I HEART NY

New York City. . . what can you say about NYC that hasn't already been written o said. Nothing really. For me, NYC is one of my favorite cities. It's a city that sizzles. You can feel the energy and the electricity. Not to sound like the cheesy, touristy t-shirt, but I really do HEART NY! I love the energy, the people, the food, the art, the sights, and the nightlife.

Central Park. There is so much to explore. Each trip there I take in a little more, explore, and enjoy the peace and serenity the park has to offer.

Even the dogs are able to enjoy some R & R! This is one of my favorite pics I took that day walking through the park as I love dogs and I'd never seen so many breeds just chillaxing with each other.

Moving on to my other love of NY and travel . . . FOOD! I had heard of Jacques Torres and the infamous "Wicked Hot Chocolate." So knowing I'd be on the upper westside, I had to stop in and try a cup for myself. Decadent, chocolate deliciousness, and wicked all in one cup! I also indulged in a chocolate chip cookie, which left me with a cheek-to-cheek chocolate smile. Mmm. . . whenever it's cold, I think of how perfect it would be to warm my tummy with a cup of wicked hot chocolate.

Next on my list was to finally walk the Brooklyn Bridge. The treat waiting on the other side was pizza from Grimaldi's. When I got there, I waited in line among a dozen people for the infamous Grimaldi's to open. They don't sell pizza by the slice. So my pizza and I walked over to the find a seat so I could finally see what this pizza was all about. Well, it was pure yummness! I sat on a bench enjoying my pizza, watching some dancers and enjoying the view of the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan. I can't wait to go back!

From start to finish, NY will always amaze me. . . like seeing a piano player in the middle of Washington Square Park. 

Feet go to Washington, DC to see the Cherry Blossoms

"Mr. Smith goes to Washington?" No, feet go to Washington, DC. I'd been to Washington, DC twice, each visit having it's own special memory. When I read about the springtime blooming of the beautiful Japanese cherry blossoms in Washington, DC, I thought to myself, hmmm. . . an excuse to plan another trip!  

Washington, DC is a dream come true for history and museum enthusiasts. Most of what you'll see and do in DC is also FREE! Take advantage of your tax paying dollars and see a bit of our country's history. There is so much that I could comment on, so I will keep it to the highlights of my recent visit.

The Smithsonian museums, are a must. Take advantage of your tax-paying dollars, because it's FREE admission to all Smithsonian museums. Imagine, you can see rockets and airplanes at the Air and Space Museum. You can see the Hope Diamond at the Natural History Museum. You can see the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence at the National Archives. All of this is FREE! I won't lie, the lines may be long, but it is well worth the wait.

Thinking back to my DC visits, I remembered how each trip had a different effect. My first trip was when I was in high school. I still remember the awe and being speechless seeing the Lincoln Memorial. Abraham Lincoln was my favorite president as a child and although I'd see the memorial on television, it does not compare to being up close and personal.

My second visit was during college. I remember re-visiting the Vietnam Memorial and staring at all the engraved names. I thought solemnly about the soldiers who fought for our country and our freedom. I took a moment of silence to say, Thank You.

This particular trip to DC, however, brings a smile to my face. Although I was here to be a tourist and re-visit my favorite museums and sites, the main attraction was the cherry blossoms. What a beautiful and wonderful site to see all of the blossoming trees around the tidal basin. When the wind blew, the petals would float and scatter in the breeze. It was snowing cherry blossom petals!

If you want to see the cherry blossoms, and you don't live in the area, do a little bit of planning. There are many festivals and activities planned around the bloom schedule. I did some research on the peak bloom date for years past on the National Cherry Blossom Festival website and planned accordingly. Once the plane tickets were booked and the hotel reservations made, I crossed my fingers and hoped that Mother Nature would cooperate. That she did, and as you can see from the pictures I've posted, we were there for the peak blossom dates in 2010!

Tip Toe Through the Poppies. . . of Antelope Valley

I can't say enough about the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve . . . stunning, breath-taking and beautiful come to mind, but you will have to see for yourself. I should start with a disclaimer, that my first attempt to visit the poppy reserve was in 2009. It was a pleasant drive and I was able to explore something new, however, it definitely did not compare to spring 2010!

Everywhere I looked. . . POPPIES! It was stunning. It was breath-taking. It was a beautiful view of bright orange painted throughout the valley.



The poppies are the main attraction, however, there are also other wildflowers scattered among the poppies. I've included some of the wildflower pictures I took at my first poppy attempt in 2009.



My apologies, as I don't know the names of the wildflowers. If you do, please comment and share your knowledge.

Here are a few helpful tips if you're going to visit the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve.

First tip, do your research ahead of time. Call or search the internet to find the peak blossom dates. No matter when you do, you'll see poppies, but if you want to experience the WOW, then know the peak dates. The window may be short, and the drive may be long, but it is definitely worth it!

Second tip, get there early, as there is a maximum number of parking spots and the lot can get filled pretty quickly. Or, if you're not an early riser, then know that you will need to be patient and may have to wait to enter the reserve, just to park (there is a fee to park). The downside to getting there too early is that the poppies will be closed, as they open as the sun peaks and the day warms. Make a day of it, or expect to be there a few hours if you truly want to explore. **If you don't want to go as far as the reserve, there are poppies in the surrounding area. Please be careful, however, as snakes and critters do not know boundaries, and try not to step on the blossoms/plants.**

Third tip, check the weather as it can sometimes be a little chilly. As they always say, dress in layers, or at least bring a jacket that you can later remove. That being said, unless you're planning to stay close to the parking lot or on the concrete paved walkway, dust off your sneakers, pack some water and SUNSCREEN, as there are a few trails to explore.

And, finally, the fourth tip, listen to the park rangers and stay on the trail. There are snakes (and I did see a rattler or two). I know it's tempting NOT to tromp in the middle of the field to take your picture, but doing so harms the poppies and blossoms for the years to come.

Joshua Tree, when will we meet again?

Unfortunately, I cannot write as much as I would like about Joshua Tree National Park, as my visit was just a few hours. What I can say is, it is a peaceful and beautiful place. I am a U2 fan, and Joshua Tree came out when I was in high school (did I really just date myself. . . ha ha), so it's always been on my list of "must" see/visit/do. 

What I do know (from many friends) is that Joshua Tree is great for hiking, camping and rock climbing. During my brief visit we did a short hike and scrambled up some of the rocks. There are also some funny rock formations, but I'm keeping my pics PG-13. Ha!

Joshua Tree will stay on my must re-visit list to fully explore. In the meantime, I wanted to share some pictures of my visit on that windy, crisp spring day. Stay tuned for a Joshua Tree update!

UPDATE: As promised I returned to Joshua Tree this past spring. This time to go climbing with some friends. What an amazing day! The anticipation of the climb. The fear of the unknown. The triumphant feeling of accomplishment, finally making it to the top! And, of course, a great day of encouraging words, guidance and laughter among friends. Maybe next time I'll be back to camp.

Butterflies, Butterflies, Everywhere Butterflies in Pismo Beach

When I originally looked in to taking a road trip to Pismo Beach, I thought, beach town and clam digging. What else could there be? Of course I indulged into a delicious bowl of clam chowder and fried clams at Spash Cafe. As I did more reseach, I found out that Pismo Beach is also the winter home to monarch butterflies.

I'd heard about the monarch butterfly migration, but didn't know the details. Have always thought butterflies were pretty cool. Why not check it out? Oh my! As I walked to this little grove, I was absolutely breathless at the number of monarch butterflies that fluttered about. This little grove is their home from November to January.

I should forewarn you that the weather is a major indicator as to how many butterflies you will see. I've been a few times, and when there is a cold snap, the butterflies tend to hover and hang in the trees. My guess is to help keep each other warm. I'm really not sure. However, I've also been when it was sunny and the temperature moderate and the butterflies were everywhere. Either way, the Monarch Grove in Pismo Beach is a MUST see! 

Football in Fresno

September is . . . end of summer, start of the school year and FOOTBALL!!! Woot! Woot! Okay, I'm not the biggest football fan. I won't lie, but I've had the football itch the last couple of years. Ever since I've moved to California, I've wanted to see my alma mater, The University of Hawaii (UH) compete in some sort of athletic competition. 

You know I love a good road trip, so I put the bug in a friend's ear and headed to Fresno to see UH play the Fresno State Bulldogs. The Warriors were NOT supposed to beat the Bulldogs, but THEY DID! Final score, Warriors 49, Bulldogs 27.

Many may think that Fresno is a town to pass through, but we had a great time! We stopped at the Bravo Farms Cheese Factory. It's a great place for a pit stop. There are all sorts of curios and edibles to purchase and sample. I sampled and purchased some cheddar cheese curds. . . yum! 

Another great find in Fresno is the Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market. It's a cute little store, but the wonderful thing is that all of the items are made by the students of Fresno State University's agriculture department. The list of items are endless. . . product, plants, ice cream (I've never seen so many ice cream flavors), wine, meats, sausages, jams, etc. Unfortunately, I found out that the items are seasonal, so I wasn't able to buy everything I had intended. Oh well, just another excuse for a trip back. What I was able to get was a nice syrah, peach ice cream, dark chocolate covered cabernet soaked raisins, toffee chocolate almonds and smoked sausage.

How could I do a road trip that doesn't include wine tasting?! There were a few wineries to try, but as football was the highlight of this particular road trip we only had time for one tasting at Birdstone Winery. Birdstone had a pleasant selection of whites and reds. Besides the wine, they also had pickled items and olives for sale. The one that intrigued me most was the jar "Frog's Balls" aka pickled brussel sprouts. I know what some of you are thinking, YUCK! But if you like pickled items and brussel sprouts, then this is something you cannot miss. YUM!

An overnighter in Fresno may not be high on your road trip list, but I'm just saying that you should consider at least stopping by to enjoy a bit of its charm.

Time for Apple Picking in Julian, CA

The months of September and October in Southern California make me think of apple picking. I've always heard wonderful things about Julian and yummy apple pies. This year I called some friends and decided to head south to Julian. The weather was a bit cold and gray, but the company was enjoyable and Julian was as charming as I had imagined.



As we drove in to town, I rolled down the car windows and we were welcomed with the scent of something baking. . . APPLE PIE!!! I did some research online (gotta love Yelp) as I wanted to know what others had to say about the best apple pie in Julian. Decided to give the Julian Pie Company a try and I'm sure glad we did! They have a wonderful assortment of pies. One friend ordered the strawberry rhubarb. . . yum! Another had the mixed berry. . . also yum! I went traditional and had dutch apple with cinnamon icecream . . . YUM! I decided to share some of this yum-ness and bought some Cider Spiced Donut Holes and Apple Nut Loafs to share with co-workers and family.

As I said, we went to Julian to pick apples. Apple picking we did. Many of the orchards were already closed for the season, but we got lucky at the Raven Hill Orchard. For $10 I was able to walk through the orchards and pick my very own apples. Across from the orchard, was the J. Jenkins Winery, for $5 we were able to taste some local wine, including an apple wine and an apple port.  

And, my true travel fashion, I must save something that will entice me to return. I will return to Julian to try the apple delectables at Mom's Pie House. I decided to take a picture of the baked apple to remind me of my return visit. Next trip will be in the spring to see the daffodils.