Welcome to Home Turf Media and the latest edition of the Carnival of Cities; it’s nice to have it touch down at “home base” for a week.

I also want to take this opportunity to invite bloggers to come to Chicago, Illinois, USA for the BlogHer blogging conference July 27-29, 2007. I’ll be a speaker/panelist on Day One and would love to meet you in person! Yes, men are absolutely most welcome….

Here we go around the world….

  **  Cities in the Americas **

New York, New York, USA   Think you’ve seen it all in the Big Apple?  Mandy takes us on an underground journey to find hidden NY : “The Book” posted at New York City Blog.  Apparently there’s a ”….virtually unknown work of art underneath the streets of New York City.” 

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA   If you’d like to see how the TV wizards make over a house in paradise, you’ll be glad to know that Extreme Makeover pays a visit to Honolulu.   Blogging at Homespun Honolulu, Evelyn says, ”Extreme Makeover Home Edition selected a home in Honolulu as one of their projects!” 

Kankakee, Illinois, USA   TherapyDoc does social work, helps look into your head and provide therapy, and also takes a fun bike ride in Doe a Dear.  Blogging at Everyone Needs Therapy, she says, ”Kankakee State Park is on the river, and it’s a nice park. But we also had fun just driving home through the nearby towns. Every once in awhile a person has to get OUT of the city.”  Doc is in Chicago, in case you’re trying to place Kankakee on a map.

Puerto Pirámides, Argentina      Vanessa Latimer tells us that Puerto Piramides offers more than just…whales (Southern Right Whales, that is) posted at Argentina’s Travel Guide.  Thanks for the insight into Patagonia….it’s always great to get a Carnival submission from a place in the Americas other than the USA.  Canada, where are you?

Atherton, California, USA   Oh, those Californians and their real estate woes.  Actually, Silicon Valley Blogger’s post about ten ways to handle that problem property next door has some really good tips for homeowners everywhere, including my own neighborhood in Texas that has a couple of, ahem, problem properties. SVB writes about Silicon Valley (south of San Francisco, near San Jose) in The Digerati Life. 

Fort Fisher, North Carolina, USA   A local man provided color and a human face to a coastal North Carolina town. Bella writes about the Fort Fisher Hermit at her blog ~Bella’s Life on the Island~.

Washington DC, USA   Jon Rochetti blogs about a special exhibit running through mid-September, the Wings of Fancy - Live Butterfly Exhibit at Brookside Gardens near DC in suburban Wheaton, Maryland, where you can “see 30 species of butterflies flying freely (indoors) among tropical plants in a lush garden environment.” Jon blogs at The DC Traveler – Washington DC travel & tourism information. 

New York, New York, USA   Are you a fan of Google maps?  Now you can get street-level views; take a look as shedwa presents 15 NYC sites to see in Google Street View posted at his blog shedwa.

Seattle, Washington, USA   Mary Jo Manzanares says that a former Seattle Oceanaire Chef is on Season 3 of Top Chef (the Oceanaire restaurants are in Seattle and San Diego.)  Apparently Chef Brian’s rattlesnake and eel didn’t pick up many kudos, but better luck next round.  Mary Jo blogs at The Seattle Traveler.

  **  Cities in Europe  **

Munich, Germany   Jul is taking a break and mellowing out in Munich, and yes, there is beer involved.  She’s an expat who blogs and posts great photos at This non-American Life.  

Paris, France   Life has its little requirements, like personal grooming, but traveler Laurie Hertzel found that buying nail clippers on the Champs-Elysées was just a little more frustrating and expensive than she’d expected. Laurie blogs at THE FOOTBALL FAMILY FORUM. 

Preston, United Kingdom   Riversider reports on recent flooding in the town and what would have happened if a proposed barrage had been built downstream and the impact on draining the floodwaters; Were We Glad the Ribble Was at Low Tide? This post and others at Save The Ribble. 

Amsterdam, the Netherlands   Seafarer says to pay no attention to all of those stories about drugs and the red-light district; you can certainly travel with kids to Amsterdam.  She blogs at Family Travel: See The World With Your Kids on BootsnAll.

  **  Cities in Asia  **  

Mauritius, Indian Ocean   Alfa King hurried home from work to catch the Finance Minister talking for two hours about fiscal issues on Budget Day in Mauritius.  What a concept; someone who is interested in the workings of his government. :) He blogs and enjoys the beautiful Indian Ocean sunsets at Alfa King Memories.

Christchurch, New Zealand   Liz Lewis recommends that you hop on the tram for a quick tour of Christchurch, her hometown. She blogs at Christchurch Tour Guide, saying, “One of the best ways of finding your way around Christchurch is to take a ride on the tram. Take the full trip or hop on and off as you please…”

That concludes this edition, and thanks so much for visiting. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Cities using our carnival submission form; it will be hosted by Liz Lewis in Christchurch and will publish Monday, June 25th. Past posts and future hosts of the Carnival can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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