Riding the Cable Car at Squaw Valley
This morning brought blue sky and sunshine to Squaw Valley so I hopped on the Cable Car to ride to High Camp to watch the skiers and enjoy the view. This is what I saw.
Americas
Cottonwood in Truckee combines history and California quaintness
The Cottonwood restaurant commands the best seat in town, overlooking downtown Truckee, California from within one of the nation’s oldest ski lodges. Our group enjoyed a cozy dinner there one night under the votive lit chandelier during our week in the Lake Tahoe area. It was a terrific...
Alinea Tantalizes All the Senses
When my husband came home one day talking about an interview he heard on NPR, I was immediately interested in the topic: Alinea. An award-winning restaurant in Chicago and its Chef: Grant Achatz, The avant-garde restaurant and the chef have won accolades galore for innovative cuisine. Atchatz...
Amway Grand Plaza in Grand Rapids, MI
Yesterday I had an opportunity to do a behind-the-scenes tour of the more than 100 year old hotel in the center of Grand Rapids, MI. It was interesting to see the kitchens, laundry and back of the house workings of this Grand Rapids institution. More than 800 people work in this hotel with...
Trump Tower, Chicago
I’m pretty proud of this photo. Took it myself with my trusty Nikon D40. It was a challenge because I was shooting through a window and had to conquer the reflections issue. Not bad for a total amateur huh? But the real story is the amazing Destination. Some friends invited us to share their...
Golden Triangle–all things Asian in the Windy City
” Calling Golden Triangle a store is like calling Chicago a village or Disney a carnival,” says one of my favorite bloggers, Tate Gunnerson, in his blog Secret Closets. I agree totally and also concur with his statement, “Golden Triangle is, without hyperbole, one of the most beautiful...
Ode to Art: The Modern Wing Chicago Institute of Arts
The Modern Wing of the Chicago Institue of Art opened with great fanfare last May and I wasted no time in getting over to see it. I recently returned for a second look at the massive structure with a 300 million dollar budget. The Modern Wing could be called a temple for the...
North Pond: Hidden Treasure in Chicago
Recently when we spent a weekend in Chicago with some dear friends, we decided to treat them to dinner as a thank you for some wonderful kindnesses of theirs. I thought long and hard about what restaurant to book. These friends own two restaurants and a specialty food market, love food and...
Union Street, San Francisco: Where the Victorian Ladies Gather
Poking along Union Street is one of those activities that many tourists in San Francisco miss. This is a shame. It’s cute. It’s fun. It makes me feel like a local. It is a “real people” kind of place—patronized by the folks who live nearby.