North Park restauranteurs know food is the consummate unifier. The table and people around it fulfill a purpose; to feel love and connected while sharing that which sustains us. In a culture where everyone in trying to figure out how they are different from you, gathering for a meal is a great equalizer and shows

I recently spent a few days at my happy place…Palm Springs. This desert destination truly is magical and my stay at Miramonte Resort a few miles east made it even more so. Daily outings to nearby wilderness preserves and evenings around the hotel fire pit gazing at the stars made my mini-vacay the consummate getaway. Here’s

In the belly of bustling downtown San Diego sits the AAA Four Diamond Westin Gaslamp Quarter hotel. It’s all about location, location, location!  The Gaslamp in one of THE hottest spots in this SoCal city. Night life and day life abound! And it’s all steps away from the hotel. Balboa Theater was a vaudeville palace

Hello Palm Springs! Ace Hotel & Swim Club’s cool digs are within shouting distance of downtown; perfect for finding the top 10’s within 2 miles! Here ya go… Because this desert playground is popular with the hipsters, a few top tens are on property! Vespa n’est pas? The Italian mopeds are perfect for zipping around

As someone who travels a lot, I sometimes think an upcoming destination may not have as much to offer as I’d like. But, usually I’m pleasantly surprised. Glendale, California was one of those refreshingly wonderful surprises. It’s a suburb eight miles north of downtown Los Angeles, ranked the third largest city in the sprawling SoCal

Palm Springs, California is the mecca of mid-century architecture, design, fashion, culture, and cocktails. This is celebrated annually at Modernism Week when the town showcases butterfly roofs and all-steel buildings, rattan furniture, far out wallpaper, bouffant hairdos, and martinis. In February, I along with thousands of other 1950’s enthusiast, converged on downtown to partake in

A two hour ferry ride north of Seattle are the San Juan Islands The archipelago is closer to Canada than the United States. Of the 125 small atolls, three welcome outlanders – Orcas, the namesake island San Juan, and Lopez. Spring, summer and fall are the popular months. A Labor Day weekend visit with my

Thanks Elaine Masters for interviewing me about my 800-mile walk to visit California’s 21 missions along El Camino Real. So fun you brought your radio equipment to Mission Bay in San Diego and we gabbed on the grass by the waters edge! We talked about why I hiked, how I trained & more. Listen here…

Las Vegas isn’t just for gambling anymore. Seriously creative artists display their work in galleries, hotels, and outdoor parks along The Strip. Exhibits’ diverse mediums appeal to the masses. It’s free to enjoy and gives the metropolis a bit of  panache. Here are a few places I visited on my recent visit to Sin City.

Editor extraordinair, Elizabeth Hansen, of the award-winning ‪#‎AuthenticLuxuryTravel‬ website, asked me to write a post on my 800-mile mission walk, sharing with her readers the landmark’s backgrounds, scenic sections for day hikes, and posh places to stay along the route. I was very fortunate to stay at three of California’s nicest hotels along my route…