Year: 2017

Sipping Commandaria in Cyprus — The World’s First Branded Wine

I swirl the amber nectar around in my mouth and let it slide down my gullet. A bit on the sweet side, with a slight taste of raisin. Actually quite pleasant. Especially when served ice cold on a sweltering afternoon. Which describes almost every day on Cyprus, the Mediterranean island where I’m sipping the wine.

The Vietnam War and My Own Travels

Had another book drop this week — The Vietnam War: The Definitive Illustrated History by DK. Quite a departure from the travel-related books that I’ve worked on over the past year. But certainly not my first work on Vietnam. Published jointly with the Smithsonian, the book chronicles America’s military and political involvement in Southeast Asia […]

Is Chris Pratt Really the Nicest Guy in Hollywood?

With the latest Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 sailing into cinemas next week, I’m reminded of the time that I had lunch with Chris Pratt. The venue was a tiny bakery café called La Conversation — right across the street from the unassuming bungalow where Chris lived when he first came to Hollywood. Guardians […]

Saving California’s Urban Cougars

The birth this week of a mountain lion kitten in the Santa Monica Mountains west of Los Angeles brings cougars back into the news cycle once again. From attacks on hikers near Silicon Valley and a viral video car-hopping appearance in San Jose to a photo bombing cougar in front of the Hollywood sign, the […]