Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Wine Country Redux

Another year, another Labor Day weekend approaches.  We planned a revisit to the Santa Ynez Valley again for a couple of days.  Staying in the same lovely rental home, planning some amazing wine country meals at the local cafe in town and, of course, lots and lots of wine tastings in one of the best pinot noir areas in California. It has been an insane few weeks at the office lately thanks to several large projects in the works - I have been working weekends, evenings and generally wanting to punch people in the face for the past 3 weeks so this trip is long overdue for me. I intend to enjoy it to the fullest.

Santa Ynez Valley (Sotheby's)
Our next door neighbor, also a wine lover, is joining us this trip so we're really looking forward to showing him around as this is our 3rd trip there.  The rustic little town of Los Olivos is just perfect for us as everything is in walking distance, there is a farmer's market on Saturday and Sunday, it has a 2-3 cute cafes and over 20 tasting rooms in a 3 block area.  Yes, over 20 tasting rooms all within walking stumbling distance so I can do some serious damage.

Farmer's Market - Los Olivos
About 10 minutes away is also the super cute (if a little fake) town of Solvang, which is actually the largest Dutch community in the United States.  It has windmills, smorgasbords, bakeries and more tasting rooms. The big thing to eat there are abelskivers, which are basically pancake balls filled with jam and covered with powdered sugar.  I actually haven't had one yet b/c they don't exactly look healthy but I may make an exception this trip.

How cute is this place?
If the town looks familiar it's because that where the movie Sideways was filmed (remember Jack and Miles?). We usually visit several of the places where the movie was filmed, including the Hitchin' Post for steak and the Los Olivos Cafe, both of which happen to have great food as well.  There are tons and tons of wineries in the general area too.  Too many to visit all of them, unfortunately.

This will be me and Steve in a few days

The weather is supposed to be perfect the whole time.  Highs in the mid 80's and lows in the low 50's.  I plan to go jogging every morning when it's about 55-60 degrees (what a treat compared to Texas where it is in the 90's and crazy humid right now) to work off all the wine and food.  Counting down.....

Friday, July 20, 2012

Thank You, Hail Storm from Hell

One month ago, we got hit by a horrible hailstorm in our neighborhood.  One of those freak late afternoon, pop-up thunderstorms that produced baseball sized hail for a solid 20-30 minutes.  It destroyed our roof, our gutters, 15 windows on the house, some of the wood on the house and our trees and backyard.
Front of our House after the Storm

Backyard Tree Carnage - there is a patio under all that debris
View of our Street after Storm - Steam is rising from the hail stones

Just a sample of some of the window damage


It also claimed the lives of both of our cars as we do not have a garage or covered carport to protect them.  Our poor vehicles took a beating for the entire storm and our insurance company totaled them out and gave us $30K for both of them.  Steve's poor Nissan Altima didn't even want to start when they came to tow it to the salvage yard a week later.  I theorize that it had lost its will to live. On the bright side, we get a new roof, new windows and two new cars and we have insurance to cover everything. In fact, the deductible on our cars was only $50 and the home deductible is only $1500 so we're in pretty decent shape, all things considered.
Murano Damage - Back windshield totally gone and
 front windshield shattered and sagging in

 We ended up using all of the insurance money to buy my husband a new 2012 silver Subaru Outback (his choice) and I used some of my rainy day savings to put a down payment on my new car and financed the rest.  I decided that I was tired of my "mom-mobile" Murano which I really only bought because Steve had a smaller sedan and I felt we needed something with more room. The Murano is a fine car but it never really did much for me.  Also, I have never gone the European car route and have only driven Japanese cars my whole life.  That is, until I was introduced to the Audi.  I walked into that dealership and they had me at hello.  I was a goner.  I ended up buying a turbo charged, all wheel drive, white Audi A4 with a souped-up trim package and I love it.  I have never been a car person but I have to admit that if this car were a person, I would marry it. It's so fun to drive and I love the European-style handling of it.  I wasn't planning on buying 2 new cars this year but now I really don't regret the situation at all. I am calling it my cougar wagon - all I need to do is find some twenty year old guys to pick up but I really don't want them messing up the interior of my car or annoying me with their stupid chatter so I guess I'll just stick with Steve.

Well, hello there Lover.
So, looking on the bright side of what was a pretty horrific evening back in June, things turned out all right.  Zoom, zoom, cougar wagon coming through!


Thursday, July 5, 2012

The Big Easy - July 2012

Just spent 4 nights, 5 days in New Orleans.  Verdict?  Hot and sticky.  We had a great time but the humidity was oppressive, as expected.  At first, I was kind of digging the steamy, sultry vibe that I got from the city during the summer.  Makes me feel like I'm in a Faulkner novel. However, after 2-3 days of pouring sweat walking around the Quarter and the Garden District, the "sultry" feel turned into "just plain gross." On a few days, we looked like we had been swimming as our hair and clothes were drenched in sweat.  Add the general funk and smell of the Quarter to that, and I was one hot mess, minus the hotness.  Thus, the reason why I have photos of only places and not us.  Believe me, I am doing you a favor by sparing you those photos - the shine off my forehead alone would blind you.

We arrived on Saturday around 11am and went straight to the Napoleon House for a Pimm's Cup and a quarter muffaletta.  Always a great way to start a trip in The Big Easy. I love the look and feel of this restaurant, which was originally a house built for Napoleon to live in while in exile from France (he never made it back to live there, though). Obviously, remodeling is not a priority.

Napoleon House
Pimm's Cup from NH
Afterwards, we walked around the Quarter, verifying that our old favorite hang-outs were still alive and kicking.  Our favorite go-to watering holes in the Quarter are The Old Absinthe House on Bourbon, Molly's on Toulouse (total dive bar), Harry's Corner (even worse dive bar), Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop and Fritzl's on Bourbon for live European-style jazz music. We walked to Jackson Square and the river as well before having one more drink at The Old Abinsthe House and then heading back to our hotel to check in and clean up for our first fancy-pants dinner.

Helmets hanging from ceiling at Old Absinthe House
Had dinner at Commander's Palace in The Garden District our first night. It was a great meal but not the best I've had in New Orleans.  The best dishes were the turtle soup, which was actually brought to us by accident as we didn't order it and the dessert, a bread pudding souffle with a whiskey sauce.  Our favorite part of the experience there was having a pre-dinner cocktail at their bar, which is a must-do.  They actually bring you through the kitchen, Goodfella's style, before depositing you at a small bar in the back of the kitchen for your drink.  The bartender was hilarious and made a delicious Hemingway martini for me and a Sazerac for Steve (Steve decided he is a Manhattan guy and not a Sazerac man as he doesn't care for licorice flavored things). We ended the night with a late night coffee at Cafe du Monde, always an oldie but goodie.
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CP in the Garden District
The next few days were basically nothing more than sleeping in, an occasional workout at the hotel gym, lunch, walking around, hanging at the hotel's rooftop pool one afternoon, checking out the French Market, taking the streetcar to the Garden District again, late afternoon naps, general shopping and wandering in the Quarter and then plotting for dinner.  Best meals this trip were Mr. B's Bistro for Sunday Jazz Brunch (best BBQ shrimp and shrimp & grits there), Arnaud's for our second fancy-pants dinner and Coop's for a total dive restaurant experience with amazing rabbit Jambalaya and a massive cheeseburger with handcut fries.  We ate well this trip.  We also drank well and a bit too much on two nights.  I wasn't at the top of my game on Monday morning but managed to stage a brilliant come back that evening (and by brilliant, I mean ugly).

Lovely dining room at Arnaud's
Live jazz at Fritzel's

We enjoyed the hotel but it wasn't my favorite place to stay in the Quarter though you can't beat the location.  We stayed at the historic Monteleone Hotel, which is beautiful and has a great bar called The Carousel Bar. The chair seats actually revolve around the bar and they make some great cocktails. They recently remodeled the lobby, the bar and the common areas, which are amazing.  The room was just so-so.  It was small and clean but the closet and storage space for clothes was limited and the wall paper was peeling in the bathroom.  Not just puckered and slightly peeling - a big sheet of it was hanging down like you would expect  to see in a flophouse.  However, our room was at the end of a quiet hallway and we had a nice river view so we decided the wallpaper peeling issue gave the room character and didn't complain.  The rooftop pool and gym were also nice so overall we were happy.  Couldn't beat the location right at Royal and Bienville, too. Just a 2 minute walk to the Old Absinthe House!

Carousel Bar in Monteleone Hotel - the chairs actually spin
around the bar  like a real carousel
View of the Quarter and the Mississippi River from our room

We ended the trip on a bang by going to Acme Oyster House where we pigged out on chargrilled oysters, crawfish puppies, a fried softshell crab poboy and some red beans and rice.  We then walked the Quarter one last time, listened to some kids playing jazz on a street corner and took a 2-hour boat ride down the Mississippi River on the Steamboat Natchez.  Headed back to the hotel (pouring sweat again and smelling gross) to have one last Pimm's Cup at The Carousel Bar before heading to the completely empty airport for a quick flight home on Southwest.  We'll definitely be back to New Orleans again as soon as we can squeeze in a trip!

Street Corner Jazz, NOLA style

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Las Ventanas al Paraiso, Cabo San Lucas

Recently returned from a 4 day, 3 night trip to Las Ventanas al Paraiso in Cabo San Lucas.  LVP is certainly pricey but we felt it was worth it due to the amazing property, rooms and service.  I have never encountered this level of service anywhere.  We actually had two butlers - a day butler and a night butler.  We had a direct flight to Cabo and were greeted at the airport by hotel staff and picked up in a Mercedes SUV.  We were offered our choice of ice cold waters or Coronas, some Mexican candies and he even handed us an Ipod so we could pick what music we wanted to listen to for the 20-30 minute drive to the hotel.

Steve having a Corona in the Mercedes Taxi
At the hotel we were greeted by name by no less than five staff members who also wished us Happy Anniversary.  Our butler then gave us a tour of the property and took us to the casual restaurant, The Sea Grill, for lunch where we indulged on jalapeno margaritas, guacamole and tacos while looking out at the Sea of Cortez and listening to the waves crash on the beach.

Steve with Margarita

Mel with Margarita

Sea Grill Restaurant - LVP

As we finished our margaritas, the butler came back to escort us to our oceanfront junior suite.  It was easily one of the nicest hotel rooms, if not the nicest, that I have ever stayed in (the Four Seasons Santa Barbara comes very close).  The room was huge - almost 1,000 square feet and had a massive terrace overlooking the adult infinity pool and ocean.  We could hear the waves crashing even when inside with the doors closed.  Of course, it had a massive bathroom with double sinks, jacuzzi tub, separate shower and toilet.  The finishes were beautiful throughout and the attention to detail was amazing.  We also had a wood burning fireplace but it was too warm to use it.

LVP - Suite

LVP - Oceanfront Room Outdoor Terrace
LVP also gives you an aromatherapy choice for your evening turn down each night.  They would also leave little gifts in the room for you as well, including a glass blown heart, some fridge magnets, etc...  We ordered room service a few times and it's over the top.  Even a simple order for 6 coronas on the patio were set up in talavera pottery ice buckets, chilled beer glasses, woven placemats and napkins and a small plate with sliced limes and salt.  Sometimes they would even come back when we didn't call just to see if wanted more limes, more ice or beer.  Not to mention that they would periodically go through the room and "fix" things.  If you left your shoes laying out, when you came back you would find them placed in the closet and perfectly lined up. If you left a single towel unfolded, it would be replaced with a perfectly folded one every time you left the room and returned.  They even refolded my underwear and the sweaty gym clothes I left laying out. The most over the top thing I saw was they looked in the closet at our clothes and then supplied us with a "customized" sewing kit that had the needles on a pincushion already threaded with threads that matched our clothes down to an aqua blue linen shirt and a pink dress.  I mean, really?

Aromatherapy Menu - Notice I did not choose the
"Sensuality" option
Room Service Beers
We had a fantastic meal in their fancy restaurant (which had the uncreative name "The Restaurant").  The food was delicious and described as "Mediterrean Baja Cuisine" but seemed more Baja than anything else.  We had a nice view of sunset past the main pool. More margaritas magically appeared, of course.

Margarita at The Restaurant
View from our table at The Restaurant
The next morning we started the day by calling our butler who would bring complimentary coffee and mini-muffins to our terrace.  Next was a workout at the fitness facility (which was huge and empty), followed by a spa treatment.  We each had an amazing massage at the spa, which started with a foot bath and scrub and you were again given a menu to pick what music you wanted to listen to during your massage (Gregorian chants, sounds of nature, tibetan bowls, etc...).  That was followed by lunch (and margaritas) and then to the pool.  We hung out at the adult infinity pool which was right in front of our room.  Again, the service level was incredible.  I was already spoiled by this point.  As soon as you pick a lounge chair at the pool, someone will come running over to set up your umbrella to give you just the amount of sun and shade you want.  They will even come and adjust it as the sun moves.  They also bring you an ice bucket full of waters and evian spritzers.  Staff will come around periodically to offer you sorbet, drink samples or to clean your sunglasses. They even regulate the pool temperature so it's always about 76 degrees.

LVP Adult Infinity Pools
Steve at Pool

We did do a private tequila tasting that afternoon, which was fun but not really my cup of tea.  As I have said many times before "I don't do shots."  I will, however, drink cocktails, wine and beer.  Tasting tequila was pretty much like doing shots as far as I was concerned, even with the expensive aged sipping tequilas.  It was interesting to learn about all the different tequilas and I now know the differences between reposada and anejo but Steve enjoyed it way more than I did.  Again, the set-up was super nice and included some customized chasers and a ceviche sampler.
LVP Tequila Bar
Tequila Tasting Set-up


Friday night was our 10 year anniversary so we had arranged for a private dinner on their plaza.  It was set-up with a view of the ocean, candles everywhere, a portable Ipod and Bose music player and we had our own private waiter.  Had a fantastic meal while watching the sunset.  At the end, Steve "surprised" me with a lovely Cartier watch that I have been wanting for years.  Okay, I already knew I was getting the watch but he did give it in advance to the butler and had the waiter bring it out in a huge decorated tagine so that was nice.

Me and Steve at our anniversary dinner
View from Anniversary Dinner at LVP
View from dinner table at LVP
Surprise Chocolate Cake at Anniversary Dinner

Cartier Watch Gift
After dinner we came back to the room to find a complimentary bottle of champagne that we enjoyed on our terrace.

Complimentary Champagne
Me enjoying said champagne

Our last day was more of the same.  Coffee on the terrace, a good workout at the gym to sweat out the margaritas and champagne and then laying around the pool all afternoon.  While we never really left the resort to go into town, we did manage to go for some walks along the beach and check out some other resorts.  Quite frankly, when you pay as much as you do for a place like LVP, you want to eek out every bit of value from it.  The beach in front of LVP is not swimmable as the waves are simply too big and we saw jellyfish (aka, Steve's nemesis) but it was pretty look at it.

Cabo Beach with Jose the Horseback Riding Guy
Beautiful Sunset

The last treat was getting to see an incredible fireworks show.  There was actually a small wedding at the hotel on Saturday night and they had fireworks on the beach right in front of our room for the wedding so we got to enjoy those on our last night.  Steve tried to act like he had arranged it -- as if I would fall for that.  I would definitely go back to LVP in a heartbeat.  In fact, I hope we can find time to squeeze in a long weekend there next year.  Personally, three days there was enough for me but I would like to go back and rent a car one day to see the actual town of Cabo.  Plus, the next time we go we would do it a little cheaper and probably just get an oceanview room rather than the pricier oceanfront and would forego some of the additional expenses we incurred for expensive wines, private tequila tasting and the private dinner as those were splurges for the anniversary. Either way, the staff at LVP will bend over backwards for you no matter what.  Look forward to a return trip next year!


Thursday, May 3, 2012

10 Year Wedding Anniversary and Cabo San Lucas

Next Friday, May 11, 2012, is the 10-year wedding anniversary for me and Stephen.  I am not the soppy romantic sort (and Lord knows Steve is not either) but I have to say that it has been a wonderful, fabulous, amazing, fun-filled ten years.  Getting married to Steve was the best life decision I ever made and I know that I am very, very lucky to have him as my husband and partner.  Mostly because I am pretty sure there aren't any other men out there who would put up with my big mouth for this long.

Not bad after 10 years

Normally, we celebrate our anniversary with a nice dinner, a card and maybe a small gift.  This year we decided that the Big Ten-O deserved a little more so we are packing our bags for a 3-day weekend trip to Cabo San Lucas.  I chose Las Ventanas al Paraiso because I have heard amazing things about this hotel, the level of service and the amenities.  I would never pick a place this fancy and expensive but this is a splurge trip (frankly, we can't afford to stay there more than 3 days - this place will bleed you dry).  For the price, I have high expectations for this hotel but the photos make it look incredible.

View of Las Ventanas

LVP Spa - Will be getting a massage on Friday
We've booked an ocean front suite (well, all rooms at LVP are suites but we're paying more for "ocean front") and I am keeping my fingers crossed for a free upgrade to an even better room since I have told the hotel staff it's our 10-year anniversary about 30x already.  In my mind, the 10-year anniversary should trump honeymooners.  Hey, I have put in the hours and the blood, sweat and tears whereas they have not, so step aside lovebirds and let me have the upgrade.  With my luck, there will be a convention of "25-Year Anniversary" celebrators and I'll be screwed.  Oh well.  If our ocean front room looks anything like the pictures, I will be thrilled.

Yes!  Bring it on, Mexico.
I also started thinking about gifts for the 10-year anniversary.  I looked up the "traditional" vs. "contemporary" wedding anniversary gifts online and here is what I found (per Ask.com):

Traditional 10 year Wedding Gift:  Tin or Aluminum. The pliability of tin and aluminum is a symbol of how a successful marriage needs to be flexible and durable and how it can be bent without being broken.
My response to the above?  Bullshit.  If my husband gave me some aluminum foil and told me that it represented the durability of our marriage, I would wad it up and throw it at him.  Sounds like a man came up with this gift idea.  "Uhhh...shit, I forgot our anniversary.  Honey, here's some foil."


Don't even think about it



Contemporary 10 Year Gift: Diamonds. A marriage that lasts ten years is as durable and beautiful as a diamond.
My response?  Hells to the yeah on this one.  Bring on the bling.  My new theory is that men came up with the traditional wedding gift list (seriously, paper, wool and cotton as gift ideas?) and women updated the list.


Yes, please.




I have hinted around at a few gift ideas, including a new watch or a nice necklace but I have no idea what I'll get so I will have to post after we get back next week. Of course, just spending time with my husband will be gift enough (okay, stop laughing...if you know me, then I know you're laughing at the immediately preceding sentence).  In all seriousness, though, I am grateful that I have Steve in my life and we have reached this milestone. Besides, he's kind of cute, too.


Steve in Spain
Steve in New Orleans with just your average guy
in a gold bikini top checking out the weather channel behind him
Good times.