Los Angeles love story from a Montana girl with her head in the stars

Sunset Boulevard and the Pantages Theatre, built in 1930 as a Vaudeville house, film and performance
venue and for many years hosted the Academy Awards. It holds a special place in the hearts of writer Christene Meyers, and her photographer husband, Bruce Keller, whose mother Jean, an art major, left University of Minnesota in 1944 to rent a flat at Hollywood and Vine & design window displays.  Meyers and Keller visit Los Angeles often for theater, movies &"Jeopardy" tapings.  

HISTORY WITH HOLLYWOOD: FIRES DAMAGE, WREAK DESTRUCTION OF AN OLD FRIEND WHO WILL RISE FROM ASHES

As a movie reviewer at The Billings Gazette, the writer spent many weekends
in Los Angeles, where she interviewed hundreds of film stars, directors,
producers, screen writers and designers. She covered the Oscars, too. 

Fire fighters work to quell
Pacific Palisades fires.

Editor's note: As fire containment progresses,  we continue 
fire updates here. Saturday, Getty Center officials announced the museum will reopen Jan. 28. Some evacuation orders are being lifted on multiple fire areas in Los Angeles County. Progress is being made after 11 days of severe red flag warnings. Drought and winds created some of the worst wildfires in the country's history. Check here daily.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

and newspaper archives 

I DIDN'T REALIZE how much Los Angeles means to me until the fires. Now I understand.

 

Debbie Reynolds and daughter
Carrie Fisher, interviewed at a
Hollywood awards ceremony.

A new star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at
  Hollywood and Vine, awaits its a new gold name.
 

 Facts are that in years of globe trotting, I've spent more time visiting Los Angeles than any other place in the world, with New York, London and Barcelona the runners up.

Makeup wizard and special effcts artist Andy
Schoneberg and his partner and fellow artist
Nicole Michaud, with Cookie and Keller and
Schoneberg's Humphrey Bogart creation. He
has lived in Los Angeles for the past 40 years. 

  ALL TOGETHER I've logged about 7 years in the city -- in visits ranging from 3 days to 2 and 3 weeks. Trips to Disneyland as a young person, a honeymoon trip with late husband Bruce Meyers, five weeks with late husband Bill Jones researching our historical novel partly set in Los Angeles, and at least 10 visits a year during my 25-plus years as a movie critic. I covered the Oscars in the day when newspapers were king and the studios invited select film reviewers for world premiers and interviews. I've strolled the Walk of

Keller's parents were married
in Los Angeles in post-WWII.
Meet William and Jean Keller.

Fame many times, playing tourist, often catching sight of a star. Sometimes they remembered me -- Christopher Reeve and Bill Murray did. I've weaseled my way into Hollywood piano bars to play when the paid pianists took a break. I've sunbathed by the rooftop pool at the historic Hoxton Hotel, which opened in 1924 with star studded fun. 

Looking like a mirage, Echo Mountain House
was a favorite escape for sunshine and fruit groves.
The Pasadena area was called "America's Italy." 
 

MOST PEOPLE don't realize that there was a Los Angeles long before the metropolis we know today sprang from the desert.  L.A. was founded in 1781 by Spanish colonists and Pasadena has long been a popular winter destination for wealthy folks. The gorgeous chaparral and wildflower terrain that has been scorched in at least 8 wildfires reminded J. Paul Getty of his beloved Italy. So much so that he built a lavish museum, Getty Villa, a replica of a luxurious compound destroyed by Vesuvius. There, in a building now closed but safe, his $10 billion collection awaits reopening probably months down the road. 

Bruce Keller and Christene
"Cookie" Meyers at the
Ahmanson Theatre, L.A.

We photographed Getty Villa just before it closed
indefinitely. It is J. Paul Getty's multi-billion-
dollar museum, a showcase for his collection.

 The landscape that attracted the rich for a century is now a charred graveyard. As it burns, its ashes cover the past of a city of remarkable incarnations.

ON ONE sunny afternoon 35 years ago, Bill Jones and I found the remains of Echo Mountain House, built in 1894.  The elegant Swiss inspired chalet was an astronomical observatory and hide-away for Gilded Age partiers.  They dressed to the nines for elegant dinner-dance parties and arrived by cable railway. 

When the regular pianist takes a break, Cookie
often charms herself into a piano bar to play
a few sets, here at the Omni Lounge in L.A.

IN NEARBY HOLLYWOOD,  I interviewed Debbie Reynolds and her daughter, Carrie Fisher, Shirley MacLaine, Jack Nicholson, Robert Redford, Sally Field, Christopher Reeve, Robert DeNiro, Meryl Streep, Dolly Parton, Liza Minnelli, Fred Astaire and many others. We stayed in posh hotels: 
Chateau Marmont, The Beverly Hills and Beverly Wilshire, the stately Roosevelt, where Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks hung out.  

Walt Disney Concert Hall hosts world class
 musicians and conductors and is a regular player
 in Cookie's world of theater and lively arts.

Bruce Keller and his mom, Jean
 Keller, sailed the harbors of
Long Beach, Oceanside, etc.

WITH BRUCE Keller (aka "Bruce the Second,") I spend weekends 90 miles north of our San Diego home in L.A.  It is beloved by Keller because his mother came to the city as a young college arts student on spring break from University of Minnesota.  She never left.

 For the past 18 years, we've watched fabulous opera and thrilled to Gustavo Dudamel's baton conducting the L.A. philharmonic at beautiful Walt Disney Concert Hall. We see plays at the Ahmanson, Mark Taper and Kirk Douglas theaters. We've been to a half-dozen "Jeopardy" tapings and spent time with the late Alex Trebek. We visit many friends, including Wyoming born Andy Schoenberg, a well known makeup artist and old pal, and Keller's oldest friend, Bob Hulbert. He and his wife Sue host us for musical gatherings where we sing show tunes and celebrate a long friendship. I'm the only "non-native" as Bruce, Bob and Sue are all southern Californians with long ties to Los Angeles.

Keller took this night photo of the
Pantages on our most recent visit.

READING OF the fires is like hearing an old friend has a terminal illness. I pray to my agnostic gods that this city beloved by me, Keller and millions of others will rebound quickly, rising from the ashes to reinvent itself once again. As it does -- and as soon as possible -- we'll be back. For the show must go on.

************************************************************************************************************  

Marielle Young as Luna and Jin Park as Jane
forge a friendship in their mutual loneliness.

BEST BET: If you love serious theater, with welcome comic relief, head for North Coast Repertory Theatre for "The Heart Sellers." It's a play for play goers, with a perfect theatrical triumvirate. New Yorker Kat Yen's deft direction thoughtfully develops Lloyd Suh's clever script, delivered by two splendid actors with delightful chemistry. The theme is integration-- two wives uprooted from their cultures to support their husbands' education and careers in an unnamed U.S. city. Playwright Suh created two endearing characters in this subtle and sometimes raucous  production. They have just met and are learning to trust one another. Marielle Young plays Luna, a gregarious Filipina woman, endowing her character with brashness and tender enthusiasm. Playing her reluctant Korean new friend Jane is Jin Park who gives her character just the right balance of reserve and delight.  Through two capable actors, a touching friendship develops. When Luna sings "Top of the World," that sweet Carpenters' song, we take  an emotional ride with her. It's a play of satisfying depth and subtlety with welcome moments of slapstick and lightness.

It takes great talent to pull off a two- person show which never fails to engage and sustain us. 
The collaboration of writer, director and actors opens the year at the Rep with a five-star show on an eye-catching set.

northcoastrep.org or call for tickets, call 858-481-1055

*********************************************************************************** 

Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers on the trail
of dolphins and whales, keeping safe distance from the fires.
 Find some fire relief next week in southern California.

ON TAP: Concerned about the tragic fires, worried about the safety of our many friends in Los Angeles and the havoc and loss of the terrible fires, we are thankful for progress on containment, and for our safety in San Diego. Now, we travel north of the city to romp with the whales. They're migrating from the north to the warm waters of the Baja and we're on their trail.  Meanwhile, keep the people and critters of Los Angeles in your hearts and minds, remembering to explore, learn, live and be kind, generous and helpful. Catch us weekly for stories on performance, nature, travel and -- sometimes -- breaking news, good or bad: www.whereiscookie.com

 

Fires continue, containment increases, destruction figures rise, animals saved as winds abate a bit

Fires continue to destroy structures mid-day Wednesday. Containment percentages are increasing, 
according to L.A. mayor. Because of long, costly recovery, officials are concerned about major events scheduled: World Cup matches in 2026, 2027 Super Bowl and even the 2028 Summer Olympics.

The Griffith Observatory is still a perfect place to view
 the famous Hollywood sign. The icon remains safe while
wild winds contribute to the worst fires in the state's history.  

FIRES DESTROY, THREATEN LANDSCAPE, ICONIC BUILDINGS, HISTORIC LOS ANGELES LANDMARKS

MANY HELP AS TRAGEDY BRINGS OUT BEST AND WORST IN HUMANITY

Editor's Note: We're updating this story daily with new figures and progress on containing  Palisades, Eaton and 6 other fires. The fires began early last Tuesday, 9 days ago.

The Los Angeles Equestrian Center has organized a large
animal rescue center, a Noah's Ark for horses, donkeys
and other critters escaping the fire. Many horses have been
 rescued from the Pasadena, Eaton and other areas where
many have long enjoyed the bond between human and horse.
                                                                                                        --photo courtesy Reuters

Thursday update: Some good news: the Los Angeles Equestrian Center has been transformed into a modern-day Noah's Ark. Over the last week, it has taken in hundreds of horses and other animals from the disaster as part of its official role as one of the city's largest animal Finally some good news: Fires are contained at 21 per cent.  Anticipated 70mph Santa Ana winds did not yet occur but more red-flag winds are predicted for next week. People are being turned away from assessing damage of their lost homes because of hazardous conditions -- precarious structures, smoldering embers, downed power, gas and water lines. National Guard, LA police and fire departments continue to  work overtime. LA's fire chief cautioned Thursday: "We are still not out of the woods."  The city desperately needs rain as the drought continues. Although Santa Ana winds are less, they are still slowing efforts to control the burn. Palisades and Eaton fires continue to be the most deadly with steep, dry, complex terrain.  Hundreds of fire crews, police and National Guard continue to work overtime. More than 300,000 residents continue under evacuation orders or warnings. Officials have cut power as far away as some Ventura and east San Diego County areas as preventative efforts. 

This firetruck is one of hundreds fighting fires on the
Pacific Coast Highway and several nearby areas.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

& courtesy Los Angeles Times & Associated Press

We often stopped at the Rosenthal Wine Bar and Patio on
the beautiful Pacific Coast Highway. The length of the
highway from Malibu to Santa Monica has been closed.

JUST 8 DAYS ago, we drove through Pacific Palisades, admiring the artful wooden homes, the variety of architecture and lushness of landscape along the iconic Pacific Coast Highway.

We travel sections of it each year. Nothing like it anywhere else in the world, and we are proud to live in a state with such verdant landscape. Even with 15 million people, there are pockets of peace and beauty.  That's now changed.

We're tracking the fire -- the worst in Los Angeles history -- and it makes us sad.  It also makes us feel lucky since we were in the city and on the highway less than a day before devastating fires that continue to rage.

25 PEOPLE have died, many are missing and being treated for burns and smoke inhalation.  Officials say the death toll is likely to be higher. More than 20,000 structures have burned and at least 180,000 residents have evacuated or are under evacuation warnings, as of Wednesday. Experts say even downtown L.A. is far from out of danger. The fires are the worst in the state and considered the costliest wildfire caused catastrophe in American history. Because of long, costly recovery efforts, officials are concerned about major upcoming sports events, including the 2027 Olympics.

Palisades High School, photographed before fires
 burned part of the grounds and delayed term opening.

PLACES WE know and love are gone or badly damaged.  The city's 100-year old NBC building was damaged but not destroyed. A friend's daughter evacuated and sought refuge near us in San Diego while her friend lost her home.  Cousins of our Tel Aviv friends fled from their home in Hollywood Hills, not knowing if they'll find it intact. Multiple wildfires fueled by fierce Santa Ana winds, have burned nearly 110,000 acres in at least five fires. The winds, which occur most often in the fall and winter, push dry air from the desert. That coupled with drought caused the record breaking devastation. 1,300 fire engines, 84 aircraft and 14,000 people are fighting the fires.

Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie"
Meyers stopped at Santa Monica
Pier often, as recently as last Monday.
The beloved playground and area
closed Thursday indefinitely.

AS WITH most tragedy, people are showing their true colors. Heroic rescues of horses, dogs, cats and birds are widespread as people show compassion and help others. One rancher is transporting horses to safety for free in her new 10-horse trailer. Our San Diego hotels are offering half-price rooms. Humane societies are full of abandoned and fire damaged pets, many lost in the confusion as their owners hurried to evacuate. One man dressed as a fireman was arrested while scouring burned residential areas. Looting, pillaging and pickpocketing have increased as others take advantage of the situation. Officials warn people to be vigilant, knowing there is shock and confusion.

Palisades Charter High School, training ground of many celebrities and the high school where Brian De Palma brough Stephen King’s “Carrie” to life, was covered in smoke.

MOVIE BUFFS may not know its name, but they've seen footage of the beautiful campus and school, which was to start a new term on Monday. It caught fire last Tuesday, burning athletic facilities, bungalows, and parts of rear buildings and landscape.

Will Rogers’ historic ranch house at Will Rogers State Park was destroyed and a motel owned by William Randolph Hearst -- the beautiful Topanga Ranch Hotel -- burned to the ground.

One of the city's fabled viewing sites, Griffith Observatory, was engulfed in smoke and evacuated, but safe.  It's a beautiful place to admire the famous Hollywood sign. The sign is still intact, albeit shrouded in smoke. Nearby celebrity homes labeled at risk as the blaze grew. Both the Getty Center and Getty Villa Museum are closed. The Villa sustained smoke damage as nearby landscape was burned but its fire-resistant structure saved it. The Center closed out of precaution, although it is presently not endangered by the fires.

The Pasadena Humane Society is rescuing 
hundreds of animals, both wild and domestic.
Hundreds of horses and donkeys have been
relocated to stables not in danger.
 

ONE OF OUR favorite stopping off places and a beloved Malibu institution is gone. The Rosenthal Wine Bar & Patio along the Pacific Coast Highway was badly damaged by the the fire, along with other popular restaurants in the area. Photos from the Rosenthal scene showed debris and damage surrounding the location's popular oversized chairs, table and wine bottle.

There are multiple fires. The Palisades and Eaton Fire, between Malibu and Santa Monica, has burned more than 12,000 homes, while 30 miles inland, Eaton officials warn of "an immediate threat to life" in Altadena, near Pasadena. More than 20,000 acres have burned there. The Hurst Fire in the San Fernando Valley northwest of downtown L.A., has forced hundreds of residents to leave.

Eaton Fire photographed Thursday afternoon. 

MID-DAY last Thursday as fires raged across the greater Los Angeles area, 335 schools had closed, affecting more than 211,000 students.

When I updated this story, Jan. 16, parts of the 8 fires were slowly coming under control and many buildings partially saved. Other parts of the fires blaze on. Rain is hoped for, naturally. As for the land -- trees, birds and critters -- this cannot be replaced and takes decades to restore.
I THINK of the Yellowstone Park fires of 1988 which burned nearly a million acres -- at least 800,000 acres by even the most conservative estimate. One still sees fire damage -- 37 years later -- so we know it will be decades before Los Angeles recovers to anything recognizable. As frequent visitors, we mourn the loss of life, landscape, animals, birds and buildings. We'll find ways to help.

 

A few of the hundreds of stars interviewed by Christene Meyers,
in a promotion her newspaper created during her long career.
Meyers founded the arts section of The Billings Gazette with her
mentor Kathryn Wright, and interviewed stars during her long career.

UP NEXT: A love story to Los Angeles.  Through the years, writer Christene Meyers has spent at least 2,500 days -- or about seven years of her life -- in Los Angeles. This explains the grief she shares with millions as the horrible fires change the city forever.  Walk with her back in time to a city beloved by legions, founded by the Spanish in 1781 and now home to stage and screen stars and Hollywood studios. It's a nostalgic piece about theater, movies, hotels, and a woman's lifelong attraction to a city she describes as magic. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh look at the arts, travel, nature, family and more: www.whereiscookie.com

America's Cup ride welcomes new year, with thrills, chills and terror

One of two America's Cup racing sloops photographed by Bruce Keller.
While sailing on the famed Stars and Stripes, he took this photo.  

 

THRILLS, CHILLS ON  CLASSIC BOAT AS GOAL IS REACHED  -- SAILOR CAPTURES DREAM, GLORY   

Reluctant Christene, legs shaking, steps aboard
 the famous Stars and Stripes for a sailing 
adventure of a lifetime, honoring an old promise.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

WHEN SAN Diego was proud defender of the America's Cup and Dennis Connor became an international hero, a young Bruce Keller had dreams to sail the famous boat.

That famous race was in 1987, when Connor and his San Diego crew recaptured the world's most prestigious sailing trophy for the U.S.

Aboard Stars and Stripes, Keller took a break
from sailing the vessel to photograph the boat
heeled over as we sailed into the wind. 
 
 

It has been Keller's dream to sail one of these classic yachts. "I was in love with the ocean as a kid. I loved Sea Scouts and followed all the big races.  Plus Dennis Connor is a San Diego native like myself." The race was important and well publicized because Connor was not only a gifted sailor but was famous for his charismatic ways in dealing with challenges on the water.

The race took place in February when Keller, a building contractor and designer, was working on a renovation project in a client's house. His building crew tuned into the race on the TV,  cheering Connor and his crew on through a series of eliminations, excited as they advanced toward the final series of races. 

Stars and Stripes is living out her life in St.
Maarten, where she thrills passengers each day.

SO WHEN Keller saw an ad for a sailing adventure in St. Maarten, he was thrilled. He booked an outing for two aboard Stars and Stripes, one of two authentic America's Cup race boats on the island.  The ad promised we'd have "the most unique and immersive experience in the Caribbean, guaranteed to leave you breathless, exhilarated and feeling like a sailing pro!"

I ADMIT my knowledge of sailing is minimal. My fear of drowning is enormous.  So why would I do this, when I'm afraid to get my head wet in a swimming pool? Because I was 

Sheets in sailing lingo,
are used to adjust the sails. I had
a smaller orange rope to cling to.

honoring a promise of almost 18 years ago. Keller agreed to take tango lessons and ballroom dancing classes if I'd learn to sail and join him on his waterborne adventures. So it was only fair. And there we were on a cruise ship, docked in Philipsburg, the main town and capital of St. Maarten, on the Dutch side of this lovely island in the Caribbean. It was meant to be, Keller said.

AS WE journeyed out on the waters, the crew sensed my apprehension. They gave me an orange rope to grasp, and I used it -- boy did I use it! We'd signed the usual waivers absolving the outfit of responsibility should anything unfortunate occur. But I had no idea I'd be clinging for dear life to my "sissy rope" as Keller called it.  It comforted me beyond measure as the boat tilted and jerked into the waves, first one side, then the other. But while I was terrified, Keller was in his element -- beaming, laughing, enjoying the sea spray on his face.  My jaw was clenched as I licked my lips and bit my tongue, tasting salt water, promising the gods I'd be a better person if I survived. 

Keller is sorry for the sailing janut to end. Cookie
is relieved to have survived the two-hour outing. 

THE LEGENDARY 12-meter class race boats are the thoroughbreds of the racing world. The two yachts in St. Maarten are both America’s Cup participants and represent, Keller says, "the culmination of multi-million dollar efforts and years of testing to achieve maximum speed and agility."
We were sailing at only seven miles an hour, Keller said, nothing compared to the 50 mph the latest AC70 racing vessels can reach. "In our same breeze, an America's Cup boat could reach 50 miles per hour," Keller said, winking. "We were taking it relatively easy."

We were "across the waves" from Zhaveri, one
of two racing boats giving tours in St. Maarten. 

Easy for him to say.  I was white knuckled for the entire two-hour adventure.  My Dennis Connor aficionado was happy as a clam.  He reflected that we were lucky to the experience, because the sailing competition has changed.  Publicity surrounding Connor's exploits with America's Cup created international interest and chaperoned in the end of an era when millionaires raced.  "But now it's only billionaires competing in the current era of high-tech boats,"  Keller observed. He laments that the sport has become a hobby of a tiny percentage of sailors, catering only to the extremely rich.

AS FOR ME, well, I am happy to have survived the adventure, and am not certain I'll do it again. But wait, could that mean that Keller would no longer 
join me on the dance floor?
In that case, I'll review the situation, put on my big girl sailing pants and dare to join him for another ride into the unknown. "It's good for you to stretch yourself," he says. Meanwhile, I'm booking us another round of rhumba lessons.

www.12metre.com 
www.visitstmaarten.com

The iconic Hollywood sign photographed from Griffith
Observatory, where we visited Monday just before the fires.

UP NEXT: As wildfires destroy homes, landscape and some famous landmarks, we take readers to Los Angeles where we are frequent visitors. We have "before and after" photos of places we love, some of which were just burned.  We consider ourselves lucky to have escaped, returning to San Diego undamaged. This column occasionally departs from travel and art features to follow breaking news. So as the wild fires rage, and thousands of homes are destroyed, we present an overview. Many places are closed, including the Getty museums we just toured and activities at the famous Santa Monica Pier closed Thursday. One of our favorite wine bars and restaurants burned, a famous high school has fire damage and we'll feature other sad results of the fires which have caused an estimated $57 billion in loss so far. Take time today to reflect on this beloved and famous place in our country and culture and send good thoughts while remembering to explore, learn and live..

Welcome the new year with a promise to do something you dream of

Take the A Train -- or any train! If you've wanted to take a special trip, if you've had a cruise or
tour in mind, we remind you of tempus fugit, carpe diem. It's a new year. Dream, plan, act!

TRAINS, BOATS, PLANES! REACH FOR THE SKY IN 2025! PLAN NOW TO MAKE YOUR DREAM TRIP HAPPEN!

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

The gorgeous Amalfi coast awaits your planning, with orchards, winding
 roads and stately villas. It's in southern Italy overlooking the Tyrrhenian
 Sea and Gulf of Salerno. Savings can be had by planning now for summer.

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

IF YOU have long wished upon a star -- wanting to visit a particular country or island -- maybe see Paris or Rome, or take a train trip across Australia or Africa -- time's a wasting. Have you dreamed of climbing the Sydney Harbor Bridge? Is Hawaii a lifelong dream? Why not now? Tempus fugit, carpe diem. "Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera," as the monarch of Siam said in "The King and I." We're not getting any younger. Planning is part of the fun. It's crucial to plan and narrow:

Bruce Keller takes aim at a street scene in Rome.

* WHAT'S YOUR wish? Shopping, culture or the rush of discovery? If you like theater, shows, opera or concerts, consider New York, Prague, London, Vienna, Milan, New York, Buenos Aires and Las Vegas. Architecture, antiquities up your alley? Think Rome, Venice, Petra. Cairo is cleaning up its act after decades of political unrest. Turkey is coming back on the radar after cruise lines left.

* Budget savvy or going for broke? Somewhere in the middle? Make a daily expense plan. Google Expedia for affordable travel.
* Who's traveling? Family, friends,  partners, college buddies, boyfriend, girlfriend? Maybe you're traveling solo and want to meet people? Figure out who can contribute and how much.

Egypt's pyramids are within
reach if you begin to plan now.

* Want independent travel, with room and time to strike out on your own?  Do you prefer everything organized and pre-paid for you?

* Off the beaten track to a "undiscovered" place? Or do you have your heart set on a tried and tested destination?

If purple mountain majesty
beckons, planning can 
make it happen.

BE DARING and creative. After answering the questions above, settle on basic preferences. If you truly want to see a place and can't coax anyone to come along, go solo. Put yourself out there and meet people. Look for singles-friendly

Cookie and Keller on their
second climb of Sydney's
famous Harbor Bridge.

tours. Or consider treating a niece, nephew, cousin, sib, friend. Most cruises have singles happy hour every day and LGBTQ gatherings.

Think outside the box. If you have your heart set on Malta -- a clean, progressive and welcoming place with great food, pretty scenery and friendly people -- don't be put off if the flights seem high.  Fly to Rome or Sicily, enjoy, then take a ferry to Malta.

HIT THE library or book stores.  Stock up on brochures, travel books, magazines.  We keep a huge box of files, newspaper clips, magazine pieces with features on places of interest. We're big fans of Rick Steves and catch his helpful shows on Public Television.

Enjoying a breezy tour on the Kona coast.

We also enjoy the Lonely Planet books -- and we hold out for the print edition, although Kindle is available. There are bargains to be had, too, with last-minute bookings. (In travel lingo, that usually means 60-90 days before the trip.) Look at Vacations to Go and other "last minute" websites. 
If you're "bucket-listing" remember the Seven Wonders of the World await:

Cookie and Keller at
sea, exercising at Zuma.

Colossus of Rhodes, the Great Pyramid of Giza. Why not take the leap?
Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Lighthouse of Alexandria, Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. Statue of Zeus at Olympia and the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. All await your curiosity.

More information: www.britrail.com; www.celebritycruiselines.com

www.ncl.com;cunard.com; expedia.com

pearlseascruises.com

vacationsbyrail.com

 

Bruce Keller ticked one more item off his bucket
 list when he sailed on an America's Cup yacht
s Cup yacht on a recent trip in the Caribbean.  

COMING SOON: While we're on the subject of dreams, one of Bruce Keller's dearest wishes is to sail in an America's Cup yacht.   

The Caribbean and St. Maarten
beckoned for Bruce Keller
to fulfill his dream to sail
an America's Cup vessel.

To pilot the vessel was even a higher dream.  It came true! Cookie is not a lifelong sailor but Keller is.  He has long followed the adventures of the famed America's Cup racing vessels.  In a bargain with Cookie, he agreed to take tango lessons in return for a promise from Cookie. The deal he brokered was in return for his dance effort,  she would join him on a sail on one of the famed boats.  He did, she did. He has crushed toes and she has white knuckles to show it. Then we're off to Harrison's Caves on Barbados, a train trip in the British Isles and a visit to three museums in Spain dedicated to the life and work of the eccentric and brilliant Salvador Dali. Remember to explore, learn and live! Catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, art, family, nature and more:

www.whereiscookie.com

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.

Make Christmas dreams come true with new food, fun, traditions

 

Christmas morning on Hawaii, "the Big Island," presents a double rainbow to passengers aboard
a Body Glove trip down the Kona coast. Today begins a two-part series on holiday wish lists.  
                                                                                                                                                             bodyglovehawaii.com

YULETIDE GREETINGS FROM AROUND THE WORLD! CONSIDER PLANNING A BUCKET LIST TRIP AS THE OLD YEAR ENDS AND A NEW ONE BECKONS DREAMS

Bruce Keller and Christene
"Cookie" Meyers afloat but
not stranded last Christmas.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

The holidays in Hawaii are always colorful.
 In downtown Honolulu, Nutcrackers surround
a  merry Christmas tree and shop windows
 herald the arrival of Santa and his reindeer.

IF YOU'RE HOME this Christmas, enjoy! But if you're yearning to kick the holiday up a notch, consider spending Christmas elsewhere next year.  Start planning now to get the best prices. Holiday hotels often sell out and prices increase for air as time gets closer. Here are a few ideas to jump start your dream.

At Oscar's in Palm Springs,
every day is a holiday with
great shows and lively crowds.
 

MUSEUMS and aquariums make wonderful family outings during the holidays and two of the finest we've visited are in Hawaii and New Zealand:                                                         New Zealand's Te Papa Museum

Honolulu's Bishop Museum 
IF YOU love music, Vienna has one of the world's most famous chorales, the Vienna Boys' Choir. Their Christmas concerts will give you happy goosebumps. This venerable Austrian city offers a



Skiing is a huge winter draw and favorite holiday
pursuit in many western states, here Montana.

 delightful old-fashioned Christmas with sparkling holiday decorations and warming, fragrant gluhwein. The city boasts gorgeous imperial architecture. Outdoor Christmas markets display hand crafted ornaments and a bounty of tasty snacks. www.wien.info        Yuletide worldwide

A tour guide in the
tropics dons his Santa
hat for a holiday tour.

IN PALM Springs, the Living Desert Zoo and Botanical Garden in nearby Palm Desert is a magical place. 

More than 750,000 twinkling lights illuminate the park after dark, and it's a wonderful way to see the critters. The city's WildLights Holiday Festival is a drive-through holiday tradition to delight locals, tourists and families.

Our favorite venue there is Oscar's Bar and Cafe, a lively cabaret fun any time.  The yuletide is special, though, with a delightful docket of drag shows with holiday flair. livingdesert.org; oscarspalmsprings.org

Las Vegas was our choice for a recent
New Year's Eve, here at the Bellagio. 

IN MY HOME state of Montana, skiing is a big winter attraction. Everyone knows Colorado has a lucrative corner on winter sports, but the Treasure State also offers resorts, B&Bs and a wide range of lodging at Big Sky, Whitefish, Bridger Bowl, Red Lodge and elsewhere. Lift tickets are cheaper, too, than in more famous resorts.
SINCE KEVIN Costner's TV's smash "Yellowstone," my beloved state has become a "bucket list" favorite for tourists, but there are still sanctuaries and unspoiled terrain to be found if you do your homework.  If you're a cross-country skier, Whitefish is close to Glacier National Park and its spectacular mountains. Glacier's breathtaking switchbacks and splendid cross-country skiing are tops. Happily, it's not yet "discovered."  In nearby Wyoming, Jackson Hole

Fireworks are a big draw
in many destinations,
here on Waikiki Beach.

Mountain Resort is a beautiful ski destination in the spectacular Grand Tetons. To access skiing in these two states, you can easily fly into Billings or Cody and rent a car. And Bozeman has many flights now, including a non-stop from Atlanta which my southern family uses. www.visitmt.com; jacksonhole.com

Vienna is a wonderful place for a holiday visit.
Palaces, parks and churches are aglow and a
renowned choir awaits to serenade you.
 

LOOK ON the internet for fun Christmas vacation ideas for families.  You'll find hundreds of ideas, of cities, towns and villages across the world offering everything from beach basking to winter sports.  Most tourist destinations have winter festivals and an opportunity to visit Santa. There are movie nights with holiday themes, tree lighting and fireworks festivals on New Year's Eve. One of the most spectacular fireworks events we've experienced is in Hawaii, on Waikiki Beach at Hilton's Hawaiian Resort. www.hiltonhawaiianresort.com

Strasbourg in France goes all
out for holiday light displays.

EUROPEAN CITIES and villages have celebrated the holidays for centuries. You'll find Christmas Markets from Vienna, Austria, to Cologne, Nuremberg and Freiburg in Germany, Ghent and Brussels in Belgium, and Prague in Czech Republic. Copenhagen in Denmark and many small Norwegian towns also have fabulous holiday displays.  We spent one yuletide in Bergen and Alesund on a Viking cruise and loved the festive immersion. Strasbourg in France shows off its local wares and goodies at Europe's oldest and most lavish market with Christkindelsmarik, dating to 1570. Performers tell the "Christ story" in elaborate costumes making the city a top Christmas destination. www.europeanbestdestinations.com/christmas-markets/

About to tuck into trdlenik
in Czech Republic are
Bruce Keller and Cookie.

Vienna and Prague offer delightful old-fashioned Austrian and Czech Christmas spirit. Both are known for magnificent Gothic architecture, a spirit of gracious welcome and unique folkloric traditions. These two magnificent cities create an other-worldly feeling at their famed Christmas markets. Shoppers find beautifully decorated wooden huts filled with treats, unique craft gift items and ornaments for next year's tree. My favorite delicacy is spit-roasted ham. Keller loved trdelnik, a traditional hot sugar-coated pastry with nuts and cinnamon.

IF YOU really want to feel close to old Santa, head for Rovaniemi - Lapland, Finland. Rovaniemi is just north of the Arctic Circle and Finns believe it makes a better home for Santa than the North Pole. You'll meet Kris Kringle in this frozen winter wonderland of deep snow and pine forests where kids make cookies with Mrs. Claus and enroll in Elf School. Families enjoy husky-dog rides, tobogganing and the Northern Lights. For a super frosty stay, check into the Arctic Snowhotel, made entirely of ice, with has an ice bar, ice restaurant, ice chapel, Finnish sauna, and snow sauna. Are you packed yet? www.arcticsnowhotel.fi/en/

Cygnet Theatre's multi-talented Sean Murray
plays an endearing Scrooge in the theater's
popular "A Christmas Carol." Soon, Cygnet
 moves to a new home to be known as "The Joan." 

BEST BETS: Two holiday shows up through Christmas Eve deserve special attention in the San Diego area. "Miracle on 34th Street" is playing at Carlsbad's New Village Arts Theatre. It's a delightful radio-play musical take on the beloved 1947 movie about a young girl and Santa. Inspirational, moving and fast paced, with a strong cast, it is a lively production about a little girl's yearnings, the need to believe and the uplifting power of love. Favorite holiday tunes are cleverly interwoven in this revamp of the beloved film classic. Then Sean Murray creates the world's most endearing Scrooge in Cygnet Theatre's "A Christmas Carol." 

Dancing, singing, comedy, lively
staging and a heartwarming story
 make "Miracle on 34th Street" a hit
 at New Village Arts in Carlsbad.

The venerable Old Town venue features director Sean Murray's poignant adaptation and his portrayal of the irascible but ultimately endearing Scrooge. A fine 7-person ensemble puts magic, music and imagination in this beautifully rendered production. As Cygnet wraps its tenure in Old Town, it prepares for its new larger home at the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center at Liberty Station. It will be known as "The Joan," in honor of its major donors. For tickets to both: newvillagearts.org; cygnettheatre.org 

Start now to make your bucket list 
a reality, here on the Queen Mary 2.

UP NEXT: New horizons for 2025. Why not take the trip or cruise you've been longing for? Start planning now for next year's holiday and you can make it work. Whether it's a summer or fall trip, or a goal for next Christmas, you can make it happen. If you're single, consider a low-interest loan or sharing a cabin. If you're a couple or family, figure ways to save and cut back on other areas and start a trip savings account.  Cruise lines sometimes offer deals for traveling with the family, as a single, or with generations. We'll offer ideas for holiday travel, and for fulfilling a bucket list dream.  It's possible to make a lifelong wish come true in the new year.  Think outside the box and remember, as a wise man said, "Everything you've ever wanted is sitting on the other side of fear.” — So don't be afraid to embrace an idea and make it a goal. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, performance, nature and the arts. www.whereiscookie.com