travel on my mind....

This sums up the way I feel about travel!

Happy Saturday, friends!

xxoo

(photos via here)

love this quote...

“Travel is more than the seeing of sights;

it is a change that goes on,

deep and permanent,

in the ideas of living.”

 

Miriam Beard

(photo via here)

happy wednesday....

I love this!  Sometimes it takes years to realize this!

It's been a crazy busy week around here.  We got back from

an awesome time with our friends in San Francisco - took in

two baseball games, had alot of food and drinks, had a nice

sunny lunch on the bay with my son Matt & his wife Heather

(loved seeing them, I have been missing them alot!)  We did

alot of walking - bummed that I didn't get to ride the Cable

Cars though.  Time just flies by when you're having fun!

My friend Tracy was meeting up with a fellow photography

blogger friend of hers, so we had a nice time visiting with

him too.  All in all - the time was short but ALOT OF FUN!

In SIX short days, we are leaving for London - to say that I

am excited is a major understatement.  I am trying my best

to really be a smart packer, as I tend to overpack on trips.

Just tending to things that need to get done before the trip,

and my job is definitely getting in the way of that this week..

haha...So if anyone has any packing advice, or flying advice

as I have never been on a flight this long before - your thoughts

are welcome here!  Have a beautiful day everyone and as the

saying above goes "Who you are is enough"

xxoo

Living In A Dream: Quebec City, Canada

Quebec City is one of those charming places

that is on the top part of my to go to someday soon list

So just in case, I will have a few arrangements made

Aubergene Saint-Antoine

Panache - a quaint rustic restaurant at the hotel

A fabulous tub to take a nice cozy bubble bath

after a wonderful day of sight seeing and shopping.

Below are a few tips on places to eat from Robin at My Melange:


Where to eat in Old Quebec City?
*For a mid-day coffee and croissant break, head to Paillard. They have the best crossiants in Old Quebec and their cafe au lait is served up in bowls, in true French fashion. They have great salads and sandwiches for lunch too. Grab a crusty-doughy Parisian-style baquette for the road.

*Looking for traditional French bistro food at downright bargain prices in a lively atmosphere? Follow the locals over to Les Frères de la Côte, which is the restaurant in the Hotel du Vieux Quebec. Choose from salmon, pizza, confit de canard and osso bucco. But the deal of the century is the never-ending bowls of mussels, prepared in your choice of three different broths, (with extra bread for broth-sopping)all for under $16.

*For a special treat, head to rue Saint-Paul in Lower Town to experience a touch of the South of France. Mistral Gagnant feels like it was plucked right from Provence. The brightly colored decor combined with the seafood-forward menu offers an experience only the French Riveira could rival. Splurge on the authentic Marsielle classic fish soup, Bouillabaise, complete with croutons and rouille. Snag one of three tables in the front window and finish off with a Pastis to help it all go down smoothly.

* The Café Experience; Many long for it-and I am no exception. And no, I am not recommending a Starbucks! I found a hidden-gem-of-a-café, in the back streets of Upper Town. Perfect for breakfast, coming in from the rain for a shot of espresso at the bar, wasting hours on your laptop or for a delicious home-made lunch prix-fixe for about $12 Canadian. Chez Temporel exudes charm and warmth with it's dim lighting, yellow walls and mahogany-colored tables. The croissants are baked in-house and you can milk your coffee all day while reading the paper without fear of being kicked to the curb!

I can't wait to try some of these places that Robin has recommended. Has anyone else been to Quebec City? If so, do tell!!

long lonesome highway..

I am very clearly dating myself, but I had a song stuck in my head the whole time I was driving up the coast to Northern California. Does anyone remember that television show called Then Came Bronson? The theme song is called Long Lonesome Highway - "Going down that long lonesome highway, gonna live life my way" I was silently singing it to myself all the way from Ventura to Gilroy...haha...

Despite the sad reason I was going up north, we had a really good time visiting family and my friend. It was so wonderful spending time with my girlfriend - I hadn't talked to her sisters or mom in many years, so it was awesome talking to everyone and catching up with our lives. Where does the time go? This was a friend that I spent many a weekend at her house, went camping with her family and water skiing, many beach adventures and way too many sunburns where I remember her parents scolding us for either using baby oil to tan our white bodies or not using any sunscreen. It was a wonderful day with her and her family and friends, very bittersweet but an awesome celebration of life for the man she spent many many years with.

After visiting with her, I drove over to my nephew's house as it was his 30th birthday and they were having a bbq and just hanging out at his house. My nephew and his wife love to entertain and they put out quite the spread. It was so much fun sitting around the chimenea (firepit of sorts) outside and just laughing and telling stories with my family. The next day we did more of the same and then it was time to leave as I had to be at work the next day. My daughter and her boyfriend had driven up with me, so I had some great company. While I was at my girlfriends husband's celebration of life - they took the train up to San Francisco, had lunch in the Haight/Ashbury neighborhood and walked around Golden Gate Park - a nice day trip for them!

All in all a wonderfully loving weekend - renewing old friendships, rekindling with my family and alot of fun reminiscing! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend too!

photo via mumbley joe

What Makes Me Smile: Tripping thru Life

Imagine: One 20 yr. old girl in 1978

A one way ticket to St. Thomas from California

Doesn't know a soul.

No place to stay, even for the 1st night

No job lined up
$500 to her name.

What happened to this shy, naive girl?


She found a very cool B&B to stay at for a few weeks,
got a job at a very nice resort, rented a room
from an amazing older woman named M.E.


Made alot of friends, and had the time of her life!

Moral of this story: Life is short, enjoy each moment!