Golf can be a game that is both frustrating and rewarding. Regular players will know that  those two emotions can often occur in the same round. Regardless of their level of natural talent though, golfers can take a few simple steps to improve their golf game. Even after a few hours of tuition and practice, they will notice a significant difference. Read the rest of this entry »

There are high expectations for this weekend with the NASCAR Brickyard 400 and the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix. The Brickyard 400 will be held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana and is one of the most popular and prestigious races of the season. The Hungarian Grand Prix will be held in Budapest and is expected to be a great race.

The Stewart-Hass Racing team comprised of Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart is coming into this race with a great amount of momentum following their win in New Hampshire. Both are Indiana natives so this will be their home track. The team is looking for a win and has described this weekend as “the most intense weekend of [the] year, next to the Daytona 500.”

Another racer looking to steal the title is Juan Pablo Montoya. He is coming into this race with a new crew chief and is looking to become the first driver to win both the Brickyard 400 and the Indianapolis 500. He was the winner of the Indy 500 in 2000. Montoya has been a leader at previous Brickyard races and was very close to winning the previous two races but small mistakes, including a call for a four hankook tire replacement which put him in 32^nd place.

Car racing seems to be the world’s sport, while different countries have their own ways of racing and own leagues, it seems to be a universally enjoyed sport. People seem to come together to watch the races and there is always an element of surprise when it comes to who will win. Another aspect of racing that people enjoy is the cars themselves, the designs as well as the wheels and tires. It is always exciting to see a car with an American racing 20” Lincoln navigator tire wheel package. So as the saying goes,it’s anyone’s race.

With such major races coming up, this weekend is sure to be an exciting one for racing fans as well as racing history. It will be exciting to see who takes home the title and to see how well each team performs at such a prestigious race.

When in Hauppauge, New York, you must check out ‘The Rinx’, especially if you have children. Located at 660 Terry Road, nearby to all Hauppauge hotels , The Rinx is dedicated to the recreational enjoyment of all ages; it’s a veritable family recreation destination. Come and enjoy the many skating opportunities in their 2 full size, indoor ice rinks, or if you’re more of a summer person, you can come by and enjoy a day by their Olympic size pool, a diving pool and watch as your children play in the spacious kiddy pool.

If you’re planning an extended stay in Hauppauge, The Rinx also offers the Hidden Pond Day Camp, where your children will have a summer to remember with so many fun things for them to do; the camp counselors are very caring and very responsible, making for a worry-free environment. The Rinx has a Hockey and Figure Skating program during the summer. The ice skating is wonderful, and sometimes, on certain days, you can skate for free, and other times one rink is being used for hockey practice.

If it’s your little ones birthday, The Rinx is a great place for a birthday party at The Time Out Cafe, where you can host the party and then rent ice skates for a great time on the ice. Come by and visit The Rinx to enjoy all the wonderful things you and your family can do and accomplish. The Rinx is enjoyable and spacious, there’s plenty of room to skate, even though this place fills up on the weekends. Hours are: Monday through Friday – 12:30pm to 2:30 and 4:00 to 5:45pm for public skating. Friday nights are ‘Rock-N-Roll’ Nights, from 8:15pm to 10:15pm; Saturdays and Sundays, from 11am to 3pm. Prices are $10 for adults on weekdays, $11 for Saturdays and Sundays. $7.50 for Children on weekdays and $8.50 on weekends. Skate Rentals are $5.50.

Pattaya, Thailand is renowned throughout the world not only for it’s pristine oceans, breathtaking coastline, exotic, palm-tree lined beaches, but for its fabulous diving waters. For anyone who has taken a dive beneath the waters and waves, Pattaya’s coastal waters are teeming with aquatic life, and some of the best corals and intriguing shipwrecks.

The ‘Far Islands’ , is Pattaya’s main scuba diving areas, which are located 20 to 30 KMs from Pattaya’s coastline. The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) controls the islands, by keeping boat traffic to a minimum and making sure there are no permanent structures are being built there. ‘Far Islands’ consist of 5 islands, Koh Man Wichai, Koh Rin, Koh Hu Chang, Koh Keung Badaan and Koh Phi. Any of the Pattaya hotels you’ll be staying at will provide you with a list of diving companies who have permission to dive around the ‘Far Islands’.

While on your diving tour, you’ll get to experience many types of hard and soft corals, swim through large schools of Jacks, Tuna and even swim by Barracuda. You’ll get to see the Porcupine Pufferfish, the Moray Eels, the Blue Spotted Stingrays in their natural habitats and they are virtually every where you’ll dive.

As for shipwrecks, the HTMS Khram is located south of Koh Phi island, sits 30 meters underwater and is considered the best shipwreck for serious divers. The HTMS Khram was decommissioned by the RTN to mark His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn’s 50th birthday. The sheer amount of marine life that has established themselves in this wreck will astound even the most seasoned divers. Go a little bit further to the Samae San/Sattahip area and you’ll be able to dive around the wreck of the Petchburi Bremen, which is an old freighter that is 21 meters underwater and the Hardeep, which is a cargo ship sunk down in 28 meters of water during World War II, but what’s even more amazing, is this wreck is intact and can be navigated from stern to bow completely inside.

It would be negligent of me if I didn’t mention my 2 day layover in Philadelphia. I was en-route to St. Louis, where I live, but due to bad weather, my 2 hour layover in Philly turned into 2 days. Actually, this gave me a great opportunity to check out the ‘City of Brotherly Love’. Since I always fly first-class, my airlines gave me a voucher for a place to sleep , which was right next to the airport. The hotel was a very nice establishment and the staff was very professional.

I found Philadelphia to be larger than I thought and clearly more entertaining than what I was lead to believe. For the first time in my life, I took a bus tour, the Big Bus tour to be exact. I was a bit reluctant at first, but the staff at the hotel told me that I should give it a try. I found the tour to be very informative and I really liked the idea about being able to jump on and off at will. Even though it was very cold and there was snow on the ground, which made me not jump off as often as I would have. But, when the bus came to the sculpture of the Irish immigrants, I jumped off the bus and braved the cold weather, I just had to get a closer look as such a great monument. I also jumped off to see the Liberty Bell and I could see why the bell cracked, it really was not a great piece of workmanship.

I found the tour of Independence Hall irritating, because my tour guide would ask us questions. If I had the answers, I would not be on the tour. To top off my unexpected visit of Philadelphia, I went to Sonny’s and ordered their famous Philly Cheesesteak. All in all, I’m very glad I had a two day lay-over in Philadelphia. It truly was an unexpected pleasure.

Well, the Oscars have come and gone, much like Joe Turner did on the Broadway stage, but that is a different entertainment genre, and will be left alone while I move on to mention some of the standout features of the 82nd Annual Academy Awards presentation and celebration. As is typical to every year’s ceremony, the event was star studded and featured many popular presenters as well as the dynamic duo of hosts Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin. Kate Winslet , Barbra Streisand and Zac Efron are just a few names from the incredibly diverse and famous list of presenters, while audience members and nominees complete this incredible picture. Well, that’s not intended to ignore audiences who are watching from their homes or those people who are visiting Los Angeles in hopes to catch a bit of the glitch and glamour of the ceremony and celebrities.

The nominations this year also seemed particularly relevant. A female director and an African American director were both nominated, which presented an opportunity for making history as neither population had one an Oscar for best direction in the past. There were other spectacular aspects of the evening, and while the list of nominees and winners is extensive, many people are anxious for the arrival of those final moments when the best leading actor and actress as well as best director and best picture awards are finally announced.

Sandra Bullock won the award for best performance by a leading actress for her work in The Blind Side . Another history making moment occurred when Jeff Bridges won his first Oscar and it was for his performance in Crazy Heart. Meanwhile, the award for best direction did make history as it was awarded to Katherine Bigelow, who not only won the Oscar but became the first woman to ever do so. In addition, the film she director The Hurt Locker received the award for best picture, which to some people was something of an upset. Avatar was one of the films that was popularly believed to be destined to take home the award for best picture.

A great way to orient yourself to a new place or expand on knowledge you might already have about a city is to take one of its sight seeing tours.  Almost every major city in the world has a tour, and Miami, Florida, is no different in that regard:  In fact, you’ll find a number of ways to see and explore inside and outside this South Florida beachside metropolis, some of which are pretty unusual.

First, there’s the Duck Tour, which is the only way to see Miami from the land and sea in the same vehicle.  You will actually be seated inside an amphibious car and, after you’ve hit the landmarks of South Beach, you’ll roll on into the Biscayne Bay for a cruise.  If you’d just like to take some time out on the water, there’s the Island Queen, which offers ninety minutes of narrated cruise on the Biscayne Bay, where you’ll be able to take in the sight of downtown Miami, Fisher Island, Millionaires’ Row, and the Port of Miami.  If these first two options are too high tech for you, then consider an Eco-adventure Tour by exploring Miami in a canoe. You’ll be able to paddle your way through the Coral Gables waterway, or even take a canoe trip at night around Vizcaya Mansion, the Deering Estate.

On dry land, there’s a number of places to go, such as the Art Deco Tour, where you get to see the architectural interests of South Beach, inside and outside.  Miami City Tours will take you to South Beach, Bayside, Coconut Grove and Little Havana, as well as a Biscayne Bay Boat tour.
But if the city gets to be too much, there’s always the Wooten’s Airboat Rides in the Everglades, which are located thirty-five miles to the west of Miami.  No matter which tour you decide upon, you’ll need a place to stay.  Check out this site, and you’ll find a great place that meets your needs after a hard day of exploration.

Cape May in New Jersey is a fantastic place to go to get away from everything worth getting away from.  This is one of those idyllic spots where it’s just you, the beach, and the one you love close at hand.  The days seem made for lazing around and maybe doing some sightseeing, and the nights are very much the same.  Good food and good living seem to be in the culture here, or at least it’s in the culture that’s here right now.  This link will take you to the perfect lodging, and there are options for attractions and events.

It’s possible not to get involved in the local life at all while you’re here, and there are plenty of temptations calling you to stay in your perfect solitude.  However, if you do like solitude, you may have a spooky side that also likes ghosts, because those traits often go together, and if this is the case, then by all means, get involved in the Cape May social scene.  You’ll probably meet Craig McManus, or hear his name mentioned multiple times, because he’s one of the more prominent writers working on Cape May’s peculiar history with hauntings.

He’s a mystery writer as well as a psychic, and grew up spending vacations here without realizing there were so many ghosts.  It was only later after he developed his vocations that he realized he should probably come back, and see if anything caught his attention.  His attention was certainly caught, and there were enough reasons to visit that he’s decided to stay here.  McManus is also a channeler, and has multiple works going on in the local community at all times.  It needs him, because there is a spectacular history of ghosts here, in nature as well as in some of the older buildings, and it seems to attract spiritual people who are looking for ways to get in touch with these things, as well as the deeper part of themselves.

Not only are there incredible shows being exhibited at the Biscuit Factory gallery in Newcastle, England this summer, but those traveling from their Newcastle hotel to the gallery are offered the convenience of two different restaurants in which to dine, right inside the gallery itself.  Both of the restaurants offer delightful dishes in two different location in the gallery.  Both of these restaurants offer a variety of price ranges, suitable for every one’s budget.

One of the restaurants is on the ground floor and is the place to go for a light bite and fantastic coffee, this is the Byker Vista Cafe.  All of the items on the menu are available for take away, with each dish prepared to order.  The cafe also serves beer and wine, making this the great place to relax before the show, or after, when one can simply sit and people watch.  The Brasserie Black Door has a different kind ofatmoshpere, but one that is just as laid back and informal.

More subtle decorations and colors combined with soft and plush furniture give a contemporary and modern feel, in peaceful and tranquil surrounding.  This restaurant contains a section of the gallery, with paintings lining the walls the entire length of the space.  The ingredients used in all of the items on the menu are only the freshest of produce that is grown on the local farms.  Many choose to hold their weddings and other parties within the Brasserie.

One of the artists showing at the Biscuit this summer is Kate Van Suddese.  Van Suddese is a contemporary painter of sea and landscapes who has shown extensively in the past throughout Edinburgh, London and many other cities in Northern England. She takes inspiration from the impressionist paints as far as brushwork is concerned, and draws upon Turner’s use of light, color and dramatic effects.  Her show being exhibited at the Biscuit is titled Sea Scapes and she attempts to capture not only the images of the sea, but the relationship to the land and the sky as well.  This is one show that should not be missed when traveling through the city of Newcastle this summer.

Walking along the Singapore River, one will find not only many a Singapore restaurant, but shops, a sculpture garden, cafes and the history of the those that transformed the tiny fishing community into the metropolis that is Singapore today.  The history of the river and the people of Singapore is divided into three time periods, thePre Colonial, the Colonial, and the Post-Colonial.

Singapore became founded by a British man, Thomas Stamford Raffles.  When Raffles arrived in Singapore almost two hundred years ago, the river was home to many businessmen, fishermen and merchants, many of home are considered now to be the forefathers of the country.  During the Pre-Colonial era, the planning began for the development of the River by the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

Many bridges now span the river, from the simple wooden bridges such as the Ord Bridge to the modern and elegantly designed Anderson Bridge.  One of the bridges, the Cavenagh, was constructed in 1869, and is now used only for pedestrian travel.  When one walks along this bridge one will find themselves at the front door of the Empress Palace, a structure that was built to honor Queen Victoria.  Now it is home to a concert hall, where the Singapore Symphony Orchestra performs regularly.

There are many mosques and temples along the river, as well as museums.  The Asian Civilizations Museum is a journey into the various cultures that now make up Singapore society on the whole.  And should one desire a different way to experience the river, there are dinner cruises up the river on a regular basis, as well as river taxis, sight-seeing excursions and relaxing rides in bum-boats.

In both the Clarke Quay and the Boat Quay, there are many options for cocktails and dining experiences, both of which are two of the most photographed areas of the city.  Robertson Quay is also a fine alternative as the atmosphere in this area is relaxing and laid back.  In all, the river offers so much to tourists, and has offered so much to the citizens of Singapore.

When it comes to four-star hotels, Goa is a bright spot in the world for hospitality in accommodation.  Our hotels offer a unique combination of old-world comforts and new-world technologies, and the guests are treated to a luxurious blend of both.  There are immensely beautiful details that suggest a real world-class excellence in design, making for an experience that will refresh the body and spirit.  In recent years, Goa has been a splendid destination for world-travelers looking for a perfect spot where urban life is vibrant and the natural splendors are evident.  It has also been considered an excellent destination for counter-cultural travelers, and has a reputation for being very welcoming to other cultures and other ideas.

The history of Goa beyond the recent past is a fascinating and complex one, as evidenced by Richard Zimler’s novel, Guardians of the Dawn, which takes a close look at Goa in the times of the Inquisition.  This event has had a deep impact on Goa, and is not necessarily included in many official histories.  By most accounts, however, the Inquisition in Goa lasted from 1560-1812, with a brief pause during 1774-1778.  The Inquisition coincided with the time of Portuguese colonization of the place, and during this time, the official priests recommended that the Inquisition come to Goa because of what they considered to be barbaric religious practices.

Most of the records were destroyed after 1812, leaving much room for debate and discussion, but the records that remain show that there were at least over a hundred deaths, and some 16,000 trials.  Other evidence suggests that thousands suffered execution in Goa’s Inquisition.  There are accounts by numerous historians, as well as comments by writers like Voltaire, who were avid in condemning the actions that were done in the name of conversion here.  Hindus as well as Jews suffered here, along with Muslims and people who were believed to be relapsed Christians, making it one of the most barbaric and cruel events in the history of the Inquisition.  To know  these events is important in cultural and historical understanding, and it also suggests that the current climate in Goa, which is very open to travelers, come after a long and difficult price.

New York is abuzz regarding the announcement that Liza Minelli will be performing a one-time show on April 7th at Roy Thomson Hall. Twenty-six years ago the performing legend did a four-night run at the Hall during it’s opening season.

The daughter of actress-singer Judy Garland and director Vincent Minnelli, Liza’s first professional gig was at the age of three. she appeared in the musical “In the Good Old Summertime” in which her mother starred and her father directed. Her premiere television appearance was at the age of ten when 45 million tuned in to see her host the premiere broadcast of “The Wizard of Oz.”

At the age of 19, Liza was already starring on Broadway. Her performance in “Flora, the Red Menance” earned her a Tony for Best Actress in a musical. Various movie and Broadway roles followed. In 1972 the role of Sally Bowles in the film version of “Cabaret” earned her an Oscar, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA (British Academy Award).

Liza’s illustrious career has included two additional Tonys, another Golden Globe, a Grammay Legend Award and an Emmy. She is one of the few artists in history to win the Grand Slam of Oscar, Emmy, Tony, and Grammy.

As a singer, Liza has sold millions of records across the globe and has earned three Gold albums and one Gold video. Her show “Liza with a Z” was the first concert to be filmed live for television and earned her the above-mentioned Emmy.

Having starred in several movies that prominently featured New York City, including the 1977 “New York, New York,” it’s no wonder the actress-singer has become inseparable from the Big Apple. Fans hoping to attend the concert will find a number of five star hotels in New York City to choose from.

In 2000, Liza was stricken with encephalitis. Despite a negative prognosis, she worked her way back and launched a major comeback in 2002. Her newest CD, “Liza’s At The Palace” debuted last month on Hybrid Recordings.