Wine making may have begun in Paso Robles as early as 1797 with the Spanish missionaries but it wasn’t until 6 wineries were established throughout the 1940s that the region began developing a reputation for premium California wine. Fast forward to today where some reds, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, "out Bordeaux" France's Bordeaux and rival certain internationally recognized wine regions north of San Francisco. The Paso Robles CAB … [Read more...]
An Exciting Trip to a Renaissance Festival
Horse hooves are pounding the ground at the Louisiana Renaissance Festival! Then- BAM! A wooden lance strikes armor, wood splinters fly and both knights are layed-out on the ground. I hear a member of the audience ask someone, "Ya think this is fake?" This is asked as the wobbly knights stand up, wood splinters from the lances are scattered on the ground and the sand and dirt pour from the suits of armor. It is a performance, some of it may be … [Read more...]
31st Tennessee Williams /New Orleans Literary Festival: “Time is the longest distance between two places.” – Tennessee Williams
The 2017 program includes master classes; scholarly and entertaining discussions among distinguished panelists; celebrity interviews; theater, food and music events; a scholars conference; breakfast book club; French Quarter literary and LGBT walking tours; a book fair; and special evening events and social gatherings. New Orleans, Louisiana - The Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival returns to the historic French Quarter (Hotel … [Read more...]
Hot Springs, Arkansas – A CouchSurfer’s Slant on Immersion
A smile of contentment warms the crisp evening breeze, as my Big-Easy reality eases back to its default setting: A humbled existence devoted to saving lives, amidst the controlled chaos of a stressful clinical environment. Just a few days back, the dullness of my royal blue nursing scrubs surrendered to the brightness of my candy pink hiking suit. The travel bug took an awful bite! It is nudging this brown-eyed, fun-size wanderlust to defy … [Read more...]
A Tranquil Respite in the Big Easy
A topless man wearing lipstick and a bright pink tutu prances by. Jazz is blaring at Legends Park. Drunken tourists stagger to their next girly joint. It’s Friday night on Bourbon Street, and this small town Texas boy needs a break. We all love a good party now and then, and New Orleans certainly knows how to party. But sometimes, we want a break from the frenetic energy and craziness of the nonstop Mardi Gras party atmosphere - but where … [Read more...]
And the Winner is… New Orleans!
Thank you Capital One for sponsoring this post! All opinions are my own and were not directed by Capital One. To learn more about the Capital One Venture Card, visit: https://www.capitalone.com/credit-cards/venture I was standing in front of camera in HotelTonight's headquarters in San Francisco as part of some work I was doing to help promote a partnership recently announced between Capital One and HotelTonight. I had just spun a wheel which … [Read more...]
Knoxville Rocks the History Trail
Tennessee is really a fascinating place, particularly for history buffs. There are sites exemplifying pioneer history, the founding of the United States, the Civil War, the Great Depression, WWII, and the Civil Rights Movement – all easily accessible from Knoxville (itself named after Henry Knox, Revolutionary War hero and Secretary of War under President Washington). Most interesting to me is that America as the grand experiment - a country … [Read more...]
The National WWII Museum Presents New Permanent Exhibit
Road to Tokyo: Pacific Theater Galleries Museum completes Campaigns of Courage pavilion with 10 immersive galleries on World War II in the Pacific, opens additional stand-alone gallery on US Merchant Marine NEW ORLEANS (November 23, 2015) – On December 12, 2015, The National WWII Museum will open its newest permanent exhibit: Richard C. Adkerson & Freeport-McMoRan Foundation Road to Tokyo: Pacific Theater Galleries. Retracing the grueling … [Read more...]
Relax in Conejo Valley: Food, Wine, Microbrews & the Outdoors
Conejo Valley is located about 45 minutes north of Los Angeles; due to its proximity, this region makes for an ideal weekend getaway from Los Angeles. You are not dealing with a confusing artery of multiple freeways - there is one main freeway that goes through the valley, the 101 and to a lesser extent, the 23. Conejo Valley encompasses four communities, Agoura Hills, Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park spread out along this part of … [Read more...]
Travel Media Showcase & Lake Charles, LA
Travel Media Showcase is an annual industry event focusing on the USA domestic market, pairing representatives from mostly small to medium sized regions with a variety of journalists. Travel shows for the industry such as this one are a great way for journalists to make personal contact with destinations and brands - learn about some of the latest activities and attractions in each region and help coordinate future visits. This show was TMS's … [Read more...]