XO,

La.

If you don’t have plans yet and want to stick to a budget, here are some last minute, wallet friendly ideas to celebrate the holiday:

Celebrate the true meaning of the holiday and pay tribute to our troops with air shows and parades

The annual (free!) Jones Beach Air Show, outside New York City, will showcase the US Navy Blue Angels at this years shows on Saturday and Sunday.  Just don’t forget to bring layers – it was chilly and windy at last year’s event and we spent most of the afternoon huddled under the blankets we brought to relax on.

Washington DC will host the annual National Memorial Day Parade on Monday, beginning at 2 p.m.  The parade will feature marching bands and veterans from all 50 states.  Other cities hosting parades include Chicago, IL, Gettysburg, PA, and Milwaukee, WI.

Many military historical sites will also host events throughout the weekend, including the USS Pampanito, San Francisco’s World War II submarine.

Watch fireworks light up the skies

If you love fireworks (and who doesn’t?), there will be many shows throughout the weekend.  South Padre Island off the southern coast of Texas kicks off it’s Annual Summer Weekend Fireworks on Saturday at 9:15 p.m.

Chicago’s Navy Pier also kicks off it’s annual firework show series on Sunday. Book ahead to watch the show from the water.

Even our neighbors to the North get into the pyrotechnics, with the Niagra Falls Memorial Day Fireworks in Queen Victoria Park in Ontario.  There will be free concerts starting at 8 p.m., with the fireworks kicking off at 10 p.m on Monday.  I think this show would be especially cool with the reflection of the fireworks on the falls.

Experience local culture

With the long weekend, many areas of the country boast annual festivals celebrating local foods and culture:

• Fredricksburg Crawfish Festival in Texas celebrates cajun culture and lets the good times roll on Friday and Saturday.
• Northwest Folk Festival in Seattle showcases the diverse cultures of the Northwest throughout the weekend.
• Freedom Weekend Aloft in South Carolina watch hundreds of hot air balloons glide through the sky, enjoy amusement rides and games, as well as a fireworks display.
• Strawberry Music Festival in Yosemite National Park for a weekend of camping, music and other activities.

Images Courtesy of SeattleSt.com, NiagraFallsMarriot.com and blog.nola.com

It’s very simple, just visit a participating restaurant/bakery, mention that you’re there for Macaron Day and enjoy a free treat.  Here is a list of participating venues:

• Almondine Bakery (DUMBO and Park Slope)
• Bouchon Bakery (Columbus Circle)
• Burdick Chocolate (Flatiron)
• Butterfield Market (Upper East Side)
• Cannelle Patisserie (East Elmhurst)
• Dessert Truck Works (Lower East Side)
• FC Chocolate Bar (Upper East Side)
• La Maison Du Chocolat (Rockafeller Center, Upper East, Financial District and Empire State Building)
• Macaron Cafe (Midtown West)
• Madeline Patisserie (Flatiron)
• Mad-Mac “The Authentic French Macarons” at Benardaud (Midtown East)
• Silver Moon Bakery (Upper West Side)

Macarons are actually a favorite of mine, especially those from Bouchon (noted in the recent birthday post directed at boyfriend), so you know that I’ll be in line early for my freebie.  Actually, as the Web site notes that quantities are limited, I should probably direct you elsewhere.  In fact, don’t go there.  They don’t melt into sugary goodness with every bite.  They don’t have delicious, seasonal flavors.  Nooo, don’t go to Bouchon…

BTW, proceeds from macaron sales that day will benefit City Harvest, a fantastic local organization that helps the city’s hungry.  It is the world’s first food rescue organization, and feeds 260,000 hungry New Yorkers every week.

Image courtesy of Bouchon Bakery

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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