Oct. 1, 2009 I almost missed old town Truckee altogether. I hadn’t been there for decades and took a turn off the freeway that sent me past condominiums, luxury cabins, spiffy new office buildings and a few upscale shops and businesses. I had remembered a mountain community with historic structures and was baffled by the …
April 20, 2009 I took a seat in the breakfast area at Stanford Inn by the Sea, relaxing back into my chair as I looked out over lush, green gardens to the blue of the ocean beyond. Soft music flowed through the air and, hands wrapped around a mug of fresh brewed coffee, I said …
Nov. 13, 2008 Unfortunately, there will always be a few inns and hotels across the country that have, shall we say, gone to the dogs. But, on the other hand—or perhaps I should say paw—there is one lodging establishment where the opposite has occurred and fortunate dogs have gone: the Cypress Inn in Carmel, California. …
Oct. 14, 2008 The Mediterranean style scenery of Santa Barbara, CA, is hardly a hidden travel secret. Fresh air, clean beaches, lush gardens, and ocean vistas are all part of the draw to the area often referred to as the American Riviera. I’ve been a longtime fan. Northbound on Hwy 101, I dropped onto the …
April 18, 2008 I sat in the Surprise Café and Java Bar, consuming a veggie burrito and using the café’s wireless Internet access. An extensive collection of coffee pots stretched along high shelves, a product of 40 years of collecting by the Rotary Club. Locals stopped in and greeted each other, exchanging tidbits of gossip …
May 8, 2007 Traveling along historic Hwy 49 in California’s Gold Country, my father as a travel companion, I pulled into the town of Columbia, just a few miles north of Sonora. We had a reservation at City Hotel, an historic inn that sits inside Columbia State Park. The history of the hotel takes on …