Destination: The World. Read on for stories from the detours.
DAY 5 – Monday, June 17 Are we there yet?? Waking up on our final morning in Paris to the sounds of a heavy rainstorm including loud, rolling booms of thunder, I couldn’t help but think of my favorite French word that I would finally get to use today. “Ou est mon […]
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Day 6 – Tuesday, June 18 – Regent Cruise Lines, Seven Seas Mariner What’s not to love about starting the day with an endless breakfast buffet in a gorgeous European hotel venue and meeting interesting new acquaintances as you size them up for ‘worthiness’ as potential travel companions prior to boarding your Mediterranean […]
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Day 7 – Wednesday, June 19 – First Stop: Portofino, Italy With our cruise ship anchored in Portofino Bay, we took our breakfast dining al fresco alongside the incredibly alluring panorama of coastal scenery, and I simply couldn’t get Andre Bocelli off my mind. You see, back at home just a few short months earlier […]
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Thursday, June 20 – Lovely Lucca! Have you ever pictured yourself enjoying a leisurely afternoon in Tuscany, perhaps shopping and sipping wine? Well, did that vision ever include you riding a bicycle? Up until today, I must confess, mine did not, but all of a sudden here we were getting sized up for our […]
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This picture of the Vatican was NOT taken on this trip because, well, remember when I told you we are sight-skippers? Yes we are, and yes, we did. Friday, June 21: Civitavecchia/Rome Big decision for us today, and the contemplation actually had begun several days earlier. You see on a cruise, one has to make […]
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DAY 10 – Saturday, June 22: Sorrento/CAPRI where Lemons= Limoncello=Happiness First of all, let’s all get a piccolo glass of limoncello in our hands as we read this little story because as world-savvy travelers, you do know that this area around Naples, specifically Sorrento and the Island of Capri, is where that luscious-lemony-liquid […]
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Sunday, June 23: Sicily – Non di Corsa Not in a hurry. Piú piano. Slower! When I think back to our day spent on the island of Sicily I remember the relaxed, leisurely pace of it all. Very reminiscent of ‘old Italy’, the kind we see portrayed in movies where there’s action but […]
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Monday, June 24: Corfu, Greece OOPA! Even though we were first-timers to Greece, I can’t really say that there were any surprises on this stop. It looked like all the pictures we had ever seen of any one of the Greek Islands, only much, much more spectacular. Turquoise waters splashing up against rocky coves, brilliantly […]
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Tuesday, June 25: Kotor, Montenegro Surprise! It’s Both Old and New Here’s a true confession: Prior to our cruise, I really had no idea where this country was, nor did I know anything about it. In fact, I actually mistakenly thought that Montenegro was a city, not a country. And even though we had […]
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Wednesday, June 26 Croatia is where again?“I’m sorry; could you repeat what you just said?” For a minute, I thought I heard husband say he wanted to go mountain biking in Croatia but he must have said ‘I want to go mountain hiking’ in Croatia. Yes, surely that’s what he said. A nice leisurely stroll […]
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Thursday, June 27: VENEZIA! “If you read a lot, nothing is as great as you’ve imagined. Venice is — Venice is better.” [Fran Lebowitz] I totally agree. And judging by the passenger comments we overheard from all those who were gathered on the upper deck as our ship cruised into port this morning, […]
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. . .and taxis, bikes, shuttles busses, and limos, too. This is the end of the never-ending cruise story series! But, before I get to the wrap up, I do want to thank everyone who has been reading these blog posts and taking the journey with us. For sure it was a memorable and fun trip, […]
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I know it’s been a while since we spent Mother’s Day together, in fact, I honestly can’t even remember what we did on that last one back in 2000, but I sure hope we had some fun and shared some laughs because, well, back then I didn’t realize it would be our last one. I’m […]
Read MoreAnd I know just the place to start doing that. Harry’s Poolside Bar & Grill at the Rosen Centre Hotel is now hosting a series of beer-pairing dinners, Harry’s Brewmaster Series, that are both fun and incredibly educational, even after you’ve sipped and slurped and tasted your way through five complete meal courses and six exceptional beers. That’s right, I used the words ‘fun’ and ‘educational’ in the same sentence; but did you also notice that I’m talking about drinking beer? Kudos to the culinary braintrust at the Rosen Centre who concocted this unique event, which actually is an extension of their still very popular Vine and Dine at Rosen Centre which I’ve also written about here. Except that having attended one of each, I have to admit that the beer pairing seemed to hold the edge on the fun factor. Why? I don’t know, just trust me on this one. Maybe it was the combination of the more casual but chic, poolside location of Harry’s Bar & Grill. Maybe it was because when your first course is Steamed Pork Belly Buns and your last course is Beer Battered Granny Smith Apples (with a chocolate rum dipping sauce) it’s just more fun to talk about. And eat. Or, maybe, possibly it’s just because drinking beer itself tends to invite more colorful conversations (even without having a ball game blasting away in surround sound on ten different TV screens). Whatever the reason, the night was lively, and at only $50 per person it’s a steal of a dining out deal. Here’s the review in pictures and all photo credits go to professional photographer, Richard Pabis (what, like you thought I could be trusted with a camera while eating and drinking all this?):
Read MoreI know what most of you are thinking – not in my backyard, right? Well think again, dear reader, because this topic keeps rearing its ugly head, even right here in our own beautiful city full of magic and make-believe. In fact, as recently as January 22 of this very year the Orlando Sentinel featured […]
Read MoreFrom time to time I like to write about different jobs in the hospitality industry because, well, there are tons of them. So many, in fact, that I always tell people if you are unhappy with your current hospitality position you have no one to blame but yourself because all you need to do is look around and spread your wings – fly right,turn left, look up, then down. There is such a variety of jobs under this broad category that I could write about a different one every day of the week and you and I both would still be learning . But, I’m not going to do that because, well, frankly that might get boring. Plus, I’m not a headhunter (please don’t start sending me your resumes), so I’m going to spare you the details of Hospitality Jobs 101 and go straight to some of the more interesting ones. Please consider this part of the advanced course.
Read MoreMany of us are already up to our turkey necks with food prep for the big holiday ahead, so reading another blog post about pumpkin pies and cranberry sauce might not seem too important right now. Go ahead and thank me for avoiding same because that’s not what this story is about. Instead, I want to focus on a different food issue. The one some people turn a blind eye to.
Hunger.
More specifically, hunger in our own neighborhoods, in people we meet and pass each day within our own communities.
If you’re reading this right now you probably aren’t worried about where your next meal is coming from. In fact, you might be hard pressed to even remember what it feels like to be hungry, and I’m not referring to that gap between your last Starbucks and the chicken salad you bought for lunch. I’m talking about to honest to goodness hunger pains that start to take over your stomach first, then your mental state of mind when you’ve only had one meal in the last two days. Or, maybe none at all.
Read MoreThis is the week – Halloween is here! Have you heard enough about it yet, or can you stand a little more?
If you’re not into the whole HHN freak out at Universal, and yet Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party doesn’t quite do it for you either, here’s another option, Skeletons: Animals Unveiled! It’s ‘under the wheel’ at the Orlando Eye complex and for sure it’s the real deal with over 40 exhibits featuring more than 400 real animal skeletons in poses and dioramas that will give you a whole new perspective (dare we say, um, the actual inside scoop?) on our friends in the animal kingdom. Plus, the price of this one might not rattle your bones as much as those other options with current ticket prices at $19.99 per adult and $12.99 for kids ages 3-11.
Read MoreThis post is about vampires. . .and asylum. . .and James Bond. Oh my! October’s a long, busy month, so for sure it’s a slow build, but when you get to the crazy holiday climax at the end – aka Halloween – it just seems right to let loose then, doesn’t it? Even if you don’t dress up […]
Read MoreAs I finished up my work with another convention group here in Orlando today the client mentioned they were heading out to the airport early due to all the hurricane preparations.
“Huh? Joaquin has already passed Florida and moving on up North” I replied. “Looks like this one is missing us.”
“We know, and now it’s expected to hit us back in New Jersey, so we need to get outta this place right away and get home!”
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Terry's World Travels 