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A walk through Gran Canaria  resulted in Cookie and Keller being invited to participate in a nativity. TAKE A HOLIDAY BREAK WITH A PLAY, CONCERT, NATIVITY, BOOK -- OR A SAIL WITH THE WHALES Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett are dressed for the holidays, in concert and in a fun Barnes and Noble commercial. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER SINCE CHILDHOOD , the holiday has for me meant plays, movies, and, of course, the famous "Nutcracker." The story of the Christmas toy that comes alive -- of wondrous travels and journeys of the imagination -- surely influenced my lifelong love of travel. San Diego  Ballet's "Nutcracker" entertained the writer during many years of reviewing theater and the arts.--                                                                               San Diego Ballet photo I've seen and reviewed "The Nutcracker" 50 times -- in as varied a roster of productions as the Bolshoi in Moscow and the Alberta Bair Theater in Billings, Montana, where San Diego Ballet's touring production used local dancers. FOR WHILE  I love traveling and theater all 12 months of the year, my two favorite pursuits are  particularly satisfying during the holidays. One memorable Christmas, Santa came by our Bora Bora cottage and tossed candies from his kayak onto  the porch of our beachfront hale. Another time, we left our ship and walked into a village in Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands. We stopped at a nativity, listened to carolers and became wisemen for a few minutes at the invitation of the locals! Get in the holiday spirit with a concert -- we saw Lady Gaga last holiday  season, here in a Christmasy red gown, and playful with the trumpeter. ANOTHER CHRISTMAS  found us in Santa Barbara on a whale watching adventure. Fantastic to do something different on a holiday.  Nothing like gilding the lily. Or spend an hour in a book store -- great gift ideas, and you might bump into Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett! Embrace the crowds, noise and activity. People are dressed merrily, smile more, enjoy being seen and seem generally more generous, forgiving and patient.    SOME O F my favorite holidays have been spent on the road -- Fiji, Moscow, the South Pacific, Asia, and here in America, with loved ones in Atlanta, northern California and Montana, always with the Yorkies, Nick and Nora, in tow. Get outside your comfort zone this holiday -- maybe don a wet suit and go play with the whales. by day, then take in a concert or play at night. They love the holidays, too, and usually acquire a few new toys -- and plenty of holiday Greenies for snacks. WE RECOMMEND  a happy dose of whale watching followed by a visit to a theater or concert hall to add spice to the holidays.  See a cultural event, movie or "The Nutcracker."  Here in the San Diego area, we have a half-dozen "Nutcracker" options  California Ballet Company’s glittering production at the Civic Theatre heads the line-up of "Nutcracker" options in San Diego County, performing this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 12 and 13. HORNBLOWER  has whale watching and holiday dinner cruises -- a perfect double-header for me is an outing on the ocean followed by "Nutcracker." YOU MIGHT  consider a musical.  Nearly every town in the free world -- city or village --  has a Christmas pageant or concert.  Here in San Diego, we enjoyed Cygnet Theatre's "A Christmas Carol" with  Sean Murray's clever musical weavings of traditional carols into the story. COMING NEXT:   We ushered in the holiday at the world famous Catalina Casino recently, complete with a Christmas tree atop its 10-story fame. Catch us weekends while you're remembering to explore, learn live! "This Wonderful Life" is on tap at North Coast Repertory Theatre, a smart, snappy one-man show with all the familiar voices and characters of the beloved Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed movie, "It's A Wonderful Life." AND THERE'S  San/Diego Symphony's popular pops concert, next Sunday, at 2 p.m. at Copley Hall. Here in San Diego, we have the fabulous Gay Men's Chorus, gospel and blues concerts, Hanukkah songs and more. The Gay Men's holiday show is this Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Balboa Theatre downtown San Diego. http://www.sdgmc.org/tickets-events/ http://www.cygnettheatre.com/show/14-15/a-christmas-carol.html http://sandiegotheatres.org/the nutcracker/ http://purchasing.sandiegosymphony.org/   http://www.northcoastrep.org/season/wonderful_life.html

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 parents to Arizona when he was not quite a year old. He considered himself a native Arizonan and wrote and painted the desert with affection.          He was a curious global citizen, an enthusiastic world traveler, always up for a trip, a new adventure.           Bill Jones, Cookie, researching their novel       He drew marvelous comics and stories from an early age. His mum, Katie, recalled that she would often pull him from his art for a meal.  He was a lifelong devotee of museums and art.      HE GREW  up playing in the desert, loved to hike and remembered running barefoot  to escape the wrath of an irate farmer when he and his buddies snitched a watermelon. Despite chemotherapy and radiation which took the usual toll, Bill Jones, left, continued to travel, here cruising the Caribbean with Cookie and his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Misha and David Minesinger.           He served in the U.S. Army in Korea, where his charm and good looks earned him a high prestige job of driver for the General's wife.  He was a proud member of the color guard.  ·       HE EARNED a B.A. in English with       a philosophy minor.  He was a fine       poet who also wrote and co-wrote several novels, including “Lilian’s       Last Dance,” which he and Cookie began in the 1990s and Cookie        revised and published in 2014. ·       He marched to his own drummer, “cut his own trail,” as they say in Montana, his second home. ·       He wasn’t easily labeled – a truly original thinker – with a sharp        intellect and cutting ironical wit. Billy's hair was growing back, when he was able to take a six-month trip after his surgery and treatment for cancer in 2003-4. Here he and Cookie enjoy a stroll through Central Park in New York. ·       His film reviews were concise, thoughtful and provocative, earning him a national reputation in his days with the Phoenix Gazette and Arizona Republic. He interviewed many 20 th  Century’s greats of film and theater, from Katharine Hepburn to Robert DeNiro to Meryl Streep. He liked interviewing directors and particularly appreciated Martin Scorsese.          HE WAS  a fan of John Updike’s writings and interviewed him twice, treasuring complimentary notes from his favorite writer.  He loved “Les Miserables,” Stephen Sondheim’s musicals, white wine and his retriever Ruth, who lived to be 17, "the longest relationship I had with a female."         He had two sons whom he loved and influenced.  Christopher and Jason, both unique in their talents, pay honor to Bill’s memory in their love of family, art and the natural world. Bill Jones with his grandson Rowan Jones, in the back yard in Phoenix, where Billy spent his last days.         His grandchildren didn’t have him very long, but he loved knowing that they were on the planet!        Grandson, Rowan, visits “Bill’s Hill and “Grandpa’s Tree” in Sun Ray Park, Phoenix, keeping his memory alive.  Bill was a devoted brother to sisters Karen and Marcia.  He enjoyed “Siblings Night Out” and was proud to welcome daughters-in-law Katie and Carole       to the family.            HE MET  Cookie on July 15, 1977, during a movie junket to London and the Queen’s Silver Jubilee.       When their charter flight to England was delayed at JFK, Bill magically acquired a piano and Cookie       played show tunes for a reception hosted by United Artists.  Bill and Cookie’s first husband, Bruce      Meyers, became friends during film and theater       outings. After Bruce’s death, Bill’s and Cookie’s friendship blossomed into romance and lasted until Bill’s final day a decade ago. He died, full circle, on       the desert he loved, as she played "It Had to Be You."       Check out these links about the survival and        publication of the novel Bill co-wrote:   http://www.whereiscookie.com/2014/11/exploring-us-texas-to-hawaii-in-search.html http://www.whereiscookie.com/2014/12/how-characters-are-born-making-lilian.html From Cygnet Theatre in Old Town to the Lyceum in Horton Plaza, home to the San Diego Repertory Theatre, San Diego theater is lively and first-rate. La Jolla Playhouse and North Coast Rep north of town are also top ranked and offer varied, exciting seasons. More on this bounty soon. THEATER ON TAP:   Whereiscookie  roams the globe, and occasionally offers personal pieces like the one today.  Next up is a look at the thriving theater scene in San Diego, where Cookie winters and happily indulges in the glut of theatrical riches. Saturday, we'll look at the splendid array of current offerings at La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego Rep, Cygnet and North Coast Rep. Remember to explore, learn and live and check us out weekends and as the spirit moves us to share adventures, observations and photos. Check out our book tour: Workshops, readings for "Lilian's Last Dance"

BEAR MAKES HIS MARK ON OUR SUMMER HIDE-OUT, BUT WE ARE ALL FOUR FINE AND 'BEARLY' UPBEAT Once inside, our bear searched for an exit and shredded bamboo blinds, and broke pottery, leaving paw prints galore.   A buttery paw print tells the story.  Mr. Bear ate lightly, but was anything but dainty in his exit. It is eerily human-like, a la "Day of the Living Dead." STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER WE'D BEEN GONE  just 50 hours from our home in rural Montana. High Chaparral has been a family sanctuary for nearly a quarter-century. Our guest scaled the countertop above the dishwasher, pulled down the knives, broke a butter dish and licked it clean.  He opened a few cupboards, too. We've had raccoons, mountain lions, lynx, elk, the proverbial deer and antelope, and of course plenty of mice, squirrels, voles, moles and skunks. (Nick, the male Yorkie, has been "deskunked" almost as many times as he's been taken to the groomer.) The 1881 Log Room was the scene of the most damage, and the place of entry. Vintage photos were ripped from the walls, glass shattered and paw scratches on hand-colored prints. HAD WE BEEN  at home when our bear (or bears) visited, Nick and Nora would would likely have frightened him (them) away with their sharp, terrier warning barks. Now please don't accuse me of gender bias, but I'm going to call the intruder(s) Mr. Bear, to simplify the telling of the story. WE PULLED  into the drive-way, and I trotted up the hill, as is my custom, to change the hoses, leaving Keller to unlock the place and unload groceries, our usual division of labor. "Cooks, come here," he hollered.  "Can it wait?" I asked. "No. Pronto." "Are you alright?  Are the Yorkies okay?" "Yes, but we've had a visitor." After a melt-down from the destruction in the log room -- I picked myself up, dusted myself off,  guzzled the wine Keller poured, and started a list of damages and loss: the craziest, a cube of butter. I CALLED 911  (only the third time I've done so in my life -- the other two were medical emergencies for my two late husbands.) Two deputies were dispatched and arrived from the Absarokee area, 28 miles away, in a speedy 25 minutes. Before they pulled into the drive, we called our insurance company and reported the incident, still not sure if it were really and truly a bear, as Keller speculated. Gouge marks from Mr. Bear's talons.  There are dozens. While the police investigated, we continued our list of damages: photographs, curtains, picture frames, walls, canvases of oils, a treasured lamp, several lamp shades flattened when Mr. Bear must have stepped on them. The woodwork damage is the greatest.  All three of the rooms Mr. Bear intruded bear his bear trademark: gouges, claw marks, ripped off door casings and trim -- accented with the buttery prints he left on windows. Here's where  Mr. Bear broke in.  WHEN THE  law officers finished their investigation, they confirmed Keller's suspicions:  bear or bears, probably young (two or three years) and neophytes in break-in.  Mr. Bear did not go upstairs (thank goodness, no one was sleeping in our bed!), nor did he leave bear scat.  He did urinate on the beautiful carpets, in several places -- the Yorkies were fascinated by that. Do we wish ill for Mr. Bear and his species?  Absolutely not.  He was being a bear. Period. As Keller said, "We're unhurt.  The Yorkies are fine. Perspective, Cookie." And as my sister Olivia and my friend Ruth said, "It's a helluva story, Cookie." . NEXT UP :  Where is Cookie takes to CityPASS in New York, grabbing all the gusto possible in five short days.  CityPASS offers savings for the major sites, including the new World Trade Center Tower, Ellis Island, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, Metropolitan Museum and more.  Start spreading the news and take a breathtaking look with us at the Manhattan skyline -- and more. Remember to explore, learn and live, and catch us each Wednesday at  www.whereiscookie.com

The new Tower represents endurance and recovery, while honoring lives lost. Its mission is "to preserve freedom and inspire an end to hatred, ignorance and intolerance." NEW YORKERS, GLOBAL VISITORS PAY HOMAGE TO THE FALLEN AT NEW, ELEGANT TRADE CENTER MEMORIAL AND MUSEUM Names of victims are placed near names of people with whom they worked. The names are inscribed in bronze around waterfalls and two beautiful pools. This family visited the memorial after a subway ride with us. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER WE ALL  remember that dreadful day: the haunting images of the Twin Towers collapsing, families searching frantically for lost loved ones. Smoke, tears and sorrow. So 14 years after the infamous deeds of September 11, 2011, we spent a day at the scene of the carnage. This young visitor took a selfie near the pools and bronzes honoring the victims. The dramatic 9/11 Memorial was designed by architect Michael Arad and landscaper Peter Walker. It includes two pools set in the footprints of the original Twin Towers. Thirty-foot water- falls cascade into the pools and descend into a center void. Names of the nearly 3,000 victims are inscribed in bronze around the perimeters of the pools. WE JOINED families from around the globe and other New York neighborhoods to pay our respects.  We were among thousands of all faiths, age and dress as we emerged from the subway from Midtown Manhattan.  We were warmed by the sun, shining as it had on the day of the disaster.  We were grateful for the weather as we walked through Lower Manhattan to the memorial. Windows on the World was a favorite haunt of many. The looks on peoples' faces were somber and reverent as they studied the names around the pools. The original Twin Towers stood proudly. Some left flowers or made rubbings of loved ones' names. Others took selfies or group photos. Many seemed lost in reverie and memory.  I had spent many happy times in the original Twin Towers, often at the famous top-floor restaurant, Windows on the World. There I interviewed celebrities and dined with friends in the movie and theater business.  Windows was a favorite hang out of travelers, writers, stars and politicians. Everyone loved its splendid views. Tourists from around the globe, and many New Yorkers, await tour tickets.  WE SPENT  time studying the 9/11 Memorial Museum, but agreed it was a brutal few hours -- with its first-person accounts of the day, personal artifacts, structural remnants and multimedia displays.  The WTC complex with a master plan by Daniel Libeskind calls for a spiral of new towers around the eight-acre Memorial. ONE OF the most touching elements were hundreds of swamp white   oaks around the memorial. A single, beautiful pear tree -- known as "Survivor Tree" -- stands as proud testimony to survival. Workers found the damaged tree reduced to a stump in the Ground Zero wreckage. Nursed back to health, it grew to 30 feet and flowers each spring. ONE MAY  download the 9/11 Memorial Guide on a smartphone or visit names.911memorial.org . Juhu Beach Club -- visited by whereiscookie in April, and recently, by CNN's traveling gourmet, Anthony Bourdain. NEXT UP and BY THE WAY:  A Montana museum once the home of the philanthropic, pioneering Bair family, opens its doors for an "Upstairs, Downstairs" tour next week.  And last spring we discovered a wonderful Indian restaurant, Juhu  Beach Club in Oakland, Calif. It has quickly become a favorite of Bay Area diners, and visitors looking for tasty Indian fare cooked by someone who knows her way around curry and chutney. We raved about the fairly new eatery months ago! Recently, world renowned chef Anthony Bourdain, of the popular CNN show, "Parts Unknown," gave Juhu thumbs up. High praise from a guy who loves San Francisco and writes about its older, venerable eateries such as Sinbad's, House of Prime Rib, Tosca, Trader Vic's and Swan Oyster Depot. Check out our piece and tune in to Bourdain Sunday nights on CNN.  Anthony Bourdain, whereiscookie visit Juhu Beach Club

"Food, glorious food," as the lyric from "Oliver!" goes.  The appetizers are being devoured as the main course is prepared. FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD AS CLEVER KITCHEN CAPERS PROMOTE QUALITY FAMILY TIME STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS The family gathers to nosh and talk and play -- here niece Aurora with her daughter, Elliana, and at right, James, chasing Yorkie Nora. PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER WHEN ONE MENTIONS  food and music, our family "comes big." That's the expression my grandfather used: "Come big or stay home." Everyone contributes a special dish or theatrical presentation when a family reunion is in the offing. We grew up with violins, violas, trumpets, trombones, pianos, flutes, saxophones, clarinets, musical theater. We sang every Broadway score, from "The Sound of Music" to "The King and I," "Gypsy," "Guys and Dolls" and "South Pacific." Breakfast time for Christena, in front, and her second-cousin, James. Sister Misha's "Famous Lemon Bars"  are always a hit. We were also raised -- like many families -- with the kitchen as the center of the good times, the "first course" before the tunes. Cookie's Famous Turkey Breast is a family tradition, too. FOOD AND MUSIC ARE  the twin focus for all family fun. My sister Misha's lemon bars are part of every family reunion. Sometimes she sings when she serves them. (Usually the "Good Morning" song made famous in the movies by Debbie Reynolds and Donald O'Connor.) Whether she's staying in a hotel, in a rented cottage or in one of our homes, she shops for the ingredients as soon as she and my brother-in-law David pick up her rental car. Then she prepares her delicious treats. here are never left-overs -- just crumbs. My specialty is roast turkey -- a favorite of our late mother's and grandmum's and something no family fete is complete without. Olivia makes a fantastic avocado pie and both sisters make superb green salads -- with berries, nuts, feta and raspberry vinaigrette. Niece Amarylla prepares the dough for her "Famous  Bacon-maple Donuts." I'D THOUGHT AHEAD  -- arranging the paper stuff in pretty picnic baskets -- cups, glasses, silverware, napkins, plates -- again, to save time and keep our focus on visiting and enjoying one another. Keller and I hung balloons and put cloths on the tables.      We'd also prepared several dishes ahead of time:  a huge tray of lasagna, a double-recipe of scalloped potatoes, dishes of baked beans, three jello salads, a fruit salad and a pan of brownies.We put out large coolers of iced beverages -- wine, beer, tea, sodas, lemonade, water -- ready and waiting for guests. Great-nephew Connor readies the deep-fryer for the donuts.  NIECE AURORA  is famous for her lavish birthday cakes.  The vanilla lemon confection she made to celebrate all the Leos in the clan, was so heavy with thick Amish cream and filling that it toppled over in the frig! (We uprighted and relished it, to the last crumbs.)  COOKING for four days for 30-plus people might have been daunting. It wasn't, because of all the help we had and because of prepping. Everyone provided goodies -- fresh fruit, veggie trays, cheeses, appetizers, breads, cookies, "extras" -- lagniappes as they say in New Orleans. We set up the barbecue before hand, and placed borrowed tables and chairs. While the barbecue cranks up, cousins pass paper plates and arrange tables and chairs for the family reunion's finale.   We provided main courses: that made-ahead lasagna, chicken, turkey, brats, hot dogs, hamburgers, turkey burgers and trout caught the morning of the first day of the reunion, by Keller and a neighbor. (Fishing license: expensive for out-of-staters.) Two of our party don't eat meat, but love fish.  Handy to have the Stillwater River near, although Keller paid nearly $80 for the license to catching a couple rainbows. We'd put all the paper stuff in picnic baskets -- cups, glasses, silverware, napkins, plates -- again, to save time and keep our focus on visiting and enjoying one another. We hung balloons and had cloths on the tables. Grand finale:  Famous Donuts laced with bacon bits  and sprinkled with maple glaze, are a last,  farewell hit at the family reunion.       I"D MADE  several dishes ahead: a huge tray of lasagna, a double-recipe of scalloped potatoes, baked beans, three jello salads, fruit salad and a pan of brownies.We'd also prepared large coolers of iced beverages -- wine, beer, tea, sodas, lemonade, water. Those were ready and waiting for guests.                                                   WE ENJOYED  several meals together, the last a morning brunch featuring my niece Amarylla's decadent donuts.  Deep-fried, they were a huge, fast disappearing hit. (We procured a deep-fryer for the occasion.  After frying, Amarylla sprinkled them with bacon bits (bacon, fried crispy and broken up) and maple syrup glaze. Talk about gilding the lily. Or as Oliver Twist asked, "Please, sir, could I have some more?" Rain forced the talent show inside the garage, but didn't dampen spirits. The family reunion featured nephew James on base guitar. NEXT UP : Now, the entertainment. What happens when the family reunion invitation requests a talent contribution as part of admission?  Music, music, music.  A swing trio, a roast, a toast, a bittersweet farewell. Country songs, show tunes, jazz, classics and more. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Wednesdays and weekends at: www.whereiscookie.com

TIME IN THE COUNTRY YIELDS CONNECTION WITH FAR-AWAY COUSINS IN SETTING OF RURAL BEAUTY  Spending time with our Norwegian relatives was a highlight of our latest holiday.  Here, from left, Fredrik, Cookie, Keller, Ann-Christin, Gunnar and Nora.  The scene is the Nystul family farm near Mysen. The doggie is Zac. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS Gunnar Nystul, our Norwegian cousin, took this photo of his acreage in rural Norway, 43 southeast miles from Oslo. PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER NEAR THE  town of Mysen, in south-eastern Norway, we spent a beautiful day in the company of my cousin Gunnar Nystul, with his family and pets, tools and projects. What a delight! On a 16-day Scandinavian cruise and Atlantic crossing, we were thrilled that Gunnar and his wife, Ann-Christin, took time off from their government jobs to entertain us. Gunnar serves dessert at the farm, prepared by Ann-Christin, who made a beautiful meal to serve the American cousins.  There's nothing like a "home visit," the enticing bonus of having friends or family in a destination to enhance a visit. It makes a place real. Gunnar picked us up at the pier in Oslo in his Mercedes station wagon. We drove southeast, visiting in English, which is compulsory in Scandinavia, learning about Norwegian farming, freeways, food, economics, medical plans and education (it's free at university level, with high taxes of course.) Gunnar pointed out high-tech undersea tunnels which connect the many islands of Scandinavia. We took several enroute to the farm. OSLO HAS  a famed Viking past, when my people (on my maternal granddad's side) roamed the high seas, traveling as far as Canada and the Mediterranean to trade, explore and conquer. Ann-Christin has a modern kitchen in an older home.  Her talent for decorating  and artistic eye are obvious at every turn. On several other visits, we'd enjoyed Oslo's stunning Viking Museum and fantastic Vigeland Sculpture Park. This time, we vowed to make our time a family affair.  Leaving the city, we passed Akershus Castle, where our ship docked, the Parliament Building, National Theatre and Royal Castle. Our anticipation was high as a Viking mast. NORWAY IS  famous for its vast expanse of woods, moors and lakes. My cousin, Gunnar, has a microcosm of his country on his farm.  It is resplendant with all that makes Norway famous -- glasswork, crafts, farm tools, sculpture, flowers, carvings and more. We couldn't wait, having seen a photo Gunnar sent to entice us. Approaching their place was like watching a movie with ourselves in it. Several of the buildings on the Nystul Farm date back 100 to 150 years.  After about 50 miles of the city slowly giving way to woods and villages -- we reached Mysen, administrative center of the municipality of Eidsberg in the county of Østfold. The town is built on the grounds of an old farm named Mysen, thus its name. Our family name, my mother's maiden name of Nystul, means "new farm." We've traced Gunnar's and my connection back to twin brothers Nils and Olav, separated at age seven when their mother died. Trees lead to hiking paths, and  a pleasant afternoon spent with family, flowers, dogs and delicious food. Norway indeed has its midnight sun, here as we left Oslo, bidding a bittersweet farewell to the Nystul family of Mysen, Norway, our cousins. Gunnar and his wife, Ann-Christin, and their children, Fredrik and Nora, spend as much time outdoors as possible.  No wonder. Summer is fleeting, from  late June to early August. That's when the weather is warmest and days are long and bright. Temperatures reach the high 70s, and occasionally 80F. (25°C - 30°C.) It's perfect weather, with little humidity.  Jump to "Lilian's Last Dance' blog Winters are another matter -- snow boarding and skiing are popular, with every winter sport one could wish. Dog sledding, anyone? The farm is, no doubt, lovely with a dusting of snow, too. Danish writer Karen Blixen is buried in this simple grave in Rungsted, where her museum is. NEXT UP:  Danish writer Karen Blixen is known for her first book, "Seven Gothic Tales," and for "Out of Africa," which was made into a major film.  She lived many years in Africa, returning after her lover was killed in a plane crash. Back in Denmark, Blixen began writing, emerging to public scrutiny in the early 1930s. "Gothic Tales" was published in the U.S. in 1934 under the pseudonym Isak Dinesen. We spent time at Rungstedlulnd, the Karen Blixen Museum, a lovely country house in Rungsted on the Øresund coast north of Copenhagen, Denmark. Among its enticements is a fantastic bird preserve.  Blixen lived there much of her life and donated it, with the proviso that bird life and wildnerness be preserved. Remember to explore, learn and live. More Wednesday at: www.whereiscookie.com

Brian Menges, proprietor of  Gil's Goods , is hands-on, welcoming Cookie, and bringing water for Nick's and Nora's doggie dish (on the table.) Polite dogs are welcome at Gil's Goods, next door to the famed Murray Hotel in Livingston.   HISTORIC MURRAY HOTEL HAS AN APPETIZING, NEW NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR! Gil's Goods attracts a host of regulars and tourists staying at the Murray. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER BRIAN MENGES  is an amiable entrepreneur who loves what he does and enjoys watching lively people appreciate the delicious food he prepares. The ambitious 43-year old is proud of his eatery, Gil's Goods, and the inventive way he "recycled" the old Gil's Gifts sign to  read "Gil's Goods."  While Livingston is embracing the eatery, Menges is giving back. He employs over six dozen people, making his one of the largest operations in town. Between Gil’s Goods at 207 West Park, the adjoining Murray Bar, and his fine dining eatery, the acclaimed 2nd Street Bistro (123 N. 2nd St.), he has a staff of 74 enthusiastic, capable people. As one dines at Gil's, a view of the historic Depot, and the colorful Yellowstone Park buses  provides additional entertainment.  WHEN GIL'S  Goods opened in May of 2012, Menges trumpeted his achievement: "I'd wanted to have a European-style cafe with sustainible, organic, local and ethical food," he says. (Thus his word play on "SOLE" food.) Gil’s is open 17 hours a day, seven days a week, from 7 a.m. -- opening with a sure cure for hangovers for those who have had too much fun on a "Livingston Saturday Night" (or on any other day!) Try tasty huevos rancheros or spicy biscuits and gravy. Menges also keeps the place open until midnight servings to nightowls hungry for a bite. (He'll stay open later if traffic demands.) Gil’s serves its tasty fare with pride because it's made in the small, efficient kitchen with its bread and pizza ovens. A beautiful brick wall, uncovered in a two-year remodeling project, adds charm and character.   EARLY EACH  morning, fragrant goodies begin to emerge: flaky croissants, lavish Danishes, warm biscuits, delectable scones, and European style bread with crunchy crust --- fantastic dipped in the herby tomato soup. A quesadilla appetizer is terrific. Pretty cakes, truffles, cookies, éclairs and other elegant desserts are prepared on site for both Gil’s and 2nd Street around the corner. Gil's Goods sign used the old "Gil's Gifts" sign with just a few letters to change. After the breakfast and brunch rush, Gil's segues to burgers, brats, wonderful soups, Niçoise salad, and a splendid Greek lamb kebob salad. Throughout the day, Gil's serves an ambitious 13 kinds of wood-fired pizza, and Livingston's own luscious Wilcoxson’s ice cream. THE "GIL'S"  name stuck -- both to honor the longtime store (remember those Gil's Got It signs on the highway?) and to preserve the landmark sign.   Menges, as chef and proprietor, has a   backstory dating to 2004 when he grew tired of cooking in Vegas, Boulder and Jackson Hole.  "I had an opportunity to buy this for about what I'd have paid for a three-year lease in Jackson," he said. "I had to do it. I'd earned my stripes in fantastic kitchens and dining rooms and was ready to blow the roof off Livingston!" Christene taught and read last week on a trans-Atlantic crossing. Her last Montana workshop is this Saturday in Harlowton. Did he do it? The proof is in the returning customers. "I don't know what we did without Gil's," says one satisfied diner. "It's really part of life here." COMING THURSDAY : Our weekend blog publishes early this week, to give readers a chance to plan a day trip to Harlowton Saturday or Nye, Montana, Sunday, on a lovely autumn weekend. The last of six Writer's Voice summer writing workshops unfolds in the Harlowton Library, (There are still openings.) It encourages memoir, fiction, poetry or non-fiction writers.  Meyers' exercises will jump-star the muse in all levels. To register, call 406-294-1620 or email corby@skinnerbenoit.com , or nwiddicombe@yahoo.com The experience includes lunch. A reading from "Lilian's Last Dance" follows in the Upper Musselshell museum. Sunday's 4 p.m. reading is at Windy Flats Gallery on the West Fork of the Stillwater north of Nye. All welcome to both days' events. More up next at www.whereiscookie.com

Rungstedlund, the estate where Karen Blixen lived most all her life except the 17 years in Africa.  She was born Karen Christence Dinesen and wrote as Isak Dinesen.  'Out of Africa' author wrote 'Gothic Tales,' reflected on a life with lions and her lover after returning to her Danish homeland STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Karen Blixen returned to Denmark after her lover was killed in a plane crash in Africa. WRITER KAREN  Blixen might have stayed in Africa at her coffee plantation with her partner, writing about the lions she loved, had he not died in a plane crash.  After Denys Finch Hatton perished in his Gypsy Moth in 1931, the Danish born writer lost her spirit, and returned to her homeland to recharge and reflect. The Blixen Museum's gardens provide fresh flowers for the home. Long fans of her writing, we decided to make the trip to Rungstedlund, the Karen Blixen Museum. On a warm but rainy Denmark day, we took the convenient fast train from our base in the coastal village of Vedbaek, two stops to Rungsted, where Blixen died in 1962. BARONESS AND  famous author Blixen was born Karen Christence Dinesen,at the family residence, Rungstedlund, on April 17 of 1885 . The property traces back to 1520, when it was owned by the Crown. Blixen's love of birds inspired her nesting sanctuary with 200 bird houses. Gorgeous beech trees -- some nearly 300 years old -- welcome visitors to stroll to or from the Karen Blixen Museum. The inn closed in 1803 and was owned by a wealthy farmer before Blixen's father bought it in 1879. Wilhelm Dinesen and Ingeborg Westenholz took up residency in 1881.  Dinesen was born in 1885 and became Karen Blixen after marrying Baron Bror Blixen, her Swedish second-cousin, in 1914. The two were temperamentally unsuited, he was unfaithful and gave her syphilis.  They divorced in 1921 and she returned to Denmark for treatment. Danish signs point the way to the museum and bird sanctuary. A bust of Blixen is a centerpiece in the home, which is open to tourists, part of the museum. Karen Blixen's grave is beneath a lovely beech tree. LEAVING THE  station, we walked along lovely streets, directed by understated signs. We saw dozens of brightly painted bird houses -- with lots of customers flitting in and out.  These are among 200 nesting boxes attracting 40 different species of birds happily breeding where Blixen walked and wrote. Her love of birds inspired her 1958 decision to make the estate into a bird sanctuary. Rungstedlund's 40 acres of gardens and groves are much loved by Danes and worldwide visitors. We enjoyed the bird houses so much that we returned the same way, bidding adieu to Blixen on the estate's Ewalds Hill. She is buried there beneath a gigantic beech tree with a simple stone marker. The grove boasts trees up to 300 years old, named after people with a personal link to the house, including Albert Einstein. The 1985 movie, "Out of Africa," starred Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, and was a whimsical reflection on Blixen's life in Africa, where she learned Swahili. THE SANCTUARY  is supervised by the Danish Ornithological Society. We toured the house, which contains Blixen's art collection, furniture and a beautiful bust of her.  The oldest part of the home dates from 1680 when it was a combined inn and farm. Through the centuries, writers and artists visited. Poet Johannes Ewald Ewald lived there from 1773 to 1775, writing "The Delights of Rungsted, An Ode." The Karen Blixen Museum was founded in 1991 by Blixen's descendants and the Danish government. Hollywood made a movie about her life in Africa with her lover.  "Out of  Africa" starred Meryl Streep and Robert Redford and was a lyrical meditation on her 17 years at her Kenya coffee plantation where she communed with critters, earned the love of the people and learned to speak Swahili. The Faroe Islands are up next -- as we arrive in Klaksvik for a hike, fish and chips, some fine wine and a breathtaking boat ride. UP NEXT : Faroe Islands? Where are they?  What language to they speak?  How does one get there?  All that and more at the next whereiscookie. Stay tuned, and remember to explore, learn and live as we visit these obscure but thriving islands in Scandinavia. Why has no one heard of these lovely islands?  Perhaps because, they are not easily accessible.  We're publishing whereiscookie on Wednesdays while we wind down our stay in the Northern Rockies. We'll return to our "Wednesdays and weekends" traditions in three weeks. Explore, learn and live and remember, carpe diem.

Comings and goings at High Chaparral in the Northern Rockies:  another fabulous family reunion features talent galore.  Some had to leave the night before, but these cousins and close family said farewell until next time on the last morning. RAINY DAY GIVES FORUM TO GARAGE BAND, WITH FAMILY TALENT SHOW OFF THE CHARTS Great nephew James, above, practices his whistle, and great-niece Elliana, in green hat with Nora, previews her  costume while cuddling our Yorkie.   STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER THE FORECAST  was for intermittent rain, and that was indeed what transpired. Wet though our weekend was from time to time, nothing could dampen our spirits. Emcee Kenji Otokawa with his second-cousin James Brian Ganner, strolling High Chap. We had fabulous food, we'd flown and driven to be together from several states, and we had a talent contest to perform. MY NEPHEW  Kenji Christopher, named after me, was recruited to host the roast, which included affectionate stories about my travel mishaps and a few yarns I'd spun through the years. Kenji had 30 Cosgriffes laughing and crying as he tossed off bon mots between witty introductions of the performers. (He also brought his lovely lady friend, Lauren, with him from Atlanta, to introduce her to his family.) At keyboard, Larry Giles, adopted Cosgriffe, & nephew James Hayes on guitar. BETWEEN  thunder storms and downright downpours, the Cosgriffe Family Reunion, Feast and Talent Spectacular unfolded partly outdoors and partly inside our garage-cum-auditorium. We'd converted Keller's work table to a picnic table as saws, hammers and projects in progress went on shelves to make way for a keyboard, electric base, drums, tables and chairs. OPENING  the show, Kenji welcomed people to the "unbirthday party," a la "Alice in Wonderland." We'd decided the occasion merited more than a mere birthday fete. Pretty in pink:  Sister Olivia donned her sun hat to sing a song with sister Misha: "Heaven's Radio" was a huge hit. Cookie read from her paperback, "Lilian's Last Dance" and played piano.  Elliana gives her uncle Keller a hug. Paying homage to me, ("Who but my auntie would serve me a martini when I was three?"), Kenji kept the action going, as his cousins, aunties, uncles, mother and others came front and center to sing, dance, read vintage letters and original poetry, plus a poem by William Blake (this writer's favorite). Musicians rocked out with Mother Maybelle Carter favorites, Gershwin, Cole Porter and the Andrews Sisters. "In the Mood" one moment then Willie Nelson. Then Kenji, a gifted pianist, honored us with a classical performance. Janice Joplin's little known sister, Janie Joplin, made a guest appearance, singing a Cosgriffe version of "Mercedes Benz," with my brother Rick accompanying her (really Jane Milder, my sister-in-law) while doing a headstand. Jim Hayes focuses on a photo while his sister-in-law Misha looks on. Kira Cosgriffe, right, gives her sister Aurora expert eyebrows.  MY NIECES  took time off to give one another facials, implementing the salon's latest techniques for removal of unwanted facial hair! (Never a dull moment with the Cosgriffes.) I played keyboard, spelled off by the talents of adopted Cosgriffe Clan Georgian, Larry Giles, who with his beautiful and funny wife, Mary, are welcome members of the clan. We had drums and guitar, with the talents of my nephew, James, whose father, my brother-in-law Jim Hayes produced a spectacular slide show, "The Cosgriffes in California." Gil's Goods by the Murray Hotel is a fine find in lively Livingston, Montana. IT TAKES A couple years to plan and execute a proper family reunion. "Save the Date" notices went out months ago, then invitations in May, heralding the August gathering at High Chaparral, north of Nye, Montana. UP NEXT: While we're in a party mood, come to Livingston, the Murray Hotel and Gil's Goods, a fabulous next-door eatery. There's always a celebration in this lively western town, where Yellowstone Park buses take tourists in the park's first entrance! Remember: explore, learn, live and catch us Wednesdays and weekends at www.whereiscookie.com

LIGHT YOUR CREATIVE FIRE AT SATURDAY WORKSHOP AND A PAIR OF WEEKEND READINGS   The last Montana Writer's Voice workshop of the summer is Saturday in Harlowton.  Here is the first, held in conjunction with The Big Read in early May in Absarokee.  A few openings remain for Saturday's "Jump Start". E-mail Nancy Widdicombe at nwiddicombe@yahoo.com or register at the workshop at 9:15 a.m. Saturday. Workshops and readings have had tremendous response,here last month in Livingston,  below in Absarokee. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER I'VE HEARD it thousands of times: "I could write a book." Perhaps, so. But why not begin in a more subtle fashion, then work up to that lofty ambition? Start with an essay or short story, a poem, or sketch about your life. Harlowton beckons. If your muse needs a jump start, come to a writer's workshop Saturday in Harlowton. You're most welcome. I COME FROM  a long line of teachers. Christene gives individual tips to each workshop participant. And I've written about people, the arts and travel for more than four decades. But it never hurts to have a creative jump start. This weekend, I share the fruit's of my life's work in two favorite Montana towns -- Nye, and Harlowton. Saturday's gig caps my writing workshops in Montana (one more yet to come in Wyoming) and crowns the Montana readings from my novel, "Lilian's Last Dance." In the Rockies, we've read and taught in Billings, Red Lodge, Hardin, Miles City, Glendive, Absarokee, Columbus, Livingston and Cody, Wyoming. Head up the West Fork of the Stillwater River Sunday, for a 4 p.m. reading and a look at Windy Flats Gallery's final photography show of the season. It's been a productive, hectic summer -- with 26 readings and five workshops, including one last week aboard the Serenade of the Seas enroute home from readings from my novel in Europe. A workshop on writing followed by a reading from "Lilian's Last Dance" treated trans-Atlantic cruisers last week. (Christene Meyers at left.) WHAT HAS  thrilled me most is the range of ages in the workshops -- from a first-grader to an 85-year-old. My finale in Montana with the Writer's Voice workshops unfolds Saturday in Harlowton, at 9:30 a.m. in the Harlowton Library's new meeting room. There are still a couple openings. We're keeping the class small, under 12, to give time to all participants. WORKSHOPS  on writing have occupied a large chunk of our usually quiet and reflective summer. Not that writing can't be quiet and  reflective. But planning five different workshops -- because some people take more than one -- has been a challenge. I hope I've done justice. A Writer's Voice workshop in June in Cody attracted 15  writers with a wait list of a half-dozen writers.   THE LAST of five Writer's Voice summer writing workshops unfolds in the new conference center of the Harlowton Library Saturday, and there are still openings. The goal is to encourage writing -- whether memoir, fiction, poetry or non-fiction.  Meyers has a new series of exercises, which will help jump-star the writing muse in all levels of creativity. To register for the day-long workshop, call 406-294-1620 or email corby@skinnerbenoit.com , or nwiddicombe@yahoo.com   The experience includes a homemade lunch. THEN THIS  Sunday, we'll be reading at Windy Flats Gallery on the beautiful Stillwater River Road on the West Fork of the river.  Master black-and-white photographer Edward Barta will show his new work, featuring the Joshua trees of the desert southwest. A brief reading commences at 4 p.m., with a signing of first editions of "Lilian's Last Dance" following. Barta and his wife Barb always serve up delicious appetizers and wine. A gorgeous landscape awaits readers as we spend a magical day  with  our Norwegian cousins at their farm east of Oslo. -- photo by Gunnar Nystul COMING NEXT: A weekend in the country -- an idyll with our Norwegian cousin Gunnar Nystul, his wife, Anne-Christin, their children and doggies at their beautiful farm southeast of Oslo near the village of Mysen. Come explore this picturesque "Norwegian Wood"  and see the land of Cookie's maternal grandfather's roots. More up next at  www.whereiscookie.com

LOCAL VEGGIES, MEATS, POULTRY AND HOMEMADE GNOCCHI GIVE UNIQUE APPEAL TO HISTORIC DISTRICT EATERY From its proud place in the Billings Historic District, Lilac serves fresh, tasty fare kicked up a Lilac notch. Lilac's blue cheese lamb ribs are a favorite of this writer.   STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS  PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER THE RESTAURANT'S chief cook, bottle washer and bookkeeper are one in the same person.  That's probably why Lilac is celebrating its third successful year in downtown Billings Dinner at the Lilac with, from left, Bruce Keller, Christene Meyers and at right, Corby Skinner. The restaurant, named for those fragrant first blooms of spring, bills its repertoire as “modern American cooking” and is doing well in Montana Avenue’s historic strip of shops, eateries and galleries. Lilac owner and chef, Jeremy Engebretson, is hands-on all the way. Dessert at Lilac is cause for celebration. We've sampled his ginger flavored octopus fritti, blue cheese cured lamb ribs and fragrant beef tongue tacos recently, in a menu that changes every few days. ENGEBRETSON  prides himself on freshness. "The menu changes depending on what’s available and what we think our clientele will like," he says. Engebretson was a boy when he knew he wanted to be a chef. Lilac's unpretentious decor puts the focus on the tasty, fresh food.  Growing up in Billings, he graduated from Billings West High School, then University of Montana, working in Missoula restaurants, learning the trade. “I experimented, observed,” he says.  As sous chef at Missoula’s popular Ranch Club, he prepared “simple, fresh, fairly priced offerings.” The décor at Lilac complements the menu.  It is open and unpretentious, focusing on food, not surroundings. Appetizers, entrees and desserts carry out his wish for freshness and aesthetics -- from roasted cauliflower, to chicken fried sweetbreads and an enticing grilled asparagus dish with shrimp, sesame and poached egg dressing. If you want exotic, order the succulent pigeon. Play it safe with a cheese burger, jazzed up with a tangy sweet and savory garnish of cheddar and bacon jam.  Beef from area ranches provides the meat at Lilac.  "I try for the simple, satisfied feeling I had in our kitchen growing up,” Engebretson says. Both parents were “good, basic cooks” and Engebretson’s favorite food was his mom’s green bean dish, “a wonderful, satisfying dish, with garden beans and a simple white sauce.”  Desserts range from luscious sponge cake with berries to an unusual, rich rosemary and honey ice cream, pistachio crumble and sticky pudding with toffee sauce, raspberries and ice cream -- all cause for a celebration. Sunday brunch at Lilac is a treat, too, with a filling pork burrito or colorful tacos, turnovers, blintzes and other pretty comfort foods, served with Lilac style enhancements.Everything is prepared in Lilac's small, efficient kitchen -- from fresh daily breads and pastries to Lilac's signature gnocchi, those succulent, savory little dumplings. Donuts get kicked up a notch at a family reunion -- with bits of bacon and maple drizzle complementing the deep fried delights. (It's only once a year.) NEXT UP : While we're in a "food mood," come with us to a family reunion laced with food, fun, music and nostalgia. The menu ranged from roast turkey to homemade bacon-maple donuts. (Don't hold the cholesterol.) Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Wednesdays and weekends at: www.whereiscookie.com

Hollyhocks are in full flower here in the northern Rockies, as autumn approaches. CHILDHOOD MEMORIES  OF FAVORITE FLOWER REMIND OF GRANDMOTHER, DOLL MAKING STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS Hollyhocks against the Beartooth Mountains -- a glorious sight. PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER 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. Sometimes we'd make dollies -- using upside down blooms for skirts and fashioning heads from buds yet to fully open. Add a few toothpicks and a felt marker to "glue" them together and craft faces. Moisten and warm hollyhock leaves and you'll have a poultice to help heal cuts or sooth arthritis. THEY REMAIN  my favorites of the old-fashioned plants I've raised here in the northern Rockies, to remind me of my Montana childhood. Hollyhocks -- with their lofty spires --  are my definitive old-fashioned garden plant. These tall, stately flowers used to tower over me in  both grandmothers' gardens. I'd look up at them and see faces. "HOW DO  you do, little Cookie?" Gran Olive would throw her voice behind the splendid array by the fence. This pollen covered bee is having a field day in a single hollyhock blossom. A bit of hollyhock homework tells me the graceful plant is from Eurasia. Its Middle Eastern   heritage makes it versatile as well as pretty. Taken internally, Hollyhock is soothing to the gastrointestinal, respiratory and urinary tracts in the human body. It promotes urination, soothes ulcers and relieves a dry cough. When you have a sore throat, try a cold infusion of hollyhock. To make, simply gather a handful of fresh flowers or leaves (you can use dried) and fill the center of a square of cheesecloth. Wrap the sides up to form a crude tea bag, tie with string or dental floss and drop in a jar of water. Drape the string over the edge and use the lid to hold your "bag" in place. Keep your "bag" submerged, leave out overnight then refrigerate. Use infusion within a day or so. Hollyhock dolls are a family tradition.  I'VE SEEN hollyhocks in fancy wedding bouquets and neglected hedges. Cultivated from Egypt to the southern U.S. and elsewhere, the plant with the large showy flowers is usually a biennial.  They grow only foliage the first year and flower the next. You can also make a hollyhock doll with a little imagination and a few toothpicks. Look deeply into the hollyhock blossom and see a face. I've been scavenging hollyhock seeds worldwide for decades.There are many varieties of blossoms and several different leaves. Turkish Wild is a rare hollyhock species with elegant, soft orchid, saucer-shaped flowers from May to September. If you allow these gorgeous biennials to clump and seeds to fall, you'll have years of enjoyment. Today, the lofty spires on our Hollyhock plants are covered with large frilled flowers in beautiful colors.  Bees love them. So do I. Thanks, Gran. UP NEXT:  From hollyhocks, to "Lilac."  No, not the plant, but the restaurant in downtown Billings. Farm fresh produce and locally sourced meats pair with homemade breads and gnocchi for fabulous fare.  We talk with the inventive Montana born chef and sample the ever changing menu.  Remember to explore, learn and live, and check us out Wednesdays and weekends at www.whereiscookie.com