Photos by Cheryl Landes The San Diego Botanic Garden is one of my accidental discoveries during a business trip to San Diego. While driving I-5 South, I saw an exit sign for the garden and stopped to explore for a few hours. The San Diego Botanic Garden opened in 1970 in Encinitas, California, a half-hour … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: San Diego Botanic Garden
Photos by Cheryl Landes A drive to the Oregon Garden takes some effort, but the fifty-minute drive south of Portland is worth it. On the way, you'll see the farmlands of the Willamette Valley and the bountiful variety of crops that grow there. The 80-acre botanical garden, located at a luxurious resort, is open to … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Spring at the Oregon Garden in Silverton
Photos by Cheryl Landes Every spring at the site of an 1880s Victorian farmhouse in Woodland, Washington, the fragrance of the blooming lilacs fills the air. Dozens of varieties of lilacs, many as tall as trees, grow at the former dairy farm of the Klager family. Hulda Klager discovered lilac propagation while recovering from an … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens in Woodland
Photos by Cheryl Landes Kubota Garden, a hidden gem of beauty and history in of South Seattle, is my favorite garden in the city. It's the work of Fujitaro Kubota, a self-taught gardener who immigrated from Japan to Seattle in 1907. He dreamed of creating gardens that showcased the Northwest in a Japanese manner. In … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Spring at Kubota Garden in Seattle
Photos by Cheryl Landes The 230-acre Washington Park Arboretum is on the shore of Lake Washington in Seattle's University District. The arboretum is managed by the University of Washington Botanic Gardens and the City of Seattle. Trails wind through seven themed gardens, from Azalea Way to the Japanese Garden. On today's tour, we'll spend the … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: A spring walk in Washington Park Arboretum in Seattle
In an arrangement with Universal, Andrew Lloyd Webber set up The Shows Must Go On!, a YouTube channel that streams his full-length showtunes adapted to screen every Friday night. Also watch backstage videos and interviews with the stars of these productions. The Shows Must Go On! started three weeks ago with Joseph and the Technicolor … Continue reading Watch Andrew Lloyd Webber’s full-length musicals for free
The campgrounds are closed because of COVID-19, but that doesn't need to stop you from camping out. "How's that possible?" you're probably asking. Well, Washington State Parks has the answer: The Great Washington Camp-In, which is tonight at 6:30 p.m. Pacific time. Here's how it works: Set up a tent in your home or yard. … Continue reading Go camping without leaving home tonight
Photos by Cheryl Landes Lakewold Gardens in University Place, south of Tacoma, is a horticulturist's haven. A historic estate, the name of the gardens originate from a Middle Eastern term meaning lakewoods. The estate overlooks a lake and is a beautiful place to wander rain or shine. Unlike many gardens in the Pacific Northwest, Lakewold … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Lakewold Gardens
Shemekia Copeland sings at the 2019 Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, Oregon. Photos by Cheryl Landes So many festivals are cancelling or postponing this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. I'm now seeing cancellations through July. The Waterfront Blues Festival was among the first July events to cancel this year. Organizers announced the move shortly … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland
Image credits: Vermont Jazz Center in Brattleboro Before the coronavirus pandemic caused everyone to shelter in place, the Vermont Jazz Center was planning the fourth annual Solo Jazz Piano Festival in Brattleboro. Instead of cancelling the event this year, they decided to move it online. On Friday and Saturday, April 24-25, join well-known and rising … Continue reading Stream Vermont Jazz Center’s 4th Annual Solo Jazz Piano Festival April 24-25
Tabby Cat's Pawprints 