Okay, so I am not big at promoting myself, but my favorite newspaper did a feature story on me and it is quite impressive. I guess, when you are doing what you love, you forget about all lives you influence.

All the Nobel Peace Prize Winner say the same thing, “I was just doing what I love, which was helping other see what they are capable of.” I hope that I can help YOU see what YOU are capable of. And what YOU are capable of doing is AMAZING. Gosh, I did, so can YOU!

Please send me you success stories….

Here is the proof you can do it too!

While waiting on standby in LAX last nite I learned that one can get a massage at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas! WOW. This is good info to know. Further reading led me to the fact that they have the first gym facility of its kind in a major airport. 24 Hour Fitness -with steam rooms, saunas, workout equipment, lockers and showers! Located on the Esplanade in Terminal 1 level 2- before going to any gates. 24 hours, Monday - Thursday 12 a.m. - 11 p.m., Friday 6 a.m. - 9 a.m., Saturday & Sunday

If anyone has been to it- please share your experience.

I am guessing 24 Hour Fitness members have already known this wonderful tidbit for sometime. They sell a range of day use packages that range from $15 and up with towels and workout wear if you need it.

 24 hour fitness website has a free 10 day pass offer to check out

Ok, so I guess technichally the tour started in Kaua’i, but other that was more like a break for the crew that had been on tour for a month and a half already.  So basically we did a little frolicking on the beach…nothing you haven’t done before that I need to bore you with.  As I am sure you can imagine, when i was preparing to leave the country my mind was absolutely all over the place and it really didn’t sink in as to what I was actually embarking on until I woke up in my hotel room in the city of Beijing, China.  We had arrived in Beijing late the night before and I could barely keep from falling asleep as I checked myself into the Intercontinental Hotel, Beijing.  The hotel was absolutely immaculate, but I still didn’t really have any concept of where I actually was.  In other words, immaculate hotels in Beijing are no different than immaculate hotels in America.  It wasn’t until I drew the curtains in the morning that I finally realized that I wasn’t in Kansas anymore, so to speak!  Beijing is a giant city that never seems to end.  There was a sea of concrete buildings as I scanned the city from my 23rd floor view.  There are so many people crowding the streets that it is WAY more efficient to ditch the rental car and opt for a bicycle instead.  You could see the Buddhist influence even in the structure of the skyscrapers.  The tops of some of the buildings seemed to resemble a Buddhist temple.  The buildings looked like something out of the future and were most likely built more for form rather than function. 

Our first stop in Beijing was the Great Wall of China.  No matter how many pictures of the Great Wall that you might see, there is absolutely nothing in the world that could prepare you for actually seeing it with your own eyes.  To actually walk on the wall and touch the ancient bricks that it is made of is something that I will never forget.  It was surreal to think that I was standing in the same exact spot and looking out at the same exact land that an ancient Chinese soldier was guarding over 2000 years ago.  At one point I found a way to sneak away from all of the filming "hoopla" and just be by myself to take it all in.  I stood there alone on the Great Wall of China, took in a deap breath of the crisp mountain air that surrounded me and a feeling came over me that I have never felt before.  I felt a sense of peace.  My usual 20,000 thoughts that are constantly cluttering my mind just went completely away.  For that moment in time, I felt at peace with myself and the world around me.  I have never experienced a more fantastic feeling or vision in my entire 24 years of life.  They say in China that when a man goes to the Great Wall of China that he can now be considered a brave man.  I can’t say for sure (since I am not a man), but at no point did I feel I was "taking a chance" or "being risky" when I was walking the wall.  I think that that might only apply if there are bullets and cannons being shot at you.  For all of those who do not know…such is not the case anymore.  More than being considered brave, I think that the Wall made me understand the need to be at peace with eachother.  This Wall that once stood as a defense mechanism to ward off nomadic tribes now stands as a symbol for the feats that we have overcome.  The fact that the Great Wall is now only in existence because of its splendor and not to keep cultures from merging, is a fantastic accomplishment and well-worth visiting for those of you who can.

It wasn’t but two weeks ago that I walked into a Volkswagon dealership to lease a car in my new place of residence, San Francisco, CA.  All I needed was a cute little car to get me around town and I ended up leaving the dealership with a whole lot more.  As I am sure everyone knows, leasing a car is a pretty lengthy process.  Naturally, I began chatting with a woman so as not to be bored out of my mind due to the wait.  It turns out that this woman is the publicist for Yanni, has done work with many other famous music artists, and is now the publicist for a new artist named Fred Nassiri.  I shared with her that I was an intern in the marketing department at Tango Diva and that I also had an interest in public relations.  Within five minutes, she was on the phone with Nassiri Music and was arranging for me to fly around the world with Nassiri himself and be his  publicist.  Within 72 hours I was on my way in a private jet to the first stop of the tour, Kaua’i, HI.  From there I have been in Beijing, Seoul, and I am leaving tonight for Tokyo.  So, for all of those interested in jet-setting around the world in private planes and visiting some of the most incredible monuments known to man, just get over to your nearest Volkswagon dealership as fast as you possibly can.  You just might end up driving yourself home in a brand spankin’ new Jetta to pack up your suitcase and head off on a private jet to see the world! 

Three years of building a company, a decade of traveling solo, two years of rewriting book after book, an endless stream of tears and hours of laughing have been condensed into 336 pages. In some ways, my book reminds me of a gravestone – there it is, all that I am, all that is passionate to me condensed into a small square.

Okay, that might have sounded morbid, but that was not my intention. It is amazing seeing all my hard work come together in such a small space. I am so excited that the book is written and now I get to do all the fun stuff, like plan my press parties, book signings, and see my face in the pages of numerous magazines and newspapers.

You can buy my book now, and because I am the author, I get to give out copies before the book hits the shelves! Unfortunately, you won’t get your book before January 10th, but that is a month sooner than Barnes and Noble! And, I’ll even sign it for you!

*A galley is the rough copy of a book. It is now typeset, but the editors at Penguin are still working diligently to make sure all my information is as correct as possible.

Buy yours FLY SOLO copy here.

 
It’s getting cold in Bologna, and the signs of winter are evident. Chestnut roasters have set up their carts on the street corners, shop windows have changed from flowy dresses to heavy coats, and faces on the street are disappearing beneath layers of scarves and low hats. As a Californian, the blatant changing of seasons is a novelty that sets a tangible atmosphere, and has marked the passing of time more powerfully than any of my calendars. Walking through the Giardini Margherita, where only a while ago I lounged in the shade to hide from the heat, I’m now forced to don gloves and keep at a brisk pace. Have I been here this long?

Going on my third month, I’m still very much at the beginning of my stay, but the coming of winter is a necessary shock to my system to remind me to take full advantage of where I am. As a student, it’s easy to keep your nose in a book and your head in the classroom, hoping only to get from one exam to the next. This goes directly against my traveler’s instinct, which tells me to savor each moment and live life as I can only in this particular country at this particular moment. Is it "Italian" enough to get pizza as a study snack? Drink 100% genuine Italian espresso so that I can stay up half the night reading? Schoolwork is an inherent part of my time here, but the realization that summer changed so quickly to winter is a good reminder that I should be doing more than ogling the inside of a library.

So this weekend, massive upcoming exam notwithstanding, I took the train to Florence (only 50 minutes) and wandered around the city where I had once loved, twice lived. Went by my old daily bar where I was thrilled to find the same two men behind the counter. They greeted me with a boisterous "Ciao Sarah! Sei ritornata! (You’re back!)" I noticed the new shops that had opened, the ones that were absent. I walked by my old apartment and let the memories flood in. I paid my respects to the Duomo which had, even in my most jaded days, served as a reminder that Florence is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I saw a fascinating photo exhibit commemorating the 40th anniversary of the great flood that doused most of the city’s sacred treasures in mud.

On the train back to Bologna I felt, more than anything, reminded that time passes quickly and inevitably. But if I can keep alert, keep at least part of my mind on the changes as they are changing, then I’m not oblivious to the time that goes by. Now I’ve just got to focus on getting my Californian self through the winter. It’ll be spring before I know it…

Hi again, we’re back! -Jordie and Redsie here. So sorry that on our last blog the letters came out in all crazy sizes. We-be NEW bloggers and we still have a few "issues" to resolve.

Cirque was TOTALLY AMAZING! http://www.pspavilion.com/site0806/index.shtml The international cast, or as they are referred to in the playbill, "The Dreamers transforming images from the depths of my imagination" were beyond our wildest dreams! Our fav’s were the Gumby-like contortionists whose inside-out pretzel moves had us "owwwwwwing" in pain! The whimsical jelly-belly colored costumes ranged from gygundous M&M human slinkys to "upside-down-which-end-is-up” whatchamacallits.

A coating of gold paint was all the STRONG men needed to show off their muscular moves. After watching this mesmerizing show our own dreams pale in comparision.

Our growling tummies quickly brought us back to earth but we still wanted to keep the dream alive. We were so glad that Redsie had made us reservations at Copleys of Palm Springs, http://palmsprings.com/dine/copleys/index.html which in another lifetime had been Cary Grant’s estate (we had rented the movie "Charade" to watch later so I’d know who the heck he even was but we never had time to watch it - too bad!) The food was absolutely deeeeeeeeeeelish! We decided that Chef/Owner Andrew Copley deserved a gold medal for the World’s best Caesar salad for adding smoked apple bacon and pineapple croutons to the mix. We weren’t even embarrassed when the next table stopped eating to watch us fork fight over the last bite of the heavenly lobster mash potatoes that sided the char-grilled beef fillet (like buttah). The hot apple crumble with vanillay home-made ice cream elicited oooooohs and ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhs like we were still back at Cirque.

Our own journey continued the next day with the “The Greatest Show on Cable” as we boarded the Palm Springs Aerial Tramways http://www.pstramway.com/- from the desert floor to the top of the mountain in only 10 minutes.

This was better than any Disney ride because the special effects were real. We did two complete rotations (mom didn’t even puke) scaling up the side of the mountain through five ecosystems and arrived to a 30 degree colder wilderness.

We managed to get lost at least three times on our self guided hike. We stumbled on and off the trail, hollering out our discoveries: “Check this out. Don’t those tangled tree branches look just like Redsies’ hair in the morning?” Mom constantly kept nagging us not to get too close to the steep edges because if “we fall over she wasn’t coming to rescue us“. Then we happened upon the Jeffrey Pine tree, “Jeff”, who came with instructions to ‘smell him’…and he did smell just like a butterscotch sundae as described. We all cracked up as we sang the “Night at the Roxbury theme song” inviting our fellow hikers to hum along and soon the whole mountain was feeling the techno vibe.

Several shocking announcements swept through the IOC Summer 2016 Olympics Bid this month, the worst of which was a crushing blow to San Francisco’s bid because of their numbskull, stupid football team who was supposed to build a gorgeous new stadium in the city but has decided to relocate to a different county altogether instead.

As someone who wouldn’t have minded wandering out my front door to catch a few Olympic events, I scream, "IDIOTS!!" Not that I ever attended before, but I am certainly boycotting the local football team now, those Forty-Whiners…

Rob of Rob’s Olympic Bid Blog said he could, "…practically hear the frustrated sighs emanating from the United States Olympic Committee…"

In other news, the Azerbaijani capital city of Baku announced their desire for the ‘16 bid this month. From the City By the Bay to Baku…thanks, Shorty-Niners. The final vote will be held in Copenhagen in October of 2009, and these cities will wait with baited breath:

Chicago, L.A. (our greedy ‘84 Olympics host to the south), Dubai, Monterrey (Mexico), Madrid, Hamburg or Berlin, Rio, Rome, Tokyo, Tel Aviv, St. Petersburg, and the countries of Chile, Qatar, Argentina, India, Kenya, Netherlands, Portugal and Thailand.

Winter 2014 is down to 3 candidates: PyeongChang, South Korea, Salzburg, Austria, and Sochi, Russia, and those results will be announced next year, July 4, 2007, in Guatemala City.

And as I’m sure you know, Summer 2008 will be in Beijing, Vancouver hosts the Winter 2010 Games, and London will host in Summer 2012. And San Francisco? Hey, we got that World’s Fair in 1915, right?
 

If you want to buy something for this Prima Diva, this is where you can find it! And, what a perfect gift for your friends - we all love spas!

Here is what they promise:

WaySpa.com Launches Holiday Gift Guide

Our holiday gift guide is FILLED with amazing spa packages and gift certificates that are sure to excite any purchaser. Plus, our digital deliverable ensures customers can shop right up to the LAST MINUTE.

We are the only website that offers spa packages, individual spa services and spa gift certificates for sale in one location. Premium Hotel, Day, Resort and Destination Spas choose to sell their offerings on WaySpa.com due to our unsurpassed level of customer service, and convenient customer shopping process. 

I’ll keep searching for great holiday specials darlings! And I am asking Santa for an hour Swedish massage.

Hi everybody! My name is Jordie and I am a 13 year old D.I.T (Diva-In-Training). My mom’s best friend is Janice, the Dining Diva, but I call her Redsie. She and my mom often go on girlfriend trips, leaving me behind which would make me sooooooo jealous.

On November 11, I celebrated my Bat Mitzvah. http://www.jewfaq.org/barmitz.htm For anyone out there who doesn’t know what this is, it is when a Jewish girl or boy, at the age of 13 has a big ceremony in front of the whole congregation. This includes reading or chanting in Hebrew from the Torah and a Haftorah portion which takes MANY years of study. This is a HUGE deal in the Jewish religion because on the day of becoming a Bar/Bat Mitzvah you are considered an adult.

The good news is that that night you throw a big party and everyone brings you either a wonderful present or money:) http://giftelan.com/present_perfect_book/occasion/bar_and_bat_mitzvah_presents.htm In honor of my officially becoming “a woman” Redsie invited me to join her and my mom in Rancho Mirage, California http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1008 for my first ever Girlfriend trip. YIPPY SKIPPY!  (and of course, before we left, Redsie signed me up to become a Tango Diva member–am I the youngest?)

Stay tuned to read all about our adventures. . . . gotta run because we have press passes to see Cirque Dreams the journey continues.