“Be still and the earth will speak to you." ~ Navajo saying Monument Valley. Just the name conjures up images of the majestic, iconic buttes and classic western landscape so often seen in movies and …
Travel Stories
Bulgaria? Nobody goes there!
"Bulgaria? Nobody goes there!" said my husband when I mentioned it. Admittedly Bulgaria had never really been high on my list of places to visit, but fate brought me an opportunity to meet an old …
March 23, 2018
Life goes on in Las Vegas
Heading to Las Vegas two months after the Mandalay Bay shootings – the deadliest (civilian) mass shooting in American history – you’d have to be a sociopath not to think of death. But eventually, like …
February 25, 2018
Adventures in Bariloche: a Top 10
Known as the Tahoe of South America — and the portal to glorious Patagonia — San Carlos de Bariloche is worth spending a few kick-ass days in before continuing on to El Bolsón or Villa …
January 30, 2018
Thailand and back again
Squeezing into the oyster can of LAX and 19 hours of flying coach later, Bangkok hits me like a freight train: Heavy air and loud noise bounce off paved streets and temporarily blind a few …
Zion & Bryce: a Utah national parks tour
I had never been to Utah before this trip, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Ranches, cowboys, Mormons? Southern Utah is canyons and valleys, red sandstone rocks and landscapes that Dr. Seuss would find …
December 29, 2017
Hipster L.A.: Los Feliz, Echo Park, Silver Lake
In many different neighborhoods, L.A. is seeing a positive increase in the number of artistic and creative establishments: from hip clothing stores to shared workspaces to unique bars and cafes. Downtown, Highland Park, East Los …
December 1, 2017
The Canadian Rockies: Banff, Jasper, and Yoho National Parks
“Keep close to nature’s heart….and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” ~ John Muir The stretch of Canadian Rockies encompassing …
October 29, 2017
What brings you to Kosovo?
1/18 UPDATE: see this link on travel safety if visiting Kosovo. Travel to the north of the country is currently not advised, other areas are relatively safe. "What brings you to Kosovo?" In most countries, …
October 22, 2017
All eyes on Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, the capital of Virginia, is a college town, a Federal Reserve site and the location of the 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. There’s culture, a solid economic base and as it’s located on …
October 6, 2017
Best SoCal day trips to make up for summer
Summer 2017, did you even happen? One day the kids were out of school, the next they were back in. None of us is happy about it. “Absolutely no Kelly family vacations happened this summer,” …
September 13, 2017