Times Square Restaurant and Shop Picks

For travelers and residents alike, Times Square continues to mesmerize us. At night it might as well be day, as all those lights shine so brightly. There are a ton of restaurants and shops to visit in this neighborhood (if you can call it that). It can be daunting to choose a restaurant to eat in.

For Tex-Mex lovers, consider Chevy's on the corner of 42nd Street and 8th Avenue in the heart of Times Square. It features large margaritas of varying flavors as well as an appetizing array of Tex-Mex favorites, such as quesadillas, burritos, and tacos. Get your fix of table side guacamole-it's the best! The prices are affordable and the seating is ample.

If you are in the mood for bbq, check out Dallas BBQ . Cheap drinks and food that taste good and come in large portions will leave you feeling satisfied. Rotisserie chicken, yellow rice, french fries, baked potatoes, steak, catfish, and more are served here. It's located a couple of doors down from Chevy's.

After dinner, get your chocolate fix at Hershey's . Browse an extensive selection of gift items and chocolate goodies. Get your own personalized Hershey's kiss. They are located on Broadway and 48th Street.

For a healthy and hearty twist on fast food, check out Chipotle Mexican Grill . They use naturally raised meat, organic produce , and dairy without added hormones. They are located all throughout Manhattan with the Times Square location being on 48th Street between 6th & 7th Avenues.

Rock n Roll and dining combine to offer a unique experience. You can only get this at the Hard Rock Cafe . There you will see the wall of guitars as well as tons of memorabilia and a gift shop where you can purchase a wide variety of items. The food is American fare with a hearty side of rock n roll. Located on Broadway and 43rd Street.

Fun in the neighborhood abounds at Applebees . This restaurant offers up comfort food and an abundance of cocktails. Frequent pricing specials make this venue a budget favorite. Located on 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues.

To ward off the bright lights of Times Square, head to Sunglass Hut and browse the huge selection of designer sunglasses, polarized and non-polarized. From Chanel to Oliver People's, you will find a style that fits you. Located on 45th Street and Broadway, next to the Marriott hotel.

For currency exchange, head over to The Change Group located next to the Hilton Hotel on 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues as well as on the corner of 48th Street and 7th Avenue. Their rates are reasonable and the staff is friendly.

Whether you are a New Yorker hanging out and meeting friends or a visitor, Times Square is a great place to gather and eat and shop in (if you do not mind the continuous stream of foot traffic!).

Read restaurant reviews from a native New Yorker.

Planning a Maine Vacation

Maine is famous for its seacoasts, beaches, lakes, mountains, and holiday resorts attracting a huge number of tourists all through the year. Maine is particularly known for its water bodies, which consist of more than 2500 lakes and 5000 streams. The other attractions include twenty-six state parks that bring hunters, fishermen, skiers and campers very frequently to Maine. Therefore, it is important to plan a Maine vacation properly, in order to make the most of it.

Some of the major points of interest in Maine include the Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park, Allagash National Wilderness Waterway, The Wadsworth-Longfellow House, the St. Croix Island National Monument and Roosevelt Campobello International Park. The tourists can also visit the various spots of historical interests from Augusta, the capital city of Maine and the city of Bangor. These spots can be reached in approximately three to five hours drive by road. However, tourists are advised to find out the proper routes to these spots, as there are frequent cases of bad weather conditions, and roads belonging to lumber companies, which have gravel surface. Prior arrangements of accommodations are also necessary as there are only a few provisions available.

The Appalachian Trail can be a good hiking territory on top of Mount Katahdin for adventure lovers, or the Allagash Wilderness Waterway for rafting. The forests near the Baxter State Park are inhabited by deer, beaver, moose, bears, and recently introduced caribou. The creatures come down to the roads, in early winter mornings for licking the salt from the roads, while in summer they can be seen in shallow waters. However, along with getting a glimpse of all these creatures, tourists are warned to be careful about the damages, caused by the creatures each year on the roads. There have been records of fatal accidents and thus, it is very important to take necessary precautions.

Tourists can take the help of vacation planners, or plan by going through the detailed information about Maine Vacations, available on the Internet.

Maine Vacations provides detailed information on Maine Vacations, Maine Vacation Rental, Maine Family Vacations, Maine Vacation Guides and more. Maine Vacations is affiliated with Maine Travel Agencies [http://www.e-MaineTravel.com].

Best Value For Money Greek Holidays

For some people, lack of funds is no obstacle to travel. For many, seeing another country in the cheapest way possible can provide some of the most memorable and exciting adventures as opposed to see everything from the comfort of an air conditioned bus and returning to a luxury suite every night.

There are many ways to get great value for money when travelling around Greece.

Cruises - what better way to explore the exquisite islands of Greece than by boat? You can go for as little as one day to as long as fourteen days on a cruise that will said around the Aegean, stopping off at various islands and hot spots. If you do your research you will be sure to find a bargain online, something that is all inclusive and will give you excellent value for money on your trip to Greece.

Hostels - are a seriously underrated way to lodge in Europe. Not just for students and young people, hostels can offer private rooms with bathrooms and offer a perfectly suitable room for the night for much less than a hotel. You might not have all of the extra features of a hotel, but hopefully you'll be spending all your time exploring rather than in a room!

Look for smaller, boutique or home stay apartments in small towns and villages for a more intimate experience of Greece. Sometimes staying out of the major towns and cities will save you a lot of money and give you a completely different and perhaps more authentic experience of the country. You won't have to battle crowds at restaurants or have your exotic strolls ruined by an over abundance of souvenir shops.

Food - is another way to get the best value for money when visiting Greece. Like most places in the world, street food is often the best kind.

Little taverns, bars and eateries are usually the best and cheapest places to eat the cuisine the country is famous for.

Organised Bus Tours - organised bus trips and tours around Greece are a great way to see the country if you are not confident enough to go it alone. While they do cost more than seeing the sites unaided, the money will be well spent. A bus tour like Contiki, Insight or Kumuka will take you and a group of people to all the sites and will arrange and suggest places to eat and will also look after accommodation so you don't have to worry about a thing. If you prefer a single or half day tour, these too will give you good value for money as they can take you to all the places you want to go efficiently, taking all the worry away. Not only are these kinds of tours great for efficient travelling, they will also provide you with a wonderful opportunity to meet new people and share some great memories.

Whether you prefer to bus about, sleep in hostels or try a cruise you will also be able to get good value for money if you research not only your flights and travel insurance online, but also your accommodation. A little web savvy can go a long way!

Save money on your travel insurance today. For a free quote, visit Travel Insurance.

Vacation Rentals in Spain - Los Cristianos Tenerife - For a Family Winter Getaway?

Vacation rentals in Spain in the winter are a great way to top up your tan and shake off the winter blues. While people at home are thinking about Christmas shopping and mince pies you can pack your bikini and jet off to the sun! Tenerife is a fantastic choice for a winter getaway because of its mild winter climate. Los Cristianos is one of Tenerife's most popular resorts and is just 15 km from the airport. Once a peaceful fishing village, it is now one of the major tourist areas on the island and many people book self-catering apartments to rent in Spain here.

If you decide to book your vacation rentals in Spain in the resort of Los Cristianos it may be because you are looking for a relatively peaceful holiday break. Los Cristianos tends to attract more mature holidaymakers and is quieter in comparison with the nearby resort of Playa de las Americas. Families with young children like this resort for vacation rentals in Spain as it is known to have a family friendly ambiance. Villas or self-catering apartments to rent in Spain can be ideal for a family as you are less restricted and can come and go as you please. A lot of tourists book a car rental in Tenerife Spain in order to make the most of all the attractions that are on offer on this lovely island.

Visitors who book villa or self-catering apartments to rent in Spain in Los Cristianos will find that there are plenty of activities available for all ages. The best beach for families with young children is Playa de las Vistas as you can take part in many water sports there like diving, jet-skiing or windsurfing and there are also novelty attractions like banana boats and pedalos. At this beach there are a variety of restaurants and bars along the front and family-friendly facilities such as changing rooms, showers and toilets. If you want to get away from your vacation rentals in Spain for the whole day and have booked a car rental in Tenerife Spain there are plenty of family days out to choose from. The Jungle Park, where you can see exotic birds and birds of prey is within easy reach of Los Cristianos by car for a day out as is Tenerife Zoo Monkey Park.

Some people might think that quiet and peaceful means dull and boring but if you have booked villa or apartment vacation rentals in Spain in Los Cristianos you will find that this is not the case. Los Cristianos is a more sophisticated resort and in the evenings you will find mostly couples and families enjoying leisurely meals in the many delightful restaurants and bars. The choice of cuisine ranges from local traditional food to English and Chinese. The nightlife has a laid back feel to it and you can choose from many different varieties of musical entertainment in the bars such as jazz, salsa, live bands and cover bands.

If you book your apartment vacation rentals in Spain or a luxury villa rental Spain in Tenerife you should consider hiring a car as there is so much to see on this fantastic island. You could visit Mount Teide, Spain's highest mountain and have a trip in a cable car almost to the summit where you get spectacular views of the island. If you choose car rental in Tenerife Spain then you should try and book before you go as you can research what is on offer and compare prices to get the best deal.

If you want a family-friendly winter sun break choose self-catering apartments to rent in Spain in Los Cristianos, Tenerife. You can book car rental in Tenerife, Spain if you want to get out and explore! Vacation rentals in Spain can be booked directly with the private owners. Clive Long, the author, is a Director of the Holiday-Villa-Select website which offers cost effective holiday rentals in Spain booked direct with owners who advertise their holiday villa or apartment on this website no commission charged.

Learn to Know the Bar Girls in Pattaya

While its hardly fair to describe the girls in Pattaya as being unique in that they are mostly Thai girls, it can be fairly said that there is a uniqueness about them that is challenging to define.

To truly get a handle on what the girls in Pattaya are really about, its necessary to carry out some research into the background and culture of these delectable creatures to fully comprehend why they do the things they do, and to be able to deal with the oft  times tragic and other times hilarious behavior they often display.

If you are new to or are planning your first trip to Thailand, be well advised to do bit of digging around for at least some information on the girls in Pattaya and in Thailand overall before you take the plunge.

My memory takes me back to my first trip to Thailand ten years ago, as an incompetent, bumbling and extremely naïve "Pattaya Virgin."

I was the typical middle aged "farang" (foreigner) who was just surfacing after a particularly harrowing and debilitating break up with my western wife of fifteen years. I guess I was seeking some sort of consolation and understanding in the arms of whoever was willing to listen.

While there are many of the girls in Pattaya who are more than capable of providing me with what I sought, my lack of education about these beautiful and at times little she demons, almost had me plunging headlong back into the murky pit of despair I was trying so hard to climb out of.

Fortunately I was traveling with a couple of "Pattaya Wise" friends who were well versed in the wiles of the bar girls in Pattaya and who were just able to grab my heels in time before I started falling hopelessly in love with almost every bar girl in Pattaya my hungry, ogling  and somewhat lustful gaze fell upon.

Before venturing into Thailand it's imperative to be aware that Thailand is a nation whose culture is vastly different from that of the West. It is for ninety percent of the populace, steeped in Tao Buddhism and many things we of the west might consider strange or abhorrent are not only accepted in Thailand but are indeed the norm.

It's also important to remember that the lives led by the bar girls in Pattaya are a far cry from the ideals set down by  traditional Thai culture and are far more strict than those of Christianity.

The girls in Pattaya live their lives almost totally absorbed in their culture and traditional family values. Buddhism to them is not a religion, but rather a way of life. However it's not uncommon for a girl to bend the rules a little in the contant battle to survive within a society lacking in any from of social security hand outs such as welfare and the dole etc.

With this in mind, and while not considering herself a lady of ill repute, it's quite acceptable for a girl in Pattaya to "go with" the patrons of the bar she works in for a limited period (short time) or for the night (long time) for a bout of sensual and sexual pleasure found hard to rival worldwide in an effort to make enough money to support her family. The majority of the girls are well experienced in satisfying the needs of the customer and those that are only new to the game are quickly instructed by the other more senior girls or the Mama San who is herself usually one of the ex-bar girls in Pattaya.

With prostitution being strictly prohibited in Thailand the "donation" made to the bar girls in Pattaya, is usually  predetermined before leaving the place of her employment. Most of the girls are fiercely loyal to "their" bar (while the money is there) treating it and her fellow bar girls in Pattaya more like family and a home away from home rather than a place of employment.

The "customer" she goes with will need to pay the bar what's known as a "bar fine" which is a small pre-set figure for the individual bar...before leaving with his new found love. Go-go bars have a higher bar fine because they themselves tend to pay the girls more to perform pole dancing "etc". on a raised platform, most times scantily dressed if indeed dressed at all.

This money pays for her freedom from the bar for the duration of the customer's whim. You should be aware also, that if you should require the company of your bar girl/girls in Pattaya, for an additional night or two, you will need to pay the bar fine for each night she is absent from the bar. This is strictly adhered to. If she herself requires an evening off for no legitimate reason, she will then need to pay her own bar fine as she will also have to do if you refuse to pay it.

The number of bar fines for the working month is recorded for each individual bar girl in Pattaya and are tallied up at the end of the working month. She then receives a small percentage of the total. It's not uncommon for a particularly attractive or alluring girl to amass as many as 25 to 30 bar fines for the month during the high season.

It should be noted here that tips are a communal thing and that unless the tip is placed directly in the hand of the girl it's intended for, the tips are shared by all the girls in the bar sometimes including the mama san.

You shouldn't be at all surprised to learn that the bar girl in Pattaya of your dreams could well have at least one child to a Thai man and indeed many even have a Thai husband or boyfriend waiting for them at home.

Traditionally in Thailand it is the responsibility of the girls of the family to support their parents. The girls in Pattaya's parents will in most cases live somewhere in a remote village where more often than not, they will be raising the girls child or children. At the end of each month, she will send most of her money to her parents who in turn will pay for the child's or children's upbringing and education.

While it's very easy to fall hopelessly in love with the girls in Pattaya, most men who do...find it far easier to take the girl out of the bar than  to take the bar out of the girl.

Many men who take a Thai girl out of Thailand find the same principle applies and research indicates that the most successful relationships that exist between the girls in Pattaya or in Thailand generally, and foreigners are the ones where the foreigner lives in Thailand with his Thai wife or partner.

Be well warned and well advised.

Hi I'm Sean K Kelly.

If you are a single heterosexual male or even if you swing the other way and thinking about a trip to Thailand, learn more about the the bar girls in Pattaya and indeed the Thai people before you go, and be well prepared to at least save your heart if not your money!

Neil Hutchinson's "Money Number One" book is often referred to as "The Pattaya Bible"and is now available for instant PDF download at the above link.

Hotel of the Month - MyHotel Brighton

WHY VISIT? A hop, skip and a jump away from the main railway station, MyHotel is located in the heart of the action in Brighton's trendy North Laines. The seaside sister to London's MyHotel Bloomsbury and MyHotel Chelsea, this brilliant-white building houses 80 rooms set over four floors, and is an ideal base for a chic stopover or a long weekend of sun, sea and style.

ROOMS WITH A VIEW - The creative vision of New York design guru Karim Rashid, MyHotel Brighton juxtaposes cutting-edge good looks with a hint of feng shui. Rashid's flair for the futuristic is immediately evident in the funky guestrooms, where bright-white curved walls are the perfect canvas for the hits of vibrant colour that epitomize his signature approach. We loved lounging on the white leather bed, complete with integrated sound system that lets you play your iPod through flush-mounted ceiling speakers, and positioned perfectly for viewing the suspended flatscreen.

STYLE STEAL - No space is too small for some statement ceramics. Take your cue from the compact en-suites, where freestanding basins by Agape Roto add real wow factor. Team with a glass shower screen in an acid-bright hue for real Rashid style.

DINING AND DRINKING - Grab a bite to eat in on the terrace at espresso café Cup, or take your time with a lazy lunch or dinner in Table, MyHotel's modern British restaurant. The jewel in the hotel's crown is its destination cocktail bar, Merkaba. Boasting sleek timber-panelled walls, a gold-leaf bar, ambient music and lighting, it's the ideal spot to enjoy a pre- or post-dinner cocktail from a menu designed by award-winning mixologists.

OUR VERDICT - Staying at MyHotel is the high-style way to relax, recharge and soak up some summer sun and sea-fresh air.

WEEKEND ESSENTIALS - Brighton is, of course, a Mecca for design buffs, lovers of vintage and art aficionados. Take a stroll round the Laines and discover a wealth of retro boutiques and contemporary design stores, such as The Lollipop Shoppe.

Foodies will be equally at home, particularly those partial to a spot of seafood. We love recently opened restaurant Fishy Fishy. The brainchild of our favourite TV presenter Dermot O'Leary and two close pals, it's already full to the gills, so book in advance.

You can find more information on interior design and interior design ideas at Livingetc.

Srinagar's Best Hotels

The summer capital of the two states of India (Jammu and Kashmir) is the Srinagar. This is one paradise on earth. Do you want some best hotel to travel in Srinagar? Here are some of them for you:

Hotel Paradise

This is located at the Boulevard Srinagar, very near the picturesque Dale Lake banks at the bottom of the hills of Shankaracharya. They have an atmosphere that elicits calmness and serenity.

Their major facilities include an unlimited hot and cold flow of water in the rooms, a telephone in each room, on call doctor, dry cleaning and laundry services, and a restaurant on site, among others.

There rooms are very spacious and very heartwarming. They have friendly staffs that offer the best services.

Intercontinental the Grand Palace Srinagar

This is at the Gupkar Road, India. This is at the Kashmir valley. The surroundings are a souring snow clad mountain peak. They overlook the largest picturesque lake in town which is the Dal Lake. It definitely offers the soft sound of this lake.

This is just a few kilometers away from the airport. It is also adjacent to the house of the governor. This hotel is just minutes away from the great historic places of the city. Some of these are the Shankaracharya Temple, Pari Mahal, Nishat and Shalimar Bagh and Chashm - e - shahi.

This hotel is fully equipped with forty five palace suites, ten cottages, sixty palace rooms, bar, two restaurant and conference rooms and also meeting rooms. Their facilities include a swimming pool, sauna, steam, health club with gym with complete exercise facilities, whirlpool and massage. There is in the premises a barber shop, a beauty parlour, shopping arcade, tennis courts, a putting green, and spacious walking lawns. Many guests go trekking, cycling, fishing or take pictures in this big lawn.

The hotel has a garden that can be viewed from any room. There are also many restaurants inside to choose from. One of them is The Chinar. It is a multi cuisine restaurant.

The Durbar Hall is a place for your special occasions. This offers a formal setup for your meals, and the surroundings are very luxurious.

The outdoor Bar-Be-Que is a luxury outdoor barbeque place. It is in the midst of the hotel's garden. You can see fresh and colorful flowers in here. You will see here the famous and majestic Chinar Tress.

Dal Bar is a dining place with a classic ambience. This bar offers not just nice drinks but also the great view of the gardens and the Dale Lake.

The Drawing Room and Billiard Lounge. Is like a casino where you can play games like billiard and card games.

They also have the mice facilities food for all the business needs like conference rooms and banquet halls. Their banquet can cater up to 200 persons. Their business centers are complete with all the business amenities that you need.

There are also leisure facilities available in this hotel. Swimming pools and health club are very much appreciated by leisure travelers. Beauty center is very much available. Shopping arcade is also in the site. Indeed, this is the best place for your vacation.

So what are you waiting for? Visit Srinagar and experience the beautiful hotels that they have. See also the nice vacation places that they have.

For more information on Srinagar Academics and Srinagar Shopping, please visit our website.