Yes, you heard me, my dream Christmas Destinations! Christmas Eve and Christmas Day must be spent with family, of course. I really would not have it any other way…but I can dream of visiting other locales during the Christmas season. I imagine sailing on a river cruise in Europe to the Christmas Markets with Viking River Cruises! What a dream come true that would be! [Read more…] about Here are My Dream Christmas Destinations! Where are yours?
| Celebrate the holiday season with our FREE “Light Up Your Life” Gift. All guests who stay at St. Francis Inn or Casa de Suenos for two consecutive weeknights (Sunday thru Thursday) from November 20, 2017 to January 31, 2018* will enjoy more than two million tiny white lights sparkling throughout the ancient streets, historic buildings, and local businesses of St. Augustine. Downtown St. Augustine is described by National Geographic as one of the “Top 10 Places to See Holiday Lights” in the world!
This special includes these FREE Holiday Gifts: · Free Holiday Old Town Trolley Evening Tour around St. Augustine, to enjoy the magical “Nights of Lights,” at 7:30pm · Free Chilled Champagne in your room on arrival · Free Chocolate Sampler Box from our local chocolatier Claude’s Chocolate · Coupon for Free Hot Chocolate or Mocha at Claude’s Chocolate 
This exclusive offer is available at NO EXTRA COST to our guests During January 2018, the Inn tour is the only evening Nights of Lights trolley tour being offered midweek, helping Inn guests to extend the joyous season. IMPORTANT: You must MENTION this special when you make your reservation. Based on double occupancy. * Not available during these holiday dates: December 26-29, 2017. NOT AVAILABLE WITH OTHER DISCOUNTS!
ST. FRANCIS INN 279 St. George Street ~ St. Augustine, Fl 32082
CASA DE SUENOS 20 Cordova Street ~ St. Augustine, Florida 32084 |
Here is your chance to see the museum exhibit, “Dressing Downton” at the Lightner Museum when staying at the St Francis Inn or Casa de Suenos in St Augustine, Florida this holiday season! I have stayed at Casa de Suenos and toured St Augustine, and I can tell you it is a beautiful, historical city and it is definitely worth a visit just on its own. During December, there is an incredible offer for you!
| As a midweek guest for two nights (Sunday thru Thursday) from October 4, 2017, to January 7, 2018, celebrate the phenomenal Dressing Downton™ Exhibition during its final stop, at St. Augustine’s Lightner Museum. The Exhibition highlights fashion from the widely acclaimed TV drama, Downton Abbey®.
The 2-night, 3-day stay with the Dressing Downton™ Special, a $60 value, at no extra cost includes: • Two “Golden” Admission Tickets to the Dressing Downton™ Exhibition, with entry at any hour of the date on the ticket. This awesome exhibition includes 36 costumes with jewelry and accessories, reflecting changing times from 1912 to the mid-1920s, displayed in the fabulous Gilded Age museum among vignettes of turn-of-the-century art and furniture. • Exhibition tickets include general admission to the entire Lightner Museum, the former posh Alcazar Hotel, home to one of the best collections of 19th century fine and decorative art in the U.S., built in 1888 by railroad tycoon Henry Flagler • Keepsake Tin of specially blended premium Downton Abbey® Tea • Fine Chocolate from Cadbury, a British company which has produced delicious specialty chocolate treats for nearly 200 years The Lightner Museum is the only stop for Dressing Downton™ in Southeastern US, and perhaps the best of all its stops! IMPORTANT: You must MENTION this special when you make your reservation. Based on double occupancy. * Not available during these holiday dates: December 26-29, 2017. NOT AVAILABLE WITH OTHER DISCOUNTS! |
Today is World Animal Day, and the state of animals on our planet is not good. Only 7,000 cheetahs are left in the wild. There is only ONE male Northern White Rhino left on our planet. He is being guarded with armed guards. along with the two female Northern White Rhinos. The species depends upon his ability to mate with the females. Their horns have been removed so there is no point for poachers to kill them. Scientists say we are entering the sixth mass extinction of earth, but it is not a “natural” extinction event, it is caused by humans. What is really at stake here is the survival of humans on earth.
I do not understand why our species is so cruel to every other species! There is evidence now that the Black Rhino is “officially” extinct in the wild. Humans seem to think we are special, somehow “above” the other life on our planet. If things continue the way they are going, in the next 50 years we will have no reefs, no apex predators in the ocean so very few fish, no rhinos, no sharks, and water rising everywhere. At that point will we wise up? I hope we wise up much sooner than that. Conservation means saving our own species…once we ruin all of the ecosystems that support life on this planet, we won’t last long, either. Today’s photographs are of animals headed toward extinction. Let’s not let it happen. Everyone….listen to Jane Goodall:
“If all of us would go through our lives thinking about the little choices we make each day as to what we buy, what we eat, what we wear – and how those choices might impact the environment, might impact child slave labor in other countries, might impact cruelty towards animals, we start making small changes… Billions of small changes around the world can lead to the kind of change we need if we care about future generations.” – Jane Goodall (http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/jane-goodall/photos/jane-goodall-birthday/)
Please. Start small, but start!
We need to wake up to the danger we are in by putting these animals at risk, by stressing the planet and causing it to warm, to plastic trash everywhere….to cutting down rainforests, etc etc. Or we are lost.
by Guest Blogger Rebecca Crawford of Hiking Mastery!
Top Delicious Reasons to visit Italy! We know Italy is great for sightseeing, hiking, beaches and beautiful scenery. But it is also world-renowned for its food. There are 20 different regions in Italy, and they all have a signature dish.
In this article, we are going to take you on a tour of Italy, food style, and discuss some of the top dishes within this amazing European country. So, grab your fork, because this is going to be a tasty read!
The Lombardy region of Italy is known for not only the fashionable Milan, but osso bucco and risotto. This region is known for making many dishes with rice versus the popular pasta. Risotto is a rice dish that can include various other foods like onion, cheese, shallot, mushrooms, or with no frills.
You follow the recipe until the liquid is all gone and the rice is al dente. You will also use broth in many recipes with can be from beef or vegetables.
Osso bucco is braised veal shanks. It is made with items like white wine and vegetables. The food’s name translates to bone with a hole, which is generally centered on the plate. This dish is most often served with the above risotto as a side.
This northern region is also known for the many cheese like Blue Veined Gorgonzola and Provolone, as well as Gran Padano. Many of these cheeses can be used when making risotto or osso bucco.
This northern Italian region’s capital is Bologna, where many famous foods are from. This area likes meat and pasta, and is a region known for curing meats. It’s also famous for the delicious Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
In this region, tortellini is popular, along with both balsamic vinegar of Modena and Bolognese sauce. Tortellini is a pasta that is shaped in a ring. You can boil this pasta and make it into a carbonara, primavera, or use a Parmesan cream sauce.
You can also make the locally known Bolognese sauce, which is a mixture of bacon, vegetables, mushrooms, and herbs heated into a pot with water. One other famous sauce there is the balsamic vinegar Modena which has a main ingredient of white Trebbiano grape juice and is made by boiling it over fire for several hours.
If you can’t get enough tortellini and want to take it on the trail with you, be aware of wild animals. They can smell food and will come to your location. Using the best odor-proof bags will keep wild animals away so you can have some tortellini as you camp out in Italy.
Most regions in Italy have their own cheese. The Tuscan region has Pecorino cheese, which is made of sheep’s milk. They love salt free bread and use fine olive oils and meats. Here, Chianti wine and steak alla fiorentina is king.
Steak alla fiorentina is what many call a Porterhouse steak that is grilled to rare condition, over a wood fire. You will only use salt and olive oil while cooking the steak. While cooking, air must circulate around the steak, because it needs to dry.
Pair this with some Chianti wine and some vegetables and you have a great meal!
The Lazio region is in central Italy and is well known for its pasta, artichokes and zucchini, as well as porchetta. This region is known for the foods artichokes alla Romana, bruschetta, and spaghetti alla carbonara, which we will go over below.
Artichokes alla Romana are made with mint, garlic, oregano and olive oil. It is then cut in half and cooked until done.
Bruschetta is world known and it consists of antipasto with bread and garlic along with some salt and olive oil. You can top this dish with literally anything from tomatoes meats, cheeses, beans and other vegetables.
Spaghetti alla carbonara is made with bacon, garlic cloves and salt to taste. You will use egg in this dish as well. Many also throw in some meats like meatballs or pork, along with cheese custards.
This region is the home of pizza! Here, some of the best tomatoes, the San Marzano tomatoes, are grown along with eggplant, figs, lemons and more. The capital city here is Naples, the birthplace of pizza.
We all know that pizza is a round or square piece of cooked dough that includes tomato sauce and many toppings. This region is also home of the calzone, which is like pizza but is folded over with the contents within.
Buffalo mozzarella cheese and limoncello liqueur, which is lemon flavored liquor, are also from the Campania region.
Sicily is the largest island in the entire Mediterranean Sea and is located in southern Italy. This area is known for lemons, olives, almonds and blood oranges. Pork is popular here, along with veal, and the locals like to use a lot of tomato sauce in their dishes as well as eggplant.
Caponata is famous here because of the locally grown eggplant. It is made with other vegetables like tomatoes and celery. The eggplant is fried and given sweet vinegar along with some capers. They also make a sweet and sour sauce to pour over it.
Veal Marsala is made with veal, or if you want you can make chicken Marsala. The meat can be interchanged. You will cook the meat until done and serve with the Marsala carmelization. Marsala is a wine that is used to give you a rich flavor in your dish.
It is very sweet. Once your veal is done and the wine is caramelized you are ready to eat!
While Italy is absolutely stunning and offers a lot to travelers, many people go there to experience the food. As you can see, these dishes are amazing and made from locally grown foods that are popular in that area. Each region is known for different dishes, which makes them unique, and makes us want to tour each region and try a dish or two!
While attending the most recent Women in Travel Summit, I was immediately drawn to, as well as fortunate, to spend time with my new friend Linda Higdon. Linda’s personal story opened my eyes to an opportunity that I never knew existed.
Just imagine traveling through East Africa’s cosmopolitan capital city of Nairobi, along the verdant slopes of Mt. Kenya and out to sweeping high deserts where you will personally meet remarkable women shaping change in contemporary Kenya.
Visit the women and children of rural villages, discover life-giving projects in urban slums and step into remote tribal communities. At night, return to lovely and comfortable accommodations to reflect upon the day’s adventures. This is not a mission trip, only a way to weave our two worlds together in a life altering experience.
Why did Linda create Global Heart Journeys?
A champion for global women, Linda Higdon is a performing artist, photographer visionary. Over the past 15 years, she has been “on the ground”, working, traveling, and building relationships with women who are igniting change in the developing world. She has a deep passion for introducing Americans to these extraordinary women leaders who have transformed her life and seeks to help others take a similar enriching journey.
In designing “A Women’s Journey to Kenya: Beauty in the Unexpected”, Linda combined her lifetime career in the creative arts with her work in Kenya. She is a classical pianist who has studied in Paris as well as a licensed ceramic artist whose work has appeared in galleries nationwide.
My visit to Austin ~
Craig and I were traveling to Austin, Texas for work and my Adventures of Empty Nesters explorations and ironically, Linda was traveling there as well to connect with a past Global Heart Journey traveler, Judy Simon.
Judy coordinated a small group of open minded women, curious to learn about her experiences with Linda and the tour in Kenya. We sat in a large circle, learned more details of the trip and shared heart-felt personal feelings, stories of our lives and what new types of adventures we were searching to find.
The overlying common theme from every single one of these intriguing midlife women was this:
We spoke candidly about the world today and how we as mothers, daughters and friends could embrace the idea of traveling to Kenya and explore the culture of other women.
Testimonial from Judy Simon:
One cannot help but be profoundly changed by this “Women’s Journey to Kenya” because you are in the middle of how the Kenyans live – they draw you in and then hide in your heart for the best travel souvenir you will find anywhere. There is no negotiation on this! Bring your heart, your openness, and your sense of adventure and you will not return the same person who left home. Is it safe? Physically – yes. Emotionally – travel at your own peril.
I am forever grateful to Linda Higdon and the many women of Kenya for waking me up.
I have been asked repeatedly if this was a mission trip or a fundraising event. I called it a women’s study group. We were there to learn from the amazing and strong Kenyan women whom I firmly believe if they ran the country, they would change the world.
Click here for a wonderful video testimonial ~
Tour Highlights:
Join the “Women’s Journey to Kenya” created for women who are looking for purpose in travel. In this 16-day adventure, you will spend a lot of time with Kenyan women and children, discovering life in the heart of villages, tea fields and cities. And each night you’ll retreat to 4-star luxury and delicious cuisine. Linda Higdon, your tour host, has worked in Kenya for 15 years so you’ll have special access to people and places not found on any tour. Feel completely safe and secure with your expert host and reputable drivers who are always there for you!
Delight in Kenya’s artistry, jewelry, music, and timeless traditions! Enjoy deep bonds with other travelers and the Kenyan women. See magnificent wildlife!
Check out more of Linda’s spectacular photographs. Each one tells a story that literally jumps off the page!
Have you been looking for an adventure of this caliber? Do you have questions? Would you like to join a group of curious, adventurous women with a desire to connect with other women in another country on the other side of the world?
More Details of the trip to Kenya ~
Check here for an itinerary and here to learn from FAQ’s and about your personal safety.
July Trip – Women’s Journey to Kenya July 9-24, 2017 The weather is great in July!
HURRY! THIS TRIP IS JULY 9!!!!
You can contact Linda Higdon at [email protected]
312-339-9037
Discover the website GlobalHeartJourneys.net
If the July dates are not just right for you, there is another trip scheduled for February of 2018. Ask Linda for the Adventures of Empty Nesters discount.
This is a sponsored post, but all opinions and sincere feelings are my own.
