Farsighted Fly Girl

I mentioned that I had completed writing my book a couple of months ago and it will soon be published on April 8! Exploring Chicago Blues; Inside The Scene Past And Present,  is an accessible guide to Chicago blues history, with suggestions on where to go, who to see and where to eat for an authentic blues experience. I've researched and experienced the varying aspects of Chicago blues culture for several decades, first as part of my heritage and then as a fan and finally as a columnist;I write a monthly blues column called Sweet Home for the Illinois Entertainer . With this book, I take travelers and music fans on a trip to one of my favorite places and cultures. It guides you inside the local blues clubs, helping readers savor the experience of listening to artists like Peaches Staten, above, belt out soulful blues accompanied by her frottoir , or washboard, inside the friendly walls of Rosa's Blues Lounge. I guide travelers through the best soul food spots to sampl...

Farmers markets offer Americans an easy way to buy fresh produce, directly from the farmers. But in St. Lucia, this concept gets a Caribbean twist with this farmer floating out to our sailboat with freshly picked tropical fruit. The sensory delight of his coral-colored canoe, laden with gold and green fruit against the deep sapphire ocean was not lost on me. I just gazed at the spectacle for awhile before I could even focus on what I would taste. In the end, I passed up juicy starfruit and luscious mango for my all time favorite, jelly coconut.  The farmer whipped out his machete and swiftly opened my coconut, handing it to me before he floated off. I can still taste the lightly sweet coconut water, swirling around the jelly pulp at the bottom. What's your favorite fruit to try when you travel?

The Pacific coast of Mexico captivates anyone lucky enough to experience it. I traveled the 17 miles of coastline that make up the nine bays of Huatulco and I'm still amazed at the raw beauty. The deep sapphire blue water holds untold treasures, from a coral reef to scores of sea turtles, which I glimpsed up close. I headed to Santa Cruz harbor and hopped aboard a little boat called Tequila. Sailing to the nine bays was an idyllic journey, with salty breezes and freshly picked  avocados for guacamole in St. Agustin. But the waters were choppy on the way back and after four hours of sailing, a big dose of sea sickness smacked me with a vengeance. My crew was unfazed though, and they quickly took over photographic duties for me. Sea turtles bobbed all over those choppy waves and I watched from a slightly steady corner as little faces popped up in the water. We saw whole families swimming by and solo adventurers floating along. Sea turtles nest along the beaches...

Located along the Pacific coast of the Mexican state of Oaxaca, Huatulco is cradled by the Sierra Madre mountains and the Coyula and Copalita rivers. The region's  pinnacle of natural beauty can be found in its nine bays, or the Bahias de Hualtulco.   I visited all nine bays on a motorboat one afternoon and I was stunned by the surreal vistas at every bay. They unfold along 18 miles of jagged coastline, with different color sands and different shades of water. San Agustin is the furthest out and the most difficult to get to. It is also the most beautiful. The cerulean loveliness of San Agustin's beach grabbed me right away. There were no tourists to be seen, just pristine sand,  a few rustic beach cafe shacks and a smattering of the 100 locals that live in the small village. The landscape is mostly undeveloped with flowers, cacti and animals covering most of the town. The San Agustin church sits on top of the hill overlooking the bay and I was rewarded w...

Watching the Jamaican Bobsled Team at the Sochi 2014 Olympics conjures up memories of the classic '90s movie, Cool Runnings for a lot of people. Based on the storied 1988 Jamaican Bobsled Team that managed to capture global attention, you can't make up a crazier  and more inspiring tale. Seeing the two-man team reminded me of my own precarious bobsled run down Mystic Mountain in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Tucked into the lush rain forest, the Bobsled at Mystic Mountain  captures stunning tropical vistas as well as the nerve-jangling bobsled experience. An exhibit with the famous Jamaican bobsled uniform and stats on the original team's history fill a corner before you arrive at the bobsled. Before hopping on, I was greeted with the ominous sign above. There seemed to be lots of conditions and precautions for what I thought was a straightforward ride. Turns out that the bobsleds are actually a sports installation, developed to operate like a real bobsled. That means ...

It has been 40 years since the quintessential reggae band Third World, graced the globe with its smooth and spirited rhythms. Debuting  live as the opening act on Bob Marley's 1974 European tour, they have maintained an international presence ever since. One of the most enduring and popular reggae acts in the world, they spread the music as Jamaica's official reggae ambassadors. A genre-defining musical mix of cultural lyrics and contagious melodies laced with funk and soul,  the Third World sound was personified by Bunny Rug's rich and commanding vocals. I have been very lucky to have experienced the magic of Third World many times, the most recent at Jamaica's Jazz and Blues Fest last year. A third World concert always features thrilling musicianship and lots of  high energy. I watched as Bunny, also known as William Clarke, pushed the dancing crowd into a frenzy, belting out hits like "Try Jah Love," "Reggae Ambassador" and "1865 (96 deg...

I'm so sorry that's it's been so long since my last post but I was hunkered down writing my book, which was due yesterday. Now that it's at the publisher's, I can get back to my routine, which includes traveling and writing about it. I'll write a post about my book closer to the publication date but I really wanted to look back at all the wonderful places I visited in 2013 before I start my 2014 travels. My travel schedule was really busy last year but these are the places that I loved. Oaxaca, Mexico was one of them, that's Santa Cruz Bay pictured above. The nine bays of Huatulco, Mexico are breathtaking, it was a dicey experience for me to see all of them, since I was in a boat for hours and suffered from seasickness but it was totally worth it. This is the last bay, St. Augustine. I sampled fresh guacamole (they literally went to pick the avocados) in a beach cafe and climbed the top of the hill that overlooks the bay, to the local church. I promi...