Tag: Travel

White Picket Fences and Wild Ravens: A Birthday in Mendocino

White Picket Fences and Wild Ravens: A Birthday in Mendocino

Four unforgettable days in Mendocino, California — celebrating friendship, food, and a birthday by the sea. A charming white-picket-fence town where coastal breezes, laughter, and even ravens add their own kind of magic.

Hyde Park in Full Bloom: A Serene Stroll and a Picture-Perfect London Moment

Hyde Park in Full Bloom: A Serene Stroll and a Picture-Perfect London Moment

Hyde Park never disappoints. On my springtime trip to London, it offered flowers, stillness, and—just outside its gates—a perfectly iconic London moment.

London’s Holland Park: A Hidden Treasure with a Posing Peacock

London’s Holland Park: A Hidden Treasure with a Posing Peacock

I’d stayed in London’s Holland Park neighborhood for years without ever exploring the actual park. That changed on our 15th anniversary trip—and what a discovery! With a Japanese garden, hydrangeas, a strolling statue, and a showy peacock, Holland Park became one of the most surprising and joyful highlights of our journey.

A Great Dinner Out is Like a Dialogue Between the Diner(s) and the Restaurant (thank you, Chaophraya!)

A Great Dinner Out is Like a Dialogue Between the Diner(s) and the Restaurant (thank you, Chaophraya!)

A tale of a weary traveler ordering the perfect dinner, courtesy of a server who was an excellent menu consultant and a chef who was willing to give a sweet dessert a little spicy love.

I Left My Heart … In Aberdeen of the Golden Light

I Left My Heart … In Aberdeen of the Golden Light

I’ve probably been to Aberdeen a dozen times in the last eight years, for work and for pleasure. Work first, and then pleasure once I was enchanted by the city’s charms. Here’s a smattering of photos selected only for the light… I have so many more, and so many more stories to share… but that’s for another time.

My Latest Learnings from International Travel

My Latest Learnings from International Travel

My latest learnings, observations and recommendations about how to navigate international travel, with stories about how I landed on them.

January Dreaming (in Feb.): Copenhagen is Beautiful in Any Light!

January Dreaming (in Feb.): Copenhagen is Beautiful in Any Light!

Revisiting and dreaming of our short time in Copenhagen evokes a strong desire to return.

January Dreaming: A Delightful Afternoon in Copenhagen

January Dreaming: A Delightful Afternoon in Copenhagen

January dreaming and memories of a perfect lunch and afternoon stroll through Copenhagen on a summer’s day, studded with pictures of bicycles, flowers and statues – and a traditional “Smørrebrød” lunch.

More January Dreaming: À la Folie Café in Miami

More January Dreaming: À la Folie Café in Miami

A tribute to Miami Beach’s À la Folie Café on the historic Espanola Way. There’s a shared understanding that sitting and enjoying a beverage or a meal in someone else’s company is one of the finest things you can do in life.

My Peaceful Morning in Coconut Grove, Part 1: Street Art

My Peaceful Morning in Coconut Grove, Part 1: Street Art

Photos from a restorative early morning walk in Coral Gables, a vivid and yet peaceful feast for the eyes.

Nomad in Paris: a Poem in Free Verse to Honor the City of Lights

Nomad in Paris: a Poem in Free Verse to Honor the City of Lights

A poem about wandering the streets of Paris alone, taking in the culture via the sights, sounds and smells, written at Charles de Gaulle airport just before heading home to Houston.

Jet Lag Prevention Protocols: Must Include Coffee!

Jet Lag Prevention Protocols: Must Include Coffee!

A set of Jet Lag Avoidance Measures and a shout-out to Funder Coffee in Copenhagen for beautifully fulfilling the “Coffee, Always Coffee” step for us.

Restaurant Rave: Level 6 Rooftop Bar and Restaurant in Miami

Restaurant Rave: Level 6 Rooftop Bar and Restaurant in Miami

Rooftop bars and restaurants like Level 6 are Happy-Makers. There’s an air of celebration, and the panoramic views they offer bring a sense of expansiveness and wonder into the vibe.

June was a Flurry and Now I’m Headed to Copenhagen – But First, Comfort Food!

June was a Flurry and Now I’m Headed to Copenhagen – But First, Comfort Food!

Here’s the Glover Gardens grilled chicken wings recipe, served up with reflections on how June sped by… as well as anticipation of an upcoming trip to Copenhagen and Amsterdam. I had pre-travel comfort food cravings and perhaps a little nostalgia about missing traditional 4th of July backyard barbeques while traveling.

A Perfect Place Setting: Eat, Drink and Be Merry

A Perfect Place Setting: Eat, Drink and Be Merry

Gleaming pictures and a poem about “place”, inspired by the exquisite place settings at Andrew Carnegie’s Skibo Castle in Scotland.

January Dreaming: A Luxurious Afternoon Tea at Skibo Castle in the Scottish Highlands

January Dreaming: A Luxurious Afternoon Tea at Skibo Castle in the Scottish Highlands

Join us for.a delightful summer afternoon tea at Skibo castle, with a bonus tour of the ‘house’ and gardens that once belonged to Andrew Carnegie.

January Dreaming: Picnic from Borough Market at The Castle in July

January Dreaming: Picnic from Borough Market at The Castle in July

January dreaming about a wonderful charcuterie “picnic” we enjoyed at a pub in Holland Park with goodies from Borough Market in July of 2023.

Winter Solstice and Vast Lustrous Skies Beg for Poetry

Winter Solstice and Vast Lustrous Skies Beg for Poetry

The sky in Bay St. Louis is luminous, intoxicating, and just can’t take a bad photo, so I wrote a haiku to honor it.

Join in the Joie de Vivre at Paris’ La Defense Christmas Market

Join in the Joie de Vivre at Paris’ La Defense Christmas Market

At the La Defense Christmas Market, everyone was singing and dancing and glad to be alive (including me) – and I had an Alsatian Meat Fest for dinner.

Glover Gardens Salade Nicoise Inspired by Le Bistrot in Edinburgh

Glover Gardens Salade Nicoise Inspired by Le Bistrot in Edinburgh

Lunching at Le Bistrot on a cold and rainy day in Edinburgh during the holiday season inspired us to make a version of Salade Nicoise at Glover Gardens.