NY Theatre district, Image courtesy of Vikram Vetrivel

One of the most popular dreams to chase in New York is singing. Although many people think of the West Coast, NY has a ton to offer. If you are serious about your vocals you can find many venues to get the word out about your talent. There are hundreds of cafes and lounges where you can perform. Not only do many record labels have hubs in New York but also the world of Broadway employs hundreds of performers. Getting a contract or job at this level might take a lot of training and performing, but those who pull it off will never regret it.

Strengthening your vocals is also extremely important. Unlike recording artists, you do not have the luxury of having a recorded and lightly altered version of your voice. You are singing live. You must deliver. It is important to make a lasting impression with those that are listening to you.

As you look on YouTube and other places that advertise music talent, you will notice something: the common thread between all of these artists are instruments. No matter the genre of music you sing, instruments are always a great help. If you are looking to get into the music scene you should find instrument lessons. There are great benefits in living in a big city. One of which is that there are many place to receive piano lessons in New York.

Learning an instrument can really help you, especially when it comes to nervous energy. For many, getting up in-front of a crowd makes their hands shake and heart race. This is because they have extra energy that they need to channel. That is why many big name artists dance on stage. But, an instrument can be a way for you to get rid of your extra energy.

Voice training is one of the most important things for an artist. But when you are just beginning in this career money is hard to come by. It is not always feasible to hire a person vocal teacher. Luckily, there is another option. Many libraries carry voice lessons in their movie sections. Your first voice lesson could be as simple as going to the library and checking it out. This may not be the most ideal option, but it can be a helpful option to you.

These tips to help you with you music career could be small. But every little thing helps. Every artist had to start some where. Remember that no singing gig is too small. As long as you are performing, you are living your dream. Never forget your dream and continue to pursue it.

Lifecruiser Love Music
 

Yes, we even did do the Grand Vintage tour at the Moet Chandon and we tasted the Vintage 2002, the blanc (which we have been tasted before) and the Rose. We also did a stop in the store afterward the tour… I say no more…

After that we had a long drive ahead of us to get down to Provence, to our dear friends Claudie and Pierre, where we will have the gathering with our Norwegian blog friends too: the 7th of August.

This time we even got to meet Claudie and Pierre’s daughter, she was not at home the last time we were here. We had a really nice, connecting time. She is a really good vocalist and has also made her own songs (impressive, listen to it!), awesome ones. She might come to Stockholm in the autumn – we really hopes she will come, since we would love to show her around!

Today, we have spent a really nice day together with Pierre, Claudie and her sister and husband in Nice, exploring the old town in Nice. A heaven for us photographers, I tell you!!! Then of course, we always have a great time together with Claudie and her family!! It’s impossible to not have a good time since they are such nice people!!!

Continue to keep an eye on Lifecruiser Europe roadtrip 2012 Flickr Photos too, there are new photos there now and we will upload our photos as soon as we got the time to do it – and working, fast enough wifi. So far, it’s mostly my iPhone photos because it’s easiest that way..

©Lifecruiser Love European Roadtrips
 

You can let life simply drift by as you lay on the beach sipping a cocktail with the sun on your face and white sand between your toes, or you can get active and explore some of the wondrous sights and sounds it has to offer.

If you choose to pick up the pace, a great way to do it is with dance lessons. Who knows, they may come in handy if you are visiting in February during carnival season!

Music is inescapable in the Dominican Republic, as you would expect from a country with strong Latin and reggae roots. Like a soundtrack, it is there wherever you go and it is as much woven into the fabric and the identity of the country as it is into the history of the neighbouring Caribbean islands of Cuba and Puerto Rico.

But if you’ve got two left feet and want to make use of them then mountain-biking is the best way to take advantage of the country’s natural geographical diversity. For something slower, dramatic ocean backdrops mean the Dominican Republic has some of the best golf courses in the Caribbean.

No trip would be complete with a visit to Santo Domingo, specifically the Zona Colonial. You will not need a translator to understand what this area is all about. The architectural wonders of the place that Christopher Columbus’ son once called home tell a thousand tales.

Music, dancing, history, culture, water sports and more can all be found in this idyllic country. It’s a country whose charm will stay with you. It’s the quintessential Caribbean destination and can be reached through most popular tour operators, such as Thomas Cook package holidays.

Lifecruiser Love Caribbean
 

If you’re looking to experience the real England, here are 8 activities that many Brits genuinely enjoy.
 

1. Watch a Horse Race at Ascot

The Ascot Racecourse is located in Ascot, Berkshire, only a 50 min ride by car or train from London. Ascot is one of the most famous courses in the entire world, and is home to the Royal Ascot race in June. What you may enjoy more than the actual horse race is the fashion at Ascot. The racecourse has a dress code whose strictness varies according to where you sit. For example, those sitting in the Royal Enclosure at the Royal Ascot must adhere to a strict dress code: men must wear morning dress that includes a cutaway and waist, in addition to a tie and top hat. Women must wear an appropriate dress (no spaghetti straps and nothing too short), and they must wear a hat or similar headpiece. Thankfully, the dress code isn’t as strict in other spectator sections. Book far in advance for this racecourse, especially if you plan to attend the Royal Ascot.

2. Attend a Performance at the Glyndebourne Festival

Another fashionable event to attend during the summer is the Glyndebourne Festival. This opera festival takes place in East Sussex County, which is accessible by car or by train. From London’s Victoria station, it’s only an hour to the town of Lewes in East Sussex. Operas take place inside the Glyndebourne auditorium, but during the intervals, guests may dine in one of the restaurants, or enjoy a picnic that they’ve preordered. Yes, you can preorder a gourmet picnic basket and eat outside on the grounds of Glyndebourne! Attending an opera here is a truly unique and spectacular experience.

3. Celebrate Guy Fawkes Night

Guy Fawkes Night, or Bonfire Night, has a strange history. On November 5, 1605, Guy Fawkes was found actively participating in a plan to assassinate King James I. When the Gunpowder Plot was foiled, people in London lit bonfires to celebrate, and November 5 was thereafter named a day of thanksgiving. Today, people still celebrate in the name of long deceased King James I. They do so by gathering to light bonfires and set off fireworks. Many times, communities organize the fireworks, so it’s a night for families to come together and enjoy the display. The London fireworks are always quite impressive.

4. See a Christmas Pantomime

Around Christmastime, small, medium, and large theaters all over England put on pantomimes. A Christmas pantomime is truly a British institution. Part comedy, part musical, with storylines from Disney tales such as Cinderella and Peter Pan, it’s a show for all ages. One fun aspect of a pantomime is the audience participation. The audience is expected to boo whenever the villain enters a scene, and warn the “good” players whenever the villain sneaks up on them (“He’s behind you!”). For a genuinely British experience during the holidays, fit a Christmas pantomime in your plans. Tickets for productions at larger theaters can be bought months in advance, and it’s recommended you do so, because they sell out quickly!

5. Eat Sunday Roast at a Local Pub

English food has a bad reputation, but the truth is a Sunday roast can be a very lovely meal. Served as lunch or an early dinner, the dish traditionally consists of roast beef and vegetables, potatoes, and Yorkshire puddings (small muffin-like breads that aren’t sweet at all). The meal attracts many Brits to the pubs on Sunday, so wash your food down with good English ale, and take in the authentic experience. And if you feel brave enough, strike up a conversation with a fellow diner.

6. Take in a Cricket Match

Sure, it’s easy to watch football (a.k.a. soccer) in the U.K., but what about something even more traditional? Cricket, a sport similar to baseball in some ways, is in fact the national sport of England. The game dates back to the 16th century, and it became very popular in British colonies. When traveling, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to see a match, given that there are local clubs all over the country. And if you’re lucky, your visit may coincide with a national team match. During the summer months England has many international matches with rivals such as India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. There’s also the Cricket World Cup that takes place every four years!

7. Shop at Selfridges, not Harrod’s

Harrod’s has more international recognition, but more popular with the British (Londoners especially) is a different luxury department store. Selfridges & Co. or Selfridges for short, is the place to go for high fashion, perfume, house wares, and so much more, including food. The Selfridges food hall is a great place to pick up something for dinner, or even small souvenirs like gourmet teas and chocolates. The flagship store on Oxford Street in London has six floors to explore, so make sure you budget enough time for your visit. And if you happen to be in Manchester or Birmingham, you’ll find Selfridges locations in those cities too.

8. Bargain Hunt on Boxing Day

If you love Black Friday shopping, then you’ll love Britain’s Boxing Day. It’s the after Christmas sale that stores use to clean out their winter stock to make way for the spring lines. Though Boxing Day is technically the first weekday after Christmas Day, most stores hold Boxing Day on the 26th if it falls on a weekend. And though doors don’t open at 4am like in America, the bargains are just as incredible.

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading about these local British experiences, and that one day you get the chance to try out a few!

And when you visit England, try to visit the quaint, old-world city of Chester. Check out this guide to Chester hotels for things to do and places to stay in the area.

Lifecruiser Love English Experiences
 

All the participating travel bloggers also wrote some text about why this is they’re favorite travel song – quite interesting so follow the above link to read them!

We did choose a brilliant song of Chris Rea: The Road to Hell. For us travel in itself is a road AWAY from hell – the every day life routines. This song tells you that the life you’re trapped in, is the road to hell and you cant get out. It’s a wake-up call for more freedom. Somehow it also reminds us about the Vikings with their urge to go on their plundering trips…

Besides that: the music is very catchy, the guitar-playing is simply awesome and Chris voice so d*rn pleasant to listen too!

Hey! If you like the playlist, please share the love and support the radio project by sharing the information with your friends and readers.

We will definitely play it on our next road trip!

About Pocketvillage: pocketvillage.com is an awesome brand-new start-up travel search engine (for extraordinary travel experiences) where you can find over 11,000 unique tours, activities and accommodations from all over the world. Head over and try them out if you haven’t already!

Lifecruiser ♥ Travel Songs

Royal Caribbean’s cruise ship OASIS of the SEAS will be sailing from Fort Lauderdale in Florida on February 4, 2012, on an entertainment cruise to honor the world famous band THE BEATLES by celebrating them with an All Star Cast of entertainers and musicians.

Considering this is the world’s largest cruise ship, that in itself could make this to the most special experience on it’s own!!!

Beatles Tribute Cruise 2012 Entertainment:

• The Grammy award-winning fingerstyle acoustic guitarist Laurence L J Juber (lead guitarist in Paul McCartney’s Wings)
• Revolution – The Beatles Tribute fantastic headliner act. Returning Beatles Tribute Cruisers are asked to dress up in their best 60’s style gear when the band plays for a Beatles Dance Party
• Tim Piper has something extraordinary planned for especially the BTC:ers
• The talented singer and songwriter Mark Hudson (Ringo Starr’s former producer) delivers his unique one-man rock band and comedy show
• Childhood friend of the Beatles, Tony Bramwell, share stories of the Beatles from before they were big stars and will introduce his latest masterpiece
• Host/creator of the radio show Beatle Brunch, Joe Johnson, entertains with Beatles Trivia contests, give-aways and a special presentation of a Sullivan Show aired 1964

Besides that, who doesn’t want to cruise to Falmouth, Jamaica, Cozumel, Mexico and the exotic private island of Labadee…?

Tempted to go? Get more information on BTC 2012 – and don’t forget to tell us all about it if you go!

Lifecruiser ♥ Cruises

The Swedish reindeer herder Jakob Ture Torkelsson recently ended a television interview by saying that he now wants to travel – he has not had the time before when the reindeer herding have taken too much time and energy.

Even if you don’t understand either the Sami nor the Swedish language, please look at the video to the end, to really get this mans fantastic charisma!

It’s the TV News announcer in the beginning that speak the Sami language, the interview is held in Swedish with an accent from the north. Even other Swedes, who isn’t of Sami heritage, can’t understand Sami. Personally I find it a bit like Icelandic language.

What touched me the most when I saw this Swedish TV interview with him, was his ability to keep that twinkle in his eye and spirit up despite the rather rough lifestyle he must have had. It reminds me of my own mother, she was also like that.

Jacke Torkelsson is one of this year’s most remarkable record debutants in Sweden. He has released a CD (summer 2010) together with the Swedish dance band Patrik’s Combo which recently came out with a new CD of their own: “Ett norrländskt hjärta” (a northern heart) and is participating in the Swedish dance band competition in TV. The remarkable with Jacke is that he got his dream fulfilled at the age of 69.

That really shows that you should never let the age stop you from doing things you love to do!

The music has been with him during the years. He says here that “I always had my pen and pads with me in the pack when I was out in the reindeer forest”.

The text of the main song on the album “Sametös” appeared in 1981 when he was in Stockholm - “at that time I was probably in love with a Sami girl”, he says with a twinkle in his eye.

Patrik Zakrisson from the band Patrik’s Combo played together with Jacke already back in 1987. Since then they have played together many times and now they’ve recorded this album together.

What they earn on this disc will go to to celebrate Jacke’s 70th birthday party next year – with lots of bubbling Champagne I hope!

Is it not amazing how music can make us friends that we might never had otherwise?

- “When you call they say the discs are sold out, discs are selling like butter that melts in the sunlight”, said Jacke Torkelsson in the interview.

There are 3 songs in the album, all 3 of the Sami culture itself in one way or another, which makes it very special. One of them a beautiful Sami song: “The reindeer herd is coming” with a more unique sound. The other title is: “I am free”.

Hit song is “Sametös”, Jacke’s own personal favorite where he sings about the search of a sametös to love, one that will live among the mountains and the snow. Maybe it’s you?

This is certainly a music CD with lots of personal charm and warmth, which really affects one’s heart – for me it did so already by the interview.

You can’t get it more like the real Swedish thing or with more genuine emotions than this!

There is also a video on Youtube with a visit in his home which is worth looking at too: Jacke with visitors in his home.

We wish Jacke good luck with his new music career and in the search of his sametös love – perhaps he will even find her in one of his future trips?

Lifecruiser ♥ Travel Inspiration
 

Sources:
Länstidningen Östersund
SVT Jämtlandsnytt
 

I love it when the musicians are having FUN when they’re performing (and not only doing it as it were any boring job task) and this orchestra really lived up to that. They played the perfect joyful music for an evening out, putting us in a very good mood.

Actually they reminded us very much about another Swedish band we use to meet at our summer paradise island: remember Jösses Pojkar we’ve written about before?

When Rusty circle did take their “academic beer pause”, hubby said he would go to the gents room, but he actually went to talk to them, to make them play something for ME!

Surprise! They came back playing and singing Happy Birthday for me and making everyone at the restaurant singing along!

Not only that, they had (without even hubby knowing) written happy birthday plus my name & signed one of their CD’s, which they gave to me too. Such nice guys I tell you.

My beloved hubby also had ordered some romantic songs to be played for me, which they did…. Several of them. Ah… it was such a ♥ romantic evening…

This was at a special Medieval restaurant: U Zlate Konvice – not exactly the cheapest in Prague, but with a special touch.

Lifecruiser ♥ Rusty circle

PS. If you’re interested in Prague, there will be more posts about our time there later on this blog, but also in between there will be posts about other trips we’ve made.
 

It’s really hard to understand that our farmer is 80 years old – he is such an active man and in many senses younger than many others!

Earlier posts: Swedish band Jösses Pojkar and Stig-Helmers Experience.

Oh, boy, what a party! We didn’t go to bed until 3 o’clock in the morning – it’s tough work to be on vacation! *giggles*

Hubbys brothers son with wife and kid is here too, so now you know another reason why I don’t have the time to visit your blogs – sightseeing is going on.

Lifecruiser ♥ Fishing Cottage BBQ
 

Last Saturday we went to Sudersands Badrestaurang to listen to the band Jösses Pojkar who sometimes perform together with Lasse Åberg in a trio called Stig-Helmers Experience.

Stig-Helmer is that wonderful nerdy character in the famous Swedish comedy movie series Lasse Åberg has done, which has become a cult classic. No Swede can see him without instantly think of Stig-Helmer and put on a big smile.

We met Claes-Göran, Bengt and Hasse in Jösses Pojkar last year at the annual farm BBQ at the fishing cottage – some of you might remember that I wrote about it.

Our farmer have known them for ages and this year Claes-Göran with wife and Bengt stayed up here at the farm for a couple of nights, but we didn’t have any big BBQ this time.

They’re such nice guys with so much humor in their songs. If you’re in Gotland (Sweden) you can catch up with them at other performances, they’re on a tour right now.

Another important thing to mention is that Lasse Åberg also is a chairman in the Chiparamba Foundation, which arranged this event. Chiparamba Foundation’s goal is to help children in South Africa which lives in the streets or who’s parents has died in HIV/AIDS.

It was such a wonderful experience to see the Soccer team Chiparamba Great Eagles from Lusaka, Zambia at the restaurant filled with joy, shaking their bodies to the music!

What a rhythm they have in them. They even danced to a very Swedish, folk music song.

I thought it were a pity that they should be up there dancing alone – so I joined them! I remember that they looked really interested on my foot work…. Like: “What on earth are she doing…?” *giggles*

After that the dance seriously got going!

See Lifecruiser’s Stig-Helmers Experience Photos here.

Lifecruiser ♥ Fårö Events