Steven Spielberg’s long-anticipated musical remake of West Side Story has reignited interest in the New York of the late 1950s and early 1960s. The film’s storyline famously takes place in New York’s Manhattan’s San Juan Hill and the Lincoln Square neighbourhoods, two of my favourite areas of the city. […]
Does anyone send holiday postcards any more? One of my old holiday rituals was to pick the perfect postcards for friends and loved ones. For years, I even held a competition with my friend Dave to see who could send the tackiest! Today, social media is king, and […]
With many of us living under ‘lockdown’ and stuck in our homes due to the Coronavirus, I’ve been wondering what it would be like to live in isolation for a long period. The nearest I’ve come to that experience was a trip to Biosphere 2 near Tucson, Arizona […]
Looking for a holiday with spectacular natural scenery? Having visited the United States many times, I’m drawn back there because of its wonderful wilderness landscapes and National Parks. Here are 15 of my favourite natural wonders which are well worth the road trip. Bryce Canyon – Utah Utah is packed with spectacular scenery but Bryce […]
“Ever had the feeling you’ve been cheated?”. It’s a question which could be asked about some of the world’s most iconic tourist destinations. There are the landmarks which appear larger than life in the glossy literature but are so insignificant that they provoke a ‘so what’ reaction when you […]
A passion for desert landscapes is something I have in common with the great American painter, Georgia O’Keeffe. We also share a love of the Big Apple. Georgia O’Keeffe is one of my favourite artists, an inspirational woman far ahead of her time. Two places inspired her greatest works – New […]
William Shakespeare is the world’s best-loved dramatist. Today he’s more popular than in his own lifetime when audiences thronged to his plays in Elizabethan playhouses, guildhalls, and inn yards. The Bard’s plays and poems have been translated into 80 languages and many have been made into Hollywood films. The wonder of William […]
New York’s famous skyline is changing as a new breed of skyscrapers springs up across Manhattan. I discovered towering luxury apartments designed for the super-rich are booming when I visited the city last month. ‘Super high rise’ properties selling for more than £64 million are common. This is New York for […]
‘Manhattan’ is a glorious celebration of New York, a bitter-sweet love letter from Woody Allen to the Big Apple. It’s also one of my favourite American films of all time. Finding myself in New York a few weeks ago, I decided to go in search of iconic locations […]
Portland in Oregon is a city that always makes me think of my favourite American singer songwriter, Elliott Smith, who spent his formative years there after moving from Texas as a teenager. It’s strange how the atmosphere of the city soaks into Smith’s music. The new documentary film, ‘Heaven Adores […]