Fast 5 Travel Tips: Damn Glad I Packed it For Vegas

1. Eye drops. Late nights... dry desert air....smoke....alcohol...enough said!

2. Little red dress. It's Vegas. Dress up. Black blends in. Red says, "Good Canadian Girl."

3. Clutch purse. Always on my wrist. Never lost. No bulky purse. No weird looks from casino security.

4. Granola bars. Long trek to the breakfast restaurant.

5. An appetite. The fine dining in Vegas is simply outstanding.  If you like restaurants by celebrity chefs, there is one on every corner. The hardest part is choosing where to dine.

@cdntripseeker on Twitter

Fast 5 Travel Tips: What I Should Have Packed for Vegas

1. Better shoes for walking. Damn those heels looked good... for the first 2 hours.

2. A cozy t-shirt. Eventually I got tired of looking awesome. LOL

3. Just one bikini. I really didn't need two.  Your time is limited in the sun when it's 41 freaking degrees celsius.

4. Moisturizer. I felt dry all the time.

5. More glitter. It's Vegas. I didn't feel sparkly enough. Should have packed some glitter!

@cdntripseeker

Fast 5 Travel Tips: Girls' Essential Packing List

Right now, I'm thinking Vegas. But I think it applies everywhere. 5 items the savvy girl packs for every trip.

1. Eye Cream. Don't let tired eyes and puffiness wreck your photos.

2. One outfit that you LOVE! Something you'd never wear in your "real life" at home.

3. A pretty scarf or pashmina. It can keep you warm on the plane, make any outfit look chic, double as a sarong, a head wrap, a belt, a pillowcase. So many uses.

4. Travel/ purse shoes. You know, those little fold up "emergency" ballet flats, for when your dancing shoes come off, or you break a stiletto and you still have to walk to your hotel.

5. A half empty suitcase for all the shopping gems you want to bring home.

@cdntripseeker

Life in the Kitchen

I look at my son and I am reminded I have spent, very nearly, his entire life as a restaurant owner. When he was just a few months old, he sat in the baby swing as I wrote the business proposal. I toted my newborn around to banks and credit unions and told the bank managers "I could do it." I was sleep deprived then and I am sleep deprived now.

What HAS changed is the role he plays. Today, my sweet 6 year-old toted cases of Coca Cola into the shop, asked for "the usual" for lunch and asked if I had the script ready yet for his latest radio commercial for the restaurant. Funny how life progresses in the blink of an eye!

He's voicing another radio ad for the restaurant tomorrow because some of our regular customers mentioned they had heard our recent commercial and were disappointed not to hear CJ in it. It made me realize another two years had flown by. Last time he did our ads he was four. He couldn't even READ the scripts. The one-take wonder did it all by memory. This time, he can actually read the script! (I just hope he approves and doesn't want to make a whole bunch of changes now!) 

When I bought the restaurant it was old, tired and overlooked. But of course, like any entrepreneur, I thought it had POTENTIAL. Potential. What a word! It's the kind of word that makes us jump off cliffs, buy ratty old houses and antique chevrolet trucks. Ok, maybe not everyone buys old Chevrolet trucks, like I did, but so what! 

It's the same spirit in me that rescues animals and rehabilitates them. It's the spirt that pumps life into my blood and says "c'mon, I know you can make a difference." 

I've been too busy lately to stop and look around and admire how far the restaurant has come. (Completely critical & telling sentence. Busy is a good thing!)  I let our anniversary slip by again unnoticed. Six years in "restaurant years" is like 20 in the real world! I'm sure of it! It's hard. It's hard to keep the hungry people walking in the door and the satisfied people walking out. 6 years is a big deal. I should be shouting it from the rooftops.... but who has the time, or the energy to climb up on the roof. LOL.  It's hard, but it's an amazing (& fulfilling) thing. And just when I feel like the little burro pulling the cart up a steep mountain something fantastic & spontaneous happens and I feel like a successful human being again. Like today.... 

A regular customer phoned for take-out. I personally prepared and handed him the meal at the counter. We joked about how tired I looked and felt, but even so I GUARANTEED that it was one of the best meals I'd ever made for him. I promised it was going to be spectacular. 20 minutes or so later, he called back and I was summoned to the phone.  He wanted to give me "heck". He declared that "even though there was INSUFFICIENT KETCHUP provided, that it was indeed, one of the best dinners ever!" I burst out laughing. Insufficient ketchup for his dietary requirements? Oh puleeeeeze! But what a character! Totally perked me right up and made my day.  I needed the compliment. It will keep me going. 

Six years eh? Huh.  Bartender... cut me off please.... I must be drunk. I want to do six more. I think I see potential.

@cdntripseeker

Travel Tips Fast Five: When to book

1. Book the trip when you feel like you have nothing to look forward to.

2. Book the trip when you need to celebrate the moment.

3. Book the trip when you need to re-connect.

4. Book the trip when you're too predictable.

5. Book the trip when the value outweighs the cost.


@cdntripseeker

Fast Five Travel Tips: Getting Oriented in a New City

I love to explore the city a bit when I travel, but I always do it strategically so I stay safe and see the best of what I'm after.

1. Nothing better than advance research.

2. Trip Advisor. If you're reading this right now, you are fluent in the ways of the Internet. Trust the articulate people who have "been there & done that" and are willing to share on Trip Advisor. I have never EVER been screwed over by listening to the voice of the travelling majority on Trip Advisor.

3. Connect with your hotel concierge at least 2 weeks before the trip. Do this via e-mail. Let him or her know about your upcoming stay, what your kids like to do, what you hope to see etc. They are always a wealth of knowledge but it can be hard for them to help you "instantly" if you just meet the day after you arrive.

4. Ask the bartender, the busboy & the waiter about local attractions & stores, but NOT about other restaurants. Don't put them on the spot or in a position of conflict.  At the airport, the news stand and the mall  (etc), ask about the best local restaurants.

5. Don't be afraid to break away from the chain. Applebees and McDonalds might be familiar and consistent, but they won't be memorable. I always look for independently run, family restaurants. Those are the gems. Those are the experiences that make it more than a trip... they help you truly grab the flavour of the city.

Fast Five Travel Tips: Vacation Photos

1. Take your camera everywhere. Even if it's not your "good camera" have a compact camera, or your iphone with you at all times on vacation. Some of the best moments are those ones that happen spontaneously.

2. Take the wide shot, plus take the close up.

3. You don't always have to have smiling faces to set the mood and capture the spectacular moment.

4. Let the kids have a try. Photos from the child's perspective are amazing. Let THEM show you how they see the vacation (even if it is at knee height!).

5. Print them. Whether it's in a photo book, 4 x 6's or on canvas, do print them. It's wonderful to share them on Facebook and e-mail them to friends, but IMHO you can never replace the print. Technology is a fickle beast. Lose your data once and you could lose those photos forever.

@cdntripseeker on Twitter!

Air Canada Olympic Disappointment

I was eagerly anticipating the 2012 Olympic travel deals that were being promoted by Air Canada. I even blogged about them and encouraged you, fine readers, to follow along and be ready to pounce on the fabulous deals. And last time around (Vancouver 2010) the deals WERE amazing.

This time, not so much.

It's 10% here, 15% there. Limited routes. Frankly, not one deal yet has raised my pulse. Nothing has given me that roller-coaster queasy "should I or shouldn't I" excitement.

So, I'm sorry. I build up your hopes.

I will still fly Air Canada. I will still tune into their upcoming promotions, share them and recommend them. If I have to make excuses or try to rationalize why the deals are lack lustre this time... well, it's hard to say. I'm not an airline insider. Simply, a bargain hunting travel junkie. But, the airline industry is a fiercely competitive business. Westjet is constantly making gains in their market share as they have been reporting record ridership this year. So, Air Canada must feel like it is in a race. You gain ground, and then you fall behind. You are constantly looking over your shoulder to see where the competition is and when you can make your move.

They are both excellent competitors. And just because I'm not awarding Air Canada any medals for their  (boring) olympic deals, it doesn't mean I'm not still supporting and cheering for them. After all, I AM CANADIAN. We're nothing, as a country, and as a people, if not proud, polite and patriotic. Go Canada!

Fast 5 Travel Tips: Long Weekend Edition

1. Be the hero at work and offer to work the long weekend shifts. Take your days off when the others return to work.
2. Travel after the long weekend. Flights & hotels will be about 25% less expensive.
3. Post-long weekend roads & airports will have less traffic & are therefore less stressful and more safe.
4. Mid week bargains are abound: movies, zoos, meals, & more
5. The less of a crowd at the park, beach, museum, etc... the more you will participate, linger, learn and enjoy.

@cdntripseeker

The Resort

I promised I'd review the resort from the Turks and Caicos and I guess that time has come. I truly don't have anything dynamic to say. I have been at more exciting resorts, resorts with more amenities, and resorts with very posh pedigrees and celebrity guests. But this resort, The Ocean Club, was perfect for the mood I was in and the desired pace of this vacation.

I was tired. I wanted to just chill. I wanted to chill on one of the most beautiful beaches on earth. I didn't want crowds, night life or casinos. I didn't want hiking paths, arcades or kids' camps. I just wanted to be resting with my family of four.

The walk down the beach past all the resorts.

The Ocean Club, at Grace Bay was perfect. Our suite overlooked the pool. It had a full kitchen, a washer/dryer, two queen beds, a screened in porch and wi-fi. What more could you really need?

The beauty of the Ocean Club is that it is private, and compact in nature. We were less than 5 minutes away from pools (2), the beach, great restaurants, tennis courts and a resort convenience store. We were a 30 minute (easy) walk on the beach to the main shopping area of provo. Here you could grab groceries, gifts, ice cream, arrange day tours and more.

There was never any rush or panic or competition for beach chairs.  Some resorts I hear of people strategizing or sending a family rep down to the beach at 7AM to secure chairs. Personally, I think "saving" chairs whether at a resort or on a cruise is ridiculous. We all hate it. But never an issue at the Ocean Club.

The signature pink beach umbrellas of the Ocean Club.

Ocean Club pool. One of two pools.

We opted out of daily maid service, so that we could come and go at our convenience. We found the staff to be personable and polite, but not overly enthusiastic. Trying to get dishwasher soap so we could run our in-suite dishwasher was a 2 day joke, but didn't really affect our happiness.

The server's assistant at the beachside restaurant was most helpful and friendly. We probably learnt more from him than anyone else.

Trying to send postcards to Canada at the front desk we received 3 different prices and 3 different answers on our 3 times to the front desk. So far only one batch of postcards has arrived. So, I'm guessing only 1 of the 3 answers/prices was correct. C'est la vie!

The resort offered complimentary shuttle service to their sister resort (Ocean Club West) but we chose to walk to explore the newer side of the Ocean Club. Upon the outside inspection of the Ocean Club West grounds, I'd have to say that the original Ocean Club is just as nice, if not nicer. It seems though "older" the original Ocean Club facilities have already been upgraded, therefore making it appear newer than the "new" Ocean Club West... if you know what I mean.  For example, the benches & decks at The Ocean Club appear recently replaced, where as at the sister resort "The Ocean Club West" the decks and benches appear splintered, worn and in need of paint.

The resorts on Grace Bay are all REALLY CLOSE together. No brochure or anything I'd read previously led me to think this. But in reality, there are ALL together on the same stretch of beach within a 2km (estimate) walk.  But the prices wildly vary. Seven Stars resort typically runs about $4k per person, per week. Beaches is the same, if not more expensive - however those both are all inclusive. Club Med, which was right next door to the OC is also all-inclusive, but it looks like a collection of older Caribbean cabins - though they did have the most water sport equipment available to their guests of any location.  Some resorts, like Villa de Mar and the Tuscany looked practically empty. I really didn't see more than a handful of people on their beach chairs.

Not sure which resort this was on Grace Bay.

Club Med and their many sailboards etc.

Pretty sure this was Villa Del Mar, but not positive.

Our resort was NOT all inclusive. And considering we shopped at the grocery store and ate out only 4 meals during the week, you could say our budget was modest. We paid under $1, 000 per person, for certain. Would staying at Beaches be worth an extra $12,000 to our family? No. Absolutely not. Seriously, I see that as 3 additional vacations.

The Ocean Club resort was beautiful, tropical and friendly. It was absolutely clean and safe and very well kept. Would I recommend it... definitely! However, if you are looking for nightlife and crowds, then it's not for you. I loved it. It was the perfect blend of safe, family-friendly, clean and modern. It came in under my budget and above my expectations.

I just don't think you could go wrong with ANY resort on Grace Bay Beach in Providenciales, of the Turks and Caicos. It is an incredibly small but beautiful stretch of beach. Each hotel on this strip had oceanfront access and an incredible view. Proximity to shopping, restaurants and activities were all ideal. I would recommend the Turks and Caicos for a family vacation for those who want to relax, play and be together in paradise.

Maritimes in the Fall

Who doesn't want to travel to the Annapolis Valley in the Fall? It's rumoured to be one of the most lovely, scenic, serene trips you can take. I lived in the Maritimes and have been back to Newfoundland, but I haven't seen Halifax in decades. Halifax in September sounds spectacular. I would love to go sometime.

So, just for fun (don't worry hubby, if you actually read my blog) I priced out the flights on this trip. And this was a huge shock for me. It is cheaper to drive to the USA and then take a Delta or a United flight to Halifax, or Moncton or St. John's than it is to take a CANADIAN Airline. Even with 10 or 15% off discount codes, it is still about $200 cheaper to fly one of the American airlines.

This was a shock to me. And sometimes I think I'm pretty smart. Huh.

For example, fly from Fargo North Dakota, on a United Airlines flight, Saturday September 15th and return the following Saturday for $514 all taxes in. To do the same on Westjet out of YWG is $734 and Air Canada $880 ($760 with a discount code).  Fly out of MOT of GFK for roughly $20 more and take either United or Delta.  That's $200 more per person you could be spending on lobster.

I learn something new every day.