Travel Stories, Cruise Reviews, and Cultural Adventures

Morning sun lights up the port of Alexandria, Egypt. -- Photo by Bruce Keller Just a note to let you know that our Middle East feature is available for viewing -- Cookie's story and Keller's fabulous photos. Please enjoy (click the link below or copy and paste into your browser). And please remember to sign up for our posts, which include our travels both internationally and locally with lots of good stuff on nature, theater, art, film and "Downton Abbey." The informati

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Blog tidings – from the Beartooths of Montana to the coast of southern California. In...

Cousins gathered at High Chap memorial for mum's memorial STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By COSGRIFFES THE COSGRIFFES are gathering again and the time is fast approaching. The clan will convene in August to celebrate the brief but influential life of Eric Kenzo Otokawa. We miss him terribly and send love to his mother, Misha, and to his siblings, Kenji Christopher and Kelly Midori, who will draw on their strength and our support as we pay homage to a young man beloved b

Robbie helped choreograph several European trips with mum “I’m home,” she cried, lifting her hands heavenward. “I feel their spirits.” Then she wept. My sister and I looked at one another, blinking back our own tears. Then we hugged mum and all of us cried. I remembered watching “The Wizard of Oz” as a five-year-old, with my mother at my side. Near the end, when Dorothy wakes up safely back in Kansas, her auntie and uncle at her side and the scarecrow and his pals tu

Discover the charm of Pisa, Italy, beyond its famous Leaning Tower. From riverside strolls along the Arno to quiet piazzas, this Tuscan gem blends history, architecture, and authentic Italian moments perfect for curious travelers and first-time visitors alike.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS Theater in San Diego is as varied as the jewels in a royal crown, each one offering its own unique light and sparkle. In five years of reflecting on the gems here, I’ve never seen a “faux stone.” The talent pool is large and varied, the fare is a lively mix of drama, musicals and new experimental work, and – this is a critical element – the actors, musicians and crew are passionate. It shows. Sunday’s matinee of “Man of LaMancha” at Cygnet Th