Travel Stories, Cruise Reviews, and Cultural Adventures

Cookie's favorite Thanksgiving meal is not turkey -- although it is available on cruise ships and in many hotels catering to Americans on Thanksgiving. It's rare lamb chops with asparagus, lentils and a balsamic drizzle. Story By Christene Meyers Photos By Bruce Keller "The Carpe Diem Kids" TRAVEL IS FUN for us, and no part of travel is more pleasurable than exploring the gastronomic pleasures of far-away places. Especially on holidays, a special meal is a highlight of the t

Saturday's USS Midway aircraft carrier will host one of the state's largest Jazzercise gatherings, benefiting cancer research. THOUSANDS...

The Dukes of Dixieland have been around New Orleans for decades. They specialize in traditional New Orleans jazz. THE BIG EASY SURVIVES...

JESUS SORIANO IS THE REAL DEAL, OFFERING SPANISH CLASSICAL GUITAR AT ITS FINEST Jesus Soriano performs regularly at a popular tapas...

The view from a high room at Harvey's Lake Tahoe is stunning. Snow remains on the mountain tops most of the year, and that will increase...

World class baritone Nathan Gunn, right, is accompanied by Michael Bagby in "Nathan Gunn: Flying Solo" at the Lyceum. The talented...

'WHY DON'T you write about your fascination with the Royal Family?" my partner and fellow travel writer-photographer Bruce Keller asked me. "You've seen more royals than most Montanans -- probably more than most Americans. And you adore the royal family and all the pomp and circumstance." I do love "my royals." I've met the Queen Mum and her granddaughter, Princess Anne, the Queen's only daughter. I perfected my curtsy in July of 1977 when I was invited to a four-d

Let your imagination take sail, when planning a perfect gift for a mother or mother prototype. Consider a Hornblower cruise, which will...

Peggy Sue Gabler was a Hollywood actor in the 1950

The high-energy cast of "Beachtown" includes Jason Heil as Steve Novak, mayor of Beachtown, Lee Ann Kim as Susan Suhiro, town archivist....

Saluting the hat -- not just for Easter but any time to spiff things up

MY MOTHER WAS determined to visit Ireland and play piano in an Irish pub. I'm proud to say I helped make that happen before she passed in 2008.

The Spanish mission-style structure is the crowning jewel of a charming downtown which includes galleries, museums, bistros, taverns and a performing arts center. The inn is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a State of California Historic Landmark, and is a member of Historic Hotels of America. Tours of the property are available through the Mission Inn Foundation, which operates the enterprise.

Cookie is at her happiest playing piano. Here, she entertains at a housewarming party. Cookie serenades at friend Corby Skinner's on the...

Bruce Keller, known by family and friends, by his surname, and Christene "Cookie" Meyers, reveling in smooth sailing after two years of...

A few blocks from Las Ramblas, tourists usually take in Antoni Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia. GLOBAL CITIZENS MUST STAND TO HALT TERRORISM,...

Wading, not quite walking, on the water, sisters Cookie, left, and Olivia, make their way to the wedding on Beverly Beach. Behind them, sister Misha and family friend Virginia join the wedding party for Kira and Mike. Flower girls sprinkle rose petals along the sand, making way for the bride and groom. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Gallavant: to go from place to place seeking out entertainment and amusement-- Oxford Dictionary THIS SUMMER -- more than a

Editor's Note: Three weeks ago, we described our journey up the transplant list at Scripps Center for Organ and Cell Transplantation, a world renowned facility luckily 10 minutes from our San Diego home. We detailed the 19-month process leading to the midnight call that a donor had been found. Now -- four weeks from the May 13 surgery -- we continue the complex story of recovery with a look at the "ups and downs" and the caregiver's essential role. From left, writer Rick