Girl About the World

Beachgoers wade into the waters at Huntington Beach in California.

As I look out the window, ice is raining down on a snow-white scene, the temperature below freezing long enough that I’ve had to turn the heat on — and anyone who knows me knows I try to do that as little as possible! It’s our first snow of the year, so I’m enjoying the picturesque views and winter wonderland for now, but a few more days of this and I’ll be ready to escape to the beach.

When I do get the desire to run from the snow to the sands, I’ll know where to go, thanks to this piece I did for Away.com on the best beaches for 2012. From the buoyant waters in Jordan’s Dead Sea to the quiet, under-discovered Baisha Beach in Taiwan to the rustic cabins and clam digging on Copalis Beach in Washington, these hot spots are sure to please sand-and-surf stalwarts in the coming year.

Caye Caulker, Belize

I covered my top 10 travel highlights in 2010 last year, so I thought I’d continue the tradition. It was kind of a quiet year for me on the travel front, but after four countries and nine states, here’s what wowed in the past 365 days:

1. Belize. The 10 days I spent in Belize made up what was one of my favorite solo international trips ever. I rode old U.S. school buses down bumpy dirt roads, was followed around by curious children in a remote village, stand-up paddleboarded around Caye Caulker, scrambled up rocks in a cave, spent untold hours reading in many hammocks, swam with sharks, and ate lots of delicious food.

2. Exploring the Salish Sea. Washington state is teeming with delightful communities (and I’m only slightly biased having been raised there), and I got a whirlwind tour of four of them this past fall: San Juan Island, Port Townsend,  Whidbey Island, and Camano Island. A restful night’s sleep in the couldn’t-be-cuter Dove in the Window room at Tucker House Inn, a Grown Up Grilled Cheese at Sweet Laurette Cafe & Bistro, an inside look at Penn Cove Shellfish, and a soak in my own hot tub at Camano Island Inn were just a few of the high points.

The Breakers

3. Newport Mansions in Newport, Rhode Island. I love my family, but if I could’ve chosen which one to be born into, I just may have picked the Vanderbilts. And if I could jump back in time with my new last name, I’d spend my summers at The Breakers, a 70-room “cottage” you have to see to believe. The Elms, Marble House, and Rosecliff were also quite impressive.

4. The Pacific Coast Highway. A guidebook project took me down the PCH, starting in Washington and ending in San Diego. The vistas are so stunning along the way, you almost become desensitized to having postcard-worthy shots with each passing mile. Big Sur’s hairpin turns (and the red Mustangs/giant rented motor homes that refused to pull over) will remain in my memory for years to come.

Ticket to the Market Ghost Tour

5. Market Ghost Tour, Seattle. I never watch scary movies and always plug my ears whenever someone suggests a hotel I’m staying in might be haunted, so a ghost tour normally wouldn’t be up my alley — but on this tour, you learn fascinating factoids about the Northwest’s largest city, which are suitable for skeptics and believers alike. My ghost-obsessed sister and I were both pleased with the tour, as was everyone else with us.

6. Tikal. The largest Mayan ruins site in Central America, Guatemala’s Tikal is a huge and awe-inspiring example of Classic Period architecture. Wildlife roaming the grounds, including howler monkeys, spider monkeys, and coatis, only add to the appeal of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Wine tasting at Coeur d'Alene Cellars

7. Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Sunshine was in long supply during my July visit to this northern Idaho city, and I made sure to enjoy it, with a 12-mile biking jaunt on the Centennial Trail, a kayaking trip with ROW Adventures, and a boat ride to see the world’s only floating golf green. The hot stone massage, huckleberry-infused drinks, and view from my room at The Coeur d’Alene Resort made me wish I could stay another day … or 10.

8. Vancouver, British Columbia. When my credit card refused to work in the ticket machines for the metro at midnight, a nice young man paid my fare — that’s just how they roll in Canada. Unfailingly polite people, natural beauty, and a huge array of sights make this one of my favorite cities to visit. This time around, I slowly traversed the Capilano Suspension Bridge, watched the belugas swim at the Vancouver Aquarium, and let the horses lead the way on a carriage ride through Stanley Park.

Thoreau's cabin

9. Concord, Massachusetts. It’s a wonder that as a writer and someone interested in history that I’d never been to Concord before this year, given its prominence in the American Revolution and many literary connections. I felt like writing a book after seeing Louisa May Alcott’s house and staring out at Henry David Thoreau’s Walden Pond. Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Margaret Sidney also lived in this still-quaint New England town.

10. Whistler, British Columbia. After journeying to Whistler on the absolutely delightful Rocky Mountaineer train (the afternoon tea service in the Dome class is a nice touch), I was bombarded with an amazing assortment of things to do in the summer: zip-lining with WildPlay Whistler, delicious local dining at Alta Bistro, shocking the system at the beautiful outdoor Scandinave Spa, and soaring through the sky on the world’s highest-off-the-ground gondola, Peak 2 Peak.

Happy hour at Boka Kitchen + Bar

At the ripe hour of 9 a.m. yesterday morning, I was downing Pisco punch, a drink invented in San Francisco at the end of the 19th century. While orange juice is more my speed at such an early hour, I couldn’t pass up the chance to try a drink written about by such notables as Mark Twain and Rudyard Kipling. More on that later. But to stay on the theme, today I’ve guest posted over at Discover Washington State, a blog run by writer Heather Larson, about three great happy hours in Seattle. All of these are within a three-block radius, so you can choose the one that suits your fancy … or hit them all in the same day if you really want to be a happy hour warrior. Check out the post here: http://www.discoverwashingtonstate.com/3-seattle-blocks-3-happy-hours/

© Boehm's Candies

When Austrian Julius Boehm fled from the Nazis and moved to the U.S. in the early 1940s, the Vienna native saw the green landscape and mountains of the Northwest and was reminded of the country he’d left behind. To bring even more of his homeland to the area, he opened Boehm’s Candies in the Issaquah foothills (about 30 minutes east of Seattle) in 1956, which is housed in the authentic Edelweiss Chalet among greenery, fountains, and a chapel. The amazing Boehm was a runner in the 1924 Olympics and climbed to the top of Mount Rainier at age 80, but what might be even more amazing are the 150-plus chocolate confections that come from his namesake business.

Girls behind the counter wear dirndls and serve up American favorites like caramels, English toffee, and peanut brittle alongside European specialties like Mozartkugeln, marzipan, and brandied cordial cherries. To see the candymakers in action, visit on a weekday between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. and peek in the viewing window; you can also take a chocolate-making class yourself at this picturesque facility, pretty enough for a postcard.

Visit:
Boehm’s Candies
255 NE Gilman Blvd.
Issaquah, WA
Open Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
www.boehmscandies.com

Location: Woodinville, Washington

(for a full-size version, click any photo)

Armed Forces Day is nearly upon us, and every year, that makes me think of one thing: riding atop a firetruck all summer long, waving a pageant wave, while wearing a matronly navy blazer/khaki skirt/white turtleneck/navy pumps/jaunty American flag scarf combo.

When I was a senior in high school, I attended teas, shook hands with community leaders, and donned that special outfit as part of the Armed Forces Festival Ambassador Program. One essay, a set of headshots, a lot of events around town, and a speech about an immigrant’s experience later, and I had placed in the competition and was bound to a summer of smiling until my cheeks hurt while I rode around all the local parades. The main event, though, was the Armed Forces Day Parade.

In my heavily military hometown of Bremerton, Washington, Armed Forces Day is a big deal — we have the longest-running and largest Armed Forces Day parade in the nation. It began in 1948, two years before the holiday was federally recognized. Today, marching bands, local clubs, pageant winners, and military entries all converge for a celebration of those who’ve served our country. This year, it kicks of at 10 a.m.; for more information, click here.

I’ll be traveling on the big day this year, but I’ll think fondly of the tough maneuver that was climbing on top of a firetruck in a pencil skirt (no easy feat while trying to be ladylike) and sweltering in that blazer (we came so close to convincing the director to let us wear American flag T-shirts and capris instead; alas, no dice), but I’ll think even more fondly of the servicemen and women for whom the day is named.

(If the photo above isn’t vintage enough for you, check out these from parades gone by from the ’50s to ’70s).

Want a chance at winning two tickets anywhere Alaska Airlines flies, as well as unlimited flights within the state of Washington for a year? Head on over to www.shareyourwashington.com and send an e-postcard to a friend — it’s that easy. Anyone over 18 in the U.S. or Canada is eligible, and there’s no limit on the number of times you can enter. The promotion runs through June 15. (Don’t miss the fun Facebook photos of proud Washington residents showing off their state.)

In-state Alaska Airlines destinations include Bellingham, Pasco/Tri-Cities, Pullman/Moscow, Seattle/Tacoma, Spokane, Walla Walla, Wenatchee, and Yakima.