Saturday’s Satchel: Suitcase Savvy, the short list

 Our longer travels always present a packing challenge thanks to the self-imposed ‘small suitcase’ size limits we’ve given ourselves.

We set those limits on size and weight after the first few European trains we boarded required getting us and the bags up steps made for giants and through midget-sized doorways within the few minutes allocated for the train stop and doing it as two dozen other travelers were all clamouring  to accomplish the same task.

Smaller and lighter, is now our suitcase mantra.

While it still seems at times that our bags are too heavy, we laughed when reading the packing list given to Mark Twain when he set out on his transatlantic cruise on the steamship, Quaker City, back in 1867, because it included:

• light musical instruments for amusement on the ship,
• saddles for Syrian travel,
• green spectacles and umbrellas,
• veils for Egypt,
• substantial clothing for use in rough pilgrimizing in the Holy Land
• and a few guidebooks, a Bible and some standard works of travel. *

Can you imagine flying off to catch a cruise ship with those items? Think of  the fees!

Speaking of fees, did you know that  in 2010 airlines made $3.4 Billion in their airline fees, which, of course, included charges for checked bags?

Tip:  A good one-stop source of airline fee information is: 
www.kayak.com/airline-fees
*From Twain’s Innocents Abroad

Washington Wednesday: Road Trip Treats

Eastern Washington’s farm land, orchards,vineyards and hop yards are spectacular backdrops for summer road trips. An added plus in the last decade has been the proliferation of wineries where visitors are welcomed to tasting rooms that range from vast, elaborate themed structures to small mom-and-pop operations in the family garage.

However, there's more taste in Washington's vast agricultural region than wine. Two of our recommended stops are:

* Monteillet Fromagerie –  the first farmstead artisanal cheese facility in the Walla Walla Valley of southeastern Washington.  Our visit took us down a long driveway into the heart of a goat and sheep farm to a small cheese tasting room with outdoor tables as well (where they pair the cheese with wine).

If you can’t be in the heart of France, there is no more perfect setting to eat farm-fresh cheese and sip wine on a hot summer day.

And if a few hours aren’t enough for you, Joan and her husband, rent a charming three-bedroom ‘gite’, (that is small house in French) and also rent out camp sites on the farm as well.

If you Go:  Monteillet Fromagerie, 109 Ward Rd., Dayton, 99382, tasting room open Friday and Saturdays, 12 – 5 p.m. and other times by appointment.  A trip here would be a great addition to southeastern Washington’s Walla Walla wine country.

The nearest airport and rental car companies are in Walla Walla. Regional airlines serve the area.

Accommodation information is on the farm's website, use the name link above, or phone at 001-509-876-1429
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 *Aplets and Cotlets, America’s famed fruit-and-nut confection, that tastes much like Turkish Delight, has been made in the small town of Cashmere since the 1920’s. Cashmere is in the heart of Central Washington's apple country, just outside Wenatchee.

The company, founded by two Armenian immigrants who settled in the town, began with Aplets, a powdered-sugar coated fruit candy made from locally grown apples and walnuts. It expanded to include Cotlets, made from apricots, and now offers a candy-store sized menu of fruit confections.

Stop by the retail store at the factory in Cashmere’s downtown, watch a video about the candy’s history and how it is made. Take a free tour.

If you Go:  Aplets and Cotlets, 117 Mission Ave., Cashmere, 98815, phone 800-888-5696 in the U.S. and 001-509-782-1000, outside the U.S.) The day we toured they were not making the candy, but the crew was cutting and packaging the product.  Call in advance for the candy making schedule. 

The nearest airport and rental car companies are in Wenatchee. Regional airlines serve the area.

An Old Friend ~ A Sentimental Journey

Sometimes it’s the destination; other times the journey.
Sometimes it is both.  A Saturday afternoon jaunt to downtown Kirkland, less than five miles round trip from our home, highlighted a personal sentimental journey and sparked memories of similar journeys for others before the day was done. 

Mine is a journey that began 39 years ago. . .the year my ‘old friend’ and I first met . 


It was the summer of 1972 in a used car lot when I first laid eyes on the funny little green German-made ‘69 Volkswagen “Beetle”. 

This "Bug" as Beetles were often called, had been declared the perfect ‘college car’ by my father and thus a relationship was to begin that would transport me and my car through nearly four decades together.

Soon after driving the car off the lot, I christened him, Herbie, (as did most who owned VW Bugs in that era – thanks to Walt Disney' "Herbie the Love Bug" movie.) and that is how he continues to be known. He or him, but never it.

Herbie and I began our college-years journey traveling the same 37 mile stretch of Central Washington roadway weekend after weekend, from school to home and back again. Herbie took me to my first newspaper job and was with me as I moved from single-womanhood to my newlywed home.

Our journey together seemed to hit a roadblock when Joel and I moved across the state, putting Herbie, quite literally, out to pasture at a relative’s home in Eastern Washington. After we got settled, Herbie would move as well. 

The years turned into decades and still my old – deteriorating– friend waited. The photo to the left is Herbie in 2003; long after the time I should have moved my trusted old friend. Restoration got underway that fall and continued for several years.

Herbie’s Kirkland homecoming was in November 2009 (the photo at the top of the post commemorates his arrival). 
Saturday’s trip was to downtown Kirkland’s was to introduce Herbie to the community. He appeared in a "Cruise In" day of Kirkland's Classic Car Show; an appearance that sparked several other sentimental journeys:   

There were stories of other ‘Herbie’s’; those college cars and newlywed cars  of Boomer’s youth. One woman recalled a family road trip taken with four kids crammed into the backseat. Laughter. Much laughter as memories included driving without power steering, adequate heat or cooling systems and other modern-day comforts.

One man told his teenage children about his VW, while another fondly recalled that he'd driven the same green-colored Bug, another pondered ways to get his 'Bug' from a mid-western barn to Kirkland for restoration. Two ladies came by, called out to each other in Chinese and began snapping photos of ol’ Herb.

Their stories were many and diverse but all shared a common theme:
An old friend and a sentimental journey.

How about you? What's your sentimental journey?

(Click the movie link to see a Michael Bolton YouTube video musical tribute to the movie's Herbie)

Saturday’s Satchel: BC’s Queer Film Festival, Music and More. . .

Travel tidbits from the satchel came from this week's emails:
*Vancouver, British Columbia – Our neighbor to the north is celebrating the arts with two August event traditions.  Both have been around for years so if you can’t make it this year, keep them in mind for next year:

MusicFest (formerly Festival Vancouver), now in it’s 11th year, will present some 40 concerts between Aug. 5 – 14, including this year (2011) a performance by Sarah McLachlan with the Vancouver Symphony.

Queer Film Festival, Aug. 11 – 21,is the city’s second-largest film festival.  In addition to viewing independent films, many of the films creators will be on hand as well.
Click the links for schedules, ticket information and other details.
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Lisbon, Portugal – Ever dream of being named an Ambassador to some far away country? In case it doesn’t happen, you can still stay in a place that once housed an ambassador.

Independente Hostel and Suites, at Rua Sao Pedro Alcantara, 81, where Lisbon’s Bairro Alto and Principe Real districts converge, is now offering pre-opening bookings.

The place, originally built as a home for the Swiss ambassador, offers 114 beds in 14 rooms (prices from 15 – 20E) or a private suite for 62.50E.  There’s a restaurant, bar and beer garden as well.
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Greece – Kalokairi, is Greek for summer. It means, “good time”.
Hope you are having just that where ever you are this week!

Washington Wednesday: Kirkland

J. Smith photo - (c) 2011

Kirkland, the city just east of Seattle on the eastern shore of Lake Washington, in recent years has been called Washington's Sausalito (one of California's trendy, touristy beach towns).

On sunny days (this summer, sadly, there have been few) it just might put you in mind of a California beach town; but Kirkland's  worth a visit for what it offers, not what it is like. 


J. Smith photo, (C) 2011

Just take a walk along Kirkland's Lake Washington Blvd., the scent of coconut oil tanning creams wafting through the air,  the beach parks filled with sunbathers, and panoramic, spectacular views over Lake Washington of the Olympic Mountain range and the Seattle cityscape in the distance and you'll know what I mean.

Or take in a performance at the Kirkland Performance Center, visit one of its many art galleries. . .

Kirkland is a care-free, kick back and still somewhat undiscovered destination for those seeking an alternative to staying in its big city neighbor to the west, Seattle. Despite a population swell to 80,000 this year as result of an annexation, Kirkland's downtown still has a small-town feel, with art galleries, restaurants, coffee and beverage lounges and shops housed in low-rise, mid-century buildings.

Founded in 1889 by Peter Kirk, who planned to build a steel mill on the lake shore here, Kirkland is home to two luxury hotels: The Woodmark on the banks of Lake Washington at Carillon Point and The Heathman, in the heart of the downtown. For those not into hotels, there's also Loomis House B & B, one of the few remaining 1889 Victorian homes built by the Kirkland Land and  Improvement Company.

J. Smith photo, (C) 2011

The place - no matter where you go - is a walking-friendly town (dog friendly, as well, for those you who travel with your four-footed family members).   And, here are some of our recommended routes:
* The stretch of Lake Washington Blvd. between Carillon Point and downtown Kirkland. (Just under three miles round-trip.  Watch for signs along the way directing you to public pathways along the water's edge - some are tucked away behind condominiums.
* Along Lake Washington Blvd. to Marina Park, Park Lane and Central -- an art walk to find as many of its big bronze public sculptures as you can.
*Through the gardens at Heritage Park, at the corner of Central and Market Streets. (If you have the energy, continue walking north on Market to experience Kirkland’s Historic District.
* Onto the Marina Park or Carillon Point docks for some spectacular lake and Seattle cityscape views.
* Tired of walking?  Rest up in one of the lakefront parks.
If You Go:

Kirkland is just east of Seattle, (20 miles north of SeaTac) and can be reached by using public transit.  King County METRO provides a free trip planner or call, 206-553-3000, to help you plan your route.  Taxis are also available.

Explore Kirkland, web site provides information about upcoming events, accommodations and entertainment.

Saturday’s Satchel: Vegas and Miami Eats

We love Vegas Happy Hours – it’s that time period in late afternoon or early evening when restaurants and/or bars offer discount appetizers and drinks. And there are many to choose from on The Strip.

On this trip, with 100+ temperatures outside we didn’t want much more than the small nibbles, so we were off to Canaletto in the Venetian Resort’s San Marco Square.

Often times a Happy Hour requires sitting at a restaurant’s bar which provides an extra bonus: an opportunity to meet some interesting fellow travelers. And this time, it led to a restaurant tip we plan to pursue the next time we head to Florida for a cruise.

We’d struck up a conversation with Vegas visitors, Dina and Rodrigo Gonzalez, from Miami, Florida, and as we munched and sipped together, we learned they are co-owners of Basilico, a restaurant that’s been serving northern Italian cuisine at its Miami Springs location since 1998. (It has been Zagat rated ‘excellent’ every year since 2002!)

Along with their founding business partner, Carlos Loya, they opened a second Basilico, (which is Italian for basil), in Doral in 2010.

We checked out the restaurant’s web site after returning home and now can hardly wait to try one of the two the next time we are in the area. Basilico is located at 5879 NW 36th St. Miami, 33166, 305-871-3585 or 10405 N.W. 41st St., Doral, 33178,  305-406-3737.
Salute!

Washington Wednesday: Yakima’s Ale Trail

  This week's focus is on the Yakima Valley, where I grew up, because  nearly 80% of the United State’s hop crop is grown there.

And for those of you who don’t drink brewskies (aka beer and/or ale) hops, well, specifically, the hop flowers that grow on the vines are one of the four key ingredients used in the liquid gold.



I wrote an article about Yakima’s hops that appears in today’s Seattle Times, so I won’t tell you any more than to click on the link to the paper.  Even if you don’t read what I wrote, be sure to check out the photos as the paper’s photographer did a spectacular job and they created a great map that you could use should you find yourself ‘hop-ing’ through the Valley as I did.

Free and Easy Vegas-style

No matter what end of  The Strip we stay on, a visit to the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens at the Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd., is a must.  And, it is just one of the many free and easy things to do while in Las Vegas.  Since it's at the top of our favorite freebies list, let's start there and then set out:

1. Inside the Bellagio: Gifted artists, florists and engineers create seasonal displays that always seems to be a bit better than the last. There’s a very Americana summer theme featuring a 40-foot Ferris wheel and an 11-foot carousel underneath a canopy of hot-air balloons right now (through Sept. 11)..


2. Outside the Bellagio: The fountain show takes place daily every half hour from 3 – 7 pm weekdays and from noon- 7 weekends; then every 15 minutes in the evenings until midnight. (It is spectacular at night with the fountains soaring as high as 460 feet).

3. The Flamingo Wildlife Habitat, 3555 Las Vegas Blvd, S, (just across the street from the Bellagio) is a 15-acre habitat with birds, fish, pheasants, ducks, koi and of course, flamingos! The habitat is open 24 hours a day.  You’ll find this quiet, green oasis  tucked away from the street to the back of the Flamingo.

4. The Forum Shops Fountains, 3500 Las Vegas Blvd., S, is the shopping center connected to Caesar's. The fountain show runs every hour, beginning at 10 am.  Take time to visit the Atlantis Aquarium that is to the back of the fountain. There’s a behind-the-scenes tour of the aquarium offered weekdays at 3:15 pm.

5. Free shows at The Mirage and its next-door-neighbor, Treasure Island take place each evening and sidewalks along those two casinos fill early for the free shows.
Off The Strip:
6.  Freemont Street Experience takes place each night between Main Street and Las Vegas Blvd. Light shows on a four-block-long display system begin at dusk and then play on the hour until midnight. The screen is some 90 feet above a pedestrian mall lined with shops, restaurants, bars, casinos so there’s plenty to keep your attention.

Note: Times were current as of summer 2011, but are always subject to change.