Beginning from the Beginning: Swedish Heritage in Illinois

Krista Westerlund is our spiritual + historical correspondent. This missive is from her travels to the midwest —and back in time— to trace her Swedish family’s journey in America.

Little Sweden in America. All images via KW.

I have been really, really remiss about writing about my travel experiences lately. I have traveled a lot and thought about writing about it, but the pen has not gone to paper or rather the finger has not gone to key. I’ve been to a lot of different kinds of places and also, I have spent my fair share of time in my sleepy little patch of routine daily life dreaming about places farther afield and the world beyond my window.

A while ago, I talked about how travel is not a competition. Well, for me, it still isn’t. There are plenty of other people out there who travel far more frequently than I do and who can tick off far more boxes on their bucket lists. Yes, there are places that I’d like to see and certain goals when it comes to travel that I would like to accomplish, but ultimately I don’t travel that way. I am fairly ordinary and on an ordinary budget in life. What I have, and I wouldn’t presume to say that I have far more of it than others – but I do definitely have it, is curiosity.

Hop a plane, it’s the New York Times’ 46 Places to Go in 2013

Rio as ring of fire. via

It’s an east-coast jetsetter’s favorite time of year — when the Grey Lady releases her randomly-numbered roundup of trending places to travel. This year, the NYTimes has given you 46 places to check out in the next twelve months, which should more than fill your calendar. And your beat-the-crowds journey would take to you to such varied locales as Jackson Hole, Singapore and the Falkland Islands. Unexpected mentions: Changbaishan. The Adirondacks (?) Anyway, if my math is correct, you could cover it in a little more than a trip a week. Better get packing…

What do you think of this year’s list? How many places have you already hit?

Weekend warrior: Road Food from 101Cookbooks

You curate your carry-on —- why wouldn’t this exquisite taste extend to your in-flight meal? image via

As one of today’s most prominent philosophers once pondered, What is the deal with airplane food? Sometimes you really just don’t want to go for that mini pack of chips or (shudder) that lukewarm microwaved burger. Heidi from 101cookbooks is here to help: a health-conscious cookbook author who’s frequently on the go, she has a store of healthy recipes that travel well, from croquettes and muffins to sandwiches. This weekend I might just make a trial batch or two before we hit the road in earnest for the holiday season. So what are you doing this weekend?