Kiss Java

Archive for March, 2010

While attending the Louisiana Heritage Fair in Beauregard Square, which would later become known as Congo Square, Mahalia Jackson and Duke Ellington encountered the Eureka Brass Band leading a crowd of revelers through the festival. When the festival producer, George Wein, handed her a microphone she began singing along and joined the parade. Thus, the spirit and idea of Jazz Fest began.

George Wein, jazz stage manager behind the Newport Jazz Festival, was hired in 1970 to design a unique festival for New Orleans. His vision was of a large daytime fair with multiple stages featuring a wide variety of indigenous music styles, arts and crafts booths, food booths filled with Louisiana cuisine, ending with an evening concert series. The first festival was only attended by maybe a little over 300 people but the next year thanks to word of mouth the event had burst the seams of the square and in 1972 was move to the infield of the Fair Grounds Race Course. By the end of the 80′s, more than 300,000 people were attending the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

Jazz Fest, as the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival came to be known as, is now one of the biggest events for tourism in New Orleans . Featuring 12 stages with a range of music from all over the world and covering all genres. over the decades many of New Orleans biggest names have graced the stages of Jazz Fest including Fats Domino, The Radiators, Irma Thomas, Buckwheat Zydeco, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Better Than Ezra, and many more. Even musicians that aren’t locals have graced this event with their individual styles Aretha Franklin, Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Buffett , B.B. King, Dave Matthews Band, Patti LaBelle,The Temptations, and LL Cool J are just a few that have taken the stage.

If you are a foodie and a traveler, I recommend coming to Singapore. The food is amazing, with influences from Malay, India and China, all throughout the country; from the mall food courts, the hawker stands to the exquisite restaurants. My foodie journey began with checking out restaurants here , I found this site to have a very comprehensive list of the best restaurants and other food places in Singapore.

Din Tai Fung is the first on my ‘must eat’ if you come here to Singapore. Din Tai Fung is known throughout Singapore for their dumplings. I ordered the chili pork dumplings and the steamed pork dumplings. Both were really incredible; the chili dumplings was perfection in a spicy sweet sauce and the pork dumplings were little bites of heaven that comes in little dough pockets. I had to bite off a bit at a time, little nibbles in order to suck out the soup to devour the rest. Really, there’s a good reason for this place as number one on my list…so good!

Second stop was not a restaurant, but to food hawkers stand, this was where I fell in love with pork. I couldn’t help but get the same dish at different stalls. What I would ordered was basically noodles, and pork in a wonton soup. But, it’s how the food hawkers prepare the pork, slowly cooked until the sweetness and tenderness come out. All the hawkers, and it didn’t matter where I went, would only serve a few pieces of pork, I would always have to ask for extra, the extra cost more, but so worth it. The noodle pork soup should be served in a huge bowl, because I’d eat it in one whoop.

The mall food courts, which are listed on the website mentioned above, were incredible. There are so many bakeries, I was overwhelmed. I saw amazing homemade fruit tarts, cream puffs and donuts. I saw the longest line at the donuts place, so in line I stood, it didn’t take long. I ordered 3 small sized donuts, the cookies and cream, the mango and the apple cinnamon. All three were out of this world delicious; soft dough with sweet filling. The cookies and cream was filled with whipped Oreo and chocolate icing with Oreo crumbles on top, the apple cinnamon has apple pie filling and the whole donut was rolled in cinnamon sugar, and the mango was filled with a mango custard cream and mango icing on top. Heaven, pure heaven. I’m so glad I ordered the smaller versions of the donuts, they’re so rich I don’t think I could’ve finished all 3 if they were the regular size.

I know there’s more to do in Singapore than just eat, but after all, I am a foodie, and foodies must do what we do best – eat!

Every biker understands the importance of tires. While they’re one of the most essential things in terms of automobile safety, in motorcycles, their importance increases exponentially. The ability to maneuver around tight corners is essential in good riding, but there are many other things that a tire can allow you to do. Holding the road in a sudden downpour is always a difficult task, and without decent tires, it can be next to impossible. Most bikers would also agree that when it comes to a motorcycle, Dunlop tires have a solid reputation as a reliable component to the ride.

One of the most important things a rider can do every morning is the safety check . Making sure that all the parts and systems to the bike isn’t simply a matter of convenience, it’s a matter of survival. The rider checks all the lights to make sure that the headlight, turn signals, and brake lights are working properly. There should also be a visual inspection of the bike to make sure everything looks properly tightened, and to make sure the wires aren’t crossed. The rider also checks the chain for the proper tension, the oil level and fuel levels, and perhaps most importantly, the tires. Checking the tire pressure is essential for a smooth and safe ride, and checking the treads for wear is also one way of protecting yourself.

There are, of course, many different options for tires , and ways to make the bike shine more than it already does, but the primary concern here is safety. Losing control at high speeds is a nightmare that can have disastrous results, but a conscientious rider can take the necessary precautions to keep the dangers to a minimum. For all the systems that get worked during a long ride, the tires are perhaps the most susceptible to damage and general wear, and they should be a central concern for peace of mind on the road.

I had a great day visiting with my older Brother, who lives in San Antonio now. He seemed so happy and I had a ball with him. He picked me up at my hotel, which made him angry, because I didn’t want to stay in his guest room. I can’t believe that I had to keep explaining myself over and over again. He just couldn’t believe that I like my privacy, even if I grew up with him and he knows everything there is to know about me, even my most embarrassing moments. I don’t think that throughout my visit I ever convinced him about my privacy issues. I even told him that I got the best deal online at this site and how I need a pool (he doesn’t have a pool) because swimming every morning is my workout, and I don’t like to run or sweat. He still found my explanations lame but, that’s my big brother, he never believes anything I say.

When he picked me up, he gave me a look that said, you could be staying with me for free, jeez. I couldn’t help but tease him while he drove us to Rudy’s Country Store and Bar-B-Q . I laughed when I read a sign proclaiming they have the worst BBQ in Texas! But, it wasn’t, it was the best BBQ I’ve have ever eaten. It was really wonderful. I’m glad to see big bro hasn’t lost his taste for good food.

After lunch and many laughs, we picked up his new girlfriend, Maggie. If I thought my brother was funny, she cracked me up. She was really spunky and classy at the same time. I think my brother has met his match, they make a very good pair. We spent the whole day together on the San Antonio Riverwalk . It’s this horseshoe shaped canal that runs right through town. Many years ago, the river would rise an flood downtown, so the city dug a bypass flood control canal, creating a mile long loop of river running through downtown. Then they lined the canal with shops, restaurants, bars and arts and crafts. Most of the places are locally owned, but there are a few franchises. There’s even a 2nd level to the River Walk with more shops and restaurants, they tied in a huge mall at one end. If you can’t find what you need at the River Walk, then you don’t need it.

For dinner, we went over to Maggie’s home, which is a newly remodeled church turned into a home! It was stunning, interesting and unique. This was where I would be staying in her guest bedroom! Man! I think I missed the boat here. I wish big bro would’ve told me he no longer lived in his messy, smelly bachelor pad.

If any guys happen to read this and are looking to earn points with your wife, girlfriend, or significant other a great way to do so would be to send her to the spa. Virginia Beach has a good one called Spa Phoenix . Your girl will be catered to and treated as if she were a Queen.
The Spa offers the full range of treatment and once you leave you will feel refreshed and renewed. The spa offers facials and skin care sessions. This is good for exfoliating the face and cleaning tiny particles of dirt out of the pores which would cause pimples and bumps to form. Body treatments are available where the entire body is rubbed down and massaged. This is good for loosening up tense and tight parts of the body. They offer hair and color services that allow you to get your hair cut and colored on the spot. The spa offers botox and injectables for those that feel the need to enlarge certain areas and make their lips more full and other cosmetic enhancements. There are professional make up artist on hand to have your woman looking like a movie star and feeling confident. They also provide services for men so while the wife is getting pampered the man can get a nice massage.
If you like the make up and the styles that the staff helps you get they offer all of the products that are used in a package to take home so that you can apply it for yourself, family, friends, or give it as a gift. After leaving the spa you have to take your woman back to a nice hotel and have her sleep in a nice suite that is up to par with how great she looks. The most convenient place to find a room such as this is found here .

Public Higher Education is almost an oxymoron these days. But, unlike some other states, higher education has deep roots in California. Where California public high Schools’ have failed, their Universities continue to succeed. California’s central Valley is home to a number of top ranked Universities. Cal (University of California Berkley) is the original University of California. The UC system now includes prestigious universities such as UCLA, UC Santa Barbra, and UC San Diego. Although there have been many protests against budget cuts and UC Regents spending, the reputation of these institutions unquestionable. The Statewide system is also preceded by its reputation. SDSU (San Diego State University), SFSU (San Francisco State University), Cal State Long Beach, and San Jose State , are all top ranked colleges. Community colleges in California are also a great place to continue your education. Modesto Junior College , is the second oldest college in California. Community colleges offer flexible schedules and lower tuition fees than Universities, which make higher education accessible to more people.

Modesto Junior College has kept its roots in the community. With centers dedicated to training employees for local businesses or firefighter training and continuing education, MJC is dedicated to playing an active role in the community. Community consciousness and responsibility is one of the great things about California’s Central Valley. Located in the most Northern part of the Central Valley, Modesto has the best of both worlds. Reserve an area hotel in Modesto for a night and experience its community and culture. Stay and visit the myriad of higher education institutions located within such close proximity of each other.

The UC and State Systems are comparable to the Ivy League schools of the east Coast. While not all are as prestigious as Harvard and Yale, in no other state are there so many institutions so close together. Most States have one state school and a few private colleges. California is doing something right.

In movie theaters, you’ll find James Cameron’s Avatar literally raking in billions of dollars world-wide, presently the top money-making film of all time. The record-holder before that was also directed and written by James Cameron, 1997′s Titanic . This film also took in over a billion dollars, and showed that interest in the 1912 maritime disaster has never quite subsided. The ill-fated maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic has created a number of movies — Saved from the Titanic, 1912; Titanic, 1943; Titanic, 1953; A Night to Remember, 1958; S.O.S. Titanic, 1979; Raise the Titanic, 1980; Titanic, 1996, ending with Cameron’s version. There’s one thing each of these films have in common, aside from icebergs, and that’s the character of Titanic survivor Molly Brown, who once lived in Denver, Colorado.

Molly Brown lived 65 years, from 1867 to 1932, and was better known as Maggie Brown. After her death, she became known as the Unsinkable Molly Brown. An American philanthropist and socialite, Molly Brown found fame when she persuaded lifeboat 6 to return to look for survivors in the icy waters after the ship went under.

If you have a passion for all things Titanic, then you might already know about the Molly Brown House Museum . The home stands at 1340 Pennsylvania Avenue, and was built in 1889, for a couple who made a fortune mining silver. It’s designed by William Lang and is a combination of various architectural styles, from Queen Anne, to Neoclassical, to Romanesque. The home is composed in part of stained glass windows, wood panels, rhyolite stone and red sandstone.

Stay overnight in Denver at your choice of a number of fine places , and explore not only the museum but the Capitol Hill neighborhood, the site where many in the 1880s settled after making their millions by way of the woods, the railroads, or mountains.

Once you’ve settled in for the night, you may wish to ask the concierge if they have any DVDs of the Titanic movies and compare what you’ve learned about Molly Brown at the house with the way Hollywood has portrayed her over the last 98 years.

Is there anyone else still stuck in the Dinosaur Age? You know when you still had to turn on lights without clapping, press buttons to dial a phone and actually go camping in the woods if you wanted to catch sight of a bear! Technology seems to be moving at the speed of light these days. Americans have gone from digital cable to HD to 3D in just a few short years. The new 3D televisions have already hit stores! Technology has pushed special effects trying to give you the ‘real experience’. Has the day come where you no longer have to physically be outdoors to have the ‘real experience’? Not only are things so ‘real’ indoors, but there seems to be gadgets that can play music, call friends, and surf the net without even having to lift a finger!

Apple seems to be at the head of technology when it comes to everything ‘touch’. i-pad, i-phone, i-pod…… Well, if you are an everything ‘i’ fan you will be very disappointed. Apple has announced that it will postpone the release of its newest gadget . The ipad should be released in the U.S. early next month and in other countries by the end of April. What happened to the payphone? Or waiting for someone to call right at that moment they get home? Now we have GPS trackers to make sure they are going home, and 3D films that beat going to the zoo!

It is amazing that so much technology can come out of a place that is surrounded by natures undeniable beauty. Apple headquarters is located in California’s very own Silicon Valley. Silicon Valley is not only the Home of major companies such as apple and google, it is the epicenter of American Technology. The city of Fremont , located in the East Bay Area, is bursting with nice hotels and great activities in doors and out. It is also home to Lake Elizabeth and Coyote Hills regional Park where you are guaranteed a ‘real’ outdoor experience! It is also just a short drive from famous cities such as Berkeley, San Francisco, and of course, Sacramento.

While you may have seen alligators in a zoo, it’s an altogether different experience to see them in their native environment, such as the Everglades outside Miami, Florida.  In fact, Miami is one of the few places you can go and see any number of amazing things — from dolphins to sea lions, even parrots on bicycles.  In Miami, you can explore the world above the Earth and the world beneath the ocean.  It can be an ideal place for travelers with an interest in history, marine life, or nature in general.  All you need do is check into one of the many hotels that Miami offers and start planning in which direction you want to go next.  For alligators, for instance, you may like to check out the Everglades Alligator Farm.  This farm began in 1982 simply as an attraction offering airboat rides in the Everglades; however, from 1985, it’s developed into an actual operating alligator farm.

Fifteen years ago, the State of Florida allowed the farming of alligators, and this site was the first in Dade County.  When the American alligator faced extinction in the 1960s, and was on the list of endangered species, commercial farming was seen as one method to help preserve this creature and its ancient ancestry.  The alligator is one of the few animals on Earth that have been around for two hundred million years.  When you see one, you’re looking into the ancient past, well before humans appeared on the planet, and into the time of dinosaurs.  An adult alligator weighs in at around eight hundred pounds and may be thirteen feet long, although they have been known to be much larger, although nowhere near the thirty-eight foot size that some monster movies from the 1980s, such as John Sayles’ Alligator would suggest.  The largest alligator on record is an inch under seventeen and a half feet long; although if you check with the Florida Fish and Wildlife conservation Commission, the state record length is established as just under fifteen feet long.

If you go to the Everglades Alligator Farm, you’ll find nearly two thousand alligators, of various sizes, and other wildlife from the Everglades, including crocodiles and caimans, the latter of which may be defined as a crocodilian type of reptile.  If you want to stay closer to town, you may still see a great deal of wildlife, just by going to the beach, where you may find sea lions and manatees and dolphins; although, if they don’t appear, check out the Miami Seaquarium.