An excerpt from my new book “Wanderlust: Extraordinary People, Quirky Places, and Curious Cuisine,” out October 4th. The White Sands National Monument is about seventy miles from Las Cruces and is notable for two reasons. First, it is the site of one of the world’s largest above ground gypsum deposits. Gypsum is a widely used mineral found in cement and drywall … Read More
Cheyenne, Wyoming
So, what do you want to do tomorrow?” Judy asked me. “How about driving up to Cheyenne?” “Cheyenne? Why would you want to go there?” “I haven’t been there in decades. Just curious.” I responded. And with that I did a google search. There were enough interesting places to convince Judy it would be worth exploring, even on a Sunday … Read More
Loveland, Colorado – Sculpture in the Park
I didn’t come to Colorado specifically to see this sculpture show (family and friends first), but the timing wasn’t an accident. When I’d visited here before and we’d walked through the Benson Sculpture Park in Loveland, my friend Judi told me about the show and said I must see it. One hundred and fifty sculptors exhibit their work in … Read More
Southwest USA
My first trip to the southwest in 1979 began in Albuquerque. I’d never spent time in the southwest before, or in any desert environment. Everything seemed as different from New York as it could be. Buildings were low. Instead of steel and glass, most were constructed in adobe or wood. Cacti, not geraniums, adorned yards and front porches. The landscape … Read More
Bainbridge Island, Washington State
The ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island takes less than thirty minutes. But step off the ferry and you feel as though you’ve been transported much further than that. It’s easy to walk to town, passing by several trailheads, unusual sculpture, and lots of green. Once in town, the pace is slower than across the bay. There are several museums, … Read More
Seattle, Washington
No trip to Seattle is complete without a visit to the Pike Street Market. Though it is touristy, it is also great fun to wander around. I love taking photos of the flower bouquets and always regret I can’t take them home with me. After seeing so many tulips growing, it was nice to see them mixed with other flowers … Read More
Pacific Northwest / Washington State
Rain and sunshine played tag the entire day—one minute pounding rain (not the gentle mist the Pacific Northwest is known for) the next intense sun. I kept looking for rainbows, but never saw any. We started back at the tulip festival at Tulip Town. They’d had a flood and most of their crop had been destroyed so their display was … Read More
San Juan Islands, Washington
Despite rain forecasted for all day, we decided to head to the San Juan Islands. A friendly waitress had given us a tip to take the state ferry to Friday Harbor, where we could walk off the boat and into an artsy town. When we left the hotel, it was misting. During the twenty-minute drive we passed through bright sunshine, … Read More
Tulips — The Skagit Valley Washington State
I had been scheduled to travel to Amsterdam April of 2020 to see the tulip festival. The festival is globally renowned, especially Keukenhof Gardens. Covid cancelled those plans. Last fall I learned about a tulip festival in the Skagit Valley, north of Seattle. That would be easier and safer, so I wrangled my friend Judy into going with me. The … Read More
Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania
I am a lover of gardens. There is no such thing as too many tulips, orchids, roses, trees, or bushes. Each garden is unique in the way it is laid out, the design of the plantings, water elements, structures, rocks and so much more. Despite visiting numerous gardens while on this road trip, my final stop had to be at … Read More