Meeting best-selling author Patricia Schultz

I brought my friend Amy and her boyfriend, Michael along with me to the 7^th Annual Los Angeles Travel & Adventure Show. This show, billed as "the ticket to discover authentic travel experiences, snap up the deals, win trips and giveaways, and be entertained and delighted" was a bit of a letdown.

I was hoping to connect with tourism board reps and agency reps but it seems that everyone working the booths were "volunteers" who were simply "collecting business cards"....oh well. (If I get one FAM out of it--so worth it!)

I did have an opportunity to meet and chat one-on-one with Patricia Schultz, best-selling author of “1,000 Places to See Before You Die.” I promised her that whatever page I opened to in her book, that is where I’d go! And she wants to hear about it.
Oh, and I even got a great workout in a giant hamster ball as I “walked on water.”

(Shout out to Amy for snapping my pic!)

Wine, Food, Beer & Cheese.....uh?

Photo: Andrea Cannistraci

For the 4th year out of five years, I headed down to the Annual San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, now in it's 8th year. (I missed 2010 when I was in Morocco--well worth it!) This international showcase of the world’s premier wines, spirits, chefs, culinary personalities, and gourmet foods did not disappoint! And I invited my man, John Puopolo, along this year to indulge with me.

Since we are both huge Kimpton Hotel fans, we called Hotel Solamar home for the weekend. It's an amazing property located in the heart of the vibrant Gaslamp Quarter.

Our weekend of gluttony included a Belgian Beer Tasting & Cheese Pairing with Chef Daniel Joly (Mirabelle at Beaver Creek). This was all for the boy as I dislike "white" beers and we all know how I feel about cheese. I guess this is what being in love is all about :) And at the Reserve and Limited Tasting Event, it was more than just wine... There was scotch!  SipSmokeSavor was pairing scotches with chocolates...and I was in my glory.

It was a sunny San Diego Saturday for The Grand Tasting Event down at the Embarcadero where we ran into a number of unique luxury brands such as Chuao Chocolate, DelGrosso Sauce (yes the sauce from back home!) Wild Hibiscus, and Ca’momi Wines.

The Best Concierge in the World

I just interviewed Frank Laino. Not only is he the Head Concierge at the Stafford, but he's been voted "The Best Concierge in the World" by Virtuoso for the past five years! How cool is that?! Not only does he give me tips on what to see and do in London and how to best do it, he gets me and John (and our friend's Jeff and Kelly) reservations for TONIGHT into the hottest restaurant in London: Heston Blumenthal's "Dinner." I can't believe it! The wait list is usually three months. Running up to the Suite now to get ready...

* Check out my full interview here:http://bit.ly/o7kKFZ

The Stafford. Our Residence Whilst in London.

The Stafford London is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!

THIS is what luxury is all about--old school, high-brow luxury. We have just arrived in our Mews Suite--which is an apartment with two bathrooms, a library and living room, a grand master bedroom, and gigantic master bathroom. The shower is bigger than our 6x6 compartamento on the train. Really. And oh yes,  I will be using that soaking tub!

I've never been to London. I want to explore. But right now, I have no desire to leave this room...

We're Staying at the Stafford. Where?

We've taken the train from Stansted into London's Liverpool station. Being the adventure travellers we are, we decide during this 45 minute ride we're gonna take the Underground from the station to the hotel. It can't be that difficult, right?

For the first time since the "morning suitcase ritual" on the train, I lose it. After asking 3 people at the Liverpool Train Station the best way to arrive at our hotel, The Stafford, we still have no idea. (I'm tired, and I'm hungry.)

First, we're in London: We are all speaking ENGLISH. Second, The Stafford is the most luxurious hotel in London (if not all of Europe), and Third, Kate's family just stayed there for the Royal Wedding. How can you not know The Stafford?!

I announce, "we're taking a taxi!" And off to the taxi stand we go. The driver knows exactly where the Stafford is (although he does look a bit curious as to why the two of us are staying there...)

Difficult Jet

Bilbao is a great base city in which to explore other European cities. There are inexpensive flights on EasyJet out of BIO. But a word of caution if you've never flown DifficultJet: We may have only paid $50USD for our flight to London (which lands at Stansted--an hour outside of London) but since we were each checking a bag--we added about $40USD/each. Plus, since we'd been in Europe for awhile (and I'm a female!) said pieces of luggage were over 20kg/each and we paid 12 Euros for every kilo we were over. (Yes, I about dropped over when the agent said, "You are 8 kilos over. That will be 96 Euros.") Our $50 USD flights from BIO to STN ended up costing nearly $300 USD (yes, that is EACH!) My advice, take British Airways.

Berets (pronounced like ferets)

It's our last day on the train! We toured the famous La Encartada Beret Factory Museum and bought matching chocolate-colored berets. These will be part of our official Nut Brown Hare Club uniform. Berets (Vanessa the tour guide pronounces it like "ferets") are originally from Northern Spain (not France!) We were fed the bean soup they used to make for the workers over a hundred years ago. We have quite arrived!

Tonight, we can sleep in a proper bed...and together! Yeah!

Disclaimer: We have survived three nights and four days in a 6x6 room. What a testament!