JA Huber

National Public Lands Day is this Saturday, September 27, 2008, and Americans will be stepping into some of the country's beautiful parks, forests and natural habitats to spruce them up. But I have to ask, are you a good or bad Bob?

"Never leave your partner behind," is echoed throughout the movie "Fireproof" starring Kirk Cameron and Erin Bethea. This love story, opening in theaters September 26, 2008, is about the covenant of marriage versus the contract of marriage.

Moving away from Tallahassee last spring was bittersweet and saying goodbye to the many things I love about the city was difficult. When planning a vacation to Florida's Capital City, use this as a guide to experience some of the my favorite things to do in Tallahassee.

Fetish Con rolled into Tampa last weekend, a four-day event and the East Coast's largest fetish trade show with exhibits, late-night parties and educational sessions. What exactly is Fetish Con? Join this vanilla to find out.

Syesha Mercado, finalist on Season Seven of Fox's "American Idol," made a hometown visit to Sarasota Friday which included a free concert at the John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art.

American Idol finalist Syesha Mercado is returning to her hometown of Sarasota, Fla. this week to perform a free concert at the Ringling Museum for her fans.

Tourism Cares brought together close to 350 members of the travel industry to repair Louis Armstrong Park in New Orleans on April 19, 2008. This is a first-hand account of the event.

As winter chills the U.S. it's time to follow the birds and seek warmth with a spring break getaway to Florida. Discover budget travel tips for enjoying a spring break getaway to Sanibel Island while taking advantage of the destination's spectacular bird-watching.

A vacation to Italy is a dream for many Americans but with the weak U.S. dollar it can be expensive. Allow me to share my six secrets to budget travel I learned during my November 2007 vacation in Italy in hopes your trip won't be as expensive.

Meet some of the young people I met when I traveled to Kabul, Afghanistan in March 2006 with Global Exchange. Afghanistan's children and young adults provide hope for this country at a crossroads.

The "Sex and the City" movie debuts May 30, 2008 but you can catch a glimpse of the chick flick with the movie's new trailer. Fashion, glamour and fabulousness shine throughout, but the trailer left me saying, "Huh?"

It was a simple fifth grade Christmas gift exchange, yet, it was a pivotal moment in my life. The worst Christmas gift I ever received made me into the world's greatest gift giver. What was the awful Christmas gift I received?

Word Traffic Books is Tallahassee's newest locally owned bookstore with new and used books. The community joined in the grand opening celebration by hearing readings by Jeff Parker, author of Ovenman, and Bridget Kamke, children's author of Infinpede.

"Big Brother 8" Houseguest Zach Swerdzewski placed third on the CBS reality TV show. Now living in California, Zach recently returned to Tallahassee to decompress before launching his new surfwear line called Dolphin Crash. This the second interview in a two-part series.

Big Brother 8's Zach Swerdzewski placed third on the CBS reality TV show. Now living in California, he returned to Tallahassee before launching his surfwear line, Dolphin Crash. In this interview, Zach discusses Big Brother 8. This is Part One in a two-part series.

An evening in a cemetery with Tallahassee's newest ghost hunters, S.I.T.E., is not as creepy as it may seem. And good news for those into the paranormal, the group is looking for a few good Tallahassee ghost hunters to join in the investigations.

Two funny comedians are left in this season's "Last Comic Standing" but LaVell Crawford gets my vote because I got to party with him in Chicago, kind of...

Life changed for "ABC World News Tonight" anchor Bob Woodruff as he reported from Iraq in Jan. 2006. An IED exploded resulting in a traumatic brain injury. Nineteen months later, he and his wife shared their experience with attendees of the ASAE Annual Meeting in Chicago.

Bringing last weekend's hookup, drinking like a fish and rumbling are guaranteed etiquette tips for being a rude wedding guest and ruining the happy day for the bride and groom.

Planning a Portland vacation? Portland Walking Tours offers a collection of walking tours giving visitors and residents an insider's view of Oregon's City of Roses, or does it?

Tallahassee's Aveda Institute is a training ground for hairstylists and spa therapists. The institute advertises $12 haircuts and for those looking to go easy on the budget, it's a great place for a head-to-toe makeover.

The battle between online travel Web sites have hit MySpace. In the battle to be Online Travel King, will Priceline's "The Negotiator," be tops or will Travelocity's Roaming Gnome win the title?

Will wine lovers and tree huggers visiting San Francisco enjoy a trip to California's wine country and Muir Woods with Extranomical Tours? This traveler shares her review and determines whether the "Wine Country & Muir Woods Tour" is worth it.

Wandering the streets of Vancouver, I unknowingly stumble onto the movie set of "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer."

Amelia Island has an eclectic mix of independently-owned restaurants. Fancy Sushi is the newest sushi restaurant in Fernandina Beach, but does it fit in? Read this traveler's review about the Japanese grill and sushi bar.

Don't let high gas prices spoil your vacation. As an avid traveler and road tripper, I'm sharing my tips for watching expenses with rising gas prices. My philosophy: nothing's going to prevent me from taking my vacation, not even the price of gas.

Girlfriend getaways are the hottest travel trend these days. My favorite type of girlfriend getaway is hitting the open highway for a road trip. Having traveled over many American roadways with my gal pals, I'm sharing the tips I've learned from these road trips.

Grab your favorite gal pal(s) for this Florida girlfriends getaway to meet with mediums and communicate with the "other" side.

"Get Out & See Tallahassee" kicked off National Tourism Week on May 12, 2007. Select attractions waived admission fees so Tallahassee residents could experience them and become tourism ambassadors for the city. Read how this Tallahassee resident spent her day.

A&J Blues Cafe is a new flavor to Tallahassee's restaurant scene. Enjoy traditional soul food kicked up with Cajun and Creole tastes for lunch or dinner. Live music complements dinner Thursdays through Saturdays.

An enchanted land is tucked away in Sarasota. It's a place where fairies and pirates play side by side. A Floridian takes her niece and nephew to the Sarasota Children's Garden. The Auntie thinks it's kind of cool, but what do the children think of the garden?

Tallahassee women looking to get in shape have many exercise options within Florida's Capital. Try pole dancing, belly dancing or give your all at boot camp. Getting in shape has never been this much fun.

Sumo Sabi Rolls & Bowls is Tallahassee's newest, casual sushi restaurant. Is the taste worth a return visit?

Acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee visited Tallahassee and offered advice and inspiration to Florida State University and Florida A&M University students.

A Florida resident shares her favorite foods visitors should enjoy during their next Florida vacation. Let foods such as Moon Soup, Stone Crab Claws and Conch Fritters be the must-eat attractions.

Virginia's April events celebrate the outdoors, blooming flowers and patriotism. Whether you're planning to travel or are local, enjoy Virginia's Southern hospitality, local charm and historical significance during these April events.

"The Last True Story I'll Ever Tell," by John Crawford is a soldier's gritty account of the War in Iraq through a series of short stories. It is a must-read for anyone wanting a better understanding of what American soldiers experience.

Hope exists in war-torn Kabul, Afghanistan. American Deborah Rodriguez oversees the Kabul Beauty School and Oasis Salon in efforts to educate and empower some of Afghanistan's women one haircut at a time.

Meet Doritos' sassy "Check Out Girl." She comes to us from the Doritos "Crash the Super Bowl" contest. Was this Super Bowl commercial a winner? Read to find out.

While fans gobbled up cheesy pizzas, deep-fried chicken wings and salty chips during Super Bowl XLI, the American Heart Association raised awareness about heart disease. Was it effective? Read the review for "You Gotta Have Heart."

The winning commercial in Doritos' "Crash the Super Bowl" contest may be this year's cheapest Super Bowl spot produced. Despite a budget of $12.49, the commercial rivals others aired during the big game. If you didn't catch it, read the review.

Burger King appeared in 2006's Super Bowl 40 for the first time this decade. The "freaky King" introduced us to his Whopperettes for a gala performance. Will the King appear in Super Bowl 41?

Hawg wings have entered the Buffalo wing scene, thanks to Braun's Restaurant in Newstead, NY. After reading this review, you'll be hungry for these tasty shanks.

Rattlesnake expert Ken Darnell demonstrates how venom is extracted. Rattlesnakes were caught in the Whigham, Georgia area by rattlesnake hunters during the 47th Annual Rattlesnake Roundup on January 27, 2007. The venom collected will be used for research. Rattlesnake venom is in the drug Byetta, used to treat Type II (adult onset) diabetes and other medications to thin blood and treat high blood pressure.

Planning on popping the question to the love of your life in Charleston, South Carolina? Make sure you find the best place to propose by knowing your love's personality.

Belly Laugh Day is January 24. It's a 21st century holiday celebrating smiles and laughter. Elaine Helle, Belly Laugh Day's founder, discusses the holiday.

Sarasota men, listen up. While your love and devotion are important to your soon-to-be fiance';, you need to "wow" her with the proposal. Use this guide to find Sarasota's best place to propose so she says "yes."

Actress Yvonne De Carlo, best known for her role as Lily Munster on the television series "The Munsters" and as the lead in the movie "The Ten Commandmetns" has died in Los Angeles.

Schnebly Redland's Winery produces flavorful and surprisingly good Florida tropical fruit wines. The wines produced from blemished tropical fruits are gaining well-deserved attention.

Have fun and find people on the Net with a pirate. Search-Pirate.com is a new people search site.

They're cuddly. They're cute. They coo and drool. Everywhere we turned in 2006, some celebrity was having a baby. See who made the list of the top 10 celebrity babies of 2006.

Food Network celebrity Rachael Ray stops in Atlanta as part of a book tour to promote her latest cookbook, "Rachael Ray 2, 4, 6, 8: Great Meals for Couples or Crowds."

Tennis Pro Jennifer Magley launches 18Dozen.com, a Web site and line of stationery devoted to breaking up, making up and moving on. Read the interview with the young entrepreneur to learn her story.

No matter what your political stance, everyone wants to meet the President, right? Well I did, and this story summarizes my interaction with President George W. Bush during his brief visit to Everglades National Park in June 2001.

Ellen Simonetti, aka: Queen of Sky, began her blog, "Diary of a Flight Attendant," in January 2004 to help cope with the loss of her mother. She was later fired for blogging. Everyone who blogs and works in corporate America needs to hear her story.

Everyone's blogging these days. But, what are the reasons NOT to blog? A blogger shares her insight why you should not blog.

Peeing in Japan is not as complicated as it looks, but like all Japanese customs, there is etiquette to follow. A seasoned traveler shares her advice on conquering Japanese toilets.

Step away from the tourist traps and discover a modern, authentic Japan in the City of Music, called Hamamatsu.

Homestead, Florida is a small community with many hidden treasures waiting to be discovered. Alligators, national parks and exotic fruits are a handful of the reasons to visit.

Bicycling Amish, the original fountain of youth and fossils from a prehistoric era are some of the reasons to visit Sarasota, Florida.

Tallahassee is more than fast food chains and greasy spoons. A Tallahassee local shares her favorite lunch spots in Florida's capital.

Tourism marketing professionals looking to advance their career should consider pursuing a Travel Marketing Professional certification from the Southeast Tourism Society. Following is a summary of the program and what attendees should expect.

Raise a cup o'grog on September 19 t' commemorate th' silly holiday of International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Learn the history of this holiday created in 1995 along with a few key pirate words.

A national park vacation should be a happy memory. But, one step too close to a bear or veering off the hiking trail can end in tragedy. Remembering simple safety tips will make your next visit a memorable one.

Terror. Tourism. The latter of the two is not usually associated with Kabul, Afghanistan. Travelers are finding their way into this war-torn nation and finding the attractions are the people and culture as this nation rebuilds itself.

Young professionals looking to experience another culture should consider Rotary International's Group Study Exchange. Join a GSE alumna as she describes the program and her journey in Japan.

More travelers are finding their way to Afghanistan. A recent visitor to Kabul offers tips on a healthy visit to Afghanistan.

We've all been sick, but being ill away from home is no vacation. This road warrior shares her tale of a night spent with a porcelain god.

Fewer flights at near-full capacities will cause airport delays this summer. A seasoned road warrior shares tips on passing the time if in the event of a travel delay in the airport terminal.

Start with a tuxedo-clad dog, throw in an intoxicated groom and mix with pouring of rain to create the most unusual wedding I could have imagined.

Florida's Big Bend region amazes both visitors and residents with its rolling hills, lush forests and historical tales. Following is a summary of easy day hikes and walks near the Tallahassee area.

Western travelers are finding their way into developing countries. Travelers have responsibilities when visiting long-standing cultures and need to take certain steps to minimize their impact to preserve them.

Following his presidency, President Carter returned to Plains, Ga where he and wife Rosalyn are still active. Mr and Mrs. Carter conduct Sunday School classes at least three times a month and invite the general public to attend.