Chocolate Rave

Is it fair to call the city of Mannheim, Germany, a city of invention? Certainly, important inventions were made here, such as the first two-wheeled draisine in 1817 (a draisine is a light auxiliary rail vehicle, intended to transport crew and material needed to maintain a railway’s infrastructure). The draisine was built by Karl Drais. Mannheim is also the place where Karl Benz invented a three-wheeled vehicle in 1886, a vehicle that ran on a single cylinder of a petrol/gas engine, largely recognized today as the first automobile or motor car. If Mannheim is a city of invention, it’s also a city of art and theater, with its roots extending as far back as 1779, the date of origin of the oldest local theater in Germany.

The present day National Theatre Mannheim dates from 1957, operating as both a theater and opera company. The original National Theater, though, opened 231 years ago at the suggestion of Elector Palatine Carl Theodor.

Over the last three hundred years, Mannheim was at the center of original theater and new artistic styles developed in theater as well as dance and music. It was at the National Theater that Friedrich Schiller’s drama, The Robbers, was first performed in 1782. Today, the theater consists of three main venues, an Opera House, with 1,200 seats that’s used most often for operas, operettas and ballets.

There is also the Schauspielhaus, containing 800 seats, that’s utilized for smaller presentations, such as theater and chamber music. The third venue is the Schnawwl, a space designed for youth and children’s theater. Both the Opera House and Schauspielhaus are located under the same roof, sharing the same lobby.

If possible, travelers should time their visits to Mannheim and its hotels with theater festivals in mind. Since 1979, Mannheim has been the home of the Schillertage, a biannual festival of Schiller’s plays. The festival presents its work on the theater’s main stage (as well as putting on a production of experimental plays elsewhere). The main stage series, in the past, have featured a number of productions of his early work, such as The Robbers), and productions of Intrigue and Love, as well as later plays, such as William Tell, first performed in 1804, which became the inspiration for Rossini’s opera of the same name.

The next festival, the 16th Schillertage will occur in the summer of 2011, so there’s time to make arrangements.

For some the Southwestern Company is known only as a company that sells books. Many students will know them as a company that offers a unique internship program. While both of these statements are true, Southwestern Company is much more.

Southwestern Company dates back to the 1850′s in Tennessee where it began as a publishing company. At that time their primary publication was the Bible. The founder, J.R. Graves, smuggled printing plates into the South to print Bibles for the soldiers. Shortly after the war it began to make a shift from publishing to sales. Like many companies, Southwestern Company faced their share of hardships during the 1930′s . However, unlike many companies, their strong, honest reputation helped them to secure a loan at the First American National Bank, which provided them the means to remain in operation and eventually thrive.

Southwestern Company has shifted and changed over the years. From being a publishing company to a sales company and from simply an employer to a student based company. Despite the changes that time has brought, several things have stayed the same. Southwestern has always been a company that gives its best to its customers and employees. Integrity, dependability , and reliability are just a couple of the words that this company stands by; providing a high quality product to customers in a reasonable time by salesmen that are honest and caring and take the time to make sure customers are getting what they paid for.

Every person is shaped by his or her history. Everyone goes through good times and bad times. It is our response to those times that makes us into the people we are. The same concept applies to companies. Every company goes through times of success and failure. It is only when they allow themselves to be teachable and open to change and new ideas that they can overcome the obstacles and gain ultimate success. Southwestern Company is a primary example of determined, innovative company that, as a result, has achieved great success.

Australia is well known for its geography, the dialect of its citizens, though of course there are regional differences, which frequently go unnoticed or even acknowledged by foreigners, and certain stereotypical aspects of its culture. The men are frequently considered to be rugged outdoorsmen and many people will immediately get an image of Crocodile Dundee in their heads when Australia is brought to mind. However, what the guests in any Melbourne hotel will immediately find out is that this city, as well as the others in this incredible country, is far more interesting, diverse and dynamic than what the standard stereotypes might indicate.

There is so much to experience in this city that it can be difficult not only to choose among the options, but to also choose between a locally based production or event or see one of the great and famous touring shows or exhibits in one of the museums. Many people who visit foreign countries really want to get a taste of the local culture and tradition while they are there. And while many people have different ways of doing this, enjoying some of the traditional local food is a common aspect of it.

In addition, there are plenty of theatrical productions and musical performances that represent the cultural and arts scene of the city that entice and entertain many of the tourists. One of the great places to visit if you’re wishing to explore Melbourne culture is the Immigration Museum . People from all over the world have immigrated to Australia, and particularly Victoria and of course Melbourne, during the past two hundred years and this museum honors and represents them as well as the various reasons for their major life journeys. The museum is located in the heart of the city, which makes it incredibly easy to get to and the displays it exhibits tell tremendous stories about the people who moved there and their reasons for it. Also included among the displays is a 17 meter replica ship, which is extremely popular with all guests.

One of the Lesser known museums in Miami Beach is the Bakerhouse Art Complex (BAC) , which is dedicated to the mid-career artists in South Florida by providing an affordable workplace, studios, development programs and opportunities at affordable prices. BAC was the brainchild of several accomplished artist in search of a building they could purchase to help prevent artists from being forced out by gentrification or rising land values that often happens when artist find cheap rental studio space. So, in 1984, BAC was established, when the artist purchased an unoccupied building that was built in the 20s in the Wynwood district . The building was originally owned by the American Bakeries Company, hence the name of the art complex, The Bakehouse Art Complex.

BAC is a non-profit corporations, which got its meager beginnings by implementing outreach programs to social service agencies, local schools, family shelters and individuals. They initiated the Children’s Art Workshops, which became very successful and was later recognized by President Clinton’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. Ever since then, and due to the vision of its founder, BAC was assured to continually provide affordable rents for artists.

Currently, BAC comprises of two galleries, a print room, a classroom, a jewelry studio, photo lab, woodworking, ceramic kiln and welding areas. There are 70 individual artist studios with extensive facilities allowing artists to discover, integrate or crossover to other mediums and incorporate them into their work. BAC provides emerging and mid-career artists with the opportunity to develop and explore their artistic endeavors. The environment in which the artists get to work in is encouraging, inspiring and engaging. New artists are welcomed and established artist take full advantage of BAC’s educational programs that focus on artist advancement.

Bakerhouse Art Complex is free and is locate at 561 NW 32nd Street. BAC is within walking distance to all local hotels and is truly a ‘must-see’ for any art enthusiast or aspiring artist.