Moscow, Russia – The socialist dream has been officially abandoned, but it’s still possible to have fun for free in Moscow. Here are my top picks for spending your time in the Russian capital without spending your money. Read more…
Global Shopping Guide
Cambridge, Mass – It’s been nearly a decade since I have set foot in a mall between Thanksgiving and Christmas. And no, I don’t do all my Christmas shopping over the internet. Most of my shopping gets done when I am…
World Food for Kids
Parents remain ever hopeful as we strive to introduce different foods into our children’s diets. Whether your family is travelling the world, or just looking for a little variety in your home kitchen, international cuisine can be a source of…
International Museum Day
Cambridge, Massachusetts – Although I am an advocate of independent travel, I occasionally take assignments writing for travel agencies and tour companies (freelance writers must pay bills). Indeed, I am grateful for a semi-regular gig at Go Ahead Tours, a…
“Silent Spring” in Boston Magazine
Boston, Mass – Boston Magazine has tapped into the region’s literary history to uncover the allure of March in New England. Or lack thereof. “Here in Boston, we can’t be blamed for having mixed feelings about the month of…
Tykes on a Plane
While we’re on the subject of airplane travel, here’s an article that I recently wrote for Lonely Planet (since I am supposed to be an expert)… We’ve all done it. A parent boards the airplane with a child in arms,…
An Alvar Aalto Tour of Finland
Anyone who has visited an Apple store has sat in a sleek `high stool’ created by Finnish designer Alvar Aalto in 1935. His curvaceous Savoy vase is still an icon of Finnish design, even 75 years after its creation. But…
Leaf-peeping by Bike
Boston – The sky is blue, the air is crisp and the leaves are aflame with gold, crimson and orange. It is autumn in Boston — and a perfect day for a bicycle ride. Boston’s compact and relatively flat geography…
What’s New on the Boston Art Scene?
Boston, Massachusetts – When the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) moved to dramatic new quarters on the South Boston waterfront, it foreshadowed a phenom. A half-decade later, Boston’s most prominent and prestigious artistic institutions are upgrading their contemporary offerings in significant ways. In…
Camping on Cape Cod
Summer on ever-popular Cape Cod, Massachusetts conjures up images of traffic-clogged streets and jam-packed beaches. “That’s the problem with peninsulas,” lamented Dennis Moran, who drove 320km from Russell, Massachusetts for a week of seaside living. “There’s only one way in…