la bonne vie/LA

last sighting of iPhone before it was stolen on the Metro!

Dunkle just had to share. i know Paris is your favorite place in the world. there's so much more to show and tell but i wanted to finally get something to you. we stayed at the Hotel Pont Royal in Saint Germain des Pres. great location and lovely botique hotel. we had an ancient cathedral outside our bedroom window! we got a 5 day pass on the Batobus which took us up and down the Seine and dropped us off at places like Notre Dame and the Louvre. most of these pictures are 12 year old Graces' as my phone-my only camera-got stolen on the second day of our trip. more highlights later. - k

NYC Destinations: High Line, Chelsea market and Williamsburg

Dunkle, we love the Abingdon Guest House because of the west village location and price. and it doesn't hurt that the chocolate bar is right next door. every morning either Nanc or i ventured out first thing and bought lattes and mochas to get us up and out. on Saturday, our last day, i'd read about the High Line park and really wanted to see it first hand. i wasn't disappointed. it's a park built in the sky on the skeleton of the old elevated rail system that serviced the meat markets. see pics below.

we started at the south end and exited the stairs at the north end. we found ourselves at the Chelsea market. our buddy mel had taken us there years ago when it first opened. i'd forgotten how fun it is - especially if you're hungry.

we then hopped the subway, because you always have to ride the subway in NY, and took the very long way to Brooklyn. Willaimsburg to be exact. it was a little sketchy for us. the good stuff was here and there but not all in one place.

Friday in New York City

Dunke, this trip to the City i was more in need of a little food for the soul and brain than the shopping fix of years past (remember our trip a few years ago when we stayed at 60 Thompson and traipsed all over the city visiting all our favorite shops?) i wanted to make sure i got some visual stimulation so Nanc and i decided to visit the Guggenheim. there was something there i really wanted to see "Contemplating the Void. Interventions in the Guggenheim museum". on the occasion of the building's 50th anniversary, the Guggenheim invited nearly 200 artists, architects, and designers from around the world to imagine their dream interventions in its center space. there through April 28 and definitely seeing.

also at the Guggenheim, Haunted: Contemporary Photography/Video/Performance. in the shot above Nanc and i became part of the exhibit.

here's Nancy waiting in line for her second (or third) cupcake of the trip at magnolia Bakery on Bleecker. across the street at Irma the owner confirmed that magnolia is not what it once was. the original owners sold it and i can attest it is not as tasty as before. but let me tell you about Irma - small boutique with gorgeous stuff. i scored big time. i will definitely put it on my list of places to pop in to when i visit NYC.

that night we had a snack at Sardis before seeing Enron on Broadway. enjoyed it. didn't think it was amazing. had to snap a picture of this adorable girl at Sardis. love the bow.

we ended our night at the Spotted Pig. it got a lot of raves and had plenty of atmosphere but the all pork menu kinda grossed us out at midnight. still it was a great night out. it had been ninety the day before and now the weather was windy and brisk with sprinkles of rain. fun for running around late at night.

NYC Trip - first 24 hours

Polarize camera app for iPhone

iPhone camera

Hipstamatic iPhone app

Angela, i'm so excited to be actually in the air and on my way. the kids will have to fend for themselves for a few days! must check out iPhone camera apps to see how i'm going to document. i've decided to leave the fancy camera home - i want to travel light.

taxi takes us to the city and Nanc and i throw down our bags at our West Village abode and we walk to Cafe Cluny. nowhere is there a better beet salad. everything else there is great too. next day we did something that i've always wanted to do - took the Circle Line Boat Tour all around manhattan. fun. views of the city from our boat below.

that night we had a drink at the Bowery Hotel. Great lobby bar and out door drinks area. then we met Cindy at Il Buco at 47 Bond Street right around the corner. LOVED IT. along with some other delicious dishes we had trigger fish - ever heard of that before? it was mouth watering. first 24 hours a rip roaring success!

Sea World - no one eaten on our watch

hi there Dunkle. It's been a while since we've connected. i know we've both been so busy. President's Day weekend my whole family went to San Diego to celebrate my mom's birthday.

We did go to Sea World and managed NOT see anyone get dragged under or eaten! i'm imagining those kids in Florida are scarred for life. i did notice, however, that Sea World needs about a 2 million dollar make over-at the very least change the music for Shamu show. it's gotta be from the '80's. we, of course, had fun as we always do.

we stayed at the Hotel Del Coronado. could NOT complain about the room. amazing view. a little creeped out about the alleged ghost. some lady killed herself 100 years ago because her lover never showed up. my mom was dying to see her and tell her no guy is worth it. move on!

does this balcony have our name written all over it? somehow our travel agent got me a supersized upgrade. LOVE HER. she can be reached at travelbyterri@aol.com.

Dog Days of Summer

Wally, with summer dwindling and the school year officially full-swing I have been giving some thought to our next fabulous vacation.

Brady, our Golden Doodle has been away at doggie-boot-camp (aka: obedience school with luxurious canine comfort and accommodations) and is coming home after an extended stay with Dairy Dell Canine. I will be sure and give you the full-Monty when he is back and settled.

In the interim, the kids and I have really missed him. I found a great article on Spot Cool Stuff, on pet-friendly accommodations and pet specialty travel sites. With our "new and improved pooch" we won't have any excuses for not trying these great suggestions. Check them out and let's get something on the calendar for the kids and our four-legged friends.

paradise revisted- kona coast, hawaii circa 1967 / sf

Wally, all this talk about Hawaii has me feeling nostalgic for the family vacation we took to the Kona Coast on the Big Island of Hawaii back in 1967. My Dad rented us a house in a fishing village near Kona Village. It's been so long I can't remember the name of it or if it's even still there.These paintings by local artist,Robert Thomas, capture the magical quality I remember most.

The house we rented was on the coast of Kailua-Kona. There was only one phone in the village and no television. As a parent I can't think of a better gift to give my own kids. This allowed us to explore our "neighborhood"; an unpaved lava rock road to our house, our own lagoon, tons of coconut trees to climb and plumeria and night-blooming jasmine growing everywhere. Heaven on earth.

The small lagoon we swam in all day long was only accessible to locals. This painting looks so much like the way I remember it. Neither my brothers or I had ever snorkeled or seen fish like this in our lives. We finally convinced our parents to buy us masks and snorkels from the local Ben Franklin's Five and Dime.

The lagoon was full of just about every size and shape fish we could imagine. we had to wear water shoes to protect our feet from getting cut on the coral reef. I can remember being obsessed with volcanoes and lava explosions and drawing pictures of them every night before dinner.

There were white, pink and yellow plumeria (and about a million other exotic plants EVERYWHERE. Mom always had a Hibiscus tucked behind her ear.

These are shots from my Dad's Polaroid...remember those? Here's Mom in her muumuu and parasol. Even with 3 kids and no bug spray she was never more relaxed.

One of the best days ever - my 10TH Birthday celebrated at the Kona Village Inn. Check out the orchid lei and the parasol from the Shirley Temple behind my ear. I got a ukulele and Happy Birthday sung by the locals. Pure unadulterated island paradise.


The best souvenir of all, amazing memories and a sizable piece of local coral. Aloha!