‘Places’ Archives
Torre del Lago
Italy has its share of beach towns. From the Cinque Terre and it's beautiful jewel-like villages, to the Amalfi Coast and its buildings nestled into dramatic valleys. This week, I visited Torre del Lago, a beach town west of Florence in northern Italy. Just down the road from some of the more fancy beaches like Viareggio, Torre del Lago [...]
Portland Japanese Garden
The Portland Japanese Garden is breath-taking. 5.5 acres that are sure to induce a zen-like state in those who wander through its carefully appointed grounds. Every pebble is intentionally placed, every tree masterfully pruned. The koi are mesmerizing and a blanket of moss covers rocks. If you're ever looking for something awesome to do [...]
Paestum
The Italian city of Paestum is beautiful. In an eerie, peaceful kind of way. It's home to an ancient site. The greatest number of Greek temples outside of Greece. It's stunning. The ancient city is quiet (mosquitos killed everyone off like a zillion years ago), and really, really beautiful. Pizzerias, gelato shops and vendor [...]
Playground for seniors
Just goes to show you--you're never too old to play. The first playground for senior citizens in Britain (seen here) was in Manchester. All the equipment is designed kids (at heart) over 60. So awesome. Every city should have one.
St. Johns
Portland is known for its great neighborhoods. Annexed to the city in 1915, St. Johns still maintains a fierce character of its own, with a downtown of storefronts, coffee shops, restaurants and a fencing salon. Aside from the peaceful charm of the downtown, St. Johns is one of Portland's most dramatic neighborhoods. It is one of the [...]
Farmers Insurance Call Center
I spent a little time at the Farmers Insurance call center in Hillsboro, Oregon, and was amazed at how hard they work to keep their workplace a positive place. There's an on-site gift shop filled with cheerful items like balloons, paper sunflowers, painted pots, butterfly magnets and more. And on the walls all around the building are huge [...]
Sauvie Island
I've been house-sitting on an island just north of Portland. Today, it was stunningly beautiful. Sauvie Island is a country paradise. The island is home to organic farming co-ops, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, beaches, and 12,000 acres of wildlife area. It plays host to 150,000 migratory birds. According to the Sauvie Island [...]
Portland Laughter Yoga
Looking for a place to get a few good laughs? At Portland Laughter Yoga you can get in a good belly buster while getting your workout. From their website: Laughter Yoga is a unique new physical activity where anyone can learn to laugh for no reason at all! It is a perfect blend of playful and energizing laughter exercises. These laughter [...]
Temporary Coffee
Thanks to Serene Bertram of Portland Oregon for today's recommendation. Portland is a coffee town. There are boutique coffee houses all over. Today, Serene walked into one with a funny sign in the window. Yup, it's pretty temporary. A branch of Water Avenue Coffee, Temporary Coffee has opened up on Water Ave in a temporary spot [...]
Pix Patisserie
If you're in for a divine treat, Pix Patisserie in Portland, Oregon, is THE place to go. Actually, the 2 places to go, as there are two locations to get your Pix fix. Where else can you get such deliciousness presented so beautifully as the Concord (chocolate meringue, chocolate mousse, and chocolate ganache are hidden by sticks of meringue and [...]
