Travel Stories, Cruise Reviews, and Cultural Adventures

BEAR MAKES HIS MARK ON OUR SUMMER HIDE-OUT, BUT WE ARE ALL FOUR FINE AND 'BEARLY' UPBEAT

TIME IN THE COUNTRY YIELDS CONNECTION WITH FAR-AWAY COUSINS IN SETTING OF RURAL BEAUTY

MY GRANDMOTHER Olive loved hollyhocks. She was my mother's mum, and lived next door. She taught me to separate and save flower seeds each fall. Revered among her many flowers were the faithful hollyhocks. Dad's mother, Grannie Annie, loved her lilacs, too. I remember a large crystal bowl filled with those soft, circular blossoms -- sometimes a clutch of all-whites, other times a profusion of pinks, purples, reds.

TOP LIFETIME SHOWS LINGER IN ARTS REVIEWER'S HEART, AS SHE SHAMELESSLY GOES GAGA "I call her "firefly" 'cause oh, my. She radiates moon glow. Wants none of that noon glow. She starts to glitter when the sun goes down 'Bout 8 p.m., it's mayhem........."

AUF WIEDERSEHEN TO A BELOVED ICON: ACTOR, WRITER, CAT LOVER, GOURMET, GARDENER, TRANSLATOR, TRAVELER Hannelore Carter, left, her longtime companion and "son of the heart," Jason Webinger, and Christene Meyers, at a reception following a play. "The sun will rise and the moon will set and we learn how to settle for what we get. It will all go on if we're here or not, so who cares, so what." -- "So What?" from the score of "Cabaret" STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS

QEII lecturer Josh Logan gave tips A poster for "Annie Get Your Gun'' inspired the creation of Lilian in "Lilian's Last Dance." on making a character come alive Click here ==> Lilian's Last Dance STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS CROSSING the Atlantic on the Queen Elizabeth II, in the summer of 1986, famed Broadway producer and director Josh Logan was one of the guest lecturers. He was one of my idols, for I'd grown up with the music of "Annie Get Your Gun," and "South Pacific," bo

THE FOLLOWING SPECIAL posting is one of several recently published newspaper articles. It ran in the hometown paper of novelist Christene Meyers, a Montana native launching an international book tour in Australia and New Zealand. Meyers grew up in Montana, where the novel is partly set. It is garnering praise on Amazon as an eBook. "LILIAN'S LAST DANCE" features a love triangle, and a troupe of actors in New York, Europe and Los Angeles during the transition from silent mov

European travels took us to Paris to Gertrude Stein's home Click here ==> Lilian's Last Dance The legendary Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas made many Atlantic crossings, and are cameos in "Lilian's Last Dance." STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS Crossing the Atlantic on the Queen Elizabeth II was part of the fun research for "Lilian's Last Dance." Here William Jones and Christene Meyers enjoy! CREATION of "Lilian's Last Dance" took many years and trips

'LILIAN'S LAST DANCE' OUT ON AMAZON! The cover of "Lilian's Last Dance" is a collaboration: Cookie collected photos by Keller and Bill's cowboy watercolor. Celeste Barnett did the design. Racy historical novel now available to readers "...a marvelous romp through the history of film and performance, with a pure love for the stage, in whatever form it presents itself.....You'll love Lilian!" Acclaimed writer Ruth Rudner on “Lilian’s Last Dance.” STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS P

AUTHOR THANKS READERS FOR PATIENCE, LOVE, SUPPORT! Extra : "Something in addition to what is due, expected, or customary" Roll 'em, friends! "Lilian's Last Dance" is on Amazon eBooks today!!! Hooray. HERE'S A brief "extra." We are thrilled to tell you that "Lilian's Last Dance" is finally up on Amazon eBooks. This has been the longest 20 hours of my life, since we received Amazon's "thumbs up" on the final edit at 9:11 a.m. Wednesday. Here's the link: Click Here ==> Lil

Sander and saw in hand, Bruce Keller, a summer resident, embarks upon an incredible building journey at High Chaparral. KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE AS YOU ENTER A MAJOR BUILDING PROJECT AND, OH, YES, BE NICE TO ONE ANOTHER! Demolition calls for a strong constitution and the knowledge that the chaos will end. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Highchap "Remodeling Blues" IF I HAD KNOWN the full extent of the disruption, and the decline of my patience and mental he

Make your journey fun, safe and smooth sailing when you're traveling with four-footed pals

Jazzercise was born in California. This group works out in San Diego. That's Debbie Walters in the center, one of Cookie's Jazzercise coaches

Arslan's plates are pretty, the prices are reasonable, and the quality remains high.This is a place where the chef talks to you while he warms your lamb, sautes your onions and heats your pita bread!

Editor's Note: This story was written a few years before Meyers and Keller were married in a pop-up ceremony during a family reunion in her native state, Montana. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS: VINTAGE and BRUCE KELLER The famous photo taken on VJ Day at Times Square,1945, inspired the "Kiss" sculpture that inspired this column. Top photo: Bruce Keller and Christene Meyers on a date in San Diego. THIS VALENTINE'S week, with "The Kiss" statue back in San Diego, I'm taki

PENY WAS BORN in 1949. Christa was born in 1948. They would have been friends. Both were gregarious, over-achieving, loving, fine teachers, intrepid adventurers, with daring, charisma and humor. Christa became famous as the first teacher to train for a space flight. Peny was a ground-breaker, too.