I won’t lie. Deciding not to get on a plane during my job transition was hard for me. With Lia in Amsterdam and other friends jaunting off to the South of France for a month, it’s hard not to feel a tad jealous.
But I was trying to be prudent and wanted to take advantage of the Pacific Northwest’s gorgeous [...]
Entries Tagged as 'Recommended sights'
Doe Bay Resort & Retreat on Orcas Island. Kinda, not really, a resort.
July 21st, 2010 · No Comments · Blog posts by Betty, Novelty, Recommended sights
Five Reasons to Include a Beach Day on Your Next Euro Trip (Like You Need Them)
June 29th, 2010 · No Comments · Blog posts by Lia, Novelty, Recommended sights, The point of travel
Lately, I’ve been helping a lot of friends with their itinerary planning for trips to Europe this summer. It’s fun, and I enjoy doing it. There’s one recommendation, though, that never really seems to take off: Include time at the beach.
Admittedly, it’s a hard sell for those of us who don’t have a year to [...]
Tags:Basque Region·beaches·Biarritz·cultural exchange·France·Holland·Paris·Spain
La Recoleta Cemetery: Gravestones Never Seemed So Appealing
June 3rd, 2010 · No Comments · Blog posts by Betty, Celeb spotting, Novelty, Recommended sights
I think when I die I want my ashes scattered at sea. Or off the top of a mountain.
The idea of being buried in a crypt or some spooky cemetery with an elaborate gravestone conjures images that don’t equate resting in peace.
With that said, however, I share Lia’s fascination with graveyards, and when I was [...]
Spiders, Basque, Kindness, and Cruelty
June 2nd, 2010 · 1 Comment · Blog posts by Lia, Novelty, Recommended sights, Urban archipelagos
Louise Bourgeois died on Monday. That’s her giant spider sculpture pictured above, part of her Maman (a.k.a. “mama”) series. I liked how ominous it looked against the sunset in Bilbao.
In honor of a woman who became famous as an artist late in life, this post is all about making sure you get what you want [...]
Free Bikes and Van Goghs
May 29th, 2010 · No Comments · Blog posts by Lia, Dutch bikes, Dutch language school, Obsessed with the Dutch, Recommended sights
Hooray for the weekend! I have big plans. They include a three-day getaway to the Oregon Coast (whose virtues we’ve already discussed) and not wasting two hours at Sex and the City (which Betty and I expressed doubt and concern about, just based on the trailer). I’ll be trip planning for my upcoming adventure at [...]
Visiting Marilyn Monroe in L.A.
May 17th, 2010 · No Comments · Blog posts by Lia, Celeb spotting, Recommended sights, Urban archipelagos
Is it creepy to sightsee a cemetery, camera in hand?
I had a blast at Paris’ Cimetière du Père Lachaise (with a great interactive tour here), so it didn’t strike me as weird to bust out the photography when at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery, Marilyn Monroe’s final resting place.
The lipstick traces are fun. They reminded [...]
Tags:Los Angeles·Paris
South Africa: Stunningly Beautiful with an Intense Past…and Present
May 11th, 2010 · 1 Comment · Blog posts by Betty, Novelty, Recommended sights
The World Cup is exactly one month away, and this means that soon South Africa, and all of its beauty and problems, will once again take center stage on the international playing field.
I was there about a year ago, and it was my first time on the Continent. Before this trip, I had been obsessing [...]
Montana: A State Tagline that Works for Me
May 6th, 2010 · 1 Comment · Blog posts by Betty, Recommended sights
Big Sky Country.
I was there this past weekend, and it’s true. The sky didn’t disappoint.
If you’ve never been to Montana, their state slogan could fall a bit flat. But the moment you arrive, it really does appear as if the sky is larger, more luminous, than anywhere you’ve been before.
Tags:Livingston·Montana·Yellowstone
Shop Talk: Favorite Bookstores, Part IV
May 4th, 2010 · 1 Comment · Blog posts by Lia, Favorite Bookstores, Recommended sights, Shop talk, Urban archipelagos
What’s a sign of a fantastic bookstore? How about these three elements:
Books piled high on square wooden tables, just calling out to you to browse.
An owner on-site, recommending books with careful consideration.
An enticing front door and window display (and extra points if it’s the perfect shade of red):
Welcome to the Red Wheelbarrow, a little treat [...]
Tags:books·bookstores·Paris
I ♥ New York
April 19th, 2010 · No Comments · Blog posts by Lia, Novelty, Recommended sights, Transportation bliss, Urban archipelagos
I had a fabulous long-weekend trip to New York. Recently, I overheard some Seattleites discussing how they hated New York–the crowds, the noise, the general dirtiness you feel in your hair and on your shoes at the end of the day.
So here’s my passionate defense of the city as an awesome place for travelers to enjoy, and why [...]
Tags:New York City
