I was drawn to a particularly delicious and mouth watering image of a small burger oozing and dripping with what seemed to look like mustard. Ooh, so they’re called slugburgers? I want to make one! Seemed like a very good idea as they are probably one of the cheapest and most inexpensive of burgers out there.

Slugburgers were aptly named slugburgers not because the original content was made up of these tiny little shell-less slugs, but because they each cost a nickel, or in slang terms, a ’slug’.

To make a decent slug burger, one would need the use of ground beef and soybean grits or flour as the main extender (you’d need a lot of the extender for slugburgers). The slugburger mixture is made in to cute little patties, and deep fried in canola oil. They are then served between two slices of a bun and topped with lots of mustard, dill pickles and onion slices.

In Corinth, Mississippi; slugburgers still are very popular and served daily. They even have a festival for it, the annual Slugburger Festival.

It is said that a man named John Weeks had started selling these hot little things around 1917, in the city of Corinth. The ground beef was sold to him by the McEwen brothers, with instructions and specifications to include potato flakes and flour into the mix. These burgers (the fixings included) were all sold for five cents each at that time. Over the years, all five brothers had started selling these burgers. The Weeks brothers did so. And thus did the burgers were named as Weeksburgers. The tradition lived on, them serving and cooking these burgers in their moving trolleys and mini-cafes. The soybean grit was later used to replace the potato flakes after it was found to be a better and more superior substitute to the latter.

In the town of Booneville, Mississippi, the tradition is being carried on by Dianne and Willie Weeks, son of Fate and Lois Weeks, apparently one of the five brothers who had started Weeksburgers.

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Vermont is said to be one of the few states where business is profitable, stagnant and conducive. Economists commented on the state’s stability, saying that it could very well stand strong up until the next thirty years. Vermont’s gross state product, last three years ago, was a close twenty three billion dollars. It is a good GSP, even though ranking 50th among all the other states. You have to put the population and the land mass/area of the the state of Vermont into account.

The GSP is divided in the different areas of industry like government, real estate, rental, leasing, durable goods manufacturing, health care, social assistance, retail trade, finance and insurance industry, construction, professional and technical services, wholesale trade, accommodations and food services, information marketing, other goods manufacturing, utilities, educational services, transportation, storage services, administration of waste services, agriculture, entertainment, recreation, mining and company management.

Canada, being nearer to Vermont’s vicinity, has been the state’s number one external trading partner ever since. With Quebec alone, the state had at least four billion dollars worth of commerce and investments.

Vermon’s median household income from six years ago was forty five thousand dollars, receiving a national ranking in the fifteenth place. Vermont also had the record of smallest credit card delinquency rate in the country with a low, low statistic of 0.70%.

Real estate within Vermont has also been a slowly growing issue. While the number of houses available for purchase, leasing or renting had slowly decreased within the coming years, the prices are also growing at a slowly increasing rate, averaging from two hundred thousand dollars in the last years to two hundred two thousand within the previous year. A small growth, but it is a growth nonetheless. Vermont, at the fourth quarter of 2008 had the fourth lowest mortgage payment delinquency rate, with a value of only 1.8%.

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Florida is known as the Sunshine State, and for good reason; it is one of the few places in America with a warm, tropical climate, and the ambience is always sunny with all the fairs and festivals occurring all year round. Aside from the tried-and-tested annual festivals that have been running for many years now, there are also fledgling organizers that struggle to take off from their first year. To many people who have talents to show, be it a skill in cooking or an ability for crafts, then this is the place to earn a little extra.

Chances are, you’re one of these people. I applaud your notion of making a few extra dollars from selling the items that you make. However, you will need a booth, as well as the ability to attract potential buyers to it. The next few paragraphs will talk about tips I’ve gotten from a few “fair regulars”:

Spruce up your booth: Having fabulous craftworks is only half of the deal. You won’t be attracting customers if all you do is spread them on a dull table. You’re selling art. Make the booth attractive enough to catch would-be buyers’ eyes from a distance. Something as simple as a colorful cloth to spread out your wares on or a banner on top of your booth will be a big thing. If you’re selling food and beverages, a dumpster right next to you will certainly not help any. Make sure you clean up your area, too.

*Talk to your customers: Go to the other side of your booth once in a while and establish rapport with potential customers. Make an effort to talk to them about what you’re selling, but do not flood them with unnecessary information. Relax! If you notice someone deliberating on an item, recommend other items they might be interested in as well.

Be prepared for changing weather: We may be the Sunshine State, but Florida receives it’s fair amount of rainfall. You may know that Florida weather may also be unpredictable. Sheets of thick plastic to cover your crafts tucked away nearby will be a necessity once rain decides to drop. Have something heavy at hand to keep them away flying away, too. And bring an umbrella, as getting sick will be a big inconvenience.

Lastly, don’t overdo it: Don’t cram so much paraphernalia on your booth that your crafts get lost. Don’t talk so much you forget to listen to your customers’ concerns. And don’t bring so much anti-rain equipment, you don’t bring enough of what you’re planning to sell.

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Good chance, you’d be asking for the Sunken Gardens if you’re looking for this place, since that is what others call this Japanese Garden in San Antonio, Texas. The reason for the term is because the gardens are located inside an abandoned limestone quarry. If you can’t find the place, ask for “Chinese Tea Garden Gate”. It’s what they had in the registrations.

The Japanese gardens had a long turbulent history. It started as a quarry, it had been developed into a garden under the direction of the city. Several companies had bloomed under the park with the workers also benefiting. The theme of being Japanese was added later on when the basic outlays were introduced. The funds from different donors came, where the extensive outlays were introduced.

Due to World War II, most of its sponsors have been extradited and sent back to Japan. The whole place fell into disrepair and vandalism and it was not only until at least 2005 that serious action and renovation was spearheaded and led by the concerned citizens that did not wish the park to be closed.

The park opened last March 2008, thanks to the efforts of Councilwoman Bonnie Conner. Through her campaign to protect and keep the park open, they were able to acquire enough funds to restore and renovate the place. The family that was extradited from the site, the Jingu family was able to come back after a few decades.

The Gardens have garnered several titles like the Texas Civil Engineering Landmark, Texas Historic Landmark, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Today, the gardens stand proud, hosting to people who wish to experience the glamor and the intricacy of Japanese tea ceremonies. The gardens can be found at the Northwestern edge at Brackenridge Park, near the San Antonio Garden.

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If you want to start out showcasing your wares in different fairs and festivals, you must first know that there are two different types of craft shows that you may end up joining. You need to know the difference between the two, especially when you haven’t yet tried out setting up in fairs and festivals. Over the course of this article, I will go over one and briefly describe the other, so that you, the reader, may be able to choose what suits your craft best.

The first type of craft show is known as the non-juried show. In this type of setup, you simply pay the fee to rent the spot, and there you set up your booth and sell whatever your craft is. This is appealing to those just starting in the business, as it is simple to understand. However, know that there are still concerns to consider.

One major concern regarding non-juried shows is the amount of people coming. To have a good feel for the estimated attendance, check out the annual events a year prior to joining. Or, if the event is running for the first time, ask the management how they are advertising it. If they do not have a good advertising strategy, then perhaps this venue is not optimal for you.

After getting a good grasp on how much people are coming, it’s time to set up the booth itself. Make sure that you and the event organizer understand each other completely; discuss the availability of chairs, tables, and electrical outlets. This varies from fair to fair, and thus need to be considered before making deals. Next, set up the stall in such a way that will have your craft fully showcased. i won’t expound too much, as each person has his or her own style.

Next, we briefly tackle on the other type of show. Dubbed (you should have guessed it) the juried show, you will be required to create a portfolio before being allowed to set up a booth. My experience with this type of set-up is; not everyone gets accepted, and you have to really know your stuff before they even allow you to start. Go to a juried show once you’ve built your confidence: This venue is usually better because it is much more organized, and there are more people coming along. Make sure you have enough wares.

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You would probably have your fairs and festivals set across in an open field, inside a mall, in the town square or anywhere near, right?

One town decides to have a beach festival though, just for the heck of it. Which is really a good idea because people are seemingly more and more depressed with what’s happening with the economy and all the other things.

The event was marked off with a pre-morning ice swim. Everyone was shivering hard after. I’d reckon anyone would, the water really was freezing. But well, with this and that; the whole lot was more energetic thereafter. People said that the cold water also improves your memory. I guess there was an advantage then, even if the side effect would be a small cold after.

There was a grill party come noon, when everyone decided to just lounge around in the sun to warm themselves up and gain a nice, healthy tan. The air smelled of fish, meat, and lemon-spiced vegetables; courtesy of the townsmen. Well, officially, I was just a visitor and I did not contribute to the whole affair, so it pretty much was just a sit in for me and I had settled to just eating my packed lunch.

Afternoon was when the place was suddenly filled with kiosks. The other people began selling beach accessories, towels, and some light snacks. I had chosen to buy one, a small bracelet for my gran-gran. It had pretty shells in it. I know she’ll love it.

That night (the people were quite adamant to go through with the festival), everyone slowly settled down and simply relaxed, having a star gazing event because the stars weren’t really visible when in the city. We were surprised when there was a fireworks festival thereafter. I guess the town had a bit of something to squeeze in with the meager budget.

Perhaps there would be another one next year.

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Texas houses the Forbidden Gardens, a 40-something acre of flatland, miniature figurines, clay statues and everything Chinese.

Created and funded under the meticulous taste of Mr. Ira P. H. Poon, dubbed ‘Mr. Poon’; the whole of the attraction mimics and replicates the over all feel of Chinese atmosphere and culture. The Forbidden Garden, is by far, the most visited of Chinese attractions all around the world. Even the authentic Chinese museums have a hard time competing with the Forbidden Garden.

It’s not a matter of who has the better attraction, but because of the accessibility. China has strict, and oftentimes unjustifiable travel policies (hey, it’s their country. They have their own rules they follow.) that make it very hard, even for the Chinese themselves, to visit the Forbidden temple, the grave of Shi Huang Di, and many others. It’s cheaper to travel to America and just see the replica, even if you come from China, is what I have heard.

The attraction cost 2 million dollars overall, and has a complete repertoire of an ‘authentic courtyard’, koi ponds, arcades, incense and the sound of a Chinese lute from faraway.

Another attraction in this area is the miniature replica of the terracotta army of Emperor Qin. If you’ve been watching a lot of spy movies and that particular Tomb Raider movie, you’d know what they are. They have at least 6000, as far as they say, but it’s not impossible to see. The sheer volume of the statues would leave you with no taste to count. Up in the front, a large emperor statue commands the unmovable army.

This is a good chance for tourists to try and have a taste of little China in the big States. It is a very unique attraction in Texas, one that should not be passed up if you are in town.

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Nothing is exhilarating as watching whales break out of the water’s surface in a windy day out in the open sea. The water feels cool, the sun is beating down, and the whales break out in some sort of marine ballet.

Enter whale-watching, a well-known tourist attraction in the regions of Maui, Hawaii. The whales converge around this tropical isle, thus becoming an important spot for whale-watchers everywhere. Whale-watching usually happens around the cold months, when the waters up north are inhospitable and the tropical region is alive and full of young shrimp and krill. Watchers board a special vessel assigned for watching and venture out into the sea where they are sure the whales are. Sightings then follow, making the crowd gasp and wonder at how gentle the whales are in a closer vantage point. Of course, because of this, the state is very adamant with the protection and conservation of these migratory creatures.

Whale watching requires you to at least join with a group for convenience and security, for the whales. There is a ruling that no one should be near or at least attempt to near a whale or a dolphin within 100 feet. This is to ensure that the mammals’ migratory routes and behavior aren’t affected by human intervention. The whales migrate here to the warmer waters for food, for mating and for behavioral patterns. That is why it is pertinent for humans not to interfere with their normal routes that had lasted ever since prehistoric times.

Dolphins also share the same warm blood with whales. Unlike their counterparts however, dolphins are very friendly and can interact and deal well with humans. It has been said that dolphins had helped our ancestors cross the oceans once, this friendly behavior, however is still a mystery.

Starting every October, around 6000 humpback whales move to Hawaii. The watching seasons begins around early November. Season lasts up till March, where by mid-May; all the whales would have migrated once more. Humpbacks and dolphins are the mainstay, but false killer whales, and pilot whales had been sighted so far.

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Ever gone to a hot-air balloon festival before?

The Alabama Jubilee Hot-Air Balloon Classic is just that. It’s an absolutely awesome place to be in for a balloon enthusiast. Especially if you’re living in Alabama, this classic is sure to be an eye-catcher. After all, what person would not turn his head to the sight of dozens of balloons floating up in the air, each decorated with flamboyant and colorful designs.

The Hot-Air Balloon festival of Alabama is probably the oldest among the balloon races in the Southern area, which originated in the city of Decatur at around 1978. The original race had 17 balloonists from the states of Alabama, Kentucky, Ohio, and the other surrounding and near states. Today, it has more than 60 people participating in the annual races.

The events are usually done at the end of the week, when people have their times free and where they can spend it with their families. All the more, it is aligned with the annual Memorial Day holiday weekend.

Because of this, it also has become one of the top 20 Tourism Events in the Southeast Region for the month of May, by the Southeast Tourism Society. And well put, because the balloon jubilee is a very large event. It, not only spans the land and over water, but also the skies.

If you want to be there, the festival is usually held over on the area of Point Mallard Park, a complex which has the water park on it. The venue is well armed with a wave pool (dubbed “America’s First Wave Pool”) tennis courts, fields, trails, a golf course, a rink and a recreation center. Of course, if you are new to the area, the sight of rising hot-air balloons would clue you in immediately as to where to go to find the site.

You’ll have lots of things to do in the jubilee grounds.

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My friend forced me to go to one.

She had a knack for flowers, naming off random names here and there while pointing what genus and species this one was over the next one. It was insanity, if not for the fact there were others like her in the same grounds.

A flower festival is a fair for horticulturists and either a dream or a nightmare for botanists. Contrary to belief, it’s not all about flowers. There are ferns too, and shrubbery, some topiary here and there, and a few garden ornaments like a fountain or a flamingo. The Japanese bamboo fountain in our backyard; yep, I bought it at the same flower festival.

There were lots of plants, mostly orchids. The variety that grows in rotting wood, driftwood, pots and eggshells. I chanced upon some carnivorous plants, which were locally from the mountain. They must have carried it along with the orchids. There was this nice pitcher plant that had a nice red and green toning on it. I so wanted one for the flies hanging out in the corner of my yard.

That afternoon, there was a seminar regarding proper plant care and advanced techniques for ornamental plants. They even had a bonsai-trimming demo which was rather uneventful. A random bird flew downwards, surprising the person on stage. The shears had cut into the dwarf tree. I was surprised at the collective gasp from everyone around me. Felt like the odd man out not to react at the travesty of the situation.

We left around six o’clock. Me, with the bamboo fountain in a basket on one hand, and the pitcher plant tucked securely in my arm. She didn’t even buy one for herself. Ironic.

Perhaps, maybe next year, I could go by my lonesome and see what other things I would buy.

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