Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Business Retreat In Virginia Beach|"Beach Retreats"

Source          : http://anillla.blogspot.com/
Category      :  Business Retreat In Virginia Beach
By                :   Rayquaza-EX
Posted By    :  Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Business Retreat In Virginia Beach

When the sidewalks start to sizzle and the summer sun beats down, New Yorkers with the wherewithal head for seaside retreats like Fire Island, a 32-mile-long barrier island off the coast of Long Island. Free of cars, congestion and traffic fumes For a weekend retreat: Nantucket Yoga Festival To get your om on not far from home free yoga, mats and blocks for guests at the nearby Children’s Beach. For triathlon training: Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain For a more intensive workout while Join us for our NEW WINTER 2013 Virginia Beach Scrapbook Retreat February 8-10th, 2013 (3 days) non stop scrapbooking around the clock 24/7 if so desired, prizes all weekend plus 3 grand prizes (one to include a free scrapbook weekend retreat of "Creating an adult-only resort in the city offers a welcoming environment for city in 15 years -- have to prove they are old enough to drink alcohol in the United States. Ponta dos Ganchos, Santa Catarina, Brazil This exclusive resort -- another Check in: World's best airport hotels "Finally," Schigt remembers about his sojourn, which he spent surfing on the country's sunny Pacific coast director at Mountain Trek Health, Fitness & Weight Loss Retreat. He sees more and more business Hess was the second guy in line, behind a minesweeper. Hess explained with how weak and dependent he was right after he was injured. He couldn’t get out of bed without help. “At the very beginning, it’s pretty stressful,” he said. .

AS ocean waters warm, the Northeast is likely to face more Sandy-like storms. And as sea levels continue to rise, the surges of these future storms will be higher and even more deadly. We can’t stop these powerful storms. But we can reduce the Energetic youth, a nature-rich setting, and the passion to share the love of Christ are culminating in a new summer camp, retreat center and outdoor education facility in Northwest Florida. Opening in the summer of 2015, Pine Beach Christian Camp and For a day of lounging, I threw on Figue's comfortable and chic cinched Raj Kaftan. And on our last day I switched to a white Eres one-piece—and of course my trusty cutoffs. Dr. Pilkey wrote, “As ocean waters warm, the Northeast is likely to face more Sandy-like storms” with “surges…higher and ever more deadly….Yet there is already a push to rebuild homes close to the beach and bring back shorelines to where they .

Monday, July 29, 2013

Virginia Oceanfront Hotels|"Va. Hotel Viewed As Stately, Segregation Symbol"

Source          :  http://hotel.firstorfast.com
Category      :  Virginia Oceanfront Hotels
By                :  WILLARD KILLOUGH III
Posted By    :  Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Virginia Oceanfront Hotels

The red-brick building set above Atlantic Avenue has looked out over the Oceanfront for 86 years, a constant through decades of history and change. Yet viewed through a different prism, The Cavalier on the Hill hotel can represent different things to different people.Tina Warren was 9 years old when The Cavalier drew her and her family to the area in the early 1950s, when her father took a job as first cook. She still has the letter, dated Sept. 23, 1958, announcing his promotion. Bertram Anderson served as the hotel’s first black head chef, a position he held until his death in 1970.To Warren, the hotel was stately, beautiful.Other views came to light earlier this month when the City Council awarded $18 million to help developer Bruce Thompson renovate the hotel as part of a larger development project. Andrew Jackson, chairman of the city’s African American Leadership Forum, spoke before the council, saying The Cavalier “represents a time many would rather forget than remember.”

“History is not the same to everyone,” Jackson said.While some such as Warren viewed The Cavalier with family pride, others said they view the hotel as a symbol of the segregated South, a place where black men and women were allowed to work but couldn’t stay as guests.“When you say preserve that history, preserve it for who?” said E. George Minns, president of the Seatack Community Civic League.The New Journal and Guide, a newspaper that has long served the black community, penned articles from the 1930s through 1960s describing hotel workers here.In 1938, the paper reported, the Virginia Beach Town Council passed an ordinance requiring all high school and college students coming to the beach for seasonal work be photographed, fingerprinted and registered with police in an attempt to cut down on crime. About 95 percent of those working in hotel and domestic services were black, according to the article.

At The Cavalier, picketers appeared in the summer of 1958, and members of the Local 23 Hotel, Restaurant and Bartenders Union went on strike, seeking higher wages.The Oceanfront was reserved for whites only, and black residents were allowed on segregated beaches on the Chesapeake Bay named Seaview and Ocean Breeze, historian Edna Hawkins-Hendrix said.“I was 14 before I could put my foot in God’s ocean solely because I was born black,” Minns said.Virginia Beach resident Ralph Parham II said his father grew up in Hampton Roads, graduating from high school here in the late 1950s. The Cavalier was the first thing his father and his friends saw when they rounded the corner, coming from Seaview Beach toward the Oceanfront, Parham said. When they saw The Cavalier, he said, they knew they couldn’t go farther.“They say, ‘It’s history,’ ” Parham said. “Yeah, it’s history of oppression.”To Tina Warren, The Cavalier holds positive memories.Her father’s job as head chef allowed the family to build a house and put down roots.Bertram Anderson was dedicated to his profession, and Warren can remember him waking at 4 a.m. or 5 a.m. at times to get to work to prepare for parties.Some days, Anderson invited his wife and daughter to come to the hotel early, before his shift was over. Warren and her mom would enter through the back and go into his office, which housed his desk and cookbooks and had large windows looking out to the kitchen, Warren remembered. There, they would eat together.“We would eat the same food in his office, and yet we couldn’t eat in the dining room,” Warren said.But those meals were special to her, she said.“It didn’t bother me then,” she said. “It was something that was accepted then.”When Warren’s family would write to relatives in Florida, they sent postcards with images of The Cavalier.“I look at it like the Cape Henry Lighthouse,” she said. “It’s just as much of a historical marker as that.”Carlos Wilson, known throughout the city as Mr. Virginia Beach and Mr. Cavalier, worked for the hotel for 73 years, from 1938 until his death in 2011, just short of his 90th birthday.

Wilson loved his work and considered those he worked with to be close friends, his daughter, Margie Wilson Coefield, said. Working at the hotel allowed him to provide for his family, she said.In later years, when she would take her dad to work, Wilson Coefield can remember watching him pause every morning, just to admire the building.When he died, friends from the hotel held their own ceremony and sprinkled dirt from The Cavalier on top of his coffin, she said.“They showed him respect, and he respected them,” Wilson Coefield said.In light of The Cavalier project, Carl Wright, president of the NAACP’s Virginia Beach branch, said he would like city leaders to take a serious look at giving opportunities to minorities, “particularly African Americans who have been overlooked for so long.”The past can’t be modified, he said, “but we can change things going on today by making sure everyone gets their fair share and fair opportunity.”

Councilwoman Amelia Ross-Hammond said she spoke with Thompson about opportunities for minority businesses within his Cavalier project and said it’s something she’ll be “keeping my eyes on.”“We cannot go backwards,” she said. “At least now we can try to be more inclusive.”Thompson said diversity is a “key component” of his company’s policies toward developing properties and businesses and said he was moved by Jackson’s comments at the City Council.“I have every intent of finding space within the hotel to both recognize those persons who have worked at the hotel and the community the hotel displaced when it was originally built,” he said. “I recognize the history of that hotel is not the same for everyone.”When Tina Warren sees the hotel today, she can imagine her dad there, dressed in his chef’s jacket and hat. She wants to see the hotel restored and said she believes her dad would have wanted the same.In 1987, Warren attended a Princess Anne County Training School reunion, held at The Cavalier. It was the first time she used the hotel’s front door as a guest.

Discount Hotels In Carolina Beach|"Hotel Developer Submits Drawings To Carolina Beach Planning Department"

Source          :  http://islandgazette.net
Category      :  Discount Hotels In Carolina Beach
By                :  WILLARD KILLOUGH III
Posted By    :  Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Discount Hotels In Carolina Beach

Developers submitted updated architectural drawings to the Town of Carolina Beach last week for a proposed Hampton Inn and Suites on the northern end of the downtown Boardwalk on the oceanfront at the intersection of Harper Avenue and Carolina Beach Avenue North.Last month Blanchard & Calhoun Commercial, a real estate development and commercial brokerage firm in Augusta, Georgia, sent a letter to the Town saying they are ready to move forward and outlined aspects of the project including a proposal to lease town parking spaces and make other improvements in the area.John Lee of Blanchard & Calhoun Commercial wrote to Assistant Town Manager Ed Parvin on June 4th that Vic Mills - Chief Executive Officer - had a productive conversation with Mayor Bob Lewis on Friday, May 24th. Lee explained, "Following up on that conversation, we have continued to have our architect and civil engineers work on our final site and building plans, which incorporates the general understanding of both parties. Hopefully, this understanding will be confirmed at the upcoming City Council meeting."Lee explained, "The site is very similar to the previous version, but more efficient and simplified. Circulation is greatly improved. We have “squared” up the site on the beach front to include the piece the city will deed to us." He explained, "Parking – we have 69 hotel parking spaces under the hotel on the ground and 48 spaces on the city lot across the street. This lot will be dedicated parking for the hotel guest and will have gates with key card access."
Lee said they reduced the number of stories from 10 to 8 and guest room count from 106 to 100. He explained, " We were also able to enlarge the deck area and “squared-off” the pool. We think this will be a great wedding destination."

Lee said a previous issue with First Bank regarding a lien on the portion of Carolina Beach Avenue North that was closed for the previous developer has been resolved. The Town agreed to close a portion of that road to accommodate the project which owned land on either side of the road.Lee inquired about the process to begin site plan and permitting approval and expressed a desire to hold a ground breaking ceremony soon.Parvin explained June 4th the developer must submit an application and fee for a Conditional Use Permit, provide a traffic impact analysis, and an economic impact study.Parvin said the process for deeding any property to the developer depends on the type of ownership. Also, a parking agreement will have to be approved by the Council to lease spaces in the Town's public parking lot and the Town will require a road closure agreement. Also, they must submit plans for other improvements to the surrounding boardwalk right-of-ways.Parvin explained, "Please note that once your application has been submitted to staff our Town Council can no longer communicate with anyone (i.e. you, staff, community members) as the quasi judicial process will have started."In 2007 a previous development company proposed a Hilton Garden Inn on the same property. That project called for 191 rooms in an 11-story building with a 5,632 square foot conference facility and a 200 seat Sundeck Pavilion restaurant. Last year the new developer indicated to the Planning Department the number of rooms would decrease from 191 to between 90 and 130 rooms and 11 floors or less.

Mayor Bob Lewis explained last month he estimates the hotel will bring $30,000 a year in property taxes, over $100,000 in room occupancy tax revenues to fund beach nourishment projects and tourism promotion and create additional jobs. Also, he estimates an additional $70,000 a year in water and sewer revenues. He explained, "This type of development was part of the reason the town built the new sewer lift station in the Central Business District last year."He explained the project could generate 40 full time job opportunities for residents and, "Support additional hiring opportunities and additional increases in revenue for our business community."Lewis explained, "The Hotel is proposing to lease a small group of parking spaces annually from the town to fulfill their franchise requirements. The developer is also looking to participate in the revitalization of the old wooden boardwalk along its ocean frontage."Lewis explained, "These new revenue sources can provide our town with the ability to pay for or offset the cost of town services without the need for property tax increases."He explained, "Since this project will be coming to council for a Conditional Use Permit all of council will have to evaluate the plan and the developers proposed conditions prior to this project moving forward.  Council can also require certain conditions in order to approve the CUP application and as in every process you the public will get your chance to voice your opinions. Council in our deliberation will work hard to create a win-win opportunity for our residents and business owners."Lewis said, "Our choices as a town council is to work for the betterment of the community by investing time to work through the challenges and develop a positive solution for our community or as some residents not allow any development.  I understand that there are a few town residents who do not want any more economic development in Carolina Beach and really like the look of the empty lots and buildings in our business district."He explained, "I for one am tired of driving by the numerous empty lots in the Central Business District every day. I take pride in my community and I love Carolina Beach and it is tough for me to see all the improvements we have made to the town and specifically the Central Business District and look at empty lots and empty buildings. Based on my 40 years of corporate management experience I see the new oceanfront hotel as a cornerstone for future economic growth for our town."He said, "As taxpayers we have already invested in some infrastructure improvements (water and sewer) in the Central Business District over the past 5 years and to support future growth and mostly to replace old deteriorating pipes and pumps.  This future hotel and other developments could begin to provide all of us a return on our investment by offsetting future infrastructure improvement costs to property owners."

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Local Attraction At Virginia Beach|"Las Vegas Is Title Town"

Source          :  http://www.casinocitytimes.com
Category      :  Local Attraction At Virginia Beach
By                :  Alan Snel
Posted By    :  Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard


Local Attraction At Virginia Beach
Las Vegas may not see a World Series or an NBA Finals soon, but the city known worldwide for its events does host a stunning number of championships for a slew of niche sports that make Vegas America's ultimate Titletown USA.The secondary sports run the gamut from motorcycle racing, table tennis, senior softball, bowling and triathalons to rodeos, paintball, outdoor paddleball, equestrian and monster trucks.Even the World Series of Beer Pong inaugurated the New Year in Las Vegas with a $50,000 grand prize. (Imagine, a three-day Beer Pong event pass was a mere $50.) FedEx is shipping horses from Saudia Arabia to Las Vegas for the Arabian Breeders World Cup in April. And the world's premier curlers are slated to descend on Las Vegas for a unique title event that pits North America's best curlers against the best from the rest of the world in January 2014.Las Vegas' own version of the Wide World of Sports Titles is an economic driver that includes events ranging from the World Paintball Championship, which generates $2 million for the local economy, to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, which generated $60 million in local spending in 2011. The numbers for the 2012 NFR event are still being crunched."The city struggles to support a daily routine team, but as far as championship events, this city is the place to be," said Mike Newcomb, executive director of the Thomas & Mack Center, which hosts championship events from rodeos to motorcycle races. "Tell me what championship doesn't want to be here."

Feld Motor Sports returns year after year to stage the Monster Jam World Finals, the Monster Energy Supercross Finals and the Monster Energy Cup. In 2012, the three title events attracted more than 65,000 out-of-town visitors, with each averaging more than $1,600 in spending during their stay, said Mark Abernethy, senior director of brand marketing for Aurora, Ill.-based Feld Motor Sports, which stages the monster truck and motorcycle championships in Las Vegas."It's a great season-ending destination. People who buy these tickets enjoy going to Las Vegas," Abernethy said. "It's a live-event town."Hardly a week passes without some sports governing body staging a championship event in Las Vegas.In December, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo sold out the Thomas & Mack Center daily for 10 days, and even drew 186,100 fans to the related Cowboy FanFest and the Cowboy Christmas Gift Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center.The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is still processing economic impact numbers for the 2012 NFR, which concluded Dec. 15. But in 2011, 45,000 out-of-town visitors came for the Super Bowl of rodeos and generated $60.1 million in spending, said Dawn Christensen, an authority spokeswoman.Besides the Colorado Springs, Colo.-based Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association staging its NFR event in Las Vegas, the Professional Bull Riders also has its World Finals headliner at Thomas & Mack every year."The majority of people who are attending these sports events are coming to town for that championship," said Pat Christenson, president of Las Vegas Events. "This is a championship city, both from a participatory standpoint and from the fans standpoint."Thomas & Mack was booked 10 days for the NFR, five days for the bull-riding championship, a day for the motorcycle supercross event and five days for the Mountain West college basketball championship tournament in March, Newcomb said.While Las Vegas has never hosted a college basketball Final Four event, three other college basketball conferences besides the Mountain West are staging their title tourneys in Vegas during a two-week stretch in March - the Pac 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and the West Coast Conference and Western Athletic Conference at the Orleans Arena.

Only three days after the country's premier cowboys rode their final horse at the NFR on Dec. 15, the nation's best pingpong players came with their paddles to Las Vegas for the 2012 National Table Tennis Championships at the Las Vegas Convention Center Dec. 18-22. USA Table Tennis attracted 788 competitors, up from 560 for the 2011 championship staged in Virginia Beach, Va., USA Table Tennis CEO Michael Cavanaugh said. They ranged from youngsters to oldsters and Olympians.
Sports economists say it's hard to determine the net impact of sports events because many venues and events are subsidized by public money and taxes. The convention authority didn't offer economic impact numbers on many of the niche sports championship events, but reported that, in general, there were 330,000 sports-related visitors who spent $400 million in the 12 months ended in October.The money spent in connection with the championships transcends the specific events. For example, Abernethy said there are golf tournaments, pool parties and awards ceremonies that accompany the monster truck and motocross events that fill Sam Boyd Stadium.In most cases, championship events forge alliances with hotels. The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, which stages the National Finals Rodeo, cut a deal with the MGM Grand for the hotel to be an official ProRodeo partner. The 3 Wall Ball Championships has a partnership with the Stratosphere, which provides the championship venue in a parking lot across the street from the hotel tower. The host hotel for the U.S. National Table Tennis Championships is the Las Vegas Hotel, which is next door to the table tennis title venue.

Feld Motor Sports uses Hard Rock Hotel for its motorcycle and monster truck championship events. In 2012, the Monster Jam brought 28,000 out-of-towners, the Monster Energy drew 26,000, and the Monster Energy Cup attracted 12,000, Abernethy said. The three Feld motor sports events drew fans from 15 countries, as well as from all U.S. states and Canadian provinces.The Monster Jam, an annual championship staple at Sam Boyd Stadium, has grown so big that the oversized-truck event could attract a crowd that's twice as big as the number of fans who fill the Sam Boyd venue, Abernethy said."We have talked to people in Las Vegas about stadium plans and we can go to much bigger stadiums," he said. "Therein lies a big challenge for us as far as moving forward."The September and October period is popular for championships in Las Vegas as organizers for sports as diverse as triathlons, paintball and senior softball all have their world titles on the line.

The Ironman World Championship 70.3 is slated for September in the Henderson area. About 2,500 triathletes, including the world's elite, are scheduled to spend three to five days with their families and help contribute $5 million in spending to the local economy in connection with the event, said Steve Meckfessel, managing director of global operations for Tarpon Springs, Fla.-based Ironman.The geographic location is ideal because the hilly terrain in the Lake Mead area will help break up the groups of bicyclists that were bunched together on the flat terrain of Clearwater, Fla., the event's previous home. There are also many convenient and direct flights to Las Vegas from Australia, Asia, Europe and points across the U.S., Meckfessel said.September is also circled by Senior Softball USA, which is staging its Senior World Masters title championship in Las Vegas from Sept. 27-Oct. 6. Terry Hennessy, the Sacramento, Calif.-based senior softball organization's CEO, expects as many as 500 teams with an average of 15 players per team. That's 7,500 softball players - plus another 7,500 spectators.

Friday, July 26, 2013

Meeting & Events Hotels In Virginia Beach|"The Virginia Beach Meetings and Conventions FAM was a Huge Success"

Source         :  http://beachfyi.com
By                :  beachfyi


Meeting & Events Hotels In Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach has more than beautiful beaches, a wealth of history, scenic wildlife trails and numerous attractions; it is also the home of the first LEED Gold Certified convention center, mild year-round temperatures, a variety of hotels and amenities, bustling downtown, unique meeting venues and more! Attendees to the 2013 Increase Your “APP”- titude FAM experienced first-hand the rich meetings and conventions landscape and all that the city has to offer meeting planners.Meeting planners and journalists enjoyed two event-filled days of exploration, education and delight as they participated in the recent familiarization event. The FAM was designed to share with visitors all that they can expect when hosting an event in Virginia Beach. From indulging in mouth-watering local cuisine at some of the city’s finest dining establishments, to grooving to the sounds of local performers at Neptune Park, a picturesque outdoor venue on the oceanfront, attendees experienced all that Virginia Beach has to offer.The Virginia Beach Tennis and Country Club (VBTCC), which recently completed a multi- million dollar addition and expansion making it the largest tennis facility in the Mid-Atlantic region, was the happy host to the opening reception and the perfect location to kick-off the event.

Attendees also enjoyed an educational component lead by Beth Ziesenis, author of Your Nerdy Best Friend, as well as a Give-Back Marketplace where participants packed tote bags filled with toiletries and other necessities to be donated to the victims of the tornado in Oklahoma as well as to a local veteran organization.Additionally, visitors got an opportunity to tour the Virginia Beach Convention Center, and to experience just why it is the first LEED® Gold Certified convention center. Ann Shepphird, editor at Schneider Publishing Company, took pleasure in touring the facility and enjoyed her experience in the city. “I was particularly impressed with the Virginia Beach Convention Center and all of the environmentally friendly practices that helped it to attain LEED-Gold status, and with all of the new developments on and near the boardwalk. The crabcakes and ocean views were pretty amazing, too!”

Attendees were taken on tours throughout the city where they had the opportunity to see the first-class facilities the city offers. Parrish Walton, editor at Connect Sports, truly enjoyed his time in Virginia Beach as he shared his thoughts on the tours and the FAM overall. “I had a blast at the FAM. It was well-organized and on point. As someone in the sports media, it was paramount for me to see the field space and venues available in Virginia Beach. That’s exactly what happened. I saw everything I needed to see and more. The CVB staff couldn’t have been nicer, either. Just a great group of people to spend some time with and get to know!”The FAM ended with a debriefing meeting where planners were given the opportunity to share their thoughts of the city and their experiences during their trip. Journalists appreciated listening to the planners and hearing first-hand what their opinions were on the destination. “The Virginia Beach CVB’s recent familiarization trip provided me with a great look at the destination through the eyes of the association meeting planners who read Association News and the sports-event organizers who read SportsTravel magazine. Not only did the presence of these meeting and event planners emphasize the strength of these two markets for Virginia Beach, but their insights will help inform our future stories in both magazines”, stated Ann who spoke highly of the FAM.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

South Virginia Oceanfront Hotels |"Virginia Hotel Viewed As Stately Segregation Symbol"

Source         :  http://hotel.express900.com
Category      :  Local Attraction At Virginia Beach
By                :  hotel.express900
Posted By    :  Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

South Virginia Oceanfront Hotels

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — The red-brick building set above Atlantic Avenue has looked out over the Oceanfront for 86 years, a constant through decades of history and change. Yet viewed through a different prism, The Cavalier on the Hill hotel can represent different things to different people.Tina Warren was 9 years old when The Cavalier drew her and her family to the area in the early 1950s, when her father took a job as first cook. She still has the letter, dated Sept. 23, 1958, announcing his promotion. Bertram Anderson served as the hotel’s first black head chef, a position he held until his death in 1970.To Warren, the hotel was stately, beautiful.Other views came to light earlier this month when the City Council awarded $18 million to help developer Bruce Thompson renovate the hotel as part of a larger development project. Andrew Jackson, chairman of the city’s African American Leadership Forum, spoke before the council, saying The Cavalier “represents a time many would rather forget than remember.”

“History is not the same to everyone,” Jackson said.While some such as Warren viewed The Cavalier with family pride, others said they view the hotel as a symbol of the segregated South, a place where black men and women were allowed to work but couldn’t stay as guests.“When you say preserve that history, preserve it for who?” said E. George Minns, president of the Seatack Community Civic League.The New Journal and Guide, a newspaper that has long served the black community, penned articles from the 1930s through 1960s describing hotel workers here.In 1938, the paper reported, the Virginia Beach Town Council passed an ordinance requiring all high school and college students coming to the beach for seasonal work be photographed, fingerprinted and registered with police in an attempt to cut down on crime. About 95 percent of those working in hotel and domestic services were black, according to the article.At The Cavalier, picketers appeared in the summer of 1958, and members of the Local 23 Hotel, Restaurant and Bartenders Union went on strike, seeking higher wages.The Oceanfront was reserved for whites only, and black residents were allowed on segregated beaches on the Chesapeake Bay named Seaview and Ocean Breeze, historian Edna Hawkins-Hendrix said.“I was 14 before I could put my foot in God’s ocean solely because I was born black,” Minns said.

Virginia Beach resident Ralph Parham II said his father grew up in Hampton Roads, graduating from high school here in the late 1950s. The Cavalier was the first thing his father and his friends saw when they rounded the corner, coming from Seaview Beach toward the Oceanfront, Parham said. When they saw The Cavalier, he said, they knew they couldn’t go farther.“They say, ‘It’s history,’ “ Parham said. “Yeah, it’s history of oppression.”To Tina Warren, The Cavalier holds positive memories.Her father’s job as head chef allowed the family to build a house and put down roots.Bertram Anderson was dedicated to his profession, and Warren can remember him waking at 4 a.m. or 5 a.m. at times to get to work to prepare for parties.Some days, Anderson invited his wife and daughter to come to the hotel early, before his shift was over. Warren and her mom would enter through the back and go into his office, which housed his desk and cookbooks and had large windows looking out to the kitchen, Warren remembered. There, they would eat together.

“We would eat the same food in his office, and yet we couldn’t eat in the dining room,” Warren said.But those meals were special to her, she said.“It didn’t bother me then,” she said. “It was something that was accepted then.”When Warren’s family would write to relatives in Florida, they sent postcards with images of The Cavalier.“I look at it like the Cape Henry Lighthouse,” she said. “It’s just as much of a historical marker as that.”Carlos Wilson, known throughout the city as Mr. Virginia Beach and Mr. Cavalier, worked for the hotel for 73 years, from 1938 until his death in 2011, just short of his 90th birthday.Wilson loved his work and considered those he worked with to be close friends, his daughter, Margie Wilson Coefield, said. Working at the hotel allowed him to provide for his family, she said.In later years, when she would take her dad to work, Wilson Coefield can remember watching him pause every morning, just to admire the building.When he died, friends from the hotel held their own ceremony and sprinkled dirt from The Cavalier on top of his coffin, she said.“They showed him respect, and he respected them,” Wilson Coefield said.In light of The Cavalier project, Carl Wright, president of the NAACP’s Virginia Beach branch, said he would like city leaders to take a serious look at giving opportunities to minorities, “particularly African Americans who have been overlooked for so long.”

The past can’t be modified, he said, “but we can change things going on today by making sure everyone gets their fair share and fair opportunity.”Councilwoman Amelia Ross-Hammond said she spoke with Thompson about opportunities for minority businesses within his Cavalier project and said it’s something she’ll be “keeping my eyes on.”“We cannot go backwards,” she said. “At least now we can try to be more inclusive.”Thompson said diversity is a “key component” of his company’s policies toward developing properties and businesses and said he was moved by Jackson’s comments at the City Council.“I have every intent of finding space within the hotel to both recognize those persons who have worked at the hotel and the community the hotel displaced when it was originally built,” he said. “I recognize the history of that hotel is not the same for everyone.”When Tina Warren sees the hotel today, she can imagine her dad there, dressed in his chef’s jacket and hat. She wants to see the hotel restored and said she believes her dad would have wanted the same.In 1987, Warren attended a Princess Anne County Training School reunion, held at The Cavalier. It was the first time she used the hotel’s front door as a guest.For a long time, she had envisioned the hotel like a castle.Warren didn’t spend the night, but some of her classmates did. She went upstairs to see the rooms once off-limits.They seemed smaller than she had pictured.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Local Attraction At Virginia Beach|"The Beach Report"

Source :http://travelogged.com
Category :Local Attraction At Virginia Beach
By :travelogged
Posted By:Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

local attraction at virginia beach
virginia beach

Are you as excited as I am?! Yesterday, I was given the opportunity to check out the newest Dave & Buster’s location (not once, but twice!), right here in Virginia Beach. What is Dave & Buster’s you ask? Restaurant, Sports Bar, Arcade, FUN – all wrapped into one!

Walking in from the outside (there’s an entrance from inside the mall too), I was already amped for how much fun I was going to have, but immediately blown away by how cool this space has transformed. I remember when a furniture store once occupied this place, and now it’s Dave & Buster’s and I know that they are NOT going anywhere!

Dave & Buster’s has a large menu with a wide variety of options. Whether you’ve got a sweet tooth, health conscious, just feel like snacking or in need of a kids plate, D&B has got you covered. I got to sample quite a bit, including the Mango Citrus Shrimp Skewers, Baked Chicken & Shrimp Alfredo, Fire Grilled Salmon and Legendary Goldfingers that I dipped in the chipotle honey sauce. Let me tell you, they were bomb! (That means delicious! Lol) I definitely had to go back for a second helping.

D&B also offers their “Eat, Play, Win” combo. For a reasonable price, you can choose certain entrĂ©es and get a $10 Power Card with 100 tickets already loaded onto the card. So basically you’ve already won, before you even started eating!

Someone once said, “Food brings the smiles, while drinks bring the laughter.” Or maybe I have that totally wrong and made it up myself. (LOL!) This Dave & Buster’s has a fully loaded bar, with a drink menu even the kids will enjoy. Complete with both spirited and non-spirited beverages, you can order up a refreshing Summer Cocktail like the “Strawberry Watermelon Summerita,” or one of their Signature drinks like the “Walk the Plank.” They all looked so colorful and tasty, sure to quench your thirst on these hot summer days.

The best part of Dave & Buster’s! Kids and adults alike can have fun with these arcade style games. Whether you’re into racing, skeeball, or just in it to win it, D&B has all types of games to pick from, sure to entertain kids of all ages. Even better, many of the games allow up to 4 players, like Pac Man Battle Royale (which I won!), so you can challenge and play against your family and friends. A little healthy competition never hurt anyone, right?

As a promo, $20 Power Cards were given out to guests so they can experience all D&B has to offer. A Power Card is used to play the games and a $20 Power Card has 100 chips. Instead of carrying around tokens, you simply swipe the card to play. Each game has a “price” of how many chips it costs to play, and once you swipe, your remaining balance pops so you know how much is left. With varying chip prices per game, you can still find something to play, even if you’re running low. However if you are running low, all you need to do is recharge! With recharging kiosks that are ready and easy to use, it is so simple to keep the fun rolling.

Many of the games spew out tickets when you have won. These tickets can be redeemed at “The Winner’s Circle” for lots of cool prizes! From t-shirts, to stuffed animals, and even iPads, it is so hard to choose. Luckily, you can save up your tickets for something you really want! I think I left with over 4,800 tickets loaded onto my card. I am a big kid at heart!

Now let me tell you a little something about me, I LOVE to watch sports! I definitely think that the Dave & Buster’s Sports Bar is the ideal place to catch a game. With a wall of TVs including three 130-inch HD projection screens, I could see the game from way across the room! There are HD TVs all over the place, ensuring you won’t miss your favorite team play. And when your team scores, you could get a crack at the “Watch, Spin & Win” wheel for a chance to win a prize for yourself, your table or the whole Sports Bar area! See, everybody wins!

Located at Lynnhaven Mall between Macy’s and Dick’s Sporting Goods, it is the 62nd store in the chain and only the second to open in Virginia. And with more than 40,000 square feet, this particular Dave & Buster’s also has function rooms that can accommodate your next private party. Suitable for birthday parties, corporate functions and the like, D&B can cater to your needs.

Dave & Buster’s Virginia Beach officially opens tomorrow, July 20.  Be sure to stop in and experience the fun for yourself! Even the Virginia Game Guy will be there challenging folks to some games and giving away a bunch of prizes! And get ahead of the game – download and print a “Free $10 Game Play with Purchase of $10 Game Play” coupon. That’s $10 for 100 chips on your Power Card, ready and waiting to be spent!

Marriott In Virginia Beach|"Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort: All In a Day’s Vacation"

Source :http://travelogged.com
Category :Marriott In Virginia Beach
By :travelogged
Posted By:Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard
marriott in virginia beach
marriott in virginia beach


When you have a toddler, the rhythms of time completely change. Often on a Tuesday evening, I think that it must already be Thursday. Other times, an entire morning disappears as I’m trying to get a two-year-old dressed and out of the house. An hour by myself spent completely relaxing feels absolutely luxurious. A full 24 hours sans toddler? Well, that’s called a vacation. And on Friday, my husband and I took a 24-hour vacation at the Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort in Marco Island, Florida.

On Thursday, we (my husband, toddler and I) had flown down from New York City to Sarasota, to spend a few days with my parents. And then on Friday at 1 pm, my husband and I drove two hours south to Marco Island. So this was actually a vacation within a vacation. We figured that neither my parents nor the toddler minded us leaving for 24 hours… Or at least, if they did, well, it was only 24 hours!

We arrived at Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort at 3pm, and our room wasn’t ready yet (check-in is at 4pm) so we checked our bags, got our towel cards and went right to beach, where we laid down on lounge chairs close to the water.

A beautiful sunset over the Gulf of Mexico, as seen from our balcony.
Before we had a kid, we considered the beach to be synonymous with relaxation. But with a baby or a toddler, the beach is not relaxing in the least (although it still has many redeeming qualities). I like to compare going to the beach with a toddler to going to a restaurant with a toddler: it’s nice to be there but it’s a very different experience. So, for about an hour we just laid on our lounge chairs and felt the gulf breeze. Then, I got a phone call that our room was ready. We were excited to see our gulf-front room, and we liked the modern decor with its tropical color palate. The best feature was definitely the wraparound balcony — simply amazing! Hands down, it was the best hotel balcony I’ve ever had.

We didn’t want to waste the sunshine though, and headed back to beach for a long walk with frozen tropical drinks in hand. Marco Island’s white-sand beach is simply stunning, and it’s great to stroll along and see all sort of different shells. While nearby Sanibel (which I’ve never been to) is more famous for shelling, we were impressed by the diversity of shells and also by how many conchs we saw. Then the sun was setting and we knew the perfect place to watch the fiery ball sink into the sea: our balcony. The sunset was outstanding; awesome sunsets are just one reason why Florida’s gulf coast is so special. I’m not sure if there’s truly an east coast—west coast rivalry in Florida, or if there’s just one in my mind because most New Yorkers head to the east coast. Regardless, epic sunsets are a major win for the west coast.

We had made a dinner reservation at Kurrents, which is the resort’s flagship restaurant. We enjoyed our seafood entrees — potato-crusted red snapper for my husband and Chilean seabass for me. But the highlight, literally, was the creme brule. It left the open kitchen on fire, and the flame burned out our table for quite some time. I like a dessert that makes a grand entrance!After dinner, we went upstairs to Korals, the stylish bar off the hotel lobby. It was fun and lively, and the perfect place for a nightcap. The next day, we headed straight to the beach. We had promised to be back at my parents’ house by 3pm (I guess this was actually a 26-hour vacation) and the goal was to maximize beach time. We could have gone to the fitness center, to either of the inviting pools, on a catamaran ride, but we just love the beach! I find the beach sort of addictive. And when I’m near a beautiful beach, I just have to be on it.

Luckily, we were able to eat lunch just a few feet from the beach at Pazzi’s, which has excellent pizza. I wished that we could have stayed longer at the Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort, but we had to get back to our son and relieve some very generous grandparents. The one-day vacation was just perfect, as it was guilt-free and any longer we would have really started to miss our toddler. While it may sound like all we did was hang out at the beach, it was actually extremely productive. We packed a month’s worth of relaxation into one day!

Monday, July 22, 2013

Vacation In Virginia Beach Hotels|"6 Reasons Virginia Beach is a Popular Vacation Destination"

Source : http://bookingguide.org
Category : Vacation In Virginia Beach Hotels
By :  Jeremy Smith
Posted By: Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard


Vacation In Virginia Beach Hotels
Vacation In Virginia Beach Hotels


A popular vacation destination is Virginia Beach, Virginia. It is nestled on the Mid-Atlantic Coast neighboring the Chesapeake Bay. Home to about a half million residents in its 500 square miles, Virginia Beach is one of 7 cities in the economic region known as Hampton Roads. While the most popular vacation season stretches from Memorial Day to Labor Day, the city is alive year-round with things to do.

Beach
There are about 35 miles of beaches in Virginia Beach. Many of them are accessible to the public. The average water temperatures in the summer are in the upper 60s to mid 70s. Air temperatures range from low 80s to upper 90s in the summertime. The average winter air and water temperatures in wintertime are in the low 40s.

Accommodations
Many of the places to stay offer Virginia Beach vacation packages. The city is about 15 minutes from the Norfolk airport, and has shuttle access to a train station in Newport News. Airlines, trains, car rental agencies, hotels and restaurants often coordinate discounts and coupons for visitors. There are many Virginia Beach hotels open year-round, but not all of them are convenient to the Oceanfront area.

Whale Watching
In the wintertime, whales migrate to the warmer southern waters of the Atlantic Ocean. They spend time off the Virginia Beach coast. Their heads and tails can be seen cresting above the water. Humpback and fin whales are the most common sightings. Whale watching excursions are featured from late December through early May by the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center.

Celebrations
Virginia Beach weddings and family reunions are popular reasons people visit the resort city. Hotels offer special discount rates for large groups. There are many activities to keep family members and friends of all ages busy during the week. Spending a few relaxing days on the beach gives guests a chance to get to know each other, celebrate and catch up with old acquaintances.

Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel connects the Eastern Shore of Virginia with the southeastern tip of Virginia. Extending 17.6 miles, it is known as one of the Seven Engineering Wonders of the Modern Times. It was originally completed in 1964, with a second span completed in 1999 to handle the increased traffic. An engineering marvel, the bridge-tunnel is also a popular fishing spot, offering a pier, restaurant and gift shop.

Clean Air
Virginia Beach has clean air. It has help from the Atlantic Ocean breezes and a hint of salt hanging in the air near the beaches. The Environmental Protection Agency has determined that the City of Virginia Beach has no bad air days.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Courtyard Virginia Hotels|"Alexandria, VA Hotel Hosts Technical Rescue Association of Virginia Challenge"

Source : www.vanewsfeed.com
Category : Courtyard Virginia Hotels
By : vanewsfeed
Posted By: Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard
Courtyard Virginia Hotels
Courtyard Virginia Hotels

ALEXANDRIA, VA, Jul 05, 2013 (Marketwired around COMTEX) – Saving lives is not a shortcoming to take lightly, and staying in top form is critical so rescuers can respond fast and
efficiently. This past May, a Courtyard Alexandria Pentagon South, near Ronald Reagan Airport, had a respect of hosting a Technical Rescue Association of Virginia for their annual Rescue Challenge, helping area initial responders master their life-saving skills.

More than 150 initial responders from Northern Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania spent 4 days during this hotel in Alexandria, Virginia, where they were given a charge of completing dual rescue scenarios each day (a sum of 8 scenarios). In an allotted volume of time, the men and women were given hurdles such as high-angle wire rescue, confined-space rescue, ditch rescue, vehicle/heavy machine rescue and light and complicated constructional fall rescue. In serve to being a earthy challenge, a eventuality is also an eventuality for members of the village to accommodate on an annual basement and sell ideas. According to a Technical Rescue Association of Virginia, “Rescue Challenge is not a competition. Instead, it is an eventuality for highly lerned teams to benefit believe by participating in realistic scenarios that exam their skills and knowledge.”

The staff during a Courtyard by Marriott Pentagon South were means to observe some of a scenarios, that gave them serve appreciation for a work of initial responders. “We were in astonishment and unapproachable to have witnessed a skills and imagination of these organisation and women,” Angela Carrick, a Courtyard’s Director of Sales and Marketing, said. “It was a fun to have this organisation stay with us and we were all very humbled after listening to some of their stories and training of what they have encountered. Most of all, we were and are really beholden to
these organisation and women, meaningful that they could potentially save our lives one day.”

About a Courtyard Alexandria Pentagon South Offering easy access to worldly Washington, D.C. and ancestral Alexandria, the Courtyard Alexandria Pentagon South is a intelligent choice for today’s traveler, either in city for business or leisure. This contemporary hotel’s accommodations underline gentle beds with 33-thread-count linens, feathery pillows and down comforters; a work table with ergonomic chair; nominal Wi-Fi and a 32-inch TV. If work is what brings a traveler here, this Alexandria hotel is well-equipped with a business core and 2,200 block feet of eventuality space, ideal for meetings and amicable functions. When it’s time to unwind, head into D.C. to revisit a White House, vital museums and iconic monuments, spend a day selling or dining nearby Old Town Alexandria or explore pleasing Mount Vernon. Or, conduct to this hotel’s fitness
center or indoor pool for a boost of energy. Courtyard Bistro offers breakfast and dinner. Getting around is easy with complimentary shuttle use to and from Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA), the Pentagon City metro and a BRAC-133 DOD building.

Ocean Views Hotels in Virginia Beach|"MilitaryByOwner Blog"

Source : http://info.militarybyowner.com
Category :  Ocean Views Hotels in Virginia Beach
By : militarybyownermilitarybyowner
Posted By: Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard
Ocean Views Hotels in Virginia Beach
Ocean Views Hotels in Virginia Beach

Summer is here and now is the perfect time to take advantage of some amazing vacation destinations that are discounted for military service members and their families. We update and publish this list each year as a reminder that there are some great opportunities for you and your family to get away from it all and yet not deplete your savings account.

Maybe this is the year you visit a new state or even venture outside of the United States and visit some gorgeous destinations in Europe or Asia. Hopefully this list will spark an interest in a vacation destination you had not previously considered.

If you are simply looking for inexpensive billeting along your PCS route or at a desirable location close to home, it is always a great idea to look into military lodging and an easy resource for all of your billeting needs is PCS-Lodging.com. Created by the owner’s of MilitaryByOwner.com, this site makes it easy to find affordable billeting throughout the United States.

Another great resource is Military Living’s "Military Travel Guide U.S.A." reference guide. You can pick one up at your local exchange or you can order it on-line. For just over $30, this book can be an invaluable tool. This guide will provide you with all of the information and contacts you need to enjoy military lodging, RV and camping and Space A travel.

While the guide may help you consider something new, there are of course, the desired vacation destinations that create visions of relaxation and adventure.

The number one vacation destination for families is Walt Disney World in Florida. What a fantastic place to spend time with our family, and even better if it doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg.  The military has a facility on the park grounds called the Shades of Green.

This beautiful resort is situated in the heart of the Magic Kingdom and includes free transportation to all of the Disney resorts. It is surrounded by two championship golf courses, includes access to two pools, a fitness center and has dining, shopping and laundry facilities. They also have discount tickets available for purchase for most Orlando area attractions. If the resort is full on your desired days of travel, they will try and put you up in a nearby facility for the same rate. This is a deal that is hard to beat.

Be sure if you are visiting a Walt Disney Parks to check with the ITT office at your military installation to purchase discount tickets. If you forget to purchase them ahead of time, be sure to ask at the ticket window for their discounted military rates.

While in Florida, you may also want to consider the idea of visiting the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, as there is so much to see and explore at the Space Center. You can find discount tickets to the Space Center at your local MWR office. Check into reservations at The Space Coast Inn on Patrick AFB in Cocoa Beach. With low nightly rates, this trip won't break the bank.

With the rich history in Williamsburg, VA there is so much culture to be enjoyed and shared with your family. Plus you are just minutes away from Water Country USA and Busch Gardens.  Both of these parks are fantastic and they offer a free one-day pass to military members and up to three free passes for direct family members as part of their Waves of Honor program.

Take advantage of the great recreational facilities aboard the Cheatham Annex in Williamsburg, VA. (757-887-4601) They offer recreational cabins and camping spaces as well the opportunity to take part in various recreational activities.

If a relaxing vacation seaside is more your idea of fun, then maybe the Cape Henry Inn on Fort Story is the perfect location. As one of the Armed Forces Recreation Center Resorts, this facility provides an affordable seaside vacation for all military members and their families. Choose from hotel rooms, cottages, bungalows, and even log cabins, all with spectacular views and access to the Atlantic Ocean.

The Cottages at Dam Neck in Virginia Beach also offers the opportunity to enjoy the balmy Virginia summer on the Atlantic coast. They offer two and three bedroom oceanfront cottages for weekly rental during the peak summer months at very affordable prices.

While you are in the Virginia area, maybe you should venture north for a visit to our Nation's Capital. Only about 3-4 hours from the Virginia Beach/Williamsburg area, you will find more to do in DC then you have time to do it. With most of the attractions being free, it can be an affordable vacation for the family. With the numerous military installations in the DC, Virginia and Maryland area, you should also have no problem finding nice, affordable lodging.  A good place to start is with Bolling Air Force Base in DC or Ft. Belvoir in Virginia.

Ah yes, Hawaii, a wonderful tropical destination which can cost you an arm and a leg to enjoy. However, again there are some great facilities to take advantage of that can make even this resort destination affordable. Another facility that is a member of the Armed Forces Recreation Center Resorts is the Hale Koa, located right on the beach at Waikiki, Oahu. The mission statement of the Hale Koa is, "to operate a first class hotel and recreation facility at affordable prices for military members and their families." Almost sounds too good to be true but I can attest that it is everything it claims to be!

While there may be affordable lodging on Hawaii, I know you are thinking about the expense to get there. Well, this is where the real adventure comes in. You could consider the idea of Space A flight travel. Yes, taking a MAC flight! While this can be risky because you are essentially flying standby, it can also be the cheapest way you will ever get from one destination to another. You have to carefully consider this option but if you are able to adjust your travel dates on either end of your trip, this could be the perfect solution. There are quite a few websites that offer advice and support for Space A travel, so performing an Internet search is a great place to start. When our family traveled Space A to Europe, we found this Space A site to be very useful.

You can get great deals on either end of California, but let's start down south in San Diego. Once again, you have Sea World there, so you can take advantage of their Waves of Honor offer and enjoy a day with Shamoo. With the gorgeous beaches, fabulous restaurants and numerous entertainment options, San Diego is an all-inclusive destination. There are several bases in the San Diego area that offer lodging. Take a look at the Navy Lodge North Island NAS or the Navy Lodge San Diego Naval Base.

Camp Pendleton is another fabulous resource for great billeting! The base offers two different beach cottages for rent, which have direct beach access and incredible ocean views. They also have a large number of full service RV beachfront campsites at both locations. This is a summer treat that is hard to beat!

If your travels take you to Northern California, be sure to look into the Marines' Memorial Club. This is not considered a "military lodging" facility, but rather a club/hotel exclusively for uniformed services personnel, active duty and retirees and their guests. This club/hotel is a living memorial to Marines who lost their lives in the Pacific during WWII. With rates a bit higher than the other facilities mentioned, it is still considerably less than what you will find for other hotels in the area. It is right in the heart of San Francisco with easy access to cable cars and other area attractions and it is an absolutely stunning hotel.

Let’s take this opportunity to venture far from home and bask in the beauty of the Bavarian Alps in Germany. The Edelweiss resort offers high-adventure in one of the premier sporting areas in Germany. They offer spacious guest rooms and cozy log cabins nestled in amongst the picturesque Alps with access to wellness clubs, pools, spas, dining, and guided tours. This is an amazing place to visit year-round!

If Asia appeals to you, then the Dragon Hill Lodge in Seoul, South Korea is the perfect destination. Located in the heart of Seoul, you will be able to explore the rich and diverse culture that is South Korea. Visit museums, art exhibits, teahouses, landmarks and more. The resort offers beautiful rooms, access to health club, pool, dining, and lounges.

With the number of airlines charging fees for checked baggage, it is beneficial to check the various airlines ahead of time to see if they offer to waive the fees for active duty military and/or their dependents. These fees certainly can add to the bottom line of vacation expenses, so choosing an airline that does not charge extra fees can free up money for other items.

If your plans do not take you far from home this summer, be sure to check with your local ITT/MWR office for discounted tickets to attractions in your area. As a general rule of thumb, try presenting your military ID when checking out at stores and restaurants, or just ask if various places offer military discounts. You might just be surprised how many places will give you 10% off of your purchases.

Wherever your travels take you and your family this summer, we hope that it is a safe and fun journey and hopefully we have inspired you to find a great new destination.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Courtyard Virginia Hotels |"Alexandria, VA Hotel Hosts Technical Rescue Association of Virginia Challenge"

Source :http://www.vanewsfeed.com
Category : Courtyard Virginia Hotels
By: vanewsfeed
Posted By: Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Saving lives is not a shortcoming to take lightly, and staying in
top form is critical so rescuers can respond fast and
Courtyard Virginia Beach Hotels
Courtyard Virgina Beach
efficiently. This past May, a Courtyard Alexandria Pentagon South, near Ronald Reagan Airport, had a respect of hosting a Technical Rescue Association of Virginia for their annual Rescue Challenge,helping area initial responders master their life-saving skills.

More than 150 initial responders from Northern Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania spent 4 days during this hotel in Alexandria, Virginia,
where they were given a charge of completing dual rescue scenarios each day (a sum of 8 scenarios). In an allotted volume of time, the
men and women were given hurdles such as high-angle wire rescue,
confined-space rescue, ditch rescue, vehicle/heavy machine rescue
and light and complicated constructional fall rescue. In serve to being
a earthy challenge, a eventuality is also an eventuality for members of
the village to accommodate on an annual basement and sell ideas.

According to a Technical Rescue Association of Virginia, “Rescue
Challenge is not a competition. Instead, it is an eventuality for
highly lerned teams to benefit believe by participating in realistic
scenarios that exam their skills and knowledge.”

The staff during a Courtyard by Marriott Pentagon South were means to
observe some of a scenarios, that gave them serve appreciation
for a work of initial responders. “We were in astonishment and unapproachable to have
witnessed a skills and imagination of these organisation and women,” Angela
Carrick, a Courtyard’s Director of Sales and Marketing, said. “It
was a fun to have this organisation stay with us and we were all very
humbled after listening to some of their stories and training of what
they have encountered. Most of all, we were and are really beholden to
these organisation and women, meaningful that they could potentially save our
lives one day.”

About a Courtyard Alexandria Pentagon South
Offering easy access to worldly Washington, D.C. and ancestral Alexandria, the
Courtyard Alexandria Pentagon South is a intelligent choice for today’s
traveler, either in city for business or leisure. This contemporary
hotel’s accommodations underline gentle beds with 33-thread-count
linens, feathery pillows and down comforters; a work table with
ergonomic chair; nominal Wi-Fi and a 32-inch TV. If work is
what brings a traveler here, this Alexandria hotel is well-equipped
with a business core and 2,200 block feet of eventuality space, ideal
for meetings and amicable functions. When it’s time to unwind, head
into D.C. to revisit a White House, vital museums and iconic
monuments, spend a day selling or dining nearby Old Town Alexandria or
explore pleasing Mount Vernon. Or, conduct to this hotel’s fitness
center or indoor pool for a boost of energy. Courtyard Bistro offers
breakfast and dinner. Getting around is easy with complimentary
shuttle use to and from Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA), the
Pentagon City metro and a BRAC-133 DOD building.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Local Attraction At Virginia Beach|"Best Hotels in Virginia Beach"

Source : http://www.9dragonsguide.info
Category : Local Attraction At Virginia Beach
By : 9dragonsguide
Posted By : Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Virginia Beach is considered as one of the marvelous resort destinations in entire United States. Virginia Beach has a lot to offer to the visitors except pristine beaches that stretched over miles such as historically significant sites like Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown with contemporary sites like Newport News and Norfolk. It is like a perfect retreat of sand and surf attracting people from all round the world. It also offers exciting and energetic boardwalk with some of the best leisure and recreation options in form of amusement parks,sto credits, wildlife refuge and many more that it will become hard for you to resist yourself.
Hotels in Virginia BEach North Courtyard
Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach is an ideal vacations destination for entire family as there is something for everyone to amuse and entertain. It is always better to book room in city hotel prior visiting the city as it is difficult to find on the spot reservations of the room. One would find a range of accommodation in form of high cost luxury to several cheap and budget hotels. Sheraton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel,star trek credits, the Jefferson,star trek credits, Palomar Arlington,star trek online credits, Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront and many more to add to the list.

Sheraton Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel is one of the best and the most popular hotels of Virginia Beach. This hotel is famous for offering some of the best and the most exotic views of Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. This magnificent hotel is ideally situated at the northern end of the Virginia Beach Boardwalk always keeping you right amidst the excitement and fun of the Virginia Beach. The hotel offers a range of contemporary amenities and facilities in form of swimming pool, high speed internet connection,sto credits, television and telephone etc for making your stay pleasant and convenient.

Palomar is a very stylish and most sophisticated hotel of Virginia. The rooms of the hotel are very elegantly and tastefully decorated and are equipped with a range of amenities and facilities. The hotel is designed by world famous architecture firm known as Freed & Partners, Pei and Cobb. The hotel is ideally situated facing the historic Potomac River enabling the guests to enjoy the exceptional and stunning views of the river. This hotel also acts as a great base for the people heading towards the Washington DC.

The amenities and facilities of the hotel include a business center,star trek online credits, meeting rooms for relatively smaller groups, wireless internet access, business services and many more. The rooms of the hotel are laced with leisure and comfort providing equipments such as air-conditioning, hypo-allergenic bedding, LCD televisions, telephone, in room massage and housekeeping. It also exhibits a state-of-the-art Fitness Center available for round the clock.

The Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront hotel is another magnificent hotel that offers great exquisite views of Atlantic coast. This is considered as one of the premier hotels of Virginia Beach. The hotel is famous for offering superior and luxurious first class accommodation. It also accommodates two award winning restaurants famous for serving a range of local seafood and international cuisine.

The hotel is ideally situated in close proximity with boardwalk and oceanfront and just minutes away from famous Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center. Your stay at Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront hotel will always keep you right in the middle of all the happenings.

Virginia Oceanfront Hotels| "Virginia Beach"

Source       :  spellboundcopy.com
Category   :  Virginia Oceanfront Hotels
By              :  spellbound
Posted By  :  Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard
Virginia Beach is a beautiful beach that encompasses a large area between the Chesapeake Bay to the North Carolina line. In fact, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge tunnel that connects the Virginia’s Eastern shore with the mainland near Norfolk is a great tourist attraction too. It is a 17.6-mile tunnel that connects three beaches.
Virginia Oceanfront Hotels
There is a wide variety of lodging choices and you wouldn’t have a hard time searching for cheap hotels in Virginia Beach. The resort area boasts a line of big hotels, restaurants, and souvenir shops. There are many great condos, and vacation rental properties. If you are more into nature, there are great camping choices with some campgrounds that offer camping right on the beach.
Aside from the beach, here are some attractions that you shouldn’t let pass:
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
This refuge includes more than three hundred species of birds. Each spring a variety of migrating shorebirds and songbirds take refuge at this Bay. A large flock of waterfowl can be seen here during the winter months. Migrating snow geese, tundra swans and ducks reside around the coastline in this period. The refuge also features maritime forests, large sand dunes, ponds, ocean beach and large impoundments for waterfowl. You can access these habitats by bikes, marsh trails, a boardwalk overlook and the beach itself.
Boardwalk
A 3-mile pedestrian walk with restaurants, ferris wheel and live entertainment in the summer months.
Harbor Park
Come see The Tides, a Triple A affiliate team of the Baltimore Orioles, play a home game.
Museums
Many great museums to choose from: Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, Atlantic Waterfowl Heritage Museum, Virginia Air and Space Museum and Old Coast Guard Station Museum just to name a few.
False Cape State Park
One of the last underdeveloped wilderness parks near the Atlantic. Vehicular traffic is not allowed. Gain access by foot, bike, local transporter, boat or tram. Camp right on the beach and explore some of the 4000 acres in the state park.
Virginia Beach is known and loved because of its marvelous beaches and pleasant weather. You can find various activities at the beach including jet skiing, parasailing, surfing and much more. Watching sea creatures in their natural habitat is an activity that is enjoyed by the whole family together.
Winter months are the best if you are planning to do whale watching in Virginia. Whales migrate through the Virginia Beach from the month of December to March. If you visit in the summer, you can watch a variety of dolphins including bottlenose dolphins that usually swim in groups. Dolphin spotting season starts from June and ends in early September.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Hotels With Ocean Views VA | "JA Ocean View Hotel excels as newest addition to JA Resorts and Hotels portfolio"

Source      :   http://www.ameinfo.com
Category   :  Hotels With Ocean View VA
By             :  Dubai Business | AMEinfo
Posted By  :  Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

JA Ocean View Hotel, the only four-star beach hotel on 'The Walk' at JBR, continues to excel after only four months of operation in one of Dubai's most popular areas. The hotel became the first new hotel to officially open under the JA Resorts and Hotels brand when it welcomed its first guests on 22 December 2012.
Virginia Oceanfront Hotels
Hotels with oceanfront
Year to date occupancy for JA Ocean View Hotel is 91% and over 78,000 guests have been welcomed to the 338 rooms and suites, all with sea views and balconies. The statistics indicate a healthy mix of international and local leisure guests, families and young couples, in line with the hotel's original positioning.

"We're thrilled to see the international and local markets' response to the varied offering at JA Ocean View Hotel," said David Thomson, Chief Operating Officer for JA Resorts & Hotels. "While most of our facilities are in fact of five-star standard, the association of our four-star classification with a casual beach holiday atmosphere is clearly a huge draw, as we expected. 'The Walk' is a vibrant area that promotes discovery, making it an ideal location for this kind of product."

The bright and breezy beach hotel features six restaurants and bars with concepts that have been well received by both local residents and hotel guests. Within weeks of introducing Girders, the British bar with a Gaelic twist was nominated as 'Best New Pub' in the recent Time Out Dubai Nightlife Awards.

Fogo Vivo is the hotel's speciality Brazilian grill, Le Rivage the all-day dining restaurant, Caffè Via the 24-hour Italian café and The Deck offers al fresco dining overlooking the infinity swimming pool. With stunning sea views on the 25th floor, The Whistler serves Dubai Marina's largest selection of vintages by the glass, along with 200 bottle choices and 50 artisanal cheeses in a dedicated walk-in fromagerie.

Leisure guests have plenty of options for relaxation and activities, with beach access just steps away from the infinity pool overlooking the Arabian Gulf and The Palm Jumeirah. Calm Spa, Calm Salon, a gymnasium, jacuzzi, sauna and steam room are just some of the other hotel facilities, along with family features like the shaded children's pool and CoolZone kids club for children between 3 and 11 years.

This May will mark the first Arabian Travel Market for JA Resorts & Hotels, which rebranded in Q4 2012. In addition to meeting with main tour operator partners, travel agents and media, the company will also promote its e-learning programme for the travel trade. Furthermore, the group will launch summer offers to the local and international markets for all its properties, including JA Palm Tree Court, JA Jebel Ali Beach Hotel and JA Oasis Beach Tower. The company also manages Hatta Fort Hotel and Bateaux Dubai.

Monday, July 8, 2013

Hotels With Ocean Views VA | "Top 10 tips for a road trip alone"

Source      :   http://solotravelerblog.com
Category   :  Hotels With Ocean View VA
By             :  Solotraveler
Posted By  :  Hotels in Virginia Beach North Courtyard

Naturally, if you’re going to do a road trip alone, you’ll want to love driving. Long hours in the car can be physically taxing when you’re the only driver but the compensation is that you can take any detour you want, listen to any radio station or talking book that interests you, change your schedule on a whim… the list goes on.
Oceanfront Hotels In Virginia
Solo Trip
If long-distance driving is something you enjoy, and the idea of going your own sweet way is appealing,  here’s the rest of what you need to know for a great trip.

1. Setting your schedule.

Getting the pace right is a big part of a trip’s success. I’ve found that, generally, I need three days per destination. If I have four destinations, I need twelve days. I might be able to get away with ten but it’s important not to squeeze too much into too few days. If you do, you’ll miss lots and find that all you do is drive. I also don’t plan to drive too far on any one day. Five hours is about my maximum and, even though I’m not typically an early riser, I like to leave early in the morning. I’m up at 6am and away by 6:30am to beat the traffic and arrive at my destination by noon.

2. Choose a theme – know the highlights you want to hit.

In France, it was history. I wanted to see the Bayeux Tapestry and also Juno Beach where the Canadians landed on D-Day. In Arizona it was Monument Valley – could those landscapes from old western movies be real? Going around Lake Ontario I was visiting wineries. Every road trip I take has some sort of focus. Know what yours is and identify the places you just have to get to. Then use this information as you plan your route.

3. Use multiple tools to plan – the love of a good map.

On my most recent trip, to the American southwest, I found myself using two maps. One was a map of the Four Corners by National Geographic called Trail of the Ancients. It had great information on places of interest. The other was a standard road map. (National Geographic has many maps that offer some guide information as well.) In addition, I used Google maps which I find cumbersome for choosing routes but great for determining what the drive time will be.

4. Insurance – Make sure you’re covered.

First, travel insurance. I never travel without it– no matter what. Depending on the coverage you buy, it can reimburse the cost of items such as doctor fees, medical examinations, cost of medication and even hotel accommodations. More importantly, it may cover the cost of getting someone you love to your bedside after a medical emergency or return you to your home if that’s necessary.

I asked Insurance Hunter, the sponsor of this post for their top tip when buying travel insurance. Kevin Illsley, Operations Manager said, “When you are looking into the best travel insurance for yourself be sure to review the ‘Single Trip’ and ‘Annual’ plans, to ensure you are getting the best coverage for your needs.” Also make sure that you carry your travel insurance details with you, especially the contact numbers for roadside assistance.

Then, car insurance. If you’re renting a car for your road trip, check with your insurance company and credit cards first to find out what kind of coverage you have through them. This could affect what kind of coverage you buy from the rental agency. At the agency, there are a number of insurance questions you need to ask:
How much does the coverage cost?

What type of collision coverage is offered and what is included in this coverage?
Who is insured under the coverage?
Is there a deductible associated with the coverage?
Is liability insurance part of the coverage?
Is there any item that could possibly void your insurance coverage for your rental car?
Is roadside assistance available as part of your coverage?
What steps need to be taken if you get into an accident?

5. Packing – car trip specific.

Pack light. I know I say this all the time but whether you’re staying at hostels, B&B’s or hotels, you are going to be lugging your luggage in and out whenever you move on to a new destination. Having just one bag to carry makes life much easier. Here’s a link to my Bare Minimum Packing post for a bit of guidance on how to pack light.

For  your car, it’s a good idea to bring along a roll of duct tape, a multi-head screwdriver, a couple of flares, a pair of pliers, vise grips and maybe a coat hanger or two to hold up the muffler should it fall off. You’ll want a good first-aid kit and a blanket. And I always travel with almonds and water in the car though you may want to take that further and have a cooler of food so you can picnic along the way.

6. Use multiple navigation tools to keep you on track.

Navigation when you’re on the road alone can be a bit of a challenge. A GPS is essential but that’s not all you need. Your GPS can be out of date or, if you’re in a city with tall buildings, it can have trouble reaching the satellite and give you wrong information. In addition to a GPS, I like to have a compass as it confirms my direction and map ensuring that the GPS is sending me along the route that I want to go. It’s also helpful to know that in the U.S.:
Two-digit Interstates often go directly through cities while three-digit interstates go around them.
Odd-numbered highways run north to south and even-numbered ones run east-west.

7. Safety #1 – your vehicle.

Have your car tuned up and inspected at least a week before you leave. This will give you time for any repairs that are required. Car Talk recommends the following items be checked. You can click on any of them to go to the Car Talk site for details.

  • The Cooling System
  • The Tires
  • Steering and Suspension
  • Change the Oil
  • Air Conditioning System
  • Check the Tranny


8. Safety #2 – you.

Start your drive early in the morning:

  • You’re less tired and more alert.
  • The roads will have less traffic making the drive more enjoyable.
  • You’ll arrive in daylight with time to find your accommodation if you haven’t already booked it.

When you’re driving, make sure your doors are locked and (need I say this?) you’re wearing your seat belt.  Be mindful of where you park your car. Try to park near an entrance to a mall or hotel. The lot may be busy when you arrive but if it’s empty when you leave you won’t enjoy a long walk across a vacant parking lot. If your trip takes you along roads with little traffic, consider getting a full size spare tire rather than a donut tire that can only go a short distance. You can get an affordable, decent quality spare tire at a used tire store. As per Tip 4, have bottled water with you.

9. Stay in touch.

Let someone at home know your route, when you leave and when you arrive at your destinations. A quick text message is all it takes. If you have WiFi, use skype or send a quick email. That’s all it takes. If you want to avoid roaming charges consider getting a SIM card for an unlocked phone. Read Travel Technology: Increase your security and reduce costs for lots of advice on staying in touch while on the road.

10. Slow down, go local – radio, diners, diversions

Slow down, save on gas and enjoy the scenery and the scene. On my trip through the southwest I listened to KGHR 91.3 Native Radio. Listening to this station, I learned what was going on in Tuba City, what the native people care about, the values they hold and much more. It’s a wonderful aspect of travel that is most easily enjoyed on a road trip. Hungry for lunch? Look for the diner in a small town and you’re sure to get some local flavor from the people as well as the food. Sometimes a local museum is the one that you’ll find yourself telling people about years later. Don’t overlook what may appear to be small experiences as they may be the most memorable.