The American tradition began after World War II and the building of the transcontinental highway system in the United States- the day trip. The time when the family gets together and drives off to some exciting destination for a day of fun, thrills, and relaxation. We live in a nation where work is the mainstay of life and we are expected to keep our noses to the grindstone five days a week anxious for Friday when the whistle blows at five o’clock signaling that work is done.

The family prepares for the Saturday day trip or maybe it is the Sunday day trip. Regardless, the day trip is as American as apple pie. Packing the car with food and water, extra clothes, perhaps a first-aid kit, and the absolutely necessary sunscreen. The last thing to do is to set the home alarm system before leaving the house. It’s a good thing we found such an inexpensive home security system.

I remember growing up in Southern California the wonderful day trips my dad would take us on. One of the more memorable was the time we went to Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Lake nestled in the mountains above the Los Angeles basin away from the smog and endless traffic jams. The clear mountain pine air filled my nostrils and the sun glistening across the lake gave it a surreal look. The two lakes sit side-by-side and are as different as night and day. Arrowhead is more untouched and beautiful than Big Bear Lake. But both lakes have appeal in their own right. I remember seeing a wild wolf for the first time crossing the road in front of us and realized how natural and unspoiled nature is amidst the sprawling mecca of modern society.

This year the nests are very low to the ground. I’m going to predict that we will have a winter with much less snow than last year. It will be interesting to see if that is the case. Right now, with the temperatures in the triple digits, I’m trying to stay cool by thinking about snow! How crazy is that?!

My wife and I were looking at the http://www.horizonmyrtlebeach.com web page to get a better idea of what are the Myrtle Beach best hotels for being able to spend some time at the beach, but also be close to the shows and amusement parks.  I’d like to have a Myrtle Beach hotel that is set up like a condo – with several bedrooms and a kitchen and living room.  We could share that with Mom & Dad to split the expense, but also have room to spread out and relax.

Here is one of my favorite Beatle tunes, thanks to YouTube.com for allowing me to listen to all the tunes, past and present.

My favorite movie that has ever been created is “Pretty Woman.” This wonderful film stars Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. I am obsessed with this movie, and I love watching it using Movies on Demand on my satelite tv. It is one of the most romantic films ever created.

The film also has an interesting plot with quirky characters. Julia Roberts plays an edgy role as a woman with a risque job (you can only imagine), while Richard Gere plays the role of a successful business investor. They meet in downtown Los Angeles, the heart of Hollywood to be exact. Gere asks Roberts for directions, and she responds, “For Twenty Bucks.” This is the moment when the film really begins. Gere is entranced by Julia Roberts and invites her into his gorgeous sports car (which is actually borrowed from his lawyer). As the film goes on, Gere pays Roberts to be his date to all of his corporate events. After their relationship is almost torn apart by rumors, they ultimately end up together. I love the way in which these two end up together in the film, even though they are from completely different class statuses.

If you want to watch a romantic film, then “Pretty Woman” is the perfect movie for you. Who can forget that shopping scene when Roberts finally gets what she wants in Beverly Hills?

It was too bad that there were several injuries reported on the news the next day, due to fireworks malfunctioning. It seems to happen each and every year. Such a shame to hear that a day that is supposed to be fun turns out in disaster.

There are so many things to see and do in New York. Of course we will make sure and see some good shows while we are there. I have been asked to check out some of the venues online, since I am pretty good on the computer, so I have taken some time to see what type of shows are going to be running them. The Internet makes this task a much easier one to take on. I’ve checked into some IZOD CENTER TICKETS as well as some JONES BEACH THEATRE TICKETS and they are much more affordable then I first thought, which is a pleasant surprise. New York isn’t known for being cheap what-so-ever, if you know what I mean!

It will be too late in the year to utilize any of the Central Park Summerstage TICKETS  that are being heavily advertised, but that is all right, there is a huge variety of events to pick from and I have my work cut out for me trying to please every one’s taste, wants and needs, but I’m up for it and look forward to the challenge.

I reserved a bit of my tax refund money for a nice summer vacation this year, it has been a long year and a vacation is way over due. I found a great Myrtle Beach hotel online at http://avistaresort.com. The Avista Resort is one of the many oceanfront resorts located in the North Myrtle Beach area and it has been designated as America’s “Number One Family Beach” I like that it is only two walkable blocks away from the famous Main Street that has such a wide variety of things to see and to do.

There are tons of resorts in Myrtle Beach that can be checked out on the Internet, what a great way to find the best one to suite my needs and wants. I look forward to playing a few rounds of golf while I’m there. I come from a family of golfers and we used to always make time to play a game or two during the family vacations back in the 70’s, it’s a good sport for the whole family to enjoy all year round.

I’ll make sure and take plenty of pictures and will post a few here shortly after my return.