Ever since most of us were children, we have come to revere California as a land  of hopes and dreams. From the days of Saved by the Bell and the magical trips to Sea World and Disney, California and it’s temperate and sunny weather have become something that many of us dream about. If you have been waiting to hit the coast, it’s time to turn your ‘California dreaming’ to reality, and here are five great places to start.

Napa, California, or what is commonly referred to as wine country, is located in the northern district of California. Napa boasts some of the finest vineyards in the world. The numerous wineries located in this gorgeous town are abundant and give the area it’s charm and history. The wine tasting tours can be a real joy to sample and provide plenty of culture and history to boot. Some of these vineyards are home to families who have been in the wine making business generations and you can feel the pride and the history in each visit.

San Francisco has got to be one of the hottest California destinations to travel to. The wide variety of cultures and industry makes for a fantastic show of diversity. China town located in downtown San Francisco boasts some of the best Asian cuisine around. The numerous shops are a treasure trove for any visitor to see. Getting around in San Francisco can be half the fun as everywhere you turn there is a cable car to ride. Fantastic fun at its best!

Sacramento is another destination also located in the northern valley of California and full of history. Old town Sacramento located next to the Sacramento River is chucked full of specialty shops and built around buildings that date back to the early 1800s. A short walk from old town and you arrive at the K Street Mall boasting every department store one could want. This is truly shopper’s paradise. A short jump across the street and you are at the capital. Now this is a site to behold. The white Gothic looking capital building fills a large space surrounded by trees that date hundreds of years in age. History is conveyed well and brought to the visitor’s eyes by taking a fantastic tour of this building.

Big Sur is best known as the home of the California Redwoods. Some of these trees are two thousand years old. Located along the coast one can experience nature at its best. The smell of the ocean nestled with the giant Redwoods can be breath taking. There are numerous trails for the hiker and the nature lover to find breath taking.

Truckee is a place that is a must-see destination. The town of Truckee finds its roots in the California gold rush era. Truckee seen an onslaught of mining and the lumber industry thrived during the early eighteen hundreds and late nineteen hundreds. The town boasting small western like themed shops and board walk type causeways is awesome. The history is labeled all over the town the main theme being Gold. Gold was the chief source of income for most that came to this booming town in the early eighteen hundreds. There are many interesting shops along Truckee’s downtown main street.

5 Must-See California Destinations is a post from: West Coast Lifestyle

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Road trips are a great way to see new places, bond with people and make the most out of a vacation. Disneyland and California Adventure in Anaheim, California are opening new attractions and they are sure to be spectacular. Disneyland is a perfect excuse to take a road trip, so grab your USA map and your California map and hop in the car.

Disneyland and California Adventure are each opening a new ride or attraction and with state of the art technology, these are sure worth seeing.

Disneyland is one of the most visited places in the United States; known as the “happiest place on Earth”, why wouldn’t you want to stop by for some fun. One of the great sections of Disneyland is Tomorrowland, which offers all types of rides and attractions based on the future and science fiction. One of the most popular rides in Tomorrowland is Star Tours, which takes you through the world of Star Wars on a three dimensional movie tour in a “ship” which moves with the movie. Until now, the ride was a bit dated and the technology was lacking. Recently the ride has undergone a total revamp and offers the best 3-D experience, which makes you feel as though you really are flying through the stars and visiting other planets.

California Adventure is opening a little mermaid themed ride. After 20 years, the undersea princess is finally getting her own ride. With brand new animatronics and cutting edge technology, this ride will bring in tons of Disney princess fans. The ride has multiple rooms, which you navigate in a moving clam seat, filled with Ariel and her friends.

Both Disneyland and California Adventure offer fantastic experiences and these new attractions are definitely beneficial additions to the parks. So if you haven’t been to Disneyland in a while and want a chance to see some of the United States on the way, grab your keys and take a road trip to beautiful Anaheim, California.

Take A Road Trip to Disneyland is a post from: West Coast Lifestyle

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Insurance is a fact of life that many people don’t even think about anymore. Each year they renew their health insurance through their employer and make sure their auto and home policies are in order. They may increase their life insurance as their situation requires. What they won’t do is allow that insurance lapse or let themselves be caught without at least basic coverage if they can help it.

International travelers need to carry that same attitude of necessity with them with regards to travel insurance. Unfortunately, there is nothing automatic about obtaining a TATA AIG travel insurance policy. They are going to have to do some research and educate themselves about the terms of a policy. As long as they recognize the importance of this type of insurance, they should be willing to do that work.

Travel insurance for these individuals should cover both travel and health emergencies. Some policies will only offer one or the other. Tourists and business travelers are not going to want to play roulette with their trip. They should be covered in case they need medical assistance or treatment as well as covered in the case of travel problems . They may even want to consider getting liability and life insurance to protect them from those risks while overseas. At a minimum, travel and health insurance should be purchased for every overseas trip, no matter what the stated purpose of the visit is or how long or short it may be.

Travel and Health Insurance is a post from: West Coast Lifestyle

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Hong Kong is a place in the world that is difficult, if not impossible to categorize. It’s not a city, but an administrative region. The local culture is extremely savvy, and dedicated to local artists, musicians, and performers, but it is also one of the most cosmopolitan places in the world. The connections to the global scene are deep and complex, and it is sometimes a reflector of this, and sometimes the one that gets reflected.

A visit to a Hong Kong Hotel will reveal an urban scene that is rich and vibrant, and constantly changing with the times. Writers and poets have always been drawn to Hong Kong, and in the history of performance art , so have performance artists.

Thanks to the work of the researcher and intellectual, Wen Yau , there is a history of live art in Hong Kong that’s under construction, in process of articulation. In tandem with the development of the art form, the history is incomplete, but already revealing threads that reflect, and indeed, affect, the form all over the world.

The roots could be traced back to 1975, when an artist named Kwok poured bone over a sculpture. The developments since then have moved in the directions that are parallel to the global directions, and it’s enough to warrant a closer look, to discover where the paths of cultures diverge and converge.

History of Live Art in Hong Kong is a post from: West Coast Lifestyle

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After enjoying an unprecedented summer of international sports championships, the illustrious country of Spain will take center stage at the 9th Annual Miami International Wine Fair . Held at the Miami Beach Convention Center October 14th – 17th, the Fair is one of the largest in the the US. More than 1800 wines from 20 nations will be showcased during the Fair, with a focus on the renaissance of wine-making in Spain. The event will also feature champagne from The Maison Ch. & A. Prieur.

Close to 500 individual wine producers will fill over 80,000 square feet of exhibit space and attract an estimated 6,000 visitors from all over the world. Wine lovers, buyers, distributors, and wine makers will fill the surrounding five star Miami hotels during this seminal four-day celebration of the wine industry. In addition to the ubiquitous wine tastings, there will be a comprehensive seminar program, special events, and dinners throughout the event. Two days of the schedule are limited to exhibitors to meet with buyers and attend industry meetings with two days open to the general public. There will be a VIP Tasting Room with provides ticket-holders with early access to some of the world’s top-rated wines.

Celebrate Spain and Champagne in Miami is a post from: West Coast Lifestyle

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Sydney is celebrating it’s largest outdoor public art festival, the annual Art & About . This year’s festival takes place from September 23rd through October 24th. This is the 9th year for the event and the city promises even more stimulating and innovative art will appear across the city’s galleries, parks, laneways and other spaces for the enjoyment of the general public. This year’s theme, The Sydney Experience, attempts to hold a mirror up to the city and reflect its identity and place on the planet through exhibitions, installations, and events. Residents look forward to this annual celebration of public art and visitors are strongly encouraged to step outside their luxury hotel in Sydney to spend a few hours perusing the free art and events.

The Banner Gallery and ArtPark at Hyde Park serve as the cornerstones of the month-long festival. Other feature exhibitions and installations include the Sydney Statues Project!, the Bike Bike, Live Green, CAMP Stonewall , and Oh Alfred! Reflections of Prince Alfred Park. Associate events include Primavera 2010 , We craft this city, START Studio Art Fest, The Big Draw, Foto Riesel Foto Rally, Dream Home, and Rock ‘n’ Roll Walk of Fame and Shame. There will also be numerous prizes awarded during the event as well as tributes to specific artists and movements

Sydney Art & About is a post from: West Coast Lifestyle

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It’s a place that’s never afraid to be far ahead of the curve, where new technologies merge with cultural traditions. Sometimes there are even moments where international traditions enter into the fold, and Singapore is revealed as a place that’s truly global in focus. This, in part, explains the appeal of Singapore Hotels , but then one would also have to consider the exciting night life, and public events that keep the urban landscape buzzing with activity.

It all comes together with the Singapore Grand Prix. It takes place every fall, and the edition for 2010 has some rather exciting touches that really demonstrate the remarkable innovation in the city-state, as well as its openness to work from all over the world. The digital artist Tom Carr has been invited to show in this years Digital Nights Showcase , an event that welcomes the Grand Prix in an exciting local fashion.

The centerpiece of his work here is a digital red carpet. He projects a virtual red carpet over the sidewalk where celebrities and guests enter the arena. This is a fascinating move, because it not only keeps the red carpet tradition alive, but merges it quite delightfully with all the possibilities of technological innovation, and puts the place right in the center of where it all happens.

Digital Nights in Singapore is a post from: West Coast Lifestyle

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Have you been exploring the wonderful historical city of Montreal Canada? If you have made your way to the Notre Dame Basilica than you may want to catch an elegant place to dine in the same neighborhood. Head over to the Beaver Club for some wonderful French cuisine.

They have some really fresh and elegant dishes with a excellent wine list. When you pull up outside the Valet will take care of your car and they will get you seated in a wonderfully modern atmosphere. The knowledgeable staff will help you select the best meal and wine parings. They serve up wonderful creations such as stuffed quail, duck pared with fruit compote, all kinds of unique seafood dishes and their specialty beef Wellington for two.

You can watch them make their special dishes with the open faced kitchen. After you have enjoyed the main meal and some wine you may want to splurge on a Chocolate Orange Temptation or order the Hot Lime Souffle a head of time for a mouth watering finish.

The Montreal hotels know all about this city gem and can help you get there. The Beaver Club has won many awards for its culinary perfection such as the Five Star Mobile Guide rating and the DiRona Award of Excellence for a decade now.

Elegant Restaurant in Montreal is a post from: West Coast Lifestyle

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Cabo San Lucas will be celebrating Mexico’s Bicentennial, September 16, 2010 with the revelation of the new Cultural Pavilion ; the rest of Mexico is preparing to celebrate a memorable 200 years of independence with the usual fare. Cabo’s Pavilion is the first building of its kind in the state of Baja California Sur and it aims to cultivate the artistic and cultural expressions of this particular region of Mexico.

Located along the Cabo San Lucas Marina and many of the luxury hotels Cabo in known for, the Cultural Pavilion will consist of 6 buildings when completed. The project creates a unified space where residents and tourists alike will enjoy traditional Mexican concerts, art exhibits, dances, expositions and international seminars. The Arts and Biodiversity Pavilion, which is the 1st of the six buildings to open to the public, will be unveiled in September 2010.

Cabo was chosen by the Mexican government and their goal behind picking Cabo as the home to the Cultural Pavilion is to promote and preserve the Mexican culture and to further attract visitors to this premiere vacation destination. Once the project is completed, the Pavilion will feature theatres, both enclosed and open-air, shopping centers, cinemas, restaurants, a library and a museum. Plus, as an added incentive to bring in as many visitors as possible, there will be plenty of free parking, which has been a huge concern for local business men.

Cabo Has Culture is a post from: West Coast Lifestyle

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One of the interesting perspectives in deciding how to explore the city of Boston is to look at some of the more obscure historic personalities and events. And for some reason that is not quite known but continues to be studied, people always seem to be captivated by the gruesome and spooky and sensational social elements. And whenever a potential haunted location comes up, the guests in many of the Boston hotels will immediately want to run and investigate. Perhaps it’s just human nature, but unsolved mysteries and unexplained phenomena really seem to grasp our imaginations.

The fact that Boston had its fair share of witch trails during the early development of this country may not compare to those that occurred in Salem , though they do capture the interest of many people. Meanwhile, more contemporary controversial elements like the Boston Strangler may be too close for complete sensationalized status, though the 1960s murders that occurred are certainly on their way to becoming so. This is partly due to some of the mystery that continues to surround the crimes. Several women in Boston were murdered and these were attributed to Albert DeSalvo though investigations indicate that they were not committed by only one person. And of course various stories about the mob will always be part of the lore of the underside of this incredible American city.

Sensational and Seedy Side of Boston History is a post from: West Coast Lifestyle

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