Saturday, July 2, 2011
Nantucket June 2011
This year's trip to Nantucket was one of the best ever. It was the first time in early June that I have been there for an entire 5 days without a drop of rain. It was 70 degrees and beautiful the entire time!I spent the first two days on the island by myself and because the weather was so beautiful, was forced to rent a small car on day 2 just to go exploring and head to the beaches. What a wonderful day. I tried a new rental car company this time, one of the ones from the airport. They seemed much cheaper than the one in town and they sent someone to come pick me up at my hotel and then drove me back to the airport where I signed the paperwork and took the car. I learned the hard way when I returned that because of airport taxes, it was in fact NOT cheaper and the time it took to be driven back and forth from the airport was not really worth it. So, I headed back to the old standby, Affordable Rentals, when it came to rent a Jeep the next day.
I first arrived on Memorial Day and learned a valuable lesson not to do that again! It was the end of the most popular weekend on Nantucket, the Figawi Race Weekend. While the ferry ride over to the island was captivating in passing the throngs of sailboats, I quickly realized that the island was full of young people who were now trying to get back to the Cape. I have never seen so many people on the island before. All of the ferries were full and people were camped out everywhere with their luggage. I quickly went to one of my favorite restaurants, the Brotherhood of Thieves, to relax and hide from the crowds. They were actually out of beer from the weekend. It was crazy. The ATM's were out of money and there was a lot of frustration from the weekend crowds. 
One night I was desperate for a great meal and even though I was dining alone, I headed to my favorite restaurant in town, the Boarding House. It was not crowded and I was able to get a small table in the bar and had the best meal of the week, one of the classics, Steak Frites. I love that place.
By day 3, my college roommate had arrived on island and since I still had a few hours left on my rental car, we headed straight out to the Galley Restaurant at the Beach for lunch. For the first time ever, I was able to have a lovely lunch with drinks on the patio without a crowd trying to catch the sunset. It was the perfect location for lunch on the beach. Pricey, but perfect.
We rented a Jeep the next morning and headed out to Sconset. I discovered something new on this trip, thanks to my friend. She took me on the "Sconset Walk." It is a long winding trail at the top of the bluff overlooking the ocean that is open to the public. It is simply lovely. The walk takes you past the mansions and gatehouses overlooking the water and in most cases, you are actually walking across the homeowners lawn. It is a wonderful opportunity for exercise in addition to some "house hunting" and enjoyment of the day.
From Sconset, we headed out to Great Point with our Jeep and were not disappointed. Last summer, we were prohibited from getting more than 3 miles from the lighthouse due to some conservation issues, but this year, we were able to drive right up to the lighthouse and get cozy with all of the seals. It was amazing. One of the best things to do on Nantucket.
After spending the afternoon at Bartlett's Farm shopping and the brewery, we discovered my other newest favorite place on the island, Madaket Millie's. This is a super cool restaurant and bar just blocks from the beach at Madaket. The dining room and main bar are upstairs offering panoramic views of the ocean and the island famous sunsets on Madaket. The food was wonderful and the location was to die for. It will now be a usual stop of mine on my Nantucket trips.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Champagne Powder in Steamboat Springs, Colorado
It had been a long time since our college graduation, so instead of heading back to campus, some of my closest college friends and I planned a February ski trip to Steamboat Springs, Colorado. We chose this particular location in Colorado because of its amazing ski conditions and its location off the beaten path. We weren't wrong in our choice. After a banner early winter and winter season that saw over 300 inches of snow deposited on the slopes of Steamboat, we arrived on a beautiful sunny day. It was the perfect day for skiing.
We checked in at one of my favorite hotels in Colorado, The Steamboat Grand. www.steamboatgrand.com. We had booked a ski package in late November that gave us a two bedroom deluxe condo for 20% off the regular rates and discounted lift tickets. The condo was amazing. The two bedrooms were on opposite ends of the condo, separated by a large living and dining area and kitchen. There were two fireplaces, a balcony and three full bathrooms. The condo would easily sleep 10 people, so the four of us had plenty of room. Additionally, the hotel boasts a large heated outdoor swimming pool, two hot tubs and a poolside bistro. We requested a mountain view room which we were lucky to get and the views did not disappoint.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Escape Winter in San Diego
As I sat wallowing with a miserable cold on New Years Eve in sub zero temps in Colorado, my cousin in San Diego texted me and mentioned it was time for a visit. She was right. I immediately found a Southwest Airlines fare of $149 RT for two weeks out and booked it immediately. After two more weeks of freezing weather in Colorado and non stop rain in Southern California, I learned I had chosen the perfect weekend. Because when I stepped foot off the airplane in San Diego, I found clear, sunny skies and 80 degree temps. And that lasted all weekend long...
From the airport, we headed straight to Little Italy and the Saturday morning flea market complete with music, dogs, crepe carts and lots of homemade items to buy. From this vantage point, the view down the hill into the harbor is amazing. What a beautiful day.
After satisfying our hunger pangs with one of the best fruit crepes ever, we headed over to the downtown "mall", Horton Plaza. I say mall, but it's not really. It's outdoors and the parking garages are a great location to park to head almost anywhere downtown. Since it was just us girls, we took our time and shopped, needing many trips to the car to unload packages. Finally after an afternoon emptying our wallets, we walked down farther into the Gaslamp area and found a street celebration. Everyone in San Diego seemed to be outside celebrating the wonderful weather on a Saturday afternoon. It was intoxicating.
We stopped at a cute restaurant called the Tin Fish just a block or two from the ballpark, Petco Park. What a perfect location. We ordered fish tacos and beers from the cashier inside and settled on a prime table out on the patio overlooking the convention center. What a wonderful place to sit, chat and take a break from the day as the sun went down. After a quick side trip over to the new Hilton on the waterfront to check out the view, we headed back out to the 'burbs for a movie with friends.
A visit to California is never complete without a stop at In N Out burger and the best shakes in the world. If you haven't been, you must stop in!
San Diego is a great place to spend a Sunday watching football and we did it right by hitting a restaurant called The Blue Wave on the marina on Shelter Island. With the television showing players and fans freezing in the winter snowstorms out east, we were able to both watch the game and head out on the deck watching the boats go by. When the game was over, we were in the perfect location to take a walk on the beach and enjoyed all the sailboats heading out to see from the harbor. Another beautiful day.
On the neighboring Harbor Island, one of the best views of San Diego and the harbor can be found at Island Prime. With a never ending patio, the wait is long and the prices are steep but the views are worth it. One of my favorite places in San Diego. Before heading out to Harbor Island to watch the sunset against the city backdrop, make sure to stop at the Midway Museum. For a nominal fee, you can tour the famous aircraft carrier and even go below decks to play fighter pilot in a simulator run by Navy pilots. It's the coolest thing ever. You just can't compare to the feeling of practicing a carrier landing at night. Very cool.
After our football breakfast and lunch, we headed up through the hills and came down on the other side into Ocean Beach for a quick stop at an awesome bakery, Azucar. This is a not to be missed dessert. Order the red velvet cupcakes!
For the first time ever, my cousin took me to a great Chicago pizza joint, Lefty's. Being a Chicago native, I can tell you, this is authentic - from the decorations on the wall to the pizza, Italian beef and all the fixings. It was the perfect ending to a day that started with the Bears winning a playoff game.
For our last day in San Diego, we started with the traditional walk down the hill to my favorite bagel shop. Sitting outside in the sunshine in the middle of January eating breakfast is important to me knowing how cold it is back home... We headed downtown with no real plans in mind and wound up back at my favorite place in the city - over the bridge to the Hotel Del on Coronado Island. For those who have not been, it is worth the trip over the bridge. Rent a taxi if you don't have a rental car. There is plenty of parking nearby at low rates if you can't find on street parking. Don't go in the front door - walk along the beachfront and approach the hotel from the beach, passing the bars and restaurants. There are plenty of places to choose from to sit and take a break. Take a leisurely pace.
Some of the best and most fun and fanciful stores can be found inside the Hotel Del. Take time to do some shopping. You won't find these items in any other place. After wandering and shopping and re-acquainting myself with the hotel, we headed out to the beach bar to have a drink and sit in the sun. With endless ocean views and $8 beers, the afternoon couldn't last long enough.
From the airport, we headed straight to Little Italy and the Saturday morning flea market complete with music, dogs, crepe carts and lots of homemade items to buy. From this vantage point, the view down the hill into the harbor is amazing. What a beautiful day.
After satisfying our hunger pangs with one of the best fruit crepes ever, we headed over to the downtown "mall", Horton Plaza. I say mall, but it's not really. It's outdoors and the parking garages are a great location to park to head almost anywhere downtown. Since it was just us girls, we took our time and shopped, needing many trips to the car to unload packages. Finally after an afternoon emptying our wallets, we walked down farther into the Gaslamp area and found a street celebration. Everyone in San Diego seemed to be outside celebrating the wonderful weather on a Saturday afternoon. It was intoxicating.
We stopped at a cute restaurant called the Tin Fish just a block or two from the ballpark, Petco Park. What a perfect location. We ordered fish tacos and beers from the cashier inside and settled on a prime table out on the patio overlooking the convention center. What a wonderful place to sit, chat and take a break from the day as the sun went down. After a quick side trip over to the new Hilton on the waterfront to check out the view, we headed back out to the 'burbs for a movie with friends.
A visit to California is never complete without a stop at In N Out burger and the best shakes in the world. If you haven't been, you must stop in!
San Diego is a great place to spend a Sunday watching football and we did it right by hitting a restaurant called The Blue Wave on the marina on Shelter Island. With the television showing players and fans freezing in the winter snowstorms out east, we were able to both watch the game and head out on the deck watching the boats go by. When the game was over, we were in the perfect location to take a walk on the beach and enjoyed all the sailboats heading out to see from the harbor. Another beautiful day.
On the neighboring Harbor Island, one of the best views of San Diego and the harbor can be found at Island Prime. With a never ending patio, the wait is long and the prices are steep but the views are worth it. One of my favorite places in San Diego. Before heading out to Harbor Island to watch the sunset against the city backdrop, make sure to stop at the Midway Museum. For a nominal fee, you can tour the famous aircraft carrier and even go below decks to play fighter pilot in a simulator run by Navy pilots. It's the coolest thing ever. You just can't compare to the feeling of practicing a carrier landing at night. Very cool.
After our football breakfast and lunch, we headed up through the hills and came down on the other side into Ocean Beach for a quick stop at an awesome bakery, Azucar. This is a not to be missed dessert. Order the red velvet cupcakes!
For the first time ever, my cousin took me to a great Chicago pizza joint, Lefty's. Being a Chicago native, I can tell you, this is authentic - from the decorations on the wall to the pizza, Italian beef and all the fixings. It was the perfect ending to a day that started with the Bears winning a playoff game.
For our last day in San Diego, we started with the traditional walk down the hill to my favorite bagel shop. Sitting outside in the sunshine in the middle of January eating breakfast is important to me knowing how cold it is back home... We headed downtown with no real plans in mind and wound up back at my favorite place in the city - over the bridge to the Hotel Del on Coronado Island. For those who have not been, it is worth the trip over the bridge. Rent a taxi if you don't have a rental car. There is plenty of parking nearby at low rates if you can't find on street parking. Don't go in the front door - walk along the beachfront and approach the hotel from the beach, passing the bars and restaurants. There are plenty of places to choose from to sit and take a break. Take a leisurely pace.
Some of the best and most fun and fanciful stores can be found inside the Hotel Del. Take time to do some shopping. You won't find these items in any other place. After wandering and shopping and re-acquainting myself with the hotel, we headed out to the beach bar to have a drink and sit in the sun. With endless ocean views and $8 beers, the afternoon couldn't last long enough.
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