As we age, a great many of us find that we have more freedom. That could mean many things… perhaps the kids are grown and out of the house. Or perhaps you have just retired, and while you have a few hobbies to keep you busy, you still have a ton a free time. Or…
One of the great things about being a travel writer is discovering and getting to know some of the amazing people you encounter as part of your job. It is these chance encounters of meeting interesting people and getting to hear their stories – where they came from and how they came to be where…
As I look towards what appears to be a very promising new year, part of my process is (duh) writing down and reflecting on the past year and what it has taught me. And boy, was it a doozy of a year. Many lessons were learned. I’ll try and sum them up here. 1. I’ve…
The Pacific Northwest is known for a lot of things. Incredible natural scenery carved out by the last ice age. Lots of rain. Grunge music (I’ll always love Pearl Jam, and who can forget Nirvana?), fresh salmon, and majestic mountains. Iconic landmarks like Pike Place Market, Crater Lake, and Mt. Saint Helens. Hipsters who recycle….
Have you heard the news? Of course, you have. The world of travel has changed, literally overnight. International borders have closed on a global scale, and our exploratory nature has been dashed without nary a warning. I’m not going to even get into the decimating effects this has had on every facet of the travel…
I think more of us will be slowing down and reading this summer…and who doesn’t love a good book? Especially when you are stuck at home and cannot travel. At least it is comforting to know that when you are able to travel again, the world will still be waiting for you! No matter the…
I’m gonna have to throw my standard, evergreen content out the window for this post, folks. Because we are smack dab in the middle of Coronavirus; this grand stinking pandemic of the unprecedented variety. Sure, I could ignore the warnings and keep on traveling to bring you great Pacific Northwest stories. But what purpose would…
Why DO we procrastinate? This is a deep, deep subject. It is something that has been heavily studied by top research scientists. Why? Because we all do it. Whether we are the most practical of planners or the most irresponsible of slackers, there is some level of procrastination that inevitably goes on in our lives….
I’ll admit it, it’s not all about me! I started this blog with the humble desire to shout my love of the Pacific Northwest to the world. I wanted to show people how incredibly, fantastically gorgeous my home is. To this day, I am pretty much the only one of several Portland bloggers that focuses…
Don’cha just love a clean slate? Where you can reminisce on all of the last years’ events with fondness, or if not, to take the not-so-great moments and learn from them? That’s what I like to do. It gives me a curious sense of accomplishment. It’s a good way of taking stock of goals you’ve…
Living in the Pacific Northwest is a blessing and a curse. It’s hard to pin down what you should do with your free time. I mean, good gravy on a stick, the options are endless! Do I check out that new coffee roaster that just opened up? Or how about a ski weekend? But my…
Ah….the age-old Pacific Northwest question! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked that one! Okay, so without making you scroll all the way down to the end of this blog post, I’m just going to tell you what the answer is RIGHT NOW. Are you ready???? Wait for it….. …
I am a solo female adventure traveler (who wears a size 12) and blogs about the Pacific Northwest. That was my ‘elevator pitch’ when I went to Austin, Texas for TravelCon 2018 and It Was Awesome!!! It was my first travel blogger/media conference and my first time in Austin. Yes, I hit two birds with one…
As we age, you would think that we’d start to slow things down, wouldn’t you? Not so with me. If anything, I’m ramping things up. Big time. For decades I was asleep at the wheel. Doing what society has told me to do. To be a good girl, have a full-time job, have kids (I love…
I’m going to jump on the bandwagon here because I rarely do that. I’m writing this week’s blog post as a list. The ever-popular “5 reasons why (insert subject here)”. Because 1) it’s fun, and 2) everyone loves a list of something. It’s click-bait and I’m not ashamed to flaunt it. And I’ll say it…
It’s funny how different people have their own ideas about an area of the world in which they don’t live, or have never been. For example, there are those in New York City who have never ventured out of their hometown and think that Iowa is full of nothing but corn and cows. And that…
When I moved to Portland in my early twenties, I have to admit I had no idea what living in the Pacific Northwest was all about. I was young and in love and only did it to follow my husband here. But other than sticking with him, moving to the Pacific Northwest was one of…
I love the Pacific Northwest. I’ve lived here for over twenty years. I love living here so much that I’ve built this website over the past couple of years showcasing the many places to visit here. I have written several Pacific Northwest travel itinerary articles and will add many more. I love it here so…
So, I just completed a move. A move from a nice, quiet ranch house in the suburbs into a small studio apartment on one of the hippest streets in the center of Portland. The move was exhausting…I’ve done many moves and they’re ALWAYS exhausting. But the important thing is… I’m happy! I love my little…
Oregon is home to a great many prolific authors. The majority of people who live here, especially in Portland and the larger towns, were not born here. Like me, they are transplants from elsewhere in the U.S. and around the globe. There is just something so appealing about Oregon; its diversity, the friendliness of its…
