Hip Young Things

Unveiled earlier this year, the Nissan Leaf is the first electric vehicle that is family and budget friendly.  Retailed at approximately $32,000, the Leaf is also eligible for the $7,600 tax credit.  But if you want to run out and get one for yourself, you’ll have to head to Hawaii.  Hawaii was chosen as a test market for the Leaf because of their efforts to lower emissions and cut back on fossil fuel dependence.  Even if you don’t live in Hawaii you can reserve one of these cars for yourself starting May 15.  All it requires is a $99 refundable deposit.   Visit reliableplanet.com for more information.

Whatever you’re looking for in a great vacation you are most certainly going to find it in Miami. In addition to being one of the country’s top tourist destinations, it is also a major retirement destination for US residents as well as those from other countries. There are a great number of prestigious and professional cultural establishments and entertainment options in the city and these are extremely popular with and appreciated by tourists as well as the city’s residents. However, one of the most universally appealing aspects of the city for both the guests in the hotels in Miami as well as the residents of the city is the great beaches and city parks that are found there.

The amount of parks and recreational facilities in Miami is staggering, even when taken into consideration outside of including the beaches and water front centers. In addition, there are various theme and features in the parks that sometimes include zoological components and other great attraction orientations. Of course there are standard quiet and peaceful park areas where the main focus is beauty, nature and relaxation. These are some of the most popular for residents, though almost everyone enjoys a quiet afternoon picnic in a beautiful outdoor landscape.

The Monkey Jungle is one of the great features of the city as well as one of the most intriguing places to visit for tourists. This park actually reverses the typical animal oriented attractions and allows for the monkeys to run free while the human visitors remain caged. This is an interesting dynamic that serves not only to preserve the intention of the park to provide great living accommodations for its inhabitants but also presents a perspective reversal for the human guests. Of course it also keeps all species safe and secure and allows everyone to experience the dynamics of each other. The preservation began in 1933 and has continued and grown throughout the decades and remains a one of a kind park. There are thirty species of primates represented at the park and the humans have the great privilege of watching them at their most natural orientation.

Frankfurt Germany is one of the country’s cultural significant cities, as well as one of its primary performance and artistic centers. As is true for many cities in the country, as well as the rest of Europe’s, the incredible history of Frankfurt is represented in many of its buildings and establishments and these, as well as the official monuments and cultural landmarks serve as major attractions for the tourists and guests in the hotels in Frankfurt . The Alte Oper , which was once the official Frankfurt Opera House, remains a popular establishment as well as a major landmark of the city.

Today the building is a major concert hall and hosts performances throughout the year. It dates back to the original inauguration date of 1880 and during its days as the opera house opened some of the world’s most important operatic works. Numerous shows received their premiere performance at the house and this contributes to the historic feel that remains with the building today. And while many of the younger generation concertgoers are unaware of the significant history of the building, they cannot help but be impressed by the amazing beauty and prestigious presence of the building.

Among the famous works that had their premiere at the opera house include Carmina Burana by Carl Orff , which opened in 1937. This extremely scenic cantata was an excellent compliment to the beauty and grandeur of the building. Unfortunately the building received devastating damage during the bombings of World War II and was almost completely destroyed. A major citizen initiative was organized and manifested the rebuilding of much of it. Today the building includes two performance spaces that can host major and more intimate concerts as well as convention spaces that can be used for various purposes including meetings and lectures. Many people enjoy simply looking at its magnificent exterior in the evenings when it is lit. It is not uncommon for people to simply sit outside or walk by it on any given evening.

For the last couple of years the NBA playoffs have been bittersweet for Suns fans. The initial excitement over a great season and moving on to the next round is quickly overshadowed by defeat as the Spurs achieve victory once again. But not this year! On Sunday, the Spurs and the Suns played one of the closest games of the series. It was a close game until the very end and the Suns were able to hold on to their narrow lead. The Suns will now have 7 days off to rest before they have to face the Lakers and the Western Conference Finals. It won’t be easy but they can do it. To read more about the history between the Suns and the Spurs, visit the ESPN website.

Atlanta is well known for its sports teams and while this is one of the city’s major cultural features, it is also extremely well known and popular for some of the great musical venues and artists that are located in the city. And in addition to the numerous musical artists that are born in this city the great venues and performance establishments attract famous artists as well as the major arenas that host international superstars. Music is an extremely important aspect of the daily lives of most of the citizens of Atlanta and is also one of the primary attractions for the people who visit the city and enjoy a stay in one of the great hotels in Atlanta .

A great example of this is Smith’s Olde Bar which bills itself as a neighborhood joint, though it will be hosting the likes of Jeff Daniels who will perform some original songs onstage there. The relaxed atmosphere belies the impressive line up of performers and the outstanding music that is offered. There are also open mic nights, which are popular with music lovers as well as musicians who are just beginning to get live performance experience. The venue has an intimate atmosphere but can hold an audience of up to 350 people, which is attractive to a lot of visiting bands.

The Opera Nightclub is another great example of venues in the city and represents the diversity of the club scene when compared to Smith’s. In addition to the live concerts that take place here, it is one of the city’s primary dance clubs. Celebrities are attracted to performing there as well as simply showing up to enjoy a great night out. This is one of the locations in Atlanta where you can sometimes rub shoulders on the dance floor with celebrities and vip clients. It is definitely one of the great places in Atlanta to see and be seen in, and this is exactly what many of the citizens do regularly and the tourists enjoy while they are there.

This video older but it is definitely a classic; especially if you have any knowledge of Spanish!

In the years since September 11, 2001 many of us have become lax in our awareness of potential terrorist attacks; however New Yorkers were recently reminded that you can never let your guard down. News reports spread quickly after the attempted car bombing in Times Square on Saturday night. Many speculated whether it was a lone event or an act of terrorism. Monday evening Faisal Shahzad was taken into custody and charged with attempting an act of terrorism. I think we can all breathe a little easier knowing he is behind bars; however, authorities caution everyone to remain vigilant. We don’t want to live in fear but it is important to stay aware because these attacks can come from anywhere. Read the whole story on foxnews.com.

If you are visiting Boston , one of the last things you are likely to have on your agenda may also be one of the best attractions in the city. However, unless you are specifically headed to Boston to attend a major concert, you are likely planning on visiting the amazing historical landmarks and architecture of the city as well as major iconic places like the one of the museums or performance art venues. And most likely a bowl of great clam chowder will be on your agenda, but a unless specifically planned you may not be planning on attending a performance at say the Boston Early Music Festival .

This is actually one of the great spring offerings found in Boston. Boston, like many cities in on the east coast, well and throughout the Midwest and other sections of the country for that matter has distinct seasons and major weather differences. Spring is frequently a time for celebration and there is a lot going on in Boston to demonstrate this. The Early Music Festival is one of the great events that occurs in the spring every year in the city.

The event takes place at various stages and was originally established in 1980. The venues that host the performances are some of the city’s most prestigious and grand establishments and include the Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College , Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, Sanders Theatre at Harvard, St. Paul Church and Emmanuel Church, among others. One of the outstanding features of the festival is the Baroque Opera Project. This one of a kind spectacle introduces audiences to some rediscovered greats from the 17th and 18th centuries. It is the product of years of research into finding and then arraigning different works from the period and some of the top performance talent is featured in them. In addition, they have added a chamber music series to the program. 

Whether you are a country music fan or not, it is hard to miss the stunning duo Brooks and Dunn. Both successful songwriters, they came together in 1991 and have been making great music ever since. Over the past 19 years they have become one of the top selling groups of this era. In December they announced that although they will no longer be recording together, they were going to do a farewell tour. The tour started on April 23 in Sacramento and, if the first show is any indication, don’t wait to buy tickets because they are selling fast. For information on tour dates and tickets, check out their website.

If you’re going to find yourself hungry while you are on vacation, you will also find yourself to be in a great deal of luck if you are in Singapore. The city is known for having some of the finest cuisine from around the world and also is known for its great traditional and locally based food. It has a unique local cuisine that many people are surprised to discover while they are visiting. And the amount of great restaurant options that can be found in this city really doesn’t make it easy to explore all of them. So, if you plan a trip to Singapore it is extremely recommended to try some of the traditional food. This part is actually easier than you might think. There are many street food vendors and food stalls located throughout the city and you could be almost anywhere in it when you find hunger strikes and there will be some kind of cafe, restaurant or hawker food vender either right in front of you or just around the corner.

And this brings up another great food genre and service style that many people also discover while they are visiting Singapore. Hawker food is extremely popular in the city and is also an extremely convenient way to order your food and also eat it. The meals consist of a basic noodle or rice dish and frequently contains seafood . These types of dishes are usually found near major hawker centers, which are basically large outdoor dining halls. They will typically have a tent or canvas covering and feature many large tables for general public seating. People will order their food from the hawker vendor and then find a seat at one of the tables to eat it. Newton Food Centre is one example of these and they are generally found at major transportation centers and also large shopping or commercial market complexes. Wherever you find yourself in the city, there is a restaurant or food vendor in Singapore near by.