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When traveling out of town, you often seek things that make you feel more comfortable; things that allow you to relax and enjoy the atmosphere and for that matter get a drink and possibly some good food. And while we’re on the subject, why not find a spot that caters to those demands and also has a sports atmosphere along with a big screen and coverage of the latest games?

Being new to a city is always an adventure, but what if the only cultural enlightenment you’re after is a good sports bar where you can unwind and have a good time? Depending upon where you find yourself, there are several ways you might track down a good one.

First, check with a local—if you’re taking a cab, ask the cabby where he goes. If that doesn’t work, there are usually some local papers that are advertising for your business and offering the very thing you’re looking for. It almost goes without saying that you can check the local nightlife by going online and searching from there. Though this is definitely a good start, that approach is a bit like taking a shotgun where a rifle is what is needed. You will want to narrow the search.

If you’re in Canada, they have a great system for getting information and feedback on local and national offerings at Canada 411. Not only can you discover the places the locals prefer, but you can also read reviews written on the bigger name establishments.

In any case, there are ways to track down the perfect local sports bar if you know where to look.

Ever have the misfortune of wanting to shop at a store and you can’t find it anywhere? No matter what Internet search you try or words you type, that one shop that you know exists doesn’t come up. Sure, you get search results for a store 2,000 miles away or another store that has a similar name but it isn’t the one for which you are looking. I had that experience the other day.

I was driving home from work when I saw a small coffee shop. It was advertising some very yummy pastries and coffee drinks, and I knew I just had to try it out. The problem was when I got home I forgot to write down the name of the store, and when I went to stop at the coffee shop a few weeks later, I couldn’t find it.

Every time I asked my friends or co-workers they would say something around such as “Oh! Have you looked online?.” In this day and age when we depend on the Internet, I had indeed tried looking online. The problem with the Internet and search engines is that unless you are looking up something that is already online or is similar to an existing entry, you don’t get anything. And that was my problem.

While I spent what felt like hours searching the web looking on sites like Facebook, I realized I should try sites like Canada 411. I also realized just how much I miss phone books and directory assistance. With local phone books, there’s no chance of getting a result for a store in California when I live in New York.

I still haven’t found that cute little shop. Boy, do I miss the days of simplicity and order when it came to finding information.

Nothing lights up the sports-radio talk shows faster than the discussion on whether something is considered sports or an activity.
Thefreedictionary.com says the definition of a sport is – “Physical activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively.”
Although pool and darts don’t take a lot of physical prowess to complete, you better be prepared for a fight if you tell a pool-player or a dart thrower that what they’re doing is not considered sports.
Breaking down the previous definition of sports, pool and darts seem to meet the criteria of being a physical activity. Although neither may force a competitor to break out in a full on sweat, pool and darts are certainly more than just sitting on the couch.
From the previous definition, pool and darts seem to meet the criteria of what sports are by being governed by a set of rules or customs. It is un-arguable that pool and darts are not governed by rules. Games within the games of both require participants to know the specific rules and customs that govern these activities. Whether it’s 501 countdown in darts, or a game of eight-ball in pool, participants are required to know the specific rules of every variation within these sports.
And finally, pool and darts appear to be sports that are engaged in competitively. Ask any pool player or dart thrower how competitive their sports are, and you would be lucky to find any other answer than, VERY competitive. Each spring, dart throwers from across the Globe gather at state, regional, national and world championships, competitive events.
While the radio talk shows will continue to have actively, and often animated discussions on what is sports and what is not, darts and pool meet the criteria within the definition and must be considered sports.

A lot of people think that all cruises just go to literal “hot spots” like the Caribbean. This simply could not be further from the truth. Truth be told on the matter, that is just one of the types of places you can go, in just about every kind of climate zone that you can think of. You can go on a river cruise, like they have all throughout Europe, and see the countryside go by from your cabin — which is in a temperate zone. Or you can go up North (or down South) to the point where you can see glaciers all over the place. Alaskan cruises are pretty sweet, if you don’t mind staying inside primarily (unless you end up on one of those freaky ones where the temperature is 60 degrees… and you’re wearing the biggest coat you can find).

And getting back to those European river cruises, keep in mind that any large body of water can be cruised in. There are Black Sea cruises, cruises all throughout the rivers of Europe (with tons of them in the Rhine River), and even cruises in the Great Lakes in the US and Canada. Cruise anywhere!