Modernism Week defines Palm Springs
Seven years into the promotion of its mid-20th century style and culture, Palm Springs Modernism Week has officially put the city on the map as a mecca for fans of the clean, simple lines and elegant informality that denote the modernistic mode. This year’s “week,” Thursday, Feb. 16 through Sunday, Feb. 26, will again provide an open-house invitation to visit and view... READ MORE
Taking a cruise with Hollywood legends
The tragic Jan. 13 capsizing of the Costa Concordia cruise ship off the Tuscan island of Giglio in Italy probably has some potential passengers thinking twice about embarking on a future cruise. But these floating luxury “hotels” make thousands of trips each year without incident, and the cruise ship industry has an excellent safety record. This is one of the reasons why some 2,000... READ MORE
Las Vegas through the eyes of a first-timer
It feels like I’ve walked out of an icebox and into an oven as I exit the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, but I won’t let the summertime heat derail my exploration of the Las Vegas Strip on foot.Adjacent to the golden-hued Mandalay Bay is the dark, imposing, pyramid-shaped Luxor hotel and casino, and beyond that stands the multi-turreted, castle-like property called Excalibur.I... READ MORE
Krakow, Poland: Historic and now trendy
With crowds of tourists and a college-town atmosphere, Krakow — once the capital of Poland — has become a European hot spot.The center of it all is the centuries-old main square in the Old Town, or Stare Miasto, where brick streets are filled with restaurants, coffee shops, trendy boutiques and sidewalk cafes. Midnight feels like noon as crowds crawl late into the night, when... READ MORE
The euro: neither a windfall nor a worry
Today’s media are full of reports on the “crisis” in the euro currency. The euro is the common currency among 17 European countries — including all the big ones other than the UK — and what happens to it influences almost all U.S. visitors to any of those countries.The upside for visitors is that European travel costs for U.S. and Canadian visitors are somewhat ... READ MORE
The Everglades: One watery wonderland
A sheet of water once flowed from the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes near Orlando to Lake Okeechobee and then across the southern tip of Florida through ponds, sloughs, wetlands, hummocks and forests. Once covering almost 3 million acres, the Everglades was perceived by many during Florida’s early boom years as a worthless swamp interfering with agriculture and other development. So,... READ MORE
Become an airport VIP at a sensible price
For most of us, big airports are among the world’s most hostile environments. Crowds, noise, long lines, inadequate seating, and garbled announcements are the norm. Fortunately, even occasional travelers can avail themselves of the road warriors’ refuges: VIP airline lounges. Mostly, you’ll have to pay, but an oasis of calm can be worth a few bucks. Most large airlines maintain... READ MORE
Reasons to go to — or revisit — China
Throughout the city of Qufu (pronounced Chew-foo), China, numerous statues and posters depicting Confucius gaze out at the scene. If those portrayals were to come to life, they might frown at what is taking place in the birthplace of the venerated philosopher and teacher.Brought up in poverty some 2,500 years ago, Kong Fuzi — the Chinese name which from “Confucius” evolved ... READ MORE
Alabama’s Civil War and civil rights sites
Montgomery, Alabama, claims to be the birthplace of both the Civil War and the civil rights movement — events 100 years apart, but not unrelated.Morgan Berney, with the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce Convention and Visitor Bureau, told me: "You should come here to learn the history of the important things that happened here." So I set out to do just that.And it's... READ MORE
Plant bulbs now for your spring garden
It has been difficult to get excited about the advent of fall weather this year due to a wet September and October. Yet gardening is all about hoping for the best.This sense of hope is well represented by the spring bulb. Spring bulbs are nature’s little bundles of delayed gratification. In each bulb is a harbinger of spring; a snow drop or crocus, a daffodil or tulip. All this will... READ MORE