When the early December storms dumped boatloads of precipitation onto California, SVV and I booked our cabin share as quickly as we could to enjoy one weekend of snow before we left for the holidays. Instead, we showed up to the South Shore to find zero powder and, instead, an icy tundra. That didn’t seem [...]
Creatures of Habit
December 27, 2010 By 36 Comments
We’ve had the same holiday routine since practically 1845. OK, maybe not quite that long, but close. I usually fly in around Dec. 15, mainly because a) I work from home and my computer is just as functional in Tennessee as it is in California and b) I want to avoid the bulk of holiday [...]
Photo Friday: Nashville, Tennessee
December 24, 2010 By 25 Comments
On Christmas Eve last year, SVV and I bopped around Nashville, tackling a few of the tourist attractions for my latest book and finally giving him a chance to check out some of our state’s most historic sites. But the place I was most excited to share was the Opryland Hotel. Growing up, Opryland was [...]
Shiny and New
December 22, 2010 By 23 Comments
No, your eyes don’t deceive: It’s true, after more than three years of a bright pink space, Camels & Chocolate has undergone Extreme Makeover: Blog Edition. Out with the old… …in with the new. My awesome cousin John, who runs his own web marketing and social media company out of Nashville, is the brain behind [...]
10 Scenic Airport Landings
December 22, 2010 By 5 Comments
Published December 2010; BudgetTravel.com Everyone knows views are best from above. That’s why we asked pilots and flight attendants who’ve racked up millions of sky miles to locate the world’s most beautiful approaches. You’ll definitely want a window seat on these flights. Philipsburg, St. Maarten Princess Juliana International Airport is one of the most infamous—and [...]
Skiing in a Winter Wonderland…and Living to Tell the Tale
December 19, 2010 By 25 Comments
SVV and I went in on a cabin share this winter, a first for the both of us. And what we’re paying collectively is what you might pay for two nights at a ski resort in the area—if you’re lucky. It was one of those no-brainers: How could we not take advantage of the opportunity? [...]
Photo Friday: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
December 17, 2010 By 14 Comments
While I’m famously not a fan of Vegas, there’s something to be said for a city that can do bright, bold and flashy light displays in a tasteful manner. Dubai is such a city. It’s oddly reminiscent of Disney World’s Electrical Parade, wouldn’t you say? And what better vantage point from which to observe said skyline than an aerial [...]
Bouncing Around San Francisco
December 16, 2010 By 2 Comments
Published December 2010; National Geographic’s Intelligent Travel blog I grew up in the South on a large plot of land with both a playground and a trampoline decorating my yard. Even with no real training, I could tumble and flip, bounce and twirl as if I were an aspiring member of the U.S. gymnastics team. [...]
City Dog, Vol. IV
December 15, 2010 By 18 Comments
Hey dawgs, it’s Ella the Pup here, checking in for my monthly guest blogging duties. Actually, you can hardly call me a pup anymore as I turn SIX months old on Friday and weigh in at a whopping six-and-a-half pounds. I barely even fit into my clothes anymore… Speaking of clothes, I’ve heard some people [...]
Snowshoes, Snowcats and Snowmobiles
December 13, 2010 By 14 Comments
**In honor of the beginning of the ski season, and the fact that we just returned from our first jaunt to Tahoe for the winter, SVV stopped by to recap one snowy weekend we had in Mammoth Mountain last January. The day began at the airport alongside a sexy little civilian jet that unfortunately, wasn’t [...]
