Hello!
I am a native of Arizona. I grew up surrounded by sunny skies, majestic mountains, colorful cactus in beautiful deserts…and 120 degree temperatures! So it’s no wonder I’ve always loved being around water. It can be as simple as relaxing in the pool in my backyard in Scottsdale, to hiking the bubbly streams of Oak Creek Canyon near Sedona, to floating in the warm waters of Lake Pleasant-where we enjoyed many days on a variety of boats we had there, to the Pacific Ocean, where I’ve resided since 2020 with my husband Scott and our dog Cooper aboard “Livin’ Well” a 52’ motor yacht docked at Kona Kai Resort Marina in San Diego.
Another love I’ve always had is shopping. After receiving my degree in Fashion Merchandising, I managed marketing and events for several signature retailers, including as Fashion Director for Saks Fifth Avenue. I continued on as Marketing Director fo two visionary shopping center developers- Westcor and The Rouse Company, which provided the opportunity to learn about the connection between shopping and tourism, and how important the visitor market is to retail sales.
In 1996 I founded a tourism marketing company specializing in developing tourism programs for shopping centers, retailers and restaurants located in key travel destinations throughout the U.S. I enjoyed working with clients and DMO’s in Chicago, Miami, New York, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Houston, Atlanta, San Francisco, Nashville and many more. I attended trade shows, sales missions and media marketplaces in key feeder markets to the U.S., including the UK, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Germany, Japan, China and Canada.
Today, I am visiting some of the world’s most popular seaports, waterfront cities, towns and villages throughout the U.S. and abroad. I write about my travels, and my passion for authentic local shopping, by showcasing some of the world’s talented artists, craftsmen and retailers who design and produce an array of beautiful, distinctive, artful, delicious and memorable “Things”.
I invite you to follow this blog and social media to meet some of the world’s most creative souls and to share my experiences of voyages on Global waterways. Let’s shop the world together!
