Farsighted Fly Girl

It is a well known fact that you can not visit Jamaica without dipping your toe into at least one beach. Beach connoisseur that I am, I managed to explore three while roaming about the north coast of the island.  I was on pristine Tryall Beach in the parish of Hanover, when I snagged the chance to offer beach style tips in this video for Zappos: (Catch me in between the clips of smiling Jamaican beach bunnies) div class="videoContainer">

I'm headed to the land of wood and water, otherwise known as Jamaica, this week for the Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival in Montego Bay. Jamaica is one of my favorite islands, the beauty and the culture are unparalleled. Besides soaking up some wonderful reggae music at the fest  by roots legends like Third World, Ken Boothe and Cocoa Tea, I'll be volunteering at a school, checking out a Rastafarian village, visiting Ocho Rios and the Mystic Mountain rainforest bobsled and maybe lolling on a beach or two. Stay tuned for posts about all of these experiences as well as details about classic Jamaican cuisine. Until then, I'll send some Jamaican vibes and sun out to everyone!

Sometimes, traveling can be as simple as mental transportation to a favorite spot. For me, nothing does that as quickly as food or music. I may be in blustery Chicago but my mind is in Kaua'i and Peru. That's because I just nibbled my way through a box of  buttery coconut-macadamia shortbread cookies accompanied by a tangy glass of chicha morada. I bought the cookies in Kaua'i and every bite conjured up memories of  tossing ocean waves and the aloha spirit. I apologize for not posting pix of the cookies, I gobbled them too fast for a photo op but the box is lovely, as you can see. Chicha morada i s a Peruvian drink made from purple corn, pineapple, lime juice, cinnamon and cloves. I drink gallons of it whenever I'm in a Peruvian restaurant and this time, I took a bottle home. It tastes sweet and zesty and purportedly contains more antioxidants than blueberries but the appeal for me is that it's a deep, lovely shade of purple.  ...

It's no secret that I harbor a life long attraction to islands. I have never visited one that I didn't like although I do especially love the small, sparsely populated islands. St. Vincent, in northwestern Florida, fits that bill nicely. (Although St. Vincent & The Grenadines would also fall into that category.)  Floating smack dab in the Gulf of Mexico, St. Vincent is completely uninhabited. I explored the wild, unspoiled terrain one afternoon with a boat ride from nearby St. George.  The trees were windswept and sun burnt and the pearly sand was studded with hundreds of shells. St. Vincent is also home to a national wildlife refuge and even if you didn't know that, you get that feeling from the striking terrain.  I spotted Alligators, bald eagles and ospreys but wolves and snakes also lurk. I collected two pounds of seashells and lots of relaxing memories from St. Vincent.

The year of 2012 brought lots of  unexpected situations and dramatic events but as I learned from traditional Mayan teachings in Chichen Itza, that cycle has ended and a new cycle of more peaceful energy is arriving. I look back on my 2012 travel adventures with gratitude and anticipation for even more excitement and new explorations in 2013 and I wish the same for all of you.

 For me, one of the joys of travel is uncovering local delicacies. Discovering new and unusual dishes supplies just as much fun as exploring new destinations. So when I visited Greenville, South Carolina for the Euphoria food and music fest, I didn't expect much food discovery since I'm very familiar with Carolina cuisine. From shrimp -n- grits, to Hoppin John and Benne wafers, I thought I'd tried it all.  Then I heard something about fried pickles. They fry everything in the South and I've heard of fried pickles but I never actually tasted one. I was immediately directed to Carolina Ale House to sample this local specialty. I'm not a huge pickle fan and don't eat a lot of fried food but I couldn't pass up the chance to taste something new. I envisioned whole dill pickles battered like hush puppies but that's not what I was served. I was presented with a plate of delicate dill pickle chips, fried into crunchy goodness. I planned to try ...

I'm excited to be participating in the Passports With A Purpose  fundraiser again.  This year, the travel bloggers fundraiser is raising $100,000 to build two wells in Haiti with Water.org. The raffle prizes will earn  money for two rural communities to enjoy the basic benefit of clean water. My prize is again a generous donation from Taste Harlem for two tickets for a two hour food tour.  The $110 value will supply heaping portions of soul food classics like chicken and waffles, shown above. Short ribs, collard greens, mac n cheese and candied yams will also be on the menu. If you win the tickets, go on an empty stomach and be prepared to stuff yourself silly. The tour also features interesting tidbits about Harlem music, history and culture. You'll pass historic murals, churches and museum, learning about the vibrant neighborhood's storied legacy. Even though I've experienced the tour many times, it never gets old. The food is ...