The Best Place on Earth

I couldn't agree more with the new B.C. license plate (see photo above). We are now in Vancouver, a city that offers its residents spectacular mountain views; stretches of beaches; access to year-round outdoor activities; an assortment of cuisines and restaurants; fashionable finds on the well-known Robson Street, and an eclectic group of neighbourhoods. If ever we are to settle down, Vancouver would be the place to do so. With great weather, minus the months of rain of course, this city has it all. Go discover Beautiful British Columbia. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Pike Place Market

Sunday morning we walked down to Seattle's infamous Pike Place Market. Around since 1907, and famous for having the first Starbucks, Pike Place Market is a great place to grab a morning coffee while browsing stands with everything from organic produce to beaded jewelry. By noon the place is packed, so get there early to experience the market in its finest hours.

A Stopover in Seattle

Hitting the west coast always brings about a sense of "ahhh" for me. One must-see stop while in Seattle is Kerry Park at sunset. We were lucky enough to capture the perfect shot above during a full moon. There was quite a crowd - both locals and tourists- gathered at this well-known photo-op in the Queen Anne neighborhood. Be sure to get there early as parking is sparse, but know that it is legal to park facing any and all directions on either side of the road.

A Scrumptious Find in Spokane

For those of us who are GF (gluten free), finding a good, tasty burger is near impossible. While stopping over in Spokane for a night, we stumbled upon Wild Sage American Bistro just a few blocks from the historic Davenport Hotel. Not only does this upscale, hip restaurant have an entire menu of GF items - appetizers, mains and desserts- they also offer up an assortment of delicious GF mini breads while waiting for your order. It was the first time in years that I ate a burger with a BUN! In addition to serving up local produce, an on-site baker provides the restaurant with a variety of GF baked good options.

Coffee Shack

It's hard to find a Starbucks in Montana. Between Big Sky and Missoula we discovered Coffee Shack - an excellent alternative to our morning ritual. Situated on the side of the road at heavily-trafficked intersections, these tiny shack structures have gained popularity in Montana - for both locals and tourists alike.

Big Sky, Montana

I couldn't resist trying on a Stetson cowboy hat and western-style shirt at this funky second-hand shop in Western Yellowstone. But really, where does one wear a Stetson in Boston? And at $95.00, the shirt sadly had to stay put.

Stunning Geysers in Yellowstone National Park

What A View

Today we drove thru the east gate to enter Yellowstone National Park. The park touches on three states - Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. What amazes me most about Yellowstone is the natural beauty of the landscapes we encounter in our two-day exploration of the park. America's first National Park is a must-see for people of all ages.

Cross-Country day 6 Cowboy Country

Entering Cowboy Country, we feel like we are back in the days of Buffalo Bill. Driving thru Wyoming is truly a magical experience. A vast expanse of sky sits atop rolling hills lined with old, cross-hatched fences. Tonight we saw the most beautiful sunset and lots of cowboys (see photo right).

Cross-Country day 5- Badlands, SD

The Badlands are otherworldly – what I imagine the surface of the moon might look like. For miles, we’d been driving along a typical South Dakota skyline, and then suddenly they appear, like large lumps of clay dropped from above. They form a majestic, mountain-like border that weaves and wraps along the Badlands Loop road. They say after 10 photos it all starts to look the same, but I disagree; each one makes its own special statement.

Now It's Getting Interesting...

What possesses people to do this on their property? P.S. It's a dinosaur chasing a skeleton.

You Can Always Find Pho

We had all good intentions of eating corn while in Iowa, however, found ourselves drawn to this down-and-out section of Sioux City that offered up an eclectic mix of dining and drinking options at one intersection.

And a Burger & Beer

Somewhere Along I-70

I snapped this photo while pumping gas somewhere along I-70. A truly captivating skyline.

Cross-Country day 4- St. Louis, MO

Today we powered through two time zones, four states, and five rest stops to find ourselves stopping for an authentic Mexican dinner at Mi Ranchito in St. Louis, MO. The city is a scenic stretch of beautiful brick and stone buildings with interspersing greenery, mesmerizing murals and a scattering of sculptures in Citygarden - an urban oasis in downtown St. Louis. The Gateway Arch (see photo right) forms a phenomenal arc across the sky, giving the city an almost surreal sense of otherworldliness.

OHio

While checking into our hotel this evening, we discovered the "OH" in Ohio. Need I say more?

Cross-Country day 3 - Pittsburgh, PA

After spending two wonderful days with my Aunt J in Pennsylvania, we headed west today towards Pittsburgh with the goal of getting in to the Andy Warhol Museum before it closed at 5 p.m. We made it just in time, with a full hour to explore 7 floors of his innovative and inspiring works. Each floor was under watch by a tortured artist type which really lent authenticity to the Warhol experience. It's a real gem of a find in Steel Town.

GF French Baguette

Sweet Discovery

Today, for the first time in five years, I ate a baguette. This isn't because I was on the Atkins diet but because since I was diagnosed with celiac (wheat & gluten intolerance) I had yet to find a bakery that made my favorite kind of carb. Sweet Christine's is located in the quaint and quiet Kennett Square, PA.

Sweet Christine's offers up an assortment of delicious and nutrient-dense GF baked goods. After sampling a mini-glazed donut, my attention was quickly diverted to a stack of loaves of bread on the counter. French baguette! Made from a combination of white rice flour and tapioca starch, it is by far the best bread I have had in five years.

Sweet Christine's will do shipping. Please go to the link below to learn more about their delectable treats:

www.sweetchristinesglutenfree.com/

Cross-Country day 1- The Jersey Turnpike

Today marks the first day of our four-week cross-country road trip. We're heading west, first stopping in Pennsylvania to see family, then onto Ohio, Missouri, Iowa, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and Washington. From there we'll drive north to Vancouver to see more family for a few days and then begin the drive up towards Smithers where my dear friend D is getting married. We're still deciding on the route to take back to Boston, but will for sure be stopping in beautiful Banff, Alberta as well as Chicago.

When we moved to the U.S. last summer we decided that we would like to see as much of the country as possible. What I love about the U.S. is that each state, section and coast is unique and offers a wealth of new places to explore. But first we'll have to get thru Jersey and this insane merge (see photo).

Chile & Lime Corn

I first came across this yummy recipe while working in Mexico back in 1999 and then again while reading my husbands' Men's Health magazine. With corn on the cob in season right now, this is a perfect summer side dish.

Directions:

1. Unhusk corn
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil
3. Place unhusked corn in pot for 6-8 minutes
4. Allow corn to cool on a plate
5. Cut 1-2 limes into wedges
6. Squeeze lime over corn (butter is a delicious option to add here)
7. Sprinkle chili powder and salt to taste

Enjoy!

Cuban Style

I spotted this guy sitting in front of my favorite coffee shop in Ottawa, Canada back in June. He looks like he stepped off the streets of Havana with his effortless sense of cool Cuban style. From the fedora to the simple navy blue sneaks, he is an example and inspiration of classic summer style.

Making A Splash

This photo of model Gisele in the April 2010 issue of Vogue inspired me to get back into the pool. See more fantastic photos of the Brazilian bombshell taken by the talented Patrick Demarchalier at http://www.vogue.com/feature/2010_April_Gisele_Bundchen/.

Point & Shoot

I came across Doug Kim's web site while browsing the internet in search of one of my new favorite photos (see left).

Click on the following link to see Doug Kim's phenomenal work: http://blog.ricecracker.net/

I first saw the photo at left taken by Dennis Hopper in the July 2010 issue of Vogue magazine. It is featured in the 'People Are Talking About' section in mention of a retrospective of the famous actor's photography being put on by the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Los Angeles.

The photo titled, 'Jane Fonda, Target Practice, Malibu, 1965' captures a beautiful, buff F0nda in a positively powerful yet provocative pose. Perhaps something to aspire to this summer...

July 4th Sky

A beautiful wave of clouds rolled in around 7:30 p.m. tonight. The sky had an iridescent glow that seemed to linger until the sun finally set. I snapped this photo from my front step. It's not fireworks, but it is kind of spectacular.