Mele Ailana: Celebrate Island Music

Honolulu’s 64 year-old Aloha Festivals is the oldest and largest Hawaiian cultural celebration in the United States. Created in 1946 as Aloha Week – a cultural celebration of Hawaii’s music, dance and history intended to perpetuate our unique traditions – Aloha Week was renamed the Aloha Festivals in 1991. The mission of the Aloha Festivals is “to foster the aloha spirit through the perpetuation of the Hawaiian culture and the celebration of the diverse customs and traditions of Hawaii”. This year’s theme is Mele Ailana, or Celebrate Island Music.

Each year, thousands of volunteers labor together to stage the events that have come to include the Royal Court’s Investiture, Opening Ceremony, Waikiki Hoolaulea and Floral Parade. These annual events are attended statewide by nearly a million people. All events are free and are funded through the sale of Aloha Festivals ribbons and merchandise, and via corporate and private donations. The Waikiki Hoolaulea is Hawaii’s largest block party and stretches the span of Waikiki’s main Kalakaua Avenue between Lewers and Kapahulu Avenues. Multiple stages of entertainment, lots of food and lei vendors and hula crafters will be spread along 12 Waikiki city blocks. The Aloha Festivals Floral Parade features colorful equestrian processions of female and male pau riders, extravagant floats with cascades of Hawaiian Flowers, hula schools and marching bands along Kalakaua Avenue.

For more information on the Aloha Festivals, please visit: www.AlohaFestivals.com

Yoga Travel

While you might think a vacation means seeing tourist sites and sipping drinks on the beach, adding yoga into the mix can make it a life-changing and spiritual experience you’ll never forget. There are many ways to engage in travel yoga from structured retreats to scenic trips with a little yoga thrown in and just as many resources online to help make sure you plan a trip that suits your needs and desires. Here are a few great tips and resources to help you get well on your way to embracing a healthy, yoga-filled vacation in a destination that engages your body and spirit.

Keep these tips in mind when planning out your yoga travel.

• Know what to expect. The most enjoyable yoga getaways will be those that are well-planned and explicit about what will happen when you arrive. Always do your research before committing to anything.
• Learn about local culture. You’ll get a lot more out of your trip if you study up on the culture of the area to which you are voyaging.
• Find out what you’ll need. Different trips will require different gear. Call or email your travel agent to see what you’ll need to bring along so you can come prepared.
• Work with reliable companies. Like anything, there are less than reputable companies selling yoga trips. Learn a little something about the company you’re working with before handing over your cash.
• Get checked out by a doctor. Depending on where you are traveling in the world, you may need to get vaccinations and medications to ensure you stay healthy while away.
• Decide what kind of vacation you want. Do you want to relax on the beach or have a spiritual experience at the top of a mountain? Spend some time really thinking about the experience you want to have before committing.
• Read reviews and guidebooks. These can be a great source of basic information on the best destinations, resorts and activities.
• Plan for the unexpected. Mix-ups and snafus can and will happen to even the best laid travel plans. Make sure you have backup plans in place so your trip can stay relaxed and fun.
• Check up on travel documents. While a passport is all you need to travel to many countries, in some cases you may need a visa or other travel documentation. Always know this before going.
• Relax. You’re not going on a yoga trip to stress yourself out so planning shouldn’t be stressful either. Relax and let things figure themselves out at you go. You’ll likely have a wonderful time even if things don’t turn out exactly as you had planned.

Now enjoy a carefree, calming yoga vacation …. ahhhhhhhhh.

SOURCE: Nursingschools.net

Camp Vegas! Camp for Adults

Why should kids have all the fun this summer? Vegas is offering grownup summer activities, exclusive outdoor concerts, pool parties, and plenty more at Camp Vegas. Camp Vegas for Grownups, with sexy camp counselors, waterfront recreation and luxurious high-rise cabins. The hot temperatures in the valley might have scared some summer visitors away in the past. But officials say it’s time to embrace being a hot place.

Vegas is definitely the best summer camp for adults,” said Peepshow headliner Holly Madison. “We’ve got the best pools, the best resorts, the best nightlife, everything.”

“Get on the Strip,” said County Commissioner Tom Collins.  “Come to our resorts and see how hot it is, and I don’t mean the temperature. This is a great place to be.”

View the latest Camp Vegas Schedule.

Utah Field House of Natural History Museum

Step back in time as you walk through the dinosaur garden. Look up to a full-size replica of a 20-foot tall Tyrannosaurus with six-inch knife-like teeth or look down on a ferocious four-foot meat-eating Coelophysis. Seventeen life-size prehistoric animal replicas line the garden paths. Ancient fossil skeletal reproductions, archaeological and geological exhibits, fluorescent minerals and other natural history aspects of the Uinta Mountains and Uinta Basin are featured in the Utah Field House of Natural History museum.

Within an 80-mile radius of Vernal, evidence of the entire Earth’s history is visible. At its center is the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum. The new museum is located two blocks east of the old Field House, a 22,000-square foot structure to preserve and reveal the wealth of prehistory found within the Uinta Basin.

Outside the museum, and providing the greatest appeal to passing visitors, is the Dinosaur Garden, a prehistoric zoo of full-size replicas ranging in age from Pennsylvanian through Pleistocene. The garden includes a 20-foot Tyrannosaurus with six-inch, knife-like teeth, a horned Triceratops, six-ton Stegosaurus, winged Pteranodon and other full-size prehistoric animal replicas.

This is a great destination for any dinosaur enthusiast! For more information, visit the Utah State Parks website.

Made in Hawaii Festival – 2010

With an abundance of beauty to pull inspiration and materials from, and succulent fruits, fresh meats and vegetables available year-round, Hawaii residents and businesses are constantly producing works of art and delicious dishes available only in Hawaii. During the year, often times these hand-made, one of a kind items are available at the many craft fairs and specialty stores throughout the islands.

However, once a year, some of the best hand crafted items that Hawaii has to offer are brought together at the Neil S. Blaisdell Exhibition Hall for the largest display of made in Hawaii items available for sale. The 15th Annual Made in Hawaii Festival will be held on August 20 through 22 and offers shoppers the ease of buying their favorite hand-made-in-Hawaii items. Unique items range from hand-printed, island inspired clothing and fine koa wood crafts to rare and valued shell jewelry like Niihau shells that are only found on the island of Niihau. Edible items such as jams and jellies made from locally grown fruits like lilikoi (passion fruit), mango and guava, and baked products are also very popular. You will be sure to find something rare and special.

Music Performances
Over the course of the three day festival, enjoy a host of musical performances from some of Hawaii’s best entertainers. Performances take place in the Pikake Room every other hour throughout the day.

Cooking Demonstrations
Learn special “Made in Hawaii” recipes as Hawaii’s best chefs show you how to incorporate fresh local produce into your culinary repertoire. Find out the benefits of using Hawaii grown produce and leave with the knowledge of a new dish to showcase at your next pa‘ina or potluck.

For more information on the Made in Hawaii Festival, please visit: http://www.madeinhawaiifestival.com

8 Great Family Reunion Locations

Summer is the season to gather relatives together in one location. Whether you prefer dude ranching, cruising the high seas or camping at an RV resort, options for multigenerational get-togethers abound. Edith Wagner, editor of Reunions Magazine, shared with Sarah Sekula, USA TODAY, 10 favorite destinations. Here are 8 Carefreetrip.com recommends:

Holiday Inn, San Diego Bayside
San Diego is easy on the eyes. Likewise, this Holiday Inn is easy on the pocketbook. “Kids 19 and under stay free” with paying adults, Wagner says. “And kids 12 and under eat free with a dining adult.” The freebies don’t end there. If you’ve booked a reunion of 20 people or more, you’ll score a complimentary hospitality room and welcome reception, free parking (a rarity in this area) and bicycle rentals. 800-662-8899; holinnbayside.com

Key Lime Cove Indoor Waterpark Resort
Just north of Chicago, this island-themed resort has a 65,000-square-foot indoor water park, 8,000-square-foot arcade and an ice cream parlor that will have the tykes in hyperactive heaven. With a spa, shops and plenty of restaurants, there’s little reason to venture off property. 877-360-0403; keylimecove.com

Sundance Trail Guest Ranch
Red Feather Lakes, Colo.
This dude ranch is small, but its playground is vast. Surrounded by the Roosevelt National Forest, the rugged getaway is owned by a couple who “provide home-cooked meals and the flexibility to meet each family’s needs,” Wagner says. They’ll whip you up a chocolate soufflé, but if you’re longing for Lost reruns and texting chats, you’re out of luck. There’s no TV or cellphone service. 800-357-4930; sundancetrail.com

Circus Circus, Reno Hotel & Casino
“Circus Circus was built around the idea of family-friendly entertainment,” Wagner says. Kids will adore the over-the-top circus shows. For adults, there’s constant casino action, nightly karaoke and live music. And there’s a treasure-trove of outdoor pursuits like river rafting and hiking near the Sierra Nevada range. 800-648-5010; circusreno.com

The Lodge at Mount Magazine
Whether you’re on a GPS-guided history hunt, strolling among wildflowers or rappelling down a rock face, The Lodge provides a nature-filled joy ride. Balconies of guestrooms are great for stargazing. Better yet, “there are 13 cabins, each with an outdoor hot tub,” Wagner says. 877-665-6343; mountmagazinestatepark.com

Floridays Orlando Resort
Fun is in full swing at this resort where activities range from poolside dining to splashing through the “waterscape” playground. Its proximity to Orlando’s major theme parks sweetens the Deal. Spacious two- and three-bedroom suites are available. Plus, “washers and dryers are a really nice convenience for families with kids,” Wagner says. 866-994-6308; floridaysresort.com

Royal Caribbean International
Cruising is popular and convenient for family vacations. The entire clan can dine as a group and then zip off in different directions. The line’s Royal Reunions Elite Package offers a personalized cake, a photo package and extra in-room amenities. 866-562-7625; royalcaribbean.com

YMCA of the Rockies-Estes Park Center
If jaw-dropping scenery and a passel of thrills is what your family is after, the YMCA of the Rockies should be on your short list. Try fly-fishing in summer and nearby skiing in winter. The largest reunion cabin, complete with a fully-equipped kitchen, sleeps up to 88 people. For expert help planning the shindig, Wagner recommends the center’s annual Family Reunion University, a weekend workshop full of great tips. 800-777-9622; ymcarockies.org

SOURCE: USA TODAY

The Seattle Space Needle

The Seattle Space Needle was built for the 1962 World’s Fair and today is recognized as a true symbol of the city of Seattle. Built to withstand 200 mph winds and an earthquake of up to 9.5 magnitude, the 605-foot-high Space Needle offers amazing views of the Seattle skyline and the area’s spectacular natural landmarks like the Puget Sound, Elliot Bay, the Olympic Mountains, and Mount Ranier from its popular observation deck and SkyCity restaurant.

In just 41 seconds you’re at the top, 520 feet up — so get that pointing finger ready! Become awe-inspired at the towering panorama of Washington’s spectacular natural wonders. A unique and futuristic structure, the Space Needle has become a symbol for Seattle and a favorite for tourists.

Completed in April 1962, the Space Needle was built as the focal piece of Seattle’s 1962 World’s Fair. The tower was orignally the idea of Edward E. Carlson, chairman of the 1962 World’s Fair, whose visit to the Stuttgart Tower in Germany served as inspiration for the creation of Needle. The Space Needle was designed by noted architect John Graham, who added cutting-edge features to the final design, including a now-famous rotating restaurant at the top. The Needle was built by the Pentagram Corporation in just one year at a cost of 4.5 million dollars and at the time was the tallest building west of the Mississippi, and almost 20,000 visitors travelled up the elevators to the observation deck during each day of the World’s Fair. The Space Needle underwent a 21 million dollar renovation in 2000, adding the SkyCity restaurant, the SpaceBase retail store, and overhauling the observation deck. The renovations also included adding the SkyBeam, a bright beam of light at the crest of the tower that was included in Graham’s design plans, but never added during the original construction.

And the 2010 winner is …

More than 40 airlines from around the world assembled at the World Airline Awards in Hamburg on 20th May 2010 to receive their accolades, which were handed out by Mr Edward Plaisted, Chairman of Skytrax. The award winners are selected by the airline industry’s most important audience, it’s customers. More than 17.9 million air travelers from over 100 different nationalities took part in the 10 month survey, between July 2009 and April 2010. The awards are respected and recognized around the world for being the only truly global, independent passenger survey of airline standards.

Asiana Airlines has been named the winner of the prestigious Airline of the Year Award. With that, the South Korean carrier edged out perennial heavyweight Singapore Airlines, which came in at No. 2. Asian and Middle Eastern dominated SkyTrax’ global top 10 rankings, which did not include a single North American carrier. Australia’s Qantas was the only carrier not from either of those regions to finish in the top 10.

The rest of the rankings: No. 3 Qatar Airways, No. 4 Cathay Pacific, No. 5 Air New Zealand, No. 6 Etihad Airways, No. 7 Qantas, No. 8 Emirates, No. 9 Thai Airways and No. 10 Malaysia Airlines. Canadian airlines took the top spot in two of the three big categories focusing on North America. Air Canada was named the top North American airline, edging out No. 2 Continental and No. 3 Delta. For the best service among North American Airlines, Canada’s WestJet took the top honor to finish ahead of No. 2 Virgin America and No. 3 Alaska Airlines. And, for the best North American low-cost carriers, Virgin America bested No. 2 WestJet and No. 3 Southwest.

Also of interest to North American passengers, the oneworld alliance — anchored by American — was named the world’s best frequent-flier alliance. That vaulted oneworld into the top spot over the Star Alliance, which includes United, Continental, US Airways and Air Canada as its North American carriers.

Winners of other categories:
Best low-cost airline: 1. AirAsia; 2. Air Berlin; 3. Virgin Blue
Best regional airline: 1. Dragonair; 2. Silkair; 3.Bangkok Airways
Most-improve airline:1. Garuda Indonesia; 2. Hainan Airlines; 3. Oman Air
Best leisure airline: 1. Thomson Airways; 2. TUIFly; 3. Monarch Airlines
Best in-flight entertainment: 1. Emirates; 2. Singapore Airlines; 3. Virgin Atlantic
Best cabin staff: 1. Singapore Airlines; 2. Malaysia Airlines; 3. Asiana Airlines
Best airline alliance: 1. oneworld; 2. Star Alliance; 3. SkyTeam
Best trans-Atlantic airline: 1. Virgin Atlantic; 2. British Airways; 3. Lufthansa
Best trans-Pacific airline: 1. Cathay Pacific; 2. Singapore Airlines; 3. Asiana
Best first-class airline: 1. Etihad; 2. Singapore Airlines; 3. Qantas
Best business-class airline: 1. Qatar Airways; 2 Singapore Airlines; 3. Etihad
Best premium economy class: 1. Qantas; 2. Air New Zealand; 3. ANA
Best economy class: 1. Malaysia Airlines; Qatar Airways; 3. Singapore Airlines

The World Airline Awards were established 1999, and based on the annual World Airline Survey. The 2009/2010 Survey included over 200 airlines, from the largest international airlines to domestic carriers, throughout the world. The survey demographics are underlined by more than 100 different nationality of air travelers taking part.

The survey measures over 38 different items of customer satisfaction for each airline’s product and service standards. Assessing the typical customer experience across Airport and On-board environments – from check-in to boarding, while on-board the customers rate seat comfort, cabin cleanliness, food and beverages, in-flight entertainment and many aspects of staff service.

25th Anniversary of Dollywood

When Dolly Parton signed on as a co-owner of the Silver Dollar City amusement park in 1985, Pigeon Forge tourism was largely limited to a sprinkling of mom-and-pop motels and trinket shops.  Today, the 17-mile stretch between the national park gateway of Gatlinburg and the county seat of Sevierville — home to a bronze statue of a nubile, pre-surgically enhanced Parton — is a continuous blur of fast-food franchises and manufactured fun. (The newest entry is “the world’s largest permanent Titanic museum,” complete with lifeboat replicas and a simulated sinking on the ship’s stern.) Parton’s own Pigeon Forge presence has expanded to include a 35-acre water park called Dollywood’s Splash Country and a dinner show dubbed Dixie Stampede.

The mini-golf courses, fudge emporiums and go-kart tracks may bear little resemblance to the “peaceful as a baby’s sigh” landscape Parton memorialized in her song My Tennessee Mountain Home. But Dollywood — which, like other local Attractions, saw a recessionary drop in business last year — makes a conspicuous attempt to reflect its namesake’s affection for the Smokies.

“People come here and think it’s either going to be all about Dolly with Dolly impersonators everywhere, or just another amusement park with rides,” says Duane Gordon, owner of the fan site Dollymania.net.  “It’s not.”

Dollywood Fun Facts

• Dollywood’s River Rampage holds 1.5 million gallons of water.
• In the 1970s, the theme park now known as Dollywood was called Goldrush Junction and was owned by the Cleveland Browns’ football team.
• Dollywood’s Wardrobe Shop uses 24,000 feet of fabric to sew 7,650 costumes each season.
• In one season, the Dollywood Foods Team uses 3 million pounds of ice, 46 tons of french fries, more than 100,000 feet of aluminum foil, and 750,000 pairs of disposable gloves.
• In one day, the 90-ton Dollywood Express steam train burns two tons of coal and drinks about 4,000 gallons of water.
• More than one million gallons of water are needed to fill Mountain Waves and the Downbound Float Trip at Dollywood’s Splash Country.
• Dollywood is one of only a few theme parks in the country to have a full-time chaplain who leads Sunday morning services at the Dr. Robert F. Thomas Chapel, named in honor of a beloved minister and doctor in Sevier County, Tennessee who brought Dolly Parton and several of her brothers and sisters into the world.
• With 2,000 employees during the peak of the operating season, the Dollywood Company is the largest employer in Dolly’s native Sevier County, Tennessee.
• Except for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Dollywood is the most visited attraction in the state of Tennessee.
• The Dollywood Foundation’s Imagination Library program started in Sevier County, Tennessee in 1996 and has now expanded to include 500 communities in 40 states and 1 US territory.
• In three months’ time, a crew of just seven people hangs more than 3 million lights for the park’s annual Smoky Mountain Christmas festival.

11 endangered historic places

The National Trust for Historic Preservation added 11 sites to its most-endangered list today, including one of the last remaining Negro League ball parks, a Civil War battlefield, a prehistoric cultural site in Guam and America’s state parks and state-owned historic sites.

The annual list highlights important examples of the nation’s architectural, cultural and natural heritage that are at risk of destruction or irreparable damage, the National Trust said in a release.

“While the 23rd annual list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places is, by definition, about historic places, it’s also about neighborhoods and communities that contribute to the quality of life in America and the people who work hard to preserve them,” said National Trust President Richard Moe.

Among the 11 sites are:

• Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, New Jersey, one of the last remaining Negro League ball parks. Legends such as Josh Gibson, Buck Leonard and Dizzy Dean played at the stadium, which now stands vacant and dilapidated.
• America’s state parks and state-owned historic sites, which face uncertain futures and closures due to state budget shortfalls.
• Wilderness Battlefield in Orange and Spotsylvania counties, Virginia, which was the site of one of the most important battles of the Civil War and the first meeting of legendary generals Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant. A big-box retailer wants to build on the site, the National Trust said.
• A prehistoric cultural site revered by the Chamorro people of Guam, the westernmost U.S. territory in the Pacific Ocean. The site is threatened by a planned massive military buildup that will put irreplaceable ancient artifacts at risk, the National Trust said.

Other sites include: Black Mountain in Harlan County, Kentucky.; the Industrial Arts Building in Lincoln, Nebraska; the 1844 adobe Juana Briones House in Palo Alto, California; the 37.5-mile Merritt Parkway in Fairfield County, Connecticut; the Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, Washington, where funerals were held for abolitionist Frederick Douglass in 1895 and civil rights icon Rosa Parks a century later; the 2,500-acre Saugatuck Dunes in Michigan, home to several endangered species; and the Art Deco 16-story Threefoot Building in Meridian, Mississippi.

SOURCE: CNN