Enjoy a few leisurely hours driving east along picturesque Carmel Valley Road, just off Highway 1 near Carmel, California, where you can stop, taste and shop for veggies and herbs on an organic farm and …
January 8, 2013
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Stories by Bonnie Maffei
Taste Carmel Valley, CA
The French Riviera: Nice, Èze and Monte-Carlo
Discover for yourself the many faces of Monte-Carlo and the surrounding French Riviera. On the way to break the bank in Monte-Carlo, Monaco, lovers of modern art will want to spend time in nearby Nice …
March 31, 2010
Indulge in Monte-Carlo, Monaco
The Nice-Cote d’Azur International Airport is a half-hour drive from one of the most unique places on the planet. A district of the Principality of Monaco, Monte-Carlo is located in the French Riviera on the …
Morro Bay, California
“The sun was shining on the sea, Shining with all his might... ‘O, Oysters, come and walk with us!’ The Walrus did beseech. ‘A Pleasant walk, a pleasant talk, Along the briny beach...’” – from …
February 23, 2010
The Bay Area's Best Kept Secret: Capitola-by-the-Sea
What? Never heard of Capitola? If you haven’t yet ventured that far north, you’re missing one of the Bay Area’s well-kept secrets. A quaint, colorful village, Capitola-by-the-Sea, ten minutes south of Santa Cruz, is slightly …
December 16, 2009
Temecula and Escondido Wine Country
In Greek mythology, Bacchus (aka Dionysus), the god of wine, is said to inspire artists, musicians and poets and bring an end to care and worry. Dionysus discovered the culture of the vine and how …
The Alhambra, Granada, Spain
Against the backdrop of the magnificent Sierra Nevada mountains in Granada, the Alhambra, meaning “red castle” in Arabic, was named for the reddish-golden hue of its walls. Dating back to the 9th century, it became …
November 23, 2009
Treasures of Naxos, Greece
The island of Naxos, Greece, is a six-hour ferry ride from Piraeus, the port of Athens. The “doorway” to the island, the gigantic Portara, was also the portal to the ancient unfinished Temple of Apollo. …
November 20, 2009
Nerja, Spain: The Balcony of Europe
My spiritual quest began in what was once a quaint Spanish fishing village. Nerja, in Andalusia, Spain, is located 50 kilometers east of Malaga along the Costa del Sol. Imagine standing on the “Balcony of …
November 16, 2009
A Side Trip from Sedona, AZ
Visitors to the spiritual center of Sedona, Arizona, may not know of the many wonders nearby. Sedona is known for amazing red rock formations and its “vortexes,” centers of spiritual energy. But in addition to …
November 16, 2009
Carnival Masks and Where to Eat & Stay in Venice, Italy
Want to relive 18th-century Venice? If you visit Venice along with thousands of other tourists during Carnival, you’ll experience one of the world’s irresistible attractions. Walkways are filled with crowds of mask-wearing characters headed to …
Mud Pots of Calipatria & Leonard Knight's Salvation Mountain, Niland, CA
Avoid the tourist throngs and discover two desert oddities three hours east of San Diego, in Calipatria and Niland. From a distance, the Mud Pots look like giant anthills, and the sulphur smell will knock …
November 8, 2009
Mexican Artisans and the Day of the Dead, Pátzcuaro, Mexico
Are you a cultural festival junkie? Treasures abound in Mexico and in your nearby Mexican neighborhood. I still have my sugar skeletons from the Day of the Dead (El Día De Los Muertos) in Pátzcuaro, …
November 1, 2009
Apple Days in Julian, California
Apple Days are here! Apple pie tasting is an art I could get used to, especially if the pies are baked in Julian, a historic mountain town famous for its apple orchards and home-baked pies. …
October 14, 2009
Barcelona, Spain: Gaudi, Picasso and Paella
I’ve made countless artistic pilgrimages throughout Europe, but Barcelona is one of my favorite destinations. Artists love Barcelona! The Museu Picasso, set up at Picasso’s wish, is the expression of his passionate connection with the …
October 7, 2009
Ancient Ephesus, Turkey
If you’re a seeker of sacred sites and find yourself in the Greek Islands, hop a ferry from Samos to Kuşadası (or fly from Samos into Adnan Menderes Airport), then grab a bus to Ephesus, …
September 27, 2009
Art in the Cyclades: Paros, Greece
I enjoyed three glorious months in Parikia, on the Cycladic island of Paros, home to poets, writers, artists and those in love with a peaceful lifestyle. You can study art at the Aegean Center for …
August 31, 2009
Matala Beach, Crete, Greece
When visiting Crete, rent a car and drive to rustic Hotel Eva Marina, about an hour southwest of Heraklion Airport. Nine hundred fifty yards from Matala Beach, it features high-speed internet, an inviting pool, bar …
August 28, 2009
San Clemente Pier, California
Whether you’re into spending the day fishing off the pier, grabbing chili fries at the hot dog stand, or relaxing over a cocktail followed by lunch or dinner at Fisherman’s Restaurant, San Clemente Pier has …
August 27, 2009
Olvera Street, El Pueblo De Los Angeles Historical Monument
San Diego has Little Italy. Los Angeles has “Little Mexico,” Olvera Street, located in El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument on the site of L.A.’s original birthplace. Colorful celebrations and fiestas happen here year-round. …
August 21, 2009
Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, as you know, is about 2 hours away from San Diego, approximately 125 miles north. The Hollywood Walk of Fame, embedded in the sidewalk along both sides of Hollywood Boulevard from Gower Street to …
August 18, 2009
Eclectic Venice, California
Venice, the famous funky beach town, bares its colorful, eclectic soul for all to see. Stroll along the pedestrian path or take the designated skate/bike paths along the oceanfront to experience Venice’s street performers, artists, …
August 16, 2009
Grosseto, Tuscany, Italy
Grosseto, in the Maremma area of Tuscany, dates back to the 7th-century B.C. Etruscans, the “first great people of Italy.” Local attractions include remains of two important Etruscan cities, Roselle and Vetulonia. Massa Marittima (51 …
August 6, 2009
Breathtaking Santorini, Greece
Greece without Santorini is like a Greek salad without Kalamata olives – it just doesn’t taste the same. Santorini’s awe-inspiring Caldera, a sea-filled crater, and its vineyards and unbeatable nightlife make it a popular vacation …
Pico Island, Azores
Looking for a unique vacation? Visit the island of Pico, the second-largest and one of the most beautiful of the Azores’s nine islands. Whether you hike, bike or drive, be sure to explore the lush …
August 3, 2009
The Acropolis, Athens, Greece
For about $37 a night, you can stay next to the historic Plaka district. The clean, Australian-owned, air-conditioned Athens Backpackers hostel offers free breakfast, communal kitchen, free coffee all day, laundromat, WiFi, movies and tours. …
July 21, 2009
Queen Califia's Magical Circle Garden
Secretly tucked away behind a pond at Kit Carson Park lies Niki De Saint Phalle’s colorful sacred creatures. The entrance to the sculpture garden leads you past a snake wall, through a black-and-white maze of …
Dinosaurs in the Desert: Galleta Meadows, Borrego Springs
Ninety-one miles east of San Diego, Borrego Springs and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park are popular springtime destinations for wildflower lovers. But take a jaunt down Borrego Springs Road a couple of miles to Galleta Meadows, …
July 19, 2009
Crystal Cove, Newport Beach
Ever longed to step back in time? The Crystal Cove State Park Historic District, originally a seaside colony in the 1930s, offers a vintage getaway located on the ocean side of Pacific Coast Highway in …
June 30, 2009
Carnival in the Plaka, Athens
Who knew that it snows in Athens? On my way to the island of Paros to teach painting at an art school, I stayed in the Plaka, a historic district near the Acropolis of Athens, …