Los Angeles, CA, United States (Celebrity News Service) – Carnival Cruise Lines and Facebook have teamed up to offer five lucky people an amazing trip and special access to summer’s hottest concerts. Carnival’s new marketing campaign, “Hey America, Didja Ever,” encourages people to try new things, which is certainly something the contest winner s will do.

The five contest winners will get to take along three of their friends to a rock, pop, or country music concert. Adding to the excitement is that the artists will not be revealed until the winner is announced.

Anyone who is 18 or older and has a Facebook page simply has to go to the Carnival Facebook page and “Like” it. The first round of the contest goes until June 22. The winner will be heading to Houston, TX, to enjoy a concert along with round trip airfare, hotel, travel to the show in a limo, and $500 spending money.

Jim Berra, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Carnival Cruise Lines explains the significance of this contest. “Concerts, much like Carnival cruise vacations, provide the perfect opportunity for entertainment, bonding with friends and family, and creating memorable moments.”

The sweepstakes will last from July through September.

View full post on Lifestyle And Leisure Stories

Miami, FL, United States (AHN Entertainment) – The most recent revival of the Broadway musical “Hair,” from director Diane Paulus and the Public Theater, rocked the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami Tuesday night with its free-spirited, interactive performance for a run that lasts through Sunday.

As soon you walk into the 2,400-seat Ziff Ballet Opera House to witness the “American Rock Love-Tribal Musical,” you’ll quickly notice the room feels more intimate than the last time you visited. (You’ll also notice an unusually high number of patrons dressed in tie-dye). That intimate feeling holds up for over throughout the two-hours plus of the entire show.

“Hair,” more than any other production, tears to shreds the “fourth wall” between viewer and performer before bringing the house down. This show isn’t for the conservative. Performers are in your seats, tousling your hair, and dancing in the aisles. If you think you need to go to the bathroom, hold it, unless you want to be a part of the show. But then again, everyone in attendance already is.

“Hair” plays like a call to action, one for peace, love, and no war. These aren’t dated ideals, as anyone with a beating heart should still have them. Instead of the show feeling like a product of its time, it has no need to prove its relevancy. It transports the audience, like any good period piece should, into the moment of late 60′s sexual freedom and anti-government resistance.

With book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni, and music by Galt MacDermot, “Hair” follows a tribe of New York hippies whose life filled with love, sex and pot-smoking becomes threatened when draft cards for the Vietnam War arrive. It ultimately becomes the main struggle for Claude (Paris Remillard), who feels torn between service and dissension.

Above all, what makes the show undoubtedly believable is the cast, including energy-filled Steel Burkhardt, Matt DeAngelis as Jagger-loving Woof, and scene-stealing Kacie Shiek as Jeanie. The chemistry between characters, especially between Berger and Claude, is beyond palpable.

There’s no major set pieces or special effects and the Tribe holds the show completely on their shoulders. The cast completely inhabit their roles, all the way down to their bios in the Playbill, which would make you think these aren’t actors at all but fully committed singing and dancing flower children.

The music still holds up incredibly well, with opener “Aquarius” and closer “Let the Sun Shine In” reminding audiences how these Broadway compositions were able to break through boundaries and become huge pop hits. Over 40 years since its original incarnation, “Hair” still feels like it’s pushing boundaries, inspiring some, shocking others, but putting on a show that’s surely unlike anything you’ve ever seen.

“Hair” plays at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts at 1300 Biscayne Blvd in Miami, FL through Sunday. Check arshtcenter.org for tickets or call the box office at (305) 949-6722.

View full post on Lifestyle And Leisure Stories

Orlando, FL, United States (AHN Entertainment) – Start planning your 2012 family vacations to Universal Orlando. The theme park is going high-tech and 3-D with their new “Despicable Me” ride and their updated 4K high definition “The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man” attraction.

The overwhelming success of 2010′s “Despicable Me” opened the doors for a fantastic theme park opportunity set to open in 2012.

The 3-D CGI adventure will transform the guests into minions and transport them through Gru’s (the evil mastermind) lair. Guests, er….I mean minions….will meet Gru’s adopted daughters, be trained by Gru and end the experience by having a dance party with their fellow minions.

The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man is already one of the park’s most popular attractions, combining 3-D and live effects, and will now be able to boast its cutting edge technology when it is reworked in 4K high definition. This will create an unbelievable and realistic experience that will transport guests into the world of Spider-Man, Hobgoblin and Electro.

View full post on Lifestyle And Leisure Stories

Miami, FL, United States (AHN Entertainment) – “In the Heights,” the 2008 Tony Award winner for Best Musical and runaway Broadway hit, tells the story of the Dominican, Cuban, Nuyorican inhabitants at home in Washington Heights. It’s also right at home at Miami’s Adrienne Arsht Center.

The show’s national tour, which arrived in Miami on March 29 and continues performances through April 3, brought along all the heart, soul and charm that made the show a winner on Broadway and resonates with South Florida’s multi-cultural crowd (expect enthusiastic responses when Cuban, Dominican, Mexican, or Puerto Rican flags are waved).

The show tells the story of Usnavi, a Washington Heights bodega owner who’s everyday routine is serving cafe con leche and lottery tickets to the local residents. Everyone’s dreaming of a little more (who isn’t?), and they’re all just trying to make it while trying to find their true home.

The show’s award-winning music, from Lin Manuel-Miranda, is already incredibly melodic and vibrant, infusing traditional Latin sounds with more modern hip-hop and even reggaeton. The dancing, which bookends many of the show’s scenes, is joy-inducing.

But with a show whose spirit lies on the delivery of its leads, especially Usnavi, the touring cast definitely delivers. Joseph Morales possesses much of the same rapid-fire rap talents. He is incredibly emotive and takes the show to some of its tallest, well, “heights.”

Nicholas Christopher and Genny Lis Padilla shine as Benny and Nina, offering up pitch-perfect vocals, while Lexi Lawson, who also portrayed Mimi in a tour of “Rent,” exudes all the right attitude for Vanessa.

The book can veer towards the simple and the sappy, but it’s the rousing performances that more than make up for it. Among the highlights are the “Carnaval del Barrio,” spearheaded by April Ortiz as Daniela, the opener “In the Heights,” and “The Club” and “Blackout” sequences. “Look at the fireworks,” they sing, and there’s plenty of them on stage.

“In the Heights” plays at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts at 1300 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami through April 3. Tickets can be purchased at arshtcenter.org or by calling the box-office at (305) 949-6722.

View full post on Lifestyle And Leisure Stories

Los Angeles, CA, United States (AHN Entertainment) – Broadway Across America has announced the musicals heading straight from Broadway to the stage at Ft. Lauderdale’s Broward Center for the Performing Arts for 2011-2012. Among them are the South Florida debuts of recent Tony Award-winners “Billy Elliot” and “La Cage Aux Folles.”

Kicking off the season is “Rain – A Tribute to the Beatles,” which made its Broadway debut last fall. It features “Ed Sullivan Show”-like performances of Beatles classics such as “Hard Day’s Night” and “With a Little Help From My Friends.” The show launches Oct. 4 and runs through the 16th.

“Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” featuring the beloved, award-winning music of the classic Disney film, makes its return to the area Nov. 15 through 27, while another audience favorite, “Jersey Boys,” starts the new year off just right with performances from Jan. 11-29.

“Billy Elliot the Musical,” 2009′s Tony Award winner for Best Musical, makes its South Florida premiere next year. Featuring music from Elton John, the story of the boy who would rather do ballet than get in the boxing ring dances its way onto the stage (and most likely into your heart) Feb. 29 through March 11.

A sweeping new production of the Rodgers & Hammerstein’s romance classic “South Pacific” hits the stage April 10-22, 2012. “La Cage Aux Folles,” which won 2010′s Best Revival of a Musical Tony Award, brings its exciting new production to Ft. Lauderdale June 12-24, 2012.

Season tickets for the 2011-2012 season of Broadway Across America – Ft. Lauderdale are currently on sale. Tickets for individual shows will begin their own sales soon at www.broadwayacrossamerica.com.

View full post on Lifestyle And Leisure Stories

Product Description
- Turn beans into bucks -Build a winning sales team -Deliver WOW! customer service… More >>

Start and Run a Coffee Bar

London, United Kingdom (CNS) – Travel content provider Lonely Planet has launched a new series of Audio Walking Tours for iPhone and iPod Touch users who are traveling to London. In a first-of-its kind partnership, the audio tour brings together Lonely Planet’s trusted recommendations and audio productions from AudioGO, including materials from BBC archive.

Just in time for the upcoming royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the tours take users on a recommended route, with reviews written by the travel guide’s expert authors and atmospheric audio commentary.

The apps – which are for five iconic walks in central London: Covent Garden, Southbank, Spitalfields, the City and the West End – provide detailed information to let users explore at their own pace.

And to avoid roaming charges for international users, the tours can also work offline.

Jeremy Kreitler, Lonely Planet’s VP Wireless Services, said, “The apps are an exciting new innovation which enable travelers to hear and read about the top attractions in some of the most fascinating areas of a city. This is the first mobile product which we have created without using any pre-existing book content. It has been created with the on-the-go traveler in mind.”

“Along with our city guides and phrasebooks on the iPhone we hope the new Audio Walking Tours help travelers to get the information they need at their fingertips and what better city to start with than London, with the Royal wedding and Olympics around the corner, it is the destination of the moment.”

Each tour is available for $1.99 for a limited period, after which it can be bought at its regular price of $3.99.

View full post on Lifestyle And Leisure Stories

Product Description
The multiple award-winning Restaurant Manager s Handbook is the best-selling book on running a successful food service. Now in the fourth completely revised edition, nine new chapters detail restaurant layout, new equipment, principles for creating a safer work environment, and new effective techniques to interview, hire, train, and manage employees. We provide a new chapter on tips and IRS regulations as well as guidance for improved management, new methods to increase your bottom line by expanding the restaurant to include on- and off-premise catering operations. We ve added new chapters offering food nutrition guidelines and proper employee training. The Fourth Edition of the Restaurant Manager s Handbook is… More >>

The Restaurant Manager’s Handbook: How to Set Up, Operate, and Manage a Financially Successful Food Service Operation 4th Edition – With Companion CD-ROM

Los Angeles, CA, United States (CNS) – Finally, a Michael Jackson game to replace our “Moonwalker” for Sega Genesis games. “Michael Jackson The Experience” isn’t the first MJ video game, but it’s definitely the best. Featuring over a dozen of Jackson’s biggest hits, as well as some pleasantly surprising rarities (‘Streetwalker”!), “The Experience” is one fans of the King of Pop will want to repeat over and over again.

First, let’s talk about the songs. “Thriller” is here, “Bad” is here, so is “Billie Jean.” The game characters, which resemble Jackson and his dancers, are placed into digital landscapes reminiscent of their music video counterparts. Some other fan favorites are here, including “Ghosts” from “Blood on the Dance Floor” (though the title track is missing) and “Speed Demon” off “Bad.”

The only problem with the track listing are some of the omissions. I would’ve traded the way-too-slow grooves of “The Girl Is Mine” for “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) and both slow jams “Heal the World” and “Will You Be There” need not be present (we’d drop “Heal the World”). And it’s also as if 2001′s “Invincible” never happened and at least the inclusion of first single “You Rock My World” and its choreography would’ve been nice.

Now as for game play, you have to follow Jackson’s sequined glove along with your remote and make sure you’re doing the same hand motions. Yes, the rest of your body is supposed to be gliding and striding along with the rest of Jackson’s moves, but it really only grades the movement of your right hand, which means you don’t have to have any previous dance training. Hell, you probably don’t even have to be mobile. But when you are actually dancing along with Michael, you’d be hard-pressed not to break into sweat.

The characters, created in Jackson’s likeness, are a little faceless but it’s not too distracting. The dancers who have been digitally recreated into the game are killing that choreography (in a good way) and even offer unlocked tutorials once you get further into the game to really help you follow the moves step by step.

If you’ve ever dreamed of dancing alongside Michael Jackson, well you’ll have to wait a bit more for that. While the Wii version is nice, the upcoming versions for the Xbox Kinect and the Playstation Move will be enhanced with even more features, including full-body dance move assessment and having players virtually transported into the game with Michael.

So if Michael Jackson’s music already gets you moving, “Michael Jackson The Experience” for Wii offers players the chance to work it out like MJ in his videos and performances, while possibly getting a work out from it too. Recommended.

View full post on Lifestyle And Leisure Stories

Los Angeles, CA, United States (AHN) – California is being battered by heavy wind, rain and snow resulting in thousands left without power.

The storms rolled in Friday and the entire state has been affected. The Santa Monica Mountains in the south have had more than 12 inches of rain while Mammouth Mountain ski resort received 13 feet of snow.

Central Los Angeles has been deluged with 5 inches of rain since Friday morning, accounting for more than a third of the region’s average annual amount. Rivers of mud are flowing down Los Angeles’ famed Hollywood Hills.

Nearly 21,000 people in the southern portion of the state are without power, while in the farming region in the central part of the state 2,000 people were told to evacuate.

Residents travelling on roadways in the region are crawling at a snail’s pace as cars inch along bumper to bumper. In some areas people are wading through knee-high waters.

With the inclement weather officials are warning of the dangers of flash flooding. The rain could also send the rising rivers and streams in the area surging out of their banks.

The U.S. National Weather Service warned that a new storm would “bring heavy rain” through Wednesday afternoon.

As bad as it is on the western side of North America, Europe is being battered even harder. Much of Europe is under a blanket of snow that is expected to continue to fall for the next several days.

Freezing weather has crippled the infrastructure of the region’s travel. Thousands of travelers are stranded across the continent as flights and train service have been cancelled for days.

Britain’s Heathrow Airport, the largest air hub in Europe, has been operating under limited service for days. The resulting logistical disaster has sparked criticism from the thousands of stranded travelers and even the government.

Even 72 hours after the first major snowfall, the airport reportedly still has a lack of snow clearing machines and personnel that are seemingly the root of the airport’s major problems.

British Airways is likely to make a “significant number of cancellations,” according to the airline, further adding to the frustration of travelers during what is one of the busiest times of the year.

Iced-over roadways have also caused more than their share of problems. Some roads are so impassable drivers opted to just abandon their vehicles in heavy snow and walk.

In what is also the busiest shopping time of the year, the weather is proving to be contentious for retailers. They fear the poor weather will affect their sales.

Earlier this month insurer RSA said the snow could cost the British economy up to $2 billion dollars a day.

View full post on Lifestyle And Leisure Stories