Affordable and Comfortable Accommodation in New York City A trip to New York City for a little shopping, some sightseeing, theater, and more necessitates a hotel choice that works well for all those activities. One recent choice we make is the Hilton Garden Inn on West 54 Street in Manhattan. Conveniently located between Broadway…
Staying in San Juan Now
One Good Place to Stay in Post-Hurricane Maria Puerto Rico Having scheduled a Caribbean cruise departing from San Juan for Thanksgiving week 2017, we thoughtfully built in a day before and after in San Juan for a little bit of sightseeing and to make sure that we would still be able to make our boat…
Visiting San Juan Now
After Hurricane Maria and a Slow Recovery Devastated Puerto Rico, Should Tourists Still Go to San Juan? Having planned a cruise departing from San Juan for the greater part of the year, I am not sure what to expect upon landing in Puerto Rico shortly before Thanksgiving. News reports have shown the devastation—people without…
A DFW Stayover
A Layover at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Turns Out Well A last-minute business trip taking me from New York to the Pacific Coast of Mexico means that I have an unwieldly layover at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, of the sort where my plane arrives at DFW late Wednesday night but my second flight does…
#MondayFunDay Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Cat Naps in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico Visiting a new place of necessity means looking around, even when one is simply walking from one destination to another. See more, notice more, pay attention more. And so, in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, this visitor finds plenty of stray cats who walk the streets with…
Crouching Boy Close Up
Appreciating Michelangelo’s Work at the Hermitage Of the many things to appreciate about St. Petersburg’s Hermitage—in addition to the vastness and quality of its art collection—is the opportunity to experience so much of it up close and in a luxurious atmosphere. While some more contemporary museums ooze sterility—with security so brisk that viewers are kept…
Rail Biking near Lake George
A Day in the Adirondacks on a Rail Bike Built for Four Fresh air, sunshine, and the banks of the Hudson River are all part of a rail biking experience near Lake George, N.Y. On a day trip to the Adirondacks, we head to the North Creek Railroad Station—famous as the point from which, back…
Visiting Las Vegas Now
Helping a City Overcome a Tragedy with Tourist Dollars I love Las Vegas for a thousand campy reasons—the lights, the glitz, the music of the Sex and the City slot machine. I love the show girls posing for photos on the streets, the sheer energy of the strip, the high-end shopping that I can really…
It’s Pumpkin Season in North Salem and Vicinity
Where to Get a Pumpkin near I684 Exit 8 Pumpkin-hunting season is in full swing, and the orange orbs abound in North Salem, N.Y. and vicinity. Locals as well as city-dwellers up for a full pumpkin experience can enjoy apple orchards and pumpkin patches in this particularly attractive area of Northern Westchester, right on the…
Taking a NASCAR Daycation
Racecars, A Roadtrip, and a Lot of Potential A great trip does not always have to be had by decamping to someplace exotic or romantic and far, far away. I am introduced to a whole new world—just a couple of hours away from my home—when a neighbor gives us tickets to a next-day NASCAR race….