August 22, 2017
Wigwam Village No. 2 in Cave City, Kentucky, a themed motel of Route 66, is still operational. The abandoned Haunted Hotel attraction also in Cave City. It is open to explore, but an adorable grey tabby kitten was guarding the door. Overgrowth A sinister fellow plays the piano. I Read more…
August 21, 2017
I spent my day in Gallatin, Tennessee in the line of totality during the Great American Eclipse. Since I traveled far and prepared a lot, I thought it best to get there at 2:45 a.m., joined only by singing crickets and several other eclipse chasers who agreed that the idea Read more…
August 20, 2017
Cowboy boot outfitters are all over the place in Nashville–every style, color, bedazzled, and traditional. But, dear readers, would Nashville have vegan cowboy boots? (…suspenseful music…) As I perused the rainbow of boots, mostly to temporarily bask in the air conditioning and escape the sweltering heat pounding the pavement, it Read more…
August 19, 2017
Another day in one of our nation’s national parks, my #21, Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee. This park, like Shenandoah, feels more like home. Though spectacular they are, the geology of the western parks in their different biomes can be almost otherworldly. There is a slight uneasiness underneath Read more…
A National Park with the opportunity for exploration of long-abandoned dilapidated cabins? That is double the pleasure for me! Daisy Town was a resort enclave established in the early 20th century by pioneer Appalachians. The old cottages are easily accessible in the Elkmont region of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Read more…
August 18, 2017
It’s morning in Shenandoah, and the sun overcomes its obstacles. As usual. How perfect is a morning? Fresh and potent with opportunity and intention. Never you mind what becomes of it; that’s the evening’s problem to solve. The clouds veil the light, hiding the blue, so you don’t take it Read more…
August 17, 2017
Spoilet alert: By the end of this blog post, by the end of my day, I end up… in a cabin in the woods in the mountains within rumbling thunder, the lucky pile of wood between two very vocal mocking birds going on and on about something, perhaps the storm Read more…
August 16, 2017
Water/water thermos Mini cooler to keep your water cold Coffee thermos Sunscreen Sunglasses for sit/wait time Brimmed hat Bug spray Blanket Snacks Roll of toilet paper Cell phone & charger, though cell service will likely be jammed up Plastic champagne flute Solar glasses White towels to reflect sun of equipment Read more…
First: you know how you hear stories of people who try frying turkeys during Thanksgiving and cause an explosion? Or Meth producers who blow up their homes? Like that, you risk catastrophic consequences if you go staring at the sun willy-nilly without protection–or looking through a camera without a solar Read more…
August 6, 2017
There’s always a reason to go to Philadelphia. Usually it’s food. But the food invites you to make a day of it, to explore other things. Then, the duration of exploration makes you hungry again. (So yes, it’s mostly about food.) But Philadelphia is only two hours away, has deep Read more…
August 5, 2017
When I was a kid I loved ravioli. Meat ravioli. I remember joining my mother when she picked it up from the Italian market. I knew that the ritual was different than going to the generic grocery store a few doors down. And the meat ravioli were square, I knew, while Read more…
July 18, 2017
Though I generally resent most advertisements as trite emotional manipulation, I really love this Volvo ad. But I credit Walt Whitman’s Song of the Open Road more than Volvo… and Josh Brolin’s voice as narrator. It captures the magic of being on the road, a beloved past time of mine. Further, Read more…
On my last day in my second favorite city I headed to Chinatown. Mostly because when I saw the huge drive-in line at In-n-Out Burger I felt slightly disappointed I couldn’t partake in such a characteristic LA sociological gathering. But my friend told me that Burgerlords, which was on my Read more…
July 17, 2017
Beautiful Places Close By, Beautiful Places Far Away, Eating Out, Nostalgia, Photography, Wanderlust
{ A crème brûlée donut from Donut Friend. } { Plant Food + Wine‘s Polenta + Hash: wild mushrooms, sweet potato hash, harissa } { Their potato-heavy Breakfast Burrito } { And their Chickpea Fritatta, dressed to the nines. } { A side of barbecue tempeh with very bitter micro greens. Read more…
July 16, 2017
The variety of vegan options in Los Angeles is overwhelming. While meal destinations are carefully deliberated, there are some guidelines that can help differentiate a good vegan options with a meh vegan option. The first guideline: forget the eateries that have packaged foods on the menu. You’re not food shopping; Read more…
Breakfast can often go two ways–vibrant or gluttonous. This morning we headed over to a no-fail vegan breakfast option that I rarely take part in, an acai bowl. I got The Patriot with banana, strawberry, blueberry, coconut, and acai at Brazailian Acai Bowls in Bakersfield. It did the job. A Read more…
July 15, 2017
After a quick breakfast at Cafe Smitten in Bakersfield, California it would be time to see a third/fourth California national park: Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks. To start, a peanut butter and chocolate bar, real good black coffee, and National Park guidebooks. And a quick bite. The Vegan Burrito Read more…
July 14, 2017
After driving in the desert all day, I’m pretty batty right now. I don’t want to even attempt to wax poetic about just how gorgeous you are, dear America. It is kind of unreal how much unearthly beauty lies within you. I’ll try a little with the few brain cells Read more…
July 13, 2017
Today is day one of a California summer adventure! And day ones are about getting acclimated, adjusting to the road and a totally new lay of the land. This land, our land/your land, is coated in a sun-dried muff; it’s baked, the high and mighty ball of fire sucking out Read more…
April 14, 2017
Are you really productive on Sunday? I am. There is something about the last day (of the weekend, in this example) that pushes me to action. Of course this ‘Sunday urgency’ exists today, Friday, as it is my last day here in Paris, France. With a full day at my disposal, I hoped Read more…
April 13, 2017
One thing that Europe does right is their train stations. Besides being within massive and ornate cathedrals, they are always wide open and airy, contain several flapping pigeons for effect, and are very easy to navigate. Like this here Amsterdam Centraal Station. Why are they so beautiful? Perhaps because the rails are so Read more…
After the world’s most perfect train ride, I was back in Paris again, finally learning how to take the Metro. I was also back in the room I stayed in days before. With Eiffel Tower views. Can you see it over there across the way from my balcony? And what Read more…
April 11, 2017
Maybe it’s Europe or maybe it’s seeing Before Sunrise in my formative years, but train rides are pretty romantic. The moments of building inertia then the surrender to a lulling undulation of the train car back and forth is evocative. Still inside the motion of a setting, all paintbrush stroke-like. Read more…
Today I was in Africa and all I got was this crummy picture. I was basking in the warm, arid breeze of Casablanca. Well, its airport’s tarmac when I realized what my day of travel had done. You wait on this line, sit in this seat, wait on this other Read more…
October 26, 2016
Yes, American football in London. It’s a thing. The NFL International Series started in 2007 to promote the game and its brand abroad. The American Bowl, preseason exhibitions games, were not doing enough. The International Series are games held in London during the regular season. I’ve known about them only Read more…
October 23, 2016
It was a beautiful day in London. I had to step onto our balcony to see the bright blue. We let her tell us which way to look. A pretty litter… followed by sushi off a conveyer belt. (YO! Sushi) And the always-appreciated vegan options.