Warm Mediterranean Waters...ahhhh

With all the rains and heavy snow hitting the west coast and east coast (Hey Boston!), I have been dreaming of Spain again, specifically Southern Spain and the Costa del Sol.  This part of Spain is one of the most popular destinations for Spaniards and tourists alike.  It is also one of my new favorite winter getaways!

We stayed close to the town of Marbella, with its great seafood restaurants, for a week in November.  This resort town reminded me of Carmel and Monterey in California, only better.  Why?  First of all, Marbella boasts that they enjoy more than 300 days of sunshine every year!  During our week there we had only sunshine filled days and temperatures in the mid-70s.  Heaven. Read More »

Andalucian Driving in Southern Spain

Did you know that besides the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the United States, you will find them also in southern Spain? During our Spanish vacation we drove across the Sierra Nevada mountains north of Malaga in the Andalucian region. The area is filled with white hill towns and delicious foods like jamon.

My husband loves renting a car on vacation and imagines himself Juan Manuel Fangio, the famed Argentinian race car driver. Driving the hills of San Francisco, California he likes to mutter under his breath quotes from Juan Manuel Fangio as he passes a Muni bus or poky driver. Read More »

A stargazer silhouetted against the night sky.

I live in the suburbs, where the city lights block out all but the most determinedly bright stars and celestial objects. A few nights ago the sky was particularly clear, and my husband and I stood in our front yard finding satellites and identifying planets. That got me to thinking about how significant stargazing used to be for me, in my home town in Maine. I’ve never seen stars so bright, since I moved away. I’ve really stopped looking up as much as I used to – a fact which I hope to rectify in the very near future.

Here are a handful of excellent locations from which to gaze at the stars.

1. Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada. Rent a houseboat for a week, and spend your evenings floating along, laying on a blanket or lounge chair on the roof, and gazing up at the unrestricted view, free from the dampening of city lights.

2. Haleakala National Park, Maui. The summit of Haleakala Mountain is the highest point on Maui and brings you above the cloud level and close to the night sky. The clear air has been washed clean by Pacific winds and rain, and the unrestricted view is glorious.

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Boston Common with the State House Golden Dome

We had the best of all worlds on a recent week in Boston, Massachusetts. Our arrival came with loads of snow, and a two hour wait for our plane to land because the airport had to de-ice the runways. However, after the first day we had many days of sunshine and blue skies to go with the 40 degree temperatures. Works for me.

We came to visit family and explore this sister city to San Francisco. We passed on a Duck Tour this time choosing to take advantage of the clear skies to walk as much as we could without freezing our butts off. We stayed in the Back Bay area, at this historic hotel close to the Public Gardens and Boston Common. This location was ideal for walking along Boylston and Newbury Streets as well as over to Charles Street and Beacon Hill. Read More »