Travel
Luxury Bronx – in Riverdale
When mention is made of the Bronx, most aren’t thinking of graceful, single family homes and leafy, shaded streets. And yet, that exactly describes the exclusive Bronx neighborhood of Riverdale. The Bronx is one of the five boroughs that makes up New York City, and The Bronx is directly north of Manhattan. Riverdale began to…
Read MoreHappy 2023! Wishing you a travel-filled year
Happy 2023! Hoping you’re facing a new year with plenty of travel – whether it be to new countries, or exploring new regions in your immediate surroundings. Travel does the soul good. Like many, I’m pretty angered by what we went through during these almost three (wasted) years of Covid hysteria, when it became almost…
Read MoreIn the steps of the Ancient Romans – enjoying the hot springs of Bagno Vignoni, Tuscany
Earlier this month, I enjoyed a fabulous weekend escape in Tuscany – in the small town of Bagno Vignoni. This town was known to the thermal-bath-loving Ancient Romans … and it continues as a spa location up until today. We stayed at the Le Terme Hotel, right at the edge of the town’s central piazza/thermal…
Read MoreThe Eternal City is ready for its holiday close-up
Rome is not the most spectacular city when it comes to Christmas decorations. BUT it does enjoy some amazing Christmas weather. I love walking around Rome over the holiday period and enjoying the Christmas decorations. Weather forecasts in Rome are looking pretty good for these next few weeks, so I’m looking forward to enjoying the…
Read MoreChristmas cheer in Montepulciano and Pienza, Tuscany
Earlier this month, I was in Tuscany for a weekend with my family, and we enjoyed seeing the cheery Christmas decorations. They were especially pretty in the towns of Montepulciano and Pienza – two gorgeous Tuscan hilltowns. Montepulciano is a steep medieval hilltown (bring good walking shoes), known for its long wine tradition. Montepulciano…
Read MoreIt’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas … in Verona
Fitting for a Saint Nicholas Day post that we start taking a look at Christmas decorations. This day (or 8 December – The Immaculate Conception) is when many Italian towns begin decorating their centers – although the date is constantly being pushed earlier. Luckily for us, the decorations were up at the start of December…
Read MoreA mini-New Orleans in Mobile, Alabama
My visit last summer to Mobile, Alabama was my first visit to that Gulf Coast town. We arrived in Mobile after a stay in New Orleans, Louisiana, so our first impression was of Mobile a mini-New Orleans, with similar architecture along Mobile’s main stretch. Mobile is Alabama’s oldest city, with a history stretching back over…
Read MorePalladian splendor in Vicenza, Italy
I adore the northern small city of Vicenza, in Italy’s Veneto region. I first came here many years ago, and had not been back in years. When my youngest son had a cross-country race nearby, I jumped on the change to get back and visit this jewelbox of a town. I was not disappointed to…
Read MoreReturning to dorm life – at Durham University
As you can probably imagine, it has been many, many years since I took part in dorm life. In graduate school, I lived in an apartment, but even during my undergraduate years, I only lived in the dorms my freshman year. By second year, I had moved into my sorority, and the final two years…
Read MoreBourbon & old-style charm in Lexington, Kentucky
It doesn’t take long in the state to discover that Kentucky is bourbon country. Last summer I was driving through Kentucky with my family and we stopped off one night at Lexington, Kentucky – first time for me. We had been on a loooong drive, so it was good to park and stretch our legs…
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