The Magical World of Disney....

Disney World for a Bachelorette Party? I was equally as dubious but it turned out to be a fantastic choice. There are plenty of options for adult activities and you can still twirl yourself sick on the teacups like you did as a child!

Our adventures included a day at the Magical Kingdom followed by an evening of "Around the World" embibing local drinks, fireworks and late night rides at Epcot. At 90 degrees with 100% humidity, the absolute soak we received on "Splash Mountain" was readily welcomed by all of us. "Soarin", one of the rides at Epcot was phenomenal and I would highly recommend it. You are strapped in to a harness ride suspended in the air in front of a huge IMAX screeen and literally soar through different places around the world. We even "flew" over San Diego - it was really unique and fun for everyone. 

The following day was spent poolside at our Disney resort and followed by dinner at Todd English's Restaurant, Blue Zoo. Not only was the decor fabulous but the service and food were phenomenal as well. I would highly recommend this to anyone visiting DW. The Bachelorette Festivities continued at the Deuling Piano venue, which turned out being a total blast. 

There were a lot of "interesting" sights at Disney....from elderly gentlement with spiked glitter hair in scooters roaming around the park to children adorned in the latest Disney character gear, I guess the magic is distinctly personal. Just the sheer number of people at the parks was slightly overwhelming especially given some of relative unexpected populations that were exploring all the surprising treats the parks had to offer. 

We had a wonderful time filled with great friendship and tons of laughs; I think it will be a few years before I need another dose of Tinker Bell's pixy dust. 

Heading Home to the Native Land...Minnesota

This past weekend I headed back to the Midwest, the place of my birth, for my best friend's bridal shower. It's been about four years since I was last in the land of over 10,000 lakes and I always forget how wholesome the experience is. 

Despite spending the first 13 years of life there, I am always struck at the immense flatness of the Midwest. Flying into the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport, I was able to identify many landmarks of my childhood. One included Buck Hill, a "ski" area we frequented in Middle School for skiing adventures and the locale of the high school ski race team's practice runs. I was shocked at how small it was...I guess Buck "Hill" is aptly named. 

People frequently refer to Midwesterners in a mocking tone with stereotypical adages of "You Betcha" and "Dontcha know" mostly coined from films like "Fargo" (filmed in Minnesota despite the North Dakota title). And I am totally a culprit of throwing in my MN accent for entertainment purposes. Being from there, I sometimes assume I'm entitled. 

Regardless, the charm and sincerity of Minnesotans, especially in a tough economic year like this one, is so refreshing. I was hard pressed not to smile at how nice every one was; whether I was at the Pharmacy or at the airport, every person I encountered was kind, gracious and hospitable. It brought a smile to my face. 

Part of my enjoyment was returning to a place that represents where my family comes from and my formative years as a person. The other part was enjoying the beauty of Minnesota in the Spring, the fabulous architecture of St. Paul, the amazing mansions on Summit Ave, and the humor of Minnesotans out in shorts in 55 degree weather! 

My trip was summed up with an unfortunate loss...in my hurry to catch an earlier flight back to San Diego, I lost my sunglasses in the security check (they got caught in the x-ray machine). Not until the next day did I realize they were gone. Blast! Not only did I love the glasses, but I didn't want to foot the bill to replace them. So, Monday morning I called TSA in Minneapolis without much hope. The nice (of course) gentleman on the phone asked me what brand they were. When I said Prada, he immediately said, "Sure do have 'em! I knew glasses that nice would be claimed." (I, on the other hand, thought glasses that nice would surely be stolen! - that's the cynic in me).  

So, my glasses are in the mail on their way home...I thanked the kind man and his parting words were "You betcha!" The stereotypes aren't too far from reality.

Newport Film Festival

This weekend I had the opportunity to attend the Newport Film Festival. One of my friends is doing PR for the event and got me VIP access to some amazing films....and one not so amazing film!  

Newport is a fun place to visit in Southern California...it's quite surreal and totally in-line with all the reality tv shows you see on TV. Amazing homes with unprecedented views of the water, high-fashion shopping, elaborate apparel worn for the most mundane tasks, and the home of the Newport Beach film festival! Shows were previewed at Fashion Island and at The Lido theater on Balboa Island. All sorts of celebrities were in attendance for the showings and the fabulous post parties.  

We drove up on Saturday and Sunday to check out the "scene" and see a few shows. It was quite entertaining! Two shows that I must recommend are "That's It, That's All" and "Rudo y Cursi". 

If you are a snow fan - skier or snowboarder, you'll appreciate "That's It, That's All" - the movie is a breathtaking documentary about snowboarding done with a fantastic soundtrack and the most amazing cinematography. I found myself grasping my seat and moving my feet as if I was riding the Alaskan glaciers and New Zealand terrain with these masters. Check out the trailers to see for yourself.  

For those who enjoy the Cuarón brother's (Carlos & Alfonso) films (i.e. "Y Tu Mama También", "Children of Men"), you'll love this new film with Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna, "Rudo y Cursi".  This is Carlos's directorial debut and he couldn't have had a better pair of actors. The film is about two brother's plights to get out of the 'campo' and obtain fútbol stardom as professional soccer players in Mexico City. Gael and Diego are phenomenal together, as always, and the Argentine narrator and talent scout adds a soothing continuity to the movie. Even if you speak Spanish fluently, you still may need to defer to some of the subtitles as the Mexican slang is, as usual, quite prevalent! 

Now I better get on booking a flight for heli-skiing...where to go?! 

PS - the movie NOT to see.... "Made for Each Other". I wanted to poke both my eyes out!

My Favorite Things...ok, just a few

Since my blog so far has just been old e-mails from a few recent trips, I thought I'd add a list of some of my favorite things that I've visited in my travels over the last ten years or so...

Spain: This one deserves it's own chapter since I lived there for a year, but I'll just point out a few highlights....visit Toledo and see the only place where all 3 major religions have co-habitated peacefully...Tapas in San Sebastian...travel south to Ronda....skiing or riding at Baqueira Beret...stay in a Parador like this one in Granada...and don't forget the cradle of the wine region Haro.

Mammoth Lakes, California: Yes, I will drive 6 1/2 hours alone to go up there...I always feel so peaceful whether riding the mountain (snowboard or bike), sleeping outside in the summer, or

 just spending time with friends. The mountain stays open longer than most mountains in the West (11,000 ft peak) and spring skiing is the norm usually. The Summer is almost better than the winter as there are outdoor concerts, biking, hiking, ("wiking" for the less athletic), camping, picnics, etc. Yosemite is only an hour away as well!

Home: this is the view from my parent's house...it's hard not to appreciate the natural beauty. Windansea Beach....Fidel's...North Park / South Park...running the convention center steps....bike rides through the Elfin Forest....visiting Ready Room 6 on the Midway...cover bands at Surf N Saddle...Rock N Roll Marathon...my first exposure to Junior League....high school memories in LJ. Although I'm originally from Minnesota and will always appreciate my midwest roots, my formative years were here...wherever I am, this will still be"home". 

Snow sports: At age 3, my parents left me off with ski school at Deer Valley in Park City and, well, I loved it. I spent MANY cold days skiing in Minnesota and have been fortunate to take that sport around the world. The last 12 years have transitioned me into a snowboarder, but I still get a good ski in once in a while. Some of my favorite trips have been to Sun Valley, Idaho, Deer Valley/Alta/Snowbird in Utah, Telluride/Aspen/Beaver Creek/Snowmass/Vail, all in Colorado, The Pyrenees in Spain, Innsbruck, Austria (a MUST for the thrillseeker: Moonlight Toboganning!), and Mammoth Lakes, California. My list of places to "ride before I die" include the Chilean Andes, heli-skiing in Whistler, Chamonix/Mont-Blanc in France, and Gstaad in Switzerland.

....more favorite things and places to come....