As Seen on TV

Ahhh, yes. Nothing like a pink margarita at Jimmy Buffet's place to start the day! Can I fulfill my quota of three cocktails by 11 a.m.? I'm going to give it my best shot!

The Gold & Silver Pawn Shop. The stance. The photo op that we couldn't pass up.

It was a trip with a theme, as it turned out. We didn't intend on it, but sometimes it happens.

When I went to New York City I ended up meeting two celebrities. The last time that my husband and I made a getaway trip to Las Vegas we dined in restaurants of famous chefs. This time, in the end of March, as we escaped just the two of us for a quick three days, we managed to go to places seen on TV.

I'm really there at the most famous (& probably overpriced) pawn shop in LV. Check out the crowd waiting to get in. At least I left with $$!

This trip was not one of those that was a fabulous deal. We wanted sun, and we wanted the freedom that Las Vegas provides; the adult sandbox of the world. Available is every vice, should you choose to partake, every cuisine, and every amenity that a soul could desire. What did we find? A vacation that was not more expensive because of the "spring break" label, but a fabulous escape. And it was studded with places made famous by TV.

Our first day there we'd taken the "middle of the night" flight, the one that my daughter calls the 6 a.m. departure out of SeaTac. We were in Vegas earlier than scheduled, and settled into our room at the LV Hilton by 10 a.m.! We were starving, having been up since 2 a.m., and hit the buffet with our free brunch tickets (super package at the LV Hilton -- check their website). My husband began to smile as we neared the front of the line, smelling & savoring the sausage and cooked-to-order-omelet aroma. I spied the "complimentary beer & champagne" sign and we knew we'd hit the jackpot. I'd promised my friends at work the day before that by "this time tomorrow (11 a.m.) I'll be on my third cocktail." And now my fate was sealed. Promise kept. After all, I'm a person of my word. The buffet was surprisingly tasty, though not the most creative or beautifully presented buffet we've eaten (Bellagio has the market on both of those categories), but was very respectable, and the price was right.

That same day we jumped in a taxi ride, about $10 from our hotel, to a seedy part of town not far from the world-famous, as-seen-on-TV "Bonanza Gift Shop" hailed as the "world's largest gift shop." We waved as we drove by, and pressed on to the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop made famous by the History Channel hit show "Pawn Stars." We were curious to see what the place is really like and to check out the inventory. The line outside moved pretty quickly, as the "security guard" at the door who was packing heat and chowing on a cheeseburger controlled the crowd going into the tiny and very dusty store. They must clean this place up for TV, because it's far from glamorous. The reality is that it IS a pawn shop in LV, holding true to all of the stereotypes that conjures up. The funniest part about the experience was the excitement of the crowd waiting in line to be let in. A middle-aged man with two teenage boys in tow came out of the store, looked at the crowd, and said "pretty awesome. Chum Lee's in there." At that point the crowd let out a collective cheer and my husband and I laughed that we were there, too. After about 10 minutes we had our turn, thanking the "security guard" and began to peruse the small store which seemed to have a large selection of jewelery and a noticeably absent collection of Americana. Most of the stuff seen on the show was nowhere to be seen. But I did step up to the "pawn window" and sell off a piece of jewelery! I took my cash and had more money for the rest of the trip.

We continued on with the theme, spending time walking the strip that we've seen a zillion times before, riding the monorail, visiting the M&M Factory to purchase gifts for the child with the grandparents, and ate at Emeril's Fishhouse for a late lunch. I at there years ago with my mom and shared a fabulous lunch in every regard. This visit was not memorable in any way. Stay clear of the Fishhouse at the MGM; Emeril, you've got work to do!

By far our best meal was the evening that I planned. My night included dinner at Rosemary's Restaurant off of the strip. It's in a part of town I'd never been to, and is in a strip mall. Don't let the location fool you. This placed is owned by a husband/wife team and they're both accomplished chefs. How do I know this? I saw the place on TV - many times over. And Rachael Ray went there. I've been known to be a Rachael Ray places visited stalker, but that's the subject of another blog. As for Rosemary's, the food was incredible, and the service rivaled the restaurants that rank highest in my book for service (Commander's Palace, Canlis, La Palapa of Puerto Vallarta. If you're going to Vegas and dare to venture off the strip ($20 taxi ride for us one way), do make a reservation and go. In fact, the night that we were there they were even featuring 50% off bottles of wine. My husband wasn't game, so I ordered a glass for myself, but the people at the next take who we enjoyed visiting with sent over a sample of the Cakebread Chardonnay that they'd ordered. First, I was completly impressed that these strangers would be so generous as to share their wine. Secondly, I learned that they have great taste! I'm a very picky Chard drinker, and am often critical of CA Chards as being underoaked and served chilled, but this was perfect. An incredible blend of everything good. Enough said. You just have to try the wine and this restaurant. We finished off this night with drinks at Napoleon's dueling piano bar at the Paris which was fun, but the musicians were not nearly as accomplished and proficient as the Bar at Times Square, but Napoleon's was quieter, more subdued, cheaper, and we could visit with our friends who we met up with also there on vacation. It was a perfect night.

The other night that we were there was my husband's designated night to plan. We enjoyed - well, pounded - several beers at BB King's bar. From there we went to hear Daniel Tosh's stand-up comedy from the new Comedy Central show Tosh.0. His comedy was great! We had a great laugh and wrapped up another fabulous evening, keeping up with the theme.

We made our usual & most predictable stop for our last meal at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville. Now this is always a family favorite. Our daughter chose LV for her 3rd birthday, as she wanted to "eat at Jimmy Buffet's restaurant. I'll have a cheeseburger in paradise." What can we say? The child has been to three Margaritavilles. That's almost one per year of her little life. And, yes, she's seen that on TV.

Fun in my own back yard

Sometimes it calls me.

This never does.

Since the hard and unrelenting reality that the summer is over is now fully upon me as I listen to the pounding rain and stare into the gray skies of the Pacific Northwest, I long to escape. Gone are my days of freedom....wasting away in Margaritaville, or even on my own front porch. Leisure time, lack of a firm schedule, and not being driven by ringing bells signaling that the next 30 students not particularly interested in history are heading in the door, all confirm this reality. So, accept I must. Or escape; now that's a real possibility.

I love the noise of these little entertainment devices...

It's these long winter days that, no matter how wonderful my winter break was here at home, leave me smiling at the memory of the warm and leisure days of summer. It is during this time that I fulfill my hobby of virtual vacationing. I just always hope for the real thing as well. Since my last "real" vacation to Key West, I've discovered more of the joys of staying at home. High thread count sheets, cleanliness, an uncluttered environment, good wine, and a kick-ass entertainment system make one's own home not such a bad place. In fact, it can be quite relaxing. But for that urge to go somewhere - anywhere - and "escape" for a time, I choose Tulalip Casino. Considering it's only about 10 miles from my home, I've been there more times than I care to admit. I've not only gambled there for an afternoon or evening, but have had several parties there and stayed overnight. I love the place.

When I have that need to be somewhere other than my own reality, Tulalip Resort is a great option. The T-Spa is first rate. I've spent a day there lounging in the steam room, sauna, sipping tea and consuming large quantities of cucumber-lemon water (which I now serve myself at home for a "taste" of the spa). I figure the $250 I drop there for a day is nothing compared to what a real vacation would cost me. The service and opulence of the T-Spa should not be underestimated. Don't let the fact that it's a casino in Marysville fool you. While it's not on a level with Canyon Ranch Spa (what else is?) it is attainable, local, and amazing.

Vegas? Nope. But the M-Pulse Lounge will do.

As I admitted, I have stayed overnight. Several times. If you've read my previous blog, I've admitted to being fairly persnickety about the amenities. The Tulalip Resort earns a solid 4 stars in my book. My recommendation for a true escape is a night in the Orca Suite. With its comfortable seating, two TVs, bar, and spacious floor plan, you can relax and enjoy. Even better yet, book the room just for the bathroom. Its huge, marble-encased jetted tub, amazing walk-in shower with dual shower heads, double sinks, enormous vanity, and separate toilet will not disappoint. It is the bathroom of my dreams and lets me escape into a night of opulence, indulgence, and sheer enjoyment.

Of course there's more to the Tulalip Resort as well. The sounds and lights of the casino floor always do their duty and draw me in for a spell. I am a sucker for the latest machine, the one that just looks lucky, and the tried-and-true. A couple of cocktails from the friendly bartenders, a machine, and I can really escape time and place if only for a few hours on that thing called the clock.

Sometimes I'm feeling a need for a Vegas fix (why lie? I feel this quite often). A warm afternoon evening on the patio of the M-Pulse Lounge or an evening in the comfy chairs and areas designed for talking in a fashionable Vegas-style lounge can do the trick. And do try their signature cocktails!

And a morning, afternoon, or evening of imbibing can be nicely paired with some great foods. While the resort offers several options, I've eaten at the Cedars Cafe and the Blackfish Grill, both offering very good food at reasonable prices. One day I might try Tulalip Bay, their fine dining option. But that one would have to stand up to Canlis, and that's a tall order!

Overall, Tulalip Resort is a place that I can go to escape the doldrums of life. When that need to waste away overtakes me, I can simply head north. To Vegas...well, not exactly. But Tulalip will do the trick in a pinch.

The hotel end of the resort. It beckons from its view high above I-5.

Reminiscing

"Daddy rides" were fun!

Luckily this photo was not lost. I had to have this one!

The Hyatt Windward Pointe, Key West, was our home for a week.

Anna and my mother-in-law at the Southernmost point of the US at Key West.

Contemplating the edge of paradise.

As the summer comes to a close symbolized by Labor Day, it's time to put away white and grab those rain coats. That's particularly true this holiday weekend as I write this during a thunder and lightning and hail storm. My reflections on the summer show a very relaxed, productive, and fun summer. Now almost a distant memory, is our trip to Florida.



For months we anticipated the fun that we would have exploring Key West, a city new to all of us, and state that would mark my four year old daughter's 11th in the US States checkoff list. We headed to Key West we expected to find a tropical paradise - an escape - for a blissful week. The trip was not just the three of us, but we also took my mother-in-law whose traveling experiences are pretty limited. We figured she might jump on this opportunity to check out some place new and different.



We flew into Miami and made the three hour long drive to the Southernmost Key after one night in a brand new Best Western in Southern Miami. After finding the complimentary breakfast buffet to his liking, we packed up the car, the preschooler, and the mother-in-law, and headed South. The drive, while tedious at times, does offer some spectacular views of beautiful blue water all around. We made several stops to take in the scenery, and were relieved to reach our destination of the Hyatt Windward Pointe, Key West.


If you read my earlier posts, you know that I agonized over the accommodations. I knew that to have a relaxing week and enough space for us all we would have to have sufficient room. A hotel room would not cut it. We were not disappointed in our selection of the Hyatt's vacation property. Every detail of the landscaping was meticulously tended to, in fact the plants looked like they were manicured with scissors. The unit was beautiful; two full bedrooms, two full bathrooms, granite kitchen and huge lanai. The place was so comfortable (and nicely air conditioned) that one day my MIL made her day just at the Hyatt. The Windward Pointe is a solid 4 star place. The housekeeping service was fabulous (though communicating did require me to use my no-longer-fluent Spanish), the property stunning, the condo sparkling clean and totally comfortable. The towels were as nice as my hotel-quality ones at home, there was a full range of television channels, and the sheets at least 500 thread count. Having amenities like a full kitchen with upgraded appliances and washer/dryer in unit made it our comfortable home for a week. My husband like it so much that he commented "you know, we could live in a place like this and travel more." Hmmm...now that's a thought...


Key West is an interesting place, we discovered. There's this eclectic mix of wealthy, Bohemian, old, young, gay, straight, and largely a lack of children. It was not the most "family friendly" of places that we've visited, but that never stopped us! The best way to describe the vibe here is Bourbon Street meets Las Vegas Boulevard. Yes, Key West is a quintessential party town.



While in Key West, we saw many of the must-sees of the island such as the Key West Lighthouse, Hemingway's House, Truman's Little White House, Hog's Breath Saloon, and the East Martello Museum, home of Robert the Doll. There's this weird legend that lives in Key West about this supposedly haunted, freaky doll named Robert. He's quite famous on the island, and according to the locals, is blamed for anything that goes wrong. In fact, quite a few not so blessed visitor's to Robert's museum have found themselves the unfortunate recipients of Robert's wrath. I know this sounds bizarre, but Google it or You Tube it, and you'll find out. "Blame it on Robert" is the island's mantra. Probably the best part of the trip, in terms of activities, was the leisurely lifestyle that our life at the Hyatt afforded us for a week. With a fully functional and stocked kitchen, we didn't have to go out for every meal, and could getting our day started with breakfast and heading straight for the pool.

We think that Robert is responsible for the biggest hardship that befell our vacation. On the 4th of July we went out on a boat cruise (yes, "booze cruise") to view the fireworks. Despite the overcrowded boat and lack of seating (and stagnant, oppressive hot air) we enjoyed the view and watching our daughter cheer for the festivities. We discovered the next morning, though, that somewhere that night we lost our camera. There went all of the pictures that we'd already taken. Luckily we were able to use my mother-in-law's camera for the rest of the trip. "Blame it on Robert," we said. Perhaps it's no coincidence that the four year old did not want to go near Robert when we saw him in his museum house, saying out loud that he was "scary, and kind of ugly." Guess he never forgave us for that.

Check out Robert's own website

Is Robert responsible for our bad luck? How much power can one haunted doll wield?

You'll notice this blog is missing many of the pictures that I'd intended to use to illustrate our trip. We'll blame that on Robert. In fact, perhaps it's that I'm wary of him that makes me feel like I should cut it short and not dwell too much on telling these stories.

We did have some interesting dining experiences - both great and just marginal. More on this, in Key West Part II.

(Interestingly, between the wild weather going on outside and the fact that when I tried to place Robert's picture in my blog everything froze up and now the pictures aren't working, I figure I should call it done!)

While we're on the subject of make believe...

Fairies in flight

My daughter is four years old and lives in the wonderful world of pretend. When you're four so much in the world can be explained in simple terms like "it's magic." Now enter the fairies.

Me and Lily, the youngest fairy!

My friend Jamie and I are old college friends. We both have daughters who are only six weeks apart. Strangely, our lives have paralleled serendipitously at the strangest times. We parent similarly, enjoy wine, love to travel and shop, and both have very indulgent mothers who serve as "Nanas" to our daughters. Nana Sandy, Jamie's mom, has created a fantasy world for Jamie's little girl, Rachel, in which fairies and their magic kingdom abound. Life is about looking for evidence of fairies, and explaining things that happen through the magic of fairies.

Anna and Rachel enjoy Tinkerbell cupcakes at the fairy picnic

Thanks to Nana Sandy both of our four year olds had a magical day complete with the Nanas, the moms, and Lily, Jamie's baby. Through Nana Sandy's imagination, patience, and incredible party planning, we all traveled into fairy land one day this summer, and spent a day with the magic that is four years old!

Has anyone seen some pixie dust?

The day began with a treasure hunt for evidence of fairies. We found magic fairy dust, fairies in the plants, fairy rings, and did all of this while wearing wings. Wings were provided, but everyone needed to bring their own imagination to this party. While the girls gasped over the sparkly shells and magic rocks that they discovered hidden in the plants, they followed Nana Sandy with huge smiles of appreciation. They were simply in awe of this magical world that she shared with them. To the adults, we saw these "treasures" for what they were; straight from the dollar store and sprayed with glitter. The girls saw magic fairy treasures left for them by those mischievous pixies themselves. Delightful is watching two children and one Nana rejoice in the discovery of amazing things.

Look...fairy treasures and pixie dust!

The hunt, and obligatory "fairy flying" were followed by a picnic fit only for fairies. Fresh fruits, fairy-themed sandwiches, Tinkerbell cupcakes, and iced tea completed the menu. There was not one thing I could see that could make this fairy day any more complete.

Two fairies armed with treasure boxes. What will they find?

I've had many experiences this summer including exotic trips. This journey into imagination that brought so much joy to two four year olds, their moms, and Nanas, will forever be a special day. No tropical destination can quite match this. Pixie dust for Nana Sandy! May the fairies dance in her garden.

The picnic concluded with Nana Sandy reading a Pixie Hollow pop-up book to the fairies-in-training.

Travel to the world of make believe

Mr. Rogers was my childhood BFF

As a kid I loved Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. Despite what many young children thought of him, I saw none of the slow pace and boring banter, but a world of imagination and play. My favorite part of the show was when Trolley came bounding along the tracks with its whistle that only Mr. Rogers seemed to be able to interpret. Trolley took children on a journey into The Land of Make Believe, a place that every kid would surely want to be, where reality was left behind and only imagination was real.

Perhaps it should be no surprise that my four year old daughter, Anna, is also quite fascinated with the world of pretend. If she was a young child of the 1970's then she, too, would have been a fan of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. Not a day goes by that she does not dress up, pretend, or create some crazy-looking costume from her myriad of play clothes and jewelery. Along with that we've always noticed a dramatic tendency, and her love of socializing. Given these interests, my husband and I were inclined to plan our summer travels around Anna and agreed to be home for a week so that she could complete a drama class at a local children's theatre. As you might imagine, it was a huge success!

Anna's theatrical debut (she's the blonde one with the crazy hair)

We were happy to plan at least some summer days in which Anna could be a true kid. Sure, there's been the trips to the pool, the trip to Key West, the day trips to local places and visits with friends, but as you've read before, we don't always opt for the "typical" kid activities. My friends tell me that not every three year old chooses to go to "Jimmy Buffet's Restaurant" for their birthday. Surely they jest. So it did require a commitment on our part and planning to make sure that we were home for Anna to do her thing. It was a welcome change of pace for all of us.

We weren't sure going into this if Anna was going to dig it quite like we'd hoped when we ponied up the tuition. Sure, she's dramatic at home, but how will she do with other little thespians for 2.5 hours without mom and dad? Since the time that she was little we've left her with other trusted adults, but this is not her familiar daycare nor her "friends," as she was quick to point out, and how would she flush that noisy toilet all by herself? As soon as she realized that she would have help from a "nice" and "pretty" teacher, the love affair with going to class by herself began. The little one is growing up, and learning a few things along the way.

Isn't this a strange, moss-covered rock?

Anna was sometimes strangely quiet about her activities at class. Kind of like spending a night with Nana and Papa, the same rule seemed to apply: what happens at drama class stays at drama class. It was her time with her new friends, who she made right away, and with her beloved teacher. We would get little glimpses into her world through an occasional nonsensical song or some strange quote like "isn't this a strange, moss-covered rock?" And with that we'd smile and nod in agreement.

She left with a souvenir that week: her own strange, moss-covered rock

So Anna's journey into summer camp taught her mom and dad several lessons. It's OK to actually do "traditional" kid activities during summer, travel to the world of make believe can be powerful and local, and we'll do it again. And until this class I couldn't imagine the days of kindergarten that will greet us in one year, but they're coming, and she'll be ready. Luckily, her parents have one year to prepare.

I lived there...before the vampires

First Beach in LaPush, Washington

We have returned from several of our summer travels! For those of you still waiting - hang on. I'm going to blog about our Key West adventures, but I've been waiting for photos. Allow me to explain. We lost our camera on the 4th of July fireworks cruise. Not exactly sure how or who, that is neither here nor there, and having just received back up photos from my mother-in-law, I'll be able to write soon!

Meanwhile, I'll tell you about my travels that required no real planning on my part, except to arrange a date and get on our friends' calendar. My husband and I both spent our first years teaching in Forks, Washington. As it turns out, we both spent our first year teaching in the very same classroom, but three years apart. We did not live there at the same time, but we did meet through our mutual friend, Lynn. So we enjoy going back to Forks to catch up with our dear friends, and to see how the town has changed. Oh, and we have to find out the latest small-town gossip, of course.

This trip we spent two nights, and took our 4 year old daughter with us. She had a fabulous time. Our friends are now grandparents and are completely prepared to entertain a four year old. She was thrilled with playing outside, playing inside with toys that were all new to her, running through the sprinkler, and visiting with people who haven't all heard her latest knock-knock joke. The five of us took in what Forks has to offer. We spent an afternoon at First Beach in LaPush, and then half of Friday floating the Hoh River on our friend's raft. The four year old thought it was hysterical when her dad got sloshed with water. For her, the faster the rapids, the more fun it was.

Usually when we travel back we find that Forks is the same place that we remember. It's a quiet, isolated place with little entertainment in itself to offer, complete with one traffic light and no McDonald's. It is a place with good friends, and shared history, and that we appreciate. We were stunned to see the impact, though, of the Twilight series on Forks! Until the last year or so, I'd tell my students that my first year teaching was spent in Forks, Washington. They'd stare at me with blank looks that required a geography lesson in order to explain myself. Still, they were unimpressed. Now I mention that I taught there and students think that I'm some kind of celebrity. The irony is too much. This small town, nearly defunct from the decline of the logging industry, that drove me crazy in its isolation and lack of "culture" as I perceived it, now is a destination for thousands of Twilight fans of all ages.

Oh, they're easy to spot. My husband and I fall into an interesting group of people in Forks. While we're there as visitors, we're not really tourists, and we stay with friends, drive the roads and walk the streets with a comfortable familiarity. And we could spot them. The mini vans full of frenzied, awe-struck teens and their moms packing the front of Chinook Pharmacy to buy up their Twilight souvenirs. Forks has marketed to this craze with several "Twilight" stores, $37 tours of "Twilight locations", which is really a very expensive ride to LaPush. They ogle and caress the stacks of Forks hoodies and "Team Edward" t-shirts and discuss how cool it will be to wear to school. If anyone had told me that this level of Forks-worship would ever occur, I would have laughed. And I would have stocked up on Forks memorabilia before the rush and inflated prices! I'm glad for Forks that Twilight has come along...they can use the business.

Should this t-shirt be part of my back to school wardrobe?

Our visit with our friends was fabulous. They're as good of friends as always. We even enjoyed a laugh at my expense. For the first time in 8 years I spent the first day of the Nordstrom Anniversary sale floatin' the Hoh, and not at the sale within the first three hours of opening. And I don't regret it. But I will go tomorrow. Shall I see if they have any Twilight-wear available?

What's next?

I'm currently counting down: 15 days until we leave for our next vacation. Real, not virtual.

We depart for Miami and, ultimately, Key West, Florida very soon. At this point my work is largely done. Hotels are reserved, car reserved, restaurants and activities selected, and all that's left is to find a Cracker Barrel to stop at for lunch and plan our drive into Miami. We'll have a GPS system with us, so even driving directions don't have to be entirely planned out. Deals secured, work done; vacation is almost upon us.

So what's next? What's to become of my hobby? I have several challenges to take on. First, next summer we plan to take our then five year old to Williamsburg, Virginia. I've been there before, so much of the research part is already done. I will have to start to investigate suitable accommodations as well as some road trip components. No need to stop with the Colonial triangle...we'd like to see if it's reasonable to travel to Monticello, Jefferson's home. After all, the four year old is already excited to "meet" him in Williamsburg; shouldn't we make a pilgrimage to the real home? I will also have to find a suitable beach as we can't be on the East Coast and not make a trip to the shore.

Before that, there's the probability of a long weekend Disneyland adventure in the fall. This will be easily planned, but hinges on my work calendar for next year which we don't yet have. We also have the prospect of Spring Break. Again, we can't put energy into that one until we know if my vacation and my husband's match.

So, other than Williamsburg, what can I do with my time? It seems as though it's back to virtual traveling, my speciality. I would love to see Martha's Vineyard in my lifetime. And take a trip to The Hamptons as well. I know nothing about either of these locations, so herein lies my summer project. First, I'll have to learn about the regions and then start to seek out lodging. Something tells me that this will be expensive! Perhaps it's a good thing that it's virtual.