LA Dodgers

Thanks for the post from Lynn Guy

I am a devoted fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers and naturally Major League Baseball too. This is why I am so sad that we are not in the pennant race this year, as I have been spoiled by continuous Dodger success. It pains me even more so that the Giants are in the playoffs and doing so with a much more likable cast. While my team features a lazy bum like Manny Ramirez and guys like Casey Blake and Matt Kemp, plus a bunch of overweight slobs like Chad Billingsley and Jonathan Broxton, being a Los Angeles Dodger fan is truly the lowest form of existence in the world.

It was especially painful the way we got beat by the Giants in epic fashion this season. While earlier in the year we came back to beat Barry Zito, later we just got crushed by Juan Uribe's game-winning home run and never recovered. It was a disheartening loss that our weak-willed team could not recover from. Truly Vin Scully was rolling over in his grave after that loss, and I began to wonder if I should just give up on the boys in blue and start rooting for whatever team was playing the hated Giants. Thankfully I can do just that as I watch every baseball game of this pennant race on my satellite TV package from tvbydirect.com.

The Canyons: Perfect Playground for Mastering Skills

The Canyons Resort in Utah which is at 6,800 feet offers more than 3,700 skiable acres that ripples across eight mountains.
This resort village is framed by a crescent-shaped arm of the Wasatch Range. Being one of the 5 largest ski and snowboard resorts in the country, it offers a landscape of peaks; dizzying chutes; powder-clutching bowls; quiet glades where all you can hear is your breath and "whoosh" turns; and long white stretches that weave, dip and roll down the resort's nearly 3,200 feet vertical fall.

The resort's self-contained village has shops, eateries and hotels. The Grand Summit Hotel, the Escala Lodges or the Dakota Mountain Lodge are newly debuted Waldorf Astoria property which are just all minutes away from the lifts and shops, - a closeness that reinforces the charm of the mountains.

Sesame Street is Best

Posted by Winford Tillman

Can there be any doubt that Sesame Street is the best children's program? Sesame Street went in 1968 and was from the very beginning the standard of excellence by which all other children's programs measured themselves.

Sesame Street was not set in a rural or fantasy setting, but on a city street where most kids lived. A controversial choice, the setting proved to be a source of identification with most viewers. Sesame Street looked a lot like the street where they lived. The show featured short skits, songs and animated vignettes. Numbers, letters and words were repeated in fun ways to help kids learn.

Sesame Street taught good moral lessons like honesty, hard work, sharing and helping. It even taught kids about death. The episode, 'Farewell, Mr. Hooper' was quickly named one of the most influential moments in television history.

Sesame Street's excellence is proven in its longevity. Not just in its years on the air, but in its longevity in the hearts of the adults who grew up watching it on bestchoicetv. Almost every adult age 48 or younger can sing a favorite song from Sesame Street. They can recite their favorite skits and imitate their favorite characters. Without a doubt Sesame Street is my favorite children's show because I am one of those adults and I know all the words to the 'Ladybugs' picnic.'

Deer Valley Resort

Just 36 miles away from Salt Lake City International Airport lies the historic mining town of Park City and Deer Valley Resort. It is the premier ski destination even long before the 2002 Olympic Winter Games was held.

Deer Valley is long renowned for its superb on-mountain details and continues to be the epitome of winter's grace and customer satisfaction.

Where you make that run could be the most difficult decision of your vacation, as there are six mountains, and 100 runs that create the Deer Valley experience.

Late Visit To Cousin's House

September 10, 2010

I got the chance to visit and meet my cousin whom I haven't even met since she was born! Now, she has 3 cute daughters to whom I have met all of them for the first time. It was such an overwhelming experience seeing them and I was glad I was able to see them. Another reason why there was a planned family mini-reunion the next day!

My family in CA is quite big as my husband would always say which is true. My husband is a family oriented guy and he enjoys a lot talking and mingling with them, which I am so greatful of.

This was a late visit, almost sleeping time for the kids, so we had to go. It was nice bonding with the kids even if it was only for a short time.

One-Stop Shop For All Kinds of Sinks

Looking for sinks for your home? Don't waste your time driving from store to store because you can do it all conveniently online getting the choice you've always wanted. If you're specifically looking for undermount kitchen sink, there are a lot to choose from, and yet they are affordable too. For sure with their huge inventory of sink products, there's always one in store for you ;).

Most undermount kitchen sinks comes in premium quality at warehouse prices and by ordering online, your order comes with the same day shipping! Of course, you'll be guaranteed with superior quality products, so check the site.

Ten Romantic Hotspots in Japan

1. Big O, Tokyo - Enjoy the views as you snuggle up downtown Tokyo while riding on the world's first centerless Ferris Wheel. The 15-minute ride is as exhilirating as it is romantic which is located in the middle of downtown Tokyo at La Qua, - the city's premier entertainment and shopping center.
   
   
2. Enoden Railway (Kamakura-Fujisawa) - you will enjoy beautiful beach and ocean views as you climb aboard the Enoshima Dentetsu (Enoden) on one side of the train, and the historic neighborhoods on the other.
   
   
3. Fujiya Hotel, Hakone - Spend a quiet day at this charming historic hotel where views of Mt. Fiji are simply unparalleled. The surrounding Hakone resort area offers some of the country's best thermal waters, plus countless other romantic retreats.
   
   
4. Hyobaku Ice Festival, Hokkaido - witness yourself the fantasy world of illuminated ice sculptures, frozen waterfalls and colorful fireworks at this magical winter festival (Feb.-March) held in Sounkyo Onsen, a hot springs resort town on the edge of Daisetsuzan National Park.
   
   
5. Kamigamo Shrine, Kyoto - enjoy an enchanting afternoon on the vast grounds of this World Cultural heritage site with more than 34 structures, that includes the famous Honden and Gonden. Close by is the Moidoro-ike Pond where you can relax, bird watch or enjoy a quiet ramble.
   
   
6. Meiji Jingue Shrine, Tokyo - Take a stroll unto the peaceful gardens and woods of this shrine which honors the spirits of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. If you're lucky, you can even witness a traditional Japanese Shinto wedding ceremony.
   
   
7. Restaurant Luke, Tokyo - savor a romantic dinner amidst Tokyo's most dramatic views. This elegant, modern French restaurant is at the top of St. Luke's Tower, a high-rise overlooking the Sunida River that hovers above the expanse of Tokyo Bay and metropolitan skyline.
   
   
8. Rokko Cable Car, Kobe - get a nostalgic ride aboard a restored cable car to the summit of Mt. Rokko in Kobe. The view of the glittering Osaka Bay from the top is considered one of Japan's most awe-inspiring sights.
   
   
9. Sunset Dinner Cruise, Tokyo - capture the romantic views of downtown Tokyo as you sail the Sumida River aboard a traditional Japanese houseboat. Savor the authentic local dishes prepared with fresh seafood and veggies as the sights of the city float gracefully by. You can arrange a private cocktail cruise for an extra special evening.
   
   
10. Tsurunoyu Onsen (Hot Spring Resort), Akita - a historic spa with natural hot springs nestled in the beautiful mountains of northern Honshu. You can also reserve a room at the authentic ryokan (Japanese style Inn) onsite to experience a traditional dinner and overnight stay.
    
    
    

A Trip to Camden Yards

Guest post written by Florence Bloomberg

A few weeks ago, before the regular season ended, my husband and I got our first opportunity to finally see our favorite team Ð the Baltimore Oriolestake the mound. We love seeing them play, since theyÕre our home team. WeÕve lived in Maryland for quite some time now, so the entire roster almost feels like family! (And definitely welcome over for dinner any night-ha!)

It was a great gameÉup until the 8th inning, when the other teamÕs star player hit a grand slam and tied the score like that. I canÕt believe our 4-run lead was blown so quickly!

Well, even though the Orioles lost, the game we went to was a great experience. Bill and I had our new hearing aids in that we found at MiracleEarHearingAids.net and we both had our binoculars. We heard everything so clearly that it was just like watching baseball on television, but even more exciting!

The Griffith Observatory

Overlooking the city of LA

September 11, 2010

This is where we were during the 9/11 commemoration. With my uncle and cousin as tour guides, my husband and I had the opportunity to see the entire view of the city of Los Angeles, plus the famous Hollywood sign close to it.

From the Griffith Park, there was a shuttle bus who took us to the Observatory up way the hill (or mountain?). It was nice up there feeling the cooler breeze without the smug, lol!
We missed the scheduled show at 12 noon! But there were other things to see there, mostly about astronomy and other interesting information and astronomical gadgets.

High up there is 1, 134 feet above sea level located on the south portion slope of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park.

Depuy Hip Replacement Lawsuit

It's time to start fighting for your right if you are one of those who suffered personal injury, particularly if you are one of those who suffered from the hip replacement surgery done by Depuy Orthopedics.
Take note that Depuy Orthopedics which is owned by Johnson & Johnson has recently recalled their hip replacement systems last August 26, 2010 due to numerous patient complaints experiencing pain and swelling.
Being said, you can file for a liability claim through a reputable Depuy recall attorney who is willing to fight for your right and to those who have undergone accidents of personal injury at the hands of others.

Once your case has been fully evaluated and confirmed, you're all set to go for the claim fight.

O’Hanlon, McCollom & Demerath – Personal Injury Lawyers – 808 West Avenue, Austin, TX. 78701 – 512-494-9949

Visit To Staples Center

This should have been posted earlier, but what can I do? I always end up being tangled into many things, lol!

Anyway, better late than never so here it is.

September 10, 2010

After checking in at our hotel, we hardly had enough time to rest before my uncle had picked us up to visit the Staples Center, the home of the NBA Lakers! They say this is a world class arena for special events and performances.
We arrived at the place around 5pm that day, and unluckily we were not able to go inside because they won't allow any camera which we were carrying that time. Besides, there was a long line going inside although it seems there was no special event that day. Other buildings surrounding it were all closed, so we didn't have any chance to go around and explore, plus we were scheduled for our dinner at 5:30pm at Ichiban Restaurant in Glendale, CA...a chance to meet another uncle and auntie I haven't seen for 30 years!
Boy! it was overwhelming to see a part of my family once again.

Quick Winter Getaway

Escape the daily grind without spending a fortune. Plan a quick winter getaway.

Save your money by traveling to where the dollar is strong.

Go off season. Consider jetting off to Europe - less winter tourism means there are great deals now. You aren't going to Paris to lie by the pool anyway ;).

Go last minute. Sites like lastminutetravel.com and travelzoo.com bundle cheap 11th-hour packages, which includes airfare, hotel and rental cars.

Dead Leaves

I appreciate the guest post, Jamie Guy

My favorite animated movie to watch is Dead Leaves, because it is full of the kind of nonsensical mayhem that I find stimulating. While some people think animation is only for saliva filled children, that is utterly untrue. Animation that originates in the east has been long geared toward adults, adults who still read comic books on the train. Dead Leaves is full of guns and guts and a main protagonist who has a television for a head, so that I can watch a television in my television on TV, and that alone makes the movie totally awesome.

The plot centers around two Bonnie and Clyde like characters trapped in a prison for their various shenanigans, which then leads to a marauding break out not unlike the one in the conventional movies you see on television except for a ton of guns and security guards whose weapons are as impotent as them. Next to the television headed man is a sassy woman with her own crazy style, which makes me feel as if I am watching some a hipster would watch and raising my overall intelligent quotient. This is primarily why I watch Japanese animation, to feel as if I am part of a club or unique subculture that watches things that the mainstream are not cool enough to. I watch Dead Leaves on the SyFy channel on satellite TV from http://www.directstartv.com/directv/directv_faq.html.

Avoiding The Risk of a Flight Delay

Delays will only create more delays, so dodge the domino effect. Choose to fly early in the day at most airports and avoid the late afternoon and evening rush hours.

Be sure to check at a particular flight before you book a ticket.

Try opting for nonstop flights. If it's impossible, allow enough time to make connections. In a volatile weather, even a leg of a direct flight can be delayed or cancelled, and when many planes are now flying at nearly 100% capacity, it becomes difficult to rebook on another flight.

Sign up for updates at flightstats.com which tracks, analyzes and predicts the performances of flights worldwide. It can also send alerts on your cell phones for particular flights, so you'll know right away if yours is late, cancelled or diverted.

A Walk in the Park

Guest post written by Jillian Matthews

It’s very important to me that my husband and I stay fit, especially since we live in Manhattan where you pretty much have to walk everywhere.

After all these years of working hard in the city, we’re really enjoying the luxury that comes with living in beautiful Fifth Avenue apartment, since we’re literally steps from Central Park .

Every night after dinner we take a quick walk to the main reservoir in the park and stroll around it. The view is always spectacular. As we walk, we can see portions of the magnificent New York skyline over the trees and on all sides of the water—it’s utterly breathtaking, even for Manhattan-ites like us. Aside from the view, we always enjoy the time to talk and reflect on a variety of things. My husband has been bringing his Miracle-Ear hearing aids aids so that we can really turn our exercise time into quality conversation time, as well.

It’s been wonderful having the park as a backyard, and we anticipate enjoying these walks for many years to come.

California Trip (Los Angeles)

September 10, 2010

After long hours of sitting on the plane (from Baltimore to LA ), we got our rented car and proceeded to our hotel. It's really worst to see the city in a traffic jam while on our way to our hotel. Then, when we reached our hotel, we thought of going to test drive the location going to my husband's training area from the hotel which was like 15 minutes away. Due to traffic, we arrived the area after 45 minutes!

Then, before going back to the hotel, we were starving as we hadn't taken our lunch yet, and good thing there was an eating place close to hubby's training office location.

Going back to the hotel was still worst, as it took as another40 minutes. We both felt tired, but we still had to meet my uncle whom I haven't seen for more than 30 years, and we promised to have a get together dinner.

After 5 minutes of getting settled and checking in at our hotel, finally! ...the meeting :)).

Our Traditional Pumpkin Carving Session

Contributed by Vickie Tyson

Every fall around the fourth week of October my family and I like to indulge in a little pumpkin carving. We line the pumpkins up around the table and set everyone up with a carving knife, a bowl for the seeds and a permanent marker for decoration. Before we start I always turn on the satellite TV from http://www.directstartv.com and pick a great Halloween movie to watch. This usually spices up the mood and gets everybody motivated. After the pumpkins are carved we take all of the seeds to the sink to rinse of and then place them in the oven to be baked and eaten!!! While the seeds are cooking all of us go out to the yard and pick a spot to place our pumpkins. My spot is always on the front deck on the very last step. My children love to place theirs side by side down by the mail box for all the passing cars to see. This is my all-time favorite activity to partake in with my family. Its fun, messy and a great family activity to do together.

How To Choose a Smooth Sailing Cruise

Did you know that there are more than 160 ships in the fleets of the 24 major cruise lines from Alaska to Zanzibar? So, be sure to evaluate your options which one most suits your style by checking on the following guidelines:

Decide on where will be your destination first, the ship the second. Next would be to look at the specifics; - With Alaskan cruises for example, they tend to follow two routes. Inside Passage itineraries run round-trip from Seattle or Vancouver and call in southern Alaskan ports like Juneau and Skagway; Gulf of Alaska itineraries, which sail farther north, are typically one-way trips from Vancouver to Whittier or Seward, or the reverse.

Decide when to go. Shoulder seasons can offer more bargains and maybe more appealing than the high season.

Select the cruise line and fellow passengers that best match your personality. It will make or break your experience. Take not of cruise lines that have dress codes and assigned seating times for meals, kid-friendly, etc...

Consider the cost. Don't simply look at the slate room's daily rate and multiply by the number of nights you'll be at sea. Remember to factor in airfare to and from originating ports, the costs of incidentals like alcohol (unless the ship is all-inclusive) and shore excursions.

Many cruise lines give discounts for booking in advance.

The size of the ship matters, because it dictates the itinerary. Smaller ships clock at smaller ports and offer more personalized experience. The downside is that entertainment and dining options are often more limited.

If you are in Alaskan or Mediterranean cruises, be sure to choose a room where you can see the views.

Arrive early - and stay on after your cruise. It's wise to arrive at your starting port at least a day before your schedule to set sail.

Before you board, don't waste time waiting in line after you're pulled out of port. Be sure to plan your onboard activities early.

Secrets of The Poe House

No one lives in the Poe house. It is simply too small and obvious that there is no space for someone to live on the premises. it is owned and operated by the City of Baltimore.

There's no truth that Poe's grave is in the basement of the house. Poe is buried in the Westminster Graveyard at Fayette and Greene Streets, approximately 9 blocks east of Poe's house.

Walls on the Poe's house are stressed and has moisture damage which is very difficult to prevent and repair.

The Poe house doesn't have a climate control because there is no place to install it. A window air conditioning is the best option.
If you enter the house, you'll notice that "old" house smell and with the age comes the tell tale odor which only an old house has. Even with limited air conditioning, this odor will appear and then vanish. It is usually more noticeable after it has been raining.

The basement is not allowed for accessibility because of its limited space. The ceilings are low and there are pipes running through the walls making it difficult and hazardous to navigate the basement. Three thrash pits were discovered during the 1979 renovations.

You will notice that there are no toilets in the house because people used chamber pots or detached privies in the back of the house way back then.

Driving Directions to the Poe Grave From the Poe House:
If you're parked on Amity Street, turn left onto Lexington Street, then make an immediate right onto Poppleton Street. Go 2 blocks and turn left onto Baltimore Street.

Go to the 3rd traffic light and turn left onto Paca Street and stay in the left lane.

Turn left onto Fayette Street. The Poe grave will be on your left at the end of the block at greene Street. Look for a parking space.

The Poe House & Museum

The house was built around 1830. A few short blocks south of the Poe house was the new Baltimore and Ohio train station which was also opened in 1830 and now houses the Baltimore and Ohio Train Museum.

In 1930, the homes in the area were razed for the construction of the Poe Homes, a public housing project. The house was scheduled for demolition but public vigilance and the members of the Edgar Allan Poe Society forced the Housing Authority to spare the site. An exhaustive search of city registers, deeds and maps proved that Poe in fact did live in the house. And in 1949, it opened as a historic house museum managed by the Poe Society.

In 1979, the City of Baltimore took control of the museum and restored the building spending nearly $100,000 to preserve the site. It is now currently operated under the Commission for Historical & Architectural Preservation, a division of the Baltimore City Department of Planning.