The friendly faces of Québec Winter Carnival begin and end with Bonhomme. Besides his numerous appearances around Québec City, Bonhomme’s image appears everywhere about town. His smile and good cheer ripple through the region. From the staff at the renown Ice Hotel (Hôtel de Glace), just 10 minutes from downtown, to the more than 1500 Carnival […]
Baby Boomers and Travel
Beat the Winter Blues at Québec Winter Carnival!
If you can’t beat winter, why not embrace it? That’s the philosophy behind the Québec Winter Carnival, celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2014. Host Paule Bergeron with Québec City Tourism explains: “Winter is something we are born with. We forget that we are taking some of you out of your comfort zone, but we hope you leave here […]
Au Revoir, 2013!
Memories of 2013 may be fading fast, but before we leap too far into 2014, here are a few snapshots of the roads I’ve wandered over the past year . . . In 2013 I re-discovered the beauty of the Pacific Northwest with trips to the San Juans, Whidbey Island, Idaho, The Dalles and Seaside, […]
Dreaming of a White Christmas in Seattle
It could happen. Miracles do, you know. Especially at this time of year. Weather forecasters are predicting a possible dusting in Seattle tomorrow morning – which could very well extend to next week. Okay, I made that last part up. Still, let’s keep hope alive. We could have a white Christmas yet . . . […]
A Conversation with Cookbook Author Tina Ruggiero
* Photo by Bill Bettencourt A culinary conversation with cookbook author Tina Ruggiero brings her audience back to basics: cooking and eating as two timeless traditions best shared and cherished with family and friends. At Idaho’s Sun Valley Harvest Festival last month, I had the chance to sit down and chat with Tina following her popular cooking […]
Seattle Spiderweb Walk
Why not join me for a Seattle spiderweb walk this foggy morning? Wear your Spiderman and Spiderwoman costumes if you want. What a bounty of beautifully spun spider webs I came across on my stroll through the neighborhood. One, two . . . I was soon joined by a Dad and daughter who counted at […]
Follow the Wine Trail to Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs
One of my favorite reasons for planning an escape to Oregon’s Willamette Valley is to sample the region’s flavorful Pinot Noirs. Apart from their taste, these light to medium-bodied wines are popular with wine enthusiasts for their versatility in food pairings. A latecomer to the Pinot Noir party, I was first smitten by the younger, […]
iFLY, youFLY at iFLY Indoor Skydiving Seattle
Suited up, ready for my first iFLY Indoor Skydiving moment, I approach the doorway with apprehension. Despite the brief training and pep talk from our iFLY instructor, despite watching others soar before me, despite my outward bravado, there’s no way to know the feeling of skydiving until taking the plunge. I step forward. Arms across […]
Girlfriend Getaway with the Legendary D.B. Cooper
Thanksgiving Eve, November 24, 1971. “Dan Cooper” (aka D.B. Cooper) boards Northwest Orient Airline Flight 305 in Portland, Oregon for what is normally a 30-minute hop to Seattle. But this is not a normal flight. After ordering a bourbon and Seven, he hands an envelope to stewardess Florence Schaffner. As the world now knows, the hijacking […]
Healthy Choice: A Traveler’s Choice?
Is Healthy Choice a traveler’s choice? That’s what I wanted to find out in my three week paid participation in the Vibrant Influencer Network Healthy Choice campaign. So far I’ve reviewed the Healthy Choice Greek Frozen Yogurt and the Healthy Choice Café Steamers. In my final week, I sampled two of the brand’s Baked Taste: the Four Cheese Ziti […]