Rail Trails: From Once-Mighty Train Lines to Wonderfully Gentle Bike Paths
(Note: This article was originally published in the Chicago Tribune on April 19, 2023.) I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised by the...
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John Carpenter
Jul 11, 20238 min read
Turning 60 (Finally) Pays Off: My Unlikely Run at the World Series of Poker
I counted out a sizable bet and slid it across the green felt toward the three aces face-up in the middle of the table. Then I rested my...
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John Carpenter
Jun 7, 20234 min read
Another Nashville Evening: Folded Lawn Chairs and Number One Songs
The “in the round” show is a staple of Nashville entertainment. Sometimes called a guitar pull, and often performed in a row rather than...
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John Carpenter
Dec 13, 20226 min read
Sharing a magical Indian wedding with old friends and new
I was 8,600 miles from home and the bridal party was taking advantage of the afternoon sun for group pictures, so I used the delay to...
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John Carpenter
Nov 27, 20226 min read
Eastward to Istanbul, where Europe ends and Asia begins
A hectic day of travel and a long, stressful night retrieving a lost suitcase had me in a fitful sleep. My mind raced from one thought to...
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John Carpenter
Nov 19, 20225 min read
Florence begs a question: What has our generation done for the world?
Two days in Florence, birthplace of the so-called Renaissance, and an extra day in Rome visiting St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, led...
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John Carpenter
Nov 17, 20226 min read
Cooking in Rome with a new friend
“You attend to the pancetta,” Fulvia said, as she walked through the open kitchen door into her sun-drenched yard. “I am going to the...
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John Carpenter
Nov 13, 20223 min read
Rome: History and beauty in plain sight
Outside on the busy sidewalk, groups of loud teenagers wandered past. Italian business people strode from one appointment to the next, or...
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John Carpenter
Nov 5, 20225 min read
A rugged coast and a laid back vibe: The Algarve
If Florida had secret beaches guarded by limestone cliffs, vineyards sliding down to 900-year-old stone walls, lovely, zig-zagging...
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John Carpenter
Nov 2, 20224 min read
A happy return to a lovely old friend: Dublin
Good luck if you are the city after Paris on a European trip. The deck is stacked. We are now in Dublin, where the answer to the Eiffel...
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John Carpenter
Oct 25, 20222 min read
Good morning from Paris, where the trip begins
We have landed in Le Marais, our neighborhood in Paris for the next week. It’s an Airbnb apartment three floors up from a street which,...
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John Carpenter
Oct 23, 20222 min read
Paris to Istanbul to Mumbai - Our first big quest
We'll cross Europe slowly on our way to a Thanksgiving wedding in India.
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John Carpenter
Jul 21, 20224 min read
A few thoughts about a cottage railing, and simple things made to last
A new railing at a summer cottage brings thoughts of simple things that are made to last.
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John Carpenter
Jun 21, 20223 min read
Hydrow has this old(ish) guy rowing again
I am not what the experts call a fitness buff. I consider myself reasonably active, biking and hiking regularly; walking for a round of...
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John Carpenter
May 27, 20223 min read
Bonnie Raitt Remembers an Old Friend at the Ryman
It’s so wonderful when an artist you’ve been wanting to see for years comes through with a killer show. Such was the case with the great...
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John Carpenter
Apr 1, 20222 min read
Shawn Colvin serves a 'master class' in songwriting and guitar playing
Shawn Colvin is joining the growing list of musical elders trotting out anniversary concerts, offering a song-for-song acoustic replay of...
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John Carpenter
Mar 5, 20222 min read
Blues Wizardry from Adia Victoria at OZ Arts Nashville
Last minute live music decisions in Nashville rarely disappoint. In this case we stumbled on a gem; an art gallery performance by Aida...
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John Carpenter
Jan 31, 20222 min read
Fresh Bluegrass From Nashville Vets Tammy Rogers and Thomm Jutz: "Surely Will Be Singing"
There is a certain kind of brand new music that sounds like it’s always been there. We caught some of it at the Bluebird Café Sunday...
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John Carpenter
Feb 20, 20205 min read
For a guys weekend, it’s hard to beat March Madness: An 8-city guide
By JOHN CARPENTER When it comes to excuses for a guys weekend, the NCAA men’s basketball tournament is as good as it gets. We can safely...
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mary carpenter
Feb 20, 20206 min read
Finding inspiration in Lisbon
By Mary Carpenter Escuche. Preparar. Esperanza. These were among the handful of Portuguese words I could make out during the sermon at...
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