7 Destinations to Visit in Your Lifetime

Here is my ultimate travel list of 7 destinations that everyone should visit in their lifetime.Hawaii_silhouette

  1. Connect with family – Visit where your parents were born and raised. Learn how they grew up, listen to childhood stories, and get to know the experiences that shaped your parents lives. Look at the photos from their childhood and visit those locations to see how they have changed.  Ask questions about achievements, struggles, silly stories, and the mundane daily tasks.  Find the storyteller in your family, and just listen.
  2. Research your ancestors and stroll through your homeland, as far back as you can discover. Learn your history and culture.  Try the food.  What is the national activity or sport?  What traditions have carried over into your family?  Watch for all of the faces that look like you.  Find gravestones and landmarks with your family names (maternal and past generations).  Walk through the living history of your ancestors past.
  3. Seek out Adventure! Try something that gets your heart pounding.  Adventure can be found in your backyard, just start somewhere.
  4. Push beyond your comfort zone – Travel alone, visit a big city, stretch your physical limits, go beyond your usual activities. Now is the time to try something new, that scares you, just a little.
  5. Visit Poverty and a place of hardship – Volunteer and contribute to improve an impoverished area or situation. Provide assistance after a natural disaster.  Helping others and seeing how little some people live with will remind you how much you really have, and leave a better appreciation of how good your life is.  Make the world a better place, by starting in your hometown and make this part of your life style.
  6. Take a mini Luxury Vacation – Save up for an opulent getaway and indulge in a wildly extravagant trip. This will teach you the value of saving, waiting, and anticipation.  Reward your discipline and discover the abundance available in exchange for hard work.  Find the activity and location that will motivate you to set higher goals for achievement.  Learn what your definition of “Success” looks like.
  7. Find your Peace – Where is your Happy Place? Different for everybody, and never marked with an X on the map, your place of peace is the journey of discovering who you are.  And for that precious moment, you will know, it is exactly where you are meant to be at the exact moment.  Once you find it, finding your peace is easier each time.

South Mountain Park | Hiking in Central Phoenix, Arizona

Hiking is one of my favorite free activities in Phoenix.  Our desert valley is surrounded by mountains providing stunning views and wildlife.  South Mountain Park/Preserve in the heart of Phoenix is over 16,000 acres, approximately 20 times the size of New York’s Central Park, it is the largest municipal park in the country!  Now is the perfect time to Go Take a Hike!

South Mountain Park
South Mountain Park

South Mountain Park is easy access from anywhere in metro-Phoenix and offers trails for every level of athletic ability.  Horses, dogs, and mountain bikes are all welcome on the trails.

Desert Classic Trail
Desert Classic Trail

With nearly 60 miles of trails, I like to map out the hike before heading to a trail head.  Most trails are easily followed with metal signposts along the trail as a guide, and many of these were recently updated with trail name, QR code, elevation, and specific trail post information.  I always bring a hard copy trail map of the area I plan to be in.  A recent hike with friends was so beautiful we decided to add another couple miles to our hike, which was easily accomplished with a brief look at our trail map.south-mountain-park-map

 

 

There are at least 4 main parking lots, and many more parking areas near perimeter trail heads.2015_SM1There are excellent maps and detailed descriptions of trails provided by National Geographic at All Trails website.  Here is more information about the beautiful desert trails including petroglyphs and ruins.

Pima Canyon entrance from Guadalupe
Pima Canyon entrance from Guadalupe

Pima Canyon entrance is accessed from I-10 and Baseline road, just off of 48th street and Guadalupe.  This popular parking lot is usually packed with cars, and offers restrooms, water fountains, shaded benches, and areas for cooking/grilling.

Pima Canyon Gazebo
Pima Canyon Gazebo

 

Desert Foothills Parkway is a smaller parking lot located at the Southern tip of the park and offers shaded area, water fountains, and portable toilets.

Desert Foothills Parking and Gazebo
Desert Foothills Parking and Gazebo

 

 

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Orpheum Theater Phoenix | Arizona History and Architecture

Orpheum Theater
Orpheum Theater

My favorite, and the most luxurious theater in Phoenix is the Orpheum Theater in downtown Phoenix.

Home to performances from the Phoenix Theater League, comedians, and high quality shows. Capacity is less than 1400 seats, which means there really are no bad seats.  Even mediocre views are easily avoided by skipping the last 10 rows lower level or last 5 rows on the balcony.Orpheum stage

Originally opened in 1929 in the Spanish Baroque architecture style, the 1997 restoration gave the theater amazing acoustics and modern lighting while keeping the Roaring 20’s class.  The theater itself is beautiful, with new details inside and out to be discovered during every visit.

Orpheum balcony seating from lower level
Orpheum lower level seating looking up to the balcony

The seat rows are a smidge close (not as much leg room as Phoenix Symphony Hall).  Seats on the interior aisle are a great option for taller people or anyone needing a little more room.

Orpheum lobbyBeverage bars serving wine, coffee, and light snacks are open before and during intermission for performances. The bathroom lines tend to be short and fast moving.  Every comfort is provided in the Orpheum.  The ground level lobby is small, venture downstairs to the lower level bar (not always open), large area for mingling, and restrooms.

Orpheum seating

Performances at the Orpheum are a great excuse for date night, family afternoon matinees, girls’ night out, and more.  Incorporate one of the nearby restaurants for the perfect dinner and a show event.

orpheum

The Breadfruit Restaurant Review | Caribbean Dining in Central Phoenix

BreadfruitDowntown Phoenix is home to the Breadfruit & Rum bar, a little spot for Jamaican cuisine and beverages.  Walking distance, or a short pedi-cab ride, from the Phoenix Symphony, the Orpheum Theater, and downtown Phoenix attractions.

Rum2

Each dining experience at the Breadfruit is better than the last visit.

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What is a Frugal Lifestyle

What does frugal living mean to you?

Recently, we downsized to a smaller home and made other frugal lifestyle changes.  I like the The Dollar Stretcher statement, “Frugal is Using Money Thoughtfully”.  Spending money (or not) should be a well thought out decision, rather than merely a reaction or just picking the cheapest option.coins

First, the difference between being frugal versus cheap.  While attending University, I was broke and the cheapest options were the only way to keep food in my tummy and a roof over my head, in order to not incur massive student loan debt.  I lived in the least expensive (and terrible) neighborhood close to campus and made every sacrifice in comfort.   When you are broke, often the only choice is whatever is the lowest price option or do without when that is even too much money.  After graduation, my career took off and I left cheap behind!  To me, being frugal is all about priorities and choices, cheap is settling for what is left.  Like most people, my lifestyle was cheap due to my own decisions and priorities.  I could have lived in a beautiful apartment for the same price as my tuition!

Being frugal is searching for the best value option, while cheap is the sacrifice of quality and value.

IMG_1308 - CopyMy current frugal lifestyle is extravagant luxury compared to those years in school.  I eat very well, travel, buy nice cars, and can afford activities like scuba diving.  I still consider myself frugal, and consider how and why I spend money.  Paying off all (interest bearing) debt was a priority for me, and here is how I paid off all of my debt.  I do not owe creditors, and I certainly do not pay interest to borrow money.

  • I look at frequency of my spend (weekly habits really add up) and reoccurring expenses.  Monthly cable bill is a luxury that I do not need and more savings ideas here.
  • I do not clip coupons or worry about a few pennies here or there, the payoff is not worth my time.
  • I stock up on my regular items during a sale, and I buy non-perishable (toilet paper and consumables) items in bulk for cost savings.
  • I join rewards programs for grocery stores, food, clothing, hotel and travel, and “regular” purchases, even if only once a year.
  • Then I stay informed on perks and promotions from those loyalty programs to score my airline upgrades, free hotel stays, bulk sales, clothing discounts, and other money saving offers.
  • I compare prices.  When out shopping I will double check prices on Amazon and eBay compared to in store.  Sometimes Target really does have the best price, and I can take it home immediately!  Whatever the item, I buy with confidence that I got a good deal.