Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Arthritic Phil Mickelson turns vegetarian

I wonder if Phil Mickelson ever thought about the consequences of turning forty and the possible unwelcome side-effects?


Five days before the U.S. Open (and right before his big birthday), Mickelson awakened with "intense pain" and couldn't move. Lefty's doctor visit found him to be suffering from psoriatic arthritis but a weekly treatment of shots seems to have put the symptoms under control.

A friend of mine once mentioned that turning forty was no picnic; to be wary of the bevy of doctors visits, new meds that you will be taking, etc... and now I'm getting worried!


From doctor's visits to a 'one-eighty' turnaround in diet, Phil Mickelson is a changed man. A veggie burger doesn't really taste like the real thing, no matter how much you tell yourself it does but, after a few bites, it's not so bad.

Mickelson said of his new-and-improved diet, "As long as I believe that there’s a possibility that it will help me overall, yeah, I’ll continue to do that. If it will somehow keep this in remission or stop it from coming back, yeah, I’ll be able to do it. But I haven’t been put it to the real test. The real test is driving by a Five Guys and not stopping.” Five Guys is the Burger Joint in which Phil bit bought into.

A few parting words from Mickelson? "I’m probably not as sharp as I would like to be."

Monday, August 09, 2010

Golf in the Coastal Provinces of Atlantic Canada

I must admit, when I first accepted the assignment to spread the word about the once-in-a-lifetime Golf Coastal Canada Adventure contest, I didn't know much about Atlantic Canada, its provinces or heritage. A bit of internet research and a passion for golf and travel led me to reasons why I want to visit 'The True North Strong and Free'.

Map of Canada

For those golfers who have never ventured into Atlantic Canada, there are four distinct provinces with flavors all their own: Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

The Atlantic provinces are not only meant for vacationers seeking to play golf at some amazing courses, but they are also filled with endless dining and cultural opportunities, making this a "must-see" region for those searching for a multifaceted Canadian adventure.

Prince Edward Island (PEI or 'the Island' for short) is the smallest and greenest province where it is said 'the air and water are fresh and clean'. PEI is known for fresh lobster and Malpeque oysters harvested straight from the bay! With over fifty lighthouses and ninety island beaches, the home of "Big Break XI" will tempt you with it's natural wonders and challenging golf courses!

River Mill Golf Club is the site of Big Break XI, but I understand that two of the courses featured in the contest, Green Gables and Crowbush, are equally considered "must-plays" on Prince Edward Island.

Green Gables, recently updated by Thomas McBroom and on the North Shore is "a scenic, ocean-side course with rolling greens guarded by deep bunkers, six water holes, an ever changing breeze".

Crowbush Cove
Crowbush Aerial View
Crowbush Golf and Beach Resort has a five-star, four diamond rating. The Links at Crowbush Cove on the eastern side of PEI have received numerous accolades from Golfers Choice awards to Best Scenery and Best Condition. Although beautiful, she is also known to be challenging, laden with pot bunkers and water hazards.


When visiting New Brunswick, you won't know whether to spend your time walking the sandy beaches, discovering the reversing falls or enjoying spectacular golf courses. Why not do it all?

Fairmont Algonquin
Fairmont Algonquin
From the Algonquin, redesigned and one of the oldest and most challenging golf courses in Canada to Kingswood Golf Course (seven water hazards in the first six holes), the choice of which golf club to pull from your bag will depend on the topography and direction of the wind.


Nova Scotia (Canada's Ocean Playground) and Newfoundland (called 'The Rock'), round out the four provinces in Atlantic Canada.

Nova Scotia, the most populous province and also the second smallest in area next to PEI, is surrounded by the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Bay of Fundy and the Atlantic Ocean (and their salmon is deliciously famous!) The two golf courses selected as part of the contest winner's prize are the classic layout of Highland Links which received numerous accolades including a 4 1/2 star rating from Golf Digest in 2008 and The Lakes Golf Club.

The Lakes Golf Club
The Lakes Golf Club
Overlooking Bras d'Or Lakes in the Cape Breton Region, the brand new Lakes Golf Club sits 150-feet above sea level. Designer Graham Cooke said of his new golf course, “Each golf hole at Ben Eoin will have an intriguing appearance and the course will have a balanced challenge so that all golfers will be able to have an unforgettable and entertaining experience,”

Newfoundland (and Labrador), the fourth of the Atlantic Canadian provinces, is nature at it's most grand, where I understand that there are whale and rare bird sightings!

The tranquil Humber Valley River and meandering lakes and streams set the pace at Humber Valley Resort's River Course.  Voted “Canada’s Best New Course 2007” by SCOREGolf Magazine, the River Course is an 18-hole, par 72 championship golf course measuring 7,199 yards. Gros Morne Resort (the second course featured in the contest) is centered in the middle of a National Park, a UNESCO Heritage Site and one of only 911 in the world considered as having "outstanding universal value."

Humber Valley River Course
Humber Valley Resort's River Course

As you can see, a visit to Coastal Canada's Atlantic Region is more than just a few rounds of golf, it's an adventure and should be part of any golfers "bucket list."

The Great Coastal Canada Golf Adventure is a nine-day vacation for four people covering all four Atlantic Canadian provinces!

Here is what the winner will receive if you win the contest:
  •  9 day adventure
  •  8 courses
  •  4 diverse provinces
  •  4 people total
  •  3 helicopter tours
  •  Endless dining and cultural opportunities
  •  1 all-expense paid trip
Read more about the Contest and Enter today


No purchase necessary. See complete rules for details. Open to New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania residents only.

Sunday, August 08, 2010

Garden State Fireworks at Peekskill Celebration 2010-Music by Train, "Hey Soul Sister"

Award-winning Garden State Fireworks created this great show at the 2010 Peekskill Celebration. If you wait until the end of this video you will hear that there was a fire on the barge but all turned out okay. The song playing in the background is "Hey Soul Sister" by Train.

I love fireworks displays! Lucky for me that there are plenty of fireworks in the Hudson Valley Region, from Peekskill to the great Macy's fireworks display in New York!

ENJOY!



Friday, August 06, 2010

Five Golf Tips from Michael Strahan?

Michael Strahan, fifteen year NY Giants football great, helps actor Brian Baumgartner from "The Office" with the mental side of golf in the webisode, "Golf Therapy: Life Lessons and the Pursuit of Par".

Here are five psychological tips that I took away from the video which Strahan has used on the football field but can also help you on the golf course:

1. Never let other golfers see you are tired.

2. Don't quit.

3. The only person who can beat you is you.

4. When you swing and you hit a bad shot, when you are thinking too much, your inside your own head and blocking yourself.

5. Get over the golf ball and say (don't scream like in the video), "I OWN you...this is MY field"

How much do YOU love this game?

Wednesday, August 04, 2010

The Great Coastal Canada Golf Adventure

This could well be the golf vacation of a lifetime! Golf Coastal Canada is giving away a unique golf adventure: nine days of extraordinary golf at many of the best courses in Atlantic Canada, including classics like Highland Links, Green Gables, and Algonquin.

 

ENTER NOW


Description of the Golf Travel Adventure

 

Highland Links in Nova Scotia


You will be flying across all four provinces - Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland - in a your very own private helicopter. Whoa!

 

The Ultimate Golf Adventure, includes:

  •  9 day adventure
  •  8 courses
  •  4 diverse provinces
  •  4 people
  •  3 helicopter tours
  •  Endless dining and cultural opportunities
  •  1 all-expense paid trip

 

Grab your golf clubs and pick your three favorite playing partners because Golf Coastal Canada may be sending your foursome on the golf vacation of a lifetime!

 

Enter Today!

 

 

Posted via email from stacysolomon's posterous

Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Nine natural reasons to vacation in New Hampshire

Moose family
Moose with babies in New Hampshire
From the scenic White Mountains Forest Preserve to the numerous waterfalls and covered bridges, New Hampshire is truly a nature lover's paradise!

The USA is filled with natural preserves but sometimes it is up to us to go out and discover them, and so we did on a recent trip to the Mt. Washington Valley, North Conway area.

Here are a few reasons to seek out nature in New Hampshire:

1. Moose will forage by the side of the road offering the perfect "photo-opp". In our case, this mom (called a "cow") brought her little ones along; unfortunately this chance encounter caused a traffic jam right at the base of Mt. Washington!

2.Mt. Washington Auto Road: drive yourself 6,388 feet to the summit or take the guided van tour (both for a fee).

Before your adventure, ask the front desk for a tour of carriage house where you will see how travelers ventured up the mountain before modern conveniences!

Be aware: They make you "climb" the rocks to the stake at the top of the mountain and the view is awesome. Bring climbing shoes.

**Drive slowly up the mountain as the road is tight and there are no guardrails**

Mt. Washington SummitMt. Washington Summit
Mt. Washington Summit

3. Jackson Falls, Jackson New Hampshire: walk on the rocks along the river.
Your trip to Mt. Washington Valley NH will not be complete without driving through the turn of the century charm found in the small village of Jackson Falls. Two important stops are in the kissing bridge (yes, we did kiss) and at the Falls where walking on the rocks can be a spiritually uplifting event!

Jackson Falls
Jackson Falls, New Hampshire
See more of our pictures of Mt. Washington Valley, New Hampshire on our Facebook page (and friend us too!)

4. Although New Hampshire is known for its ski trails, why not take a ski lift in the middle of the summer? Our first adventure in the "nosebleed section" left us dangling our feet while gasping at the surrounding White Mountains.

5. The ski lift was only the first part of the adventure...part two was wondering about our descent! Easy choice was to Zip-line down the mountain. We chose Wildcat Mountain because of its proximity to Mt. Washington Auto Road and, at about 1/2 mile long, it has the longest cable line in New Hampshire. More thrills as you descend at about 40 mph but fun for all ages because it doesn't really feel that you are going that fast!

6. Appalachian Trail, Crystal Springs. Hiking is by far one of the easiest ways to get close to nature. The Trail passes through the White Mountains with different levels of difficulty to choose from. We chose the easy Crystal Springs trail so that, again, we could have a few photo opportunities while enjoying the cool comfort of the surrounding trees and waterfall/springs!

7. Playing golf is a great way to commune with nature. With so many lovely golf courses in New Hampshire, it is easy to pick a few that will leave you breathless. We chose North Conway CC and Omni Mount Washington Resort's Donald Ross Golf Course in Bretton Woods. The view of the mountains surrounded us for the entire two rounds while my golf balls "communed" with the trees and sand traps!

8. Another terrific family adventure is the Conway Scenic Railroad, where you are taken back through time riding on an authentic Pullman car seeing the natural pastures of New Hampshire.

9. Although I can ramble on all day about New Hampshire's natural wonders, no trip is complete without a visit to the spectacular Old Man of the Mountain.

From quaint inns to the beauty of your natural surroundings, our vacation to the Mt. Washington Valley region of New Hampshire gave us a reason to relax and forget the daily grind while returning to a more simple time.



New Hampshire
Just another beautiful day in Mount Washington Valley, New Hampshire!