5
January

10 Reasons to Visit Asia at Least Once in Your Life

Truth be told, I had no desire to visit Asia before I moved to Guam in 2009. That all changed the moment I set foot in Narita City on my 24-hour journey from Dallas to Guam. The Hubs and I had a long layover in Narita, so we decided to venture out. Tokyo is now a frequent stop and destination for me. What I love about Asia is just how different from the western world it is. Every traveler should visit Asia at least once in a lifetime!

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Saipan
2
January

The Most Beautiful Island in America You’ve Never Heard Of

Saipan could be another island in the Philippines — except it’s nowhere near the P.I. — it’s in the Northern Mariana Islands, the largest of 15 largely uninhabited U.S. commonwealth states. Saipan’s brilliant red-orange flame trees, picture-perfect tropical waters, and dramatic limestone cliffs make the island an attractive getaway despite being 1,465 miles from Tokyo, the nearest major Asian city.

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15 Things to Do in Ann Arbor, Michigan
15
December

15 Things to Do in Ann Arbor, Michigan

Having grown up in Cincinnati, Ohio, I love college towns. It still came as a surprise how quickly I fell in love with Ann Arbor, Michigan. Home of the University of Michigan, this historically-preserved walking town has a seemingly endless supply of hip coffee shops, quirky specialty stores, and yes, turn-of-the-century architecture. I visited most of…

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SHINJUKU GYOEN NATIONAL GARDEN, Tokyo, Japan
8
December

What To Do with One Day in Tokyo (PHOTOS)

I’ve had two extended vacations in Tokyo as well as a couple of single-day (or less) layovers. It’s a safe, eclectic destination and one I recommend you see at least once. These are my pics for the top activities if you have just one day to spend.

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Nataly Dawn and Jack Conte of Pomplamoose signing in Chicago, Illinois at Lincoln Hall.
3
December

Watch Pomplamoose Live in Chicago

By now you should know that I’m a die-hard indie music fan. Pomplamoose are the very definition of an indie (independent) band, having started and sustained a five-year career first as a YouTube cover duo, now as a multimedia band producing its own songs, tours, and even spawning a company, Patreon. I first wrote about Pomplamoose years ago on Dignity Zine.

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Brown lemurs grooming at Bronx Zoo, New York City
1
December

A Day at the Bronx Zoo, New York City

For years, I didn’t visit zoos. I was so upset at the deplorable conditions at the Dallas Zoo (among others), that I just stopped going. When the Hubs and I were first dating, he organized a date at the Bronx Zoo and because I was smitten, I agreed to go. We actually fell in love that day, somewhere between the giraffes, the bamboo, and tram. Perhaps it was the romance, or maybe it’s just because the Bronx Zoo seems to have humane enclosures, I decided to visit zoos again. The Bronx Zoo is one of my favorites (up there with the Singapore Zoo). A few Aprils ago, we went back to the Bronx Zoo and took these photos.

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Lorde Fuji Rock festival, japan
19
November

Global Girl Travels TV Presents: Behind the Scenes at Fuji Rock 2014

As I announced last week, I’ll be producing a regular TV segment dedicated to travel. Starting in 2015, it will be a weekly feature on Global Girl Travels and YouTube! Without further adieu, I present my first on-location episode, a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to be a photographer at Japan’s largest outdoor music…

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kids on rock at ocean, Ebeye, Marshall Islands
15
November

The Island That America Forgot

In the heart of the South Pacific, a bit west of Hawaii, is a small atoll that houses one of the U.S. Military’s most strategic outposts. The island’s name is Kwajalein (K-wa-dj-u-lan) or Kwaj for short. All of the people who live on Kwaj are U.S. military. If it wasn’t for the mind-numbing heat index and 100% humidity, you would think you were on the Mainland, in any other small town U.S.A. The lawns are perfectly manicured, the streets are clean, houses are maintained just as in any other suburban oasis.

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Malayasia Batu Caves
5
November

A Malaysian Homecoming: 10 Things to Do in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Most of you will probably understand when I say that there are certain things in the world that give you a sense of nostalgia. It might be a place you lived while growing up, a certain dish that reminds you of simpler times, even a group of friends that, even if you lose touch over the years, you can always go back to where things left off the moment you see them. For me, that perfectly sums up Kuala Lumpur.

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