Honoring St. Patty's Day the Old-Fashioned Way

Since St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow, I can't help but reflect on my affinity for all things Irish. Although, sadly, I don't claim any Irish ancestors – at least that I know of – I've long favored the fair Emerald Isle. Irish music, Irish dancing, Irish beer, Irish coffee, Irish pubs – you name it – if it's Irish, chances are that I'll love it. As I write this post, I'm even wearing my favorite T-shirt – a bright green tourist-style one, with the words “New Orleans” and “Irish yoga” written (in Celtic font) beneath three images of passed-out partygoers in accidental yoga poses: the Corpse, the Crab, and the Child. (Incidentally, although I know plenty of Irish folks who find the shirt amusing, please accept my humble apology if you're not one of them.) more >>

A Lesson on Regional Dialect: Michigan

In the first three parts of this four-part series, I shared some of the terms and abbreviations that you might encounter while exploring the Florida Keys, the Everglades, and New Orleans. For this last post, I've compiled a list of expressions about the diverse state of Michigan, as found in my Moon Michigan guidebook. Here's just a sample of what you'll see and hear in the Great Lakes State:

Big Mac: a nickname for the Mackinac Bridge, the link between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas; also called simply The Bridge more >>