I’m perched 100-feet high atop an eroding and landslide-prone sandstone bluff in Santa Monica, CA. As I begin my fitness walk on this late summer morning, I’m less concerned about the possibility of the ground collapsing and sending me tumblingRead more
I’m flying, silently and leisurely at 11 mph, about 1,000 feet above the Yadkin Valley near East Bend, NC. Standing in a large rattan basket, I’m fully aware that the only thing keeping me aloft above terra firma is theRead more
Although it’s summer 2018, I’m thinking about my trip to Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, as if it’s Christmas Eve 1895. On that date, George Washington Vanderbilt welcomed family and friends for the opening of his new 175,000-square-foot country homeRead more
Over the steady drone of lawnmowers tending to the 14 lush acres of surrounding lawn and garden, tour guide Dennis Orwin delivers instructions on how to conduct ourselves inside the Miller House in Columbus, Ind. “Don’t sit on anything,” DennisRead more
Morning sun glints off the Robert Stewart Bridge as we drive on Indiana State Road 46 above the White River at the entrance to Columbus, Indiana. Like a giant fan, four fire-engine-red steel supports connect 40 steel tension cables spreadRead more
I awoke this morning in the shadow of the snow-capped Eiger Mountain to the chorus of bells worn by cows grazing upon the rolling hills of Grindelwald, Switzerland. Now, I’m standing 11,333 feet in the open air at Jungfraujoch, knownRead more
In a flash of self-pity, I think about what I’m not doing while staying in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, France, the enchanting and historic island town ringed by the Sorgue River in the Luberon region of Provence. I’m visiting nearby Gordes, one of theRead more
Hiking atop Tomales Point’s craggy cliffs on the California coast, dense fog swirls with abandon, obliterating my view a few yards ahead. Just as quickly it shifts, allowing a fleeting glimpse of scrubby vegetation hugging the sandy trail. Save forRead more
I’m hopeful Mr. Darcy will magically materialize and join our Art of Reading tour at Mint Museum Randolph. The Art of Reading tour is a free program that draws connections between art and literature, two of my passions. Our guide, docent Debbie Struble, spearheaded developmentRead more
Our plan for this sunny day in Southern California seemed straightforward enough – drive about 60 minutes from La Maison, our French-inspired boutique hotel in Palm Springs, to Joshua Tree National Park for a desert hike. Instead, we’ve either materialized onRead more