I’ve always loved exploring ruins. Something about the tattered remains of a bygone era that fascinates me. I’ve explored lost civilizations such as Machu Picchu, Tikal and Angkor Wat, and smaller, more modern gems such as the infamous Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia. Most recently, it was the eerie pile of disintegrating boats in the […]
19
Sep
Sep
I don’t think much of him at first. He isn’t big or even that muscular. He just stares at the ground, swaying gently from side to side. What’s so intimidating? He looks up, and I make the mistake of holding his gaze. He doesn’t like that. He doesn’t like that one bit. Instantly, I feel […]
06
Sep
Sep
Standing on the hill above the ancient nursery, Wendy Sloboda squints into the afternoon sun, her mane of blonde dreadlocks resembling an elaborate tribal headdress. Her short, muscular frame is adorned with tattoos and her lips are pierced. One of many tattoos, an illustration of the parrot-beaked Wendiceratops pinhornensis she discovered and is named after her is […]
29
Aug
Aug
People do the craziest things. Just look at reality television. But who am I to judge? I joined the ranks of over 74,000 other nut jobs who’ve downed the famous Sourtoe Cocktail in Dawson City. (If you haven’t heard, that’s a whiskey shot garnished with a desiccated human toe.) What can I say? I’m a […]
18
Aug
Aug
Updated May 2020 Dawson City, Yukon, can’t let go of its past. And for this tiny town less than 200 miles from the Arctic Circle, that’s a good thing. The Gold Rush On a hot August day in 1896, gold was discovered in Yukon swampland that would later be known as Dawson City, and the Klondike […]
04
Aug
Aug
I opened the door of the tiny plane and hopped out, sinking into the wet snow up to my shins of the Kaskawulsh Glacier. Squinting behind my sunglasses, I scanned the sea of snow-covered peaks glistening against a blinding blue sky. We were completely alone. Tiny specs of life standing in the middle of the Yukon’s […]
15
Jun
Jun
Women half dressed wearing fish costumes. Men half dressed wearing fish costumes. Elaborate doos, makeup for days. Painted floats and classic cars. The streets filled with cheering crowds. Welcome to the Mermaid Parade. It’s quite a spectacle. When to Go I’d read about the Parade for years before finally going in 2016. Once I was there I felt […]
08
Jun
Jun
here are plenty of things to do in New York City on a warm summer Saturday, but if you haven’t spent an afternoon with David Ippolito, The Guitar Man from Central Park, you’re missing out. Whether alone or with the family, he’s a big dose of feel-good, and who can’t use more of that? You’ll find him […]
22
May
May
As soon as I get out of the vehicle, I’m hit by the baritone wails coming from dozens of distressed heifers. Their calves have been moved to an adjoining pen—and they’re not happy about it. Some pace while others stretch out their necks, raise their noses to the sky and mooooooooooo. (click above to hear the cows that morning) Spring […]
10
May
May
I was exhausted. Emotionally Spent. I needed an escape. The outdoors. Fresh air. So when I was invited to Triple Creek Ranch, an adult-only, all-inclusive resort hidden in a sea of pine, I knew it was fate. I learned I’d attend a real Spring cattle branding, ride horseback, commune with nature, and try sapphire panning (Never heard […]