#i skipped way ahead mainly for the holiday season :')

[dailyclassicwho]

CLASSIC WHO FASHION ROMANA I ◈ The Ribos Operation

[cacoetheswriting]

christmas alphabet - spencer reid

a/n: request: this is just fluff, no warnings in place. enjoy!! 

A = After Dark (a date after dark? late night cuddles? surprise mistletoe?)

On cold winter evenings, when Spencer is not travelling for work, the two of you like to cuddle up on the coach under a fluffy blanket. A cup of hot chocolate in hand; with an even number of marshmallows each. The night is either spent discussing both of your days in detail or watching old Christmas classics, like Miracle on 34th Street for example. 

B = Baking (how does baking sweets go? for or with someone?)

The brunette doctor is skilled at literally anything he sets his mind to, but baking is not his forte. The kitchen always ends up a huge mess, and whatever concoction he was attempting is dangerous to eat. However, Spencer enjoys baking with you. Together you make a quite the team and the gingerbread cookies are a big hit with the rest of his team.

C = Cold (it’s cold out! how do they react to the freezing winter air? does someone else help with fighting the cold?)

Spencer enjoys the lower temperatures, they’re a nice contrast to sunny stuffy Las Vegas where he grew up. You on the other hand struggle with the crispy icy air and often find yourself stealing his scarf for extra warmth when you’re out and about. 

D = Date (christmas date! how is it asked? where do they go?)

You ask the brunette agent to go ice-skating with you. Spencer is reluctant at first but you hold onto him tight and any fears wash away. You whirl together around the rink in slow circles, simply enjoying the moment. 

E = Evening Dance (a night at a ball? or maybe just silly dancing in the kitchen?)

Spencer catches you one wintery morning humming along to Blue Christmas by Elvis Presley. He gently takes your hand in his and the two of you slowly sway around the living room.

F = Fireplace (how do they spend their time by the fire? hang stockings? fall asleep on each other?)

The two of you bought stockings with your initials, a lovely red pair with a fuzzy top. Since there is no fireplace at your place Spencer hung them underneath your mounted television. And whenever you feel like cozying up on the coach together you simply turn on a ten-hour fireplace video on YouTube.

G = Grateful (how grateful are they to spend time with others? enjoy being alone or with others?)

The hazel-eyed doctor is extremely grateful to spend time with you, not only over the holidays. While he likes the occasional meet-up with his team for after work drinks at their favourite bar, Spencer definitely prefers spending time with you alone. He's loves comfortable company more than anything.

H = Hosting Family (how does family work? are they invited to others, or stay with their s/o?)

While Spencer would love to spend Christmas with his mom, his unpredictable hours don’t usually allow him to make set plans. Therefore instead you decide that you will spend the holidays with your family, and if by chance he is free to join he will. 

I = Invitation (a sudden invitation comes up! what’s it for? how do they react?)

An invitation arrives for dinner with his team and their loved ones on a faithful Saturday in December. Of course Spencer asks you to accompany him; he wouldn't have it any other way. You’ve met his friends before so you shouldn't be nervous, but yet for some reason you were. This occasion felt different somehow. More intimate. 

J = Just In Time (the present arrives just barely in time! how do they rush up to hand it to them? do they wait for the perfect time?)

Spencer spent weeks trying to decide what to get you for Christmas. Nothing he thought of seemed right. You weren’t a material person, which is one of your many qualities he adored. He wanted your present to be thoughtful, he wanted something meaningful. About a week before the holidays, he came across a website that sold customisable star maps. He ordered one then and there - a map that showcased the stars the night you first met.  

K = Kiss (how do they react to a kiss? flustered? happy? surprised?)

When Spencer first kissed you it was gentle, almost timid. As if he was afraid to fully let himself go. Now when he kisses you he does so with all his might and immense passion. He cups your face with his hands and pulls you in as close as humanly possible. 

L = Lights (christmas lights are important! how do they hang them? around the house? on the tree? outside? what kind of shenanigans go on?)

The brunette agent had given you a key to his apartment. One night in late November he comes home after working a case to find you already there, tangled in a rope of lights. You tried to surprise him by slightly decorating his place for the holidays, but instead found yourself entwined. Spencer can’t help but chuckle at the sight. He sets off to help you; after taking a picture to commemorate this precious moment.

M = Mistletoe (how do they react to suddenly being placed under a mistletoe with their crush/lover?)

He gets flustered at first, mainly because you’re in public and everyone is watching. But the second your lips brush against his the whole world dissolves and he gets completely lost in you. 

N = Naughty or Nice? (how has your character been this past year? are they a trickster or a good of heart?)

Definitely good of heart. Spencer is one of the kindest people you have ever met. He’s caring, he always puts you first and stops at nothing to make you happy. The only time you could describe him as naughty would be in bed.

O = Opening Presents (how do they react to opening presents?)

Eagerly, although very neatly. Even though he is extremely excited to see what you got him, the hazel-eyed doctor rips off the wrapping paper so precisely that it is actually good to reuse.  

P = Packaging (wrapping presents is never easy. how do they fair?)

Packing presents with Spencer is just as organised. All the pieces of the festive wrapping paper are a perfect size for each gif and the ribbon is measured before cut to the correct length; so that there is no waste. 

Q = Question (how do they confess? is it the big question, or something smaller but just as intimate?)

“Y/N?” Spencer catches your attention. You look up from the book in your lap and meet his honey gaze. “Yes?” “How would you feel about spending next years holiday in a cabin somewhere? Just the two of us?” A smile spread across your facial features. “I thought you didn't like to plan that far ahead, especially around Christmas time.” You teased. He smiled back at you. “I don’t, but with you I can break a few of my rules.”  

R = Relaxing (how do they relax with their s/o? the best ways? the cutest?)

Watching Christmas movies, cooking, discussing various topics, or sitting in comfortable silence and reading. Simply enjoying each others company. 

S = Snow (how do they like the snow?)

Spencer likes to share uncommon facts about the snow; more than the weather phenomenon itself. “Snow is actually translucent, not white.” The brunette doctor chimed as the two of you looked out the window admiring the first snowfall of the season. “It’s the light reflected off a snowflake’s faceted surface that creates its white appearance.” 

T = Tree (how do they decorate their tree?)

Gold fairy lights intertwined with a simple white wreathe hung loosely around the Christmas tree at your apartment. Mixed between the more traditional-looking gold bobbles were various fancier ornaments that reminded both of you of your relationship, such as: a stack of books,  R2-D2, fast food items, gin bottle, a coffee cup. 

U = Undying Love (how did they fall in love? what was the real moment they found out?)

Your constant smile and positive outlook on life, not to mention your delicate beauty, lured Spencer in right from the start. He fell for you hard and pretty early into your relationship. And now not a day goes by where he doesn't tell you just how much he loves you.  

V = Villa (how is it in their house? festive? normal? candles?)

Apart from the decorations you had plopped around, the doctors apartment remains normal. The two of you have focused more of your time and energy decorating your place - from the living room to the kitchen and bedroom, there is even a miniature Santa in the bathroom. 

W = Wish (what is their biggest wish for the coming year? or in general?)

Spencers biggest wish for the coming year would be to keep evolving in this relationship with you. He hopes to grow even closer with you, learn more about you and explore the world with you (if he ever gets the time off work). 

X = eXcitement (general excitement about christmas? love it? hate it?)

He’s excited because you’re excited. Seeing you so happy around the holiday season warms his heart and he hopes he’ll get to cherish these moments with you for years to come. 

Y = You (how does their s/o react to them being beautiful? handsome? to them in general in the christmas season? how in love are they?)

The brunette doctor constantly reminds you how perfect you are. Whether you’re dressed up for an evening at the bar with friends or simply sitting on the sofa in a matching wintery pyjama set, Spencer will be sure to point out just how beautiful you look. You of course do the same. There is something about hearing you say how handsome he looks that makes his heart skip a beat. 

Z = Zzzz… (how do they sleep? lots of blankets? none? cuddled closely to their loved one?)

Wrapped up in a large duvet and blankets mainly because you get cold during the night. Spencer’s arm is placed gently yet firmly around you. He holds you close, quietly snoring into the crook of your neck. 

-

masterlist

[blabbingworldaffairs]

Five things I love to bring to 2018

I wrote earlier that I didn’t really feel like doing a review of last year, since there are not many things to look back at. 2017 was decidedly not my year. Looking back what I feel is as if I have completely skipped the whole year. All I can think about is work, I even had 10+ paid leave days remaining (i.e. going to waste), because there was always some reason not to take a day off.

Of course I have all the intention now to change things, so that I would have a bunch of great stuff to look back at one year from now. This time I’d like to do a short list of what I am hopeful about continuing or launching in the next 12 months. I could probably list a few more, but I narrowed the topics to the ones I will most certainly post more about here.

Learning

2017 was a year of learning for me in a lot of ways. I was always interested in learning how to learn, and took every opportunity to keep studying, but last year I really fueled this passion. First I took a right brain learning course, where I learned different learning methods and brain hacks. Later I discovered the teachings of Jim Kwik and it was life changing! I have yet to buy one of his trainings (for lack of time), but I am listening to his podcast and subscribed to his updates on different channels. If you are interested in memory training and brain improvement, he is your guy!

Ever since the end of my academic years I was planning a PhD. I have been putting it off for some years now, but this year I really want to research and make definitive steps in this direction. What I am not sure at this point is whether it is going to be LL.M. first and then PhD, or PhD right away. But I am going to research the offerings of universities and I plan to report about this endeavour here on the blog.

Work

It’s been more than four years now at my current job and for a while now I feel like I’ve achieved everything there was to achieve there. I do feel it’s time to look for new challenges and a whole new working environment. I am thinking international organizations and I really started to shape my resume, my language skills (hello, French, uhm, I mean salut) and my plans so that 2018 may bring on new opportunities to expand my career.

The Times They Are A Changing

(Cue: Bob Dylan from more than half a century back.) Well, this one is not really personal. I am referring to everything that’s been happening ever since the Harvey Weinstein allegations, all the stories getting spotlight, the #metoo movement, the media attention. I always said that if just one person will think twice before treating someone inappropriately, like gosh, this can cost me my career, then this whole thing was worth it. And I am happy to see it went so much further than that. There is so much more to be done, but this is going to be a whole new era for women and a better one, I am sure!

One personal and not so positive aspect is that I sort of lost an important friendship over this issue. This was a great disappointment for me to find out there was a huge gap between our thinking with this person in not just this one, but many other human rights issues. It really made me define and redefine the notion of “good people” and how I need them in my life.

Travel

2017 was such a bad year in this regard, I’ve barely traveled anywhere. I had two short trips to London, and that’s about it. As I’ve mentioned I barely even had time off of work. Now I really do want 2018 to be different. I have so many travel plans, and so many plans to incorporate my travels in this blog. I plan to visit international organizations, parliaments, universities, law libraries, an so on, that should be interesting to write about here, so be sure to watch out for that!

A few of my favorite things

Well, this is going to be more than one thing, because of course there were a couple of things I enjoyed throughout the year.

First of all, books. In 2017 I finished the Goodreads reading challenge two books short, mainly because towards the last months of the year I didn’t even have the energy to read. If I have to pick favorites I say Oprah’s What I Know for Sure and Talking as Fast as I Can by the amazing Lauren Graham. And the 2018 reading challenge matches the colors of my site! This must me a good sign!

As for TV shows, I continued watching a few. Madam Secretary is still one of my favorites, and I couldn’t possibly skip the last season of Scandal (even though I am not convinced Olivia Pope is a good person anymore, like, see above). I just love British historical settings too, I kept watching Victoria, and I have binged the second season of The Crown during the holidays. 

I became a fan of podcasts in 2016, and in 2017 I subscribed to a bunch of really great ones. Besides the ones I am following real time, there are now one for every mood and occasion to listen to. I still love The West Wing Weekly, in fact I love it more than ever, I am even going to their live show in London this spring. I binged Jim Kwik’s Kwikbrain podcast in only a few week’s time, it is that good! I love Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations, and I am also subscribed to some Spanish language learning podcasts too. Now I should seek out some to learn French too. Also, in December a fellow Mariah Carey fan hooked me up on the only MC podcast called The Mariah Report, which is so good and entertaining, I keep listening back to older episodes ever since.

Speaking of Mariah, her Christmas concert I went to in London was one of the highlights of an otherwise “meh” 2017 for me. I am so happy that her things are looking up again, after that epic New Year’s Eve performance I am looking forward to whatever she has to offer in 2018.

That’s all for me now. How about you? What are you excited about in the year ahead? Please share in the comments.

[mceproductions]

October 2018 Blurbs

10/1/18 31 Nights of Halloween, Freeforms inheritence from its previous incarnations, other than the mandated 700 Club. The month between seasons, otherwise known as candy city. Stockholm Syndrome from Willies departure may be setting in as we had a large truck and only 4 of us to do it. I shouldnt be missing his prescence but somehow i am. Remedy is needed soon. 10/2/18 Im A Christmas Guy, love giving gifts out and decorating. Have done so annually for 16 years and it always starts within the first few days of October as i unblock my Holiday themed movie and TV Shows on digital. Looking forward to the next few weeks especially. Brewers NLDS starts Thursday! 10/3/18 The old tutalige of when it rains it pours, reared its ugly head. Flat by Old El Rancho. That really screws things up for me. Hoping for Miracle. 10/4/18 Well, day minus the Brewers coming back, was a bust. Tire was flat. Hoping I can get it either possibly fixed or a cheap replacement. Wondering how ill get to the store tomorrow. 10/5/18 Apparently massive flu spreading around as Mom picked up whatever Dad was sick with. Ended up replacing tire, but with brand new one. Hopeful not mistake. Also affected things at WallyWorld as Linda and Tyler were feeling cruddy. Hopeful I dont get it. Brewers win and truck got fixed. Still undecided on Venom or Gaga for movie on Saturday. 10/6/18 Ended up going with Gaga and was pleasently stunned by both her and Bradley Cooper. Movie was wonderful and that ending was rough, picked up soundtrack to boot. Sort of took longer than I anticipated coming back from EC thanks to BlueGolds Homecoming. Boy colleges take that far more seriously than High School. Panera for dinner was a great alternative as well. 13th Doctor tomorrow before work! FLCL on the other hand...I'll never say the C word to anyone, but Pets was definetly the C Word to Kana. 10/7/18 Man that was emberassing to watch. Green Bay actually played so lousy I watched Doctor Who, and loved the female 13th looking forward to more of her. Final Season of Walking dead also premired. Wonder how Ricks going out. Gunner and his partner are really intolerable. Reporting that asap, the store is not a place for thier private spats. 10/8/18 Columbus getting squeezed out of his own day is the most PC thing that I can get on board with. Nobody gives a crap about the whole Sailed the ocean blue in 1492 thing anymore. Stuff to do including assignments that I have to go to the library to finish. Hoping internet will be back sooner rather than later. 10/9/18 Woke up to flashing lights by house and realized power line got taken down by tree that Dad had pointed out. A bit more broke than I anticipated. Stuff here i have to do anyway and thankfully work will limit my having to go anywhere. Really could use $300 to pay Patti. Brewers will take on Dodgers in NLCS starting Friday. Mad that Conan for all intent and purpose has been cancelled, adpating is one thing but this is a glorified cancellation. 10/10/18 Rain city continues...Puddles in Bravada. On top of it its getting colder. Winter isnt here yet, but the white ravens are taking flight. 10/11/18 Now comes the cold, and first snow of the year. We had it all today cold, wind, sun and snow. 10/12/18 Store gave me a first look at my future. Gaurantee work on Sunday Monday and Friday every week unless i say so. Which other than one day may be saying much. Could use more variety than that. Also stinks NLCS is on when im working. Pulling for Dodgers in at least 1 game so I can see game 5 on wednesday at least. 10/13/18 They have been hyping the crap out of inventory for the past 3 weeks. Now i see why, Clint made a rare Saturday appearance at the store. Hopeful for the next few days. Got my prediction right about game 5 on Wednesday so thats good. Kanye is nuts as usual, and Kana gave me the best reason yet to finally move forward on the FLCL finale. Cold week ahead. 10/14/18 Andrew and his little notes are getting out of hand. Got called in to do truck early as Inventory closes in on Tuesday. Clint on the other hand, i know ive got to not walk off for a few seconds but he really needs to chill for a bit especially cause we both used to be pushing carts in the first months of the store he should know my rhtyms by now. Stinks about Pete Davidson though, really hope he can recover cause i liked him and Ariana as a couple. Rather unfortunate that they split cause she couldnt deal with her ex commiting suicide. 10/15/18 A missing person is a big deal, when you happen to know someone who is related to said missing person, then you know its huge. Jayme Closs, the cousin of Brody being abducted after her parents were gunned down, sad for all. My only issue is brody reatcing to everyones sympathies, overkill a bit. The other issue i have is the amber alert system that can be sent out to phones. With Trumps ability to text everyone in the country I witnessed a bunch of people who got the alert yesterday complain about it, the others who thought she killed them and fled are the bigger morons. Hopefully shes found safe. Other than that, good night for Wisconsin Sports, Brewers are 2 Out from pennant and Rodgers did his thing once again. 10/16/18 Boring first part of shift as we did basically nothing due to the inventory. But at least the night managed to salvage itself. Dodgers really play dirty. 10/17/18 Nose began to stuff itself again. Bunch of classwork for 2 weeks as i get the inservice day. Milwaukee gave another one away. Hoping Game 6 on Friday will be a turnaround. 10/18/18 Rare thursday day, nose still stuffed. 10/19/18 Library day as i caught up on work, and finally watched A Chrsitmas Story to its ending. A classic, yes just don't feel that strongly about it. Big game from the Crew forcing Game 7. 10/20/18 This day was nuts, a quick 25 minute snowcase that gave way to sunny conditions by noon. Saw Venom, didn't get why it was hated. Quite enjoyable dyanmic and She-Venom was the highlight of it all. Dodgers unfortuantley took the pennant. Great season overall for Milwaukee just bummed my streak of picking the world series winner at the All Star game ended at 4. Also tide pods finally used them, no wonder people ate them they're great for clothes. 10/21/18 First day ever that i skipped NFL Games. Neat concept. 10/22/18 Very long strech of store coming up, especially given that Today we only had 3 total. 10/23/18 Held off on grabbing Mamma Mia 2 Blu Ray. Mainly due to gas situation that had Bravada dying near tracks. I got to figure cash situation out to pay off people. 10/24/18 Lone day off before Halloween. No class today so that made things better. Master Mode on Zelda getting easier to figure out. Did reset on iPhone and Kindle, should fix lone bugs. Really want to play RDR2 and Spiderman PS4. World Series from what I can tell is shaping up as a sweep. Also, whole reason I began watching Sunny aired tonight. First of 2 Part Super Bowl Episode. Charlie in a Bear Trap drinking pee, eww! 10/25/18 First of 6 in a row backwise. The Halloween episodes on TV Usually do wonders for me, not this time. I know this is the final season of Big Bang Theory but Sheldon not realizing how irritating he sounds to others after 12 years and so much maturing seems not the right way to do it. Especially seeing his wife irrate Bernadette. 10/26/18 2nd night, the wheels i dont think feel off, but the were more loose than usual. Hour to set up, hour work, break, 30 minutes to unload hvdc and then didn't finish til after 6. When your down numbers wise you can certainly feel it. FYI The crap with the MAGA Bomber made me mad enough to likely stay off social media until after the election, that made it my breaking point. RWBY Season Premire Tomorrow! 10/27/18 Rooster Teeth First free trial, worth it for watching a great primire that perfectly sets up what comes. My point who is that woman with the Maz Kanata eyewear? Wisconsin stinks. 10/28/18 My issue with the whole core hours thing involves me working on days i know theres something i should be doing. Such as watching the packers. Almost beating LA, hopeful they can actually do that against Brady. 10/29/18 That blue wave better close in next week cause, another shooting and another predictable Trump response occurred. Hate crimes abound in his america. 10/30/18 Last in the back, October really came and went this year. Only thing bad about not working Halloween is the dressup im missing out on. Adam in drag would have been a hoot. 10/31/18 Darkness Falls Across the Land...You Know the rest. Halloween. This day is one back 20 Years ago i would openly love. At least the Candy is still around, albiet smaller and more sugary. Nowadays this day has me DVR'ing all the major shows to see what costumes get put on. Spoiler Alert only episodes of ATH And PTI that I happily record all year. When it comes to applying for scholarships however thats where it blurrs. WITC is really biased against those in the outreach sites hoping i can get help tomorrow when i visit. November came too quickly but, I get to see my nephew in 2 Weeks!

[taniasinel]

~our holiday dining room~

This year I am not hosting Thanksgiving at our home, so I skipped right ahead and gave it a little Christmas makeover. I was excited to use some new products that I got from Caravan Home Decor to pull it all together!

I am not going way over the top this year, and I am using mainly my Christmas items that have the most meaning to me. Vintage pieces, ornaments my kids made when they were little, etc. 

You'll see how I incorporated those into my dining room decor here.

I set the table very simply using an existing vase and some greens out of the yard, as well as some grocery store lilies and white roses.

For a bit of color I added a collection of my favorite vintage glass ornaments to this marble fruit bowl. At first I had clementines in there, but thought this idea was a little funner, and it will last a lot longer too.

I still might swap out that tree print for something a bit more holiday-ish for the season.

On top of each plate I placed a linen napkin tied with ribbon, adding vintage silverware and a sprig of rosemary.

On the sideboard I created a little vignette using this round marble cheeseboard as a base for my vintage bottle brush trees, and vintage reindeer. 

Next to it is a stack of marble appetizer plates.

I think these would also work great as coasters, or bases for candles. 

Hop on over to the blogs below to see how they decorated their homes for the holidays!

Ella Claire | Rooms for Rent | Jennifer Rizzo | Love Grows Wild

Nesting with Grace | Dear Lillie | French Country Cottage | Liz Marie Blog

Craftberry Bush | City Farmhouse | Jeanne Oliver | Kindred Vintage

Shades of Blue Interiors | My Sweet Savannah | Miss Mustard Seed |

and our featured guest, House of Five

xoxo

from My Sweet Savannah http://www.mysweetsavannahblog.com/2017/11/our-holiday-dining-room.html

[kellykperez]

The 4 scariest online marketing disasters and how to avoid them

My favorite funny anecdote is that one day an online marketer wakes up in horror from the nightmare that he has lost all his passwords.

I actually get that nightmare too, but mine is worse. It’s that all my passwords have been stolen.

As marketers, CEOs and managers we deal with too many fears daily: We have too many disasters to avoid. No wonder we get frequent nightmares.

Let this article serve as a checklist to help you avoid some of the most unfortunate and embarrassing online marketing disasters (and hopefully give you more nights of good sleep).

1. Keep an eye on your domain renewal date

Life gets in the way: Either you get too busy with personal stuff or you lose an employee who used to be responsible for your domain renewals. Or maybe your card expires and your registrar’s notifications go straight into your spam box.

Many things can happen preventing you from renewing your domains, and one day you may discover that your most important domain belongs to someone else.

It’s a total nightmare that has happened more than you think – and to a few really huge brands!

As a business owner, keep a close eye on your domain expiration dates and possibly renew them for many years ahead (the maximum amount of time you are allowed to hold a domain is 10 years) or set up an auto renewal. While neither of the above methods will guarantee your domains are safe forever, these will at least increase your odds of keeping them for as long as you need them.

There are also new registrars that provide enhanced security, keeping your domains safer. For example, LCN gives you an option to receive text messages seven days before expiry. And Godaddy gives you almost 20 days after expiry to allow you to get those domains back.

2. Keep an eye on your rankings

Another unfortunate thing that may happen to your business is the loss of your Google rankings. Now, it used to be easier to spot. A manual penalty would hit (and you’ll be notified via a helpful message inside your Webmaster Tools account) or a Penguin update would be announced and you suddenly see 50%-90% of your Google traffic gone.

Inside Google Analytics, you could even identify which phrases exactly were hit (oh how I miss those good old times when we didn’t know what “non-provided” meant!). It would be hard to miss such a drastic change.

Now those easy days are over. Google updates are no longer announced. Even if you keep track of the news and you hear webmasters talking about some mysterious traffic fluctuations, you might not even notice any changes in your analytics graph.

These days, Google is trickier. In many cases the loss of traffic is very gradual, so one day you log in to your Google Analytics account and suddenly notice the unfortunate trend: You have been losing traffic for months!

The solution is to monitor your rankings on a continuous basis using a tool which notifies you of both positive and negative trends – even mild ones.

I am using Serpstat to monitor my rankings, mainly because they have many useful tools under one roof, so I can use the same login to run a quick competition research, check my rankings or even do a quick SEO diagnostic.

3. Keep an eye on your downtime

The simplest way to lose an online customer is to send him/her to your site only to be greeted with a broken page. All the websites go down at some point, including the biggest ones like Twitter, Google and Facebook, etc.

But how often is your site down? Most of best-known hosting providers have awful uptime statistics. If your site is hosted by one of them, it may be down more often than is excusable.

These downtimes are especially unfortunate (and frequent) when it’s a busy season and you are supposed to be making money instead of fixing your website. Make sure your site is ready for a holiday season ahead of time.

A great free way to keep an eye on your site downtime is to set up custom alerts inside Google Analytics. You can receive email alerts and text messages (the latter is for the United States only) whenever Google Analytics is not able to record any visits. You can also copy your dev team into each alert.

4. Keep an eye on your brand name mentions

Online reputation management is not only about keeping your brand navigational search results nice and clean of various rip-off reports and negative reviews. It’s also about monitoring your brand mentions and addressing any negative sentiment as it comes.

In many cases a very pissed-off customer can be turned into a brand advocate if their concerns are addressed in real time. People are usually amazed to receive a public Twitter apology and are willing to give the company a second chance.

I use Tweetdeck to spot my brand mentions as they happen. Tweetdeck delivers them right to my desktop, allowing me to skip those that don’t need a reply and quickly engage with those that require my attention.

I also use Cyfe to collect and archive Twitter mentions around the multiple brands I monitor, including my competitors. Cyfe allows you to monitor an unlimited number of Twitter search results – which is handy when you own several brands.

Are there business disasters you have successfully avoided? Please share your stories!

from IM Tips And Tricks https://searchenginewatch.com/2017/05/04/the-4-scariest-online-marketing-disasters-and-how-to-avoid-them/

[sheilalmartinia]

The 4 scariest online marketing disasters and how to avoid them

My favorite funny anecdote is that one day an online marketer wakes up in horror from the nightmare that he has lost all his passwords.

I actually get that nightmare too, but mine is worse. It’s that all my passwords have been stolen.

As marketers, CEOs and managers we deal with too many fears daily: We have too many disasters to avoid. No wonder we get frequent nightmares.

Let this article serve as a checklist to help you avoid some of the most unfortunate and embarrassing online marketing disasters (and hopefully give you more nights of good sleep).

1. Keep an eye on your domain renewal date

Life gets in the way: Either you get too busy with personal stuff or you lose an employee who used to be responsible for your domain renewals. Or maybe your card expires and your registrar’s notifications go straight into your spam box.

Many things can happen preventing you from renewing your domains, and one day you may discover that your most important domain belongs to someone else.

It’s a total nightmare that has happened more than you think – and to a few really huge brands!

As a business owner, keep a close eye on your domain expiration dates and possibly renew them for many years ahead (the maximum amount of time you are allowed to hold a domain is 10 years) or set up an auto renewal. While neither of the above methods will guarantee your domains are safe forever, these will at least increase your odds of keeping them for as long as you need them.

There are also new registrars that provide enhanced security, keeping your domains safer. For example, LCN gives you an option to receive text messages seven days before expiry. And Godaddy gives you almost 20 days after expiry to allow you to get those domains back.

2. Keep an eye on your rankings

Another unfortunate thing that may happen to your business is the loss of your Google rankings. Now, it used to be easier to spot. A manual penalty would hit (and you’ll be notified via a helpful message inside your Webmaster Tools account) or a Penguin update would be announced and you suddenly see 50%-90% of your Google traffic gone.

Inside Google Analytics, you could even identify which phrases exactly were hit (oh how I miss those good old times when we didn’t know what “non-provided” meant!). It would be hard to miss such a drastic change.

Now those easy days are over. Google updates are no longer announced. Even if you keep track of the news and you hear webmasters talking about some mysterious traffic fluctuations, you might not even notice any changes in your analytics graph.

These days, Google is trickier. In many cases the loss of traffic is very gradual, so one day you log in to your Google Analytics account and suddenly notice the unfortunate trend: You have been losing traffic for months!

The solution is to monitor your rankings on a continuous basis using a tool which notifies you of both positive and negative trends – even mild ones.

I am using Serpstat to monitor my rankings, mainly because they have many useful tools under one roof, so I can use the same login to run a quick competition research, check my rankings or even do a quick SEO diagnostic.

3. Keep an eye on your downtime

The simplest way to lose an online customer is to send him/her to your site only to be greeted with a broken page. All the websites go down at some point, including the biggest ones like Twitter, Google and Facebook, etc.

But how often is your site down? Most of best-known hosting providers have awful uptime statistics. If your site is hosted by one of them, it may be down more often than is excusable.

These downtimes are especially unfortunate (and frequent) when it’s a busy season and you are supposed to be making money instead of fixing your website. Make sure your site is ready for a holiday season ahead of time.

A great free way to keep an eye on your site downtime is to set up custom alerts inside Google Analytics. You can receive email alerts and text messages (the latter is for the United States only) whenever Google Analytics is not able to record any visits. You can also copy your dev team into each alert.

4. Keep an eye on your brand name mentions

Online reputation management is not only about keeping your brand navigational search results nice and clean of various rip-off reports and negative reviews. It’s also about monitoring your brand mentions and addressing any negative sentiment as it comes.

In many cases a very pissed-off customer can be turned into a brand advocate if their concerns are addressed in real time. People are usually amazed to receive a public Twitter apology and are willing to give the company a second chance.

I use Tweetdeck to spot my brand mentions as they happen. Tweetdeck delivers them right to my desktop, allowing me to skip those that don’t need a reply and quickly engage with those that require my attention.

I also use Cyfe to collect and archive Twitter mentions around the multiple brands I monitor, including my competitors. Cyfe allows you to monitor an unlimited number of Twitter search results – which is handy when you own several brands.

Are there business disasters you have successfully avoided? Please share your stories!

from Search Engine Watch https://searchenginewatch.com/2017/05/04/the-4-scariest-online-marketing-disasters-and-how-to-avoid-them/

[thecoroutfitters]

Written by R. Ann Parris on The Prepper Journal.

//

For a lot of us, companion animals are as much family as the people we don’t really want to see even on the holidays. For some of us, they are working partners, part of our mental well-being, and our therapy all rolled into one. While most of our companion animals are going to be cats and dogs, there are also birds, pigs, goats and even horses that fit the bill of a pet as opposed to solely being livestock. Livestock or pets, we took responsibility for a feeling creature’s life, and we owe it to them to take care of them.

That means adding to the long lists of things we need to do, buy and plan for should our worlds fall apart on either a small-scale or a large-scale.

I’ll mostly focus on the cats and dogs, but a lot will apply to anything, from ferrets to pot-bellied pigs.

Water for Mr. Whiskers

Just like people need food and water, so do our animals. Ferret to bunny, pony to puppy, if the animals dehydrate, we’re in a world of hurt.

Water is going to really be a biggie should the world or nation ever collapse. Try to monitor the water use in winter and in summer, or in high-activity seasons, so we keep at least a week or so on hand for them (ideally more).

With animals, we also have to remember that a lot of them pant. Whether it’s a stress action or cooling action, panting will dry them out and we’ll need to allot extra water for them.

It may be possible to do sub-cutaneous fluids for even very small livestock if it becomes necessary, but ideally, it’s not necessary. In an emergency, we’ll have to monitor our animals just like we do small children and seniors.

Bathing animals may take an even lower priority, but in that case, we may need to come up with a smell and-or pest plan.

Commercially Available Long-Storage Foods

Food might be simple, or it might be more complicated.

There are “normal” commercially available freeze-dried pet foods. There is no way I’d buy them. I’d be totally broke and then my beloved fur-balls would be in a shelter anyway.

There are long-term storage foods available in buckets. The Ready Store sells one, and  MayDay makes another. One of the wholesale bulk warehouse stores sells a bucket of food for cats or dogs as well.

I consider them about on par with Ol’ Roy, on top of being expensive. I do have a couple of buckets of cat food (I really think they came from Costco) but I have every intention of using a Pearson Square to make it part of the protein component and it’s mostly there for helping to clean their teeth.

MRE Depot sells doggy biscuit treats and at one point sold those “quart” #2.5 cans of dog and cat food. However, MRE Depot tends to … think very highly of their products, and I have dogs who consider those single-serving cans.

Plus, again, this is not Blue Buffalo or Nutrish level dining here.

Therefore, I tend to avoid the commercial long-storage options. I either repackage, or I create “normal” food storage for my furry friends.

Repacking for Rufus & Rex

I pack Milky Bones and Alpo squares in mylar and oxygen absorbers, and in canning jars with oxygen absorbers. I keep in several bags of food that get rotated, even with the oil-rancidity risks of our hot Southern summers. (Wowser article that I ignore)

I have tried to repackage bagged pet food in Mylar with oxygen absorbers, but it tends to barely extend the life by 2-4 months – which is not overly worth it to me. In cooler climates, with fewer or smaller animals, it might be worth it to be able to open smaller increments.

Stocking Up for Socks & Spot

I could just buy cans of cat and dog food, but we rarely feed it. That means whole stacks of flats end up donated on a regular basis as it comes time to rotate, and the deductible barely dents replacement costs every year.

While I don’t mind giving some extra love to unwanted shelter animals, I need to be able to take care of mine.

Years ago when imported foods started making animals sick, I started making homemade food. There are a million and five recipes available, with the best options very home and animal-specific.

We had incredible results from it. The older dogs perked up, leaned down, tightened up, and played more. Periodic tummy sensitivities and Gassy Gus went away almost overnight. Attention, retention, and stamina went through the roof.

I no longer make all of our pet feed, but I do still make a portion of it and I tend to make extras of certain foods to add to the scraps our animals get.

For us, a casserole or soup worked best. I make up enormous kettles in one go, freeze a portion, and pull out three days’ worth at a time to defrost. It’s then as easy as scooping.

For an emergency, it won’t be quiet that easy, since I won’t have fridge and freezer space for the pets’ foods, but I will still be making them basically human foods.

Storage Foods for Pets

Powdered Eggs make up the backbone of the protein and fats that are stored for the dogs and cats. Commercially, they’re available as whole eggs or scrambled egg mix. They can also be dehydrated at home if inclined.

Oatmeal, barley, brown rice & white rice are my go-to feeds for the dogs, both in daily life and in the stored foods. The oatmeal especially is cheap, fast, and easy. The grains make for a decent calorie base and belly filler for dogs and rodents.

Potatoes are stocked for both the cats and the dogs, home-dehydrated as well as commercial buckets and #10 cans of slices, dices and grated shreds. I even can baked potato skins, although the cats won’t touch those. They’re full of good nutrients for the dogs.

Apples, Carrots & Sweet Potatoes are present for the cats and dogs, with the dogs a little heavier than the cats on the apples and sweet potatoes or sweet African yams. Again, I can dehydrate them at home, or buy them in affordable bulk to repackage or already set in cans and buckets. The veggies give the animals much-needed vitamins, just as they do us.

Peas are no longer part of my animal-diet plan. Some dogs handle them, some don’t. There are enough other options, I tend to just skip them now, but for years I included them.

Berries are fine for cats and dogs most of the time, but they tend to be expensive and human favorites so with the exception of copiously producing cranberry-equivalent bushes, I don’t allot many to the animals. Cats and dogs are less likely to eat the bitter berries than birds or ferrets.

Greens are dehydrated, purchased dehydrated, and grown in tin soup cans, small Dollar Tree cubes and planters, and outside. They’re also foraged wild. While the animals may not be super wild about them, and the greens should represent a smaller proportion of feed than even something like apples or carrots, they are another one that is stacked-legit with nutrients – especially the nutrients we’ll find lacking in lean animals and winter.

Boiled with something meaty or flat-fried or baked-and-chipped eggs, our cats, dogs, rats, and ferrets will dive on greens just as fast as they will a chunk of salmon jerky or broth from meat trimmings.

Milk gets stored as a calcium source and calorie boost. My animals handle whey milk and soy milk without any problems, so I can buy whatever’s cheapest at the time. Previous animals have handled raw milk and goat milk even if pasteurized was off the table.

Most long-storage milk is fat-free, so I have to be aware and get their fats in from something else.

When’s lunch?

Fish is a major part of my dogs’ and cats’ long-term food storage plan. For a few dollars a year, I can spend days in the sun collecting dozens and hundreds of pounds of feed for them. Skins and some of the organs we don’t even want help boost proteins and oils for the animals.

Especially important with cats, pressure canning or drying fish for storage creates something I can open or soak-and-simmer to create an enticing scent. If cats can’t smell food, they won’t eat.

Without a fishing license or with prohibitive keeper restrictions, tuna in oil and then tuna in water (which will last longer) can make somewhat less-expensive food-flavoring options. There are places that sell cod, shrimp, and salmon, but it tends to be freeze-dried and pretty pricey.

Repacking well-dried jerky-like treats to extend the storage life might be another option to consider to induce kitties to eat.

Peanut Butter Powder is also in my storage for the animals, but it’s there mainly to make them homemade doggy “biscotti” biscuits that will give them something to gnaw and help keep their teeth in better shape.

Wheat & corn are in my storage, but not for my animals. A lot of dogs and cats don’t actually process much corn, and some are sensitive to wheat. With potatoes, rice, and oats inexpensive and compact, I can easily avoid having wheat and corn be their base calories.

Transitioning Foods

Pets or people, we’ll want to plan transitions between foods – almost always. While some animals don’t need it, even transitions between types of kibble or canned foods should be done slowly.

You replace 1/10 to 1/4 the feed for 2-5 days, then another 1/10 or 1/4. If an emergency requires it, you can go ahead and skip to 50-50 blends or 70-30 new-old blends.

My preference is to have dry food as a finisher or by itself at least several times weekly, because it really is better on their teeth. When we transition to smokes and raw bones, we use a step process as well.

It’s my personal belief that because my animals do get scraps and leftovers, and do get trimmings and bones stewed for them, their guts stay ready to process more foods. Skipping a meal or a few days of their usual feeds doesn’t bother my animals’ stomachs at all.

Just like people, animals vary widely, so consult a vet and add those transitions slowly.

Goodies for Evac Kits

Red Cross and FEMA sites are happy to list out supplies to consider for our animals. Whether we’re evac’ing alone, with a cat, or with a trailer of six crated dogs, two goats and three horses, there are some goodies we might want to add to make everybody more comfortable, both during the trip and after.

Portable, battery-operated fans (blow into crates)

Misting systems/bottles

Umbrellas, portable pavilions (shade, rain coverage)

Animal entertainment

Spare towels

Tarps

Treats (even hooved livestock like treats, such as applesauce or sweet pellets)

Hoods

Fly screen/fly hoods/mesh, and-or tiki torches or various Off fan types (flies and mosquitoes are bears)

Pool mattresses (elevated bedding)

Nail trimmers & file (to save the air mattresses)

Garbage bags, kitty litter, shovels (waste cleanup)

Medications

Remember that cats, especially, can’t take a lot of human or dog medications. Those need to be sourced and stocked separately. There are, however, a lot of overlaps between species, fish to humans, pigs to dogs.

We have to research any meds our animals are on or can be anticipated to be on, just like with humans. Contraindication can delay recovery and set animals back if we combine the wrong things, or push them at the wrong intervals. Just like human meds, we’ll want to stock up on prescriptions and OTC drugs our animals have used in the past, or that we can anticipated them needing in the future.

Flea and tick preventatives, dewormers, heartworm preventative, mange washes, lice and flea dips, and ear cleaners are just a few of the things we might consider stocking up on.

Prepping for Furry Friends

There’s a lot to think about with our family disaster plans, big and small. Figuring out how we’re going to take care of our critters – pets or livestock or working animals – just adds to the headache. The moisture content in animal feeds and the expense of some types of feeds can make it seem impossible at first, but with some twitches, we can use standard, inexpensive storage foods to keep the animals fat and happy. There are also things like a water plan and sport umbrellas or mesh screens that will not only make us and animals happier, they can help reduce diseases, illness and heat stroke. It takes a little forethought, be we can absolutely prepare to keep our animals in personal crises or nation-altering events.

The post Prepping for Our Furry Friends – Stuff for Spot appeared first on The Prepper Journal.

from The Prepper Journal Don't forget to visit the store and pick up some gear at The COR Outfitters. How prepared are you for emergencies? #SurvivalFirestarter #SurvivalBugOutBackpack #PrepperSurvivalPack #SHTFGear #SHTFBag

[charllieeldridge]

27 Amazing Things To Do in Athens

There are so many exciting things to do in Athens, it can be hard to decide what to do. Athens is an iconic destination, steeped in ancient history and filled with delicious food options. Yet, despite all this, many people only spend a day or two in Athens before heading to one of the Greek Islands.

This list will help you decide what things to do in Athens during your time there – no matter how long your visit is. I’ve been to Athens twice and love the city — this is definitely one of the best places to visit in Greece.

Read on to learn about the best 27 things to do in Athens!

Note: this list of things to see in Athens has been updated 2020 to reflect the current top things to do, the latest prices, best tours and more. Enjoy your trip to Greece!

1. Climb to the Acropolis

Seeing the 5th century Acropolis is the most popular thing to do in Athens. Of course, this means that everyone wants to go there, including visitors from the cruise ships. My advice is to get there early. The site opens at 8 am and the cruise ship passengers arrive around 10 am.

Most people visit the Acropolis to see the Parthenon but there are several other things to see on the hill, including the Erechtheion, the Arrhephorion, and the Temple of Athena Nike. From the Acropolis, you can see much of Athens and can see all the way to the sea. The entrance fee is €20 ($23.25).

To learn about all of the incredible history here, join a private walking tour. The tour will also take you to the museum (below). There are a few different types of tours you can take, click here to learn more, or click on one of the images below:

2. Visit the Acropolis Museum

This is one of most beautiful museums I have ever been in. It’s filled with natural light, which highlights the artifacts well. Here you can get a close look at the Parthenon frieze replicas on display. The cafe balcony also offers great views of Athens. You can learn more about the Acropolis on my blog.

Either before or after you visit the Acropolis, you must visit the Acropolis Museum. It’s not far from the entrance of the Acropolis and the entrance fee is only €5 ($5.80). Line-ups here can be huge, to skip the line, purchase your ticket ahead of time here, or click the image below. Alternatively, you can buy an all-inclusive ticket for both the museum and the Acropolis here.

3. See Hadrian’s Library

This library is not a library in the sense we know today, it was a place of study, not a place where books were lent. Hadrian’s Library was constructed around 132 AD for housing documents and reading rooms. There’s not much left but you can clearly see the layout of the library and there is excellent signage.

The entrance fee is €4. Hadrian’s Library is located in the Monastiraki neighborhood not far from the Acropolis.

4. Go To Edem Beach

Going to the beach is one of the lesser-known things to do in Athens as most people think you have to go to the islands to enjoy some beach time. Although it’s not one of the best beaches in Greece, it’s still a great place to relax and enjoy the sea.

Take your own towel and umbrella if you want one, as there are none available there. You can get a great meal at the Edem Taverna located on the beach.

To get to Edem Beach, take the Green Line tram at Syntagma Square and take it in the direction of Askllipiio Voulas, and get off at the Edem stop. The 24-hour tram ticket is €4.50 and there is no fee for the beach.

☞ SEE ALSO: Best Places to Visit in January

5. See The Decorations at Little KooK

I discovered Little KooK on my most recent trip to Athens. Each holiday season it’s decorated inside and outside the restaurant. When I was there it was decorated for Halloween.

Little KooK is mainly a dessert cafe, but the top attraction is the decorations. This is probably the most Instagrammable place in Athens besides the Acropolis!

6. Take a Street Art Tour

Street art is easy to find in Athens and ranges from classic graffiti art to modern street art. While you can find much of it on your own in the Plaka area, this tour is offered by a street artist. The artist will take you to the established art as well as new pieces that have recently appeared.

The cost of the tour is €40 ($47.00) for adults, kids 12-17 pay €30, kids 6-11 pay €20 and kids under 6 are free. The tour lasts 3 hours. Have your camera or phone ready to take photos. Click here to learn more about this tour and to book. Or, click on the image below:

7. Grab a Drink at A is For Athens

For the best view of the Acropolis at night, you must have a specialty cocktail at A is For Athens cocktail bar. It’s one of the closest viewing points of the Acropolis. It’s actually a hotel, so you could stay here and see the Acropolis in the morning for breakfast as well!

The cocktails range from €12 to €20. They did not have any soda pop so don’t come here to order a rum and Coke. All of the cocktails have great names referencing Greek history and culture.

☞ SEE ALSO: Top Things To Do in Zakynthos – The Ultimate Guide

8. Eat The Best Yogurtlu and Souvlaki 

O Thanasis is one of the most popular places to eat in the Plaka. It’s so popular that even Greeks eat here. The best thing to eat is the Yogurtlu, which is a beef kebab covered in yogurt on a bed of pita bread.

The Yogurtlu is large enough to split with someone and it will only set you back €9.90. The people at O Thanasis are friendly and not pushy. The souvlaki is also one of the best in town. (Update 2020: a Greek reader has advised us that Agrafa restaurant has the best souvlaki in Athens. Maybe try them both?!…)

9. Visit the Benaki Museum

Visiting the Benaki Museum is one of the best cultural things to do in Athens. The Benaki Museum is the museum of Greek culture ranging from prehistory to the 20th century. The collection offers rooms from houses, large sculptures and smaller items like swords and historic documents.

The museum is a short walk from Syntagma Square. It’s located in a beautiful Neo-classic building and you can enjoy a coffee and the view from the cafe. Admission to the museum is €9.

☞ SEE ALSO: Things To Do in Corfu – A Guide for Travellers

10. Smash Things at Limba Rage Room

Feeling a little stressed out? Need to get some rage out? Limba Rage Room is the place to do just that! You purchase a package (which can include plates, bottles, a tube TV and glasses), and you smash them! It’s a great stress reliever and one of the most unique things to do in Athens.

There are a variety of packages for every budget. They range from €10 to €100. Don’t worry, they give you protective gear to wear. It’s located just down the street from Little KooK.

☞ SEE ALSO: 27 Things To Do in Ios – A Must-Visit Greek Island

11. Drink a Greek Coffee

Sampling a freddo cappuccino is one of the must-do things to Athens. This is just one of three classic Greek coffees, there is also a frappe and a freddo espresso.

The frappe is not like a Starbucks frappe but instead is made with instant coffee, water and sugar (if you choose). The freddo cappuccino is espresso topped with frothy milk. The freddo espresso is just swirled espresso over ice. All of these coffees pack a serious caffeine punch but since they are all served cold, it is great on a hot day in Athens.

12. Visit the Museum of Cycladic Art

The Museum of Cycladic Art is home to one of the most complete private collections of Cycladic Art. This is especially great to see if you won’t be visiting one of the Cycladic islands on your trip to Greece.

Most of the artifacts on display are marble pieces including bottles, plates, and standards. There are some metal objects as well. The pieces of marble are mostly white making them stunning in their simplicity.

This museum in Athens is open Μonday – Wednesday – Friday – Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00, Thursday from 10:00 to 20:00, Sunday from 11:00 to 17:00. The museum is closed on Tuesdays. The entrance fee is €7.

☞ SEE ALSO: The Ultimate Guide to Rhodes Greece

13. Shop in the Plaka

The Plaka is a neighborhood located below the Acropolis. Much of this area has been closed off to traffic, although delivery trucks still are allowed through and some streets are open. The chain stores and more upscale shops are on Ermou Street — where you can find shops like Sephora and H&M.

Then there are tourist shops and lower-end shops, which are further down past Monastiraki Square. Here you can find souvenirs you might want to bring home for your friends and family. Plus, this is a great area for people watching.

14. Watch the Changing of The Guard

This is one of the best things to do in Athens. To catch this weekly event, you must be in Athens on a Sunday. The Changing of the Guard takes place at the Parliament Building at Syntagma. It takes place at 11:00am and is free to watch.

While the guards do change hourly, on Sundays at 11:00 there are more guards than usual, they’re dressed in the traditional Greek uniform and the ceremony is more complex. Sundays are the best day to see the changing of the guards in Athens. And while they may look a little unusual, they are highly trained soldiers called the Evezone.

15. Visit Monastiraki Square

If you sit in Monastiraki Square long enough, I swear you will see everyone in Athens walk by. This is the place to watch tourists and locals interact.

It is also a historic site with a 9th-century church, a 19th-century mosque and in the subway station are antiques found during the building of the metro. This is one of the most bustling places in Athens and chilling out here is one of the best things to do in Athens.

16. Get Custom Made Greek Sandals

While you are shopping in the Plaka, be sure to stop at Pantelis Melissions The Poet Sandalmaker for a pair of custom-made Greek sandals. This shop has been around since 1920 and has been passed down from generation to generation.

You can get a classic pair in basic leather or get a fancy pair with decorations or metallics. The prices range from €40 to €50.

☞ SEE ALSO: Visiting the Meteora Monasteries – The Ultimate Guide

17. Eat Loukoumades

Loukoumades is a Greek donut. It’s a small puff pastry that is soaked in honey and sprinkled with cinnamon. I had one with sesame seeds once too. They are delicious!

The best place in Athens to get loukoumades is at the aptly named Lukumades. It is not far from O Thanasis so after eating your kebab you can have a donut for dessert!

18. Watch the Sunset at Lycabettus Hill

Watching the sunset from Lycabettus Hill is one of the best things to do in Athens. Not only is the sunset stunning, but you get amazing views of Athens from here. You can also see the Acropolis all lit up for the evening.

There is a funicular to take you up and down if you don’t want to climb the hill. The cost for the funicular is €7.50 return or €5 for a one-way ticket.

☞ SEE ALSO: 21 Things To Do in Paros, Greece

19. Visit the National Archaeology Museum

The National Archaeology Museum has many artifacts ranging from prehistory to late antiquity. The artifacts are from all over Greece and the world. It also has an Egyptian collection.

The museum is north of the Acropolis. You can take the metro to the Victoria station and walk from there. The entrance fee is €10.

20. Take a Walking Tour (one of the best things to do in Athens for foodies)

There is a multitude of walking tours to take in Athens. These are great if you want someone to give you the history and background of what you are seeing. If you do one that includes the Acropolis, they usually have a skip the line option which can be great if you are there in the summer.

But, not all the tours in Athens are about history. There is a food tour and a wine tour. The prices vary depending on the length and what is included and range from €39 to €500. Check out these highly-rated foodie tours in Athens:

☞ SEE ALSO: Travel Guide to Kefalonia Greece

21. Take a Day Trip to Hydra

You can still visit a Greek island while on your trip to Athens! Hydra is a small island that allows no cars. Most of the things to do are located right in the port including restaurants and shopping. There is even a swimming spot a five-minute walk away.

Hydra is about an hour ferry ride away if you take the fast ferry. The cost is about €56 return. You catch the ferry at Piraeus port. Spend the day in Hydra and be back in Athens for dinner.

Another option is to join a full-day tour that takes you to Hydra, Poros and Aegina islands aboard a luxury cruise ship. Click here to learn more, or click on the image below:

22. Visit Parliament Building

Even if you don’t see the Changing of the Guard, the Parliament building is worth a visit. It was built between 1836 and 1842 and was home to the first modern King of Greece.

It became the Parliament building in 1935 after the monarchy was abolished in 1929. I suggest seeing it at night when it’s beautifully lit.

☞ SEE ALSO: Visiting Chios Greece – A Guide for Travellers

23. Eat Gyros

You cannot come to Athens and not have a classic gyro. They are available almost everywhere and you can have fun trying to find the best one. A search for your favourite gyro is one of the best things to do in Athens for foodies!

The gyro consists of chicken or lamb, french fries, onions, and tomatoes all wrapped up in soft pita bread. Sometimes you can order them open-faced on a plate. They are pretty big, so if you’ve done tons of walking this is the meal for you!

24. Take a Day Sailing Trip

One of my favorite things to do in Greece is to sail. You can join a sailing trip that lasts all day, or take a half-day tour. You can even sail to some of the islands.

Most of these sails are on catamarans making it easier for the non-sailor to adjust their sea legs. The prices range from €109 to €260. This is one of the best ways to relax in Greece. Click here to learn more, or click on one of the images below:

☞ SEE ALSO: Travel Guide to Lesvos Island

25. Visit the Temple of Poseidon 

This stunning ancient temple sits at the Aegean Sea and was built in the 5th-century. An inscription at the temple confirms that it was built for Poseidon. You should try to be here early in the morning or for sunset. You can sometimes see several islands on a clear day from the temple.

Technically this is a day trip from Athens as it’s 70kms south of the city. There is a bus from Athens from the Mavromateon Terminal and you can also get it from Syntagma Square. Look for the bus going to Sounio. The bus fare one-way is €6.90.

If you’d rather join a tour, check out this highly-rated half-day tour to Poseidon:

26. Stroll Through the Roman Agora

The Roman Agora is located right down the hill from the Acropolis. It was built as a marketplace after Athens became part of the Roman Empire in the 1st-century.

When I was there, it was very empty making a nice change from the crowds of the Acropolis. It’s a nice place to explore. However, there is not much signage so you may have to look things up after you go. The entrance fee is €6.

27. Explore the Athens Central Market

This is the classic outdoor market with shouting vendors and all the smells that come along with it. I discovered it when I stayed in a hotel right in the market. The fruits in Greece look and smell amazing so even if you don’t buy anything it’s still a great place to visit.

The other thing to note is that most of the vendors don’t speak English, but you can point to items that you’re interested in and use sign language (or a translation app). There’s also meat and fish if you are in self-catering accommodation. I loved this market because it felt like such an authentically Greek experience.

Ready to Visit Athens?

As you can see there are so many things to do in Athens. You can even make a theme for each day you are there — exploring all the food options, seeing all the archaeology sites, and aimlessly exploring and seeing what you can discover!

See Also: The Ultimate Guide To Travelling Greece & The Greek Islands

Have you been to Athens? What was your favorite thing to do while you were there?

Note: Images in this article are courtesy of Shutterstock.com.

Like This Article? Pin it!

  The post 27 Amazing Things To Do in Athens appeared first on Goats On The Road.

27 Amazing Things To Do in Athens published first on https://travelaspire.weebly.com/