Culinary delights devoured during this episode include Riptides signature Kalua Pork Hot Dog and a Coconut & Lilikoi Shave Ice topped with a coconut cap and li hing mui powder.
To watch this video hit the play button in the center of the image below
Kauai Treasure
To see all of the Culinary Treasure Network’s Kauai centric content – Articles, Podcasts, Shows, and more go to https://www.kauaitreasure.com/
Photographic Art That Will Blow Your Mind – Latitudes Gallery in Poipu on the Island of Kauai
I was recently on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai, and I spent quite a bit of time in the Poipu area with my friend Michael Littman. Michael is in the process of opening his second restaurant – Hapa Kauai in The Shops at Kukui‘ula. He is already the proud owner with his charming wife Sarah of Hapa PDX in Portland, Oregon.
One afternoon Michael took me to Latitudes Gallery which is also located at The Shops at Kukui‘ula. Michael has his eye on a piece of art they have there at Latitudes.
The Art You will See at Latitudes Will Captivate You
Wow! I was blown away! I LOVE photography and I love taking photos. The Latitudes Gallery features the work of Steve Munch and Stephanie Hogue and they are both incredibly talented photographers. Their art that is featured at Latitudes will captivate you.
When You Go To Kauai, you have to make you way over to Latitudes Gallery – you will be stunned by the beauty and artistry you will see there.
The Staff at Latitudes Kauai Are Stellar
The staff at Latitudes Kauai are phenomenal people who are an absolute delight to visit with. Both Susan and Raj are very knowledgeable about the art you will find at Latitudes, and are deeply genuine and charming.
The Lips San Diego Experience – Glitz, Sparkle, Disco Balls, and Unbridled Joy!
Lips is the glamorous place where you get to enjoy Sunday Brunch or Dinner, Drinks, and a Fabulous Drag Show! Here is what I experienced when I visited there September 2022:
The first thing we see, hear, and feel is the crowd lined up on the sidewalk outside the building, vibrating with anticipation and eager for fun. Everyone is laughing, smiling, and many are dressed to seriously impress in all sorts of elaborate get-ups. From the moment we pass through the purple pillars and duck under the gleaming tiara to enter Lips, it is clear we are in for one wild ride!
The organization here is masterful, which is a blessing given all the enormous groups in attendance for one special occasion or another. We are briskly led to a cute table with a full-frontal view of the tiny stage completely overshadowed by the sumptuous décor. Everywhere we look is glitz, sparkle and disco balls. What is not sequined, bejeweled, or bedazzled is be-decked in leopard print. But we are only just getting started, y’all!
Our servers for the day are the drag queens themselves and they are stunning. The clothes, the make-up, the attitude – these ladies take femininity and feminism to heights it has never reached for mere mortals. Completely mesmerizing. And freakishly talented. Somehow, they manage to walk the line of comedy, camp, and burlesque all while singing and dancing to super fun tunes in amazing outfits. I am not sure which is taller, the hair or the shoes.
They have multiple dinner shows throughout the week, but we could not resist (naughty) gospel brunch on Sunday. The food is serviceable, but the drinks are strong and heavily and steadily flowing all morning. Your choice of Mimosas or Bloody Marys included in the price of the meal or pay extra for something from the full bar.
I eventually had to quit sipping from my glass so they would stop filling it – they are seriously attentive in matters of drinks. A practice which appeared extremely effective in loosening the fists holding the cash for tipping the acts. People were literally throwing money; it was a wild scene! And imminently delightful. By the end of the show my cheeks were tired from smiling and laughing so much and my heart felt light in a way I didn’t realize I needed.
Just an experience of pure, outrageous fun shared with 100 strangers and gorgeous performers, owning every last inch of the word queen. We are already planning our next trip.
When the coronavirus refused to loosen its grip on the world, we had to cancel our trip to Belize. It was the fall of 2021 and we were a family of 4 with no Thanksgiving week plans.
Two teenagers were part of the equation, so just staying home for a quiet break was not an option. What to do? Hmmm… it would have to be something exciting enough to make up for the Caribbean cancellation, but cool enough for teenagers and accessible enough for me to plan in a time crunch during a global pandemic. No pressure! Time for a power pivot.
And then it occurred to me – despite living in northern California for many years, we had never properly played tourists in southern California (apart from the mouse house).
Must-do “Tourist” Activities in LaLa Land
I did some preliminary research, organized my pitch and presented it to the board (or bored?) aka the teenagers and my husband.
To my surprise, everyone immediately cottoned to the idea and began throwing in their votes for must-do activities in LaLa land: Pictures by the Hollywood sign, Griffith Park, Malibu Beach, the Walk of Fame, celebrity spotting at Nobu, dinner at Musso and Frank’s – they were on a roll and gathering steam!
Seeking a Luxury Lair
But there was one vital decision I claimed for myself: where to stay. In recent years I have come to accept the fact that I am deeply opinionated when it comes to hotels. In years past, I used to pride myself on being able to find the best deal for the most serviceable, no-frills room and even towed the popular line of “you don’t spend much time in your room anyway”.
Now? Now I understand and accept about myself that the hotel is a big part of the enjoyment of the travel experience for me.
I’ll just say it – I love fancy hotels! So on this trip, the teenagers could have their fill of visiting the places popularized by reality stars and the husband could see sights from his favorite Harry Bosch detective stories, but mama? Mama would have her luxury lair.
The Kimpton Everly Checked All The Boxes
I was giddy in my google zone exploring the tons of hotels in the greater Los Angeles area. So many choices, so many possibilities! Even though I had claimed the lodging pick for myself, I still wanted everyone to be happy with my choice.
There would need to be a pool, a cool factor and a bar. Location close to the touristy stuff we wanted to do. Parking for sure.
And – I wanted to feel like a rockstar. Even just for a minute.
Enter the Kimpton Everly. With all of the boxes ticked, I wasted no time booking their fanciest suite with adjoining room for the kids and a view of the Hollywood sign. Score!
And none of it disappointed. From the moment we entered the smooth, minimalist concrete lobby we felt like VIPs. Check-in was a breeze, and I held my breath when we took the elevator to the top floor. I’m always afraid my hopes for the room I’ve booked are too high and will surely be dashed by cold, hard, disappointing reality. Not this time!
The suite was on the stark side, but this only served to showcase the amazing view of the Hollywood Hills, the iconic sign perfectly framed by the large windows. Low sofa, stylish platform bed and a stunning freestanding tub only enhanced my rockstar moment. And even the teenagers agreed it was super cool.
Our busy itinerary kept us on the go, but we still managed drinks in the bar, a dip in the pool and a great lunch at Jane Q. We even ordered their meatloaf sandwich a second time (via room service, for breakfast!) because it was that good!
The best part though? Cuddled up with the kids on our sofa in the morning, tea in hand, all mesmerized by the view out our picture window. The promise, the spectacle, the history of Hollywood all spread out at our feet, beckoning us to come and indulge.
Higgins Beach Inn Portland, Maine – A Great Place to Stay!
In the fall of 2021, I took an epic 11-day work trip to the great state of Maine for the Culinary Treasure Network . Thanks to the good folks at the Higgins Beach Inn in Portland, Maine, it started off on the right foot!
Something I need to cover right off the bat – technically, Higgins Beach Inn is in Scarborough not Portland. That being said, I flew from the Portland International Airport in Portland, Oregon to the Portland International Jetport in Portland, Maine and Higgins Beach Inn was only a 16-minute drive from the airport.
We arrived quite late in the evening, and they had an envelope out for us with everything we needed.
Our room was very pleasant – comfortable and tastefully appointed. My bed was great, and the bathroom did not disappoint. Scroll down to see a few more photos from our room.
In addition to a comfortable room there was 3 other reasons I would most definitely return to Higgins Beach Inn: The proximity to the beach, the staff, and the dining opportunities at Higgins Beach Inn.
I LOVED it that the Higgins Beach Inn is just one block off of the ocean. You walk down Ocean Ave and BOOM! Right there is Higgins Beach!
Higgins Beach
Once we got our luggage settled in our room, I walked down to the Atlantic; they call it the Gulf of Maine in these parts. I love walking on the beach, even at 1 AM.
The next morning before breakfast I took another jaunt down to the beach and WOW! What a glorious beach! Scroll down to see those photos.
The Staff
The staff were so amazing and friendly. From Sue, to Molly, to Chef Kyle, everyone was helpful and seemed genuinely happy that we were there. I don’t know, maybe the Migis Hotel Group has a super-secret, super awesome staff training program. I suspect that they make it a point to hire great people. I know this – after staying at Higgins Beach Inn, I would love to stay at their other properties – https://migishotelgroup.com/our-story/maine-hotels/.
If you don’t get to that article – know this – the corned beef hash is made in-house and it is amazing! Hats off to Chef Kyle.
Dining at Higgins Beach Inn
The dining opportunities at Higgins Beach Inn made me wish that we were staying another night. I would have loved to have had lunch at the Shade Shack (2022 Shade Shack menu photo is below), and dinner at Shade looks simply scrumptious.
The small bar at Shade in very inviting and I am certain that many joyous conversations have happened there over a cocktail or two. The first cocktail I would order would be the Gin Fix made with Maine’s own Bimini Gin. After that, the 1897 Old Fashioned is calling my name (2022 Shade cocktail menu photo is below).
The wine list includes a number of biodynamic wines including Oregon’s own Ovum Big Salt. For those who don’t know, here is a link to an excellent Wine Folly article with info about these kind of wines: https://winefolly.com/deep-dive/biodynamic-wine-guide/ (2022 Shade wine menu photo is below).
When I look at the Shade dinner menu I want the oysters, the caviar, the baby gem Caesar, the whipped feta, the seafood croquettes, the creamy peppercorn pasta, and the steak frites! (2022 Shade dinner menu photo is below)
A Great Place To Stay!
Higgins Beach Inn is open the summer season from May to roughly the 3rd week in October.
All in all, in my estimation, The Higgins Beach Inn is a great place to stay!
Below you will find info about both Higgins Beach Inn, and Shade: The Eatery at Higgins Beach Inn. Below that are more than 40 photos from my visit to Higgins Beach Inn. Enjoy!
Savory Travel Adventures is Becoming This is Travel Treasure
This exciting change will make it more evident that we are first and foremost a travelwebsite. It will also help clarify the connection we have to our sister website, This is Culinary Treasure.
Bill Hassell Old Growth Big Cedar Trail Rockaway Beach, Oregon – Epic Discourse Podcast Episode 1 ~ An Oregon Coast Podcast
In this travel episode of the Epic Discourse Podcast our Host Steven Shomler visits with Bill Hassell the Ambassador for the Old Growth Big Cedar Trail in Rockaway Beach, Oregon on the Oregon Coast.
The Address For The Rockaway Beach Old Growth Big Cedar Trail
The Old Growth Big Cedar Trail can be found at
947 Hwy 101 S., Rockaway Beach, OR 97136
Scroll down to see photos of the Rockaway Beach Old Growth Big Cedar Trail
To see all of the Culinary Treasure Network’s Oregon Coast content – Culinary Treasure Podcasts, Craft Beer Podcasts, as well as Travel articles and This is Culinary Treasure articles go to www.AdventuresOnTheOregonCoast.com
Rockaway Beach Old Growth Big Cedar Trail Photos
The Epic Discourse Podcast 411
This travel episode of the Epic Discourse Podcast was recorded in Rockaway Beach, Oregon on the Oregon Coast.
Steven Shomler is the Host and Creator of the Epic Discourse Podcast.
You Can Listen to the Epic Discourse Podcast on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music / Amazon Podcasts, Stitcher, Audacy, Deezer, Gaana, JioSaavn, the Samsung Podcast app, and many other podcasts outlets.
Many thanks to Ken Wilson a true Media Maestro for his excellent sound engineering and editing!
The Epic Discourse – The Home of Great Stories and Compelling Conversations
Right off the bat, let me tell you why I call Macgregor’s Whiskey Bar a “secret”: I cannot tell you how many people I run into who do not know anything about this fantastic whiskey bar!
If you love whiskey, you have to get yourself to MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar located in Manzanita, Oregon on the Oregon Coast. Manzanita is about a 40-minute drive north of Tillamook and about an hour drive south of Astoria.
Get this – at any one time there are more that 200 bottles of whiskey at MacGregor’s. When say I whiskey I am talking about really GOOD whiskey – whiskey you are not likely to find many other places.
What is available changes on a weekly basis, so I am not even go to try to list what amazing whiskey you can find here. Trust me on this – they ALWAYS have some awesome gems.
Better yet, consider the whiskey flights being being offered at MacGregor’s at the time that this article is being published – Feb 2022. Just look at that list up there. 10 different whiskey flights including a Japanese whisky flight, a Bourbon flight, a Scotch flight, an Irish Flight, a Glenmorangie Flight, and a Premium Whiskey Flight that features Willet Pot Still Bourbon, WhistlePig 10 Year Rye, and Ardbeg Uigeadail Scotch.
Mac’s Old Fashioned
I love a good Old Fashioned and the Mac’s Old Fashioned at MacGregor’s is stellar! Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon, bitters, house simple syrup, a dark cherry, and orange. The photo above is a Mac’s Old Fashioned.
Black Manhattan
The Black Manhattan is another fantastic Whiskey cocktail you can get at MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar. Rittenhouse Rye, Angostura aromatic bitters, and Averna (a classic Italian digestif) stirred, and served up. Photo below is the Black Manhattan.
Angel’s Envy Caribbean Rum Cask Finish Rye Whiskey
This a such a good rye whiskey!!!! If you like rye whiskey do yourself a favor get a shot of this one! It’s one of the MacGregors’ favorite whiskeys, and you can almost always find it available at MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar Manzanita.
The Ambiance
You sit around your very own firepit and enjoy your whiskey. Give me a cool or chilly Oregon day, sit me in front of a firepit and let me choose from over 200 whiskeys – I will be a very happy man.
Don’t get me wrong – I have a great time at MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar on a warm summer day. I just happen love enjoying whiskey on those chilly days we have here in Oregon every once in a while.
If you love Whiskey – do yourself a favor, head out to MacGregor’s and thank me later.
Scroll down, for more info and more photosabout MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar
That’s all for now! Wishing you Savory Travel Adventures!
To see all of the Culinary Treasure Network’s Oregon Coast content – Culinary Treasure Podcasts, Craft Beer Podcasts, as well as Travel articles and This is Culinary Treasure articles go to www.AdventuresOnTheOregonCoast.com
MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar Manzanita, Oregon – When You Go to the Oregon Coast!
When you find yourself on the Oregon Coast – if at all possible, whether you like whiskey or not, you need to pay a visit to MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar located in the quaint town of Manzanita.
MacGregor’s Whiskey Bart is about a 40-minute drive north of Tillamook and about an hour drive south of Astoria.
Why MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar?
So, why MacGregor’s? It’s a charming place to have an exquisite meal, and a great cocktail, a craft beer, a glass of wine, or, of course, whiskey.
The Food!
The “kitchen” is ridiculously small at MacGregor’s Manzanita and the magic they make happen in it is downright stunning!
My favorite thing to eat at MacGregor’s is the Lobster Bisque.
Goodness! This delectable dish is one of my all-time favorite dishes. I am not saying one of my favorite dishes at MacGregor’s, I mean this dish makes my list of the best dishes I have had in my life. The lobster bisque is decadently rich, silky smooth and served with a baguette and salted Irish butter. Get it and thank me later.
Another stand out is the Mac and Cheese. During one of my visits to MacGregor’s I was seated outside in the front next to my very own personal “fire pit”. The gentleman at the next fire pit over requested 3 orders of the mac and cheese – one to eat now and two orders to go!
Of course, I had to ask him why he was doing such a thing. He went on to wax eloquently about how much he loves this mac and cheese!
They have various boards at MacGregor’s including a Pâté Board that features Olympia Provisions’ Green Peppercorn and Wine Pâté; a Charcuterie Board, a Cheese Board that features Rogue Creamy Smokey Blue, a Northwest Board with smoked salmon, and a Pastrami Board!
You can get delightful cocktails both with and without whiskey, wine by the glass or bottle, they have well curated list of craft beer & craft cider, non-alcoholic drinks like soda & hot chocolate, as well as non-alcoholic cocktails, cognac, and various specialty liqueurs.
The list of featured cocktails changes seasonally. I love cocktails and I have always been very pleased with the creative cocktails I find on the menu when I visit.
Dessert!
Get dessert when you visit MacGregor’s! They usually have at least 5 dessert options on the menu, including Scottish Shortbread with chocolate & whiskey caramel sauces, Spotted Dick (Scottish sponge cake & real imported Devonshire cream) and more.
You can sit outside in the front, there is outside seating in the back, and there are a few tables inside as well. If you arrive and there is a bit of a wait, know that this a culinary experience well worth you time.
Address
MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar
387 Laneda Ave, Manzanita, OR 97130
To see all of the Culinary Treasure Network’s Oregon Coast content – Culinary Treasure Podcasts, Craft Beer Podcasts, as well as Travel articles and This is Culinary Treasure articles go to www.AdventuresOnTheOregonCoast.com
Adventures on The Oregon Coast
If you scroll down, you will see more than 20 photos from my visits to MacGregor’s Whiskey Bar
That’s all for now! Wishing you Savory Travel Adventures!
To see all of the Culinary Treasure Network’s Maine Coast centric content – Articles, Podcasts, Shows, and more go to www.AdventuresOnTheMaineCoast.com
Mama Catzz Eggrolls is located at 3749 Leif Erikson Dr Astoria, Oregon 97103
Adventures on The Oregon Coast
To see all of the Culinary Treasure Network’s Oregon Coast content – Culinary Treasure Podcasts, Craft Beer Podcasts, as well as Travel articles and Culinary Treasure articles go to www.AdventuresOnTheOregonCoast.com
As I am writing this article it is April 2021. A little over a year ago, back in March 2020 I spent a few magical days in Greece.
This article and it’s accompanying video are the first in a series of 11 articles highlighting the wonderful adventures I had on this trip.
Most of my time for this trip was delightfully spent about an hour north of Thessaloniki in the regional unit of Kilkis.
Greece – 13 Regions and 74 Regional Units
As my Greek readers already know, in 1986 Greece was organized into 13 regions (14 if you count the Monastic Republic of Mount Athos – but that’s a story for another time)
Those 13 Regions are comprised of 74 regional units.
One of those 13 regions is Central Macedonia.
The wonderful Greek city of Thessaloniki in located in Central Macedonia.
Central Macedonia is comprised of 7 regional units – Chalkidiki, Imathia, Kilkis, Pella, Pieria, Serres, and Thessaloniki.
Yes – Thessaloniki is both the name of a fantastic city in Greece, and the name of a regional unit located with the region of Central Macedonia.
Kilkis, Kilkis, and Kilkis! – a Regional Unit, a City, and a Municipality!
Look – I don’t really want to go over this, however, I am certain that after about reading the adventures I had in Kilkis that you are going to travel there yourself, so we need briefly cover the three Kilkis’.
As I already mentioned, Kilkis is the name of one of the 7 regional units located within the Region of Central Macedonia.
Remember the regional unit of Kilkis is located about a North of the City of Thessaloniki.
Now check this out – the regional unit of Kilkis is made up of two areas known as municipalities – Paionia and wait for it – Kilkis!
For my American readers municipalities in Greece are kind of like counties in the US.
Now get this lovely madness – located within the Municipality of Kilkis there is a city named – you guessed it Kilkis!
In the Western United States within the State of California we have a good size city named Riverside. I grew up not too far from Riverside. In fact, I still remember seeing the movie Star Wars at the Tyler Mall (now the Galleria at Tyler) which is in the city of Riverside.
The City of Riverside is located within Riverside County. Imagine if the state of California was instead named the state of Riverside – You would have Riverside (the city), located with Riverside (the county) within Riverside (the state).
That’s kind of what is happening with these 3 different Kilkis’ – The City of Kilis is located in the Municipality of Kilkis, which is located in the regional unit of Kilkis, which is located within the region of Central Macedonia.
Stay with me now – my amazing adventures took place in the regional unit of Kilkis.
There are number of delightful villages, towns and cities in the regional unit of Kilkis including but not limited to — Evropos, Goumenissa, Griva, Kastaneri, Kilkis, Megala Livadia , Mouries, Plagia (Paionia), Pentalofo, Polykastro, Pontokerasia, and Skra.
My March 2021 adventures in the regional unit of Kilkis included three stellar wineries, an enchanting dive bar, a pastry shop, a stunningly beautiful church, a very lovely park, enjoying an exquisite piece of cake made with xinomavro wine, and a staying in a delightful guesthouse that was my base of operations – the Dimosthenis Guesthouse in Goumenissa.
This brings us to end of this Adventures in Kilkis article.
Look for the second article in this series Dimosthenis Guesthouse in Goumenissa – A Wonderful Home Base for Your Adventures in Kilkis to be published soon!
Below you will find some photos that preview the forthcoming articles in this series.
Wishing you Savory Travel Adventures!
Steven Shomler
#TravelSavory
#YouHaveToTravel and when you go #HaveMagnificentMeals
“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page” – Saint Augustine
Walking the Beach in Nehalem Bay State Park – Adventures on The Oregon Coast
It’s October 2020 as I type these words, and last week I was asked to put on my LifeStory Alchemist hat www.LifeStoryAlchemist.com and head to the Oregon Coast to help some fine folks work out the branding and marketing details for a really fun project they are putting together.
It was an absolutely beautiful fall day on the Oregon Coast – the sun was shining, and the temperatures were in the low 70s!
Before my meeting I made a visit to the Nehalem Bay State Park. I had never been to Nehalem Bay State Park before.
Nehalem Bay State Park
Prior to last week, when I was in that part of the Oregon Coast and I wanted to visit a state park, I have headed either north a little to Oswald West State Park, or south to Cape Lookout State Park.
This was my first ever visit to Nehalem Bay State Park and WOW! What an incredible start park!
Walking along that beach was glorious!
Even if you just have an hour, this is a stop well worth your time.
Location
Nehalem Bay State Park in located along the Tillamook Coast www.tillamookcoast.com and the address is:
9500 Sandpiper Ln
Manzanita, OR 97131
I invite you to enjoy my Nehalem Bay State Park photos below!
PS: Yes! I was rocking my Union Hall Brewery hat the day I visited Nehalem Bay State Park.
When I was in Bozeman Montana this past September (2020) I recorded an episode of the Craft Beer Podcast www.thecraftbeerpodcast.com with their Head Brewer Luke Sooy. Look for that episode to come out early next year (2021). When it does, I will be sure to put a link right here!
The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” – Saint Augustine“
“Travel to places that speak to you, and when you do find & savor local stories, and have magnificent meals!” – Steven Shomler
Adventures on The Oregon Coast
To see all of Steven Shomler’s Oregon Coast content – Culinary Treasure Podcasts, Craft Beer Podcasts, as well as Travel articles and Culinary Treasure articles go to www.AdventuresOnTheOregonCoast.com
With all that being said, let me tell you about my favorite part of the Stranger’s Guide Mediterranean edition – Greek Wine by (the one and only) Joelle Quinn.
Earlier this year I was honored to attend a wine writer’s trip to Greece.
We had a wonderful time touring some of the many fantastic wineries in the Kilkis regional unit of Greece about an hour north of Thessaloniki. I can’t say enough about the wine and food that we enjoyed!
We also got to spend some time in the enchanting town of Goumenissa. I have a few Savory Travel Adventure articles coming soon about some of the places in and around Goumenissa that are well worth your time.
On a side note – when you go to this splendid part of the world, make sure to book yourself a stay at the Dimosthenis Traditional Guesthouse run by Maria Mouzouri and her family. In addition to being a superb host, Maria is a delightful and very well informed tour guide. Lastly – If you are lucky, Maria might even get you a piece of xinomavro chocolate cake! This wine cake is soooo good!
Anyways let’s get back to Joelle’s contribution to the Stranger’s Guide Mediterranean edition.
Once your copy arrives you will get to read an overview about wine in Greece, and Joelle will introduce you to 3 simply stellar Greek wineries – Chatzivariti Winery, Tatsis Winery, and Sakalaki Winery.
I have been to each one of these lovely wineries and I can vouch for everything that Joelle says about them!
PS – If you ever get the opportunity, make sure to ask Joelle about the legend of the boar hunter. It’s one tall tale best told late at night over a really good bottle of Greek wine!
Wishing you Savory Travel Adventures!
Steven Shomler
#TravelSavory
#YouHaveToTravel and when you go #HaveMagnificentMeals
The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” – Saint Augustine