Find Local Activities In Your City Through Vimbly.com

Is your city beaming with activities and yet you don't even know? How about visiting a place in the US and you have no clue on what to do when you get there? It is frustrating to plan all the things you want to do but you don't even know where to start. Here is where Vimbly.com comes into the picture to help you maximize your day in a local city and enjoy what that city has to offer.

I didn't know about Vimbly.com until recently. It would have been a fulfilling experience to enjoy Las Vegas last 2009 to the max if we had known where to go aside from the usual walk around The Strip or at least engaged in some local activities there. We were toured by our relatives who reside in San Diego but they were clueless just like us.

Well, it is never too late to enjoy the city you want to visit if you will consult Vimbly.com for great things that you can possibly do, see and experience in that city.

The site offers comprehensive list of attractions, fun activities, entertainment, food scene, water sports, family-friendly activities and attractions, excursions, airborne tours, water tours, cultural tours and special occasion like experience gifts.

The Vimbly.com site is easy to navigate and offers dates of activities, shows and tours you can take and participate in. You can also change the setting of how you want to view the site such as tile view that shows the price and date of availability, preview if you want the description included or calendar view if you want bird's eye view of the week's offers and availability and rates.

This is the calendar view.   Photo credit: vimbly.com

So, why guess when you can plan ahead, prepare your budget and book yourself and your family to the local activities in that area? Vimbly.com offers plenty of information on the things you can do and see while in New York, Chicago, Seattle, Maui, Las Vegas, Orlando and Los Angeles.

I hope they add more US cities and even international cities in the list so we don't have to search around because everything you want to find out in a particular city tours and activities-wise will be in one place  -  only at Vimbly.com.

4 of Asia’s Weirdest Sports

Each country around the world has their own weird sport that they can call their own. Finland has wife carrying, Wales has bog snorkelling and Canadians have unicycle hockey. But when it comes to downright bizarre, it’s safe to assume that Asian countries take the cake. While we can’t name them all, here’s four of the oddest sports in Asia.

Elephant Polo

Forget horses, they were so last century. These days it’s all about Elephants. It’s not really any different from the original polo, it’s just bigger and a little bit slower. However, the skill level of the riders will astound you. There are two riders to each Elephant, one to steer and the other to hit the ball. The length of the field is only three quarters of a standard polo field, which as you can imagine, can get very crowded. Introduced into India by the British aristocracy, Elephant Polo has expanded to Australia, Germany, Britain, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong and is especially popular in Thailand and Nepal. There is even a World Elephant Polo Association (WEPA) and an annual world championship to boot. WEPA enforces strict rules on the welfare of Elephants and runs a large conservation and awareness program.

Sepak Takraw

Sepak Takraw makes the list purely because of the sheer level of athletic ability required to play. In a nutshell, a Sepak Takraw players combines soccer, volleyball and gymnastics into one game. How is this even possible? Well, the Takraw ball is about the size of a large softball and is usually made of cane or hard plastic stems. There are three players to each team who stand on opposing sides of the net which resembles the volleyball aspect. Throughout the game, they use their feet, shoulders or head to hit the ball to the opposite side. The fun part – at no time can your hands or arms touch the ball. Essentially, these skilled players are often seeing flipping backwards and forwards, jumping up to incredible heights and moving their bodies in ways that make your cartwheel look like amateur hour.

Bataoshi

Do you remember playing capture the flag as a child? Well imagine that, but with a towering pole and 150 of your best chums. Awesome, right? Played by cadets at the National Defence Academy of Japan and traditionally on its anniversary, two teams of 75 launch themselves physically and in any way possible to vie for control of a single five metre pole. The victorious team is the one who successfully lowers the pole to a 30 degree angle. What sounds like a fairly simple game, actually requires a lot of athletic skill.

Indoor Cycling Gymnastics

When researching this article, I argued whether this was an actual sport. But after watching many cycling gymnastic videos on YouTube, this sport was too fabulous to ignore. In Korea, competitors don full body leotards, and battle to win the title of who can burn calories with the most style. Featuring choreographed moves, participants shimmy, do tricks, dance seductively and shake their heads more times than you can count. Overall it’s the enthusiasm of the contestants that make it so entertaining to watch.

Are your bags packed? Organised your Facebook/Instagram/Skype data on the TravelSIm website to upload all of those hilarious moments you need to share with disbelieving friends and family? Awesome. You’re ready to go! But before you do, answer us this, what’s your favourite sport that’s considered a bit weird? Tell us in the comments below.

(Photo credit: yahoo images)

Tips To Get Out Of That Weight Loss Plateau

Have your weight loss levelled to a point that you are not even losing an inch nor the numbers on the scale do not change at all no matter how hard you workout and diet?

You may have hit a plateau in your weight loss and do not lose hope and drop everything you have worked hard for just because of that. There are ways to get out of the rut if you're stuck in one. Here are some tips to note of to kick-start that metabolism.

• Go on a variety of workouts in a day if you can. So, if you have been jogging non-stop for months on end, it is high time to shake things up. Incorporate Zumba or other aerobic exercises in your workout and this will crank up your metabolism and burn extra calories too.

• Include intervals on your exercise routine. A burst of 30-1 minute high-intensity aerobic workout can speed up your metabolism.

• Avoid eating carbs and stick to high-fibre, whole grains food and have more vegetables in your staple.

• Be fidgety! Move around even if you are not working out nor exercising. Pace around when you're on the phone. Use the stairs instead of the lift. Park somewhere farther (but practice caution though... You don't want to park too far where there are lesser people) so you will have to walk towards the entrance. Take a walk to the park. Walk your dog. Clean the house. Scrub the floors. And so much more activities you can do just to get yourself moving.

Break out of the rut! Start moving! Start shaking for a healthier you!

Productive Long Weekend

I wish weekends are longer like this one combined with the Eid holidays because I managed to do a lot of stuff, including my post course work from my training few days ago which I need to submit before my boss goes on leave.

I still have gazillion of things to do but I don't think I can manage now since it's going to be back to reality in few days.

Well, I will just enjoy the last few days of happiness and loads of projects and the next weekend won't be that long. Bliss!

Top Fun Ways To Keep Teens Entertained Over The Summer Holidays

Photo credit: irishexaminer.com

Many teenagers seem to spend most of their free time either playing video games or complaining about being bored, so how can you keep them occupied and engaged this summer?

E-readers
If you’re heading off on a long road trip this summer, then backseat boredom will hit your teens pretty fast. With an e-reader, they can take all of their favourite books with them without having to worry about heavy bags. Although it might look like yet another gadget, remember that they could just as easily be reading Shakespeare in preparation for their A-levels instead of Twilight again - in theory, at least!

Volunteering
If your child has a hobby or favourite sport they're losing interest in, try persuading them to help out as a teacher or coach for younger children. Not only is it valuable for university applications and future CVs, it's also a great way to re-engage with something they used to love. They could volunteer in a library, help out as a football coach or even work with animals. Most clubs will be more than happy to let them help out, just remember to invest in some new Kickers shoes and boots if they're going to be on their feet for a long time!

National Citizen Service
Organised by the government, this scheme lets teenagers take part in things like horse-riding and dry-slope skiing as well as learning the importance of teamwork. Programmes are usually 3 weeks long and are for 16 and 17 year olds only. They usually include some residential time away from home and around 30 hours of volunteering at community projects: perfect for building independence and confidence.

Let them plan a trip

Hand over some of the responsibility for your holiday to the children to give them a sense of ownership, as well as an idea of the organisation involved! Whether it's a day trip or your choice of hotel, chances are your teen will complain less if they've had an input into the decision making process. Let them help with everything from booking travel to stocking up on holiday essentials. Just keep an eye on the shopping cart to make sure they stick to the budget!

Find New York Activities In Vimbly.com

I love NYC! I can say and I can wear that on my clothes with pride. New York City is such a beautiful place to visit. There are plenty of reasons why one should put NYC on top of their bucket list. Aside from the beautiful sceneries around, the green Central Park, famous landmarks like the Statue of Liberty and the iconic Empire State building, the captivating art museums and galleries, and the eclectic taste of food around the city, NYC has a lot more to offer than sightseeing and food-tasting. And that is FUN, FUN and loads of fun activities to do while in New York.

Thanks to Vimbly.com for bringing together a comprehensive list of activities of various business like wine tasting, pizza making, introduction to cigars, cooking and many more. You can also search for classes, exercise group sessions, stand up shows, live music shows and improvs.  I browsed through the numerous activities and classes listed in Vimbly.com a while ago.  I found so many activities that piked my family's interest. I am keen about the drawing class held at MET (and I am sure my daughter will love that too!) and the pizza-making class at Brick Oven. My husband prefers the wine tasting, of course.

Vimbly.com presented the list in a very organized manner with the option to filter your search according to the price and availability per day of the week and time. It is like looking at a class roster only it is interactive with an easy to understand interface.

And did I mention the costs of the classes, shows and other activities? Well, I'm surprised how some of them are offered for a mere $5! Now, that's super bargain for an experience that is worth the time and money.

I definitely recommend this site to the locals and visitors of NYC. It is great to have this site bookmarked in your faves for a quick access to what's available when you plan to visit. And if you're a New Yorker already, then you must have this saved in your smart phone, tablets, PC or anywhere you can access it like a breeze.

I have bookmarked the Vimbly.com already and you should too!

Fun In The Farm

I miss visiting our ancestral home in the Philippines. My grandparents from my dad's side owned a large parcel of land. My family and I used to visit while my siblings and I were still young.

I remember seeing plenty of goats, carabaos in the rice fields and cows grazing in the nearby meadow. I have even seen my relatives milk a cow and wondered if they were into cheese making too during that time because my dad and other relatives loved cheese so much; not that I see them making cheese though.

My uncles and aunts used to give us chicken feeds to feed the chickens running around the property. Not only that, we climbed trees and picked fruits, pat the animals around and run towards the nearby beach to soak. It was sheer bliss!

Weekend Activities and Good Weather

The weather is quite inviting these past few days. I think it signifies the coming of the cooler months. We are all enjoying the breezy weekend and the whole family has so many stuff to do. My daughter has her activities with friends, hubby with his guests and I with my blogging and business opp.

Our weekend has never been this manic before. We used to just stay home because the weather is uncooperative. However, October spells more activities for all of us and probably the coming months.

I do hope I will find the energy to do all that we have lined up for the month (not to mention a travel in the offing...hehehe)!

Music Summer Classes

My daughter's school term for the year 2011-2012 is about to wrap up soon. She only has 1 1/2 weeks to go to enjoy the long summer break. And I am already checking for fun activities for her to do during that period.

There is a nearby music school in my area. We checked the place already few months ago because she wanted to learn how to play the guitar. The music school is charging around US$70 for 4 lessons but with unlimited access to the musical instruments of their choice, use of music accessories like their epiphone les paul junior and KRK speakers, use of audio rooms for recording and piano pieces.

Now that she has her pink guitar, the next step to do is enroll her in guitar lessons. That is, if she still wants to do it. If not, I will let her decide on what to do this summer because it is a long break and one thing I am trying to avoid is for her to get bored.

Fun Things To Do In Summer

Photo credit: local.sandiego.com

Summer can be very hot here in the U.A.E. If you happen to live in this part of the world then you will understand why summer here is a dreaded season. It is so hot and humid and the temperature reaches 49 to 50 degrees Celcius. That is not a joke! However, we have to make do of what we have and where we are because we cannot let these hot factors dampen our summer spirit.

There are so many ways to enjoy the blistering heat of the sun here and you can do it indoors or even outdoors either very early morning or during the night. Here are fun ways to enjoy summer while battling the heat of the long summer months:

1. Learn how to cook and bake with your family and friends. This is an indoor activity which can be enjoyed by everyone. You don't have to shell out a big amount of money to pay someone to teach you. Research and save some easy-to-make or easy-to-bake recipes and shop for the ingredients.

2. Do some arts and crafts project like scrapbooking and making handmade cards of various occasion. If you have small kids around, let them take part in the project by giving them simple tasks like coloring or pasting shapes or embellishments you will use in your project. Make fun stuff with them and you'll never realize how fun summer can be even while at home.

3. Go for a very early or late afternoon jog or walk around the park. If you have been delaying your weight loss goals for some time, summer is a good way to sweat it out. Be sure to bring water to cool yourself off and a handy towel to wipe away the perspiration.

4. Go to the beach in the morning or late in the afternoon and enjoy the ocean breeze.

5. Window-shop and enjoy the cool airconditioned malls. You save money by not switching your a/c at home. However, make sure you stick to your purpose of only to window-shop and walk around the mall.

6. Learn a new language, musical instrument or a new skill.

7. Have slumber party at home and invite your friends over for a nice movie-marathon night.

8. Clean your house. Re-organize and spruce your habitat.

9. Volunteer to some civic organizations and render your skills and service to help others.

10. Write a blog or start a blog.

11. Make a playlist of your favorite songs and organize them.

12. Make a smoothie! This is one of my fave to do!

13. Go to the museum or art galleries and try soaking in the culture and art.

14. Go on a vacation preferably somewhere cold :)

The list goes on. If you have other ways of enjoying the blistering heat, please feel free to share them here. Have fun this summer! Don't forget to dress lightly and wear protective SPF if you must.

Busy Holiday

I never thought my Eid holiday will be very busy. Although I anticipated some activities lined-up here and there, my holiday is being spent as I planned and then some.

I made a lot of Christmas cards for 2011 and 1 birthday card for my daughter's classmate. I have made 39 cards already for the past 3 days and I still have many ideas in my head. I just have to tone them down because I can't organize them in my thought. I think I'll just take a breather for the time being and will continue my card-making next weekend.

I did 1 round in the park in the afternoon yesterday. I cleaned the house and managed to wash some laundry. There are clothes to press and more cleaning to do. The list is not yet done.

I hope the holiday is longer. I just feel so happy and relaxed at home than going to work. If only... Anyway, I just have to pray harder that the days will pass peacefully at work so I don't have to feel frustrated.

2 more days before my official leave ends. I wish it's longer...

Karate for my Daughter and Me

I have enlisted my daughter in karate lessons. She is quite eager but a little apprehensive when she saw her future karatekas or in lay man's term - karate practitioners. They are ranging from 6 to 10 years old. Imagine myself donning a karate uniform with them? That will be a bit odd but I really cannot be bothered by what other people will say when I decide to enroll too.

I have also dreamed of learning the art of karate but never had the opportunity and chance to do so. However, I feel that fate beckons me to enroll this time. I may be old but age is not a factor in learning the "striking art." Although the "kumite" part (or sparring) is not in my list of things to do when I finally start karate class. I asked the sensei if there is another way to level up without going through kumite. I am quite relieved to know that there is. I'll just find that out then.

I have made up my mind. I am really inclined to do it for its health benefits and other personal improvement it can contribute to my life and well-being. So, I am doing it!

Karate, hai!

Snow in Dubai

I admit, I want to feel how it is to live in a snowy place, let alone, a cold one. The coldest it can get here in Dubai is about 13 or 15 degrees Celsius and that is if we are lucky. Winter here is very short so we cannot sport those nice wintry clothes and enjoy winter activities like skiing, making snowmen, sticking our tongues out to taste the snow, making snow angels and enjoying hot cocoa by the fireplace.

One activity I would like to experience is going out on snowboards. Dubai has an indoor ski resort called Ski Dubai. They offer ski lessons and snowboarding. I am not sure though if the snowboarding lessons are akin to Olympic snowboarding. Nevertheless, these exciting snow activities are available here to be learned and experienced for a fee.

Ski Dubai is an indoor ski dome located in Mall of the Emirates. I have not enrolled in their snowboarding lessons but I am quite interested. I have just checked out their activities for the summer and looked at various snowboard trick images posted there and in their website.

I am thankful that even if Dubai is situated in the Middle East where vast deserts abound, it still offers activities other people from the colder regions enjoy like skiing and snowboarding. Dubai has actually brought those winter fun right in the desert for the locals and expatriates to enjoy without having to go out of the country and spend hard-earned money.

I hope to enjoy these cold activities one of these days. I am still mustering enough courage to wear those winter gear and get that snowboard and plunge. It must be exciting!

Just Another Manic...Sunday

I don't know how I am going to recharge myself and it's only the first day of the week here. I feel like I have maxed out my reserved energy today. I don't know how I am going to go through the week though. My calendar is about to burst with activities. I have a summer-job-trainee to train for a week, work to accomplish and manuals to edit - all in my lonesome in the office. Well, I am not worried with work as much as I am worried with how to spread myself thinly to everyone who needs my time and attention. Oh, we're not even talking about Millie the Diva Dog! Her demands are just incredulous! Then for my personal and social welfare, I have a party to attend to on Thursday night, an alumni meeting the next day and a doctor's appointment on Saturday. Not only that, I have to squeeze in half an hour of exercise after work for 5 days. Whew! I must be Super Woman!!!

Careful, Careful, Careful

We must all be cautious with the kind of activities we engage in. One of my friend loves sand bashing using the dirt bike. She also loves doing other extreme sports. She can be very daring and careless at times so we are very concerned. We understand her desire to live life to the fullest but we also believe that it is wise not live life in reckless abandon. Nothing wrong with having fun here and there but know the limits too.

One time, one of the more vocal friend of ours voiced her opinion by suggesting a universal life insurance quotes for her to check out. Her reason was, since she loved to engage on daring activities and spiking her adrenalin, it was just a smart move to have herself covered if things turn out bad.

We got her point. Our daring friend got the message too. I wonder when she will buy an insurance though.

Re-focusing On Life's Priorities

I have been a slacker lately. Being a wee lazy is not inherent of me. I am always up and about (except for my frail immune system). My previous routine, before the addiction to Facebook started, involves waking up early, doing stretches, jogging and eating healthy breakfast. When I say healthy, that means, sunny side up cooked using olive oil, plain toasted fibre bread and steamed veggies.

It has been a while since I had that healthy and hearty breakfast prepared. My breakfast these days are mostly prepared in haste and they are fried! What happened to healthy living?

Then there's this Facebook mania going on. Prior to getting hooked on Facebook, I was just doing normal things a mother and a wife would do to her family. Facebook has taken over most of my spare time. I cannot complete anything anymore. My husband is already complaining about my addiction to the games I play in that social platform. I guess most of you will be able to relate with me. Who can resist being a "mayor, hotel heiress or a farmer" of your own town, hotel and farm? Who can say no to "millions of fake money" given by friends? Who can resist the yummy treats given by family and friends in Facebook all for free without the exorbitant price tag of a fine-dining cuisine and loaded calories? Only in Facebook! In reality, you can't even get close to that! Apart from that, playing in Facebook is stress-busting for me. Initially it was until it took over my life. It's the only place where I can get lost and forget life's worries and mundane trivialities.

I am beginning to wonder if slacking becomes me. I know it will not do me good to procrastinate. I really need to change my habits and perspective to be able to commit to my goals in life. I am not getting any younger.

So, I will lessen my Facebooking (notice how I turned that word into a verb?)for the time being. Scrap the binge-eating. Toss the excess worries where most of the time, the issues at present do not even warrant much attention. It's just me being Ria. Move more, get myself involved in activities. Meet people. Laugh more. Worry less. Just have fun. I have been serious and wayward at the same time so I think my focus should be geared to what would make my life happier and healthier.

I don't want to make promises I cannot keep. Let's just see how it goes with my re-focusing plan. It's already the 3rd month of the year and I am not even close to my goals in life.

It's about time.

Girls Talk - Fave Pastime

I have to say, my favorite pastime is my arts and craft session. I am more geared to tinkering on polymer clay and making handmade cards.

Second favorite thing I do is blogging and I am glad I did this, otherwise, I wouldn't meet lovely people like the ones in my blogroll. You all know who you are :)

Apart from the above, I guess you can squeeze Facebooking (verb for using Facebook all the time...LOL). I am so addicted to it that I ask most of my friends and relatives to add me up. So pips, add me up!

Want to know more of other blogger's pastime activities? Check out Niko's blog.

The Cool Breeze

The hot, humid and sticky summer of Dubai is coming to an end. The month of September brings forth cool breeze and manageable weather here. The cool breeze blowing on your face is quite inviting to go for a picnic in the park or the beach.

A lot of people anticipate the coming of the colder months because there are so many outdoor activities to engage with which were put off because of the very long summer months. So, people go to various outdoor places to gather and frolic. People here, like the ways of the Bedouin nomads, love to have fire pits in the middle of the desert, sipping Arabic coffee, watching belly dancers, eating the Arabic delicacies under the starry sky and having sisha. I actually experienced this unique and wonderful tradition. It was something to remember.

For the modern people, their way to enjoy the cool weather is to go sand-bashing, ride the hot air balloon, sky-dive and going to the wadis for a road-side picnic.

All these activities are truly entertaining and worth the time. It doesn't cost much, just a good cool breeze.

Baseball Moms

Some of my mom friends in the US are great baseball fans. They watch the games with their husbands and kids and cheer from the side-bench. I only get to see a baseball game on TV. My friends and their families really go the extra mile to support their teams. They even wear matching jerseys and baseball caps. They even send their sons to play baseball at the parks so they can harness their potential in pitching and batting; hoping that someday, they will become a part of the Major League.

I am really surprised by the way they instill baseball in their sons' lives. They even buy a baseball bat online to ensure their kids' proper batting. They are there full time to cheer, give moral support and be mommies.

It is really great to see parents who support their kids in their activities and hobbies. I am glad that the kids do not mind as they also love the sports. Family support is a good factor in instilling sportsmanship in the young minds. My friends are doing great being baseball moms!