Empty Voices

One of the most important aspects of making international travel plans is making sure that you have an appropriate visitors health insurance policy. This is a commonplace consideration for frequent travelers and once you establish the insurance structure plan, it is much easy to make the necessary arrangements in future travels. And unfortunately, this is an easily overlooked budgetary item for first time travelers in planning a trip out of their home country . All too often this overlooked travel preparation has left individuals in an unprepared emergency situation in a foreign country.

The previous statement was not intended to induce fear in first time travelers, but rather to serve as a reminder of the importance of travel insurance. The intention is that it will never be used when it is structured for a specific vacation or holiday experience. However, when you are making extended stay accommodation plans for trips related to work or study , ongoing medical care might be a primary concern. And when this is the situation, it is all the more important to have the appropriate coverage in place before you leave home. The good news is that there are insurance plans that are tailored for specific travel intentions and arrangements.

When visiting Phoenix, you may be asking yourself where you can take the kids to play and play and not be bored; especially if you’re visiting during the extremely hot summer months. The Arizona Science Center is a perfect solution. Located in downtown Phoenix at 600 E. Washington Street, the Science Center is an air-conditioned fun-filled environment.

Parents will have just as much fun as their children, and there’s always something new along with the old favorites if you’ve been to the center before. The Arizona Science Center museum features futuristic architecture by Antoine Predock that to turns learning into fun. Exhibits like ‘All About Me’ and ‘Fab Lab’ are interactive and are cleverly designed to not only entertain, but educate. The Dorrance Planetarium will let the entire family experience the night sky. The Irene P. Flinn Theater will let you experience a film on a 5-story high screen.

There’s enough to do to keep the children entertained for a whole afternoon such as the latest exhibit ‘ Goose Bumps! The Science of Fear’, which will make you face a tarantula, experience free fall, and then learn about the science behind the fear in this fun and educational exhibition. The ‘Forces of Nature’ exhibit is all about learning everything from the movement of the tectonic plates to the power of wind and sand erosion. If you’re children have high energy, they’ll really love the ‘Rock Wall’ where they can get a grip on science as they climb a 15 foot wall.

You’ll especially like the fact that the Science Center is located within walking distance to the best Phoenix hotels in the downtown area; that’s if you’re little ones have any energy left to walk.

For all of the reasons to come to Seattle, the fresh meat is usually low on the list. It’s not that there aren’t plenty of carnivores in town, and the restaurants are as world-class as a dining establishment can get. But the salt of the earth reputation of the Seattle population, which sometimes leads into a bit of a granola stereotype, is usually the inspiration behind young people looking at Seattle hotel rates for a great vacation in a pretty hip city.

However, out of the ashes of the mountain that is so rarely seen, there comes a new idea called Burning Beast . It happens at Smoke Farm , where 360 acres of farmland seem like the perfect place to do something interesting.

Inspired by Burning Man, the event is a gathering where people come together to meet each other, and share food. They share a lot of food, too, because the center of the event are challenges to cook a variety of animals. The chefs, some of them at the top of their restaurant careers, have to cook using simple materials, and simple ovens of wood, metal, and stone. It could be a meat-eaters delight, but it also has the Seattle stamp of approval, because the thrust of the event is to educate people about sustainable cooking and eating practices.

Anyone who’s spent a little time in Boston, taking in the rich cultural scene that characterizes the city today, may have seen some rather fetching masks in some of the live performance work. There are many local and national theater companies who pick up works from a company called Behind the Mask . It’s been featured in Opera and Dance works, as well as at the Cambridge River Fest. Some of the more detailed works have been displayed in places as illustrious as the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the Children’s Museum , and the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum .

These are works by a local mask maker named Eric Bornstein . He’s well-studied, having earned a master’s from Harvard in art history, and has been making masks since 1982. His innovative work is one of the things that inspires travelers to look into the hotel rates Boston offers, because it’s artists like this that make it such an interesting town.

His work is exceptionally illustrative of a local aesthetic, if there can be said to be such a thing, by tying the very personal to the international. Drawing on his own experience, and coupling that with training from mask centers of the world in Bali and Italy, the work becomes a reflection of many worlds, and all of them live simultaneously in this one city.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s ‘Taliesin West’ home is in Scottsdale, Arizona, located at 12621 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd. ‘Taliesin West’ was built in the late 1930s and consists of a cluster of buildings, which are now a National Historic Landmark.

Taliesin was patterned after the feeling and flow of the desert surroundings and became Frank Lloyd Wright’s favorite building and his winter home. He used the building of Taliesin as a school for his architecture students; they learned by doing, which was FLW’s teaching style . Wright’s former office, including a Cabaret Theater and the Pavilion Theater are the highlights of the tour.

The tours are offered every day and last about an hour for the Panorama version. Taliesin is easy to get to from any of the five star hotels Scottsdale offers. There are longer tours that are jammed packed with great information and can last up to 90 minutes. You’ll learn how FLW bought the land with a down-payment from his ‘Falling Water’ house and how he had his students build it, and pay him for the experience! All the students received new experiences at Taliesin, learned new building techniques, new lighting and new acoustics. You’ll also learn how the students suffered in the harsh climate of the desert and how that affected some parts of the complex.

The tour of Taliesin will show you what materials were replaced and show you renovation plans that will be extremely costly. You’ll see an original lay-out and get to know how to connect the different buildings and their functionality. You’ll leave very inspired and in awe of just how innovative Frank Lloyd Wright was and how his techniques still influence many structures today.

Laredo Texas is a booming border town where the main industry is trading and shipping goods between Mexico and the United States. The first town of Laredo was founded in 1755 by Don Tomas Sanchez when it was still a colony of New Spain. In the first hundred years that area with stood many wars for its control. It was the capitol of the Republic of the Rio Grande in 1840. Then it became a host town for the Texas Rangers during the Mexican-American War in 1846. The U.S. military set up Fort McIntosh to help manage the area in 1847. This town is one of the largest border crossing areas between the U.S.A. and Mexico.  

There are a few historical sites to see that are markers of these historical events. The old Diocese of Laredo called San Agustin Plaza and Church and the old Republic of Rio Grande building which is now a museum where visitors can learn more details, see photos and artifacts about the development of the town. This is also the place to catch some tours of the city. They have some walking tours and trolley tours that will take people around town and talk about the notable events and places this old historical town has.  

The city has created a wonderful historical neighborhood call the Villa Antigua where the locals and visitors can be educated on the local history and entertained with a hub of shops and restaurants. This is were one can catch a show at the Plaza Theatre . Speaking of theatre’s, you may like a more live entertainment experience and you can see what the local talent is up to at the Laredo Little Theatre.  

Get out and enjoy the local history of this old border town. You can find out more information from any of the hotels laredo has through out the city. There are plenty of places to hang out with the locals and enjoy a cocktail. Lots of wonderful restaurants to have a great meal.

It’s not necessary to live in the past, but in Chicago, it’s an interesting place for sure. While one is distracted by all the pleasant attractions of the present, the past is still very much here. The old neighborhoods have roots to other places and earlier times, and it sometimes makes for interesting juxtapositions.

The theatre in town these days is as remarkable as the live music, and all the art forms have had a pretty lively history in the city. It doesn’t take very long, however, before any discussion of history in Chicago turns toward a very infamous cow. The cow in question was named either Madeline or Gwendolyn, or maybe even Daisy, depending on the version of the story that one hears. This is the cow that kicked over the lantern, that in turn sparked the hay that had been recently stored for winter, on October 8, 1871.

In the ensuing tragedy that engulfed the city of Chicago in flames, 300 people perished, and 100,000 lost their homes. It’s a story so large, and so common in the North American vernacular, that there’s even a children’s song about it.

The connecting thread in all of the stories is one particular figure, a certain Mrs. O’Leary , who was milking the cow when it all went so terribly wrong. At least, that’s how the story goes. But visitors to Chicago these days, from the four star hotels Chicago offers, to the pubs where people gather and discuss the gossip of the day, might discover that the truth might be more complex than it seems.

It’s entirely possible that she was not, in fact, guilty at all, and possibly not even partially responsible. According to her own testimony, she was in bed when the fire broke out. There has also been a lurking suspicion about her neighbor, Daniel “Pegleg” Sullivan , whose testimony has lots of inconsistencies.

He claims that he was at her house, walked across the street, past his own house, turned and saw the fire, then ran back and saved a lot of the animals. The actions he describes are not only a little illogical, but also impossible. He simply didn’t have time. The firemen, likewise, have a complicated story that reveals a lot of dropped balls, and a number of opportunities not taken. This all suggests that she really might be just a scapegoat, a name that’s become a source for bad luck, in order to explain the things that are beyond everyone’s control.

Visitors to the city of Fort Collins are usually struck silent by the incredible life that seems to be taken almost for granted here. It’s a very high standard of living, aside from the apparent wealth of some of the local residents. There is some of the best views, and cleanest air, in the country. The very happening college scene also brings in a great selection in entertainment, and young kids having fun does have a tendency to lively up a place.

But for those first-time guests seeing the city from the vantage point of a local hotel, Fort Collins ‘s past is not always visible. If someone’s coming to town with the intentions of disguising themselves as a local, one way to build certain street cred is to mention how much the Bullhorn is missed.

This was a local, alternative and award-winning weekly that brought news to the people, the way they wanted their local stories to be told. As these ventures usually go, it was started by a group of 20-somethings with their fingers on the pulse of the scene. It was a humble beginning, but one that would prove to be very successful. From 2000 to 2003, it ran as a monthly , and as the readership grew, so did demand for more current information. Pulses do tend to fluctuate rapidly, especially when it’s concerning the rhythms of youth. There is also the musician factor, where bands might produce the mightiest sound on both sides of the rockies, but are not entirely reliable when it comes to organizations.

Bookings come in at the last possible moment, so it became a weekly until it closed in 2006. Apparently it closed after a possible merger fell through, and since then, the editorial staff has moved on in new directions. Some go into politics, and some go to other cities to report on new music and culture in different environments, but the scene in Fort Collins is unique. It’s hard not to imagine that they miss the city as much as the city misses them.

Way back in 1969, along Guadalupe Street, known as ‘The Drag’ in Austin, artisans started to congregate on the sidewalks, which then grew into hundreds of artisans selling their artwork, crafts and a variety of unique handmade items. Finally, in 1973 a formal market was established and the People’s Renaissance Market was created and promoted by the City of Austin Parks and Recreations Department . In 1974, the local artist painted a mural on the wall of the market, which represents a humorous look at Austin’s people and culture. In 2002, the mural was renovated and updated to include current Austin icons. In 1982, the street was permanently closed to auto traffic and is now home to 50 artists and artisans that operate in this beautiful open-air arts and crafts market.

Most visitors and tourists come to Austin for the music and entertainment aspect that Austin is famous for, but when they discover the Renaissance Market, they turn into savvy shoppers of art and don’t leave empty handed. The market offers visitors a unique shopping experience and they will find an incredible array of handmade art, fine art and craft items for sale such as the attractive hand-crafted jewelry, apparel, original art, candles, leather goods, and one-of-a-kind handmade whimsical items like waxed linen, hemp wire and wrap, crochet hats and earrings, Lava bracelets, woodworking, ceramics, metal punching, custom scrap books, greeting cards, painted bottles, artistic flip-flops, beaded art, horse shoe nail jewelry, and soaps; there’s basically no way any tourist can not purchase something either for their homes or for a friend, mainly because each artist at the market is hand-picked for their exquisite, unique and beautiful work. The market is a great foundation not only for well-known established artist, but for beginning artists as well. So, no matter if tthe tourist is looking for the perfect gift, or a piece of art to add to their collection, they will enjoy the pleasant atmosphere of this thriving artist community.

The Renaissance Market is located in the heart of the University of Texas community, nestled on Guadalupe Street at W. 23rd and is open daily from 8am to 10pm. It’s within walking distance from most of the Austin hotels and most of the well known Austin City attractions

The winter chill is leaving the big city of New York and the locals are coming out to enjoy the sunshine. This is the time of year were just being out side feels like being on vacation. After running from one warm sheltered place to another all winter long it is wonderful to take a nice evening stroll wearing only a light sweater. Rather than always having a set plan of events, it is nice to just step outside that posh hotel such as this and let curiosity lead you down the road.  

Some of the things to see and do along the way include a nice walk into the north end of Central Park. This is a tranquil area of the park guaranteed to revive your spirit. Take a light walk into the Conservatory Garden. There are three sections to the garden and they break up into the French garden, the English garden and the Italian garden. It is a wonderful romantic walk to take with a loved one. During the day any open grass area is a great place to just lay out and take in some sun.  

Then there is time for dining. There are some really great places to eat that have out door patios and seating. Head over to Barolo for a wonderful Italian meal in the garden. It can be found on West Broadway and the patio is a magical place and the food is great. Get a taste of some fantastic French dishes at Le Jardin Bistro on Cleveland Place. The outdoor patio is also a great place to take your lover and chat over a wonderful French Bordeaux. The food is really nice and a great value. The spring time activities available in New York are endless, really, so check with your concierge for some other local favorite spring time spots to enjoy.