“Want to go see Santa Claus?” I ask my 3-year-old granddaughter Ainsley as we wait for her parents and uncle to ride Twilight Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. She enthusiastically agrees this is a great idea, so we queue up with other preschoolers this balmy December day to meet the jolly old elf. You might not
Two Days in Venice
By Marilyn Jones I sat with my friend, Cacinda, at a sidewalk café enjoying a Margherita pizza. The pizza was good, but my surroundings were divine. Before me stood ancient buildings, including a church and apartment buildings, and a gondolier in a red-and-white striped shirt talked on his cell phone waiting for his next passenger. I am in Venice.
DISCOVERING ANCIENT EGYPT
Fotolia TIME OFF DISCOVERING ANCIENT EGYPT MARILYN JONES | SEPTEMBER 2018 Bent at the waist, head down, step by step, I climb. It’s hot, and every few seconds I stop to allow someone coming down to pass. I try not to think about what I’m doing or the solid rock surrounding me because I’m claustrophobic. Instead, I
Great ideas for the traveler on your gift list
It’s that time of year when we start thinking about what to get family and friends for the holidays. If your loved one is a traveler, there’s seemingly no limit to great gift giving ideas. Luggage Luggage is a great gift idea even for the little ones on your list. I decided earlier in the year to get my three-year-old
A most elegant hotel — Ciragan Palace Kempinski
During my travels I stay in lovely hotels all over the world, but none lovelier than the opulent Ciragan Palace Kempinski in Istanbul. After a 12 hour Turkish Airlines direct flight from Houston I am taken to the hotel by a representative of KD Tourism & Travel. The hotel reception area is charming and beautiful, but, as I will soon
Turkey restaurant serves up more than food
I am picked up at the airport in Kayseri, Turkey by Travel Atelier guide Bunyamin Ozmen. It’s close to noon, so we head for the Old Greek House for lunch in the village of Mustafapasa. The restaurant is housed in a 19th century stone mansion. Its first owner was a Greek artist by the name of Yorha Vasil. The house
Metropolis is a “super” destination
I am on a mission. I check into Riverview Mansion Bed & Breakfast for the night, but I hardly take in the ornate Victorian beauty surrounding me in this mansion overlooking the Ohio River when I am out the door and back in my car again. This is Metropolis and, according to the State of Illinois Legislature, the hometown of
Charleston Plantation offers a glimpse of yesteryear
A few miles from Charleston and Wild Dunes Resort where I am staying is Boone Hall Plantation; a gracious, beautiful plantation lovingly restored and open for tour for anyone wanting to grasp a little of yesteryear. I have wanted to visit since I saw a young Patrick Swayze ride a horse up the long entrance lined with live oak trees
This computer is a laptop and a tablet!
I just discovered a great new computer! The HP Envy x360 laptops are 2-in-1 devices that can transfer from a laptop to a tablet in seconds. HP Envy Highlights Featuring Windows 10, it brings back the start menu from Windows 7 and new features, like the Edge Web browser that lets you markup Web pages on your screen. The full
Making a Sweetgrass Basket in South Carolina
I admit I am a little nervous when I sign up for a sweetgrass basket workshop. Making one of the traditional baskets associated with Charleston seems nearly impossible as I watch my instructor taking out amazing examples of her work to show me. This is an activity coordinated for Wild Dunes Resort guests. Located on Isle of Palms, South Carolina,