Lavender & medieval charm in Simiane la Rotonde, Provence
I always love returning to France’s idyllic Provence region. On a family holiday two years ago, we enjoyed exploring the Haute Provence region, and stumbled upon the medieval town of Simiane la Rotonde. The location is perfect – surrounded by fields of lavender. Sadly, during our August visit, the blooms had long ago been harvested…
Read MoreChasing perfection
“None of my work has met my own standards.” -William Faulkner Hard to believe one of my favorite authors could be so critical of his masterpieces. William Faulkner (1897 – 1962), one of the great American writers in the southern tradition, was a prolific novelist, short story writer, playwright and essayist. He was the recipient…
Read MoreOne year later -Remembering the Eternal City blanketed in white
This post is merely an excuse to repost some of my Rome-in-the-snow photos in this stunning new WordPress “big photo” template. One year ago today, Rome was blanketed in thick, white snow. I had just returned from a ski holiday with my two sons the night before. My kids were excited about reports of (rare)…
Read MoreIt’s Friday. What’s on your reading list?
The weekend is upon us, and it’s time to turn to serious topics. What books do you have on your nightstand? The weekend is always a good time for me to catch up on pleasure reading – and I’m always up for recommendations, so do share what you’re reading now. Here’s what I’ll be reading…
Read MoreBetween Italy and Austria in Bolzano
I’ve already written about the luck my family and I had visiting Bolzano on Saturday for market day and how we stocked up on all the specialties from Alto Adige/Austria. Bolzano is the capital of Alto Adige, the German-speaking half of Italy’s Trentino Alto-Adige. From the architecture and the language spoken around you, you’ll feel…
Read MoreWriting as a way to free your mind
“A writer should be able to express himself easily, naturally, copiously in a form that frees his mind.” —Saul Bellow Wise words by Canadian-American author Saul Bellow (1915-2005), and I’m certain a concept with which most writers are familiar. As writers, how many times do we struggle with a story we’ve had simmering away in…
Read MorePretty lake views from New York’s Lake Geneva
I spent four years of my life at the “neighboring” lake of New York’s Finger Lakes. I already wrote about visiting my alma mater, Cornell University, on the edge of Cayuga Lake, but on that same visit, we also made the trip to the town of Geneva, on Geneva Lake. Geneva is home to Hobart…
Read MoreDrove all the way to Ancona, and all I saw was the inside of the Palaindoor…
Unless you’re a huge track and field fan, most foreign tourists in the Marche region’s Ancona will never see its famous indoor track, the Palaindoor. But for Italy’s track and field athletes, their coaches and their parents, this is the mecca during the months of January – March. It’s the closest major indoor track for…
Read MoreBook review: A Gentleman in Moscow
I adored this novel, the story of “former person” Count Alexander Rostov. In 1922, Count Rostov – recipient of the Order of Saint Andrew, member of the Jockey Club and Master of the Hunt – is declared an enemy of the state and informed he will be shot if he ever ventures out of his…
Read MoreModern medieval pilgrims at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France
Sadly, I wasn’t in this picturesque, medieval French town on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, but I loved observing all those lucky fellow travelers who were. I was in postcard-perfect Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on a family holiday to France’s Pays Basque, and I couldn’t miss out on visiting this pretty town along the pilgrimage to Galicia’s…
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