How much do we really know about the history of our hometowns? If you are like me - or like most people, I'd imagine - the answer is: not much. I am a native Angeleno (Los Angeles resident), and have lived here all but about a decade of my life, and my knowledge of where…
London is vast. It is overwhelming. The city has so much going on that I don't think it would be possible to see everything or explore fully in a month, let alone a week or less, as is the normal vacation. Heck, in my most recent two week trip to the British capital, I feel…
It is nearly 10:00 AM, and the excitement is building. I wait among dozens of other eager museum-goers, glancing down at our watches and up at the doors, still closed. We know what is on the other side of these simple wooden barriers, standing in stark contrast to the magnificence of the building that puts…
I have been a fan of Shakespeare for as long as I can recall. I've read Shakespeare. I've watched Shakespeare, both on screen and the stage. I've even performed Shakespeare; my high school portrayal of Don Pedro in Much Ado About Nothing was greeted with much fanfare by my parents. I've written about Shakespeare, most…
The Wren Library is bright, despite its complete lack of electric lighting. Even on this cloudy day, its huge glass windows allow more than enough sunshine in for the eight or so researchers and librarians lucky enough to work here, and the fifteen visitors allowed in at a time. It smells of old books, of…
Cincinnati. Queen City. Once a hugely important river port and cultural hub of the Midwest, it has since faded mostly to obscurity. Nationally unimportant, it is, in a word, pleasant. Cincinnati isn't at the top of many tourist lists, and perhaps it shouldn't be, but a few days here can provide for a truly delightful…
Austin is the capital of Texas, America's eleventh largest city, seat of barbecue and live music, and a spectacular destination for those in search of an incredible fun-filled getaway. But what should you do in Austin? What should you expect when you come here to central Texas? We hope this guide will help! Note: please…
For many people, visiting Los Angeles means the beach, Hollywood, or Beverly Hills. Too many overlook downtown, or DTLA as it's called by locals. That's a shame, as downtown offers some truly awesome sights, especially those with cultural significance. In this itinerary, we bring the incredible arts scene of downtown LA into the center of…
Sometimes, it seems that the places closest to us are the biggest unknowns. I've lived in Los Angeles for the majority of my life, and yet it is only now as a writer that I am beginning to see many of the sights here in my hometown. Over the past year, I have explored ancient…
The last time I was here I was maybe eight years old. I was not the same person and this was not the same Watts, a neighborhood in South Central Los Angeles best known for a series of riots in 1965. But these are the same Watts Towers. The soaring man-made pinnacles, the tallest of…