Farsighted Fly Girl

For the next week, I'll be exploring the quickly growing city of Dubai. I'm excited to learn about Dubai as well as different aspects of the business travel sector. My trip is sponsored by Dubai Tourism and the Dubai Business Travel Events team. I'll be visiting the famous buildings that dot Dubai's skyline, including the iconic Burj Khalifa, pictured above. I'll also be diving into the souks and learning about Emirati traditional dress. The highlight will probably be a desert safari and camel polo game but I'm sure the city has more adventures than I can imagine. Stay tuned for posts!

I remember clearly the first time I heard about Prince. Every girl in my class was totally in love with this cute guy that sang in a breathy, sexy falsetto. But it wasn’t immediately clear that he would kick down so many barriers with his stiletto-clad feet and permanently tattoo his mark on music, when Prince arrived on the scene in 1978. His lush afro and bedroom eyes captured the imaginations of teen girls who helped make his first release, ‘Soft & Wet,” a minor R&B hit from his debut album, “ For You” . Filled with sexual references and coos and moans, it was a telling indicator of the musician’s future status as a sex symbol and provocateur but nothing more. The fact that the 19-year-old had produced, arranged and played every instrument on every song should have been a clue to his greatness but it was the end of the '70s. Music genres were strictly defined and its stars neatly boxed in. But things were shifting. Rock was embracing elements of new wave , funk was bl...

I'll never get tired of traveling through the Caribbean, especially since Chicago has gifted us with snow in April. Besides the sun, I'm thrilled to be returning to San Juan and St. Croix to explore Caribbean cuisine at two popular food fests. In San Juan, I'll be visiting Saborea , a four-day festival of  the island's culinary standouts as well as music and culture. In St. Croix, I'll be experiencing A Taste of St. Croix , an island wide culinary competition where I'll also serve as a guest judge! In between all the gorging, I'll also stroll the streets of Old San Juan shown above, and Caguas, to witness the distinct criollo  culture. On my beloved St. Croix, pictured below, I'll revisit historic sites like the Whim Estate as well as a few rum distilleries. My San Juan trip is at the invitation of  Puerto  Rico Tourism and St. Croix ,the U.S. Virgin Island Tourism.  Expect lots of tasty posts and pix coming soon!