Alone at the Opera

I made a last minute decision to go to the opera on a Friday night in downtown San Diego. Those who live in this area know that driving downtown is a pain, but throw the Friday commute into the picture and double the time. So after an hour and a half in my car (ignoring half of the ridiculous suggestions google maps offered to avoid traffic), I... read more

Winners of Val’s Road Photo Contest

Judging this kind of contest is a blast. Each photo is like taking a mini-vacation to somewhere new. Congratulations to all the winners. To really appreciate these photos, click on them to enlarge them. Grand Prize The top prize goes to Kaela K. from San Diego, CA. Her photo was taken in Cleveland National Forest at Holy Jim* Falls Trail in... read more

Octopus – Val’s Word of the Day

While writing a review of a restaurant I’d recently eaten at, I enjoyed a laugh-out-loud moment. As I described the food we ordered, I got stuck on the spelling of octopus. It took several tries before it dawned on me how close it was to “ocho” the Spanish word for eight. How can it be that I never made that connection before?... read more

Nature Photo Contest

As the year ends, it’s time to update the photos on the cover page of my blog. I’d love your help in providing the new nature scenes. If you have a photo you’d like to submit, here are the rules and prizes: RULES 1. You must take the original photo 2. The photo should have some type of road theme in it (a path or a trail) 3.... read more

Girls Trip to Nashville

It might seem odd that three friends who do not like country music would choose Nashville for a Girls Trip, but we had a blast. All visitors will discover that Nashville is much more than country music and hot chicken (we didn’t try that either). The city has major historical significance, beautiful museums and architecture, abundant food... read more