When in Rome...

The right guide is crucial! Whatever you do, DON’T do a group tour of anything….always use a private guide. It is absolutely worth it, and the cost is usually not much more...if at all.

Who has seen the Sistine Chapel? How many people were in there with you? Could you really see it? Could you hear your guide? Were you squished in like sardines? Did you get to go into the’ cry room’? All reasons to have a private guide.

We met our guide at the gate of the Vatican Museum at 7:45 AM – it was our first day in Rome, so we were up early anyway as our internal clocks had not reset. Because we had a reservation and we were there early, we were the first in the doors. Our guide whisked us quickly to the Sistine Chapel. Jaw dropping. The lights were still on in the chapel for cleaning, so we got to see it all lit up. We were the ONLY people in there. The guards let us take pictures. WE were able to sit and soak in the splendor of this masterpiece without people pushing in on us or the ruckus of a thousand voices.

Our guide was also able to take us into the ‘Crying Room’ or ‘The Room of Tears’. It is not open to the public, but a well connected guide means super special access for you!

Besides starting the day off perfectly with this Sistine experience, our guide was able to whisk us down back hallways etc to avoid ANY lines or waiting as we took in The Vatican. Some people waited for upwards of 2 hours to get into St. Peter’s – we walked right in. ETC.

The right guide too is suited to your personality and pace and can read you well to know how to adjust.

So, when in Rome…make sure you have the right guide!

Glorious!

This is just one of those GLORIOUS work from home days!

It has been AWEsome to watch it snow ALL DAY while WRR (my radio station...) has been playing perfect music.

I love my job!
Zoe is quite enamored as well!

PS: For those of you who aren't from Dallas...this is very very rare...thus the wonder!

Sorting Out Laguna

I am not a surfer, but after spending the weekend in Laguna Niguel, I think it is worth trying! The waves are GORGEOUS and the surfers were out in droves. I think half the fun might just be sitting out on your boards, yacking with the other surfers and waiting for the perfect wave to take you in. Sounds like fun to me!

NOW, about the hotels….WOW! The Ritz Carlton has the best beach, best surf access and best sundowner terrace….spacious beautiful rooms, a great restaurant, amazing spa, and super cool ‘star’ gazing…just ask me.
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/LagunaNiguel/Default.htm

This is the view from my balcony at the Ritz Carlton....sigh.

While it is sunny, January does get a little chilly at times so the plethora of fireplaces and firepits give a warmth that is really awesome. What is it about fire and water that we people love so much???

The Montage is my second favorite. I know I know – most people prefer the Montage. Don’t get me wrong – it IS fantastic. I do love how it sits on the cliffs and you really hear the ocean crashing in. I do love the bungalows with fireplaces and awesome decks with ocean views. I do love the beautiful mosaic pool – kept to 82 degrees year-round. I do love the restaurant and the staff is truly fantastic. OK, maybe it’s a tie between Montage and the Ritz Carlton. They are both great....I guess you just need to try both and decide for yourself.
http://www.montagelagunabeach.com/

A newcomer that really wowed me and surprised me is Pelican Hill. Brand spankin’ new and GORGEOUS! Bungalows and villas all have top top notch appointments, breathtaking views, generous space, etc. Since they are so new, they are offering some amazing rates that include golf and spa. Their kids program is over the top. This is a great choice for families!

The town of Laguna is fantastic too – great shops and restaurants. We had dinner at k’ya -http://www.kyarestaurant.com/laguna/index_laguna.html .

Fun people watching, great food, live piano, loads of fun.

It is such an easy weekend from Dallas - or even a great longer family vacation with tons to do nearby - San Diego Zoo, Disneyland, SURF, museums, Seaworld, golf, tennis, ETC.....Loads to do!

Who wants to know their status?

I have just returned from a week of HIV/AIDS awareness training in the Gondar region of Northern Ethiopia. We visited health clinics in villages throughout the Simien Mountains and while the other members of my team did eye clinics, I taught about HIV/AIDS. I was surprised at the attentiveness of the people and their genuine interest in learning about ‘the great disease’.

I just wanted to share one very cool moment. After sharing with a crowd of a few hundred people, I asked ‘so who wants to know their status?’ The response was overwhelming! Hands were popping up and people were lining up to get tested. Only 2% were positive! A very good thing!

Pure Poetry!

There are any number of wonderful and unique lodging opportunities in the wine regions of northern California. One of my favorites is The Poetry Inn. The location is perfect and the inn itself is small, intimate and sublime.

‘Perched above the vineyards of the Napa Valley’s Stags Leap District, this luxurious and exclusive inn offers the discerning traveler all of the sensory pleasures of the wine country. Spread over forty acres of pristine hillsides and world-class vineyards, Poetry Inn is a world apart. Guests, those fortunate few, enjoy unparalleled service aimed at creating an atmosphere of rural calm and seductive seclusion.’ – www.thepoetryinn.com

All of the rooms are named after great writers – Walt Whitman, Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, ee cummings and Robert Louis Stevenson. The bathrooms are particularly nice, with rose limestone and marble finishes, and stunning views from the soaking tubs. The large, grand top-floor suite is pretty special, and commands the best views. The Robert Frost room has a hammock in the outdoor shower area – perfect for lounging on in fluffy bathrobes and enjoying that scenery.

Because of its size and cache, availability is hard to come by, so planning ahead is advisable.

A visit to Napa can be daunting. I suggest you either research your favorite labels and start there and / or I can provide you with an insider’s tour of some of the most exclusive wineries in the valley. Some of my favorites include Storybook Mountain Vineyards, Korbel, and Gargiulo Vineyards for starters.

Faru Faru Away…

…in the wilderness of Africa, I found myself soaking in the most glorious (ie enormous and with this deliciously fragrant oil…) bathtub; watching the colobus monkeys playing in the trees across the riverbed from my villa. For real! The colobus monkey is one of those super rare sightings and so it was almost like having a front row seat at the U2 concert….OK, maybe not THAT cool, but it was pretty cool. The colobus is the most arboreal of all African monkeys and is rarely seen on the ground. It uses branches like trampolines, jumping up and down on them to get liftoff for jumps of up to 50 feet. They leap up and then drop downward, falling with outstretched arms and legs to grab the next branch. Their mantle hair and tails act like a parachute during these long jumps. They are rare because they were (and still are) hunted for their fur for use in tribal rituals and as trim by western furriers.

And so, back to this bathtub with massive picture windows, it can be found at Faru Faru Lodge which is one of the three Singita lodges in its privately owned reserve of 400,000 acres. The reserve, the Grumeti, is in the famed Serengeti and is home to all the things you want to see when going on safari. This is Singita’s ‘chic modern’ lodge with white & beiges giving it a very organic feel. The contrast of natural elements against cutting-edge design and uber-luxurious furnishings is integrated in six open-style suites, each with an outdoor bathing option (some have showers, some have bathtubs outside…mine had the shower). And yes Gabrielle, the other people are 'Faru Faru' away...thanks for the sound bite!

The over-flow slate pool overlooks the watering hole for the elephants, so you can watch the elephants cool off while you take a dip yourself. Or you can lounge on the comfy pillows, read, nap, whatever. The property offers an honor library where you can take a book...and/or leave a book to share with some future traveler.

All three of the Singita properties of the Grumeti share services…so if you want to do a horseback safari, the equestrian center at Sasakwa is at your service! They also offer mountain bikes, a full spa, an impressive wine list, laundry services (loved that!) and they really go above and beyond to make your time with them unforgettable.

Sleeping Among the Wildebeests

My life list includes things like advanced degrees, conquering certain rivers and mountains, a reading list, a world monuments list, etc…you know things that I want to do or experience in my lifetime. I actually wrote the list about 15 years ago and am tracking pretty well. I do occasionally go back to add things that I just didn’t have the wisdom to think of when I was in my 20s. One thing that was NOT on my list that I might just add so I can check it off is sleeping among the Wildebeests during migration in the Serengeti. I would have never thought this to be one of those unforgettable life moments, but it was!! Wildebeests are not that pretty really…everyone dotes over the zebra and the giraffe or the elephant, etc. But the wildebeest gets no appreciation! While enjoying sun-downers one evening, we stood surrounded by thousands of wildebeest. They kept a distance of about 100 yards or so…almost a perfect circle around us. The funny thing is the sound they make… it is a low soft sigh almost. Like on exhale, they just sort of sigh. Standing in the middle of it, the sound was soothing and sweet.

That night we slept in tents in the middle of the plains covered with the wildebeest herds. To be lulled to sleep by their sighs is just one of those life experiences that is truly unforgettable.

Now for the tent in which I enjoyed this experience...Like out of a movie set or a Ralph Lauren add, the Sabora Tented Camp in Tanzania blows the idea of ‘camping’ to the most luxurious extreme!

A full bathroom inside the tent provides all the luxuries one would expect of the finest hotels in the world...with a view and an awesome 'soundtrack'!

Pictures do no justice to the experience...you must add it to YOUR life's list!!