LOGGING HAPPY MILES IN AND AROUND PORTLAND

BOSTON, OREGON? It could have been so. As the story goes, the naming of Oregon’s largest city involved a bet between Asa Lovejoy and Francis Pettygrove, two New Englanders who helped settle the area in the 1840s. Each wanted to name the new settlement near the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette rivers after his respective hometown: Boston in the case of Mr. Lovejoy, and Portland, Maine in the case of Mr. Pettygrove. As is obvious, Mr. Pettygrove won the best-of-three coin toss.

Although it shares a waterside setting and high quality of life with both its actual and potential namesakes, Portland today is an appealing and incomparable city and certainly not one in need of reference. It’s also frequently compared to its larger Pacific Northwest sister, Seattle, but Portland is its own distinct place: a vibrant, verdant, athletic, intellectual, hard-working, locally sourced and funky-yet-hip-yet-sophisticated metropolis of 2 million (MSA-wise). For me, it is one of my all-time favorite destinations and my affection only grows with each visit. Whether you experience plenty of sun or some of Portland’s famous “liquid sunshine” during your visit, you no doubt will go home a fan of this great, livable city.

SMITTEN: My excitement on arrival in Portland was hard to contain during that first visit. I arrived on a flight from Atlanta and, as we made our descent, the view of Mount Hood looming to the east and the forested city below made for love at first sight. I had come to town that trip to mostly check out the place and run a race at Nike world headquarters in nearby Beaverton. And, when I discovered that Portland is home to the world’s largest independent bookstore, Powell’s, well it really was over after that. I have returned many times over the years. In 2008, I concluded a cross country road trip in Portland just in time to enjoy Portland Pride, one of the largest on the West Coast. Last month, I returned to Portland to run a half marathon in the city’s well- organized and -attended Portland Marathon Festival weekend. During our most recent visit, my spouse and I also ventured out of Portland into Oregon’s wine country and the Columbia River Gorge. And, we checked out one of Portland’s newest revitalized(ing) neighborhoods.

FIRST, THE TRIP IN: For reasons that seem less clear now, we traveled to Portland from our home in Baltimore via Seattle-Tacoma (SeaTac) International Airport. I love Seattle very much, but I wouldn’t recommend flying into SeaTac for a visit to Portland unless your travels involve time in both cities and/or you can save a huge amount over landing at PDX, Portland’s very user-friendly, international airport. For one thing, PDX is easily connected to downtown by the city’s efficient light rail system, TriMet, which means that you don’t really need a rental car unless you plan to travel outside the city, a West Coast rarity (NOTE: much larger Seattle recently caught up to Portland in this regard and it is now possible to travel between downtown Seattle and SeaTac Airport via light rail).

But, there we were, on the south side of Seattle with a rental car. We decided not to try and squeeze in a lunch stop in Seattle with its many diversions and fairly serious traffic. Instead, we headed south toward our ultimate destination and made our lunch stop in Olympia, Washington’s surprisingly funky-yet-pleasing state capital at the southern end of Puget Sound. The drive from SeaTac to Olympia takes about 30 minutes and we parked the car and checked out the small but interesting strip of stores and restaurants in downtown Olympia, just in time for lunch. Right on the water, we found the Oyster House, an Olympia seafood tradition since the 1930s. After a tasty meal of oysters and fish, we made our way up the hill from downtown to the state capitol complex, a beautifully landscaped set of buildings with towering evergreens (Washington is the Evergreen State, after all) that also includes the state supreme court. The capitol building itself is impressive in its own right but a real treat was its well-stocked gift store on the ground floor run by a very friendly manager with whom we chatted while picking up some Washington-themed Christmas ornaments. Ornaments are our new fridge magnets. At this stop, we picked up some beautifully decorated glass bulbs featuring the art of Pacific Northwest Native Americans and a replica of one of the the ferries that comprise the state’s watery highway system across Puget Sound.

THE GORGE: Fueled up and having checked off another state capital, we made our way south, crossing over the Columbia River into Oregon. Instead of heading to our hotel in downtown Portland, we decided to take advantage of what proved to be the last sunny day for much of our visit and headed east into the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, a spectacularly beautiful recreational area straddling both sides of the Columbia in Oregon and Washington. Our first stop was the Vista House. Built between 1916 and 1918 as a memorial to those who had first traveled to Oregon, Vista House was an early version of a rest area along the old highway that connected Portland with eastern Oregon, but with what a view. Perched high above the river on Crown Point, the octagonal building, which reopened in 2006 after a major renovation, offers panoramic, 360-degree views up and down the Gorge. It’s well worth the detour off busy I-84 to catch the spectacular views.

A bit further east is one of my must-do Portland stops, Multnomah Falls, Oregon’s largest waterfall featuring a total drop of 620 feet. There is an arched bridge over the first of the falls’ two cascading sections. It’s such a beautiful spot to feel the spray of the water and look back out over the Gorge. It’s a very popular venue for local wedding photo shoots and you will know why after you visit.

DOWNTOWN DONE RIGHT: Few American cities in my view can claim as much success in maintaining a thriving, living central business district as can Portland. The combination of smart urban planning going back several decades, the natural assets of a riverside setting and Mount Hood looming in the distance, easy light rail and bus access to other neighborhoods, residential housing, and a thriving retail and dining scene makes downtown a perfect headquarters for a visit. After driving into the city from the Gorge, we checked into our hotel for the race weekend, the Hotel Monaco Portland. A Kimpton Hotels property, the Monaco upgraded us to a suite that made for a great place to chill when not in the lobby visiting Timmy, the hotel’s friendly Labrador host, or sampling free wine from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The hotel was perfectly situated near the start and finish of the half marathon. We also were right around the corner from Pioneer Courthouse Square, Portland’s official living room, a red-bricked square of fountains and terraced seating that hosts a number of events throughout the year, including the annual lighting of the city’s Christmas tree.

After a quick nap following a long travel day from the East Coast, we walked a few blocks from our hotel to the Nines, a luxury Starwood property that is housed on the top floors of what was once the headquarters of Portland’s formerly landmark Meier and Frank department store (the bottom floors today are a branch of Macy’s, which phased out the Meier and Frank name several years ago ). The Nines has several dining options, including Urban Farmer, a restaurant that has the easy task of living by farm-to-table principles in a land as bountiful as Oregon. The atrium setting and cow print booths with canned produce in glass mason jars makes for a stylish yet old-fashioned look that works. From the perfectly dry martini made with locally distilled Aviation gin to my sirloin steak from the Basque Ranch in eastern Oregon, the meal was delicious and satisfying and local.

The next morning, I did a quick run along the river to get loosened up for my race, after which we met a local friend for lunch. At her suggestion, we went to Portland’s oldest restaurant. Dating to 1879, Huber’s menu is unusually but deliciously focused on turkey. Apparently, when it was more of a saloon than a restaurant during its early days, the barmen would offer turkey legs to thirsty patrons in an effort to keep temperance-minded local officials at bay. It also worked for me and the turkey and brie melt I ordered was quite tasty.

After lunch, we picked up my race packet and headed to Powell’s, where we spent two hours and never left the first two rooms. It’s hard to describe the scope and range of book subjects and titles at the sprawling complex that is Powell’s; it’s also quite unique for selling used and new copies of the same title alongside each other. As one example of its vastness, I went in search of books on Croatian history, having traveled to the Dalmatian Coast earlier in the year, and was not surprised – but impressed nevertheless – to find an entire shelf of books on a country that has existed officially only since 1991. For my final pre-race meal, we dined at the Red Star Tavern in the Monaco, which had great service and an eclectic menu of such dishes as oven roasted bone marrow, grilled octopus and organic beets with smoked tofu and white wine risotto.

IT’S RAINING? GREAT DAY FOR A RUN! Race morning arrived dark and chilly and wet. For a brief moment, I considered going back to bed and just telling people back home that I ran the Portland Half Marathon. But, I wanted the medal (that I will never wear, as it turns out) and other goodies that awaited me at the finish line. So, I asked the front desk for a trash bag to serve as my temporary rain coat, cut holes in it for my arms and made my way to the start line a few blocks away. Local runners were chatty and cheerful as we took cover under downtown office buildings during particularly strong bands of rain. They seemed not at all bothered by the weather. It occurred to me that I needed to embrace the experience completely or I’d be both wet and miserable instead of just wet. So, for the next two-plus hours, I ran 13.1 miles in the rain through the streets of Portland. As a runner of several races in several places over the years, I was struck by how many people were out cheering us on. What’s a little wet weather, they all seemed to be saying. The plus side of the rain: I finished neither overheated nor dehydrated. After a soak in the tub and a nap, my spouse and I were ready to continue our explorations.

WINE COUNTRY AND A SECOND STATE CAPITAL: As if on cue, by the time the valet brought the rental car around, the skies had cleared and the sun was beginning to peak through. We headed south out of Portland and into the increasingly famous, but still not overrun, Oregon Wine Country. As you leave the suburban stretches of the city, the rolling countryside of the Willamette River Valley, with the coastal range mountains to the west, comes into view. In Yamhill County, we searched for the home of one of my favorite Oregon wines, Adelsheim Vineyards. After getting slightly but happily lost among hazelnut orchards and rows of wine grapes, we found Adelsheim on the outskirts of Newburg. Their Pinot Gris is a favorite of mine. We also sampled their non-oak Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, for which they also are well known, and shipped home a perfect souvenir: a case of their whites and reds. Because I was feeling worn out from my morning’s activities, we skipped any additional wine tasting stops, but did continue our drive south through the beautiful countryside before arriving in Salem, Oregon’s state capital.

Although it is the state’s third largest city, Salem feels more like a big college town than a city. It’s a pleasant place along the Willamette River and, of course, the center of political life in Oregon. On the Sunday afternoon we visited, downtown was relatively quiet but certainly not dead. Our first stop was the beautiful and unique Art Deco state capitol building. As I learned, the building opened in 1938, which explains its architectural style, and is the third state house in Salem. The two prior capitol buildings were destroyed by fire. Unlike most state house domes, the Oregon capitol building has a flat dome roof, atop of which stands a gold statue of the Oregon pioneer. Across the street is the lovely campus of Willamette University, which dates to 1842, making it the oldest university in the West.

BACK IN TOWN: After chatting with friendly locals at the nearby Starbucks, we made our back into Portland. In addition to downtown, Portland is a city of many great neighborhoods with their own distinct appeal. On prior visits, I have had fun exploring the shops and restaurants and other attractions of the Northwest District along N.W. 21st and N.W. 23rd avenues, and the Belmont and Hawthorne neighborhoods in Southeast Portland. Another must-see Portland stop is the great, urban green space of Washington Park, which houses the city’s famous International Rose Test and Japanese gardens among its many attractions.

On this visit, we decided to spend our final evening checking out the newly resurgent Mississippi neighborhood in North Portland. Named for the street that runs north and south through an area not far from the Rose Garden, home of the NBA Portland Trailblazers, this formerly down-on-its-luck neighborhood has lured artists and others who followed back with its cheap rents and ideal location on a hill overlooking downtown. Today, Mississippi has new residential housing alongside some funky and cool shops and restaurants, including a great gift store named Gumbo and SheBop, which describes itself as a female-friendly sex toy boutique. SheBop was closed so I can’t report, but I did bring home some navy and tan saddle oxfords from a great consignment store. After checking out several restaurant menus along the avenue, we ended up stuffing ourselves on a pizza made with chicken, ricotta, bacon and pine nuts on a garlic olive base at Mississippi Pizza. In addition to the pizza, Mississippi is a live music venue with a back room bar, so we enjoyed a performance by an all women’s band as we ate our pizza and washed it down with, what else, Oregon wine.

Monday morning arrived and we said goodbye – for now – to Portland and made our way back to SeaTac and home. As you cross the Columbia River bridge from Portland into neighboring Vancouver, Washington, a sign thanks you for visiting Oregon. No, thank YOU, Portland and Oregon. I can’t wait until my next visit.

THE RULES: I have not been speaking to my rules in recent posts. As it turns out, Portland probably would comply with both. First, it’s easily accessible by most major airlines, including our BWI-hub favorite Southwest. Second, although Oregon law is not at the leading edge of equality, Portland is a town that has an openly gay mayor and - more broadly - seems a place where GLBT residents don’t need their own neighborhood because they are integrated - and generally welcome - throughout the city.

AN ODE TO PENNSYLVANIA

THIS IS DEDICATED TO THE VICTIMS OF 09-11-01

Since my mother died 8 months ago, I have been channeling my anxious energy – in part – by writing a travel blog. A lawyer by training and practice, traveling for pleasure and exploration is what I would do all the time if finances permitted. Alas, a travel blog seems a decent way to at least partially scratch that itch. But, as I write this blog entry on September 11, 2010, it seems untoward and selfish to write of such regular discoveries as shopping and museums and restaurants and hotels. Still, on this anniversary of one of the darkest days in our nation’s history, it occurs to me that travel – and all that comes with it – is perhaps the single best defense against the kind of blind hatred that gives rise to such acts of terror. Familiarity with different places and cultures and people does not, in fact, breed contempt. It breeds acceptance and comfort and understanding. Today, I am writing about Pennsylvania, a place with which I have become familiar, and which I love very much. In addition to New York and Washington, the events of September 11th played out here, so I mark the day, in part, by praising this land and its people who responded to this tragedy, and to other tragedies in the past.

A SOMETIMES TRAGIC, BUT ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL LAND: I am not from Pennsylvania and I have never lived there. I have made many trips to Pennsylvania over the years and, as fate would have it, some of my very closest friends hail from the Keystone State. There’s gotta be something in the water there. Regardless, my affection for this one of the four commonwealth states is immense (the others being Kentucky, Massachusetts and Virginia, by the way). From the historic and entertaining and newly resurgent big cities of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh that bookend the state in the east and west, respectively, to the smaller cities and towns and fields that fill the countryside in between, Pennsylvania always surprises me with its beauty. Perhaps, it’s because I grew up in Florida and had images of smoking Industrial-age industries that surely must mean Pennsylvania was a gray and grim place. To be sure, there are struggling and blighted industrial centers where poverty is too high. But, Pennsylvania overall is anything but gray and grim. It is verdant and pleasing.

Case in point, earlier today, during ceremonies marking the 9th anniversary of September 11th, I listened to the remarks of our two most recent and gracious First ladies, Michelle Obama and Laura Bush, at the Flight 93 Memorial service. In addition to being impressed by how eloquently both women spoke to the families of Flight 93, I also was struck by the backdrop; the rolling, beautiful land of Shanksville in Somerset County. Located about 60 miles east of Pittsburgh, Somerset County sits in the Laurel Highlands of Southwestern Pennsylvania, a scenic, recreational and historical region that includes, among other things, one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s most famous buildings, Fallingwater.

To the north of Somerset County lies Johnstown, scene of one of the nation’s worst natural disasters of the 19th Century, the Great Flood of 1889. Johnstown sits in a forested valley of the Allegheny Mountains that slice north-to-south through Central Pennsylvania. It developed rapidly in the 1800s with the expansion of the Pennsylvania Railroad as a key point of transport for the commonwealth’s wealth of coal and iron deposits. On May 31, 1889, following a period of heavy rain, an earthen dam built above Johnstown broke and unleashed a torrent of water downstream that ravaged the city and killed more than 2,000 people. Today, visitors can learn the story of the flood at the Johnstown Flood Museum, including the disaster relief efforts that were led by American Red Cross founder Clara Barton.

If you head east from Johnstown, you will cross the Appalachian Mountains and into the rolling countryside that is bisected by the beautiful Susquehanna River Valley. A key stop is Gettysburg. Today, Gettysburg is a charming and historical college town not far from the Maryland border. Of course, it is most famous as the scene of one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. When you walk the battlefield set among the rolling hills and look at the many monuments, it’s peaceful and beautiful, and hard to imagine what it must have looked and felt like during those 3 days in July 1863 when more than 51,000 people died.

Continuing east across the Susquehanna, one of my favorite drives comes into view, the Pennsylvania Dutch countryside centered in Lancaster County. I love getting off the busy highways and winding along these back roads surrounded by fields of tobacco and corn and soybean. The pace is slower here, in part because you frequently slow when approaching the horse and buggy traffic of the Amish residents who have lived in and farmed this region for centuries.

There are lots of other small towns and cities in Pennsylvania set in beautiful surroundings. Doylestown is a great getaway just north of Center City Philadelphia in Bucks County. Nearby is New Hope, a charming, antique-heavy town on the Delaware River, just across from its New Jersey sibling, Lambertville. To the north, Williamsport sits on the West Branch of the Susquehanna and is famous as the annual site of the Little League Baseball World Series. To the west, State College is home to Pennsylvania State University and not called Happy Valley (well, technically, it’s the football stadium) for no reason.

As I said before, all across Pennsylvania I am always struck by how beautiful the land is. On the anniversary of the latest tragic event to occur in this beautiful place, I honor the people who have died there and the people who live there. Pennsylvania and its people are an essential part of what makes America America.

A WEEKEND IN THE MINNIE APPLE

THE CITIES: When I arrived in Iowa in the late 1980s from Florida to start law school, people would reference “the Cities,” as in “I’m from the Cities.” I was confused briefly until I realized that what most of the world knows as Minneapolis-St. Paul or the Twin Cities is known in the region simply as the Cities. At the time, I thought it more than a little pretentious. But, after several visits, including a recent long weekend, I can honestly say that I don’t find the Cities moniker so pretentious. Regardless of which name you choose to apply, Minnesota’s dynamic duo of its largest city and state capital reign over a vibrant, clean, leafy, friendly, hard-working, well-educated and prosperous region of 3.5 million that is well worth a visit or two. The twins are decidedly different from each other, but that makes any visit twice as fun.

Minneapolis straddles both sides of the Mississippi River; it was established at the natural point of the largest falls along this upper stretch, the St. Anthony Falls. With such an easy source of water power and sitting in the middle of a large agricultural region, Minneapolis grew quickly in the 19th century to become the world’s largest flour milling center. Immediately adjacent to the east is St. Paul, which was founded on the north bank of the Mississippi right at its confluence with the Minnesota River by a priest sent to minister to French Canadian Catholics who had arrived to settle the Minnesota Territory. He established a church named in honor of his favorite apostle, which became the city’s name, as well. When Minnesota entered the union as the 32nd state in 1858, St. Paul was chosen as its state capital. Today, both cities are distinct but complimentary. Minneapolis seems bolder and younger, with a bigger skyline, pro sports venues, more high-end dining and shopping, and the youthful buzz that comes with the nearly 60,000 students at the University of Minnesota.

St. Paul meanwhile is the center of political life in Minnesota. It’s a city of beautiful old neighborhoods and grand public buildings, not the least of which is the brilliantly white Minnesota State Capitol and the nearly-as-grand Cathedral of St. Paul. St. Paul also is home to a number of colleges and universities, including Macalester College, Hamline University and the University of St. Thomas. In addition, there are a number of interesting and diverse suburbs in all directions that offer their own attractions and diversions.

OUT AND ABOUT: I flew in early on a Saturday morning to the very busy Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport, a major hub for Delta Air Lines. My spouse picked me up at curbside, having arrived a day before. We headed out of the airport and past the exits for the famous Mall of America, with its 400 plus stores, branches of Nordstrom, Macy’s and Bloomingdales, and a theme park to boot. On another visit, perhaps. After catching up with friends, we checked into our hotel in the nearby, affluent suburb of Edina. I booked the Westin Edina through priceline.com, so I was happy with the price, but was not sure if we’d like the location. Actually, for being in the ‘burbs, it was perfectly situated. The rooms and public spaces are handsome and comfortable with large bathrooms featuring separate bathtubs and showers. Another nice little perk: you know you’re not on the East Coast when in-and-out valet parking runs $12 a day. On property, there is a McCormick and Schmick’s restaurant and immediately adjacent to the hotel is one of the newest entries on the Twin Cities retail scene. The Edina Galleria features local retailers and such upscale tenants as Crate and Barrel, Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Company. With a Starbucks and Caribou Coffee on either side of the hotel, we also were always well-caffeinated.

As a runner, staying in the suburbs can be a challenging and frustrating experience when trying to get that morning run in. Sidewalks can be non-existent, trails often end abruptly and you can find yourself dumped into the middle of car traffic with drivers seemingly oblivious to pedestrians. While I won’t give Edina high marks for having lots of sidewalks, it does get props for its Centennial Lakes Park, a trail that winds through several commercial complexes and along a man-made but beautifully landscaped lake. You can choose either a 3- or 5-mile loop for your workout.

After a late lunch, we met our friends at their home in nearby Bloomington, a comfortable suburb of tree-lined streets that’s also home to Mall of America. We headed to downtown Minneapolis for our theater outing at the famous Guthrie Theater. This striking, blue-glass house of three performance venues was designed by the famous French architect Jean Nouvel, whose other notable works include the 2005 dramatic expansion of the Queen Sofía Arts Center in Madrid. The building sits right near the Mississippi and offers amazing views of the downtown skyline, St. Anthony Falls and the Stone Arch Bridge. There is a great museum store and a hip restaurant, Sea Change, where we enjoyed dessert and drinks after watching an impressive yet slightly disturbing performance of the “Scottsboro Boys.” The production is a minstrel show based on a tragic chapter in the Civil Rights movement when 9 African-American men were falsely accused of raping two runaway white women on a freight train bound from Chattanooga to Memphis. The incident occurred as the train was passing through Scottsboro, Alabama and led to a Supreme Court ruling establishing the right of criminal defendants to effective counsel.

Before the performance, we had a delicious meal at the nearby Sanctuary, a restaurant that describes its menu as New American cooking with Mediterranean and Japanese influences. From the summer menu, I was very well sated by my choices of chilled avocado soup with crabmeat followed by Baja white sea bass with eau de vie of Douglas Fir gastrique, New Mexico pepper crème fraiche and sweet cherries.

The next morning, after a run to work off those complex calories, we headed to Uptown Minneapolis for breakfast, an area centered on West Lake and South Hennepin avenues. On the way in, we passed through some beautiful old neighborhoods surrounding a chain of in-town lakes that includes Lake Harriet, Lake Calhoun and Lake of the Isles. On this sunny Sunday, Lake Calhoun was full of runners, rollerbladers, dogs on their walks and people lying in the warm sun, all enjoying great views of the Minneapolis skyline. In Uptown, we parked the car and starting looking for a place to eat when we spotted a sign for breakfast on the marquee of the Suburban World Theater on South Hennepin next to the Apple Store. It was our good luck to have stumbled on the theater’s vintage cartoons weekend brunch. We enjoyed eggs, toast and brunch cocktails while our 9-year-old was thoroughly entertained by the continuous loop of Bugs Bunny cartoons. After stops at branches of Urban Outfitters and Penzeys Spices, we headed back to the hotel to meet a law school classmate for drinks at McCormick & Schmick’s. Then, it was off to the home of other friends in Vadnais Heights, on the St. Paul side of town, for a summer cookout.

During this trip, we did not explore St. Paul; however, on prior visits, we have ogled the amazing mansions that line Summit Avenue, a grand boulevard that stretches 30 blocks from the Mississippi to the State Capitol. Along this stretch of impressive homes, there also are plenty of places to shop and dine. One of our delicious discoveries on a prior trip was Dixies on Grand, serving Southern comfort food.

Monday morning arrived and I headed home to Baltimore, but am already looking forward to the next opportunity to visit with friends and further explore the Cities.

SAN FRANCISCO IN AUGUST

AN AMERICAN ICON: It currently is popular among some to separate the United States and its people into completely divided camps of left or right, blue or red, tea or coffee (party and beverage, I suppose). And, there are certain places that do not engender moderate reactions; everyone either loves or loves to hate these places. New York, Miami and Washington come to mind. From a political leaning standpoint, San Francisco, perhaps more than any other American city, is one that is loved and hated, alternatively, for its unapologetic devotion to all things liberal. Still, few visitors, regardless of political view, can deny that the City by the Bay is one of the most spectacularly situated and physically beautiful places in the world. What other city in America causes visitors from Paris to swoon? No matter how brief your visit, you may find yourself joining the ranks of the many who have – as the song goes – left a piece of their heart behind.

It presides over a metropolitan region of more than 4 million, yet the city of San Francisco today ranks just fourth in population among California cities, behind Los Angeles, San Diego and San Jose. Still, the combination of dramatic architecture, vertigo-inspiring hills, user friendly public transit, world-class shopping, dining and culture – all packed into a narrow peninsula at the entrance of San Francisco Bay – makes this one of the best urban settings anywhere. And, when you throw in the fact that desirable, romantic and fun escapes lie in virtually every direction, it’s easy to understand why the Bay Area nearly always ranks near the top of travelers’ favorites.

OF ANOTHER PLACE: When one conjures images of California, sunny and warm probably come foremost to mind, at least when not thinking about ski season in the Sierras. San Francisco can be sunny and it sometimes is warm. But, for much of the year, including August, the city is notorious for its cool and overcast, jacket-wearing days when the marine layer off the Pacific Ocean and the signature fog make it feel much colder than the nearly constant 60-degree temperatures would suggest. I have finally trained myself to pack a hoodie or a sweater no matter what time of the year I travel to San Francisco, less I find myself on a shopping expedition for warmer clothes. Head inland just across the Bay to Oakland and the East Bay communities and it feels as if you’ve entered a completely separate climate with warm sunshine and temps at least 20 degrees warmer.

The other thing that strikes me about San Francisco is that it looks and feels less Californian and more East Coast or even European with its beautiful in-town residential neighborhoods, and a bustling and dense central business district. When I am walking around downtown San Francisco, I am reminded less of California and more of Boston or Chicago or London.

A FEW FAVORITES: There are so many things to see and do, places to dine, and stores to browse, it can be difficult to decide what your agenda should be. On my most recent trip over a weekend, my primary reason for being in town was to present at a Bar association conference with a packed three-day agenda of sessions and programs. I also made plans to visit with family and friends who live nearby. That left me just a few short windows to check out all that San Francisco has to offer. Here’s what I managed to fit in on this visit.

After an early-morning flight from Baltimore, I was checked into my hotel, the Grand Hyatt San Francisco, by Noon. The hotel may be in need of some upgrading and renovation but I was perfectly happy with my lodging and its prime location on Union Square, San Francisco’s retail analog to Chicago’s Michigan Avenue or New York’s Fifth Avenue. My corner room was quiet and comfortable and the hotel lounge, located on the 36th floor, offers great drinks with amazing views of the skyline, the Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower and Alcatraz.

Among its many virtues (distractions), San Francisco is a great shopping city. Within a few blocks of Union Square, a small green space located between Stockton and Powell streets just west of the Financial District, are Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Gucci and other upscale brands. The local flagship location of Macy’s is particularly impressive; there actually are two separate buildings housing women’s and men’s collections. There also are plenty of local stores to tempt you. I spent way more than I could have imagined after stopping at Uomo, a local men’s store on Sutter Street selling amazing Italian-made clothes not easily found back home in Baltimore or Washington. I also found a great store offering all kinds of Scottish products, including kilts, whiskey and wool caps. Next door was a great leather goods shop with really cool messenger bags, jackets and other accessories named Mulholland.

Following a late lunch just off the square and a quick hit visit to the Macy’s men’s store, I met up with local colleagues for drinks at Yerba Buena Gardens, a multi-use complex of park space, outdoor art, fountains, dining options and bars. Adjacent to the Moscone Convention Center and the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Yerba Buena’s gardens are elevated slightly above street level, so you feel as if you have escaped the bustle and noise below but the view of the skyline confirms that you still are in the middle of everything. The gardens also are adjacent to two of San Francisco’s worthy museums, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Contemporary Jewish Museum.

GETTING A WORKOUT: The next morning, I headed out early for a run. Choosing the route for your run in San Francisco is really important given the terrain. Fortunately for me and my lungs, I was able to map a flat course from Union Square down Market Street to the Ferry Terminal, along the Embarcadero waterfront promenade and towards AT&T Park (home of Giants baseball) and the Mission District. This relatively painless route was possible because I did not head in the opposite direction from my hotel, which would have taken me up Nob Hill, one of San Francisco’s signature hills. Whenever I make the ascent up Nob Hill, I always feel as if I should be leaning in towards the sidewalk pavement so as not to roll backward like some out-of-control ball. Reaching the top of Nob Hill usually leaves me out-of-breath and perspiring but satisfied.

What awaits you at the top are three of the city’s most famous and luxurious hotels. As I learned on a recent tour of Rosecliff Mansion in Newport, Rhode Island, Nevada silver heiress Theresa Fair Oelrichs and her sister wanted to pay tribute to their beloved, late father who discovered the Comstock Lode. To honor dad properly, the daughters commissioned the building of the Fairmount Hotel on top of Nob Hill. This elegant, turn-of-the-last century property features grand public spaces and commanding views of the city and the Bay. Immediately across the street is the Mark Hopkins Intercontinental Hotel, another elegant and, in this case, wedding cake sort of property. One of its signature features is the Top of the Mark, a rooftop restaurant and lounge that offers a glass enclosed panorama of the city. Next door to the Mark Hopkins is the Stanford Court, a Marriott luxury property that opened in 1907 on the site of the former mansion of Leland Stanford, the wildly successful 19th century magnate who founded Stanford University in honor of his late son All three hotels line California Street along one of the city’s famous cable car lines.

SUNDAY PLEASURES: Like most great cities, San Francisco has a signature park that is its official front or back yard and playground. Here, that place is Golden Gate Park, a broad expanse of coastal woods that covers a large chunk of the western part of the city all the way to the Pacific Ocean. On prior visits, I have run a couple of races through the park and visited the Japanese Tea Garden. On this visit, my mission was to check out the latest incarnation of the de Young Museum of Fine Arts, San Francisco’s primary art museum. The new building itself is an interesting combination of red brick and steel and glass that includes a 9-story observation tower. The collection is impressive, featuring the works of 19th Century American artists and the art of Africa, the Americas and Oceana. I visited the museum on a Sunday during a particularly excellent exhibition titled “The Birth of Impressionism,” which offered a rare opportunity in this country to view some of the collection from the world-famous Musee d’Orsay in Paris. Facing the de Young across the street is another of Golden Gate Park’s impressive attractions, the California Academy of Sciences. This kid-friendly museum, aquarium and science center even includes a grass roof on which kids (and their parents) can play.

After a quick cab ride back to the Hyatt, I changed and met my sister-in-law for drinks and dinner. We were disappointed to learn that the famous Harry Denton’s Starlight Room, which sits atop the historical but hip Sir Francis Drake Hotel, was closed on Sunday evenings. We are distant relatives and had hoped to catch a glimpse of this famous and generous host. Apparently, the staff needs time to recover from the well-attended Sunday morning brunch and drag show. So, after drinks at the Hyatt, we made the short walk across Union Square to Farallon, a delicious seafood restaurant that has really cool glass lamps, which appear at first to be jellyfish. The food and service were excellent, as well.

The next morning, I headed back to the airport and home to the summer heat of Washington, but not without leaving a little piece of my heart behind. Until next time, San Francisco.

THREE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT PHILADELPHIA

I'm obsessive-compulsive. I also am every group's self-appointed cruise director. These traits (character flaws) serve me well in many instances, but also drive the people around me crazy at times. For example, it's hard for me to pick a winner because I don't want the losers to feel bad. I also want everything to be perfect and, in the case of a blog entry, exhaustively researched.

But, I am going to go off reservation for this entry and describe just three things I love about Philadelphia. Not the only three things or the best three things. Just three things. This is particularly hard for me because Philly, a city of 5 million located less than two hours from my home in Baltimore, is one of my favorite destinations. Sitting roughly halfway between New York and Washington, the City of Brotherly Love long ago ceased to have any reason to live in either city's shadow.

1. The food: Philadelphians are justifiably proud of their robust and diverse food scene. There are so many good choices from which to choose that it's hard not to schedule a weekend visit entirely around your meals. On our most recent visit to town for the wedding of two close friends, we checked out another member of the local restaurant empire founded by Steven Starr. Located at 7th and Chestnut streets near Independence Hall, Jones welcomes you with a Brady Bunch decor, right down to the shag carpeting. The menu is solid comfort food with a few twists. My spouse, friends and I each enjoyed our respective and delicious choices of chicken and waffles, tuna tacos and a REALLY cheesy grilled cheese sandwich. The carrot cake with caramel sauce was a real hit at dessert.

The next day, before heading home after the wedding, my spouse and I walked a few blocks from our hotel, the Westin Philadelphia, to one of the most ideal urban parks anywhere. Rittenhouse Square is a perfect little greenspace surrounded by upscale shops, hotels and residences. The square - one of four included in the original design for Center City's razor-sharp urban grid - also is home to a number of good dining options, including one of my favorites. Rouge is described by some Zagat surveyors as "Euro sexy." It is, in fact, a small, salon-like bistro with outdoor, dog-friendly seating and a limited but excellent menu augmented by a few daily specials. My brunch entree, a lobster and brie omelet, definitely hit the spot. Before heading home, we made a quick detour at the adjacent corner to stock up on dog shampoo (yea, I know) at Kiehl's and drove home - once again - very happy campers.

You cannot speak of food and Philadelphia without mentioning one of the greatest urban farmer's markets in the world, Reading Terminal Market. Dating to the 1850s, this enclosed public market, which is located at 12th and Market streets, offers virtually everything Philadelphia and the surrounding region have to offer. Here, you can buy produce from Amish farmers, scoff down a Philly cheese steak, pick up dinner's main course from an amazing array of seafood just off the boat, and take home any number of other local specialties. There also are sit-down restaurants and lunch counters if you want to enjoy a meal at the market while people watching the local diversity. No one should leave Philadelphia without visiting Reading Terminal Market at least once.

2. The buildings and monuments: Philadelphia is a grand, old-school kind of city. It's big into monuments and monumental buildings. Perhaps the most monumental building is City Hall. It looks like it could more at home in France, except for the statue of William Penn sitting atop its tower. Another monumental building is the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Aside from housing one of America's greatest art collections, the museum building itself is a work of art, perfectly perched at one end of Benjamin Franklin Parkway on one side, and fronting the Schuylkill River on the other side. I never leave Philly if I can help it without a run that includes making the trek up the "Rocky" stairs of the museum, looking back over Center City and pumping my fists (at least if no one's looking) just like Mr. Stallone.

Of course, Philadelphia is home to the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were written, and which served as the seat of government in the newly independent United States from 1790 to 1800. A very modern, monumental addition to this hallowed ground that is essential to explore when in town is the National Constitution Center, which offers a fascinating and interactive story of "We the people."

Philadelphia, like many cities, used to be a regional financial center with monumental bank buildings. As a banking lawyer, I find it interesting that visitors today can experience several former banking temples in Center City because these buildings have been reborn as hotels. The Loews Philadelphia Hotel occupies the former, spectacularly art deco headquarters of the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society. A few blocks away and facing City Hall is the former Girard Bank headquarters, one of the nation's first banks. Today, it serves as the grand public space portion of the Ritz Carlton Philadelphia.

3. The countryside: If you live outside or have never visited the Northeast Corridor of the United States, you might imagine that, with Boston, Providence, Hartford, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington all located within such close proximity to each other, there would hardly be a blade of grass unoccupied. Such is not the case. The third thing I love about Philadelphia is how close it is to so many beautiful and bucolic retreats, each just a short drive in any direction. If you head east across the Delaware River to New Jersey, there are several beautiful smaller towns and suburbs worth exploring. A few of my favorites are Haddonfield, Moorestown and Princeton, home - of course - to a certain famous university. Heading south of Center City, you will shortly enter the Brandywine River Valley, which straddles Pennsylvania and Delaware. This region is home to some amazing cultural institutions, including the Brandywine River Museum, featuring the art of the prolific Wyeth family, and the DuPont family wealth extravagantly on display at Winterthur and Longwood Gardens.

One of our favorite destinations is the countryside north of Philadelphia in Bucks County, centered on the charming borough of Doylestown, in which local boy-made-good James Michener's private art collection is now on display. Finally, the drive west from Philadelphia takes you past Valley Forge National Historic Park and into the verdant and historically beautiful Pennsylvania Dutch region centered on Lancaster County.

There is so much to see in and around Philadelphia that it's difficult to choose. So, these are my three suggestions to help with such a happy task.

MICHIGAN'S WEST COAST IN SUMMER

GREAT WATERS: One of the unintended consequences of visiting the hometown of relatives is that, given the primary focus of such visits, it's easy to overlook the many charms of the destination in its own right. Charms that might attract visitors with no family connections at all. Such a place is Grand Rapids and Michigan's "west coast" along the shores of Lake Michigan. My mother's only sister and her family have lived in Michigan's second largest city for many years and I have always enjoyed our visits for holidays and other important family events. And, my relatives are great hosts, too, showing us the sights treating us to great meals and making us feel very welcome. Still, on a recent visit for the July 4th weekend with my family - one that included our own list of To-dos - I came home with a greater and expanded appreciation for this beautiful corner of the Midwest. And, new direct service from my hometown of Baltimore makes it an easier trip.

Many people have images of Michigan's namesake lake, which is derived from an Ojibwa word meaning "great waters," in connection with the equally great cities of Chicago and Milwaukee located on the western shore, and against which its waters lap. While these cities offer signature urban panoramas, there is a whole other side to this the second largest of the Great Lakes, the only one that does not share a border with Canada. Michigan's lower peninsula offers the same "oceanic" views but your diversions are more small-town, laid-back and bucolic. Add to these pleasures the friendly and charming capital of West Michigan, Grand Rapids, and you have more than enough To-dos for a fun weekend that's also a relatively quick trip from most of the eastern two-thirds of the United States.

A GRAND PLACE: Just 30 miles inland from Lake Michigan lies the region's economic, transportation, healthcare, educational and cultural center, Grand Rapids. A prosperous and industrious town of around 750,000, Grand Rapids was founded in the early part of the 19th Century on the banks of the Grand River - Michigan's longest - as a fur trading outpost. This is a pleasant and fairly conservative yet friendly town of beautiful neighborhoods, many of which were built by skilled craftsmen who worked in lumber and furniture manufacturing, helping Grand Rapids earn the name "furniture city." Today, Grand Rapids, which never was as completely tied to auto manufacturing as Detroit and its other Michigan sisters, is focused on education, healthcare, lighter manufacturing and serving as the jumping-off point for four-season recreation in this verdant and forested land of lakes big and small.

One of my favorite things about Grand Rapids is that it defies conventional "wisdom" about what a city in Michigan and the so-called "rust belt" might look and feel like in the struggling period of the early 2010s. With all due respect, this is no Detroit, with its decimated neighborhoods, ever-declining population and incarcerated former mayor. Grand Rapids is pretty, Republican, blond, fit, welcoming and fun, all at the same time. To be sure, every part of Michigan has suffered like no other region during this great recession. Its signature industry is both a source of fierce pride and worrisome dependence. Yet, Grand Rapids has always marched to a slightly different tune.

While its industries supported auto manufacturing, Grand Rapids made its own way. Case in point: one of the current projects in Grand Rapids is the ongoing development of the "Medical Mile" along Michigan Street near downtown. This complex of world-class healthcare facilities includes a campus of the Michigan State University Medical School, the Van Andel Institute, which focuses on cancer and Parkinson's research, and the De Vos Children's Hospital. Grand Rapids is blessed with many philanthropically minded citizens like the De Vos family, whose daytime jobs for many years focused on building and running a little locally headquartered enterprise known as Amway.

All this talk of hard work should not lead you to conclude that Grand Rapids is an un-fun place to spend a weekend. Quite the contrary. Like many cities that have rediscovered their raison d'etre, downtown Grand Rapids today offers several lodging, dining and drinking options on or near the Grand River. The city's top places to spend the night are here, the Amway Grand Plaza and the J.W. Marriott. When you are hungry, there are several dining options throughout the city. A couple of good choices downtown include Bloom, an organic, farm-to-table venue, and the Chop House, a big-slab-of-meat kind of place. Later, you can imbibe at the B.O.B., a multi-level complex of bars downtown, including a great deck area. I have made it back to town for a signature event at least some people consider to be fun: the annual Fifth Third River Bank Run, a 25k race in early May that features a relatively flat, out-and-back course along the Grand River.

Downtown also features a museum dedicated to one of Grand Rapids' most famous sons, the 38th President of the United States. Gerald R. Ford was born in Omaha but moved to Grand Rapids with his mother before he was a year old. Mr. Ford grew up here and went on to become a prominent lawyer and Congressman before being elected Vice President and later assuming the presidency after the resignation of Richard M. Nixon following the Watergate scandal. Today, visitors can learn more about the only President (so far) who took office under the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution at his Presidential Museum located on the west bank of the Grand River (NOTE: the Ford Presidential Library is located across the state on the campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor).

In addition, downtown Grand Rapids is home to other museums worth checking out, including the Grand Rapids Art Museum and the Children's Museum. Nearby Uptown offers shopping and dining options along Lake Drive and near the campus of Aquinas College, while further east is the prosperous in-town suburb of East Grand Rapids, which has several lakeside dining options, including Rose's on Reed Lake.

North of Grand Rapids is Rockford, a cute small town suburb that features a charming downtown along the banks of the Rogue River. There is a riverside walking-hiking trail and several dining options. On our visit, we enjoyed a fine meal on a gorgeous summer day on the terrace at Red's on the River. Later that night, we joined family and friends for July 4th weekend fireworks and great, casual food on the deck at the historic Bostwick Lake Inn, which offers perfect sunset views of - you guessed it - Bostwick Lake.

SHORE TOWNS: To coasters east and west, the idea of beach towns in the Midwest might seem strange, but Lake Michigan has several beautiful lakeshore towns, complete with sandy beaches, boardwalks, lighthouses and big-money boats. We spent a brilliant day on the beach at the state park in Grand Haven, a historic Coast Guard station at the mouth of the Grand River that has its own signature red light house. As a native Floridian, one thing I like about swimming in a fresh water lake as compared to the ocean is that you can roll off the beach into an adjacent restaurant, such as Kirby's on Washington Street in downtown Grand Haven, and not feel quite as unfit for company. Further south along the lakeshore from Grand Haven is Holland, dedicated to all things Dutch, including a justifiably famous tulip festival. Closer still to the Indiana border are the twin towns of Saugatuck and Douglas, famous for their art galleries, beaches, dining options and a place where many Chicagoans have summer homes.

With water almost always in sight, several festivals and events to distract you, and the bounty of its farms on full display - with roadside stands offering blueberries, cherries and strawberries throughout the summer - Michigan's beautiful and friendly southwest corner is well worth discovering - or re-discovering - to make some new and fond summer memories.

RHODE ISLAND: SMALL, VARIED AND BEAUTIFUL

NOTE: This post is dedicated to my late mother and father and their hometown. I traveled to Providence, Rhode Island exactly 5 months after my mother died and exactly 60 year after she graduated from St. Francis Xavier all girls’ high school in the city.

When I was growing up in Florida, my parents, both natives of Providence, spoke of their hometown with a mixture of pride and scorn. On the one hand, they always told me it was far more sophisticated and educated than my birthplace of 1960s-era Orlando, which, of course, it was. On the other hand, my parents moved to Florida in 1959 because of the harsh New England winters and, more importantly, because they believed at the time that their home state and hometown had seen their respective last good days. Despite my parents’ worst fears, a recent visit confirmed for me that Rhode Island and Providence are alive and well as one of best parts of any visit to New England. The Ocean State and its capital offer a great variety of historical sites, scenery, beaches, sophisticated dining, sightseeing and culture.

On my most recent visit, I am standing on a hill near the campus of one of the Ivy League's oldest and most prestigious members, Brown University, looking out over downtown Providence and the Rhode Island Statehouse. I have never lived in this little corner of southern New England, so any connection for me is ancestral and in my mind only. Yet, from this vantage point, I am happy to report that Rhode Island has proven my parents wrong.

As most people know, Rhode Island is the smallest state in the union. It weighs in at just a little north of 1200 square miles, and has a population of just slightly more than 1 million. Among the facts people may not know: its official name is the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations (the name of two predecessor colonies); it was the first of the original 13 colonies to declare independence from England a couple of months before July 4, 1776; and it was the last colony to ratify the U.S. Constitution following the Revolution to become the 13th state.

DIVINE PROVIDENCE: Modern-day Providence and Rhode Island were inhabited by Native Americans for centuries before a protestant theologian, Roger Williams, founded a colony on the site in 1636. Williams, an early advocate of the separation of church and state (guess he won’t be showing up in any Texas schoolbooks), fled to the head of Narragansett Bay after being chased out of neighboring, Puritan-controlled Massachusetts Bay Colony for his radical religious views. He named the settlement in honor of God’s divine providence for delivering him from his troubles and, two years later, founded the First Baptist Church in America. From its inception, Rhode Island always has hewed to a “to each his own” mindset about religious tolerance and other matters, which continues to this day. In the decades following revolution and statehood, Providence became one of the most important and prosperous industrial centers of New England, growing rich and poor in turns as it moved from slave trading to whaling to jewelry and other manufacturing. Later, during the middle part of the 20th century, Providence fell into a deep decline, became a major center of organized crime, and many left the city for dead, including my parents. Beginning in the 1980s, a former mayor who later spent time in prison (not such an anomaly here) helped launch a renaissance that continues to this day.

In its modern form, Providence is a visitor-friendly and compact city of less than 200,000 at the center of an MSA area of 1.6 million, which includes a large chunk of neighboring Massachusetts. Much of what a visitor would want to see and do is within easy walking distance of the city’s central core. Sitting less than 50 miles from the Massachusetts statehouse on Beacon Hill, Providence also is a commuter town for Boston and a major stop on the 1-95 megalopolis between Beantown and the Big Apple. Despite its size, location and public transit options, having a car is essential to exploring all of the city’s attractions and the rest of Rhode Island.

THREE KEYS: In addition to serving as Rhode Island’s seat of government, Providence is home to several renowned institutions of higher learning, including well-respected Providence College and Bryant University in nearby Smithfield. But, three institutions in particular have shaped Providence’s development over time and, more recently, helped lead the way in the city’s transformation and rebirth. The happy and creative result has been a constant and ever-expanding wealth of great minds, great artists and great chefs, all sticking around to make their way in Providence.

Of course, Brown brings to town each academic year some of the nation’s brightest minds. Adjacent to the Brown campus is one of America’s premier art schools and another of Providence's three keys, the Rhode Island School of Design. RISD grads have gone on to fortune and fame in many areas of the arts, including the creator of the “Family Guy.” For visitors, however, the benefits of the school’s presence and its local alums are tangible and close at hand. First, several RISD grads operate galleries in the city, so there’s a number of places to view student and alumni art. Second, RISD runs one of the best art museums in all of New England. With a stylish and newly expanded exhibition space, the RISD Museum showcases student works, a host of classics and Impressionists, period Colonial furnishings and art, and more. In addition, Providence is home to the original Johnson & Wales University campus, the third key. This top-notch culinary school churns out a steady flow of newly minted chefs, many of whom end up working their creative magic in Providence, all to the benefit of residents and visitors alike.

WHERE TO STAY AND WHAT TO DO: If you are visiting Rhode Island, Providence warrants at least one night’s stay before heading on. In addition to its historical and architectural charms, downtown is perfectly located between the Federalist mansions and funky college vibe of the Brown/RISD College Hill neighborhood to the east and the Italian heart of Providence, Federal Hill, which sits just to the west of downtown. Central Providence has a number of lodging options, including a Westin and a Marriott. In addition, after years of sitting derelict, the grande dame of Providence hotels, the Biltmore, reopened to its former glory, but with WIFI sensibilities. Another local option is the Hotel Providence, a stylish, GLBT-friendly boutique property.

On my recent visit, I park my rental car in the garage adjacent to Providence Place, a downtown mall featuring Nordstrom, Macy’s and the usual mall suspects. Yes, it’s a mall, but Providence has managed to attract suburban shoppers in a way that doesn’t hide the fact that you are not in the 'burbs. It's an easy and relatively cheap place to drop the car and begin your exploration.

When my parents were newlyweds, my dad was a Providence cop and I never forgot the street names he used to recite: Weybosset, Westminister, Dorrance and Fountain. So, I walk the streets of downtown Providence on this warm summer day as my dad would have, except he would have been wearing a badge more than 50 years ago. I walk from the mall up the hill to the Statehouse, which has great views over town, past several beautiful 19th century office buildings, and on to the imposing local headquarters of Bank of America on Kennedy Plaza, which started out life in my parents’ youth as the headquarters of the Rhode Island Hospital Trust National Bank (a great bank name, if ever there was one).

From there, I make my way to the previously paved-over Providence River, a diminutive stream that today is the site of Waterfire, a regular, Venetian-style parade on water of mini-bonfires. Looking for a bite to eat, I head west and first stumble on a rare treat of a different sort, a local bookstore. Symposium Books seems to stock just what its owners, employees and devotees want and nothing else. You know you’re not just anywhere when you’re here. Next door is Tazza Café, a friendly place where I enjoy a delicious prosciutto and dried fig Panini.

Back up on College Hill, Thayer Street is the main drag of the Brown/RISD area. There are bookstores and cafes and cheap but filling places to eat. Heading west, and for another authentically Providence experience, I stop by Federal Hill, the historical and spiritual home of the city’s Italian community. This is where you go to feast on some of the best pasta and cannolis in all of New England.

To be sure, Providence has some fabulous, fine-dining options, including the original Capital Grille location and the Agora at the Westin. A perennial favorite on Federal Hill is Camille’s, a place my parents raved about more than a half century ago. Whether brand new or admired by generations past and present, Providence is a great place to satisfy your palette. Ask around when you're in town and, no doubt, you will get several good local suggestions for a great meal.

THE REST OF THE OCEAN STATE: Of course, there is more to Rhode Island than its capital. Despite its tiny size, Rhode Island boasts miles of beaches along with other historic towns and sites. During my most recent visit, my friend and I settle on a drive down the eastern shore of Narragansett Bay through the tidy, prosperous towns of Barrington, Warren and Bristol. It’s a scenic, nautical slice of New England.

Our destination is Newport, the gilded-age second city of Rhode Island. Founded a few years after Providence, Newport’s claim to fame has been its status as a sailing capital, site of the U.S. Naval War College and, perhaps most famously, all those amazing mansions of a bygone era. We arrive in Newport and ditch the car for lunch near Bannister’s Wharf. After a leisurely meal of lobster and wine, we make our way to the Breakers, the grande dame of Newport mansions. As most travelers know, Newport was, for a brief moment in history, THE place where wealthy industrialists and others not yet burdened by modern sensibilities and a tax code built their summer “cottages.” Today, visitors can experience what life might have been like during one of the period’s summer seasons. The Breakers, along with the other visitor-accessed mansions of Newport, are managed by the Preservation Society of Newport County. In addition to the Breakers, we also tour Rosecliff, scene of the filming of the “Great Gatsby," and make our way along the Cliff Walk, a pedestrian path that hugs the rocky coastline behind the mansions and puts you inches from the pounding waves of the Atlantic. Note, two mansions per visit is more than enough; we found a good deal in the "Breakers plus one" ticket option, which allows you to tour the Breakers plus one other mansion of your choice for $24.

After a full day of exploring the Ocean State, we return to Boston for a night out, glad that my friend has experienced a real slice of Rhode Island. I feel like I have just introduced her to a beautiful, interesting and complicated relative.

MY RULES: Providence and all of southern New England are well served by the user-friendly Theodore Francis Green Airport. A Southwest hub, it satisfies my first rule of cheap, non-stop flights from home base in Baltimore.

As to my second rule regarding GLBT friendliness, Providence seems a fairly open and tolerant city with several gay bars and even an openly gay mayor. Nevertheless, Rhode Island is in the minority of New England states without marriage equality, so spend your dollars wisely until that changes.

LJUBLJANA: A LOVELY CITY OF WHICH YOU'VE NEVER HEARD

HARD TO SPELL, EASY TO LOVE: When I first arrived in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, four years ago, I had no idea what to expect and the bar had been set pretty high. We had just spent three days in over-the-top beautiful Prague and had traveled by train through the spectacular Austrian Alps to arrive at the sort of podunk train station in Ljubljana. Exiting the station, we faced some rather dull, communist-style buildings and my first thought was, "let's just check it off and quickly move on to Croatia and Italy." Yet, within an hour of dropping our bags at the apartment we rented for two days and making our way to the center of town, I was completely smitten with the city, the consonant-laden name of which is pronounced LOOB-LEE-YANA.

As my spouse and I discovered on that first and our most recent visits, Ljubljana is a wonderful, lovely and immensely entertaining capital of less than 300,000. The city manages to look and feel much larger, yet its small scale is precisely why Ljubljana is a perfect place to spend a few, pleasant days easily exploring the many architectural and historical highlights, stylish shops, great restaurants and many outdoor cafes full of friendly residents enjoying great weather. Ljubljana also has its own Central Park, Tivoli, which offers a green escape just to the west of the central city. You can easily walk to all the main attractions and sights in Ljubljana and there are plenty of places to stop for a break along the way. Both our visits have been in early May when the weather is generally fine; warm days and pleasant evenings with everything in full bloom and only the chance of rain showers to plan for. I am told that Ljubljana is a great city to visit in all seasons, including when it wears an occasional blanket of snow.

On both visits, we booked lodging through Apartmaji Sobe, an apartment rental service run by friendly, English-speaking locals, which has a good inventory of studio and one-bedroom apartments in or near the center of town available for a few days or a week or more. In both cases, we enjoyed the convenience of a kitchen and washing machine in addition to a comfortable sleep in a great location, all for around 100 euros a night. The agency also offers convenient transfers from your apartment door to the airport, as well as to and from other locations around Slovenia, including Lake Bled. I also note here that, in addition to the folks at Apartmaji Sobe, virtually everyone we met in Ljubljana spoke perfect English.

THE CENTER OF IT ALL: For visitors, Ljubljana's best feature is that most of what you want to see and do is conveniently located on or near both sides of the Ljubljanica River, which runs through the center of the city. The river divides the city between the old and new towns. Old town is on the right bank of the Ljubljanica with its medieval and baroque buildings; the crown of old town is Ljubljanski Grad, Ljubljana's ancient castle perched high on a hill overlooking the city with views of the Alps in the distance. There are now two ways to reach the castle; you can hike up the scenic path as it rises above the rooftops of old town, or you can ride a new funicular that whisks you from the base near Glavna trznica, the city's main market, to the entrance to the castle museum and central courtyard. The roundtrip fare on the funicular is about 4 euros. Either way, making your way to the top of the castle tower is a great, essential Ljubljana experience and the view is really thrilling. There also is a restaurant and a few galleries located just off the central courtyard of the castle, so you can spend a few hours exploring, shopping, admiring the view and enjoying a meal. Back down below are the beautifully maintained streets of old town with their cafes that feature outdoor seating, many along the banks of the river. Old town also is home to the city's 15th century town hall, which presides over a courtyard featuring a replica of the fountain of three rivers. The original fountain, which dates to the 18th century, was removed in 2006 for preservation and is now housed at the National Gallery.

CROSSING THE RIVER: The trip across the Ljubljanica is less than 100 feet but that did not stop Ljubljana from constructing several beautiful and architecturally impressive bridges. There is the Tromostovje, or Triple Bridge, which actually is three separate, adjacent spans. Slovenia's most famous and prodigious architect, Joze Plecnik, designed twin additions to the original central span, which was built in in the 19th century, to make it easier for pedestrian and vehicular traffic to cross the river efficiently and safely. The result of the three balustraded bridges is monumental and the Triple Bridge, now pedestrian only, has become a symbol of the city along with the namesake feature of the Dragon Bridge. This vehicular bridge is crowned with four, fierce dragons that have become another icon of Ljubljana. Legend has it that Jason, of Greek mythology, found his way to the area around Ljubljana after he took the Golden Fleece, whereupon he encountered a fierce dragon that he slayed. The legend and the dragon have come to symbolize Ljubljana and its long, proud and often difficult history.

Once you make the trip across Triple Bridge from old to new town, you are on the left bank and in the middle of Ljubljana's main square, Presernov trg, or Preseren Square. Perched at the center of the square is the bubblegum pink, 17th century Franciscan church. The square is named after another famous Slovene, France Preseren, who was a tragic figure but an accomplished poet in the 19th century. On this side of the river, you also can spot several outstanding examples of the architect Plecnik's prolific designs. His work, which is described in many guidebooks as Secessionist, was so prolific and left such a mark on the city, in part, because he answered the call to help rebuild Ljubljana after a devastating 1895 earthquake left much of the city's buildings in ruin.

Walking around Ljubljana and admiring the work of Plecnik and other great architects is part of the attraction; the central city is particularly blessed with beautiful architecture. Stopping for lunch or just coffee or a glass of excellent Slovenian wine is another. In fine weather, virtually everyone seems perched at his or her favorite outdoor cafe spot along the riverside embankment with the weeping willow trees arching gracefully over the water. During our visit, we enjoyed a lot of cafe-stopping, taking breaks from the sights or a visit to Tivoli Park or some shopping. As in Zagreb, Ljubljana has several interesting local stores offering stylish clothes, shoes and crafts. While the city's museums are not blockbuster by any means, they do offer a chance to see Slovenian art, which is something not easily done outside the country. The National Gallery, located near the beautiful gingerbread American embassy, houses a nice collection of Slovenian art in a grand, Secessionist-era building that also includes a more modern wing.

Another signature feature of Ljubljana is its youth. Slovenia's largest and most prestigious institution of higher learning, the University of Ljubljana, is scattered among several impressive buildings on the left bank and the regular influx of nearly 50,000 undergraduate and graduate students gives Ljubljana a youthful edge. I suspect this also is one reason why Ljubljana has a fairly ubiquitous presence of, and tolerance for, graffiti. While sort of off-putting to me personally, particularly when it mars a beautiful building, I do get the point that this form of expression may, in some ways, be part of making up for the time when free expression in the former Yugoslavia was not so easy. Ljubljana's relative youth also gives its nightlife a certain edge. One interesting example is Metelkova, a heavily graffitied complex of bars, nightclubs and a hostel housed in former Yugoslav army barracks. There are different venues within the complex located near the train station. We visited on our last night in town to check out Klub Tiffany, a gay bar, which turned out to be closed. I was a little disappointed because it seemed like a good "bucket list" thing to do: visit a gay bar housed in former communist army barracks. Next time, perhaps.

And, there will be a next time because our love affair with the capital of Slovenia has only intensified with our most recent visit.

A LAKE NAMED BLED

ALPINE DELIGHT: To an English-speaking person's ear or eye, Lake Bled might sound or look kind of, well, foreboding. In reality, Blejsko Jezero, its name in Slovenian, is one of the most spectacular and heavenly bodies of water I have ever viewed. This postcard-perfect lake, set high in the Julian Alps of Slovenia near the border with Austria, leaves one with a shortage of superlatives. But, I will try.

As it turned out, we traveled to Lake Bled on a rainy and foreboding Saturday via train from Zagreb, Croatia. The trip normally takes about three hours. Just like back home in Washington, we had train track problems and arrived an hour or so late. There are two train stations in the adjacent, namesake town of Bled, but only one station, Lesce-Bled, has direct service to Ljubljana, Zagreb, Austria and points beyond. From the train station, it's a 10 minute cab ride to the center of town that fronts the lake. You also can easily travel to Lake Bled by car or bus from Ljubljana, which takes about an hour. Of course, the lake is the center of attraction, but the town also serves as a convenient and pleasant jumping off point to explore the other lakes and mountains of this region, which includes Slovenia's highest peak, Mount Triglav, at nearly 9,400 feet.

SLO-WHERE? While Americans are beginning to discover the nearby Adriatic coast of Croatia in increasing numbers, joining thousands of Britons, French and Germans who already know the good word, Slovenia remains for the most part off American travelers' radars. First, there is the name, which frequently gets confused with Slovakia, a country to the north that used to be joined with the Czech Republic. Once on the ground, the eastern province of Croatia is named Slavonia, adding to the confusion.

Figuring all this out is well worth the effort because my spouse and I consider Slovenia one of our best travel discoveries - ever. We literally stumbled on this Connecticut-sized corner of the former Yugoslavia in planning a trip in 2006 from Prague to Venice. Rather than fly, we decided to take the train south through the Alps and catch a high-speed ferry from the Croatian coast to Venice. To get to the Istrian peninsula in northwest Croatia, from where the ferries sail, we would need to travel through Slovenia. We decided to spend a full day in the country, figuring that, if we hated it, we'd be on our way to Venice the next day.

In fact, we discovered a gorgeous, friendly and fairly prosperous country of forested mountains, tidy Alpine villages and a sliver of Adriatic coast. Slovenia, with about 2 million residents, borders Austria and Italy to the north and west, and Croatia and Hungary to the south and east. The first of the former Yugoslav republics to apply for admission to the European Union, Slovenia today is a full EU member that uses the euro currency. If you try your hand at a few words of Slovenian, it will be greatly appreciated by residents. That said, traveling in Slovenia is incredibly easy for Americans because virtually everyone speaks nearly perfect English.

A CASTLE AND AN ISLAND: On our first trip to Slovenia, we spent all our time in Ljubljana, its jewel-box of a capital. We would return to Ljubljana on this trip, but first wanted to see the country's other star attraction, Lake Bled. And, while we visited on a couple of rainy, foggy and cool days, nothing can distract from the absolute beauty of the lake. It's deep, crystal blue and ringed by verdant, green mountains. There is a well-maintained walking and running path that covers the circumference of the lake, a distance of about 5 miles. It's an easy and pleasant walk (or run). Along the way, there are places to stop for a meal or a snack, swimming areas and the occasional lakeside villa, including the vacation home of Yugoslavia's former dictator, Josep Broz Tito. Most of the hotels at Lake Bled are in the center of Bled town on the eastern shore of the lake. This is also where most of the restaurants, shopping and outfitters (e.g., bikes, ski equipment and hiking gear) can be found. The hotels tend to be large, 1970s-era properties that look and feel very much in need of a serious post-communist makeover. Still, the view and setting can't be beat. I did some research on Trip Advisor and found instead a small, elegant hotel located at the other end of the lake and up a fairly steep climb from the lakeside path. The Hotel Triglav Bled features lake-view rooms with hardwood floors, flat-screen TVs and balconies, from where you can enjoy your own private, panoramic views of the lake and the Alps. The dining room serves delicious, high-quality meals, and the staff is very friendly and accommodating. There is a heated pool and sauna and we also were able to arrange for very expert massages during our visit. All of this for about 140 euros a night.

On our first afternoon, we complete the perimeter of the lake under a fairly steady drizzle and explore Bled town before returning to the hotel for a great meal, which also features an entertaining table of Austrian children and their dog who are in town for an anniversary party, as well as a nice conversation with a just-arrived couple from London. The skies clear the next day so we make our way back into town to catch the boat over to the island in the lake, on which sits the Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary, dating back to the 16th Century. As you might imagine, a beautiful Romanesque church on a tiny island in the middle of an idyllic Alpine lake is a very popular wedding destination. The island also has a snack and gift shop for your souvenir and break needs. Back in town, we stop for lunch at one of the large hotels before making our way to the Bled Castle. The castle, which dates from the 11th Century, is perched on a cliff more than 400 feet above the lake. It's a good way to work off lunch as we hike the steep trail up. Our reward at the top is a breathtaking view of the lake, town and surrounding area. There is a wine shop run by local monks and a restaurant and reception facility. The sun is finally shining as we breath in the clear air and enjoy a view that has captured and inspired visitors for centuries. On our last evening in town, we enjoy an excellent meal of seafood, Slovenian wine and the signature Bled creme cake at Ostarija Peglez'n, a small cafe across the street from the lake. When we visited on a Sunday night, it was packed but the service was friendly and efficient. The next day, it's back to one of our favorite capital cities, Ljubljana, but not before staring out at Lake Bled once more and being really happy to have found our way to this amazingly beautiful corner of central Europe.