Falana lived a life of glitz and glamour through most of the 1980s, including a famous night at the casino when she won a small stake in the New York Mets during a game of baccarat in 1983. Instead of immediately selling her stake, she took an interest in the team for a period of time before going on to sell it in 1988 for $14m. Sadly she wasn't selling it because she'd lost interest; she was selling it because her health was deteriorating.
Falana suffered a severe bout of multiple sclerosis in 1987. It left her partially blind and paralyzed down her left side. She was eventually able to recover some movement, but her career as a performer was over. She recorded one more song in 1995, but never took to the stage again. During her extended recovery, Falana became very religious, and gave up her public life completely to focus on pursuing spirituality. She is believed to be still alive and living in the Philadelphia area.
Wondering where to go in 2020 for an amazing deal, to beat the crowds, or for a truly once-in-a-lifetime travel experience? These destinations are on travel addicts’ radar for rightfully hyped 2020 events, new offerings, and recent developments that make them a must-visit right now.
On top of the majestic scenery its long been known for, Montana is a newly trendy nature getaway celebrated for its expanding luxury hotel scene, culinary offerings, and shop-local boutiques, according to an American Express study detailing where cardholders are traveling in 2020. But Montana is also about to get more accessible than ever before thanks to emerging flight routes sure to stir up competition. Launching two brand-new seasonal routes to Big Sky country, American Airlines will fly from New York’s LaGuardia Airport to Bozeman and Kalispell, Montana, beginning mid-year and continuing through Labor Day. Take advantage of the new direct route before the secret gets out, and so that they’ll continue next year.
One of the cities featured in Booking.com’s travel trends for 2020, Urugay’s capital Montevideo is a stable and LGBT-friendly destination to visit in South America—a continent that’s seen dips in tourism of late thanks to political instability in travel destinations like Brazil, Chile, and Argentina. Travelers identified the city as a trending travel destination for anyone seeking an immersive, one-stop escape; according to the study, “over half (54 percent) of global travelers say they want to go on one long trip to a place that has all of their favorite activities and sights close together.” Montevideo’s offerings include beaches, nightlife, markets, theaters, culinary prowess, and festive Gay Pride Day celebrations in September.
Europe’s intensely overtouristed spots (Venice, Barcelona, Santorini) have new Eastern European hotspots to thank for stealing away some of the spotlight: Romania is making a name for itself as one of the top five most trending Airbnb booking destinations for 2020. The nation that’s home to Transylvania, Dracula’s castle, and well-preserved medieval towns nestled among rolling hills has seen a 298 percent annual increase in Airbnb bookings.