Bonnie Carroll's Life Bites

2024 has been yet another year filled with challenges for all Americans and people throughout the world. The Corona virus Pandemic seems to have passed, people are getting flu shots, and everyone is traveling! The war in the Ukraine, as well as the violence in the middle-east has brought so many changes, sacrafices, and cautions. The incoming parties are forcing their agendas on every aspect of our society. Pray for America! Please protect yourself and your loved ones and travel safely and carefully in 2025.

Huge congratulations to President Joseph Biden on a job well done at the Whitehouse. I'm proud of him and very proud of Kamala Harris for the manner in which she handled her Presidential campaign. Such unexpected and serious challenges this year. I pray for our US Citizens, for the world leaders who must strive for peace on earth. Let's all pray God will give our leaders wisdom, humility, honesty, strength, courage, control, and cooperation as well as united support to take America through some very troubled waters and to be a light for the world.

Prayers for Citizens and families who are suffering due to illness and financial insecurity during the holidays and in to the new year. Especially, those suffering in the Ukraine and Middle-East.

We hope you who are traveling and continue to enjoy visits to great hotels, restaurants, and travel destinations especially those that appear in our monthly online magazine have a great 2025 agenda. Don't miss our news in Culinary Coup this month and look for the deadline for California Strawberry Festival art contest.

Special thanks for access to all the wonderful places, people and things we have covered in 2024, to all the tourism and public relations professionals we have worked with, and to all our readers, supporters and kind advertisers. You're the best!

Don't miss the Golden Globes being presented this month and the upcoming Oscars in January. For the list of nominees and additional information visit www.goldenglobes.com, Oscsrs www.oscars.org. or see details Tinsel Town Tidbits in LBN. The Santa Barbara International Film Festival will be in full swing February 4-15, 2025, check their site with an amazing lineup of films and celebrity appearances on the schedule. Visit www.sbiff.org for details or ticket purchase.

Oscars are around the corner, and this year includes a lineup of amazing films, glitzy events, and awards to be presented that are magical. The stars will be out at the upcoming Santa Barbara International Film Festival and Bonnie Carroll's Life Bites News will be there getting you all the fun and fantastic details. Hope you enjoy our annual Life Bites News "Best of 2025" list below, and we warmly congratulate those being honored.

Check Tinsle Town Tidbits for story coverage on the December SBIFF Kirk Douglas Award 2024 at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara Resort in Santa Barbara.

We have some interesting national and international travel news on the horizon, as well as coverage on Savvy Seniors Holiday Event, and the Grace Fisher Winter Music Festival at the Granada Theatre.

Our BookBites section has details on special new year releases, hot new reads, communication world news, and art news. Look for details on upcoming LA Times Travel Show in future LBN travel issues.

Please join me in praying for our troops fighting in foreign lands, and for all our men and women who serve our great country. Prayer works . . .pray for peace.

January 1 is the birthday of my late mother Rosaleen Joyce, and January 19 the birthday of my late cousin (who was like a sister to me) Joyce Stein Justin - I miss them, and will be thinking of them often during this month of January 2025; my own birthday is January 9 and LBN is 21 this month. I will be celebrating January 9 on San Marco Square in Venice, Italy. Cheers!

Bonnie Carroll's Life Bites News will be celebrating its 21st birthday January 1. We thank you so much for your support and hope you keep coming back. For advertising information or story submissions please contact us at writebc@aol.com.

Please look for our new online travel/lifestyle publication www.coastingwithbonnie.com up for the new year and full of fun senior travel fun and helpful tips. Join me and get inspired to travel. Take a cruise, enjoy our world. CoastingwithBonnie Podcast will premiere February 14, 2025 and we hope you will join us for a very sweet and interesting adventure on Italian desserts.

PR people please contact the editor with questions regarding journalist/photo assignments.