During an interview with a Yoga instructor for our Greece tours, I was asked what my yoga journey was? This began a train of thought, and I couldn’t quite verbalize at the time what Yoga meant to me. So I wanted to dedicate this blog to honor my story and to share with anyone who may be considering taking up a few minutes of Yoga each day.
I recently received the best gift from my parents- The InstantPot! Imagine a pressure cooker, but better, faster and with easy-to-use digital buttons. It amazes me how easy cooking has become for us while cooking in developing countries continues to be a very physical event that takes up at least half of the day, usually a woman's. Since my service in the Peace Corps, I have prepared my favorite Cameroonian dish the way I was taught by locals whenever I had the time. When I decided to convert my Groundnut Stew recipe, I did some research (and by research, I mean lots of eating!) and I came up with the below recipe on my Everlast Rocketbook (a great way to easily upload hand-written recipes, lists and journal entries). Several years ago I made a video about my Cameroonian American life, making groundnut stew and speaking Cameroonian French about my life then, so I decided it would be fun to make a follow-up video. Moreover, I am happy to share this recipe as a resource to the InstantPot community, and to anyone who desires some African flavor in their life! Here are the items you will need to find first! Maggi Cubes Peanut butter Red Palm Oil Plantains Chicken Veggies (I like carrots and potatoes) Ginger Tomato Paste Tomatoes Onion
I recently received the best gift from my parents- The InstantPot! Imagine a pressure cooker, but better, faster and with easy-to-use digital buttons. It amazes me how easy cooking has become for us while cooking in developing countries continues to be a very physical event that takes up at least half of the day, usually a woman's. Since my service in the Peace Corps, I have prepared my favorite Cameroonian dish the way I was taught by locals whenever I had the time. When I decided to convert my Groundnut Stew recipe, I did some research (and by research, I mean lots of eating!) and I came up with the below recipe on my Everlast Rocketbook (a great way to easily upload hand-written recipes, lists and journal entries).
This summer, stay safe with this handy list of common scams that you encounter in various countries. Make sure to keep your valuables somewhere safe on you, and be aware of your surroundings. Make sure you follow our handy guide on Maps.me and place a pin in your hotel or Airbnb so you can quickly make your way back to safety if you feel like you stumble onto a rough neighborhood. See below for a few more things to be careful about when traveling! Photo Credit to Just The Flight
This summer, stay safe with this handy list of common scams that you encounter in various countries. Make sure to keep your valuables somewhere safe on you, and be aware of your surroundings. Make sure you follow our handy guide on Maps.me and place a pin in your hotel or Airbnb so you can quickly make your way back to safety if you feel like you stumble onto a rough neighborhood. See below for a few more things to be careful about when traveling!
Cruising 101
- Tara Menendez
- Travel Tips
- a prepared traveler, cruise, flight attendants, life is short, travel guide, travel hacks, travel products
- 1 Comment
It's the flight attendant cruising season! That means that cruise deals are plenty and it may be that time for you to try it out! We just embarked on our annual anniversary cruise, where we hopped over to several Caribbean islands! We're actually not even allowed to tell you what we paid! I can tell you that it was worth it if only for the sunsets and not having to decide what to make for dinner for a week! Cruises can be as relaxing or event-filled as you like, given the variety of what's available on the ship. If you're new to cruising, I hope that the following suggestions and information will help prepare you for the vacation of a lifetime! Fellow flight crew: If you're not familiar with Dargal, you're missing out! Airline flight crew can book last minute (as well as not so last minute) cruises and all-inclusive resorts here. You'll get an idea of just how hot the deals are when you see their front page. 1. Bring A Lanyard Lanyard and Key Card Holder All of the experienced cruisers have lanyards because they understand the importance of a key card onboard! When you're cruising, the most important thing you should have on you at all times is your key card. Your key card is all you need, so it's really nice to leave everything in the stateroom and just go. Your card also serves as payment onboard- for cocktails and to check out towels at the pool. Lastly, you can actually use your key card as identification at ports that you visit and will be required before you board again. The best way to keep your card handy without the risk of losing it is to buy a lanyard before you ship out! This little thing will be very
It's the flight attendant cruising season! That means that cruise deals are plenty and it may be that time for you to try it out! We just embarked on our annual anniversary cruise, where we hopped over to several Caribbean islands! We're actually not even allowed to tell you what we paid! I can tell you that it was worth it if only for the sunsets and not having to decide what to make for dinner for a week! Cruises can be as relaxing or event-filled as you like, given the variety of what's available on the ship. If you're new to cruising, I hope that the following suggestions and information will help prepare you for the vacation of a lifetime!
In the holiday craze, sometimes it's easy to forget about flight attendants. Due to our crazy schedules, we don't usually get to celebrate the holidays at the same times as the general public. This means that we sometimes get forgotten and end up getting a dreaded last minute gift that we may or not even need. That is why I am writing this blog post today! Share this with your friends and family, and show them what you really want (Foldable wine bottle? I'll take two please!). I got the idea for this list a long time ago on a flight attendant Facebook post about what things flight attendants could use most! So here it is, my list of the best presents you can get your fellow flight attendant! 1. Hot Water Bottle - $11.99 Whether you're on a jump seat or you're in your hotel room, nothing beats having a hot water bottle warm you right up! I have flown with many flight attendants who swear by them. For those long, cold commutes, you can simply slide the hot water bottles behind your lower back to keep it nice and warm and loosen up those tight muscles. Simply fill it up using hot galley water. The knit covering keeps the temperature more manageable. When you make it to your hotel room, simply brew a pot of hot water using the coffee maker, and put it under the covers with you to have a warm toasty bed to sleep in! 2. Foldable Wine Flask - $12.98 It's no secret, flight attendants love their wine. Give that flight attendant friend or family member a little joy for Christmas and grab one of these flasks for them. Great for storing wine from your layover in a convenient easy to pack format. Never worry
In the holiday craze, sometimes it's easy to forget about flight attendants. Due to our crazy schedules, we don't usually get to celebrate the holidays at the same times as the general public. This means that we sometimes get forgotten and end up getting a dreaded last minute gift that we may or not even need. That is why I am writing this blog post today! Share this with your friends and family, and show them what you really want (Foldable wine bottle? I'll take two please!). I got the idea for this list a long time ago on a flight attendant Facebook post about what things flight attendants could use most! So here it is, my list of the best presents you can get your fellow flight attendant!
Every year, my heart brings me back to Lesvos, Greece. I’ve often said that Lesvos is my favorite place in the world. It’s everything - the ocean breeze, the fresh food, the friendly and warm people, feeling like I've been dropped into the middle of a painting, it's the olive trees, all the sun… everything wonderful! No matter what journey you’re on, you will find yourself falling more and more in love with Lesvos each time you visit. What’s more is you will be playing a role in the refugee crisis, just by visiting, with a positive impact on the people who directly helped refugees seeking safety. You most likely won’t see any refugees during your visit, however, the news articles that perpetuate the notion that Lesvos is still being overwhelmed with refugee boats keeps tourists away and the local economy down. I’ll get you started with the basics in this guide! Your Host, Aphrodite! Situated on the magical north-western coastline of the majestic island of Lesvos, you will find Aphrodite Hotel. The hotel has been family run since it’s creation in the mid-1980’s and has a private beach, amidst splendid palm trees, olive groves and flower gardens. Upon your arrival, you will meet Aphrodite and her family, including Kleftra the cat. In the morning the friendly staff will greet you, “Kalimera!” which means Good morning! You’ll instantly feel like family! It feels more like a luxurious resort, and you will enjoy many sunsets on the taverna by the ocean. Schedule some time in to relax by the hotel pool while you observe your picturesque surroundings, the ancient castle to your left, the ocean straight ahead, and Turkey to the right. You will actually feel your heart skip a beat. The taverna serves excellent and authentic Greek food! Much of their
Every year, my heart brings me back to Lesvos, Greece. I’ve often said that Lesvos is my favorite place in the world. It’s everything – the ocean breeze, the fresh food, the friendly and warm people, feeling like I’ve been dropped into the middle of a painting, it’s the olive trees, all the sun… everything wonderful! No matter what journey you’re on, you will find yourself falling more and more in love with Lesvos each time you visit. What’s more is you will be playing a role in the refugee crisis, just by visiting, with a positive impact on the people who directly helped refugees seeking safety. You most likely won’t see any refugees during your visit, however, the news articles that perpetuate the notion that Lesvos is still being overwhelmed with refugee boats keeps tourists away and the local economy down. I’ll get you started with the basics in this guide!
24 Hours in Athens: A Travel Guide
- Tara Menendez
- News, Travel Tips
- 24 hour travel guide, airbnb travel, crew travelers, greece, life is short, newhire flight attendants, travel, travel hacks, travel therapy, work trip
- 1 Comment
We arrived in Athens at sunrise, knowing we had to make the best of what little time we had. We had 24 hours to explore the city before our flight the next day to Lesvos. We had done this before. While jet lag was certainly present and I drank more coffee than I care to admit, our adventure included everything that we really wanted to do. I don't even regret the coffee, which led us into one, breathtaking bakery. I stood there staring and ooh'ing at the pastries, and it was a sweet (pun intended) reminder that sometimes it's the unexpected treasures that are the most unforgettable. That being said, start with this 24-hour guide as your base to discovering Athens! We recommend walking or Uber (get $5 off your first two uber rides with this link!), which is very affordable in Athens and provides many locals with full-time jobs. The Greeks are very friendly, warm and giving, so it's easy to trust drivers and vendors. View Walking Directions In Google Maps 1. Temple of Hephaestus Our first stop, after grabbing an espresso perhaps, is the Temple of Hephaestus. It is a well-preserved Greek temple that stands much the same as it did when it was first built so long ago. The enormity is awe-inspiring, and you will find yourself marveling at this grand piece of art! This is one of the few well-preserved temples you will see in Athens. The cost of entry is a few Euro, like most sites you will visit in Athens. 2. Acropolis In Greek, Acropolis means "highest point". The Acropolis is an ancient citadel located on an extremely rocky outcrop above the city of Athens and contains the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historic significance, the most famous being the Parthenon. It's easy to see from almost anywhere in the
We arrived in Athens at sunrise, knowing we had to make the best of what little time we had. We had 24 hours to explore the city before our flight the next day to Lesvos. We had done this before. While jet lag was certainly present and I drank more coffee than I care to admit, our adventure included everything that we really wanted to do.
Contrary to popular belief, flight attendants don't spend much time in the cities they visit. That means we have to hit the ground running if we want to take advantage of all that a city has to offer. We wanted to create a guide for anyone who has only a short period of time to enjoy and the best of Paris. With that in mind, we hope you enjoy this little guide for visiting the most romantic city in the world. While we recommend Uber or bicycling around Paris, this whole tour can be walked in under 2 hours. Also, if you are worried about not having signal in Paris, check out our review of Maps.me, our favorite offline map! View Walking Directions In Google Maps 1. Boulangerie Your first goal when reaching Paris, especially if you arrive early in the day, should be to visit a Boulangerie. A boulangerie is simply a Bakery. However, don't be fooled. French bread is probably some of the best in the world (in my humble opinion) and the sweet pastries are delicious. I would recommend you use Yelp or Google Maps if you have internet access to find the closest highest rated one near you. If you use T-mobile in the United States and have an unlimited plan then you already will have unlimited (slow) internet in Paris, so fire up your favorite app and find the best bakery you can near you! 2. Eiffel Tower One of the most iconic monuments in the world. Built in 1887-89, it is truly awe inspiring when you see it up close! The bottom is swarming with security, and the lines are very long, so it may not make sense to go to the top! I recommend you visit the Palais de Chaillot right in front
Contrary to popular belief, flight attendants don't spend much time in the cities they visit. That means we have to hit the ground running if we want to take advantage of all that a city has to offer. We wanted to create a guide for anyone who has only a short period of time to enjoy and the best of Paris. With that in mind, we hope you enjoy this little guide for visiting the most romantic city in the world.
5 Ways Waze Can Improve Your Driving Experience!
- Tara Menendez
- Backpack of Apps, Travel Tips
- carpool, Outsmarting Traffic Together, stop texting and driving, Waze
Waze, Community Force For Good I’m hooked on Waze. This app has changed the way I drive for the absolute better and it has grouped a community to become a force for good! I’m going to hook you with the following reasons for why you should become a Wazer! You’re going to love this! 1. Hiding police cars? Not anymore! My favorite part of using Waze is blowing police officers hidden locations by marking them whenever I see them! This also means that my fellow Wazers mark the police car locations (as well as whenever they’re no longer in that location anymore..). This makes me a more knowledgeable, empowered and prepared (thus, happy) driver. 2. Update Your Friends on Your ETA! My favorite use of Waze with my husband is sending each other locations and route ETAs when one of us is driving to go meet the other. Let’s say, I’m driving to the airport and want to keep Angel updated without messing with my phone (I’m driving, duhh!). First off, he will be pleased when I’m showing right on time since I planned the drive previously and was alerted when to leave the house. He can basically then track me until our lips meet again! It’s also great for road tripping with friends! It's really fun to beep each other too! 3. Waze Saves Lives (and Time)! Waze notifies us and changes our routes if bad traffic or a crash is reported. This leads to fewer accidents and has saved us on time in the past as well! Wazers report debris in the road and hazards, so we actually are forewarned to change lanes if something has been reported up ahead. There’s even a feature that allows Wazers to comment on the current state of a reported crash.
Waze, Community Force For Good
I’m hooked on Waze. This app has changed the way I drive for the absolute better and it has grouped a community to become a force for good! I’m going to hook you with the following reasons for why you should become a Wazer! You’re going to love this!
I've been using Google Photos way before it was cool. Back in the day, we didn't have a nice app that automatically backed up all your photos. You had to do it yourself, on your computer, uphill both ways. Now, look at you with your shiny Google photos app. You are spoiled and you don't even know it. Why is that you ask? Well, I'm going to show you just how powerful google photos can be. It will become your one stop shop for photo backups. Now, before you tell me how great iCloud is or any other cloud based backup solution is, check out some of the powerful features this app (and website) have! In this review, I'm going to assume you already have a Google or Gmail account. And of course, as always by using this app you are giving someone else (Google) access to all your photos. Only you can decide if you want to take that risk. At this end of this review, I'll talk in more detail about some of the potential risks you run by using it. Offline backup The core use of google photos is primarily centered around backing up your photos and videos. When you first setup the app, it will ask you a few introductory questions. Specifically how high of a resolution do you want to save your photos at and if you want to do it over wifi only or anytime your phone is connected to the internet. Let's talk size. Specifically, file size. Google gives you two options: High Quality and Original. For a detailed breakdown of the difference in sizes see this blog post at the Huffington Post. Google gives you unlimited image uploads if you choose high quality and the images are downsized to
I've been using Google Photos way before it was cool. Back in the day, we didn't have a nice app that automatically backed up all your photos. You had to do it yourself, on your computer, uphill both ways. Now, look at you with your shiny Google photos app. You are spoiled and you don't even know it. Why is that you ask? Well, I'm going to show you just how powerful google photos can be. It will become your one stop shop for photo backups.
Now, before you tell me how great iCloud is or any other cloud based backup solution is, check out some of the powerful features this app (and website) have! In this review, I'm going to assume you already have a Google or Gmail account. And of course, as always by using this app you are giving someone else (Google) access to all your photos. Only you can decide if you want to take that risk. At this end of this review, I'll talk in more detail about some of the potential risks you run by using it.