“I have seldom heard a train go by and not wished I was on it.” ~Paul Theroux, The Great Railway Bazaar The Pullman sleeping car was gently rocking from side to side as I climbed aboard the Canadian National St. Hyacinthe. Berths with comfy-looking pillows and rose-colored blankets were turned down for the night, and light from … Read More
It would be hard to find a more perfect place to begin a tour of Palm Springs architecture than the Saguaro Hotel. Rows of balconies painted in a vibrant rainbow of shades wrap around a swimming pool decked out in sunny yellows and oranges. Designed to reflect the colors of Coachella Valley desert wildflowers, the … Read More
Sam Cobb is holding court under a canopy of magnificent palm trees, regaling the fifteen of us who have signed on for his date farm tour with stories about life as a California date farmer. Passionate, delightful and incredibly entertaining, he’s the science teacher you wish you’d had in high school, the one who can … Read More
“What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well.” ~Antoine de Saint Exupéry, The Little Prince Endless rows of twisted, bristly-branched Joshua trees and ruggedly-shaped rock formations line the main road that winds about 30 miles through Joshua Tree National Park. It’s a surreal scene, a vast and desolate landscape that appears … Read More
At first glance, Palm Springs seems like a city firmly planted in another era. The mid-century modern architecture, home tours that showcase where Hollywood stars once escaped the L.A.limelight, and the names of long-ago celebrities etched on the city’s “Walk of the Stars” tell a nostalgic story. You’d almost expect Frank Sinatra to appear around … Read More
It was the day after Christmas, and we were headed out with our family for a ride on the Bay Area’s iconic Tilden Park Steam Train. A quick Google check had shown the train opening an hour early at 10 a.m., a great idea we’d thought, given the attraction’s typically long lines. When we arrived, … Read More
“Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.” ~Walt Disney Disneyland 1.0: The Child If there’s a travel destination that has had a constant presence in my life it would have to be Disneyland. Years may have gone by between visits – decades, … Read More
“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade.” ~Charles Dickens, Great Expectations Growing up in Minnesota, I loved turning the calendar page to March. Like a bridge between seasons, the third month of the year … Read More
For the past two weeks, I’ve been immersed in the world of the under-four set, exploring San Diego through the eyes of our two little grandsons. I approached their visit the way I research our travels, looking for places and experiences that would be interesting, memorable and most of all, fun. Our outings had to … Read More
“And the seasons they go round and round And the painted ponies go up and down We’re captive on a carousel of time.” ~Joni Mitchell, The Circle Game Every couple of months or so, Herb and I drive to the Bay Area to spend time with our two little grandsons. Making the journey by car … Read More