French Life French Provinces Paris Writing & Books: French Life French Province Paris Writing & Books
by maribeth
1 comment
Dog Trots Globe to Paris & Provence
An American Dog’s Dream Vacation: Chula in Provence
I’ve sometimes thought I’d like to have a dog just to be able to take him or her to France. Although not a dog owner, I’ve always been amused by clients in French restaurants—including fine establishments in Paris—that enjoy a meal in the company of leur chien. It’s always so much fun to see the French fawn over these cherished, four-legged creatures. So much so, in fact, that a water bowl for the dog is often brought out before une carafe d’eau for his or her master.
Art & Culture French Life French Provinces Podcasts Travel Writing & Books: Art & Culture French Life French Provinces Podcasts Travel Writing & Books
by maribeth
Comments Off on The Provence Post Delivers
The Provence Post Delivers
May Poppies Near St. Rèmy de Provence
Julie Mautner from The Provence Post
Peter Mayle and his books officially put Provence, one of many wonderful regions in France, on the map about two decades ago. Although Provence and other parts of the south of France have become increasingly popular with visitors from around the world, the French have appreciated these regions for their sun-drenched richness, transcending landscapes and beloved traditions for centuries. Thankfully you can still count on these prized destinations wooing you as assuredly as finding a Cavaillon melon in a Provençal market—oh, they taste so sugary sweet.
One of Many Centuries-Old Traditions in Provence
For lovers of the south of France or those just looking for a bit more information about Provence and beyond, there’s Julie Mautner and her Provence Post. Julie avidly posts bushels of fresh information and other news on her popular blog. Listen to our Travel Fun interview below to hear Julie and me talk about Provence, other parts of the south of France, the French and more. If you gaze at the beautiful images that Julie provided for this post you’ll feel transported to this redolent land filled with rosemary, lavender and thyme. And if you’re thinking about planning a trip, know that Julie can help out there as well.
Click on the play button below to hear Julie talk about The Provence Post and more.
For more on Provence read my stories Pondering Provence, Sizzling Sensations from Saint-Tropez and Elizabeth Bard Talks About Lunch in Paris, Love and Provence.
Butcher Shop in Arles
A Table!
Bonsoir Provence
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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
by maribeth
Comments Off on Dr. Pepper Schwartz on Sex, Travel and Fun
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.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Art & Culture Beauty Fashion & Style Food & Wine Paris Writing & Books: Art & Culture Beauty Fashion & Style Food & Wine Paris Writing & Books
by maribeth
1 comment
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.
Colorado French Life Travel Writing & Books: Colorado French Life Travel Writing & Books
by maribeth
2 comments
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. Jeez, 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.
Outdoor Adventures Podcasts Shopping The Southwest Travel Writing & Books: Outdoor Adventures Podcasts Shopping The Southwest Travel Writing & Books
by maribeth
1 comment
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.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Art & Culture Mountain Living Podcasts Travel Writing & Books: Art & Culture Mountain Living Podcasts Travel Writing & Books
by maribeth
Comments Off on Lisa Napoli Talks About Bhutan and Radio Shangri-La
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.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
