April 2016 - Roving Jo

Bacon & Bourbon Festival

April 21, 2016 2 Comments

This post was most recently updated on May 26th, 2016

Everything is better with Bacon and if you add a little bourbon it becomes a match made in heaven. This year was the 2^nd Annual Bacon & Bourbon Festival in Delray Beach. The event featured bacon inspired dishes, a huge collection of bourbon & whiskey as well as great mixed drinks. If bourbon is not your thing then they did have some beer and wine and even tequila. To top it off they had live music, lots of tables and seating, and some games to pass the time. So was the event worth it? Keep reading and you be the judge.

Lifestyle, Travel

Confessions of an Obsessive Compulsive Travel Planner

April 14, 2016 19 Comments

They say the first step to recovery is to admit you have a problem – so this is confession time. I hear time and time again that you need to be loose with your itinerary, allow room for things to happen, don’t over-schedule. Well my friends, I confess that I have a problem. I obsess over the planning phase of travel. I spend countless hours researching, reading guides, reviews, googling everything and anything related to the destination, and yes, I even analyze and study maps to see what is in the area and how to best maximize my time. While others stress over planning a trip, I pretty much live for it. I look forward to planning my next trip like an alcoholic looks forward to their next glass of booze.

Travel

24 hrs. in St. Augustine

April 12, 2016 2 Comments

This post was most recently updated on August 2nd, 2016

A year ago my daughter went to St. Augustine as part of a school field trip. She enjoyed it so much we decided to make a 24 hr stop on our way to Charleston the following summer. For those who do not know, St. Augustine is the oldest city in the country. Not only is it full of history (from Spanish colony to British rule) but it is fun to. It is a great place to walk around, admire the cool Spanish architecture, have some good food, and experience some great tours and entertainment. There are also tons of tourist traps – I mean shops along the way to pick up some mementos. If you have never been to St. Augustine, then pack your bags and give it a go. There is lots to keep you busy and I guarantee you will find something that is right for you. We spent less than 24 hrs in this historic town and sampled just a bit of what it has to offer. I can’t wait to go back for more.

Lifestyle, Travel

Saving for that DREAM vacation

April 6, 2016 No Comments

Photo Credit: free pictures of money via Compfight cc

Is travel one of your New Year’s resolutions? Do you want to take that family vacation or dream honeymoon, but the thought of high costs is putting a damper on your dreams? There are countless ways to make your travel dreams a reality without having to go into debt. I will share with you some tips and tricks, things I have learned and used, to help turn your DREAM vacation into REALITY.

Research in order to set goals

You can’t start saving if you do not know how much you will need. Therefore, your first step is to research. Use guidebooks, internet searches, ask your family and friends, and gather as much information as you can. What are the average flight, hotel and rental car costs? What do you want to see and do and how much are the costs to those? Will you be eating at restaurants or buying at supermarkets, and what is the cost of food? And don’t forget extras like insurance, baggage fees, passport renewals, visas, or any other items you may need to purchase before the trip.