Sure Horizon

Archive for March, 2010

Indian cuisine can be mysterious and confusing. The Garam Masala (a mixture of spices to create curry) is the center if this magnificent cuisine. The main ingredients of garam masala are: coriander, cumin, cinnamon, black peppercorn, ginger, cloves, and bay leaves. Variations on this are found all around the world and even from house to house.

Singapore is known for its amazing restaurants and creative cuisine. Authentic Indian food in Singapore can be found in Little India . Little India is located along the historic Seragong Road . This road received its name from ancient travelers who brought gongs with them in order to scare away any monsters and wild animals that they might encounter along the way. Singapore has been a popular place to stop for many travelers because of its historic ports. Port towns become hubs to many different cultures and because travelers often end up staying in these towns, little communities of ethnicities from around the world pop up. This is how Little India came to be.

Indian food is not known for its healthiness, but it should be. Many fried dishes and the use of ghee have given this cuisine a bad reputation. Ghee is clarified butter without any water or particles from milk. Ghee is actually good for people who are on a low fat diet because it can add a significant amount of flavor in small amounts. Fast food restaurants serving Indian dishes often use more ghee than traditional cooks in order to add more flavor and mask other not do fresh ingredients. Some of the most popular dishes are fried, but they dso not make up the bulk of Indian cuisine. Singapore is home to world class restaurants that specialize in Indian cuisine. Vegetarians are often surprised at the myriad of options available when looking at menu. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the staple of Indian dishes. Because most dishes are served over rice, those trying to avoid gluten will also be presently surprised at their many options.

A hundred and sixty-one years ago, in 1849, gold fever struck the west coast of the United States, creating the famed California Gold Rush, and a man named George Washington Patterson was no different than the many people who arrived in the areas near San Francisco Bay in order to make a fortune in the goldfields. Like many others, though, he didn’t make his fortune mining, although he did make his livihood from what he was able to take from the Earth: He was a farmer in the extremely rich fields that were found then in Southern Alameda County. There, in the city now known as Fremont, he built a 19th century estate, made up of extensive Victorian Gardens and a mansion, collectively known as Ardenwood Farm .

Today, the farm is known as Ardenwood Historic Farm, and it’s a part of the park system in the East Bay. What is an historic farm? It’s a place where children and adults can come to learn about how people used to farm in the United States, providing examples of techniques used in the 1870s up until contemporary times. This farm is where you’ll learn about the transition from farming powered by horses to the power of fuel-driven engines.

Presently, Ardenwood is a farm still in operation, which means that each visit and each season guests will discover something new. From late May through October, you’ll find an organic vegetable stand inside the gates to the farm, which is open from ten in the morning to four in the afternoon, Tuesdays to Sundays, all year long. It’s even open on Labor Day and Memorial Day. During the winter, you’ll find the presentation of a Christmas program.

And, if you’re thinking of matrimony, it’s possible to be married on the farm’s grounds, and there’s plenty of rooms for guests in Fremont for the wedding and reception afterwards.

There’s no doubt that Philadelphia is known for its food — especially hoagies and cheese steaks. If you’re from out of town and want to sample the local cuisine, then try out the Flavors of Philly City Food Tours . Even locals have been known to take these tours and learn more about the city’s gastronomical history. In most cases, the tours are about two hours and a half in length, but contain a minimum of walking, perhaps thirty minutes or so, and allows you to try a real Italian hoagie and learn why they’re not called a sub or hero sandwich; discover the correct way to order an authentic cheese steak; find out why baked soft pretzels in Philly are shaped differently than in other places, even try some chocolate chip cookies, chocolate covered pretzels and other desserts. There are six stops on the tour, and most people consider the amount of food enough for a meal.

You’ll visit a soft pretzel bakery, a Mom & Pop pizzeria, as well as the Reading Terminal Market . The tour especially works well if you’re entertaining out-of-town guests, perhaps as a thank you for having them find a great hotel room , instead of staying at your place. It works, too, if you’re coming to town for a quick anniversary vacation; in most cases, reservations may be made only a day or two in advance.

There are four different tours in all: The Flavors of Philly; Decadent Gourmet; Evening Wine, Chocolate and Tea; and Craft Beer and Artisanal Cheese. Take them all and you’ll end up tasting everything from pizza and cheese steak, to exotic cheeses and intriguing gelato flavors, such as avocado and single malt scotch.

Keep in mind there are two types of tours offered, public and private. The public tour isn’t for children below the age of ten; however, the private tour may be designed for groups of children below that age.

There are lots of famous families in and around Pittsburgh, but there are certainly few as beloved widely as the Zambellis. The Zambelli family is credited with bringing the fourth of July fireworks displays in town to a whole other level of spectacular, and here spectacular is absolutely literal. It’s a delight for the senses, and is considered to be one of the best displays in the world. It often warrants a trip back to town for those who have moved away, certainly worth the price of a hotel , and promises for a lovely weekend.

They do 3,500 shows a year, all around the world, and are known as the first family of fireworks. They hold the Guinness World Record for fireworks detonated from the highest point, which here was at the US Steel Tower in Town. They’ve also done displays at Mount Rushmore and Times Square. Large events seem to be their real forte, although they do smaller events, too, such as weddings, but these would not be your everyday affair. They’ve been able to concoct ways of making elaborate and evocative designs in the air, where the fireworks will paint ethereal designs in the sky that soon dissolve into ash, to dazzle and overwhelm spectators.

The Zambellis settled in New Castle, a town to the north, at the turn of the 20th century, having come from Italy, and they began with fireworks right from the start. George R. Zambelli, Sr. , who passed away in 2003, was the force behind the whole business, and his tireless dedication has inspired countless Pittsburghers. At times it seemed to be a real labor of love, but mostly it’s an adventure whose rewards are clear and concrete. In Pittsburgh, anyone who’s near will make it a point to watch the latest Zambelli display, because they are created with the intention of pleasing crowds, and making beautiful moments that everyone can enjoy. It’s a real tradition here that’s a century old, yins.

Maps are unique things. They bring the world into perspective and help us realize the connections that we all have to each other. It is also through maps that we learn. Hundreds of years of research have led us to the point where we now have a variety of different ways to look at the world; globes, political maps, and geographic maps.
Globes are very useful for seeing the world as a whole. We can see just how close Alaska is to Russia and how big the Pacific and Atlantic oceans are. As big as the world may seem sometimes, globes help us understand that we are not so far apart and are more closely connected than we think. Political maps are also a very useful tool, particularly when you need to find a state or a country. They are often very colorful with clear lines marking each countries territory. Political maps come in very handy when in school you have to learn the 50 states or all of the countries in Africa. You can even find printable world maps online to make your task even easier. The most useful maps for a more in depth study of a particular region are typically geographic maps. They often include landmarks such as rivers, lakes, and mountain ranges to give you a better understanding of the terrain. Some very detailed geographic maps are colored to fit the region as well as texture to describe mountains or flatlands.
Whatever the need or desire there is a map that will provide the information you are looking for. We have come a long way since Columbus left Spain and began his journey across the seas. No longer are we restricted to one incomplete map. Instead we have maps describing every part of this globe that we could ever wish to explore and it is available with just the push of a button.

My college age daughter and I were staying at a hotel in Austin for a few days to scope out the University of Texas campus. She’ll be attending there in the fall, but we thought it couldn’t hurt to get her situated, so by the time she moves into the dorm, she’ll be all cool about it, instead of frantic and freaked. The campus was huge, so we were glad to see where all the buildings were located in terms of how long it would take her to get to class from her dormitory.

We also wanted to check out Juan in a Million eatery , located not far off campus. Apparently, this place is legendary for its tacos. We saw it featured on the Travel Channel and it looked like a great place to eat and have fun. Plus, my daughter will get to check out the student population. Juan in a Million was easy to find, the buildings exterior is pink stucco and there was a line of people going out the door. We got in line, which wasn’t that bad of a wait, only 30 minutes, and we were surprised to find Juan (the owner) greeting all the customers with a handshake!

We were glad to be dressed appropriately, jeans and a t-shirt. The menu is very inexpensive, so no wonder all the University kids hang out here. There was also a good spread of regular folk too. While we were looking over the menu, we saw dishes been served to all the tables around us and noticed that Juan gives generous portions. The Travel Channel mentioned that the best dish Juan’s is known for is the Don Juan taco: a breakfast taco overstuffed with eggs, cheese, bacon and potatoes. We both ordered that and when the tacos were delivered to our table, the tacos were bursting out of their shells. They serve extra tortillas so we could turn the over-flow of food into more tacos. The Don Juan Taco was a masterpiece, the potatoes were creamy, the eggs were scrambled and smooth, the bacon was salty and in-between all of those, were layers of chipotle and ancho chilies. One Don Juan Taco would actually feed two people, but we both finished our own taco. It was so good and filling.

We got back to our hotel and plopped down on our beds and un-zipped our pants. We were really glad the hotel was convenient to the Universities campus and that it still offered a great rate. Here’s the website for more information . I’ll be making reservations here through out the year, just to make sure my baby’s doing fine, oh and to stop off at Juan in a Million!

Visiting Honolulu for the first time or the fifth time is a wonderful experience, and it always feels fresh and new, like seeing a place for the very first time. There is something very old about Hawaii, in general, a feeling that these great gifts of nature have been here for a thousand generations or more. At the same time, the nature of the sea is change and movement, so there is also a sense of constant renewal, and the Honolulu that one could have visited a month ago is not the same one that’s here now. It certainly inspires everyone to make the most of the moment at hand, and this is one of the best places in the world to learn how to live in the moment, because it’s usually pretty wonderful.

Diving into the local scene can be as rewarding as diving into the sea, and there are all sorts of hidden pleasures to be found. A gorgeous time awaits everyone who comes here, and there are plenty of spectacular hotels right here that can put things in their proper place of elegance and hospitality. It’s a spectacular way to begin any day in Hawaii, and the splendor can remind you that there are few things to worry about. Deciding what to do with a morning or an evening can be the toughest moments. The beach is always a good option, but so is a trip to the Manifest .

This little art cafe in Chinatown is remarkably versatile. In the mornings, it’s a coffee house, where you can find your favorite espresso drinks and enjoy that ambiance and decor. The taste here runs in favor of local talents and energies, and there’s also a generous sense of impeccable style. But at night, the cafe turns into a bar, and there are all sorts of events with DJs, live musicians, art, and b-boy performance . The crowds are very generous, too, and this new hangout is getting a good show of support so far. With a little luck and tenacity, the next few years will see more interesting works here, from a very interesting cross-section of the population.