Author: Julie L. Kessler

  If you head to Venice for inspiring art, opulent architecture, and of course gondola rides, not to mention a few dozen scoops of gelato, but tire of the crowds and wish for a more…

When one thinks of Milan, Italy’s second largest city, one’s thoughts naturally turn to fashion, retail therapy, the arts, including Da Vinci’s Last Supper and his other great works, and of course, the dramatic historical…

When one thinks of San Antonio, thoughts naturally go to the legendary Alamo, the 18th-century Spanish mission that set the stage for Texas’ 1836 independence from Mexico. However, there is so much more to San…

Often when taking luxury cruises, guests, including myself, wish to spend more time in port than the usual one-day to more fully explore a region and to take a deeper cultural or culinary dive. Oceania…

There are literally dozens of reasons why, when considering which luxury cruise to take, that all considerations point to Oceania’s beautiful Allura. Unveiled in mid-2025 as Oceania’s eighth member of her fleet, this 804-foot, all…

When one thinks of Houston, thoughts may turn to NASA, its annual Livestock Show & Rodeo, the world’s largest, or barbeque. That would be a huge mistake as there’s so much more to H-Town. The…

While sunny Florida is often a good choice to visit in order to escape frigid winters elsewhere, this particularly brutal winter made coming to Florida even more pleasurable.  Escaping New York just hours before the…

If traveling to New York City and are seeking a great hotel on the Upper East Side with everything right at your proverbial fingertips, the Loews Regency New York Hotel is a great choice to…

Cruisers seeking to experience a mid-size ship with comfortable staterooms, great food, and hospitable international crew, will enjoy a sojourn on Azamara Cruises’ Pursuit. On this particular voyage on which I sailed was the added…