A rental lodge on Sebago Lake, Maine.

One of the best things you can do for your family is to spend a week in the summer on Sebago Lake in Maine. I guarantee you that you will have the best family vacation you’ve ever experienced, and you will create memories that you will cherish for your entire lifetime. Indeed, I pretty much guarantee that once you visit, you’ll find yourself going back again year after year.

Sebago Lake (also known as “Big Sebago,” and yes there is a “Little Sebago”) is the second largest, and the deepest, lake in Maine. It’s located just a half-hour from Portland, making it a very convenient location to many tourist destinations and activities. It is a very popular spot in the summertime, which means you need to plan in advance to find a camp that suits your needs.

In Maine, a “camp” refers to a cottage or cabin on or near the lake. Accommodations range from the truly rustic to the truly luxurious. Many camps are not “winterized”, meaning they do not posses the construction or the insulation to be inhabited in the winter. Some camps have only the basics – a loft with bunks for sleeping, simple furnishings, and no television or internet. Other camps are really decked out with luxurious bedrooms, gourmet kitchens, television and cable and internet.

I ask you, though, who the heck wants to spend all their time indoors watching TV or on the computer when they have a lake, fireflies, campfires, canoeing, and loons beckoning outside the door?

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Case de Benin art gallery

The wild and colorful images of Brazil’s Carnival celebrations stir up fond memories of my travels to the heart of Brazil’s rich culture, Salvador, Bahia.  Salvador’s carnival is arguably the most authentic of the non-stop street parties but the city also offers a real glimpse of  Brazil’s history and culture that you won’t get anywhere else in the country. Salvador was Brazil’s original capitol and it boasts so many historical places, monuments and people that you can literally visit one every 5 minutes. There’s also truckloads of tourists traps so here’s my list of  slightly less touristy activities:

1. Eating Moqueca at Iemanja Restaurant

I slurped this rich, coconut, fish stew down almost daily when I was in Salvador.  The sea goddess Iemanja is Salvador’s most popular deity and the restaurant plays proper homage with an interior covered in turquoise blue walls and sea shells.  The waitress wear long white gowns with blue accents and serene smiles. Bahian cuisine is the soul of Brazil and this is one of the best places to experience it.

2.Viewing The Eight Orixa Sculptures On  Lake Torroro

This dramatic spectacle is not to missed.  Rising out of a small lake, eight life-sized, fiber glass statues demonstrate Salvador’s spiritual heritage. The Candomble religion plays an important part in everyday Brazilian life and this stunning park sculpture shows just one of the ways.  The main deities are displayed with their symbolic effects, such as Xango with his ax and Oxum with her mirror.  They loom in brilliant color, almost blending in with the splashing waves, trees and fishing boats.

3.Strolling Through Salvador Museums

I’m an art freak. No trip is complete to me without a visit to at least one gallery or museum.  Salvador actually has scads of them clustered in Pelourinho and beyond.  I loved the City Museum, which displays contemporary Brazilian art  and Case de Benin,  which showcases artifacts from Benin, West Africa. The culture of Benin influences a large portion of Bahian culture through art and spiritual customs.

4. Visiting the Zumbi Palmares Statue

Zumbi  was a famous freedom fighter who represents African pride to many Brazilians. An imposing bronze monument was erected to honor his historical significance in Pelourinho Square in 2008.  He led rebellions at the end of the 17th century and 300 years after his death, Brazilians pay tribute with a national day of remembrance  on November 20.

C-House Restaurant

Sauveur Magazine may have recently named Chicago as America’s  new culinary star but anybody who’s ever visited the Windy City knows that’s it’s always been all about the food.  Yes, we do phenomenal pizza, steaks, brats and any other fatty, heavy , Midwestern cliche dish you can imagine.  But Chicago also boasts a dizzying array of world class cuisine from Italian to Thai, it’s all covered.  As a casual foodie, I always look forward to  the annual Chicago Restaurant Week to sample some of the eateries that I haven’t had the chance to try. This year’s event runs February 18-27 and my reservations are already in place. Read More »

The sunset view at The Landings

Whipping up a meal with a bunch of jerks may not sound like paradise to you but when you discover that “Cooking With Jerks” is actually a gourmet cooking class at The Landings Resort in St. Lucia, you realize that you’re about to experience a whole new level of  enjoyment.  Spicy jerk seasonings is an essential ingredient for many Caribbean dishes and expert  The Landings chefs will demonstrate exactly how it’s done. Read More »