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Brezel or Pretzel? I will take two!
Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would have fallen in love with Germany. It truly was never on my radar of must see places. So, why is that? I truly have no idea but thank goodness I have always been up for an adventure and ready to travel to any new destination. The recommendation actually came from a Dublin tour guide at Trinity College giving us an inside look at the Book of Kells. She raved about her Rhine Getaway on a Viking River Cruise. Immediately, I looked them up and began planning our next adventure.… Read more
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Isabela Island, the Galapagos – Ceviche anyone?
Of all my travels, this is one that transcends time and place. It is as magical the third time as it was the first. The Galapagos Islands are a must see! From elementary school to college, we learned about Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. We studied origins and how species have evolved over time. We know that some of the most unique species on this earth are located on these islands. But have you been there? Have you seen the Blue footed Boobies, the tortuga’s, or the iguana’s. The vastness from lush agricultural land to dry and arid conditions will… Read more
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May the luck of the Irish…Happy St Patrick’s Day with a bit of lamb for dinner
St Patrick’s Day 2020 – what a memorable year thus far. We kicked off this decade with so many well wishes and never would I have thought that a mere 77 days after we watched the ball drop on New Year’s Eve that we would be here, Covid-19. However, here we are! With such uncertainty, I wanted to go back and relive all those Irish memories again. However, this time I am focusing a bit more on the west coast of Ireland. Particularly just over the river Shannon and after the Cliffs of Moher, where the ocean meets the sky,… Read more
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Sweet Sweet Sea Bass oh how I love thee in Santo Domingo
Have you ever…. No its not a game. Have you ever had a meal, dish, food, entre, or dessert that smacked you in the face with its yumminess? Have you ever had to use every ounce of control to not lap it up like a starving dog – or kid? You must have also heard the expression, “it’s so good, it will make you smack your momma.” Well, I better not do that, today is her birthday. Well, six years ago, I had sea bass in a seafood sauce for the last time in Santo Domingo, Ecuador at Andalucia’s restaurant.… Read more
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P is for Puerto Vallarta & Pineapple Chicken Fajitas
Back in 2006, we had the opportunity to explore the state of Jalisco in Mexico. Jalisco is the western most state adjoining the Pacific Ocean. It is known for agave, tequila, and mariachi bands. We landed in Guadalajara after the Christmas holidays but the decorations were still adorning the beautiful landmarks within the city. We toured the city, artwork, and then went out and about the state. We left the iconic city and traveled west to a famous town known by many as Tequila, Mexico. We had one of the most fascinating tours of a distillery that I have ever… Read more
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NOLA – Red Beans and Rice
Happy New Year! Happy New Decade! Here’s to the 20’s! Sorry I could not help myself. I tell you what, the teen’s, is that what we are calling the last decade? Well my teen years were awesome – so much happened in just ten years. I truly feel like it was one of the best decades of my life, two kids, another dog, three moves, new careers, a doctorate and lots of travel and food. What more could you ask for? Well naturally, I want to keep on traveling, blogging, cooking, and enjoying this beautiful planet. I thought I would… Read more
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No place like home for the holidays – Maw’s classic Sweet potato casserole
December 27th was my grandmother’s birthday. We affectionately called her Maw primarily because my brother (the oldest) named her that. My paternal grandmother was my only living grandparent and I was blessed to have her in my life. Now let me tell you about my not so typical grandmother. I use to dream of a grandmother who would bake you cookies, have sleep overs, and essentially spoil you rotten. I was completely envious of friends and cousins whose grandmother did those things. However, in my forties and especially today, I see what she did leave me and the rest of… Read more
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You better Belize it – Amazing Pineapple Jam
On this cold December day, I cannot help but think about the warm sun, sand, and the Caribbean Sea. The smell of salt in the air and the breeze off the ocean. You see back in May, I had the opportunity to travel to Belize on a study abroad with some outstanding students. We traveled throughout the country and hit one of the islands along our trip. While on the mainland, we saw beautiful orange, grapefruit, sugar cane, and pineapple farms. We toured and climbed an amazing ancient Mayan archaeological site, Xunantunich (pronounced: shoe naan too niche). I am saving… Read more
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Duck Duck…Peking Duck
Flashback November 2003, my first taste of duck. I just said yes and I do to my best friend in front of friends and family in my beautiful hometown. We partied and danced the night away then quickly gathered our bags and headed to the airport in Nashville. We boarded the plane early for us newlyweds at 6am for our dream Hawaiian honeymoon. You see, travel and adventure were always at the forefront in our relationship. We had went to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Boone, North Carolina, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and to Ecuador in our dating era. We were so determined… Read more
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Yellowstone and Bison Steaks, its what’s for dinner
We took a trip out west a few years ago. We visited Spokane, Washington, parts of Montana, Wyoming and made a pitstop at Yellowstone National Park. We went towards the end of April, part of the park was still closed but it was absolutely breathtaking the sites and of course Old Faithful was faithful. It was my first time traveling through that part of the country and the magnificence of this part of our country was surreal. The majestic scenes, the wide open spaces, and the wildlife made you realize how beautiful our planet truly is and how we should… Read more
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Oklahoma is the place to be – enchilada style!
It has been a while since I last visited Oklahoma but oh how I love this southwestern state. Several years ago, my family was headed out for a family vacation out west. Cue: National Lampoons Vacation theme song. I had just turned 16 and had my permit. My dad let me drive several hours from Weatherford, Oklahoma to Santa Fe, New Mexico, our final destination. I was thrilled to drive plus I went through three states. The landscape was so vast and so different than the Kentucky and Tennessee landscape. I immediately feel in love with the long distance views,… Read more
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Shrimpin’ in Orange Beach, Alabama
We just got back from a fabulous fall break in Orange Beach, Alabama. I hate to admit it but I had never heard of Orange Beach until my cousin talked to me about renting a condo with them. For those inquiring minds like me, I immediately googled favorite stops and things to do in and around this emerging beach town. I was excited for our family to have a bit of a getaway after an intense few weeks at home with work, soccer, track, and school. Being so close to the Florida state line, it was easy for us to… Read more
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The Emerald City – Seattle
Oh Seattle! How I love this city with its eclectic culture, breathtaking views, and marvelous cuisine. I first went to Seattle in January of 2010 for a conference. It was actually warmer in Seattle than in Kentucky that year, which blew my mind. My idea was mountains, January, and the Pacific Northwest would be a blistering cold trip for us. Oh how I was wrong. When we flew in to SeaTac the temperature was 55 degrees compared to the single digits in Kentucky. Seattle was crystal clear for the first few days and we got to see spectacular views of… Read more
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M.I.C.K.E.Y. M.O.U.S.E. Mickey Mouse!!!!
There is truly no place in the world like Disney World! It does not matter your age, the magic is alive in the characters, food, cast members (employees), and the ambience of the parks. My first trip was after I completed my qualifying exams for my doctorate. Yes, I was an adult in my thirties, the first time I experienced the magic and it was like my birthday and Christmas rolled into one. We had no kids at that time but that did not stop us. I wanted to plan every detail to literally make up for the 30+ years… Read more
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Ireland, I am coming home
For our tenth anniversary, we traveled to Ireland and did a CIE tour. As a little girl, I was fascinated with Ireland. I had posters of Ireland scattered across my walls. I am not sure where the fascination came from but my love of green, the accents or the movie Circle of Friends, were the key ingredients. I knew my maternal grandmother was a Dunn and came from Ireland. She died of cancer when my mom was 12. When I turned 9, my mom gave me her class ring. She graduated high school in 1944 and I have worn her… Read more
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FeaturedJust 50…no big deal
Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken. — Oscar Wilde. Did you know Theodor Suess Geisel was dared to write a children’s book with only 50 words! Well, instead of looking at this as an impossible challenge, a hurtle that could not be matched, or simply giving up; he created the masterpiece, Green Eggs and Ham. As a child, I devoured those 50 words over and over again. In fact, I checked out that book from the library so often that my parents started calling me Sam. My children each have their very own Green Eggs and Ham book. I… Read more
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