Travel

  • Getting To Know Lake Merrit, in Oakland California

    On our stay in Oakland California for three weeks this past summer, we had the joy of getting to know Lake Merrit! I visited Lake Merrit many times as a child, and even took sailing lessons there, but this was really the first time that I was able to explore it from every angle. As…

  • A Visit To Rachel’s Tomb On The Busiest Day Of The Year!

    Historic images of the gravesite of Rachel Today is the memorial anniversary for Rachel Imeinu, affectionately referred to as Mama Rachel. While the Jewish people have more than one mother, Rachel, on account of the trials and tribulations she faced during her life has become the universal Jewish mother, the one that a person would…

  • The Holy City Of Hebron, And The Gravesite Of Our Forefathers And Mothers

    Today is the yahrzheit, hillula, (the memorial anniversary of the day of passing) of our dear Rachel Imeinu, one of the mothers of the Jewish people. Sooooooo, just like last year, my daughter and I boarded a bus for an 18 hour trip which encompassed all four holy cities in Israel, and included a visit…

  • A Visit To Point Lobos State Reserve, Monterey, California

    The Point Lobos State Reserve, just 3 miles south of the city of Carmel in Northern California is a truly a jewel, and well worth the three or so hour drive south if you will be visiting the San Francisco Bay Area. We combined our overnighter with a visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and…

  • A Climb Up The Enchanting Filbert Steps On Telegraph Hill, San Francisco

    At long last I had a chance to re-visit one of my very favorite places, the Filbert Steps, on Telegraph Hill in my beloved San Francisco. I always had a feeling that I had left my heart on these steps, and yes indeed I have reconfirmed this sentiment. Best of all, I was so very…

  • A Visit To Girona, Spain, Part 1

    Last fall, when I was fortunate enough to visit Barcelona, which I posted about here, here, here, here, here, here and here, we also took a day trip to the wonderful city of Girona, which like Barcelona is located in the Catalonian region of Spain. After posting so many photos of Barcelona, the photos of Girona would have been…

  • The Joan Miro Foundation Museum, Barcelona

     The Joan Miro Foundation museum in Barcelona is a wonderful place to visit, located on Mont Juic, which actually means Jewish mountain due to the fact that the mountain was once home to a Jewish cemetary, long before it became the site for the 1992 Summer Olympic Games. There’s a fabulous view of the city…

  • The Mies Van Der Rohe Pavilion, Barcelona

    And now, dear readers I proudly present the very very famous and esteemed Mies Van Der Rohe Pavilion in Barcelona, which turns out to be in Mont Juic park, right next to the magic fountains that I posted about yesterday! Only I didn’t realize that until visiting the pavilion by day, as the area is…

  • The Magic Fountains At Mont Juic Park, Barcelona

    The magic fountains light, water and music show in Mont Juic Park, Barcelona is spectacular and not to be missed! I will say, that I’m not a big fan of light and music shows, but this one is special so plan your trip to  Barcelona such that it includes a Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday…

  • Antoni Gaudi’s Park Guell, Barcelona

    Park Guell is one of Antoni Gaudi’s masterpieces, built between 1900 to 1912, originally as part of a housing development for wealthy city folk seaking a respite from the factory air. The development idea however was not successful, and the land was eventually turned in to a city park, fortunately for us! Get off the…

  • Antoni Gaudi’s Casa Mila, Part 2….Period Apartment Tour

    I really truly fell in love with the interiors of Antoni Gaudi’s Casa Mila in Barcelona, completed in 1912. And I was having an interesting deja vu of sorts that was a cross between memories of my paternal grandmother (who had fabulous taste and loved antiques) and my pre-war apartment on the Upper West side…

  • Antoni Gaudi’s Casa Mila, Part 1….The Entrance and Amazing Roof Garden

    On my trip to Barcelona, on the very last day, just hours before we needed to be at airport, my daughter and I hopped on the metro and went to spend our last moments in Barcelona at Casa Mila, designed as a luxury apartment building that’s one of architect Antoni Gaudi’s masterpieces, finished in 1912.…