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Eat Pasta like a Prostitute: A Naples Food Tour
The birthplace of wood fire pizza, as if you need a better reason to visit a city. It is here that the favorite food of millions is said to have originated and if you’ve immediately pictured Italy, you’re on the right track. However, this city may not be the city you are imagining. I’d guess you’re thinking of Rome, Florence or Venice? It’s none of the typical touristic attractions and it frequently gets passed over as you make your way south, Naples. As a city that is far from the spotlight of it’s counterparts, let me convince you that a Naples food tour deserves to make it’s way onto your…
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Serenity Meets Sustainability: Chumbe Island Coral Park
My hand reached for the railing, a light blue paint chip like a feather gently fell to the floor. The banister was smooth over the parts that had coats of paint, but on the worn sections that my hand slid along I could feel the century old wood splinter beneath my fingertips. The step creaked as I advanced onto the small platform in between the flights of stairs. I looked upwards towards the squared, spiral staircase that hugged the walls of the lighthouse. Some of the open windows let beams of light in and dust danced in the air as my eyes trailed higher where the shadows grew darker. I…
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Best Destinations for Responsible Wildlife Vacations
Responsible Wildlife Vacations Wildlife destinations are some the of most popular places to vacation, seeing animals you don’t find in your backyard can easily be the top priority when planning a trip. There are locations at all ends of the globe to learn more about different species and see more wildlife.  The important part before taking that dream trip is making sure you’ve booked a sustainable tour and ethically responsible tourism along with animal welfare should be the highest priority to ensure the animals we are wanting to see will be around in the future. Here is a list of my top places to find responsible wildlife vacations. Turtles Lay…
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Speck on the Globe Guide to the Galapagos
You may inevitably drive yourself crazy trying to come up with the best itinerary for the Galapagos. It is a “bucket list” destination for many people so the pressure to create the perfect itinerary is strong and the options at first google search seem pretty endless. There is the debate about doing an independent trip to be more cost effective or going on a luxurious cruise. There are dozens of tour operators that have all different types of boats that follow a handful of different routes. It’s enough to make even the seasoned of travelers go mad trying to figure out if you’ve invested in the best trip. I’ve put…
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72 Hours in Paradise: A Weekend in St. Kitts
Most of my planning involves a travel schedule that is curated well in advance. Â I usually have an rough idea in mind, pitch for work or make space if I’m invited somewhere and then fill in the rest later so it’s always a fun surprise to throw in a spontaneous trip now and again. Â When a friend who lives in a Caribbean island has a few days free from work and sends out an invitation for a visit, you make it happen. Â This is why I like to hoard airline miles, in case a last minute flight is too expensive to pay for then I have a back up, so…
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Beauty In My Backyard: A Day Hike Near Pittsburgh
I grew up outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and although I don’t live there any longer, I spend a lot of time visiting Western Pennsylvania. I’m always looking for something active to do in and around the city, there are lots of activities to explore but the best day hike near Pittsburgh has to be Ohio Pyle State Park. Here is what you need to know to make the most of your day trip to Ohiopyle. A Laurel Highlands Day Hike With over 20,000 acres in the park, the 70 miles of trails allows for some beautiful day hikes or a multi-day backpacking trip. The state park and trails are open…
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This Little Piggy Went to Market: Otavalo Saturday Market, Ecuador
I pinched the small pieces of wood close together, like oversized tweezers, the dowels the size of two little wooden chopsticks. My eyes focused on the thin, peach-painted pig that slipped over the tight ropes attached to the sticks, slowly spinning like a gymnast with a little black smile splashed crossed its face as it spun around. We locked eyes and then we had a laugh. She had small wrinkles around her eyes, they constricted when we let out our cackles. It was a kid’s toy but still fun to see it spin around and the tiny craftsmanship was impressive. I had asked her if she had made these and…
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An Indianapolis Can’t Miss Weekend
This is the best of the Midwest. I’ve compiled a list of my “can’t miss” weekend in Indianapolis to take your itinerary to the next level and make sure you find all the secrets, hot spots and fan favorites. Indiana itself has a lot to offer but I made sure to put a list together that highlights all of the Circle City attractions you could knock out over a quick can’t miss Indianapolis weekend activities. Indianapolis Weekend Activities Eats & Treats City Market City Market is much more than a marketplace with vendors, it’s a building for food stalls, a meeting place for locals, an event space for celebrations and…
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A Peru Trip: Philanthropy in Photography
The clanging on the metal door rang hard through the air, the knocking sound reverberated across the playground and presumably through the streets of a small bread-making town outside of Cusco. Little feet in worn shoes charged across the grass towards the door, taking turns letting in friends and then quickly returning to whatever game they were invested in, marbles, soccer, watering the garden, or playing in the sand. It seemed to be a repetitive task each afternoon, children in matching school uniforms spilling in after classes, the large rusty metal door as quickly as it closed would swing swiftly open, welcoming in dozens of kids each day. The program…
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Eco Indy: Indiana’s Sustainable City
San Francisco, Portland, or Seattle are all US cities you think of immediately as “green” towns, but what about Indianapolis?  In 2008 the mayor of Indianapolis established the Office of Sustainability, with the task of becoming the most sustainable city in the Midwest. It was evident from the first day we explored the city that huge strides were made to keep Indy clean & green. Neighborhood programs were created making even the city center feel more like home and there were several initiatives helping Indianapolis strive to become the most sustainable city in the Midwest. I was so impressed with the restaurants, transportation and conservation that was being made…
