Author archive
January 5, 2017
Albanian wine is no stranger to Europe. Archeological evidence near the capital of Tirana indicates traces of tannic acid, which produces the bitter taste in wine, dates back to a 6,000-year viniculture, making Albania arguably the oldest winemaker in Europe. Albania, a small country bordering Greece on the Adriatic Sea, has four separate wine regions, […]
January 3, 2017
It’s no secret that the Greek Islands rank high on the list of “must-do” destinations. But which one to choose? Each island has its own magnetic charm, but I submit that the Corfu beaches and activities make it difficult for anyone to resist the Greek island’s pull. Corfu Island is the second-largest island in the […]
December 28, 2016
The Azores is one of the best places in the world for whale watching, with a strong cultural connection to whales. While there are some 25 species of whales in the archipelago, the mammoth sperm whale – forever immortalized as “Moby Dick” – is the most common. We chose to go out to find whales […]
December 18, 2016
“You have to disconnect, there is no choice,” said Lucila. “That was one of my favorite things about this Alaska adventure cruise.” Lucila Lancaster, her husband Girish Nair and their two children Isabel (Izzy) 21, a senior at John Hopkins University studying neuroscience, and Sam, a 6’1” water polo playing 16-year-old, were planning their yearly […]
November 17, 2016
“It’s a surprise,” he said with twinkling green eyes as he tucked me into the passenger seat and gently closed the door. My ridiculously huge grin gave away my glee… I do love surprises! We drove for an hour and a half, winding our way across the state border and into the Blue Ridge Mountains […]
November 7, 2016
While Americans are celebrating Halloween and All Saints’ Day, Mexico has its own sort of eerie celebration. Día de Muertos or Day of the Dead which began as a ritual by the Aztecs 3,000 years ago is now publically celebrated on November 2nd as a way to honor friends and family who have passed on. […]
November 1, 2016
“Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home.” ~Matsuo Basho Tracie Triolo thought her life would be that of a musician. And it was…for a while. But her roots in the love of food and the pull of the ocean proved irresistible, and she found herself on an entirely different path. One […]
October 9, 2016
A land where the population of bears exceeds that of humans, few places on earth can satisfy the wanderlust of the off-the-beaten-path adventurer in search of the wild nature and the cultural richness of the Tlingit Indians like Baranof Island. Baranof Island, along with Admiralty and Chicagof, compromise the ABC Islands on southern Alaska’s panhandle, […]
August 22, 2016
When people think of Prague cuisine, they most often think of Czech goulash – chunks of beef heavily laden with gravy and served up in a bowl of thick, coarse bread. But Sophia Smith has been working hard to change that perception. A British expat who moved to Prague sixteen years ago, Sophia brings a […]
August 22, 2016
It seems to be on everyone’s bucket list. Just mention the word “houseboat” and you’re sure to evoke romanticized images of a buoyant home floating in some exotic paradise. The marriage of a water-bound “hotel” to a gorgeous tropical setting can be found right here in the United States. I recently stayed on a magnificent […]
