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Where to Spend Quality Time With the People You Love the Most

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Whether the people you love most are your elderly parents, your college buddies or your children, spending quality time together is the best way to nurture and strengthen your relationships. In a technological era of constant interruptions in the form of phone calls, text messages and emails, opportunities to spend quality time together are rare. That’s why Virgin Holidays cruises, quiet hikes out of the city and Sunday afternoon picnics are a necessity.

Finding a Destination

As you brainstorm ideas, you might scribble “Skiing in 2011, Tahoe,” “Caribbean Cruises 2012,” and “Hilton Head in 2013.” Taking initiative to find a getaway destination for yourself and your loved ones is the first step. Get the people you love excited about the travel destination; it will make it easier to plan the trip. Suddenly, your spouse may find the courage to ask the boss for time off, or your elderly mother may feel motivated to exercise to have enough energy for your Virgin Holidays cruise.

Planning Activities

Once you’ve nailed down a destination, it’s time to talk to your loved ones about their preferences for activities. If you’re traveling with a large family including small children, think of activities that you can all enjoy. On a cruise ship, you could attend entertainment shows or go swimming together. If taking a trip to an exciting city like New York, you might purchase tickets to Broadway shows and plan to walk through Central Park as a family.

Establishing Rules

To make sure that your quality time is not interrupted, set some rules with your travel companions. You may all decide to turn off cell phones, leave the laptops at home or only check email once a day.

A Middle Eastern Take on Jazz

What do you get when you mix jazz, undoubtedly an American art form, with traditional music from Pakistan? Throw in years of experimentation and a long period of hibernation, and you get the Sachal Studios Orchestra.

Top of the Charts

In June, the iTunes Jazz Chart showed that the Sachal Studios Orchestra had skyrocketed to the number one spot. This truly unique approach to playing jazz, mainly with traditional instruments from Pakistan, obviously grabbed the attention of listeners. With a stunning version of Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five” that included squeaking strings and frantic hand percussion, it’s easy to understand why so many jazz fans have taken a liking to this eclectic group.

A Pakistani Approach to Jazz Standards

It doesn’t hurt that the group has enough courage to take on some of the most respected jazz standards, including “The Girl from Ipanema,” “Samba de Verao” and “This Guy’s in Love with You” in addition to “Take Five.”

Connecting with the Music

If you haven’t listened to a lot of jazz, then you might not appreciate the massive undertaking that the Sachal Studios Orchestra latest album reveals. Even if you have never heard a jazz tune in your life, though, you will understand that this music communicates something passionate about life all over the world. It transcends genres by melding two musical styles that would seemingly have little to do with each other.

Whether you choose to download the entire album or just a few tracks, the Sachal Studios Orchestra will stun even the most sophisticated listeners.