-
Reading Adventures, Pt. 13: A murder, a flock, and the Pacific sunset
I know most of the country has been battling mountains of snow this week… But I’m lucky enough to be in California, and Mr. Owlet treated me to a special stay in Elk for a lovely dinner and hours spent reading by the sea. We were somehow the only two guests at the Harbor House
-
Reading Adventures, Pt. 12: Ghosts and spies in the City That Never Sleeps
After a cozy weekend spent in small-town America, it was time for a full 180. You can’t get much more “big city” than the Big Apple! Bright, loud, and full of life, there’s someplace to go and someone to see in every visit I make. But between the dinners and the cozy hangouts, I made
-
Reading Adventures, Pt. 11: Small Towns, Big Flavors – A Journey with Marilyn Hagerty’s Grand Forks
Long-time TCO fans may have picked up that I’m a city gal at heart. I love my life in San Francisco, with its walkable streets and abundance of creative restaurants. But I grew up taking many road trips, where I developed a deep love for small towns and their quirks. It’s that love that made
-
Reading adventures, Pt. 10: Lemons + learning on the Amalfi Coast
After bidding goodbye to the City of Flowers, we met some friends for a lovely week on the Amalfi Coast – known for lemons, linens, and beautiful ceramic tiles. The sheer cliffs and clear blue waters were a welcome respite from the inland heat. And I was looking forward to a week of lazing around
-
Reading adventures, Pt. 8: Architectural awe in the City of Flowers
From Rome, we took a quick train ride to Firenze / Florence. Fresh off the Roman nonfiction success, I was excited to repeat the approach and see how I felt. And for Florence, that meant reading about the Renaissance. As I would soon discover, the city center preserves that era, eschewing the more layered approach
-
Reading adventures, Pt. 7: Murder and marvels in Ancient Rome
It is once again time for this blog to move from strictly reading-focused to a combination of travelogue with literary musings sprinkled in. Last year, we explored Spain and Nice; this year, I’ve gone further east to Italy. Specifically, I’ve spent the last two weeks roaming Rome / Lazio, Florence, and the Amalfi Coast. There’s
-
Reading adventures: Mysteries in the Tahoe snow
It is truly Winter here in the Bay – the skies are grey, the streets are drenched. Which means, of course, that it’s the right time of year for a trip to Lake Tahoe. I love Lake Tahoe, even though I find Winter Tahoe to be strictly worse than its summer sibling. I’ve been up
-
Reading adventures, redux: Molten Death in Maui
It is early in the year to be traveling – but I’m lucky enough to have a trip already under my belt this year. We took one look at the grey skies and early sunsets of the Bay and decided it was time to head for more tropical climes. And thus, we set out for
-
Reading adventures, Pt. 4: Seaside shenanigans in the Côte d’Azur
The last stop on my summer adventures was Nice – and what a treat for a Golden Age mystery fan! The Côte d’Azur was a favorite destination for many of the wealthy class in the Golden Age. There’s a wealth of mysteries that take place in and around that favorite summer playground. While we only
-
Reading adventures, Pt. 3: Luxury rail revival in The Main Character
As the setting for a mystery, there’s nothing as perfect as a train. A mixed cast of characters, scenic views, time pressure, and locked-room constraints make for the perfectly suspenseful read. If you throw in a “vintage” train setting, you also get the vicarious joy of true luxury travel. Stories like Murder on the Orient