travel thursday: the tattered cover

I missed Travel Tuesday and have decided that Travel Thursday is just as catchy. It’s the new big thing. Tell your friends.

I was in Denver this week for a media reception at the new Rally Hotel, which is spectacular. If you’re planning to catch a Rockies game, you should stay there and save some time to explore McGregor Square.

May 03

travel tuesday: hummingbird wars

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The hummingbirds are back! I am lucky enough to see them from my office for a few months every year, but remote camping in the high country brings even more of the hungry little hummers to the feeder. One year, I relaxed in a chair nearby with my good camera and captured some great shots of these flying jewels.

Apr 26

travel tuesday: lobster on my mind

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Lobster Roll at Thurston's Lobster Pound

I brought home a great New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc last night, Lobster Reef, and have been craving lobster ever since. Or should I say “lobstah”? That brought to mind the best lobster roll I’ve ever had. We were spending a week at Bar Harbor in October 2014 during our big RV road trip, and a friend recommended Thurston’s Lobster Pound. Even though I ate lobster every day that week, this is the one I still dream about.

Apr 19

travel tuesday: that view, though…

travel tuesday: yes, I ate haggis.

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The phrase “when in Rome” applies to many situations. When in Scotland, I discovered that after white wine, red wine and Scotch, I’ll eat just about anything. Including haggis.

We were staying at Hotel Newton in Nairn, Charlie Chaplin’s old stomping grounds, which is truly spectacular and now a part of the MGM family. It’s near Inverness, which my fellow Outlander fans will appreciate. There’s even a Je Suis Prest crest on the building. It was a short drive to the Culloden Battlefield the next morning.

Apr 05

travel tuesday: casa grande ruins

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We discovered this historical treasure during our 10-month RV road trip in 2014 and 2015. It is not too far from where we spent the winter. An ancestral Sonoran Desert People’s farming community and Great House are preserved at Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. Whether the Casa Grande was a gathering place for the Desert People or simply a waypoint marker in an extensive system of canals and trading partners is just part of the mystique of the Ruins. Read the known history of this national monument here.

Mar 29

travel tuesday: hoodoo you think you are?

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The hoodoos north of Debeque, Colorado, on the way to the Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Area, are a sweet surprise if you aren’t expecting them. Hoodoo rocks are often fantastically shaped, naturally carved rocks or earth pedestals, pillars or columns. The word hoodoo probably derives from voodoo, a West African-based religion in which magical powers can be associated with natural features. Hoodoos conjure up images of strange events. (Thanks, Canadian Encyclopedia!)

Mar 22

travel tuesday: cider tasting in hotchkiss, co

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Delicious Farms in Hotchkiss, Colorado, is a must-visit when we do a daytrip on the Grand Mesa Loop. You can camp in the orchard, eat at the café, shop at the store, play like a kid on tree swings, listen to live music and pick your own fruit. You can also grab a stool at the Cider Bar and sample Big B’s Ciders. The food at the café is very good, so step up and order your meal. I recommend the tamales, and my husband likes the pulled pork. Then, order a flight of hard ciders and dig in.

Note: The website says they are not offering tastings due to COVID-19, but we were able to order this flight last summer. You can always choose a single cider in larger sizes. Be sure to take some home along with goodies from the store.

Mar 15

travel tuesday: dreamin’ of the beach

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This was just 5 DAYS AGO! The view from our table at The Beach House on Bradenton Beach, Anna Maria Island, was as wonderful as the food. I keep clicking my heels together and chanting, “There’s no place like the beach, there’s no place like the beach, there’s no place like the beach.” But, unlike Dorothy, I have not been magically relocated. Watch for a long post or two about our trip coming soon. In the meantime, check out my post from our last trip there, Do’s and Don’ts when visiting Anna Maria Island.

Mar 08

travel tuesday: jack london state historic park

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We explored this beautiful park three years ago this month during a trip to Napa and Sonoma. The park, Jack London’s former home and ranch, is spectacular. It was mud season, so we didn’t get to walk the trails and focused our time on the museum. His history, and that of his wife Charmian, is fascinating and beautifully represented there. Read more about the park and our day in Sonoma here.