Cruising Europe’s Waterways on a Barge Boat
(Originally Published in Bottom Line Personal) If you’re an experienced traveler, you may have dreamed of some new way to explore an area you love visiting or would love to visit. Barge travel is a growing trend that allows you to cruise in slow, intimate luxury along lesser-traveled waterways...
Culinary Travel
(Originally Published in Bottom Line Personal) Many hardcore amateur chefs and gourmands (self-described “foodies”) give gastronomy top billing when they travel…and travel companies are happy to accommodate them, offering culinary vacations and culinary tours that allow them to not only taste but learn to cook exotic cuisines. But even...
Travel Shows
(Originally Published in Frommer's) Travel shows can be a great way to plan a vacation—and save money. But it helps to have a plan. It was a freezing day in January, yet the cavernous Javits Center in New York City was packed with 600 travel booths and an estimated...
The Caregivers’ Guide to Traveling: How to Navigate Airports with Passengers with Special Needs
(Originally Published in Frommer's) If you are a caregiver traveling with your care recipient, navigating the airport can be daunting. But with a little know-how and strategic planning, you can turn airport navigation into an empowering experience. Dr. Carol Sargent, a disability travel consultant, says, "Through travel, you learn...
I’m an American and Get All My Dental Work Done in Tijuana
(Originally Published in Fodor's) Getting our teeth fixed in Mexico started as a money-saver and ended as a sightseeing adventure. We were shocked! My husband Stu’s estimated dental bill was $33,800, not one penny covered by Medicare or insurance. Our New Jersey dentist’s plan included five extractions, two root...
Leading Age: Relief Packages for Elder Americans
Aging Services Leader Unveils Relief Package for Older Americans Calling on Administration & Congress to Prioritize Services & Resources to Help Older Americans at Highest Risk From Omicron Surge Six Point Proposal includes $5 Hike in Care Professionals’ Hourly Wages, Dedicated Testing System and Therapeutics Supply, Support for Affordable...
Just Stop It! Don’t Discuss Your Health at Restaurants
Hearing about your gall bladder while I’m eating onion soup is more than unpleasant. It is hazardous to my health. Yet, almost daily I am assaulted with medical talk at lunch, at dinner—almost anywhere I go for a bite. Just stop with med talk while people are eating. Yes,...
Advice to a Woman Turning 40 from a Woman Turning 70
I was on vacation enjoying a terrific massage when the masseuse, who I know a little bit, asked me a very serious question. “I’m turning 40, and it’s making me depressed. I’m yelling at my husband and crying a lot. Do you have any advice for me?” Oh, yes. But...
Should You Get Married? Here’s the Answer
Your life is in good shape. Finances are under control. You enjoy your friends, children and grandchildren…you live in a nice place and things seem settled. Being widowed or divorced was never your long-term plan, but, here it is, and life is not bad. Then it happens… The person...
There Is Beauty in Old Age: How Two Guys From the 19th Century Influenced Today’s Images of Aging
I’ve been hearing that only recently have there been juicy parts for actors of a certain age. Entertainment pundits cite the Netflix series Grace and Frankie, movies like Book Club and theatre like The Band’s Visit as proving that aging is finally “in.” Bah Boo to the pundits. It all began long ago, in...