Fires seem to be roaring rampant throughout San Diego and Los Angeles counties in recent years. While some of these fires have been speculated as arson, many were forces of nature. Whole towns and cities have been affected by these raging waves of flames. It is virtually impossible to speak to someone in these cities who was not personally been affected, or knows of someone who was effected by the recent fires . Cities were evacuated, freeways and schools were closed, and many people lost their homes. This burning devastation has repeated itself throughout history, and Honolulu’s Chinatown was no exception.

In 1899 a disaster sailed in to the shores of Honolulu. Rats stowed away on a ship carrying a shipment of rice were infected with the bubonic plague. Once they reached shore, the rats scattered into China town and the disease began to spread. Once the Board of Health became aware of the situation, Chinatown was quarantined and garbage and sewer were burned, along with buildings! The fires were set similar to the way in which firefighters burn a firebreak . This, of course, was all an effort to burn any disease carrying waste and stop it from spreading. Unfortunately, the fires began to jump to unintended buildings. The fires became uncontrollable, lasting over two weeks, and burning over half of Honolulu!

During the crisis people continued to work there while living in suburbs. It has now been over a century since Chinatown’s great fire, and like southern California, it too has rebuilt itself. The architecture now reflects a more fire resistant masonry of brick and stone rather than the original wooden buildings. It became a new era for a new generation and a way to start over fresh. While rebuilding instills a new sense of pride and accomplishment, the lost history will never be forgotten. For the citizens of China town, it was mans deadly mistake that cost them everything, not nature herself.

Today, this 15 block downtown district is lively and buzzing with energy. Fish markets and produce stands guarantee that you will find the freshest ingredients. Art galleries and trinket shops also line the streets. Its vibrant blend of Asian culture and community strength is remarkable. Here is where you can find the true history of Honolulu.

Honolulu’s Chinatown is a post from: Votika

My first day in Singapore, even though I was still feeling under the weather, I decided to check out some restaurants in Singapore’s waterfront. This site had many excellent restaurants to choose from. While on the Internet, I also found a site the said many of the malls in Singapore had walk-in clinics, and with me feeling worse everyday, but, I really wanted to just explore the waterfront and first.

After a nice Metro ride, using my tourist pass, I arrived at the downtown waterfront. I spent hours wandering around, and seeking refuge in the shade of the tall buildings, which make up the downtown area, and slipping into the air-conditioned malls. There was so much to see, I wish I would’ve done more diligent research before I went sightseeing, because I feel I’m missing out on some very essential sights. I didn’t find any so-called ‘clinics’ in the malls, and by the time I was ready to eat at one of the restaurants, I was feeling somewhat weaker; the heat wasn’t helping, so I headed back to my hotel.

After a very confusing time trying to find the Metro again that when I finally found a station, I discovered that I had lost my transit pass. Needless to say, I had a small meltdown. Defeated and full of self pity, I went down to the train area and became disoriented, I caught the wrong train, then finding the right train and eventually, I made it back to the Little India section, where my hotel is located. Fortunately, one of the restaurants on my list was in Little India, and believe it or not, there was a small clinic only a few doors down. See, I didn’t have to leave my area at all! I could’ve stayed right here all along and not had to go through all that frustration earlier.

Unnecessary Exploring in Singapore is a post from: Votika

An unexpected bill has arrived and you’re at a loss of how to pay it. Your family and friends won’t lend you any money, so the next best thing to do is ask your creditor if they will wait until your next payday, but they say no. This is when it’s the best time to use a Payday loan company. If you don’t know anything about Payday loan companies, click here and also, below you will find some very useful advise.

There are hundreds of Payday loan companies to chose from and they are all competing for your business. The qualification requirements may differ from company to company, but they all require that you be gainfully employed for at least 6 months, that you have an active checking account, an account where you frequently make deposits and doesn’t have excessive amounts of overdrafts , and that you earn a certain amount of money per month.

If you have bad credit, don’t worry, Payday loan companies require no credit checks, because the they get your bank account information to deposit the cash into your checking account (that’s if you qualify) and when the loan term is up, they take it out of your checking account. This is what they consider a guarantee, their security, so-to-speak. Even if you’ve had a bankruptcy and it’s discharged, you’ll qualify for a cash advance loan.

The reason these payday loans or cash advance loans are called payday loans is because they are always due on your next payday. That means the loan term is from 15 to 18 days, a short-term loan. The reason these companies like to use different names is because this business is extremely competitive, they even have the endorsement of celebrities: see , which is to your advantage; you can shop online for the best fees and terms.

The purpose of a Payday loan is to help you out with a short-term loan when you find yourself caught in a situation, an emergency where you need funds right away. They are only beneficial to the borrower if the loan is paid back on time. If the cash advance is extended, then the loan become very expensive. Some Payday loan companies will charge an extension interest rate of 1000%. So, you really need to think it through before you apply for a cash advance.

But, if you can repay the loan sooner than your next payday, that would be a good idea. The interest on the short-term loan is charged daily, so paying the loan back sooner will save you some money. There are Payday loan companies almost on every corner, almost like Starbucks, but to save time running around to find the best one, go on the Internet. Online Payday loan companies have become the more popular and easy way to get cash quick. Once you apply on line, and meet all of the qualifications, your cash advance funds will be deposited into your bank account usually within 24 hours!

For an Emergency, a Payday Loan May be the Way to Go is a post from: Votika

Portland has a lot of cultural attractions and major entertainment options that entice the numerous tourist who visit the city each year. In addition, the residents also enjoy this major attractions as an essential part of their own culture and societal heritage. However, one of the favorite activities for some people who visit the city, are also some of the greatest secrets kept by some of the residents. And this could only refer to the numerous haunted, or allegedly haunted, buildings and locations in this Pacific Northwest city.

As with most major metropolitan areas there is enough aspects of their history and early development to provide for many stories of restless spirits from yore still wondering the streets and buildings. This is definitely true for Portland, which is reported to have numerous hauntings throughout its streets as well as just outside of the city. One thing that all tourists should keep in mind when attempting to explore haunted locations in any city is that most of the places have restricted entry policies and/or are private residences. Information can be found here on some of the hotels in the area and they may help to provide access information on some of the sites.

Some of the haunting in Portland are in obvious places and others are a little more surprising. For instance the Burger King downtown is reported to be the home of an unknown spirit. Comedy Sportz is also known to be haunted by a female ghost. After the place closes for the evening staff and performers are reported to hear the laughter and sometimes speech of a female that is never found. Strange lights have also been reported and the toilet in the woman’s room has experienced problems and flushed incessantly without reason or stopping. Buttertoes Restaurant is haunted by a ghost named Lydia who has been seen by numerous people. These are some of the public commercial places that are allegedly haunted and they just represent a sampling of the total list of places.

Haunted Locations in Portland is a post from: Votika

The Mahalia Jackson Theatre Company in New Orleans is the city’s premiere establishment for hosting major Broadway road touring shows. The company was established in 1973 and its inaugural performance was by Norman Treigle, who was a New Orleans born bass/baritone. He was also an international opera star and delivered an incredibly performance with the New Orleans Symphony of Verdi’s Messa di Requiem. This is one of the city’s top locations for visiting theatre as well as self produced performances and it is popular with both residents and tourists. It is a common association that most of the hotel guests in New Orleans are there to visit Bourbon Street whether it is Mardi Gras or any other time of year, but it is actually true that there are numerous other cultural events that are equally or more inviting, just a little less nationally notorious.

Unfortunately the theatre building was one of the numerous casualties of the 2005 Hurricane Katrina. As the company recognizes, the loss of some of the cultural buildings was not as tragic as the loss of the lives, though this still was a major loss to the city and its arts scene. One of the overlooked tragic aspects of this storm was all of the damage that was done to some of the major cultural landmarks of the city and it was only due to the commitment and efforts of many people, including the Mayor C. Ray Nagin, who supported the construction of the current theatre. The reopening celebration occurred in 2009 and the company is again hosting major touring productions and various music concert events. In addition, some of the top comedians, musicians and bands perform at the theatre when they are in town. Mamma Mia! recently closed its performance at the theatre and the Wicked tour will be opening there later in March. Other productions that have graced this New Orleans stage include Cats, The Color Purple and Avenue Q.

Mahalia Jackson Theatre Company in New Orleans is a post from: Votika

Decorating your home is a fun and exciting adventure, whether you are doing for the first time or the tenth. Planning each room and picking out just the right color paint, furniture and accessories to give the design your personal touch is truly thrilling. However, with the wealth of home decor and home improvement stores the task of shopping for it all can be quite daunting, if it were not for the internet. Thanks to our wonderful technology, much of your shopping and home designing can be done from the comfort of your couch. Shopping for furniture has never been easier. Most stores these days have websites that allow you browse effortlessly through their products. They also have features that allow you to zoom in on the product for an up-close look, read user reviews as well as provide all of the essential measurements so you can make sure that it will fit. Some stores, like Target , will even offer discounted prices to customers who choose to make their purchases online. Window coverings are another part of your home decor that you can easily shop for online. Whether you are shopping for wood blinds , shades, or shutters there are companies out there ready to assist you with tips and ideas. One company that allows you to shop entirely online is nextdayblinds.com . From the comfort of your own home you can search different styles and designs and even send for free samples so you can make sure that you like what you are seeing. There are some things that you are still going to have to go out and buy in person, like paint and painting supplies for example. But with all of the intense shopping done online, you will have more time to spend decorating your space and making it your own.

Decorating From Home is a post from: Votika

For the city person, grist mills, may be interesting. We eat the product of grist mills with every sandwich or pastry we eat. Flour is in just about everything we eat these days and it is thanks to the grist mills to create the flour out of our favorite grain. Wheat, Corn, Rye or other types of grain are crushed down into fine powder for making delicate filo dough or hardy bread dough and there is a history to the grist mill. There is always a great sense of nostalgia when you see the old versions of mills. The equipment was so large and now rustic.

When you are visiting a Plymouth area hotel from here www.hotelplymouth.com you will be able to visit an old mill. John Jenney, an early pilgrim, built the first grist mill in America here in 1636. It is truly a step into history when you visit. There are many stories to learn about this mill that was the center of civilization during the pilgrim years of the new world. There is a tour that starts from the Jenney Gristmill and then moves out into the rest of town and you want to plan ahead because you do need reservations to join in the fun. They add new exhibits from time to time and it looks like you will soon be able to learn more about cranberries, corn and thanksgiving feasts.

Then you can move into the Plimoth Plantation for even more information on the pilgrim life of the 17th century. It is a rather large complex that looks like an old village and is filled with museums. You will see the Mayflower II out in the water below the village and it will lure you in for more adventure and history. It is a life sized replica of the original Mayflower which landed near Plymouth Rock. Plymouth Rock is near by too and you can take a little time to go see it. This could be a great trip to take before Thanksgiving. It will really get you in the mood for the holidays.

Plymouth Grist is a post from: Votika

I’m a saxophone player and as you might expect I play jazz music. Though I will say that it’s not the only music that I’m interested in and that I actually love symphony and orchestral music and have even played with chamber musicians. Of course it takes a bit of arrangement and this is not the typical set up but I’ve always enjoyed it and think it works perfectly well. I also have a passion with arranging some violin solos for saxophone and have played a few of these in public. They always receive positive response, yeah I know, it’s my friends who like it. But I think this is a cool way of exploring possibilities in music, you know? And I’m trying to build a repertoire of saxophone music based on thematic influences of music composed for other instruments. Anyway that’s just my own personal desire and interest.

A few months ago I went with my mother and father to Columbus, Missouri. They’re thinking of moving there so I went along for the ride while they checked out some things and I think my dad might have met with possible employers. I was more interested in the music scene and wanted to know what I could expect from it when I came to visit. We spent four nights in a nice little Columbus Missouri hotel and I think we really found a lot of interesting things in that time.

I went to the Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts, which is really an incredible establishment. The Missouri Symphony Society is based there and I am really interested in the work they do. One of the things they offer is a chamber outreach program and I would just love to be a part of that. They’re also focused on educating the young and the development of excellence in the youth musicians. The society has a strong reputation and I think their work is really cool. Plus I think it would be an excellent idea to present some of the chamber music in their educational outreach programs played by other instruments. I think to hear some of those pieces played by a saxophone could be inspiring to young people and open musical possibilities for them. I’m glad my parents are going to move here and I will definitely be visiting them often.

The Missouri Symphony Society is a post from: Votika

It was time to leave San Francisco, the sunshine and time to endure a 20 hour bus trip to Seattle. Riding on the bus system in the US gives one a good view of the US drug problem and other social inequities. The bus I was on was crammed packed with wannabe hippies, druggies, slackers and cheap tourist, like me. As the night went on, I saw that stop after lonely stop, how I wished I had a car.

Seattle is the last major city before one hits the Canadian border. It’s surrounded by hills and lush greenery; it certainly reminded me of home, especially how the skies are grey and that it’s always wet here. I’m staying at a hotel, which I booked online, click here, if you’re interested in finding a great hotel in Seattle at a great rate.

Seattle has a lot to offer, like good food, great music scene, that famous fish market, Pike’s Place Fish Market, Starbucks, and they even have a Major League soccer team. Fans of the soccer team can be quite fickle, when their team is winning the stadium is full, which means I didn’t get tickets, but if the team is losing, they couldn’t be bothered to come to a game.

Later that day, I found myself as a parade watcher, there was a parade going on called the ‘HonkFest’, it’s where marching bands fill up the streets and infuse people with some pretty good rhythms. As I was standing there enjoying myself, someone put a flyer in my hand. It was a protest flyer. It had to do with all the bank bailouts. I remember how Seattle made worldwide news back in the 90’s when they protested against the World Trade Organization, because it got out of hand. So, I made sure that I got up early enough the next morning to see a massive protest rally going on, but only about 100 people showed, so needless to say, the protest was a bit subdued. After the ‘protest’, I went walking around the city and came across all these weirdly dressed people. All of them were dressed up as video game characters. Apparently, there was a big ‘Anime‘  convention happening.

I wondered about some more, and came across a different group protesting against the same thing the other group was earlier, but the difference was that they weren’t protesting against the US government, but the British Empire. They thought that us Brits had a plot to take over the world. When they found out I was British, we had a pretty good debate, about the only thing we could agree on was that us Brits had nothing to do with Bush.

But, that’s what I love about America, whether you’re into politics or into video games, there’s something in it for everyone.

A Very Diverse Seattle is a post from: Votika

Arthur Miller’s play A View From the Bridge recently opened at the Cort Theatre on West 48th Street in New York. The production stars Liev Schreiber and Scarlett Johansson and was directed by Gregory Mosher. Morgan Spector, Jessica Hecht Michael Cristofer and Corey Stoll round out that cast. It began previews in November of last year and had its opening on January 24th. Miller wrote the two act version of the play in 1956, which he developed from the previous year’s production of a one act version. The intensity and sometimes-controversial nature of the play’s story will captivate audiences that come from their exclusive rooms in their New York accommodations.

Schreiber is no stranger to Broadway and won a Tony Award in 2005 for his work in Glengarry Glen Ross. He has also worked in film and made a solid career in independent movies. He made his debut as a film director and writer with movie Everything is Illuminated. Johansson is well known for her film roles and made her movie debut in 1994 in North. Since then she has worked regularly and starred in films such as The Horse Whisperer, Lost in Translation and Match Point among many others.

Arthur Miller is one of the most respected and well known American playwrights ever to have existed. He led an incredibly interesting life and was both brought to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee and to the wedding alter with Marilyn Monroe. His most famous works include Death of Salesman, which one a Pulitzer Prize for Drama and a Tony Award. Other famous works include After the Fall, The Crucible and All My Sons. He had an extremely prolific career and was honored many times during it. It is frequently stated that The Crucible was written as a parable for the Communist witch hunts that were occurring during the 1950s.

A View From the Bridge in New York is a post from: Votika