Cities to Explore
The best cities in the world to explore.
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On Location: The Dilapidated Grandeur of Old Havana
As our tour bus turned on to the famed Malecón, my extended family of 18 all vied to get a good view. We were eager to see the shiny, vintage American cars, check out the pastel painted colonial buildings and watch the waves crash into the sea side wall. As we continued down the road towards Old Town Havana, and peered down the side streets, I soon realized that there is much more to Havana then those iconic images. The amount of extensive disrepair of so many buildings was astonishing. There was a plethora of crumbling structures barely standing, some with 2×4’s precariously holding up balconies while people milled in and out below. There…
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Culture: Fashion – A Day Out in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
San Miguel de Allende is located in central Mexico. At over 6,000′ in altitude, and surrounded by Bajio mountains, it does not have the typical turquoise blue waters and white sand beach attractions that draw so many visitors to Mexico, yet it is definitely a Mexican city that should not be missed. Hilly cobblestone streets, colonial architecture, and a dreamy color palette of earth toned rusts, corals, olive greens and golden yellow make this city a visual fiesta for any visitor. It has long been a city that has attracted artists and expats who come visit and end up never leaving. It is said that San Miguel de Allende enjoys a “perpetual Spring” of…
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On Location: Spend the Day Painting a Mask in Venice, Italy
Whenever Carnevale di Venezia time comes around, I always think of the great experience my family and I had in Venice painting our own mask. It was our first trip to Venice, and although we were going to be there during the summer, I could not get the lore of the magical masks worn at Carnival time out of my mind. Before we left on our trip, I did a few searches and was excited to find a place called Ca’Macana in the heart of Venice where they conducted educational classes and mask making workshops. Ca’Macana is one of the oldest mask making workshops in Venice and has a rich tradition of…
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On Location: Portraits of Tucson, Arizona
With a population of over a half million people, there is definitely no shortage of portraits to be painted in Tucson, Arizona. Even with a burgeoning number of inhabitants, to a non-desert dweller, I was drawn (literally) to create portraits of the other population in Tucson, the cacti! The majestic saguaro cactus is hard to miss around town. Not only are they quite tall (some can grow to be over 70 feet tall), but they also could easily hold the title for most recognizable icon of the Wild West. Ironically they do not grow throughout the West, but Tucson is lucky to be one of the few regions it thrives. In fact, it is so prevalent in…
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On Location: 9/11 Reflections
We all know where we were when the planes struck. Some of us were across the country, some across the world, and some right next door. We all know someone who was deeply affected- a loved one killed, a friend who died, a coworker who didn’t make it home, a friend who mourned a loss, a hero who helped saved lives. There will never be a September 11th that passes where we don’t take pause, take time to reflect. On a recent visit to New York City, I toured the 9/11 Memorial site. I was not quite sure what to expect. Could a memorial evoke the intense emotions and feelings…
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On Location: Rocky Mountain High – Solitude at 10,000′ in Fairplay Colorado
Past bustling Frisco, Colorado, through the ski town of Breckenridge and over 11,542′ Hoosier Pass lies the little town of Fairplay, Colorado. Situated on a high grassland basin known as South Park (yes, the South Park… more on this later), you definitely get the feeling that John Denver must have visited Fairplay before he wrote his famous ballad, Rocky Mountain High. There are the “cathedral mountains” and the “silver clouds”, there’s the starlight sky, and the streams. But most of all I found the “quiet solitude.” Perhaps the solitude was unique to when I visited, I can’t be sure, but this small town of less than 700 people, situated in…
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On Location: Vancouver – An Urban City Surrounded by Nature Part 2
Some travelers when they head on vacation are looking for the great outdoors; peace and quite and a little time in nature. Other crave the urban scene– hot restaurants, night clubs and hip venues. I must say, I love a little bit of both, and Vancouver is the perfect city to get it! In an earlier post, I talked about the great urban vibe of Vancouver, now I’m going to focus on the incredible surrounding nature! Vancouver is a gorgeous city with a mountainous backdrop that’s straight out of a movie. The first time I visited , clouds covered our view for nearly 2 days, and on the last day…
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On Location: Vancouver – An Urban City Surrounded by Nature Part 1
Vancouver, Canada is my kind of city. It fills my urban needs with swanky high rises, busy streets, and hip cultural spots but also satisfies my outdoorsy passions with wooded trails, miles of shoreline and majestic mountains as a backdrop. When sorting through my pictures from my last trip to Vancouver, I realized, the only way to give this city the credit it’s due is to break up my writing into two posts: one on Vancouver’s urban side and one for Vancouver’s nature side. Each aspect is a very distinct part of what makes this city so wonderful! While walking the streets of downtown Vancouver, I saw many of the…
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On Location: Quintessential East Coast Summer Spot – Nantucket
One might say a beach is a beach is a beach… but I beg to differ. Growing up in California, I’ve been lucky to spend time in my fair share of West Coast beaches; from the beaches far south in Mexico up through California, to Oregon and Washington, I’ve dug sand castles, looked for shells and caught a few waves. California beaches, especially, have this surfer vibe to them that is like no where else, and very familiar to me. So, when I was invited to head to Nantucket, Massachusetts for a wedding, I was so excited. East Coast beach towns like Nantucket, the Hamptons, and Jersey Shore have such…
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On Location: Grand Velas Resort, Riviera Nayarit, Mexico
What an incredibly relaxing week at the Grand Velas Resort in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico, just outside of Puerto Vallarta. It was the perfect family holiday, but also traveling with couples, I know they enjoyed their stay just as well! The Riviera Nayarit is just North of Puerto Vallarta, where many resorts are building along the beautiful Banderas Bay. Only 1/2 hour drive from the airport, the location can’t be beat. Our spacious suite was perfect for our family of 4 and had a great a central view out to the bay… although with the incredible weather we enjoyed, we weren’t in the room much. The best part of the resort…