Museums Amano

Most people can’t really think of one distinguishing characteristic about Riverside, California.

But get on down off the freeway and you’ll find one of the most unique getaway experiences in the state – an experience that transports you to Early California through architecture and through the efforts of city fathers to preserve Riverside’s past. Smack in the middle of it all is an inn so grandiose that presidents have married there, honeymooned there and even planted trees there.

It’s always a good sign when the place you’ll be staying has a street named after it – and so locating our destination was especially easy when we took the Mission Inn Road exit off the freeway and found ourselves instantly surrounded by historic Spanish architecture on every street corner. We noticed that churches, museums and historic storefronts are all within walking distance of one another and, towering above it all, was our weekend getaway – the Historic Mission Inn.

Just inside the ivy-covered adobe archway, we walked through a courtyard of lush landscaping before getting our first glimpse of the majestic lobby area. Spectacular chandeliers and giant wood beams complemented the elegant flower-patterned carpet to create a sense that this building was at once luxurious and historic. The lobby’s grand piano is the only piano made by Steinway for the 1876 Centennial. But this was only the beginning – the Historic Mission Inn is like a fun house for those who marvel at historic and creative architecture. Something unusual is waiting for you around every corner.

The Historic Mission Inn at first gives the feeling it might have been a real mission or monastery, what with its 239 guest rooms, including 28 suites. But upon closer reading of its history, this palace-like inn was actually built by Riverside town father Frank Miller, who had taken the original Glenwood Tavern, built in 1874, and converted it to a small inn that opened in 1903. Over the years Miller continued to expand the inn using the popular Mission Revival architecture so prevalent in California, but blending architectural styles and ornamental details from the Southwest U.S. as well as several Mediterranean countries – and of course the California missions.

The inn closed for seven years in the late 80’s for a $55 million renovation and then reopened in 1992 to rave reviews. Today, the inn is situated on an entire city block and has a total of 320,000 square feet. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a State of California Historic Landmark. President Nixon was married here, President Reagan honeymooned here and President Teddy Roosevelt planted a tree on its grounds. There is even a chair still on the property that was built for 300-pound William Howard Taft, also a visitor to the inn. Of course, dozens of movie stars and other dignitaries also have spent time at the inn, and its unusual architecture has served as the backdrop for a string of movies dating back to 1913.

The rooms and suites – which offer many unique floor plans — are almost as interesting architecturally as the inn’s exterior. The sitting area in our suite was appointed with antiques — some more elegant than others – and the bedroom featured a comfortable four-poster bed. Our unit had an L-shaped floor plan and, just beyond the sitting area was a large table and four chairs that could double as a work area or a dining table. There was no view to speak of, but once you walked outside the suite there was a series of stairways, walkways and catwalks that offered a variety of amazing views of the inn’s special architecture.

The inn has several award-winning restaurants, with Duane’s boasting an especially long list of awards from restaurant writers and Wine Spectator Magazine. Although relatively new, Las Campanas, the hotel’s Mexican restaurant, is now starting to appear on many award lists – and we could see why. We enjoyed a variety of dishes that all seemed to have a special flair.

The inn features a year-round heated swimming pool and jacuzzi area for relaxation but, if you want the ultimate, Kelly’s Spa will pamper you until you won’t want to go home. A recent addition to the Historic Mission Inn – and proving especially popular with local residents — Kelly’s features a variety of scrubs, polishes, body wraps, therapeutic baths, massages and facials. Getting treated like royalty is not inexpensive — plan to spend about $250 for a half day or about $400 for a full day, although that can vary depending on the treatments.

There are several museums within easy walking distance from the hotel. Nearby are the Riverside Municipal Museum, Riverside Art Museum, California Museum of Photography and the Riverside Ballet Theater. There is even a museum right in the Mission Inn. In fact there is strong community support for historic preservation in Riverside and many historic buildings throughout the city are open to the public. Over 100 City Landmarks, 20 National Register sites and two National Landmarks have been designated by the Riverside City Council.

The Mission Revival architecture is everywhere in Riverside, and so it seems are churches. The Unitarian-Unversalist Church is especially striking with its Norman Gothic Revival architecture. Another Gothic Revival building is the Magnolia United Presbyterian Church, the oldest church building in Riverside. Like the Mission Inn, the Union Pacific Depot is an example of Mission Revival architecture.

Walking around the Historic Mission Inn District, you notice a mission symbol on flags and in various locations around the inn – that’s the raincross symbol that was designed for the Mission Inn and given to the city by Frank Miller.

There are several antique stores and specialty shops in the Historic Mission Inn District. Many of the stores are small, but the Mission Gallery encompasses several floors of the Old Sears Building and offers a wide selection of antiques and collectibles in addition to a deli, a floral shop and a fine jeweler. In this case the store itself is something of an antique – it’s been there for more than 65 years.

If the fine dining, shopping, museum-hopping and spa aren’t enough to keep you occupied, Riverside is conveniently located for day trips to a couple of other popular getaway destinations – Big Bear Lake and the Temecula wineries. Either is reached in under an hour’s drive from Riverside. Big Bear Lake offers mountain scenery reminiscent of the Sierra Nevadas, while there is a growing wine industry in Temecula offering a variety of tasting rooms and winery gift shops.

For us, however, the Historic Mission Inn District was plenty to keep us busy during our brief stay in Riverside. You sometimes can miss a lot in cities that you just pass over on the Interstate.

AT A GLANCE

WHERE: The Historic Mission Inn is in Riverside, 55 miles east of Los Angeles, near the junction of the 60 and 91 freeways. It’s also easily reached from the north or south by way of Interstate 215.

WHAT: The Historic Mission Inn is one of the most spectacular and historic hotels in California. Riverside has a surprising history that is in evidence throughout the city. It has a warm inland climate with plenty of sunshine.

WHEN: A visit to Riverside can be pretty warm in the summer, although not unbearable. Best time to visit would be non-summer months.

WHY: There just aren’t many historic hotels that have been restored to this degree. Combine that with the world-class dining and luxurious amenities and the hotel itself is enough reason for the getaway even if the surrounding museums and shops weren’t so interesting.

HOW: For more information on the Historic Mission Inn, call 800-843-7755 or visit www.missioninn.com. For more information on the city of Riverside, phone 909-683-7100.

Now is a great time for any person to make the most of their tax free savings allowance with some great rates being offered on cash ISA’s. At present savers looking at variable rate cash ISA’s are likely to receive a higher interest rate than they would for a standard variable rate product. The same applies for fixed rate cash ISA products, when the tax savings are considered the rate currently being given can offer the investor a higher rate of returns than most standard fixed rate saving products.

With the Bank of England currently slashing the base rate to 0.5% to encourage spending, rates on taxed variable saving accounts have suffered. The best taxable variable savings account on the market is currently offering a rate of around 2.45%. When compared to the rates for variable ISA savings products, taxed variable saving products look like a weak investment choice. At present the best cash ISA variable rate on the market is being by offered by Natwest and RBS at 3.51% giving savers much greater returns than standard variable products when considering the higher rate along with the tax free status of the savings. For savers who perhaps do not have the funds to invest a large lump sum, the regular saver ISA products offer a great opportunity to ensure money earned from savings is tax free. At present the best rates being offered for regular saver ISA’s is around 3% which is unfortunately lower than the best standard regular saver account that offers a rate of around 6%. Whichever ever ISA option is chosen, using a savings calculator can help determine the best investment opportunity.

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Fort Lauderdale may have earned its nickname as the “Venice of America”, thanks to its elaborate and extensive canal system.  However, you still do need to get in and around on dry land in to absorb the sights and sounds of this vibrant city, don’t you?

Benefits of Renting a Car

Fortunately, you can avail of the services of a Fort Lauderdale car rental. With almost 90 distinct neighborhoods in the city, you will appreciate having your own car to see virtually all the places of interest that Fort Lauderdale has to offer its visitors. Plus, your feet will stay happy, too.

In addition, there are other benefits to renting a car while in Fort Lauderdale.  First, you have many rental options that will perfectly suit your driving needs on your visit to the city, whether you are going alone or as a couple or as a family.  You can opt for either a coupe or a sedan. It’s your choice, really.  Second, with a Fort Lauderdale car rental service, you often will be provided with a replacement car in the event of repairs to be done on the unit.  Now, contrast that with your own car.

Of course, you have to present a valid driver’s license when you intend to drive the rental car.  And it does help to be ready with either your cash or your credit card to pay for the best rental car that your money can afford.  You never know if you can rent the car of your dreams, after all.

Tips in Renting a Car in Fort Lauderdale

When you enter any Fort Lauderdale car rental company, it is always best to do so with a general idea of your transportation requirements.  Better yet, you must have an online reservation even before you entered the premises. In this way, you will not have to waste time in the car lot.  Instead, you can spend it on the places and activities of interest in Fort Lauderdale.

And if you do opt for an online booking, it helps to keep in mind the following tips to secure the best deals on car rentals in Fort Lauderdale:

* Always scour the Internet for Fort Lauderdale car rental sites, which allows for better comparison shopping purposes. Also, remember that smaller is not necessarily cheaper since you still have to factor in gas prices in relation to the amount of car driving you will be doing. Thus, if you need leg room and you will be walking most of the time, then a bigger car might be better instead of a smaller vehicle.

* Always factor in the taxes, which can go as high as 20 percent of the total cost. As such, always look for full disclosure of the rental fees and make sure that taxes are included.

* Similarly, Fort Lauderdale car rental companies must issue a full disclosure of the terms and conditions with regard to late return fees, additional drivers, full gas tank on return, mileage fees and extra cleaning charges, to name a few.

In short, always understand the fine print! This way, you can take the necessary precautions to take care of the rental car while it is in your possession.  And, of course, you can enjoy your visit to Fort Lauderdale with peace of mind and car in hand.