A road trip in Texas would not be complete without a stop at a winery. So on our way back to Houston from Brownwood after a weekend teaching geology for TPWD Becoming an Outdoors Woman Program, we stopped at Spicewood Vineyards near Austin for a visit. It had been years since I had visited this location, […]
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Kansas City, You Shocked the Hell out of Me!
A guest blog post by Tracy A couple of years ago, my boyfriend, Steve, surprised me with a weekend in Kansas City. I was initially taken aback since this wasn’t a destination I’d ever really considered. As a bit of a foodie, Kansas City – to me – symbolized barbecue first and foremost. There’s no […]
Carnival Cruise Line’s Warm Chocolate Melting Cake Recipe
Carnival Cruise Line’s Warm Chocolate Melting Cake is the most famous culinary item that Carnival cruisers rave about. I cannot adequately describe the taste, other than if “death by chocolate” is the way you want to go, this is it. This dessert needs to be ordered before you finish your main dish because the preparation […]
A Cruise Must: Chef’s Table on Carnival Cruises
Cruising Carnival soon? During your planning and packing (read about my recommendations here), consider adding Chef’s Table to your planned events. IF you can get in. I’ve been trying to attend Chef’s Table for years and finally got the opportunity in February on Carnival Valor. So what’s the big deal, anyway? Chef’s Table […]
Alaskan Cruise: Victoria, British Columbia
Continued from Skagway Part 2 (City Highlights) The last stop on our Alaskan Cruise on Ruby Princess last summer was in Victoria, British Columbia, our only stop in Canada. We only had a half day (evening, actually) to enjoy Victoria before our short return to Seattle. Victoria is considered the “most British of all Canadian cities” […]
Alaskan Cruise: Skagway Part 2 (City Highlights)
Continued from Skagway Sled Dog Experience After our morning kissing puppies during our Musher’s Camp & Sled Dog Experience excursion up the road from Skagway in Dyea during our Alaskan cruise on Ruby Princess last summer, we returned to the ship to change, grab a city guide and drop off our coats (it was heating up). […]
Alaskan Cruise: Skagway Part 1 (Sled Dog Experience)
Continued from Ketchikan The last Alaskan stop on our Alaskan Cruise on Ruby Princess last summer was in Skagway, a beautiful gold rush mining town turned top summer destination that sits on the mouth of a river surrounded by mountains. The port is picturesque and dominated by cruise ships and trains. This post contains affiliate links. […]
Alaskan Cruise: Ketchikan
Continued from Juneau Part 2 (City Highlights) The first stop on our Alaskan Cruise on Ruby Princess last summer was in Ketchikan, a small seaside town in southeast Alaska surrounded by Tongass National Forest only accessible by boat or plane. As a first introduction to Alaska, this was rugged and beautiful, everything I had hoped Alaska […]
Alaskan Cruise: Juneau Part 2 (City Highlights)
Continued from Juneau Part 1 (Mendenhall Glacier) After our Mendenhall Glacier Helicopter Tour excursion during our Alaskan cruise on Ruby Princess last summer, we had the rest of the day in Juneau on our own. Across the street from where our ship was docked is Mount Roberts Tramway, an aerial cable tram that takes passengers […]
Alaskan Cruise: Juneau Part 1 (Mendenhall Glacier)
Continued from Tracy Arm Fjord Scenic Cruising When we first booked excursions for our Alaskan Cruise on Ruby Princess last summer, we were planning on just going to the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center so we could see a glacier. But then I thought: “screw that…I want to walk on the glacier” knowing that getting to walk on the […]