United Breaks Guitars

Custom inlaid guitars, handmade by Jose Uyaguari in San Bartolome, one of the artisan villages near Cuenca, Ecuador

By now you have probably all seen this, especially since the artist has been on the talk show circuit, but on the off chance that you’ve been living in a cave, I offer the following video, produced by musician Dave Carroll. While sitting on a United plane awaiting takeoff, Carroll saw luggage handlers tossing his … Read more

Piscadera Bay Walk – A Taste of Curacao’s Local Culture

From the moment I arrived at the Marriott Beach Resort and Emerald Casino in Curacao, I was treated like a queen and fed like a king. Within minutes of settling into my oceanfront room, I had devoured the tray of gourmet chocolate, fine Danish cheeses, crackers, and fresh tropical fruit that awaited me and, just … Read more

Using ATT iPhone for International Travel Without Breaking the Bank (3Gs, 4 and 4s)

When I traveled internationally for the first time after buying my iPhone, I was concerned about the potential for racking up huge phone bills. I’d heard horror stories about people who used their ATT iPhone for international travel, only to discover they had mounted up thousands of dollars in cell phone charges upon returning home. … Read more

Winter in Frozen Illinois

I am on my annual pilgrimage to the Chicago area to visit family over the holidays. The day after I arrived, freezing rain coated everything with ice, creating dangerously slick driving conditions. The following day, more freezing rain was followed by eight inches of snow. Since then, it has snowed almost every day and the … Read more