Leslie A. Westbrook

1 month ago | montecitojournal.net | Leslie A. Westbrook

It wasn’t exactly what we’d planned for. My high school friend Annie joined me to celebrate our mutual June birthdays. We planned a trip to San Diego and Valle De Guadalupe, Baja. She took Amtrak from Union Station to Oceanside; I picked her up at the train station and we sped down to the recently refurbished Lafayette Hotel and Club on El Cajon Boulevard in the University-North Park neighborhood of San Diego.

2 months ago | montecitojournal.net | Leslie A. Westbrook

My posh trip to Napa wine country began elegantly as we soared out of a private terminal at Van Nuys Airport on Aero’s LA-Napa service on a semi-private plane. In just a little over an hour-long, smooth flight – Erewon fresh avocado tartine/toast, sweet berries and coffee served with cloth napkins in flight – a smooth landing at Napa County Airport. The black planes, with leather seats, can carry up to 16 guests, but there were just a handful of us onboard for our Sunday morning sojourn.

Nov 26, 2024 | montecitojournal.net | Leslie A. Westbrook

My traveling pal and I arrived at the lovely, seaside Hotel Gutkowski (an affordable recommendation from a friend) on a Sunday early afternoon, just moments after a welcome, much needed thunderstorm and downpour began to clear the air. The island of Sicily had been suffering from a drought and the air had been gray and acrid due to the dusty Sahara sciroccos that had blown north to the island of my ancestors.

Oct 15, 2024 | montecitojournal.net | Leslie A. Westbrook

Our short but harrowing lift, from La Bella Palermo to the car rental agency, was thanks to a hair-raising ride by our very own Parnelli Jones. Our taxi driver seemed both skeptical and disdainful of the fact that I, a “woman of a certain age,” would be sharing the driving in Sicily with my friend Nigel, who normally drives on the other side of the road in England.

Sep 24, 2024 | montecitojournal.net | Leslie A. Westbrook

I love Sicily— and not just because I am half-Sicilian! The food markets, the array of amazing architecture, the people, the scenery…Palermo is a vibrant port city, from its underground catacombs to the heights of Santa Rosalia, and from amazing fine art collections and museums to eye-popping churches and restaurants of the highest caliber with scenic views. In May, I spent ten days on the island of my maternal ancestors: this, and my next column, skim the surface of many reasons to visit.