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Edmund Vallance

Writer

Los Angeles

Edmund Vallance

I'm a London-born travel journalist based in Los Angeles. My articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, The Independent, and The Evening Standard.
www.edmundvallance.com

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In the summer of 1879, an obscure Scottish author set out for California in pursuit of a married woman 10 years his senior. The three-week journey nearly killed him. And the shock and shame nearly killed his pious, Presbyterian parents in Edinburgh. The author's name was Robert Louis Stevenson. He soon was to become famous for "Treasure Island," "Kidnapped" and "The Strange Case of Dr.
Los Angeles Times Link to Story
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Swimming with giant sharks is not as scary as it sounds

What kind of suicidal fool goes swimming with a giant shark? Well, I did, actually. And I still have all four limbs. The whale shark, found off southern Baja California, grows up to 50 feet long. It is unquestionably the biggest shark on the planet, greater than the great white and bigger than the hammerhead.
Los Angeles Times Link to Story
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Where to Find London's Victorian Charm

Glorious leader? Colonial tyrant? Whatever your opinion of Queen Victoria, there’s no denying that her 63-year reign left a lasting impression on London: her empire’s epicenter.
AFAR Magazine Link to Story
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In the Bahamas, Scuba Diving With James Bond’s Trainer

“I taught Sean Connery to scuba dive,” Stuart Cove said with an impish grin. “And I’ve got to be honest: He was petrified.”. Cove is the owner of Stuart Cove’s Nassau Bahamas Aqua Adventures, a dive shop and movie production company on the island of New Providence. I was sitting in his office chugging coffee in preparation for the long and challenging day ahead.
The New York Times Link to Story
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Lorca's Granada: in the footsteps of Spain’s murdered poet

Friday marks 80 years since Spain’s celebrated poet and playwright was shot to death by a firing squad, and I’ve come to his favoured stomping ground, the craggy, sun-cracked region of Andalusia, to follow in the master’s footsteps – from birth until untimely death.
The Independent Link to Story
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What's it like to spend 48 hours in a Las Vegas casino?

A bloated bluebottle is floating in my Blue Sky Daiquiri, his sticky wings twitching in silent resignation. I am that fly. This is my second night at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. I’ve signed up for the Rio Total Deal: a new, all-inclusive food and drinks promotion (it’s available until September 2017) that provides an almost endless conveyor belt of burgers, steaks, and deep-fried onion sliders – plus a daily limit of 12 alcoholic drinks per person.
The Independent Link to Story
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Ditch the Car for These Wonderfully Walkable L.A. Neighborhoods

In Los Angeles, the car is king—at least that’s the perceived wisdom. The truth is that Angelenos are now using their legs almost as much as they’re using their wheels. Shocking as it may seem, ’hoods with high Walk Scores are among the most desirable in the city. In recent years, Downtown and Atwater Village, for example, have made huge strides in walkability, with scores of restaurants, boutiques, galleries, and music venues opening for business all within strolling distance of one another.
AFAR Magazine Link to Story
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Night vision: UFO spotting in Sedona, Arizona

Outside The Red Planet Diner, in the high desert town of Sedona, the model of a flying saucer hovered at an awkward angle, its battered body forever anchored to the asphalt. Scanning the restaurant floor, I found a table with a view of the towering red mountains beyond the car park – a backdrop worthy of 2001: A Space Odyssey.
The Independent Link to Story
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Joshua Tree: Branch out to California’s musical heritage

"Out with the truckers, and the kickers, and the cowboy angels. And a good saloon in every single town." The lilting lyrics of Gram Parsons' country rock anthem, "Return of the Grievous Angel", are bouncing through my brain. On the drive from Los Angeles to the tiny desert town of Joshua Tree, I'd had the song on constant repeat.
The Independent Link to Story
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A weekend away in Phoenix, Arizona

There are few places in the US more sweltering than Arizona in high summer, when temperatures can top 40C. But as August draws to a close and the heat starts to settle to a simmer, now is a great time to plan a visit to the state capital, Phoenix. Scottsdale remains the city’s swankiest district and last year opened the American West-dedicated Museum of the West (00 1 480 686 9539; scottsdalemuseumwest.org), since awarded various accolades.
The Evening Standard Link to Story
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Yes, It's Possible to Make a 30-Minute Mole

I first saw mole negro on a menu in Mexico City back in the dim and distant 1990s. For me, the idea of combining two of my favorite ingredients—chicken and chocolate—seemed so debauched that I’d pretty much fallen in love with the dish before I’d even had a chance to taste it. I grew up in England in the 1980s, when chicken was usually accompanied with thin gravy and overcooked vegetables.
Bon Appétit Link to Story
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Close Encounters With Blue Whales In The Sea of Cortez

Peering over the side of a six-man motorboat, I see an enormous plume of water shoot 10 meters into the air. Immediately afterwards, another one explodes behind me. I spin around in time to see the fine spray descending like the tail end of a geyser eruption. “There are nine of them. Maybe 10,” says our captain, Oscar, squinting into the sun.
Medium Link to Story

About

Edmund Vallance

I'm a London-born travel journalist based in Los Angeles. My articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, The Independent, and The Evening Standard.

www.edmundvallance.com

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