Live to Inspire

Vegetarian Restaurant in San Francisco

Jackie was extremely excited to visit her good friend Carrie in San Francisco. He two of them had been extremely close since they were ten and even went to the same university together, though it was in a different state than that which they grew up in. They both finished college two years ago and remained roommates for a year after school. Then last summer Carrie decided it was time for her to branch out, fulfill her dreams and move to a city that she loved, which was San Francisco, California.

Carrie had gotten herself comfortably settled in and was working two jobs the next year when Jackie planned to visit. She was working in both a restaurant and a bookstore. This was due in part to the fact that Jackie really wanted to open her own bookstore that would deal with rare and unique books. She was able however to get a week off from both jobs while Jackie would be there.

Meanwhile, Jackie in the last year had become a vegetarian. She had read a great deal of literature on the potential health and environmental benefits of such a lifestyle and found herself adapting to it quite well. She was sure a city like San Francisco would have at least one vegetarian restaurant but she wondered what Carrie would think of her decision. Well, she lived in San Francisco, Jackie didn’t want to be stereotypical, but decided that Carrie couldn’t have become closed-minded since living there. And in fact, it turns out that the restaurant Carrie worked at was primarily vegetarian and she took Jackie there for dinner. Jackie was thrilled and tried the vegan quiche while Jackie had asparagus crepes. The rest of the night the two friends caught up over a cup of hot tea and biscuits.

Spas Bringing People Together

It is a commitment to the good life when you decide you need to have your own hot tub at home.  There certainly are plenty of healthy benefits from a good soak, and some people use them exclusively for therapeutic purposes, but they also speak directly to that sense for luxury and splendor.  Whether you’re looking for hot tubs, spas, or any of their variations, there are plenty of choices.  With today’s technologies, there are more choices than at any other time in history, and you can have a hot tub with a built in sound system, with decorative lighting, and many other terrific amenities.

There are also plenty of choices with the basics. There’s the shape and size of the hot tub, which depends on your own lifestyle, and how you plan to use it.  A two person hot tub is often all that people really want or need, but it’s possible to get one that can accommodate a number of people, including swimming pool sized hot tubs as a way to get some fantastically pleasurable exercise!  There are also many different looks, to go with different decor and design tastes.  In today’s world, you can get exactly what you want, and there are many people who share your tastes as well.

People will certainly want to share your hot tub.  One of the first changes in your lifestyle that you’ll notice is the frequency of visitors in your house, which will invariably go up.  There may be some people who prefer to keep it to themselves, but it’s hard to maintain this position for long, as the hot tub is built for social activities.  In the tradition of the baths of classical times, these are made to share moments of deep relaxation.  Perhaps this is because the best of all of us comes out when we are at our best.  A warm bath can do wonders for bringing people together, and it’s becoming a national tradition.  You’ll enjoy the new social scene, but you’ll also enjoy being able to relax, and enjoy being itself.

Stress Relief in Portable Hot Tubs

Having a portable spa at your disposal opens up all sorts of possibilities, and in your own backyard.  You have your own stress relief right at your disposal, and you can use it any time of the day, even in winter.  You don’t have to answer to anyone about your right to relax, and it’s a wonderful feeling to know that it’s always there for you.  But buying your spa can be a very exciting experience too.  Taking time to look for the best spas can pay off, and it’s nice to daydream about what your spa will be like.  The drive home from work is easier when portable spas are on the horizon, and there’s a new energy to the days.It doesn’t go away when you choose the perfect spa for you, and in fact it only gets better in time.  When people start to hear about your new addition, you’ll have more callers to invite in, or turn away.  You’ll also start to feel some of the many benefits to having a spa in your own home, most of them related to improved physical health.  It’s not hard to see why this is the case, when you think about that amazing reduction of stress you’ll get with the hot water and massage treatment in your home.   There are a number of things that stress can affect, from subtle changes in mood to extraordinarily apparent physical ailments, and the hot tub can melt away many worries.

Perhaps even more apparent, though, will be the way your body starts to respond to the water.  After a bit, it will get used to the sensation, and even come to expect it.  Because the effects are so pleasurable, it will have a greater capacity to relax than before.  You’ll start to see that there is a relation between hot tubs and better sleep, and it’s been shown in medical studies that sleep cycles are deeper when you have hot tub therapy at your fingertips.  There are more physical benefits, too, like increased circulation and even a healthier heart, and it all adds up to a wise choice with fantastic benefits.

The Kerala Folklore Museum and Theater

The people of Kerala are known as being some of the most hospital in the country of India.  The culture is steeped in a history that is based on arts, visual and performing arts, that have served to keep that history alive through the various methods of story telling.  This is a magical city, which is evidenced by the jumping of the dolphins each evening just off shore.  Walking through the streets, you find many museums and galleries which house many of the artifacts, artworks and historical mementos that will serve to send any first time visitor back to their room in one of the Kerala resorts, excited for what the next day will hold.

In the Kochi section of the city one will find the Kerala Folklore Museum and Theater.  This museum celebrates the history and the tradition of the performance art world of the southern portion of India.  The items found in the museum are exquisite and unique, ranging from costumes to instruments, puppets and painted window frames that had all been used at one time or another in the telling of the tales on stage.  The tour through the museum is a guided tour, and when it is over the finale is a live performance of Kalaripayattu, Kathakali, and Mohiniyattam accompanied by live musicians.

This is one of the most fantastic and interesting museums in Kerala.  And most certainly one of the best sites that is in the tucked away neighborhood of Kochi.  The museum was put together by a married couple who still serve as curators of the museum and delightful hosts to all those who walk through their door.  The collection has taken them seven years to put together and more items of interest are added each year.  The performance is a colorful display of talent, both in acting and dancing, and the music was traditional, soothing and well executed.  There are many museums and points of interest throughout the region, and should one make it to this region of South India, this is one that should not be missed.

Sandra Day O’Connor Awarded the Presidential Medal of Honor

Awards were given out a few months ago at the end of July by President Barack Obama to sixteen citizens of various countries.  This, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is the most prestigious award that can be given to a civilian.  The award honors those who have made contributions to not only the United States of America, but in countries throughout the world.  It honors the private endeavors and accomplishments, as well as the public and global accomplishments through the interest in world peace and culture of all nations.  True to President Obama’s stance, the individuals were honored this year for the continuous contributions as the agents of change.

His list is comprised of actors, such as Sidney Poitier and Chita Rivera for their work in breaking down the racial barriers in the entertainment world as well as the contributions they made to society throughout their lifetimes.  It also includes those who have broken down the stigmas and sexual barriers, those as Billy Jean King and Harvey Milk, two people who worked relentlessly to ensure the rights of all people, not only those in the homosexual communities.  He honored Stephen Hawking for his contribution to the world of science and physics, despite is severe motor neuron disease.

Political leaders who devoted their lives to change and creating a better, more just world such as Desmond Tutu of South Africa who was one of the leaders fighting against apartheid and Dr. Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh who served his country and became a leader on the global front against poverty.  And be it in a Salt Lake city law firm, or one in Miami, New Orleans or Atlanta, be it a young girl attending her first year of law school, or a partner with many years behind her, all women know of and are inspired by Sandra Day O’Connor. And so was President Obama.  He honored her as well for he drive, her dedication and her tenacity during a time when women were not seen in courtrooms, defending or prosecuting or sitting behind the bench.   The range of recipients was great, but they all accomplished in their lifetimes and are continuing to accomplish all that makes the world a just and civil world in which to live.

Friends Visit Theme Parks and Old Town Jakarta

Jane and her three closest friends she met through a book club, Joyce, Chelle and Emily all decided to take a trip together. That part was easy enough to agree on, meanwhile, actually choosing a destination proved to be slightly more difficult. Ironically, their final decision came about quite by accident and occurred when Chelle brought up what she thought was a non-related topic during their discussion. Chelle mentioned that she had seen a program that dealt with the mythological city of Atlantis and the eerie events that have continued to occur throughout history over the alleged site of the ancient ruined city. This is where the confusion began. Somehow Emily believed that the legend of the Devil’s Triangle referred to an area over Southeast Asia. She then mentioned that there was a theme park that provided both entertainment and information on these bizarre occurrences in Jakarta, Indonesia and perhaps they should go there to conduct their own investigation.

Jane and Chelle became intrigued and thought it would be somewhat adventurous to fly into a city that was located in that mysterious triangle. Joyce interrupted and said she didn’t know anything about the theme park Emily had mentioned, however the triangle to which Emily referred was not over Southeast Asia. It was actually the Bermuda Triangle that was formed between Florida, Bermuda and Puerto Rico in the Atlantic Ocean. However, throughout the conversation, interest in the city of Jakarta had taken hold and the group decided it would still be an interesting place to visit, even if they didn’t have a chance of disappearing. The group book reservations in the Jakarta Indonesia hotel and flew out a month later. They did visit the Atlantis Water Adventure, as well as Old Town Jakarta, which Chelle particularly loved and also the Dunia Fantasia theme park. They had a great time at these and other locations and the subject of the Bermuda Triangle was not brought up again.

Doing Fun Research in Sentosa

I’ve been so busy and have been neglecting my travel blog site. But, here I am staying at one of Singapore Sentosa hotels waiting for my lab partner to show up. The lab has been taking up most of my energy and time, and what’s even worse is I’ve barely started the trial section!

Anyways, back to Sentosa! My lab mate finally showed up, he’s a grad student from my lab and was happy to come with me. The island is absolutely beautiful and the weather was perfect. It was all sunshine, which means I’ll not suffer any vitamin D deficiency today. We found tons of things to do on the island, but we found that everything had a high cost associated with it. Sentosa Island isn’t like Disneyland where there’s basically one price to get in and virtually the rest is free, no, Sentosa is a place where everything costs, and it’s expensive.

The one thing I liked about Sentosa, besides the excellent beaches is Sentosa has pink dolphins! Well, not truly pink, but apparently, these dolphins are born grey, but as they age, they turn pink. Their belly turns pink first, then their dorsal fins and finally the rest of their body. Of course, now, if they turned purple… well pink will do.

After beaching it, we checked out the laser fireworks show, which I can’t compare to some of the other ones I’ve attended. This one’s pretty darn good. Then we went to get something to eat. We both found that the language barrier to be difficult. We were under the impression that Singapore’s language was mostly English, but this was not the case. I couldn’t get my waiter to understand that I wanted to substitute the beef for mushrooms. So, when my dish arrived, I had to send it back three times! Finally, the cook came out and he knew a little English and understood my request.

My lab partner and I headed back to my hotel, and we once again delved into or lab project.

Cajun fun in Lafayette

Lafayette, LA is the parish seat for Lafayette Parish in Louisiana. Lafayette is situated on the Vermilion River and is the fourth largest city in the state with a population around a half a million people. Originally founded as Vermilionville in 1821 by Jean Mouton and was latter renamed Lafayette after the French general Lafayette. Lafayette is the center of Cajun culture in Louisiana and maintains a strong tourist base due to this. Lafayette is not very far to the west from Baton Rogue and a few hours from New Orleans.

When visiting Lafayette you have to experience the Cajun music, food and art, after all that is probably what brought you here in the first place. The weekends begin traditionally on Friday nights with Zydeco and Cajun music filling the air. Resturaunts and bars touting fine Cajun fare and drink have local bands playing on the weekends late into the night.

When we go we like to stay at hotels Lafayette in the downtown area. From there it is easy to access on foot the places we enjoy frequenting. A weekend in Lafayette starts with a big dinner on Friday evening when we usually arrive and then dancing and drinking until early into Saturday morning. Saturday day is for sleeping and lounging until late afternoon when it all stars over again. Saturday nights dinner this time around was the best craw fish I have had in Louisiana. Many visits and many times eating craw fish, not sure the difference, but these were the best! After Saturday nights we get up on Sunday for a big breakfast and like to get ready for dancing all after noon in a local Zydeco hall. One would think after the parting late into the night on Saturday what could happen on Sunday? Zydeco! The halls usually open around noon and the music begins. The people begin showing up and by 4PM there is a crowd of folks dancing, singing and drinking. The lust for enjoyment of life is alive and well here. I always love our weekends on Louisiana and Lafayette is my favorite place to go!

Acting Mumbai, Anupam Kher

Traveling in India is a life-changing experience for many people.  For some it’s a vacation, and for others, it’s a pilgrimage, and there are many sides to this magnificent country, and it continues to get more complicated, baffling, and often extremely delightful, as the world continues to spin on its axis.  There are too many places to see all at once, and for some people, Mumbai Bombay is really everyplace at once.  It’s one of the largest cities in the world, and has a dizzying array of cultures, languages, and traditions.  When you’re booking your Mumbai Bombay hotel, comfort and hospitality should be high on the list of priorities, since this is the place where you will refresh and replenish your energy at the end of every exciting day.

Our hotels are selected for their ability to provide generous hospitality with splendid touches of local style.  You’ll love relaxing in our spacious and sumptuous rooms, where you’ll be waking up in a kind of paradise every morning, and ready to start another Mumbai adventure.  Mumbai is one of the most exciting cities in the world for touring, and people-watching is an exceptionally rewarding sport here.  Nestle yourself into a corner of a street cafe and watch life’s comedies and dramas play themselves out in front of you.  You might catch a glimpse of a couple of Bollywood stars while you’re here, and by all means keep an eye out for Anupam Kher.

From very humble beginnings, and a very rough start at the beginning of his climb to film fame, Kher has made a bit of a name for himself, having acted in more than 180 films.  He is one of cinema’s best comic actors, and has won a host of awards for his roles.  Like many actors, he made the transition from theatre to film, and like many Indian actors, he still maintains a great respect for theatre.  With a background at the National School of Drama, his talents are coupled with fantastic technique and training.  Lately he has been making another transition, this time to directing, and it will be fascinating to see what he’s working on next, with a splendid career unfolding.

The Qualities Necessary to Becoming a Great Attorney

When Cheryl first told me that she was going to be an attorney, we were in fifth grade, sitting on the swings on the playground at our school in Phoenix.  Lawyers, she said, help people.  The make certain that people get treated fairly.  Those were the words of a ten year old girl.  Twelve years later, we were roommates while she worked her way through law school, with the end result of being number one in her graduating class from Arizona State University.  The decision to go to law school is one that takes a lot of consideration.

The road to becoming a practicing lawyer is one that requires commitment and dedication.  I myself have witnessed this in my friend over the many years from the weeks leading up to the LSAT, to school, to the Bar Exam, to her position at one of the top commercial litigation firms in Phoenix.  She enjoys the pressure of deadlines and pushing of the limits of her intellectual sensibilities.  Having an undergraduate degree in Philosophy, she continues a have good spirited debates that are necessary when practicing law.  Good spirited yes, but that does not mean that doesn’t want to win.

She enjoys doing research, so much so that when one of her loved ones became ill, she learned all there was to know about the disease and the medical procedures, to the extent that the doctors suggested that she go to medical school.  She smiled, but told them that she was an attorney.  It was all she ever wanted to be.  However, she did switch firms.

She now works with companies that do medical research, and finds that it is extremely rewarding.  She took a huge chance, on herself.  Through seven years of uninterrupted study at the university, and many years working eighty hours a week, she has succeeded as no other person I have ever known.  This is the kind of passion and dedication that not only makes an attorney, but a truly great attorney.