September commemorates our wine heritage
Cabernet Sauvignon grapes at Temecula’s Leonesse Winery.Photo by Lydia KremerSome of the earliest wine grapes grown in California were planted in the 1700s by Franciscan friars, who built and established the 21 California missions, to produce sacramental wine for religious purposes.The friars brought grape cuttings from Europe to the New World, and since then some California wine has... READ MORE
Breathtaking beauty in Utah’s national parks
Driving along a winding, narrow cliff, a 1,300-foot drop on the driver’s side, I clung to my heart, with the rest of me halfway out the passenger-side window. Hiking on slick rock at seemingly a 90-degree angle, I came to a visual wonder, and understood why so many made the climb. Gaping at high cliff walls adorned with sharp pinnacles leaping skyward, it looked like the earth had... READ MORE
Art, music and missions in Santa Barbara
Ocean breezes keep Santa Barbara’s temperatures moderate year round. Visitors can enjoy a beachside arts and crafts show, along with surfing, shopping and performing arts.© Bpperry | Dreamstime.com Beautifully situated along the Pacific coast about 90 miles north of Los Angeles, onshore breezes keep Santa Barbara delightfully cool in summer.Lower State Street is very popular ... READ MORE
Buffalo’s natural and man-made wonders
Fourth of July fireworks explode over the Erie Canal Harbor in Buffalo, N.Y. The city has several art museums, two dozen theaters, and a skyline filled with the works of prominent 19th and early 20th century architects.Photo courtesy of Visit Buffalo-NiagaraLast winter, Buffalo was blanketed with 130 inches of snow, the seventh-snowiest season since World War II. Even in years with more... READ MORE
Villages and hamlets of the 1,000 Islands
Tibbetts Point Lighthouse, built in 1827, marks the point where Lake Ontario meets the St. Lawrence River in northern New York.Photo by George FisherThe great St. Lawrence River, which flows from Lake Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean, is inviting. It invites curious travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, pumpkin catapulters and even would-be princes and princesses who harbor fantasies of living in... READ MORE
Portland, hip city of roses and gourmands
At more than 11,000 feet, Mt. Hood towers over downtown Portland, deemed America’s “most livable city” by Places Rated Almanac. The city boasts both the largest rose show and book store in the nation.Photo courtesy of Travel PortlandRoses have figured prominently in plays, poems, songs and movies, but manhole covers? Welcome to rose-obsessed Portland, Ore.The City of Roses ... READ MORE
Visiting Normandy, 70 years after D-Day
Weather in Normandy had been iffy for days. Showers and wind gave way to sunshine, then lightning storms over the sea.We watched and waited for the signal to jump. With a window of only a few hours, I began to doubt our chances.Finally the message my companions and I had been waiting for arrived: The jump was on.Unlike the paratroopers of the 101st and 82nd Airborne divisions who jumped... READ MORE
Alpine escapes offer relief from desert heat
If fresh, cool mountain air is beckoning, think Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead for a quick change of scenery. A short one-and-a-half-hour drive from the desert will reward you with alpine views and cooler temps at these picturesque San Bernardino Mountain resorts.Beautiful Big Bear A pontoon boat is a popular choice for fishing, swimming, picnicking and simply cruising around Big Bear... READ MORE
Exploring the Amazon’s many wonders
I am a hiker. But at home in Maryland, no one uses a machete to blaze the trail prior to walking on it as did Souza, our Amazon guide. He created a path for us in the overgrown rainforest step by step. Slicing, swatting, swooping and chopping, no branch, bush, vine or twig was safe.The hike was one of four daily activities during our eight-day adventure exploring the Amazon rainforest. We... READ MORE
From a bomb site to a beach destination
A jet plane bearing the identifying emblem of the U.S. Navy streaked low over a broad stretch of beach, dropped a bomb onto the island below and banked sharply to return to its base. The U.S. Navy was attacking a tiny corner of its own country — sort of.Today, a smattering of beach towels and colorful umbrellas dot the sand not far from where that bomb fell, and the only sounds are... READ MORE
