I’ve received this award several times over the past few years, and each time feels even more special than the last. Thank you to each and every one of you who ever nominated me, after taking the time to read, share, like, and/or comment on my blogs.
Due to my content management plan over the past year, this is the second time that I’ve ever been able to participate in this award via a blog post. So, thank you to Family of the Traveling Pants for providing the opportunity.
As a writer, it means the world to me to see how many of you went from passersby to readers, from readers to part of a community, and then from a community to my friends.
Q & A Section
Now, to answer the questions I was asked!
1. What are the top fives places on your bucket list?
I’m proud to call one of the countries on my bucket list (and most other people’s) home. I haven’t been back to Jamaica since setting foot on American soil for what was meant to be summer vacation in July 2015. I can’t wait to go home, and see the real tropics again.
The other four places that top my bucket list are:
- Spain
- France
- UK & Ireland
- Hawaii
2. What’s your favorite restaurant?
My favourite restaurant is an authentic, European-styled cafe in Atlanta called Cafe Intermezzo. Their coffee menu is longer than Santa’s Naughty list, this year. Their pasta and linguine are the best I’ve ever had. And their dessert section requires a professional tour from trained employees.
Need I say more?
3. If you can be any celebrity, who would it be?
I would be Rose Leslie, soon to be Rose Harington, so I could be the love of Kit Harington’s life. What more can a woman aspire for? 😄
4. Worst country or state you visited and why?
The worst state I’ve ever visited is a tough match between Illinois and Kentucky. I’m going to say Illinois, because I know that state better than I do Kentucky. 🤔
In Illinois I met a lot of blissfully ignorant people with big dreams, but no real goals or ambitions, and plenty of closet-racism. I have also never seen so many confederate flags in any state, aside from South Carolina.
5. What’s your favorite airline and why?
My favourite airline no longer exists. It was called Air Jamaica, and was the ultimate experience for nationals returning home, and tourists visiting the island.
They provided full meals, had a clean record of no crashes or hijackings, and was known for exceptionally beautiful Jamaican flight attendants … but fell into bankruptcy.
Jamaica no longer has its own airline. Ridiculous, really, for a country where 80 percent of the economy is based on tourism.
6. What’s the best hotel you ever stayed at?
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bbfv_a1hTLu/?taken-by=alexischateaullc
The Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas is the best hotel I stayed at. I loved being close to all the major city attractions, with a great view of the city lights lights, the frost-capped mountains in the heat of spring, and the desert beyond — all for an affordable price.
7. What are your top three celebrity crushes?
I have the biggest crush on Kit Harington, but who doesn’t? I’m also really fascinated by Richard Madden, and Johnny Depp. I guess I like the charismatic brooding types, or at the very least, the ones who are capable of playing that role very well.
8. What’s Your favorite book?
My favourite book of all time is Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. If you haven’t read it, you really should. Most readers consider Bram Stoker’s Dracula to be the father of vampire fiction, but the original pioneer was Le Fanu.
9. What’s your favorite movie of all time?
I’m not really good with movies. I tend to watch the first ten or fifteen minutes, and then check Wikipedia for the plot and ending.
Even so, Lord of the Rings would be my favourite of all time. After reading the books, I had renewed respect for how Peter Jackson turned children’s stories into a tale worthy of a cult-following, from adults.
10. What’s your hobby?
I’m one of those writers, most other writers hate to encounter: the one that writes every day and is proud of it. Whether it’s short stories, novels, blog posts… I am always writing (or reading!) — or when it’s for work, “creating content”.
As many of you know, I also love to go hiking; and I dabble in amateur photography, while on the trails. In fact, I really only travel for the beaches or the hikes. My social life in general has always revolved around beaches and bushes.
11. When did you start blogging?
I first started blogging 14 years ago, at 14 years old. I ran multiple blogs over the years, but lacked the staying power until 2015, when I launched this blog after quitting my corporate job to travel and write. The other blogs Shadow (my vcat) and I run, are:
12. What’s your biggest pet peeve?
My biggest pet peeve is noisy and disruptive children. I was a pretty quiet child, who was either reading books, playing the piano, or rolling outside in the dirt with the boys.
As an adult, I have never been in the presence of a child and thought, Gee — I want one. I know a lot of women (and men!) gasp in horror at that statement, but my biological clock is not ticking.
Apparently, this is so amusing, Business Insider ran a feature article on why I chose not to have kids, back in the summer of this year. I also wrote a detailed post about it myself, entitled Heirlooms Without Heirs.
Nominations
Usually, the next step in the Liebster Award process is to nominate other blogs and keep the chain going. However, no one ever participates in these things when I nominate them, so instead, I’ll just point out a few amazing WordPress writers and their blogs, worth connecting with.
I look forward to seeing a lot of names pop up on my timeline and in my mentions, but none more so than these five. Thanks for being a constant and welcome presence on my blogs, and on social media.
The Big Question
Rather than pose a list of questions to my highlighted bloggers, I’ll ask one big question that any of you can answer. Here goes:
If you were stranded on an island full of zombies, and could only have three things for your survival and peace of mind, what would they be? Tell me about your daring escape.
I think southern Ohio may out racism Illinois, though maybe you were in southern Illinois. Chicago is a blast.. What is it with zombies anyway? Don’t we have enough so-called alive people walking around dead as it is? So I imagine I am on an island with the zombies currently in the U.S. Congress and I would hand them the Constitution for starts. Then I would go swimming.
Really? Ohio? That’s sad. I always hoped they might be more liberal since so many rock bands seem to come from there.
I wasn’t in Chicago. I went to Gallena, Elizabeth, the Quad Cities, and Peoria, in Illinois. And some other place with an S name I can’t remember. Maybe Silver or Sterling or something like that.
Haha, why not with the zombies! Your escape plan sounds legit. Make room for me!
Well southern Ohio is really like Northern Kentucky. On the other hand, a lot of abolitionists were in Ohio and helped people escape from south of them.
Hmmm….sounds like a very conflicted state! Is that where Cincinnati is? I’ve always heard it described as the most southern, northern city.
Thank you so much for the shout-out! *fist bump* 🙂
You’re welcome, Willow! *fist bumps* Thanks for always being a steady supporter on here, and social media 🙂
Sure thing! 🙂
Oh, Alexis, I had kind of blocked Cafe Intermezzo (along with so many other delightful places) from my memory because the loss is so painful.
You’ve also reminded me that I waa nominated for something else and have neglected to do the post. I guess I know what I’m scheduling for this weekend’s posts while I’m working 😉
Bad memories of Cafe Intermezzo? How so? I love it there! The last time I went was for my birthday in October.
Haha — glad I reminded you to get that done. I have another nomination post scheduled for next week, as well.
Oh no, not bad memories. Good ones. And the geographic distance between myself & cafe intermezzo is a great loss, therefore causing me to block the memories of such a delightful place so that I don’t grieve too hard. Cafe intermezzo is one of those “platonic ideals” that all other restaurants can only aspire to be.
And now you have a nomination post coming from me too 😆
I was about to say! Can any bad memories come from them? Haha.
I would love to get them as a client for social media. They don’t get nearly as much attention as they should. So many people here don’t even know they exist!
I’m looking forward to it, thank you!
I absolutely loved Spain.
I’ve never been, but BOY do I want to go!
Kit is a cutie for sure!
Yes, indeed!
Congratulations on your Liebster Award 😀 I love your answers, and your new question.
My answer is:
1) a zombie-proof forcefield (for myself);
2) a virus bomb which infects all the zombies on the island instantly, and cures them all of their zombiness; and
3) a speed boat with enough fuel to get me home.
But those things might make for a boring escape story. Unless… I get home to find zombies everywhere. I’ve already used the virus bomb – oh no!
Haha — I love your answer! That’s excellent zombie-escaping tactics you’ve got there.
And thank you. I’m glad you took the time to read, and respond to my question 🙂
Love the big questions . Loved that your quit your job to travel that is amazing and something I would love to do . Keep inspiring.
Thank you! It’s been a wild ride so far!