Archive for the 'Travel' Category



Wearable Jewelry from Recycled Material at the American Craft Show

Posted By Rick Amorey on May 28, 2009 @ 8:14 am
by Rick Amorey

You will be delighted to know, if you are living in the Atlanta, GA area, about the American Craft Show that is a yearly event that happens around March. It is held usually at the Cobb Galleria Centre, and it’s here you’ll be able to find all sorts of artworks that will delight you and your friends. You might even be able to pick up very nice pieces of jewelry for your wife here.

I try to go to these craft shows whenever I can, as I am an advocate of such events. This year, you will be able to see crafted items that make use of recycled materials. While I am more inclined towards the traditional crafts myself, I still feel that these are worth looking at.

Let’s take the example of jewelry that I made earlier. To me, jewelry is only wearable when made from some sort of “jewelry” caliber material. I don’t plan on giving my wife some materials made from twigs and discarded building materials. It may work on sculptures, perhaps; but to me, there’s a difference between art and street wear.

However, I will note that there is one exception to my metal and gemstone mindset. You may be able to find trinkets at Alexandra Bitner’s lucite jewelry that are just fantastic and very wearable indeed. It is difficult to fashion something chic out of something a lot of people would consider garbage, but Bitner managed to do it well.

If the concept of wearing recycled jewelry appeals to you, or you just want to do your part for the environment, then you just need to hightail it to the American Craft Show held annually. It’s not all jewelry; there are other works of arts made from such materials. Not my preference, but whatever floats your boat. If you missed the American Craft Show, there are other craft shows out there that are also worth attending.

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A Picnic Backpack Can Make Your Outings Easier

Posted By Paula C Burringham on @ 6:44 am
by Paula C Burringham

A family picnic can be great fun. Whether you enjoy a picnic at home or you go out to the park, everyone will enjoy it. It’s a wonderful time to enjoy family and to enjoy bonding with each other. Food is a big part of having a picnic so you’ll need to be able to carry all the food and other items you’ll need with you. It definitely makes things easier if you are having a picnic away from home.

For the big picnic a picnic backpack can definitely come in handy. Usually they have containers to help store the food, pockets for storage, and you can get drinks, food, utensils, and even blankets into them. They look just like a backpack and you carry them like one too.

Although there really aren’t any disadvantages to carrying one of these picnic backpacks, there are some out there that aren’t well designed or durable enough to keep everything in one place and a mess can occur. This depends on brand so you’ll want to choose your backpack carefully so this doesn’t happen.

Look for picnic backpacks that are both durable and made of quality materials. Since you’ll be carrying quite a few things in the backpack make sure that it heavy weight enough to handle all that weight. It should also have plenty of pockets and containers to carry all the things you are going to need for the big picnic.

If you are looking for good brand names, some of the best and most common for picnic backpacks are Pranzo, Classico, Zuma, and Hudson. You’ll find them to be backpacks that are durable. They’ll provide you everything you need in a picnic backpack and are easy to find.

When you purchase a picnic backpack it should make carrying everything easy for you, so make sure that you find one that has various containers that seal well. They should have good starps so everything is kept in place. This way things won’t end up spilling and making a huge mess for you.

Picnic backpacks can be bought from sport or equipment stores. You can also check out reliable websites that sell durable picnic backpacks. They are generally affordable and highly dependable. Some backpacks that have special features such as extra compartments are priced higher, but the function that they have is amazing.

Not only is a picnic backpack a great option when you are on a picnic but it’s great for other events, like when you go out hiking. For those who enjoy the great outdoors, picnic backpacks are a huge hit. So, now that the days are warm again, why not purchase a picnic backpack of your own and enjoy a fun picnic as a family.

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Private Jet Membership is Most Versatile Flight Option

Posted By Edward Holmberg on @ 6:31 am
by Edward Holmberg

If you have ever considered the option of owning your own private jet then you may have been put off by the sometimes exorbitant cost of upkeep. Indeed keeping an aircraft in top condition so that it is ready to fly whenever you like can be an expensive ordeal.

After factoring in the cost of routine maintenance jet ownership is not optimal for most people. Luckily most of this hassle can be avoided with private jet membership. By taking advantage of private jet membership you can appreciate the many advantages of jet ownership without all the headache.

Go Anywhere On Any Jet

A bonus to private jet membership is that you aren’t limited to just one jet. Instead, you gain access to a whole selection of jets. Normally when owning a single jet can be costly having multiple jets is simply impossible. Yet jets are not created equal and certain jets are better suited to particular kinds of traveling.

A small jet is useful for certain flights. In particular short flights with only four passengers are suited to the light jet. However a flight of a few hours would be better on a midsize aircraft. For the longer flights, perhaps five or more hours, the large jet is more appropriate. With private jet membership you have each of these sizes available to you.

Although the small jet is comfortable the limited headroom makes moving around quite difficult. It is best when you can sit the entire journey. For a roomier experience the midsize jet is the better alternative. Midsize jets have close to six feet of height in the cabin.

Additionally, the larger the jet the faster it can travel. It is the diverse factors affecting your flight that make private jet membership so attractive.

Make Use Of That Flight Time

It doesn’t take long to realize that private jet membership changes the entire experience of flying. No longer are you bothered and hassled by all of the standard airport protocol. You can conduct business in the air without being distracted by the other passengers. A private jet can eliminate the stress and wasted time usually associated with flying.

With your own chartered jet you are free to spend your time in the air however you see fit. With the benefit of a private cabin you can conduct business meetings during your several hours of flight or you can completely relax without being bothered by other passengers. With private jet membership you can enjoy flying like never before. Once you enjoy the convenience of avoiding commercial airport hassles you will likely never fly any other way again.

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Cabo Nature Activities

Posted By Sean Galusha on @ 6:24 am
by Paul Garnett

Cabo is not only known for its scenic beauty, but you will also be catered into a place of recreation and adventure when vacationing in Cabo. You may never get enough time to tour Cabo and experience its many wonderful activities and adventures.

But if you are looking for unique nature’s adventure in Cabo, you can however find some good adventures to do in the place. Below are some of the activities you might want to try.

Desert Safari

If you love off-road rides or if you just want to try something different while in Cabo, the desert safari is a good adventure. The desert of Baja actually is a good site for off-road riding and ATV adventures. The Desert Safari offers tours on Mercedez Benz all terrain vehicles and they truly take you to a great adventure on the sand.

Canyon Canopy

For nature lovers who also want to have fun while enjoying the beauty of nature, the Canyon Canopy tour is one good adventure you can join in. This outdoor adventure offers a nature walk, zip line tour, rock climbing and rappelling, and while enjoying these activities, the sight of Boca de Sierra National Park provides a breathtaking atmosphere for your nature adventure.

Cabo Dolphins

Do you love dolphins? Then you should try Cabo Dolphins of Cabo Adventures. You will experience the thrill of swimming with dolphins. You can get to interact with Pacific Bottlenose dolphins at one of the world’s exclusive dolphin centers. Cabo Dolphins is a state-of-the-art dolphin center where anyone, swimmers or non-swimmers, can get to be close and personal with Pacific Bottlenose dolphins.

America’s Cup Challenge

You might have watched the America’s Cup Challenge on TV and you might have wished you can ride in one of those yachts. Guess what, Cabo Adventures offers you that experience. You’ll get to ride in an America’s Cup racing yacht.

The adrenaline rush and excitement in riding any of these racing yachts will indeed give you a wonderful nature adventure while in Cabo San Lucas.

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Table Managing, Anyone?

Posted By Ian Kleine on @ 5:46 am
by Ian Kleine

It takes more than mental preparation to stay up and handle a booth in a craft fair. There’s more to it than just guarding the booth all day or looking bored about it. As much as possible, first and foremost, the one who should be guarding the booth is the owner himself. This is most recommended when you are a starter at the field of craft fairs. There’s a reason why, and it will be explained later.

Firstly, if this is your first time, it is rather unwise to try and hand your position out to other people when handling a booth in the craft fair. As the owner, it is your responsibility to carry your booth. Just think of the impression people would have when they know that you, as the proprietor, is not available at the site. As the owner, it is your responsibility to promote your products and your booth.

Primp your booth up appropriately and with simple effects. Avoid being an attention grabber too much, especially if you are not sure of what you’re doing (being a newb if you are one). Observe and learn from other people in the fair as well, especially those that seem to have years of experience behind them. Talk and converse, share ideas and learn from the over all experience.

Have at least someone to watch out for you too. You will have to eat and do your “businesses” sometime during the day, so have someone you trust (be it a family member or a relative) to go and stand post in your booth or table while you do your thing. Have that person also be very familiar with your product or craft in case someone comes along and asks about it while you were away.

Handling a booth will be a very different experience each time, but with each experience, you will find that the job will only get easier and easier. Take notice and you won’t have to have a hard time during the craft fair.

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Auctioning

Posted By Ian Kleine on @ 5:31 am
by Ian Kleine

A less-than-common affair in fairs around the country are auctions.

Auctions are just that, the usual bidding and all that snazz. You could go for a dramatic auction, or you could go for a simple one. The main theme is players bid to buy something at prices that escalate by the minute, depending on how far the buyer’s budget can stretch. There are a lot of common things to auction, with the theme stretching from the common (antiques, ornamental, land deeds) to the outlandish and far-off (service, a date, probably something unexpected). Just make sure to present at least ten things.

Ten items that would seriously pique the interest of any demographic out there in the fair. Auctions should not be limited to one group or one market. Auctions by far, would cost the same as setting up a booth, albeit you’ll need to spend a hefty sum to use for advertising.

There are a lot of preparations needed to pull off a successful auction. Go with flyers, banner and posters to catch attention. Set the venue up earlier than expected to keep people excited. You could contract food stands and vendors to position themselves closer to your site so they could earn more audience and you can retain your own. This would put both parties in favorable positions.

Prepare the things you’ll need. Things like placards, the stand, a table for the item (if it’s too big or heavy) and the sound equipment and all that stuff. Prepare if it rains if the fair is located outside.

Auctions can rake you lots or little of money depending on the profitability and rarity of the item. You might win big or lose big with a rare baseball card, but then you could get away with an antique novelty cap. Be prepared to face these types of situations early on.

Learn from your auctions thereafter. Learn strategies how to rile up people into bidding more, and bring the heat of the situation up a notch more. The intensity can carry away most people into spending more before they realize what they are doing.

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What do you know about Low rider bikes?

Posted By Alison Addy on @ 4:28 am
by Alison Addy

In today’s hot and happening world, the custom low rider bicycle has acquired a special status. Everyone seems to dream of possessing this style of bicycle. Are you wondering why this has happened? Well, simply because riding this bicycle is an experience in itself. One feels a great sense of adventure and freedom while riding this bicycle. No wonder it has become almost a fashion statement to own a custom low rider bicycle.

To put the record straight, these bicycles are not a modern invention. In fact, they go as far back as the ‘The Munsters’, a television show from the 60s. The central character Eddie Munster was the initial owner of this style of bicycle and he seems to have owned a Schwinn Stingray and that too a modified version. Even though this style faded away for some time, today it has bounced back and the Eddie style lowered and elongated look for this bicycle has become a ‘symbol’ of the new century.

The defining characteristic of these low rider bicycles is style. As a result of the rising demand for these bicycles, you have a lot of options in today’s market. No one wants a low rider bicycle just like the ones owned by the others. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that people seek to express their individuality and personality by designing the low rider bicycles according to their desires.

So it is very common to see customized low rider bikes where experimentation has been done on the upholstery, and you have other special features like sound systems, rims, special whitewall tires etc. Some low rider bicycles have risen to the level of art and they are equipped with neon, murals that are hand painted, and even hydraulics and steering wheels. All of these also escalate the prices of these bicycles and people at times spend thousands of dollars on their customized low rider bicycles.

Passion for these bicycles has risen to the extent that clubs have mushroomed in many places for exchanging ideas about low rider bicycles. Riding and creating different personalized designs seems to be the main thrust of these clubs. All the members help each other in the creation process and customized bicycles that are new are displayed as and when available. Clubs in different areas also organize meetings and have fun showing off their latest bicycles.

If you are new to the low rider bicycle scenario, there is no need for you to worry. You can purchase a low end bicycle for as much as $210. If you are interested in adding other features like rims, tires, murals etc. then the cost could go up by a thousand dollars or so. There is no dearth of manufacturers for custom low rider bicycles. You have plenty of options like manufacturing a bicycle particularly for you or getting a simple low rider and enhancing it with hydraulics or murals or special bicycle parts from an expert.

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Ancient Historical Wonders

Posted By Matthew Kepnes on @ 4:25 am
by Mark Paulson

Some ancient and marvelous buildings that have been built by our forefathers have stood the test of time. They are architectural marvels which cannot be replicated even today. Last year, the world participated in the unofficial vote for the new seven wonders of the world. Even if you didn’t pick them, there are many great historic wonders. Each of these sites are world famous, iconic, historic, and breathtaking. Here are some of the best.

Chichn Itz, Mexico- The most famous Mayan temple city in Mexico stands in example as the political and economic centre of the Mayan civilization. Its various structures are demonstrative of an extraordinary architectural composition that is unbelievable given the limited resources people those days had. The pyramid itself was the last, and arguably the greatest, of all Mayan temples.

Christ the Redeemer- This is a statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The statue stands 38 meters tall with its pedestal. It is one of the tallest statues in the world. The statue of Christ the Redeemer is a very important symbol of Brazil’s Christianity. It was designed by a Brazilian architect to symbolize the hospitable and welcoming nature of Brazilians.

The Roman Colosseum, Italy- This great amphitheater in the centre of Rome was built to celebrate the glory of the Roman Empire. Its design concept is still every architect’s dream and even now other stadiums are influenced by the Colosseum’s original design. Many Hollywood films and other international films have been shot at this breath taking theater.

Petra, Jordan- Petra was the glittering capital of the Nabataean empire. Masters of water technology in the desert region, the Nabataeans provided their city with great tunnel constructions and water chambers. A theater, modeled on Greek-Roman prototypes, had space for an audience of 4,000. Today, the Palace Tombs of Petra, with the 42-meter-high Hellenistic temple facade on the El-Deir Monastery are silent example of unbelievable and unparalleled architecture.

With so many historical sites in the world to see, you’ll never be short of places to visit. Remember that when you go to these places to help contribute to their conservation. These places belong to all of humanity and need to be protected so future generations can also learn about our past and be awed just liked you were when you visited.

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Travel on the Cheap

Posted By Matthew Kepnes on @ 3:42 am
by Matthew Kepnes

Most people fancy the idea of traveling around the world, sketching a memorable picture of all the enticing, alluring and scintillating locations they wish to visit but always deter from actually doing so in reality, owing to mounting travel expenses. However, traveling can be expensive. There are costs that need to be incurred and without working, it is hard to keep your bank balance up. It takes a lot of work and good budgeting. In order to travel long term, you need to find ways to travel cheaply and save money.

One way to travel cheap is to take cheap flights. Cheap budget airlines can reduce the cost of travel. Budget airlines are a lot cheap than the major airlines. You can find these airlines all over the world. You don’t get many amenities when you travel with these airlines but it can still help reduce your cost. That’s what is important.

A home exchange program is an ideal way to sneak a glance around the world, its inhabitants, dig at their culture and encapsulate all your experiences in your memory book at an affordable cost. Home exchanges are when you go visit a country and stay in a person’s home while they stay in your home. They are free and you’ll have access to a kitchen and everything you would in a normal house.

To kick start your journey of a cheap budget vacation to destinations all over the world with minimal costs, look for tour operators who offer attractive packages to varied locations. Since tour operators muster various discounts while booking in bulk with certain airlines and hotel resorts, it is recommended you get your holiday booked through them as well. It will be relatively cheaper than booking the entire holiday yourself. Make sure you are an early bird and buy these packages well in advance from the date of departure as they tend to be cheaper then.

Train travel can also be a great way to lower the cost of a tip. Trains are cheaper than the big airlines. They may take longer but you get to see more of the country and meet the locals. Also, the stops along the way are usually very “local” and not very touristy. That means prices aren’t usually inflated and you can save money by staying in these towns. Additionally, if you take an overnight train, you can see money on a hotel because you will sleep on the train.

There are many ways to travel around the world cheaply. It simply requires good planning and budgeting. Not all tips work and each area and you need to be versatile and flexible. If you use these tips where they best apply, you will maximize the use of your money and save a lot so you can travel longer. Those like me who travel long term do it by good research and proper planning.

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Mini Burger for Fests

Posted By Bob Jones on May 14, 2009 @ 3:22 am
by Ian Kleine

There’s this one particular burger that just seemed to burst with juices and looked so terribly appetizing. Slugburgers eh? Well, they do seem to sound a bit suspicious but I doubt they’d have any slugs on them!

Slugburgers were so named as such not because the original content was made up of these tiny little shell-less slugs, but because they each cost a nickel, or in slang terms, a ‘slug’.

To make an alright slug burger, one would need the use of ground beef and soybean grits or flour as the main extender (you’d need a lot of the extender for slugburgers). The slugburgers mixture is made in to cute little patties, and deep fried in canola oil. They are then served between two slices of a bun and topped with lots of mustard, dill pickles and onion slices.

In Corinth, Mississipi; slugburgers still are very popular and served daily. They even have a festival for it, the annual Slugburger Festival.

It is said that a man named John Weeks had started selling these hot little things around 1917, in the city of Corinth. The ground beef was sold to him by the McEwen brothers, with instructions and specifications to include potato flakes and flour into the mix. These burgers (the fixings included) were all sold for five cents each at that time. Over the years, all five brothers had started selling these burgers. The Weeks brothers did so. And thus did the burgers were named as Weeksburgers. The tradition lived on, them serving and cooking these burgers in their moving trolleys and mini-cafes. The soybean grit was later used to replace the potato flakes after it was found to be a better and more superior substitute to the latter.

In the town of Booneville, Mississipi, the tradition is being carried on by Dianne and Willie Weeks, son of Fate and Lois Weeks, apparently one of the five brothers who had started Weeksburgers.

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