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Ben Lovell

Ben Lovell

A firm believer that freedom of information improves business, travel and life, Johnny Jet contributor Ben Lovell is committed to sharing best practices.

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A Rock Concert Vacation: Road Trip like a Rock Star

by Ben Lovell August 7, 2019

by Ben Lovell August 7, 2019

America spoils us. We live in a country with no borders between its subdivisions and an interstate highway system that transcends geographical boundaries. In perfect traffic, a pair of drivers…

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Thanks Visit Long Beach Washington and Fill it Fo

Thanks Visit Long Beach Washington and Fill it Forward! Lovin’ my handy-dandy new water bottle from @fillitforward ! I’m barely without my water bottle. But using this little vessel prompts Fill It Forward to make a donation to some fabulous global causes. Every time I fill it up, I scan the @longbeachwa QR CODE on the bottle and Fill It Forward donates to one of 360+ (at the current count) projects. They donate to clean water infrastructure, food programs, reforestation projects, and more. They make the donations from product sales and corporate partnerships. I’ll take it!
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#fillitforward #longbeachwa #donate #cleanwater #cleanwaterforall #foodbanks #plantatree #charitywork #charitychallenge #ecofriendly #ecoliving #ecotips #pacificcountywa

Finally paid a visit to @thomasdambo sculpture, O

Finally paid a visit to @thomasdambo sculpture, Ole Bolle. Ole Bolle is made of recycled wood palled and our local reclaimed old growth Douglas fir wood. He’s 19 feet tall. There are a series of these now in the Northwest. He can be seen, free of charge on the grounds of @nordicnorthwest in SW Portland.
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This friendly troll was created with the help of many volunteers and he’s fun and expressive! Dambo creates a story for each of his friendly trollls. Wonderfully #creative !
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#trolls #thomasdambo #thomasdambotrolls #nordicnorthwest #woodsculpture #portlandart #portlandia #brodersud #nordicart #olebolle

Took a little visit to the sand dunes at Manzanita

Took a little visit to the sand dunes at Manzanita. Walked south along the beach and then in. Walking sand dunes hills makes you feel like such a kid! September at Oregon beaches is the best!
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#beachwalks #sanddunes #sanddune #manzanita #manzanitaoregon #oregoncoast #oregonbeaches #walkwalk

Our Oregon coast weather has been Dry! Sunny! Warm

Our Oregon coast weather has been Dry! Sunny! Warm (enough!) But it was all misty and foggy yesterday. And truly, it was just great; it felt like home.
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#sundayfunday #astoria #astoriaoregon #astoriameglerbridge #oregon #oregoncoast #oregoncoastlife #oregonlife #mistymorning #pacificnorthwest #cloudyday #cloudysky #bridgesofinstagram #bridges #columbia #columbiariver #oregonbridges

Lunch at Astoria’s Bridgewater Bistro with the f

Lunch at Astoria’s Bridgewater Bistro with the fam! Food and drink here is always wonderful. I really should have got some shots of the interior because this place is GORGEOUS! Sweeping high ceilings and floor to ceiling windows, beautiful wood beans and trims. Service is spot on too. So hey, we were just enjoying ourselves.
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#sundayfunday #bridgewater #bridgewaterbistro #astoria #astoriaoregon #astoriameglerbridge #oregon #oregoncoast #oregoncoastlife #oregonlife #musselsandfries #fishandchips @bridgewater_bistro

Throwback Thursday joy! I had a day on my own in A

Throwback Thursday joy! I had a day on my own in Anchorage before meeting up with my friend Carol.
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I spend my a good part of the day at the Alaska Native Heritage Center and the Anchorage Museum. I can’t imagine a better introduction to Alaskan history and culture. Most of the rest of the trip was spent hiking, kayaking, and immersing ourselves in the natural beauty of our 50th state. But that first day and these two centers really set the tone for me.
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#alaska #alaskaadventure #anchoragealaska #alaskanativeheritagecenter #anchoragemuseum #alaskanativeart #visitalaska @anchoragemuseum @akheritagecenter #throwbackthursday #travelthursday

Take a look on ConfettiTravelcafe.com for a new ar

Take a look on ConfettiTravelcafe.com for a new article on the benefits of getting lost while you travel. Happy too to recommend @karengershowitz 's new book, Wanderlust: Extraordinary People, Quirky Places, and Curious Cuisine. Karen's a great writer and storyteller.

#worldtravelers #wanderlust #womantraveler #solotraveller #travelmemoirs #memoirs #travelbooks #travelstoriesworld #karengershowitz

The #harvest is going strong. Yay to summer tomato

The #harvest is going strong. Yay to summer tomatoes from my daughter and SIL’s garden!
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#tomatoes #veggies #vegetablesgarden #veggiegardening #redtomatoes #familygardening

On my beach walk this evening, I took one of the t

On my beach walk this evening, I took one of the trails to head back inland. I aimed toward a public walkway between two houses that back to the Cove neighborhood. And here, a painted rock garden seems to be growing full throttle. I have no idea who started it or how long it’s been growing. But I had fun exploring it!

Oh yes … and then there was this sunset. Each and every one is different.
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#sunsetcaptures #rockpaintings #rockpainting #rockpaintingisfun #onthebeach #seasideoregon #seasideliving #oregoncoast #oregoncoastlife

Willapa National Wildlife Refuge on Washington's L

Willapa National Wildlife Refuge on Washington's Long Beach Peninsula offers some memorial outdoor experiences. Take a stroll along the board walk Art Walk, along marshes. There's great birding and other animals to see. Hike and you'll see some old growth trees in the forest. Like this beauty.

#takeahike #treebathing #naturepark #longbeachwashington #washingtonparks #longbeachpeninsula @visitlongbeachwa #oldgrowth #oldgrowthforest

The Depot Restaurant is a long-time favorite to Lo

The Depot Restaurant is a long-time favorite to Long Beach Peninsula residents and visitors alike. This casual, fine dining spot is certainly on my don’t-miss list.
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The building goes back 130 years, as the Clamshell Railroad Train Station. Chef Jamie Gisby took over in the kitchen after years as sous chef, keeping many favs and displaying his own spin as well. The wine list has always been superb, but they’re serving cocktails now too. The staff are all wonderful. Pro tip: save room for dessert!
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My meal? A Spanish style tomato gazpacho. Blackened tuna tacos. And the house special that night; pan-seared lingcod with porcini mushroom cream sauce, rice pilaf and seasonal veggies.
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Burger Nights were always popular at the restaurant and now you can get them anytime at the Depot Gourmet Burger food cart in the SandbarFood Court.
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@thedepotseaview #depotrestaurantandbar #depotrestaurant #longbeachpeninsula #longbeachwa #finediningfood @visitlongbeachwa #atthebeach

A little wellness getaway in Long Beach Peninsula

A little wellness getaway in Long Beach Peninsula turned out to be pretty transcendent. Jenelle’s vinyasa flow yoga and sound bath offerings and Michelle’s yin yoga and meditation, breath work and aerial yoga classes were wonderful. Michelle Svendsen’s Inspired Mind Matters wellness studio was everything I could have hoped for in a little me-time!
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The studio also offers cold plunge therapy, personal coaching, Mini & Me Mindful Movement classes, and yes, more.
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Washington’s Long Beach Peninsula is one of my favorite places, and I return again and again.
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@inspiredmindmatters #wellness #yogastudios #longbeachwa #wellnessstudios #yogastudios #longbeach #longbeachpeninsula #soundtherapy #aerialyoga yoga @visitlongbeachwa #soundbathmeditation #wellnessweekend

Most of the time, taking care of myself is found i

Most of the time, taking care of myself is found in the everyday. So when I do take some “official” wellness time, it has to incorporate fun. And I SO had fun trying out AERIAL YOGA with Michelle at her wellness studio, Inspired Mind Matters in Long Beach, Washington.
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Stretching, bending, joint relief, freeing, and so much flipping FUN!!
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@inspiredmindmatters #wellness #longbeachwa #wellnessstudios #yogastudios #longbeach #longbeachpeninsula #soundbaths #aerialyoga #yogatime #visitlongbeachwa #visitlongbeach @visitlongbeachwa #inspiredmindmatters

Returned the pups to their rightful parents. Appar

Returned the pups to their rightful parents. Apparently we partied hard.
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#granddogs #grandpups #shibastagram #shiba #shibalovers #shibainuofinstagram #walkwalk #dogwalks #atthebeach

Have you had the Thai pink noodle soup, Yen Ta Fo?

Have you had the Thai pink noodle soup, Yen Ta Fo? Somehow I hadn’t, even tho I understand it’s a popular street soup in Thailand! (And I very much loved everything I had in Thailand!) so, lunch with my daughter at Tong Thai and I sooo enjoyed this flavorful and unique broth and all the goodies in it. (I missed those big shrimp until I got closer to the bottom of the bowl!)
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Have you tried Yen Ta Fo?
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@tongthaitigard #thaisoup #pho #fo #yentafo #thaifood #tigard #tigardoregon #whatsforlunch

Another grand doggie-dog added to the brood! Meet

Another grand doggie-dog added to the brood! Meet Mari, little sister to Cooper! And I get to take care of them for a few days! Mari loves the beach, bones, toys, her big brother, mom and dad, and her new Nana, of course!
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#grandpups #grandpupsitting #grandpup #shibastagram #shibainu #shibagram #shibainus #doggielove #atthebeach #beachwalks👣 #beachwalks #seasideoregon #seasideoregonbeach #oregoncoast

It’s fair to say I like my morning routines… a

It’s fair to say I like my morning routines… and they always include good food and drink!

#coffee #tea #chocolate #breakfast #startthedayright #wakeupright #mornings

And now, I’m on Washington’s Long Beach Penins

And now, I’m on Washington’s Long Beach Peninsula, one of my favorite places on the Pacific coast.
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First stop: Salt Hotel and Pub. It’s waterfront, at Ilwaco’s marina. Bed down for the night, or just enjoy a great meal and a couple of local beers on tap.
I’m serious about my gumbo and this one had a rich, dark roux and all the right spices. And the roasted veggie salad with pickled red onions, was perfection.
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Off to a good start!
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@salt_hotel #salthotel #longbeachwa #longbeachwashington #ilwaco

My favorite breakfast spot in Seaside, Oregon; the

My favorite breakfast spot in Seaside, Oregon; the Osprey Cafe. Avocado toast and black beans for me and a chorizo and veggie scramble for gf. I so rarely go out for breakfast because I always have goodies at home and I like my slow mornings, but this was wonderful.
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#seaside #seasideoregon #ospreycafe @ospreycafe #breakfast #breakfastout #avocadotoast #avocadolover #atthebeach

The Tillamook Head trail can take you from Seaside

The Tillamook Head trail can take you from Seaside to Cannon Beach, although you can hike just a smaller portion. It was a great day to hit the trails!
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#oregoncoast #ferns #tillamookhead #tillamookheadtrail #takeahike #takeawalkwithme #walkwalkwalk #seaside #seasideoregon #ecolapark @visitseasideor

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Nancy Zaffaro loves to travel and explore, write and take photos. At home and away, she enjoys hearing people’s stories and feels at home just about anywhere. Learn more about Nancy and the rest of CTC's contributors.

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