Alcohol and your Heart!!

This was one of the more fun news spots I've done. Some of my friends still tease me over it...

Smoking is Bad for You!

I know. This is not new news however people continue to smoke. Here is some info that make help someone decide to stop (or hopefully never to start).

News spot on Heart Health

We just finished Heart Month! Here is a brief mention of some approaches to be more heart healthy!

Experiment travel blog

It's been to long but as I ready to travel I know thoughts will come to me. I don't want to carry a journal and I have had enjoyed some electronic writing so let's take this public and see how it goes. Merry Christmas and there is more to come...

Maybe a return of the blog...

Been thinking about starting the blog again but for starters I'll just post a nice sunset from Ala MoanaBeach park... But it's been forever since I've posted and figuring out Google Chrome on my new iPad is slowing things down, I'm not typically a tech idiot, oh well. Still I got to get to work so No more time for playing around...

Great Sunset

Not much needs to be said. This is at the Mauna Lani resort on Kohala coast of the Big Island. Clearly this is a resort, this sort of thing doesn't go on in normal places but still, I so love living here.

It is also a shame I miss so many sunsets. This one was actually taken last month from the same place....

Been too long...

I can't even begin to describe what the last two years have been. Just over nine months ago I took perhaps the biggest leap in my life and I moved to Hawaii. I thought about doing a blog on my first year here but I felt like there was so much I needed to take in writing it all down just wasn't were I wanted to be. Last week I took my first Tango class and perhaps that will become a new activity but I'm not sure yet. I know I need to find a way to live more. I had a birthday 2 weeks ago and it felt like a reminder of how much time has flown by. This morning I was thankfully off after a weekend on call. I started my day with a hike at the Makapu lighthouse. Next I need to hit Manoa falls, here is a recent photo from the botanical garden close by...

ALOHA!!!

Hotel reviews...

Maybe I missed my true calling. I get a kick out of posting customer reviews of hotels on Expedia, I consider it a bit of public service. I make use of the reviews of others so I like to give back. For this I have found and corrected several typos which for those of you who know me, know this is true to my form. Besides the love of travel you can also see I'm all about the food and drink. Here are a few of my works....

Club Quarters in Philadelphia
Tech-friendly Philadelphia hotel in historic building



(I didn't take many photos while there since I wasn't on vacation, but I saw this fallen sign and light (my foot in picture for perspective) a few blocks away and liked them)

A traveler from Baltimore, MD recommends this hotel
Overall satisfaction 4
Hotel service 4.0
Hotel condition 4.0
Room cleanliness 5.0
Room comfort 4.0

Posted: 18-Nov-09
Great Location, Nice Hotel
This is a great downtown location. There are several more expensive hotels within walking distance but this is good basic accommodations. It is not fancy but there is everything you need. Plus the free WiFi is great, some more expensive hotels actually charge an additional fee for their WiFi. In other reviews there are complaints of slow elevators but that must have been fixed because only once on my several trips up and down did I feel I waited for the elevator too long. This is a progressive hotel and the one thing I wished they had was recycling available at least on the floors if not in each room, but there are separated bins along the streets in downtown philly so that is workable. The parking situation is a bit of a pain too, the lot is around the corner and about $28 a day. If the weather were bad on my visit I would not have enjoyed walking a block with all my luggage.

Traveler's tip on dining
The restaurant attached to the hotel gives a 15% discount to hotel guests dining in. Also Friday nights they offer no corkage fee so if you bring your own wine you get a good deal on a phenomenal steak dinner!


The next I had so much to say I must have exceeded the word limit. I'm one of the few folks who was not impressed by the hotel, but I hold high standards:)...

Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac
Historic resort hotel overlooking Old Quebec


Margo V from Baltimore, MD does not recommend this hotel

Overall satisfaction 3
Hotel service 3.0
Hotel condition 3.0
Room cleanliness 5.0
Room comfort 2.0

Posted: 19-Oct-09
Full of History, needs some updating
Lovely structure and great location. Most of the staff, especially in the restaurants are very accommodating. One of the problems it seems the hotel is too big. When I arrived, the front area was so crowded I had to pull my own bags up the stairs and no one even tried to help me. I’d expect this of a Holiday Inn. The lobby is crowded and needs redesigned for better work flow. The ventilation is also poor and the shopping area smelled of the close by bathrooms. My "Moderate" room was the size of a closet and there were noises in the walls all night, I had to sleep with earplugs. Never mind the construction right outside of my window that forced me to keep the darkening shade down all day to keep from giving the workmen a free show. The beds are old and uncomfortable and it seems the "Moderate Rooms" (which still are far from cheap) and only stocked with minimal toiletries. If you want to spend a lot of money and get a suite with a view I’m sure the stay would be nicer although I suspect the beds would st

Traveler's tip on dining
There is a great wine shop next to the hotel, for sure buy there instead of room service and the rooms are provided with bottle openers. There are also some small grocery shops a few blocks away for snacks.


This third hotel had so many uniformly saccharine reviews on a variety of travel sites I was a bit suspicious that some may have been staged but who knows. In general I find negative hotel reviews more useful and several of the grips other travelers had for this hotel rang true.

Pan Pacific Singapore
Contemporary design with cityscape and harbour views


Margo V from Baltimore, MD recommends this hotel
Overall satisfaction 4
Hotel service 3.0
Hotel condition 4.0
Room cleanliness 5.0
Room comfort 5.0

Posted: 12-Feb-09
Good hotel, Great location, not worth the price
I researched many hotels before booking and most of the 4/5 star places had similar complaints. This place did try to switch my room from a king bed to 2 singles at check in. When challenged they quickly changed back. Although all my online bookings clearly have my title as either "Ms" or "Dr" they addressed me as "Mr", I think I’m pretty obviously a girl. Finally, I requested a late check out which the gave me but then my room card stopped working at 11am anyway and I got calls to make sure I was preparing to leave, I felt very rushed and I know the hotel was far from full.

Traveler's tip on dining
The hotel is attached to several malls so it is a short indoor walk to many cheap and tasty eateries. I did get room service once and the food was excellent but pricey. Also consider planning ahead and getting alcohol from duty free before you land because all drinks are rather pricey in Singapore.

Selling out (but I so love their products I just want to share the love :)

Join Aveda's Birthday Program

I actually kept a resolution?

Sooooo.... I know these are fuzzy but they were taken at night with a camera phone. One of my new years resolutions was to start playing again. It is a part of me that I let medicine slowly push out and something I have missed more than anything. Music is the only thing I can do that absolutely clears my mind- I can't even pray without getting distracted. 2009 has been set to be the year I get me back.

There are too many holes in my life but one night about a month ago through dumb luck and just being at the right place in the right time I got a chance to play in front of actual people again. I always joke that if I had different parents I would have been a musician. I'd be a poor mediocre one but still if I had it to do again I not have kept music in the "just a hobby" category. I would not have taken the safe route. I would have followed a dream.

Out of order

Perhaps the things I was planning to post a few weeks ago will get posted soon. In the meanwhile two shots from my dads surprise b-day party yesterday. The party was a blast and I got a taste of something I love doing- party planning. Happy Birthday dad!

History

Since this is the lamest blog ever, I'm not really trying to keep up to date but there have been random thoughts I've been wanting to post. I'm working on getting more music in my life and I feel sorry for my poor neighbors who have to suffer through hearing me practice. I've had some from travel domestically to Boston, Dallas and Hobe Sound and internationally to Thailand and Singapore over the last 6 months. Maybe one day pictures will show up but in the mean time here is me at the inauguration. "Mob scene" does not come close to describing the tons of people but there are few moments in life where there is such energy in the air and I'm glad I was able to be a dot on Mall in Washington that day.

Out to lunch

So I'm pushing a year since my last post, does this thing even count anymore?

There are lots of lovely photos and recent travels I ought to share and as soon as I get more time I most likely will. Most recently I was in Peru, Machu Picchu is incredble. If you need something more find me on facebook :)

A site worth checking out

http://www.freerice.com/

It is a free game that for every word definition you get correct corporations will donate rice. No log on, no minimum, no limit. Could helping be easier???

Cutie

This is carters second and I'm not sure last apperance here, his is way cuter now!!!

I know I never update

I have so many good photos but for now settle with this-

That's Eleise, Nicole and me waving from Ile Pinal in St. Martin. Really. Trust me on this one :).

Happy Valentines!!

Here is the latest love of my life, my newest nephew. He is as yet un-named but we affectionatly call him 'Tad'.



I'll spare you the picture that proves he is a boy!!!

Late second try

Cindy, me, Monica and JR...
I don't remember all the names... Jacob holding little cousin, Jeffs Uncle, Jeffs nephew, cousin, Jeff, cousin, Bob (monica's dad), Daniel, Earl, Kid and JR

So some time ago I was having some trouble posting. But here is a very late congrats to Monica and Jeff. They both look stunning and I look pretty darn cute too :).

Happy Birthday Milt!

ok, a few days late but check out the photos!!


Dad, Ellen, Mom and Milt, all look AWESOME!!

Eleise and me with a Harley.

My girl Peri!!!

Am I allowed to post this?

I love this cartoon! Mr. McGruder is a genious!!Years ago, this was originally posted and I thought "Wow, that is my life!" I thought then I should clip the strip or something. It has just recently been re-posted. Now, I'm sharing my pain with you...