What decade is it?

I wanted to submit to readers my idea of the name that we should give this decade.
I think it should be called the "brace yourself" decade.

Thanks,

George

Spring Break Getaways

Fab locations to let loose for Spring Break:


1. Cancun How can you go wrong? A piece of paradise that has won the world over with its beauty, great parties, mega clubs, resorts, activities, and awesome beaches.
http://www.cancun.com/

2. Daytona Beach One of the hottest spots in Florida for Spring Break fun. Have fun on the beach, or enjoy the great clubs. It's even close to Orlando for a little fun at the theme parks. The beach is a place you can actually "cruise" around..to see and be seen. I recommend renting a jet ski, or moped. Don't forget the boogie board or a day of fun on the water. Daytona is also great for motorsports, with the home of the Daytona 500. http://daytona-florida.com/


3. Puerto Rico A trip into the exotic. From rainforests to great mountains, this is an outdoor lovers dream. The temperature is almost always "summer" like, just be weary of Hurricane season between May and November. Most tourists head for the capital of San Juan, where you will find most of the resorts and shopping districts. You will find beautiful beaches in the San Juan region, archaelogical findings, and the caves of Camuy. In the Central region is where you find more of a relaxed atmosphere, with tons of waterfalls, and Forest reserves. The most beautiful beaches can be found in the Western region where there are hundreds of miles of coastline. This is great for diving, and all watersports. Aguadilla, and Aguada are just a few places to mention in this region.

4. Negril, Jamaica If you want to relax on white sand beaches, Negril is your spot. The nightlife gives you a chance to have fun, experience a little culture, and even try some restaurants in the area. Buy a platinum pass from a tour operator and avoid a lot of the waiting in lines. Try Margaritaville and Legends Beach Bar for some fun. Among all the watersports on the beach, you can also go hiking and discover waterfalls.

Some extra links:

http://www.tripsmarter.com/ http://www.caribbean.com/

http://www.luxuryresorts.com/

Explore the Big Apple

Dear World,

I have what you might call an addiction to pizza.

Sure, when people think of New York City the Statue of Liberty might come up or the Empire State Building, Wall Street, Central Park, and even the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

My first thought when visiting New York was that I needed to try some great pizza. Believe me, I found it. Instead of recommending a particular New York city pizzaria, I want to describe the perfect pizza and what makes it that way.

First and foremost, a light and tasty dough...without that yeasty/too salty taste.

More important is fresh pizza sauce. The type I tasted was as if the tomatoes had just been picked from the vine and mixed with all the right seasonings....nothing overpowering. Next comes fresh mozzarella. Making it isn't that hard....I'm talking the type from curd not what you buy in a pre-sealed bag.
Of course, next comes toppings. I'm a traditionalist...and usually just stick with pepperoni, mushrooms and green peppers. The fresher the ingredients the better.
Now for an added ingredient that seemed to have made all the difference. My pizza had a chiffonade of fresh basil sprinkled here and there. Try it and you'll love it!

Finally, I should talk about cooking methods. Sure most of us are use to the commercial ovens found in pizza joints...either coveyor type or front loading. As a true enthusiast, I find that a wood burning brick oven can't be beat. It creates high heat and a smoky charred crust that you just can't get in today's ovens.

Of course this is a traveling blog, so if you're in New York and hunting for that authentic neopolitan pizza, you will come across some of the cities best attractions. My quest took me through Little Italy, Times Square, lower Manhattan, and Midtown.

Unleash your tast buds when you visit a new city. Among all the attractions you might find the food just as memorable years down the road.

Time to jet,


George

True Californian

~People ask me why I still consider myself a Californian, even though I've lived in Michigan for about equal the amount of years. Simply put, California is deep in my soul. Not only as my home State, but as my piece of paradise.

Let me tell you a little story.....
About six years ago I helped a good friend move to California. We drove a U-haul from Michigan. When we arrived in Los Angeles where she would be living, we were caught in bumper to bumper traffic on the 405 highway. That is an experience in itself. To some it would seem like every car from California converges on this highway at times. So there we were stuck in traffic with my friend blurting out obscenities, and me having this huge grin on my face. She asked, "How the hell can you be smiling in all this traffic"? I responded by saying, "Do you realize that the Pacific Ocean(One of the greatest and most beautiful Oceans) is only twenty minutes West of us"? It's something as simple as seeing the Pacific Ocean that made me grin and remember how great it was to live in that State. Sure here in Michigan we have the Great Lakes, but can they even compare?

I love that in California you can find many climates. In Michigan, we just have cold, really cold, or hot and humid in the summer. In California you can find dry temps., humid areas, snow in places only hours away from the Ocean, rainy places , and mountain scapes as far as the eye can see.

I truly love California for the great cities(i.e. San Francisco, San Diego, Lake Tahoe, Pebble Beach, Santa Barbara, Big Sur, Monterey, and Santa Monica), for places like Catalina Island , or Hearst Castle. For Yosemite Valley and Redwood Forests.

I enjoy great wine. For a great experience, visiting Napa, Sonoma and all the wine regions in California can't be beat. My favorite is Peju winery. Just drop in and experience a wine-tasting. I'm sure you will leave with their Merlot or Provence wine. That's what I left with. I love the hospitable service there and the knowledgeable staff. You come out feeling like a wine aficionado.

I love California for being able to ski one day in Tahoe, and wind surf the next day in Malibu. I love California's mix of food, and cultures. I love that there are so many industries and that Silicon Valley is so well known for innovation and technology. The sports teams(Go USC!) are great, even pro with the history of the 49er's and Lakers.
From prestigious race tracks like Laguna Seca, to great golf resorts. A place for bird watchers, and whale watchers, for monarch butterfly migrations , and stunning sunset watchers.

There is the great agriculture and all the great food festivals throughout the year. Not to mention my home city's Garlic Festival in Gilroy, California.

Of course there is Hollywood, and places where actors chase their dreams for us to see them on the big screen or on stage.

I can almost smell the salty ocean air as I'm writing this, or the smell of fresh crab legs at Fisherman's Wharf.

There is one other jewel that captures my heart, The Golden Gate Bridge . An amazing piece of engineering, but also more than a bridge. While other bridges seem to blend in, the Golden Gate stands there with a grin saying "Look at me".

I could go on, but it's best to experience California first hand. This is only a small portion of all that is California.

All I can say is, "Everbody has the opportunity to be a Californian."

Time to Jet,

George

Travel this and Travel that

Travel like a celebrity or your average joe.

http://www.gobeach.com/ -Caribbean vacation information.
Anguillla, Antigua, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands,
St. Barts, St. Maarten, Turks and Caicos, and U.S. Virgin Islands.
http://www.bahamas.com/ -Bahamas vacation information and packages.
Nassau/Paradise Island, Grand Bahama Island, Acklins/Crooked Island,
San Salvador, Bimini, Mayaguana.
http://www.gotopuertorico.com/ -Puerto Rico vacation information
http://www.visitaruba.com/ -Aruba vacation information
http://www.discoverjamaica.com/ -Jamaica island and vacation information
Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Negril, Mandeville, Kingston, Port Antonio, St. Elizabeth
http://www.nbreview.com/ -Travel publication, reviews and recommendations
Major cities, Europe, USA, Indonesia, Caribbean, Thailand and South America.