Sunday 27 December 2009
Thursday 24 December 2009
October Offers Sanibel Travelers Best of Festivals and Feasts
The following offer several other compelling reasons to visit the Island in October:
Stone Crab Season
On October 15, Stone Crab season begins.
Select restaurants celebrate the opening of stone crab season with specials throughout Lee County. Succulent native stone crab claws, one of Southwest Florida's tastiest delicacies, are that much more precious because they're available only seven months out of the year. They are usually served chilled with tangy mustard sauce, or sometimes warm with drawn butter.
The 24th Annual Oktoberfest takes place on the week-ends of October 16-18 and October 23-25. Celebrate German food, music, dancing and culture at Lee County's largest annual Oktoberfest. Highlights include authentic live entertainment from local music groups plus one direct from Germany, along with plenty of German food and beer.
4th Annual Calusa Blueway Paddling Festival
Oct. 23 - Nov. 1
Paddlers, competitors, families and outdoor enthusiasts from around the country are expected to attend the one-of-a-kind eco-event. Ten days of festivities will include canoe/kayak races, a kayak fishing tournament, paddling clinics and demonstrations, seminars, family activities, archaeological and environmental events, guided tours, speakers and more celebrations along the Calusa Blueway paddling trail.
If you have not as yet planned your trip to Sanibel for October, air fares are down and there are some great vacation rental condos and homes available and often discounted. Where do you think you can have a better time than Sanibel Island?
Looking for a place to stay on Sanibel while you enjoy the festivities? Please visit my website: http://sanibel-rentals.net
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sylvia_Guarino
Wednesday 23 December 2009
Monday 21 December 2009
Sunday 20 December 2009
Saturday 19 December 2009
Thursday 17 December 2009
Wednesday 16 December 2009
Tuesday 15 December 2009
Visiting Craft Festivals
Craft festivals may be specialized, or offer a range of products. Most craft festivals also offer a variety of foods, drinks, artwork, gifts, collectibles and sometimes even entertainment. Specialized festivals cover subjects such as regions, history, holidays and other categories.
What to Bring
When planning for an outdoor craft festival it is a good idea to pack a few items even if you don't plan on needing them. Items to bring include lightweight collapsible chairs, layered clothes, sunglasses, sun block, sunglasses, hats, water, ice, snacks and a camera. Weather can change suddenly, so having a variety of clothing can save the day if unexpected weather affects an outdoor event.
What to Expect
When attending a craft festival for the first time, it is advisable to read about past events, check reviews of festivals or locate first hand accounts of other people's experiences. Some festival enthusiasts will have a network of friends that can share information.
How to Choose the Best Festivals
Craft enthusiasts can find out about the top festivals in their area by visiting hobby websites, news portals, regional blogs or niche websites. Other sources of festival information include newspapers, specialty shops, clubs, newsletters, online searches and word of mouth recommendations. Social media can be an excellent source of information. In addition to a website, most mid-sized to large festivals now have a presence on one or several social media sites. These can include Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media sites.
Festival Shopping
Craft festivals offer plenty of some shopping opportunities. Most events will have a large selection of crafters and other vendors. Some festivals will have items that are appropriate for any time of year while others may focus on seasonal crafts. Holiday-related crafts are extremely popular at shows. These specialty crafts include items for Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukah, Kwanza, Christmas and other celebrations.
For nautical crafts, art, news, blogs, events, festival information and more, visit Nautical Art.
For Virginia festival information visit Virginia Festivals.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J.C._Banks
Thursday 10 December 2009
Wednesday 9 December 2009
Tuesday 8 December 2009
Big City Sounds With A Caribbean Twist At The Aruba Music Festival
Big City Sounds With A Caribbean Twist At The Aruba Music Festival
Author: Justin BurchAs an island known for its vibrant tropical energy and diverse entertainment options, Aruba is one of the best destinations in the Caribbean to experience live music. The capital city of Oranjestad is known as a hotbed of Caribbean jazz and latin music, as numerous clubs and concert halls host live bands throughout the year. Even outside the main tourist areas of Oranjestad, live music can be heard in restaurants and on the beaches. The island is also home to major music festivals, the Aruba Soul Beach Music Festival - an annual event held each May that showcases internationally-renowned soul and R&B artists - and the Aruba Music Festival - a two-day festival that welcomes top-selling classic rock groups, up-and-coming superstars and lesser-known regional artists. While events like the Aruba Music Festival are staged throughout the world, few festivals can boast the event's unique combination of big-city entertainment and inviting Caribbean atmosphere.
Though only in its 8th official season, the Aruba Music Festival has already lured an incredible array of top-selling performers. Prior to becoming the Aruba Music Festival, the event was known as the Aruba Jazz and Latin Festival. Developed in the 1980s to showcase the Caribbean region's rich musical tradition, the Aruba Jazz and Latin Festival was expanded and renamed in 2002. Though the Aruba Music Festival was created as a way to present top international touring acts, the festival has remained true to its roots and continues to offer performances by jazz and latin artists from throughout the Caribbean region.
While the lineup for this year's festival has not yet been announced, the event is sure to feature famous classic rock acts, as well as many local, regional and up-and-coming international performers. In recent years, headlining acts at the Aruba Music Festival have included well-known classic rock bands such as Chicago, The Doobie Brothers, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Queen and Crosby Stills and Nash. The festival has also lured several internationally-recognized singer-songwriters such as Lionel Richie, Jackson Browne and contemporary favorite, John Mayer. Before the headliners take the stage each day at the Aruba Music Festival, the side stage heats up with a diverse array of musical styles, most provided by groups specialized in dance-friendly Caribbean genres.
The Aruba Music Festival takes place each year at the state-of-the-art Aruba Entertainment Center. The spacious outdoor venue allows concert-goers to enjoy the cool evening weather in a scenic setting located only five minutes drive from downtown Oranjestad and fifteen minutes drive from the island's Hotel Zone. The Aruba Entertainment Center offers superior acoustics and the open, but intimate design ensures that all concert-goers have excellent views of the main stage. The venue features large general admission and open grass areas that allow concert-goers to stretch out on blankets and enjoy a relaxing, picnic-like experience, while those that prefer reserved seats will find excellent views near the stage. Behind the seating areas, a number of concession stands serve up food and drinks, including local brews and snacks.
As the Aruba Music Festival is staged just before the beginning of the peak tourism season, budget-conscious travelers visiting the island prior to the winter holidays are granted an excellent opportunity to experience the island's vibrant music scene. Tourists visiting Aruba during the fall season will also be assured of excellent weather, as the island falls outside the storm belt that affects many Caribbean islands.
The Aruba Music Festival will take place this year on the weekend of October 9-10. After this year's schedule of headlining acts is developed, updates about the festival can be found on Aruba's official tourism website (http://www.aruba.com). As the schedule will appear prominently in local travel publications, travelers can also contact their resort for more details about the festival.
Justin Burch writes articles about travel in Aruba for the Marriott Resorts.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Big City Sounds With A Caribbean Twist At The Aruba Music Festival
Monday 7 December 2009
Stock up on Festive food
Stock up on Festive food
Author: Phil Adams-WrightChristmas is a time for spending some quality time with our families and when you have a large family gathering then you can guarantee that a lot of food will be eaten. Even if you don’t have a large family group around for Christmas dinner itself there’s a good chance that you’ll be having family gatherings and parties all through the festive period and need some festive food to eat at some point.
The obvious food items we have at the dinner table over Christmas are the roast turkey, depending on the size of your family will determine how big your turkey needs to be. Turkeys are measured in kilograms usually and can be bought as whole or just turkey breast. It is probably better to get a bigger turkey than needed rather than a smaller one as you can always have turkey sandwiches the day after and there’s always one person who wants seconds.
Some households choose to make more than just turkey and have a second or even a third meat at the dinner table. A joint of ham or beef can be cooked alongside the turkey for those who maybe aren’t too keen on the dry turkey meat.
Another food item that gets associated with Christmas is what goes with the turkey, roast potatoes. The perfect roast potato can be tough to achieve but many people have followed the trend set by numerous celebrity chefs of cooking them in goose fat. Goose fat is a scarce commodity around this time of year so it’s a good idea to stock up now if you want to get the ultimate roast potatoes.
Christmas is also associated with Christmas pudding for obvious reasons, many people choose to buy premade puddings from a supermarket but some families may opt for a homemade Christmas pudding complete with brandy cream or choosing to indulge in the tradition of pouring brandy on and lighting it for a fun centrepiece to the table, just be careful to not spill the burning brandy!
There are many other foods for after dinner or even just as snacks when friends and families come round such as cakes and savoury snack and dips. One popular finale to family meals is a cheese board with a range of different cheeses, giving your guests a chance to have some of their favourites but also try out new varieties. Coffee is a regular drink families have around the dinner table, perfect for a relaxing drink after the dinner has been eaten and the children have gone back to playing with their toys.
Make sure you have a great Christmas period with your family and consider the fair trade foods you could buy as a part of your celebrations such as fair trade chocolate and fair trade coffee and tea.
About the Author:Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Stock up on Festive food
Sunday 6 December 2009
Festivals Of Barcelona Another Amazing Thing From This City
Festivals Of Barcelona Another Amazing Thing From This City
Author: Gaizka PujanaBarcelona is a city that seems to have everything a tourist could want. Great weather, a compact city that is easy to get around, full of art, culture and entertainment venues, great food and friendly locals. Of course, the proximity of Barceloneta beach to the city centre means that tourists can enjoy a day in the city sightseeing and finish up the day on the soft sand with an icy glass of Sangria. What more could you want for a great fun filled holiday?
If you've been to Barcelona before and want to see another side of the local culture, or if you are looking for a party or event to spice up your holiday, you may want to look at the possibility of visiting Barcelona when the city is celebrating one of its famous festivals.
There are many festivals during the year in Barcelona because not only do Barcelonians get to celebrate the national holidays that the rest of Spain celebrates, there are also many festivals that Catalans celebrate as well. Add to that local neighbourhood festivities and what you've got is a city that never seems to stop partying! This means that tourists can rest assured, that nearly any time of year, something or someone will be being celebrated while they are there!
Sant Juan is a popular fun- filled festival dedicated to Saint John. The origins of this celebration date back to Pagan times where people celebrated the summer solstice by feasting and drinking and dancing around huge bonfires, said to ward off evil spirits.
The theme of fire has carried through to the modern version of this festival, in the form of fuegos artificiales, better know as fireworks! As well as council sponsored fireworks shows, the local kids get to enjoy setting off loud cracking fireworks in local squares and plazas in the weeks leading up to the festival.
On the day itself (usually the 23rd June), people gather in the streets to dance and celebrate. You wont have to go far to join in the fun as many communities sponsor a free live music concert in their neighbourhood, but if you want to head to the real action of the festival, head to the beach where you can join in on one of the all night dance parties, complete with dancing and music until dawn, and lots of fireworks!
The Gracia street festival, held in mid August is another exciting celebration you can enjoy in Barcelona. The festival is a community event where the residents of the streets get together to decorate their street in a theme of their choice. A committee is formed to ensure the project is designed and completed in time for the grand opening. This is serious business! Each street is competing for the title of the Best Street of the festival, and planning for the next festival often begins the very week after the festival ends!
Thousands of brightly coloured plastic bottles and other found objects are used to splash the streets with colour. Giant paper mache figures guard the entry and exit to the streets and coloured lights are everywhere. The festival runs for a week where a panel of judges decide which street is the best.
Of course, like all street festivals in Catalonia, beer on tap will be available on just about every street corner, to get the party going. Bands will be set up in each decorated street to encourage passers by to come inside, admire the hard work and creativity of the residents and have some fun at the same time.
The Festival La Merce is another exciting event that brings celebration to the streets of Barcelona in late September for five days between the 19th and 24th. Celebrating the patron saint of the city, street parades, fire parades and giant paper mache figures will take to the city streets. Free concerts will be on every street corner to entertain the crowd.
These are just some of the many exciting events that give Barcelona the well-earned reputation of being one of the party capitals in Europe. So what are you waiting for? Just make sure your book your accommodation in Barcelona on time, to avoid disappointment!
Get Ready Rentals.
Barcelona apartment rental
Barcelona vakantie
Barcelona rentals
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Festivals Of Barcelona Another Amazing Thing From This City
Saturday 5 December 2009
Litang August 1st International Horse Race Festival in Sichuan
Litang August 1st International Horse Race Festival in Sichuan
Author: Easy Tour ChinaTime: August 1 every year
Venue: Litang County of the Garze Tibetan Automomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province
Origin: In the areas where the Tibetan people live in a compact community, the local people used to pay homage to the mountain god on the third day of the sixth month by the Tibetan calendar. During the festival, the Chamqiangchun Kor Monastery holds various activities according to the time-honored customs. Sometimes the festival lasted 10 days when horse races were held, and the local Tibetan people worshipped the mountain god and celebrated the bumper harvest. In 1964, the Litang County People's Government made a decision that the traditional festival hundred years be celebrated on August 1 to reflect the close relations between the army and the people, hence the name the August 1st International Horse Race Festival. Now this festival includes a wide variety of large-scale celebrations.
What's On: During the festival, various activities are held, such as the horsemanship competition, moving round the sacred mountain, the Litang fashion show, performances of songs and dances, etc. Tourists can also appreciate Tibet Opera, gzhas dance, sgor-bro dance, folk songs, and various activities peculiar to the Tibetan people, such as carrying water, and preparing glutinous rice cakes and buttered t
ea. It is the best time to see the unique tibentan cultures in Sichuan and best time to taste more things unique like their speical food and drink, their features... Alll are showing on the horse racing festival, the most important and popular events on the grass land in Sichuan.
Main Tourist Attractions: Garkung Mountain Scenic Area, Conch Ravine Scenic Area, Mogai Co Scenic Area, Tarkung Monastery, Litang Monastery and Tarkung Grassland.
Transport: Tourist may fly to Chengdu first, and then go to the destination by train.
About the Author:More facts and tours about Sichuan China, http://www.chinafacttours.com/tours/sichuan/
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Litang August 1st International Horse Race Festival in Sichuan
Friday 4 December 2009
Festival Survival Guide
So if you are planning to spend time at a festival this year spend time to think of the few essentials for surviving at an open air concert. There is a product available that you can get called a festival survival kit and I can recommend one as well as thinking about having these as well. The first thing you must realize is you are going to be in the hands of the promoters and they will want you to spend money on everything from water to toilet roll.
Try to find out what is going to allowed on the site to start with many festivals have camp sites organized so make sure that you get your festival kit together. A tent for two people are both light weight and easy available try to find one that is easy to put up as you may arrive at the site in a typical British summer day to have torrential rain.
Bring water, bring toilet rolls bring black plastic bags as these can not only be used for the mess that will be made from drinking etc but can be worn in a rain storm to keep you relatively dry even though you may feel silly but it's better to be silly than wet. If you are taking transport i.e. cars then make sure you keep all your valuables within the car and out of site while you're off watching the concert.
Consider carefully where to put your tent as you should want it on an incline but not at the bottom as this will help if there is surface water. You also need to consider your escape plan at the end of a festival there is a massive queue to get out try to be where you can get out easily even if this means driving round for a bit to find a good location.
Make sure you pack suitable clothes as often once you are in the arena area access in and out can be restricted. Be careful what you eat as the best whole food is more likely to stay stable in your system some burger stalls are not exactly the healthiest choice and you don't want your festival experience to be ruined by a dose of food poisoning.
Bringing as much water as you can as this is always something that you will run out of during the day remember on a sunny day you may need a lot more than the six recommended glasses a day to keep yourself hydrated. Check on your hydration level by examining your pee as the lighter the color the more hydrated you are.
Keep your skin protected bring a good sunscreen and use it regularly during the day as you can get quite badly burned if you fall asleep in the sunshine. Try also to remember to bring something comfortable to sit on as the grass if dried out can be hard and uncomfortable.
Try not to drink too much alcohol as this cannot just spoil your day but everyone else's be sensible with your rubbish and think of other people while you're at the festival . Always think ahead and remember that if you are single and get lucky at a festival bring the correct hygiene and contraceptive devices to let you have and enjoyable festival experience.
© 2008 Andy Bolton 40 Liverpool,
hot Air Balloons
Legally-confused.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_Bolton
Thursday 3 December 2009
Kumbh Mela Hindu Festivals
Celebration of Kumbh Mela
This festival is celebrated every after four years period on rotation basis at four places. The famous four places of Kumb Mela in India are Allahabad (Prayag), Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik. Hence, a particular place gets a chance of celebrating the Kumb Mela after a period of 12 years. Ardh Kumbh Mela is celebrated every after six years in Allahabad and Haridwar. Around 4 million devotees take part in the celebrations of Kumb Mela every time.
Kumbh Mela is celebrated Jupiter Planet (Brihaspati) moves into Aquarius or Kumbh (zodiac sign). Celebration dated of Kumbh Festival are pre-decided according to the position of planets and zodiac signs. Purna Kumbh Mela is celebrated in a period of 12 years when Jupiter and Sun enters into Leo and Aries.
Rituals of Kumbh Mela
One of the main rituals of this festival is the holy bath on the banks of rivers, Ganga and Yamuna in Allahabad, Kshipra in Ujjain and Godavari in Nashik. Apart from taking holy bath various other activities are conducted like singing of devotional songs, bhajans, mass feeding of devotees, religious assemblies and discussions and offering prayers in various temples.
A large number of Sadhus and saints from various parts of India visit these holy sites during this holy festival. One can see these Sadhus dabbed with ash and Chandan (sandalwood powder) on their bodies. There are some Sadhus, who are known as 'Naga Sadhus' of ' Digambars' , who roam naked without wearing clothes.
History of Kumbh Mela
According to a famous legend, in the Vedic period thousands and years ago, an agreement was made between Gods and demons for working together to obtain immortal nectar (amrit) from milky ocean and to share it in equal proportion. But as soon as the 'Kumbha' pot filled with nectar or immortality appeared, demons ran away carrying the pot. There was big battle between Gods and demons for the possession of the pot for a period of 12 days and nights (considered equivalent to 12 human years). It is believed that in the process of their battle, drops of nectar fell at these four places, Prayag, haridwar, Nashik and Ujjain. These places later became holy and the venue of organising this Mela.
There is also a famous belief among Hindus that the festival sites at Allahabad, Ujjain, Haridwar and Nashik are holy places for spending the last moments of their life. It is believed that taking bath at these holy sites of Kumbh Mela washes away sins of lifetime and it opens the doors for their journey to heaven.
For more information about various pilgrimage and holy places and festivals of India, visit : http://www.pilgrimage-india.com/ and http://www.travel-himalayas.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sanjeev_Verma
Wednesday 2 December 2009
Field Marketing Within the Food and Drink Industry
If you are not that confident about your own level of field marketing capability within the food and drink industry, you should not worry in any way. There are currently several field marketing agencies that are operating to offer and provide the specific type of service that you and your business requires. You could use such to optimize your own opportunity for success. Do you plan to take such a service? Here are the most important factors that you truly should take a closer look at especially when selecting a company that would deliver your success. Take note of each of the following.
Capability and experience in multiples, wholesale, impulse, and cash/carry sectors. This feature would surely enable you to take the opportunity to broaden the range of your own products' influence to the widest possible extent.
Track record in putting up or setting standards through becoming a results-driven group or organization. This could be in terms of sales turnover and market share growth. When doing so, do not miss to look very carefully at your business' current clients as well as their success stories.
Extent on how to utilize full-time sales specialists. Most agencies are using their part-time personnel for this purpose. In general, the service providers should intend to manage your company's brands to comply with agreed upon development strategies so that maximum exposure could be ensured. Thus, sales potentials of your food and drink products would be possibly achieved. This could require full-time attention and focus on the side of the service provider or agency.
The agency should use effective information systems, offline or online. This could ensure that your food and drink business would be kept up to accelerate on rate of sales, effectiveness of marketing/promotional tasks, stock controls, and latest market trends. Thus, this could be a core differentiation factor, especially with the rising availability of Internet systems and the emerging mobile technologies.
Typical services that you should expect from the field marketing service provider for your food and drink business are as follows: assurance that your food and drink goods are consistently stocked across all key stores; monitoring of sales rates, capacity, and shelf space for optimum stock levels; conversion of available warehouse inventories into shelf stocks; monitoring of stores that could carry out agreed upon or target sales promotional programs; presentation of new products and marketing initiatives throughout important regional decision makers; provision of target support for brand activities; and creation and implementation of sales tactics and opportunities for your food and drink brands.
Beverly Manago is a freelance writer focused on the real estate industry. She is also a consultant for My Real Estate Virtual Tour, a web 2.0 marketing tool that lets real estate agents create stunning virtual tours and single property sites easily, with a free version available for listing presentations. She also contributes to the VirtualTour there.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beverly_Manago
Tuesday 1 December 2009
Barcelona Festivals
Despite being a Catholic country by large, Barcelona doesn't really celebrate Easter week as you might expect. Sure, it's a public holiday and all, but nothing compared to the celebrations in the South of Spain with the Virgin processions in Andalusia and around. In fact, the only real procession worth visiting to watch in Barcelona is the Corpus Christi parade, which involves some of the ceremonial giants the city has become famous for.
It's worth bearing in mind that there are some great local festivals within the city in it's diverse and varied neighbourhoods. July and August see the Raval and Gothic Quarter celebrate their local festivals with human castles, open air concerts and parades through the streets with firecrackers and other fun activities. Perhaps the best "local" festival in that of the Gracia neighbourhood - the small town feel and narrow streets of this Barcelona "barrio" lends a unique feel and the streets are dressed and decorated to the maximum and the plaças fill with groups drinking and enjoying the week-long festival till dawn.
Perhaps the first major festival is the Midsummer madness associated with "Sant Joan" or Saint John on the 23rd June. Officially the start of the summer, this is also the shortest night of the year. The 24th June is a public holiday as the locals and tourists enjoy "la berbena" or all-night party on the streets, in the bars and clubs and typically on the beaches of Barceloneta and the Olympic Villages beaches as the revellers watch the sunrise. Also in June is the fantastic Alternative electronic Music festival called Sonar.
In it's 16th year, the International Festival of Advanced Music and Multimedia Art fills the city in the second/third week of June, as university students worldwide, flock for an end-of-exam-beginning-of-the-summer escape and are never disappointed by both the Day and night events. A number of other summer music festivals are a great reason to visit Barcelona, including the recent Primavera Sound and Summercase alternative music festivals as well as Barcelona Summer Week (new to 2009) and the Circuit Gay and Lesbian dance festival in early August, too.
Steering away from music, in July and August, the "Grec" festival delights audiences in the replica Greek amphitheatre up on Montjüic Mountain. Dance, Circus, Mime, real theatre and plays are the order of the day here, with each year having a particular theme at its core - diverse themes such as women, countries such as Italy, etc. This is a great night out if you love open air theatre.
September sees the end of the summer, and the week long festival of "La Merce" - one of Barcelona's patron saint's, Our Lady of Mercy, celebrates her feast day on the 24th September. The whole city unites in a celebration of the city and it's culture and history - similar to that shown on Saint Georges' day (Sant Jordi) in April - Catalonia's patron saint. La Merce has a carnival-type feel to it, with open air concerts, street theatre and dancing, and traditional processions, such as the famed "correfoc" or fire run, where runners plow through the streets of the Gothic quarter with pyrotechnics, fire-breathing dragons and sparklers galore. This is certainly not for the faint hearted, and new UE regulations on the handling of fireworks may have the correfoc's days numbered - so get to Barcelona for La Merce week while you can!
Finally, and simply in chronological order, is the enchantment of the "Reis" - the days surrounding the Epiphany after Christmas. Unlike other countries and cities, whilst still a public holiday, Christmas day is no big deal in Barcelona. The giving of gifts is saved for the arrival of the 3 Kings (true to tradition in the Biblical story). The 3 "reis magos" arrive on a boat to the Barcelona docks and are paraded around the city streets until late evening, throwing out thousands of sweets to the crowded streets of children and their parents. Paper Kings hats, flags and the anticipation of opening presents and gifts fills the January air with a magical and family feel that won't disappoint.
David Brydon has been living in Barcelona for 9 years and writes about Apartments for rent in Barcelona and regularly contributes to this great Barcelona Guide.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Brydon
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