Lisa Niver's Blog: We Said Go Travel, page 121

June 26, 2019

Watch me Friday on KTLA & Win a Trip to Scottsdale Arizona

Hike to Tom's Thumb by Lisa NiverWatch me on on KTLA TV
live or on livestream
Friday, June 28 on the 11am news
and text to win a trip to Scottsdale, Arizona!
Hike to Tom's Thumb by Lisa Niver Hike to Tom’s Thumb, Photo by Lisa Niver
This summer I visited Scottsdale, Arizona to learn how to make the most of the heat and take advantage of the amazing deals. Check out itsthathot.com to explore the great deals at resorts and the summer activities.
See PART ONE of my videos for where to stay and dine
Are you wondering how to beat the heat this summer?

Here are my tips:
Sunrise at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Photo by Lisa Niver Sunrise at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Photo by Lisa Niver
1. Wake up early, watch the sunrise and get going

Video: Sunrise at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess


2. Hike EARLY
Lisa and Jen hiking with our Super Hero Capes at Tom's Thumb Lisa and Jen hiking with our Super Hero Capes at Tom’s Thumb
Video: Jen and Lisa hiking at Tom’s Thumb

Tom’s Thumb in McDowell Sonoran Preserve is a challenging but rewarding hike, with switchbacks that earn you your cardio for the morning, and amazing views of the Sonoran Desert at the top! It’s 2 miles UP, and 2 miles back down.


Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve includes the beautiful McDowell Mountains, more than 30,500 contiguous acres and more than 200 miles of trails. The Preserve is open from sunrise to sunset and there is no charge for parking or access. It is the largest urban park or preserve in the United States.



3. Kayak EARLY
Lisa and Ben as super heros kayaking Salt River Lisa and Ben as super heros kayaking Salt River

Jen and I kayaked on the Lower Salt River with Ben, a guide from AOA.

It was beautiful and relaxing. I loved being on the water.


Video: Kayaking the Lower Salt River



This is the tour description: “Float down the Lower Salt River on our guided rafting trips and discover a scenic and relaxing desert oasis just outside Phoenix. Swim and water fight or just relax on the river and soak in the scenery ‐ our most family friendly activity has options to please everyone. This tour is NOT white water rafting but rather a casual float trip that provides an unique perspective on the Sonoran Desert. A little paddling is required, but your guide will steer the boat and provide fascinating information about the surrounding Sonoran Desert. A reliable source of water, the Salt River attracts a variety of wildlife, making it common for us to enjoy close encounters with animals in their natural habitat.”


In the afternoon, sit by the pool, enjoy a spa treatment at Well & Being or visit Wonderspaces Arizona!

Video: Well & Being Spa at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess



Treat yourself to a Spa treatment at Well & Being Spa at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess! Make sure to enjoy the adults only rooftop pool before your spa session. The bean bag floating chairs in the pool are the best. I loved my singing bowls treatment with Danielle. The sounds impact your cells and can help you heal from many issues. I highly recommend it.


Lisa in a floating bean bag chair in the spa pool on the roof at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Lisa in a floating bean bag chair in the spa pool on the roof at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess

More about Well & Being Spa:


“The Well & Being Spa has captured the essence and elegance of its surroundings, the 44,000 square-foot Well & Being Spa is a luxurious retreat. From its distinctive design with river-rocked tile, Sedona sandstone interiors and waterfalls inspired by the Grand Canyon’s Havasupai Falls to the serenity of 27 soothing treatment rooms, Well & Being Spa offers an unparalleled experience inspiring greater vitality, plus an inhalation room, dry/wet saunas, Swiss shower, whirlpool, cold plunge, atrium cafe, boutique, therapeutic waterfall grotto and scenic rooftop pool.”


See you in Scottsdale!

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Published on June 26, 2019 09:00

Rainbow over the Beautiful Niagara Falls – Canada

I used my iPhone 7 plus camera to capture this amazing view. I adjusted the brightness and the saturation just a tad bit but mostly didn’t need to alter the photo much due to the natural beauty.


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Published on June 26, 2019 09:00

June 25, 2019

Let’s Fly in Bangladesh

Mobile-Oneplus5,no filter was used,Editing-Minor editing including contrast,clarity adjustment


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Published on June 25, 2019 09:00

June 24, 2019

Where to Stay in Scottsdale? Fairmont Scottsdale Princess

Fairmont Scottsdale PrincessHappy Summer!

Are you looking for your next retreat?

Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Pano by Lisa Niver



This summer I visited Scottsdale, Arizona to learn how to make the most of the heat and take advantage of the amazing deals. Check out itsthathot.com to explore the great deals at resorts and the summer activities.

Where did I stay in Scottsdale?

I loved my adventures in Arizona and my stunning room with a balcony with a view of Sunset Beach at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. Sunset Beach has over 800 tons of fluffy,  white sand and is the sixth and largest of the resort’s pools at 7,000 sq. ft., with zero-depth entry and a splash pad!


VideoA Super Hero Summer at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess



What to see and do in Scottsdale?

My first afternoon we stayed cool by going to see the immersive art exhibits at Wonderspaces Arizona.



Lisa and Jen at Wonderspaces Arizona


Video: Let’s Wander at WonderSpaces Arizona, “Point of View


Point of View at Wonderspaces Arizona features thirteen extraordinary installations from artists around the world. This is an interactive art show that welcomes all ages. Through their art, these artists play with the definition of perspective, flip its rules, and present abstract and literal forms. It takes approximately eighty-minutes to experience the 16,000 square feet. Be ready for immersive virtual reality and literally jumping into some of the exhibits. Point of View is the first in a series of shows at Wonderspaces Arizona.



Where to eat in Scottsdale?

This visit, I dined at La Hacienda. Your toughest choice will be which tequila to choose tonight! With 240 to choose from, come thirsty!


At the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess chose from:





Bourbon Steak – Acclaimed Chef Michael Mina presents an upscale, contemporary American steak house like no other inviting guests to indulge in a tantalizing menu featuring the finest cuts of beef and poultry slow- poached in butter, grilled and finished over seasoned wood-fueled flames


Dine at La Hacienda at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Dinner at La Hacienda at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess

La Hacienda – Fine Mexican dining with a fresh, contemporary twist by renowned Chef Richard Sandoval, known as the “Father of modern Mexican cuisine”

Toro Latin Restaurant & Rum Bar – By Richard Sandoval located at the TPC Scottsdale clubhouse overlooking the 18th green features Pan Latin fare available for breakfast, lunch and dinner

Ironwood American Kitchen – Overlooking the Princess Pool, this informal cafe serves all-day fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner in a warm and inviting atmosphere

The Plaza Bar – With a unique indoor/outdoor setting, this lounge infuses Scottsdale nightlife with cutting- edge design, signature cocktails and a dash of glamour


Starlite BBQ Lisa Laura Brad Dinner at Starlite BBQ

I loved my dinner at Starlight BBQ and my healthy lunches at Flower Child, Kale and Clover and Farm and Craft.


VideoJoin me for dinner at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess




See my next article about my hike at Tom’s Thumb, kayaking on Salt River and my divine singing bowls treatment at Mind & Body.


See PART TWO of my videos for what to do
Watch me on KTLA live or on livestream
on the 11am news this Friday, June 28
and text to win a trip to Scottsdale, Arizona!



 


The post Where to Stay in Scottsdale? Fairmont Scottsdale Princess appeared first on We Said Go Travel.

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Published on June 24, 2019 09:00

Win a Getaway to Scottsdale on KTLA this Friday!

Fairmont Scottsdale PrincessHappy Summer!

Are you looking for your next retreat?
Watch me on KTLA live or on livestream
on the 11am news this Friday, June 28
and text to win a trip to Scottsdale, Arizona!

Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Pano by Lisa Niver



This summer I visited Scottsdale, Arizona to learn how to make the most of the heat and take advantage of the amazing deals. Check out itsthathot.com to explore the great deals at resorts and the summer activities.

Where did I stay in Scottsdale?

I loved my adventures in Arizona and my stunning room with a balcony with a view of Sunset Beach at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. Sunset Beach has over 800 tons of fluffy,  white sand and is the sixth and largest of the resort’s pools at 7,000 sq. ft., with zero-depth entry and a splash pad!


VideoA Super Hero Summer at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess



What to see and do in Scottsdale?

My first afternoon we stayed cool by going to see the immersive art exhibits at Wonderspaces Arizona.



Lisa and Jen at Wonderspaces Arizona


Video: Let’s Wander at WonderSpaces Arizona, “Point of View


Point of View at Wonderspaces Arizona features thirteen extraordinary installations from artists around the world. This is an interactive art show that welcomes all ages. Through their art, these artists play with the definition of perspective, flip its rules, and present abstract and literal forms. It takes approximately eighty-minutes to experience the 16,000 square feet. Be ready for immersive virtual reality and literally jumping into some of the exhibits. Point of View is the first in a series of shows at Wonderspaces Arizona.



Where to eat in Scottsdale?

This visit, I dined at La Hacienda. Your toughest choice will be which tequila to choose tonight! With 240 to choose from, come thirsty!


At the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess chose from:





Bourbon Steak – Acclaimed Chef Michael Mina presents an upscale, contemporary American steak house like no other inviting guests to indulge in a tantalizing menu featuring the finest cuts of beef and poultry slow- poached in butter, grilled and finished over seasoned wood-fueled flames


Dine at La Hacienda at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Dinner at La Hacienda at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess

La Hacienda – Fine Mexican dining with a fresh, contemporary twist by renowned Chef Richard Sandoval, known as the “Father of modern Mexican cuisine”

Toro Latin Restaurant & Rum Bar – By Richard Sandoval located at the TPC Scottsdale clubhouse overlooking the 18th green features Pan Latin fare available for breakfast, lunch and dinner

Ironwood American Kitchen – Overlooking the Princess Pool, this informal cafe serves all-day fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner in a warm and inviting atmosphere

The Plaza Bar – With a unique indoor/outdoor setting, this lounge infuses Scottsdale nightlife with cutting- edge design, signature cocktails and a dash of glamour


Starlite BBQ Lisa Laura Brad Dinner at Starlite BBQ

I loved my dinner at Starlight BBQ and my healthy lunches at Flower Child, Kale and Clover and Farm and Craft.


VideoJoin me for dinner at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess




See my next article about my hike at Tom’s Thumb, kayaking on Salt River and my divine singing bowls treatment at Mind & Body.


Watch me on KTLA live or on livestream
on the 11am news this Friday, June 28
and text to win a trip to Scottsdale, Arizona!



 


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Published on June 24, 2019 09:00

Crater Lake Oregon USA

iPhone X – used filters available on Instagram


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Published on June 24, 2019 09:00

June 23, 2019

Shifen Waterfall – Taiwan

I used a Canon t6s with an 18-250mm lens. I adjusted exposure and contrast to bring out the details of the photo and crushed black in the tone curve. I adjusted the white and shadows to highlight the clouds. From there I added slight vingetting and color adjustment.


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Published on June 23, 2019 09:00

June 22, 2019

Nature’s Beauty-Germany

Photo taken by my iPhone, picture not altered. The scenery was so heavenly that pictures don’t do justice.


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Published on June 22, 2019 09:00

June 21, 2019

Ms. Magazine: The Moment of Lift We Need for Father’s Day

Lisa Niver at Melinda Gates book talk, The Moment of Lift


Thank you Ms. Magazine and Carmen Rios
for publishing my article about
Melinda Gates’ Book, The Moment of Lift,
for Father’s Day! Ms Magazine Father's Day The Moment of Lift In The Moment of Lift, Melinda Gates keeps a list of the rights and privileges societies around the world deny women and girls, sometimes by law and other times in practice.


“The right to decide whether and when and whom to marry,” she offers. “The right to go to school. Earn an income. Work outside the home. Walk outside the home. Spend their own money. Shape their budget. Start a business. Get a loan. Own property. Divorce a husband. See a doctor. Run for office. Ride a bike. Drive a car. Go to college. Study computers. Find investors.”



These are the things we’ve decided are “women’s issues,” and we’ve told women that they have to fix them—either by single-handedly changing hearts and minds, or by changing themselves. On Father’s Day, we should change that conversation.



Managing Digital Editor of Ms., Carmen Rios (L) and the author, Lisa Niver, at a #MomentofLift event in Los Angeles.


During a recent event in Los Angeles, Gates and celebrity philanthropist John Legend talked about fatherhood, family and the feminist paradigm shifts people across genders need to improve their lives—at work and at home.



“For women who spend all their hours doing unpaid work, the chores of the day kill the dreams of a lifetime,” Gates explains in her book. “What do I mean by unpaid work? It’s work performed in the home, like childcare or other forms of caregiving, cooking, cleaning, shopping and errands, done by a family member who’s not being paid. In many countries, when communities don’t have electricity or running water, unpaid work is also the time and labor women and girls spend collecting water and gathering wood.”



Most families in the U.S. have running water and electricity—but these imbalances persist. According to Gates, women in the U.S. do an average of four hours of unpaid work each day, and men do just two-and-a-half. Around the world, she writes that women spend an average of seven years more than men doing unpaid work over their lives—”about the time it takes to complete a bachelor’s and a master’s degree.”



In Los Angeles, Gates remembered negotiating pick-up and drop-off with her husband, Bill, when her daughter enrolled in a new school further from home. Melinda felt it was farther than she wanted to drive, and because Bill wanted his daughter to begin classes immediately, he offered to drive her two mornings a week. Men began participating more after they saw Bill dropping off his daughter—”because if Bill Gates had time to drop his daughter off, other dads had no excuse anymore.”



It’s a sweet anecdote, but in my head when I heard the story I couldn’t help but notice that Bill still only did 20 percent of the work. Melinda was still carrying a lion’s share—doing three days of drop-off and five days of pick-up—but Bill was celebrated, whereas her work remained invisible.



Shelley Zalis, CEO of The Female Quotient, think that in order to flip the script, we need to normalize caregiving, at home and in the workplace, for men and women—starting with equal paid leave for all parents when they expand their families.



“When both men and women take parental leave for having a child,” Zalis told Ms., “it is good for everyone. Equality isn’t a female issue—it’s a business and economic issue. A company’s parental leave policy should be inclusive for all to allow everyone to thrive in the workplace.”



Federal policies could also help change the narrative. The U.S. is the only “developed” nation that does not have a federal family leave policy, which leaves women in the lurch. Because our culture expects them to be primary caretakers at home, they’re disproportionately pushed out of work when they start families.



The only way to break the cycle of male dominance in corporate leadership is to level the playing ground, in policy and in practice. Business should offer equitable leave for all parents, and men should take advantage of it. Gates urged women in the audience in Los Angeles to encourage them to do so in order to shift norms as we also push for better laws.



“The lack of paid leave in the U.S. is symptomatic of a workplace culture that also struggles with sexual harassment, gender bias and a general indifference to family life,” Zalis explained. “It’s unfortunate, because we are losing our best leaders to caregiving—yet caregiving qualities make the best leaders today. Let’s not underestimate the power of caregiver traits, which include being nurturing, passionate and empathetic.”



This Father’s Day, the greatest gift to men in the U.S. could come from their bosses. Giving men the opportunity to support their partners and their children at home—and building a culture that supports them in doing so—will lift up all of us.



“How can we summon a moment of lift for human beings—and especially for women?” Gates asks in her book. “Because when you lift up women, you lift up humanity.” Paid family leave is something that could change our corner of humanity right now—affirming everyone’s right to have a fulfilling family life and professional life.



I hope this Father’s day that children across the country are celebrating dads who cook, do chores, help with homework and keep their households running—all while thriving at work. We can have healthy, happy communities and families. By demanding as much, we can change humanity.


Read this article on Ms. Magazine
Click to view slideshow.


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Published on June 21, 2019 10:01

Tasting Peru

I took this photo with my camera Fujifilm X-M1. I did not use any filter in order to alter the image.


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Published on June 21, 2019 09:00

We Said Go Travel

Lisa Niver
Lisa Niver is the founder of We Said Go Travel and author of the memoir, Traveling in Sin. She writes for USA Today, Wharton Business Magazine, the Jewish Journal and many other on and offline publica ...more
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