Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Mayercraft 2009: The Artists

Yes. It's true. I was one of those crazy people who went on John Mayer's cruise. Both years. But come on, you have to admit it - a cruise to somewhere tropical, music and comedy shows going on all the time, and copious amounts of alcohol? That spells fun!

A bunch of people have asked me what artists other than John Mayer were on this year's Mayercraft cruise. The answer? Tons of awesome ones! Here they are:

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

8 Day Wander in Ireland


One of the major sources of stress for me recently has been our lack of hotel rooms for our trip to Ireland. I know that sounds totally lame, but I'm one of those people who likes to have things planned months in advance, especially when it comes to international travel.

Up until yesterday? The only thing we had booked was our flights. We were still trying to figure out where to stay, and for how long, and we had so much else going on there was no real time to sit down and figure it out. I finally came up with a couple of options and asked BF which ones he was down with, and we figured out what we're doing!


Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Places I've Been: San Gimignano, Italy

This blog is entirely about one of my favorite places in Tuscany: a small, off the beaten path town called San Gimignano. It's a pretty popular tourist town, but people traveling on their own (without a tour or a rental car) don't go as often because it's not as easily accessible as other Tuscan towns.


Photo taken from ilpalio.org

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

DiscoverAmerica.com

The LA Times Travel blog announced the launch of a new website today: DiscoverAmerica.com.

I, for one, am extremely excited about this blog, as there are so many parts of our awesome country that I've never seen. The site gathers information from all sorts of sources - travel guides, Google, etc and puts them all in one place. Then, each page has information on attractions & activities, hotels, itineraries, brochures, articles, and even where to shop and eat, too.

There's also my favorite feature - an interactive map that tells you all sorts of things. You can measure distances between different locations, randomly pick a spot to check into, and even has links to book your trip. Also, it includes all the US territories as well!

Such an amazing resource for anyone who wants to travel around America, I am SO glad that this site exists.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Travel Photo Tuesday: Malibu, CA


Ok, ok, so it's sort of a cop out to post a photo from Malibu, since we live so close to it. But it's been a busy week, already, and I am barely sneaking this one in as it is!

I took this on Sunday, when we were enjoying a gorgeous, but chilly, day. Summer is on its way!

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Travel Photo Tuesday: Florence, Italy

I took this photo years ago - 2002 to be exact. It was towards the end of my semester abroad, and we were showing visiting friends around the town we'd adopted as our own. This was a sort of hidden rose garden, and it quickly became one of my favorite places to be!

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Travel Photo Tuesday: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico (again!)

I loved our recent vacation so much that I figured it warranted two "Travel Photo Tuesday"s! This photo cracks me up - the pelicans are so cute... sitting on the rock covered in poop. Oh, pelicans.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Travel Photo Tuesday: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

I got back from my cruise to Cabo San Lucas last Tuesday, and looking at this photo makes me wish I were still there. This was taken from the top deck of our boat as we were leaving the port. Such a gorgeous day!

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Travel Photo Tuesday: Washington DC

Washington Monument in DC - it was an absolutely gorgeous day in October and we packed as much of DC as we could into 8 hours.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Travel Photo Tuesday: Boston, MA

We took a water taxi to the airport the last time we left Boston, and it so great! There were some really great views of the skyline, and we had lots of fun balancing in the boat to take the photos we wanted.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Budget Travel

Of the three or four travel magazines I subscribe to, my favorite is Budget Travel. I love them best because they have the most articles I feel I need to save - travel tips, travel stories, travel websites, travel photos, travel resources, the list goes on and on.

And recently, I started subscribing to their blog, This Just In. Some of the entries are long. Some are short. Every entry has something to learn. It's such a great resource for keeping up with travel and deals that are going on.

The article I just finished reading that inspired this post was this one: Vanish With A Trace. As a "victim" of lost luggage, I understand just how frustrating and time consuming it can be to have your things misplaced by an airline. While I'm not sure if I would use a service like the ones they reviewed, it's nice to know that there are options out there for travelers!

Anyway - if you're looking to subscribe to a travel magazine, I would highly suggest Budget Travel. And if you don't want a physical magazine? You should definitely be following their website and blog!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Travel Photo Tuesday: Farmer's Market in Montreal, Canada

The last day of my trip to Montreal, my friend took me to a giant farmer's market close to where her apartment was. Everything was so vivid and fresh that I wish she'd taken me my first day there so I could've gone back more than once.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Things to do: Afternoon Tea in Victoria, Canada

I am one of those people who thoroughly enjoys tea. I love tea - the flavors, the process, the tradition, the cute little pastries and sandwiches you get with it, everything.

And when I think of afternoon teas, one of the places that comes to mind is the afternoon tea served at The Fairmont Empress hotel in Victoria, Canada.


The Empress is a gorgeous hotel, and their afternoon tea feels so sophisticated and fun. I highly recommend splurging on this treat if you're on Victoria or in the Vancouver area.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Travel Photo Tuesday: Costa Maya, Mexico

As I get ready to go on Mayercraft 2009 to Cabo San Lucas, I find myself looking at all of the photos I have from other "tropical" vacations. This is one of my favorites - from a secluded beach in Costa Maya, Mexico. The weather could not have been more perfect that day, and the water was calm enough for all of us to go play. My only regret was that we didn't get to stay longer in this spot.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Awesome Resource: GoGo In Flight

Another great advance in technology - Internet access is now widely available on airplanes!

A co-worker of mine recently emailed me in flight, and let me know about this website when I asked him how he was emailing me while in coach. Apparently, GoGo In Flight serves numerous airlines and enables you to get wireless on the plane.

It looks like there is a very limited offering of this service so far - American Airlines offers it on flights to and from JFK to San Francisco and Los Angeles, but there are a handfull of other airlines that will be offering it soon.

Prices:
For laptops: $9.95 for flights under 3 hours, $12.95 for flights over 3 hours
For PDAs: $7.95

Overall, this is great if you're a workaholic or as addicted to blogging and Facebook as I am. Downside? You're now reachable even in flight, when it used to be your only reprieve!

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Cruises: What to pack.

At the end of this month, I'll be going on my third cruise. Obviously, this by no means makes me an expert on what to pack for them. But, there are a few things I wish people would have told me before I went on my first one.



1) If it's a regular cruise, you will most likely need "dressier" clothes for the dinners. In addition, many cruises have "formal nights," where you get all kinds of decked out. You can skip these, of course, but that wasn't an option for me as I would miss the amazing food that comes with dinners. I packed two cocktail dresses and a pair of black pants for my first cruise. I would stick to black pants and nice tops in the future.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Travel Photo Tuesday: Trinity Church, Boston

Trinity Church in Boston, MA. Miss M and I were there in June for a friend's graduation from Harvard, and it was just beautiful. This photo, and the accompanying memories, are some of the reasons I love Boston so much.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Travel Photo Tuesday: Multnomah Falls, Oregon

Multnomah Falls are in the Columbia River Gorge on the Oregon side. They are really quite amazing to see... we attempted the hike up to the top, but were so out of shape we only got about 3/4 of the way. It's a SUPER steep trail, but next time I go, I'm determined to get to the top! Just to help you gauge the size of these falls - that moss covered rock at the base of the falls? It was at least 10 feet tall.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Travel Photo Tuesday: Grand Bahama, Bahamas

On a beach in Grand Bahama - the one purely relaxing moment I had on our vacation last year. American Airlines lost my luggage over a four day cruise, and for the hour we were on this beach, we were blissfully unaware that our luggage didn't in fact make it to our boat, and that we'd be stuck in clothes from Target for the rest of our trip. Oh, and my camera died immediately after taking this shot. And my charger was, you guessed it, in my bag. I guess I like this photo because it's proof that a vacation can be enjoyed even when everything seems like it's going wrong!

(Also, this one is showcasing my first try at a watermark. I'm not sure if this is the final one I'll go with, but I like it so far!)

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Travel Photo Tuesday: Santa Monica Mountains, CA

I went on a weekend drive on Sunday and snapped some photos at one of my favorite spots. I was driving between Las Virgenes Rd. and Topanga Blvd. on Mulholland Drive, and stopped to check out the amazing view. I love this entire area and am so glad to live here... and it's an amazing area to check out if you're looking for a more "green" or nature filled trip to Los Angeles.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Awesome Resource: EuroCheapo

Just discovered another amazing travel website with discount hotels and travel tips. EuroCheapo is an "undercover" review site of budget hotels in Europe - they show up unannounced, check out the rooms, and then review them if they like them!

An awesome resource for places to stay all over Europe, and one I will DEFINITELY be using in the future. Bookmark this one, people, it's a keeper!

Thursday, February 5, 2009

LA Times Travel & Adventure Show!

The LA Times Travel & Adventure Show is coming soon! This has just come to my attention, and I am suddenly VERY excited!

If you love travel and/or adventure and happen to be in the Los Angeles area February 14 & 15, this is definitely worth checking out. Maybe you'll see me there!

Some details:
Admission is $10.
Parking is $12. (Carpooling advised!)
Doors open @ 10am.

LA Times Travel and Adventure Show

It's a Travel & Adventure Convention. Free activities include scuba diving, rock climbing, zip lines, etc. There are a whole bunch of interesting Destination Workshops including Traveling on a Budget, Wine & Cheese, Home Exchanges, Humanitarian trips, River Cruises, Explore Australia, Alaska, New Zealand, Turkey, Hawaii, Tahiti, etc. They have practical information - the latest on passports, visas, etc.
Meet Travel Editors and Reporters from LA Times Staff. They have a Global Beat Stage with music from around the world. They have a "World Culinary Stage"!!!!! Various Speakers including Samantha Brown, Aurther & Pauline Frommer, Rick Steves, etc. And they have various giveaways, prizes, and raffles.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Travel accessory: Reinforced camera strap.

For my last birthday, my boyfriend gave me a Nikon D-60 Digital SLR camera. It has since become my most prized possession, and I have been dying to take more trips so I can use it more.

However, traveling with a camera like that can make people targets for theft. In fact, though they are coming increasingly common, dSLR cameras are a prime subject for theft.

The easy solution? This awesome camera strap. The strap is reinforced with steel wire to prevent "cut-and-run" theft. Check out the video below!

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Travel Photo Tuesday: Highway 1, Northern CA


Just another picturesque view off of Highway 1 in Northern CA. We were driving to San Francisco and decided to take the scenic (long) way! It was well worth the extra time in the car with views like that!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Travel Photo Tuesday: San Francisco, CA

Driving over the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco. I love this bridge and can't say exactly why! It's just a great piece of architecture and landmark of California... definitely something to see while you're in San Francisco.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Mayercraft: Pros & Cons

Last February, I embarked on an adventure called the Mayercraft Carrier.

A three day cruise to the Bahamas, with John Mayer as host, and a whole bunch of other bands playing on a sort of music festival at sea. Other than the massive disaster that was American Airlines losing my luggage for the entire cruise (and the seven weeks that followed the cruise), it was an amazing trip. Great music, fun day trip in the Bahamas... and being stuck on a ship with John Mayer wasn't anything to shake a stick at, either.



In a possibly brilliant, possibly misguided move, my friends and I re-upped for this year's Mayercraft Carrier 2. This year, the cruise will be to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, will be longer, and most importantly, will depart from the Los Angeles, eliminating all possibilities of American Airlines losing my luggage again.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Travel Photo Tuesday: Baltimore, MD


Inner Harbor, Baltimore, MD. This used to be a power plant and now it has been converted to shops. The Barnes & Noble is the coolest one I've ever been in - an exposed industrial space, and the escalators had clear siding to show you how they worked. So cool!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

2009 Travel Plans

I was fortunate enough to travel quite a bit in 2008, and I am currently doing everything I can to continue that trend. I recently went over my previous plans for 2009, and updated them a bit... Here are my current plans for 2009.

2009 Planned And Booked Travel:
- Mayercraft 2009 to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico (girls' trip)

2009 Planned, But Not Yet Booked Travel:
- Ireland, to get back to Europe and go to a place we've never been
- Portland or Minneapolis, to visit friends

BF and I would both really love to go on a trip to Ireland, so I've been spending a lot of time looking up places to go and links online with information. Here are a few of my favorite links, so far.

Tips for planning a trip to Ireland
Discover Ireland
Irish Getaways (Has some amazing looking travel deals)
Ireland B&B Network (where I would like to stay)
Ireland Hostel Listings (where BF would like to stay)

I think we are planning on going in either May or in August/September. I still have a lot of research to do on a possible trip out there, but cost wise, we're thinking 10-13 days. We want to see a good majority of the country, but of course have limited funds and vacation time.

So here's my inquiry: If you've been to Ireland, what is something we absolutely HAVE to see?

Travel Photo Tuesday: Intercourse, PA


One of the covered bridges in Amish country, PA. It was my favorite because it was the one you could actually drive across!

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Awesome Resource: Free-Wi-Fi Locations in Europe

Stumbled upon this website a few weeks back and I think it is awesome. It is a list of free wi-fi locations all over Europe.

If you're traveling to Europe for a week or a year, this will come in handy!

Free Wi-Fi Directory

Friday, January 9, 2009

East Coast Road Trip: The Recap

I just realized I never got around to posting on this site about my East Coast road trip! We had a fabulous time and saw so much of the East Coast, it was fabulous.

Me at Chatham Manor in Virginia

We really packed in as much as possible!

Happy 2009!

Where are you visiting from?? I was thrilled to discover that I've had hits on this blog from all over the world. That was my original plan, so thanks everyone who has visited!

Hopefully, 2009 will bring lots more to this particular blog. I love travel and everything to do with travel... and am looking forward to lots of it this year, including new features and trips!

First up: Travel Photo Tuesdays. I am hoping to stay on track with this one and post a new photo of somewhere I've been or hope to go every Tuesday. See you around! (And as always, comments and feedback are much appreciated!

Happy 2009!