Search Results

SOUTHERN EUROPE'S SOPHISTICATED CAPITAL CITY HAS MUCH TO OFFER Somewhere over the rainbow is the delightful city of Lisbon, Lisboa in Portuguese, awaiting your discovery. This stunning view is taken from a second-story room in the renowned Altis Belem Hotel in the Belem district, near famed Belem Tower.   A stroll from the Altis Belem Hotel took our travelers to nearby Belem Tower. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER AH, WHAT  a lovely city. The Tagus River meanders through the Alfama, or old quarter, urging walkers to follow it, and soak up the sights, sounds and smells of centuries of progress, a horrible earthquake and more explorers per capita perhaps than any small country. Old and sturdy, with exciting new buildings going up, Portugal is proud of its maritime tradition and its knowledge of the sea. The museums of Lisbon celebrate the rich history and culture of this Portuguese capital city. The Maritime Museum is perfect for families who adore all things nautical. My partner, Keller, was fascinated.  We went back a second day. The museums focused on everything from Lisbon's rich maritime past to decorative Portuguese tiles, and everything in between A wooden ship in the Maritime museum is said to be a replica of  Vasco de Gama's. THERE'S A FADO museum paying tribute to the national musical form, and other gorgeous museums, hidden gems with colorful artwork, tucked in the corners and streets near fun restaurants and inviting squares. To appreciate the city’s dramatic stone architecture, take a guided walking tour.  It will point out the fascinating Maritime Museum, one of the most important in Europe, evoking Portugal's domination of the seas. Its colossal 17,000 items are installed in the west wing of Jeronimos Monastery, and include model ships from the Age of Discovery and onward. The oldest exhibit is an beatific wooden figure from a ship said to represent the Archangel Raphael that accompanied Vasco de Gama on his voyage to India. Lisbon is rich in sculpture.  LISBON IS  as fascinating and cohesive as other larger European cities, with its gorgeous architecture and beautifully preserved old quarter.  The city fairly glistens in its prime seaport spot. Lisbon's gothic and Romanesque cathedral features many tombs, including Vasco DeGama's.  One of Europe's most unsung and least visited cultural capitals, Lisbon is often overlooked in favor of Paris, Rome and the Scandinavian capitals. Altis Belem hotel's amenities are world class, including fine beverages. BUT THERE  is so much to do in Lisbon you might plan a week. In only a few days, one can a lot of  Lisbon's options, many of which turn out to be those glorious large and small museums, churches and castles. Almost everything is made more affordable by the purchase of a Lisboa card, offering free and discounted admissions to dozens of activities including the Metro. With its people welcoming, proud and polite, the nicely dressed Lisboans are eager to serve up a meal of seafood or sausage, with a glass of port, for which Portugal is known. IMPRESSIVE  monuments abound in Lisbon, many along the banks of the river.  The monument to the "Discoveries" is one of our favorites, where Prince Henry the Navigator sits at the helm of an enormous marble ship's bow. The Discoveries monument in Lisbon is a stunning ode to exploration. It honors Portuguese explorers who contributed to the country's famed "Golden Age of Discovery."  Seeing it is a must, along with a visit to the serene Jeronimos Monastery.  Don't miss the Golden Gate replica and the enormous Christo Rei Statue across the river.  We strolled to Belem Tower, from our hotel.  Built    in the early 16th century, it is a prominent example of the Portuguese Manueline style,  with hints of other architectural styles.  The structure was built from lioz limestone and thus withstood the earthquake that leveled much of the city. The Alfama offers many unique sights, including this door. OUR RECENT  visit featured a stay at the Altis Belém Hotel and spa, a five- star design hotel in Belém, walking distance to the castle and overlooking the Tagus River. This unique hotel makes clever use of Lisbon's Golden Age of Discovery, complete with 50 themed luxury rooms and five suites. Beautiful paneling and locales visited by Portugal's daring navigators and explorers take the traveler to Mauritania in Africa, through India and Japan, and even across the Atlantic to Brazil. You'll also enjoy the gourmet treats from Restaurant Feitoria, where we had several late suppers and beautiful buffet breakfasts. The Spa is highly recommended, although in our full five days, we didn't have the time to get there! The Stillwater Protective Association maintains a  "good neighbor" credo. COMING SOON:   What fun to live in the west and be part of an exciting stewardship program. Stillwater Protective Association is having its major fundraiser today and we'll share the goods with you Wednesday.  Plus coming soon: Travails of building a major addition. It takes skill, talent, elbow grease and patience. Do our travelers have that?  At least one of them has all four.  The other lacks a couple of the imperatives.  Remember to explore, learn and live and visit us Wednesdays and weekends at www.whereiscookie.com

COWBOY POETS, ART, FOOD AND DRINK ACCOMPANY NEEDED RAIN AT MONTANA JACK'S SPA BENEFIT Wally McRae and Paul Zarzyski, friends for decades, entertained the audience with their theatrical poetry renditions.  Franny Abbott of Fishtail Basin Ranch was one of SPA members and  volunteers helping man the food and drink stations at Montana Jack's. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER MAYBE THE RAIN gods were watching, for the waters came pouring from the heavens Saturday. Water conservation efforts were rewarded with a timely deluge, while cowboy poets strutted their stuff and volunteers poured wine and served appetizers for Stillwater Protective Association's fundraiser. Montana Jack's hosted the SPA's fundraiser Saturday, and the audience of several hundred was thankful to be dry under a tent. Thoughtfully, party organizers had installed the white cover over the poetry lovers' chairs. Poetry lovers and SPA members gathered to listen to poetry and trade stories. Warm and dry at Montana Jack's, SPA members and friends visited and drank. THE DOWNPOUR  came about half way into the lively poetry readings of rancher and raconteur Wally McRae and his sidekick and onetime rodeo star Paul Zarzyski. The two had so much fun it was contagious. Stillwater Protective Association, SPA, is dedicated to keeping its hand in many matters concerning land use and conservation. Preventing the devastating effects of oil and gas development is a major pursuit of the grassroots organization, whose members include ranchers, businessmen and a good showing of seasonal homeowners and part-timers. SPA does regular reviews of water quality to maintain the health of the Stillwater River watershed, and also monitors many other aspects of rural life. OTHER PURSUITS  include limiting the footprint of Beartooth Mine on the Beartooth Plateau and providing for the clean-up of mine waste and other industrial hazards. Through a unique "Good Neighbor Agreement," SPA, along with the Northern Plains Resource Council, Cottonwood Resource Council, and Stillwater Mining Company maintain the world's only legally binding agreement between citizen groups and a hard-rock mining company. Charles Sangmeister thanked a legion of faithful volunteers, tipping his cowboy hat to their efforts and dedication. SPA supporters, greeted people as they strolled from the parking lot -- "pre-rain" -- Although a final tally of profits was not available for this story's deadline, the event was deemed "a tidy success" by the Sangmeisters. Beauty in all seasons is the reason we all love Stillwater County.   THEY THANKED those who brought forth a wealth of contributions for both a silent and live auction. Paintings, goods and services ranged from landscape oils of the region by noted painters -- all of whom donated their art to the cause -- to raft trips, piano music and get-aways. ABLE AUCTIONEER  Brian Young of Dean, raised the rafters and some serious money for SPA endeavors.  He inherited his expertise and fast-talking patter from his dad, Rick Young, veteran auctioneer who also supported many community endeavors.  A new generation of auctioneers appears to be in the making as Brian's youngsters helped him on the stage! Brian Young, son of a veteran auctioneer, got the bidding going and art lovers took home bargains Saturday.  If you love the west, live here full or part time, and appreciate the precarious beauty we all enjoy, join Stillwater Protective Association.  You'll immediately become a member of the Northern Plains Resource Council, nationally known for its good work in promoting progressive energy use and protecting interests of farmers and ranchers. Send your check for a reasonable $50, to SPA, PO Box 106, Absarokee, MT 59001. COMING UP:  Remodeling a home while living in it has challenged Cookie.  Despite brilliant planning by master builder Keller, the disruption and chaos of adding a major addition take a toll.  Cookie reflects on the upheaval, looking to the future and the beauty of the finished project, with some tips on staying relatively sane during the process. We try to put a spin of fun and adventure on our writings about the world and our beloved homes in San Diego and Stillwater County. Check us out Wednesdays and weekends at: www.whereiscookie.com

The Dukes of Dixieland aboard the steamboat Natchez are a top band. Every day's a holiday in colorful, tuneful  Big Easy N'Awlins STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER EVERY DAY  is a holiday in New Orleans.  It's a city that celebrates life's pleasures every hour, every day. Historic Jackson Square with its horse-drawn carriages is a landmark you won't want to miss in New Orleans. The food, music, architecture, water life and even the cemeteries praise our brief spin here on planet Earth. Good music is part of street life.  This trumpet player offered fine tunes. WE PLAYED  hard recently in "The Big Easy," and learned a few things we hadn't garnered in earlier visits. For starters: the nickname comes from the notion that it's sensible to "take it easy," said our amiable tour guide. 'WE BELIEVE  that taking it easy should be done big," he said. "So we call our town the Big Easy." Our brief, memorable visit centered at the New Orleans Hyatt, at Loyola and Poydras, which locals pronounce with a French creole "pwa" sound: pwadras. Every day is Mardi Gras time, here at Harrah's casino.  NEW ORLEANS  is coming back loud and strong after the disaster of Hurricane Katrina.  One still sees the occasional light pole ripped from its concrete holding (our guide pointed to parts of the city that were eight and ten feet under water.)   BUT THE  city's colorful inhabitants believe in their motto:  "laissez le bon temps rouler." The skyline of New Orleans viewed from the Natchez. And roll the good times do -- from breakfast beignets and coffee au lait at Cafe du Monde to a lunch of the muffuletta (salami, ham and provolone with marinated olives and Italian bread), to a romantic jazz filled evening on the Steamboat Natchez with a Cajun inspired buffet and classic Dixieland jazz on an old-fashioned stern-wheeler. New Orleans is known for its Mardi Gras celebrations and its nearby plantations.  It is also famous for its above-ground cemeteries, wrought iron gate and doors, horse-drawn carriages and stately mansions. A HUNDRED  years ago, Bourbon Street was famous for its houses of prostitution! Both Louis Armstrong and Jelly Roll Morton practiced their jazz in bordellos. A visit to the Big Easy is not complete without a dish of gumbo, a beignet  and a stroll or shopping around Jackson Square, where you'll hear fabulous music for free -- just leave a buck or two with the talented buskers. In a city famous for food, this Big Easy diner  serves up signature "po-boy" sandwiches.  The cemeteries of New Orleans feature above-ground graves. New Orleans has elevated hosting to an art with dozens of enticing boutique and luxury hotels.  We grabbed our Mardi Gras masks to book the beautiful Hyatt Regency New Orleans, an elegant, space-age property with 2,000 handsomely designed rooms.  The hotel boasts two terrific restaurants, pretty cocktail lounges, a fine gym and heated pool.  It's centrally located: The Hyatt's imposing interior is photographed from the fast elevator to the 37th floor! 20 minutes' walk to a cruise on the Mississippi, the French Quarter with its balconies, bistros, carriages, and  Jackson Square delights. At famed Brennan's, we tried the file gumbo -- fabulous. At our Hyatt Regency, richly satisfying jambalaya. The Big Easy's the place for "Big Eating." A stroll on the pretty waterfront is a delightful diversion in New Orleans. IF YOU  stayed a month, you'd not have time to sample all the oyster bars, steak houses, gumbo and "po-boy" shops and world famous eateries. The city is also a great "browsing town." So much to see! Jambalaya is a New Orleans tradition, colorful, spicy and addictive. We spent a delightful morning on a Gray Line bus tour, with stops at the fascinating cemeteries, an afternoon at historic Oak Alley Plantation and evening of great food and jazz aboard the historic Natchez. It was our sixth visit -- and we only scratched the surface.  Swamp tours, vineyards, museums, horse racing, and gambling have lured us before and will entice us back for another tequila mockingbird, muffuletta sandwich and plate of barbecued shrimp. We missed the world renown National World War II Museum, and must rectify that. NEW ORLEANS  has fun tours for every inclination: history, culinary, cocktails, bicycling, walking, cemetery browsing or double-decker perusing. Charm ,  ambiance, cultural diversity, friendliness and architecture combine in New Orleans, perhaps more than any other U.S. city, save San Francisco. YES, KATRINA  left her mark, but New Orleans is back.  The spirit of this lively city endures in Big Easy style.The ethnic mix, rich and varied history and pride in food, drink, music and hospitality elevate it to "fabulous" status.Whether you're here to eat, listen or simply soak it all in, prepare to let the good times roll. The savvy visitors bureau offers a free guide you can download. Search New Orleans Official Visitor Guide" in the App Store, and go to neworleanscvb.com or neworleansonline.com The Viejas lobby welcomes visitors with artful flair. NEXT UP:  Experience a gorgeous hotel with Cookie's favorite amenity -- gambling -- near San Diego, at Viejas Casino and Resort in the hills of Alpine. In the soothing hotel, you wouldn't know you're steps away from a lively gambling house. Then to Spain and the classically beautiful city of Seville, famous for its orange trees, flamenco, fabulous food and unique architecture. Please share this with friends and remember to explore, learn and live! Visit us Wednesdays and Saturdays at at:  www.whereiscookie.com

Wood, stone, water plus lovely artwork and tasteful rooms The Viejas' artsy entrance. offer soothing counterpart to casino action, fine dining   Viejas hotel is an oasis, near a non-smoking casino area.                                    STORY By  C HRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER IT'S SO SERENE  and artful it's difficult to believe there's a full, total happening casino just feet away. If you like to combine the pleasures of art and nature with a hit of gambling, Viejas Casino Resort near San Diego will satisfy both desires. THOSE  of us who live in many worlds nurture equal affection for city amenities and country calm. Lobbies and hallways are prettily designed. It's all available at Viejas, just a half-hour from downtown San Diego, and a world away from any other venue in the region. The original Viejas casino, circa 1991. THE RECENTLY  opened hotel is small and inviting, more like a boutique hotel in San Francisco or New Orleans. Artful use of color and natural elements gives an intimate, handcrafted feel. The design of public areas and guestrooms is intriguing and sophisticated. Today's Viejas Casino Resort boasts a beautiful  new hotel with enticing amenities and casino proximity. Viejas is known for being on the vanguard, constantly refining the casino and, now, the hotel.  This operation is attentive to customers and clients, and heeds suggestions and critiques. Our ground floor room faced the pool, with a private patio and a view of the fire pots, spacious pool and pretty landscaping. WE VISITED the modern fitness center to watch some of the Sunday Chargers game on a large flat screen TV, and had the place to ourselves. Wood, paintings,  flowers all add to the hotel's ambiance. Relatively small, the hotel's 99 luxury rooms and 29 VIP suites convey a feeling of cozy elegance. Yet you're only a stroll away from the casino and the section closest to the hotel is smoke-free, another enticement for us! The hotel complements this favorite playing place for San Diegans and their guests, offering a tasteful, beautifully appointed oasis. Imagine a dip in the gorgeous pool, sunning in the courtyard or a spot of tea or wine from your patio as you count your winnings! WOOD AND  fossils, art and lithographs abound.  Several peaceful water sculptures offer the soothing and cooling balm of water and mist. The Viejas pool is beautifully landscaped  and  some rooms view it. The world class steak house, Grove, is a delight, with succulent sea bass and lamb chops and decadent desserts. Our waitress, Cathy, was attentive, witty and knowledgeable. A wine pairing earlier in the evening tempted us away from the tables for a pleasant hour of nibbling, sipping. All that might be plenty to lure us back, but add these features and we're over the moon to return: * PIPED   music that is actually thoughtfully chosen -- Vivaldi, mellow jazz, subtle vocals. *Impeccably trained staff from the Veijas doesn't hold back on flowers or fine service. waiters and barmaids on the casino floor, to the reception personnel who could work in any upscale Manhattan or Paris hotel. *Relaxation when one wants it and the excitement of an alluring, Vegas-style casino with every game and machine one could wish for. *Convenient business center, wi-fi in the rooms, plus a drawer safe so you can stash your casino chips or special necklace without worry. THE VIEJAS  Band of Kumeyaay Indians is the fifth tribe in San Diego County to open a hotel connected to its casino. The five-story Viejas hotel carries a $36 million price tag. Rooms range from $119 to $259 -- but if you're a player, you might receive a complimentary stay! Seville's imposing cathedral, known worldwide, is one of the largest on Earth. Be sure you use your flashy red and black Viejas players card. We'll be back -- Viejas has it all! www.viejas.com  to let the fun begin! NEXT UP: S eville beckons! With all its glories:  architecture, orange trees, flamenco, food.  It is the heart of Andalucia, with  one of the world's largest cathedrals! Remember to explore, learn and live.  Check us out Wednesdays and Saturdays at www.whereiscookie.com

QUINTESSENTIAL ANDALUSIAN CITY THRILLS GUESTS WITH GORGEOUS BUILDINGS, ROMANCE, STIMULI    Cookie and Keller enjoy the lovely grounds of  Seville's Plaza de Espana built for an international exhibition. Seville's grand cathedral is one of the world's largest. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER IF PARADISE  is a garden, as Islamic belief would have it, then the Spanish city of Seville is a bit of heaven on Earth. This beautiful city merges Islamic splendor and Catholic extravagance. Add olive oil, orange blossoms, tapas and flamenco. This recipe for "city success" is served up in tourist friendly Seville, a quintessentially Spanish city. Not far from the port city of Cadiz, which makes a nice side trip, Shops offer an array of flamenco dresses, pottery and sherry. Seville is the jewel of western Andalusia. It's the birthplace of flamenco and some think tapas. These bite-size edibles are served with cocktails, or as a satisfying meal. HERE ARE  a few highlights of our recent visit -- easily accomplished in a couple full days: An afternoon break. * The Plaza de Espana, built for an international exhibition, is huge, welcoming and a favorite place for locals to stroll. * The famous Alcazar, built in the 1300s, is one of Europe's architectural masterpieces.  This World Heritage Seville is a city of gorgeous plazas, churches, parks and friendly folk. Sight offers sunken gardens, gorgeous halls and  intricate tile and plaster decor. The Hall of Justice with its lovely gardens, houses the stunning Palacio de Don Pedro, a Moorish masterpiece. The fabulous throne rooms and reception halls include one in which Columbus was received upon his return. Horses are part of  Seville's culture, here at the cathedral. * SPEAKING OF  Columbus, Seville's Cathedral stands on the sight of a huge mosque, used as a church for a time after Seville fell to the Christians in 1248.  The cathedral was built after the mosque was mostly demolished. Inside one of its opulent chapels stands the monumental tomb of the explorer in which his bones are supposedly housed, brought from Cuba in 1898. THE LARGEST  altarpiece in the world is also part of the cathedral.  The belfry, once the minaret of the mosque, is home to a 16th century bronze weather vane, symbol of Seville's faith. * Seasoned tourists spend a half-day at the Alcazar and another at the Cathedral.  There's lots to take in, so visiting on separate days is good, with time for a park, picnic or relaxing tapas stop. This family performs flamenco on a street near the Alcazar.  * This city of believers is also home to many delightful tapas bars, and flamenco abounds -- on a grand scale in expensive nightclubs and on street corners where locals pass the hat or scarf for Euros. * SEVILLE's  museums vie for attention -- contemporary and classical art and even a flamenco museum, Museo del Baile Flamenco. * Beautiful hotels, exciting paradors and B&Bs and a hotel with pianos in the rooms offer a satisfying range. Hotel Amadeus on Calle Farnesio is run by an eccentric music-loving family. Upright pianos in the soundproofed rooms allow for practicing on holiday. This tea selection is available in Seville's outdoor shops. * YOU'RE CLOSE  to Andalucia's enticing hill towns, and Jerez de la Frontera, home of two Spanish symbols:  rich delicious sherry and prancing, dancing horses. Seville is also famous for its orange trees and graceful pink flamingos. * Friends sipped their way from Seville to Cordoba recently, describing in a postcard the delights of sherry, flamenco, tapas and flower sprinkled white washed patios. "Electrified our senses," they said. COMING SOON: Steam boating and loving jazz on the Mississippi aboard the Natchez, shopping with the locals in Europe and tips on renting a car abroad. Plus the romance of Cadiz, with waves crashing against the rocks, flamenco,   crawing gulls and frying fish. Remember to explore, learn and live, and tell your friends about us, please. Check us out Wednesdays and Saturdays at: www.whereiscookie.com

Chef Carlos Montero's paella for his sweetheart Gloria's birthday features a seafood medley. SPAIN TAKES EATING TO NEW LEVELS OF DELIGHT,  SOCIALIZING   Keller prepares to partake of fish stew in eastern Spain.  STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS Carlos Montero helps friend and fellow cook Pam Kaufmann serve peach tart. Paella is a splendid main course, it needs only salad, bread, dessert. PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER THE FRENCH  have long said they live to eat, while their British counterparts eat to live. The Spanish do both -- they live large and with passion, and they integrate eating into their lives with the greatest of ease. Whether propping themselves up in bars to munch on a meal of tapas, or lingering over a delicately prepared feast with friends and  family, the Spanish dine with style and gusto. THE SPANISH  meal involves much theater, along with swapping stories, telling jokes, gathering the generations and neighbors to celebrate life -- and one of its greatest pleasures, eating! ++ AROUND THE GLOBE ,  food brings people together. In Spain, food means feeding the complete person --so music is an essential component, too.  In Spain, perhaps more than any country of the many we've visited, music is food for the soul.  A Barcelona friend told me, "When we get together for a meal, it's a meal for all the senses --  your Thanksgiving and Fourth of July combined!  And we do it every weekend of the year!" Jesus Soriano, right, is an accomplished classical guitarist and fine   paella chef.  Here he sings with Keller at Costa Brava, San Diego. In a Spanish meal, each course is lovingly served and the pride in preparation is excelled only by the pride in presentation and serving. BECAUSE THE Spanish are proud of their knowledge of food, they love to discuss cooking as they gather with friends to share their efforts. Whether fixing a fish pasta with delicate cream sauce, or preparing an elaborate culinary celebration known as a parrillada, the result is an adventure, both eye-catching and delectable. Seafood ravioli is a taste treat, prepared by the chef of  Parador Aiguablava, on  the rocky Costa Brava. THE BASQUES ,  in particular, take delight in the parrillada, a direct descendant of the beachside fires on which fishermen grilled their catch over charcoal.  The original paella, in fact, was probably a stew prepared from leftover catch that the fishermen were unable to sell. The cook would have added vegetables, along with roast lamb or sausage or veal for flavoring.  Add the precious and omnipresent olive oil, parsley, garlic and whatever vegetables the cook had around, plus precious saffron, for taste and color, and voila, paella! Desserts gild the lily, here two  short breads and a pear tart. OUR FRIEND  Jesus -- Madrid born-- makes paella feasting into a major social occasion. It begins with his gorgeous flamenco guitar and segues to communal cooking, with a salad and dessert bracketing the feast. Spaniards favor desserts featuring tart chocolate or fruit.   NEXT UP:   We ring in the New Year with our favorite paella recipe! And a meal at the luxurious parador Aiguablava in eastern Spain. Then on to New Orleans for jazz, gumbo and a merriment Big Easy style. Remember to explore, learn and live, and catch  us Wednesdays and Saturdays at   www.whereiscookie.com

This New Year's paella features shrimp, but you can add other seafood, sausage or chicken! Be creative. Happy 2014. PAELLA WILL PLEASE -- PUT YOUR OWN SPIN ON IT FOR A NEW YEAR'S WEEK FEAST  This paella, prepared by Ecuador born Carlos Montero, features seafood. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER NOTHING SAYS  "eating" in Spain the way the paella pan does. A celebration is underway the moment the pan is placed on the grill. Our favorite paella has plenty of seafood..  The original dish, born of a fisherman's leftover catch, always featured fish.  This recipe features shrimp, but you can substitute or add crab legs, mussels, making your own combination.  You can also add sausage or chicken.  Make it your own, by featuring whatever you like. Be adventuresome.   BUEN PROVECHO!  Which says "enjoy your meal" or "bon appetit" in Spanish! First, assemble your ingredients: These are basic paella ingredients, but you can be creative! 1 to 1 1/2 pounds raw extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined. (If you decide to use mussels or crab, cut the shrimp to a pound or less. Precise measurements are unimportant.) Coarse salt 2 1/4 cups bottled clam juice or fish or poultry broth 3/4 cup wine 1/2 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads  or powdered saffron 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/3 cup finely chopped onion 1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped 2 cloves garlic , chopped 1 cup or more uncooked    rice This Spanish chef enjoys his job at Parador Aiguablava in eastern Spain. 2 tomatoes , peeled and coarsely chopped 2 teaspoons  paprika 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained (optional - can use olives) 1 cup frozen peas 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish) Lemon wedges Cookie says, "Buen provecho!" Eggs, fruit and chocolate are typical "dulce o postre" offerings. * To add additional flavor, place the shells of the shrimp in a saucepan and cover with water. Simmer over low heat  7 to 10 minutes. remove from heat and strain the broth; discarding shells. Add shrimp broth to clam or chicken broth to equal 2 1/4 cups. SINCE PAELLAS  are as different as their creators, you can invent your own variations to make the dish yours. Some people add sausages, small potatoes, or a favorite vegetable or poultry. I've eaten delicious paella with chicken legs and shrimp, or with clams, mussels and crab claws.The rice cooks up in the juices. Add it the last half hour or 45 minutes. Serve with salad and bread and a bit of "dulce o postre" -- Spanish dessert! A visit to New Orleans must include jazz aboard the steamboat Natchez! UP NEXT:  Take a trip to the Big Easy with us, for jazz on the historic steamboat Natchez, a stroll through the city's unique cemeteries, and more. Upcoming blogs will feature the island of Tenerife  and its pyramids.  Who knew, pyramids there!  The Seville, close-up with a visit to the heart of Andalucia. We also spotlight theater around San Diego. Remember to explore, learn and live, and visit us Wednesdays and Saturdays at: www.whereiscookie.com

Young boys play peacefully in many parts of the Middle East. Here, Christian, Jewish and Muslim pals mingle.   Hatred is not part of the DNA.  As the Richard Rodgers song says, "You've Got To Be Carefully Taught." Middle East photo essay echoes John Lennon's lyric to give peace a chance A colorful group of Muslim girls poses for Keller in a Cairo mosque. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER    Ev'rybody's talking about Bagism, Shagism, Dragism, Madism, Ragism, Tagism This-ism, that-ism, is-m, is-m, is-m. All we are saying is give peace a chance. -- John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance" Cookie contemplates the beauty at the historic Western Wall. IN A YEAR  that saw slaughter in Syria and Sudan, terrorist horrors and natural disasters, two prominent peacemakers also made news. Pope Francis entered the international spotlight and Nelson Mandella left us. Men of humility, action and peace. Paying homage to these two great leaders, we cast our vote with John Lennon for peace on the planet. Our friend Josh Wickman enjoys the Dead Sea with Keller. We're postponing our promised paella recipe and New Orleans blogs to ring in 2014 with a plea for understanding through these travel photos. WE CHOSE them because they augment our belief that humanity's common thread is a longing for peace.  In the past months, we've met, traveled with, dined and danced with Jews and Muslims,  Baptism in the historic Sea of Galilee brings peace to believers. atheists and Christians.  We treasure our friends of diverse camps and cultures. DESPITE THEIR philosophical differences, they share important yearnings:  the desire to live in brotherhood, to build a good and safe life for their children, to provide adequate food and shelter, to have time for personal enrichment -- to read, travel, contemplate, pursue the arts. WE SALUTE FRIENDS  in Cairo and Tel Aviv, Rio and Moscow, Rome, Singapore, Lisbon, Barcelona, Butte. They work hard to enjoy a holiday, visit a museum or aquarium, take in a play, concert, hike or sail. We humans must revive, feed our souls, play the piano, watch a bird, pet a dog, plant a tree. AS OUR PHOTOS  do the talking, we add our humble message: Peace. Peace. Peace. Give peace a chance. Happy, healthy and peaceful 2014! Here's to a safe, travel filled and peaceful 2014, as Cookie and Keller salute you from Jerusalem. COMING UP : Thanks for the encouraging messages about our blogs.  You particularly like the travel, hotel and cruise pointers. We'll pay attention.  If you feel this New Year's photo essay is worthy, please share it with friends, adding your own wish for peace on the planet.  Next up: our favorite paella recipe, cruising the Canary Islands and New Orleans on New Year's, with jazz and cajun cooking. Remember to explore, learn and live, and check us out Wednesdays and Saturdays at: www.whereiscookie.com

Today's Figueres is an average European town, except for the stunning Dali museum. Dali pushed the envelope, liked layers, analyzed endlessly, admired Freud   STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER WIDELY TRAVELED  and celebrated worldwide, Salvador Dali always returned to the sun-streaked villages of rural eastern Spain. He was born and died in Figueres, where he also had his Dali's playful touches abound, even on this staircase with its woman. first art show as a teen-ager. And he chose this town for the showiest of his three Spanish museums. The land of his birth was familiar and inspiring and Dali never lost his appreciation for the terrain. The sunny, craggy Costa Brava (wild or rugged coast) was particularly appealing to him and his wife and muse, Gala.  She played a huge role in development of three museums maintained by a foundation named after the famous, flamboyant artist. THE 'TEATRE -Museu Dali" (Dali Theater Museum) is a highlight of Catalonia and eastern Spain. The Dalis lived several decades in their beloved Portlligat home. The Dali House-Museum in Portlligat and Gala Dali Castle House-Museum in Medieval Pubol round out his triangular museum legacy. Prepare for an intriguing melange of Dali imagery and iconography that can only be described as fantastic. In "Atomic Leda," with Gala as the centerpiece, Dali disguised himself as a swan and fills the painting with mythological allusions. In "The Argonauts," the artist's talent and attention to detail can be seen:  on the foot of one of the Argonauts are wings with gold, rubies and emeralds. Dali's "Persistence of Memory" takes on time, mortality and more. This Dali work is a clever trick -- two and multiple figures. Depending on where you stand,  you see a different painting. Keller checks out Dali's museum in Figueres, a three-level maze, treasure hunt. "The Persistence of Memory," perhaps Dali's most famous painting, tackles the weighty issues of time, mortality, the complex issues of being human, and more.  It is not in Spain, but in the Museum of Modern Art, MoMA, in New York City.  So if you can't cross the pond right now to view Dali's delights, he is represented in the Big Apple, and has his own museum in St. Petersburg, Florida! (Where he also re-visited his famous 1931 "Memory" painting thesis. AND THE drawers. Dali gave new meaning to "chest of drawers" and his drawers are a metaphor for the many layers and secrets he believed we all possess.  A great admirer of Sigmund Freud, Dali said, "The only difference between immortal Greece and our era is Sigmund Freud who discovered that the human body, which in Greek times was merely neoplatonical, is now filled with secret drawers only to be opened through psychoanalysis." Dali's museum pays homage to Mae West in an intricate display. Drawers reign in Dali's art. They're everywhere. Mae West's room (Dali was fascinated by the buxom, be-wigged and earthy actress) features the risque actress as only Dali could create her: she's part jewels, part furniture, part paintings.  Her lips are a couch and there's a staircase for viewers to climb and get a new perspective. THE HUGE,  beautiful ceiling in the foyer of the building -- a former theater -- features Dali and Gala flying to heaven, watching their own idyllic burial and boat trip to the next dimension. Wow! Dali's childhood in Figueres affected in his decision to base his museum here, where he staged his first show.      For splash and dazzle, only a couple other Spanish names vie for the eye appeal: Pablo Picasso, of course, and Antoni Gaudi, who died in 1926 when Dali was not quite a teen. Dali said, "I want my work to be like a single block, a labyrinth, a great surrealist object. 'PEOPLE  who come to see it will leave with the sensation of having had a theatrical dream." Gaudi, considered an avant garde architect, had his own dream, for he was the magician behind the fabled La Sagrada Familia.  Gaudi's passion for 43 years of e, toil ("The Holy Family") is a curious homage to geometric perfection and sacred symbolism.  Barcelona's eccentric and still-under-construction cathedral is replete with pineapples and an elaborate nativity facade telling the story of Christ's birth and the virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity. Gaudi's imposing LaSagrada Familia is impossible  to miss in Barcelona's skyline. It is still under construction. THE 12  apostles are not yet fully installed, but -- look upwards -- and sometime in the next 20 years, the cathedral patrons hope to complete construction. What would Dali do with those cranes? Perhaps he would integrate the last one on the site, maybe in a "sculpture" making use of the crane's natural cross. How could he  resist preserving the crane as the integral part of the project it created. (Then again, what would the Pope think?) Perhaps Dali and Gaudi are sharing a sherry and debating in the great "teatre-museum" in the sky. Between the tiny village of Aiguablava and the larger town of Dali's youth, Figueres, Spain, are farm land and castles.  COMING SOON:   Dali's love of light and landscape are shared by many Catalans, who farm, fish and frolic in land that their ancestors have lovingly tended for centuries. Have a look as we drive this lovely corner of Spain, aglow in winter sun with its furrowed fields and castles. THEN   we visit a first-rate parador named after the most beautiful village in Costa Brava, Aiguablava. Its fantastic food, gorgeous appointments, glowing blue water and backdrop of pine trees make a relaxing yet exciting get-away.  Then back to Barcelona, where we take a closer look at Gaudi's gaudy and extraordinary masterpiece. Remember to explore, learn and live and visit us Wednesdays and Saturdays at:  www.whereiscookie.com

FOX RENOVATION TOOK A LONG AND WINDING ROAD WITH A NAME CHANGE TO HONOR ALBERTA BAIR STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS from archives and BRUCE KELLER THE ALBERTA BAIR  Theater site was almost a parking lot. Or yet another bank. And Billings, Montana, did not need another bank when we set our renovation plan in motion on a cold day back in 1976. The "movers and shakers" who helped create the fund- raising effort for ABT,right. It was winter, and the heat was turned low so we met in our coats beside the silent soft-drink machine in the once grand Fox Theatre lobby. Because of the stalwart efforts of volunteers and activists -- including (full disclosure!) myself -- the 1931 building reigns as the largest performing arts center between Spokane and Minneapolis, Denver and Calgary. In the late 1970s, when we were struggling to save the building, we approach rancher-philanthropist, world traveler Alberta Bair, hoping she would contribute a large sum "Sleeping Beauty" was a big Fox hit. to an endowment with the thought that changing the theater's name might entice her. Businessman Ray Hart, surgeon Hewes Agnew, rancher Earl Rosell, hotelier Con Carter, art directors, librarians and many others helped convince Alberta that the theater should be saved -- and  carry the Bair name into its future. We volunteers successfully lobbied the Billings City Council to help us with a renovation effort. How proud  I was when the building opened with much fanfare in 1987.  Alberta contributed nearly a million dollars toward the nearly $6 million project. The late director William Ball brought his famed San Francisco acting company to Billings. Skip Lundby, actor and director, played a key role. THE BUILDING  serves an arts minded community of more than 400,000 and  was saved by the blood, sweat and tears of activists and actors and, yes, even some of those bankers who originally wanted the land for their own endeavors!  Actor Skip Lundby, who acted as the "Save the Fox" managing director for years, cooked hotdogs on the stage lights and slept in one of the dressing rooms -- a la "Phantom of the Opera," a fitting reference.  Skip directed many of the plays which raised seed money for matching funds and grants:  "I Do! I Do!", "The Fantasticks," "Promises, Promises," and a raft of others.  We produced local shows and imported many big name talents. ONE OF MY  many treasured memories of the performances I reviewed was when the late jazz pianist Dave Brubeck sold out the house in summer of 1979, urging the standing-ovation audience to "save this Marian McPartland, the late,  great jazz pianist, played the Fox. The late jazz pianist Dave Brubeck, helped turn the corner for the Fox/ABT. wonderful building." That same summer, William Ball and his recent Tony winning American Conservatory Theater did three sold-out performances in Billings.  We hosted the actors to a pitchfork fondue and became fast friends with the actors and stage hands.  We also made $20,000 profit which added momentum to our effort and encouraged donations. Bernadette Peters headlined one of the ABT's sold-out galas. Jazz pianist Marian McPartland endorsed the effort, as did Judy Collins, below, and a string of "ABT Gala" performers praised the building and preservation effort right from the stage: Bernadette Peters, Harry Belafonte,  Burt Bacharch and many others. Harry  Bela- fonte and Bair had fun.  The conversion of the 1931 building, the last of the great Fox Theaters built in the country, presented challenges, but a crack architectural effort resulted in a theater that pleases people on both sides of the curtain. Performers praise the lighting control booth, which was relocated at the rear of the main floor, and the sound control booth, which sits at the front of the balcony.   THE FRONT APRON  of the stage has its own hydraulic lift, and the orchestra pit can hold 40 musicians and their instruments.  For private events and receptions, a custom designed orchestra shell and large vinyl dance floor provide versatility. Burt Bacharach loved the venue. I remember that first fundraising production of "I Do! I Do!" and the shabby dressing rooms, paint peeling and no adequate heating for a cold winter's night of costume changing. Now, two large chorus dressing rooms and two star dressing rooms can accommodate more than 40 performers. BECAUSE OF AN  enlarged lobby space, the main staircase to the loge and balcony was moved, and is now visible beyond the main shell of the building adding style and function with via an eye-catching glass stairwell. I'm proud of my  part in the effort, and I hope Alberta is smiling down on us with pride, too! COMING UP : The Greek Isles are a magnificent get-away any time of the year! Come with us, remembering to explore, learn and live. Check us out Wednesdays and Saturdays at: www.whereiscookie.com

The  Dali Theatre-Museum in Figueres, Spain, sets the tone for a magical day, with its egg-topped facade. NOT ONE, BUT THREE MUSEUMS PAY HOMAGE, CELEBRATE DALI, INTRIGUE VISITORS “Without an audience, without the presence of spectators, these.... would not fulfill the function for which they came into being.  The viewer, then, is the ultimate artist.” —Salvador Dali, 1959. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER MENTION  Salvador Dali and what comes to mind? Dali's "Soft Self-Portrait with Fried Bacon" was painted in 1941. The clock face melting off the table, the elaborately manicured mustache, the piercing eyes, a sense of regal daring in everything he did. Dali pushed the envelope in the art world and in his personal life.  He teased, flirted, played.  He made his audience think.  He was a fine painter, capable of elegant  representational work, but he achieved international attention through his splashy surrealist creations:   “The Eye of Time” with its piercing and glittering clock face as eye. His own playful “soft” self-portrait, with bacon! An art lover is dwarfed by a gigantic female figure atop a Cadillac, with  boat and palm. One of Dali's favorite cars lends mystery to the place. THE BASKET  of bread, inching its way off the table is an apt metaphor for Dali.  He walked a high wire in the art world, maintaining his balance when taking artistic chances. His partner and eventual wife, Gala, inspired his “Atomic Leda” and “Galarina,” for she was his lover, muse and soul mate,  model for many of his fantastic and fanciful works. WHAT FUN he would have been to interview, perhaps in one of his lavish sculpture  gardens, surrounded by antiques that he and his enthusiastic partner collected throughout Europe. DALI WAS  born in a beautiful corner of rural Spain in 1904 and lived to be 85, spending his most fertile period  with  Gala, whom he married in 1958.  Together, they created three museums. One was developed from a castle with elephant sculptures adorning a labyrinth of huts built by fishermen and woven together by the couple between  1930 and 1970. One of Cookie's favorite Dali sculptures in Figueres.  VISITORS MAY enjoy myriad aspects of Dali’s life in all three museums, which emphasize his insistence that the visitor/viewer  participate in the aesthetic experience by entering Dali’s eccentric world.  Our entree into his world began in Figueres, with his enchanting brick and egg-festooned museum and theater. One enters through a massive courtyard with a Cadillac and giant female sculpture of a winged Venus. LIKE DALI,  the figure is over the top.  In many respects, the artist lived a “normal” life.  He had one major, long relationship, stayed mostly in his beloved birth land, and cultivated passions for food, travel, theater and art. A detail from Dali's "Palace of the Wind" ceiling includes Dali himself. But “normal” obviously bored him, so his Cadillac sports a mythic woman, rising to greet the beyond. A palm tree holds up a boat. A woman’s golden locks are, upon closer inspection, dozens of corn stalks.  From a close-up perch, a sculpture resembles a couch.  But at long range it becomes Mae West’s lips.  Each tableau intrigues.   Cookie and Keller at Parador Aiguablava on the Dali trail. DALI DIED  in 1989, but his legacy lives on through a foundation which preserves his work in the three splendid and lavish venues. In Figueres, the Dali Theatre-Museum, inaugurated in 1974, presents his broad-range of work in a “more is more” theme.  From that imperious giant Venus figure with Cadillac in the courtyard, framed by the palm and boat, to the Mae West room and the world of Dali is opulent, glittery, energetic and fun! Come with us to visit the other two Dali venues! COMING UP:   Dali's world offers the visitor a fascinating aesthetic experience, but museums are only part of it.  Add food, sun, vino, antiquities as we travel through Dali country to a unique parador on the rugged Costa Brava. Dali's love of food and wine is explored through our own "taste tests" then we visit a 12th Century village which inspired Dali, and revel in sunlit pleasures of a remote corner of eastern Spain. Remember to explore, learn and live, and visit us                                                                                                           Wednesdays and Saturdays at                                                                                                                       www.whereiscookie.com

Late autumn is a delectable time to enjoy the hospitality, light, architecture of Catalonia A field glows in the mid-day sun near the beautifully preserved Catalan village of Peratallada, in eastern Spain. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER The Church of Sant Esteve is open for services but was quiet on our visit. PULL OFF  the major highways anywhere an hour northeast of Barcelona and you won't be sorry. You can't really make a "wrong" turn in this lovely stretch of land. Furrowed fields await spring planting, beautiful gardens sport huge cabbages in late autumn, and beets and carrots are still to be harvested. Ancient stone buildings are lived in today near Peratellada. DOZENS OF  little villages welcome the traveler and fall is a fine time to take it all in. The gorgeous 12th and 13th-century village of Peratallada is bustling with tourists in summer, but in December, we walked through the town by ourselves, followed for a time by a friendly old mutt who sat down at the cafe with us and warmed himself in the sun. A French couple eventually materialized, offering to take our photo.  We were comfy in our light jackets and joined the dog in soaking up the rays. THEN WE  wandered through the village with its warm stone houses, beautifully preserved. Long a favorite of Catalans, this delightful ancient village is known by few Americans.  Europeans flock here in summer, flying in to bustling Barcelona and driving a couple hours. The delights of Peratallada are enjoyed off-season in near solitude.   SUNNY  Peratallada, in the municipality of Forallac,  county of Baix Empordà, is one of several proud, immaculate villages in Catalonia, about 22 km east of the larger and better known Girona, north Catalonia's largest city.  On the approach to town, only the occasional tractor, car or combine suggests contemporary life -- otherwise, one goes back in time nearly 1,000 years. THE VILLAGE'S  lovely name is derived from pedra tallada, meaning "carved stone" and you'll see plenty of  stone in this charming, cohesive town. B&Bs and hotels in Catalonia are quiet in late autumn.  Keller tries out the Spanish hardware store's myriad offerings.   WE LITERALLY did not see another person for nearly an hour -- rare in usually crowded Europe.  But visiting in late November and into early December has proved to be our favorite time for travel in southern Europe. IT'S STILL  warm enough to enjoy the sun, the hotel rates are reduced, the crowds are gone and the native people take time to fully display the subtleties of hospitality.  Here in Catalan country, we've found the people are welcoming and helpful in any season.  Our hotel concierge went out of his way to find us a "ferreteria" or hardware store in a nearby larger town. We'd forgotten all three of our transformers, a necessity for using a computer in a rural part of Europe (because Spain's voltage is 220 and our American computers and other devices operate on 110.) OFF WE went with a picnic, to Palafrugell, making a day trip of our search for the transformer. Time for enjoyment, in the Catalan tradition, in Peratallada. Keller, a master building contractor in San Diego,  was in his element wandering around the tiny store. "It's like an Ace Hardware Store on Spanish steroids," he exclaimed, examining with glee a compact but extensive  display of wrenches, hammers, and every household gadget and accessory he could imagine. WE HEADED back to our parador, just in time for sunset and flavorful Spanish red wine, savoring tapas, new friends, gorgeous sights. We cherish the memory of shopping in a foreign land, using  basic Spanish and actually being understood!                                                                                                                       COMING UP :  The parador is a time honored means of receiving guests.  "Paradores of Spain" include gorgeous properties, top-rated hotels, sometimes in castles and palaces.  Come with us to the Parador Aiguablava, where hospitality with a Catalan twist is offered.  Here, the food is sumptuous and the sun gently warms the rocky cliffs high above the Mediterranean.  Ole! Remember to explore, learn and live, and visit us Wednesdays and Saturdays at: www.whereiscookie.com