I was lucky to squeeze in one more vacation before the Labor Day weekend, with our family gathering to celebrate a major birthday in Norfolk, Virginia of all places…
Continue reading “Come on down sweet Virginia…”Come on down sweet Virginia…
Category: Where I’ve Been
Travel
Get your kicks on Route 66…
Have you ever driven cross-country? I recently completed my eighth trip and no matter how many times I drive from one side of this county to the other, it never gets old. These treks demand a co-pilot to share the adventure with, and this time around I was joined by a sibling with whom I love to travel. We only had five days to reach our ultimate destination in San Diego, so I created a loose itinerary which considered how many miles a day we needed to drive, identified touristy things to do along the way (because all driving and no play makes for very grumpy travelers), noted some coffee and food possibilities at various stopping points, and identified a few potential places to stay each night (depending on how far we actually drove each day). Read on to see how it all played out…
Continue reading “Get your kicks on Route 66…”When I paint my masterpiece…
An etching from Maryann Cannon
I love me some craft and artisan fairs, especially when they happen during the fall. I’ve been fortunate to have spent the last two weekends enjoying a ‘true’ fall, with seasonally brisk temperatures, beautiful blue skies, and trees of every autumnal color while also exploring two quaint historical towns full of creativity… Continue reading “When I paint my masterpiece…”
Under the boardwalk…
1930-1945 Bathing Beach, Wildwood, NJ postcard
(image courtesy of Boston Public Library Tichnor Brothers Collection)
Do you like to hop in your car and drive, with no particular place to go? I can’t think of anything better than heading out on a road adventure, listening to some tunes with my favorite people beside me, talking about nothing and everything as the scenery rolls by. It’s the actual definition of a joyride [(joi-rid): a ride taken for pleasure (as in a car or aircraft)] and I’ve decided to add more joyrides into my life, starting out with a easy drive to Wildwood NJ on a quick shoobie trip to eat fresh crabs, smell the salty ocean air and experience the Boardwalk… Continue reading “Under the boardwalk…”
I’m the #1 fan of the man from Tennessee…
Nashville Neon
You may not be able to go home again but you can certainly visit. That’s what I recently did, when I returned to Nashville for the first time since moving out of state. It was a very art-centric 3 days, which had me seeing art, buying art, celebrating art, and spending time with some of my favorite people whom I’ve made art with.
Is visiting Nashvegas on your travel bucket list? Maybe you’ve thought of rocking out at Bonnaroo or the CMA’s? Or maybe you’ve dreamed of a giant weekend bar hop, centered around Lower Broad where cowboy boot wearing about-to-be brides and grooms drunkenly celebrate their last days of being single. Take it from a long-time resident, there’s a lot more to do in Nashville than that. Here’s an alternative itinerary for exploring the city at large, in case you’d like to experience Music City like a local…
Continue reading “I’m the #1 fan of the man from Tennessee…”
Going back to Miami…
The fact that I love to travel should come as no surprise to readers of this blog. I have spent many summers (and winters) residing at various NJ, Florida and California seaside communities. I already have NY and Cali beach trips scheduled for this summer. When friends reached out to ask my advice on how to spend 3 days in Miami Beach I couldn’t resist planning a third. Here’s what I’d recommend…
I’m a Traveler…
When I first began blogging the goal was to challenge my creative skills while sharing my fascination with the world around me with anyone who visited this site. Fast forward a few years and a few hundred posts later to now, where inspiration and content creation are challenges I’ve struggled to overcome since covid changed our lives. After reading Austin Kleon’s ‘15 years of blogging (and 3 reasons I keep going)‘ I am, once again, enthusiastic about posting on a more regular basis, beginning with a topic which always gets me excited – travel.
The road dog in me was thrilled by having to drive cross-country TWICE this summer. Even more exciting was the prospect of traveling with two of the people I care most about: my sister and my son. Big Sis joined me for Road Trip #1 to retrieve a cherished family dog from Denver. Our trip started in Tennessee, then led us north and west through Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas, and Colorado, after which we headed back east to New Jersey before I made the rest of the drive solo through Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, finally ending up back in the Volunteer State. It took 8 days to make the drive but we only made it 140 miles before we stopped for our first adventure… Continue reading “I’m a Traveler…”
I’ve seen all of this world…
Last week my husband and I put the dog in the kennel and headed east for a quick 3-day get-a-way to Gatlinburg, TN. I’ve never spent much time in the area, except to drive through Knoxville on my way to somewhere else. I always laughed at the signs for Pigeon Forge but after watching an episode of ‘Family Guy’ where Peter takes the family to Dollywood we decided if it was good enough for the Griffin’s it was good enough for us…
Precious Memories…
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of accompanying a few team members on a field trip to Whitesburg, Kentucky… Continue reading “Precious Memories…”
Do the pinball boogie..
After four trips to Asheville over the past year I FINALLY had time to get my game on at the Asheville Pinball Museum… Continue reading “Do the pinball boogie..”
The Grey Goddess 