Travel Stories, Cruise Reviews, and Cultural Adventures

Christene "Cookie" Meyers and Bruce Keller take to San Diego Bay and a Flagship dinner cruise, with spectacular views. TAKE YOUR PICK OF...

"Daydreams" by Patrick Dougherty, under construction last fall at Tippet Rise, is part of a glorious landscape merging art and nature, with indoor and outdoor performance spaces, world known sculpture and a roster of international performers. Tippet Rise Olivier Barn concert hall going up in October. Tippet Rise CONCERTS, SCULPTURE, 'GREEN' THEME WILL ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER TIPPET RISE spared no expense in hiring the

ENJOY THE REAGAN LIBRARY FOR A WELL ORCHESTRATED TRIBUTE TO A DEDICATED PRESIDENT Flowers are left at the foot of Reagan's bronze each day, a docent told us. During the weeks after Nancy Reagan's recent death and burial on the site, the number of bouquets grew. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER The approach to the Reagan Presidential Library is typically "southern California" with a lovely fountain, mosaic tiles and nicely kept gardens. HIGH ATOP a Simi Valle

Park Hotel Tokyo rooms with museum quality art work gives artists room to explore. Art floor celebrates Japanese culture -- book a hotel room to enjoy the view of your own art show

Thrilled guests watched a pair of whales blow -- thanks to Hornblower staff who make announcements on sightings, explaining various whale...

TOUCHING PLAY WITH FINE ACTING, A COMIC EDGE AND A TOE-TAPPING TRIO TO SET THE MOOD Manny Fernandes and Carla Harting square off and eventually admit their attraction in a winning play at San Diego Rep. From left, Richard Tibbets, Jim Mooney and Alicia Previn set the tone for "Outside Mullingar," a lyrical tale of family, loyalty, pride and love. The pastoral pull of Ireland's countryside comes inside with "Outside Mullingar," San Diego Rep's first-rate production. STORY By

Signature coconut shrimp, hibachi steak with mushrooms and yummy soup made moments ago are part of a delightful "Taste of Catalina" food...

Bill Jones was a wonderful painter, whose one-man shows drew crowds in Phoenix and Los Angeles galleries. Here is a favorite self-portrait. Here's looking at you, kid: Artist, writer, traveler, funny guy BILL JONES --- a TRIBUTE By CHRISTENE MEYERS A DECADE HAS elapsed since Billy’s passing. This week, we celebrate his rich, but brief life: Bill and Cookie traveled the world, here in Portugal in 1997. BILL WAS BORN in Indiana and liked to say he moved his pare

Action-packed CityPASS maximizes precious time, gives options that show off a dozen of the world's most lively cities

Mystic View Cabins Fishtail Montana

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........."

Queen Elizabeth's pool is spacious and inviting, but understated in its artful touches. A stunning marquetry panel invites inspection as one enters Cunard' Queen Elizabeth. OLD WORLD ELEGANCE LIVES ON IN CUNARD'S THIRD 'ELIZABETH' STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Glittering chandeliers, beautiful wood,marble and tapestries adorn Queen Elizabeth's ballroom. TO BUY 'LILIAN'S LAST DANCE' THE NOVEL CLICK HERE W HEN THE QE2 retired, I was one sad girl. I'd cr

The bridge climbing group wends its way carefully above the waters of Sydney, Australia's, world famous harbor. RECOVERING COWARD TICKS A BIG ONE OFF HER LARGE BUCKET LIST WITH TWO BRIDGE CLIMBS At the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Keller and Cookie celebrate with a wave and a victory cheer. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER I MUST HAVE been dream walking the morning I went on line to book two tickets to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge. I sent a text to t

WHAT A glorious entry into Sydney Harbour at dawn this morning...... we are so excited, we are reprising our bridge climb! Just had a picnic in the wind at the Sydney Opera House....made new friends who live in Melbourne, where we'll be in a couple days.

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

IF YOU HAVE ONLY A BRIEF TIME, MAKE EVERY ROMAN MINUTE COUNT BY HIRING A TOUR GUIDE One of Rome highlights you must-see Trevi Fountain has been drained and fenced off, and a $3 million bridge project financed by Fendi, the big name fashion house, is underway with a renovation project to allow visitors to view the famed fountain from above! The Colosseum is of Rome's highlights you must-see . A private guide will give you time to enjoy it, ask questions and never be rushed.