Christmas in Jamaica wouldn’t be the same without our spin on traditional carols. Here are two versions of The Christmas Song. The first by one of my favorite performers, JC Lodge, The Christmas Song, the second by Beres Hammond, The Christmas Song. JC Jamaicanized the lyrics a bit. Hope these will help put you in the mood for a little Reggae Christmas. Happy Holidays!

Scores of people visit New York City everyday. Last Friday, one British couple, Craig and Lucy Johnson, got the surprise of their lives when they found out that the city had named them its 50 millionth visitor. According to the New York Times, the city’s tourism officials selected the couple because the U.K. is the largest source of visitors to New York and because of the Johnsons’ connection to the city...

My travel blog buddy, Debbie, at European Travelista, invited me to participate in The ABCs of Travel – an A to Z travel survey. It’s a fun look back at the memories I’ve created, the things I’ve done and the people I’ve met during my travels. Hope you enjoy reading about My Travel ABCs. Thanks, Debbie, for including me in the survey. A: Age you went on your first international...

Cape Verdian singer, Cesária Évora, died on Saturday, December 17th in Baptista de Sousa Hospital in Mindelo, on her native island of Sao Vicente. She was 70 years old. Évora was featured on Soulful Sundays in April. Take a listen to Petit Pays.

A few months ago, this Sears Roebuck Company building in Hackensack, NJ caught my eye. It looked like it would have done way back when. I was curious to know what year it was built and how it had missed being demolished for another more modern structure. I found the following reference to the building in the New York Times of November 17, 1931. “Sears, Roebuck & Co. buy Hackensack...

Times Square is known for many things – bright lights, skyscraper billboards, store after store hawking everything from cameras to souvenirs but few people notice the statues. I’m one of them. I’ve walked through Times Square a million times and didn’t see them until one early morning a few months ago. Although I was late for work, I had to stop and take a photo. Who knew there were these...

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in New York. Here are a few scenes from Bryant Park. I’ve always loved Bryant Park – it’s small and intimate, and very accessible especially for people who work in midtown. People stop by during lunchtime, sit at the tables and read or take advantage of their free wifi. In the summer, there are movies. In winter, ice skating. Last Saturday, as I...

A Carnival cruise ship pulled into port this morning for its daylong stop in Montego Bay and within two hours of docking, clouds covered an anemic sun and the rain began. Immediately, I thought of the passengers who undoubtedly would be looking forward to a day of sun and fun. How would they spend their day, if the rain continued?  Call me pollyanna but I always thought the vacation gods...

I just realized, today, that there are only twelve days to go before Christmas and I’m still don’t feel the Christmas “spirit.” I’d like to chalk it up to the various upheavals that have occurred in my life this past year, but I’m not so sure as I’ve heard several of my friends saying the same thing. Normally, by now I would have baked my cakes and this weekend, I’d...

Flowering plants play such an important part in our lives. Their color and composition have inspired artists such as Georgia O’Keefe, Van Gogh and Monet, and poets like William Wordsworth. They are accepted as a symbol of love and passion, even innocence. Some have even been recognized for their medicinal properties. Here are a few more from the garden. Unfortunately, I’m still working on learning their names. Enjoy!