DJ Trava

Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category

Without question, New York City can be a strain on the wallet for travelers. If you search around a little, you’ll find a way to lighten your economic burden. Some museums, for instance, are free each day, such as the National Museum of the American Indian . Because it’s a member of the Smithsonian Institution, entrance is always free, and the place is a fascinating look at Native American life. The purpose of the museum, in coordination with Native peoples is to offer a place to exhibit and study, but more importantly, preserve the art and history of Native Americans. You’ll find it a small distance from the Staten Island Ferry, in lower Manhattan, over on Bowling Green.

The Goethe House also offers its exhibits free to the public. Here, you can learn about German life and culture inside the Goethe Institute by taking a walk through its gallery. Performances and lectures and exhibits are constantly changing, so check in ahead of time. You’ll find the exhibits and lectures free, but musical performances will require reservations. If you arrive on a Monday, you’ll find the library closed; however, you can come back as often as you want for a year’s membership of ten dollars (five dollars, if you’re a student).

There are free exhibits at the Forbes Magazine Galleries, too. Here, you’ll find exhibits that feature toys, fine art, presidential manuscripts, and even Faberge Easter eggs. The galleries are available from ten in the morning to four in the afternoon, every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

You may also discover that some museums that normally charge are free on certain days of the week, such as the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum , which is the only museum in the United States that focuses solely on contemporary and historic design. It’s free on Tuesdays, from five in the afternoon to nine in the evening. It’s normally open daily, too, except for Mondays.

To save even more money, go to this site , where you’ll find comfortable places to stay that are also affordable and even close to the free museums.

There’s a pretty well-developed music scene in Nashville, as is pretty well known in most corners of the earth. The mainstay here is country, where the acts that came through here, from here, and recording here, helped to define the sound in its early days, as well as in each subsequent wave. These days, it’s still just as exciting as it ever was, and sometimes seems to be even better, because the competition is a lot higher than it used to be.

In some ways it’s easier for young musicians these days. There are plenty of new software tools to make recording music possible on a very small budget, and with the internet it’s easier to get the songs out there. However, because it’s easier to get access to the tools, it’s much harder to get attention, with so many groups playing as loud and hard as the previous generation. This time around there’s more business savvy, too, and all of these things go into the equation. However, it’s still a game that’s won by those who can deliver talent and skill with heart. Heart is what happens in live performance, and it really can’t be faked.

It’s still he early years for Brother Trouble the duo who moved here in 2002. They’ve had some remarkable successes, and are still local enough that it’s possible to hear them play in small spaces at times. It shouldn’t be too long, however, before all the nice hotels are booked when they’re in town, but for now it’s nice to come and visit Nashville while they’re still playing intimate spaces. Brother Trouble do play large houses, too, and have shared the billing with some big country acts, and play steadily in places like Las Vegas , but there are plenty of local shows the are worth the time, and definitely worth the trouble.

This music is contemporary country with a very strong pulse that comes from rock. It’s smart and fun, and it moves the crowds in all the right directions at just the right time. But there’s also a very strong traditional strain in this, speaking to a heartbeat that is as real as it gets.

Last year, when I had an unexpected stay-over in Columbia, Maryland, due to an freak snow storm, I was treated to a gallery opening at The Columbia Art Center. That night’s exhibit honored the work of Myung Sook Kim, an outstanding Korean artist and dancer. Being Korean myself, this was an unexpected pleasure. Myung Sook Kim’s watercolors were stunning and non-traditional, which I really appreciated.

So, here I am again, one year later, and back in Columbia, not because of an unexpected snow storm, but because I fell in love with this community. I found Columbia’s residence to be diverse and very friendly. I’m here staying at a great local hotel and I’m hoping to see if moving here is a possibility. I plan to stay here for two weeks, I figured this will give me a better feel for the place than just one night like last year. Ever since that fateful night, I couldn’t get Columbia out of my mind. I did some research on the Internet about this town and found out that Columbia is a ‘planned’ community and its all about promoting the best life possible for all kinds of people.

I found this to be true this time around. My first stop was to go back to Columbia Art Center , to see what was going on, and right now they are exhibiting their teachers and students artwork. I did a little inquiring about Myung Sook Kim, and was told she is a residence of Maryland, but they didn’t know exactly where, but if I like to send her a note, they would forward it to her art manager. How nice! I took them up on their offer and in my note, I let her know just how much I liked her artwork and that I was considering living here in Columbia.

Later, I found this great vegetarian restaurant for lunch, called ‘David’s Natural Market+http://www.davidsnaturalmarket.com/retailer/store_templates/shell_id_1.asp?storeID=CF1D83C59A914DEEB1F49F78C9BE5747 . I had a phenomenal soup, Kidney Bean soup, and the special of the day: vegetarian Chili with pinto beans and corn. Very interesting and the place was casual, which made it easy for me to strike up conversations with the people at the tables next to me. I asked how they liked living here, what they do for fun, etc. Everyone was eager to tell me all about how wonderful Columbia is to live. They all said I should move here, that I won’t regret it, and that there would be no problem about finding a job. Afterwards, I couldn’t help but feel welcomed here, like I already belonged.

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.

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.

Traveling with children takes a bit of planning.  From finding kid friendly restaurants that also appeal to the adults, to locating kid friendly hotels, there are just some things that need to be considered.  In Boston, this is not a problem.  There are many restaurants in the various neighborhoods that cater to the palates of the younger ones as well as the adults, and to find a listing of wonderful options for hotel accommodations, check here.

Once in the city, there are fun things to do such as the New England Aquarium, Aqua World and believe it or not, the Museum of Massachusetts Institute of Technology has quite a few programs.  The children enjoy the experience while they learn about the scientific world.  The mission of MIT’s Museum has always been to bring the public in, to make them aware of the technology and the sciences that many of the brightest minds study at the university.  Through their programs, children will find about about the world in which we live in today, as well as the discoveries made in the past and throughout history.  There is the history itself, and there is the history of the pursuit of those discoveries.

One of the annual events that takes place each April is the Cambridge Science Festival. The festival runs for nine days and includes more than two hundred events in which to take part.  Last year was the anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, as well as the fortieth anniversary of the Apollo’s Mission to the Moon.  Programs during the year cater to various age groups.  One such program available for older children is the Robotics Program.  Another program is titled “Why Towers Stand Up and Bridges Don’t Fall Down”.  This is a workshop in the wonders of technology and engineering and is interesting and informing even for the adults.  In all, one of the greatest places to visit when in the city of Boston is the MIT Museum.  One never knows what one may discover there.

Three days here, and after all the talk about how we were going to find out how the rest of the world thinks about music, all we’ve talked about is curry.  My friends are convinced that the best Indian restaurant in Singapore is this one, and it’s because of their curries.  I am arguing that it could be any one of the dozens of Indian restaurants here, but we just happened to stop at this one first.  Chau, the other big ego in the band, is arguing that this isn’t coincidence.  He feels that since we’ve woken up in a pure state of touristic consciousness, our path is unfolding in ways that are already predetermined.  All we have to do, he argues, is keep doing what we’re doing.

This is an old argument between us.  I can tell that the other band members are as irritated as me, although they certainly do a good job of pretending that they’re enjoying every moment of the food.  It keeps popping into my head that we’re actually eating Chau’s car.  He sold his ’73 Impala so we could have room and board while we’re here.  This baigan choka, then, I imagine, is the dashboard mat.  He’s busy eating his rear-view mirror while we’re deciding what we should do for the rest of the day. So far, the only good idea is to eat more curry.

We’ve been playing together for only two years, but we argue like bands that have a history that lasts at least a decade.  I think this might be a testament to our staying power, but I also know that my thinking is delusional.  It doesn’t seem to matter all that much.  Later on this afternoon, we have a meeting with a band we met last night, because we want to see how we sound if we mix.  It’s a good day.  This is a very good day.  Whether or not free will will win out over determinism is an issue that might not be resolved this time around, but there’s little doubt that we’re living a dream we always had.

The Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Central Park — these iconic sights of New York City are well worth a visit for any traveler; however, if you want to go a bit deeper, see a little more, then there’s some pretty great places that most tourists know about only because they’ve stumbled across them.  How many people have booked hotels in New York without knowing about the casinos nearby (some places even have the casinos in them).  Who needs Atlantic City or Las Vegas, when you really can have it all in the Big Apple?  Since gambling doesn’t take up a full day or night, there’s plenty of other sights in the city.  Here’s a sampling:

There’s Joe, the Art of Coffee .  With two locations, this independent coffee shop is a terrific place to sit and contemplate the city, and some people insist its the best coffee in New York.  If you prefer tea to coffee, try Lady Mendl’s Tea Salon over at 56 Irving Place.  You can reserve a place at the salon and have a luxurious five-course afternoon tea.   At 108 Orchard Street, you’ll find the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, where you can take a guided tour that examines the history of immigration in the United States.  You may find the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum also interesting.  It’s over on Pier 86 on West 46th Street and 12th Avenue.

Be sure to check out, too, Scott’s Pizza Tour.  Scott Wiener, who runs the tours, is a well traveled young man who is constantly on the search for the world’s great pizzas.  He kept note of the best and worst pies in his Pizza Journals, and his obsession turned into this tour, where he tells you fun facts about New York Pizza as well as provides a goodie bag.  He’ll take you to pizzerias in Manhattan and then on to another borough (maybe Brooklyn or Bronx or Queens), to have your taste buds tested at at least two more pizzerias.  The tours are on Sundays from eleven in the morning to three thirty in the afternoon.  In order to keep giving pizza tours on the weekends, during the week he offers walking tours, perhaps to offset the calories.