Postcards and Coasters

San Diego Layover...

2011-12-21T16:56:00.001-07:00

I had a layover in San Diego and was able to catch the Parade of Lights in the Bay. It was the 40th anniversary with a "Back to the Future" theme. It was fun to see all of the boats decorated...

San Diego having some holiday fun!

Christmas at Disneyland...

2011-12-08T23:48:00.004-07:00

We flew into Orange County for a quick visit to Disneyland. Charlotte was excited to see Santa, his Reindeer and all of the Christmas Festivities! We purchased the Annual Passport so were trying to go as often as possible without getting Disneyed out. We stayed at the Ramada Plaza, a decent hotel near Disneyland. We like the free breakfast, free parking and that it's within walking distance to Disneyland. We went on a Wednesday and it seemed a lot less crowded than going on the weekend which made Disneyland more enjoyable! :)

New York City

2011-11-12T16:10:00.002-07:00

Just back from a girls trip to New York City. I stayed on the Upper East Side so I was able to do lot's of walking through Central Park. The leaves are changing colors and it made for some beautiful walks! We were lucky to have clear skies and wonderful weather!

New York City Marathon

We were in New York City during the Marathon. It was great to see all of the runners but not so fun trying to find a decent priced hotel room. I ended up naming my own price on Priceline and got a good hotel a little further out then what I would have picked. We did so much walking I think we walked our own marathon. :)

The Metropolitan Museum

Love the MET!

The Addams Family on Broadway

Brooke Shields

I was walking past the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York when I saw Brooke Shields leaving the theatre after playing Morticia in The Addams Family. It was fun to see her and a few other celebrities while walking around the city.

Mary Poppins

We saw Mary Poppins and Billy Elliot on Broadway. They were both great shows! We bought our tickets at the TKTS Ticket Booth in Time Square and got great discounted seats!

Time Square

It was nice to stay near peaceful/quiet Central Park rather than crazy/overcrowded Time Square. :)

Kathie Lee & Hoda

Kimberly, Stacy and me in front of the NBC Studios.

Saks Fifth Avenue

Loving the Prada bag!

Check out the gold necklace and Egyptian style cuff bracelet!

Swatch Store

The perfect souvenir for an Interior Designer!

Window Shopping

Did a lot of that!

Empire State Building

You can walk any direction in New York City and find an architectural gem. We enjoyed checking out the Art Deco Skyscrapers... The Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building. It was also fun to see different types of Architecture like Frank Lloyd Wright's Guggenheim and the Flatiron Building. The Flatiron has so much detail and character. Can you believe it is only six feet at it's narrowest point?!

Flatiron Building

Washington Square Park

We took a break from all the walking at Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. I love the way the Washington Arch frames the Empire State Building. The park has beautifully lit walking paths and of course a great fountain.

Good Morning America- Time Square

George Stephanopoulos

Lara Spencer

Robin Roberts, Lara Spencer & Josh Elliott

Wall Street Bull

The Wall Street Bull is a symbol of Financial Optimism and Prosperity. May it bring our country some Financial Luck!

Wall Street

Tent City

I couldn't believe how many tents were packed into Zuccotti Park. Wonder if they'll stay through the winter?

9/11 Memorial

While at the 9/11 Memorial my sister and I were reminiscing about a visit to the Twin Towers together years ago. We would have never believed our next visit together would be visiting it as a Memorial. It is truly unimaginable.

The names of the victims from September 11th and also the 1993 terrorist attack are on the panels lining the two pools.

The original World Trade Center complex had seven buildings. They are rebuilding five new skyscrapers. The Memorial Museum will open in September 2012. You currently need to reserve passes in advance to visit the Memorial.

This will be the tallest Skyscraper at the World Trade Center.

Memorial Museum

NYC Food Carts

I love New York City food carts. This was an olive feta pretzel... yum!

I tried to eat all of the typical foods you think of while visiting NY. I love NY pizza, bagels, pretzels, cheesecake, etc. I hear it's the water that makes NY Pizza so much better. Not sure but I've got my fix for a while.

A Cupcake Cart?!

Little Italy

Stacy and Yummy NY Pizza

Alleva

The oldest cheese store in America

A car elevator... a novelty for those of us from the West!

Another great visit to NYC!

Big Island of Hawaii...

2011-10-27T14:20:00.005-07:00

While planning our vacation we decided to stay on the Hilo side to explore "Old Hawaii". We rented a house South of Hilo in Kapoho near the tide pools. We were looking forward to teaching Charlotte to snorkel and researched that this was a great location for it.

Flying into Kona is so different from the other Hawaiian Islands. The runway is surrounded by lava rock... it seems so wrong. After leaving the airport we saw lot's of graffiti. White coral stones are used to spell out words on the black lava rock. Interesting form of vandalism... The Hawaiians are so eco-friendly. :)

The drive to our rental house: Pahoa-Kapoho Road

I'm not sure if it's because I live in a desert that I get very excited about green tree's. But the way these giant tree's on Pahoa-Kapoho Road form a tunnel and shade the road is truly majestic! This is why we chose to stay on this side of the Island. We went on several amazing drives like this one within minutes from where we stayed.

Hibiscus House

We rented the Hibiscus House in Kapoho and stayed on the second level. With all of the foliage surrounding the wrap around patio it felt like we were in a tree house. Besides the chorus of insects and frogs it was really quiet and on a clear night's the sky is dotted with countless stars. The Hibiscus House has a relaxing tidal pond out front (one of the advantages of living near an active volcano is naturally heated ponds) and a washer and dryer which came in handy. We liked the location and Charlotte loved having room to wander. She also liked playing with all of the Geckos...

Lava Tree State Park

The Lava Tree State Park isn't too far from the Hibiscus House. Tree molds formed in the Ohi'a Forest in 1790 when lava flow swept through. It's a really nice trail with a close view of Hawaii's tropical plants and beautiful tree's. Great walk for kids.

Charlotte size church in Pahoa

Ahalanui Park

We spent a lot of time at the very relaxing Hot Pond in Ahalanui Park. It's a geothermal pond mixed with sea water right off the ocean. We liked it so much we went in the morning and evening when we could. It was also a great place to teach Charlotte to snorkel.

In between our soak's in the HOT POND we drove the Red Road. It's especially pretty between Kapoho and Kalapana. We saw beautiful views of the black lava rock and blue water.

Kehena Beach

Black sand beach... Clothing optional.

Kilauea

We drove until the road ends in Kilauea. The lava made it's way into the area from 1983-1991 and took out 181 homes and eight miles of coastal highway.

We walked on a trail through the lava fields that ended at this beautiful Black Sand Beach.

Volcanoes National Park

Warning signs of Volcanic Fumes are placed throughout Volcanoes National Park. While on the Chain of Craters Road we saw signs warning us to keep our windows rolled up and to recycle our air. You start to wonder... should we even be here? :)

Thurston Lava Tube

A highlight for Charlotte at the National Park was the Thurston Lava Tube. We walked through the rain forest before we entered the 500 year old lava tube. We ended up exploring it twice; once in daylight and later that night. Make sure you take a flashlight if you go at night. It was nice to have the Lava Tube to ourselves once the sun went down!

Kilauea Iki Crater Overlook

Pu'u Huluhulu Cinder Cone

Chain of Craters Road

Holei Sea Arch

Flying in the wind

Village of Volcano

We left the park for dinner and went to the nearby Village of Volcano. This would be a great place to stay if your wanting to stay near the park. The village is small but very charming and has a hand full of Bed and Breakfast. We ate dinner at Volcano's Lava Rock Cafe.

I couldn't resist the explosion burger!

Crater Rim Drive- Steam Vents

After dinner we drove the Crater Rim Drive. We stopped to see the steam vents before heading to the Jaggar Museum.

Kilauea Volcano

We arrived around 6:15p.m and stayed for a while watching the orange glow from the crater. The lava lake in the vent fluctuates from 230 ft to 500 ft below the surface. If you go make sure you bring a jacket. Once the sun went down it got chilly.

Hilo- Banyan Drive

Hilo's Hall of Fame

From 1933-1972 Hilo's visiting celebrities planted Banyan Tree's on Banyan Drive. We saw tree's planted by Babe Ruth and Amelia Earhart. Others include Richard Nixon, Franklin D. Roosevelt, important religious leaders and politicians. I was surprised to see Heber J. Grants name on one of the trees. He was a prophet of my church. All together there are 50 Banyan Tree's.

Rainbow Falls

Onekahakaha Beach Park

Great Tide Pools for kids in Hilo.

The Hamakua Coast is a beautiful drive through jungles and waterfalls with stunning views of the ocean. There are several plantation towns along the way. We stopped at the Akaka Falls and after lunch drove to the Waipi'o Valley.

Akaka Falls

The scenery changed as we drove a few miles inland past ranches before arriving at the Akaka Falls. It was a beautiful short hike to the falls and perfect for kids. Hard to see but I'm on the right with a huge Banyan tree.

Charlotte was a little thirsty!

Waipi'o Valley

We were happy we had a 4 wheel drive so we could drive down into the Waipio Valley. The drive is steep and the road isn't great but it's worth driving down to see the beautiful Valley.

Hapuna Beach

One of the more popular beaches on the Big Island. We were happy to find a beach with sand. :)

Charlotte boogie boarding

"Shaka"

Kapoho Tide Pools

One of our favorite activities while on the Big Island was snorkeling in the Tide Pools near our rental house. It's a great area for snorkeling and really calm which was nice for Charlotte.

After snorkeling we went to the Cape Kumukahi Lighthouse that escaped the 1960's lava flow. The lava literally went around the Lighthouse then rejoined and entered the ocean. We drove along the ocean through lava fields and swam in Champagne Pond... another thermally heated fresh/sea water pond.

Maku'u Farmer's Market in Pahoa

Hmmm... Charlotte in Shave Ice Heaven!

Charlotte found a coconut purse.

Ho'okena Beach Park

Kealakekua Bay

We wanted to see spinner dolphins so we drove to the pier near Kealakekua Bay and rented a kayak. Once in the water we were circled by a pod of spinner dolphins. A spunky baby dolphin belonged to this pod and lucky for us was a show off and gave us a great show! We also saw the Captain Cook Monument in the bay... he was killed here in a fight with the Hawaiians in 1779.

Funny sign near the bay. I love the part about the toothless lady.

Recommendations for the Big Island: 1. This was our first visit to the Big Island and we quickly learned there is a reason it's called the "Big Island". The Hilo side doesn't have great beaches and it took a few hours to drive to a good beach on the Kona side. If we were going to visit the Big Island again we would spend our last few days near a great beach on the Kona side. 2. Rent a jeep so you can go off-road.

Another beautiful road in Hawaii! This was just down the street from the Hibiscus House.

Aloha & Mahalo!

Friday Photo...

2011-09-30T20:19:00.000-07:00

Source Unknown

Come Fly Away... Pan Am Party!

2011-09-28T08:10:00.004-07:00

Lynlee from Lynlee's Petite Cakes surprised her mom with a Pan Am Party for her Birthday! Her mom worked for Pan Am in it's heyday and wanted to celebrate the "good 'ole days".

I just watched the new Pan Am Show and I think it would have been a fun time to FLY. Although I am happy with some changes. NO more weigh-in's... NO more fingernail polish checks... No more smoky planes. Can you believe that when I was in training we had to be weighed-in each week during training and wear red lipstick? Also glad I don't have to hurry and paint my nails on briefing days. I remember a flight I worked to London with Flight Attendants smoking in the galleys. Some changes have been good but I still love hearing stories from flight crews who flew during the "good 'ole days"!

Click here to see more pictures of this fabulous party!

DIY... Paris Bar Stool

2011-09-27T15:56:00.000-07:00

Click here to learn more.

Summer of Postcards

2011-09-12T22:34:00.007-07:00

UTAH...

_______________________________________

We flew to Utah this summer to visit my husbands family. We went on a beautiful drive through Provo Canyon and stopped at Bridal Veil Falls. It's a great place to go for a stroll and get wet if your up to it. We drove towards Sundance and stopped at Cascade Springs on the Alpine Loop then exited through American Fork Canyon. I'm amazed how beautiful UTAH is!

Bridal Veil Falls

Cascade Springs

Mount Timpanogos (backside)

______________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

We've spent a lot of time on Arizona's Lakes this summer.

This is the only way to survive the HEAT!

Making Waves @ Roosevelt Lake

Greg & CC surfing

CC can't seem to get enough surf time in.

My Brother attempting a flip while wakeboarding!

SAN DIEGO

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

We took Charlotte to Sea World to see Shamu. She loves Sea World! This is the second year Sea World has given our Flight Attendants unlimited free tickets. They have been very appreciated!

Shamu

Besides seeing Shamu our favorite part was getting drenched!

If you haven't seen Cirque de la Mer at Sea World you've got to check it out! It's one of the coolest show's I've seen!!

Another great SUMMER!

Celebrity Sightings...

2011-09-02T21:30:00.007-07:00

It always makes for a fun day when I have Celebrities on my flights. I've only had a few who weren't pleasant. I remember one actor who spent most of the flight in the lavatory and when the flight attendant asked him for his autograph (because her husband was a huge fan) he said "No, I'm not working right now". I wish I would have started this list years ago because I know I've forgotten some. Here's a list of Celebrities I can remember...

Brooke Shields

I was walking past the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York when I saw Brooke Shields leaving the theatre after playing Morticia in the Addams Family on Broadway.

Kate Snow

Journalist & Correspondent for NBC

Rapper LiL Jon

He was also on the most recent Apprentice

K.D. Lang

Just had her on a flight last week.

Cindy Crawford

Even prettier in person... is that possible? And really nice!

Reese Witherspoon

People.com used me as a source for a Flight Attendant spotting Reese and her family on a flight to Belize right after marrying Jim Toth. Click here to see the article. Click here to read my post.

Alicia Keys

I had her on a flight right before she made it big. I remember talking to one of her band members and told him I hadn't heard of her. He asked if I had been living in a cave. I said yes. An aluminum one!

Ron Livingston

I loved him in Office Space!

Danny Glover

Steve Young

I've had him on a few flights

Val Kilmer

Donny Osmond

Met him on a Hotel shuttle in L.A.

Tommy Lee

I didn't notice him until I went through with a drink service. I realized it was him only after seeing the tattoo on his neck. He was on an early morning flight... he just doesn't seem like an early riser. ;)

Burt Reynolds

Saw him buzzing by on an electric cart in IAH. He was just about falling off and laughing while trying to hold on.

Stevie Wonder

Al Davis- Owner Oakland Raiders

I had him on a flight years ago. He told me I should come work for him. I asked what he'd want me to do... be the water girl? :) He thought I should try out for the Raiderettes. He got my address and had his secretary send me some information. It sounded fun but I never tried out.

Lisa Loeb

Really nice band. They invited the crew to go to a party with them.

Wynonna Judd

Luther Vandross

Judge Reinhold

Donald Sutherland

Billy Crystal

Denise Richards

Joe Scarbourgh

Host on Morning Joe

Gray Davis

Took him in and out of Sacramento many times when he was California's Governor.

Susan Powter
Hosted her own show in the 90's

Danny White
Dallas Cowboys Quarterback

Mark Grace
Played for the Diamondbacks

Taylor Hicks
5th Season Winner of American Idol

John Ingle
General Hospital- Really nice man

Leonard Nimoy
Star Trek

Sharon Lawrence
NYPD Blue

And finally the BIGGEST CELEBS I've had onboard...

The Penguins from SEA WORLD!

{Charlotte's Chateau} French Inspired Nursery...

2011-08-02T17:55:00.013-07:00

How can you visit France and not be inspired? One of my favorite places is the Loire Valley, home to more than 300 Chateaux. When it came time to design Charlotte's nursery I studied pictures I had taken in France and then found a fabric that inspired the color scheme.

My husband and I did all the painting and sewing ourselves. It was a work of love... Full of anticipation while waiting to adopt little Miss Charlotte. I remember painting the walls and the ceiling wondering how Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel? Did his neck hurt as much as mine? :) And hoping all along that Charlotte's birth mother wouldn't change her mind and decide to keep her. It can be a joyful and stressful time for parents waiting to adopt. We got lucky... we got our princess and she got us (and a beautiful French Inspired Nursery)!

Charlotte Claire's Nursery

Learn more about CC's nursery here.

Travel Inspired Designs... Well Traveled Playroom

2011-07-10T19:24:00.002-07:00

Charlotte's Playroom

The Flamenco Dancer and Bull Fighter are posters I found in Seville, Spain. I love how bright they are and thought they were perfect for Charlotte's Playroom. I recently added a map of the United States. Charlotte seems to be interested in where I'm flying to so I thought it would be fun for her to keep track of what city I'm in.

Love the green ceiling (Lime Peel by Pratt & Lambert) and the huge chandelier! I also think it's pretty cool the way the light reflects off the ceiling.

I placed SOUVENIRS from our travels in CC's bookshelf and have clocks from different Time Zones around the world.

"Cheers!"

Candles from the Dollar Store

Charlotte loves the Green Moose! It's from Z Gallerie...

It was white, I painted it green to match the ceiling.

I splurged on the curtains... They're custom made.

Ikea... Ikea... Ikea... Great place for affordable playrooms. I bought the rugs, table, chairs, light fixture and bookcase from Ikea.

Bookends from HomeGoods... also painted green.

San Diego 4 the 4th...

2011-07-07T12:35:00.000-07:00

Coronado Island decked out for the 4th...

Not as festive as most of the homes on the Island but I think this home is charming...

White picket fence and all!

Drove past this home just as the owner was finishing painting "Happy 4th"... Now that is Patriotic!!!

We went hiking and picnicked at Presidio Park.

I love the neighborhood and the beautiful Craftsman Homes in the area.

Charlotte wanted to play in this tree house... Who wouldn't? :)

Junipero Serra Museum...

This building was designed by architect, William Templeton Johnson. He used Spanish Revival architecture to resemble the early missions that once dominated the landscape of Southern California.

Haboob's A-Brewin'...

2011-07-05T23:08:00.002-07:00

One of the craziest storms I've ever seen... Tonight a huge wall of dust headed into town. I couldn't believe how quickly it reached my house and how dark it got! Yep it's that time of the year again...

Monsoon Season!

Pictures of Arizona's Wallow Fire...

2011-06-21T15:39:00.001-07:00

We were just in Greer and Eager this past Memorial Day and were worried by how dry it was. A few days later we were sad to learn about the Wallow fire. Greer is so beautiful and a popular destination in both the winter and summer. I hope there will be something left to enjoy. This will end up being Arizona's largest wildfire, already burning 463,000 acres.

Photo: Ashley Stevens

We spent time on the Saffell Canyon Trail... Looks like it's burning in this picture. :(

Photo: The Arizona Republic, Rob Schumacher

Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Photo: Jae C. Hong

Photo: Susan Montoya Bryan

We ate at the Trail Riders Family Restaurant (Behind the Bashas' sign).

Photo: Arizona Daily Star, Greg Bryan

Photo: Jae C. Hong

Our hard working Fire Fighters!

Layovers...

2011-06-14T13:08:00.004-07:00

Pictures from recent LAYOVERS...

Portland, Oregon

Indianapolis, Indiana- Crown Plaza Union Station

Boise, Idaho- Tweed Ride

San Diego, California

Salt Lake City, Utah- Temple Square

Seattle, Washington

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Flight Attendant Find...

2011-06-08T08:25:00.000-07:00

I found this advertisement in a magazine and was surprised these adorable bracelets are from JCPenney. And can you believe they are only $9.99 each.

So I finally made my way to JCPenney today and found these festive mixit bracelets. Don't they look like something you would buy on a tropical vacation? Who knew JCPenney's got it going on!

Summer Flying is Here!

2011-06-05T22:57:00.002-07:00

Just back from a 2 day trip.

Summer has officially started...

One of our planes was so HOT I felt like I was going to faint.
2 people threw up.
Heat = Crabby people.
I can't believe how many lids and straws I used.
2 soda cans exploded.
Humidity= Frizzy hair days.
Bumpy Flights.
Smelly Planes.

I love my job... I love my job.... I love my job...

Big Lake, Saffel Canyon Trail & 26 Bar Ranch...

2011-05-31T22:10:00.004-07:00

BIG LAKE

We headed up North for Memorial Day and did a little fishing at Big Lake. Big Lake is one of the best fishing lakes in the White Mountains and about an hour drive from Pinetop, Arizona.

Greg & CC fishing

SAFFEL CANYON TRAIL

Saffel Canyon is a great trail for ATV's. It's 21 miles one way and begins at an elevation of 7,600 feet and climbs to 9,400 feet. This picture was taken at the Eager lookout. After a long ride you'll want some good grub... we really liked Trail Riders Family Restaurant in Eager.

Charlotte & Greg

X DIAMOND RANCH

We stayed in a cabin at the X Diamond Ranch near Greer. They have horseback rides, fly fishing and a museum of the local history. You can buy environmentally friendly beef raised on mountain grasses and get a free night stay when you pick it up. The owner showed me a carriage in her museum that was used in the movie The Alamo, donated by John Wayne. John Wayne had a ranch nearby and was one of her dads friends. The picture below is of John Wayne and her Dad in a Springerville Parade.

26 BAR RANCH
Once owned by John Wayne

John Wayne once said this was one of the most beautiful places on the face of the earth.

I couldn't mention John Wayne and not include this picture I took of my Dad with John at the John Wayne Airport. I'm not sure JW could have had a bigger fan... he still watches all of his movies.

MY AMERICAN IDOL...

2011-05-25T21:18:00.000-07:00

Milwaukee... Sites from Laverne and Shirley & Happy Days!

2011-05-24T12:56:00.003-07:00

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight

Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!

We're gonna do it!

I finally had my first layover in Milwaukee. Since I grew up watching Laverne & Shirley and Happy Days I was excited to check out all the sites!

City Hall- Featured in the Laverne & Shirley show opener...

"Welcome to Milwaukee"

The River Walk reminded me of Chicago. Milwaukee is a cool city...

Can't wait to get more layovers here.

Heyyy! Me and the Fonz on the River Walk.

Laverne & Shirley's address while living in Milwaukee was on Knapp Street. This street really does exist in Downtown Milwaukee although the show was filmed in California. I found some row homes on Knapp Street and wondered if this was the inspiration of the basement apartment. At the time of filming Knapp Street would have been in walking distance to the Schlitz Brewery(now office buildings).

I can't believe I found the floor plan of Laverne & Shirley's apartment. If you go to Fantasy FloorPlans you can check out more plans from some of TV's most popular shows.

My Top 10 FAVORITE Prince William & Kate Middleton SOUVENIRS...

2011-04-28T11:57:00.005-07:00

1. My Favorite Royal Coaster

2. ... Still One Prince Left

3. Kate Middleton Royal Engagement Vinyl Portrait Doll

4. Diana Engagement Inspired Ring

5. Prince William & Kate Middleton Royal Tea Bags

6. Royal Wedding Tea Towel

7 & 8 The In-laws... Prince Charles & Camilla Mask

9. William & Kate Paper Dolls

10. And finally... The Royal Wedding for Dummies!

Things to do in LAIE, HAWAII...

2011-04-26T08:04:00.001-07:00

POLYNESIAN CULTURAL CENTER... Explore Interactive activities in each of the 8 Island Villages. End the day with a Luau and an Amazing Night Show. The PCC is Hawaii's #1 Paid Attraction.

LAIE POINT... Just past the Polynesian Cultural Center on Kamehameha Highway. Across from Foodland take Anemoku Street at the light and go to the right on Naupaka Street to the end where you'll see a small parking lot. From Laie Point you can see the Windward Coast, Goat Island and the North Shore. If you saw the movie "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" you might remember a scene filmed at Laie Point were Rachel jumps off a cliff. Be careful if you decide to jump and watch out for the reef!

LAIE HAWAII TEMPLE... You can visit the Laie Hawaii Temple Visitors' Center and learn more about the LDS Temple. Make sure you check out the beautiful gardens.

HUKILAU CAFE... Popular with the locals and students from nearby BYU-Hawaii. The restaurant is famous for being the alleged site where Adam Sandler and Drew Berrymore met in "50 First Dates". The movie was filmed in a different location but the cast and crew of 50 First Dates were regulars during the filming. Open Tuesday-Saturday.

Surfin' Tacos... My favorite place to eat while staying in Laie was Surfin' Tacos in nearby Hauula. They have live entertainment on the weekends.

The Bathtub Beach In Laie...

A reef protects the beach from waves at low tide which makes it a great beach for kids of all ages. We rented a Beach House on the Bathtub. Click here to learn more about the house we rented.

*Click here to see more of my favorite destinations on the North Shore.

My FAVORITE TRAVEL BAG/BEACH BAG

2011-04-21T09:19:00.000-07:00

Just back from Hawaii... I'm loving my new Travel Bag by Bella Tunno. I bought it at Last Chance (Nordstrom Outlet) for $20.00 not realizing it's actually a Diaper Bag. All the pockets made it perfect for all my Beach and Travel needs!

Flight Attendant Sighting: Reese Witherspoons Secret Honeymoon Location...

2011-04-08T15:25:00.002-07:00

I met a Flight Attendant on our hotel shuttle who worked a Flight on Wednesday and had Newlyweds Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth onboard.

The Honeymoon Destination.... BELIZE! They also brought along Reese's two children. The Flight Attendant said her new husband and children were really nice and well behaved.

PS She also said Reese had no makeup on... Seriously it would suck to be famous!

Costa Rica...

2011-04-06T22:47:00.026-07:00

This is the route we took on our vacation in Costa Rica. After spending our first night in San Jose we drove to the Caño Blanco Marina then boarded a boat to Tortuguero. Our next stop was Monteverde, the cloud forest. The last few days of our vacation were spent on the beach in Manuel Antonio.

Tortuguero... The Amazon of Cost Rica!

Dora joined us on our Adventure to Costa Rica!
--------------- ---------------- ---------------

I love Tortuguero... it's one of my favorite places and definitely worth adding to any bucket list. Tortuguero is one of the most remote places in Costa Rica and part of the adventure is just getting there. You can only get there by boat or plane.

Charlotte loved all the boat rides!

My Monkey!

--------------- ---------------- ---------------

Tortuguero is in a Rain Forest with swamps, beaches, lagoons and is located on the Caribbean Coast. In the front of our hotel was a lagoon and behind it was the Caribbean. We saw a huge green turtle lay it's eggs on this beach. We had to go with a guide to search for the turtles. The night we went it was really dark which made the search a little harder (no flashlights allowed). We walked in a line feeling for turtle tracks (trying to not fall on the beach debris). After looking for about an hour we got lucky and found a turtle.

We stayed at the Laguna Lodge, inspired by Antoni Gaudi. Click here to see more pictures of this cool Lodge.

This Caiman enjoyed sunbathing close to the open air restaurant.

CC & an Iguana

Charlotte loved the food in Costa Rica! I loved the wood highchair.

--------------- ---------------- ---------------

We saw monkeys, birds, turtles, Iguana's and caiman's as we traveled through the lagoon...

--------------- ---------------- ---------------

The town of Tortuguero

Local Girls

CC dancing to a little reggae music on our last night in Tortuguero.

--------------- ---------------- ---------------
Next stop... Monteverde

Southern Ireland By Car...

2011-03-17T08:34:00.011-07:00

Myself and 3 girlfriends toured the Southern half of Ireland for a few weeks. It's always fun traveling with girls. Every time we took a potty break we took a shopping break. :) We flew into Dublin, rented a car and attempted to drive on the opposite side of the road while using a left hand stick shift. Diane drove and the rest of us navigated. It was quite a nerve-racking experience: Roundabouts, narrow roads, animals in the road, rain, etc.

In Dublin we visited:

1. Trinity College to see the Book Of Kells
2. St. Patricks Cathedral
3. Pubs &
4. Clubs

The girls... Cindy, Valorie, Me & Diane @ Trinity College

One night after dancing late at a club in Dublin we came back not realizing the parking garage closed early. Our car was held hostage... Good Times!

Dublin

We were excited to leave Dublin and check out the countryside and we figured the driving might get easier with less traffic to navigate around. Our first stop was Glendalough in the Wicklow mountains. We were ready for some fresh air!

If you dare drive in Ireland be cautious...

it can be hazardous or an adventure!

In Wexford we accidently drove down a narrow walkway. We had to back up on an incline with an inch to spare on either side of the car. By the time we got to the top of the hill the car smelled like it was about to die. A local women was laughing at us. More embarrassing since she was the same person who had just stopped us from driving on the wrong side of the road on a one way (I'm sure she was thinking "those crazy Americans"). The next day the steering wheel wouldn't turn so we had to wait and get a new car.

Around Kilkenny:

*We checked out the Kilkenny Castle

*Dunmore Caves... very cool! Wasn't found until 1970. They found 40 bodies in the cave that dated back to the 900's. I won't bore you with anymore details just know I learned some interesting facts about coins stored in body parts.

*Had lunch at the Brog Maker

*Checked out the haunted pub... Kyteler's Inn

Cashel:

Rock of Cashel

Blarney:

1. Kissed the Blarney Stone on top of the Blarney Castle. It's suppose to give you the gift of gab and a twinkle in your eye... Not sure about that but we did later learn that the locals pee on the stone... NICE!

2. Checked out the caves. Bumped my head a few times and got muddy.

Blarney Castle

Me kissing the Blarney Stone

Stopped in Sneem for Ice Cream. Along with all the tour busses... not sure how they make it down the narrow roads. Our small rental car barely made the narrow turns.

The Ring of Kerry:

We went from rolling hills to mountains covered with boulder's. Pine tree's to the most beautiful flowers near the ocean. It wasn't uncommon to go around a corner and come upon cows roaming all over the road. We also saw lots of sheep.

Beware of roaming cows

Killarney: We rented bikes and rode them to the National Park. It's 10,000 acres of lakes and mountains. We visited the Ross Castle and the Muckross House. This was an Amazing Day!

Carriage Ride at the Muckross House

B&B: Fitzgerald View of Dingle

In Dingle we:
1. Toured the Dingle Peninsula.

2. Went through a town where they still speak Gaelic.

3. Visited Slea Head. Far and Away was filmed here.

4. Took a hike at Clogher Head for a great view of the Peninsula.

Lisdoonvarna: Happened to be here during the Matchmaker Festival. We couldn't find a place to stay so a really nice Irish woman called her friend to help us find a bed for the night. Her husband drove us to her friends house about 1/2 hour away. We would have never found our way in the dark. This is an example of how friendly the Irish people are. I just don't see many people doing that.

Matchmaker Festival: Interesting! Pretty much sums it up! We checked it out one night and that was enough for me. My friend asked a man sitting at the bar how long he had been there and he said "23 years". He was a funny local guy. I don't drink so I think the Irish found me to be a novelty.

Cliffs of Moher
Galway:
Went to a pub and listened to some Irish tunes.

Ireland is a beautiful country and has some of the nicest people you'll ever meet!
My mementos from Ireland:
Irish Aran Wool Sweater,
Claddagh ring and my token Postcards and some cool Green Coasters.

In search of MUD SLIDES in Colombia!

2011-03-06T11:42:00.006-07:00

A few people questioned why myself and 3 others would dare go backpacking in COLOMBIA. I didn't think much about it. Isn't that what your 20's are about... doing things that might be a little crazy... Okay, really crazy?!

My roommate Heather wanted to go to ECUADOR and I wanted to see where Romancing the Stone was filmed... Colombia (I later found out that the movie was filmed in Mexico because Colombia was too dangerous).

So it was settled we'd fly into Bogota, backpack to Ecuador and fly out of Quito. Two other friends Tommy and Chris also joined us. We figured we might need some body guards and they both spoke Spanish. (Charlotte, I know it might be very tempting to want to explore Colombia's lush jungles. But Colombia is rated "D" for DANGER... kidnappings, killings, robberies, drug traffickers and guerrillas oh my! "D" means Don't Go!!)

--------------------------------------------------------------

On our flight into Bogota we read about two European backpackers who had just gone missing in Colombia...

As we approached the airport our plane was hit by lightning!

I was starting to wonder if I would ever make it back alive!?

DANGERS OF TAKING A CHIVA {BUS} IN COLOMBIA...

1. We took an overnight bus that was infested with Cockroaches. It was disgusting! The locals laughed as we sang "LA CUCARACHA,

LA CUCARACHA"!

2. On another bus locals told my travel compadres in Spanish that we needed to start hiding our money. We were in an area where buses would be held at gun point. Being the only blond on the bus I started to get a little nervous!

3. Our bus did get held up by men with guns {Federalies} but they didn't take our $ or the blond girl. They made us get off the bus and searched our belongings. I think they were looking for drugs? I think...

BOGOTA

Bogota, the capitol of Colombia is a large metropolitan city! Bogota is noisy, aggressive, chaotic, exciting and dangerous!

We saw spectacular views of Bogota from Montserrat. You can take a cable car, fanicular or walk up but walking isn't recommended since Banditos rob tourist and some at gunpoint. Oh my... what was I doing in Colombia?

EMERALDS

A favorite souvenir in Bogota are Emeralds! Locals will come up to you on the street and offer you a "good deal".

Hostel in SAN AGUSTIN

The whole gang plus a couple we met from Australia. Those Aussies are hard core... They'll travel anywhere! We didn't run into any Americans down there.

JEEP RIDE

While in San Agustin we took a crazy, bumpy, muddy, scary jeep ride.

Alto de Las Piedras

San Agustin is one of the most important archaeological sites on the continent. They have several hundred free-standing statues carved in stone as well as a number of large underground tombs.

The crazy winding Colombian roads!

Salto de Bordones Waterfall

This was as close as I got to my Colombian mud slide. While it was raining we had to make our way through overgrown vegetation to get to the waterfall! It was an adventure just to get there.

POPAYAN

My travel compadres: Heather, Tommy and Chris in Popayan, a beautiful colonial city.

Crossing the Colombia-Ecuador Border

ECUADOR... to be continued!

My Favorite Italian Souvenirs...

2011-03-05T07:51:00.002-07:00

Leather

Some of the best leather goods are designed and made in Italy. Whether it's purses, shoes, clothes or luggage leather is one of Italy's best values.

Italian Tapestries

I'm always blown away by the beautiful tapestries throughout Europe and I think they're a great souvenir for your villa back home. Florence is one of my favorite places to shop for tapestries.

Majolica Ceramics

Majolica is a hand-painted, glazed, and heavily ornamented earthenware. The name Majolica comes from Majorca, the port where Majolica was originally traded. Italian Majolica and Italian ceramics are world renowned because of their great craftsmanship and durability.

Fortuny Fabrics are known for their luxurious feel and well designed patterns, influenced by cultures from around the world.

All Fortuny fabrics are still manufactured in the same factory that Mariano Fortuny founded in Venice over half a century ago with the same special dying and textile techniques he perfected.

Murano Chandelier... Venetian glass originated in Venice but was moved to the Island of Murano because of the fire danger to Venice. The glassmakers of Murano are credited with inventing or modernizing many varieties of glass. Some of the historical glass factories in Murano are now among the most important brands of glass in the world. You can visit the glass factories and see the artisans working in the age old craft of glass blowing and glass making.

Savanorola Chair

The Savanorola Chair, also known as the Dante Chair originated in Medieval Italy. The chair is named after Girolamo Savonarola a 15th century French cleric who briefly ruled Florence. The Savanorola chair was extremely popular across Europe during the Renaissance.

You can find antique Savanorola chairs through antique dealers, auctions and specialized furniture stores or shop around for a much cheaper replica. Click here for a list of the top 10 antique shops in Florence.

St. Peters Basilica Juicer... Who wouldn't want a juicer shaped like St. Peters Basilica? As you squeeze your citrus across the dome, juice fills the Piazza.

And of course you don't want to forget your

"POSTCARDS AND COASTERS"!

Lace Coaster's from Venice

Unfortunately the best gift Italy offers can't be packaged. After spending a few days enjoying the County's La Dolce Vita you'll return home renewed and refreshed. If only we could bottle that up! What's your favorite Italian Souvenir?

Forks, Washington... In search of VAMPIRES and sites from the TWILIGHT book series!

2011-03-03T21:20:00.001-07:00

Entering Forks...

If your a fan of the Twilight Book Series and are in the Seattle area you won't want to miss a visit to Forks, Washington. You can find a map of Forks & the Twilight Sites at any of the souvenir shops or stop by the Forks Visitor Center South of town. There are also Twilight Tours that will take you to all of the sites.

Forks Hospital

Dr. Cullens parking spot

Forks Police Department

Bella's dad worked here

Forks Outfitters

Bella worked at Forks Outfitters. She's made sure Twilight fans get a good deal on Twilight souvenirs. This is the cheapest place for Twilight t-shirts.

Bella Swans Home

The Cullens Home

Note from the Cullens. The Cullens Home is a Bed & Breakfast, click here if you'd like to stay with VAMPIRES!

Forks High School

Where it all began...

Bella's Truck

At the Forks Visitor Center

Leaving Forks...

BE BITE BACK!

"Under The Tuscan Sun" in Cortona, Italy...

2011-03-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

While driving through Tuscany my husband and I had just passed Cortona as I read it was the setting for the book "Under The Tuscan Sun". We quickly turned around so we could see "Bramasole", the villa Frances Mayes so beautifully writes about. Mayes describes the ups and downs of renovating a villa in Italy. I had just done a renovation for a client (I'm also an Interior Designer) so I could relate to all the problems associated with a remodel. It wasn't easy to find Bramasole. We asked several locals and they said they didn't know where it was. Maybe when your living the dream you don't need to read about it.

Bramasole is a beautiful stone home surrounded by flowers with views of the valley below. "On that fresh morning, the facade seemed radiant, glazed with layers of lemon, rouge and terra-cotta. We both became silent as as we got out of the car. After all of the turns into unknown roads, the house seemed just to have been waiting all along." Frances Mayes

BRAMASOLE

CORTONA

Cortona is a charming Medieval City surrounded by Etruscan Walls. It lies perched on top of the Tuscan Hills. You'll find olive groves, frescoed churches, piazzas, narrow streets and if you look hard you might find Diane Lane or maybe just Italian lovers.

TIBET...

2011-03-01T08:00:00.012-07:00

For many years mountains kept people from entering Tibet. Because it's a hard place to get to explorers named it the "The Roof of the World". Tibet is the highest region on the earth with an average elevation of 16,000 ft. We didn't suffer from the high altitude but did find climbing hundred's of steps to the Monasteries a challenge. Were glad we did this trip while we were still young.

We loved our visit to Tibet! The people are so unique and friendly. The mountains are stunning. It is an amazing sight to see the pilgrims mumbling mantras and swinging their prayer wheels throughout town. The temples are full of juniper incense and yak butter. There is a peace in Tibet.

At one time the DREPUNG MONASTERY was the world's largest monastery housing over 10,000 monks. There are currently 1,700 monasteries in Tibet.

Pilgrims travel thousands of miles bringing meat and vegetables to sell in Llasa to pay for their trip to the JOKHANG TEMPLE.

In the Temple they spoon yak butter into lamps, drape white and yellow gauze strips around statues and leave money and grains as offerings.

Pilgrims pray in front of the Temples and on the roads leading to the Temples. We'd be walking through town and pilgrims would be praying on both sides of us. Some wear knee pads, gloves and wooden planks attached to their hands. They lower themselves to the ground by stretching forward, then back on their feet taking two steps forward and repeating the process all day.

It isn't uncommon to have children approach you for money. They are so adorable it's hard to say no.

This is one of my favorite pictures. I love the details in this little girls outfit. Click on the picture for a better view. Notice the striped socks and the Turquoise braided into her hair. I wanted to pinch her cheeks and take her home with me.

BARKHOR STREET is the popular shopping area in Llasa. Each day hundred's of booths are set up with items that can only be found in Tibet. I had so much fun bargaining (it's expected) on beautiful Turquoise and Coral Jewelry

Some Tibetan women wear their hair in 108 Braids, an auspicious number in Buddhism.

Prayer Wheels are used to gain wisdom and good karma and keep bad karma away. Hmm...wonder if I could carry this up and down the aisle on certain flights?

Today 70 percent of the people in Llasa are Chinese and only 30 percent are Tibetan.

The Portola Palace is a masterpiece in Tibetan architecture and a reflection of Tibetan history and culture. The palace is full of sculptures, scripture, murals, Buddha figures and antiques. The PORTOLA PALACE was home to the Dali Lama until 1950 when the country was taken over by China.

When we visited Tibet a few years ago we couldn't enter the country without a tour guide. Our guide was Chinese and wasn't aloud to discuss any issues regarding China invading Tibet.

Tibetans are beautiful people with a beautiful culture. We were so taken by the people that when I saw these beautiful paintings of Tibetan children I knew I had to have them...

My favorite Mementos!

(The artist takes pictures of children around Llasa then paints them)

Is it a Postcard or an Aeroplane?

2011-01-18T16:09:00.002-07:00

This is one cool postcard!

Christmas Dog Bite & My Nice Airline!

2011-01-01T16:12:00.003-07:00

My daughter was attacked by a German Shepherd on Christmas Eve (Brothers neighbor's dog). We spent it and part of Christmas Day at Phoenix Children's Hospital. She has 51 staples in the back of her head and 120 stitches on her face and some on her ear. She's recovering well thanks partly to her young age.

Please watch your dogs around children. Unfortunately kids are usually the victims... especially around the Holidays. Our daughters plastic surgeon worked on several other dog bite victims after her on Christmas Day.

My Airline has been very good to us. I was suppose to work and they gave me a personal leave (while lots of Flight Attendants were calling in sick). They've also sent letters and one from the CEO of my Airline along with a toy. My airline is really good to it's employees... never missing Birthday, Holiday & Anniversary cards. In this crazy and hectic world we live it's always nice to receive these kind notes, especially in times like this.

Flight Attendant Find...

2010-12-14T21:37:00.002-07:00

Just back from a long layover in Lubbock, Texas. Have you ever been to Lubbock? Not much to do there. Like any small town they do have a token Walmart. I did a little Christmas shopping then checked out some sweat suits... Never bought clothes at Walmart but my Lubbock boredom kept me pacing the aisles.

My Flight Attendant Find... Danskin Sweat Suits. Stylish styles at Amazing prices!

Travel Prints...

2010-11-16T07:50:00.001-07:00

Find more prints here.

MISS YOU CHICAGO!

2010-11-10T14:48:00.002-07:00

I discovered this print on Etsy and smiled as I reminisced about fun times spent in the windy city. I lived in Chicago years ago when I first became a Flight Attendant. I did the whole crash pad thing and quickly decided 11 Flight Attendants in one hotel room was too many and living near the airport wasn't a good way to experience Chicago! I lasted there for 2 months then found a one bedroom condo with 5 other flight attendants downtown near the Navy Pier. I know still sounds like a lot but thankfully we were never there at the same time. Chicago is such a friendly town and this is such a beautiful time of the year... I miss you CHICAGO!

My Traveling Gnome...

2010-10-31T21:47:00.002-07:00

Happy Halloween!

Fall on the North Cascades Scenic Highway

2010-10-26T21:40:00.000-07:00

Whidbey Island

We took the 20 minute Mukilteo ferry to Whidbey Island to begin our journey on the North Cascades Scenic Highway. We stopped for a little shopping at the quaint historic village of Coupeville.

Deception Pass State Park

If your short on time Whidbey Island is a nice option since you can easily come and go by Ferry or Car. We left the Island on the high bridge overlooking Deception Pass.

Quick stop at a cute church on the side of the road.

Newhalem

We went on a short hike behind the Visitor Center in Newhalem... Perfect for young children. In autumn you can see spawning salmon at the base of the hydropower plant.

Diablo Park

Washington Pass

Winthrop

Charming Wild West Town... Good spot for dinner after a long day of driving. We spent the night in Lake Chelan. Not a lot of places to stay along the way so I recommend getting an early start.

Leavenworth

...The Bavarian Alps of Washington. We were here during Oktoberfest and enjoyed music, dancing and pretzels! It really is a festive town. If you don't have time to do the loop at least drive from Seattle to Leavenworth it's beautiful!

Seattle

Pike Place Market