A Journey Of Spirits And Souls

 

 

                   I'm not a religious person but I am spiritual soul and when I travel I like to take a weekend getaway or a longer trip that helps me escape the chaotic routine that everyday life seems to bring me. We as people are always looking for some sort of journey that reminds us that we are not just living our lives to work, pay bills and go through the motions of what is called, 'Happiness'.   One spot that is a perfect place to help you connect with your spirit is Lilly Dale, NY.  

       Home to a variety of mediums and healers , Lilly Dale is a unique village that offers a different kind of journey for those looking for a spiritual getaway. After paying a modest fee to enter the village you can visit one of the many spiritual sites, meditation ceremonies or cemetaries that respect the living and the dead. Offering classes and private one on one readings throughout the day you will be guided by one of the various spiritual guides that can be helpful in answering questions about lost loved ones, journeys ahead and a little guidance on bettering your life.
      I experienced a one on one medium reading that seemed spot on with things that have happened and currently occurring in my life. I did leave the reading feeling as if someone or something had been whispering my story into the mediums ear as we spoke. I also attended an hour long healing session with a spiritual guru that preformed prayers over me while cleansing my aura with burning sage. If anything it was a once in a lifetime experience that left me feeling blessed. The narrow streets of the village are lined with cottages that have signs hanging from the front porch with the name of the medium that lives there and a request book that you are able to sign in an make an appointment for a session. There are a couple hotels and restaurants to make your stay comfortable if you visit overnight. I'm glad I decided to stay overnight since after the sun sets behind the lake in the evening there is a ghost walk under certain moons that reminds you of the history that lies beneath the ground in the cemetery of the lost animal spirits and departed that have chosen to keep their stay here in Lilly Dale. There is no question that a visit to this spiritual village will carry with you when you depart as if your soul has gained an angel and a new aspect on life. For more information you can visit: http://www.lilydaleassembly.com/

Barcelo Bavaro Beach Resort, Punta Cana

 

 

Bavaro Beach

 

                      I just got back from my 4th trip to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and I must say I fall a little more in love with this tropical paradise each time I go! This trip I stayed at the Barceló Beach Punta Cana. It's an adult only resort only about 20 minutes from the airport. The nice thing I found about this place is that it's made up of actually 2 resorts, an adult only side and a family friendly side. Since we stayed in the adult only resort it made the distance from our almost beachfront room only a couple minutes walk to get  to the lobby, beach, pool, bar  and restaurants.

 

               The beach in front of the resort is white sugar sand and the water is so clear I stayed in it for hours each day! The bonus of staying at this resort is that you also have access to the much larger Barcelo Bavaro Princess resort right next door. Our resort was perfect for a more quiet, intimate atmosphere where the Palace is family friendly and offers more restaurants, entertainment, pools and plenty of shopping! There is a walkway along the beach to go from one to the other and is about a 10 minute walk or you can take the resort tram that goes back and forth 24 hours a day. 

 

If you choose to walk, WATCH OUT FOR PALMTREES! There is a reason Punta Cana means Point Of The Palm Tree. There are a few palm trees right in the middle of the path and if you are admiring the beautiful beach while you walk you might just walk right into one of them. Yes I was guilty of this crime and found myself icing my head with a frozen cocktail the rest of the day! The casino on the Princess side is actually much better than the others I have been to. It is a decent size and I happened to get lucky and win a little every time I walked in the place. The food is decent as I could always find something delicious including goat and lobster one night.



Barceló Bavaro Princess Golf Course

 There's a huge golf course, tennis courts as well as many sports included  and an active kids club section offering something for everyone. The weather was perfect while there and I managed to get some much needed sun considering I came back to Cleveland and our cars were buried in 5 feet of snow! There's something about Punta Cana that makes me keep wanting to go back and I'm always excited for my next return trip before I even leave!

 

TASTECATION

          I'm always surprised when people find it hard to believe that Key West is a food mecca. It's one of those places that every time I return from a visit I find myself craving a certain fish taco, oyster or even a Philly Cheese steak that I had eaten while there. There are so many great restaurants and cafes that it's impossible to fit them all in 1 visit but I do have my go to favorites. Usually people visit Key West for the sun, fishing and the non-stop partying on the island but my husband I recently went on a 'TASTECATION' and once again it did not disappoint my taste buds! My husband is a total foodie and since we've been home he won't stop talking about the food and how amazing the island is. I have narrowed down my overwhelming list of favorites to my top 10 and why. If you get the chance to visit the Southern most place in the US be sure to check out a few (or all of these) yummy restaurants and you can thank me later!

Half Shell Raw Bar

1: Half Shell Raw Bar
This Raw Bar has been a celebrity for 43 years! As the name suggest this is THE place to go for the best Oysters in town. They offer a great Happy Hour including 1/2 dozen Raw Oysters on the Half Shell for $4.50. It also offers a perfect view of the Marina.
http://www.halfshellrawbar.com/

2: Blue Heaven
This is a unique Key West dining experience! Serving breakfast,lunch and dinner you can taste some of Key West finest dishes here. I like to go for breakfast and the Lobster Benedict will make your mouth water just thinking about it. It's one of the few places you will find chickens roaming around the tables and also served on your plate. The treehouse bar offers some amazing Bloody Marys too!   http://www.blueheavenkw.com

3: Pepe's Café and Steakhouse
Claiming the title as the longest standing restaurant in Key West  Pepe's continues to do what it does best, serve amazing food and drinks! Offering something for everyone it's best known for it's steak  
 and fish dishes. Also they have amazing hand squeeze Mimosas, Screwdrivers and Greyhounds!
http://pepeskeywest.com/

4: BO's Fishwagon
My husbands main mission on this trip was to eat fresh fish tacos from BO's! It really is the best for fresh fish sandwiches, conch fritters and fish tacos. The fish served depends on what's in season and caught that morning. The décor and setting makes you feel as if you truly are on a fish wagon!! http://www.bosfishwagon.com/

 

Mahi Fish Tacos and Conch Fritters

 

 5:Peppers Of Key West

Ok, it's not technically a restaurant but it does offer over 100 varieties of hot sauce flavors so it gets a spot on my list! I love that this place has a sauce tasting bar. You can easily spend an hour or so sitting at the bar, sampling hot sauces. You can purchase bottles in store, have them shipped to you or even order online. One insider tip is to be sure to get a beer at the Cigar shop next door and bring it in with you since beer goes great with hot sauce! http://www.peppersofkeywest.net/



6:Smokin' Tuna Saloon
This is my go to place for the best peel and eat shrimp I've ever had in my life!! The Soy, Ginger Tuna is also unbelievable!! They have an impressive  Raw Bar along with Stone Crab Claws when in season (Oct15- May15). It's a great place to go for live music in the evening and grab a snack or dinner. http://smokintunasaloon.com/

Soy Ginger Tuna

 

7: Mr Z's


Mr Z's (Cheese Steak Heaven)

Before I took my husband to Key West for the first time he honestly thought Mr Z was an ex boyfriend of mine. I would constantly say I can't wait for Mr Z's! I miss Mr Z's! I can't stop thinking about Mr Z's! And then he met Mr Z's and was hooked too.It might be hard to believe you can find an amazing Philly Cheese Steak in The Florida Keys but it's true! Mr Z's offers pizza, hoagies and the most amazing cheese steak you will ever put in your mouth !! There is something magical in the combination of the way they cook it, the bread and the sauce that you will seriously find yourself daydreaming about this cheese steak on a regular basis. If I had one last meal in order this just might be it!    http://www.mrzskeywest.com/index.html

8: Caroline's Café
This is a great lunch, dinner restaurant located right on busy Duval street with open air patio dining. It's a great spot for taking a break and people watching. I used to eat here regularly when I lived in Key West. They offer a nice variety of  menu items but my absolute favorite thing on the menu here is the Bamboozled Salad with an Asian Vinaigrette dressing. Your taste buds will cry because it's so good!  http://www.carolineskeywest.com/index.html

9: Louie's Back Yard
If you are looking for amazing oceanfront dining you need to make your way to Louie's Back Yard! This place is perfect for lunch or dinner to taste local seafood and a variety of wines. It's impossible to not be in awe of the view and flavors here! Once an oceanfront Victorian home transformed into a restaurant this is must on your visit to Key West!  
http://www.louiesbackyard.com/

10: El Meson de Pepe's
No visit to Key West would be complete without sampling some Cuban cuisine and this is the place to do it! Located near Mallory Square it's a perfect place to go before or after watching the sunset celebration at Mallory Square! Cuban culture can be seen and felt everywhere here and  Meson de Pepe's is the perfect place to get a taste of it! http://elmesondepepe.com/menu/menu.htm

MOVIE NIGHT

 *****                I watched an amazing movie called, TERRAFERMA. Taking place off the coast of Italy on an island called Linosa, the  movie follows a family faced with the reality of balancing the dying fishing trade and the growing tourism industry on their island and how to make the best of it. They encounter another all too common issue these days there of African refugees showing up on and around the island that leaves the native people in a humanity crisis. I highly recommend this movie if you have a heart.. You can watch the trailer here;  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1641410/

PLAYA DEL CARMEN

   I have been to a few different cities in Mexico and have decided Playa Del Carmen in the Riviera Maya is my favorite so far! My husband and I stayed at the Sandos Playacar just a few minutes from the city and had the best of both worlds. We were close to downtown Playa Del Carmen($7 cab ride) or a 30 minute walk.I loved having access to the wildlife that lives at the resort and able to explore the city when we wanted. It was an easy ferry ride to Cozumel and excursions if we wanted to go. The resort has resident monkeys, iguanas, coatis, donkeys and so many birds they were the soundtrack to my lazy days. The staff at this resort was wonderful and the food in most of the restaurants was excellent! The beach was picture perfect and the sunsets were simply stunning. To me vacation is all of these things. Sandos Playacar did not disappoint! We met some amazing guests at the resort and took advantage of the adult only pool with volleyball and swimming competitions.

 

               I'm lucky I get to visit this region frequently for work and must admit that it's one of my favorite places I've visited over the years. It's great for families, couples, nature lovers and birders!

 

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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