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A French spa in Brazil's Italian wine country
Published in the Chicago Sun-Times
It wasn't the cushioned wooden lounge chair, the thick robe, the citrus-infused water or the soaking pool looking out on the rolling green countryside that truly spoke of relaxation.
No, it was only when I discovered that all of the magazines were in Portuguese that I finally shut off my head and indulged in the unique sensory experiences offered by a French spa in the heart of Italian wine country in southern Brazil.
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Talkin' 'bout my girls (PDF)
published in Fort Wayne Monthly
Ah, Valentine’s Day. Love is in the air. Also on the air are countless advertisements
for roses and diamonds and chocolate, featuring fairy-tale couples holding
hands. It would all be so touching if it didn’t make you want to gag.
Yes, the holiday of hearts and flowers is marketed toward couples, and single
people who buy into it can feel like “L” is not for “love” but for “loser.” Despite
what advertisers would have you believe, however, you are still cool and worthy even if you
don’t receive a sugar-laden box of assorted chocolate joy from your guy on Valentine’s Day.
In fact, you have lots to celebrate on that special day, including the sistas with whom
you kick it most other Saturdays. Let this not be day of hiding at home or lamenting your
lovelorn life: Love the ones you’re with. Here are three very different ways to celebrate
the day with the people in your life who won’t let you settle for Mr. Date-You-Till-He-
Finishes-School-Gets-a-Job-and-Dumps-You. Let’s hear it for the girls.
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Happy accidents in beautiful Barcelona
published in Fort Wayne Living
I was just waiting for the magic to kick in.
The traffic whizzed by as I balanced my luggage in the center island of a busy Barcelona street. I struggled to remain upright against the waves of passing people and strained to read the tiny street signs.
I was exhausted after a 20-hour trip that included trains, planes and several kinds of automobiles, teeming streets, a wrong turn in the Metro and luggage that grew heavier with every step.
But Europe is magic. It is history and art and architecture and culture and political awareness and fashion and fun and a passion for life. And I was there, in Barcelona, just a few weary streets away from a hot shower and a new pair of shoes.
I could almost feel the tingle.
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Inn at Aberdeen
Published in Fort Wayne Magazine
I didn’t meet the little girl who lives at the Inn at Aberdeen – for which I am very glad, because that little girl, as the story goes, is a ghost.
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Chicago Pike Inn
Published in Fort Wayne Magazine
I’m going to share a dirty little secret with you: When it comes to cleaning, I can be a bit obsessive-compulsive.
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Old Carriage Inn
Published in Fort Wayne Magazine
We weren’t quite sure we were in the right place when we drove up to the Old Carriage Inn.
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50 Lincoln Bed and Breakfast
Published in Fort Wayne Magazine
You know a bed-and-breakfast has promise when the innkeeper’s directions include “Turn right in the alley beside Mona Lisa.”
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Grant Street Inn
Published in Fort Wayne Magazine
There aren’t any university buildings at 310 N. Grant St. in Bloomington, but you can always find class there.
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Tweeds and Teas at the Gray Goose Inn (PDF)
Published in Fort Wayne Magazine
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A visit to Orlando’s kid mecca has nearly become a rite of passage. Little pals at my daughter’s school and all over Fort Wayne bond over stories of screams on Space Mountain, squeals in Cinderella’s Castle, and other adventures with Mickey and the gang at the Magic Kingdom.
Parents share similar stories – only theirs involve the screams of exhausted children standing in yet another line, or squeals of protest from little ones who really, really, really need just one more sweet treat – pretty pleeeeeeeease.
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Price of Rocky Mountain high is low in sweet summertime
Published in The Journal Gazette
Usually at this point on the lift, I have to shift my skis, grip my poles and brace myself to get off and get out of the way before the next gondola chair comes along and plants me in the snow.
But today, the sun is shining and most of the snow is gone. Our family is one of just a few riding to the top at Keystone, so gondola operators are happy to slow it down. It’s easy to hop off onto dry land in the clear, crisp air at what feels like the top of the world.
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