Emmys and Fathers Day in NYC

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!

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!

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

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....

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??

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

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