Art Galleries in Odd Places - Dana Point, CA

The life of a suburban mom includes a lot of "travel." Travel to practice, school, friends, library, and the grocery. Mine includes a lot less to practice and games these days, but there are music lessons in Dana Point, CA twice a week, which are just far enough and long enough that I don't want to drive back home to San Clemente after dropping off. The week before Christmas I had my younger daughter in tow and we decided to check out a local strip mall type plaza nearby Danmans Music School. Mind you, Dana Point is the kind of place many people dream of going on vacation, and we just take the ocean view from this strip mall for granted. After I bored my daughter with stories of how we used to toss the football around on this cul-de-sac during half time of football games (before TiVo), we checked out the fish store, and then moseyed over to "The Mint." The Mint is an art gallery in an obscure corner of a strip mall on an obscure slice of the Del Prado/Pacific Coast Highway area. That said, it's a cool little place.

We met the owner, Mark, and were drawn in by the art work of Paul Bryan Jr. (who we never heard of) and were pleasantly surprised to see more than the local standard of surf and beach art. There was a large black and white Bob Dylan image and a Jimi Hendrix image in a window, and we went right in. Now, I grew up humbly, and am completely intimidated by art galleries, and love museums. My 13 year old however, thinks nothing of trying on $1000 dressed in boutiques for fun. We enjoyed the pop art from Bryan, but especially these wonderfully accessible "hoola hoop" pieces. They were stacked against the wall, and the canvas was framed around a hoola hoop. Images of the Gerber Baby, Smilee Face, the world, a clock and more Andy Warholesque pop art were fun to explore. Like all galleries though, I think artists and owners are out of touch with us real people. Without prices, it's fun like a museum, but we were too embarrasses to ask. No idea if these were $10,000 pieces or $100 pieces. Never-the-less, it was a fun way to burn a half our and act like tourists in our own backyard - and free!

If you are in the Dana Point area: visit The Mint at 34085 Pacific Coast Hwy, #109, Dana Point, CA 92629

Knott's Scary Farm- Buena Park, CA

What do amusement parks do to pack in the people in the off season - that time between summer vacation and Christmas Break? Why dress up for Halloween of course! This marked my third or fourth visit to Knotts "Halloween Haunt" which is better known as Knotts Scary Farm by locals. This amusement park manages to get all of us parents of pre and young teens as well as teens and young adults to shell out $40-$50 to come in after dark and go through gross mazes, be scared by chain saw toting clowns, and go on rides that promise to scare you even without monsters. What more could you ask for?

I hate roller coasters and most rides since I get terrible motion sickness, but I love to be included in my teens' lives...this time my 13 year old and her friend let me join them, but rarely held my hand when goons and ghouls jumped out of the dark. Me, I loved the fog and the clowns...they loved the rides.

This is a definite right of passage for all parents of young teens in Southern CA. Be sure to catch this experience some time.

Traveler IQ Challenge- TripAdvisor

I'm a self employed mom. I don't play many games online or by myself, though I LOVE games. This is one that I could probably play all day. It's on Trip Advisor and it is a "where in the world is? kind of game. Have fun trying and playing:

Traveler IQ Challenge- TripAdvisor

Vacation Mamma Suffers No Vacation Stress

Wow - I've been neglecting this blog something awful. I wish it were because I've been off traveling. Instead, I've been building my new vacation rental property management business. I took and passed my CA RE Broker's license and have been building a boutique property management firm specializing in beach rentals. It's a huge labor, love, and learning curve. Needless to say there hasn't been a lot of time or money for travel the last 6-9 months.

Hmmm...you know it's bad when your teenager says - "gee we haven't been anywhere good since last summer." Well of course I disagree (she's 15 we don't agree on much these days). There's dad's birthday RV rental and staying at Casper Wilderness Park outside San Juan Capistrano. There's that trip to Las Vegas (the Venetian, MGM Grand, Ka and Dane Cook) in December. There's my birthday trip to LA (architectural tour, Westin Bonaventura, and Wicked at the gorgeous Pantages Theater) in January. "Those don't count" she recants. In fact she says "we should have skipped those and saved for something big." Of course I'm thinking "we did save for something big: new furniture and blinds for the family room." Of course it's hard to feel good about that when we are sitting in the same family room with the sun keeping the TV faded on the same worn love seat while we still wait for said furniture. Funny how spoiled my family has become when we don't count $1000 weekends as vacations any more!

Well instead of getting depressed...I'll instead focus on my blessings near to home and those mini trips in addition to those above that I have been able to enjoy:
- a day trip to the Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve near Lancaster, CA (2.5 hours from south Orange County CA)
- a day trip to Temecula for a Cancer for College Golf Tournament with Will Ferrell (I lost that photo when my iPhone broke)
- an overnight trip wine tasting in Temecula, CA with my book club just an hour away (we are reading our 100th book this fall! - and trying to get on Oprah)
- an overnight business trip to Las Vegas two weeks ago for a Vacation Rental Manager's seminar/conference with my good friend and business partner (where we checked out the condotel MGM Signature Towers (fantastic), the new club LAX, and surprisingly good appetizers and wine at the Golden Nugget during our conference)
-countless trips to the beach at T-Street in San Clemente,CA to drop my teenager
-at least two sunsets at Pine's Park in Dana Point, CA with my pre teen
-innumerable trips to North Coast Village in Oceanside, CA to look at and set up new vacation rentals for my clients at the beach
-many afternoons in my back yard pool hear in Southern CA when most others still have the heat running (at least I just have to heat my pool and spa)

Whew - stress gone! I'm not feeling stressed at all now...hmm time to get planning our trip to Maine this summer and to check out colleges in NYC and Boston!

MyNauticalMile - Boat and Fishing Charters: Top 10 Fishing Vacation Destinations

Though not a fisherman really, I do love to travel, and have been known to troll for a fish or two.

Of this gentleman's blog list about the top ten fishing spots, I have actually visited his number one spot (Quepos near Manual Antonio national park in Costa Rica - a great vacation), number 6 (Alaska - where I cruised the inside passage with my mom on our only real vacation together and caught my very own 25 lb king salmon), and British Columbia (where I've only explored Victoria by land). Good taste this man has...

MyNauticalMile - Boat and Fishing Charters: Top 10 Fishing Vacation Destinations: "Top 10 Fishing Vacation Destinations"

Eight questions to ask before booking a vacation rental - SmarterTravel.com

Eight questions to ask before booking a vacation rental - SmarterTravel.com: "Eight questions to ask before booking a vacation rental
by Sarah Pascarella, SmarterTravel.com Staff - March 14, 2008


As my friends and family will attest, I'm a big fan of vacation rentals: It's my first-choice accommodations type whenever I take a trip. But before I book, I always research the property thoroughly. This gives me peace of mind because I know the place I'm renting is clean and comfortable, and also ensures I won't get any surprise charges after checking out."

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!