On the Road with Lori Rothschild

The NEW TravelTV Girl is up!

2010-06-03T13:37:00.001-04:00

Check out my new blog at

traveltvgirl.com!!

RAW Food in Santa Monica VIDEO

2010-02-09T09:22:00.002-05:00

So much fun to "have" to work in Santa Monica!

Here are my Top 5 Santa Monica "Must Dos..."

(1) Morning yoga at one of the hundreds of studios that are in Santa Monica or Venice. No yoga mat in your suitcase? No problem... mats are available for rent at most studios.

(2) Go online and find one of the Santa Monica Farmer's Markets! The one on Main Street on the weekend is the best and is best enjoyed with a coffee in hand as you stroll the booths. Be sure to bring a blanket so that you can sit out on the grass and enjoy the people watching.

(3) Walk the path that lines the beach up to the Santa Monica pier! Just try to resist playing on the adult monkey bars and swing sets. Be sure to bring a camera.. people working out on the rings is a sure fire Kodak Moment.

(4) Sushi - Santa Monica is known for its RAW foods... but, the best is still its sushi. My favorite is Taka Sushi.

(5) Happy Hour is best spent at the boardwalk where you can witness another beautiful sunset over Southern California with a glass of wine or beer in hand.

Travel On.
Lori

Lori's Top 10 Travel Destinations for 2010

2009-12-17T16:30:00.019-05:00

Now that we are smack dab in the middle of the Holiday Season, I bet I know a word that will light up your eyes... ESCAPE. With New Years right around the corner, it is now the perfect time to reveal my picks for the top 10 travel destinations for 2o1o. On your mark... get set.. pack your bags!

#10 - Washington DC

Value for money will still be on everyone's mind in 2010 - so if you are looking for a destination with great attractions, food and everything in between - look no further than our Nation's Capital. The one thing that I love about Washington DC is that all of the attractions are FREE! All of the museums, the monuments and even the National Zoo. The best time of the year to come to DC is in April to catch the Cherry Blossoms in full bloom as the weather starts to warm back up.

#9 - Iceland
Does Value for Money always mean staycation? Not so much. Iceland is the perfect getaway for the adventure traveler who is also on a budget. For every US Dollar you will get around 123 Iceland Krona - so, the conversion rate is on your side! Iceland is known for its hiking and mountain biking. This is the place where you challenge yourself all day on the trails and then soak in a natural hotspring at night.

#8 - Cruising
Cruising still offers the best bang for your travel buck when it comes to island destinations. There are always great deals to be had and new ships to tickle your wallets. I am super excited to check out Norwegian's new EPIC which is set to sail in June out of Miami. This is like a floating Las Vegas with a Blue Man Group and Cirque du Soliel right on board for your entertainment.

#7 - Colorado Ski Resorts
From Sunshine to Ice - my next top travel pick is the beautiful city of Denver Colorado and the ski resorts of Vail. The Vail resorts are almost like one big all inclusive property. If you go onto their website at snow.com you can book Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone, Heavenly and Beaver Creek all on one site. Be sure to make a brunch reservation at Keystone's Alpenglow Stube located at the top of North Peak. At 11,444 ft. this is the highest AAA-Four Diamond dining experience in North America where you trade your skis for warm slippers upon arrival.

#6 - Thailand
Travelers will continue their romance with Thailand in 2010. Talk about value for your dollar! The most expensive part of your trip will be your airfare - so shop early so that you can find a rate that works for you. Once you get there, you will experience some of the best and cheapest food and accommodations on the planet. Also, major resorts are offering deep discounts throughout the country to try to lure tourists away from neighboring Laos and Cambodia. Chiang Mai in the north of the country offers cultural immersion with over 300 classes in everything from cooking to kickboxing. Bangkok is a fest for the shopper and is a great jumping off point for the southern beaches and islands. If you thought Phuket was beautiful before the Tsunami, most locals will tell you that the beaches are cleaner and more spectacular then ever!

#5 - China
After hosting the Olympics, China has really opened its eyes to catering to the Western Tourist!You will find Beijing easy to navigate now with most signs translated into English. China still offers great bang for your travel buck - you are simply going to get a lot here for your money. I highly recommend also checking out the Giant Pandas in Cheng Du. At the sanctuary there, for a mere $125 you can have the opportunity to hold a real Giant Panda in your arms.

#4 - Marrakesh
2010 is the year that all of the hotels come to Marrakesh! There is a new Mandarin Oriental, the W Marrakesh and an Intercontinental. However, the most anticipated is the reopening of La Mamounia - known to be the best hotel in the world. La Mamounia recently opened its doors after a $180m renovation and now boasts a new 27,000 square foot spa, 3 new restaurants and 4 staffers to every room in the house.

#3 - Tunisia
Most Americans have never even heard of this diamond of a destination - mainly due to geography...(its sandwiched between Algeria and Libya) However, Tunisia is a land rich in history that offers the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean lapping against white sand beaches. If you are wanting real cultural immersion in an off-the beaten path location - then Tunisia is for you. Traveler beware though - Tunisia was also listed on Frommer's Top 10 List for 2010 - so, I am sure that this little pocket of paradise will no longer be our little secret.

#2 - South Africa
2010 is definitely the year for traveling for events. The FIFA World Cup is set to take over South Africa this summer. The US is playing this year, which makes a perfect excuse for all of you futbol (ok, ok... soccer) fans to book that long awaited safari. Jo'berg makes a great starting point for a safari and games just happens to coincide with the best time to see the big 5 in action. I believe the US has a match in Jo'berg on June 18th against Slovania... so, get planning.

#1 - VANCOUVER!
Vancouver promises to be the travel highlight of the year when the 2010 Olympics and Paralympics opens in February. It will surely open all of our American eyes to our beautiful neighbors to the north in British Columbia. Be sure to check out the area known as Gastown where you should have a whiskey (or 3) to toast one of the city's founders - Jack "Gassy" Deighton. Gassy Jack came to this area with his wife, a dog and a barrel of whiskey in hopes of opening a saloon. That saloon was built in Gastown and there is a shiny statue in honor of old Gassy. Did you also know that Vancouver has the highest Asian population in North America? That means that you will be treated to some of the best Asian cuisine in the world here - so, be sure to check out Chinatown and get some dim-sum. Opening ceremonies of the 2010 Olympics are scheduled for February 12th.

Travel On.
Lori

Raw Food Weekend in Santa Monica

2009-11-25T13:26:00.011-05:00

Morning in Santa Monica

I travel to the Los Angeles area a lot for work and over the last few years, the west side of LA has become my second home. There are great hotels, a wide array of restaurants and just plenty to do and see. With average temperatures hovering at around 70 degrees, Santa Monica is simply an outdoor lover’s paradise. From surfing to sailing and biking to hiking – there is simply always something to do outdoors here.

My friend, Kirsten Gum lives and works here – so, I always have a real place to call home when I am in the area. Kirsten and I worked together on Cash and Treasures for Travel Channel. While Kirsten is great on-camera as the host of Cash and Treasures; what most people do not realize is that she is also a Raw Food Chef! Kirsten strives to live a completely green lifestyle in Santa Monica; getting around town by bike or bus (she does not own a car), composting her kitchen scraps and recycling wherever she can. So, whenever I come to visit she puts me through what she calls “K-Camp” where she coaches me on how to live a more healthful, green, and peaceful life. She called this weekend "Raw K-Camp" where she was going to teach me a few all-raw recipes that I can make at home.

Our first stop was over to the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market to pick up some fresh ingredients to create an all raw Italian menu for dinner. Raw cuisine is all about preservation of the naturally occurring healthy nutrients found in foods. So, buying organic ingredients is key and there is no better place to find fresh, locally grown, organic produce than at your local farmers market. We walked through the stands and picked up some zucchini, fresh herbs, mushrooms, heirloom tomatoes, spinach and a bushel of fresh flowers for the table before heading back to the kitchen.

In my family there has been a constant battle over whether or not to pre-boil your noodles before you build lasagna. There is also a discussion about whether or not to use ricotta – which I will firmly state that ricotta is a sure way to ruin a perfectly fabulous lasagna. I suggest using a béchamel sauce and layering that with a homemade red sauce that I simply call “gravy” (never a marinara). But alas, this is raw lasagna and there wasn’t a single noodle or a slice of cheese to be had.

We sliced the zucchini using a mandolin and then soaked the strips in a salt water brine to help with the drying process. The strips then get laid out on tea cloths for an hour or so to drain the remaining liquid. While the strips are dry, they are still flexible which will allow us to use them as our noodle in the dish.

Meanwhile, we prepared a quick raw pesto by tossing a bunch of fresh basil, some raw olive oil, pine nuts, miso paste ,some chopped garlic and a dash of Himalayan salt into a food processor. A few pumps on the processor and we have a vibrant green sauce that will tie this lasagna together.

Kirsten had already prepared a fresh raw marinara sauce and some pine nut paste for the dish. She told me that the pine nut paste will serve as our cheese. (I snickered to myself thinking about what my Italian Father-in-Law would say to that one!) We also marinated some fresh button mushrooms in some lemon juice and garlic and sliced up a few heirloom tomatoes for the build.

Using a small spring pan, we started by coating the bottom with a tablespoon of the pesto. We then placed the zucchini slices just as you would a pre-boiled lasagna noodle (notice that I will never give up on that fight). Then a little marinara, some mushrooms, a handful of fresh spinach and then the “cheese.” The pine nut paste is squeezed through a cheese cloth around the sides of the round pan to hold everything together.

We continue with the layering process, ending with a latticing of pine nut paste on top for presentation. Ok, so now you have what looks like a lasagna pie and since there is no cooking, I couldn’t help but ask, what’s next?

Kirsten walks me over to a dehydrator where she tells me that we will warm the lasagna to 105 degrees. Raw foodies believe that heating foods over 115 degrees is a sure fire way of cooking away all of those healthy enzymes that allow your body to absorb nutrients and aid in digestion. Kirsten sticks to 105 degrees to make sure that her foods never hit that dreaded 115 degree mark. An hour later, we are ready to eat. We made a few of the little lasagnas so we invited a bunch of friends over for a raw dinner party.

Raw Lasagna

Before everyone arrived, I dug a bamboo fork right into the center of one of those little lasagnas for a bite and I have to say… it was really good. Now, I will say that a pine nut paste is no replacement for any cheese let alone a nice mozzarella. However, if you just remind yourself that this is not traditional lasagna, you will be able to appreciate this nice healthy take on the original.

Dinner with Kirsten and friends in her backyard in Santa Monica

As I stepped on the flight back to the East Coast on Sunday afternoon, I was inspired to bring my new raw food education home with me. In a way that’s exactly what happens every time I travel. I take home bits and pieces of a destination and bring it home with me. Will I now argue with my family that we should use pine nut paste instead of mozzarella in lasagna? Probably not. But it’s not really about having to change anything; its about opening your mind to new ideas and flavors to inspire your taste buds and your cooking.

Travel On.
Lori

Daytime Emmys 2009

2009-09-03T09:00:00.007-04:00

While I could not attend the Emmy's in Los Angeles last weekend, I had to take a moment and congratulate two of my teams on their nominations!!

BIG congrats to Steve Schmidt our editor on John Ratzenberger's: Made in America!

I also wanted to send a HUGE shout out to Kim Mayhorn for her incredible editing on one of my all-time favorite projects at Travel Channel - ART ATTACK! Kim was also nominated for her outstanding editing and I was so glad that she was able to attend the ceremony to represent! Another big thanks to Lee Sandstead, Bruce David Klein and Lorri Leighton at Atlas Media for their blood, sweat and tears on this fabulous project!

Love and Chocolate in Brugge

2009-08-17T15:40:00.029-04:00

I can honestly tell you that as a woman, there is definitely some chemical reaction that happens to a girl when she eats choocolate. It's a soothing, zen-like breath of richness that creates a moment of inner peace. It's so good that we go back, over and over, for more with no regard to the amount of additional sit-ups or minutes on the treadmill we have added to our life. For that one minute, calories do not count and we are one with the candy.

When I was asked to travel to Brugge, Belgium to do a simple story on a chocolatier, I knew that it was going to be beautful and delicious... and it was.

I flew into Belgium after a few fabulous days working on another project in Barcelona, Spain. I flew Brussels Airlines, which reminded me a lot of JetBlue - minus the Satellite TV at every seat. My ticket was booked in their "light" service, which meant a cheaper fare in exchange for less luggage. Meaning, I could only take one suitcase and one carry-on.... that's it. You did not even have the option to pay for another bag. Thank goodness I packed light.

I landed in Brussels at around 8:45pm and headed right to baggage claim to retrieve my luggage. Brussels National Airport is very easy to navigate and after a few days in Spain, I was relieved to hear the English speaking over-head announcements.

I caught a train on the lower level of the airport to Brussels Midi rail station where I could then catch my train to Brugge. The trip from the airport to Brussels Midi was around 20 minutes and cost 3 EUR.

I ordered my ticket to Brugge online from Rail Europe and it was delivered to me by mail. If you have some time to spare, be sure to purchase your ticket at the rail station so that you do not have to pay the hefty shipping fee. I paid $30 for that convenience. Also, I booked a first class ticket for $38 each way and I would recommend just paying $25 for the second class fare. In other areas of Europe, the class of service really makes a difference. However, on these trains all of the cars look alike and just bring a power bar and some water instead of paying a little more for the same thing on this train.

The ride to Brugge from Belgium was about 80 minutes. It was fast, relaxing and really quiet. I think there were only 4 other people in the car that I was in. It was the perfect way to take a breath and get ready to experience another European city.

I got off the train in Brugge and walked out the main door to a line of Mercedes Benz taxi cabs waiting in line to take me to my hotel. I quickly jumped into the car and we made our way into the gates of the small city. As soon as we came upon the main square, my eyes widened and I knew that I just stumbled upon something very special. It was almost 11pm at night and I could still see the charming elegance of this Medieval city glistening in the night.

I was excited to check into The Pand Hotel here in Brugge. I had checked the website before I left the hotel and it looked really nice. This 18th Century Carriage house is now a boutique hotel with only 26 bedrooms. My room was on the first floor which could be reached by a very tiny elevator or a very narrow winding staircase. Kind of a pain to get my luggage up and down, but charming and well suited for the surroundings.

The next morning, I met the TJ working on this project, Brian Knappenberger, for breakfast in their dining room. The staff quickly offered me some fresh juice, breads and cheeses. They also offered fresh fruit and yogurt, cereals and egg dishes all served on white table cloths with sparkling silver tea service.

After breakfast we jumped in a Mercedes Taxi and headed out to Carline Chocolate factory to start the shoot. Katrigne, the chocolatier was meeting us there and would be showing us the secrets of creating Belgian chocolate. She actually works for the US distributor of the chocolate and you can order them directly through Nirvana Chocolates located in New England.

As soon as I walked onto the factory floor, I felt a tingle of that chemical reaction. You could actually smell the chocolate as soon as you walked in the front door. One breath in and I knew I was in heaven.

So, what makes Belgian chocolate so irresistible? The Belgians pride themselves on creating the richest (without being too rich), highest quality, most natural chocolate. They do not use any preservatives and they also pride themselves on only using cocoa butter.

With full tummys in tow, we made out way back to Brugge to tour the city. Brugge has this fairy-tale quality to it. Castles and bell-towers standing over cobblestone squares and horsedrawn carriages creating the perfect clippity-clop soundtrack as you walk the narrow streets. Be sure to give yourself a day to explore and another day just to relax and enjoy.
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One thing is for certain, you will have plenty of chances to buy chocolate. I loved The Chocolate Line where Belgium's answer to Emeril Lagasse, Dominique Persoone, reigns as chocolate master. His creations range from nut infused bars to the wacky chocolate covered cauliflower to the choco-tequila shot. Think thats crazy? He also developed sniffing chocolates for a famous US Rock Band. Yes, sniffing chocolates and yes, that means you put it up your nose.

The food in Belgium was good... loads of frittes, Belgian Wafles (using only one "f" - not two like we do here) and beer. I tried a cherry beer which was a perfect while sitting out over the string of canals that wind throughout the city.

There is a legend in Brugge that says that if you see the swans swimming on the canals, that you will experience love in your lifetime. I definitely fell for Brugge and walked away completely smitten with Belgium. I found the people to be friendly, travel easy and the food yummy. Was it the swans or was it just a chemical reaction to all that chocolate? Who cares...

Travel On.
Lori

A Walk Down La Ramblas - Barcelona, Spain

2009-08-08T14:31:00.027-04:00

A few years back, I was inspired to create a list of 101 things that I wanted to do before I left the planet. Year by year, I keep checking things off... make my own pasta in Rome, Ski in Colorado, Have a baby. This week I checked off another - I took a stroll down La Ramblas in Barcelona!

Barcelona is a beautiful city that sits right on the Meditteranean on Spain's North Eastern Coast. It has that classic European charm and that undeniably relaxing Spanish vibe.

Downtown Barcelona is only about a 20 minute cab ride from the airport. My cab driver was friendly, but did not speak a word of English. So, make sure that you know at least a few lines of conversational Spanish. My ride cost about 20 Euros ($28 US), but for only around 4 Euros there is a bus right outside of the terminal that will take you downtown.

For this trip, the crew and I were staying at the Silken Ramblas, located only steps from the famous La Ramblas. La Ramblas is a street filled with cafes, shops and some of the most vibrant street performers I have ever seen. This is the perfect place for people watching and a must-do when in Barcelona. Be sure to stop into the Mercat right in the center of La Ramblas to see some of the freshest produce, meats and other foods from the local vendors.

On this trip, I was working with Alex Boylan, one of our best Travel Journalists. Alex has traveled the world on his show Around The World for Free and he is also a past winner of the Amazing Race. So, I knew that traveling with Alex was sure to be an adventure.

Our first stop was to a typical tapas bar to learn the art of small plate dining. One of the locals guided us to a place that they claimed to have the best tapas in town - Cerveseria Catalana. We enjoyed a few sample tapas - a bruschetta with prosciutto and cheese and then a salmon ceviche. The dishes were fresh and simple and the prices were reasonable.

We then headed up to Park Montjuic to get a bird's eye view of the city. The best way to get up to the top of the mountain is to take the Teleferic de Monjuic, a gondola that will lift you "ski resort" style up to the fort that sits atop Montjuic. At around 8 Euros for a round trip ticket, this is a fun way of seeing all that Barcelona has to offer.

I celebrated my birthday that evening in Barcelona with some fisherman's paella and some nice Spanish wine. After a long say of shooting, we headed to dinner at 9pm and we were alone! Book a reservation at 10 or 10:30pm if you want to eat with a crowd of locals.

The next day we toured the beautiful Park Guell in the heart of Barcelona. This park was commissioned by Eusebi Guell and was designed by Antoni Gaudi. Gaudi's whimsical approach to architecture can be appreciated around every corner of the park. Journey through the gingerbread looking gate houses and head up the almost crooked stairs to a large plaza where you will find street performers, locals and tourists all enjoying the shade from the hot Barcelona sun. The park also features shaded pathways and flintstone style arches where you will find people relaxing, reading, or enjoying the many street artists that line the paths.

Only a few minutes from Park Guell is the amazing La Sagrada Familia where you can see Gaudi's most famous piece of art that is still under construction to this day. In fact, after a century of buidling, most people think that the church is better left undone. The building is ornate and my favorite part was the crucifix located on the back side of the cathedral. Be sure to stop and really look at all of sculptures that are embedded into the facade.

For our second night in Barcelona, we made our way down to the Barcelona Seafront for dinner and some cocktails. This is the most popular place on the weekends - so expect a crowd and plan to make reservations at one of the many restaurants. Remember to book late or you will be eating alone! A popular wine to order with dinner is a Rioja or take a splurge and try one of their yummy mojitos. Be careful though, the rock sugar they use is super sweet and it will make you forget just how much alcohol you are throwing down.

In all, Barcelona was a charming city that was filled with good food, warm people and a relaxed culture. Everyone we met had a "Don't worry... you are in Barcelona" attitude that just forced you to slow down and take it all in. It will also seduce you into many evening cocktails and long nights with friends. They really want you to rest all day so that you can party with them all night.

Next Stop on this trip - Brugge, Belgium where I explore the art of making fine Belgian chocolates.

Travel On.
Lori

Getting my Blog Back On!

2009-07-16T10:44:00.011-04:00

Hi all...

Thanks for all of the emails and tweets! We are all super busy here at travel with the relaunch of TravelChannel.com coming this October! Have you signed up for Travel Channel GO? Get on your mobile, blackberry...whatever and download the APP asap! It's super helpful when you are out in the world and just looking for quick bites of travel information!

I have a bunch of stuff coming your way this week! Stay tuned to hear about my run-in with the "cricket" burger at the Cherry Cricket in Denver! It was one of the burgers featured on Man V. Food and Girl Won! I even had a little room for some choco cake for dessert! BIG thanks to Adam and the team there!

I also traveled out to LA to spend a grueling three days at K-Camp! What's K-Camp? How about a fun weekend hanging out with Travel Channel's own adventure girl, Kirsten Gum! Kirsten and I biked, yoga'd and spa'd our way through a fab weekend in Santa Monica! I'll tell you about the most amazing yoga class of my life, a movie under the stars at Hollywood Forever Cemetery AND how you can get professionally bathed at a Korean spa.

Oh yeah... I had some personal vacation while I was on hiatus too! The entire Ansaldi clan headed up to our lake house in Lake George, NY! It's a great getaway for a family on a budget!

For now, I leave you with this... a quote that was sent to the staff at Travel Channel this morning by our President, Pat Younge. It reminded me of how important it is to take time away from our busy lives every now and then. Travel is all about reconnecting with yourself, your family and your friends. Too many of us think of a "break" as a luxury... it is a necessity for your soul. Don't take my word for it...

Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgement will be surer, since to remain constantly at work will cause you to lose power of judgement. Go some distance away because then the work appears smaller, and more of it can be taken in at a glance, and a lack of harmony or proportion is more readily seen."- Leonardo da Vinci

Travel On.
Lori

Keystone Resort - Keystone, Colorado

2009-03-29T14:35:00.006-04:00

After a long trip through the Rockies and back, we finally arrived Keystone Resort on Saturday and I made it in time to give the opening speech at the Travel Channel. TCA welcomed 23 new travel journalists this go-around and it was really exciting to meet the new group.

One of my responsibilities while up in Keystone was to help with a shoot for the resort. One of our top preditors, Ryan VanDuzer was shooting and I was there to pre-pro and get a feel for the place. So, you know what that meant... yup, this chick did the rental thing, grabbed a lift ticket and headed out to the mountain for some ski school!

I think the last time I was on skis was when I was 13 and I went to Browdie Mountain with my dearest friend from childhood, Cathleen. She had been skiing since she was a toddler, so skiing with her was fun and in only a few hours of skiddish falls... I was able to handle some green runs. Well, that was 21 years ago and I was not taking any chances. Good thing for me that Keystone has a great ski school... so, we rented some skis and headed to River Run Village to meet up with our instructor.

Ski school was great. They taught us how to move our feet and bend our legs right on the pavement. Then, we hauled our equipment, jumped on the gondola and headed up to the top of the mountain to practice on their bunny slope. The great thing about Keystone's practice hill is that it has what they call a magic carpet. It is literally a people mover... like the one in the airports... that is covered like a tube that you simply walk onto with your skis and you are towed right back up to the top. No tow ropes! Now, don't get me wrong... I still stumbled onto it and I think I spilled off of the carpet a few times before I finally mastered it.

In just a few hours, my husband and I were comfortable and feeling ready for a more significant run... or a beer. So, we decided on the beer and called it a day on the slopes. We went back down the mountain and enjoyed a snack at Spoon, a cute little cafe only steps from the gondola at the base of the mountain. The one thing that I love about ski resorts is the comfort level. Everyone is in their ski gear, hair is messed, lips are chapped and a little "fresh" smelling after a day on the slopes. Nobody cares... and everyone is there just enjoying how relaxed the environment is. The whole place is family friendly and it may just be Keystone... but, I mean the whole place... from the resorts to the restaurants to the bus service. It was refreshing.

The next morning I did a brief speech with the students before they started their morning lecture. Then,Peter and I headed back out to the mountain. Our first stop took two gondolas up to over 11,000 feet to the premiere restaurant at the resort, Alpenglow Stube. We decided to go for a nice brunch so that we could work on skiing off the calories for the rest of the day. When we walked into the restaurant, they asked us for our coats and gear and our boots. They then handed us a cozy pair of slippers to wear into the dining room. I immediately fell in love! The food was amazing and probably the best brunch I have ever had... and that includes the brunch with my Ritz! Peter had an eggs benedict which was a duck egg with melted aged cheddar over grilled ostrich with a holandaise and a balsamic reduction. TO DIE FOR! I had a spinach and crab omelet that was also yummy. The highlight of my meal was the giant crab claws on the seafood bar and the endless choices of desserts. I would need three days of skiing to knock off the calories that I consumed in a period of 90 minutes!

I always thought that ski trips were about long cold days on the mountain, beer and burgers for dinner, hot cocoas and board games. I was sure surprised with the level of service, the quality of the food and the value that we got at Keystone. It is definitely up on my "must do that again" list and I highly recommend the experience... especially for families.

Luckily, our trip back to Denver was quiet and it allowed us to stop in on one of the restaurants featured on Man V. Food. Get ready for the next blog where I take on a burger from Duffy's Cherry Cricket... and this time, girl won.

Travel On.
Lori

A Little Too High in the Rocky Mountains

2009-03-08T12:09:00.013-04:00

I'm usually not one for a trip to the mountains. My husband's family has a house up in Lake George, NY and it is always a struggle to get me there. However, once I get there I usually enjoy all that a mountain retreat has to offer. When I was a kid, I used to travel up to Browdie Mountain in Massachusetts with my closest friend and her family for ski weekends. I remember the first time I clicked on a pair of skis and took to the slopes. I had a couple of hours of falls and trying to understand the value of the "snow plow" but in no time I was up and taking to the beginner and intermediate slopes without a problem. So, when the opportunity came to travel out to Keystone Colorado for a Travel Channel Academy, I was hesitant but excited to get back onto a pair of skis. My husband joined me on this trip. It's the rare opportunity when my work schedule is light and he is able to leave his post as an IT Manager back in DC. The stars aligned and he was able to book the trip and come along for an adventure up in the Rocky Mountains! We departed DC on Friday morning for Denver. He was on a Northwest flight through Minneapolis and I was on direct that would have us landing within minutes of each other at Denver International Airport. From there, we were going to meet up with one of our dearest friends and his wife for a quick dinner and then we would drive the 90 miles from Denver to Keystone. We arrived in Denver on time... got our luggage and rental and was well on our way to our friends house within an hour or so of landing. We went to dinner at a very cool little restaurant called Rootdown which is housed in a renovated gas/ service station. The restaurant has an organic/ sustainability theme and the entire place is decorated using recycled products. The floor of the main dining room is a recycled gym floor from one of the local high schools and lids from aluminum cans line the wall of one of the smaller dining areas off of the kitchen. We chose a table in the bar where we were surrounded by old fashioned telephones as we enjoyed a few of the organic selections on the Happy Hour menu. After our brief stay with our friends, we hopped back into the rental and plugged "Keystone" into our GPS and started the trip to the resort. It was now dark and there was a bit of dusty snow falling as we started our trek into the Rocky Mountains. We passed a few signs that said VAIL - 100 MILES and we took the exit that said KEYSTONE RESORT off of I-70. At the end of that exit ramp, the woman in the GPS system (affectionately named, Matilda) told us to take a right and drive another 40 or so miles through a town called Kremmling. OK, made the right and the drive became more of a two lane road through the dark mountains. In Kremmling, we stopped at a gas station called "Kum and Go" (had to include that in the blog...need to buy a t-shirt) and asked the guy behind the counter how long it would take us to finally get to Keystone. He said 45 miles and Peter and I just looked at each other... what we did not know is that he meant 45 miles in the opposite direction we were traveling! So, we loaded back into the rental and started back on the wrong route to what we thought would be Keystone Resort. At that point of the trip, the drive became a bit dicey... there were HUNDREDS (yes, HUNDREDS) of deer on the side of the road. They were so close to the car we could have pet them. We also scooted past a fat white rabbit and a glittery eyed fox. The snow was coming down and the drive was treacherous... especially going over "Rabbit Ear Pass" where a sign told us that we were sitting on the Continental Divide. By the time we were coming off of that pass, my knuckles were so white and tense that they ached when I finally released them to change the channel on the radio. At that moment, we decided that something had to be wrong. It was almost 90 miles since the sign at the end of I-70 and still no sign of the resort. Matilda was telling us that we were heading in the right direction... but, something just seemed way off. We finally pulled over and cursed at Matilda when we realized our mistake. We were in Steamboat Springs... 90 miles away from the resort and I flat out refused to get back into that car. So, we booked a night at the local Holiday Inn and decided to head back to Keystone early the next morning. We drove the 90 miles back to Keystone at 7am as the sun was starting to sparkle on the mountains. We both were pissed that it happened, but the morning ride made it all worthwhile. The Rockies welcomed us with beautiful scenics in every direction. We passed ranch after ranch with horses and cattle and just enjoyed the peace of the ride without feeling like we were in the middle of a Discovery Channel survival show. Now, we are here and ready for the Travel Channel Academy's four day boot camp at the Keystone Resort. I'll have more in a bit from our first days on the slopes and a review of the highest restaurant in the country... 11,474 ft! Travel On Lori

Valentine's Day at the Ritz Carlton Georgetown

2009-02-17T14:55:00.009-05:00

We are all suffering from the budget cut blues this Winter of 2009. From the housing crisis to the economy, all we hear about in the workplace, on the news and in our homes is how to save, save, save. Then... Valentine's Day rolls around and its almost like being on a diet and someone offering Chocolate Cake. What to do? Well... I ate the cake this year and made a dinner reservation at the Ritz Carlton Georgetown's Farenheit in Washington DC.

The Ritz Georgetown is not your typical Ritz. This hotel has a bit of the attitude of a Soho Grand (New York) with a hint of the too cool for school mentality of the "W" brand. I had been to the hotel a few times before, but this was my husand's first time to the hotel. Peter is a true Ritz snob and always looks forward to the sparkling crystal chandeliers, refined design and "it would be my pleasure" gestures from the staff. So, upon turning into the almost hidden driveway of this hotel he was already questioning if we were in the right place.

The hotel itself is located right on the banks of the Potomac River in a building that is a National Historic Landmark. The structure used to be an incinerator building and the red bricks, large windows and funnels makes you feel like you are in downtown New York... certainly not trendy, upscale Georgetown. Upon walking into the front lobby, guests are invited to sit and relax in a cozy lounge that has modern accents and a roaring fireplace. Looking for registration? Oh, they are behind you and seated at personal desks instead of the usual buzz of a "front desk".

We were escorted to the back of the hotel and climbed a staircase up to the main dining attraction here; Farenheit Restaurant. We scored an early reservation, so we were immediately seated and had a glass of champagne in hand only seconds after that. The restaurant had a special Valentines Menu which was a 4 course prix fixe menu... which was perfect because everything listed sounded amazing.

Peter and I both ordered the sauteed foie gras which was served over a flaky pastry type cracker and a slice of poached pear. The sweet and the salty with the texture of the foie gras was nothing less than perfect. (We are still saying "ummmm" three days after the meal).

For our second course, we both ordered the corn chowder which was yummy and warm... perfect for a winter night in February.

Peter ordered the surf and turf which was steak with shrimp for the main course and I decided on the Sea Bass. We both had the lobster risotto on the side... and we both licked our plates clean. Dessert was a not too decadent vanilla cake with white chocolate cream with a raspberry mousse glazed over the top. It was then granished with fresh berries and some shaved white chocolate.

After dinner we wandered down to Degrees bar and lounge for a nightcap. We sat and chatted for an hour or so before we made our way home for our private Valentine's celebration.

While the price tag was a bit steep, the overall experience of the evening was well worth it. Peter and I agree that nights like this are what reminds us to work harder. It keeps us dreaming of the life we always wanted and keeps the fire burning inside to strive for the best this life has to offer.

Yes, the economy is bad and save, save, save will be our daily mantra for many months ahead ... but, we find that if we spend on a few extravagances it makes all that saving worth it.

Tomorrow I am off to New York City for another Travel Channel Academy. I am then heading to Long Island to see friends.

Travel On,
Lori

What to do when you have NOTHING to DO...

2009-02-03T12:57:00.011-05:00

As a traveler, there is nothing more annoying to me than having nothing to do. I am on bed rest for the next few days for a minor health issue. I am fine... but, the doing nothing thing is killing me. It has become so boring that it had me start thinking about all of the people that cannot travel. People who are sick or care for them... or people who just do not have the means to get away.

Everyone knows that I am a TV addict and believe me...I have had my share of Gossip Girl, The Bachelor and Oprah this week! However, the one thing that really did the trick for me was a good book. Right now, I am in the middle of The Shiksa Syndrome by my good friend, Laurie Graff. This is a novel about a Jewish girl looking for a good Jewish boy in New York. I also loved re-reading Eat, Pray, Love. Elizabeth Gilbert is a wonderful storyteller who immerses her readers into a story within a destination. There is nothing more vibrant than imagining her in an ashram in the middle of India as she describes the "prayer" part of her story. It is the perfect way to escape the everyday... on the couch.

Since I really have a lot of time this week, I thought I would compile my travel reads for 2009... because even when you are not traveling... anyone can use an escape. Here's what I have on my list... please send me your suggestions.

(1) Wetlands by Charlotte Roche (born in High Wycombe but living in Germany) is a graphic portrait of a young woman's sexuality, and has been a European sensation, selling hundreds of thousands of copies. A woman I was sitting next to on a flight was reading this and we talked about it. Her copy was in German... Now it's available in English.

(2) "The Bad Girl's Guide to the Open Road" by Cameron Tuttle is full of sarcastic and sassy tips on how to take a highly adventuresome, Thelma-and-Louise-like road trip. I am also a fan of "Sand in My Bra"... another compilation of hilarious stories from women on the road.

(3) "Lonely Planet Unpacked" compiles hilarious travel disasters. There is nothing better than reading and learning from other traveler's mistakes. Here's one of mine... Back when we were shooting Passport to Latin America with Samantha Brown, I was trying to meet the crew up in Cusco, Peru so that I could be there for our Macchu Picchu shoot. I was in LA on another project and I was trying to figure out my travel itinerary. So, I called the producer and told her that I would fly into Lima and just "drive up" to Cusco and will meet them up in Macchu Picchu. Yeah, not so much... Cusco is a flight from Lima and at a little under 11,000 feet above sea level I also forgot about the reccomended acclimation period in Cusco before heading up to Macchu Picchu. Nice work, Lori.

(3) "Testosterone Planet: True Stories from a Man's World" is a compilation of daring stories by male adventure-seekers, including Tim Cahill, Jon Krakauer, Frank McCourt and Sebastian Junger. I love reading these adventure stories and the amazing skill and endurance that these guys have. An inspiration to try something new this summer.

(4) I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti, by Giulia Melucci. (Not released yet...) This memoir chronicles the food Melucci made to entice men -- and console herself when they left her broken-hearted. Anyone who makes a ziti during a crisis is my kind of girl.

(5) A Fortunate Age, by Joanna Smith Rakoff. (Not released yet...)This novel is about the lives of a group of Gen-Xers in pre- and post-9/11 New York City. My generation... my home city.

Also, mentioned above and two of my faves from 2008...

Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert. The story of a travel writer who, after a painful divorce, uses travel as her therapist. She heads to Italy to eat and to learn a little Italian, India to find inner peace by living at an ashram, and then to the Island of Bali in Indonesia to lay by the sea, study with a medicine man, and look for Love. If this does not give you the travel bug, nothing will.

The Shiksa Syndrome, by Laurie Graff. A story of a Jewish Girl who after a makeover looks a little less Jewish and finally lands a nice Jewish boy. Adorable and a perfect escape to the very "oy vey" world of dating in New York.

What are you reading? Let me know.
Travel on.
Loriwt=e

Travel is Creeping Up on Me

2009-01-25T10:15:00.011-05:00

I know you are wondering why I have not been blogging much lately... and there is a good reason. I have not been traveling. January for me is usually slow and its a good time for me to set goals for the new year ahead and to just prepare for the many months of suitcases to come.

But, I am itchy. If you are a traveler like me, you know what I am talking about. Home is great.. but, I'm getting a twitch and an itch to get the F out of dodge! The funny thing about travel is that it gets into your blood and it becomes an addiction. I mean, I just booked a night at a Candlewood Suite hotel in Denver and I got excited! (Translation... glorified Holiday Inn property that I will review to see if it is better than my beloved Homewood Suites. I'll let you know in my March blog.)

My travel schedule is booking up and I am just about ready to pack my bags and start checking out all that 2009 has to offer us in the travel world. In February, I am heading up to New York for our first Travel Channel Academy in New York in '09! I'm planning a jam packed itinerary so that you can get the word on some of what is new in NY this season. I am also scheduled for a treat at the Oscar Blandi salon.

At the end of February, I am heading to Atlanta to check out the other side of the city. Seriously... I really only know Buckhead... so, this time I am heading over to the "Perimeter" area to see what that is all about. Somehow I think I am going to find even more shopping and cool restaurants. If you have not been to ATL lately, its definitely worth the check out. So, stay tuned for that blog.

Then, in March... I head out to one of my all-time favorite places... Denver, Colorado, where I will be out at the Keystone Resort near Vail for another Travel Channel Academy. That's right people... Learn, Shoot, Earn, SKI! That is bound to be a fun academy class and what a great excuse to get out to Vail! Another jam packed itinerary for that trip... with a bonus, I am taking my husband along for the ride! Think there is anything for a couple to do in Vail... should I add that this is only the 2nd time we have left our 3 year old little girl behind?

DENVER!

Keystone Resort... Here we come!

So, I am going to go ahead and let January end nice and slow and enjoy this last week at home with my family. My daughter just started pre-school this month and I was really happy to be able to drive her to school in the mornings on my way to work. Like a normal person. I know that is not always going to happen... so, I am just enjoying some of the stuff that I know I will miss when the travel starts creeping back in.

What is on your travel schedule? Got any budget travel ideas? Send me some comments and let me know.

Until then... travel on.

Lori

All About the Travel in 2009

2009-01-02T10:20:00.014-05:00

TREASURE HUNTER: KIRSTEN GUM

ALL NEW PREMIERES STARTS SATURDAY, JAN 3RD AT 9PM

only on the TRAVEL CHANNEL

I was sitting at New Year Eve dinner the other night with my husband at one of our local Italian restaurants when this blog started to take shape. I could not decide how to start my 2009 without the old standby cliches... out with the old, in with the new stuff. As I was sitting there eating a 5 course meal, my husband and I could not stop complaining. The service was slow... they did take our order fast enough, the first course was too skimpy, the second was fine, the third was undercooked... it went on and on. I was so irritated that I was actually excited about making a nasty blog about the place. So, I came home and started to write and the more I wrote, the more I deleted. Was I really going to write a travel blog about my five course dinner out with my husband that had gone bad? It became apparent to me that the fact that my husband and I could afford a nice dinner after a very fun (and expensive) Christmas vacation in Florida with our family was more of a blog than the little scallop and overly seasoned cabernet reduction.

So, after a year of bad news and non-perfect hotel stays ... I offer you this.. a look ahead to what I think is going to be the major travel trends of '09.

(1) Business Travel will be cut significantly. What does that mean for you? Business travel is where the airlines make their cash. These are the travelers who do not have any flexibility in their travel schedules and they end up paying dearly for that. It could mean that airlines cut flights even more creating less seats per route. Your best bet... book early and search my fave sites to get the best deals.

(2) Vacation Rentals instead of hotels. Watch out Marriott! Local homeowners are coming to the table to pull even more travelers out of your hotels. With business travel cut backs and the growing vacation rental market you may very well see those hotel rates drop to fill their beds.

(3) American's are going to continue to Staycation this year as the economy tightens even more in 2009. We also see a lot more "Family Reunion" type travels coming in 2009 where families vacation together and save on everything from nightly rates, meals and attractions.

As I look ahead to 2009, I see many paths unfolding that will change my future forever. My daughter starts preschool this month... I have a new position at Travel Channel where I have been given the opportunity to work on shaping a new world of online video for the network. I am also responsible for the Travel Channel Academy and all of the graduates who are out there making travel video for us.

Here are a few new pictures from our family trip to Florida. We hit Disney the day after Christmas and WOW that place was packed! I mean wall to wall people. Loads of "family reunion" t-shirts walking around. I feel good about that trend...

Enjoy 2009 and stay with me this year... I'm about to blow out TravelChannel online with some amazing new travel content including a style web series with my close friend, Sammy B's stylist, and total hottie Christina Burns. (Coming in March)

Talking about hotties... be sure to catch all new episodes of Treasure Hunter: Kirsten Gum coming tomorrow night at 9pm on Travel Channel! This season is all about adventure and Kirsten is one adventurous chick. Check it out.

BIG SHOUT OUT to Kirsten Gum and the entire Treasure Hunter crew at Indigo Films who literally risked their lives shooting this show. You are my rock stars!

Travel On,

Lori

When the Travel Channel goes on Vacation...

2008-10-29T14:13:00.033-04:00

I am constantly asked if I get to travel for my job at Travel Channel and the answer of course is yes. I travel a lot... a whole lot... I have an addiction. However, I have never been asked where would the entire Travel Channel go if we all just picked up and went on vacation. Wouldn't that be something? Where would a group of travel passionates go on vacation? Hawaii? Bora Bora? No, No, people... we go to Lansdowne, Virginia!

Lansdowne Resort sits in the middle of Virginia's horse and wine country and the grounds are really beautiful. The rooms are very nice with comfy beds (minus the pillows... way too soft), plenty of room and free wireless. The best part of the rooms were the bathrooms with slate tile floors, revolving shower heads and yummy bath products from Gilchrist and Soames.

When we checked in on Sunday, the news quickly spread that Sarah Palin was also a guest and that secret service was crawling all over the building. Now, as I have said in previous blogs... I am a fair shade of purple when it comes to politics and I was just impressed that they chose this hotel over the Ritz! Anyway, that evening we were all in the tavern when we were told that we were not allowed to leave the bar until she went up to her room from the lobby. Can you imagine? They locked the entire Travel Channel in the bar for Palin? For us it meant...

British Leader who loves Obama

Plus security locking us into a bar because of Sarah Palin...

= PARTY!!

JK... I don't even know who these guys are... but I loved the pic.

I also LOVED that the Palin gang brought the campaign bus and parked it right out in the front drive of the hotel. You know that once that bar door was unlocked I was one of the first ones to run out the door for a photo op! Note to self... I need a campaign bus.

Travel Channel is definitely corporate and this retreat was about real work. We have a real office with a receptionist (her name is Katie). We have little kitchens with microwaves and fridges to hold our brown bag lunches. Our vending machines have the usual crap... no crickets or monkey brains like you see in the commercials. I have a bigger office in this building than Sam, Anthony or Andrew! (Can you guess why?)
It was a great few days filled with cool discussions about our business and networking with colleagues from other departments or offices (our interactive team is based on New York and our Big Daddy, COX Communications, is based down in Atlanta). We also had a great time enjoying some down time in the tavern and playing group trivia hosted by a real Quiz Master! Did you know that you could catch Herpes from a beer glass?

Here are some highlights... enjoy the candids and video.
Travel On.. Lori

On Location on the American Riviera... Santa Barbara

2008-10-18T21:59:00.034-04:00

Each and every time I visit California, I find something else to love about it. This time was no different when I found Santa Barbara. Unlike my other favorite CA town (Mill Valley), this little town is known for its BIG spenders. This is the land of the vacationing billionaire and I was determined to see what the American Riviera was all about. BRING IT ON!

There are no direct flights from DC to Santa Barbara. You can either jump on a connection or you can try to brave the hour and a half drive from LAX. I chose a connection through Phoenix and landed in Santa Barbara at 10pm. The terminal building looks more like a Spanish style home than an airport. The best part was when the man drove our baggage to us from the plane to the small outdoor space that they called a baggage claim. Quick, Cute and Easy.

I picked up my rental from AVIS and made my way to State Street in the heart of Santa Barbara to find my hotel for the next few days. I was here for a couple of shoot days with Sam and to also start our new style web series with Christina Burns... one of my favorite people in the world and Sam's stylist.

I checked into the hotel and met up with a friend for a beer at a small pub across the street. I was exhausted and after a few drinks I was starved and ready for bed. We wanted a late night snack... so, we headed out to a local hotdog place and I chowed on a corndog and some fries. The corndog was on a stick and it reminded me of growing up and eating a dog and some cheesefries with my parents on the boardwalk in Atlantic City. Ummm... but, I was going to pay for it in the morning!

My full tummy and the alarm woke me up for our early am call time. It was our first shoot day for the style series and I wanted to meet with Christina nice and early to get our game faces on (makeup). We met up down in the lobby with Brandon, our director and drove over to our first location for the day... Couture Candy.

Yup it is exactly what it sounds like... a perfect little place filled with beautiful clothing that looks like candy to a girls eyes. Couture Candy is an online clothing retailer and this was their headquarters. Their office is on the second floor of a building and looks more like a funky photography loft than a retail store. Oh, by the way... nobody gets access to this place... except for designers and stylists and I had one with me! Here's Christina with Stephanie of Couture Candy! LOVE that girl.

Couture Candy helps us with wardrobe for Samantha. So, we were going to shoot our first webisode as Christina dives into their fab closet filled with yummy couture for Sammy. It was paradise and Christina was like a rockstar!

After Couture Candy, we headed up to Montecito to a little boutique called Kate to meet up with a local bathing suit designer named Sonja. Sonja is a Brazilian and she makes beautiful "loungy" bathing suits that are just dreamy. Sam wore one in our Miami episode and now we were looking for a couple more for the new episodes being shot in Hawaii next month. So, Christina went to work... and so did we for another webisode.

By the time we got finished with our bathing suit piece, we were all starved. So, we walked down to street to Tre Lune... a small cafe only a few stores away from Kate. The place was adorable with old black and white Hollywood photos and tiny dollhouse style wooden chairs hung on the walls. Each little chair had a golden label with a name. I asked the waiter about the chairs and he told me that each chair represented one of their regulars. I walked around and noted Ellen Degeneres and Portia DiRossi had their names on chairs. That's kinda cool.

I ordered a tossed salad with grilled shrimp and Christina and I shared a veggie panini (a recommendation from Sonja) and it was yummy. My new mission... get a chair at Tres Lune in Montecito. I made a mental note.

Our next shoot location was back at the hotel with Christina unpacking Sam's bags. It was a long day and I was hitting the wall after the late night and now a full work day... so, as soon as I could back out... I went back to my room and took a nap.

Sam called me at 8:30 to see if I wanted to meet her for a late dinner. So, I walked back across State Street to a restaurant named Joe's Cafe which is known to have the stiffest drinks in town. (Note to self... order water.) Sam and I both had a spanish style meatball soup and we shared some grilled salmon and veggies. Her hubby met up with us for a bite and some conversation and we called it night. I had a bunch of shows to screen and some scripts to work through before I went to bed.

The next morning, I was up early and we did not have a crew call until 1pm. So, I decided to get some green tea and take a walk through town. I took a left out of my hotel and found some amazing shopping. State Street is like an outdoor mall... it has everything from drug stores and small cafes to a Macy's, Nordstroms and Anthropologie. It reminded me of a bigger and better version of Georgetown. Kind of posh with some cool skateboarder stores mixed in. I stopped into a kids store and picked up a cute stuffed puppy for Eva-Bel and then I went into a yoga store and finally found a travel yoga mat. Yeah... no more borrowing from random studios!

Before I headed back to the hotel, I grabbed a bite to eat at a place called the Natural Cafe. This is California... the land of healthy food and exercise and I alwayys try to eat "clean" while I am here. I ordered a grilled veggie platter with tofu and a green tea with ginseng. Just eating and drinking this stuff made me feel skinnier.

After lunch, I met up with the crew at the hotel for our day of shooting with Sammy. We went over to the Four Seasons Biltmore to shoot at the Coral Casino. The Coral Casino is a members only club right across the street from the Four Seasons. With a membership fee of $250,000 per year... this place is not for millionaires... its for BILLIONAIRES. It was beautiful and it certainly feels like the riviera. Just perfect.

We shot with the Executive Chef of the property, Pilar Sanchez, one of California's best who had a beautiful little place called Pilar Napa that I read about and always wanted to try. Pilar made a yummy salad with Sam up in one of the private cabanas and she was amazing.

The shoot ended at 6pm and we were all ready for a bite to eat. So, we headed back to Joe's for a bite. I was not going to the late night salsa shoot because I had to be up for a 7am flight back to the East Coast. So, after dinner I said my goodbyes to the crew and went back to my room. I decided that I wanted to take a late night yoga class at a place called Yoga Soup a few blocks from the hotel. So, I grabbed my new yoga mat and went to class.

The class was called Late Night Flow and I was suprised to see so many people waiting for the class with me. The class was a perfect way to end my few days in Santa Barbara. It is totally worth checking online for local gyms or yoga studios while you are on the road. It is always fun checking out a new class and feeling like you tried to stay on your gym schedule while you are away from home. Try it sometime... PLUS, the stretching was just what the doctor ordered before I had to jump on two airplanes for the long trek back to DC.

I am now writing this blog from my sister's couch in Greensboro, NC. I landed in DC on Thursday night, worked from home on Friday and then got in the car and drove to NC to be here for my neice's 6th birthday party. The party was great... but, the highlight of this weekend was the yummy North Carolina BBQ at Stameys! The barbeque here is not the sweet smokey type like you would find in Texas. The sauces here have a vinegar base and it gives the meat a real bite. I chowed down on some chicken and pulled pork and some hush puppies. I then washed it down with some homemade peach cobbler and vanilla ice cream. See... in Cali I was all healthy.. in NC I am all BBQ. When in Rome...

Travel On
Lori

Pumpkin Picking in Maryland

2008-10-12T09:24:00.012-04:00

There is something about the smell of spices this time of year. Every September, my sister in law always had a homemade potpourri burning on her stove. She boiled a muddy mess of water, sliced apples, orange peels, and spices that smelled like autumn. Her kids always knew that the smell of "Reenie's potpourri" meant that it was the end of summer and time to go back to school. Watever it looked like in the pot, it smelled like a warm home. This weekend was our annual pumpkin pick'n weekend. We live around the corner from Butler's Orchard in Montgomery County, Maryland and we just love their Pumpkin Festival. Butler's is a working family farm that does all sorts of events for the family all year long. But, their pumpkin and harvest festival is our favorite. Hundreds of people come out to the farm to enjoy their open field filled with fall fun. There is a little petting zoo filled with goats, sheep, pigs and chickens. Then there are corn mazes, a moon bounce, live music, pony and hay rides, a hay loft and a cool slippery slide. After we enjoy our time in the field, we head out to the patch to pick our pumpkins! The kids run around trying to pick the biggest one that they can find. Just fun. On our way out, we stopped at Butler's sweet general store where they have loads of fresh produce, crafts, preserves and more pumpkins. I made sure to pick up their yummy apple butter and a bushel of freshly picked gala apples to make my homemade apple sauce. (Yes, I do make my own... no comments needed) Wanna try it for yourself? Here is the recipe... Grandma and Aunt JoAnn's Applesauce
bushel of freshly picked apples (store bought is fine... you will need a dozen)
1 c sugar (and a little more to suit your taste)
Cinnamon

Peel and Core your apples and slice them in half. Add to large pot of water and cook the water and apples until they come to a boil. Reduce heat and let them simmer until all of the apples are fork tender. With a food processor, puree your apples in batches and transfer into a large bowl. Add sugar to the finished puree and as much cinnamon as you like for flavor. (Some just add the sugar and nothing else)... enjoy.

Happy Harvest!

Stay tuned... I am jetting off to Santa Barbara tomorrow to meet up with Sam and the crew to shoot our new style series for the website. I am also going to check out the Hotel Santa Barbara and some other local faves. This is going to be fun! Travel On! Lori

SISTAH's Weekend in Jackson, New Hampshire

2008-10-08T12:18:00.028-04:00

My husband is the youngest of 5 boys and all of them are now married with children. The "brothers" are very close and spend a lot of time together in social and family situations. It's special being a part of a big family and I adore each of my brother-in-laws and four sister-in-laws. Sister-in-laws are special people because we all come from very different places and environments, but we all have one common denominator... we married into the same family. Does that mean that we automatically will get along? As I have heard from my other friends and family... not so much, but I'm lucky. I have four sister-in laws who I consider my siblings and I love each of them because of our differences. Early in the summer the "brothers" planned a weekend getaway with their father to Saint Louis to see the Cardinals play some baseball. They planned, the went, they had fun at the games, they ate and drank. They had a blast... which got all of us girls thinking. How about an annual girl's getaway for the "sistahs?" Hell yeah... and that's exactly what we did last weekend up in Jackson, New Hampshire. The planning of this trip was far from easy. Remember, we are all very different people. June is almost 50 and she has 3 grown sons and works in a pharmacy. She has not been on an airplane in 33 years! Maureen is in her 40's and is a mother of 6children! The oldest is 21 and the youngest a mere 11 months! Lori is a working mother of 2 in her 40's and has such a cool government job... we don't even know what she does. Kathleen is 40 and she is a mother of 3 and is a labor and delivery nurse. Kathleen was in the room when I had Eva. Then, there's me... 34 with a 2 year old who travels the world for work. My idea of a getaway is certainly different from June's or even Kathleen's! So, Kathleen took on the job and planned a girls weekend in the White Mountains of New Hampshire during the peak of the fall foliage. Sounded great to me because (1) there was a spa and (2) someone else did the planning for me. Just pack me a suitcase and I am there. Kathleen, June and I flew from Baltimore up to Manchester and we then met Lori up at the Manchester airport because she was up in Boston for business. The four of us then drove 5 hours (should have been 3) to the beautiful little town of Jackson, New Hampshire. Someone forgot to make a turn and we wound up at a Dunk'n Donuts and finally used the GPS on my blackberry to get us back on track. (see video below) Jackson is a quaint little town in the heart of the White Mountain ski resort area. You arrive into the town after passing under the historic wooden covered bridge. We were staying at the Christmas Farm Inn and before winding up the hill to our hotel, we noticed a buisling with a sign that said "Jackson Grammar School" - Who calls an elementary school a grammar school anymore? The people of Jackson do! We checked into the Christmas Farm Inn and drove up the windy path to the two bedroom "Smokehouse" cottage that we booked for our stay. On the way up the path, we found that we were not alone... there were several wild turkeys (among other guests - see video) at the inn. The cottage was small and cozy with two nice bathrooms and a large living room area with a nice gas fireplace. (Did I mention that it was 50 degrees outside?) Maureen, the missing "sistah" was already at the cottage waiting for us. So, we all got settled and headed out for a much needed cocktail and some dinner. We went to a local pub and got all caught up on the kids and life over wine. The fireplace was lit in the main dining room and it was very cozy. The next day we drove into the town of North Conway where we browsed the little boutiques and country stores that line the main drag of the town. I loved Jeb's Country Store with its beautiful old fashioned candy counter where I found a baseball sized gobstopper. WHAT? You know I pulled out a $10 bill for one of those babies! We then stopped for a light lunch at Delaney's Pub before heading down to their outlet area where I paid my monthly dues to Banana Republic. After our day of shopping, we really did not want to go out for a big dinner. So, we rested up, drank some wine and got all dolled up and went over to a popular joint that just happens to have karaoke on Friday and Saturday nights. Maureen has a beautiful voice, so it is always fun for us to go to karaoke with her. She is like our own free live entertainment! So, we put on our jeans and went out for the night. Karaoke was in a place that Maureen called "the Peking" and it looked exactly what I thought it was going to be... a Chinese Restaurant. We walked in and went to the back of the restaurant where there was a door that led us right into a full-on bar with pool tables, darts and a big area for karaoke. With our group included there was about 15 people in the place ... so, that, plus a few cocktails later... you know who was up singing like Mariah? Yup. It was a real mess that kept up into the wee hours of the morning. We laughed so hard that my stomach was sore the next morning! The next day, we were all nursing a hang over and decided to "detox" with a healthy breakfast and a hike to a waterfall. Lori and I decided to head out early and we hiked the amazing Jackson Falls which were only a few minutes from our Inn. It was beautiful... and I could have sat on the rocks in the middle of the river for hours. We met up woth the girls a few hours later and we headed to another waterfall called the Glen Ellis Falls where we were able to easliy navigate a path to another amazing waterfall. Lori and I cut the path and again found some amazing rocks in the center of the ice cold river to play on. The clean air was dusting all of the smoke out of my lungs and it just felt awesome to play outside like a kid. Later in the afternoon, Lori and I went to the spa for a massage and steam while the other girls napped. The Christmas Farm Spa is very nice and the massage was welcomed after a long day of hiking. However, I hear that you can get a better massage in town for half the price. So, traveler beware!

That night, we decided to go up to the Wentworth Inn to have dinner in their restaurant. Maureen's oldest son is a chef there and we were all very proud to see him in his chef whites! The Wentworth is a beautiful historic property that sits right up next to the Jackson Falls. The campus is exquisite and certainly worth the time to stop in for a cocktail, tea or for the rest of your natuaral life. Dinner was very nice and it was a great way to cap off our "sistahs" weekend in the mountains. Overall, our weekend was full of fun and a big "hot mess" of karaoke. There was a bit of tension in the group... one of us was on a strict diet and found it hard to eat at the places we chose.... I had a problem with one of the servers at a restaurant called The Thompson House Eatery and Kathleen almost crawled under the table when I opened my Rothschild mouth. (The food was great... the service... not so much) But, we were all fine and at the end of the trip we were already thinking about what our next trip should be. The entire experience got me thinking about women's relationships with each other and how very different we are with other women than we are with men. We had some pretty healthy discussions about politics, our kids, and our families. We talked about how hard marriage is for all of us... at all stages of our lives and the joys that come along with it. So, what is it about being around women that is so special for other women? It's the understanding and perspective that only a female friend can give you. Women need women to get through the best and worst times and what I found in a small town in New Hampshire... is that I have four of them that I can count on for the rest of my life. Travel On Lori

NO, DAVID! and the National Book Festival in DC

2008-09-28T15:08:00.013-04:00

My daughter loves books... and I'm not just saying that because I think it makes (1) her look smart or (2) me look like the parent of the year. She just loves them. She wakes up at 7am every morning and says, "Can I read some books?" Granted, she is 2 and a half and is not reading them yet, but she memorizes stories and then just repeats them as she looks at the pictures. Its kind of amazing. One of her favorite books is called NO DAVID by David Shannon. She equally loves another of his books about a dog named Fergus. They are super easy for her to memorize and the illustrations are adorable and crazy. Just what she loves to look and giggle at as she makes up why David got into trouble again.

So, this weekend was the National Book Festival on the National Mall here in Washington, DC. This summer was all about taking advantage of our home cities and this was one event that was perfect for our family. Just a 30 minute drive for us into DC and it was FREE! Perfect. AND... all in the shadows of the Capitol building where Congress was diligently working on how to save our economy. We waved for good measure.

The highlight of the event was that THE David Shannon was going to read his new book and then do a signing. Another author that Eva reads, David Carter, was going to be there too. He is the guy that writes those cool bug books. Eva loves them... so, we definitely wanted to get him to sign her copy of his Big Bug Book.

We hit the mall around noon and the place was swarmed with people. The children's tent was packed with parents and kids all eagerly listening to David Shannon read through his book. He even pulled out an easel and started to draw David for us. Eva was super excited to meet him and have her personal David and Fergus books signed.

We walked down the mall towards the Capitol building where folks were lined up eagerly waiting for their favorite authors to start signing their books. You should have seen the line waiting for David Shannon! It was a good thing we brought lunch! It was like waiting in line (old school) at Disney for the Haunted Mansion! There were no speed passes at the Book Festival!

So, we waited. Eva had her lunch and we chatted with other fans. We then realized that David Carter was also signing books and was about to close up his line. So, Peter stayed on the Shannon line and Eva and I walked over to meet the bug guy. We waited for a few minutes and he happily greeted Eva and signed her book. He even took a picture with her and she was just thrilled to think that he was the man that made the bug book.

Eva and I were excited after meeting David Carter to now meet her favorite... David Shannon. As we headed back to the line, we realized that it was MOVING!! Which meant that he was there and he started to sign the books! The event staff handed everyone a post-it note so that we could write exactly what we wanted in the book. We wanted "To Eva" on the David book and we wanted "To The Ansaldi's" on the Fergus book (we are dog people). So, we waited... and waited and finally it was just before our turn and the girl managing the line apologized and said that he was no longer personalizing the books.... meaning, he did not want to take the extra 5seconds to write "TO Eva" on the book. IS HE KIDDING ME? I just spent two hours on line and HE does not want to take the time? Hey, I did not really want to wait for all that time... and I really did not HAVE to purchase his books for $16.99 each! I was infuriated, but Eva loved him and wanted to see him. So, we walked up to the table and said that she was his biggest fan and he smiled when she said, "NO DAVID". She even asked how Fergus was and we found out that Fergus is his real dog! He is a star in our house!

So, I dedicate this blog to David Shannon.... who is a CHILDRENS author. I say, if you ask CHILDREN (your fans) to come out to meet you for PUBLICITY... I say, take the 5 seconds and sign her name. I know it would have really been special for her. AND (smiling to myself)... you kind of shot yourself in the foot because now that I have a brand new copy of your book with your signature (not personalized)... I can sell your book on Ebay and make 100% profit. My daughter can use the extra 16 bucks for her college fund. So, no harm done. Right?

I'm heading to NY tomorrow to meet up with Sam and the Passport crew. I am then off to the White Mountains of New Hampshire on Thursday to check out the fall foliage at the Christmas Inn in Jackson, NH.

Travel On.
Lori

To Boldly Go Where No Woman Has Gone Before

2008-09-22T12:47:00.007-04:00

I believe that I have seen the Twilight Zone. I've been on several flights where I question if something happened and we flew right into another dimension. I have actually been through production meetings and had the same feeling. Well, I can now tell you that I have officially entered the Twighlight Zone and instead of taking a Jet Blue flight to LA for a meeting, I may be flying aboard the starship Enterprise.

A friend of mine is a huge Trekky... you know the kind... the people that dress like aliens and characters from the popular series Star Trek? It's a slice of American life that I covered in the past for a series on conventions that I did for Travel Channel. We covered Star Trek conventions, the Big Beautiful Convention and several others that were just as "out of this world." Anyway, so my friend is involved in the production of an online production of some "lost episodes" of Star Trek. Somehow they got their hands on some old scripts that were never made into episodes and shoot them up in a studio in upstate New York. They then master the show and upload it to their website where millions of their Trekky friends can download them.

Anyway, they were searching for girl to play a character named Isel for their next episode shooting in October. This character is a bald "Deltan" and is a Lietenant aboard the Enterprise. So, my friend asked if I would be interested in auditioning for the part... being that I meet all of the requirements for the part (girl - check, Lietenant - I know how to be a fierce bitch, bald - check) At first, I thought it was a joke... and when I realized it wasn't... I told my family and they said that I should try just for fun. So, I agreed to the audition.

Yesterday, I made my way over to his house to shoot a screen test for the Executive Producer. We are shooting an episode called "The Child" and I play Isel who was impregnanted by a parasite of some sort. After a 3 day gestation period, I give birth to a health human baby girl. The short story is that I am a mother trying to protect her child and everyone else aboard the ship thinks that she is an alien trying to kill everyone... and wants to kill her (the baby... not me).

So, now... I am officially on tape auditioning for the role of Isel for this series. I am admitting to it now in case one of you wants to use it against me in the future. I can see Howard adding my Apprentice audition to the reel.

I'll let you know what happens...

I'm home this week and then off to NYC to meet with Sam and the crew for season 2 of Passport to Great Weekends. I am then heading up to New Hampshire for a fall foilage weekend where I will be checking out the beautiful Christmas Inn in Jackson.

Travel On...
Lori

Hotel Review: Partying at the Mondrian Scottsdale

2008-09-16T15:55:00.007-04:00

Do you know that I had never been to Arizona before I went to Scottsdale a few weeks ago for a bachelorette party!?! With all of my years as a travel writer, I just never had the opportunity to explore it for myself. I remember a layover in Pheonix for a few hours before a flight to Telluride... but all I was able to see was a few margaritas before I boarded that tiny toy airplane up to Colorado.

So, this was my chance to experience Scottsdale. One of my dearest friends was getting married and she picked Scottsdale for our girls weekened because she spent 4 years living in the area when she was a student at ASU. Now, being a graduate of SUNY Buffalo, I just could not understand why anyone would want to go back to their college town for a girls weekend. Well, now I know why.

The air was a balmy 97 degrees when I stepped off the flight from Baltimore. Did I mention it was 9pm? She told me that it was going to be hot... but, this was a real hot.

She picked me up from Sky Harbor Airport and we made our way to our home for the next few days... the Mondrian Scottsdale. Yes, the Mondrian... my home away from home in Los Angeles has another location in Scottsdale and from what I hear... it is supposed to be just as fun.

I shared a room with my friend and another girl this trip and they arrived earlier in the day and was already checked in. I walked into the room and was waiting for the crisp whites of the Mondrian in LA. I was actually shocked at what I walked into. The room was a typical room size for a motel (notice I used an "m" and not an "H"). It had two full sized beds that were nicely dressed with fluffy pillows and cotton duvets. The furniture was very modern and all black with a subtle sense of funkiness that you could mistake for bad taste. The desk and table that lined one of the walls was trimmed in black tassles... like the little thingies that drop off of a 20's style flappers dress? That was not the best part... it also had a box shelf that was lit from the inside with a single red apple sitting in the box. Ummm, note to self... don't eat that.

Our couple of days in Scottsdale were made up of lazy days by what we called their disco pool. The pool was quite the scene and we enjoyed the people watching as we sipped champagne toasting our friend's last few days of singlehood. Hey, I'm not saying that we did not have fun...

My rating of this hotel overall was piss-poor for service and cleanliness. I think we would have had a better room and service at the local Homewood Suites. However, there were a few people on the staff that made up for their overall lack of good guest judegment. The rates were decent... but, you really do get what you pay for. I say stay away. When I go back to Scottsdale, I'm going to try the Phoenician or the new W Scottsdale.

Travel On...
Lori

California Dreaming... Living the LA LA Life

2008-09-12T19:58:00.013-04:00

What is it about a destination that seduces you and makes you never want to leave? Is it the people? The atmosphere? The food? Its all of the above for me and I have to say that I found a new love in Santa Monica this week. You all know that LA is like a second home to me and I usually stay in the West Hollywood area. Its just always easier for me to get to all of my producers. But, for this trip, my meetings were all in Santa Monica so I decided to stay at the beach.

My trip started on Wednesday afternoon on a JetBlue flight from Dulles to Long Beach. Again, if you are thinking of traveling to the LA area, you need to see if you can use the Long Beach airport. It's simply the easiest and most efficient airport in the area. I landed at 8:20 and I had my bags at 8:45 and I was in my rental car on the 405 by 9pm. If I flew into LAX, I could almost guarentee that it would have taken me over an hour just to get my bags.

However, the flight to Long Beach might have been the wierdest flight I have ever experienced. There was a guy in the seat in front of me that seemed to be asleep... and then all of a sudden, he started talking to himself... but in a weird way. It was almost like he was talking in his sleep, but he was looking at the people around him and seemed to be spewing about politics and cursing the President. Just weird... and everyone around my seat was just staring and kind of freaked (note that we were flying across country on September 10th... not the time of year to be freaked on an airplane!) The girl in the seat next to me can vouch for the weirdness... Lori, if you are reading, please chime in.

Anyway, back to Santa Monica. I chose to stay at the Viceroy on Ocean Ave for this trip. The Viceroy is definitely a scene and is very hip... but, it sure has substance with all that style. The service is impeccable and the rooms are beautifully designed with oversized marble showers, great beds and a some rooms have stunning views of the Pacfic Ocean. I was also impressed with their room service menu. They had a beautiful assortment of organic dishes to choose from including fresh fruits and veggies from local markets. I ordered the fresh fruit for breakfast with their homemade granola and they created a brulee with my fresh vanilla yogurt! Delish and very worth the extra 20% charge for the delivery!

Jet lag had me awake at 5:45am the next day and I just used that time to catch up on some work. I met a friend in the lobby of the hotel for coffee at 9am and I was refreshed from my fab shower. Even the products were yummy!

My friend and I took a walk across the street from the Viceroy to a little cafe called Cora' Coffee Cup. Its a small place with indoor counter service. However, their outdoor seating is below a huge garden trellis that is almost like a cave. Again, its about as big as a coffee cup... so, get there early for one of the outdoor tables.

After my meeting, I met up with Kirsten Gum for an ass kicking. Kirsten is the adventure queen and she is in great shape. So, for our meeting, she asked if I wanted to take a bike ride on the beach. It sounded like fun, so we met up and I borrowed one of her cruiser bikes for a 20 mile ride along a path that hugs the beach. We rode from Santa Monica all the way up to Manhattan Beach. It was really beautiful and just the perfect way to see the beach towns that line the coast. We cruised through Venice Beach and Marina Del Rey. I highly reccomend it for anyone who wants to experience real beach living in Southern California.

After our ride, we stopped for lunch at a tiny place on Venice Beach called the Fig Tree. All of the tiny bistros up north of the chaos (muscle beach and the freak shows) of Venice are good and I found Fig Tree to be a good choice. We shared a couple of fish tacos and a spinach and brown rice burger. Very yummy.. Very California.

After lunch, Kirsten headed out to an appointment and I went back to my room to finish some work before shops closed on the East Coast. We decided that my "ass kicking" was not done for the day and decided to met back up at 6pm for a yoga class and a "soak" at a place called "Exhale". We met outside of my hotel at 6pm and again took the bikes up to a Exhale for our hatha yoga class. It was a really nice class after our 20 mile ride this morning. After class, we got back on our bikes and went to the Exhale location a few blocks away where they have a full spa area for members. The coolest part of their setup is that they have a water circuit. The circuit has you going from a sauna for 4-5 mins to a cold water plunge for about 2 minutes. After the cold water you come out and relax for a few minutes for your body to get back to a normal temperature. Once you are ready, you go into a steam room for another 4-5 minute and then another cold plunge for 2 minutes. Then another acclimation period before you go into a whirling hot tub. I cursed several times during those ice cold plunges... but, I have to say that after the circuit, my body never felt better. After a long day of biking and yoga... this was almost like a deep tissue massage.

By the time we were done with all of that, we were starved. So, we headed over to a Santa Monica favorite called Chinois on Main. This is one of Wolfgang Puck's first restaurants in the area and after almost 20 years it is still a local hotspot for dinner. We ordered some sushi and a salad for an appetizer and the steamed sea bass with a soy glaze for dinner. It was delicious and very light... a perfect way to end our quintessetial day in Santa Monica.

When I finally got back to my room that night, I had to take some Tylenol and elevate my legs. Workout pain sucks... but, its a good pain because you know that all the hard work is paying off. I do not even remember falling asleep.

The next day was a work day for me so I was up early again on emails and screening some shows that I needed to get out. My big meeting was being held right downstairs in a cabana next to the pool at the Viceroy. Kirsten and I kept saying that this is exactly why we work in this business... so that we can have important meetings in a cabana next to a pool in Santa Monica. You have to love working in TV.

That night I met up with a couple of friends at the Casa del Mar for a glass of wine before I made my way back to the Long Beach airport for a red eye back to DC. As I sat there waiting for them to arrive, I looked out over the beach and took a deep breath. I really wanted to go home to see Peter and Eva, but I just could not help feeling like I never wanted to leave. LA has always held a special place in my soul... since the time I was 14 and my parents took me here on vacation.. I never wanted to leave. What is it that makes me want to stay? The food? The people? The bike ride? The beach? The glamour... all of the above.

Stay tuned... I forgot to tell you about a bachelorette party that I just went to in Scottsdale, Arizona. That Mondrian has a SkyBar and a Disco Pool. Pix to come too.

Keep Traveling
Lori

Flying through Fay

2008-08-22T20:56:00.011-04:00

It's amazing how fast the weather changes.

Yesterday morning, I woke up to a beautiful morning in Maryland. It was in the low 80's and breezy as my family and I made our way up to BWI airport for a flight to Florida. We were flying to Orlando and Southwest only flies direct to Orlando out of BWI. Even though it is an hour drive for us up to Baltimore, the Southwest experience is far worth the minor inconvenience of the long drive. What's so special about Southwest? Southwest is the ONLY airline still offering great rates and ON TIME flights... even during the most delayed, most expensive time in air travel. All of the major carriers are now charging you $15 for your first checked bag... NOT Southwest! You get two free bags and you only pay $25 for a third!

Gone are the days of beverage service from airlines such as United and US Air... now, even a bottle of water aboard a US AIR flight will cost you two bucks. Southwest continues to offer FREE drinks, a 100 cal pack of crackers AND peanuts. Now, if she only had TVs at every seat... I would say that I like SW better than my Jet Blue. (Note... Jet Blue still offers free first bag, drinks, and yummy snacks; but their ticket prices are far more expensive than they used to be.) Oh, well... there is still nothing like watching a marathon of What Not to Wear or Keeping Up with the Kardashians while flying across country. That is just hard to beat.

We got through security and checked in at the gate and found that they were expecting an on-time departure. We were surprised... not because of the current issues with air travel, but because Hurricane Fay had just blown up through Cuba and was sitting right above central Florida. Nice. I have to say... I really do not mind flying anymore, but put my kid on a flight and tell me that I will be "OK" flying through a Hurricane? Well, let's just say that I might not have minded a cancellation.

We boarded on time... we took off on time. About half way through the flight (and after the FREE diet soda, peanuts and 100 cal pak), Eva and I were comfortably watching an episode of Mickey Mouse Club on my video IPOD when the Captain told us that he was turning on the seat belt sign for safety. He mentioned that there would be a bit of turbulence as we made our way south through the Carolinas and Georgia and into Florida. So, we buckled up... I said the Our Father a few times and settled back in to sing Mickey's hot dog song. Bump... Bump. It's fine... I took a deep breath. Bump. Lori, do not look anxious or you will scare the child. (Its weird when you talk to yourself. I have to say its weirder to talk to yourself and write it in a blog.)

We started to descend and the bumps got a little better but the plane kept being tossed from side to side. Our Father... I could see the ground and then the air... Who art in heaven... Pounding rain... Hallowed be thy name... landing. The entire airplane of people applauded secretly finished our silent prayers.

We just flew from perfectly beautiful weather to Florida in the middle of a hurricane. It's amazing how fast the weather changes.

Travel On.
Lori

12 Hours In..

2008-08-17T22:15:00.004-04:00

I recently started to do "one day" itineraries for some of the world's most popular places for TravelChannel.com. I thought you guys would enjoy few... to rant at me about. Let the arguments begin...

It is all about art in this one-day itinerary in Barcelona, Spain...

(1) Architecture… Antoni Gaudi
Barcelona has some of the most beautiful architecture in Europe. You simply cannot say that you have truly experienced Barcelona without standing in front of one of Antoni Gaudi’s creations.

Gaudi, born in Reus, Spain in 1852 studied at the Escola Superior d’Arquitectura in Barcelona and designed his first major commission for the Casa Vincens using a Gothic Revival style that set a precedent for his future work. Gaudi’s characteristically warped form of Gothic architecture drew admiration from other avant-garde artists.

To experience his best work, head over to La Sagrada Familia (CHURCH OF LA SAGRADA FAMILIA, C. MALLORCA, 401, 08013 BARCELONA). This is simply one of the most amazing structures in all of Spain and it should not be missed. Expect construction though…this building has been under construction since 1882 and some say it will never be completed. (Accessible by Metro – Sagrada Famila stops on the Blue and Purple lines) To me it looks like a sand castle that was crated by dribbling sand. The structure seems to bend in places. Amazing.

Allow 2.5 hours in your schedule to explore this amazing structure.

(2) Picasso Museum… said to be the best museum in the world!

Pablo Picasso grew up and went to school in Barcelona before leaving for Paris in 1904. He has strong ties to the city and created this museum for his home city. It is here where over 3800 works make up the only permanent collection of Picasso’s in the world. The museum allows you to explore his works in chronological order from the famed Man in a Beret to the beautiful Las Meninas. Again, it is a must in Barcelona.

Here are my top 10 must-see pieces in the museum…
(1) Man in a Beret, 1995
(2) Portrait, 1896
(3) The Embrace, 1900
(4) Still Life, 1901
(5) End of the Number, 1901
(6) Roofs of Barcelona, 1903
(7) The Madman, 1904
(8) The pigeons, 1957
(9) La Meninas, 1957
(10) Seated Man, 1969

Allow 3 hours for this museum.

(3) The art of dining…
The region of Catalonia has a strong culinary reputation. It’s proximity to the Mediterranean will have you tasting olive oil, garlic and seeing plenty of seafood dishes on the menus of Barcelona. Lunch is the main dining attraction in Spain and it is an event that takes place daily from 2-4pm. Typical dishes such as paella, botifarra arb mongetes (stew of pork sausage and white beans), and tapas can be found everywhere. For the best of all worlds, try Escriba on Ronda Litoral Mar. This restaurant is sea-front and has excellent catalan dishes and flavorful sangria. This is a great choice for sampling the flavors of the city. Be sure to call for a reservation before your trip to secure a table outside by the beach.

Allow 2.5 hours for this dining extravaganza.

(4) The art of shopping… La Ramblas
La Ramlas is a series of short streets that make up the shopping district known as Las Ramblas. This is the place where you will stroll through shops, smell the scents of fresh cut flowers and enjoy the street performers. Traveler be warned though… this is tourist central and in prime seasons this place will be flooded with people and pickpockets!

Now, what does this have to do with Art? La Ramblas has a hidden Miro! No, not a hidden Mickey! Can you find it? It is an original mosaic by the famous painter Joan Miro and it is right in the center of La Ramblas! Let me know if you find it. If you do not see it... you need to really think about laying off the sangria.

Allow 2.5 hours for browsing the shops

(5) Barrio Gotico… The art of doing nothing
The Barrio Gotico is the Gothic quarter of the city and the oldest part of Barcelona. This area is only steps away from La Ramblas and is lined with wonderful cafés where you can sip a beautiful Spanish wine and people watch until the clock strikes. There is no better way to end your day than with a glass of wine people on a warm Spanish night.

Allow 1.5 hours for exploring and relaxing

Do you have a favorite spot in Barcelona that I missed? Let me know!!

Travel On...
Lori

Unexpected Travels

2008-08-03T21:48:00.003-04:00

Hi all...

This weekend was supposed to be a relaxing one... at home with Eva. With my travel schedule, it is really important to schedule "at home" weekends alone with the family. Peter went out of town to St Louis this weekend... so, I made plans to have a relaxing weekend at home with my girl.

Yesterday, I received a call from my mom at 8am. Not only did my Dad suffer a heart attack earlier this week.. she was calling to let me know that my 97 year old grandmother suffered a stoke and was not doing well. As soon as I hung up the phone, I went right onto Lastminute.com and booked two roundtrip tickets to Tampa with a rental car. Not only was I able to get a flight for that afternoon... I got it for a great price. Lastminute is totally worth it if you need something, well... Last minute.

So, two hours after the call... Eva and I made our way to Dulles airport to make a flight to Charlotte, NC for our later connection to Tampa. We had a near perfect experience overall. No cancellations, everything was on time... we were even upgraded to first class on our second leg! A wonderful thing as a single parent traveling with a 2 and half year old! (The seat is big... but a free cocktail was exactly what the doctor ordered!)

We made it into Tampa without a problem and jumped into our rental car from AVIS. We rolled into the ICU at Winter Haven Hosptial at 10pm... exactly 12 hours from when we loaded into my SUV that morning heading for the airport. Ahh... when the magic of internet booking and air travel work... its just a great thing.

We were able to see my Nana last night and she was very relieved to see us walk into her little area of the ICU. We stayed for a bit and then went back to my mom's house for the night.

This morning we bounced back and forth between my Dad and my grandma. I was even ablwe to help my mom clean her house, food shopped and made a yummy dinner for us. Again, not what I had in mind for this weekend... but, it is great to be here for all of them.

Anyway, I just wanted to send an update so that you all knew that I was not slacking on the blog.

Be good all and keep traveling... Summer is almost over dammit.
L

BTW - Set the TIVO... The Hills is back on MTV on August 16th. Who is more annoying... Heidi or Lo? Yeah, its a hard one.

China... a Year Later...

2008-07-28T10:58:00.007-04:00

I just realized that the Beijing episode of Passport to China premieres tonight on Travel Channel and it reminded me of that trip to the other side of the world. It was almost a year ago since I made the journey and the entire experience still has a profound effect on me. China held a lot of firsts for me (no, I had already peed outside in Costa Rica)... it was my first time to Asia, the first time I held a Panda, the first time I felt like a minority and the first time I used a "hole" toilet. It was also the first time that I realized how lucky we are to be Americans.... where we are free to come and go as we wish... we are free to think as individuals and respect any religion we choose. We are free to have as many children as we like... and we are free to study and research the truth of our history (good or bad). I came home a changed person. I was no longer afraid of trying new things and I was eager to conquer my existing fears. Yes, going to the bathroom outside is now fine for me... but, I also went camping and took a ride on a jetski this summer... things that I would never consider doing only a year ago. This past weekend, I took my daughter to the beach with friends and I was able to confidently take her into the water (almost to my knees) and I was fine and enjoying it (NOTE the shark stories that came out this weekend in Smyrna Beach... ) This morning, as I write this entry I realize that a lot has happened this year. My father took sick and is currently back in the hospital after suffering a heart attack this past weekend. There was a major earthquake in Chengdu where this picture with the panda was taken. Luckily the panda reserve was not harmed, but tens of thousands of people are still homeless in that area. It reminds me how important it is to get out there and see the world. This planet was made for exploration. Not just for you to go to a new restaurant or stay in a fancy hotel. It is about exposing yourself to other ways of life... understanding that we are all humans living on the same planet in very different ways... and how much we can learn from each other. Please try to tune in to Passport tonight... and leave a comment to let me and Sam know what you think. Travel On.. Lori

4th of July LIVE from DC with Kirsten Gum

2008-07-05T09:19:00.010-04:00

After a few days on Long Island, we jumped back in the car for the 5 hour trip north to Lake George. The trip was easy and made even more enjoyable by our stop at a Bagel Boss location in Jericho, Long Island for snacks. Long Islanders just know how to do bagels. This place had everything... including a salad bar, bakery and hot entrees. Yum. We arrived the lake house at about 5pm and we were in charge of opening the house and preparing for the rest of the family arrivals. We were expecting 17 people... and it is just a lot of work to get all the beds prepared, the lawn cut and the bathrooms cleaned. This is the only bad part of being in a vacation home and not in a hotel. You still have chores! We were up at the lake a few days before I had to fly back to DC for a day to produce Travel Channel's live coverage of the fireworks show on the National Mall in Washington DC. I flew into BWI on July 3rd from Albany and within a few hours was back in the middle of chaos and jolted back into reality and out of my vacation mode. Ugg... I had to do my hair and makeup again! I met up with the crew when I got in for a script meeting and we then all went out for a nice dinner at Oceanaire only a block away from our hotel. Dinner was superb... I had my first bite of pickled herring (my Nana would be so proud) and we enjoyed really nice fish, a couple of nice bottles of wine and some yummy desserts! Exactly what we needed to get us prepared for the crazy day of LIVE programming we had ahead. The next morning, Kirsten and I were up at the crack of dawn and in the gym. We then met in her room for hair and makeup and wardrobe. We had to be on set at 10:30am... and it is always chaos on the day of air. The shoot was fabulous... we were positioned right next to the Washington Monument at 15th and Madison and just spent the day with the crowds assembling for the fireworks display scheduled for that night. Mother nature tried to rain on our parade... but, she held out and we turned out a near perfect show. I am now sitting back at BWI about to board a Southwest flight back to Albany to rejoin my vacation already in progress. I am without internet, phone, TV or cell phone for the next week. I know you will all miss my blogging... I'm sure you will get over it. Happy 4th... Travel On Lori

Home on Long Island

2008-07-01T08:47:00.002-04:00

We always look forward to this time of the year! This is the time of our family vacation and it always comes to slow and goes way too fast! Isn't that always how it works? We have a full two weeks off from work and the daily grind to just be a family and boy do we need it!

Right now we are up on Long Island staying with friends before we make the drive up to our lake house on Lake George, New York. The house was built by my husband's grandfather and it is such a special place for the entire family. His entire family will be there... which is a mixed bag. I love it and hate it. Seventeen people in one house is just not my idea of the perfect vacation. However, the time that Eva gets to spend with her cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles is just priceless and is worth the fights over the bathrooms and the endless amount of work to keep the place tidy!

Whatever you call your time off... vacation, holiday... the truth is that it is the best time to reconnect with the people you love. You also cannot deny the power of the open roads of the US. There is something about packing the car and just pulling out of the highway and driving. This is the year of the stay-cation... get out there and enjoy!

Beat the Prices HUB now on TravelChannel.com

2008-06-27T22:17:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone...

I am really excited to announce that my new page is up on TravelChannel.com! I am working on all things on a budget on our Beat the Prices web area. So, please jump on the discussion boards and talk to me!

My weekly web series will also launch on this site in the coming weeks! The series will feature all of my favorite travel tips. Also, be sure to look for my daily vlog coming soon.

travelchannel.com/save

Heading out to NY for vacation in the morning. I am heading to bed.
Travel on.
Lori

Pittsburgh! WHO KNEW?

2008-06-22T22:29:00.016-04:00

When I was asked to participate as a panelist at the Public Relations Society of America's annual Travel and Tourism conference, I was thrilled but a little unimpressed with the location. Pittsburgh, PA. Huh? You are inviting travel and culinary journalists from around the country and you take them to Pittsburgh? OK.

I received my travel information and to be honest... I was just so busy with my other projects that I forgot to do my usual research on a new city. I have my new Sam Brown show premiering this week, the Cash and Treasures crew is out in the field and I am preparing for a (hold your breath...) a personal vacation! (I know, I know... I travel for a living... but this is our annual family trip to the Adirondacks and it is the only time all year that I will NOT be available. (Unless I find a good cyber cafe and get inspired...)

So, for my trip to Pittsburgh... I decided to wing it. The day before I left, my boss... who worked for WQED in Pittsburgh for years came into my office for a chat and I told him that I was heading to Pittsburgh for a conference. He quickly replied, "I love that city!" Now, LOVE is a very strong word and in my book reserved for places like Florence, Italy. A city name that immediately has my mouth watering for fresh Buffalo Mozzarella. I had to know how he could be in love with Pittsburgh. Admittedly, I was a little glazed over as he started to tell me about the ride trough the Pitt Tunnel, the bridges, the confluence of rivers and the incline to Mt Washington. Yeah, yeah.. sounds great.

I arrived into Pittsburgh the morning of the conference and was greeted by a large and very modern International Airport. I almost stopped at Godiva Chocolates as I made my way through the mall-like atmosphere to the baggage claim area. The conference arranged a car to pick me up and drive me to the hotel and I was quickly greeted by a man named Oscar who had a sign with my name on it. We walked over to get my bag and he asked me if I liked Washington, DC and all of the politics right now. I told him that I try to follow it as much as I can... but, my background and beliefs were a bit mixed. I call myself a deep purple... a fair mix of red and blue. However, a little more red because of my religious beliefs and the fact that I could never forget what happened on 9/11. Oscar, a retired Marine and Vietnam Vet, was a true Republican and opened a spirited conversation about the benefits of McCain over Obama. I was taken back by his background... raised on welfare and was forced to be the man of the house at an early age; he then joined the Marines and served in Vietnam before returning to the States. The images and sounds in his head never went away and he went through a hard time before marrying his wife and settling into a good job with nice pay. He told me about his struggles as an American black man. He also explained to me how naive people can be about the security of our country.

We were deep in conversation when I looked up and realized that we were about the enter the Pitt Tunnel. OK... it looked like a tunnel... nothing too spectacular. And suddenly, it ended and POW... Pittsburgh! The view of the city almost pushes you over as you drive over the Fort Pitt bridge over the beautiful Monongahela River. The bridge gives you a great view of how the river below you meets up with the Allegheny right up to the north to form the Ohio River. Beautiful. Oscar took me on a brief scenic drive up Fort Duquesne Boulevard so that I could see the beautiful new PNC Stadium where their Pittsburgh Pirates play. We also drove past the home of the Steelers. I was amazed by the number of bridges that straddle both the Monongahela and the Allegheny all around this city. It is beautiful... almost an American version of Stockholm.

Oscar dropped me off at the Westin Pittsburgh, which is also attached to the convention center where the conference was being held. I checked in and went right up to my room. Overall, the hotel is fine... it definitely could use a makeover... but it is a Westin, so it smells good and it is a Starwood which is great for us collecting points. My room was fine... heavenly bed, heavenly bath, Starbucks coffee... and a great view. Nice.

I decided to order some lunch from their room service menu. The menu was very elaborate and I was impressed with the amount of choices available. I chose the Ahi Tuna salad that was over a bed of mixed greens with haricot verts, green beans, artichokes and a hard boiled egg. It was delish... I mean ... lick the bowl yummy. A very nice surprise.

My panel was taking place at 3:30, so I headed down to the ballroom at 3:15 to meet up with the organizer and the rest of the panelists. When I went down, I found out that one of the gentleman that was speaking with me was John Mariani. THE John Mariani. If you do not know who he is... he is one of the best food critics/ writers in the country. I love reading his work and I was a bit star struck when I was seated next to him. The panel was a fascinating discussion about what we look for when researching our next story or concept. We talked about authentic experiences, the effects of social media in our industry and the powerful word... GREEN. It was great to listen to all of the different perspectives and to hear others talk about what their audience is looking for. I also will say that it was an honor to be seated up there with the other panelists.

After the conference, I was invited to go to the Pirates game with some of the other speakers and guests. How exciting... all this and a baseball game hotdog! Fab! We walked from our hotel over the Roberto Clemente bridge to PNC park. I noted the clean streets, the new lounges and restaurants that lined the side streets. What is going on here? Is this a scene??

Our group had a suite (LUX #1) at PNC park and WOW... what a way to see a baseball game! We had a huge suite with two rows that felt like they were part of the park. The behind the two rows was a glass enclosed living room with couches, a fully-stocked bar, bathroom and a huge spread of food. (Yup... grilled hotdogs with sauerkraut ready for the taking!) Other dinner choices included rosemary chicken, and steak sandwiches with plenty of sides to choose from. The highlight of the night was the dessert cart that my mother would have called a "Viennese table." One of the suite attendants came around with the cart to all of the suites. It had at least a half dozen multi-layer cakes, ice cream, brownies, candy, and cookies. One word... heaven.

One entire wall of the suite was lined with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Allegheny River to the south and the beautiful skyline of Pittsburgh. (Did I just say beautiful?) At the end of the game, the baseball team put on a fireworks show that was choreographed to summer themed music... "summertime", "Summer Lov'n"...you get the idea. It was amazing and probably the best fireworks display I have ever witnessed outside of "Wishes" at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando. (It's my favorite... and a must-see if you are there.)

After the fireworks, we all walked over the Pirates Club on the other side of the park for a nightcap. We heard that a group called Bon Journey was playing and nobody could resist a little 80's kitch. It was awesome and a great way to end my first night in Pittsburgh.

The next day, I was up at the crack of dawn for the car to take me back to the airport. I checked out of the hotel and was really sad that I did not have a few more hours in this new place. As we made out way back into the Pitt Tunnel, I looked out through the back window of the car and watched as the best kept city in America faded back into its hiding place. I really loved Pittsburgh. Who knew?

Do you have a secret American city that you want to tell me about? Send me a comment.

ALSO - my new VLOG will launch on TravelChannel.com in a few weeks! Stay tuned!!

*L*

Emmys and Fathers Day in NYC

2008-06-21T12:57:00.010-04:00

It's true... I am a full week behind in my blogging. So, I am going to give you two this weekend. Can you handle it? I know you are just biting your nails waiting for this next installment! Just lie to me and let me think you are up at night wonderding where I am and what I am doing. OK, so let me take you back to New York City and the Emmys.

I left you all in Manhattan at The Benjamin Hotel . Peter, Eva and I took a walk in the morning down Lexington Avenue from 50th street to 26th. It was a perfect morning in the city... not too hot, no humidity and you could smell the dirty water dogs being loaded into their carts for the busy day ahead. I was in the market for a spray tan... a fake and bake... I needed to look "goddess" for the evening ahead and I found a place down on 26th that had California Tanning for $15! I pay $24 at home... so, I wanted the bargain. Peter took Eva to a nearby park to play while I stood naked being sprayed with self tanner. (Good visual... huh?) I have to say... the results were amazing. The only problem was that unlike Mystic Tan, this one was sticky and I could feel it seeping onto my clothes. Oh, well.. at least I was not staining good clothes!

My cousin, Melissa hooked me up with a girl from her work to babysit Eva while Peter and I went to the Emmys. We dressed and headed over to The W Hotel on Lexington and met my friend Dov for a little pre-game cocktail. We then hopped in a car and headed to Jazz at Lincoln Center for the main event.

We were first ushered into a room for a cocktail reception and light dinner. The room was amazing with floor to ceiling windows with great views of the Park and Central Park South. We all mingled and had another few drinks before making our way to the theater. It was fun to see who was there... Alex Trebec, Christopher Llyod, the guy from Cash Cab and Oscar the Grouch. You heard me right... Oscar the freak'n grouch was there! (Which might be one of the coolest star spottings of my career)

We were nominated in three categories and we lost all three. Kind of a bummer... but it was super cool to be there again. I think when you start to expect a nomination or if you take any part of this business for granted... is when you start to lose sight of things. I still have one of the coolest jobs on the face of the earth and it affords me a ton of opportunities and plenty of cool travel and things to do. Who am I to be bummed? (And did I tell you about my shoes!!! Diane Von Firstenberg... gold... to channel the Emmy gods. They did not work... but, they looked good.)After the Emmys we went out for a few drinks and snacks and then Peter and I turned into pumpkins to relieve our babysitter back at the hotel.

The next morning, we all got up bright and early and grabbed some Starbucks as we made out way to Central Park. Eva and I planned to take Peter on a carriage ride through Central Park for Father's Day... and it was special! I highly reccomend it... its just one of those quintessential New York Experiences. It cost me $40 and the ride was around 20 minutes. At the end of the 20 minutes you are really done and ready to walk on your own.

After the ride, we took Eva into the park to ride the carousel. Another true NY experience.. and I am so glad that she is getting these opportunities to experience New York.

After a bit more playtime, we decided to walk over to 74th street for a little pizza at Patsy's on the upper west side. We love this place because it has great pizza and it is family friendly. (Translation... big enough to sit at a table and enjoy some air conditioning and a clean bathroom) We ordered a yummy cheese pizza that came bubbly with fresh mozzarella and dark green basil leaves. Peter and I ate the entire thing... what did I care? The Emmys were yesterday!

That night we met my Uncle Art, Aunt Jill and cousins Melissa and Adam for dinner to celebrate HER Emmy win! Yes, my cousin's show beat MY show in the Special Class category. She works on MADE and I have to say... its a great show. If you have not seen it... check it out on MTV. We all met at TAO on 58th between Park and Madison. I have to say... YUM-mmm-MY! I think we ordered EVRYTHING on the menu! The girls all ordered Lychee Martinis which were awesome. We also had ... well, seriously everything. We ordered a ton of food and not one bite was not delish. I highly reccomend it. Another great part about Tao is the ambiance. This place is just huge and Eva loved watching the fish in the koi pond under the giant buddha in the back of the place. Just amazing... and totally worth the splurge.

The next morning, we took the subway up to 77th Street and took a walk over to EAT on Madison. This cafe is new from the owners of Zabars on the upper west side and for our last meal in NYC... we wanted real home cooking ... Long Island Jewish Princess style! I ordered bagels lox and cream cheese that cost me $24! Peter had blintzes and we took a couple of cookies home with us (including the best cookie in the world... the black and white). My bagel came with a side order of cucmbers in a dill dressing that were so fresh and yummy... I almost forgot that I was eating a $24 bagel!!

We decided to walk back to the hotel and we stopped into my favorite hotel for a sniff of the good life. When we walked in, we found that they have a Madeline Brunch for kids every Sunday morning in Bemelman's Bar! Bemelman's is named after the artist who drew Madeline and Eva has one of the videos and she just loves her! So, we made a point of stopping in to see what was going on. The place was empty... but they had a woman playing kids songs on a piano and they had a full brunch display with a cupcake bar! Very fun and it will definitely be on my list for our next Sunday in New York.

On our way out of the city that afternoon, Eva said to us from the backseat of the car... "Mommy and Daddy, are we going to the big city now?", and we replied, "This is the big city, Ev. We are going home now." To which she replied, " I want to stay in the big city!" That's my kid.

LIVE from New York City!

2008-06-12T22:00:00.002-04:00

Yes, I am once again back in the big apple! My home town... the city that never sleeps! It is always so exciting to come back to this city. The tip of the Empire State Building, the lights of 42nd Street, the taxis blaring their horns... oh, yea.. there is no place like home, Toto.

This is a very special weekend for us! Not only is it Father's Day... but, it is also the weekend of the Daytime Emmy Awards! I am very proud to announce that the team from Pineridge Film and Television is once again nominated for their work on the Samantha Brown Passport series for Travel Channel! We are nominated in three categories... single camera editing, directing and Special Class show. It is really exciting stuff... this is my fifth time at the Emmys and I am still nervous and excited to be going! It is not just another event... this is the Emmys! I remember when I was in High School... I used to work at a popular hair salon on Long Island as a nail technician (aka... manicurist) and I had a client who used to be a seat filler at the Emmys. Her job was to run and sit in the empty seats as people left the ceremony to either accept their award, go to the bathroom or just sneak out for a smoke. i just thought that was so cool... and I wanted to do that too! Dream big, my friends!

Peter, Eva and I left Maryland at 4pm today to drive up to Manhattan. We decided to drive his Honda Civic because it always gets the best mileage! It took us over 4 hours to get here tonight and I think we only used a quarter of a tank! Its crazy! BUT, the good part of traveling on the New Jersey Turnpike is that the gas is CHEAP! Well, in this day and age it is... $3.89 per gallon! That's $.19 cheaper than what I paid yesterday in Maryland!

We made it into NY at around 8:30 last night and Eva just loved the fun ride through the Lincoln Tunnel. Peter and I thought about what the tunnel would look like if you were to scuba up to it. Could you even do that? I mean could you even imagine the sludge of the Hudson? Was that river ever clean? Oh, the stories that sludge could tell... and imagine how many open murder cases would be solved...

Anyway, we chose to stay at The Benjamin for this trip. The Benjamin is a great choice if you are coming into NY as a family. Their one bedroom suites are moderately priced for Manhattan and they all have small kitchenettes. NOW, I will not say that this is the most budget option out there for a small family. I will always tell you that the best accommodations on a budget is a rental but, for this trip... we decided that we wanted to stay at a hotel and I found a nice rate for us through Orbitz. (Another example of how the best price is not always through the hotel website!! Do not believe what they say... shop around!)

So, now we are here and we are looking forward to a nice weekend in NY... more to come.
*L*

Taking a STAY-Cation... and loving it!

2008-06-03T21:17:00.011-04:00

These days everyone is talking about how the price of everything is just skyrocketing. From our gasoline to our groceries... everything is just more expensive these days. It really hit me when I heard that Delta decided to start charging for the first piece of checked baggage! Oh, how else can they suck us out of every dime we make? All of this stretching of our under-valued dollar had me thinking about the summer ahead and how many of you told me that you decided not to travel this summer to save some cash. What is a summer without travel? There has to be a way for all of us to break free from our everyday lives to spend time with our families and refresh. I say... get out there. There are plenty of places to see in this great country and most of never thinking of just staying local and finding the cool things that are right around us. The last two weekends were busy for this family. We always head to Ocean City, Maryland for Memorial Day weekend to kick-off summer. Ocean City is about 3 and a half hours from our house... just enough to make it feel really "away" from our everyday. Our friends have a condo right on the beach and they have graciously invited us to join them for the long holiday weekend. They have two little boys... so, our kids get along great and just have a blast all weekend. To keep costs down, we always bring lots of staples with us so that we did not have to pay the "beach prices" for things like cereals, breads, coffee and snacks. We just picked up some dairy products for the fridge and we were set for breakfasts and lunches. Dinner for the kids is easy... they are so wiped from the day on the sand that they tend to eat lighter while they are there. So, the adults just ordered in some pizza or some fresh seafood. Yum and really cheap. The one thing that was a BIG find this year was a pizzeria/ restaurant called Lombardi's right down the street from the condo. I think it is on the main drag in the 90's... and it is on the opposite side of the street from the beach. The pizza at Lombardi's is amazing and totally worth the trip up to the Northern part of the beach. The owner was really friendly and once he realized I spoke Italian, he treated us like family. He even brought over his own balsamic vinegar for my salad and told me in Italian.. that it was not what he gives the normal patrons. I love Italian men... they are good looking and realize how good food is really all you need to keep your woman happy. (A Prada bag every once in a while is always nice too) But, I digress... My friend and I also took a few hours and made our way up to the Tanger Outlets up in Rehoboth Beach in Delaware (only a 10 minute drive from OC) to do a little outlet shopping. There are great sales over Memorial Day and we stocked up on kids clothes for the fall! Be sure to check online before you head out for extra coupons! This is always a fun weekend for us because it gives us real time with Eva. For us, getting away from the house and the computers gives us some real time to enjoy our girl. I loved giving her three meals a day without her nanny being there. I also loved playing with her on the beach and acting silly! I loved watching her ride the rides on te boardwalk for the first time. It was magic and a memory of my daughter that I will never forget. Again... only a few hours from home... and definitely on a budget.. but, it can be done. The very next weekend had us back on the road for another "stay-cation"... only this time... we were heading for a camping trip in the mountains of West Virginia. We felt that camping would be a little too much for a 2 year old ...so, she stayed back with her Aunt and Grandma for the weekend. Again, 3 and a half hours away from our home... and we were in the middle of Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. Now, most of you know me... and you all know that one thing I am not is "one with nature." I hate bugs and I just do not deal well with not having the proper amenities (ie. bathrooms). However, with all of my third world travel... I have to say that I think I am cured. I mean, if you were to see the bathroom situation in China... you would think that all campgrounds in the US are like the Ritz. I promise... it is that bad. Anyway, so we went out to Seneca Rocks to tent camp for two nights. We went with our other friends, Fred and Ethel and their son... little Ricky. You might have remembered them from a previous blog when their dog had the issue on the airplane... yes, their dog came too. They are all experienced campers...so, we knew that we were in good hands. The boys left for camp a few hours before the girls (me, my friend and the dog) which was great because camp was already set up when we arrived. Our campsite was on a dead end and it was really clean with a beautiful view of the main mountain in the area. Another plus was that the bathroom was only yards away. Now this is my kind of camping! For our first night, we grilled up some nice steaks and asparagus and drank some nice cold beers. When the sun went down, the boys made an amazing campfire and we just roasted marshmallows. OK... stop the blog!! I have to tell you that I never knew love until I tried a s'mores!! You know, I always heard of them... but, for some reason... I just never tried one before... and OH MY GOD! I love them. The graham crackers, the milk chocolate and those yummy gooey marshmallows! I must have had 6 the first night! Delish! OK... back to the action... That first night in the tent was fine. I fell right asleep in the cool mountain air and the sounds of the crickets in the woods. The problem was that damn ball of fire that came up at 6am the next morning. Nobody told me how HOT tents get! Holy cow... it was like a sauna. I guess it was a good thing because it got us all up bright and early. After a nice breakfast of bacon and eggs, we all got dressed and went out on a 5 mile hike up to the top of the mountain. There are several trails at Seneca Rocks, and this one brought us out to the main area where there is a general store and then right into the mountains. The hike to the top took us about an hour and a half and it was just awesome. It is amazing to get out and just enjoy your surroundings. Take a look at the pix... it was just incredible and I highly recommend it. We are already planning our next hike when we go up to Lake George for our family vacation next month. After the long hike, we came back and grilled up some lunch and just relaxed at camp. There is really no way that you can nap at in a tent... again, the blasted sun will roast you. So, you just have to chill... I sat in the shade of a tree and read my book for a couple of hours... something that I never have time to do at home. That night we grilled up some chicken and veggies and enjoyed another night under the stars around the campfire. I think I had 6 more smores before I forced myself to go to sleep. That is my new obsession... forget ice cream... I am buying a fire pit and I will be out in my backyard all summer roasting marshmallows for smores! Let me give a quick shout out to the bathroom attendant at this campsite. I will say that it was a typical bathroom. Nothing really special.. but, they did add some special touches that I really appreciated. First thing... it was very clean for a camp bathroom. Second thing... there was always plenty of paper products and liquid handsoap. Lastly... there were flowers on the counter! The little touches! You see, and you thought I was a high maintenance biatch from Long Island. Please. I appreciate!! The one mental note I did make while I was showering in that bathroom is just how little I really need to be comfortable. While I love a clean hotel and nice amenities, this experience made me realize how nice it is to have the simplest things. I think my next hotel stay is going to be great because I am going to appreciate all of the basics so much more! After breakfast we cleaned up camp and made our way back to Maryland. Again, another cool 3 and a half hours and what a beautiful trip it was. The scenery is spectacular and it made me realize how amazingly beautiful this country is. Yes, the dollar is in the shitter and the price of gas is through the roof. Yes, you would need to take a loan out to travel to Europe. But... why bother? Everything that you need to have to make this summer memorable is right in your ow backyard! Get out there and explore your American cities... go to the places that you reserve for when you have out of town guests. Take local road trips on weekends... try something new... but, get out there and enjoy.

SERVICE not INCLUDED at the Sheraton Manhattan

2008-05-19T08:19:00.005-04:00

Can we talk about service for a minute? What does the word really mean and how can you rate it? People in the travel industry use the word all the time... "class of service", "service to New York", "spa service"... the word is really embedded into every piece of your trip. The one thing you do know about service... is that you know when it goes right and you dread when it goes wrong.

I just flew into New York City to meet up with our latest Travel Channel Academy students for their graduation. I came in to "critique" their final projects... me, the one who cried when I presented my dreck video only months before. It was fine... the students were all talented and really appreciated the feedback on their work.(Check out travelchannel.com for more information on the Travel Channel Academy!)

Anyway, after the graduation I decided to walk the 10 streets up to the Sheraton Manhattan to check into my hotel room. Yes, even after my experience at the Sheraton in Philly... I decided to book the Sheraton again. BAD move.

One of the problems with traveling so much is that you tend to confuse hotel stays. When I was booking the hotel for this trip, I remembered a nice room and a really cool gym on the top floor of the building. I remembered overlooking the Hudson as I was doing 30 minutes on the treadmill. Yeah, that was the WESTIN Times Square (see blog... it smells good) and I mistakenly thought it was the Sheraton Manhattan. I stayed in this hotel over the holiday season when I came to New York for the Travel Weekly Awards. That night was fun... and ended with the Travel Channel team in a club at 3am. So, now I know why my memory is a little fuzzy. Lets get back to the story...

So, I walked up to the Sheraton Manhattan located on 7th and 52nd on the WEST side of the Street... not the one on 54th and 7th on the EAST side of the street. I hear the one on the EAST side of the street is better. Ugg. Anyway, I walked in and walked over to the desk to check in. Mind you... it is 6:30pm and there is just a ton of people in the lobby. There are people dressed to head out for dinner, people lined up to speak to the concierge... the place is a buzz. So, I stand in line to check in and realize that there is one receptionist checking people into this hotel. ONE. The man in front of me is frazzled and he is already running late to a business dinner. He is FUMING when a bellman asks if he can help him... and he tells him that he is wondering why there is only one person working the reception desk. The bellman promptly answers, "Sir, it is 6pm... they are all at church." The bellman then turns to the guy behind the desk and says, "Isn't that right, Guilermo? Aren't they all at church?" They laugh... it was not amusing and I am a catholic.

I finally got up to talk to Guilermo and he promptly checks me into my room and I head over to the bank of elevators that look like they could use a good polish. In fact, the entire lobby reminds me more of Penn Station rather than a quality hotel. But, I am exhausted and I really just want to drop my stuff off so that I can run out and get some sushi.

I head upstairs and I unlock my door. The room is pretty typical and in my mind I am still thinking that this hotel has that cool gym upstairs and I remembered being pleased with that experience. So, I go with it. I put my stuff down and I take a glance at the In Room Dining menu before heading out for sushi. I was shocked to see the limited menu... burgers, salads and pasta bolognese? We are in Manhattan for gods sake! Are we kidding with this menu? So, I called down to the concierge to get some recommendations for a nearby sushi restaurant. The concierge promptly answered on the second ring and I got a "Yeah?" on the other end. So, I said... "Hello, I was wondering if you could recommend any sushi places in the area for takeout." To which he replied, "Mam, yeah... but I have a few people here at the desk right now. You can go to Blue Chili." What? So, I said, "OK, where is that?" Reply: "Its at 51st and Broadway." He continued, "Or, you can try East on 55th between Broadway and 8th." I quickly wrote all of this down and he hung up before I could say thank you. Asshole.

Before I left I wanted to go to the bathroom and check to see if I looked decent enough to take a stroll to get some takeout. When I walked into the bathroom, the water was running ever so slightly and the hairdryer was plugged into the wall. I looked down and there was hair on the floor and I could see that a bar of soap was in the tub. EWWWWWW! I know that I am high maintenance. I get that... but, this is not about being a princess. This is about a dirty bathroom and now I am PISSED.

I grab my bag and head downstairs and I am tired and hungry. This is something that my husband knows is a BAD combination for me... and now you are throwing in a dirty hotel room and NO SERVICE! Watch out Guilermo!! I am coming to the front desk!

I get to the front desk and I refuse to wait on line... Guilermo is still manning the desk on his own. I walk right up there and I say, "We have a problem." ... and I tell him about my mess of a room. He is cool as a cucumber and he tells me that he will give me a better room and immediately changes me up to the 22nd floor. OOO... an upgrade. OK... this could be a good thing afterall. I thank him and he offers to buy me breakfast in the morning. I refuse because I really do not want to come down to have breakfast in their restaurant. Its fine... I am pacified for the time being.

I head outside and walk over to EAST Sushi on 55th between B'way and 8th. The place looks like a whole in the wall until you walk down a flight and see how big it is. I was happy to see a lot of Japanese people eating here along with the constant flow of New Yorkers who probably frequent this place weekly. Kudos to the asshole concierge for pointing me in the right direction!

I order my sushi... a couple of rolls, a miso soup and a seaweed salad and head back to the shithole... I mean, Sheraton. Its a nice evening in New York. A little overcast and they are expecting rain.. but, warm enough to enjoy a light walk.

I head back upstairs and get my things out of the first room and move into my second room. I was figuring a nice upgrade... not so much. Its a bigger version of the room that I just had and the bathroom looks like it used to be a closet. This place is a wreck. Don't even get me started on the bathroom... put it this way, I am wearing flip flops in the shower. I am just too tired and hungry to deal with it.

So, I jump on my Sheraton bed...nice quality sheets and mattress but the synthetic comforter...another buzz kill. Yuck... I kick that piece of trash onto the floor... and I order a movie and settle down for the evening. Don't get all perverted on me... I ordered JUNO which may be my favorite movie of the year. Its great and I highly recommend it if you have not seen it already.I eat my sush... I watch my movie and I settle in for the night.

It is now 9am and I just got back from the gym and finally realized that this is not the hotel that has the cool gym. This is the one where you need to share TVs and you do not have to use headsets. So, there is almost a battle of the TVs in that room.. because we are all blasting the volume to hear it over the cardio machines. Ugg...

I can tell you without hesitation that this experience is about as bad as it can get. The lack of service started at check in and it continues through my gym experience. This hotel will always make money because it is a trap for tourists. BUT... for people like you who do your research... you will know better. So, what is good hotel service for me? Its simple... just make me feel welcome and expected at check in. My room should be clean and I would like the staff to be polite. These are the basic things that you should expect at ANY hotel and the Sheraton Manhattan is now BLACK LISTED for me. If you go there now... don't ever say that I did not warn you.

Travel on...
Lori

Orlando, Napa, Philly and home to cook a sauce....

2008-05-11T21:38:00.006-04:00

I remember a conversation with a friend a few weeks ago where she asked me when I was traveling again and I said, "You know what, its the most amazing thing... but, I have nothing on the schedule." Then, all of a sudden... all hell broke lose! This last week alone I was in Northern California and Philly. The week before that I was in Orlando. I finally did laundry today with my hubby and I had to clean out two suitcases. Yuk.

So, let's start with Orlando. I had an uneventful flight from DC to MCO. I was going down to see my parents. My Dad has been sick lately, so I was meeting my sister down there to think about next steps for his care. It was definitely not a "fun" weekend in Orlando... and I was kind of anxious when I came through security to meet my mom. Then, just as I was coming into the terminal a little boy next to me said, "Is this the airport that Mickey uses when he goes on vacation?" His mommy looked at him and responded, "You know, I think it is." I watched him look all around the terminal to see if he could spot Mickey... just in case he was here. He is a jet-setting mouse after all! He looked like me walking through LAX... just looking to see if someone important happened to be traveling. In that moment, that little boy reminded me that I was in Orlando... the vacation capital of the US. People were giddy gathering their luggage and it reminded me of the magic of travel and how happy people are when they can just be free from worry... even for a few days. I was here for another reason... but, that minute gave me a little glimmer of fun and I made a mental note.

This past Monday, I found myself in a cab at 6am heading to Dulles for a trip out to San Francisco. I was heading out there for a pre-production meeting for our new season of Cash and Treasures up in Napa. Yes, Napa... yes, a work meeting in Napa. Amazing, I know. I was also really excited to try Virgin America Airlines. They fly Dulles to San Fran... so, I jumped at the chance to try them on for size.

When you board a Virgin America plane, it sort of feels like you are entering a "W" hotel for the first time. It was purple and red lighting and all of the seats are black leather. They also play cool smooth jazz music in the cabin to give you that "Come on aboard" type feeling. The flight attendants are dressed head to toe in black. It feels more club than airplane... but, I went with it.

The problem started when I checked in late and was assigned to seat 26D. I always request a front seat... not first class, just close to the front. For me, it's more about the odds of surviving in the nose section of the aircraft, but I must admit... I like getting off the plane quickly. Regardless, I am in the back for this flight... which I figured I could deal with. I was exhausted and every seat has a TV, games, music, chat options and I also hear that you can order food. Not sure where it is coming from at 36k feet.. but, I was into finding out.

As I walked through the cabin, I realized that not only was I in the back of the plane... I was in the last row in the house. I was kind of happy to have an aisle seat until I realized that I was sharing my row with a 2 year old and her mommy. Now, I am a mother of a two year old and I have chosen not to take her on a 5 hour flight just yet. This mom thought her girl was ready.... and I guess I was going to find out first hand if she is.

I sat down and once we were in the air, I started playing with my little TV/Game console thingy on my seat. I had read in one of my industry mags that I could "ping" (text) someone elses seat if I wanted to chat. One of my friends was up in row 16 and I thought I would try it out. Nope, that function was not ready yet. OK, I'll just watch TV. I flipped through the channels and realized that they were set to West Coast time and it was only 4am out there. So, I just fell asleep instead.

When I woke up, I wanted something to snack on... so, I touched the "order food" button and eureka!! It worked!! I asked for a diet coke and a granola bar. They also had sandwiches and other snacks... all very reasonably priced. All you had to do was click what you wanted and then swipe a credit card at your seat. Not two minutes later... BAM... a flight attendant dressed in all black delivers your food to your seat. I had to admit... that was cool.

After reading for a few hours (BTW.. I am reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and I HIGHLY recommend it) I decided to try the TV again. This time I was looking for the morning shows. Still nothing but infomercials from the satellite provider. So, I buzzed for help and one of the attendants walked over and I asked him if there was a problem with the TV. He said (and I quote...), "You know, we are really high up and sometimes we just do not get a signal." So, I responded..."But, I fly Jet Blue all the time and I never have a problem with the TVs." TO which he replied, "Yeah, their system is better." Oh, it depresses me when a company has such a cool idea and then the reality hits... style has to equal substance or style is just for style... and that was my experience with Virgin America. Next time I am going Jet Blue to Oakland. Better airline... better airport. (Did I ever mention how much I hate SFO? It is hands-down the WORST airport in the country.) Oh, and the little girl at my seat... she was an angel. Might have been the best part of the flight.

It takes about an hour and a half to drive to Napa from SFO. Its a pretty easy drive and when you finally get into the wine country... you start to see the vineyards and small markets offerng tastings. I felt my whole life relax... ahhh... this is pretty close to heaven.

The entire Cash and Treasures crew were meeting up at the Napa Lodge in Yountville. It is a charming boutique property that is really just a motor lodge that had a few million dollar face lift. Now, it is a "boutique lodge" instead of a "motor lodge." Yes, it is far nicer that a motor lodge... the rooms are roomy and most of them have verandas over looking the pool area. The bathrooms are well appointed with rain shower heads and granite and my room had a working fireplace. Nice.

We used their meeting room at the hotel for our production meeting and then headed out that night for a nice dinner and wine. You really cannot go wrong in this area for food and wine. So, just bring your appetite and a clean palette.

The next afternoon, some of us went up to the Rubicon Estate to do a tasting. Rubicon is one of Coppola's wineries and it is really beautiful. The drive up to the estate looks looks like a Tuscan villa with fountains and cypress lining the roadway. We went in and did a tasting and I purchased a bottle of their sovignon blanc for my mother for Mother's Day. I'm a good kid.

After the tasting, we made the drive back to SFO (aka hellaport)for my very first red eye back to DC. I just never needed to do a red-eye before... so, I was able to avoid them until right now. We got to SFO in plenty of time and grabbed a bite before boarding our 9:40pm flight back to DC. We boarded our Virgin America plane and the music and black clothing gave a chill in my spine. Its a good thing I had a seat in the front.. this flight had to be better than the one yesterday.

The good news is that not only was I in the front of the aircraft, I also had the entire row to myself. The bad news... the armrests between the seats do not really go up. Another bad part... you can never plan for turbulence. This might have been the bumpiest flight since my post-traumatic stress causing one on a US Air flight from Buffalo to LaGuardia when I was in college. That flight was so bad, they had us in crash position... twice. I SH!T you not. If it were not for Travel Channel, that incident might have changed my entire career. There is something to be said about getting back onto the horse!

The flight got into Dulles at 5:30 the next morning and all I remember is getting my bag, grabbing a cab and coming into my bedroom to see Eva sleeping next to Peter. I remember dropping my bag, climbing under the covers and waking up three hours later. I do not remember the cab ride, paying for the ride, or coming into the house. The rest of that day is also a blur... I think I did a little bit of work before crashing again at 2pm. I have to say... the red eye sucked. I would have been far more productive if I just stayed the extra night in San Francisco and flew out the next morning. The good thing was that I was home with Eva the entire next day... and when you are a traveling mom like me... that time is precious.

The next day I was back with suitcase as I was heading up to Philly to test our new Sam Brown show. I took the Acela from Union Station up to 30th Street Station and it was perfect. I was able to work on the train and I felt refreshed and ready for our meeting that night. Now, the hotel situation was just what I expected. We chose to stay at the Sheraton City Center because it was walking distance to where we were going for the meeting. Now, remember... I am a huge fan of Westin properties and Sheraton is just the middle child of that family. I was expecting a not so polished version of a Westin. Well, this middle child was the kid who always wore the hand-me-downs and was in dire need of a good haircut. The hotel itself was huge... it just needed a makeover. Everything had a dirty film like cast... the wall paper was a navy blue and red stripe and was tattered here and there. The carpeting in the hallways looked like it had not been changed since the 1980's and the overall smell can only be descibed as Endust over a musky odor. The rooms were a little better... not great... but, I could sleep there. Overall rating = poor. The Embassy Suites only a block over had larger and newer rooms... minus the asbestos cleaning it was a better experience (did you read that blog?)

I was back on the Acela the next morning and was back in my new office at the Travel Channel by 10:15am. I was glad to be home... and to be going home tonight to see my family.

Yesterday we took Eva down to Union Station in DC for National Train Day. She loves the "choo-choo"...so, she enjoyed the model trains and all of the fun stuff they had for the kids. It was a charming way to spend an afternoon in DC... and I can already see a glimmer of the travel bug in her eye.

Today is Mother's Day and in honor of my mother and my mother in law... I am passing my "gravy" recipe on to you. This recipe came from my Italian Mother... Serafina Porco of Cosenza, Italy. She was my second mother and insisted that we all make a good gravy. So, this is really her recipe that I just call my own. I love it... and thanks to Annie for suggesting that I add this to my blog. I know my mom will get a kick out of it.

Ciao, Bella.

Serafina's Sauce ("Gravy")
-good olive oil (EVOO... enough to coat your pan)
-one onion, chopped
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-one package pork neck bones
-parsley (a hand-ful)
-oregano (hand ful... fresh is better than dried)
-fresh basil (I insist on freshly chopped)
-2 cans whole tomatoes (never crushed... tomatoes are best whole)
-1 can tomato paste
-1/2 can water (use the large can from the tomatoes)
-bay leaf (2)
-salt (sprinkle)
-sugar (3/4 c)
-grated peccorino romano cheese (3/4c is fine... but I could argue for a cup)

Coat the bottom of your sauce pan with the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and them cook until happy (about 3 minutes). Coat the mixture with basil, oregano, and parsley and let cook one more minute. Add the pork bones and let cook until browned and the flavors are combined.

Meanwhile, crush the tomatoes in a bowl using your hands. (Be sure to puncture each of the tomatoes with your thumb or you will get a spit on!) Pour the crushed tomatoes into the sauce pan over the pork mixture. Add the can of paste and the water to the mixture and bring to a boil. Continue to stir the sauce to avoid sticking.

Sprinkle some salt over the top and add about 3/4 c of sugar (yup... you read that right) to the sauce and stir. Add about 3/4 c of the cheese to the sauce and bring turn the heat down to a simmer.

Allow to cook 2-hours (covered) on this low heat - stirring every 15-20 minutes. I usually take the cover off for the last 45 minutes or so of cooking to allow the sauce to thicken.

Serve over good pasta - the "bones" are to be eaten on the side of the pasta. W

Warning - cooking this pasta might attract Italians to your home. Be sure to have a salad on hand and it always helps to have a few chicken cutlets to fry in the fridge... just in case.

Enjoy.
Lori

An MGM Grand... In Detroit??

2008-04-20T09:21:00.004-04:00

Every time I start a new blog, I find myself needing to apologize for not getting one of these up faster. The truth is that I know that you all have enough to do in your lives to read some boring blog about me doing nothing. There is nothing worse than listening to someone tell you that they are doing nothing. I have been home for the last couple of weeks just leading my normal life. So, I am not going to try to blog about going to the cleaners and making a nice "gravy" for my in-laws. Good? Ok...let's move on.

This past week I was invited to attend an event in Detroit. Now, the last time I was in Detroit, I was 7 months prego and we sat on the tarmac at Wayne for over 6 hours waiting for a storm to clear! It was not a good experience and I was just not wanting to come back. So, when I heard about this trip... I was less than thrilled to make my way back to motor city!

I flew out of DCA to Detroit on Northwest Airlines who used "NWA" as their logo. For a girl that grew up in New York... NWA does not mean Northwest Airlines... so, I chuckled a bit. (Yes, I am a white girl... but, i could not resist) Northwest flies out of the old terminal at DCA and it is kind of bizarre in there. Its not as bad as gate 27 in Beijing (but what is?) ... but, it was kind of like a big room with gates off of it. The weirdest part are the bathrooms which are like big trailers attached to the building with toilets. The other bad part about this terminal are the food choices. They suck... so, be sure to either eat before you come or plan to starve.

I ended up meeting a colleague on the flight and it was nice to arrive in Detroit and share a cab to the hotel. I looked at the itinerary (which was booked for me) and we were staying at the MGM Grand Resort. Huh? Was I reading that right? Yup. We pulled up to what looked like an Atlantic City resort in the middle of the city. Apparently the hotel was only 6 months old... and it was considered the nicest property in the city. OK... I can handle that.

Arrival was fast and easy and the hotel has that casino feel... but, it was cleaner and was teeming with security (this is Detroit after all). I went up to my room on the 10th floor and was pleasantly surprised. It was beautiful with every modern upgrade you could imagine (flat screen TV, Cisco phones with touch panels, and a large marble bathroom that had a yummy steam shower with a rainfall head). Not bad, Detroit!

I worked for a bit and then started to get ready for the event. A few friends met me in my room for a bite of room service before heading to the event. The party was nice and it was like a big sales show for all of the Discovery Networks. Basically each network gets up and shows off their new shows for the upcoming year. The event is called UPFRONT and it is meant to excite potential advertising clients about what shows are coming up. I thought the best presentation came from Animal Planet who is doing a show with a dude who is going out to live with Lions. The Lions are awesome... but, he was adorable!

After the show, we went to a wine bar called Enoteca and it was fine. They had some nice choices... but, the food was nothing to talk about. We then made our way back to the hotel and we flew out the next day.

This week, I am heading to Orlando to see my family. AND... just for the record... I am currently in the process of purchasing an HD video camera so that I can start my vlogs and my travel videos for Travel Channel. Someone posted a comment that I am now a "silent" Travel Channel Academy grad and that I am no longer excited about what I learned up in NY that week. The truth is... I am putting together my equipment package and it takes time and money to get it right.

Enjoy your week and please submit a comment if you want to bitch about me, the shows or if you just have a travel question. I know that some of you are not happy with the latest Sam Brown Disney show and I would love to hear your thoughts.

Travel On..
Lori

The WESTIN just smells good

2008-03-30T21:09:00.008-04:00

I am so sorry that it has taken me so long to get a new blog up here. My travel has been crazy again and sometimes... I think I just need a break from it. Then, I get to the airport and take my shoes off for security... and I love it again. What can I say? I'm a sucker for the TSA.

Anyway, after breathing in asbestos in Philly and that weird airport.. I found myself in Atlanta. Hartsfield can be a real pain in the a$$, but it was a welcome pain after the agony of Philly. For gods sake, they have a Starbucks! Brilliant!

After picking up a rental, we made our way to our hotel: The Westin in Buckhead. I nearly teared up when I walked into the place. It was big and sleek and I could just feel the service permeating from the reception desk. Ahh.. .this was more like it.

As you may or may not remember, the last time I was in Atlanta I was transported to Piedmont Hospital with a stomach flu. I was not thrilled about coming back to this town... but, I was determined to get in and out of this city with my health. So, I took all of the necessary precautions... no Ritz Carlton, no red wine, bottled water only... check, check, check.

So, the Westin. I was so looking forward to her. I checked in and the gentleman at the desk introduced himself as Patrick and he promised to put me in a nice room. He did... he gave me a corner suite on the 4th floor and it was yummy after that wreck the night before. What really stood out for me when I was waiting for the elevators was that this place smelled really good. It was a sweet smell... maybe jasmine? I was not sure... but, it just made my entire life relax. I also loved that while the lobby was very sleek and modern with lots of glass and black lacquer... it also had enormous vases of amazing flowers. There were hyacinth and Lillis and the most amazing orchids. I guess you really notice these differences when you stay in a "budget" hotel one night and a "higher end" hotel the next. BUT... here's the kicker... this hotel was $48 cheaper per night than the Embassy Suites in Philly! Its true... I paid $239 per night in Philly and my rate at the Westin... $191!! Here's the tip... ALWAYS call the hotel directly for better rates! Front desk managers can see with a click of their mouse how full the property is and can almost always work with you on rates! It is definitely worth your time!

The next morning, I met my ex-brother in law (yes... follow it now... He is my sister's ex-husband) for breakfast. And you ask why... well, he and I practically grew up together. I think he and my sister started dating when she was 16 and I was 13... so, he was there through my first years in high school on Long Island and that is a lot to ask of anyone. I had big hair, a red camaro and a big mouth. Now, to be fair... let's just say that he screwed up his marriage to my sister. (He's a subscriber... so, I'll keep this nice)AND, nobody would ever blame me for hating the sound of his name for the rest of my life. But, if you know me... you also know that I am a firm believer in never holding a grudge. My motto is that life is way to short... and not worth the agony of trying to remember why you are mad at someone. So, forgiven... but, not truly forgotten. Right? (Unless you are LC on The Hills when she told Heidi... I want to forgive you and I want to forget you. - Might be one of the single best lines in all of TV.)

After breakfast, I made my way back to the hotel and jumped in a cab to head back to the airport for my flight back to DC. It was great to come home on a Friday afternoon knowing that I had a whole two days before I had to pack again. That night I received a call from my sister telling me that I was lucky to have gotten out of ATL that morning. She told me that a freak tornado ripped through downtown and some of the windows of that sweet smelling hotel were blown out. How incredibly lucky was I to get out of there before a big storm!!?? And from what I could tell from the news reports... no injuries on the ground. Amazing.. but, so frightening.

On Monday of the following week I found myself back at National Airport heading up to New York for an overnight. I decided to try the Westin again just to see if the service (and smells) were consistent with my pretty friend down in Georgia.

The Westin New York definitely feels like a New York hotel. When you walk into the street lobby, there are two ginormous escalators that whisk you up to the main lobby. There is a lot of hustle and bustle and there are three banks of elevators... each designated to groups of floors. What is really amazing about the elevators in this building is their speed! It felt like we were not even moving and the only other way I knew I was on my floor (beside the "ding") was that my ears popped!

I found my room on the 29th floor without a problem and when I walked in... it happened. The smell was there! This must be a Westin thing! And I loved it. My room smelled clean and it was nicely outfitted with a flat screen TV, a generous bathroom and a huge desk. But, the best part was the view! I had a huge window overlooking the back of 7th Avenue. The building is closer to 8th... but, because I was on the 29th floor.. I could see the heart of 42nd Street! God, I love this city! And the rate you ask? $329 per night in NY! That's a pretty good rate for this time of year in Manhattan. I would put the average rate at $350...so, just under average... but, with the amazing view, size of the room and the overall comfort of this room... I would classify this rate as a steal! I once paid well over $400 for a room so small that the bed actually brushed up against the other furniture. You literally had to climb onto the bed to put something in the drawer of the dresser.

I am back in DC now and enjoying a few more days at home before my travel kicks in again. I am here now through the 13th and then I head out to meet Sam and the crew in San Francisco before meeting up with Kirsten and the Cash and Treasures team up in Napa where we are renting a house for some pre-season fun. I'll be sure to post and tell you all about it.

HEY - Be sure to watch Travel Channel on Wed night! I have all new premieres of Made in America with John Ratzenberger and Cash and Treasures starting at 9pm! (Note to self... plugs are fine when they are on your own blog!)

Keep Travel'n
Lori

Someone... please just get me out of Philly

2008-03-15T09:10:00.009-04:00

Three days after my trip to NY I found myself packing for another trip. This time I was heading up to Philly and then out to Atlanta to work on some focus group testing of Cash and Treasures. Focus group testing is when a network hires a company to go out into malls around the country and approach people to watch an episode or two of a show. Then, after the show... we ask them some questions to see what they thought. The second part of the testing is where we bring in groups of people and have them watch the show and then ask them some questions. I love that part of the testing because you can watch a group of people argue about your work. All of the producers sit behind one of those two-way mirrors. Its sneaky... and I love it. Its kind of hilarious... and you need a thick skin to hear what people really think about your work.

Anyway, I took the Amtrak Acela train from Union Station in DC to 30th Street Station, Philadelphia. The trip took about an hour and a half and what I love about the Acela service is that there are outlets at every seat so you can work as you travel. The other thing I love is the guy that comes around every so often with the snack cart. I felt sorry for the guy though... he had to walk a train with a weird apron. The poor sap.. that job kind of sucks.

When we got into 30th Street station, we battled a crowd to get a cab. I was traveling with one of our big shots and he commented (and I quote...) "Homey don't wait in line." Not sure what was more fun...watching him wait in line or the fact that he called himself "homey" He's a white Canadian who wears cuff links. Not such a "homey" - I bet he's never even heard of Baby Phat and forget knowing FUBU.

We took a cab over to our camp site called The Embassy Suites. Kidding... it appeared to be fine and we chose this hotel because it was literally steps from our testing site. As we made our way to the reception desk, we realized that this hotel was going through a bit of construction. They told us that some of the floors were bring remodeled and that the fitness center was also closed. They did hand us free passes to the Philadelphia Sports Club... so, ok.. I think I can deal.

My room was on the 17th floor and I have to say... it was more of a small apartment than a hotel room. It had a small kitchenette area with a microwave, coffee maker and a small fridge. The living area was spacious with a small dining area, couch and TV setup and work desk. Then, off of this room was a small hall that lead to a private bedroom and bathroom. If you can get past the fact that you are in an Embassy Suites... this is a great room. Especially for a family... and a steal at only $239 a night including breakfast.

I dropped off my stuff and met the rest of the team downstairs in the lobby. We were testing tonight from 5pm-10pm... so, we planned to order dinner at the office. Nothing worth mentioning... all you need to know is that we ate.

After the testing, we went back to the hotel and I have to give props to them for the bedding. That bed was YUMMY. It might have been that I was exhausted... but, who really cares. The fact is that it was a great night of sleep! It was so good that I did not mind when they forgot to give me a wake up call for the gym. Oh, well...right. The intention was there.

The bathroom was nice and the shower had great pressure. The products were infused with rosemary and they smelled wonderful. Uh oh, am I becoming a fan of the Embassy Suites? I even enjoyed a bad cup of Maxwell House using the coffee maker in the kitchenette while I got ready for the day. Enjoyed is a strong word... but, I didn't have to leave the room and it did not cost be an extra $25 for room service.

I met one of the other producers at the free breakfast and it was not too bad either. Its what you would expect from a free breakfast. A buffet with all of the normal choices. They even had an omelet station. So, overall... a good value. Again, great for a family trip.

Today we are flying to Atlanta for the next round of testing. So, we all checked out and took to the street to find a cab. As we walked out of the hotel, we were approached by a guy who looked to be like one of the construction workers. He walked up and handed us a flyer telling us that the "remodeling" that they were doing... umm... that was an asbestos clean-up. What? Yeah, maybe they should have told us that when we checked in? (Note to self... if I have a kid with 4 heads... call it Embassy Suites)I will be writing a letter and for the record... I am NEVER staying in one of these again. Family vaca or not.

We made our way to the Philadelphia Airport and I smelled something. It smelled like someone was baking a chicken... and not a yummy smell. Kind of like an herb-y weird ... I forgot the lemon juice sort of smell. Strange.

We all checked into our flights without a problem and made our way to security. I have to say.. something felt weird in this airport. Almost like they hired a bunch of delinquents and put them to work for the TSA. The guy checking our IDs had a serial killer look to him. He also took his job super seriously... (and I guess in this world that is not such a bad thing)...he looked at my license with a black light and then with an eye loop to make sure that it was real. Maybe it was me... maybe I looked like I had something going on. Whatever... better safe than sorry. Then, the line stopped suddenly and it was like they were all playing kids game where they all switched spots. So, by the time we were up at the metal detectors... the serial killer was the one checking us through. Whatever. Then, he stopped me and yelled at me for not having my lipsticks in a baggy. He said that he would have to take them. OVER MY DEAD BODY! That's my favorite lip color and its $40! I pulled out the lipsticks and ran them through separately and he backed off. That's right... do not try to come between me and my MAC lipstick.

Now, I was ready for some cawff... so, I walked to the gate and found the only place that appeared to have coffee. So, I ordered a coffee with milk. The girl answered, "You want a latte?" "No", I replied. "I would like a coffee." "Oh, no latte... just coffee?" "Yeah, bitch... caawwffeee." What the hell is up with this airport??

Did you ever notice the people sleeping on the chairs in airports? I mean, have you ever been THAT tired at like 11am to full-on lay across 4 seats at a gate and just snore your head off? Now, I will say that I have had plenty a hang-over at airports and I will acknowledge the occasional snooze after puking. BUT, this was different. This was like 20 people at our gate sleeping. My question was... where were they partying last night? AND... what the hell is that smell?? This baked chicken odor is following me. Could it be... yup, its me. Remember that damned rosemary infused soap at Asbestos Palace? Yeah, well... now I smell like a baked chicken. Great. Just what I need. Someone just haul my ass to Atlanta, plllleeezz.

*L*

New York and an Inn Keeper Named Fergus

2008-03-13T17:42:00.012-04:00

I arrived at the gate for my flight to NY with time to spare. So, I grabbed a coffee and headed back over to the gate to wait to board my flight. About 10 minutes before were supposed to take off, they announced that the flight was cancelled and that we were all being re booked on the very next flight to NY in an hour. Here's my question... Why? The weather was clear... the crew was on board and the plane was there are ready to take off. Do you think they gave an explanation? Nope... they just said sorry. Well, thanks Delta. So, I sat my butt in a chair at the gate and went to work rearranging my morning schedule.

I arrived in New York THREE hours later (yup... another delay on the runway) and I took a cab to downtown Manhattan to meet up with the Passport team at their office. I was really excited to meet with the other producers because today was the day that we were going to see the new Samantha Brown in her new series called Great Weekends. We have all been working really hard on our new prime time look and I could not wait to sit in an edit suite to see the first batch of footage from our Miami shoot. I am not going to give too much away here... but, even if you are a huge Sam Brown fan.. this is going to feel all new to you. Really exciting stuff.

I really love ordering lunch while I am working with this team because they have a great local deli to order from and we SWEAR that they add crack to their food. Its addictive and delish! Its called Columbine and it has some really good soups, salads and sandwiches. I always order the turkey sandwich because their turkey is roasted and juicy fresh. Its that kind of turkey sandwich that you dream of as your mom is baking the Thanksgiving day bird. You just imagine a nice roast turkey hero with a little leftover stuffing, cranberry and some drippings from the pan. Ummmmmmmm.

After the meeting, I headed to the Upper West Side to check into my lodgings for this trip. I was really not in the mood to check into an overpriced stale hotel. I wanted something that made me feel like I was back home... not on a business trip. So, I rented an apartment! Sound impossible? Its easy... and its CHEAP! There are plenty of rentals in the city and I chose one on the Upper West Side on 77th Street. It is called Country Inn the City and you can find more information on it at www.countryinnthecity.com

When I arrived, there was a sticky on the door of the building that looked like an old brownstone in the middle of the street. The sticky had my name on it and it said to ring the buzzer for apartment 5 when I arrived. So, I buzzed apartment 5 and a burly guy came bounding down the stairs. This was Fergus, the keeper of the Inn. I could not place his accent... but, it sounded British (don't hold me to it tho...) His breath had the distinct smell of Listerine and he had beads of sweat on his brow.... and I was about to realize why. This building is a walk-up (translation: NO ELEVATOR) So, Fergus grabbed my 50 lb bag (we already discussed my packing issue in previous blogs... keep up) and we headed up to the 4th floor to apartment #6.

The building is very nice and has an old English B&B feel to it. It has cranberry walls with dark woods and hints of forest green. Kind of charming... kind of stale. It almost felt like a B&B you would find in Vermont or New Hampshire during a ski weekend. It felt warm... but, odd. Definitely not a 5-star ... but I was looking for something different, right? Now, the moose head on the wall... was a little freaky. I am not into dead animals on walls. Just not for me.

Fergus lead me into the apartment which was a studio with a small kitchen, bathroom and sitting area that was also a bedroom area. It also had a huge walk-in closet and it just had a lot of living space. The coolest feature of this apartment is that it has an outside terrace that would be great in the spring and summer.

The apartment was nicely outfitted. The kitchen had a small fridge, stove top, microwave, coffee maker, toaster and all sorts of pots, pans and dishes to use. Fergus even left some milk, coffee, butter and jam in the fridge to get me started. He also left me a beautiful big bowl of fresh fruit... which I loved.

The linens were all clean and fresh and had a nice smell of being freshly laundered. The room also had a nice TV with satellite and FREE wifi! Are you ready for the price? $250 per night! AND this is in the high range! Fergus usually can go a lot cheaper on the rate depending on the demand for the apartments. Just for the record... the average daily rate of a NY hotel on the Upper West Side in March... $350.00. That is a $100 savings per night... and I did not have to pay all of the random fees that end up on your bill. Like did you ever see a Javitz Center tax on your bill? What the hell is that?

That night, I met a friend at Bettola - a small Italian cafe on Amsterdam Avenue (sebastianoitaliano.com). I found this to be a charming little place that was really relaxed and warm. They had a brick oven pizza stove at the back of the restaurant which just made the whole place feel cozy. We decided to share a salad with grilled calamari and a white pizza with mushrooms and truffle oil. The crust on that pizza was super thin and crunchy. Just perfect and a total find if you are up in that neighborhood.

After dinner, I walked over to Fairway, one of the local grocery stores to get some food for my apartment. I just picked up some yogurts, bottles of water, ice cream (again... hubby is reading this and knows me too well) and some other snacks so that I could stay healthy and not have to run out to the deli in the morning.

The next morning, I took the #1 train down to 42nd street to attend the Travel Channel Academy (see blog below...) In the afternoon, we had a shooting assignment so I went back up to the upper west side to shoot at Zabars. I love Zabars because it just reminds me of home. They have the best coffee and I just LOVE their chocolate babka and mashugana cookies. So, it was great to spend the day there with their staff. I even had the opportunity to meet Mr. Zabar himself. It was great.

I stopped in at the Zabars cafe for lunch and I ate at the bar in the middle of the place. It was great to sit between an old woman eating a white fish salad sandwich and a guy next to me with a cup of coffee and a rugalah cookie. I love that. After the shoot, I went back to the class where I almost cried (see blog #1) and then I trekked back up to the apartment to sulk and eat ice cream in my pajamas.

The next morning, I hustled my ass back downtown to start editing the piece of shit footage I shot at Zabars the day before. I edited all day and by the time 7pm rolled around, I was ready to go out and have a drink. So, I met my friend David out at the SOHO Club. This is a club in the city where you have to be invited and escorted by a member just to walk in the door (www.sohohouseny.com). David is a big shot up at the History Channel... so, he is a member. Oh, this was perfect and certainly what I needed after not having a hotel staff to serve me after a long day. All I had was Fergus and the road kill hanging on the wall. Yuk. I realized that all this girl needs is to feel a bit fabulous and I recover rather quickly.

After our drinks, I decided to meet another friend out for some dinner at Lupa (see blog #1 - where I refer to the crazy ass menu). It was fine and after dinner we wandered over the Red Lion on Bleeker (151 Bleeker Street) to watch the NY meatheads pick up chicks. I love a Friday night in NY. There is really nothing more entertaining. Well... that was before Saturday night.

The next morning, I walked over to H&H Bagles which is arguably the best bagel shop in all of Manhattan (hhbagels.com) The best part of H&H is the fact that all they do is bagels. They do not put a drop of cream cheese... they do not butter. They just hand you a fresh warm bagel and it is delicious. I chose a sesame bagel and a water and jumped in a cab for another day at the Travel Channel Academy.

Today was another shoot day for us and I ended up documenting my cousins monthly color and cut out in Hoboken. (God, the more I write about that... the more god awful it sounds.) Anyway, after I pretended to make art... I hopped back on the bus for the 10 minute ride back to the city. I was anxious to get back to the class to start digitizing my new footage.

That night, I was meeting friends out at Koi at the Bryant Park Hotel. I was trying to recreate the religious experience I had at the LA version of this sushi heaven. I ordered the exact same meal and I have to say... it was more like purgatory than heaven. It was trying to be that meal... and it just never made it. The best part was the cosmos with ciroc vodka. Just the perfect mix... and they went down nice and easy... which made my 9am class in the morning almost deadly.

Oh, wait for the next blog where I sleep at the Embassy Suites in Philly... where they are cleaning asbestos out of the building. Ummm... what?

*L*

Sleeping off the Travel Channel Academy

2008-03-10T22:26:00.007-04:00

Sometimes I forget why I am in this business. I never get the butterflies anymore when I am on a shoot and I never feel like a rockstar when I am wearing a headset and watching a monitor while on set. I just do it and think about the next shot... the next line... what I am going to eat for dinner. Then, something happens that makes the hair on my neck (I have a few short strands there FYI...) stand on end and shows me how lucky I am to do what I do for a living. This past week I was fortunate enough to be invited to take a class called the Travel Channel Academy up in NY. Yes, I have some travel tales to tell... my Delta shuttle flight was cancelled on the way up and I chose to rent an apartment instead of stay at a hotel. I'll get to all of that. The big story here was the Academy and if you are reading this blog... I URGE you to go sign up and take the class. It was that good. Of course you all know that I work for Travel Channel and you probably think I am just saying this because I work for them and I get some kind of kickback. Well, for the record... I don't. I suck at sales and I am just telling you so that you have the opportunity to check it out. If you decide that it is not for you... well, that's better for me because then I can submit my films and I will get paid and you will just go back to whatever it is that you do. OK... that's the end of the rant. The class is run by Rosenblum Associates; a NY based production company who produced a ton of programs for Discovery and other nets. The guy who teaches the seminar is Rosenblum himself... Michael Rosenblum and he might just be the most fascinating character I have ever met. He's a short Jewish man...maybe from Queens who dresses in all black - head to toe. Even his Prada glasses are black rimmed. He talks with a thick NY accent that reminds of a guy that I dated from Brooklyn. (Note to self... husband is a subscriber... move on) Michael starts the class with a basic shooting lesson that shows any idiot how to shoot. Close up on the hands... close up on the face... wide shot... over the shoulder and then from the side. Sounded like a simple assignment... so, I was psyched to get out into the city and shoot my first film with my little HD handycam. I went to Zabars on the upper west side and went to work. I scouted the place for like 20 minutes. I then chatted with the managers, talked to some butchers, a few fish mongers... the girl who packed the cheese. This was going to be a great piece. So, I took a break for lunch and created my shot list. Two hours later... close up on the hands, close up on the face... I was done and I was excited to bring my footage back to show Michael and the rest of the class what an Executive Producer can shoot all by herself. I went back to the class and we all started screening the student's footage. Most of the footage was great...some a little shaky... but all in all... not bad for first timers. Then, it came time to screen my footage and I was so proud to show Michael my stunning footage. Twenty seconds into the screening Michael stopped the tape and channeled his inner Simon Cowell and said. (I will never forget the words)... "You do this for a living, right?" I nodded. He continued, "Well, its not bad... but its not good. Its a little raggedy. Its too shaky and it just looks amateur." I started to feel a lump in my throat and knew that I was the face of the very network that was running this class... my inner voice began to chant DO NOT CRY... DO NOT CRY. After the screening some of us decided to go back out for a reshoot. So, I grabbed my camera and took the 1 train back up to the upper west side. I went right back to Zabars and just started shooting. Close up on the hands... close up on the face. No, No... its not good enough. I know, I will just shoot something else. So, I went across the street to a diner. I told them that I was from the Travel Channel and they all looked at me like I was NUTS. So, I went to a dance studio who had an 8pm salsa class. That would be great. I spoke to the owner and she asked that I come back at another time when she could have her hair colored. No go. No close up on the hands... No close up on the face. So, I put my Executive Producer business card away and took my sorry ass to Fairway and picked up some salad for dinner. (And ice cream... again, the hubby is reading this and knows me too well.) The next morning, I went back to class determined to make Michael see my shining talent. I started editing my piece and all in all it was not too bad. It was not my best work... but, I managed to make a weak chicken salad out of chicken shit. That night I met my friend Kelly out at Lupa downtown for dinner. Lupa is a Batali restaurant and it was jam packed! The food was nice... a bit too earnest of a menu. They had beets as an appetizer and there was far too many bizarre choices for an Italian restaurant. I ended up asking our waitress for a recommendation and she told us to order the octopus, the sweet breads and she absolutely loved the tripe. Eww.. no bitch... I'll stick with the fresh pasta with the pulled pork ragu and skip the nastys. All in all.. it was all very good and worth a try if you want something less pretentious then Babbo. The next day I was back at the class and Michael had another lecture for us. Now we were going to shoot characters. We had to have real people as the focus of our short films that will be submitted to the network as our "graduation videos." Not too hard... more close up on the hands, close up on the face... but, now we had to put action into the shots. When you take the class you will get the lecture. I cannot get into detail in the blog. At around noon, we all took to the rainy streets of Manhattan to start shooting our second piece. My first idea was to shoot with a NY cabbie. I would sit with one cabbie for a couple of hours and just get the story. Then, I had this image of the couple at the very beginning of that movie the bone collector. They grabbed a cab on their way home from the airport one night back to NY and I think they were both chopped into little tiny pieces. So, I abandoned the cab idea and called my cousin who lives in Hoboken. She was going to get her hair done today... perfect... I'll do my piece of her getting her hair done. She is a 26 year old casting director for MTV... she would be a great character. I took bus 126 out of Port Authority and in 10 minutes was out in Hoboken, New Jersey. Eww. But, it was fine. I met her at the salon and we started shooting. Close up on the hands... close up on the face. Ok... now I am cooking. No shaky cam... read through all of my class notes. I was going to get this right. After about 3 hours of documenting her color and cut; I jumped back on the bus to start digitizing the footage. I worked for about 2 hours and then decided that I needed some rest. I needed to walk away and come back in the morning to finish it. The next morning, I went back to class and started editing. We only had until 3pm and then we were going to screen the final videos. I worked right up to the deadline and just took to my seat to wait to be creamed by Michael. He went through the videos one by one and I was beginning to squirm. I was not thrilled with my finished product... I should have stuck with the cabbie. Why did I not trust my first instinct? Oh, well... Finally it was my film to be screened and it was fine. Most of the class laughed on cue and overall it was fine. Was it art? Not by a long shot... I was upset that I was not the teachers pet. Oh well... not this time, Lori. After the class ended, I jumped into the black sudan that was ordered by my company to take me to the airport. I looked like an EP.. but I felt like a film student. I could not wait to purchase my own mini-DV cam and MAC to practice my new craft. The butterflies came back and I felt an inspiration that I had not felt in a long time. That all said, I am now dedicating myself to working on these videos. I will post them when they are ready so that you can see for yourself... close up on the hands, close up on the face. More tomorrow. Lori

It's ALL about the Sushi in LA

2008-03-01T16:51:00.006-05:00

Within hours of arriving into LA, I found myself sitting at the bar at Sushi Roku (corner of La Cienega and 3rd) waiting for a friend. I ordered a glass of wine and just watched the world go by. There is always something going on here. The last time I was here I sat at the counter and that dude who plays Angel (David... with that crazy long last name) was sitting next to me. The sushi is great here... but, you are paying for the scene too. We had a fabulous dinner... loads of fresh sushi including toro, yellowtail and some of the best salmon sashimi I have ever eaten! The one big thing that I noted here was that this is soooooo California. My dinner date asked if they had gluten free soy sauce... and ya know what? They did! That is the heart and soul of dining in LA. You want whole wheat rice around your rolls... no problem. Ya gotta love it.

The next morning I found my way to the gym at the Sofitel which was nicely outfitted with a bunch of cardio machines (all with their own personal TVs), a full weight area and a bar where anyone could help themselves to chilled bottled water, towels, headphones, and fruit. I also loved that they had two computers already on the internet so that you could check email after your workout. Really nice.

After the gym, I walked (yup... it was already almost 65 degrees!) to Starbucks for a coffee. The Sofitel offers a free coffee service in the lobby, but I really wanted to get outside and enjoy the weather a bit. After my walk, I came back to the room and ordered an eggwhite omelet and it CAME with coffee and juice! I'm not sure why that was so unbelievable, but it was... I guess I am used to paying $50 for breakfast! Imagine only paying $25 for a full breakfast delivered right to my room! (I know what you are thinking... Lori, you must be crazy... $25 for an omelet is ridiculous and my Italian neighbor would slap me and ask for the chicken that laid the golden eggs before paying that much!) But, I thought it was well worth it.

The Sofitel is a hotspot (WIFI) ...so, your high speed internet access is only $9.99 a day. That is typical for a big hotel. So, again... did not feel like I was being robbed. After working for a few hours, I made my way up to the Universal area to meet the Made in America crew for lunch. This was the first time I was going to meet John Ratz and I was a bit nervous. We dined at Casa del Sol... a very nice Italian restaurant right outside of Universal. The weather was spectacular, so we dined al fresco on their patio. It was so nice to sit in the sun and have an iced tea. Man, the Mid-Atlantic winters are hard to get through!

I ordered a pear and prosciutto salad with a bit of balsamic as a starter. I then had a seared tuna over canneli beans for my main course and some sorbet for dessert. Yum! Everyone really enjoyed the food... so, check it out if you are in the area. I also really liked the staff who were super accommodating. (I guess with a large party and a big check... they should be nice, right?)

The meeting with John and the crew went really well. I found him to be really funny and very passionate about the state of the American economy. Especially in the manufacturing industry. One of the main issues he is dealing with is the fact that high schools across America are not offering shop class anymore. Its true... kids are just not being encouraged to try some of the professions that we need everyday. Plumbers, electricians, factory workers... and the real issue is that those kids that may not be college material are not getting the opportunity to try their hands at one of these crafts that could land them a job once they graduate.

John also told me about his other projects. He does voice over work for Pixar... In fact, he's been in every single one of their animated features! Did you also know that he was in Empire Strikes Back? I mean.. how cool is that?

After lunch, I made my way back to West Hollywood and stopped off at Loehmanns for some retail therapy before my next meeting. Loehmanns in LA is great... it always has the best brands... and while it may be a bit pricier than what I would find in DC... its worth it! I picked up a pair of True Religion jeans for $125! They usually sell for $260... so, I was super excited.

That night, I met my meeting at the Chart House in Malibu. This is another great option when you are in LA. This is a great restaurant and it is perched right on the bluff at the end of Topanga Canyon... right on the beach. All of the tables by the windows overlook the beach and it is just a really great spot to enjoy the beautiful Pacific. The food was pretty good too. Not the best meal... but, the ambiance is worth the trip. I had scallops and they were nice... the best part of the meal was the classic Chart House chocolate molten lava cake. Its yummy.

The next day, I went back to the gym and walked over to Starbucks again. I then did some work before meeting a friend out for lunch on Robertson. I made sure to stop into Lisa Klein and Kitson before walking over to the Newsroom Cafe. I bought Eva a shirt and touched the merchandise at the other stores. It was great. I then met my friend for lunch. The Newsroom is another great Hollywood haunt. The food is good... but, the best part is that it is located directly across the street from the Ivy. So, as you dine you can watch the paparazzi stalk the celebs and wanna-bes as they sip their mimosas. FUN!

After lunch, I drove up to Griffith Park to meet the Made in America crew for a shoot. This is another great secret of LA that is a must-see when you are here! This park is lined with majestic redwoods and the drive up to the Observatory is a windy road up to the top of the mountain. When you get to the top, their is the historic observatory... and the best part... a clear view of the Hollywood sign! In fact, on a clear day you can see all the way to the ocean! Its amazing... so, plan some time to hike around the park and enjoy the views. It is well worth the time.

The shoot was great and we wrapped around 5pm... so, I hit some traffic on the way back to West Hollywood. I still had time before my dinner meeting, so I stopped off at Bliss Spa on La Cienega for a mani-pedi. Just what this girl needed!

Dinner was sushi again.. but this time, I went to Koi. You know what Koi is... this is the place that you always read about in the rags. This is where Lindsay, Paris and Nicole come to hang. Its a real celeb hang-out and I was thrilled to have on my new size 6 True Religions!!

Now, I have to tell you that dinner at Koi might have changed my life. It was THAT good and totally worth the money you will spend here. We started with some great sashimi... one dish was albacore with these fried onions over the top. They also had this great spicy tuna dish... but, instead of the tuna being in a roll.. it was on top of a hash brown like disc. It was FAB! They then brought out rock shrimp tempura that was tossed in this sauce that was a like a light mayo with a kick. They also brought out some kobe beef and then another fish that was pan seared in soy. All I can tell you... is that it was all GONE and every piece was heaven in my mouth. To die for... so, make your reservation and be sure to ask for James as your waiter. He took great care of us... in fact, we never even looked at a menu. He just brought everything out for us. Really nice.

The next morning, I hit the gym one last time before driving back out to Long Beach for my flight back to DC. Another successful trip to Los Angeles... filled with great meetings, fab shopping and delicious food. God, I love that town.

Next week I am off to New York to attend the Travel Channel Academy. I am staying at a place called Country Inn the City on the Upper West Side. This is supposed to be the best kept secret of New York. We'll see.

Travel On...
Lori

Back Home in Los Angeles

2008-02-27T09:12:00.002-05:00

I know what you are thinking... you are a New Yorker!! BUT for some reason (and maybe this has happened to you) when I am in LA I feel like a child again in my home town. Los Angeles to me is the city that inspired my career and it still lights a fire under my butt every time I come back. This is Hollywood and here anything can happen. There is a sense that at any time of the day...something could happen that could change your life. Now, you should be aware that the change you encounter could be found in the powder that someone slipped into your drink at the SkyBar. This is still a city people... so, get your head out of the clouds!

Anyway, I arrived in LA on Monday night via a Jet Blue flight into Long Beach. TRAVEL TIP!! Do yourself a favor and look into flying into the regional airports of this area. The options for Jet Blue are Long Beach and Burbank... both are much more manageable than LAX! Trust me!! AND it will be a cheaper flight and you can watch TV right at your seat. I am a huge fan of Jet Blue... they just get it. All a passenger wants is a reasonable price for a seat on a flight, entertainment on board and maybe a snack! I love the fact that they actually give you a CAN of soda with a cup and a REAL bag of chips or pretzels. I hate when you are on those other carriers and they hand you a tiny mouthful of soda with their dirty ice cubes and a trial size bag of pretzels. Can they spare the food? Do you not trust that I can drink the entire can of soda? Do I really need to split my diet coke with the person in front of me?? Don;t judge me because I want a larger bag of chips along with the swedish fish that I bought in the terminal!

The drive from Long Beach to Hollywood is about 40 minutes. I arrived at 5:30pm... so, the 405 was a bit congested with rush hour... but, it was far from bumper to bumper. In the heat of rush hour, it still took me under an hour.

For this trip, I decided to stay at the Sofitel LA right on the corner of Beverly and La Cienega. What I love the most about this hotel is the location! The Beverly Center (translation... MALL) is directly across the street! I am also able to walk to a Starbucks or A Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (yummy LA version of Starbucks)which is a nice option after a morning workout.

The Sofitel looks and feels like a big hotel. The lobby is black lacquer and glass and the staff is always dressed in black. When I arrived, I was promptly greeted by a young lady who escorted me to the check in area. She checked me in and she also gave me an overview of the property that was so detailed and personal... she actually told me what her favorite dessert was at the restaurant (chocolate and banana bread pudding served warm)! It wasn't annoying... it was personal and super helpful.

The hotel smells good (something that I am aware of after my time in China!) and the hallways are light and open which is really nice because I imagined that the elevator would open to dark hallways with mood lighting (Did I say W Hotels out loud?) My room is small but modern and filled with cool upgrades. There is a beautiful bathroom with a huge rainfall shower and a really nice size bedroom area with a flat screen HD TV. While the design is modern and sleek... the colors are creams and browns... making the shiny furniture and straight lines seem a little softer. Very comfortable. The best part of this room was revealed to me when I went to put my coat away (No need for it this trip... its supposed to be 80 degrees here tomorrow!) in the closet. I noticed a black and white seat cushion. (At least it was not a gas mask like the one in the closet in Chengdu!) I was intrigued... what was that for??? And then I realized. The curtains that lined the back wall of this room was hiding something spectacular!! Two french doors that opened to a small patio area overlooking the Hollywood Hills. So, right now... as I am writing... I am laying in my cushy bed with the curtains open and dreaming about what could happen today in LA. I love it here.

More tomorrow... Lori

Politics and a little gluttony...

2008-02-05T20:41:00.000-05:00

I am not a political person. I live outside of the Beltway and work inside of it... but I am a New Yorker and politics on Long Island had more to do with what color BMW your friend would order for her sweet 16. If she decided for white... then the entire class would discuss on Monday if she made the right decision. However, there is one political conversation that I do get involved in and that has to do with our right to paid leave. (Note to my boss who is a subscriber... this has nothing to do with you... but, as a Brit living in the US... could you not talk some sense into this country? You are the BIG CHEESE of the Travel Channel. If you can't push this bill through... who can?)

ANYWAY, Do you know that the United States of America is the ONLY industrialized country on the face of the earth that does not guarentee time off to its workforce!! AND... in terms of the average amount of vacation time we are given (US gets an average of 13 days per year) I believe we rank right up there with Mexico who gives their workforce a measly 6 days! Now, I know that a lot of you are going to start writing me about how we are the US and we are supposed to work hard and that we are the best country... yadda.. yadda. I say YOU ARE ALL DEAD WRONG! People work harder when they are well rested. Families are closer and children are more secure when they have time to spend with their families. The absolute problem with this country is that our homes are being divided by divorce and our already hectic lives are becoming busier... with no real time for rest. We are also not connecting as a human race. People are watching the Discovery Channel (hiss...) instead of getting out and really exploring their world. They cannot take off a few days... let alone a week! Its crazy. They can't afford it and the government turns their heads on the problem!

What happens if you have 10 years with a company and you are now sitting with a solid 4 weeks of vacation time and suddenly you get laid off? When you start that new job... do you go back to 4 weeks? OR... do they put you at 2 weeks because you are not with the company long enough to warrant that much time off? What did you say? You do not even get two weeks? Oh, right... because we are the only country that does not guarentee time off. So, it is up to the employer. Right.

So, what do we do? DO we rally? I guess. Do we say screw the electric bill... I'm going to Disney World? I would not suggest it. But... we could make it a point to set some time and a bit of cash aside to get away from the daily grind.. even if it is just for a long weekend. (I would also get online and read about the bills going before congress and make your opinion count!)

Weekends are the biggest trend in travel these days. More people are taking a few long weekends instead of one long trip. They are extending their business travel and bringing along their families. They are also looking local... and relying on road trips and short flights so that they get the most time at their destination.

With the value of the US dollar plummeting (I believe the exchange for a Euro is 1.46 for every dollar and the pound is worth double the greenback!) it is time for all of us to look local for our travel. Another great travel option is Mexico where you can still get quite a bargain for your money! Canada seems like another good choice...but, think agaiin... the Canadian Dollar is also trading higher than the US dollar. Nice, ehe?

Another money saver and great for weekend travel is apartment or home renting instead of using pricey hotels! You know that I do this all the time and it is especially important when you have a family and you do not want to spend $5 for each glass of milk or apple juice you order from room service!! There are plenty of home and apartment rental companies online... so, shop around. There is also an article in Budget Magazine this month that tells you about a villa in Mexico that sleeps 8 and rents for $100 per day!!

So, there it is. My political rant in honor of Super Tuesday... but its also FAT TUESDAY and I have to get my ashes in the morning and start my lenten journey to Easter tomorrow. So, out of respect for the good people of New Orleans... I am going to get some ice cream and finish watching American Idol. Total Gluttony.

xoxo
Lori

Goofy is a GODDAM DOG

2008-02-04T21:37:00.000-05:00

After a long couple of days at Disney, I have to say... that place is CRAZY! When I got home the other night, I literally had to scrub the pixie dust out of my hair! But... it is a magical place. (SLAP)... sorry, it sometimes just comes out.

Anyway, so remember Joe from my last blog? He's nutso!! Here's why... We were all shooting with Sam on Main Street USA the other day and someone wanted to have their picture taken with Pluto. Someone said that Pluto was Mickey's dog and then somebody else asked what Goofy was... and I promptly answered "a dog." Joe then briskly walked over and corrected me. He said, "Lori, Goofy is not a dog." to which I replied, "Then what is he?" Joe then quickly said, "Goofy is a Goofy." What? He then said (without a wink in his eye), "Lori, dogs do not wear shoes and Goody wears shoes... so, obviously... he is not a dog." What? Wow... so, I guess all mice and ducks wear clothes? Because I have never seen Mickey without his red shorts and black shoes!!! Minnie always wears her pink dress, high heels and a bow in her hair. You wanna talk weird? Have you ever seen Donald Duck without a shirt?? C'mon Joe.. Goofy is a Goddam DOG.

After a long day of snorting the pixie dust the crew all met up for a little dinner and fun over at Downtown Disney. We had dinner at Portobello yacht Club and then wandered over to the 80's Dance Club at Pleasure Island. It was fun... and just what our crew needed after a week-long shoot.

This trip to Orlando was fun. I am not a huge fan of the Saratoga Springs property. The rooms were fine... but, it has this weird vibe... almost like an old stale version of the Catskills in upstate New York. There is only one little cafe and a small restaurant on the entire property. There is NO room service and the service was just not up to what you would expect from Disney. Here's the best example... we called for a reservation for dinner for three (me, Sammy and Christina) at 7pm. The woman on the other end apologized and said that she did not have a table for 3 at 7pm. She then paused and said that she had a table for 3 at 6:55pm... would that work? WHAT? UMMM... sure... I mean, it is a little earlier than what we wanted... but, we will have to deal. (That weird)

My next trip is out to LA to meet with the crew from Made in America! I am now taking over that show as the EP... and really excied to be working with RATZ!

More soon.
Lori

Disney: Behind the Magic

2008-01-29T23:03:00.000-05:00

I am sitting writing this post right now in my room at Disney's Saratoga Resort and Spa in Orlando. I am here shooting a new Disney special with Sam called Samantha Brown's Disney Favorites for Travel Channel... and I have to say... I have a few cool insider secrets that I had to share!

First, I heard from a friend last week that Disney has a Tinkerbel character who flies on rip line from the top of Cinderella Castle all the way to Tomorrowland. My friend told me that as a kid she always loved waiting for the fireworks show at night over the Magic Kingdom because she wanted to see Tink. I have to say that I thought it was an urban legend... I could not imagine that something so cool existed at Disney and I had never heard of it! So, I went right to the source for the inside scoop!

I spoke to a Joe, a real Disney insider who works with all of the production crews that come into Disney to shoot. Joe told me that the flying Tink was real and that the coolest part was that the girl who plays the role of Tink has to "weigh in" every night before her flight and that information is fed into a computer that looks at her weight and the wind speed and adjusts the slack on the rip line automatically so that she always "flies" at the right speed from the castle to Tomorrowland! The best part... Joe and I stood with the crew in the middle of the Rose Garden last night in front of the Magic Kingdom to watch the Wishes Fireworks display and there she was!! Tink flew right over our head and landed in Tomorrowland!

After the show, we all went through the backstage area and Joe pointed out exactly where she landed! It was a huge platform that had a mattress to cushion her fall! Incredible! I begged Joe to sneak me into the park for one ride... we'll see if he caves. COOL, right??

Another secret of Disney, the best photo opportunity of Cinderella's Castle is actually right at the Rose Garden. The coolest part is that Disney has real photographers walking around the park who will take your pictures and load them all onto one "photo pass." Then, at the end of the day... you go to one of the photo pass locations and you can see your photos and choose the ones you want to purchase! Forget to stop in?? Line was too long? No problem! Log onto the website on your pass and you can access and order your photos online. This is especially cool for all of you who go to Disney with the hopes of capturing a cool family photo for the Christmas card! No need to worry about chopping somebody's head off!!

Here's one of my coolest Disney tips.... all of the major attractions now have a special line for single riders!! What's so cool about that? Well, what if you are a parent of a toddler who is not old enough to ride Everest or Tower of Terror? Who gets to go? Mom or Dad? Well, now you do not have to worry...you can switch out! The single lines are super fast so that you can both ride the ride without each of you having to wait in a long line as the other cares for your child. This is also great for ANYONE who does not mind riding alone! Your whole family can wait in the single line and just take a ride one at a time. Sure, you may not be able to experience it together... but, you also just did not waste an hour or more of your time in one of the pricey parks!

Ok, I have to get to bed... we have an early call tomorrow. We are shooting Sam right in the middle of Main Street USA! So, if you are at the Magic Kingdom tomorrow... be sure to stop by and say Hi!

More tomorrow...
Lori

The most DISGUSTING Travel Story of all Time!

2008-01-22T18:38:00.000-05:00

I had to share this story with you. I am stealing this story from some friends who went down to Florida for the Holidays. I am changing their names to protect them from other travelers that may have witnessed this first hand.

The following is a true story...

So, our friends Fred and Ethel were taking their son Little Ricky to Florida to spend the holidays with their family. They also planned to bring their Italian Greyhound on the trip so they could avoid the hassle of putting her in a kennel while they were away.

They were scheduled to fly out on Christmas Eve and they had to get up early that morning so that they could get to the airport by 8:30am for their flight. Unfortunately, Fred came down with a stomach flu the night before and just felt awful that morning. They even called the airline to see if they could get on a later flight to allow him a bit more time in his own bathroom. Unfortunately, all of the flights were booked and he did not want to risk missing Christmas morning with the rest of the family. So, Fred picked himself up and they all made their way to the airport.

They went through security and boarded the plane without a problem. The dog was safely in her carrier and they tucked her under the seat in front of Ethel. All was fine... Fred was comfortable and was looking forward to a restful few hours after his long night. He closed his eyes and the nightmare began...

About 20 minutes into the flight they started to smell what could only be described as "acidic doggie poo" and it was radiating from their little doggie carrier. Their little Greyhound was so nervous from the flight that it started to have uncontrollable diahrreah right there in the carrier. The smell was awful and Fred, Ethel and Ricky could not believe that it was coming from their adorable little dog.

Already nausiated from his flu, Fred immediately got up and he made his way down the aircraft to the small bathroom. Once inside the stall, Fred and Ethel pulled the pooping pup out of the carrier and started to clean up the mess. Fred held the dog right over the sink and just let him poop in the sink while Ethel started to clean the carrier and the mess they were creating in the bathroom.

The dog continued to poop and they had to stuff her back in her carrier because the captain turned on the seatbelt sign... they were about to come in for a landing and they all had to get back into their seats. So, they went back... stinky carrier in hand up that long row of other passengers all in agony from the disgusting smell that had taken over the entire cabin.

Once they landed, they quickly got off of the plane and Ethel took the dog into the bathroom to once again try to clean her pooch. She went into one of the companion bathrooms and took the dog out of the carrier. The dog immediately started pooping all over the bathroom. As Ethel started to clean up the mess, she was overcome with the abnoxious smell and started to vomit.

When she was finally able to control herself and get the dog back into the carrier, she walked out of the bathroom and found a security guard to let him know about the mess. She was sweaty, smelly and she was still holding a pooping dog.

They all went and retreived their luggage from baggage claim and met Ethel's dad. Unfortunately, her Dad decided that he would take his pickup truck to pick all of them up from the airport. Can you imagine the stench in that small cab?

OK... if that is not a hell story.. I do not know what is!!!

Do you travel with your pets? Do you have any suggestions for taking them on airplanes?

We never thought to bring our dogs with us on trips!! I always thought that the cabin pressure and the stress would be too much on them. Now, I know people have to put them on planes when they move long distances... but, in my opinion... they are dogs and were never meant to fly. Just my opinion....

Fred, Ethel and Little Ricky had a great time in Florida with their family. They made sure that the dog was drugged for their flight home.

Please send me your pet travel tips!!

*L*

If you are sick... stay home.

2008-01-14T20:40:00.000-05:00

Why do people insist on traveling when they are sick? Now, you know from my past blogs that I have been sick on the road and had to fly home... but this is different. I am talking about the guy next to you that looks like he is on his death bed and here he is sitting in the exit row of the Delta shuttle heading up to New York. I mean... if you are that sick (and believe me... I can see that you have been blowing your nose for a week) stay home! I don't want your crud and I think I can speak for the rest of the passengers and crew that they do not want it either!

You know, the month before I went over to Beijing, I had to get like 8 shots and then I also had to take a series of live Typhoid pills to build up my immunity. Yes... LIVE typhoid pills. You basically take a pill every other day for 4 days and then you are protected from Typhoid for like 5 years. So, I took the pill and on my third pill I realized that I had to fly to LA for work. I would have to bring the last pill of the series with me on the trip to California. A huge question mark came over my head... LIVE TYPHOID on an airplane? I called my doctor and immediately scheduled the typhoid shot instead. The shot only protects me for 2 years... but, I could not imagine bringing that pill on an aircraft. I would hope that everyone would think the same way before boarding an airplane.

Now, a lot of you asked what kind of remedies I bring with me on the road.. so, here are a few items that I NEVER leave home without...

(1) Ibuprofen - works for headaches and its great for that occasional hangover

(2) Afrin - Keep this in your carry-on at all times! Ear pain due to congestion when you are flying is one word... PAINFUL. Two sprays in each nostril before you board will keep you clear and pain-free for the whole flight. I promise this works!

(3) The pink stuff - you remember that day in Mexico when you indulged in street market food and then spent the rest of the night back in your bathroom. Just bring it.

(4) Allergy medication - I have allergies at home in DC...so, I always carry some extra allergy meds with me just in case. I was sure glad I packed it when I was in China!! The smog is so bad in that country that you cannot see your hand in front of your face in some places! They say that breathing in the air of Beijing for one day is the equivalent of smoking 20 cigarettes. Yuk.

(5) Tylenol PM - I always have a few packed. I tend take a Tylenol PM after a long flight... especially when I am in another time zone.... even puts the aches and pains of a long trip straight to sleep.

(6) Aloe - When I was in Costa Rica, I picked up pure aloe at one of the small markets in San Jose. It was handy the day that we all trekked Poaz Volcano in the Costa Rican heat! My skin was pink... even with SPF 30! The aloe is the perfect remedy for a burn and it feels great on your skin. Just be careful to keep it fresh.. I believe Aloe loses its healing properties 6 months after you open the bottle.

(7) SPF 30 - I am a white girl and I burn. (Here's a secret... if I look tan.. I had a fake and bake session at my local spa ... aka Mystic Tan! Its the only tan that is safe for your skin) I always have SPF 15 on my face, but when I am out on a shoot I slather on the SPF 30! You only get one shot at healthy skin... so protect it.

Now, I will ask you... HOW DO PEOPLE TRAVEL WITH ONE CARRY-ON and NO SUITCASE? Where the hell are they putting their daily essentials? I know... I know... lost baggage is an issue. I get that... but, even when I go away for the weekend I have a bag to check! I am not dumping my $55 bottle of Chanel age defying moisturizer into one of those cheap little bottles for security! I like the packaging.. it is part of the reason for buying the damn thing in the first place! So, I say... check it and pray to god that it is on the carousel.

What is in your suitcase? Do you have any tips and tricks? Please share... leave me a comment!

Lori

Eileen's Monthly Blog...

2007-12-28T08:41:00.000-05:00

As the New Year approaches, I would like to wish everyone a very happy, healthy one.

Once the holidays are over and the winter is upon us,we tend to dream about a nice vacation to take place some time during the year.I will be returning to work next week getting my students ready for their summer journey to Sail Caribbean in Tortola.

It has dawned on my that as this new year approaches and plans are being made, we should all take a look a tour passports to be sure they are updated. Planning the trip is fun and exciting, but finding out at the last moment that your passport is outdated, can be a horror.So, make it a rule that when you are planning a trip out of the country, you make checking the passport apriority. Also, check to be sure there are no visas necessary for your travel. Applying early for either of these will make your life much easier when the time comes to travel. Remember, everyone needs a passport to travel outside the USA.

Happy New Year
Eileen

Eileen Rothschild is a veteran travel agent located outside of Orlando, Florida. She is the Travel Coordinator for Sail Caribbean and Lori's mom.

Home for the Holidays

2007-12-27T10:03:00.000-05:00

When you travel as much as I do... staying home becomes a luxury. I'm enjoying Christmas break in Germantown, Maryland with my family. My sister and her family (hubby and two children) are here with us from Greensboro, NC. It's chill and relaxed. It is so relaxed that I found it hard to actually sit and write a blog about travel. How do you write about travel when you are not traveling? The closest thing to a travel tip that I came up with this week is that you can have anything you buy from Nordstroms shipped for free to your home! Imagine that, you go out to Nordies to spend your xmas cash.. and you do not even have to worry about fitting it in your suitcase! You ask them to ship it... and DONE... for free. Ok, Ok... its a stretch.

With all of this time off, I have been doing a lot of reading... mostly travel mags. It made me think about all the travel there is to do in 2008. So, I decided to update my top 10 list of dreamy travel destinations....

Brazil - I really want to explore the favelas of Rio... I can just smell the feijoida now.
Mali ... specifically Timbuktu. One of the most influential cities on the face of the earth
St. Moritz - I'll probably kill myself skiing... but, I bet I would look fabulous on those slopes
Bali - to overnight at the Bambu Indah... a hotel made entirely out of bamboo
Kenya - safari yes... but I also want to stay at the Il Ngwesi... a lodge built and managed by the local Laikipiak Masai tribe - simply beautiful people
Barcelona - still one of my "must see" cities... I would also love to take a cooking class there
Northern India - I have not picked a city yet... there are so many. I just want to go to a village market at 5am to pick the best part of the daily slaughtered goat and cook it over an open fire and get drunk with the locals.
Peru - Machu Picchu - this should be on your list... the closest thing to heaven in my opinion
Madagascar - island life in Africa... where there is a lizard that can sit on the tip of your finger and the local crafts are amazingly beautiful
New Orleans - still one of my favorite places in the world and it needs our tourism money! I would love to dedicate a weekend to build a house and maybe make a nice gumbo with my N'awlins friends. Mardi Gras is comin'...

I also wanted to make my New Years resolution for 2008... my resolution is to be a responsible traveler. I want to engage myself in social tourism... I want to meet people and engage myself in their culture. I want to find and buy local crafts... no tourist shops for me. I will also make sure to leave a light footprint... practice green travel. I encourage you to all do the same. This world is shrinking which gives us the opportunity to meet each other and interact in new ways. It is also our responsibility to protect it. Let's do it together.

It is nice to be home for a bit. To not be living out of a suitcase. Its also nice to dream about the world outside, the year ahead and the many days of exploring to plan. So, I'll relax now... drink my coffee and maybe take advantage of that free shipping at Nordstroms and get a new suitcase.

Enjoy your families and get out and travel in '08.

*L*

Traveling to New York with a Toddler

2007-12-09T10:56:00.000-05:00

This weekend was our annual Holiday weekend in New York City. I grew up on Long Island and the tradition in my family was to go into the city on black Friday (day after Thanksgiving) to start our Christmas shopping. Most of our shopping took place in Chinatown where we stocked up on knock-off bags, cheap trinkets, cool toys and Chinese slippers. So, I wanted to bring that tradition to my family... not the black Friday part... mainly to introduce my daughter to the magic of New York City especially in December.

New York is expensive for families any time of the year, but in December everything skyrockets! Especially rack rates at hotels. Ugg... I think the Holiday Inn's rates sit at around $400 per night ... and I think its about 30 minutes out of the city! So, what is a young family to do? I say rent an apartment! Sounds that it would be even more money... but its not! This is one of my favorite travel secrets! Especially for parents with young children! Now that I have your attention... here's how you do it! Search online for NY apartment rentals on Google or check on Craigslist.com under rentals in the New York area. Then, pick the apartment based on your needs. There are studios, one bedrooms, two bedrooms... all the way up to fabulous penthouses (but these are more expensive than staying at the Ritz ...) This year we chose a two bedroom apartment in the Theater District. It has a small kitchen, a small bathroom with a tub and two very cozy bedrooms off. Are you ready for the price? $300 per night! BAM!

We arrived in NY on Friday night and settled into the apartment. As I put our two year old down for the night (in her own room), my husband ran across the street to the Food Emporium and picked up some groceries and wine. We then ordered dinner from Carmines (ummm... Italian) and watched a movie. We wanted to keep our Friday night low key because we had a big day planned for Saturday. The next morning, we woke up and had some cereal and coffee (which would have cost well over $30 for room service at a hotel!) and got ready for our day. There is a subway station on the corner of 8th and 50th and we jumped on the C train and headed uptown to the Children's Museum of Manhattan. This is a great choice for parents with little ones. The museum is 4 floors packed with fun things for them to do. Eva loved crawling under play sheep, driving a play school bus, fire truck and taxi... and we all enjoyed storytime where an author came in and read his new book! Here's something that could only happen in NY... while we were in the museum, Eva decided to play with a beautiful blonde girl. She was cute and her mom looked really familiar. I then realized that it was Jennifer Gardner and the pretty little girl was her daughter, Violet. Ok, so... this is New York and I am used to seeing famous people here... but this was different. You see, Jennifer and I gave birth to our daughters the same day! OK... well, not so amazing to you... but, I always check on Violet in the rags just to compare her to Eva... how tall she is... did she get her teeth... etc. So, to see the two little girls in front of me playing was one word... SURREAL. I actually introduced myself to Jennifer and she was very nice and totally "normal" which is always really nice to know. Only in NY...

After the museum, we took Eva out for a little culture. PIZZA.. and like a good Italian, she loved it. Good girl. We then jumped back on the subway and headed back downtown to Lincoln Center and walked over to 5th Avenue. We loved walking through the chaos of FAO Schwartz and peeping into the Holiday windows at Saks. We then wandered over to see the tree at Rockefeller... with about 5 million of our closest friends! It was insane. So, be prepared!

After we snapped some pictures, we went to the safety and warmth of a nearby Pret a Manger for a hot chocolate before making our way back to the apartment to get ready for dinner. We met Samantha and Kevin out at a Mexican restaurant called Zarela's on the east side. Again, another great experience on the subway! Don't be afraid of using the subway with your kids!! The subway is really cheap and still the best way to get around NYC! AND... they will love it!

Today we are visiting a friend in Edgewater, New Jersey for a playdate before we make our way back to Maryland. Don't worry... I had a bagel with a shmear and three black and whites delivered to the apartment this morning. I was NOT going home without having all of the best flavors of New York.

Until next time...
*L*

Hitting the Road Again

2007-12-06T21:26:00.000-05:00

Hey there... and sorry for being MIA. That Disney trip was EXHAUSTING!! Eva had a blast! We all did. The first morning we were there... she woke up at 5am saying "Mickey Moush"... soooo cute! We hit all of the parks and just had a great time! I highly reccomend booking one of the new Disney Villas! We stayed in one at the Boardwalk Resort and it was FAB! We loved having a fully equipped kitchen, the ability to have an adjoining room for the nanny and every room comes with a pack-n-play!! No schlepping your own!! Minnie certianly knows what it is like to travel with kids! Samantha and the crew were already there shooting the Disney Holiday special that is scheduled to air on Dec 11th at 8pm! Be sure to look for Eva's debut! She is sitting on my hubby's shoulders watching the lighting of the tree at Epcot!

Anyway, enough plugging! Tomorrow we are hitting the road again! Peter and I are taking Eva up to New York for the weekend to have some holiday fun in Manhattan. It is magical in Manhattan this time of year... but, the hotel rates are out of control! Here's a tip if you want to do Manhattan in style without spending a fortune on a hotel room! Rent an apartment! Thats right!! You can rent a fully furnished apartment in Manhattan for less than half of what you would pay for a hotel room! This year we are renting one in Midtown... last year we were down on Union Square! The apartment last year was $500 for the weekend... and this year we are paying $600! Quite the bargain!Being that the apartment has a full kitchen, we are bringing groceries so that we do not have to spend a lot on food! Of course, we will have pizza... a black and white cookie... some bagels... some good Italian and maybe Chinese... but, hey... we'll have cereal for breakfast and use the extra $10 on another pair of shoes on 5th Ave!

*L*

Stuffed Bird

2007-11-22T20:17:00.000-05:00

Oy, that was a lot of food! I love Thanksgiving because it really is all about food. In our family, my mother always made the matzoh ball soup in the morning. She used the turkey parts that everyone else throws away to make a turkey stock. She then adds veggies and as she says.. a whole lot of dill and lets it simmer all day long. When the bird is just about done, she adds the canadles and some noodles and when that is ready... we are ready to eat. Today's Thanksgiving feast was the somewhat the same... it started with the matzoh ball soup and then my husband took over. He was like a machine today. He made a Paula Deen stuffing, some mashed potatoes and some great creamed spinach.... and now, I am as stuffed as the bird was this morning

This morning we watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade as we drank coffee and my mom made the soup. Eva loved watching the dancers and she called Kermit a turtle.

I hope you are all enjoying your families. Eat lots and remember to say thanks.
Lori

In Orlando for Thanksgiving

2007-11-21T22:13:00.000-05:00

Every traveler in the world knows that the week of Thanksgiving is the absolute hardest time to travel in the US. Well, I will be the one to tell you that it is not that bad if you plan ahead. We had a very uneventful trip from Washington to Orlando yesterday.... and here's why.. we booked well in advance and we gave ourselves plenty of time. Sometimes its just that simple.

You all know that I travel all the time and there is nothing worse than arriving early to sit and wait for a delayed flight. I get it... I do it to. I get to the airport one hour before boarding... I coast through security as fast as I can.. ( laptop out of the case, no liquids, slip-on shoes...) I am super efficient. I then grab a rag mag and I am ready to board. Simple stuff. Well, forget that. This is not your normal flight to Boston... or to Oakland. This is travel during Thanksgiving and you need to be at the gate one hour before they board. That's right, people. Give yourself time! Pace yourself and you will see that everything will feel a whole lot better.

Another big tip... book in advance and make sure that you do not fly in the thick of it. Meaning... try to go out the Monday or Tuesday before Thanksgiving and come back on the Monday or Tuesday after. I also suggest flights in the afternoon... this helps avoids the long security lines and also almost guarantees you a parking space at the airport.

Let me take the advice columnist hat off for a moment and tell you about our trip...

We left the house 3 hours before our flight. The airport is an hour away and I wanted to give us a full hour to get us parked, on the bus to the terminal and through security. Once we got through security (Eva told the FSA guy that she was flying on a big airplane today!) we then sat and had a nice lunch before we headed down to the gate. We then boarded the plane (remember: I printed our boarding passes 24 hours before to ensure that we were among the first to board) and prepared for the flight. Eva had her lollipop and was looking out the window as we took off. She then settled back and watched Finding NEMO on my video Ipod. About an hour into the flight she was sound asleep and 40 minutes later we were in Orlando. It was that easy.

Here's where things got a bit annoying... that damned AVIS! I HATE AVIS! Ok, so... I called them two days ago to confirm that they had a car seat for me and that they had my wizard number in the record. I wanted to just go to the preferred desk, pick up my keys and drive away. Simple... right? We walked to the garage to the preferred booth to pick up my keys. They should have my name on the board... nope. Nothing. So, I spoke to the agent who asked for my name and said that he could not find my reservation. I then handed him my preferred card and suddenly... he found my name. I asked him if we had a car seat...and he said that it was not in my record. I snickered and told him that I called only two days ago to confirm all of this. All he had to do was apologize... but, instead.. he said, "I don't know... I just work here." What? Then, we get into the car (he told me it was supposed to be a Nissan Altima... and it was a Toyota Camary... I can see how you would make that mistake.) Whatever... I'll stop bitching now.

My parents live about 30 minutes away from the airport. There was zero traffic and we made it to their house in no time. Travel to Orlando... done.

Today was a relaxing day. This afternoon we went out to the Premium Outlets in Lake Buena Vista. That's right folks... across the street from Disney! You could smell Mickey.... we were that close. After a good credit card workout, we all came back and started our Thanksgiving baking.

My Nana is 96 years old... she is deaf and partially blind and still makes the best Apple Pie. Tonight, I sat at the kitchen table and watched her make a crust by hand. Her recipe is easy... we call it "A half, A half, A whole and One." Its a half a cup of Crisco, half a cup of sugar, a whole cup of flour and one egg. You mix that together to form a wet dough. You then grease the bottom of a baking pan (Crisco again) and using floured hands... press half of the dough to form the bottom of the pie. You then fill the pie with 7 peeled, cored and sliced apples. She sprinkled some sugar and some cinnamon throughout and then spread the rest of the dough across the top of the pie. It then went into a 350 degree oven for about an hour and 15 minutes. I just took it out... and I have to tell you... even with all the craziness of travel.. the smell of that apple pie makes all of the travel well worth it.

Enjoy your families tomorrow. Remember to pray for all of our troops who are away from their grandma's apple pie this Thanksgiving.

Travel safe.

Lori

Off to Orlando for Thanksgiving

2007-11-19T21:45:00.000-05:00

We are heading to Orlando tomorrow afternoon to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with my parents. We are flying out of BWI on Southwest. I am not a huge fan of Southwest Airlines. Mainly because they tend to kid around too much on the flights. For instance, my entire family was on a Southwest flight from New York to Florida to attend my grandmother's funeral. We were all grieving and the only thing we wanted to do was sleep on the flight. When we boarded the plane, the flight attendants started their little safety announcement and one of the guys said.. and I quote... "In the unfortunate event that this flight happens to become a cruise... your seat cushion doubles as a floatation device." I nearly lost my mind. I had my entire family on board... and this was pre-zoloft... and I was having none of it. I literally tore him a.... but, I digress. So, we are heading to Orlando tomorrow...Southwest. We are packed... and we have all of the necessary stuff for travel with a toddler. Birth Certificate - check. Ipod packed with cartoons - check. Music - check. Lollypops - check. This is our first time traveling with our girl over Thanksgiving and we are a bit nervous for tomorrow. Here's what I did to prepare... first, I made sure that we we rented a car seat from the rental car company. This saves us from schlepping our own! I then confirmed that they had my preferred number in their computer... I do not want to have to wait on line with a tired toddler! The next thing I did... I called Southwest to confirm the documentation we needed for her. She is 23 months...so, just under the two year momma has to buy her a seat mark... all we need is a birth certificate. Cool. Then, I jumped online and printed our boarding passes 24 hours before the flight. For Southwest this guarantees that we will be in the "A" group and one of the first to board the flight. AHHH... but you say... Lori, you told us NEVER to pre-board with a child. Yes, I did... I get the "A" boarding to get my husband to get on board and get us seats. Then I come on last with the baby. This way she can run around the gate a bit longer and I can put her on the flight at the last second. Last tip for the night... lollypops. Kids do not know how to "pop" their ears... so, the lollys help them to swallow during takeoff and landing! So, fingers crossed.. her little ears will be fine. I;ll write more from Orlando to let you know what else I discovered. If you are heading out tomorrow... travel safe and remember to pack your patience. This is THE hardest travel period of the year! Plan well, take your time and enjoy. xoxoLori