In January 2021, I went to see my doctor for a health issue and found out I was a bit overweight and had pretty high blood pressure. As a result, I decided right then and there to change my life for the better. Since the start of the pandemic, I have not been able to go to the gym like I normally do. Add that to actually contracting the disease and being isolated at home and it means I haven’t really looked after myself. That’s when I downloaded a weight loss app that focuses on helping people get healthier through calorie monitoring, water intake, exercise, and psychology. The main tenet of m ..read more

One of my favorite meats to eat is rabbit. That’s right! The cute, furry, little bunny with its adorable wiggly nose is totally edible and delicious. Rabbit is consumed the world over from France to China to Italy to Haiti. It’s quite the common source of protein for many, many cultures. However, it’s never really been a popular choice in the United States likely due to the “cuteness” factor. Americans tend to be ok eating certain animals but not ok with eating animals we deem worthy as pets. In fact, protests have even occurred because grocery stores sold rabbit meat. I know, I know…it’s tota ..read more

Change. If I had to describe 2020 in one word then I would describe it as a year of change. We all experienced change in small, big, and meaningful ways last year. With that change, came uncertainty and even fear which made it a very stressful year for most of us. For many, it was a year of disappointment and loss, including me. The pandemic paused life as we know it, taking away a lot of the freedom we once took for granted, and forcing us to adjust our lives to a new way of doing things including constant lockdowns and social distancing. Personally, my career as a travel writer came to a gri ..read more

As we all know, 2020 was no ordinary year and I think it is safe to say that everyone’s life changed pretty drastically. A global pandemic has a way of doing that, doesn’t it? Well, I am certainly not immune to the pandemic or the effects of it. In March 2020 I contracted Covid19 and, unfortunately, it was no walk in the park. I know many people test positive for the disease and then experience no symptoms but that simply was not the case for me. I actually had many of the symptoms first then tested positive. Through that ordeal, I experienced a whole slew of symptoms which would be recognized ..read more

If you’ve followed my travels for any period of time, then you know I am absolutely, head over heels in love with the country of France. I love the language (and am currently learning it), the food, the culture, and its history. The French people are as varied in culture across their country as any other nation and there is so much to take in. The country has incredible natural wonders and boasts 41 UNESCO World Heritage sites. It also has so many wonderful villages and small towns which are actually my favorite thing to explore. When I visit France, I typically visit for a period of 10 days a ..read more

Meatloaf is a quintessential American dish consisting of meat and other ingredients made into a loaf and then baked. Although it is much beloved in the United States, it is also enjoyed around the world albeit is often known by other names and may be prepared slightly different. For instance if you find yourself in Cuba you might enjoy a dinner of Pulpeta or in France a Gâteau de Viande that includes mushrooms and chicken livers. In South Africa you’ll discover Bobotie topped with a silky egg custard and in the Czech Republic you might order Sekana which includes sausage and gherkins. Suffice ..read more

In 2020, travel is fairly restricted and, for the most part, we are not really permitted to travel outside the US. There are a few countries US citizens are able to travel to but I do not feel comfortable boarding a plane right now given the pandemic is, as of this writing, still raging with infection and death numbers increasing drastically. We’ve not traveled anywhere exotic this year but we did go camping in the wild. We decided to go camping because we needed a break from our home and wanted to do something differently. Alfred’s sister was going camping with her family and she invited us t ..read more

geralt / Pixabay Before we go any further, dear reader, you should realize this post is about a topic a lot of people might find inappropriate- SEX. Sex is a glorious thing. It’s one of the many experiences we can have that make life so much better. It also goes hand in hand with travel. More specifically, this article is about the age old institution of the gay bathhouse. So, if your sensibilities don’t allow you to engage in frank dialogue about sex or if you are one of those people who are not sex positive and shame others for their experiences then you might want to stop reading right now ..read more

We live in this highly connected world and a huge aspect of this connectivity is the ability to see the lives of our peers. Sometimes it might seem everyone around us is living their best life and enjoying tons of success. But we need to remember that this is all only a snapshot of reality. It’s easy to see people’s posts on social media and imagine they have it all figure out. Their perceived success can be intoxicating and may lead us to thinking there is something wrong with our own journey. But the reality is things go wrong for everyone and I’m here to tell you that you’re doing great. Pe ..read more

For some incredible, otherworldly scenery make your way to Joshua Tree National Park located in Southern California. The landscape here is mesmerizing and really makes you feel at peace, not to mention it’s one of the best places in the US to stargaze. And yes, one of the highlights of our trip was seeing the beautiful Joshua Trees which aren’t trees at all. They’re related to Yucca plants and happen to resemble trees in size and pattern. If you’re into seeing some breathtaking natural wonders then Joshua Tree National Park is for you Cholla Cactus Garden…but make it gay I recently made my way ..read more