All posts filed under: Travel

Travel: San Francisco Day Trip and Photo Op.

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The wine country is a place I can visit once a month. It’s a great day trip escape from a bustling city like San Francisco. On Sunday, the weather was unusually hot and a little muggy, so we decided to take our typical day trip: We parked on the Main Street in Sausalito to have breakfast, and I had to take these unusually wicked photographs. And I snapped more photos than I could imagine, wishing I could forego the rest of the plans and simply run through the fields. Why is it – fields of flowers bring out the kid in all of us. We had a picnic in V. Satui winery as we always do, napped under the trees, and then headed back home.   Can you blame a girl 🙂

What Tourists Seldom Understand About San Francisco

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While I played volunteer host in San Francisco during Super Bowl week, I got many questions from tourists about the city. And although I did my best to debunk their notion of what it’s like to be from California, let alone San Francisco, I had a hard time getting my point across to those set in their ways. But I know better, and although this article offers up some great pointers to consider for all of the west coast, I am simply focusing on my neck of the woods, for some good old-fashioned trivia fun, or not depending on where you are from: 2. Not everyone is blonde Despite what The Real Housewives of Orange County would like to have you believe, not everyone on the West Coast has a year supply of Sun-In in their bathroom cabinet. And as far as natural blondes go? You’re way more likely to find a higher concentration of those in Minneapolis or North Dakota. 3. We don’t all surf We do have some of the best surf spots …

Travel: The Need For Water

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The past three days in San Francisco have been unusually warm – 70’s in some places, quickly changing the tune of people’s moods. Lunch time at the waterfront, beaches after work, sunbathing in parks – that sort of positive change. It got me wishing I could take a vacation right about now to somewhere tropical, or simply stream these photos on my computer. Nah, I think I need to plan for a tropical  escape.

Travel: All About Italy

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I have settled on a trip to Italy late September, early October this year, as my annual destination in Europe. And, although I have been to the country every year for the past decade or so, I cannot get enough of it. Alternating cities every year or not, making the trip always memorable. So here is what I am thinking:  Venice, Verona, Florence, Rome, Sorrento, Positano, Capri with a few Tuscan cities in between.  I haven’t done this combination nor been to the southern Italy for a while, so I am excited. Of course research is always fun, and I have found some interesting articles to keep the momentum, and set the mood. {featured  image credit }

Travel: In Search of the Northern Lights

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I have a bucket list I feel I may not be able to complete by the time I am 75 or 80. Which, in my mind, is the limit to pushing the limits. Unless of course, I create a more ‘mature’ bucket list for 75 and beyond –  first thing to add to that list is dancing on the Seine River Bank from Jun-Aug every year (I laugh picturing myself doing that in my old age). Until then, one of the items I have on the bucket list is to see the Northern Lights– maybe from a plane, if that is even possible, and hopefully from the ground which is most doable. I just need to hunker down and plan that trip. Check out this video. {photo credit}  

Travel: Flora and Fauna

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Thankfully, it’s been raining, in San Francisco. Finally everything is turning green and lush, and coming back to life. I can’t wait for spring this year, as the flowers will bloom perfectly, and the parks will be  pure delight to walk through. But all of this got me thinking about flora and fauna and so the search began online for the most interesting finds a about this topic:

Travel: America in 2016

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This year I am adding a multi-stop trip around the U.S. to see places I’ve never been before in addition to some I have many years ago. And although I haven’t decided which month to embark on this two week journey, I have decided on the added destinations:   {Source}

Travel: Visual Break – Cities That Do Christmas Best

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I figured we all need a mental break, from stressing over what to get the loved ones. It’s funny, I got out of the house yesterday even though  I said I wouldn’t, and roamed the malls, Stanford Shopping Mall to be exact. And there I people watched, trying to figure out the choice of their gifts. I loved the perfume counter, men hovering over the perfume, and selecting something from the list their significant others provided them. And then there was Banana Republic, luring customers to buy a piece of clothing at 50pct off, but only one item, the rest would be 40pct off. Interesting marketing.  Williams-Sonoma was my favorite, the best holiday gift – a Nespresso Machine at a deep discount of 30pct – I hadn’t seen such a price anywhere else. I needed a visual break – and what better way then to think travel-Conde Nest Traveler 14 cities that do the best Christmas.  I don’t know if the list is complete, but for now it will do.  And I really think they …