In the early 14th century about the time Christianity was introduced in Norway, a number of monks around the country were mastering the art of distillation. I have no idea why monks were making spirits but their efforts produced one that would ultimately become one of Norway’s finest cultural treasures. … Read more
While trying to plan a girls’ getaway for a milestone birthday, we came to a crossroads … we wanted to make the most of our time off but our busy lives had made it so difficult to get away. Everyone agreed a spa weekend was the answer to escape from … Read more
It was our 45th wedding anniversary and the maitre’d in the Norwegian Star’s opulent Versailles dining room was pouring us champagne. This was the most romantic of settings for our special event. I felt like I was in a dream … and the dream had come true. After toasting a … Read more
Before leaving Paris I knew I would purchase some perfume and wanted something unusual that didn’t smell like every other woman’s scent. I wanted a fragrance that would forever remind me of my time there, and after a whiff, I’d instantly be transported back. I found it at Frederick Malle. … Read more
These days the most fashionable address in Prague is the aptly-named Pařížská or Paris Street. Located in Old Town near the Jewish Quarter, Paris Street is home to the top designer shops in the world. Long gone are the days of communism. The city’s shopping scene now goes beyond Czech … Read more
I’m in a “junk” boat navigating mystical waters where thousands of craggy outcrops rise up like humps on an enormous underwater dragon. The mounds are shrouded in mist, making the scene surreal. A floating village suddenly appears as though it rose from the depths. Dogs bark on the docks and … Read more
Whether or not Niagara-on-the-Lake is the prettiest town in North America is up for debate, but if you ask Marian Markarian, trip advisor at Niagara Wine Tours International, you’ll get a resounding “Absolutely.” With its stately homes, pristine lawns and manicured gardens, a Main Street to rival any quaint New … Read more
A visit to Thasos Greek Taverna should be made in two parts. By day the restaurant’s blinding all-white color scheme is eye popping. By night the intricate exterior light show on the roof and façade of the simple white structure becomes a dazzling beacon for everyone smart enough to follow … Read more
The first time I visited Nova Scotia, I stayed three weeks, the longest I’ve ever stayed in one place in all my travels. It wasn’t just the natural splendor of this Canadian maritime province—an idyllic landscape of wide sandy beaches, towering bluffs, lush forests, and rolling green meadows lapped by … Read more
A black bear flips over giant beach boulders as though they were mere rubber balls then paws at rock crabs hiding underneath – a bountiful seafood feast at the water’s edge. We watch transfixed for a good ten minutes, before motoring slowly out of Ucluelet. Ucluelet and its more gentrified … Read more
Pendleton’s roots go back to 1863, when founder Thomas Kay, a young English weaver traveled west and set up shop in the brand new state of Oregon. His family eventually moved the business to Pendleton in the northeastern part of the state, opening several mills and developing staples such as … Read more
The home of some of the world’s most majestic creatures and a country that is vibrant and culturally unique, South Africa has always been a place that invited the dreamer in me to roam and delight in its wilderness. I couldn’t miss out when the chance came along to discover … Read more
Most people have probably never heard of Oaxaca but those that have may know it for its mescal, mole, and oaxacan cheese. And please don’t forget the chipolines! But more on those later, too much more in fact. Oaxaca is in southwestern Mexico and is both the name of the … Read more
London has always had lavish hotels but never before in its long and revered history has the Big Smoke been blessed with so many luxury offerings in such a short a span of time, all racing to pass the winners’ tape before The Olympics had even begun. Many of them … Read more
In the foothills of the Cederberg Mountains, 168 miles from Cape Town, lies one of the most celebrated resorts in the world. As an experienced traveler who’s spent time in some very posh hotels, I can say that my three days at Bushmans Kloof were some of the most relaxing, … Read more