Columns

A coffee a day keeps homesickness at bay 

As some of you may know, I moved to the area nearly six months ago from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. I resided there for all four years of my bachelor's degree and was living in London for two years prior to studying.

Autumn affair: I flirt with fall while loving summer

As I've gotten older, I've grown to appreciate and prefer warmer, sunny weather conditions. After reaching the half-century age, a person doesn't often become stronger, bigger and tougher — except mentally or spiritually, perhaps.

Tricks and treats from Halloweens past

While I was growing up as a kid, Halloween ran a close second to Christmas when it came to holidays.

Good looking, what’s cookin’? Nothing on my watch

With each passing year when the holidays approach, one truth remains self-evident: I wasn’t born with the gene that enables cooking or baking. That isn’t to say I’m incapable of reading a recipe and cobbling together something edible with the proper ingredients.

Fresh coffee fuels my days, one cup at a time

In dreaming of my perfect morning, coffee is always at the forefront of my mental images.  To me, it's more than just a drink — it's a ritual, serving as a reminder every morning to slow down and be present before the chaos of the day overtakes my mind.

Memories of playing Putt-Putt as national contest gets rolling

Growing up, I was never a particularly good athlete as a kid. I was a pretty decent baseball player. I had a good batting eye and was a strong enough fielder to play shortstop in my little league years – skills that carried over to my softball days in later years.

Eyes, ears in tune with movies, music plus popcorn

Any readers familiar with this space since July may recollect that I’ve referenced musicians and films once or thrice; also inclined to write film reviews on Wednesdays when the mood strikes.

Adventures with the greatest four-legged escape artist

If you are a regular reader of my column (thanks, if you are), then you have seen me mention my dog, Whiskey, from time to time.  It’s been 11 months to the day since I adopted Whiskey in Washington state, where I lived prior to moving to Florida.

Newspapers endure as black, white and read all over

National Newspaper Week is winding down, but my memories about traditional newspapers remain as vivid as fresh ink. For my money, there still isn’t much that beats the feeling of holding a newspaper in my hands. (Cold, hard cash and a good novel are other items that come to mind.

Breaking bread with Buddy and visitor visionaries

This past Friday, I had the pleasure of having lunch with Gil Langley, president & CEO, and Paul Beirnes, Vice President, of the Amelia Island Convention & Visitors Bureau, along with legendary Fernandina Beach attorney Buddy Jacobs.