A visit to the North African country of Morocco awakens the senses. In Rabat, the savory aroma of chicken simmering with olives in a clay tajine pot piqued my sense of smell. The cobalt blue walls in Chefchouen’s maze-like medina nearly blinded me on a sunny day. The lyrical sound of the “call to prayers” echoed in my ears from small-town minarets in the Atlas Mountains to the country’s largest Islamic mosque in Casablanca. I could not resist running my fingers over the...
The colors, the furnishings, and the decor of the Fairmont Tazi Palace are reminiscent of an earlier time when an advisor to the sultan of Morocco built this hilltop retreat in Tangier. After a major renovation and expansion, the Fairmont hotel now offers modern luxuries still fit for royalty—and curious visitors like me interested in exploring magical Morocco. I stayed at the palace, which has 133 rooms and several eclectic restaurants, on a recent press trip to Tangier. To find out more about the...
The Florida Gulf Coast has been a favorite of mine since my college days, when I interned one summer at The St. Petersburg Times (now The Tampa Bay Times). In my free time, I explored the beach communities north and south of St. Pete, where I lived in a retirement hotel with my Irish-American grandmother (that’s another story…). The Bradenton beaches on Anna Maria Island were idyllic, with long stretches of blindingly white sand, clear blue water, and few crowds. While kayaking in the...
Artimus has a way of sneaking up behind you and poking you with his pointy nose to get your attention. That is not unusual behavior for a Shetland Sheepdog. What is surprising is when he greets you in a hotel lobby. Compass Hotel by Margaritaville on Anna Maria Sound in Bradenton isn’t your typical Florida hotel. It is part of a new brand of hotels associated with popular singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffet. Parrot Heads, as Buffet fans are affectionately known, will recognize its pet-friendly...
A wealth of Old World and delicious new attractions can flood Bruges’ historical squares and arched stone bridges with tourists. But on a visit last spring, I escaped the crowds by veering off the main streets and exploring the city’s narrow alleys, smaller canals, and off-beat attractions. By starting my days early — while late-night revelers still nursed Belgian-beer hangovers — I could leisurely admire the city’s iconic 15th-century churches, ornate buildings with stair-step gables, and must-see museums. Please read my recent story in...
With the Lattari Mountains looming above and the sparkling Mediterranean Sea below, Sorrento occupies an envious position on the rugged southwestern coast of Italy. Not only is the setting beautiful, but Sorrento is also the summertime gateway to the stunning scenery of the Amalfi Coast and the tony island of Capri. We, however, were visiting in mid-January. And we were not sure what to expect when we boarded a bullet train on a frigid day in Florence. We were just hoping to unwind and...
With so much art to admire and so many canals to cross in Venice, I wasn’t sure I’d have time for brunch on the remote Venetian island of Torcello. But my friend insisted that dining at Locanda Cipriani was a glorious experience not to be missed. I’m so happy I took her advice. Here’s a link to my story about that visit to Torcello and its iconic restaurant, which appeared recently in Live in Italy magazine.
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Fireworks over the Grand Canal on New Year’s Eve. A lavish brunch of pasta and Prosecco on New Year’s Day at an iconic restaurant on the island of Torcello. All that and more was on the agenda of our girls’ trip to Venice in December 2021. Covid-19 infection rates were finally waning. We were vaccinated, boosted, and ready to bust out of quarantine when my friend and Italophile Corky organized our trip last summer Then, a Covid variant ominously called omicron began surging....
When we planned our trip to hike the Big Five national parks in Utah last May, we picked St. George as our last stop because it was a short drive to Zion National Park. This small city in the southwest corner of the state was also within just a couple hours drive of Las Vegas, where we would catch a flight back home. We were so surprised by how beautiful the area around St. George was that we put our hiking boots back on....
“Utah has the best rocks.” That’s what my friend Shellie told me when she learned about my plans to visit the Mighty 5 National Parks in Utah on a road trip last May. I laughed and nodded. But I didn’t really understand what she meant until we turned south on Utah 128, not long after crossing into the state on I-70 from Colorado. We’d just driven through the magnificent Rocky Mountains from Denver. We’d gaped at several 14-teeners, wound around numerous lofty cliffs, and...
As a journalist, I’ve written about crime for newspapers, business deals for magazines, cruise ship ports for online travel publications and industry trends for websites. My focus now is exclusively on travel.