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Traveling with Sweeney

Traveling with Sweeney

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Destinations, North America, Special Feature

Traveling Sisters — A Sentimental Journey

Catherine Sweeney
October 11, 2020
16 Comments
Traveling Sisters — A Sentimental Journey

Memories of shared travel experiences with my sister, Chris

california, family travel, north america, road trip, special feature, travel, USA
Arizona, At Home in Scottsdale, Destinations, North America, Parks & Recreation, Sweeney in Arizona, USA

Wonders of Nature at the Desert Botanical Garden

Catherine Sweeney
June 24, 2020
1 Comment
Wonders of Nature at the Desert Botanical Garden

Wonders of nature at the Desert Botanical Garden

Arizona, nature, north america, phoenix, Sonoran Desert, USA
Destinations, Food, New York, North America, USA

Enchanted by Lucien Bahaj on Manhattan’s Lower East Side

Catherine Sweeney
December 27, 2019
5 Comments
Enchanted by Lucien Bahaj on Manhattan’s Lower East Side

Remembering Lucien Bahaj

Manhattan, New York, north america, special feature, USA
Arizona, At Home in Scottsdale, Destinations, North America, Sweeney in Arizona, USA

Scottsdale Hikes: Marcus Landslide Trail at Tom’s Thumb

Catherine Sweeney
December 24, 2019
6 Comments
Scottsdale Hikes: Marcus Landslide Trail at Tom’s Thumb

We’ve now added the Marcus Landslide Trail to our list of favorite hikes in Scottsdale.

Arizona, hiking, north america, USA
Arizona, Destinations, North America, Packing Tips, Sweeney in Arizona, USA

Packing Guide for Easy Desert Hiking

Catherine Sweeney
March 4, 2019
23 Comments
Packing Guide for Easy Desert Hiking

Tips for easy hiking in the desert

Arizona, featured, hiking, scottsdale, tips, USA
Chicago, Destinations, North America, USA

Chicago: My Kind of Town at Christmas

Catherine Sweeney
December 24, 2018
9 Comments
Chicago: My Kind of Town at Christmas

Christmas in Chicago: Favorite holiday things to do

chicago, christmas, christmas markets, illinois, USA
Arizona, Sweeney in Arizona, USA

Scottsdale is for Art Lovers: Top Museums and Venues

Catherine Sweeney
October 25, 2017
13 Comments
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.

Arizona, museums, scottsdale, USA, wine
Arizona, Destinations, Sweeney in Arizona, USA

Spirit Matters at Scottsdale’s Museum of the West

Catherine Sweeney
October 3, 2017
8 Comments
Spirit Matters at Scottsdale’s Museum of the West

Western Spirit is a first-class museum in Scottsdale, Arizona, celebrating the art, culture and history of the American West.

Arizona, Art and Architecture, culture, featured, museums, scottsdale, USA
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About Catherine Sweeney

Catherine Sweeney is a travel enthusiast with a lifelong passion for going places. A weekend getaway, an international journey, a cross-country road trip, or a local jaunt — they’re all on her radar. And it’s all made extra special when she’s enjoying the finer things in life with Mr. TWS, her husband and co-blogger. Get inspired as they share photos and stories highlighting the best of destinations, food, wine, history, culture and the arts.

2018 NATJA Silver Award Winner

Recent Posts

  • Hope Springs Eternal in Upper Manhattan
  • Ernest Hemingway’s First Chapter in Oak Park, Illinois
  • Romantic Europe: 10 Special Places in My Heart
  • Scary Travel Tales
  • Traveling Sisters — A Sentimental Journey

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travelingwithsweeney

Catherine Sweeney
Do you recognize this man? Well, he’s the guy I’m starting to make travel plans with again. Mr. TWS and I are fully #vaccinated and eager to explore again. In the meantime, we’re enjoying being out and about locally here in #scottsdaleaz — This was at Olive & Ivy at the #Scottsdale Waterfront, one of our favorite places for dining al fresco. Here’s to future travels ahead. Where are you hoping to travel next? #absolutelyscottsdale #experiencescottsdale #myphx #arizona #wewilltravelagain #getvaccinated #enjoylife
Happy Mother’s Day! These lovely ladies are feat Happy Mother’s Day! These lovely ladies are featured in our next in the series of mother-daughter travel memories. Look for the link in my bio for these warm, funny, and thoughtful stories of @pola.parisienne @lifestylefifty @aholeinmyshoe @adventuresofacarryon @travalerie @quiltripping @spatravelgal @travelpast50 and @caroletmeyers #mothersday #travelingwithmom #travelbloggers #travelmemories #memoriesforlife #memoriesofmom #mothersdayspecial
It's all about traveling moms at TWS this weekend. It's all about traveling moms at TWS this weekend. Looking back on special posts we've published about the memorable stories by our travel writing friends about traveling with their moms. Part One features @aladyinlondon @tropicaltravelgirl @italyinstyle @indtravhelp @foodtravelist @micheleherrmann @bclbn and @rachelsruminations #mothersday2021 #travelingwithmom #travelbloggers #memoriesforlife #travelmemories #travelswithmymother Link in bio.
A master mosaic artist at work in Pietrasanta, Ita A master mosaic artist at work in Pietrasanta, Italy. Something I’ve missed very much about traveling is meeting interesting people like Piero Giannoni, a master mosaic artist who gave us a very warm welcome in his studio in Pietrasanta, Italy during a visit to Tuscany with @estevillas and @wishversilia several years ago. His passion for his craft was evident as he spoke of completed projects and those in progress. It was fascinating to watch him create his art on a work in progress. We watched Piero and another artist in his shop cutting, polishing, and placing each individual piece of glass. His many artistic accomplishments are diverse and include mosaic portraits for celebrities such as fashion designers Giorgio Armani and Roberto Cavalli as well as large mosaic art pieces that adorn churches and secular venues around the world. #italy #travel #art #pietrasanta #mosaicart #tuscany #artistatwork #italia #tuscany #mosaicartists #wewilltravelagain #itsaboutthepeople
A look inside @cosanti_originals in Paradise Valle A look inside @cosanti_originals in Paradise Valley, Arizona. Yesterday I took a tour of the former architecture and design studio of the late Paolo Soleri where artisans still create exquisite bronze and ceramic bells in his style. The large bell in this photo is displayed in one of the innovative earth-cast structures that Soleri built and where he lived at the time of his death in 2013. Part of the one-hour tour also gives visitors a look at the artisans as they pour molten bronze into molds for the bells. #paradisevalley #arizona #myphx #absolutelyscottsdale . . . #visitarizona #experiencescottsdale #windbells #madeinarizona #artoftheday #arcology #artinthedesert #architecture #bronzebell #soleri #paolosoleri
Earth Day memories enjoying the natural riches of Earth Day memories enjoying the natural riches of our world biking around Parco Giardino Sigurtà, about 28 miles north of Mantua (Lombardia) in the village of Valeggio sul Mincio (Veneto) with @estevillas @mantovabikexperience @palazzocastiglionimantova and @fotografiaarona #earthday #springtimeinitaly #italytravel #discoverveneto #visititaly #appreciatenature #protectourplanet #italia #italy #wewilltravelagain #ifwtwa
Some years ago on an Easter Sunday in New York Cit Some years ago on an Easter Sunday in New York City, Mr. TWS and I took the A train from our Midtown apartment to 190th Street to enjoy signs of spring at Fort Tryon Park and visit @metcloisters a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, located in the park. The museum contains an extensive collection of medieval European art and religious artifacts. The building itself was constructed in the 1930’s from architectural elements of medieval abbeys. Fort Tryon Park is a place of beauty year round but is especially alluring in the spring. In my latest blog post, photographer @barbaranelson2590 shares her photos of spring in the park. Link to TWS site in bio. #newyorkcity #forttryonpark #spring #nature #cloisters #hopespringseternal #signsofspring #metanywhere #parksandrecreation #publicpark #nyc #metcloisters #medievalart #whenwetravelagain
Happy Easter! The Sonoran Desert is in bloom! #sco Happy Easter! The Sonoran Desert is in bloom! #scottsdale #arizona🌵 #easterflowers #cactusflowers #myphx #mcdowellmountainranch #nature #naturalbeauty #desert #desertflowers
Which table shall I choose? I stopped at this invi Which table shall I choose? I stopped at this inviting restaurant near the botanical gardens in Madrid for a break between roaming around the city and visiting the Prada. Thinking about #Spain travels past and those yet to come #whenwetravelagain — #madrid #madridspain #spain🇪🇸 . . . #visitspain #españa #visitmadrid #travelblogger #traveltheworld #europeantravel #europetravel #placestovisit #travelmemories #romanticcities #traveller #travelgram
#whenwetravelagain ... Spain is one of the countri #whenwetravelagain ... Spain is one of the countries at the top of our list for a return trip. Although we will explore new regions, we’d love to go back to others, too. This is Girona in the Costa Brava region of Catalonia. After arriving in Girona by train from Barcelona, 65 miles to the south, we headed out for tapas at one of the many outdoor restaurants surrounding the Placa Independencia. Afterwards, We walked for miles through the narrow cobblestone streets, around Girona Cathedral and along the Rio Onyar, one of the four rivers that meet at the city. Girona is often referred to as the Spanish Venice because of the rivers, bridges and picturesque buildings. #girona #catalonia #costabrava #spain #travellater #travelmemories #incostabrava . . . #gironaemociona @turisme_gi #gironacathedral #riveronyar #rioonyar #picturesque #ciutatsambcaràcter #wewilltravelagain #travelblogger #ifwtwa
Romance on the Rhine ... It’s easy to see why th Romance on the Rhine ... It’s easy to see why the Middle Rhine River Valley of Germany was inspiration for the 19th-century writers and artists, including Goethe and Byron, and why it was one of Germany’s first tourist destinations with famous visitors, such as Mark Twain. This beautiful romantic palace shines white high on the west bank of the Rhine — one of many majestic castles we saw on our @vikingcruises Rhine Getaway. Originally built as a fortress in the 13th century, Stolzenfels Palace was later used as a toll station. Destroyed in 1689 in the Palatinate War of Succession (also known as the Nine Years’ War), it was rebuilt by Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm IV as a palace in 1823 and appears much the same today. #myvikingstory #germany #europe #rhinevalleygermany #wewilltravelagain . . . #rivercruising #romantictravel #europeantravel #travelmemories #beautifuldestinations #whenwetravelagain
Budapest — a city that has always had an aura of Budapest — a city that has always had an aura of international intrigue and romance for me. On my third visit, I was no less captivated than I was at first sight. This view of the Pest side of the city and the Chain Bridge across the Danube with @fsbudapest and St. Stephen's Basilica beyond the bridge is from Castle Hill on the Buda side. Budapest is breathtakingly beautiful with stunning landmarks on both sides accessed by the city’s eight bridges. #budapest #Hungary #europe . . . #budapesthungary #budapesttravel #youmustsee #thisisbudapest #romanticplaces #europeandestinations #iwilltravelagain #romantictravel #budapestgram #chainbridge #danube #pestsideofbudapest #viewofthecity
Next up in my February romantic places series... L Next up in my February romantic places series... Lisbon, Portugal exceeded my expectations in many ways and it felt totally romantic. Shortly after arriving in Lisbon for a two night stay prior to our @vikingcruises cruise on the Douro River in northern Portugal, we relaxed here at Rossio Square. From my article about our prelude to a cruise: “Surrounded by restaurants and shops, Praça Dom Pedro IV, commonly known as Rossio Square, is the main square of the city and one of its transportation hubs. It was bustling whenever we were there. ... . The wavy-patterned pavement as seen in the photo was mesmerizing.” #Lisbon #portugal #myvikingstory #traveldreaming #iwilltravelagain . . . #romantictravel #romanticcities #rossiosquare #praçadompedroiv #travelblogger #europeantravel #visitportugal #iloveportugal #lisboa #bestcitiesofeurope #visitlisboa @visitportugal #visitportugal #portugal_passion
This goes way back in my romantic places memories. This goes way back in my romantic places memories. This was our first view of the Mediterranean in Roses, Spain along the beautiful Costa Brava in Catalonia. Our balcony at the Hotel & Spa Terraza overlooked palm trees gently blowing on a breezy day, wide expanses of sandy beach and boats sailing on Roses Bay. #costabrava #rosesspain #catalonia #travelmemories❤️ . . . #incostabrava #spain #iwilltravelagain #romantictravel #visitspain #visitcatalonia #travelblogger #mediterranean #roomwithaview #alongthecoast #beachdreams #beautifuldestinations
Romantic Places ... Part Deux. Musée d’Orsay a Romantic Places ... Part Deux. Musée d’Orsay and the Eiffel Tower at sunset. Sigh ... Seeing Paris for the first time is a dream come true for many travelers, particularly those, like me, who have been inspired by a lifetime of enticements from movies, books and travelogues. But the excitement doesn’t diminish with follow up trips to the City of Lights. #iwilltravelagain #romantictravel #paris #france🇫🇷 . . . . #museedorsay #eiffeltower #sunsetinparis #travellater #france #tourismefrance #romance #travelmemories❤️ #jaimelafrance #jaimeparis #parismemories
My memories of favorite romantic places include th My memories of favorite romantic places include the village of Cassis on the Mediterranean coast of France. . This seaside village of 8,000 residents was one of the highlights of our Provence trip. In the summer, especially during August, the population of Cassis jumps to over 40,000 as it’s an extremely popular summer resort, particularly for French and other European vacationers. It’s the kind of place where you feel you belong when you first arrive. The beautiful location in the Parc National des Calanques, the picturesque waterfront, and the Mediterranean ambiance are captivating. Although spring and summer would bring many for the sunshine and beaches, even this cool, overcast winter day in December had a rather balmy feeling. #cassis #france🇫🇷 #provence @otcassis @francefr . . . #cassisfrance #explorefrance #jeredecouvrelafrance #southernfrance #boatsonthewater #charmingvillage #coastalvillage #visitfrance #romanticvillage #jaimelafrance #francetourisme #winterinprovence #travelblogger #travelgram #visitprovence #amazingfrance #hellofrance #romancetravel
We had a wild weather day here in @scottsdaleariz We had a wild weather day here in @scottsdaleariz — some thunder and lightning, lots of rain (which we really needed), and two downpours of hail. Mr. TWS captured this beautiful end of day photo looking toward the McDowell Mountains. #sonorandesert #arizona #myphx . . . #arizona🌵 #visitarizona #mcdowellmountains #mcdowellsonoranpreserve #mcdowellmountainranch #naturephotography #naturalbeauty #mountains #southwestusa #afterthestorm #beautifulskies #igersphx
Happy New Year 2021! New Year’s Eve at @dbgphx D Happy New Year 2021! New Year’s Eve at @dbgphx Desert Botanical Garden was appropriate for the times with safety measures in place and without live entertainment. It was a great place to enjoy peacefulness and beautiful lights while looking forward to a brighter year ahead. Here’s to a happy and healthy 2021 for all! #newyearseve #newyears2021 #phoenix #arizona #desertbotanicalgarden . . . #luminaries #lasnochesdelasluminarias #desert #myphx #visitphoenix #igersphoenix #holidayseason #desertlife
Merry Christmas from the Traveling With Sweeney du Merry Christmas from the Traveling With Sweeney duo! New York City provided a perfect holiday getaway for us a few years ago and we look forward to joyful Christmas seasons there again. This pic was taken in Bryant Park, one of my favorite places in the city during any season. Have a happy, safe, and healthy Christmas! #christmasespast #stayhome #stayhomethischristmas #maskupamerica #brighterdaysahead . . . #newyorkcity #bryantpark #christmasgreetings #travellater #holidaydecorations #ilovenyc❤️
I still say that @fsgeorgevparis is one of my top I still say that @fsgeorgevparis is one of my top hotels for Christmas decor. Artistic Director @jeffleatham is amazing. Don’t you love this gorgeous shiny red bear? It was just a part of holiday decor I enjoyed there during a stay several years ago at Christmas. Here’s to seeing holiday magic at the @fourseasons George V, Paris again! #paris #France #europe . . . #christmasdecorations #hotellobbydecor #parisatchristmas #traveleurope #france🇫🇷 #tophotelsoftheworld #travelblogger #gorgeousdecorations #christmasespast #travellater #artisticexpression #happytraveler
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