October 15, 2018
Lviv is Eastern Europe’s undiscovered gem, at least to Americans. This utterly gorgeous city, just 40 miles from the border of Poland, is not only home to stunning Austro-Hungarian architecture and colorful town squares, but has a gastronomy unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in all of Europe. They’re called “Emotional Restaurants,” and they are not […]
October 1, 2018
I’ve been a fan of fairy-tales since I was a little girl. As an adult, when I heard that the medieval town and castle Cesky Krumlov would bring to life all the scenes of my childhood dreams, I determined I would get there someday. After years of eager anticipation, that “someday” recently came to fruition. […]
September 26, 2018
Ukraine is one of the largest countries in Europe, second only to Russia in size, and shares borders with Russia, Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Moldova, and Transnistria (the nation that doesn’t exist). It’s a country with a long, complex, and turbulent history. The Eastern European nation is home to a plethora of beautiful places […]
September 21, 2018
Who could have guessed that there are so many things to do in Terceira? Our overnight flight landed us on this tiny island in the Azores just after sunrise. Expecting to be driven to our hotel for a short nap, we were surprised when Paulo, our guide suggested that we take advantage of the clear spring […]
September 17, 2018
Sedona’s Pink Jeep Adventure: Not for Prissies first published in Ladies’ Home Journal, 2011 “You simply must go – it’s so…. you,” friends would suggest. This beach girl would always respond with the same condescendingly sweet smile. The desert? But when I was invited to speak at a national conference in Phoenix, Arizona at the beginning […]
September 17, 2018
“Stop laughing. You need the right attitude to pull this off,” I said to Rebecca and Marie, head turned away to hide my own smirk. We shuffled our way towards the shrine looming at the end of the cobblestone street, less than a quarter of a mile away. The wooden platform of the Japanese geta […]
September 9, 2018
Sometimes getting down and dirty is a good thing. Take my birthday, for instance. Instead of advancing a year, I decided I’d rather try taking a few years off, using therapeutic mud. At least that was my goal… well, that and jumping on the opportunity to unleash my inner 5-year-old. ContentsThe Sulfur Springs on St. […]
September 4, 2018
To most, Bora Bora conjures up images of an exotic palm-fringed, sugar-sand paradise somewhere out in the middle of the South Seas, mostly visited by starry-eyed honeymooners who rarely adventure beyond their private overwater bungalow. While it is all that, Bora Bora can be so much more. Far beyond enchanting, Bora Bora is also exciting. […]
August 31, 2018
My friends are envious of my “glamorous” life. I love being a travel writer, and my life is certainly filled with fun and adventure, but it’s hardly glamorous. It’s often difficult. I’m currently on a one-month trip taking me through Ukraine, Czech Republic, and Poland. I’ve been on planes, trains, buses, vans, trams, cars, taxis […]
August 27, 2018
I’ve been obsessed with the Incas since my early 20’s. Maybe it’s because the Inca civilization is so enigmatic. Or perhaps admiration at having created such an impressive culture without written language, monetary system, iron, or slaves. I’d pour over photos of Machu Picchu in glossy magazines, imagining myself standing on that precipice, gazing down […]