Gatlinburg Cabin Rentals
May 14, 2008
Gatlinburg cabin rental options range from old-fashioned rustic "log cabins" to cottages, Swiss-style Chalets, and upscale condominiums full of luxurious modern amenities. In addition, hotel and motel rooms are also available for rent in Gatlinburg, a favorite cabin rental destination located in eastern Tennessee. Gatlinburg boasts instant access to beautiful scenery, outdoor activities, shopping, and dining.
While many modern cabins have sprouted up, there are still cabins in Gatlinburg that date back more than two centuries. Founded in the 1800s as White Oaks and later renamed Gatlinburg, the charming town began attracting recreational visitors with the opening of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 1934. In the past few decades Gatlinburg has developed into a top-notch vacation spot that welcomes visitors year-round.
In renting your Gatlinburg cabin, you have the choice of a private tucked-away cabin or a more community-centered vacation. Some resort communities feature swimming pool, clubhouses, meeting rooms as well as central patios. Cabins located within such communities are spaced apart to ensure maximum privacy and peacefulness.
How to Put Some Sizzle in Your Summer Parties: 5 Ways to be a Gracious Host and a Great Guest
May 14, 2008
Now that the hot weather is finally here, we are looking forward to long, lazy days on the beach and hot summer nights that heat up after dark. Here are a few tips from lifestyle guru Kim Kristofferson-Magnusson on maximizing your fun in the sun!
1) For family celebrations?KEEP IT SIMPLE!!
Whether you’re hosting a graduation party for 20 or a family reunion for 200, remember that it’s your day to have fun too! To make the most of your time visiting with family and friends, take a vacation from your oven and corral your "grillmaster" of choice out on the patio. Prepare a variety of cold salads ahead of time, pick up some fresh bread, add a frozen dessert, and voila? dinner is served! A buffet-style offering is wonderful outdoors, just roll up flatware in festive napkins, stack up some bright and shiny plastic plates, and all your guests can easily serve themselves.
2) When you’re the guest?get in the "Theme" of it!
Birthday Journals
May 13, 2008
Last year, as I turned 50, (FIVE-OOOH!!!), I decided to give myself a birthday party. Part of the party was to have a birthday journal, or diary. (I used my book The 5 Year Journal for two reasons — #1. I had a lot of copies, and #2. The 5 Year Journal is dated) I asked my friends to pick a date telling me why they chose that date, and then write whatever they felt like writing.
After the journal was passed around the party, I then carried it with me and had more friends sign throughout the year. I have now decided that this is my decade journal and it will come with me, and both my old and new friends will become a part of it from age 50 to 60 years old. Then I’ll start again, because a birthday journal is now part of my birthday celebration.
Another part of my birthday journal was writing a yearly birthday wish for myself. My wish last year was: To be healthy, wealthy, wise, happy, peaceful. This year my wish for myself is: To stop, to look and to listen, while staying as quiet as possible. At the time of my birthday I also write a birthday wish for different friends, and the world.
Vacationing in South Carolina?s Hilton Head
May 12, 2008
Families have flocked to Hilton Head, South Carolina as long as there have been people on the eastern seaboard. Early Native Americans of the area wintered among the yellow pines and palmettos of this barrier island, enjoying the mild climate as they feasted on the plentiful seafood. Later, as the new colonies were settled, Spanish, French, and English explorers and entrepreneurs spent time among the high bluffs and beaches of this 12-mile long island. Visionaries later saw the unique beauty of this island and have protected its wildlife and marshes, enabling visitors to enjoy clean beaches, lush forests, and clean air.
Now, the abundance and variety of vacation rentals available in Hilton Head allows visitors to enjoy the sun and cool ocean air in comfort. This natural vacation wonderland, once home to sugar, rice, and indigo plantations, offers a full range of outdoor activities, from tennis and tournament golf to hiking in the nature preserves and walking along the beach. Rentals in Hilton Head allow vacationers to stay in a resort hotel, condominium, villa, or private home in comfort, while enjoying the balmy 65˚ F weather all year long. Visitors can shop, dine in fine restaurants, or enjoy the scenery when they tire of the multitude of outdoor activities.
Outside the Box Gingerbread Houses
May 11, 2008
Beyond trees and wreaths, there are few symbols of the holidays so well venerated as the gingerbread house. Throughout the country, gingerbread house displays and contests attract everyone from culinary architects to kids who love to savor the decorations. Visit Historic Inns of Rockland, Maine’s Holiday House Tour held every year on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, where among other ideas, you’ll learn first hand from Frank Isganitis, Gingerbread House Architect and LimeRock Inn co-owner, tips on creating your own award-winning gingerbread houses. The Holiday House Tour is part of Rockland’s Festival of Lights, and Historic Inns of Rockland will feature workshops including Gingerbread House Making, Victorian Customs for Christmas, and Package Wrapping Workshops, along with tours of lovely historic inns during this event, held from 1pm to 4pm every year on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Tickets and information are available at www.HistoricInnsofRockland.com.
Frank Isganitis spends the year planning his original gingerbread designs, which are always the highlight of the family holiday party. Each year young nieces and nephews arrive not with visions of presents and toys, but with eager anticipation of the annual creation of their own personal gingerbread house. Workstations are set up with candy and tubes of frosting, and the family goes to work creating a Christmas town, for in Frank’s eyes, it takes a family to create a holiday village.
Beyond All Tied Up With A Bow - Great Tips for Creating Beautifully Wrapped Holiday Gifts
May 10, 2008
No matter what the season, packages make a statement even before they’re opened. Whether it’s a hostess gift for that perfect holiday party, the perfect something for your loved one, or Secret Santa at the office, you want your packages to reflect the thought put into the purchase. Visit Historic Inns of Rockland, Maine’s Holiday House Tour held each year on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, where among other ideas, you’ll learn first hand from Package Creator Extraordinaire and Captain Lindsey House owner, Ken Barnes how to create gifts that are bound to impress everyone from the boss to your loved ones. The Holiday House Tour is part of Rockland, Maine’s Festival of Lights, and Historic Inns of Rockland will feature workshops including Gingerbread House Making, Victorian Customs for Christmas, and Packages that POP, along with tours of lovely historic inns during this event, held from noon to 4pm on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Tickets and information are available at www.HistoricInnsofRockland.com.
Captain Lindsey House Innkeeper, Ken Barnes spends the year foraging for the perfect additions for his gifts. Recipients-in-the-know look forward to Captain Barnes’ gifts, not so much to see what’s on the inside, but to learn what kind of statement he makes with the package’s wrapping. Captain Barnes’ "wrapping closet" is a sight to behold, revealing spools of ribbon, wrappings of all colors and textures, along with trinkets for just about any theme.
The Natural Beauty of Havasu Falls
May 9, 2008
Three major cascades at Havasu Creek create a landscape that is both beautiful and entertaining. At the base of these falls, one of which is Havasu Falls, is a travertine pool filled with cold turquoise water. In fact, the names of the falls, the nearby lake, and even the city all come from the water’s beautiful color. ("Ha" means water, while "vasu" stands for blue-green).
Located on the Havasupai Indian Reservation in Grand Canyon National Park, Havasu Falls stand 120 feet high. The falls claims one of America’s most beautiful campgrounds and backpacking area. For example, beneath the falls lies billowing cottonwoods under 400-foot rock walks which, along with the falling water, creates a striking lullaby for campers.
Although beautiful, getting to Havasu Falls can be quite an adventure. The most popular route begins in Seligman, where drivers can take I-40 to exit 123. After exiting, visitors should drive 33 miles west on Highway 66 to Indian Road 18. At this point, drivers should turn right and drive about 60 miles to a parking lot at Hualapai Hilltop at the end of the road. Alternatively, drivers can access Indian Road 18 via Kingman by driving 50 miles east on Highway 66, which is approximately 6 miles past Peach Springs.
Decorating for a Victorian Christmas
May 9, 2008
Berry Manor Inn owner, Cheryl Michaelsen wouldn’t admit it, but with all the research she’s done on Victorian tradition for the inn many consider her an expert, especially when it comes to celebrating a Victorian Christmas. Her Victorian-style inn offers the ideal backdrop to showcase venerated Victorian traditions throughout the year. However during the holidays the pomp and hospitality of this bygone era is resplendent in what Down East Magazine has referred to as "The WOW House". Visit Berry Manor Inn during Historic Inns of Rockland, Maine’s Holiday House Tour held each year on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, where among other ideas, you’ll learn first hand all about many Victorian traditions of yesteryear. The Holiday House Tour is part of Rockland’s Festival of Lights, and Historic Inns of Rockland will feature workshops including Gingerbread House Making, Victorian Customs for Christmas, and Package Wrapping Workshops, along with refreshments and tours of lovely historic inns during this event, held from 1pm to 4pm on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.
Celebrate Your Freedom: 6 Important Freedoms to Celebrate Everyday
May 8, 2008
At the end of the movie “Braveheart,” William Wallace is tortured but refuses to cry out. Just as he is about to die, he belts out one word-
“Freedom!”
Freedom is a word and a privilege that has been easy to take for granted in America. Since Sept. 11 our sense of freedom has been challenged like never before. It seems appropriate at this time of year to discuss the many freedoms we have.
As your own personal declaration of independence, here are three things to declare freedom from and three things to declare freedom to seek.
*Freedom from too much stress: I did not say freedom from any stress. That’s not achievable because stress is a part of life. But too much stress is not a necessary part. There are times when the stress level is high by choice (deciding to work longer hours to finish a project), but it’s not good as a regular diet.
Ask yourself, “Is this something I absolutely, positively have to do?” If it’s not absolutely necessary, some stress-busting choices include dumping it altogether, delegating it to someone else, or doing it less than you are now.
The Lake Havasu RV Resort
May 7, 2008
Lake Havasu, Arizona has become a treasured destination for tourists, campers, and RV enthusiasts.
For those travelers who prefer to drive their home-away-from-home to Lake Havasu, the Lake Havasu RV Resort offers guests everything they could need. In addition to being just minutes from the famous London Bridge, Lake Havasu RV Resort also features spacious RV camping with all the amenities and has a beautiful clubhouse for day and evening activities.
To get to the resort, visitors should take Highway 95 South off of I-40 to Lake Havasu City. Once in the city, visitors should turn right on Chenowith Drive, traveling for about one miles before turning left on London Bridge Road. Once on the road, proceed 1,000 feet to Lake Havasu Resort. Campers can often find very good deals online for the resort. For example, a recent promotion offered three nights of camping for less than $20.
In addition to Lake Havasu RV Resort, the community also sports many other places for RV’ers to call their temporary home. Chief among these Lake Havasu RV Parks are Beachcomber Resort, Black Meadow Landing, Cattail Cover State Park, Crazy Horse Campgrounds, D-JS RV Park, Havasu Falls RV Park, Havasu Springs Resort, Islander RV Resort, Prospectors RV Park, and Sandpoint Marina.
