Thailand Trip: Missing Thai Beaches

We walked down the long dusty steps longing for that blue/green water in the distance.  Down, down we went.

And then suddenly the sign appeared.  Simple. Concise. Straightforward.

Welcome to the beach. 

It was a perfect Phuket beach day. Warm blue/green water. A few very cold Singhas. A spicy, green curry chicken at the beach shack overlooking the beach.

 
And then we made our way to this beach for a perfect sunset and an icy, minty mojito.

Missing Thai Food

I sort of know what it feels like to be a foreiger in the U.S. and not like the food.  It's something that has always bothered me when I've worked with political party officials and others visiting the U.S.

But after my recent trip to Thailand and just plain good, fresh food everyday, I feel a bit like a foreigner longing for a home-cooked meal.  Something with fresh cilantro.  How about some glass noodles and peanuts with chilis?  Or I would even bargain for some freshly cut watermelon or pineapple.

It's not that we can't get that in the U.S. -- heck, we ate Thai takeout twice last week. I've been known to cook up a spicy green curry chicken.   

But just look at these beautiful fruits and vegetables.  Isn't there something deliciously exotic about them? 

Thai Tranquility

This is how it started. Being led down a simple boardwalk. Amongst bamboo and ferns. Away from the entrance and traffic and bustle.

 To a simple teak house.  With 2 simple beds. And a simple breeze.  Following a simple path that others had traveled before us.

And then 2 calm women arrived. With delicious smelling creams for our faces.  And their hands, simply. For the rest of us.

Until the journey began.  And then all was simple in Phuket and beyond.

Until the sun set.  And we were transformed.  Able to go back to our lives with some simple thoughts about what makes life easier and more calm.

True Confessions of a Spa Addict

I have a confession. I've kept this secret for a very long time. 

The last time I was in Bangkok I did it.  I paid a lot of money.  I snuck out of my hotel, went alone and didn't tell anyone where I was going.

I went to the Espa Spa at the Peninsula Hotel for a Thai massage and relaxation room. 

It was overly indulgent and magical at the same time.  It was relaxing and exhilirating at the same time. 

'My true friends will understand why I don't really feel all that guilty.  They would have and probably have done the same.

In retrospect, it was worth every last baht.

A Lovely Bangkok evening

What a lovely, lovely evening.  Of serene, oh so serene faces.  Beautiful accessorized Buddhas. Yellow flowered bracelets. Many, many bottles of wine. And much, much laughter.



A New Get Away...in Vermont

Here's the exciting news.  We are closing on a get away home in Vermont.  We've been looking for three years without luck.

More than a month ago we walked into this 1795 beauty and quietly said to ourselves, "this is it."  

Take a look and let me know what you think.

A few of my favorite (Vermont) things

I am trying to put my finger on it. Why? Why do I love Vermont so much?

City market in Burlington...fresh local bread, milk,
pies and just about everything else you can spend money on? And I did! Just one of the many places I love in Burlington.

The snow...for sledding and skiing and running in with Abby! We spent part of an afternoon pretending we were polar bears!

The drives...bucolic, scenic...what other words come to mind. I must be a sucker for fresh red barns, grazing cows and white steeples. I am transfixed.

Sleepy Hollow...our little x country area. Just perfect this weekend.

Friends...we are lucky.

And enjoying it all with our kids...they make it all special and magical.

Happy Birthday, Precious Abby

It all began with an innocent first date.  Just a good contact.  But then something happened. We fell in love.  We got married.  And not so long afterward, we had a beautiful baby girl. 

We named her Abigail, thinking of another strong woman in history who had forged a path for women. We knew that she would be special.

And she is.  Happy 7th birthday, my beautiful, special Abby.

Vermont Infatuation

I love Vermont. That's my confession this week. The small town feel. The charm of the countryside. The fresh, organic food.  The friends we've made there. 

I even love the cold (sometimes) and the way it hits you when you walk out the door.

And I loved this picturesque farm, where they raise over 100 goats, on our way to visit our friends Lise and Jimmy further south. We "talked" to the goats and even got to see them being milked.

Somehow, it didn't matter that our car broke down and we were 90 miles from home. 

I guess that's why I love Vermont.

Foodie Finds in Australia

You know me. Always on the hunt for a good meal. Well, a great meal.  Not the touristy places. The places I feel lucky to be dining.  The places that have great ambience. Great fellow diners.  An amazing wine list.  Unusual deserts.

Here are a few finds in Sydney:

Baroque: My friend, Anya's, friend Ollie owns it.  So I wanted to like it.  But I really liked it.  The ambience is great. The desserts, particularly the macaroons, are to die for.  And the outside deck is a great after dinner watering spot.  Throw in a few hip, 20 something Australians, and it made for a vey fun Friday night.

Sailors Thai: On George Street in the Rocks. Down a flight of steps and then onto the back deck overlooking the back of the big Sydney passenger terminal.  The presentation of prawns in banana leaf, crispy pork with quail egg and beef salad with oh-so-fresh mint was perfect.  Thanks for dinner James and Tim!

The Hyde Park Cafe: Just outside of the Hyde Park Barracks museum, I almost walked right on by.  But then I noticed the prawn salad someone was eating and the nicely shaded outdoor tables.  I had superb meal with a pinot grigio and then something they called chocolate pudding, which was actually a chocolate molten cake, with white chocolate shavings on top, citrus oil and a dark chocolate ball on top.  Need I say yummy?

Happiness Down Under

It's been an intense work week down under. Back to back meetings.  Receptions. Strategic planning.  Presentations.  I've managed to squeeze in a bit at the end of the trip.  Here are a few highlights.

What more can one say about the Opera House at sunset?

And I loved the beach town on Manly -- a short hop away from Sydney.  Good vibe. Great waves. And a wonderful day spent with a former colleague.

The flowers and vegetation at the Botanical Gardens in Adelaide were amazing.  I only managed a short walk on my way to a reception at the National Wine Center...but wow!

And if we are talking amazing....can you believe these pastries that you look at in awe at Baroque.  Dear Anya, thank you for introducing me to this treasure in The Rocks.  An evening well spent in so many ways!

And finally, Darling Harbor. This picture does not do it justice.  Last night, we were feted with fire works at 10 pm over the harbor.  Another wow moment.

Australia...again

Here I come Australia. Tonight, I'm flying V Australia. I'll let you know what I think.

For me, these long flights mean two things. Sleep. Movies.  It's like my own, private date night.

Goodbye Los Angeles. Here I come Adelaide.

Halloween Indeed

It was quite the Halloween.  And now my world is upside down or at least sideways.  I have no idea why...but hopefully you can see my little cuties!

Bali Hotel Tugu...Just Stunning

My dear friend, Francoise, provided me with the brochure for Hotel Tugu, Bali.  She is the type of friend you go to for the best masseuse, foreign hotels, nail salon and more. She's the wife of a U.S. diplomat, still highly respected in the MENA country where they spent many years.  She raised her children abroad, still travels widely and what I hope to be when I'm in my later years.

Check out this beautiful property.  Need I say more?

Relaxing....or Did I?

Sorry, folks. It's been a while. Wish I could say I was off at a relaxing yoga retreat in Bali, but alas it was much more mundane.

Brad was in Russia for 2 weeks and while he was there, I managed to help run a conference for communications professionals from 61 countries here in D.C., as well as juggle Abby's schedule and a bout of bronchitis that Stefan acquired.

Somewhere, in the last few weeks, we did manage to sneak away to the Hotel Monaco for an overnight. Just me and my hubby.  Champagne. Good food.  No kids.  Sunday morning in bed with the New York Times. 

Sadly, it seems very, very long ago.

Moscow Photos?

I'm waiting. Waiting for photos from my husband, who is in Russia.

He rarely sends any of his travels.  I do need to teach that man a thing or two about photo taking.

I'm working on it.  Maybe this will incentivize him.  Maybe not.

So Many Hotels, So Little Time

I love planning.  Planning meals. Planning outfits. But most of all planning trips. 

So we are off to NYC for a girls' weekend.  Abby and I; and our friends, Debra and Kate, that is.

So many glorious hotels to choose from.

A Crying Day

Once there was little girl who decided to grow up and go off to first grade.  She bounced out of bed, put on a pretty flowered dress and blue headband, buttoned her blue cardigan and slung her backpack over her shoulder.

She walked hand in hand with her mommy and daddy to school, stopping to shake hands with the principal at the school door and assuring him that "thank goodness she was back."

In the classroom, there were new books to look at, insects in a large glass case and old friends to catch up with.

And then she said goodbye and assured mommy, who had tears in her eyes, that it was time for her to go outside if she was going to cry.

And so her mommy did, shaking her head that her little girl was starting 1st grade and wondering how she was growing up so quickly.

A NYC Fairytale

Once upon a time there was a little girl and her mommy. They took a train from Washington, D.C. on a Friday afternoon. They sat and giggled and read books and napped. Then they...arrived. They walked out of Penn Station to see skyscrapers and jostle the crowds to take a taxi uptown, smiling at what awaited them.

They met mommy's friend and then went and got their nails painted. Pink, of course. They sat at a cozy neighborhood Italian restaurant with their mommy's beautiful friend, Becky, and ate steaming plates of pasta, while the rest of New York bustled about.

They had lunch amongst martians at Mars 2012, after arriving on a spaceship, with their friends, Debra and Kate. Then, they want through a revolving door to see dolls everywhere. Some were blond. Some were brunettes. Some were riding bikes. Some were leading horses around. The little girl picked one named Julie who looked like her, with gleaming blond hair. They tenderly took her out of the box and the little girl said she would be her new mommy.

They were tired and hungry and went to tea. There were lots of cakes and cookies, some of them with powdered sugar and fancy icing. They had endless lemonade and sat with their new babies, eating like grown up girls and talking with their mommies.

At Bloomingdales, they were given little bags with perfume while their mommies tried on various fragrances and lipsticks. Then they ate frozen yogurt which dripped over the sides of the cups.

Soon it was time to go home and they boarded the train back to Washington, D.C. They cuddled and talked the whole way home, telling about their favorite part of the trip. Being together.

Happy Wednesday

This photo makes me smile.