There it was, high up inside the 12th century bell tower of the church of Saint-Emilion...evidence that there are some things that never change. Names and dates are carved into the ancient limestone, where people throughout the centuries have left their mark and, thereby, have…

On Boulevard Saint-Germain-des-Prés, sitting a short block away from each other, are rival cafés Café de Flore and Café Les Deux Magots.  They became rivals in the 1920’s and 30’s, when the intellectuals, writers, and artists of the period became loyal to one or the other.  On my recent trip to Paris, I decided to choose my own personal favorite.

Parisian cafés…

The wedding day of Will and Kate is over, but the occasion is still very much alive in London.  Everywhere I go, people are talking about it...where they watched it, how lovely the dress was, how sad it was that Diana wasn't there to see it, how poised the young couple was, how wonderful it is for the country.  The shop windows are full of their congratulations, and the street parties carry on for another day.  …

Driving up the Tuscan mountain was like being on an amusement park ride...a mixture of fear and exhilaration, as I maneuvered treacherous hairpin curves and dodged speedy Italian drivers coming towards me. The road ended at the top of the mountain, in a village called Coreglia Antelminelli. I was…