The Most Romantic Trip...Napa Valley

Location: Napa, California
Date: August 2012 

I consider Napa to be the perfect couple's excursion. The rolling hills, manicured with rows and rows of vineyards, the excellent blue skies, perfect temperatures, and gentle breezes that resonate peace and tranquility make this a place of healing for both the mind and body.

A vineyard in Napa

Recently my husband, Trent, and I headed back to Napa.  (I say "back" because I grew up in Vacaville, a town just 18 miles away, but this trip was unlike the hundreds I had made during my adolescence.)  Since we were going home for my high school reunion in Vacaville, I decided to stay in Napa to outweigh a semi-stressful event with a relaxing and romantic getaway.

The Carneros Inn and Resort
August 2012

The Carneros Inn and Resort
Leaving Texas' 100 degree heat also sounded heavenly, so we headed off to Napa just two weeks ago to really discover it for the first time.  We flew into California and headed to our hotel called the Carneros Inn and Resort.  This was in the midst of beautiful vineyards and even had its own farm and orchard, so I truly felt we were communing with the earth and soil.  It felt good to this old country girl from Vacaville (literal translation, Cow Town) to get back to my roots.  Each of the rooms at this lovely, little place stand alone, so it really was like visiting our own personal cabin/farmhouse.  From the corrugated tin roofs and wood siding, it looked like a little farmhouse.  The exception being when we entered our little one room/one bathroom suite since the inside was beautifully simple with a touch of modern luxury.  The linens, indoor/outdoor shower, outdoor tub for two, and a personal fireplace in the room all led me to the quick conclusion that this was going to be a fabulous weekend.  More on this Plumpjack Resort can be found at www.thecarnerosinn.com.

Our suite, Haire #6, Napa
August 2012

We arrived at our resort very late after dinner with some friends from Vacaville.  When we pulled up, I did not know what to expect, unlike a lot of the chain hotels and resorts, where you basically have an idea of what you'll be getting.  I was surprised to recognize the resort as the same place I had had dinner for my Winter Festival dance in high school.  Of course that has been ages, and the night of the dance I had only known we had gone to Napa for dinner, so I never knew I had visited Carneros as a teen.  Since it is so beautiful lit up with string lights and the indoor/outdoor restaurant, it is no wonder it is a vision I have held onto for over 20 years.

The Perfect Day
Okay bare with me.... I am now about to describe my perfect day during this wonderful weekend away.  I don't want to sound too sappy, but it truly was perfect.

After our wonderful breakfast of eggs benedict and pancakes all made fresh with many of the resort's own homegrown ingredients, we headed out to discover Napa.  Trent had already booked a "mudslide" spa treatment up in Calistoga which is about a 45 minute drive north through this beautiful landscape.  I didn't mind driving because we had the top down on the car and the breeze whispering in my ear.  (Do I sound sappy yet?  Yes, it was that great!)  Tip #1-- If you don't know what you want to do or what is available in the area, then call your concierge at the hotel you are staying.  They can usually help plan a day or activity and usually know which ones are the best.  That is how Trent found out about his one.

Trent in Downtown Calistoga.  I love this guy!
August 2012

Mud City
Calistoga is known as "mud city" since it has the perfect combination of old volcanic ash from Mount St. Helena located just seven miles away, and the healing waters of the natural "Old Faithful" geyser found right there in Calistoga.  This mud supposedly has great healing properties, but let's face it, we could have been smearing good ol' regular mud on ourselves, we didn't care as long as it felt amazing.

Solage Resort 
When we arrived at the Solage Resort in Calistoga, we were ushered through the usual spa routine: go to the locker room, change into a robe and slippers, and meet outside in the co-ed waiting room where, of course, we were given a variety of herbal teas and cucumbered ice waters to wait out our time until our treatment started.

Our treatment room and tiled bed.
Try and notice the shower heads in the ceiling that we could turn on when we were ready to clean off.
August 2012

The Mud
Soon we were greeted and escorted to the mud bar where we choose an essential oil to be included in our mud.  I chose a citrus type boost that would give me some energizing properties, and Trent got the lavender for de-stress/muscle soothing.  Once our mud was mixed right before our eyes, we headed to the application room to rub the mud all over ourselves in a heated tiled room that was fit with shower heads coming out of two walls and overhead of the tiled lounging bed.  I really liked that the mud was mixed right before my eyes.  I have had a mud bath submersion procedure done back when I was in high school, and had saved all my babysitting money to enjoy such a lavish luxury, and though that was fine for me back then.  I worry now about who may have been sitting in that mud bath before I came along.  I didn't want other's germs, and so, though this wasn't a submerged bath it was still very soothing and my skin felt just as smooth as my first experience 24 years ago.)  Once our mud had dried and we showered off, a knock at the door signaled that it was time to move onto the next step.

Our geo-thermal mineral water baths
straight from the hot springs.
August 2012

The Waters
Straight from the solagecalistoga.com website in which this mudslide experience is described "the second step involves a relaxing and rehydrating soak in a luxurious oversized tub- featuring geo-thermal mineral water from our own spring."  Basically a relaxing soak for 25 minutes with some great bath salts again made from our essential oil of choice.  With another tap at the door it was on to the next step.

No this is not an advertisement for the spa, its Trent getting his zen on...
August 2012

The Rest
Trent's picture says it all.  You'd think this was from a brochure, but I couldn't help but take a quick pic once we got situated in these awesome chairs.  We were basically shown to these gravity free chairs, wrapped ourselves up in a robe and blankets, and were given head sets that were in-sync with the chair to vibrate with different pulses of the relaxing music.  It was bliss for all senses.

Me with no make up feeling very relaxed after our treatment.
August 2012

I will say I could call myself a connoisseur of spa treatments and this was one of my favorites because it included my husband, it was very relaxing, and it varied from the usual run-of-the-mill treatments.

Village Bakery in downtown Calistoga
August 2012

Old Faithful of California

By now it was 12:00pm and we wanted to walk the main drag of Calistoga and grab some lunch.  When I was a girl my mom would buy cheese and french bread and we'd find a park (usually over in Sonoma) and feel like we were in Italy or France for the day, of course I wanted to recreate this experience.  We grabbed a great lunch at Village Bakery and took off to have a picnic at the Old Faithful Geyser of California.  This natural phenomenon erupts every 30 minutes and is smaller, and a more intimate setting than that of the Old Faithful Geyser located in Yellowstone.  This is one of only three Old Faithful Geysers in the world, so it was well worth the time.

Old Faithful Geyser of Calistoga California
August 2012

The cost to see Old Faithful was $10 for adults and $3 for kids 3-12, more info at oldfaithfulgeyser.com.  It is an older park in California and doesn't look like it brings in much revenue so don't expect anything fancy but the staff was very kind and helpful.  Right next to the geyser there are a bunch of picnic tables where Trent and I set up our bakery feast.  Within 5 minutes of us being there it began to blow and so we were able to watch it twice during our picnic.  They also have some exotic goats and llamas (I wasn't too interested in seeing) so we did have the faint aroma of farm life near by.

A petrified tree stump at the Petrified Forest
August 2012

The Petrified Forest
Once we left Old Faithful we followed the signs for the Petrified Forest.  I'm embarrassed that I've never realized how close this forest was since I had never visited it while growing up.  You'd think this would be a no brainer for any mom and I was a littler perplexed at why my mom had never brought us here and then I saw this sign and realized why....

Hikers beware!
August 2012

Ok so here is the run down of the petrified forest.  Basically 3 million years ago when Mt. St Helena erupted the ash and lava came running down into the valley and coated everything in its wake.  Over all these years certain trees that are on display were transformed from wood to actual stone.  If I was a scientist I could explain in much clearer than this but basically there are about 23 sites, at this exhibit, that display these stone like trees laying on the forest floor.  Now to embarrass myself fully--there are no standing up petrified trees, as I had imagined.  There is not a forest full of petrified trees standing up to walk through.  (Thanks Hollywood for giving me a false visual all these years.)  It was interesting and it was a perfect 25 minute walk through a beautiful part of this forested valley. More info at www.petrifiedforest.org gives a much better explanation, the costs, and hours of the park.

Castello Di Amarosa and vineyard
August 2012

Trent is such a trooper posing for all my pics
on this romantic weekend away
August 2012

Grape Juice Anyone?
Of course I think the main reason I've never really experienced Napa Valley is because I don't drink alcohol.  With over 350 wineries in the area it can be a wine enthusiasts dream with so many tastings and so little time.  I have however, always been curious about the process of distilling grapes and even the harvest, and the whole process, so Trent and I decided to spend some time of our perfect day visiting a winery to learn more about it.  The Castle Winery, Castello di Amorosa, had been referred to us and we thought it would be fun to visit a castle.www. castellodiamorosa.com

Trying to get a decent picture with the low lighting in
the wine cellars.
August 2012

Modern technology meets the age old process of wine making
August 2012

This Winery is relatively new and took 15 years to construct.  It is shown in the Adam Sandler movie "Bedtime Stories" and truly does look like its been in the valley for hundreds of years.  The architect even thought it would be funny to make some of the castle look like its survived a battle and some of the bricks are missing from a top turret.

The war ridden turet from some terrible war this castle
 had engaged in with the city of Sonoma. :)
Castella di Amarosa, August 2012

Our tour took us through many of the 107 rooms in the castle, it even has a mock torture chamber, and into the cave of the hillside where much of the wine is stored for aging and distribution.  We walked through rows of thousands of wine barrels, tried taking photos that would show up in the low lighted rooms, and enjoyed learning about the wine making process.  At the end of course, there was a full wine tasting in a beautiful underground room in which Trent and I tasted some wonderful, smooth, sweet but not too tart grape juice.  When we told the gentleman next to us that he could have our share of the real wine he was only too delighted to take us up on our offer.  Here we ordered 12 bottles of this luxurious grape juice to be sent to our home in Texas for a nominal fee of $15 so we can open up this special juice at Christmas this year.  It really was just that good.

The Girl and the Fig Restaurant
August 2012

The Girl and the Fig
Our evening ended with a short drive up to Sonoma where we dined right on the town square at a restaurant called The Girl and the Fig.  It was in an old home or business building from the 1800's and offered a fresh fare of food.  I thought it was all delicious except for the chocolate covered figs that we ordered for dessert.  Not my favorite. www.thegirlandthefig.com

Reunion with with high school/middle school/elementary buddies.
August 2012

I hope this helps in planning your  excursion trip to Napa Valley.  We really did have such a romantic time and it was healing for both our mind and body.  It also reminded me to be more grateful for the things I have around me including where I live and the friends I've had, and have, in my life.  Since it was also my high school reunion trip I will include a pic of some of that fun.  Where is the most romantic city you've visited?  I'd like to know so I can start planning my itinerary or at least put it on my bucket list.

"Begin by discussing with your eternal companion 

how much time you need together

 to strengthen your marriage, 

to demonstrate the love you have for each other. 

That is your first priority." 

Elder L. Tom Perry
lds.org

Around the World, Part 2: Operation Koh Samui

Location: Koh Samui, Thailand
Date: March 2012

View of Koh Samui, Thailand
March 2012

Prior to this trip, my only exposure to the island of Koh Samui came from "Meet the Fockers."  Luckily, we had a chance to go there, and my eyes were opened to this beautiful island, which is much more than just a funny location in a movie.  Here is more of our "Around the World" trip that we took in March.  

Trent on our hike at Na Maung Safari Park
March 2012

On Wednesday, March 8, we landed in Koh Samui and took tenders over to the island.  When we arrived, there were many local taxi drivers and excursion agents trying to get anyone and everyone off onto one of their tours.  (*Tip here!-- Don't just go with the first driver that tries to get your business.  NEGOTIATE!)  Trent found drivers that would take our group of 14 to the Na Maung Safari Park, a 15-20 minute drive, for $12.50 each.  We usually like to make our own adventure and don't always do the excursions offered by the boat because we’ve found we can save money.  In this case, we found the information about the Na Maung Safari park online, and the boat didn’t even offer an excursion here.  We were excited because the kids really wanted to ride an elephant and this was the place to do it!

Getting our $10 pictures with these wild beasts
March 2012

The park was in good shape for a third world country.  It had many things to offer, and there was no cover charge to get in.  At the front of the park, there was a tiger and a jaguar chained up with a line of tourists waiting to get their picture taken by these amazing creatures.  Clay chose to get his picture with the tiger, but we waited to watch a few others in the group get theirs, so we could make sure the tiger was docile enough to get up close and personal with.  Though I do hate to see animals locked up on a chain this way, it was incredible to get close enough to touch this animal, and I do realize this is a way for these people to feed their families.  For $10 each, we were able to pet the tiger and get our photo with him.  When the tiger tried to look over his shoulder at us, the handler would knock him in the muzzle to have the tiger look away.  At one point while I was petting the tiger's back, and he was knocked by the handler, the tiger did a low murmured growl that shook through his body.  That was my cue to move on.  I was done.

Bailey choose to get her picture taken with the baby tiger and feed her a bottle of milk.  It was precious and really looked a lot like a kitten with the exception of his huge paws.  This also cost $10 just for a picture. 

Bailey & me riding Solomon our elephant
March 2012

The most amazing thing about the park were the elephants.  They had 28 that lived there, and once again, all the tourists were lined up to ride them.  Trent and Clay got on one elephant, and Bailey and I got on another with our mahout (elephant handler) riding up on the ears of the elephant (yep, that would be the forehead!).  We rode peacefully along as our huge beast ate giant bamboo leaves and moved to the commands of our mahout named Tuck.  Tuck shared that our elephant's name was Solomon, and he was a 45-year-old Asian elephant.  He was a dark charcoal grey with orange-tinted splotches of freckles on his face to distinguish his elephant breed.  We roamed around the park for about twenty-five minutes on the back of Solomon, and at one point, our mahout jumped off and had us move off of the bench saddle they had strapped on Solomon's back and we rode up on his neck and shoulders. Can I just mention that I did get a little bit panicked here?  What if Solomon tried to make a break for it?  It was so interesting to feel the thick skin of Solomon and feel the bristles of his hair under our skin and to think about all of these animals living on this island in the middle of the China Sea.  Tuck took lots of pictures of Bailey and I, but we were separated from Trent and Clay and their elephant so we didn’t get to enjoy it as a little family.  By the end of our ride, we felt like Solomon was an old family friend, and Tuck told us how prestigious it was for him to have become a mahout.

Momma & Baby at the Elephant Nursery
Koh Samui Thailand, March 2012

At the end of our ride, we said farewell to Solomon and headed up to cool off at the waterfall in the park.  On our way, we saw the nursery where there were two baby elephants that were three- and six-months-old.  They were absolutely precious, and one even sucked the mother's teat as we watched and fed the mother bananas we had purchased.  (Though there was no cover charge at this park, everything had a price!  To feed the elephants some bananas, we had to pay a few Bhats though they did accept dollars as well.)  The baby elephant made us all wish we could just take one home and keep it in the backyard but seeing the size of their mamas made us realize that was just our childish dreams surfacing for a moment.  

Our beautiful waterfall taken from the bottom of the 2nd waterfall
Koh Samui Thailand, March 2012

We paid $3.50 each for a ride up to as close as we could get to the waterfall without having to hike too much with the kids.  I felt this was a smart choice since there was plenty more hiking in front of us.  At the first waterfall, there were lots of tourists all trying to get in and get cooled off from the heat and humidity that was engulfing us.  With a little refreshing splash, we were ready to hike up to the next waterfall which was about another 10 minute walk up.  We stayed on the path that was clearly marked with ropes and cutouts of the mountain and made it up to the next waterfall where there were less tourists and a little more water to splash around in.  My only regret was having only one water bottle with us that was quickly gone by the time we had gotten to the first waterfall. (*Tip-- Bring water on hikes - even if you're hiking a waterfall!  It's hard to hike thirsty when there's so much refreshing water is running by your feet.)

Bailey swinging between waterfalls
March 2012

At this second waterfall, there was a swing that the kids had fun swinging on, and we all climbed the rocks that formed the natural pool.  There, we took a nice dip and cooled off from the sun.  I was the first one back on the trail to head back down, and while I was waiting, I saw a little bench I probably wouldn’t have noticed had I not been waiting on the others.  

The bench where I found our little Thai guide waiting for us
March 2012

There sat a little Thai man in very shabby clothes who didn’t speak any English at all. (Okay, he could speak about three or four words.)  All he said to me when I noticed him was "secret pool" as he pointed up to another trail that was even more primitive than the first.  By then, our group was starting to assemble, and Clay saw the Thai man and heard what he said as well as another French couple who decided to follow this Thai man.  Clay looked at me and I gave my approval, so Clay started following the Frenchies along with the Thai man up the smaller trail to continue up.

Want to cross this bridge?  You can decide when you get there! ;)
March 2012

Because the second waterfall had only been a 10 minute hike from the first, I assumed this “secret pool” would be just as close.  When everyone had finally gathered, I told them I was going up with Clay and soon Trent, Bailey, the "O" family, and I were all headed up.  It was a very treacherous trail.  There were ropes but fewer than the other trails, and this trail was much steeper than the ones previous.  We kept going, taking few breaks to catch our breath and wishing for water, but we continued up.  About 3/4 of the way up, we ran into some other Americans coming down, and they gave us hope that we were almost to our goal and that it was well worth it.  

Our "secret pool" that wasn't so secret with the little Thai guide telling everyone about it
March 2012

After about 30 more yards, we finally made it to the "secret pool" and our Thai guide disappeared behind a rock to change into his "swim trunks" he had hanging on a tree.  We all started to get into the water, but we soon learned that our guide could also say "No" and "Yes."  We soon got “no, no, no” as he came out from behind his changing rock in the most dreadful sheer swim Speedo I had ever seen.  It looked like something made by a shipwrecked person living on a deserted island, and it gave very little to the imagination.  I was satisfied that his front was covered, but as soon as he turned aroundm the girls started to snicker since we could see the torn fabric holding on trying to cover his bottom but not doing a very good job of it.  We had a good laugh, and then our guide dove into the pool proving how deep the water was.  Once he was in, he gave us the “yes, yes, yes,” and we all started to get in and cool off.  He swam us over to a little cave in the pool and grabbed a rope submerged in the water that we used to pull ourselves into the cave and through the waterfall that rained down in front of it.  He was a funny little guide since he kept pushing us all into the cave as though it was a huge cavern though there really wasn’t space for us all, and then he gave us the sign for wanting to take our picture. 

Clay posing with the beautiful view from the
top of the mountain down to the ocean
Thailand, March 2012

He showed the kids where they could cliff jump into the pool and we all enjoyed the cool crisp water that rejuvenated our tired soaked bodies.  The view from our pool was also amazing since we were so high in the Koh Samui jungle that we could see a landscape of green out before us stretching out to the ocean.  It really was one of the most enjoyable moments of my life only to be clouded by the fact that my other four kids weren’t with us to enjoy it too.  

At that point, it was time for our descent and since one of my flip flops had broken on the way up the mountainside, I had the pleasure of trying to navigate down with only one shoe.  I know I do this every time.  As my sister, Kym, would say, I hike in banana peels!  It is especially stupid since I own a great pair of Keens that I have officially dubbed as my waterfall hiking shoes but that I forget to bring every time. 

The "banana peels" I tried to hike in - not a good idea
March 2012

We did make it down and had our taxi drivers waiting for us at the bottom to take us back to the boat.  We gave our Thai secret pool tour guide a hefty tip for leading us on our wonderful excursion, and the kids encouraged him to use it on a new bathing suit, but in a country like this, I'm sure that is last on his list of essentials.  

One more rope swing we found on our way back down
the mountain side.
Koh Samui Thailand, March 2012

Back on the boat, the Brits didn’t like that we had come back on with only our bathing suits and cover-ups, and one even rolled his eyes at Clay and turned to his wife and said, “He could have at least put a shirt on” which made me laugh that a shirtless 9-year-old boy in his swimsuit could cause such disdain to a grown man.

Our boat, The Aurora
March 2012

That evening was a formal evening, and though they are not my favorite, it was nice to dress up and see our group looking so smart at dinner.  Since my converter for my curling iron didn't fit into the plug in my room, I had been unable to curl my hair so I did my best to look presentable, and we ended up having a great evening dining with friends. 

Pretty Girls in Thailand; Around the World, Part I

Location: Thailand to a P&O Cruise
Date: March 2012

Trent and me in Bangkok visiting the Golden Buddha
March 2012

Recently, Trent and I took a trip around the world with two of our children (those who could get away with missing so much school) and some of our good friends.  Instead of trying to remember all the details of our trips, I thought I would just share some of the excerpts from the journal I kept throughout our vacation with a few added notes and travel tips.  This adventure was amazing and coordinated months in advance with four other couples.  We all wanted to see a part of the world we hadn't spent much time in or at all, so that is why we chose to travel on a P&O cruise ship (owned by Carnival, but run by a British company) where we could travel to countries like Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka, Oman, and the UAE, but then - after our excursions on land - return to British living standards at night on the ship.  It wasn't as ideal as coming back to an American ship, but it was still much better than other options.  Here is the first segment of our travels.  Enjoy!

Bailey reading a Japanese newspaper at the Narita airport in Japan
March 2012

Our Trip Around the World!

First Stop: Thailand

We are in Thailand!  After 28 straight hours of travel time (about 24 on a plane and the other 4 in transit), we finally made it.  Our adventure started Saturday, March 3, at 7am as we left San Antonio and headed to New York City.  Yes, we had to fly east to catch our flight west.  From JFK, we headed out at 12:55pm and started this around-the-world adventure.  It only took 13 hours and 20 minutes to get to the Narita Japan International Airport where we arrived at 4pm local time on Sunday, March 4.  Though this trip was planned with several other friends, we had no idea that our friends, the "O"s, would be on this last leg of our flight to Bangkok since they were flying in from Salt Lake City via Seattle.  It was a welcome sight, but all of us were feeling quite yucky after having just crossed the Pacific Ocean.  

The view from our room at The Peninsula Hotel in Bangkok
March 2012

Flights & Immigration
We left Japan at 5:30pm and arrived in Bangkok at 11:30pm local time.  This time we had to go through immigration which is never really that fun.  The minute we get off the plane, Trent likes to power walk as fast as he can to get through immigration before the long lines start forming.  Usually all the other international flights seem to arrive at the same time, so we are always racing with others and navigating to the shortest lines.  Trent is pretty good at looking ahead to see if there is one officer or two working the lines which usually helps us to make good time getting through since sometimes the wait can be quite lengthy.  I've noticed that most people avoid getting in line behind us since we have children which seems odd since it usually cuts the line down faster when families go through together versus individuals who go through one-by-one.  

Going through immigration always makes me nervous since Trent has so many stamps on his passport to crazy dangerous countries because of his business.  Once when we were going through in Israel, the immigration officer didn’t like that Trent had a stamp from Saudi Arabia and questioned him for quite awhile as I sat there patiently trying not to feel guilty for not doing anything wrong.  However, most immigration agents are delightful and give a little smile and cordially welcome you to their country, especially when you've got children with you like we did this time.

Customs 
Once we've gone through immigration, its time to get the luggage which is quick and easy since usually the immigration line was so long the luggage has been turning in the turnstiles for some time before you get there.  This time, we grabbed our bags, put them on big carts, and headed once more through customs and drug-sniffing dogs, hoping we weren't one of the “lucky” ones to be pulled aside and asked to open our luggage.  Luckily, we were among the fortunate ones to get through quickly and start our true Thai experience.

Navigating our way over to our meeting spot, we hooked up with our driver who Trent had arranged to drive us to our hotel.  The driver told us it would take 14 minutes to get to the Peninsula Hotel (though it really took more like 34 minutes;).  Now the time was going on 1am, and we stumbled out of the van and into the beautiful foray of the hotel.  With only a few bellboys awake and one service agent at the registration desk, our arrival was quiet.  We got our room keys, traded in some US dollars for some Thai Bhat, and were taken to our rooms.

Since we have Clayton, 9, and Bailey, 13, traveling with us, we got two rooms that connect in the corner on the 24th floor of the hotel.  This is an amazing hotel!  The push button curtains open and close on demand, and there's a TV by the bathtub and little doors to tiny spaces where you can put your shoes out to be polished during the evening by some wonderful, little Thai shoe-polishing elf!

We were quickly all showered and in bed in no time and ready to get a handle on our jet lag.  Since Thailand is 13 hours ahead of San Antonio, we knew we needed to get on schedule as quickly as possible.  To do this, Trent and I try to stay awake on the flights!  We try not to sleep, so we can get as tired as possible and go to sleep when we get to the country where we are traveling.  It worked perfectly since we arrived so late at night.  By going to sleep right away, we were ready (kind of) to start our day today at 7am.  

My beautiful breakfast in Thailand
March 2012

Bangkok
This morning we got up, though I felt like I could still sleep for days and went to breakfast.  Our breakfast was an amazing buffet with anything and everything a person could ever desire.  I do think that foreign buffets are the best!  We again hooked up with the "O"s and since they brought their two children, M, 9, and L, 11, it worked out perfectly for Clay and Bailey to make fast new friends. 

Trent with the Golden Buddha, the largest solid gold Buddha in the world
March 2012

Visiting the Buddhas
Trent and our friend, W, set up a little tour with our concierge, and soon we were off to see the sights of Bangkok.  (There's nothing like a local to find you a taxi and become your own personal tour guide for the day - so if you haven't set up a tour, then just create your own!)  It was an amazing day visiting four significant sights and temples.  We started with seeing the Golden Buddha.  He is the largest, solid gold Buddha in the world!  Trent got a great picture pinching Buddha’s bootie and was one of my favorite pictures of the day. 

The Reclining Buddha is so large and in such a tight space that it is hard to take a picture of it
since this is as far back as you can scoot to get all of him in one shot.
March 2012

Moving on, we saw the Reclining Buddha (it's exactly what it sounds like), but this Buddha was humongous.  It was the largest stature I’ve ever seen - probably half the length of a football field!  We visited the Grand Palace and the Emerald Buddha where you have to take your shoes off, wear long skirts or pants, and cover your shoulders to visit.  I recommend taking a scarf for trips like these to holy sights to make covering arms easy and quick.  Since it is usually stifling hot in these places I also recommend grabbing a long skirt for girls that you can pull up over your shorts while you're in the van on the way over to the sight.  For boys, it's a little tougher but bringing a pant with a wider leg usually works.  Ball caps are a sign of disrespect, so I don’t usually let my boys wear hats since there is nothing my kids hate more than hat head photos while visiting a cool sight.  

When we were going in to see the Emerald Buddha, I had Clay with me, and the guard standing at the door grabbed Clay’s hand and led him over to a chair where the guard could sit down to look at Clay.  It was a weird moment, especially since I was worrying that the guard just saw me pour some water from my water bottle on Clay's popsicle-soaked hands outside of the temple and was going to reprimand us for doing this.  However, the guard looked at Clay, took both of Clay's hand in his, and asked, “Where you from?”  Clay responded he was from Texas.  The guard then looked at another guard who also had the same puzzled look as the first, and I could tell he didn’t know where Texas was, so I interjected, “He’s from the USA.”  Sounds weird, I know, but it's the way many people refer to us outside the states.  The guard then had a huge smile on his face and said, “Good to meet you.”  I think Clay was relieved at this point to know he was not in trouble, but then he started to realize how strange this situation was so, as little boys do, he squirmed his hands away and just said goodbye to the guard as we went in to kneel at yet another Buddha statue.  This particular Buddha gets a special outfit put on him at the beginning of each season and though we were dripping in 90 degree weather today, the Buddha was dressed for winter because apparently it's winter in Thailand!

Clay donating some Bhat to the prayer chimes
located along the wall behind the Buddha
March 2012

Thai Yoga Massage

By around 4pm, we were all exhausted and ready to head back to the hotel.  The kids wanted to cool off by the pool, and we knew better than to take a nap in our room and risk messing up our internal clocks we were trying to reset, so we took them down there and ate dinner.  I love the food at this hotel!  It is delicious and presented in the most beautiful ways.  We enjoyed sushi and sashimi, paper rolls, and chicken satay all poolside while the kids swam and Trent and I relaxed.

Later that evening, we sent the kids up to our room, and Trent and I indulged in a Thai Yoga massage.  It was the best massage experience I have ever had in my life!   Opposed to a traditional massage where you are undressed laying under a blanket for a strategic working of the muscles, this massage requires a scrubs like outfit that is worn loose as you lay on a 4-6 inch pad on the floor.  Since Trent and I were doing this together, our mats were placed next to each other in a room that looked as mystical as the land we were visiting.  The floor had water intersects to step over that had river rocks at the bottom with water easily passing over.  The lights came down in huge pendulums that resembled illuminated punching bags.  The wood work was old and pitted with iron locks and handles that added the combination of old world to the beautiful modern serenity of the spa. 

Our two therapists were both Thai, and they began by washing our feet.  At this point, we were not exactly sure what we were in for.  I was guessing that it would be relaxing and not too strenuous since the title of our treatment had the word “yoga” in it.  After our feet were washed, we laid down face-up on our mats to start.  My therapist began by massaging my feet and worked up my leg with no oils or lotions.  Then the stretching began.  My body was contorted in so many stretches I could not even begin to describe them all.  If it sounds awful, then I’m not describing it accurately since it was so relaxing that sometimes I did fall asleep.  At one point, when the therapist had me roll over, she gave me two rolled up towels and had me put one under my chest and the other under my forehead so that my face was down but not smothered into the mat.  Then she climbed on my back, wrapped my feet around her shins, and then reached for my outstretched arms.  She had me take a deep breath in as she pulled my arms back.  My forehead lifted off my rolled towel, and I looked as though I had become airborne or like the girl on the mast of a ship.  She had me exhale as she lowered me back onto the mat, and then she repeated this two more times.  The stretch I had in my back and shoulders and abdomen was wonderful.  When the massage was over, I felt like I’d been through a boxing match but I felt good, rejuvenated, and excited to start our big adventure.  It was a luxury experience I will forever bookmark in my mind when recalling the wonderful city of Bangkok.  

Buddahful... ;)
March 2012

The P&O Cruise
Tuesday, March 7, was uneventful since it was just a travel day.  I will admit I woke up early with aches from my massage the night before.  I took some Advil, but that only made my stomach queasy from not having any food in my system.  I pushed through it, and we packed up our luggage.  Still not feeling my best, I laid down to get some rest before our hour and a half drive to the dock where we would embark on our cruise.  We were now traveling with four couples since our hotel was our meeting point (some of the other travelers were in other parts of Thailand having started their vacation earlier than the rest of us).  By noon, we were off in two vans, and it was a very long drive for me.  I would feel good, then sick, then okay, and then sick again.  I wasn’t sure if it was all the lactic acid that had been released and now needed to be expunged from my body or if I’d come down with food poisoning from the large amount of watermelon I had eaten at the hotel the first morning of our arrival.  At one point, Trent had me convinced I was pregnant but that didn't make me feel any better.

We finally arrived at port and boarded our ship.  We had booked one cabin with four beds since we brought Clay and Bailey with us, but we were grateful the "O"s offered to give up one of their cabins, so their kids could share the room with our kids and Trent and I could have a room to ourselves.  I quickly went to sleep, wondering if I was suffering from the massage, food poisoning, or maybe just jet lag from our 28-hour flight.  I woke up just to do the ship muster drill, and then I was off to bed for the evening with hopes that the morning would bring a better day for me.  Thankfully, that is exactly what it brought!

I really liked this sign posted in Singapore.
It really summed up the whole trip for me!
March 2012

The Big Apple for Couples

Location: New York City

A walk through Central Park
October 2011

New York, New York!  One of my favorite cities in the world!  It is everything like the movies and more.  I've decided to write about this wonderful place by request, and since I know the requester is going with just her husband and no kids, this will be my official "The Big Apple for Couples" post.

Over the years, I have been to NYC seven or eight times.  All but two of those trips I have gone with just my husband or with other couples, and there is a huge difference in the sights you'll want to see when visiting with kids versus visiting with just adults.  Of course, this is an ever-changing city with new things popping up all of the time and even favorites disappearing over night, but here is a list of things I recommend doing if you are going on a couples trip.  I have starred all the items that are a "must see" if you are visiting the city for the first time.  Please keep in mind that I have never lived in New York and do not claim to be a local.  However, I am pretty knowledgeable on being a tourist there, and I think that sometimes this is an even better perspective.  I mean, I grew up near San Francisco and have never been to Alcatraz. :)

Shopping in Times Square with my good friend, Michelle
July 2010

*Times Square
If you've never been, then go straight to Times Square.  My first time there, I ran to the center observation area, twirled around and around, and introduced myself to the city.  (Okay, I may have just done all that in my head but it was my own Mary Tyler Moore moment.)  Take it all in and look at the beautiful lights day or night.  There is so much to see, and there is an awesome Crumbs Bakery right there, so treat yourself to a delightful cupcake (I may actually know where all the Crumbs Bakeries in NY are:).  Locals or regular visitors will tell you not to stay in Times Square, but if you can afford it or if you find a great deal online, I would definitely stay right smack dab in the thick of it.  I have actually stayed at both the Embassy Suites there (very comfortable) and the Westin (looks good on the outside, but it didn't feel very clean on the inside), but there are tons of options, so check it out and read the reviews online.

Trent getting his M&M personality test taken.
Michelle and me going to see Kristen Chenoweth and Sean Hayes in Promises Promises.
Some fabulous Crumbs Bakery cupcakes.
October 2011

Times Square includes:
Toys"R"Us with the ginormous ferris wheel inside (get there early but not when the store opens since the ferris wheel doesn't usually open up until 10am)
M&M Store (kind of interesting to see what your M&M personality is)
Crumbs Bakery (I can never resist - the dulce de leche is one of my faves)
MTV Headquarters (where they tape lots of shows and you have a good chance of seeing a celebrity)
Good Morning America Show (you can stand outside the window and try to get five seconds of TV glory)
Shake Shack (great food and featured on the movie, Tower Heist)
and most Broadway shows are right in this area since this is Broadway, baby!
I seriously cannot mention everything located in Times Square because it is just that amazing.  The official website timessquarenyc.org is helpful to browse through, so you can make sure you see everything available while you are there.

*Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
The most iconic thing to see in New York is the Statue of Liberty.  However, once you have had this experience, you never really need to do it again.  Trent and I did it back in 1997, and we haven't stepped on the island where she stands ever since.  But this really is an amazing site to see and is best done taking the Circle Line tour straight from Battery Park.  You can find out specifics about different tours and pricing at circleline42.com.

As I recall, we took a ferry out to Liberty Island, walked around a bit, took our photos, and then went over to Ellis Island, which is always fascinating for the history or genealogy buff.  It is a long half-day excursion, and, depending on the weather, can be stagnant and hot in the summer or brisk and freezing in the winter.  On our last trip to New York, we decided we wanted to see Lady Liberty again, but this time, we took a helicopter ride and saw her from the sky.  As cool as that was, it does dwarf her stature and size since getting too close to the statue is now against FAA regulations.  We took the Liberty helicopter line and found it to be very professional and very safe.  They run all kinds tours that run both day and night (if you want to see the city lights).  More info can be found at libertyhelicopter.com.

Wall Street
Wall Street is on the south side of the island, but there really isn't much to see there (in my opinion).  Since security is tight all over NYC, most people cannot go in to watch the buzzing trading floor at the NYSE.  At Wall Street and Broadway, you can take a pic of yourself with the famous bull statue,  but due to its popularity, expect to wait your turn before getting your photo op.

*9/11 Memorial
This is a bittersweet experience of remembering the tragedy that took place there and celebrating a city that has picked up the pieces from that horrible day.  Going to see the 9/11 Memorial is free, but you should definitely get a ticket online at 911memorial.org.  Since there is such a high demand to see this sight, getting a ticket once you get to the city can be a challenge, so get your ticket online with your set date and time before you get there.

Trent and me at Highline Park
October 2011

Highline Park
Highline park is cool because it is the New Yorkers' version of a park.  It's actually an old elevated train line that they have converted into a large path.  It has small amounts of grass here and there to allow for people to see some fresh green in that part of Manhattan.  It's also a fantastic place to people watch (one of my favorite activities:).  More info can be found at thehighline.org

Trent with his buddy, Barry, as they waited for Michelle and me to finish shopping in China Town.
They had to wait a long time. :)
October 2011

*China Town/Canal Street
China Town down on the south side is one of my very favorite places in New York.  I can't get enough of the cheap garbage they sell!  I recommend to set aside (at the very least) a half of a day for this excursion.  I get all my kids' souvenirs down there because it usually has the best pricing and the Chinese vendors are just so fun to bargain with.  Quite often, you will be approached by shop owners asking if you'd like to see their "secret inventory" of knock-off items such as purses, watches, and jewelry.  I've even seen knock-off Uggs sold down there at a shop right off of Canal Street on Mulberry.  Now no matter how you feel about knock-off items, even being offered the opportunity to buy some of these items is a funny and almost exciting experience in and of itself.  In 2010, there was a big police push to cut down on these knock-offs being sold, so most of them are sold from minivans off in a back alley.  I hate trying to shop this way, so I usually reject anyone who tries to take me to a vehicle with blacked out windows (hello, stranger danger!).  However, every once in awhile there is a back room located four or five blocks off the main street downstairs behind locked doors or up through an elevator to some unmarked door, which opens to the nirvana of all knock-offs.  It is illegal for them to sell you these items, but I can't say I haven't loved the cloak and dagger of the whole thing!  However, I will tell you that any purse sold for $40 that retails at $500-$2500 is indeed a knock-off, and no matter how good it looks, it will not hold up.  You'll be lucky to get forty straight days of using that purse before one of its straps breaks or it loses the logo right off the front.

The first time I was approached by one of these salespeople, I felt afraid and was unwilling to follow them, but then on a return trip, I thought about how many tourists I had heard about getting abducted by the Chinese in NYC (i.e. zero), so I decided to accept the invitation.  It made for quite the adventure!  At one locale, I was looking at purses hung on a wall around a corner from the main strip of Chinatown.  When the clerk asked if I wanted to see "Gucci, Coach, Prada, Dolce and Gabana," I warily nodded "yes."  That's when he knocked on the wall I was looking at, and it opened right before me.  (Yes, there was a door right in front of me that I had not even noticed!)  He then showed my sister-in-law and I into a room that was no bigger than most walk-in closets and that was filled from floor to ceiling with purses.  My sister-in-law and I had to stand back-to-back and shuffle in a circle to see all the items - that's how small this space was!  When we shook our heads that there wasn't anything we liked, he quickly opened the door and showed us out.  They wished us well, and we were on our way giddy with excitement to tell the rest of the girls on our trip that we had just disappeared inside the alley!

Michelle shopping in Chelsea Market
October 2011

Chelsea Market
Working our way up, there is the Chelsea Market which has lots of fun little shops and is a foodie's paradise.  It is also where they shoot many of the Food Network shows, so you can volunteer to be in a studio audience for a lot of them. Check out chelseamarket.com for more info on this cool place.

At the Top of the Rock in October and then again in December 2011

Empire State Building & *Top of the Rock
The Empire State Building is beautiful and romantic, but the first time I went up her innards to get to the top, I'll admit I was a little horrified and disgusted.  It cost about $25 per person, and it was really dirty and had a long three-hour line to get to the top.  Once we finally reached the top, it was nothing like Sleepless in Seattle, so I prefer admiring this beautiful building from the Top of the Rock (the Rockefeller Building).  From there, you have a great view of the Empire State Building to the south and Central Park to the north.

Going up to the Top of the Rock is a much cleaner and enjoyable experience and can be as short as a 25-minute wait to hop aboard the glass ceiling elevator that shoots you to the top in seconds.  It's also cheaper since it only costs about $19 per person and kids under 5 are free.  A great website for finding info on going to the observation deck there can be found at bestofnewyork.com

The Rockefeller Building has so much more to offer than just the top observation deck.  It is also where many NBC shows are produced, such as the TODAY show, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Saturday Night Live, The Dr. Oz Show, and more.  When my husband and I visited with some friends, we decided to try to see a live taping.  When we arrived at around 10am, we followed the posted signs in the building to sit in the audience of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.  When we were greeted by the NBC page, she informed us that Jimmy Fallon was full, but we could still see a taping of The Dr. Oz Show.

Of course going to Saturday Night Live would have been amazing, but it is incredibly hard to get into since there's only one show a week.  Every time I've been to NY, there have been people camping outside starting Thursday to get into a very minimal amount of seats for the late Saturday night show.

Rockefeller Center also boasts the awesome ice skating rink (I'll talk more about this in my "New York with Kids" post), and it's extremely close to 5th Avenue and all the fun shopping venues of the big name stores.

Two of our favorite sweet spots: Serendipity III and Dylan's Candy Bar
July 2010

Dylan's Candy Bar
This is an amazing candy store started by Dylan Lauren (Ralph's daughter) that is three stories full of sugary bliss and great candy souvenirs to take home.  You can find out more about it at dylanscandybar.com

Serendipity III
Not far from Dylan's Candy Bar is Serendipity III, which, of course, I had to go to after watching Kate Beckinsale and John Cusak in Serendipity.  It is a cute restaurant and has an Alice in Wonderland Mad Tea Party feel to me.  It has an awesome frozen hot chocolate, but the food is just alright.


Bryant Park & NYC Library
Bryant Park has lots of seasonal activities (check out bryantpark.org) and is right around the corner from the beautiful New York City Library that is worth peeking your head into just because it's so beautiful and a great place to snap a pic.

Trent and me at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
July 2010

*Museums
There are a lot!  Depending on what your favorite genre is will determine which ones you would like to visit.  I've enjoyed the American Museum of Natural History (amnh.org) which seems so much more exciting to see after watching Ben Stiller work as a security officer there in Night at the Museum.  This movie did a great job of making artifacts into Hollywood stars, so make sure to swing by to get your pic with "Dum Dum," the Easter Island Stone Head statue.  (I should also mention there is a great bakery called Levane Bakery within walking distance of the American Museum of Natural History.)

Another fun and famous museum (found on the opposite side of Central Park) is the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  They host a lot of special exhibits, and when I was there in July 2010, I was able to see the "House of Fashion" exhibit that featured the ever-changing styles of America since the early 1800s.  It was an amazing exhibit!  For more info on their current exhibits, visit metmuseum.org

In October 2011, we walked through Central Park to see the changing leaves and
Trent visited one of his favorite hot dog stands, Gray's Papaya (often featured on How I Met Your Mother).
The bottom left pic is of Trent and me in front of the LDS Temple.
(This is located just across the street from the Juilliard School of Performing Arts in the Lincoln Center.)
The bottom right is of Michelle and I taking in a New York Yankees game in July 2010.

*Central Park
This is probably my all time favorite sight of NYC.  I love to walk the park (especially in the fall) and just feel the rhythm of the city.  Having that hand-holding experience with the one you love in a beautiful venue in the middle of this amazing city is hard to describe.  The park entertainers and just the people in general are fun to watch there too.  It is much larger than you think, so wear your walking shoes and roam from Strawberry Fields on the west side to the Alice in Wonderland statue on the east.  With so many festivals that are offered in Central Park, make sure to check out their website at centralparknyc.org to guarantee you won't miss what's going on.

Going to see Anything Goes on Broadway with Michelle.
(This show would not rank very high on my list of recommendations.)
October 2011

***Take in a Broadway Show or two (or three or four!!)
I love Broadway and have loved almost every show I've ever seen.  I can't recommend this experience enough.  I have seen too many to remember, but I do recommend that if you are going to go, get your tickets well in advance.  There are ways to get some last minute deals, but why take that chance if you aren't a local?  Most tickets can be purchased on ticketmaster.com.  Once you decide on the dates of your trip, then browse through broadway.com to read the reviews and see what appeals to you.  Not every show is a musical, and not every show is appropriate for all ages.  Read the reviews and know what you are going to see before you spend the money on tickets.  I can honestly say that most of the shows I've seen (especially those with recognizable actors) have been phenomenal, however, there have been two or three bad apples.  When I had the fabulous chance to see Daniel Radcliffe in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, I was amazed at his abilities as an actor.  He was much more impressive than I had ever imagined Harry Potter could be!

Let me know what some of your favorite Broadway shows have been, so I can put them on my to-do list in case they are still playing or if they ever get produced again on the big stage.  If you have questions on any particular shows, just ask and I'll do my best to give you my opinion or at least a reliable source for a review.

Is it blasphemous to put on one of the disposable blankets they pass
out at the end of the NYC marathon so it looked like I had run it?
I may not have sweat much, but I did cheer them on!
October 2011

I wish I had more time to tell you some of the funny tales or about some of the funny people I have met on my trips to NYC.  I even had the gumption to take a girls' trip with my sister-in-laws and mother-in-law and drive all seven of us around in a van through downtown Manhattan, fighting the taxis and feeling like a true New Yorker (which is really an oxymoron since true New Yorker's don't drive).  I always recommend taking the subway when you can.  It isn't hard to navigate, and contrary to the stereotypes, many people there are so helpful when trying to figure the subways out (just pick the right people to ask).  Since it is a grid system, it is easy to find your way.  Just download a map on your smart phone or grab a real paper one and get started.  I've even had friends ride bikes through the city and experience it that way, and they say that is fun to do as well.   However, I love making my way through the subways and becoming a true New Yorker, if only for a few days.  (However, my bright colored clothing always gives away the fact that I'm not a local!:)

Please tell me if I missed any of your favorite things to do or see in New York, so I can check them out the next time I'm taking a bite out of the Big Apple!