One thing I miss about the Midwest is Fall.  Driving along roads full of...

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.

Not many people realized Hetchy Hetchy is another option when visiting Yosemite National Park....

We received a lot of advice about getting to Yosemite early, parking in one of the main lots and then taking the Shuttle, which takes you to just about every popular place, or you can hike from those popular places to where you want to be. This was our plan until my 14-year-old daughter sprained her ankle literally two days before our trip and ended up on crutches.  Our plans for hiking now had to be adjusted to Plan B: driving and parking as close to the sights as possible.

It was another spontaneous trip to Joshua Tree, We decided in less than 12 hours that we would drive out on a hot August afternoon and watch the sunset. The magnificent mountains were the backdrop for the mysterious and magical Joshua Trees