It doesn’t matter if you travel for business or adventure. Take enough trips, and you begin to search for just the right gear: The best suitcase or pack, clothes that require minimal maintenance, small toiletries, and maybe the most essential item: the best shoes.  Shoes take the brunt of any trip and for my lifestyle need to serve many purposes. Can I hike to a climbing wall in them? Will they look stylish in the city? How many hours can I walk before my feet hurt? It’s a tough standard to meet, so when I finally find the pair that works, it is very hard to say goodbye. But that day...

What comes first: the travel or the collection? After the experiences and excitement of a trip, there are the memories. Photos can bring these back, but so can souvenirs. Intentionally or not, over time, these reminders of places I’ve been start to fall into categories. This became glaringly apparent as I finally unpacked from my three months in Italy. After living out of a suitcase for so long, it was hard for me to move more than the essentials back into my Arizona home. My shelves were empty, my closet had a few shoes and summer clothes. Even my pantry was at a minimum. In a wave of “cost...

A few years ago I noticed a pole in Finale with some padlocks on it. I thought it was strange but was too focused on getting to the rocks to ask anyone about it. Leave it to the cutest couple in Italy to enlighten me on a part of my beloved Italian city I was only barely aware. Apparently posts and fences in some of Europe’s most romantic cities have become new symbols of love. While no one knows exactly where or how it started, most attribute it to an Italian book and movie “I Want You.” But there are also similar rituals in Serbia and Greece. Whatever the source, it is as timeless a tradition...

The polling is closed and the votes have been counted. Beer Search Party won the CANFEST Blogger Contest this year in a close race. Congratulations to Sean! I had a lot of fun putting my post together, discovering other beer blogs and getting to know the CANFEST crew. They are all some creative and friendly people. The best part about being a travel AND beer blogger is that I have no problem making the trip to Reno on my own dime. I’m looking forward to sharing some canned drinks with some new social media friends in a couple months. Cheers until then! Related Posts:True LoveA Month of...

Or Send the GFA to CANFEST 2011 The Third Annual CANFEST hits the rough and ready town of Reno, Nevada in November to celebrate just what you’d think – the best of craft beer available in the aluminum can. They’re sending one blogger to the festivities on their dime. While I don’t consider myself a beer blogger proper, they said it was open to all types of writers, so here it goes. Besides, how could CANFEST deny true love!   I ♥ canned beer Anyone who reads this blog or knows me in real life knows that I love canned beer. OK – maybe not as much as these guys. Well, yeah. Probably as...