Recent Articles
100 Reasons I Heart Charleston: Reason #100: Most Romantic Town in America!
Recently my husband and I were discussing what women find romantic. After a detailed discussion it all boiled down to one thing for me: being impractical. When given a choice between taking the pragmatic, responsible, usually most cost effective action (e.g. the bare necessities) or doing something above and beyond (e.g. beyond the basics), romance [...]
Top 10 Things to Do In . . . Cape May, New Jersey
QUEEN VICTORIA WOULD BE PROUD
It is entirely possible to spend a few days in Cape May and never know it’s on the ocean, let alone a peninsula surrounded by water. The urbanscape of this National Register of Historic Places town is so classic hometown America, at least the popular imagination version, I’d almost expect it to show up in the next round of election TV adverts.
Undertow . . . Leonard Cohen
I set out one night
When the tide was low
There were signs in the sky
But I did not know
I’d be caught in the grip
Of the undertow
TOP 10 Things to Do In . . . Miami, Florida
CORAL REEFS & CORAL CASTLES A rising tide lifts all boats. When I was growing up, you visited Miami and environs for the sand. It was a place of flaking paint SROs for the elderly, kitschy beachfront motels with plaster tee-pees, and obligatory early bird specials at Pumpernicks. If you didn’t mind the wait, Rascal [...]
TOP 10 Things to Do In . . . Orlando, Florida
MORE THAN THE MOUSE Most Orlando vacations are centered on a theme park: Disney World, Sea World, or Universal, with its new Harry Potter ride. After our second or third trip to Orlando, we were ready to do some of the regular everyday things people who live in the area must do. Where do they [...]
Weekend Getaway . . . Door County, Wisconsin
The Door County Peninsula comes by its right to sell blue anchor needlepoint pillows honestly.
TOP 10 Things to Do In . . . Sanibel Island, Florida
SHELL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD Hollywood its Movie Stars. Maine has its blueberries. Sanibel Island has shells. Sanibel has more shell related-attractions per square foot than anywhere else on Earth. Given that the island is literally made of shells (locally allegedly dig up shells in their backyards when they’re gardening), having a shell themed stay [...]
The Idea of Order at Key West by Wallace Stevens
She sang beyond the genius of the sea.
The water never formed to mind or voice,
Like a body wholly body, fluttering
Its empty sleeves; and yet its mimic motion
Made constant cry, caused constantly a cry,
That was not ours although we understood,
Inhuman, of the veritable ocean.
Top 10 Things to Do In . . . New Orleans
Beyond Bourbon Street and beignets (yeah, we’ve included those too) there’s a world of jazz, indie boutiques, and voodoo in New Orleans’ soul.
Lines Written While Sailing in a Boat at Evening . . . William Wordsworth
How richly glows the water’s breast Before us, tinged with evening hues, While, facing thus the crimson west, The boat her silent course pursues! And see how dark the backward stream! A little moment past so smiling! And still, perhaps, with faithless gleam, Some other loiterers beguiling. Such views the youthful Bard allure; But, heedless [...]
