Get-Away Weekend to the Red Rocks of Sedona

Hubby and I decided to make a get-away from the stifling heat of  Phoenix in late August to the cooler temps of Sedona. It was definitely more pleasant, with less humidity but still in the 90's during the middle of the day. The cloud cover was nice and the afternoon rain was quite welcome. We hadn't been here in almost 15 years and what a shame! The Red Rock Country is absolutely breath-taking. As you round the highway and get a first glimpse of the cliffs - my oh my.

We wandered the main shopping area of Sedona and found some truly beautiful pottery, and some kitschy stuff too. There is a nice place to sample olive oil and balsamic vinegar and we walked away with a tasty bottle of each. It's almost like wine tasting, only savory and you don't get tipsy. Further up the highway is the winding road of Oak Creek Canyon. What a beautiful drive. Stop off at the Dairy Queen where you'll find some local Navajo selling jewelry, pottery, and knives. I couldn't pass up a beautiful piece of orange jewelry made from Bajaian spiny oyster. There's a small grocery store called Indian Gardens Market that sells some snacks and darn-good sammies too. Grab yourself a bite and take it on your hike or drive through the canyon.

There are plenty of places to hike, but it was so hot that we only ventured out early in the morning. This time of year there were lots of teeny-tiny-itty-bitty bugs just waiting to gnaw me to pieces. I forgot my bug wipes so we opted to avoid them and did some city wandering instead. No worries folks if you need your caffeine fix - there are lots of places throughout town including a Starbucks in the Hyatt. I gotta have my hot cocoa!

I enjoyed the shopping and dining in Tlaquepaque more so than the downtown area. Really beautiful pottery, jewelry, shoes, clothing, etc.... though pricy as you might expect up here. We enjoyed our dinner at El Rincon Restaurant (www.elrinconrestaurant.com) with their amazing Prickly Pear Margarita and Jalapeno Margarita - woohoo! What a treat. Also delicious were the chimichangas that were made of masa-style fry bread covered with machaca and all the goodies. Yumm. If you are hungry for Mexican food while you are here, skip on over. The wait staff loved our Aussie - the patio was very welcoming. As a matter of fact, the whole town of Sedona was absolutely dog-friendly.

Our Aussie, Wyatt, joined us on this trip and we selected an idyllic dog-friendly place called El Portal to rest our weary selves. It's in the heart of Sedona, near Tlaquepaque and I can't say enough nice things about it. It's secluded with 12 little rooms and a very knowledgeable owner, Steve. We stayed in the Grand Canyon Room with cool-to-the-touch flagstone flooring, enormous exposed wood beamed ceilings, gorgeous tiled bath with walk-in shower and jacuzzi tub, and copper sinks. There was free wi-fi in the room, a small TV, a giant comfy bed, couch, and fireplace to boot! This place has a delish breakfast, and happy hour every afternoon. Try the olive mix and homemade salsa and chips. Wine and beer on the honor system here. Go to www.elportalsedona.com and make your reservations right away!

Next up... Carlsbad, California!

Take Care,
Deb :)

Our To-Do List

It's summertime here in the desert and the soaring temps and sweltering humidity are melting my skin off. Really. Hmmmm...

Can I imagine instead a small coastal bungalow along the Pacific with a swing on the porch and glorious afternoon breezes wafting in with the scent of the sea? Or... lazing on my balcony aboard a cruise ship as we meander through the narrows of the Inside Passage on our way to Alaska?
Why yes, I can! And that my friends is what gets me through days like today.

Many people I know have a bucket list. But, there is no way that I want to picture myself kickin' the bucket anytime soon. I have yet to taste all this gorgeous world has to offer. Ours is just a plain old "to-do" list and it's filled with all the worldly exploits we'd like to savor together.

We like to eat and drink, we love museums and amusement parks, and we enjoy soaking up the culture of every locale. Half the fun of every trip we take is the dreaming and planning. I pore over resources in books, magazines, and online in anticipation of our next great adventure. Our itineraries are masterpieces (in my mind) though we follow them in a haphazard manner delighting in unforeseen and unexpected fun.

Though these will seem pedestrian to many I truly look forward to accomplishing every single item on our To-Do List.

* Hike or raft the Grand Canyon. A stretch, to be sure at this age, but it's on the list nonetheless.

* Visit Switzerland and wait for the clouds to come inside. (Thanks Erin!) Our good friends are on their way to Geneva for a two-year stint and we are sure to make this one happen.

* See the Big Jesus in Rio or Portugal. Hubby does NOT want to go to Rio. I love Port anyway.

* Visit a famous waterfall - Niagara or Victoria or Angel or Yosemite - any one will do.

* Take a chocolate bubble bath in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

* Visit the Mouse in Tokyo, China, or France.

* Watch the sun set in Key West, Florida.... Grand Cayman would also do nicely here.

* Drink a mint julep at the Kentucky Derby while wearing a stunning hat.

*Attend a NASCAR race in the South. Better have a cold Bud while we're at it.

* See the Northern Lights.

* Take a hop-on, hop-off train trip across Canada.

* Bike across the Golden Gate Bridge, and the Brooklyn Bridge too. Ice cream awaits :)

* Eat a brownie in Amsterdam. Oh, and see the terrific art, windmills, and tulips as well.

* Sip to our hearts content throughout all of France. Bastille Day possibly??

* Italy - every single bit of it.

* Belgium chocolate, oh and Brugges for sure.

* Visit every single National Park in the United States.

* And lastly ... a world cruise if and only IF I can take a Bonine every day for 120 days!!

Of course there will be more or what is life to live for?
Deb :)

Toronto with Toddlers!!

Toronto, Ontario, Canada ~ September, 1988

As I deplane in Toronto after spending six long hours on the red-eye flight from Los Angeles, I am smacked in the face with a wall of humidity that forces the breath out of both lungs while the sweet scent of baby-poo wafts up my nose and into my face. Our 9-month old son, Zachary, has not closed his eyes once since leaving L.A. just a few minutes before midnight. Air travel and altitude obviously do not agree with him as he is woefully unhappy and I am still wearing his unhappiness all over my new denim skirt. Erin, aged 2, also managed to stay awake all night, thinking this was a great way to travel. I am whooped and stinky as we disembark with two car seats, a stroller, a backpack, a toddler potty seat, and more luggage than you can possibly imagine. I am distraught and extremely embarrassed meeting Jeff’s co-workers while we make our way through the Toronto International Airport. What a sight!

Jeff was invited to work in Toronto for a few weeks and we decided to join him since we had never traveled to Canada before. We were not disappointed as this cosmopolitan city has so much to see and do. The Toronto Holiday Inn was located adjacent to the airport and we were looking forward to checking in and catching a quick nap. The roar of jet planes overhead was a bit disconcerting but we definitely made the best of it. That first night we headed down to dine in the Metropolitan Restaurant. The wait staff was extremely pleasant and the food was absolutely delicious.

*Side Note… Have I mentioned allergies yet? Well our family has a history of many types of allergies. Jeff had food allergies as a child and his seasonal allergies continue today. He also had a very unpleasant anaphylactic reaction after ingesting a healthy serving of shellfish that sent him to the emergency room the first year we were married. I have seasonal allergies as well and am highly allergic to mosquito bites, and bee and wasp stings too. So our Zach comes by his allergies naturally, you might say. We had tried a few solid foods with him so far and we knew he was allergic to eggs. As I said before, the wait staff at the Metropolitan was extremely pleasant and brought Zach a little wheat roll. I knew nothing… I mean I knew NOTHING about allergies like this. Zach swelled up like a plump little red raspberry, and he was covered with hives. His breathing became rapid and we raced up to our hotel room and jumped into the shower. I cannot believe that we thought these hives had suddenly appeared because of something external. I dialed our doctor, but there was nothing she could do so far away, obviously. We gave Zach some Benadryl and the hives began to subside. What was I thinking? I had no idea that simply gnawing on a little roll would create such a sight. But, here’s something else I learned that trip. Every time Zach was bathed in warm water, those hives came right back to the surface. It was as if the warmth just brought them back to the surface, poor baby. You can imagine that his food intake was very closely monitored for the rest of the trip and we headed straight for the doc when we returned! Dealing with food allergies yourself? Visit www.foodallergy.org for a tone of useful information.

Toronto… what a superb city and an exciting place to visit. We visited Canada’s Wonderland (www.canadaswonderland.com) where we enjoyed family rides, shows, sweet treats, and the most impressive restrooms for nursing mothers that I have ever seen. I believe that Canada is light-years ahead of the U.S. as far as accommodating new moms in public places. The Toronto Zoo (www.torontozoo.com) is not to be missed with its spacious geographic regions, kids’ zone, shark reef, all in an enjoyable naturalistic environment. Erin and I rode an camel together and I’ll never-ever forget that! The Woodbine Centre (www.woodbinecentre.com) and Fantasy Faire was a truly delightful shopping centre that included a children’s ride area that includes bumper boats, bumper cars, an arcade, and lovely old carousel. Erin loved this little area and we enjoyed the indoor respite from the heat and humidity. Ontario Place (www.ontarioplace.com) is a world-class entertainment area that hosts a water park, bumper boats, children’s rides, miniature golf, an IMAX theatre, and a variety of shops, and restaurants. This was a wonderful place to visit and cool off during the stifling heat and humidity of late summer.

We found the food to be delicious wherever we went throughout this multi-cultural city and the people were very friendly to boot. We also had a chance to drive to Niagara Falls and found it to be an awe-inspiring sight. In my opinion, the area around the falls was a bit cheesy, but the actual sight was absolutely amazing. We traveled through a beautiful little place called Niagara on the Lake and agree that it’s probably the prettiest little city in all of Ontario. This would be the place to stay if you’re traveling to Niagara Falls and want to stay someplace nearby. There are beautiful and affordable places to stay, from lodges to hotels and motels, to bed and breakfasts and finer establishments as well. There is a nice sampling of wineries in the area where you can taste and sample to your heart’s content. The drive from Toronto to Niagara Falls was truly among the most beautiful we’ve traveled.

If you’re planning a visit to Toronto and the surrounding areas, please check out some of these helpful websites to aid in your planning. Visit http://www.toronto.ca/ to get started making plans and reservations and just figuring out what there is to see and do. Toronto and the whole of Ontario is huge and there is so much to see and do! I highly recommend you carve out an extra day or two or three and visit Niagara Falls along with Niagara on the Lake. Check out http://www.niagarafalls.ca/ for more information on visiting Niagara Falls on the Canadian side and http://www.niagaraonthelake.com/ to find out more about the very charming city of Niagara on the Lake.

We can’t wait to get back to this side of the country  - don’t miss it!

Deb :) 

     

Erin's First Visit to the Magic Kingdom

Disneyland ~ March, 1988 (The Very 1^st Time!)

In 1955 Walt Disney opened up a crazy little amusement park in the middle of a few old strawberry fields in Anaheim, California. He called it Disneyland, and in my humble opinion that’s just about one of the nicest things to ever happen in our small world. Much has been written about Disneyland and you will be able to find loads of books and information to help you navigate your visits to the Magic Kingdom. But brace yourself for the first time your child spies Mickey, Minnie, Cinderella, Belle, Aladdin, and those precious Seven Dwarfs for your heart will melt right along with theirs. There were 17 short miles between our front door in Lakewood and the Disneyland Main Gate (though with California traffic it always took about 40 minutes.) At just two years of age Erin was excited about her first trip to Disneyland and couldn’t wait to meet Mickey and Minnie. She was not disappointed as she sidled right up to Walt’s adorable human-sized characters just beyond the front gate on Main Street, USA. Her smile said it all as she hugged Mickey Mouse and then sat down near Minnie as if they were best pals. At just 3 months of age, this was Zach’s first visit to the Magic Kingdom as well and he happily spent his time napping in the Snugli or stroller.

We arrived early that first morning as the park was just coming to life. We have always felt that this adventure is best begun when the park has fewer visitors. Toddlers and smaller children tire out so easily and we were lucky enough to live close by so we could head out after the parade and be home in time for dinner. Head to Fantasyland first with your sweet cherubs as this is the area of the park where the lines become monumental, especially the ‘Peter Pan’ attraction. Waiting in the heat of the day with very little shade and a tired toddler can try the patience of even the most tolerant parents. After you’ve ridden all of the rides in Fantasyland, plot the rest of your day throughout the park. Try to see all of the attractions in one themed area of the park at a time so you are not traipsing back and forth across the Magic Kingdom without a set-upon plan. This is typically known as the "spoke" method - sort of like circling the spoke or hub of a wheel. Celebrate Toon-Town, Tomorrowland, Adventureland, and Frontierland spending as much time as you can enjoying the ambience of this magical place. When our children were young, we visited one day at a time but as they got older we ventured into 2-3 day trips and more.

We truly believe that Disneyland is “The Happiest Place on Earth” and have been there well over 50 times as a family. This first visit was the inaugural of many wonderful trips and the basis for plenty of magical memories we have made over the years with our children.

You will find so much information online and in books and magazines in regards to planning your visit to Disneyland or Walt Disney World (but more on that later.) We are certainly not experts but feel that we have established an ease with both as we have experienced every single attraction and eaten in just about every single dining and/or snack establishment at both of the Disney properties here in the United States. 

To plan your Disney adventures go to their website at www.disneyland.com or visit your local bookstore or library to obtain tour books to aid in planning your own magical adventure.




Experience the Magic,
Deb :)