Testimonials
Travel Stories
Don’t Use the Bedspread
I was very lucky to have started writing travel stories at the dawn of the Internet, when the new medium coexisted with publishing. Back then, the pay was outstanding by today’s scale and writing assignments were easily obtained. Every country, state, region, city, resort, hotel, spa, and cruise line wanted travel features. It was a[…]
Balboa Park – San Diego’s Crown Jewel
Balboa Park’s inception was in 1868 when land was set aside for a city park. A master plan was created in the early 1900s when taxes were levied leading to water systems and roads being built. To further promote San Diego’s commercial possibilities as the first US port of call for ships transiting the Panama[…]
San Diego’s Edible Extravaganza….
My favorite city-wide event, San Diego Restaurant Week, takes place January 19 – 26. It provides an opportunity to eat at almost 200 restaurants throughout the city and county. Dining spots will be serving two-course prix-fixe lunches for $10 – $25 per person and three-course prix-fixe dinners, ranging from $20 – $60. There’s a new[…]
Travel Gifts for the Holidays and a Vacation Idea
During 2019, I searched out new products that are worthy of mention in my year-end travel gift column. Here are my recommendations for clothing, shoes, and accessories, along with a vacation tip. Head to Toe Outdoor Research manufactures top of the line travel clothing, most with UPF 50+. Here is a fashionable trifecta: lightweight Swift[…]
Pechanga Resort Casino
Pechanga Resort Casino There’s nothing better than a quick getaway destination with good food, amenities galore, reasonable rates, and a casino. Since I had read about Pechanga’s $300 million expansion last year, I decided to give it a try. Spoiler alert: I wasn’t disappointed. History The Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians has called the[…]
San Diego’s Halloween Haunts & Horrors
History: The festival of Samhain is the forerunner to today’s Halloween. Over 2,000 years ago, ancient Celts in the UK and Northern France would light bonfires and wear costumes in the fall to ward off ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III proclaimed November 1 as a day to honor every saint. All Saints[…]
Summer’s Over in San Diego – What Now?
It’s that time of the year when the tourists are gone, school is in full swing, the weather is perfect, and there is a lot going on in San Diego. Old Town celebrates its 250th anniversary on September 14 & 15. This free event marks the year, 1769, that “Alta California” was first settled with[…]
The Jewel of Jamul
The small town of Jamul is located in San Diego’s East County. Its highlights are the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge and several regional parks offering camping, hiking, fishing, and grand vistas. My visit was to check out the three year old Jamul Casino located 20 minutes from downtown San Diego. Tribal History The Jamul[…]
California’s Central Valley’s Gem: Chico
Recent History: Chico, CA has been in the news a lot since the devastating fire that destroyed its neighbor, Paradise. It became the the staging ground for Cal Fire and volunteers from around the state and country. Chico was also inundated with almost 20,000 displaced persons. The community was impacted greatly but is slowly recovering.[…]
Staying and Playing in La Jolla
Memorial Day marks the unofficial beginning of summer. If a beach vacation is in your plans, head to San Diego’s “jewel,” La Jolla. Although it has an upscale reputation, there are lots of ways to enjoy inexpensive meals and free things to do. I’ve lived in La Jolla for 45+ years, so I’ve shopped around[…]