Vacations Blog

Aloha, hula!

Hawaii puts its rich cultural history on display for visitors in many ways, but once a year, they really pull out all the stops with the Aloha Festival.

On my recent visit to Oahu to explore the island and experience the festival, I was hosted by the very friendly and laid-back representatives of the Hawaii Convention and Visitors Bureau, so I had a bit of an inside look into how Hawaii is faring these days.  It was hard to tell that tourism is down.  Everywhere I looked there were tourists, and most of those were happy and smiling.  With perfect weather, lush surroundings, and gracious staff at almost every place I visited, how could one not be happy?

(Don’t forget, you  can enter to win a trip to Hawaii until October 23rd.  Details here.)

For a busy mother of two, this trip held lots of promise of down time and relaxation.  But.  Once I got to Hawaii and there was an undiscovered delight lurking around every turn, I found I couldn’t stop my mind from spinning even when my body was exhausted.  I only had just over three days there.  “I’ll sleep on the plane,” I told myself. Read More »

Tomorrow marks the arrival of my friend and her family from the east coast to our home in Los Angeles.  Two adults, two children.  That means there will be four adults and four children in my house during the hot summer heat that is hot in the San Fernando Valley.  We may not stay inside with the air conditioner on full blast, eating ice cream and watching “Wall-E” on repeat.  No, we have to do some stuff.  I’ve been planning and stressing out and researching and making lists about how to entertain and pacify all these kids without taking the fun out of our visit.  Here is the list of survival tactics activities I’ve planned and supplies I’ve stocked up.

1.  We’ll enjoy at least one relaxed meal at home.  I’ve gathered fresh fruits and vegetables and some indulgent treats from the farmer’s market and a discount produce store to keep costs down and freshness up.  We’ll grill some meat and sit in our backyard with some cocktails while we watch the children play in the wading pool or run under the sprinklers.  It’s four on four – we’re still in a man-to-man defense, so this should be do-able.

2.  We’ll expect less and/or interrupted sleep.  The kids will sleep on air mattresses.  Even my kids will do this, if it makes them go to sleep easier knowing they are mimicking their guests.  We are lucky enough to have a guest bed in the 2-year-old’s room, so my husband and I will sleep in there with him while the friends all sleep in our room.  As such, I expect much havoc with bedtimes and have low expectations for the morning routine.
Read More »

Understorms by Barry Gunderson. Sculpture near the park and train depot in Gambier.

Entropy: see also chaos, disorganization, randomness.

S = -k_b Σ (over subscript i) p_i ln p_i

S in the above equation represents entropy, the chaotic state of disorder to which my household has evolved over the short course of the summer break.  The k sub b sigma p little i?  That’s my kids and chaos they seem so adept at creating.  They have become the rough equivalent of a feral pack of coyotes, pitting their base desires against each other in a daily and constant battle that would make a prison riot seem more like an innocent game of freeze tag. Read More »

Let the Celebrations Begin!

Summer is officially full on!  June is quickly becoming a memory (it’s been two whole days now) and it’s time to turn focus to July.  July is a special month for us as a nation for in this month we celebrate one of the most significant events in our short history.  My birthday!

Some like to think that the parades and fireworks displays, backyard barbecues, cookouts and community gatherings centered around the July 4th weekend are in celebration of our nation’s independence.  Whatever helps you sleep at night, friends.  That stuff is for me!

Actually, it’s not.  My special day isn’t until the 10th.  Fact is, Read More »

Spokane's Big Red Wagon

Seriously, who’s going to plan a family vacation to Spokane, Washington?

I was asking myself this very question today while watching news coverage of Spokane’s Hoopfest, the largest 3-on-3 basketball tournament in the world.  The tourney is celebrating its 20th year.

There are 400 courts spread out over 40 downtown city blocks, with 6,400 teams participating this year, and over 200,000 players and fans wandering around town.

But that’s not a family vacation.

Spokane is one of those average cities, like Des Moines or Sacramento, that doesn’t have much of a reputation as a vacation destination.  You hear Washington, and you think Seattle.  Or Olympic National Park and the Pacific Coast beaches.  Or Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier.  Or the Cascade Range.

Even though Spokane is the second largest city in the state, and the fifth biggest in the Pacific Northwest, nobody’s buzzing about it as a family vacation destination.

I figure people end up here for other reasons, such as a weekend of basketball at Hoopfest, and then at some point it dawns on them that there might be come cool things to see and do in the area.

So, what exactly is there for a family with kids to enjoy? Read More »

Abraham Lincoln

“Hey, guys.  We have a choice…” I called to the rowdy and quite restless bunch of kids destroying the back of my van.  It had been a long ride and I was looking for something, anything, to give us all a break.

“What is it, Dad?” they almost collectively shouted.  If nothing else, I at least now had their attention.

“We can go to see the log cabin where Abraham Lincoln was born.”

“Or, what?”

“What do you mean or what?!  Abraham Lincoln.  The 15th* president of the United States.”

Nothing.

“Abraham Lincoln–you know, the guy on the quarter!*  Lincoln Logs.”

T-Rex

“Come on, Dad.  What else?  What’s the other choice?”

“Or…we can drive a few miles further and stop at Dinosaur World.”

The van erupted, “DINOSAUR WORLD, DINOSAUR WORLD!!!”

And so it was decided.  Apparently, strolling through the woods in search of life sized replicas of all things saurus has more immediate appeal than Abe’s Log Cabin, at least to a group of wily kids road weary and full of pent-up energy.  “Sorry Abe.”

Dinosaur World is located on Interstate 65 in Kentucky almost equidistant between Louisville, KY and Nashville, TN.  Unless you’re blind, and if you are you shouldn’t be driving, you can’t miss it.  It’s right off of Exit 53 at Cave City, KY.  You can even see some of the dinosaurs from the interstate.

An Unknown Saurus

The park is laid out in a wooded, slightly hilly (but not taxing) area where you can leisurely stroll (or run screaming like banshees as my children chose to do) the paved path and observe the over 100 life sized dinosaur replicas in what you can only imagine would be a setting similar to when they roamed the area back in the 1800’s**.

Banshees at Dinosaur World

Each dinosaur is accompanied by a very nicely written marker that gives the dinosaur’s name and a few interesting facts about it without being condescending or overtly preachy.  The markers even phonetically spell out the name of the dinosaur to assist the dino-illiterate (me) with pronunciation.  My son loved being able to read the names and call them out to me.

Zane Reading the Marker

There is a Fossil Dig area where the kids could dig for their very own dinosaur fossils (which they could keep), a play area, a movie cave, a dinosaur dig and of course, a gift shop.  Walking the dinosaurs is not permitted, but if Fido travels with you and has a leash he’s more than welcome at Dinosaur World.

Triceratops Sculpture

There are no food services inside of the Dinosaur World Park so plan accordingly.  Picnics are encouraged.  There are plenty of eating establishments in Cave City including Cracker Barrel which is kind of like crack to my kids.  It’s the Stuckey’s of the new millenia.

As a bonus, Dinosaur World’s admission fees won’t break your travel budget.  ($12.75 for adults, $9.75 for children 3-12)  While our visit to Dinosaur World was merely a pit-stop to refuel and release some pent up energy, there are several other area attractions and numerous places to stay in and around Cave City, KY should you decide a longer visit is in order.

I also have to believe that the wild running and nonstop screaming may be better suited to Dinosaur World than the Lincoln Birthplace.  But that’s just my hunch.

Spikey

*  Abe was actually the 16th president of the United States and his face can be found on the penny as well as the five dollar bill.

** All dates are approximate.

(All Photos by Ed Lamaze)

Haven’t we all read the Peanuts books or watched the television specials that showed Snoopy fearlessly flying across the fields into enemy territory? I for one recall sitting in my bunk bed when my grandmother would babysit, and pretend I was Snoopy chasing the Red Baron across France. Ra-ta-ta-ta-tat!

Last spring I got to live out my fantasy and ride in a red open cockpit bi-plane. Vintage Aircraft Company has been around for ages. If you drive to the wine country on a regular basis, you will recognize them because their sign and location is on Highway 121 just before the final turn towards Napa Valley.

They have several different vintage planes including a World War II Warbird. My choice was definitely one of their Boeing PT-17 Stearmans, and on the day I went up they had a bright and shiny red one ready for me! It can accommodate two passengers but I wasn’t about to share this ride, so I had a great time sliding about the 32″ seat.

When we got there I learned they offered aerobatics for an additional fee of $50 on any of the planes including my open cockpit bi-plane. Of course I said yes to that and I think they gave me a “famous Cuban Eight” but I couldn’t tell you because unlike regular planes, you don’t get a headset with a mike connected to the pilot. It is a bit like water skiing, just tap your head to ask them to slow down or give the slashing across the neck if you are done.

My 20 minute tour over the beautiful Sonoma Valley was the best. After I stopped thinking about the reality of my possible death, I loved soaring just a few hundred feet above the fields and vineyards.

If you want more they also offer 40 minute flights:

The Wine Country tour: Catch an Eagle’s View of the world renowned vineyards of the Sonoma and
Napa Valleys, heading east across the bucolic Carneros region to Napa, Turn north to St. Helena, West
to glen Ellen then back south through the lush Sonoma Valley. Grapes galore.

West to the Pacific: Aviate over rolling hills and open pastures of Sonoma, Novato and Petaluma;
then head out to Tomales Bay and absorb the Majestic magnificence of the Pacific Ocean.

Spires of “The City”: Drift south toward San Francisco. A panoramic outlook of the Sausalito and
Tiburon Harbors: outlying views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands,
then circle Mt. Tamalpais en route to Point Reyes and your safe Sonoma return.

And this adventure is also available for kids too. They can accommodate a child about 40 inches tall with their booster cushion, though all kids under 10 years must fly with an adult.

When your ride is over there are lots of great Sonoma Valley restaurants nearby or drive a little further into Napa Valley for world class restaurants or maybe just a slice of pie at Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen.

Here is me "Amelia Snoopy Earhart" in my shiny Boeing PT-17 Stearman

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

The weekend of March 6-8 Columbus, Ohio welcomes back (for the 21rst year) the Arnold Sports Festival.  Yeah, that Arnold.

The festival is the largest multi-sport showcase in the nation with over 17,000 athletes competing in 37 different events, 11 recognized as Olympic sports.

The three day event takes place in several downtown venues, The Greater Columbus Convention Center, Veterans Memorial, Nationwide Arena and The Ohio Expo Center.  The $10 Expo Ticket will grant you admission to most of the daytime events at all of the venues and there is a complimentary shuttle, The Arnold Shuttle, that will take care of getting you to and from the different sites.

Here’s a few tips to make your Arnold Sports Festival weekend extra special:

• Don’t look for cotton candy in the vendors area.  It won’t be there.  On the other hand, if a high protein soy milk shake with flax meal and a banana makes you tingly, there’s a pretty good chance you will find it or something very similar.  There are hundreds of vendors with information on the latest sports nutrition, supplements, fashion and equipment.
• If you’ve ever wondered how long it would take a guy to carry a 415 kg refrigerator/freezer over a 30 meter course, you may just find out.  That’s right, the Arnold Sports Festival is one of the three venues of the famous Strongman Competition.  Preliminary rounds are scheduled Friday and Saturday at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
  

  You Need Big Balls for a Strongman Competition

• If someone asks you to hold their apple–don’t do it!
  

  Just stand still...

• Don’t make fun of any guys wearing pajamas.  There is a martial arts competition and these guys know seventeen different ways to remove your spleen with their bare hands and a big toe.
  

  He will break you!

• It is important to distinguish the difference between grappling and haggling.  Should you decide to grapple it is also VITALLY important that you understand how to “Tap-Out”.
  

  Say Uncle! Say Uncle!

• Although the competition is fierce in the  Killerspin Table Tennis World Tour I believe games are still to 21 and not “to the death”.
  

  I'm still not going to challenge her.

• Zoro will not be at the Arnold Sports Festival.  Zagunis will.  Mariel Zagunis won Olympic gold in 2004 and 2008 in the saber competition and is scheduled to appear.
  

  She can make a Z--I guarantee it!

• Licking your opponents hand during the arm wrestling competition may give them enough of a startle to give you an edge, but I would advise against it.  Anyone who competes in a sport that carries nicknames like Mecca of Muscle or Titans of Arm Sports is not to be taken lightly.
  

  The Mecca of Muscle!

• Clean-and-Jerk and the Snatch are weightlifting events.  I’m just saying… there’s a big difference between weightlifting and porn.
  

  Though there is quite a bit of heavy breathing in both.

• The Body Building is not a venue, it’s a competition and though just a small part of the 3 day Arnold Sports Festival it is certainly what has made the Festival famous for 21 years running.
  

  He didn't know about the free Arnold Shuttle

Like Arnold, the Arnold Sports Festival is big and it’s busy.  Be sure to check out the schedule of events prior to your arrival and plan your days accordingly.  At $10, the Individual Day Expo Admission is the most economical way to experience the Festival.  Children 10 years and younger are free but be aware that strollers are not permitted in the venues.  Look for tickets here–there are also several packages and special events tickets available.

Follow this link for lodging options.

All photos courtesy of the Arnold Sports Fitness Website.