Recent clients include Outside, Hemispheres, Alaska Airlines Magazine and Scuba Diving Magazine. Forthcoming publications include travelgirl, Yahoo! News, Dive Director, GEICO Now, Today's Chiropractic Lifestyle and The Washington State Visitors Guide. I also report on business for American Express's magazine The Square.
Much of my energy has been absorbed by booksand teaching projects like Writers.com's Travel Writing Master Class, co-taught by myself, David Farley, Tom Swick, Charyn Pfeuffer, Stephanie Oswald, Stephanie Elizondo Griest and Edward Readicker-Henderson. I wrote the Vancouver Island chapter of Frommer's Best Hiking Trips in British Columbia and contributed to National Geographic's Journeys of a Lifetime. Recently,
I also launch-editedTripSketch, a Silicon-Valley startup, to which I still occasionally contribute.
Schedule
Seattle remains my home base. Recent trips include:
Taiwan
New Zealand
Australia
Colombia
Panama
Tahiti
The Marquesas
Guyana
Samoa
Thailand
Rome
Milan
Venice
London
Bath
Palau
Yap
Malta
Canadian Rockies
Whistler, BC
Vancouver, BC
Southeast Alaska
Salt Lake City
Las Vegas
Oregon's Pinot Noir Country
Arizona's Scottsdale
Los Angeles
California's Santa Barbara, Mendocino & San Francisco
Washington's Olympic Peninsula
The North Cascades
San Juan Islands
The Colombia River Gorge
Guam
Yoga-and-wine retreat
Next up: Cook Islands, Uganda, Kenya, London and Rome, the Northwest's RSVP bike race
In the planning stages: Vietnam, Cambodia, the Yangtze River, Brazil, Macau and the Pacific Crest Trail. Please email if you have editorial needs in these areas.
Suggestions
Please label your note, enquiry or press release clearly with the location & send via email.
I explored my divorce
with an essay, At the
Seashore with Medea:
A marriage unravels
in Athens. Buy the book or
learn more at
its website.
A Touch Is Worth A Thousand Words
Today's Chiropractic Lifestyle, March 2012
The rasp of a cat’s tongue; the eyelash flutter of a “butterfly” kiss; the pinch and burn of an ice cream headache.
Touch is one of our most primitive and universal senses. All the way back to the first multicellular life forms—about 2.1 billion years ago—almost all animals have relied on their somatosensory (body-sensing) systems to navigate, find food and evaluate their surroundings.
SLIDESHOW: Taiwan’s Lunar New Year Celebrations End With Fiery Lantern Festival
Wandermelon magazine, February 2012
Hundreds of buttercup-bright lanterns squiggled into Taiwan’s night sky, each powered by tiny wax-burning lamps. The fragile bamboo-and-rice-paper balloons swayed and drifted as the heat – and the crowd’s sighs – carried away scrawled wishes for love, success and prosperity. Any worries just floated away, lovers kissed and seeded their dreams in the air and we all watched in wonder as the luckiest year of the Chinese Zodiac lifted off to a bright start.
The World's Last Sundowner Cocktail
Travelgirl magazine, December 2011
Just 20 miles east of the International
Date Line, Samoa has been the sunset’s final outpost for 119 years. Raise a rum-filled coconut there and toast the era’s end, as the nation shifts time zones and loses its sundowner status.
SAMOA: Back to the Future
Waving goodbye to the last sunset on earth
Hemispheres, December 2011
For years, tourists flocked here to toast the twilight with rum-filled coconut drinks; some even came for second helpings of special birthdays or anniversaries (arrive from, say, Tonga, and it’ll be nearly a day before you left).
Soon, though, Samoa will trade away that last sunset, hoping to better align its workweek with trading partners in Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
Unexpected Utah
Travelgirl Magazine
The Beehive State is mellowing its straight-laced, Mormon-settled vibe, showing its eccentric edge and pioneer pluck. Newly relaxed liquor laws encourage après ski celebrations. And – putting the cherry on top – Salt Lake City wraps up a $4.5bn revamp next year, anchored by 20-acre, walkable, sustainably designed community (www.downtownrising.com).
Guyana: Running Naked in Paradise
Travelgirl Magazine
From baby-cradle water lilies to stretch-limo river otters, South America’s only English-speaking country surprises. But can it push further – protecting its tropical rainforest and indigenous culture – with a clever carbon-offsetting plan? (Pretty PDF of the 8-page Guyana spread)
Utah Revival
Scuba Diving Magazine, July 2011
Among the hermits and speedracers of Bonneville’s salt flats, misfit fish thrive in desert hot springs
The (Real) Truth About Beauty
New Jersey Life, June/July 2011
Like it or not, our bodies influence status, sexuality, self-identity, and social encounters. Despite all our women’s lib and meditation about inner beauty, humans remain hard-wired for Felina lingerie, not femstaches. Anyone who bucks the trend should be prepared to ride out the reverb, from wooing, to the workplace, to places of worship.
Parting Shot: Samoan Porters
Outside Magazine, Summer 2011
Image by Amanda Castleman. Eliu and Tala haul luggage from the seaside fales – thatched villas – at Samoa’s Coconuts Beach Club Resort & Spa. The porters routinely carry bags this way, wearing traditional lava-lavas (sarongs). I only coaxed their T-shirts off and the “special occasion” coconut fronds on, then shot this running ahead of the duo. We all lucked into a memorable image.
Treasured Islands
Embracing the Samoan Way of Life
Alaskan Airlines Magazine, June 2011 Pigs, chickens and children amble across the tens roads of Samoa. That’s OK; even traffic moseys in this Polynesian archipelago. Its 193,000 inhabitants still fish and farm taro, despite their day jobs. And fales – the traditional thatched, open-air pavilions – front even the swankiest of modern homes. Fa’a Samoa (the Samoan way of life) flows unabated, although TVs and mobiles chime into the mix as the nation approaches its 50th anniversary in 2012.
California's Channel Islands National Park
Scuba Diving, April/May 2011
Sea lions torpedo past skeins of playful seals and kelp forests offshore from surfer-chic Santa Barbara. One of the eastern Pacific's most pristine ecosystems, the Channel Island National Park protects 200 square miles, renowned for isolated evolution, much like the Galapagos. The five islands protect the park system's highest concentration of endangered and endemic species. No wonder documentarian Ken Burns showcased the area.
Five Best Photo Opportunities in Scottsdale
AOL Travel, October 21, 2010
Architect Frank Lloyd Wright left his stamp on the Valley of the Sun. Conceptually, he urged developers not to stack buildings on the ridges – preserving sight lines – and favoring desert hues. And more concretely, he built his desert masterpiece, Taliesin West, a winter home, studio and architectural campus in the McDowell foothills of northwest Scottsdale. Today, visitors can experience firsthand his brilliant ability to integrate indoor and outdoor spaces.
Five Best Photo Opportunities in Sedona
AOL Travel, October 19, 2010 A primal sea once flowed and retreated here, pancaking ancient sand dunes into layers of sedimentary stone, each a subtly different shade. Salmon. Ruby. Claret. Carnelian. Garnet. Magenta. This scenic overload leaves poets fumbling for words and photographers racing for tripods and filters.
Adventure Activities in Tucson – Try if You Dare
AOL Travel, October 19, 2010
Forget the Tootsie Roll center: in Tucson the crunch comes from arachnids in scorpion lollipops. Crablike in appearance, these desert dwellers have four legs, a pair of pincers and a long segmented tail with a stinger. In high doses their venom can be fatal to humans, but Chinese medicine treats rheumatism with small amounts.
Just don't be the sucker who gets hooked. Over in China, Li Liuqun bit the head off a huge live scorpion that stung him. It tasted so sweet and nutty, he's consumed at least 10,000 over the last three decades.
Sedona with Kids: A Perfect Family Day
AOL Travel, October 20, 2010
Anyone visiting Sedona with kids should keep them awake long enough for the stars to shine. The sky unfolds some of the brightest, clearest constellation views in the country. Evening Sky Tours can guide you through the cosmos from any dark spot in town. Professional astronomers point out spiral galaxies, space station passes and red super giants, among other sights. The cooler night air may not be muy caliente, but the experience will cap your family vacation in Sedona and burn forever in your family's memories.
Mighty Methow
Washington State Visitors Guide 2011
Wedged between the east flank of the Cascade Mountains and the sprawling 1.5-million-acre Okanogan National Forest, the Methow Valley (pronounced “MET-how”) boasts warm, dry summers and crisp, blue-skied winters.
Whale Tales
Washington State Visitors Guide 2011
Whales gather in the cool waters of Washington from roughly April to September. And the 170-odd islands of the San Juans offer prime spotting territory for orca, gray, minke, and humpback.
Tacoma – Destined for a Good Time
Washington State Visitors Guide 2011
In 1873, the Northern Pacific Railway declared its western terminus would be Tacoma, not Seattle, its confident neighbor 32 miles north. Flush with optimism, the town adopted the nickname “The City of Destiny.” Today, that sentiment rings truer than ever, as Tacoma barrels full-steam ahead, fueled by a modern light rail, worldclass museums, and a renovated downtown (www.traveltacoma.com).
Seattle – Top Draw
Washington State Visitors Guide 2011
Be sure to head north of the city center to the Fremont neighborhood (www.fremontseattle.com). Once you’ve said hello to the eclectic mix of galleries, shops, and eateries, don’t forget to meet the area’s most beloved resident—the Fremont Troll, a whimsical two-ton concrete sculpture tucked beneath the Aurora Bridge.
Olympic Park – Wild Sights
Washington State Visitors Guide 2011
Inside the park, you’ll find the Northern Hemisphere’s largest temperate rain forest and the world’s largest wild herd of Roosevelt elk. Glacier-capped Mount Olympus rises nearly 8,000 feet, fringed by alpine meadows, forests, and 57 miles of pristine coastline.
Water Walks
Washington State Visitors Guide 2011
Washington boasts
more than 160 miles of coastline, stretching from the Columbia River to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. And whether you’d prefer to catch waves, go for a hike, fly a kite, or just wiggle your toes in the sand, there’s a beach here with your name on it
San Juans – Island Spice
Washington State Visitors Guide 2011
Sheltered by the Olympic Mountains, the San Juan Islands sit in a “banana belt,” a sunny swath that receives just about half of Seattle’s average annual rainfall. The archipelago—just six miles from Vancouver Island—showcases the fact that the Northwest’s piercing beauty is often soaked in sun.
Water World
Washington State Visitors Guide 2011
Piratical Explorer Sir Francis Drake once described the Northwest as a land of “congealed rain.” And for outdoor types exploring Washington, all that moisture’s a fine thing. Miles of pristine coastline, powerful rivers, clear lakes, and tranquil bays all converge here, providing boundless opportunities to immerse yourself in an Evergreen State adventure.
Also in
the Washington State Visitors Guide 2011: Roadtrip around Mount Rainier and Rafting: A Spill a Minute.
A Trip Back in Time: Discovering Your Roots
GEICO NOW, Autumn
Next time vacation rolls around, blend something old and something new: Trace your family tree on the road.
Four Family Getaways for Frugal Fun
GEICO NOW online, Autumn
Even if you’re trying to tighten your purse strings, it’s important to let loose for a little family time. Here are a few budget-friendly options.
Urban Submersion: Sublime Seattle
Sport Diver, August 2010
Seattle has outgrown its ripped flannel, along with the rise of Amazon, Boeing, Starbucks and Microsoft. But America’s most educated city still heeds the call of the wild. For small talk, think snow pack and swell reports, not stock options
Winter of our Content
Seattle Bride, July 2010
From apres-ski aromatherapy to storm watching, and gray whale sightings to vineyard crawls on horseback, Northwest honeymooning shines in the cooler month.
Mountain Majesty
Washington State Visitors Guide 2010
From alpine meadows to Wild West towns, the North Cascades Highway covers a wealth of inland scenery. Highway 20 slaloms around mossy forests and lakes turquoise with glacial melt, then crests mountains that are bookended by granite massifs before stretching across Washington’s high desert.
Also in
the Washington State Visitors Guide 2010: Cape Alava
Most Adrenalin: Palau's Ulong Channel
Sport Diver April 2010
My group unhooks and tumbles, blasted by the current. Trim is largely forgotten as limbs cartwheel, sometimes overlapping Twister-style. Everyone contorts further to glimpse the sea fans, giant clams (Tridacna gigas) and rare lettuce corals, some blooming 15-20 feet tall. Nesting triggerfish patrol their nests on the sandy bottom. One even lunges at a clumsy cameraman, teeth bared: Gotcha! As if this wild ride needed more adrenalin…
Cyber-rehab
Near Microsoft headquarters, the U.S. opens it first internet-addiction clinic.
Sunday Express, September 6, 2009
The Sunday Express: The facility – Heavensfield – lies 13 miles away from Microsoft's Redmond headquarters and about 28 from Seattle. The skyscrapers melt away, then even the mini-malls. The clinic's five acres are pure rural Pacific Northwest: windchimes scare deer from the organic garden, set among towering firs and moss-shrouded valleys.
Bagging Crowns
Yap's Latest Eco-efforts to Save a National Treasure
Sport Diver, September 2009
Spanning an area the size of the continental US, Micronesia encompasses 5 percent of the Pacific Ocean and contains 61 percent of the world's coral species. Yet some are under threat. Each Crown of Thorns sea star (COT) can devour a square yard of reef every day.
100 top American destinations
TripSketch.com
Capsule reviews of classic U.S. trips, from
Route 66 to the National Cowboy Museum.
How Forks Got a Bite of Luck from Vampire Franchise
Sunday Express, July 19, 2009
The blockbusting Twilight series has given the kiss of life to a north-west American logging outpost. Foks, in Washington State, now welcomes more visitors some weeks than during previous years.
Flow State
Tapping the Subconscious Grace of Palau
Sport Diver, June 2009
Cover story: Hundreds of red snapper swirl like a galaxy, thick enough to block sunlight. For only three days each year, they gather in this fathomless deep to spawn during a full winter moon. I arc away from the reef, spindling toward the great ball of fish, enthralled. Buffalo stampeding. Locusts swarming. My mind fumbles for a sense of scale...
Tangled Up in Wild Blue chronicles my all-terrain-Barbie
lifestyle as a travel writer.
Diane Mapes masterminded
this sassy anthology.
(Seal Press 2007)
