RSSSep|18|2008
Is Fall Becoming Duller?
Posted by Noemi as Eco-Friendly, Nature
What is your favorite season? Various people would have different answers, naturally, but I have heard “fall” to be a common answer. The rationale behind this answer usually has something to do with the temperature being just right (as opposed to summer’s heat or winter’s chill) and the fact that the colors of this season are astounding.
Yet if some people are to be believed, fall this year is not the same as before. According to Dave Gram, who wrote a feature article on this topic, people are noticing changes in the colors of the trees and their leaves. The consensus is that the colors are …
Sep|10|2008
Cherish Those Vacation Memories Better (Part 2)
Posted by Noemi as Tips
So you have decided on what camera to bring on your trip. You have also picked out a memory card that can accommodate all the shots that you are expecting to take. What’s next?
Pick your shots
This tip is quite helpful when you are actually on your vacation already. I mentioned how I liked taking snapshots of everything and anything while on vacation. While this might cover most every aspect of our trip, it would also be good to think about your shots. This is particularly important when you are taking pictures of landscapes and similar scenery. You have to consider elements such as …
Sep|06|2008
Cherish Those Vacation Memories Better
Posted by Noemi as Tips
Are you the type of person who takes pictures of everything when on vacation? I have to admit that I am like that. In fact, my husband sometimes gets embarrassed when I take pictures of even the food we eat. My reasoning is that I want to remember every little detail years down the road and I find nothing wrong with snapping pictures all the time.
However, if you really want to make the most out of those photographs, then you might want to exercise a bit of discernment. I found a great article on this topic written by Doug Newcomb. Let’s take a look at some …
Sep|04|2008
New Destination For Foodies: Tokyo
Posted by Noemi as Announcements, Around The World, Asia, Destinations, Food and Drink
It used to be that when one wanted to go to the premier destination for food, it was Paris that came to mind first. These days, it seems that there is a new culinary capital – at least according to the experts. The attention of Michelin, arguably the foodie’s guide to the best, was placed on Tokyo and they came up with a Michelin guide. What did it contain? Nothing but praise for this foodie’s haven, where even the ones on a budget could satisfy their palates with tons of great food.
MSN reports:
Here’s a Michelin morsel:
“Tokyo is a shining star in the world …
Aug|29|2008
Still More Stay-cation Ideas
Posted by Noemi as Family, Festivals, Tips
In my quest to look for more stay-cation ideas, I ran across a lot of web sites and blogs which provided tons and tons of information. One of the best sites that I visited is called (you guessed it) Staycation Idea. Here are some of the ideas I picked up from there.
County Fair Time
From the blog:
“The Austin Daily Herald and the Mower County Fair Board has introduced a new term “Fair-cation”. Which, you guessed it, means going on a vacation at the county fair.”
Though the county fair featured in the blog has ended, I am sure that there are countless fairs going on all over …
Aug|26|2008
More Stay-cation Ideas
Posted by Noemi as Travelogger
Did the stay-cation ideas I presented the last time appeal to you? If not, here are several more which you can consider.
Book a night or two at a local hotel
This option may still cost you a bit of money but not as much as if you were to go on a vacation in a far away destination. What I like about staying in a hotel for a couple of nights, even if it’s in my home city, is that you can relax more than you can at home. You do not have to clean up and the amenities are really nice. You can frolic in the pool, exercise in the gym, soak …
Aug|24|2008
Ideas For A Great Stay-cation
Posted by Noemi as Family, Health & Wellness, Spa, Tips
In the previous post, we were introduced to the idea of a stay-cation – at least I was. Anyhow, I got into this whole stay-cation mode and did some thinking to come up with some ideas for a great stay-cation. Here are some of those things.
Create a home spa
If you have lots of girls in the home, then this would be a perfect thing to do. Trust me, even fathers would love the idea once they have experienced pampering. So anyway, you could set up a home spa in one room in the house. Build up the mood and ambiance by decorating the room. Get …
Aug|20|2008
Finances Tight? Go On A Stay-cation
Posted by Noemi as Family, Tips
Yes, you read that right – a staycation. This is the new buzzword that is going around in the hospitality and travel industry. So what is a staycation? I think the name is pretty much self-explanatory. To give you something “official,” though, here is the definition from the Urban Dictionary:
A vacation that is spent at one’s home enjoying all that home and one’s home environs have to offer.
Even though I live and work in New York, I don’t always get to enjoy all it has to offer, what with my work commitments, but I sure did have an awesome time here during my spring …
Aug|16|2008
Car Rental Tips
Posted by Noemi as Tips, Transport
Not too many people have great stories to tell when it comes to car rentals. With the way gas prices are today, it might not really be a good idea to drive around on your vacation. Still, if you must have a car then you might as well rent one. Here are some tips to help you save when renting a car.
Book as early as you can.
Just like with plane fares and hotel accommodations, the earlier you book, the better chances of getting a good deal. This is especially true if you are planning on traveling during peak season. The nearer your date of …
Aug|14|2008
Destination: Chicken, Alaska
Posted by Noemi as Americas, Destinations
Yes, that is the real name of the place: Chicken, Alaska. It may sound funny but I think that it would be worth a short visit – even if it is just to say that you’ve been to a place named Chicken. So how come the town got this name?
I got this from the town’s web site:
In the late 1800’s, early miners traveled far in search of gold. Food was sometimes scarce, but a particular area near the South Fork of the 40-Mile River was abundant in Ptarmigan, now the state bird which bears a resemblance to a chicken (Ah the foreshadowing is thicker than steel.) …
