ARTICLES
Read Tamara's Travel & Food Publications
Return to Chautauqua: A Love Story 30 Years in the Making
Want to listen to the article? Great–listen here! When I was 21, I discovered Chautauqua Institution during a summer stay in a family cottage belonging to my...
The “I Love Lucy” Experience at Chautauqua Harbor Hotel
Want to listen to the article? Great–listen here! I cherished watching I Love Lucy with my Bubbe, lying side by side on her shag carpet as matzoh...
Small Bladder, Big Adventures: Navigating Travel With Frequent Rest Stops
Want to listen to the article? Great–listen here! Are you the kind of traveler who needs frequent rest stops? Then read one woman’s story of...
Return to Chautauqua: A Love Story 30 Years in the Making
Want to listen to the article? Great–listen here! When I was 21, I discovered Chautauqua Institution during a summer stay in a family cottage belonging to my...
I'm a member of:
Travel Organization
I’ve traveled to 77 countries, mostly solo and/or with children, and I’ve published articles/essays in 60+ outlets including the New York Times, New York Magazine, Newsweek, Business Insider, and Salon.
I also have a Ph.D. in the Social Sciences, in Applied Linguistics, where I studied 7+ languages. I am a Middle East and North Africa scholar, and my Ph.D. research focuses on language, culture, and identity in the Middle East and beyond. I use anthropological/ethnographic methods in my writing, including my travel writing. I like to dive deep and move beyond the listicle (though a fun listicle is also great!)
My greatest qualities are my curiosity and fascination with the world— I love learning about people and places while meeting new friends along the way.
My travel specialties and interests:
🩷 Solo female
🩷 Empty Nester/Gen Xer
🩷 Girls’ getaways
🩷 Pink/feminine/girly
🩷 Quirky/fun/unique/colorful
🩷 Luxury/extraordinary/sparkly experiences
🩷 Vegetarian/vegan/animals/environment/outdoorsy
🩷 Alcohol-free
🩷 Decaf coffee fanatic
🩷 Slow/low adventure (nothing too fast or too high)
🩷 Water/beaches/cruising
🩷 Glamping
🩷 History/Music/Art
🩷 Social activism/investigative journalism/complex histories
🩷 Profiles
🩷 Searching for unicorns
I live in the desert Southwest🌵and am a Cancer, so I’m always seeking water wherever I go— be it a beach, lake, waterfall, stream… you name it. 🏖️
Fun fact: I own an ambulance I converted into a camper van. I named her “Glambulance” because she’s the prettiest darn ambulance you'll ever see. So, anything sparkly, glittery, glammy is my thang. ✨
Dr. Tamara MC's a Contributor to Over 60 Outlets
Dr. Tamara MC's Wall of Icons
These incredible women have influenced Tamara as mentors from afar.
FAQs
My name is pronounced:
“Tamara” like the sun will come out tomorrow.
“MC” like emcee, not McDonalds.
My students often call me Doc MC, and you can too.
Someone who believes in the magical strength of all girls, women, and female-identifying humans to live free in matriarchal magnificence.
And yes, I did make up this title.
Pink is power. Unicorns represents our eternal search for magic.
Joy is transgressive. Being joyful is activism.
“Joy and pain
Like sunshine and rain”
(From the lyrics of Rob Base.)
Absolutely!
This is an inclusive space, and anyone who supports our mission is welcome.
I’ve loved Barbie since I was a little girl. She was able to do all the things I dreamed of before I was physically able.
Barbie was my girl way before the movie premiered.
Absolutely nothing. That’s exactly why unicorns are the symbol of my brand and my website. Unicorns stand for freedom.
No! She has no training or certificates in these areas, just a lifetime of experience.
