It’s time to start thinking about Italy again. Although that presumes that I’ve ever stopped thinking about it. With the new year fully underway, we’re beginning to sort through details, watch airfares, and think about how we want to spend our time there this year. It will be a shorter trip this year, probably only three weeks as compared with nearly a month last year. At least one of those weeks will be spent at our favorite spot in Tuscany, La Montalla. It’s currently covered with snow, but in the summer it is beautiful with the blooms, olive trees, and grapevines. I can nearly taste the pici pasta and pecorino cheese and I think about it. I love Italy for a variety of reasons, and the planning part brings it all back. Up for grabs is the remaining two weeks. […]
Read MoreNew Year, New Places, New List
I love lists. I’ve made them all my life, from things to do, to resolutions and goals, books to read, and just things to think about. I was a fan of the various book of lists that have been published over the years, and love looking at list that others have made to see how they compare to mine. With the coming of a new year, I decided to sit down and write my travel bucket list. I had to limit it to 100 items – without a limit I would still be listing and this post would never get published. I had a few other self-imposed rules: the list could include specific experiences or general destinations; there had to be a mix of domestic and international locations and experiences; I could not include anything that I knew for certain […]
Read MoreSplendor in San Francisco: Visiting the Palace of Fine Arts
In the middle of San Francisco’s Walter S. Johnson Park, sits the Palace of Fine Arts, an easily recognizable piece of San Francisco architecture. You’ve likely seen it in many photographs, with attractive shots both by day and by night, so you’ll want to make plans for visiting the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, California. The Palace was designed as part of the 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition, an event hosted by San Francisco to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal. It was also seen as an opportunity for San Francisco to rise from the ashes of the devastating 1906 earthquake and fire. A site was chosen in what is now known as the Marina District, and architect Bernard Maybeck designed the Roman-themed/Greek-styled Palace of Fine Arts. Exposition exhibits are temporary and therefore made with collapsible materials, so […]
Read MoreWhere I’ve Been: The 2011 Edition
As I start the New Year, as I do every year, I take stock of where I’ve been. It’s only by knowing where I’ve been that I can plan where I want to go. I have a long, and I mean VERY LONG, list of places that I’d like to go. I no sooner cross a place off than I add two or three more. I’ve accepted that the list will never grow shorter! Here’s where I stand as of January 1st, 2011. The US States I’ve visited (32 of 51, which includes the District of Columbia): And, the countries that I’ve visited (21, or 9% of the world). Note to self: visit bigger countries! I clearly have a ways to go – both in getting to all 50 states, as well as becoming a member of the Centennial Club […]
Read MoreREVIEW: Beyond the Pasta
When I think about Italy, which I often do, it’s not the attractions or the countryside that capture my attention. Oh sure, it’s beautiful and there are lots of incredible sights to see, but what really speaks to me is the food. In my opinion, what makes Italy so fascinating and appealing is its food, wine, and people. As I start planning my trip for this year, I’ve gotten together with friends to talk about what we want to see and do. In no time at all the conversation quickly turns to our favorites restaurants. The fabulous osso buco, the freshest tomatoes for the delicious bruschetta, the hand-rolled pici pasta, and the soft and creamy burrata. In fact, I’m already salivating for the delicious mushroom soup at Latte di Luna. Every time we get started talking about the delicious dishes, […]
Read More2010 Travel Year in Review
It’s been a busy year of traveling, both in Europe and much closer to home. It’s always fun for me to look back on where I’ve been over the year, so I can plan where I want to go the following year. Here are the highlights from 2010: January Starting the New Year with a stay in Seattle, I saw the fireworks at the Space Needle from the warmth and coziness of my hotel room. A sponsored trip to Spokane took me back to a city that I’ve been away from for far too long. The occasion for the visit was the US Figure Skating Championships (in preparation for the Winter Olympics), but while there I got to see so much more of the city. From a gondola ride over the river to a ride on the carousel in River […]
Read MoreTips for the Forgetful Traveler
At some point it’s bound to happen: As you are rushing around to check out of your hotel room, you leave your iPod behind. Or, while you’re reaching into your briefcase, it tips over and you don’t notice that you cell phone has spilled out. Or, you reach for your credit card and can’t find it, then realize you left it at the restaurant the night before. Or, when you get home, you reach for your camera to download those photos, and can’t find in anywhere. Ever happen to you? If so, you know the feeling of sheer panic that runs through you as you try to backtrack your movements to figure out where to start looking for your gadgets. Did you leave something in your hotel room? Did it get left behind on the plane or in a cab? Is […]
Read MoreShopping in Tonalá, Mexico
Tonalá is a city of around 350,000 located near Guadalajara, in central Mexico. The city is well known for its ceramics, glass, and other native arts and crafts, and you can see them all and the city’s open air markets held on Thursday and Sunday. Market days will find the neighborhoods full of goods displayed on the sidewalks, and often spilling out into the streets. Ceramics, pottery, glassware, and papier mâché items are all good buys. Bring cash for your shopping in the market. Bring pesos, as most stalls will not take US currency. If you know a little Spanish it will come in handy. Although many locals do speak a little English, there is some bargaining involved at the market, and it may very well take a combination of Spanish, English, and some gestures, to make yourself understood. If […]
Read MoreTraveling Safely with Your Bling
Jewelry can make an outfit, no doubt about it, and what’s not to like about diamonds, gold, and other precious gems and metals?! If you want to bring your jewelry when you’re traveling, however, you’re going to need give some thought to how you’re going to keep your items safe. My first recommendation is simple: leave the good stuff at home. Whether it’s expensive gold and stones, or heirloom pieces, there are too many risks of it going missing: losing it, having it stolen from a hotel room, or becoming a target for muggers by flaunting a little too much bling. Plus, when traveling in parts of the world where the cost of those diamond earrings would feed a family for five years, I think it shows an incredible lack of sensitivity and consideration to flash your jewels. Don’t get me […]
Read MoreThese Are a Few of My Favorite (Travel Gear) Things
Travel means contending with increasing air fares and sourcing the best flight times and pricing, facing the unpleasant reality of ever increasing add-on fees of airlines and hotels, contending with airport security, and juggling the demands of a lifestyle on the road and loved ones at home. What makes it all easier? Loving what we do, of course, but also the convenience and enjoyment of the travel gear that we pack along with us. Here are a few of my favorite items of travel gear, both high tech and low tech. These are the things that I never leave home without! Eee netbook from Asus – I bought my Netbook last year wanting something lightweight while traveling in Europe for a few weeks. I relied on a lot of the research that Austin over at Travellious had done, and have […]
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