Month: April 2014

A Photographer (Center) Gives Ghangra Troop a Thumbs Up Prior to the Dancers Taking the IIFA Stage at Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park in downtown Tampa, April 23, 2014

My Glimpse of Bollywood during 2014 IIFA in Tampa

It was 9:30 p.m. on a Thursday night and I was smooshed up against a hip-high fence which served as a barricade to the International Indian Film Academy Awards’ green carpet. I was shoulder-to-shoulder and backside-to-stomach with Privanka Chopra fans who obviously knew who she was.

#IDreamofSummer - Where are You Dreaming of Going this Summer?

Disclosure Featured Solo Travel solo travel tips Travel Resources

I Dream of Summer Road Tripping in Cooler Climes with Best Western

I dream of summer road tripping in cooler climes with Best Western. Why? Spring has sprung yet here in Southwest Florida high humidity causing frizzy-hair days and that why-did-I-shower-this-morning feeling have already kissed my unmanageable locks. The arrival of spring also means I can see the end of what’s been a very busy and intense winter season at my day job.

Exploring SoBe with My Cousins. See Our Shadows? And the Pay Telephone?

Florida Fun

Travel to Miami: It’s Apparently Good Luck to Have Bird Doo Doo Dropped on You

“Excuse me,” I said while stepping over the legs of three men who were each drinking from bottles covered in brown paper bags while sitting on a South Beach sidewalk. The warm sun was cooking the sidewalk which smelled like a combination beer, urine and sunscreen.

Ranger Led Program in Shark Valley, Everglades National Park, Fla.

Featured Nature Travel

Find Inspiration during National Park Week April 19 – 27, 2014

Regular blog readers know how that summer vacation literally changed my life which is why I’m a big supporter of the national parks. Whether you have or have not been inspired by visiting a national park, I encourage you to visit one April 19 – 27, 2014 during National Park Week. Every American lives less than 100 miles from a national park experience so it should be relatively easy finding one near you.

Hmm. This Letter from the Department of Homeland Security Landed in My Mailbox. Now What?

Grab Bag

A Letter from the Department of Homeland Security Lands in Your Mailbox, But It’s Not Addressed to You. Now What?

Here’s the scenario, a letter from the Department of Homeland Security lands in your mailbox. It’s not addressed to you BUT, it’s your address. Now what?

Whoa! Monster Kitty Checking Out the Bluetooth Technology of the nio Tag

Disclosure Gear Reviews

Travel Gear Review: High-Tech nio Tag Keeps Tabs on Luggage, Smartphones

Having my iPhone lost or stolen while traveling would be one of the worst things I could imagine. I’ve come to rely on it for mapping, travel itineraries, contact database and of course, as a form of communication. Losing my camera would be the second worst thing. Well, guess what? There’s an app, and a Bluetooth-powered security tag called the nio, to prevent these things from happening.

Tour Philadelphia's 9th Street Italian Market with Urban Adventures

Culinary Travel Featured Solo Travel

Meeting a Butcher, a Baker and a Candlestick Seller during Philadelphia Tour with Urban Adventures

Rub-a-dub-dub! Checking the weather forecast before boarding my flight from Tampa to Philly last month, I knew it was going to be a soggy, quick trip. Yes, call me crazy because I had planned less than 24-hours with feet on the ground in Philadelphia the end of March. Why? My prime objective was to tour the 9th Street Italian Market with walking-tour operators Urban Adventures where I met a butcher, a baker, a candlestick seller and others who keep this historic market ticking.

This is More than a Clementine, USFSP Florida Food Conference 2014 Preserving Kitchen Memories, St. Petersburg, Fla., April 5, 2014

Culinary Travel Florida Fun

Stepping Up My Culinary Game with USF St. Petersburg Florida Food Conference 2014 Preserving Kitchen Memories

“Food is control, it’s the most powerful force there is,” Nathalie Dupree, cookbook author, culinary instructor and Southern storyteller told attendees of the inaugural Florida Food Conference yesterday. The event was hosted by University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus and served up a heap of useful tips for making food writing and photography pop with vibrant flavor.

Used Hotel Soap Ready to Be Cleaned at Clean the World, Orlando

Featured Solo with Others Travel Resources

Traveling to Guatemala with Clean the World, May 27 – 30, 2014

Does used hotel soap have a life beyond a one-night scrub? If it’s lucky, it’s sent off to Clean the World where it’s sanitized, processed and distributed to families and children in the U.S., Canada and more than 65 countries across the globe.

Boston is the Location for AARP Spring 2014 Life@50+ National Event and Expo, May 8 - 10

Disclosure Featured Travel Resources

AARP 2014 Life@50+ National Event and Expo in Boston, May 8 – 10

Next month I’ll get a bigger taste of what’s in store for me in the next chapter of my life as I join thousands of others attending the AARP 2014 Life@50+ National Event and Expo in Boston, May 8 – 10.