HELLO AWESOME TRAVEL FRIENDS!
Who is in love with APRIL and the freshness of the Spring Season?
APRIL is the month of APHRODITE, the Greek Goddess of love, beauty, and fertility.
April was the second month in an early Roman calendar but became the fourth when the ancient Romans started using January as the first month. The name for the month of APRIL originally came for APRILIS which means to open.
According to tradition, the birthstone for APRIL is the diamond, representing innocence. Its birth flowers are the DAISY (Bellis perennis) and the SWEET PEA (Lathyrus odoratus).
NEWS YOU CAN USE
TSA no longer enforcing transportation mask mandate.
What does this mean for you? It means that you continue to do you, without judging others.
Airport, plane, trains, and public transportation (within the U.S.) have eliminated the mandate for masking. Be mindful of requirements when connecting for flights into a different country – always a good tip to pack the mask.
SHE IS FIRE
I hope you find the kind of moments that take your breath away. The kind of moments that change you.
I hope you travel to places that cleanse you; I hope you go to concerts that ring through your bones and make you feel alive.
I hope you connect with the small things—I hope you look at someone mid- conversation and you feel your stomach surge with the feelings you have for them.
I hope you surround yourself with the kinds of friends that encourage your spontaneity, that are always there for you.
I hope you live. Truly. I hope you don’t hold back. There is so much to feel in this world.
I hope you feel it all.
-Bianca Sparacino
WHAT IS YOUR BEST PATH TO RESET?
Achieving well-being isn’t a destination, but rather a continuous cycle of growth, self-evaluation, and incremental progress. However, partnering with TRAVEL CONCEPTS ensures you can continue your wellness in any Celebra-cation® destination.
With every destination and resort, we consider matching your unique needs for focus on what your mind, body, and spirit needs.
We Believe That Kindness & Caring are Contagious
With every season and for every reason, our hearts remain with those in UKRAINE who are experiencing unimaginable challenges.
We hope you have chosen a humanitarian resource to make a difference for those who are in need.
“LOVE RECOGNIZES NO BARRIERS. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of HOPE.”
~ Maya Angelou
There are few greater luxuries in life than spending time with family, and nothing brings the family together quite like exploring a new destination together.
Travel provides so many opportunities for meaningful interactions and memory-making experiences.
Travel Bans have been lifted and modified – travel is happening!
We would love to share some of the destinations we believe best suit life’s treasured moments ~
When you choose to LOVE YOURSELF enough first, you continue to strengthen your resilience.
We absolutely love each of you to the Moon & Back!!
Remember, there is always something to celebrate ~ we remain grateful to
have served clients globally for over 26 years!
Wishing you peace, health, happiness & love ~
Denise, Ashley & Annika
Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites
Ingredients
Soft Pretzels:
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 package active dry yeast 2 ¼ teaspoons
3 ounces unsalted butter melted
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 ½ to 5 cups all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil
3 quarts water
1/3 cup baking soda for boiling the pretzels
1 whole egg beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
Coarse sea salt
For the cheese sauce:
½ Tablespoon unsalted butter
½ Tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup milk
8 ounces Cheddar cheese grated
Directions
For the Pretzels:
Combine the 1 ½ cups water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands. Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Bring the 3 quarts of water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and carefully add the baking soda. It will boil over, so add slowly and be careful! Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 ¼ to 4 ½ ounces each. Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 22 inches and shape. Cut the dough into one inch pieces to make the pretzel bites. Boil the pretzel bites in the water solution in batches. We did about 15 bites at a time. Boil for about 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon. Place pretzel bites on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are not touching. Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating. Serve with cheese sauce.
To make the cheese sauce:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the Cheddar cheese until smooth and all of the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
