No Hurry, Less Worry, And How To Get There
Portland Oregon food and drink options are gloriously varied and delicious. Buck and I had a blast visiting Portland in the spring of 2025, exploring, eating and experiencing a gorgeous spring! The last time we had visited Portland was during the 2017 Christmas holiday and that visit let us know we wanted to return to … Read more
Sandy Blvd is a loooong road in Portland. We walked from the Grotto to downtown, exploring and getting some great coffee and food. Just getting from one of our favorites to the next, you may discover your own favorites. [ Click on the name to be taken to Google Maps’ address/description/reviews of the place. ] … Read more
During our 2025 Portland trip, we felt fortunate to experience the annual market held on Fremont Street. However, we wanted to share some of our favorite eating spots along Fremont Street, that are there all year around. [ Click on the name to be taken to Google Maps’ address/description/reviews of the place. ] Hi-Top. During … Read more
NE Alberta Street in Portland Oregon always has something going on – markets, theatre, music. And plenty of places to recharge with food and drink. [ Click on the name to be taken to Google Maps’ address/description/reviews of the place. ] Memoire Cà Phê. This was the first restaurant we visited, and we returned 3 … Read more
Staunton, Virginia is a beautifully preserved, historic town in the Shenandoah Valley. Buck and I found a place near the historic downtown from which we could easily walk to coffee shops, restaurants, museums, and the diverse architecture in nearby neighborhoods. We visited Staunton, Virginia for a couple of days on our way to a fall house sit in the northeastern USA.
In this podcast episode, CG and I discuss wintering in Ucluelet on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. Ucluelet, British Columbia is a small town off the beaten path along the Pacific coastline where we spent Jan-April enjoying some of the most magnificent coastal country we’ve ever encountered. We have great memories of storm watching, whale watching, and exploring the tidal pools. Ucluelet is grey, wet, and uncrowded in the winter, and a beautiful place to be.
CG and I are house sitting for the summer in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, so we thought we would discuss some of the experiences we have had visiting the Great Smoky Mountain National Park through the years. And we’ll throw in a few facts about the Smokies, just for fun.
Here are some options for how to clean fruits and vegetables in Mexico. When traveling, you often eat produce that is grown, handled and stored in different conditions than your body is accustom. Every body is different, and the strength of a body’s immune system can change moment to moment. So here are some tips to keep your body healthy as you gobble up fruits and vegetables in Mexico, or wherever.
We spent 5 weeks in Ajijic Mexico and in the nearby town of San Antonio Tlayacapan along the shore of Lake Chapala in Mexico. The Lake Chapala area and Ajijic in particular are popular destinations for US and Canadian retirees, especially during the winter months. There are many services and businesses that cater to the expat community, and English is readily spoken. It’s also pretty pricey relative to the other areas we’ve visited so far in Mexico, but still very affordable compared to the USA, and especially so if you put a little effort into managing your budget.
I expected living in Mexico to be less expensive, and I’ve not been disappointed. We get considerably more bang for our US bucks when it comes to lodging, travel, and food, which are our major expenses. I found Guadalajara and Morelia to be especially budget friendly. Right now we are in the Lake Chapala area, which is so far the most expensive locale we’ve visited in Mexico.