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The Best Hotel Packages Inspired By Romantic Movies

by Tracy J. Chu

Everyone loves a good romantic movie, and now you can bring the magic of your favorite films to life with a romantic hotel stay. From the iconic cityscapes of “Pretty Woman” to the breathtaking landscapes of “Out of Africa,” countless movie-inspired hotel packages offer couples a unique and unforgettable experience. So whether you’re looking for a cozy getaway or a grand adventure, these hotels have curated packages that capture the spirit of the world’s most romantic films. So get ready to be swept off your feet and indulge in a memorable escape with your significant other.

“Shotgun Wedding” At Eden Roc Cap Cana

Step into the world of the new romantic comedy “Shotgun Wedding” (featuring Jennifer Lopez)” and relive the magic with a stay at Eden Roc Cap Cana. Featured in a scene from the movie, the stunning cenote at Eden Roc sets the stage for the unforgettable moment between Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel. In addition, guests at the hotel can book their own romantic experience in the cenote, be it a candlelit dinner for two or a couples massage on the deck surrounded by its natural beauty. With the cenote as the backdrop, you’ll create memories that will last a lifetime in this truly romantic setting.

“James Bond Casino Royale” At The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort

Nestled amidst the lush greenery and turquoise waters of the Bahamas, The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort, awaits, offering a romantic escape unlike any other. This iconic resort, forever etched in the annals of film history as the backdrop to the 2006 remake of “Casino Royale,” is a

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TRAVELLING

How to become an astronaut: What you need to make it into space

by Tracy J. Chu
Two astronauts facing eachother in space

Image: Getty Images/Peepo

Every year, on Career Day, classrooms are filled with little kids gleefully exclaiming they want to be astronauts when they grow up. Before NASA astronauts were sitting on a vessel, suited up, waiting to take off into space, they were children with the same dreams, too. 

“I wanted to be an astronaut since I was a little kid, actually, ” says Colonel Terry Virts, retired NASA astronaut and International Space Station (ISS) commander. “So I had pictures of the space shuttle and galaxies and everything on the wall when I was growing up.” 

Astronaut on moon during Apollo 11

US Astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin walking near the Lunar Module on 20 July, 1969 during the Apollo 11 space mission. 

Image: Getty Images/Contributor

Becoming an astronaut is still one of the top five career aspirations for children in the US and the UK, and number one for children in China, according to one study. 

Before Leroy Chiao, a NASA astronaut, ISS commander and research engineer, Ph.D., embarked on his three Space Shuttle flights and commanded Expedition 10, he was also a kid with a dream. 

“I was eight years old when Apollo 11 landed on the moon,” says Chiao to ZDNET. “And then going out later and looking at the moon and realizing that out there, almost a quarter of a million miles away, these two astronauts were getting ready to go take those first steps on the moon, that was like, ‘wow, that’s what I want to do.'”

After years of training, making it into orbit was was a life-changing experience for both astronauts.

“Seeing the Earth was more beautiful than I imagined — it was more powerful,” says Virts. “I thought I knew. I mean, I’d seen every movie, I had seen every book, I had been talking to astronauts for

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TRAVELLING

How Shakira Has Inspired Every Loba to go Tell Their Ex Off

by Tracy J. Chu

For over 20 years, Shakira has penned some of our generation’s most iconic heartbreak songs.

Who hasn’t stayed up crying to “Antología” or feel every single word of “Inevitable?” How many of us haven’t felt “Ciega, Sordomuda” or put on “Sale el sol” to believe in love again?

At every point of her career, her music has permeated the soul of mujeres worldwide because, let’s be honest, if someone knows how to turn her broken heart into art, it’s Shakira.

Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images Shakira at the “Elvis” Red Carpet.

Now, at 45 years old, she has made history with her new track “BZRP Music Sessions #53” where she lays out her trapos sucios and all the suffering, infidelity, and public humiliation she experienced and survived with ex-partner Gerard Piqué, washing him away with some much-needed Laundry Service.

Of course, as a woman, her chart-topping success also received mockery and criticism from the public as they expected Shakira to suffer in silence, as they preferred the version of her that reached for her bleeding heart on the floor of a grocery store in the video of “Monotonía” and not the empowered loba that is now howling at the moon with all her might.

Some said she didn’t think of her children.

Others that “hell hath no fury as a woman scorned.”

Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images Shakira with Sasha and Milan Piqué.

Or as Vogue Spain expertly articulated—calling her out for her lack of “sorority” toward the 23-year-old woman Piqué cheated on her with, Clara Chía Martí.

It leaves me wondering: did anyone bother to think about Shakira’s children while Piqué brought his lovers to his home? When they appeared on the cover of magazines at social events together? Did anyone ever

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VACATION

This Person’s Boss Sent Them To HR Because They Didn’t Answer Texts On Vacation, And Hustle Culture Has Gone Too Far

by Tracy J. Chu

Whether I’m on vacation or using a sick day, I like to think of my PTO as time when I’m being explicitly paid to NOT work. Like, on those days, relaxing is my job.

A dog on a pool float

(Actual footage of me enjoying my vacation time to the very fullest.)

Jena Ardell / Getty Images

But unfortunately, too many bosses out there treat employees’ vacation time like any other work day. Even worse, some bosses take it as a personal offense if workers aren’t available at their beck and call — no matter how many months in advance their PTO was requested.

Recently, vacation&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.reddit.com%2Fuser%2FDogmom200%2F&xcust=6910972%7CBF-VERIZON&xs=1″ data-ylk=”slk:u/dogmom200″ class=”link “u/dogmom200 shared a story in r/Antiwork about their boss’s reaction after work texts during vacation time went unanswered, and their experience stirred up a lot of conversation.

woman on the phone saying I'm on vacation we need to have bounaries

woman on the phone saying I’m on vacation we need to have bounaries

Fox / Via giphy.com

They wrote, “Over the holidays, I was on vacation time for two weeks. I ignored the calls, texts, and emails from my boss. Now, I’m back and have a meeting with HR. I don’t even know what to say!”

an employee speaking with HR

Courtneyk / Getty Images

After meeting with HR, they added an update to answer some questions and share what happened next. They wrote, “*UPDATE: I’m a junior employee with no company phone. HR says my boss feels ignored and was ‘worried about me’ since I didn’t respond while on vacation. He claims a third party had a question for me on December 22 (something that could have waited).”

a man yelling at his phone

Moon Safari / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Finally, they said, “They gave me a ‘verbal warning’ because my egomaniac boss feels this is not the first time I’ve been ‘insubordinate’ to him 🤦‍♀️. I’m already applying to new places as we speak.”

woman saying I quit

woman saying I quit

Starz

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VACATION

Why You Should Spend Your Next Vacation In A Small Town

by Tracy J. Chu

Whether coastal, mountain, lakefront, or in between, the small towns that speckle the South are brimming with storybook charm and beckoning with history, culture, hospitality, and beauty. If a small map dot isn’t atop your travel bucket list now, these reasons to visit will change your mind. 


Whether you crave a romantic escape, a toes-in-the-sand trip, or a destination that does it up at Christmastime, there’s a small town that’s just right for a visit. Heck, you may even be called to put down roots and join the community.


Here, 9 reasons your next vacation should be to a small town:



The Slower Pace

Small towns may have sleepy reputations, but with local festivals, farmers’ markets, and fairs, you can count on a wealth of ways to stay busy. Compared to a buzzing city or overcrowded beach resort, however, the calmer energy of a small town can feel like a balm. With fewer people and less traffic to contend with, you’ll be in for a soothing getaway without the commotion of a bustling destination.


Exploring a quiet place and letting your mind wander, too can be just the escape you need from the daily grind. Just strolling down Aiken, South Carolina’s live oak-lined streets or along Beaufort, North Carolina’s picturesque boardwalks can take you from stressed out to blissed out.



The Reasonable Cost

A weekend in a big city can end up costing you, from high hotel prices to trendy restaurants asking top dollar for entrees and cocktails. In a small town, you can typically get cozy accommodations for a steal, a memorable meal for a fraction of big-city prices, and admission to local attractions for free or a reasonable fee. 





The Sense of Discovery

There’s something invigorating about exploring a new place, especially one that’s a bit

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TRAVELLING

How To Travel More In 2023

by Tracy J. Chu

Travel is often listed as something people want to do more of but don’t have the time or money for it (sometimes both). If one of your goals is to travel more in the coming year, this post can help. With some planning and research, you can be on your way to exploring the world while still holding onto a full-time job.

Make A Schedule

Look at a calendar and mark any days where you will have extra time off, such as any three-day weekends. Setting out a physical calendar

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VACATION

Your Dream Travel Destination & Vacation Excursion, Based On Your Zodiac Sign

by Tracy J. Chu

When you choose to leave home and venture into the outside world, you never know what’s gonna happen. And when you finally decide to submit your PTO request and start planning your next vacation, all you can do is hope for the best (and that the hotel room actually looks like the photo). Using your zodiac sign to pick a travel destination is always a smart move, because astrology can tell you so much about how to choose your own adventure.

Whenever we’re singing along to the classic Go Go’s tune: “Vacation, all I ever wanted / Vacation, had to get away” we’re all singing about a different place. Each and every one of us has our own vision of what the perfect vacation looks like, and while some of us might prefer holing up in a cozy hotel room in a mystical beach town, others might prefer to scale mountains and leap from cliffs. Going on an adventure is a sacred act and it’s an experience that is entirely defined by you. And because astrology shines a light on your interests, instincts and desires, it can provide you with a map to your ideal destination.

More from StyleCaster

If your wanderlust is becoming impossible to ignore and you’re unsure of where to go, allow me—an astrologer—to shine a light on what your idea of the perfect vacation might look like. And for good measure, I’ve included a recommendation for an excursion to add to your itinerary:

The Perfect Travel Destinations For Each Zodiac Sign

Click here to read the full article.

Photo: Getty Images.

Photo: Getty Images.

Adventure Vacation

When you decide to travel, you don’t mess around. You want a trip that gets your heart beating and your adrenaline pumping! Laying around a resort and “taking it easy” during your

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VACATION

Using Big Data To Help Plan Your Next Vacation

by Tracy J. Chu

What if you could plan your next trip to a busy destination using Google Street View, heat maps of Airbnb, and user reviews, to avoid crowds and be a more responsible and sustainable traveler? You can do that, but Edmund Morris, founder, and CEO of Equator Analytics, can do it better, faster, and with insights that leave the rest of us playing catch up.

I experienced that when I heard him speak at the Adventure Travel World Summit in Lugano a couple of weeks ago.

Equator Analytics is a tech startup that uses big data to help destinations, hotels, and tour operators make travel and tourism sustainable.

“We take as much data as we can, give it to the destination, and hope that they inform their visitors of the best time to visit this place or announce that this museum is very busy at this period,” Morris says. “This is real-time information, and in an ideal world, I would love destinations to look closely at this data.”

I caught up with Morris after the speech because I wanted to learn more about his work with destinations worldwide and places that are confronting various problems, especially those caused by over-tourism.

On the surface, his methodology is quite simple. Morris does his research by analyzing publicly available data ranging from closely tallying user reviews on Airbnb to using Google Street View and heat maps, websites and apps that show where people congregate, whether at a museum, a tourist attraction or a transportation hub. Morris studies and interprets that data. He then extrapolates a story and a

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ADVENTURE

William Shatner explains why his trip to space ‘felt like a funeral’: ‘I saw death and I saw life’

by Tracy J. Chu

William Shatner made history when he became the oldest person to travel to space – but the experience left him in tears.

In October 2021, the “Star Trek” alum embarked on the adventure of a lifetime with the help of Jeff Bezos’ aerospace company Blue Origin. The Amazon empire founder credited the actor with igniting his interest in space travel.

The 91-year-old was one of four crew members aboard the New Shepard rocket for the NS-18 mission. It took off from Launch Site One in West Texas. The Emmy winner recalled his experience in a new book titled “Boldly Go: Reflections on a life of Awe and Wonder.” In it, Shatner wrote that his trip to space “was supposed to be a celebration.” Instead, it “felt like a funeral.”

‘Star Trek’ actor William Shatner (R) gestures as Planet Labs co-founder Chris Boshuizen looks on during a media availability on the landing pad of Blue Origin’s New Shepard after they flew into space on October 13, 2021, near Van Horn, Texas. Shatner became the oldest person to fly into space on the 10-minute flight. They flew aboard mission NS-18, the second human spaceflight for the company which is owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. 

‘Star Trek’ actor William Shatner (R) gestures as Planet Labs co-founder Chris Boshuizen looks on during a media availability on the landing pad of Blue Origin’s New Shepard after they flew into space on October 13, 2021, near Van Horn, Texas. Shatner became the oldest person to fly into space on the 10-minute flight. They flew aboard mission NS-18, the second human spaceflight for the company which is owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. 
(Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

“When I landed and came out of the spaceship, I was overwhelmed by a feeling and I started to weep,” Shatner recalled to Fox News Digital. “I didn’t know what I was crying about. And it took me a couple of hours to be by myself to figure out what’s the matter with me. And then I realized I was in grief for this beautiful world that I could see more clearly from up in space… This planet that took 5 billion years to evolve into what it is now. And all

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TRAVELLING

Russian conscript details exile from motherland

by Tracy J. Chu

A Russian conscript who refused to go to war against Ukraine described a grueling four-day escape spanning thousands of miles with like-minded young draft dodgers.

The exile of the 21-year-old Eboshi was set in motion when he got an electronic draft summons last week, he told Business Insider Sunday under a pseudonym.

On Sept. 21, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin announced 300,000 men would be drafted to fight his unprovoked invasion of Ukraine amid a series of embarrassing Russian tactical losses to its under-matched opponent.

Eboshi, whose parents are Ukrainian, immediately decided it was time to flee Russia, he told the outlet from an undisclosed border nation.

Russian recruits take a bus near a military recruitment center in Krasnodar, Russia.
On Sept. 21, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin announced 300,000 men would be drafted to fight in his invasion of Ukraine.
AP

“I’m ethnically Ukrainian. I cannot go to war against a country where my family lives,” he said.

Carrying only a backpack, Eboshi embarked on an 1,800-mile train ride from Siberia to Moscow last Sunday, according to the report — a train he said was packed with other young men who also appeared to be fleeing Russia.

A group of young Russians walk along the border crossing Verkhny Lars between Georgia and Russia.
A group of young Russians walk along the border crossing Verkhny Lars between Georgia and Russia.
AP
A Russian recruit and his wife kiss and hug each other outside a military recruitment center in Volgograd, Russia.
A Russian recruit and his wife kiss and hug each other outside a military recruitment center in Volgograd, Russia.
AP
Russian recruits walk past a military recruitment center in Volgograd.
Russian recruits walk past a military recruitment center in Volgograd.
AP
Russians are seen attempting to leave their country to avoid a military call-up for the Russia-Ukraine war.
Russians are seen attempting to leave their country to avoid a military call-up for the Russia-Ukraine war.
Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

“It was so hard to leave all my belongings and loved ones behind in my home country and go with my backpack into the unknown,” he told the outlet over a messaging app.

From Moscow, Eboshi made his way to a bordering country, risking a 10-year prison

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