Yep, I'm Special!

Today I am faced with a hard, hard challenge. An even harder challenge than planning the perfect family vacation.... The task that faces me, and stares me down is a complicated one in more ways than I can fathom. I have to write a bio about myself for our travel site. 

You would think, yamming about how amazing you are and letting the world know that you are the best for whatever their needs would be cake walk. But you're wrong. There is a huge obstacle facing you in a challenge like this because as you begin to type you start realizing that all your short comings are not short or meek they're these skyscraper size hurdles that you can never conquer and all those people who said you'd never amount to anything are right! Oh the humanity! Ok, so maybe not so intense but it is a big unforgiving mirror being shown to you. 

Your focus goes from everything you accomplished in your life to every opportunity that seems to have passed you by like a bullet train. Not to mention somewhere in the back of your mind is the fact that eventually after you finally get the emotional strength to pull yourself together and write what you think is the most jaw dropping bio written on a person ever, your boss is going to attack your personal Pulitzer prize winner with a weed whacker. 

But to hell with feeling like a nobody, and to hell with worrying if you're not good enough. I'm going to put on my big girl panties, suck down my body weight in caffeine, munch on some chocolate, blast my favorite tunes, and write a bio that's worthy of having my name attached to it. I am the self proclaimed Queen of Halloween and Paranormal vacations. I got to write a review (that is now highly respected) about a hotel I once dreamed of. Those are just a couple things that I have already accomplished and I have only been in the travel business for six months, image what goals I'll reach after a year or even a decade. The Augustine might be my dream now, but the whispers I hear calling out to me will be answered, and I'll be taking so many people on beer excursions through Prague that it won't be a fantasy, it will feel as at home to me, as Italy feels to Harold. Perhaps you should take a look in the unforgiving mirror, push past everything, and write your own stellar biography, make yourself your own inspiration. 

More like wide bottom'd traveler.

I have a confession, I'm not happy with how wide my stomach is. I am one of those sad american's who didn't get the right talking to, when it came to portion control. With me studying all about the world's most scrumptious food and wine's, it's hard to think about dialing down the "I can eat this amazing meal and consider it research". I will one day be traveling with groups on beer tours of Prague and if I'm wheezing and panting after a mile because I am so out of shape then I doubt my clients will want to book with me again.... Unless I find a place for us to stop and give them life changing beer each time. Plus what about if I take a group to some exotic sexy island. No one is going to want an Experience Director to lay out next to them if I look like their great aunt who thinks spandex is a privileged.

No, they want the super model to come lay next to them and tell them about the tantalizing cuisine the cabana boy is about to bring them, and sip some fruity drink with an umbrella! They want this chick! Who wouldn't want to have drinks with her and learn about Caribbean cuisine. I don't even know who she is and I would book any trip she tossed my way.

I want to be the best Travel consultant I can, At first I thought that meant just knowing a lot and being able to explain the world's treasures to those who are so happy to listen. But as I keep learning, I realize (like I have about a lot when it comes to my new job) my assumptions are wrong. I can't just know, I have to show. I have to be able to walk for days teaching and opening the eyes of my clients to worlds and cultures they never knew about. Which means I can't be out of shape any longer, I have to whip my wide bottom into shape and be ready to walk all over the world. Because the day is coming when I get to take a group to Prague, and show them the Augustine that I dream about. And when I do, I will be ready to walk all over the city not worrying if I'm sweaty and winded... Plus I'll look good doing it. Perhaps I will move it, I'll go from being the Wide Eyed Traveler, to the Chic Styled Hot Traveler.

Harry Potter day is here!

Today is Harry Potter day, the final installment of the great series will hit movie theaters at midnight, and the masses will be out and ready to see if the Chosen One will be capable of taking down the Dark Lord. I love Harry Potter, it's a huge feat for me to love reading a book series, seeing as I have crippling dyslexia. I spend my drive into the office today wondering how I would make a blog about the boy who lived and relate it to work, how is a fantasy series going to tie into culinary tourism? Well hold onto your wizard caps my little muggles I think I have some good ways to spin this. 


I'll start with the suggestion Harold made to me when I brought up my concept for this blog.... 

TADA BUTTERBEER!


There's been quite the debate on several websites on which recipe is the best. As a future brewery tour specialist I thought it was odd that there is no Butterbeer recipe I have found that has actual beer in it (just as a funny side note, I have to keep back spacing because every time I write "beer" I end up writing "bear", goodness I'm a goober sometimes). There is only one JKR approved Butterbeer recipe and it belongs to Universal and only sold at their very own Harry Potter land. Luckily I'm pretty good at fishing around and I found the assumed recipe Universal uses at it's park. 


1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 package Spiced Alpine Instant Apple Cider
8 oz Water
8 oz Cream Soda
Buttershots Schnapps
Dissolve 1/4 cup of Brown Sugar into 8oz hot water. Add one half of 0.74oz Apple Cider package to mixture. Let cool.
Put 1/4 cup of Cider mixture in glass. Add 8oz Cream Soda. Add Buttershots Schnapps to taste.
May reduce 8oz water and Soda to fit into 8oz glass.


Now I'll talk about the travel part of today's blog. London. Gorgeous, inviting, wonderful London. If you haven't caught the drift, I LOVE London. I went there at the end of a very long tour of Europe when I was eighteen, and as homesick as I was, I was just captivated by it's rich fun culture. It is where I truly became a wide eyed traveler. I stood in Trafalgar Square looking around with a gaping mouth staring at the exciting city around me. If you have a chance to visit London, do so. If you need someone to help you book a glorious vacation to see this magnificent city... Call me at Epicopia Culinary Journeys, I'll get you fixed up!


Happy Harry Potter Day Everyone!

Are mini buses the new location for clubbing?

I'm planning something fun and small here in the Dallas area. A bus tour of the city that takes it's guest on an eye opening tour of the Metroplex to it's finest wineries and breweries. It's going to be a nice pleasant day trip where everyone will just relax and enjoy some of this great cities hidden pleasures.

I had to locate a reasonable and polite bus service to use for our exciting adventure, but while finding some wonderful companies to work with I found something rather... interesting. Buses are being "tricked out" to suit a more party atmosphere than I ever expected. I never in my whole life thought I'd have to say "Um, no.. A stripper poll and purple neon will not be needed, but thank you." when finding out prices for a twenty-five person mini bus. I can't have a leisurely day visiting the refined wineries here in this wonderful city if I have to keep resisting the urge to dance to electronica and be a "woo" girl. I need something small and quiet where I can have an enlightening conversation about the venue we just left. When did I miss the mini buses debut into the world of hardcore clubbing and nightlife?! I feel so left behind!