Ogallala, Nebraska, may not seem terribly sophisticated. And for good reason. It’s not. But neither are most of us. Most of us don’t have the time, patience, or dollars to waste on trying to be sophisticated. What we want is comfort, with occasional indulgences. That’s why I often prefer smaller cities and towns to the […]
inspiration
How Many Glimmers Have You Noticed Today?
In a world where the only information being fed to us by the media, social media platforms, and power-hungry blowhards is negative, it’s easy to forget that there are, in fact, good things in this life to notice, recognize, appreciate, and be grateful for. Some of these things are big. Most are tiny daily things […]
Of Wine, Greek Gods, and Stories
There’s a particular white wine I’m sipping that transports me back to the sun-bleached limestone and olive-tree-studded mountainsides of southern Greece. It was introduced to me on our trip last month by Giannis, a fourth-generation winemaker in the off-the-beaten-path Papagiannakos Winery sandwiched between the bustle of Athens and the blue waters of Artemis Beach on […]
Tasting Notes for Books
“We should rate books the way we rate wines,” an author friend of mine told me. She’s absolutely right. Books have flavors, after all, and essences. Some make you breathe deeply as you imagine a stroll through a rose garden in chapter 3, while others stink like skunk grass from page 1. Imagine you’re at […]
Finding Inspiration and Joy on a Girls’ Trip to Cabo
Two little words can carry a wealth of promise. A promise of adventure, magic, nourishment of the soul, and, you know, margaritas. What are these two mystical words? “Girls’ trip.” I recently spent almost a week in the beautiful Cabo San Lucas area of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula with two dear friends I’ve known for four […]
How to Make 2024 a Better Year (Mayhem Optional)
Welcome to 2024, a shiny new year full of promise and good intentions and definitely not heinous deceptions. Like you, I’m positive this is the year eight billion people will suddenly and inexplicably—all prior evidence to the contrary—morph into rational, caring, kind human beings. I hope I bought the right shoes for the occasion. Anyway, […]
