Valentine for a Lovely Lady One Hundred Years Young
Aunt Rose and Me During One of Her Many B-day Celebrations
“Work hard. Be busy doing something. Keep your mind going. Keep interested in things.”
Rose Cronin, on the eve of her 100th birthday
I’ve been thinking about these words of wisdom a lot lately. I believe on some level, we’re all looking for the secret to life, the magic formula that will help us to live long, happy and productive lives. So these days if I feel a bit woeful or underwhelmed by what I’ve accomplished in my day, I think about my Aunt Rose, my Dad’s older sister. I consider what has been motivating her all these years.
Aunt Rose turned one hundred early this month. She still lives alone although an array of devoted family members and friends look in on her daily. And when I rang her up on the eve of her milestone birthday, she informed me that she planned to go back to work at the hospital a few days a week come March. (She takes a breather during the dead of winter since driving in the northeast where she lives can be dicey during this time. Rose gave up driving two years ago yet is still considerate of others.)
Since 1978, Rose Cronin (née Clemente) has devoted more than 83,500 hours of community service to St. Mary’s Hospital in Troy, NY, mostly at the hospital’s gift shop which was recently renamed Rose’s Gift Gallery. She worked more than twenty-two years as the shop’s manager and now enjoys a hopefully less stressful position selling raffle tickets to passersby outside of the Gallery. Who could refuse a sweet, little old lady? In the last ten years, my Aunt Rose has raised over $100,000 to help with the purchase of much-needed equipment for the hospital’s emergency room from the sale of raffle tickets alone.
Podcasts Romance & Relationships Travel Writing & Books: Podcasts Romance & Relationships Travel Writing & Books
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Dr. Pepper Schwartz on Sex, Travel and Fun
Dr. Pepper Schwartz
I interviewed Dr. Pepper Schwartz on my Travel Fun radio show a few years ago. In honor of Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d post this program here as a podcast, especially since most people I know are still looking for ways to spice up their lives at home and while traveling. As the co-author of “The Great Sex Weekend” and a nationally-recognized authority on sexuality, Dr. Pepper Schwartz knows how to speak intelligently about finding a healthy combination of sex, travel and fun. And if you tune in to our interview below, you’ll learn that romance plays a big role in a couple’s connection as well. (Did you hear that guys?)
“Every couple needs to get away to refocus on each other,” Dr. Schwartz emphasizes. “It’s important to remember they’re lovers and that they can surprise and delight each other,” she continues. If you go away, it’s a way of saying you’re going to focus on each other, Dr. Schwartz explains.
In our interview you learn that just getting away isn’t enough. (Sorry guys.) No, there’s so much more to a getaway including planning, packing and well, a bit of teasing. Anticipation plays a big role and if you do this right, you’ll reap the benefits from your getaway tenfold. Here are some of Dr. Schwartz’s recommendations:
-Figure out TOGETHER what is right for you in terms of hotel and destination choice. (Maybe that charming B & B—with thin walls—might not be such a good choice after all.)
-Discuss what you want to do together (and maybe separately) before you go away. (One round of golf for him might be O.K. as long as she can hit the spa.)
-Consider visiting a sex shop or lingerie boutique together before you leave town. (This gives packing new meaning!)
-Talk, plan, titillate to give your eventual trip added zest.
“Plan it so that there are no false notes,” Dr. Schwartz says.
In the below interview, Dr. Schwartz also mentions some favorite hotels and resorts that she recommends for especially romantic getaways and how you can create their special ambiances at home. She gives “eye-gazing,” for example, new meaning.
Definitely tune in.
Click on the play button below to listen to my interview with Dr. Pepper Schwartz.
Note that Dr. Pepper Schwartz is in the midst of writing a romantic travel book for Frommer’s and AARP, so I’ll be sure to do another story on her when that book is published.
Art & Culture Beauty Fashion & Style Food & Wine Paris Writing & Books: Art & Culture Beauty Fashion & Style Food & Wine Paris Writing & Books
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Drooling Over Pastry Paris
"Pastry Paris: In Paris, Everything Looks Like Dessert"
“The fine arts are five in number, namely: painting, sculpture, poetry, music, and architecture, the principal branch of the latter being pastry.”
—Antonin Carême (1783-1833)
The above quote surely served as inspiration for Susan Hochbaum in the creation of her darling book, “Pastry Paris: In Paris, Everything Looks Like Dessert” (The Little Bookroom). A luscious treat, enticing enough to devour in one sitting, “Pastry Paris” takes my vote for the best gift-y book of the season. Lovers of Paris, pastry, history and beauty will savor it like a best-loved dessert.
“It’s hard not to love a city with a pâtisserie on nearly every block, where pastries are sold all day long to People who never get fat.”
This is how Ms. Hochbaum begins “Pastry Paris,” a clever little delight that pleases by its words, photography and design. Who has not been mesmerized by the candy-colored allure and sheer artistry of French pastries? Did you know that most of these masterpieces boast very particular names such as Religieuse, St. Honoré, Paris-Brest and the well-known Eclair? These names—with only occasional variations—are the same throughout all of France, names that have been used in most cases for centuries for the same scrumptious little cakes featured in bakeries like jewels in a showcase.
In “Pastry Paris,” you’ll learn that each pastry possesses its own story, its own special place in la culture générale of France. From Brioche to Madeleine, Ms. Hochbaum tells a tale about all of France’s beloved gâteaux as she takes you along to many of Paris’s most famous pâtisseries and landmark sites along the way. This is one visual stroll through Paris that cannot easily be forgotten.
To be extra special, I suggest you offer “Pastry Paris” with a selection of fine, French pastries.
For now, indulge in this glorious celebration of Paris pastries from Ms. Hochbaum and me by clicking here.
Colorado French Life Travel Writing & Books: Colorado French Life Travel Writing & Books
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Reflecting Upon Two Hundred Blog Posts
Clara, My Editorial Assistant
I happened to notice a few weeks ago that I was nearing two hundred blog posts. Geez, I thought, I’d like to commemorate this momentous occasion! Two hundred stories in just over three years. I’d be kidding you if I said I never thought I’d have so much to write about. I was a chatty child and am an equally loquacious adult. This propensity for telling tales, recounting experiences and sharing information has hopefully translated well into my writing. It’s my wish that you find my stories fun, entertaining and informative.
It has been quite the journey. It seemed to take me forever to get Bonjour Colorado off the ground but once I did, I feel that as hard as it sometimes is to find time to “feed the blog,” I am hooked.
Initially, I felt a lot of inertia around the whole editing process—or lack thereof—with my blog. I authored four books with a major U.S. publisher where every word was viewed and reviewed by many sets of eyes. How could I publish something—albeit blog posts on the Internet—without it passing through a stringent editing process? Well, I do. And even though I go over every word I write countless times, it still takes a lot of letting go. I often remind myself that a friend once told me that the Navajos deliberately weave a flaw into their rugs, a concrete reminder that there’s no such thing as perfection, nor is it something we should strive for.
The whole tech aspect of creating a blog also held me back. Most of it I now manage pretty well; other aspects boggle me beyond belief. I’m an eighteenth century person living in the twenty-first century. Recently, however, I learned how to post podcasts of my Travel Fun radio show myself, so hooray for progress.
I’ve enjoyed receiving many of my readers’ thoughts on my stories (although I wish people would share more in blog comments than e-mail). It seems as though the stories that resonate the most are the ones that are the most personal. Indeed, I received lots of feedback on Self Tanning: Bronzage in a Bottle, Touring the Southwest with My Parents, Family Fun Facilitators, Marking a Milestone with Good Wishes and a Great Face Cream, Teatime with Dad at Denver’s Brown Palace Hotel, Reaching Out to Victoria, Paris and Wolff & Descourtis, my whole Rafting and Roughing it on the Black Canyon of the Gunnison series and more. My ski stories get lots of clicks, too, but I guess that’s to be expected since Colorado and skiing go together like France and fashion.
Leo, My Computer Guy
This input has been pretty affirming since much of Bonjour Colorado is about exploring the dualities of my French sophisticate side with my new Rocky Mountain Girl life. I think those stories do just that!
So what’s in store for the next hundred or so posts? You can bet I already have lots of ideas in mind. I also plan to develop the shopping aspect more—not because I think you should do more of it but I do think it should be more selective. That’s a strong French philosophy that I’ve adhered to for well over two decades, but now I think I’d like to emphasize it more than ever.
And then there’s the whole outdoor adventure thing. Becoming a ski instructor represented a huge life-changing moment for me, something I often say does wonders for my writer’s life. (Isn’t balance key?) This experience—and the West in general—provides me with great fodder for this blog. Who knows? Maybe someday I’ll write about heli-skiing or a backwoods camping trip.
One thing’s for sure, I’ll never lose my “Frenchness” or my desire to report on the more refined aspects of life. I’m thrilled that I’ve found a way through Bonjour Colorado to pull these diverse worlds together and share these experiences and impressions with you.
Thanks for joining me on this adventure. I invite you to voyage through the two hundred posts on this blog to find a few stories that speak to you.
Outdoor Adventures Podcasts Shopping The Southwest Travel Writing & Books: Outdoor Adventures Podcasts Shopping The Southwest Travel Writing & Books
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James Kaiser on Acadia, Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Parks
Yosemite Valley
How many of America’s national parks have you been to? I’ve only visited a handful even though I love the great outdoors, wide open spaces and awe-inspiring scenery. It’s so beautiful here in Telluride that I often feel like I’m living in a national park. But still. There are so many out there to discover; the question is where to begin.
Here’s a great start: let James Kaiser, award-winning travel writer, photographer and expert guide you. Listen to my Travel Fun interview below and hear what James has to say about some of America’s greatest treasures. Like me, he agrees that most Americans are missing out on what’s in their own backyard. “Fifty percent of the people you see in America’s national parks are foreigners,” James says. “They travel halfway around the world to visit our national parks,” he continues. And while you’re listening to our interview, I suggest you check out his site, JamesKaiser.com, where you can see and shop for some of his spectacular national park photos.
Acadia Islesford and Mount Desert Island
So far, James has authored four guidebooks, all richly illustrated and informative books that also feature his photography. He started out with “Acadia: The Complete Guide” and then after tremendous success with that book, branched out to Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon and Yosemite. In our interview, James provides a terrific overview of each of the four national parks he has written about, talking about the highlights of each and the best times to visit.
Acadia National Park has special significance to James since he was born and raised nearby. This is also the first in his series of guidebooks and clearly one of his favorite places in the world.
Joshua Tree at Sunset
James describes Joshua Tree National Park as something out of a Dr. Seuss book or a Salvador Dali painting and indeed it’s not hard to imagine the unusual landscapes for which this park is known. “It’s a mecca for rock climbers,” James explains. “You see these crazy boulder piles throughout the desert.”
Asking James to summarize Grand Canyon National Park in five minutes or less was perhaps unkind of me, but you’ll hear he does a great job. “I set out to show people that the Grand Canyon is so much more than a pretty view,” James says. In his book, “Grand Canyon: The Complete Guide,” he emphasizes the hiking and geological aspects of the Canyon along with what he deems to be the greatest outdoor adventure in America: rafting the Grand Canyon.
Yosemite also garners a special spot within James’s travel writings and adventures. Located in the heart of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California, James talks about how this national park has become most famous for the Yosemite Valley. That’s where you’ll see some of the highest waterfalls and cliffs in the world. In our interview, James talks about the Yosemite Fire Fall, clearly one of the most exciting and transcending phenomenons he has experienced in nature. Plan to go their in February.
As I mention in my story, Touring the Southwest with My Parents, late fall and winter are terrific times to visit many of America’s national parks. And now is also a good time to begin making your plans for next spring and summer. As James and I discuss in our interview, the important thing is to get out and visit our national parks. They’re too beautiful to be missed.
Click on the button below to listen to my interview with James Kaiser.
Thank you to James for the use of his images in this post.
Grand Canyon Rafting
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Lisa Napoli Talks About Bhutan and Radio Shangri-La
Lisa Napoli in Bhutan, Her Adopted Country
It’s almost off-season here in Telluride, the time many people in these mountain towns are heading out for extended trips to far-flung destinations. Aah yes, there are people lucky enough to go to Bhutan, a country the size of Switzerland, sandwiched between India, China and Nepal, in the Himalayas—the mountains are always calling. So I thought it fitting to make my Travel Fun interview with Lisa Napoli, author of “Radio Shangri-La: What I Learned in Bhutan, the Happiest Kingdom on Earth,” available to you now. It’s a terrific book for armchair travelers as well, a delightful read that allows you to visit one of the most exotic countries in the world without ever leaving your living room. Just click on the play button below.
Lisa talks about how she worked for public radio for years and then all of a sudden was given the opportunity to head off to Bhutan to help the Bhutanese with their burgeoning radio station. (At that time—in 2007—they only had one station for a country of over a half million inhabitants.) As she recounts in her book and in our interview, this period in Bhutan turned out to be a life-changing experience for her. I chuckled at so many of her descriptions of her time—and the cast of characters—at the radio station where she worked in Bhutan. Some of them—especially the more quirky people and the locale—reminded me of life here at KOTO, our own little public radio station in T-ride.
Here’s a glimmer of what Lisa shares about travel to Bhutan, a devout, Buddhist country that was closed to the outside world up until forty years ago:
-Bhutan does not keep track of it’s GDP. They do, however, measure GNP or Gross National Happiness. What is that anyway?
-Most people have to go through a tour operator to travel to Bhutan.
-What does the $200./day tourist tax entail?
-Listen to what Lisa likes the most about this intriguing land.
You’ll also hear Lisa read a couple of excerpts from “Radio Shangri-La: What I Learned in Bhutan, the Happiest Kingdom on Earth.”
Click on the play button below to listen to my interview with Lisa Napoli.
Thank you to Lisa for the above photo.
Phallus Symbol: A Part of Bhutanese Life (Note the T-Mobile Card Next to It)
Thank you to Sharon Shuteran for the above photo that she took of this “sculpture” on the doorway of a shop in Trongsa town. Sharon travels to Bhutan regularly to do service work, a domain that is still quite closed in Bhutan. Listen to her story at Service Travel: Two Different Approaches. Lisa refers to the proliferation of phallus symbols a fair amount in her book. As much as I wanted to, I didn’t have the nerve to ask her about them on air. Apparently they’re used to ward off evil spirits.
Skiing & Snowboarding The Rockies Writing & Books: Skiing & Snowboarding The Rockies Writing & Books
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Skiing, Smores and Storytelling at Snowmass
Big Blues on the Big Burn at Snowmass
I woke up to a winter wonderland in Telluride this morning. The mountain’s closed here but I instantly went to the Aspen/Snowmass Web site and saw that they’ve already received seven inches and it’s still snowing. Yes, we’re still skiing here in Colorado! I’m taking off tomorrow for Aspen for a last blast at Aspen Highlands. They always put on a great end-of-season party.
Ten days ago I experienced closing weekend at Snowmass, a mountain I had never skied. Much like in Telluride, their last day of the season was marked by a terrific spring storm that left most people bemoaning the fact that it was the last hurrah. I can only wonder what this Sunday will bring at the Highlands.
So what do I think of Snowmass? Fantastic! I can’t wait to go back and get to know the mountain better. No wonder it’s such a popular choice for all kinds of skiers and boarders, big and small. The groomers seemed endless—long, languorous blues that undulate down the mountain making even the most intermediate skier feel like an expert. It was windy and cold on the last day, so I didn’t bother much with the blacks that crown the summit. But I long to ride The Cirque, a poma lift that runs along the crest of the mountain providing access to the steeper terrain. From there also, I imagine skiers and boarders revel in killer views.
And what about the ambiance? I like it. Although some of the eateries and facilities seem a bit dated, I truly appreciate the strong ski culture embedded throughout the resort. Sure, even on the last day the mountain boasted lots of tourists, yet I could also tell there were just as many local and regional die-hard skiers on the hill. I gobbled up a savory chicken stew at Gwyn’s High Alpine and met new friends that had been skiing Snowmass for years. And then not surprisingly, I found myself at Café Suzanne, a French-inspired establishment, before the last run to sip a hot chocolate with my hunny. Next time, I’ll be back for their boeuf bourguignon.
Storytelling by Mary Lee
My most touching moment at Snowmass, however, came a few days before when I “swung by” with friends. They were going to ski for the last hour (don’t you love it!), but I decided to sit out and take in the scene at the two Snowmass villages—one old, one new—that serve as beehives of activity for those visiting Snowmass. I stumbled upon a heartwarming sight just outside the coffee shop in the upper village. A cart had been set up stacked high with marshmallows, graham crackers and Hershey chocolate bars, all the necessary ingredients for making smores. Children and adults had gathered around, piercing their marshmallows with the sticks provided and roasting them in the little gas fire that had been lit for this biweekly happening. An elfin woman, whom I later came to know as Mary Lee, quietly greeted everyone asking them about their day and then gently offering to tell them a story. The responses seemed mixed, mostly since people were focused on their marshmallow roasting, a job that does require the right amount of attention or else the white blob will go up in flames.
Eventually some kids became interested in hearing a story. Their eyes widened as Mary Lee launched into a wonderfully scary one. The suspense grew along with the kids’ sticky, chocolate-y mustaches. I found myself captivated both by Mary Lee’s tale and this endearing moment, a sweet scene that unfolded amidst the end-of-the-day hustle and bustle of this busy ski area.
I chatted with Mary Lee later, complimenting her on her ability to spin an intriguing tale. I was only mildly surprised to learn that she had a degree—perhaps a PhD?—in storytelling and that she was quite familiar with Joseph Campbell’s “The Hero with a Thousand Faces,” a bible to most writers and storytellers. Indeed, Aspen is a first-class resort, I thought. They don’t mess around, even when it comes to smores and storytelling. No wonder Snowmass is such a big draw for families. Life is both in the grand themes and the details—whether you’re cruising on a sweeping blue run or delighting in a smores storytelling moment.
I wonder what little gems will touch me this weekend at Aspen Highlands. I’m thinking it will be pond-skimming, Bluegrass and beers. But you never know what singular moment might seize your senses. Sometimes—especially at this point in the season—the skiing becomes secondary.
Thank you to Aspen/Snowmass and Ann Larson for the above images.
Podcasts Travel Writing & Books: Podcasts Travel Travel Writing Writing & Books
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Terrific Travel Advice from Everett Potter
Everett Potter: The Guy in the Know When It Comes to Travel
I recently did a Travel Fun interview with top travel writer, Everett Potter, and boy did we have fun trading stories about the travel world. Everett, a travel writer for over twenty-five years, may easily be considered one of the country’s foremost authorities on travel. He’s a regular contributor to many illustrious travel publications including Ski Magazine, Forbes Life and Travel & Leisure. He launched an online newsletter and blog, Everett Potter’s Travel Report, a handful of years ago, a logical outgrowth to all the information he amasses from his freelance assignments.
So here we are—two bloggers that have been published in various outlets aside from the worldwide web. You’ve got to hear what we say about this new world of travel writing, a world largely dominated by the Internet where anyone can self publish their thoughts and opinions without the careful eye of an editor. ”A lot of the blogosphere has stories completely unedited, not fact checked,” Everett points out. Facebook and Twitter are mentioned in the same breath as remarks about the constant changes of travel writing online and off.
We discuss TripAdvisor in far greater detail, weighing the pros and cons of this Internet phenomenon that often leaves hotel G.M.s and other hospitality industry heavyweights cringing with every other posting. Of course many of the critiques ring legitimate, others not so much. ”There’s an awful lot of English people lamenting the fact that there’s not a tea kettle in their room,” Everett says. I chuckle and sympathize with these complaints since being a tea drinker myself, it’s truly awful to make tea in a coffee pot.
Everett also talks about how and where to find the most value for your travel dollars, how to book hotels and flights, today’s lodging and airline cutbacks and much more. Don’t plan your next trip without listening to this interview!
I bet Everett would be tons of fun to be with on a trip, especially to a place such as England. You can do just that September 26-October 3 on a Dartmoor to Exmoor Walk, a soft adventure walking tour, organized by The Wayfarers. There are still some places left, but act fast!
You’ll find a wealth of stories on food and wine, culture, adventure travel and more at Everett’s blog. There you can also toss your hat (or e-mail address) into the ring for a variety of contests he offers on a regular basis. They’re downright giveaways, in fact, where you can snag a hotel stay, cruise and more.
Sit down with a good cup of tea or a glass of wine and listen to all that Everett and I have to say about today’s wonderful and crazy world of travel. Click on the play button below to begin.
