I suppose it’s pretty cliche to come to a European capital and see a palace. Another gaudy building honoring a family who had everything, largely while the poor starved. I get it. And yet, each of these terrible beautiful structures has a story to tell, a unique tale, if only we listen. Berlin’s Charlottenburg Palace…
“Why are you going to Texas?” The question came at me from nearly every quarter when I announced my intention to spend a few days visiting the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Austin perhaps would be understandable. After all, Austin seems to be populated largely by liberal west coast expats. But Dallas? Dallas is “real” Texas. To…
Editor’s note: I am so envious of Mandy and the incredible stately homes of the UK she gets to explore, like this one. For more of her adventures, click here to visit Mandy’s index page. This summer in the UK has been a very odd one weather-wise, so I had been hesitant to plan any…
In 1913, railroad magnate Henry Huntington and his new wife Arabella moved from San Francisco to Los Angeles, having purchased 500 acres of land in what was called the San Marino Ranch. Arabella didn't like life in Southern California, and persuaded her husband - the nephew of her second husband Collis Huntington - to create…
Just walking in, the birds are easier to hear than they are at home, a pleasant chirping that is somehow audible over the gentle hum of people going in and out of Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles' La Canada Flintridge suburb. The steam of people is slow right now, as coronavirus scares keep admission down,…
While China and Japan get most of the publicity and tourism dollars in East Asia, Korea has just as long of a history, and just as proud of an empire. Visitors to Seoul, the bustling capital of South Korea, will still find remnants dating back to those imperial days. While there have been people living…
I've shared my thoughts on how to be a samurai while in Tokyo, and tips on how to eat really well, but what about the city as a whole? I will admit, I didn't expect to like Tokyo, and was not really excited to visit, with the exception of some restaurant reservations I was able to…
When people think of Chicago, they think of downtown. The Sears (Willis) Tower, Chicago River, the Bean: these are the iconic sights tourists flock to. This trip, I'm skipping downtown and staying in one of the northern suburbs to be closer to my cousins, and I am down the street from one of my new…