Coral Gables, Florida

Village of Merrick Park Celebrates Man’s Best Friend
With The Doggy Days of Summer Events

Throughout the summer, Village of Merrick Park invites travelers with dogs to bring their leashed pooches to the pet friendly shopping destination for an afternoon dedicated to man’s best friend.

The center kicks off the summer series on Sunday, July 12 with a Pooch-A-Palooza of doggy-centric action including a dog parade in The Garden which will begin promptly at 3:00 PM. Village of Merrick Park Doggy Days of Summer will take place every Sunday from 2:00 to 6:00 PM through August. Guests may enjoy special treats and in-store promotions from participating restaurants and shops. Bring along Fido and dine al fresco at one of Village of Merrick Park’s many dog friendly restaurants with outdoor seating, including the newly opened Yard House as well as Villagio, Via Quadronno, C’est Bon Café, and Nordstrom ebar.

Throughout the summer, out of town guests who pick up the Village of Merrick Park Premier Passport, featuring exclusive savings and offers, will also receive a special gift just for their pooch. The Premier Passport is available at the Nordstrom Customer Service desk on the 3rd floor. In participation with Doggy Days of Summer, the newly opened, pet friendly EPIC Hotel in downtown Miami is offering a special Summer Playground package starting at $199/night. Guests and their pets also receive EPIC’s standard pet-friendly amenities, also complimentary – a doggy bed, toy and gift.

For more information or reservations, go to www.epichotel.com and use code PLGD to book.

Village of Merrick Park is recognized as one of America's Premier Shopping Places www.AmericasShoppingPlaces.com

Napa, California

Napa Fresh Aire Festival Enriching the Body, Soul & Planet,
Featuring Dr. Andrew Weil.

Dr. Andrew Weil

A new kind of festival is coming to wine country: the Napa Fresh Aire Festival—a weekend of total health, wellness and renewal, with programs and outdoor activities featuring Dr. Andrew Weil and over 60 leading authorities devoted to personal well-being and eco-conscious living.

Friday-Sunday, August 28-30, 2009, programs and activities will take place in Napa at The Westin Verasa, as well as the AVIA Hotel, Napa Valley Opera House, Oxbow Public Market, River Terrace Inn and Umpqua Bank.

Festival highlights will include:

Guest Speakers on wellness, nutrition, fitness, gardens and green living. Yoga classes plus Pilates, Tai Chi, Reiki, Nia, dance, stretching and more, outdoor Fitness Boot Camp, Chi Running®, Kettlebell and Self-Myofascial Release with foam rollers; *plus hiking, biking and kayaking with Napa Valley Adventure Tours.

Panel discussions, Special Lunches, Cooking Demos, Concert by two-time Grammy® Award-winning “Wings” guitarist Laurence Juber, Benefit “Blue Zones” Reception with Dr. Weil and other featured presenters, the Fresh Aire Expo featuring traditional, alternative, spiritual health, fitness and recreation, and eco-conscious products and services; and an ongoing Wellness Area offering sample treatments and demonstrations of health and healing modalities.

Visitors can stay within walking distance from programs, activities and evening events at The Westin Verasa, River Terrace Inn and other nearby hotels.

For more information on the Napa Fresh Aire Festival’s three-day program, list of presenters, activities, lodging packages and more, please visit www.napafreshairefest.com

Ruidoso, New Mexico

Annual Ruidoso Art Festival Features Music, Dance, Food – and Art

The Ruidoso Convention Center will be transformed into a chamber of wonders when more than 150 artists gather for the 38th annual Ruidoso Art Festival, sponsored by Ruidoso Valley Chamber of Commerce, July 23-26, 2009.

This multi-room tour of fabulous shapes and colors hammered and woven into a myriad of forms will feature artists from around the nation specializing in every major category. Each booth is a microcosm of a larger artistic world, each with its unique visions and artifacts. New this year will be wine tasting of New Mexico wines and gourmet food vendors.

Events begin Thursday evening, July 23, with a performance by world-renown cellist Zuill Bailey at the Performing Arts Hall on Warrior Drive, hosted by the Chamber Music Festival Committee. Tickets are $30. Call 1-866-375-7370.

The Festival opens July 24 at noon at the Convention Center. The Festival continues July 25. Art show hours are 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., followed by a Gallery Walk, 6 - 8 p.m., Saturday’s activities also include a salsa dance class, 4 - 6 p.m.; Mexican Buffet, 6 p.m.; and the Sister's Morales Salsa Dance Concert, 8 p.m., all hosted by the Spencer Theater for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $39.
The Festival concludes July 26, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Visit www.RuidosoNow.com/artfest for more information.

Thomasville, Georgia

Lapham-Patterson House

Historic Thomasville Georgia ~ A step back in time
by Linda S. Manning, Author and Photographer

Thomasville, Georgia takes pride in the good life by way of clean air, thousands of Pine, Oak and Dogwood trees and hundred’s of varieties of Rose bushes. With low crime and an affordable cost of living, Thomasville is a draw for the newly retired or trend setters of today. A population in the region of 20,000 and a four season climate with an average high of 78° and an average low of 55°, Thomasville is located less than 3 hours from Jacksonville, Florida, 45 miles W of I-75 at Valdosta, Georgia, 35 miles NE of Tallahassee, Florida and in the center of what is referred to as the Red Hills.

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