So this weekend, we went to MOSI, the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa for the DaVinci Exhibition.  Easy to get to, and loads of parking was the first impression.  MOSI is huge!  There is such a lot going on there, and it’s a magnet for families.  Big families, little families, babes in arms to teenagers were enjoying all that the Museum can offer.  And don’t be misled by the word Museum;  this is not a  fusty old place where everyone walks around with hands clasped behind their backs and talks in hushed voices.  This is a full-on, hands on, enjoy yourself, kind of place.

Leonardo Da Vinci self portrait

It was quite fascinating to see the copies of his inventions or improvements on earlier inventions, as well as the extremely high quality copies of many of his works of art.

Leonardo Da Vinci  (April 15, 1452 – May 2, 1519),

Born the illegitimate son of a notary, Piero da Vinci, and a peasant woman, Caterina, at Vinci, Italy, Leonardo was educated in the studio of the  Florentine painter, Verrochio.  Leonardo had one main patron Ludovico il Moro and passed much of his working life in Milan, Rome and Venice.  He spent his last years in France, at the home awarded him by the French king Francis 1st.

Apart from his well known paintings, many of his works have been lost, mainly due to Leonardo’s desire for experimentation with paints, and the mixes he used.  He was also very prone to altering his paintings, never being satisfied with each attempt.  Much of what we know about his works have come to us from the notebooks that fortunately have survived the centuries.  Many of his experiments failed, although to this day we are using items that he dreamed of and drew, such as the bicycle, the helicopter, the parachute and such things as a double hulled ship.

He was also deeply interested in the human body, and although this is little known, he examined possibly thirty or more bodies after their death to learn how the body works and to draw diagrams of the skeletal structure and muscles.

Many of the wooden and fabric models on display in the exhibition show the immensity and range of Da Vinci ’s visions, from concepts of a tank to a submarine, from winches to bobbin winders.

For me it was the art that appealed the most;  much of what I saw on display was new to me, and there were several portraits of young

Mona Lisa

Whether its art that interests you, or mechanical items, or mathematics, or musical instruments, this exhibition shows just what a talent Leonardo possessed.  And if this exhibition is not to your taste, go upstairs to the dinosaur display or the Art of Flight exhibition, or the butterfly garden, sit in the sun  or just go and have a cup of coffee in the cafe……….  Someone in your family will find something of interest here at MOSI.

To find out more about the exhibition go to the MOSI website – click here.

This is our Jilly

We are the proud and loving owners of  a  Jack Russell terrier called Jilly.  She is affectionate and stubborn and totally frustrating when she is chasing squirrels or searching our garage for mice that may have some in out of the winter cold.  However, she is an important member of our family and spends her days with me in the office and her evenings  curled up on the sofa with us.

So for this very reason, we cannot possibly conceive of putting her in a kennel if we want to go away.  Therefore, for us to take a vacation means finding accommodation that will take our pet.

There are a  few pointers to safely and comfortably taking your pet on vacation with you.  Firstly make sure that the place where you want to stay is happy about your dog or cat.  Some accommodations have restrictions on weight or size, or even breed restrictions.

Most of us who intend to have our pet with us already know that our beloved dog or cat is house-trained and fully vaccinated, but the owner of the accommodation might need to be reassured on that count.  It’s also useful to check for local pet stores in the area where you are going so that you can get Fido’s special treats, or Kitty’s toy mice, should you happen to need them.   Here are a few pointers that may help to keep you and your pet safe and comfortable on your vacation.

Hey, we're coming too!

1. Firstly you should assess your pet’s traveling capabilities. Very old or very young pets can be affected greatly by the experience of a long trip. If your pet has any illness or injury make sure to be informed about his or her condition and whether it will complicate during travel by asking your vetinarian.
2. You should also talk with your vet about where you will be traveling, how and for how long. Be sure to ascertain about any ticks, fleas or heartworms that can harm your pet at any of the places that you plan to go. If your pet has any problems while traveling such as motion sickness ask your vet about treatments or medication he could prescribe.
3. Ask your vet if your pet has all the necessary up to date vaccinations and obtain a health and rabies certificate. This is especially important if you will be traveling by plane since airports require that you have the certificate issued no earlier than 10 days before you take off.
4. Make sure to buy the appropriate crate for your pet’s travels, this includes: sturdiness, plentiful ventilation, a door that securely locks, an interior free of affliction possibilities and above all plenty of space to move around. You should also get one that can be grabbed easily from the outside where the animal can’t harm.
5. Put tags on your pet that have all the current information such as owner’s name, a phone number, an address and proof of vaccination. As an extra security measure you might want to get your pet micro chipped which will make it very easy to find him or her in case you become separated.
6. Before you depart make sure to clip your pet’s nails so that he or will be easier to restrain as well as diminish the prospect of causing unwanted damage. If your pet has fleas or ticks make sure to apply the proper treatments so that he or she doesn’t infest their new environments.
7. For the worst case scenario in which you and your pet become separated you should come with a list of helpful information regarding him or her as well as a recent photograph. Among the information included you should have the breed, call name, age, coat type, color, characteristic markings and microchip number.
8. You should always have plenty of fresh water at your side. Don’t introduce food to your pet that is very different from what you ordinarily feed him to avoid any complications. If you can’t find your dog’s brand of food you should introduce him or her to a new type gradually and be attentive to any changes due to diet.
9. You should bring with you a strong leash, sheets for your dog to lay as to make sure he is not sitting on furniture or bedding, plenty of pet food that may not be available, lots of water, your pets food and water bowl and make sure to wash them regularly, and toys for them to play with for some stimulation.
10. You might also want to bring with you tweezers for removing unwanted creatures or objects, baby wipes to clean them off, waste removal bags, first aid kit (especially if you’re traveling somewhere remote), a flashlight for walks out in the dark, comfortable bedding, disinfectant spray may come in handy and also carpet cleaning items.

This list might at first glance seem like a lot of things to worry about, but traveling with children requires very similar needs to be filled.  OK, perhaps not the rabies certificate or the pet crate but…………….

One of the fun things to do with your dog are the walks together;  this is Jilly on Fort de Soto beach; she actually dislikes getting wet, so rather than running into the sea, she ran alongside the little ripples of breaking waves, barking madly.  Cleverly, I thought, I rolled up my trousers, and went into the sea to my knees, beckoning and calling for her to come in with me.  No chance!  so when I had had enough I turned to look out to sea.

There was  a huge splash, and the back of my trousers were soaked through.  Jilly had launched herself into the sea, well beyond her depth and now was panic stricken and swimming wildly towards me.  After that she reverted to running along the sand.  No way was she going to do that again.!

Fort De Soto is on the Gulf Coast of Florida and is an interesting place, not just because it has a full length dog beach, and a dog park.  The dog park is fully fenced, and has two sections, one for small dogs and the other side is for larger dogs whose boisterous play may scare some of the smaller or elderly dogs.

There is also an actual fort, a beach for humans to swim and sunbathe , a fishing pier, cycle hire, canoe hire and picnic areas, as well as walks through the woods .  The best time to visit Fort De Soto is early in the year;  as the weather warms up it can become rather crowded, and during the height of the summer it may even be too warm for you and your pet.

There are many dog friendly parks in the Central Florida area;  Orlando, Kissimmee, Winter Park, Wekiva Springs and other towns in the area, have Off-leash parks for pets and their owners.  As well as the dog parks, there are many outdoor restaurants and cafes where you can sit and eat or drink with your pet.  That’s the pleasure of having a  sunny and warm climate.   We always carry a bottle of water with us as it can get very warm when out walking.  Celebration in Florida is a great place to walk our dog;  there is a good long walk around the lake, there’s a Farmer’s Market to visit on Sundays, tables and chairs outside most of the restaurants and coffee shops, and lots of other people with the same idea, so socialised dogs  are very welcome.

Many of our smaller towns and cities welcome your pet and have specialised pet shops where you can buy  clothes, bakery goods, jewelled collars  and so on – all for your dog or cat.

Cannonball!!

As you can see, we enjoy our time with  Jilly, and we know how important that pleasure  is to other pet lovers, so if you decide to visit Central Florida call us – we have pet friendly vacation rental homes waiting to give you and your family pet  a vacation that’s not to be sniffed at !

Dan Kennedy - author of No B.S. series

If you didn’t attend the Amazing Outrageous Academy Workshop, then you have no idea what you missed!  Held in Orlando Marriott Hotel over the weekend of Friday 15th to Sunday 17th January, it was an eye opening experience for many of those  who attended.  Basically organised by Bill Glazer of the Glazer – Kennedy Insiders Circle, and starring many of the Insiders Circle leaders in the marketing field, the workshop was full of Amazing and Outrageous examples of marketing.  Not only that, it proved time and again that marketing can and should be fun.

I met some old friends, Diane and Gail of Smart Business Entrepreneur’s fame, Jackie Ewing of Ewing Enterprises, Nigel Worrall, Jim Ferrell and Richard Butler from Video Domination; and I talked to some new friends including a couple of folks who had flown over especially from the UK and Australia for this Academy.
Talk about a learning curve; my brain was fried by the end of the weekend, but my notebook was full, and the important factor is not just to attend but to put into action some of the ideas and thoughts that were flowing so freely.  It’s always good for any business person to get to workshops and  mastermind groups, simply because it helps to improve your knowledge.  Brainstorming with others is a great exercise for entrepreneurs whoare known to be the “loneliest people on the planet”.

There were, of course, loads pf photo opportunities and a couple of the photos are shown below.  Would you believe that my camera decided to take the day off after that and failed entirely to take any more?!

Anyway, besides the failure of the camera, the weekend was a busy one , with some great speakers, from Yanik Silver to Dean Hunt, interesting vendors and a real buzz throughout the 700 or so attendees.   The people that were sitting next to me were asked if they found the weekend useful to them and their businesses, and the answer was a resounding Yes.

Chatting with Bill Glazer

Jackie Ewing with Bill Glazer

And they're off!

The Goofy Challenge is one of the premier events in the marathon runners calendar. Held each year by Disney, the event attracts runners from all walks of life, from the amateur athlete to top marathon runners.

This year’s event was held on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th January, during one of the coldest spells in Central Florida’s weather for the past decade.   Volunteer helpers, race marshalls and spectators lined the route to cheer on the brave competitors running in below freezing temperatures with sleet, snow and rain.  The weather did take its toll, although the half marathon had just over 17,000 runners complete the course.  The winner of the men’s half marathon finished in 1 hour 7 minutes 2 seconds, and the women’s leader completed the race in just about 1 hour 20 minutes.

A friend of ours, Toni,  who was staying in one of Premier Home Management’s vacation homes finished her half marathon in just under 2 hours. After returning to her home and relaxing, her preparations began for the full marathon on the next day.

Her start time on Sunday was 5.50 a.m. in an air temperature of 26 degrees. She managed to complete the race in just about 4 hours – while the leaders finished in 2 hours 22 minutes 8 seconds for Adriano Bastos and 2 hours 51 minutes 20 seconds for Lisa Mizutani. Over 16,000 runners completed the course.

Well doing the Goofy Challenge is a challenge in its self, but looking for good accommodation can be more of a challenge! But that’s where Premier Homes are brilliant – as they took the stress out of this for me!

I stayed at Windsor Hills, which was only about a 15 min drive from Epcot, so I didn’t have to leave my resort hotel at 3am to get to the start….. The accommodation was spotless and extremely well kitted out with a wonderful power shower, a tv in all rooms, a full equipped kitchen – just in case you don’t want to travel the 2 mins to the vast array of restaurants. The apartment also had a washer and dryer – which came in very useful for dealing with smelly running kit!

All in all I can only sing the praises of Marilyn and her team, they provided me with a great base to complete this challenge and I would certainly go back to them again even if I wasn’t doing the Goofy!

Thanks, Toni

The final race of the weekend, completed the most magical 26.2 miles on Earth.  The course takes runners through all four Walt Disney World®

Running the Disney Marathon in Orlando, Florida

Theme Parks starting at Epcot®, continuing on to the Magic Kingdom® Park, Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios™ and then back to Epcot® for an exhilarating finish.  The post race celebrations were less well attended this year due to the inclement weather.

For those of you who are so inclined, the Application forms are now open for next year’s Goofy Challenge.

Next year’s Challenge dates are below, if you are a runner, you’ll need to know this.

Before you run off we wanted to tell you all about the 2011 WALT DISNEY WORLD® Marathon Weekend presented by CIGNA, Thursday, January 6 – Sunday, January 9, 2011.  You’ll want to be here for a weekend of races that are as magical as they are memorable; from Disney’s Health & Fitness Expo to the final mile of the marathon, complete with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy medals.  We know you love running, now imagine a run where every mile is filled with Disney fun.  You’d be, well, goofy to miss it!

Toni, who stayed in one of our vacation homes, was so pleased that she was able to bring her family with her for support – it made all the difference between staying in an hotel by herself and having friends and family living in the vacation home with her. Everyone was able to enjoy themselves in their own way and their own time.

If you’re coming next year for the Disney Goofy Challenge, do let us know. We’ll cheer you on!

ICE! at Gaylord Palms

ICE! at Gaylord Palms is one of the coolest places to visit at this time of year.   Kept at minus nine degrees, this is a must see for the homesick visitor.  Once you have donned the parka provided ( and remember, you do need to wear suitable shoes – it will be cold on sandalled feet) you pass through a sort of air lock system between the warmth of the reception area and the really really cold exhibition.  If you love seeing  how ice can be sculpted into scenes from the North Pole,  watching children having hilarious fun on ice slides, see amazing penguins and polar bears carved from ice, all in glistening colours,  and a unmistakably magnificent Nativity scene,  this is a “Don’t Miss ” place to be.  If you wanted a reminder of just how cold the Winter can be in other parts of the world, here you can check it out. Once you have enjoyed to its fullest all the glistening splendour of the ICE! exhibition, you can make your way through to the Gaylord Palms hotel and warm yourselves with a cup of hot chocolate at the coffee shop or a meal at one of its three themed restaurants .

We do tend to forget that Central Florida, although generally warm, can have its cooler periods, and if you do intend to visit during the winter months, it is advisable to pack some warmer clothes.    Sometimes our temperatures can drop to “chilly”, and a sweater and long pants are more comfortable than shorts and t-shirts.

Pinewood Estates

Pinewood House in the depths of Bok Sanctuary Gardens is another wonderful place to visit at this time of year.  The gardens were designed as  a

quiet and peaceful meditative landscape and pathways meander through the woodlands and nature preserve.  At the moment there are several different plants , out of the more than 1000 plant types here, that are flowering, including many varieties of camellia.

Pinewood House is a Mediterranean style mansion in its own grounds on the northwestern side of the Gardens.    At this time of the year, you will find each room has been decorated in an individual theme based on Christmas.  This year,the 15th Annual “Christmas at Pinewood”,  the theme has been “Joy to the World”.  Volunteers guide visitors

Marilyn visits Pinewood

through each themed room, and give brief introductions about the house and its history.  Not only will you get some beautiful photos for your album ( yes, you can take photos of the various displays), you can wander the gardens and enjoy the sound of the Carillon sounding out Christmas Carols through this particular season.    Once you arrive at the bell tower take a few minutes to sit on the benches provided, simply to enjoy the sounds and the views from the highest point in Central Florida.    Watch the squirrels chasing each other from tree to tree,  see the swans gliding on the reflecting water of the moat surrounding the pink marbled bell tower. Look out over the miles of orange groves that can be seen from this vantage point.

When you have taken your fill of the peaceful surroundings and driven back through the citrus groves to the main roads, please find time to drive through some of the local neighbourhoods and check out the Christmas light decorations on residences and in town parks.   It’s a question of who can put as many decorations in their front yards and on their houses as possible, and competitiveness is alive and kicking!

No matter whether you will be visiting the Disney parks or simply enjoying the Florida weather in one of Premier Home Management’s vacation homes, have a wonderful Christmas and New Year holiday.