spinning-jennie: Travel archives

Windsor
Hung around Windsor Town Green a bit this afternoon. It's a mixed-use area built up from nearly nothing, developed with an old-town look and feel. I love how they've mixed residential with independent business, and would be snug as a bug living there... if prices weren't nearly as ridiculous as they are here.

Did some shopping for Advent calendar fillers at the always-fabulous Powell's. Thrilled to find Wright's Pink Popcorn bars again, I treated myself to one of those. Well, that and a Valomilk. Which, if you've ever visited a Powell's, you'll know exhibits some restraint.
11/25/07 08:50 PM in Travel  |  Comments


City by the Bay-ee-ay-ay
Yesterday was playing tourist day at Pier 39. Another great ride on the carousel, some time with the sea lions, the Musee Mechanique, and the Aquarium of the Bay (where, when we were in the undersea tunnels, I had to forcibly keep steering my thoughts away from The Big One. Shudder).

We thought maybe we could see the cool ILM lobby in the Presidio, but no such luck -- guess it's only open during typical business hours. Oh, well. At least we got to hang with Yoda a bit.

More pictures from the city trip at some point.
05/07/07 09:18 PM in Travel  |  Comments


Trippy
We spent the weekend in Sacramento. Conceivably to enjoy Apple Hill and see a drive-in, but it was hot even waaaay up in Camino (though there were Bolster's apples and apple butter and blueberry syrup to be had, and Plubell's animals to be petted), and nothing even remotely bub-appropriate playing. So, in the end, it was more just an excuse to get out of town and eat at Old Spaghetti Factory. Oh, and a way to drive home the lesson that yours truly is not to be trusted with the choosing of hotels that are both a) cheap enough and b) nice enough. *clicks heels and chants "We're not in the Midwest anymore. We're not in the Midwest anymore."*

I've got a scant handful of photos that I'll post at some point.
09/05/06 02:57 AM in Travel  |  Comments


Just Beachy
How much do I want to rent a cottage on PEI?

Pretty darned much, considering I've recently spent another six hours drooling over the landscape (though, yes, I know much of it was really shot in Ontario).
06/06/06 02:42 PM in Travel  |  Comments


Saturduh
Oh. The flight back. So not pretty.

I'd thought my sinuses had cleared up, but they relapsed with quite a vengeance. Just in time to fly across the country.

The return trip was longer, Daniel was screamier, and I was just about going mad with unbreakable fever and chills (and, um, cramps). I didn't have the foggiest idea why at the time, but my earsdrums felt like they were being punctured with knitting needles on the descents (apparently my Eustachian tubes were blocked, creating an inability to equalize pressure properly and a chance of rupture, yay). Two days later and they still don't sound or feel up to snuff.

So somewhere over South Dakota, I'd reckon, and a couple of hours after our flight reached Minneapolis late and we sprinted once again from concourse G to F just in time to board, Daniel threw another crimson supersonic fit, and I became a fevery/achey/snotty/crampy/bawling mess. And we were at the rear of the plane, where everyone was hanging out for the bathrooms, so I was a public spectacle, to boot. Woot!

And, after all this, I'd forgotten that I'd grabbed D's car key out of the security pan in Detroit, and put it in my wallet for safekeeping. So when he finally made it out to the car from Lot BFE... yeah. I must've looked like some strung-out crack whore mom splayed out for an hour in my departure room chair, because a security guard, rather meaningfully, asked if I was okay.

We've entertained fleeting thoughts of moving back to Michigan from time to time. I'll consider this my reminder from Mother Nature of just exactly how unhealthy my respiratory tract was there.
10/31/05 12:21 PM in Travel  |  Comments


Happy Fourth!
My poor numb tush. If I were only a bit more crazy/motivated, I'd go do some laps around the circle in the dark.

Driving through the Central Valley I remembered, with painful clarity, why I hate the Central Valley so much. After a few hours, I was sun sick, even with the A/C blasting. Crossing the hills, we literally watched the car thermometer tick down the degrees. 99 to 85 within a matter of a few miles. And then down in the seventies by the time we reached Petaluma.

At least I managed to finish my book. Though I did have to hold it right up to my face most of the time to avoid head-bursting glare on the pages.

I was really looking forward to some bub-free time tonight, as I haven't been physically away from him in a week (no separate room in which to nap or have a different bedtime than mine), and it's beginning to show. But his schedule is all screwed up now, and he's having none of it. It took me three tries to wolf down dinner, and I fully expect to be interrupted again before I can finish this. Sigh.

The vanity plate that has caused me to re-think my desire for a snarkier choice: "WHEEEE." Now I'm all about the whimsy.

Note to hotel management: Do not - please! - call a box of stale donuts "Continental Breakfast." It is far too early for such disappointment, and I may just have to hurt you.
07/03/05 11:30 PM in Travel  |  Comments


Back Down
Yesterday we went to the Woodland Park Zoo with Megan. We could never visit the zoo in July in Sacramento without getting third-degree burns, so anything less than seventy (and not going blind) was a true novelty. (Megan - on our way back to the West Gate, the penguins were out and about!) We got a tiny bit off-track on the way home, but it was a chance to see some more of the city, anyhow. The traffic was bad - but only because of a tunnel paint spill cleanup.

Taking off soon. I doubt anyone in Medford has even heard of broadband, so I won't be seeing you there. Talk to you on Monday!
07/02/05 08:28 AM in Travel  |  Comments


One More Day
Wednesday Daniel and I hung out with Becky at her woodsy home for awhile. She took us on a tour of the outer neighborhoods of Redmond - after living in California for five years, I couldn't help but be surprised at the home prices (less than half as much, generally). Million-dollar homes really were logically worth that.

We also visited a small farm market, where, after the power returned, I picked up some squeeky cheese curds. Yum.

Yesterday D. stopped interviewing with the Big Company, and found one fast downtown instead. Daniel and I hung out around the Space Needle and had some Orange Julius (apparently he doesn't like very cold things, because he went tight-lipped after one taste). We didn't ride up because $13 seemed a bit much for a touristy view. At least we scored a squashed penny for my sister, who has a huge collection. Oh, we took the monorail after D. was finished, too. On our return trip, the cars were pretty empty, so we got to sit right in the back, which was neat. Kind of reminded me of Greektown in Detroit.

Daniel was getting sleepy-hungry-monstery, and we couldn't hang out downtown anymore, and missed Spring and co. on their interview tour. Suckery! But, as I said, hopefully we'll both be permanently on this side of the water soon - upon which she'll quickly tire of me ;-)

Had dinner at Goldberg's Deli in the Factoria Mall with Megan and Scott. Good schtuff. Gargantuan menu, and everything sounds good. Bring an empty stomach and a random number with you when you go.

There'll be some pics and "video" next week. We still have the two-day drive (on a holiday weekend, no less) to look forward to, after all.
07/01/05 08:54 AM in Travel  |  Comments


Here
"You can do this. You can do this. You can do this."

Courtesy #51. Gargh.

Busy week of meetups and familiarization with the area. And of course D. has his hands full.

I will say that traveling with an older, mobile bub kind of sucks. There's not enough room for him to crawl around, and there's nowhere to take him that is. He refuses to sleep in the tiny hotel crib, and there's no room to spread out a mattress to co-sleep really safely, of course. He's clean and napped and fed well right now, but feels cooped up and is just mad as heck. And now I have to take a plastic bag away from him, and he's going to turn beet red and yowl, and that vein will pop out on his forehead. Luckily we're leaving for some fun elsewhere right now. Eesh!
06/29/05 10:01 AM in Travel  |  Comments


We Interrupt Our Regularly-Scheduled Listmania...
...to inform you that we're going to be staying in Renton, WA next week. Interviewing. Stress. Bring on the fun!

At least we're breaking the drive each way into two manageable chunks. In the interest of neither of us being throttled by the other. Or giant bub meltdown. Or both!

Luckily our standard cheap-ass hotel has free wireless, so you won't be deprived of yours truly too terribly much.

We did, in the interest of sanity, have to give up our Nevada plans for the Fourth. I'm sure either Petaluma or Santa Rosa puts on a decent show. I missed last year, and wouldn't care to go again without my yearly allotment of fireworks. I hope the bub is okay with them.
06/25/05 01:06 PM in Travel  |  Comments


Fickle, We Are
Couldn't find any rooms in Seaside, OR for the Fourth (at least none that didn't jack up the rates times three specially for the occasion). So we're thinking about something more sanely closer to home. Reno, perhaps. Haven't been since we got hitched there in 2002. And they probably throw a pretty decent holiday. I know there's at least a parade.

Better off downtown this time, methinks. Nothing super-fancy (is anything in Reno all that fancy?). The Sands sounds good - themeless (does anything in Reno have a real theme, aside from maybe Atlantis?), renovated, cheap, and casual. And I'm kind of a Mel's Diner fan, so.

Reno has only one letterbox? Egads! Hmm, may have to rethink this ;-)
05/24/05 08:28 AM in Travel  |  Comments


Bub Willing...
Thank you, John, for the insider info. Hopefully we still have time to score a cottage in Seaside for the 4th - they have a parade, too! D. is all about the Tillamook - we might have to wind our way down the 48 miles to catch that, too. I miss watching fireworks from the Lake Superior beaches and breakwalls, so an oceanside view should be just the thing.
05/02/05 09:19 AM in Travel  |  Comments


All Over But the Crying
We drove to the coast while my mom and sister were here last week. Daniel doesn't like roadtrips, and, while he was surprisingly good on the way out - even in really bad traffic - by the time we headed back from Stinson Beach and were stuck in a Vallejo outskirts jam, he'd had MORE THAN ENOUGH.

Yessiree. Lesson learned: when mother's instinct tells you something is a bad idea above and beyond any you've had yet... you'd best damn well listen.

But we did get a few pics at the north head of the Golden Gate:

Daniel, me, Mom, and Becky
"Yes, I'm cute in the hat, I know."
"Yes, I'm CUTE in the HAT, I KNOW!"
"I am now going to eat San Francisco."
11/27/04 03:51 PM in Baby , Photo , Travel  |  Comments


Bleh.
I'm sitting in this nice little pastry shop on the corner of New Montgomery and Mission, drinking chamomile tea, paying for 'net... and freezing my ass off. When I checked out of the hotel this morning (and left my jacket in the luggage locked away for us by the bellman), it was sunny and fine, warm enough to wear light capris and sandals. Now people on the street are wearing puffy jackets and knitted hats, and I looked more cold and stupid by the minute, wandering half dressed and heartedly around the shopping district. Eh, dumb tourists, what can you do.

Out of desperation, I went to fetch D. too early (encouraged to do this by D. but acting against my better instinct), where I proceeded to feel like shoe TP in the office. And I loathe being That Guy. How to kill an hour without shopping already tired feet past their blistery nubs??? I hit the street again, luckily not going far; this place - only two doors down - is at least a couple of degrees warmer than outside, and has decaf teas, and cheaper internet than Kinko's. Things could be worse.

Unrelated: movies are a little expensive around here, aren't they? Or did I just pick the wrong venue (the Metreon)?
03/29/04 06:20 PM in Travel  |  Comments


Mighty Fine View
One night at the Argent, deluxe style: $199. High-speed internet in your room: $10/night. Looking down at the city from the top floor while you blog: priceless.

I can see the sign for Britex Fabrics from here, it's only a couple blocks away. Wonder if I should wander over later...
03/28/04 07:34 AM in Travel  |  Comments


Itinerary Extension
Our two nights away have doubled. D. has some contract stuff to take care of in SF, so it's two nights in Monterey, and then two more in downtown SF. I'll be left to my own devices on Monday - a good time to take in SFMoMA? And/or Union Square?

And then a scurry back for the ultrasound. I hope the poor kid won't be too bushed to move/uncross its legs for the technician.
03/24/04 12:15 PM in Travel  |  Comments


Cool Blue Days
We decided against Sedona in favor of a couple nights in Monterey at the end of the month - neither of us particularly feels like flying. Found a nice package deal at a modest inn downtown. We've made day trips to the Aquarium, but there's so much more to see and do. Unfortunately we'll just be missing the monarchs. But I'm determined to finally play in some tide pools while we're down there!
03/15/04 10:23 AM in Travel  |  Comments


Been To
See a map of all the states I've visited (via Tim). Make your own, it's fun. It seems I've (we've, really) cut a long swathe across the middle - mostly due to the trip out here, and a previous one in the opposite direction to Delaware (New York is from a detour to Niagara on the way back, and Oregon, well, you know). They should've included the Provinces, too - I've been to Ontario a few times.

Hopefully in a couple of months I'll be able to add Arizona to the map - we're trying to take a mini-vacation to Sedona in April.
02/01/04 09:36 AM in Travel  |  Comments


Did You Miss Me?
So, we were up in Portland for a few days. Things didn't go quite as hoped, but it was wonderful to see so much red and orange and yellow. A trip to Oregon is never a waste. We took in the view from Mt. Tabor, visited the Historical Society Museum, and made up for a few years of Greek food deprivation. I ditched the camera for a change, and the only picture I felt I had to take was of the bizarre weather that ushered us out of town.
11/20/03 04:15 PM in Travel  |  Comments


E-I-E-I... ewww.
So we did go out to Bishop's Pumpkin Farm in Wheatland on Saturday, early enough that we avoided the worst of the heat.

I think the best part of the trip was the drive.

It was as if the worst of humanity decided to congregate in that square mile of land. Entering, there were the two adorable little princesses sitting on the fence, categorizing passersby: "Ugly, beautiful, pretty, pretty... ugly, beautiful." There was the boy who nearly broke that petting zoo goat's back, while Mom and Dad made weak protests while seeming almost amused. And screechy line-cutter lady ended the day with a capital B.

One quarter of the animals seemed diseased, missing feathers or fur. The rest were dispirited in their dirty, tiny, fly-massed pens. And it was, of course, hot, which could hardly be helped. A bunch of exhibits said "KIDS ONLY," the crowds were insane and the lines long. You could "watch" the cidermaking operation - in a hot, cramped room through a filthy window. And my little jug of cider was overfilled and spilled on D's upholstery when I opened it, and it stained, and now I'm in disgrace.

On a brighter note, next Monday is a teacher day, and then the Monday/Tuesday after that is the Veteran's holiday, and the next week begins two off for intersession (cut short this year because July intersession was longer). It's enough to keep me floating for now.
10/27/03 03:14 PM in Travel  |  Comments