DJ Trava

Archive for March, 2010

There’s a kind of rare sentiment that’s common among those who spend their time fixing up their old vehicles. It has to do with a reverence for the past, for the good quality of materials and construction that make some of the best vehicles classics today. It speaks to a sense of integrity, where maintaining objects by its nature makes them more precious. In these times, when it’s becoming necessary again to care for the things that we already have, auto restoration is gaining ground as a lost art that’s due for a revival.

One of the best things one can do for a car, besides the usual maintenance services, like changing the oil and keeping the fluids running clean, is to keep the tires in good shape. Since these are a wear and tear item, new tires are necessary to prolong the life of the vehicle. There are, thankfully, places where one can still find antique tires . They can add all the newest technology to keep the ride safe, but also enhance the integrity of the machine. Merging the new technologies with the old school design , antique cars can come to life again, and give a new life to the neighborhood.

It’s not necessary to sacrifice quality for integrity, either, as there are excellent manufacturers offering products that will make the car really stand out. It’s certainly possible to modify the look, to give it a contemporary spin and make the antique car truly original and striking. It’s also sometimes preferable to keep the look true to the time it was made. Careful maintenance, along with a designer’s eye, can add stunning and still subtle effects. This can give it a look that will give it extra appeal, bringing out its natural shine, while also putting a grin on the faces of those who still remember when.

Tampa has two notable haunted hotels. Well, A Hotel and a former hotel, now College administrative center, the Don Caesar Resort and Spa one of the local Tampa luxury hotels and the former Tampa Bay Hotel. The story of the Don Cesar tells of a lost love who Thomas Rowe, the original owner, built a fountain in homage to in his hotel. They fell in love while he was a student in Europe but he returned to America without his love after her parents forbade their marriage. Despite the fountain having been removed during renovation guests still report seeing apparitions of the lovers standing hand in hand.

While less touching a story the former Tampa Bay hotel is definitely described as the most active. The University of Tampa’s academic and administrative center was once the Tampa Bay Hotel and is still a symbol of Tampa and its heritage. The hotel was designed to be a symbol of luxury and wealth. It had many historic visitors who stayed in the hotel including Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders. Today this historic building is still the heart of the University but it has come to be considered one of Tampa’s most notable haunted locations. Haunting activities have been reported in various parts of the building that was once a hotel including the mail room, McKay Hall, and Plant Hall. The numerous sightings and experiences make this one of the most notable haunted sights in Tampa to this day. In Plant Hall and McKay Hall there have been sightings of apparitions in the windows and students have reported feeling “cold spots”. During the summer in Florida the buildings tend to be warm, so a cold spot is especially noticeable yet cold spots have been felt, in a building with no central a/c. Many students and faculty say they have a feeling of being watched, and doors seem to open and close by themselves. The mail room has been reported to have items move on their own and drafts with no explanation or source. Floating orbs have been spotted in these locations as well.

It is always exciting to learn new things about the history of the American motor companies. Ford was such a pioneer of success with the Model T cars which spurred on a challenge for General Motors and the combined Chevrolet company. GM bought Chevrolet in 1911. It was so long ago it is always important to put this time into perspective. Geronimo was not captured until 1912. So on one side of the country there were Model T’s and on the other side of the country there were still gun fights going on around wagon trails.

The first truck that Chevy built came out in 1918 which was called the Ton Truck. It sold for 1245.00 and had a payload capacity rating of 2,000 lbs. Wow. Things have come along way since the first Ton Truck. The truck seems to be one of the great prides of America. This is the vehicle that built this land. Over the years, truck as seen its day out in the fields and on the ranches. Today, the old trucks are really worth a lot when they are restored correctly. One can pick up a chevrolet pickup repair manual and get all the info to make an old truck new. In fact, all automobiles have the chance to live along life when there is a good manual to refer to with mechanical questions.

Oldsmobile has some classic cars that many like to restore like the Cutlass. Nothing like an old convertible Cutlass to take a long Sunday drive along the California beaches or the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The classic cars and trucks of the 50′s will make everyone’s head turn as they are driven by in the great condition. Keeping these old classic cars alive puts a smile on every ones face. It seems to be a great reminder of the passion that has driven this whole country.

There is something that’s subtle in any kind of music, a certain bubbling beneath the surface that gets warmer the more you listen to it. In places, it can take a little while to get used to the sounds as they make themselves known there, and Hawaii has an undeserved reputation in the world for having a kitschy musical tradition. Like any music from any place, it has to have some background, or at least some familiarity, before the nuances can start to come through. Some time on the island isn’t just a great excuse to book a hotel but to also have a peek into the present and future of Hawaiian music.

That’s certainly true with the sounds of BB Shawn , who does seem remarkably capable of striking deep chords in the surface of the earth with his songs. It’s a very happy and bouncy kind of song that he’s emanating, but it’s likewise just as complex as learning a new scale. There are new scales here, too, and they do play on western forms in a radical and innovative way. What is entirely striking about the sounds is something that only comes through in bits and pieces, until the listener realizes they have suddenly turned into a dancer.

He was born less than a quarter century ago, and is a remarkable person as much as he is a marvelous musician. Born without sight, he was made some stunning moves in the world, and the future truly is bright. He is self-taught, too, and can play pretty much everything. Now going by his birth name Shawn Ishimoto , he is making music that crosses over into many forms, from jazz to blues to country to contemporary Hawaiian. He has a number of albums out, and is a force to reckon with, and one that will surely sweeten up the night.

Whether you are 18 or 45, there is nothing more fun during the summer than taking a road trip with your friends. Spending hours in the car blaring your favorite tunes, anticipating all the new experiences, and catching up on all of the latest gossip. While clothes, cash, and a full tank of gas are all very important, the one thing that you don’t want to forget is the map . Regardless of the situation, road maps are always the things most notoriously left behind. However; even if you know where you are going there are several reasons why you should not leave the map behind.
Getting lost. We have all been there more times than we would like to admit, and not just those of us who directionally challenged. Even if it is an area that you have visited in the past it is typically a good idea to get a recent map of the area. You never know what streets and highways may have changed due to growth in the area. While we can all handle being a little off course, getting yourself way off the path could put a serious dent in your trip as well as cause unnecessary tension among your friends.
Going exploring. Road maps often provide the locations of natural landmarks and other exciting places to see. If you and your friends would like to wander around a bit and check out some unique places, there are typically easier to find if you have a map.
When it boils down to it, maps serve many different purposes. They help us make sure that we are going in the right direction, they help us find new places that we haven’t seen before, and they help keep everyone on the same page. So even if you don’t think you need it or are going to use it, before you take off on your next road trip don’t forget to grab the road map.

We used Napa, California as our base to tour around San Francisco for a few days. Our first day, we decided to go for some sight seeing along the coastline. We had a late start, so by the time we hit Muir National Monument, it was lunch time. Muir Woods has enormous Cypress and Coastal Redwood trees. Back in Yosemite, we saw Giant Sequoias, which are considered the most heaviest trees in the world. Muir’s Coastal redwoods are tall, about 380 feet high.

We continued on to the Golden Gate Bridge. The weather was windy and cold by the water, but we still managed to get some photographs of the bridge with the city of San Francisco as the backdrop. It was getting late, so we decided to head back to Napa before rush hour traffic caught us in its grip. We had no idea Napa luxury hotels
would actually be luxurious, so we were very pleased about our accommodations and just how friendly the entire staff is.

The next morning, we left at an earlier time, so by the time we drove across the Golden Gate Bridge, we had plenty of time to do some sightseeing. Our first stop was at Fisherman’s Wharf. We walked along the pier and checked out the Maritime Museum. We couldn’t believe we saw swimmers in the harbor, it must have been absolutely freezing! We saw Alcatraz across the water, but in order for us to tour the island, we needed to have purchased tickets several days in advance; that’s how popular the tour is!

Our last day in Napa and San Francisco was all about shopping for clothes. The Napa Valley outlets was the first place we stopped. We ended up purchasing 2 extra bags just so we could pack up everything we bought. It was great being able to stay in the lush green valley of Napa and enjoy the small town comforts, but then drive into a big city like San Francisco for some good day and night life.

Food, one of my favorite subjects. I’m rather distraught at the idea any country could attempt to ban something so wonderful as a variety of it. Don’t get me wrong, I love Italian food but not being able to break away and have Sushi, Thai, German, or a variety of other ethnicity of food would probably drive me insane. Let us not forget also that all food evolved from any time a culture mingled or began importing a new ingredient from a neighboring or allied country. It’s one thing to be strict about regional labeling like the argument over if it’s really champagne if it’s produced in the United States, but trying to enforce a nationalized menu to preserve your culture is ridiculous. recipes are constantly evolving. Do you think the first tomato sauce had garlic in it from the beginning?

Recently in the town of Lucca, Italy the council banned any new ethnic food outlets from opening within the ancient city walls. Since then, it has spread Milan, where the Northern League party brought in the restrictions to protect local delicacies from the growing popularity of foreign food. This has of course met opposition from many of the leading chefs, who have referred to this trend as gastronomic racism.

The authorities in Lucca and Milan were applauded for cracking down on non-Italian food by the Minister of Agriculture, a member of the Northern League. Who claims to view it as a way to safe guard tradition and the local culture. He does make a concession to ethnic food sellers that they should, if they remain in business, use only Italian ingredients. An interesting concept, I look forward to seeing how one would make a rice dish using only rices that are grown in Italy. I’m sure that this support in no way stems from the fact he’s in charge of a public office that gets money from localized agriculture.

I’ll be sure to keep myself to countries that have no qualms of allowing in new flavors. I know when I travel I prefer to eat local cuisine as part of the experience but sometimes I crave something a little different and it would be unfair not to be able to seek out a restaurant to meet these cravings.