If I could, I would open a restaurant. I would open a restaurant that would have a casual, yet hip atmosphere, and played great music. My restaurant would incorporate aspects from the restaurants and cultures I’ve experienced all over the world. As with all dining establishments, location is paramount. Mine would be found just on […]
Latest News
The Peruvian Learning Curve
A friend of mine has a theory that you can make pretty much anything sound gross/dirty/horrible simply by adding a Latin America place in front of it. Bolivian Lemon Drop Guatemalan toilet set. Tijuana Taco. Let your imagination run with it for a while and you’ll get the idea. Before this past June, I had […]
Four Days In……Chicago
“My first day in Chicago, September 4, 1983. I set foot in this city, and just walking down the street, it was like roots, like the motherland. I knew I belonged here.” Oprah Winfrey I think you’d be hard pressed to find a city that’s better at making someone feel at home than Chicago. I […]
Dancin’ Across the USA
Last month I took another road trip across the US of A. This was a bit different than the one I took in March, though. This time around I wasn’t going anywhere I hadn’t been before, but I was getting the opportunity to play tour guide to a very special friend of mine. Almost ten […]
Summer Reading
It’s the first of June, and that marks the start of the major vacation season in the United States. In the months of June and July, Americans are more likely to travel for pleasure than at any other time of the year. Cars keep the roads hot and planes fill up the sky. Everyone is […]
Toss & Travel – A Review
Recently I was asked to try out a new product from a dermatologist that is specifically geared toward travelers. It’s called “Toss & Travel.” I’ll cut to the chase – the stuff works! Toss & Travel skin care products are geared toward the traveler’s skin care needs. The line is rather brilliantly designed to be […]
The Basics: Road Tripping On Your Own
I’ve traveled so often with groups of people that once or twice a year, I have to- I MUST- do something on my own. This usually takes the form of a trip for a few days to a week. I’ve spent a week in Paris, a few days in London, time in Canada, and even […]
Toland Travels-Live! Winter Edition
Last month the winter edition of Toland Travels-Live! took place at Urban Standard in Birmingham, Alabama and it was the most eclectic group of writers we’ve had so far. A couple of local celebrities a professor, a financial guru, and me all presented stories for the night. Each one was completely different and all reflected […]
Me Love You Long Time
There’s a scene in the film Full Metal Jacket where a group of American soldiers are propositioned by a group of Vietnamese prostitutes. Several times, the women say, “Me love you long time.” The scene is iconic, but not because it is a great moment in cinema. It’s funny, but it’s also a bit racist, […]
Once Upon A Time
Once upon a time, I fell in love. But it ended. Badly. I was told that it was over and that the failure was my fault, and mine alone, and for months I was a destroyed person. Then, slowly, I learned that the relationship had been built on lies. I had been lied to about […]
Toland Travels 