Dude Ranch Recipe Roundup
Let the Wild West inspire your next culinary adventure! Story and Photos by Julie Bielenberg Recipes and Photos courtesy of the Dude Ranches It’s no secret that one of the most amazing perks of dude ranch travel is the food. From generational dishes to five-star cuisine, the myriad of mealtime journeys can be just as […]
Winter Is Coming: Game Of Thrones Iceland Locations
“Winter is coming. We know what’s coming with it.” Jon Snow, Game of Thrones Snow transforms Iceland’s landscapes, and not just in the winter months. Even in the shoulder seasons of Spring and Fall, you can experience snow in the North. In fact, on a recent mid-October counterclockwise road trip around Iceland, we were grounded […]
Julefest! Christmas in Solvang
Tucked away in the picturesque Santa Ynez Valley, about 30 miles north of Santa Barbara, is the charming village of Solvang, founded by Danish immigrants early in the 20th century. It is known for windmills and wineries amidst authentic Danish architecture such as thatched roofs and old-world craftsmanship, and presents Danish culture in dozens of […]
A Festival of Lights in Riverside, California
The city of Riverside, California, nestles along the Santa Ana River. A large metro area, Riverside is situated 50 miles south of Los Angeles in the area known as the Inland Empire. Founded in the 1870s, this vibrant community is a destination for arts and culture and particularly sparkles at holiday time. The temperatures may […]
Christmas at the Hotel Del Coronado
Few people think of San Diego as a winter holiday destination. But, for me, there is no place more magical during the holidays than San Diego’s Coronado Island. Coronado sits directly across San Diego Bay from Downtown San Diego. As my local friend and I drive across iconic blue Coronado Bay Bridge, we find the […]
Christmas in the City of Lights
Paris is a most magical place. There are always new sights. There are always stories. On this trip, we were with friends with small children, and we had only a few hours left in which to capture and consume some of that magic. Time to get moving. On the early December afternoon we had together, […]
Epic Skiing Without the Crowds in Idaho
Hit the slopes in Idaho for a relaxed and budget-friendly skiing experience. We went straight onto the lift after popping on our skis and admired the 100-mile views on the way up. We swooshed down the mountain for more than a mile, making fresh tracks, then skied straight up to the lift chair to do […]
Christmas Crafts from the Village of Lauscha
The age-old art of handmade, glass-blown, and paper mache Christmas ornaments lives on in the village of Lauscha, in Germany’s ancient Thuringian Forest. One of my favorite Christmas memories as a child was unspooling the tissue paper-wrapped silvered Christmas ornaments compartmentalized in cardboard boxes. The entire sensory experience still stirs my soul, starting with the […]