Komen Austin Race for the Cure

For several weeks, I've debated on writing this blog entry about my participation in the upcoming Komen Austin race.

Why?

Well, there are several reasons to cause me hesitation...

1.  From the beginning, I wanted this blog to be semi-anonymous...nicknames for friends and family, no pictures of said friends and family, and more focus on the places and events in each entry.  I do it because I respect the privacy of my friends and family and know if I were in their place, I might not want my friend writing about and posting pictures of me.

2.  I started writing this blog mainly to catalog all the many adventures and travels I am blessed with and when I'm old and grey, I'll have a record of the places I went, the food I ate, and the many memories I made.  Subsequently, I thought it would be a good way to offer my opinion and advice to others about the various locations I've visited.  Believe me, I HAVE an opinion.  Ha!

With that said, I haven't delved into anything too personal, too political, too serious.  So writing an entry on a topic as serious as cancer made me a little nervous. However, I feel compelled to write this entry. I promise it won't be too heavy but it probably will be a little serious at times.

You still with me?

Great!  I'll start...

A little over a year ago Bitch C experienced tremendous pain on her right side one night which sent her to the ER.  A few million tests later, a doctors appointment or three, she received the news none of us want to hear "You have breast cancer."  At 32, Stage IV Breast cancer was NOT in her 5-year plan. It wasn't in her 10-year plan. It wasn't in her 20-year plan. Frankly it wasn't in my plan to have one of my best friends have cancer.  Now, I can only imagine the range of emotions C felt with this news, but she is an amazing, strong woman who took the diagnosis head on.  Her mantra of "Kickin' Cancer's Ass" became our mantra and for the past year, she has battled this terrible disease and showed it who's boss.  It hasn't all been roses, she's been sick, tired, sometimes sad, but overall she has truly kicked cancer's ass.

Needless to say, C's diagnosis shook our close group of friends.  So many questions filled my head and a range of emotions filled me.  What was going to happen?  Was she going to be ok? What can I do to help her?  Why did this have to happen to her?  What can I do to help?

When someone gets sick, we want to help.  We want to do what we can to make things better.  C was bombarded with offers to bring meals, give her rides, do various odds and ends.  She was overwhelmed with support and so thankful for all her loving friends and family.  The funny thing was that while she's battling cancer, she hasn't been so sick as to need meals and extra support.  Praise God!  (And believe me, I pray, a lot, every day, for her.  Others too, but she's at the top of the list.)

So when the Komen Austin Race for the Cure date was announced in early July, I saw it as a way to help.  What better way to show her support than by doing the race, raising money not only for the cure, but for funding for the services C participates in with local cancer organizations! So we created a name, made a logo and formed a team for the race with me as team captain!  (If you know me very well, you're not surprised by this at all. Ha Ha!)

When we started fundraising I set the team goal at $10,000 and I wanted us to be Top Rookie Fundraising Team for 2011.  I know some of the team thought I was crazy.  However, I KNEW we could do it. We DID! Fundraising, especially for a cause you believe in, is easy.  Some people are intimidated by asking for money.  Here's how I see it...if you don't ask, the answer is no.  If you do ask, no is just one answer and usually, you'll get more yes's than no's.  

As of today, our team is over 60 members strong and already raised $13,000!!!!!!!!

Can you believe it?  I CAN!!!

Those numbers both in people and money show our support for C and our determination to help those fight in the battle against breast cancer.

I am SO proud of our team.  Each. And. Every. One.

Unfortunately, we all know someone who has cancer, fought cancer, or lost the battle with cancer. I know many women who have been in at least one of those categories.  My grandmother lost her battle to breast cancer when I was six.  A sweet, loving, kind woman who still brings tears to my eyes when I think about her.  Then there are the family friends who have fought and won and a few who are currently fighting and winning.  These women are amazing.  They are strong even in their weakest moments.  Even without hair, they are beautiful.  One woman in particular has the most awesome presence.  She has a different perspective on life and I appreciate her views.  I suppose fighting a life threatening disease will do that to you.  All of these women are special.  I cry for those I have lost.  I celebrate those who are in remission. I pray for all of them. But most of all, C's diagnosis has brought home how truly precious life is and that's it meant to be lived fully.  I work every day to appreciate all the many blessings in life...from the flowers blooming after the recent rains to the dogs playing in the backyard to truly cherishing conversations with my closest friends on the back porch at the ranch. 

In 2 Sundays, we will all gather in downtown Austin in our team shirts and silly flair for the 2011 Komen Austin Race for the Cure.  Some will walk, some will run, but we will all do it to support C, to celebrate those loved ones who have won the battle, and to honor those who cancer has defeated.  

If you want to make a donation to this awesome cause, http://www.komenaustin.org/ is the place to do it. 

Until then, happy travels and many laughs...

Getting our Culture In...Neushweinschtein "Castle"

While on our European adventure, we figured we'd throw in some history/culture along the way to even out the beer drinking and revelry.  Not that you can't be cultured and drink beer, but by the middle of the week, our livers needed a little break.  Plus my cousin had "See a Castle" on her Must Do list for the trip.

So, I found a tour on Viator.com which hooked us up with a day long trip to Schloss Neushweinschtein that included train travel to and from the castle (2 hours each way), an English speaking guide, and tickets to the castle tour.  If you are interested in making this trek, I highly recommend booking a tour to take care of all the parts...these guys did a great job and made our trip easy.  However, if you have more time to stay in the area, it looked like a great place for day trips, hiking, and the sorts.

One quick note, the castle sits perched above the cute little town where the bus from the train station drops you.  So you have 2 options, start hiking up the hill (45 minutes, decently steep) or pay $1.25 Euro for the bus ride to the top.  I took the bus and on this kinda warm September day, worth every penny. Oh, and don't forget to wear good walking shoes, I promise you'll be glad you did.

Now the castle is not really a castle, as it was never fortified and was not ever prepared for battle.  So...technically, it's a palace and in castle world, a mere infant at 125 years old.  Now I'm not going to go through all the history (just check the Google), but if you're close, this is worth seeing.  The palace was occupied less than one year in total and opened as a tourist spot 6 weeks after King Ludwig the Second's death. (This was HIS castle.) With the limited habitation, the place is in perfect condition.  No wear and tear, no nicks or scratches on the wall, no dust even...pretty sure it'd pass the white glove test.  One down side of the inside tour is no pictures of any kind are allowed.  So until you make the trip, you'll just have to trust me when I say it's beautiful. 

After the 45 minute inside tour was over, we trekked back downstairs and through two gift shops before being deposited on the side of the large building.  Now there are several ways down the hill...the bus (quickest way), a wide walking path (easiest, shortest walk down) or the scenic, longer way down (45 minutes). A, B & I took the long way down...past beautiful tall trees, mossy rocks, a roaring stream cascading over rocks.  The shaded walk provided a serene break from the hustle and bustle of people and city we'd been immersed in for almost a week.

Here are a few pictures from our visit...

Exterior Door...I loved the Cross

Door Decorations

Side Tower of the Castle

View of Neushweinschtein from the Bridge

View from Inside the Castle...yes, you can take pictures out the window, just not of the windows.

Part of the walk down the hill

The water was beautiful

Little lens action added color to this shot, but still beautiful.

A beautiful, relaxing walk down to the village.

So with an item marked off the To Do list, we headed back to Munich.  In a couple of hours, we were back to the station, back to the hotel, and headed to the Hofbrauhaus to get back to beer drinking.

Until then, happy travels and many laughs...

Dressing the Part...Dirndl Shopping in Munich

Now in my mind, no trip to Oktoberfest would be complete without having a dirndl to wear to the festivities.  The Broads were on board with getting one too, so before we could go to Oktoberfest, we first had to go dirndl shopping! 

What's a dirndl you ask? 

In the 19th century, dirndls were worn by Austrian or Bavarian servants and the working women of the region.  In the 1870's, the upper classes adopted the dirndl as high fashion and today's styles vary from simple to exquisitely crafted dresses made of expensive materials.  The dirndl is mostly worn in Austria and Bavaria (Southern Germany) and is used as an everyday dress primarily by older women in rural areas.  Other women wear it at formal occasions and during traditional events. The dirndl consists of a bodice, blouse, full skirt and apron.  In Southern German dialects, Dirndl originally referred to a young woman or girl and Dirndlgewand to the dress.  However, today, Dirndl may refer either to a young woman or the dress.

On our second day in Munich, the broads and my cousin headed out to find the perfect dirndl!  My first impression of dirndl shopping was a quaint little shop with Bavarian decor and old German ladies as the shopkeeper.  While there were a few shops a little more "German" than others, we found most of the dirndls in German department stores.  So we headed up the escalator at the Galleria department store to see what options were available.  It took a little work to figure out what sizes we needed as German sizes are numbered differently, but once we solved that, we were good to go.  Many stores later, we all found great dirndls!  

The shopping was not without folly!  Dirndl blouses are half shirts which make it a challenge to get on and off.  Many of the dresses have side zippers and B found out first hand that there are dangers in side zippers.  My cousin was helping B into her dirndl and zipped her side up...ouch!! While it wasn't funny, especially in that hot dressing room, we couldn't help but laugh.  Sorry B!  

After many hours of shopping, looking, trying on, we made our purchases and were ready to hit Oktoberfest in style!  I was also excited to have my very own German dirndl to wear not only in Munich but in the coming months at Wurstfest in New Braunfels. 

Until then, happy travels and many laughs...

Hofbrauhaus Munchen

The Hofbrauhaus, founded in 1589 by the Duke of Bavaria, Wilhelm V, is one of Munich's most famous and oldest beer halls. The beer became world famous with the "Bavarian Beer Purity Law" of 1516 which stated only natural ingredients could be used in the brewing process.  Many notable people frequented the Hofbrau, with Mozart and Hitler being among the most famous.  Mozart lived nearby and claimed to have written the opera Idomeneo after several visits to the Hofbrauhaus, which prepared him for the task. 

The Munich Communist government set up headquarters in the beer hall in 1919 and by 1920, Adolf Hitler and the National Socialists held their first meeting in the Festival Room, Festsaal, on the third floor.  The Nazi Party used the halls to declare policies and hold functions.  Ironically, Hitler did not drink beer, eat red meat, or smoke, so other than using the hall for Nazi Party functions, he did not partake of the activities on the first floor.  (If you look closely, you can see where the swastikas have been painted over on the ceiling.)

As you can guess, this famous beer hall is a favorite among tourists and our first night in Munich, we were three of many tourists enjoying the revelry, cold beer and tasty food of the Hofbrauhaus.  If you've never been to Munich, you must make this place your first stop for German food and beer.  It will not disappoint!

The atmosphere when you walk in is awesome!  The large hall is filled with "oompah" music from the house polka band and people are singing along while toasting each other.  For those of you who have been to Wurstfest, the feeling is similar.  Many people sitting together, enjoying good beer and great company.  Now let me explain the seating at the beer halls...it's communal.  There are no 4-tops or 6-tops or even a hostess, but just long tables with wooden benches.  Find a place to sit and make new friends!  

Hofbrauhaus Menu

Another thing to note is the beer.  When you go to a brewery, like Hofbrauhaus or Augustiner, you will drink the beer they brew.  There is no selection of brands, but the types of beer they offer.  Now don't worry.  If you're a beer drinker, I guarantee you will like what they serve.  Oh and they serve it in big glasses!  The large glasses, known as a Maß (mas), are 1 liter or 33 fluid ounces.  The beer is strong, the servings are large and you will have a great time!  Fair warning: The first Maß goes down easy.  If you're not careful, you'll be ordering your third and be drunk! (Not that it's a bad thing...)

As for the food, it's delicious.  Ask for an English menu if you can't read German to avoid ordering something you might not enjoy.  The sausages were tasty, the big pretzels perfectly crunchy and soft, and the other meats mouthwatering good.  Oh and if you see Pork Knuckle on the menu, it sounds gross but is actually pretty good.

We visited the Hofbrauhaus two different times... 

The first night in Munich, A, B and I went there for dinner and our first German beers.  We found an empty table, ordered up our food and beers and toasted our first night in Germany!  During the course of several hours, we toasted multiple times (Prost!) and later in the evening (and many Maß into it) we were joined by some German grenades. (See Jersey Shore for grenade reference.)  Now, I appreciate meeting new people and we did learn some tips about attending Oktoberfest, but after a while these dudes were a bit much.  However B did get a marriage proposal from one of them!  So after the one sitting next to me told me to speak German to him, it was time for the check. 

A few nights later, after our trip to Neuschwanstein Schloss, A, B, my cousin, her hubby & I headed to the Hofbrauhaus for dinner.  Neither of them had been yet, so we definitely had to make the trip!  We arrived a few hours later than our first visit and the place was packed.  After a lap around the inside, we headed outside and found a table occupied with a nice American couple from Arizona.  Now my cousin's hubby doesn't know a stranger, so within minutes we were friends with the Arizona folks.  After many beers and plenty of food later, we wrapped up our evening.  Another great night in an old German beer hall.  It really doesn't get much better than nights like this.

Until then, happy travels and many laughs...






 

A little train ride...

After a wonderful time in Florence, it was time to head to Germany!

Early Monday morning,

we hopped on a train to Bologna.

Then another train to Verona.

Then our final train to Munich.

This day long excursion took us through Northern Italy, the middle of Austria, the Alps and a nice chunk of Bavaria, a.k.a Southern Germany.

This train trip was A's first train travel in Europe and she definitely got to experience the European train system.  The first train was fancy, the second a basic regional train, and the final one a solidly nice train, but not fancy like the first. (Too bad!)

The final train, a 5 hour trip, placed us in our own compartment that would be shared with other people.  Before the train left the station in Verona, we all said a little prayer to have good folks sharing the compartment with us and for all of them to have showered or used deodorant recently.  (Come on! You would too!)  For the first 2 hours, we had the compartment to ourselves which was really nice.  We chatted, napped, and enjoyed the scenery.  A stop in northern Italy brought us our first passengers...a nice German woman, who spoke no English, and an Italian man, who talked on the phone for the majority of his train ride.  Another stop, the Italian departed and the train compartment was left to the four of us.

Somewhere in Austria, we picked up our final and most memorable passenger...Captain Smelly McGee from Australia.  Cappy, in his early 60's, bumbled his way into our compartment.  A man on day 21 of a 24 day tour of Europe and I'm pretty sure he hadn't bathed more than once during his trip.

As his odor filled the compartment, he began chatting with us.  Now I'm quite the talker, but on this day, I just didn't feel like engaging ol' Captain.  B & I leaned our heads into the hallway frequently for breaths of fresh air as A engaged Capt. Smelly in conversation.  They discussed his trip, his phone card usage (he'd used all but 14 minutes of his 160 min card...shocking!), McDonald's filet of fish vs. an Australian competitor, and the value of said food. Captain old us stories about losing his money, passport, and other things by leaving them on the train...more than once. He also showed us his Captain's hat that a lady had drawn boobies on at last year's Oktoberfest.  Classy!

Did I feel bad about leaving A with the old guy? No.  Not really.  She's pretty good about shutting out people if she wants, but she chose to keep chatting with him.  So I left her with him chatting about whatever it was he rambled on about including above mentioned topics.  Now the sweet German woman is there for all of this.  She's quietly holding her bag, looking out the window, but you can tell she even thinks he smells.

Almost a hour before our final destination, the train makes a stop.  The German lady gathers her stuff and says "Munchen" and walks out of the compartment.  Now this is not the final stop.  Nor is this her stop because the tag on our compartment said she was going to Munich.  So we wonder where she's going.  Maybe she changed her plans and is getting off at this location instead.  We say goodbye and deal with another hour of Cappy.

The train pulls into the Munich Hbf and we gather our stuff as quickly as possible.  We are ready to be off the train and away from Smelly McGee.  A and I bust down the hallway and head to the door...where low and behold who do we see??  The sweet German lady from our compartment.  We make eye contact and all start to laugh.  She had this guilty look on her face because she left early and was trying to tell us to come with her.  Our best guess is she went to the dining car for the remainder of trip to avoid the odorous man.  The three of us laughed SO hard that she had left.  B is stuck behind the Captain and at one point yells at him "Mister! Mister! You forgot your bag." He'd left his suitcase just sitting in the hallway and was getting off the train.  No wonder he'd lost stuff...he didn't know how to keep track of anything.  

With our arrival in Munich, we headed through the train station and around the corner to our hotel.  We were greeted at the front steps by my cousin and her husband having a beer on the patio.  After a nice little visit, we headed to our rooms, dropped our bags, and headed off for our first beers in Germany.

Until then, happy travels and many laughs...

Italian Bonus

Ponte Vecchio

Leaving a day early for the Oktoberfest fun, the broads snuck in a short but wonderful few days in Florence, Italy. The long flight overseas makes for a very long day, but the best way to get in the current time zone is not to crash immediately when you arrive.  With that in mind, we arrived to Florence early afternoon, dropped out bags at the hotel and headed out to find lunch. 

There's a great little spot right behind the leather market that has solid pizza and a tasty risotto.  I've eaten there a couple times now and really enjoy the food.  It's the weakest meal we experienced while in the city, but it still knocks the socks off most Italian establishments in the US. Afterwards, we walked around looking at the buildings, window shopping a little and enjoying our first (of many) cups of gelato. 

Ah gelato.  How I love you so! I'm a huge ice cream fan but it doesn't hold a candle to real Italian gelato.  Now, I'm sure you've had it in the states, but it's just not the same.  Really. Really.  There's a freshness, a flavor-fulness that truly cannot be replicated. That's not saying there isn't good gelato in the US, but this is truly best. Some could argue that it tastes better because of the location.  True.  I will give you that.  However, I still say head to head, the real stuff will win every time.

Bell Tower at Duomo

Fighting the urge to crash, we head to the hotel, The Hermitage, to have a drink on the roof top terrace.  The terrace overlooks the Ponte Vecchio and provides stunning views of the many prominent buildings in Florence.  The Hermitage is my new favorite hotel in Florence. A big
thanks to LaDonna Matura and her booking our group there last year.  The hotel is not very large and feels like you're staying at a relatives house but without the intrusion of family. (Ha!) The daily breakfast is wonderful and the rooms are clean and comfy (with A/C).

Before getting our drinks, I checked with the front desk about an email I sent regarding dinner reservations during our stay. I had requested a booking at one of my favorite places in Florence, Coquinarius. Much to my surprise, we were booked for that evening at 8:30. Now that doesn't seem very late for a Saturday night, especially in Italy, but after a full day of travel it might as well have been midnight.  

After a quick nap, we headed off to an enjoyable dinner at Coquinarius, a small little restaurant tucked away on a side street close to the Duomo.  The menu offers a large variety of traditional Tuscan fare from crostinis to pastas to meats and cheeses.  I highly recommend two of the antipasta crostinis (large piece of toast)...one with melted brie cheese topped with honey and slivered toasted almonds and the other with melted pecornio topped with mixed grilled veggies.  Delicious!!  I really love this place, but I will offer up that the service is at an Italian pace, so if you're in a hurry to eat, stick with the commercialized tratittorias on the main piazzas.  Italian food is meant to be savored, so order a glass of wine, kick back and enjoy the dining experience.  

As I fell into bed a little after midnight, freshly showered and full of amazing Tuscan food, I was happy.  I was happy to be in Florence.  I was happy to be in Florence with two of my best friends.  I was happy to be so blessed.

David in Piazza Signoria

The next morning, we get up early and enjoy breakfast in the beautiful dining room on the 5th floor of the hotel.  Over strong coffee and a little Nutella on toast, we plan out our day in Florence.  First up, we hit the bustling leather market for wonderful scarves, leather goods, and other souvenirs.  B bought a beautiful green bag for work and I found a purple leather portfolio for all my extensive list making. A little gelato stop fueled us for a walk around the Duomo and in search for Il Papiro, an amazing Florentine paper store.  After some wandering and a little luck, we found the paper store.  We bought a few items and the store clerk showed us how they make the marbled paper.  It's an amazing process and the clerk gave us the sample she made as a souvenir.  

Brunelleschi's Duomo

With all our shopping, it was time to eat again.  We wandered down another side street and found a wonderful little place that knocked our socks off!!  I just love finding places like that.  The Caprese salad (fresh buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes and basil) started off the meal perfectly.  All three of us love this salad and it truly tastes the very best in Italy.  Up next, we ordered three different pasta dishes.  A ordered the Carbonara, which was perfectly done despite the ham being a bit salty for the dish.  B ordered mushroom risotto, which is in the top 5 of my all time risotto dishes.  I ordered the pasta with pepper and pecornio cheese.  This dish is amazing!  Pasta cooked perfectly with grated pecornio cheese and fresh ground pepper mixed in just a the right time to perfectly coat each pasta strand.  What a great find for our lunch!!

We paid the bill and headed out to do some more wandering and shopping.  Florence is the kind of city where you just wander and see where it takes you.  I love taking in the architecture, feeling the city and finding prizes to take home.  One prize I found for myself was a huge ceramic plate painted in the reds and blues of Florence with a pattern unique to the city.  It will look great in my house and be a reminder of this trip and my love for the city.  During the afternoon, it rained off and on and while some might see that as a negative, the three of us enjoyed seeing the rain and feeling the drops on our skin. 

Il Porcellino

After our final meal, we stop by the leather market, Mercato Nuvo, now empty and quiet, to follow in the tradition of rubbing Il Porcellino's nose.  With the original statue sheltered in the Museo Bardini, the replica on the south side of the market allows for this tradition to continue.  Visitors to Il Porcellino place a coin in the gaping mouth of the boar's jaws and allow the coin to fall through the grate below for good luck.  A rub of the boar's snout ensures the return to Firenze and keeps the nose of the statue polished while the rest of the body is a dull brownish green.  A, B, and I each took our turns rubbing the boars nose to ensure our return trip and enjoying our final evening in this Renaissance city.

 

With miles walked around the city, Euros spent on goodies for ourselves and our loved ones, cups of gelato and bowls of pasta consumed, we packed our bags and headed to bed for our last night in Florence. In the morning, we were off to another adventure in another country...

Until then, happy travels and many laughs...

The Broads Abroad!

A, B & I took Italy and Germany by storm last week! The trip originated from my cousin's husband turning 50 and wanting to celebrate this momentous occasion in Munich at Oktoberfest.  Anyone and everyone was invited to attend the festivities (paying your own way of course) and celebrate his big 5-0! So, the girls and I jumped on the opportunity to make the trek to Deutschland and experience the real Oktoberfest.

Now where does Italy play into this trip?

Well, you see to go that far over there and not go to Italy would be a travesty in my opinion.  So, for $100 more per ticket, we flew into Florence (Firenze) for a couple of days before heading to Munich.  Firenze is my favorite city in the world outside of the US. I'm seriously in love with the place and cannot begin to explain how I feel about it. The place moves me, the Duomo brings tears to my eyes, and the authentic Tuscan food makes me a self proclaimed Italian food snob. 

After a very short but wonderful trip to Firenze, we headed to Munich by train to start the week of beer drinking and revelry.  This trip was an experience in culture, filled with laughter, and the making of many memories. 

Over the course of the next several blog posts, I will  recount our many adventures, provide a few recommendations, and create a permanent record of one heck of a trip.  I hope you enjoy each story as much as I love writing about these crazy times.

Until then, happy travels and many laughs...     

NYC Nuptials

A few weeks ago, my mom and I headed to NYC for the wedding of the son of our long time family friends.  Here's the quick run down of the highlights...the rest of the story is told thanks to the Hipstamatic photo App.  Enjoy!

Hotel: 

The W at Times Square.  A bit pricey, but what isn't in the City.  

Wedding: 

Amazing!!  Wonderful ceremony in Madison Square Park and reception at Hill Country BBQ, a little slice of Texas BBQ heaven in the Big Apple.  I really felt like I was back in Texas...food, ambiance, and all!

Tour of the City: 

Real New York Tours shows NYC through the eyes of New Yorkers.  Our guide, Ted, a 3rd generation New Yorker, offered insights and highlights of lower Manhattan to our group.  Use this group if you want to see the real New York.

Entrance to Rockefeller Center from Avenue of the Americas

Atlas

Grand Central Station

Bleecker Street in Lower Manhattan

Chrysler Building

Rebuilding at Ground Zero

NY Public Library Hallway

Worth the trip inside...

Patience, the South lion, on the steps of the NY Public Library

Beautiful building in Greenwich Village

5th Avenue on a Thursday

Get your tickets to the Christmas Spectacular!  It's truly spectacular!

Lunch on the Ice Rink floor at Rockefeller Center

NYC Subway

Little bit of Texas in NYC

Times Square at night...so bright.

Happy wedding!

And that's it friends! 

Until next time, happy travels and many laughs...

Lake Tahoe: Best of Both Worlds

A few weeks ago, I joined my folks and their friends for a long weekend golfing, relaxing, and enjoying the amazing weather on the North shore of Lake Tahoe.  The trip originated a few years ago as a dudes golfing weekend, but this year turned into a couples trip. Well, and me.  I tagged along with the "over 60 crowd" for the wonderful weekend in the cool climate. 

Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in the US and the second deepest in the US behind Crater Lake by just 300 feet.  Created more than 2 million years ago during the Ice Age, the lake is known for its clear water and surrounding mountains.  While not equally divided, the state line between California and Nevada runs directly through the lake and the highway around the lake provides year round access to Reno, Carson City and Sacramento. The area is popular both as a summertime recreational area with hiking, whitewater rafting and lake activities and a winter time attraction for snow and skiing.  On the Nevada side, you can gamble in the many casinos on both the North and South shores.  

Now the title mentions Lake Tahoe being the best of both worlds.   What do I mean by that?  I don't know about you but I love both the mountains and the ocean.  Well, Lake Tahoe may not be an ocean, but it's SO big you get the same wave like effects and miles of beach front access.  So combine a lovely beach front setting with mountains all around and voila! the best parts of land and sea.  I have never visited the area in the winter but I can only imagine how beautiful it is with the snow covered mountains and blue lake. Perhaps, I need to see this soon...

Upon our arrival in Reno, the fellas hurried everyone off the plane, into the rental cars and zoomed over the pass to Incline Village to drop us ladies off and get to the golf course.  They were quite excited about the 3 days of golf planned at some of the best courses in the area.  The ladies were left to check into our rooms at the Hyatt at Incline Village.  This is a great resort for both families, girls/guys trips, or couples retreats.  The hotel offers standard hotel rooms, suites and even larger condos close to the beach.  The hotel hosts a variety of activities onsite and has plenty of connections with other outfitters to suit your parasailing, horseback riding, kayaking needs. (Fair warning, the concierge while knowledgeable is not great with follow through and can be off putting at times.)

While the fellas golfed, the ladies were free to do whatever we pleased.  Some chose to read and relax by the pool, others chose to gamble, and others enjoyed the amazing Stillwater Spa located within the hotel.  My choices included white water rafting, spa time, gambling and napping where possible.  This is the first trip I've taken in a while that had no real plan other than a few dinner reservations, which was a nice treat to not have any set plan.  Ahhhhh, relaxation!!

Our first full day in Lake Tahoe sent the fellas off for an early tee time and 5 of us ladies headed north 20 minutes to Truckee, California for a half day white water rafting adventure with IRIE Rafting Company.  This is a great company and the guides are well trained and very personable.  I really liked their style and definitely will raft with them again.  Our trip started out on the gentle part of the Lower Gorge of the Truckee River.  We said hello to the fly fishermen scattered along the river and applauded one guy's large trout catch.  The first couple miles provided a refresher on rowing, team work and general commands for the upcoming rapids.  We rafted through a few Class II boulder gardens and warmed up for bigger rapids. Halfway through the trip, the rapids grow larger and closer together as the river begins to narrow and become steeper.  We smoked a few bigger rapids and excitedly awaited the final mile of the river for Jaws and Bronco!  These are fun rapids and ones I've done previously at a higher water level (read more intense).  With it being August, the water flows are lower but these 2 rapids did not disappoint.  Precise rowing and teamwork are necessary for these rapids and our guide, Aryan, did a great job taking us through these rapids.  I almost fell out during Bronco, but managed to throw myself back into the boat and avoided becoming a member of the Truckee River swim team, but didn't avoid a large bruise on my thigh.

On the way back from rafting, we stopped at the Blue Onion Cafe, at the Brockway Golf Course, the oldest course in Lake Tahoe, for a lovely lunch on the patio.  I enjoyed the chicken, spinach, roasted tomato, and feta crepe, while Mom had a killer crabcake salad.  Another lady in our group had a tuna sandwich that looked amazing...avacado, perfectly red tomoatoes, crisp lettuce.  Just being able to sit on the patio at 2 pm and not sweat was a treat.  Our group decided over lunch that for the cold winters the people in this area endure, they deserve to get nice days like that.  It was hard to think about going home when the view, the food, the weather was so lovely there.

Now it seems like I'm jumping from lunch to dinner and I suppose I am, but in between rafting and lunch, I really didn't do much.  I believe there was a nap involved, sitting on a rocking chair outside looking at the mountains, and a bit of gambling.  

Our second evening took us to Garwood's Grill and Pier which is a quick drive from the hotel into California and one of my dad's favorite places to eat on the lake.  Tucked into the shore line in Carnelian Bay, the restaurant boasts floor to ceiling views of the water with indoor and outdoor seating, offers valet boat parking, delicious food and an impressive drink menu.  The famous drink on the menu is the Wet Woody (insert joke here). My selections for the evening included the salmon special served grilled on a bed of basamati rice and grilled asparagus.  The huge portion (too much really) was delicious.  I also enjoyed a Cucumber vodka mojito that was quite refreshing and not too minty. If you're in the area, make a reservation and eat here.  There's really nothing bad on the menu!

As the boys headed off to play their final round, most of us ladies headed to the spa for the morning. I love the Stillwater Spa at the Hyatt.  The hotel does a great job providing a consistent product with their spas across the resort chain.  Some of the ladies enjoyed facials and pedicures, while I chose an alpine glow sugar scrub and an eighty minute massage. It was absolute heaven!

After our pampering, we headed off to the lake for a 2.5 hour catamaran ride on Lake Tahoe.  The clear sky and cool breeze made the excursion quite enjoyable and the drinks and snacks served by the friendly crew topped off a great ending to our weekend getaway.  As you know from previous posts, I love being on the water and this sail was perfect...a little nap on the trampoline part of the boat, a few pictures for posterity and lovely conversation with friends.  During our trip, one of the ladies received a video from her son and daughter in law's baby reveal party...it's a GIRL!  Squeals erupted and hugs ensued!

On our final evening, we headed to the South Shore for dinner at The Chart House.  The restaurant, known for its quality steaks, specialty prime rib, and fresh seafood, is nestled halfway up the mountain a few minutes from downtown Stateline and offers amazing views of the Lake Tahoe basin.  I ordered the house specialty, prime rib, and enjoyed every. single. bite.  The Chart House didn't disappoint from the fresh salad bar, wonderful entrees, and the out of this world chocolate lava cake.  Be sure to tell your waiter you want one of these as it takes 30 minutes to prepare and be share with your table.  You may need to spend a few more minutes in your spin class after this meal, but believe me, it's totally worth it.

As the sun set over the lake and the sky changed from rosy red to blue and starry, we headed back to the hotel with another fun weekend under our belts.  More fun times with friends.  More memories made. And a great way to wrap up the summer and head into the fall.

Until then, happy travels and many laughs...

90's Rock Rules!

Even 15 years later, BUSH rocked the stage at Stubb's last night as part of the 101X 16th Anniversary concert series. The sold out show did not disappoint and I was pleasantly surprised to hear Gavin Rossdale sound just as good in 2011 as he did when I saw him at Rockfest in 1997. They played all of the oldies from Sixteen Stone and Razorblade Suitcase, plus new material for their new album coming out next month.

Now, for those of you who know me, I can be a little high maintenance about concerts. For one, I am not a fan of General Admission/Festival type events. My back issues make standing on a hard surface for hours not very comfortable and frankly I prefer to pay a little more for a reserved seat, which I can choose to stand or sit as I please. Secondly, I run hot. All. The. Time. So summer outdoor events, and especially this summer, are serious sweatfests in my mind. I'm not afraid to sweat, but I hate being like a waterfall! Last night was both a General Admission show and HOT, but I went and I'm SO happy I did. BUSH is one of my favorite 90's rock bands and I love me some Gavin. The show was great! He ended the show with a shirtless performance for the last few songs and ended it with an encore of Glycerin and Comedown.

Last night also brought back many great memories from college...

My freshman year of college, I attended Baylor University (don't ask me why, I don't really know). On Sundays when I'd have to go back to Waco, I would put on my Sixteen Stone CD and haul ass north on 35. I can remember putting it on as soon as I hit the interstate and flying. In the Spring of my freshman year, I might not have wanted to head to Waco but with BUSH blaring, all was right with the world.

In the summer of 1997, between my freshman and sophomore year of college, Blockbuster Video put on Rockfest at Texas Motor Speedway in DFW. The line up was huge...BUSH, Counting Crows, Collective Soul, No Doubt...and the tickets were FREE. Yes, free. So a group of my friends loaded up to spend the weekend at a family friends house and join 300,000 of our closest friends for this one day mega concert. The stories are too numerous but includes lots of traffic, the radio playing a live BUSH concert on the radio and us thinking we were missing the show because of traffic, a girl with a blown out flip flop walking into the show which sparked the suburban to start singing Jimmy Buffett, seeing girls in thong bikinis in the infield area (not common back then), Katie getting hit on the head by a gigantic roll of toilet paper, and when leaving the show, being stuck in traffic in the parking lot for so long we pulled out of the line for a few hours to sleep and when we woke up no one had moved. In short, it was A-Mazing.

The 4:45 am wake up call this morning was early, but in the end, it was totally worth it. This is my life and I'm going to live it to the fullest. I'd rather be dog tired on the plane, than regret not going to that show. As my cousin always says "You can sleep when you're dead."

With that, I'm headed to Lake Tahoe for a few days of beautiful scenery, cooler weather, and material for my next blog entry.

Until then happy travels and many laughs...


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Gone Fishin' (Again)

After our quick trip to Nawlins last week, we headed south to Venice, Louisiana and hopped on the Big Valley fishing boat. My folks, a couple others, and I were guests of a long time family friend and business associate, who's company owns the boat. While I won't go into the specifics about the boat, let me just say it's a very nice boat and made the 3 night trip at sea quite comfortable.

Late Wednesday afternoon, we pulled out of the marina and "went down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico" for 2 serious days of fishing. (Did you catch the song lyric there? If you did, here's a high five from me to you!) I watched the sun fade into the Gulf and my cell service with it as we headed out into the middle of nowhere. It was an odd but good feeling to completely disconnect for a few days.

Over the next 72 hours, my agenda consisted of fishing, eating, sleeping, drinking, reading and just being. Thursday morning came bright and early with some Black Fin and Yellow Fin tuna fishing. These fish are so fun to watch jump out of the water...its just a show to watch them leap and jump up and then splash back in the water as they feed on a bait ball. The black fin are like little rockets just barely breaking the surface and shooting back in the water. The yellow fin leap up and make arcs in the air, with the big ones jumping several feet out of the water.

Our host's wife caught the first and the biggest fish of the trip, a huge 80 pound Yellow Fin tuna. So immediately her nickname became "Big Fish." Mom was next and caught a nice size black fin. We each took turns as the reels started screaming and we hauled in fish.

Later in the morning it was my turn again and I was down in the stateroom getting something when I heard dad yell in the cabin "Elizabeth!!! Fish on!!!" I took off up the stairs and ran through the kitchen/living area, out the door and jumped in the big chair. It's a good thing no one was in my way because I'm pretty positive they would have had my foot prints on their body. As I land in the chair and they give me the rod, I see s big ol' dolphin jump out of the air! Oh, yea baby!! It's on!!! With the knowledge I've gained from my Key West fishing trips, I deftly reeled in the biggest bull dolphin I've ever caught!!! 40 pounder!! It put up a good fight, but I prevailed.

Now a couple things about my catch:
1. The dolphin I refer to is also known as Dorado or on the dinner menu, Mahi Mahi. So don't worry, I didn't catch Flipper.
2. I know my pics usually are of things, places or food because this blog is about the story and not about the people per say, but on this rare occasion I include my picture because it's the biggest dolphin I've ever caught and I had to share this picture.

For 2 days and 3 nights, we hauled in Yellow Fin tuna, Black Fin tuna, Dolphin and I brought in my first Wahoo. With no real agenda, other than fishing, I completely "kicked the clutch out" and enjoyed the trip. It's rare that I have time to just sit and reflect on the beauty of nature, snap pictures of oil rigs and sunsets, read a book, take a nap at 10 am on a Thursday, or visit with family and friends deeper than just pleasantries.

As the boat docked on Saturday morning, Captain Fun and the deck hands cleaned our fish, we packed our bags, said our good-byes and headed back to NOLA to catch our plane. The world had not stopped because I couldn't check my phone and those emails, phone calls and texts did wait to be answered. If you haven't had time to check out lately, I suggest you do. I think you'll enjoy it.

Until then, happy travels and many laughs...

The Big Easy in less than 24 hours

Before heading off shore for a few days of deep sea fishing last week, our group (my folks & some family/business friends) wanted to hit New Orleans for some good Cajun food and a "little" drinking. Now while I do love the city, I could've skipped it and headed straight to the boat because I LOVE me some deep sea fishing.

But I digress...

New Orleans is a city unlike any other...rich with history, culture and some amazing food and music. For those of you who haven't been to NOLA, definitely do a little research about the history of the city and what not before you go. But definitely go.

It's a quick flight from Austin and we land with a hustle in our step as dinner reservations loomed merely a hour from leaving the airport. Now it's only 15 min from the airport to downtown, but once we arrived in the French Quarter traffic came to a crawl. With our hotel right on Bourbon street and said street closing at 7 pm each night, we had a little detouring to do to get to our location.

In the past, we've stayed at the Windsor Court , which is a very fancy hotel with high tea served every afternoon and antiques in each room. It's a very lovely experience and it still surprises me that it's one of my dad's favorite hotels. For those of you who know my dad, you understand what I'm saying. For those of you who don't, well let's just say that while well educated both formally and in life, he's a boots and jeans guy and not what I'd call "fancy." And the Windsor Court, she's a fancy lady.

Now that I'm completely off track, let's bring it back to the story.

This time, we stayed at the Inn on Bourbon, which sits at the corner of Bourbon and Toulouse. Great great location for being in the middle of the action. Terrible location if you have a balcony room opening up to Bourbon Street when it's not Mardi Gras. You guessed it! My room was just round the corner and when I went to bed, it was loud. Real loud. Guess I should've had one more cocktail before going to sleep...

For dinner that evening, we walked down a few blocks to Galatiore's. I've eaten here once before and enjoyed the experience. The service is nice but no shorts are allowed and men have to wear a dinner jacket. (Don't worry if you left yours at home, they have quite a few that you can borrow. Size, color, and cleanliness are variables to consider however when packing your bags.) Now I'm all about experiencing well established restaurants and this place is one with a long standing tradition in NOLA. It's known for serving authentic French Creole cuisine and is run by the fourth generation of the same family. However, this evening, I was not impressed. The food was solid. The fried soft shell crab and shrimp remoulade salad appetizers were flavorful and my red fish special was very well prepared. The service was good, but the overall experience was a B- at best.

My complaints? I'm glad you asked.

The place was packed and extremely noisy. Super noisy really. So loud that I thought I needed a hearing aid just to hear my mom across the table. On top of the noise, every 10-15 minutes (and sometimes less than 5 minutes apart) the head waiter would ding a glass to get everyone's attention to announce a birthday or anniversary. Really? Yes. Really. The first time it happened I thought nothing of it but after the 15th time, I was appalled. This is not TGIFriday's or some Mexican food restaurant but a $30+ a plate restaurant!! I suggested to our table that for every announcement made the fellas should get to ditch their jackets for 15 minutes. I felt bad for those guys in 98 degree weather plus humidity with a not so cool A/C running to HAVE to wear a dinner jacket in this not so classy environment. Disappointed to say the least.

Now, let me tell you about a great experience...breakfast the next morning at Brennan's. This is a MUST DO when you're in New Orleans. The restaurant has a great history and if you have time, go check it out on their website. I found it to be an interesting read and insightful of the restaurant's success. Brennan's is also home to Bananas Foster...a tasty cinnamon, sugar banana desert flambeed table side and served with vanilla Blue Bell ice cream. The service here is amazing. The dress code is casual, even with it's formality, but if you want to dress up, I say go for it!! Brennan's offers a Prix Fixe menu with three courses of yumminess!!

Our table selections included...

Starter:
-Southern Baked Apple with Double Cream (OMG! It's like Thanksgiving in your mouth!) -Oyster soup
-Turtle soup (actually better than it sounds and a creole staple.)
-Okra gumbo

Main dish:
-Eggs Sardou: Poached eggs on artichoke bottoms nestled in a bed of creamed spinach and covered with Hollandaise sauce
-Eggs Hussarde: (A Brennan's Original) One of the dishes that put "Breakfast at Brennan's" on the map. Poached eggs atop Holland rusks, Canadian bacon and Marchand de Vin sauce. Topped with Hollandaise sauce.
-Shrimp Sardou: Deliciously spicy fried shrimp atop sliced artichoke bottoms nestled in a bed of creamed spinach and covered with Hollandaise sauce. (I'm getting THIS next time!)
-Eggs Shannon: Poached eggs atop fried trout, served in a bed of creamed spinach and topped with Hollandaise sauce.
-Eggs Bayou LaFourche: Poached eggs atop Andouille Cajun sausage and Holland rusks. Topped with Hollandaise sauce.

Dessert:
-Louisiana Chocolate Pecan Pie: served with Homemade Vanilla Blue Bell ice cream
-Bananas Foster: A Brennan Creation and now World-Famous. Bananas sautéed in butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and banana liqueur, then flamed in rum. Served over vanilla ice cream. Scandalously Delicious!
-Crepes Fitzgerald: A Brennan Creation. Crepes filled with a delicate filling of cream cheese and sour cream served with a topping of strawberries flamed in Maraschino. Scrumptious!

*Descriptions courtesy of Brennan's website.

As for drinks, they are famous for their Bloody Mary's and I personally love the Mr. Funk (champagne, cranberry & peach schnapps).

You may think it's a bit pricey, but let me promise you this...the food is great, the service amazing and the portions large. In short, it's worth every penny!

Now I don't want to forget that before our late breakfast at Brennan's, Mom, Dad and I took a walk to Jackson Square to look around, take a few pictures, and get our pre-breakfast beignets from Cafe du Monde. What's a beignet you ask? Well as my cousin put it, it's "a little treat sent down from heaven." It's a French doughnut if you will. A fried piece of dough, rectangular, and covered with powdered sugar. This place must go through tons of powdered sugar each week. They are quite generous in their application of the sugary substance. Delish!

After enjoying a beignet or two to tide us over before breakfast, we walk around the French Quarter window shopping and picking up a few postcards to send home. The day is hot and humid and only gets more intense as the day continues. While the summer months are not the best time to go with the heat and humidity, in NOLA the good times always roll.

With our visit complete, we load up and head south towards Venice, Louisiana for the next adventure. And my next blog entry.

Until then happy travels and many laughs...