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Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water
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Fine Canine Dining
October 8, 2025
Driving down the 101 we stopped to buy driving gloves in Florence, Oregon. While his dad shopped, Charlie and I took a stroll around the vicinity. The Homegrown sign attracted our attention so we stopped by to see it. As we left Denise, the server, greeted us and lavished attention on Charlie. I inquired about vegan food to learn that many fine options were on offer for us, and also a dog menu was available. The decision to eat lunch was made because I never expected to find a dog menu and thought the chance might never come again.
Our lunch at this nano brewery was superb. We enjoyed a veggie burger and vegan tacos with excellent salad and crispy fries. I drank amber beer, which was a perfect compliment to the food. All dishes were homemade. Charlie enjoyed his meatloaf with gusto. I suggested he slow down to savor it, but he is a dog.
We were joined on the patio by other dog parents. Wouldn’t you know that the dachshund sits at the table munching human menu items? Denise gives outstanding service to humans and dogs. The food was innovative, made with fresh ingredients, and presented artfully. Our lunch at Homegrown Public House Brewery was delicious for all of us. Highly recommended.
Dream Dog Beach
October 5, 2025
In Oregon the beach belongs to the state and cannot be private. Dogs are allowed to go off leash with reasonable behavior expected. Our dog Charlie is a huge fan of beach trips, feeling the need to greet all humans as well as canine visitors. He’s allowed to play with mutually consenting dogs. Today he met a one year old female dog from Texas who made him ecstatic. She is a great athlete who loves running as much as he does. His parents bring him here to run at the beach, all the way from Ft. Worth. She was his dream date.
Boulder Falls Healing Garden
October 3, 2025
In Lebanon, Oregon an exceptionally stunning Japanese garden grows that has been designed for healing. Arranged around a koi pond with fountains and waterfalls are rocks, trees, and floral gardens that provide privacy in serene beauty for those seeking healthier lives. The garden is connected to a hotel and conference center on a medical campus, Best Western Boulder Falls Inn. It’s popular for weddings and other special occasions as well as giving guests who are at the hospital for care a place to heal. It’s a brilliant idea and an unforgettable experience. We spent one night on our way out of Oregon. Enjoying the garden and koi pond was a superb way to begin our journey. The staff is courteous and professional, and the hotel is comfortable and well designed. The garden is what sets it apart from all other hotels. The dog loved it there.
Best Dog Park Ever
October 1, 2025
We are on the road with our dog, looking for a good time. We found it at Minto-Brown Island off leash dog park in Salem, Oregon . I frequent dog parks as a pet sitter so I have visited a wide range of facilities designed for dogs. Never have I seen such an elaborate space for canine contentment. Charlie agrees. This place is the total bomb. Old orchards of apple, walnut, cherry, and chestnuts surround a giant field of grass. Pathways through this forest are part of the off leash privileges. It’s very exciting to the dogs to be free in this setting. He met many fun and friendly people and dogs, who ran with him until he was exhausted.
I cannot recommend this park highly enough. Charlie woofs in hearty agreement.
Kite Festival Fun
September 18, 2025
People and dogs enjoy the kite festival in Long Beach, Washington each year. The event is well organized and highly creative. Worth a visit.
Kimpton Vintage Portland
September 17, 2025
The oldest hotel in Portland, Oregon is known now as Kimpton Vintage. When it opened in 1894 it was called the Imperial Hotel. Its history includes expansion and contraction through changes in ownership. I particularly enjoy the architecture of that period, which was built when the city was riding high. I have stayed in other Kimpton properties, which I admire for the reform and restoration of historic structures. Kimpton Vintage Portland is a shining example of artful design that creates an atmosphere of elegance and hospitality.
We had a wonderful visit in an elegant corner room before a long train journey. The front desk agent, Ben, convinced us to return at the end of our trip. We asked him what was happening on the 9th floor on the balconies. He told us about the jacuzzi suites available, then booked one for us.
This was a perfect grand finale to our trip. The hotel has a daily complimentary wine happy hour with excellent local wines. The convivial lobby event gives guests a cozy way to meet each other. We met a fellow guest who had borrowed the free bike the hotel offers to ride across the bridge to survey the city.
Too many superb options exist for dining within walking distance of the hotel. We only had time to visit a couple old favorites on our stay.
I love staying downtown Portland to experience history in a modern context. I have now found the perfect place to enjoy that. It’s a short walk to the waterfront, my fave place to stroll. Public transportation is super convenient and efficient. Cosmopolitan living at its finest is available for visitors to the Rose City. Dogs are welcome.
Arizona Highways Halloween Edition
October 26, 2017
— 3 Comments
Halloween car
I love living in Arizona. I used to travel around the world all the time. In fact, I was a travel agent for years, living the good life on the gravy train of the travel industry. The market has changed significantly and the service on airlines is not as great as it was in the past. I used miles to upgrade my international flights to business class back in the day, but those seats are never available with miles now. The super gold elite platinum members suck those all down for themselves. I no longer fly or collect airline miles for the future. I am happy as a tourist in my own spectacular state. We have it all, including the Grand Canyon.
I recently downsized my possessions and bought a Mini Cooper to drive. The change brings money into my budget and a fun tiny car that meets my needs perfectly. I drove the car recently to Phoenix for the Cannabis Expo weekend. It is super easy to park and easy to drive. My wanderlust for the open road has been revived by my new wheels. When I first saw the car I did not like it because it is orange and black. I have come to adore the colors, and think it is a snazzy sporty look. I will drive it down to Tombstone and Bisbee tomorrow for a Halloween weekend visit. Bisbee is all about haunting and history. Tombstone is all about gunslinging, Doc and Wyatt.
The drive is an easy two hours, about the same as Phoenix, from home. I will stop in Tombstone on the way down then take a day trip to Douglas on Saturday. Douglas was once a very wealthy smelter town for the Bisbee copper mine. The Louis Comfort Tiffany Window in the Hotel Gadsden is a remnant of those high rolling times. It is worth the drive to Douglas to see that window. Tombstone, Bisbee, and Douglas grew up around mines. The history of the wild west is still celebrated, particularly around Halloween. It will be a fantastic retreat, as well as a bargain for the cost. I feel lucky to have so many excellent and varied destinations to discover by a short drive.
Value For Dollar, Air bnb
March 13, 2017
— 1 Comment
I was a travel agent for many years, and have not lost my love of hotels. There is nothing like a stay at a first class establishment to make you feel pampered and rested. I prefer to save up for a special stay if I want to stay in a hotel. When they converted the Waldorf-Astoria to apartments last week I was really happy I had stayed there a couple of times. Once I talked the sales representative into giving me a two bedroom suite for the price of a double room. It was spectacular, and I will never forget it. The Sunday brunch was also to die for. Five star hotels are memorable, but they are not the only way to have a special vacation. Since air bnb started I have used it for particular locations. Sometimes the most important aspect of the stay is the exact location. Air bnb has expanded my choices when I travel to include a large and growing number of private homes, guest houses, and rooms for rent to paying customers. I used to rent private flats in other countries, and it was tricky. Now this has become easy and safe for all involved parties. Air bnb connects renters with exceptional spaces to rent.
The company carries insurance for both the renter and the property owner. There is a vetting process, and the reviews are made public. If a guest is undesirable and is reviewed as a bad prospect, other owners will not want to rent to him. Conversely, if an accommodation is reviewed as less than perfect, prospective renters can take this into account when deciding on a rental. I have only had one property that worked out well for me but I declined to review because I thought it was not appropriate for most travelers. I have been around the world and have a pretty wide range of tolerances, but this is not the case for all clients of air bnb. The base of customers and rentals is growing, which means there are new places on the rental market all the time. I keep some wish lists of properties for future reference. This helps me check certain cities for my dream accommodations quickly. There are many choices, and trip planning is a sport for me. I can get lost in the air bnb site for hours, just doing research on new locations.
I go to Tempe, Arizona at least once a year for a weekend. I like to live like a regular person in the neighborhood when I am there. I don’t always cook, but I like the option of a kitchen for flexibility. This is one of the major advantages to hotel life in my mind. Each host is different, but generally the renter is given free use of the kitchen, and normally the outdoor barbecue, if there is one. If nothing else this allows me to store any produce I pick up at framers markets, and gives me a place to make my coffee in the mornings. Hosts almost always provide coffee and tea. Some go all out with gifts of food and wine for the traveller. I have moved in to find a case of fizzy water and other goodies left by the previous tenant. The host describes what is provided so there is little chance of surprise. Being accurate in the description is an important issue to the company. I find they are all good at that. Obviously, some personalities will fit better than others, and staying in someone’s home is intimate. All my hosts have been just right for my tastes, usually leaving the premises, and leaving me alone. Many will leave a key or a lock box for convenience checking in while they are at work. My recent stay at Larry’s place in Tempe worked out very well for my needs. I would recommend his property for anyone. He is friendly, but low key. His very well presented guide book helped me navigate the area when I arrived. It was very helpful.
Larry’s yard
Larry
The referral and vetting system is similar to Uber or Lyft. If you use my invitation link to sign up , you will receive a discount of $40 on your first booking. I will be rewarded with $20 in credit after you take your first trip. It is a win/win situation. Have you tired using air bnb, gentle reader? It is becoming much more popular all the time.
#WeekendCoffeeShare, Spring Farming
February 25, 2017
— 8 Comments
Desert Botanical Garden
Desert Botanical Garden
Desert Botanical Garden
Desert Botanical Garden
Desert Botanical Garden
Desert Botanical Garden
Desert Botanical Garden
If we were having coffee I would invite you to once again sit by the wood stove, which has been cranked up for a couple of days. This short cold snap may be the last time we need to burn wood this year. The quick warm up has caused all the trees to go into blossom mode. My peach tree is in bloom, and the apricot and grapefruit are budding up. Since I still had a large crop of ruby-red grapefruit on the tree I needed to act quickly to get them picked. It stresses the tree and the fruit will start to lose weight if I leave it much longer. I picked about 100 pounds, and took them to the farmers market. I am a member of a coop sponsored by our food bank that allows us to drop off our produce to be sold at the coop table.
It is great because small growers who do not produce enough to want to rent their own table use the coop to sell their fruits, herbs, and vegetables. I joined last year when I had too many grapefruit at the end of the season, and think it is a wonderful service to the community. I take extra herbs and citrus that turn out to be more than we can use. Others are doing it to increase income from home gardening. I came back to the market at the perfect time!! Tomorrow there will be a party at a brewery downtown hosted by the Arizona Small Scale Farmers Alliance, a ranger and farmer meet up. This will be a very fun event for me. I plan to attend and find out what is happening in local farmer land. I have also made my plans for wildflower safari to Tempe and Scottsdale in the beginning of March. One of my Air bnb hosts up there has a miniature farm with free range chickens and organic gardens. Guests are invited and encouraged to eat the produce and eggs. That will be interesting to see as well as taste. I want to see what farmers do in Scottsdale.
My trip to Maricopa County will include the opening of a new butterfly pavilion at the Desert Botanical Gardens for which they are having a party. It will be wildflower as well as citrus bloom season up there, so the sights and scents will be very exciting. On Sunday I will visit the Museum of the Musical Instrument, where I will see the exhibits at leisure the attend a classical matinée concert by the Phoenix Symphony. There are special exhibits about 20th century guitar art, and another about Woodie Guthrie. I could easily spend an entire day there. I am enthusiastically looking forward to my weekend away, not very far from home. I plan to purposely take some botanical/architectural images to use later as prompts for poetry or fiction. There will be plenty of subject matter from which to choose. I am still writing fiction once a week to Sue Vincent’s photo prompts, which gave me the idea to capture a few of my own for future use. April is poetry month and I always use an image with each of the 30 poems, so might as well prepare.
If we were having coffee I would be seriously pushing the grapefruit juice, and sending a few fruits home with you when you go. I want to hear about your week and writing projects. I know many of you are still in winter, and are probably getting tired of it. My early spring farming issues might not inspire much sympathy if you are still snowed in. Think of it this way. Soon you will be able to enjoy the blaze of color and flash of Phoenician spring without leaving home. I will bring it to you on coffee share. I only wish I could transmit the amazing aroma of citrus in bloom. It is sweet and uplifting beyond measure. Thank you for visiting this week. Take some spring vibes home with you.
If you want to join other writers and digital beverage drinkers visit Nerd In The Brain to hook up with stories from around the globe each weekend. Feel free to read, comment, enjoy, or submit a post of your own here.
#WeekendCoffeeShare
Vacation Budget
May 30, 2015
— 4 Comments
I worked as an outside sales travel agent for many years. I took care of my own clients and split my commissions with the agency where I worked. I served all kinds of different clients, mostly recreational. They knew the destination and how long they would stay. They wanted to find the best airfare. Back in the day only agents or the airlines themselves had access to the digital systems used for booking. Some people wanted nothing more than the best fare for a flight, but others wanted some guidance in planning. Naturally each vacationer wants to think they have a great bargain package, but very few would tell the agent how much they had planned to spend. This question was rarely answered. Today, of course, consumers shop for their own travel and have resources available to do research. Yelp and TripAdvisor help prospective clients judge destinations by reading the reviews of other holiday makers. This helps people fit the vacation to personal taste, and avoid costly bad matches in accommodations.
In summer thoughts turn to vacation. I no longer book travel for other people but I do want to offer some advice for a stress free and happy trip, no matter where you roam.
- Pack your schedule lightly so you can take advantage of surprises
- Compare all kinds of lodging located near your destination
- Choose some splurge activity you have dreamed of doing and do it
- Indulge your own passions and collections when browsing and shopping
- Less is best when choosing how many times to move base camp
- Take less gear than you need with plans to purchase a souvenir you can use
- Pack old items of clothing you no longer want and throw them away as you go
You need to budget both time and money in order to get the most value out of your time on holiday. Think first of the beginning and the end of the trip. Leave plenty of time on both ends for unexpected events and delays. Don’t fly to a wedding on a flight that is scheduled to arrive 3 hours before the ceremony. Don’t drive home for 12 hours straight on the last night of your time off from your job. I always like to have a full day at home before I have an appointment, just so I can recover and/or be delayed in transit. If you give yourself plenty of leisure time you will come back refreshed, even if you use it to be very energetic. Cramming too many destinations or plans into the time allowed can ruin the rhythm of your rest and relaxation. It is bad to return exhausted.
It is worse to return home in deep debt. A satisfying vacation is one you can afford without sweating. After you calculate your airfare and special events be reasonable about how you will want to dine, shop, and entertain yourself. There is a strong association between freewheeling spending and American Dreaming. Remember this especially if you plan to spend time in Nevada. I think the worst buyer’s remorse is that of the vacationer who has not yet paid for the trip that did not really come up to snuff. That charge on the credit card remains to add insult to injury for a long time. Please set a limit, a budget, and a goal for your holiday spending. Be creative to make the most of your free time. Bon voyage, gentle reader.
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