On our last trip to San Diego, we were wandering around Old Town and purely by accident we ended up at the place in which a pivotal scene in Ramona, by Helen Hunt Jackson, takes place. You can’t actually stay there, but it’s a lovely spot to wander around in and I can personally vouch for the general area (Old Town San Diego) as a romantic place to spend time right around twilight, when it’s … Continue reading Romance Wanderlust: La Casa de Estudillo
This month’s Romance Wanderlust was contributed in the most confidential manner over tea by Lady Freesia de Bergamot. Her comments do not reflect the views of this establishment. We are not responsible for any historical anachronisms that may appear. We have not visited the location in question and this is neither a review nor an endorsement. My Dear, I simply MUST tell you about this Hotel. It’s a Georgian-Era house that contains both Literary History … Continue reading Romance Wanderlust: Summer Lodge Country House Hotel, Restaurant and Spa
Back in November, 2017, I wrote a Romance Wanderlust piece about apartments in the New York City Library branches. The response to that column convinced me that yes, we do love our castles and treehouses and our Regency estates, but what really gets the Bitches excited is being around a lot of books. In this month’s Romance Wanderlust, we’ll explore two very different bookish hotels. As always, I’m obligated to say that I haven’t been … Continue reading Romance Wanderlust: Literary Hotels
This month marks the 200th anniversary of the publication of Frankenstein. I’m a Mary Shelley fan, so you can imagine the delight with which I discovered that Frankenstein Castle is not only a real place but one that anyone can visit. Its history is so much more bizarre than anything in the novel. The castle is located in Germany, overlooking the Rhine Valley. It was built around 1240 and is currently in ruins. The Frankenstein … Continue reading Romance Wanderlust: Castle Frankenstein
Once again we pack our bags for a Romance Wanderlust trip. This month we are off to Hever Castle in England, which is primarily famous for having been the childhood home of Anne Boleyn. History buffs will recall that Anne’s romantic life did not end well, and yet this is a popular wedding site because it is incredibly beautiful and romantic in a “but then she was decapitated” kind of way. The oldest part of … Continue reading Romance Wanderlust: Hever Castle
This month’s Romance Wanderlust is all about potential. The apartments in the New York City Public Library’s branches aren’t romantic NOW. But just think what some spackling and mold-killer could do. These are fixer-uppers for the win. As ever, this column reflects a lot of Googling and no hands on research, so it’s neither a review nor an endorsement. The New York Public Library has just under a hundred branches, including research libraries, libraries in … Continue reading Romance Wanderlust: Living at the Library
This month’s Romance Wanderlust features a place that I’ve actually been to. The Winchester Mystery House is romantic in the sense that the owner, Sarah Winchester, seems to have been devoted to her husband, and it’s romantic in the sense that if you go on a candlelight tour then you can clutch each other in terror. Otherwise, it’s not so much as romantic as it’s just strange and unusual. You can’t stay at the Winchester … Continue reading Romance Wanderlust: The Winchester Mystery House
Welcome back to Romance Wanderlust, where I travel the world via the Internet in search of romantic locales. This month we have a place that I’ve actually been to: the Delta King, in Sacramento, California. I haven’t stayed at the Delta King but I can say from experience that their restaurant is nice and that they make a lovely virgin strawberry daiquiri. While I endorse the daiquiri, I can’t endorse the hotel experience as I’ve … Continue reading Romance Wanderlust: The Delta King
It’s time for Romance Wanderlust, the column in which I find yet more reasons to leave my everyday cares behind and visit romantic locales instead. I haven’t been to any of these locations, so this is neither an endorsement nor a review – just daydreaming with the help of the Internet. For those of us who love Victorian literature, there’s a new reason to head to England. Norton Conyers is finally re-opened to the public … Continue reading Romance Wanderlust: Norton Conyers, Inspiration for Thornfield
Summer is here, and many of us flock to Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. I’ve been to Disneyland with little kids, and it was delightful. It was even pretty romantic in the sense that watching my sweet husband carry our exhausted daughter all over the park warmed my cold little heart. However, it’s easy for me to picture going with my husband and having a truly romantic time with just the two of us. I’ve … Continue reading Romance Wanderlust: Disneyland Resort
I’ve a confession to make, which is that even though I’ve read Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier and her horror anthology Echoes From the Macabre about 500 times each, I’ve never read Du Maurier’s classic novel, Jamaica Inn. That did not stop me from shrieking to the heavens with excitement when I realized that you can in fact visit the actual Jamaica Inn in Cornwall. There are GHOSTS. There is a SMUGGLER’S MUSEUM. SEND ME … Continue reading Romance Wanderlust: Jamaica Inn, Cornwall
