Traveling First Class on a Budget

2011-07-02T19:46:00.001-07:00

The Galley Restaurant at the Beach, Nantucket.

Great Point

2011-07-02T19:45:00.001-07:00

Brewery

2011-07-02T19:44:00.001-07:00

Nantucket June 2011

2011-07-02T19:42:00.000-07:00

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.

Champagne Powder in Steamboat Springs, Colorado

2011-02-28T19:50:00.000-08:00

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.

Escape Winter in San Diego

2011-01-20T18:41:00.000-08:00

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.

Labor Day Weekend in New England

2010-09-10T14:34:00.000-07:00

Labor Day weekend in Stonington, Maine. Think about it. Stonington is a beautiful 6 hour drive north of Boston. The first couple of hours are all highway on I-95 and I-295. Make sure to make a quick stop in Freeport, Maine for the home of LLBean and a quick lobster roll. Or my personal favorite - stop in Kennebunkport and have a crab roll or lobster roll on the waterfront at the Clam Shack. Park wherever you can and walk around the few blocks of t-shirts shops and souvenir shops. A store not to be missed however is Carrots & Co for some of the most beautiful New England local souvenirs and knick knacks. Another personal favorite is Scalawags for dog supplies and toys. I stop at both on every trip to Maine.

After a short break, continue heading up the coast and leave the highway just north of Augusta. From there the drive to Stonington is a meandering two lane highway through small towns and ocean views. This trip could take 10 hours if I was willing to stop at all the cute stores and restaurants. Make sure you have a GPS or good directions as the road signs are a little confusing. Eventually, you will reach your final bridge signalling your entry onto the island and Deer Isle and eventually Stonington at water's edge.

Stonington is one of the largest lobster ports on the eastern seaboard and after you've had lobster from Stonington, you won't want it from anywhere else. A short drive back over the bridge and around the waterfront is Castine, a lovely town rich in history and home to the Maine Maritime Academy and the ship State of Maine. The most wonderful seafood lunch can be had right at the shack on the dock and don't forget to order some of Gifford's Blueberry ice cream for dessert.

Stonington is also rich in history and pink granite. This beautiful granite has been used in historical locations all over our country and can be found all over Stonington. Take some time to go to the quarry or buy small pieces at local antique shops and souvenir shops. There is a statue on the waterfront in honor of the history of the granite industry in Stonington.

Summer in South Carolina

2010-08-10T14:13:00.000-07:00

While generally I have to agree that summer in the south is not my favorite, I have learned to appreciate humidity and lots of air conditioning. For two of the last three summers, I have found myself teaching at the National Advocacy Center on the campus of the University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC. While generally hesitant to go anywhere with a temperature over 80 in the summer, I have come to love this time down south. The University campus is less crowded, the bars are still open and there is plenty to do.

There are two main areas for dinner and drinks in the capitol city of Columbia, The Vista and Five Points. Both are a short walk away from the college campus. I particularly love the Vista. The walk is best taken through the grounds of the campus. Here you will find the State Capitol, a majestic building with gold stars on the outside commemorating the damage General Sherman caused during the War of Northern Aggression.

To the north of the State Capitol building, a monument to Strom Thurmond can be found, including the scratched out number of his children, recently changed to reflect his fifth child, Bessie Mae. It is worth a picture.
While generally it is not safe to go wandering through the State Capitol late at night alone or in a small group, it has gotten safer in recent years as there is a security guard that can regularly be seen patrolling the area as it is a common path home from the Vista to the college campus.

One of the best restaurants on the Vista is the Blue Marlin located in an old train station. Great seafood and a picturesque setting in a great location. Another good choice is The Liberty, located across Gervais Street on the corner. The Liberty has a great bar for watching games and a wonderful outdoor patio if the weather is welcoming. Another fun choice when sports must be watched is Jillian's. It is on the same side of the street as the Liberty, but just a little farther down. This is a chain, but has plenty of room for big groups and has lots of pool tables and activities for everyone to stay busy. On summer nights, a lot of the bars will have live music out on the patio. As long as the weather is tolerable, this is a great choice for spending the late night hours.

By far and away though, our favorite late night place has become the Flying Saucer, located just off of Gervais. It is a popular hangout as the outdoor patio has long picnic tables capable of accomodating large groups. The inside has lots of tv's for watching sports as well as a living room style area with comfortable couches and chairs. The beer selection here is unmatched and every night there is a different special. The final stop of any night on the Vista must be at Uncle Louie's where the owner is regularly found behing the bar serving up the cold beer. We have taken to calling this the Natty Light Bar as they have beers on sale for $1.25 every night. I love that place.

Nantucket June 2010

2010-06-21T14:11:00.001-07:00

The yearly trip to Nantucket finally arrived and nothing but fog and rain greeted my arrival at Boston Logan airport! I finally figured out the ultimate way to make the most of my trip east - I took the red eye from Denver to Boston, arriving at 5am where my wonderful college roommate picked me up and drove us the quick drive at that hour to Hyannis where homemade Bloody Mary's awaited us.

I have heard many people describe Nantucket as magical and I've certainly used many adjectives to describe this tiny island in the past. However, after this year's vacation, "magical" is definitely the way I would describe my favorite place.

Two days of pretty heavy rain were followed by three of the most amazing weather days I've ever had on Nantucket, with blue skies and warm sunshine. We were so impressed with the weather that instead of renting a small Kia, we were talked into the big red Jeep and kept it for 2 days. Once again, Lou, the White Elephant concierge got us a remarkable off season rental rate of $99 per day for the Jeep which comes with its own beach permits.

We changed things up a little this year and headed straight to Bartlett Farm where we knew we could get fresh sandwiches made to order to take to the beach. However, as we were leaving, we finally noticed that Cisco Brewery was right next door. Since we had contemplated going there over the years and had never made it there, we felt we had to stop.

What a beautiful day and what a beautiful location for a stop. The brewery is small and as you approach, there is a patio area with chairs and music playing and two buildings on either side of the patio, the "tasting rooms." We walked in to look at the t-shirts and other merchandise for sale and immediately were greeted by a bartender standing behind a small bar with no more than 5 stools asking us what we would like to try. Turns out they have a tasting menu for $8 where you get to sample all 8 of the local beers in a tiny little beer mug. It was great. I found a beer I liked, ordered the bigger size, did my shopping while I drank and met up with some of the other guests of the White Elephant who were doing the same. They had ridden their bikes out to the brewery and the thought of riding them back into town kept them at the bar longer than they should!

Quite a few hours passed in this fashion and it was finally time to leave as we were missing a beautiful day. We headed straight for Madaket Beach, the westernmost beach on the island as the sun was heading down the horizon. What a smart choice.

This beach is deserted and is now my new favorite beach. We drove to the end of the road where it dead ends into the sand. We had to stop to let the air out of the tires down to the safe 18 lbs and then headed out onto the beach.

There were no more than 3 other cars out on the entire beach. We headed as far west as we could and set up our beach chairs and had a late lunch watching the sun get lower and lower.

As I was afraid of falling asleep, I headed farther west on a long walk where I found the most amazing sea shells and the end of the beach. At this point the sun was setting and I hated to turn around to head back, but I was out of land to walk on.

We quickly headed back to the hotel to change and drive back out to the Galley Restaurant at the Beach as the sun was setting and we had 8pm dinner reservations. As I quickly checked in, I begged the host to let us have a drink on the beach before seating us so we could watch the final minutes of the sunset. Of course, he was most agreeable as that was where everyone was. This is the ultimate location for a drink at sunset on the beach. It just doesn't get any better than this and if I could end each day at this location, I would be a happy girl.

We went inside for our Restaurant Week dinner which I am disappointed to say was almost the exact same menu as last year and not quite as good. However, we were given a wonderful table where we could watch the sky grow dark and as it did, we had a wonderful view of the boats approaching the island in the dark. It was as always, well worth the trip.

The next day we felt we couldn't give up the Jeep as it was another beautiful day and we still had plenty of the island to explore. We started off by having breakfast at a local hotspot, the Downyflake. Known for its donuts, it is a local favorite. I can tell you, the donuts are awesome. Just like my grandmother used to make.

We then headed out of town on Polpis Road towards the Wauwinet. We had decided to head out to Great Point despite the fact that we couldn't drive all the way on the beach due to the conservation lands. We stopped at a little guard shack just before the Wauwinet and bought a special beach permit for $35 which it turned out was well worth it. Here we had to lower our tire pressure to 15 lbs. If you go, be sure to make one last bathroom stop here at the porta potty as there is nothing up ahead!

We drove out on the beach as far as we could and abandoned our Jeep for what was a 3 mile walk (each way) out to Great Point Lighthouse. We knew this going in, but had we not gone together, we each might have abandoned our goal. It was well worth it as we had the pelicans and the seals to accompany us.

When we finally made it to the tip of the island, we got as close as we could to the Great Point Lighthouse.

We had not brought our shoes and the sand was white hot. We were the only ones there as none of the other visitors to the area had made the journey out to the lighthouse. It was perfect.

A dark cloud followed us back down the beach along with the seals to our Jeep so we headed out to Surfside Beach and got the famous burgers from the shack there which we enjoyed on the beach until a brief rainshower hit.

After heading out to Sconset to visit our favorite little store and shop the real estate in that area, we finally discovered the third and final lighthouse on Nantucket, Sankaty Lighthouse.

After our 2 day Jeep adventure, we took advantage of having the Jeep by having dinner out of the downtown area and then returned to town to see a movie at the Starlight Theatre. If you can, try and see a movie here. It has its own restaurant and bar and you are more than welcome to bring your drinks in with you. It is a classic theatre and a perfect way to end the night. www.starlightnantucket.com.

I want to end with a couple of photos of what I see every morning on my walk from the White Elephant out to the Galley Restaurant on the beach area. I love this walk and I never get tired of the views.

This place is indeed magical.

Spring Break is all about Baseball!

2010-06-02T12:38:00.001-07:00

When I think of spring break, I think of baseball spring training in Arizona. For years, I have been going to the Cubs spring training facility in Mesa, Arizona to watch games. Every year I take my nephew for his school spring break, but I have also started going at the beginning of spring training by myself or with the girls. Adults deserve spring break too!

From Colorado, it is a quick and easy flight to Phoenix with remarkably cheap airfares on Frontier and Southwest. If you plan your trip by January, it is easy to get a round trip flight in the neighborhood of $139. I generally stay in the Scottsdale area as most of the good resorts are in that area. For the past few years, we have been meeting friends from Chicago there and have discovered lots of good family resorts with great pools. One of the early favorites was the Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak (www.hilton.com) as it has a remarkable water park on the premises. It even has a Coyote Camp where you can check the children in for the day. If you book far enough in advance, you can get great rates. But it fills up fast as most of Chicago and other areas have the same spring break and they all come down for spring training with the family. Because of the water park, it is a popular choice.

For a few years, we ventured farther north to the Desert Ridge area of Phoenix, up by Kierland and all the new shopping destinations. We stayed at the JW Marriott and it's sister property, the Canyon Villas which are condos and timeshares just a short walk across the parking lot. In the early stages of the Villas, it was a nice enough property as there were no crowds and staying there gave you full access to the JW Marriott. However, as more and more condos have been built, the crowds have come. But if you're travelling with a family and want the convenience of a full kitchen, this is a good choice. It's farther away from some of the ballparks, but easy access to the 101 freeway offers many other choices of activities and sporting events.

After many years exploring, I've found my home in Scottsdale and it is the Arizona Biltmore. (www.hilton.com) It is a property rich in tradition and history and the service is impeccable. The Biltmore was previously owned by the Wrigley family and there is still a Wrigley Mansion on the grounds which is open for lunch and dinner and free self guided tours. The grounds on which the hotel sit include a golf course, walking and running trails and lawns with every flower imaginable. The hotel is extremely spread out with 8-10 buildings and 4 or more swimming pools hidden between the buildings. It would take a day just to stay at the hotel relaxing and exploring.

But of course spring in Arizona is all about baseball. The Cubs spring training facility is located at HoHoKam Park in Mesa, AZ, just a short 15 minute drive from the Biltmore and the nearby Phoenix Airport. All games are at 1pm and the field opens at 11am. Parking can be had on the grass outside the stadium for $5 and lawn tickets currently are sold for $8, up from $5 just a couple years ago.

Between baseball games everyday and the pool at the hotel, it's hard to find time for anything else while on these trips. But there is plenty to do in Phoenix this time of year. Two years in a row, the NCAA March Madness Tournament was in town and we were able to get tickets at the last minute and even attend UCLA's practice session the day before for free. Visiting other teams ballparks has become a new favorite as there are so many to check out and some are brand new. One year we were able to attend an ASU baseball game and tours of the new football stadium in Glendale are a not to miss event.

A worthwhile side trip if you haven't been is the Grand Canyon. Located just past Flagstaff, it's a good 3 hour trip from Phoenix but well worth it. I had forgotten however, that there are no fences along the side and it is extremely easy to slip and fall, so wear good shoes and keep the children tethered.

Don't forget a trip to Trader Joe's and a burger from In N Out and it's a perfect getaway from the snow and winter up north!

Birthday at the Broadmoor

2010-02-09T15:40:00.000-08:00

My good friend Kari celebrated a birthday this past weekend and of course, we all joined in for a wonderful weekend at the Broadmoor. Sometimes you don't have to travel hundreds or thousands of miles to experience 5 star hotels and luxurious living. Sometimes it's right in your own backyard. In this case, it's found at the Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs.

The Broadmoor is one of just a couple five star resorts in the entire state of Colorado. Given its lack of proximity to the ski resorts, it's surprising to have a resort and conference center hidden on the south side of the Springs. But many organizations hold their conferences here as well as weddings and golf tournaments. However, in the downtime after the holidays, good deals can be found. We booked a winter getaway package with standard rooms in the West Tower for $160 which included 10% off discounts at some of the more popular restaurants and a 15% discount at the shops.

The Broadmoor is spread out over many buildings lining the golf course and the lake. The West Tower has its own valet and entrance on the west side of the lake. At first, I was discouraged by this, but it is infinitely more accessible. There is a check in desk on that side as well as a small bar and lounge area. It was just perfect. Our room was spacious and featured mountain views with a large patio. The amenities were what you would expect from a five star resort with the exception of slippers. I really needed those and expected to find them in my room. We had a room with 2 double beds and they were quite small beds but with plenty of down comforters to make up for the size.

After a brief happy hour in the room, we headed over to the Hotel Bar across the lake. This is a wonderful indoor-outdoor bar that offers a huge outdoor fireplace on the patio with plenty of seating overlooking the lake. In the warmer months, the floor to ceiling windows/doors open to make the indoor area more of an outdoor patio. After happy hour, we headed to The Tavern for our birthday dinner reservations. The Tavern is my favorite place at the Broadmoor. It is a restaurant that has 3 different seating areas, each with its own style. Farthest from the door is the garden area with a glass ceiling and plants and flowers surrounding diners. Just inside that is a quieter carpeted area which features my favorite place to eat, the lunch bar, for lack of a better word. Here you can sit quietly watching the chefs prepare the meals and stay warm from the pizza oven before you. The most popular area during the dinner area is the bar area closest to the door where live music is played during dinner.

Included with the live music is a small dancing area and believe me, it gets used.

We sat in this area and were immediately pleased to recognize the server was a friend of our birthday girl. Dinner and drinks were wonderful and Kari was even served a birthday cake complete with the band singing Happy Birthday. Kari was thrilled! :) Not.

After dinner, it was on to the Summit, the highly touted newer restaurant at the Broadmoor. The Summit is located across the street from the main entrance to the hotel and is attached to the conference center. Since we had just had dessert, we settled for after dinner drinks. We tried to finish the night at one of my favorite bars, the Golden Bee, but unfortunately it was closed for renovations. But we hit every bar and restaurant open that night, so felt we had celebrated Kari's birthday properly.

The next day, after sleeping in and reading the two Sunday papers courteously left on our door, it was time for Kari to head to the spa while the rest of us shopped and wandered around. The Broadmoor is a city unto itself and there is plenty to do. James was able to get work done while Kari was pampered and Joanna used her coupon to buy the family presents. Joanna quickly became starving, so we headed back to the Tavern to belly up to the lunch counter for some pre-Super Bowl snacks and beers.

Snow had started falling early that morning and the grounds of the hotel were transformed into a winter wonderland. The Broadmoor offers an all encompassing Sunday brunch for $35 and it includes unlimited champagne and just about every type of food imaginable. We decided against that as it was Super Bowl Sunday. We headed over to the Golf Club and ate at the grill. I had never known the grill was here before and absolutely loved it. There is a dining area with windows overlooking the golf course or a bar area with red leather bar stools and tv's. We chose the bar area. After one last wonderful meal it was time to head out to beat the weather to get to our Super Bowl parties.

We walked the long way past the lake on the west side and wound up entering the West Tower at the far southern end. In doing so, we discovered hallways filled with photos of all of the famous people who had stayed at the Broadmoor. It was fun seeing this part of the Broadmoor's history. Given that the Ice Hall had previously laid claim to famous figure skating events, there were many sports figures representing U.S. championships won. Not to mention all of the famous golfers and celebrities who attended the championships held at the club. I'm glad we took the time to peruse the walls.

Finally, it was time to say our goodbyes and pack up the car. Remembering we had only been at the hotel for one night, a short 24 hour period, I had to take a photo of James with all of his and Kari's luggage. Clearly, he overpacked and wished he didn't have to leave. Who needs a bellman's cart for an overnight stay 45 minutes from home?? :) Either way, we all had a great time and are glad Kari chose this way to celebrate her birthday! On to London for the Big 4-0!!!

Spring on Nantucket

2010-02-06T08:31:00.000-08:00

The reservations have been booked now that 2010 has arrived. Nantucket awaits the beginning of June! A friend and I started a girls trip to Nantucket a few years ago as a way to reconnect after not having seen each other for years after law school. She leaves behind her husband and children and I leave behind my dogs. We meet in Hyannis around the first of June year after year and have lunch dockside at Baxter's before boarding the fast ferry to Nantucket. We are always on the 1:55 ferry which arrives just in time to check into the White Elephant.

When we started this trip, off season rates at the White Elephant were $135 a night which was just unheard of. Now they are $195 but still a deal. The rates are available Sunday - Thursday before June 15 and not generally over Memorial Day weekend. We have learned over the years to go as late as possible, hopefully after the holiday weekend. More of the stores and restaurants are open, the weather is warmer and generally it is a better start to the summer season. But believe me, there are no rules when it comes to the East Coast in June. One year, there was a horrible heatwave and it was 100 degrees in Boston and a very steamy 85 on Nantucket. That was the first year I was actually forced into the cool ocean waters in a bathing suit that early in the year. Believe me, it was refreshing. And there have been years when it has been cold and rainy the entire time. But most often we get a nice mix of both which makes it the perfect time of year to go.

Each year that we go, we learn more about the island. Our research and a wonderful concierge named Lou at the White Elephant have shown us parts of the island that we have come to love which keep us coming back year after year. It took us 3 years to finally rent a car for a day to go exploring. That was good and bad. Bad because apparently we were too lazy to leave the downtown shops and restaurants and explore and good because we had enough to do for 3 years before ever needing to leave downtown. Believe me, renting a bike was never in the cards for us. Too old. But most people do. There are bike rentals all over the docks and no reservations are necessary. You can rent by the hour or the day. The island is full of wonderful bike paths to take and you can easily tour the entire island by bike in a day. That just wasn't for us.

However, last year when we rented a car for the day it was the best day I've had anywhere in a long while. To begin with, the rates for car rentals are cheaper in the off season as well, another perk. Since it was off season, I didn't make a reservation in advance, but waited until I spoke to the concierge. Good thing I did because he hooked us up with a great rental and gave us a coupon to boot. We used Affordable Rentals which is just around the corner from the White Elephant. They have a wide variety of cars available from the always popular Jeeps to Mini Coopers to the more basic and very cheap Kia that we rented. We paid $60 for the car that we were able to keep for 24 hours. The White Elephant has a small and free parking lot right across the street from the main entrance which made having a car especially convenient.

After getting bottles of water, beach towels and beach chairs from the front desk at the White Elephant, we set out for a beautiful day exploring the island. We had a list of places we wanted to find after reading about them in Elin Hilderbrand's books. We drove around downtown orienting ourselves and checking out the beautiful old homes that had been there for centuries. We quickly figured out there are only a few main roads and all lead back to the same location. We finally found a main road out of town and headed out towards the ocean to discover beaches and surf that would scare the best surfers.

After getting out to explore the wind first hand, we wound up driving past the most beautiful cemetery at the top of a bluff overlooking the sea. What a peaceful location. Our first main stop was Bartlett Farm. This is a huge farm but it's also a grocery store with an attached greenhouse. Everything was so fresh and wonderful. We bought hand made sandwiches from the deli for our day at the beach, sampled the pies that had just been made fresh, bought stoneware, perused the flowers and plants outside and didn't want to leave. If I lived on that island, I would buy my lunch fresh there everyday.

After purchasing lunch, we headed to the beach. I had always wanted to go to Surfside Beach. From the books I had read, it seemed like the most popular beach and the best for spending an afternoon. And it was. It is my favorite place to be on the island. There is a huge parking lot, a testament to the popularity in the summer months of that location. And as our concierge Lou promised, there was a little snack shack at the top of the stairs to the beach. He told us that shack served the best cheeseburgers around which was obvious given the amount of locals that drove up, got lunch, ate and left, never once heading out to the beach.

We took our beach chairs, towels, lunch and magazines and headed out to the beach. The wind was really blowing hard, but this beach faces south, so the sun warmed us tremendously. There weren't more than 5 or 6 people on the whole beach and it was beautiful and clean. It was as if it was our own private beach. I could have stayed there forever. After napping in the sunshine and watching the planes fly by from the airport, we reluctantly headed out. There was more island to explore and we wanted to hit as many beaches as possible!

We next discovered the high school, the airport and some more local housing areas. It was fun to see the non-vacation areas of the island. This island has almost 10,000 year round residents, so despite its small size, there are many locals who live and work there. We headed out past the airport to 'Sconset. A year before, we had taken one of the local buses out to 'Sconset and fell in love with the area.

The local buses are extremely reasonable and a good way of getting around the island if you know where you're going. We picked up the bus right downtown, just past the main street. I believe it cost us $2 for the ride out to 'Sconset. The bike paths follow the roadside past the cranberry bogs and the golf course and it is a good ride for those who wish to explore.

What we had discovered in 'Sconset the year before and again this time with our car was that it is a tiny little town filled with small cottages and roses everywhere. There is a central location where the buses do their drop offs and pick ups and a few steps away is a deli/store, a liquor store and a sandwich shop. The first year, we picked up lunch at the sandwich shop and walked over the walking bridge down to the beach and sat on a bench and ate our lunches. This is another wonderful quiet beach. This time we stopped at the store for some trinkets and a snack and headed over to the beach in our car.

The one word I think everyone uses to describe 'Sconset is quiet. It is such a beautiful place where most of what you hear is the wind whistling through the trees. I love it. This is the place where I would want to live on Nantucket. There are public restrooms hidden in a building about a block north of the deli. Since we had the car, we explored more of the area and found some bigger homes on more acreage out to the south of the town closer to the Coast Guard. Once again, quiet.

On our way back from 'Sconset, we were determined to go to Altar Rock despite having a low rider Kia to travel through the bogs in. We had our map and knew we were looking for unmarked turnoffs from both of the two main roads. After numerous U-turns, we finally found a road that led to Altar Rock off of Polpis Road. It was bumpy and untamed, but the Kia held up and we made it to Altar Rock. This is said to be the highest point on the island and a frequent choice for wedding celebrations. Once again, it was in the middle of nowhere and so peaceful and windy. Just beautiful.

As the sun was setting, it was time to head back to the White Elephant and figure out our dinner plans. We had remembered our concierge Lou telling us about a beach location where we wanted to end the day and have drinks at sunset but couldn't remember where it was. Turns out it was The Galley Restaurant, just down the street from our hotel, due west. We dressed for dinner and the White Elephant van took us there. It was just a few blocks past Jetties Beach where we take our morning walk. The road dead ends into a parking lot for the Galley Restaurant and the Cliffside Beach Club. The minute we pulled up in the van we knew where we were - The Blue Bistro and The Beach Club - locations made famous in books by Elin Hilderbrand of the same name. We were beyond excited. The Galley is immediately recognizable because of the dory out front filled with flowers. It is beautiful.

Another planning tool to remember is that Nantucket generally has a Restaurant Week in both spring and fall. It is a week during off season that a number of local restaurants participate in where they offer a prix fixe menu in addition to a regular menu. The prices are extremely reasonable and it is a great opportunity to try out the cuisine at new restaurants. The Galley was participating and had a wonderful menu. As it was sunset, I left my friend at the table in the dining room and had to head out to the beach front bar area just to enjoy the sunset. We took photos and I vowed to return for a proper cocktail hour much earlier next time.

Unfortunately, once again, the time flew by way too quickly and with only one day left, we spent it shopping and rushing about trying to take everything in before another year's vacation was over. We vowed that next year if it rained we would finally spend an afternoon at the Whaling Museum and the library and already had a list of all of the restaurants we needed to try out next year.

The good news is, next year is finally here and we will once again be on Nantucket this weekend! More updates soon....

Breakfast in New Hampshire

2010-02-03T10:24:00.000-08:00

After a long weekend in Nantucket, I always make a point to head up to New Hampshire and visit my favorite bed and breakfast, The Follansbee Inn. Run by Dave and Cathy Beard, it is truly a find. Looking for an escape from the hustle and bustle? This is your place. It is as if you are hidden away in the forest with a beautiful lake before you and there are no sounds other than those of the birds and the wind whistling through the trees.

Granted, I have never been a bed and breakfast type of person, but this Inn has changed my opinion forever. Located an easy 2 hour drive from Boston's Logan Airport and even closer from the Manchester Airport, it is all highway driving through the trees once you leave the Concord area. Of course, I always stop in Concord for a little shopping at the LLBean factory outlet store, but that's me. You will be looking for Exit 11 coming from the South and it's about 20 minutes past the Concord exits. Exact directions from all locations can be found on the website at http://www.follansbeeinn.com/. When you come into town from the highway, you will pass what appears to be a one room police station on your right. Take a right and you pass what appears to be the only gas station/convenience store and you immediately see the beautiful white church and its steeple. The Inn is just past that on the right with a beautiful old graveyard behind it. Across the street is Kezar Lake. You will encounter no other traffic, so take your time to enjoy the views.

Checking into the Inn involves Dave and Cathy greeting you from the living room of this spacious old inn, the largest in New Hampshire with 18 guest rooms. Leave your bags in the hallway - Dave will take care of them while you rest in the comfy chairs in front of a fire and maybe sip a cold beverage from the bar. Strains of Frank Sinatra or Edith Piaff will fill the background and you will immediately feel at home.

If you arrive in the evening, it will be a struggle to go upstairs and unpack and get situated in your room. You won't want to leave the living room. As other guests arrive, a friendly atmosphere reigns downstairs, with most gathering around the small bar next to the fireplace where Dave holds court all evening. There are some bar stools and a small table for conversation or playing cards or sharing a pizza. With a wide selection of beer and wine, Dave will tend to your every need while both Cathy and Dave entertain the guests that wish to be entertained. Your tab will be added to your bill when you check out, so no need for money while you relax.

Across the hall from the living room is a reading room with 2 comfy recliners, a couch and another table with an assortment of games and puzzles to keep you busy. The living room and dining room have a wall of windows facing out over Kezar Lake. You can sit in the living room and watch the sunset or if its warm enough, head outside onto the porch and sit in the comfortable chairs with a book or a glass of wine and breathe in the fresh air.

In the summer months, Dave puts the boat dock into the water and there are kayaks and row boats available for your use to take out onto the water. Row out to Blueberry Island and see nature up close. Or lie in the hammock in the trees next to the lake and take a nap or read a book. Or sit on the swing and feel the sun on your face.

I have taken my 12 year old nephew to the Inn and he was never bored. There was no limit to the amount of things he wanted to do. There are no tv's in the rooms or in the guest areas of the Inn and he never once complained. He just enjoyed clean fresh air and a summertime day kayaking on the lake and taking a nap in the hammock. There are also bikes available to take out for a ride. Take a wonderful long walk or ride around the lake on the road. There won't be much traffic to worry about.

Each room at the Inn is remarkably unique and individual to your needs. There are rooms with double beds, family rooms, adjoining rooms for families with teenagers and all have their own bathroom in the room. Each room has a different name. I have stayed in a different room each time I have visited. After my first visit, I counted "Clarissa" as my favorite. But then the next time, my favorite room was that room. And so on.

But the best part by far of this Inn are the breakfasts. Cathy gets up each morning at 5am and prepares a different breakfast each day from scratch. She uses old family recipes and trust me, the breakfasts are wonderful. From apple pancakes to gingerbread waffles to french toast or quiche, each one is to die for. I always ask her why she needs to get up so early to prepare something as simple as a quiche and she responds that she makes the crust from scratch so it takes longer. You can tell the moment you bite into her food. No expense is spared and each breakfast is made with her family's love of food.

Cathy and Dave have been running this Inn for years and are a wealth of information for visitors looking for trails to hike, skiing, restaurants, or shopping. Colby Sawyer College is in town in addition to Dartmouth College and other prep schools nearby and a lot of visitors are parents of kids attending those schools. But just as many visitors are people who have come through once who return again and again. Just check the huge Guest Book in the foyer and read the comments and you will understand how much people appreciate what this Inn has to offer.

Whether your room looks out over the lake or the changing leaves of the trees in the quiet cemetery, you will cherish the peace and quiet of your visit here and will want to return soon. I will be there again in June and can't wait to see Cathy and Dave.

Nor'Easter Hits Nantucket

2009-11-12T11:24:00.000-08:00

As we knew a Nor'easter was imminent, we needed to get out and hit the town while it was still relatively dry. We were lucky that we had been able to sit outside on the ferry. Even though clearly it was a bit windy....

It was a Saturday and some of the stores were still open, so we headed out. The first order of business for me always is to hit Aunt Leah's Fudge. www.auntleahsfudge.com. Always need to stock up for the days on Nantucket and then do a final stock up before leaving on the ferry. It is by far and away the best fudge ever. It is hidden in a little shop just off the Straight Wharf. One of the other great shops on Main Street is The Hub. This is literally a card and newspaper shop, but it's amazing at how many wonderful things you can find there. They have an entire section of Nantucket authors on their book shelf. Which brings me to another Nantucket treasure, author Elin Hilderbrand. She has written numerous fiction novels, all set in Nantucket. My friends and I are completely addicted and I keep a list of all the wonderful places she mentions in her book so that I will remember to visit them when I am on island. This past spring while a friend and I were taking a walk along the beach, we wound up at the Galley Restaurant and the Cliffside Beach Club. We wanted to go in and look around at the Beach Club as it seemed to obviously be the setting for the book "The Beach Club" by Ms. Hilderbrand. We wound up meeting the General Manager, Chip Cunningham, and talking about our Nantucket experiences. We finally asked him if he knew Elin Hilderbrand and of course, he was her husband!

The shops in Nantucket at this point in the off season and with the horrible weather approaching wound up closing and it was time to look for a place for dinner. Not everywhere was open, but some of the mainstays that I love and return to year after year are open year round. The perfect location for a rainy night in October with a huge storm approaching was of course The Brotherhood of Thieves, located just up the street from the Steamship dock. This restaurant is one of my favorites as it is a bit below ground, with brick walls, a fireplace and an extremely cozy atmosphere. This night there was a roaring fire with carved pumpkins sitting on either side. They were serving a special Oktoberfest menu which was wonderful. The food is good and the atmosphere is perfect. We wound up going back the next day just to get out of the storm and grab a cup of chowder and a beer.

By the next morning, the storm had hit in all its fury. I loved it. What better place to be than on an island in the middle of a semi-hurricane! Us westerners don't get that very often. It made you want to huddle under that down comforter just an hour longer knowing there wasn't much point in going out in the storm. But we were in Nantucket! We wanted to get out and see everything! So after some room service cappucino's for some, we were lucky enough that the hotel van was able to take us and drop us off at breakfast in town.

I have explored most of the breakfast options within walking distance of The White Elephant and I can say for certain the best choice by far is Black Eyed Susan's. It is tiny and cozy with very few tables and a counter adjacent to the stove. It is wonderful. Everything on the menu is good, but especially fantastic is the Cinnamon Pecan French Toast. They didn't have a big enough table for our group, so we bellied up to the lunch counter and were able to watch the cook make every single order by himself at a quick pace. He spoke to no one but he was completely in charge of every burner on that stove and every order looked delicious. We felt as if we were watching a Food Network tv show. It was entrancing. The food as always was phenomenal.

Once sated, we were ready to brave the elements and shop and explore. We quickly wound up breaking into smaller groups. As it was off season, there were plenty of deals to be had in buying t-shirts, etc. I showed everyone my favorite shops and two of us made our way down to the Straight Wharf where the storm was particularly violent. It was awesome.

We found a shop open at the end of the Wharf that sold beautiful suncatchers in Nantucket blue. Found out the next day that we had been the only customers that day! A lot of the shops had closed due to the weather, so we were forced to head indoors and grab a beer and watch football. Oh well.

It was quickly becoming obvious that any stores that were open, were closing due to the storm or just simply because it was a Sunday. We wound up heading back to the hotel for happy hour and tried to make a plan for dinner. After having walked past The Boarding House the night before which is another basement type of restaurant that looked extremely cozy with tables with couches, we decided to try it. It is now one of my new favorite restaurants. It is unbelievably cozy and quickly became quite crowded as all of the locals apparently knew what I was just learning. Get the steak frites. It was amazing. I can't wait to go back there.

There were so many weddings going on at the White Elephant this weekend that the guests had taken over the Brant Point Bar at the White Elephant and we were forced to retire to our rooms. It is definitely a favorite destination for weddings. There is usually one there every time I'm on the island. Book carefully as there are only so many rooms to go around!

By the next morning, the storm was dying down and we headed out to breakfast again at Black Eyed Susan's. For whatever reason, it was closed this time, so we chose the next best thing down the street, the Fog Island Cafe, another solid choice for breakfast. After breaking up to do all of our last minute shopping, it was time to head for the ferry. So depressing. I hated to leave that place but hope to return soon! All in all, I think I have 5 new fans of Nantucket as one of the great American travel destinations and I'm sure all will return.

Berlin After the Wall 2009

2009-11-09T13:50:00.000-08:00
I was born in Berlin. It was West Berlin in West Germany at the time, the wall having gone up 3 years before I was born. My father was a Department of Defense teacher there at the time and had brought his new bride back with him in 1963. I had only been back to Berlin once since leaving there as a baby and that was back in the summer of 1981 when my family went to Europe for our summer vacation. My dad was so eager to show us all his old haunts and everything about the city that he loved so dearly. Unfortunately, I was a teenager on my first trip to Europe and missing my friends desperately. I was not interested in castles, museums, or re-living my dad's life before I knew him. I was miserable and my mother threatened to take me home. When we left Berlin, I was happy. I wanted to see the Alps and not be on a regimented tour.

I wound up studying in Europe twice during my college years. Once was a tour of International Organizations in Switzerland, France and Amsterdam and the second was in Vienna for my senior year. I loved everything about Europe, but still had no interest in returning to Berlin. It was out of the way and hard to get to as the Wall was still up and the Cold War still in full force.

My father died the year after our trip to Berlin. When I was 2 days old, he left my mom and I in the hospital and headed home and typed me a long letter sharing all of his hopes and dreams for me and explaining why he loved the things he did and why he hoped I would too. I wasn't given this letter until my 16th birthday, and from time to time, I pull it out and read it to make sure I remember all he wanted for me.

This past May, I happened to pull out the old letter and re-read it for the umpteenth time, wanting to make sure I was on track and had my priorities straight. There was a line in the letter that I hadn't remembered from before. In it he told me how much he wanted me to love his adopted city of Berlin as much as he did. It struck me and I decided I would make an effort to go back at some point. I have made it a goal the past few years to visit Europe at least once a year and if I travel on miles, I've been able to hit more than one country on a trip. So I figured I would try and attach a visit to Berlin to another trip to Austria. Three weeks later, I received an email from Lufthansa advertising low airfares to Europe. Sure enough, the best deal happened to be Denver to Berlin for $579. I knew that to be an incredible price. I also knew that Lufthansa flies direct Denver to Frankfurt and Munich, so it would be an easy trip. It was a sign and I got it.

I booked a 4 day trip to Berlin for the Labor Day holiday weekend. I wasn't willing to make it a long trip given my past experience in Berlin, but was ready to give it another chance and see what I wanted to see, not what someone else wanted me to. I figured that since the wall had come down, there would be a lot of changes to the city, so it would be like re-discovering a place I had spent time in before. Since I had no friends or family to rely on for a place to stay, I quickly decided to take the easy way out and booked the Hilton for the entire stay. It helped that I had a free night as I regularly stay at the Hilton. I was unsure about where the Hilton was located but the guidebooks all indicated it was in a perfect location for sightseeing, so I decided to stick with it. I booked at a rate of approximately $275 USD and I'm glad I booked it right away. The prices went up in the months leading up to my trip and just by reserving it in advance, I was guaranteed the low rate without making a deposit.

September came and it was time for the trip to Berlin. For those of you who have not previously flown on Lufthansa, it is a treat in itself. The planes are enormous, the flight attendants speak many languages perfectly, the food is good, the service is phenomenal. It is worth paying extra for. In this case, I got the best price and still got to fly direct to Frankfurt. Beware, it is a 10 hour flight. However, I barely noticed as each passenger had their own tv with a variety of movies, tv shows, and music to choose from. Add to that the constant food and free beers and wine and the trip flew by. For those of you who have not yet traveled through the Frankfurt airport, be warned that it is huge and takes a long time to traverse! Don't plan on bringing heavy carry on luggage. While customs is quick and easy to get through, once I switched terminals to get to my Berlin flight, I had to go through another security screening which took quite awhile. While Germans are infinitely more efficient than our airports at home, plan for the extra time it takes to get through customs and find a domestic flight after arriving on an international one. The beauty of flying a domestic flight on Lufthansa once in Germany was that each gate had their own little lounge complete with free newspapers of every type imaginable and lots of free coffee.

I was determined to do things my way on this trip and did plenty of advance research on what I would want to do. I learned that it would be very easy to take public transportation into the city and got directions from the hotel website as to which subway stop was closest. When I arrived, my advance research definitely paid off. Berlin's Tegel airport is not large like Frankfurt and it is easy to get around. There is one main exit area with all of the public transportation located close. Right by the door was a line with people waiting to buy bus tickets. Since I had previously found a subway map in the guidebooks at home, I knew a bus was the only way to the subway line, or as it is called in Berlin, the U-bahn. I told the clerk where my hotel was and he drew for me on the map which bus to take and when to get off and which subway line to take to which exit. It was perfect. All for 2,90 euro compared to probably $30 for a taxi. Plus I immediately felt a sense of accomplishment by finding my way to the hotel via public transportation all on my own.

It took me about a half hour to make it to the hotel and when I arrived, I saw some of the elderly passengers from my flight also checking in, having just arrived by cab. So it really didn't save time by paying extra for a cab. I do speak German, but not well and I felt confident I could at least understand people if I had to ask for help.

The Hilton hotel was located across the street from the Gendarmenmarkt, a famous outdoor square with two beautiful church domes. I knew it was in the former East Berlin, but I had no basis for reference, having arrived via U-bahn. My godfather who taught with my dad in Berlin described the two of them having drinks at the top of the Hilton looking out over East Berlin and seeing all black. By this reference, we were able to determine that either this was a different Hilton or they had moved it.

As it was getting later in the afternoon, I was in a rush to explore my immediate area of the city before dark, despite being seriously sleep deprived. There was time for sleep later - I was back in Berlin! I had a U-bahn map and a street map folded up and hidden in my pockets so I wouldn't obviously appear as a tourist and I headed out. I asked the concierge for a good recommendation of a pub and he sent me to two. All I wanted was a beer and some schnitzel. I eventually found what I wanted and yes, it was heaven to drink good German beer again and answer the only relevant question - bier or big bier?

After getting some good German hops in me, I headed out in the direction I believed was the Brandenburg Gate. I just wandered really, amazed at the quality of homes in the area. Obviously, they had been newly built since the Wall fell and it was a very nice area. I finally was so lost that I headed back to the hotel to start in another direction. Right next to the hotel, I discovered the largest chocolate shop in all of Europe - Fassbender-Rausch. http://www.fassbender-rausch.com/. It was amazing. There were giant carvings of chocolate in the shape of the Titanic, Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, etc. It was beautiful. I bought some small chocolate pieces and vowed to return for gifts later. I headed down until I found the main street that I knew would take me to the Brandenburg Gate. However, I must have turned the wrong way because within a few blocks I realized I was at Checkpoint Charlie, the famous American border crossing for the wall.

I didn't recognize it because the last time I had been through Checkpoint Charlie, it was a fully operational border crossing. We had been in my father's friend's VW and stood quietly as the guards put mirrors under the car and searched every square inch to make sure we weren't hiding people or contraband on our return from East Berlin. Now Checkpoint Charlie is more of a tourist stop. There are guards standing there, but they spend more time getting their pictures taken with tourists than guarding anything. Next door to the guard shack is the Checkpoint Charlie Museum which is phenomenal and well worth the stop. There are plenty of tourist shops in the area, all selling pieces of the wall for ridiculous sums. You can find these same trinkets at any shop in town - don't buy them here. They are much cheaper elsewhere.

What I especially enjoyed about the border crossing here were the wall posters showing the timeline of events of the building and eventual tearing down of the wall and watching people silently read and consider this spot in history. There were bricks on the street marking the location of the wall.

As I left and headed back in the direction of the hotel, I now had a sense of perspective. I had crossed into East Berlin at this very spot in 1981 so I knew that everything in front of me was new and had not existed when I was there previously. It was amazing to me that the hotel I was staying in, the restaurants I was eating in and even my eventual view of the Brandenburg Gate were from a location where previously I was not allowed access and from which there was nothing but complete desolation. If nothing else I learned from this trip how important it was to the Germans that the Berlin Wall come down.

Heading back in the right direction now, I kept walking until I found Unter den Linden, the famous street in East Berlin that I had walked in 1981. I knew now where the Brandenburg Gate was - on this street! I passed the Westin hotel right before Unter den Linden and it was phenomenal. It's amazing all the prosperity that has been brought to this area. Some of the finest hotels are now located here. I walked down Unter den Linden towards the Brandenburg Gate and noticed a peaceful candlelit protest being waged by Amnesty International. I had no idea what was going on until I passed the Russian Embassy where a formal event was going on. The limousines were arriving and people dressed in ball gowns and tuxes were arriving. It was amazing to watch an Embassy in full ceremonial glory!

I arrived at the Brandenburg Gate and I must say, I'm grateful to have seen it this time by night. It is beautiful. The lights on a warm summer night make it look spectacular. I immediately realized there were many more buildings surrounding it than I had remembered and had to keep checking postcards in the stores to see how it looked back in the 80's. Sure enough, it stood on its own. Now it was surrounded by government buildings and museums. Throngs of people stood before it and wandered around it. After realizing that I was still on the eastern side of the wall, I walked over to the western side of the wall to see if my memories were different from that side and immediately found a huge and imposing building that without even looking at a map or guide book I knew to be the Reichstag. Even a cursory knowledge of history would tell you that it could only be the Reichstag you were looking at.

A closer approach to the Reichstag and its phenomenal dome that was apparently built later and you could see people walking through the dome. What I later learned was that there are tours that will take you through the Reichstag, but that the inside has been almost completely changed and upgraded. The dome is supposed to be fantastic, but the lines to get inside are extremely long at whatever hour you go.

I finally walked back towards the hotel and found a wonderful German pub with the long wooden tables and giant mugs of beer and Kasespaetzle. It was the perfect night.

I was determined to explore the neighborhoods of the former West Berlin and what I had learned from the guidebooks was that the famous department store, KaDaWe, was not to be missed and that eating there was a treat. So I headed off on the U-bahn to find it. What was nice about the Hilton was that the U-bahn station was directly outside the front door and contained one of the subway lines that I seemed to use the most. What you need to know about traveling on the U-bahn in Berlin is that you must buy a ticket in the machines by the tracks. It's almost impossible to figure out which ticket you need, but I seemed to find the standard one pretty quickly which is about 2,10 euro. There is a separate machine for validating your ticket in the same area. It is important to validate your ticket as they are only good for 2 hours. Once you ride the U-bahn a few times, you will be tempted to skip buying a ticket or validating it as there seem to be no ticket takers or security of any kind. I admit I did more than a couple of times. However, apparently the penalties for violations are steep, so do so at your own risk.

The U-bahn stopped right down the street from KaDaWe and I quickly found it on the Kurfurstendamm or Ku'damm as they call it. Since it was a Saturday morning, this shopping district seemed to be the place to be. I had heard that the top of KaDaWe and the food courts were not to be missed, so I quickly headed upstairs. While the top floor (I believe it's the 6th floor) is a phenomenal food court with amazingly free gourmet offerings under a glass ceiling with views of all of Berlin, I found the gourmet shops and restaurants on the 5th floor to be the most enticing. I don't even know if I can properly explain it, but this gigantic floor is a collection of various tiny lunch counters and bars with chefs making gourmet meals in each different section of what is essentially a huge grocery store. For example, there is a counter and bar in the poultry section serving schnitzel and probably 4 other entrees. In the seafood section, there is the same thing. There is also a cheese bar, a beer bar, a champagne bar, a bellini bar, a pasta bar, a chocolate bar. It's crazy. Certain bars are bigger than others and more popular. It was sensory overload. There are also gift sections and newspaper sections. I got lost walking around it - it seemed to stretch on forever. I spent hours there and kept trying to figure out how I could get some of this good German food home on the airplane. http://www.kadawe.de/. Finally, gave up and went upstairs to the food court for lunch and then out on the Ku'Damm to explore the other shops.

I remember having been here before with my family. This is the ritzy section of shopping in town, with stores like Hermes, Burberry, etc lining the streets. It is beautiful and the buildings all look like parts of ancient castles. Halfway down the street is the Kaiser Wilhelm Church. It was almost completely bombed in the war and has since been rebuilt next door to the bombed out former church. I remembered taking the tour before, but this time I was interested in doing it myself. It is free and self guided and well worth it. Afterwards, you can go into the new church and sit for awhile or light a candle.

Having walked all over the Ku'Damm, it was late in the day and time for a beer. So I headed back to KaDaWe and parked myself in the beer bar. It was the least crowded and good for people watching. What is interesting about Germans and beer that I had forgotten was the pouring of the beer. It is literally a 10 minute process. Once again, all I had to do was order a beer. We don't have to fight over what types and kinds of beer here. Just a beer. But then the bartender pours the beer, making sure there is a good head on the beer. And then he lets it sit and waits. Waiting for the head of foam to go down. When it does, he pours more beer in. And sits and waits. Finally, about 10 minutes later, he has the perfect pour and he serves it to you. Apparently this makes for a better tasting beer. What do I care? I gulp it down and about 2 sips from the end, I keep trying to catch his eye so he can pour me another one, now that I know it will take 10 minutes to get it. But no, he waits until I am done and then asks me if I want another. It is a very slow and relaxing process, this drinking of beer in Germany. Life just doesn't get much better.

There were lots of English guidebooks at the newspaper and book section of the store, so I stopped to make sure I was seeing everything I needed to see. Headed out and realized on the subway map, that I could get off at Potsdamer Platz, see that and then head over to the Holocaust Memorial on my way to the Brandenburg Gate.

Potsdamer Platz turned out to be nothing more than a 5 way intersection now filled with traffic and big buildings belonging to major corporations. However, there is a Marriott nearby which looked nice and is also in a nice location for tourists wanting to see the important sights. Walked down towards what should be the Holocaust Memorial. Saw a bunch of concrete blocks of different heights with people taking pictures. There were no signs anywhere and I had no idea what this was supposed to be but knew it was in the location of what should be the Holocaust Memorial. I stopped a guard who spoke English with what sounded like a New Jersey accent and he assured me that it was the Holocaust Memorial but that no one understands it. Apparently the concrete blocks are of different heights to give the appearance/illusion of waves when viewed from the sky. It didn't make sense to me, so I moved on back to the Brandenburg Gate. Walked all around the Reichstag trying to determine how to take the tour and found an enormous line so just took pictures and headed off to find a pub.

After having walked all over the city literally for 2 days, I realized all of the things I was interested in were really within reach of my hotel. So I headed back towards the Brandenburg Gate on my final day in Berlin and went to the Kennedy Museum which is right next to it. The tour was surprisingly affordable, only about $7. However, it was self guided and really a collection of photos and memorabilia on the walls and in glass cases. There is a video showing JFK making his "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech and some footage leading up to his speech. There is an entire wall showing the family tree of the Kennedys. I wound up spending a couple of hours there and have to say, it was worth the price of admission and I felt very American being in that museum at that location. It felt like part of our history too.

I realized as I walked down Unter den Linden afterwards that all of this walking was taking a toll and I didn't want to spend my time in Berlin on a train, so I walked some more and quickly realized most shops were closed on Sunday. People seemed to spend the day strolling and sitting at sidewalk cafes. That sounded like the right thing to do so I headed out to the Prater Bier Garten. I had to take the U-bahn and it was also in the former East Berlin section, but I had heard so much about it. It was a little hard to find, but I didn't mind exploring. It was strange in that it was in the middle of a city block. But once you went in farther, it opened up to an actual beer garden complete with numerous long picnic tables and a play area for children. The beer was good, the prices were cheap and the service left much to be desired. But with a good book or fun companions, it was the perfect way to end a weekend in Berlin.

I wound up leaving the next morning as I had an early flight to Frankfurt. On the bus out to the airport, we passed by Charlottenburg Palace, another must tourist destination. However, I remembered touring it vividly from when I was there before, so I had skipped it. But for those going to Berlin for the first time, it is a must see.

I would have liked to have had more time to explore more of the western side, but having the eastern sections of Berlin as a new playground was infinitely better. I learned a lot and have a new perspective of the new Berlin. Now two months later looking back on the trip on this the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, I'm so thrilled that I was able to see all that the Germans have accomplished in these short 20 years. I can't wait to go back!

Girls Gone Wild on Nantucket

2009-11-07T22:18:00.000-08:00

Arriving on Nantucket via ferry is a magical experience. Your cares drift away as you ride the ferry across Nantucket Sound. When you spot the first bit of land, you are struck with a calm and peace and an understanding of how many years this wonderful place has remained unchanged.

As the ferry slows to enter the harbor, passing the enormous beach front mansions, the passengers on board the ferry begin to stream out onto the deck to catch a glimpse of Brant Point Lighthouse and get the first of many picture postcard photos.
As much as I love Nantucket, one of the main reasons I return yearly to the island is my favorite hotel in the world, the WhiteElephant.www.whiteelephanthotel.com. The White Elephant is not a chain hotel. It is a small hotel on the harbor within walking distance of the wharf. It has only 53 rooms, some of which are larger suites, but every room is unique in some way. I've stayed at the hotel many times and never been in the same room twice. I've loved every room and feel like I'm coming home each time I return. Conde Nast Traveler magazine recently ranked the top 100 hotels in the world. Number 11 on the list (the highest I can attest to) is the Il San Pietro in Positano, Italy. I've stayed there. The White Elephant is better.

After years of talking about how much I love Nantucket and the White Elephant, the girls decided to join me. Mind you, the White Elephant is an expensive hotel and room rates are generally over $300 a night. However, the little known secret is that they are extremely reasonable during off season. Generally the best rates can be obtained Sunday through Thursday prior to June 15 and after October 30. However, with the current economic crisis, the hotel was closing November 1 and offering the lower rates on the weekend, so we jumped on it. The hotel opens again for a short time the beginning of December for the Christmas Stroll weekend and then closes for the season until the following April. Reservations cannot be made for the next year until the reservations office opens again on January 2. Believe me, I am generally the first one to call at 9am on that day to get my rooms reserved for the upcoming year!

Back to the girls trip. When the ferry pulled into the wharf, the White Elephant had one of their new custom vans there waiting to pick up the arriving passengers in style. One of the best parts about the White Elephant are the employees and my favorites are the guys that drive the vans, man the front doors and carry the bags to the rooms. There is a different crew there every year. When I was there in June, the driver was from Australia; this time our driver was from Poland. The different backgrounds of the seasonal employees on the island are almost as much fun exploring as the island itself.

The van took us the brief 3 block drive over to the hotel and in honor of the approaching Halloween season, there were pumpkins lining the driveway, flower beds and stairs to the front door. It was beautiful. As there are only 5 or so ferries per day, the front desk staff knows when you're coming and are ready for you. We arrived before the rain luckily and quickly checked in and were ushered to our rooms.

I'm sure the suites are different, but every room I've ever been in at the White Elephant has a king sized bed with the best down comforter and down pillows ever. A box of chocolates always awaits and in spring, there are generally orchids sitting on the desk. Most rooms have a private balcony or some type of patio with the trademark white wicker furniture with blue cushions. A few years ago, the White Elephant opened a spa and their spa products are now featured in the bathroom. The rooms have a refrigerator and tv with a DVD player, ceiling fans and air conditioning. Up until this last trip, one of the signature amenities were blue glass water bottles sitting out with more in your refrigerator. Unlike most hotels, these were free and re-stocked daily. This trip, the blue bottles were gone and plastic ones in their place. I need to find out what happened to those blue bottles as they made nice vases!

Upon arrival, as always, it was a frustrating choice as to what to do first. Explore the hotel? Run into town before the stores closed? Happy hour in the bar? A walk along the beach? Jump under that wonderful down comforter? It's overwhelming. In this case, with 6 girls all under the same roof, the choice was easy. Explore each others rooms with happy hour in the room and discuss what to do next. The manager of the hotel, Bettina Landt, made it very easy for us when she sent a bottle of pink champagne to me in one of our rooms. It was the perfect beginning for our girls weekend!

Fall in New England

2009-10-30T14:36:00.000-07:00
Now that summer is winding down, it's time to consider fall travel plans. I feel that traveling in the fall is the best time of the year. The tourist season is over and there are deals to be had.

My personal favorite is travel in New England. The leaf season is later than it is in Colorado and the colors are deeper and more spectacular. With the current economic crisis hitting New England harder than the other parts of the country, there are plenty of bargains out there. Can you think of a better way to celebrate the fall and the beauty of the red, gold and orange leaves than traveling to New England?

One of the top destinations this country has to offer is Nantucket, MA. It is a slice of heaven. Just taking the journey to Nantucket is an experience in itself. Although Cape Air flies directly to Nantucket from Boston and although Jet Blue and others now fly direct to Nantucket from NYC, I refuse to fly to the island. To me, the drive out to Cape Cod, exiting at Exit 6 in Hyannis and taking the ferry ride over are some of the highlights of the trip. I have now gotten to the point of giving myself an extra day going and returning just so that I can enjoy all the side trips this journey offers.

This year I was finally able to convince a group of girls from Denver to join me on my favorite trip and we made it a girls trip to Nantucket! My usual route is to start with a flight into Boston. Normally I'm able to find some good airfare deals from Denver to Boston. American Airlines regularly offers flights for around $180, but there is always a stopover in Chicago and it winds up taking the better part of a day to fly east. I've become spoiled in recent years by the direct flight from Denver to Boston on United Airlines and the convenient flight times. Recently, it's been cheaper to fly Colorado Springs to Boston with a layover in Denver to get the direct flight. Since I live in the Springs and parking at the airport is only $6/day, I regularly choose this option. I've previously gotten this flight for around $200, but the going rate now seems to be $248. Trust me, it's worth it in terms of cheaper airport parking and less gas and traffic to get to the airport. I've met many a traveler on that flight who drives down from Denver just to get the cheaper rate.

This year, we didn't plan our trip far enough in advance to get the good flight times at that price, but remarkably United was offering an opportunity to book a flight within the 48 states for only 20,000 miles instead of the normal 25,000 miles. So, each of us girls booked a different flight and we were off to Boston!

My favorite part about arriving at Boston Logan airport is taking the ferry across the harbor into the city or on to a southern suburb where I have college friends waiting to pick me up. The ferry is $10 to get into Boston and only a 10 minute direct ride or $12 to get to Quincy, farther south which is about a 35 minute ride. The departure times are convenient and can be gotten every half hour or hour. The best part about the ferry is there is a bar and snack bar on board! On warm weather days, grab a cold one and head upstairs to sit outside and watch the magnificent skyline as you approach downtown Boston. The easiest way to get to the ferry is to go out of the baggage claim area and catch the bus out front that says "Water Transport." That will take you to the dock over by the Hyatt hotel. If it is too late for the ferry or if you have just missed it and are in a hurry, there are also water taxis available for $10. Either way, more direct, convenient and economical than a cab or rental car into the city! See www.massport.com/logan/getti_typeo_water.html.

We spent our first night in Boston even though our ultimate destination was Nantucket. But in the fall, the last ferry to Nantucket leaves in the late afternoon, so it's pretty hard to get down to Hyannis in time. We spent the night at the Marriott Long Wharf which is next to the ferry landing. It couldn't be more convenient no matter how many bags of luggage we had! On the other side of the Marriott is Legal Seafood, the famous and popular chain seafood restaurant in Boston. Even though it's a chain, they do it right. It is well worth the trip. If you want to try something else, Fanueil Hall and Quincy Market are within walking distance with a number of stores, restaurants and bars to keep you occupied.

We woke early the next morning and took the water taxi back over to the airport to get our rental car. The hotel had a rental car desk with Hertz, but it was enormously cheaper to rent from the airport. We had booked the rental car months in advance and gotten a great rate. And we were off to Nantucket!

The drive to Hyannis and the ferry is about an hour and a half from Boston and trust me, that hour will fly as you whisk past the south suburbs of Boston and then on past Duxbury which has an amazing beach worthy of a half day stop. On past Plymouth Rock which is another stop worth making and you can feel the hustle and bustle of the city falling behind you as the trees open a little wider to the sky and you can sense the water nearby even though you cannot see it. You know you are on vacation and the destination will be fabulous. Cross the bridge and you are officially on Cape Cod. You can buy some salt water taffy now if you'd like.

Exit 6 is the Hyannis exit. Take a right and follow the road straight to the water and the ferry boats. I personally always schedule a half hour stop at Trader Joe's to stock up for the vacation. It is on the right about halfway to the ferry in a shopping area with the Christmas Shops.

There are 2 main ferry lines which service Hyannis to Nantucket and to Martha's Vineyard. They are the Hyline and the Steamship Authority. I have used both. If you head straight to the water, you will pull into the Hyline docks. www.hy-linecruises.com. Take a left and the Steamship Ferry will be on your right. I used to take the slow boat on the Hyline and loved to sit up top in the sunshine and enjoy the ride. The Hyline arrives in Nantucket on the Straight Wharf which is farther away from my hotel, so I have started taking the Steamship and am an official regular on that line. The Steamship has a fast ferry which is more expensive, but gets you to Nantucket in one hour, dock to dock. The round trip price is approximately $63 but you can buy a coupon book good for 10 individual trips which brings the round trip cost down to $51.20. This coupon book has no expiration date and is fully transferable, so we bought a book for the 5 of us and quickly used the entire book for our tickets. www.steamshipauthority.com.

There is a sheltered cabin on the first level with a snack bar and bar area. Upstairs are more indoor seats and seating on the outdoor deck.

Before off season, which in this case started the day after Columbus Day, you can buy your ferry tickets, drop off your luggage, park your car and head over to Baxter's Fish and Chips, a dockside restaurant just past the ferry parking lot. Good seafood, a lovely patio to sit outside on, great bartenders and a view of the approaching ferry so you never miss your ride. www.baxterscapecod.com. Unfortunately, since we arrived the weekend after Columbus Day, Baxter's had just closed. But we discovered Spanky's Clam Shack over by the Hyline ferry dock which was a short walk from the Steamship dock through a brick path between houses. They know the ferry schedules too and will make sure you get your food and pay before there is any chance of missing the boat!

We were finally off on the 1:55pm ferry to Nantucket! The bar on the boat cannot open until after the ferry leaves the dock, so don't even try. They will ignore you. Spend this time up on the outside upper deck checking out the view of Hyannis Harbor and the remarkable houses that line it.
Up next: arriving for a Nor'easter in Nantucket!