Month: June 2012

Florida Fun

Tropical Storm Debby Was a Real Downer in Punta Gorda, Florida

Between the raindrops and wind bands, I’ve been moving from my apartment to new home for the past week. Tropical Storm Debby hasn’t made it easy and caused me to cancel a Central Florida appointment Monday evening. *sigh* Here in Southwest Florida, looks like Debby’s deluge dumped much of its wrath on the City of […]

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Disclosure Social Media travel industry

Reflections of TBEX 2012: Keystone Took My Breath Away

I’ve had a few days to reflect on my Travel Blog Exchange 2012 experience in Keystone, Colo. Not only was the professionalism bar raised over last year’s TBEX but so were bars for conference content and functions. Importantly, the conference site location rocked. Almost literally. Sitting at more than 9,000 feet above sea level, we […]

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TBEX 2012 Rasied the Professionalism Bar for Travel Bloggers

“Travel bloggers deserve a professional conference,” TBEX CEO Rick Calvert told attendees of TBEX ’12 at the conclusion of the 3-day travel blogger conference in Keystone, Colo., Sunday. I’ll admit, travel bloggers sometimes get a bad rap as being unprofessional. There are a few bad eggs out there who don’t deliver on commitments, act disrespectful […]

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Culinary Travel Disclosure Social Media

Foodie Paradise Found during TBEX 2012 Taste of Vail Resorts Opening Event

Disclosure: I attended TBEX as the guest of Cottonelle which paid for my trip including registration, airfare, accommodations, meals and transportation. This post contains affiliate links and I may make a small commission. “Life is good,” I thought while sipping champagne and drifting up Keystone’s North Peak in a gondola. Final destination was Keystone Resort’s […]

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Florida Fun Snapshots

Wordless Wednesday: Stroll through Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, Fla.

Over the weekend I visited the beautiful Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, Fla., with the primary purpose of smelling that rare, stinky flower in bloom. Having traveled an hour’s drive (one way), I decided to make the most of the visit and spent an hour walking the grounds and soaking up the bountiful blooms. […]

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Cool Stuff Others are Doing Politics

Random Tips for Attending a 2012 Presidential Campaign Rally

It’s an election year and President Obama and Mitt Romney have hit the campaign trail hard. Chances are, they’ll be visiting a town near you and no matter what your political affiliation, attending a presidential rally and meeting the current or next president of the United States is pretty exciting. Let’s be honest, it’s pretty […]

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Contests Disclosure Florida Fun

Father’s Day 2012: Gifts and Celebrations for the Florida Dad

Hey, Florida! Father’s Day is less than a week away (Sunday, June 17 if you’re keeping track) and if you’re one of those last-minute planners and not sure what to give dear old Dad, here’s a quick list of suggested gifts and things to do on Father’s Day. Keep in mind, when it comes to […]

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Florida Fun Nature Travel

June 10, 2012: Rare Corpse Flower Blooming at Sarasota’s Selby Botanical Gardens

Sticking my nose close enough to get a whiff of Amorphophallus titanum was equivalent to sticking my head in a garbage can with a week-old piece of rotting meat. Or, was it the stench of ripe road kill roasting in the sun? Either way, the “corpse flower” – named for its foul odor – lived […]

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TBEX 2012 Adventure Begins with Cottonelle

“Colorado Rocky Mountain High…” I’ve been singing that little John Denver ditty for the past couple of weeks, once it was determined that yes indeed, I WILL be heading off to the annual Travel Blog Exchange Conference  (TBEX) in Keystone, Colo., June 15 – 17. Woo-hoo! Cool An’ Green An’ Shady I’m looking forward to […]

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Disclosure Travel Resources

Roadtrip-a-Matic on visitPA.com Makes Pennsylvania Vacation Planning Easy

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of PA Tourism for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine. Oh, how I regret not spending more time exploring Pennsylvania’s rich history, green spaces and city streets. We were neighbors for the first 20-some years of my life yet I barely got to know the […]

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