I received the summer issue of AFAR Magazine here in Stuart, Florida the other day, which was a big surprise, since magazines are not supposed to be eligible for forwarding, and even much of my first-class mail doesn't get to me down here. But no looking a gift horse in the mouth, right? I really like this travel magazine. The articles in it are very interesting and informative, and even the ads are pretty enlightening, too. How else would I know that The Cooper, a new hotel overlooking Charleston Harbor, has just opened, and rooms are available at rates starting at $850. I have to assume that rate is for the month, since no hotel on earth could possibly charge $850 per day for a room. My sister Susan and I have been considering a road trip to Charleston and Savannah toward the end of this year, and perhaps we will stay at The Cooper instead of the Motel 6 Resort Hotel and Spa, our usual go-to haunt. I know the magazine is geared toward the upper income set, but the articles are still worth reading. It was AFAR magazine that led me to visit San Francisco's Outer Sunset neighborhood, which was a very enjoyable experience indeed. I especially enjoyed the walk from The Cliff House down to the beach and through the fog shrouded Outer Sunset neighborhood to the Riptide, a cozy bar a stone's throw from the ocean, with fog horns sounding the entire way. The magazine is a quarterly, and this issue is all about the water, including articles about the aforementioned Cooper, various cities, including Omaha (which I really like), Minneapolis, and Detroit revitalizing their riverfronts, the Florida Everglades, and things to do on the coast of Maine, including riding the mail boat between five Casco Bay islands. And will I ever visit any of those places? Maybe yes, maybe no, but whether I do or not, it is sure fun to read about it.
