Budva, Montenegro is pretty far off the beaten path as far as European vacation destinations go. In fact, the small nation of Montenegro itself is one of Europe’s lesser touristed countries. One of the former Yugoslav republics, it’s bordered by a sliver of Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to […]
I took this picture at the farmers’ market in Salzburg, Austria that I mentioned in my “Windows of the World“ photo essay. While these apples were still growing in the orchard, heart-shaped stickers were placed on them. Then, after the harvest, the stickers were removed revealing whimsical “heart tans” on them! For more great travel […]
I’m always intrigued by windows when I travel. I suppose that since I grew up in Southern California—where the suburban tract homes all had plain, boring, aluminum sliding windows—I became fascinated by ones that were colorful and architecturally interesting. I especially like casement windows that open inward, windows with shutters to keep out the light and […]
I know they say you shouldn’t take a photograph directly into the sun, but I loved how this one turned out. Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) stands high on Corcovado Mountain, embracing the people of Rio de Janeiro with his outstretched arms. Shown in silhouette, you really get a sense of his magnitude, with the […]
Gondolas and aerial tramways have long been used to transport people up and over steep terrain. Whether for skiing in the Alps or for accessing hard-to-reach tourist hotspots (like Sugarloaf/Pão de Açucar in Rio de Janeiro), they’re efficient, inexpensive to build, and lots of fun to ride. Lately I’ve noticed that several cities around the […]
In an ongoing quest to get in touch with my roots, I’ve been taking Portuguese language classes at the Beverly Hills Lingual Institute. Usually we meet in a classroom, but this week our teacher Patricia suggested we take a field trip to Bossa Nova Brazilian Restaurant in West Hollywood instead. It’s already one of my favorite eateries in […]
This week’s photo is of artist Chris Burden’s Urban Light installation, on display at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). In this sculpture, he features 202 restored, antique cast iron streetlights that once illuminated the streets of L.A. They’re arranged symmetrically in a public plaza along Wilshire Boulevard and are powered by solar […]
Celebrating its centennial this year, the charming Danish village of Solvang is nestled in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley, about a hundred and twenty-five miles northwest of Los Angeles and a half hour’s drive inland from Santa Barbara. Solvang means “sunny fields” in Danish, but the sun was nowhere to be found this […]
Perched in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains, The Getty Center is one of Los Angeles’ most popular tourist attractions. The sprawling campus houses the museum of J. Paul Getty, once the world’s richest man and America’s preeminent art collector. Exhibiting Western art from the Middle Ages to the present day, the museum features European […]
Movies have the ability to transport you to another world. They entertain you, they educate you, and they can even inspire you. I love it when a film shows me somewhere I’d never seen before, piquing my interest in actually visiting that place someday. Every travel blogger has his or her own “Top 10” list of […]
