In Chinatown, Sydney, gauzy red lanterns and gawping dragons spar for space among tourists and locals along Haymarket, for the Lunar New Year celebrations which will soon be underway. The largest bash of its type outside Asia, there's a jubilant atmosphere with scrumptious street food to savor and ... View Post
Singapore 101: Why you’ll love it
It's no secret that old friends are worth their weight in gold. Kristin and I met over 15 years ago in Atlanta due to the kismet of our mutual obsession mania appreciation of wiener dogs. She texted me this week; "I've just read the street food article, so good!! .... Oh hey, headed to Singapore ... View Post
Why you should ULURU
"Oh my God, this is never gonna come out. Look at that, they're completely orange. Decidedly, ragingly orange." I'm whining to Mr. Twos about the demise of my Converse. My beloved once-white-Chuck's are now the color of salmon roe; they've been properly christened by the desert silt. I'll be ... View Post
Heavenly Hammo; (re)discover Hamilton Island
My mom and dad hadn't been to Australia in 6 years. Ugh, life; it's full of twists and turns and we couldn't work out timing. We made it happen this year (a month-long visit!) and we knew that Hammo would be on our itinerary. It's an easy, accessible, laid back place to be. The four of us spent a ... View Post
Sydney: An Insiders Guide
Part one of many "But it's so farrrrrrrrr."-Everyone, about Australia Damn you, Sydney. You gleaming jewel by the harbor, shimmering in a gown of aqua blue sequins. You say, “This old thing?” and you mean it sincerely because you’re innocent like that. Or naive. You’re open and honest and ... View Post
Magical Maldives: Part 2, Guesthouse or Resort?
Read Part One here “But, they’re GREEN?,” I say, sotto voce, as we stare into the tank which will be the last known address for these gorgeous but unlucky Maldivian lobsters. Choosing to forego eating them, these jade and saffron striped beauties, Mr. Twos and I are led to our table, at the edge ... View Post
Croissant Lune-acy in Melbourne
I love food, but I'm decidedly not what you'd call a foodie. Having put that little disclaimer out there, sitting down to a beautiful meal is a luxury, a sure-enough experience in the most complete sense of that word. Do you feel that way, too? Food sustains us, but it can also satisfy the curiosity ... View Post
Magical Maldives: Part 1, A Primer
Read Part Two, Guesthouse or Resort HERE We fly into the airport in Male’, and our first glimpse of the Maldives (pronounced Mul-deeves) spreads before us like the mecca of all enchanted places. As we take turns plastering ourselves to the window, we see nothing but a blanket of glistening ... View Post
Why the middle seat may soon be the one to beat
There's no elbow room, no shoulder room and certainly, no room for wiping your hot wet tears when you settle into your monkey-in-the-middle seat assignment on your next flight. No aisle for you, and no window either. A few weeks ago, I conducted a little [unscientific] poll. Guess how many ... View Post
Iceland: Eco-Luxe For Couples
"You definitely think it's this way?" I ask Mr. Twos, as we pass at least a dozen off-duty sled dogs in large runs by a solitary house. They're barking the hallelujah chorus like it's the end of days, as our explicitly 'not-for-offroading' rental car continues down the offroad. We're searching for ... View Post
Vegas, Hold the Gambling
Going to Vegas with no plans to gamble is like praying for an atheist: Pointless some might say? Listen, there are a gazillion things to do that don’t involve you throwing cash down, with your fortune hinging on the whim of a roulette wheel. This little desert oasis is more than just casinos and ... View Post
Rustic Luxe in Kangaroo Valley
“It ought to be mandatory to have a spa in the wilderness,” Mr. Twos says, as we lower ourselves in. With the firepit 3 meters away spitting heat and glowing just so, who could disagree? Being alone in this utterly private 7-acre rainforest paradise, we feel as though we're in Jurassic Park, ... View Post