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1. Queenstown in the South Island is considered to be the “Adventure Capital of the World”. You can bungy jump or go on a thrilling jet boat ride, go heli-skiing, sky diving, fly-by-wire, and luging to name a few. Both bungy jumping and jet boating were invented in New Zealand. New Zealanders have a saying about Kiwi ingenuity which is borne out in the tourist spots within New Zealand.

2. There is a wide array of different accommodation options to cater for all tastes. At the upper end there are Lodges which are the height of luxury. These lodges are ordinarily located in very scenic and secluded areas and all gourmet meals are included in the price. The price of this type of accommodation reflects the luxury and inclusions.

The next level of accommodation is hotels, from international 5 star down to 2 star for basic accommodation. The hotels will tend to be serviced on a daily basis and usually include one room and a bathroom. Hotel rooms will include tea and coffee making facilities, fridges and most hotels would include a restaurant.

A favored option for families is the ever increasing numbers of apartments. The apartments are generally self catering as opposed to a hotel stay but the advantage is that they provide more space and are self catering which means that you don’t have to eat out all the time thus saving you money to spend on sightseeing.

Then we have motels. Generally speaking motels offer more space than hotels and tend to be serviced daily but do not tend to be as luxurious. Motels often provide a separate bedroom or two and sometimes cooking facilities. You would need to check this out when booking.

There are also an increasing number of Bed and Breakfast’s. These vary dramatically and can vary from 5 star establishments to the fairly basic. If you enjoy “getting to know the locals”, the B & B option could be a good one for you. Generally breakfast will be provided as part of the price. Dinner would be by special arrangement only.

If you are on a budget there are plenty of backpacker hostels to choose from which are centrally located and well priced.

3. New Zealand has a great culinary landscape. Being a small island country surrounded by the sea, there are a multitude of seafood delicacies on offer. The ocean surrounding New Zealand is cold water thanks to Antarctica being relatively close. Cold water fish tend to have a delicate flavor. As well as fish from the sea, there are large lakes which are trout and salmon breeding grounds. Trout can not be caught commercially so there is no danger of supplies running out. New Zealand is also quite big on game and most of the more up-market restaurants will have a game option on the menu. You will find that there are dining options to suit every taste and budget. New Zealand might be quite removed geographically from the rest of the world but it is quick to adopt new types and styles of food and the kiwi ingenuity mentioned earlier in the article is demonstrated in the food served in restaurants. There are coffee bars and cafes, wine bars serving food, pubs with restaurants, family dining options, buffet’s as well as the more up-market al la carte options.

There is also a thriving wine industry in New Zealand. Wherever you go, you will see vines and many of the wines produced are top quality. If wine is your thing, you won’t be disappointed. Marlborough located at the top of the South Island is one of the oldest and best known wine areas, most famous for production of Sauvignon Blanc. New Zealand is also becoming very well known for producing excellent Pinot Noir, a notoriously difficult wine to produce.

4. If you are a Lord of the Rings fan, you will know that the recent series of movies was filmed in different parts of New Zealand. New Zealanders are very proud of this and whilst traveling around you will come across many mentions of parts of the movies which may have been filmed in certain spots. There are also tours catering specifically to Lord of the Rings fans.

5. New Zealand has an interesting cultural history. It is thought that the Maoris who came from Polynesia settled in New Zealand about 1000 years ago. New Zealand became a British colony in 1840 after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. There are many excellent museums within the cities and towns which offer a great overview of the relatively short and violent history of New Zealand.

Sue and Grant Taylor now travel extensively and they have compiled a number of tips for traveling at their website: http://www.taylortraveltales.com and http://www.newzealandtravelsite.com

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Thousands of people drive by The Raymond Restaurant every day and don’t even realize what it is. The Raymond Restaurant, 1250 S. Fairoaks Ave., Pasadena, Ca. 91105, (626) 441-3136, occupies and old weathered caretaker’s cottage which looks, from the outside, like a fairly run down old house set back off the street. Looks, however, can be deceiving. The old saying, “You can’t judge a book by it’s cover”, is especially true in the case of The Raymond. Inside that weathered cottage is one of the best fine dining establishments in Los Angeles County.

Inside The Raymond you are transported to a cozy, romantic, old fashion setting with intimate dining rooms, secluded booths, comfortable seating, leaded glass, fine china, and three candlelit garden patios.

There is another old saying, “you get what you pay for”. That saying doesn’t hold true in the case of The Raymond Restaurant. There you get much more than your money’s worth. Their prices are extremely reasonable, take their 12 ounce filet mignon with sauteed vegetables, chanterelle mushrooms, herbed butter, crispy leeks and garlic mashed potatoes for $39.00. The beef is tender aged prime beef cooked exactly the way you ask for it, the sauteed vegetables are not over or under cooked, the chanterelle mushrooms are delicious and the garlic mashed potatoes are spiced just right. I have had meals that cost twice as much and are not half as good. The only problem with The Raymond is that their menu is rather sparse when it comes to beef. Their only beef entre is the filet mignon. If you have to have prime rib or a ribeye or other type of steak you are out of luck.

The service at The Raymond is excellent. The waitstaff are friendly without being too familiar, attentive while not being obsequious and speedy without rushing you or invading your space.

The ambiance at The Raymond is quiet, relaxing and romantic. This is a great place to celebrate an anniversary, have a Valentine’s dinner with that special loved one or someone that you want to get to know better or to get a new relationship off to a good start. While The Raymond Restaurant is an excellent place to take your spouse or date, it is also an excellent place to take a client or prospective client. The excellent service, great cuisine and quiet atmosphere will go a long way towards making your business relationship a success.

The Raymond is also a good establishment to take Afternoon Tea with it’s large selection of teas, champaign, sherry, sparkling cider, scones, tea pastries and finger sandwiches. You and your guests or companions can relax and enjoy a good conversation while being pampered by the excellent waitstaff.

If you like fine cuisine and great service in a quiet relaxed atmosphere, try The Raymond Restaurant.

For a directory of restaurants and restaurant reviews in the city of Pasadena, California see http://pasadena.usacitydirectories.com/restaurants.html a directory listing Pasadena restaurants alphabetically and by category or type with reviews written by restaurant customers.

David G Hallstrom, Sr. is a retired private investigator and is currently the publisher of several internet directories, including http://www.usacitydirectories.com a directory of national, state, county and city guides and directories listing local guides, directories, web sites and web pages providing resources, services and information about things to do and places to go.

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