One of the things I like most about traveling is meeting new people, having new experiences or experiencing something familiar in an extraordinary way. I’m always surprised when something I’m familiar with takes my breath away and embeds itself into my grey matter. On a recent trip to Italy, I found myself hiking along a spectacular trail between two coastal Mediterranean towns. The trail was very narrow and steep and just another of the thousands of terraced ledges that create the origami landscape that faces the beautiful blue sea. It was a perfect day…blue sky, white puffy clouds, fantastic temperatures and blustery breeze that kept us comfortable as we traversed this threadlike path across the mountains.

As we turned a corner, the trail opened up and there in the elbow of the next switchback was a tall elderly man that looked something like how I imagine Father Time should look. Grey beard, long grey hair and a straw hat. Although he was a bit shabbily dressed, he still somehow managed to come across as very stately. He spoke no words as he stood next to his baskets of lemons and oranges. We selected two beautiful oranges and conducted our entire transaction with bad Italian on my part and gestures on his part, still no words. He took out his knife and scored the oranges, so we could peel them more easily. We eagerly gathered up our bounty and headed down the path in the wake of his smile and silent wave.

At the next wide spot in the trail, we scrambled up the nearest ledge off the trail for a seat and enthusiastically dug into our oranges. This was the most amazing orange I’ve ever had. Fresh off the tree, fully ripe and perfect. The rind peeled easily from the meat of the fruit. The orange was tender, sweet and juicy. It wasn’t pithy or fibrous like the oranges I get at home, where to eat the actual fruit becomes a chore and ultimately I end up just trying to suck out what little juice remains. As I sat with my husband of 25 years, overlooking the Mediterranean while delighting in the sweet and succulent taste explosion in my mouth, I knew this was a moment to be treasured.

There’s nothing I enjoy more than travel, except traveling with the people I love, who also love travel!  This is the case with my best friend.  We think alike, plan alike and often order alike.  We were looking for an easy and affordable girls’ getaway.  This year…we wanted beach time!

We decided on Florida’s emerald coast, after Labor Day weekend.  It’s an easy drive for us from Atlanta, the prices for accommodations on the beach drop considerably after Labor Day, the water is beautiful and clear and the fine sand is lovely and bright.   Total cost for our trip was a wallet friendly $350 per person for three nights.

We stayed at the The Palmetto Inn in Panama City Beach.  It was clean, comfortable and affordable with only a swimming pool between us and the beach.  We spent the daytime under a masterfully placed umbrella and comfortably cushioned chairs for an extremely reasonable $30 for two people for a day and a half.  We packed drinks and snacks for our beach time comfort and convenience and ventured out for hearty breakfasts and moderately priced dinners.   We especially enjoyed the friendly service and retro feel at the All American Diner.

Our only complaint about our stay is the lack of sidewalks.  We really like to park the car and walk everywhere to avoid the hassle of parking and lessen the guilt of eating whatever we want.  The Palmetto Inn is up the beach, West of the main eating establishments.   We did walk, but it  felt a bit treacherous at times.  Once we found our destination on Front Beach Rd. we would then find the  nearest public beach access and walk the beach back to the hotel!  So, all told, only half of our walking felt perilous!  That said, I think there will be other trips in the future to the Florida panhandle.

Amazing what you can do and see in NYC in a short two days.  I love it when I can combine seeing friends and relatives with new adventures.  So, seeing my lovely niece in New York was a boon.  I started with a bit of a train adventure taking the Amtrak from Philly to NYC.  Arriving before noon on Friday gave me a little time to explore before dinner.  Where to begin?

I decided on a a self-guided walking architectural tour.  Heading East, I started with Radio City Music Hall, past Rockefeller Plaza and then down the street to St. Patrick’s Cathedral.   A few blocks South and hello Grand Central Station.  Lastly, as I headed back to the hotel I wandered into the beautiful and not to be missed Public Library.  Up next, dinner at the Central Park Boathouse.  What an amazing view!  A bit pricey for dinner, but the food, view and company made this more than worth it.

Saturday morning dawned with a lovely day for a visit to Lady Liberty and her neighbor Ellis Island.  She looks so much smaller when viewed from Manhatten.  As the ferry approached Liberty Island,  I was mesmerized by the beauty of her patina and the freedom for which she stands.  I can only imagine how the weary immigrants must have felt upon seeing her.  Awe, fear, hope, relief?  I felt pride and an unexpected pang of gratitude for the French who sent her our way.

Back to Manhatten and Times Square for a Broadway show.  As a lover of musicals, I was beyond excited to see “An American in Paris”.  I was not disappointed.  I felt like I had been to a musical and a ballet all rolled into one.  The evening ended on a happy note with a couple of slices of NY pizza and a discussion of the show with my niece.

Sunday came much too fast, but there was still time to wander through Central Park and avail ourselves of the many talented performers scattered about the lanes as we headed to the Guggenheim Art Museum.  The Guggenheim  itself is a wonder from the mind of Frank Lloyd Wright.  As with all museums of this type, the traveling exhibits combined with the permanent exhibits create a unique experience each time you visit.

Time to work my way back to Penn Station, but not before having a little scoop of gelato from the vendor outside the museum.  This was probably the best Gelato I’ve had since Italy.  What an amazing 48 hours!

I know Fall is just around the corner when the Yellow Daisy Festival arrives at Stone Mountain Park just outside of Atlanta.  As I’ve gotten a little older, my desire to insert myself into large crowds and lots of traffic has waned a bit, but one festival I continue to go back to year after year is the Yellow Daisy.  I especially like it if I can slip away and go for a visit on Thursday or Friday.

The planning committee seems to do a great job at having a nice variety of interesting artisans and food vendors.   The biggest draw for me though is the location.  Unlike many arts fairs that reside on hot parking lots or busy streets, the Yellow Daisy is scattered about meandering paths under a lovely canopy of shady pine trees.  Throw in a cooler September day and you have the recipe for fun, Southern style!

http://www.stonemountainpark.com/events/Yellow-Daisy-Festival.aspx