USA

Dockton is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. But at the end of the Nineteenth century it was very much somewhere. This speck of a now-residential community lies on Maury Island, itself a speck attached by a thin isthmus to the somewhat larger Vashon Island.

What put Dockton on

It seems like I’ve heard about Lynchburg, Tennessee forever. I can thank the Jack Daniels advertising department for that.

To the casual observer, there’s not much to Lynchburg; basically a single block of shops and restaurants. But what is there is attractive and the surroundings are classic southern

Fairytales. Like kinky sex, sweet cocktails, and Jerry Lewis movies, they seem fun at first but can turn on you in an instant.

No one plumbed the dark depths of these happy tales better than Stephen Sondheim in his musical Into the Woods. Well, almost no one. Let’s not

“Joe-Jah” is how a friend of my parents, Hettie Bates, pronounced Georgia. She was a force of nature, loud and funny. I was told she was issued one of the first IBM Selectric typewriters because she could type so fast that she would jam the keys on a conventional electric

Susan assured me that we would not want to miss the National Towing Museum during our visit to Chattanooga. She was right. Who wouldn’t like to see the very first tow truck or a collection of beautifully-restored examples?

Not to mention the Towing Hall of Fame, honoring members of

Pardon me, boy

Is that the Chattanooga choo choo?

Track twenty-nine

Boy, you can gimme a shine

Glenn Miller and his Orchestra from Sun Valley Serenade

I bet you’ve seen lots of old cars. I’m not talking about a ten-year-old Corolla, I mean ones made before 1940. Did

Nashville cats, play clean as country water

Nashville cats, play wild as mountain dew

Nashville cats, been playin’ since they’s babies

Nashville cats, get work before they’re two

–The Lovin’ Spoonfull

The lower end of Broadway Street in Nashville is a lot like Spring Break in Florida. Except

Cor blimey! Lord love a duck! I’m gobsmacked, chuffed. I’m streets ahead and sitting up like Jackie!

Sorry for the British-isms. Once I started with “bloomin’” I couldn’t stop!

Unless you live year-round in the Southwest, it can be hard to see flowering cacti. In Scottsdale,

After dinner at Barrio Queen in Old Town Scottsdale, we decided to walk along the Arizona Canal and over the Solstice Bridge. This is the only bridge designed by Paolo Soleri that was ever built. Paolo, you may recall, lived nearby at Cosanti and spent a lot of his time

It’s hard to take good photos through a chain link fence. My apologies. I thought about not posting at all but wanted to introduce you to the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center.

The center was founded in 1994 by Linda Searles whose vision was to provide a home for animals

It’s been a while since we explored the Musical Instrument Museum in Scottsdale. I agree with Tony Bennett, for a musician it’s the best museum in the world. With the temperature still in the upper nineties, it was time for another visit. 

When the MIM opened about a

A visit to the Seattle Asian Art Museum on the day of the Chinese New Year.

It’s so hard these days to gain sustained national notoriety.

Trump brags about grabbing pussies. Meh, locker room talk. Some screwed up boy (and they’re always boys) grabs a military grade weapon and takes a baker’s dozen lives. We are shocked and saddened. Then we move on.

Above: four bikers recently arrived in Todos Santos pose for a photo outside of the Hotel California.

Mary Anne seems pleased with dessert during our Anniversary dinner at Lon’s at the Hermosa.

Arlene, on the left, is my running buddy from our days in Portland. She was in Phoenix