Deciding to leap from a day job to freelancer is like skydiving…a thrill to consider but financial survival is not guaranteed. Before you take the final step, here’s what to expect and how to double-check your parachute.   Becoming Copy Chief at an international agency increased income nicely and management was a learning experience, but it took time away from what I loved, writing. I finally felt capable of flying solo. Looking back, I’ve reflected on what it takes to succee

This blog is dedicated to Scott Keyes whose online Scott’s Cheap Flights shares extraordinary deals on flights especially on those pricey...

I’m a wine drinker myself, but couldn't leave Copenhagen without visiting the Carlsberg Brewery. I wasn’t sure what to expect but the...

If Lisbon is on your bucket list, add Sintra, just an easy train ride away. The city is a charming maze of narrow streets, palaces, and...

The six-headed dragon appears just opposite the entrance to the Château de Blois and it's a favorite spot to visit when I’m in this...

It’s disappointing when you love to travel but life gets in the way. Here I am, a travel writer, who can't travel at the moment. Okay, so...

Troglodyte. When I first moved to the Loire Valley beside the Cher River, the word "troglodyte" popped out of nowhere, generating...

To me, the Loire Valley is authentic France for its tranquil way of life, its local vineyards, farm-fresh produce, historic villages, and...

Who hasn’t heard of the Louvre, the Prado, the British Museum? But the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek? I didn’t even know it existed much less...

For years, when friends said they’d just done a home exchange in some exotic place, I’d respond that I’d love to go there but… “I...

When I first stayed at a B&B it was with my husband as we traveled in the south of France. The medieval hilltop of Vaison la Romaine was...

If you're an occasional traveler who wants to stay connected overseas without racking up massive phone charges—and, especially if you are...

The coffee at the sidewalk café was bittersweet in more ways than one. As my husband and I savored that last, relaxing taste of Paris, it...

It’s cold outside and I’m day-dreaming of something delicious to snack on, but gourmet treats are even better when enjoyed in a dream...

From Normandy's beaches to Burgundy’s enduring vineyards to the ancient fortifications of Carcassonne, the enduring beauty of France captures the heart. But the place where its centuries of endurance hit with a coup de foudre of love at first sight is the Vaucluse town of Vaison-la-Romaine . Its name derives from its ancient history, visible today in extensive Roman ruins (baths, a Roman theater and hectares of grounds, possibly the largest archeological site in Europe)

As a member of HomeExchange.com I've been a happy 'camper' (figuratively speaking, of course, my lodgings did not require sleeping bags!)...

When planning a solo visit to Copenhagen, I decided to learn Danish. I knew I wouldn’t become fluent but would feel more confident in...

In France tradition and food are a winning combination. In January, it results in the Galette des Rois (King Cake”) which is historically...

As our first year living in France wound down, French friends, Christiane and Pierre suggested we celebrate Le Réveillon—the dusk to dawn...

Tis the season and just have to share this article about contemporary takes on the traditional "Yule Log" from the New York Times....