Category: Travel

Wow! number 10 already! And mind you, already two weeks ago I started to approach some fellow male travel blogger friends with my 10 questions and dared them to be the first male subject – to no avail. Which shows me that female writers are at least more punctual and / or more willing to share something of them self 🙂

Happy to introduce another traveling mama:

Shannon Hurst Lane

1) Who are you?
Sometimes I wonder the same thing and must admit that who I am seems to change with each decade. I’m a mother, a wife, a writer, and a Communications Officer for a nearby fire department. My name is Shannon Hurst Lane and I’m a Traveling Mama. I’m also and expert on my state of Louisiana and my portfolio and clips can found at Shannon Lane.

2) What do you like about what you do?
I really enjoy the excitement and anticipation of every journey I take. I love the planning. I love the adventure of getting to my destination. I cherish each personality I encounter and absorb all the experiences that occur while on a trip. And upon my return, I love to tell stories of the events that happened during my research travel. I like to inspire people who don’t travel to leave their comfort zones and see the world.

3) What don’t you like about what you do?
The pay for travel writing is feast or famine, and as one with family responsibilities, a steady income is imperative for survival. I really miss my children when, and sometimes my husband J, but we all need a short break from each other every once in a while. My Cajun great-grandmother used to call this a “good miss” meaning that while we missed each other, we had a greater appreciation for the other person upon the return. Lastly, people think being a travel writer is days upon end of laying in the sun near the beach with umbrella drink in hand. If only that were true!

The 4 Traveling Mamas

4) Please tell us all about your blog and your aims with it.
I’m one of four mamas at Traveling Mamas and our initial purpose in starting the blog was for purely entertainment purposes and a personal outlet to place stories from our print assignments. We share our experiences in hopes of assisting travelers make the most out of their travels. It is miserable to plan a holiday for an entire year, save up for said holiday, only to be surprised at how awful a hotel is. Truly we are saving marriages, relationships, and helping parents have an easier time to bond with their offspring.

5) Your top 3 destination experiences you’ve ever stayed to date and why?
Ocho Rios, Jamaica –
This was the first place I traveled to outside of the USA and it was my honeymoon. My husband and I made friends with a local taxi driver=2 0who showed us around the island and introduced us to the “real” Jamaica. I witnessed my first cricket match, which was a competition between resort teams, drank lots of Red Strip beer, and picked up a wooden fertility goddess by accident. When I realized what I was holding, I dropped it like a hot potato, however it was too late for me. I ended up making a baby in Jamaica, but I’m sure there was more to i t than just holding a wooden icon.

Wellingborough Station, Northamps, UK
I extended a research trip to London so that I could see the town where my grandmother grew up. I ended up staying with cousins in Irthlingborough, meeting an aunt that I didn’t know was still living, and learning so much more about my grandmother than I ever knew. I remember sitting at the station waiting for my train to Salisbury looking at the scroll work It was an overwhelming moment, thinking that my grandmother sat at this same train station almost 60 years before and left her country to live a new life.

Brazil
Years ago I was to meet up with a press group in Miami. My flight into that airport was late, so I missed the one flight for the day. I was upset, angry, and frustrated at the situation. I must also admit that I was a bit nervous. I ended up entering a foreign country, totally alone and couldn’t speak the language. I talk a lot, so I befriended three men who were sitting in front of me and looked definitely American. They thought I was some poor student traveling by backpack (judging by my looks and not asking me what my purpose was), so they offered to get me through customs and then gave me money to eat with. At first I wouldn’t accept the money, but then when they told me they worked for RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company, I felt entitled to take it due to the fact that my dad is a smoker!

6) Your top 3 accommodations you’ve ever stayed to date and why?
El Monte Sagrado Resort and Spa in Taos, NM
This resort is set around a sacred area to the Taos natives. It has been blessed by every religion in the world and is a luxurious place to run away to for a few days. The quiet setting with the view of Taos Mountain really helped me find an inner peace.

The Capital Hotel in Knightsbridge, London, UK
This hotel was my first introduction to London. I felt like I was royalty returning home from a long trip and my every need was anticipated. I had a two bed two bath flat with a private entrance and truly began to think I was a rock star. Plus, I was just steps to Harrod’s and the Tube.

WaterColor Inn, Northwest Coast of Florida
This small hotel is set directly on the beach in a planned community. I think the Northwest Coast of Florida has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The white sand is so fine it makes a barking noise when you walk (it squeaks). This place can b e explained in two words – relaxed elegance.

7) Your top 3 most memorable food experiences to date and why?
Banana Nut Cake from Museum of Appalachia in Tennessee
There is a small cafe inside the museum grounds that serves authentic southern dishes. I tasted the Banana Nut Cake and could taste the history and hardship of the Appalachian people in each bite. I could also taste love and heartache, which sounds like something unbelievable. I wanted to weep because this dessert was so good.

Seafood box lunch leftovers in the Outer Banks of North Carolina
Late one night after a research day of learning how to hang glide at Kitty Hawk (site of Wright Bros. first flight), a few of us took our leftover lunches of crab spread, crusty bread, seafood pasta, and a bucket of beer down to the beach. We were staying at The Sanderling Hotel in Duck, NC. We climbed over the dunes with food and beach chairs in hand, searching for a place to just chill after such a long day. The light pollution was non-existent at this place on the beach and the stars were bright and glorious. We munched on our edible goodies, grabbed a local beer out of the galvanized bucket full of ice, inhaled the scent of the ocean on the air and felt the breeze blow by our necks. It was a glorious night of appreciating being on Earth. Definitely memorable.

Sunday Jazz Brunch at Arnaud’s in The French Quarter, New Orleans
In Louisiana we live by the mantra Don’t eat to live, live to eat and no place celebrates this more than New Orleans. My favorite restaurant is Brennan’s, where the three course prix fixe breakfast isn’t just a meal, its an event. However, I was treated to a Sunday Jazz Brunch at Arnaud’s Restaurant during Mardi Gras season. The meal began with a Mimosa and Creole Cream Cheese Evangeline (a=2 0fruit dish). The entre was Eggs Sardou, which is a poached egg served over artichoke bottoms and creamed spinach topped with a Hollandaise sauce. The meal was topped off with Crepe Suzettes and memories of the Jazz band leading diners around the tables, elderly ladies dancing waving their dinner napkins in hand, and the entire restaurant singing a Mardi Gras tune. Now that’s a way to celebrate a Sunday.

8) Your 3 worst destination/ accommodation/food experiences to date and why?
They were so bad that I’ve blocked them from my memory 😛

9) Can you offer the readers 3 travel/ food / accommodation / things to do tips about the city you are currently living in?
I actually live in the small city of Zachary, LA
which is just north of Baton Rouge. My favorite place to recommend to someone for lodging is The Shade Tree in nearby St. Francisville, LA. This historical town shows its English roots in the architecture, the people, and the gardens. There are a large number of plantations to visit, even one of the most Haunted Houses in America, The Myrtles Plantation. The Shade Tree is a collection of three cottages overlooking a bluff in a private and shady setting. It is by far the most romantic place to stay in this area.
The food here rivals many restaurants in New Orleans. Mike Anderson’s Seafood Restaurant near LSU in Baton Rouge is a popular place to bring out of town guests and to celebrate special occasions. If you are searching for sushi, Tsunami is the local place to go. It is set on the roof of the LSU Arts Museum in Downtown Baton Rouge and offers a spectacular view of the Mississippi River while you dine. Here in Zachary, my family and I enjoy eating out at Sammy’s Grill, which serves various seafood dishes and steaks. The food is always good, as is the company, and the price is just right for any pocketbook.

Finally, to get a good introduction to the culture of Louisiana, just visit the LSU campus on game day (American Football). The entire campus is filled with tailgaters, cooking, eating, drinking, and enjoying camaraderie of friends. The dishes include jambalaya, gumbo, crawfish etouffee, and sometimes even grilled alligator. Tailgaters usually adopt out of town visitors and introduce them to what southern hospitality really is.

Handlebars Saloon

10) Any Question(s) you’d expected me to ask that you would like to answer?
What is one place I would return to if I could? Waimea Valley Park on the north shore of Hawaii. I swam in the falls a few years ago and it was a magical experience that I would love to visit again.

Thank you Beth. Your mouth watering description of the Louisiana food made me make a mental note to put that experience on my wish list!.

Happy to introduce Rachel, who answered my 10 questions within 24 hours, but who I kept on my back burner for some time. Mainly because I had hoped she would send me some photos, but also because of my busy work and being busy on revamping this blog. Luckily I noticed that she had joined Karen Bryan’s Europe a la Carte Blog team recently and found a nice portrait of her there.

Rachel Webb

1) Who Are you?

I’m a born again writer, it’s only in the last few years that I’ve taken up writing. It’s something that means I can stay home with my three boys, 17,15 and 9, it keeps me more than busy and more importantly is fulfilling.

I’m from the UK and moved to Spain with hubby and boys twelve years ago, when a little more time and independence came so did the boredom and frustration so I took a correspondence writing course and haven’t looked back.

I write and blog for various sites and have now started my own website about Andalucia – Andalucia for Holidays which I hope will create an income stream to support the rest of my doodlings. My two blogs, Luxury UK Travel and Luxury Spain Travel that I started are twins – I couldn’t make up my mind whether to concentrate on the UK or Spain so I’ve opted for both together – they may mean they both grow slowly! Unfortunately there are never enough hours in a day.

2) What do you like about what you do?

I love being nosy, my blogs are my memory, notebook and excuse for reading and surfing to my hearts content – and my future intend to visit locations.

3) What don’t you like about what you do?

The fact that it doesn’t equate to more than the pocket money my boys get – yet.

4) Please tell us all about your blog and your aims with it.

Being so young my blogs are my babies – I’ve no intention of letting anyone else to write in them yet. But I do hope that they may become a scrapbook that others may want to join in the future, when I’m not quite so possessive!

Parador and Capilla de El Salvador

5) Your top 3 destination experiences you’ve ever stayed to date and why?

Gas Street Basin in Birmingham!
I remember it as a child, it was awful, dingy run-down full of scary people! Now it’s fantastic – waterfront pubs, breakfast on a barge and just 2 minutes from the Bull Ring shopping centre!

Granada
The Alhambra is magnificent, I can’t wait to go again, especially now I’ve read The Tales of the Alhambra by Washington Irving. Mary Lee Settle also had a profound remark in Spanish Recognitions “If you cannot relearn wonder again at the Alhambra, you may as well stay at home and die.” The trouble is when you live close-by to somewhere you can always go tomorrow! Have to book it in my diary!

Nantes
I was driving from the UK to Spain with my sister-in-law who really wanted to ‘do’ a French flea market. We drove around & around Nantes late at night, not being able to find any hotel at all! Finally we spotted a not-so-nice brand but would have settled for anything.
In the morning -outside the hotel door – just across the road was the most enormous flea market I’ve ever seen. What heaven we were in – and how it postponed our journey! Fortunately I had a laden car so limited she bought a wonderful baroque style lamp and me? A rustic wrought iron coat holder with hat rack and mirror – it’s perfect in our rustic holiday rental house here in Jaen.

6) Your top 3 accommodations you’ve ever stayed to date and why?

Tricky – certainly the most recently enjoyed was Combe House in Gittisham, Devon, UK. Gittisham is an unspoilt timeless little hamlet which HRH Prince Charles described as ‘the ideal English village’.
The Combe House Hotel is a glorious Grade 1 Elizabethan manor in 3,500 acres with Arabian horses roaming the grounds.
We arrived to find a glorious old Rolls Royce with snake head horn – I haven’t yet found out what model it is, and a wedding party taking place.
Such a glorious location I almost expected bustles and ringlets, butlers and gaslights inside. The whole thing was just right, great food, lovely room, good service and a welcoming feel.

I also liked the Carlyon Bay Hotel for its spectacular views over St. Austell – when the sun shines after the rain England is glorious.

For a larger family gathering Hotel Playa de la Luz in Rota near Cadiz was fantastic, family apartments and 4* rooms made for a budget choice.
I really loved the 2 steps to the beach with the tide that went out forever and freshly grilled ‘catch of the day’ fish.

The Fat Duck in Bray, UK

7) Your top 3 most memorable food experiences to date and why?
Memorable, experiential Michelin starred The Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire.
We had the tasting menu which went in the teens of courses. Incredible, we sat without realising for 4.5 hours sampling strange creation after strange creation – a never to be forgotten experience including Roast Foie Gras adn Nitrogen scrambled egg and bacon ice cream.

A massive platter of mixed grilled fish on the beachfront in Malaga = absolutely fresh – superb.

My husband and boys catching loads of mackerel on a sea-fishing trip in Boscastle, Cornwall. We bought chips in a newspaper and grilled the mackerel, I’ve never tasted better – but hope to equal it!

8) Your 3 worst destination/ accommodation /food experiences to date and why?

I don’t really have any worst experiences, could have been better ones maybe.
It’s all about making the most of where you are – but I do hate cold/rain and wind combined- they make anywhere hard work for me!

Madrid airport wasn’t too pleasant with a 5 hour wait for an early morning connection – but hey ho – I wasn’t thrown out for sleeping on the seats – some were!

9) Can you offer the readers 3 travel/ food / accomodation / things to do tips about the city you are currently living in?

Jaen is the underestimated understated little sister to Granada and Cordoba. It’s well worth a visit. Stay in the hilltop Parador with majestic views, visit the castle/interpretation centre on the same site and walk to the huge monumental cross to survey the small city below. It’s breathtaking

If your budget is up to it then dine in the Parador to, if not do a bar crawl around the town. Tapas are still free here, usually the best tapas comes first to encourage you to stay on – don’t, move on to another bar and another “best tapa”.

You can eat enough without needing a meal this way – and may have to ask for no more food!

Tourist Train and Old University, Baeza Jaen, Spain

If there’s time take a bus to Baeza and/or Ubeda wonderful UNESCO Renaissance cities and Cazorla, Spain’s largest national park – it’s glorious especially in the autumn.

10) Any Question(s) you’d expected me to ask that you would like to answer?
No, I think I’ve waffled enough anyway.

Thank you very much Beth! You seem a busy bee to me. Hm a very good friend of us has promised me a diner at the Fat Duck whenever I manage to reach London with my motor boat. Your recommendation makes me think to make time in the near future…

Happy to present Erica Johansson to you. It took me some time to figure out which portrait to use. I decided to use her Facebook avatar, as she is a bit elusive…or simply shy 🙂 (However, see also the update below.)

1) Who Are you?
My name is Erica Johansson, I’m 23-years-old, was born in Halmstad on the Swedish west coast and grew up in Sweden.

Work wise I’m the founder and editor of Travel Blissful, a freelance writer and photographer.

Personality wise I’m always an optimist.

2) What do you like about what you do?
Everything. That I’m being able to travel in my job, meet new people (both those I interview and fellow bloggers I “meet” online), the writing of course. I love the independence and flexibility that comes with the work. I can choose when to write, where to work (inside, a local coffee shop, the library etc.), what to write about.

3) What don’t you like about what you do?
If there’s something I don’t like, I either accept it or change or improve the situation – rather than complaining. So I can’t say there’s anything I don’t like.

4) Please tell us all about your blog and your aims with it.
Travel Blissful is a place to be inspired to see more of the world – whether you’re on the road, at home or just returned from your latest trip. I like variety and write about both luxury and budget travel, the outdoors and city life, Europe and far-flung destinations. It covers the positive aspects of traveling, with travel news, tips, videos, information, thoughts and interviews. Recently I interviewed David Stanley, the author of A South Pacific Travel Blog. Later this fall I will do an interview with travel writer Rolf Potts.

Until I’ve created a portfolio based site, it also serves as an outlet where potential publishers can see samples of my writing.

I launched Travel Blissful in August 15, 2008, after having blogged at blissfultravel.wordpress.com for more than a year. I wanted to have my own domain and the freedom to work with plug-ins, the design, and sponsorship.

I have an idea of what I want Travel Blissful to be in the future. I believe showing is better than telling though.

5) Your top 3 destination experiences you’ve ever stayed to date and why?
My first time in London – This was in 2005; I went there by myself over a long weekend. As soon as I stepped out from the train station, I thought “I feel at home here, I want to live here.” I had a great time discovering all the neighborhoods – especially liked Notting Hill. A couple of months later I moved there.

London: Canary Riverside

Paris – For the same reason as London. I loved every minute of it and felt immediately “at home” in the city. The view from Sacré Coeur an early morning, window-shopping in Triangle d´Or, strolling along the Seine, visiting Notre-Dame Cathedral, taking a break at a café in Saint German, a walk through Bois de Bologne, the view from the Eiffel Tower at night. How is it possible to not love Paris?

Cedar Point

Third I’d have to say Cedar Point, where we spent my 19th birthday, because I love amusement parks. And riding Millennium Force – one of the fastest and tallest rollercoasters in the world – was incredibly fun. If they weren’t about to close for the day, I’d have gone at least two more times.

6) Your top 3 accommodations you’ve ever stayed to date and why?
Blakes, London – I stayed in The Corfu Suite, the most beautiful suite I have ever seen, inspired by designer Anouska Hempel’s travels in Provence. I especially liked the romantic four-poster king-sized bed and the extremely tall ceilings. And the suite felt really, really peaceful. If I could afford it, I’d probably live there for a month.

Corfu Suite

Della, Parga, Greece – Della is a family owned budget hotel located a bit outside the center of Parga. Loved everything about this place and didn’t mind at all it had sparsely furnished rooms, no pool and no restaurant. The owner was super friendly and gave us good recommendations on what to do in the area, every morning we ate breakfast in the hotel’s gorgeous private garden, only had 800 metres to the nearest beach, and no crowds to be seen. It was perfect.

Milford Plaza, New York – My travel companion and I had lived in different hostels during almost two weeks and wanted something more luxurious. We found a good deal on Milford Plaza – only one block from Times Square – through Expedia.com. Even though our booked room was on the tenth floor my friend managed to convince the receptionist to offer us a room on a higher floor. We ended up on the second highest floor and got an incredible view over Manhattan. I must have stood by the window looking out for at least 15 minutes.

7) Your top 3 most memorable food experiences to date and why?
Hiltl, Zurich – The first vegetarian restaurant in Europe. I went there when working in Zurich a few years ago and tasted Indian food for the first time, could barely get enough of it. Besides terrific food, Hiltl serves the most delicious brownies in town.

The Conservatory, London – Had an outstanding three-course dinner there while researching an article on vegetarian food experiences in London. The main course, lemon ricotta gnocchi’s with asparagus, rocket, and parmesan, was like nothing I’ve ever tasted.

Lemon Ricotta Gnocchi at the Coservatory in London

Bistro 190, The Gore, London – The dinner I had there was excellent, the breakfast even better. The spinach and goat’s cheese omelette I ordered made my day.

8) Your 3 worst destination/ accommodation /food experiences to date and why?
Destination: I can’t think about any destination, but I do remember one travel experience that was far below expectations. A train ride from Zurich to Vienna, via Innsbruck and Salzburg. We were really looking forward to see the beautiful Austrian countryside, but because of the extremely foggy weather I could only see a mix of grey and white when looking out the window. I remember I tried to imagine what the landscape might look like, underneath all the fog.

Accommodation: A hostel in Bayswater, London. I don’t remember the name of the hostel, just that I shared a 12-bed dorm room with 12 other people including someone who stole my USB memory and one guy who snored really loud all night.

Food experience: My first charter trip to Grand Canary at age 12; in the evening we went to this restaurant in a shopping mall in Puerto Rico to have dinner. I have no idea why we chose that particular place because we were the only guests, they handed us a plastic menu with pictures of the food (most people know that’s usually a sign of low quality and/or over priced food). After ordering, they returned with our food in about ten minutes – as if they had just brought everything from the freezer and put it in the micro oven. All of us agreed that was the most tasteless food we had ever eaten.

9) Can you offer the readers 3 travel/ food / accommodation / things to do tips about the city you are currently living in?

Linköping in southern Sweden has about 140,000 inhabitants.

If you enjoy theater I would recommend The Östgöta Theater on Platensgatan 12, there they have regular performances throughout the year.

Ågatan – the street with more restaurants, bars and clubs than any other street in the city. A perfect place for all foodies, night owls, or movie lovers (the city’s only cinema can be found here as well).

Sol och Ris – The best Asian restaurant in the city, located opposite Linköping City Library. Friendly staff, reasonable prices, a cosy minimalist interior, and excellent selection for vegetarians.

10) Any Question(s) you’d expected me to ask that you would like to answer?

Nope. Your questions were great.

Thank you, Erica. Hope to see you in London next month!

Update: Just after publishing this post, I received an e-mail from Erica asking me to rephrase her first answer. She promised to send me a new portrait, although I like the one I found:-).

Happy to present Desert Mama: one of the four ladies who run Traveling Mamas.

Desert Mama

1) Who are you?

I am Beth Blair. I’m 33 and reside in Tucson, Arizona. I have lived in 11 cities / towns in 7 states across the United States. In my former life I worked as a flight attendant and loved every minute of it. Jumping on a plane and going somewhere always seemed natural for me and fulfilled a childhood dream.
When my first child was born, the company I worked for was (ironically) offering all employees an early retirement for even those of us in our twenties. As hard as it was, I knew this opportunity would allow me to pursue a career as a freelance writer (I was already lugging my laptop on overnight trips) and still be there for my son.
Today, I write for various print magazines and online publications such as USATourist.com. I am a new “Outsiders” correspondent for AdventureUs.com and blog regularly with my three friends at TravelingMamas.com where I am known by my regional name, “DesertMama”.

2) What do you like about what you do?
I feel so lucky that I have found my passion. I wake everyday knowing I have a day ahead of me combining two things I enjoy immensely: traveling and writing. And, I’m still able to have a happy home with a supportive husband and two energetic and curious kids (who love to travel).

3) What don’t you like about what you do?
My only complaint is wishing I had more time at the destinations I visit. If I don’t get the chance to experience the town as a local might and learn people’s names, I feel I’m missing something.

Desert and Mudslide Mamas and Families

4) Please tell us all about your blog and your aims with it.
We launched Traveling Mamas in January 2008. We have ten kids among us. (I have two preschoolers and two teenage step-sons.) Our mission is to inspire moms to get out there, travel and explore our world, whether a weekend away with the husband, a getaway with the girls, or a summer road trip with the family. We feel that just because you become a mom it isn’t a reason to stop traveling. We want women to get out there and LIVE. My “LIVE” stands for Laugh Inspire Vacation Explore – and I do love to laugh.

Desert Mama Family in San Francisco

5) Your top 3 destination experiences you’ve ever stayed to date and why?
My top three destinations are constantly evolving.

1. Mendocino Coast, California – This summer, my husband and I took the children on a road trip up almost the entire California shore. We stayed three or four days on the Mendocino Coast. The drive through the rolling vineyards and patches of towering redwoods was incredible and the rocky coastal views were spectacular.
2. Kauai, Hawaii – Earlier in the summer the four of us Traveling Mamas went to Maui then dispersed to different islands. I scored Kauai and am so glad I did. The island is serene and the people are very kind and gracious to visitors. I also discovered I did like poi!
3. Santo Domingo – Dominican Republic – I’m not sure if was the plantains, the pina coladas, the calm ocean or the terrific sense of humor of the people I met. I asked a young man if he was a “local” and he thought I was asking if he was “loco” – His laugh still echoes in my mind as if that conversation occurred yesterday.

6) Your top 3 accommodations you’ve ever stayed to date and why?
I have stayed at so many lovely properties, but the ones coming to mind are the places I’ve stayed most recently. I’ll try and narrow it down to three.

1. Solvang, California – Hadsten House Inn
During our recent California road trip we stayed at the Hadsten House Inn and Spa in the Danish town of Solvang. I fell in love with it. The outside is reminiscent of a motel, because formerly it was. The rooms have been refurbished with top-of-the-line upgrades, such as wooden floors, marble countertops, and faux fireplaces (the beds are luxurious).
2. San Diego Omni – This summer’s road trip is obviously fresh in my mind.
In San Diego we stayed at the Omni and it was terrific. The staff was extremely personable and the location was perfect for us. I blogged about it here.
3. Carmel, California – Highland’s Inn
My favorite of all time is the Highland’s Inn. My husband and I honeymooned there six years ago. It was luxury at its finest. The staff was outstanding and our room’s view was spectacular. Every morning we enjoyed breakfast on the outdoor patio overlooking the cliffs. I would go back there in a heartbeat.

7) Your top 3 most memorable food experiences to date and why?
1. Lexington, Kentucky: Holly Hill Inn
Last spring when I was in Lexington, Kentucky, I spent an evening at Holly Hill Inn, a charming restaurant listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The building dates to 1845. We started the evening on the inn’s front porch drinking bourbon cocktails (of course), watching the sun set as yellow butterflies flittered around. The Chef Ouita Michel uses only the freshest ingredients making every meal delectable. It was a perfect Kentucky evening.
2. Louisiana: Any crawfish boil
I grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and I think everyone should experience a true Cajun crawfish boil, complete with corn on the cob, whole sweet onions, potatoes, and a cold beer from the keg.
3. Anonymous
When my husband and I were on our honeymoon we decided to spend our last evening in Carmel at a fancy-schmancy restaurant. The portion sizes were the size of the minuscule plastic food my daughter serves with her play tea set. I mistook the dessert cookies for Cinnamon Toast cereal. But, I will admit while it was the most expensive meal we have ever had and tiniest, it was the most delicious meal we have ever experienced to date just don’t ask me the name of the restaurant. We ended up returning to our suite, starving, and digging into dinner leftovers from the night before and popped the cork of a chardonnay from the case we bought at Chateau Julien Winery earlier in the day.

8) Your 3 worst destination/ accommodation/food experiences to date and why?
I’ve been pretty lucky not to have any extremely miserable experiences, that or they were so bad I’ve pushed them out of my memory. Uh-oh, wait, they’re coming back to me!.

1. Many years ago I was on a road trip alone and stopped in a brand new hotel (the name escapes me, but it was off of I-10 in Texas). Exhausted, I went right to sleep only to wake in the morning to find I had slept in a filthy bed, embedded with hair that was not mine. The sheets had never been changed from the previous (who knows how many) guests. I learned my lesson to always check the sheets before diving in. Ugh! I’m still so grossed out.
2. Another hotel I stayed at in Sacramento was infested with ants. My bathroom and tub were literally covered in thousands of dead ants. The hotel refused to give me a new room because the entire area was sold out due to a city-wide convention and they told me “the other rooms have ants, too.” They said they had just sprayed so if the ants weren’t dead they would be soon. Yes, I woke up covered in ant bites.
3. As for poor restaurant experiences, the worst have been chain restaurants. I honestly avoid them at all costs, even in my own town.

9) Can you offer the readers 3 travel/ food / accommodation / things to do tips about the city you are currently living in?
Tucson is a wonderful city with stunning sunsets. My first advice is to seek out authentic Mexican restaurants; one of my favorites, Maria’s, lacks distinctive ambience, but has some terrific dishes. As for accommodations, Tucson is a spa and golf mecca and almost every resort offers both. I enjoy rustic Westward Look Resort. One of my favorite things to do on a weekend is to take a hike in the Santa Catalina Mountains (which you can do from Westward Look). The Sonoran Desert is stunning and you never know what type of wildlife you might stumble upon (so bring your camera).

10) Any Question(s) you’d expected me to ask that you would like to answer?
No!
Thanks, Guido! I hope to meet you in person one of these days.

Thank You Beth! Yes, I also would love to meet with you and with all questioned persons I haven’t not met yet IRL (chat word for In Real Life). Sorry I was a tad late with publishing this as you so graciously returned my request immediately! That Kauai Sunrise is a killer photo!
As an aside: I’m still wondering why there are traveling mamas and traveling moms. What is the difference? However, I do admire mamas or moms who take the effort to travel around despite kids. I believe your blog is a great source of inspiration for the mamas and maybe also for the traveling aspiring mamas:-)