I peered down at the small towns below, nestled at the base of the 6,000 foot jagged Alaskan peaks, trying to figure out which one might be Skagway. Skagway and Haines sounded so far away and magical when I first heard of them, probably in 2006 when my friend Karen talked about growing up in … Continue reading Adventure to Southeast Alaska
The simple wine that takes us all back to a very specific time in our youth. Just remember the line. "I remember when 30 was old." The recipe is as simple as it gets, no additives, just basic, natural ingredients, and let science do the rest (please see note about Campden tablets and other additives … Continue reading Simple 1 Gallon Strawberry Wine
After a red eye flight from PDX, I arrived early on a slightly delayed flight to Chicago. Just as with my last visit to Chicago, I was immediately reminded of the kindness of Chicagoans. From my seat at the back of the plane I could see the bags being unloaded from the plane and happened … Continue reading Chicago, for Foodies
All roads lead to... Flagstaff? In September 2018 I found myself with a job offer for my dream job in International Education. It was in Arizona (one of my requirements at the time), and it was right atop Arizona's tallest peak. Flagstaff, Arizona has a vast array of seasons that most people never realize Arizona … Continue reading The Mother Road
My search for Ellie Roux began some two years ago when I began casually searching for a puppy for Hank. I always scoured through rescue sites for the dog that would fit just right into our family. Hank didn't want a puppy, but I knew he'd appreciate it once he got to know her. He … Continue reading The Story of Ellie Roux
First stop: Hanoi. It was 11pm by the time I made it through the customs line in Vietnam and set foot for the first time in the country my uncle had fought in years ago. It left an unmistakable scar on him as it did everyone else involved in the war. I was eager to … Continue reading Scooters and Snails: Vietnam
The plane cruised over vast forest and flooded fields as Cambodia is suffering from extreme monsoon waters and the government has issued warnings to those living out in the stilt houses. It poured rain my first evening there. I secured my eVisa online in advance, the approval took about a day before I received my … Continue reading Of Tuk Tuks and Dancing Kings – Phnom Penh, Cambodia
I smiled at the customs officer and looked towards the camera pointed at me while she reviewed my eVisa and passport. She smiled at my excitement, stamped both documents and handed them back to me. That was it, I was in Yangon. A flood of men in longhys gathered around as they saw me grab … Continue reading Five Days in Yangon, Myanmar
I was tasked with creating an all-inclusive great American Road trip for myself, my partner Brent and my good friend visiting from Germany. It should include Page, Arizona and Horseshoe Bend, the Grand Canyon and Sedona wine tasting. Beyond that, I was free to share whatever aspects of my beautiful home state I wished. In … Continue reading Best Road Trip Ever: Arizona
I heard about the hair-raising Apache Trail first from a customer at the hot air balloon office saying that she had, "done crazy stuff like this before, like take her friend along the Apache Trail, and she vomited, but we made it through!" I thought, "now this sounds like my kind of adventure!" After further … Continue reading Arizona’s Most Scenic Road
