Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Watermelon Olympics in Arkansas
By Linda Tancs
The farmers in Hope, Arkansas, are proud to be growers of the world’s largest watermelons. In fact, they’ve been breaking world records since the 1930s, and an area farmer’s 268.8 pound melon still retains the title as the world’s largest watermelon in the Guinness World Records. So what better place to celebrate the summer fruit than in the famous birthplace of President Bill Clinton, among others. You needn’t be spitting mad to enter the melon spitting contest, but a little bit of oomph could go a long way toward landing you in the winner’s circle at this year’s Watermelon Festival in Fair Park today through Saturday. Or give it a toss at the Watermelon Olympics. Or just plain eat it. After all, watermelon has excellent levels of vitamins A and C and a good level of vitamin B6, not to mention the water content. Perfect for a hot summer day.
Share this:
Celebrate the Huckleberry in Montana
By Linda Tancs
In Trout Creek, Montana, the huckleberry–that purple berry resembling a blueberry–reigns supreme. So much so, in fact, that the legislature proclaimed Trout Creek the huckleberry capital of the State. This small northwestern town is proud to celebrate their prized bounty each year with a Huckleberry Festival. That means, of course, you can sample the huckleberry in every food imaginable, like ice cream cones, pizza, cheesecake, hot dogs and pancakes. Far from just another food fest, the annual event includes such activities as a 5K run, dancing under the stars, karaoke, dog agility demonstration, a pageant, an auction, children’s activities, a horseshoe contest, and an interfaith worship service. Don’t miss the fun between 12 and 14 August.
Share this:
UK Dining Discounts
By Linda Tancs
There’s a dining revolution taking place in the UK. A Tastecard membership gives you 50% off the total food bill or 2 meals for the price of one at all 5,000+ participating restaurants. You can always order from the full a la carte menu, so your choice will not be restricted in any way. Buy the card online or at the Visitor Centre at Regent Street.
Share this:
Rendezvous in the Black Hills
By Linda Tancs
Motorcycle mania hits the Black Hills of South Dakota during the Sturgis Rally from August 8 to 14 this year. The origins of the race began with the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club in 1936, with an official American Motorcycle Association (AMA) charter in 1937. AMA began promoting the racing events which started the now famous Rally in Sturgis on August 14, 1938. That weekend celebration in 1938 had a lineup of only nine racers and a small audience watching the races. Now the rally will hold 12 events, including motocross racing, a 1/2 mile race, hill climbs, road tours and short track racing. As you can see, the Sturgis Rally has grown quite a bit since the first rally in 1937! Is this the greatest motorcycle rally anywhere? You decide.
Share this:
Making Order Out of Chaos
By Linda Tancs
Wordsmiths will be battling it out in the National Scrabble Championship on August 6–10, 2011 at the Hotel InterContinental Dallas at 15201 Dallas Parkway in Addison, Texas. Not just any wordsmith, mind you. To compete you must be a rated player–in other words, an official brainiac. This year’s tournament has four divisions, with the best players duking it out in Division 4. So who will the W-I-N-N-E-R be?
Share this:
The Maine Event
By Linda Tancs
Maine. Lobster. Perfect together. So of course the Maine event (okay, I couldn’t resist the pun) in Vacationland is the annual Lobster Festival today through 7 August at Rockland’s Harbor Park, less than two hours from Portland. Today is Hometown Day, and admission is free to kickoff the festivities. Not that you’ll mind the eight dollars for adults and two dollars for children (ages 6 to 12) thereafter for your crack at nearly 20,000 pounds of Maine’s proudest export. So nip along smartly before it’s all gone.
Share this:
A Retreat Fit for a Filmmaker
By Linda Tancs
Talk about star quality: Blancaneaux Lodge, a luxe resort in Belize, is the former family retreat of filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola. Lucky for us he decided to share it with the rest of the world over a decade ago. This hideaway in the rainforest is a birder’s paradise, offering the potential to view the ecosystem’s 300+ species like the Stygian owl, black-headed siskin, rufous-capped warbler, Great Pewee and solitary eagle. Voted #1 Best Resort in Central and South America in 2009 and 2010 by Travel + Leisure, the menu includes local favorites like shredded beef salad flavored with sour orange and cilantro and classic Italian fare from the Coppola family cookbook.
Share this:
London’s Sweetest Attraction
By Linda Tancs
Now the candy that “melts in your mouth and not in your hand” has its own showcase across the pond. Opening earlier this month, M&M’s World in London’s Leicester Square is the first overseas attraction for the brand’s candy maker. The 35,000-square feet behemoth features a Union Jack comprising M&M’s logos, a Wall of Chocolate and a range of merchandise from apparel to bedding.
Share this:
Gilroy’s Garlic Fest
By Linda Tancs
Where will you find 10 tons of beef, four tons of pasta and calamari, two tons of scampi
and two tons of fresh Christopher Ranch garlic? Gilroy, California–of course. This weekend marks the 33rd annual Garlic Festival at Christmas Hill Park in Gilroy, 30 miles south of San Jose. Locals can save five dollars off up to two general admission tickets on Friday with proof of residency. Cook-offs and celebrity demos are scheduled throughout the weekend, with the garlic showdown of professional chefs culminating on Sunday. You’ll be swooning to the cool sounds of jazz, rock ‘n roll, country, blues, reggae, swing and much more coming from the strolling musicians and stage performances. Don’t miss this year’s Gourmet Alley, featuring the Surf & Turf Alley Wrap–a steak, shrimp, rice, cilantro and garlic aioli wrapped in a garlic-infused lavash. Breath mints are optional.
Share this:
Ship Enhancements at Royal Caribbean
By Linda Tancs
Oasis of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas and Radiance of the Seas now sport various enhancements to suit your cruising tastes. So what will it be: the DreamWorks® Experience, a 3D movie theater, puppet show, nursery or even more dining options? Check out your favorite ship and see what’s new. Other fleet enhancements are promised soon.
Travelrific® Travel Journal 