Oh, it’s the most wonderful time of the year…sharpen your pencils and finalize your bracket, because the 2010 NCAA Tournament is here!

This year, the field is strong and, as ESPN puts it, the bracket is a “work of art.”  Fans and sports-lovers alike will pilgrimage to the sites of the games for first round upsets all the way to the final championship game.  With so many host cities across the country, there really is no excuse not to take a roadtrip and get in on the action.  If you are planning to make a trip, here are a few tips:

• If cheering on your own team, avoid seats in the opposition’s section.  Nothing looks more lame on TV than a lone fan in a sea of contrasting color.  If you’re unlucky and end up here, don’t pick a fight, stupid.  You’re completely outnumbered.
• The classic path to the 3-second fame of catching the camera eye includes, signage, body paint or being a blonde cheerleader.
• Signs should be homemade and clever.  Consider the classic acrostic poem, which tends to be a camera favorite.
• Tie Dye looks awesome on TV (Especially Black and Yellow – Go Deacs!)
• If seated behind the basket, appropriate distraction props could include giant bricks, foam fingers, sweat towels, or kazoos, but get creative.  Otherwise, a generous arm wave at least shows some effort.
• Need Tickets and can’t get them through your school or alumni group? Check out StubHub.com (but prepare to splurge for the good seats…or any seats at all, if you’re purchasing for the final rounds)

Here is a breakdown of the host cities for this year’s tournament, with links to travel information:

Rounds 1 & 2
Buffalo
Jacksonville
Milwaukee
New Orleans
Oklahoma City
Providence
San Jose
Spokane

Sweet 16 & Elite 8
Salt Lake City
St. Louis
Syracuse
Houston

Final Four and National Championship Game
Indianapolis

Image courtesy of Zimbio.com

Who says all vacations have to be luxurious?  As schools across the U.S. prepare to let their students out on Spring Break, I’m thinking back to one of my favorite spring break experiences: Outward Bound.

Outward Bound (OB) is a non-profit organization providing leadership expeditions around North America.  Focusing on character development and service, OB programs challenge 70,000 participants annually to exit their comfort zone in adventures like sea kayaking and rock climbing. Some example courses include:

• Minnesota Dogsledding and Skiing
• Maine to Bermuda Schooner Sailing
• Southwest Canyon Backpacking
• Alaska Glacier Mountaineering
• Florida Keys Sea Kayaking

I’m actually a two time alumni of OB – backpacking in North Carolina and sea kayaking in the Bahamas.  Looks like the Bahamas trips aren’t being offered today, which is a shame because that trip was really amazing.  I’ll never forget getting caught in a current and my instructors paddling next to me, encouraging me to paddle through the challenge.

Keep in mind, OB is not for everyone.  Backpacks are heavy, temperatures can be hot and the adventure itself is at times strenuous.  Some level of fitness is required, depending on where you go and what you do.  One girl on my Bahamas trip actually had too be evacuated because she couldn’t keep up with the group and had sustained a pretty nasty sunburn (it was too hot for her to wear a long sleeved shirt like the rest of us).

I took a lot away from my OB experiences.  I believe it made me a better leader and built a mental stamina that helps me push my limits on a daily basis.  I also learned that I’m not the biggest fan of lugging a 50lb backpack around.  The travel experience was also stellar.  Both of my trips left me surrounded by amazing physical beauty, exploring untouched areas and waking up in parts of the world few people get a chance to see.

Image Courtesy of OutwardBound.org

Alert: the US State Department is urging people to avoid all “non-essential” travel to Chile following this weekend’s powerful earthquake.

Many airlines are waiving change fees for flights booked to the region.

Cruise travel has been relatively unaffected – in fact, Princess Cruise lines today announced that passengers scheduled to disembark today in Santiago may stay aboard a little longer in light of flight cancellations.  Other ships will stay in port longer to accommodate passengers arriving late due to the disaster.

The New York Times has more information on their travel blog regarding this alert.

UPDATE: The Perrin Post breaks down where it is (and isn’t) safe to travel in Chile right now.

Most visitors to the Bahamas rarely see the most beautiful region of the island nation, The Exumas.  There are limited accommodations and it’s not easy to get to but, as a favorite, unspoiled destination of mine, it’s a reality that I’m not complaining about.

On a day like today, when I’m plagued by the Mondays and beyond sick of my Ugg boots and down coat, there is no other place I’d rather be. The Exumas consist of two major islands (Grand Exuma and Little Exuma) along with 365 little cays on the southeastern tip of the island nation.  Most of the islands are uninhabited or owned privately, and many lay within a national nature preserve and park that limits building and fishing activities.

In a nutshell, it’s untouched beauty. Transparent blue waters, soft sand (private!) beaches, vivid sunsets and…swimming pigs?  Yep.

Major Cay is home to a family of large wild pigs who roam the island on their own terms.  Preferring to stay in the shade during the sunny hours, the pigs are known to venture onto the beach and even into the shallow water to greet visitors arriving by dingy.  They’ve been conditioned to know that visitors more often than not mean food.

During our visit last summer, we took our dingy over after eating lunch on Staniel Cay.  After we circled for a few minutes, two large spotted pigs waddled down the beach towards us and our gift of potatoes.  The huge animals (easily as large as a Shetland pony) were friendly and not shy.  At all.  In fact, one even put it’s hoof(?) up onto our boat, anxious for food. When were out of potatoes, they rambled back towards the shore and under the palm trees to enjoy the rest of the afternoon in the shade…or until more boats and visitors arrived.

How they got there?  I’m not really sure.  Feel free to drop any insight in the comments section.  Best guess is that their ancestors were dropped off on the island as a food source for British/Spanish trade ships and thrived.  Today, they are probably still a food source for locals.

For a taste of the Exumas (sans swimming pigs), set your NetFlick’s queue to send Splash, Into the Blue or the James Bond flick, Thunderball, both of which were filmed in part in this gorgeous part of the world.

Images Courtesy of TheWanderWoman

So much for the Christmas or Valentines gift guide – I prefer a holiday closer to my heart: my birthday!  It’s a still a little early (and boyfriend doesn’t even read my blog), but here are my picks for a girl on the go:

For the Girly Girl: CarryOn-Friendly Sizes of her Favorite Bath Products
I’m a big fan of Bliss’s Lemon+Sage product line (it compliments my favorite Dolce and Gabbana perfume) and Bumble and Bumble hair products, but many brands make travel sizes of their more popular products.  Too boring, you say? How about products that remind her of a favorite destination, like Tocca’s Bagno da Viaggio – Florence.

For the Photographer: Gorillapod by Joby
I received a Gorillapod for Christmas and I love it.  Whether it’s snapping the recent snow falling outside my apartment window in NYC or capturing the natural light of a vacation sunset, it’s compact,  reliable and is great for getting unusual angles or self portraits. Really, it’s the perfect tripod for taking on the go.

For the Obsessively Organized: Garment Cubes from The Container Store
Say you’re the practical type when it comes to gift giving…it’s not a sexy gift, but these cubes from Eagle Creek make organizing a suitcase (especially for longer trips) a cinch.  My friend A. illustrated this on a girls weekend over Labor Day weekend, and I was sold.  Multiple sizes make it easy to customize for your own suitcase.  Maybe hide a pair of Choos in there to jazz it up a little…

For the Traveling Athlete: Garmin Forerunner 305
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, running is a great way to explore someplace new.  For the more serious athlete (or someone who just loves knowing exactly how far she goes), the Garmin Forerunner is a wristwatch on crack.  Tricked out with a GPS that tracks not only where you go, but also elevation, speed, pace, you name it.  Note – Amazon’s pricing is a bit better than purchasing from Garmin directly…just sayin.

For the Foodie: Local Favorites
These are different for every girl, but my top choices for NYC would be (just not all together):

• Lemon Cupcakes from The Buttercup Bake Shop
• A plate of cheese from Murray’s Cheese Shop (don’t forget the La Tur!),  a bottle of Spanish wine and fresh honeycrisp apples from Whole Foods or the Union Square Market (I’ll have to wait a few months for these)
• A trip to Grom for a very large cup of gelato
• Macaroni and Cheese from Delicatessen

Image Courtesy of CookAndEat.com

The little state of Vermont is know for quite a few things.  It is the home of the fraternity that inspired Animal House (Dartmouth), Snowboard Cross champion Lindsay Jacobellis, as well as those geniuses Ben and Jerry.  It produces the most tombstones of any state in the union, while teddy bears, handmade art and maple syrup are more popular take homes with the tourists.  My favorite of all is, without a doubt, Vermont Cheese.

Boyfriend and I, along with some good friends, spent a few days this past long weekend on Stratton Mountain in Vermont’s beautiful Green Mountain National Forest.  The conditions were great for snowboarding and the trails were friendly (especially for an perma-novice like me).  It’s always nice to enjoy an easy path from the top of the mountain with gorgeous vistas all the way down…especially when you spend as much time on your butt as I do.

As much as we enjoyed our time on the slopes, one of the highlights of the trip was a stop on the way home.  Cut to the Grafton Village Cheese Company.  This cute little shop in Brattleboro boasts all the wares that Vermont is famous for (minus the tombstones).  Walls are lined with shelves of maple syrups, mustards, jellys, local wines and, of course, cheese. The clerks proudly display the different cheddars and flavor varieties to sample side by side. Never knew the difference between a single year aged cheese versus a four.  Both were delicious.  I also liked a few of their flavored varieties, especially the garlic cheddar and the maple smoked.  We picked up a Spanish style, which was a little lighter and I wish we had brought home more.

Happily, we can order more from Grafton Village Cheese Company’s Web site.  Too bad they don’t retail Lactaid as well…

Images courtesy of Grafton Village Cheese Company

Dear Vladmir,

Thank you for your, um, passionate(?) need to post dozens of comments on my blog posts.  Sadly, I cannot read cyrillic and do not understand Russian anyway.  The majority of my 6 readers cannot either, so I will not be approving any of them.

In other words, quit spamming my little Web site.  You’re wasting your time and mine.

Hugs and Kisses,

Laura

I love America.  I really, really do.  But honestly, American tourists can be so obnoxious in foreign countries!  I really noticed this while living in Italy and here is a selection of the more egregious offenses – feel free to share your own experiences in the comments section.

Ask the server for Macaroni and Cheese. One of my favorite restaurants in Florence (albeit a popular American tourist spot), Acqua al’ Due, offers a wonderful pasta sampler serving a selection of their delicious pasta dishes.  It’s a great deal for those like me who can’t decide between the many, mouthwatering choices on the pasta menu.  It’s not so great for those who like to be in control and know exactly what they’re getting.  Like the man who, after receiving one dish, demanded his server bring him a plate of macaroni and cheese.  Classy, dude.

Assume you’re getting screwed. I’ve never once been suckered by anyone in Italy (not counting the gypsy beggars that I’ve seen buy wine with their “earnings,” so now you know better than to give them a buck too).  My dad tells the story of a couple, also at Acqua al’ Due, who thought they were being taken advantage of with every course they received.  The man even asked the waiter, what would happen if he didn’t like one of the pastas in their sampler.  The reality is, among the other dining options in Florence, that place is fairly inexpensive, and a total steal for the quality of food and service.  Nonetheless, the man assumed he was being cheated, was rude to the staff and made the entire room uncomfortable.

Be fat. You rarely see obesity abroad, and more often than not, when you do see it, it’s one of our own.  Even sadder than the basic fact, I’ve seen overweight tourists demand special treatment for their condition.  In one especially cringe-worthy incident, a man demanded help to make it to the top of the Duomo.  Not cool, especially in a place as ancient as Italy.  Buildings are old, spaces are smaller and you will have to propel yourself almost everywhere.  Mi dispiace, ma non c’è qui un ascensore. (That’s Italian for “I’m sorry sir, but there isn’t an elevator in this place).

Speak at High Volumes with Extreme Gesturing. Most Italians you will encounter can speak English.  Speaking loudly and flailing your arms does not help them to understand you any better.

Dress as tacky as humanly possible. Just because no one you know can see you, doesn’t mean the rest of the world can’t.  Leave the Birkenstocks, JanSport backpacks, fraternity tees and jean shorts at home.  I am very familiar with the amount of walking you will do in Italy, but lucky for you, there are many comfortable  (often orthotic) footwear options that aren’t your running shoes – Cole Haan is one of my favorites, but Aerosoles offers some pretty options as well, and you will do as the Roman’s do with a pair of sporty Pumas.

All joking aside, the worst behavior is often what people remember best.  Remember that as soon as you step off the plane in another country, you are a casual diplomat for your homeland.  Do a favor for the good travelers out there – stop making the rest of us look bad.

Images courtesy of Tacky Tourist Photos

This past weekend, boyfriend and I sought entertainment outside the heart of Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina.  He’s an avid marksman and outdoor enthusiast, so I wanted to find something fun that would make up for dragging him down to my friend’s southern wedding during the peak of the holiday season.  Deep River Sporting Clays was our answer.

Raleigh-Durham is probably best known for college basketball.  On a stretch of the famous “Tobacco Road,” the area is home to Duke University, UNC and North Carolina State, with Wake Forest not too far away.  Attending a game wasn’t an option for us.  As an alumna and loyal fan of Wake Forest University, it would’ve been difficult – if not impossible – to cheer for either the Tar Heels or the Blue Devils.  So we looked outside the city limits for something to do.

Deep River Sporting Clays is located 45 miles southwest of the North Hills area of Raleigh.  The cool thing about their complex is how vast it is.  They are set up with a one mile, 13-station course, and each station has clays flying from different angles, at different speeds and even scurrying across the ground.  The ground targets were my favorite – they were slower with more surface area to aim for, and therefore were easier to hit.

Deep River made it very easy for us as visitors – they supplied our gun, ammunition, ear protection and even a “Lowes Branded” apron for us to carry our shells (although true to form, I dragged my Marc Jacobs bag to every station – a lady never knows when she needs her purse…).  Visitors need to bring their own eye protection: hunting goggles, sunglasses or eye glasses will do.  Our guide was extremely helpful (especially to me as a beginner), and I felt unbelievably comfortable with a shotgun within minutes.

At the end of the course, I was 4 of 50, while boyfriend hit about 20 targets.  In a way, the experience reminded me of golf.  With shotguns.  I have a ton of respect for the experienced marksmen that were out there shooting clays out of the sky with surgical precision.    I doubt I’ll ever be that good, but hope that next time I make it out, I’ll hit more than 8%.

Visitor’s Tip – check out the Deep River’s on site store.  The rifles on display seem to be almost museum quality, with elegant, elaborate engravings and beautiful hand carved details.

Image Courtesy of Deep River Sporting Clays

Call me a product of my generation, but when I think of the word “Smorgasbord” the Swedish Chef from Sesame Street automatically comes to mind. 

This gives no credit where it’s due.  Instead of the uber-buffet we Americans associate with the term, the smorgasbord is actually an artful, culinary tradition that the Swedes are very proud of.  Traditionally, it is a series of delicacies eaten in a specific order on clean plates.  Rooted in hospitality, the concept has its beginnings with the fourteenth century merchant and upper class, who served a variety of hors d’oeuvres to visiting guests, so that they wouldn’t get hungry before dinner.  Jaunted has further explanation.

You can always tell a tourist by the way they eat at one of these events, so do yourself a favor.  Don’t do the American thing and load up a single plate like you would at Golden Corral.  You’ll just embarrass yourself more than if you spilled that plate down your pants.  Instead try these tips from Visit Sweden and enjoy the art of smorgasbord – don’t forget to use a clean plate for every dish:

• Begin with the various herring dishes, egg dished with anchovies and shrimps plus salmon dishes (smoked salmon or grav lax which is a raw, marinated salmon). Those dishes are served with boiled potatoes and dill. The matjesill herring is also served together with sour cream and chives.
• Together with this first course you also take some Swedish crisp bread and cheese. You might also like to try a potato casserole with onions, anchovies and cream. Or try some smoked eel.
• To this you drink Swedish Aquavit and beer. Aquavit comes in different flavors like cumin, fennel and aniseed. And for Swedish beer, try Pripps!
• Next plate will be filled with cold cuts such as various sausages, ham and different pates.
• Now is the time for the warm dishes such as meat balls with lingon berries, roast beef and spare ribs. At Christmas time of course the HAM is the main course. Perhaps you would like to try some smokes reindeer if you don’t care you eat Santa’s horse…..
• No Smorgasbord can be too big or too varied but they should always contain some of the typical Swedish dishes such mentioned above.
• In addition to all this, you will also find various salads, and vegetable dishes to choose from.
• And finally at last, dessert – different cakes, fruits and chocolates. And together with this, a cup of real good, strong coffee and perhaps a glass of Swedish Flagg Punch.

Visit Sweden recommends that visitors enjoy a traditional smorgasbord at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm.

Image courtesy of MissMaud.com.au