decisive spring final lo res single pages

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DECISIVE

速

The Best Source for Cultural and Consumer News

Spring 2011

The

Travel Issue!

We Pick The Best Theme Parks In America Our Experts Show You: > Five Of The Best New Digital Cameras > The Hottest African-American Cruises > How To Have The Perfect Stay-cation > Seven Intriguing Alternative Vacations Get Your Subscription to Decisive Digital at www.decisivemagazine.com

Whether it’s five blocks or five hundred miles.

To learn more about Prius, snap a photo, send it to 27205 for AT&T, Verizon Wireless and Alltel users. All others, send tag to prius@spyderlynk.com. Standard carrier charges apply. Please contact your cell phone carrier for details.

One drive, and you’ll want one.

Vehicle shown with options. 1Based on EPA estimated 50 combined mpg rating and 10 gallons of gas. Actual mileage will vary. Actual topography and road conditions are not taken into account. © 2010 Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

By the time you’re out of St. Louis, the modern, roomy interior and sleek aerodynamic styling of the 3rd Generation Prius will have your eye.

And with an estimated 500 miles between fill-ups1, you’ll be falling for it long before you get to Chicago. But love only happens when you let it.

So step up, open the door and press start. toyota.com

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DECISIVE

Publisher: Randi Payton Editor-in-Chief: Lyndon Conrad Bell.

Editorial Director: Joyce Gates

The Best Source for Cultural and Consumer News Volume 3 | Issue 1 | spring 2011

The Travel Issue!

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Art Director: Fran Sherman Editors-at-Large: Mary M. Chapman, Christopher Jackson, Valerie Menard Senior Editors: Warren Brown, Brian Armstead contributing writers: Sheryll Alexander, Tasha Reiko Brown, Lori Downes, Gayle Fleming, Wendy Ida, Chris Mendoza, Joanne Tucker

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President & CEO: Randi Payton Vice President: Karen Payton Production/Distribution: Joyce Gates Business Manager: Damon Redmond Sales Director: Karen Payton DECISIVE MEDIA DETROIT: Leonard Corbin EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT: Janice Leek Multimedia Marketing: Richard Baron Content Specialist: David Payton DECISIVE magazine © 2011 is published four times annually as a newspaper-delivered publication and digital e-magazine by Decisive Multi-Media, Inc.

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America’s Best Theme Parks Disneyland may have set the standard, but others have expanded upon the concept in many different ways.

However, there is one very exciting thing all of them have in common. And no, we aren’t going to tell you what it is here—turn to page 12.

Cruising While Black No matter what you’re into, there’s a cruise bringing together a group of like-minded people who are in love with it too. Whether your thing is music, comedy, bid whist, or even if you’re all about business, there’s a cruise ship full of Black people set to sail.

Winding Down And Pumping Up An oft-overlooked aspect of insulating a home is choosing the proper doors and windows for where you live. These guidelines will help you find the best solution for your region of the country.

It’s Time To Vacation With Your Mother Whether kayaking with Orcas, cycling Martha’s Vineyard, or hiking the Grand Canyon, these four vacations are specifically designed to reconnect you with Mother Earth.

Relaxing, stimulating and fun, eco-tours demonstrate what conservation is really about.

departments:

Your complete resource for research and opinion on consumer products and services.

Visit us at www.DecisiveMag.com, email us at: Comments@DecisiveMag.com.

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08 Index to Advertisers Cover II: Toyota – Toyota.com Page 4: Dodge – www.Dodge.com Page 20: Decisive Digital – Decisive.com

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03 Letters From The Editor 06 Safe Travel Tips 07 The Perfect Stay-cation 08 Becoming A Tour Guide 09 Shopping For Travel Insurance 10 Best New Digital Cameras

Subscribe to Decisive Digital at www.DecisiveMagazine.com

persephone’s back In ancient Greek mythology, spring begins because the goddess Demeter is happy her daughter

Persephone has returned from the underworld. As the story goes, Hades, god of the under-

DECISIVE dDECISIVE dFast Cars and

guides to fitness vacation destinations and ecotours.

Many of our editors travel a great deal, and for them getting into The High Performance Issue! an airplane to go on a vacation is just too much like going to work. If that fits you too, you’ll enjoy urBAN PICkS: our tips for the perfect AlSo INSIDE: stay-cation. We’ll show TESTED: Cadillac CTS-V Coupe, Porsche 911 Turbo you how to turn your own hometown into a vacation destination. And for those of you who love to travel but don’t love spending the money that goes with it, we’ve even discovered a way for you to see the world and get paid to do so.

On the car side of the book, we identify the best convertibles, sports coupes and sports sedans for urban lifestyles with our Urban Picks and we grant you a front row seat at the most significant product introductions at the recent Chicago Auto Show. What’s more, in keeping with the theme of the Chicago Show, we’ll put you behind the wheel of two of the most powerful two-door cars on the market today. Yep, you’ll find roller coasters on the car side of the magazine too.

But to get serious for a minute, one of our activities we’re most proud of here at Decisive Media is our annual Urban Wheel Awards event. In addition to ensuring the recognition of the accomplishments of people and organizations in diversity, money raised through the event goes to support the Emerging Diversity Education Fund, which provides scholarship dollars and mentoring to students of color pursuing careers in the automotive, communications or journalism fields. You’ll learn more about the Urban Wheel Awards in this issue as well.

Every Body Needs A Seat Belt

®

The BesT source for culTural and consumer news

Spring 2011

A Newspaper-Delivered Consumer Automotive Publication

auto

letters from the editor

it’s spring...

®

The BesT source for culTural and consumer auTomoTive news

Spring 2011

All-Stars

The

Travel Issue!

We Pick The Best Theme Parks In America Our Experts Show You: > Five Of The Best New Digital Cameras > The Hottest African-American Cruises > How To Have The Perfect Stay-cation > Seven Intriguing Alternative Vacations Get Your Subscription to Decisive Digital at www.decisivemagazine.com

world, was so taken with Persephone’s beauty he kidnapped her and forced her to live with him as his wife in the underworld. Persephone’s mother

Demeter, responsible for nourishing the earth, was so distraught at the loss of her daughter she stopped doing her gig altogether and so the earth withered and began to die.

Zeus, the god of gods, brokered a deal between Hades and Demeter whereby Persephone could live above ground with her mother six months of the year and below ground with Hades six months of the year. When Persephone emerges from the underground to be with her mother spring begins. When she goes back underground to be with Hades fall begins, the earth withers and dies in winter.

Thus, if you subscribe to Greek mythology, Persephone’s back, spring has begun and with it our thoughts turn to outdoor pursuits. Vacation plans get made, convertibles and sports cars rank higher on consideration lists, and the world just generally becomes a happier place.

Here at Decisive Media, we’ve done our part to help make the associated purchase decisions easier. You’ll find a guide to African-American themed cruises and a list of the best theme parks in the USA. For those of you more into fitness and conservation than bid whist and roller coasters, we submit

> Best urban Convertibles > Best urban Sport Coupes > Best urban Sport Sedans

> urban Wheel Awards > Chicago Auto Show > The $275,000 Book?

Get Your Subscription to Decisive Digital at www.decisivemagazine.com

Lyndon Conrad Bell.

Editor-in-Chief Decisive Media, LLC

spring 2011 | www.DecisiveMagazine.com

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health & safety

5tips

for safe and healthy travels

Vacations should be a time of rest, relaxation and adventure. For too many travelers, they’re anything but. A double whammy of stress and anxiety on top of an already compromised immune system is a formula for disaster, sending many jet-setters home sick as dogs. Fortunately, a few essential items are all you need for a safe and healthy getaway. Be prepared for the inevitable with these five health and safety tips:

1. Bring a first aid kit.

While you can’t guard against all accidents, you can foresee the minor surprises with some degree of probability. Have something handy to relieve headaches, diarrhea and insect bites. Your “just in case” kit should also have bandages and plenty of antihistamines. You might not know you’re allergic to certain plants or insects until it’s too late.

2. Keep your hands clean.

Wash your hands often, especially before eating, to ward off germs and viruses. Rely on hand sanitizer when there is no running water available. Use wet wipes to make sure the surfaces you touch frequently are kept as clean as possible.

3. Beware of pests.

Check the seams of your mattress, cracks and crevices of the headboard, nightstand and drawers for critters or droppings. To prevent bed bugs

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from coming home with you, EcoSmart Technologies (www.ecosmart. com) offers a travel-size bed bug killer and repellant with natural ingredients.

4. Stay hydrated.

In a plane or on the road, it’s important to stay hydrated while in transit to prevent achy muscles and deep vein thrombosis. At your destination, rely on bottled water for hydration to ward off various bacteria, viruses and other parasites that can cause diarrhea. If you need to use tap water, pack purification tablets just to be safe.

5. Remember your smartphone.

It’s a guidebook, GPS, Internet connection, dictionary, camera, alarm clock and restaurant-business-movie theater-gas station-and more locator. It’s also a phone that can be used for emergencies anywhere you are. Don’t forget to pack yours in case of emergencies.d D

home life

stay-cationing vacationing vs.

Tips For Planning A Stay-At-Home Vacation

Expensive airfare, packing and lugging suitcases, long invasive security lines, crowded planes, congested highways, kids whining and poking one another, and this is a vacation? No wonder many people return from vacation needing a vacation from the vacation.

Now imagine instead waking up in comfortably familiar surroundings tailored specifically to your tastes. The food you like is readily available, you set the tone and time for all activities and best of all, your schedule is your own.

These are but a few of the benefits many people are discovering by staying home for their vacations. Of course staying home in familiar surroundings means there won’t be any fresh experiences—right? Wrong. No matter where you live there are hundreds of experiences you’ve taken for granted precisely because they are located where you live. Which brings us to our first tip: your stay-cation just as if you’re going away, set a start date disconnect, turn off and tune out. If you can’t count on 1 Plan 4 Unplug, and an end date. the people you work with to respect the fact you’re on vacation even an Internet search for tourist attractions near your home. though you’re in town, let them believe you’re gone. Don’t answer 2 Run Contact the local tourist board and find out what’s going on and your phone or mobile device. You’re supposed to be relaxing. make it a point to see what’s around your town. Once you see what’s Similarly, aside from basic home care, don’t get caught up in doing 5 chores. Your washer, dryer, vacuum cleaner and lawn mower can all what, plan an activity that gets you out of the house every day of your vacation.

Go out to dinner just as you would if you were away. Find new restaurants in your town and give them a try. Choose places you wouldn’t go to otherwise, and make at least one of them a nice sitdown place with a deferential wait staff and tablecloths.

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wait until next week— you’re on vacation!

Behave just as you would if you’re away in an unfamiliar place.

Shoot photos and video, buy postcards, take public transit, visit museums, treat your hometown like an exotic destination.

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The main thing is to relax and have a good time. Freed from the hassles that accompany a traditional vacation, you just might find there’s more to your hometown than you ever imagined.d D

spring 2011 | www.DecisiveMagazine.com

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business

affordably how to see the world

Become A Tour Guide

Too many people never see the pyramids, the Taj Mahal or New York City. Some feel tied down. Others have insufficient funds for international plane tickets, or they put off traveling until they feel it’s too late.

But you can travel, through your state, across the nation or internationally—if you know your options. Some travelers work in other countries, doing everything from bartending to running businesses.

Many countries seek qualified teachers to teach ESL (English as a second language) courses in elementary schools, colleges and offices.

And then there’s tour directing.

For aspiring travelers with a passion for helping others, tour directing can be a rewarding career. Yes, tour directors earn up to $200 a day and get their meals and hotels for free, but successful tour directors get more than a free trip, they also get to learn, explore, and make friends from around the world.

Tour directors lead tourist groups throughout America and abroad.

They set schedules, arrange events and collaborate with local guides.

They learn and communicate facts about local cultures, art and history.

They answer questions and inspire their groups to explore.

Individuals with business or teaching backgrounds, or experience raising a family, can find themselves qualified to direct tours. To start

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people-who-love-people on a new path, Ted Bravos co-founded the International Tour Management Institute, a San-Francisco-based school that teaches two-week tour-directing classes. “You’ve been training to be a tour director your whole life,” says Bravos.

Many believe tours lead to “canned” experiences. But Bravos puts that fallacy to rest. “There are many types of tour companies. There’s something for everyone.”

Tour directors set their own schedules. They can work full- or parttime. They can stay close to home or travel to remote areas. Bravos adds that his school has turned passionate travelers from ages 18 to 80 into tour directors.

“The more Americans travel, the more they understand the world that we inhabit together,” says Bravos. “Every tourist is an ambassador.”

For more information about the International Tour Management Institute and its classes, visit www.itmisf.com.d D

money

U.S. Travel Insurance Association

advice

Nine Things To Know About Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is an inexpensive way to make sure you get reimbursed should unforeseen circumstances affect your travels. Thing is, the policies do not cover every eventuality. Plus, it’s possible for you to do things yourself to invalidate your travel insurance. Before buying, the U.S. Travel Insurance Association advises you’d do well to consider the following: 1. Know the underwriter. Ask for the name of the insurance company underwriting the policy. All legitimate policies must identify the insurance company.

2. Research the insurer. Check the credentials of the company’s insurer through A.M. Best (www.ambest.com), an international insurance rating agency or the Better Business Bureau. Also check for membership in the US Travel Insurance Association (www. ustia.org).

3. Buy from a reputable source such as a travel agent belonging to the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), or from a reputable cruise line, tour operator, airline, Internet site, insurance broker or directly from the travel insurance provider. Sellers of travel insurance must be licensed in each state where business is conducted, and sell only products licensed in that state.

4. Assess your needs. Will you need coverage for emergency medical expenses? Do you want to protect the deposits and other nonrefundable deposits for your trip in the event you have to cancel your trip or a family member becomes ill? Do you want coverage in case your personal belongings are lost, stolen, or delayed in transit?

5. Know if you have other coverage. Don’t assume you have full coverage from credit cards, homeowners insurance, airlines, or other sources. They may offer limited coverage, but only comprehensive travel insurance offers full protection under a single umbrella.

6. Pre-existing medical conditions. Many policies provide coverage for pre-existing medical conditions, provided the policy is purchased within 10–15 days after you book your travel.

7. Know what the policy includes.

Read the policy carefully so you know what is and is not included.

Most companies provide a customer service number for questions and answers, and a grace period for cancellation.

8. Travel responsibly. When traveling, don’t engage in reckless behaviors that may put you and your traveling companions at risk. Certain behaviors invalidate travel insurance coverages.

9. Keep paperwork/documentation. Save records and receipts in case you have to file a claim for travel delay, medical treatment, lost luggage, or other unforeseen situations.d D

spring 2011 | www.DecisiveMagazine.com

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technology

personal technology

Smart Digital Cameras

These Cameras Do What Smartphones Can’t

Time was, you needed a video camera to shoot video, a still camera to shoot photos, a mobile phone to make calls, and a laptop to send emails and the like. These days, all those features are de rigeur for any self-respecting smart phone’s portfolio of features. With that as a given, if you already have a camera in your phone, why bother to buy a separate black box just for taking pictures?

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Well, the latest point and shoot digital cameras offer a number of features your smart phone can’t because it’s tasked with doing so many other things. Right off the top, you’ll get richer, more vibrant photos with a dedicated camera because it has a larger image sensor.

This enables it to make sharper images, which can be blown up big for display purposes.

Nikon’s Coolpix P300 produces 12 megapixel (MP) images using Back Side Illumination technology. Taking advantage of an innovation introduced by Sony, the Coolpix P300’s sensor is set up so it is wired on the back of the sensor, making more of its surface available for gathering light. Priced at $330, the Coolpix P300 promises rich and vibrant photos, plus outstanding low light performance.

Ever looked at a photo and wondered where and when it was shot? Canon’s PowerShot SX230 encodes longitude, latitude and altitude information in every shot. Additionally, the camera can even keep a log of where it’s been, so you can go back and create a map of your journey based on information captured by the camera—even when it wasn’t shooting photos. The PowerShot SX230 retails for $350, and features a 14X optical zoom and a three-inch viewing screen in addition to its GPS capabilities.

Back in the day, there were people who made a living making photos of people look more pleasing to the eye. Called retouchers, they’d remove blemishes, make colors richer, smooth out wrinkles and just generally make photos more flattering to the subject. This latest generation of point and shoot cameras offer the ability to do all of that—when you shoot the picture. Retailing for $300, Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-ZS7’s skin softening mode takes care of blemishes. Its “happy” mode also improves color saturation making the people in your pictures look more vibrant and alive.

If you’re one of the early adopters who sprung for a 3DTV, the new Sony Cyber-shot is the point and shoot for you. Shooting two images in immediate succession of each other from slightly different viewpoints, the camera then combines them to generate multidimensional images you can view on your 3DTV. Boasting a 16MP sensor and a 16x optical zoom (which is much sharper than digital zoom) the $350 Sony Cyber-shot will introduce a whole new…(wait for it)…dimension to your photography efforts.d D

spring 2011 | www.DecisiveMagazine.com

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entertainment

s ’ a ic r e amtop

e m ht earks p Written by Steven Mayo/ USA Travel Guide

For thrill seekers, summer just isn’t summer without a trip to a theme park.

With that in mind, Decisive Media got together with our friends at USA Travel Guide, who, with the help of their readers, came up with a list of the ten best amusement parks in America.

Their primary qalifier? Killer Rides!

Other factors included the quality of the shows and concessions in addition to the cleanliness of the facilities, helpfulness of the staff, kid-friendliness, and customer value. The overall look of the park figured highly into their considerations as well. You’ll find their top five in this article. To see all ten, visit USA Travel Guide by way of the link we’ve provided for you at DecisiveMagazine.com.

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3. King’s Island: Mason, Ohio King’s Island is a good old-fashioned, pretension-free, no guff, no gimmicks thrill-park. It’s also humongous, with 364 acres boasting over 80 rides and attractions. Coaster-enthusiasts take note: King’s Island features 15 roller coasters including Beast, the world’s longest wooden roller coaster, and Son of Beast, the world’s fastest and tallest wooden roller coaster. King’s Island also features an admission-included waterpark and the multi-award-winning kid’s park, Nickelodeon Universe.

Daily hours run from late May to September. VisitKingsIsland.com

5. Disneyland Resort: Anaheim, California For hundreds of thousands of theme park fans, Disneyland could never be anything but number one. But even in fifth position there’s no question Disneyland Park and Resort, with 20 million annual visitors combined, is simply one of the best in the world. So much of what makes Disney theme parks famous started at Disneyland: the monorail, It’s a Small World, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Haunted Mansion, and The Matterhorn, are all true classics. Today, the exploration is near endless with Disneyland Park, Disney’s California Adventure and Downtown Disney to discover. More than a park, Disneyland is a cultural rite of passage.

Hours vary by season. Park Hopper tickets available.

Disneyland.com 4. Schlitterbahn: New Braunfels, Texas The only waterpark to make the list, and easily the favorite, is Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort in New Braunfels, Texas. Featuring three incredible parks (for one admission), 40+ rides, 17 slides, nine tube chutes, uphill water coasters, three lazy rivers and more than three miles of tube rides, Schlitterbahn is simply massive, and the variety is staggering. The original park, Schlitterbahn West, is the place to find the classic tube chutes and it remains a favorite to this day. In the newest park, Blastenhoff, you’ll find the Master Blaster, an uphill water roller coaster everyone should ride (at least once).

Open late May to September, hours vary. Schlitterbahn.com

2. Walt Disney World: Orlando, Florida Home to some of the most iconic landmarks and imagery on the planet, Walt Disney World is a collection of four theme parks and numerous other attractions like waterparks, shopping districts, concert venues and restaurants. The original park, and still the most popular to this day, is the Magic Kingdom, home of the world-famous Cinderella Castle and Main Street U.S.A., where dazzling parades and fireworks thrill little ones and ignite nostalgia in parents every day of the year.

Epcot Center is unmistakable for its flagship attraction and landmark, Spaceship Earth.

Open year-round, seasonal hours. Park Hopper tickets available. Disneyworld.com 1. Cedar Point: Sandusky, Ohio At 364 acres with 75 rides, ten shows, a water park and seventeen (that’s right, 1-7) roller coasters, Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio packs more thrills per square foot than anywhere else on the planet. Among the coasters—the most of any park on Earth BTW—you’ll find several notable must-rides. Magnum XL-200 is one of the tallest and fastest steel coasters in the world. Mean Streak is one of the most visually arresting wooden coasters you’ll ever see. And, with its astonishing 120-mph, 400-foot, 90-degree drop, the Top Thrill Dragster separates thrill-maniacs from mere coaster fans in only 17 seconds. When your heart needs a rest, settle into one of several award-winning shows, all brimming with good tunes and good laughs, without too much cheese.

Daily hours run from late May to early September.

CedarPoint.com

And there you have it, the best theme parks in America. We’ve done all the legwork, now all you have to do is go a have a great time. Send photos of your trip to editor@decisivimag.com. We’ll post the best of them at DecisiveMagazine.com.d D

spring 2011 | www.DecisiveMagazine.com

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travel

blackatsea African-American Themed Cruises

Written by Lyndon Conrad Bell.

Anybody tries to tell you Black people don’t cruise, just show them this article.

When you think about it, a cruise ship is, at its essence, a floating hotel.

Of course, the beauty of a floating hotel is you wake up in a different city every morning. Whether you prefer the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Alaska, or the Gulf of Mexico, you’ll find somebody has organized a group of like-minded Black folk and they’re ready to take to the sea.

Thanks to our friends at Trumba.com we have the following calendar of upcoming AfricanAmerican cruises for 2011. So go ahead, find your group, break out your loudest shirt, short pants and sandals, and set sail! For even more African-American themed cruises, check out the cruise section at DecisiveMagazine.com.

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FRIENDS OF FESTIVAL AT SEA CRUISE COMEDY CRUISE The Draw: Exclusive parties and comedy shows onboard Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas. Dance to the music you want to hear, join Bid Whist and Dominoes Tournaments, Represent on White Night, and enjoy the private Comedy Shows onboard plus all of these events: Two Comedy Shows, Nightly Parties with DJ’s Phil Wilson and Greg “The Taz” Harris of the Festival at Sea WIN team, Gospel-cise and Urban Line Dancing with Belinda Haywood, White Night, Family Feud, Dating Game, Speed Dating, Beach Party at Labadee, Newlywed and Not so Newlywed Game, Singles Mixer, Down Home Blues Mixer, Bid Whist Tournament, Basketball Tournament, Dominoes Tournament, Slide Freeze Competition, and more.

The Ports: Departs Ft. Lauderdale for Labadee (Haiti), Falmouth (Jamaica) and Cozumel. Cruise Line & Ship: Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas.

The Time: Sunday, May 22, 2011 – Sunday, May 29, 2011.

The 411: www.festivalatsea.com.

INTERNATIONAL ALL-STAR SALSA CRUISE 2011 The Draw: The International All-Star Salsa Cruise 2011 is a seven day six night cruise sailing June 4 - 11, 2011, on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Jade. This cruise departs from Venice, Italy, making stops in Dubrovnik, Croatia, Athens, Greece, Izmir, Turkey and Split, Croatia. This event will feature an All-Star line up of Salsa performers and instructors, and a non-stop schedule of workshops, performances, beach parties, pool parties and nightly Salsa parties to great salsa music, being played by world famous Salsa DJ’s.

The Ports: Departs Venice, Italy for Greece, Turkey, Croatia. Cruise Line & Ship: Norwegian Jade Cruise Ship: Navigator of Seas.

The Time: Saturday, June 4, 2011 – Saturday, June 11, 2011.

The 411: www.allstarsalsacruise.com.

NPN MEDITERRANEAN LEADERSHIP RETREAT & MUSIC FESTIVAL The Draw: The NPN Music Festival will be hosted by Entertainment at Sea during the retreat with a large variety of live entertainment venues. NPN travels with its own professional musicians, vocalists, and comedians selected from the annual worldwide talent search. This summit/retreat is limited to 500 passengers worldwide. NPN is an international association of multidisciplinary professionals who have sailed the globe. You are cordially invited to join NPN for this annual Continuing Education Conference Cruise.

The Ports: Departs Barcelona, Spain for Toulon, France, Monte Carlo/Cannes/Nice, France, Florence/Pisa, Rome, Naples, Capri, Italy Cruise Line & Ship: Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas.

The Time: Thursday, June 9, 2011 – Saturday, June 18, 2011.

The 411: www.npncruise.com. d

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spring 2011 | www.DecisiveMagazine.com

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health/fitness

fitness vacations Getting Fit On Vacation

Written by Wendy Ida

Fit vacations are so in and a definite sign of the times.

Working out is becoming increasingly popular, so personal trainers and health enthusiasts are constantly coming up with new ways to exercise. Putting your health at the forefront of your priorities is essential to a long life. With a fitness vacation, you can combine your getaway with an emphasis on getting fit.

FIT Tours is one example, offering fitness, travel and interest in a single trip. Tour destinations include FIT at Sea, Sueno Azul Sanctuary Costa Rica, FIT Caribbean Adventure at St. Lucia, FIT Desert Adventure in the Bounders and Golden Door Spa, FIT Mexico, FIT Alps in Austria and Grand Spa Resort in Kitzbuhel. FIT is a combination travel com-

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pany and health organization, combining the basics of vacation travel with staying fit and getting healthy.

Getaway Fitness is another company offering these types of fitness vacations at all inclusive luxury resorts. These holidays provide you with personal fitness challenges all wrapped up in an opulent experience with spas, massages, beautiful views, and gorgeous rooms. Most last four nights to six nights depending on your preference. Longerterm programs are available outside of the United States.

Hotels and spas are also specializing in these experiences as well.

Bella Beach Boot Camp is at the Ocean Sands Resort in Fort Lauder-

dale, Florida. Birdwing Spa Health and Fitness Resort is located in Minnesota with 300 acres of lakeside views and plenty of fitness and wellness activities. Lenox Canyon Ranch in Massachusetts, Tucson Canyon Ranch in Arizona and Civa Som Health Resort in Thailand are more examples of these interesting and unique fitness vacation opportunities.

These present you an opportunity to really focus on your health and well being while on vacation in whatever exotic and interesting destination catches your fancy.

From eating to exercising to innovative healthy techniques, you can learn to merge fitness and fun into one agenda while on vacation. The great thing about it all is that it doesn’t stop there. For many it’s a life changer because they return home more knowledgeable and therefore are able to translate that into their daily regimen.

While I have mentioned plenty to get you started in the right direction to plan your vacation this year, make sure you convey to your trip planner your likes and dislikes as well as your skill level. Then start where you are and do what you can—whether you are a beginner, weekend warrior or athlete. The goal is to learn to have fun while incorporating a healthy lifestyle in a supportive environment.

That also means being safe, but by the same token, don’t just do what you know— spice it up a bit and try something new and different.

You may discover a passion you never knew existed.d D

For more fitness tips from Wendy, visit DecisiveMagazine.com and WendyIda.com,

spring 2011 | www.DecisiveMagazine.com

17

greenlife

four

planetcelebrating vacations Grand Canyon South Rim

Written by Sheryll Alexander and Joanne Tucker

An eco tour can be one of the best vacations of your life. Why? On an eco tour, you combine healthy eating, outdoor exercise, rewarding romance, or once-in-a-lifetime family experiences with heart-opening Earth exploration.

However, eco tours aren’t for everyone. Most involve mild to moderate exercise such as biking, kayaking, walking and hiking. This could rule out multi-generational vacations, especially for the very young (check tour websites for minimum age limits), very old, or physicallylimited family members.

Don’t worry though, the eco tours covered here aren’t super strenuous and most do not include sleeping in a smelly sleeping bag.

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Still, eco tours are more about sacrificing a few creature comforts for experiencing a “living education” about fascinating facts, history, science, animals and even astronomy (you can’t count the stars in a stuffy hotel room!).

Need another reason to book an eco tour? How about starting the school year with a giant A+ on your child’s “What I did for summer vacation” report.

Louis & Clark Canoe Adventure: Row Adventures has five-day, four-night eco tours where you grab

Martha’s Vineyard

a paddle and hop aboard a 34-foot voyageur canoe to relive Lewis and Clark’s wilderness adventure on the Upper Missouri River. Beginning at Great Falls, Montana, this historic canoeing trip offers an intimate view of the same scenes Lewis and Clark paddled on their heroic expedition some 200 years ago. Enjoy the river’s meandering scenery, marvel at Native American rock art, ramble around long-abandoned pioneer homesteads and hike eroded sandstone crags that reveal ten million years of geologic history.

ROWadventures.com

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Martha’s Vineyard: Located 30 miles off the Massachusetts coast, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket are picturesque and historic islands. A classic New England backdrop, you’ll find charming seaside inns, historic sites, quaint shops, fine dining, and lively nightlife in six towns. Highlights include the historic port of Edgartown and Aquinnah’s colorful weathered cliffs. Trace history along the African-American Heritage Trail, which shows the evolution of the African-American presence on Martha’s Vineyard from the early 1700s to the present through a guided tour of 12 historic sites.

Experienceplus.com

Grand Canyon South Rim: Hike to the heart of Grand Canyon National Park descending a captivating 2,000 feet along the Bright Angel and South Kaibab trails linking the Grand Canyon Village to the Colorado River. For five days and four nights, explore ancient Anasazi Indian ruins at Wupatki National Monument and wind up your eco-tour among Sedona’s vibrant red rock formations in the quaint town. There’s even time to go on a Jeep tour, helicopter flight or a visit to the village of Tlaiquepaque for chic shopping and art gallery gazing.

Aoa-adventures.com San Juan Island: If your ideal vacation includes kayaking in remote waters, luxuriating at comfortable inns and dining at upscale restaurants, San Juan Island will appeal to you. The rugged though Lewis & Clark Canoe Adventure sophisticated San Juan Islands are closer to Canada than Washington State (just a two-hour ferry ride from Seattle). You’ll paddle along rocky shores where bald eagles perch in stately Douglas fir trees while great blue herons wade in shallow bays. Passing between small remote islands, you’ll be accompanied by sea birds, seals, porpoises, river otters, and possibly orca whales. Afterwards, you’ll retreat to a luxe inn for comfortable beds and jetted tubs for soaking.

Crystalseas.comd D

Decisive’s Mother-daughter travel expert team Sheryll Alexander and Joanne Tucker love multigenerational vacations, and are based in coastal Orange County, California. san juan island

spring 2011 | www.DecisiveMagazine.com

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Written by Lyndon Conrad Bell

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