New York City - NYC

Driving through South Philly you could be forgiven for thinking you were in a war zone, at least from the perspective of this out-of-towner. But turn a corner onto Christian, Fitzwater Street, Kater, Greys Ferry, and suddenly homes are well-kempt, flags are flying and tree-lined streets reflect optimistic times ahead. Naval Square, once the frontier of investment, is now being surrounded by upgraded properties.

South of Christian, rubbish flutters around the streets like modern day tumbleweed. At times whole blocks seem to have been raised to the ground. A sad brown building catches the eye. It has a smashed window and piles of furniture are falling through the hole, about to tumble onto the street. It makes you wonder how long before some bored punk accidentally empties lighter fluid over the remains and tries the flint for the last time before running across wasteland to safety.

The general air is depressed. This lack of care, lack of hope, lack of pizzazz that is supposed to differentiate Americans from boring Europeans, hangs like a grey cloud over the neighborhood. Even these optimistic eyes fail to see through the gloom, as every street corner seems to sport overweight sloppily dressed males of all ethnicity, one leg bent back resting against the wall of a store, chatting lazily about the game and the latest gossip on the ‘hood.

It is quite shocking to hear that just a few years ago, prim and tidy Fitzwater was in about the same condition. Local realtor, Ingrid Kernstock, explains that for her, it was a no-brainer to move into the area 3 years ago. The evidence of gentrification in full swing was clear to be seen. 3 story wrecks, under-priced for decades in comparison to uptown New York, were going for $100,000. The tone of the area was improving by the month as developers and enterprising residents began upgrading the properties. And now, Fitzwater and co is a good bet for people forced out the New York Property market by escalating prices. With easy access to freeways and trains, this area is a gem for commuters travelling to the pricey Big Apple.

There is further evidence of gentrification in Fitzwater. A few condos are going up, a sure sign that house property prices have risen.

Despite the media rumblings of a slowing property market, (and realtors are definitely upset at no longer being able to bid up prices between interested parties), the pace of change and improvements is still going strong in this part of Philadelphia. Contractors still re-model at a frenzied rate. Businesses are setting up shop too: Turkish and Mexican restaurants, swanky bars, coffee shops. And residents do their bit too, to make this part of town a great place to live. They do not tolerate dirty sidewalks; bored adolescents don’t loiter with intent to do mischief for grins; it is a nice neighborhood.

So, if you take note of an indepth study on property prices for the coming couple of years, you will see that Philadelphia is not included in the correction that will be seen in Florida and California and the rest of the upmarket North East. Philadelphia started at a heavy discount, so you could do worse than buy into an area where it can only get better in the next few years.

See past the occasional rehabs-in-waiting in the immediate vicinity, they will be dealt with as gentrification continues apace. The putrefaction of the South of the city is being pushed aside at a great rate of knots. Cash in now on a house to call home for years to come, before they get too pricey! Satisfaction almost comes guaranteed!

James Crichton
http://www.articlesbase.com/advertising-articles/philadelphia-housing-market-gems-71798.html

When it comes to choosing a holiday, we are all spoilt for choice. There are thousands of destinations available through travel agents and on the Internet. However, the problem is that most packages only offer accepted types of holidays. In other words, if you are looking for something out of the ordinary then you really have to look for it.

When trying to find a funky hotel or holiday, you should start researching the market a few months before the day you wish to leave. Funky hotels are not widely advertised as such, especially if you fall into an older age bracket. They are generally only offered in unusual package holidays that are marketed towards individuals below the age of thirty. However, to give you a head start on your research, the top 10 funky hotels in the world are described below.

1.Katerina City Hotel, Moscow - This Russian hotel boasts a prime location just a few minutes walk from the sites of the city, as well as the entertainment and nightlife. It is decorated in pastel and lightwood to give a more relaxed feel and is thus informal. The food is good, the environment laid back and the modern feel makes it a lovely place to stay if you are looking for something out of the ordinary.

2.The Mosser Hotel, San Francisco - This hotel has created a culture of its own. The atmosphere is extremely laid back and relaxed. Its claim to fame is that it has the only hotel recording studio in the city! It is also only a few minutes away from the shop and nightlife areas of the city.

3.Caesar’s Palace Hotel, Las Vegas - The name says it all. This hotel is located on the strip and so has immediate access to the casinos, clubs and bars. The hotel itself is extremely elegant, offering excellent guest service, a spa and fitness suite and great food. The location makes it funky, but the sheer luxury of the hotel serves to heighten that.

4.Creatif Hotel Elephant, Munich - As soon as you lay eyes on the hotel, you know immediately that it is funky! The front is painted a variety of blocked colours, and the inner rooms are decorated the same way. It boasts modern facilities and access to all of the Munich’s main attractions without its guests being disturbed by the noise of the busy city.

5.Keio Plaza Hotel, Tokyo - Located in Shinjuku, this hotel is a spectacular sight as you approach it. It stands out above the other buildings because it is illuminated and looks very impressive. All of the facilities are modern and of the cutting-edge technology. It is located within a short distance of the city centre and provides a great place to relax.

6.Magnificent Plaza Hotel, Shanghai - Located in the heart of Shanghai, this hotel is a short distance from all of the main attractions of the city. All of its 182 rooms are modern and equipped with up-to-date facilities. It offers a variety of food options from around the world too. There is no better place to stay in China.

7.K-Port Inn, Dubai - At first glance, this hotel seems to be no different from any other. It could even be described as stately… until you walk through the door! It is in the city centre and offers contemporary furnished rooms with all of the latest amenities. However, it has Iranian and Arabic clubs, an American discotheque and an English pub on site! You cannot get any funkier than that!

8.Grand Oasis Resort, Cancun - This hotel’s appearance is phenomenal. It is a giant pyramid located in the heart of Cancun that seems to be rising from the Earth! You can play golf or lie on its half-mile beach until your heart’s content. You could also sit in one of the seven bars, or join in with other two themed parties the hotel holds every week. The choice is yours.

9.Leonardo Hotel, Prague - This is a converted Post House in the centre of Prague. It is absolutely gorgeous and extremely funky! The room décor combines classic and modern styles with skill and provides a pleasant and comfortable place to stay.

10.The Bellclaire Hotel, New York City - This hotel is funky primarily because of its crazy and friendly surrounding environment. It is in the heart of the city and is within walking distance of everything you would ever want to see in the city. It is very luxurious but also very modern. It was built in 1903 and is a fantastic place to stay for any tourist.

If you are looking for something different from your break then staying in a funky hotel may be the way to go for you. The hotels above all have their own unique quality that makes them stand out from the rest and staying in them may just enhance your break significantly.

E Cho
http://www.articlesbase.com/hotels-articles/the-top-10-funky-hotels-123160.html

how does post-nup work and if i live in new york and buy property in florida will it be valid, should i hire a florida law office or a new york lawyer , my wife is making things easy for me thank god and she said she has no problem signing a paper stating that she has no rights to any property i buy in floirda , the reason for not getting a quick devorce is because she share medical benifits with me and she needs them because of a sickness she has, so i figure this is the best way to protect myself if i buy property

I am only assuming this, but I think that you can have any attorney no matter where they are located write up a document such as this. I would consult your attorney and ask this question. If you don’t have one some will offer consultation for free.

My friends and I are planning on doing a tour of europe next summer (we live in Quebec, Canada), the problem is none of us drive standard. I heard about a tour for young adults people, does anyone have a link or have any information regarding this tour.

Also does anyone have a link for the shopping tour for New York city?

Thanks.

A company called Contiki do tours around Europe, and offer different types of accomodation from camping to hotels. Also a really wide range of holiday types visiting lots of different countries!! I think you also can get a discount if there is a group of you travelling!

Here is the website
http://contiki.co.uk/ I think this is the UK version, but pretty sure http://contiki.com/ will work as well!

Sorry not so much help on shopping tours in NYC