Bucket lists? We all have them, but 2014 woke me up to so many places I had not been to in 5, 20, 30 years. Sure, I may have been to the city, but not necessarily to a particular landmark or neighborhood and it was good to see how they have evolved and innovated in different ways
Central Park, New York
The Park continues to attract a huge number of species of birds – a tribute to nature in that concrete jungle, and good to see EVs, wifi, remote controlled boats and other technology nicely mesh with the green setting.
Chicago riverfront
Been to this city many times, but had not cruised the river in over two decades. Great to see the architectural genres evolve in the buildings on the river designed by famous architects like Mies van der Rohe, Bertrand Goldberg, and Skidmore, Owings and Merrill.
The Städel, Frankfurt
As big city museums like the Met and Louvre go, The Städel is tiny, but it has a scenic riverfront location, and it has evolved nicely in design, technology and content since my visit there three decades ago.
Galway, Ireland
Two decades ago, Galway was a sleepy town in the sleepy West of Ireland. During our visit in 2014, I saw an impressive city of education, arts (UNESCO City of Film) and other areas of innovation.
New Orleans
Good to see this city bounce back from the devastation of Katrina. I did not recognize much of the city from my last visit here 15 years ago.
World of Coca-Cola, Atlanta
This will always be kitsch but fascinating to see the global and technological innovation at this remarkable company – my last visit here was a decade ago.
Chihuly Gardens, Seattle
I seem to find Chihulys in various settings every couple of years, but going to his permanent exhibit in Seattle made me admire even more the magic he continues to spin in glass
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Blanca, my hair dresser often tells me how poor Puerto Rico was when she was growing up. Visiting the island after 15 years, it was good to see the bustling city and an affluent middle class which justifies many airlines and cruise lines expanding on the island.
John Wayne Airport
Had not flown into this airport in over 15 years, but when I did this year I was pleasantly surprised to see how nicely it has evolved while continuing to be an enjoyable experience especially compared to nearby LAX.
California wine country
Technology and sustainable practices keep evolving the region, but I was impressed at how much more enjoyable the visits to wineries have become since my last visit to Napa 15 years ago. This one was to a small winery, O Shaughnessy in Angwin.
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