A to Z blog challenge
N is for National Park Week April 21 – 29, 2012, Free Park Admission!
Just about every cause, association, trade and food has it’s own day. (Did you know today is National Eggs Benedict Day?) Other organizations have their own week, such as today’s topic, National Park Week, April 21 – 29, 2012. This year’s theme is “Picture Yourself in a National Park.” It puts a little pep in […]
Continue ReadingL is for Lovegrove Gallery & Gardens in Matlacha, Florida
Immediately stepping into the Lovegrove Gallery and Gardens in Matlacha, Florida, my mind was on sensory overload. Vibrant colors in hues of green, blue and pink were everywhere. Inside the gallery of Leoma Lovegrove, paintings display her whimsy with artwork influenced by everything from The Beatles to 9/11. Without a doubt, the splendor of Southwest […]
Continue ReadingK is for Katya, My Russian Sister
I met Katya in 2004 during an international exchange program. Young educators from Russia traveled to Sarasota, Fla., to learn more about the American education system and life in the United States. They were participants in some sort of peace program organized through a D.C.-based group. I got involved with the group because I knew […]
Continue ReadingJ is for Jaunt
Merriam-Webster defines JAUNT: intransitive verb 1 archaic : to trudge about 2: to make a usually short journey for pleasure I began this blog about three years ago because I wanted to share my experiences and inspire others, specifically women, to travel alone, not lonely. There seems to be an idyllic image that traveling independently […]
Continue ReadingI is for International Space Station
Ever look up into the dark sky and see a white light ease its way across the galaxy? Chances are, you just saw the International Space Station (ISS). Humans first started occupying the ISS in 2000 and since then, it’s been visited by 202 individuals. During NASA Tweetup last April, Astronaut Leland Melvin (@Astro_Flow) who […]
Continue ReadingH is for Hob Nob Drive In, Sarasota, Florida
I have a weakness for thick-sliced, golden, crisp onion rings and recently discovered simply divine rings at Sarasota, Florida’s Hob Nob Drive In. The exterior melted in my mouth while the onion slice was tender and juicy. Perfection! Of course, the cheeseburger isn’t too bad either. Established in 1957, the Hob Nob Drive In is […]
Continue ReadingG is for Geena Davis and Media Gender Bias
Actress and Olympian Geena Davis is one of those people trying to make a difference in how girls and women view themselves. She founded the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media after viewing television programs and videos with her daughter and noticing an imbalance in the roles male and female characters play.
Continue Reading
E is for Everglades National Park Tram Tour
Say “Everglades” and people almost always associate it with rip-roaring airboat rides. Although airboats are prohibited in most of Everglades National Park, there are other ways to explore this bio-diverse natural treasure. Located less than an hour’s drive west of Miami in the northern part of the park off Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41) is Shark […]
Continue Reading
D is for Dragon Boat Festival in Punta Gorda, Florida, April 14, 2012
Be forewarned. April 14, 2012, there will be a little war in the Southwest Florida city of Punta Gorda and it’s called War on the Peace. Don’t worry, this little brawl on the Peace River won’t involve a rumble between Jaws and the Loch Ness Monster but will involve teams of 22 people paddling a […]
Continue ReadingB is for Blue Cheese and Celery Sticks for Buffalo Wings
“Would you like blue cheese or ranch dressing with your chicken wings?” Every time I hear a restaurant server ask this question, I cringe. Like every other Buffalonian, wings should be served with blue cheese and celery sticks and NOT ranch dressing. (Sorry, Hidden Valley.)
Continue Reading