Searching for Seaglass

I'm Back

2010-07-20T07:10:00.000-07:00

For the few of you that read my blog, I took some time off from posting due to life events. Primarily, I planned my mother's wedding, keeping up with teen schedules with SAT and ACT tests, work and farm renovations!

Mom's wedding to Charlie

Look for upcoming stories about Merida, Mexico; Panama City Beach, Florida; Wisconsin and Washington, DC in the coming days.

Cheers!

PICTURE OF THE DAY

2010-05-12T08:02:00.000-07:00

Flowers at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), University, Mississippi

Sightseeing in Your Hometown

2010-05-03T09:35:00.000-07:00

I've lived in some of America's largest cities (Los Angeles, Washington, DC, Atlanta) and now my family lives in a small town outside Atlanta called Newnan, GA. For years, Newnan was often-recognized as the hometown of country music superstar Alan Jackson (his momma lives near us), and deceased humorist Lewis Grizzard was from nearby Moreland, Georgia. Many of our friends were shocked that we CHOSE to move to a 40-acre farm from bustling Pasadena, California and leave our 1908 Craftsman Bungalow. But we did and we have never looked back.

To me, small towns offer the opportunity to really get to know your neighbor. When you go to the grocery, it may take you twice as long because you have to stop and chat with friends in every other isle. But even little ole Newnan has not been immune to the influences of the outside world. Alan Jackson's song "Little Man" was written about his sadness over the changes taking place in our downtown retail area, where local businesses surround a lovely square with a stately 100-plus year old Courthouse standing sentry in the middle. Independent businesses and restaurants have been struggling against the influx by box stores and chain operators. We still have many independent businesses but like everywhere, it is tough to make it.

Newnan's Courthouse is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation including new copper roof

Small towns still remain some of the most fun places to find entertainment. Whether going to the town honky tonk to listen to locals jam, independent coffee houses for poetry slams and concerts or community art associations festivals and shows, small town life is rich with talent.

This past weekend, we attended a local concert called "Inspiration in the Park" sponsored by Newnan Presbyterian Church. It is hard to believe so much talent is running around loose on the street.

The "Men of Cornerstone" quartet sang inspired old-timey Gospel songs that stirred the soul and had the crowd clapping along. They started their set with an acapella version of the National Anthem and had a lot of fun on stage.

Newnan's beautiful Greenville Street Park and Ampitheater was the perfect venue. The day threatened rain but it never materialized. Newnan Utilities gave water to the crowd and old-fashioned church fans and a wind provided by the Lord kept it cool.

The singers from "The Greater Jehovah Baptist Church Sanctuary Choir" had people in awe of their vocal power. They were something to hear and I hope to have the opportunity to hear them give the glory again.

People of all ages enjoyed their outing in the Park!

For the first time, a hispanic group performed at the concert series and the "St. George Catholic Church Hispanic Chorus" had a large and enthusistic following. The crowd welcomed them warmly, and if they didn't understand all of their songs, they did reconize their final number "Cielito Lindo". (Ay, Yay, Yay, Yay...)

One of the crowd favorities is "The Newnan Chapel Male Chorus". Under the leadership of the twin Hussie brothers, this incredible group of men introduced an additional young male lead singer that had the crowd on their feet. They played a couple of old favorites and a medley of new and standard classics. These guys are a party in and of themselves.

The talent was rounded out by the incredible "Georgia-Indiana Mountain Gospel Quartet". This quartet, comprised by husband and wife Dave and Debbie Webster and husband and wife John and Lalla McGhee, sang their plaintive traditional mountain gospel tunes with an authority and professionalism that left the crowd wanting more.

Happiness is a dip in the local fountain!

I encourage you to go sightseeing in your hometown too. Naturally there is lots to see in the great big world and that is my passion. But when you are home, take advantage of the jewels offered around you. See what you have through the eyes of others and visit your town as if you are an outsider and you are likely to wish you could move there all over again!

No Wonder College Costs a Fortune!

2010-04-20T09:18:00.000-07:00

So our family recently returned from our Spring Break-a-thon tour of SEC colleges and it was quite something! If only I could go back to college again for the Univesities today are almost like resorts unto themselves - I'm exaggerating, of course, but visiting college towns and campuses is definitely a fun trip.

We started, after a weekend in New Orleans, in the lovely town of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, home of Louisiana State University (LSU Tigers). We enjoyed an thorough information session, where we learned any word that ends in the letter "o" is spelled "eaux" in Baton Rouge - as in Geaux Tigers! They take their Cajun heritage seriously there. We were told a story "or fable" (not sure of the veracity) about legendary Louisiana Governor Huey Long. Back in the 1920s, Long knew LSU needed a new football stadium but there was no money for one. So he petitioned the legislature for funds to build a new "dormitory" - wiht an open air center middle section for "crops" that was about 100 yards long' had rooms around the circumference and "classroom" seats in the stadium. May be a bit of a tale, but it makes for a good 'ol Southern story!

Both of our boys were very impressed with LSU and Keegan was relieved to know that he got the physics requirement out of the way this year as they do require it for admission - yikes!

We took a luncheon break at the famous Chimes restaurant (campus location) at the recommendation of our Pastor Harry Barrow ( a HUGE LSU fan and alum). We enjoyed incredible blackened shrimp remolaude, crab fingers and alligator. Then after lunch, we had the dorm tour and saw Mike the Tiger lounging in his multi-million dollar abode.

We left LSU very encouraged and were on to Oxford, Mississippi. See you there next.

The Big Easy, Redux

2010-04-09T10:25:00.000-07:00

Our College Road Trip started with a side venture to one of the world's great destinations, New Orleans. We drove from Newnan and only had 24 hours in the Crescent City, but our family packed quite a bit of adventure into our short time there.

After checking into one of our usual family-friendly hotels, the Hilton Garden Inn, we headed into the heart of the French Quarter for some meandering and food. Normally, we scope out all the hot restaurants and old favorites including Susan Spicer, Emeri Lagasse and Galatoise. We still miss our perennial favorite, the local hangout Uglesiche's. It opened in 1924 and was destroyed in Katrina. Their cookbooks are wonderful and work very well. This trip we were craving oysters and Cajun appetizers and we stopped first in a restaurant called Remoulade. Owned by the same folks who created the venerable Arnaud's, Remoulade is just as delicious but more low key.

They could't even wait until I took the photo before snagging one of the oysters!

We enjoyed oysters, shrimp bisque, gumbo and turtle bisque at Remoulade and then we sauntered back out into the Quarter. I took my requisite photo with the Big Ass Beers to Go guy

Still hungry, we stopped for barbecued oysters at Royal House Restaurant. Oh my gosh, These are crave-worthy and I think we will have an oyster roast at our farm soon because we can't wait until a return visit to New Orleans to enjoy them again!

We also had marinated crab fingers, po boys and red beans and rice. Yum!

The next morning was Easter and we went to church at St. Louis Cathedral. While we are not Catholic (we are Presbyterian) we have been to weddings in this incredible cathdral which is the longest continuously operating chuch in the US - since 1718. We got there early and it was a good thing since it was SRO.

After church we shopped, bought some art and went to one of our favorite places for brunch,

Restaurant Stanley. They have a sister restaurant, The Stella, that is also incredible. Restaurant Stanley is right next to St. Louis Cathedral and down the street from Cafe DuMonde.

Before we headed out of town, we attended one of New Orlean's ubiquitous parades - the Easter Parade! It was a gas and the participants tossed all kinds of stuff from the floats including of course, beads. We have now been to the Rose Parade and Easter Parade this year...we'll see what else is on tap the rest of the year.

We called this young man "The King of New Orleans" because he represented the cool, preppy sophistication of Southern Gentility that we know and love. We met him earlier and he was great.
On to Baton Rouge!

PICTURE OF THE DAY

2010-03-30T09:16:00.000-07:00

The Masters...Need I Say Anything Else?

2010-03-25T10:19:00.000-07:00

The first week of April is drawing near and for many of us Georgians, that means one thing...Masters Week! Oh, I know this year the media is trying to turn Augusta National into a three-ringed circus with Tiger Woods' return to golf. But he didn't pick Augusta just because it's the greatest tournament in the world. He also knew that the elite membership that runs the Masters would protect him from the melee and the fans would be respectful toward him.

Oops, the picture's a bit crooked, but it's Augusta...

My first visit to the Masters was when I was in college and a boyfriend was offered two tickets through a family connection. At the time, I wasn't aware of how big of a deal this was, but Steve soon filled me in. I found a cute outfit and when I stepped onto the course, I saw that it was unlike any other. I had been to other golf tournaments and nice courses, but this was "cathedral-like". My day was made when Jack - yes, Jack Nicklaus handed me one of his golf tees after teeing off on one of the holes. I kept that memento for years.

A few years later, I had a boyfriend from Augusta and I really found out what the Masters was about. That town slept, ate and breathed the tournament. Players were hosted in the homes of prominent citzens - I believe this is still the case. A future roommate of mine's family always hosted Jack, while another was Arnie's home away-from-home each year. For many years, young unmarried men in Augusta belonged to "The Bachelor's Club" (social organization) in Augusta and their social highlight of the year was a huge band party during the tournament. That party was incredible. There were hundreds of college age kids there from schools all across the Southeast. We'd all make plans to "Meet up on 16"(the green at hole 16). That's where the younger crown hung out. I had the incredible great fortune of attending the tournament 7 or 8 times over the years with various friends and appreciated it each and every time.

Quiet, please

As happens in life, times change; it's inevitable. The Bachelor's Club faded away, probably replaced by something else. And many local friends and people who had tickets to the tournament found out that they could rent out their lovely homes during Master's Week to top corporate sponsors and do very well on the rentals. They'd take off for the beach and watch the tournament on TV. When we moved back from California, I put my name on the lottery for practice round tickets. Over about ten years I have only gotten them once. That tells you how special and difficult it is to get tickets. We've been offered day tickets to the tournament a couple of times through friends and have been thrilled to attend. I have very good friends who are connected at the highest levels at Augusta National but I would never ask for tickets. You just don't do that. I'll take my chances and see what happens.

Tiger (right)

If you ever have the opportunity to be invited* to the Masters, do not pass it up, even if you are not a golf fanatic. I'm not one and don't really play but can appreciate excellence and the Master's is near perfection. There's something for everyone. They say it is the hardest ticket in sports. But once you are there, attendance will bring the highest pleasure. The crowds are the most polite anywhere. Let me repeat. Anywhere. The sandwiches are marvelously simple, delicious and so moderately-priced as to cause a double-take. The ladies dress up and look so lovely, its a mini fashion show. And the grounds alone are worth the trip...Amen Corner, Eisenhower's Tree, Butler Cabin, the carpet-like greens, the famous azaleas - it plays out like a dream. Getting exercise walking this course should always be so pleasurable. If you never get the chance to go, remember, The Masters is so much more than the place Tiger chose to return to golf. There's a reason he picked Augusta.

*It is technically illegal to scalp Master's tickets even though they are often offered for sale. Patrons who offer their tickets for sale will lose the use of their ticket forever. So if you use anyone else's ticket, guard it with your life. I heard about someone who lost a friend of a friend's badge and it was lost forever.

It's a Nice Day When You Wake Up in Disneyland!

2010-03-22T09:06:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of participating in Disney's "Give a Day, Get a Day" promotion over the weekend in our hometown's Keep Coweta Clean" campaign. Over 200 volunteers showed up and picked up trash around town and we earned a free ticket to the "happiest place on earth" for our time! I believe Disney has now reached their goal of 1,000,000 volunteers but I recommend going out and doing something in your community for the good of the deed. And I highly recommend a trip to Disney. I think my husband and I love it more than our kids. Enjoy this fun video from You Tube posted with the Disneyland by Five for Fighting... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0hNDaY78lA

A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE

2010-03-18T10:50:00.000-07:00

It's time to start planning our summer vacation and we usually have a pretty fun adventure planned. The boys and I are returning to Mexico to do some work in Merida with our church and we are excited about that. But when it came time to plan this summer's outing, I was kind of surprised at what our teen boys proposed. "I want to go back to Hilton Head" my youngest said, " we haven't been able to go there for three years". Several years ago, the school board changed the calendar to start school ridiculously early...the first week in August. This killed our family tradition of joining my mom (and my sister's family) during Mom's mid-August time share. For those of you thinking: why didn't she just change her time share? Not so easy when everyone with school age children is crunching summer into two months. Availability where she wants it is more limited AND it a shorter summer is bad for the economy. Anyway...

Sea Pine's Plantation on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, has been special to me since I was just a little girl of about 7 and my parents bought the time share there. My own family went every summer and I learned how to shrimp, crab and paint my body with lowcountry pluff mud. When we got married and had children of our own, Pat and I first brought them to the low country as tiny babies babies from our home in California. We were creating a family tradition, though we didn't know it at the time.

The boys and their cousins several years ago on the dock behind our timeshare

South Beach, Sea Pines, Hilton Head

Keegan, age 3, with my dad Jim Plumb holding Sean age 18 months while on vacation in Sea Pines

My daddy looked forward to his week in Hilton Head every year with an almost reverence and toward the end of his life, he extended one week to two. A memory "postcard" that often pops in my head is my father sitting on the little porch outide the Hilton Head spot, cocktail in hand, the requisite book in the other, surrounded by "his" girls; completely and utterly happy. And now "my" boys want to create the same kind of memories? I'm in!

The boys and I in 2007 - they are now both taller than me.

Pat hasn't been able to come with us to Hilton Head since the boys were really small (due to pressing work issues). Plus mom's place only had so much space; my sister's family and us Flanigans and mom made for a pretty chaotic environment. So when I mentioned that the boys wanted to rent a house there this summer, his response was..."Hilton Head? What can I do there?" Pat is a goer and a doer and just can't sit on the beach for long. He doesn't read books or relax well so I had to remind him of all the things we can do:

* Crabbing

*Fishing

*Shrimping

*Rent a boat/jetski

*Kayaking

*Bikes

*Tennis

*Golf

*Shopping

*Historical trips to Beaufort, Dafuski, Savannah and other surrounding areas

Crabbing on the dock

Some of the catch

Now my mom is happily getting remarried in May at our farm and she and Charlie will be living on Hilton Head at Sun City and we'd love to see them while we are there. My sister and her family live nearby in Savannah so we can visit with them too. But we might like to spend some of the time, just us together, in this magical place that I hope will continue to create memories for the "future" generations to come!

The famous Harbour Town Lighthouse

South Beach Marina from the deck of my sister's boat

Me, my niece and my mom coolin' off in the pool

PICTURE OF THE DAY

2010-03-10T06:57:00.000-08:00

This bull sea lion chased my son in the Galapagos - terrifying!

What's Food Got To Do With It?

2010-03-05T10:03:00.000-08:00

For inveterate travelers, the dining experience is as big a part of the trip as sightseeing or chilling on the beach. If you've read any of my blogs or seen some of my "Pictures of the Day", you know food plays an important part on our vacations.

One secret I've been withholding from you is my "foodie" past. I mention this because it gives you a little background and you'll see why I want to hear about your restaurant recommendations too. When we lived in Los Angeles, I was Vice President of a public relations agency that specialized in the food industry. One of the fabulous benefits of this job was I had the opportunity to work with many of the nations top chefs. When you hang around greatness, you can't help but pick up a bit through osmosis. I began experimenting with my own recipes and eventually decided to put them to the test by entering cooking contests. Unbelievably, I did okay. I haven't entered one in a few years but writing this makes me start to get motivated again. Here's a few of them:

A book given to me and inscribed by Certified Master Chef Victor Gielisse from his iconic Dallas restaurant "Actuelle". Chef Gielisse is now an instructor at the Culinary Institute of America.

* Won the Georgia Beef Cookoff
* Won the Cabot Creamery Recipe Contest
* Placed in the Sutter Home Build a Better Burger recipe contest
* Placed in the Sonoma Sun Dried Tomatoes recipe contest
* Placed in the Fresh Express recipe contest

A nice check I received at the Georgia Beef Cookoff. We used it for school tuition...boring but practical.

All the contests were fun but I think my favorite was the very first one I entered. It was an Amateur French Chef cooking contest, sponsored by Ma Maison/Hotel Sofitel in Beverly Hills, CA. Even though we lived in Pasadena, the six contestants and their spouses/guests were put up in a luxury room for the weekend, were treated like royalty, given a chef's jacket and tocque, had an unlimited free acess to 24 hour room service and were feted at a celebretory dinner by the hotel's Executive Chef Serge Gouloumes.

My Patand I had gone to Paris on our honeymoon and the trip was an inspiration for my recipe entry: "Sauteed Sea Scallops with Yellow Bell Pepper Coulis, Potato Cakes and Asparagus." We were judged by a panel of top French chefs from America and Europe as well as a host of celebrity judges.

An article from the Pasadena Star-News showing me plating my dish. I worked my way into sixth place out of six! But it was great fun and just being one of six out of thousands of entries was thrilling.
Presiding over the whole event was Sofitel Food and Beverage Manager Patrick Terrail (search his book Taste of Hollywood - The Story of Ma Maison). Patrick had recently sold his legendary Hollywood resstaurant Ma Maison, where the then fresh, young Wolfgang Puck became a superstar.

Patrick (l) and Wolfgang (r) with wait staff at Ma Maison.

(photo courtesy: A Taste of Hollywood by Patrick Terrail)

Every day, Rolls, Bentleys, antique and luxury cars lined up outside Ma Maison and celebrities lined the walls within.

(photo courtesy: A Taste of Hollywood by Patrick Terrail)

Flash forward a few years and we had moved to our farm in Georgia. While perusing Southern Living Magazine, I came across an article about Patrick Terrail and his then new restaurant Gaby's in nearby Hogansville. I went in for lunch and reintroduced myself to him and we talked food. Patrick was talking about opening up a cooking school and after we spoke more later, he asked me to help him organize and run it.

Patrick and I in article in the Times-Herald about our cooking school.

The school was quite successful and we had some of Atlanta's and Georgia's top chefs teach classes over a number of years. Eventually as life moves forward, so do we and both the school and Patrick's restaurant closed. Flash forward to today and Patrick and his wife Jackie are the Publishers and Owners of 85 South Out & About tabloid magazine. They asked me to contribute some travel features to this fun and informative publication and I'm enjoying working together again.

Patrick knows I am still interested in food and he recently sent me an email with information on the top restaurants in the United States. I always love "testing" myself against these lists and I've been to a few of them but have probably visited more of the past winners - which means I need to get busy!

Here are the top ten NEW restaurants as deemed by Gayot Magazine:

Bardessono, Napa Valley (Yountville), CA - fresh, locally-grown organic

The Bazaar by Jose Andres, at the SLS Hotel, Beverly Hills, CA - Spanish

Bourbon Steak, Washington, DC - upscale steak house

Marea, New York - authentic Italian

Ninety Acres, Peapack Gladstone, NJ - fresh, local seasonal

Osteria Il Sugno, San Antonio - Italian

Paces 88, Atlanta - American bistro

RDG & Bar Annie, Houston - American and Tex Mex

Terzo Piano, Chicago - Italian

Twist by Pierre Gagnaire, Las Vegas - fusion

The issue has many fun categories including Best Cheap Eats, Top 40 restaurants in America, Best Catering Trucks and much more. If you want to see the issue, click here: Gayot and search for the restaurant issue. Incidentally, Best Restaurateur? Wolfgang Puck.

If you are interested in culinary travel, drop me a line or call the staff at Uniglobe McIntosh Travel and we can plan some adventures. Want to dine both high brow and local digs in NYC? Let's talk. Craving the sunshine and trendsetting California cuisine? We can help. Incidentally, we are currently planning a culinary and wine trip to France (details coming) hosted by Patrick and Joseph Walker of Walker Travel Group. Patrick counts among his best friends many of the top chefs in France and his Uncle Claude Terrail was the owner of the world-famous Paris restaurant La Tour d'Argent so you can imagine the culinary delights that await. Since 3 of the top 10 new restaurants on the Gayot list are Italian, how about the real thing? We already have a culinary program to Italy scheduled for October 9 - 16, hosted by Chef Leonard Guillame of Mama Lucia's restaurant and Joseph Walker, Walker Travel Group. See my posting dated 1/20/10 "Wining and Dining Through Italy" for itinerary and details - count yourself officially invited! I'd love to have you on the trips.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

2010-03-03T06:56:00.000-08:00

Paperwhites in Pasadena

Dogs on the Beach, Dogs on the Beach, What you gonna do? Dogs on the Beach!

2010-02-26T09:10:00.000-08:00

Watching my 14 year old yellow Labrador, Chandler, who is arthritic and hip dysplasic, joyfully retrieve sticks out of water made my thoughts turn to dog beaches. Is there anything that makes dog happier than water, sand and their beloved master (or mistress).

Chandler's Fun in the Sun

Dog owners in the United States are becoming more active in pursuing areas where we can take our canine family members, but always being courteous of others, of course! My home town (Newnan, GA) will be having a Walk-n-Wag fun walk on May 22 with dogs to raise money to purchase more doggie clean up stations in our city. Not sure if Chandler's arthritis will allow him to walk but I'll take my other beloved lab, Sweetie.

Sweetie kickin' it and drying in the sun

There are many great dog beaches all over the country. I've been to a few and plan to enjoy more puppy vacations. DogFancy Magazine has a Get Out of the Cold feature in their March issue, highlighting three beaches.

Del Mar, North Beach - Dog Beach
When we go to Del Mar, our friend's home looks out on this very dog-friendly stretch of shoreline. Dog Beach is open year-round to dogs and they may be off leash from after Labor Day to June 15. During the summer months, dogs are supposed to be on 6-foot leashes. Del Mar is such a pet-welcoming town you see pooches and their family everywhere - jogging together, dining alfresco at cafes and even visiting the popular Saturday Farmer's Market. Americana is a great choice for outside dining with your leashed friend and DogFancy recommends a stop at Three Dog Bakery for excellent doggie treats. If you are looking for accommodations so you can stay and play, the Del Mar Inn offers dog-friendly rooms.

Panama City Beach, Florida
Florida has many great dog beaches and the sugar-white sand of the Gulf Coast make these destinatins family favorites as well. DogFancy didn't mention Panama City Beach, but I'd like to give them a special "bark out"! In 2007, Panama City Beach approved an official dog park on the western portion of the city-owned beach at Dan Russell Pier. This beach is conveniently located by Pier Park, an upscale and action-filled shopping plaza. There are many area parks that welcome leashed dogs including Aaron Bessant, Frank Brown and Zollie Young Parks. Shell Island is also a great choice for visitors with dogs. This uninhabited barrier island is only accessible by boat but is a treat for day trip. Click on Florida Pets for info on finding a pet-friendly boat rental to carry you there. Shell Island has some of the best shelling around. If you want to stay awhile, LaQuinta Hotel Chain encourage guests to bring their dogs and there is one conveniently located at Pier Park! Panama City is one of our favorite family getaways.

The DogFancy article also gave high marks to Bonita Springs in Florida. Bonita Springs is one of the top-dog rated beaches on Florida's west coast. Pet Friendly rooms abound at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort. LaQuinta also offers several nearby locations, including 2 in tony Naples.

Barrier Island off Savannah, GA
Florida's neighbor, Georgia, also offers many opportunities to bring your pups to paradise. Quiet Jekyll Island is known as one of the most popular dog destinations in the South. The Villas by the Sea Resort at Jekyll is a good choice for families traveling with pets.

For a list of doggie beaches across the U.S., click on this link: dog friendly beaches. I'd love to hear about your favorite canine adventures!

PICTURE OF THE DAY

2010-02-26T06:49:00.000-08:00

Canoe Trip - Wisconsin

PICTURE OF THE DAY

2010-02-24T09:47:00.000-08:00

Chicago Style Hot Dog prepared by Bob, owner of

Chicago Dawgs - Panama City Beach, Florida

He's moved from his restaurant location on

Richard Jackson Blvd (Beckrich Road) to a

catering truck on Thomas Drive near Capt. Jack's.

These dogs are awesome!!

College Road Trip - Take Two

2010-02-23T09:47:00.000-08:00

We braved snow last week on the way to Valdosta and on Friday of our Winter Break week, we faced an early alarm clock. But it wasn't too hard to get up with the dawn - we were heading to Athens to tour the University of Georgia! Back in the day, Georgia was a huge rival of my school, Clemson University, but I have many friends that are Georgia alumnae, so my feelings about UGA are more positive these days.

Sunlight streaming through UGA's famous arch - tradition is students should not walk through the arch or they won't graduate and prospective students will be jinxed

I've mellowed so much, in fact, that I actually loved the UGA campus. I've been to it many times over the years - I had a college boyfriend who was a Bulldog; my family has watched the "Dawgs" play on many a football Saturday and we've cheered our son on at swim meets at Georgia's incredible Ramsey Athletic Center. But this is the first time I have seen the whole campus from a prospective student's POV.

On the road, we stopped for breakfast at that most Southern of institutions, The Waffle House. If you are not from "Dixie" - The Waffle House must be a requisite stop on your next Southern visit. Pecan Waffles, cheese grits, hash browns scattered, smothered and chunked - we were fortified for the day ahead.

Downtown Athens

After a very informative and engaging information session, the kids had "puppy dawg prints" in their eyes. They were ready to see the campus. Fortunately, my friend's son is a current Honor's student at the University and he agreed to give us a personalized tour.

Her son is a member of the Demosthenian Literary Society and he told us all about the history of the society and even showed us the inside parlour of their lovely house.

I can't remember what all of these buildings are but they show off varied lovely architecture.

Like every University and College, UGA has many traditions and historic spots that are meaningful to its students and alums. There is the bell tower that students ring on days of import or when good things happen to them. Apparently the line is forever on graduation day!

The Bell Tower

We saw the University's original football field. The Dawgs have come a long way to Sanford Stadium.

The original football field

Sanford Stadium

We saw the dorms, used the student bus transport and enjoyed an incredible lunch in the East Campus Cafeteria. Apparently UGA does their own food service and it is excellent. It's a "far piece" from the "fried perch" and "cheese strata" days of my college food service offerings.

http://www.onemillionactsofkindness.com/

Bob and Bogart from "One Million Acts of Kindness" was on campus the day we visited and we saw evidence of his "work" in the ladies' room - someone had posted notes on the mirrors saying "You are Beautiful!" and "See your beauty". It was nice.

We had a great day and look foward to our next college adventures in April. Look out LSU, Ole Miss and Alabama!

PICTURE OF THE DAY

2010-02-23T08:32:00.000-08:00

Old Building, Newnan, GA

PICTURE OF THE DAY

2010-02-17T08:47:00.000-08:00

Dog Sledding in Wyoming

A Different Kind of College Road Trip

2010-02-15T11:36:00.000-08:00

When your babies are born, other parents warn how quickly time will pass by. You nod sagely and say "I know" but in actuality you have no idea until your little babies are suddenly grown and they are looking toward leaving for college. The college search is where we now find ourselves. The memories of fooling with carseats and and cheering at age 5-6 Pony League baseball games are still fresh in my mind. Now, the family is spending our high school Winter and Spring Breaks visiting college campuses for that inevitable day.

Our eldest son Keegan is a high school Junior and Sean follows right behind him as a Sophomore at Newnan High School. We actually started our visits during Keegan's freshman year with a visit to my beloved Alma Mater, Clemson University. They both loved Clemson and have also enjoyed visits to Georgetown, Auburn University and Georgia Tech.

Clemson's Famous "Death Valley" Football Stadium

Pat and I counseled Keegan about looking at different size colleges, so this weekend we visited Valdosta State, which is has an 11,000 person student body on its campus near the Georgia-Florida border.

Valdosta State University, founded 1906

We left our hometown Newnan around noon in order to miss the huge snowfall heading our way - we eventually got between 4" - 5". Georgia is extremely ill-equipped to handle the white stuff so we knew to "get out of Dodge"! We made the drive to Valdosta for Visitation Day in 3-1/2 hours but heard other Atlanta-area families got stuck in the storm and arrived after 7 hours on the road!

Everyone gets excited when in snows in Georgia!

We checked in to the local Hilton Gardens Inn and it was a rainy, gloomy day in South Georgia. We like Hilton Gardens because they have roomy suites for stretching out and offer a nice, hot breakfast buffet in the morning. Hilton Gardens aren't luxury resorts but they suited our needs perfectly for this trip.

Gloomy or not, we decided to drive around a bit and see the campus. Even through the sleety haze, we were able to see that Valdosta had beautiful architecture but we decided to wait until Saturday for photo ops.

The next morning, we went to the campus for the visitation day. We first met with different department heads to discuss academic curriculums and then toured the whole of the campus.

Valdosta State, Blazer's Basketball

The student-led tour was very informative and the kids were very enthusiastic about their school. We had the Student Body President as one of our guides.

"Mom, stop taking my picture!" (Keegan in letterman's jacket)

"Campus scenes"

This was the kickoff of our "college road trip season." We are off to the University of Georgia this Friday and LSU, Ole Miss and Alabama over spring break. Georgia Southern and Georgia College at Milledgeville are on the radar, as are other schools in the South.

Let me know your thoughts and schools you love. The road trip is to be continued...

PICTURE OF THE DAY

2010-02-12T16:48:00.000-08:00

Sunset over the Pacific

PICTURE OF THE DAY

2010-02-11T06:05:00.000-08:00

Boundary Waters, Minnesota

PICTURE OF THE DAY

2010-02-09T11:06:00.000-08:00

Snorkeling in St. Lucia

PICTURE OF THE DAY

2010-02-08T10:03:00.000-08:00

Church on the way to Soufriere, St. Lucia

A Cold Vacation that Warmed My Heart

2010-02-03T10:15:00.000-08:00

My husband Pat and I have been married for 20 years and they have been a very good two decades. When we were first married, he didn't spend much time thinking about gifts and surprises. For example, one time he gave me a Christmas present..."wrapped" in the bag from the store. Then there was the matter of clothing size. In the bag was a warm-up suit: SIZE LARGE. If your wife hasn't reached size large yet and you give her a large-size item of clothing, whe will interpret this as "I don't see you as a petite little flower!" It doesn't engender the happiest of emotions.

The Man

Somewhere along the line, Pat realized putting thought into gifts can reap rewards and his modus of gift-giving is often a vacation getaway. He started by planning a surprise birthday party for my 30th and has since stepped up his game. For our 15th anniversary, he secretly planned a surprise destination celebration for us - all I did was pack my bags. We landed in Las Vegas and went to the Venitian Hotel. This all-suite hotel is quite luxurious but the biggest gift was he also surprised me by inviting 10 friends (that had been at our wedding) to fly to Vegas to spend the weekend with us. It was truly special and he said "all the husbands told him they hated him" because it was so thoughtful - now they had to get more creative.

He rode on those laurels for quite some time

The Venetian

When our 20th rolled around, Pat decided to plan another special getaway. When I offered suggesions of where I would like to go, he informed me "You are on a 'need to know' basis." He did ask if I preferred warm or cold weather and I said "definitely warm". So the day before our late September departure, he told me the weather forecast "Strong possibility of rain for 2 of the 4 days; highs in the upper 50s, lows in the 30s and 40s." I thought he had to be joking and thought "don't forget to pack your bathing suit!"

We arrived at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport; he was able to prevent me from finding out our destination. He used his Delta Platinum flier status (tons of work travel), to work with the airline personnel to hide our flight info and the security guard agreed to not spill the beans when he gave her both our boarding passes. After a giddy half hour in the Sky Room (formerly known as the Crown Room), he herded me out to find our gate. He roamed to a gate departing for Seattle, then dragged me to Cancun counter (yeah!) but we finally arrived at a gate that read: DENVER. Denver? "Are we really going to Denver?" I asked. My mind was whirling with thoughts...There aren't sandy beaches in Denver! Are we having a reunion with his University of Colorado buddies at a football game? What in the heck - what about WARM? Don't get me wrong - I love Denver and have visited many times. I was just prepared to slather on sun screen.

The view from our car day one - yes, it started snowing

The weather on landing could only be described as miserable. I tried to be jovial but I was had a little trouble with pouting.

We drove into downtown Denver and arrived at the famous Brown Palace Hotel. I sniffed quietly to myself "Well, this could be pretty good." I know you are thinking "what a spoiled brat" You are right. My thoughts were downright obnoxious. Straight-away Pat veered into the Ship's Tavern restaurant and I spotted two of our dearest friends, Paul and Cindy Bruder. Things were definitely looking up. We had an delightful lunch - my salmon sandwich was one of the best I've ever had. When lunch was over, I veered toward check in, Pat went outside. Check-in time? Nope. Back out into the sleet and car. My spirits plummeted again. I was sure that a Colorado football game was looming in our future. At that point, I hunkered down in my seat and took a nap. When I woke up, we were pulling into here:

The Broadmoor

The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, is one of the grand resorts of the United States. It is a Three AAA, 5 Diamond, Forbes 5 Star luxury 3,000 acre retreat nestled in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. I may have been a little confused but I was no fool. I told Pat my earlier fears about the football game "reunion". Again... LOVE his fraternity brothers - just not for our 20th aniversary. He laughed and said "I knew it!" Okay, I was wrong, wrong, wrong. What did I want with a tropical locale? The Broadmoor was perfect.

Pat had been to Colorado Springs many times during his years at Colorado, knows the area and had our whole trip planned out. The first day we toured the United States Air Force Academy and marveled at the dedication of the cadets. What an inspiring and amazing institution.

We also visited the world's hightest suspension bridge Royal Gorge Suspension Bridge and Park in Canon City, CO. I know it may sound boring but this architectural wonder looms more than 1,000 feet above the Arkansas River - peering over the side is not for people with a fear of heights. You can walk or drive over the bridge. I was "disappointed" to see the "NO FISHING FROM BRIDGE!" sign. We like fishing from bridges in the South!

The next day we started out in historic Old Colorado City and ate a fantastic breakfast at Bon Tons Cafe. Old Colorado City reminded us of our picturesque home town, Newnan, GA. We were even treated to the local high school's homecoming parade while we dined Al Fresco. These types of parades are popular in Newnan and it was fun to be part of the excitement in another American town.

Old Colorado City High cheerleaders and spectators

After breakfast, we headed out to go hiking at the Garden of the Gods state park. The Park is aptly named as breathtaking red rocks formations are truly a marvel of God's handiwork.

Formations at Garden of the Gods

Unfortunately, Pat started to get sick about two days into the trip - a fever and flu that would eventually take 3 rounds of antibiotics to cure. But he was really a sport about it. To help him rest, we ate a lovely room service meal one night and the next night enjoyed a great steak dinner at The Tavern restaurant in the resort. He just wasn't up to a big night at The Broadmoor'spremiere restaurant, The Penrose Room and we had a great meal. We ended up enjoying two dinners at the Tavern.

On our last day of touring, after a night of over-the-counter meds and sinus treatments with a netti pot (viewers beware!), my valiant husband roused himself for the Big Event - Pikes Peak! But first we visited an ancient Indian ruins site called Anasazi Cliff Dwellings. Supposedly 700- 1400 years old, many believe the cliff dwellings were painstakingly brought to Manitou Springs from another location. This knowledge does not lessen the experience. Visitors are encouraged to walk in and explore the dwellings - there aren't any ominous "Do Not Touch" signs. We really enjoyed this site.

Anasazi Indian Cliff Dwellings

Pueblo-style bulding that houses the museum

Fortunately the cold weather at the beginning of our trip gave way to beautiful fall days in the upper 60s. A warm day provided a perfect juxtapositon for the Cog Railway trip to the top of Pikes Peak. Pikes Peak, at 14,111 feet, is the most-visited mountain in the U.S. One of the fabled Fourteeners, visitors may hike, drive or ride the Cog Railway to the top.

We saw marmites and Big Horn sheep on the way up to the summit. It was thrilling to reach the top. The day we visited, the train left the base station with 69-71 degree temperatures and arrived with -8 degrees on top! We couldn't stay outside too long but the cold temps gave the vendors inside the summit building a brisk business selling coffee, hot chocolate, donuts and souveniers. Many of us drank water to prevent altitude sickness.

We highly recommend a visit to Colorado Springs and all that is has to offer. I guess it's my turn to be the planner of a surprise trip for my husband - he deserves it!

2010-02-03T06:44:00.000-08:00

Galapagos Blue Footed Boobie and chick

PICTURE OF THE DAY

2010-02-01T17:45:00.000-08:00

Compassion for Haiti - Opportunities for Mission Work

2010-01-25T14:25:00.000-08:00

One of the great priviledges in my life has been to perform work and service to those who are in need. I've been reflecting on my past mission trips (with my church) to Mexico as we view on television the utter devastation in Haiti. There are many great aid organizations for donating money and I like American Red Cross and Franklin Graham Ministries.When we connect with our brothers and sisters of the world, whether in the U.S. or abroad, I have found the people providing aid get as much out of their service as those on the receiving end.

Yucatan house

Local Man Staying Cool in the Shade
I have been on two mission trips to Mexico and plan to return next year. My church has developed a wonderful relationship with different outreach groups in the Yucatan. We built in the tiny village of Sitpatch, along with volunteers from other churches, a Presbyterian church (from the ground up). Last spring, we added a laundry room to a facility that provides assistance to children in need. We have also given financial gifts, food, clothing, household supplies, prayer and Bible classes to local villagers. During last year's spring break, my two high school age sons came on the trip and they said they can't wait to serve again.

Our Newnan Presbyterian Church mission group has used Merida's Hotel del Gobernador as our base of operations. The Sitpatch church is now completed but our friendships with the local congregation continues. We have enjoyed many wonderful times of fellowship (and fantastic food) with our Mexican friends.

The Presbyterian church in Sitpatch

My sons Sean (l) and Keegan (r) walking to our friends' (Roman and Sylvia) for a homemade dinner

Incredible food and fellowship at Roman and Sylvia's house
The past couple of years, we have developed a relationship with Victor Chan-Martin and his terrific outreach programs with Hogar Mana. For Hogar Mana, built a laundry facility,taught Bible School and enjoyed playng with the children at one of their facilities.

Building "la lavanderia" - What's 108 degrees when you are doing good works!?
The children are so precious and appreciative of even the smallest gift. We've even seen some kids make a kite from a plastic grocery bag. It is reality check for what is important.

If you are interested in creating a mission trip for your church or organization, my friend Joseph Walker's company has an expertise in this area. They also create specialty travel programs around the world and also know the ins and outs of mission trips. Let him know I told you about him.
I hope we all remember what is important, not just now - while the Haiti tragedy is fresh in our minds, but everyday. Blessings to you all.

Wining and Dining Through Italy

2010-01-20T08:54:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't want to go to Italy? For many people it is thier number one dream destination. Many who have had the good fortune to go to Italy crave a return adventure. If you fall in either of these categories, we are custom-creating Italian travel programs with Joseph Walker's Italy Revealed that will let us see an "insider's view" of this fantastic land on a journey you never imagined.

Italian Market

If you have been thinking of going to Italy but don't know where to start, consider our program for this coming October. Spaces are limited but it's open to anyone who wants to wine and dine like true Italian.
Popular Georgia Chef Leonard Guillame, owner of Mama Lucia's Restaurant at The Forum at Ashley Park in Newnan, will be co-hosting an exciting culinary program to the cradle of European culture and history. The adventure will begin in Rome and then meander down the Amalfi Coast October 9-16, 2010. We will be touring many popular and hidden historic gems, guided by Joseph Walker, PhD, European history. Having lived in Italy for 22 years, Joseph's incredible knowledge and personal contacts make this trip one in a lifetime! And Chef Leonard will bring along his culinary expertise and will be co-teaching three Italian culinary classes with chefs from Italy. The two hosts bring the perfect blend of knowledge and food.

Chef Leonard Guillaume, Mama Lucia's

Leonard's restaurant has been a local favorite for years and he wants to take his "show on the road" with you. Leonard plans to learn a few new culinary tricks from his Italian counterparts and the other traveleers will be learning along with him- while enjoying the fabulous fare created in class.

If breathing in the living history of Italy, eating great food and drinking fabulous Italian wines appeals to you, take a look at this abbreviated itinerary. We will start in Rome and learn about the "Rome of the Caesars". The group will be fortunate to take a behind-the-scenes look at the Vatican Museum and receive a unique and personalized tour of the Forum, Colosseum, Circus Maximus and other exciting Roman monuments.

The Colosseum

Rome of the Caesars

Next we move to Sorrento, in the Naples area, where we will visit the market where Cleopatra herself shopped. The group will learn how to prepare some traditonal Neopolitan dishes and enjoy a banquet. We'll be staying in beautiful private villas for the duration of the trip. The next day we'll learn more Italian culinary tips in a cooking class with Leonard and a local chef.

A Culinary Class

Joseph Walker on the coast of Amalfi

We will next tour the famed Amalfi Coast, where so many movies have been filmed. We'll stop and sightsee at several major towns along the way. We may even visit a winery that still makes wine the old-fashioned way - stomping the grapes a-la "I Love Lucy". Each day, the program will provide plenty of personal "down" time to shop, relax and get to know these towns on your own.

Amalfi Coast

We'll journey next to historic Pompeii and enjoy a detailed and exciting tour of one of most the complete and intact Roman cities in existence.

Pompeii Ruins

Leonard and our Italian host chef will teach us the traditional way to make Italian pizza. We'll enjoy Sorrento and spend the night there before heading home the next day.

Traditional Neopolitan Pizza- Making

A beautiful vista

We'd love to have you on this trip of a lifetime. If you'd like to come along or want information on custom-creating your own dream trip to Italy, you can contact me or call Pat or Ann at Newnan's Uniglobe McIntosh Travel . Adiamo!

The Road along the Amalfi Coast

California Here We...Were!

2010-01-15T07:43:00.000-08:00

With two teenage sons, Pat and I are cognizant of their interests when planning family trips. Happy teens equal a happy mom; well you know the saying! What could please two boys (and daddy) more than a week centered around college football games - in Southern California? Well, I'm sure lots of things but that's for another day.

Right after landing at LAX we had to satisfy an URGE... for In-n-Out Burgers. Anyone who has been to In-n-Out understands. If only this chain would come to Georgia!

We started with a fab stay at an incredible Del Mar beach house and saw old friends to boot. We came to watch the Arizona Wildcats play the Nebraska Cornhuskers at the Holiday Bowl (Nebraska vs. Arizona) as special guests of a dear friend who is on the Bowl Committee.

If you are ever looking to attend a football bowl game, this one is it! It is a top bowl destination with terrific events, fabulous treatment of the visiting teams and well - it's in San Diego! Of course, my sons claimed their highlight was having their photos taken with the lovely ESPN reporter Erin Andrews. I think they are joking... Truly, a highlight was attending the U.S. Bank Kickoff luncheon when we dined and chatted with several very polite Arizona players.

I recommend staying in Del Mar, preferably at a friend's incredible beach house, like we did. But if your buddies don't have access to said house, the L'Auberge Del Mar, a sophisticated, destination hotel, is a close second. The Hilton San Diego Del Mar is very nice and is right across the street from the famous Del Mar racetrack. We held with tradition and threw a party with friends and gorged on takeout from a favorite Del Mar Mexican restaurant, Fidel's. Oh yeah.

It was hard to tear ourselves away from the ocean views but were motivated to attend the Battle of the Bands. The poor Nebraska band got snowed in and missed the game! But the Lincoln Southeast High School Band stood in for the Husker musicians and saved the day. This high school band must have been good luck charm because Nebraska routed Arizona 33-0!

We, reluctantly but excitedly, left Del Mar for our old hometown of Pasadena to visit friends and attend the Tournament of Roses Parade and The Rose Bowl. We hadn't seen the parade since we lived in Pasadena and carried our boys to watch it in backpacks. This year's parade was worth the wait! On New Year's Eve night, we went to a couple of parties at friends' houses and stopped by the parade route along Orange Grove Blvd. to check out some floats close up. Exhausted, we went back to our nicely appointed rooms at the very pretty Hilton San Gabriel and stayed up till Midnight celebrating - maybe we didn't quite make it to twelve!

My favorite float was sponsored by Rain Bird - absolutely stunning. It is hard to believe every visible inch of the floats has to be made from flower, plant or vegetable matter.

A crowd favorite was Natural Balance Pet Foods featuring the famous skateboarding bulldog Tillman (and friends) snowboarding down a ramp. Tiny dog houses carried the talented canines to the top of their slope to "catch some powder" over and over again.

Post parade, we tailgated (sans a tailgate) outside the Rose Bowl stadium. We picniced while listening to a live performance of the band Cheap Trick. The strains of "I Want You to Want Me" got us revved up for the clash between The Oregon Ducks (my grandma's alma mater) and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Duckie, the Oregon mascot, snuck up and tried to "steal" our cooler but decided he wasn't thirsty and made a quick getaway.

Except for a traffic jam at the ticket lines, we had a blast at the game and rejoiced in a gorgeous sunset over the San Gabriel Mountains.

One regret was that our favorite Mexican Restaurant IN THE WORLD - El Taquito Mexicano (467 N. Fair Oaks Ave.), was closed for the New Year's holiday.

We crave their Al Pastor, Carnitas and Carne Asada tacos and their salsa roja is the best we've ever had. We usually buy it in quantity, freeze it and carry it back to Georgia with us. Oh well, I guess we'll have to make a return trip!

If you are interested in visiting some of these spots, events or other sites in So. Cal, the staff at Uniglobe McIntosh Travel can find you the absolute lowest hotel and airfare rates (they have access to all published and unpublished rates -including internet) They also have other fantastic suggestions to make your visit just as memorable as ours.

Searching for Seaglass...Or a Stucky's!

2010-01-13T07:17:00.000-08:00

"I can remember the first time I became aware of Stuckey's. Can't tell you where we were traveling to or from but I can tell you that somewhere along our route, I suddenly saw, outside my backseat window, a sign proclaiming that it was only 153 miles to Stuckey's." "I couldn't imagine what could be so all-fired important about this thing called Stuckey's as to require so very much consistent advance notice, but I knew that, whatever it was, I did NOT want to miss it."

So wrote Jill Conner Browne, AKA Tammy, head Sweet Potato Queen in her latest book "American Thighs".

I totally get that. Excitement for what's coming, what's around the next bend - I DO NOT want to miss out! There are certainly people more well-traveled than me; but I've logged a few miles. Searching for Seaglass is a blog about the love of going someplace else and the excitement that comes with new adventures.

I look in the ocean for pieces of seaglass to bring home as memories, but half the fun is the search. So is it with traveling - much of the fun is in the planning and preparing.

I hope you will share your thoughts and travel stories on this blog and we can help other people find their Stuckey's or seaglass as the case may be. Let's start planning!