How to dine Basque style means understanding what kind of food is prepared and served, it's understanding the traditions of how it emerged here in America. Basque is a region in Europe, but before I enjoy my first meal, I wanted to understand the full experience of how to dine Basque style. What is a Basque meal and what do I need to know? I'm dining at the JT Basque Bar and Restaurant in Carson Valley, Nevada for my first Basque meal, but I shared my first meal with Marie-Louise Lekumberry, to learn how to dine Basque Style at the restaurant she owns and runs with her brother, which has been passed down through the family and has it's own unique history and energy.

Heisler Park in Laguna Beach, California is a perfect stop along the Pacific Coast Highway. It's a perfect mix of tropical and wild beach. If you want to truly appreciate how beautiful a beach can be, visit it early in the spring, after a rare Southern California dark and cloudy sky. Any beach can look appealing in bright sunshine and blue skies. For the wanderer that seeks raw and wild beauty where ocean touches the land, this is where you go.

The amazing views of Salt Lake City, Utah make for a memorable flight.

A trip to Santa Barbara is not complete without a visit to Stearns Wharf....

JD is settling in and she is discovering a love of hiking in Arizona. She is trading corn stalks for cactus and getting out to explore the new setting. Expanding her comfort zone, JD started hiking through the Sonoran trails. She was excited to share her newfound love of hiking through Arizona.