The Long Way Home

Fabulous Bahia and Catamaran Resort Hotels in San Diego by Bonnie and Bill Neely

Posted on May 14, 2013 // California San Diego

Each time we have been to San Diego we have fallen in love with the entire area anew.  This year we found it to be the perfect place for Spring Break. Coming from the eastern and central parts of the USA, San Diego offers so much fun, sand, and sun, without the crowds you find on the East Coast because Spring Break for California schools is later.

We chose a lovely suite at the Bahia Resort Hotel for our home away from home on wonder-filled Mission Bay. You can request almost any type of accommodations here, from spacious single rooms on the water, to very large suites with living room and full kitchen overlooking the Bay or the beautifully landscaped California-style villas with private patios on a tropical garden.  Bahia Resort is the perfect vacation residence for family vacations or reunions any time of year, and it is  also perfect for college students, tour groups, or conventions.

The very large Resort, which hugs the curving, sandy shore of Mission Bay, covers a large property, where you’ll find fun for everyone: from tennis courts, to shuffle board, state-of-the-art fitness center, video game room, wide beach, and a large variety of water sports and boat rentals just outside your door.  The beautiful heated swimming pool is open all year, with a hot tub for extra relaxing.

Depending on your time of year to be at Bahia, you can enjoy a complimentary cruise around Mission Bay on the beautiful Bahia Belle, which is also available for weddings and parties. Bahia is located just a few minutes from most of the tourist attractions which are so plentiful in San Diego.

The exquisitely landscaped and manicured grounds of Bahia offer inspiring walks beside the ocean bay or quiet, reflective meanderings within the  lush tropical walkways of the secluded lagoon to watch the antics of the water fowl.  For boat rentals you can choose from many types including sailing and cruisers or you can have guided boat trips for individuals or any size group.

Children love the great playground at Bahia, and we all enjoy watching the rescue seals who enjoy their protected and posh life in the Seal Lagoon, where special pups who cannot make it in the wild are sent to thrive.

Tangier Bar, beside the Reception area, offers Happy Hour with special snacks for several hours each afternoon.  Bahia Cafe is the perfect place to eat. The atmosphere is very casual, so you can come straight from the beach, and the food is DELICIOUS: from full breakfast buffet through lunch and excellent dinners. The choices are varied, attractively presented, and REALLY good!  You can also lazily call for room-service for almost any type of food.

Bahia has thought of EVERYTHING you could want or need on your perfect vacation!  Laundry facilities for guests to use are located in several places, so you don’t have to bring such large suitcases.  The resort can even arrange baby-sitting. Spacious and lovely convention facilities and ballrooms are on site, and the most beautiful weddings can be arranged inside or in the gazebo of the picturesque lagoon, or even beach-side or on your private Bahia Belle fully catered cruise!  Special group pricing is thoughtfully arranged on request.

The wonderful Evans Resort Hotel Group includes two other beautiful properties in San Diego.  Close to the Bahia is the Catamaran Resort, where we luxuriated in the marvelous Spa.  You can select from all kinds of massages by expert therapists, who will make you feel Oh So Pampered and Relaxed and work out all those travel kinks.  They also offer excellent nail care, facials, sauna, steam room, hot tub, and much more.  Be sure to treat yourself as part of your holiday.

We also enjoyed a delicious lunch on the terrace by the Bay at the Catamaran’s Atoll Restaurant.  Chef Steven prepares unusual and scrumptious fare which is as pretty as it is tasty and healthful.  You can dine inside or out and thrill your tastebuds as well as enjoy the gorgeous scenery.

Bahia, Catamaran, and the third sister hotel up the coast a few miles, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, are your BEST choices of accommodations for your stay in San Diego.  If you are a golfer you’ll want to enjoy Torrey Pines famous and beautiful golf course, which is a world renowned San Diego municipal course.

For More Info:

http://www.bahiahotel.com/
http://www.catamaranresort.com/
http://www.lodgetorreypines.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEXoWq65kDM&list=PL161E38259561DBC9&index=1

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NYC Museums Off the Beaten Path with Kelly Loftus and David Miller

Posted on May 9, 2013 // New York City

Kelley Loftus and David Miller, artists and museum professionals, bring us the inside scoop on boutique museums in Manhattan.  In my interview with Kelley and David, they target Manhattan museums off the well-worn tourist path.  They share three of their favorites:

The Hispanic Society Museum:
As you walk in the front door of the Hispanic Society Museum at 155th Street and Broadway, the first thing you see is Francisco Goya’s The Duchess of Alba. As Kelley says, “What more could you want?”

Hispanic Society location
Hispanic Society location

Not only does the Hispanic Museum house magnificent paintings by El Greco, Velasquez, Jose de Ribera, but also incredible collections of ceramics, textiles, decorative arts and sculpture grace the cases.  My personal favorites were the ceramics. The designs and colors never go out of style.
This free museum offers a comprehensive survey of Spanish, Portuguese, Latin American and Filipino art, artifacts and books from the Middle Ages to the present.
On your next visit to NYC, try to include this hidden jewel in your schedule.

Rubin Museum:
The Rubin Museum of Art (RMA) features art from the Himalayas and surrounding regions.  Donald Rubin’s private collection of Himalayan art formed the foundation of the museums permanent collection. In 1998, Mr. Rubin purchased the old Barney’s department store in Chelsea and spent the next six years renovating the 70,000 square foot space.

Rubin Museum location
Rubin Museum location

One of the most interesting ways the museum interacts with the community is Lunch Wednesdays.  Every Wednesday, the museum presents a film and/or speaker in the museums’ state-of-the art theater where you can learn while you eat lunch.  One Wednesday I saw a film on the herders of the Xinjiang region of China.  The experience influenced me so profoundly that I am planning a trip to the region in September to film and write about the people of the region.
Although I never had the chance to ascend at the K2 Lounge, David highly recommends it.  Live music presented on the week-ends.

Museum of the American Indian (Smithsonian)
The National Museum of the American Indian houses over 800,000 works of Native American Indian art. The museum is located in the historic Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House in lower Manhattan.  As part of the Smithsonian family, temporary exhibitions are some of the best entertainment to be had in Manhattan.
The day I visited, the museum had an exhibit of Fritz Scholder’s work including a video that I watched at least five times. The guard must have noticed my interest in the work because when I exited the screening area, he pointed out some of the finer points of Scholder‘s sculpture.  I would have missed these points had it not been for his direction.
A visit to the Museum of the American Indian can easily be combined with your trip to see The Statue of Liberty since the old Custom House is just across Bowling Green (street) from Battery Park where the Liberty ferries dock.

Museum of the American Indian location
Museum of the American Indian location

Note: This interview was filmed at the Frying Pan Restaurant and Bar (a barge that sits on the Hudson River) at West 25th . A Manhattan heliport is close by.  The sounds of the city are included for your pleasure at no extra charge!

New York City Museum trivia:

1.  Here’s an easy one… What do the initials MOMA stand for?

Correct:  Museum of Modern Art

2.  How about this one… When and why do teams inflate huge balloons around the American Museum of Natural History?

Correct:  Every year, the day before Thanksgiving, teams inflate balloons in preparation for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

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Darjeelin: Get the best price on airfare By Teddy Belade

Posted on April 25, 2013 // Travel Tips

Let’s face it, if there’s one search that is abnormally time-consuming, it must be searching for the best airfare. Ok, maybe right after the search for love, happiness and the meaning of life. And the worst thing about it is that despite the number of online metadata search engines, results are pretty much the same everywhere.

In 2011, it was revealed by the Los Angeles Times that “almost 20% of travelers spent five or more hours shopping and booking flights, according to a survey by a division of technology giant IBM Corp.” while nearly “40% of business travelers spent at least two hours shopping and booking.” If you are one of them, my advice is simple: buy some time. I mean, literally!  Start a contest to get YOU the best price on airfare.

How does it work?

Darjeelin is a human powered flight search engine. Darjeelin is a crowd sourcing platform that allows you to source your flight search to experts by creating a contest. Hey… we ARE smarter than machines!

Launch your flight contest
Describe your flight by filling in the boxes and telling us what you need.

Collaborate with the experts
Flight experts then submit flights to compete for your prize. Make sure you answer their questions and provide feedback on their proposals. The more you say, the better.

Choose your favorite flight
At the completion of your contest, you’ll need to pick the best flight and award a winner. You’ll then receive the booking details in order to do immediately book your flight.

Offer a fee to the best expert

STOP wasting time, STOP wasting money and hand it over to our experts. In order to motivate the experts, you need to pay a fee for the contest that will be awarded to the best flight proposal. The amount of the fee is fixed: 20 € ($26.00). On average, our experts will save you 20-30 % on your airfare ! And if you find anything cheaper, we’ll pay you back immediately.

How it looks on the website:

At Darjeelin, we built a community made of these amazing people that we humbly name “experts”. They will fight to give you the best airfare prices possible.

Stop wasting those precious five hours of searching when for approximately $26.00 you can save 20% – 30% on your airline ticket.  Get rid of the stress and start having fun.

About Teddy Belade:

Teddy is a 25yr old French Business Developer for Darjeelin, a startup made of 4 people, that is currently headquartered in one of France’s best incubators. She is a foreign languages junkie contemplating the world as a playground to fulfill this passion. When she is not traveling, she enjoys helping others to travel and share experiences. “

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Biggest, Baddest Bucket List Contest

Posted on March 6, 2013 // Travel Contest

Vote for me

My Destination is hosting the Biggest, Baddest Bucket List contest….and I’m a contestant.  I’m a contestant who needs your vote!

Each contestant submitted a 3 minute destination video, a blog and 3 photos. My video was on Austin. My blog was about Beijing as were the photos.  Justine Spinoza did a great job editing the Austin video. Click here to see the video on You Tube.

The winning contestant gets 6 months, 6 continents all expenses paid.

So far I only have 21 votes. Voting is easy.  Click here.  This will take you to my page on the My Destination website.

Next:  Click on one of the social media icons (Facebook, Twitter, Google+). That’s it! You just voted for me.

Unlike the politicians you voted for in Washington, if I win, I promise my blogs will be fun and exciting…and I will keep that promise.

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Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo – 2013

Posted on February 28, 2013 // Texas

Question:  Who was the first entertainer at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo?
Answer:  Gene Autry, “the Singing Cowboy,” is the first star entertainer.
This year you can be entertained by some of the biggest names in music…Blake Shelton, George Strait and Tim McGraw

Question:  What year was the first trail ride?
Answer:  1952. Four men made the journey on horseback from Brenham to Houston.
Today, 13 trail rides, many traveling more than 100 miles, conclude their journey in Houston

Question:  How much was the first educational scholarship?
Answer:  $2,000 and it was given in 1957
Over $200 million dollars has been given for educational support. More than 2,000 students are on Show scholarships, attending more than 100 different Texas colleges and universities.


For a good time in a great city, head down to Houston and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

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Telluride Colorado: Year-Round Playground

Posted on February 21, 2013 // Colorado

Telluride, located in SW Colorado and nestled in the San Juan Mountains, offers year- round fun and entertainment.

Winter beckons to skiers and snowmobilers, even winter fishing is available at Telluride Outside. In the summer, bike the Galloping Goose trail; fish the San Miguel, Dolores and Uncompahgre rivers; raft upper and lower San Miguel River; photograph the San Juan Mountains and Imogene Pass. The possibilities are endless. If you want to capture Telluride’s beauty on film, you are in serious luck. The preserved architecture of this old mining town whisks you back to the 1870′s when silver, gold, copper and zinc were dug from the mountains. From magnificent waterfalls to babbling brooks, Telluride will exceed your adventure expectations.

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Around the World KZSB AM 1290 TV/radio

Posted on February 11, 2013 // Fab Placez

Arthur von Wiesenberger and Martha Bull host the weekly TV/radio show, Around the World.  This past week, they interviewed Annie Coburn to find out what makes Fab Placez unique.

Fab Placez focuses on the 50+ traveler offering Weekend Escapes and weekly blog posts as well as guidebooks to London, Paris, NYC and Beijing.

Each Weekend Escape has short videos of the recommended venue, a downloadable Itinerary and point-to-point maps. Using these tools, the traveler never feels lost or unsure of their destination.

During the February 7th broadcast, the discussion touched on Elle’s Grand Adventures, a book Annie wrote (illustrated by John Palamidy) for mature women travelers.  Extra care and preparation should be taken when women are traveling alone.  Annie gives specific guidelines on how to travel safely under these circumstances.

The Around the World interviews are broadcast every Thursday and are archived on their website.  Click HERE to see the variety of people and places captured by Around the World.

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The Uncommon Ski Trip: Winter Park’s NSCD (National Sports Center for the Disabled)

Posted on February 4, 2013 // Colorado

Whether or not you are a skier, this video about the children, men and women who aspire to ski when those around them are saying…you can’t, you’re disabled, will impress you as to the greatness of the human spirit.

One cold November morning, I was walking toward the Winter Park lodge for orientation training. I had been hired as a sales person at one of the mountain ski shops. As I walked up the passage, I looked at the face of the mountain to see the dot of a skier zipping down the course.

Not unusual, you say. But, this skier was not typical. He only had one leg.  I waited for him at the bottom of the hill as his rooster tail spray flew into the cold Colorado air. There he was standing before me. “Hi! I said. “Great job.” My curiosity was piqued. I introduced myself and gently posed some questions. He told me about NSCD (National Sports Center for the Disabled) headquartered in an office directly behind me.

I wanted to know more about NSCD…lots more. My first lucky meeting was with  Hal O’Leary, who founded the program in the 1960′s.  We sat in his office late one Friday evening. Hal meticulously told me the history of NSCD  and its mission. My objective was to document (video) this fantastic program.

During the next two months Hal used his influence to connect me with NSCD’s leaders and managers. Connections in a small community work like magic. Before long,  I was introduced to Charles Agar (videographer) and Art Ferarri (photographer). When they heard about the NSCD project, they joined the project. Then, the time came to interview the volunteers, the angels that make NSCD the jewel it has always been. Each volunteer was passionate about his or her mission. Sally Speas has been helping young and old learn to ski for thirty years. Now that is dedication.

If you are planning a ski trip this season, Winter Park has many advantages:

  • Easy flight to and from Denver
  • One-hour drive to the resort (or take the train)
  • Great amenities, ice-skating rink, gondola, food and accommodations

The best reason to visit Winter Park is to experience the volunteers and participants of the NSCD program. It is great to talk to both…the skiers and the students. You can be a part of this incredible program. Click to Donate to the NSCD program.

Make a difference in another person’s life.

How to Get There:

  • Winter Park is a short 1-1/2 hour drive from Denver.
  • Fly into Denver. Rent a car. Easy drive to Winter Park.
  • If you want an inexpensive place to stay, take a quick 20 minute drive to Fraser. There are nice places to stay that won’t drain your wallet.
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    Queue for the Krewe in New Orleans – Revalry in the Crescent City

    Posted on January 31, 2013 // New Orleans

    Buckle up New Orleans.  A storm of people will blow into New Orleans this February that will make Katrina seem like a Sunday afternoon rain.  It’s gonna be a crazy month in the Crescent City. The good news is that any time you visit New Orleans is a great time because the city is better than ever.

    Super Bowl XLVII kicks off Sunday, February 3rd followed nine days later with Mardi Gras.  Either one of these events would bring an ordinary city to its knees. However, New Orleans knows Southern Hospitality and will welcome its guests with flair and panache.

    Let’s fill your dance card with all that New Orleans has to offer from food to history to entertainment.

    Food in New Orleans is like nothing you have ever experienced before.

    Chef Pat:  “What we eat is who we are.”  New Orleans School of Cooking

    New Orleans’ food is both Cajun and Creole. Understanding the difference helps to understand the history of the food and people.

    Creole means “first born in a new land.”  The children of the French, Spanish and Germans were known as Creole. This combining of cultures resulted in a melding of cuisine…French sauces made with roux, German sausages, Spanish spices and rice and Italian pastries.

    Cajun cooking came from the African domestics who cooked gumbo and used local vegetables and spices to serve their wealthy employers.

    The lines between Cajun and Creole have long since blurred; but, what do you care? Simply enjoy the fare. Try it all. As Sam Borden wrote in his NYT’s article (01-27-13), “:  “Food that makes the back of your tongue tingle.”

    Dining suggestions :

    1. Take a cooking class at New Orleans School of Cooking.  Be a participant in New Orleans food, instead of an observer. See the video of Chef Pat demonstrating how to cook New Orleans style.
    2. Café du Monde:  you can’t go to New Orleans and miss the beignets (donuts). Calling it a beignet changes the experience and the taste.
    3. Jacque-Imos (not in the French Quarter)  8324 Oak Street
    4. Pascal’s Manale
    5. Domilise’s po’boys

    Museums – few cities have such an elite  history as New Orleans

    Stand  on Jackson Square and look across the park to Chartres Street. Twin buildings face the Square. This is The Presbytere (752 Chartres Street) and The Cabildo  (701 Chartres Street) both played a major role in the history of New Orleans.

    The Presbytere displays the history, costumes and drawings of Carnival. The Cabildo was the 1795 seat of the Spanish government. In 1803, the French used the location to transfer Louisiana to the US. Not your stuffy ‘ol museum.  Themes are displayed with color and excitement, such as the history of rock ‘n roll. Step off Bourbon Street and enjoy what is truly New Orleans.

    Walk through history at the National WWII Museum, which opened June 6m 2000. The museum celebrates both the European and Pacific theaters. Across the street is a one hour documentary, Beyond All Boundaries, a realistic look at WWII.  Easy to access via the St. Charles Trolley.

    Ursuline Convent

    In 1745, Louis XV sent the Ursuline Nuns to watch over and protect his people in  the new world colony. The nuns were a god-send to the colonists. They healed, taught, fed, housed and administered to the needs of the community.  They began the first school for girls (not just the off-spring of the rich, but African American and Creole girls). The building served as an orphanage, boy’s school and seat of Louisiana Legislature. Presently, the Convent is a museum (1100 Chartres Street).

    Inseparable – Music and New Orleans

    Jazz was American music created when the beat of African drums married European horns.  The freedom of the city allowed the music to live, mutate, grow. Nothing has changed. The city is still wild and free.

    A quote from New Orleans Online sums up music and New Orleans: “Everyone loves a parade. Everything is touched by the joyous anarchy called New Orleans Jazz. And everybody’s middle name is “Celebrate.”

    For more  information about the effect of Katrina on New Orleans music, click here.

    www.fabplacez.com/blog/new-orleans/new-orleans-music-beating-strong

    Getting Around…what could be more romantic than the clang, clang, clang of a street car?

    New Orleans has three streetcar lines — the St. Charles line, the Canal St. line, and the Riverfront line. The St. Charles Trolley is the oldest continuously operating rail in the US.

    Check out New Orleans On-Line (the official NO Tourism website) for information that fits your agenda.

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    Hawaii: Living Spiritual Temple-Mo’o'kini Heiau by Linda Ballou

    Posted on January 23, 2013 // Hawaii

    Mo’okini Heiau sits high on a knoll and enjoys a panoramic view of the Upolu Point of Kohala and the distant shores of Maui. It stands in the center of a once-royal complex that was a vital center of sacred and secular power. It is one of the first luakini heiau (temple of human sacrifice) built by the Tahitian Priest

    Paao in the 12th century. Legend has it that it was the site of countless thousands of human sacrifices to the gods. The current site includes remains of the sacrificial temple measuring 250′ x 130′ with an open stone paved court enclosed by 20-foot-high stone walls and the sacrificial stone. According to oral tradition it was built in one night by 15-20,000 men passing stones to one another from the Niuli’i, nine miles away.

    The Tahitians believed that there was not enough respect on the part of resident Hawaiians for the gods, and they set out to strengthen the kapu system by building this temple and enforcing the strict laws of the land (kapu). Paao summoned the warrior chief Pili who brought stones from one of the most sacred sacrificial temples in Tahiti and placed the bodies of fresh victims beneath these stones used as pillars to consecrate Mo’okini Heiau. Mu, or body catchers, collected the humans to be sacrificed. These were most often conquered warriors or members of the slave class. Women and children were generally spared. The bodies of the victims were then baked and the flesh removed from the bones. The bones were used for fish hooks or parts for weapons.

    The oldest, largest, and most sacred heiau in old Hawaii is all that remains of the royal Kohala complex dismantled by sugar plantation owners in the 19th century. To Hawaiians it is a living spiritual temple and not a cultural artifact.

    It was long held to be strictly kapu to visit, but In November of 1978 Kahuna Nui Leimomi Mo’okini Lum rededicated the Mo’okini Luakini to the “Children of the Land” and lifted the restrictive Kapu. In doing this she made it safe for all persons to enter the Heiau and created a new legacy for the Mo’okini Luakini as a place of learning for future generations to discover the past. Kahuna Nui Lum followed closely the wishes of her father Kahuna Nui Dewey O. Mo’okini who visualized this sacred site as one for the children of Hawai’i and the entire world.

    How to Get There:
    Take Highway 270 north from Kawaihae. Near Mile Marker #20 turn left at the sign to Upolu Airport. Just before the airport, turn left on the unmarked dirt road and travel approximately 2 miles. The site is on hill to the left.

    About Linda Ballou:

    Linda is best at outdoor adventures. She’s not what you would call a “foodie,” but she does appreciate fine cuisine and good wine. She has an environmental conscience, but treads lightly on those types of issues. Her research includes literary essays, novels and dusting off archives before a trip so that she can interject juicy tidbits not found in the typical travel piece on an often visited destination. Linda is a frequent contributor to Fab Placez‘s blog, The Long Way Home.
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