While driving deep into the desert of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, we sat three hours in a van, which was part of a convoy, apparently to assist other vans in case of mechanical failures or possible attacks from unknown assailants. There were many checkpoints along the way, guarded by soldiers and policemen. With us were two very nervous U.S. tourists who spoke endlessly of the nearby war that was geographically close but emotionally felt light years away. The other occupants in the van consisted of driver, our own policeman and our highly educated guide whose narrative of the harsh landscape of sand and boulders had the shaped mountains, the home of the nomadic Arabic Bedouin people, making the hours seem like minutes.

Citizens in the U.S. South often get a bad rap. But it's not due to lack of humor. In a sense, they're very much like the Swedish pop group, ABBA; where we think we're laughing at them, but they're really laughing at themself, and asking us to join along.

The best films of 2023 proved to be an eclectic and exciting mix of thought provoking cinema. Narratives ranged from genocide, lost loves and rebirth, immigrant experiences, stories pulled from headlines and a small boarding school in New England. The year was rich with directorial vision and personal styles: the unblemished truth by documentarian Frederick Wiseman, lonely science fiction from Andrew Haigh, the exploding imagery of Martin Scorsese, Justine Triet’s moments of tensity, the Bressonian minimalism of Aki Kaurismäki and Jonathan Glazer’s dialectical montage of image and sound.

"Killers of the Flower Moon" was Robbie Robertson's final soundtrack for director Martin Scorsese. The former leader, main composer and lead guitarist of the rock group, The Band, scored the film shortly before his death, and Scorsese dedicated the film to him. "Killers of the Flower Moon" closed with the Osage song, Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People), composed by Osage Nation Tribal Members, Scott George, Kenny Bighorse, and Vann Bighorse. Roberston felt that 'the music of the Osage is the best display of their extraordinary survival. Robertson who is a member of the Cayuga and Mohawk Tribal Nations and part Canadian of Jewish ancestry, was the music producer on over ten earlier Martin Scorsese films. Rest in peace, Robbie. We had wished for more of your music to come.

German actor Franz Rogowski delivered the best performance of 2023 as an egotistical film director who loses control of his own life in Ira Sachs’ Passages. There were many other great performances, which I noted in Traveling Boy Selects Top Films From 2023 and Beyond the Films of 2023.

Most people know of - and many people live by - the aphorism "It's 5 o'clock somewhere," but during my recent trip to Hollywood, Florida, it took on an even more special meaning. When Jimmy Buffett died in September 2023, he left behind a beloved legacy of famous songs. Such is true of many well-known musicians. But none has also left behind an empire of bars, restaurants and hotels as celebrated as the artist himself. The various "Margaritavilles" - based on Buffett's 1977 hit song - attract thousands of visitors nationwide and it felt particularly fitting, as an ardent fan, to visit one.

If you ever get the chance to hang out with D.K. Harrell and his band, make sure it's over the breakfast table. The conversation flows fast and thick like our biscuits and gravy and the subject matter ranges from everything family and friends, good times, hard times and all things music. The entire band is well-versed in the latter and all speak fluent blues, jazz, soul, R&B and roots dialects. Not only young and talented, they openly display a shared enthusiasm and serious commitment to the music they love. You see it clearly when they acknowledge influences or when praising those who paved the way, but it grabs you by the throat when they step on stage and you witness it up close and personal with every note they play.

From my untrained eyes, the collections seem to be more contemporary than historical. In fact, you can rent the venue for personal and business functions. There are permanent displays as well as seasoned highlights of contemporary artists. At the time of my visit, the featured artist was Ayana V. Jackson. Kudos to the architects and the exhibit designers who gave each room its own personality.

Castro Coleman has had and continues to have a masterful career in the Gospel music realm. His gospel catalogue includes over 125 recording credits on more than 50 national releases and the man continues to perform and produce music in that genre with his quartet, The True Believers. But his versatility and showmanship has blossomed in so many directions over the years even fans are surprised by his accomplishments; and there are many.

Port Hueneme is a hidden gem on the California coast. Tucked between a naval base and a large port, the oceanfront town in Ventura County is easy to pass on the freeway, but as I recently learned, it is well worth an overnight visit.