“St. Emeric Hungarian Catholic Church parishioners want to preserve building as ... - Cleveland Plain Dealer” plus 3 more |
- St. Emeric Hungarian Catholic Church parishioners want to preserve building as ... - Cleveland Plain Dealer
- Ice cream social bridges cultural gap - State News
- Fort Myers: So much more than the beach, Gulf Coast city boasts abundant cultural, natural wonders - Examiner
- Doubletree Hotel in Tarrytown Specializes in Cultural Weddings - PRLog (free press release)
| Posted: 10 Jun 2010 11:37 AM PDT Message from Five Filters: If you can, please donate to the full-text RSS service so we can continue developing it. Published: Thursday, June 10, 2010, 9:30 AM Updated: Thursday, June 10, 2010, 2:03 AMCLEVELAND, Ohio -- Members of St. Emeric Hungarian Catholic Church fear they have a lot to lose after the last Mass on June 30, when their historic church on Cleveland's West Side is scheduled to go dark in the downsizing of the Cleveland Catholic Diocese. Northeast Ohio is home to the largest Hungarian-speaking population in the nation, partly because of St. Emeric's Hungarian language school. Each week, hundreds of children attend gatherings of the Hungarian Scouts in the church's Scout House, where a folk dance troupe rehearses. More than a house of worship, St. Emeric is a cultural center for the Hungarian-American community on a secluded street behind the West Side Market. Parishioners, rebuffed in their efforts to keep the church open, now hope they can keep the cultural traditions alive. They are asking the diocese to lease them the church property instead of putting it up for sale so that they can use the buildings much as they are being used today. A deconsecrated sanctuary would no longer host Catholic services, but it could serve as a prayer hall, said parish council president John Megyimori. "We know we have more funerals than christenings, but we have a lively community," he said. "We're hoping to be a Hungarian cultural center." Diocese spokesman Robert Tayek said there will be no decision until after June 30, but he acknowledged the idea is "under consideration." View from the NAACP: Payday lending. Tea Party activism. Arizona's new immigration law. If there's an issue affecting minorities, chances are Hilary Shelton is looking at it. As the senior vice president for advocacy and policy for the NAACP and director of its Washington Bureau, Shelton helps set the public-policy agenda of the nation's oldest civil rights organization. He'll share his views with a Cleveland audience on Saturday, June 19. Shelton is the keynote speaker at the 51st annual Freedom Fund Dinner of the Cleveland NAACP. The program begins at 6 p.m. at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel downtown. For reservations, call 216-231-6260. Color-blind love grows: More Americans than ever are marrying outside their race or ethnic group, a new study reports, though you might not notice the trend in Ohio. Nearly one out of seven new marriages nationally is interracial or interethnic, according to the Pew Research Center, which examined census data and interviewed newlyweds in 2008. Asians and Hispanics are the most likely to marry outside their cultural group, Pew reports, as are people who are college-educated, native-born or living on the West Coast. Mixed-marriage rates are lowest among black women and immigrants and in the Midwest, where Ohio is tied with Minnesota for the lowest rate of intermarriage, 9 percent. Nationally, about 15 percent of all marriages are mixed. Intermarriage rates have soared since 1961, when President Barack Obama's black father from Africa married his white mother from Kansas. According to Pew's survey, most Americans say they approve of the Obama-style family, and young adults overwhelmingly approve. Five Filters featured article: Into the Abyss. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Ice cream social bridges cultural gap - State News Posted: 10 Jun 2010 02:36 PM PDT Message from Five Filters: If you can, please donate to the full-text RSS service so we can continue developing it.  Sam Mikalonis / The State News South Korean international first year law student Minhyeoc Kwon, left, and Japanese international student Yutaka Kajikawa, right, who studies at the English Language Center, enjoy ice cream Wednesday in the courtyard of MSU's International Center for an ice cream social. The ice cream social was organized as an event for international students to get to know one another. Agricultural economics graduate student Jacob Coulibaly doesn't get many opportunities to meet new people at MSU. An international student from the Republic of Mali in Africa, Coulibaly said he plans on using his degree to return home and teach students what he learned at MSU. Although, during his time in East Lansing, he said it has been difficult to make friends. "It's my first time to come here in the USA, and my first time to meet other persons," he said. Coulibaly was one of many international students to attend the MSU Office for International Students and Scholars, or OISS, Ice Cream Social on Wednesday at the International Center. The social is an informal event attempting to create a bridge of communication between international students and professors, said Nicole Namy, an OISS international student adviser who organized the event. "It's an opportunity for us to connect with our students," Namy said. "But (it's) also for those who have international interests to come together and just hang out and have a good time." International students, families, professors and workers shared stories and ice cream from the MSU Dairy Store, many of whom were relaxing between classes or taking a break from work with their coworkers. The OISS hosts weekly coffee hours during the fall and spring semesters, and the Ice Cream Social is the summer semester replacement, Namy said. Along with the coffee and ice cream gatherings, OISS hosts lectures, workshops and performances throughout the year to try and get international students to take a break from working and studying and enjoy their time at MSU, she said. Many students who attended the coffee hour during the school year attended the ice cream social as well, such aspolitical science alumna Loren Michael. Michael said the ice cream was delicious, but he was there to socialize with new friends and have a good time. "I love these sort of gatherings for the purpose of meeting new people," Michael said. The ice cream social is a great chance to meet people of international origins and network with those people, human resources senior Janiero Hunter said. "I think it's just good to have these type of programs, so a lot of people can come out and meet other people," Hunter said. "I think that's important — increasing the communication between people. It's a wonderful experience." Five Filters featured article: Into the Abyss. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Posted: 10 Jun 2010 06:18 PM PDT Message from Five Filters: If you can, please donate to the full-text RSS service so we can continue developing it. The traditionally wonderful weather in Fort Myers and Sanibel Island in Lee County on Florida's Gulf Coast did not cooperate during our visit. But it did not matter - there was so much to do and explore beyond the beach. As we set out from our suite at The Resort at Marina Village on Cape Coral room in the morning, I can swear I see snowflakes falling from the 15th floor (they didn't make it to the ground). We travel back over the bridge into Fort Myers, down the beautiful McGregor Boulevard flanked by the majestic Royal Palm trees, headed to the Edison & Ford Estates. But a few blocks before, we stop for breakfast at the McGregor Cafe - charming with wood interior, coral color, booths, breakfast-lunch-dinner, outdoor seating. Julio Inglesis music is playing. It's the sort of place you would like to just linger and read the Sunday Times as you savor an omelette with cheese, homefries prepared with onions, and toast ($7.50). It's good we fueled up - because we wound up spending the entire day, focused on another century which is interestingly like our own. Edison & Ford Estates More than a home, visiting the Edison & Ford Estates - Seminole Lodge and the Mangoes - provides a window into the inventive minds that shaped the 20th century, a period of incredible innovation that positioned the United States to become a superpower. Thomas Edison and Henry Ford were dynamos of the Industrial Revolution. You feel like you step back into history, and it makes you want to measure what it was about the environment for innovation then versus the climate for innovation today, when we are at a similar juncture. The task in front of Thomas Edison was how to introduce a new source of power on a grand scale. Gas-powered lamps in cities were incredibly dangerous and impeded growth of cities. There was a race on to solve the problem of an electric light bulb. (That sounds so familiar as we confront how to transition away from fossil fuel to renewable energy.) Edison had already become famous and rich when he first came to Fort Myers to vacation and build a botanicals research laboratory. He chose this site, in 1885, because of the green bamboo he saw growing, and paid $2500 for 17 acres - well above the market rate of $25 an acre. Now a National Register Historic Site, Florida Historic Landmark, and National Trust for Historic Preservation Partner Place, the site was donated to the City of Fort Myers in 1947 by Edison's widow, Mina, but is operated by a nonprofit organization. Over the years, the presentation and the museums have gotten ever more engaging. Through the actual inventions, videos (including a phenomenal presentation of the first motion pictures filmed by Edison, himself, and others), photographs, artifacts, and the homes themselves (Edison's home even has the family's furnishings), the setting provides context as well as content. You learn that Edison only attended formal school for three months; when he was eight, his mother, who was a former teacher, started teaching him at home. At 16 years old, in 1863, he began a five-year period as a telegraph operator - that provided him the basis for his first invention to earn him money. But his first patent was in 1869 for a vote reader didn't make any money but taught him a valuable lesson: to only focus on what was marketable. Indeed, one of his most significant contributions to innovation was the Menlo Park, New Jersey, laboratory - the first research and development center. There, the lab produced a minor invention every 10 days and a major one every six months. It was a Menlo lab that his team developed the first practical electric light bulb; they tested 3,000 materials to find one that would produce the incandescent glow without burning, and be economical. Edison realized that electricity would require infrastructure- a workable, saleable system – of wiring and lights, sockets, switches, meters - that gives rise to a whole new field, much as the dot-com industry emerged in the 1990s. After the light bulb, Edison realized he needed to develop an efficient and reliable power source to make it practical for everyday use, so, in 1879, he developed a Dynamo electric motor drive, powered by steam engine and water power. He raced to beat the competition to create practical lighting system. He announced he would illuminate an entire New York City neighborhood - as much to scare off competition as well as spur his own lab team - in a one-square mile district in Manhattan around Pearl Street (near Edison's financiers). They built the generators, dug up the streets to lay the wiring, all to power 1,000 light bulbs in the district. Two years later, there were 11,272 light bulbs in 500 premises. He also invented an electric pen became the basis for the mimeograph machine; a repeating telegraph which combined elements of the telegraph with Bell's telephone; the phonograph, and the most bizarre: a talking doll (in 1890; it didn't do well, imagine that). I was amazed to learn of the non-electric things that Edison devised - he purchased a wood products company to make wooden cabinets for the phonograph he invented, and then became the leading manufacturer of nursery and juvenile furniture, Edison Little Feet Furniture Co. (it was sold in 1966 to Simmons Co, and in 2007 to the Delta Furniture Co.); and the Edison Cement Company which had 48 patents related to the production and uses of cement. In all, Edison amassed Edison 1,093 United States patents, the most issued to any individual. He was the Steve Jobs of the Industrial Age. You come away thinking that the time at the turn of the last century was very similar to this one, with a radical new approach to power and light in the works but blocked by the entrenched powers that be, and a mad scramble to beat out competition that had an alterantive system. Start with the guided tour of Edison's Seminole Lodge, built in 1886 and where he vacationed until his death in 1931, and riverfront grounds where Edison loved to fish for tarpon (his son recalled that it was the one day he bested his father, catching the bigger tarpon), and then continue on your own with an audio player to visit the Edison Little Office and Moonlight Garden. Linger in Edison's Botanic Research Laboratory, where Edison, Ford and Firestone worked to find a domestic source for natural rubber using local botanicals (the green bamboo on the property is what drew him to it, in the first place). Here is where you feel Edison's presence - there is the cot he used for his catnaps, the drafting table, his desk, original equipment and apparatus. He worked here until June of 1931; he returned to New Jersey and died in October, at the age of 84. Leave plenty of time to explore the museum which has superb exhibits, hundreds of Edison and Ford inventions on view that will be engaging to young and old. The section on Thomas Edison as a boy is especially geared to children and most inspiring; there, you can sit with your child at a small desk and watch an animated show of his invention of the Light Bulb, which I found to be one of the most illuminating presentations there (I watched it twice). The museum also shows a full-length video of History Channel's "Modern Marvels" segment on Edison that held me entranced for about 40 minutes. I learn from all of this that Edison was the first to bring together scientists and inventors in a Research & Development laboratory. But learning that Edison was home-schooled and never had formal scientific training, I wonder whether that is why he brought together the scientists - to basically make up for the expertise he lacked. His true genius, though, was in marketing, obtaining financing, and the ruthlessness with which he dispatched of competitors, like Nicolas Tesla and George Westinghouse who were advocates of Alternating Current system of electricity (Westinghouse harnessed the power of Niagara Falls), while Thomas Edison was pushing Direct Current (he never actually embraced AC, but his company ultimately did). To swing public sentiment, I learn, "Edison campaigned for Alternating Current electric chair to discourage use of AC in homes...The press echoed what Edison told them." One of the most interesting areas allows you to watch early movies that Edison made (he also invented the motion picture camera and had a passoin for making documentaries) - basically taking what was known about the kinescope and putting it on film (he invented 35 mm film). He filmed the first motion picture in the "Black Mariah" - a small scale studio which moved to follow the sun and he could control light. He was also working on an electric car, powered by a battery he was inventing, and apparently recognized early on that fossil fuels were a limited commodity. When Edison died in 1931, Congress ordered that lights be dimmed for a minute in his honor There is so much to do, it is good thing there is a pleasant snack bar on the premises, because you will want to be able to spend a lot of time wandering the 17-acre complex including Ford's house, "The Mangoes" and garages with his famous Model T cars. The museum also has an area devoted to Ford, who (I suspect) was a bit of an opportunist in seeking out Edison when he was very young, befriending him and coming down to share vacations with Edison, staying at the guest house until Ford was able to buy the house next door, in 1916. Ford rarely, if ever, came to "The Mangoes" again after Edison died. There is a fascinating video about Ford's life. Ford's major contribution was not the invention of the automobile - that had already been done. But much like Edison's major innovation was the development of the modern research laboratory, Ford's crucial innovation was the assembly line factory process. This process brought down the cost of the car (he produced the Model T for 20 years without making a change), so that it was affordable to average families. "The Model T ended the isolation of rural families, and was the first car used to traverse and explore the wilderness, and according to the Ford Times, 'remodeled the social life of the country'." Ford, though, was a guy that liked "an older America" and actually wasn't happy with the changes that he helped bring about in American society, the presentation notes. The Model T celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2008; several are on view. Edison & Ford Estates are open daily, year-round (except Thanksgiving and Christmas), 9 a.m. -5:30 p.m., there are special Holiday House evenings in December. We easily spent 5 hours and could have stayed longer but we were kicked out at closing; you need at least two hours. (Edison & Ford Winter Estates, 2350 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers, FL 33901, 239-334-7419, www.efwefla.org; open daily, 9 am.-5 p.m.). All Aboard the Mystery Train It's more Dean Martin/Jerry Lewis than Agatha Christie but the Mystery Dinner Train in Fort Myers, Florida, presented by the Fay Family for two decades, is a rollicking, rolling fun evening that comes with a surprisingly fine meal. Set aboard the Seminole Gulf Railway's four vintage train cars from the 1930s and 1950s (the bathroom has been redone) accommodating up to 200 passengers, even the wait staff has amusing banter – and their service is incredibly attentive. Departing from Ft. Myers' Colonial Station, the trip incorporates what is best about the "golden age" of train travel – the elegant dining car, the rumble and clack-clack of the train on the tracks, the whistle that fades on the air .And even though it is nighttime, the train's exterior lights, low to the track, let you see some of the scenery, though the glow of the city in the distance and some reflection on the canal adjacent to the tracks offer the most scenic views. The meal is first-class, starting off with cheese and crackers and fresh fruit, a soup (the mushroom barley was delectable), a choice of salad (very fresh ingredients) or fresh fruit cup, and a choice of entrée- the prime rib was perfection, the Shrimp Dijon extremely tasty and the Chicken Francesca done with flare, ending off with a dessert. Drinks including a fine selection of wines and beers (even soda, iced tea and coffee) are extra. The "murder mystery" comes in the form of a theatrical entertainment with four or five characters, who come in to the car between courses to perform scenes. They perform in the aisle, engaging passengers in the play. The cast was extremely professional and personable. At the end, one person in each car who solves the mystery and gives the best rationale, wins a prize. Altogether a delightful night at the dinner-theater-train. Murder is on the menu on Wednesdays-Sundays, boarding at 6 p.m. return at 10 p.m. ($59 pp); an educational 1 ¾ hour excursion is also available. The Seminole Gulf Railway also offers RiverRail Explorer daytime excursions to the Caloosahatchee River( January through April), giving passengers a unique water view and narrations on history of the rails. Costs: $19.95 plus tax for adults, $11.95 for children. The 1-3/4-hour trip departs at 11 a.m. and on Wednesday and Saturday, and 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. Snacks and drinks are available. Holiday Jingle Bells Special runs Nov. 25 – Dec. 27. Reservations required. Seminole Gulf Railway, 2805 Colonial Boulevard (3 miles west of I-75, exit 136), Fort Myers, FL 33966-1012, 239- 275-8487, 800-SEM-GULF (736-4853), www.semgulf.com. Resort at Marina Village It's about 10 p.m. when we make our way over the bridge and through Cape Coral, a residential area, to The Resort at Marina Village at the Tarpon Point Marina. A SunStream Hotels & Resort property, the resort is the first luxury resort in Cape Coral and offers guests 19 stories of views of the Caloosahatchee River, San Carlos Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The resort is ensconced within a gated community. It will be a massive complex, judging by the seven-story garage next door. The resort had only been open a couple of months when we visited. The resort offers fabulously luxurious 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom residences (available for fractional ownership starting at $74,000 for 1/12th) up to 2,225 square feet. Guest rooms combine hotel and residential living with grand rooms, master suites, guest suites, dining terraces and access to amenity decks (some of the units are pet-friendly). This is a high-rise - the entrance to the suite is from an exterior walk, like an apartment. Our suite is stunning – elegant furnishings such as you would have in your home - fine wood dining table and chairs with leather, a gorgeous kitchen with granite counters and modern appliances , a washer/dryer, spacious rooms, plasma TVs in the bedroom and living room, high-speed internet, and an enormous wrap-around screened-in balcony with a view over the Bay. The resort is ideal for meetings and events, such as weddings (there is a beautiful gazebo in a small lawn area). Amenities include boat slips, waterfront dining and a shopping promenade - it is delightful to walk around. On property is Marker 92, a waterfront bar and bistro open for breakfast, lunch and dinner; the Nauti Mermaid Dockside Bar & Grill and the Silver King Market & Deli. There is also an 3,657-square-foot Esterra Spa & Salon, SunStream's signature spa, a fitness center accessible by guests 24 hours a day, a tennis facility, bocce ball, and a beautiful heated pool. Tarpon Point Marina also offers boat rentals, kayak rentals, fishing charters, shelling excursions, dolphin sightseeing and a 1 1/4-hour sunset cruise (that is $20 pp). The resort makes up for its relative isolation (which could be a good thing) in its own residential community with a complimentary water taxi service aboard the Silver King Express to Snug Harbour on Fort Myers Beach across the bay. The small beach town offers shopping, dining and sugar-white sand beaches (free for hotel guests but you need to make reservations). (The Resort at Marina Village, 239-765-7654, www.marinavillageresort.com or www.TarponPoint.com, 239-541-5025, 800-446-3641.) Much to Do in Fort Myers The Southwest Florida Museum of History: Located in historic downtown Fort Myers, the museum is housed in the former Atlantic Coastline Railroad depot and houses the history of southwest Florida. Paleo Indians, the Calusa, the Seminoles, Spanish explorers, and early settlers are just a few of the people visitors meet while viewing the exhibits. An authentic replica of a pioneer "cracker" house, a 1926 La France fire pumper, and a 1929 private Pullman rail car are also part of the tour. The museum also houses an extensive artifacts collection detailing early civilization, the Fort, the first settlers, the cattlemen, turn of the century, the military and agriculture, boating and fishing industries in Fort Myers. There is also a display of 1,200 pieces of depression and carnival glass. Walking tours of historic downtown Fort Myers are offered at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, January through April, and upon request for groups throughout the year. (Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Adults/$9.50, Seniors & Children 3-12/$8.50; 2031 Jackson Street, 239-321-7430, www.cityftmyers.com/museum.) New: The Butterfly Estates: Located in the River District of downtown Fort Myers, visitors surround themselves with thousands of butterflies at this new eco-attraction. The venue includes a botanical garden and butterfly habitat with cascading waterfalls, lush tropical nectar plants and butterflies that delight guests with their astounding beauty. ($15/adults, $9/children 3-16; 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. daily; 1815 Fowler St., Fort Myers, FL 33901, 239-690-2359, www.thebutterflyestates.com.) Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium: Rustic boardwalks outdoors lead visitors on a tour of 105 acres of subtropical environment. Inside, permanent and changing exhibits of the natural history of southwest Florida are on display. Butterfly, alligator and other animal presentations are scheduled daily. Naturalists guide walks and aviary tours are scheduled several times a week. The facility is also a sanctuary for injured animals unable to be released back into the wild, including birds of prey. Planetarium fans also enjoy the changing starlit astronomy shows in the relaxing 90-seat theater. (Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m., Sundays 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; $9/adults, $6/children 3-12; 3450 Ortiz Ave., Fort Myers, FL 33905, 239-275-3435, www.calusanature.org). Imaginarium Hands-on Museum and Aquarium: An interactive learning center where all ages explore the principles of science, the mysteries of the humanities and the uniqueness of this geographical region. A giant Pipe-O-Saurus greets visitors at the entrance to the Florida wetlands zone. Once inside, visitors stand in a Florida thunderstorm without getting wet, watch Eelvis, the live eel, slither through the coral in one of three 900-gallon aquariums, get blown away in the Hurricane Experience, tour the Animal Lab and broadcast the weather from a TV weather studio. Outside, visit the lagoon where fish, turtles and swans live beside a reptile retreat with iguanas, tortoises and more. There are Theater in the Tank video presentations and 3-D shows. (Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday noon-5 p.m. $8/ adults, $7/eniors, $5/children 3-12; 2000 Cranford Ave., Fort Myers, FL 33901, 239-321-7420, www.cityftmyers.com/imaginarium. Manatee Park: Visitors observe endangered Florida manatees in their non-captive habitat from three observation areas during "Manatee Season," November through March. Interpretive naturalists work onsite presenting programs about manatees, butterflies and native plants. Kayak rentals are available daily. Year-round opportunities include picnicking, fishing and kayaking from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Walk the accessible paths through the restored native plant habitats and beautiful butterfly gardens. (Open daily, year-round 8 a.m. to sunset; free admission; parking $1/hr per vehicle, maximum $5; 10901 SR 80 in Ft. Myers. Directions from I-75: take exit 141 east 1.3 miles, directly across from the FPL power plant; pets are not permitted; 239-690-5030 or visit www.leeparks.org) Manatee and River Tours: Tour boats take visitors on a two-hour narrated cruise into a natural manatee and wildlife habitat of the Caloosahatchee and Orange rivers. Although seen all year in Florida, manatees congregate in the area during the cooler winter months to feed and stay warm. The area is also home to native birds, plants and animals. (Tours operate at 11 a.m. daily (except major holidays) Nov. 1 through April 30, reservations are required; Adults/$20, Children 3-12/$10; 16991 State Road 31, Fort Myers 33905, 239-693-1435, www.manateeandrivertours.com.) Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve: Explore this 2,200-acre wetland ecosystem along a mile-long boardwalk trail, where southwest Florida's diverse plant and wildlife are found. See subtropical ferns and bromeliads. Watch birds like herons, egrets, ibis and anhingas. (Free admission. Parking costs: $1 an hour, $5 daily maximum. Open year round 8 a.m. to sunset. Guided walks daily, January through March at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., and April, November, and December at 9:30 a.m. Walks at 9:30 a.m. only on Wednesdays,May-October. Handicapped accessible. Six Mile Cypress Parkway, 1-1/2 miles north of Daniels Parkway, (exit 131 off I-75), Fort Myers, FL 33912, 239-533-7550, www.leeparks.org/sixmile.) Sun Harvest Citrus: Squeeze in a visit to this 27,000-square-foot packinghouse and retail store that offers in-season Indian River citrus fruit, five varieties of freshly squeezed juices year-round, and in-season gift fruit shipping. Enjoy soft-serve ice cream, fruit smoothies, key lime pie, and fresh baked goods. There is also a wide selection of distinctive Florida foods, candy, and unique gifts. Enjoy free samples of juices. (Open year-round, Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m.- 7 p.m., Sundays, 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.; Southwest corner of Six Mile Cypress and Metro parkways. 14810 Metro Pkwy., Fort Myers, FL 33912., 239-768-2686 or 800-743-1480, www.sunharvestcitrus.com.) Adventures in Paradise: These popular excursions have been teaching the eco-heritage of The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel for 23 years. Trips include backwater fishing, sea life encounter excursions, tropical sunset cruises, lunch cruises, afternoon dolphin watching, power boat rentals, private fishing guides, shelling and snorkeling the outer islands and canoeing and kayaking. Shelling and lunch cruise to outer islands and Cabbage Key takes place on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Prices: $55 for adults, $19 for children, 3 and under are free. Location: 14341 Port Comfort Road, Fort Myers, FL 33908. Call 239-472-8443 or visit www.adventureinparadiseinc.com. Matanzas Pass Preserve: This peaceful retreat on Estero Bay allows visitors to explore a live oak hammock and mangrove forest by a wandering boardwalk and foot trails. Slow your pace to fully enjoy this pristine, barrier island forest with its abundant wildlife and diverse, native, plant species. After crossing two bridges on the entry trail, a boardwalk winds through the mangrove swamp. At the end of the boardwalk, a pavilion overlooking the water provides a spectacular view of the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve. Jumping fish, wading birds, even the shy manatee can be seen from the overlook. (Open daily from sunrise to sunset, free parking; 119 Bay Road off Estero Boulevard, Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931, 239-463-0435 or visit www.leeparks.org.) Classic Air Ventures: Relive a golden era in aviation in an open cockpit bi-plane! Don a leather jacket, helmet and goggles to enjoy airborne sightseeing in a 1941 WACO UPF-7. Two passengers share the thrill of an authentic, scenic bi-plane ride, leaving Page Field in Fort Myers Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., October through May. Several flight choices are available including the popular 45 minute flight. Cost: $270 with no charge for second person. Call 941-505-9226 or 888-852-9226 for information or visit www.coastalbiplanetours.com. Fort Myers and Lee County also encompasses the incomparable Sanibel Island, with the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, CROW (Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife) and Sanibel Historical Museum & Village (See also Florida's Magnificent Gulf Coast Beaches: See Them Now.) Traveling to Fort Myers International Airport is convenient on Southwest from Long Island's MacArthur Airport out of Islip. For more information about all of these attractions and the latest information on packages and special vacation values in Florida's unspoiled island sanctuary, visit The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel Web site at www.FortMyersSanibel.com. See the slideshow:
Karen Rubin, Eclectic Travel Long Island Examiner Five Filters featured article: Into the Abyss. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Doubletree Hotel in Tarrytown Specializes in Cultural Weddings - PRLog (free press release) Posted: 10 Jun 2010 08:31 AM PDT Message from Five Filters: If you can, please donate to the full-text RSS service so we can continue developing it. PRLog (Press Release) – Jun 10, 2010 – Everyone loves a June wedding, but at The DoubleTree Hotel in Tarrytown you're just as likely to find the bride dressed in red, embroidered finery as in a white, lacy gown.
That's because the DoubleTree Hotel specializes in helping brides and grooms from varied backgrounds celebrate their special day in their special way. "It's important to us to help families plan a wedding that respects their unique tradition,'' said Ana Barreto, Director of Sales & Marketing at the Doubletree Hotel in Tarrytown. "Whether it's Indian, Albanian or Orthodox Jewish, we go out of our way to accommodate brides and grooms from different backgrounds and make them feel at home.'' Linda Ferone, Director of Catering, said that the hotel has held Orthodox Jewish and Indian, as well as Albanian, Palestinian, Korean and Jamaican weddings. There have been Chuppahs, Nikas, Money Dances and Mitzvah Tantzes. To enhance the celebrations, the hotel works with special caterers to provide traditional food for each event. There is a separate kosher kitchen on the premises, and the hotel can now offer all the traditional Indian dishes thanks to a recent partnership with the Royal Palace Restaurant in Greenburgh. Kamran Imadi and Sara Ahmed are planning their traditional Indian wedding at the DoubleTree in October. There will be a Nikah ceremony, where the bride and groom sign the marriage contract, as well as the wedding party. The customary Mehndi, where the bride is decorated with henna designs, will be held the night before at the Royal Palace. More than 350 guests will be on hand at the hotel to share the day with the bride and groom. Sara said the couple chose the DoubleTree because of its beautiful Grand Ballroom, but was thrilled to find out that it could provide traditional Indian food. She said the hotel's location at the foot of the Tappan Zee Bridge was also a big plus because the groom's family is from New Jersey. Another benefit is the large number of guest rooms that will accommodate their out of town guests. The DoubleTree's 10,000 square-foot Grand Ballroom is the largest in Westchester and features a unique combination of stonework and lustrous woods, mixed with the rich colors of gold and maroon. In warmer weather, the spacious pre-function area opens to a magnificent outdoor terrace, with both areas sharing a huge two-sided stone fireplace. The room can be partitioned for smaller weddings, or couples may opt for the hotel's Westchester Ballroom or other, more intimate rooms. Five Filters featured article: Into the Abyss. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
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