This fall I was asked if I would read and review a travel book by Minnesota’s own Professor G. Michael Schneider. Being that reading and travel are two of my favorite things, I naturally jumped at the opportunity to read On the Other Guy’s Dime. And I am honored to have my review quote grace the front cover of the book.

You can read my entire review of the book on The Vacation Gals, but I will tell you now that it is an entertaining, informative and inspirational read. Professor Schneider and his wife have figured out how to travel the world for free by finding temporary jobs at universities. More than simply seeing a new destination, On the Other Guy’s Dime delves into the benefits of experiencing a region as a local, rather than a highlights-only tourist.

While the book is written from a professor’s perspective, it’s quite obvious it’s possible to see the world no matter what your profession  and – as he points out in the book – it’s even possible to do it with a young family.

On the Other Guy’s Dime is loaded with tips and hints about how to go about such an adventure of your own. I highly recommend it for its entertainment and informational value.

Last month photographer David Bowman arrived at my Minnesota home with his lights and cameras for a photo shoot with my family. The August issue of Woman’s Day is featuring my family in their travel column, “A Woman’s Day in…Minneapolis” (you can read it online now).  Every month the city changes and a different woman and her family is featured. Editor Angela Ebron interviewed me about Minneapolis highlights, secrets and best-of the area suggestions. It wasn’t hard answering the various questions since my husband and I like to get out with our little people every chance we get. As for the photo shoot, it was great fun. We even had professional hair and makeup artist Rene Rattler helping out. We had many good laughs considering we were shooting for a summer issue but the weather was very, very cold. The kids were fantastic, too.

Update: The print magazine is now on store shelves and doctors’ waiting room tables. You will find our feature on pages 56-59. There are more photos and a different version of our family photo.