February 6, 2012

 On an early winter morning recently, I checked into the Lynn Sage Comprehensive Breast Center of Prentice Women's Hospital at Northwestern Memorial in Chicago. I was there for my annual mammogram, and as usual I was pretty shaky. I hate this exam because of the bad news that may come from the test. It's frightening and even if I know most women feel the same way, I always feel an isolated loneliness -- it's just not fun.    READ MORE

Boomers on the Same Page

Regina and I gave a presentation the other day at the AARP’s 50+ Expo in Los Angeles.  Our subject was Travel - why we go places and how we select places.  We spent part of the hour long session showing videos on our journeys, introduced a guest from the State Department who spoke briefly on tips for traveling abroad and outlined precautionary measures on locations in problem areas of the world.     READ MORE

I am sure of a few things and one of them is that Rio de Janeiro is one of our most stunningly beautiful cities.    READ MORE

I know the word muse is an overused term for people who inspire creativity in others, but I find it appropriate to use when I remember the spirit of Maggie Daley and her commitment to the youth of Chicago. She inspired and she worked hard on this relationship. It wasn't a matter of a casual interlocutory interface between students and mentor. It was a hands-on, face to face persona that she presented day after day, month after month, year after year for over two decades.    READ MORE

Seeing pictures of the latest riots and upheaval in Egypt has brought back vivid memories of our most recent visit this past January.

It was only 11 months ago that both Pat, my co-host of "Grannies on Safari," and I arrived in Egypt for a 12-day adventure. This wasn't a typical "Grannies on Safari" trip, because we weren't there to shoot for our show, but instead we escorted a group of Americans to show them the sights and sounds of this beautiful country.    READ MORE

I had the most inspiring experience a few weeks ago and was so geeked that I wanted to share it: a behind-the-scenes tour of one of the country's most esteemed science laboratories -- The Argonne National Laboratory.

Argonne National Laboratory is run by the US Department of Energy and managed by the University of Chicago. Not the first thing that you think of for a thing to do in Chicago, but since my visit, I'm definitely putting it on the "must show my tourists this place."    READ MORE

There comes a time when frequent travelers such as myself, crave a little piece of home when on the road. Sometimes, frankly, I just get tired of staying in a hotel, especially if I'm staying longer than a few days or when I have my family with me.

My travel tip for your next big vacation: Rent a home or condo.

Not to say I don't enjoy the benefits of a fabulously decorated hotel, a bellman at my beck and call, a restaurant that delivers my late night cravings and, of course, a maid that makes my bed everyday, but sometimes I need something a little more homey.    READ MORE

I've traveled to far reaches of the globe for decades and have met hundreds of people who have graciously embraced me. Experiencing cultural and ethnic differences has not only been fun but I've learned a lot.    READ MORE

I have never prepared myself for a journey as much as I had for my trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway. The name itself had long ago conjured up images of an exotic trip of epic proportions. Why? Because I would be traveling the world's longest railway in a restored train to some of the least known cities and hamlets on the map.

I had traveled to Russia and China years ago, those trips had been made by plane exclusively, and I was only privy to what was happening in just three of the largest cities there: Moscow, St. Petersburg and Beijing.    READ MORE

The single traveler can find much to feel good about these days. One of them is not the single supplement that tour companies and cruise ships charge for the passenger traveling alone.

Some day there will be second thoughts about this unwarranted charge that can run up to two times the single rate under double occupancy quotes. However, some companies are reducing the single rates to one and one half double occupancy. So maybe progress is coming.    READ MORE

The most fascinating stop on my Trans-Siberian Railroad journey across northern Asia was Mongolia, a country steeped in ancient history and the lore of Genghis Khan, a man who created a global empire. Today, Mongolia's government is committed to rapid urban development that is pushing its capital, Ulaanbaatar full speed into the 21st century.    READ MORE