The Palladian Traveler arrives at the very spot where Peter the Great grabbed a shovel, broke ground and gave birth to St. Petersburg as he files his third dispatch from his Easy Pace Russia journey.

As I window shopped along the pristine streets of Monaco’s Golden Circle, where the chic clothing venues of Hermes, Christian Dior, Gucci and Prada are located, I decided then and there I would save my Christmas shopping for later. Passing the legendary Casino de Monte-Carlo, it occurred to me that I could fatten my billfold at the palatial establishment.

Every summer, throngs of tourists from Germany and Great Britain descend to splay their pallid bodies on the glorious beaches that ring this island off the coast of Spain. They soak up the sun, swim and sail in the Mediterranean, swarm Mallorca's shops and restaurants, drink her wine, consume her olive oil, and snore in her hotels.

Two Washington exhibits, terrifyingly timely for the stark options before us, demand attention from the recently returned 116th Congress. The Warmth of Other Suns, an exploration of the plight of migrants and refugees, at the Phillips Collection, departs Sept. 22nd. The David H. Koch Fossil Hall — Deep Time, at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum is, like its fossils, here for the long haul

Okay, I know not everyone believes in the Loch Ness Monster, the Easter Bunny or even Santa Claus but everyone believes in Bigfoot, right? Right???? I know this because I’ve actually been to his very own park in Branson, Missouri, dedicated to all things related to the big, hairy guy.

A balmy breeze wafted across our faces. The mountain air was as refreshing as only a mountain atmosphere can brighten one’s day. The crisp and unique aromas of summer drifted over all those at this mountainside location. It was exquisite. Given what we were about to see was in complete contrast to the marvelous climate, and far more about why so many from around the world are still mesmerized by a man and a unique building that he occasionally visited: The Eagles Nest & Adolf Hitler.

Just like Porfiry Petrovich, Dostoevsky’s lead detective in Crime and Punishment, the Palladian Traveler strolls down Nevsky Prospect and conducts his own investigation of St. Petersburg.

Julianne Moore launched her career on episodic television programs such as “The Edge of Night,” “Another World,” “B.L. Stryker,” and “30 Rock.” She eventually moved onto the big screen where she gave memorable performances in The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Body of Evidence, Benny & Joon, The Fugitive, Roommates, Nine Months, Surviving Picasso...

Ancient cobbled walkways wandering off from Placa Saint Jaume in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter just wide enough for horse and carriage and strangely mysterious and mystifying on this late May evening, pulled us in among the darkness of Barcelona’s medieval times past shards of Roman walls with tales to share.

The Palladian Traveler barely touches down in the “Land of the Tsars” and he immediately satisfies his craving for caviar in his first dispatch from St. Petersburg.

OK, hear me out on this because what I’m going to share with you is not only surprising, but also – in my humble view – almost unknown. Which is why I call my features “Travel With A Difference.”

Who says you have to go to the beach and fight traffic and hordes of people to escape the heat? Why not head about 90 miles east of Los Angeles and cool down at a luxurious, air conditioned resort with a giant pool and lazy river, gourmet restaurants, a 4-Diamond hotel, a full-service spa and lots of great slots and gaming.

Recently my 22-year-old nephew demanded in his own special way for me to name what was my favorite adventure destination. After a bit of hemming and hawing, I finally succumbed, but explained that everyone's concept of favorite is subjective. . Plus bad weather and even your emotional state at that given moment can play with your judgment.

It is not often that a toilet and a tea ceremony form perfect metaphors for the culture of a country, but so it is in Japan. The toilet falls into the realm of delightful personal discoveries – albeit all of them in the hotel bathroom of the Kyoto Park Hotel.

While I generally don’t begin a review citing production values, I’m compelled to send a love letter to Chanya Button both for the screenplay, co-written with Dame Eileen Atkins, and for her delicate, but commanding direction of this historic, fascinating true story.

In Washington, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Except when they get worse. The recent Democratic Party Presidential Debates had me thinking on the enclosed essay on campaign finance, fished out of the wayback machine, that appeared in Barron’s. Way back, over two decades.

The Palladian Traveler lurks in the shadows while attempting to solve a riddle, wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma as he files a series of new dispatches from St. Petersburg and Moscow.

A young, precocious girl who has just started to think in a different light about what used to be the enemy — boys! — tells us that her future dreamboat will have many, very specific qualities, and among them, he will speak three languages! She is wise beyond her years, a bit of a loner, highly expressive, spending hours, it would seem, with her diary — writing poetry, songs, and mentally meandering all over the globe...

It’s almost impossible not to fall under the spell of this dreamscape where round, domed houses known as trulli rise from gentle hillsides. Alberobello will make you feel like you’ve stepped into the pages of a fairy tale, but this small town in Italy’s southeastern Puglia region is decidedly of this world, fashioned from limestone, surrounded by centuries-old vineyards and olive groves, and home to 11,000 residents.

Last month many in Europe, and possibly others around the world, celebrated the 75th Anniversary of June 6th, 1944, when the Allies invaded Normandy in France to begin WW2’s liberation of Europe from Nazi tyranny. As a result of this 2019 Anniversary of the 1944 invasion, newspapers, television shows, magazines, and the media in general, were filled with photos of that June 6th day in 1944, along with remembrances by the few remaining WW2 military that – amazingly – are still with us.

Heels down. Toes out. Squeeze with calves, not knees. Lighten up on the reins. Sink your butt into the saddle. So began my first riding lesson at the Arizona Cowboy College in Scottsdale which was followed by instructions in grooming, shoeing, advanced riding techniques and roping. And this was just a one-day primer to what other “city slickers” channeling Billy Crystal experience in their five-day cattle drive at the College...

Julianne Moore (Julie) is one of Hollywood’s most gifted actors. She has won an Academy Award and an Emmy and was the first American woman to be feted with acting awards at film festivals including, Cannes, Berlin and Venice. Due to her father’s military career, Julianne lived in dozens of countries around the world.

The attractive Catalan language drifts through Barcelona, an ancient port city built atop Roman ruins with bits and pieces of 4th century architecture proudly standing tall amidst the mad crush of 21st century tourism. With its countless tree-lined streets and glorious architecture, Barcelona appears to have been blessed by a goddess from the World of Art who draped her large silk scarf over the city to ensure an artistic bent.