The Hotel da Vinci is located a few minutes away from Empoli and less than 6 km from the ancient “borgo” of Vinci, the birthplace of the great Genius Leonardo.

The covered and outside parking spaces allow guests to comfortably reach the hotel by car. The hotel offers 65 double rooms, 18 of which are equipped with bath and 3 Superior rooms with Jacuzzi, meeting rooms up to 100 people, Fitness and Relax area, outside parking, garage and the restaurant “Osteria Ripa D’Arno”.

The hotel location is ideal in order to reach both major Tuscan cities (Florence 25 Km) and small towns hiding artistic and natural treasures such as Volterra, San Gimignano, Certaldo, Gambassi Terme, Pienza, and Montalcino. Vinci, together with Cerreto Guidi, Empoli, Capraia, Limite and Montelupo Fiorentino keeps the memory of ancient civilizations, medieval castles and villages, villas dating back to the Florentine Lordship and Renaissance palaces. The Hotel da Vinci is part of this context testifying the Tuscan famous hospitality.

Rooms:
The hotel offers all modern facilities and comforts: 65 double rooms, 18 of which are equipped with bath and 3 Superior rooms; all comforts are available: PC Internet connection, Pay TV on demand, liquid crystal satellite TV, telephone, minibar, PC-size safe, air conditioning and individual climate control.
Warm parquet has been laid in all rooms equipped with big windows and relax sofas. Bathrooms with crystal shower stall and supporting top in elegant satin glass. The Superior rooms are equipped with Jacuzzi. The internal furniture is modern, the acoustic treatment is guaranteed by wooden floors, the exceptional room brightness filters through the big windows.

Facilities within the Property:
The meeting area is located on the first floor with a wide foyer. The “Leonardo” conference main room (about 100 square meters) can take up to 100 people; it is equipped with big glass windows filtering natural light and with advanced audiovisual technologies, soundproofed, liable to be obscured. The main room can be subdivided into two rooms, “Gioconda”; and “Icaro”, up to 60 and 40 people respectively.
The rooms are equipped with amplification, radio microphone, screen (lent form video format), video-headlight maximum resolution, and videoconference facilities. Moreover, “Osteria Ripa “Arno” is a comfortable restaurant where the traditional Tuscan cuisine and the Mediterranean cooking join to a refined and charmed place. The local typical dishes are rendered from a modern point of view by introducing new tastes. Raw materials are strictly selected and cooked with “extra-virgin olive oil”. The “grand” changes according to the season alternation.

Planning a trip to Italy? The top 3 destinations in Italy are Rome, Venice and Florence; for example, in order to make it easy to find an hotel in Rome, you can have a look at our advanced search. Simple as 1-2-3, the same method can be applied to find an Hotel in Florence, or to compare price for different accommodations in Venice, from bed and breakfast to Hotels.

The price of insurance depends ultimately on the risk the insurer is taking on on behalf of the customer. Simply put, this will depend on the chance of the insured event occurring, and the likely cost of the outcome. The way insurers calculate this risk, and quantify the amount of the premium, is through the use of what is known as actuarial science. Using certain probability and statistical mathematical models, the insurance company can predict with a fair degree of accuracy, the approximate cost of future claims.

For example, supposing a someone wishes to insure their $100,000 home against fire. For argument’s sake, lets assume that 1 in a 1000 homes in this area burn down every year. This would mean that just to break even, on the mathematical model, the insurance company would have to charge $100 a year for the premium. What the insurance company will in fact do is charge something more than $100, say $120. This extra $20 will cover the overhead costs of the insurance company’s operation. It will also cover an amount for profit of the insurance company. The only other way the insurance company generates profits is by investing all the policy premiums it is paid. That way, all the premiums earn interest, or investment returns, while they are in the possession of the insurance company. While this method represents a significant income for the insurance company, the majority of insurance company’s funds do actually come from the payment of premiums.

It has been argued that those who pay premiums and do not have to make a claim lose out by effectively wasting their unused premium. In this sense, the insurance industry can not be held to produce any net gain for society, and therefore, the huge profits they generate are unwarranted. Defenders of insurance companies however claim that the peace of mind they offer to all their customers is a significant societal benefit which they provide. Simply knowing that you will be compensated if disaster strikes you is worth something to people, even if the disaster never strikes.

The funds the insurance company holds, from premiums that have not been claimed for payouts, is called its float. Massive profits can be generated from the float alone. While losses are just as possible as gains with all investments, the profits made from insurance company floats, for the five years ending 2003, was $68.4 billion. In the same period, insurance companies paid out $142.3 billion in insurance claims. Some do not believe that the insurance industry will be able to sustain itself for ever on profits generated by the float and so predict large premium rises for the future.

Joseph Kenny is the webmaster of the insurance site www.insure121.com/ where you will find information, news and links to the leading providers of car insurance in the UK.

It seems that every day there is an article about the rising cost of health insurance, the high number of people with no health insurance, and our system of financing medical care which is broken and needs repair or replacement.

What goes unreported is that since January 1, 2004 there is a new way to finance medical expenses which drastically reduces the cost of medical insurance when compared to traditional forms of health insurance. The name of this radical new approach to financing health care is: Health Savings Accounts, or HSAs.

Health Savings Accounts combine a health insurance plan that will pay medical expenses after a patient has paid a few thousand dollars for medical care. A unique feature of these high up-front (a “high deductible” in insurance-speak) medical insurance plans is that a patient can open up an IRA-like tax favored savings account to fund the deductible. When sick the patient can withdraw money from the Health Savings Account without any tax penalty.

Like a rainy day fund, a person on an HSA puts money aside in his/her own savings account in addition to paying a health insurance premium for insurance that will pay when a catastrophe happens. The HSA-compatible medical insurance plans are less expensive than most other health insurance because they only begin to pay for treatment after a patient has incurred several thousand dollars worth of medical bills.

The combined cost of the low cost medical insurance plan and the HSA savings component are likely the same or less than the cost of a traditional health insurance plan which begins paying medical bills immediately. The big savings in HSA plans are threefold:

1) The money invested in the HSA savings vehicle stays in the pocket of the insured person until used to pay qualified medical expenses;

2) The money deposited into the HSA savings account is a deductible expense from Federal income taxes - also many states allow income tax deductibility for HSA contributions; and,

3) An insured person pays less for health insurance to an insurance company.

Most people only care about the cost of health insurance when they have to pay the premium (i.e., monthly payment for the insurance.) This applies to individuals and families who purchase their own policies and also companies which purchase health insurance on behalf of employees and their families. HSAs make the most sense for these people - since every dollar they save on premium stays in their pocket.

HSAs offer a unique feature to employers: they can partially or fully fund the HSA savings account for employees covered by a compatible health insurance plan. Employees can also make tax deductible contributions to their own HSA account - up to the maximum allowed by the IRS.

So, an employer who may save $150-$200 per month per employee could contribute $75-$100 pre month to an employees HSA account, get a tax deduction and still spend less money in total for health insurance than they would spend on a traditional health insurance plan for their employees.

The employees like this arrangement because any money deposited into their HSA account become theirs immediately (i.e., the vest immediately.) The immediate full vesting for the employees also helps those companies with no retirement accounts (e.g., 401k plan.)

Money in the HSA accounts can be used for non-medical expenses at age 65 with no tax penalty. Many employees see this as an opportunity to accumulate a lot of money for their retirement - assuming they stay healthy. If they become sick the money is there to pay for medical expenses.

HSAs - the new way to reduce the cost of financing medical care.

Bruce Jugan is president Professional Benefits and Insurance Services, and is a licensed insurance agent specializing in assisting individuals and families find the right California health insurance coverage via www.benefitscafe.com web site. More information about Health Savings Accounts can be found at: www.benefitscafe.com/hsa/

The subject of life insurance can be a confusing one and we spend a lot of time discussing various ways to buy life insurance. How much do I need? How much will it cost? Will my beneficiaries have enogh to live comfortably? What is the difference between cash-value and term life insurance? Which is the cheapest to buy?

CASH VALUE LIFE INSURANCE POLICIES
Cash value life insurance, such as universal and whole life, combine a death benefit and a tax deferred saving element. Occasionally referred to as permanent life insurance, these types of policies are intended to cover you for your lifetime.

Annual premiums for cash value policies generally are higher than those of term life policies as part of each premium pays for insurance and the remainder is invested. Cash value is what you can borrow from the policy or receive by surrendering it. These funds are ideal for retirement planning and college funding, among other goals, because they accumulate tax deferred until you withdraw them and then may be partially taxable. Loans and withdrawals will reduce the policies cash value and death benefit.

LIFE INSURANCE MADE EASY

Term life insurance is the most fundamental type of life insurance. You purchase coverage for a designated period, from one to many years and the policy will provide a death benefit if you die during that period. Many polices let you renew your coverage for repeated terms until age 65 or even 100.

Term life insurance is popular with younger people because it provides the maximum amount of coverage for the lowest cost. Early premiums are low and increase as you become older. For example, a $250,000 death benefit will cost less in your 30s than it will in your 50s. For this reason, term life insurance is usually a better value for shorter term or finite life insurance needs.

Ivon T. Hughes of The Hughes Trustco Group is a licensed Insurance Broker. Author of The Life Insurance Handbook. - Get a FREE Copy TODAY!
Email: info@trustco.ca Web: www.hughestrustco.com

Chamonix Haute Savoie is a unique town with the impressive Mont Blanc and jagged glaciers. The group like to go snowboarding or from time to time visiting the Aiguille du Midi. I sometimes travel from Compton and stay at a Chamonix catered chalet for the duration of my break.

I previously visited The Sutton Place Hotel Edmonton unfortunately it never matched its marketing: The Sutton Place Hotel Edmonton is located in downtown Edmonton, one block from the Arts District and close to over 400 shops and restaurants.The hotel has a few dining outlets on the premises offering gourmet cuisine. Its location offers easy access to numerous Edmonton restaurants in the downtown area. Both Self Parking and Valet Parking are available for a fee. A swimming pool is located on the top floor of the hotel.The hotel is in the center of Edmonton’s art and theater communities. Within walking distance are the Winspear Concert Hall, Citadel Theatre, Edmonton Art Gallery, Stanley Milner Library, Churchill Square, and Rice Howard Way.

However in Chamonix Haute Savoie France the lodge is invariably exceptional. Likewise dining out in our groups favorite French restaurant, Golden Phoenix, eating blackened redfish is a treat. Chamonix Mont Blanc is a large enough place to insure that there is plenty for the snowboarder to do. Amongst other things it includes a spa and a range of terraced caf©s, Chamonix provides a mix of snowboarding, old town charm and tourist attractions which not many French ski resorts can beat.

Do you need affordable term life insurance? This seems to be the million-dollar question. When you want to purchase life insurance you often do not know how much you need or if there is such a thing as having too much life insurance. What constitutes affordable life insurance and how much you need is totally dependant upon your own situation.

Don’t be fooled into determining the amount of insurance you should have to what your best friend or neighbour has. Remember, every situation is unique and your needs will be unique. Your need will be determined by what you wish to see happen in the event of your death. You do have to look at the life insurance cost of the premiums and decide how much you can afford from your monthly budget. There is affordable life insurance available at very low premiums and that will help your family out in the event of your death.

When considering what affordable life insurance is needed in a family situation, you need to do a life insurance comparison. This will help you get the most affordable rates and there are countless life insurance companies able to help you in this regard.

In order to determine how much life insurance you should have, a number of factors need to be considered. For a person with family needs, these may include such things as:
Do you have dependants? If so, how long will they be dependant upon you?
Do you have children? If so, how old are they?
Do you want to insure your children have a post secondary education?
Will your household income be greatly reduced upon your death? If so, how much income do you need to replace so your family maintains their standard of living?
How long will you need to replace your household income?
What taxes may be incurred upon your death?
Do you need to cover debt obligations such as loans or a mortgage?

When you try to determine whether or not you can afford life insurance, think about whether or not your family can afford to be without affordable life insurance.

You can find affordable term life insurance, but you need to establish exactly what you need first.

For a website totally devoted to Life Insurance visit Peter’s Website Life Insurance Answers and find out about Life Insurance as well as Life Insurance Companies and more, including Online Life Insurance, Term Life Insurance and Life Insurance Agents.

It is widely accepted that tension settings for rings is a new technique but in reality the concept has been used for more than 40 years.

Tension set diamond rings are created by a combination of special alloys and using a highly skilled technique which allows the metal to effectively retain its memory.

Thermal treatment is used to harden the ring band which leaves the metal with a “spring”; this spring allows the metal to grip the diamond (or any stone) without the need for claws or a bezel. The stone is pressed in between the two ends of the ring and the diamond girdle fits into a section of the setting known as a “seat”.

Surprisingly diamonds are often more secure in a tension setting as the seat can often cover more of the diamond than a typical claw set ring. Unlike prong mounts the entire setting in a tension set ring has to be prised away from the stone for you to remove it.

Think of the setting as a “shock absorber” unusual stress or pressure can cause the setting to part but as soon as the pressure is taken away the engineered metal springs back to its original position.

One significant advantage of having your ring set this way is the effect that it can have on the stone. In some cases the colour of the stone is enhanced by up to 2 grades. The brilliance of the stone is maximised by the fact that the light can enter the ring from every angle and every direction.

The other myth that we should expel now is that tension set rings cannot be altered! This is not so…..Tension set rings can easily be adapted to accommodate a stone which is one size up or one size down

Things are not always as they seem. This is especially true for the conch “pearl” and the melo melo “pearl,” two types of gemstones that aren’t really pearls at all. Confusing? Yes, as these “pearls” resemble true pearls in more ways than one. Both the melo melo and the conch “pearl” are rare natural gems produced in marine animals; are referred to as pearls; look like pearls, and are used to create beautiful jewelry. So why aren’t they pearls? And if they aren’t true pearls than what the heck are they?

Non-nacreous pearls
Interestingly, not all “pearls” are made of nacre, the combination of aragonite (calcium carbonate) and conchiolin that is secreted from a mollusk and layered together to form what scientists call a nacreous pearl. Some marine animals, like the Queen conch and the melo melo sea snail, produce gorgeous gems made up of non-nacreous calcium carbonate. Calcite, rather than aragonite, is the primary material here. (This material, by the way, is said to be similar to the stuff that produces kidney stones in humans.)

Because they are non-nacreous, the conch “pearl” and the melo melo “pearl” are not considered true pearls by gemologists. Instead, they are classified as calcareous concretions and referred to as “pearls.” Note the quotation marks surrounding the word “pearl.” This punctuation is used to signify that the gem is not a true, nacreous pearl.

Conch “pearls”
Conch “pearls” are natural gems found in the Queen conch, Strombus gigas, a beautiful marine animal prized for its gorgeous shell and succulent meat. (Walk into any popular Caribbean eatery and you’re likely to find a selection of conch chowder and conch fritters on the menu. Note: Make sure to pronounce it correctly: conk, or you might get conched over the head.) The official symbol of the Bahamas and the Florida Keys, the Queen conch is fished in the warm, shallow waters of the Caribbean where it lives. The “pearls” are a delightful byproduct found by fisherman when the meat and shell are harvested.

Typically oval or baroque and less than 3mm in diameteralthough much larger ones can be foundthe porcelain-shiny conch “pearls” display the same colors as can be found on the animal’s shell interior: white, tan, yellow, and pink. A lovely shade of salmon-pink is the most popular color and typically commands the highest price.

A notable characteristic of conch “pearls,” but one that not all specimens display, is flaming, or chatoyancy. Described as a silk-like or wet silk appearance and typically only present on the pink “pearls,” flaming occurs because of the way the “pearl’s” layers are structured. Unlike pearls formed with nacreous crystals, conch “pearls” are formed by concentric layers of fibrous crystals. The flame effect is an optical illusion that results from this layered arrangement. A highly desirable trait, flame structure on a “pearl” will command more money than a “pearl” without this trait.

Like real pearls, conch “pearls” are thought to be produced by the animal as a protective measure against an intruder. Attempts to culture conch pearls, however, have been unsuccessful, although many efforts are underway.

Due to historical overfishing, the Queen conch is now protected in the Florida Keys, although the animal is fished in other parts of the Caribbean. When harvested, the Queen conch does not always contain a “pearl;” in fact such “pearls” are extremely rare. According to the Gemological Institute of America, only one in 10,000 Queen conch shells contains a “pearl;” adding to their appeal, very few of these are gem quality.

A relative newcomer to the world of decorative jewelry, the conch “pearl” was very much in fashion in Victorian-era baubles, but fell out of favor for a while. Today, conch “pearls” are again enjoying a surge in popularity. Anyone interested in purchasing jewelry made with a conch “pearl” should be aware that the color of these gems fades over time. While scientists are unsure why, some postulate that it has to do with ultraviolet rays breaking down the natural pigments, although even in dark places, the gems will eventually fade. Heat, age and dehydration are also thought to factor into the “pearls’” fading. Conch “pearls” should be worn only occasionally, and it is advisable to limit their time in the sun.

Melo Melo “pearls”
The South China Sea, the Pilippines, India and the Andaman Sea are home to a big orangey-brown gastropod called the melo melo sea snail. Like the Queen conch, this beautiful marine animal with its oversize scrolled shell can produce colorful non-nacreous “pearls.”

Ranging in color from tan to yellow to orange, these very rare calcareous concretions are mostly spherical and typically quite large. (It’s theorized that the animal’s ability to produce “pearls” of such substantial sizes is due to its wide shell opening. In fact, one notable melo melo “pearl” weighed in at 397.52 carats and was said to be nearly the size of a golf ball.) The coveted orange-colored melo melo “pearl” can exhibit intense flame structure, a highly desirable trait, although, like the conch “pearls,” the brilliant color will fade over time.

According to the Gemological Institute of America, as in nacreous pearl formation, the very rare melo melo “pearl” is most likely the result of an intruder…in this case believed to be formed when the gastropod’s large “foot” is bothered by an irritant. Scientists aren’t completely convinced of this theory, however.

Fashionable among Asians, melo melos are only now being appreciated by Western cultures. Like conch “pearls,” attempts to culture melo melo gems have been unsuccessful, thus, like conch “pearls,” the melo melo “pearls” on the market are rare and natural, and of course, expensive.

A graduate of the Gemological Institute of America’s Graduate Pearls program, Amy Drescher is a fashion writer and accessories buyer for Moon River Pearls, www.moonriverpearls.com. She welcomes your questions. Reach her at adrescher@moonriverpearls.com.

Finding the sort of teacher gift idea that the recipient will really appreciate takes time and creativity.

The truth is that teachers can never really be appreciated enough and despite any gifts they may receive from some grateful parents, few have an idea of the sort of positive impact that teachers are capable of having on any life. Many great people owe everything they have ever become to the inspiration, direction and instruction received from a teacher.

The usual tendency is for people to opt for an impulsive teacher gift idea. So it is not surprising that many good teachers are bound to have a garage-full of cute coffee mugs and all sorts of calorie-filled candy. And most probably quite a number of teacher pins too.

What one really requires for a teacher gift idea is an extremely memorable appreciation gift that they will never forget. This they surely deserve.

Ever though of jewelry? Too extravagant, you say? Actually it does not really need to be expensive. The idea is to get as creative as you possibly can and then to also make every effort to personalize it. Personalizing may mean a special message or favorite quote woven into the piece of jewelry that you have settled on for your teacher gift idea. You could easily have their name added to the message or alternatively have only the name written out simply.

Certainly it will end up costing you a lot less than what will be envisaged by those who see the final product including the person who will receive it, which in this case is of course your kid’s teacher.

Just to give you some ideas to help you get real creative with your teacher gift idea, you should consider mother of pearl jewelry which can prove to be very stunning addition to anybody’s wardrobe. You can even consider a beautiful mother of pearl tie tack for a teacher that really loves their ties as the ideal teacher gift idea.

Visit the personalized teacher gift idea site for the brainwave that will help you find that unforgettable gift.

A little knowledge can go a long way in purchasing the ideal engagement ring at the best possible price. See, you’ve finally decided: you’re going to pop the question. You’re going to buy that engagement ring, make reservations for that dream dinner, buy flowers, get on one knee and propose. But wait a second - have you thought this out? Have you done your research? The first step is often the most crucial one, and in this case, you should definitely pay attention to the words of the more knowledgeable.

Many engagement rings are made of diamond. What kind of diamond do you think you can afford? All the engagement ring buying tips online say that a diamond is forever, but even with a limited budget, forever need not be beyond your reach! Shop around for good bargains, don’t settle with the first shop that catches your eye.

When buying diamonds, you should first and foremost be aware of the 4 c’s: carat, clarity, color and cut. Any gemstone expert worth his or her salt can tell you more about these c’s. It doesn’t follow that the largest diamond is the best or the most expensive: the cost of a diamond depends on its value, which in turn depends on how well the requirements of the 4 c’s are fulfilled.

The most popular choice for engagement ring style is the solitaire diamond in white gold, and depending on the cut, small solitaire diamonds could look rather classy. Avoid the standard, often cheaper yellow gold metal base - it doesn’t speak of “class” at all! First-time gem buyers often find themselves lost in all the strange gemstone-related terminologies; should this happen, consider securing the assistance of a person with a trained eye for selecting gemstones.

You also need to think about the kind of metal that will be used for the ring. Of course it’s not just the jewel that needs attention. Does she prefer white gold or platinum? Pay close attention to the kind of jewelry she is already wearing. The ring you will buy, as all the engagement ring buying tips will tell you, need to be made of a metal that will look good on your bride-to-be and at the same time not be bad for her sensitive skin.

But above all, consider buying a loose diamond to show her when you propose. Then you and your bride-to-be can shop around for the right ring shape together. This might well be the wisest decision you’ll ever make in this matter.

The Internet is there to guide you and be your friend throughout this fussy selection process. Don’t just go with your gut: look up those engagement ring buying tips! The big night is not the right time to throw caution to the wind!

Sam Serio is an Internet Marketer, musician, and writer on the subject of jewelry and gemstones. For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit http://www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of “How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off.” This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at http://www.morninglightjewelry.com Also includes informative articles, comparison shopping, rare book excerpts, & link directory.