The Moore House

The city of Richmond, Texas lies just outside of the larger more metropolitan Sugar Land (to the North) and Rosenberg (to the South).  If you ask someone who’s lived their whole life in Richmond what the population is (as I have now on at least a half a dozen occasions) – you’ll get a variety of answers.  Some will say that there are about 5000 residents, others will say it’s closer to 2000.  The truth is that nearly 12,000 people call Richmond home.

Hilmar Moore was born in 1920 and has been the Mayor of Richmond since 1949.  If you do the math, you’ll realize that makes him 89 years old.  According to BBC News the Honorable Mr. Moore is “probably the longest serving elected official in the US”.  What a remarkable accomplishment.  Hilmar Moore is someone I’d like to meet.

One of the themes of my trip is Serendipity.  Happenstance.  That magical moment when you seem to be standing in the right place at exactly the right moment – and something fortunate happens as if by accident.  Squire Rushnell calls them “God Winks” – a sign that you’re on the right path in life.  Well tonight – I received a God Wink.

Kathy has been a local caterer and wedding planner in Richmond since 1970.  Strong, no-nonsense, kind, thoughtful, and charmingly Southern, she’s a cross between Paula Dean, Katherine Hepburn, and Martha Stewart.  She holds two Masters Degrees.  One in Administration and one in Education and plays the Organ at St. John’s United Church of Christ every Sunday.  Kathy is the wedding planner you hire when you want someone who cares as much about your perfect day as you do.  She still cries at every wedding.

Tonight I was telling her about Twilight & Tea, and how I had been reading about the History of Richmond – and how much I’d like to meet Hilmar Moore.  “You mean Hilmar?” (Only she pronounced it more like Hilmer).  “I’m friends with his wife.” No wonder local residents believe the population of Richmond couldn’t be more than 5000.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned in the last 4 days – is that if you look for interesting people – you’re sure to find them.  And it’s often the interesting people who we find in unexpected places who hold the key to our next adventure.  But you’ll never know unless you ask.

I am certain I am on the right path in my life right now – and I’ll be keeping my eye out for more God Winks along the way.

Photo by pareeerica

More than anything – I just wanted to get away.  Run away is more like it.  My personal life was a mess – and getting messier every second.

My goal was to find a way to combine my love of travel and social media into a project that would give me the flexibility to be creative while at the same time providing me with the opportunity to explore the world and continue to grow my business.

I was reading Alice Steinbach’s Without Reservations when the idea for Twilight & Tea first came to me. Without Reservations is the true life story of a woman who took a year off to travel the world and rediscover herself.  That idea spoke to me.

Except I’m not a Travel Writer – in fact if you want to get technical I’m not really a “Writer” at all.  At best you could describe me as an Occasional Blogger and Prolific Tweeter.  But as I started researching Bed & Breakfasts around the world – I noticed that while most of them offered Free Wireless Internet Access to their guests, very few of them (less than 3%) were marketing via Social Networks like Twitter, Facebook, or Flickr.  And then their were the websites themselves – most of the Bed and Breakfast websites I visited were average at best and many were down right terrible.  I realized that my skills in Web Design & Social Media might be my ticket to freedom and travel.  Not to mention a brilliant collection of case studies on how to utilize Social Media in a niche industry.

Why Twilight & Tea?

Because Pillows & Pancakes was already taken…hehe.  But as it turns out Twilight & Tea also lends itself to an awesome tagline – TNT for Your B&B.

Have you ever woken up one morning and wished you could pack your bags and move to a deserted island somewhere to start all over?  Or maybe you dream of traveling all over Europe with No Set Plans¹?  Taking an African Safari or a Month Long Cruise around the world?

The truth is a lot of people dream of leaving the safety of the life they know for the adventure of the unknown, but not many people actually do it.  For many, the demands of providing for a family or hopes of moving up the corporate ladder – make such dreams seem impossible.  For some, such a journey does not seem financially viable.  And for others, the idea is too daring for reality.

But what about those who actually do it?  What can we learn from them?  Since I’m about to embark on my own 13-month solo journey of discovery, I’ve been reading a lot of books about traveling alone.  Here is my list of the Top 5 Books on Solo Travel:

1. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.  It was so good – I read it twice.  The first time I was blissfully unaware of how much my life and my relationship were about to change.  The second time, I was just days away from ending my 11.5 year relationship.  As I read about her kneeling on the bathroom floor of her suburban home crying…sobbing…I started to cry myself.  Because I knew that pain.  She didn’t want to be in her marriage anymore – and I didn’t want to be in my relationship.  That’s what makes for great writing – feeling like you can relate to the feelings and emotions on the page.
2. A Year By The Sea by Joan Anderson.  When her husband gets a new job in another state, Joan decides that she’s not interested in going with him.  Instead, she decides to spend a year living alone at their cottage in Cape Cod.  Interesting, Introspective, Funny, and Refreshing – this is the perfect book for any woman who’s dreamed of taking a “vacation” from her marriage.
3. Without Reservations by Alice Steinbach.  By now you should be noticing a pattern – I love travel memoirs written by women on their own journey’s of self-discovery.  After taking a sabbatical from her job as a columnist for the Baltimore Sun, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Steinbach takes us on a journey through Europe.  The prose and her acute observations are delightful and poignant.
4. Plain & Simple by Sue Bender.  I read this book years and years ago – but it’s always held a soft spot in my heart.  Sue Bender, mother, modern day career woman, artist, teacher & wife – goes to live with the Amish.  This is a book of opposites and contrast.  It will touch your heart – and make you dream of “The Simple Life”.
5. The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner.  The only book on my list not written by a woman – but it’s still good.  I promise.  Part travelogue, part self-help guide, part memoir – Weiner does a remarkable job of capturing the soul of each of the cities that he visits.