- Disney (Water)World Gets Even Better
- Gooey Goodness
- All-Star Art Exhibit
- Cutting Edge Entertainment
- But Mom! It’s…‘Educational’
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| © Disney Cruise Line |
Disney (Water)World
Gets Even Better
When you take a vacation on a Disney Cruise Line ship, the “Happiest Place on Earth” becomes the “Happiest Place on Water.” And with the upcoming expansion of activities and amenities on Disney’s private island Castaway Cay, the word “Happiest” will take on new meaning. Reserved exclusively for Disney Cruise Line Guests, Castaway Cay was designed with one-of-a-kind areas and activities for every member of the family.
Scheduled for completion later this summer, Castaway Cay will be getting new enhancements of more water-based family-fun, additional conveniences and a slice of beachside luxury. A new water feature, Pelican Plunge, is a 2,400-square-foot floating platform that helps guests cool off with two exciting water slides, a giant “bucket dump,” water cannons and more.
Castaway Family Beach will be extended by more than 700 feet, adding more options for dining, beach rentals and souvenirs. Both there and on Serenity Bay—a secluded beach for adults—20 premium rental cabanas will provide the privacy and luxury of a deluxe beach retreat.
Other enhancements include a larger stingray interaction area within a private lagoon, an isolated white-sand beach just for teens, a new Game Pavilion, additional massage cabanas on Serenity Bay, additional tram paths and an expanded excursion dock.
Consistently rated by Disney Cruise Line guests as their favorite port of call, Castaway Cay is the ultimate private island paradise in the Bahamas. This oasis invites cruisers to enjoy world-class recreation with renowned Disney hospitality.
For more information on Disney cruises, stop by your local AAA office.
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Simply put, some dates on the calendar are more important than others because of what they celebrate. Dec. 25, Jan. 1, July 4, Aug. 10…What? You don’t know what you should be celebrating on Aug. 10? If you’ve ever spent time around a campfire singing songs and telling ghost stories as you smoosh fire-roasted marshmallows and a chocolate bar between two graham crackers, then you’ll want to celebrate National S’mores Day.
A recipe for s’mores first appeared in a Girl Scout handbook back in 1927, and the simple, inexpensive treat has been a big hit ever since at campouts, backyard barbeques, slumber parties, tailgating, family movie nights and “just because.”
At The Shores Resort & Spa in Daytona Beach Shores, s’mores are celebrated every day of the year and are a common sight in the early evening around its oceanside fire pits. On Aug. 7, the resort will be holding its first S’mores Cookoff, featuring local celebrity judges and tastings for guests. As a means of saying thanks for introducing the world to s’mores more than 80 years ago, proceeds from the event will benefit the Girl Scouts from the Citrus Council. In addition to the cookoff, the Shores will begin celebrating National S’mores Day in the days leading up to Aug. 10 by offering s’mores martinis in its bars, s’mores treatments in its spa, and much, much...wait for it...s’more.
For more information on the S’mores Cookoff or other s’mores-related activities at the AAA Four Diamond Shores Resort, visit www.shoresresort.com or call (386) 767-7350.
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| Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Licensed by Norman Rockwell Licensing, Niles, IL |
If ever there was a subject to be explored in art, with its infinite possibilities and limitless range of expression, it would be space—and more specifically, the exploration of space. “NASA | ART: 50 Years of Exploration” is a collection of NASA-inspired art featuring original works by some of our nation’s most celebrated artists, including Norman Rockwell, Andy Warhol, Annie Leibovitz, Jamie Wyeth and others. This unique celestial exhibit will be on display at the Museum of Florida History in Tallahassee from July 23 through Oct. 10.
“NASA | ART” features 73 works of art ranging from illustrative to abstract. The works come from the collections of NASA and the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, and include framed photographs, drawings, paintings, sculpture, audio art, mixed media, text and graphic panels.
The artistic objects featured in the exhibit date from the inception of the NASA Art Program in 1962, when NASA administrator James E. Webb asked a group of artists to illustrate, interpret and clarify the space agency’s missions and projects. Since then, painters, musicians and conceptual artists have worked with NASA every step (and launch) of the way.
Sometimes, the name of an event says it all. Take, for example, the Buzz in the Blue Ridge Chainsaw Carving Extravaganza. I mean, when it comes to chainsaw carving, could it be anything but an “extravaganza”? “Competition” would hardly do justice to the event, and “demonstration” would be a severe understatement, given that the event combines the speed and sound of motocross with the skill and accuracy of brain surgery.
The competition will be held July 16-18 at Habersham Winery, located northeast of Atlanta in Helen, GA. It will include 15 of the best chainsaw artists from Georgia and across the country, and serves as a qualifying event for the Golden Chainsaw Competition, which will take place in September in Hackensack, MN.
There will be timed “quick carves,” followed by public auctions of the sculptures produced. In addition, artists will be working on their Juried Masterpiece sculpture, which is their official entry in the competition, and visitors will be able to vote for their favorite in a People’s Choice Award. These sculptures will be available for purchase directly from the carver. A portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to the local White County High School Arts program.
For more information, call (706) 892-7598 or visit www.georgiachainsawartist.com and click on “Buzz in the Blue Ridge.”
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| Creative Discovery Museum |
Most kids have lots of questions about the human body and its various functions, which they typically wait to discuss until seated at the dinner table. So parents will be pleased to know that they can take their curious children to Chattanooga’s Creative Discovery Museum, whose latest exhibit addresses these questions in a manner that kids will appreciate. “Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body” is based on the best-selling book Grossology by science teacher Sylvia Branzei, and has been presented in major museums, science centers and theme parks around the U.S.
This exhibit gives kids (and grownups) a fun environment to explore the answers to many of the slimy, oozy, crusty, stinky questions floating around inside their inquisitive young minds.
Interactive exhibit areas and lively backdrops with interesting factoids provide insight into otherwise awkward topics, such as the causes of a runny nose, regurgitation warning signs, and—to put it nicely—the physics of gas and how it’s expelled.
Where else could kids get away with playing Urine: The Game! or a life-size version of the familiar Operation game called Patients Please!? At the end, they can demonstrate what they’ve learned with the multiple-choice trivia game Grossology IQ. “Grossology” will be at the Creative Discovery Museum through Sept. 6.
For more information, call (423) 756-2738 or visit www.cdmfun.org.