The ghostly and strangely erotic side of Old Placerville

Who would have thought Old Placerville would be so cool? My girlfriend and I certainly didn’t. We expected a couple of touristy gold mining shops and that’s about it.

Instead we were in for a treat – a super spooky ghostie treat – and you know how much I LOVE ghosts.


Of course, we came across our ghostly adventure completely by accident. We were checking out this wine shop and needed to use their restroom. The clerk then told us that if we exited through this other door in the restroom we would end up in the Cary House Hotel on Main Street – and that it’s completely haunted.

Turns out it’s not totally haunted even though it’s been featured on a number of paranormal shows and stuff, but they do have one room where people claim to feel strange things, see strange things and hear strange things. The room number? 212. [cue in Twilight Zone music]

Because the hotel was a little dead, and by dead, I mean not busy, the desk person gave us a key to the room to go explore it on our own. Yay!!

Now, let me just say, my friend Kristin and I are not exactly professional ghost hunters. In fact, we know nothing at all about ghost hunting except for what I learned on my Paranormal Haunts story, but Kristin did say the room felt spooky.

Naturally I got out my iPhone and downloaded a Ghost App to check to see if there was anyone in there with us. I didn’t see anything in there even though websites claim that it’s the second most haunted hotel in all of California, but in the hallway there was a weird hot spot.

Then the app scared the crap out of me.

It said “baby.”

Definitely did not expect it to talk!!

It was time to leave this spooky old hotel. Yup, we were out of there.

Next stop was Zia’s Gelateria. After a long day of ghost hunting (really 10 minutes), we needed a treat. But the ghosts weren’t ready to leave us. The guys at Zia’s told us their place was also haunted.

Were they scared? Nope. Instead, they said this ghost was annoying and kept throwing stuff on the floor or throwing utensils at them. They were getting tired of picking up after it all the time.

Then it was off to explore the rest of Main Street which has a bunch of really cool little places. There’s an oyster bar, a couple of wine bars, a dive bar, a few restaurants and a bunch of antique shops.

But the place you have got to go to is The Gothic Rose.

This place is a little erotic and a little disturbing at the same time. It could be because I’m a novice when it comes to Goth culture, but it also could be that the mannequins are all dressed in erotic black lace, corsets or leather temptress outfits – and there was a naked baby posed in a bird cage.

All around are spell books, jars full of hemlock and dried worms, old reaper blacks and scary looking antique scissors. I don’t know why I found the old scissors disturbing, but I did.

There’s also a place to get psychic readings done (cool) and they do embalming in their mortuary. See…a little disturbing.

Everywhere you looked, there was something cool and interesting. Plus, the owners have fabulous decorating taste. You have to see it to believe it as pictures don’t do it justice.

Trust me. This place is worth the drive to Placerville.

Running away to Miami for the weekend

You can never go wrong with a weekend getaway to Miami – or at least, I can never wrong. I love the whole Miami vibe. I love the food, the fashion, the people, the ocean and the shopping.

The weather doesn’t even to be good for me to have a good time. In fact, even in the rain, I find the city is beautiful. There's something to be said about palm trees swaying in the wind and the ocean surf crashing up on the beach.  I can watch the waves forever.

Last time I went, it stormed the whole time which is rare for Florida at that time of year. But it forced me to stop and relax instead of trying to cram in paddle boarding, cycling and everything else I had planned. Instead, I enjoyed some quality down time in my favorite city.

So what did I do?

Well, I spent a couple nights in the Fort Lauderdale Ritz.  This is not as decadent as you think as the price of this hotel is actually cheaper than many of the South Beach hotels. 

Except for the one flaw of being a $40 cab ride from South Beach if you want to go clubbing, the hotel has everything you could want. It's on the water and there's a running path so you can jog along the beach for miles if you want.  Plus, it's got a great pool and the restaurant is nice.

 But there is one other perk of the hotel which makes rainy days into happy relaxing days and that is their wine bar.

The wine bar also happens to have a really good tasting menu. I ended up tasting a 2009 Sella and Mosca "La Cala" Vermentino from Sardinia, a 2010 La Chapelle Gordonne Rose from France and a 2007 Villa Matilde "Falerno del Massica" from Italy.

In addition to relaxing with some interesting wines you don't find in your average store, you never know who is going to be the hotel with you.

While sipping wine and nibbling on cheese, I ran into a guy who gets paid to be Sean Connery’s double. Now that’s an interesting job!

Planning the not fun stuff for Ireland

Learning a lot with this Ireland trip. Now it’s all down to the nitty gritty stuff that I hate planning because it’s the not fun stuff. It’s stuff like power adapters and making sure my credit cards work overseas. Boring - but essential.

But what I’m really learning is that things have changed since the last time I was overseas. In some ways, it’s gotten easier to do things as you can do them from your home – but of course, I didn’t know that until I went to the actual locations.

Credit Cards and Foreign Currency

Don’t bother going to your bank. I was surprised to learn my bank doesn’t even carry Euros. The teller told me they would need to get them in. But guess what…they don’t even order them for you. You have to go online and order them yourself AND there is a $20 fee to do this.

You have the option then of either picking up the money at the bank or having it delivered to an address. Either way it will cost you $20.

Also, don’t wait until the last minute as it takes 1 to 3 days for the money to arrive – another surprise as I did wait until just a couple of days before and now I’m scrambling. Sometimes being a last minute girl isn't a good thing.

Steve Jobs is NOT Popular in Ireland

Many mobile phones do work overseas and then all you need to do is enable global access. Sadly, my beloved iPhone is not Ireland compatible and won’t work over there. When I learned this, I had the option of going without any communication device --which I did consider.

Really, I did. Because frankly, just a few years ago cell phone coverage sucked and I would have been going phone-free anyway because nobody would have had a phone. But then I remembered my mom and how she would probably have a heart attack if she found out I did this.

So I checked out Verizon’s website which told me to visit my local dealer. I drove there and they basically gave me a 1-800 number to call to order a phone that would work in Ireland. Again, they did not have the phone. It would be shipped to me from Texas.

So yes, instead of driving around, I could have done this from my home – if only I knew in advance.

But now it's all done - phone, money, etc (or ordered at least).

Now the only thing I have to worry about is driving on the left side of the road and finding my bike shop when I get there.

Planning my Trip to Ireland - Part 5

Amazing day today! I have finally found the hotel where I’ll be staying during the cycling part of the my Ireland tour.

No, it’s not the Park Hotel Kenmare. I’ve emailed them and discovered they do have Hybrid Giant bikes I can rent for the day, but at close to $400 a night, they are a little out of my price range for a long term stay.

I may check out their spa or have dinner there though. It looks lovely.  And I admit, one of the advantages of being on my NPC Bodybuilding plan is that I'm saving money -- mostly because I can't eat out as often or go to Starbucks.

But even though I can't quite afford the Park Kenmare, my little hotel is just as cute and the people were so helpful.

Not only did they respond to my email within 24 hours, they also gave me the name of where I could rent a bike close by and a list of places I should check out while there.  And I love the name of the bike place - It's Nigel's Bikes. Don't you love it? Wonder if Nigel will be there when I pick up my bike.

So where is this dreamy place? It’s called Seaview House and it’s located in Ballylickey on the shore of Bantry Bay.

They tell me it’s close to the Ring of Kerry (might have to drive to this) and close by a 120 km long biking route that will take me down the northern side of Sheep’s Head Peninsula. So even if I don’t see sheep, at least I can go to a place that has sheep in the name.

They also said there are a bunch of cozy little pubs close by that play Irish music. Love it!

And here’s the best part. It’s 4-stars and only costs $110 a night and that includes breakfast!

This trip is finally coming together.  I checked and I only need a valid US driver's license to rent a car there -- and I can rent an automatic.

Just need to find a place to stay in Dublin and I'm all set. So glad I didn't give up on this dream trip. This is going to be fabulous.

Planning my Dream Trip to Ireland - part 3

The reason I wanted to cycle around Ireland is because it is a cycling-lover’s dream. You can cycle the coast, the hills, the farmlands and through the villages. There’s only one problem – I won’t be able to do it all by bike in three days.

Yes, I have been training.  I've been cycling every weekend since May and can easily do 60 to 80 miles a day if there aren't that many big hills.  I thought this was a good amount of distance to cover, but when doing my research, I quickly learned Ireland is a lot bigger than I thought.

For some reason, I thought it was small like Prince Edward Island or Vancouver Island or even Hawaii.  But it's not.  It's big. In fact, driving from Dublin to Cork is over 3 hours – never mind cycling all that way.

IRELAND IS A CYCLING-LOVERS DREAM
This trip was getting harder by the minute. So ignoring the distance issue, I figured I’d research the best cycling areas and then narrow down my options.

Here’s what I learned:

1) Coastal Bike Tour from Dublin – The company Dublin by Bike has a great coast tour that is 14 km and goes by the Medieval village of Dalkey. Dalkey has seven castles and everyone says I need to see at least one castle when visiting the country. The tour sounds lovely and it's a one day guided tour. Website: http://www.dublinbybike.ie/index.php/coastal-bike-tour-of-dublin-south-coast-ireland/

2) Cycling Safaris – Cycling Safari also has a similar guided tour from Dublin to Dalkey, but with them I could also rent a bike and go off on my own and bike farther. The 14 km route the other trip had sounded kind of short. Plus, what is cool about Cycling Safaris is that I could leave the bike in Dalkey and take the train back if I got too tired to cycle home. Website: http://www.cyclingsafaris.com/index.php?q=day-tours-and-around-dublin

3) Limerick area – I want to see more of Ireland than just Dublin so decided to branch out my search. I learned that the company "Ireland by Bike" in Limerick has a 3-day self guided trip or I could rent a bike by day. Not sure about Limerick though. I really wanted to see the coastline a bit. Website: http://www.irelandbybike.com/Short-Cycling-Breaks/

4) The Antrim Glens and Causeway Coast – But there are even more options. I found a weekend cycling trip through Irish Cycle Tours, but my plane schedule won’t have me there in time as I land Sunday afternoon. But at least there is a chance I could rent a bike and go on my own trip in the area. Website: http://www.irishcycletours.com/the-antrim-glens-a-causeway-coast

5) Ireland’s Northwest Trail – Then there’s the Northwest trail. This is a 326 km circular cycle route that goes through scenic landscapes and along quiet country roads. The website says I’ll also see the Atlantic Ocean in areas and pass through some towns. All I need to do is rent a bike. Sounds adorable. Website: http://www.northwest-trail.com/default.aspx

6) Cork City-Beara-Gougane Barra Cycling Route -- This cycling route starts in the Mardyke, off the Western Road in Cork City, and goes for 94 km (58 miles) so it’s totally doable in a day. If I decide to go on this route, I’ll cycle along quiet country roads and through a bunch of villages. Website: http://www.discoverireland.ie/Activities-Adventure/the-cork-city-gougane-barra-beara-cycle-route/9745

So basically, I have a lot of options. Going to plot them out on a map tonight and narrow them down. Plus, I've still got to find some picturesque places to stay.

Whew! The plan is back on!!

Driving up the California Coast

I’ve wanted to drive the old Highway 101 down California since I moved here last year. But here’s the problem -- it takes forever and I never really have a whole day just to drive. I always seem to have someplace to go.

On my last trip to San Diego, I decided to suck it up and take the time.

I got up early – really early. Yes, I was on the road by 4:30 a.m. and watched the sun come up over the hills.

It was lovely.

Getting up that early also helped me avoid the crazy LA beach traffic for at least a few hours.

I was able to cruise through Del Mar and Laguna Beach with just me and the surfers on the road. It was relaxing and I saw a part of California you never get to see if you take the I-5.

I was able to see why people move to the Los Angeles area. The coastal area is actually really nice. It has a completely different vibe than the city does. It’s laid back, and if you can get beyond the tourist shops, it’s quaint.

But that all changes by 10 a.m. Because that’s when the traffic starts and the relaxation ends.



Those black things are surfers.

From that time until I hit San Francisco nearly 16 hours later, it was bumper to bumper and not much fun. 

It was still nice to see the ocean around every winding turn though.

Maybe next time I’ll start in San Francisco and drive north towards Seattle see if the traffic is any better.

Vegas: One man's nightmare is another woman's dream

I have a friend who absolutely detests Vegas, but the strange thing is he’s never been there and refuses to go to see what’s it is like. I’ve told him you can find anything in Vegas. If you want great wine –it’s there. Great spas – they’ve got it. World famous chefs- they are there. Amazing entertainment – yup, they’ve got that too.

Instead he’s got this perception of what the place is like based on what he’s seen on television—and from movies. He assumes Vegas is completely artificial and cheesy.

So while going to Vegas would be a his holiday nightmare, I LOVE Vegas.

How could I not?

First of all, they’ve got the Vegas strip full of lights and extravagant hotels. Yeah, some of the stuff is tacky, but taste is subjective.

I think the designers were allowed to let their imagination go wild and create the hotel of their dreams. Sure, you can stay in a Travel Lodge or Super 8 if you wanted to have the same vacation you can have anywhere in the U.S., but why would you when you’ve got the Bellagio, Caesars and The Venetian?

Like many Vegas fans, I do have my favorite Vegas attractions.

I adore the luxurious sophistication of The Wynn, but the dancing fountains at the Bellagio stole my heart years ago. My favorite place to watch them is from the terrace of the Picasso Restaurant inside the hotel. It doesn’t matter whether I’m enjoying a leisurely lunch or a late dinner, I can watch them for hours.

In addition to the dancing fountains, the other Vegas-area landmark that I never tire of is the Grand Canyon.

Regardless of the season or time of day, it always takes my breath away. The colors are always changing and the rock formations are incredible. There is nothing artificial about it. It's real, rugged and beautiful.

If you haven’t seen it, you should. There’s a certain Zen quality to it. Remember, Vegas is the place of extremes – and the Grand Canyon is the extreme opposite of the strip.

It’s quiet, peaceful and somehow untouched by Sin City. It commands respect – and deserves it.

La Jolla is pronounced La Hoy-ya

The coast at La Jolla

Embarrassing lesson of the day: La Jolla is pronounced La Hoy-ya.

Who knew? Well, apparently lots of people as I was the only one pronouncing it wrong.

The good thing is I picked the place because it sounded “jolly” and it is kind of a happy place. I mean, how can you go wrong with the ocean right there?

Looking for a weekend of rest and relaxation, I decided to drive down the coast and check out the La Jolla scene which is completely different from the San Diego vibe even though they are next door to each other.  I admit, I totally loved it.

I ran each morning along the path by the ocean, rented a bicycle to ride along the coast down through Del Mar and watched the sun set while drinking wine on restaurant patios.  It was a lovely getaway.


THE B AND B BY THE SEA


The entrance to the B&B

I stayed in this historical old house called The Bed and Breakfast Inn at La Jolla.  It was built in 1913 and really chic for a bed and breakfast. 

They serve you wine and cheese at 5 p.m. each day, the breakfast was nice and you have a decanter filled with sherry in your room to help you sleep at night.
 
This place is perfect and I totally recommend it if you like bed and breakfasts.  It's clean, has friendly service and is cute. They are also located 1 block from the ocean. What else can you ask for if you love B&Bs?
 
IT'S NOT YOU; IT'S ME

You know how some people think bed and breakfasts are romantic and play into their lovey-dovey fantasties?  Well, sadly, I am not one of those people.

I always feel like I'm staying at Grandma's house and have to be extra good. But I will keep trying them out every once and a while just in case I change my mind. 
 
So it's not the B and B by the sea -- as that place was really adorable; it's me.

What I need to relax is the fake man-made resort with the manicured lawn, big pool and room service menu.  I know it's completely not authentic, but whatever. Maybe the complete escape from reality is what I need to feel like I'm finally on vacation.

Falling for Old Vegas magic

Can you believe that in all the times I’ve been to Vegas I had never been to old Vegas? That is…until now! And I was totally missing out.

For those of you who haven’t been to Vegas or are strip-mongers like me, old Vegas is a different world. Yeah, there are still lights and music everywhere, but the decadence has a different feel to it. It's like being thrown back to the time when Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin lived the casino life.

I admit when I drove up to the Golden Nugget I was worried about what I was going to get for my $89 a night room, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was nice. Really nice. I mean I’ve stayed at the Hooter’s Hotel on the strip for the same amount of money and that hotel did have the $89 feel to it. Of course, when you’re on a budget, you’ll stay anywhere and Hooter’s is directly across the street from the MGM so you can’t go wrong with that.

The Golden Nugget is also in the heart of things, but not the things I’m used to seeing in Vegas. You’re not going to see the dancing fountains of the Bellagio , nor will you see the Eiffel Tower at the Paris Hotel. Instead you’ve got a whole new set of attractions.

There’s the waving cowboy – known as Vegas Vic, Binion’s horseshoe and the famous lights of the Plaza Hotel. And when you are there, you have to take in the Fremont Street experience. It’s crowded, crazy and completely wonderful in a way that is only cool in Vegas.

Don’t worry if you are not sure where this is. If you’re in old Vegas, you ARE part of the attraction. That’s because it’s right outside your hotel. Fremont is a covered street that becomes a canopy of lights after the sun goes down, and they literally rock out to Kiss’s "Rock n' Roll All Night Long."

Nope, you’re not going to hear Celine Dion in Old Vegas. It’s sex, drugs and…maybe a little bit of whiskey on the rocks – just the way the Rat Pack liked it.

Then there’s the Nugget. Built in 1946, it’s one of the oldest casinos in the area. But don’t be fooled by its age. It has a four diamond rating and is still classy. When you walk around the lobby, it's not hard to imagine Sean Connery there during the shooting of “Diamonds are Forever.”

Attractions in the hotel include the world’s largest gold nugget (naturally) and a shark tank, but honestly, I was just impressed with the service and lushness of the hotel. It had the Wynn feel without paying the Wynn price.

I must say, staying in Old Vegas was a gamble that paid off.

Muir Woods: Mother Nature has room for everyone

Muir Woods is just outside of San Francisco

I have a friend who has been telling me to check out Muir Woods in California, which are located just outside of San Francisco. Now finally after nine months, I finally did it.

For those of you who have been, you are probably wondering why it me so long – especially as the person who told me to check it out has not let me down with his suggestions in the past. He’s recommended wine bars, pizza places and other things, and they have all been exceptional. It’s like he’s the boy version of me and knows what I would like

Yet, when he suggested Muir Woods, I hesitated because frankly, why would I drive 2 hours to see a bunch of old trees? I mean, there are a lot of trees in Tahoe and I’ve already seen those, plus I lived on Vancouver Island for a while and had seen lots are really big trees in the Pacific Rim National Park. Many of those trees are hundreds of years old and, as part of the rainforest, the park is known as one of the highest biomass-producing areas in the world - now that's a lot of trees.

Note: If you are ever on the Island, it’s worth checking out, but don’t go late in the afternoon. The sun disappears quickly in the mountains and the trees make scary creaking sounds.

So what’s the big deal about the Muir Woods trees?

It turns out it is a big deal. The Redwoods in Muir Woods may not be the ones you may have seen on Walt Disney as a kid where the cars drive through, but they are gigantic—and they are old.

But what makes the place incredible is the atmosphere and the respect the majestic Redwoods command.

As you wander down the trails, the place has a sacred quality to it. In fact, many of the people I passed along the way were talking in whispers as if they were afraid their voices would disturb the calm. It was like being in another world. A world where time didn’t exist, only nature. And cars, concrete and man hadn’t been able to mess it up yet. It really is an amazing place full of peace.

Michelle Ponto hanging out with the majestic trees

You can spend the whole day wandering around in this sanctuary as Muir Woods contains 6 miles of trails. There is a 1/2 hour loop, a 1 hour loop, and a 1 1/2 hour loop as well as longer hikes on trails that extend into surrounding parks. If you go, bring a jacket. The trees block out the sun making it chilly even on warm days.

Oh, and here’s another thing, don’t worry about the thousands of tourists visiting the woods every year. Even though both the regular and over flow parking lot were packed when I went, for some reason, the woods still seemed empty and there were many times on the trail where I was alone. It seems Mother Nature has room for all of us.

Returning to my 'Happy Place'

Don't bother denying it, because we all have one whether we admit it or not.  What I'm talking about is a “happy” place. It’s that place where you go to forget about everything and take the time to simply be in the moment.

My brother’s happy place is his ice fishing shack on the lake. It’s basically a couple of plywood boards hinged together into the shape of a box that he places in the middle of the frozen lake. If the fish aren’t biting in that particular area, he gets in his pickup truck and pushes it to another location.

It’s dark, cozy, and for him, the best way to spend a weekend. I think it’s torture.

My California happy place is the Ritz at Half Moon Bay – and my brother wouldn’t be caught dead there as it's too frou-frou and girlie. But I don’t care. I love it. It’s got a great view of the ocean, the food is good, it’s pretty and people leave you to yourself (maybe it’s their happy place too). And today, I totally deserve to be there.

You see, yesterday I finally did my first triathlon and I rocked. Really. I did. I ran, cycled and kayaked my heart out coming in at 2 hours and 31 minutes and placing 16th in my ironwoman division. Pretty darn good for a newbie.

But now, 24 hours later, I hurt. No, let me rephrase that – I hurt A LOT.

I swear, after the race, I felt great. I was on an adrenaline high and ready to do it all again. Today, I have bruises on the side of my knees from the kayak, bruises on my forearms from who knows what, my quads hurt, my gluts ache and my shins feel like someone hit them with a stick. Even my ankles hurt – but that’s probably not because of the race, but because I was wearing heels last night during our post-race celebration. Did I mention I was on an adrenaline high?

MY HAPPY PLACE ON A BUDGET

So what better place to recover from a race than at the Ritz? But here’s the thing. While I LOVE it there, I really can’t afford the $400 to stay the night during the high season. Instead, I cheat by spending the day and then driving back in the evening.

Some of you are probably wondering why I would drive two hours to a hotel and then not stay the night. I mean, isn’t that the point of going to a hotel? But let me tell you, this isn’t just any hotel. This is a Ritz Carlton and there’s nothing like it.

I usually arrive around 1:00 in the afteroon and leave my car with the valet. Then I take a walk along the shoreline and look at the waves. I admit I’m all about the water and can stare at the surf for hours. It completely relaxes me and puts me in my mellow zone. You can ask people who have been there with me. I'm in my own little world where no one else exists -- which kind of sucks for them, but oh well.

By mid-afternoon I figure it’s time to walk back to the hotel for a late lunch at their Conservatory Restaurant – where the food is fabulous. And, it’s not as expensive as you may think. My lunch bill (including my glass of wine) is usually around the $20 mark. I also get my parking validated so it’s a double bonus. Not bad for a nice relaxing day.

Oh and here's a tip: If you do happen to go with someone and want to be cheap like me (oops, I mean 'thirfty'), order the turkey club. It's gigantic and you can easily share it which makes it a super good deal for $14

SHARING MORE HAPPINESS

While I’m happy just looking out at the surf and sipping a glass of wine, there are more things to do at the Ritz – especially if you decide to stay until the evening.

Thursday is Burgers and Jazz night. It’s $19 per person, but you get the chef’s selection of burgers (and these are not bland McDonald’s style burgers, but the good stuff), a number of different brews to choose from and you get to listen to live jazz from local musicians – and you know if they are playing at the Ritz, they are top notch.

And you can't forget the wine, because hey, this is Northern California and I'm learning it's all about the wine.  Anyway, the hotel also does these incredible wine flights between 4 and 6 p.m. in their ENO wine bar. These are around $20 per person too. They serve them with great bread and nuts.

And if you are really into luxury, you can check out what they call ENO-Versity. I haven’t done this yet as I would not be able to drive home after, but from 4 to 6 p.m. every Saturday, you can do a wine/food tasting for $45. This includes six to 10 wines, appetizers and interactive wine instruction. They limit it to 12 people so it’s very intimate.

HONEY, I’M HOME

Like I mentioned, this particular weekend I couldn’t stay the night, but I have stayed at the hotel before in the fall when the prices are a little lower. It’s heaven. Really. There are fireplaces in the rooms, the beds are super comfortable and if you want, they will even draw you a bath (not with crayons, but the old English way).

But while the Ritz is beautiful, it’s the feeling of being taken of when I’m there that has me coming back. I mean, I’ve stayed in a lot of hotels over the years, but this place is special.

It all starts with the complimentary glass of wine you get when you check in, followed by slipping into the cushy slippers in your room and the plush bathrobe.

I swear, every step of the way, the stress of the real world slips farther and farther away and you enter this alternate universe where e-mail and deadlines no longer matter. In fact, the only decision you have to make is...do you want turndown service or not. Now that’s nice.

All Aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train

Yes, it’s true. There really is a Napa Valley wine train. I should know. I rode it this weekend and it was pretty cool.

The antique train takes passengers on 36 mile round trip through the Napa valley. While it’s chugging along you get to feast on either a gourmet lunch or a dinner AND you get to tour a vineyard. See…I told you it was cool.

Just in case you need more convincing, the train has two engines, three kitchens on board and a collection of early 20th century rail cars that are pure Americana. It offers guests great regional food and fabulous, hard-to-find wines. Plus, for the three hour ride, the price isn’t that bad - just over $100 a person.

What makes this trip different from visiting Napa Valley in your car is that you are seeing the vineyards in an actual piece of history. Yeah, that's right. You aren't riding in some modern day train, but something that authentic from days gone by. The dining cars are circa 1915 to 1917 and the domed viewing cars are from 1952.

During the trip, you’ll pass by five towns: Napa, Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford and St. Helena, and numerous wineries. If you happen to go on the same tour I did, you'll see where Robin Williams had a home and where some of best wine in Napa is grown.

WHERE IS THIS INFAMOUS NAPA VALLEY WINE TRAIN?

The Napa Valley Wine Train begins its journey at the McKinstry Street Station in Napa. The train then travels north to St. Helena, where the locomotive disconnects from the north facing side of the train and reconnects to the south facing side of the train in preparation for the return journey.

Depending on the day of the week, the Napa Valley Wine Train makes two stops. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, guests who have purchased the Domaine Chandon Tour will disembark at Yountville during the southbound leg of the trip. On weekdays (Monday through Friday), guests who have purchased the Grgich Hills Tour will disembark at Grgich Hills Winery on the northbound leg of the trip, and be picked up by the Wine Train as the train travels southbound.

I did the Grgich Hills Tour and loved it. The tour guide on our 1 hour private tour was hilarious and we tasted at least three different wines which were included in our train ticket price. We also got to keep our tasting glasses as souvenirs – which is always a nice touch.

NAPA WINE TRAIN PRICES AND ROMANTIC NIGHTS

The prices for the train ride and wine tour range from $119 to $184.00. The Grgich Hills tour is the cheapest one, but they also do seasonal tours.

They actually have a Moonlight Escape on July 25, 2010 coming up that looks really romantic. It’s on the date of the full moon during the time of year when thunder storms are most frequent. There is nothing better than looking at the moon with a good glass of wine.

But don’t wait too long to book if you’re interested. They only accept 24 couples for this particular trip.

Destination….Vegas!!!

Those who know me, know that I am a sunchaser. Just like that Jeep commercial, I will always take the winding road and follow it wherever it goes. However, I don’t own a jeep. I own a little Honda Fit fondly known by those who have ridden shotgun as the Roller Skate.




I live to chase adventure…which is why when my friend told me he was celebrating his birthday in Las Vegas and wondered if I could drive up, I instantly said “yes”.

Of course, that was before I checked MapQuest and learned it would be a 9.5 hour drive. But whatever. It’s Vegas, Baby! And I’m driving there!!

Yes, I admit that while I do love Sin City, I was more psyched about the drive. You see, driving through the Mojave Desert with the wind whipping through my hair for a Vegas weekend is one of the things on my bucket list.

So at 8 a.m. on Saturday, I tossed a couple of cans of Red Bull and about 6 bottles of water in the car and off I went. It was actually quite liberating packing all these liquids as when I normally fly to Vegas, I always have to go liquid free (I try to never check luggage. In fact, I can live out of a carry-on for a week – just ask my friends who went with me to Hawaii last year).

WATCH OUT...THE DESERT IS A GAS GUZZLER

Anyways, if you ever decide to drive from Sacramento to Las Vegas, let me tell the trip over to Bakersfield is b-o-r-i-n-g. I mean dead boring. There was nothing to see, but I also had a sucky iTunes mix that wasn’t really happening either.

But once you pass Bakersfield, it gets kind of cool – because that’s when you hit the Mojave Desert...and it's gorgeous.  The mountains are spectacular and the little bush-like trees add enough variety to keep it interesting. 

I'll just give you a word of warning: If you hit Bakersfield and only have a little bit of gas left in the tank, fill up. I didn't and literally coasted down the mountain on fumes.

No really. It hardly took any gas to cut across the flat parts of California, but as soon as I started the drive up the mountains, the gas drained out of my tank like crazy. The warning light went on when I was about 20 miles up the mountain with another 30 to go until I reached the summit.

Yes, I panicked - just a bit.

I turned off the AC, opened the window, detoured off the highway in the direction of the nearest gas station --which was in the middle of nowhere and 45 degrees in the opposite direction. You know how they say you should sometimes take the road less travelled? Well, at that moment I was on THAT road -- and I was the only person on it.  There were no cars or people in any direction...and let me tell you that you can see pretty far in the desert.

With my car flashing it's warning at me, I prayed I would make it to the little town on the Indian reserve in time -- or at least close enough that I could walk in my flipflops. Thankfully, it was mostly downhill and I was able to take my foot off the accerator for the last 16 miles and roll into town.  Yes, I counted them.

After that, I filled up everytime I made a pit stop.

VEGAS REALLY IS IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE

You know when you fly into Sin City you can see the lights in the distance? Well, when you drive during the day it's not like that. It sometimes feels like you will never get there because all you see for hours and hours is beige dirt, beige mountains and sprinklings of plants, which I hear if I did this trip in June would be beige too.

Don't get me wrong. It's still beautiful and I would do the trip again in a heartbeat. But it's kind of like being in the first Star Wars where the sand people live. At any moment, I expected an army of creatures to arise from their camouflage and add some life to the area. 

Of course, because I was going to Vegas, I imagined these creatures to be dressed as glitzy celebrity impersonators who would break out in some disco song -- but maybe that was iPod playing tricks on me. Nine hours in the car, with the windows open and the desert wind blowing at you can do that to a person.

Anyways, even with all that desert and open road, Sin City is hidden. Not until you are about an hour away can you see any sign of it.  But when you do...WOW!

OFF THE BUCKET LIST

After driving 9.5 hours, I quickly showered and washed the Mojave out of my hair and met up with my friends for a night on the strip. Less than 12 hours later, I was back on the road for the return trip.

Was it worth it? Heck, yes!!!

Luling: It's on the barbeque trail - really!

Once called the toughest town in Texas, Luling is now famous for being medium-rare. But this time their fame comes from their barbeque, and not from the residents - although I'm sure you can find a couple tough old Texans hanging around if you really looked.

I didn't meet up with any, but I did come across the town's two barbeque joints: City Market and Luling Barbeque.

So here's a question that you might be able to answer: Which one of these is the best?

Both of the barbeque places, which are located down the street from each other, claim to be the best, so I decided I was going to try both. Unfortunately, City Barbeque was closed on the Sunday that I decided to take my trip down the Texas Barbeque Trail (yes, this trail really does exist -- there is even a website), so I had to settle with only trying Luling Barbeque.

I'm glad I did. I can't say it was the best barbeque I've ever had, but you did get a lot for your money. Their menu includes brisket, pork ribs, chicken, sausage, and pork tenderloin. Combination plates are available with choice of two sides including potato salad, coleslaw, pinto beans, and macaroni and cheese for less than $7.

I had the chicken with scalloped potatoes and beans, and my friend got the pork ribs with macaroni and cheese. While my chicken was pretty good and better than most barbeque places I've been to, it was my scalloped potatoes that won me over. They were the real deal.

But if you do go to Luling, go at the end of June. That's when they have the Luhling annual Watermelon Thump, which may be the only chance you have in your life to become a melonhead for a day. No really...they have pictures of people wearing these things on their heads.

During the Thump, there are watermelon eating contests, watermelon seed spitting contests, watermelon auctions, parades and even bands.

I might have to go back for the seed spitting contest. There's something about it that tells me it's going to be one melon of a good time!

New Braunfels: The tubing part of Texas

There are a couple of things you need to know about Texas. First of all, it's big. And secondly, the land changes depending on which direction you drive.

One of the areas, Texans will tell you about is the Hill Country. They'll tell about the hunting, the fishing, and the beauty. But most of all, they will tell you that you HAVE to go tubing on the Guadalupe River.

I know you're saying: "It's the end of October. Nobody goes to Guadalupe in October."

Guess what. You're right.

But I didn't know that, and neither did my friend who came with me -- of course, she moved here from Memphis, so she is just as naïve as I am.

The good news is we had the entire river to ourselves, so there was nobody there to witness our embarrassing moments like when we slipped on the rocks in the rapids while trying to push our raft out.

However, here's some stuff you may not know. The river in October is not freezing. In fact, the guy at Rockin' R River Rafts said it's the exact same temperature that it is in the summer, which is 65 degrees. The Comal River is also the same temperature --a balmy 72.

The river also does not close down. While the peak season (and the best time to go) is between Memorial Day and Labor Day, many of the rafting rental places are open all year long. What does change is the temperature outside...and the water level.

So how was it?

Gorgeous and peaceful, just like everyone said. But nobody told us there would be so many turtles. Man...there were turtles sunning themselves everywhere. And not just a couple...I'm telling you there were so many, it was like being at a turtle convention.

But while the turtles were busy relaxing, we were doing the complete opposite. We were working.

This might have been because the water was at least a foot lower than during the peak period, so we had to paddle. There were also four or five parts where there were mini rapids, and three of the times we got stuck. Really stuck.

I admit, I haven't exactly mastered using an oar, but my poor paddling had nothing to do with our situation. It all had to do with the rocks and how our rubber raft was caught on top of them. We actually had to get out of the boat and push ourselves off. So, yes, I can personally tell you that the water was not freezing, because I was in it -- a lot.

It took us about two hours to leisurely make our way down the river, and when we reached the docking area, we didn't want the fun to end.

So I'll be back. But next time I go, I'm going tubing -- and I'm going between May and September just like the locals.