What's a person to do in Las Vegas when they don't enjoy gambling? The answer came on walking through the themed Paris casino after dinner and in need of a bathroom. The bathrooms there are gorgeous and entertaining. French language lessons are piped into the room instead of Muzak. One can learn very useful phrases for conversation in French while visiting Vegas, such as "Wow, are those real?"
That initiated our quest to find the most over-the-top casino bathroom in town. Turns out the best was the first, though the sinks in Treasure Island were pretty cool.
We checked out the bathrooms in The Bellagio, Caesers, Venetian, Excaliber, Luxor, Mirage, Mandalay Bay. If we ever go back are there bathrooms worth viewing at the other casinos?
Showing posts with label "home life". Show all posts
Showing posts with label "home life". Show all posts
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Friday, October 30, 2009
Couch Tater Tots
I received a sales flyer today in the mail. One of the specials is a "Kiddie Recliner" Yep, a pint-sized recliner. Now Jimmy Jr. can enjoy the big game just like daddy and start developing his beer belly early.
I'd like to hope that it's on special because parents knew that their kids belong outdoors getting exercise instead of reclining in front of the big screen tv and that none were purchased at full price.
I'd like to hope that it's on special because parents knew that their kids belong outdoors getting exercise instead of reclining in front of the big screen tv and that none were purchased at full price.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Star Princess diverted Mexican Riviera Cruise Review
I traveled on the Star Princess with my sister. This was my sixth Princess cruise, first time at the Platinum Captain’s Circle level. It was my sister’s 11th Princess cruise. We traveled round-trip out of San Francisco. We chose this trip because our travel agent provided a charter bus ride from Sacramento.
Traffic in the San Francisco embarcadero area was very congested, our bus spending over an hour to go less than one mile. Once at the pier embarkation was very well organized. It didn't take very long to obtain our cruise card and go through security and board the ship.
This was the largest ship I’ve ever been on. One could tell it was designed for maximum passenger capacity and revenue generation. The Promenade deck is much narrower than older ships. There are no deck chairs on the Promenade deck, just a few benches. There is a wine bar and wine accessories shop taking up a big chunk of space on the Plaza level.
The library has been combined with the Internet Café. There are not many books available for so many passengers, nor were there many seats for people to sit in the library and read. There were plenty of Internet terminals, there were usually terminals available whenever I wandered by.
The Explorer’s Lounge, which looked like it might be a nice place to relax, was taken over all day, each sea day for storage, set up and then auction of the hundreds of pieces of framed art. The pictures were set up along every walkway, making the entire area unusable, if not a downright safety hazard.
We decided to splurge for a mini-suite. There was a sufficient amount of storage space. However, I was surprised at how narrow the cabin is. There was not much storage space in the bathroom above the counter. It would have been nice to have a medicine cabinet and some more shelving. The bathtub shower had nice water pressure. The extra shower space the bathtub afforded was very welcome. The extra space for the loveseat and table was heavily used during our sea days for reading and relaxing. On sea days the public areas of the ship were very congested with all available seating taken. Having that extra space in the cabin enabled us to relax during our cruise and not be frustrated by the shortage of public spaces.
We tried out MUTS (Movies Under The Stars) one evening. The crew works very hard to make this venue fun. Pool loungers are covered with special mats and staff hand out blankets and popcorn. It is a very nice concept.
Even with such a large ship and 2,500 passengers, we had no problem tendering. We'd have breakfast in dining room, go back to our cabin to gather our stuff and then head down to pick up tender tickets. Each time there was no waiting so we were told to proceed directly to the tenders. We were ashore in both Santa Barbara and Catalina by 9 a.m.
Some observations and annoyances:
On board the Star Princess we signed up for an internet package. There was an embarkation day special. The $100 package is usually for 250 minutes, but the special was for an additional 30 minutes. After logging off the first time the Internet Usage Summary showed that only 250 minutes were given. We asked the gentleman at the Internet Cafe desk about it and he said it would appear the next day. It didn't. The Passenger Services Desk referred us back to the Internet manager. That day he said that the Platinum credit is only for 250 minutes. We submitted a written comment/complaint to the Passenger Services desk saying that Princess Captain's Circle benefits state that Platinum card holders receive $100 credit for Internet packages, not a specific amount of time. If this is a change of policy it needs to be communicated to all Captain's Circle members. We never heard back about our complaint nor did the extra 30 minutes appear on our balance. We then let the Captain's Circle hostess know about the problem. She said that she would look into it but we never heard anything back from her either.
When will Princess do away with the costumed photography staff? Gangways were held up while people were told to stop to be photographed with a bear or eagle. One night after dinner pirate costumed staff tried to startle diners as they exited the dining room. Not cool.
For the wonderful ice cream that is served in the buffet each afternoon, the servers are not told the flavors, so they would guess. If it is green it must be mint seemed to be the theory, at least that’s the flavor I was told one day. I put chocolate sprinkles on it to make a mint-chip combination. Wrong, it was honeydew melon, which is quite good but doesn’t work well with chocolate sprinkles. This lack of knowledge of the ice cream flavor and telling people their guess could be tragic if someone had allergies and was told the flavor was one thing when it wasn't.
We ate most of our meals in the dining room. Personal choice dining in the Capri dining room on deck 5 was never congested. The food was excellent. The plates are now plain white china, more appropriate for a dining room than the floral design of the past. We asked to be seated at tables for six or less and were always accommodated. We never had to wait to be seated. The dining room has areas a step or two up from the main floor level. I don’t understand why they seat people who obviously have mobility problems (the walkers and wheelchairs should be a clue) in these elevated areas while able-bodied people are seated on the main level. I’ve been harping about this on my final comment/questionnaire for years.
The times I stopped by the gym there were always machines available. The gym has 4 elliptical machines, 12 treadmills, 2 recumbent bicycles and 2 exercycles. There are also Paramount brand weight machines.
The wifi signal is sporadic in the cabins but can be received around the atrium. There are several nice tables and chairs in the piazza with electrical outlets nearby for laptops.
This cruise was one of those affected by the swine flu travel warnings. The second night during dinner the captain announced that all stops in Mexico had been cancelled and that new stops along the California coast were being developed. This was a situation out of Princess' control and he asked that people not take their disappointment out on the crew. There were a number of very obnoxious passengers on board who did just that. I could not understand their beef. The CDC and the WHO advised that unnecessary travel to Mexico be avoided. I think Princess went above and beyond to put together the revised itinerary which included the same number of port stops, and longer port times. The logistics of working out the schedule and permits and whatever is required for a port stop must have had people scrambling and working many hours overtime. Kudos to Princess for taking lemons and making lemonade.
Speaking of lemonade, it is now available in the buffet, but must be requested from the crew. Most of the time it was wonderful but near the end of the cruise it became water with a hint of lemon.
Since no passengers or crew were allowed off during the Passenger Services Act obligatory stop in a foreign port, Ensenada in our case, US citizens did not have to go through immigration at our first stop back in the US in San Pedro/Long Beach. However, no one was let off the ship in San Pedro until all non-US citizens reported to U.S. Immigration officials. Everyone was delayed over an hour because a few people did not show up when they were supposed to and then didn't hear or ignored the PA system announcements. Why U.S. Immigration insisted that these people be processed is beyond me and why everyone was held hostage just didn’t seem right.
I enjoyed our California coastal stops, even though I had been to each port before. The weather was fabulous, the locations we stopped at were thrilled to have us, and they were all very picturesque. Yes, even San Pedro, a working port, is quite interesting and picturesque. Also, since we did not have to travel very far we were cruising at a very leisurely pace. This allowed us to use our balcony, even while at sea and to enjoy MUTS at night.
Overall I found the cruise to be everything I anticipated. I wanted a relaxing vacation and that is what I got, with good food, calm waters, and time to leave the stresses of work behind.
Traffic in the San Francisco embarcadero area was very congested, our bus spending over an hour to go less than one mile. Once at the pier embarkation was very well organized. It didn't take very long to obtain our cruise card and go through security and board the ship.
This was the largest ship I’ve ever been on. One could tell it was designed for maximum passenger capacity and revenue generation. The Promenade deck is much narrower than older ships. There are no deck chairs on the Promenade deck, just a few benches. There is a wine bar and wine accessories shop taking up a big chunk of space on the Plaza level.
The library has been combined with the Internet Café. There are not many books available for so many passengers, nor were there many seats for people to sit in the library and read. There were plenty of Internet terminals, there were usually terminals available whenever I wandered by.
The Explorer’s Lounge, which looked like it might be a nice place to relax, was taken over all day, each sea day for storage, set up and then auction of the hundreds of pieces of framed art. The pictures were set up along every walkway, making the entire area unusable, if not a downright safety hazard.
We decided to splurge for a mini-suite. There was a sufficient amount of storage space. However, I was surprised at how narrow the cabin is. There was not much storage space in the bathroom above the counter. It would have been nice to have a medicine cabinet and some more shelving. The bathtub shower had nice water pressure. The extra shower space the bathtub afforded was very welcome. The extra space for the loveseat and table was heavily used during our sea days for reading and relaxing. On sea days the public areas of the ship were very congested with all available seating taken. Having that extra space in the cabin enabled us to relax during our cruise and not be frustrated by the shortage of public spaces.
We tried out MUTS (Movies Under The Stars) one evening. The crew works very hard to make this venue fun. Pool loungers are covered with special mats and staff hand out blankets and popcorn. It is a very nice concept.
Even with such a large ship and 2,500 passengers, we had no problem tendering. We'd have breakfast in dining room, go back to our cabin to gather our stuff and then head down to pick up tender tickets. Each time there was no waiting so we were told to proceed directly to the tenders. We were ashore in both Santa Barbara and Catalina by 9 a.m.
Some observations and annoyances:
On board the Star Princess we signed up for an internet package. There was an embarkation day special. The $100 package is usually for 250 minutes, but the special was for an additional 30 minutes. After logging off the first time the Internet Usage Summary showed that only 250 minutes were given. We asked the gentleman at the Internet Cafe desk about it and he said it would appear the next day. It didn't. The Passenger Services Desk referred us back to the Internet manager. That day he said that the Platinum credit is only for 250 minutes. We submitted a written comment/complaint to the Passenger Services desk saying that Princess Captain's Circle benefits state that Platinum card holders receive $100 credit for Internet packages, not a specific amount of time. If this is a change of policy it needs to be communicated to all Captain's Circle members. We never heard back about our complaint nor did the extra 30 minutes appear on our balance. We then let the Captain's Circle hostess know about the problem. She said that she would look into it but we never heard anything back from her either.
When will Princess do away with the costumed photography staff? Gangways were held up while people were told to stop to be photographed with a bear or eagle. One night after dinner pirate costumed staff tried to startle diners as they exited the dining room. Not cool.
For the wonderful ice cream that is served in the buffet each afternoon, the servers are not told the flavors, so they would guess. If it is green it must be mint seemed to be the theory, at least that’s the flavor I was told one day. I put chocolate sprinkles on it to make a mint-chip combination. Wrong, it was honeydew melon, which is quite good but doesn’t work well with chocolate sprinkles. This lack of knowledge of the ice cream flavor and telling people their guess could be tragic if someone had allergies and was told the flavor was one thing when it wasn't.
We ate most of our meals in the dining room. Personal choice dining in the Capri dining room on deck 5 was never congested. The food was excellent. The plates are now plain white china, more appropriate for a dining room than the floral design of the past. We asked to be seated at tables for six or less and were always accommodated. We never had to wait to be seated. The dining room has areas a step or two up from the main floor level. I don’t understand why they seat people who obviously have mobility problems (the walkers and wheelchairs should be a clue) in these elevated areas while able-bodied people are seated on the main level. I’ve been harping about this on my final comment/questionnaire for years.
The times I stopped by the gym there were always machines available. The gym has 4 elliptical machines, 12 treadmills, 2 recumbent bicycles and 2 exercycles. There are also Paramount brand weight machines.
The wifi signal is sporadic in the cabins but can be received around the atrium. There are several nice tables and chairs in the piazza with electrical outlets nearby for laptops.
This cruise was one of those affected by the swine flu travel warnings. The second night during dinner the captain announced that all stops in Mexico had been cancelled and that new stops along the California coast were being developed. This was a situation out of Princess' control and he asked that people not take their disappointment out on the crew. There were a number of very obnoxious passengers on board who did just that. I could not understand their beef. The CDC and the WHO advised that unnecessary travel to Mexico be avoided. I think Princess went above and beyond to put together the revised itinerary which included the same number of port stops, and longer port times. The logistics of working out the schedule and permits and whatever is required for a port stop must have had people scrambling and working many hours overtime. Kudos to Princess for taking lemons and making lemonade.
Speaking of lemonade, it is now available in the buffet, but must be requested from the crew. Most of the time it was wonderful but near the end of the cruise it became water with a hint of lemon.
Since no passengers or crew were allowed off during the Passenger Services Act obligatory stop in a foreign port, Ensenada in our case, US citizens did not have to go through immigration at our first stop back in the US in San Pedro/Long Beach. However, no one was let off the ship in San Pedro until all non-US citizens reported to U.S. Immigration officials. Everyone was delayed over an hour because a few people did not show up when they were supposed to and then didn't hear or ignored the PA system announcements. Why U.S. Immigration insisted that these people be processed is beyond me and why everyone was held hostage just didn’t seem right.
I enjoyed our California coastal stops, even though I had been to each port before. The weather was fabulous, the locations we stopped at were thrilled to have us, and they were all very picturesque. Yes, even San Pedro, a working port, is quite interesting and picturesque. Also, since we did not have to travel very far we were cruising at a very leisurely pace. This allowed us to use our balcony, even while at sea and to enjoy MUTS at night.
Overall I found the cruise to be everything I anticipated. I wanted a relaxing vacation and that is what I got, with good food, calm waters, and time to leave the stresses of work behind.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
The case of the shrinking cruise ship libraries
Back in 2001 I sailed on the Sea Princess. The ship carries 1950 passengers. The library had many sections of shelving units, filled with current titles. There were so many titles from my "must read" that I found it difficult to choose. I finally settled on The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood.
Today I am on the Star Princess. The ship carries 2600 passengers. The library has been merged with the internet cafe. There are only 12 sections of book shelves. If memory serves me correctly, this is half or less than on the Sea. In scanning the shelves before the library opened for the first day of business I found no current titles, nothing from my list, and most disheartening, The Blind Assassin is the only Atwood title. Granted it is a great book, but obviously Princess no longer cares to maintain their library.
Today I am on the Star Princess. The ship carries 2600 passengers. The library has been merged with the internet cafe. There are only 12 sections of book shelves. If memory serves me correctly, this is half or less than on the Sea. In scanning the shelves before the library opened for the first day of business I found no current titles, nothing from my list, and most disheartening, The Blind Assassin is the only Atwood title. Granted it is a great book, but obviously Princess no longer cares to maintain their library.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Customer service - a tale of two wireless phone companies
Back in December 2002 we broke down and decided to sign up for a wireless phone plan, basically for emergency use. The "more bars" company was running a special. We picked out small simple phones at the local company store. Once home we discovered we only got a weak signal in our neighborhood. But as the intent was to have the phones for when we were on the road, that was OK. We humorously noted that we got a stronger signal at the little rural town we liked to go to for breakfast than in our city.
A year or two later we got a notice from the city about a public hearing for a request for a permit to place a cell tower in our neighborhood. Our city has quite a number of very vocal paranoids that are convinced we'll all die from electromagnetic transmissions. I knew that they'd be trying to stack the ballots as it were with calls and letters to the city. I decided to become civicly involved and wrote a letter to the city in support of the tower, stating security concerns. The local police department was recommending that residents always have their cell phones with them as they walk through their neighborhoods. My neighborhood was a dead zone.
Somehow the company got their permit and put up the tower. We finally had a strong signal at our house. That all ended around January 2, 2009. We were back to even worse signal strength than the beginning. A call to the local store confirmed that others in our neighborhood also had called in to complain. We called the national number. Call one to them ended up with them just taking a report. Call two a couple days later got them to ask a few more questions and promise to follow up. That call did provide the information that the cell tower near us was a partner tower. They promised to look more into it and give me a courtesy call in two days. A week after that call (with no courtesy call received) we got a four bar signal one night but then the very next day we got absolutely nothing, in fact when checking out the service we received an unauthorized message. Call three got them to listen a bit more and finally passed me on to a technician. That technician admitted that the partnership had been canceled. I asked if they were in negotiation to become partners again. They weren't. What was her suggestion to me? To upgrade my service. How would paying for a more expensive plan help getting a signal. I informed her that instead I would be changing carriers.
At work there was a flyer about state employee discounts through the "Can you hear me now" company. I sent an email to the state employee representative mentioned on the flyer. Seven minutes later I received a return email with plan details. She also left a voice message for me.
We changed plans and purchased new phones at a local authorized reseller. Both employees we dealt with there were knowledgeable about the "Can you hear me now" company's product and services. Based on our phone usage at the other carrier they knew we'd only be interested in the bare bones plan and phone. We got no up-sell at all.
Our first bill came and it showed activation fees when we were told the fees would be credited back immediately. I called the "Can you hear me now" company and within 5 minutes I was speaking to a live person. That person was empowered to resolve the issue after checking with a supervisor. I also received an email confirmation with the new balance noted.
Epilogue - two days after we switched I got the courtesy call from "more bars" It was a satisfaction survey.
A year or two later we got a notice from the city about a public hearing for a request for a permit to place a cell tower in our neighborhood. Our city has quite a number of very vocal paranoids that are convinced we'll all die from electromagnetic transmissions. I knew that they'd be trying to stack the ballots as it were with calls and letters to the city. I decided to become civicly involved and wrote a letter to the city in support of the tower, stating security concerns. The local police department was recommending that residents always have their cell phones with them as they walk through their neighborhoods. My neighborhood was a dead zone.
Somehow the company got their permit and put up the tower. We finally had a strong signal at our house. That all ended around January 2, 2009. We were back to even worse signal strength than the beginning. A call to the local store confirmed that others in our neighborhood also had called in to complain. We called the national number. Call one to them ended up with them just taking a report. Call two a couple days later got them to ask a few more questions and promise to follow up. That call did provide the information that the cell tower near us was a partner tower. They promised to look more into it and give me a courtesy call in two days. A week after that call (with no courtesy call received) we got a four bar signal one night but then the very next day we got absolutely nothing, in fact when checking out the service we received an unauthorized message. Call three got them to listen a bit more and finally passed me on to a technician. That technician admitted that the partnership had been canceled. I asked if they were in negotiation to become partners again. They weren't. What was her suggestion to me? To upgrade my service. How would paying for a more expensive plan help getting a signal. I informed her that instead I would be changing carriers.
At work there was a flyer about state employee discounts through the "Can you hear me now" company. I sent an email to the state employee representative mentioned on the flyer. Seven minutes later I received a return email with plan details. She also left a voice message for me.
We changed plans and purchased new phones at a local authorized reseller. Both employees we dealt with there were knowledgeable about the "Can you hear me now" company's product and services. Based on our phone usage at the other carrier they knew we'd only be interested in the bare bones plan and phone. We got no up-sell at all.
Our first bill came and it showed activation fees when we were told the fees would be credited back immediately. I called the "Can you hear me now" company and within 5 minutes I was speaking to a live person. That person was empowered to resolve the issue after checking with a supervisor. I also received an email confirmation with the new balance noted.
Epilogue - two days after we switched I got the courtesy call from "more bars" It was a satisfaction survey.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
25 Things
There is a meme going around Facebook, 25 random things about yourself. You are to then tag 25 other people to do the same thing. I'll not put anyone on the spot by tagging them. If you wish to participate, go ahead and add a note to your Facebook profile or a post to your blog. To my two blog readers, here's more about me.
1 I'm a morning person
2 I can't stand the flavor of licorice, root beer, anise, etc.
3 Was an avid international folk dancer
4 I've collected elephant stuff since age 5
5 First job was as a summer camp counselor
6 I spent my senior year of college on the education abroad program in Israel
7 Became a librarian because I liked my roommate's homework
8 Wanted to be an archaeologist to dig up ancient tombs in Egypt
9 My cell phone is almost always off
10 Created a neighborhood lending library when I was in elementary school. Jennifer still has a book overdue
11 Have four pleasure books being read at a time, one per location: home, bus, work, walk
12 Still have my tonsils and wisdom teeth
13 Wear sensible shoes
14 My first computer was a Kaypro II
15 I've never had a pet
16 I'm extremely shy
17 I've only owned 3 cars in over 30 years
18 Never smoked, ever
19 Don't understand the appeal of gambling
20 I used to answer all the questions sent to the California Home Page, some were doozies
21 I hate eggplant
22 My idea of a great vacation is a cruise, not much planning needed
23 I miss being a cataloger
24 Walk several miles every day
25 Prefer hot weather to cold
As I was trying to come up with 25 things about me I was conscious to not reveal too much personal information about myself. I'm concerned about personal data being published on the Internet. With online banking now using more personal challenge response questions instead of the standard "mother's maiden name" is it a good idea to post your dog's name or your favorite color?
1 I'm a morning person
2 I can't stand the flavor of licorice, root beer, anise, etc.
3 Was an avid international folk dancer
4 I've collected elephant stuff since age 5
5 First job was as a summer camp counselor
6 I spent my senior year of college on the education abroad program in Israel
7 Became a librarian because I liked my roommate's homework
8 Wanted to be an archaeologist to dig up ancient tombs in Egypt
9 My cell phone is almost always off
10 Created a neighborhood lending library when I was in elementary school. Jennifer still has a book overdue
11 Have four pleasure books being read at a time, one per location: home, bus, work, walk
12 Still have my tonsils and wisdom teeth
13 Wear sensible shoes
14 My first computer was a Kaypro II
15 I've never had a pet
16 I'm extremely shy
17 I've only owned 3 cars in over 30 years
18 Never smoked, ever
19 Don't understand the appeal of gambling
20 I used to answer all the questions sent to the California Home Page, some were doozies
21 I hate eggplant
22 My idea of a great vacation is a cruise, not much planning needed
23 I miss being a cataloger
24 Walk several miles every day
25 Prefer hot weather to cold
As I was trying to come up with 25 things about me I was conscious to not reveal too much personal information about myself. I'm concerned about personal data being published on the Internet. With online banking now using more personal challenge response questions instead of the standard "mother's maiden name" is it a good idea to post your dog's name or your favorite color?
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
I'm finally a big girl, at least when it comes to having blood drawn
When I was small I used to scream and thrash whenever I got a shot or had to have blood drawn. My mother had to practically sit on me to hold me steady for the doctor. Having a low threshold for pain and having all those traumatic experiences in my youth I've never been brave or good with having blood drawn. I passed the mid-century mark a few years back but haven't been able to get past that.
Several years ago I was found to carry the family genes for high cholesterol. That required continual monitoring of levels, which meant frequent blood tests. They were always painful and very stressful on me. Somewhere I picked up the advice to bite a finger on the other arm as they are about to put in the needle. The theory being you are causing yourself pain which will move your focus away from the needle. With some phlebotomists (person who draws the blood) that technique doesn't really do much.
Not long ago my medical office changed labs. The phlebotomist at the new lab is very kind and gentle. He's quite good at always finding the vein and causing very little pain. The last time I was in, as he wrapped the constrictor tubing on my arm, I did my usual finger bite. He commented "Oh right, you are the one who has to bite her finger" That shamed me into trying it today without any crutches. As he was getting ready I commented that I was going to be brave and not bite my finger. He said "it's not going to work, see, you are already thinking about it." But I did it, I just sat there and it didn't bother me when he stuck in the needle.
All bets are off however, if I end up with a different phlebotomist. And, I'm still a big baby when it comes to shots and dental work.
Several years ago I was found to carry the family genes for high cholesterol. That required continual monitoring of levels, which meant frequent blood tests. They were always painful and very stressful on me. Somewhere I picked up the advice to bite a finger on the other arm as they are about to put in the needle. The theory being you are causing yourself pain which will move your focus away from the needle. With some phlebotomists (person who draws the blood) that technique doesn't really do much.
Not long ago my medical office changed labs. The phlebotomist at the new lab is very kind and gentle. He's quite good at always finding the vein and causing very little pain. The last time I was in, as he wrapped the constrictor tubing on my arm, I did my usual finger bite. He commented "Oh right, you are the one who has to bite her finger" That shamed me into trying it today without any crutches. As he was getting ready I commented that I was going to be brave and not bite my finger. He said "it's not going to work, see, you are already thinking about it." But I did it, I just sat there and it didn't bother me when he stuck in the needle.
All bets are off however, if I end up with a different phlebotomist. And, I'm still a big baby when it comes to shots and dental work.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Fuzzy Math or Creative Advertising
Perhaps someone can explain this math problem to me.
I just received a flyer from a nearby department store. It is promoting their MVC (Most Valued Customer) program. Here is the exact wording on the flyer:
Here's my calculations of the total savings opportunities: Six days in store plus six days online equals 12 extra savings opportunities, not 18. What am I not seeing?
I just received a flyer from a nearby department store. It is promoting their MVC (Most Valued Customer) program. Here is the exact wording on the flyer:
MVCs (Most Valued Customers) can pick a day to save even more on one day's
purchases in store and online - six times a year. That's a total of 18
extra savings opportunities!
Here's my calculations of the total savings opportunities: Six days in store plus six days online equals 12 extra savings opportunities, not 18. What am I not seeing?
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Take paradise and ...
Back in January the large stately street tree right outside my cubicle window fell down in the wind. City workers promised me that they would replace my tree.
About six months later they did, with a parking station.
Oh Joni, you had it so right.
About six months later they did, with a parking station.
Oh Joni, you had it so right.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Memory check with the help of serendipity
My sister has been concerned about my mother's memory so when I visited my folks last weekend I observed her with that in mind.
My folks had just moved from one senior independent living apartment complex to another three days earlier. My mom spoke of the manager of the old place, how Ms. Manager choses favorites of the residents and had already found a new favorite to replace my parents. The newly blessed resident became that because her son is a member of a rock band and he came by to have lunch with her. I asked my mom (who has never had an interest in anything musical after the Tijuana Brass stopped recording) if she knew the name of the band or the band member's name. She said she thought it was something like Eagle. "The Eagles?" we asked her, they are pretty big. Was the son about our age or very young? About your age she said, but long hair. She thought his name was something like Schmit. I really don't know rock music and S.O. couldn't remember the band members names so we just filed it away as a maybe true, maybe confused story.
The next day I was at my athletic club and walked by the magazine rack. Usually it just has old issues of Time magazine and various trade journals left by other members. This time, front and center, was an issue of Rollingstone and who should be on the cover, you guessed it, The Eagles. One bandmember's name sure enough is Timothy Schmit. Guess my mother's short-term memory is pretty good. Her long-term memory is legendary, so I'm not concerned about memory issues.
My folks had just moved from one senior independent living apartment complex to another three days earlier. My mom spoke of the manager of the old place, how Ms. Manager choses favorites of the residents and had already found a new favorite to replace my parents. The newly blessed resident became that because her son is a member of a rock band and he came by to have lunch with her. I asked my mom (who has never had an interest in anything musical after the Tijuana Brass stopped recording) if she knew the name of the band or the band member's name. She said she thought it was something like Eagle. "The Eagles?" we asked her, they are pretty big. Was the son about our age or very young? About your age she said, but long hair. She thought his name was something like Schmit. I really don't know rock music and S.O. couldn't remember the band members names so we just filed it away as a maybe true, maybe confused story.
The next day I was at my athletic club and walked by the magazine rack. Usually it just has old issues of Time magazine and various trade journals left by other members. This time, front and center, was an issue of Rollingstone and who should be on the cover, you guessed it, The Eagles. One bandmember's name sure enough is Timothy Schmit. Guess my mother's short-term memory is pretty good. Her long-term memory is legendary, so I'm not concerned about memory issues.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Caught on Google Street View
Wouldn't it be cool to see the vehicle used to photograph Google Street View we all thought when the service was announced.
Little did I know that one of those vehicles was following behind me as I rode my bike to my athletic club (score a point for me for actually going to the athletic club.) I wish I had eyes at the back of my head, what a big missed opportunity.
I came across myself on Google Street View quite by accident. Of course I checked out my house and my block when the local newspaper announced that Google had added our city to the Street View locations. Not a soul on the street.
But, the other day I was checking out a real estate listing and wanted to make sure the address listed was the house I was thinking of. I thought it was pretty cool that they seemed to have captured a bicyclist on three or four of the waypoints. Looking closer I realized it had to be me. Confirmed by my S.O. and my sister (who else would recognize my backside)
Anyone else find themselves on Google Street View? My S.O.'s middle brother was out gardening when the vehicle came by his neighborhood in Los Angeles. Nice butt shot of him too.
Little did I know that one of those vehicles was following behind me as I rode my bike to my athletic club (score a point for me for actually going to the athletic club.) I wish I had eyes at the back of my head, what a big missed opportunity.
I came across myself on Google Street View quite by accident. Of course I checked out my house and my block when the local newspaper announced that Google had added our city to the Street View locations. Not a soul on the street.
But, the other day I was checking out a real estate listing and wanted to make sure the address listed was the house I was thinking of. I thought it was pretty cool that they seemed to have captured a bicyclist on three or four of the waypoints. Looking closer I realized it had to be me. Confirmed by my S.O. and my sister (who else would recognize my backside)
Anyone else find themselves on Google Street View? My S.O.'s middle brother was out gardening when the vehicle came by his neighborhood in Los Angeles. Nice butt shot of him too.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
He brings home an award
S.O. won a 2nd place award for his category of car. He was jazzed that his dented Datsun roadster got any award, let alone 2nd place. His elation was tempered by the realization that only three cars were entered in his category. But, at least he didn't come in dead last. Could be the 3rd place finisher was there by himself and didn't have a spouse to vote for him.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Datsun roadsters come to Mt. Shasta
This was our 5th year attending the annual Datsun Show and Shine in Mt. Shasta. This year S.O. stands a good chance of walking away with the prize in his category, even though he has not put any work into restoration. We'll find out tonight at the awards dinner is he won on charm, cause he won't win on looks.
This year, probably due to the price of gas, only 20 roadsters came to the event. That means less competition,in fact there was only one other car in his category.
Yesterday Mt. Shasta city was beautiful with blue skies and clear view of the summit of Mt. Shasta. Overnight the winds changed and the smoke from the many northern California fires are obscuring the views.
This year, probably due to the price of gas, only 20 roadsters came to the event. That means less competition,in fact there was only one other car in his category.
Yesterday Mt. Shasta city was beautiful with blue skies and clear view of the summit of Mt. Shasta. Overnight the winds changed and the smoke from the many northern California fires are obscuring the views.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Isn't the minimum drinking age 21?
My local supermarket is promoting a brand of flavored vodkas. Nothing much wrong with that but I wonder who the vodka company is trying to attract with their new flavors.
Three Olives brand's new flavors are: cherry, root beer, and grape.
Enough said.
Three Olives brand's new flavors are: cherry, root beer, and grape.
Enough said.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
To the rescue
The other day I took some time off to help my sister transport a rescue dog on her penultimate trip to her forever home. I was amazed by the dedication and coordination of all the volunteers that helped bring Marvelle from Texas to her new home in Chico.
Marvelle (who has probably already been renamed by her new parents, which is fine since she didn’t respond to Marvelle) probably started life in a puppy mill in Texas. She is probably about seven months old. She is a beautiful tri-colored basenji.
A volunteer from BRAT (Basenji Rescue and Transport http://basenjirescue.org) drove her from Texas to southern California. Another volunteer took her from southern California to Harris ranch (about 400 miles round trip up I-5.) Another volunteer then drove from San Jose to Harris ranch (again about 400 miles round trip) to bring her to his home. We drove from Sacramento to San Jose and brought her to Davis (200 miles round trip) where her new parents met us to take her to her new home in Chico (200 miles round trip) A lot of time and gasoline, and a whole lot of love went into bringing her to a family that will cherish and understand her.
Basenjis are often abandoned or given up for adoption. They are beautiful dogs but do not make good pets for families that do not understand the breed. Years ago my sister wanted a dog and did a lot of research into what breed to get. Basenji it was. Dollar was a pound puppy, twice rejected but then my sister came along and gave him a good home. Dollar passed away a number of years ago. My sister got involved with BRAT, first fostering dogs, then helping coordinate adoptions. She also helps write the first doggie (person) descriptions of the dogs awaiting adoption. Makes one want to adopt each and every one of them.
A salute to my sister and all dog rescue volunteers.
Marvelle (who has probably already been renamed by her new parents, which is fine since she didn’t respond to Marvelle) probably started life in a puppy mill in Texas. She is probably about seven months old. She is a beautiful tri-colored basenji.
A volunteer from BRAT (Basenji Rescue and Transport http://basenjirescue.org) drove her from Texas to southern California. Another volunteer took her from southern California to Harris ranch (about 400 miles round trip up I-5.) Another volunteer then drove from San Jose to Harris ranch (again about 400 miles round trip) to bring her to his home. We drove from Sacramento to San Jose and brought her to Davis (200 miles round trip) where her new parents met us to take her to her new home in Chico (200 miles round trip) A lot of time and gasoline, and a whole lot of love went into bringing her to a family that will cherish and understand her.
Basenjis are often abandoned or given up for adoption. They are beautiful dogs but do not make good pets for families that do not understand the breed. Years ago my sister wanted a dog and did a lot of research into what breed to get. Basenji it was. Dollar was a pound puppy, twice rejected but then my sister came along and gave him a good home. Dollar passed away a number of years ago. My sister got involved with BRAT, first fostering dogs, then helping coordinate adoptions. She also helps write the first doggie (person) descriptions of the dogs awaiting adoption. Makes one want to adopt each and every one of them.
A salute to my sister and all dog rescue volunteers.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
My summer vacation pt. 2 (Big Island, Hawaii)
Allowing just enough time before we had to check out of Volcano House, we took the Chain of Craters road from the Caldera down to the Petroglyph Trail. We did not have enough time to proceed beyond the boardwalk to see more of the petroglyphs. Would have needed more than the two hours we allotted to the entire trip.
On checking out S.O. discovered that he had lost his room key card. He thinks he may have dropped it at the petroglyph parking lot, a ½ hour drive away, so we paid the $20 replacement cost. If you happen to notice a credit card sized piece of plastic on the road there, please return it to Volcano House. They promise they will refund the fee if it is returned.
We took road 11 south to get to Kona with a rest stop at the Punalu’u Black Sand Beach (where we saw lots of hawkbill turtles in the water and one sunning on the beach) and lunch at the Hana Hou Bakery, the southern-most restaurant in the United States. My review can be found at
http://www.yelp.com/biz/hana-hou-bakery-naalehu#hrid:kscDyxJRgyeHQBD07_Ut6Q
In Kona we stayed in a condo complex (Kona by the was recommended by an old boss.) The condo (unit 309) was good sized. One bedroom, two bathrooms, a complete kitchen and a washer and dryer. Of course a lanai with an ocean view. Suggestion, even if you don’t intent to use the dishwasher, check it right away. I discovered on our last morning as we were rushing out that the prior occupants had loaded it with their dirty dishes and never run the wash. Solved the mystery as to why I couldn’t find some things in the kitchen.
One afternoon we took the Mauna Kea Summit trip offered through Hawaii Forest and Trail. A well organized and fun trip. Two vans, each holding eight passengers, head out from Kona to arrive at the summit of Mauna Kea in time for sunset. Along the way is a dinner stop at about the 6,000 foot level to help acclimate to the elevation. We spent about an hour at the summit (over 13,000 feet, parkas provided) in time to watch a number of observatories rotate and open in preparation of the night's work, and a spectacular sunset. We then headed down to the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy, at about 9,000 feet, for bathrooms, hot chocolate and star gazing. The trip ended at about 11 p.m. We got some good tips on where to eat cheaply in Kona from our guide Chuck.
One morning we took the Fair Wind II catamaran out of Keauhou Bay for a morning of snorkeling in Kealakekua Bay. Great snorkeling. Review of the excursion can be found at:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/fair-wind-kailua-kona#hrid:Ux-WdsmEAwsKBTzG8lxG1A
One of the highlights of the trip was going to the Sheraton Keauhou Bay at night to the terrace off the Crystal Blue Terrace bar to see manta rays feeding. The resort shines a light into the ocean which attracts plankton which in turn attracts the manta rays. The night we went there were two snorkelers in the water with the rays shining bright flashlights into the water. There were four manta rays feeding around them.
Recommendations:
Purchase and read cover-to-cover the Wizard Publications Big Island Revealed.
Bring along a soft-sided insulated cooler. We froze water bottles and packed our lunch sandwiches in it daily.
Find out if cruise ships will be in port and plan accordingly. The port areas and popular sites will be crowded.
What we’d do differently:
We’d spend more time in Hilo. We’d upgrade to a car with a trunk so we wouldn't have to worry about leaving our luggage in the car as we moved from one location to another. I would purchase and bring along my own prescription snorkel mask.
Some of my photos are at: http://flickr.com/photos/75268079@N00/sets/72157605002830049/
On checking out S.O. discovered that he had lost his room key card. He thinks he may have dropped it at the petroglyph parking lot, a ½ hour drive away, so we paid the $20 replacement cost. If you happen to notice a credit card sized piece of plastic on the road there, please return it to Volcano House. They promise they will refund the fee if it is returned.
We took road 11 south to get to Kona with a rest stop at the Punalu’u Black Sand Beach (where we saw lots of hawkbill turtles in the water and one sunning on the beach) and lunch at the Hana Hou Bakery, the southern-most restaurant in the United States. My review can be found at
http://www.yelp.com/biz/hana-hou-bakery-naalehu#hrid:kscDyxJRgyeHQBD07_Ut6Q
In Kona we stayed in a condo complex (Kona by the was recommended by an old boss.) The condo (unit 309) was good sized. One bedroom, two bathrooms, a complete kitchen and a washer and dryer. Of course a lanai with an ocean view. Suggestion, even if you don’t intent to use the dishwasher, check it right away. I discovered on our last morning as we were rushing out that the prior occupants had loaded it with their dirty dishes and never run the wash. Solved the mystery as to why I couldn’t find some things in the kitchen.
One afternoon we took the Mauna Kea Summit trip offered through Hawaii Forest and Trail. A well organized and fun trip. Two vans, each holding eight passengers, head out from Kona to arrive at the summit of Mauna Kea in time for sunset. Along the way is a dinner stop at about the 6,000 foot level to help acclimate to the elevation. We spent about an hour at the summit (over 13,000 feet, parkas provided) in time to watch a number of observatories rotate and open in preparation of the night's work, and a spectacular sunset. We then headed down to the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy, at about 9,000 feet, for bathrooms, hot chocolate and star gazing. The trip ended at about 11 p.m. We got some good tips on where to eat cheaply in Kona from our guide Chuck.
One morning we took the Fair Wind II catamaran out of Keauhou Bay for a morning of snorkeling in Kealakekua Bay. Great snorkeling. Review of the excursion can be found at:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/fair-wind-kailua-kona#hrid:Ux-WdsmEAwsKBTzG8lxG1A
One of the highlights of the trip was going to the Sheraton Keauhou Bay at night to the terrace off the Crystal Blue Terrace bar to see manta rays feeding. The resort shines a light into the ocean which attracts plankton which in turn attracts the manta rays. The night we went there were two snorkelers in the water with the rays shining bright flashlights into the water. There were four manta rays feeding around them.
Recommendations:
Purchase and read cover-to-cover the Wizard Publications Big Island Revealed.
Bring along a soft-sided insulated cooler. We froze water bottles and packed our lunch sandwiches in it daily.
Find out if cruise ships will be in port and plan accordingly. The port areas and popular sites will be crowded.
What we’d do differently:
We’d spend more time in Hilo. We’d upgrade to a car with a trunk so we wouldn't have to worry about leaving our luggage in the car as we moved from one location to another. I would purchase and bring along my own prescription snorkel mask.
Some of my photos are at: http://flickr.com/photos/75268079@N00/sets/72157605002830049/
Saturday, May 31, 2008
My summer vacation (Big Island, Hawaii)
We spent nine nights on the Big Island of Hawaii. S.O. had never been to the island before. I had been there back in 1981 and for two half-days on a cruise in 2006. With that prior experience I realized we should split up our trip between the two sides of the island. We spent two nights in Hilo, one night at Volcano House at the Kilauea Caldera and then six nights in a condo in Kona. We flew into Kona, picked up our rental car (economy class, Dodge Caliber) and drove to Hilo.
My boss had cautiously recommended a hotel in Hilo. “It’s not fancy” she warned. The Dolphin Bay Hotel is a small older hotel located in a residential area not too far from central Hilo. The accommodations are nothing special, though the rooms do include a full kitchen. It is the expertise of the management and the attention to detail that set this place apart. From the moment we arrived we were asked if we would like recommendations on where to eat and what to see. Maps were immediately pulled out, marked up, and detailed instructions were given to find all the special spots. The hotel property includes an extensive lovely garden with orchids, bromeliads, banana trees; a tropical paradise. The lobby area has free wi-fi available. Also in the lobby area are fresh bananas and papayas. Umbrellas are available for the inevitable rain. A bookshelf on novels for those that forget reading material sits in the hallway. The staff will gladly loan you flashlights for night-time lava viewing. There are even ear plugs in the bathroom medicine cabinet to help drown out the croaking of the frogs at night. I highly recommend the Dolphin Bay Hotel for anyone that doesn’t need first-class or resort accommodations.
Due to traveling west three time zones we were able to get an early start our first full day. First heading north we visited Akaka Falls, Rainbow Falls, the Boiling Pots. We then headed south of Hilo, stopping first at Lava Trees state park. We ate our picnic lunch there, feeding the chickens that come out to greet each car as it pulls into the lot. We continued on to the Kapoho tide pools were S.O. snorkeled. He rates the snorkeling there as an OK. Then on to Ahalanui, a volcanically heated pool. That was a relaxing stop. We then drove to the end of road 137, rather to the end not wiped out by the various lava flows since 1990. Heading out on road 130 we went to the eruption viewing area. You can not see any lava directly but can see the steam as the lava enters the ocean. After a ¾ mile walk over lava to an observation area we waited for sunset. Once the sun went down a bright red glow could be seen from the lava vent area. At times what appeared to be sparks would flare. Everyone there oohed and awed as if watching a fireworks show. Afterwards is where the borrowed flashlights came in really handy as walking over lava in pitch dark is no easy task.
A late night snack at Ken’s House of Pancakes rounded out our first full day of vacation.
The next day we wandered through the Hilo farmers’ market, went back to Ken’s for lunch (fabulous French fries) and then headed for Volcanoes National Park. The Halema’uma’u Crater in the Kilauea Caldera is active, belching sulfur dioxide gas. Half of Crater Rim Drive is closed and all trails leading into the crater are also closed due to this. It was raining pretty steadily at the volcano but we did all the obligatory stops. Visibility of the crater came and went.
See the May 11th postings for our Volcano House experiences.
To be continued…
My boss had cautiously recommended a hotel in Hilo. “It’s not fancy” she warned. The Dolphin Bay Hotel is a small older hotel located in a residential area not too far from central Hilo. The accommodations are nothing special, though the rooms do include a full kitchen. It is the expertise of the management and the attention to detail that set this place apart. From the moment we arrived we were asked if we would like recommendations on where to eat and what to see. Maps were immediately pulled out, marked up, and detailed instructions were given to find all the special spots. The hotel property includes an extensive lovely garden with orchids, bromeliads, banana trees; a tropical paradise. The lobby area has free wi-fi available. Also in the lobby area are fresh bananas and papayas. Umbrellas are available for the inevitable rain. A bookshelf on novels for those that forget reading material sits in the hallway. The staff will gladly loan you flashlights for night-time lava viewing. There are even ear plugs in the bathroom medicine cabinet to help drown out the croaking of the frogs at night. I highly recommend the Dolphin Bay Hotel for anyone that doesn’t need first-class or resort accommodations.
Due to traveling west three time zones we were able to get an early start our first full day. First heading north we visited Akaka Falls, Rainbow Falls, the Boiling Pots. We then headed south of Hilo, stopping first at Lava Trees state park. We ate our picnic lunch there, feeding the chickens that come out to greet each car as it pulls into the lot. We continued on to the Kapoho tide pools were S.O. snorkeled. He rates the snorkeling there as an OK. Then on to Ahalanui, a volcanically heated pool. That was a relaxing stop. We then drove to the end of road 137, rather to the end not wiped out by the various lava flows since 1990. Heading out on road 130 we went to the eruption viewing area. You can not see any lava directly but can see the steam as the lava enters the ocean. After a ¾ mile walk over lava to an observation area we waited for sunset. Once the sun went down a bright red glow could be seen from the lava vent area. At times what appeared to be sparks would flare. Everyone there oohed and awed as if watching a fireworks show. Afterwards is where the borrowed flashlights came in really handy as walking over lava in pitch dark is no easy task.
A late night snack at Ken’s House of Pancakes rounded out our first full day of vacation.
The next day we wandered through the Hilo farmers’ market, went back to Ken’s for lunch (fabulous French fries) and then headed for Volcanoes National Park. The Halema’uma’u Crater in the Kilauea Caldera is active, belching sulfur dioxide gas. Half of Crater Rim Drive is closed and all trails leading into the crater are also closed due to this. It was raining pretty steadily at the volcano but we did all the obligatory stops. Visibility of the crater came and went.
See the May 11th postings for our Volcano House experiences.
To be continued…
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Mother nature spoils Pele's show
In order to take advantage of all the Volcanoes National Park we booked one night at the Volcano House and paid extra for a deluxe crater view room.
When we arrived it was raining steadily, creating a mist and fog that pretty much obscured the crater. We headed out to all the open look-out areas (a large portion of the Crater Rim Drive is closed due to activity at the Halemaumau crater.) At times the sky would clear but by the time we got back to our room the sky had misted up again.
After a decent night's sleep I looked out the window at about 5:45 a.m., the sun was rising behind us and the crater view was stunning. Within 10 minutes though the rain started and the view was obscured yet again. Almost missed getting a shot because the XO laptop takes so long to boot. My regular camera doesn't like taking pictures through glass.
If staying at Volcano House, our recommendation is to bring food along for dinner or leave the park. Dinner at the Volcano House restaurant was atrocious and very expensive.
When we arrived it was raining steadily, creating a mist and fog that pretty much obscured the crater. We headed out to all the open look-out areas (a large portion of the Crater Rim Drive is closed due to activity at the Halemaumau crater.) At times the sky would clear but by the time we got back to our room the sky had misted up again.
After a decent night's sleep I looked out the window at about 5:45 a.m., the sun was rising behind us and the crater view was stunning. Within 10 minutes though the rain started and the view was obscured yet again. Almost missed getting a shot because the XO laptop takes so long to boot. My regular camera doesn't like taking pictures through glass.
If staying at Volcano House, our recommendation is to bring food along for dinner or leave the park. Dinner at the Volcano House restaurant was atrocious and very expensive.
No Returns
The restaurant at Volcano House has a dinner menu that appears to promise at least some good eats, albeit at exhorbitant prices. You must make reservations for dinner. On arrival at your time you check in with the hostess who has a waiter escort you to your white-clothed covered table.
I ordered shrimp scampi at $24.50. My S.O. ordered the chicken picatta from the special entrees for the day (at $20.95.) We got a choice of dressings for our salad, the usual selection; ranch, Italian, blue cheese, plus two specialties; papaya seed or liliani passion fruit. We were also asked for our "choice of starch" which consisted of white rice, wild rice or red potatoes.
The salad arrived and we immediately regretted our decision to stay in the park for dinner. The salad consisted of a small plate with a little iceberg lettuce, one cucumber slice, one cherry tomato, and some carrot shavings. The dressing was presented in a plastic cup.
The entrees arrived. The main ingredient in my scampi was mushrooms. At least it had enough garlic to be a little tasty. Not so the chicken. The capers were so vinegary they couldn't be eaten. The chicken was dry and tasteless.
We wonder why they even pretend to be a nice restaurant. They've got to figure on never having repeat customers.
I ordered shrimp scampi at $24.50. My S.O. ordered the chicken picatta from the special entrees for the day (at $20.95.) We got a choice of dressings for our salad, the usual selection; ranch, Italian, blue cheese, plus two specialties; papaya seed or liliani passion fruit. We were also asked for our "choice of starch" which consisted of white rice, wild rice or red potatoes.
The salad arrived and we immediately regretted our decision to stay in the park for dinner. The salad consisted of a small plate with a little iceberg lettuce, one cucumber slice, one cherry tomato, and some carrot shavings. The dressing was presented in a plastic cup.
The entrees arrived. The main ingredient in my scampi was mushrooms. At least it had enough garlic to be a little tasty. Not so the chicken. The capers were so vinegary they couldn't be eaten. The chicken was dry and tasteless.
We wonder why they even pretend to be a nice restaurant. They've got to figure on never having repeat customers.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Work vs. vacation
My S.O. and I have come to the stunning realization that a vacation is preferable to work, at least in the long run. Still stressful at times, but filled with new experiences and calming vistas.
We are now on the big island of Hawaii. We spent two nights at a real treasure of a hotel, the Dolphin Bay Hotel. In addition to reasonable prices they've thought of a lot of things to help make their guests' stay enjoyable. One amenity is fresh fruit for all to enjoy. They grow their own bananas and have bunches hanging in the lobby for the taking.
We had a full day of activities yesterday, culminated by viewing the glow of the lava vents as they hit the sea.
As it's hard to type on my XO and the Hilo farmers' market awaits us, that's it for now.
We are now on the big island of Hawaii. We spent two nights at a real treasure of a hotel, the Dolphin Bay Hotel. In addition to reasonable prices they've thought of a lot of things to help make their guests' stay enjoyable. One amenity is fresh fruit for all to enjoy. They grow their own bananas and have bunches hanging in the lobby for the taking.
We had a full day of activities yesterday, culminated by viewing the glow of the lava vents as they hit the sea.
As it's hard to type on my XO and the Hilo farmers' market awaits us, that's it for now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
