Page contents

Munich Day Trip to Neuschwanstein Castle

“I want to see Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. You know, the one built by the crazy king.” I told my friend.

“You say that like there was only one crazy king in history,” was her reply. She had a point. Not knowing how to get remotely close to correctly pronouncing Neuschwanstein Castle, I thought I could explain it in Disney terms and references to mad kings to get my friend to understand me.

Visions of Barneys, Gumps and Macys Danced in their Heads

Remember when you were little, and that Christmas catalog or the toy store’s Christmas ad came out (you know the one, with more than 20 pages of TOYS)? Did you circle everything you wanted and dog-eared your favorite pages for Santa, like I did? Imagine doing that now, in person. That’s what our Christmas outing in San Francisco is like. Like children on a new playground, we wonder in amazement at everything around us.

Napa Valley Girlfriend Getaway

Sometimes a girl just has to get away. Our girls’ weekend is an escape from all our daily duties and responsibilities and an opportunity to partake in a few of the things we ladies like best. At least once a year my friends and I take a long weekend in the Napa Valley and indulge some in wining, dining, relaxing, and pampering. Sometimes the weekend resembles a teenage slumber party, and at other times it can feel like life of the rich and famous. These escapes are always about reconnecting with each other and having fun.

Turin: An Italian Chocolate Primer

Giddier than a teenager going to a Justin Bieber concert, with chocolate guidebooks in hand, I set out to visit the hundreds of chocolate shops in the city. Although I didn’t get anywhere close to all of them, I’m sure I made a serious dent in Turin’s chocolate supply. Death by chocolate was a strong possibility. Via visits to six chocolatiers, I give you a glimpse of my chocolate binge in Turin.

How to Make Tamales

In California we are fortunate to have an abundance of ethnic restaurants, especially Mexican ones. When you have friends from Mexico who cook, or when their moms cook for you, it’s even better. Around Christmas, I’ve been known to hang around these friends’ houses just a bit more because I know it’s the season for tamales. During the holidays in a Mexican household, you’ll see bags filled with cornhusk-wrapped packages being passed around like presents