Enjoying views over Gdansk, Poland
Whenever I visit a new city, one of the first things I like to do is to get an idea of the layout from the highest point. In most European cities and towns, that means climbing the cathedral belltower. That’s why, on a recent visit to Gdansk, Poland, my family and I raced desperately against…
Read MoreBook review: The Masterpiece
This is the third Fiona Davis novel I’ve read. Her novels are ideal for someone like me, who enjoys dual storylines: one historical, one contemporary. It’s a plus that Davis’ novels always include a New York landmark that serves as an additional story protagonist. In her first novel, it was the Barbizon – housing for…
Read MoreGetting in the Christmas spirit … in Gdansk, Poland
Last week, I wrote about my Christmas inspiration from (for me, at least) an unlikely source – Vigo, Spain. Immediately after my trip to Vigo, I departed with my family for a long weekend visit to Gdansk, Poland. For years, I have wanted to visit Gdansk. While I always pictured visiting during the summer season…
Read MoreWriters in a perpetual dream state
“The good thing about writing books is that you can dream while you are awake.” —Haruki Murakami Love these wise words from brilliant Japanese author Haruki Murakami. After all, a writer will go nowhere without an active imagination. And yes, chances are your favorite author has a tendency to daydream at various points throughout the…
Read MoreGetting in the Christmas spirit … in Vigo, Spain
The last week of November found me at work in Galicia’s largest city – Vigo. I’ve been several times in this Atlantic coastal city, although always in late summer/early fall, so it was interesting to see it in the colder months. And it was a surprise to see that Vigo now touts itself as the…
Read MoreTaking time to spot the gnomes
Friday musings during a grey and rainy month in Rome. I saw this photo and thought of when I took it – during a hiking trip I took with my younger son during a hot September weekend. This was out in Ovindoli, in the mountains of Abruzzo – about 1.5 hours east of Rome. We…
Read MoreNew York’s City Island and Orchard Beach
After writing about various islands you can visit when you’re passing through New York – Governor’s Island , Randall’s Island and Roosevelt Island – I’m following it up with another (new for us) island we visited during our last visit – City Island in the Bronx. City Island is easily reached by NY public transport.…
Read MoreBook review: The Summer We Lost Her
I did not know this author or this novel. I picked it up mostly for its cover, and the storyline set in New York’s Adirondack Mountains – an area I know well. I enjoyed this dual storyline of an imploding marriage, set mostly in a grand but rustic cabin along the shores of Lake Placid.…
Read MoreEscaping one island to visit another: Manhattan’s Roosevelt Island
There’s so much to do when visiting the island of Manhattan, that visitors don’t often venture to “neighboring” islands. Who knew that New York was such an “island paradise”? I’ve already written about why you should go explore nearby Governor’s Island and peaceful, sports-packed Randall’s Island. I, myself, was guilty of never having been to…
Read MoreOn your mark, get set, GO all you NaNoers!
It’s November 1st. Do you know what that means to writers? It’s the start of the crazy, marathon challenge known as National Novel Writing Month. Each year, writers around the world accept the challenge to write a novel in a month. More precisely, throughout the month of November, writers challenge themselves to write every day,…
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