Is the snow getting you down? Traveling during the holiday season could be the perfect winter escape that you've been looking for. According to a report by Business Wire, 53% of Americans are preparing to travel between December and February. Traveling during this time of year might be the reset your body needs before taking on the new year. From popular destinations to underrated locations, there is no shortage of places to visit and experience during this time of the year.
Furthermore, the report explains that while people are traveling, how they travel has changed. For example, 33% of people are more flexible and adjust travel days to find the lowest price, and 22% want to meet friends and family halfway. Also, 20% of people are still unsure of their travel plans. If any of this applies to you, check out these destination ideas below to help you spark inspiration for your next adventure.
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1. Chiang Mai, Thailand
2. Samaná, Dominican Republic
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3. The Maldives
4. Los Angeles, California
Not looking to go abroad? California's perfect year-round weather makes visiting Los Angeles a good choice. The city of dreams offers an electric combination of activities for travelers. From exploring neighborhoods like Koreatown to kicking it back and bike riding in Venice Beach, LA has something to offer every type of traveler. When arriving in LA, check out Dream Hollywood, a luxury lifestyle boutique hotel in the Vinyl District. The hotel was designed by the award-winning firm the Rockwell Group and serves as a creative playground in Los Angeles. Its location in the city is perfect, and you can easily escape to the beach or spend the day shopping in the surrounding areas.
5. Oahu, Hawaii
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6. Curaçao
This island is pretty underrated compared to its neighboring island of Aruba. However, Curaçao is not to be overlooked! The colorful-filled island of Curaçao will surely knock the winter blues out of any traveler. For a local experience in Curaçao, stay at Terra Boutique hotel, a bed & breakfast with only six rooms. It's located in a central district with no shortage of restaurants, coffee shops, and markets nearby. The backdoor of the bed & breakfast opens right up to the ocean so travelers will love the unique beachfront experience.
Curaçao is a dutch Caribbean island, and the local language is Pamermpinto, a mix of Spanish, English, and French. Travelers can book food tours, spend the day in Klein Curaçao, a private island, or even wander through the vibrant markets and downtown area.
7. Ambergris Caye, Belize
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8. Mexico City, Mexico
9. Sedona, Arizona
10. Antigua, Guatemala
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While speaking to xoNecole, Eva shares that she’s a lot like the beloved 1994 character in many ways. “Lyric is so me. She's the odd flower. A flower nonetheless, but definitely not a peony,” she tells us.
“She's not the average flower you see presented, and so she reminds me of myself. I'm a sunflower, beautiful, but different. And what I loved about her character then, and even more so now, is that she was very sure of herself.
"Sure of what she wanted in life and okay to sacrifice her moments right now, to get what she knew she deserved later. And that is me. I'm not an instant gratification kind of a person. I am a long game. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a marathon.
America first fell in love with Eva when she graced our screens on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model in 2004, which she emerged as the winner. Since then, she's ventured into different avenues, from acting on various TV series like House of Payne to starring on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
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Eva praises her castmates and the play’s producer, Je’Caryous for her positive experience. “You know what? Je’Caryous fuels my audacity car daily, ‘cause I consider myself an extremely audacious woman, and I believe in what I know, even if no one else knows it, because God gave it to me. So I know what I know. That is who Je’Caryous is.”
But the mom of three isn’t the only one in the family who enjoys acting. Eva reveals her daughter Marley has also caught the acting bug.
“It is the most adorable thing you can ever see. She’s got a part in her school play. She's in her chorus, and she loves it,” she says. “I don't know if she loves it, because it's like, mommy does it, so maybe I should do it, but there is something about her.”
Overall, Eva hopes that her contribution to the role and the play as a whole serves as motivation for others to reach for the stars.
“I want them to walk out with hope. I want them to re-vision their dreams. Whatever they were. Whatever they are. To re-see them and then have that thing inside of them say, ‘You know what? I'm going to do that. Whatever dream you put on the back burner, go pick it up.
"Whatever dream you've accomplished, make a new dream, but continue to reach for the stars. Continue to reach for what is beyond what people say we can do, especially as [a] Black collective but especially as Black women. When it comes to us and who we are and what we accept and what we're worth, it's not about having seen it before. It's about knowing that I deserve it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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Motherhood is one thing, but Black motherhood is its own unique institution. From fears that only Black mothers can understand to the unspoken language that connects them, our series delve into the vulnerable conversations that are often not highlighted in mainstream media.
Laurencia Bright
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“They are products of their environment, of your parenting, of your personality, things like that. So check yourself,” Laurencia reminds us. Motherhood may come with a whole set of challenges and having to face yourself can be one of them. Laurencia opens up about how motherhood taught her to break generational cycles.
Joy Ferrell
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Joy, like most mothers, put their kids first. However, the mom of two is now learning that it's okay to put herself first. "It's okay to not fill your life up with your kids," she says. "It's okay to still be an individual and to actually actively and aggressively pursue being an individual versus a mom."
Michelle Ganey
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When it comes to Black mama rules, Michelle Ganey reflects on a classic one, "Do not embarrass me in public," she says. "I think one of my hardest struggles with kids is not caring about how they look when they leave the house and it feeling like its a direct reflection on me as a mother."
Watch the full The Mother Load series below:
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