Harry Potter (specifically the lure of seeing the castle that starred as Hogwarts) was enough to get us to take a detour to Alnwick Castle in Northeast England on our drive from Manchester to Edinburgh. But when we arrived we learned that there’s a lot more to Alnwick Castle than being the location where they [...]

By name, England's Alnwick Castle isn't that well known. But by sight? That's Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry you're looking at. Well, in real life it's the entrance to the state rooms at Alnwick Castle, a still-inhabited Medieval castle in Northumberland. But to Harry Potter fans, it's the ultimate destination as the castle's exterior [...]

I saw 1,000 naked people at The Lowry (pictured above) in Manchester on Sunday. Well, I saw photos of them at least. In honor of the tenth anniversary of The Lowry, New York-based photographer Spencer Tunick came over to Manchester and convinced 1,000 locals to pose in the buff. The "Everyday People" exhibit runs through [...]

At first glance, walking down Deansgate in Manchester, we thought it was a church. And once you're inside, at times you could easily make the same mistake. But no, this is John Rylands Library, and it's never been a church. Enriqueta Rylands commissioned this library in memory of her husband John Rylands in 1889, and [...]

When I arrived in Manchester, England, this morning, I was expecting plenty of beautiful Victorian architecture with along with some striking modern structures. Well, they definitely have that there — a great mix of old ornate buildings with some shiny and new. But what intrigued me the most as I wandered around the city jet-lagged [...]

Last summer, I spent 8 days in Turkey. While I had ample time to explore the amazing city of Istanbul and the otherworldly region of Cappadocia, I was frustrated that I didn't get to see the rest of the country. So when Amanda Lobell and Neil Roach planned their Turkey trip in July so that [...]

Last Friday, I went to NYC’s Museum of Modern Art for a story I was writing about an artist whose goal it is to draw Every Person In New York. (By the way, you don’t have to live in NYC to be part of the project — as long as you’re in the city when [...]

Based on my post about the many totem poles of Ketchikan, Alaska, I may have given the impression that totem poles are the only thing the town has to offer. While it is the Totem Pole Capital of the World, it's actually a charming place in its own right. I enjoyed walking around picturesque Creek [...]

When I saw Robin Hood, something about it seemed very familiar. It wasn't the plot, which I thought was a very interesting take on legend, as it left off where most of the other films have chosen to begin. It wasn't Sherwood Forest which I got to visit on my trip to Nottingham, because the [...]

Remember when the Winter Olympics was going on and it was all anyone was talking about? You know, Lindsay Vonn, figure skating, USA vs. Canada hockey, the mystery of curling and all that. But once all of the medals have been collected and the closing ceremonies, everyone seems to forget all about the Winter Olympics [...]