Peace is at the Beach
Temperatures have soared in Chicago, and so it's fitting that my beach article appeared on kveller today. The idea for it occurred to me many years ago while sprawled on [...]
8
Jul, 2016
28
Jun, 2016
Xi’an Muslim Quarter
Perhaps because, unlike sites like the Terracotta Warriors (which had been my number one China bucket list item--photos soon!), I had no preconceptions, no one else's images in my head [...]
28
Mar, 2016
The Power of Keeping a Promise to Yourself – Visiting the Greek Monasteries of Marsaba and St. George in the Judean Hills
St. George's Monastery, Wadi Qelt Always, always, I have wanted to see the Greek Orthodox monasteries of Marsaba and St. George, built into the cliffs of the Judean Hills. But [...]
29
Dec, 2015
The Best of Jerusalem 2015
To summarize my stay in Jerusalem this summer in one blog post? It's a tall order, but here goes. We spent an inordinate amount of time on an exceedingly hot [...]
28
Dec, 2015
The Best of London 2015
We took a weekend "side" trip to London from Scotland to visit relatives and tour a little. Here are my best shots from that sojourn. We did the touristy thing [...]
26
Dec, 2015
The Best of Scotland 2015
For the last few days of this year I decided to run a "Best of..." series to pay homage to some of the best times this year, i.e. travels and [...]
25
Dec, 2015
From the Christkindlmarket
From my traditional annual visit to Chicago's downtown Christkindlmarket, Merry Christmas to all who celebrate! It's been unseasonably warm here, no snow flakes and icy cold to company my sipping [...]
9
Sep, 2015
The Postcard Tradition
I haven’t been around because I’ve been chilling, and before I was chilling, I was traveling—days crammed with stuffing suitcases, riding taxes and buses, making it to the airport on time, [...]
12
Aug, 2015
Shuk Mahane Yehuda, Jerusalem
Any market is a feast for the eyes, and a shuk (= Middle Eastern market, pronounced "shook") is especially so. It is also a photographer's paradise. All those colors, shapes, [...]
2
Aug, 2015
Jerusalem Street Library
While walking to my Ulpan (Hebrew school) in Jerusalem this morning, I passed by this street library set up in an old bus station. Of course I was immediately charmed [...]
13
Jul, 2015
The Way to Work
My days as the writer-in-residence at the Hemingway House in Oak Park are drawing to a close, and so I decided to document my drive there. I have come to [...]
4
May, 2015
Missing the Japanese Garden
I miss the Osaka Japanese Garden; now is the time of year when I would seek it out on a spring time walk. My kids consider it "theirs." Goes [...]
27
Mar, 2015
Sunrise @ Masada
Escapism is in order! I have been frustrated and uninspired after months of querying and not finding a home for my memoir manuscript. In addition, one obligation is following another, [...]
26
Feb, 2015
Dreaming of a Turkish Bath House
Blame it on the cold winter we are having in Chicago, but I am dreaming of the Turkish Bath House in Akko, Israel. The place itself is a dream, because [...]
13
Feb, 2015
Off the Beaten Path in Israel: Zohar Stronghold
The cold is getting to me (Chicago's high is 17F today), so it's time for memories of warmer days and an entirely different landscape than winter's bleak outside. I haven't [...]
23
Jan, 2015
Magic in the Winter Woods @ VCCA
I have returned to the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA), where I'm trying to be immensely productive during my two-week residency. When I get tired, or need to rev [...]
8
Dec, 2014
You Can Always Count on the Waves
I consider living along the Chicago lakefront one of the great blessings of my life. The other day I went for one of my favorite walks, along Rogers Park [...]
1
Dec, 2014
My Photo Essay in Bella Grace Magazine
My photo essay "Capture Magic that Hangs by a Gossamer Thread" appears in the winter 2015 issue of Bella Grace magazine, on sale as of today, December 1. Last [...]
20
Oct, 2014
Open House Chicago: New Regal Theater
It might look like I traveled to the Middle East to take this picture, but I only traveled to the far South Side of Chicago to peek into the interior [...]
25
Sep, 2014
Wandering the Streets of Akko
Today is Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, so I thought I'd share another glimpse of Israel, from a day trip my daughter and I took to Akko in July. [...]
14
Sep, 2014
Manaus Journal (4): The Amazon is a Mirror
I'd seen photographs of the mirror-like quality of the Amazon in National Geographic, but to find myself floating on it was a whole other experience. I spent the better [...]
25
Aug, 2014
Tel Aviv Street Scenes
Since I'm still preoccupied with my daughter being in Israel, I thought I'd share some of my photos taken while walking around or sitting in cafés in Tel Aviv, providing [...]
21
Aug, 2014
Tel Aviv Bauhaus
Tel Aviv is on my mind right now as my daughter is enlisting in the Israeli Defense Forces today. When this post appears, she is already in her uniform. I've [...]
8
Aug, 2014
Manaus Journal (3) – The Ideal State of Being – a Hammock
On our two-day Amazon adventure in between attending World Cup games in Manaus, Brazil, we stayed overnight in a floating lodge, the Tauari Inn. I will share more photos from [...]
7
Aug, 2014
Manaus Journal (2) – Tie your House to a Tree
In between attending two World Cup games in Manaus, the capital city of the Amazon, we had time to explore the river and the rain forest. When we were visiting [...]
29
Jul, 2014
Tel Aviv Journal: Life with Air Raids
My super short video of air raid sirens in Tel Aviv on July 12, 2014 I've been home in Chicago now for a while but I kept a journal [...]
10
Jul, 2014
Sirens over Tel Aviv
This is the Tel Aviv building where we are currently staying on the top floor - the penthouse is set back so you can't see it from the street, plus it's rather [...]
7
Jul, 2014
Manaus Journal (1) – Terrific Games, Horrific Travel
A snippet of what it was like to be in the stadium during a World Cup game I had the good fortune to travel with two of my children to [...]
11
Jun, 2014
Unveiling: The Chicago List Essay Project
Our Chicago - Eleven Writers on their City - Edited by Annette Gendler | Make Your Own Book I published a book with my students! Our Chicago is a collection of [...]
9
Jun, 2014
The Glory of Green
Our country property in Indiana is finally, gloriously saturated with green. I've never been so hungry and so thirsty for green! After this long hard winter and all its [...]
29
Apr, 2014
Driehaus Museum
Drawing Room Lamp, Driehaus Museum Two blocks west of the Magnificent Mile, on Erie Street, there is to be found a marble palace. It is, from the outside, an stately [...]
20
Mar, 2014
In Search of Spring Flowers at the Garfield Park Conservatory
I'm usually not a spring person, but this year I am hungry (hungry!) for spring flowers and vibrant colors, and so yesterday I took myself on an Artist's Date to [...]
13
Mar, 2014
Greetings from the Blue Ridge Mountains
This photo is from one of my jaunts during my time at the VCCA. Since I'm bummed by all the snow we've had, yet again, here at home in Chicago, [...]
27
Feb, 2014
Visiting Monticello in Winter
President Jefferson's Monticello estate in winter While I was at the VCCA, I visited Monticello, President Thomas Jefferson's estate. It is near Charlottesville, a good hour's drive from [...]
26
Feb, 2014
Before Winter Became Heavy
Before winter became heavy, it came softly. Before we had 3+ feet of snow on the ground, there were just tracks of snow swinging through the woods. I really [...]
13
Feb, 2014
Winter White Lake
On Monday I treated myself to a walk on the lakefront. "Treated," because going for a walk is a major operation these days, involving long underwear, serious snow boots [...]
5
Feb, 2014
Serenity at the VCCA
Oh, the serenity of a residency at the VCCA! I've returned to my everyday life in Chicago, and already VCCA's calm and focused atmosphere seems elusive. So I thought I'd [...]
22
Jan, 2014
Walking the Woods at VCCA
I can hardly believe my good fortune to have been granted another residency at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA), and so, when I arrived and temperatures were [...]
20
Dec, 2013
Looking Back: Trips 2013
New York - January Beacon Theatre on Broadway - the announcement of the Groenemeyer Concert caught my eye and led to a wonderful concert experience later in Chicago. {related blog [...]
21
Nov, 2013
Discovering David Plowden
I am in love. With David Plowden and his stunning black and white photographs of the American Plains and Prairie. It's been one of those serendipitous encounters: The big photograph [...]
19
Nov, 2013
Art: Boring Today, Interesting Tomorrow?
Pierce Hall, in its current state of half demolition For my Artist's Dates these past two weeks, I attended the two-evening Bookmakers program offered jointly by the Smart Museum and the [...]
6
Nov, 2013
Exploring an Abandoned Path
My son and I had the most thrilling adventure on Sunday: After shopping at Bass Pro Shop for his upcoming science fair project, we stopped by a park down the [...]
29
Oct, 2013
A Japanese Garden in Autumn
Last week I treated myself to what Julia Cameron calls an Artist's Date, time spent by yourself in an interesting location to replenish the soul and gather images for the creative [...]
21
Oct, 2013
Open House Chicago: Elks Memorial
Open House Chicago is one of those events that delights me to no end because I get to explore and learn and discover beauty I never knew was there. Hosted [...]
29
Aug, 2013
When in Boston, Make Way for Ducklings
The Make Way for Ducklings sculpture in the Public Garden in Boston, created by Nancy Schön Oh, the power of fiction! Especially children's fiction! It had my kids and me retracing [...]
25
Jul, 2013
A Trip to Bishop Hill (2)
Spinning wheel at the Steeple Building, Bishop Hill, Illinois On our visit to Bishop Hill, my friend Barbara and I spent a considerable amount of time in the Steeple Building, [...]
24
Jul, 2013
A Trip to Bishop Hill (1)
Bishop Hill Post Office These days I am itching for some serenity, probably because my family's summer schedule isn't really a schedule. As soon as I'm into a new routine, [...]
13
Jun, 2013
Two Friends Go to Starved Rock
LaSalle Canyon Wall, photo taken by my friend Barbara Schlund Starved Rock is one of my favorite places to hike, and when my friend Barbara was visiting, we stopped by [...]
15
Apr, 2013
Touring the Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District of Oak Park
Urns in garden wall of Moore-Dugal Residence, built in 1895 by Frank Lloyd Wright Once in a while, it's fun to play tourist in your own town. While my kids are [...]
22
Mar, 2013
A Walk through the Master of Nets Garden in Suzhou
Moon gate at the Master of the Nets Garden in Suzhou, China - If you remember my earlier photo essay about the Blue Waves Pavilion - moon gates like this [...]