My life is not exactly an open book, but I do open it up enough to write about the things I see and do. Most often, my blog writings are first-hand accounts of experiences which I, personally, have had. The books I write, however, are fiction. Sometimes they are based on someone's life. Other times, the stories come from wherever nuggets of inspiration are born.

Whether it is a story told about a real experience or a story told from my imagination, it is my mission to touch the lives of people who read my work, to take them on a journey somewhere, to provide an escape, a rest, a deliverance and, if we're both lucky, to crack open once again, that part of who we are that is connected, from writer to reader, and back again.

Below is a beginning. It is the list of places where you can read my writings. The books will be forthcoming, but for now, I invite you to take a look, go with me on my journeys, drink coffee with me, taste my food, and let's get to know each other in the process.

I am most at home when traveling the globe, meeting new people, and exploring their communities. My husband and I spend much of the year visiting places near and far. Each location is experienced to the fullest by taking tours, eating where the locals eat, and soaking in as much culture as can be found in museums, theater offerings, markets, and festivals. Jet Planes and Coffee is a blog which documents our travels while sharing what I learn along the way.

Join me over a cup of coffee to explore ideas, treasures, and tips for navigating great cities and small towns around the world. Below is the RSS feed for this blog. Click any of the links to visit the site.

My grandmother Ruth is the inspiration for Kitchen Dilettante, a blog about all things food--eating it, cooking it, discovering it. She is part of the reason why I took up cooking in the first place and most of the reason why I know how powerful food can be.

Grandma worked magic in the kitchen, stirring up stick-to-your-ribs meals big enough to feed whole armies. I never once saw her reach for a recipe box. She did everything from memory and sheer instinct. Her specialties grew out of her life lived in the Southern US–Arkansas and Texas with a smidge of southern Kansas and eastern Oklahoma–so she served a lot of things that were fried, smeared in gravy, and laden in fat.

Neither of my grandmothers nor my mom allowed us kids in the kitchen much. My forays into cooking as a child and teenager were definitely done when no adult was around and typically included a blue box of macaroni and cheese or a tube of refrigerated cinnamon rolls. Beyond that, if I tried to make something on my own, it was usually a disaster. The story of my first try making chocolate chip cookies lives on in infamy to this day. The second attempt, several years later, was better but can still bring up some giggles if you ask the right people about it.

It wasn’t until Pam, a friend of mine in Seattle, suggested the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks that the clouds parted and the angels started to sing, welcoming me into the kitchen. Every single recipe I have made from Ina Garten’s treasure of books has turned into a success. Her instructions are easy to follow, most of the time the ingredients are very familiar, her methods are simple, and everything is packed with flavor. Everything.

I owe Pam a meal for suggesting the Contessa’s work to me. Between Ms. Garten’s cookbooks and her TV show on Food Network, my love of cooking has blossomed, so too, my realization of just how powerful my grandmother was with her ability to feed her family in such creative and delicious ways.

So now that you know a little bit about where I’m coming from, my goal going forward is to not only open my heart and mind to the power of food but to share with you what I’ve learned. Food, time spent in the kitchen and around a table are all experiences meant to be shared. 

This isn’t just about me, though. I want to hear from you. Tell me your own experiences of favorite meals (made or eaten or both). Together, at this virtual table we share, we can unlock the mysteries of food and become friends for life.

Below is the RSS feed for this blog. Click on any link to visit the site.