Austin TX: When your time in the city has limits

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In my nearly three decades of business travel, I’ve spent hundreds of nights all across Texas (I submit exhibit A as proof: Houston, McAllen, San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, Midland, Amarillo, Lubbock, Hereford) but this was (oddly and sadly) only my second time to Austin and Melissa’s first. We had limited time to visit this state capitol, music town, home of the University of Texas Longhorns and Live music show, Austin City Limits. We started with watching the Longhorns playing the OU Sooners in the Big 12 Championship game at our hotel and then struck out to find some music…

Halloween comes to Denver, 19th century style

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This weekend, we enjoyed one of our favorite annual traditions which was a trip to the Molly Brown House museum in Denver for the Victorian House of Horrors.   We stumbled upon this event by accident and through a referral from one of Melissa’s coworkers about ten years ago and have been going ever since. In the two weekends leading up to the actual weekend of or before Halloween, Historic Denver presents this event at the Molly Brown House (of unsinkable, in reference to her Titanic survival, fame). There are about 5-6 readings in various rooms of the house performed…

One night in Miami

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I often make fun of Melissa’s (obsessive) planning, but, well, I shouldn’t. For my fiftieth birthday this year we chose a cruise. I’ve never been on one before so we dove right in with a two week one. I figured if I hated it, I might as well really hate it. But I digress… We launch out of Miami and decided to spend a night (vs. take a red eye in December from Denver with no great back up flights to get us in on time) and stayed downtown. While I’m not sure I would stay in that area for…

Getting Our Kicks, Parallel to Route 66

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If there’s one thing I’m good at, its a road trip.  I love them.  I’ve driven from Vermont to Colorado five times, done the reverse trip once, driven from Boston to Colorado once and from Southern California to Colorado twice.  I’ve also driven around most of the USA, living out of a pick-up for seven weeks after college, and done countless long drives for work. Last weekend, we completed a road trip from San Clemente, CA back to Denver.  The occasion was sad, marking the end of hauling stuff of our parents’ places back to our own home, but despite that…

San Francisco: Favorite things to do in a City of Diversity by the Bay

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A couple of weekends ago, we returned to San Francisco, California for the first time in a couple of years. We have both made many trips here both together and separately over the years.  One thing that makes this place great, as America itself, is its incredible diversity. We ate fabulous Italian food in North Beach, strolled past (only because we’d just had brunch) ramen shops in Japan town, witnessed an amazing parade celebration of the Chinese New Year (the largest outside of Asia and in and of itself a display of diversity from Chinese dragons, fireworks and martial arts displays…

San Clemente – favorite surf town food

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For more than a decade, we’ve been headed to San Clemente, California to visit family.  Sadly, there are fewer family members to visit since we started going out there, but our fond memories of being with those we’ve lost (and those who remain) and of the town itself linger.  The following are some of our favorite places to grab a bite and/or a drink in this cool surfer town. Prior to being founded in 1776 by the Spaniards who founded the Mission at San Juan Capistrano (just up the road from San Clemente), the area was inhabited by the Juaneno native people. …

On the Santa Fe Trail: Things to Do and our Top 10 Restaurants

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  This past weekend we returned, for the first time in a few years, to one of our favorite spots: Santa Fe, NM.  While hopping and fun and full of festivals and rooftop bars in the summertime, late fall or winter is even better if you’re looking for a sleepier getaway.  The high altitude winter air is crisp with the smell of pinon burning in fireplaces all around town. The state capitol of New Mexico, Santa Fe is popular for its art galleries (according to the Santa Fe Gallery Association there are more than 200), Georgia O’Keefe museum, Cathedral Basilica of Saint…