Explore the World one Step at a Time
Explore the World one Step at a Time
A friend asked me recently to give her some tips on what to see and do between Joshua Tree National Park and Palm Springs during a short weekend. She is the kind of friend who looks for the things to do that are just a little off the beaten track. She has never been, so I wanted to make sure she gets a good impression of my favorite desert. Where…
My hands are still shaking from sampling too much coffee today. This comes on the heels of going cold turkey on coffee right after Christmas. So, no surprise on the shaking hands. What’s CoffeeCon? About 25-30 artisan coffee roaster and makers were handing out samples of coffee at CoffeeCon L.A. CoffeeCon is a consumer coffee festival, in other words, an event for kids like me who love coffee. It’s an…
I moved to L.A. exactly 2 years ago today. It’s been a fun ride so far. From my apartment I have a view of Griffith Park, so naturally, 2 years ago when I moved here, my first exploration was into Griffith Park. I remember driving up to the Griffith Observatory and just being in awe. In awe of the marvelous view over sprawling Los Angeles. The weather was crisp and…
Los Angeles is full of secret and hidden staircases. My first secret staircase adventure took me from the Berendo Staircase to Griffith Park. Berendo Staircase dates back to 1924 – the same year the Frank Lloyd Wright Ennis House (2607 Glendower Ave) was built in the same Los Feliz neighborhood. A short architectural detour: The design of Ennis House is based on Mayan temples and features patterned concrete blocks. Well worth checking…
Grab a cup of coffee, sit down comfortably and read the stories of fellow hikers and travelers. Beach Camping at Lake Powell A guide to visiting Jasper National Park in winter 6 places to visit in Madrid Get your Lord of the Rings on at Hobbiton, New Zealand And my favorite: If you can’t get enough of hiking stories, check out Hiker’s Coffee Hour #1.…
2017 wasn’t unkind to me. I had quite a few (mini) adventures and loved most of the year. Trying to pick a few “bests” and “favorites” wasn’t quite as easy as I expected. But here it goes: Best unplanned adventure – a friend and I were waiting for the Lowest Glow on Earth balloon festival during the Salton Sea Seafest. Due to winds, no one knew whether the hot air…
The last 2 mornings were just amazing here in Palm Springs. Not that I want to talk about the weather much, but with the scorching heat throughout the summer and fall, the slightly cooler temperatures over the past 2 days were fabulous. So I took the opportunity for a couple of short and beautiful hikes. Whitewater Preserve It took me a while to get here. Whitewater Preserve has been on…
I almost bought a condo in the Old Las Palmas neighborhood in Palm Springs last year and if I then knew what I now know I may have gone through with it… I could have been neighbors to the stars. Granted, most of the stars that lived in Palm Springs in the 50s, 60s, and 70s have long passed away, but the thought still counts… (Note the full addresses of…
‘Tis the season after all… I have been struggling with getting the right composition for making chia pudding. I know life can be harsh sometimes… It all seemed so easy when I first tried it, but I could never quite get the mix right and it was either too much in chia seeds or too much in liquids. But I finally got it! DRUMROLL!! It’s pretty much a 1:2 ratio:…