Shark Island is so called because of its shape, not for a dangerous population of sharks haunting its waters but it is good for Sydney picnic spots. America’s best spots for beach picnics vary from dramatic rocky cliffs to tropical aqua lagoons, but they all have one thing in common – they’re absolutely perfect for seaside ‘al fresco’ dining. Pack up your picnic basket, sunscreen and flip-flops and take a trip to these amazing spots for the best outdoor meal of your life!

Siesta Key, Florida – This barrier island off the coast of Sarasota is one of Florida’s best-kept secrets. Long a favorite vacation destination of natives, this island is blessed with warm waters, cool breezes and an incredible variety of animal life. Observe the pelicans, egrets, ibis, storks, cranes, dolphins and manatees as you take in your picnic meal. The beach also has concession stands, volleyball courts, a softball field and a playground.

Coast Guard Beach, Massachusetts – This family-friendly beach lies along the 30-mile Cape Cod National Seashore, and is accessible by foot, bike, or car. Eroding glacial cliffs provide a dramatic view, along with the crashing waves and occasional seals. If you’re not so fond of sand, you can sit on the grassy green hills above the shore and enjoy the sight of the royal-blue waters.

Ka’anapali, Hawaii – Multiple sandbars provide a cool, serene spot to set up the lounge chairs and enjoy some snacks while the waves undulate gently at your feet. This beach is located on Maui’s sunnier, drier side and has some of the best swimming spots in the state.

Ocracoke Island, North Carolina – Take a scenic ferry ride from the Outer Banks of North Carolina to the beautiful Ocracoke Island, which is part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. This island was the favorite anchorage of the famous pirate Blackbeard, who died in a channel off the shore. Feed seagulls, take a leisurely stroll around the village or visit the Ocracoke Lighthouse, one of America’s oldest.

East Hampton Main Beach, New York – Although the Hamptons are known for rows of multi-million-dollar mansions, upscale boutiques and restaurants, East Hampton Beach has retained its charming, small town feel – no small feat considering it’s an extension of Brooklyn and Queens. This beautiful beach is the perfect coastal picnic spot for Manhattanites who need a break from all the hustle and bustle.

Ocean City, Maryland – If fun for the whole family is what you’re after, Ocean City is the perfect beach picnic destination. There’s so much to do, you’ll have a really hard time making a decision! The oceanfront boardwalk, swimming, surfing, flying kites, jet skiing and windsurfing are just a few of the pursuits you can take up while visiting.

Cannon Beach, Oregon – Take an afternoon to free yourself from your usual hectic pace and enjoy this quaint seaside village, located 80 miles west of Portland. Comb the beach for seashells, ride a three-wheeler on the sand or take in the incredible sights. This beach’s main attraction is ‘Haystack Rock’, said to be the world’s third largest free-standing monolith.

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware – The largest of Delaware’s seaside resorts, Rehoboth Beach features a gorgeous, gleaming sandy shore, a 1 mile boardwalk, a variety of outdoor activities and plenty of perfect picnic spots. Stop by one of their plentiful casual seafood restaurants for some delicious take-out, and enjoy it while lounging peacefully in the sun.

T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, Florida – The winner of many ‘Best Beach’ awards, this beach may well be the most perfect on the mainland. Located along the Gulf of Mexico in Florida’s panhandle, this state park features miles of sparkling white sugar sand, high dunes and sand pine scrub. It is a perfect example of the beauty of Florida’s ‘Great Northwest’, and provides plenty of opportunity for bird watching – over 240 species have been spotted in the park. During warm summer nights, sea turtles can be seen making their way up the beach to nest.

Hamoa Beach, Hawaii – This area has been called the most perfect beach in the world. It is truly a breathtaking tropical paradise – the crystalline turquoise waters, palm trees and white sand will make you wish you could stay there forever. Picnic facilities abound in this area, or you can settle down on a soft comfy picnic blanket and take in the sights and smells of this blissful place.

Stephanie Gottschalk writes the blogs ‘Picnic Fun – Tips and Recipes’ (http://www.picnictips.com) and ‘The Joy of Water Fountains’ ([http://www.waterfountainguide.com]) for Specialty Living Inc., an Asheville, North Carolina-based company that aims to share their love of people, nature and life through high quality water fountains and outdoor living products.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Stephanie_Gottschalk/35687

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There are lots of Canada ski packages holidays options and the first decision is which resort. For tips on this check out the where to ski in Canada page as well as our best Canadian ski resort awards and Canada ski resort ratings. If you have ever wanted to take the family on a cheap holiday skiing vacation, you can plan a wonderful skiing trip during the holiday to St Anton. The area has one of the most beautiful resorts for holiday skiers. The nightlife is just as spectacular as the skiing. This is your chance to ski the day away and join in the fun at the nightclubs around the resort. You are going to find that slopes are heavily packed with snow and the mountains are challenging. You will find that your day on the slopes is one you have never experienced anywhere else.

Although the slopes are the greatest, the town is mostly sports shops, hotels and bars. The area shops are found about twenty minutes away in Lech. You will find your cheap holiday ski vacation is filled with more fun than shopping anyways. The village of St Anton is a true Austria skiing resort. You will find more excitement in one village than you could find anywhere else. You are going to find intermediate slopes, but for those who need a challenge, there are some steep slopes for the experts. If you think the St. Anton slopes are too easy, you can try the Valluga slopes nearby.

If you are looking for nighttime entertainment, you will find that one place stands out. The Moosrwit is the popular hotspot in St. Anton. You will find hundreds of post skiers enjoying a drink or two at this hot nightclub. If you like British music, Griblies is the place to start your night. They have a British band that plays all the hits you want to hear. The Krazy Kangaroo Bar is a mountainside bar. You will find hip-hop and rock music to shake the night away. You can watch the sun go down while enjoying a nice glass of wine.

Your cheap holiday skiing vacation is going to see more nightlife than you could see in one place. You will want to stop and see The Funky Chicken. If you have a need for some great live entertainment, this is the place to stop after nine. Watch the sunrise at the Kartouche Club. If you are looking for more sophistication, The Platzl’s Apres is a place to stop in at night. You will just love the restaurants in St. Anton.

If you want a quick hamburger and fries, the Hamburger Caravan is a place to go. There is no need to dress up, go as you are and enjoy the food. If you are looking for some fine dining, the St. Antoner Hof is a five star restaurant. The very popular Restaurant Museum is located in a mansion from the pre WWI era and the cable cars station is right there. You will feast on the wild game and some fine wine. After one night of dining and parting, you will need to hit the slopes the next day to work off some added calories. You cheap holiday vacation to St. Anton could not have any more excitement.

Does working hard in the kitchen while everyone else is eating, drinking and socializing in the living room sound like your idea of a good time? If your goal is to be in the catering business, the answer should be an emphatic yes. Event food and catering not only helps to set the tone of the event but can also keep attendees happy (no one likes to go hungry!) so finger food and canapes are a great way to keep a flow of food without a sit-down meal or large buffet selection.

Americans’ love of dining and entertaining has created a tremendous market for off-premises caterers all across the country. A wide range of social and business events are providing an opportunity for caterers to cook up tasty dishes and delicious profits. In fact, social catering has seen some of the strongest growth in the overall food-ser­vice industry in recent years, and that trend is expected to continue.

Successful caterers are organized, consistent and creative. They enjoy working in an environment that in some ways changes every day, while in other ways stays the same. While a lot of the preparation, cleaning and serving becomes a bit routine, the places to which you’ll travel and the kinds of functions you’ll attend can differ greatly. “Most restaurateurs hate catering for the exact reason that I love it: It’s different every day,” says Ann Crane, owner of Meyerhof’s Cuisine and Catering in Irvine, California. “A restaurateur is happy in a completely confined space where they’re in control and they don’t have to worry about anything leaving the building. With catering, you can get your inside operations down to the wire, but then you have to put it all in a truck and take it someplace to set it up and you could lose control.” Another appeal of catering, she says, is the strong relationship that tends to develop with clients. “This is something that’s really personal. Food is a personal reflection of the host, whether it’s in a corporate environment or someone’s home.”

From a cost-of-entry perspective, catering is probably the most flexible of all the food-service businesses. While you need a commercial location, you can start small and build your equipment inventory as you need to. You may even find an existing commercial kitchen that you can rent, as Maxine Turner did when she started Cuisine Unlimited, her Salt Lake City catering operation. She operated in a school cafeteria for ten years before moving into her own commercial facility.

In the beginning, if you need something unusual, such as a champagne fountain for a wedding reception, you can usually rent it rather than buy it. And your food inventory is easy to control, because in most cases you know well in advance exactly how many people you’re cooking for.

Off-premises caterers who take the food to the customers — rather than a catering department that operates on-site in a hotel or convention center — may offer everything from a gourmet breakfast in bed for two to elegant dinners for 20 to charity galas for more than 1,000 guests. Some caterers specialize in one kind of food, such as cakes and pastries, while others offer a wide range of services, including floral arrangements, specialized props and costumes for theme parties and wedding coordination.

The three major markets for off-premises caterers are:

1. Corporate clients. The primary need of this market is food for breakfast and lunch meetings, although there will be some demand for cocktail parties and dinners. Service can range from simply preparing a platter of food that’s delivered to the client’s offices or a nearby location to cooking an elaborate meal and arranging it at the meeting site.

2. Social events. Millions of dollars are spent each year on wedding receptions — with much of that being spent on food. Other special events that are commonly catered include bar and bat mitzvahs, anniversary dinners, birthday parties and graduations.

3. Cultural organizations. Opera houses, museums, symphonies and other cultural and community organizations frequently have catered events ranging from light hors d’oeuvres to formal dinners, sometimes for as many as several thousand people.

You’ll see a tremendous amount of crossover between these market groups. Turner started out with a primarily corporate clientele, serving continental breakfasts and boxed lunches. As her business grew, the corporate customers began hiring her to handle their personal social events, such as weddings and parties. And while she still does simple breakfasts and lunches, she’s also catered such events as the celebration for the 100th episode of the hit TV series Touched by an Angel, which was filmed in Salt Lake City.

Of course, there’s a wide range of additional markets and specialties. You might cook for people with specific dietary restrictions, such as kosher, macrobiotic, gluten-free or other special food preparation requirements. You might focus on afternoon teas, celebration breakfasts or even picnic baskets. Another popular niche market is cooking for dual-career couples who don’t have time to cook for themselves. You can either go to their homes and prepare the meals there or cook at your own facility and deliver the food ready to be served. Another option is to offer several days’ or a week’s worth of meals prepared in advance that your customers can simply heat and serve. Let your imagination run wild with possible market ideas, then do some basic market research to see what’s likely to work in your area. Also see what caterers are already serving your area.

First-rate caterers can demand and get top dollar for their services — but you and your food must be top rate. You should also keep in mind some general market trends. For the most part, extravagant meals and rich foods are a thing of the past. These days, people are eating less beef and more poultry and fish, and they’re drinking less hard liquor and more beer and wine. They’re also more concerned about the bottom line than they once were. Many caterers say these trends have forced them to be more creative chefs, working with spices and ethnic dishes rather than with rich sauces.