As usual, my family doesn’t know what we’re doing in Chicago during our upcoming visit except where we are eating – or want to eat. One place my Chicago-based stepdaughter wants to try: a newish BBQ place Lillie Qs: http://www.lilliesq.com/. Supposed to be really good.
Time to start thinking about: fun stuff to do this weekend in Chicago
Off to Chicago yet again, to pick up my son from college and have a little family reunion (which a trip to Chicago always inspires)…I also will have time to explore the city a bit so need to read up and see what’s going on!
Filed under Uncategorized
Cheap airfare to Hawaii
If I buy a plane ticket now for our January trip to Hawaii, I probably will save a bundle since I just found tickets from Des Moines to Honolulu for about $550. But I can’t quite bring myself to buy them yet – since lots of things could change between now and then. So I’m posting this now – as a reminder in November when I’m searching for reasonable fares, of what might have been….Granted the $525 fare is a three-flight trip (DM to Minneapolis to Seattle to Hawaii). The $700 or so ticket is a two-flight trip. And it’s important to look at where the flights connect. Some of the three flight trips take you all the way to Georgia and then back to Des Moines. Not good. The best options appear to be two-flight trips from DM to Denver to Hawaii….
Oahu here we come
I haven’t gotten the geography of Hawaii in my head yet – but there’s time. we don’t go there until next January. The NYTimes did have some recommendations for Oahu in yesterday’s paper so here they are:
– For hiking, Waimea Valley on Oahu’s North show – includes guided hikes. The less strenuous Ala Ki Hike takes you to the top of Kalahee Ridge, on a switchback trail through mixed forest of exotic and native plants. More challenging is Diamond Head Crater with stunning views of Oahu’s southern shoreline.
There’s a farmers market (Kapiolani Community College farmer market across from the crater on Saturdays – with Oahu fruit/veg, handmade past, goof breakfast.
Other dining options: Orchids at the Halekulani Hotel in Honolulu (seafood, local produce and banana macadamia pancakes and pork omelets with Lomilomi toatos; or for dinner Kahuku shrimp ravioli, or kona lobster.
More casual dining like Chai’s Island Bistro in neighborhoods like Kapahulu or Haleiwa neighborhoods.
Filed under Hawaii
where to eat in Dubuque
This according to AAALiving: L.May’s for pizza; The Bank Bar and Grill in a 100-year-old former bank; Calico Bean Market for organic coffee and gourmet candy.
where to stay in San Juan islands…
My stepdaughter has reserved a suite/room at the Anchorage Inn on Orcas Island which looks nice (great view from the hot tub.)
Here’s what the NYTimes recommended in 2005 when it did a 36 Hours story on the San Juans:
The Inn on Orcas Island (114 Channel Road, Deer Harbor; 888-886-1661) offers eight artfully decorated rooms, cottages and suites starting at $185 a night, all facing a bay. Breakfast is included.
The Tucker House Inn (260 B Street, Friday Harbor; 800-965-0123) is in two century-old buildings. Its 11 rooms, cottages and suites are $150 to $275, including breakfast.
Filed under Uncategorized
Washington state travels – a little more
Okay, I’ve dug out my journal from 1990 (#20…and fun fact, I just finished #53 last night) to unearth a few more suggestions for E’s trip to San Juan Islands, Seattle et. al. Most of the places still appear to be around (and several now have elaborate websites, of course.) Now I REALLY want to go return!
Here they are:
– In Seattle, (on night one of honeymoon) we stayed at the Salisbury B&B in quiet neighborhood at Aloha and 16th Streets. (Capital Hill)
visited Pike Street Public Market, at Ivar’s Clams (oysters best), walked around Pioneer Square, browsed at Elliot Books; ate at posh Canlis restaurant (courtesy of Uncle Tom, who touted its fresh salmon)
– Anacortes – stayed at another charming B&B, The Channel House (in the “honeymoon suite” no less, only room available) before taking ferry to San Juan Islands.
– Orcas Island: Stayed at Orcas Hotel,cheerful old hotel, greets you right when get off the ferry; Stopped at craft cooperative/good lunch at Cafe Olga – http://www.orcasartworks.com/ (in Olga, Wa) cool place and has cabins for lodging! Might be called The Doe Bay Resort http://www.doebay.com/ (hippie dippie is how I described it, with clothing-optional mineral baths, yurts., got new owners in 2002); really lied the old fashioned Rosario Resort (including a free lecture, slide show, musical presentation about the island’s history.) Main part of resort is an old mansion. Dinner we ate at The Bungalow (jumbo shrimp scampi on squid pasta and our waitress turned out to be a hitchhiker we’d picked up earlier in the day. small world, Orcas.) Hiked 2-3 miles around Cascade Lake in Moran State Park in the drizzle; got lost, flagged down a passing car and got a lift; drove to top of Mt. Constitution (great view). Ate dinner at La Famiglia Ristorante, homey Italian.
– San Juan Island/Friday harbor: rented mopeds to tour island; romantic Olympic Light b&b (reminded me a bit of the Hamptons w/mountains and w/out flashy mansions/people; later found out that’s where one of owners is from); Dinner at The Duck Soup Inn – food ok but atmosphere lovely; explored American Camp National Park – spectacular; went to a neat old resort Roche Harbour and organic farm nearby.
I have some other stuff on Port Townsend, other parts if you need E! x0x,b
Filed under Seattle, Washington state
where to stay on Orcas and San Juan Islands
We stayed at the Orcas Hotel, which was sweet. (the info is from the san juan islands website)
Orcas Hotel
- 18 Orcas Hill Road
- Orcas, WA 98280
- Phone: (360) 376-4300
- Tollfree: 888-672-2792
- orcas@orcashotel.com
The Orcas Hotel in the San Juan Islands has been welcoming guests since 1904. The island landmark occupies a place of honor on the National Register of Historic Places. Surrounded by a classic English garden filled with an abundance of fragrant flowers, superb herbs and arbors of…more
And we visited Rosario Resort & Spa/Moran Mansion – which is definitely worth a visit.!
- 1400 Rosario Road
- Eastsound, WA 98245
- Phone: (360) 376-2222
- Tollfree: (800) 562-8820
- info@rosarioresort.com
The historic Moran Mansion is the centerpiece for this 30-acre resort and marina located on the shores of Cascade Bay. 23 guestrooms and suites, some with gas fireplaces, offer comfortable accommodations and spectacular views of the water and forested mountains of Orcas…more
On San Juan Island we stayed here. (magical setting). wow this makes me want to return!
Olympic Lights Bed & Breakfast
- 146 Starlight Way
- Friday Harbor, WA 98250
- Phone: (360) 378-3186
- Tollfree: (888) 211-6195
- olympiclights@rockisland.com
Sunny and restored 1895 Victorian farm house with panoramic views of the sea and Olympic Mountain range. Four bedrooms with private baths, full breakfast included….more
And here’s suggestions from my friend Denise who has been there recently: ’d recommend making an effort to get on a smaller boat and visit/picnic/wander some of the smaller islands, if at all possible. SO beautiful, and such a different experience than even the most quaint of the villages. Also, there are sea kayaking excursions around some of the islands that are really great – that was one of our favorite days! So fun to see seals lounging & all the birds from sea level.
Filed under Uncategorized, Washington state
San Juan Islands/seattle
My stepdaughter is looking for travel tips for a trip to Seattle and the San Juan Islands in late June. Lucky her! We went there for our honeymoon almost exactly 21 years ago so my memory is a little rusty but I will pull out my trusty journal and find some stuff for her. I do remember that we took the ferry from Anacortes – a more “real” town that we really liked -to the main island and stayed at Friday Harbor. Then we went to another island.(I must ask my friend Denise for tips since she was there recently.)
Other places we visited and liked a lot during our trip: Victoria on Vancouver Island, Port Townsend (land of Dungeness Crab and where Officer and a Gentleman was filmed), and the Olympic National Park and the Hoh Rain forest (and Indian reservation there) and Forks, WA (where Spotted Owl vs. loggers battle was brewing) and Concrete, Washington (where the novel/film “This Boys Life” is set) and the lodge at Snoqualmie Falls where the tv show “Twin Peaks” (which was a cult fad in 1990) was filmed. We also went to the indian reservation near the Hoh Rain Forest in the most northwest corner of the 48 contiguous states. (fun fact….)
Filed under Seattle, Uncategorized, Washington state
where to eat in LeClaire, Iowa – preferably with a river view
My sister texted en route from Des Moines back home to Oak Park, Illinois this morning, asking where she could stop around the Mississippi River for lunch and a nice view of the river. I suggested the town of LeClaire (or Le Claire) only a few miles north of Interstate 80. It has some nice antique shops and restaurants along or near the river. I found one I hadn’t heard of before that looked good: the Crane & Pelican Cafe.
Beyond that, on a Monday, the limited selection included Sneaky Pete’s (my sister was accompanied by her 10-year-old so I thought she’d get a kick out of the atmosphere which is a bit corny; although steaks are the specialty and my sister is a vegetarian) or Happy Joe’s. The Faithful Pilot, which I’ve always wanted to try, isn’t open on Mondays alas.
Filed under Iowa
TakeBetsywithyou 