a long time passion of his, he was going to seek a degree in composition as well as go on to achieve a certificate in church music. His ultimate goal was to be the music director for a large church, but he ultimately wanted to compose sacred music. And though he dare not aspire to the heights of his great role model and major influence, he certainly wanted to emulate JS Bach in his career. So, with that ambition, Michael hadn’t even considered the beauty of the campus.
However, at the beginning of the summer he and his parents took a trip to Dayton. His parents wanted to tour the campus and they also wanted to find Michael a place to live. They spent four days in one of the friendly Dayton hotels located near campus. His mother was first to notice and remember the words of aunt Sheila when she commented on the beauty of the campus. Michael agreed that it was very nice looking, and had a quality academic feel, whatever that meant, though he was focused on finding his department, not smelling the roses. “As a musician and composer I should think you would want to reflect on the beauty and significance of nature,” his mother scolded. She was right, thought Michael and took a moment to breathe the air of his new campus.
Jan
25
Curtis could not stop dreaming about his upcoming trip to Fort Worth, Texas. It wasn’t so much that he was in love with the city, although he definitely had a great time there every time he went. The reason Curtis was so eager to visit this great Texan town was that his girlfriend Carly had recently transferred to Texas Wesleyan University and he hadn’t seen her in almost four months. When she had first been accepted and Curtis found out she really was going to complete her final two years of college in Fort Worth he didn’t think the long distance nature that was about to attach itself to their relationship was going to be difficult or troublesome. In fact, Curtis was even so bold as to think the distance would give him the additional space he thought he wanted. Now though, he greatly longed to be staying in a hotel of luxury in Fort Worth to be near Carly.
However, this far into her first year at Wesleyan Curtis realized he was greatly missing not only Carly but certain aspects of her life that he thought bothered him. For instance, he was now a regular, though private and secret, watcher of Desperate Housewives and every Saturday he would stop at a Baskin Robbins for two scoops of mint chocolate ice cream. He even found himself listening to Carly’s cds of Justin Timberlake and Pink that she had left behind. It’s not that he felt anything was inherently wrong or un-masculine with these things, it’s just that they were definite favorites of Carly’s and she’s the one that introduced them into his life. So, he felt like they weren’t exactly his and that used to be able to pretend like she was forcing him to watch shows like House Wives and he felt a little guilty tuning in on his own.
So, when Curtis arrived at the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport Carly was there with her bright eyes and huge smile waiting for him. He was so excited to see her but also excited to enjoy a nice cup of homemade cocoa with tiny marshmallows. This was another treat that although he acknowledged was very good he stressed that he would partake only because Carly wanted him to so badly. After a week of enjoying each other’s company and spending time at the Fort Worth Zoo, the Sid Richardson Museum and other great cultural attractions, on his last night in town Curtis finally had to ask Carly if she was going to make her Cocoa, and Carly laughed and reminded him that she had once told him she knew he would ask for it one day.
Designed by Tim Sainburg from Brambling Design
