Sunday, January 31, 2010

How to get your DNI

How to get your DNI


Have you wondered how to go about getting your DNI legally, and were daunted by the bureaucracy you were sure to face? Are you tired of having to leave the country every three months?

You don't have an excuse anymore, in fact, you have a helping hand.

Solange Verón, an English-speaking immigration lawyer, will be on hand on Tuesday speaking at a seminar organized by IMAS and hosted by Areatres (There will also be some sweets provided by Sugar & Spice).

This FREE seminar will start promptly at 7pm and is scheduled to run for two hours.

So come on down and bring plenty of questions.

New Gay Travel Guide is MOBILE on your Smart Phone

New Gay Travel Guide is MOBILE on your Smart Phone



DID YOU KNOW....



You can now get


NEW GAY TRAVEL GUIDE


formatted for your phone?!


NEW GAY TRAVEL
GUIDE MOBILE









Disney World Room Discounts

Disney World Room Discounts

Anyang-san Recreation Forest Accommodation

Anyang-san Recreation Forest Accommodation
We didn't have any plan last New Year's Day but my hubby said that we had to do something special on that day. We didn't know where to go. But before that day, we thought of going camping. It's winter but we wanted to experience how to sleep in the tent in winter. We have sleeping bags and we planned to bring some thick blankets. But we changed our plan because of the snow. It snowed a lot before that day.

My hubby googled about the Recreation Forest and Anyang-san Recreation Forest in Hwasun appeared so he called there and asked for the accomodation. It's not expensive so he made a reservation and started to pack our things.

Here's the cabin where we stayed for 2 days and 1 night. There are lots of cabins built logs produced from Anyang-san (Mt. Anyang). We didn't expect many people there but when we walk around at night, we saw lots of people having barbecue outside. My hubby and I just made barbecue inside using fry pan and stove because it was too cold.


There are grills to use for barbecue and wooden couch outside but we didn't use them. I played snow ball fight with my hubby so I used the snow from the bed.

Here's what's inside the cabin. There's a small refrigerator, closet, rice cooker, tv and my hubby never forget to bring his xbox to play during the night.

Here's the kitchen and on the right is the bathroom.

Outside is a playground. There are swings and slides and even basketball court and soccer if you like sports.

Next, i'm gonna show you the Recreation Forest.

Edited: Here's what i'm talking about. The Hwasun Recreation Forest.



Spain Travel: Year Round Events

Spain Travel: Year Round Events
Spain is one of the better countries in the world with rich culture based on religion and customs. The country is inhabited of about 45 million people of whom 80-94% are Roman Catholics. This is the reason why local as well as national events are based on Catholicism and faith. Spain is also home to several great things to do. While in this country, you will never have to worry how to spend your days because believe it or not, Spain travel can give you total vacation experience.

Here are some of the events you can catch and the things you can do if you decide to travel to Spain:

Run with the bulls. If you dare and tough enough to face the challenge of running with the bulls or simply want to join the fun without actually getting face to face with the bull, Pamplona should be your destination. The festival happens every July and has already attracted visitors from all parts of the world. The celebration is offered to San Fermin, the patron saint of Pamplona. This religious and unusual celebration makes Pamplona a good destination for your Spain travel.

Skiing and Mountaineering. Visit Catalunya, Aragon, and Torremolinos and Malaga in Andalucia and stay at one of the top winter resorts in Spain. Perfect time to go is during the late spring where you can have your winter sports by day and go at the beach and sunbathe in the afternoon.

Watch the Primera Liga Live. See you favorite football stars like Zidane, Raul, Roberto Carlos, Figo, Ronaldo, and David Beckham as they all play for the best football team in the UAFA Cup: Real Madrid.

Caf้ all Day. Treat yourself in the relaxing day at one of the caf้ in Spain. The country has lots of caf้s in every village, town, and city where you can spend your whole day chatting with friends or alone savoring the Spain environment.

Go to local village fiesta. Spain travel might not be complete if you haven’t seen any local village fiestas. Since every town has their own patron saints to offer thanksgiving, you can never miss attending one. Fiestas normally have parades, religious activities, and parties during the night.

Meet the Artists. Spain travel would introduce you to several world-renowned artists. Visit Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Barcelona beach’s giant copper fish and other Gehny’s contemporary structures. Know more about the art of Antoni Gaudi in his structures at Barcelona and get introduced with his unusual tile style and graceful organic curve.

Take a glimpse of Diego Velazquez’s art in Prado Gallery in Madrid. Diego Velazquez painted the "Old Woman Cooking Eggs" and "The Rokeby Venus". And of course, who would not recognize Pablo Picasso? See his work Guernica at the Reina Sofia. Or visit the Picasso Foundation in Malaga.

Stay during the Holy Week. Spain travel is also ideal during holy week where the whole country commemorates that passion, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. See all the plays, activities, traditions, and the celebration of the country. If you are not a Catholic, you can still witness this activity.

Eat Snails. The Snail Festival happens every snail Lleida give you a different appetite for food. Although snails are the main course, you can also drink, dance, and eat other local foods all day and all night.
Source: vacationtraveldestinations.blogspot.com

Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro - Climbing in Kenya and Tanzania

Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro - Climbing in Kenya and Tanzania
Mount Kenya in Kenya & Kilimanjaro in Tanzania:
Kenya is located in the eastern part of Africa. It has an area of about 150,000 square kilometers. It is a very popular tourist destination and also a hotspot for climbing and hiking. In the central highlands a couple of hundred kilometers north of the equator lays Mt.Kenya. It is here, where the Kikuyu god ngai resides. It is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second highest in Africa. It is one of the few places near the equator on Africa with permanent glaciers. The name of the country has been known to have been derived from Mt.Kenya which was formerly known as Mount Kirinyaga.

The mountain is located 180 kilometers north of Nairobi and it can often be seen from high-rise buildings in Nairobi and from Thika. It is an extinct volcano, which formed a couple of million years ago. The mountain is located in the Mount Kenya National Park, which is a designated protected area around the mountain above 3200m altitude. The Kenya Wildlife Service manages the park. The national park covers an area of 700 square kilometers and was established in 1949.

Kenya enjoys an equatorial climate with average annual temperatures of about 26C and diurnal temperatures of about 3C. There are two rainy seasons on the mountain from April-June and October-December. The mountain is an important water catchment area and many rivers such as the Naro Moru emerge from the melting glaciers.


The first documented ascent of the mountain was by Halford Mackinders. At the moment the mountain attracts several thousand climbers both local and international annually. It is this popularity, which has contributed to the deterioration of the environment and the litter accumulation.  

At the base and around this mountain are famous hotels such as the Mount Kenya Safari Club, Outspan Hotel, Naro Moru River Lodge, Treetops Lodge, Mountain Lodge, Aberdare Country Club, Bantu Lodge and several others. Tourists who do not wish to climb often visit the hotels for the view, luxury accommodation, fresh air and the tranquil atmosphere.

Compared to Mt. Kenya Africa’s highest mountain Kilimanjaro is a relatively easy climb and the main summit of Uhuru peak (5895m) can be reached by most climbers. The mountain, though the highest is relatively a boring climb with not much scenery or change in landscape. The origin of the name Kilimanjaro still remains a mystery and is thought mean a great hill in Kiswahili. It is also thought that Mount Kilimanjaro once belonged to Kenya up until the division of the British empire in east Africa when the Queen of England altered the border of the two nations to accommodate the mountain onto Tanzania. After that local history has it that the presidents of the two nations agreed on a trade; Mount Kilimanjaro will be part of Kenya if Kenya hand over Mombasa to Tanzania which did not happen as Kenya would loose a strategic port and its second largest city.

Though Kilimanjaro is relatively dry and can be climbed all year round the main dry climbing season begins from January-February and June-September. For climbers with limited time one can easily fly to Kilimanjaro International airport from either Nairobi or Dar es salaam and stay overnight in Moshi or Arusha town.

The Mount Kenya Clean Up Mission 1998 was formed in May 1998. It was an idea based on previous attempts by the community to clean the mountain.

Menu Changes At Restaurantosaurus

Menu Changes At Restaurantosaurus

Taronga Zoo - Sydney

Taronga Zoo - Sydney
This was definitely the best attraction!!! ;)


Kesibukan Menjelang Lebaran

Kesibukan Menjelang Lebaran
Membeli ketupat daun di pasar menjadi tujuan ibu-ibu ke pasar ketika di ujung Puasa, dengan harga yang terjangkau mereka membeli antara 10 sampai 30 buah. Selamat Hari Raya Minal Aidin Walfaizin, mohon maaf lahir dan batin.
Source: kotapalembang.blogspot.com

The Ziplines Of Dahilayan Adventure Park

The Ziplines Of Dahilayan Adventure Park

Source: disneyusa.blogspot.com

Bali, Indonesia

Bali, Indonesia

Source: indonesia-zsolt72.blogspot.com

Robbed in the Air: How To Protect Your Valuables and Not Be A Victim While Flying

Robbed in the Air: How To Protect Your Valuables and Not Be A Victim While Flying
Should this sign be on your next flight? Maybe...
credit: doctorow


In a previous post I talked about a flight from Tokyo to Paris where someone stole over $5000US worth of cash and valuables from other passengers WHILE IN THE AIR. I was incredulous that could happen so I asked for other stories of in-flight theft.

My findings in summary: Hide your stuff! Just because you're in the air doesn't mean you can drop your guard and leave your cash and valuables lying about. Don't depend on a flight attendant to look out for your belongings. Act the same way you would if you were in any other form of public transportation, or a movie theater or at a beach or park.


From Paula Patrice:
On a not-too-full flight for I had my large louis vuitton purse/tote bag on the floor in front of the middle seat, where nobody was seated. There was a 20-something brunette girl in the window seat of my row, I was on the aisle.

I tucked my bag under the seat in front for takeoff, and once we reached cruising altitude I pulled my bag out, leaned down, pulled out the change purse that had my money in it- not a big wallet, more like a small coin purse, that had a roll of bills inside. I counted out a few singles for the drink service, tucked them back inside the coin purse folded up separately and ready to give the flight attendant, with the rest of the bills (some loose 5s, 10s, 20s and a few hundreds folded on the inside of the stack) folded next to the singles.

I closed up my bag, got up to use the toilet...came back, sat down, got a weird vibe because the girl in the window seat seemed a bit uneasy, but she was kinda odd (read: unwashed and crazy eyed) so I let it pass.

Drink service came around and I reached down to pull out the bills... nothing. Empty coin purse. Just some loose change in the bottom.

I had already ordered my drink, so as the flight attendant put down my cup of wine I stammered that I did have money, but it seemed to have disappeared when I went to the bathroom, all of it, and now I had no cash at all, and I looked at the girl next to me and realized as she shifted uneasily in her seat and looked out her window that while I was certain she had taken it but I couldn't prove it.

The flight attendant got the gist and gave me the wine for free, and I got to ride the rest of the way knowing somebody was dining on my dollar that evening.

But what can you do? Can't bring your purse to the toilet with you... ditto Amtrak fyi. It's so awkward, I always make sure I'm not in the toilet between stations when someone could grab my bags and get off the train.

Lesson Learned: Cash, wallet, passport should be on your person, not in a bag under your seat.

Especially when someone looks as sketchy as the window seat gal did.



From Amy:
I was flying Southwest from Albany to Las Vegas non stop. We had to make an unannounced stop in Chicago, Midway. I got off the plane to grab a snack and reboarded affter showing my ID. I dozed off and when I arrived in Vegas, my wallet was gone from my pockietbook. What a nightmare. I had Southwest check the plane, but nothing was found. So, I had nothing, no license, no credit cards, and no money. I did know a gentleman on the plane who lent me some $ to get a shuttle to my hotel. I had to call my credit card companies for new cards and get cash advances. It was a total nightmare!!

Lesson Learned: Ladies, your pocketbook should be with you at all times.

If you need to sleep wedge it in the seat with you, but out of view of the flight attendants who might tell you to put it away.

If it won't fit then it should be in the magazine holder in the seat in front of you. But don't forget it there!



From Marjorie:
Greetings! My then-boyfriend (now ex-BF) visited me when I lived in Japan in the mid-1990s. During the long, Dallas-Tokyo flight, about $2,000 in cash was stolen from his duffel bag. It was definitely stolen in flight, probably when he went to the lavatory, because he had checked it shortly after boarding but it had disappeared by the time of disembarkation. He suspects that a fellow passenger in his row had taken the money. That was all the cash he had, by the way, except for $100 on his person, so during his entire stay in Japan I paid for most of his expenses, save for the rare occasion when we found a local business that accepted American Express, the only credit card he had. Despite everything, a good time was had by all.

Lesson Learned: Ideally that $2000 should have been in his wallet or in an envelope in his pocket. If you're by yourself, ask someone to keep an eye on your things. It does not guarantee anything, but it is better than have no pair of eyes on your things.

Unless the person who is looking after your stuff is the thief...



From TJ:
Can’t believe it’s still a sore subject, but several years ago, when returning to Michigan on a red-eye from Las Vegas, I was forced to take the last available seat in the middle of the aircraft because I was on stand-by in an effort to get home early. BTW-giving up my customary first-class upgrade was tough enough!

Anyway, since I was one of the last on the aircraft, I was very lucky to be able to store my small carry-on and neatly folded Sport coat. As a frequent flyer, I usually stand a good part of the flight because I find the seats rather uncomfortable. I’m the guy who always wanders around on the flight.

Once on the ground, when our row stood to deplane, we opened the overhead and the coat was gone. Nobody noticed and nobody cared. The NW gate agents were focused on turning the plane around and the lost baggage folks couldn’t have cared less.

Lesson learned: Never take your eyes off your valuables…especially at night.


From Kat:
Over the holidays, our family traveled on a red eye from the West Coast to the East Coast. My 7 year old son was on the aisle seat and during the night someone stole his travel neck pillow! It likely slipped out from under him and fell to the floor during the night and someone scooped it up and took it! In the morning we searched the floor and seats and asked all the passengers in front of and behind us as well as the flight attendants and no one had it. Who steals a pillow from a kid?!?! Very disappointing.

Lesson Learned: Keep your travel neck pillow close at hand. They are like gold for travelers...


From Paul:
Where you in first class or coach?
I was sitting in coach class. Coach class with an aisle seat - two seats in the row.

When do you think your items were taken? While you were sleeping? In the bathroom?
I was a single guy at the time and when I traveled long distances I would go and talk to the flight attendants and walk around. I had taken my wallet out of my back pocket and put it in my travel backpack which I stored under the seat in front of me. I was up and down the entire flight from LA to London.

What was taken? How much did you lose?
I had my wallet taken - with credit cards, drivers license, travelers checks ($2,000+), cash, pictures, etc., - from my backpack.

Do you have any idea who did it? Someone in your row? Flight attendant?
I am certain it was the passenger (guy) seated next to me. He slept [supposedly] the entire way.

When did you discover the items missing?
I discovered my wallet was missing while in line to pass through customs. I'm sure you can imagine the panic I had. UNBELIEVEABLE! All the questions that go through your mind. It's a terrible feeling.

Did you report it at all?
I did report it to airport authorities and to airline officials with little response. I filled out some paperwork and notified the airlines who asked the cleanup crew to search the area where I was sitting but to no avail.

Did you get your money and items back?
Nothing was recovered. Fortunately, my friend in LA wired money to me and I was able to complete my journey.

What could you have done differently to prevent the theft from happening?

I learned a valuable lesson - ALWAYS keep your personal belongings on you and NEVER let your bags out of sight. I would also carry less cash & travelers checks and use my credit cards and the ATM more often.


Any other stories of in-flight theft? Do you have any tips for your fellow travelers to help secure valuables while you're in the air? Let us know in the comments below.






Source: nodebtworldtravel.com

Tis the season to have BBQ!

Tis the season to have BBQ!

Yay! It's officially summer. Why? I thought Summer begun in June? Nope, the weather here was pretty dreadful with occasional showers and grey clouds that refused to go away till last weekend. So we were all pretty happy to plan a gathering. And of course it involved BBQ!



For those that are interested, BBQ is known as Roštilj here. And supermarkets have no lack of packaged marinated meat. To feed the 17 hungry mouths, kilos of meat were purchased. It included pork, chicken and čevapčići. There were also loaves of breads to fill up whatever empty spaces left in our bellies. Not forgetting the bottles of drinks to go along with the food. Yum!

Do you like BBQ and grilled food? Here is a nice site for BBQ basics from BBC Food if you want to get started.

As mentioned in the site, do remember to cook your food thoroughly (especially sausages). Avoid cross contamination of your raw and cooked meats. Have a nice summer and enjoy the BBQ!

Source: feedproxy.google.com

Encuentros insospechados: Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Special Selection, 1990

Encuentros insospechados: Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Special Selection, 1990

Hace unos meses mi amigo Daniel Martinez -quien ha desarrollado una seria pasión por los vinos-, me comentaba que en casa de sus padres había encontrado una botella guardada en un pequeño mueble de vinos, su papa no recordaba ni siquiera como había llegado a parar allí, le dijo que seguramente alguien se la había obsequiado alguna vez.
Daniel con su estrenada predilección por los vinos me comento que quería que abriéramos aquella botella juntos pues era de una cosecha muy antigua y quería saber en que estado estaría un vino tan viejo, el vino era Californiano de la Bodega Caymus, yo le dije que al menos era una bodega famosa.
El por su lado estuvo averiguando sobre el vino y quedamos en tomarlo en alguna oportunidad en la que yo fuera a visitarlo a su casa.

El tema fue olvidado por algunos meses hasta que un fin se semana decidimos visitar a nuestro amigo, yo lleve mi decantador pues supuse que tendríamos que usarlo si abríamos la misteriosa botella de Caymus.
Al llegar me dispuse a hacer los honores de abrir aquel caldo olvidado, al ver que era de 199o pensé que seguramente ya habría perdido toda su magia. A través de la luz antes de abrirlo se podía apreciar que todavía conservaba una pigmentación razonable dado el tiempo que tenia en botella.
El corcho estaba filtrado hasta la mitad y estaba muy húmedo, fue bastante difícil lograr sacarlo sin que terminara flotando dentro en el vino... pero con mucha paciencia lo logre.
Obviamente tuve que decantarlo pues tenia bastantes sedimentos... y al hacer este procedimiento fue como liberara el genio de la lampara, flotando en el aire sentí recuerdos de frutas negras que rápidamente desaparecieron sin dejar rastro en el ambiente...

Ya en ese momento estaba muy intrigada y sospechando que este vino podría darnos una sorpresa. Su color era de un rojo muy pardo de intensidad media, al llevarlo a la nariz los aromas balsámicos fueron los primeros en aparecer junto con un inesperado recuerdo de frutas maceradas en alcohol, me hizo recordar muchisimo el aroma de los frutos secos que se maceran por 1 año en diferentes licores para luego ser usadas en mi casa en navidad para hacer la torta negra. Unas apagadas notas tostadas y de vainilla fluyen como si les fuera difícil llegar hasta el borde de la copa. En boca era de suave textura, casi imperceptible, y todos los aromas que sentí en nariz estaban presentes en boca...

Era como un bello fantasma al que liberamos su alma y quien nos regalo los últimos trazos de recuerdos de lo que alguna vez fue.

La velada se extendió dando el paso a otros vinos, pero al llegar a la casa me decidí a averiguar exhaustivamente que era lo que había probado, lo cual resulto ser una verdadera sorpresa.

Debo hablar primero que nada de la Bodega, su fundador Charlie Wagner fue el motor de la viticultura en el Valle de Napa. Este personaje, muy querido en la zona, fue el primero en comprender el gran potencial del Cabernet Sauvignon de Napa. Antes de fundar la bodega ellos ya plantaban frutas y vides, vendiendo su producción de uvas a Bodegas cercanas. Al cumplir los 60 años le sugiere a su hijo que monten una bodega y produzcan su propio vino; así comienza
la vida de Bodega Caymus que en 1985 da un vuelco estilístico cuando su hijo Chuck se hace cargo de la elaboración, es en este momento que se crea la fama de Caymus.
Charlie solía decir algo a los visitantes de su bodega: "Si un vino no le resulta atractivo al paladar, no es su vino"... para animarlos a anteponer sus gustos a críticas, precios y cualquier otra consideración...
Irónicamente en el año 1994 uno de sus vinos logra 98 ptos en la revista Wine Spectator convirtiendolo en el Wine of the Year... el mejor vino de todos los que fueron catados por los editores de la revista en ese año...
Y era nada más y nada menos que nuestro Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon del 1990....

A continuación las notas de cata que acompañaron esta reseña:
Maravillosamente proporcionado, suave, de felpa, rico y concentrado, con niveles de complejidad de cereza, ciruela, grosella y sabores de especias, con taninos dulces y bonitos; tostadas, mantequilla y la vainilla de roble persisten en un largo y completo acabado.

En el transcurso de los años siguientes este vino fue catado por el panel de la revista. Estos son los resultados:
El 15 de septiembre de 1996 fue catado de nuevo y su calificación fue de 97 ptos, entre las notas aparece: muy bueno para guardar.... ;)
Fue catado por ultima vez el 28 de febrero del 2001 con una calificación de 93 ptos, acompañado con las siguientes notas de cata:
Ha envejecido muy bien, es rico y elegante, con una amplia gama de cerezo negro, anís, grosella, ciruela y aromas térreos que le dan complejidad, terminando en un largo postgusto. Los taninos se han suavizado. Beber ahora y hasta el 2007....:(

Bueno como podran ver llegamos un poco tarde para poder apreciar todas las maravillosas virtudes que tuvo este vino, pero igualmente fue una linda experiencia. Una sucesión de eventos inesperados hizo que esta botella llegara a mis manos.... lo cual fue una suerte para mi y para él, pues al menos podrá ser recordado a través de estas lineas.




Saturday, January 30, 2010

Homey renovations

Homey renovations

Howdee all,

Finally I have put together a few pictures of the Redo on Homey.

My computer crashed and I lost most of the before pictures.. so, I am just posting the after pictures.

The window box fabric has been changed as well as the sofa and pillows.homeys redo_018

The Living room area window boxes..a Faux silk on top with embroidery and faux suede on the sides.homeys redo_005 I used some of the extra tiles to add a bit of accent

homeys redo_015

See the kitchen Glass tiles? The back splash used to be strip mirrors…outdated and a pain to keep looking clean.homeys redo_027  Here you can see how all the colors blend nicelyhomeys redo_032 We used the same glass tiles for the Bathroom.homeys redo_035 New Window coverings in the Toilet area..and sheershomeys redo_011Bedroom Roman shades  homeys redo_040

Close up of the fabric..both faux silk..the top with little knots throughouthomey redo_002  Roman Shade above the bed and the wood end table tops replaced with Corian.

homeys redo_042The entry….Glass tiles and linoleum steps.

homeys redo_022

 I am loving everything…only thing that bothers me is that you can see some roll marks on the back left side of the sofa….where the chenille fabric had been rolled up.

I am hoping it will eventually work its way out…

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Thanks to Millie and Family from Millie's Draperies, Junction City, Oregon for the fantastic job on our Sofa and Window treatments. 503-689-0066

Thanks to David and Chad from  Rutherford RV Service in Junction City, Oregon for the tile work! Awesome job. 541-359-8489

Thanks to Sean from Davis Cabinets, Junction City, Oregon for the corian nightstands and cabinet refinishing…always a pleasure to work with.

And a special thanks to Carrier and Sons RV service Center for getting our Homey running smoothly and on the road again…Best place to bring your coach in for any type of RV work.  541-461-1673


Source: feedproxy.google.com