The Confederate Legacy in Savannah Historical Black Lives Matter By Lauri Lyons Please sign this online petition to change Confederate names of African burial grounds in Georgia: www.change.org/restwithhonorsavannah Savannah is the oldest city in Georgia and is known for its coastal beauty and historical architecture. The city was able to thrive and become one of the wealthiest cities in America, because of its rice plantations, cotton plantations, and access to Northern and foreign markets across the Atlantic. All of the labor used to work on the plantations and to build the city’s infrastructure was made by enslaved Africans directly imported from West Africa. Additional slave labor included African-Americans who were owned by the municipality or “hired out” (rented) to the city by their Master, and “free” people of color, that were required by law to work for the city one day a week for free. Africans were not allowed to be buried within Savannah. They were only allowed to be buried on the outskirts of the city in “Old Negro Burial Grounds”. In 1850 the Old Negro Burial Grounds were closed. Headstones from the graves were relocated to a new cemetery designated for Negroes. However, most of the graves were not exhumed, they remained in the original burial grounds. In 1851, the Old Negro Burial Grounds were redesigned as two public squares; renamed Whitefield Square and Calhoun Square. The latter in honor of John C. Calhoun, the former Vice President of the United States. Calhoun was fiercely pro-slavery and his philosophy and essays about white supremacy were the leading voice supporting terrorism and oppression against Black and indigenous people...
A Digital Nomad in Pulau Batam The Montigo Nongsa Workcation By Cindy Bingley-Pullin All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy and Jill a dull girl! Most people that work in an office fantasize about escaping the office, and people that work from home are sometimes challenged by family and cabin fever. Cindy Bingley Pullin is a spirited travel writer that has learned the fine art of working on the road while bringing her family in tow. What does one do when deadlines and client demands mean taking time off work is a no-no, or your kid’s school breaks are seemingly always around the corner? Could the best solution be a trip away? Enter the “work-cation”, a vacation where one spends part of their time getting work done. As the boundaries between work and everyday life become increasingly blurred, travel trends of mixing business with pleasure are increasingly popular. With the rise of the digital nomads and remote jobs, all you need for location freedom is a laptop and a decent wi-fi connection. Wherever you are, you can log on and create a virtual office poolside, beachside, or anywhere in between, as you enjoy the company of the ones you love. My new work + pleasure endeavour is a review of global work-cation resorts worth checking into. My first destination was the Montigo Nongsa in Pulau Batam, Indonesia. The Southeast Asian weekender destination of Pulau Batam (or Batam Island), is part of the Indonesia archipelago. It is only a 30-minute ferry ride from the fast pace and big lights of Singapore, making it the perfect work-cation addition...
Luxury Igloos and Ice Hotels Arctic Winter Wonderlands By Mackenzie Lowry The ICEHOTEL Jukkasjärvi, Sweden Pack your footed pajamas and head out to the center of Jukkasjärvi, a small village in Sweden, where a glistening structure stands apart from its surroundings. It reappears every year, and yet, it is forever changing. Artists from around the world move there to contribute to the magical creation. Made completely out of ice, the construction of ICEHOTEL is a yearlong process, requiring constant planning and, of course, harvesting of ice. It is a glistening hub of creativity, with each suite having a unique theme that truly makes the experience individualized. ICEHOTEL is the first and the largest of hotels made entirely out of ice. It requires over 30,000 tons of ice to form its perfect walls. The extraordinary project has been ongoing for over 25 years. The thousands of guests who have had the opportunity to sleep within this icy palace have experienced extreme ice driving, learning about winter survival, spending time with the Sámi people, horseback riding, dog sledding, practicing ice sculpting, and witnessing the miracle of the Northern Lights. Guests get a chance to fine dine at the hotel’s ice restaurant or stop by for drinks at the Icebar, where you can ensure your beer will not get warm. If you’re not one for sleeping in -5 degrees temperatures, but you want to experience the beauty of ICEHOTEL, warm accommodations are available in the form of standard hotel rooms or wilderness camps. The owners of ICEHOTEL recently decided to literally shoot for the stars. ICEHOTEL has been accepted as one of...
Cookware Couture For Elegant Foodies A Dinner Invitation Not to be Missed By Allyson Volpe With its unrivalled craftsmanship, choice gastronomy, and seasonal ingredients, Florence is a city that continues to entice the culinary imagination and its ritual of fine dining around the table. Florence based Cookware Couture is one of the rising stars of today’s culinary experience. Launching its 100 percent silver cookware line, Cookware Couture takes its hand-crafted design inspiration from the world-famous history of Florentine artisans who have fashioned the gleaming prized silver since Renaissance times. When creating their silver cookware, both founders Petra Casini and Laura Shadden, took inspiration from the great historical lineage of Florentine design and silversmith tradition. Both ladies are firm believers in the bottega (workshop), employing the dedication and expertise of Florentine artisans, working with them, and valuing their finely tuned craftsmanship. The passion underlying Florentine craftsmanship is undeniable in the beautifully hand-made Cookware Couture creations, which exude this sort of authentic time honoured expertise in a very modern way. Teaming up to join forces, Laura Shadden, a Californian native and design consultant in the fashion industry, and Petra Casini, a German native that hails from a family of stone cutters, gemologists and jewelers, began collaborating eight years ago for a mutual client. Gradually, they began realizing their collective potential, love of cooking, and passion for the Tuscan way of life. The idea of creating a silver cookware line become a reality with the launch of their Cookware Couture in 2017. Although Shadden and Casini have fashioned a very unique line of cookware that is setting an important trend in the...
Spiritual Retreats in Ibiza Yoga Rosa & Legado Ibiza Finca By Cindy Bingley-Pullin & Wendy Tee Supersized yachts, celebrity DJs, glitzy beach clubs, and overpriced sushi with cocktails. Ibiza, Spain is a destination world-renowned for wild parties and excess, but there is also a milder and more intriguing side to this Balearic island that travelers have long been drawn to. With a history dating back centuries, Ibiza has captured the attention of the Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Spaniards, and even pirates. More recently, bohemians started migrating here in the 1960s. They created a richly diverse culture and a free-spirited charm that continues to captivate many travelers today. Part of the mystique is attributable to Es Vedrà, an uninhabited rocky island off the southwest coast of Ibiza, that is shrouded in myths and legends aplenty. Es Vedra is the fabled home of the sirens who tried to lure Odysseus from his ship in Homer’s classic story The Odyssey. It is also considered to be a holy island associated with Tanit, the Ibizan patron goddess of fertility, the gateway to the lost city of Atlantis, and even a secret UFO base. There are also claims that Es Vedrà is one of the most magnetic points on Earth, like the Bermuda Triangle. Whilst unproven, all of these myths and legends only enhance the mysterious allure of Ibiza. It is away from the tourist hubs of Playa d’en Bossa and Sant Antoni, where my sister and I discover two boutique boltholes, where we can escape and hide. The charming founders of each resort are creating hospitality experiences. The retreat focuses on solitude and spiritual...
Meet the Wadi Rum Bedouins Explore Nomadic Life in Jordan By Mira Temkin British archeologist and military officer T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia once described the Wadi Rum desert as “vast, echoing and God-like.” Miles of red sand, majestic granite mountains and exquisite dunes, beckon visitors to this rugged, unspoiled expanse. Also called the “Valley of the Moon,” Wadi Rum is Jordan’s largest valley and a protected area, yet Hollywood has claimed this lunar landscape as the perfect set for the films The Martian, Transformers and of course, Lawrence of Arabia. In this rather desolate and harsh climate, nomadic tribes like the Bedouins have lived for thousands of years, shepherding goats and camels for their livelihood and maintaining their indigenous culture and customs. I had an opportunity to experience this nomadic life in southern Jordan, also known as the “Grand Canyon on the Middle East.” While there, I discovered a deep peace and tranquility within. I lived like the local desert dwellers, trading modern conveniences for sleeping under an illuminated sky. Secluded from the world, I became more aware of my own senses and came away with a renewed concept of self, calm and inspiration. During my sojourn in Jordan, I experienced the Rahayeb Desert Camp, voted Desert Camp of the Year 2018 by Travel & Hospitality. I camped out under a massive rock, where I took in the solitude of the desert air. If you’re wondering what the desert has to offer, it’s the quiet that gets you. Surrounded by the boundless landscape, you can feel your heart beating and listen to the sounds of your...
Cappadocia Fairy Chimney Inn A Cave Hotel That Rocks By Mackenzie Lowry Göreme, UNESCO World Heritage site, is a town in the Cappadocia region of central Turkey. It is in the Nevşehir Province in Central Anatolia and has a population of around 2,000 people. To the north, the landscape at Paşabağ Valley is known for Cappadocia’s “fairy chimneys”. The Fairy Chimney Inn gives off a magical feeling with just the name alone. Although the “fairy chimneys” are actually tufa rock cones that have been converted into guesthouses. Literally carved out of the odd-shaped rock cones populating the area, on the outside, the fairy chimneys look like leftover ruins from a centuries-old civilization. Yet, on the inside, they are decorated with traditional Turkish furniture but also have perfectly modern amenities including heating and wi-fi. For convenience, the post office, ATMs, restaurants, and bars of the village are just a 10-minute walk away. All of this provides guests with the feeling of sleeping in an ancient world, sans rough it. Instead of rising early to hunt for the day’s food like in the age of antiquity, today, guests at the Fairy Chimney Inn are provided with a breakfast buffet that includes Turkish coffee, homemade bread and fruit jams, set on a terrace with one of the best views in the area. For a bird’s eye view of Goreme valley, you can gaze down from a hot air balloon to view the “lunar landscapes,” tufa caves, and the “Open Air Museum”. If you step inside, you can visit old Byzantine cave churches and frescoes from the 10th to 12th centuries, that cover...
Georgia: Hollywood of the South Peaches, Black Panthers & Zombies By Lauri Lyons Sweet Tea and Housewives are some of the obvious things that come to mind when thinking of Georgia. However, the stage has been set for The Peach State to become the new promised land for creative opportunities. The Prequel In 2004, the celebrated film Ray, starring Jamie Foxx, won an Oscar and grossed $125 million dollars at the box office. The legendary musician Ray Charles was a Georgia native and his rendition of Georgia On My Mind is the state’s official song. However, the movie Ray was filmed in Louisiana. This cinematic blunder immediately rallied the troops and stoked the fire for Georgia to become the Hollywood of the South. The Big Payback In order to aggressively compete for lucrative film & TV productions, the Georgia Film industry and Department of Economic Development made an offer film and TV producers could not refuse. Today, qualifying media productions (film, tv, music videos) will receive a 20% tax credit, plus an additional 10% credit for embedding a Georgia Peach promotional logo in the film title or credits. This bold economic strategy is reaping big financial rewards for the state. In 2017, Georgia Film created $9.5 billion dollars of economic impact for the state. Move over China, India, Nigeria, and Hollywood. Georgia is now home to the 5th largest film industry in the world. Lights, Camera, Action! Georgia has implemented a statewide “Camera Ready” policy for all counties. Each county is employed with a designated County Liaison that educates the community on production basics, to provide local expertise and support to...
72 Hours in New Orleans Creoles, Gators, Music & Spice By Lauri Lyons La Nouvelle-Orléans (New Orleans) was founded in the Spring of 1718 by the French Mississippi Company. The French colony was ceded to the Spanish Empire in the Treaty of Paris in 1763 and remained under Spanish control when it reverted briefly to French rule. Napoleon later sold Louisiana to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Thereafter, the city grew rapidly with influxes of Americans, French, Creoles and Africans. Later immigrants were Irish, Germans and Italians. The major cash crops of sugar and cotton were cultivated with slave labor on nearby large plantations. All of these elements created a potent brew of Creoles, gators, history and spice that never seems to die. Mardi Gras World New Orleans is world-renowned for its annual Carnival celebration Mardi Gras, which is French for “Fat Tuesday”, the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season. In layman’s terms, Mardi Gras is a bedazzled, feathered, wild, drunken, public hedonism festival that ends right before you go to church and pray. If you want to take a sneak peek behind the glitter and beads, head on over to Mardi Gras World to meet some of the artists and craftsmen who have built some of the oldest and biggest parade floats in the city. Since 1947, Mardi Gras World has built and decorated approximately 500 floats per year. Tours take place 7 days a week and begin every half hour, and last for approximately one and a half hours. Guides take you through the float...
Ask Astronaut Tim Peake A Guide to Life in Space By Lauri Lyons Tim Peake is a European Space Agency astronaut and former British Army officer, who completed a historic mission to the International Space Station in 2016. Since his return to Earth, Tim has been asked thousands of questions about what it is like to travel in space. His book Ask An Astronaut answers many of our curious questions with wit, candor, and facts. What is the International Space Station? It is the largest and most sophisticated spacecraft in history, a cutting-edge science laboratory, and a home in space for astronauts. How long do astronauts spend in quarantine before launch? The purpose of astronaut quarantine before a mission is to ensure that the prime crew remain fit and healthy, arriving at the ISS free from virus or infection. The length of time spent sequestered is usually around two weeks. Why do astronauts launch from Kazakhstan? The Baikonur Cosmodrome, situated in the desert steppe of southern Kazakhstan, is the world’s first and largest operational space launch facility. Ever since the American Space shuttle programme ended in 2011, it has been the only launch site in the world used to ferry crew to the International Space Station. What makes the launches at the Cosmodrome particularly dynamic are the visual pyrotechnics. Unlike some other launch sites where water is housed under the rockets at ignition, to souse the flames and muffle the sound at Baikonur, they don’t use water because of the desert setting. This makes for a fiery lift-off! What surprised you the most when you first got into space?...
