Latest Stories
 Want
to visit fun places but you are not sure what to see there?
How about taking a tour that is like having a friend along who
knows that city well to guide you. You can do that for under
$5 now. Here's some fun and informative tours at Tours4Mobile.
Read more
Kathleen Walls
 David
Friedman, author of Food Sanity, gives us one good reason to
drink rum. He states, “Also, while too much drinking can
damage your brain, moderate consumption of rum may actually
lower that risk: Rum has properties that may help protect your
brain cells and decrease your risk of dementia and
Alzheimer’s.” Read more.
Renée S. Gordon
 Whether
your latest resolution was to spend more time with your family
or not, this column is for you. Philadelphia was designated
the nation’s first UNESCO World Heritage City in 2015, placing
it on par with Berlin, Mexico City, Paris and Quebec City. It
is widely recognized as an international destination, a
historic and cultural mecca with venues that are accessible,
affordable and family friendly.
Read more.
Renée S. Gordon
 Spanish
explorer Juan Ponce de León is believed to be the first
European to explore Florida although earlier expeditions
reached the region hunting for native slaves to export to
Spain. He set sail in 1513 on a search for gold and new lands,
later stories tell he sought the Fountain of Youth. Believing
he had landed on an island he named the land La Florida,
Land of Flowers, because of its blooming vegetation and
because he “discovered” it during the Catholic feast of
Easter. His two expeditions led to the first European
settlement in what later became the US.
Read more.
Renée S. Gordon
 The
Mid-Atlantic region is the most historic corridor in the
country and consists of a series of metropolitan areas within
220-miles and accessed by I-95. The major cities, New York,
Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, DC, each have
distinctive attractions, New York’s glitz, glamour and
Broadway, Philadelphia’s historic sites, art and music scene
and DC’s museums, memorials and institutions.
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
As you drive into Ghost Ranch, you are going to be driving slowly. That's because the eye-catching
beauty of the mountains surround you. You would not be human
if you didn’t stop to stare at such overwhelming beauty.
However, one of the first man-made things you see is a small
log cabin. It's a perfect excuse to pull off the road and
explore. Read more.
by Tom Straka
 There
are lots of old plantations and plantation houses scattered
across the South. Many are special, usually due to some sort
of historical connection. Fort Hill was the antebellum
plantation of John C. Calhoun, a preeminent nineteenth century
southern statesman and later the home of Thomas G. Clemson,
his son-in-law. It is unusual for a number of reasons: it is
furnished as an historic house museum, primarily with original
furnishing from the Calhoun family and Clemson family; due to
the historical legacy of both families, it is full of
fascinating historical artifacts; and it is a historical site
hidden in plain sight, in the center of a major university
campus. Read
more.
Renée S. Gordon
 The
Hamburg-America Line launched the Princess Victoria Louise,
the first ship built solely for luxury cruising, on June 29,
1900. Prior ships were ocean liners created to transport
passengers and cargo on transatlantic journeys as
expeditiously as possible but the Victoria Louise was designed
to provide a truly luxurious experience with the aura of a
floating 5-star hotel. The 120 suite ship was 407.5 feet long,
had amenities, a photography dark room, library and fully
equipped gym and offered excursions in ports along the route.
It provided the most deluxe cruising experience of the time.
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
 The
Beaumont, Port Arthur Metropolitan area in Texas is called the
Golden Triangle in reference to the wealth that flowed in
after the oil gusher at Spindletop in 1901. It includes other
smaller cities such as Orange, Nederland, Groves, Port Neches,
Vidor, and Lumberton, and smaller places within the area. It
could also be called "Golden" in regard to the number of gold
records local musicians have earned. Music fans, if you need a
reason to visit Beaumont and Port Arthur, here it is.
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
 Nothing is more welcoming on a cold night
than a warm fire flickering in an old fashioned cast iron
stove. It's really a gas heater but it looks and feels like a
real old fashioned wood one. Naturally, there is back up heat
and air conditioning if you visit in summer. When I visited
Two Casitas in November, Santa Fe's nighttime temperature
dropped to 19%. It didn't bother me at all. I was so cozy
inside reading a book in a comfortable bed and watching the
little blue flames flicker and dance. Read
more
Kathleen Walls
 The last few days on the road were a
whirlwind of fun. I didn't have time to write about them—until
now. It was on to Ghost Ranch and Las Cruces inNew Mexico and
then to Beaumont and Port Arthur in Texas.
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
I'm in Santa Fe now after a fabulous
pre trip to Albuquerque. Albuquerque is filled with great food
and amazing museums. Our IFWTWA (International Food Wine and
Travel Writers Association) Convention was very helpful to
improve my career as a travel writer. I don't have much time
before I head to Ghost Ranch where Georgia O'Keefe lived at one
time but here are a few highlights of both cities.
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
Say
“Roswell, New Mexico” and everyone’s first thought is
“aliens.” Mine too. That’s way I am so thrilled to be here
today exploring the unknown. My first stop naturally was the
International UFO Museum & Research Center. This is not some
hokey museum dealing just with Hollywood’s version of aliens
from outer space. This is a serious research center that digs
deep into the so called “Roswell Incident” that happened in
1947. Read more.
Treasures in Oklahoma City
Kathleen Walls
Oklahoma
City is filled with treasures I discovered yesterday and
probably many more I did not have time to visit. My stay began
at the historic 21C Museum Hotel. This early 1900s building
earned its place on the National Register of Historic Places
by being a former Fred Jones Ford Motor Company assembly plant
that crafted Model Ts. The hotel is a 5 star one and the art
museum which is an integral part of the hotel is unique and
fantastic. The hotel is home to a flock of limited edition
Purple Penguin sculptures by Italian artist collective
Cracking Art Group. The large birds seem to mysteriously move
around the hotel. Read More.
Kathleen Walls
I’m in Lake Charles and just visited the very first Southern
Cast Iron Cook-Off. Picture
Cajun food and culture, music, venders offering samples of and
information about everything from alligators to cast iron pots
and pans. Professional chefs and amateurs competed in four
categories– Meat & Game, Seafood, Sweet & Savory Baking, and
Vegetables & Sides. They will prepare original dishes in tents
set up on-site. Naturally the food must be cooked in cast
iron. They compete for a first prize of $1,500 and lesser
second and third prizes. A panel of Southern judges pick the
top three dishes for each category.
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
I'm
in awesome Lake Charles, Louisiana now. It's such a different
kind of place. It's not a descendant of the plantation South
or the old West. It's a mish mash of both. It's history is
influenced by the fact it was not exactly included in the area
of the Louisiana Purchase as it is not land drained by the
Mississippi River. France, Spain, and the new United States
were all struggling for supremacy in North America and no one
sent law officers to Lake Charles. It has the Calcasieu River
as its main waterway but back in the late 1700s, a small bayou
leading to the Gulf of Mexico was a big factor in its
development. Read more.
Kathleen Walls
The
Secret Coast won’t stay a secret much longer. There is so much
going on along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast now. The last two days
was rainy but I still managed to see a lot more of the coast.
It brought back many memories of the days when I lived in Bay
St. Louis. Much has changed but some is still the same.
Waveland is back up and running today but still remembering
the tragedy that was Katrina. Read
more.
Story and photos by Kathleen Walls
To paraphrase Willie Nelson, "I'm on
the road again." But instead of making music, I'm visiting
some fantastic places. Some brand new to me; some I am
visiting again and enjoying the old while marveling at the
new. I'll be traveling almost a month this time. I'm heading
as far west as Santa Fe and then back again with amazing stops
along the way. Yes, it's the life I love. So to share them
with you as I travel, I'm posting a blog-style post that is
pretty close to live. Read more.
Renée S. Gordon
 In
1607 a group of 105 people led by John Smith established a
permanent Virginia colony, named in honor of Queen Elizabeth
I, at Jamestown on land inhabited by Native Americans. A
colony, also established by the Virginia Company, was to
become Richmond, situated on the fall line of the James River.
The area was inhabited quickly because of its accessibility to
transport. In 1670 William Byrd inherited land from his uncle
and in 1670 the General Assembly added to his holdings and he
created a trading network near the falls.Read
more.
Renée S. Gordon
 More
Civil War battles were staged in Virginia than any other state
and many of those battles played out in and around the
34,000-sq. mile Blue Ridge Mountains’ region. The mountains
are more than 1 billion years old, wind through eight states
and are stunning in their majesty. Humans are documented in
the area approximately 12,000 years ago. Native Americans
lived and hunted there as well as considered it a spiritual
center. Read more.
 Halloween
is an especially good time to seek out haunted hotels. But
these are fun any time of year. Southern hospitality mingled
with the spirits of long ago.
Read more.
Renée S. Gordon
 Contrary
to what some might believe Lynchburg was named after John
Lynch who took over the family’s James River ferry service in
1757. In 1786 45-acres of John Lynch’s land was used to found
the town that was chartered 29-years later. The location of
the ferry service was memorialized in 2004 with Langley
Fountain spouting a 190-ft. stream of water into the air.
Read more.
Renée S. Gordon
 In
1669 the French explorer de La Salle, the first European in
the Ohio was met by the Iroquois Indians who migrated there in
the early 1600s. The river and the state would be named the
Iroquois word for “beautiful river”. The land was a
bountiful native beaver hunting ground and although the
Iroquois were quickly decimated and supplanted by the tribes
including the Delaware and Shawnee, the French established
posts to trade with the natives. After the Revolutionary War,
in 1800, as part of the Northwest Territory, Ohio became part
of the American frontier.
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
 I
wonder if Willie Nelson was thinking of Franklin, Tennessee
when he wrote "We're agin' with time like yesterday's wine."
Just like a good aged wine, Franklin had a unique past and
today is a city that beckons travelers of all types.
Read more.
Renée Gordon
 Georgia,
named in honor of King George II, was the 13th of the 13
colonies and was founded in 1733. When the ship Anne
landed the 120 colonists on the shore of the Savannah
River, at the foot of a 45-foot bluff, founder James
Oglethorpe brought with him the plans for the city with the
river as the northern boundary. The city had a grid of wide
streets and 24 squares, 22 still exist and many retain their
original charm with cobblestone streets, moss draped trees and
historic architectural styles.Read
more.
Kathleen Walls
 Woodstock,
Georgia has a huge variety of great restaurants but if you
like Italian, Vingenzo's stands out. It is an Italian treasure
in Woodstock's downtown entertainment district. One
taste of Vingenzo's Chef Michael Bologna's Neapolitan Pizza or
homemade sausage will have you thinking you died and went
to—no, not Heaven—Italy. One of Chef Michael's secrets to the
best Italian food on the planet is to shop local. For him,
local is Naples, Italy when it comes to Italian pizza.
Read more.
Renée S. Gordon
 The
history of DeKalb County has been archeologically traced back
as far as the late Ice Age and Indian mounds from the Late
Archaic Period have been found that predate the 1567 Spanish
claim to the land by thousands of years. When Juan Pardo
surveyed the region two significant Indian trade trails
already existed and members of the Creek Confederacy the,
“People of One Fire”, lived there. Europeans encroached on
native land illegally until the 1821 Indian Springs Treaty
forced natives to move and more Europeans quickly settled in
large numbers. Read more
by Renée S. Gordon
 Saint
Lucia was possibly inhabited 3,000 years ago by the Ciboney
and based on archaeological research and artifacts it has been
proven that “Iouanalao” island, “land of the iguanas”, was
settled by the Arawaks around 2,000 years ago. They were
invaded around 1,000 AD by the South American Carib Indians
whose hostility extended to the first Europeans making
colonization difficult.
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
 You may go to Savannah for the history
and fun but you gotta eat. So why not eat at the most fun and
interesting restaurants. As icing on the cake many of
Savannah's restaurants have a historic background. Here are a
few I loved there and why.
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
 She
was born Virginia Patterson Hensley on September 8, 1932. In a
life filled with much misfortune, she not only survived but
became a role model for female singers and women everywhere.
The words from the Helen Reddy song, I am Woman, "Yes, I've
paid the price. But look how much I gained. If I have to, I
can do anything." could have been written about Patsy Cline.
It should not come as a surprise that one of Helen Reddy's
early memories was of her grandmother singing Patsy Cline
songs as she rocked little Helen in a rocking chair.
Read more.
Renée S. Gordon
 In
1800 Pierre-Samuel du Pont de Nemours and two sons left France
to settle in the United States. This voyage would alter the
course of American history. Pierre had been elevated to
nobility because of his position with Louis XVI as an
economist, secretary to the Assembly of Notables
and his assistance in crafting the 1783 Treaty of Versailles
that ended the American Revolution.
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
 On
the 50th Anniversary of Hank Williams death, I had the honor
to meet the man who slapped his bull fiddle for Hank's
Drifting Cowboys in the 1940s.William Herbert "Lum" York,
(November 16, 1918 – August 15, 2004) was a musician best
known as the bass player in Hank Williams Drifting Cowboys
from 1944–1949. After leaving the Drifting Cowboys, York
played bass in Lefty Frizzell's band until 1953.
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
 Who
knew there is so much to see and do in Woodstock, Georgia?
Just visited it with Travel Media Showcase this year and
discovered a treasure. It began with the Georgia Gold Rush and
grew when Marietta and North Georgia Railroad built a depot
there in 1879. There are a couple of legends about the city's
name. Read more.
Renee S. Gordon
 On Monday, September
17, 1849 Araminta “Minty” Ross set out from Poplar Neck
Plantation, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, to freedom in the
North. Prior to her escape she changed her name to Harriet,
after her mother, and took her husband’s last name. It is
undocumented exactly how long, by which route or who assisted
her on her 140-mile journey to Philadelphia but it is believed
that she traveled by night, following the North Star, and was
aided along the way by supporters of the Underground
Railroad (UGRR).
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
 Did
you know DeKalb County, Georgia has a trio of unusual and
fascinating museums? I didn’t until I recently visited during
Travel Media Showcase.
Read more.
Renee S. Gordon
 The
first Europeans in the southern region of Maryland, today’s
10-mile long South Potomac Heritage Scenic Corridor portion*,
were met by the Piscataway Indians who lived there from 1300.
Regional native habitation dates back 13,000 years and was the
site of a thriving culture.
Read more
Kathleen Walls
 Stone Mountain, a huge granite monolith
towering over the landscape in DeKalb County, Georgia, is
eye-candy in the highest form. Its Confederate
heroes, carved in giant scale on its front, is carving is
breathtaking. It's the world's largest bas-relief carving in
North America on the largest granite outcropping. The figures
you see are Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall
Jackson and President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis.
Whether you agree with the character's role in life or not you
have to admit it is eye catching.
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
If
you've been putting off visiting Savannah because you think
it’s expensive, think again. It can be costly especially
parking but there are many free attractions well worth a
visit. I just visited and had a wonderful time. There is so
much to do there I will be writing about Savannah for months
at least but for now, I'll give you the skinny on doing
Savannah almost free.
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
 In
the not too distant past, if you wanted to get close to nature
you needed to pack your camping supplies or hitch up your RV.
I just did a magnificent close to nature trip with neither of
those things. How? I went glamping in Ellijay in the North
Georgia Mountains. Read
more.
Kathleen Walls
 NashHouse
Southern Spoon & Saloon in Nashville, Tennessee is more than a
dining establishment. It's a tribute to Nashville's Country
Music icons. It's relatively new having opened in March 2018
and is booming. Location of course is important. It's in the
Cambria Nashville hotel putting it walking distance from the
Country Music Hall of Fame, Music City Center, and the Johnny
Cash/Patsy Cline Museums.
Read more.
Tom and Pat Straka
 This
is one of the gems which is hidden right off a major
interstate. It’s for transportation buffs, especially railroad
buffs. In the late nineteenth century, J.P. Morgan, owner of
what was once the Southern Railway Company, located its
largest steam locomotive servicing facility halfway between
the railroad’s major terminal points of Washington, D.C. and
Atlanta. Read more.
Kathleen Walls
 If an apple a day really keeps the doctor
away, R and A Orchards in Gilmer County, Georgia can keep you
in perfect health. In this era of not knowing where our food
comes from, it's a pleasure to visit a real family run orchard
and produce store. Not just for the apples. They also grow
peaches, corn, cabbage, green beans, strawberries,
blackberries, tomatoes, and lots of other produce on about 146
acres. Read more.
Renée S. Gordon
 Hampton,
located 26-miles south of Atlanta, has a population of less
than 10,000 but receives thousands of visitors annually drawn
by the city’s unique sites and attractions. Seven years ago
Hampton was deemed a “Playful City,” one of under 220 in the
country. Read more.
Kathleen Walls
 There
are many fun things to visit in Ellijay, Georgia but there is
one unusual place many people might miss. If you are an animal
lover this one is a must-see. It's Build an Ark Animal Rescue.
When you drive up to Coosawattee River Tubing Company on Eagle
Mountain Drive, you'll see a big red barn with pasture in
front. Read more.
Kathleen Walls
 Long awaited Westville, a living history
recreation of a typical Georgia town in the 1800s is now alive
and in full swing again in Columbus, Georgia. Its authentic
homes and building have been moved from around the state. It
had begun in Lumpkin and was closed down for a good while to
complete the move. I visited there this
month and was transported back to the old days.
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
 "Return
with me now to those thrilling days of yesteryear when the
Lone Ranger rides again"--no make that the Lone Writer. Here
at French Broad Outpost Dude Ranch in Eastern Tennessee, I’m
getting as close to the old western days as you can get. I
followed a gravel road that is not on most maps to the ranch.
Read more.
By Eleanor Hendricks McDaniel
 I
recently visited the Philadelphia Museum of Art to view an
exhibition of their extraordinary collection of Impressionist
and Post-Impressionist artworks. More than 80 important pieces
by the masters of those avant-garde movements can be seen in
the media of painting, sculpture and works on paper.
Read more.
Kathleen Walls
 One of the greatest musicians of our time is memorialized
in a museum in downtown Nashville. Only a handful of musicians
have left as large a footprint on Country Music as Johnny
Cash. The Johnny Cash Museum is rated number one music museum
in the world and a must-see by Forbes, Conde' Naste,
and National Geographical Traveler.
Read more.
 Henry
County, Georgia, comprised of four major communities, Hampton,
Locust Grove, McDonough, and Stockbridge, is situated 20-miles
from downtown Atlanta. It was named in honor of Patrick Henry
upon its creation in 1821 on land obtained through a treaty
with the Creek Indians. Read
more.
by Kathleen Walls
 Leiper's Fork, Tennessee is one of the
prettiest little towns you can find. It's no coincidence that
as you drive into town, a bright orange car and a police
cruiser catch your eye. It's the General Lee from Dukes of Hazzard
and Barney Fife's cruiser from the
Andy Griffin Show.
Leiper's Fork, just off the Natchez Trace, is very reminiscent
of Mayberry or Hazzard County. However I never spotted a
nefarious Boss Hogg type there.
Read more
Kathleen Walls
 There
are some places in Jacksonville a visitor should not miss. One
of them is Jacksonville Zoo and Botanical Gardens. It's on the
north side of Jacksonville and not in the main path of
visitors headed into Jax's busy downtown. It
began back in 1914 and has grown ever since.
Read More.
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