Artful Surprise in Small Town California

Art installment at Dockweiller Beach

There are few beach towns left in Southern California in their original incarnation. El Segundo is one of them. It saddles up against a refinery, but is also walking distance to Dockweiller State Beach and is neighbors with the more upscale Manhattan Beach. You can get a great meal in any of its many restaurants in [...]

Day Trippin’ Southern California Style – Festivals, History and the Ocean

Channel Islands off of Oxnard

Vacations are often aimed at large cities and when going to California most travelers head for Los Angeles, San Francisco or San Diego.  There are so many other aspects to the golden state that have great appeal and give a taste of what comprises California as seen from a small town view. Oxnard, California is an agriculturally-based coastal [...]

Day Trippin’ Southern California Style – Food, Wine and Shopping

Oxnard Farmer's Market

  When you have the abundance of agriculture Oxnard, California does – food and wine are inevitably a staple. The local restaurants take full advantage of the farm to table opportunities and are proud to serve local wines with meals prepared for the season. Oxnard is not only a treat for the senses, but also an easy day [...]

History and Food Come Together at The Saxon, Johannesburg, South Africa

Executive Chef, David Higg's Lamb Chasseur.
Image: Compliments of The Saxon.

In the three months that I spent in Africa, I flew in, out of and through the Johannesburg (or Joburg) airport eight times on South African Airways — to say I was familiar with the various terminals would be an understatement. While I don’t really enjoy spending time at the airport, Joburg has done an [...]

Houston Gets Arty

Founded in 1900, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's collection numbers more than 56,000 works and embraces the art of antiquity to the present.

Houston is easy to overlook; it doesn’t have the flashiness of Dallas or the indie subculture of Austin. But Texas’ most populous city, and surprisingly the country’s most diverse, has a quiet modesty which makes it a fantastic place to visit. If you can overlook the city’s odd zoning (or lack thereof), Houston is an [...]

Summerfest With a Side of Milwaukee – What to Do

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A Break from the Summerfest Crowds A great way to break out of the Summerfest crowd for a bit is to enjoy so many of the other things Milwaukee has to offer. It’s not difficult to find places to chill out and the selection is varied enough to please all tastes. Art In Milwaukee The Milwaukee [...]

Things to do when staying at the Arizona Biltmore

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While You’re in Phoenix… Staying at the Arizona Biltmore is an ideal jumping point for taking in the sites and tastes of Phoenix. Here are some additional places you may want to check while you’re there: Piestewa Peak Hike (formerly Squaw Peak) This is a short 1.2 miles to the top hike, but not for [...]

Elegance and entertainment at the Arizona Biltmore

Arizona Biltmore Gardens

Arizona Biltmore My stay at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Arizona was a nice surprise. I was expecting austere and pricey, and what I got was elegant, comfortable and friendly.  The picturesque setting mimics the art deco design of Frank Lloyd Wright with a stunning natural backdrop of Camelback Mountain and Squaw Peak and there’s [...]