Purposeful Play

At its core, the book is less about geography and more about perspective. Steinbeck travels through a wide range of American regions—from New England to the Pacific Northwest to the Deep South—observing landscapes, conversations, and cultural attitudes along the way. Each stop becomes an opportunity to reflect on how rapidly the country is changing and how distance can reshape one’s understanding of home.

Into Thin Air is a gripping and harrowing nonfiction account of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster, written by journalist and climber Jon Krakauer. Blending personal memoir with investigative reporting, the book recounts one of the deadliest climbing seasons in Everest’s history, offering a detailed and deeply human look at ambition, risk, and survival at extreme altitude.

A Walk in the Woods is a witty, observant, and often laugh-out-loud account of one man’s attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. Written by travel writer Bill Bryson, the book blends personal memoir, travelogue, and environmental commentary into an entertaining narrative about ambition, nature, and the unpredictable realities of long-distance hiking.

Seabiscuit: An American Legend is a richly detailed and emotionally engaging nonfiction narrative that brings to life one of the most unexpected champions in American sports history. Written by Laura Hillenbrand, the book goes far beyond horse racing to tell a story about perseverance, resilience, and the search for hope during one of the most difficult periods in American history.

As an adventure traveler myself, this speaks to me on a personal level, of following passion and living the dream. On the Hippie Trail is a vivid and reflective travel memoir that follows an overland journey from Istanbul to Kathmandu along the famous “hippie trail” of the 1970s. Written by travel writer Rick Steves, the book combines travel narrative, cultural observation, and personal reflection to show how a formative journey through Asia shaped his worldview and influence

Under the Tuscan Sun is a warm, sensory-rich memoir that celebrates the pleasures of slowing down, renovating a crumbling home, and building a life rooted in place. Written by poet and travel writer Frances Mayes, the book follows her experience purchasing and restoring an old villa in the Tuscan countryside, blending travel writing, memoir, and reflections on food, landscape, and belonging.

Wild is a raw, introspective memoir that follows Cheryl Strayed’s solo journey hiking more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. Written by Cheryl Strayed, the book is as much about emotional survival as it is about physical endurance, tracing a path through grief, self-destruction, and ultimately, healing.

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert is a reflective memoir that follows a year-long journey of self-discovery across Italy, India, and Indonesia. Written after a painful divorce and a period of emotional crisis, the book traces Gilbert’s attempt to rebuild her sense of identity by seeking pleasure, spiritual discipline, and balance in different parts of the world. The author reminds me of my self on my own personal path, and I appreciated her insights.

The story follows a mother and her son through the different stages of his life—from infancy to adulthood. Throughout it all, she repeats the same soothing lullaby: “I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, as long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.” That repetition becomes the emotional thread of the book, grounding each stage of life in a sense of constant, unwavering love.

One of the most striking aspects of Frankenstein is how sympathetic the “monster” becomes as the story unfolds. Rather than being purely frightening, the creature is thoughtful, sensitive, and painfully aware of his own isolation. His longing for connection and acceptance is what gives the novel much of its emotional weight. In many ways, he feels more human than Victor himself, which creates a powerful contrast between creator and creation, and invites readers to question wh

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron is one of those rare books that feels less like something you read and more like something you experience. First published in the early 1990s, it has quietly become a classic in the world of creativity and self-discovery, guiding millions of readers back to a more authentic, expressive version of themselves.

Packing light sounds like a dream—until you’re standing over your suitcase thinking, “But what if I need this?” The truth is, most of us don’t actually need as much as we think we do. Packing light isn’t about going without—it’s about being intentional so your trip feels easier, more flexible, and a lot less stressful.

This book is passion and pain. Whimsy and wrath. Love and loss. The hunger that makes us feel alive, and the walls we construct to hide behind. It’s been a long time since a novel drew me in at this level. All in, where my raw emotions live. This is one of those rare stories that leaves you deeply changed as you turn the final page.

Bring a blanket and a picnic, or purchase food and wine onsite. There is no charge to listen to the bands and wander the grounds. Parking is also free. Most weekends there are gourmet food trucks, wine tastings and picnic tables available. Date night, family fun, hanging out with friends or parties. It's all around casual good time. Gorgeous views from the lawn area, and they'll even let you stroll through the vineyard itself.

To me the ocean, in essence, is a place of love where my inner child laughs and plays. And that, above all, is where its true magic and beauty is found.

What have YOU been putting off and waiting for? It's never too late to believe in your dreams, even the ones you haven't nurtured for awhile.

If you’re looking for the quintessential laid back island town, Key West is the place for you. The furthest south you can get in the continental US, it has romance and character to spare. Friendly locals, plenty to do and see and did I mention chickens that roam free in the street?

As we stood looking down on the city we had worked so hard to come and see he reminded us that Macchu Picchu was just the destination. It was the journey that was everything. And it was. Thank you Peru for the memories.