TAKE ME THERE:TRAVEL

Hollywood, California is known the world over for the movie industry. The 21st century Hollywood has the 20th century Hollywood to thank for starting the incredible movie industry in Southern California many years ago. Superstar "MICKEY ROONEY" who passed away this month was the last male star of the "golden age of Hollywood." Mr. Rooney made hundreds of films and his legend will live on for years to come. I'd like to dedicate this post to him. Once upon a time there was a fabulous movie studio known as Metro, Goldwyn, Mayer (MGM). A lot of amazing films were filmed on the MGM sound stages.  MGM had a lot of major stars too including Mickey Rooney who was the #1 star in the world from the late 1930's until the early 1940's. Spanning a film career that lasted ten decades Mr. Rooney was truly a hollywood legend. Although "LOS ANGELES" is an ultra hip city with 21st century trends one can still take a trip down memory lane and get a ta...

The one and only "Mickey Rooney" The passing of Hollywood legend Mickey Rooney really saddened me because I was a huge fan of his. I had the honor of meeting him in person twice and seeing him perform on stage a few times.  Mickey Rooney made films for HOLLYWOOD for many decades. Join me on my next post as I take a trip down memory lane to the "Golden Age of Hollywood" when Mickey Rooney was the biggest star in the world and when HOLLYWOOD was the place to be. A trip to HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA is a combination of old and new. 

Today is Easter Sunday and as I'm enjoying a restful day I can't help but think about my first visit to sunny Los Angeles on a Sunday. I arrived at the beautiful Los Angeles Union Station by Amtrak train and headed straight to Hollywood via the Metro. Yes, Los Angeles actually has a decent public transportation system of buses and a subway system that runs from Downtown Los Angeles to the San Fernando Valley. The metro stops right in the heart of  Hollywood and that's where I recommend staying when you arrive to the "City of Angels." Staying in Hollywood is a legend in itself especially if you check into the Orange  Drive Hostel at 1764 North Orange Drive. This boutique hostel was once a 1920's manor home that later became a boarding house. Residents of the boarding house before they became famous were Marilyn Monroe, Gary Cooper, Rita Hayworth, Kim Hunter and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. The  Orange Drive Host el with its old world charm is a great value and it...

Singaporean cuisine is a combination of Chinese, Indian, and Indonesian with influences from England, Portugal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. With such an ethnic diversity of dishes to choose from eating in Singapore is a national pastime enjoyed by locals and tourists. A national favorite dish that can be found at hawker centers, food courts, and upscale restaurants all around Singapore is Char Kway Teow; a mix of noodles, seafood, and vegetables. Below is a recipe you can try wherever you are. CHAR KWAY TEOW (Singapore Noodle Dish) 2 cups mung bean sprouts (rinsed) 1 pound fresh rice noodles 3 carrots, sliced 1 yellow onion, chopped 1 cup shredded cabbage 4 chilli peppers (seeds removed and chopped very finely) 2 garlic cloves 1/4 pound barbequed pork 7 ounces cooked & peeled shrimp 2 tablespoons oyster sauce 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 teaspoon brown sugar 3 eggs, beaten 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro 3-5 tablespoons of oil for frying Mix toget...

I love to sing especially when I think of the unique country of Singapore. This is one country worth singing about.                                                     Singapore Skyline                               Small SINGAPORE (Republic of Singapore) is an island country located in Southeast Asia. It consists of 63 islands including the main island known as Singapore Island. It has one of the busiest ports in the world and is a major commercial hub. With a tropical rainforest climate SINGAPORE can be enjoyed anytime of year. With a population of 5.3 million those that make Singapore home are very fortunate. Singapore has the world's highest percentage of millionaires with one of out every six households having a million dollars in disposable income. Most residents o...

PIEROGI'S are dumplings of unleavened dough that are boiled. They can be filled with cheese, potatoes, sauerkraut, fruit, or meat. My mother who comes from Eastern Europe makes some of the best pierogies in the world. Since the time I was a toddler I was accustomed to eating pierogies made by hand by my mother and grandmothers. I craved them week after week. Now as an adult I make them myself and share them with other pierogi lover's. Pierogies are an economical meal and they can be prepared with all kinds of fillings like cheese, fruit, ground meat, potatoes, and sauerkraut. Once made they can be frozen and re-heated weeks later but I prefer them fresh out of the boiling pot of water. Here's my all time favorite recipe for pierogies passed down by my grandmother. This recipe makes about 40 pierogies. PIEROGI'S FROM HEAVEN Potato, Cheese, & Onion Filling: Wash, peel, and cut 6 large potatoes. Boil the potatoes until soft. Drain the potatoes and set ...

RUSSIA'S vastness can be a bit daunting and if you only have a few weeks to spare there's only so much you can see but don't leave RUSSIA without making a last stop to the beautiful and cultural stimulating city of SAINT PETERSBURG. Surrounding over a hundred islands and filled with canals Saint Petersburg is often referred to as the "Venice of the North." It's a beautiful city with breath-taking architecture that just can't be beat. So make your last stop Saint Petersburg and fill your days with memories that will stay with you for years to come. On your first day head to the The State Hermitage Museum. With over 3 million works of art you'll see paintings, sculpture, and graphic works. There's also the Winter Palace (the former state residence) of Russian emperors and The Menshikov Palace to visit. The main museum complex is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10:30am-6:00pm and Wednesday from 10:30am-9:00pm. The S...