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Challenge Yourself and Head To The Slopes In New York, USA

Posted on | January 12, 2012 | No Comments

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By Megan Gates, an active blogger who provides written work to the blogosphere pertaining to NYC Rentals, Hamptons Real Estate Listings, home improvement and the latest architecture, design, fashion and travel.  Follow her on twitter @MEGatesDesign.

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Winter means snow and with that comes skiing and snowboarding, but you do not have to head to Colorado, Utah, Lake Tahoe or other extravagant ski lodges around the world to enjoy some of the best slopes in the world. Most people do not know that New York has more resorts than any other state in America. Grab your family and friends and enjoy the Catskill Mountains, or take a trip to the Adirondacks. With 50 areas to choose from beginners and advanced skiers will find a resort that will challenge their skills.

Whiteface in Lake Placid is known as the Olympic Mountain and is the most popular resort in New York. Head to the top of the mountain and enjoy breathtaking views of the Adirondack peaks. With 86 trails to choose from you will not be disappointed. If you like cross country skiing Whiteface has world class runs that will get your heart pumping and provide you with a total body workout. Ice skaters will love to lace up and head to the indoor or outdoor rink. Even if you have never put on a pair of skates you will want to check out the Speed Skating Oval. Bobsled rides will get your adrenalin pumping and if you want to see what it is like to be an Olympic athlete go for a rumble with a professional driver. After the ride you will be awarded with a lapel pin, t-shirt and a team photo.

If you are up to the challenge spend the weekend at Gore Mountain. Stay in a delightful bed and breakfast, or opt for a fully serviced lodge. Most accommodations are close to the mountain and offer excellent discount packages. Some even include your lift tickets. The kids can take lessons while you hone your skills. There are 428 acres of skiable terrain for all levels. After a long day on the slopes get a Pine Knot Remover massage at the base lodge, sip a hot apple cider in front of the fire and talk about the days adventures.

Windham Mountain features a quaint village and is an excellent resort, especially for families. The big mountain has a base lodge that has everything you need. You can rent your equipment and enjoy a leisurely lunch while you get ready for an afternoon of swooshing down the slopes. You will get to the top of the mountain in no time at all as Windham has ten lifts. Snowboarders will love the big jumps and challenge themselves with night skiing. Take the kids ice skating or spend a day at the tubing park. Windham Mountain is easy to get to and is much more than a resort.

Holiday Valley is a big resort, and even if it is crowded you will still be able to enjoy the slopes. Day and night skiers will love the challenging trails which are serviced by 13 lifts. Stay at the Tamarack club at the Holiday Valley Resort which is walking distance from the Creekside, Cindy’s and Mardi Gras Chair lifts. Stay in a one, two or three bedroom condo, or bunk up in a deluxe hotel room. After a long day of skiing or snowboarding relax in the cedar sauna or have a swim in the indoor heated pool.

Maple Ski Ridge is perfect for beginners and if you and your family want to learn how to traverse across the mountain you could not ask for a better resort. There are lesson packages that include your lift tickets and are perfect for skiers and boarders of all ages. Best of all, season passes are incredibly affordable.

Start planning your vacation as there are some incredible New York ski packages available for you, your family and your friends to enjoy.

Talent Is Like a Faucet

Posted on | December 28, 2011 | No Comments

One mistake new writers often make is thinking that their good ideas are somehow finite. They may be overly careful about writing about an idea that is near and dear to them, or they may worry that they’ll one day run out of material. While writer’s block is certainly common, in reality talent is like a faucet—something that you can draw on continuously, as long as you know how to keep it flowing. Here are some tips for avoiding writer’s block and keeping your ideas coming.

• Keep a Notebook: Although it’s arguable whether you can “teach” people to be writers, keeping a writer’s notebook is the one best trick I learned in college for keeping good ideas flowing. A writer’s notebook isn’t a journal or a diary—it’s a place for recording those observations, snippets of dialogue, and lightbulb ideas that come to you throughout the day. The trick here is getting in the habit of observation: the more you record, the more you’ll notice about the world around you.
• Write It Down Now: No, you won’t remember that good idea in the morning, no matter how hard you try. Don’t let your ideas slip through your fingers by making the classic mistake of failing to write it down right now.
• It’s Not Stupid: Maybe you have an image in your head or a story idea that just seems plain stupid, off the wall, or without a concrete structure. If something inspires you or piques your interest for whatever reason, don’t throw it away, even if you don’t understand it. Oftentimes, anything from a simple phrase to an idea for a character can set off a flood of material once you start writing about it.
• Riff on Other Media: Stuck without ideas or feeling particularly uninspired? Take an interesting story you’ve read, movie you’ve seen, or song you’ve heard, and reprise it. Rewrite it from another character’s perspective, expand on a storyline, or just steal a setting or character. This exercise can draw out ideas and keep your creative energy flowing, even on an off day.
• Write Every Day: Creativity is like a muscle; exercising it is key for keeping it in shape. Write every day, even when you don’t feel inspired, and you’ll be surprised what you can come up with.

For more writing tips and reading material, check out the blogs over at Book Review Blogs.

Bloggers Are Not Writers

Posted on | December 26, 2011 | 1 Comment

Blogging isn’t writing—and I don’t mean that as a bad thing. Sure, the two disciplines use a lot of the same basic tenets, sort of in the ways sprinting and marathon running both involve putting one foot in front of the other. However, when it comes to daily practice, the two are actually quite different.

• Developing Ideas: Spurts vs. Sustained Writing: Whether you’re writing a short story or a book, in writing you tend to sit with your ideas a lot longer than you do in blogging. In blogging, it’s all about having interesting ideas, and having them often, whereas in longer writing forms, it’s all about turning the lightbulb moment into something larger and more intricate.
• Speed: Anyone who has ever tried blogging understands how fast you have to pump out posts in order to update multiple times a day. Speed is of the essence, so much so that mistakes and errors are common. The beauty of the blogging platform, however, is that the mistakes of speed can easily be brought to readers’ attention later.
• Revision: Non-blog writing is perhaps 90% revision. Few and far between are the writers who get anything good down on a first draft. In blogging, revision is necessary, of course, but it’s certainly not the most important aspect of the craft; initial inspiration often trumps perfection.
• Sociability: Bloggers are expected to interact with readers, other bloggers, and the outside world in general. The blogger, unlike the writer, isn’t holed up in a closet or in a remote cottage in the woods penning their masterpiece; their work is expected to be social in nature.

This article was provided by Article Writing Services.

WBFC 26 – GFC

Posted on | October 22, 2011 | 26 Comments

Joining Weekend Blog Follower Caravan this week brought to readers by  Chika Bits and Dens Online. Join and get a chance to win 5$!

To all who will drop by, be rest assured that I will visit you even if I’m late. Thanks for the understanding!

BC Bloggers

Posted on | October 9, 2011 | No Comments

Truth be told…I know nothing about blogging. I just write stuff for a friend to post on www.keenwriters.com. That’s all. This friend who herself has a number of blogs do all the work…so to say even link building and layouting and even having this blog monetized.

She said that links make your blog popular which I don’t really follow…but since I trust her I am joining BC Bloggers on its 3rd edition.

Just click on this badge if you plan to build a readership of your own. P.S. This is not actually me writing this piece. It’s my friend who I’ve entrusted this blog with.