Lutfestsubotica Travel

Archive for August, 2009

Who does not want to see the world? The Eiffel Tower, the pyramids of Egypt, the Swiss Alps, the Australian Outback, and the African Safari are some of the places where visitors flock every year. Whether you go for fun filled activities that you can do all day and all night long or you just want to rejuvenate your spirits after a long day these places are sure to embrace you in its arms.

World class tourist destinations have facilities for you to enjoy – a king sized bedroom filled with flowers, a swimming pool beside the bar with a jacuzzi, a banquet area, and a fitness gym. The availability of a good and comfortable accommodation is the first thing that a tourist would look into before going to a place. Normally, to lessen costs frequent travelers would buy vacation homes at the heart of popular tourist destinations.

This practice has a lot of advantages, for one accommodation is readily available whenever one needs it. Unfortunately, maintenance costs for a vacation house is expensive. Keeping an eye of the property goes with the price of owning one. If you have this problem, why not buy a timeshare?

Simply put, timesharing is sharing your home to another person or family for them to use while you are away. People buy a timeshare for them to enjoy the all benefits of a hassle free vacation. Booking for an accommodation and staying for a long time would never be a problem for there would be no hotel bills to pay.

If you interested to buy a timeshare, there are a lot of resources that contain a wealth of information about timesharing with its contracts and payment terms. Let your family experience the good life with a vacation villa in the Caribbean, try timesharing.

One of the few restaurants in the country to be immortalized in a Sinatra song, the Pump Room in Chicago is now a hot spot once again. The Pump Room was one of the first quality restaurants to open in Chicago after the end of Prohibition, and soon became a Windy City icon. In addition to Sinatra (who sang the praises of the place in the classic song Chicago), the place was a favorite hangout of a lot of famous people including Marilyn Monroe, Sammy Davis, Humphrey Bogart, Clark Gable, Ronald Reagan, Bette Davis and numerous others. The Pump Room, named after a spa in Bath, England, remained open long after the giants that once graced its premises had left. Unfortunately, time took its toll on the legendary establishment, and its culinary fare was soon surpassed by the fine dining scene exploding in Chicago and characterized by uber-chef Charlie Trotter.

The Pump Room opened in 1938 under the ownership and management of Ernie Blyfield. He took the name from an 18th century London pub favored by celebrities and nobility, including Queen Anne. The original pub got its name from the hot drinks pumped into the cocktails of its stylish clientele.

The Chicago Pump Room was an immediate hit, and for a time its Booth #1 may have been the most sought after table at any dining establishment in the country. In addition to Sinatra, who frequently held court with Jilly Rizzo and a number of other associates in Booth 1, it was occupied at various times by Clark Gable, John Barrymore, Gertrude Lawrence, Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Liza Minnelli may have been the youngest Booth 1 regular, taken there many times during her childhood by her mother Judy Garland.

Blyfield died in 1950, but the Pump Room continued to be the preferred Chicago destination for the biggest names in show biz. A new era of celebrities held court there including opera singer Beverly Sills, Paul Newman, Robert Redford, film producer Robert Evans, Eddie Murphy and others. A funny story involving the Pump Room began when the former drummer for a British progressive rock band was refused entry due to his lack of a jacket. The drummer would use this as inspiration for his next album–’No Jacket Required’ which has sold over 14 million copies worldwide and established Phil Collins as a solo superstar. After the album’s release, the Pump Room sent Collins an apology–and an appropriate jacket for him to wear on his next trip to town.

The Pump Room was purchased by a large restaurant management group in the late 1990′s. They spent a lot of money to renovate the facility, overhaul the menu and hire a top flight chef. While the Pump Room’s golden era trade mark flaming food served on a sword was a tragedy of city fire codes, the menu is now on par with any in the city serving a sophisticated interpretation of classic American cuisine. In addition to the revamped cuisine, the Pump Room upgraded its wine offering and expanded the bar area.

The Pump Rooms stature has been maintained by current executive chef Nick Sutton. The star of the place, however, is still the almost palpable sense of history that the dining room offers. Considering that the giants of civilized culture”from Bogey all the way to the Chairman himself”have held court in that room, it is a pretty intoxicating aura. Fortunately, the Pump Room is once again worthy of such legends, and its renaissance is a victory for culinary civility in a world too often overwhelmed with Olive Gardens and Red Lobsters.

Modern cars are significantly more complex than their counterparts from the 1960′s and 1970′s, and working on them is an even more specialized discipline. The modern mechanic needs a laptop computer as much as he needs a tool box, and for this reason even those with a decent aptitude for working on engines are opting to have their repairs done by a professional. Still, there are a number of simple car maintenance steps that anyone can do. These simple tasks will go a long way toward preventing trouble which saves you time and money as well as resulting in a safer driving experience.

–A clean car is a happy car: The outside of your car isnt as important as whats under the hood, but it is still important. In addition to the aesthetic benefits of a clean car theres a number of practical matters it addresses. Keeping your windshield clean inside and out is crucial for safety. Keeping the rest of the car clean prevents rust and corrosion.. And when youre cleaning your car, dont forget.

–Clean the undercarriage of the car: This is especially true if you live anywhere it snows”all of the salt and other gunk your car gets underneath it will rust out your body faster than anything. I dont care how cold it is, you should give your car a good bath at least once a week during the winter, and make sure to get underneath the wheel wells and the undercarriage of your car.

–Rinse your engine: Keeping the engine clean helps your car run cooler, and washing away crusty oil, battery acid, etc, will help prevent damage to engine parts.

–Clean your air filter: Change your filter every time you change your oil filter. In between changes, give the filter a good spray with a compressed air hose and blow out the filter chamber as well. Filters are so cheap that you have no excuse to be running around with a dirty one.

–Check and change your oil: Check the dipstick level every time you stop for gas, and don’t run your car without the appropriate amount of oil. An older vehicle may burn oil, but if you have a new car that is burning oil it needs to be checked out. Change your oil frequently”at least every 5,000 miles and better still, every 3,000 miles. Change your filter when you change the oil or youre going to be pumping clean oil through a dirty filter which defeats the purpose. Oil changes are a pretty easy job even for those without much of a mechanical background, and drive thru oil change businesses are ubiquitous in any decent sized market. Most of these places do a decent job and charge a reasonable fee. Many also take care of several other of the maintenance tasks on this list.

–Check other fluids: Change your anti-freeze/coolant every year, and check the reservoir every week or so to make sure it’s full. Also check transmission, brake and power steering fluids at least once a week. Top them off if necessary.

–Take good care of your tires: Check your air pressure levels with a tire gauge at least once a week, keeping them filled to manufacturer specified levels. Check the spare tire–if you have a ‘real’ tire as a spare make sure it’s properly inflated, and even if you have a ‘donut’ temporary spare make sure it isn’t damaged. Rotate your tires every few months or more frequently if you drive a lot of miles. This will insure even wear, and along with proper inflation will prevent countless problems as well as saving you time and money.

Emergency tools and equipment: The specifics of what you should have in your car for emergencies will depend on the type of driving you do and where you do it. Everyone should have the basics–a tire gauge, pliers (slip joint and needle nose), adjustable wrench, flat head and Phillips screwdriver. Buying quality tools will be more expensive up front but will save you money in the long run. Jumper cables aren’t a bad thing to have, and a flashlight is also essential. If you live or travel somewhere it snows frequently, you’ll also want to keep salt, sand, a small shovel and a blanket just in case you get snowbound and have to sleep in your vehicle. An emergency cellphone charger is also a good idea.

–Auto club membership: Just a great investment that will pay for itself the first time you lock your keys in your car or need a tow. AAA is the best known, but there are many others. Most credit card and cellphone providers offer this type of service, and a growing number of car manufacturers including VW and Mini Cooper offer it free of charge for new car buyers. At minimum, they should offer free towing, trip continuation insurance, lockout service, free maps, and some other bells and whistles. Keep in mind, however, that all roadside assistance companies aren’t created equal. Compare what they offer, and consider the type of driving you do–if you frequently travel through remote areas you’re better off going with a bigger company due to their larger network of covered providers.

These tips are all things that anyone can do, even without more than a basic knowledge of how a car works. Regular car maintenance will prolong the life of your vehicle and help maintain its value, provide a safer and more enjoyable driving experience and save you money in the process.

Christmas has a sound-it’s in the carols, friendly greetings and overall undercurrent of joyfulness. Simply put, it’s a magical time of the year. Glitter, sparkle and all things fabulous takes precedence during this season; you are not looking to waste this opportunity now would you? You probably have planned every last mistletoe and glitter in your home; but have you mapped out your front yard yet? It’s time to roll up our sleeves and get into the business of fun with awesome outdoor Xmas decorations.

Let’s get down to it then. Are you ready to be challenged? Are you willing to go beyond your limits for the best yuletide home yet? Are you up for it? Then invite your little children to take part of this special project. Now don’t go backpedalling on me now, you will be surprised at their creativity and eagerness to help make a beautiful home with you. It is well worth the little stubbornness and impracticality that makes children such adorable and exasperating creatures.

What motif do you want to build your outdoor Xmas decorations on? You can go for the timeless and beautiful Nativity scene and set it amidst a softly lit lawn and inspiring hymnals in the background. The angels, shepherds, and travelling magi can take positions on different parts of the grass as they make their way to the manger-a priceless moment in history captured in your home’s front yard.

How does a Santa Claus setting sound to you? You can have him landing on your roof with his posse of reindeers; or set up the front part of your house as a chilly, toy-making North Pole factory. Incorporate christmas tree themes into it by designing an icy christmas tree of blue, silver and white ornaments. Attach little tin icicles on the tips of the tree’s boughs for an added effect.

If you have a neighborhood with relatively well-behaved kids (people have mocked me for this oxymoron but I continue to believe), design one or more outdoor trees with edible accessories hanging about it. Garlands of popcorn and cranberry, candy canes, colorfully wrapped treats-drape them attractively around the tree. Only keep in mind to space your lighting well-burnt food on charred needle pines do not make a festive look.

Actually, you don’t even have to stick with the traditional holiday themes. Think out of the box and create something totally unexpected and unique. Go space age with a silver spray painted tree with metallic and robotic accessories. Are you known for your gastronomic skills? Cover outdoor trees with vegetables and fruits of a variety of colors. How about your love for cartoons and animation? Cut out large cardboard pictures of your favorite character and dress them in a Christmassy fashion all over the lawn.

It might have been a particularly hard year, I don’t know. What I do know is you can still nurture the simple joys of life starting this Christmas. Start with your outdoor Xmas decorations; not only will you catch the Spirit of Christmas-you will be a conduit for it to the people who are fortunate enough to look upon your special works of art. Have a wonderful and meaningful holiday this year!