And while the Stockyards is plenty touristy, it still keeps in touch with its roots. For instance, on Feb. 8 of every year, a gunfight occurs in front of the White Elephant Saloon. Fortunately, the guns aren’t loaded, but that wasn’t the case back in 1887, when saloon owner Luke Short took out former city marshal Jim Courtright in what’s known as the city’s last great shootout. See it re-enacted next week in a show that blends facts and entertainment to create an engaging look at what Fort Worth used to be.

Get more details in this story I wrote for Texas Journey magazine.

The super-secret not-that-secret Knee High Stocking Company

When most Americans hear “Capitol Hill,” they probably think Schoolhouse Rock! and politics. Seattleites, though, know Capitol Hill as the place where everyone lives (it’s said to be the most densely populated neighborhood in Seattle) and all the bars are. Okay, there are bars elsewhere, but there are an awful lot of them here.

I recently covered some of the Emerald City’s neighborhoods for Journey (the magazine for AAA Washington), which you can see here, including Capitol Hill. As it often goes, only so many words can fit on a page, so Capitol Hill got a shorter representation than Georgetown (another ‘hood that shares a D.C. name) and Ballard (all our own, as far as I know). Plus, we had to leave room for some of my friend Lora‘s great photos.

And so, here’s what I would have said, if there was more space:

Capitol Hill
From atop the water tower in Volunteer Park high on Capitol Hill, a 360-degree panorama of Seattle’s best-known landmarks rewards those who put in the effort to climb all the stairs. And just as you can see everything from up here, this densely populated neighborhood has a little of everything: coffeehouses, historic movie theaters, independent bookstores, a thriving LGBT scene, and nightlife galore. In particular, a good drink for all tastes is never far away. Feeling nostalgic for the days of flappers and feather boas? Drop in to the speakeasy Knee High Stocking Company, where a lighted doorbell and small sign are the only clues a bar is hidden at the corner of Olive Place and Olive Way. Live by the motto that you should always eat (or drink) dessert first? Dilettante has chocolate martinis that delight with their decadence. Want a real feel for the ’hood? Then it’s off to The Elite, also known as the “gay Cheers,” where over stiff drinks you’ll make new friends from all walks of life. [Which, since I wrote this, has apparently closed. Sigh.]

(for a full-size version, click any photo)

My bathroom in San Jose, Belize

I’ve gotten pretty spoiled being a travel writer. In the past year, I’ve stayed at the historic Fairmont in San Francisco, with a breathtaking view of the city; the adorable Tucker House Inn on San Juan Island, with fresh-baked cookies so big it took me two days to finish one; the Westin Diplomat in Hollywood, Florida, with poolside cabanas that I kicked back in for hours; and La Fonda on the Plaza in Santa Fe, where I curled up by my fireplace and enjoyed views of the Cathedral from the hot tub.

And while I loved all those experiences, I’ve never been one to travel only one way. So when I went to Belize last year, I traded in creature comforts for something a little more authentic. Forget drinks with umbrellas poolside and bathrooms bigger than my apartment — when I ventured into the Mayan village of San Jose, there were no flushing toilets or electricity. What they did have was an opportunity to unplug from it all and delve into the way of life of someone else. So I did just that. And I couldn’t wait to leave … and yet wanted to stay.

Read all about my fickleness in an essay I wrote for Away.com called “Why I Loved My Terrible Vacation in Belize.”

FourSeasonsMagazine.com asked Four Seasons Magazine contributors and star chefs to weigh in on what they anticipate seeing on the road in the coming year — read the story to get the scoop on gear, wellness, family travel, food, and more for the next 12 months. (You may recognize one of the contributors — *cough, cough* me — in the spa and global travel sections.)

Beachgoers wade into the waters at Huntington Beach in California.

As I look out the window, ice is raining down on a snow-white scene, the temperature below freezing long enough that I’ve had to turn the heat on — and anyone who knows me knows I try to do that as little as possible! It’s our first snow of the year, so I’m enjoying the picturesque views and winter wonderland for now, but a few more days of this and I’ll be ready to escape to the beach.

When I do get the desire to run from the snow to the sands, I’ll know where to go, thanks to this piece I did for Away.com on the best beaches for 2012. From the buoyant waters in Jordan’s Dead Sea to the quiet, under-discovered Baisha Beach in Taiwan to the rustic cabins and clam digging on Copalis Beach in Washington, these hot spots are sure to please sand-and-surf stalwarts in the coming year.

Caye Caulker, Belize

I covered my top 10 travel highlights in 2010 last year, so I thought I’d continue the tradition. It was kind of a quiet year for me on the travel front, but after four countries and nine states, here’s what wowed in the past 365 days:

1. Belize. The 10 days I spent in Belize made up what was one of my favorite solo international trips ever. I rode old U.S. school buses down bumpy dirt roads, was followed around by curious children in a remote village, stand-up paddleboarded around Caye Caulker, scrambled up rocks in a cave, spent untold hours reading in many hammocks, swam with sharks, and ate lots of delicious food.

2. Exploring the Salish Sea. Washington state is teeming with delightful communities (and I’m only slightly biased having been raised there), and I got a whirlwind tour of four of them this past fall: San Juan Island, Port Townsend,  Whidbey Island, and Camano Island. A restful night’s sleep in the couldn’t-be-cuter Dove in the Window room at Tucker House Inn, a Grown Up Grilled Cheese at Sweet Laurette Cafe & Bistro, an inside look at Penn Cove Shellfish, and a soak in my own hot tub at Camano Island Inn were just a few of the high points.

The Breakers

3. Newport Mansions in Newport, Rhode Island. I love my family, but if I could’ve chosen which one to be born into, I just may have picked the Vanderbilts. And if I could jump back in time with my new last name, I’d spend my summers at The Breakers, a 70-room “cottage” you have to see to believe. The Elms, Marble House, and Rosecliff were also quite impressive.

4. The Pacific Coast Highway. A guidebook project took me down the PCH, starting in Washington and ending in San Diego. The vistas are so stunning along the way, you almost become desensitized to having postcard-worthy shots with each passing mile. Big Sur’s hairpin turns (and the red Mustangs/giant rented motor homes that refused to pull over) will remain in my memory for years to come.

Ticket to the Market Ghost Tour

5. Market Ghost Tour, Seattle. I never watch scary movies and always plug my ears whenever someone suggests a hotel I’m staying in might be haunted, so a ghost tour normally wouldn’t be up my alley — but on this tour, you learn fascinating factoids about the Northwest’s largest city, which are suitable for skeptics and believers alike. My ghost-obsessed sister and I were both pleased with the tour, as was everyone else with us.

6. Tikal. The largest Mayan ruins site in Central America, Guatemala’s Tikal is a huge and awe-inspiring example of Classic Period architecture. Wildlife roaming the grounds, including howler monkeys, spider monkeys, and coatis, only add to the appeal of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Wine tasting at Coeur d'Alene Cellars

7. Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Sunshine was in long supply during my July visit to this northern Idaho city, and I made sure to enjoy it, with a 12-mile biking jaunt on the Centennial Trail, a kayaking trip with ROW Adventures, and a boat ride to see the world’s only floating golf green. The hot stone massage, huckleberry-infused drinks, and view from my room at The Coeur d’Alene Resort made me wish I could stay another day … or 10.

8. Vancouver, British Columbia. When my credit card refused to work in the ticket machines for the metro at midnight, a nice young man paid my fare — that’s just how they roll in Canada. Unfailingly polite people, natural beauty, and a huge array of sights make this one of my favorite cities to visit. This time around, I slowly traversed the Capilano Suspension Bridge, watched the belugas swim at the Vancouver Aquarium, and let the horses lead the way on a carriage ride through Stanley Park.

Thoreau's cabin

9. Concord, Massachusetts. It’s a wonder that as a writer and someone interested in history that I’d never been to Concord before this year, given its prominence in the American Revolution and many literary connections. I felt like writing a book after seeing Louisa May Alcott’s house and staring out at Henry David Thoreau’s Walden Pond. Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Margaret Sidney also lived in this still-quaint New England town.

10. Whistler, British Columbia. After journeying to Whistler on the absolutely delightful Rocky Mountaineer train (the afternoon tea service in the Dome class is a nice touch), I was bombarded with an amazing assortment of things to do in the summer: zip-lining with WildPlay Whistler, delicious local dining at Alta Bistro, shocking the system at the beautiful outdoor Scandinave Spa, and soaring through the sky on the world’s highest-off-the-ground gondola, Peak 2 Peak.

The travel blogging community is a pretty cool one, and here’s but one example of how: Passports with Purpose.

This annual fundraiser began in 2008 with four Seattle bloggers, raising $7,400 in its first year for Heifer International, nearly $30,000 for a school in Cambodia in 2009, and $64,128 for a village in India in 2010. This year’s project is building two libraries in Zambia, where more than half the population is less than 16, leading to a big burden on educational institutions there. Nearly 260,000 children from 7 to 13 are not enrolled in school.

How can you help? It’s super easy. A bunch of awesome travel bloggers have rounded up travel-related prizes of all kinds, from 110,000 Hyatt Gold Passport Points (enough for five to 22 nights, depending on where you stay) to a luxury getaway on Maui to a Eurail pass to help you get around Europe to a Kindle Fire to take on the road. To be eligible for a prize, donate in $10 increments and designate which goodies you’re going for. I’ve thrown my hat in the ring for three of the offers, and although I’m sure not to win because I have absolutely no luck at these types of things, I’m happy to support the library-building efforts.

Entries close at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time on Friday, Dec. 16 (that’s tomorrow!), so check out the list now and donate if you’re so inclined.