Chocolate Rave

There are plenty of things that Tampa is famous for, but it’s very hard to get away from one of its greatest claims to fame, and contributions to world culture, the cigar. There is an enormously fascinating and complicated history of tobacco in the region, where slave labor and knowledge of Cuban immigrants combined to make it a very popular product in the states. These factors all come into play in the contemporary art of the cigar, and for Tampa, there might not be a name more famous than the Fuentes.

Arturo Fuente , and his son, Carlos, are part of a much larger story. But suffice to say, Arturo’s knowledge and Carlos’ business acumen have turned a family business into an international brand. To make a Cuban-style cigar without the benefit of Cuban soil, the growers need places where the soil is particularly rich and fertile. The Fuentes are famous for having a certain expertise, and know a good leaf when they see one.

It was also Arturo’s old-world wisdom that rejuvenated the perfecto shape in the new world. Through Carlos Fuente ‘s prodding, he found the old molds that the last generation of rollers used, and began making the shapes for his family to enjoy. This soon enough turned into the Hemingway Singature, one of the most coveted cigars on the market today.

Whether or not one fancies the smell of the cigar, or finds it spectacularly wrong to the nose, it has been a big part of the local culture; Tampa and the nearby Ybor City have an immense place in tobacco history, and the city provides some wonderful spots to see old warehouses and factories. There are also plenty of places where one can buy hand-rolled cigars made before one’s eyes. Visitors do expect to taste the best of the good life when they come here, and the best Tampa spa resorts , along with the availability of fine cigars, and so many other excellent things, make it a place to remember.

As if the Gulf of Mexico just off the coast of Florida wasn’t beautiful enough and didn’t have enough offerings and fabulous destinations, there had to be Marco Island, which is an amazing paradise of a vacation destination. Marco Island also refers to a city that was originally named San Marco by the Spanish Settlers that arrived on this small island. The island is the largest of the barrier islands that are located in the Ten Thousand Islands area that extend south to Cape Sable. And while the accommodations are incredible in the hotel Marco Island you will definitely want to leave the luxury of your room and explore the island.

The majority of recreational activities on this island are water sport or marine life oriented and these are extremely popular. There are plenty of opportunities to spend afternoons fishing, sailing and enjoying the waters off the beautiful beaches on this island. Even dolphins love these waters and can sometimes be seen breaching the waters just off shore. Water sports of all kinds occur in these coastal waters and the beaches are generally full of sunbathers relaxing in the soft afternoon breeze.

Another one of the popular outdoor activities on this island is bird watching . It’s just fabulous to be outside on Marco Island and to enjoy the quiet and peace, though any bird watcher knows there is also excitement and a sort of thrill that goes along with it. Enthusiasts insist that bird watching is a truly amazing experience. One of the rare and special species that can be found there is the American Bald Eagle , which is a great bird to spot and watch. Over two hundred different species of birds can be found in the lush green foliage of this beautiful island. And if you become restless from all of the bird watching you can always take a brake and enjoy a quick dip in the blue waters off the sandy shores. Of course once you’re on the beach you’re likely to stay there for the rest of the afternoon.

The phenomenon of First Fridays is one that’s swept through many cities in the past ten years or so. In some places, like Phoenix, it’s been wildly successful, drawing a crowd of thousands every month, and waking up the city to the artist presence there. In other cities, like San Diego, problems with weather and logistics made it slow going, and eventually saw it go away altogether.

However, in Philadelphia, the story is different. They’ve been doing it since 1991, giving it one of the longest histories of First Friday events in the country. It’s an event that draws out the local art scene by droves, and also does a great job of attracting curious locals who have heard good things, people from the suburbs, and even out of town guests come from their luxury Philadelphia hotels to see what’s happening.

It happens the first Friday of every month, and from about 5pm til 9pm, lots of galleries hold a city-wide open house. Usually there are 40 or more Philly gallery spaces participating, with some concentrations downtown, but it does happen all over the city. People have the chance to see all the latest exhibitions and installations, and take part in viewing the art as a city. It’s not only a great way to find out what’s going on in the hipper art pockets, but it’s also a way to find out who the people here really are.

The Philadelphia Citypaper and the Philadelphia Weekly often give their takes on what to see, in case viewers aren’t sure where to begin. But some of the most exciting stuff happens without any planning, where last-minute performances might be added, or spring up. It all depends on the whims of the crowds. But it’s crowds that have been doing this for a long time, so there’s a certain savviness to it that makes for a splendid experience for everyone.

One of the more delightful finds of traveling in Europe is the house museum, residences transformed into museums and galleries and known for a prior owner who established a collection of outstanding works, either in architecture, sculpture, furniture, or art — and the house-museum devoted to Frederick Stibbert, who lived from 1838-1906, in Florence, Italy, stands high among such places.

Inside the Stibbert Museum , or as its known in Italy, the Museo Stibbert, visitors will discover walls draped in tapestries and leather, rooms filled with paintings and still-lifes, porcelains, Etruscan artifacts, Tuscan crucifixes, and even clothing worn by Napoleon the 1st of France. Perhaps the biggest part of the museum, though, is its arms and armor collection — 12,000 pieces of Asian, Islamic, European, and Japanese arms — from the 15th century to the 19th century. This collection, in fact, is known as one of the most significant in the world. In a grand hall, visitors will also find 14 16th Century knights on horseback, as well as 14 foot-soldiers, all dressed in armor and holding weapons. The collection of Samurai armor alone holds 80 suits and hundreds of swords.

Stibbert’s family was very wealthy, the money coming from his grandfather, Giles Stibbert, who was the commander-in-chief for the British East India Company in Bengal, India, at the end of the 1700s, where he was governor for years. Frederick Stibbert inherited the estate from his grandfather and then did not work again for the rest of his life. Instead, he became a collector, turning his villa into a museum. When his collection outgrew his home, he had three men — architect Giuseppe Poggi, painter Gaetana Bianchi, and sculptor Passaglia — build on more rooms, just for the various artifacts. When Stibbert died, the city of Florence inherited the collection and opened the home to the public.

Once you’ve checked into your hotel, Florence beckons you — calling you to the Tuscany countryside, the wineries, and its famous sculpture and buildings — so it may be easy to overlook this house museum, but this unique villa of 57 rooms contains collected work from all over the world that strongly invites a visit.

West Palm Beach Florida is a great beach community in the southern portion of the state. It is known for its incredible beauty, charming culture and fabulous beaches, which is not uncommon to many southern Florida cities. However, as is true for West Palm Beach as well as the others, they each have their distinct atmosphere and cultural make up that creates a unique feel and experience for the tourists. And West Palm Beach has been a prime vacation destination for decades. This can be confirmed by the guests in any one of the resorts in West Palm Beach. Luxury hotel staff are as friendly as you can hope for and the accommodations are the best available.

In addition to the incredible beaches and great opportunities for sand and watersports there are also other dynamic options for outdoor fun — the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, the Palm Beach Zoo and the Lion Country Safari are just a few of the possibilities. These amazing organizations are there to entertain and educate the patrons as well as to protect and serve the animals. They are unique attractions and present special one of a kind encounters to visitors.

The Busch Wildlife Sanctuary is an incredible non profit organization that is dedicated to education and care for injured and threatened wildlife. The Palm Beach Zoo is one of the main regional attractions and in addition to the outstanding exhibits, animals and interactive programs, education and conservation are main aspects of the zoo. The Lion County Safari is the only one of its kind in Florida and allows for a drive through safari experience, as well as walk through amusement park. There are various rides and over three hundred animals that are a part of this incredible experience.

When you are staying in one of the 5 star hotels Boston has in it you will usually also want to go eat somewhere nice. However not being from the area you don’t know what is good and what is not. Here are some of the best restaurants in Boston to go alone or with a special someone.

One famous American Restaurant is 224 Boston Street . Contemporary American food, with fresh ingredients, and a master chef who’s creations will blow you mind. If you are a picky eater and don’t like what they have on the menu that isn’t a problem, as long as they have the ingredients the chef is happy to take custom requests and cook any food just the way you like it. The inside of the restaurant feels cozy and warm. It is no wonder that many people rich and famous like to eat here often. They are only open for dinner however, so you will want to be at the right place at the right time, or make reservations before leaving on vacation in order to get in here.

If you don’t feel like American food, perhaps you would prefer some Asian food. Located in the Financial District is a world renowned Asian bistro where you might run into some of the highest paid traders of the day. The place is called Ginger Park and is some of the best Asian food you can find in Boston.

If you want something a little more adventurous you could try Tango . Located in Greater West Boston this is some of the best Argentinian food you can imagine. The food is completely authentic and made with great ingredients. For those people who might be a little nervous about the food, there is nothing to worry about. One of their signature dishes is the fillet Mignon and mixed grill of beef served with a homemade chimichurri sauce. Of course this is another place you will want to get your reservations for now. It is made even more so because you can make reservations from their website so it is easier and easier for people to choose when they want to get there.

Washington DC is where most of the political action takes place for America. Eventually, every notable cause ends up being debated with in the three branches of government that are located there. People from all over the world come to this district to get a better idea of what it all looks like and how it all works together. The White House has been seen on television all over the world for years but to see it up close gives one a whole new appreciation for its presence and beauty. If planning a trip to DC one should make early arrangements to visit the White House and other major buildings and monuments. Tours get booked months in advance.  

There are plenty of 4 star hotels in Washington DC near the U.S. Capitol Building which is also a must see while visiting. Book your tour early and some see how it all fits together. Inside the building there is a great exhibit showing visitors how the famous dome was constructed, theaters showing the house and senate chambers, and the history of the Capitol and the work done by Congress. It is fascinating.  

Then there is the Supreme Court , which is another one of the main landmarks of DC. Visitors can tour the building and attend lectures about the history of the court when it is not in session. When there is a case being argued a limited number of people can sit in on the case. Get there very early if you are wanting to witness a case being argued. The court is in session, October to April, Monday through Wednesday starting at 10 am and ending at 12 pm. Seeing a case being argued is a really interesting experience. Seeing it in the largest court of the land is a grand experience.

If you’re a fan of the unique and unusual, if you would prefer to stay in a boutique Miami hotel , rather than a standard issue motel chain, then Florida may be the state in which you want to spend your next vacation. Not because of Sea World or Disneyland or any traditional theme parks, but for the more creative places to see, such as the World’s Smallest Police Station in Carrabelle or the Southernmost Purple Martin House in the Continental USA in Florida City. For instance, in addition to an Iwo Jima statue in Cape Coral, there’s a Barefoot Mailman Statue in Hillsboro Beach. In Miami, you’ll find three places of particular note: Jungle Island, Monkey Jungle, and the Coral Castle Museum.

Jungle Island was originally named Miami’s Parrot Jungle, and was created by a man named Franz Scheer who came to America from Austria in 1911. Twenty-five years later, he began what is now known as Jungle Island, building an attraction where birds would fly free, after working in construction and a feed and supply store in Homestead, Florida. His family thought he would fail, because surely the bird would fly away, but Franz had faith and the 25 Macaws remained, adapting to their new home, and the attraction was born when about a hundred visitors paid 25 cents admission in 1936 to hear Franz talk about the birds, trees, and flowers.

Monkey Jungle was created by Joseph DuMond, an animal behaviorist, whose dream, believe it or not, was to establish the first colony of free-ranging monkeys in North America. He released six monkeys into a dense south Florida hammock in 1933. That began the start of a 30 acre reserve with about 4,000 primates, with Java monkeys foraging through the jungle for natural foods. Java monkeys, apparently, even skin dive, collecting crabs and shellfish in the rivers and swamps.

Edward Leedskalnin, born in Latvia in 1887, had another kind of dream entirely. His remarkable accomplishment was constructed from a broken heart. He had arranged to marry Agnes Scuffs when he was 26 years old. The girl, ten years younger, canceled the wedding one day before the ceremony. It caused Edward to create one of the strangest and mysterious monuments to lost love, the Coral Castle.

The Coral Castle was built without any assistance or large machinery, and consists of 1,100 tons of coral rock, carved and sculpted. He had worked in lumber camps and was from a family of stonemasons, and it was with this knowledge that he built the castle, despite the fact he weighed a hundred pounds and was five feet tall.

Any one of these destinations would make for an intriguing day out, as you experience for a few hours in Florida the achievement of three different dreamers.

Orlando, Florida, the name of the city alone conjures up great fantasies of fun filled summer vacations, romantic getaways and fabulous days at amazing theme parks. It is truly one of the country’s magical cities and being the home of the Walt Disney World Resort is enough of a fantastic element that sets it apart from all the rest of the popular tourist destinations in the country, and that doesn’t even begin to cover all of the amazing features and attractions of this city. However, it is certainly a great place to start and most of the guests in the 4 star hotels in Orlando have at least one of their days reserved for a trip to the many facets of this great establishment.

Walt Disney World Resort is one of the most dreamed about destinations for people not only from this country but from all over the world. And many people want to visit the United States simply to pay a trip to Orlando and enjoy this park. And for good reason, the resort is not just a fan theme park, though it certainly is that, there are many other aspects of it that make it one of the respected institutions that it is. The Epcot Center, Disney’s Animal Kingdom and the Magic Kingdom are just some of the incredible aspects of Disney World Resort that amaze and entertain all who arrive there.

Sea World Orlando is another one of the extremely respected and enormously popular attractions of the city. Their focus on conservation and education is part of what makes this such and excellent organization. Universal Studios Orlando is yet another great attraction, really can one city offer so much? This one can and Universal Orlando is an incredible place to visit and is also one of the city’s most popular. Much like the Disney World Resort, this multi-faceted resort is entertaining, thrilling and even educational. Some of the most popular attractions that are a part of it include Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and City Walk. Regardless of where you go and what you decide to do first, it is almost guaranteed you will be visiting all of these places when you visit Orlando. Just pack your imagination and enjoy your trip.