Craft Time...

Today I painted this bowl.

The beverages of Cabo...yes, there are more!

Today was a day of discovery. Discovery of adult beverages:) Damiana is a light herbal-based liqueur made with the damiana herb that grows locally. If you’ve been to Prague and tasted the Becherovka—it’s similar. The bottle is uniquely shaped and is modeled after an Incan Goddess. Apparently, the liqueur is an aphrodisiac. I won't comment on that!

As I was laying infinity poolside a tried a refreshing Michelada. Half Corona and half clamatto, lime juice, salt. Why haven't I ever had this before?!

Then, just becasue I could, I tried a “chango peludo” (“hairy monkey.)

Ok...time for a nap on the sand....

The Rene: My after-dinner drink of choice

I got a true taste of Mexican beverages last night at the Sheraton Hacienda del Mar Golf & Spa Resort, Los Cabos. When in Cabo…right?! I had my share of Tequila tastings and of course I prefer the really dark, aged, pricey stuff! But at the end of the day what I really crave now is “The Rene.” This after-dinner drink is really called a “carajillo”as I later found out. But Rene Aguado, the Director of Sales & Marketing at the Sheraton claimed to call it his own. I'm probably gonna try and make it myself when I get back to LA.

Instructions: Pour a shot (or

two) of Cuarenta y Tres over a glass of ice, add espresso. Simple and delicious.

Check out this photo of where I had dinner. Great view, gentle breeze.

I'm at the End of the Earth...kindda.

I've been invited on a FAM trip to Los Cabos, Mexico. What is a FAM, you may ask? It's a "Familiarization" trip. Usually press and travel agents are invited on these excursions so they can experience the area and then either write about it, or sell it. There are six journalists on this FAM...and if you've ever seen the movie, "My Life in Ruins", you'll have the perfect idea what I am talki

ng about!

So here I am with the PR agency that represents two luxury hotels and five other journalists.

So where am I? Los Cabos is where the warm calm Sea of Cortez meets the cold angry Pacific Ocean. They come together at the famous “El Arco.” The temperature today is near 90 and I couldn't be happier.

One of the reasons the hotels have decided to host us (yep, the hotels paid for my flight, my lodging, my food, and all my excursions) is that tourism is down in Los Cabos...across all of Mexico really. They want us to see how SAFE Cabo really is. Contrary to what you may have heard about Mexico (uh, TJ, maybe?!), Los Cabos, located at the very, very tip of the Baja Penisula is thousands of miles away and literally at “Land’s End.”

The Essence of Big Sur

Ironically, I find myself back in Big Sur this weekend. My first road trip after moving to CA took me through Big Sur in November 2006.

From my private jacuzzi on my back porch at my room (one of the new Pacific Rooms) at Ventana Inn & Spa, I can see miles of staggeringly beautiful coastline and ocean cliffs. Here I feel peace. Here I see truth. Here I can eat amazing truffle pasta hand-made by Chef Dory Ford, and sip wine to my hearts delight in the clothing-optional Japanese Hot Baths. Here I can have my body wrapped in grapes and be massaged until my heart aches no more. And here I can hike through the forest and see the famous Circle of Redwoods at Ventana and know that there is good in the world.

Apologizes to Quito

It's been way too long since my last post. Many fabulous trips have come and gone and while the memories will always remain, I have neglected to give them their proper attention. So Mr. Quito, please accept my apologies. If it wasn't for Mr. Mansour and the lovely Veronica--who met at my Tastefully Simple party in 2006--I wouldn't have even visited you!

The hike to your 12,000 ft volcano was amazing. I really enjoyed sipping your cocoa tea (which I managed to smuggle back into the USA), and I was able to capture that John Jones "Ofoto Moment" on the Equator. But I must be honest, you could have warned me about the Otavalo Market. I mean, really? The market by the Hilton was a million times better and I wasn't confined to a 6 hour bus trip. Storm tropping three malls with two attorneies looking for the perfect Tribu purse took less time. Yes. really.

Sincerely Yours,
Mrs. Jones

Post Holiday Thoughts

While my tan may be fading in this Southern California "June Gloom", the memories of my recent South East Asia tour never will. It really was an amazing trip. I am very lucky to be able to travel the way I do. The private islands, speed boats, luxe vehicles, butlers are just the icing on the cake. I really am experiencing a slice of life that few do.

So, what are my thoughts on Travel? Thailand? Singapore? Life?

I do recommend that everyone travel as much as they can. It is my passion to travel and EXPERIENCE as many cultures as I can. There is something to be said about a well-traveled person. After you do the Rome-Venice-Florence-Paris-Madrid, go off and experience some untouched places. Places that are still raw and free of tourism and the commercialization that comes with tourism.

Thailand was amazingly beautiful. It was a bit more commercialized than I expected. It was a far cry from the unspoiled beauty I experienced last year in Vietnam. None the less, it was amazingly beautiful and the people were very kind and welcoming.

Singapore was expensive! And it really wasn't that pretty (I think that is how Bill's ex-wife described me the first time she met me...) Singapore is the Long Beach of islands. The beaches were not really swimmable (is that a word?) and everywhere you looked--on all sides of the island there were large oil tankers, cargo ships, containers, cranes--Singapore is a major port, afterall. The shopping was plentiful, but even as the locals told me, they all go to Bangkok to shop as it's much less expensive.

And one final note, Singapore Air is not all it's cracked up to be. I was not impressed. Save some money and fly Cathay Pacific....now there is an impressive airline!