Doranga.com

The Monterey Jazz Festival is the world’s longest running annual celebration of all that’s great about jazz. Held in Monterey, California every year in mid-September the festival attracts jazz followers from around the globe. All the big names in the world of Jazz are represented – the 2005 program includes performances from Mavis Staples, Madeleine Peyroux and the Christian McBride Situation.

Make a date with Monterey

Tickets for the Monterey Jazz Festival can be purchased in advance. In fact, purchase of tickets at least a month before the festival begins is encouraged as there’s only so many to go around!

But the Monterey Jazz Festival is not just for jazz buffs. The three-day event, which is set within the breathtaking 20-acre Monterey Fairground – a giant oak-filled park in the city – offers plenty of fun for all the family. Aside from the magnificent setting, a whole host of side activities can be enjoyed, as well as displays of international cuisine and opportunities to shop from marquees and stalls.

Outside the park, activities in the city of Monterey abound too. Not to be missed is a walk along the coastal trail and a visit to one of the many beautiful beaches that line the peninsula.

Getting to Monterey

Monterey has its own airport. International travelers may fly direct into Monterey (airport code MRY) or connect to the airport via an internal flight from Los Angeles or San Francisco. Car hire can be booked in advance for pick up from Monterey airport at http://www.your-carhire.com

For more information on the Monterey Jazz Festival and for admission tickets visit http://www.montereyjazzfestival.org

About the Author

Seb Jay is a freelance writer specializing in the origination of web content for http://www.your-carhire.com

“To be or to be.” That’s how one of the most famous
sentences in the English language began several years ago in
a new edition of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” Six professional
proofreaders failed to catch the mistake, which received
national publicity and gave the publishing company a red
face.

Similarly, the Wall Street Journal once devoted eight column
inches to ridiculing a conference on critical thinking that
sent out a press release referring to the conference’s
“world renown” researchers “in field of thinking” such as
our former surgeon general “C. Everett Coop.” (He spells it
“Koop.”)

And more than bad publicity was at stake when L.L. Bean’s
back-to-school catalog invited people to call a phone number
held by a Virginia company instead of the Maine-based mega-
retailer. L.L. Bean paid the Virginia company an unnamed
sum of money (surely six figures) to immediately take over
that misprinted phone number. The cause: someone in the
production department who “knew” that a toll-free number
starting with “877″ should really have started with “800.”

Typographical errors can have serious repercussions for your
organization. Misspellings and grammatical flubs damage
your credibility, omitted words cause confusion for
customers and numbers that get printed wrongly can prevent
buyers from reaching you. Here are some tips for making
certain that your materials are letter-perfect.

* Let your printouts sit at least overnight before
finalizing them. Rereading after even half a day has lapsed
helps you spot errors you can’t find when you’ve just typed
them in.

* Actually dial all phone or fax numbers to make sure you
haven’t transposed digits or worse. It’s common for people
to confuse their own phone and fax numbers, for instance.
Test URLs in the same way, and carefully examine ZIP codes
and street numbers.

* In a recurrent publication, like a newsletter, or a letter
you’re adapting for a new recipient, make sure you’ve
appropriately changed all dates and no-longer-relevant
information deep in the piece.

* Confirm the spelling of all place names, company names and
proper names. Often the reference desk of a public library
will check atlases and business encyclopedias for you over
the phone.

* Take another look at stated prices. Missing decimal
points, switched numbers, shipping costs updated in one spot
and not another all bollix up the ordering process.

* Double-check your headlines and any corrections or
additional copy inserted at the last minute. Mistakes there
are hardest to see.

Not convinced that misspellings make a difference? Recently
in Wellesley, Massachusetts, a man handed a bank teller a
note that read: “Give me your 10s and 20s and no die pack.”
Distracted by the misspelling of “die” for “dye,” the teller
had to reread the note to realize that this was an attempted
stickup. Indignant, she crumpled up the note and told the
guy, “I’m not going to give you any money. Now get the hell
out of here.” He obeyed, his message having failed to get
across.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Marcia Yudkin is the author of the
classic guide to comprehensive PR, “6 Steps to Free
Publicity,” now for sale in an updated edition at Amazon.com
and in bookstores everywhere. She also spills the secrets
on advanced tactics for today’s publicity seekers in
“Powerful, Painless Online Publicity,” available from
www.yudkin.com/powerpr.htm .

HILTON HEAD BEACHES

The Travel Channel recently ranked Hilton Head Island number three in its “America’s Best Beaches” program.
It’s no wonder that Hilton Head Island’s beaches have gained so much attention. The shoreline is clean, wide and sandy.
Come and enjoy the island’s 12 miles of pristine beaches.

Following are some general guidelines and Hilton Head Beach regulations as well as some beach first aid tips.

Public Access to Hilton Head
Island Beaches:

The Town of Hilton Head Island provides four (4) Public Beach Accesses as follows:

1. Alder Lane Beach Access off South Forest
Beach Drive – Parking available.

2. Beachfront at Coligny Circle – Parking available.

3. Driessen Beach Park at the end of Bradley Beach Road – Parking available.

4. Folly Field Beach Park off Folly Field Road – Parking available.

Plantations with beaches have numerous beach access points for their guests.

Prohibited at the Beach all seasons

* Liquor, beer or wine.
* All forms of glassware.
* Shark fishing.
* Horses.
* Sleeping on the beach after midnight.
* The operation, launching or landing of motorized watercraft ( except in emergencies )

Seasonal Rules
From April 1st – September 30th

No Stunt Kites between 10AM-6PM.
No sand sailing between 10AM-6PM.
No fishing or surf casting in designated swimming areas.
No surfboards or other articles to ride the surf in designated swimming areas.
No frisbees or other team sports involving a ball in designated swimming areas.
No games with metal components (such as metal horseshoes) in designated swimming areas.

Animal Regulations
for all Hilton Head Beaches

October 1st – April 1st -
No leashes required at any time. The animal is required to be under positive voice control.
April 1st – May 22nd – Animals must be on a leash between 10AM and 5PM.
May 23rd until Monday of Labor Day weekend – NO animals allowed on the beach between 10AM-5PM.
Tuesday after Labor Day – September 30th – Animals must be on a leash from 10AM-5PM. On the beach or not, local law requires owners to clean up after their pets.

Beach Safety

* Protect your skin: Sunlight contains two kinds of UV rays — UVA increases the risk of skin cancer, skin aging, and other skin diseases. UVB causes sunburn and can lead to skin cancer. Limit the amount of direct sunlight you receive between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and wear a sunscreen with a sun protection factor containing a high rating such as 15.

* Drink plenty of water regularly and often even if you do not feel thirsty. Your body needs water to keep cool. Avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine in them. They can make you feel good briefly but make the heat’s effects on your body worse. This is especially true with beer, which dehydrates the body.

* Watch for signs of heat stroke: Heat stroke is life-threatening. The victim’s temperature control system, which produces sweating to cool the body, stops working. The body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly. Signals include hot, red, and dry skin; changes in consciousness, rapid, weak pulse, and rapid, shallow breathing. Call 9-1-1 or your local EMS number. Move the person to a cooler place. Quickly cool the body by wrapping wet sheets around the body and fan it. If you have ice packs or cold packs, place them on each of the victim’s wrists and ankles, in the armpits and on the neck to cool the large blood vessels. Watch for signals of breathing problems and make sure the airway is clear. Keep the person lying down.

* Wear eye protection: Sunglasses are like sunscreen for your eyes and protect against damage that can occur from UV rays. Be sure to wear sunglasses with labels that indicate that they absorb at least 90 percent of UV sunlight.

* Wear foot protection: Many times, people’s feet can get burned from the sand or cut from glass or shells in the sand.

Ocean Safety

* Learn to swim. The best thing anyone can do to stay safe in and around the water is to learn to swim–this includes adults and children. The American Red Cross has swimming courses for people of any age and swimming ability. Contact your local Red Cross chapter for information on courses.

* Stay within the designated swimming area, ideally within the visibility of a lifeguard.

* Never swim alone.

* Check the surf conditions before you enter the water. Check to see if a warning flag is up or check with a lifeguard for water conditions, beach conditions, or any potential hazards.

* Stay away from piers, pilings, and diving platforms when in the water.

* Keep a lookout for aquatic life. Water plants and animals may be dangerous. Avoid patches of plants. Leave animals alone.

* Make sure you always have enough energy to swim back to shore.

* Don’t try to swim against a current if caught in one. Swim gradually out of the current, by swimming across it.

Beach First Aid Tips

Sunburn – Soak in cool water unless skin is broken or blistered. Ibuprofen may help.

Bee Stings – Apply a baking soda paste and ice. If allergic, seek medical help.

Jelly Fish Stings – Apply vinegar, sugar, salt or dry sand. After 20 min., rinse with salt water.

Crab Bites – rinse well, disinfect, and apply antibiotic ointment. May need stitches.

Tick Bites – DO NOT attempt to remove the tick. Cover with vaseline or a film of oil. When insect is free, remove with tweezers. Look for flu-like symptoms for up to two weeks. If this occurs, seek immediate medical attention.

Snake Bites – CALL 911. Use a compression dressing just above site, NOT a tourniquet.

Oyster Shells – cuts and abrasions can result in serious infections. Medical treatment advised.

Alligators – Do NOT go near alligators. They run very fast. Do NOT feed or tease

Sting Ray – rinse with water and apply heat to neutralize sting. Seek medical attention.

Enjoy the Sunshine!

For more information about Hilton Head Island visit:
http://www.hiltonheadislander.com

About the Author

Jeff Palmer is an internet marketing expert and web designer.

http://www.hiltonheadislander.com

The City of Seattle had it’s beginnings on a rainy day in 1851, when the Denny party landed on Alki Beach, in what is now West Seattle. Seattle is named for Chief Seattle, of the Duwamish Indians, who aided these early pioneers in settling the forested hills by Puget Sound. Over the next few years, the settlement moved across to Elliot Bay, when Henry Yesler opened up a saw mill, which contributed greatly to local economy through the thriving timber industry. The City of Seattle incorporated in December of 1869 with a population of 1,107 people.

Seattle today is the shining star of the Northwest. Trade from the busy harbor port, as well as the fishing industry and the surrounding rich farmlands, all contribute to Seattle’s prosperity and growth. The population of Seattle grew to over 500,000 residents by the year 2000. The climate in Seattle is typical of the northwest, with mild winters, mild summers and plenty of rainfall, making for beautiful green vegetation almost all of the year round. There’s so much greenery, in fact, that Seattle has been given the nickname of “The Emerald City”. Downtown Seattle is a hub of sky scrapers and freeways.

The Space-needle, built in 1962 for the World Fair, is the city’s most recognizable landmark, and offers a spectacular view of the city. Seattle boasts its own professional baseball team, the Mariners, with Safeco Field as their home field, as well as the Super Sonics basketball team and the Seahawks football team. Seattle is literally surrounded by natural beauty, with the Puget Sound and Olympic Mountains on the west side, and Lake Washington and the Cascade Mountains to the east.

About the author:

http://www.a1-seattle-4u.info/seattle.html

From the Hills (Beverly Hills) To The Beach (Santa Monica) BungaLOEWS

Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com
To read this entire feature FREE with photos cut and paste this link:
http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/hotels/calif/loews/Loews/monica.html

From the hills Beverly Hills, that is, to the beach Santa Monica Beach, that is, Loews has you covered in the Southern California climes.

I knew I am in Los Angeles when the first billboard I spot is shouting out an advertisement for Prozac on Pico Blvd that runs right past the Loews Beverly Hills.

The Loews Beverly Hills . . .

But staying at a Loews hotel is certainly no need for Prozac. Beverly Hills has a new neighbor sitting 12 stories atop a hillside with great views of Beverly Hills and LA downtown skyscrapers. The famous shopping street Rodeo Drive merges off Beverwil Drive a block away from the hotel and wriggles down to the high society leather, jewels, and dining emporiums.

Beverly Hills residents don’t really have a new neighbor Loews Beverly Hills Hotel is formerly a Renaissance Hotel that was originally built in 1964 and known as the Hillcrest, but Loews has modernized the property throughout, an easy entrance hot spot for Hollywood studio executives.

Fantasia, the 2004 winner of the American Idol contest, is checking out the day I am checking in and a film crew is catching her on tape.

The hotel is regionally trendy with the locals, too. I guess originally the hotel must have been platted on a real estate map at one time as Lot 1224, which is the address of the hotel at 1224 Beverwil Drive, and also the name of the hotel’s hot, chic restaurant, where new and up-coming and soon-to-be-famous Chef Eric Rillos offers up premium cuisine (Be there for the Friday night Red Couch Sessions, so named because of the huge red leather couch wrapping around the restaurant.).

The Loews Beverly Hills is a small, almost boutique hotel, with only 137 rooms and suites; VIPs and business executive use the place as a second office complex, I think. The concierge, Steve, ensconces himself on the 10th Floor, and he is a delightful resource of local golf, activities, entertainment, and dining information. He is fun just to sit and talk with, even if you don’t need his insights.

Now that the Western world is on a low carbs diet courtesy of the late Dr. Atkins, and with even Coke recently launching C2, a low carb cola, Loews has taken the mantra a little farther with “No Carbtails”, or low-carb cocktails. Because Southern California usually sets the fad standards that are as ephemeral and chimera as the next pop star staying at the hotel, I am certain the cocktail recipes will rush across the nation just like a Santa Monica beach wave. The hotel has also gone retro with a choice of high protein and low carb dinners.

The Metro Man . . .

If you are into the low carb groove then you must be sophisticated enough to become a Metrosexual. I am caught off guard with the term, but the hotel packages a complete haute vacation around the trend.

A Metrosexual is a sophisticated man who is fashionable and well groomed, and with the Loews’ Metro Man package you will be the talk of the town, especially if you get the Deluxe version. The two-night hotel package includes a complete transformation of your old fuddy duddy ways blasting you into a new, slick persona, and in only a few short days. You are educated and pampered with a complete fashion and psyche makeover. You will be cool. You will be hip. You will be Metrosexual. You will be a Metro Man!

Transformation amenities include an etiquette book, travel kit, and cocktail shaker (and I presume recipes for Carbtails). The hotel’s chef hosts for Metro Men a two hour tasting meal, including cooking with wine lessons and mixology instructions (carbtails for me!). The makeover continues with a grooming session involving manicure, pedicure, haircut, shave, sports facial, and a hot waxing for the back and eyebrows; the deluxe package includes a dental bleaching and consultation with a nutritionist and Saks Fifth Avenue personal trainer for those long shopping stints on Rodeo Drive or at Century City malls.

Guys, don’t forget your purse, which is now also in style.

The Metro Man package was designed after a research study in 2003 that found men are increasingly attuned to their feminine side culture, feelings, cooking, etc., while remaining confident in their masculinity, with good grooming essential for success in the business world.

The best rooms in the Loews Beverly Hills Hotel are above the sixth floor because you have panoramic views of the Hollywood Hills. Every room has a private terrace and you have specialized business services with something called Star Service. The elevators are prompted to these upper level rooms when you slide your plastic room key into the swiping slot. These floors are Metrosexually approved, I am sure.

In-room amenities include: TempurPedic pressure relieving Swedish mattresses, a TV with video, cable, and pay-per-view, two-line telephones with voice mail, high speed internet access (bring your laptop), desk, coffee maker, minibar, in-room safe, and customized amenities.

The heated outdoor swimming pool and cabana area is popular in the afternoon, sweetly located off the new revamped restaurant for quick drink and café orders. Pets are welcome in the hotel, but I must admit that the guest cooling off his bowser in the pool was something more akin to the beach.

For rooftop parties and dining Studio 360, also billed as the Ballroom, accommodates up to 200 guests.

Dining is always a treat at any of the Loews that I have experienced, including the one in DC and San Diego, and the Beverly Hills Loews is burnishing the same standard with full signature dinner with cocktails, such as the Governor (give me an Arnold?) and Money Martini.

To read this entire feature FREE with photos cut and paste this link:
http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/hotels/calif/loews/Loews/monica.html

Kriss Hammond, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent – Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To book travel visit Jetstreams.com at www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit Beach Booker at www.beachbooker.com

About the Author

Kriss Hammond, Editor, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Join the Travel Writers Network in the logo at www.jetsettersmagazine.com

Antarctica is one of the great unexplored areas of the world. It wasn’t until the last fifty years that there has been any appreciable exploration or study of the vast frozen continent. Now the tourist with sufficient money can actually view and set foot on this unique part of the earth.

The tourist season for Antarctica is restricted only to the months of December through February when it is the peak of summer in the southernmost part of the world. Only vessels equipped for the icy waters cruise to one of the coldest areas of the earth. Three major cruise lines offer Antarctic cruises: Celebrity Cruises, Orient Lines, and Radisson Seven Seas. Smaller specialty expedition companies also offer other trips to this destination.

Celebrity Cruises travels to Antarctica with the polar icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov, a refitted 1980’s Russian polar research vessel. This ship takes a fortunate 106 passengers to the polar region with the amenities expected from Celebrity Cruises such as pool, sauna, and gym. Accommodations are small by comparison to a cruise ship; staterooms can be as small as 135 square feet while a suite with private bath is only 285 square feet.

Currently Celebrity Cruises has one 11-day trip to Antarctica scheduled for departure February 6, 2006. The price is approximately $10,000 per person. The cruise originates and returns to Ushuaia Tierra Del Fuego, the southernmost town in South America near Cape Horn. As with all cruises in the frozen waters, destinations depend upon actual weather conditions during the cruise.

Orient Lines provides several Antarctic cruises each year aboard its world traveler ship Marco Polo. This ship was originally built in Germany in 1965 and was rebuilt in the early 1990’s. It has twelve decks and carries 826 passengers, a cruise ship not a research vessel like the Kapitan Khlebnikov. Accommodations vary from deluxe and regular suites to a full complement of cabin categories to choose from. Orient Lines has a high reputation for quality and the Marco Polo is a full service ship with many restaurants and amenities.

Orient offers a variety of Antarctic cruises throughout the season from December to February with the option of 11 to 33 day cruises, depending upon point of departure. The longest trip begins in the Caribbean, passes through the Panama Canal and tours the west coast of South America before touring Antarctica. Once the ship reaches the Cape Horn area, regular 11-day cruises to Antarctica depart from Ushuaia Tierra Del Fuego. Other cruises are 15 or 18-day cruises that start in Santiago, Chile or Buenos Aires, Argentina. Prices start at around $5,000 per person for the 11-day cruise.

Radisson Seven Seas provides cruises to Antarctica aboard the ship Explorer II. Explorer II is designed to cruise safely in the polar region. While this vessel carries 300 passengers elsewhere, only 198 people can take the Antarctic cruise. Explorer II is a small cruise ship with all the amenities expected from a luxury and award-winning cruise line such as Radisson Seven Seas.

Radisson Seven Seas provides only two cruises per year in the Antarctic region, both in the month of January. Both cruises are round trip from Ushuaia Tierra Del Fuego and are 12-day trips. While the 2005 cruise itinerary shows cruising the Antarctic Peninsula, the 2006 cruises show only cruising the South Shetland Islands without mention of the Antarctic continent. Prices start at around $7,500 per person for the 12-day cruise.

About the Author

More Cruise – Cruise Information And More!
Go to: http://www.morecruise.com
‘More Cruise’ is published by Colin Hartness –
Check out more cruise articles at: http://www.morecruise.com/articles

Choosing the right digital camera for general use can be more challenging than actually taking a good picture. Like all things technical, digital cameras come in a vast array of styles, sizes and abilities.

However, you don’t have to research in great depth to make the right choice — you need only know what you want your camera to do for you. You’ll need to consider your own skills, your budget and how you will use your photographs.

Regarding your skill level, first consider your willingness to learn the technicalities of photography. Do you simply want to point and shoot? If so, there are plenty of automatic cameras made to do just that.

Or, do you want to be creative — experimenting with self-timers, flash, shutter speed, lighting, and photo enhancement features? To fulfill these creative desires, you’ll need a camera with a full range of manual controls.

Of course, with the hundreds of digital cameras that are on the shelves, you don’t have to make a commitment — many cameras have both automatic and manual settings. It all depends on what you want to spend.

Speaking of budget, you should know what you want to spend before you shop online or in a store. Then, only look at the cameras that match the amount that you came up with — it will keep you from suffering buyer’s remorse later.

In addition to your skill and your budget, consider how you will use the camera. Are you planning to email more pictures than you plan to print? Are you uploading them for online auctions or to share with your best friend who lives miles away? If so, carefully consider whether the pictures need to last for the next 100 years, or just until your online auction expires or your friend gets a chance to take a look at them.

If you are looking for professionally finished prints, brilliant color and a sharp image, you will need a camera with high image quality. The quality of an image is directly related to how many pixels it can capture horizontally and vertically. To print quality standard sized photos that will last, you’ll need a minimum of a 1-2 megapixel digital camera. Larger photos will require 3 megapixels to get the same quality. With at least 4 megapixels, 11 x 14 enlargements will look sharp.

Zoom lenses can also play a key role in the appearance of your photos. Many cameras will have zooms, but the size and type of zoom are important to consider. The larger the zoom (a 3x would be average and 10x large), the closer you will be able to get to subjects like sporting events and wildlife. But for good quality photos, be sure the camera has a true optical zoom rather than a digital zoom, which merely enlarges the center of the basic image.

Also, be aware that not all cameras with the same megapixels are created equal. Some have better optics and better zoom lenses. Some have more features such as the ability to make short videos. Some have better LCD screens for reviewing photos. Some have batteries that are proprietary and expensive to replace. Some are more prone to needing repairs.

So before heading to the store or to your favorite online site, check out the reviews for the models that interest you. Simply state your need at a search engine — something like 4 megapixel digital camera+review.

There is no need to spend hours researching every term and every available feature. Simply familiarize yourself with basic terminology, know your needs and know which models have the best ratings in your price range. Armed with this knowledge, you’ll be more satisfied with your investment.

Todd Nelson is webmaster at Triple Exposure Photography. Visit http://www.tephotography.com for the large photography resources or to register for the free Photo Age newsletter.

A Bahamas vacation is something that most travelers will never forget. The 700 islands of the Bahamas make up a 100,000-square-mile archipelago, extending over 500 miles. Including uninhabited cays and large rocks, it has a total estimated land area of 5,382 miles. The two main islands are New Providence Island and Grand Bahama Island, although the smaller islands of Abacos, Acklins, Andros, The Berry Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Eleuthera, The Exumas, Inagua, Mayaguana, and San Salvador also offer prime vacation spots.

Grand Bahama Island vacations are perhaps the most popular. As the fourth largest island in the Bahamas, Grand Bahama Island extends for 96 miles against emerald green water. The island’s many cities, towns, and villages provide a unique combination of a cosmopolitan locales, historical fishing villages, and undiscovered ecological treasures. The island also has one of the world’s largest underwater cave systems, three national parks, endless beaches, and enchanting marine life.

Nassau, as the capital city of the Bahamas on New Providence Island, is also a popular vacation destination.. Along with its neighbor Paradise Island, these two pieces of land mix glamour with tropical ease. Nassau is prized for its sheltered harbor, and the city has managed to preserve its beautiful colonial mansions, cathedrals, 18-th century fortresses, and a Queen’s staircase whose 66 steps lead to a view that simply is not to be missed.

Many dream their whole lives of a Bahamas vacation, and with the scenery, culture, and history to be found on Grand Bahama Island and in Nassau, it is easy to see why.

About the Author

Bahamas Vacations Info provides detailed information on Bahamas vacation packages, rentals, family vacations, resorts, villas, ranging from cheap vacations to upscale retreats. Bahamas Vacations Info is the sister site of Lake Havasu Web.

Well, Mother’s Day is coming up on us again. Are you ready to “WOW” your mom with a show of thanks and gratitude? Will you honestly remember what motherhood is all about and what she did for you? To prepare you for adulthood, the stresses of life, teaching you how to make lemon-aide out of lemons.

Some say the Mother’s Day is too commercialized now, but what was it really for to begin with? Originally conceived by Julia Ward Howe after the American Civil War as a day honoring (in her opinion) the inherent pacifism of mothers, Mother’s Day now simply celebrates motherhood and thanks mothers.

The first Mother’s Day as we would recognize it was celebrated in Grafton, West Virginia, on May 10, 1908, in the church where the elder Anna Jarvis had taught Sunday School. Grafton is the home to the International Mother’s Day Shrine. From there, the custom caught on spreading eventually to 45 states. Finally the holiday was declared officially by states beginning in 1912, and in 1914 the President, Woodrow Wilson, declared the first national Mother’s Day.

Mother’s Day is a busy time of year for mail in many countries. In 1973, the U.S. Postal Service was held up for eight days because of the number of letters and cards.

Here are just a few quotes from people that we have heard of but never thought to have a mother. They honored their mothers with these wonderful and memorable words about motherhood.

James Fenton: The lullaby is the spell whereby the mother attempts to transform herself back from an ogre to a saint

Oliver Wendell Holmes: The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men – from mothers most of all, who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms

Abraham Lincoln: I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.

Chinese Proverb: There is only one pretty child in the world, and every mother has it.

Remember mom, she was the world to you in your childhood, the weirdo in your youth and the guide in your adulthood. She is “Mom.”

Nicola Kennedy has enjoyed some great Mother’s Days, both as a grateful mom and a loving daughter. She can help you find great Mother’s Day gifts with tips and news, information and views at www.I-Love-My-Mom.com

This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright www.I-Love-My-Mom.com

Populated by Native-American Indians, the name Pocono means “stream between two mountains,” and rightly so, since the Delaware River runs between two mountains. The history of the Poconos dates back to the 1800s where the first tourists stayed at boarding houses close to the riverside. Soon New Yorkers and Philadelphians made the Poconos their little hideaway for vacationing with their family during the summertime by the mountain lakes. Even World War II soldiers were reported to have gone to the Poconos for rest and relaxation before leaving for combat overseas.

The Poconos have become such a favorite vacation hub that families have purchased second homes there, just so that they can enjoy all that the resort has to offer. A visit to the Poconos is an escape from the monotony of everyday life. The area is built up with franchise restaurants and major shopping malls, without sacrificing the unspoiled nature that the mountain resort has become associated with. When it comes to having a good time there, those who visit have lots to choose from, activities such as wildlife, bird watching, horseback riding, fishing, kayaking and even golfing.

Most of all, visitors to the Poconos are enthralled by skiing down the mountains during the winter. The Poconos experience four-season weather but some nights are undeniably colder than during the day, even around spring and summer. The coolness of the breeze though, is more than refreshing, especially to those who vacate their 70-plus degree summer weather.

And if outdoor activities don’t excite you, there are local wineries and breweries that you can tour, or perhaps a visit to an art museum and antique shopping.

About the Author

Poconos Info provides detailed information about the Poconos mountains, vacations, resorts, real estate, hotels, and honeymoons. Poconos Info is the sister site of Steamboat Springs Web.