Alternative New York Landmarks

Hello everyone. Today we have some weird and wonderful landmarks in New York.

Caboose Motel
State Route 425,
Avoca, NY 14809

If you're looking for an alternate place to stay in New York then the Caboose Motel offers just that. Since 1986 the five cabooses have been open to the public, each sleeping between 5 and 6 guests and fully equipped with a shower, bathroom, seating, cable TV, telephone and bedrooms. Find out more at the website www.caboosemotel.net.

Ghostbusters Headquarters

10 North Moore St,
New York, NY

The building once used as the headquarters for the film Ghostbusters is now an active New York Fire Department station.

Naked Adam and Eve
The Time Warner Center,
New York, NY

Standing in the lobby of the Time Warner Center, Columbus Circle, New York are two 12ft bronze sculpturers of Adam and Eve. Apparently holding Adam's genitals and posing for pictures is a favourite passtime for visitors to the Center!

Nipper the RCA Dog
7 Tivoli St,
Albany, NY

For over 50 years, a 25 foot, 4 ton "Nipper the RCA Dog" has sat on top of this building in Albany. A junior Nipper did sit near him but that now resides in Baltimore.

We have more Alternative New York Landmarks at www.britsinamerica.us/newyork/landmarks.html Can you add any to our list?

Orlando City Soccer

Hello everyone. The USA has never really got behind Soccer but hopefully that's going to change in the near future. I recently spoke with Steve Crane from Striker Soccer Academy about the new Orlando City Soccer Club.

Pro Soccer has finally arrived in Orlando. After all the rumor and talk it was officially announced that the City Beautiful would have a professional soccer team which will compete in the USL (United Soccer Leagues) Pro league, basically the league below MLS. 

Orlando City is not just another US Soccer team though. Granted, it's not a completely new team, they have actually moved an existing team, the old Austin Aztecs, and provided them with a new hometown, which happens in American sports. However, Orlando City has firm roots outside of the US. The majority owner, Phil Rawlins, is a Director of Stoke City FC and another Owner Brendan Flood is chairman of Burnley FC. Both clubs have partnered with Orlando City which makes it totally unique and provides positive vibes that this team will be around for a while and putting together a competitive team for us all to be proud of. Not only that, the Head Coach is Adrian Heath, ex Everton FC striker.

Phil Rawlins is a down to earth guy who has a great vision for the club. He has a focus on community involvement and writes into the players contracts that they must spend so many hours on community work, interacting with fans etc, which is a breath of fresh air when compared to the overpaid embarrassments in the Premier League.

Most importantly to soccer fans, he has set a target of MLS soccer within 5 years.

Last week the club announced it's new crest and a website. It's an exciting time to be a fan in Orlando. Ticket prices are very reasonable, you can get a season ticket for $99, which include league games and showcase games against International Clubs (read Stoke and Burnley, for starters) and MLS friendlies. Any English soccer fan will enjoy visiting a game, it will be different but unique. I feel it will be a bit like travelling back in time by 50 or 60 years, to watch a game, where the fans can get passionate without violence, you can relax and drink alcohol in your seat, and the stadium, the Citrus Bowl, looks like the Colliseum.

All in all, it's something for everyone British to be excited about. Expats can have a local team again, holidaymakers can go catch a game one evening in a fortnights break and it's another thing to do when visiting Orlando. Having spoken with all the movers and shakers concerned in Orlando City Soccer Club, I can comfortably say that the soccer on show will not be Mickey Mouse!

From everyone at Brits In America, we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

Florida Choice

Hello everybody. Today we have some bargain Central Florida Real Estate listings courtesy of Florida Choice.

If you'd like to promote your business or services on the Brits In America home page then please e-mail us at info@britsinamerica.us to find out how.

Brits In America Update

Hello everybody. Here is some brief information on some of the new British run businesses recently added to the Brits In America website.

Facehaven Skin Care and Massage Clinic
FaceHaven Skin Care and Massage Clinic in Orlando offers clients a private and discrete location away from busy strip and shopping malls you may be used to, but at the same time not forgetting the quality skin care you expect from a major spa or clinic. www.facehaven.com

Nick Fraser - Realtor at Re/Max All Star, Madeira Beach
Selling residential and commercial real estate throughout the Tampa Bay area.
www.SeeYourNewHomeHere.com

English Pork Pie Company
Owned and run by English couple Damian and Vicky from Yorkshire and Staffordshire, the couple relocated to New York in 2008 to establish a British company, providing America with the freshest & most authentic English Produce. www.englishporkpiecompany.com

Miniature Picture Cards
Expat Roger Penycate runs Miniture Picture Cards from Richmond, VA. You can find cards depicting over 200 themes including, Baseball, Golf, Movie Stars, Military, British Themed and much more. www.miniaturepicturecards.com

OIIA Limited
Offering free QROPS Pension Transfer advice for expats from UK Chartered Insurance Institute qualified advisers. With over 20 years experience. http://www.pension-transfers-qrops.com

Go Go Web O
Go Go Web O provide total web design services at affordable prices. From bespoke sites to contact management systems and everything inbetween.
www.gogowebo.com

Sunshine Foundation Dream Village

Hello everyone. Today we have some information about the Sunshine Foundation Dream Village near Davenport, Florida, where they have been making children's dreams come true for over 20 years.

Sunshine Foundation's sole purpose is to answer the dreams of chronically ill, seriously ill, physically challenged and abused children, ages three to eighteen, whose families cannot fulfill their requests due to the financial strain that child's illness may cause. 

Sunshine Foundation Dream Village sits across 22 acres of scrub oaks, tall pines, and palmettos in Loughman, Florida, a small town 15 miles west of the central Florida attractions. The village is a permanent oasis for families to escape hospitals and needles, if only for a short time. Since our first family arrived in February 1989, over 15,156 special children have enjoyed Sunshine's Dream Village. 

The number one dream of most children is to visit "The Mouse" and the "The Fish", and Sunshine knows that time for families is precious. That's why the Foundation not only flies the child and parents to the Dream Village, but we also try to include each family member that lives in the child's household, with no cost whatsoever to the family. Sunshine pays for airfare, transportation, lodging, and tickets to the attractions. Families arrive on Thursday and leave on Monday.

The Dream Village is a fairy tale setting with nine unique cottages, each with its own childhood theme including, Nursury Rhyme, Seaside, Enchanted Forest, Space, A windmill and A lighthouse.

All children need something to believe in, to know dreams can come true. Whether the dream is a visit with a celebrity hero, a family outing, a trip to Orlando, or a special gift, Sunshine Foundation has granted over 34,500 dreams to these special children. Sunshine Foundation, the original wish-granting organization, is one of the few charities that makes dreams come true not only terminally ill children, but chronically ill and abused children as well. 

The average cost of Adopting a Dream is $5,000. Sunshine would not be able to grant the dreams of these special children without their generous sponsors.

Click here to donate now