May 2010
1 post
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RoriTravel is now RoriTravel's Flordia
Hey, we’ve done it! We’ve gone & refurbished & launched the new & totally awesome RoriTravel’s Florida!
We’ve also moved with this new title and new look. So feel free to remove this address from your address book, and come on over to the new site!
We’ve added more photos so you can get a great look at all these fun and cool places we’re checking...
April 2010
2 posts
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The New RoriTravel...
Well gang, its been a great ride, and soon, a whole new look. A few technical things have slowed us, but we’re just about ready.
The last year has been such a ride, and the growth has been amazing! From a business column on Examiner.com to adding travel. From Phoenix to Chicago to Orlando.
We launched RoriTravel as a Twitter page to market the Examiner page, but its taken on a wonderful,...
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New RoriTravel to launch soon...
I’ve been saying it for a few weeks now, but if all continues on this path, we’ll be launching the new RoriTravel next week!
Don’t miss out on Sebring International Raceway, MazdaSpeed Racing, Sea World, Disney World, Richard Petty Driving Experience, water sports and all those things I’m going to be sharing here on RoriTravel!
RVing is coming soon… video is...
March 2010
23 posts
RoriTravel Blog changing...
Hey gang,
I was going to post a couple new articles today, with photos, but when I went to do it, the publishing tool really messed them up - again.
The new RorITravel look is about to make its debut, so I’m thinking I’ll just wait for that. So stayed tuned & if all goes well… next week you’ll find a new look!
And as soon as the video camera arrives - we’re...
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The links & photos don't keep coming
Hey gang! Don’t know the deal, but even after letting IT know, I’m still having the “occasional issue” with the links & photos not working on here. Don’t have a clue why it works one day, but not the next.
Not wanting you to wait for it to get fixed, I’m posting articles to get the info up, and I’ll fix things later…
That said…...
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Lakeridge Winery puts on the Blues in April
Admit it, a blanket spread across the grass, blue Florida sky, a glass of wine and the Blues playing in the background… wow, now that’s cool. Romantic. Chilling good time.
Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards, Central Florida’s own, hosts Blues at the Winery April 17th & 18th.
With live music and wine for the enjoying, plan a day where the sun shines, the music dances on the air with the...
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Conor Daly; Fast & furious, this young gun’s got...
When he first spotted my host, the smile that raised on his face lit up like the sun on a summer’s day. He looked not just young to my 4th decade eyes, but sweet, cute and buff. Man-child, this kid is is cut.
Even through his race gear, you could see the muscles on the 18 year old’s body, showing off not just the desire to master his sport, but rise to the top.
His smile is even more impressive...
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Florida, Mazda & racing
Took a drive down to Sebring International Raceway for the day to experience Mazda racing. Ok, the real articles will be coming soon, but wanted to give you a teaser to get you excited… Please come back to see what it was all about!
Race car drivers, young guns with big dreams, Florida sun & fun welcoming race fans, new partners, and so much more.
Dude, it was fun!
Mazda makes a...
Twitter away
Hey all, just wanted to remind you to join me on Twitter - RoriTravel (of course) and let the good times roll… or at least tweet!
I Retweet all sorts of Travel stuff & send up news of my latest postings here - so come on over & join the fun!
Also, don’t forget this will be changing soon… new look & we’ll be adding video! See Florida as it was meant to be seen...
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Kenny Chesney; a boy for the beach in all of us
They were the original boys on the beach, named such for a yearning reason and bringing us all on a never-ending summer under the sun, fun in the sand, always in California euphoria. Those of us over 30 & true to the soul of the sun, sand & surf will never forget them: the Beach Boys.
He coasted onto the scene not so much a hurricane, but a hurricane out of season. In those early days he...
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Illinois' Galena holds Wine Lovers Trek 2010
Hey up there in my old stopping grounds - how’s the weather been? Having spent the first 3 decades of my life among you, I know that feeling that sets in around now…
The grey skies have closed in, your crisp, cold breath lingers on the air too long, whatever powder remains is stained with city life & everyday hassle. Things just feel long, cold, hard - winter. And you begin to not...
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Link Issues & changes coming...
Sorry gang, don’t have a clue why the links are not taking today, nor the photos. Really ticking me off, but I’ve tried… just search what’s in there, and I’ll keep trying.
And don’t miss the changes coming soon to RoriTravel!
A whole new look & whole new way to enjoy & discover Florida!
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PGA starts spring off right in St Pete/Clearwater...
Think Florida sun, surf and golf. Now add in a dash of the PGA & you’ve got the makings for a great weekend on Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Hey - Golf on the Gulf! Pretty cool!
I digress…
Transitions Championship brings PGA Golf to the Gulf. Photo courtesy of Transition Championship.
This weekend the PGA Tour returns to Palm Harbor’s Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club for the 2010...
Owner's Locker article link help
Hey gang, don’t know why links are not working in the Purple Locker/Owner’s Locker article.
To find them, use the search Owner’s Locker, or look for them on Twitter & Facebook under the same.
Sorry, never had this issue before - will try to reconnect them later.
Check out Owner’s Locker for your Orlando area Vacation!
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Owners Locker, Orlando visitor’s best friend
Frankly its brilliant.
A storage option that allows you to keep your stuff in Florida so that whenever you come for a visit, you’ve got the comforts of home with you.
And you don’t have to bring them or worry to enjoy!
I sat down with co-owner/founder of Owner’s Locker, John Van Meter at the Celebration Starbucks (thanks again John for letting me be late) to talk about it. I’d first...
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Insider Perks gives travel destinations a...
You’re thinking about that next vacation and know your finding good stuff online, but the thing is, you don’t really know what it’ll be like. I mean, you can’t see what that beach looks like from a picture, or what that club is really like when the lights are flashing & everyone’s dancing.
Check out Insider Perks.
The guy who runs this online-virtual-introduction to travel around the...
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Mount Dora Florida holds Spring Collectibles &...
Arts, crafts, collectibles, antiques… oh my (sorry, had to) will all be for sale and window shopping the weekend of March 27 - 28, 2010 in beautiful, historic, quaint Mount Dora, Florida.
Home of a lake, great shopping, awesome eateries and strolling action galore, Mount Dora is a perfect place to spend a weekend day. Add to it their Spring Collectibles & Crafts Show & you’ve...
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Falcon’s Fire Golf Club gets its baseball on
Each year as the boys of summer take to the field in that age old ritual of setting up hopes for the season, as the hopeful flock to Florida’s Grapefruit League venues with the wide-eyed wonder of what could be.
This season, the Falcon’s Fire Golf Club brings on its golfer’s delight, baseball takes flight opportunity. They’re calling it their “Hat’s off” to baseball, and you get the win.
...
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Accidental movie set
Never saw the movie Accidental Tourist, but I can sure feel it. When you live in a tourist area, you grow accustomed to strange, spontaneous and interesting things happening. Grew up & lived in the Chicago area, then a year in LA, movie mecca of the world, and then the last 4 years in Phoenix (not so much movies, but certainly tourists) and now Florida - and man, one can sure come up with some...
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Lakeridge Winery hosts 2nd Annual Wine & Seafood...
Seriously, what goes better than Florida sun, good wine, seafood & music? Not much. Stepping out the weekend of March 12 - 14th for the 2nd Annual Wine & Seafood Festival at the Lakeridge Winery in Central Florida is just about as perfect a late winter-spring launching day can bring.
All outdoors and under a beautiful Florida sky, this festival offers up an assortment of seafood...
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Jayne Adams Shannon Rodriguez touched the world...
They say that if you pursue your passion, you’ll never work a day in your life. Many believe that single acts of kindness pay forward a never ending line of goodness, touching lives in ways you’ll never know. That those who spend their lives doing good, touching others, making a difference in the world, will be rewarded in ways never imagined and without a price tag.
Though I’d only met her...
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Disney's Give a Day Get a Day worth it in so many...
Giving a day of your time to help a worthy cause is always something to celebrate and be proud of. Disney recognized that helping others is a cornerstone to our American way of life, and to thank those of us who wish to help others, came up with their awesome Give a Day Get a Day program.
2010 will be the year of reaching out, and getting a lot of smiles back in return.
Since we moved to...
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Busch Gardens Tampa Bay rolls out Sesame Street...
Oh to be a kid again… remember those days of idolizing a big yellow bird and laughing at the likes of Elmo, Cookie Monster & the gang over on that most familiar of childhood streets - Sesame?
This year, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is putting those beloved characters to work in the land of animals, and inviting your preschooler to jump into all the fun & excitement.
Sesame Street soon...
February 2010
21 posts
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Orlando Harley-Davidson Bike Week roars to life
Is there anything as distinctive and familiar as the rumbling roar of a Harley riding towards you? Is there anything as sleek as a Hog on the pavement, grumbling about hitting speed rather than idling - a live beast in need of speed.
Is there anything as thrilling as walking around a group of the ultimate biker’s bike, admiring its color, power, command of its environment?
Man & machine,...
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Sea World important for marine mammal fun even in...
If you read this blog long enough, you’ll come to find that I love animals - I mean, LOVE them. I’ve grown up around animals of all shapes and sizes, from the traditional fish to the crazy-wonderful canines of my life. Add in the goats, (one who lovingly kicked me in the head) to ponies to ducks to cows to… We had a farm stand with a “petting zoo” - more petting, less zoo - and I was the...
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Rum Shop Ryan, the tropics come smoothly home
Fellow travelers along the road of Tweetland know that among one’s tweeps come those with whom we share our passions, likes, dislikes, and dreams. We search our lives along life’s roads to find those kinds of people, but as we’ve all migrated towards worlds on that infamous web, where friendships are struck in 140 characters, and a “tweep” is a good thing, we’ve...
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Gatorland invites Florida residents with special...
Florida residents, get your Gator - on, go green, hit the swampy trails of perennial Florida favorite, Gatorland with the Florida Resident Special. For a limited time only, step among these ancient beings for only $9.99 per person.
This special has been in the running since the end of January, and will run out February 28th, so get your tail in gear… get it… tail… gator...
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Amanda Tinney, Disney Every Day & Tweep
If you’re a Disney fan you surely know & follow her - Amanda Tinney. Also known as @amandatinney on Twitter, her blogging about all things Walt Disney World will get your vacation off to the right start - or your Disney fix taken care of.
Something you want to know about anywhere on the WDW property? Let her know.
Amanda’s readers are always first on her mind, and getting them...
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Hidden Mickey in Florida Countryside
OK, you’ve heard of ‘em - those Hidden Mickey’s the Disney Imagineers placed throughout the parks. They’ll show up in a painting or railing, on the ground or on the ceiling. Books are devoted to them, fans spend entire vacations searching for them, people just love their Hidden Mickey’s.
One can only guess what the Imagineers are thinking when they come up with a new...
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Ben Sutton Golf School - get your game to the next...
You love golf. You love the grass, the fresh air, the feel of a shot that catches the air and sails. You love that you can get that little bugger into that tiny little hole.
You love golf.
But you hate that your game is off, not as good as your buddy, or you just want to kick some golf-bunker and get to that next level of skill.
Take a look at the Ben Sutton Gold School in Florida. Near the...
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Kiss-i-mmee, I'm Irish
Set at the gateway to Walt Disney World, Kissimmee is part Vegas strip, part old Florida, part history book, and on March 17th, part green - that’s Irish green baby!
Kiss - i - mmee, I’m Irish, it’s St. Patrick’s Day!
Known for the Theme Parks & tourist spots that consume her - Kissimmee is educated in the fine art of the holiday celebration, and what other holiday is...
“Travel is like a tonic to me. It’s more than just getting away from the...”
– Norman Rockwell
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The weather outside is frightful...
OK guys, winter is still rolling across the nation, reminding us that we haven’t entered spring yet. But that’s ok. Think about it - this means water for spring crops & good food on our picnic spreads this summer!
So while we’re bundling up & bucking it up - think spring!
And if you’re a neighbor up North - have no fear - Florida is here!
Take a trip, getaway,...
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Welcome to a Florida Winter
Today another wintery blast nailed our eastern states, bringing things to a literal standstill. Yet each day I sort of miss back-home and growing up playing in the snow. Of course, then I look at the news & on Twitter and see all that snow, and all I can do is think…
Man am I glad we live in Florida now!
So… because I love having fun… and sending a little torture...
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Make the most of your Ghost Tour
You’ve decided to take a walk on the dead side - the other side of the veil - the ghost side - the boo side - ok, ok…
Dude, keep an open mind! - You’re here for a reason. Maybe the loved one dragged you, maybe its a dare, maybe you wanted to come, whatever the reason, you’re paying good money - so at least keep an open mind - you’ll be surprised what you might find along the way.
...
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How to take a Ghost Tour
When you look at the image you can see it, the light colored round dot that people keep telling you is dust, but you know better - its an orb - or in other words, a ghost.
Next time you come to Florida, after you’ve spent the day at Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, spend the night time hours walking around town searching for ghosts. (bet you’ll even find a tour near your town)
Ghost...
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NASCAR ready to launch
Yes boys & girls, its that time again… after the months of waiting NASCAR is ready for the green to drop & take to the race for the chase for 2010.
The boys - and girl - are in Daytona with one goal in mind; the 2010 Championship. WIll JJ #48 be the man again - or will history take its turn and place a MM on the stand? Perhaps a girl will lead the pack - of course no Championship...
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Penske Truck donates trucks to help in Haiti
As you know, when we moved to Florida we rented our truck from Penske & I have since developed a “tweep-ship” or friendship on Twitter with the good folks over there in their PR department.
I got an email today with their press release saying they’d donated a bunch of trucks to the relief efforts in Haiti. Thought that was a pretty darn decent thing for them to do, so I...
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Kobe Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar
Last night we had a nice visit with my Aunt & Uncle from back home in Illinois - Barb & Len Schultz. They kindly took us to dinner - lucky for me - to a local spot we’ve seen but not yet tried - Kobe Japanese Steakhouse.
Ok, I’m not into the whole Sushi thing, so didn’t do anything with that, but the Steakhouse part sounded pretty darn cool, and I’ve been to this...
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Kissimmee Area Guide
OK, let’s face it, when you think of Central Florida you think of Walt Disney World (WDW). Perhaps you think of Universal with its upcoming Harry Potter area. I bet you even know that Sea World is here - home to Shamu.
And admit it, when you think of this area, you always think everything in is Orlando.
Its not.
Back when I was a wee one, Kissimmee was known as the location of WDW &...
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Step into the footprints of a Cracker
It was the sound - that whipping CRACK that snapped your attention across the green & brush & unyielding landscape of an early Florida - when Cowboys were Hunters & pioneers earned each day they lived.
And so they became known as Crackers. The men who hunted for the horses and cows left behind by Spanish explorers from another time. They found them with cracks of their whips, sent in...
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How Disney builds in the Personal Touch
Assistant Laura & I have been working online today, most recently reading through Facebook and an article on the Walt Disney World blog about the Hidden Mickey’s on the Trading Pins .
For those who don’t know - Disney has been selling themed pins for the last decade, a huge success for the company, and big deal with Pin Traders. There are a set of these pins, given to Cast members...
January 2010
13 posts
IKEA for Valentine's Day
Bet you never thought of this one - taking your honey to IKEA, that over-the-seas-came-here furniture & more store - and celebrating Valentine’s Day.
But think about it - IKEA - all about furniture for your new home together or that apartment you just got. Maybe the first baby is on the way - or maybe you’re just thinking of redoing the house.
So now, you hit the sheets in...