Travel Stories, Cruise Reviews, and Cultural Adventures

Kick hell out of your bucket list in 2016. Have you always wanted to see Egypt? Don't let fear of travel stop you. Here, Cookie and...

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

TONY BENNETT PLAYS VEGAS WITH LADY GAGA TO KEEP HIS TALENT TUNED UP Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga took the stage in Las Vegas to usher in...

THE APPLE CAPITAL of the world has a nice rhyming nickname. It also offers a get-away both soothing and exciting. Julian, California, a small, quaint mountain town in southern California, offers history, fun hotels, shopping, scenery and perhaps the best fruit pies in the state.

IT'S THRILLING to be privileged to watch Montana's natural wonders and gorgeous creatures this close to our home and "civilized" life.

Road trip to the top of the world: last week, up the Beartooth Pass on the famed Cooke City Highway. John Steinbeck had Charley, and Keller has Nick and Nora, below. TRAVEL THE COUNTRY, SEE NEW TERRAIN, ENJOY SURPRISES, AS THE CAR IS YOUR COCOON! STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER JOHN STEINBECK described, when beginning a trip, that delightful sense of the unknown in his engaging "Travels With Charley." He said, “A journey is like marriage. The certain way t

Rising along Montana's southern border, the Beartooth Mountains are a spectacular year-round destination for travelers seeking rugged wilderness, dramatic mountain scenery and authentic outdoor adventure.

PURPLE MARTIN'S MAJESTY GROWS FINE ORGANIC FARE James Walker Hayes washes freshly picked produce at the organic farm he and his partner, Kelle Martin, run. The historic Point Arena Lighthouse, above, is a few miles back toward town from the farm, then up the road a bit. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER THE APPROACH to a gardener's Eden is a good half hour outside of Point Arena, Calif., down a winding country road dense with fir, cedar, pine and redwoods. Yo

SAMPLE TOP ACTING AT OREGON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, LIVELY CABARET, THEATER, FINE RESTAURANTS, CLASSIC HOTEL, CHEESE AND CHOCOLATE!...

Catalina Island

A mother's love of all things theatrical inspires lifelong affection for drama, movies, costumes and make believe

This birthday, Keller takes Cookie sailing off La Jolla Shores. Ringing in another year brings time for reflection, joy, humor and appreciation "...all the gardens of spring and summer were blooming in the tall tales Beyond the border and under the lark full cloud. There could I marvel my birthday...." --Dylan Thomas STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER "The Carpe Diem Kids" AS I MARK my birthday tomorrow, I am thankful that I, too have "lark full cloud" and a

Child born with Down Syndrome sparks love, unity, courage in Cosgriffe family Christena's auntie Misha bestowed a pretty new dress!...

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

Bruce Keller and his mother, Jean Keller, board a harbor cruise at Oceanside, where Jean taught Keller to paint as a lad. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS RECENT PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER, and CM "The Carpe Diem Kids" It's always a bit melancholy in our home on the second Sunday in May. Both Keller and I are orphans now. We remember lavish brunches, parties, cruises, corsages and other merriment when we think of our mums. We had similar celebrations, albeit thousands of miles and s

COOKIE RECALLS MISS AMERICA, PROTESTS, PLAYBOY AND HER FEMINIST GROUNDING STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS THE SUMMER of 1968 was a memorable...

I miss them. On a recent, rare melancholy rainy San Diego day, I thought of them: Of all the plays they’ve missed since they died – mum in 2008 and Robbie two years later in 2010. Of how much joy they received from travel – we had many trips together. Thinking how they'd both have voted

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.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Carpe Diem Kids Today while perusing journals, I began a tally of cruises I’ve taken. The result surprised me! View from the promenade deck on our ship where art is part of the enticement. The grand total: 99! So my next cruise will be my centenary. I am excited. What and where will it be? Crystal, Oceania, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Cunard, Holland America, Carnival, Disney? Although born in land-locked Monta

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