Amanda Woods

Visiting the Jersey Shore: Officials Encourage Tourists to Come to the Shore, Post-Hurricane Sandy

Nearly four months after the Jersey Shore suffered the brunt of Hurricane Sandy, tourism officials insisted that visitors return to the shore, saying it's "up for business."

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West: Airline Greeter Allowed Celebrity Couple to Bypass Security Checkpoint at JFK

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West were allowed to bypass a security checkpoint at JFK Airport on Tuesday, a violation that contributed to a delay in the flight they were about to board to Los Angeles.

All-in-One Travel Outfit: Winter Sun Outfit Created by U.K. Company Appropriate for Winter and Summer

Travelers often ask the question, "What do I wear?" -- especially if they're jet-setting from a cold country to a hot one.

Teen Sues Parents: Judge Grants Restraining Order to Prevent Parents From Forcing Daughter's Abortion

A two-months-pregnant Texas teenager is suing her own parents, saying that they forced her to have an abortion, according to Fox News.

Black Widow Bites Golfer: Woman Saves Herself on Australian Golf Course After Suffering Potentially Fatal Spider Bite

Just before Daniela Holmqvist of Sweden began her day of competition at the ISPS Handa Australian Open in Yarralumla, Australia, she felt a sharp stab in her ankle, Golf Digest Woman reported.

Travel Terms that Don’t Exist But Should: From the Common to the Unexpected, New Words to Describe Our Travel Experiences

Sometimes trail confronts us with experiences that are difficult to describe in the words we know. But Lovely Planet came up with 30 words to describe such experiences, from situations we face at the airport, to the kinds of fellow travelers we encounter, to our own travel habits.

'Ape Woman' Buried After 150 Years: Remains of Woman Displayed as Freak at Worldwide Circuses Returned Home for Memorial

An indigenous Mexican woman once described as the "ugliest woman in the world" has returned home to Mexico for a Mass and burial 150 years after her death -- a memorial of her life spent at circuses around the world, displayed as a freak of nature.

Girl With IQ of 161: Essex, UK Teenager Lauren Marbe Smarter than Albert Einstein

When Lauren Marbe, 16, of Essex, UK, took an IQ test for fun with her classmates, she didn't expect the results -- she scored a 161, higher than Prof. Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates and Albert Einstein -- all of whom scored 160s, according to SWNS.com.

Warzone Tourism: Many Choosing to Vacation in War-Torn Nations

When Andrew Drury visited Uganda with his cousin Nigel Green, he unknowingly crossed the border into a war-torn nation, ending up at a Congolese banana plantation, where a knife-wielding farmer chased him.

Fat Tuesday: Rain Doesn’t Stop New Orleans Mardi Gras Festivities

Although rain was in the forecast in New Orleans on Tuesday, Mardi Gras revelers made the most of it, cheering on glitzy floats and participating in family-friendly activities in the city's annual bash the day before Lent begins.

Tokyo Dirt Menu: One Restaurant in Japan’s Capital Offers Meal Sprinkled with Dirt

One menu at a restaurant in Tokyo, at first glance, seems typical -- a truffle soup, followed by oysters and a main course of flounder with risotto and vegetables. The meal comes with a side of potatoes, and the dessert is a scoop of ice cream, CNN reported.

Sick, Skinny Sea Lions in California: More Than 90 Malnourished and Dehydrated Sea Lion Pups at San Pedro’s Marine Mammal Care Center

The Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro, Calif. has seen a surprisingly large number of malnourished, dehydrated sea lion pups coming into its shelter for care this year -- over 90 of them total.

Donald Byrd Dies: 1950s and ’60s Jazz Trumpeter Passes Away at 80

Donald Byrd, a leading jazz trumpeter from the 1950s and 1960s, died on Feb. 4 in Dover, Del. at 80 years old, The New York Times reported.

Sarai Sierra: Body of Staten Island Woman Slain in Turkey Returned to New York

The body of Sarai Sierra, the Staten Island mother killed in Turkey while on a solo vacation, returned to the U.S. on Thursday. Turkish Airlines provided the transportation for free, NBC News reported.

Ted Nugent State of the Union: Rocker, Gun Enthusiast, Second Amendment-Defender to Attend Obama’s Speech

Ted Nugent, known as a hero for many conservatives because of his staunch defense of Second Amendment rights and his incendiary Obama insults, will be present at the president's State of the Union address Tuesday night, The New York Times' Caucus blog reported.