The holiday of Cinco de Mayo (The 5th of May) is a regional holiday celebrated in the Mexican state of Puebla, although it’s recognized to a lesser degree in other parts of the country as well. In the United States, cities with large Mexican-American populations (such as Los Angeles) celebrate the day as well—mostly by enjoying Mexican cuisine […]
The Best “Touristy” Things To Do In Los Angeles Besides taking the Celebrity Homes Tour that I mentioned last week, I wanted to show my out-of-town friends the best sights L.A. has to offer. I know some people will say, “That’s so touristy, you can’t take them there!” But the way I see it, if you’re […]
I took this photo on Sunday from the bluff overlooking Santa Monica Beach. Actually, my Australian friend Kathy was taking this photo and I copied her idea! We loved the unusual texture of this tree and the brilliant orange color of the sky. She’s from Sydney (which faces east) so this was her first time […]
Things I Learned on a “Celebrity Homes Tour” of Hollywood and Beverly Hills I thought I knew a lot about my hometown…that is until I took one of those “celebrity homes tours” on Saturday. I’ve never taken one before, even though I’ve lived in Hollywood for fifteen years. Their roofless, fifteen-passenger vans are ubiquitous, […]
I’m always on the lookout for fun and useful apps for my iPhone and iPad when I travel. It’s truly amazing what’s possible with technology these days. Here are five cool travel apps I came across and took for a test drive. They’re available for Android devices too, but the best part is they’re all […]
One of the most recognizable sights in Buenos Aires, Argentina is this gigantic metal sculpture of a flower. A gift to the city from Argentine artist Eduardo Catalano in 2002, Floralis Genérica is located in a tranquil park at the Plaza de las Naciones Unidas (United Nations Plaza). It’s kind of hard to tell perspective […]
If you’re in the Los Angeles area and are looking for a fun place to take your train-loving toddler, check out Travel Town Museum at Griffith Park. Travel Town showcases dozens of pre-WWII locomotives, cabooses, passenger- and freight cars, many of which you’re even allowed to climb aboard. And best of all, admittance is free! The […]
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 […]
