Christmas Wish List for the Traveling Mom

I got the idea for this post from another blog: WAHM Spotlite who published a Christmas wish list for work at home mom's (which I am).

Here's A Christmas Wish List for the Traveling Mom on Your Gift List this Year

Warning: these items are practical, but what she really wants!

1. An L.L. Bean or other brand hang up sundrie bag. I bring a ton of stuff as a woman - shampoo, conditioner, razor, lotion - you know the essentials and then some. It would be nice to pack them in something other than ziplock bags (I check my toiletries now thanks to the TSA). Practical - easy for family from away to purchase and have shipped directly.

2. A pretty passport/travel folio. I got a very male looking travel folio with the last piece of nice luggage I bought from Travel Pro. Although it's very functional, I'd like one with a bit more style, or even color. I use this folio now every time I travel, after a trip to Europe a year ago. With the new security regulations I find it handy even if I'm not bringing my passport. I put my tickets, itinerary, photo ID, some cash, and a credit card in there so I never have to fish around in my purse as I go through security. I found that this folio can replace my wallet when I'm on vacation since I don't need all those extra items I usually have in there. The perfect gift from a sister or close friend.

3. Stocking Stuffers:
Travel size (less than 3.5 oz) of my favorite lotion or at least one that's similar. With all the handwashing and lugging around on a trip, my hands are eternally dry. Perfect item to ask the kids to buy you. Inexpesive, but special.

Ditto with lips - so a fresh ChapStick (not a stinky one please) would be a welcome stocking stuffer too.

A memory stick in case I need to bring files not on my laptop. For guys to purchase who don't like to shop at Origins, Bath and Body Works, and the Body Shop.

Luggage ID. My mother in law crocheted these brightly colored "snakes" that we can tie on our suitcases. Makes them easy and quick to identify at baggage claim. Perfect gift from the handy crafter.


4. A new MacBook Pro. You didn't think everything would be easy and inexpensive did you? I have a Dell. I hate it. He has a MacBook Pro. I love it.

5. A soft eye mask for sleeping and a small but comfortable neck/travel pillow. Though not practical for most short trips, worth the extra carry on baggage for international and cross country flights and train rides. Throw in a pair of ear plugs (not those ugly orange ones for in the workshop) and make a gift basket out of this! Skip the blow up pillow - they are very uncomfortable.

6. A pair of noise cancelling headphones. I'm coveting the Bose on the ear product, but there are lots out there. She'll wear them on the plane even without music and be in a much better mood when she arrives a her travel destination.

7. A gift certificate to iTunes or her favorite music download spot. Nothing like her own new music to make the trip shorter. If she isn't a music person, how about a bookstore gift certificate to Amazon or her favorite book seller.

8. For the "roadtrip" warrior who travels by auto or RV with her family, buy an eyemask that can be put in the fridge for stress relief. Not only will mom enjoy, but when the kids get antsy, they'll have fun passing this number around!

9. Round Trip Tickets to a New or Favorite Destination, a night or two in a hotel in a nearby city, an already planned trip...
For the travel junkie, what do they want most? More travel! Go for it and surprise the one you love with a trip - before the New Year!

Vacation at Home You'll Discover Why You Live There! Gifts from the School District?

I love when the school vacation calendar is published each year. I find all the days the kids have off and treat them like little gifts - days to go away, travel, explore! Sometimes I plan a year in advance what we'll do with those gifts, and some years I wait until the last minute. Rarely do I let these presents sit unwrapped and unused. There are of course exceptions... and this Thanksgiving week was one of them.

We get an entire week off at Thanksgiving. The first time the school district tried this calendar, I whisked my family away on frequent flier miles to Maui and Oahu (for two weeks - much to the school's chagrin). We've gone to New England to visit family, and the Plimouth Plantation. We've gone skiing in Colorado many years. We've gone hiking in Zion National Park. Occassionally we've stayed home. Never, before, though have we spent the entire week at home!

Day One and Two: My husband couldn't let an unbooked weekend go unused at our Palm Desert vacation condo so he spent the first weekend of our 9 day break golfing and making repairs at Palm Valley Country Club. The kids and I spent the first weekend "hanging out with friends" (that means the mall to the younger one) and having a Survivor China marathon and eating our meals on the couch. We had about 5 episodes on TiVo. I turned off my laptop, let the phones go to voicemail, and just enjoyed being with my girls. Why Survivor? Because we can watch all the silly antics, see a bit of an exotic location, fast forward through the gross things, and talk all the way through without missing anything important. We hung out together reading and relaxing. My husband had to work until Thanksgiving, so we also began to plot our "vacation at home" strategy; one that he wouldn't feel too left out on.

Day Three: we drove up to Los Angeles to the Museum of Tolerance. This museum is not a happy place, so it should not be the last thing you do on a southern California vacation. The museum is already under renovation, though it seems so new. The spiral staircase in the middle is reminiscent of the great Guggenheim Museum in NYC. There is no photography allowed in the museum in keeping with the solemn environs. We spent quite a bit of time in the exhibits regarding the current time and examining our own attitudes. The Millenium Machine was especially educational. Then we moved through the structured Holocaust Exhibit and ended in the gas chambers with tears. Caution, not for young children - be sure your group is emotionally able to handle this. Interestingly enough, my family was moved, but not shocked by any of this. They've been well educated in the issues of tolerance I think.

We ran out of time to finish our plans which were to go to the LA Fashion District for cheap shopping. I've been before to celebrate a 14th birthday and it is a teenage girl's heaven. LA is so much more than Hollywood! We instead took a random drive to our dinner destination, taking in some sites including lots of CA bungalows and the edges of USC's campus. On the way home, we passed the new Disney Concert Hall and the court house and decided our next time to LA will be a guided architectural tour. We parked at Pershing Square where they already had trees lit for Christmas, and were operating a winter ice skating rink - yes ice skating in downtown LA! We took in dinner at The Water Grill where we were celebrating a birthday and met up with more family. This restaurant is noted for its fresh fish, and was recently awarded a Michelin star. The service was excellent (they did the oddest thing and switched our white napkins out for black napkins as we were dressed in black). All of the food was excellent, and the fish very fresh. The bill was large of course. Expect $15 for a cocktail, and $40 for an entree. Our family vegetarian ate a salad and bread, not much else on the menu for her. The downtown LA location makes for a great night out, and the architecture of the Pacific Building is worth seeing.

Day Four: Recovery...and Business. One of the negatives of vacationing at home is there is always business to conduct. Doctor's appointments, phone calls, groceries to buy for the holiday. That said, when spent with a pleasant teenager (yes they exist some days), it can still be vacation. We managed to make fun out of work and had lunch in San Juan Capistrano near the Mission at Ruby's Diner at the train depot, and at least got a fantastic glimpse at the famous Mission San Juan Capistrano.

Day Five: World Famous San Diego Zoo. How may people are lucky enough to live within an hour's drive of the Museum of Tolerance, Mission San Juan Capistrano, AND the San Diego Zoo? A lot...I know I sat in the traffic on the way home. Regardless, I bet most everyone can easily find new things to explore within an hour of home. We have to remind ourselves often that people come here to vacation and that we have almost everything within an hour or two of home. I've been to the zoo dozens of times as have my kids, but every time is new. Every time I see something differently, or an animal doing something different, or a new exhibit. This time there were some new exhibits with water, and I saw a snake neck turtle which although kind of disgusting, was certainly memorable. I've never seen a gazelle run like crazy, but we watched one go round and round and watched her herd respond. Even a young gazelle tried to imitate, but just didn't have the jumping or running skills of the mature gazelle. Absolutely the best time to see the animals is the last hour before sunset - so many of them wake up and get fed. The cats and the koalas were a treat at this time of day.

Between the Museum of Tolerance and the San Diego Zoo, I certainly went home thinking about bigger issues of how we consume, what we consume, and what I can do to make a difference. I'm doing my best to stay out of the consumer frenzy, today, "Black Friday."

Day Six: Thanksgiving. Traditions. Food. Feast. Football. Family. Our menu: free range turkey free of hormones and junk, herb stuffing with mushrooms and onions, classic green bean casserole, whole cranberry sauce (easy 1 bag cranberries, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water - simmered 10 min), mashed potatoes, gravy, home made dinner rolls, maple walnut sweet potatoes, 5 pies, California wines (Woodbridge and Wilson Creek), sparkling cider. Naps. AMC showing of Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds".

Day Seven: Recovery. Kids with friends. Swimming in the pool which was accidentally heated to spa temperature. Blogging. Web Surfing. hmm...those last two are definitely not vacationing - I remember why going away on vacation is very different from vacationing at home.
Day Eight and Day Nine - Everyone be me seems to be coming down with a cold. My husband pushes through it because his one request is to go see Beowolf at the IMAX theater at the Irvine Spectrum. This is in 3D too which always makes things seem more like a holiday. Our discount coupons expired a few weeks ago and we fork out $30 for two of us. The girls opted not to see this film. The previews were a bit graphic for the younger daughter, and the older one has read the story Beowolf and said that if the story was that disgusting and graphic, a film in IMAX 3D would be unbearable. The truth is she was right! I nearly lost my lunch twice and spent a lot of time with my eyes closed. The story is one I enjoyed; IMAX clarity is amazing; the 3D was extremely well done, but do people really want to see Grindel chew his human food? Not me.

Our final day of vacation at home in Southern California is typical. We scatter to our corners of the home, and start to focus our minds and energies back to work, school, and home needs.

All in all a wonderful vacation, and far less expensive, though not cheap, than it would cost to "go somewhere." We're staying home for Christmas, New Years, and my birthday, so I think next time we'll go to priceline and get a hotel for a few nights and improve upon this theme a little. I love where I live, and need to live it a little more like someone on holiday!

Temecula CA Day Tripping and Wine Tasting

Temecula CA is a day tripper or weekender's paradise from the Los Angeles - Orange County - San Diego - Palm Springs Megalopolis. I discovered this little town more than 15 years ago, when it was still considered in it's wine infancy. In those days, a leisurely drive, wine tasting, a picnic and a drive home was something easy for a couple of yuppies to do. Fast forward, and to fall 2006, and somehow a decade and a half had passed since my last visit to this great valley surrounded by rolling hills and a thriving wine industry. I'm told that the wineries here host more guests than the famed Sonoma and Napa regions, because of the proximity to the locations named earlier. Truth is, the wine here is good too.

I came back to this little haven last week for an afternoon of wine tasting, a lunch, and a charity dinner at the Temecula Creek Inn to benefit Cancer for College (and my chance to make my kids jealous and meet Will Ferrell). When I was under 40, I would have never had the "guts" to go wine tasting by myself, nor the self discipline to pace out the tastes and stay sober.

After an easy one hour drive from Orange County, I dropped my other half at the College for Kids Golf Tournament, and headed over to Thornton Winery (32575 Rancho California Rd., Temecula, CA 951-699-0099). I had decided to try smaller wineries that I had not yet visited, and that I didn't think were on my book club's itinerary for our now annual trip. Thornton was one of the first wineries I saw, but what caught my eye was the sign for "champagne" - one of my favorite wines!

I had a light lunch in the Cafe Champagne (the lunch entrees looked good but large and expensive for what I wanted) of a soup and bread. The service was excellent as was the Champagne. There is a lovely center courtyard with a fountain and plenty of room to take in the neighboring hills. The tasting room is far more civilized than many, and instead of standing at the bar, you sit at a table indoors or out, and choose a "flight" of wines to taste. I of course chose the champagne flight. A flight is typically a set of wines (4-6) that are served at one time and move from driest to sweetest. While waiting, I enjoyed the reading material which included a bit about the 19th annual champagne jazz series on Saturdays in September and October. One of my favorite jazz artists: Candy Dulfer was scheduled to play there Oct. 7. I'll have to check out this series for next year. Only an hour away, it would make for a great "date" with a spouse, friend, or even alone.
My favorite Thornton champagnes were: the 1996 Brut Reserve (served with my lunch), the Non-vintage Brut, and the 1996 Brut Reserve Natural. Your results may vary. I also learned that being alone has it's advantages as I met two nice women from Escondido, north of San Diego. The best part: the chance to go home with 4 bottles for the price of 3!

Next stop was Stuart Cellars (33515 Rancho California Road, Temecula CA 951-699-0099) which was just down the road and looked like just what I wanted: a small winery. This winery is a wonderful, small little gem. I liked every wine I tasted, the wine tender (Kenny) was gracious, informed, and efficient with all of the guests, and the guests were very friendly. Here I met two women from Rhode Island that were working in CA for 2 weeks, a gentleman involved in RV Fractional ownership, and a couple who lives literally a 1/4 mile from me. Small world indeed. I came home with a great Chardonnay, and an unexpected pink wine (I don't do pink anymore - HAH!). The port here is excellent To this winery, I'll be back.

As the golf tournament went long, I found myself looking for a place that was open after 5, and hoping for a snack. My choices seemed to be Mount Palomar, South Coast, and Miramonte. I chose the last because it was the smallest. I arrived just after 5 and found the small tasting room and lounge alive and just starting "Flamenco Fridays." Unfortunately tasting ends at 5 (thought the tasting menus were still out), but they will let you taste your wine before you order it. I settled on something I can't remember because the "wine tender" seemed terribly uninterested in helping me find a wine I liked. This place has these gorgeous labels of rock stars like Mick Jagger, Madonna, and others on some bottles. I asked the host about them, and he just tersely responded that they were for sale as collectors items. Guess I wasn't what he though might by one...even though the Madonna label is something I was VERY interested in. On the bright side, the flamenco food was delicious and inexpensive (try the spinach empanada), and the music was certainly entertaining. I will not however return to Miramonte, as I was made to feel unwelcome.

The charity dinner was at the lovely Temecula Creek Inn, well run, well provisioned. Excellent location for an event with great staff.

Other wineries worth visiting: Wilson Creek, Maurice Car'rie, Oak Mountain (not on the tourist map), and my favorite besides Stuart: Leonesse.

Happy Day Tripping and wine tasting.

I Pick George Clooney's Location - How About You?

What's the last weekend of summer for if not for dreaming? Take a few minutes and feast your eyes upon the locations where the stars spend their vacations and time away from home. From Santa Barbara to Italy - which location would you pick? Me I'd like Oprah's Santa Barbara place, and George Clooney's Lake Como estate. Take a look at the article from Forbes for more luxury second home locations.

Celebrity Second Homes | ForbesTraveler.com

Deja Vu in Colorado

One of the best things about being over 40 is that you start to get invited to weddings again. When I was in my 20s it seemed there was at least one wedding every summer or fall to look forward to: a new dress, maybe even a brides maid gown, dancing, free food, cocktails, and a new location or venue to explore. After the flurry of activity in those years though, the weddings die down, and I think I went about a decade with no weddings in the summer. But alas, now I have nieces and nephews, and neighbors' children, and I find myself having to choose between weddings to attend once again! This year's wedding: my nephew's. This year's destination: Estes Park, CO. Bonus: my 3 siblings and their families!

I've been to Colorado many times before. Mostly for skiing in Summit County, and a few summer or spring visits here and there. If I didn't have salt water in my veins, I'd live there. I'll never forget my first trip to the Rocky Mountains in 1986. Before that, I'd never even been west of the Mississippi River! I couldn't have imagined such grandeur and beauty. Over 20 years later, this place still takes my breath away, and holds surprises at every turn.

After leaving LA in the wee hours of the morning and arriving at that God forsaken airport they call Denver International and being whisked away by my sister, who has a little trouble with directions, I find myself taken in once again as we head north and west - even over the out of tune singing being performed by my kids, sister, and myself (my husband refrained...). Mind you this scenario: my sister, me, my husband is reminiscent of that trip 21 years ago, as it was with this sister that I met my husband here in Colorado...

A few hours later, and "voila", we are in the mountains winding through Estes Park, past the Stanley Hotel (the wedding reception venue)and arrive at a villa rented by my brother that backs on to a gorgeous river that I never learned that name of. Here we do the normal for families: hug, eat, and talk too loudly. I start to feel 12 again, as that's the last time all 4 of us kids lived at home together!

Shortly we find ourselves checked in to The Stanley Hotel (more on that later), and hurtling toward a rehearsal dinner at The Wild Basin Lodge in Allenspark, CO. The drive is breath taking, but the speeding trap is frustrating. Ah...but this is the stuff of family legend: "remember Geoff's wedding and we were late for the rehearsal dinner because Karen got a speeding ticket, and when we finally got there, (brother) Fred had been stopped too!" Since my husband was videographer for this event - we even have it documented for posterity. Can you picture a minivan with 3 kids and 3 adults just try not to laugh at my sister's misfortune?! and get her in more trouble with the police... The Wild Basin Lodge was not only the destination for a delicious and nicely casual rehearsal dinner, but also for the most beautiful wedding location I think I've ever seen. The wedding the next day was in a field with the clear sky of high altitude and the mountains as a backdrop. The only thing more beautiful, was of course the bride!


.The Stanley Hotel, famed as one of the historic hotels in the US, and infamous as the rumored inspiration and writing location of "The Shining" by Stephen King (which he denies) served up a private building for the reception, excellent food, pricey (but good) cocktails, and attentive service for the wedding. My only gripe: air conditioning needed for receptions!

Our rooms at the Stanley were non descript, but the hotel itself cannot be criticized as it is one of those old beauties. My favorite experiences at the Stanley are sitting in the evening on the expansive front porch, having morning coffee in the modern back courtyard with my family, and of course: watching The Shining on the 24/7 showing on the TV. I think, however the Stanley Hotel and staff needs to step up the cleanliness and old school mentality of service

No trip to the area would be complete without a foray into Rocky Mountain National Park, and because ours was a group of mixed ages from 12 to 80 something, we chose the accessible Sprague Lake for our outing. We enjoyed food, hiking, taking photos, and most of all my other brother's antics with his cat and bird, who ended up tragically flying away (I KNOW ...no domestic animals in NPs, why didn't he?...)...more family legend fodder. Funny how it was the same brother (macho as he is) who strapped bells on the laces of every one's sneakers when we hiked at Glacier National Park on one of these reunions several years ago. Some things never change.

.Our trip though draws to an end too soon for me (with a stop at a rock shop and the go karts in Estes Park), and we're back outside of Denver, and on to the next stop for summer vacation: Boston's North End

Summertime

Ah - summer - my favorite time of year because the kids are out of school and we can travel a little. Where have we been this summer?

Estes Park, CO & Rocky Mountain National Park for a wedding and family gathering
Boston, MA - staid in the North End and behaved like tourists
Georgetown, Maine - worked on our cottage, visited with friends and family, boated on the Sheepscot River
Tewksbury, MA - visited family
San Clemente, CA - vacationing at home - including the beach, pool, and San Diego

Summer wish list: local vacationing: Wild Rivers Waterpark, the beach, Oceanside condo, Lake Arrowhead (vacation rental exchange), LA fashion district for back to school shopping, the pool, Old Town San Diego, the Dead Sea Scrolls in San Diego, Tijuana, maybe a cruise to Mexico?

I'm still getting it together from nearly 3 weeks on the road, but hope to post on these locations before long. Need to get my photos ready!

Here's wishing your summer vacation is the best!

Spend a week's vacation with Jordin Sparks or Paris Hilton - you choose!

First, I'll say I'm sorry, but I couldn't resist. First news on the radio this morning was that Paris Hilton is out of jail after only 3 days in the slammer. Then when I opened my browser this afternoon, there it was: The Jordin Sparks / MeMe Roth "scandal" over obesity. Two stars, one looking anorexic and in jail with no talent, and one with lots of talent, a pleasant smile, and on no: 5'10" and a size 12 "the picture of unhealth" according to an obesity expert!Jordin Sparks: I Like My Curves - American Idol (Series), Jordin Sparks : People.com: "Jordin Sparks didn't just win American Idol last week – she won a lifelong battle to accept herself.

'I think it really helped boost her self-esteem and made her realize she's beautiful as she is,' her grandmother, Pam Weidmann, tells PEOPLE for its new issue. Jordin's mom, Jodi, says of her daughter's May 23 victory: 'It was huge to see her confidence level grow. ... She's standing taller now.' "

I have the pleasure of driving around girls ages 11-15 every day and guess what? Most of them are healthy and beautiful and they range in sizes from 0 to 18. Guess what else: they all think they are fat! Diets, exercise, even personal trainers are part of their daily conversations. Since when can anyone consider a young woman who is 5'10" tall and a size 12 unhealthy? MeMe Roth needs to get a grip and focus on preventing obesity and not picking on someone she's never even met! What kind of person talks about a 17 year old in public like that? I don't care that Jordin just won Idol; it's just so unneccessary.

Any way what I want to know is this: who would you rather spend a week long vacation with? Jordin Sparks or Paris Hilton? Your paying, not them!

My vote goes to Jordin - the one who will enjoy the local cuisine, smile broadly when something makes her happy, and who cleans up quite nicely thank you. Paris no thanks - we don't want to end up in some Mexican or LA jail!

Spring Break 2007 - Cooper Island, BVI

Riddle: What took 21 hours, $2000, and a bottle of sunscreen and was worth it all?

Answer: Spring break for Vacation Mamma and 2 girls at Quart-A-Nancy Point at Cooper Island in the British Virgin Islands from Los Angeles/Orange County

Note: Your cost will be significantly higher as our food and lodging were supplied courtesy of my big brother! Estimate $2500 for a week of lodging and double your normal grocery bill.

I wasn't planning on going anywhere for spring break this year. My taxes aren't done, the property tax bills were a bear, and we took a big trip to Europe in December. Plus my husband really couldn't get away right now. I figured we'd heat the pool and enjoy our own southern California backyard - that was until my nephew called 2 weeks ago with this great $560 round trip air fare to St. Thomas! Being "vacation mamma" I resisted for about 5 minutes and succumbed to the promise of warm water snorkeling in the Caribbean.

I'd been to Tortola before for a week stay at "Bananas on the Beach" in West End (284-495-4318) more than a decade ago and a day trip to Virgin Gorda with snorkeling at the famed Baths, but never to any of the smaller islands in the BVIs. That's where my brother comes in. He bought a place on Cooper Island a few years ago, but I'd never had the chance to visit (truth is he's been working so hard on his place, and I'm tired of working hard on my vacation rentals when I "vacation" so I was waiting until I might be able to actually vacation.)

Although St. Thomas is not the best place to fly into to reach Cooper Island (Tortola is)- we managed the extra ferry to Tortola and then the Cooper Island Beach Club shuttle/charter boat and never looked back (well only for sunsets. Our spring break consisted of 3 days full of snorkeling and sitting on the spectacular deck watching the day and night go by. Everything we needed was there, especially the hammock that my oldest daughter enjoyed sleeping in. Our wake up call was not an alarm clock, but the bleating of a goat owned by an islander. The birds visited the courtyard and made us feel as if we were in a sanctuary. The snorkeling right from the dock blessed us with squid, rays including an eagle ray, blue tang, parrot fish, flounder, puffer fish, grouper, and our own resident barracuda. Every evening we delighted in a sighting of a turtle just off shore, and watched the sun go down and the multitude of starts appear.

Spring break was short, but oh so very sweet this year. There is nothing like a little warm water and sun for the soul.

Up up and away

I can't even remember where I snapped this photo, but I thought it captured my sentiment today before I fly to Chicago, St. Thomas then ferry to Tortola and Cooper Island, BVI today!