I hope you’re enjoying the long Labor Day Weekend, but also hope you’ll make some time to check out some of these great blog post from the past week.  It’s always hard to pick the best of the best, but these captured my attention this past week:
Up, Up, and A Gay, a recently discovered blog from another Flight Attendant, dishes about why we’re always dishing about work.  It’s true, too!
Los Angeles Times tries to makes sense of the security rule regarding exact name matchups.  There may be flexibility now, but what little there is will be going away soon.
The …read more

One of the things that I did while visiting Miami was to spend some time swimming with the dolphins at Miami’s Seaquarium.

Well, it wasn’t really swimming, it was more of a shallow wading experience.  But it was great fun, and one of those experiences that I heartily recommend.
I’ll have more of the details of the whole experience, but for now you can take a look at “Doe” and I.
Photo credit:  Miami Seaquarium

Since I’m in Miami, it’s probably no surprise that today’s matchbook comes from one of the many international restaurants here in this international city.  Texas de Brazil has locations in other states as well, but given wonderful mix of flavors here in this city, it fits right at home in Miami
Texas de Brazil is a churrascaria restaurant – a special heaven for meat lovers!
Based on a concept from the Gauchos (South American cowboys), the churrascaria provides a variety of meats roasted on an open pit.  Offered on skewers, and carved tableside, the grilled meat is accompanied by salads, vegetables, …read more

Miami, the most populous city in Florida, is a large tourist destination.  It is a major urban center, with a heavy emphasis on finance, commerce, music, tourism, the arts, and international trade (it is a deep water port).  You’ll find many corporate headquarters located here, and it is a home port for many cruise lines.

If you haven’t been to Miami, you’ve probably seen it in the movies or on television:  Miami Vice, CSI:  Miami, Top Chef (3rd season), There’s Something About Mary, Wild Things, Marley & Me, The Birdcage, and several James Bond movies.
Or you may be familiar with the …read more

My past trips to Miami and have been of the in and out type.  I’m here, spend an afternoon, sleep, and I’m gone again.  Now I find myself here for an extend period of time, and get to take a little sample of everything that the city has to offer.
There’s sun!  And coming from Seattle, there’s a lot to like about the sun!
I spent much of today out on the water of Key Biscayne, enjoying a little sun and getting into a little different state of mind.
I spent time aboard one of the boats from Island Queen Cruises, enjoying a …read more

The Miami Seaquarium offers ghoulish fun in a kid-friendly environment with its Monster Splash Nighttime Halloween Bash, a four night Halloween adventure.  You can feel scared, while still doing good, and hang out with some of the best creatures around!
This Halloween event features age appropriate activities for the entire family, including:

Trick-or-treating with costumes and candy
Field of Screams featuring rides, slides and a skeleton walk
The Frightening Manor – a kid-friendly haunted house
Trail of Terror Haunted House
Fall Harvest Festival with pumpkin carving contest, games, and activities
Grand finale fireworks

The Bash is open October 24-26th, 31st, from 5 – 10 pm.  Daytime guest …read more

Today is Admission Day for Florida, our 27th state, admitted to the Union on March 3rd, 1845.
Florida is located in the southeastern part of the country, with the Atlantic Ocean flanking one side, and the Gulf of Mexico the other.  Ponce de Leon named it, and many believe that it was in Florida that he claimed to have found his fountain of youth.
Before the formal declaration of Civil War, Florida seceded from the Union, and became a founding member of the Confederate States of America.  Full representation was restored in 1868.
For much of its existence, Florida was the least populated …read more

When you hear the destination Miami Beach, what do you think of?  If you’re like me, you probably think about sun and sand, the beaches and swimming pools, lazy days and wild parties at night, and a pretty laid back, carefree attitude.  You aren’t far wrong if that’s what comes to mind.
Situated among all the frivolity, however, is the Holocaust Memorial, a dramatic tribute to the six million Jewish Victims of World War II.  The site was designed by architect and sculptor Kenneth Treister, who was charged with interpreting the events of the Holocaust into a memorial that would honor …read more

When you think of the day after Thanksgiving, what comes to mind? 
Relaxing around the house and eating leftovers?  Watching football?  Listening to holiday music and putting up the holiday decorations?  Or are you one of the many, many people who will be heading out to the stores for the kick off of the holiday shopping season?
No matter how we may rebel, there’s no getting around the fact that the upcoming holiday season means shopping.  I hope to make that process a little easier for you, by showcasing a variety of products and services that would make great gifts for travelers …read more

The Baltimore Sun reports that Miami International Airport has plans to train all 35,000 airports workers in “behavior pattern recognition,” a methodology used to identify potentially dangerous behavior by recognizing patterns of behavior outside the norm.
Miami officials want all workers, including janitors and barristas, to receive the training, instead of only security and law enforcement personnel.

“Every employee who works around [the] airport goes to the bathroom and goes to lunch, and wherever they are, they’re going to be trained to recognize behavior that is suspicious,” airport spokesman Greg Chin said.

Although variations of the program have been offered at other airports, …read more