It’s not illegal to go to Texas and not see a rodeo, but it is a little bit criminal. That’s because they feature so many elements of Texana: hardy cowboys, skilled cowgirls, kid-friendly silliness, cold beer and lots of “God Bless America”. Everybody stands and says the Pledge of Allegiance. This is no time forContinue reading “Fort Worth: Visiting the Stockyards rodeo with children”
Category Archives: Americas
My latest dream destination: Hawaii
Over on BritMums we’ve been running the #Flying100 Family Holiday Challenge with IATA on one of my favourite topics: dream travel destinations. I can’t officially enter but this is a topic I could write on and on about. IATA is celebrating 100 years of commercial flight and that just reminds me of all the long-haulContinue reading “My latest dream destination: Hawaii”
Massachusetts: A girls’ weekend at Canyon Ranch
When 4 of us university friends wanted a reunion weekend, we decided against reenacting one of our old camping trips (too soggy and cold), skiing (too end-of-season) or hitting Spain again (logistical nightmare for friend from Seattle). In the end we settled on visiting Canyon Ranch, a spa resort in Lenox, Massachusetts, a few hoursContinue reading “Massachusetts: A girls’ weekend at Canyon Ranch”
9 top things to do with children in Fort Worth
Every summer we take the kids to Texas to see my family, soak up some sun in 37+° and experience the Lone Star State. Every summer we swim, eat Tex-Mex and BBQ and have fun in our usual haunts of Austin, Houston, Lubbock and Port Aransas on the Gulf of Mexico. But this year weContinue reading “9 top things to do with children in Fort Worth”
2 secret places you need to visit in Mississippi
There’s practically nothing that travellers love more than a secret — a secret spot, a secret hotel (not so coincidentally, the name of a Budget Travel book I contributed to), any hot tip or insight that has the whiff of insider knowledge. Plus, if you’re asking the right people, the places you discover tend toContinue reading “2 secret places you need to visit in Mississippi”
Visiting Dealey Plaza & the grassy knoll
Dallas’s role in the national tragedy of JFK’s shooting was something we learned a lot about while I was growing up in Texas. The city had a reputation of being a cold, money-oriented metropolis, miles away from the hippie vibe of Austin or the international oil reputation of Houston. We spent an entire section inContinue reading “Visiting Dealey Plaza & the grassy knoll”
Is Franklin Barbecue really the best in the world?
This weekend Meatopia is making its first appearance outside of the States. This flesh-eating food celebration in Tobacco Dock, Wapping features big-time chefs and hallowed meat-cooking halls such as Hawksmoor, Pitt Cue, St Johns, Shake Shack and more, all devoted to delicious meats. One of the featured guests is Aaron Franklin over from Austin. ButContinue reading “Is Franklin Barbecue really the best in the world?”
Fun at the trampoline park in Austin
One of the things we MUST do when we visit Austin, according to my daughter, is go to Jumpstreet. This place has nothing to do with the natural beauty of Hill Country where Austin is located, nor is it connected to the groovy cultural vibe here. It is a warehouse-style building filled with 25-yard-long trampolines,Continue reading “Fun at the trampoline park in Austin”
Returning to Taos
Nobody in my family can agree what age I was, or any of us kids were, when we stopped coming to Taos, New Mexico for the summer. My dad taught graduate art school there, so every summer my parents would load up the station wagon with everything we’d need for 6 weeks. We rented aContinue reading “Returning to Taos”