Travel
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On Veterans Day, we decided to check out Washington Park’s Oregon Vietnam Veterans Living Memorial. Located between the Zoo and the Arboretum Visitor’s Center, we’ve passed it many times but, until yesterday, never took the time to stop. Erected in the Hoyt Arboretum section of the park, in 1987, the Memorial covers 8 acres designed Read more
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Driving a Mini in Portland is great in the city but not the best vehicle for exploring when winter arrives. Harsh winds and snow, in the higher elevations, keep us from exploring the many mountain opportunities within a short drive. So, before summer is officially over, we decided to take a field trip to the Read more
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If your travels have not yet taken you to a Kimpton boutique hotel, make this the year you give yourself the gift of the experience. Part of IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), Kimpton Hotels offer an intimate, uniquely styled lodging encounter, while offering benefits through the IHG Rewards Club. With 70 properties in 43 cities, all Read more
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It’s been a busy summer (now almost winter) which has included a move. We’re known for our tendancy not to sit in one place too long…here’s our history of selling and buying houses during our 41 years together. Stayin Alive in Yet Another Home Read more
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After a recent conference in Manchester, NH, Charlie and I explored Rhode Island, staying in Providence. You can read a more wordy version in TravelPulse – this is more of a pictorial. We were hosted by the Omni Providence Hotel, a gorgeous and convenient place to stay within walking distance of everything the city has Read more
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During a recent National Society of Newspaper Columnists conference, I got to meet a lovely couple, ages 90 and 91, with a lovely story. Read more here… More to come on the historical town of Manchester, NH…and Rhode Island…and Boston! Read more
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Further exploring Quantum Leap Winery, Orlando’s (not so well-kept) secret… Forever Young but Growing Old. Our town might be growing in breweries but there is still only one winery in the city. Located on 1312 Wilfred Drive, in the Mills/50 District, it’s not far from the Track Shack. A great place to taste a vast Read more
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Craft beer, independent winery, fried green tomatoes and camellias…Orlando has it all but you have to find them! Check out my latest post in TravelPulse about these hidden treasures. Read more
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Check out my latest on hypeorlando.com about our Moonlight Tour of Greenwood Cemetery Read more
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A couple of weeks ago, Charlie and I were in New York City checking out some alternative lodging options in Brooklyn and Manhattan. Here’s a link to my TravelPulse blog post…enjoy and hoping the holidays are a happy time for all! Read more
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Hard to believe it’s been a year since we closed on the mountain house in North Carolina. Here’s a link to some reflections and advice if you’re considering a vacation home… Read more
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A break in the daily cruise travelogue to praise our fellow writers and photojournalists. Check it out on hypeorlando…8 Global Journalists who take you to foreign lands without leaving home. Read more
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Our next port of call would be Skagway, a small town developed when it was discovered there was gold in them thar hills…or mountains of Canada. We took the White Pass & Yukon Railway up to the Summit, learning of the rich history of the land along the way. The train climbed past expansive Read more
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Taking a break from cruise blogging to write about early Christmas shopping on hypeorlando and a post about the upcoming Fall Farm and Artisans’ Tour in conjunction with local B&Bs on TravelPulse (just click on the links). We’ve been busy, up here in NC, exploring Asheville and the surrounding mountain towns. The temps still remain Read more
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Flying a float plane over the ice fields of Juneau Read more
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An incredible opportunity opened up for Charlie and I to join a press group, cruising Alaska’s waterways with Holland America Lines on the ms Nieuw Amsterdam. The offer was last minute, as in 2 ½ weeks, but the calendar was clear and, luckily, we brought our passports to NC, so we were in. The key Read more
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3 Reasons to visit Asheville this summer Read more
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It’s been a little over a month since arriving at the mountain house for the summer. One thing we’ve learned is, next year, we’ll head up this way later in the spring/summer. Although it has been fun seeing the wildflowers of spring, the temps are chilly…just this morning we woke up to low 30’s, brrrr. Read more
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Gotta blow my own horn here, so to speak, with the news that TravelPulse.com has published one of my blog posts and I am in contract with them to write further content. Most will be based in Orlando but I’ll be writing about Asheville this summer, also. First post is about the rise of the Read more
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We finally settled on a home in Wolf Laurel, NC, to spend our summers without the need for a/c. I’ve written about it in a series with the last installment in Forever Young but Growing Old – the Orlando Sentinel’s hypeorlando site. Now we can’t wait til April! Read more
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Check out my blog post at hypeorlando about shopping local. We recently visited Mount Dora and had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon of lunching and shopping. I hear the weather might break this weekend…should be a fine time to take in a local downtown spot for a start to your holiday shopping! Read more
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So the deal wasn’t done and the papers weren’t signed, lucky for us we had an honest inspector who immediately saw structural issues and did not continue the process. Inspections are pricey in the mountains and he saved us quite a few bucks by not going any further. He said a structural engineer needed to Read more
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On our second house-hunting trip to North Carolina, we chose to stay at a bed and breakfast within the Wolf Laurel community. Our research found several houses in the area and we figured what better way to get a feel for the neighborhood than to spend a few nights in it. Good choice on many Read more
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Recently I was invited to a blogger event at the Tijuana Flats on East Colonial, in Orlando. These events are one of the many perks of writing a blog, especially with hypeorlando (the Orlando Sentinel blog platform). We get to taste-test new menu items and get an insider view of house local restaurants operate. I’m Read more
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Check out my hypeorlando blog post, Forever Young but Growing Old, about Home Exchanges gone wrong…and they all could have been avoided! Read more
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The next leg of our journey put us on the Amtrak Adirondack to Penn Station in Manhattan. What was touted as a 10 hour trip, turned into 12. Check out my blog post on hypeorlando for more details… Read more
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Day 7 – Quebec City Woke up Friday to the spectacular view of Quebec City, with a gorgeous view of the Chateau Frontenac, a monstrous hotel overlooking the St. Lawrence River. It sits atop the Terrasse Dufferin, looking out over the Lower Town. The sidewalk cafes, 17th century architecture and sounds of French being spoken freely, Read more
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A day in Charlottetown Read more
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Day 3 – Halifax Cruising into Nova Scotia, on Holland America‘s Maasdam, we had no clue as to the history of the place. So we chose that rainy Day 2 to spend some time in the Explorations Café Library learning about our destination. A big piece of Halifax’s history lies in a horrific event in Read more
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Recently the National September 11 Memorial Museum in New York City celebrated its first anniversary. On a recent trip to Manhattan we made sure to reserve a day to visit the 911 Museum. It is a pilgrimage that feels like one’s civic duty. We need to be reminded of the pain that was felt that awful Read more
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After 10 hours on the Goldenpass train, the day before, it was time for a hike. Charlie’s been talking about an area, he’s seen running, called Monteret. Just up, down, up again and over the mountain, are two large buildings which include group houses, owned by a couple of Presbyterian churches. They serve gatherings of Read more
Forever Young but Growing Old in Portland 