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Friday, September 18th, 2009

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Golden Gate Park offers more than just a Play Date

Friday, September 18th, 2009

Golden Gate Park offers more than just a Play Date

With its moderate temperatures year round, San Francisco is one of the best cities in the world in which to go outside and play. No matter what time of year it is, there is probably something you can find to do outside that is a lot of fun. Even if it is just “Singing in the Rain”. Beyond singing of course, there are plenty of activities that are best enjoyed out of doors. And there are few places in the world better to enjoy these outdoor activities than Golden Gate Park.

If you like wheels, there are plenty of places in the park where you can either rent biking and skating equipment. Of course if you plan on skating, it is quite easy to bring your own equipment along on your vacation. If you have children and are looking for fun activities that you can enjoy together, these are among the top on my list. Of course there are several more that you will find at Golden Gate Park as well.

I can keep my kids occupied for hours with one little Frisbee tossed between the three of them. And there are plenty of open spaces in this great park where Frisbee tossing is quite possible. In addition to Frisbee there are several other outdoor activities that can be enjoyed by you or your family.

There is an archery field and a shop where you can rent all the equipment you will need. In addition to equipment, which can be purchased or rented, you can also buy lessons for that equipment as well. If this is something you’ve never tried before, you should at least stop by and take a look. I think it’s a great sport that is incredibly fun for young and old alike. It’s also something that isn’t as commonly found as it should be so may actually be a real treat for your children.

If you love the water as I do, you will be delighted to find that in addition to beaches which offer surfing and sea animal watching, there is a huge lake in the park which offers paddleboat and row boat rentals. This is good fun and clean living if you ask me. Of course, I’m a water baby so I’m a little biased.

If water isn’t your thing, have you ever tried swing dancing? If not, it’s time you considered Lindy in the Park. Every Sunday, weather permitting, there is swing dancing from 11:00 am -2:00 pm with free lessons offered at 12:30 pm. Young and old children alike get a real thrill out of this and it’s a great way to trick yourself into exercising. Lindy in the Park is completely free and a lot of fun. If you are planning to include a trip to Golden Gate Park in your San Francisco visit, I strongly urge you to plan it for Sunday and plan to attend Lindy in the Park.

In addition to these activities there are handball tables both indoors and outdoors that can be used for a quick game. If this is something that you find interesting you might want to stake out a spot close by because there are only a few tables and a great deal of interest. Other interesting activities in Golden Gate Park include lawn bowling, tennis, dog runs, basketball, and disc golf. .

If all of that isn’t enough there are several other sites and activities available throughout the park that should spark your interest. Among those is a favorite for young and old children alike–The 1912 Herschel-Spillman carousel. This is very popular among children and seconded closely by the nearby playground. If you think about it, a day at Golden Gate Park isn’t your typical day at the park. With so much to do and see, it is hard to imagine that a day at this park isn’t a vacation in and of itself.

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Italian Wine and your Italy vacation

Friday, September 18th, 2009

During your Italy vacation you will find that wine is very important to the country. It has some of the oldest vineyards in the world and some of the best wines are produced here. About 20% of wine in the world is produced in Italy. While you are on your Italy vacation you will find that wine is drunk with every meal and sometimes in-between meals. It will be offered to you almost everywhere you go because grapes are grown all over Italy and wine is made by everyone from the villagers to the large commercial wineries. It is said that there are one million vineyards in Italy!

So what are some of the wineries you should visit on your Italian vacation? The Enthusiastic Traveler offers winery tours in May, September and October. This tour is in the Tuscan region which is the home of the Super Tuscan. Super Tuscan wines do not follow the rules of wine making. Blends are made using non-traditional methods of combining certain grapes which are not normally combined. The tour will take you to a farm called Castel Pietraio in a beautiful hillside town near Siena for a simple wine tasting of wines made by squeezing grapes in barrels. Other vineyards are visited and many people on an Italy vacation that come here say they smell the wine in the air. There is also a visit to an ancient castle complete with a wine making baron who has discovered some very rare grapes to use in his wines. For your vacation in Italy “The Enthusiastic Traveler” may be contacted through its website at www.theenthusiastictraveler.com

Ca’Bruzzo Italian Winery is found in Northern Italy close to Venice. They grow 5 varieties of grapes here and produce about 20,000 bottles a year. This is a small family owned winery and they believe their close physical contact with the vines make for their especially tasty wines. During your Italy vacation you may want to take this tour because not only do you get to taste wine at its different stages of development and see the wine cellar but the family will also teach you how to make wine and care for a vineyard. There is a lot of focus here on the benefits of organically grown grapes for wine. If you enjoy this vineyard during your vacation in Italy, the Bruzzos can even ship their wine to you so you can continue to experience the amazing taste. This winery can be contacted through its website at www.cabruzzo.com

One of the most memorable wines that you may come across during your Italy vacation is called “Est! Est! Est!” It is a semi-sweet white wine from Montefiascone. It has some effervescence and a mildly fruity flavor. It is said that this wine got its name from the story of a German bishop who needed to go to Rome and sent someone ahead of him to mark on the doors of inns serving the best wines along the way. He marked the doors with the word “Est!” in chalk and when he got to Montefiascone he liked the wine so much that he marked the inn door with “Est! Est! Est!”

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