Melange Quest

Sweepstakes Giveaway for Tuscany, Bali and Costa Rica Vacation

2011-11-17T10:43:00.002-05:00

Flip Key just started their first sweepstakes giveaway and as the site states, it is pretty flippin’ cool. Offering three top vacation destinations, Flip Key is going to award a grand prize that includes:

-7 nights at one of three luxury resorts

-$3000 in spending money

-10 invites for friends to accompany the winner

All that amounts to a party at your house!

Flip Key will allow the winner to choose from three of its properties—a tough choice when you see these digs.

The Villa Les Rizieres in Bali

This high-end resort features golf, tennis, and both indoor and outdoor pools within a lush garden setting. Bali is synonymous with exotic spices and tropical weather. So this property offers a getaway from the norm.

Punto de Vista in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a crossroads of flora and fauna. It’s the meeting point of animals flying in from the northern hemisphere and germinating flowers from the south, making Costa Rica a kaleidoscope of biodiversity. In the middle of this paradise, Punto de Vista’s property has 10 bedroom rainforest mansions for a city escape like no other.

Villa Ferraia in Tuscany Italy

By uttering the word “Tuscany”, you conjure images of ancient empires, rolling vineyards, and olive groves. The property prize for Tuscany is a country estate complete with stone house and manicured grounds. An outdoor pool, roman baths, and restaurant-grade kitchen make the house a relaxing choice.

The Flip Key Flippin’ Amazing Vacation Giveaway will continue until January10, 2012. Enter through Facebook or via their site. Share the sweepstakes offer on your Facebook status and earn extra entries when friends enter.

Heading over to World Winder

2011-06-29T10:25:00.000-04:00

My husband and I have decided to leave New York and take up the nomadic life. We're headed to South America, starting with a press trip to the Galapagos Islands. After that, we'll travel the spine of the Andes.

With a need for a more versatile platform, we've a new domain! Come visit us at our new site:

World Winder!

Adios!

Spring Break in NYC

2011-05-17T15:38:00.002-04:00

Most people conjure images of tropical islands and frosty drinks when the words "spring break" come to mind. But in New York City, there are so many excellent bars with ethnic themes that you can save your flight fare and swing through midtown for a drink and a sunny patio.

Two of my favorite places would be the Peculier Pub in the Village and Heartland Brewery.

The Peculier Pub is obsessed with beer. They've over 300 international brews. Fifteen are on tap, including the Belgian Strong Ale called Deilirium Tremens. Peculier's been around for 30 years so, they've the beer business down to a science.

Heartland Brewery is great because there are so many of them. Midtown, Theatre District and even on the South Street Seaport. I'd recommend the South Street Seaport for great views and access to the Bodies Exhibit. For late night happy hour, the Union Square location is clutch!

Happy Spring, Beer Lovers!

A Lovely Laze on the Island

2011-05-07T21:05:00.007-04:00

Excited for this one!

It's great beer, green lawns, and live music at Brewers PicNyc on Governor's Island. During Memorial Day Weekend, tickets are available for admission to the festival grounds starting at $25. Microbreweries from NY and Illinois will sidle up alongside some of Manhattan's best culinary mages! Read on for more information!

Fun Times in New York City

2011-04-11T10:20:00.000-04:00

I've lived outside of New York City almost my entire life. I've ridden the trains into Penn Station and buses into Port Authority. I've flown in and out of JFK Airport. For a very long time, NYC was a departure point, just a place to regroup, see family, and recoup from my last trip. I've only looked at Manhattan as a city that's out there, a city that's always been there.

Until recently.

I guess you take for granted what you see everyday.

After changing careers, I'm a travel writer that can't help but think--wow, NYC is pretty cool after all. Before, the city was a labyrinth of bad parking and potholes. Now, I'm eating at cool little eateries like Cafe Iguana and visiting sites that I've never even thought twice of, like Strawberry Fields. When my friends suggest fun stuff do, I don't really hesitate. One of the best events that I attended was a Gotham Writers' Workshop.

Now that I'm working for Weekend Notes, I've all new ideas to write about. My notebook is busting with lists of reviews that I need to write, places I want to praise, and foods that everyone has to eat!

Why have One when You can Have Two

2011-03-19T18:33:00.001-04:00

Networking has gone digital. Never before would I have imagined that I'd be a blogger on a Sci-Fi e-zine or get a job by responding to a forum post.

Schrodinger's Mouse features stories of tomorrow today. What I like about SM is that the site is not limited to short story. Schrodinger's Mouse publishes poetry and hopefully graphic novel soon.

Personally, I like balancing out my writing via travel and sci-fi.

The Frozen Thousand Islands

2011-03-18T15:30:00.007-04:00

Frozen Pier, Canada Travel by Melissa Ruttanai

A sheet of ice slates over the river. Little houses dotting the islands look lonely and almost ready to shiver against the wind cutting through the trees. I'm on the Canadian side of the St. Lawrence River, camera in hand, ear muffs, double-scarves, and thick gloves poorly insulating me against winter thrash.

My fingers gnarl from the cold and the hot tea my cousin Elyse had made for me that morning seems like a pathetic dream. On the frozen pier, I couldn't even believe Gananoque was only 15 km away.

Her house sat next to an old cathedral. But it wasn't scary. It was serene, like the little town with its tea shop and second hard book store.

Gananoque, Canada Travel by Melissa Ruttanai

Parked on the street, we meandered up one side of town, crossed the street and came back on the opposite sidewalk. People chattered on their way to wherever they were going and the little town seemed to be just cracking out of hibernation. Elyse laughed when she showed us the two ethnic food options in town: a Chinese restaurant right next door to... another Chinese restaurant. Hysterical.

Heritage Home on The Thousand Islands by Melissa Ruttanai

The tea shop was a warm reprieve from the wind. Black canisters lined the shelve and we sniffed our way through shelves of herbals, oolongs, green teas, and chamomiles.

Herbal Tea Ball, Canada Travel, by Melissa Ruttanai

Back at the heritage house, Elyse made a flowering tea ball to wash down fresh salads, salmon, breads, and veggies. It was a vegetarian feast.

Summertime rentals are popular on this side of the river. Vacationers flock to the area, setting up holiday homes in buildings like Elyse's. With high ceilings, big windows and the water so close, I can see why.

This is a shot I took 4 years ago, during summer on the American side of the Saint Lawrence River. What a difference! But...still both are equally beautiful!

American-side, St. Lawrence River by Melissa Ruttanai

Canadian-Side St. Lawrence River by Neil Friedman

Organics and Family Day in Toronto

2011-03-11T15:24:00.001-05:00

We drove north on I-87, a direction most people would think to be ludicrous during a snow heavy winter. And it did snow, in fat flakes and sideways drifts. My brother-in-law Dave kept the speed steadily at 60 MPH even in the storm and all the while Neil, my husband yelled at him to slow down, use two hands, watch out for crackpot drivers. But Dave continued in his own vein, according to his own mental checklist of what is safe and what is not.

After 12 hours, we pulled into Thornhill, a suburb of Toronto. After shakily unfastening my seatbelt and praising some deity for sparing me a snowy-death on the side of the road, we grabbed the bags and rushed into the well lit house of our Canadian cousins, the Schliefmans. Miriam and Aimee had come home to meet us. Theresa couldn't wait to introduce us to her dog.

Food is the mainstay of any family visit. The Schleifman’s set the bar high with fresh organic salads, homemade bread still warm from the oven, and sulfite-free wine bottled by cousin Steven himself. It didn’t matter that it was 11pm. It didn’t matter that they’d been waiting around all day for us. We talked into the night, past midnight and almost to dawn. Steven retrieved more bottles from the cellar. The little dog Daisy got friendly with Dave. And although we don’t get to see each other too often, we picked up where we'd left off without delay.

With 5 hours of sleep, we woke up to a bright sun and a national holiday: Family Day!

Shopping the New York Outlets

2011-02-13T10:35:00.011-05:00

Woodbury Commons, WikiMedia

In a car packed with teenagers, my cousin wove in and out of FDR traffic on our way to Century 21. When the weather is glum, my husband and I take refuge at the Jersey Gardens Outlets. It's human nature to love a good sale, human nature to want the best price.

But when it comes to outlet shopping, the queen of designer deals remains my sister. She has mastered the art of kamakaze-shopping. Dress in layers. Map out a course of attack. Scout the line. Do a lap before commiting. Take no prisoners and never settle for second quality. This article's for her, the humid back-to-school days at Woodbury Commons, and the insane deals in and around New York City: Shopping Holidays at New York City's Premium Outlets

Metropolitan Museum as a Job

2011-02-12T19:55:00.005-05:00

Metropolitan Museum.
Photo Melissa Ruttanai

People go to museums to meander, to walk halls and view exhibits at their leisure. And visitors can enjoy the slow pace that most museums emit. At the Metropolitan Museum, I spent two days researching a podcast travel guide app for Visual Tourist Travel Tours.

After twenty minutes, I knew that I couldn't just wander like I usually did--from sculpture to sculpture and room to room. With 5000 years and 2.5 million objects housed in the museum, I was supposed to represent it all in 75 pictures and a slim 3500 words. How? How, in all fairness?

Metropolitan Museum. Indian Dancer.
Photo Melissa Ruttanai

The Met has two floors and a labyrinth of corridors, wings, and interlocking chambers. The American Wing abuts European Sculptures. Ancient Greek and Roman Art swings right into Africa Oceania. Ancient Egypt splits at the Tomb of Perneb and crisscrosses at Horemhab. And while it all makes sense to the visitor's eye, for me it was a calamity.

Director Phillipe de Montebello said that he had immense difficulty choosing the highlights of the museum for his 470-page guide to the Met's masterpieces. He wrote about the arduous process of choosing three Vermeers while omitting 2 others. He had to think more than twice when looking at 30 Monets, knowing he should only include four. Then there's Arms & Armor, Musical Instruments, and five millenia of Asian art history.

Metropolitan Museum. Dante's Inferno.
Photo Melissa Ruttanai

I've been to the Met several times. I thought I knew its exhibits and treasures. Not so. This trip was the first that I made it through the majority of the halls, spending the most time lost in 19th Century Paintings. The rooms flow one into the other with a Van Gogh here, two Rembrandts there, and a smattering of Manets throughout. I'm sure I passed the same guard three times before I asked him how I could find Renoir's Madame Geroges Charpentier and Her Children. Without thinking twice, he pointed the way, giving precise directions.

Most people would think I was all set. But now the task was to follow those directions without getting lost again, without passing the same guard watching me with masked amazement as I walked around in circles.

I pressed on, taking notes and angling my shots. Compiling the pieces for my tour, I stuck close to Montebello's guide. Home now, my shins still ache from the countless loops I made past the security guard. But the biggest challenge awaits. Now that I am about to finalize the images and manuscript for a guide to the Met, I wish I could include more. I wish I could tell a more fair and complete story. I feel but a fraction of what Montebello must have felt. So, sorry. I tried my best.

Cold Weather Reminiscence of Warm Long Island Wineries

2011-02-02T09:28:00.000-05:00

Tasting Room, Bedell Cellars, Long Island Winery

It's been too long. In this cold weather, I wish it were springtime on a Long Island vineyard: the sun on my face, the perfume of flowers surrounding me, and an uncorked bottle of Chardonnay to share.

I suppose this article is homage to those memories:

Touring the Long Island Wineries

The Latest in Harry Potter News

2011-02-01T15:21:00.001-05:00

Harry Potter Theme Park,
Melissa Ruttanai

I lived it. I loved it. I want more.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a simple must see. I was there in November 2010 with my family and I felt steeped in the magic.

I particularly liked how they didn't serve soda and had lots of fruit and veggie snacks!

Much like a Renaissance Fair, the workers help to cast the magical world, dressing in wizarding threads and using faux-UK accents. I love Olivander's but Hogwarts Castle was just flat out overwhelming. Inside, holograms of Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Dumbledore speak to the the crowd as well as a fire breathing dragon and sinister Salizar Slytherin portrait.

Read on:

Experiencing the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

On the Lookout...for Wine?

2011-01-27T16:10:00.000-05:00

It always amazes me how prolific the internet can be. My article: Beyond Napa and Sonoma, Wine Regions of California made top feed for this Switzerland-based newspaper. Ha!

Follow me there:

http://paper.li/winecntryguide/1295405594/~list?topic=travel

Asia Becoming a Strong Presence in Wine Sales

2011-01-26T13:01:00.000-05:00

Grape Creek Winery, Texas

Asia has its liquors, some include Sake, Shoju, and Lao Lao. People have enjoyed them for centuries without complaint, without a feeling of longing or need. Asians were content.

Until now.

According to statics for 2010, the US is now exporting more wine to Asia than any other place in the world. Things look serious. Young, middle class professionals across Asia are looking for more variety in their libations--and are willing to spend money to get it.

In 2002, when I lived in Japan, a bottle of cheap Sutter Home table wine cost $50 and came in a 500ml bottle. Wine was expensive and came with temple-throbbing headaches. During my months traveling, I went without. So much so that when I returned home after almost two years overseas, I refused to buy any wine except American. Some people thought it was naive, resigned to beliefs that American wine was somehow inferior. Please. I knew what bad wine tasted like and it wasn't in any of the bottles I was getting from Mendocino County.

Now with demand on the rise, China and Hong Kong seem to be at the front of the checkout line, acquiring and consuming massive quantities. This got me thinking about where all this wine came from. Of course the answer is not simple. American wine comes from a myriad of valleys, vistas, and mountain sides. And I'm not going to lie...some surprised me.

Check out my articles about American wine regions.

Exploring Virginia's Wine Country

Beyond Napa and Sonoma

Traveling the Texas Wine Trail

Trappist Beer

2011-01-22T14:48:00.000-05:00

Football and beer meld together into a season of strong safeties like Troy Polamalu and strong ales like Rochefort 10. This fall, I've developed a curiosity over Trappist beer. The long history and strict regulations are fascinating. To top it off, only six breweries in the world can make Trappist Beer.

Isn't there always a magnetic draw between a consumer and a product hundreds of years old and in limited supply?

My article sums it better: What is Trappist Beer?

Traveling in Japan on a Budget

2011-01-21T15:04:00.000-05:00

Temple View at Miyajima Island, Hiroshima, Japan

If I asked Neil how much a bowl of kishimen soup cost us at a now-closed noodle shop in the small town of Kozoji, under the train station, in 2003, he'd know the answer. If I asked him how many hours we spent on the slow trains from Nagoya to Nagaski, he'd have the time down to the minute. My husband is like a crazed ninja-bookkeeper of travel. If he can't recall a name, date, or menu price, he has it written down in one of his notebooks, stowed carefully in a box on a shelf in the basement.

His mind never ceases to amaze me. When I'm ready to give up, he says, "Wait. Let me find my notes."

On our computer, Neil maintains a folder called <NDF> with a subfolder <Travel> and a sub-sub folder called <Japan>. Logically organized. In these files, he and I have compiled our memories of Japan, our adventures, mishaps, and lessons learned--sometimes painfully.

Some files don't mean much to anyone except the two of us. Other files we've edited and farmed out to people who needed information on Japan.

In the quest to share, the following article accounts for some of our best lessons learned in Nippon. Click here: Traveling in Japan on a Budget.

Happy Reading!

On the Whiskey Shelf

2011-01-05T20:21:00.000-05:00

The Whiskey Ward, New York City
Photo: Neil Friedman

“What’ll you have?” The bartender at the Whiskey Ward takes position at the bar, hands pressed against the wood, arms flexed and his face patient. Behind him, the wall is covered with lovely bottles of whiskey—Bourbon, rye, Scotch, Irish, Japanese. Like little soldiers, they sit under long menus that list single barrels and malts and batch. The bartender is probably used to it but I’m taking my time, enjoying the sheer breadth of the options. There are over 100 bottles alongside the usual lineup of libations.

Whiskey can be a hard sell for women. The heat and rush of this spirit can overwhelm the senses. In 2011, people have their choice of drink. Fruity drinks with crushed ice. Sparkling drinks in tall flutes. Dark beers crafted by Belgian monks. Wines from vineyards centuries old. So why should anyone consider this distilled delight?

Woodford Reserve, Kentucky Bourbon Trail
Photo: Neil Friedman

Let’s talk Bourbon. Regulated by law and location, sour mash is made from corn and aged in charred oak barrels that can only be used once.

Bourbon Barrels, Kentucky Bourbon Trail
Photo: Neil Friedman

At the risk of being called vain, I also like whiskey because it's weight friendly: 40 calories.

It mingles well with others. Makers and ginger ale is a year round favorite. Mint Juleps are nice too, extra mint please. During winter, hot toddies are perfect with lemon and a shot of Blantons. The citrus tickles my nose. The tea feathers across my eyelashes. And the whiskey takes all the warmth straight to my toes.

Maker's Mark, Kentucky Bourbon Trail

It’s indigenous. Bourbon is American. Scottish distillers immigrated to America in search of the Great Dream. They moved to Kentucky for good water to make their libations and bad roads to keep authorities out.

Aging Process, Bourbon Distillery
Photo: Neil Friedman

Kentucky summers make Bourbon unique. Stored in warehouses, the barrels expand and pull the liquor into its charred staves. As winter comes, the wood contracts and squeezes the whiskey back into the cask. The years pass and the process continues until the Bourbon is ready with its caramel spicy flavors and smooth finish.

So when the bartender asks what I’ll have the first thought is everything. My answer: How about a flight?

Wands at the Ready

2010-12-06T21:27:00.001-05:00

Ollivander's Wand Shop
Wizarding World of Harry Potter

The door creaks open and the witch standing next to it ushers 20 people off the line and into Ollivander’s wandshop. Inside, a small lantern flickers in a dark room. Cabinets and shelves reach to the ceiling, filled with long dusty boxes each holding a wand. Pressed into a corner, I peer through through the solemn shadows to see cupboards half opened and an old bell high up the wall. When Mr. Ollivander looks at us from over his spectacles, everyone—even the adults—come to full attention, hoping that somehow a wand will choose one of us as its mate.

Hogwarts Castle, Harry Potter Theme Park

Harry Potter purists will grumble that the designers of the Wizarding World spliced Rowling’s magical geography in the name of commercial sensibility. The newest section of Universal’s theme park, the Wizarding World is organized into Hogwarts and Hogsmeade with the iconic red train, idling at the gates. The castle stands prominently against the treeline, as it should. But Hogsmeade holds some shops that belong only in Diagon Alley though I admittedly didn’t realize at first, completely overwhelmed as I was by the feeling of stepping into one of my favorite stories. As soon as you pass through the gates, the jolly conductor from the Hogwarts Express welcomes you. Don’t ask him to take a picture with your muggle camera. He has no idea what it is and managed to take a nice shot of his own nose on ours. He’s so silly—you just want to hug him.

Hogsmeade Shops, Harry Potter Theme Park

There’s Honeydukes, Zonkos, and the Owl Post. The Three Broomsticks is a high traffic stop for refreshments. Seating and service is well organized; and while the menu does not include muggle sodas, you can choose between pumpkin juice, butterbeer, or my favorite, Hogshead Ale. I got an order of fish and chips to accompany my pint and enjoyed them on the outdoor patio.

Eating in Wizarding World of Harry Potter

But it doesn’t matter what you eat or see or ride in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Like everyone else, you’re there for the wands.

Inside Ollivander's Wand Shop

Inside the wandshop, Ollivander chose one little girl to be tested for a wand and the rest of us deflated, stifling our petty jealousies as she picked up a wand made of holly, causing the cupboards and draws to slap open and shut. We laughed as she then waved one made of oak, causing the bells to chime and echo throughout the store. Then, she held the last, made of heather, flexible, 10 ¼ inches. A breeze kicked up, a light switched on, and I shook my head at the cheesy cheekiness of it. But the little girl stood where she was, quietly holding the wand that had chosen her. A small grin pulled at her lips, the satisfied smile of a Harry Potter purist.

Early Morning, Harry Potter Theme Park

Opulence in an NYC Home

2010-11-24T12:43:00.000-05:00

The simple wood entry understates the opulence within. It's almost like a magical door that hides a treasure trove. At One East 70th Street, the Frick House is a portal back in time. Everything remains as if Henry Clay Frick still walks through the halls on his way out to a steel-tycoon meeting.

The Garden Court has a frosted glass ceiling that filters natural sunlight into a ethereal glow, roman pillars surround the space, and stone benches sit around a long fountain with frogs streaming water from their mouths. And this is just one room. The music room, dining room, oval room, and west and east galleries are adorned with priceless works of art--objects that Frick and his wife collected with (you know) their spare millions. Inside, there are works by Goya and Degas and three (3!) Vermeers.

My favorites:

The Fragonard Room has regal wall paintings, framed in gold. Sculptures, bronze works, and gilded pieces decorate the fireplace, totaling $5 million at the time of purchase. This is a showcase room, a place where Frick had to have smirked, thinking: it's good to be the king...

The Boucher Room is feminine and lavish. Everything preserved as it was meant to be: a lady's drawing room where Mrs. Frick could spend her evenings among chairs, desks, and paintings all crafted in France during the 1700's. Maybe it was good to be queen too...

Sometimes Students make the Best Teachers

2010-11-13T12:58:00.000-05:00

Photo Courtesy of WikiMedia Commons

Four years ago, one of my most timid students stood up in front of his class, cued the slideshow and said: "Aung San Suu Kyi: Freedom Fighter!"

After three long days of presentations, I'd that glazed look of passive observation stapled to my face. When this presentation began, I snapped out of my haze and sat at the edge of my seat. Minutes passed like seconds as I listened to my soft-voiced student unravel the tale of Aung San Suu Kyi's life.

Her father was a Burmese politician who helped free Burma from British control by leading the National League for Democracy. His dedication to Myanmar made him a national hero.

In 1988, after years of studying abroad, Aung San Suu Kyi returned home to help her ailing mother when violent demonstrations broke out against the 25 year reign of the military junta. Raised on her father's beliefs, Aung San Suu Kyi would not turn away and vaulted into a position of leadership, becoming the voice of democracy and hope. She stood up for freedom of speech and privacy. For her efforts, the government has had her imprisoned or under house arrest for 15 of the past 21 years.

Released today, Aung San Suu Kyi walks in the sun once more. But many are skeptical about what her future holds. Perhaps imprisonment again.

When I listened to my student's presentation, I heard Aung San Suu Kyi's strength come through in his voice. Having captivated the entire class, he spoke out about a woman he'd never met and shared her struggles in a militant world he'd never visited. As he spoke, he became something bigger and better than a middle school suburban kid.

The only shame was that I couldn't give him more than an A+.

Tour Guide to NYC-written, submitted, done!

2010-11-11T11:37:00.000-05:00

The best part about researching the Bar Tour of the Upper Westside was realizing how helpful people can be. On my first day, I met a very-seasoned travel writer named Dave who's publishing his 3rd book on the Caribbean. He looked happy, healthy, and sane enough for me to realize maybe this could work. Maybe everything I've done has led me to this moment when I can work for myself, travel, and write articles that are fun! Dave gave me some good advice: know what the industry is about--the long hours, the research, the publishing. So far, it's been great especially with Neil's editing and creative ideas.

So my top pick...B. Cafe. A Belgian Brasserie. I know, it's not technically a bar. Semantics.

Food is so amazing (mussels--be still my heart!) and the manager is extremely informed about traditional brewing regulations. For example, Abbey Ales are commercially available beers that are brewed according to traditional methods in Belgium. However, since they are not brewed by non-profit (requisite 1) monks (requisite 2), they are not allowed the coveted title: Trappist Beer.

Travel Writing

2010-11-03T10:20:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, I went to a writing workshop that I had no intention of attending. But Manhattanville holds such affordable workshops that--come on--I can't pass it over. Plus Neil was really interested in going. And I'm glad we went.

The focus was about Practical Writing: blogging, freelancing, advertising, and a super morning workshop on genre writing.

So a month later, I'm in a whole new world of writing: nonfiction. Something I never even saw myself doing but was immediately drawn to once I started researching all different job listings. I've done some petty articles--so insignificant and low pay that my name didn't even get printed on the by-line.

After a week, I realized that I wouldn't even consider a job unless it had something to do with travel. Then, things began to evolve. Now, I'm working on travel guides with a new company in Vegas that works with Iphone. Very high tech, very travel oriented. The two together make a perfect match with all the bells and whistles....like a by-line and--yes--a payrate!

I'm looking at NYC in a whole new light. Not as a monolith of cement but as a source for the beginning of something very exciting!!

Live on the Internet

2010-10-29T15:29:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm live on the internet! For only a few weeks I've been taking small, small, small freelance jobs. Not much to speak about but interesting all the same. Since I had very little experience, my work was kind of farmed out to big companies who then took it as their own. But I lucked out! I found the name of one company that I'd written a travel article for. And BOOM! Here's my article! (Dang it if I didn't make 2 tiny spelling errors-grrrrr....) My guide is on Santander and Bilbao, Spain.

http://www.ferriestospain.org.uk/destination-guide/

Today, I wrote two articles for a more legitimate company here in the US. The first one I finished. It's about the fall foliage in Kyoto. Ahhh...my favorite city in Japan. I'm almost done writing the second article which is about the day Neil and I were on the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky.

So excited!!!

Photos for Illustrated Reading~A Graveyard on Halloween

2010-10-27T11:23:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Neil for braving an old graveyard for the new illustrations of my book, King Solomon's Rings. As I am nearing the final touches to my website, I'm also preparing an illustrated reading of chapter two, where the protagonist is in a cemetery on a dare during Gate Night.

Sasha has always seen things that other's do not. But this night, her imagination is in overdrive. Shadows congeal on the night wind and from the gravestones monsters break ground to take over the world.

She can not scream. She can not run. Slowly, she realizes this is not her imagination. This is real. This is happening. And she is caught in the middle of it all.

(Thanks Neil for the great shots...though I invent these scenes in my head, I was honestly scared to take the pictures.)

Freelance Rookie

2010-10-20T16:39:00.000-04:00

In taking an firm stance in my writing, I've spent all day today researching the freelance market. I have to say I'm infinitely thankful to my teachers at Manhattanville. I've learned so much about the industry from them that when I have days like this (when I am literally in front of the computer wading through piles of data and jargon and acronyms) I feel I have some buoyancy.

I researched two writing brokers, took two tests, and produced one writing sample. Both websites let me in and now I have access to this behind-the-scenes writing generator. So once I proved my worthiness, I started searching for jobs. They don't pay much a penny a word but they are really interesting...and write up my alley. There are tons of requests for pub/bar, hotel, car service advertisements.

Today, I got overzealous and started researching an article about Metro Ethernet over Fiber Networks. Fascinating. I watched youtube videos, read reviews--overall had a good time. But made a fatal mistake. i didn't reserve the bid before I started the work. And--of course--when I went back to the request page it was gone!!! Dang!

But (at the risk of sounding like a nerd), I enjoyed the research. If your interested, MEF is how the internet is networked through an entire metropolitan area using glass fibers instead of copper cables. This procedure is more expensive but allows faster speeds within a grid that is not as susceptible to blackouts, hurricanes, and electrical interference.

So anyway, I banged out a baby article instead and am waiting for the admins to approve it so I can collect my $2. Woohoo! Not bad for 30 minutes and almost on the same payscale as publishing a poem (how does that make sense?).

I'm hoping another order like the MEF will pop up again. That was $10 for one page. But at least I learned something and I'm sure it'll make its way into my SciFi writing.

Cheers!