romance Archives - Wanderboomer

BY Nancy Mueller Leave a Comment ON June 18, 2014

Summer Books for Boomers Worth Rereading

Harry Potter Lord of the Rings

Why summer, if not for spending long, lazy afternoons in a gently swinging hammock, absorbed in one great book after another? Especially when those books hold a universe of magic, mystery, adventure, play, romance, reflection, or simplicity – the very essence of summer. Here are a few summer books for boomers worth rereading. Timeless treasures, reading pleasures . . .

Magic

Who doesn’t love a little magic in her life? Conjure up the spells of Harry Potter in J.K. Rowling’s world – Serpentsortia! Imperio! – or inhabit Middle-Earth with elves and hobbits in Lord of the Rings for pure escapism and fantasy. Rediscover the value of friendship, loyalty and heroism no matter the cost or consequences.

Mystery

Donna Leon

It’s easy to immerse yourself in the world of Donna Leon’s mysteries. Her series features the beloved everyman, Commissario Guido Brunetti, whose crime cases deal with truth, justice and the Venetian way. Leon paints a convincing portrait of a man caught up in social issues of the day against the backdrop of a loving family in a city of irresistible beauty.

Play

Robert Moss

Summer days inspire us to slow down and play. Make your own fun with games that dreamers play in The Three “Only” Things: Tapping the Power of Dreams, Coincidence & Imagination, a non-fiction guide to living your life out loud by dream archeologist, Robert Moss. The author counsels, “Dreaming is less about sleep than waking up” and “The time is always now.” Sometimes life rhymes . . .

Adventure

For wanderboomers, tales of swashbuckling adventures flash back to Robin Hood and his merry men or thrilling stories of pirates sailing the wine dark sea. Maybe that’s why I find Patrick O’Brien’s series of Jack Aubrey novels so comforting and compelling. Aubrey’s sidekick is the ship’s surgeon/naturalist, Stephen Maturin. The story of their friendship while serving in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars offers both heartbreak and inspiration.

Romance

I love a good beach book (engaging, escapist, quick read) as much as anyone. But for the lasting pleasure of a literary romance, I turn to Love in the Time of Cholera by Noble prize winner, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, every time. How long would you wait for the love of your life? Would you wait fifty-one years, nine months and four days?

Reflection

Gift from the Sea

With stretches of unstructured summer days (Yes, I can dream) comes time for reflection. In her memoir, Gift from the Sea, Anne Morrow Lindbergh muses on the meaning of what matters most. By sharing her thoughts on work-life balance, motherhood and marriage from her own life experiences, she inspires gratitude, grace and tranquility.

Simplicity

Caroline Kennedy Mary Oliver

Even with limited downtime, my summer reading plans always include a book of poetry. Why? Because a good poem suspends a moment in time that captures a special mood or feeling. We identify with how it feels to fall in or out of love, become a parent or face middle age, delight in the sight of a deer in the woods or choose which of two roads that diverge there. A good poem can be read, remembered and cherished for crystallizing an extraordinary or everyday universal experience. Recommended volumes include Mary Oliver’s New and Selected Poems, Volume Two and Caroline Kennedy’s She Walks in Beauty: A Woman’s Journey Through Poems.

Wander on!

Nancy

What’s on your reading list this summer, wanderboomers? What are your go-to books every year?

BY Nancy Mueller 8 Comments ON February 14, 2012

Shot on Location: 7 Movie Destinations for Valentine’s Day

Romantic Movies on Location

Travelers at heart can visit any one of several romantic destinations on Valentine’s Day in the click of an eye through the magic of movies. Cuddle up with or without your sweetie and pass the popcorn and kleenex . . .

An Affair to Remember

An Affair to Remember

An ocean liner headed for New York City sets the stage for this Hollywood classic starring Deborah Kerr (Terry McKay) and Cary Grant (Nicky Ferrante), with Fate and Destiny in key supporting roles. As an added bonus, you can enjoy gorgeous views from the villa on the French Riviera where Nicky’s wise and loving grandmother resides. Most famous line: “If you can paint, I can walk!”

Casablanca

Casablanca

Former lovers meet unexpectedly in French Morocco during World War II when “of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world,” Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) has to walk into his, Rick’s (Humphrey Bogart). The drama includes flashback scenes to happier times when they fell in love in Paris, together with a rousing rendition of the national anthem of France, “La Marseillaise.”

Dr. Zhivago

Omar Sharif (Yuri) and Julie Christie (Lara) are star-crossed lovers in this film set in Russia (though filmed in Canada, Finland and Spain) during the Bolshevik Revolution. Any movie that can romanticize an Ice Palace in the Russian countryside in the middle of winter is worth a viewing.

Lady and the Tramp

In case you think that only we humans hold the monopoly on romance, our canine counterparts will convince you otherwise in this Disney classic. Has there ever been a more heartwarming animated scene than when our main characters discover love at the end of a shared strand of spaghetti at Tony’s (Italian) Restaurant?

Roman Holiday

Audrey Hepburn won an oscar for her performance as Princess Anne who rebels against her royal duties by going undercover as a commoner in Rome for a day. After a memorable chance encounter, reporter Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck) soon realizes he has the scoop of the decade – and the love of a lifetime. Location shots include the Spanish Steps, Palazza Colonna, and Bocca della Verita (Mouth of Truth).

Notorious

Notorious

Rio de Janeiro takes center stage in Hitchcock’s brilliant tale of espionage, romance and betrayal. Cary Grant stars as Devlin, an American agent, who enlists the aid of Alicia (Ingrid Bergman) to track the Nazi ring operating in Rio after her father is convicted of treason. Love intervenes only to be pushed aside by the dutiful Devlin who throws her into marriage with Alex (Claude Rains), leader of the local Nazis group. Will Devlin find a way to save Alicia and himself by movie’s end? You’ll just have to watch the film to find out.

Sound of Music

“The hills are alive with the sound of music” while romance blooms between Maria, a young postulant at Austria’s Nonnberg Abbey, and Baron von Trapp, a widower engaged to be married. Cupid strikes when their eyes meet as the Baron leads Maria in a dance. Be still my heart . . .

Added Bonus!

I can’t help myself. I have to include one more travel film here:

The English Patient

The English Patient

Though this World War II drama is set in Tuscany and Egypt, several scenes were shot on location in Tunisia for a more realistic portrait of 1940’s Cairo. Viewing Ralph Fiennes in his role as Count Laszlo de Almasy carrying his beloved, white shrouded Katherine (Kristin Scott Thomas) across the windswept desert landscape leaves me mesmerized every time. When he recognizes that she’s wearing the thimble (You have to see the movie), her reply, “Of course, you idiot. I always wear it. I’ve always worn it. I’ve always loved you,” says it all. Sigh . . .

What about you, Wanderboomers? What travel movies would you add to my list for Valentine’s Day?

BY Nancy Mueller 10 Comments ON January 12, 2012

Visit Downton Abbey in 2012

Highclere CastleBasSijpkesflickr (450 x 335)

Photo courtesy of Bas Sijpkes – flickr

If it takes you longer than 10 seconds to recognize this icon, then count yourself among the few not hooked on public television’s hottest show sensation since Upstairs, Downstairs and Brideshead Revisited: Masterpiece Theater’s Downton Abbey.

At its heart, this period melodrama speaks of romance – the will-they-or-won’t-they drama between Lady Mary and Matthew Crawley as well as Anna and Bates, the head housemaid and the Earl of Grantham’s valet.

The romance extends beyond the characters’ conflicts to the lush landscapes of the English countryside, the period costumes, and a time when life was less hurried and more well-mannered.

My travel money is on Wanderboomers who will want to check out the beauty of Highclere Castle for themselves, perhaps hoping to live vicariously through the lives of Downton Abbey’s characters, perhaps wistfully reflecting on times past, or perhaps imagining how it would feel to call this castle home.

If you are among those hopefuls, here’s what you need to know:

Highclere Castle, Gardens and Grounds is celebrating an Easter Opening, 7 days a week, between April 1st and Sunday April 15th. May dates follow from the 6th – 8th, and in June from the 3rd – 7th. Summer dates begin July 1st and end September 13th.

Admission to the castle is by pre-booked tickets, available for purchase after February 1st 2012.

Photo credits: flicker, top two photos by JBUK_Planet, bottom right by HerryLawford

What about you, Wanderboomers? Are you planning a trip to the home of Downton Abbey in 2012? Where have you been inspired to travel from your readings, movie or TV viewings?

BY Nancy Mueller 8 Comments ON August 31, 2011

Who Was That Unmasked Man?

What is it about a man in uniform? Or the sighting of a famous actor that turns otherwise sensible movie-lovers into mush?

“Did you see him?” asks my guide, Giovanna.

“See who?” I wonder.

“Well, you know, I was having breakfast in the dining room. At first I wasn’t sure it was him. So I asked my friend who it was. He told me the man was supposed to be a famous actor but he didn’t know who. But when he told me his first name, I knew it must be him.”

“And you didn’t come to get me!?” Hmm . . . Maybe that explains the strange dreams I had last night.

I’m staying at Hacienda Cusin, a beautifully restored country estate in the northern Andes. Just the name hacienda stirs up romantic fantasies. Am I the only one who remembers (sing along with me here): “Out of the night, when the full moon is bright . . . ?” But I’m pretty sure there have been no reported sightings of Don Diego de la Vega, aka Zorro, in this country. Spain, Mexico and California, yes. In Ecuador? Not likely.

But an unmasked actor? You never know.

My visit to Hacienda Cusin comes at the recommendation of friends who dream of returning here for a week without the kids (not that they didn’t have a wonderful time here with the kids). With one panoramic glance, I can understand why.

After clattering across cobblestones, our car comes to rest in an intimate, lushly landscaped courtyard. Inside nearby scattered cottages, the first evening lights begin to flicker, creating a warm and welcoming way station for any wandering travelers off the beaten path.

Historically, these large estates were working ranches deeded to well-connected families during Spain’s colonization. The properties have long since been divided and sold off, leaving the main house and smaller buildings as lodging for travelers. Walking into my cottage room is like stepping into a time capsule. With its beamed ceilings, antique furnishings and kiva fireplace, the setting is stunning. A vase of ever-present Ecuadorian roses, colorful paintings and bed coverings complete the tableau.

The dining room is cozy and equally lovely. I overhear guests planning their next day activities, including horseback riding, Spanish classes and tour of a craft village nearby. While I love the traditional Ecuadorian meal of pork, potato cake, fried bananas and corn, my favorite meal is breakfast for its abundant fruit juices, jams and breads.

In the morning I stroll through the gardens on my way to the Establos (stables) and Monasterio (monastery) before our departure. The area is so peaceful and lovely, so restorative, that I leave with much less baggage than I had brought with me. It’s hard to ask more of my hosts than that, except maybe an introduction to that famous actor.

So who was that unmasked man? Well, even famous actors need somewhere to unwind without worrying about being recognized. And I never really saw him myself. Perhaps it’s best to leave our story with a bit of mystery and a place where our imaginations can play.

* Zorro photo courtesy of Flickr – PopCultureGeek.com

* Z photo courtesy of Flickr – LosAnheles

Next Up: The Galapagos Islands!

Summer Books for Boomers Worth Rereading

Shot on Location: 7 Movie Destinations for Valentine’s Day

Visit Downton Abbey in 2012

Who Was That Unmasked Man?

Destination:

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