Latest adventures
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bologna: a damp journey through a foodie paradise
Our group of mostly American tourists followed Caterina of Secret Food Tours through the winding streets of old Bologna like little ducklings. We stopped in one shop and tasted little pastries, then in another shop we picked up a parcel, then tasted slices of almond-flavored cakes called torta di rizo, then acquired another parcel, then…
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memories of italy
Italy has always called to me. When I was a sophomore in college, I participated in a summer abroad program that studied ancient civilizations, taking us students to Athens, Rome, and Tunis (Carthage in classical times). It was my first trip abroad, aside from freshman year spring break in Mexico. Of these three destinations, we…
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grand opening!
Today I depart for 2 and a half weeks in Italy, so I take this opportunity to officially launch a project that I’ve had in the works for about a year now: my website, La Bougie, which is both a travel blog and a space to showcase my photography. This launch is a long time…
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a non-camper’s guide to camping
My friends and I traipsed along a wooded path. Pine trees towered above our heads, and their needles and cones formed a blanket beneath our feet. Beams of sunlight darted through the sparse canopy, warming the air that was still cool even in June. Scrubbier greenery lined the path, and a bunny scampered away at…
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photoessay: the colorful lakes of the canadian rockies
A big part of visiting the Canadian Rockies parks of Banff, Jasper, and Yoho is exploring their various lakes, famed for the array of colors you’ll find among their sundry waters. Lakes in the Rockies come from glacial melt. Glaciers erode rocks, which turn into finely ground particles that suspend in the lake water. The…
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chasing wildlife through the canadian rockies
My friends and I were driving south down Rt 16 toward Jasper. I was sitting in the driver’s side backseat, peering into the distance toward the Athabasca River, looking for wildlife drinking by the riverside. Nearer to the road, I glimpsed pale shapes moving. They were whitish, or perhaps tan or grey. My brain frantically…
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3 reasons to travel while grieving
I’ve been absent here for a while. And it’s not because I haven’t traveled. I spent a week in Banff, Canada and its environs at the end of June, a trip I hope to write about in coming weeks. I just haven’t been up to writing. On June 5, in the middle of the night,…
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a getaway in the woods
My first day in my Getaway, I awoke around my normal weekday time of 5:30, gazed out at the flecks of light beginning to show in the forest outside my window and shot a couple photos of the coming dawn. Then I snuggled my pup Felix, who was nestled beside me, and fell back to…
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5 things to do in new orleans other than eating and drinking
The city of New Orleans conjures for most people images of drunken debauchery. Drinking monstrously large hurricanes at Pat O’Brien’s. Waltzing down Bourbon Street with open beers in hand. Women flashing their boobs in exchange for Mardi Gras beads. Of course, there’s also the gluttony—oysters, fried fish, shrimp, jambalaya, gumbo, étouffée, beignets, po-boys. The list…
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christmas in the land of the luminarias
In December, all around New Mexico, brown paper bags line the stucco tops of walls, the walkways leading toward front doors, and the edges of gardens. To the uninitiated, this might a strange configuration of objects more commonly used for carrying school lunches. But come nightfall, the bags come to light, transforming from paper bags…