A centuries-old Middle Eastern tradition is becoming increasingly popular in the United States: the hookah. Hookah bars seem to be popping up left and right, particularly in college towns and urban cities, as more people look for ways to spice up a typical night on the town.



Hookah lounges boast impressive menus with just about every flavor of tobacco, or shisha, you can possibly imagine. Choose from an array of fruit-flavored shisha including mango, strawberry and peach, or go for something sweeter like chocolate mint, orange cream or pina colada.

Shisha smokers say sharing a hookah with friends is a fun and fresh new way to socialize while embracing multiculturalism at the same time. Patrons of hookah lounges will sit for hours smoking shisha, playing table games, enjoying live music, and noshing on traditional Persian dishes.

Many feel that hookah lounges have reinvented the nightlife and restaurant scene. It's an experience that, by its very nature, encourages social interaction and making new friends -- something that is often missing in the lives of busy Americans lost in cyberspace and chained to their computers and BlackBerrys. The hookah bar is all about immersing yourself in the experience and the tradition. As one hookah lover puts it, "You talk with young people, old people, all kinds of interesting types. Next thing you know three hours have gone by! There's really no other experience like it."

While smoking shisha seems to be a growing trend, hookah bars in some cities are going up in smoke. In Boston, a series of anti-smoking laws passed earlier this year will require all hookah bars to close within ten years. Similarly, in North Carolina, a smoking ban in restaurants and bars will go into effect in January, forcing hookah bars to either convert to a tobacco shop or shut down.

Here's the buzz on some of the best spots to smoke shisha coast to coast:

10. Tantra Restaurant & Lounge in Miami, Fla.
The vibe at Tantra exudes seduction. A live grass floor, waterfall and sensual music make this place hot, hot, hot.

9. Sphinx Café Hookah Bar in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Catering to the University of Pittsburgh college crowd, Sphinx Café is the city's only authentic Egyptian hookah bar and coffee house.

8. Gazuza in Washington, D.C.
Under the same ownership as D.C.'s trendy Chi-Cha Lounge, this Dupont Circle hookah lounge features sleek modern décor and an expansive second-story patio overlooking Connecticut Avenue.

7. Horus Cafe & Kebab House in New York, N.Y.
NYU students flock to this cafe for Mediterranean and North African bites, over 20 flavors of hookah, and DJs and belly dancers on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

6. Gypsy Café in Westwood, Calif.
All the hipsters head here for wonderfully smooth hookahs, first-rate food and impeccable service.

5. Zentra Hookah Bar in Chicago, Ill.
Located on West Weed Street, this exotic little hideaway is a great place to toke -- hookah, that is.

4. Layalena Restaurant in Tempe, Ariz.
There's nothing "college bar" about Layalena. This hookah lounge features belly dancing, high-quality tobacco, gourmet bites and a beautifully appointed décor.

3. Desert Nights in Redondo Beach, Calif.
Consistently rated among the best of the best in the LA area, Desert Nights keeps the hookah experience authentic with an impressive array of exotic shisha flavors in a casual, relaxed environment.

2. Cozy Café Hookah Lounge in New York, N.Y.
With over 69 flavors of hookah, this place keeps the shisha-loving crowd coming back for more. Don't miss the live belly dancing on Friday and Saturday nights.

1. Ali Baba's in Brentwood, Calif.
Rated by locals as the best hookah bar in the Bay Area, Ali Baba's varies their shisha flavors by season so there's always something new to smoke.

Click here for a directory of hookah bars in your state.

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Summer might soon be over in a flash, but the party will continue. Jazz music festivals are still going strong from now through the Fall season -- so make your way to your local music fest and enjoy the sounds of John Coltrane and Miles Davis ...

Oakland's 9th Annual Art & Soul
August 15-16
This fest brings an eclectic all-star lineup of 40 national recording artists to their stages. Multiple Grammy winner Shawn Colvin will be on the main stage while the funky brass sounds of Mo'Fone play at the Yoshi stage. For gospel lovers, Walter L. Hawkins headlines the wildly popular Gospel Stage. Kids can also hang out at the Family Fun Zone, which will include carnival rides, interactive art and face painting.

The Chicago Jazz Festival
September 4-6
This event has been a chi-town tradition for the last 30 years. Musical favorites include Ezperanza Spalding, the Gonzalo Rubalcaba Quintet, Madeleine Peyroux, Dee Alexander and The Jeff Parker Quartet.

The 52nd Monterey Jazz Festival
September 18-20
This, the longest-running jazz festival in the world, promises to be a jazz extravaganza. Over 500 top artists are performing in nine stages. Don't miss exciting acts such as Wynton Marsalis, Regina Carter, Kenny Barron, Susan Tedeschi, and Pete Seeger.

Berklee Beantown Jazz Festival
September 18-26
Boston's largest outdoor festival will draw over 70,000 jazz lovers as they enjoy the award-winning artists from all over the country. Families will be able to take their kids to the Target Family Park for some crafts, arts, and food.

The San Francisco Jazz Festival
October 10-November 21
Kicking off on Thelonious Monk's birthday, San Fran's fest will feature international artists such as Brazil's Gal Costa, Israel's Yasmin Levy and Cuba's Alfredo Rodriguez. Other luminary performers include Grammy award winner Keb' Mo', Solomon Burke, Ornette Coleman and Dee Dee Bridgewater.

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During August and September, some of the most frenzied and fantastical celebrations of theater, dance and music are unleashed in cities across the country. Behold, the fringe fest. There's nothing "normal" or "mainstream" about it. Instead, the festivities provide a welcome departure into an alternative theatrical world that is edgy, unusual and captivating.

The famed Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world's largest arts fest, is taking place in Scotland August 7 - 31. But several American cities are giving Edinburgh a run for its money. Here's a look at some of the best fringe fests you don't want to miss:

Minnesota Fringe 2009

July 30 - August 9

Sold-out shows and astounding ticket sales marked opening weekend of Minnesota Fringe. This year's standout performances include "Bard Fiction," "The Harty Boys in the Case of the Limping Platypus" and "Tragedy of You."


Woodstock Fringe

August 8 - September 6

The 7th annual Woodstock Fringe starts with a bang with an opening night kick-off party at the Byrdcliffe Theatre featuring dinner, dessert, champagne and a cabaret sampler of artists appearing at the fest. But the real highlight will be "Out of the Box," a one-man show with the outlandish comedic clown Bob Berky, winner of the esteemed Edinburgh Festival Fringe First Award.

Boulder International Fringe Festival

August 12 - 23

This annual 12-day event brings live theatre, dance, circus art, media art, cinema, visual art and more to downtown Boulder. The festival benefits Boulder and the state of Colorado by harnessing cultural initiatives to help facilitate economic development in the region.

Fringe NYC

August 14 - 30

Hailed as New York's best staycation, Fringe NYC is the largest multi-arts festival in the country. More than 200 companies from all over the world perform for 16 days in more than 20 venues.

Indianapolis Theatre Fringe Festival

August 21 - 30

This year marks the fifth IndyFringe festival, a 10-day celebration that keeps getting better. Don't miss The Longest Dinner, a unique dining experience around one reeeaaaalllly long table featuring a three-course dinner prepared slow-food style accompanied by plenty of live music and fringe street theatre.


2009 Philadelphia Live Arts Festival & Philly Fringe

September 4 - 9
Philly Fringe brings a collection of the world's best contemporary artists to audiences in the City of Brotherly Love. The festival guide hits streets August 7 and in the meantime you can check out the Philly Fringe blog for the latest 411.

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This summer is going to be big with concert tours. Some bands are getting back together and hitting the road. Other bands are joining forces to give you more rock for your dollar. Ticket prices range from the teens to the hundreds.



If the show is at an amphitheater be sure to check on package deals for lawn seats. Unless you need to see the artist's face, those are the choice spots since you can relax on a blanket in the open. If you're still in a bind, get a truck, a lawn chair, a 12 pack and a parking pass. You'll still get to hear the band and you'll be the first one out of the parking lot.

Here are some highlights of the summer's concerts:

Together Again
No Doubt is back together and will be in Dallas, Tex. this Sunday. Their tour continues through August, ending in Honolulu. Tickets are around $60

Blink 182 the punk-pop 3-piece are bringing their fun tunes all over Canada and the US starting in Las Vegas on July 24. the extensive tour spills into the fall, ending October 3 in Atlantic City. Tickets are around $20

Package Deals
70's and 80's powerhouse groups Styx and REO Speedwagon will be in Sandy, Utah on May 30 continuing through July. Tickets are around $47.

Why ruin a good thing? Billy Joel and Elton John will be touring again this summer starting in Washington, DC on July 11 and ending with two shows in Philadelphia on July 30 and August 1. Tickets range from $102 to $182.

Crue Fest features Godsmack, Theory of a Deadman, Drowning Pool, Charm City Devils and, of course, Motley Crue. The festival kicks off in Camden, N.J. on July 19 and runs through September, ending in Darien Center, N.Y. on September 5. Tickets range from $30 to $95.

Lynyrd Skynyrd and Kid Rock are teaming up this summer with a southern rock tour that begins on June 26 in West Palm Beach, Fla. and ends in Wantagh, N.Y. on August 2.

Bringing the Rock
The Toadies will be touring the US and the UK this summer. They'll be in Boston this Saturday and ending their tour in San Francisco on July 19. Tickets are around $20.

Prog rockers, Yes, will tour this summer beginning in Indio, Calif. on June 26 and ending in Bethlehem, Pa. on August 2. The average ticket price is $43.

Stone Temple Pilots will be doing a short summer tour starting in West Hollywood, Calif. on July 1 ending in Atlantic City, N.J. on July 18. Like them or not you will probably recognize every song.

Metal gods, Judas Priest, will be touring the US and Canada beginning in Indianapolis on June 26 and ending on August 23 in Gilford, N.H.

Green Day will be touring the US and Canada this summer beginning in Seattle, Wash. on July 3 and ending in Inglewood, Calif. on August 25.

If you want to see The Boss this summer you'll only have one chance to see him in the US. He'll be at the Bonnarroo Music Festival on July 13. He'll be in Europe for the rest of the summer.

Divas
Madonna's summer tour begins in London on July 4 and ends in Sofia, Bulgaria on August 29. If you want to see her then you'll need to buy a plane ticket. All of the summer dates are in Europe. Same with Britney and Lady Gaga.

The saucy Katy Perry will kick off her US tour on the Today Show at Rockefeller Plaza in NYC on July 24 ending in Irvine, Calif. on August 4. After that, she will be touring the rest of the world.

Beyonce tours the US this summer starting in New York City at Madison Square Garden on June 21. She will end her tour with four dates in Las Vegas from July 30 through August 2.

Lasting a little longer than a lollipop, Lil' Wayne has a short summer tour and its also only in Europe. It begins in London on July 6 and ends in Frauenfeld, Switzerland on July 12.

Lovely Singer-Songwriters
One of the sweetest voices in the world is owned by Patty Griffin. She will be in Newport News, Va. this Saturday and touring the US through July, ending in Jacksonville, Ore on July 3.

The sweet sounds of the Indigo Girls can be heard this summer beginning in Vienna, Va. on June 10 going through September, ending in Asheville, N.C. on September 17.

Brooklyn Pride
They Might Be Giants kicks off their summer tour in New York City this Saturday and ending in Camden, N.J. on July 25.

TV on the Radio will be touring their unique sound through the US, Canada and Europe this summer ending the tour in their hometown of Brooklyn, N.Y. on August 11. Tickets average $22.

More Concerts:
- Hot Tickets
- TourTracker

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Some people are going to be surprised this Friday when they find out that they have Monday off. It may seem like it's a week early but Memorial Day is observed the last Monday of May.



Those who just found out have just been given a weekend with no plans. If you like staying at home, that's great but for those who want to get out to enjoy turkey legs and beer while listening to live music there are some great musical events planned.

Kerrville Folk Festival
Kerrville, Texas
May 23 & 24
This Saturday and Sunday in Kerrville will feature singer-songwriters of the New Folk Finalists for 2009. Among the finalists is Lucy Wainwright Roche, the daughter of Loundin Wainwright and the sister of Rufus and Martha Wainwright. Music isn't a race but it should be nice to see a good set of accomplished songwriters.

Luckenbach, Texas 160th Birthday Celebration
Luckenbach, Texas
May 23
If you are remotely close to this town, located between San Antonio and Austin, then you must go to this event. It begins on Saturday, May 23rd at 12pm and it's free. Local artists will provide live music. There's nothing more relaxing than sitting under a tree by an old post office, drinking a Lone Star and listening to someone play.

Atlanta Jazz Festival
Atlanta, Georgia
May 23 & 24
This year's line up includes Freddy Cole, Russell Gunn & Elektrik Butterfly and Hiroshima. It also includes one of the most powerful voices in jazz, Vinx. It's criminal that this guy is relatively unknown. His stage presence is gigantic. Go see him.

The Outer Banks Beach Music Festival
Manteo, North Carolina
May 24
Bring your lawn chair, drink beer and kick back. If you've never heard live beach music then this is the place to get schooled. Located on beautiful Roanoke Island in Manteo, this festival features R&B from The Tams, party music from The Holiday Band, yacht rock from The Craig Woolard Band and beach music from Sammy O'Banion.

DelFest
Cumberland, Maryland
May 22-24
If you like listening to bluegrass against the backdrop of the Appalachian Mountains then you should go to DelFest. Nestled in the mountains at the Allegany Fair Grounds in Cumberland is the 2nd Annual DelFest, a bluegrass festival named after musician Del McCoury. Del handpicked the talent for the festival's line up. Included are student pickers of the Delfest Academy. Camping is allowed on the fairgrounds as well as campfires.

Sacramento Jazz Festival
Sacramento, California
May 22-25
This year's line up includes the Count Basie Orchestra! That's one of 60 music acts in 23 different venues that will be performing this year. The genres run the jazz gambit and then some with ragtime, modern jazz, swing, big band, rock, zydeco, afropop, gospel and more.

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Legendary rockers Crosby, Stills and Nash just announced concert tour dates for the U.S. and Europe. The U.S. dates focus on the Northeast and Midwest and are part of a first leg of a North American tour with dates for a second leg announced in a few weeks.

It's a busy time for the group as they are to be inducted into the Songwriter Hall of Fame and Rhino records is releasing a group of rare recordings titled Crosby, Stills and Nash Demos.

Here is the full list of tour dates so far:

June 3 Chaifetz Arena - St. Louis, Mo.
June 4 Charter One Pavilion - Chicago, Ill.
June 6 Meadowbrook - Detroit, Mich.
June 7 Zoo Amphitheatre - Toledo, Ohio
June 12 Doubleday Field - Cooperstown, N.Y.
June 13 Foxwoods - Mashantucket, Conn.
June 14 Bank of America Pavilion - Boston, Mass.
June 27 Glastonbury Festival - Glastonbury, England
June 29 Marquee - Cork, Ireland
July 1 Royal Albert Hall - London, England
July 3 Museum Plaza - Bonn, Germany
July 4 The Olympia - Paris, France
July 6 Heineken Music Hall - Amsterdam, Holland
July 7 Forest National - Brussels, Belgium
July 10 Manchester EN Arena - Manchester, England
July 11 Edinburgh Castle - Edinburgh, Scotland

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