Every great city starts somewhere. And make no mistake; Seattle is a great city. There is a reason so many lovers of culture, of the outdoors, or just of a good life with a great cup of coffee (not Starbucks) come here to visit or to live. But it had to start somewhere. And it…
Editor’s note: we are so lucky to have Hedy Maessen here at The Royal Tour. While over time she will share her world travels with us, her focus so far has been on her home: The Netherlands. That insider view is one that sets us apart! For more of Hedy’s writing, click here to visit…
If asked to name the best venue in Los Angeles to see a concert, most would immediately say the Hollywood Bowl. And really, who can blame them? Set in a natural bowl in the Hollywood Hills, the amphitheater is a beautiful, open-air gem that is coincidentally celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. (My last three…
It is an unexpected way to start my day, but perhaps it shouldn’t be. I came into United Bread and Pastry to pick up some traditional Filipino treats, perfect to begin a day of exploration here in Los Angeles’ Historic Filipinotown. As always, I introduce myself, say that I’m a writer doing a story on…
After a summer of mostly staying in Los Angeles - which has been full of cool activities and lots of great food - I am off on another trip, this time to the jewel of the Pacific Northwest: Seattle. I’ve been to Seattle several times before, but always for a specific purpose. There were three…
Editor’s note: I was fortunate to spend a full month in Lisbon in early 2020, prior to the onset of Covid. Like Sam, I loved the city, and you can click here to read my guide to it, which in turn links to other in-depth articles about specific neighborhoods and aspects of life in Lisbon.…
How much of my story came from this place? Would I still be the same person had I grown up elsewhere? How much of this city is in me? Or I in it? Brand Boulevard has certainly changed in the forty-one years since my birth, though it is still - and probably always will be…
Editor’s note: my entire experience in Nice was a fifteen minute train connection between Marseille and Monaco. It is a place I want to actually see, and this beautiful piece by Mandy just reinforces that. For more of Mandy’s writing, click here to visit her index page. There are often times when I have to…
The cities are in two different states, but are less than 45 minutes apart. El Paso is a city of about 800,000 at the western tip of Texas. Las Cruces sits just north, in southern New Mexico. At just over 100,000, it is the second largest city in the state (behind Albuquerque). Both are cities…
Editor’s note: for regular readers, you’ve become accustomed to seeing the world not only through Sam Spector’s eyes, but also those of his wife and their now year-old daughter. Here, they explore one of my favorite countries, and one I’ve considered moving to: Portugal. Enjoy! And for more of Sam’s adventures, click here to visit…