WANDERING THE GLOBE Archives

NATURALLY, KIDS! A family bucketlist…

A childhood friend shared this article on Facebook. I immediately recalled the hours chasing her around outside her home. With her, I got to first experience feeding dogfood to a rescued baby bird, wheeling, then dumping, her little brother into the rosebushes because red wagons don’t corner well, and protesting the adoption of all her…

EATING OUR WAY AROUND THE WORLD WITHOUT LEAVING LOS ANGELES

Why do you travel? To get away from the daily grind? To spend quality time with others? To invest time in, and transform, yourself? To learn about other cultures, flavors and traditions? My friends Christina, Marsha, Patty and I (and occasionally a special guest!) found a way to do all of the above during those…

YOU WENT WHERE? MY FAVORITE COFFEE MEMORIES

Please note that the cityPASS links are afflinks meaning I’ll get paid a few pennies towards my next dream vacation at no extra cost to you. I am only including the pass for towns I’ve visited and would love to return to with a cityPASS! Some people’s favorite memories bubble to the surface after seeing…

YOU WENT WHERE? VEGAS! (WITH KIDS, COUSINS, & GRANDPARENTS?!)

When planning your family vacation, did the words Las Vegas ever cross your mind? Did it stay in your mind or did you immediately dismiss Sin City? Oprah Magazine just did a feature talking about Vegas attracting families hoping to see their favorite artists’ shows while in residency in Vegas. …But, what can the family…

Celebrate Good Times | Direct to Screen | OFF THE BEATEN PATH | Southern California | WANDERING THE GLOBE

THE STAR! The Premiere

The magic of films, the power of storytelling and the glitter of Hollywood remain a few of the reasons I choose to live near Los Angeles. Films entertain and educate us, they change our perspectives, and expand our views of our world – or what exists beyond. My favorite trend right now revolves around telling…

TOP 10 REASONS TO CRUISE WITH OMAG AND HAL

You may not even realize when your life follows a certain rhythm or vibration, nor do you always recognize if it’s the right path. You just follow because life keeps moving. I knew I had been feeling squirmy, but couldn’t define why, or whether it was a chronic Gemini squirminess or something brought on by…

YOU WENT WHERE? SAN FRANCISCO (With Kids)

During the toddler years, my family’s cranky moods (mine included) disappeared with some creative distraction and a change of venue – if severe. Now that the tween and teen years dictate the mood in the house, when the bickering levels get intolerable, Mom offers a proportional change up – Roadtrip adventure! I’ve been dreaming of…

YOU WENT WHERE? VEGAS! (WITH KIDS)

When planning our first family road trip to Viva Las Vegas; my cynical kids (and a few grownups) asked “Are kids allowed?” “What is there to do?” CHALLENGE ACCEPTED…The mission we accepted was to find something memorable for each of us that we wouldn’t find back home in Southern California. …Oh, and swim, people-watch and…

YOU WENT WHERE? CALICO GHOST TOWN (WITH KIDS)

When first planning a road trip to Vegas, I wanted to break up the drive with stops along the way. World’s Tallest Thermometer in Baker Elmer’s Bottle Tree Ranch in Victorville Calico Ghost Town in Yermo During our July trip, knowing we were hours ahead of my family, we pulled off the freeway just a…

YOU WENT WHERE? DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (WITH KIDS)

Though I’ve lived in Los Angeles for about 20 years, I still don’t consider myself local. I even lived downtown in 1992 – but back then, people escaped the city when work ended. To my kids, it’s the smoggy spot where their uncle works and home to modern miracles like LA Live or the…

NATURALLY, KIDS: HUNT FOR FOSSILS AND BONES

Our neighbors always inspire us with their outdoor adventures. Where I overflow with curiosity, I lack in outdoor survival skills. Thankfully when we set out on this adventure, our neighbors gave us a few tips – wear tennies and watch the tide. For years, I’ve wanted to explore a sea cave on the sea edge…

SMURF HAPPENS! The Premiere

My kids and I rarely visit the Westside of Los Angeles. Traffic and rampant Bruins make it less-than-desirable for us. Last Sunday, we were noticeably blue because we got invited to Sony Pictures’ blue carpet premiere of The Smurfs 2! My kids didn’t grow up on the Smurfs like I did, but we loved the…