These days, I’m watching my budget closer than a cat watching a bird!  A sign of the times, it seems that most of us are learning how to save more of our hard earned money vs. squandering it.  Cutting out some of my favorite things like weekly trips to the nail spa have become part […]

I have wanted a cozy for a hot water bottle for a long while. There are many gorgeous ones on Etsy by many talented artists, but I had this old moth eaten cashmere sweater from 20 years ago that was crying to be re-purposed and so I decided to give it a go. Please, no […]

It’s December 22nd and you just realized you still have a few gifts to buy.  Don’t panic, it happens to the best of us!  According to the National Retail Federation’s 2010 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, December 24th will be the second busiest shopping day between December 18th and the 25th.  Millions of people […]

The hospital was a simple concrete building with no signage. A camel was parked outside next to the steps on which five civilian garbed men – including the 26-year-old doctor and his even younger nurse – were smoking cigarettes. Inside, peeling paint hung like stalactites from a crumbling ceiling in an unmanned reception area that […]

MANUEL ANTONIO, COSTA RICA — One of the problems with living in the Costa Rican rainforest is that is rains. A lot. From May through November — mas o menos — the skies weep incessantly, rendering the rutted streets puddle-laden bogs, my small house a receptacle for all things musty and moldy. Don’t get me […]

When one of your well meaning friends reminds you how many days ‘til your holiday, do not panic.  Grab a fluffy towel, a la Doug Adams if you have to, but remain calm.  Here are five quick ways you can stay financially (and otherwise) sane this holiday. Set expectations If you exchanged even small presents […]

Diddy berths his yacht in Ibiza town during his frequent forays here. Kylie Minogue, Elle MacPherson and Paris Hilton are oft-seen visitors while jewelry designer and Rolling Stone offspring Jade Jagger is a long term resident. Pike’s Hotel, one of the island´s most exclusive, is wallpapered with celebrity images: Jon Bon Jovi, Sade, Freddie Mercury, […]

My winter in Goa was drawing to a close, and with no firm plans and so much of India still to explore I joined the post-high season exodus to Pushkar, Rajasthan, the next pre-ordained pack track destination. Geared towards the tourist trade (it’s the site of the renowned annual Camel Fair), and serving as another […]

Have you ever been on a date that was so horrible you couldn’t wait for it to end?  After countless bad dates with less than worthy men I’ve met on dating websites, I feel it’s my duty to share with you the telltale signs that you really should end the date quickly before it gets […]

Although I am an experienced world traveler I still fell prey to the invisible hazards of life on the road.  No one is immune to these potential threats, but this should not deter us from partaking of this most enriching and rewarding pursuit, for traveling beyond the comfort zone of home can be a mind-expanding, […]