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This scenic turn-out in Glacier National Park made an ideal picnic spot when we visited, just before colors began to change. Bring layers when you visit our parks this time of year for warm days and cool evenings. NOW 'S THE PERFECT TIME AS AUTUMN APPROACHES TO ENJOY OUR NATIONAL PARKS STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER OUR SUMMER always winds down with visits to Yellowstone National Park, which we are lucky enough to have within easy driving distance. Glacier and Teton parks are a bit further from home, but we try to visit them both at least once a year. But the fall Yellowstone trek is a favorite tradition. We love this trip, which we plan after Labor Day weekend, to avoid crowds and take advantage of cooler temperatures, wildlife on the move and changing scenery as fall colors cloak the hillsides and valleys. Aspen cloak the valleys of Grand Teton National Park, which many people visit in tandem with a trip through Yellowstone National Park. OUR NATIONAL parks have something for everyone so it is possible to plan a specific theme of fall fun, whether bird watching, biking, critter spotting or family oriented hiking and photo taking treks. There are bison and bears in Yellowstone, mountain goats in Glacier, mule deer and elk in Bryce Canyon and Zion, big horn sheep in Yosemite, and a variety of these animals in many of our parks, along with lush bird life, squirrels, bobcats, foxes and raccoons.  Yosemite and other parks have bike boardwalks, Mesa Verde has cliff dwellings, and Yellowstone of course is famous for its geysers and thermal pools. The Lower Falls at Yellowstone National Park are an annual attraction for millions of visitors. Nature in our national parks is particularly pretty as crowds thin and autumn approaches. If you're a fan of magnificent trees, Sequoia is the national park for you and Utah's Canyonlands and Arches are known for spectacular stargazing. Family or couples hiking is a favorite family sport in Yellowstone and Hawaii's Volcanoes National Park. We have 63 national parks in the United States.  We're proud that Yellowstone was the first national park in the world.  More than 100 other countries also have national parks, places dedicated to preserving wildlife and nature. There are many on the continent of Africa where you can find mountain gorillas in Uganda's national parks. Gabon, Kenya and Tanzania offer spectacular landscape and large animal viewing.  Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers in Zion, taking a break during a fun hike. Our neighbor to the north, Canada, has 37 national parks including Banff, Waterton and Jasper. It also has11 national park reserves. From Asia to South America, national parks offer an insight into how countries preserve diverse ecosystems, magical landscapes, and spectacular wildlife. START PLANNING your U.S. park trip by contacting our National Park Service.  It offers a wealth of information on preparing for a visit: park maps, calendars, directions, operating hours, where to stay and instructions on obtaining park passes.  Prepare by learning how to make a park visit both safe and enjoyable. Get updated information on wildlife activity, road closures and detours and insights into the effects of human actions on the environment. It's a great way to start a family dialogue -- painless learning and opening doors to a lifetime of appreciating these national treasures. If this year isn't in the cards, start planning a visit for 2026.    Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers at the north entrance, with its cornerstone laid by President Theodore Roosevelt. MORE INFORMATION: National parks in the United States: nps.gov National parks in Canada: parks.canada.ca Throughout the world: globalnationalparks.com   A delightful period set awaits viewers just before the house lights dim, for "The Importance of Being Earnest" at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, season 90. UP NEXT : Oregon Shakespeare Festival offers three magnificent and diverse theaters, a roster of unforgettable performances and production values equal to Broadway's best or London's finest West End shows. We take readers to this gem of a festival in southern Oregon's charming town of Ashland, and look at the plays which make this 90th season one of the festival's best.  Remember to explore, learn and live, and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on the arts, nature, travel, cruising, train trips, city tours, family and more. Please share the link with like minded people:  www.whereiscookie.com

SAMPLE TOP ACTING AT OREGON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, LIVELY CABARET, THEATER, FINE RESTAURANTS, CLASSIC HOTEL, CHEESE AND CHOCOLATE! Ashland, Oregon's main street at dusk shows off its shops, movie theater and centerpiece hotel, the Ashland Springs. The festival owns several cars and has a $32 million budget. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER   WORLD CLASS  theater is alive and well in Ashland, Oregon. The gender-bending, stereotype-defying Oregon Shakespeare Festival is an annual tradition for this reporter, and has been for decades. I can't imagine a year without my Ashland and OSF fix.  There are many enticements in this magical southern Oregon town. Ashland really has everything one needs for a varied, restful yet exciting escape. Stage hands transform the Bowmer Theater for comedy in "The Cocoanuts."      Its unique blend of sophistication and earthy appeal, of town and gown, city and country, soothing and exciting render it a jewel of America and the globe.      CHIEF AMONG  its pleasures is the world class festival, founded by enterprising Scotsman Angus Bowmer, who called the Rogue Valley home.      In 1934,  Bowmer devised a way for the town's popular boxing matches to fund his deeper passion, the theater. Cookie strolls by the Allen Elizabethan Theatre.     The clever, play-loving gentleman  dreamed that Ashland could support live theater -- first rate productions.       HE WAS  right. From his ambitious idea grew the internationally known festival.  In the Bowmer lobby, a lovely portrait of Bowmer smiles down on the lobby as the appreciative audience files in to surrender to the wonder of live performance. Angus Bowmer's vision for top theater became a money-making reality . We had the pleasure of sitting in the Bowmer seats for one of the roster of plays we enjoyed.  And we located two seats I endowed in memory of my late husband, Bruce Kemp Meyers, an actor and writing professor who spent many happy hours mesmerized by the festival. I LIKE TO  think that Bowmer and Bruce are sharing a scotch and theater talk in the great performance hall in the sky. The Thomas Theatre is small, intimate and versatile, named after a beloved OSF devotee and staffer, the late Peter Thomas.  Between plays, you can eat like one of Shakespeare's kings -- we hit the Oregon Chocolate Festival and sampled delectable cheese from Rogue Creamery (more later). You'll get hooked on Ashland  as you celebrate the dramatic arts.  Whether a theater newbie, or die-hard veteran, you'll be dazzled by OSF's diversity. THESE PROS  serve up classic works by the Bard, much loved musicals always with a spin, and new, thought-provoking works by playwrights from around the world. Except for a couple of WWII years, Ashland has offered a knock-out roster of intriguing work, acted by top performers and musicians with an annual following in the tens of thousands. Oregon Cabaret Theatre marks season 29 in an historic converted church. JUMP IN  and fasten your theatrical seat belt for a gorgeous and imaginative version of "The Tempest," a rousing laugh-filled "The Cocoanuts," a thought provoking story about relationships and change in "The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window," and more. That's just at the Bowmer.   www.osfashland.org Cookie checks out the OSF Playbill during a week-long visit. The smaller Thomas Theatre, named after a late, beloved fundraiser at the fest, offers "The Comedy of Errors" set in Harlem, an upcoming world premier and "Water By the Spoonful," while the Allen Elizabethan Theatre will feature "Into the Woods," the Sondheim musical, plus "Richard III" and "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" with an all-female cast. Variety, daring and quality.        THIS YEAR , we also took in the backstage tour -- a wonderful diversion for seasoned theater goers or anyone wanting to learn more about the inner workings of this successful operation. The Allen Elizabethan Theatre. Most people do what my family and friends have done for years: check into the lovely Ashland Springs Hotel, stroll to the festival box office to pick up tickets, make a reservation for dinner (a tough choice in delectable Ashland) and begin savoring this magnificent year-round destination, just 15 miles north of the California border. Actors John Keating and Galen Schloming deliver in "Double Trouble" at Oregon Cabaret Theater, directed by the talented Jim Giancarlo.       ASHLAND IS  fun for a long weekend but there's plenty to do for a full week or more.  We try to visit either Portland or San Francisco (it is roughly half-way between).  This trip we stayed six days in Ashland, seeing all the fabulous works on the boards at OSF's theaters and topping it off with a delightful evening at the always entertaining Oregon Cabaret Theatre. Oregon Cabaret Theatre has a lovely chandelier. THE CABARET  is also an Ashland family tradition, nearly 30 years old and always a treat.  We saw a dazzling "Double Trouble," with two gifted actors playing multiple roles in a 1940s musical "tour de farce."  It runs through March 30, followed by "The Marvelous Wonderettes Caps and gowns," "Ain't Misbehavin," "Backwards in High Heels" and the live radio play of "It's A Wonderful Life" for the holidays. www.oregoncabaret.com for a totally enjoyable theater experience, stellar meal and the dramatic, comfy setting of an historic church. It's right up the block from the hotel: ashland springshotel.com Jeffrey King takes theater lovers on a tour of the OSF's three theaters.  Here, they gather in the basement of the Allen Elizabethan Theater, which opens June 3. COMING UP : From center stage to backstage, join us to discover OSF backstage secrets.  One of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's seasoned actors takes us on an intriguing tour in the hidden places of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Remember to explore, learn and live, and check out our posts on Wednesdays and weekends: www.whereiscookie.com

The view from our hotel balcony in Fiji last year -- knowing we will return is helping the recovery from transplantation. While Cookie and Keller never miss a chance for a live theatrical production, the theater of the sky -- here in form of a dozen pelicans -- is engaging fare, too . THEATER PLAYS OUT ALL AROUND US -- IN SURGERY, ON STAGE, AT THE BEACH, AND OVER OUR CANYON STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER and courtesy theater marketing departments Yale Strom is a perennial favorite at the Lipinsky Jewish Arts Festival on tap through July 9. Fine acting, spirited singing, skilled directing await at North Coast Rep's production of "The Spitfire Grill," through July 2. AS WE   PASS  one month since Keller's liver transplant, we're experiencing theater in several senses of the word -- at Scripps Clinic, the oral surgeon, in nature and on the boards. We've seen more pelicans at Torrey Pines than we've ever seen before here in San Diego. At home, we're being visited by a family of kites....gorgeous white birds also sometimes called   hovering or soaring kites. Keller's chief transplant surgeon, Dr. Jonathan Fisher, gave him thumbs up Thursday at clinic. Still no biking, though he is once again behind the wheel of our Ford Explorer. The finches are plentiful at the feeders, and sometimes the kites have come down from their pine-tree perches to visit us right on our patio. They are a regal bird, with gorgeous black shoulders and beaks that remind of Roman sculptures. Tune in to transplant tale, part one I consider all our feathered friends a good omen -- as we enter week five since Keller's liver transplant. A fabulous production of "Damn Yankees" is running at the historic Spreckles Theatre in downtown San Diego. As we knock it out of the park in recovery from liver transplantation, the musical was apropos. Today was a rough day for him -- two dental implants of over a year ago were compromised by his diminished immune system, complicated by anti-rejection drugs following transplantation. The infection had to be stopped so repairs were done today, along with extraction of a broken tooth and a new implant. Transplant tale continues, part two Bad timing, but he's handling it like the trooper he is -- still, a rocky day for our Titanium Man, aka "Patient Patient."  He hopes to take in a weekend paella party farewell for a friend who's returns to Ecuador. And his only daughter is coming for Father's Day. A white-tailed kite -- once endangered -- is one of several regular visitors above the canyon out our back patio here in San Diego. MEANWHILE, THE KITES  have been close since we returned from the oral surgeon.  They seem to be communicating with us -- telling us to "hang in there," reminding that we, too, will soar again -- on the road back to our usual travels and his improved health. "You will return to Fiji," the kites seem to be saying.  Keller keeps his camera close and made one of his Fiji photos his screen saver.  He took it one sunset. Nurse Kick-Ass is making plans for a return to our favorite corner of Fiji.  This will be an important ticket in our drawer, my Father's Day gift to PP. We've been to live performance three of the past seven nights -- enjoying fabulous productions of "Damn Yankees," a favorite family musical, and "The Spitfire Grill," with its haunting music and enthralling story.  Both musicals -- "Yankees" at Spreckles in downtown San Diego, and "Grill" at North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana  Beach -- are directed  with imagination and heart. Top-drawer actors deliver in two delightful productions. Cookie shed her nurses cap, left, for a few nights of culture with Keller and her sister Misha this week in San Diego. Transplant tale, part three The Lipinsky Family San Diego Jewish Arts Festival is a thrilling addition to our cultural docket, a reward after a long day's doctoring. Brilliant fiddler Yale Strom and fabulous musicians of Hot Pstromi are just what the doctor ordered, along with Elizabeth Schwartz, Lisa Payton and Coral Thuet delivering a soulful and eclectic evening of global vocals. We'll hear Hershey Felder and Friends soon in "The Stories of Sholem Aleichem and More" and that will tide us through another week of doctoring. My sister Misha was here for five days from Atlanta -- plying her skills of reiki and acu-pressure on PP. She took in the culture with us and we made time for happy hour appetizers and N/A beer at our favorite La Jolla Shores. As the French say, "la vie continue" .... SeaWorld's splendid new orca show features the magical killer whales in a high-tech global environment. NEXT UP:  Since we've stuck closer to home these past months, awaiting the transplant, we've rediscovered what we've known for years -- that California offers a world of engaging diversions. San Diego's world famous SeaWorld has revamped its orca shows and we were invited to the media opening.  We'll take you there, and then visit San Francisco's Exploratorium with our Bay Area niece and her family. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live. Consider organ donation -- a gift which changed our life.

Energy, enthusiasm, strong voices and high-stepping choreography make "The Music Man" a delight at Welk Resort Theatre.  CLASSIC MUSICAL AND AMBITIOUS NEW TROUPE PUT WIND IN SAN DIEGO'S THEATRICAL SAILS David Humphrey's swindling Professor Harold Hill sees the light, charms the town in a joyful production of "The Music Man" at Welk Resort Theatre. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER and courtesy Ken Jacques WHEN PROFESSOR  Harold Hill steps out of the train, promising to give Iowa a try with his roving flim-flam operation, we know we're in for a treat. He'll romance Marian the Librarian, breathe life into the stodgy town of River City and give young grieving Winthrop hope.  The whole town comes alive -- and so do we, the happy audience smitten by the spell this classic of American musical theater weaves. Cookie and Keller, center, met the spirit of Lawrence Welk in the museum outside Welk Resort Theatre. Their fellow musical theater fans are Melody and Larry Cogsdill, left, and Chuck and Cathy Colclasure. Welk Resort Theater, north of San Diego, does Meredith Wilson's legacy proud.  Its version of the 1962 Tony Award winner is larger than life, befitting its charismatic leading man. I GREW UP  with Broadway musicals and have long loved the tale of the swindler reborn with the love of a good woman (with the voice of an angel.) The two leads are masterfully played by David S. Humphrey as Harold Hill and Charlene K. Wilkinson as Marian.  While he's going straight, she's discovering the joys of love and romance. It's a pleasure to watch their chemistry develop. Robin LaValley as the Mayor Shinn's wife, Eulalee, is a comedic hoot, backed by the other lively Pick-a-Little gossips.  Bobby Chiu's Winthrop is endearing as he emerges from his cocoon of sorrow, and the Barber shoppers are a harmonic delight. Direction and choreography by Ray Limon is old-fashioned musical theater at its best -- full of energy with the ability to place us in the heart of the story. WE SIX JUNKIES of musical theater loved it. box.office@welkresorts.com Ruff Yeager created a determined, egotistical and believable professor in his Anton Myrvold, in a world premiere. Four talented actors did honor to the world premiere of a new company in San Diego. Roustabouts opened its season at Horton Plaza's Lyceum and moves to Diversionary. Joel Miller is Gray Foxberry and Roxane Carrasco is Sunita Myrvold. Kate Rose Reynolds is Britt Carlsson in Roustabouts premiere production. Two more ` works are planned this first season. BRAVO, ROUSTABOUTS, WE LOOK FORWARD TO MORE! IT IS ALWAYS  a pleasure to add a new theater to our engaging and diverse list of troupes. San Diego's balmy weather produces more than avocados and surfers. The theatrical offerings are impressive. The Roustabouts ' recent debut is an enticing promise of brilliant collaborations with more to come.   A beautifully rendered opening production, "Margin of Error," was directed by veteran San Diego actor Rosina Reynolds. The work is a fast paced drama that explores issues of morality, science, loyalty and politics in the academic world. Beautiful language by Will Cooper, a Roustabout founder, with nuanced direction by the versatile Reynolds make it clear that Roustabouts will be a major contender in San Diego's burgeoning theatrical repertoire. Extraordinary violinist and storyteller Yale Strom promises more klezmer treats at the upcoming Lipinsky Family Jewish Arts Festival, celebrating its 24th season. THE TROUPE'S second show will be the new comedy “Withering Heights” (yes a spoof on Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights.") "The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe" follows, originated by Lily Tomlin and written by her partner and collaborator Jane Wagner . Keep an eye on Roustabouts for quality and daring. The company promises brave new work and reimagined classics. theroustabouts.org UP NEXT : The talent and pleasures of the annual Lipinsky Family Jewish Arts Festival are upon us. Check out the array of performances, from Yale Strom's freewheeling Klezmer Summit, to Yiddish vocals and pop tunes, theater, readings, art and more. We've written about this festival for several years and its 24th season of treats is coming up in June.  Check it out at the Lyceum and elsewhere then mark your dance cards for spectacular, enlightening work. Remember to explore, learn and live and check us out Fridays when we post for the weekend.   sdrep.org/jewish_festival.php

Hershey Felder channels Beethoven via a father and son who knew him in Vienna in a glorious production at San Diego Repertory Theatre's Lyceum Theatre. The staging is glorious, the story moving and Felder plays many Beethoven pieces. From left, Jessica John, Richard Baird and Catalina Zelles in "Gabriel," a riveting North Coast Rep drama set on the island of Guernsey in World War II. Sold out houses and rave reviews have extended the run to March 24! - photo courtesy production director Christopher Williams MUSICALS OLD AND NEW, INTRIGUING DRAMA, AWARD WINNING MIX OF WORK PROVOKE, ENTERTAIN AMUSE AND BRING THE GENIUS BEETHOVEN BACK TO LIFE STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER and theater marketing/media departments IF YOU LOVE  theater and warm temperatures, that should be enough of a hook to draw you to San Diego for a week or even a few days. Feed the artistic soul, warm the heart and hands, chill out and maybe catch a whale watch tour. Cygnet Theatre in Old Town undertakes Tony Kushner's two-part epic, "Angels in America" opening March 6. In our dozen years of frequenting San Diego's many fine playhouses, this season offers one of the most varied and satisfying dockets we've experienced. Fabulous theater in a fabulous part of the world. Here are favorites from the region's bountiful playhouses. (Alphabetical order.): CYGNET THEATRE.  "Angels in America." Old Town. Ambitious two-part multi-award winner by the brilliant playwright Tony Kushner "a gay fantasia on national themes" focuses on two troubled couples, one gay, one straight -- and much more.  Redemption, forgiveness, salvation, politics, morality are all explored. March 6-April 20. Seven hours, two parts, running in repertory. "Pride and Prejudice" caps the always inventive Cygnet season.  cygnettheatre.com . Add Jeremy Wilson and Cashae Monya star in the intriguing "Hedwig and the  Angry Inch." DIVERSIONARY THEATER . "Hedwig and the Angry Inch." 4545 Park Blvd. Outcast turned rock underdog, "Hedwig'' took Off-Broadway by storm and Diversionary's inventive production promises "to catapult the audience into the outrageous original story." A sex-change operation goes wrong with both hilarious and horrifying results and a theme with both personal and universal breadth. March 15-April 15. diversionary.org Intrepid Theatre's plays unfold at the Lyceum downtown in Horton Plaza. INTREPID THEATRE COMPANY . At the Lyceum Theater downtown, Horton Plaza.  This top caliber organization pushes the envelope, explores a range of work both new and classic.  Intrepid plans an intriguing "lab" this spring to workshop and modernize its upcoming production of Shakespeare's "Titus Andronicus." Keep your eye on Intrepid, for its ambitious, eye-opening work such as a brilliantly acted "Art." After "Titus Andronicus," "Joe Turner’s Come and Gone" by August Wilson concludes the eighth season season.   intrepidtheatre.org Actress Jeanna de Waal, right, portrays Princess Diana in a new LJPH musical. La JOLLA PLAYHOUSE . "Diana." Mandell Weiss Theatre. A new beautifully staged musical in the state-of-the-art LJPH features Jeanna de Waal takes the title role in this world premiere musical with the Tony Award-winning Memphis team of Joe DiPietro writing book and lyrics and David Bryan collaborating with music and lyrics. Playhouse artistic director and 2017 Tony winner Christopher Ashley directs. Through April 14.   lajollaplayhouse.org "Chaps" promises a foot-stomping, energetic time at the theater in an adventuresome musical comedy at Lamb's. LAMB'S PLAYERS THEATRE.  "Chaps." Coronado. Prepare for another lively presentation laced with plenty of country tunes. The new Lamb's musical is described as "Monty Python meets the Wild West." It's set in WWII during a live BBC Broadcast from London. The storyline: a studio crew must act fast to fill in when Tex Riley's Singing Cowboys are late. March 5- April 14. Lambsplayers.org MOXIE THEATRE: "Hookman Mar. 15 – Mar. 24. Fresh. Imaginative. Irreverent. That describes Moxie's quality work. "Hookman" features a homesick college freshman girl with a weird roommate while a hook-handed serial killer is about. Billed as "an existential slasher comedy" it promises bloody humor. moxietheatre.com "Smokey Joe's Cafe" offers a spirited revue of blues and rock 'n' roll hits. NEW VILLAGE ARTS.  "Smokey Joe's Cafe." Through March 10.Carlsbad. High-energy tune-filled musical revue with 39 block-busting rock 'n roll and blues songs, ably acted by a winning cast of nine singers-dancers-actors and a terrific five-piece band. in favorites from the '50s and '60s.. "Servant of Two Masters" and "Little Shop of Horrors" follow."  newvillagearts.org North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach offers an enticing mix of quality work in a small, welcoming venue. NORTH COAST Repertory Theater . "Gabriel." Solana Beach.  Through March 24. Intriguing, beautifully acted story set in World War II, directed by Christopher Williams. A stranger appears, changing the dynamic in the Nazi occupied island of Guernsey in the Channel Islands. "All in the Timing," a lively satire directed by David Ellenstein and the Tony winning "A Walk in the Woods" follow.   northcoastrep.org SAN DIEGO REPERTORY THEATER.  "Hershey Felder's Beethoven." Downtown. Lyceum Theatre in Horton Plaza. Brilliant production by pianist-actor-writer Felder, whose Chopin, Liszt and Bernstein are stunning, too. Through March 24. sdrep.org Jeffrey Scott Parsons is the lead in "Crazy for You" ending a successful run this weekend, here with the tapping ensemble. SAN DIEGO MUSICAL THEATER .  "Crazy for You." Horton Grand Theatre. High energy Gershwin musical stylishly directed by Kirsten Chandler with engaging tunes, bravura vocals, a crack orchestra, snappy dancing and splendid costumes. Followed by "Freaky Friday March 22-31 and "Sister Act" April 26-May 26. Final weekend for "Crazy...." Through March 3. sdmt.org WELK RESORT Theater : "Menopause the Musical" follows a smashing "Mamma Mia" run. Features four sassy women at a lingerie sale, singing their way through hot flashes, night sweats, sex problems, memory loss and more. Hit parody set to classics from the '60s to '80s.March 15-June 2. welkresorts.com/san-diego/theatre/ Norwegian Cruise Line's Spirit took our veteran travelers around southern Europe and into the Greek Isles and, here, Valletta, Malta. UP NEXT:  Come with us to as we rediscover the pleasures of Norwegian Cruise Line, which we chose for our 115th cruise recently, touring the Greek Isles, with stops in Malta and Italy. What makes NCL special for veteran cruisers?  We'll give you reasons to try the line if you're new to cruising or have many happy cruises under your belt. We'll look at the dining options (including abundant tables for two and flexible times) and we'll consider the ports of call and well organized tours as part of the lure. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekends for a fresh look at travel, the arts, nature, family and off-beat fun.

Abundant, attractive sheep are a constant presence on the Faroe Islands, which also boasts exotic bird life. QUIET, VERDANT ISLANDS BETWEEN NORWEGIAN AND NORTH SEAS ATTRACTS ADVENTURERS, HIKERS, BIRD LOVERS STORY BY CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Keller rests above a river after a muddy but beautiful hike above Klaksvik. THE FAROE ISLANDS  has an exotic appeal -- "far away from 'civilization' are we," our guide told us during a day-long venture. We stopped on a recent trans-Atlantic crossing, and were delighted by the guide's wit and erudition, and his country's mountains, valleys and grassy cliffs. Then, even better, we beheld a lush variety of  birds and sheep -- a delightful bonus. On a day-long hike out of Klaksvik, we slogged through a bog in search of  a stunning view from the mountain top. AT LAST  it came and we were rewarded.  It was a steep and challenging hike -- wet and muddy part of the way, but with splendid bounty for our persistence. Klaksvik is becoming known as a  picturesque cruise port,  between the Norwegian Sea and North Sea.. Cookie braved the wet to hike several miles above Klaksvik, Faroe Islands. The  Faroe islands (although "islands" is usually plural, it's a collective, singular noun, our guide confirmed) is an archipelago between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, halfway between Norway and Iceland, 320 kilometers or 200 miles north-northwest of Great Britain. My grandfather Gustav's Norsemen forebears settled the islands around 800, bringing the Old Norse language that evolved into today's Faroese. To my ears, Faroese sounds similar to Icelandic, with the lyrical lilt of Norwegian-- singing to this Norsky-Irish hybrid. ACCORDING TO Icelandic sagas, one of the best known men in the island was the brave and dashing Trondur i Gotu, a descendant of Scandinavian chiefs who settled in Dublin, Ireland. Tróndur took on the Norwegian monarchy and the Norwegian church, fighting bravely to claim the islands. The area is small -- only 1,400 square kilometers, or 540 square miles. Its popular is only is dwindling -- only 48,700. Salmon are raised in these netted tanks near the cruise port. "We're struggling to entice our young people to stay here," our guide told us. "Once they cross the waters to Copenhagen or Oslo, they go to university, meet people, taste city life, marry, and don't come back." WE FOUND  the people of Klaksvik open and welcoming, articulate and witty in an understated way, much like my Norwegian cousins.  Of course there's a connection:  We learned from our guide that 1035 and 1814, the Faroe Islands were part of the Kingdom of Norway.  The 1814 Treaty of Kiel granted Denmark control over the islands, along with two other Norwegian regions: Greenland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands has been a self-governing country of the Danish Realm since 1948.  Puffins abound, above top, and hikers find  a  bird's  eye view from the mountain top. THE FAROESE  control domestic matters; Denmark handles military defense, police, justice, currency and foreign affairs. As a self-governing archipelago, the Faroe Islands is represented in the Nordic Council, part of the Danish delegation. 18 rocky, volcanic islands make up the Faroe Islands, scattered between Iceland and Norway in the North Atlantic Ocean and -- connected by road tunnels, ferries, causeways and bridges. Hikers and bird-watchers are drawn to the islands’ mountains, valleys and grassy heathland, and steep coastal cliffs that harbor thousands of seabirds. Who's been sleeping in my bed?  A bear visits our home through the screen, smashed the glass and wreaked havoc within.  Wee share the true but unlikely story with our readers in the next post.                                    *   NEXT UP: You'll "bearly" believe our story. We were away from our rural Montana place a couple days, winding up the Rockies portion of our book tour for "Lilian's Last Dance."  During our absence, we had an uninvited guest.  A bear broke into High Chaparral, avoided tripping the alarm system and did considerable damage to the place.  Broken pottery, shattered glasses, shards of the window through which he entered, were only part of the casualties. He tore strips of trim off the custom-made doors, scratched window frames, gouged hell  out of the counter tops and cupboards, and paused for a snack: a cube of butter.  He spared the refrigerator, thank the gods, because it is full of delectable items that would surely be caviar to a bear: meats, cheeses, pasta, eggs, veggies and fruit and, of course, more butter.  Find out more late Tuesday, when we post the Wednesday blog:  The Bear Facts.  Remember to explore, learn and live, and check out whereiscookie  Wednesdays. .

Signature coconut shrimp, hibachi steak with mushrooms and yummy soup made moments ago are part of a delightful "Taste of Catalina" food and history tour, with Lili Dana a delightful guide for a walking, learning and munching tour of Avalon. Lili Dana greets tour tasters with a lively history of Catalina Island and The Four Preps, whose "26 Miles Across the Sea" made Catalina famous, along with tasty food and friendly people.  LAID BACK TOWN HAS A VILLAGE FEEL WITH THE PERKS OF A CITY, A GET-AWAY FOR EVERY TASTE STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER WE HAD  four days to discover Catalina. I, a Montana kid, had logged only one earlier brief visit "26 miles across the sea." Acting as my tour guide was lifelong Catalina island fan, sailor, native San Diegan and my half-amphibian partner, Bruce Keller. He'd been to Avalon  many times -- diving and taking photos -- glowing reports! Cookie and Keller took a kayak excursion out of Descanso Beach, where a stylish hotel once sat and many kinds of relaxation and water sport await. SO ON THE FERRY  over, he gave me a history lesson, along with a glass of chardonnay: More than a century ago, an eccentric sailor, Captain Joseph McAfee, sailed a flat bottom houseboat from Venice Beach to Santa Catalina.  He'd purchased land with a wonderful view of the bay, determined to make Avalon home. THE CAPTAIN'S  spirit and sense of adventure typify today's Catalina resident: visionary, persistent, not afraid to be different. In love with the sea and the views. McAfee  hauled his "house" up a hill and opened what would become a hotel. McAfee's 1912 vision spawned today's Catalina Island, which offers luxury hotels, cottages, condos, camping and bargain hotels --  you can be active or laid back, your call. WE ENJOYED  the pleasant ride over on Catalina Express, a comfy ferry. The only year round boat service to Catalina Island, it offers regular daily departures from Long Beach, San Pedro and Dana Point to both the main city, Avalon, and the quieter, smaller Two Harbors. Between my history talk and the cocktail, the smooth trip over flew.  A VIP lounge for a few dollars more is worth the upgrade: http://catalinaexpress.com/ We strolled to the lovely Descanso Beach Club offers fine dining, lovely landscaping and a variety of water sports.  Here we met our guide for an narrated kayaking journey to Frog Rock. www.KayakCatalinaIsland.com ONCE THERE,  we called the Catalina Boat House and were picked up at the nearby harbor in the island's favorite mode of transport, a golf cart. (The waiting list for a car is years long and gas is more than $7 a gallon, so the golf carts are fun, sensible and environmentally friendly.) The Boathouse -- formerly the captain's Catalina Beach House Hotel -- is a pleasant walk from the action, in a residential area with friendly people and dogs.  Captain McAfee would approve, for he was a lover of the good life -- from the flying  fish he showed off at night -- to fresh seafood he favored. Keller and Nora prepare to enjoy a few active but relaxing days on Catalina, which is very dog friendly and a lovely get-away. The Catalina Express runs regularly from several mainland departure points with a comfy, fast and scenic one-hour journey. The beautiful and historic Avalon Casino has a Christmas tree atop. HE WOULD  have loved the coconut shrimp at Steve's Steakhouse, one of our stops on the delightful "Taste of Catalina" tour we booked, with our charming guide Lili Dana. Six varied and thoughtfully ordered stops are included in the three-hour walking excursion where Lili serves up intriguing bits of island lore to accompany a half-dozen "light bites" including fabulous green beans at the town's well loved Oriental restaurant, Mr.Ning's Chinese Garden, bedecked with dozens of umbrellas. On to  splendid seafood chowder at Bluewater Avalon with its magnificent waterfront patio, then stops for a Mexican snack, cinnamon tea and a tasty ice cream soda dessert. Each stop has character and Lili keeps the commentary running in an amusing, never cloying fashion. It's fun, filling and educational and a good way to get a feel of the island, returning to favorites as we did to Steve's and Bluewater. We also dined one night at Avalon Grille, which is a world class establishment. The scallops and tenderloin were superb, service impeccable. http://www.catalinafoodtours.com/ BEST BETS: for a hit of holiday cheer, tap into "A Christmas Carol" at Cygnet Theatre  This Old Town venue in San Diego, provides a  fun spin on the familiar story:  Sean Murray's adaptation offers laughter,  ironic but tender touches, fine acting  by a versatile cast, adaptations of familiar carols (Oh Come Emmanuel and Bring a Torch  Jeanette Isabella) Book it for a fast track  to holiday joy: https://tickets.cygnettheatre.com/   THE FLYING  fish the cap'n loved can be seen on the walls of Catalina Island's famed casino, which we'll feature down the road in its own story.  The artwork is phenomenal.... and the handsome museum within -- building its own larger complex -- is  a delightful way to spend a few hours. Catalina offers upscale spa treatments, diving, biking, Saturday night movies and splendid free weekend organ concerts, parasailing, charter boats-- or just lovely beachfront places to park yourself, read and see if you can glimpse the mainland you've left behind. And for this Montana native, seeing bison outside of my Yellowstone Park stomping grounds was a wonder! The Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce is one of the most efficient and helpful I've come across in years of travel writing.  The fine website helps line up whatever you fancy for your tailor-made Catalina get-away. http://www.catalinachamber.com/   Israel Isidore Baline, but most of the world knows him by his American name, Irving Berlin. NEXT UP:  He was born in Russia and named La Jolla Playhouse is presenting a tuneful, masterfully performed holiday offering, "Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin," through Jan. 3. Whereiscookie.com enjoyed opening night of Felder's brilliant performance as the beloved composer and master of the '88s, whose music forms a time-honored chapter in the American musical lexicon.

Celebrating a joyous return to live theater at San Diego Repertory Theater are, Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers, here before the house filled at the Lyceum Theater in San Diego. JOYOUS TIME ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FOOTLIGHTS AS LIVE THEATER RETURNS STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER (and theater marketing departments) Masks are mandatory in San Diego theaters. Covid vaccination card, or negative test proof is  required here at Northcoast Rep and elsewhere. AFTER 18 MONTHS of dark houses, bare stages and empty seats, live theater is making a rousing comeback in southern California. San Diego is blessed to have more than a dozen active, enchanting theater venues and we are grateful returning members of the audience. Streaming and video productions kept us going through the purgatory of pandemic, but there's nothing like live theater. So we give thanks for the talented actors, directors, designers and volunteers whose patience and persistence kept hope alive. Happily, after a year's absence, we offer our annual autumn roundup, this time showcasing the return of live theater with what's on the boards in our theater loving San Diego area.   Fine acting and captivating direction mark "Mother Road," by San Diego Rep at the Lyceum SAN DIEGO REPERTORY THEATRE : "Mother Road" is the spectacular opener, through Oct. 31 on the Lyceum stage downtown.  It's a continuation and spin on Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath," speculating on the legacy of the Joad family 100 years after the Dust Bowl.  An accomplished, well cast ensemble and evocative writing mark this spellbinding production, enhanced by Sam Woodhouse's creative direction. The smart, eight-show season includes Second City's sassy "She the People" running Nov. 18-Dec. 5, followed by Tony winning "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time," "The Great Khan," "Twelfth Night," (an intriguing musical version), and the gifted Herbert Siguenza in his original portrait of biochemist Isaac Asimov. Woodhouse will direct a yet unannounced season finale, which promises the Rep's usual electric, thought-provoking theatrical experience.  sdrep.org   NORTHCOAST REPERTORY THEATRE:  As the first San Diego theater to announce a full 2021-22 season, this inventive theater is delighting crowds with a truly original work. "Ben Butler" continues the 40th season of this Solana Beach treasure. Set in the Civil War, it features a brilliant escaped slave Richard Baird, left, as Major General Benjamin Butler, spars with Brandon J. Pierce as Shepard Mallory in "Ben Butler." and the equally bright, compassionate but pompous general he asks for asylum.  It's an engaging work brimming with humor and intelligence, showcasing fine acting, skillful direction and an imaginative story. The Civil War doesn't suggest humor, but this tour de force offers verbal sparring reminiscent of Neil Simon's best. It is winning raves for its originality and humorous twists. Northcoast's docket includes two west coast premieres plus a world premiere musical, says the company's ambitious artistic director David Ellenstein, who also deftly directs "Ben Brown."  The intimate house offers excellent seating and the season's pleasing mix includes a new romantic musical comedy, the sassy musical parodies of "Forbidden Broadway," Harold Pinter's Tony-winning "The Homecoming," and a work inspired by Sherlock Holmes' tales. Laughs, thoughtful dialogue, familiar comforts and new challenging pieces on tap.  northcoastrep.org    David McBean as Albin in Cygnet Theatre’s production of “La Cage aux Folles, held over with sell-out houses. CYGNET THEATRE.   Capping a rousing extended run, "La Cage Aux Folles" is selling out its final two weeks, through Nov. 7. It will be followed Nov. 23-Dec. 26 by Cygnet's ever engaging holiday musical tradition, "A Christmas Carol" with artistic director Sean Murray's clever adaptation.  "Life Sucks" follows, billed as  "a brash reworking of Chekhov’s 'Uncle Vanya,' featuring a group of old friends, ex-lovers, estranged in-laws, and lifelong enemies gathered to grapple with life’s thorniest questions. "Water By the Spoonful," "Mud Row" and "Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet" cap the spirited, varied Cygnet season into August of 2022.    cygnettheatre.com The approach to La Jolla Playhouse in evening heralds the new season which opened to kudos with "The Garden." Patrons are excited about the upcoming "The Yellow House"   La JOLLA PLAYHOUSE . Carrying on this venerable, top drawer theater's dedication to the unique is a new play, "To the Yellow House." Its Nov. 16-Dec. 12 run follows the hit, "The Garden," a beautifully rendered, ground-breaking production, praised for its touching story of a mother-daughter alienation and reconciliation. "To the Yellow House" set in Van Gogh's colorful Paris, imagines a visit by the down-and-out artist to his brother's home. Always ahead of the curve ("Come From Away" began its Tony-winning life here), the LJPH season continues with a world premiere musical, "Bhangin' It," March 8-April 17. Digital wonders await with "Wow" shows to enjoy at home. Click on the website's "Without Walls" for more.   lajollaplayhouse.org Cynthia Gerber plays poet Emily Dickinson in “The Belle of Amherst” playing Lamb’s Players Theatre. LAMB'S PLAYERS THEATRE: "The Belle of Amherst"  is  winning praise for its lovely staging and brilliant acting by Cynthia Gerber as poet Emily Dickinson. It plays through Nov. 14.  Then the popular and musical version unique "A Christmas Carol," with Lamb's own adaptation, running Nov. 27-Dec. 26. "The Hound of the Baskervilles" promises creative staging of a Sherlock Holmes classic, Jan. 29-March 20. "Million Dollar Quartet" is an inventive spin on the meeting and jamming of Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis, April 2-June 12, then "RESPECT" features the music of girl singers of the 1960s, Sept. 10-Oct. 30.   lambsplayers.org The new season of San Diego Musical  Theater offers a well tuned quartet. SAN DIEGO MUSICAL THEATRE:   The new season  begins in 2022, with "Catch Me If You Can," opening Feb. 11. Billed as "a splashy high-flying spectacle based on the hit film." The musical comedy about a globe-trotting con artist is followed in May by "In The Heights," the innovative musical which introduced Lin-Manuel Miranda to the world. It is followed by "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," then perennial favorite "Little Shop of Horrors."  SDMT's lively "A Christmas Story" closes the 2022 season. The popular grassroots enterprise made its name with romantic comedy and favorite musical theater offerings thanks to musical-loving founders Gary and Erin Lewis who launched the endeavor in 2006. It has a loyal following for its varied repertoire.  sdmt.org   NEW VILLAGE ARTS .  This delightful 99-seat theater in Carlsbad opens its 20th anniversary season with "1222 Oceanfront:  A Black Family Christmas," Nov. 19-Dec. 26. The musical promises "a joyous New Village Arts promises a lively holiday show, in Carlsbad, then will collaborate during a major renovation with Oceanside's theater. mix of original holiday songs with traditional carols re-imagined." During renovation of its Carlsbad home, NVA is collaborating with Oceanside Theatre Company in temporary residence there. The ambitious Carlsbad venue produces year-round musical events, showcasing local bands and musicians, intimate cabaret and concert readings of Broadway musicals. The Oceanside collaboration includes "Desert Rock Garden," marking the 80th anniversary of the creation of the World War II Japanese-American internment camps and a friendship forged in the Topaz Relocation Center.   newvillagearts.org Diversionary Theatre has a new look, and a slate of four intriguing works with LGBTQ themes. DIVERSIONARY THEATRE . Two world premieres and a pair of west coast premieres  highlight the new, enhanced season at the nation's third oldest LGBTQ theater.  Creativity is the force of this small, mind-challenging venue which opened season 36 in a newly renovated space, including a cabaret. Diversionary's stories espouse love, honesty, humor, and hope.  "Homecoming" is the umbrella theme, with the next play, "Azul," a memoir love story set in Castro’s Cuba, spanning three generations. A mother's Alzheimer’s inspires daughter Zelia to explore her heritage. With her wife by her side, Zelia excavates family secrets and discovers a love that led her mother’s beloved auntie to remain in Cuba. Spanning two countries and three generations, Azul runs Nov. 18-Dec. 19.  diversionary.org MOXIE THEATRE:  Watch this ground-breaking company which opened its season with "The Mineola Twins," and has kept alive and engaged by streaming shows.  Its mission is to present diverse and honest looks at the female gender and the world. Moxie's delightful "Handbagged" -- about British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher ("Mags") and Queen Elizabeth II ("Liz,") -- was acclaimed  "B.C." (before Covid.) The new season opener won raves so we eagerly await a world premier, "Sapience," about communication, and "Mother of the Maid," about Joan of Arc's mother.  Imaginative Moxie works on tap. moxietheatre.com A gifted trio of local actors is headed by Rosina Reynolds, left, in "Iron." ROUSTABOUTS THEATRE CO .: This talented, daring company features some of San Diego's finest actors and has produced a range of funny, touching and acerbic pieces. After streaming, Roustabouts makes a "live" comeback with "For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls,," by award winning playwright Christopher Durang.  Silly fun is on tap  for certain Nov. 13-Dec.4, with gifted actor Phil Johnson directing (company co-founder and brilliant in "A Jewish Joke") and a talented local cast. Roustabouts attracts the best talent around and the season continues with "Iron," set in a women's prison, slated for June, 2022.   theroustabouts.org Jason Lorhke wins praise for his fine Neil Diamond tribute show at Welk Theatre. WELK RESORT THEATRE.  The theater, at 8860 Lawrence Welk Drive in Escondido, has returned to live audiences with bands and variety shows scheduled into 2022. Its musical theater performances will resume in January with "Nunsense" opening Jan. 14 for a run through March 27. Acclaimed tribute artist Jason Lohrke performing his acclaimed Neil Diamond show “I Am Neil I Said” in March 2022. Eagles tribute band The Long Run will perform “The Long Run: Experience the Eagles” in June 2022. "Spamalot" and "Elf, the Musical" are also on tap in 2022. Highly recommend the resort's excellent tribute shows. Lorhke really captures Neil Diamond's spirit.  welkresorts.com SCRIPPS RANCH THEATRE . Creative use of space on the campus of Alliant International University provides a welcoming forum for an interesting, diverse season including "Heisenberg," opening mid-January. Set in London, the 2015 play features an unlikely romance between a bubbly New Jersey woman and 75-year old Irish butcher who's ready to call it a day. Its title was inspired by German physicist Werner Heisenberg’s 1927 uncertainty principle: that it’s impossible to precisely measure both the velocity and position of a particle in motion. An ambitious five-part season awaits.  scrippsranchtheatre.org   WITH THIS BOUNTY,  pandemic purgatory ends and we're back on the boards with a bang-up, eagerly anticipated season. We've been made aware even more how essential the lively arts are to our mental and physical well being.  IT'S BEEN a difficult, long period for artists and performers. So please support your local theaters wherever you live. And remember that a pair of theater tickets is an excellent gift. The magic of  Lewis and Clark Caverns is next up. UP NEXT: Lewis and Clark didn't discover the magical Montana caverns named after them, but they were very near this geological wonder as they explored the route from Saint Louis to the Pacific. We take you there -- but please watch your heads -- as we go road tripping in Big Sky Country, Montana! Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us each week for a fresh spin on travel, family, the arts, nature and more. Please tell your friends and share the links: www.whereiscookie.com

Cygnet's final holiday show in its longtime venue in Old Town features a spirited production with a genuine heart, the classic "A Christmas Carol" featuring the gifted Sean Murray as Scrooge. HOLIDAY JOY ABOUNDS AS SAN DIEGO TIPS ITS THEATRICAL HAT TO THE YULE STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER (and courtesy theater marketing departments) UNLESS YOU'RE a real Grinch, you'll find something to tickle your funny bone with a raft of rousing productions on the boards now playing in the San Diego area. This theater loving corner of the state is recovering from COVID's blow which left houses dark, stages bare and seats empty. We're among happy legions celebrating live theater's rousing comeback. Jefferson McDonald and Mathew McGloin delight for a holiday encore of  "2 Pianos, 4 Hands" at North Coast Repertory Theatre. We visit 15 San Diego theaters on a regular basis, proud that the city is blessed to have many enchanting theater venues. As grateful members of the audience we give thanks for talented actors, directors, designers, marketing pros and volunteers whose patient persistence keeps us in the limelight. Happily, we offer our annual holiday roundup of "the best on the boards" in theater loving San Diego. NORTH COAST REPERTORY THEATRE:  After an imaginative sell-out performance of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," the popular "2 Pianos, 4 Hands" returns to delight holiday crowds Dec. 15-31. It's a fast-paced blend of comedy and virtuosic musicianship, with two accomplished actor-musicians presenting personal anecdotes, music snippets and bits of musical history. The intimate house offers excellent seating and a pleasing mix ranging from musicals to world premier dramas, comedies and classics.  The steady, creative hand of artistic director David Ellenstein crafts a season that satisfies older patrons while drawing new younger crowds.  He gives imagination a whirl with a lively blend of familiar comforts and new challenging work.  northcoastrep.org    Cygnet's charismatic artistic director Sean Murray, in night cap, stars in a spirited "A Christmas Carol." CYGNET THEATRE.   Capping a rousing, beautifully acted run of "The Little Fellow....." a risqué comedy about a flamboyant madam, Cygnet Theatre in Old Town presents its popular holiday show through Dec. 26.  Cygnet's engaging  "A Christmas Carol," features artistic director Sean Murray's clever adaptation with the versatile Murray himself perfect as Scrooge. A fine 7-person ensemble puts magic, music and imagination in this beautifully rendered adaptation. As Cygnet wraps its tenure in Old Town, it prepares for its new, renovated home at the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center at Liberty Station.  Cygnet is also sponsoring a one-woman show featuring the music of the legendary Billie Holiday. "Lady Day" at Emerson’s Bar & Grill recounts Holiday’s life story through the songs that made her famous.  www.cygnettheatre.com Gifted actor Bryan Banville plays the lead role of Buddy in ''Elf,'' at Welk Resort Theatre. A terrific cast, endearing songs, spirited dancing and fast paced scenes are sure to enhance the Christmas spirit. THEATRE AT THE WELK.  The beautifully designed theater, at 8860 Lawrence Welk Drive in Escondido, presents a delightfully uplifting production of "Elf, the Musical." A comedy with soul, it's based on the children’s book and hit Will Ferrell movie about a human boy, Buddy,  raised as a Christmas elf at the North Pole.  A polished cast plays multiple roles as Buddy returns to New York City to find his human family and restore the spirit of Christmas to the jaded Big Apple. Award-winning San Diego actor Bryan Banville plays the lead role of Buddy with tenderness, vulnerability and a voice to melt even the heart of a scrooge. Flashy choreography, multiple costume changes and a first-rate ensemble make this fabulous holiday entertainment for kids of all ages.  Nov. 18-Dec. 24.  welkresorts.com Girl singers with flair and beautiful harmonies from the "R*E*S*P*EPC*T" sell-out join guys from "The Million Dollar Quartet" in a holiday extravaganza at Lamb's. LAMB'S PLAYERS THEATRE:  Following a brilliantly acted "Jane" -- a riveting, flawlessly delivered take on Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre " -- Lamb's Players presents a polished and tuneful show with favorite top-drawer singers.  "R*E*S*P*E*C*T*F*U*L*L*Y Christmas," runs through Dec. 24. It's a lively vocal creation featuring casts of both "RESPECT" and "Million Dollar Quartet" with a nod to holiday favorites. If you saw either of these first-rate productions at Lamb's, you're in for a musical treat as these tuned up guys and gals collaborate for the holidays.   lambsplayers.org The Plaids present a jazzy holiday treat at San Diego Musical Theatre SAN DIEGO MUSICAL THEATRE:   Harmony reigns in a holiday edition of the popular doo-wop musical comedy “Forever Plaid.” In this Yuletide version, the long-dead 1960s-era men’s vocal quartet, the Plaids, are resurrected for one night to give the holiday concert they never were able to sing in life. Runs through Dec. 24 The theater presents an admirable mix of musicals, including "In the Heights," which introduced Lin-Manuel Miranda to the world, and the perennial favorite, "Little Shop of Horrors."  SDMT's lively "Forever Plaid " closes the 2022 season. The popular grassroots enterprise made its name with romantic comedy and favorite musical theater offerings thanks to musical-loving founders Gary and Erin Lewis who launched the endeavor in 2006. It has a loyal following for its varied repertoire.  sdmt.org   Taking a bow, the ensemble of "1222 Oceanfront: A Black Family Christmas" at New Village Arts. NEW VILLAGE ARTS .  This delightful 99-seat theater in Carlsbad headlines its 20th anniversary season with "1222 Oceanfront:  A Black Family Christmas," through Dec. 24. San Diego playwright Dea Hurston’s 2021 lively contemporary holiday musical features fun original music by Milena (Sellers) Phillips, who also stars in the show’s lead role. It’s the story of widowed family matriarch Dorothy Black, hosting a Christmas Eve celebration at her elegant beachside home with her adult son and extended family when unexpected family drama erupts. The musical delivers a joyous mix of original holiday songs with a modern nod to traditional carols.  The ambitious Carlsbad venue produces year-round musical events, cabaret and concert readings of Broadway musicals.    newvillagearts.org Diversionary Theatre has a new look, and a slate of four intriguing works with LGBTQ themes. Here, the cast of "A Glass Menagerie," a top production with four fine actors. DIVERSIONARY THEATRE . The current season at our nation's third oldest LGBTQ theater includes "The Glass Menagerie," the Tennessee Williams classic of a complex family in the 1940s, facing an uncertain future. Lisa Berger deftly directs a first-rate cast featuring Shana Wride, believably endearing in her excess as Amanda, the overbearing mother. Luke Jacobs does a fine job with Williams' poetic narration. The theater is devoted to gay themes and playwrights, including Williams. Diversionary is a small, mind-challenging venue which opened season 36 in its recently renovated space, including a cozy cabaret. Diversionary's enterprising playbill espouses love, honesty, humor and hope with a  mission to inspire and celebrate diverse LGBTQIA stories.     diversionary.org "Man and Moon" caught the eye of critics and subscribers alike. MOXIE THEATRE:  Watch this ground-breaking company,  known for its generosity to students, and for its diverse repertoire of "female focused" work. Some of the region's best actors have graced Moxie's stage where each season presents surprises and delights. "Man and Moon" just wrapped, featuring the touching story of a transitioning man, Aaron, and Luna, a young girl with a passion for outer space. Watch for more imaginative Moxie works on tap.  moxietheatre.com ROUSTABOUTS THEATRE CO .: This talented, daring company  features some of San Diego's finest actors and has produced a range of funny, touching and acerbic pieces.  Now, enter an ambitious youth program. The Roustabouts Youth Division presents a concert reading of "Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," the Tony winning musical which follows the biblical story of Jacob's favorite son, Joseph, and his eleven brothers. Joseph is sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and is imprisoned by an Egyptian noble before a resolution. Actor Phil Johnson co-directs (company co-founder, brilliant in "A Jewish Joke") with a talented local cast. The readings are Dec. 9 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Scripps Ranch Theatre.    theroustabouts.org Scripps Ranch Theatre presents lively, evocative work with humor and heart, here "A Christmas Carol: A Radio Play." It's not on this holiday, but look for it. SCRIPPS RANCH THEATRE . Creative use of space on the campus of Alliant International University provides a welcoming forum for an interesting, diverse season.  In past years, Scripps celebrated the holidays with Scripps Ranch Theatre and Oceanside Theatre Company’s “A Christmas Carol: A Radio Play.” Watch for an encore of the radio play about the story of the Christmas-hating Ebenezer Scrooge and his epiphany. Highlights of the upcoming, ambitious season are "Chapatti," a touching story of romance set in Dublin, and "Vanity Fair," adapted from the W.M. Thackeray novel. We hope for a return to the holiday show in 2024.   scrippsranchtheatre.org   The classic Dr. Seuss story of the cranky Grinch is at Old Globe. OLD GLOBE:  Celebrate the holidays as the Old Globe Theatre is once again transformed into a charming, snow-covered Who-ville. The popular family show is in its 20th year, "Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" is a whimsical musical based upon the classic book. It's up through Dec. 24. featuring memorable songs including “This Time of Year,” “Santa for a Day,” and “Fah Who Doraze,” the delightful carol from the animated classic. theoldglobe.org                         Actor Matthew Broderick rehearses a scene from "Babbitt," which is playing to raves for its elegance. Through Dec. 10, La Jolla Playhouse limited run.  La JOLLA PLAYHOUSE . Carrying on this venerable, top drawer theater's dedication to the unique, La Jolla Playhouse has unveiled its 2024/2025 season, featuring a world-premiere musical, "The Ballad of Johnny and June." And while it's not exactly a holiday show, "Babbitt" offers a thinking person's alternative to the usual lighter yuletide entertainment with Broadway star Matthew Broderick starring in "Babbitt." Christopher Ashley directs the story of a 46- year-old real estate broker in mid-life angst. The Sinclair Lewis novel is adapted for the stage in this already sold-out production, extended through Dec. 10 with a wait list for tickets.   lajollaplayhouse.org WITH THIS BOUNTY,  the holidays are in full flower as theaters march on after a few complicated years. A bang-up, eagerly anticipated holiday theater season begins!  As the lively arts emerge from the shadow cast by COVID, it is important to support local theater, symphonies, chorales, bands and buskers. And remember that a pair or two of tickets to a play or musical makes an excellent holiday gift -- wherever you live. Honolulu's City Lights tour offers a hop on and off option. UP NEXT: While we're in the holiday spirit, take a ride with us on Honolulu's  much loved Waikiki Trolley. Climb aboard for a festive holiday lights tour aboard the trolley.   You'll see highlights of the downtown  area, with a special will take you through the city's historic downtown where you can hop on and off. Remember to explore, learn and live!

One World Trade Center is a remarkable homage to those whose lives were lost in the "9/11" terrorist attacks. A museum and a beautiful reflecting pool with victims' names honor their memory. HAVE A BANG-UP FOURTH OF JULY AS WE SALUTE NEW YORK CITY, OUR ENDURING SPIRIT, HEROIC PEOPLE AND OUR FRIENDS ABROAD STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Our Fourth of July last year included a trip to New York and a bus tour of the city, something we've done before but always enjoy for a new take. Fun to do on July Fourth AS WE  gather to feast, enjoy fireworks and treasure family and friends, we pay tribute to the international spirit of New York City, which played a key role in the settlement of the United States. And we salute the city's ability to heal. This bustling berg traces its origins to a trading post founded on the southern tip of Manhattan Island by Dutch colonists in 1624. They named their settlement New Amsterdam in 1626, long before the Founding Fathers came along.  New Amsterdam was chartered as a city in 1653. VIEWING FIREWORKS  over the Statue of Liberty is an uplifting way to affirm all that's good about America.  We've welcome immigrants since our beginnings, and our countrymen celebrate the diversity that makes the USA so appealing.  Our own circle includes friends from all over the world who share our fondness for American enterprise,  The melting pot of New York City is evident and full of  energy near Times Square. humor, spirit of adventure, generosity and good will. From 1776 to today, the holiday is celebrated as the birth of American independence, with festivities and reunions, rodeos, fireworks, parades and concerts. But between family gatherings and barbecues, let's ponder what really makes America -- and New York -- great -- politics aside, please. One World Trade Center stands where the Twin Towers were. WHAT TO ME  best describes our country is a double-card strong suit that trumps all others: our resilience and compassion. We've got spirit in spades, and we are proud of our ability to leaven even the murkiest challenges with humor. We are known worldwide for our capacity to recover from difficulties, for our toughness and resolve. And we're known for our kindness.  In dozens of visits to New York, I've always been graciously accommodated when I ask help with directions. I've even had New Yorkers guide me to the museum, the restaurant, the park. "Here, I'm going that way, I'll take you there." That's New York, and one of the reasons I love it. New York welcomes visitors from all over the world, as this Indian woman illustrates. Here she poses as her husband did earlier, in Midtown. WEBSTER DEFINES  resilience as "the ability.....to spring back into shape; elasticity." No where is that more evident than in the reimagined One World Trade Center.  People from all over the world come to meditate, to ponder, to appreciate the way in which New Yorkers rebounded from tragedy and created a beautiful space from death and destruction. A guide there told me that she's seen not only relatives of 9/11 victims, but veterans of war, people recovering from health issues and car accidents, parents struggling for peace after losing a child to gun violence. Patrick Harry Cosgriffe fishing the Stillwater River in early spring, happy in his Montana home. THIS FOURTH  of July is also the weekend our family is celebrating our brother's life.  Patrick Harry Cosgriffe accomplished a great deal in his too brief life.  Although he never particularly liked school, he graduated from college with honors. He did this while raising a handicapped child with his devoted partner after the birth mother abrogated responsibility. He was a gifted artist and fisherman, beloved brother, uncle, cousin, friend. So next time I visit Ground Zero and the beautiful 9/11 memorial, I'll say a prayer for Patrick, as many visitors do, remembering their departed loved ones at a scene of calm and reflection. AS OUR CLAN  says good-bye to Patrick, I think of the thousands of lives altered by the 2001 terrorist attacks on New York, Washington, D.C., and in the fields of Pennsylvania, where a heroic group of passengers brought down a third suicide plane headed for the White House.A visit to New York has always been healing for me, with my life long love of theater. So I'll again give my regards to Broadway, honor a city with a rich history, and remember my hero Patrick and his huge heart. Totems in Skagway, Alaska, tell stories, often about mythical creatures and sometimes featuring the crow, known for his quick thinking and his ability to trick. This one is a favorite of our able guide, Cruin. UP NEXT:  While Montana is recovering from record flood damage and families are celebrating summer, we find tranquil climes as we sail up the beautiful coast of California, past Oregon and Washington, to cruise Alaska's rich waters. We'll share this unique state's wonders in a three-part series. First, we take you to Ketchikan, where totem poles are revered and continually being restored, displayed and created. Our guide is a transplanted Scotsman with tales to tell. Then Skagway with its splendid rail trip to the Yukon, for stunning scenery and breathtaking views of the wilderness. Finally, we're on the whale trail in Juneau. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on the arts, nature, family and travel:  www.whereiscookie.com

The High Line in New York is a wonderful place, born of a grassroots effort to save a derelict elevated train track. It is now a much visited park with walking paths, art and lush landscaping. NEW YORK'S HIGH LINE OFFERS RESTFUL OASIS IN A BUSTLING CITY STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers pose in one of the viewing areas of the popular High Line. IF YOU are ready to herald the arrival of autumn, there's no prettier place than New York's beautiful High Line. Created out of the remains of an abandoned New York Central Railroad viaduct, the High Line is a happy example of a successful grassroots effort. Nearly 30 years ago, the neglected tracks were slated for demolition, so neighbors on Manhattan's West Side organized to save them.  Thinking outside the box, they drew financial support to create a spectacular oasis in one of the world's busiest cities. Today's High Line stretches nearly 1.5 miles, offering locals and tourists an artful stroll along scenic walkways and unique viewing platforms. We admired both changing and permanent art installations along with hundreds of attractive plants. Strollers walk along what was once an elevated train track used for shipping goods to factories. THE HIGH Line has a colorful past.  It opened in 1934 as part of the New York Central Railroad's West Side Line, replacing street-level tracks known as "Death Avenue" because of frequent accidents involving pedestrians. The "High Line" elevated freight trains above the streets to higher ground, transporting goods directly to factories and warehouses, many of them in the Meatpacking District.     Pausing to admire the landscape of New York's stunning High Line is Christene "Cookie" Meyers.  FRIENDS OF THE  High Line was founded in 1999 by neighborhood residents Joshua David and Robert Hammond who began the non-profit for the High Line’s preservation. The organization oversees maintenance, operations and public programming for the park, sponsoring nearly 500 diverse events and programs each year and generating essential private funding. An endowment enables the free park's success. High Line art intrigues to draw the eye in. THE PLANTINGS have a natural look, inspired by the landscape that grew on the High Line during the 25 years after trains stopped running. Grasses, perennials, trees, and bushes were chosen for their hardiness, sustainability, and variation, with a focus on native species. Intriguingly, in several places, the High Line’s railroad tracks were returned and are cleverly integrated into pathways and flower beds. For those who wish to sit, the park offers “peel-up” benches and sundeck chaise lounges overlooking Hudson River. We enjoyed lunch from our pick of ethnic food vendors, watched a dancing group perform and tagged on to a free docent-led tour. There are plenty of places to stay, including a hotel named after the project. The High Line Hotel is a "repurposed" historic building in the city's West Chelsea neighborhood. It was built in 1895 as a dormitory for the General Theological Seminary. The High Line's "Foot Fountain" is just that, a functional work of art and one of many eye-catching pieces strollers enjoy. CONVERTING  the outdated freight corridor into a park cost $250 million and generated 8,000 construction jobs. The redevelopment increased tax revenue by $1 billion and increased property values in the neighborhood. New businesses, including hotels and restaurants, have created 12,000 new jobs. And since 2014, more than 20 million people have visited the High Line, which hosts in excess of 500 public programs and events annually. Happily, the High Line has become a global inspiration for cities to transform unused industrial zones into dynamic public spaces. It's a wonderful, free diversion if you're planning a visit to this remarkable city. More info: A visit to the High Line is free.  The park can be accessed from several locations. For more on activities and visiting, go to: www.thehighline.org/visit/     The Lower Falls of the Yellowstone are a spectacular sight, no prettier than in the last days of summer when crowds lessen. ON TAP: Yellowstone National Park is a treasure enjoyed by millions from around the world.  It beckons visitors in these last days of summer to visit the park as it heralds the coming of autumn. As Labor Day approaches, there's no better time to visit Yellowstone, Teton, Glacier and other national parks.  The aspen are turning, wildlife are on the move and crowds are beginning to thin as schools resume.  Tips on making the best of a fall visit to our beloved national parks, up next. Meanwhile, explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on nature, travel, the arts, family and more. Please share our link with others: www.whereiscookie.com

Children's pools, playgrounds, rowing ponds for all ages, beautifully kept greens greet the eye at Central Park East. A calming stroll along the perimeter of Central Park is a must. PARKS APLENTY: NEW YORKERS LOVE TO PLAY, READ, RELAX, EAT, SPEND TIME IN THEIR PARKS STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER A summer day is enjoyed by these two folks, sunning and enjoying a bite of lunch in Bryant Park's gardens. PARKS ARE at a premium in the middle of large, congested cities. No one loves their parks more than New Yorkers, those fast-talking subway travelers. They live at a frenetic pace, these taxi honking, gesturing folks who eat, play, relax, take the sun, play cards or chess, people-watch, unwind and even nap in their beloved parks. New York City has more than 1,700 parks, playgrounds, and recreation facilities across the five boroughs. They are well used by the city's 8.3 million residents and 63 million annual visitors. NEW YORK's park properties range from swimming pools to wetlands and from woodlands to skating rinks. Free concerts continue through the summer in Central Park. One of our favorites -- and millions of others -- is Central Park, that magical 843-acre green space featuring rolling meadows, peaceful bodies of water,  concert areas, food trucks and a famous restaurant. In 1857, landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and architect/landscape designer Calvert Vaux won a design competition to construct thepark with a plan they titled the "Greensward Plan". Construction began the same year, and the park's first areas were opened to the public in late 1858. MUCH SMALLER  but equally lovely Bryant Park in Midtown, is  a 9.603-acre privately managed public park.  It sits  between Fifth and Sixth Avenues and 40th and 42nd Streets in Midtown Manhattan. So you'll find a mix of businessmen and women, tourists and patrons of the nearby Main Branch of the New York Public Library. Sound equipment is readied for a concert, while a few folks are taking their seats early in Bryant Park. Both parks have a lively performance schedule.  Bryant's "borrow a blanket, grab some food" offerings feature NYC's acclaimed Drilling Company. We saw "Hamlet" there; "Othello" runs Aug. 30-Sept. 7 on various days. Accordion masters perform a wide range of styles this summer, along with five free Carnegie Hall concerts and three New York City Opera hour-long cuttings of "La Boheme," "Carmen" and a Pride Concert celebrating New York's diversity. CENTRAL PARK'S  equally popular Summer Stage Series   is an outdoor festival of the arts held each year at Rumsey Playfield. Performances are mostly free, except for a few big-name benefit concerts that help fund Summer Stage programming. Shakespeare comes to Bryant Park (here) and Central Park as well. We always stop at Central Park's Strawberry Fields, a wonderful living memorial to the world-famous singer John Lennon. Financed and dedicated by his widow, Yoko Ono, it movingly celebrates the life of the songwriter and peace activist, best known as singer and composer with the Beatles. Every time we've wandered through, we've heard someone playing the guitar. Strawberry Fields invokes tourists and New Yorkers to "Imagine" a better world, as John Lennon asked. People pause, reflect and often leave a flower or note in this touching, beautiful place. Both parks have wonderful, user friendly websites with maps, events and more: centralparknyc.org ; bryantpark.org The AKC Museum of the Dog is a barking good treat in NYC. UP NEXT:   With a wealth of museums to pick from, we  write about several a year.  This time we returned to several of our favorites and a new kid on the block.  We paid a visit to a museum designed to honor and pay homage to man's best friend. The AKC Museum of the Dog is a unique, one of a kind museum with paintings, photos, videos, games, sculpture and more devoted to every manner of canine.  Among other features, a self-portrait dog match machine takes your portrait photo and matches you to a lifetime dog. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Fridays for a new look at travel, the arts, nature, pets, family and more at www.whereiscookie.com