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As I sit down to write about romance, my husband is snoring lightly by my side. It’s Friday night, we are in our late twenties and let me give you a breakdown of the evening.

• We ordered a pizza
• Watched Lord of the Rings for the fifth time
• The above was done only after going through our weekly expenditures and balancing the check book

Tonight, my husband has farted (loudly) in my presence, at least twice. I’ve stopped counting. Meanwhile, I am wearing scrub pants, an over-sized faded law school t-shirt of my mothers and holey socks.

Sexy!

Now, I don’t want you to think that this is our idea of romance. My husband and I have been dating/married for over 10 years. During this time we have had/do have our fair share of knee-buckling, spine-tingling, nauseating (to others) romance. We have stayed at plenty of romantic hotels and have dined by candlelight on the beach while gazing into each other’s eyes. We’ve declared our love for one another while skinny dipping by moonlight.

However, whenever I think of our most romantic stories…my mind seems to turn to the funnier moments.

Like the time Hubby gave me a ’spa in a box’ when I was feeling stressed. You unrolled a plastic sheet with holes and tubes attached, plunked it in your bathtub, plugged it into the wall and it was supposed to be just like a luxuriant whirlpool, blowing jets of water onto your tired muscles…only it sprayed water all over the room and nearly took out one of my eyes.

Or the time he wrote me an impassioned 3 page love letter, pouring out his heart and soul only to misspell my name at the end.

But, my favorite memory is from our very first year together. We were dating long distance, our love spanning the distance from Montana to Texas. I was 19 and he was 20. Young-ins, really. But, you couldn’t have told us that. We were convinced that what we had, NO ONE had experienced before…we had the most powerful most earth-shattering love that had ever existed and nothing, not even thousands of miles, would ever keep us apart.

Well, one night we had an intense argument…who knows about what. I didn’t hear from him for two whole days! This was an eternity when you consider that we talked several times a day, every day. I was convinced that we were through and in utter despair. I sat crying on the couch with my sympathetic roommates.

All of a sudden our front door is THROWN open and in strides the object of all this love and despair. He had driven 27 hours across the country in a day and a half to apologize. I flew over the couch to throw myself in his arms and in my haste…tripped and broke my ankle.

Our heart-felt reunion was postponed by a trip to the emergency room!

But, my heart still flips every time I think of him opening that door.

Photo credits to Made Underground , Chor Ip and Erin MC Hammer

 Traveling is one of my biggest inspirations in life. I know that if I were to suffer a permanent disability or have a child with the same, I would still want to keep traveling. It is wonderful to have people like Glenda out there, not just telling you but showing you that it can still be done!

 Most of the time we travel “backpacker style”. When you love to travel as much as we do, you can’t really do it any other way…unless you are Larry Page or Bill Gates. We prefer to hit the road for a month or longer, to really wrap ourselves in a unique place and foreign culture.

We like to think we are bold adventurers, trekking a path that has never seen footprints. But, in truth, we perfectly fit the mold of the “Lonely Planet Traveler”. First rule of a LPT is to carry the Bible Lonely Planet Guide for the country in question. You will stay at the recommended hostels and splurge on the encouraged activities. The locals and scam artists can pick you out, straight off the train, with your over-sized pack strapped to your back and your disoriented expression as you thumb through the Lonely Planet pages, looking for where to stay that night, searching for the page that will direct you back onto the (now) well-trammeled path.

 These days, we are trying out a few wobbly test steps, off of the Lonely Planet path. We will eat at a restaurant that hasn’t (gasp) come recommended and stay at the new hostel that isn’t listed in the Guide. We have even tried camping in far away destinations a time or two. Nothing too bravc, mind you. But, enough to give us a little thrill!

I suppose we will continue to remain faithful LPT for some time to come……….

Thanks to KevinDooley for the backpack picture!

But, here I am in California. Luckily, in this area, there are tons of things to do on vacation or just for a weekend getaway. I am thinking of driving up to the Oregon border. Recently, I have heard that Ashland, Oregon is a beautiful place to visit. They have a great theater scene with the Shakespeare Festival and plenty of shops and restaurants and beautiful scenery. It isn’t too far from the Bay Area either. It could be an easy two day drive, with a stop at a cheap hotel along the way (I am traveling budget this weekend). 

 Of course, I could always go to wine country or Big Sur. So many possibilities!

Instead, I am writing about my faithful pooch. Returning from such a long vacation, I felt guilty that I had enjoyed myself so thoroughly while Hollis (pooch in question) had to stay at home. He absolutely loves to accompany me and his dad on car trips and adventures of any kind. So, my next getaway will be sure to include him.

Once place that I have gone recently that I found to be very dog friendly was a drive down the California coast. I spent a lovely day winding down Hwy 1, stretching our legs on dog-friendly beaches and marveling at the views. Overnight, I stayed in the cute town of Cambria. The town is filled with quaint restaurants and shopping opportunities.

I checked in to the Creekside Inn which is a great pet friendly hotel. The owners were very friendly to Hollis and gave him some doggy treats for later. The hotel was a close walk to several restaurants and the downtown, but, set back a little over a creek. So, it was peaceful and quiet. The rooms were large and clean and well-priced. And, the best part…..it was a two minute walk from an excellent local off-leash dog park. Hollis had a great time running around and I got travel tips from the locals who lived there.

I think that it is important to share these “pet friendly gems” as traveling with your pet can be a challenge. So, next time you and your furry friend feel like an adventure, check out Cambria, California!

But, hands down, the thing I love most about New Orleans is its food. There are countless tasty restaurants offering spicy Cajun and Creole or greasy comfort food. They have excellent mufallettas, shrimp po-boys, and light powdery beignets. I don’t know if its the muggy heat or the connection to its rich history, but, its residents just seem to know how to slow down and appreciate the finer things in life….and this town has mastered the finest in its food!

Here are just a couple of my favorites: Galatoires for seafood, Camellia Grill for a greasy counter breakfast, Cafe DuMonde for a latte and beignet, and Domilise’s for the best po’boy you will ever eat.

There are plenty of hotels to choose from here. My preference would be to stay in an old historic hotel near the French Quarter, like the Dauphine or something more stately and elegant in the Garden District.

I have not been back since Katrina and would like to go back and lend support. What better way to do this than by staying in its hotels and eating its fabulous food!

Thanks to MVI for the tasty po’boy photo!

I am reading a book right now called “Devil in the White City” by Eric Larson. It is a non-fiction book that tells the story of the World’s Fair in Chicago (1893). It follows the growth and progress of Chicago and brings to life the great men behind this proud city and the largest fair the U.S. has ever seen. As you read about the years progressing up to the fair, you are also following the story of a serial killer in the same place at the same time. I haven’t quite figured out whether these two stories make sense, told together, but, I am enjoying the book thoroughly.

I am in awe of the city that Chicago was back at the turn of the century. Built along stockyards that fed the nation and filled the city with nauseous smells, on the shores of mighty Lake Michigan, this city rose out of flat Illinois landscape. It was burned down to to the ground only to rebuild itself even greater. Their was a fierce pride and ambition in the people of Chicago. Reading about the great architects who built its skyscrapers and famous buildings is fascinating.

So, now I REALLY want to go to Chicago. I want to see all the sites I mentioned in my last post as well as visit all the historic sites I am reading about in this book…The Rookery, Jackson Park, the Stock Yard gate next to where the “bridge of sighs” was located, etc. What a very fascinating and very American city!

Being isolated in the middle of the country, it developed a culture that was less “diverse” as that of New York or San Francisco. The people are fiercely American and proud of their mid-western roots. Chicago’s rise to power could never have happened without the prominence of the railroad and the cattle industry.

I often think that reading a historical account of the formation of Las Vegas would be equally as fascinating. It is also a city that rose to eminence in an isolated part of the country and has an interesting past. It would not be there had it not been for California’s strict laws against gambling that caused people to cross the border into Nevada to spend their hard-earned pay.

Anyone know of a good book about Las Vegas?

At any rate, read “Devil in the White City” and then visit Chicago!

Thanks to Jetzenpolis for the great Chicago skyscrapers picture!

If you have a long weekend coming up (Fourth of July, anyone?) and need some travel ideas….let me recommend heading to Chicago. The legendery “Taste of Chicago” has just commenced. It is several weeks of outdoor frivolity and fun, all centered around food. Can’t beat that! 65+ restaurants set up booths along the city streets and provide scrumptious fare for you to sample. In between you can sip beer and wine or dance to the many bands that are playing in the streets.

I love a summer festival….throw in beautiful downtown Chicago and then center it around food, and I am sold.

Thanks to Pink Aura for the picture.

Just a quick note on music.

I love all that they Bay Area has to offer with live music and festivals. SFBlues is coming up in September and so is the Monterey Jazz Festival.

Last weekend I saw one my favorite bands, Thievery Corporation, play at The Greek Theater in Berkeley. WOW! What an amazingly beautiful theater with fantastic acoustics. Also, it is right in the middle of Berkeley campus, so you get to walk through the gorgeous grounds of this historic college. I think that I would love to go to ANY concert at the Greek, even if it was The BackStreet Boys….it is that good of a venue!

Also, Outside Lands is about to happen in August in Golden Gate Park. Three days of terrific line-ups. Get your tickets now.

I hail from Austin, the purported “live music” capital of the world and San Francisco gives it a run for its money!