Company Affair

Virginia, they say, is for lovers.  It’s a pretty ideal place to go to get away from it all and enjoy the fantastic natural phenomenon all around you, from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Great Dismal Swamp.  There are some spectacular sights, natural and created attractions, like Foamhenge, a replica of the famous mysterious construction in Ireland, made entirely of foam, but it’s also a great place to go and stay in and cozy up to the one you love.  If this is the kind of adventure you’re looking for in Virgina, luxury hotels are your perfect escape.  We’ve selected some of the finest, and offer many choices of gorgeous places throughout the state, for you to enjoy your time in splendor.

The presence of nature is unavoidable here.  It’s one of the most spectacular place in the world, and it has marvelous things to offer throughout the year.  The seasons turn here in extraordinary ways, and it’s very common for visitors to return, having enjoyed a magnificent fall, and wondering what it’s like in the middle of winter.  It’s a fantastic time for rejuvenating in splendor, whether it’s a romantic getaway, or just for fun.  If you’re out on the town, and looking for some interesting new experimental music with a good dose of performance, keep an eye peeled for Rupert Chappelle.

This yippie works out of Washington, DC, and performs all over, and has been doing an eclectic mix of things for a number of years, most of them have been experiments with music.  From inventing his own internet radio, experimenting with keyboard music and renovating old ataris to turn them into instruments, as well as being an accomplished theramin player, Rupert is an interesting character with an awful lot of talent, and makes for a fun evening.

During the years I lived in Chicago, I owned two different vehicles, a small sized Chevy Geo Tracker, and a full sized Ford Expedition.  I must say that the car you drive through the winter will make a huge difference.  The Tracker was an extremely light vehicle, and the soft top was affected by the winds in just about the same way a boat sail is affected.  This led to some somewhat precarious and scary situations.  I no longer had my repair manual for the track, just the two manuals for my roommates cars, a Pontiac Sunfire repair manual and a Chevrolet Cavalier repair manual.

Both of these manuals suggested adding extra weight to my Tracker so I went and bought about two hundred pounds of rock salt.   I immediately noticed the difference, and I knew I could use the salt in the future if necessary to melt the ice and the snow.  Front wheel drive is better that back wheel drive, and the best case is a four wheel drive, which is what I had for the next winter.  This was a dream come true, as that was the year I got snowed in one night, and I do not think my Tracker would have been able to get out, but now I had a Ford Expedition, repair manual and all.

Aside from being a heavier car and the convenience of the four wheel drive, my Expedition was automatic transmission, and this was one aspect of the two cars that I had no idea would make such a big difference.  The Tracker was a stick shift, and combined with the stopping and starting on busy Chicago streets and the snow and ice, sometimes my wheels would just spin.  The ease of the automatic shifting removed that annoyance and that danger.  I was not very well informed, the Expedition was just a very good deal, and one that I was fortunate to luck into.

Ahhh Boulder, Colorado! The crisp clean air, the mountains looming above, forests, wild life and lots and lots of out door activity, what a place to be. I have always had a great time when visiting Boulder, Colorado and have been coming for some ten years or so now. I have taken trips there for skiing in the winter. The snow is always  perfect the days are sunny and warm and the slopes fantastic and fun. I would have to say that was one of the best ski weekends I have ever spent any where skiing.

Last summer when I was there I stayed in hotels Boulder and did just about every out door activity you can think of. We spent a few days hiking trails in the near by national forests. The cool mountain air, the tall pine trees and lush forest growth, boulders and rocks was so nice to hike in. Walking trails we would come to clearings in the forest and catch some spectacular views. We saw a lot of cool birds, deer and other wild life. Another day we spent fishing and in a canoe. That day was the most relaxing slowly cruising along the stream in our canoe nearly silently we were able to catch a look at a lot of different birds, do some fishing and just enjoy the sounds of the water and the woods.

Every time I go to Boulder I come away relaxed and ready for the world again. The proximity of Boulder to the mountains and the state and national parks and forests there make it a dream destination for anyone looking for some fun out doors. Our next trip to Boulder we will be taking some drives deep into the mountains to explore some of the small towns and villages in the forests and parks there. I know we will be returning to Boulder many more times.

There’s no doubt at all the Amsterdam has to be one of the coolest cities in the world.  It attracts a wide array of travelers from enormously diverse walks of life, and there really is something here for everyone, and in a plentiful supply.  It is one of the more cosmopolitan cities in the world, having been a port town for many generations.  There is a fantastic sense of hospitality here, as evidenced by the host of five-star Amsterdam hotels.  We’ve carefully selected some of the best, to save you the guesswork for finding a place that is at the height of exquisite style.  You’ll love the way you’re treated here, waking up to gorgeous decor, and experiencing a sense of lightness that is enormously refreshing.

The city itself is one of the most interesting, and interestingly sensible, cities on the planet.  The design of everyday things here is simply charming, and this goes for the art objects in the window, to the way the public transportation works.  It has an aura that is hard to describe, always shifting, but absolutely magnetic, attracting a dedicated core of citizens who come to add to the vibrant fabric of Amsterdam.  This is one of the few cities in the world where a graphic design unit could receive renown from the international art world.  So it is, and Experimental Jetset is a stunning collaborative effort of three of the Netherland’s coolest and most interesting designers, Marieke Stolk, Erwin Brinkers, and Danny van den Dungen.

They do amazing work, and the level of critical awareness and cultural critique behind it gives a tremendous force.  With a wide range of interests, like Caetano Veloso -inspired Tropicalia, vegetarian food, and dialectical materialism, there is a sense of serious fun here.  They’ve presented their installation work all over the world, and their designs are featured in public art in all the big cities.  They’ve presented at such prestigious places as Minneapolis’ Walker Art Center, and in New York MoMA’s permanent collection.  It’s worth looking for while you’re here.

In many areas around the world where the wind is constantly blowing, and in cities that are situated on the coast…sports involving sails and surfboards are extremely popular.  This is true for the city of Cape Town.  Five star hotels will know the best beaches for you to go to try out your talents in the newly growing sport of kite boarding.  This is happening up and down the South African coast line, and one of the best places to go to do this is just north of Cape Town in a small beach town called Langebaan.

There are many schools located in this town as well as in the larger city of Cape Town, for those who are just begin to enjoy the sport.  The winds here are perfect and the waves are strong, which offer the best of what is so fun about this new sport.  Every day in the summer the roads are lined with cars and the beaches are filled with people practicing their skills.  This a sport that is quite similar to windsurfing.  You strap your feet to the board and and fly your kite–and go gliding across the waves.

Most of the locals tend to go to the beaches in Bloubergstrand.  The vibe here is much like the vibes along the coast of Malibu Beach in Southern, California. While it is not for locals only, it is best to head here when you have had plenty of time in the water and on your board.  The more experience the better.  The beach here is more and more being referred to as Kite Beach.  And again, as in any other surf towns throughout the world, entire social communities are being created surrounding the sport.

All levels of boarders tend to continually take one on one classes in order to be consistently improving their techniques and their abilities.  There are a considerable number of kite board beaches off the coast of other South African cities such as Port Elizabeth and Durban, but hands down, it you will be traveling during the summer months with the intention of practicing this sport, Cape Town is the place to be.

When you have the ability to come home from a long day’s work, and unwind in your own personal spa, you’ll see the rewards right away, and wonder why it took you so long to make the decision to make room in your living space for this wonderful feature.  A hot tub can add charm and mystique to your days and nights, and it never gets old.  There’s no doubt that the human body loves water, loves to be near it, and loves to soak in it.  Since we’re made of mostly water, the cells respond to it very favorably.  You might never notice all these things going on at the molecular level, and only realize that hot tubs are simply amazing.

It’s a gorgeous feeling when the stress of the day starts to disappear, and your muscles start to relax and respond to the hot water and the jets.  It’s something you can do all by yourself, a solitary treat and retreat away from it all, or it can be a way of inviting more people into your life, and turning it into a party.  With some of the ambient lighting features, you can add a dash of remarkable style and flair to any party, or you could even use the lighting all by yourself.  Relaxing in a spa is a way of reminding yourself that you have arrived, at least for the moment, and being in the moment is all that matters.

There have been some scientific studies of late that suggest that our reflex for fight-or-flight is overdeveloped, especially for the contemporary age.  It is an old survival mechanism that was extremely useful for when life was much more difficult, with threats like wild tigers at every turn, and the lifespan was shorter.  As our lives got longer, and threats of immediate harm became less frequent, the reflex didn’t change.  As a result, we have a tendency to overreact to simple everyday stimuli with the old reflex, which comes out when we’re not necessarily conscious of it.  One of the most effective ways to deal with any pressure is to be in the moment fully, which allows us to respond with clarity and good judgement.  Spending some time every day soaking in a hot tub is a fantastic way to develop the capacity to be fully in the moment, fully present in the physical body, which is a practice that helps to calm this old reflex and start building healthier responses to the events that we come across during our days, whether the tigers are paper or real.

TransGlobe Property Management has been serving Canada, providing properties for businesses and residences for over 15 years.  These years reflect a dedication to what we do and who we are. We offer thousands of properties to meet any of your needs.  Our database is very user-friendly, helping you to find the exact fit for your needs.  We don’t see our properties as simply utilitarian live and work spaces, but as spaces that have style all on their own.  Our goals include continually improving, which means we are always learning.  Our representatives love the neighborhoods as well as the people we serve, to that we can take a part in their growth.

Watching neighborhood grow and thrive can be a very exciting process if you are invested in the place you live.  We are deeply invested in the neighborhoods, always looking for opportunities to  take an active part in the life of the community.  We are right where you are, and our representatives have a solid knowledge of the neighborhoods, and are always looking for ways to make life better.  This means that TransGlobe is truly here for you, and we always take time to listen to any problems that might arise while you’re renting from us.

We are committed to what we do, and our team is here to share the vision of this excellence in customer service, helping us to continue our work in Canada’s blossoming communities.  Seeing good things grow and evolve is a tremendous pleasure to us, and we like to take part in the process.  A neighborhood is never simply a place to live, but has a personality that changes over time.  The history of Canada’s neighborhoods demonstrates a connection to the civic life of our citizens, and is part of the fabric of this nation.  We are all doing our parts to make the daily life more pleasant, because change is always certain, but with conscious intentions, we can all help to shape the change to make a future we can believe in.

Discover Baltimore…it’s a city with excitement and adventure at every turn.  The vibrancy is tempered with a laid-back vibe, which is not so true in many of the major cities of the United States.  The city has been in the process of redevelopment of the many neighborhoods, adding new attractions, restaurants and bars and Baltimore luxury hotels.  One of those neighborhoods is Little Italy.  There are a variety of family owned restaurants and this is the perfect place for those looking for traditional favorites such as lasagna or spaghetti and meatballs.

There are also quite a few upscale and innovative restaurants in the neighborhood as well.  Many of those living in Little Italy have done so for their entire lives, and throughout many generations.  There is charm and history and it is evident as you stroll through the streets that lead to the Inner Harbor.  During the summer nights, the Little Italy Film Festival takes place…out side, with the films being projected onto the walls of the buildings.

The Westside of Baltimore is also undergoing many projects of renovation and restoration.  This was once the business district of Baltimore and is a neighborhood filled with many African-American families.  The cultural history in this area is rich, with music and art.  Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole and Cab Calloway once played nightly in the local halls and bars.  Now, when one wishes to visit Baltimore and take in a play or a Broadway musical, this is the area to come to.

The France Merrick Performing Arts Center features a wonderful venue, the Hippodrome Theater.  Other aspects of this neighborhood can be found just wandering the streets, whether it’s to the Westminster Hall Cemetery where Edgar Allen Poe is buried, or to the Lexington Market, which is the oldest and the longest running farmers market in the country.  For those interested in museums, and in trains, the Baltimore-Ohio Railroad Museum is located here in the Westside neighborhood as well.  Little Italy and Westside are just two of the many neighborhoods in Baltimore, and two that are steeped in history and culture.

Melbourne has many splendid things to offer travelers of all ages.  There is a gorgeous blend of the old and the new here.  The Aboriginal cultures have been here for thousands of years, and their influence is everywhere, whether visible or not.  The European traditions still speak of a high regard for graciousness and chivalry, and there is also a tremendously contemporary attitude that runs through the cultural life of the city.  There is a splendid metropolitan feel here, and easy access to natural areas of great beauty.  There are so many things to recommend Melbourne, and it’s certainly a lovely place for a hotel.  Melbourne, Australia can offer a splendid time for the business traveler as well as the tourist.

Our hotels offer a spectacular level of hospitality, and it’s almost an art form here.  You’ll feel entirely welcome, and soon find yourself relaxing in the heart of splendor, enjoying the spacious and sumptuously furnished lodgings.  After a few winks, you might enjoy a work out in state of the art facilities, or a delicious meal served by top chefs who are trained in classical and contemporary cooking.  Then it’s off to see the city, and there are marvelous adventures in store for you.  Melbourne has been at the cutting edges of culture in the world for a few decades now, and has some interesting histories that are still unfolding.

In the music scene, everything has happened here, and sometimes first, and sometimes twice.  It’s been a very lively place in the international music scene, and its contributions are consistently underrated.  But not when you’re here, and you’ll realize how lively it actually is.  When hiphop first started making its way toward a second wave in the 1980s, and made its major contributions to the canons of world music, it was also big in Melbourne.  It faded away in the 1990s as far as the record companies were concerned, but has actually been extremely lively, and in the past ten years, has undergone some major evolutions.  Melbourne hiphop is now a form all its own, with roots in African-American culture that are very profound, but also touching ground in the U.K. reggae scene, and has been adding some local twists to make it something worth looking for while you’re here.

I ended up in New York one summer cause my father was not doing well. I was raised there, about 100 miles north of New york city, but I had been living in the south west United States for the past 25 years. There was a lot of planning involved to pull this off but I really felt it needed to be done. I resigned from my job and wrapped things up at home. Fortunately I had a friend that was needed a place to stay and was able to rent my condo while I was going to be gone.

All in all everything came along well with the preparation and I had several friends that were insistent they were going to make their way to New York state to see me while I was there.

I got to New York in the spring that year and got into the routine of my fathers life helping him out. Being back in the New York city area I kept wanting to get into the city see museums, take in a Broadway play, shop and spend some time in Manhattan. I had not spent any time in Manhattan in 20 plus years.

Well I finally got a call from a friend that was seriously coming to NY to see me. She decided she would take the train across the country, since she had never been across the country before. She said she really wanted to be able to go to New York city and see a Broadway play and there it was my opportunity and motivation to get a day in New York city. I got on the net to New York Broadway tickets and got us seats for a performance of Wicked. My friend said she really wanted to see Wicked. Fortunately we were able to get the tickets easily and were very excited to be going.

My friend arrived by train and said she really enjoyed the trip across the country and after all was said and done she said that the day we spent in New York city was the best of the trip.

When we think of blinds our minds instantly go to all of the many different varieties of blinds currently available to us: horizontal and vertical, plastic and wood, mini and large.  We also think of the many different companies that make blinds, such as Next Day Blinds.  Since they opened their doors in 1994, Next Day Blind issues have been minimal because of the wide variety of blinds, shades, and shutters that they offer as well as their excellent customer service.

From the beginning Next Day Blinds has made the safety and quality of their product the very top priority.  In 1996 reports came out that many companies had used a lead based formula in their vinyl and metal mini blinds. Although lead is an element that is found naturally in the environment, long-term exposure can lead to many health problems such as anemia, kidney damage, brain damage, and nervous system damage.  Next Day Blinds, however, openly stated that their blinds were safe due to their lead-free formula. In 1998, Next Day Blinds began to manufacture their own line of products as well as sell many nationally known brands.  They also began to further emphasize the importance of custom sizing and construction of all window treatments.  With 34 locations throughout the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, Next Day Blinds continues to expand.  In 2008 they received Angie’s List Super Service Award for outstanding customer service without any negative reports as well as the 2009 Better Business Torch Award for Marketplace Excellence.

Throughout the past 15 years Next Day Blinds has strived for excellence both with the quality of their product and their customer service. They provide custom made products at an affordable price and they do it with a smile.  By continuing on this path, we can only foresee the next 15 years being as successful.

Years ago, it was customary for myself and few friends to frequent a small fishing town, San Felipe, on the Baja Strip of Mexico.  This was a relatively long trip from Phoenix, Arizona…about 8 or 9 hours in all, most of that time spent driving on a deserted high way through a deserted section of the Mexico desert. We were always prepared for minor break downs, bringing along our small engine repair manuals, flashlights, spare hoses and belts and of course, spare tires.  This was a caravan of friends, each driving in cars and jeeps, and one friend on his ,motor cycle.  Manuals on how to fix things in the middle of nowhere were a necessary item on all of our camping supply lists.

All of the trips had their own stories, and one of those stories happened on the 4th of July.  We were camping on a relatively quiet section of the beach, whereas usually we camped on the main beach.  It was a bit nerve wracking to sleep in tents, while all terrain vehicles were flying by, driven by people who had been ‘celebrating’ a bit too much.  So my boyfriend and I, not finding sleep decided to walk down the the beach.  We came upon a few locals, who had tied a rope to the rear axle of their older model Ford pick-truck.  They were intending to sit there all night, holding the truck from falling down the sand dune, onto the beach and into the Sea of Cortez. They had no cell phone and consequently had no way to get a hold of a tow truck.

One of the men had borrowed the truck from the another, and drove it with a broken front axle onto the sand dune.  We spoke enough Spanish to figure this out.  Lacking the necessary knowledge on do it yourself auto repair, we offered one of the men a ride to town so that his neighbor could come and tow the truck back home.  Our reward, fresh seafood.  We brought it back to the campsite, and had a feast as the tow truck driver pulled the Ford to safety.  That was one of the most memorable trips we ever took, South of the border but right where we should have been.

Singapore is one of the more cosmopolitan places on the planet, and these days is enjoying a kind of rebirth in its reputation among world travelers. It has just about everything a tourist could want, a gorgeous urban landscape and beautiful views of the water. There is also excellent shopping, as it is one of the hippest fashion corners of the world, with its fingers on the pulse of what’s happening right now. It consistently ranks high among the world’s most livable places, with an economy that’s doing very well. There is an excellent cultural scene here, with visual and performing arts that reflect the diverse populations who live here. The same populations also contribute to its restaurant culture, and when it comes to sushi, Singapore has plenty of delightful offerings.

There are so many Japanese restaurants here that some call it Little Tokyo. Located on the grounds of what was once the Machester United Boutique, is a gem of ours called Akashi, and here the sushi is fantastic, and the entire meal is a splendid experience in dining, enjoying the social elements of food as much as the exquisite tastes. It’s a perfect evening, and a wonderful way to follow it would be to spend a little time enjoying the local club scene. You might run across DJ Formica, currently one of the hottest spinners in town. His musical stylings will keep you dancing well past midnight, soaking in the social scene here in Singapore.

His forte is hardstyle, an electronic dance music that has very pronounced basslines, and often a melodic line that occurs somewhere in the middle of the song. It’s very infectious, like most dance music, and DJ Formica’s take on it is fairly brilliant, combining the latest in techno and trance, and adding touches of rhythm influenced by his interests in Buddhist philosophy. The result is a night that is outstanding, and might have you up past the dawn, and revealing many shades of Singapore.

So, I woke up in my room in one of the best Ibiza Spain hotels and I had this overwhelming since of loss and a tremendous amount of worry. I has lost my wallet. I at least still had my passport, and I had already paid for my plane tickets out of Spain. Plus, I had paid for my hotel in Madrid the night before I flew out. But, on the flip side, I lost my drivers license, my credit cards and all the other stuff I had in my wallet. While I was packing, this married couple, which I’ve made fast friends with, came by to say goodbye. They were on their way to the airport and were laughing about how I lost my things on the beach, I told them ‘stolen’ on the beach, a big difference.

Matt, my traveling companion, were due to leave the next day, but we decided to stay in Ibiza until I had to go to Madrid, so that I might just possibly get some money transferred to me. I have never realized just how unhelpful banks really are when you need them the most. In the end, I was told there was nothing they (my bank) could do for me. I’m so thankful that Matt was with me, I’d be lost if I was travelling alone. He turned out to be a wonderful friend and he took good care of me in my time of need.

I ended up doing a wire transfer from my account to his to pay him back. The one amazing thing about this whole ordeal, was I ended up getting everything from my wallet back, which is nothing short of a miracle. The day after my wallet was stolen, I got a call from the front desk of my hotel. I went down there, and a security guard from the club with which I partied the night before had found all the stuff from inside my wallet in a garbage can! Can you believe my luck? Of course, all the money was gone, but everything else was intact.

I’m not sure if I’ll ever make it back to Ibiza, but while I was there, besides losing my wallet, I had the best fun clubbing and hitting the beaches. I do recommend keeping your pants in sight at all times though.