Tag: Uncategorized

Posted on by

Coupons for Travel Savings

With travel plans being made now for summer vacations, think about using coupons for extra savings.
If you go to www.retailmenot.com and put the word “travel” in the search line, there is a whole section devoted to just travel coupons. Some are for rental cars, vacation packages, Amtrak or luggage.
Check out www.couponsherpa.com and again use the word “travel” for searching. I noticed some coupons for museums, entertainment and parks as well as hotels and restaurants.
Don’t forget to check the websites of the places you will be visiting, hotels where you are staying or attractions you may be interested in doing while you are in the area. Their websites often have “Internet specials” or coupons you can print before you book.
As always, check carefully the dates these coupons are good for to make sure they match your travel dates.
Posted on by

Travel Smart

Regardless of where you are traveling this year these tips may save you some money.
Check for any discounts on hotels, airfare or attractions. Are you a rewards member, or AAA or AARP? Can you use your hotel points? If you have a spouse that travels frequently and stays at one hotel chain, be sure they are signed up for the rewards program. The points add up and can be used for a vacation to save some cash.
Are you absolutely sure you will be staying at the hotel you booked? If so, many offer a discount of up to 30 or even 50% off the rate if you prepay for your room. Some of these will refund payment if you cancel within 24 to 48 hours.

Already bought your plane ticket? Keep checking the fares anyway. Some airlines will adjust your ticket if fares go down.

Read the guidebooks or ask the hotel if there are discounts on attractions you wish to visit. Sometimes you will get a deal or a coupon just by asking.
Once you get to a new, or even favorite, destination…walk. There is no better way to see the sights than on foot. Plus you save on costly cab rides. You can even visit the sites in your hometown or in the closest large city and save money by having a staycation. Check online before you go to see the best times to visit certain attractions, museums, zoos, etc.

Check the weather before you go. And be sure to check daytime as well as night temps. If you don’t need a heavy sweater…don’t let it take up room in your suitcase. On the other hand, you may want to plan on wearing layers of lighter clothing to stay warm enough.
Posted on by

Summer Travel Ideas

Summer is on its way. Head to California for these ideas…
Pet a bat ray at the Monterrey Bay Aquarium. Designed to give a sense of what it’s like to be in the water with the animals is just one of the special beauties of this aquarium. Sardines swim around your head in a circular tank. A petting pool gives you a hands on experience with bat rays. Other tanks give you the feeling of swimming with jellies.

Watch boats and builders at Hyde Street Pier in San Francisco. Many times you might see boat builders actually at work.
Or just watch boats. Balclutha, an 1886 full-rigged three masted sailing ship, sailed around Cape Horn 17 times. She is over 250 feet long and newly restored. The Eureka, a side wheel passenger and car ferry, hosts a collection of vintage cars on board.

Take some time out to grab your lunch at a gourmet to-go window, sit by the bay and watch the ships and sailboats. Some award winning chefs from places like Fish and Farm or Chez Spencer are now serving lunch from to-go windows. American Box Lunch at Union Square, Spencer On the Go in SOMA, Greens to Go in the Fort Mason or Marina district, The Sentinel in the Financial district and Little Skillet in SOMA are just a few. Check them out.
Posted on by

Wine and Glasses

Ever wonder why wineglasses come in a variety of shapes? Or, are you are a beginner wine drinker and can’t figure out what glass to use when serving wine to your guests? Is there a difference?
According to Riedel Glass, an Austrian glass manufacturer, the philosophy is simple. The content of the glass determines the shape.

Sparkling wines are served in a tall, narrow glass allowing the wine’s bubbles to form at the bottom and rise to the top better than in a wider or more shallow glass.
White wine glasses are shorter than a Champagne glass with a medium diameter bowl. If, however, your white wine is more full-bodied, serve it in a glass with a slightly larger diameter bowl, allowing it to breathe and release its full aromas.

Lighter or medium bodied Red Wines are served in a glass with a slightly wider bowl than that of a white wine. Heavier Reds need the largest bowl in order to mix as much wine as possible with air. You also will be able to stick your nose into the glass to appreciate the wine’s bouquet.
Dessert wines are served in small glasses or ones with small bowls.
Why all the differences? Try tasting the same wine from different glasses. From the moment you stick your nose into the glass to the final tasting…you will notice a difference. Does that mean you’ve been doing it wrong. Absolutely not. It’s up to you how you want to serve and drink your wine. These ideas just may help you get started.
Besides…it’s fun experimenting.
Posted on by

Hopmonk Tavern

If you are in the Russian River Valley or headed to the Armstrong Redwoods, stop at Hopmonk Tavern in Sebastopol for lunch. Eclectic in decor this delightful place with amazing food is located in a historic railroad building. Floors are slightly uneven…booths are generous…they pour a bunch of different beers from all over the country and the world…and their chef uses local cheeses, fruits, produce and meats.
Not sure which was better…salad of mixed field greens with beer poached pears and Cowgirl Creamery goat cheese or the homemade tomato soup with hints of gin and fennel.
Posted on by

Armstrong Woods

Celebrating 75 years…just a drop in the bucket of the life of these magnificent trees.

Fairly self explanatory sign…

With over 55 inches of rain annually here in the Armstrong Redwoods, this is classified as a temperate rain forest.
There is absolutely no way to capture the grandeur and beauty of these trees on film.
With strands like these throughout the park, silence is the main sound. Truly a living reminder of the once primeval redwood forests that covered this part of the country.

Giants hugging the bank of a crystal clear stream.
Some redwoods grow only an inch or so each year where their tops are exposed to full sun. Under ideal conditions of partial shade and protection from moisture loss, trees may grow two to three feet in a year.

Sunlight does make its way to the forest floor now and then. Even at that, it’s cold walking through the forest. And quiet…once again you notice the silence. Not many birds or wildlife as there are not many food sources. We did hear an owl and a woodpecker.