Sunday, April 5, 2009

The Best And Recent Metropolitan Area Guide To Birmingham-hotel

The Best And Recent Metropolitan Area Guide To Birmingham-hotel
by Debbrae Majercik

Birmingham is positioned in the West Midlands and it is Britains 2nd better densely populated conurbation, after London.Birmingham early came to prominence throughout the factory-made revolution. Because of this, the city has a massive canal network, which has legions more miles of canal than Venice. The urban place also has a number of notable associations, which include HP Sauce, Tony Hancock, Cadbury's, Black Sabbath, the Spitfire and the Mini motorcar. Birmingham is a neoteric, buzzing and cosmopolitan metropolitan area. With vibrant night life, awesome hotels, sensational shopping opportunities and unique tourist gravitation, it is a fantastical hangout to tour for a weekend away or short holiday.Birmingham also has some extraordinary architecture to look at, including the Bullring Shopping centre. The Bullring was finished at a cost of £500 million by Benoy and is a striking, futuristic structure.If you would like to experience a family friendly day out in Birmingham that is absurdity and educational, take a trip to one of the city's superb , or other lure. One of the utmost is the Wallsall Leather Museum, which demonstrates the production and tanning of leather. Finest of all, there is a prestigious gift shop too, so you will be able to buy some top-terrific leather goods during your see.As you one can assume already know, Birmingham is home to the Bullring shopping middle, which makes it the perfect urban place for shopaholics to come over. Indeed, the Bullring braggadocios over 110,000 square feet of retail space, which features some fabulous stores these as Debenhams, Agent Provocateur, and Ann Summers.Alternatively, there are an abundance of shops in the city centre, too. You will spot some top stores situated on the high street, as well as some superb independent stores in The Custard Factory, which is posted in the old Birds custard factory.With rustic pubs, exclusive bars and fantastic nightclubs, Birmingham has everything you need for a famed night out. Lovers of dance music will be happy to pinpoint piles of huge dance clubs, whereas fans of alternative and indie musicians will be pleased to unearth that the municipality has numerous live music venues that hold regular concerts, as well as clubs that play the finest alternative tunes.If you need somewhere to stay after your substantial night out, you will be spoiled for choice in Birmingham. Indeed, the borough fanfaronades branches of largest major hotel chains such as Novotel and the Macdonald.Thanks for reading our handbook to Birmingham - we hope that you found it salutary.If you need more information on hotels in Birmingham or even some recommendations on ventures in the borough, please get in touch with your local tourist knowledge middle.
About the Author
Debbra Majercik is a new world traveller and loves to party with birmingham escorts, escorts in coventry and http://www.find-an-escort.com/i_england-escort-nottingham-escort_435.htmlmodel escorts in nottingham.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

a few of my Favorite Things...

As an antiques dealer, I'm constantly asked, "How do you part with this?" That's a good question. I think most of us started out as collectors and have a difficult time selling our acquisitions. I only purchase what I like, so it's really hard to sell it. And unique items are becoming more difficult to find, so it's even tougher!

I thought I'd share some favorite finds that I can't part with. At least for now...

I recently acquired this old silverplate chatelaine notebook from the "Grand Restaurant" in Brussels. It has so much detail...I'm crazy for it!

the menu printed on the back...how cute it that?

AND it's a note pad. Never seen one like it before. It's a keeper...

I LOVE vintage trophies and have a small collection of them. This one reads, "Awarded to Parisian Cloak Company for Best Dressed Store Window." I use it for fresh flowers...

and this 1930's trophy from the Catskill Mountains for a "Bathing Beauty Contest"

I stumbled upon these 19th century mercury glass apothecary jars at a flea market. I was planning on selling them, but I have to hang on to them for awhile...

I found this French top hat with a prize ribbon and it must stay...

Then there are my San Francisco collections, such as this antique souvenir cup...

...and my prized oil paintings of San Francisco. Over the years I have amassed about 8 paintings of the Cliff House and Golden Gate Bridge. Some are really small and charming. They are all done by amateur artists, and that makes them even more special...

Many years ago I purchased this colorful, whimsical oil painting of a tourist in Paris. It's so quirky...

another painting that I cherish, c. 1960's...

I purchased this huge map at a San Francisco antiques store...

My Great-Grandfather was a woodcarver in San Francisco and carved for many of the churches, as well as Hearst Castle at San Simeon. These are just a couple of relics of his that I treasure. I found them in my aunt's basement...

This old French vanity piece was given to me by a dear friend and holds a special place...

I love anything hotel-related, so I flipped when I found this old wooden room sign at an antiques show. It is permanently glued to the second bedroom door, so I guess it's staying!

Thanks for letting me play "show and tell."

What are some "favorite things" that you can't part with? I'd love to hear! If you have any photos to share, please e-mail them and I'll post on this blog!

Condo vs Hotel-hotel


Condo vs Hotel-hotel

by Alex Glassman

When it comes to finalizing the details of your dream vacation to Hawaii, one very important decision will center on whether to stay in a hotel or condo. And while there are some nice aspects to staying at a hotel, we feel like there are more compelling reasons to book a condo instead. Here are just ten reasons why...1. More economical to stayJust getting to Hawaii is expensive enough. Why drop extra hundreds, if not thousands on a hotel, when you'll probably only spend your evening hours there to begin with? You are going to Hawaii after all. The average condo will run 10-25% less per night vs. a comparable hotel room.2. More economical to eatProbably the single biggest benefit of a condo vacation is the ability to dine in for most, if not all of your meals. The cost benefits are obvious-particularly when it comes to feeding a family with children accustomed to having certain types of foods. And the beauty of the condo is that you have the option to dine in or out.3. More spaceIn almost all cases, you'll get more square footage for your dollar by staying in a condo unit. No more tripping over suitcases just trying to walk around. And with more space comes more privacy, making your stay more comfortable overall.4. ComfortSpeaking of comfort, the condo generally wins out here too. Most condos are like scaled down houses-complete with a separate kitchen, living room, bedroom(s) and possibly a dining area. However, most hotels are simply large bedrooms, leaving you feeling a tad claustrophobic shortly after your arrival.5. Peace and quietCondos are generally built to ensure that noise is kept to minimum. Unlike hotels, with long hallways enticing running toddlers, elevators bells and cackling late-night trade show attendees, you may not think you have any neighbors while staying in a condo.6. No unexpected knocksWhen you're in a condo, you're generally on your own-it's like borrowing someone's home for a week or two. So sleep in if you want-you won't get that pesky hotel employee knocking on your door when you're trying to relax.7. Easy access to your carWhen you stay at a condo unit, you can expect to have nearby or even assigned parking for your vehicle. No walking across a lengthy hotel parking lot or having to pay expensive valet fees-you're car is generally right outside your door.8. Fresh laundered clothesOne of the highly under-rated aspects of staying at a condo is often the availability of laundry units within the condo. Not only can you ensure your beach clothes and towels are fresh and free of sand each day, you can pack fewer clothes to begin with.9. No booking surprisesWith the nicer Hawaiian condos, you'll be able see exactly what your specific unit will look like before booking. At a hotel, that is a much less certain proposition. The exact room you'll be staying in at a hotel is generally determined upon arrival-so you may not end up in an exact replica of the room you may have seen online. Opting for a condo takes the guessing work out of what you'll be staying in and where it will be located.10. Renting directly from an ownerHotel booking is often centralized. So while you're booking a hotel in Maui, you may be dealing with an agent in Kalamazoo. However, whether you're booking a condo through a property management company or directly through the owner, the process can be a more positive experience. Getting directly to an owner is ideal. Having likely spent quite a bit of time in the unit themselves, a condo owner is usually a terrific resource for getting the scoop on the local area and making your trip even better.Interested in booking a luxury condo in Wailea, Maui? Please visit:http://www.walkmauisands.com
About the Author
Traveler, photographer, artist, web master, jewelry maker

Friday, April 3, 2009

Play Date Friday

I'm exhausted from an estate sale I went to yesterday, so I skipped today, thus, no "Estate Sale Friday" post. But the good news is that Vito had his poodle friend, Alfie, over for a play date. Alfie's Mom is Lisa from Willa Home & The Pickled Hutch, which I will be blogging about as soon as I get great shots of the store.

I think I have more fun watching the dogs play than they do playing. I couldn't resist posting these photos...Alfie's so happy, he's smiling...


Best Friends Forever (Alfie left, Vito right)

A Favorite Blog: Paris Atelier

It is a treat to post about one of my favorite blogs, Paris Atelier. California-based Judith Borello lived in Paris for a number of years and returned back to the states to share some of her fabulous “Parisian” stories with us.

Her blog has the most wonderful eye-candy! From Marie Antoinette and Versailles, to 18th century interior design and fashion, Judith whisks you away to 18th century Paris.


stunning French chandeliers...


Blogging allows Judith to share her love of travel, literature, art, cultures, beauty, simplicity, people, anything handmade, anything vintage and antique, and new adventures.


...mouth-watering shots of the Paris Flea Markets are some of my favorite posts on Paris Atelier...


If you love Marie-Antoinette, Judith shares some wonderful stories on her blog...





Crowns...crowns...crowns...aren't they lovely?

Judith comes from a very long line of interior designers and is in the process of starting an online boutique. We can’t wait Judith!

So, grab a cup of tea, get cozy in your favorite chair, and visit Paris Atelier!



Photos courtesy of Paris Atelier

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Trump Hotel Las Vegas-hotel


Trump Hotel Las Vegas-hotel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Trump Hotel Las Vegas is a 64 story hotel-condominium (condo-hotel) located on Fashion Show Drive near Las Vegas Boulevard in Las Vegas, Nevada named for famed real estate developer Donald Trump. It is located across the street from Wynn Las Vegas on 3.46 acres (14,000 m2), near the Fashion Show Mall and features both non-residential hotel condominiums and residential condominiums. The exterior windows[1] are gilded with 24-carat gold.
Tower 1 opened on March 31, 2008. The hotel features restaurants DJT, named after the developer, as well as a poolside restaurant, H2(eau).[1] It has been announced that Donald Trump, due to the overwhelming sellers response from his first tower, will build a second, identical tower next to the first tower. It is Las Vegas's tallest residential building at 620ft (190m).[2]

History
The project was announced in 2004 as a joint project between Donald J. Trump, Brett J. Plant, and Phil Ruffin. The project was designed by Bergman, Walls & Associates and built by Perini Building Company.[3]
Prior to construction, Trump built a sales center for his tower on Las Vegas Boulevard. The temporary sales center cost nearly $3 million.[citation needed]

Clash of egos
It was rumored that by building his tower several feet higher than Las Vegas's current tallest fully habitable building, Steve Wynn's Wynn Las Vegas resort located only a block east, Donald Trump showed some kind of rivalry between the two developers. Trump has insisted that it wasn't the case and even invited Wynn (who did come) to the private groundbreaking ceremony for the tower.[citation needed]
That said, Trump did show some signs of egoism, especially when his ex, Ivana Trump, proposed building an 80 story condo tower a few blocks north in the Las Vegas Strip. Trump stated that "the location is bad, it will never sell." Ivana's tower has since been canceled due to the recent downturn in the stock market.
When told that the Stratosphere Tower, the tallest free standing structure in Las Vegas, would still be nearly twice as tall as Trump's building, he simply replied "That's not a building." [4]

Construction
The Tower was to increase by one floor every 4 days. The progress of the tower can be seen from Desert Inn Road. Trump Hotel Las Vegas opened on March 31, 2008.

Construction photo taken in August 2007 from the Riviera Hotel and Casino.

Completed first tower as seen from Wynn Hotel

Trump Hotel with Wynn

Recent events
By its opening, the prognosis of the Vegas strip had changed dramatically; the second tower, and adjacent Plaza Hotel Casino, have both been delayed indefinitely.[5] Closing sales of the tower's condo units was adversely impacted by changes in the real estate and credit markets.[6][7]
The heavily-marketed DJT restaurant has also retooled as a more casual (and less expensive) offering.[8]

References
^ a b Jen Leo, Las Vegas Trump Tower opens today, Los Angeles Times, March 31, 2008.
^ http://www.trumplv.com/pdfs/fact_sheet.pdf
^ Perini Corporation
^ reviewjournal.com - News: Trump unveils Strip tower plan
^ reviewjournal.com - INSIDE GAMING: Trump's second tower may wait
^ reviewjournal.com - Trump staff put on hold
^ reviewjournal.com - HOUSING: Credit squeeze hits high-rises
^ reviewjournal.com - NORM: Trump downsizes restaurant menu

Happy April Fool's Day! Poisson d'Avril!

There's some uncertainty about when and where this­ bizarre tradition began, but the most accepted explanation traces April Fools' Day back to 16th century France. Up until 1564, the accepted calendar was the Julian calendar, which observed the beginning of the New Year around April. According to "The Oxford Companion to the Year," King Charles IX then declared that France would begin using the Gregorian calendar, which shifted New Year's Day to January 1.

Not everyone accepted this shifting of dates at the same time. Some believed that the dates should not be shifted, and it was these people who became the butt of some April jokes and were mocked as fools. People sent gifts and invited them to bogus parties.

Today in France, people who are fooled on April 1 are called Poisson d'Avril, which literally means the "April Fish." One common joke is to hook a cardboard fish to the back of a person. What a fish has to do with April Fools' Day is not clear.


Have fun and don't pull too many foolish tricks on your friends or families! I'm a little prankster, so I have to think of something good!

Info from howstuffworks.com - photos of antique postcards from Paris Hotel Boutique