There are many “must see” places in Washington, DC. I could name several - The White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Smithsonian museums, the Washington Monument, the National Mall (green space), the Washington National Cathedral, etc… While seeing the government buildings and monuments are a fabulous experience during the day, it is also a special experience to view them lit up at night.

A week ago I met a friend (also named Deanna - which is fun to me because it is a rarity) in Lincoln, Nebraska and she introduced me to an iconic eating establishment she has been going to for years.

It is, unfortunately, well-known by those that know me that I am sort of an ice cream junkie. I have a weakness for ice cream in all its various forms and flavors. As I’ve gotten older, I have tried to cut down on my ice cream intake, but when in Milan (or Italy in general), you need to sample the gelato.

Today I feature my first guest blogger, my son! I told him he could write about any topic he wanted and he picked this, as The Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota is one of his favorite places to visit.

When I was in college I went to DC to visit a friend who was working as an intern. She was working during the day so I had five days to visit many of the museums. I remember visiting the National Gallery of Art and being both amazed and overwhelmed. But, that was the museum that prompted my curiosity about art and artists.

Check out my blog schedule for this week! 😎

DC has some fantastic restaurants! When I travel. part of the fun is trying new restaurants or local foods. I enjoy trying new foods or the same old, same old prepared differently.

Taking a break this weekend to attend an arts retreat. But click on this summary post to locate a few popular posts you may have missed!

I have always enjoyed a good story. When I travel, I like to listen to podcasts and audiobooks. They seem to help driving long distances fly by. I have several travel podcasts I enjoy, but I found a new (to me) podcast this week that may top them all.

Read about my visit to the White House in May of 2023!

I have been taking inexpensive classes this year from Kelli Sweet, who runs a creative organization called Hibernate and Create. Next weekend is their big Spring retreat and I can’t wait! I am signed up for several classes and I’m so excited to be going! Great news! You can still sign up yourself!

One of the things I like most about travel is the surprises. This is a story of one of those chance encounters that became a surprise.

I am a total cathedral aficionado. I go cuckoo over cathedrals, particularly those in Europe. I have seen many unbelievably gorgeous cathedrals. But there was one cathedral still on my bucket list - the famous Milan Duomo.

Think the Library of Congress is for bookworms only? Think again, my friends! I took a short trek to Washington, D.C. last May and this is what I discovered on my very first visit.

So, you’ve decided you want to “get out of town.” What next?

One question I have been asked fairly frequently is, “How do you find and select good lodging when you travel?”

Spring means tulips, mild sunny days, and lots of new things to do both indoors and outdoors in the Midwest. Here’s a list of fun activities to do in the next few weeks in he Omaha area. Let’s get out there! 😁

I’m going to start posting twice a week (see earlier schedule) about my 37-day trip to Europe last summer. And I’m choosing to start with the most fabulous, economical place to stay in Milan - the K34 Milano B & B operated by my now-dear Italian friend, Stefania!

I absolutely love taking photo after photo while I travel! It probably comes as no surprise to many of you.