Florence, Light and Dark
Florence is so deeply rooted in the history of art and politics that it leaves little room for much else. Even the food is steeped in politics. A tax levied on salt in 1540 by Pope Paolo III caused the… Continue Reading
Travel
Assignment: Road Trip, the Ultimate Escape
All right, I’ve given you enough time. You should have a hobby now, and as promised, I have an assignment for you. With the state of the economy, and the Christmas season in full swing, stress has come to town… Continue Reading
Searching for a Dickens Christmas in London
I was dead, to begin with. Dead tired after the train ride from Paris to London. The ride through the Chunnel was longer than usual due to tunnel repairs after an accident in September. My cab ride through the busy… Continue Reading
Czech passport? No alcohol
You read when my daughter-in-law and son planned their trip to the North State from the Czech Republic. You read about some of the things they’ve done since their arrival. Today’s is not a happy tourist story about Marie Domke, my beautiful, sophisticated, brilliant Czech… Continue Reading
Christmastime Czech* List
A wise friend Kelly suggested I wait to write about son Joe and his wife, Marie’s, visit to the United States until they’d actually touched down upon U.S. soil. Just in case. Better safe than you know what. I’d hate… Continue Reading
Halloween at the Happiest Place on Earth
Disneyland transforms for the holidays By Lauren Brooks Disneyland donned its best Halloween costume to celebrate the season. Smiling jack-o-lanterns peered out of windows on Main Street while candy corn littered Disney’s California Adventure park. The ghouls of “Tim Burton’s… Continue Reading
Writings of a wanderer, Part 3: Journey to South Korea full of adventure
A quick recap from my last two columns: My fiancé, Richard, and I traveled to Incheon, South Korea, in August to visit my friend, Jessica, who is spending two years teaching there. The history Richard, Jessica and I visited the… Continue Reading
Writings of a wanderer: Part 2: Journey to South Korea full of adventure
A quick recap from my last column: My fiancé, Richard, and I traveled to Incheon, South Korea, in August to visit my friend, Jessica, who is spending two years teaching there. The fashion While riding the subway between Incheon and… Continue Reading
Welcome back, Grigsbys
The Grigsby family, left to right: Brian, Kathleen, Debbie, Hannah and Caroline. When my sons attended Shasta High School, they were among the fortunate students who landed seats in science classes taught by the super-cool, always-inspirational Brian Grigsby. It was a sad day when Grigsby and his family… Continue Reading
Writings of a wanderer: Part 1: Journey to South Korea full of adventure
I recently traveled half way around the world to visit my closest friend and to explore a country I otherwise wouldn’t have planned to visit: South Korea. It was an unforgettable experience, filled with friendly people and memorable meals. My… Continue Reading
