Back Home in Los Angeles

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...

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

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

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!

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.

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...

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.