Fall Days at Fort Funston

Dogs we love in cars

Driving with your dog can be fun...

A Day in London

London is a fabulous city and deciding on just five things is tough. However, if you have never been and want a well rounded experience that will only make you want to return, then I have the perfect list for you. We start with the big red bus ride because you can hop on and off, and if you sit up on top a great starting place for your first time in the city. You can see lots more and get ideas of where you want to return on another trip.

Your first landmark stop must be the Tower of London. It is on the water, has the crown jewels, Beefeaters (including now the first female), ravens and dungeons! Add in all the incredible stories that go along with those ingredients and you have the best single landmark in town!

Afterwards, walk along the River Thames and across the Millennium Bridge, a long low structure that stretches toward the Tate Modern. The Modern is very cool building and home to many art installations that are unique, and I love their use of space. Enjoy the views on that side of the river and head back across towards St. Paul's Cathedral. As you walk along, your stomach will lead you to a wonderful meal in an Indian Restaurant in the City.

My top five if I had only a day would definitely include:

1. Start with the Red Double Decker Bus ride
   
2. Tower of London (see above)
   
3. Walking across the Millennium Bridge, great spot for photos
   
4. Tate Modern for some art and cool use of an old building
   
5. Indian dinner at Mehek, 45 London Wall or other delicious smelling place
   

Bamboo Magic

....I love bamboo. It has a life of its own. Here is a photo of bamboo tree tops shaped into Aladdin's Lamp. This was taken during a hike to Akaka Falls on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Postcards: Rainy Days Coming

Fall Harvest Time in Napa

I love this time of year in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys.

Dog Days

Happy Hallow....bleh

Skulls Las Vegas

Day of the Dead is coming and here is another great display discovered in a store front recently. Regardless of your religion, there is something facinating about skulls and bright colors. I love arts and crafts.

Streetcars

Trolleys and streetcars are wonderful. They are functional but also nostalgic. I love the sound they make and the vibration on the street when I am walking by. This one is in San Francisco, California. I've been on the ones in Prague and in Vienna also. Lovely and inspires me to people watch...

Sebago Lake in Maine

A great getaway!

Famous for land-locked Salmon, the large Sebago Lake rests with shores in both the Western Mountains and South Coast regions. A hop-skip-and-jump from Portland, Maine; the coastline; and from New Hampshire, Sebago Lake is a lively spot with multitudes of peaceful camps, state parks, and even the occasional college on her shores.

Mavericks

Close to Half Moon Bay in California is the coastal area that is home to the Mavericks Surfing Contest every March. This is scary stuff for the average joe (think deep water surfing, rocks, sharks) but during October, it is just another lovely day at the beach.

Check out the video below to get an idea of what I am talking about...ay carumba!

Little Pink Roses

These beautiful flowers are the last of the season in the Central Valley of California. Lovely and inspiring...

Pumpkin Fields

This is the time of year for the Pumpkin Festival in Half Moon Bay along the California coast. So fun....

Travel Tip # 7

One of the most important items I think to take with you on a trip is lip balm. Depending on the type you carry, it can be useful for multiple tasks thus making it a worthy item to spend a few minutes thinking about here as my next travel tip.

Consider this when going on a trip:

1. Does my lip balm contain sunscreen?
2. Is it light enough to use on my face if the flight is long enough and the cabin air is drying out my skin?
3. Is it tinted?
4. Have I checked the TSA website to make sure my lip balm is either a part of my 3-1-1 ziplock or can I just carry it normally?

My suggestion is to carry something that can be used for dry spots on your face (it can happen and also this is why you really do need to drink lots of bottled water on long flights. The hydration saves your sinuses and skin).

An area often forgotten are the cuticles. They get dry and beat up from carrying your luggage and from the lack of moisture in the cabin air also. I've used lip balm on my cuticles and felt the "ahhh" moment of my fingers being happy again.


You can choose for yourself but if I had to recommend something my top two suggestions would be either Kiehl's #1 Lip Balm (in stores or online) or regular Vaseline Petroleum Jelly (classic).

Hispanic Heritage Month

California Beach Fun

Fort Funston is always a great place to exercise and enjoy the salt air and waves.

Arts and Crafts from Mexico

Postcards: Orkney, Scotland

photo by shdzromrt

This is the funniest thing I have seen in a long time. Read on:

...jumping up and down next to the old magic stones in Orkney.

Actually this seemed to be a common thing in Scotland - at around 5 pm, Sheep would start jumping around like mad.

Monarch Butterflies Amaze Me

If you have the itch to travel to our nation's capital or if you live there, check out Washington DC this Saturday for MexicoFest 2007.

Monarch butterflies are a big part of MexicoFest.

Photo Credit: By David Inouye

Day of the Dead and other reasons to buy beautiful handmade crafts

I just love these papier-mâché dancers in the window of this store, don't you? They have quite a lot of "life" in them.

If you get a chance to visit, stop into Global Exchange for some of these beautiful crafts for your alter.

Ireland

This is a hotel but it reminds of the other joys of Ireland. Like don't you love the houses in Ireland? I love the thatch roof and bicycle at the gate.

The lush hills and white wooden houses too. The green grasses and heather are beautiful to see. I love a pint of the Guinness now and again as well.

So many of my favorite movies have been set there too.

Such as: The Quiet Man (1952)
The Commitments (1991)
The Dead (1987)
Circle of Friends (1995)
The Snapper (1993)

Fort Funston, California

..can you see the hang glider? The Fellow Feathers of Fort Funston hang glide in the area often. It is really cool to watch them against the back drop of the ocean and blue skies.

Winter in Yosemite

Big Love on the Big Island of Hawaii

clipped from www.flickr.com

Buddha Point at Waikaloa photo, taken during a recent visit to the Big Island of Hawaii from my special correspondent, KG

Mexico and Día de los Difuntos or Día de los Muertos

Hard to believe October is here already. With fall official started, folks are decorating for Halloween. However, there are lots of people in the US planning their Day of the Dead celebrations.

Though the subject matter may be considered morbid from the perspective of some other cultures, celebrants typically approach the Day of the Dead joyfully, and though it occurs at the same time as Halloween, All Saints' Day and All Souls Day, the traditional mood is much brighter with emphasis on celebrating and honoring the lives of the deceased, and celebrating the continuation of life; the belief is not that death is the end, but rather the beginning of a new stage in life.

Desert Flowers

A rose is a rose is a rose. This one happens to be a cactus rose and lives in our garden. However it still makes me think of the southwestern states and landscape. If I could survive the temperatures and sun I'd visit more but enjoying this little flower here up north is better for me...

Winter Getaways

Sunset at Waikaloa on the Big Island of Hawaii....thanks S.K.

Postcards: Ireland

Thanks S.K. for the image. Your travels are amazing!

Travel Tip #9

When we have traveled business or first class, we invariably get a travel kit handed to us by the friendly staff. Both directions for a regular trip, more if we were going to multiple cities or countries. They varied depending on carrier but the kit usually contains at least lip balm, eye mask, face moisturizer and socks. When we first began taking these trips we saved all of our unused kits. As they stacked up in our closets, we realized we should recycle or reuse them.

We hit up the idea of taking them apart, putting the lip balm in every coat or purse we had. We stashed the eye masks in our various pieces of luggage and day packs. Then the best part was taking the kits themselves, and using a felt market label them for uses like nail polish kits, first aid, currency from countries we traveled to (a great place to hold the money until you returned) or office supplies that rolled around in our larger drawers.