Find Vacation Rentals: March 2012

Saturday, March 31, 2012

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Photo Friday: Barcelona!

Posted: 30 Mar 2012 11:25 AM PDT

Next week we leave Seville and head North to the great city of Barcelona.

Happy Photo Friday!

Friday, March 30, 2012

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Experience Seville Like a Local

Posted: 29 Mar 2012 08:17 AM PDT

Today we are featuring Jessica Benavides Canepa, a travel and luxury lifestyle writer currently preparing for her new adventures in Shanghai, China this fall. Learn more about her travels at: www.jbcanepa.com

First time visitors to Spain often hope to see the country they’ve seen in movies; colorful mosaic architecture, flamenco dancers commanding center stage, movie star matadors, regal white horses and tapas bars featuring sangria being poured from bottomless pitchers. The good news for these traveling dreamers is that should they visit Seville, that wouldn't be too far off from the truth. Indeed, this enchanting Andalusian capital offers plenty in terms of entertaining tourist attractions and rich history. But once you have had your fill of monuments and bought enough souvenirs for everyone back home, why not get a new perspective (and some interesting photos) by taking a detour into the authentic lives of the natives. Here are a few ways to make that happen:

Learn Their Customs

Culture shock is inevitable when visiting a new city, but taking the time to study a few of the local customs can go a long way towards helping to make your experience a bit more memorable. In Seville, the best times to visit are between March and May when the weather is at its mildest. If you can't avoid coming during the much hotter summer months, join the residents in their traditional afternoon nap (siesta) between 1pm to 4pm and escape the sweltering heat. Another bonus for participating in this practice (regardless of the season you visit) is waking up refreshed and ready for their late suppertime (around 10pm) and other nighttime activities.

There is a tremendous amount of fanfare in Seville during the Easter holidays: religious processions, parades and the like, but the good news is that as one of the most devout Catholic countries in Europe, these types of once-in-a-lifetime celebrations can be witnessed –albeit to a lesser degree- pretty much any time of the year.

Talk with the Locals

The residents of Seville are known for their warm and inviting demeanor. They are very proud of their rich heritage and love to promote their city to visitors. Many of the younger generation speak a little English and are easy to strike up a conversation with at bars and cafés. That being said, it wouldn't hurt to learn a few of the native Spanish conversational phrases, as the effort would be most appreciated and enrich your indigenous experience. If all else fails: gesture, point and smile – Sevillanos will do their best to understand you.

A great opportunity to see the locals at play is by securing a table at any of the bars surrounding the town's famous bullring, Real Maestranza, following a seasonal corrida (bullfight). Regardless of your personal opinion on this cultural activity, it is something of a revered pastime in this city and many use its popularity as the perfect excuse to catch up on the weeks activities afterwards.

Foodie Favorites

As with many Latin countries, Spain takes its cuisine very seriously. Typical dishes vary from region to region in terms of preparation and taste. In Seville, breakfast is usually some coffée and a pastry while lunch is meant to be enjoyed at leisure. To fight the overbearing heat, order a chilled tomato-based soup (salmorejo) and impress the locals by accompanying that with a tinto de verano (cheap wine, lemon soda and fruit). If you are not much of a drinker, no problem, the water from the tap is safe – and tasty too.

In the evening, popular menus at tapas bars include choco ( fried squid) and ortiguillas (anemone) plus additional orders of jamón Ibérico (Iberic ham) – all washed down with refreshing pitchers of cerveza (beer). Picture this in a boisterous environment so casual that your waiters keep track of your order by counting off the food on a chalkboard by your table.

For the ultimate cuisine AND cultural experience, try a Seville cooking class at A Taste of Spain, where a charming bilingual chef will take you on a discovery visit to a local food market to select ingredients for an informative cooking class followed by a three-course lunch with regional wine. Olé!

Off the Beaten Path

Seville is a city best visited on foot. Most of the main tourist attractions are found in and around the center, but part of the charm of discovering this lovely city is getting lost in its small winding streets and unexpected patio gardens. If you are a couple or a small group and prefer to learn a little history as you explore, opt to hire a private guide who will organize a custom 2-3 hour daytrip for you. The advantages here are no language barriers and a local happy to answer any questions about his people’s ancestry. Try Antonio Doblas, an official city guide and native resident with over 17 years of guiding experience.

When you are ready for some evening fun, head over the bridge (Puente de Triana) to the Triana district for some authentic tapas and, if lucky, experience your first duende ( the heart-stomping soul of flamenco) as an impromtu danser and guitar accompanist delight you with a passionate performance. Another area frequented by the locals is in and around the pedestrian Plaza Alfama, a "real" Andalusian neighborhood with little boutiques, restaurants, bars and not one fan (abanico) souvenir shop in sight.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

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Seville Orange Cake

Posted: 28 Mar 2012 06:25 AM PDT

by Emily Monaco

As a lover of food and travel, I think there is a part of me that feels as though I should be able to taste places in the foods that come from them. I should be able to eat a spoonful of apricot jam and taste the Roussillon; I should eat a slice of perfect pecorino off a knife and taste Rome. And yet, there are few foods that do that for me. Sure, there are recipes I associate with a place, but the actual ingredients that taste like their homes are few and far between.

And then, there’s Seville and its oranges.

Seville oranges are famed for being bitter; I’m a fan of bitter – I dig the burned popcorn kernels out of the bottom of the buttery microwave bag, and I drink my coffee blacker than black. I used to eat baking chocolate plain, letting squares of it melt in my mouth for languishing minutes. This isn’t the same bitter; the bitter of Seville oranges tastes like 40 degree (Celsius) Spanish sunshine, so hot it cooks the pavement and makes everything smell thick and metallic. It gets up into your nose and stays there, so that you’re forced to remember days walking through Seville, feeling the heat creep up into your clothing and parching you as you explore the giant plazas, built of pale stone — the sunlight seems to have cooked out its color. The bitter orange reminds you, like a whisper into your nose and onto your tastebuds, of stone and palm trees and sunsets that last forever… and then, as though the last memory was waiting to deal the final blow, you remember the cathedral.

Seville’s cathedral is one of the largest in the world, with over 23,000 square meters of floorspace, a famous dome designed by Michelangelo and a famous tower you can climb to take in a beautiful panorama and even more pure sunlight. As for me, I’m most distracted by the cathedral’s internal courtyard, planted with Seville orange trees.

The shade of the courtyard is welcome, like the sugar addition to Seville’s bitter oranges, just enough to make a marmalade that is palatable while still retaining that unique Andalusian punch. I can spread it plain on toast and eat for days, but for something a bit more special, I like this semi-traditional recipe for a marmalade cheesecake. I doubt Seville’s nuns were mixing Philadelphia with the oranges from their trees, but Spanish bloggers seem to love this simple play on the typially American dessert, and so I took a stab at it in my own kitchen. The oranges may have been imported, the marmalade from a jar instead of from a cauldron bubbling in my Andalusian kitchen, but the bitter orange flavor… well that just brings Seville to Paris.

Pastel de queso con mermelada de naranja amarga
Cheesecake with bitter orange marmalade

makes 3 individual-sized cheesecakes

200 g. (7 ounces) cream cheese
2 Tbsp. Sugar
1 egg
¼ cup sour cream
5 Tbsp. Bitter orange marmalade, separated
the juice of one orange

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Bring a pot of water to a simmer.

Combine the cream cheese, sugar, egg, sour cream, 2 Tbsp. Of the marmalade and the orange juice in a bowl. Whisk until creamy and smooth.

Spread a tablespoon of marmalade into the bottom of each of three small ramekins. Divide the cheesecake batter amongst the ramekins.

Place the ramekins in a baking dish and pour the simmering water around them, being careful not to get any water into the ramekins themselves. Bake for 30 minutes, then turn off the oven and allow the cheesecakes to cool in the warm oven for about an hour.

When ready to serve, run a knife along the edge of the cheesecake and place a plate over the top of the ramekin. Turn the ramekin over and tap the bottom a few times with a knife. Wait 2-3 minutes before gently removing the ramekin, shaking it a bit if needed to let the cheesecake come loose in one piece.
Emily Monaco is native New Yorker, living and writing in Paris since 2007. She loves discovering new places and, of course, their local cuisines! Read about her adventures in food and travel at tomatokumato.com or follow her on Twitter at @emiglia

Five Reasons to Experience Seville this Spring

Posted: 27 Mar 2012 10:04 AM PDT

by Isabel Eva Bohrer

The capital of Andalucía, Seville is a city steeped in more than 2500 years of fascinating history. No matter which season, sightseers flock to Seville for its intriguing monuments, museums and historical landmarks. However, it is during the springtime, from March through May, that Seville really transforms into a paradise of culinary delights, social events, flamenco spectacles and more.

Semana Santa (Holy Week)

Semana Santa in Seville is a spectacle in and of itself. For a week, Seville becomes home to some of the most famous street processions in the world, organized by the cofradías (Brotherhoods). Besides the religious festivities, Semana Santa also marks the arrival of spring, and the air is filled with scents of orange blossoms mixed with church incense. While you're there, be sure to taste a torrija, a Spanish dessert that is served during Holy Week. Made with eggs, thick bread, white wine and honey, torrijas could be said to be the Spanish interpretation of French toast.

Feria de Sevilla (April Fair)

Seville's Feria dates all the way back to 1846, when two livestock dealers from Northern Spain decided to hold a fair designed for buying and selling livestock. Today, the festival brings together all of the traditions of Andalucía, and approximately 1,050 casetas (rectangular tents) are set up so that friends and families can socialize and feast. Each day, you can admire the parade of horses and carriages, known as the paseo de caballos. The local participants, too, don their traditional garb. And if that weren't enough of fun, head to the Calle del Infierno (Hell's Road), where you'll find an amusement park set up for the fair, including rides, food stalls and a circus.

Toros and Toreros

The bullfighting season hits its peak during the spring. Tickets are at their highest and especially during the week of the Feria, you have to book in advance. The Plaza de Toros in Seville is the number one bullfighting square in the world. Go here if you want to see a corrida (bullfight); the venue is recognized as having the best toreros in Spain. The architecture of the building has an impressive Baroque façade, and inside, there is a fascinating museum that documents the history of bullfighting from the 18^th century to the present day. A chapel, dedicated to the Virgen de la Caridad, is where the toreros and picadors pray before entering the ring.

Seville International Puppet Festival

The vivacious Feria Internacional del Títere de Sevilla (Seville International Puppet Festival) welcomes puppet enthusiasts year after year. Shows and exhibitions are a delight not only for children, but for adults, too. It's an international attraction; puppeteers come from over 30 countries. Performances take place at various venues across the city; just come ready to laugh and smile.

Flamenco Viene del Sur

Literally meaning "flamenco comes from the south," Flamenco Viene del Sur is Seville's annual program of flamenco shows, presented by the Teatro Canal over three months. The passionate Sevillanas, a version of flamenco that is typical of Seville, take center stage. Andalusians believe it was here in Sevilla that "true" flamenco was born – come see for yourself and if you're up for it, you can even give the Sevillanas a try yourself.

Isabel Eva Bohrer is a freelance writer and photographer who has dispatched pieces from over twenty countries across five continents. Learn more about her work at isabelevabohrer.com.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

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Deals of the Week: Spanish steals in Sevilla!

Posted: 26 Mar 2012 09:09 AM PDT

I hope you’ve got your dancing shoes on because this week’s deals will take you to the heart of Flamenco dancing in Seville, Spain. The excitement of this city never stops. Between watching bull fighting, eating tapas, and enjoying amazing music, you will fall in love with the Spanish lifestyle. There are plenty of glasses of wine to be sipped on rooftop terraces, so hurry up and head to Seville for a perfect vacation abroad.

20% off total stay!

Scamper off to apartment Malaga for a perfect rental on a quiet back street in Seville. There are marble floors throughout and a communal sun terrace on the roof with sun loungers for your enjoyment.

20% off total stay!

This duplex apartment is part of a recently renovated building in the in San Lorenzo quarter. From the fountains in the foyer of the building to your own private terrace, you will be living a life of luxury.

20% off total stay!

Less than a minute’s walk to the Cathedral this apartment is right in the historic centre of Seville. Depending on your travel dates you could experience the world famous holy week processions right from the balcony.

20% off total stay!

This ground floor apartment is set around a central cathedral courtyard in an old 19th century building. You will have close access to bars, restaurants, shops, the river, and historic sites…perfect for a Spanish getaway.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

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Photo Friday: Seville, Spain

Posted: 23 Mar 2012 12:33 PM PDT

Today we are featuring an owner’s photo from Seville, Spain. Keep your eyes peeled next week for deals in this area!

Friday, March 23, 2012

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A New Twist On April Fool’s Day

Posted: 22 Mar 2012 11:14 AM PDT

by Jenn & Hannah

Traditionally, April Fool’s Day has been a day to act out wildly, prank your friends, or play practical jokes on your classmates. Remember replacing the contents of a sugar bowl with salt as a small child, or jamming a dye tablet behind the faucet screen so the water ran red? One year I carefully crafted ice cream cones out of mashed potatoes, complete with chocolate syrup for an April Fool’s Day joke the kids have never forgotten.

In our family, April Fool’s Day has become synonymous with major change. We’ve sold one house and bought another, taken off on round the world trips, switched continents and made other major life changes on April first. Some would call these a “fool’s errand,” but to us, it’s a tradition that we hold dear and every year we consider what our “next big thing” could be as April 1 approaches. Even if you don’t take off on April 1, you could make a shocking announcement of big changes to come and the joke will be on your friends when they find that you’re not fooling at all! Here are a few ideas to set you dreaming:

1. Take Your Month’s Vacation in April

Summer is a horrible time to holiday. It’s hot. Everywhere is crowded. School’s out so prices are jacked up. April is the perfect time to take a vacation! The weather is pleasant in most places, it’s shoulder season so prices are lower and since the schools are still in session your favourite museum won’t be overrun! In some places, April is even iconic: Paris, for example! Or perhaps Washington D.C. for the cherry blossom festival? The best way to really see a place, and the easiest way to stretch your dollar so you can take a month instead of two weeks is by renting a house and living like a local for a while.

2. Learn Something New

But not something boring like how to do your job more efficiently. Disappear on April first to do something wildly outside your box: Go sky diving, take your first flight lesson, bungee jump, buy a set of poi balls and learn to light up the night, get SCUBA certified! Oooh… SCUBA Certified? Why not take a week off, starting April 1, and head to somewhere warm and take a week long SCUBA course? I can personally recommend SCUBA Mex, on the Mayan Riviera, and the dive shop on Tobacco Caye, Belize (there’s only one) as I was certified in Mexico and two of my kids in Belize. No joke, you’ll love the adventure.

3. Kidnap Someone

This is a bold move and requires some advance planning. Please, don’t commit a felony. Instead, make secret plans for someone you love, a spouse, a good friend, a child, your mom, perhaps? Plan one full day of escape, from dawn to bedtime. Focus on what that person would really love and make it happen. What an unexpected gift to give! Get foolish for love. Want to take it to the next level? Kidnap them for the whole weekend and take a three day cruise! Everyone will be expecting a funny prank, but no one will be expecting to be swept away for the day, or the week?

4. Make a Commitment

By April 1st New Year’s resolutions have started to slide and old patterns are reemerging. Use the day that honors fools to commit to something personal and something fun. It could be anything, really, but I have a specific suggestion: Instead of getting stuck in your rut running back and forth to work, mowing the lawn on the weekend why not commit to your dream of travel. I know, I know, you only have two weeks a year off and you have to spend one week of that with family. But you have the entire world right outside your front door. Why not commit yourself to a year of local travel? Spend one day a week exploring something new in your community. Spend one weekend a month on a short trip within driving distance of home. I guarantee that you’ll learn a lot and you’ll scratch that travel itch a bit in the process. Rent a house for the weekend that’s just three hours away. Visit the zoo you’ve been meaning to visit. Check out historic sites. Go gallery hopping and discover local artists. April 1: A year of local travel. You could do that.

5. Come Out Of The Closet

You’ve had a dream for a long time. Something BIG you’ve been dying to do but finding a million excuses not to. Perhaps you want to build the house of your dreams. Maybe you want to quit your job and take a round the world trip. Maybe you want to ride your bicycle across the country. Why not use April Fool’s Day to make the announcement everyone will think you’re crazy for and chase hard after that dream? Why not commit, this April 1st, to embark on your dream next April 1st? Give yourself a year to save, plan, organize and manifest your dream and then make following your heart in some wild (dare I say foolish?) way an annual event? Everyone will think you’re joking! It’s April 1st after all! But the last laugh will be yours when you prove them wrong a year from now! Don’t embrace mediocrity, live large, the life you know you want to.

A dynamic mother-daughter duo of travel writers, Jenn & Hannah are in their fourth year of an open ended world tour. Their partners in crime are Dad & 3 brothers and together they are http://www.edventureproject.com

Thursday, March 22, 2012

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A Quick Tour through Charleston

Posted: 21 Mar 2012 08:24 AM PDT

Today we are featuring, Michael Trouche, a 7th-generation Charleston native who operates Charleston Footprints Walking Tours, and has written two books on the city – The Charm of Charleston and Charleston Yesterday and Today.

Maps of Charleston from the 17th and 18th centuries show a much different land mass than exists in the city today. The western half of the peninsula was originally a forbidding maze of tidal creeks, marsh and mudflat that early settlers avoided due to the swarms of mosquitoes. The first use of these wind-swept wetlands along the Ashley River came in the form of jails, public burial grounds, and powder magazines that were kept a safe distance from the heavily-populated eastern peninsula and busy wharves that faced the sea.

Commercial enterprise would set changed in motion by the late 1700's, as rice and lumber mills were built and powered by a geography-altering system of impoundments that produced water power in the age before steam. Huge mill ponds trapped water that flowed through successively smaller pipes to create force that pushed sawing and winnowing machines, and towering windmills were added to take advantage of the prevailing westerly river breezes.

Rice and timber brought staggering wealth that beckoned entrepreneurship, and by the early 1800's, the suburbs of Cannonborough, Harleston Village and Cannonborough literally began to grow with "made land" that was filled with anything from animal carcasses to rice husks. With mosquitoes reduced by filling marshes, land along the windy Ashley River became more appealing, and wealthy planters began to build houses in a variety of elaborate styles. By the turn of the 20th century, the western peninsula had doubled in land mass and was mostly residential, a mix of historic homes, remnants of the mill industry, and a few gloomy reminders of its more notorious past.

1802 District Jail

Unlike the older eastern section of Charleston, which lost many original structures to fire, warfare and urban renewal, there are streets in the western peninsula that have changed very little, and offer majestic historic houses along sidewalks that are far less crowded with tourists. Among the notable locations are the 1857 Isaac Jenkins Mikell house, whose grand piazza is highlighted by rare "tower-of-the-winds" capitals; the 1887 Wentworth Mansion is now an inn that boasts 14,000 square feet and a rooftop cupola that has the best views in the city; the 1802 District Jail is built in castellated style and is open for tours; the 1859 West Point Mill once was the largest rice mill in the world and now overlooks the city's Ashley Marina, and Colonial Lake is a former rice mill pond that was made into an enjoyable public park ringed with blooming azaleas and oleanders.

A nice half-day itinerary of the western boroughs begins with breakfast overlooking the Ashley River at the Variety Store restaurant in the city marina, where the cook's tradition was to mark the vernal and autumnal equinox by eggs that would stand on end. By foot, bike or car, go down Montagu Street to the dazzling Gaillard-Bennett house, built in 1800 in Federal style T-shaped plan that allowed all rooms to be exposed to river breezes. Although private, the house's topiary garden is easily visible from the sidewalk and is spectacular with color and shape. Along Rutledge Avenue, the mostly antebellum houses are amazing with elaborate detail, such as the Hirsch house, where the window is carved in the shape of a stag, which is the German translation of the family name.

: Randolph Hall

The name Bull is a street noted for its grandeur, most notably the 1800 Blacklocke House which is very popular as a wedding reception venue. Wandering over to George Street, young faces dominate one of America's oldest campuses at the College of Charleston, where famed Randolph Hall was used in the memorable independence scene of the movie "The Patriot". Up Coming Street, the 1815 Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul was nicknamed the "planter's church" for those who built summer mansions near the Ashley, and its tower bells are rung by hand every Sunday morning in a gloriously appealing peal. Turning on Radcliffe Street takes visitors past Ashley Hall School, whose main building is an 1815 Regency-style mansion once owned by Charleston duelist and blockade runner George Trenholm, the man Margaret Mitchell patterned her character Rhett Butler in "Gone with the Wind".

If walking or biking, turn back down Rutledge Avenue past stately Cannon Park for a spot of refreshment at the Bull Street Gourmet, converted from a 19th century corner grocery as a delightful deli. If driving, go up Ashley Avenue to Hampton Park, which was created from grounds used for thoroughbred racing before the Civil War. The 60-acre park is Charleston's largest and borders The Citadel, South Carolina's historic military academy. The Citadel grounds are open to the public daily and the campus is beautifully laid out on grounds that were originally used during the 18th century for cavalry training. One of Charleston's most enjoyable spectacles is the Friday afternoon parade on Summerall Field, where bands play and the ranks of cadets march as they have since 1843. The parade schedule can be found at www.citadel.edu/root/parade-schedule

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

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10 Reasons to Get Out and About in Charleston, SC

Posted: 20 Mar 2012 06:59 AM PDT

Today we are featuring, Kristin Fry, owner of The Shady Umbrella- a small travel agency devoted to finding your perfect place in the shade, to finding great deals, and to doing it all for free for their valued clientele.

I have been fortunate to call Charleston, SC home my entire life. A city rich in history and culture that many flock to year round, Charleston has always been quick to offer a reason to get out and experience it. If this is your first trip to the Holy City, welcome…I hope you enjoy exploring my home. Below you will find some of my favorite spots around the city that are sure to make your visit a memorable one.

Historic Charleston City Market and Waterfront Park- The Charleston Market has a lot to offer in terms of history and commerce. A staple of the city, visitors will find locally made crafts, food, and jewelry. In the last year the market underwent a renovation that allows it to offer air conditioning in parts, which is a welcome upgrade in the summer months. Hang a right onto East Bay Street, at the end of the market, for a short walk to Waterfront Park. Feel free to grab a seat on a swing, or take a quick splash in one of the fountains.

Arthur Ravenel Bridge- Want to get in a workout and see more of the city? How about an incline treadmill with a view? Try running, walking, or even riding a bike over the bridge. Easy parking can be found at base of the bridge on the Mount Pleasant side near the Patriots Point Naval Monument. The Arthur Ravenel Bridge is site of the annual Cooper River Bridge Run taking place March 31st this year, and is sure to be fun whether walking or running the 10K. The route takes participants over the scenic Arthur Ravenel Bridge into downtown Charleston. 40,000 residents, visitors, and even a few celebrities chose to start their spring with this event last year. So lace up those kicks, hydrate, and get over it…the bridge that is.

Marion Square Farmers Market- A great way to start a sunny Saturday is a stroll through the Marion Square Farmers Market. It’s full of locally grown food, craft vendors, and a bounty of other services. During the warmer months Marion Square is also a great spot for frisbee, coed sunbathing, and evening movies shown under the stars.

King Street Shopping- Historic King Street in downtown Charleston proudly boasts the Lowcountry’s most diverse shopping experience. From couture retailers, antiques, books, collectibles, and great food it’s a stop on your tour of the city that should yield grins all around. Be sure to check-in at the Apple Store on your quest to get the illusive “Jobs” Badge…godspeed to you and yours on your journey.

Backwater Kayak Tours- Getting back to nature with a kayak tour through the quiet creeks and marshes around Charleston is a fantastic way to explore the local ecosystem and get a great workout as you go. It's not uncommon to see pods of dolphin feeding in the shallows, as well as the usual suspects of marshland critters. With tours running throughout the local waters, the folks at Coastal Expeditions are the ones to call for a fun, safe, and professional experience.

Great Eats- The South is known for it’s great cities like Charleston, and great cities in the South are known for awesome food…see where I’m going with this? You just ran over a bridge for goodness sake, now it’s time for some tasty bites to eat. Some of our favorites include (but are definitely not limited to) Ted’s Butcher Block for their delicious “Bacon of the Month BLT”, Taco Boy for taqueria style mexican, F.I.G. (Food is Good) where you truly can’t go wrong, and finally Fleet Landing, Bowens Island, or The Wreck for the absolute best seafood around.

Beaches, Fishing Piers, & County Parks- Charleston has a very diverse and beautiful collection of beaches and county parks. There is something for every person and every need…One of my favorite shows is NBC’s Parks and Recreation. The show’s portrayal of the dedicated parks department employees mirror the efforts put in by the City of Charleston to maintain green spaces throughout the area. While there may be less antics, the commitment is clear…get out, explore, get some sun, and have some fun out there. It can literally change your life!

Local Sports Action- Charleston has a pretty sporty collection of semi-pro teams that never stop bringing the fun! The Riverdogs baseball, Stingrays hockey, and Battery soccer all offer an experience second to none in terms of fan participation, entertainment, and family fun.

Historic Charleston Museum & Tours- Charleston is a city so rich in culture and history that you’d be remiss not to take a day or two out of your vacation to learn more about the Holy City. Museums, walking tours, reenactments, ghost walks, carriage rides, and nautical adventures all tell the tale of a city that helped shape the nation. Go put a wrinkle or two in your brain learning about the South’s proud heritage!

Festivals- Local festivals are a great way to catch a glimpse into the culture of a city. Just outside of Charleston in Summerville, the town is gearing up for the annual Flowertown Festival on March 30th-April 1st where great food, local businesses, and crafts can be enjoyed by all. With the renowned Spoleto Festival kicking off in May, it’s a great time to be in Charleston enjoying the arts!

I hope that these tips help you navigate the city during your stay. Charleston is such a large part of my life, I am happy to share my favorite pieces of it with you!

Monday, March 19, 2012

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Deals of the Week: Charleston and beyond!

Posted: 19 Mar 2012 07:21 AM PDT

Tired of all the crowded beaches and travelers on Spring Break? Escape to a more laid back and exclusive vacation for you and your family. This week’s deals will take you to historic Charleston, South Carolina and the surrounding areas. There are dozens of nearby private beaches and islands waiting for your arrival. So come and soak up some of the Southern Charm that South Carolina has to offer.

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Friday, March 30, 2012

Learn Their Customs

Talk with the Locals

Foodie Favorites

Off the Beaten Path

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Pastel de queso con mermelada de naranja amarga Cheesecake with bitter orange marmalade

Semana Santa (Holy Week)

Feria de Sevilla (April Fair)

Toros and Toreros

Seville International Puppet Festival

Flamenco Viene del Sur

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Friday, March 23, 2012

1. Take Your Month’s Vacation in April

2. Learn Something New

3. Kidnap Someone

4. Make a Commitment

5. Come Out Of The Closet

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Monday, March 19, 2012

Pastel de queso con mermelada de naranja amarga
Cheesecake with bitter orange marmalade