| Today,Norm Goldman, editor of and is
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| | make exceptional romantic destinations,
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| pleased to have as a guest, Jim Kaese, an
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| | but Le Parker Meridien, across the street
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| elite amateur triathlete, entrepreneurial
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| | from Central Park, tops my list. It's
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| businessman, and endurance sport coach.
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| | NYC, so expect small yet cozy hotel
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| Author of The Athletic-Minded Traveler:
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| | rooms. The Scandinavian flavor,
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| Where to Work Out and Stay When Fitness
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| | tremendous views, and extensive on-site
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| Is a Priority, Jim visited America's top
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| | health club make it one of the best.
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| 78 travel destinations to find the very
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| | Norm:
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| best hotel/fitness-venue combinations.
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| | Why should couples be concerned about
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| Welcome Jim to and
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| | fitness activities when they are away on
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| Norm:
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| | a romantic getaway or on their honeymoon?
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| Could you tell us something about
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| | Jim:
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| yourself Jim and what provoked you into
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| | Exercising for only 20-30 minutes each
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| writing about the very best hotel and
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| | day will allow you to start the day
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| fitness venue combinations?
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| | healthy and help you make better choices
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| Jim:
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| | throughout the rest of the day. Then,
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| Through the years, I traveled quite a bit
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| | enjoying small indulgences like your
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| for work and pleasure. In addition to
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| | favorite piece of pie or a few cocktails
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| finding places to stay that matched my
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| | or sitting around by the pool for six
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| budget and amenity preferences, I always
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| | hours will not seem like a big deal.
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| tried to identify hotels that offered
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| | Don't forget about that improved sex too!
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| good fitness options. However, time and
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| | Norm:
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| time again, I would show up at the hotel
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| | How can we determine the quantity,
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| and discover that the "state of the art"
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| | quality, and brand of exercise equipment
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| fitness center was a closet-sized room
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| | at recommended hotels if we never have
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| with old or broken equipment. Or, the
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| | been there?
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| "lap" pool was a short oval without lane
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| | Jim:
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| lines. Or, the "running routes"
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| | Buy The Athletic-Minded Traveler
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| consisted of a map provided by the
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| | (laughs). In addition to providing a
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| concierge that directed guests to jog
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| | comprehensive written review covering
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| around the streets of the hotel 10 times.
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| | everything you want to know (room
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| It boggled my mind how these hotels
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| | appearance, room service, free breakfast
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| could make such blatant
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| | buffets, sheet thread-count, etc.) about
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| misrepresentations. So, I decided to
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| | each property, we also specifically
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| write the first cross-country guide that
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| | detail in chart form the quantity of
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| objectively recommends the BEST places to
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| | exercise machines, their condition, the
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| stay for those who enjoy healthy living
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| | brands, weight/strength options, pool
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| and staying fit.
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| | dimensions, running routes, etc. But, if
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| Norm:
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| | you're going to a city that's not covered
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| Do you believe that if couples are
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| | in the book, the best you can do is call
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| looking for an ideal romantic getaway
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| | up the concierge and ask him/her your
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| they should also take into account the
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| | specific questions. Sometimes it even
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| fitness facilities, and if so, why?
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| | helps to confirm with the maintenance
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| Jim:
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| | workers.
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| I believe everyone should take into
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| | Norm:
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| consideration the quality of the fitness
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| | Very often when we vacation we seem to
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| facilities-including couples on a
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| | return home fully relaxed, however very
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| romantic getaway. Exercise not only
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| | much out of shape. How do we avoid this?
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| helps boost your immunity system, lower
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| | Jim:
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| stress, and improve your sleeping habits;
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| | Make exercise part of your daily routine,
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| it also helps your sex life. Studies
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| | just like showering or brushing your
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| have shown that healthy people have
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| | teeth. When you think about it, 20
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| better sex and tend to be happier. And,
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| | minutes is not that much time at all.
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| I believe it's important to emphasize
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| | Especially while on a vacation, when you
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| that when I say "exercise," I'm not
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| | don't have to worry about going to work
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| talking about an hour of hard-core
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| | and all of the other hassles at home.
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| running or lifting weights at the gym-20
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| | Norm:
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| minutes of brisk walking can do the
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| | There is always a temptation to overeat
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| trick.
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| | when we are on vacation. How can we fight
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| Norm:
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| | off this temptation while at the same
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| If you had to name 5 ideal romantic
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| | time still enjoy ourselves?
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| getaway hospitality properties that
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| | Jim:
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| combine a unique romantic ambience with
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| | Like I was saying before, exercise will
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| great fitness facilities, which ones
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| | allow you to not fret so much over what
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| would you choose and why?
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| | you're eating and drinking. You may end
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| Jim:
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| | up taking in more calories, but being
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| · San Francisco is one of my favorite
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| | active and exercising should help to burn
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| romantic cities---the bridge, the fog,
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| | those off fairly easily.
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| the rain, the restaurants, and the
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| | Norm:
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| cultural offerings create a perfect stage
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| | Are there any food we should avoid when
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| for a wonderfully romantic trip. Any of
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| | we are on vacation and if so, why?
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| the SFO hotels in my book would be great
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| | Jim:
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| fitness/romance combinations, but the
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| | Vacation is supposed to be a break from
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| Hotel Rex is the best deal for the money.
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| | all that troubles and worries you, right?
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| A small, intimate hotel property just
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| | When I go away, I like to eat the local
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| steps from Union Square and China Town,
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| | food and experience the local customs
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| Rex also provides guests with a
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| | without concerns about how many calories
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| discounted pass to a fantastic (but
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| | are in my dinner, etc. Knowing that I
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| small) health club down the street, Club
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| | performed my daily workout reassures me
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| One.
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| | that anything I take in will be worked
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| · If money is no object, The Miraval Spa
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| | off either that same day or the next.
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| and Resort in Tucson is a marvelous
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| | So, no, don't worry about avoiding
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| getaway for couples looking to stay fit
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| | certain foods---just make sure to get in
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| and be pampered. All meals are included
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| | a daily sweat.
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| as well as any type of exercise option
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| | Norm:
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| you can imagine---horseback riding, lap
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| | Is there anything else you would like to
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| swimming, rock climbing, etc.
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| | add?
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| · For those looking to add a little more
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| | Jim:
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| "party" to their trip, Miami's South
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| | Only that I've been really touched by the
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| Beach hotels are filled with romance.
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| | large number of people who have written
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| The Shore Club, Delano, Ritz and National
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| | us saying that they are so happy we wrote
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| are all in the book, bestowing lots of
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| | this book because they too were
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| love and liveliness to their guests.
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| | constantly frustrated by the travel
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| · Colorado Springs' Broadmoor Hotel is a
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| | industry's ignorance about fitness
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| breathtaking resort beset by serene lakes
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| | preferences. Letters and emails have
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| and mountain landscape. Broadmoor's
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| | come from hard-core athletes as well as
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| Fitness Center and Spa is well-equipped
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| | recreational exercisers who just like to
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| with modern machines and a regulation lap
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| | put in 20 minutes on a good elliptical
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| pool. And, the nearby trails create
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| | machine or bike. Our goal all along was
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| fantastic jogging and mountain biking
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| | simply to provide a reliable resource
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| opportunities.
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| | that would help people enjoy a healthy
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| · New York City can never be left off
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| | lifestyle while on the road. So far, it
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| the romance list. Several properties
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| | seems that we've succeeded.
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