I got a call from a former associate who told me the story of how he and his family went away for a 10-day vacation. When they arrived home, one of their vehicles had a dead battery. Being the loyal AAA members that they are, they promptly called for Emergency Road Service. Our Battery Service technician came out, boosted the battery, and checked the battery and charging system. After the battery was recharged for a while, it was determined that the battery was recoverable, the charging system was fine, and there were no electrical draws. Then why did the battery go dead?

Like gazillions of others on the planet, I can't wait for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter to open. I stopped by Universal Orlando on Friday to get a sneak peak. You can already see the snow-capped castle and the tippy-tops of some of the other cool buildings in this magical village based on J.K. Rowling's compelling and hugely-popular Harry Potter books and movies.

While details are as closely guarded as Kirstie Allie's actual weight, I was let in on a few surprises...which I'll (shhhhh...no telling!) share with you. By the way, that's me, shamelessly holding up a Going Places cover to win a free t-shirt. Learn how  you can win one too.

If you’ve ever had to call for road service, you’ll probably be greeted by a friendly and helpful driver who’ll change your flat, give you a jump, deliver gas or provide a number of other services that will help you get you on your way. We’re proud of our drivers and AAA receives hundreds of letters each year about those that go above and beyond the call of duty. Here's a wonderful story about a driver who saved the day by rescuing someone from a burning building!

I'm in the market for a new suitcase and not because my old suitcase was damaged by the airlines or through the wear and tear of travel. I knew better than to pull out my suitcase and leave it open and unattended for my cat to get clued in that I was about to depart. Usually, I would wait until she was asleep before I pulled it out and hid it in the garage to be packed there. So at 10pm on a Sunday night, with a departure to South America the next morning...my cat's separation anxiety kicked in, and she brewed up something special, and deposited a veritable lake in my suitcase.

Seeing Chile in the national news after the terrible earthquake brought back lots of memories of my visits to this amazing country and its marvelous citizens. The destruction in Santiago saddened me and I can only hope that my favorite hotel, The Plaza San Francisco, located in downtown, was not damaged. It is an older hotel and I’m sure has survived many other disasters.

When I studied Greek mythology in school, I had a hard time remembering who all those gods and goddesses were, and who did what to whom, and why. But after visiting sites that were important in Ancient Greece, some of those myths finally made sense. For example, in Crete I visited the Palace of Knossos where the myth of the Labyrinth and the Minotaur came to life.

As part of my research for my next book, I've been reviewing some old-time cookbooks. This morning, I'm looking at some that belonged to Lisa's grandmother. Vintage cookbooks offer an interesting snapshot of the culinary trends and habits of their time. Consider the "Unusual Holiday Cheese Ball" recipe from the Kenwood Ohio Women's Club Cookbook circa 1968 that combines cream cheese, crushed pineapple, chopped onion, green pepper pecans.