Many people have a tendency to think that costumes are an aspect of Halloween, and they are only used during the last few days of October. Well, this is a major time for them to appear in all types of stores, from drug stores to grocery and department stores, though there are events and occasions throughout the year that call for the use of costumes. From costume parties to various festivals and other celebrations, personal needs for costumes are more common then you might guess and there are stores that specialize in plus size adult costumes for this reason.

In addition to the various private engagement occasions that require costumes, there are numerous professionally, and even amateur, based performances that use costumes regularly. Freelance clowns and other entertainers work in costumes on a daily basis and almost every theatre production has a particular costume theme need. Actors and other performers use costumes as a standard part of the their professional attire. This is true for those who work in film and the theatre.

The next time you’re out somewhere you should start to pay attention to the amount of people you see in costumes while you are simply going about your life in the month of April, or any other non October month.

Of course you can get great seafood in Miami, did anyone ever really think otherwise? Miami, just the name brings images to most minds of Don Johnson and Phillip Michael Thomas cruising the streets and looking cool in that popular 1980s television series. And while that was just a television show, and a rather sensational one at that, the images it manifested into the collective national psyche remain attached to common perspectives on the city of Miami. And really, are they that far off? Regardless of the image created by that television series, and one that can actually be celebrated and enjoyed, there are many other cultural aspects of Miami that have nothing to do with the beautiful beaches, gorgeous people and club scene of the city.

There is great theatre, excellent symphonic music, amazing ballet and respected art museums in the city and these are all fundamental aspects of the cultural atmosphere of Miami. From the Miami Children’s Theatre to the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts, there are incredible performances in the city as well as major touring companies and shows that highlight the prestigious city stages. And this is just tapping the beginning of the great cultural traditions and performance aspects of this city.

Most of the tourists who visit the city and stay in a Miami hotel are interested in visiting one of the city’s great museums, such as the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Miami Museum of Science and Space, or attending one of the performances by the Miami Symphony Orchestra. The Miami City Ballet is another one of the excellent performance companies of the city that help it to maintain its tremendous cultural heritage and offer the residents as well as the tourists who visit the city ever year fine experiences in the various art fields.

There is a lot of controversy in allowing the Doctor and his companion to have an overt romance, and quite frankly, with the new series, by the end of season three it was also a little tired. Whether you agree with that or not, you might want to take a look at the two new stars of the series to hear what they have to say about romance and the Doctor.

Young country western singer Chely Wright came out as gay this week, just in time to release her new CD, book and go on a few talk shows. Although she says that there has never been a country western singer who has never announced being a lesbian before, there have been a few. That being said, there is still a certain amount of magnitude in her choosing to come out, especially with the country western community traditionally being a conservative one.

Jobs has been under attack lately for his position against Flash and the fact that he won’t let developers put flash on the Ipod touch or the Ipad. Some people are ok with this fact and agree with him that flash needs to change, while others believe that Jobs is being too harsh about a non-issue. In response to the large number of people who want flash on these Apple products he wrote a long note explaining himself.

Making your own wine can be a nice thing, and you end up with exactly the flavor you like to drink. Here is a video that has been pretty popular on exactly that topic. If you like white wine you may want to try your hand at this.

The 23rd Bond movie has been delayed indefinitely. This comes as a shock to many people, but the company MGM is debt ridden and about to be sold. Because of this, the next Bond movie is a little out of luck when it comes to a budget for it’s stars. Originally it was tentatively scheduled for a 2012 release, but no more. This movie was intended to feature Daniel Craig one more time as Bond as well as Sam Mendes as the director, but who is to say if this will still be true when the film is underway again.

To learn more, read this article.

There has been a lot of debate lately since the photos were first put up as to whether this was the real 4G Iphone, a cheap knockoff, or a hoax all together. Photos were posted up saying that a normal person had found an iPhone, and that it wasn’t like any iPhone we had seen yet. Other people offered that it couldn’t possibly be the real thing and have been berating the poster ever since, but there are a few people who stand with him. The real question is how likely is it really for this to have happened.

An article came out recently, stating that in the new book, Oprah: A Biography, written by celebrity biographer Kitty Kelley, it is claimed that John Tesh and Oprah Winfrey dated and lived together in the ’70s. John Tesh has confirmed this, and while John Tesh would not say why they split up, Kelley’s credibility on the subject is suspect based on previous books she has written.

This video has just gone viral.

The simple video cutting together this one line over and over again makes one realize that no one really talks that way. That’s not true, almost no one talks that way, and usually those who do are doing it on purpose to quote one of these many movies, or just to joke about the line itself. What are your thoughts on it?

It is time for Gears of War fans to rejoice. Gears of War 3 was officially unveiled on Monday when franchise creator Cliff Bleszinski was on “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.” This is a long-awaited sequel. The most exciting news for some of the fans is that this will be the first Gears of War game to include female soldiers. He also showed some great videos that have been put up on the web as well as further information about the game.

Microsoft’s new Kin phone is not quite a smart phone, and certainly not a feature phone, but is that enough to draw people back to their products?

Kin is the result of Microsoft’s “Pink” project which we have been waiting to find out for almost two years now.

The two Kin phones have three home screens each. The first screen lets you use your phone and shows you your news feeds, music, e-mail, messages, photos, and the browser. The second screen offers a continuous loop of status updates from a variety of sites. The third just offers you the latest updates from your favorites list, so that you can keep up with those most important to you.

If you are interested in learning more about this, you should check out this article I saw.

We have all seen the videos of the opening day, if you haven’t I suggest you find one, it looked like it was pretty crazy. As for the rest of us who couldn’t afford one, or weren’t willing to wait in line all that long in a line, it looks like we missed out. However, if you didn’t get one because you are a college student and couldn’t afford one, there may be good news for you. You may want to check out this story, because if colleges start giving these to their students this really will be the new wave of the future.

I thought this was really nice. I know he has lied and cheated and really had no other choice but to just come out and apologize for it, but it is still nice when a famous person acknowledges their wrong doing and takes steps in a better direction.

I came to Austin because The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum just opened the ‘Great Music. No Limits.’, section of the museum. Great Music. No Limits celebrates Austin City Limits (ACL) 35 years of being on PBS, being the longest running music series in American television history and is the only television program to ever receive the National Medal of Arts, which is the nation’s highest award for artistic excellence. ‘Great Music. No Limits.’ mission is to collect, preserve and interpret the story of rock-n-roll in order to educate the public about the cultural significance of this musical art form.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

I was really happy to see actual artifacts relating to the show’s history, like the three documents that outlined plans for ACL back in 1974, a set list of Leonard Cohens show, Wilcos show, Ray Davies show and even Pearl Jams show. There were contracts for appearances by Robert Plant, Willie Nelson and Van Morrison. The Austin City Limits sign was on display, which was the inspiration for the original producer, Paul Bosner as he drove from Dallas to Austin on a weekly basis and always passed the ‘Austin City Limits’ sign. It also shows a great variety of artists who have performed on ACL in all 35 years of air-time.

This is a tremendous moment for Austin and Austin City Limits, I’m just so glad I got to be a part of it on opening day. I was lucky to book a room not far from The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I found the hotel at this site , and I had no idea what to expect as far as room availability would be knowing the South-by-Southwest was also in town happening at the same time, but it all worked out. Now, if I could just fit Austin in my suitcase and take it back with me to California, I’d be the happiest person on earth.

I found this today. I’m assuming they did it in honor of the Alice in Wonderland movie that came out. I thought I would share it with people because it is pretty cute. Kermit the frog interviews Alice while in Wonderland.

Hawaii is as extraordinary as people make it out to be, and is surely one of the loveliest places on earth. There have been more efforts put into place to reduce the carbon footprint, and this is a very good thing for all of the living things on the islands. There are some of the most spectacular views, and many things to offer tourists. Its reputation as a prime honeymoon location is as strong as it ever was, with accommodations that are exquisitely beautiful, and very hospitable. Of course, it’s a good idea to be careful here, so as not to disrupt any ghosts.

Hawaii has a fair share of hauntings, and seems to be one of the top 5 places on the planet where there are, if not actual ghosts, then stories about them. One of the most beloved professors at the University of Hawaii was surely Glen Grant, author of Obake Files , and a number of other books. He moved here from California, and started to notice the extraordinary number of stories about entities from beyond, and soon enough it became a lifelong obsession. The stories are collected from first-hand spooky accounts of people in Hawaii, locals and visitors.

The term Obake comes from the Japanese, and refers to this particular cultures perception and version of the dead. There are cultural influences from all over in Hawaii, but Japanese is particularly strong. There are, of course, plenty of stories that come from the locals, and given the history of the islands, there are plenty of reasons for hauntings. One of the local conceptions of spirits calls the ghosts “Nightmarchers,” and this refers to a class of spirits who appear as warriors, often to accompany the recently deceased to the other side. Like the Banshee, it’s not a sign of good to luck to see or hear them. There are some ways to avoid them, but the stories are a little different. Some claim that you need to lie face down on the ground, some say it only works without clothes, and still others say it has to be face up and unclothed. If it ever comes to it, the best thing to do is to ask a local for advice.

In Los Angeles, there’s a home above Hollywood built in the early 20th Century that’s a private club for magicians.  It’s known as the Magic Castle, and features five unique performances a night of magic and comedy.  It’s a place all magicians revere, and a place the public loves to come — if they can find a magician to give them a ticket to get into the exclusive club.  If you don’t have a coupon from a magician, or are at least accompanied by a magician, you don’t go inside.  However, on the other side of the country, in Miami, Florida, you’ll find magic and comedy available just by going on line and purchasing a ticket.  Known as one of the best shows in Miami, it’s Kevin & Caruso’s Magic and Comedy Show.

Augustine “Gus” Caruso and Kevin Jeffrey met each other in school and began doing street performances, later giving way to the Magic and Comedy Show.  Caruso is known for his choreography and constantly changing costumes that he constructs from scratch.  He maintains over 100 costumes and headdresses, all meticulous in detail.  Kevin has worked in magic for over fifteen years and has performed all over the globe his mix of comedy and magic.  Most magicians, by the way, also work in comedy, as its one of the best ways to disarm your audience, relaxing them enough to make the illusion seem perfect.  Raised in Reno, Nevada, his gravitation to show business seems almost an instinctive thing to happen.  He’s constantly putting together new shows.  Like any artist, he considers his work not quite finished, everything a work in progress.

The two performers work out of the Collins Avenue Theater, an intimate venue of only 220 seats and a entrance way that’s hidden.  The little theater has been used for stars of the past who wanted to perform privately for VIPs and officials of the city.  There’s rumors that this place was once a movie house, once a strip club, and who knows what else in-between.  Today, though, it’s the proud home of magic, mystery, and comedy.  All you need do is come to Miami and its fine hotels and reserve a ticket for, as the site proclaims, one of the best shows in Miami.

My son will be part of the International Balloon Fiesta in Bristol this year, but he won’t be apart of the Balloons, he’ll be on the EXIT Parachute team.  I had no idea that this Fiesta was so huge, he told me he made reservations for me at the Bristol Hotel and that I should prepare myself for a few days and nights of spectacular events.

Not only for his part, as a parachute team, but the RAF Red Arrows, Britain’s world famous aerobatic display team will be performing at the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta. For the special Night Glow event and for the special shaped balloons event. I asked him to tell me a little bit about all of it since it’s so new to me, and I want to make sure I prepared. He said that his event has been participating in the Fiesta for 15 years now, but he just is a new jumper. He will be jumping from helicopters and hot air balloons. If the weather allows for it, he and his team will take off from the main arena and ascend above the Ashton Court Estate. He’ll be at a height of 5000 feet and the team will jump from a helicopter and free fall for 10 seconds before gathering into formation. Once in formations, orange smoke will trail from their heels and will paint the sky as they fall before exploding in a bomb of colors! He and his team will be shooting over the crowds heads as they enter back into the arena at a high speed and land on the yellow markers laid out for them. I had no idea my son could do any of this.

He said I’ll really enjoy the RAF Red Arrows do their renown expertise of jet pilots doing daring and dangerous maneuvers up in the air. But, he told me that I should stay up the for the Night Glow event, that’s were all the participating hot air balloons will put on a wonderful show, communicating through radio, a dazzling effect of burn, flicker and flash coordinated to music. It will be an astounding array of sequenced choreographed glows coming from the flames of the hot air flames to the rhythm of music and the atmospheric display will lead to a dramatic finale. Fireworks. My son said it will be a day and a night I won’t ever forget. I think he right about that.