I was born in Oswego, New York in 1976. Upstate New York- hm.. what can write about upstate New York? Upstate New York is perfect for the individual who loves spending time outside during all four seasons. My father really loves living in upstate because he is an avid hunter. I, on the other hand, am not as passionate about upstate New York; hence, the reason I left upstate right after graduating high school and never looked back ever since. Of course, I visit my family every other year or if there is a death in the family or someone decide to get married. My father helped remind me of some of the great things about upstate for this writing assignment. Although I did not find as much enjoyment hunting as he did, I did enjoy seeing all of the animals in upstate. On a warm Sunday afternoon at dusk during late summer, he would drive around to spy on the whitetail deer in rolling hay fields. In late summer, the leaves on the trees begin to change from green to beautiful shades of red, orange, and purple. One of my favorite trips was to the 1,000 islands in the St. Lawrence River located on the boarder of the U.S and Canada. Another great adventure is the Niagara Falls located on the same boarder as the 1,000 islands, but the falls are located more southwest of the islands. The winters are very hard in upstate New York, and during winter, they are pounded by lake-effect snow off from the Finger Lakes. The winters were enough for me to flee the state at eighteen and move to Raleigh, North Carolina.

     I moved to the south when I was eighteen years old with a suitcase full of clothing. That is all I had at the time. The only person I had there was my sister, so I made her couch my new bed. I earned my first living in the retail industry by day and waited tables by night. It was fun. However, my best memories of North Carolina come from our summer vacations on the outer banks. My sister and her husband would rent a house on Nags Head. Nags Head is well known for its beautiful sandy beaches. We would have so much fun vacationing on the beach. As previously stated, I was "room less," so I did not have that much money. We had dinners at the house and cookouts on the beach-- I was mooching off from anyone I could for my next meal. After leaving Raleigh, I found myself on yet another couch farther south.

     Sunny Florida became the location of my next couch with a friend I met in Raleigh. I lived in St. Pete's Beach, Florida. Again, with no disposable income coming in, I did not get to vacation at all. However, living in St. Pete's, I had access to Orlando! Yes, I had easy access to the Walt Disney World Resorts. My favorite park was Typhoon Lagoon. The water slides and raft rides were so much fun! I really enjoyed the lush green plants and endless amounts of pools to soak up the sun. I will never forget the title wave pool. This pool is was where a giant wave would intermittently be created so you could experience the true power of a "rouge" wave! After overstaying my welcome on my friends couch, I moved back to my sisters in North Carolina. In North Carolina, I had built a name for myself in the cosmetic industry and the company I was working for moved me to my "own" place in Washington, D.C.

     In Washington, D.C, I did not have to sleep on a couch. I was able to call my one room studio apartment my own! In D.C, I took advantage of all of the attractions on my days off. I could not get enough of the monuments and the museums. Amongst the many, my favorite was the National Museum of the American Indian. Moreover, I loved walking by the White House and visiting the Capital Building for lunch at the Capitol Restaurant. I was not political at the time- I was younger, but I am more political now than I was when I lived in D.C. The Cherry Blossom bloom that takes place every year is one of my favorite times. The blossoms bloom on the trees that embrace the city; however, the most gorgeous trees are the ones lining the pond near The Jefferson Memorial! Another hot spot that I frequented a lot was the gay area: Dupont Circle. I would relax in the main park next to the waterfall fountain on a blanket on the lawn. This was a perfect place for a picnic and to meet new friends or cruise. I was in Washington at the height of Starbucks becoming well known; therefore, after a long afternoon in the park, a refreshing Starbucks beverage would be the perfect transition before heading home to get ready for a wild and crazy night out on the town. In addition, yes, I would be out in the DC gay nightclub scene Monday- Sunday, to start all over again on Monday! My favorite nightclub spot was Zigfields, which is no longer around. I had some great nights in that club-- I actually met my then partner, and now husband, in that club fourteen years ago! After strengthening my executive skills in retail, the company moved Jason and me to San Francisco, California.

     San Francisco has become our home! We love it here. I became the Northwest Account Manager for the Northwest USA and the Southwest of Canada! I have been lucky to travel up and down the US Western Seaboard from Seattle to San Diego. San Francisco has so much to offer. The Bay Area is so full of so many great adventures. As you already know, I am a very big beach traveler, so I would like to tell you about Baker's Beach, Stinson Beach and the Presidio. Baker's Beach has some amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Pacific Ocean side. The waves are bigger because you are on the Pacific Ocean side of the bridge. Moreover, you get a great view of the Marin Headlands that make for a perfect backdrop for beautiful photos. You see the front side of the Golden Gate Bridge from Baker's Beach. A beautiful sunset picnic on the sandy beach with a bottle of Napa Valley's best Merlo is breath taking. For great fun if you are a dog lover, like me, the bay side beach is perfect for you. This beach on the bay is called the Presidio, an old military base. Miles of beach makes a perfect spot for exercise: running, biking, walking and hiking. It awesome to stop at the dog beaches and see all the dogs playing with each other and swimming in the bay. Lastly, Stinson Beach is a farther drive out of San Francisco, but it is well worth it. To see the huge swells and feel the power of the ocean is fascinating. I compare the waves at this beach to the waves on the North Shore of O'ahu, Hawaii. However, the major difference is the temperature of the ocean. Today's temperature was 58 degrees F; whereas Hawaii's North Shore was coming in at 78 degrees F. I do not recommend swimming in the Northern California coastal waters unless you have a wetsuit.

     I traveled to Seattle, Washington a lot for work. I really enjoyed my trips to Seattle; especially in the summer when it is so hot here in the Bay Area. I would always stay at my favorite boutique hotel: Hotel Rouge. The rooms were very small, but the hospitality made up for the size of the room. I cherished the rain in Seattle. It helped me sleep better, and yes at times I did not leave my hotel room until late afternoon because 3pm felt like 6pm. 3pm felt like 6pm because the heavy layer of clouds would not let the sun even have just a few rays shine through. Some of my best memories are from the top of the Seattle Space Needle. This main attraction is so fun, no matter if you ride to the top to the observation deck or chose to have an overpriced bland dinner in the revolving restaurant. I would take the companies field staff to dinner at the top of the needle for our holiday celebratory dinner. On one particular trip, I flew on Kenmore airlines (sea plane) from Seattle to Victoria, BC. This flight was an experience I will never forget. I would recommend this to everyone!

     Victoria, BC is one of my most favorite places to visit! It is absolutely beautiful! It is an island off from the coast of Vancouver, BC. Victoria resembles a mini "England," and still has the British charm. This coastal town has the best hotel ever: The Empress Hotel. This old luxurious hotel still holds the rich history from when the Queen of England graced the hallways. I, literally, spend all day walking through this hotel. My favorite activity at The Empress Hotel is to have afternoon "high" tea on the front patio, wrapped in a warm blanket, overlooking the inner harbor! Moreover, the inner harbor is lined with great seafood restaurants, and they seafood is delirious under priced! One meal, I remember, was two big lobster tails for only $25. Yummy! I think I ate there all week long. In Vancouver, BC, my favorite place to stay is at the Opus luxury hotel and walk Davie Street. I can't recall the name of my favorite Mediterranean restaurant. I can walk there, but I don't remember the name... Nonetheless, the chicken wrap is to die for because they have a "special" and "secret" sauce.

     My favorite place in the world is the state of Hawaii! Hawaii captured my heart and awakened my spirit the moment the airplane touched ground. I "kid you not" my life changed dramatically after my first visit to the islands. I truly believe in the Aloha spirit and live by "Pono" each and every day. There is so much on Hawaii, I don't know where to begin because I could write a book about my travels to the islands! My favorite island is O'ahu because it has the city life in Honolulu, but has the seclusion life on the North Shore. It gives a great balance to my vacation. The people that live on the islands are absolutely amazing. I will leave you with some of my favorite things to do. When I settle in from the flight, I immediately go to the Halekulani hotel to enjoy a "joy sandwich" and view the iconic landmark Diamond Head!  A joy sandwich, is a seafood sandwich, that is to die for! I love the culture of the people of Hawaii: hula dancing and food. My ultimate favorite activity to do is driving to the North Shore and swimming with the honu's. Honu's are sea turtles. You must not touch them, but you can get up close and personal with these ever so gentle creatures! When you are in the ocean and swimming with the honu's the rest of the world dissolves into non existing! The feeling is indescribable. After a long afternoon of sun, honu's and great food, I always stop in at Matsumoto's famous shave ice shop. This is not your typical shaved ice, right! It is hard for me to write about Hawaii because my heart begins to thud/dub "Let's go... Let's go... Let's go..." !!! Oh, no! I'm in the middle of my term, no travel for me...