Wine tasting in the picturesque Alsace region of France
Nature and Architecture in Harmony at Taliesin West
Visiting Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona
Wine on the Rhine: A Taste of Alsace
A Rhine River Cruise Getaway
An introduction to our cruise on the Rhine River through photo highlights from our Instagram gallery
Rome’s Enchanting Quartiere Coppedé
Step outside of the most well-known areas of Rome and visit the Quartiere Coppedé where architect Gino Coppedé’s designs take you into a fairytale world.
Pompeii: Day Trip from Rome
Mr. TWS always looks forward to visiting historic places, especially those in which his interest had been sparked many years ago as a young boy in northern Wisconsin. Such was the case with Pompeii. So I’ve asked him to share his perspectives about our day trip from Rome to Pompeii…
Reflections on River Cruising
To cruise or not to cruise — reflections on our Viking cruise on the Danube River
History and Festivities in Nuremberg, Germany
A first-time visit to Nuremberg, Germany gave us an excellent introduction to the city’s historic past and festive holiday Christmas market.
Embracing the Natural in Puglia: A Day in the Park
Getting in with nature on a tour of Parco Naturale Regionale Dune Costiere near Ostuni, Italy
Good Cheer and High Spirits in Vienna
Finding gemütlichkeit (feeling of well-being and comfort that comes with good company and good food) in Vienna, Austria during a Viking River cruise
Shame-less Matera, Italy: A Cultural Rebirth
Matera: From the “shame of Italy” to European Capital of Culture 2019
Celebrating the Holidays on the Danube
10 Instagram highlights of our Viking River Cruises journey on the Danube during the Christmas season.
Beautiful Ostuni: A Feast for the Eyes
There is much about the Puglia region of Italy to engage the senses. In the beautiful hilltop city of Ostuni, we indulged in stunning views at almost every turn.
Puglia: A Region for All Seasons
With great memories of our trip to the Puglia in summer a few years ago, we set out to explore more about this region of Italy in the off-season.
Scottsdale is for Art Lovers: Top Museums and Venues
Art lovers! Don’t miss these places and spaces to discover the diverse art of Scottsdale, Arizona and the Valley of the Sun.
Spirit Matters at Scottsdale’s Museum of the West
Western Spirit is a first-class museum celebrating the art, culture and history of the American West in its galleries in the 43,000-square-foot two-story main building . From antique artifacts to fine art, its exhibits are extremely well done, presenting detailed information, compelling art and visuals, interactive displays, and more.
A Taste of the Rhône Valley in Arizona
Enjoying our first Arizona wine tasting experience at LDV Winery’s tasting room in downtown Scottsdale.
The Art of Living: Arte de Vivir at La Baguette
Ana Uribe, artist-in-residence for La Baguette restaurants in Lima, Peru agrees with Hubbard’s pragmatic and encompassing approach. By integrating her art in La Baguette –a commercial setting — Ana creates a total ambiance. And it is a permanent work in process as the pieces change from time to time.
Heard Museum: A Cultural Highlight in Phoenix
Since its opening in 1929, the Heard Museum has been showcasing unique and diverse collections of American Indian art and artifacts and currently has 40,000 objects in its 12 galleries.
Art and Old Money: Five Top Milwaukee Museums
Do you think of art when you think of Milwaukee? There are many reasons why you should.
Sweeney Asks the Locals: Jane Blacker
The latest in our series of interviews with Valley of the Sun residents is a look at the Scottsdale favorites of Jane Blacker, a realtor with Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty who specializes in luxury properties in the Scottsdale and Phoenix Metro areas.
Flavors of Milwaukee’s Brady Street Neighborhood
Taking a stroll with Milwaukee Food and City Tours on the “Brady Street Walking Lunch Tour” was like going back in time for me. I thought back to the days when Mr. TWS and I lived in Milwaukee and had an apartment on Prospect Avenue just a few blocks from where the tour began on Brady Street. I was glad that I had the chance to get a new look at this neighborhood near our old stomping grounds in Milwaukee and enjoy some delicious specialties of local eateries.
Milwaukee Highlights on Instagram
Something old, something new …. Whenever Mr. TWS and I visit Milwaukee, we’re sure to revisit favorite places and look for something new in this “great place on a great lake”. Milwaukee is a city that may surprise visitors with its depth of history, culture, and the arts.
4 Places for Family Fun in Scottsdale
It’s been so much fun for us to explore new places in and around Scottsdale, and it’s been especially fun when we have visitors to show around. There are many things to do for residents and visitors of all ages and abilities. Here are a few tips on places that will have something for the whole family to enjoy.
Easy Hiking and Biking in Scottsdale
There are trails for all abilities in Scottsdale and here are two more tips for easy hiking and biking in Scottsdale — a nice easy hike in the preserve plus a favorite easy biking path on the Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt.
First Impressions: Sanctuary on Camelback Resort and Spa
As new residents of the Valley of the Sun with a home in Scottsdale, Arizona we are eager to learn about the great places and activities in our new community and surrounding area. We’ve been pleasantly surprised that there is so much to see and do! Recently, we got a glimpse of the beautiful Sanctuary on Camelback Resort and Spa in nearby Paradise Valley. Take a look.
The Sweeneys in Scottsdale Part Two
Scenes of Scottsdale on Instagram Mr. TWS and I are finally settled in at our new home and loving it here in Scottsdale. We’ve been enjoying the sights, activities, and places of our new hometown and have much more exploration to do. It’s easy for us to see why Scottsdale is…
Celebrating Unity at Native Trails in Scottsdale
I remember butterflies. A snake coiled up in the desert. Birds surround you.
— Derrick Suwaima Davis
The simple words of Derrick Suwaima Davis of the Hopi and Choctaw Nations describe inspirations from his youth that were his calling to dance.
The Sweeneys in Scottsdale
Mr. TWS and I have been pretty quiet on the blog recently, but our personal lives have been bustling with activity and new adventures. For the past few months, we’ve been immersed in preparing for and beginning a new chapter in our lives by relocating from the San Francisco Bay Area to Scottsdale, Arizona.
An Italian Dream at Villa La Collina
Since our first visit to Tredozio, Italy in June of 2013, I’ve dreamed of a return to this serene village of Emilia-Romagna in the Apennine mountains. During our April trip to Italy, my dream was fulfilled. We once again enjoyed the hospitality of our host at Torre Fantini (you may remember reading about our stay here in 2013) and were royally welcomed at another lovely estate in the EsteVillas portfolio of holiday rentals, Villa La Collina.
Small Bites of Venice with Walks of Italy
Getting a taste of authentic Venetian cicchetti, wine, and culture during a Walks of Italy Venice Food Tour
I Left My Heart in Asolo
Asolo, the picture-perfect hilltop town in northern Italy exudes romance with its winding lanes, beautiful villas, galleries, cafes, and fabulous views from its lofty position.
An Authentic Taste of Mantua
Traditional food and wine of Mantua Enjoying regional food and wine is always a key element in our travels. While staying at Palazzo Castiglioni in Mantua, we indulged in a variety of local specialties. We also learned about Mantuan pride in the agricultural richness of the area (in large part due to…
Highlights of Mantua, Italian Capital of Culture
Surveying the Mantua skyline from the tower rooftop at Palazzo Castiglioni, I thought of the stories of power, wealth, love, and war that unfolded here from the city’s Etruscan origins and Roman occupation, through the Renaissance.
The Musical Essence of Mantua
Music is an essential part of Mantua’s culture, and the Mantova Chamber Orchestra is an important part of Mantua’s music. For over 30 years, through their concerts and special projects the organization has spread the enjoyment of all musical genres to families, young people, cultural tourists, and all music lovers.
Bella Italia: The Gardens of Lake Maggiore
Springtime in Italy — what a feast for the senses with blossoms in every shade of the spectrum and fragrances abounding.
Magical Maggiore: Our Stay on the Lake
There was definitely something special about Lake Maggiore from the moment we arrived at our villa rental in Lesa until we left four days later. Did it start with the warm welcome we received from our hosts? Was it the natural beauty of the water, islands, and gardens? Was it our special experiences that included world-class music? I think it was a combination of all of those things wrapped up into one magical experience.
After Hours in St. Mark’s Basilica
After our recent trip to Venice, we can give you our recommendation for the best way to visit St. Mark’s Basilica to avoid the crowds and make the most of the experience.
First Flight: Traveling with a Five-Year-Old
An early morning wake-up call couldn’t dim our enthusiasm for taking my five-year-old great-nephew Elijah (we call him Eli) on his first plane trip. I’m not sure who was the most excited — Eli or us.
7 Tuscany Luxury Villas Ideal for Families and Friends
7 great holiday rentals in Tuscany for bringing friends together and spending quality time with families.
Tasting Montana from Butte to Missoula
After kicking off our southwestern Montana culinary road trip in Bozeman, we headed northwest to continue discovering more of the area’s traditional and innovative cuisine and spirits.
Picture Portugal Part Two: Instagram Favorites
When you picture Portugal in your mind, what do you see — trams on steep streets, towering bridges, and historic sites such as Belém? I was excited to see these scenes in person and even happier to experience Portuguese culture expressed in art, architecture, and music as portrayed in the second part of my Portugal Instagram photos.
Prelude to a Cruise: 7 Lisbon Highlights
Lisbon was irresistible. I fell in love at first sight.
As much as Mr. TWS and I were excited about taking our first cruise, the fact that the Viking River Cruises “Portugal’s River of Gold” itinerary included a two-day stay in Lisbon prior to ever stepping foot on the boat was one of our favorite things.
Cruising Portugal’s River of Gold: Our Favorite Things
“Portugal’s River of Gold”, Viking River Cruises’ itinerary from Porto to the Spanish border showcases the Douro region of northern Portugal, capturing the essence of its people, history, culture, and gastronomy. Portugal and Viking River Cruises also captured my heart.
Picture Portugal on Instagram
Picture Portugal — the glittering lights of Lisbon, sweeping vistas of the stunning Douro Valley, Baroque architecture, colorful ceramic tiles, and delightful surprises. These are just a few of the facets of this wonderful country that we captured for our Instagram gallery during our first visit there on our Viking River “Portugal’s River of Gold” cruise.
There’s No Place Like Rome: Instagram Highlights
It’s true. There’s no place like Rome, and I’d like to click my heels to be back there right now.
A Day in the Heart of Chianti
By now, it’s not a secret that Mr. TWS and I were smitten with Tuscany on our first visit to the region. Each day brought new experiences in the hilltop villages, historic towns, and countryside. On this day with with the promise of more tasty and interesting activities ahead, Mr. TWS and I were driving along Tuscany’s country roads among the vineyards and olive groves enjoying the burst of colorful spring blooms on the wooded hillsides.
Maritime Québec: Saint-Gabriel-de-Rimouski to Rimouski
From my first day in Kamouraska to my final night in Rimouski, I enjoyed the food, wine, art, and natural beauty of maritime Québec. This is the third and final post in my maritime Québec road trip series.
Maritime Québec: Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac to Saint-Gabriel-de-Rimouski
Following our day relishing the charm and cuisine of Kamouraska, my travel companions and I spent two more days in the maritime regions of Québec. Here’s the second part of the story.
10 Glimpses of Maritime Québec on Instagram
Colorful, delicious, fresh, charming, intriguing. These are some of the characteristics I tried to capture in photos during my three-day road trip in two of the maritime regions of Québec, Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie. I’ve written about my trip in other articles, but here I’ll give you a glimpse with ten of my favorite maritime Québec Instagram photos.
On the Hilltops of Tuscany
Writers, artists, and pilgrims have for centuries been inspired by the villages and hilltops of Tuscany. And no wonder. During our visit, I was constantly in awe of the historic towns with their turrets and towers atop the hills. Certaldo Alta and San Gimignano, two of the region’s most notable hilltop towns, exemplified the Tuscany of medieval times and the beauty of modern-day Tuscany.
Classic Tuscan Elegance at Villa Buonvisi
Picture a stay in an elegant 16th-century Tuscan villa in the luxurious style of Renaissance nobility, but with all of today’s modern conveniences. Imagine a setting overlooking vineyards with views of majestic mountains. Sounds enticing, doesn’t it? To that picture, add convenient access to the fascinating medieval city of Lucca and many top sites in the region and you have Villa Buonvisi…
Tasting Montana, One Town at a Time: Bozeman
Southwestern Montana evokes visions of bison, cowboys, and vast landscapes, and that has always held an exciting appeal for me on the occasions I’ve traversed the state on road trips. Although a big part of its makeup and well-known allure, that’s not all that Big Sky Country has to offer as Mr. TWS and I recently learned.
Rome in a Day Part 2: The Power and the Glory
Did you know that there are nine miles of culture and history with sculptures, paintings, other art, and religious and historical relics in the Vatican Museums, including their most famous attraction — the Sistine Chapel? It’s impossible to take it all in during one visit.
Rome in a Day: The Grandeur
Rome: The Eternal City — How do you begin to take in 2,500 years of civilization during a short visit?
With only three nights to spend on our first visit to Rome, we needed to figure out how to make the most of our time in order to see the major sites, and yet be able to wander and explore on our own.
Authentic Tuscany at La Novellina
When I think of Tuscany, I picture the wonderful food and wine of the region with a backdrop of a golden afternoon sun on beautiful vistas of vineyards, olive groves and green hills. Anticipating our trip there, I hoped to have an experience that this picture epitomized and from our first welcome to the day we said goodbye, my expectations were met.
Off-Season Provence: Things to Do in Vaucluse
As picturesque vineyards, brilliant lavender fields, and lively festivals are attracting tourists to Provence for the spring and summer peak season, I’m reflecting on our wonderful visit there in December and particularly the Vaucluse area in the northwestern part of the region.
A Taste of Burgundy in California Wine Country
Sometimes the recipe for a special evening is created in a surprising and exceptional way. French flavors, California wine, charming hosts, new friends, and a remarkable venue provided the ingredients for our lovely evening in Santa Rosa, California hosted by Fallot Mustard and DeLoach Vineyards.
A Day in Aix-en-Provence: Top Things to Do
The third day of our busy Provence trip brought us to Aix-en-Provence. As soon as we arrived on this weekday morning in December, we noticed the bustling, upbeat vibe of the city as people were shopping the markets, strolling the streets, and socializing in cafés.
European Capital of Culture: Highlights of Marseille
“Marseille is a way of life”. It’s the playing of pétanque (similar to bocce), the imbibing of pastis (an anise liqueur developed in Marseille as a substitute for the banned absinthe in 1915), the savoring of Bouillabaisse (for which Marseille is famous), and a certain “joie de vivre”. It is also a way of life that embraces the diversity of this melting pot on the Mediterranean and its rich culture, history, and art — giving an ample number of reasons for its designation as a 2013 European Capital of Culture.
Cassis by the Sea
“Qu’a vist Paris, se noun a vist Cassis, pou dire: n’ai rèn vist,”
“He who has seen Paris and who has not seen Cassis can say … I have seen nothing.” Frédéric Mistral (1830 – 1914), beloved Provençal poet and Nobel Prize laureate
After just a few hours in this village on the Mediterranean coast, I began to understand.
Wining, Dining, and Mining in El Dorado County
El Dorado County is just a two hour drive from my house and yet I had no idea that it was a gold mine of a getaway.
Down in the Valley: Carson Valley Things to Do
It was the beginning of a three-day getaway weekend that first took us east over the Carson Range of the Sierra Nevada mountains and into Carson Valley, Nevada for a quick introduction to what the area has to offer.
Flying in the Golden Age of Air Travel
Glamorous, smart, and sophisticated — that’s how I’ve thought of my Aunt Vi, my dad’s sister, ever since I was a young girl. Her time as a TWA Air Hostess represented a lifestyle of travel that I yearned for even as a grade school student.
Top 5 Reasons to Visit Emilia-Romagna
It’s not a secret that I fell in love with the Emilia-Romagna and Puglia regions of Italy last year. As in Puglia, in Emilia-Romagna we met many wonderful people who were friendly, helpful, and very understanding of our extremely limited Italian language skills. Now I want to highlight some of the things you can do when you visit Emilia-Romagna to make it special for you, too.
5 Favorite Highlights of Ferrara Italy
It was a whirlwind of a day trip to Ferrara, Italy from our base in Verucchio. We started out early for our 2-hour drive to Ferrara, 90 miles to the north (about 30 miles from Bologna). We left the driving to our Italian blogger friend, Alessandra Catania…
5 Reasons I Went Back: Budapest Highlights
Just nine months after our first visit to Budapest, I was compelled to go back, longing to revisit Budapest highlights we experienced before and to check out others that we had missed.