By John Egan The first thing you notice when arriving in downtown Pagosa Springs, Colorado, is the smell. It’s the faint essence of rotten eggs, but the fumes are the by-product of one of Pagosa Springs’ chief assets, the world’s deepest volcanic hot springs, and people flock to the springs year-round to sit in the […]
Wedged between an auto parts store and Yuppie Pawn, this local Italian joint looks a little dubious from the outside. And in a metro area dominated by the likes of nationally-known restaurateurs Tom Douglas and Jonathan Sundstrom, it’s easy to see how a homey spot like this gets overlooked.
By Martha Branson ITWPA Member Travel to Cabo San Lucas from southern California is easy and inexpensive and the area remains one of the safer places to visit in Mexico. It has a reputation for being a tourist trap and a spring break mecca, but if you seek out lesser-known businesses and attractions and places […]
By Adriana Popa An inexhaustible destination and a dream vacation spot for many travelers around the world, Italy has something to offer in every region, and accommodations range from unassuming family-owned farmhouses to five-star hotels and renovated medieval castles. One shining example of the latter is the 12th century Castello di Montegufoni in Tuscany’s Chianti […]
By Joanne Reid It’s early morning in the beautiful city of Victoria, British Columbia, and already we are on our way to The Butchart Gardens, located in the Brentwood Bay area. The gardens are on 55 acres of land originally purchased and used by the Butchart family to build a cement factory (due to its […]
By Audra Brianne ITWPA Member Nude sunbathing isn’t for everyone. Hot sun beating down on head-to-toe exposed skin, displaying less than pencil-thin bodies, and sand traveling everywhere.
By Kimberly Johnson ITWPA Member Located off bustling Wisconsin Avenue in the boho-chic part of Georgetown hides a little farm-to-taco eatery known as Chaia (a.k.a. “swimsuit body friendly”). This trendy eatery dishes up highly sought after tacos, making it the perfect spot for tourists and locals craving a healthy, gluten-free meal. What you won’t find in these tacos is meat. What you will find is quite possibly the best vegetarian tacos in Washington, D.C.
Today the park is an oasis for locals and tourists alike. Managed by Parks Victoria, the gardens are a well-maintained blend of exotic and native flora. Maples, ginkgoes, and catalpa intermingle with indigenous ferns, orchids, and eucalyptus trees. Beautiful all year round, each season offers something new. Rhododendrons, azaleas, and cherry flowers bloom in the spring, and hydrangeas and fuchsias in summer. Autumn brings colorful foliage, and camellias and kalmia flower in winter.
Two parlors with cozy fireplaces, each furnished with an antique velvet couch and period tables and lamps, invite reading and playing games. While you are relaxing, you might want to read a story about the resident ghost, Rue, or peruse the Cook Book, for a look-see at what might be on the breakfast table in the morning.
Although Victoria Butterfly Gardens is small in size and can be toured in an hour, you may wish to stay longer, wandering the pathways that will bring you to ponds filled with koi, tortoises, frogs, and tropical birds including the peaceful and elegant flamingos.
