NEWS: What is RSS?

And why should I care?

Unlike getting website updates or ezines by email, RSS feeds give you absolute, 100% complete control over the news that you get. You don’t have to reveal your email address. If you want to stop receiving content, you don’t have to request to be “taken off the list.” One click, and poof… the subscription is gone.

RSS is a simply an Internet technology standard that allows busy people to receive updates to internet content of interest. That is the essence of an RSS feed – you subscribe and then receive new content automatically in your feed reader.

What is a feed reader?

You may already be using a form of feed reader, and not even realize it. If you use personalized home page services like My Yahoo or My MSN, you’ve got RSS capabilities built in. That’s how syndicated content like news, weather and stock quotes appears on your personal page. You can also add content from any blog or other site that uses RSS to provide updates.

Other web-based tools are primarily dedicated to feed reading only. One of the most popular web-based feed readers at this point is Bloglines, and it’s also free and easy to get started with.

For more info on getting started with Bloglines, read Bloglines (and aggregators in general) from Carson McComas of WorkHappy.net.

If you use the Firefox browser, you can also receive RSS feeds from your tool bar by using the Live Bookmarks function. The next version of Internet Explorer will add this feature as well.

Finally, there are desktop-based feed readers. These function somewhat like an email program for feeds. Examples include Newsgator and Feed Demon.

If it sounds complicated, it’s really not. And things will get even easier when the next version of Outlook integrates feed-reading capabilities. So, you’ll have the same convenience that email subscriptions offered in the old days, without any of the terrible consequences of giving out your email address to potentially unscrupulous characters.

Sounds good. So how do I subscribe to a Feed?

If a website has RSS facility then you will probably findthis new standard RSS icon somewhere on the site:



Sometimes there will be an icon for your particular reader that will take you to the appropriate subscription page. You may see these (among others):







Finally, you may also see little orange buttons that say XML or RSS. Often these chicklets will take you to a page that looks like code gibberish. In this case, you simply cut and paste the page URL from your browser window and manually paste it into your feed reader subscription box. Hopefully this last method will soon disappear, never to be seen again.

In summary: RSS solves BIG problems.

RSS is being adopted at a phenomenal rate, because it’s a good thing for everyone. The benefit to readers is obvious. And it’s good for publishers too, because we want to make sure that people feel comfortable subscribing, and that our message is not nuked by an overzealous spam filter.

“Thanks to Copyblogger for a helping hand with this RSS mini-tutorial.”

ART: Venice Carnival

Masks are synonymous with the Carnival of Venice. People come from the world over to attend private and public masked balls and masked revelers of all ages invade the campo’s of Venice where music and dancing continues nearly day and night.

The Venice Carnival starts two Fridays before Ash Wednesday. ‘Carnival’ the word comes from the Latin for "Farewell, meat!” and on Ash Wednesday, Lent begins, so people have to consume all the meat, butter and eggs before the fast. This religious activity became the great cause for the people to party.

Historically the Venice Carnival started after 1162. It is believed that in that year the Republic scored a victory over Ulrico, Patriarch of Aquileia, they started the tradition of celebrating the victory by slaughtering a bull and twelve pigs around Shrove Tuesday. Slowly these celebrations gained momentum.

During the eighteenth century the Carnival was at its peak. The spirit of the Carnival is best demonstrated by the paintings of Francesco Guardi and the diaries of Giacomo Casanova. The period of 1930s saw a notable slide of the Carnival, when it was prohibited by Mussolini. In 1979, the Carnival was leased a new life through the efforts of some of the Venetians. Slowly the tradition got momentum and today the image of the masked revelers is the worldwide icon of Venice in February.

As of today, during the Carnival everybody is wearing masks and this abolishes all social divisions and everybody is free to enjoy. You can find groups of people of varying age groups partying, carousing, and singing, dancing and playing games in all the open spaces and on the streets. The Bautta, is a most common costume, consisting of a black silk hood, a lace cape, a voluminous cloak (the tabarro), and a three-cornered hat and a white mask which completely covers the face. The wearer can walk around without being recognized.

Since the 1980’s, the Venice Carnival has gained more popularity. Private and public masked balls, theatrical performances and an array of ancient games are being organized for the entertainment of tourist as well as locals. Italian folklore, history, and society inspire the types of masks worn today. The masks fall in several categories, like Commedia dell'Arte masks are inspired by traditional characters like satyrs, demons and lawyers to sailors, bakers, butchers Harlequin and Pierrot, the fantasy masks are inspired by history and also the imagination of the manufacturer.

Latest Venice Holiday apartments on Holiday Velvet:

Venice Jewel: sleeps up to 6 in Venice Cannaregio

Castello View: sleeps up to 4 in Venice Castello

Mini Palace: sleeps up to 2 in Venice San Polo

ART: Florence Museums

The city of Florence is located in the Tuscany Region of central Italy and the cultural and historical impact of the city is overwhelming. The city has many museums, and offers visitors one of the richest cultural experiences in the world.

THE "UFFIZI GALLERY"

The Uffizi Gallery is one of the greatest museums in Europe. The collection of artwork on display there includes paintings by Raphael, Titian and Botticelli. One of the most famous of these is the Birth of Venus, by Sandro Botticelli, which was commissioned by the Medici family in 1482.
Address: Loggiato degli Uffizi, 6
Opening times: Tuesday - Sunday from 8.15 to 19.00
Phone: 055 238 8683
Reservations phone: 055 294 883


THE "ACCADEMY GALLERY"

The ACCADEMY GALLERY is among the very best museums in Florence. "The four prisoners" and the "Pieta of Palestina" some of the famous creations by Michelangelo are available at this museum. Among other things available here is the collection of paintings by the Grand Duke Peter Leopold.

Address: Via Ricasoli, 58-60
Opening times: Tuesday - Sunday from 8.15 to 18.50
Phone: 055 238 8609
Reservations phone: 055 294 883


THE NATIONAL MUSEUM "IL BARGELLO"

One of the oldest buildings in Florence accommodates The NATIONAL MUSEUM "IL BARGELLO". The name BARGELLO is adopted because in earlier times this building was the residence of the "Bargello" (head of police spies). The Bargello is full of famous works of some of the renowned masters like Brunelleschi, Michelangelo, Cellini, Giambologna and Donatello.

Address: Via Del Proconsolo, 4
Opening times: Everyday from 8.15 to 13.50
Phone: 055 238 8606
Reservations phone: 055 294 883


THE MUSEUM OF "SAN MARCO"

MUSEUM OF SAN MARCO can be visited only for its architecture alone. The settings within have been designed in such a way, so as to simplify the monastic life. The museum is decorated with the frescoed interiors and the panels displayed in the large alms-house. The beautiful Last Supper frescoed work of Ghirlandaio and the illuminated manuscripts of the first public library of the Renaissance are the other things available at the museum.

Address: Piazza San Marco 3
Opening times: Monday - Friday from 8.15 to 13.50; Saturday and Sunday from 8.15 to 18.50
Phone: 055 238 8608
Reservations phone: 055 294 883


THE MUSEUM OF THE "CATHEDRAL"

Artworks from the Gothic Cathedral, the Baptisty and the Tower of Giotto (campanile) are the main attractions of The MUSEUM OF THE CATHEDRAL. The museums also house some of the most famous creations by Michelangelo, Donatello, Arnolfo di Cambio and Luca Della Robbia.

Address: P.za Duomo
Opening times: Monday - Friday from 8.15 to 13.50; Saturday and Sunday from 8.15 to 18.50
Phone: 055 230 2885


THE MUSEUM OF THE "HISTORY OF THE SCIENCE"

Items on display there include early telescopes, clocks, watches, compasses and other instruments invented by the Italian scientist Galileo Galilei. The museum has a large exhibition of extinct animals and birds. The museum also has a collection of extremely lifelike human wax figures.

Address: Piazza SS. Annunziata, 12
Phone: 055 249 1708
Opening hours: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tuesdays and Saturdays 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Evening Openings
last Thursday of June and August
first Thursday of July and September 9:00 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.

ART: Louvre, Orsay & Pompidou

The Louvre Museum - Paris

The Louvre Museum is the largest museum of France, houses collections of western art from the middle Ages to 1850. This museum also houses the antique civilizations divided in to eight departments: Oriental Antiquities, Islamic Art, Egyptian Antiquities, Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities. A section here is devoted to history of the Louvre which includes the medieval moats erected by Philippe Auguste in 1190.

Address: Cour Napoleon, A.P. 34, 36 quai du Louvre
Opening hours: Open: Museum: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. - Pyramid: 9 a.m.-10 p.m. - Museum late night opening: Monday (Richelieu Wing) and Wednesday: 9.45 p.m. Closed: Tuesday and holidays.
Phone: +33 (0)1 40 20 53 17


The Orsay Museum - Paris

The French government, on the eve of the 1900 World's Fair planned to build a central terminus on the site of the ruined Palais d'Orsay. Orsay station was the head of the southwestern French railroad network, from 1900 to 1939 and in 1977 the official decision to build the Musée d'Orsay was taken. This Paris museum shows the artistic creation of the western world from 1848 to 1914.

Address : 62, rue de Lille
Opening hours : The museum is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 9.30am to 6pm and on Thursdays from 9.30am to 9.45pm
Phone : +33 (0)1 40 49 48 14

The Centre Pompidou - Paris

The Centre Pompidou, also called Beaubourg, took birth in February 1977 to focus on all forms of modern and contemporary creation: sculpture, painting, books, cinema, video, performances, music, etc. The museum holds performances (theater, dance, and music), cinema, symposia and debates, and publications.

Address: Place Georges Pompidou
Opening hours: The Centre Pompidou is open every day from 11am to 10pm, except Tuesdays and May 1.
Phone: Standard: +33 (0)1 44 78 12 33 (recorded message, Sundays and public holidays, and from 7.30pm)

NEWS: Vanessa's Bio

Name: Vanessa de Souza Lage
Nationality: French
Email: vanessa@holiday-velvet.com

In charge of: the look, functioning, content and usability of the Holiday Velvet website

Why? : Vanessa already decided at Uni to specialise in the then "fairly new" World Wide Web. In 2000, with a science degree in Media & Society in hand, she went on working for a small Internet company in London called NMT! - New Marketing Technologies - and before her training in Human-Computer-Interaction (HCI) Programming finished, the company was bought by Concept!, a German firm part of the WPP group. Here she perfected in HCI programming working on large corporate websites such as the Royal Bank of Scotland, Microsoft and EasyEverything.  In 2002, she moved onto a marketing career and for 2 years became a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) executive for Mercedes-Benz Europe in Stuttgart, Germany. With this experience in marketing and web usability, she went on founding her own Internet Agency - Space Connect Ltd - aiming to respond to the online needs of various small to mid-sized businesses in Europe. During that time she rented out a little apartment in Rome to tourists and soon saw the mistakes internet advertising companies were making. In 2005, believing that she could do much better, she dissolves Space Connect and with a partner, James Burrows, starts her biggest project to-date: the conception and creation of the Holiday Velvet website and brand. 

Vanessa travelled to: Amsterdam, Amalfi Coast, Alpe d'Huez, Barcelona, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Chamonix, Hong Kong, Ibiza, London, Las Vegas, Munich, Oxford, Orlando, Paris, Prague, Tuscany, The 3 Valleys, Rio de Janeiro.

ART: Sydney Entertainment

Today's Sydney is a mixture of modern skyscrapers and old buildings from the British colonial period. Just move around the city of Sydney and you will find a wide range of fun & entertainment, beautiful beaches, bars and restaurants.

The area from Darling Harbor to Kings Cross, Oxford Street to The Rocks is full of great pubs, jazz haunts, rock venues and nightclubs. Only in Sydney is the Minus 5° bar world famous. The whole room, the bar itself, tables, chairs, stools - even the curtains at Minus 5° bar are made of ice. Even with the parkas, hats and gloves one can not stay more than 30 minutes in this bar. Dining at the 360 Bar and Dining Room at the top of Sydney Tower offers not only great food but some of the best views across Sydney. Lowenbrau is another place for the fun loving people, where beer and fun flows freely throughout the year. Another attraction of Sydney is IMAX Theatre, which is screening 3D and 2D films on the world’s biggest screen.

Water is obviously a major attraction in Sydney and there are plenty of things to do other than go to many of the city’s beaches. These can include a ferry ride places like Manly, Darling Harbor, and Taronga Zoo or the River Cat to Parramatta and around the Sydney Harbor or Sydney's Northern Beaches. You can also book world-class cruises, such as Harbor Cruises, Matilda Cruises, and Captain Cook Cruises.

One of the major attractions of Sydney is The Sydney Entertainment Center located by the side of Darling Harbor. This center has hosted some of the big names in the field of entertainment. Major museums include The Rocks Discovery Museum, which is located in Kendall Lane, the Susannah Place Museum and the Australian National Maritime Museum.

Sydney city center is around the Harbor which is crossed by one of the city's most famous landmarks—Sydney Harbor Bridge. Here you can enjoy one of the most breathtaking views across the harbor with the Opera House and bridge in full view. Sydney also has around 37 beautiful beaches spreading across North Palm in the north and down to the Cronulla in the south. The two best-known beaches are Bondi and Manly.

Latest Sydney Holiday Apartments on Holiday Velvet:
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NEWS: Team Addition

Name: Pascal van Duijnhoven
Nationality: Dutch
Email: pascal@holiday-velvet.com

In charge of: rental tourism along the Amalfi Coast

Why? : Pascal has a degree in Latin American Studies. He did his thesis research in Turin, Italy. It was here that he got to know Italy well. Besides his studies he started his own wine import-export company Vini Nobili based in Amsterdam. He opened in Amsterdam the first Slow Food wine bar-restaurant ‘5 Sensi’. For personal reasons he moved to Italy where he started to work in the short term rental business. He built up a vast network of rental properties in and around Positano. Pascal now represents around 50 properties and his network is growing steadily.

Pascal travelled to: Amsterdam, Auckland, Barcelona, Brussels, Buenos Aires, Chamonix, Lisbon, London, Madrid , Majorca, Mexico, Milan, New York, Paris, Prague, Quebec, Rio de Janeiro, Tuscany.

ART: Skiing in France

If you are fond of skiing, then France is the destination for you. In France there are a number of skiing resorts. These resorts offer you a variety of options but one should consider your skill level before choosing the resort. French resorts are scattered across seven mountain ranges. Chamonix, Alpe d’Huez and The Three Valleys are some of the main ski resorts in France; each one is offering a different and varied skiing terrain.

Chamonix is considered the birthplace of mountaineering and is located on the foot of the Mont-Blanc which is also on the list of World heritage sites. This resort is full of visitors throughout the year and the resort has on offer something for everyone. The official ski season starts around mid-December and runs up to 8th May. Though the altitude of the resort is as low as 1035 m most of the ski areass are located at a height of 2000 m. There are three different ski arenas, which are well connected by very capable shuttle bus service and a special sightseeing train. Grands Montets the so called Mecca for skiers is the specialty of this resort. Tramway du Mont-Blanc, France's highest cog railway takes you to the top of the Aiguille du Mid. For a change you can enjoy walking on the 17 km of footpaths through the picturesque landscapes. A large sports complex and The Alpine Museum are also on offer for the visitors at this resort.

Alpe d’Huez has got the nick name 'L'Ile au Soleil' and is located in the Grandes Rousses mountains. It is ranked the fifth largest ski area In France. This skiing resort is widely popular among the beginners of skiing due to its wide gentle slopes and the availability of ski schools. These local ski schools have a great reputation in giving the beginner the best start. For intermediates in particular, this resort offers a wide range of choice of blues and reds. Among other things available at this resort are a sports complex, good child care and lively night life.

The Three Valleys is the largest ski area in the world. The three valleys is the formation of four different resorts namely: Courchevel, Meribel, Les Menuires, and Val Thorens. A variety of ski options are available here according to the skill level of the skier. Courchevel, Meribel offers easy trials for the average skier, where as Les Menuires, and Val Thorens are destinations for the experts.

ART: Barcelona FC Museum

If you are a fan of football and interested in its history then the Barcelona FC Museum is the right destination for you. In 1920s club founder Joan Gamper dreamed of setting up a museum in Barcelona, but he didn’t succeed due to numerous reasons. In 1984, Joan Gamper’s dream became a reality, when President Joseph Luis Nunez was the head of the club. The museum was expanded in 1987, 1994 and 1998, now it is spread over a vast area of about 3500 sq. meters. This is the best museum in the world pertaining to the game of football. Yearly visitors to this museum are in excess of 1,160,000 and all around the world a number of such museums take ideas from this museum.

A visit to the museum takes you through to the four main sections of the museum and to the beautiful Nou Camp stadium itself. The club is almost a century old and the museum houses the numerous trophies won by the club, a series of photographs, sporting gears, a large number of objects and also hosts audiovisual shows taking you through the great history of the club.

Col·lecció Futbolart by Pablo Ornaque, arguably one of the best individual collection of football history is permanently leased to the museum. This collection exhibits the football history right from its origin to the present day. In the other part of the museum there is ‘The Art Gallery’, which houses the work of the famous artists of the country like Dali, Miro, and Tapies. Temporary exhibtions are also organized on the premises which are devoted to the history of poster art pertaining to the club.

If you wish to research the history of the club, a visit to ‘The FC Barcelona Center for Documentation and Studies’, which is housed at the second floor of the museum, will be of great help. Newspaper and periodicals section, a library, historic archives and a photographic archive are the four main sections of this Center. This Center is full of the cultural heritage of the club.

A special tour called the Camp Nou tour gives you the chance to get familiar with the stadium. The tour takes you to the opposition changing rooms, through the tunnel to the main pitch area, the TV studio, the press rooms and the director’s area. This Barcelona tour gives you a chance to see the new dugouts across the stadium. The tour also gives a chance to enjoy a panoramic view of the magnificent stadium and various FC Barcelona facilities.

NEWS: Cape Town Accommodation

We have new Cape Town holiday apartments additions!

Capes Citi-Loft
Welcome to The Cape's Citi-Loft. An up market loft apartment in Mutual Heights, one of South...
»Capes Citi-Loft apartment

Gulmarn
This luxurious apartment is ten minutes walk from the historical centre of Cape Town and five minutes away from the...
»Gulmarn apartment

Greenmarket Place
501 Greenmarket Place is a one bedroom up market, contemporary apartment in the centre of Cape Town’s trendy...
»Greenmarket Place apartment

Mountain Close
Mountain Close is a spacious one bedroom apartment that is situated high on the slopes of Table Mountain.  The...
»Mountain Close apartment

Rutland Lodge B&B
An original period Herbert Baker Cape Dutch house, built in 1904 and recently sympathetically restored to an exclusive...
»Rutland Lodge B&B

The Granger
ALL NEW!! 2 Double bedrooms apartment, all with en-suite, 3rd guest bathroom -open planned lounge/dining...
»The Granger apartment

BigBay BeachClub 118
This self-catering two-bedroom apartment in a secure holiday resort situated on a coastal road is the ideal place for...
»BigBay BeachClub 118 apartment

Atlantic View
Our Cape Town apartment is situated in Camps Bay, 10 minutes from the Waterfront and Cape Town CBD, and 5 minutes...
»Atlantic View apartment

Sunset Hills
This Camps Bay Boutique Apartment is a charming, designer studio apartment situated in the famous and beautiful...
»Sunset Hills apartment

ART: Copacabana and Ipanema

The very thought of Rio De Janeiro fills the mind with lively images of beautiful beaches and with rythmes of the ‘Girl from Ipanema’. Beach life is the part and parcel of Brazilian culture and this is the most evident in Rio. The people of Rio visit the beaches not only for enjoying the sun but also to socialize, play sports like football, volleyball and surfing. Even poor weather conditions and winter are not a hurdle for ‘The Cariocas’ (popular name of the locals) to visit the beaches.

Copacabana, one of the most beautiful beaches, is located at the foothills of Rio. It is believed that the name Copacabana has Bolivian roots. This is a 5 Km long beach, spreading from Princesa Isabel Avenue and up to the Forte De Copacabana.

The Copacabana area is always vibrant with people of all ages creating a party like mood. There are also a number of bars and night clubs located all along the beach. Day or night the beach is always alive with some sort of activity. Copacabana is divided into many parts, known as postas. Life-guards are available at each posta.

In the southern part of Rio de Janeiro, by the side of the Copacabana beach is the district of Ipanema. All along the beach at Ipanema, many world class restaurants, cafes and shopping are located. At the western end of the beach there are two hills known as the ‘Two Brothers’. Like the Copacabana beach, this beach is also divided into several parts, known as postas. Certain postas are popular for the presence of a certain kind of gathering. This beach is always alive with many sporting activities like football, volleyball and foot volley (a sport which is played in Brazil only).

If you get a chance to visit Rio De Janeiro, do not miss the opportunity to visit these marvelous beaches.