Moon Staff Blog
About this blog
The Moon Water Cooler is a place for Moon staffers to share what's new in their world. Check back often to hear about author events, book releases, travel trends, and maybe even some staff recommendations for what part of the world to explore next.
Recent Posts
- Two Reasons This Week is Awesome: Earth Day and National Park Week
- The Glory, the Groundwork, and the Grind of Travel Writing
- Finding Pizza Nirvana in Nashville
- Guest Interview: Exploring Offbeat Mexico with Churpa Rogers
- Guest Interview: The People's Guide to Mexico Authors Carl Franz and Lorena Havens
- Guest Post: Top 10 Gifts for Road Trippers
- Hawaii Giveaway Winner Announced
- Win a Round-Trip Ticket to Hawaii from Moon and Hawaiian Airlines!
- Why Moving to Belize Isn’t as Hard as You’d Think
- From Dosas to Dumplings: My Eight Favorite Toronto Restaurants
- Guest Post: At Least We Have Pizza – The Cost of Living in Mexico vs. New York City
- Hawai'i: A Foodie Paradise — Part Two
- Hawai'i: A Foodie Paradise — Part One
- Exploring California via Road Trip with Moon California Road Trip
- Enjoying the Outdoors in the Black Hills of South Dakota
Christmas Boat Parades
Image © John L. Blom Photography
There’s something magical about twinkling, festive lights at Christmas time. From young children to those who have seen many yuletide seasons, the sight of an infinite array of cheerful lights is mesmerizing.
If you’re lucky enough to be near a body of water this holiday season, consider seeking out one of the country’s many lighted boat parades for an extra-special light viewing experience. These nautical processions take advantage of accommodating weather and water to present floating displays of fun, fantastic, and downright beautiful Christmas lights.
Holiday boat parades are family-friendly, free viewing events, and you haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen thousands of twinkling lights doubled by their own watery reflections. more >>
Help Rick Steves Support Bread for the World
Our friend in travel, Rick Steves, is working hard this holiday season to help raise money for Bread for the World—and he's giving away some special gifts to those who donate $100 or more to this great organization.
As a special thank you for any donation over $100, Rick will send out the following three gifts (retail value $50 USD):
- The Rick Steves’ European Christmas DVD
- The Rick Steves’ European Christmas coffee table book
- A special Christmas CD featuring 20 favorite European carols
To learn more, or donate, please visit this page. more >>
Why We're Thankful
Thanksgiving is just a few days away, so we asked our staff to share some of the things they are thankful for this year. Here are a few of their responses:
Donna Galassi, Associate Publisher: I’m grateful for the basics: easily assessable clean water, food, and shelter. These are things I take for granted and do not remember that much of the world’s population struggles with these basics on a daily basis. Be grateful and give back.
Lisa Lee, Tech Support Analyst: I’m thankful for the ability to forgive. By forgiving anything or anybody, I’m able to free myself from the burdens of anger and resentment, which allows me to live a joyful life. Sometimes, it takes two or three tries to fully forgive, but I keep doing it. In the end, I’m a better person for it.
Darren Alessi, Senior Production Coordinator: I'm thankful for my two beautiful daughters and a wife who puts up with me. more >>
Giveaway Winner Announced
Congratulations to Fred Shahroooz Scampato, the winner of our recent adventure-themed giveaway!
We asked readers to submit their most adventurous travel story via our website, or on the Moon Facebook and Twitter pages. We got some great responses that ranged from giving birth in Brazil to white water rafting down the Nile, but Fred’s story really captured our attention. Here’s what he had to say: more >>
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Moon Travel Guides make independent travel and outdoor exploration fun and accessible. With expert and adventurous travel writers delivering a mix of honest insight, first-rate strategic travel advice, insider travel tips and an essential dose of humor, Moon Travel Guides ensure that travelers have an uncommon and entirely satisfying experience. Each travel book is filled with unique trip ideas, easy-to-use maps, and detailed information on sights, restaurants, and accommodations. Moon Travel Guides not only point you in the right direction, they inspire new ideas and adventure. Whether you are seeking a relaxing beach trip to Hawaii, or an adventure travel trip to the rainforests of Costa Rica, Moon guidebooks—and Moon.com—are with you every step of the way. Founded in 1973, the Moon Travel Guides series includes Moon Handbooks, Moon Outdoors, Moon Metro, Moon Living Abroad and Moon Spotlight travel books. Moon is based in Berkeley, California and is a proud member of the Perseus Books Group.