The Super Bowl: A Soon To Be National Holiday

"I'm sorry, but we are out of little smokies." That Wal-mart associate had no idea that he broke my heart yesterday with those exact words. I have never experienced a Super Bowl Sunday without my delicious little smokies and seven layer dip. I looked around frustrated at all the alternatives that I could eat before the game and nothing sounded good. "Maybe I shouldn't have procrastinated on grocery shopping for the game," I thought to myself. I walked around Wal-mart with my friend Brittany as she scrambled around trying to find alternatives for a seven-layer dip recipe she already had in mind, but all the recipes were gone. I didn't understand the extreme limits that a Super Bowl Sunday could go to until that Sunday. I felt like it was the day before Thanksgiving, and I was the person looking for a turkey that was nowhere to be found.

 

The Super Bowl Delicacy: Seven Layer Dip

People celebrate Super Bowl Sunday in multiple ways. Some, like me, enjoy the commercials and entertainment while others may actually enjoy the game. No matter how you watch it, The Super Bowl has become a major tradition that American culture can not miss. I wonder if international travelers look at a traveling guide and under festivals to see, "Super Bowl Sunday" is listed. I think it would say something like:

        "This February celebration houses great fans of football and social gatherings. If you attend a Super Bowl party you must come prepared for bite-size meals and arguments from opposing football teams. Not only does this celebration have sports, but it also contains entertainment that can be talked about for weeks. Don't miss out on this American tradition!"

This is what I am picturing for the future: The Super Bowl will become a national holiday where cities close down just to watch the game. Advertisements will be the main attraction of the game, and the Half-time show will be the time where the audience can criticize the performers. Calendars will already have the day printed on the month of February and Hallmark will create cards to send to fans of the chosen teams. Pretty much everything we do now, just to an extreme level will happen in the future.



My Super Bowl Sunday turned out to be a good one. Good friends, seven-layer dip success, and even a few good commercials. That is how I hope to celebrate every Super Bowl Sunday from here on out!

Happy Holiday Everyone!

The Quest for the Golden Ticket: My journey to find the cheapest airfare

I hate airfare. I think that pretty much sums up the whole blog post. In all honesty, I wish there was some sort of way that I could count on one time being perfect to buy plane tickets. I have planned to buy my ticket for Ireland early to avoid increasing prices, but in truth, I have no clue if I am avoiding them. Frustration is at an all time high this month with a lot of push back about my trip from my family, and to add to that frustration pie is my search for cheap airfare...

When I went to Spain, I literally waited until the last minute to buy plane tickets and I vowed never to do that again. Now, all I am hearing are myths about when airfare drops or when to buy my tickets. Here are a few of them:

1. Buy your ticket at 1pm on a Wednesday.... (Is that a troll-under-a-bridge question?)

2. Buy your ticket 4 months in advance, unless they are for the summer, than just play by ear.

3. Fly in on a weekday...Leave on a weekday

4. Buy only "flexible date" tickets

 

Oh the prices...Why do they continue to rise?!?

Finding cheap airfare sucks even more because every single website is different. You can find the same flight for $30 dollars cheaper at the same freaking time! Its like people enjoy to watch travelers suffer. As I continue this wild goose chase I will give my own words of wisdom:
1. If at all possible, sign up for airfare tracking. They send you alerts if the prices increase or decrease. (my flight went down $5 today!)
2. Make sure you check every airfare website known to man. Do not underestimate any of them because you could find the perfect price ( I call it "Good Fare Hunting")
3. Always Always plan ahead..but not too far ahead. I have been told that airfare is at its highest when the seats are first announced, so give it a couple months to watch the prices fall.

Well there is my rant about arifare pricing. Here's to finding the best deals!

V

Let the Countdown Begin

Another year has come and gone way too fast for me to keep up with any new year's resolutions. Let's face it, I am pretty bad at keeping them any year so instead of my new year's resolutions I wanted to talk about a couple of my favorite articles about traveling and what traveling I look forward to in 2011. Sadly, 2010 was the year of no traveling for me, so I had to read about everyone else's adventures to get me pumped for Ireland.

1. National Geographic Traveler: Maui
     this article was about a man returning to visit Maui after living there for some time and not expecting to see anything new. He ended up discovering this whole new side of Maui that he never would have seen beyond the tourist traps. It made my day to know that even if I visit the same place more than once, it will always be a different experience.

2. Exposing Cultures
    I read a blog recently that talked about the ethics of tourist visiting indigenous tribes and villages and using them as a tourism stamp of the country. it made me sad to see that some people are abusing their opportunity to see such amazing things and it made me reevaluate what I wanted to do with travel writing.

3. Not Giving Up ANYTHING
    In Around the world Lilly's blog, she talked about how she feared following her dreams to travel because it was delaying her from having a life at home with a family. She said: "Do what you love and the rest will find you." I am living by this from now on.

My favorite articles this year definitely got me excited to study abroad and made me realize I am making the right decision. As of today I have 164 days until Ireland, and I am ready for the countdown to begin! Here are a couple of things I want out of 2011 along with Ireland:

1. Alternative Breaks: I hope to do one for both Christmas break and spring break so I can see some of the U.S. more (the farthest west I have been is Colorado? what the heck!?)

2. One epic road trip: I don't know who with or where to, but I know I really want to go on one!

Happy New Year! May 2011 bring lots of adventures for everyone

V

Thank You Twitter, for Allowing Me to Stalk Even More...

These past couple of months I have become somewhat of a stalker, and to be honest I couldn't be happier about it! I think this will be the first time (maybe last) that I will admit to it so listen up. Twitter has become my new best friend because now  that I am getting the hang of it, I'm starting to find the people and places I want to follow. The first twitter profile I searched for was Lonely Planet, and I was so excited to find them! through Lonely Planet I found some awesome websites to visit to help me with my plans for Operation Ireland, and it also led me to some awesome writers like Don George and Robert Reid. Oh, did I fail to mention that Lonely Planet is following me on twitter!?! I think it is because they want to hear what is going on in the traveling world from their followers (I am sure they follow anyone who follows them), but I still feel pretty darn good about it. After Lonely Planet I decided to try to find my favorite travel personality ever: Samantha Brown. Sure enough, there her twitter page was full of travel excitement. 

After Samantha I thought I was going to take a rest, but then Twitter had to show me suggested people to follow and if you can guess I went back into stalk mode. I found two awesome travel blogs to follow (Around the world L; she does the sexiest buildings of Boston. hilarious. And Suzy Guese who has a blog that is pretty addicting). The stalking has slowed down, thank goodness, and I am thrilled with my findings. Who knew that clicking link by link I could find such awesome blogs to follow about the thing I love the most. Every time I read them I think about how close I am to making it to Ireland and having a summer that is all about travel. 

So that is what I have been up to, now for some Operation Ireland Updates:

Movie list: not completed nor have I started. Judge me if you must...

Book List: just ordered my first book to start reading titled, "McCarthy's Bar: A Journey of Discovery in Ireland"

Fundraisers/Scholarships: Now I just wait patiently.... and apply for many more

Mind set: Already packed up and ready to go!

V

Dancing in the dark

Tonight I learned the true meaning of dancing sexually with class. When I walked into the dance studio I was extremely nervous. first, I didn't wear heels even though they were required because I knew I would fall to my death and second, I haven't danced in a really long time so I felt out of place. I could tell by looking at these girls that they had confidence when they danced, I was just hoping that I could keep up with everyone. Before we learned choreography we warmed up by strutting across the floor doing freestyle moves that were a little bit more sensual than most routines. As Beyonce and JLo were playing I loosened up and got into the "dirty dancing" moves. When we finally got into choreography I was ready and willing to let go and learn some Dita Von Teese moves. The dance was a modern day burlesque routine, with a lot more jazz involved. As soon as Lady Gaga's "The Fame" came on the speaker, I knew it was going to be a blast. 

My confidence was at an extreme high when I performed the routine. Not just because I felt sexy, but because I realized how much I really do miss dance! I'm not the greatest dancer in the world, but it really does make me feel good to get out there and have fun. The routine wasn't as burlesque as I hoped it would be, but the sexiness was there in full effect. It felt great to dance without having to worry about some creeper trying to get on me and have fun with other dancers who just love to dance in any style. At one point we got so into it we dimmed the lights and performed as if we had a crowd watching. I felt like I was the center of attention even though there were seven girls right next to me. I guess that's what dancing in the dark does for you. :) Now, just for one night, I can feel as sexy as I want to feel.

I will post the video of the routine once I get it. 

V

Soundtrack of my life

So this weekend my iPod was bringing back some memories. I was listening to music that I could point out where I was at that exact moment this song was popular. I find it hilarious that our lives truly do have a soundtrack so in honor of them here are some of my soundtracks. enjoy!

Skating Ring Days:
Goo goo dolls: Iris (my first slow skate!)

Gettin Jiggy With it: Will Smith
I don't want a miss a thing: Aerosmith
Show Me Love: Robyn
Semi-charmed Life: Third Eye Blind

Texas Summer:
Any Ricky Martin Song (I swear I saw him at the hard rock cafe that summer in Dallas!)
Bills bills bills: Destiny's Child
Genie in a bottle: Christina Aguilera
Sometimes: Britney Spears
I Need To Know: Marc Antony (don't judge)



Those are my most memorable, please share some of yours!

V

The Motivation in Food

How is it possible that food can make you want to do something with your life? Today I went to Aladdin's Cafe for the first time, and I promised myself that I would eat something completely different from what I normally eat. For a drink, I had their delicious rosemary lemonade that was unreal. For my lunch I ordered the Turkish Shawarma which I chose because I have never really had the taste of curry. The whole experience was so awesome that I wanted to do it again at a different place. My co-worker who's birthday we were celebrating, ate her meal and then decided that she wanted this year to be different. She decided that she would try as many different things as she possibly can before her next birthday. Maybe she came up with that realization before her new food experience, but I can be that her food was a little boost of motivation. So as you go out to eat to a new restaurant, try something new. Taking that chance with food can lead to chances within your life too.

Happy eating!

v