travel
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Who Was Here First?
“In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” That was the little mnemonic we used to remember the exploits of Christopher Columbus when I was in grade school. What an amazing voyage that must have been. I take nothing away from those brave sailors. That is, except their claim to being here first. If not Columbus and… Continue reading
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Destination: Bangor, Maine?
Have you ever noticed how many popular songs mention cities or states? You could potentially plot a trip by following the geography of pop songs! Listen to this. Let’s start where the bluest skies you’ve ever seen are…in Seattle! Then we’ll skip Oregon altogether and open up San Francisco’s Golden Gate and retrieve my heart. … Continue reading
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I’m Just Browsing. Thank You!
In the past several months, I had the opportunity to browse through our entire nonfiction collection at the Northgate Branch. I was helping our librarians by checking the condition of each book. That means I had to inspect every single one to make sure they’re in good condition to circulate. Sound pretty boring? Not at all!… Continue reading
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My Day at the California Academy of Sciences
It’s been two years since the grand opening of the new home of the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. I got the chance, finally, to explore this magnificent natural science museum and research center. It was just as well that I couldn’t go sooner because the lines are shorter now. … Continue reading
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Summer Visitors
Is your calendar filling up with summer guests who are dying to experience the grandeur of Seattle and our region? Are you prepared with a list of places to see and things to do? Here are a few ideas that can help you build a repertoire of tour options that are free or low cost.… Continue reading
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Are You Ready For Summer?
Summer is here and for some of us that means staying at home, relaxing, and having fun in the sun. But for others, it means taking cross country road trips or taking vacations to exotic locales. And for some, it means finding that special someone for a summer romance. For ideas about “staycations” or taking… Continue reading
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Dispatch from Brooklyn: Metro Reading
A while ago Shelf Talk had some posts on what people are reading on the buses in Seattle. I’m visiting family in New York right now, riding the subway every day, and decided to check out the reading tastes of New Yorkers on the MTA. I had to be careful that the riders wouldn’t think I was… Continue reading
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Bicycle Obsessions
As a bicycle commuter along the Burke-Gilman trail here in Seattle, I am not that upset when it rains. Hail, ice and snow, of course, are another matter. Rain seems to thin out the casual walkers and riders. And so beginning this Bike to Work Month with several days of rain has not been that… Continue reading
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Follow the leader – retracing other folks journeys
It’s hard to imagine how the original explorers got the nerve to do what they did and go where they went. Would you be brave enough to cast off into the great unknown, most likely in search of a dream? Check out these books by people who re-created the voyages of some pioneers, in the… Continue reading
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Brooklyn Stories: Part Two
Do you need something to make you smile? These Brooklyn stories will be sure to succeed. Last Days of Summer is a charming and funny story about a 12-year-old who strikes up a correspondence with a Giants player in the 1940s. He needs a hero to replace the father who has just left the family. The… Continue reading
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AND I ALONE SURVIVED!
Do you like to take a walk on the wild side? Or would you rather read about it when you know everything turns out okay? Check out this list of daring adventure stories by some who lived to tell the tale. Walking the Gobi: A 1,600-Mile Trek Across a Desert of Hope and Despair by… Continue reading
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March Question of the Month – an irregular series
The reference librarians at Seattle Public Library are pretty darn amazing. They don’t know everything, instead they know where to find everything. As part of an irregular series of posts we salute the talented and dedicated reference staff at your local library. Names and other identifying information have been removed from the questions we showcase.… Continue reading
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Touring Egypt via book or camel
When I took a tour of Egypt earlier this year, I found myself exchanging book titles with my fellow travelers. Historical fiction, mysteries, contemporary serious literature; some are fun reading for getting a feel for the country, the history, the landscape, the emotional qualities of Egypt. Others are very heavy reading, intense, much like the… Continue reading
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Get Lost (Part 6)
(Sixth in a series) I’ve been to Hollywood… I’ve been to redwood… I crossed the ocean for a heart of gold… I’ve been in my mind, its such a fine line… That keeps me searching for a heart of gold… Third stop Vallecito and Redding: 2 days, 2 nights The… Continue reading
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Get Lost (Part 5)
(Fifth in a series) Now I don’t know what I’ll find… Just want to get in the car and drive… Been living too long this way… It’s getting me down… I know what I need… What I need… California sun… It’s calling me… Next stop Calistoga and Napa: 1 day, 1 night… Continue reading
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Get Lost, (Part 4)
(Fourth in a series) Low ebb, high tide… The lowest ebb and highest tide… I guess we took us for a ride… I guess it’s just a gesture… At the end of the continent… At the edge of the continent… Get Lost enters California: First stop Eureka and Fort Bragg:… Continue reading
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Get Lost (Part 2)
There are signs… Dividing in… That I couldn’t abide… I wouldn’t miss it again… Burning every bridge that I cross… To find some beautiful place… To get lost… First stop was Portland: 2 nights, 2 days We pulled on to Division Street around ten at night, parked the car, unloaded the bare necessities,… Continue reading
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Get Lost (Part 1)
Road trippin’ with my two favorite allies… Fully loaded we got snacks and supplies… It’s time to leave this town… It’s time to steal away… Let’s go get lost… Anywhere in the U.S.A. Let’s go get lost… Let’s go get lost… As a teenager I couldn’t wait to go on a road trip, but with… Continue reading