Pilot Report

One of the best ways to enjoy the Port of Seattle is to hop on a Ferry and take a ride to one of the surrounding islands. It is great to just get on and take the time away from the big city to relax and take in some fresh air. One can find information and ride to the pier from the best seattle hotels .

With in 20 to 30 minutes one can set foot on one of the beautiful islands such as Vashon Island and Bainbridge Island to name a couple. These are the closest islands to visit and they both offer up some lovely places to dine as well as some great galleries and shops to brows through.
It is always a really nice day.

Check out the Washington State Department of Transportation page for information on the Seattle Ferry’s . They do take on motor vehicles and bicycles as well as walk on passengers. If you walk on there are some cabs on the other side to help you get around. They usually take off every half hour or forty five minutes and if it is a bit busy it is well worth the wait.

One of the eight charter teams for the American League, the Boston Red Sox have just as interesting a history as franchise, perhaps even more so. Like the other teams formed around the same time, the Red Sox had their share of changes, good seasons, and bad seasons. Fortunately, they never had to change their name and have been at the same ballpark, Fenway Park, since 1912.

Unlike many of the other teams they had another problem to deal with — a curse. ” The Curse of the Bambino ” lasted 86 years; the longest in baseball history . The story begins with Boston dominating the World Series. They won five times between 1903 and 1918. However, in 1918 they made the fateful decision to trade Babe Ruth to the Yankees; a decision many disagreed with. From that point on the Red Sox were unable to win the ultimate championship — the World Series. That is until 2004 when they swept the St. Louis Cardinals and finally broke the curse. The 2007 World Series win against the Colorado Rockies further ensured that the curse was over and secured the Red Sox as one of the greatest teams of the decade.

Many would assume that going such a long time without a World Series win, despite many attempts, would have negative affects on the teams fan base, but quite the contrary has happened. The Red Sox are one of the leading teams in attendance for away games and fans that want to see a home game should buy tickets well in advance. Fenway Park has a smaller capacity than many of the more recently built parks, but the Red Sox have sold out every single home game since May of 2003 — that’s seven years!

One of the great things about the Red Sox’s long history is the change their uniforms and logos have experienced over the years. Although their colors have stayed the same, the Sox logo and font has changed. When you purchase Boston Red Sox watches with the old logo, it’s like keeping a piece of Red Sox history with you all the time.

Spend the night at a Los Angeles cheap hotel and enjoy a delightful evening of musical entertainment under the stars at the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens: Music in the L.A. Zoo . There will be three nights of different types of music performed at different locations throughout the Zoo. July 9, 2010 is World Music Night; July 23, 2010 is Classic Rock Night; and August 6, 2010 is the Local Scene. Each event begins at 6pm and ends at 9pm. Tickets for this very popular annual event go fast, so don’t delay.

July 9th – World Music Night, features Middle Eastern music by John Bilezikjian, French music by the Marieve Harrington Band, Japanese by Marisa Kosugi, Mexican by ‘Cui Cui’ Rangel, Salsa by Incendio, Irish by Paddy’s Pig, Latin by Espino and Zimbabwean by Masanga Marimba. Zoo exhibits will focus on international animals.

July 23rd – Classic Rock Night, features a Grateful Dead Tribute band, the Cubensis; The Heist will play music from The Doors, Led Zepplin, The Who and Creedence Clearwater Revival; There will be a Beatles Tribute band – We Are The Eggmen; a Heart Tribute band – Bad Animals; an Eagles Tribute Band – Heartache Tonight; On the Rocks will perform music by the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and Bad Company; and David Vito Gregoli will perform music from James Taylor, America, Dan Fogelberg and Crosby, Stills and Nash. Zoo exhibits will focus on native and international animals.

August 6th – The Local Scene, features an all-Los Angeles band roster: the Happy Hollows, Voxhaul Broadcast, Useless Keys, The Lonely Wild, Walking Sleep and the Slang Chickens. The Zoo exhibits native to California animals.

All three nights will also include interactive animal education and conversation stations that will be located throughout the Zoo; each one will be staffed by Zoo Docents and Zoo volunteers. Picnics are encouraged and there will also be an eclectic array of food and beverage selections, varying on the three nights. A wine bar, fresh fruit skewers, gourmet cheese skewers, caprese skewers, Washington martinis and mashed potatoes served in a martini glass, L.A. Street Tacos, wild Alaskan salmon, soba noodle salad, Thai beef salad, Angus beef, Cajun chicken sliders, barbecued pulled pork and chicken sandwiches, corn on the cob, and well over hundred more delicious food items will be available to purchase throughout the Zoo.

Admission to ‘Music in the Zoo’ is $16.50 for adults and $10.50 for children under 16 years of age. Children 5 and under are free.

One thing Lafayette isn’t lacking in are day spas and for very good reasons; Lafayette is becoming the place to go for resort life, leisure and relaxation. There’s no better way to enjoy what this city has to offer its visitors other than a day at the spa. Listed below are not only the best spas, but they are also conveniently located next to great hotels Lafayette is known for to accommodate all the thousands of tourists each week, looking for a nice respite from their daily lives.

The Ashero Spa , located at 233 Doucet Road, offers services including therapies, specialized treatments, body works, facial treatments, waxing, make-up and nails. This spa opened in 1999 and has created a personal friendship over the years with their clients and their community. The spa’s intention is to continue to provide high quality products alongside their unmatched service and unparalleled therapeutic spa treatments such as the Moor and Dead Sea Mud Wrap, the Hydro Whirlpool, the Swedish Miracle, a Body Polish that utilizes exfoliation salts and essential oils to revitalize the skin, Tango Paraffin Body Wraps, and the Alpha Spa Capsule treatment consisting of a dry heat sauna with temperatures up to 180 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Europe Spa , located at 340 Kaliste Saloom Road, offers a peaceful setting to enjoy services that include, facials, body treatments, massage, laser, natural spa waxing, detoxing and manicures. Europe’s mission is to help clients achieve their goals of health and wellness, by providing the best services including honoring their clients with dignity and privacy. Their vision is to educate and inform their clients with ways of improving and sustaining good health and wellness with varying levels of treatments that lend themselves to the whole person.

The Coccolare Spa , located at 331 Doucet Road, offers the latest in skincare technology and products. Coccolare is an Italian word meaning ‘to Pamper’. Which Coccolare has surpassed its name. They have spa medical treatments, spa services, surgical procedures and consultations and all in a beautiful, relaxing environment. It’s like no other spa and is dedicated to the restoration of a healthy skin with emphasis on non-surgical treatment options.

The Thai Herbal Spa , located at 1619 W. Pinhook Road, offers an authentic Thailand experience for massage therapy, traditional Thai spa aroma massage, mini facial spa, skin care and hair care. The Thai Herbal Spa and Salon offer a wide variety of Thailand Body Solutions that have been a part of Thailand traditions of centuries. These products are used on all guests, and you might just be receiving the spa treatment by the owner herself.

Washington DC is a mecca of old historical buildings. We all know that the White House and the U.S. Capitol Building are both really old but that is not all. There are plenty of buildings in the city that have been the host to many of the early presidents and their cabinet. The Willard Hotel was built in 1816 and has a very elegant restaurant were presidents have entertained since Franklin Pierce. There have been plenty of social events held at this old hotel. It may be considered one of the best hotel dc has from the old days. Now of course there are many great places to stay in DC.  

In 1802, the Arlington House was built as a home for Robert E. Lee and his family. The 200 acres of land is now the Arlington National Cemetery . The home itself serves a memorial to this military figure and the cemetery honors the brave men and women who have fought and served this country for hundreds of years.  

The Octagon Museum is also an interesting old building. It was built for James and Dolly Madison when they had to vacate the White House because of a fire. After it was a home it became many other things like a girls school, then it became a Navy Hydrographic Office, an Institute for Architects and today it is a museum. This museum features exhibits on architecture, design and American and DC history.  

The glory of Mount Vernon Estate must be visited. This 14 room mansion was the home of George Washington’s great grandfather. It has been well maintained and visitors can walk through all of the outbuildings, slaves quarters, smokehouse, stables and coach house. They have knowledgeable staff ready to answer any questions about the home and a great gift shop to take home some memorabilia. Check out information on visiting Mount Vernon Estate before you go. It is definitely a great historical stop while visiting the area.

The legacy of a writer is a complex thing. Most of the time, successful writers are credited with inventing worlds that come from their imaginations. They create stories that are woven from their observations about human behavior, and generally these stories are perceived to come from their own perspectives. There are plenty of theories around that suggest that a writer is much more than an individual imagination, and that the work is always connected to their own place in history. This notion helps to illuminate some of the more complex works in literature, and has given Uncle Remus another life.

The creation of Joel Chandler Harris at the end of the 19th century has enjoyed and suffered praise and criticism, and it seems to come and go in a cyclical manner. These days, people visiting the city of Atlanta can take a tour of The Wren’s Nest , his home here, which was restored and now serves as a museum to preserve African-American literature.

His stories, written in his version of a slave dialect, were popular in his lifetime, and even Mark Twain was said to have loved the man and his work (this, of course, was someone who didn’t really like anybody, so it’s no small accomplishment). The next generations were very uncomfortable with some of the writer’s comments, along with the stereotypes that are inherent in the work.

However, the recent wave has reclaimed his stories as a very important literature in the history of the country, and in the history of African-American storytelling in general. Uncle Remus is once again recognized as a very elemental trickster figure, that demonstrates a kind of revolution and repetition of stories that are very old, and have been passed down through slave voices in new ways. It makes for some very interesting ways of looking at history, and a tour of the museum is amazingly eye-opening.

This is a point where history and culture can merge with art, and visitors to the city staying at Atlanta boutique hotels can enjoy getting to know the deeper histories that run through this part of the world.

Washington DC is well known as the nation’s capital and the various government buildings and establishments are part of its overall symbolic image. Meanwhile, there is actually a great deal of cultural attractions thriving in DC and attract numerous tourists every year in addition to those who are there to see The White House and Capital Building, though they are on almost everyone’s visitation agenda. The Smithsonian Institute is one of the most important and significant cultural establishments in the country and is also based in Washington DC. It has many programs, performances, exhibits and other events that are either produced or sponsored by it and the guests in some of the five star hotels Washington DC are frequently surprised by and amazed with all that the institute does.

One of the great and also pleasing aspects of admission to the Smithsonian zoos and museums is the fact they are free. Among all of the incredible features of the institute, some of the permanent and traveling exhibits are absolutely incredible. From the What Does It Mean to Be Human to One Life: Echoes of Elvis, the exhibits explore and present various aspects of science and the arts as they relate to the human experience and condition. In addition to the museums and exhibits the Smithsonian houses many libraries and they contain some of the most impressive and important historic literary manuscripts and collections in the world. Preservation of important artistic documents, such as plays, sheet music and fictional works is extremely important and one of the outstanding services provided by the Smithsonian.

One of the favorite features for children is the Albert Einstein Planetarium, which is also popular with adults. A diverse collection of shows is presented that attracts all interests and age populations. From Black Holes to One World One Sky, the Planetarium entertains and educates. The Discovery Theatre is another popular program for kids. The educational and entertainment oriented productions are specifically aimed for young audiences who are introduced to various cultural traditions while gaining an appreciation for the performance arts.

There are always issues to work through when making big changes in ones life. Overcoming an addiction to alcohol is no exception. Just getting to some rehab program is a major thing to work up to. Most people who have a problem with substance abuse don’t feel they need help and avoid the conversation about getting help. But, just going to rehab, spending a few weeks detoxing and talking about what got people to where they are today, isn’t the end of being an alcoholic. This is only the beginning. Good drug rehab centers are safe environments where people can share what is going on with them. Getting back out into the real world is bound to trigger some old way of thinking and feeling that could lead someone back to drinking or using again.

One of the biggest triggers could be the people that one is spending time with. It is always hard for other people to understand that their influence could be causing hardship for their friend or loved one in recovery. It is really important for people recovering from alcohol addition and other substance abuse to be surrounded by people who won’t trigger a relapse. An addict should not be around people who are drinking. They should not be buy alcohol for anyone. Best case scenario is that they are not even in the same room with alcohol. It is time to find places and thing to do that don’t involve alcohol. That is so hard to do because it may mean walking away from old friendships or even worse, family members.

Not being able to deal with the issues of real life is a big trigger for people in recovery. The world does not stop with its hardships. This may have been one of the major reasons for someone to start drinking in the first place. Stressful days at work, money problems, relationship difficulties, horrifying memories and self confidence are always going to be things that one will have to deal with. They are major triggers for people who are recovering and sadly they will always have to be dealt with, whether, one is drunk or not. At least if one is sober, they have a fighting chance to make things right in their world and live to enjoy it.

It is important to stick with what is working, even if it feels like it is not needed anymore. If one feels good than what they are doing is working and should be continued.

There have been many great tennis players who have become international stars due to their skill, championship titles, and sometimes their personal charm or on and off court behaviors. Tennis is a complete obsession for some people and they don’t even have to play the game to bee a fan. Everyone who enjoys the game has their favorite player, and this is actually one sport where favorites are not always associated with their home base. Of course there remains a tendency to be supportive of your home grown pros, but players who achieve the ranks of the Williams sisters, Roger Federer, Pete Sampras and others, are respected and loved, though of course sometimes quite the opposite, with people from around the world.

The International Tennis Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization that is devoted to remembering and honoring the greats of the game. It is located in New Port, Rhode Island and serves as one of the most popular attractions of the city. It is hosted by and exists in the New Port Casino. The Casino itself was commissioned in 1880 and the hall of fame museum was founded in 1954. The building is one of the city’s examples of Victorian Architecture, and the majority of these are well preserved and part of the neighborhood’s fabulous atmosphere.

The first inductees into the hall of fame achieved their status in 1955 and the original intention was to shrine the ideals of the game, as was determined by James Van Alen who was the museum’s founder. The museum possesses one of the best collections of tennis memorabilia and various artifacts in the world. Over 19 countries have players included in the list of inductees and some of the memorabilia contains player photographs, tennis equipment, videos of player highlights from past championships such as Wimbledon tennis and others from the Grand Slam and those from the lower level tier.

While a dip in a hotel pool in Punta Cana may be a refreshing break, there’s also a little known place in the Dominican Republic known as the Indigenous Eyes Ecological Reserve, where travelers can swim in one of the twelve lagoons known to the Taino Indians as “eyes.” The lagoons are largely unexplored gems in this land, and some people believe they even contain medicinal properties.

Indigenous Eyes is a private forest reserve forming 1,500 acres that’s been put aside as land to be conserved, owned and managed by the Punta Cana Ecological Foundation . To visit this area, travelers need to make arrangements with the foundation itself by calling 809-959-9221.

The foundation, along with national and international groups, conducts research here, investigating and running environmental education programs through the Center for Sustainability. An underground fresh water river known as Yauya feeds the twelve lagoons or eyes, then continues on to the ocean. If a person walked along the beach at the front of the reserve entrance, then he or she would see through the mangrove trees the river flowing out to the ocean.

The reserve is considered a Transition Zone Sub-Tropical Forest, which means that the plant and animal life contained inside may be found in both dry and humid sub-tropical forests. There are reptiles here, as well as green snakes, lizards, and frogs, but not a single venomous snake. There are, however, over 500 plant species, a little over a third of which live nowhere else but in the Dominican Republic. Red Land Crabs are common, and over a hundred species of birds have been identified in the region.

Walking through the reserve, visitors may note wasps, butterflies and ants. They’ll also see big brown nests in the trees where termites go about the vital work of breaking down dead and dying leaves, branches and other materials, transforming these items into a fertile habitat for the life here.

Travelers who decide to take a look at this little explored part of Punta Cana should know that there’s a Leave No Trace policy — people are asked to dispose of trash in designated containers, not bother the plant and animal life, and swim only in those “eyes” which are available for swimming and to be careful entering and exiting the lagoons.

Those who wish to go will find the reserve open each day from sunrise to sunset.