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Some Important Factors to Keep in Mind When Selecting Hotels

Planning for a vacation is a great activity to spend some valuable time with your family. This can also help you to get rid of your work tensions and stress for some time. However, planning for a holiday is not a simple task, especially when you are going with your family. Apart from the locations and budget, it is also quite imperative to select the right accommodation that can make your vacation more enjoyable and fun filled.

Even if you are one a tight budget, performing a thorough research can help you to find the best services at a price that fits into your pocket. Secondly, it is very important to consider the location of the hotel. For instance, if you are selecting a hotel, which is out of the city limits, make sure you consider the security and safety. In such cases, the hotels should provide 24×7 assistance and security.

Secondly, it is also very important to consider the size of the hotels. Most of the hotels also provide huge discounts and offers for group booking or even if you are booking multiple rooms. Spending some time on the internet can help you to find the best hotels and accommodation options, which suits your needs and budget. If you give a search on the net for hotels located in your preferred locations, you will be able to find hundreds of websites lining up in front of you.

Most of them provide information on different hotels and accommodation facilities located in the area. Moreover, as they provide information on prices, facilities, services, discounts and offers etc, you will be able to select the best one by doing a small comparison. However, before you select a hotel, it is very important to know the quality of the service they provide for their customers.

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Visiting NYC This Summer? Enjoy the Restaurants, Concerts and Shopping

In the summer, New York really shows off! In the warm weather, dining, concerts and shopping virtually explode into the great outdoors. Suddenly streets, parks and alleys are transformed into romantic restaurants, star-studded concert halls and sunny, breezy shopping areas. But, where do you start?

First, you will need to look for New York hotels that fit your location, style and budget needs. That won’t be a problem! There are more hotels in New York than you ever imagined, and they range from small and intimate to the most grand and lively in the city. Then, once you have secured the New York hotel that is right for you, it is time to start thinking about how to best enjoy New York in all its summer glory! Here are a few New York City attractions that are only around while the weather is warm:

Dining in New York City

New Yorkers love to dine al fresco. That is why so many restaurants move tables out of doors in the summer. Some have lovely gardens and rooftops, while other just grab a piece of sidewalk. No matter how they do it, their guests love it! Here are a few of our top outdoor New York City restaurants:

The Blue Water Grill offers a romantic European feel for guests dining on the mezzanine. It is located at 31 Union Square West at 16th St. Its phone number is 212-675-9500.

The Chelsea Brewing Company, located in the Chelsea Piers complex, offers cool breezes off the Hudson and views of the marina. It is located at Pier 59, 23rd St. and the Hudson River. Its phone number is 212-336-6440.

A charming garden that feels like a Tuscan courtyard is what you will find at Va Tutto. Hailed as Gourmet Magazine’s “favorite NYC garden for outdoor dining,” this is gem of a restaurant is sure to please. It is located at 23 Cleveland Place on the corner of Lafayette and Spring. Call for reservations at 212-941-0286.

Concerts in New York City

When the temperature rises, New York’s parks are transformed into concert halls without walls. From Central Park to Lincoln Center, there are live musical concerts scheduled throughout the summer – many are free! For example, the Metropolitan Opera and New York Philharmonic come to Central Park annually, and perform on the Great Lawn.

Be sure to visit Lincoln Center’s website as well, for their list of concerts and events.

Shopping in New York City

Put on your comfortable shoes and a little sunscreen and get ready to shop! A few favorite destinations are Columbus Avenue (between 66th – 76th). In this residential neighborhood you will find the highest concentration of up-scale boutiques as well as many nationally known names.

You won’t be disappointed with your shopping trip to Broadway (between 63rd – 86th). This high-energy strip offers a wide variety of stores from locally owned boutiques to Barnes and Noble, Sephora and Gap.
If you are looking for a something more relaxed with mostly locally owned (non-chain) stores, Amsterdam Avenue (between 72nd – 86th) is your place to shop.

Really See New York City

There are many ways to see New York City, but a tour is still your best bet. Enjoy a tour then go back to the destinations that caught your interest. There are many different tour options, from walking to bus to amphibious vehicles. A sure crowd pleaser is the NYC Ducks Tours. You will see New York City from a half-boat, half-bus, amphibious vehicle!

Summer in New York City doesn’t last for long. Make those reservations and be a part of this New York summer!

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IZEE “Growing Up In A Logging Camp”: Introduction

Introduction

Rusty Miles never had a real identity. I was that “Little Miles” kid, youngest of “The three Rs,” Rita, Robert, and Russell. My parents were somewhat older than those of most of my friend’s.

When we moved to Izee, I wondered why Dad wouldn’t play baseball, like the other men in the logging camp. While other dads got together at the ball field, drank beer, played, and had lots of fun, my father would go off fishing, by himself.

Oh, I could go along with him, if I wanted too. But, Dad didn’t believe in talking much because it “Scares away the trout.” Anyway, it was more exciting to watch the younger men play baseball, after they got off work, and get into fights. Someone would cuss about being called: “Out!” The next thing you know, there would be fists flying everywhere.

Sometimes, their wives would get into it, too. Women are dirty fighters. They scratch, and pull hair. Maybe, even kick you someplace. That’s why Mom said we didn’t want to go. She went only one time. Just when the fighting and cussing got real good, Mom said: “Rusty, I’m glad your father isn’t here to see this. We’re going home! These people are just, plain, stupid. They drink up every dime they earn, and they don’t even have a pot to piss in!”

My Mom was right. While we Miles had indoor plumbing, most of our neighbors still used outhouses. “We are not going to learn to talk like this, Rusty. These people should wash their mouths out with soap, but they probably don’t even have any. If they do, they sure never use it!”

There was never conflict in our house. We had better sense than to fight among ourselves. We were a family. Mom saw to it.

“People in families stick up for one another. They defend each other and do what’s right.” As Mother often said, “Anyone, with a lick of good sense, should know that.”

A spectator but once, Mom didn’t like me to go to watch the baseball because of all of the fighting. I’d tell her, “It doesn’t happen much, anymore. All of my friends get to go!” Mother would sigh, sit down with Agatha Christi, tell me to “Be back before dark, and you walk home!” I was not to ride in a car with people who had been drinking, even if the driver’s own children did. It was a long walk home, from the ball field to the cookhouse, where we lived.

IZEE by Russ Miles © 2004