There’s nothing like the midwest in the summer months. In any of the places where there’s snow on the ground from November-February (and sometimes far beyond), summer comes as a breath of relief. It really is a relief, as anyone who’s ever been able to witness the season’s turning here. The first sign of nice weather tempts people to put away the winter clothes, but it’s always a fickle time. By mid May, people can be pretty sure the change has come, and by June, things are moved to a whole new level.

For anyone planning a trip that includes a luxury hotel, Cincinnati is a magnificent place any time of the year, but it is the summer that brings out the best in people. Cool nights and warm days are pretty typical, and there are lots of parks that make it easy to enjoy the great outdoors without driving too far. But there are a few days here and there where the temperatures and the humidity start to gang up on the city. The swelter can indeed come as a surprise, but that’s nothing that a visit to a water park won’t cure.

The Beach Waterpark is the ideal place for someone looking for the feeling of sand between the toes. There are also some great water slides, and plenty of blue water to remind people about why summer is so much fun to begin with. King’s Island is something of a holy grail for the kids, where it’s a fantastic water park, and a great amusement park all in one. Moving from the roller coaster to the lazy river will make anyone feel young again. However, the really young ones will probably go back to the roller coaster, and the rest of the guests will opt for more floating weightlessly.

Being a city with a strong civic sense, there are also plenty of public pools, and, in any pinch, the backyard hose sometimes offers more excitement than anything on earth to a kid.

I always think of the men and women of Wall Street coming to a stop when the bell rings and heading out of the building straight into a New York pub to hash out the days events. What a conversation that would be these days. Is is a day for the Slaughtered Lamb Pub Sometimes a day on Wall Street just might make one feel like a slaughtered lamb and there is a pub that knows how to accommodate that. This pub is really cool. They have a great folk lore with their concept making it all a bit spooky. They are open every day from noon until at least 1 am during the week and 4 am on the weekends. When you walk in you enter the Werewolf’s Lair with the fire in the lounge and a game room in the Dungeon. They have some great beers from England, Scotland, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Canada, Mexico and the US as well as many other countries. They have some great English Pub style dishes and others on the menu.  

Maybe what would really hit the spot is some live entertainment. Joe’s Pub has a good reason to get out of that new york city hotel room and see some intimate live entertainment. They have dinner and cocktails being served for during all the shows and the shows feature some of the best talent in the music industry. Joe’s also features some up and coming artists. Some of the popular artists that got started at Joe’s include Jill Sobule, The Proclaimers, Alabama, and the more recent Sara Bareilles. They don’t just do pop and rock they also feature music and artists from all genre of musical styles. Some nights you may get a big dose of comedy, burlesque or cabaret. One just never knows who might be performing and who might be in the audience. It is a great pub.

There’s so much to do in Seattle, that one of the most interesting museum is passed-by, The Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) , which has grown to become the largest private heritage organization in the State of Washington. Even though this excellent museum attracts more than 60,000 visitors annually, it’s still not on most visitors to Seattle’s list of things to see and do. MOHAI is dedicated to enriching lives of the residents of Seattle by preserving, teaching and sharing the diverse history of Seattle, the Puget Sound region and the nation. MOHAI should be nationally recognized as an innovative and dynamic center for historical exploration, and a place that inspires people about our past to create a better future.

If you’re planning a visit to Seattle this summer, consider staying at the best Seattle hotel and spend a day at the Museum of History and Industry. Located at 2700 24th Avenue E, south of Husky Stadium, just off State Route 520 south of the Montlake Bridge. MOHAI collects, preserves and presents one of the most richest histories of the Pacific Northwest. Its fascinating exhibits and programs and its collection of nearly 4 million historic artifacts, archives and photographs has created an opportunity for visitors to understand the Northwest’s diverse cultural, social and economical history.

Current exhibitions include: ‘A Seattle Lens on Global Ties, running through August 15, 2010. Photographs by Bill Stafford, who is the President of the Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle, has been instrumental in positioning the region as an international leader. His striking photographs from his travels capture the beauty, cultural diversity and humanity of the global community. ‘Fisher Communications: A Century of Service and Innovation’, running through September 6, 2010 – showcases artifacts from its first 100 years of business, and features the many milestones of the Seattle-based company. Beginning in 1910 to the present.

Coming in July is the exhibition: ‘Women’s Votes, Women’s Voices’. It was less than 100 years ago that women weren’t allowed to vote, even though they had to pay taxes and abide by laws their male counterparts voted into place. This exhibit explores how women in Washington state campaigned for women’s suffrage.

Tickets are $8 for adults and $7 for children. On the first Thursday of every month, admission is free.

As with all major cities there are plenty of big modern art and natural history museums to brows through and Phoenix is no different. They have a wonderful display happening at the Arizona Science Center. There is a great southwestern art displayed with the many other cultures at the Phoenix Art Museum. There are however, some interesting smaller or more specialized museums that are special to the Phoenix and Arizona Southwest area.  

They may not have the Met in Phoenix but they do have a famous museum call The Heard Museum . This is one of the southwest’s finest collection of American Indian art. They have a large collection of Indian dolls, pottery and jewelry that come from different tribes. Each tribe has their own style. There are also paintings and sculptures from famous Native American artists. Allan Houser is on display currently. He is a Chiricahua Apache artists and his collection has become one of Phoenix’s most prestigious displays. This museum is also near some really nice restaurants for a good lunch.  

One of the early industries in Arizona was the mining industry. Now visitors can learn about the life of mining in the state at the Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum . This museum gives a great history lesson on the different mines in the state, the owners and the lives of the miners as well as what types of minerals can be found in the different areas. With a range of sea level to 12,000 feet in one state, with some volcano activity, there are bound to be many kinds of minerals across the state. It has been considered one of the finest collections of the mineral industry in the country. It is near downtown, not far from your five star hotel. Phoenix has many other museums to check out so enjoy your trip.

M Cafe , located at 7119 Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles is a restaurant to be put on your ‘must try’ list. M Cafe serves up contemporary Macrobiotic cuisine, meaning no refined sugars, dairy, eggs, red meat or poultry. The restaurant is the place that made macrobiotic fashionable, mostly because almost anything made with vegetables bought at a decent farmers market will taste great, but also because the chef will allow kale to taste like kale, but will make the tempeh-based club sandwiches taste like one of the great sandwiches you’d eat at the Daily Grill. M Cafe’ was created in the Chaya tradition of preparing innovative cuisine with attention to great taste. M Cafe’s goal is to encourage a wider population to experience the healthy world of contemporary macrobiotic cuisine.

M is owned by the same people who own Chaya Brasserie and Chaya Venice. Even though all the food prepared and served at M Cafe is strictly based on macrobiotic principles such as the vegetable sushi is made with organic, artisan heirloom brown rice, the pesto is pungent, the tomatoes are ripe and the house baked bread is crisp, even the most hard to please or excite will find their taste-buds stimulated.

The menu features balanced, nutritious, creative cooking that is enjoyed daily by everyone, not just vegetarians or people with dietary restrictions. The chefs prepare each item fresh daily, using only the finest ingredients, served in an inviting European style cafe setting. M serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. No matter if you’re a local or a visitor and staying at a Los Angeles cheap hotel , luxury hotel, or resort, M Cafe’ makes everyone feel at home, eating amongst friends and neighbors. You’ll especially enjoy the simple pleasures of the MMMMMMMM Patisserie, featuring delicious muffins, cookies, scones, pastries and desserts created with organic, seasonal whole foods. Besides the Melrose location, they have opened up 2 more M Cafe’s, one in Beverly Hills and the other in Culver City.

Most likely, avid skiers may already be familiar with the Village of Stowe, the home of the Vermont Ski Museum . Located in the center of the town inside the 192 year old Perkins Building, which is also known as the Old Town Hall, the museum strives to collect and preserve the state’s skiing history. The collection is broken up into seven sections: ski equipment, ski clothing, Vermont ski area and ski Vermont items, fine art, mechanical equipment, and related library and archival subject matter. Most of the items in the collection date from the present to as far back as the late 19th Century.

The collections at the museum began in 2002, and since that time, the holdings have doubled, reaching over 5,200 items in the catalogue. Among the ski equipment, there are 275 pairs of boots, 100 pairs of poles, 400 pairs of skis, 55 pairs of climbing skins, and 60 loose bindings used in cross country and downhill skiing as well as carrying equipment, such as bags, ski racks and boot trees. Part of the mechanical equipment includes snow making equipment, lifts, and communication devices. This area also includes the first timing equipment, such as the first electronic eye used in Vermont, and perhaps in the United States — an eye that starts and stops timing based on movement.

Amid the many skiing areas in the state, enthusiasts of the sport will be able to locate the best Vermont resorts , taking time for some terrific skiing; they should also take time for the ski museum. Currently, the museum rotates its exhibits, changing five each year, pulling together the sport’s past and tying it to the sport’s future.

Be sure to take a look as well at the Vermont Ski Museum Hall of Fame, which honors athletes and pioneers of Vermont skiing, including all Vermonters who served in the 10th Mountain Division during World War Two. Stop by the Old Town Hall and see who’s been inducted recently.

A criminal investigation is scary in real life and very different from the many cases that are watched on television every day. Whether it is a murder investigation, a sex crime, or just accusations of drug or alcohol related crimes, the process can be hard for the average person to handle. Thankfully, every person is allowed the right to council as well as the right to an attorney. What most people don’t know is that there is a difference between these two.

When a person is suspected of being involved in a crime the police may take them into custody. Specifically at this time the police will cite the Miranda warnings “You have the right to remain silent…” etc. What this means is that the police intend to hold that person in custody for the purpose of interrogating them and finding out what they may know about the crime. This is when all people have a right to an attorney. The fifth amendment says that an attorney must be present for an interrogation if the person being interrogated asks for it, and they don’t have to say anything until an attorney is brought down to the station. The attorney may not necessarily know the situation before arriving, and the person being held may not yet be charged with anything but can at least be there to suggest not to answer various questions.

If a person is charged, they may not want to keep the same lawyer that was with them for the interrogation. While the law that allows people who are charged with the right to council, which is what a lawyer is referred as at this stage, the laws that the person will be charged under are probably state laws, so they will need a good criminal attorney. Arizona for example has different criminal charges than states in similar situations nearby, like New Mexico. At this point the charged is being treated in an adversarial setting and that is why they need council, to make sure that they are being treated fairly at a time when others may not care about them.

It’s not exactly stalking if you’re not, you know, crazy, and in New York, the scene is very different than anywhere else because of the loose but visible social structure that guides interactions here. It is a different place to see celebrities than the rest of the world. Things are so close together, and especially people, that there are certain protocols that one just follows here. There are plenty of celebrities in the city, there always have been, but it seems as though the recent surge of tv shows made locally have brought in more beautiful people than usual.

It’s also not a coincidence that interest in the famous people grows whenever the superstars declare New York their home, When John Lennon wore the sleeveless tee, it made the numbers jump for certain, and people wanted to live in the same city as him. That story came to a very sad ending however, and shows the worst price that fame might extract from people loved by the world. But when David Bowie moved to Tribeca ten years ago, it did start moving that neighborhood in new directions. It was a resurgence that it hadn’t seen since DeNiro began transforming his home block.

It’s a wonder to consider whether this might be a time when Bowie might join his neighbor and old friend Lou Reed to see if they might make another Transformer. They could even ask Bono and Daivd Byrne to come and join in the fun, although there’s no room in the city that could hold the egos long enough.

Celebrities are fun, though, and they do help to bring people to NY hotels , where there’s a chance to rub elbows with some interesting and creative people. There’s something about the city, however, that’s very humanizing. It makes it almost impossible to fawn and dote over stars, because up close, this close, in a city this tightly connected, people do start to resemble people again.

The Farmers Markets in Frankfurt is a ‘must see’ for any American visiting the city. The gathering place for many Germany locals and a great place to purchase some fruits and vegetable for that impromptu picnic at one of the exquisite parks, like Gruneburgpark where the great thinkers of the day would meet, such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The park is 29 hectares big and is a popular place for Frankfurters, and there are not one, but 2 botanical gardens; the Botanischer Garten der Johann Wolfgang Goethe and the Palmengarten . The park is located at 60323 Frankfurt am Main.

While at one of Frankfurt’s Farmers Markets , it’s important to pick out the best quality produce, by doing so, you’ll be able to take advantage of the full potential of the fruits and vegetables sweetness and freshness. Right now with the warm weather, the amount of summer produce sold at the Farmers Markets are spectacular and makes for a sublime choice of summertime flavor. At the Farmers Market, you won’t have to worry about getting anemic tomatoes or those too-firm fruits that were shipped from distant lands; you’ll only find an array of glistening, toned and ripe produce full of goodness and taste.

You’ll most likely find a Farmers Market within walking distance from any hotel in Frankfert like the Kaisermarkt, Bahnhofsviertel is an outdoor market located at 60329 Frankfurt that offers great food, plenty of fresh, straight-from-the-farm produce, butchers, bakeries, friendly atmosphere and good beer, what more can you ask for? Yes, they even have bratwurst. The Wochenmarkt Kaiserstrabe, which is only blocks away from the Bahnhofsviertel also has a great selection of fresh produce, right off the farm, plus they have a good selection of wines from the local vineyards and beer from the local microbreweries; try the famous apfelwein (apple wine), only 1.25 Euros for one glass, it’s surprisingly dry, not sweet, and it’s easy to drink, nice on the palette. There are many more Farmers Markets in Frankfurt, too numerous to name them all, but any one of them is worth a visit.