Arthur Frommer, In Memoriam
I was saddened to hear that Arthur Frommer, the travel writing legend who penned “Europe on 5 Dollars a Day” in 1957, died yesterday at age 95. He not only started the budget travel movement across the globe, but launched many travel writing careers including mine. I first met Arthur in 1991, when my brother, Jim, was his lecture agent at ICM. I had just returned from a 4-month backpacking trip through the South Pacific, New Zealand, and Australia and had the glimmer of an idea of becoming a travel writer. At the urging of my brother, he met me in his office and told me of the newsletter he founded called “Frommer’s Trips and Travels.” If I really had the desire to write, put together a 1000-word story on one of my recent travel destinations. So I went back to my apartment and typed on my trusty typewriter a story about traversing the largest sand island in the world, Fraser Island, off the central coast of Australia. He accepted the manuscript and never stopped accepting my story ideas for the next decade
I would write stories on canoeing under the midnight sun in Finnish Lapland, attending a festive Hindu funeral in Bali, and scuba diving with hammerhead sharks in Rangiroa, French Polynesia. He knew my love of adventure, so when Frommer’s joined forces with Outside Magazine in 1994, he gave me my first big break, a book deal titled “Outside Magazine’s Adventure Guide to New England.” I would spend the entirety of 1995 crisscrossing the six states of New England in all seasons via mountain bike, canoe, cross-country skis, or more than likely, my own two legs, hiking up countless peaks.
The book jump-started my career, as I soon became columnist at a new publication created by National Geographic, National Geographic Adventure, and contributor at many other publications including Outside, Men’s Journal, Yankee Magazine, Boston Globe, and Arthur’s own fledgling publication, Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel Magazine.
I used to love coming into Arthur’s office in Manhattan with my long list of story ideas for the magazine. He would listen patiently and then come up with his own brilliant topics like, “Steve, you know Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao hasn’t had a hurricane hit them in over a century. Why don’t you head there this summer and tell me about all the adventures.” I would always walk out of his office with at least one assignment, if not more, making my trip to New York a success.
While I’ve had the good fortune to run into Arthur’s daughter, Pauline, over the years speaking at various travel shows, I honestly can’t remember the last time I saw Arthur. But I remain eternally grateful for the opportunity he gave this one young writer with a sparkle in his eye. He made his dream come true.
In August, Lisa and I went to a wedding in Chicago. After not having been to Lisa’s hometown for nearly 2 years, I can enthusiastically tell you that the city never looked better. We had a spacious corner suite on the 19th floor of 
Working as a travel writer based in Massachusetts, you can imagine how many fall foliage stories I’ve been hired to write over the years. At least 100 articles, with additional chapters on the subject in each of my books for Lonely Planet, Frommer’s, Outside Magazine, Discovery Channel, and the latest, 
One magical day, we drove the 34-mile Kancamagus Highway, the legendary route which snakes through the mountains. We would pull over and take walks along the Swift River and to Sabbaday Falls, with leaves of every color falling around us. Theo gleefully ran from leaf to leaf as we took close-up photos of our favorite samples. We would end that day at the outdoor hot tub at 
In early November I had the privilege of traveling to Florence, Venice, and Milan with a wonderful group of travel advisors hosted by Largay Travel, our link to the upscale 
In Florence, we met a goldsmith, Nerdi Orafi, who works in the same building Salvatore Ferragamo once designed women’s shoes. She creates exquisite handmade necklaces and earrings with her husband in a small studio, their wares so exceptional that Dolce & Gabbana hired the couple to create jewelry for a fashion shoot. Of course, I couldn’t leave without buying earrings for Lisa, designed with three rings, the same symbol Michelangelo used on the marble he worked with. Just around the corner I met a 4th-generation marble paper artist and book binder, Riccardo Luci, who designs the patented peacock feather look on paper Florence is known for. He showed us his process of creating patterns and lightly applying the paper to the paint and water combination to soak up the patterns. Fascinating!
Every day on 
People ask how DuVine differs from other biking outfitters, and I usually note the smaller group size. Yet, where they really shine is at private meals of locals that I won’t soon forget. My favorite day on the trip ended with dinner at Dona Maria Vineyards, where we first stomped on grapes during the height of the harvest and then had a fantastic dinner in a home built in the mid-18th century by the King of Portugal for his mistress at the time, the namesake Dona Maria. We dined with the current owner, Isabel, and her two Jack Russell Terriers, Bowie and Ziggy, and drank copious amounts of her exceptional Grand Reserve. It was like walking into Cinderella’s ballroom before the clocks strikes twelve.
Thanks to an impressive subway system which whisks you away to all parts of the city, you can see most of the major sites of Busan within a day. That’s exactly what Lisa and I did with our son Jake last May as part of our 
We worked off our meal of fresh seafood by strolling along Haeundae Beach, arguably the most exquisite stretch of beach in the country. Busan is already excited about hosting the World Expo in 2030 and at the beach, we found sand sculptures celebrating the upcoming event. We walked onto adjacent Dongbaekseom Island, home to a lighthouse and the celebrated Carving Rock, where a 14th-century scholar inspired by the beauty inscribed words still found on the rock. The most famous site on the island is the circular Apec House built into the hillside overlooking the ocean. It was constructed for the 2005 Asian-Pacific economic summit, where 21 heads of state were in attendance, including former US President George W. Bush.
After bagging a New England peak, you’ve earned that right to hoist a pint. So when I came upon the recently published 
Kish does a great job describing where the trailhead is located, allotted time, length, elevation, level of exertion, and important to me, whether I can bring my dog, Theo. Then he outlines the nearby brewery, giving a description of their signature pours and address. I’ll happily throw this book in the car to lead me to new discoveries this summer.
In mid-December, Lisa and I took a road trip with Jake and our dog, Theo, to northern Vermont. First stop was the 
Cote
Every day on our