When you think of Birmingham or even Alabama in general, what are your perceptions? Mine were the steel industry and the Civil Rights Movement. But a lot has changed since then. The 1960s were another lifetime ago for many of us. Instead, the Birmingham I witnessed was full of city pride and young … [Read more...] about The Perfect Weekend in Birmingham
USA
Caroline in the City Guide to Las Vegas
Originally settled by Mormons, the city of Las Vegas transformed quickly with the legalization of gambling. Names like Bugsy Siegel, the Rat Pack, and Howard Hughes came here to seek their fortunes, opening hotels, performing and perhaps partaking in less-than-legal activities. The city went … [Read more...] about Caroline in the City Guide to Las Vegas
Finding Literary Inspiration at the Stanley Hotel
“He would write it for the reason he felt that all great literature, fiction and nonfiction, was written: truth comes out, in the end it always comes out. He would write it because he felt he had to.” ― Stephen King, The Shining • • • Most people can identify the significance of the hotel … [Read more...] about Finding Literary Inspiration at the Stanley Hotel
Photo Friday: Mobile, Alabama
Alabama may conjure images of Forrest Gump and the like, but the state is more diverse than most people realize. If you've ever visited coastal Mobile, you might feel as though you're in New Orleans or Savannah. The row houses and bougainvillea evoke similar images. First settled as a fort in 1702, … [Read more...] about Photo Friday: Mobile, Alabama
On Respecting Our National Parks
The past six months have been ripe with stories of idiocy in the American National Parks System. At Yellowstone alone, there was the Chinese tourist fined for collecting water from the thermal springs, the Canadian YouTubers who went off the path at Grand Prismatic, the American man who died falling … [Read more...] about On Respecting Our National Parks