Hello!

It's been a great couple weeks here in the Pacific Northwest. Lovely weather, several Mariner baseball games, a theater performance, lots of time spent with family and friends.

One of the many reasons that I love what I do (travel writing) is the ability to structure my time in a way that maximizes my quality of life. I feel so fortunate to see the world AND to appreciate my own backyard.

When I was in Costa Rica, the naturalist on our ship introduce me to the Merlin Bird ID app. It was designed by Cornell Lab of Ornithology, creating a database of birds that is fun for both dedicate bird watchers and casual enthusiasts. In the National Parks in Costa Rica, I used it to identify birds based on their calls, then added those to my list of birds spotted. I found myself doing this again when I was sitting in my own back yard immersed in birdsong. The app is free, available for IOS and Android, and is easy to set up and use. If you're curious about the bird calls around you, it's fun to put a species name with their call.

Hope you're having a great summer!

Mary Jo & Tony

Have You Read:

San Juan Island's Pig War: Visit This Bloodless Border Dispute Tucked into the Salish Sea between Washington State and British Columbia, San Juan Island is known for whale watching, lavender farms, and coastal charm. It is also home to one of the most unusual international standoffs in history—a dispute between the United States and Great Britain sparked by a pig and a potato patch.. Read story

40+ of the Best Traditional Romanian Foods to Try From hearty mountain fare to comforting village classics, traditional Romanian food tells a story shaped by centuries of influences from neighboring regions. Whether you’re wandering through Bucharest’s bustling streets or exploring quiet towns the flavors you’ll encounter are deeply rooted in tradition, built around seasonal ingredients, slow cooking methods, and recipes passed down through generations. Read story

15 Don't Miss Museums in Winnipeg, Manitoba From Indigenous history and prairie settlement to modern art, science, and local heritage, museums in Winnipeg reflect both its past and its identity as a lively, multicultural urban center on the Canadian Prairies.. Read story

---

Here's what else is going on:

Traveling: In the area

We've been trying to plan a quick trip to a couple nearby destinations, but something seems to always crop up and force us to reschedule. Not jinxing it this time, but am keeping my fingers crossed.

Reading: Run Rose Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson

A new singer arrives in Nashville. She calls herself AnnieLee Keyes, and she has more beauty, talent, and ambition than most—and a dangerous past that she's running from.

Nashville. The country music scene. And down on your luck turnaround stories. This book recommendation came from a friend, and I'm eager to dig into it. Co-written by Dolly Parton, she also narrates the audio version. I'm reading it, but hearing it in her voice.

Learn more about the book here.

I've finished 85 books this year, so I'm off to a great start with this year's travel reading challenge.

Want to join in the challenge? It's not too late! The challenge is designed for travelers who like to read and readers who like to travel. It started as a simple project with friends, grew into a larger project with friends and friends of friends, and now we have a small community of travelers who love to read. It's self-paced, and while you can read what you want when you want, we hope the prompts encourage you to try some new authors and genres to your reading choices.

You can learn more about the challenge by signing up for our monthly newsletter here. Or join our spoiler-free Facebook group here. Did we need another streaming service? Absolutely not! But we are enjoying so many long-running series during this Seattle winter season that it's been a good return on spending.

Watching: Sister Boniface (Amazon Prime)

Another British mystery series, with a beloved quirky character, this one a spin-off from the Father Brown series. After watching numerous series with a male protagonist, it was nice to have a fun female lead. It took us a few episodes to connect with all the characters, but after that we flew through four seasons.

More info here.

Listening: Evolve (Imagine Dragons)

The third album from multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning Imagine Dragons.

Apparently, I am totally out of sync with any reasonably new-ish music, and I had never heard of Imagine Dragons until my trip to Yaamava'. Thought I'd listen to a little more of their music.

Check it out here.

Heads in Beds: Yaamava' Resort & Casino (Highland, California)

I spent a great weekend in California at the Yaamava' Resort & Casino. If you are looking for a weekend away, complete with Michelin food, first rate entertainment, luxury rooms, and a beautiful spa, put this on your list. It's about half an hour from Ontario airport (ONT), a little over an hour from Los Angeles, and is a great alternative to Las Vegas.

Interested in booking Yaamava'? If you're a DIYer, you can find info here.

Or, if you'd prefer to work directly with us for your travel booking, taking advantage of the many value-added perks we can help with at this hotel, get in touch via our dedicated booking email (most services at no fee).

If you feel like I've helped you in some way, or just appreciate personal travel information that isn't AI-created, feel free to "Buy Me a Glass of Wine." More info here.

4946 SW 329th Way, Federal Way, WA 98023

​
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​