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                 The world lost a true hero today, RIP Nelson Mandela. He lived a full life of limitless lessons and provided us all with so many reasons to be better human beings. Finding strength and forgiveness in a challenged life when many would rebel and take it out on those around them. Through all the chaos he managed to take a deep breath, reflect on his past and begin a journey down an uncharted path inspiring others to follow his lead. He will always be a symbol of hope and remind us all of what we as humans can overcome.  One Love.

WENDI, GIVING THE FUTURE HOPE

Wendi

              One of the many things I am passionate about is helping those in need.  I don't care if it's a person or an animal  I will contribute what I can in hope that it makes their life a little bit better or grows awareness for a cause. I have fostered a sweet little girl in Africa, a whale off the Atlantic Coast, adopted my dogs from the shelter and my latest soft spot is for the adorable orphaned elephants in East Africa. Nothing tears me up more than seeing people and animals that have no say of their fate in life. I ran across a story on particular orphaned elephant named Wendi, who was rescued from the David Sheldrick Fund in Kenya. Just a few days old with her umbilical cord still attached she was found alone in the swamp after her family had fled due to poachers. The Orphans Project has given her the name Wendi, which in the local tribal dialect means HOPE. The project rescues elephants and rhinos just like Wendi that have been orphaned due to the disgusting poaching problem in that region and gives HOPE to the innocent animals that have been treated so horribly by the hands of selfish humans.

Wendi getting some shade from the sun

             I have been fostering Wendi since February. For a $50 minimum yearly fee you can help support this project with the rehabilitation of the elephants and rhinos after being rescued. You will receive monthly journal updates along with watercolor paintings of your new friend. I really love this project and feel they do a great job of helping the orphans and keeping those fostering them informed about the situation that is taking place. The $50 sponsorship fee is priceless compared to the life you help give to these magical creatures! For more information check out http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org .

I See Life with The Glass Half Full..

 

                         I like to believe that the best is yet to come in life, The Glass Is Half Full. One of my favorite things to do on the weekend is for my husband and I to explore Cleveland and find new places around the city. We also love to hit up some of our favorite spots to have a drink or two and enjoy some great conversation with people. The Grayton Road Tavern, near the airport, is a great place to hear some live music, watch a game or be part of one of the many parties they have going on throughout the year. The bartenders here are the best and everyone feels like family. The pizza and mozzarella moons are my favorites!! 

Grayton Road Tavern

              Another one of my favorite places to spend some time on the weekend is the Taphouse located in Tremont, just outside of Cleveland. The Taphouse has  some of the best food I have eaten around here and the atmosphere is a cozy industrial bar offering a generous variety of craft beers. The menu is phenomenal offering the best Mac N Cheese on the planet, BBQ chicken tacos, calamari and lets not forget about the mussels covered in gorgonzola cheese and fries!!

 

 

           We were lucky to be at the Taphouse during Beer Week this past week when the Bell's Brewery was there that day and we got to sample some of their yummy beers and meet some of the brewers. They also have a great brunch on Sundays to help get your Sunday Funday started!I'm always impressed with the places we find throughout Cleveland that offer great food, interesting beers and good people!
                                  

http://www.tremonttaphouse.com

 

 

Taboo or Tattoo

      I love the art of tattoos! They hold various meanings in so many different cultures and have served several purposes over the years. So many people have body art these days that it's taken the taboo away from the people that have previously judged them. I always love hearing everyone's unique story behind their artwork. My husband is covered in them and it definitely fits his creative personality.  With people now even getting tattooed for cosmetic reasons (eyeliner, lips etc.) I'm curious to see where it will go from here. I have been envisioning my future tattoo for years now but it will probably be a few more until I get it exactly how I want it. Guess for now I will have to stick to my temporary henna tattoos....

 

DESTINATION WEDDINGS

                    A growing trend in the travel industry are Destination Weddings. As a certified Destination Wedding Specialist I am booking more and more people traveling to a dream destination for their big day and it's a smart idea! I recently went to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic to check out some wedding spots and was impressed at all the beautiful places couples can tie the knot there. A destination wedding can actually be a much more affordable way to get married with many resorts now offering 'free weddings' throughout Mexico and the Caribbean. The bride and groom often extend their stay from the rest of their guests into their honeymoon.  All-Inclusive beach locations seem to be the favorite along with lake side retreats, cruises and the oh so popular Vegas! I also offer an option for the bride and groom to set up a 'Honey Money' registry where guests can make payments for the soon to be couple to go toward their honeymoon instead of traditional wedding gifts.

Bavaro Beach

Tips for planning a destination wedding:
*Pick a destination that reflects you as a couple
*Plan ahead, earlier the better
*Set a budget and stick to it
*Make sure to research rules and regulations of the country or state you are getting married
*Review  your contract from any resort or establishment you plan to marry before making any payments to make sure you know everything included
*Check the weather at your destination when you will be going so you know what to expect
*Contact me, a Destination Wedding Specialist, to make planning your big day easy!

Now Larimar Resort

Dreams Palm Beach

Dreams Punta Cana

I love Thai food and my husband and I tried out a new place near our house called Thai Elephant. It was excellent! I always have to get the Pad Thai and also tried the Basil Rolls and Hot and Sour Soup. It's always nice to see a new restaurant come into the neighborhood and add a new taste in the mix compared to all the Irish Bars and Pubs in the area. Rating- 4*

PARK n RIDE

                   One of my favorite things about living in Cleveland is the Cleveland Metroparks. The park system consists of 20,000 acres and winds around the city like an emerald necklace offering unlimited activities for nature lovers and miles of scenic driving. I walk my dog every morning before I go to work and there is always something new to see and provides some of the cities most beautiful scenery. The park is filled with wildlife that feeds off the river, lake and dense forest that surrounds it. Runners, walkers and bikers can follow the trails and there are even designated horse trails that you can ride through the woods and along the river. If golf is your game you can Tee off at one of the 8 golf courses found throughout the park offering some spectacular views. When the snow falls in Cleveland the fun doesn't stop in the Metroparks. You can go tobogganing, cross country skiing, ice fishing, sledding and snowshoeing. If you prefer to be in the water than on land you will not be disappointed. There are strong boating communities and marinas around the city with easy access to Lake Erie along with kayaking and paddle boarding giving people another option to enjoy the park system. You can also try the art of archery, or sign up for one of the many classes or unique nature hikes offered giving you a better insight into what is living in the park and how it survives. I also love watching everything in the park evolve with the changing seasons. The bare winter trees with frozen branches thaw into colorful breathing buds then overgrow into lush vegetation only to then turn into fallen pieces of reminders that another season has passed. I am blessed to have the Metroparks in my backyard and have this truly unique treasure of the city a part of my everyday life.

 http://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/Main/Home.aspx

AN OASIS AT SEA

Rock Climbing Wall

            After 20+ years as a Travel Agent I finally went on a cruise and totally spoiled myself by setting sail on the Oasis Of The Seas with Royal Caribbean. I must admit that before this trip through the Eastern Caribbean I wanted nothing to do with cruising. To me cruising seemed so boring and I was sure I would go stir crazy being stuck on a ship for a week. Who would want to be stuck at sea with thousands of people they didn't know? Out on the water without land in sight for sometimes more than a day at a time? No Thank You! Well after a week on this this ship I found myself  falling in love with my vacation at sea and embracing the beauty of cruising. The Oasis Of The Seas is massive (holds almost 8,000 people!)and it's a destination in itself. It offers 25 restaurants and 35 bars to let loose in, along with a nice size casino and plenty of onboard shopping. Every day the ship offers different sales with deals on purses, watches and jewelry etc.

Wave Rider

Central Park

              The entertainment was impressive being home to a phenomenal floating aqua show, dating game, dance contests, art auctions to name a few and a comedy show that was hilarious! I will suggest going to the midnight show when it's adult only and the acts are on their worst behavior. It also has a featured Broadway show which was Hairspray when we sailed. There are 7 neighborhoods you can explore that will make you feel more like you are in a city than on a ship. Oasis Of The Seas is unique that is can appeal to couples, families, and singles. It really does offer fun for everyone! There are 2  wave riders to practice your surfing skills, zip lining, ice-skating and even 2 rock climbing walls. My husband and I were lucky enough to get a cabin with a balcony and it was so worth it to be able to sit on our balcony and have our breakfast with the open sea surrounding us and just be able to get fresh air without leaving our cabin.We spent our evenings bar hopping from the English Pub to the Cuban Club to the roof top bar and finding ourselves at the casino many times in between. 

Aqua Theatre

                          The ship was large enough that you never felt as though there were so many people at sea with you and there was enough going on you could never be bored. The staff on this sailing was fabulous and made the experience everything it was. We made friends from all around the world on our trip and have so many great memories. I'm not gonna lie cruises can be gluttonous and fabricated and sometimes so obviously cheesy that my husband and I often
found ourselves laughing at the pure ridiculousness of it all. The 1 hour 'Super Sale' lasted for 3 days, the buffet would turn into a feeding frenzy and the daily live reggae band at the pool did make you feel like you were living ground hog day. All in all though I would say cruising is a great way to travel and experience multiple destinations within one vacation and get an idea of where you may want to go back again to spend some time. Next stop... Southern Caribbean

           I'm a sucker for a beautiful sunrise or sunset. I love how the sky changes with the seasons and no two are ever the same. Here's a few pics I took of the Cleveland sky this summer...

Wah Do Dem

I ran across this movie on Netflix and absolutely love it! It follows one mans adventure heading to Jamaica on a cruise and things do not turn out quite as he planned. http://www.wahdodem.com/

 

Tracing Our Roots

My Grandparents

                       One of the things I love about America is that it's a true melting pot of cultures. I love finding out everyone's story and how they ended up here. In Cleveland where I live we have many heritages representing our city, We have lively neighborhoods of Italians, Irish, Greek, Middle Eastern, Asian and Eastern Europeans in the city. My family is Hungarian, Polish and Slovakian and I married into a dominant Irish and Italian family, all which play a huge part in the Cleveland culture. Every weekend hosts a festival or entertainment of some kind to get you in the mood to learn about one of the cultures that has infused itself here. While awaiting my future trip to Hungary to investigate my family's past I decided to go onto Ancestors.com to get a little start on my journey. I was able to find out a few interesting facts. I learned when my grandfather and his family arrived in the USA from Hungary, the ship they sailed on and I was even able to see when he decided to cross the boarder into Canada with his brother to visit Niagara Falls so many years ago. It's actually pretty amazing what you can find out online and what details were recorded so long ago are still available for us to find like hidden buried treasures. Check out http://www.ancestry.com to learn more about the stories of your family tree and trace the roots in which they grew from.



Ghosts Of Mansfield

     It's October (even though it feels like it's July) and you know what that means, Halloween is around the corner and hauntings and spirits are ready to remind the living that they are not to be forgotten. Not to long ago I made my first visit to the famously haunted Mansfield Reformatory in Ohio. I have written briefly about this fascinating place before in my blog but this was my first time inside, exploring it and searching for signs of it's terrifying past. I must confess it did not disappoint.
    I was one of a group of unlucky 13 that entered the prison at 8:00pm and were locked in with all  lights off until 5:30am to investigate on our own. We had free reign of the entire property.The building is overwhelming with so many hidden doorways, rooms and unexplained sense of tragedy around each corner. The shift in temperature varied from room to room and there were times I felt the heavy eyes watching me closely. I even had a moment that I felt someone or something press on my right thigh as I was standing at the top of the stairs that leads into the basement. After reviewing pictures when I got back home this is what my sister captured in that exact spot. Do you see the shadow person at the bottom of the stairs???

    We sat quietly in the hallways of the cellblocks in complete darkness asking for any signs of another existence surrounding us.  It was hard to tell if the few sounds we did hear were just the prison falling apart or something more.
I think the most intense part of the prison was venturing to the attic. My sister, her friend and I walked up about 6 flights of rusted metal stairs and into a deep tunnel referred to as the attic. We walked into the darkness and shone our flashlights around trying to catch a glimmer of life. The hair on my arms stood tall as soon as we walked around and I felt as if there were many resentful stares following me. I found random used books throughout the attic that seemed as if they had been there for decades. We made our way all the way into the back of the attic and found 3 concrete shower stalls. Each one were covered in the prisoners signatures along with quotes and confessions of why they were in Mansfield stating 'Murder', 'Robbery' and of  coarse 'I'm Innocent.'  I can see how each visit to Mansfield Prison can be unique. It just depends on what kind of mood the spirits are in that evening and if they feel like being social or not. I am already looking forward to my next ghost hunt at Mansfield! Visit http://www.mrps.org to learn more.