I read on the menu that the restaurant’s chef offered cooking classes. After a wonderful dining experience, I signed up for a visit to the morning market with Rai Pasti followed by a lesson on preparing vegetarian meals.

We made corn fritters, stir fried tempeh with veggies and banana pancakes. The al fresco lesson at her nearby home used ingredients absent in my kitchen pantry - corn and tapioca flours, a resealable pouch of liquid coconut oil and fresh chilis. I was surprised to see an...

After visiting an interesting venue, I often subscribe to email alerts or connect through social media to hear about upcoming events. An example is the Park Avenue Armory in New York City.

Catching my attention was a program and concert celebrating Pauline Oliveros’s life. She was an innovator of electronic music and the art of deep listening. The lack of event detail didn’t deter me. My hunch was that it was a sign of authenticity.

The event was stunning - meticulously run and adventurous....

I was walking down a cliff to the beach when a vendor stopped me to sell her wares. I declined as I was perched on an uneven stone staircase without a handrail and my priorities were climbing down without falling, going for a swim and avoid showing anyone where I stored my cash.

When I was finished with my enjoyable visit, the vendor greeted me. The only item that interested me was the beaded coin bracelet. I purchase three. Then the next vendor approached with a 33% discount if I...