Jambalaya is a tradition for Thanksgiving in many southern homes. Cajun appetizers also make Thanksgiving special. We'll share an easy Cajun pecan recipe in the feature story below. WHETHER DINING AT HOME OR AWAY THANKSGIVING WEEK, TRY A NEW TWIST STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER A Turkish delight: appetizers which we followed with a lovely salad, and a custard dessert one recent Thanksgiving. DINING OUT is one of life's sublime pleasures, and Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy and give thanks not only for family, friends, culinary treats and traditions, but for our bounty. Remember to be generous, to count your blessings. We give thanks daily for the opportunity to travel, to still have the dexterity, means and intelligence to book a trip. We are tremendously grateful for, as my grandmother Olive called it, our "mobility and marbles." May these two treasured commodities remain in our possession for many more years. Portuguese bean soup made a lovely Thanksgiving meal one year in Porto, which has become a favorite city. If we're home, we like to invite a single person or new neighbor over to share the meal. A widowed friend works in a soup kitchen on Thanksgiving and says it makes her feel connected, helpful and less lonely. We have fun making my Gran's turkey wiggle with the leftovers. Try her recipe, click the link below: TURKEY WIGGLE RECIPE WHATEVER YOU DO, take time to be thankful for the opportunity to have sufficient means to share. And if you're feeling at a low ebb, consider doing something different to jump start your spirits. We recommend Thanksgiving or any holiday on the road as a way of making new friends and memories. Even if "away" means an hour's drive to a cousin's or sibling's home. Cookie admires an appetizer plate, served stylishly on a Thanksgiving holiday in Barcelona. WE'VE SPENT many Thanksgivings "elsewhere," enjoying the offerings of local eateries. If we're home in San Diego, and don't have an invitation or feel up to preparing a feast ourselves, we go out. We spent one Thanksgiving in our San Diego base, enjoying appetizers at a beachfront hotel. We consider a favorite Greek restaurant, where we love the appetizer plate. Or change things up with jambalaya for Thanksgiving. Sushi or Korean barbecue? Thai food, a lovely paella, Portuguese bean soup, or perhaps a tray of Turkish appetizers? Our Jewish friends joke about their tradition of going out for Chinese food on Christmas. Put your own spin on a holiday to keep it from becoming cliche. Dare to stretch, think outside the box. Speaking of which, a friend in New York treats his housekeeper to bento box near Times Square on Thanksgiving. Sure, the classic dinner can't be beat. Those old-time favorites are time honored: turkey, gravy, stuffing, potatoes, green been casserole and too much pie. Our friend, Jesus, born in Madrid, creates a tasty paella for a memorable Thanksgiving feast. UT WE suggest something new this year, perhaps a Cajun appetizer or side dish to augment the menu. It will add flair and zing to your Thanksgiving table. Serving foods from another culture and combining them with your own beloved dishes will create a unique and memorable holiday feast while introducing new traditions. Remember to give thanks Chilean sea bass and seasonal vegetables delighted us in a Barcelona restaurant. With guitar music, the meal made a colorful Thanksgiving Day treat that we fondly remember. EASY SPICED CAJUN PECANS We tasted these Cajun pecans in New Orleans and got this recipe from a friend. "Easy peasy," and a fun holiday treat. Gather the ingredients. Pre-heat oven to 325 F. (The seasoning) 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (The pecans) 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (2 2/3 ounces) unsalted butter, melted 4 cups pecan halves 1 teaspoon seasoning blend Cookie and Keller enjoy a Thanksgiving sunset off the coast of Morocco on holiday in 2022. Combine spices in a small bowl to form your Cajun seasoning blend; mix thoroughly. Set aside. In a large, shallow roasting pan, combine the melted butter and pecans. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes, stirring from time to time. Sprinkle with remaining seasoning and toast for about 15 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. The nuts should be brown but not too dark. And feel free to use walnuts or cashews or even mixed nuts if you prefer or have on hand. Dessert in a Paris cafe on Thanksgiving last year. A festive dessert for Keller prepared in a country inn in northern Spain. HOLIDAY MEALS become special memories when you're dining with friends -- new or old. We've spent Thanksgiving on ships with people who become good friends. Since many cultures don't celebrate Thanksgiving when we do, it's important to maintain a "when in Rome" philosophy. Our advice is to loosen up, share the bounty, enjoy, stretch -- and try some Cajun pecans. Family, friends, fitness thanks Peking duck became our favorite feast on several Thanksgivings in Asia, here in Beijing. A few places in the world offer an opportunity to swim with dolphins, and on the Bay of Gibraltar, dolphin watching has become nearly as popular as the monkeys. COMING UP: We romp with dolphins and visit a fascinating island in the Canaries made famous by a native son. We travel to an unusual cave in Barbados and Keller takes Cookie on a sail boat ride to create the whitest knuckles she's ever experienced. From peaceful and playful dolphins to the thrills of an old-fashioned, classic 12-meter America's Cup racing boat, we take you there. Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, nature, performance, family and more: www.whereiscookie.com

San Diego Repertory Theater's "Disgraced" tackles contemporary issues of  race, religion and class in the modern world. The actors are Ronobir Lahiri and Allison Spratt Pearce playing a couple with challenges in an Ayad Akhtar play. The play is challenging, thoughtful, well acted and directed. Opening night this week earned a standing ovation. Something for every taste in a rich new theatrical season in vibrant, play-loving San Diego North Coast Repertory Theater's "Laughter on the 23rd Floor" features veteran talents Phil Johnson, Rep artistic director David Ellenstein, and  Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER and courtesy theaters' marketing departments FROM CUTTING  edge political drama, to new musicals, satire and time-honored chestnuts, vintage comedy and a Pulitzer prize winning drama, San Diego theater offers a play for every taste. The state-of-the-art La Jolla Playhouse offers four distinct venues. The musical "Miss You Like Hell," is on now, a mother-daughter saga. Cygnet Theatre, which took its name to honor Shakespeare's Swan, is known for taking chances, and honoring revered chestnuts. We see a production or two a week -- four in 10 days recently, and two more this weekend. We're thrilled to call this lively, play-loving mecca home for a few months each year. North Coast Repertory Theatre north of San Diego in Solana Beach reflects the rich variety of offerings available in southern California. What strikes me as unique about San Diego theater is its enormous variety. THE OFFERINGS  are as varied as the venues -- from a quartet of lavish, beautifully outfitted state-of-the-art venues that comprise La Jolla Playhouse to smaller, even more intimate houses of North Coast Repertory Theater in Solana Beach, with 194 seats, and New Village Arts, with only 100-plus ringside seats in Carlsbad. We're also regulars at Cygnet Theatre in Old Town and  San Diego Repertory, which calls Lyceum Theater home in Horton Plaza downtown. Welk Theater, Intrepid Theatre and the venerable Old Globe add to the rich range of offerings in southern California. It's fun to watch the region's best actors move around from venue to venue, playing the field -- always looking for challenge, change and a good fit. HERE'S WHAT  we've been seeing lately, and what we have to look forward to in San Diego: The new play at New Village Arts promises to challenge. Featured are Manny Fernandes, Melissa Fernandes, Jeffrey  Jones and executive artistic director Kristianne Kurner. * La Jolla Playhouse:  "Miss You Like Hell," a new musical about a mother-daughter road trip, which opened this week at this elegant venue. A smart, imaginative teenager takes a road trip with her free-spirited Latina mother, meeting a mix of characters who encourage examination of their relationship.  Through Dec. 4. And watch for the brilliant John Leguizamo’s new one-man show, "Latin History for Morons." The Welk Theater's "Sweet Charity" is a snappy, well acted production. * San Diego Repertory Theatre:  "Disgraced," is a riveting Pulitzer-prize winner taking a piercing, contemporary look at race, religion and class, experienced through two couples and a nephew in volatile times. Amir Kapoor forsakes his Muslim heritage to live the American Dream – with beautiful wife, New York penthouse and lucrative law career.  The run ends Nov. 13. Then, we can't wait for "The Dybbuk for Hannah and Sam’s Wedding," based on a time honored Yiddish classic, written by Todd Salovey with original music written and performed by Yale Strom. These two gifted artists grace the annual Lipinski Jewish Arts Festival. Catch it at the Lyceum Nov 23-Dec. 18. *  Cygnet Theatre : A beautifully acted pairing of August Wilson plays, "Seven Guitars" and "King Hedley II," recently mesmerized play-goers and featured the same ensemble of gifted actors in both productions.  Its run ended Nov. 6. In rehearsal is Cygnet's hit holiday version of the classic "A Christmas Carol" Nov. 22 through Christmas Eve. The approach to La Jolla Playhouse on the UCSD campus is a tree-lined stroll to the lovely Mandell Weiss Theatre. * North Coast Repertory Theatre:  Time for an old, beloved chestnut from the always endearing playwright, Neil Simon. The comedy is a love letter to his early career as a writer for Sid Caesar’s “Your Show of Shows.” Three seasoned actors recount the writing, fighting and wacky antics of early days of live television when Simon cavorted with fellow legends, Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks. *  New Village Arts : "God of Carnage" is on tap through Nov. 13, a one-act domestic comedy exploring parenthood and loyalty. When two New York couples meet to discuss their sons' playground tussle, a civilized evening of pleasantries and small talk erupts in a chaotic explosion of anarchy and vitriol. (Playwright Yasmina Reza wrote it, and "Art" at Intrepid Theatre.) Actors Jason Heil, Jacob Bruce and Daren Scott play  in "Art," which promises fast-paced wit and humor. * Welk Resort Theater: The production of  "Sweet Charity" features delightful staging, winning acting and the classic Bob Fosse minimalist choreography.  Snappy dialogue tells the story of the girl who wants to be loved so much that she has lost sight of who she is. It's a sophisticated, smart show (the movie made Shirley MacLaine famous) and runs through Nov. 20. *  San Diego Musical Theatre : This venue in the venerable Spreckels Theatre staged a fun production of the Mel Brooks hit, "The Producers," based on the earlier film, and promises "White Christmas" always a sell-out for Nov. 25-Dec. 4 run. Coming up: "9 to 5," Damn Yankees" and "Billy Elliot." * Intrepid Theatre Company.  This small, welcoming downtown San Diego space features cutting edge work ranging from "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" to the current run, "Art," in which three erudite friends debate the merits of a single, white canvas painting. It's a brilliantly conceived piece. This will be my fourth foray into the "Art" arena, so much do I love this clever, engaging play. Jimmy Buffett and an array of devoted Parrot Heads filled Humphrey's By the Bay for a night of oldies but goodies. Buffett is one of a half-dozen aging, but still rockin' performers to appear in southern California this month. UP NEXT:  We're aging rock 'n' rollers, enjoying an autumnal glut of riches! In less than three weeks, we've seen on stage the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Jimmy Buffett and more. We'll top off our nostalgic run with our fourth Tony Bennett concert in two years.      Remember to explore, learn and live, and catch us weekends for a look at artful, nature driven travel and arts pieces with a twist. Please tell other intelligent life about  whereiscookie.com

NORTH COAST REPERTORY THEATRE OPENS BRILLIANT TWO-PERSON PRODUCTION STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER  (and courtesy North Coast Rep) With pleasant opening night weather, playgoers mulled about by the box office of North Coast Repertory Theatre, awaiting a brilliant "Freud's Last Session." WHAT AN ENGAGING  75 minutes! If you love theater, you'll revel in "Freud's Last Session" at North Coast Repertory Theatre. It's a thinking person's play, challenging the play goer to ponder, delve and consider his own belief system.  As all good art should do, this play encourages a return viewing, a second chance to enjoy the language and top acting. It's always a pleasure to head north to Solana Beach and North Coast Rep's first-rate fare. The intimate venue is perfect for viewing a play such as this, replete with complex language featuring actors in complete command of their craft and its potential to move. Watching the actors at close range is a plus at North Coast Rep. In its 33-year existence, the theater has forged a reputation for diverse offerings, fine acting, top directing and beautiful sets.  With the venue seating less than 200 people, there are no bad seats, and the small house encourages total attention on the stage. AN ABLE  volunteer group sees that guests are promptly seated and the Rep is also known for starting its productions on time. Sigmund Freud, left (actor Michael Santo) and C.S. Lewis (Bruce Turk) have a spirited debate in Freud's study. Above, theater goers of all ages mix and enjoy wine and artwork before the production. The Rep's David Ellenstein ably directs the current production. Before the production, there's time for a glass of wine and Keller's favorite melt-in-your mouth chocolate chip cookie, served by the volunteers in a small and inviting lobby. Artwork is regularly changed on the walls, featuring regionally known painters. It's a pleasant place to relax and mingle. In Sigmund Freud's study, C.S. Lewis, played by Bruce Turk, and Michael  Santo as Freud, deliver a pair of beautiful performances. OUR OPENING  night viewing of "Freud's Last Session" featured a full house to savor masterful acting by Michael Santo as the opinionated Sigmund Freud and Bruce Turk as the amiable writer C.S. Lewis.  The older Freud is dying but feisty; Lewis is hitting his artistic stride.  Although on opposite sides of the "God" debate, the two intellectuals find common ground in their humanity, intelligence and secret sufferings. Subtle direction by David Ellenstein, the Rep's gifted artistic director, and the comfortable connection forged by the two actors in shaping their characters make an exhilarating  theatrical experience. Playwright Mark St. Germain's writing is crisp, smart and often funny, with historical references slipped in -- the time is early World War II and the Nazi reign of terror has begun. WHAT MAKES  the production particularly pleasing and memorable are the questions posed by the debate between a believer and an atheist. The show is up through Nov. 9. Don't miss it! Go to NorthcoastRep.org or call 858 481-2155 to book tickets. Treat a smart friend to an early holiday gift! Gaudi's Cathedral in downtown Barcelona has been under construction for decades. COMING SOON:  When Stephen Sondheim wrote the lyric, "Where You Going?"  the answer was "Barcelona" and we're going there, too.  Come along to this gaudy, "Gaudi" infused Catalan capital. Then our globe trotters visit an old Montana ghost town, abandoned when a mining boom didn't materialize. Remember to explore, learn and live, and visit us Wednesdays and weekends at: www.whereiscookie.com

Cabrillo Monument is a lovely day trip. CABRILLO DISCOVERED LAND WHERE TIDE POOLS NOW ATTRACT VISITORS Cabrillo National Monument and its dramatic sandstone cliffs and tide pools offer natural wonders and fine views. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER IMAGINE HIS JOY and wonder as he sailed into the bay. Surely he admired the curves and lushness of the coastline, the Mediterranean-like foliage so similar to what he left behind in Spain and the Canary Islands. The bird life, the whales.... Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo was the first known European to "discover" this picturesque and beautiful corner of southern California now known as San Diego. Tide pools and caves attract hikers and nature lovers. TODAY, HE is remembered here in southern San Diego, 20 miles north of Mexico. Cabrillo National Monument is located at the tip of the Point Loma Peninsula in San Diego, California. It commemorates the landing of Cabrillo at San Diego Bay on September 28, Juan Cabrillo. 1542. He was to die less than a year later on January of 1543; controversy shrouds his death, which could have been from a fight with native Chumash people, or from an infection following a broken shoulder -- or both. Cabrillo's end remains as mysterious as the waters he explored A beautiful coastline welcomed Cabrillo as it does visitors. DESPITE the possible turbulence of his death, Cabrillo National Monument is a calming sanctuary , protected by federal law and a haven for hummingbirds, Indian paintbrush, buckwheat and other flora, and during migration the magnificent 50-feet long gray whales. Sea anemones can be observed in the tidepools, curling in their tentacles and shrinking to a ball if startled. WE VISITED this calming sanctuary recently with friends, to enjoy the tide pools, lighthouse and national surveillance boats. A sailboat off Point Loma, near the monument. From Cabrillo, on the southern tip of historic Point Loma, one can see military bunkers from World War II and the stunning whales going north or south depending on the season. One of the country's most successful national park bookstores is also on the property, and in the visitors' center, videos run at various times. There's parking with a view, and a pleasant hike to take. The view is stunning on a clear day when one can see down to Mexico, across to Coronado, and up towards the city. Follow the trail to the top of the cliff, and you'll find a well maintained historic Point Loma Lighthouse with its original furniture. Taken out of service in 1891, it was a landmark for many years, welcoming sailors to San Diego harbor and equipped with the best technology of the day. IF YOU TIME it right, you'll even see volunteers dressed up in period costumes, talking about the lighthouse and its importance. A happy sea lion takes in the sun and waters. You can hike the easy walk to the tide pools, or if you're more ambitious, consider taking the Bayside Trail, a three-mile round trip for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is accessible year-round. THE TRAIL and park open at 9 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. A national park entrance fee of a reasonable $5 helps maintain the place, and senior park passes are recognized. Besides diverse living things, come see Cabrillo's beautiful lighthouse. IT'S A PLEASANT day trip for visiting guests, standing on the southern tip of the U.S., with a view of Mexico, the Pacific and fabulous scenery. Leashed dogs are allowed on the trail to the tide pools only. Oregon blue cheese stars in the blog next time! If you want a genuine, novel place to show off San Diego and this beautiful and historic corner of Southern California, Cabrillo's it! You'll learn that he was looking for the mythic Strait of Anian when he departed western Mexico and sailed northward. COMING NEXT: Cheese has been around for thousands of years -- in cultures worldwide. It's hard to beat the Oregon blue cheese we tasted recently, on a trip to that corner of the U.S. What a friend we have in cheeses -- next, at www.whereiscookie.com Visit us weekends and Wednesdays and please share our link with friends.

Donkey Tours of Barcelona boasts one of the most engaging guides two veteran travelers have experienced in decades of globe trotting. Here, Greek born Eteoklis Nikolaou takes tourists through Barcelona's landmarks and hidden wonders. DONKEY TOURS OFFERS UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL LOOK AT HIDDEN BARCELONA COMPLETE WITH HISTORY LESSONS Barcelona's Palau de la Musica Catalonia makes an impression. Donkey Tour guides take you there and give you a history lesson. PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS WE HAD BEEN to Barcelona a dozen times before we hitched ourselves up with Donkey Tours. What a find! If you are looking for an unusual way to spend a morning or afternoon and learn something new about this fascinating Catalan city, you'll be delighted with the spirit and intellect of the ambitious Donkey Tours. My internet guru and partner Bruce Keller, also the talented photographer for our globe-trotting columns, deserves bounteous thanks for finding Donkey Tours. I'd asked him to line up a half-day outing on our last day of a recent week in Barcelona, a city we thought we knew quite well. He came up with Donkey Tours, which operates only out of Barcelona but is hoping to expand to other cities in southern Europe. THE TOUR is free, but a generous tip is appreciated. We tipped the equivalent of what we would have paid for a much less interesting tour. The well traveled tourist, or even the neophyte, should know to tip well for such a splendid operation. Our able Greek born guide entertained Aussies, Dutch, Germans, Italians, Africans, Brits and the two of us Yanks with humor, patience, enthusiasm and intelligence. Eteoklis Nicolau met us in a well known square, introducing us to the first of many wonders: a Picasso mural on a onetime architecture school. Above left: Looking for fabulous fruit for a meal, or breakfast in in your digs, Donkey Tours guides you to the finest outdoor markets in Barcelona. We spent a lively day with Theo, who took time to answer myriad questions, shared computer images and even escorted folks from our group of 25 to specific specialty pastry shops and restaurants. We had a lovely tea and time for individual chat during coffee break at tour midpoint, then walked by a building most people would have bypassed. WE FOLLOWED Theo down a marble stairway in an old law school, to discover a beautiful basement of Roman arches and a lovely little fountain. Another delightful surprise with Donkey Tours, whose guides are all multi- lingual and well educated. Bravo! www.donkeytours.es Barcelona's revered College of Architects boasts a unique mural drawn by Pablo Picasso during his years of artistic growth in a favorite city. BEST BET and NEXT UP: For theater in the grand tradition of old-fashioned comedy, point your laughing shoes to North Coast Repertory Theatre for "Moon Over Buffalo." The new production is expertly rendered by regular guest director Matthew Wiener, longtime colleague of the Rep's versatile and talented artistic director, David Ellenstein. The show offers fabulous timing by a seasoned cast of theater pros. Book tickets to this delightful ode to a life in the theater, at northcoastrep.org. --At right, the company of "Moon Over Buffalo,'' in which a befuddled repertory actor enters Noel Coward's "Private Lives" as Cyrano de Bergerac.

High atop Sydney's famous Harbour Bridge, with the iconic Sydney Opera House at the far right, Christene "Cookie" Meyers and Bruce Keller, right, celebrate their climb with new friends from Japan, England and Switzerland. One more check off their bucket list. Have you always wanted to swim with a sting ray? Join Cookie and Keller at Sting Ray City in Antigua. PLAN THAT TRIP TO MAKE IT A NEW YEAR OF DISCOVERY, NEW HORIZONS One recent Christmas found Christene "Cookie" Meyers and Bruce Keller aboard a ship awaiting a tour in Capri. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER WHEREVER IN the world you hope to be in 2023, consider stretching your imagination, broadening your views, meeting new people, learning something new by visiting a place you've never been. What are you waiting for? Time, money, inspiration? Remember carpe diem and tempus fugit. So go for it! MANY READERS ask us how to begin to plan a longed for trip. First, figure out where you'll get the money. Do you have a savings account, an IRA that needs a withdrawal? Have you stashed away a certain amount for "rainy days" or emergencies? Now's the time. Because we're not getting any younger we've made travel a priority. It consumes 70 per cent of our budget. A visit to a museum is a holiday treat, here between Christmas and New Year's at the National Gallery in London. If you don't have the funds now, start by setting a goal and saving so much per week. You'd be surprised how quickly $50 adds up. That's $200 a month or $2,400 a year enough to plan and take a reasonably priced trip by this time next year. ONCE YOU'VE figured how to fund your dream trip, it's time to narrow the destination. If you're flexible, compare prices. Eastern Europe for instance is cheaper than western Europe. Your dollar will go farther on the smaller Greek islands on the Aegean Sea rather than, Santorini or Mykonos which are beautiful but overly touristed. Croatia is cheaper than Greece for holiday rentals, dining out and drinks. Amsterdam beats Paris for luxury shopping and has one of Europe's best flea markets. Shop around for deals. Keller, Cookie, and new friends on a food tasting tour in Porto. NEXT, FIGURE how long you can afford to be gone, budgeting an average cost per day including hotel, air, food, extras such as museums, tours, parks, taxi or bus fares. A survey done by a respected travel agency in 2020 estimated the average cost for a trip abroad to be a reasonable $3,600 for a typical 12 night trip ($7,200 for two.) That breaks down to about $300 per person per day, which is on the low side with $150 per night, food and alcohol at $100, entertainment and tours at $50 per day. To keep in this range will take some bargain hunting and likely won't include a cruise unless you book an inside cabin. Cruise lines sometimes offer cheap air as an enticement, so consider that. Whale watching is a favorite diversion for us, here right at home on a San Diego "staycation. "This estimate does not include air. It could be the cost of an entire cruise, though. But you'd likely have to pay additionally for tours and extras unless you find a very attractive package. IF YOU'RE going international on any vacation other than a driving trip, you must consider air or a trans-oceanic cruise. If you're driving somewhere close, add in gas or petrol. Because energy prices are rising with the war and stock market flux, many people are shopping for bargain air fares -- and finding them. But you must be flexible with dates. If Vietnam is on your bucket list, there are some attractive fares right now for air and land tours. Back to the budget. This is the most important step in planning a trip. It will affect the rest of the steps in your vacation planning process. THE AVERAGE vacation for one person in the U.S. costs about $1,919 per week. A vacation for two people typically costs around $3,838 per week. (Cheaper than international because there's no overseas air.) A backpacker's average daily budget should be between $40 and $70 USD per day in the east and between $70 and $100 per day in the west. So once you've done that, research flights and dates (mid-week is cheaper to fly, etc.) Choose the top places you'd like to go and look for deals. Research flights and dates. Once you've chosen your destination and booked your air, cruise or train travel, If you've dreamed of the Caribbean, Europe or Far East, now's the time to start budgeting. You can make it happen, here in Singapore. WHEREVER IN the world you hope to be in 2023, consider stretching your imagination and your pocketbook. With a little creativity, you can broaden your views, meet new people, learn something new. Take the incentive to visit a place you've never been. All ages take to bikes in exciting Amsterdam. Now's the time to book a trip to the Netherlands. Narrated bus tours may have an entertaining multi-lingual taped narrative or sometimes a live guide. Here, we take a hop on- hop off tour down Las Ramblas in Barcelona. UP NEXT: We love city tours and the hop on- hop off bus trend is a fun way to meet a new town. Once you've landed, taken a nap and had a light meal, get going in your new time zone. We find narrated bus tours a fine way to explore -- a wonderful way to discover attractions you'd like to revisit. We enjoyed several bus tours on a recent visit to southern Europe. Come explore with us as we share roof-top views of several cities from the top floor of tour buses. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, nature, the arts, family and more. Please share links: www.whereiscookie.com

Kick hell out of your bucket list in 2016.  Have you always wanted to see Egypt?  Don't let fear of travel stop you. Here, Cookie and Keller make a return trip to the Great Pyramid of Giza.  They continued throughout the Middle East. The sky's the limit, when planning your new year. Put yourself as high as your plans and adventure can stretch.  The High Roller in Las Vegas will give you a bird's eye view! MAKE IT A RED-LETTER NEW YEAR. TAKE A PAGE FROM OUR TRAVELERS' BOOK!    CHECK SOMETHING OFF YOUR BUCKET LIST  STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER  WHATEVER MAGIC  the holiday has held, now's the time to grab your dreams before the luster fades. Make 2016 the year you try out for "Jeopardy." If you've always wanted to see the Pyramids, book a trip to Egypt. Cookie returns to Paris -- for a night or ten on the town. If you've yearned  to spend a weekend in Las Vegas and take a spin on The High Roller, what are you waiting for? If you've dreamed about a cruise but haven't called a travel agent, do it. Sail away. Always wanted to see Glacier, Yellowstone or Yosemite? Our national parks are a great treasure.  Now's the time. Learn a new language, or instrument this new year. Missing a far-away niece, nephew, sister, aging auntie? Give a call, plan a reunion, make that visit. Book that Elton John or Lady Gaga concert. Have you admired a friend's tattoo, toyed with getting your own? Cowboy up, friend. (Start with a temporary one, as I did in Maori land.) Is a special must-see city on your list? Seattle, Paris, Rio? Carpe diem. HAVE YOU  wanted to try out for "Jeopardy" because your friends insist you'd win?  Make it happen. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Go for it! How about learning a new language or returning to school -- I'm working on an advanced degree in poetry and playwriting, and learning Italian, loving the classes and challenge. I'm playing my saxophone again -- even doing gigs with Montana bands. A FEW THOUGHTS  on traveling in these times of terrorism, suicide bombings and random crack-pot acts. Plan a visit to a favorite relative --we're off to San Francisco to see niece Amarylla. Glacier National Park beckons on your bucket list? Do it. I've traveled since I was a little kid, and I never board a plane or ship without thanking the gods for safety thus far and wishing to return home in one piece. Yes, these are frightening times, but when it comes to terrorism, the threat is "overhyped." My pilot father always said our chances of being killed in a plane were far less than as a passenger in an auto. Likewise, the likelihood of being killed by terrorism while traveling abroad is slim. Cookie and Keller kick hell out of their bucket list, which includes a yearly trek to San Francisco and a sail to Alcatraz. BE VIGILANT , look around, assess each environment, use good old "common sense" as you move about.  Above all, don't cancel a long-planned trip or dream. Grab some gusto. Happy planning! COMING LATER TODAY : Whereiscookie.com follows the fun, putting a fresh spin on travel and the arts.  At 5 p.m. today, we return to a favorite city, San Francisco. Join us, with quotes from the late columnist Herb Caen to pay tribute.  We post Fridays for the weekend, and as the spirit and adventures move. We've posted more than 350 blogs now. You can find specific cities, venues, parks, hotels, cruises by filling in the tab at the right-hand of each blog. Explore, learn and live!

The Bair family home in tiny Martinsdale may be toured, its treasures viewed. Montana sheep baron Bair made millions; daughters' left home, splendid museum to public STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER MARTINSDALE isn't more than a tiny spot on the Montana map, but it has a larger than life museum and an unusual inn that takes one back in time. We headed Martinsdale way recently for a memorial for my uncle, Harry A. Cosgriffe. Within the gates, a fascinating home tour and beautiful modern museum await your pleasure. That meant traveling through several green and gorgeous Montana counties -- including Stillwater, Sweetgrass and Musselshell, and along some of Montana's most picturesque rivers and mountains. PASSING NYE, Dean, Absarokee, Columbus, Reed Point and Big Timber, we departed the interstate and turned north for Harlowton. Then, thirty miles more, past Two Dot and fields of golden wheat and rich yellow canola, we arrived in the shadow of the Crazy Mountains, at the town of Martinsdale. We left our bags at the Crazy mountain Inn, (our next story spotlights this rustic and relaxing jewel). Proprietor Cheryl Marchi, checked us into the turn-of-century inn then sent us off to the museum. She urged us to try the inn's famous homemade pies later. More about the inn, in our next post! The Bair sisters' fondness for "all things French" is apparent. BACK ON the road a mile or so, we were met by husband-wife docents Don and Paulette Amundson at the Charles M. Bair Family Museum. The complex is the star of tiny Martinsdale. A state-of-the-art museum sits adjacent to a barn-turned-giftshop and the sprawling 26-room Bair family home. The museum features beautiful galleries showcasing the family's extensive collections of western and contemporary art, photographs and native American beadwork, leggings, elk tooth dresses and ceremonial pipes and attire. The home is a treasure trove. Among its gems are exquisite paintings by French artist Eduardo Cortes, whose Paris street scenes were favorites of sharp-eyed Alberta Bair. Native rock was used to integrate the museum's look with the landscape and the Bair mansion. WITH ITS sleek, airy interior, contemporary lines and modern art preservation technology, the four-gallery museum could be at home on a Los Angeles street corner or in Midtown Manhattan. Alberta Bair, one of two sisters of sheep and railroad baron Charles M. Bair and his wife, Mary, was the last of the family to occupy the house and her final car, a spiffy white Cadillac, is still parked in the garage. It looks as if it's waiting for her to bounce through the back door in one of her favorite red hats, and drive into Billings for a concert. French flair and western comfort are part of the ambiance of the Bair home. DOCENT DON took us on a delightful one-hour stroll through the home, which is filled with antiques, paintings and silver acquired on trips to New York and Europe. From a Louis XV marquetry inlaid table to English porcelain and tea urns, the home is a tribute to deep pockets and fine taste, a western style palace for our own version of royalty. Some historians trace the family's roots to European royals! THE BAIR progeny, Alberta and her sister Marguerite, had no heirs. Inheriting the family fortune, they made collecting and the goal of a museum their child. The complex is a major beneficiary of the Bair money, and was Alberta's brainchild according to a plan set forth in the will at her death in May of 1993. In one of my many interviews with her, she mentioned her desire that a museum be established on the grounds. Other museums -- the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, Wyo., and Great Falls' C.M. The Bair barn makes a handsome and educational gift shop. Russell Museum -- may have hoped that the extensive Bair western art collection might come their way. But the Martinsdale museum came to be, opening finally in June of 2011, 18 years after Alberta's death. I WROTE HER newspaper obituary, which lists the many organizations and causes to which she contributed and which the trust continues to endow: hospitals and clinics, libraries, schools, youth agencies, and many other cultural and humanitarian causes. Annual scholarships are still awarded to students in nearby schools, according to trust dictates. ALBERTA'S "special late baby," as she once called it, lives on, along with the museum. The Alberta Bair Theater in Billings, the old Fox Theater, was built in 1931 on the site where Alberta was born and renamed after a multi-million dollar remodeling. (I spent more than a decade heading that effort.) Docent Don Amundson guides guests from the museum toward the Bair family home, for a lively tour. The Fox restoration, history and Alberta's decision to contribute a million dollars to the "Save the Fox" effort will be the subject of another story later this summer. MEANWHILE, the Martinsdale museum doors open onto a walkway to the home. Docents take guests on a lively journey to the roots and legacy of the Bair fortune. The tour gives insight into Alberta's decision to make certain the Bair name is forever part of Montana's and the West's history. With a $3.1 million price tag, the museum houses the family's coveted Charlie Russells and Joseph Sharps as well as my favorite European and American contemporary paintings and rare, light sensitive photographs of Edward Curtis. NATIVE AMERICAN artifacts are housed in climate and light-controlled glass cases and a "revolving exhibit" gallery showcases such rare treats as the present Crow and Gros Ventre Indian Ledger Art. Contemporary European art resides comfortably with western and Asian. The elder Bair lived in the1930s ranch home less than 10 years, having taken the family to Portland, Oregon from 1910 to 1934. He died in 1943 and his wife in 1950. Marguerite, who had married the ranch foreman Dave Lamb in 1939, lived in the family home with Lamb and Alberta until their deaths -- Alberta's the last, at age 97 in 1993. We strolled through the home -- past photos, paintings and memorabilia in formal dining and receiving rooms and informal den -- admiring portraits autographed by a half-dozen presidents, and studio shots of movie stars, including Montana born Clark Gable. This urn was acquired during European travels. COWBOY ARTIST and author Will James, who lived for a time in Billings, is represented in a photo with Alberta -- both of them in hats -- and they spent time together when both were young. A solid gold door nob is valued at around $20,000. Our Atlanta guests admired the home, remarking that the Bairs inveted their fortune in much the same fashion as did other early 20th Century barons and moguls: on bronzes, paintings, china, gold fixtures and accents. Bair came to Montana in 1883, at age 26, as conductor of the Northern Pacific Railroad. He acquired his fortune in the Alaskan Gold Rush, parlaying it into oil, mining, real estate and ranching, including the world's largest sheep spread, more than 300,000 head. THE MUSEUM and home illustrate what the family did with his money -- in cohesive, exciting displays, the result of the artful intelligence of museum curator and director Elizabeth Guheen. She sees the entire complex as "a collage -- vivid, idiosyncratic and alive." As she developed the museum's rooms, drawing from the sisters' collections, a video of Alberta and newspaper clippings, she took care to inspire, guide and "expand our dialogue with history," a primary goal of Alberta's. After their parents died, the Bair sisters made frequent forays to Europe, collecting art and silver and china. They furnished the home with Chippendale and other name brand furnishings and expanded the elder Bairs' collection of Indian art, beadwork and rugs. A vintage 1950s kitchen is part of the tour of the Bair Museum and home. The vintage 1950s kitchen is fun -- the girls liked bright reds and blues -- and the ornate bedrooms are left much as the two left them -- with frocks hung awaiting a dinner party, crystal, linens and favorite paintings. (The original artwork is in the museum; but the digitally reproduced copies hang mostly where the Bair sisters originally placed them.) PLAN A couple days, to take in the museum and enjoy the scenery and the Crazy Mountain Inn's relaxing ambiance. To plan your Martinsdale weekend, go to: info@bairfamilymuseum.org www.crazymountaininn.com Martinsdale's Crazy Mountain Inn is next up at: www.whereiscookie.com COMING UP: Next up, a close-up of the Crazy Mountain Inn, with its unique ambiance and terrific cream pies. Our family spent a recent fun weekend there. Then we travel to Egypt and Brazil, looking at the people and lifestyles and examining the change and politics. We'll also take a look at my attempt to integrate death and loss into daily life. And we answer a request, to show off our Montana locale, High Chaparral, and share what we do and see when we're in the Rockies. Remember to explore, learn and live and tune us in Wednesdays and Saturdays at: www.whereiscookie.com

An array of vintage buildings present visitors with a feeling of nostalgia, in Hardin, a town proud of its history. LITTLE BIG HORN MUSEUM PUTS MONEY WHERE ITS MOUTH IS TO SHOWCASE REGION'S HISTORY History is lovingly preserved in immaculate eye-catching displays. Donors came through with contributions from personal archives and businesses. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER NO ONE would expect to find such a grand and ambitious museum in a small town off the beaten path. The museum's director and biggest booster, Diana Scheidt, talks with Cookie as she tours her through the museum. But there it is: the Bighorn County Historical Museum and Visitor's Center, a proud testimony to community spunk, generosity, determination and imagination. The Hardin, Montana, complex is a treasure trove of eye-catching artifacts, old buildings and personal effects from a lively farming community's perspective. Old meets new in the Big Horn County Historical Museum, where the "wheel" of life is represented in full detail. MOVERS AND shakers with an eye for preservation take visitors back in time to a day of horse-drawn carriages, farming and forging a century ago, train travel in 1890, homesteading in 1912 and all that keeps a community going: church, doctor's office, post office, barns, schools and bunkhouses. There's even a 1933 filling station, mortuary and a barbershop. AS YOU WALK through 24 historic structures on the museum's 35 acres, you glimpse a bygone era. Hardin's rich history is brought to life through donated photographs and artifacts true to each period depicted. Donors dug deep into their pockets to put the museum on the map when it was established in 1979. Cleverly, the beautiful, modern main building has featured exhibits including native son Will James, a Plains Indians display and historic pieces of well preserved furniture, including a pipe organ. CONTEMPORARY glass work, pottery, jewelry and an array of books by Montana authors are nicely displayed. Bits of Hardin's history blend with new art to please the eye. Cabinets from the clerk and recorder's office form the attractive u-shaped counter in the gift shop. Antiques -- from cars to a beautifully preserved pipe organ -- are on display. A venerable safe from Sawyer's Store -- which survived more than one burglary before closing in 1965 -- found a loving home at the museum. A beautifully restored tin ceiling graces the Visitor's Center, drawing the eye upward and paying homage to Big Horn Implement and Schoen's Auto Supply businesses. A vintage light from Custer Park enhances the museum's foyer. CASH REGISTERS, western wear, doors, desks, mirrors, lights, banisters, clocks, storage cabinets from a hardware store, an antique phone booth long before cell phones.... all speak to a community whose citizens have preserved a slice of life more than a century later. Antiques and vintage photos are beautifully integrated in the Big Horn County Historical Museum complex in Hardin. It's a true treasure. An antique sink from the city's first hospital -- long ago condemned -- found a health related space in the museum -- installed in the women's restroom. A Brunswick Bar from the Bighorn Saloon is perhaps the best preserved relic of bygone days. THE MUSEUM complex offers a wonderland of heritage, history and imagination. It's one of the most artful museums in a medium sized town -- Montana or beyond. The Pollard Hotel in Red Lodge: elegant, historic, restful, with fabulous food and pet-friendly digs to boot! Scheidt says the museum is "a work in progress, continuing to develop." Adults pay $6 and seniors $5. Besides special programs, educational and private tours, the museum park area is available for special events such as family reunions and weddings, memorial services or unique gatherings of any kind where a feeling of history is desired. For more, go to www.bighorncountymuseum.org UP NEXT: Wonderful relaxation abounds at the Pollard Hotel in Red Lodge, where our wayfarers put down for badly needed R&R. What makes this unique Montana hotel such a sanctuary and treasure? Find out at www.whereiscookie.com, where we promise lively looks at off-beat travel treats and treasures. Remember, carpe diem, so explore, learn and live and check us out each Wednesday and every weekend!

A beautifully acted comedy drama at North Coast Repertory Theatre features Anabella Price and Mark Bramhall as Dubliners Betty and Dan. 'CHAPATTI' IS CHARMING, FUNNY LOVE STORY WITH AN IRISH BROGUE STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER IF YOU ENJOY fine theater, a loyal cat or dog and a charming love story, you still have a few days to catch "Chapatti," at North Coast Repertory Theatre. The beautifully directed, well acted two-person show tells the tale of two lonely animal lovers who meet in a Dublin veterinary clinic. He's grieving the loss of a longtime lover and contemplating parting with his rescue-dog Chapatti, to pave the way for suicide. She's a classic "cat lady," long since given up on romance. They are human posters for the "get a friend" campaign and we're cheering them on toward romance. Play goers mingle at North Coast Repertory Theatre. Chapatti," (an Indian bread, and a pet dog's name) runs through Nov. 15 and is highly recommended. TALENTED ACTORS Mark Bramhall and Anabella Price play the parts of two lonely, opinionated people who have more in common than they suspect. Billed as a "heartwarming second-chance comedy," it celebrates life and the capacity to heal, continue and be open to love. Tony award-winning actress Judith Ivey directs the Christian O'Reilly work with a winning warmth and humor. Don't miss it, and consider subscribing to the Rep season, which ranges from a Christmas classic to Sherlock Holmes on the frontier, to an adaptation of a William Faulkner story, a Fats Waller tribute and the classic "Hedda Gabler." www.northcoastrep.org The Bair collection of antiques, silver, china and crystal, includes sewing machines and vintage photos in the Barn. UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS AT MONTANA MUSEUM A PIONEERING Montana family dined on Limoges and Waterford crystal, but was equally at home "on the range" in jeans and cowboy hats. Alberta Bair: Montana philanthropist. The Charles Bair family -- the elder Bair, his wife Mary and daughters Marguerite and Alberta -- left a rare legacy to Montana when the last of the family, Alberta, passed away in the late 1990s, leaving millions in trust for a museum on the ranch property near Martinsdale, Montana. The Bair home is open to the public this weekend. The art museum is free and tours are discounted. That came to pass, with a beautiful facility built near the original home. This Saturday, Nov. 14, visitors will have the rare, once-a-year opportunity to visit the museum, then tour the downstairs home and upstairs private family quarters at the Bair Family Museum. Museum director Elizabeth Guheen says, "Each year, we bring out collection items that are not displayed year-round. Saturday, we feature the Bair family’s formal china and dinnerware, plus everyday dishes." All the home's tables will showcase eclectic linens, silver and china -- from Minton porcelain to Limoges bouillon cups brought home after a Paris visit. Cygnet Theatre in Old Town just completed a pair of Noel Coward works. The popular tour day is offered for a discount: $3 for adults, free for 16 and under. The Bair Art Museum and Barn are also free during the weekend holiday open house. Coffee, cider, hot chocolate and treats will be served in the Bair Barn. Check it out if you're near Montana. www.bairfamilymuseum.org COMING UP NEXT: On the 10th anniversary of the departure of writer and artist Bill Jones, we reflect on a life well lived! Then -- a celebration of theater. San Diego is alive with fantastic plays. Many Broadway shows got their start in this southern California cultural mecca: ("Jersey Boys," "The Book of Mormon" and more...) We look at upcoming seasons, from San Diego Repertory Theatre to La Jolla Playhouse and Cygnet. Explore, learn and live and check us out weekends and as the spirit moves at: 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.