Some people enter our lives to inspire us to be greater versions of ourselves. Suzie has been pitching the idea of attending Burning Man since we first danced our way across the burlesque stage. 2016 was an especially grueling year for most of us, and during our trip to Washington to partake in the …
Creative Leap of Faith
It's becoming harder to find a place free of distraction to collect my thoughts. And yet it is here: 30,000 feet above sea level, flying through the cloud sphere, toward my latest travel destination. The cabin is quiet and subdued, a blue glow lights the aisle. There's a welcome peacefulness in the dark making it the perfect …
Tourist Day: The Cloisters
Wednesday morning It's Tourist Day, and we're going to The Cloisters! Now that Kinga is making a clean break for California we're crossing off items on her "I've lived in New York City for 15 years and have never been to..." bucket list. For those not in the know, The Cloisters is a museum annex …
Weekend Warrior: Go West
Go West! To Western Pennsylvania, that is. Chester and I started our journey to Lake City, PA after rush hour on Friday morning. It was part one of a 4-day affair. Friday, May 5 It's raining, it's pouring but a girl still needs her coffee. We stop at Davy's Hot Dogs in Mount Arlington, a kitschy-styled Swiss chalet, just …
Last Few Days in Siem Reap
Flashback March 2016 It’s hard to leave Angkor Zen, but more adventures await. My final two days in Siem Reap are a short tuk-tuk drive away. I chose to stay at the Golden Temple Residence, a hotel highly recommended by Trip Advisor and friends alike, located in the heart of the old town and a …
Yoga, Cats, and Meditation
Flashback March 2016 Pickup from Siem Reap by tuk-tuk. I meet Dianne from Malta, an ER doctor in Preston, UK. Upon arrival at the Angkor Zen Retreat Center, she reacts skittishly to the dog, insistent that Cambodian dogs are the worst. First impressions are tricky, and despite being skeptical about my accommodations I forge ahead. …
The Gateway to Angkor Wat Temples
Flashback March 2016 Banteay Srei, the Citadel of Women, is a 10th-century Cambodian temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Built largely of a hard red sandstone that can be carved like wood, the structure features detailed reliefs and carvings. The complex feels like the Brooklyn Botanical Garden with landscaped walkways and pools of water. …
Siem Reap: Angkor Thom, Ta Prohm
The road to Angkor Thom passes over a causeway lined with devas (gods) on the left and asuras (demigod/ demons) on the right. The gates lead to the last Imperial city, where Bayon temple --most noted for the smiling faces of Buddha--sits at its center. The bodhisattva statues should be one of the …
Angkor Wat at Sunrise
Flashback March 2016 Day 3 begins at 4:45 am with a pickup from Sok Manea, a tuk-tuk driver referred by TripAdvisor and the web. We travel in the dusk to the Angkor Wat temples. The early morning air is crisp. The climate is duplicitous, I didn’t bring a shawl and should have. It's cool in …
Cambodia, A Sunset Tour
Flashback March 2016 Tonight I booked a sunset tour of Tonle Sap and the floating village of Chong Khneas with its houses, markets, villages & schools. I am solo, with a tour guide and driver. As we begin our journey, we stop to admire a landscape vista of lotus flowers, a significant flower in Buddhism …
