Just don’t get sidetracked in Vegas. That’s the key to arriving in Zion National Park from San Diego within a day with enough daylight left to explore the canyons. The park, located in the southwest …
December 11, 2012
United States
A Guide to Zion
June Lake's Open for Business
Even with the unexpected winter closure of June Mountain*, skiers and snowboarders are finding June Lake village to be a welcome getaway – to get away from the crowds of nearby Mammoth. While Mammoth's skiing …
December 10, 2012
Tiny Talkeetna, Alaska
A short jaunt north of Anchorage, Alaska, is the quaint town of Talkeetna, considered the jumping-off point for climbers looking to tackle Mt. McKinley. Talkeetna suddenly swells in size starting in April through July. That's …
Foie Gras... or Faux Pas?
Whether you're a foodie, a farmer or an animal rights’ activist, you’ll learn a lot and clear up many misconceptions by visiting Hudson Valley Foie Gras. You may have seen the episode of No Reservations …
December 3, 2012
Groveland's Gold-Rush Era Watering Hole
Sitting approximately 25 miles from the western gate of Yosemite National Park is Groveland, CA. The town straddles highway 120 and is as rooted in the past as any other you will see on this …
November 29, 2012
Urban Retreat: SF's Angel Island
On a recent visit to the San Francisco Bay Area, we decided to escape the congestion of the inner city. If you’ve never visited Angel Island, it should be on your priority list when visiting …
November 19, 2012
Lopez Island, Washington
Z and I arrive by evening ferry at the nondescript dock of Lopez Island. A sign by the terminal advises that “All at large dogs will be detained” – curious, to say the least. We …
November 10, 2012
Homer, Alaska
In 1896, Homer Pennock arrived in a sleepy seaside hamlet in southern Alaska hoping to strike a fortune. He managed the Alaska Gold Mining Company, but his mining ventures ultimately failed. Pennock left the area …
November 8, 2012
Day Trip to NYC: Art + Food
There are lots of reasons why you might like to have a handy day-trip plan for NYC. Perhaps you’re sitting bored out of your tree in one of the many cities that supports a super-discount …
November 6, 2012
The Queen Mary... Haunted?
Believe it or not, it wasn't the grand allure of the luxurious Queen Mary ocean liner that prompted me to stay there recently. Nor was it the many historically fascinating facts attributed to its name. …
October 30, 2012
Paolo's Phoenix: Cosanti, Arizona
In Paradise Valley, overlooking the 70,900-acre Agua Fria National Monument, is the Cosanti gallery, studio and home to 93-year-old anti-materialist architect and urban planner Paolo Soleri. It isn’t surprising that this author of six books, …
October 29, 2012
L.A. Day Trip: Watts Towers and Eames House
I braved Carmageddon II on a September Saturday and visited L.A. to explore the individual creations of two iconoclastic L.A. visionaries. Located in vastly different sections of L.A., the Watts Towers and Eames House represent …
October 25, 2012
Sweet People
If I were asked to describe myself using ten adjectives, “tact” would not be among them. So it was that, upon being introduced to a young man at the opening reception for David’s latest photographic …
October 24, 2012
Whidbey Island, WA
A hot sun overhead, we roll into Coupeville in the early afternoon and stop in at Toby’s Tavern on the town’s historic port waterfront. The bartender, a raspy woman in a Harley-Davidson vest, lists off …
October 22, 2012
Hangin' with the Colonel in Bardstown, KY
One of the most recognizable advertising logos in the world is Col. Harlan Sanders for KFC. This is pretty much the extent of what most people know about the Kentucky Colonels, though some have an …
October 22, 2012