The Savvy Tourist

Antler Luggage

Have you ever heard of Antler Luggage? Well, me neither until now. I always hate to admit that considering I am the "Savvy Tourist", but hey, I am here to advise my savvy readers and if I have to be humble to do so well so be it!!

It seems Antler Luggage has actually been around for over 90 years which is longer than all my savvy readers I am guessing. They specialize in light-weight luggage and they have been the #1 brand over seas for many years. They are British by the way!! It seems from my research that luggage in the UK typically weighs less than our American hefty luggage.

Antler has designed yet another class of lightweight luggage that can be lifted with just a finger. IT is called the Size Zero collection.  Now, the whole luggage thing is a case of weight and balance when it comes to stuffing everything you own onto an airplane. Therefore, if you have a lighter suitcase, guess what? More stuff!!!! Yes, you can pack so much more into these suitcases since they are so lightweight. Of course you better be a savvy packer! (That is something we will touch on in a few days after you order you new suitcase.)

Antler Size Zero 24" Medium Super Lightweight Rolling Upright

I cannot wait to share this information with my savvy 'Mum-in-Law" (that's British speak of course) because she loves to travel and she loves to take as much with her as possible.

Oh...and if there are any 90+ year olds out there reading my blog, please write in with some of your travel stories and experiences.

Day Trippin' to Oak Glen

Tucked away in the mountains between Beaumont, CA. and Redlands, CA is a little tiny burb called Oak Glen. I think it is officially located in Yucaipa, CA., but it is not exactly on the beaten path. Years ago, while wining about missing the East Coast and my annual apple pickin' escapades, a friend mentioned to me that I could find some great apple orchards up in Oak Glen. So, while savvy auntie was still visiting we made this one of our day adventures.

It really is like a different world when you get to a mile high in the mountains. The rolling hills and clear blue sky that we discovered up in Oak Glen, along with the apple orchards and working cider mills were enough to take me back in time. There is a scenic route through town that leads you to each and every orchard, farm, market, restaurant and even petting zoo.

Beginning our self-tour was a stop at Riley's Farm where they feature "u-pick" apple orchards, hoedowns, tours and hayrides. They also do a schedule of civil war reenactments. If you are really adventurous they have Primitive Historical Farm Stays by reservation only.

We did not have time to stop at every single establishment, which I am sure offers some sort of unique addition to the area. (I hear the spicy peanut butter is to die for!!) There is enough to keep you busy all day, especially if you are looking for something to do with your kids. Right in the middle of the scenic route sits Oak Glen Village where there is a Curio Shop, Art Gallery, Candy Kitchen, Bakery, Leather Shop, Country Store, and Animal Park.

 

If you want to make a weekend of it, try The Sage Herb Farm where they offer Garden Getaway Weekends, along with herb classes and garden tours. There is also camping and RV accommodations in the area for you savvier tourists.

So, young or old, there is something for everyone. Experience a heart-warming meal and a slice of apple pie, then stop by one of the shops so you can take home fresh apple butter, jams, jellies and candied apples.

Don't forget to check back in the summer months when you can pick fresh raspberries!

Kindle it...if you can

A little over a year ago I did a post about the Amazon Kindle. My curiosity was peaked backed then and it is again, but for different reasons this time. Santa was generous enough to leave a Kindle under my Christmas tree this year and I just love it. When I started researching the Kindle last year, there was quite a bit of content available to purchase for this electronic handheld reader. I questioned whether or not it was cost worthy considering a lot of the books were rather pricey considering they weren't real books that I could put my hands on. Somehow they just get wisked through the air and appear on the Kindle within seconds at my request. I now know that is not magic but rather Amazon's Whispernet technology. Well, a year later and there is a remarkable amount of material available for the Kindle and so far it is cheaper than buying the real book. It is not limited to books either. You can subscribe to newspapers, magazines, and blogs. One of the first things I did was subscribe to the Reader's Digest on a monthly basis.

Now you might wonder why I think this has anything to do with travel or blogging. Well, since I travel and blog sometimes at the same time, I think I will find the Amazon Kindle quite useful. I like to take more than a few books with me in my luggage and we all know that is almost impossible these days since you have to stuff your life in one bag or be charged out the wazoo by the airlines. I will have my book that I am currently reading for pleasure, (usually a James Patterson murder mystery) and a current newspaper from the hotel, (usually USA Today), several blogging reference books and some travel guides depending upon where I am visiting. That takes up quite a bit of room in my luggage! But now, I can have all those things and more on just one small electronic reading device that stores neatly in my luggage or even my purse.

Another great feature is that if you are thinking about buying a book, but aren't quite sure about it, the Kindle lets you download a portion of the book and read to see if you are interested first. You can also subscribe to magazines and newpapers free for 14 days to make sure that is the best subscription for you before you purchase.

The Kindle is difficult to get, but it sure is worth the wait!

Julian, CA.

When most people think of Southern California, they think beaches and sunshine and probably movie stars. Well, we do have all that, but we have much more. Since I was raised on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, I am more used to seasonal changes and some occasional weather issues like cold temperatures and snow. That is something I kind of miss...maybe just a little. The rest of my family, except for maybe my son, thinks I am a bit mental.

The other day we took a day trip to Julian, CA. to share with my Aunt who was visiting from West Virginia. I like to visit Julian occasionally because there I can experience all four seasons. At just over 4,000 feet elevation, Julian provides a mild Summer for hiking, camping, and fishing, and a colorful backdrop for fun Fall activities.  The Winter brings the perfect wonderland for the holiday season and then Spring produces all the flowers and new nature that warms our hearts after a cold Winter.

Julian, CA. is an historic gold mining town that was founded after the Civil War. Although it is quite popular with tourists, it has remained small in general population and retains it's old world charm. The tiny town has since taken on new found fame as "Pie Town" because of The Julian Pie Company, who ships pies out by the hundreds to all over the country.

There is plenty to do in Julian for the whole family. They have shopping (my favorite), Art Galleries, historic sites, dining, wine tasting, and of course, many types of lodging. A trip to Julian makes a great day trip if you live in the area, but I think I will stay for the weekend next time I go so that I can experience all the dining options. That is very hard to do in just one day, especially when there is pie involved!!

It all started...

About 20 some years ago I did one of those impromptu trips that began by blindly opening up an atlas and pointing to a random spot on the not-so-smartly chosen page. This trip, now that I think of it, was the beginning of many adventures to come...and boy was it an adventure.

Let's just say I was very young and dumb naive at the time. We ( I was traveling with a new friend who quickly became one of those friends that will be there for life because she knows all my secrets and weaknesses) no sooner left the Denver airport after securing a rental car when we heard on the radio that a major airliner had crashed in Denver. How did we miss that? It made us a little nervous knowing how close we were to such a disaster and not being caught up in it. We were leaving the airport while everyone else was arriving for the crash and it's aftermath. It kind of made me feel like I had started my own little chain of unfortunate events. I was leaving a trail of death and destruction behind me. Okay, too dramatic?

Anyway, we continued on our journey to our destination of random choosing, Manitou Springs, CO. It is a small, quaint town about an hour south of Denver and just west of Colorado Springs. One of those places that seems quite removed from the rest of the world. The town is located right at the base of Pike's Peak. It is as though it is being protected on all sides by the strong arms of the mountain.

This was my kind of town. One of those "everyone knows your name" kind of places. The locals had been there their whole life. They thrived on the tourists that came to visit and shop in their unique stores and eat in their homestyle restaurants, and then leave. What they liked best about tourists,is that they are temporary. Even though the natives were friendly, it was their world, not ours. Many people had come to Manitou Springs over the years and decided to make it their home. Mostly because it is known as the healthiest place on earth. The combination of fresh mountain air and mineral spring waters were known to have a special healing power for the sick. Lucky for the folks in Manitou Springs, we were only here for a short time.

 It was a very cold and damp November and I very much enjoyed the crisp air while ducking in and out of the little shops that held the wares of the local artisans. There were so many wonderful things to see, most of which is from the Native American heritage that still holds it's roots in this tiny town. One of my most memorable moments was spent sitting in a little cafe by a window sipping hot apple cider while the snow lightly dusted the sidewalk. Of course, sitting on a bar stool sipping some Irish Cream in the evenings became a fast favorite too!

One thing I did learn about this part of the country is that people are much more prepared and confident in inclement weather conditions. One day we started up Pike's Peak (in our rental car) for a day of Christmas Shopping at The North Pole. I love collecting ornaments for my Christmas tree from different places so that was all I could think about that day...until we realized the roads were a sheet of ice and our little rental car was in no way prepared for this trip.(Did I mention we were young and stupid?) Not only did we stop making any progress up the mountain, we began sliding backwards down the mountain. At this point I was wishing I had purchased the extra insurance, among other things. The car did eventually stop sliding, but that didn't really improve our situation. We were stuck there to die in our rental car on a small mountain road in Colorado where no one would know to look for us. Too dramatic again?  Just as the panic was beginning to set in and we were trying to decide how to bail out of the car and let it slide down the mountain without us, a few strong young guys showed up with chains and rope and brains and walked our car back down the mountain safely. (And to think my therapist doesn't understand my fear of heights.)

I made my way back to the safe comfortable bar stool and stayed there until I thought it was safe again. Well, it turns out that was just the beginning of my harrowing driving experience in the Colorado snow. The very next day, the weather man was talking about a full on blizzard headed our way. Being as we had jobs to get back to, we thought that maybe we should cut our little adventure short and head back to the Denver airport before we couldn't get there at all.

Too late! Did I mention that this quaint little town was surrounded and protected by this nice big mountain? Well, we no sooner got out of town (just a few miles down the road) then the blizzard was already rearing it's ugly head. I started our snowy trek out on the freeway only to realize that there really weren't very many cars on the road. The ones that were out there appeared to be more prepared than I was, again! After what felt like hours of driving at 20 mph, I decided I couldn't trudge through 6 feet of snow with a rental car any longer. I pulled off at the next exit, only to find out I had arrived uninvited at the United States Air Force Academy. Believe me when I say "there are no rooms at the Inn". The guard at the gate was less than delighted with my presence and informed me that I would have to continue back from whence I came and find a hotel. Two hours and two exits later, we came upon a Sheraton and found shelter for the night. The attendant at the reservation desk was very surprised to see us as he informed us they had closed the freeway hours ago. They must have done that while I was making my way somewhere between civilization and the USAFA.

The next day, the freeway was open and the sky was clear so we headed up to Denver, once again. This time, it was so much easier driving in 6 feet of snow, behind 18-wheelers, with the sun shining on the snow and reflecting in my eyes. NOT!!!!

Upon arriving at the Denver Airport, we remembered the tragedy that we had left behind us only days before. The passing blizzard had only made matters worse at the airport and there were people camped out all over the place. Even with all those people spread out everywhere, there was a horrible somber silence due to the crash, and I wasn't sure I was ever getting on an airplane again. Of course my boss, awaiting my arrival on the East Coast had other plans! It is a wonder I ever traveled again.

Not only did I travel again, I find myself going back to Manitou Springs quite frequently these days and sharing it with my family, while one of the kids is actually attending the USAFA nearby. Little did I know back then...

This one is for you Cleo...although still my dear friend, never have I traveled with since.

The Tale of Tiburon

Back in the day, I think the hustle and bustle of Tiburon, CA. was more than it is today. The tiny peninsula that plays host to three different communities was a very busy industrial center. The Town of Tiburon (as it became known in 1979) was the center of activity with fish packing plants, dairies, military installations, cattle ranching and the railroad. Railroad cars, locomotives and also ferry boats were built there to serve the San Francisco Bay area and beyond. Tiburon even survived Prohibition being that it's location made it very easy to sneak in alcohol from ships anchored in the bay. The Town of Tiburon is the largest of the three communities. There is also Belvedere, which was known as a subdivision for the wealthy San Franciscans who built weekend homes there, and Strawberry, which remained a dairy ranch until after World War II.
Today, Tiburon is a nice quiet place to relax and "get away from it all". There are still many buildings and establishments that have been there for many years and keep the charm of the town intact. The railroad is long gone, except for a few casual reminders like the passenger depot and the Depot Palm that had been used to mark every passenger station in the Northwestern Pacific system.
Even with tourists, the town is peaceful and the people are friendly. Many of the residents are commuters to the San Francisco area and use the ferry system to get to work. The tourists (like myself) use the ferry to spend the day in San Fran while being able to get back to peace and quiet for the night.
That was a perfect day! We grabbed a bite to eat at the coffee shop on the corner of Main Street, then waited for the ferry to arrive while exploring the downtown wharf area with camera in hand. The cost of the ferry was a little high at $9.50 per person each way, but considering you are not fighting traffic,or paying for gas, toll, and parking,I would say it was worth it. The schedule is very convenient for both commuters and tourists and the trip itself was very pleasant and relaxing. They do not waste any time either. You board the ferry and buy your ticket onboard after leaving the dock. Very simple. We walked around Fisherman's Wharf, taking in all the sights, mostly just around the Pier 39 area. We shopped (my favorite thing to do) and ate (my other favorite thing to do if I'm not shopping) and took pictures of everything and anything as usual. We ate a fantastic lunch at Pier Market Seafood Restaurant which had the best clam chowder ever and some luscious libations to go along with it. It is very difficult to decide where to eat while at Fisherman's Wharf. Everything sounds and smells so good and many menus are similar in that their specialty is seafood. Price can be a deciding factor and also ambiance (if you can call it that on a wharf). All the restaurants have their menus posted outside so you know what they offer before making a commitment.

So, with tired feet and full stomach we headed back to Tiburon at the end of the day via ferry with the sun in our faces and the cold breeze at our backs. This is July and yes, you need a jacket to be able to enjoy the ride from the outside deck. You can also take shelter inside where there is a little beverage bar for anyone needing a coffee, beer, or snack. Again, very convenient.
There are actually many different ferry services to choose from whether you are departing from Tiburon or from San Francisco. You can visit Sausalito, Angel Island, or even take a tour of Alcatraz Island. Of course, you cannot do all that in one day.
It was back to Tiburon for us, and the ferry trip gave us the opportunity for even more picture taking that we could later bore our family to tears with.

There are most certainly things to do without leaving Tiburon. There are many adorable little shops and eateries all along Main St. to explore, although a tad pricey. Everything is very unique and a little "artsy", mostly gallery and boutique type establishments. There is a strip of shops known as Ark Row, where all the shops used to be houseboats on the lagoon. They are now anchored permanently by land and a parking lot and almost resemble a movie set because of their small size.

Many people rent bikes from San Fran and ride the ferry over to Tiburon and spend a leisurely day riding along the coast of the bay and through the town. For us, it was a perfect place to relax and do whatever we wanted without the pressure of a schedule or activities list. We even took an evening stroll through town admiring the architecture, beauty and peacefulness that is the Town of Tiburon.

As if to mark this lovely spot on the map, there is a beautiful sculpture in the center of town that moves likes sails in the wind.

Scenic route back to Nashville

After our fabulous lunch at The Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. we meandered through a few stores admiring the local wares until it was decided we needed to head for home to beat the traffic. Traffic? What traffic? I guess the idea of "traffic" in general depends on what you are used to. I live in Southern California where it can take 5 hours to travel 80 miles to the Los Angeles International Airport. That is traffic! What I observed here in quiet little Gatlinburg, TN. was a few cars traveling slower than normal. I figured they were all just savvy tourists trying to take in all the sites. If you have been following this series, you will remember that I am not driving and I really have no clue where I am going from the backseat so I go where the driver decides we go. That being said, we decided to go another route that would be more scenic and have less traffic. Now again, if you've been following this series, you know this doesn't usually go well for us, but we did it anyway because...well, I don't know...we're tourists? Instead of heading North on Rt. 441 out of Gatlinburg towards more civilization, we headed in more of a Southwesterly direction on a road known to the locals as Little River Road because it travels beside the Little River.
The sun was shining through broken clouds and the river was rushing alongside the road like it had somewhere to be, making me feel like we had traveled back in time. This is what being in the Great Smoky Mountains is all about. This was a beautiful drive that I will never forget. We were able to pull off the side of the road safely and take pictures along the way. We finally got some good photos to commemorate our trip to Tennessee. We eventually rounded the bend near civilization, the small road turned into a parkway, connected with U.S. 40 towards Nashville, and we were headed home from our little adventure. It is amazing what you can see when you are just along for the ride.

Here are a few photos that we took along the way. You can click on the thumbnail for a larger image.

It is always nice to send flowers....

There are quite a few holidays that offer up the opportunity to send flowers to a special person to let them know how much you really appreciate them. One such holiday is fast approaching....Mother's Day! Now you might be thinking that flowers as a gift for Mother's Day is just too plain, but not anymore. I happened to find some really wonderful Mother's Day flowers and co-ordinating gift sets. Some of the great ideas available as Mother's Day gifts include candles, gardening totes, picture frames, chocolates, and spa gift sets. Oh, and also....flowers!!!! There are many beautiful vases, baskets and containers to choose from that will make your flowers even more special.
As a travel agent I would occasionally send a gift of flowers or a potted plant to clients returning home from vacation. Fresh flowers were always a wonderful surprise for them to come home to. I would even try to send exotic flowers if they had just returned from an exotic destination, just so they didn't have to feel like their vacation had come to an end. So, whether your next  holiday is Mother's Day or maybe a birthday or a special sweetheart kind of day, don't forget to send flowers. Or in the event of no special occasion whatsoever, flowers are an even bigger surprise!

The tale of three cities......

All that fresh mountain air made me sleep like a baby. It really does feel good to get away from it all every now and again. The first thing we did was grab a fresh cup of coffee from the Tassimo machine and head out onto the back deck. Any other season would have been more colorful for photographic purposes, but there was a certain peace and serenity in the mountains that morning that was easily captured by the camera.

   

It was very quiet and very still (I swear I'm gonna call Stephen King), almost like every living thing was just waiting for Spring. The woods were filled with wild rhododendrons just waiting for a sign that it was time to bloom. I can only imagine the beauty that overtakes this area when the weather warms up a bit, but for now, it is still winter. The bears are hibernating and thankfully so were the snakes. Don't get me wrong, I love bears.....but from a distance.....or stuffed. Snakes, I am not as fond of and was very happy not to have to look out for them while I was crawling through the wooded paths in search of an unsecured Internet connection with hubby's new iTouch. It takes me awhile to acclimate to my environment and I was so craving access to my blog life. Luckily, we also took the camera on my search for civilization and came up with a few nice shots.

   

It didn't take long for the peace and quiet to end, moments actually. It was apparently time to go on our daily trek down the mountain and see some sites. My mother-in-law had a few specific things she wanted to see and when she sets her mind to something, well let's just say, there was a reason she was doing the driving. She probably wouldn't get to do anything she wanted to do if she didn't have us all trapped in the car like rats headed in the direction of her own agenda. Hopefully when she gets done curling her nose up at this remark, she will laugh because she knows I am right!

At this point I am still hoping to catch a glimpse of Gatlinburg, although I am realizing that there is a fine line between Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Even the GPS got confused. I told you about some of the exciting attractions in Sevierville, but you may recognize Pigeon Forge as the home of Dollywood, Dolly Parton's Great Smoky Mountain Family Amusement Park. At first I thought this to be a little hokey (even though I am a huge fan of Dolly's singing), but I am finding out that hokey is part of the fun around these parts! Dollywood offers rides and attractions like rollercoasters and kiddie rides. There is also shopping, crafts, shows, and many special events including Five of the South's Largest Festivals. The dining experience is renowned at Dollywood with it's famous southern cooking and choice of venues. We did not actually go to Dollywood this time around, but I think I might suggest it for next time. I hate to admit it, but it sounds like fun.

We were headed to a place called Alewine Pottery that had caught someone's eye on a TV ad. We were finally headed to Gatlinburg so I was cool with this plan. We drove down the road a piece (about 4 miles) and lo and behold there it was....Gatlinburg. I was just starting to see a few stores and hotels and some more cabins on the ridge, when we hung a left and were headed back out of town again. Everything for the next few miles was all about goods and wares crafted by local artisans. A unique characteristic of Gatlinburg are the craftsmen who demonstrate their special talents and skills. An historic 8-mile loop has been designated as Tennessee Heritage Trail. Established in 1937, the artisans whittle, paint, sew, weave and carve to create original collectibles.

After making our way through the arts and crafts village, we decided that we would pick up an awesome BBQ rib dinner from Damon's Grill and head back up to the cabin before dark and enjoy a little family time with games and movies. This time it was me who threw a wrench in our otherwise grand plan. When it came time to pay for our carry out meal, I realized that while running my mouth in a cute little store where I bought a cute little stuffed alpaca bear, I forgot to get my credit card back from the merchant. In a little bit of a panic, we hurried back to the store to retrieve my card. This set us back about a half an hour which made getting back to the cabin by dark almost a problem. So, we decided to take a short cut.........with the help of the GPS.........in the mountains.......

Gatlinburg here we come..........

Except for that 5 minutes into the trip we decided to stop for breakfast. We aren't exactly the world's most efficient travelers, but hey, we were hungry. We pulled into everyone's favorite southern fried restaurant, Cracker Barrel where they serve gravy as a beverage for breakfast, lunch and dinner. (They don't really, but it is a family joke so I had to throw it out there.) I have spent my fair share of time in the "South", but I never managed to be near a Cracker Barrel during eatin' time so I was pretty intrigued by "ye old homestead" ambiance that was rocking on the front porch. Just the smell of the place makes you want to live on a farm, raise your own chickens, churn your own butter, and milk your own cows.......okay, maybe not quite that bad, but it did give me a warm fuzzy feeling inside. The menu offered a lot of everything including eggs, bacon, sausage, assorted potatoes, oatmeal, biscuits and gravy, flapjacks (that's pancake to the rest of the world) and you know it......grits!!!! Now I know all you Californians out there think breakfast consists of granola and yogurt and some fancy named decaf latte, but let me tell you that you haven't lived until you have had real southern biscuits and gravy with some grits and flapjacks on the side. The coffee wouldn't be right either if it didn't come with the usual dose of good ol' southern hospitality, which loosely translated means that as soon as you get it fixed just right with equal amounts of cream and sugar, the waitress tops it off for you and you have to start all over.

After stuffing ourselves like Thanksgiving turkeys, we ventured into the gift shop. That's right, your meal is so memorable you need to pick up a souvenir to commemorate the experience. There are jellies and jams, country crafts, and homemade quilts. I could've spent all day in there, but like I mentioned before, we had bigger fish to fry and need to get out of Nashville and on our way to Gatlinburg. I am so glad we stopped though because who knows when I will see another Cracker Barrel.........

Getaway to Gatlinburg

Before I was so rudely interrupted by my  Las Vegas adventure, I started to tell you about my travels to Tennessee. Well, lets get back to the hills of Tennessee for a much more relaxing experience.
We arrived in Nashville late due to some unexpected delays on Delta as mentioned in my previous post Delta Disappoints. We were picked up at the airport by my in-laws and spent the night at my sister-in-law's town home in Nashville. We didn't really have time to tour Nashville on this visit, because we had bigger and better things to explore beginning bright and early the next morning.
I was under the impression we were just spending a few nights in a cabin up in the mountains, but by the looks of the packed trunk of my mother-in-law's car we were prepared for a month long pilgrimage. She is the queen of snack food and by God we had it all! We had to take the case of bottled water and stuff individual bottles in the spaces between the chips and canned chili. We had games to play, movies to watch, books to read and enough camera equipment to go on an expedition with. We even managed to get a few clothes and a change of underwear squeezed into the backseat between hubby and me, along with the Tassimo  machine and the laundry detergent. Keep in mind this is a 2 night trip. Despite all the crap we had managed to pack into the car, we were all looking forward to this peaceful outing in the wilderness. Now,when I say wilderness, or cabin, I am afraid many of you may get the wrong idea and think that I am roughing it in a cabin with just a wood burning fireplace for heat and an outhouse with a resident snake. Nope, not me! My mother-in-law rented us a gorgeous 3 story, 3 bedroom, 3 bath log home in the hills of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. She booked this cabin online with American Patriot Getaways which had many great cabins to choose from. Being the spoiled rotten travelers that we are, we opted for the cabin with the view and the hot tub on the deck. Our cabin was called Smoky Mountain Mist and we were anxiously awaiting our arrival there. Unfortunately, we had about 3 to 4 hours of driving ahead of us first............

Valentine's Update

Okay people - it is officially dangerously close to Valentine's Day. If you haven't even thought of that perfect gift for your loved one, then you don't deserve the assistance I tried to provide with my most wonderful and thoughtful gift ideas.  I know I said I was going to keep that post on top until Valentine's Day, but frankly, I got sick of looking at it. I also think it is confusing my Google Adsense banner. That thing is very particular you know. So, if you are a last minute shopper and are still interested in those really cool gifts, then click on the link in the beginning of this post. If not, Happy Valentine's Day and Good Luck to you!

Valentine's Day is getting closer......

Just in case anyone has lost track of time while surfing the Net (yea, that never happens), I updated my shopping links for all of your Valentine's Day shopping needs.  Here are just a few teasers.....

For more great links please visit my Shop For The Holidays page.

Oh, and don't forget about The Most Romantic Geek Gift Ever!!!

The Most Romantic Geek Gift Ever!!!!! - UPDATED!!

Voted Most Romantic Gift on the Web on the Oprah Show! Timeless Message in a Bottle is a Romantic Valentine Gift of Unmatched Quality and Elegance. The Ultimate Romantic Gift. A Gift that speaks to the heart like no other. A Forever Treasure and Keepsake.

Heart of Roses - $    89.95 This Pristine Clear Heart Bottles Cradles Your Message with Rich Red Silk Rose Petals. A Huge Romantic Hit for Valentines Day! Your Heart of Roses Timeless Message will arrive nestled in our Custom Crafted Branded Birch Crate for a most impressive presentation!

Click on the link below to see more choices of bottles and messages for other occasions such as anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, proposals, you name it!!

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I made a new friend on Blogcatalog the other day and I want to give her the credit she deserves for finding this ultimate geek gift (and just in time for Valentine's Day!). Of Girl and World had it on her list of things that she wished Santa had brought her. Well, I think it is the most perfect gift not only for the geek girl, but from the geek guy (hint hint).
I pulled a few strings (okay, I begged) and the vendor took me on as an affiliate so I could offer you this fantastic gift right here on my blog. So, if you are looking for the perfect Valentine's Day gift, here it is.....

Heart Beat USB Memory Key USB memory key disguised as heart pendant on a silver silk cord. Polished stainless steel heart combined with Silver Shade crystals set in Ceralun(TM). The 2 halves are held together with a pin. For 1 GB of data (about 250 songs or 1'000 photos) with password protection, high-speed USB 2.0 interface. Dimensions: 4.3 x 4.5 x 1.8 in x in

For even more Valentine's Day gift ideas, including more cool "geek gifts" from Swarovski-Philips, visit my Shop For The Holidays page.

*****I'm keeping this on top until after Valentine's Day!!*****

  Stumble It!

Working behind the scenes.......

When you don't see your favorite blog putting out a new post every day does that mean that your favorite blogger is just lazy? No indeed!! It means we are working hard behind the scenes to bring you a more enjoyable experience. First of all, let me remind you all that I am working diligently on my Disney blog that I hope to unveil in a few short weeks (or sooner).
I have also updated the way I offer you links to book online travel. There are now separate pages for each category such as Airfare, Hotels, or Car Rentals. This should make things simpler since I will be adding new affiliate links every day and this will eliminate the clutter.
For anyone looking to get away from the winter blahs.....Pleasant Holidays is offering some pretty good deals to Hawaii, so check out my Travel Specials page.
There is more to come for the new year so keep checking back and oh....don't forget to send me those postcards .

Are you a Starbucks addict...?

... if so, check out your personality (Courtesy the Starbucks Oracle) based on your favorite Starbucks beverage....

http://www.buttafly.com/starbucks/index.php

Just don't call Seattle and complain...

Amazon's New Kindle

When I first heard about the new Kindle, I thought, how silly is this? Well, when I noticed that it is completely sold out and that being on a waiting list probably won't get you one for Christmas, my interest was peaked! I must say this little bugger is pretty cool. I actually did some research on it, and watched a demonstration video and was very impressed. It is quite pricey at $399 but hey, so is the IPhone and everyone is buying that.
Amazon Kindle is a revolutionary portable reader that wirelessly downloads books, newspapers, magazines and blogs to a crisp high-resolution electronic paper display that looks and reads like real paper even in bright sunlight. This is just a few of it's many talents.....

To check it out, click on the link below:

Shopping

If there is one thing I love to do while on my computer, it is SHOP. It is getting to be that time of year where shopping will become unavoidable, no matter how hard some people try. The approaching holidays that bring the stress of what to buy for that special someone, or how much money to spend that you don't really have. How far in debt can we afford to go for Christmas? Kind of makes you sit back and wonder where it all got lost. The true meaning of Christmas and gift giving. I try all year to think of things to get for people that will be unique or truly indicative of their character. Or at least something they actually want in the first place. It is not an easy task, but I know my pain is shared by many. My husband, on the other hand makes it easy. He provides me with an ongoing list all year that gets edited for every special gift giving occasion....Birthday, Father's Day and Christmas. He keeps it saved on his computer and adds to it every time he sees something that he wants. Easy is great, but I always try to surprise him with something that I thought of all on my own that he didn't know he really wanted. Yeah right!!! He didn't know he really wanted it because he didn't really want it!!!! I am a giver. I like to give gifts and sometimes I think I get more out of it than the gift recipient. Anyway, right or wrong, I am getting excited about the impending shopping season. Because of this I wanted to share some cool shopping links with you. These are called my "affiliate links". I am sure most of you know how it works. You click on these links through my site here and when you buy something I get a tiny itsy bitsy commission. I am hoping it helps finance the list my husband so kindly provides me each year. I will try to share with you some links that will make your shopping experience and gift giving experience better than it usually is. I have found many a gift that cannot be found in your local department store, sometimes tax free and sometimes shipping free. All great reasons to shop while sitting in front of your computer. With the price of gas these days, online shopping is the way to go. Happy Shopping!!!!!

The shopping links are on separate pages listed along the right sidebar.