Primarily due to the language barrier, many French artists have trailed behind their American and Britain counterparts in both sales and reach. In order to reach a wider audience many French rock bands are abandoning their native language in order to reach the English-speaking music market. While many French nationals hold distain for this trend, it’s the lure of gaining international exposure and tapping a larger fan base.

Adding to the identity issues plaguing French bands is the French radio quota system, which states that 40 percent of tracks played on the radio must be sung in French. Originating in the 1990s, these new requirements were a form of affirmative action meant to preserve a sense of musical nationalism and help offset what was deemed the unfair advantage of the marketing machine of the English-speaking market. This leaves French artists struggling with the difficult decision of targeting a larger audience or taking advantage of the enacted quota requirements. In an attempt to take advantage of both outlets, rather than limiting themselves to one specific language, some French artists have opted to release discs that incorporate both French and English sometimes going so far as releasing singles in both languages. While the French music scene has always faced difficulties expanding their reach, in the last 10 years French and French-speaking artists have gained in popularity worldwide. Bands like Phoenix, The Prototypes, A.S Dragon, and Camille have created an international buzz as some of the country’s best new artists.

For those interested in discovering the next great French band, grab the latest issue of the Pariscope weekly and check the listings to see what bands are playing around town. If none of the listings strikes a chord, simply venture up to the 11th arrondissement with it’s plethora of hip boutiques, local restaurants and dive bars. Staring on Rue Oberkampf, venture into the popular Café Charbon (109 Rue Oberkampf) as well the club’s discreet basement venue Nouveau Casino, which is known for featuring some of the most edgy bands France has to offer. However, the entrance is hidden and only reachable through an unmarked door at the back of the Charbon. Le Pop In (105 Rue Amelot) is a popular dance club among locals, complete with cheap booze, great DJs, and no entrance fee. There are also a number of other up and coming clubs in the immediate area that cater to the trendy French hipsters. Simply wander a few blocks along Rue Oberkampf, Rue St. Maur, and Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud and on the right night you might just discover the next great French indie-rock band.

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In the West there are lots of stories like ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ reminding us that plants have spirit power, Alice in Wonderland explored this world too. There is a large body of knowledge of power plants even if the form has been adapted to fairy tales and ‘domesticated’, not to under rate the richness of Grimms’ tales.

When a person drinks Ayahuasca, especially with a trusted shaman, there is a chance to learn and trust the plant. You discover that it works in its own way. It is a great moment getting to this point. Then there is the question of whether the plant trusts us, because it can be abused and used for getting the wrong kind of personal power. Without intention, vision, preparation, and a shaman, it is a drug not a healing medicine.

A major difficulty for Westerners is the diet and the living conditions in the rainforest. There is also the care clients need afterwards, as one is extremely vulnerable after drinking Ayahuasca. Also some of our attitudes need to change, for example some people find vomiting unpleasant.

In the Ayahuasca ceremony purgative cleansing of the physical body is an essential preparation for the new level of emerging consciousness. Vomiting and occasionally brief diarrhoea are common effects during the initial sessions.

The Shaman’s Diet

An integral element of this preparation is to undertake a diet intended to reduce excessive sugar, salt, oils, pork, fat, and spicy food in the body in
preparation to be in communion with the spirit of Ayahuasca. Reduction of these should commence as soon as one commits to the experience.

Pork in particular is considered to be impure and is studiously avoided by Ayahuasca practitioners. Complete abstinence from pork and lard for at least two weeks prior to the first ceremony is recommended to participants to reduce the impact of the purge. It is also recommended that this abstinence continue for at least two weeks after the final ceremony.

In the initiatory diet for those seeking personal cleansing and healing, chicken, fish, wild game meat, fruits, and vegetables may be eaten but with little if any salt, sugar, oils or spices. The cleansing effect and strength of the visionary experience can be greatly enriched by one’s commitment to these preparations.

Sexual abstinence also forms part of the diet and is a traditional requirement of Ayahuasca cleansing and healing. We recommend abstinence from sexual activity for a few days prior to the ceremony, and to continue a day or two after the last ceremony.

As all Amazonian shamans will tell you, and in the words of Dona Cotrina
“ Sex is bad. The ‘mother plant’ loves you and if you make love to another person, you are being unfaithful to her”. For this reason it is often said that Ayahuasca is jealous, and if you do not respect her, she makes you ill instead of healing you. You will also not be able to see any visions. The ill effects from not respecting the diet are called cutipa and range from a sense of trauma and stress to skin problems.

Menstrual cycle.

This is a complex issue in the Amazonian tradition. Basically women in their menstrual cycle are not permitted by Amazonian shamans and curanderos to be present in the preparation of the brew, drink Ayahuasca or attend the ceremonies. This is an ancient tradition rooted mainly in safety considerations rather than sexism, as female shamans in the Amazon also follow these prohibitions.

Some shamans say the presence of a woman in menstrual flow prevents them from “seeing” the causes of illness among those present in the ceremony, thus obstructing their ability to make diagnoses and facilitate healing.

Although Eagle’s Wing are unable to make any exception as this rule is observed by shamans in the Ayahuasca tradition, our experience is that shamans have a degree of flexibility and can perform a special chacapa session with participants to address this.

Medical Precautions

It is important to know that, in some cases, the consumption of Ayahuasca in combination with some groups of prescription & non-prescription medicines can bear health risks.

1. Prescription Medicines
If you are taking prescription medication (including antibiotics), are subject to high blood pressure, have a heart condition, or are under treatment for any health condition), please consult your GP.

1.1 Anti-depressants
Ayahuasca (Banisteriopsis Caapi) contains MAOI’s (monoamine oxidase inhibitors) generally in the form of harmine and harmaline therefore Medical consultation is essential if you are taking Prozac or other antidepressants affecting serotonin levels, i.e. serotonin selective re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI).

SSRI’s block the reuptake of serotonin in the brain and because MAOI’s inhibit breakdown of serotonin, the combination of MAOI’s and SSRI’s can lead to too high levels of serotonin in the brain. SSRI’s are much more common than MAOI’s which are found in some anti-depressants. Consult your GP about the use of temporary monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI).

These medications generally require a period of six to eight weeks to completely clear the system and must be reduced gradually.

2. Non-Prescription Medicines
Non-prescription medications such as antihistamines, dietary aids, amphetamines and derivatives, and some natural herbal medicines, i.e. those
containing ephedrine, high levels of caffeine, or other stimulants, may also cause adverse reactions. We recommend that you discontinue all such medications, drugs, and herbs for at least one week prior to and following work with Ayahuasca.

3. Recreational Drugs
Avoid all recreational drugs, in particular MDMA (Ecstasy), cocaine, heroin. Also do not drink alcohol on the day of the ceremony.

4. Herbal Remedies
Use of herbal remedies for depression such as St John’s Wort (which also influence the serotonin levels) need to be discontinued as per 2 above.

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Spirituality is at the centre of the Ayahuasca experience. Purification and cleansing of body, mind, and spirit in a shamanic ceremony can be the beginning of a process of profound personal and spiritual discovery and transformation. This process can continue indefinitely even if one never drinks Ayahuasca again. One thing is sure, and that is that every person gets a unique experience. We believe that by seriously looking at the way Ayahuasca is used we can improve our life experience and benefit more from this medicine.

Ayahuasca is the jungle medicine of the upper Amazon. It is made from the ayahuasca vine ( Banisteriopsis Caapi) and the leaf of the Chacruna plant (Psychotria Viridis). The two make a potent medicine, which takes one into the visionary world. The vine is an inhibitor, which contains harmala and harmaline among other alkaloids, and the leaf contains vision-inducing alkaloids. As with all natural medicines, it is a mixture of many alkaloids that makes their unique properties. For example, Peyote, the cactus used by the North Native Americans, is said to contain 32 active alkaloids, so when one of those alkaloids, mescaline (LSD) is synthesised in a laboratory, contrary to popular opinion, the result is not at all the same.

The oldest know object related to the use of ayahuasca is a ceremonial cup, hewn out of stone, with engraved ornamentation, which was found in the
Pastaza culture of the Ecuadorian Amazon from 500 B.C. to 50 A.D. It is deposited in the collection of the Ethnological Museum of the Central
University (Quito, Ecuador). This indicates that ayahuasca potions were known and used at least 2,500 years ago.

Ayahuasca is a name derived from two Quechua words: aya means spirit, ancestor, deceased person, and huasca means vine or rope, hence it is known as vine of the dead or vine of the soul. It is also known by many other local names including yaje, caapi, natema, pinde, daime, mihi, & dapa. It plays a central role in the spiritual, religious and cultural traditions of the Indigenous and Mestizo (mixed blood) peoples of the upper Amazon, Orinoco plains and the Pacific coast of Colombia and Ecuador.

The plants are collected from the rainforest in a sacred way and it is said that a shaman can find plentiful sources of the vine by listening for the ‘drumbeat’ that emanates from them. The mixture is prepared by cutting the vines to cookable lengths, scraping and cleaning them, pounding them into a pulp. Meanwhile the Chacruna leaves and picked and cleaned.

So what, perhaps, is the advantage of ayahuasca over other disciplines? In the words of Padrino Alex Polari de Alverga of the Santo Daime Community in Brazil, “Daime (ayahuasca) is basically a shortcut, it’s as if we had been travelling down the same highway as the rest of humanity, but then, in order to arrive at our destination more quickly we took a side road. When taking such a shortcut, however, we must be very careful and clear-minded. It is a shortcut that leads us to truth, but only if we follow in the footsteps of the Masters who have preceded us.”

Medicines like ayahuasca can help us along our path but we still have to do the work ourselves. My experience is that these kind of allies can help us open the doors of perception, but what we do when we get there is entirely our own challenge.

To understand ayahuasca in the local context, one cannot avoid taking a look at the ecological environment, such as the forest, cultural environment and indigenous cultures. This has structured the cultural content of ayahuasca.

There are many legends and myths about ayahuasca, one the more romantic is from the Shipibo people who live up the river in the heart of the jungle in the Peruvian Amazon.

This tale is centered around women, more so than men, as they look after the children and their health, whilst the men are out hunting and fishing. Men are more interested in plants that aid their inner spirits whilst hunting. Women are more interested in plants that will allow their children to grow.

There was one particular woman who was very interested in plants, who liked to pick the leaves of different plants. She would then crush the leaves into a pot and soak them in water over night. She would then take a bath every morning before sunrise (the way to find out about various plants and their effects is to bathe in them). She bathed in them every morning until she had a dream. In her dream a woman came and said, “why are you bathing every day?”

She answered, “I am doing this as I want you to teach me.” The other woman said, “You must seek out my uncle, his name is Kamarampi. I will show you where to find him”. The woman led the other woman to her uncle. The uncle showed her how to mix the leaves of the chacruna, which was a bush she had taken leaves from to bathe in. He showed her how to prepare the brew of Ayahuasca, he told her to go and tell the people the knowledge of how to use the brew. The Indigenous people past and present have taken Ayahuasca to enable them to focus on other dimensions. One example: – To enable them to be more successful on a hunting trip they would contact the Mother spirit of certain species, through the Ayahuasca. The hunt would be more successful.

One of the many mysteries surrounding Ayahuasca is how the vine became to be used with the Chacruna leaves as although they both come from the same soil but always grow apart otherwise the ayahuasca winds around the Chacruna and kills it. No one knows this but we get a clue from how the shamans interact with the plant. Javier Arevalo a shaman from the Peruvian Amazon told us “ in the old days his grandfather and uncles used to sit around after taking ayahuasca and he said that ayahuasca was originally taken alone and in the visions they saw that Chacruna was missing. Ayahuasca would say I am the doctor that gives the vision. His grandfather responded, how can we find this plant? The response in the vision was, you can find it by turning two corners. So they went around two corners and found a bush which attracted them which was Chacruna i.e. the ayahuasca showed them.

This is a fundamental principle, in the visions it is the spirit doctor of ayahuasca which tells them what is wrong with their patient, what medicine they need, or who has caused the illness or malaise.

The Icaros

Integral to the ceremony are the chants that the shaman sings. These are known as Icaros, and the chant will direct the nature of the ceremony or visionary experience for the group and for individuals as the shaman during the ceremony will chant specific Icaros for that person’s needs.

The words of the chants are symbolic stories telling of the ability of nature to heal itself. For example the crystalline waters from a stream wash the unwell person, while coloured flowers attract the hummingbirds whose delicate wings fan healing energies etc. You might see such things in your visions but the essence which cures you is perhaps more likely to be the understanding of what is happening in your life, allowing inner feelings to unblock so that bitterness and anger con change to ecstasy and love. To awaken from the ‘illusion of being alive’ is to experience life itself.

There are several different kinds of Icaros, at the beginning of the session. Their purpose is to provoke the mareacion or effects, and, in the words of Javier Arevalo, ‘to render the mind susceptible for visions to penetrate, then the curtains can open for the start of the theatre’.

Other Icaros call the spirit of Ayahuasca to open visions ‘as though exposing the optic nerve to light’. Alternatively, if the visions are too strong, the same spirit can be made to fly away in order to bring the person back to normality.

There are Icaros for calling the ‘doctors’, or plant spirits, for healing, while other Icaros call animal spirits, which protect and rid patients of spells.

Healing Icaros may be for specific conditions like manchare, which a child may suffer when it gets a fright. The spirit of a child is not so fixed in its body as that of an adult, therefore a small fall can easily cause it to fly. Manchare is a common reason for taking children to ayahuasca sessions.

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Whether you were looking forward to private accommodation, or you just had a desire of visiting and staying in one of those many world class hotels of Dubai; this was the right time to start working out with your plans. The ongoing economic boom has resulted in sharp spurt of real estate prices, and thus given a foothold to many construction giants from all over the world. This has ensured Dubai did have world class hotels, apartments and other infrastructure of advanced nature. There is no other region in the entire Gulf or anywhere around that might be witnessing the kind of construction boom Dubai has been able to see during these last several years.

Some of the key infrastructural developments taking place within Dubai are Palm Islands, The World, Dubai Marina, Dubai Waterfront, Dubai Land and The Burj Dubai Complex. These have been devised not only to take care of the accommodation demands, residential and commercial both, but are also aimed at growing as a very advanced infrastructure. With the construction firms of the stature of WS Atkins, taking part in many of these multi-billion dollar activities, the immediate future of Dubai’s urban growth looks to be quite pleasant right now. There are enough signs from within the government on its part, that the growth will continue to have the kind of support they have been providing with through all these years.

Some key urban plans aimed at projecting Dubai as a world class destination include The Dubai Metro, The Dubai Mall and Business Bay. We are going to take a quick look and try to know what each of these means for Dubai’s future growth:

(1) The Dubai Metro, a $3.9 billion mega project will be one of its own kind on this planet when fully functional by the year 2012. It has been planned not only to ease out the daily traffic congestion, but also aimed at raising the city’s tourism prospects. All major sections of Dubai will come within its periphery, once the metro begins functioning in the next few years.

(2) The Dubai Mall, already scheduled to be completed before the end of 2006, will be the world’s largest shopping mall yet. The Dubai Mall will cover more than 12 million square feet and has already acquired 5 construction awards: Best Use of Lightning, Best Retail Development Scheme, Best Brochure, Best Art and Graphic Design and the Judges Special Recognition award.

(3) Business Bay, the main business area currently under construction for the city, will be the home of several skyscrapers, commercial spots, and intense economic activities. Besides, some Dubai hotels will also be given a foothold within these property blocks.

While undertaking such major developments, the city of Dubai will have to overcome many challenges lying ahead on the path of modernization. One of the major concerns is the quality of accommodation available for some of the lowly paid workers from South East Asian countries. The planners of Dubai will have to make sure they are not overlooked while the rest of Dubai enjoys unbound luxury. But, that is what all major cities of the world have had to go through until gaining invisibility. Dubai has already advanced well into that territory. There is no moving back now as we see some exciting developments of the future unfolding with each passing day.

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Amelia Island is the kind of destination that is layered in terms of its ability to please everyone in your traveling party. There’s likely to be some overlap in the things everyone wants to do, as well, considering that the beach, playing tennis, hiking, and shopping are pretty crowd-friendly. Basically, don’t worry about anyone complaining of boredom during this trip to the Sunshine State.

Another reason you won’t be suffering through any downtime is that you’re entertaining the notion of renting a vacation home. You’ve heard rumors that many beach bungalows and resort condos are stocked with games, movies, books, and are conveniently located to all the most popular sights. A little investigation will prove this rumor to be true, so to ensure that not a moment of your precious vacation is wasted, follow your instincts and reserve a unique property that will please the whole family.

Considering that you and your traveling companions are looking forward to squeezing every drop of entertainment out of the beach as possible, you’re aiming to reserve a place that’s right on the water. About 100 feet from the shore, you’ll find a cozy spot with central air, a spacious kitchen, a screened in porch perfect for dining, and all the luscious views you can imagine. Being able to take a dip before breakfast without having to set foot in a car will prove to be a priceless novelty, so warn the kids now so they won’t faint with excitement later.

Being where you are also spells nearness to fishing, biking trails, bird watching opportunities, and tons of shops and restaurants. A collection of clay tennis courts is a short drive away, as is a world-class golf course, so you won’t have to worry about packing on the pounds this trip thanks to all outstanding and painless ways you’ll be burning off those seafood dinners and tropical drinks.

Historic, Victorian-styled downtown, with its blocks of charming streets and fascinating background as a seaport and fishing village will also catch your eye, and will also be pretty darn close to your beach house. Spending a day or an evening shopping and sightseeing won’t have to mean hours in the minivan, so take your time and throw the itinerary out the window. This vacation will be delightfully spontaneous due to your unassumingly convenient home away from home.

Things that have bogged you down on previous vacations, like noisy hotel neighbors, no space to unpack your clothes, and a little too much family togetherness, will be things of the past this time around. The vacation property that you end up choosing, if you go for what you really want, will be roomy and open, with closets and bed space to spare. Never feeling claustrophobic will do wonders for everyone’s mood, so venture forth towards all the sights of Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach without ever feeling dread about coming back.

So for those days when you’re biking through Fort Clinch State Park or canoeing through the marshy waters on the lookout for bald eagles, you won’t be worrying about your job, your car payment, or your inadequate hotel room. Savor the landscape with true appreciation, and congratulate yourself for investigating all the alternatives when it was time to pick out a place for you and your family to lay your heads at night.

Educating yourself is always a good idea, so go online to check out all the different Amelia Island Vacation Rental possibilities. You might just end up planning one of your best trips ever.

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At water level, 30 feet below street level, the river is bordered by cobbled quays graced with trees and shrubs. From street level another line of trees leans towards the water. Between the two levels, the retaining walls, usually made of massive stone blocks, are decorated with the great iron rings of a past ages commerce and sometimes pierced by mysterious openings (water gates for old palaces or inspection ports for subways, sewers and underpasses).

The bridges are very much a part of Paris and have, along with the monuments, has played its part to its astonishing wealth. Built along the axis created by the Seine River, Paris cannot live without them. Considered real monuments by some, representing great historical events, they are also crossing points and meeting places, strengthening the harmonious unity of the city. The 36 bridges are the soul of Paris, often places where one is happy to daydream and stroll around.

Pont Alexandre III built from 1896 to 1898 was inaugurated for the World Fair of 1900, with its single arch and sculptured decorations, the Pont Alexandre III is the most elegant bridge in Paris.

Pont des Arts constructed in 1804 is located next to the Louvre, at the tip of the “Ile de la Cite”, this iron bridge initially built in 1804, was rebuilt in 1985.At present it makes a popular meeting place for artists and painters.

Pont Charles de Gaulle built from 1993 to 1996 is the new bridge which links the quai de la Rapee to the quai d’Austerlitz. It is made of fine metal in the shape of an aero plane wing.

Pont de la Concorde constructed in 1791 extends from place de la Concorde it offers a beautiful view of both the square and the Palais-Bourbon.

Pont Mirabeau built in 1893 was immortalized by Apollinaire, the Pont Mirabeau is indivisible from the name of the poet who loved the Seine and its bridges.

Pont-Neuf built in the period 1578/1604 is the oldest and the most famous of all Parisian bridges. A sumptuous architectural masterpiece formed by a segment of five and another seven arches, the Pont-Neuf has been a great success ever since it was built.

Pont Royal built in the year 1685 to 1689 was formally the place where Parisian festivities were held. It is, with the Pont-Neuf, one of the oldest bridges in Paris, closing the perspective of the Louvre baisin in a remarkable way.

Pont Sully constructed from 1874 to 1876 is a bridge is composed of two independent steel bridges extending from the end of “Ile Saint-Louis” to either side of the river. The bridge to the right bank (over the narrower branch of the Seine) includes a central 42-m cast-iron arch and two 15-m lateral semi-circular masonry arches.The bridge to the left bank (over the wider branch of the Seine) features three cast-iron arches (46-m, 49-m and 46-m).

Walking can be an enjoyable way to see any city. What better way to do it in Paris. Walk along the bridges of Paris and enjoy.

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Madame Tussauds invites you to experience what it is like to be famous as one joins a host of the world’s hottest celebrities. With exciting interactive attractions running throughout the year,there’s always something different happening at Madame Tussauds.Try to deliver one’s best chat up lines to see if one can tempt George Clooney into marriage or join stars from Indian film industry dancers on stage and learn moves from the movie Bride and Prejudice.

Madame Tussauds has been enthralling people all over the world for two hundred years – they have attractions in Hong Kong, Amsterdam, New York and Las Vegas to name just a few. Madame Tussauds offers the unique experience to feel famous for a day as one can rub shoulders with the stars, pose for photographs and dance and perform with celebrities including Britney Spears, Beyonce and Kylie.

The spectacular Spirit of London ride takes visitors on a journey through 400 years of the capital’s life, from the Great Fire and the reign of Queen Victoria, to the Blitz and the Swinging Sixties, all courtesy of the wonders of animatronics. There’s also the terrifying Chamber of Horrors to be faced if one is daring enough.

There really was a Madame Tussaud, a collector of wax figures in 1770s France who started her career modeling the heads of guillotine victims during the French Revolution. She brought her collection of wax models to Baker Street in 1885, and visitors have been queuing around the block to see them in the grisly Chamber of Horrors ever since. Nowadays, Madame Tussauds is more about glamour than gore. The life-size models of the famous and infamous change regularly to reflect current celebrity trends, and others are updated as their real counterpart’s age. The Queen, for example, is on her 22nd figure, and Robbie Williams’ figure has been replaced because ardent fans wore out the last one. Tussauds have a refreshingly unstuffy attitude, where visitors can be photographed cuddling up to celebrities or even having a “personal audience” with the Royal family. One can even have a dinner date with George Clooney and he’ll either propose or present one with the bill depending on your responses. It’s highly commercialized, slickly done and highly camp in presentation, but it’s the easiest way to rub shoulders with the rich and famous without taking on their minders.

The degree of resemblance between wax figure and celebrity ranges from uncanny to a little bit Stars In Their Eyes, but one can be sure that no effort or expense has been spared. Each figure costs around £100,000 to create and takes around three months to make. What follows is much more than a bunch of dummies. It’s an all-round multimedia experience, as you can swoon over James Dean, ogle Marilyn Monroe and bow at the feet of the Dalai Lama. The unforgettable experience.

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Lucky you. Oregon’s coast is perfect for families as well. Those hidden spots put you and the little ones right in the middle of some of the best nature can show off. Then there are the myriad of kid-friendly lodgings, restaurants and towns which pull out the stops for the kidlets or bring out the kid in everyone.

Still, you don’t have to sacrifice the finer things when you bring the kids.

On Oregon’s north coast, the tiny town of Manzanita is endowed with a mysterious, woodsy vibe just above its vast expanse of crystalline beach. Here, the San Dune Inn provides a vast array of freebies like bikes, game equipment, popcorn and movies. Stay at this charming, unassuming place just blocks from the beach and you’ll find stuff for volleyball and other games suitable for the sand, as well as beach balls, bikes and simple sandcastle-making gear like buckets. They have an enormous selection of movies, and their choice of board games is a kick as well. It’s a kid’s dream come true.

It’s also very pet friendly. www.sandune-inn-manzanita.com. 888-368-5163.

Head northward, and you’ll encounter dozens of sandy and rocky beaches perfect for playtime. Drive about 12 miles and you’ll find the ritzy resort town of Cannon Beach. Near a famed Lewis & Clark landmark, Fultano’s Pizza sits and emits wonderful smells of Italian cuisine. With an outdoor patio here, you can still see some of the sights available at the end of Second Street, and enjoy exceptional – even gourmet quality – cuisine at a family pizza joint price.

Fultano’s delivers to local hotels, and they feature slices for lunch. They have a special thin crust recipe that’s especially tasty, crunchy and yet still tender in a way that manages to combine both those latter qualities seamlessly.

There are many of the standbys, as well as gourmet varieties like the Margherita (garlic and herb olive oil, three cheeses, red onion and more), a Greek-themed specialty, a Goat Cheese pizza, and specialties with Teriyaki Chicken, Linguica, BBQ Chicken and a variety of seafood selections. One item features a distinctive sausage with mashed grapes for the sauce, providing a subtle, sweet tang. The sausage is spicy and zippy, making a nice balance to the slight sweetness.

One must-try is their pasta (about $10). They have a homemade tomato sauce that is one stunning, mother-of-all sauces, and their meatballs are a serious delicacy. Still, even with its decent wine and microbrew selection, this is a place that welcomes the kiddies nicely. 200 N. Hemlock and Second Street. (503) 436-9717.

Drive north again, to Seaside, and you’ll find a beach town full of things to do for children – most notably Broadway Ave. with its almost dozen arcade businesses, ice cream vendors, kooky gift shops, bumper cars and other attractions. See www.seasideor.com for more.

One highlight is Seaside Helicopters, which whizzes you around above the town for about $25 per person. It’s thoroughly spectacular, as the helicopter takes you over the headland of Tillamook Head and Cannon Beach as well, allowing you unforgettable glimpses of the sea and these landmarks from this unusual vantage point. You even get to see “Goonies Rock” – where part of the cult film was made. Hwy 101, S. Seaside. www.seaside-helicopters.com. (503) 440-4123.

Down on the Central Oregon Coast – about 100 miles south – it’s a vast playground for kids and adults. Lincoln City is filled with miles of super clean beaches and tons of shops and restaurants.

Just south of Lincoln City, you’ll find another haven for families in a very unique resort called Bella Beach. Really, it’s a collection of rather upscale, gorgeous beach cottages that are vacation rentals or for sale. There are about 40 rentals available inside this pretty place, and more are still being built.

The philosophy of Bella Beach is to create a place with a “neighborly feel,” and indeed they’ve succeeded. Set in the midst of a Central Coast wooded area, there are the rustic architectural themes common to places like Manzanita or Cannon Beach, where garages are tucked away behind the buildings and front porches are the emphasis.

There’s a playground for the kiddies, and the homes vary from hideaway lodgings for two with oceanfront hot tubs, to larger accommodations for bigger groups. Bella Beach also offers up accommodations for groups as large as 60, if you happen to have a business retreat or reunion of some sort.

Then there’s that wondrous beach. Like many of the beaches in the area, the tide line is at a rather steep slope, so waves come in fast and hard, but dissipate quickly to shyly lap at your feet. 866-994-7026 or www.bellabeach.com.

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A new exhibit at the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia (CAC) will showcase the Magna Carta along with the Emancipation Proclamation, an early broadside of the Declaration of Independence and original notes from the drafting of the U.S. Constitution.The exhibit is in celebration of the 400-
year anniversary of the first permanent settlers landing on what is now called Cape Henry in Virginia Beach, and honors the principles of a constitutional government which were first laid down in the Magna Carta in 1215. The exhibit runs from March 30-June 18, 2007, and is the first time that a version of each of the above documents will be shown in the same place. In April there will be an anniversary celebration, which includes a reenactment of the first landing, a concert series and a boardwalk history festival.

During the warmer months,the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center invites guests to step into the watery world of harbor seals.The Harbor Seal Splash program allows visitors to climb into the seals’ aquarium with a trainer to interact and train with the animals while learning about the natural history and conservation efforts that surround harbor seals. Due to the popularity of the Harbor Seal Splash program, the Virginia Aquarium has developed a new seal experience to accommodate a wider range of guests called, “Seals Behind the Scenes.” This one-hour program allows guests to venture into the restricted Harbor Seal holding building to meet educators, professional animal training staff, and of course a seal or two.

The charming Founders Inn has just opened a newly developed Flowering Almond Spa which offers a wide variety of services including aromatherapy massage,reflexology, European facials, Dead Sea Mineral Masque, Lavender Dreams Body Ritual, Caviar facials and much more. The 10,000-square-foot facility offers six treatment rooms, a private conservatory for relaxation and meditation,personal care stations, expanded fitness center and heated indoor pool.

In 2007, the Town Center of Virginia Beach, which spans over 17 city blocks
providing a mix of upscale retail, luxury residential, a business-class hotel and an array of restaurants, will feature the new Sandler Center for Performing Arts.The center is said to become the cultural centerpiece of the city, containing 1,200 comfortable seats, an outdoor plaza and other spaces for community functions and artistic events.

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