Press Trip

Cafe Brulot

2008-02-16T14:42:00.001-06:00

We're moving!

2008-01-08T10:12:00.000-06:00

This blog is being moved to presstrip.wordpress.com.

See you there!

2007-11-30T09:54:00.000-06:00

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.

2007-07-07T16:13:00.000-05:00

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

2007-05-18T02:57:00.001-05:00

Now go ahead and do your SEXY POSE!

Daytona Beach - The Shores Resort

2007-05-18T02:41:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-18T02:26:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-18T02:24:00.001-05:00

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

Food on Press Trips

2007-05-18T02:19:00.001-05:00

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

A Beach Wedding Trip

2007-05-18T02:04:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-18T01:41:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-18T01:20:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-18T01:07:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-18T01:00:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-18T00:42:00.001-05:00

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

2007-04-08T01:58:00.000-05:00

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

2007-04-08T01:41:00.000-05:00

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.

Monsopiad Cultural Village

2007-04-08T01:24:00.000-05:00

Jared and I took an afternoon to visit Monsopiad Cultural Village. Monsopiad was a Kadazun warrior and headhunter. The cultural village is run by his descendants, who want to teach visitors about their culture and history. A visit is started with rice wine, the traditional welcome. Jared didn't want his, so I drank his (I didn't want to offend our hosts).
The cultural village is a private entity, relying on visitors and donations to keep it running.
Traditional dances are performed, with blow gun demonstrations. Blow guns were used to paralyze people and animals during the hunt. People who were captured had their heads removed. Monsopiad had more than 42 heads in his House of Skulls. The Kadazan perform a ceremony each year to honor the spirit of the victims.
Most of the skulls are still intact and visitor can view them with a staff member. Only one person in the tribe is allowed to touch the skulls, and then only when he has permission from the skulls.

Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu

2007-04-08T01:14:00.000-05:00

Jared and I flew to Kota Kinabalu on the Island of Borneo. We stayed at Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu and barely had time to take a breath before we were scheduled to do a site visit of Shangri La Rasa Ria. I really wanted to see the Orang Utan sanctuary for my website, but all the hotel did was walk us around. We finally got to the sanctuary, but the Orang Utans were put up for the day. I don't even know why we went, as we didn't get to see what we were supposed to. I did get to see the beach......for five minutes. And people think travel writers lay around drinking umbrella drinks.
My room at Le Meridien was fantastic. Everyone I met there was so nice and helpful. The hotel has a pool on site, a spa, workout facilities, bar, restaurant, business center, and conference facilities. Housekeeping was also on top of things. I had no complaints about this hotel.
From my window I could see the Philipino Market and Floating Village.

Eye on Malaysia

2007-04-08T00:50:00.000-05:00

The second night in Kuala Lumpur, all the travel writers were gathered at a hotel for a buffet dinner. Then, we were ushered into our vehicles for a police escort to the Eye on Malaysia unveiling. The locals had been there all day enjoying the festivities. The media was brought to a seating area for a concert and performance. The Prime Minister was ro make an entrance later. Every time someone mentioned the Prime Minister of Malaysia, I snickered inside as thoughts of Zoolander entered my mind.
Costumed girls made their procession through the crowds. I was waiting for someone to throw me some beads, but then I remembered I was in Malaysia, not New Orleans.
The concert and performances began, as did the rain. I was seated next to Jared and behind the Dublin ladies. We started chatting and then the Australian gang joined us. Behind me was the editor from the Seoul Times who was pleasant to converse with. All the Malaysian superstars were singing on stage, but everyone sat in their seats. The Dublin Ladies and I started dancing while we giggled at the Saudi writers who were so excited to be able to dance and listen to music. There were new crews from all over and I think I was one television in 10 different countries that night.

After the festivities, the Australians and Dublin Ladies invited me for some grog. Jared was ready to get back to the hotel, so the driver had to go with him. I piled into the Australian van where we went to Legends Bar for a beer. We all had a nice chat, with me explaining that "No, Jared is not my husband," and exchanged cards, promising to email. The Dublin Ladies shared a cab with me back to the hotel. Such nice people.

Petaling Street

2007-04-08T00:39:00.000-05:00

Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur is the place to get t-shirts and fake Burberry purses. The fake purses were nicer than the authentic Burberries. They were fabric, whereas the fake purses are plastic.
I researched before my trip and found references on the web about pickpockets on Petaling Street. I could see where tourists would be vulnerable in crowds, but no one bothered me.
You can buy just about anything on Petaling Street.

Malaysia

2007-04-07T23:58:00.000-05:00

I was recognized by Tourism Malaysia at the opening night.

Somehow, someway, I was invited to visit Malaysia for my website, GiftedTravel.com. It took me about 22 hours in the air to get to Kuala Lumpure (KL to the locals). I only had one hour before the first function. I was paired up with Jared Barclay, a travel writer from Los Angeles. We walked into the press conference late and found out that there were 426 travel writers from all over the globe. I think I was one of two blondes out of the entire group. Somehow, I was seated at the VIP table next to the Minister of Tourism. Other writers at the table were from Ireland, UAE, France, and Bali.

After the dinner was over, Jared asked to stop and purchase film. Our driver brought us to the Petronas Towers. Of course, I had to have my picture taken for my personal scrapbook.
The next morning, we went to the mall and had some pulled tea. These girls sold muffins near the tea stand. It was a satisfying morning snack.
Our guide for the Kuala Lumpur portion of the visit was Hindu. He graciously took me to the temple and walked me around, explaining some traditions of his faith.

A Trip to Simpson, LA

2007-04-07T23:37:00.000-05:00

The house where my grandmother lived with her five brothers and sisters.

My grandmother(Mimi) and aunt(Robbi) came in for a visit. They live in Alabama. Mimi hasn't been back to Louisiana since my wedding eleven years ago. We took her to see her sister, Aunt Bonnie. They all grew up in Simpson, Louisiana and a few relatives still live there.

My mom, Robbi (aunt), Stacey (Ruth's daughter), Mimi, and Ruth (cousin)

We visited Aunt Bonnie and all the cousins stopped by for a chat. I remember spending the night at Aunt Bonnie's house. All the men would get up early to go hunting. Aunt Bonnie would make the best black iron skillet buisuts and fried backstrap for breakfast. Mmmm!

We made a pit stop on our way out of Simpson at Ruth's house. She just got home from having bypass surgery. Ruth's mother, Sadie, is Mimi's sister. Aunt Sadie lives in Tennessee near Mimi.

My Mom, Mimi, and Robbi

Halfway back to Baton Rouge, we stopped at Lea's for a piece of pie. Of course, my mother had to bring home an entire pie for my dad. It is good pie, though.

Chocolate Meringue Pie at Lea's

And we all wonder in our family why we're overweight. Must be genetics. ;)

Travel Media Showcase

2007-04-07T23:24:00.000-05:00

Willesha Lakin and myself

Travel Media Showcase is an industry gathering that has been described as "speed dating for travel writers" by my friend and colleague, Hillary Easom. This is a very good description. Travel writers from all over North America gather together for networking and appointments with destinations and public relations companies. In 2006, it was held in Fayetteville, North Caroline. I met some new friends, like Williesha Lakin.

Me, Brenda Potter Reynolds, and Kimberly Button

I also was able to meet some gals from BellaOnline.com, one of the websites I contribute to. This next year (2007) it will be held near Palm Springs, CA. I hope to be able to attend, but it all depends on schedules and airfare.

Fort Bragg

2007-04-07T23:17:00.001-05:00

My friend Ernest Robl provided these pictures. I did some "training" where the 82nd Airborne trains at Fort Bragg. This was made possible on a day trip during Travel Media Showcase 2006. It was held in Fayetteville, North Carolina. I don't know how these guys and gals jump out of airplanes. I know I was very scared and I had a few false starts before I was able to get myself to jump.
But, I finally jumped. There's something unnatural about stepping off into air. I've done all my firefighter training and like to do adventurous things, but jumping without any tension in a line is just downright scary. I was so glad after those first four seconds and I felt the safety of the line.

It's a good thing I went to the bathroom before I jumped, because I would have peed in my pants otherwise.

So, to our men and women who jump out of airplanes and such for our freedom.....I salute you. You are some very brave people. And now, I have satisfied my curiousity and know that I will never desire to bungee jump.