Hey girl, you rock!

Yes, folks, I rock! And I rock, two times!! Well, at least according to two of my favorite blogger friends: Tracy of Alaskan Adventures and Cookie of ScroochChronicles. :) Thank you so much, you two, I am extremely flattered yet humbled and touched that you think so. I happen to think you both rock too!

If you haven't already had the pleasure of meeting these two lovely women, let me give you a little introduction. Tracy is a fellow travel junkie who shares my love for adventure and the occasional adrenalin fix. I've been reading her blog since I first discovered blogs. She has a flair for writing about her life on the road that makes you feel like you were right there with her, or at the very least makes you want to be right there with her. Don't let her tag line deceive you, she's anything but ordinary. She is a very independent woman whose courage and determination I admire greatly.

Cookie is a loving mama to two adorable and lucky little girls. She writes mostly heartwarming stories that reflect the joys of motherhood. Her love and devotion to her family is truly remarkable. Cookie's blog is all that and more, like Forest's box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get. That's one of the things I like most about her. She's a multi-faceted woman and it shows in her posts.

So now it's my turn to spread the love. As usual, this is going to be tough, very very tough. Since I started reading blogs about two years ago, I've 'met' so many strong, intelligent, funny and incredible women who have so generously shared their lives with whoever cared to listen. I really think they all rock. And as much as I'd like to give this award to all of them, I don't think it's supposed to work that way. So I'll pick seven, just because I like that number.

Joey of 80 Breakfasts - If haven't already met Joey, you need to head on over to her blog right now. There you'll find a lady of immense talent. The talent to create enticing dishes, the talent to capture some of the most beautiful food shots, the talent to entertain you with her colorful stories, and most importantly to me, the talent to remain a trusted and loyal friend for life. Yes, this girl truly rocks my world!

Rowena of Rubber Slippers in Italy -Rowena is an island girl living in the Lombardy region of Italy. Can you imagine how wonderful that must be? She weaves stories of food and travel together so beautifully that I love to live vicariously through her and her cute-as-a-button pup Maddie. Rowena is a genuinely warm person who I hope to meet someday.

Bee of Rasa Malaysia - I discovered Bee's site before a trip to Kota Kinabalu earlier this year. I was researching Malaysian cuisine and serendipitously stumbled upon this gem. Her gorgeous photography and mouth-watering recipes lured me in and made me a willing captive. After my trip and hours spent reading her blog, I developed a better understanding and deep appreciation of Malaysian cuisine of which I am grateful. This Bee rocks the blog hive!

Mae of Rice and Noodles - Mae constantly blows my mind with her photographs and writing. Her blog is one of the classiest in the blogosphere and it's always such a delight to visit. You just know she's the type of woman who can accomplish anything she puts her mind to. She's a creative genius and her talent extends beyond the kitchen. Check out her beautiful photography here.

Wysgal of Rants & Raves - Wysgal is an apt nickname for her, for she's wise beyond her years. And her blog is a wonderful resource for all things notable - be they restaurant reviews, books, articles, travel destinations and music. She's about to embark on an exciting two year journey at Wharton, yup, this lady is definitely going places and I'm eager to read all about it!

Mila of Watergirl - Mila rocks because she's an intelligent and sensitive woman and a very thoughtful and generous friend. What initially brought us together was a shared passion for football (or soccer to some of you), but what sustained our friendship was a most basic formula of great conversation, comfortable company and a love of good food.

Shalimar of Wanderlust Sha - It's funny how I first discovered Shalimar. I was toying with the idea of naming my own blog Wanderlust (in fact I do have a registered blog with 1derlust in the addy, and was supposed to name it the Wanderings of a gypsy soul) but didn't want to 'steal it' from anyone who was already using it. So I did an extensive search and found Sha. The first thing that caught my attention was that she was Filipina too and that she lived in Greece and travelled often. I knew at that instant I was in for a wonderful journey. Shalimar is a rockin woman with a rockin job that has her travelling to the most beautiful ports and discovering the most wonderful food along the way. She makes me wish I could trade lives with her even for a day.

Keep on rockin' ladies! And feel free to spread the love... :)