Travel

Healthy and Tasty Memphis Eats

The Healthy Voyager — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:49:02 +0000

Memphis, the birthplace of rock n’ roll, home to Elvis and famed Beale Street, this music city right on the banks of the Mississippi River. Known for it’s bbq, I was beyond delighted with incredible food that was abound for a little ol’ vegan. The city is rich with history and boasts some famous folks but now, it’s quickly becoming a hub for great special diet culinary finds!

Graceland is synonymous with Memphis. Home of the late great rock n’ roller, Elvis Presley, it is THE place to see when in town. Touring the king’s home, airplanes and various gift shop/museums, whether you’re a fan or not, it’s impossible to not see him in a whole new light. This Memphis boy did right by his city and they are loving him as much now as they ever did.

Another important stop on a Memphis tour is the National Civil Rights Museum at the site of the Lorraine Hotel. The very spot where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. took his last breath is memorialized in a beautiful, poignant and heart wrenching museum. The hotel’s facade still remains however the building has become a labyrinth of exhibits on the civil rights movement in America, all culminating with the room that Dr. King spent the last minutes of his life. The entire museum is well done and so moving that it is impossible to leave with dry eyes.

And now for the food!

Let’s begin by highlighting the only fully vegan restaurant in town, Imagine Vegan Cafe. Located in the hip Cooper Young district, this fun diner has got everything a vegan comfort food joint should have. And I mean everything! Their menu is giant and everything on it rocks. Being in the south, I had to have their “pulled pork” bbq sandwich with hush puppies. Yumm!! Oh, and I split the spinach artichoke dip with some buddies, heaven!!

One of the prettiest places I’ve ever had the good fortune to dine at is The Majestic Grille. What was once a silent movie theater back in 1913, just off the main trolley tracks, is now a chic and classy restaurant that is a must visit. Playing old films and vintage cartoons, the menu is just as cool as the location. And cooler yet are their plentiful vegan dishes! Try their homemade veggie burger or their delicious veggie flatbread with caramelized onion base. Ooh la la! And their Bloody Marys and Mimosas are not to be missed either at brunch or dinner!

Now, you’re in for a treat. DejaVu is a New Orleans Creole and soul food restaurant that specializes in vegetarian and vegan fare! Chef Gary is not only one of the most fun people you will ever meet but he will treat you right in his place. Always packed to gills, customers are more then happy to squeeze in with perfect strangers to enjoy a meal at DejaVu. Chef whipped me up a fabulous creole pasta full of veggies along with plantains, veggie rolls, carrot cake and banana nut bread. Everything looked so good but I only have 1 stomach so I’ll be sure to come right back to visit Chef Gary at DejaVu next time I’m in town. And you should too!

College kids are so progressive so you are sure to find health conscious dishes nearby. RP Tracks is exactly that kind of place. A fun college bar, complete with pool tables and darts as well as vegan options. Famous for their bbq tofu, they can sub it for basically anything. I shared the bbq tofu nachos and the bbq tofu burrito loved every bite!

Are you “All Shook Up” about Memphis? If so, join me next week because there is more to come! Thank you…thank you very much!

www.healthyvoyager.com

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A Weekend in Denver and A Little Life Lesson.

Karen Milling — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:11:25 +0000

Sometimes life hands you lessons on a silver platter, or in my case, sometimes life hands you lessons in a snow-filled, slushy gutter. I spent the weekend in Denver hoping to explore the downtown area, spend a little quality time with my sweetie, and of course find amazing food to eat and photograph.

But sometimes things don’t work out exactly the way you planned.

Denver was hit by a massive snowstorm that dumped more than a foot of snow on the downtown area. The snow began the evening we arrived in town and ended about 3 hours before we left for the airport to return home.

: Before the storm

The funny thing is, I was in need of a little reminder about being in control. Sometimes, you don’t get to be. Sometimes it snows all weekend and your hopes of exploring on foot and jogging in the park are dashed. Sometimes you just have to eat at the diner across the street. Sometimes you just have to let go of the things you can’t control and focus on the things you can. Sometimes you have to make the best of what you’ve got.

: and after/during the storm

Yes, I like being in control. I like to make plans and see them through. I like when things go my way. Who doesn’t, really? But it’s important to be able to roll with the punches, too. And after a difficult week at work and several blows to my ego that left me feeling powerless and small, the Denver snowstorm was just the kick in the pants I needed.

We rolled with it in Denver. I abandoned my plans to hit (supposedly) one of the best brunch spots downtown for the greasy spoon a stone’s throw from the hotel. Dinner Friday night was at a chain restaurant on the 16^th Street Mall where we could take the free trolley. Our tour of the Denver Mint was cancelled, so we ventured out to the Denver Art Museum and basically had the place to ourselves. We got totally soaked by foot-deep slush in the roads on the way back. And we had a great time. We spent time together and we laughed, even if it wasn’t exactly what we had planned.

And I was reminded that I wasn’t powerless; I just need to control what I can and let go of the rest. I will always be able to control my attitude — rain, shine, sleet or snow. I will always be able to set measurable goals and strive for them. I will always be able to control how hard I work. I can always choose to be flexible. I can always choose to make the most of every situation.

So thanks, Universe. for the little lesson this weekend. I needed it and I’m back on track! Maybe next time, though, could my lessons be learned on a warm. sandy beach somewhere??

Nothing is impossible to a willing heart.

Irish Valentines

jessicastaton — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:03:30 +0000

Throughout Ireland romantic rituals add a touch of Irish spirit to Valentine's Day. In fact, the body of Saint Valentine himself is believed to rest in Dublin.

The rocky shores and high cliffs grace a country smaller than the US state of Indiana, and yet Ireland has produced romantic poets and authors Thomas Davis, James Mangan, Thomas Moore, Padraic Pearse, and Oscar Wilde. Margaret Jackson said it best when she said, "Ireland is rich in literature that understands a soul's yearnings, and dancing that understands a happy heart."

Exchanging claddagh rings is one of the most enduring traditions of the Irish people, and one of the best known world wide. Lesser known traditions include hand fastening, match making festivals, and make up bells.

Oscar Wilde asked, "Who, being loved, is poor?" In that spirit, many of the most touching Irish romantic traditions are the simplest.

Hand fastening is the ritual of binding each lovers right hand to the other in a symbol of lasting attachment and may be the source for the expression "tie the knot" in relation to getting married.

Singles looking for love travel from all over the world for Ireland's match making, especially for the fall festival inLisdoonvarna. The month long festival features 4th generation matchmaker Willie Daly, live music with dancing that starts each day at noon, horse racing, and plenty of Guinness. At the end of the festival, bachelors and bachelorettes compete for the titles of Mr. Lisdoonvarna and Queen of the Burren - the most eligible lady & gentleman of that year.

The chime of bells is thought to restore harmony if a couple is fighting and remind them of their wedding vows. Giving a bell as a wedding gift is an Irish tradition.

This Valentine's Day, raise your glass to your beloved with this traditional Irish lover's toast: "I have known many, liked not a few, loved only one, I drink to you."

Jessica
www.AmericaToIreland.com

Thaipusam: an unforgettable experience

ncholet — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 13:09:07 +0000

About month or two ago, a friend of mine called to inform me that we were going on an tour called "Understanding Thaipusam."

Um....What's Thaipusam?

Other than the fact that it was a Hindu holiday, she didn't know. She had just heard that we shouldn't miss it.

Well, I've been to Little India a few times and each time has been a great experience. My photography class during Deepavli was fantastic and I still marvel at how much color, energy, movement, music, etc can be packed into such a small area. Even not having a clue what I was in for, I knew I was going. As soon as we got off the phone, I called and signed up.

We've kind of started doing that to each other. When one of us wants to sign up for something but would really like to know a friendly face when we get there, we just let the other one know when they are booked. It's a good system. :D

So, Tuesday morning I packed up my camera with a freshly charged battery and headed off to meet the tour group. On our way to Little India and the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, our guide gave us more background on the Hindu festival and how it came to being.

Festival Thaipusam in Singapore is observed to commemorate the devotion of Idumban. A devotee of Lord Subramaniam, Idumban was instructed by a divine messenger to climb up the hill to pay homage to his Lord. Idumban climbed up the hill singing hymns in praise of Lord Subramanium in order to relieve himself of the weight of offerings. Pleased with his devotion, Lord Subramanium showered his blessings on Idumban. Thus the festival marks the unflinching belief of Idumban to the Lord Subramanium. It is believed, that any devotee who would carry a Kavadi on his way to the shrine will be similarly blessed by the Lord.
The preparation for the trek to the shrine begins a month earlier. A devotee willing to undertake such journey must remain on a vegetarian diet. Apart from that, austerities should also be observed to prove the dedication of a devotee to the cause. The Kavadi is of prime importance in this festival as each devotee is required to carry it all the way to the shrine. The journey kicks off from Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple and covering approximately 4.5 kilometers stretch, ends at Sri Thendayuthapani Temple at Tank Road. On reaching the shrine, the devotees empty pots of milk on the trident of their deity. The ritual three day fasting marks the end of Thaipusam in Singapore. AsiaRooms

Armed with a better sense of what we would be witnessing we got off the bus and headed into the temple. What I experienced there was nothing short of amazing.

The smell of Sandalwood swirled around us and the sounds of drums echoed throughout the temple. In each section, family groups were preparing for the procession. Along with the elements of the Kavadis, each area usually had an arrangement of fresh fruits, flowers, milk pots, incense, and musicians.

I would have felt like I was intruding if the temple had not been filled with spectators from every background. The Hindu families were extremely welcoming and happy to be sharing their customs with us. I tried to be inconspicuous but it was extremely busy inside. At one point, as his family was beginning to start their way on the procession, one of the drummers backed into me. I was extremely embarrassed to have gotten in the way but when he turned around, instead of him being upset, we both started apologizing to each other. His graciousness was humbling.

The second stop of our tour was the Sri Thendayuthapani Temple where the devotees presented their offerings. Many of the men arrived physically and mentally exhausted and were only able to complete the final climb into the temple with the chanting encouragement from their families. Had I known what to say, I would have joined in to offer my support.

I had expected to find the experience grotesque but, instead, I was moved by their faith and found the piercings to be less about bodily mutilation and more just the outward display of their devotion. Alicia and I are planning on going back next year but on our own. I would like to have more time at the temple to watch the preparations and am even considering walking the 4.5 km route to the final temple as we saw many westerners do this year.

If you happen to be in Singapore next year during Thaipusam, you really should go to Little India and see it for yourself. It truly is an unforgettable experience.

***just a note: after some discussion with expats in other areas around Singapore and Malaysia, we've noticed some differences with the explanation we were given for the origins of the festival. If anyone is of the Hindu faith and can confirm the information or correct it, I would be gratefull. ***

Mackinac Island Lilac Festival

jessicastaton — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:34:24 +0000

When spring slips in to summer each year, the Mackinac Lilac Festival lures visitors to the tiny Victorian island of Mackinac Island, Michigan. Picture book views and the mingled scents of lilacs and fudge make most first time visitors life long admirers. The lilac festival was started in 1949 by a few year round residents as a one-day event with a parade to show off the lovely lilacs.The island is festooned with lilacs in early June, and many of the lilac bushes date back centuries.

The Lilac Festival has grown into a 10 day celebration including wine and beer tasting, walking tours, a food fair featuring the Island's best chefs, live music, a Grand Hotel golf tournament, dancing, nightlife, tours of the Governor's Summer Mansion, hayrides, and a 10K race, all leading up to the Grand Parade on the last day.

History, architecture, and art tours run throughout the festival. You can learn how to grow your own lilacs, witness the blessing of the animals on the island and attend a real, live Dog and Pony Show.

The Lilac 10-K is a unique race, taking in the best of Mackinac Island. Run or walk through historic downtown Mackinac Island, continue through the wooded center of the Island, then complete the race along the shoreline of the Straits of Mackinac.

The best B&Bs and hotels on Mackinac Island fill up fast, with many making their reservation a year in advance, and it's worth it. Staying on the Island gives you the time to enjoy the nightlife and get a real feel for the island. There's nothing like waking up to the clip clop of horses and the rush of waves hitting the shore.

Jessica
www.AmericaToIreland.com

365 Days of Blessings – Day 95 – Travel Time as a Family

PardonMyPoppet — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:11:15 +0000

I am thankful for travel time as a family

This week-end my hubby is in Newfoundland by himself. Of the 10 places he travels for work, we are able to go to 6 of them with him. When he is gone I really notice the difference in Poppet’s attitude. She picks up the picture of him on her change table and kisses it. She is more whiny, more grumpy, more difficult in general.

Sometimes I can grumble about the amount of travel we do, but in the end, I’m glad we get to be a part of it!

Warmest regards,

If you enjoy reading our posts, please consider officially following us at: http://www.PardonMyPoppet.com/PipSqueaks

DIY Map Pin Board

abby - indigo 26 — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:47:08 +0000

It's Friday and the weekend is here. I'm off to Kansas City and even though it's a quick visit, I'm excited to be getting out of town. I love to travel, especially with cc. There is something to be said for packing a bag and immersing myself into another city, another way of life. Since I document everything I created a travel map a while ago. This is a project that I made for cc to mark all of our destinations. We both enjoy traveling and I thought a visual representation of a map would be an interesting conversation piece. I was inspired by Josh Turner's song Would You Go With Me.

The map is backed with a sheet of cork board that is mounted onto a white board for stability. The legend was created by doing a rubbing onto clear contact paper. I used a red paint wash with stencils to apply the words and then I varnished the entire map. I then had it framed without the glass.

I use map pins that I found at the office supply store to mark all the places we've traveled alone and together, and our birth places are flagged. I didn't realize we'd traveled so many places and I ran out of pins.

It's been a great geography lesson for my favorite girls. They like to look at it and hear stories about each individual pin. I'm hoping that one day we can add pins for trips with the two of them.

I'm thinking my next map project will be with a globe to mark all of our international travel. I'd better get busy and get on a plane. Are you off to somewhere fun this weekend? How do you document your travel?

A British Summer

Vrinda — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:44:49 +0000

Old photo time tonight!

I was walking through Green Park a couple summers ago, and saw this sight, which to me perfectly illustrated Britishness. I love the "it's summer and I'm using the deckchairs, even if it's raining" stubbornness, along with the drizzliness that typifies our summer.

I found it this evening and it made me smile, so I thought I would share.

The Gilt Group of Tourism

Jennie Pone — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:09:33 +0000

When you think of flash sales sites, Gilt Group and Living Social come to mind. And in general, these are normally linked to fashion and retail deals but few think of travel.. There really hasn'y been a travel company to create an interesting flash sale idea.

Well, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, recently launched Thailand Fast Deals (www.thailandfastdeals.com), a brand new website from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) US regional offices. Its purpose is to offer US travelers to Thailand one-stop access to some of the best vacation and tour packages from TAT’s preferred partners.

According to the press release, the site features carefully curated offers provided by TAT’s preferred partners, but occasionally the site will offer exclusive deals only available through the Thailand Fast Deals website. These deals will be marked with a “Fast Deals Exclusive” stamp highlighting their exceedingly discounted and quickly expiring rates.

Similar to GiltGroup, Groupon or the other flash sales site, the deals are limited and have a time stamp on it. You need to act quickly. I personally think this is amazing. Thailand is a beautiful country that many often try to visit but can't because of prices. I'm excited to see how this website plays out and helps tourism.

Feel free to follow them on Twitter as well at @ThailandInsider.

Irish Superstition

jessicastaton — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:16:51 +0000

Photo Credit: Rannpháirtí anaithnid

I love the Irish connection to deep feeling; tragedy, pride, romance, defiance, loyalty, history. The Irish have spent their entire history crawling over broken glass for the right to themselves. Sometimes, when people achieve their long awaited goal they become complacent.

Complacence is not an Irish trait. Instead, the Irish celebrate their past while looking toward the future. And Ireland's past is rife with superstition...

Superstition about the dead:

Halloween evolved from the Old Irish Samhain. On the last day of fall it was believed that our world and the supernatural world were closest and magic could happen. To ward off evil spirits, the ancient Irish built huge bonfires, made lanterns out of turnips like the one at left, and invoked the help of the gods through animal sacrifice.

It was once widely believed that the hand of a corpse was a cure for all diseases. Sick people were brought to a home where a corpse was laid out prior to the funeral so that the hand of the dead might be laid on them.

Image Credit: Sibec Studios

About Fairies:

An Irish banshee, or ben-sidhe, wailed a mourning call to warn Old Irish families of an impending death.
It was believed that faeries would carry off children, replacing them by changelings called Mannikans. Perhaps this legend soothed the aching hearts of parents of missing children.
Fairies named the Daoine Shee, meaning men of peace, dressed in green and resented it when humans wore green. That's why it's considered bad luck to wear green in Ireland to this day.
Fairies hated being called faeries or little people and were reffered to as "The Good People."

Love:

Single maidens gathered special herbs by the light of the moon and recited a verse to reveal their future husbands in their dreams.

Image Credit: MelikeAkar

"Moon, moon tell unto me, When my true love I shall see? What fine clothes am I to wear? How many children will I bear? If my love comes not to me, Dark and dismal my life will be."

Luck:

If a rooster met you at your door and crowed, it meant bad luck traveling.

The 7th son of a 7th son, with no females born in between, was lucky and was believed to have healing powers.

Most people have heard that a horseshoe nailed to the doorpost will bring good luck. Old Irish legend dictated that the shoe must be found and not given in order to bring good luck. In modern Ireland, a lucky horse shoe is often given at weddings.

Curses:

Photo Credit: Amy Durrant-Li

Jessica
www.AmericaToIreland.com