I am in Guérande, France, a charming, walled, medieval village near the Atlantic coast. The town is the stuff of fairy tales, dreamlike, really. It is the kind of French village I always hope I’ll luck into.
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Lotusland Lovelies in Montecito, California
Just inside Montecito, California, adjacent to Santa Barbara is a closely held secret: Lotusland. Although it sounds like a scary Homer's Odyssey-type amusement park, it actually makes for a fantastic, botanical and artistic afternoon.
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Rebellion Against My Paris Guidebook
Back at the hotel, I fish out my copy of Time Out Paris, which is luckily still in the bin (I paid 8 dollars for it!) and turn to section on The Marais. Of course, the Place des Vosges, the Bains du Marais, and the Hotel de la Ville are…
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Girls’ Getaway to Coastal Georgia at Eagle Island
Take a group of women, get them away from their daily lives, throw in good food and wine, and the odds are it's going to be amazing. But with more and more women getting together for this kind of travel what makes a girlfriend's getaway something beyond the ordinary? And…
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Place de la Concorde and a Chic Breakdown in Paris
As I was ambling through the Tuileries Gardens one vaguely hot summer afternoon last August (crumb-filled patisserie bag in hand), I was more than delighted to come across this “breakdown” scene smack-dab on the Place de la Concorde. Of course not so delighted for the poor men who were stuck…
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Garmin and Me: How My GPS and I Became Friends
When I was driving in France around the Loire Valley several weeks ago, let's just say my GPS device and I got to know each other pretty well. Here are some things I observed and how our relationship developed from its rocky beginnings.
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Cortona, Italy’s Villa Marsili
Last year for our first wedding anniversary and my 25th birthday my husband and I traveled to Italy for seven days. Five of those days were spent at the impressive Villa Marsili in the charming town of Cortona.
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French Goat Cheese From The Loire Valley (Visit To A Local Farm)
Those delicate little rounds of loveliness with their subtle yet somewhat nutty flavor, seem to be available at every turn in France. Spread on a baguette, or served warm in a salad, then consumed with a glass of Sancerre wine (yes, I'm a Sancerrean wine snob today, in yet another…
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Pastoral Beauty on the Mississippi River in Missouri
About an hour outside of St. Louis, MO, along a country road, you'll reach a town on the Mississippi River that resonates with the soul of Mark Twain. Clarksville, Missouri, may not be a place where you'd expect gourmet meals and first class accommodations, but let me clear that up…