From Right: Carolyn from Vancouver, Desertwriter, Clarktwins, Firegrl820, Karasw, Jenhaha, and Hope from Atlanta.

Travel Media Showcase 2007 was held in Palm Springs, CA at Morongo Casino Resort and Spa. This was a wonderful opportunity for travel writers and destinations to meet face to face. It was also a great networking opportunity.

A few travelwriters.com members met up for a quick group picture at the closing dinner. Other members in attendance, but not pictured, include: Candy Harrington, Sunbeltsue, CPfeiffer, lurkers, and a few anonymi.

Next year's TMS will be held Sept. 2-5, 2008 in Kansas City, MO.

I finally made it to the UK! Whoopee!

I stayed at The Capital Hotel in Knightbridge. There were five writers and a variety of room types. My room Karma had kicked in and I lucked up with the two-bedroom flat. It was fantastic! I had my own private entrance, two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a dining/kitchen area, living area, and office area.


What the heck did I do to deserve such luxury? A colleague on the trip, Janis, got real upset with me. She insisted that I always get the "good" rooms. What? All the rooms at this place were good. They were phenom!

All I know is, it was a very nice start for the trip of my dreams. I've always wanted to visit the UK, because that's where my grandmother grew up. She was a War Bride who married an American soldier during WWII. I'll write more on that later.
The Capital Hotel is home to a Michelin 2 Star restaurant. We were treated to a private dinner one evening. The chef is very talented, serving delicious and filling selections from the menu. The wine is Levin, and comes from the hotel owner's winery. Mr. Levin graced us with a short visit. He is a super-nice man. The manager of the hotel, Henrik, is a doll.


Chef Eric, seen here, is full of humor and joking. This man cooks up some serious vittles.

Sexy Pose

Now go ahead and do your SEXY POSE!

Daytona Beach - The Shores Resort

I was invited to Daytona Beach to experience all it has to offer. I have to say, I was slightly surprised at what a nice place it is. I had invisioned Spring Break Party Place, but it really offers so much more.

A group of us stayed at The Shores Resort and Spa. My room was lovely with a four poster bed, sitting area, and all things nice. I had a balcony that overlooked the beach. Oohhh!
Part of the itinerary included a visit to The Daytona International Speedway. I went to Victory Lane and did my best Ricky Bobby impression. Of course, I had to hurry to get my picture taken, there were many others waiting for their turn.
We did so much while we were there, but I enjoyed the visit to Angell and Phelps, a local confectionary. Who could pass up these chocolates?

I had a fun time in Daytona Beach with Georgia and Tangela. Sushi, Champagne, the beach, and new friends. What a hard life!

Saint Tropez

Denise and I toasting at Chateau de la Messardiere, a secluded upscale property in Saint-Tropez. Of course, I have a glass of Champagne. We went the first week the Chateau was open for the season. It was still a bit chilly and I enjoyed that it was a slow time. The Chateau keeps all of its guests information totally private.
We went to the Saint-Tropez Polo Club where Diego, a polo player from Argentina, gave Denise some Polo lessons. I had to drag Denise away from all the horses so we could get to our next appointment.
My room (209) was fit for a princess. I really felt special in such a luxurious room. It was approachable elegance with a wonderful outdoor sitting area that was totally private.

What's a press trip without food? The pastry chef was a god and I wanted to take him home. Look at all that chocolate!

Champagne

I really like Champagne (and sometimes sparkling whites) on press trips. Ahhhh!

Food on Press Trips

All I can say is.....I'm full.

A Beach Wedding Trip

This is a shot of a few of our group before our first dinner. The trip was to a Florida resort and the focus was Weddings and Honeymoons.

This was a fantastic trip that included everything a bridal party would experience, should a wedding be held at this property. It was so good, it makes me want to get married all over again. Not!

WaterColor put together a bridal fashion show with a local shop. The clothes were all Nicole Miller. After the fashion show, there was a mock reception, with locals from the area attending. I had no idea who all these people were, but the champagne was really good.
The brides and bridesmaids were gorgeous. All of the writers had hair and makeup done by local vendors. It was a relaxing research trip and not what I am used to. I could get used to this.

My room overlooked the beach and the bathroom had a shower for two where you can see the Gulf. I sat outside on the balcony when I had the chance and took a few moments to take a deep breath. I love the beach and the way the waves lapping on the shore relaxes my mind.

I ended up covering this for a local television show for Valentine's Day. We even gave away a romantic getaway for two to this property.

Rosedown Plantation

I've been researching a travel book, "Romantic Getaways of the South" for a looooooong time. Well, maybe it is actually going to get finished. One of the destinations included in the book is St. Francisville, LA. It is near to where I live, but it is a very romantic, southern destination.

Rosedown Plantation is one of the places that holds so mamy memories for me. I first wrote about it when I was 13 years old and won a Louisiana History award for the project and research. My mother took me to the home and we walked around the gardens and the building taking in the history. I remember the statues in the gardens were missing a finger or a nose, yet no one knew how it happened.

Many years later, I married the grandson of a local doctor. My father in law told me stories of how when he was a little boy, Rosedown was a run down mansion where two elderly sisters lived. When they took ill, my husband's grandfather was the doctor who took care of them. My FIL would go along with his slingshot and run rampant through the overgrown gardens, using the statues for target practice.
A few years ago, the State of Louisiana purchased Rosedown from its current owner. Many things had disappeared, including those statues and most of the furnishings. When it reopened to the public, volunteers were needed for decorating. My mother studied Interior Decorating, so we helped during the Christmas season that year.

Mom and I decorated in the old style, by using natural objects found on the property for Christmas decorations. We also decorated the Butler's Pantry, printing out recipes on parchment paper and aging them.

I went for a tour a few weeks ago, and the tour guide told the visitors about how all the furnishings are original to the home and that these recipes were found in the attic. I just laughed all the way home that day.

Battle of Port Hudson

In 1863, one of the longest sieges in American history took place on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. The Siege of Port Hudson took place the same week as the battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg.

What was once a Mississippi River town is now a National Historic Landmark. Visitors can take part in living history events that reenact different aspects of the American Civil War.




Reenactors from all over the US convene on the field of battle to recreate scenes from history. They recreate camp life, battles, social life, and many other aspects of the times. Suttlers set up their wares offering Sassafras drinks, hand rolled cigars, hard tack, and clothing of the era.

Volunteers perform music of the times and teach visitors dance steps. The onsite Interpretor Center gives visitors a chance to look up ancestors who served in the war. Canon demostrations and various battles that occurred during the siege are scheduled throughout the reenactment weekends.
To learn more about Port Hudson and its history, visit the official site.

St. Patrick's Day in Baton Rouge

I was looking through my pictures and came across these. For the past few years, all of our friends have thought my husband had killed me and stuffed my body in a closet. I normally miss out on the fun times because I'm either working at the fire department or out of town. So, here I am enjoying the annual party at Doug and Laura's house, conveniently located on the parade route.
Here are two of my husband's closest friends. On the left is "The Godfather" and on the right is "Uncle Fletch". Back in the day, before kids, we used to hang out so much more.
I have no idea who this guy is, but he sure looks like he's having some fun.

Puppy Thunder

Every time I get a new vehicle, my parents have to get a new one. They always try to steal my new car thunder. Well, they stole my Puppy Thunder too.

We got a black and white mixed puppy that we call Sergeant Pepper (Sarge for short). Two weeks later my mother bought Bonnie Blue, a Westhighland Terrier.

She brought Bonnie over for a play date, but Sarge just wanted to show her who's boss.

New Orleans

This past February I went to New Orleans and stayed at The Hotel Monteleone. Hubs and I stayed in a deluxe room and were glad to have a weekend without the kiddos.



New Orleans tourist areas are just waiting for more tourists to visit. When the city was originally planned, the French Quarter was built on high ground, which saved it from the flooding. Any damage to the French Quarter was from violence in people, not Mother Nature.



The reason why we were in NOLA was for the Bellaonline gathering. I'm the travel editor for Romantic Getaways and have been there since 2003. Each year there is a get-together so all the editors can meet fact-to-face and have a chance for seminars on home business.



We all went to breakfast one morning and tried to get into Cafe' du Monde. Unfortunately for us, but fortunate for the sake of tourism, the wait to get seated was an hour. We opted for a morning meal across the street and right at the edge of Jackson Square.
We sat around the table and discussed taxes, organization, and just making time for getting work done. All the gals were really nice and I enjoyed gettin to know all of them.



After breakfast, we took a walk around the Quarter and glanced through The French Market. This is the place to get souveniers of all kinds to take home.





We were hoping to catch a glimpse of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, but it just wasn't meant to be.

I really enjoyed my evening in NOLA with my husband and the chance to meet other BellaOnline editors. It was also nice to see people in New Orleans again.

Proboscis Borneo Lodge

Jared and I were scheduled to fly to Sarawak, but the radio tower was down at the airport. Our flight was cancelled, and since I was only to be there for one night, we had the option to stay at Proboscis Borneo Lodge for the night.
The lodge has three different room types, Longhouse, platform room and these rooms. Jared wanted air conditioning, so I had to stay in the same area of the lodge as him. We were the only people staying there for the night.
That night we took a boat down the Klias River. There were fireflies in the trees that lit up like Christmas. Thousands of them dotted the trees and the sky was clear and starry. It was a fitting end to a wonderful trip.

Mount Kinabalu

We took a trip to Kinabalu Park at the foothills of Mount Kinabalu. Jared opted to sit in the van and work on some editing. I didn't travel all the way to Malaysia to sit in a van, so I took the canopy walk. It was raining, so there weren't any other visitors. Philip, our guide, came along with me. It was so quiet and peaceful in the canopy.
On the drive back, Mount Kinabalu cleared up for a few minutes. It was just long enought to snap of few pictures of the highest peak in SE Asia. I'd love to hike to the top one day.
This Santa Clause Orchid is one of thousands of orchids found on Borneo.