Looming before us is “Sacred Rain Arrow,” a monumental statue by Allan Houser, the foremost Native American artist of the 20th century and the first Native American awarded the National Medal of Arts. Here at the Allan Houser Sculpture ParkRead more
Travel writing
Candace Rose Rardon Perfects the Art of Travel
Visualize the life of Candace Rose Rardon: Visiting and living in 50 countries, 19 of them in one year alone. Hiking solo on a 220-mile pilgrimage through rural Turkey. Driving an auto-rickshaw 2,000 miles across India. Bathing an elephant inRead more
Urban Workout in San Francisco Works Out
Singer Tony Bennett left his heart in San Francisco. I’m leaving my sweat. It’s high noon, fog-free, and an unseasonably warm 83 degrees near the intersection of Hayes and Octavia Streets in the City by the Bay. I’m lying inRead more
Reconnaissance at Point Reyes Station
I’m dropping by parachute into the small, western California town of Point Reyes Station. Sam pilots my private plane. Lucky me that he sports the rugged blond good looks of Robert Redford in his Butch Cassidy and the Sundance KidRead more
Yoga for Bumbling Beginners
My muscles are screaming, plotting revenge against me. Visualize this: I’m lying on a mat on my right side, stretching out my left leg at a right angle to my body, with my right leg bent and pulled back behind me.Read more
California Gold Rush Brings New Look to The Roads Traveled
Historians who say the California Gold Rush is over are misinformed, for I’ve struck it rich in the Golden State. My gold isn’t the same metal whose discovery in the water wheel of a sawmill in the Sacramento Valley inRead more
The Art and Artistry of Amélie’s French Bakery
Our taste buds stirred when we read that Amélie’s French Bakery was establishing a new outpost near our home in south Charlotte. Amélie’s has been a wildly popular destination on Charlotte’s food map since 2008 when the flagship store openedRead more
Paying Respects at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum
Bill’s and my visit to the imposing National September 11 Memorial and Museum during a recent trip to New York City was a potent reminder that the horrific events which occurred that day in 2001 bore such monumental significance that they becameRead more
Palm Springs: Mid-Century Modern Mecca, Hollywood Hangout and More
Some of my favorite Frank Sinatra songs – “Come Fly With Me,” “The Way You Look Tonight,” and “In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning” played in my head as Bill and I were driving two hours east fromRead more
Carolina Raptor Center is for the Birds
I’ve always thought of birds as the ultimate travelers, gracefully able to fly where, when and how they want. While I’ve admired birds from afar, I hadn’t spent much concerted effort learning about them. A couple of my travels haveRead more