Moving to a new city is always fun and exciting.  As I sat on the plane that was making it’s final descent into Midway Airport, I was looking forward to the apartment my boyfriend had picked out.  I had never been to Chicago before, and he grew up there, so I thought that it would make it easier for him to find a place for us to live and get it set up before I arrived with all of my things.  I flew in from Los Angeles the day after Christmas, and when Patrick met me at the airport we took the train into the city, and I witnessed what I had been missing of the holiday season for years.

We finally made it to our new, little home in Lincoln Park.  And when I say little, I mean it, for when I walked through the doors, I could not believe that people could actually live in such long and narrow spaces.  There were aspects of the flat that were incredible such as the moldings around the ceilings and the windows, and the beautiful wood floors, and an old fashioned bathtub with clawed feet.  But there were other aspects that definitely needed updating through the help of Next Day Blinds. A review of  our windows in our main living space led the salespeople to suggest shades which were insulated, as the old windows in the building let in quite a bit of the cold winter air.  And what a difference they made.  We literally had a bit of the wind of the Windy City whipping through our place, but the insulated blinds created seals around the frames of the windows and we were toasty warm.  The shades also added a bit of contemporary design, to our charming yet one hundred year old apartment.

We decided to redesign the bathroom and the kitchen as well, and a few weeks later we were back at Next Day Blinds for suggestions.  They suggested vinyl blinds for these rooms, as they would be easy to clean, and they suggested colors based on the photos we brought with us.  The beautiful red blinds for the bathroom set off the great tub and the black and white tiles.  And in the kitchen we went with a wonderful turquoise blue which set off the bright orange walls–bright orange walls were Patrick’s idea, of which I was a bit apprehensive, but once we painted the walls I thought it was the perfect choice for a warm and bright kitchen in a city which is gray most of the year.  With a little creativity and the help of those at Next Day Blinds, my perspective of our tiny place has completely changed and I am so glad to call this new place, my new home.

If you’re an outdoors person, you’re going to love the state parks in Georgia; however, if you’re like me, you’re also going to want to find one of the hotels Georgia offers its more “outdoors-challenged” travelers.  Even while staying in Atlanta, it’s a simple thing to make the trip out to the parks, to visit Whitney Lake or Fort Clinch State Park, Jeckyll Island or Cumberland Island.  Personally, I’d like to take a closer look at Amicalola Falls.

The word Amicalola derives from the Cherokee and means “tumbling waters,” which, when it refers to a 729 foot waterfall seems appropriate enough. In fact, they’re the highest cascading waterfall that lies east of the Mississippi River.  The waterfall is high in the Amicalola Mountain, where a river runs, sloping down on the western side, and dropping from a ledge off the Blue Ridge Mountains’ southern end.  There’s a trail that provides an easy hike to the falls, with signs and lights at night, offering excellent views of the Amicalola watershed beneath the falls.  If you drive up, parking on the west side might be limited; however, on the east side of the falls, there should be extensive parking areas.  There’s a deck that crosses the creek, allowing you to step out over the falls.  From this deck, you may see a view that takes in the foothills of the Dahlonega Uplands, or the Southern Appalachian Mountains.

The park and waterfall actually mark the Southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, which extends from Georgia to Maine, a footpath leading over 2,175 miles long.   The idea of the trail was thought of in 1921 and completed in 1937, sixteen years later.   Each year, about four million people use the trail, hiking or sight-seeing.  Near Amicalola, there’s a five mile trail that will take you to a visitor center where you’ll see an Appalachian Trail display, live animals, and nature exhibits.  If you’re hungry, you might also try out the park’s Maple Restaurant, which people like for the terrific views and, on Sundays, a buffet brunch.  And, then, if you’re like me, after communing with nature, you can return to your hotel and the comforts of the city.

Sometimes a professional sports stars personal life is as interesting as is their professional career. Oftentimes the lives of sports and other stars are full of drama and controversy, as is currently being demonstrated by golfer Tiger Woods. These sensational news-breaking stories are sought out by the media and eaten up by the public. Sometimes their personal lives increase their notoriety and sometimes they damage their careers. While a personal controversy is unlikely to damper a professional athlete’s abilities it can be extremely crushing to sponsorships, which are usually the bulk of their income. Tennis player Andy Murray has already demonstrated some interesting and potentially controversial behaviors on the court, though his personal life has remained largely his own and has been less than sensational.

Murray has claimed the ranks of professional tennis players since he began playing professionally in 2005. He has countered some swiftrank recovery situations on the court, though his personal life has been somewhat less interesting. That is, to the public eye, not to Murray himself who seems to be a family oriented individual. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland. His maternal grandfather was a professional football player and Murray now sponsors two professional teams. One is the same team for which his grandfather Roy Erskine once played, Hibernian, and the other is the Wolverhampton Wanderers. Murray was linked romantically to Kim Sears, who is the daughter of the respected tennis coach Nigel Sears. They lived together in Surrey, England until their recent break up which was announced this month. Murray’s brother Jaime is also a professional tennis player. Murray has a lot of years left in his career and it is unknown now what direction his court personality and temperament may take. However, based on what we have seen from him up to this point, it may be suspected that his personal and family life may valued and important to him.

One of the more exciting aspects of hot tub purchases that corresponds to the contemporary market is considering it in context of the rest of the backyard. It has become extremely common to install a hot tub as part of a complete backyard overhaul or redesign. The possibilities for this are as extensive as personalities and lifestyles and designing backyards has become a thriving industry. In fact, many consumers are considering their backyard in the same context as they would another room and want the details and all of the aesthetic features to be perfect. In consideration of this hottubs are being used for a more diverse assortment of activities.

Examples of backyard thematic hot tub installations include the consumer population that wishes to create a backyard health sanctuary. This can include a nice deck for yoga and/or tai chi practices and the flowers and foliage is often selected for optimum aromatherapy value. These yards can also include a small gazebo to enjoy a peaceful cup of tea and maybe a nice fountain. Other health oriented backyard themes can include workout areas with exercise machines with the hot tub providing the perfect after workout muscle soother.

There are also couples, families and individuals whose main interest is in enjoying their hot tub for its maximum entertainment and social value. These backyard themes often include a barbeque or kitchen area as well as a nice dining area. Fireplaces are common and so are sports elements such as a volleyball court. It is also becoming popular to install private miniature golf courses in backyards and these are common for those who enjoy entertaining. Of course badminton, basketball, table tennis and pool are always popular sports and game options. Whatever the overall theme or purpose of a backyard overhaul is there is definitely a hot tub model that is perfect for it. There are also numerous optional features and accessories to complete the experience.

When moving to Vancouver, Canada you will have a variety of options when choosing the perfect neighborhood.  Each neighborhood is unique, and with your numerous choices in rental possibilities offered by the TransGlobe Property Management company, you will find that you feel right at home, right away.  This is the beauty of the sense of community, and you will find this in virtually every aspect of living in Vancouver.  Gastown is the oldest neighborhood in the city and the charm is reflected in the unique shops and through those selling their wares on the streets and in the markets. Many new and hip restaurants and bars are popping up and the real estate is still relatively inexpensive.  The buildings, the houses and shops, are mainly of the Victorian age, and the architecture and the cobblestone streets make this a great area to consider.

The original neighborhood was destroyed in 1886, when a fire tore through the whole city but was rebuilt and is now one of the few places that artists can afford to set up studio space.  Small experimental theatres and galleries are plentiful, and those starting out with their own fashion designs or shops will find the right places to do so through the help of TransGlobe Property Management.  Legend has it that many years ago, a pub owner named Gassy Jack Deighton offered workers from the mill whiskey, in exchange for their work in constructing his saloon.  This is how the area got it name and is still a hot-spot for finding a very active night life, with pubs, clubs and trendy spots to go dancing.  This is a popular spot for tourists to visit, and one of the favorite places for the locals to relax and spend time with one another.  This is the funky district of the city, and a fun place to live if culture and nightlife are what you are seeking.

Hong Kong is the most modern city I’ve ever visited. Free Internet kiosks in all the MTRs, not a piece of chewed gum on the floor and scraps of paper blowing about. People politely line up to board the train, which comes every 2 to 3 minutes! That would be great if New York was like this, all clean and polite. There are outdoor escalators ready to whisk you away to an uphill destination. I’m thinking that it might just be possible to walk the whole of central Hong Kong without setting foot on the ground by making use of the elevated pedestrian breezeways that connect one building to the next.

Hong Kong is actually made up of many islands and a peninsula from the mainland. All the skyscrapers of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island are in an area on the mainland peninsula stand off against each other across the Victoria Harbor and that is were I stayed. If it Kowloon and Hong Kong were in competition, Hong Kong would win, but Kowloon has most other cities in the whole world beat. At a distance, they both are equal bustling modern metropolises, but on most of Hong Kong Island the modern eclipses the traditional, and the opposite is true for Kowloon.

A fish food smell pervades through out Kowloon, it permeates everything. After a couple of day of the persistent smell, it has come to epitomize the contrast of the modern and the traditional here. Fish merchants gut the organs of live fish at the base of the gleaming skyscrapers. Alongside the tea sets are individually wrapped antibacterial wipes. Sooth Sayers and Fortune Tellers text during their breaks on their iPhones. It makes for a fascinating time of observation as I make my way to my Hong Kong hotel, which is a completely different world.

Now that it is so cold outside what can we do to keep the kids playing and growing inside? No one wants to just sit and watch TV all day. I’m sure the kids could get crazy hooked on computer games but there really needs to be other things for them to do.

Well, how about some baking. This is the season to be teaching your family the traditions that were passed on to you. Kids actually do like learning how to cook and bake. Once you get them into motion around it. There are all sorts of fun cookies that can be made with shapes to fit any holiday occasion. How about some Santa shaped cookies. Though you may not the kids putting the dough in the oven they can certainly help mixing the ingredients and then decorating and frosting them when they are cooked. What a fun way to share real special time with your kids. Another grand project to do while the fire keeps you warm is to make a Gingerbread House. You can by the store bought kits or you can do what my family does and make them from scratch. You will keep that blender rolling with the need for more colorful frosting.

Now that you have some yummy treats to eat, its time to sing. Find a way to sing some great holiday classics. At our house we have guitars and pianos that we can play. We prepare some music to share with each other and spend some time by the fire putting on a show. If you don’t have any instruments and no one can play then pull out the Karaoke machine. So grab some shakers and tambourines and get your holiday band together. Let the kids perform for you while you sit back next to your indoor fireplace sipping tea and nibbling on cookies.

Have you ever had the opportunity to take a walk through a castle of the old world? The rooms are often smaller than you would think. The amount of furniture and collectible are few and sparse. They sure didn’t hang on to a bunch of “stuff” like we do today. Chances are if they had something really precious they had it in a collective storage room. I love to think of what happened through out the castle. I love to hear any stories that are still being told. People go to old castles wanting so much to be apart of what really happened. They want to get a feel for the real atmosphere and happenings of the old days. It is usually left unsatisfied. No matter how many people dress and pretend to be renaissance people it always seems so contrived.

One of the things learned when walking through the castle is the importance of the fireplaces. The fireplace was the center of all things in the old days. In front of the big fireplace is where all the entertainment happened. Musicians and Jesters would come an perform for the King and his family. The judging and sentencing would happen in front of the fireplace. The king and his knights would plan their battles in front of the fireplaces. All the meals were prepared in and around the fireplace of the kitchen. Lovers would unite in front of the fireplaces of the sleeping quarters. Yes, the fireplace was the main center for gathering in the old days of our ancestors.

Today, fireplaces seem to be a luxury. Except if you live in a really cold part of the country. But even then central heating has taken over as a more common way to keep the whole house warm. I say dive in and go crazy with a natural gas fireplace. This modern day fireplace has wonderful heat, beautiful glow and less mess.

I’m in downtown New Delhi, having just arrived here a few hours ago via train from Mumbai. The whole experience has been a very dizzying one, to say the least. I’m in an Internet cafe and there are more Americans and Europeans than what I’ve seen all day.

My trip has be flawless, that is until I hit Mumbai. My Amtrak train was early! My plane took off early, so I arrived in Amsterdam early and arrived in Mumbai early. After going through customs, it was about 1am and there wasn’t a place to hangout until morning, so I got a pre-paid taxi and found a hotel Delhi India not far from Victoria Terminus Station.

The taxi ride, was…well, what a ride! I went through 15 miles of slums, a city still very much awake, no existing lanes, ignored traffic signals and to say the driving here is wild, is an understatement. At one point, when approaching a red light, my driver didn’t even let off the gas, he just laid on the horn instead. If anyone has watched the Youtube video on crossing the street in India, well, that’s exactly what it’s like! There is now no doubt in my mind that the most dangerous thing one can do in India is cross the road. The only saving grace is that no one can speed, too much traffic.

I don’t really know what to say about the 7 million people living in the slums of Mumbai. I suppose maybe the ‘seasoned’ traveler will think I’m too soft, uninitiated and innocent. I won’t describe it, word or photos can not capture just how bad the poverty is here, it’s worse than seeing your grandparents naked. Nothing, no guidebooks, or blogs will ever prepare you for what you’ll see, feel, hear and smell. So, I suppose I need to harden myself and hold back the tears. But, then I remember how Mother Teresa couldn’t hold back the tears, couldn’t harden herself. She let the full brunt of India smack her right in the heart to India and India poured itself into her.

Phillip had never been to Jackson, Mississippi before and was really looking forward to the opportunity to explore it. He had a cousin, Jerry, who had grown up in Jackson and had always mentioned some of the intriguing cultural aspects and attractions. Jerry moved away when he went to college and was now living in Boston, though he still missed Jackson and returned regularly for visits. This is related to the reason Phillip will soon be visiting. Their family is planning a large reunion picnic at LeFleur’s Bluff State Park. Phillip is a poker player and always thought this was a funny name for a park.

There were many places Phillip would like to visit and possibly see a performance at while he’s in Jackson. He had made arrangements with his brother Raul to share a room together in one of the Jackson hotels and hoped that Raul would be interested in exploring the city with him. And while it was true that Raul would in fact be interested in exploring Jackson, the two brothers had inherently different interests and tastes. They found that this was still true when Raul responded and said it would be great to see a production at the Mississippi Opera. And while they both loved music, Phillip was much more interested in attending the Jubilee! Jam since they were going to be there in June.

As it turned out, the brothers were able to do both of these and even more. The picnic was beautiful and it took place on a clear day with a gorgeous breeze. The humidity was low and it was a perfect day in the park. Phillip had a great time visiting with family members he hadn’t seen in years. He, his brother and their cousin Jerry spent a few nights out on the town and Jerry showed them the sights as he reminisced about his early days. It was nice for Phillip to finally have images to go along with the numerous stories Jerry told about his high school days at Wingfield High School. And he had plenty of them from his glory days playing football for the Wingfield Falcons.