LostHawk » Arts & Culture

Best Ballet in Miami

admin — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 13:35:06 +0000

When in Miami, you’ll noticed it has the best, first-class cultural institutions, but it’s the Miami City Ballet (MCB) that has helped change the face of the county. Ranked among the top 20 dance companies in the country, MCB consistently earns international and national recognition for its outstanding achievements in classical and contemporary dance. The company performs at Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County, at Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale; and at Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach, which has a dramatic 2-story 120 x 30 foot mural that covers the entire east facade of its Fern Street studio.

Miami City Ballet main residence is conveniently located at 2200 Liberty Avenue in Miami Beach, or 777 S. Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach. The 2010 – 2011 season will feature a diverse repertoire featuring a premiere by legendary choreographer, Lar Lubovitch. Program I, starting October 15th, 2010, will feature the Company Premiere of Jerome Robbins’ Fanfare; Program II, starting January 7, 2011, will highlight the Company Premiere of Twyla Tharp’s ‘Baker’s Dozen’, where she flings a dozen dancers onto the stage, spinning, hustling, shimmying, but yet romantically inclined all at the same time; Program III, beginning February 11, 2011, spotlights Paul Taylor’s ‘Promethean Fire’, a work that has been suggested to be Taylor’s response to 9/11; Program IV, beginning March 25, 2011, premieres John Cranko’s acclaimed full-evening version of the world’s most famous love story – ‘Romeo and Juliet’.

Besides a spectacular 2010 – 2011 season, MCB has added four talented new professional dancers to the company, which will prove to be their best season to date. So, with the 2010 – 2011 season, you’ll have time to make arrangements to book a five star hotel Miami offers to all its visitors, especially for the discerning tourist in need of the best accommodations in all of Florida as they attended one or more of the 4 Miami City Ballet programs and experience one of the best Ballet Companies in all of the United States.

Best Ballet in Miami is a post from: LostHawk

Walking in Indianapolis

admin — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:30:20 +0000

A walking tour of a new city is one of the best ways to get to know it. You start out in the morning, leaving your luxury hotel in Indianapolis, and there’s time, there’s a lot of time to do the things you promised yourself. When it’s just you alone in the city, there’s no one between you and the experience you’re having. You get used to traveling with people, so you have to put something between yourself and the moment, so you usually fill it up with all of your contexts. Getting to know a city is a way to get to know your own contexts.

You might start out by looking at the windows of coffee shops, to see what windows remind you of other places you’ve been. When you get comfortable, you might start to look in the windows, and eventually this will lead to choosing one. It might be the one that you love the most from your own city, or from another city you’ve been where you had a nice time and felt like you were able to relax. You’re in the cafe, then, and you decide to have what you usually do, except a little bit better, perhaps, and perhaps something sweet to eat, just because it’s a special occasion.

Already, by this time, you’ve begun to see faces in the city, and there’s a peculiar thing that happens in the new city. At first, you see people you think you know, but then after awhile you see people that resemble the people you know. The resemblances are not as coincidental or random as you might hope, and there’s an uncanny sense that these people are alternative versions of the people you know. While you’re having your coffee and someone is telling you about another coffee shop down the street that has art, you’re thinking that every city has alternative versions of your own life. As if you’re telling yourself that this is the life you would have here if you lived here. It’s making sense in a way that’s uncomfortable, because you suddenly realize that you’re plotting your next move in the world, and it might be here.

Walking in Indianapolis is a post from: LostHawk

Seneca Was a Stoic Playwright in Rome

admin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 15:52:13 +0000

When dealing with a city with as much history and tradition as well as world political and cultural significance as Rome Italy, it can be a bit overwhelming trying to decide what to visit and or attend while you are in the city. In addition, most people study Roman history at some point in the academia careers and become fascinated with either a particular time period or religious or cultural institution or genre. Rome was one of the great early Western empires and the atmosphere that radiates through the city is reflective of this. Of course the architecture is as well. One of the aspects of the early Roman society that is frequently honored and well remembered today is the entertainment of ancient Rome and the early theatre. Tourists will frequently attend a production during their stay at one of the hotels in Rome and it is particularly intriguing and satisfying to see a production of one of the classic Roman tragedies or comedies.

Seneca was not only a playwright he was also a philosopher and is frequently remembered for his association and contribution to Stoicism. He is commonly believed to have been alive from 4 BC to 65 AD and was a statesman in addition to his philosophical and dramatic writings. He is well remembered for his version of the Medea story though he wrote a total of nine tragedies. He also wrote one satire though he is almost always considered in association to his tragedies. He also wrote an essay on meteorological studies.

In addition to his writings and artist life he had some major conspiratorial aspects and controversial elements in his life. He was an active participant in the political life of Rome and in AD 65 after a failed plot to kill Nero he was implicated in its planning. There is no evidence that he was part of the conspiracy, however Nero ordered that he commit suicide, which was the standard form of capital punishment and Seneca was forced to cut his wrists open to bleed to death. His reputation has been seen in both a positive and negative light throughout the centuries.

Seneca Was a Stoic Playwright in Rome is a post from: LostHawk

Barcelona Hiphop

admin — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 23:52:08 +0000

Traveling in Spain is a pleasure, and traveling in Barcelona is even better. It’s one of the most stylish cities in the world, with a Catalan flair that does everything with an extra touch of pizazz. With some of the finest cuisine in the world, it’s hard not to love Barcelona, Spain. Hotel accommodations are plentiful here, and there’s something to suit every traveler’s tastes and budget. Our hotels are carefully selected from some of the city’s most elegant lodgings, and are in the heart of the city and close to the water, so that your Mediterranean experience engages all the senses. And it’s certainly a city for the senses, stimulating some and waking up others, and after one meal you’ll find yourself suddenly very aware of just how strong your sense of taste really is.

There’s more to Barcelona than food, but food is going to accompany everything. It’s a very deep part of the identity and culture here, and the love for good food comes from a love for the good life. The architecture of the city will immediately strike the visitors, because of its eclectic and stunning effect on everyone. Style and design are simply sharp here. There are multiple cultures in Barcelona, from the urban chic to the alternative art scene. There is also a very rich hiphop scene here, and the Hipnotik Festival is a perfect illustration.

Marking 25 years of hiphop as a major presence in Barcelona, the festival is a 3-day celebration of the music and the lifestyle. There are conferences, competitions, marketplaces, documentary screenings, and of course, shows. Some of Spain’s hottest acts come to Hipnotik, but Barcelona is well-represented, demonstrating and presenting the unique Catalonia anarchy injected into the urban beats that make hiphop’s history one in continual construction.

Barcelona Hiphop is a post from: LostHawk

Gavin Jantjes, Painter from Cape Town

admin — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:29:02 +0000

There are many splendid things to choose from when selecting one of our five-star Cape Town hotels, but none of them is short on service. There is a spectacular level of excellence here in all of our hotels, meeting or exceeding the highest qualities in the industry. We offer an impeccable accommodation experience, one that merges innovation with tradition, to bring the best of all possible worlds together. Guests here will experience an extreme of luxury experience, from fine meals to fine linens, and can rest easily knowing all the fine details are covered. We take pride in offering some of the most sumptuous lodgings in the country, making your stay here as lovely as your dreams for returning will be.
Cape Town is one of South Africa’s largest cities, and one of its primary cultural hubs. It attracts artists from all over the country, the African continent, and the world, drawn by its rich and complicated history, and extremely diverse blend of cultures and languages. Gavin Jantjes is one of the key artists to have emerged from South Africa in the 1970s, and he attracts a very sizable following whenever he does come to speak in his native town. Born in 1948, and educated here in Cape Town and Germany’s Hamburg, his work draws on contemporary sources, including Zulu cosmology, social activism, and a distinctive style that speaks of a very modern notion of identity.
His South African Coloring Book, from 1974-1975, was an extremely thoughtful critique of the country under apartheid, with rich metaphors and a strong vision. It attracted a good deal of critical acclaim, but official disdain, and he was forced into exile. Outside of South Africa, Gavin Jantjes has had a remarkable career, continuing to make a large and respectable body of rather visionary work that consistently speaks to his roots in Cape Town. He has held several posts of note, including work on the advisory board at the Tate Liverpool, was a consultant for the creation of the Institute of New International Visual Art for the Arts Council of Great Britain, and artistic director of the Henie-Onstad Kunstsenter in Oslo, where he is now living.

Gavin Jantjes, Painter from Cape Town is a post from: LostHawk

Bollywood Mumbai

admin — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:21:45 +0000

Mumbai, India is one of the country’s ancient cities that continues to hold a prominent position in its culture. It is a popular tourist destination due to its progressive, yet also traditional, art scene and many people are attracted to its numerous historic landmarks and cultural icons. One of the fascinating aspects of the city that is incredibly intriguing to visitors is that it is the home of Bollywood, India’s film industry’s equivalent to Hollywood, California. Guests staying in one of the hotels Mumbai India will certainly check out this famous film industry and possibly even cross paths with one of the country’s great stars.

While Hollywood, California USA is an actual city that is the basis of the nation’s film industry, Bollywood India is actually more of an informal title given to the area’s industry and does officially represent a region, town or city. However, it is inappropriate to call the entire Indian film industry a part of Bollywood and it does refer directly to the Mumbai based industry. This is actually one of the largest film production companies in the world, as well as it is throughout India.

As with the film industry in most countries, if not all, the industry in Bollywood has seen great changes and transitions. The modern era of its cinema is generally believed to be recognized as having begun in the late 1960s and saw a great increase in action films and romances. The later part of the 1970s saw a decrease in the soppy romantic films, and a rise in violence and a rougher and gritty humor. However, by the late 1980s and early 1990s, the interest had come around again for a simple romantic comedy and they resumed their popularity. This led the way for an entirely new generation of popular mainstream actors. Further hotel information.

Bollywood Mumbai is a post from: LostHawk

Prince William of Windsor Royal Family

admin — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 22:02:10 +0000

Windsor, England is very well known for its beautiful castle. The name Windsor itself, is also strongly associated with Great Britain’s current royal family. Queen Elizabeth II is the current reigning British monarch. Her son, Prince Charles has been the long standing heir apparent, and his eldest son Prince William follows after him. The chance to spot a member of the royal family is certainly something almost any visitor to England would relish, and the two young princes have become extremely popular with the paparazzi. Guests staying in one of the Windsor hotels will certainly who the members of this royal family are and may plan a visit to Windsor Castle just to feel a bit closer to them.

Prince William was born William Arthur Philip Louis to Prince Charles and Princess Diana in June of 1982. His early childhood was spent training him to be the future king, and also ensuring a great education and quality home life. He received his degree from the University of St. Andrews and since them has spent time in Africa, Chile, Belize and other places throughout the world. Tragically, he lost his mother at the age of 15 when she was killed in a car accident. Princess Diana had a strong interest in humanitarian issues contributed greatly to charity causes. When her sons were young, she wished for them to learn the struggles faced by many people and to develop a sense of caring about various social issues. This may be perhaps her greatest legacy as Prince William seems to have acquired his mother’s sense of humanity and is continuing much of her work.

Some of the major causes to which Princess Diana contributed her support efforts and patronage include AIDS and HIV patients, homelessness and hunger. She had been a major patron of Centrepoint, an agency that provides services to the homeless and following her death, Prince William took her place. In addition, she had her two sons help to pack and deliver emergency food and care packages to countries that had been affected by the 2004 tsunami.

Prince William of Windsor Royal Family is a post from: LostHawk

The Diversity of the Channel Islands

admin — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:01:16 +0000

Jersey is one of the Channel Islands that sit off the coast of France, however they are part of Great Britain. This fact has been considered an anomaly throughout history as the islands Alderney, Guernsey, Jersey, Herm and Sark are not under legal administration of the United Kingdom, as other regions are administered via the city of Westminster. Each of the islands is locally governed and administered. Many are traveling to the islands and staying the Alderney, Guernsey and Jersey hotels, as they discover that the islands have a lot to offer, internationally and culturally mixed, with beach hotels and resorts specifically designed for family travel, as well has those for the high end jet set travel groups. The peak tourist season for the islands is June through September, however the mild climate year round makes any of the islands perfect for a winter get a way as well.

The islands had been overlooked by tourists for some time as they appear to lack the activities available and the attractions that one will find on the mainland of Great Britain. However, the islands’ appeal gets lost when one thinks of them in such a way. The islands are isolated from the busy city lifestyles found in the larger cities in the United Kingdom and the mainland of Europe. There are quiet and tranquil beaches, the traditional black and white of the charming cottages, white washed year after year. There are incredible sunsets that take place of the picturesque and rocky cliffs and coastlines. The landscaping is so serene and dramatic that many who are looking for outdoor adventure such as hiking, biking and camping seek the refuge that each of these islands provides.

The islands are perfect for this kind of adventure, as each of them is relatively small, making it possible to hike in wilderness all day, and still make it back to town for a wine and dine night out at a nightclub or fine restaurant. There are many golf courses dispersed throughout each island, and birdwatching and windsurfing are just two of the activities in which one may participate. There are also parks and museums located on the islands. Jersey Island supports the Gerrald Durrell’s Nature Conservation Zoo, of the most influential zoos of its kind, throughout the world. As well as the museum located in the Underground Hospital built and used by the Germans during World War Two. Each island has something to offer, with its own characteristics and personality, there will always be something for anyone.

The Diversity of the Channel Islands is a post from: LostHawk

Chinese New Year in Cardiff

admin — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:51:53 +0000

Participating in my first Chinese New Year celebration was actually really enlightening. The Chinese celebrate the New Year later than the rest of the world. I was staying a week in a Cardiff Hotel where I accidental came across one of the largest Chinese celebrations of its kind in Wales. I was stunned really. Wales puts on one hell of a celebration.

There was a colorful showcase of calligraphy from China, dance, fashion and music. It happens at the Cardiff University and at Amgueddfa Cymru, the national museum of Wales. Through out the three days of celebrating, I attended an exhibition of Chinese art and got to participate in a number of workshops. One workshop, I got to learn Chinese Calligraphy, well kind of learn, I know if I don’t practice what I learned, I’ll lose what I learned. Some other people who attended the Calligraphy workshop told me they just finished a workshop where they got to play a Chinese instrument called the guzheng, a traditional string instrument resembling a zither and the erhu, a two-stringed instrument played with a bow. Dang! I missed that one.

The Highlight of the Festival was a Gala which took place at 8pm in the Museum’s Reardon Smith Lecture Theater. Where we were treated to various acts of different aspects of contemporary and traditional China. Then a Chinese Fashion show and then music. I never had so much fun at any of my own New Years Celebrations. But, then here in England, there aren’t any three day special workshops, fashion shows or Galas. I thing the Chinese know how to celebrate. I wonder, when I head back to London, if maybe there are workshops or lessons going on during our New Years celebration, you know, something more than getting tossed New Years Eve and not remembering a thing?

Chinese New Year in Cardiff is a post from: LostHawk

Sundance Festival is a Major US Event

admin — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 20:12:11 +0000

The Sundance Film Festival is the largest independent film festival that is based in the United States. It takes place every year in the state of Utah. It began in 1978 with the intention of attracting more attention to Utah for filmmakers. It has certainly succeeded in putting Utah on the map of significant film events in the nation. It occurs in January and is bases in Salt Lake City, Ogden, Park City and of course the Sundance Resort. Event tickets are a coveted item, and some people consider it as important to be there as it is to have a film or performance in one entered.

There are various sections to the festival and some focus on American and international documentaries and dramatic films. These are competitive in nature and feature both full length and shorts of various lengths. There is also a non-competitive showcase section, which includes the categories in New Frontier, Park City at Midnight and Spectrum. This allows for recognition of excellence and also provides forums for beginners and experimenters have their works screened. Through the years it has transitioned from an obscure, low-budget operation to a major event that draws hundreds of celebrities and pizzazz and an amazing amount of audience interest and follower support.

The festival began with the intention of showcasing specifically American made films. With Robert Redford as the Chairperson, this helped to establish the event and the organizational team and passion involved were able to make it the success it is today. It continues to expand its reach, scope and services and is extremely intended to assist in the development of filmmakers and provide greater access to the independent and documentary awareness and appeal. Many of the top independent filmmakers have had Sundance as the major aspect of their beginnings. Directors such as Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, Robert Rodriguez and Jim Jarmush, all had their first big breaks at Sundance.

Sundance Festival is a Major US Event is a post from: LostHawk