Los Angeles Travel

The name of the city of Los Angeles is Spanish for “The Angels.”  This urban city is found in the state of California.  It is the second biggest city in terms of population in the entire United States.  It is the most populous city in California.

A. Tourist Attractions

Hollywood -  this is probably the most famous landmark in the place.  This is the entertainment epicenter of the entire US.  This is the home of the movie and tv industries. Actresses, actors, performers, producers – all have their roots in Hollywood.

You can enjoy strolling in the famed Hollywood Boulevard, visit the Walk of Fame where every known actor’s name got a star, see the Gauman’s Theatre and so much more.

Disneyland’s California Adventure – is one of Disney World’s franchise.  The theme park is very popular for families.

Universal Studios Hollywood – This is another theme park that provides a tour to the studio. You can see actual film-making here.

Rodeo Drive – this is where the upper specialty shops are located.  Most Hollywood stars are seen strolling and buying from these exclusive shops.

Venice Beach -  you will see street performers, shops and the Muscle Beach.

Popular museums in LA are J Paul Getty Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles Museum of Art and Natural History and California Afro-American Museum.

Sunset Boulevard – this is probably one of the most famous street in the world.  You can see wealthy neighborhoods and Hollywood studios in the strip.

Beaches in Los Angeles – Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and Santa Monica Beach Pier.

Mulholland Drive is another popular destination and is usually included in the movies shot in LA.
Knott’s Berry Farm – it is where you can find the popular Knotts’ Southern California Resort and a theme park.

Queen Mary – a famous ship that is docked in Long Beach.

Six Flags Magic Mountain – a recreational facility that is famous for its exciting roller coaster rides.

Chinatown, Koreatown, Little Tokyo – these are some exciting destinations that you will see in LA.

Famous sports complex are:  Staples Center and Dodger Stadium. You can see your favourite sports personalities play here.

Other landmarks in Los Angeles are: Kodak Theatre, Griffith Observatory, Getty Center and
Getty Villa.

The city of Los Angeles is known for its historical landmark, cultural and recreational facilities.

San Diego Travel

The city of San Diego is the setting for the very first Spanish mission in California.  Its numerous tourist spots will never fail to elicit positive reactions from the guests.

These are the top tourist attractions in the city of San Diego:

1. San Diego Zoo: This world-renowned zoo has two parts. One is the traditional zoo situated in Balboa Park.  The second is the Wild Animal Park in the north part of the city.

The zoo includes some rare and endangered species which brings the total to 4,000. The place is divided into 10 bioclimatic zones that house the animals.  You can see different zones from rainforest to arctic tundra which serve as the natural habitat of the animals. It is definitely unique and one of the best zoos there is.

2. La Jolla – a town by the seaside.  The wealth high end mansions in the neighbourhood will not fail to impress.  You can also find malls and restaurants in this area.  The Coast Boulevard and La Jolla Cove offers the most fantastic views of the scenery around.

3. Sea World San Diego : a large collection of marine life, known particularly for its famous but dangerous resident the killer whale Shamu.  You also get to enjoy the thrilling rides also such as the Shipwreck Rapids, Journey to Atlantis and many others.

4. Balboa Park is the nation's largest urban cultural park. The park is home to 15 major museums, renowned performing arts venues, beautiful gardens and the zoo.  Balboa Park is where the Children’s Museum, Botanical Building, El Prado and the Fleet Science Center and many other attractions are located.

5. Coronado Beach – a famous beach in the city of San Diego.  It offers an unobstructed view of the sunset.

6. Historic Old Town – the town is in the central part of San Diego. It boasts of various  entertainment structures such as shops, historic spots and more than 150 restaurants.

7. The Gaslamp Quarter – these are actually restored Victorian buildings which house various restaurants.  It is a popular destination at night.  Live music is often played after dinner.

8. Maritime Museum of San Diego:  the museum displays various historic ships such as the Star of India.

9. Little Italy- the oldest neighborhood residential and business community dating as far back as the 1920s.

10. Cabrillo National Monument – a preserved lighthouse and a statue in honor of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, the first Portuguese explorer to visit the place, are all found here.

11. Reuben H. Fleet Science Center: The center located in Balboa Park has exhibits and houses a theater called Omnimax.

12. Old Town Trolley: This is a bus tour that takes you to must see sites including Balboa Park, Gaslamp Quarter, Seaport Village, Coronado and the Embarcadero.

13. Mission Beach Boardwalk -  this houses an amusement park called Belmont Park.

14. Mingei International Museum: This is a museum featuring various crafts coming from the place such as paintings, sculptures, toys, textiles and many others.

15. Torrey Pines State Reserve:  you can see a long stretch of land in this park complete with lined Torrey Pine trees, beaches, lagoon and numerous species of migrant birds.

Other well-known tourist destinations are: Embarcadero, Legoland, Mission San Diego de Alcala, Mission Bay, Birch Aquarium and the Lighthouse at Point Loma.

The city of San Diego provides a great place for relaxation and excitement as well.  You get to know the culture of the place and come to appreciate its amazing wildlife and peaceful surroundings.

Why Women are Attracted to Men Wearing Red

Overview

The aim of the research is to determine if women are attracted to men wearing red.  The findings revealed that females are indeed attracted to red on male. Red is often associated with high status.  This means the male would most likely earn more money and generate more power.  The high status association of the color red is what makes it attractive to women. Men who wear this color or seen with red background are seen as powerful and of high status thus, making them sexually desirable to women.

The impact of red on women is apparent even among different cultures. The study utilizes undergraduates from different countries particularly United States, England, Germany and China.  All women reported that men wearing or seen with red background are more attractive.  However, wearing red does not seem to affect women’s perception on a man’s likeability, agreeableness or extraversion.

In the experiment, the impact of red on the attractiveness scale is limited to just the women. Male participants do not react the same way as the women. Their perception on the scale of attractiveness on the man in the photo does not change even if the shirt or background color is changed to red.  The results of the experiment show that the color red has aesthetic as well as psychological impact on women.

Andrew J. Elliot from the University of Rochester and University of Munich. He is the lead author of the study. Other researchers and co-author of the experiment are: Daniela Niesta Kayser hails from the University of Rochester, Tobias Greitemeyer from the University of Innsbruck, Stephanie Lichtenfeld from the University of Munich, Richard H. Gramzow from the University of Southampton, Markus A. Maier from the University of Munich and Huijun Liu from Tianjin Medical University.

How the Research was Conducted

The research was conducted in a series of 7 experiments to find out if women see men to be more sexually desirable if they see him on a red background or wearing red outfits.  The women participants were informed that the experiment requires their first impressions on the male in the picture presented to them. The participants are not aware that the purpose of the experiment is to determine the effects of colors on the male’s attractiveness to women.

The woman is presented a photo of an average looking man for 5 seconds. The woman responds if she finds the man attractive or not on a scale of 1 to 9 with 1 being the least attractive and 10 the most attractive.  The color of the background or the man’s shirt was then manipulated.  There are two color utilized in this experiment: red and white. The result of the research showed that a significant number of female participants find the man with red background or red shirt to be more attractive than those in white background or white shirt.

Debate and Reaction

The claim that red color has an influence on attractiveness has been around since time immemorial. This is the reason why celebrities walk on the ‘red carpet’ and businessmen wear red to come across as confident.  In ancient times, red was always associated with women, passion, love or lust. Hence, the popular term “lady in red”.

Despite the color red’s strong association to women, it appears that the same color is also a factor in determining a man’s appeal. The experiment shows that male can actually enhance their attractiveness to women by just wearing red.  The attraction stems from the woman’s natural inclination to associate red to high status, money and power.

Implications

Clearly, the color red’s impact on attractiveness has both cultural and biological origins. Ancient culture dictates that red signifies love and passion. In biology, red color in primates like baboons is seen as an indicator of male dominance or what they refer to as the alpha males. Female primates tend to prefer the alpha males as their sexual partners because they are perceived as better able to provide protection and sustenance. In the same vein, women’s response to the red color seems to be biologically stimulated. Just like the primate’s reaction to alpha males, human females react positively to men wearing red because it gives men an air of dominance and power.

However, it does not really follow that just because the man wears red or seen in red background, the perception on man’s likeability, agreeability or extraversion also enhances.  The inner attributes of the male seem distinct and separate from his physical appeal.  Red color may enhance attractiveness but it will not determine a man’s inner substance.

California Tourist Attractions

The state of California is referred to as the “Golden State.”  It is the most populous state.  It is the third biggest in area next only to Alaska and Texas respectively.  The capital city is Sacramento.

A. Tourist Attractions

There are a number of memorable tourist attractions found in California.  Being a huge state, the choices of must-see destinations are endless. These include the following popular spots:

1. San Diego Zoo –  this is one of the best, if not the best, zoos in the country.  It houses some 4,000 different species of animals, some of which are rare and exotic.  The area is divided into 10 bioclimatic zones.

2. Disneyland – sister company of Florida’s Disney World, it is a place where you can see all your favourite cartoon characters from Cinderella to Snow White to Mickey Mouse and so many others.

3. Hollywood – of course, the state of California is synonymous with celebrities from Hollywood.  All movie and tv personalities have worked at Hollywood at one time.

4. Golden Gate Bridge is the biggest suspension bridge in the country.  It was constructed in 1937.  The bridge is a testament of astounding engineering feat.

5. La Brea Tar Pits is an important archaeological site located in Los Angeles.  This is where a number of prehistoric animals are found.  The asphalt of the soil helps fossilized these long-deceased animals.  Paleontologists conduct their research and digging in the site.

6. Napa Valley is the biggest wine producing area of US.  It is just 50 miles from San Francisco.  Guests would love its wine tasting session where you can taste the wine for free.

7. Yosemite National Park is a natural beauty which is famous among rock climbers.  The Yosemite Falls is one of the main attractions of the site.  It is one of the very first wilderness parks in the US. Its area is around 1,200 sq. miles.

8. Fisherman’s Wharf is a popular food destination in San Francisco due to its fresh seafood served by some of the best restaurants.

9. Alcatraz Island - This used to be a high-security prison on an island.  You can visit the cells where some of the most dreaded criminals in America used to reside.

10. Monterey Bay Aquarium – this shows a collection of huge variety of marine life.

11. Sea World San Diego – also features a huge collection of marine life. Shamu, a killer whale, is its star performer that gives performances often. They also have a number of exciting rides.

12. Balboa Park in San Diego is the biggest urban park of US. It has 15 major museums, performing arts venues, amazing landscapes and gardens and a zoo.  Balboa Park houses the famous Children’s Museum, Botanical Building, El Prado and the Fleet Science Center.

San Jose Travel - California

The city of San Jose is the 3rd biggest city in the state of California.  It ranks 10th biggest city in the entire US.  San Jose California is known as the central hub of Silicon Valley.

The popular tourist attractions in San Jose are the following:

a. Museums

1.  The San Jose Museum of Art (SJMA) - SJMA offers free admission to the public.  It displays excellent works of art particularly modern artworks.  It is situated in the Silicon Valley. This museum has displays of artistic excellence.

2. San Jose Museum of Quilt & Textile - a museum established in 1977 by Santa Clara Valley Quilt Association.  in 1977.  The goal of the museum is to advance the use of quilts and textiles in arts and crafts.

3. Tech Museum of Innovation - the museum supports technological creations by ordinary people.  It stresses the importance of technology in man's life.  It features the internet and the human body.  It holds an annual competition for student innovative designs called the Tech Challenge.  They also hand out the Tech Museum Awards which recognize people who advances the cause of technology to benefit humans.

4. Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose - the museum focuses on children and families.  They provide educational programs for children. They intend to develop the child's latent talent and skills.

5. Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum - This has the biggest collection of Egyptian artifacts in western North America.

b. Winchester Mystery House - The Winchester Mystery House is a Victorian-inspired house known for its grandeur and oddity.  The mystery as to why the house is eerily odd remains unsolved.  You can see staircase leading to nowhere. Or, a staircase that descends for 7 steps and then rises for 11.
A number of people surmised that Mrs. Winchester wanted to befriend the “good spirits” and lose the “bad” ones.  The house at one had 500 to 600 rooms but the constant renovations made to it reduced the number to 160 rooms.

c. Raging Waters - this is the largest waterpark in Northern California. It has an area of 23 acres with various family rides and recreational facilities fit for families.

d. Happy Hallow Park and Zoo - this is a park that provides recreational fun in an eco friendly atmosphere.

e. Mexican Heritage Plaza - this is a cultural arts facility that provides gardens, theaters, art gallery and as a venue for art performances.

In the city of San Jose, being the hub of Silicon Valley, you will experience how technology interacts with tradition.  The various technological marvels you will see at this place is tempered by its preservation of tradition.  The city is a place like no other.