My weekly blog post is a little late, so in an effort to get something posted, in no particular order, and pretty much just as they pop into my head, I present to you...
Five Things I Like
1) The Television Show Castle - it is always entertaining, and I love the chemistry between the characters, plus I'm a big Nathan Fillion fan
2) Eating Out - I like the opportunity to try new things without having to figure out a new recipe. I like the way my food magically appears in front of me with a minimum of effort on my part. I like the feeling of indulgence.
3) Random Smooches From My Husband - these are, as I mentioned, pretty much what is popping into my head at this moment, and having Josh just now wander into my study and smooch me on the top of my head reminded me how very much I appreciate those little spontaneous expressions of affection. If you haven't smooched your loved one(s) today, I recommend that you stop reading immediately, and go do it.
4)Lovely Spring Days - sunshine, leaves coming out on trees, flowers blooming, birds chirping, soft breezes - what's not to like?
5)Checking Things Off My To-Do List - I have something of a love hate relationship with my To-Do list. I love how it keeps me organized, and how it remembers all the little nagging tasks that I would other wise forget. I hate it when it overwhelms me and makes me feel like life is nothing but a never-ending list of tasks. However, even in "hate it" mode, checking something off the list gives me a sense of productivity and accomplishment.
I will now check "Blog" off my To-Do list. :)
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Tapley's Travel Tips
Traveling is one of my great passions in life. I do it as often as I can, and I post about it a lot on Facebook whenever I am on the road. (I would love to blog on the road, but until I have a laptop, or at least a netbook, that ain't happening.) Anyway, when I post about my travels on Facebook, I frequently get comments from people indicating that they wished they could do the same thing, but for whatever reason feel like they can't.
Now, I'm not here to tell you how to prioritize your time, energy, or finances, but I can give you some tips on how you can fit travel into your life while still holding down a job and paying a mortgage.
TIP #1
Get a credit card that gives you frequent flyer miles or hotel points. Of course, the usual rules about credit cards apply - meaning pay it off every month! Think about getting a frequent flyer mile for every dollar you spend on major purchases, or on gas, or groceries - or everything. These can add up fast, and before you know it you are flying free every few years without spending any money you weren't going to spend anyway. If the money you need for a purchase is sitting in your bank account, instead of using your debit card, why not put it on the miles card and then make an immediate online payment from your bank to the credit card? You don't pay any interest, you only spend money you actually have, and you get the miles!
TIP #2
Set up a special savings account for travel and set up an automatic deposit for it. If you have direct deposit for your paycheck, you could send a portion of that money into your travel account. You could also set up a regular weekly or monthly transfer from another bank account. If you are anything like me, make this an account that you can't access too easily to prevent you from dipping in whenever you are craving sushi or cute shoes. If you are saving some amount of money, even a small one, on a regular basis, and you aren't touching your balance, before you know it you will have enough money for an adventure of some kind - even if it is just a weekend away.
TIP #3
Do your research and make use of travel guides, especially guides like Pauline Frommer's Spend Less, See More series and Frommer's Free & Dirt Cheap series. These books are written with an eye towards getting you the best experience for your money, and have all sorts of tips and tricks to help you find affordable lodging, food, and entertainment on your travels.
Those are just a few of my favorite tips. When Josh and I went to Europe for two weeks last year we got our tickets to London using frequent flyer miles from a credit card, we got very affordable lodging in London and Paris thanks to Pauline Frommer's guides on those cities, and we paid for the trip mostly by having money automatically saved out of every paycheck the whole time we were planning the trip.
I'll post more tips as the spirit moves me, so keep an eye out, and happy travels!
Now, I'm not here to tell you how to prioritize your time, energy, or finances, but I can give you some tips on how you can fit travel into your life while still holding down a job and paying a mortgage.
TIP #1
Get a credit card that gives you frequent flyer miles or hotel points. Of course, the usual rules about credit cards apply - meaning pay it off every month! Think about getting a frequent flyer mile for every dollar you spend on major purchases, or on gas, or groceries - or everything. These can add up fast, and before you know it you are flying free every few years without spending any money you weren't going to spend anyway. If the money you need for a purchase is sitting in your bank account, instead of using your debit card, why not put it on the miles card and then make an immediate online payment from your bank to the credit card? You don't pay any interest, you only spend money you actually have, and you get the miles!
TIP #2
Set up a special savings account for travel and set up an automatic deposit for it. If you have direct deposit for your paycheck, you could send a portion of that money into your travel account. You could also set up a regular weekly or monthly transfer from another bank account. If you are anything like me, make this an account that you can't access too easily to prevent you from dipping in whenever you are craving sushi or cute shoes. If you are saving some amount of money, even a small one, on a regular basis, and you aren't touching your balance, before you know it you will have enough money for an adventure of some kind - even if it is just a weekend away.
TIP #3
Do your research and make use of travel guides, especially guides like Pauline Frommer's Spend Less, See More series and Frommer's Free & Dirt Cheap series. These books are written with an eye towards getting you the best experience for your money, and have all sorts of tips and tricks to help you find affordable lodging, food, and entertainment on your travels.
Those are just a few of my favorite tips. When Josh and I went to Europe for two weeks last year we got our tickets to London using frequent flyer miles from a credit card, we got very affordable lodging in London and Paris thanks to Pauline Frommer's guides on those cities, and we paid for the trip mostly by having money automatically saved out of every paycheck the whole time we were planning the trip.
I'll post more tips as the spirit moves me, so keep an eye out, and happy travels!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Is there such a thing as St. Patrick's Day resolutions?
Once again I am resolving to pay more attention to this blog. My goal is to add something at least once a week. The entries may only be a few sentences, or a list of movies I want to watch, or what I ate for dinner (I can feel your excitement and anticipation building), but at least there will be something posted. Sure, it would be lovely if I were to regularly craft amusing and insightful commentaries for y'all. It would also be nice if every night I cooked fresh, nutrious, gourmet meals. As my very intelligent spouse just pointed out, sometimes you have to settle for pizza and beer - and that's good too. My theory is that settling for the occasional (or frequent) quick and dirty blog entry will make my new resolution doable. And thus, I hope, a habit is formed.
The best is the enemy of the good.
-Voltaire
The best is the enemy of the good.
-Voltaire
Friday, September 11, 2009
Steaks and Whiskey - Texas Style
San Antonio abounds with steakhouses. There are high end chains like Ruth's Chris and Morton's, and there are more elbows on the table type chains - Saltgrass, Texas Land & Cattle, and Texas Roadhouse, just to name a few. There are also a wide variety of local spots, running a similar atmospheric gambit. Among these is the Josephine St. Cafe.
Located close to downtown, right next to Liberty Bar - another San Antonio landmark - Josephine St. is a slightly ramshackle little place where the tables are packed in tight - both inside the restaurant and on the small patio. Make no mistake, unlike the Kentucky-based Texas Roadhouse, the vibe here is the real thing. The decor includes neon signs in the windows advertising steaks & whiskey, a nice wooden bar with a few artfully displayed bumper stickers declaring themes like "Too many Americans, not enough Texans", and a giant tree. Yep, a tree. The floor and ceiling actually go around the tree. Don't tell me Texans aren't into conservation.
The menu is small, with asterisks denoting specialties of the house. We tried the beef tenderloin anticuchos as an appetizer. This turned out to be sort of like a kebob with jalapeño-marinated beef skewered with red bell pepper and onion. The two skewers were served on a bed of tortilla chips with a really wonderful spicy dipping sauce. Yum. For dinner, naturally, we got steaks. I tried the bacon-wrapped tenderloin and Josh got the sirloin. The steaks come with one side each, but Josh and I took the option of ordering more. Between us, we had mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, broccolli, corn on the cob, and sautéed mushrooms. The food was hearty and very tasty. I won't claim that this was the best steak I've ever had - although it might have helped if my medium rare steak hadn't actually been cooked to medium - but I did thoroughly enjoy the meal. Add in the fact that the steaks at Josephine St. cost less than even the elbows on the table chains, and you can see why this place has been going strong for 30 years.
http://josephinestcafe.com/
Located close to downtown, right next to Liberty Bar - another San Antonio landmark - Josephine St. is a slightly ramshackle little place where the tables are packed in tight - both inside the restaurant and on the small patio. Make no mistake, unlike the Kentucky-based Texas Roadhouse, the vibe here is the real thing. The decor includes neon signs in the windows advertising steaks & whiskey, a nice wooden bar with a few artfully displayed bumper stickers declaring themes like "Too many Americans, not enough Texans", and a giant tree. Yep, a tree. The floor and ceiling actually go around the tree. Don't tell me Texans aren't into conservation.
The menu is small, with asterisks denoting specialties of the house. We tried the beef tenderloin anticuchos as an appetizer. This turned out to be sort of like a kebob with jalapeño-marinated beef skewered with red bell pepper and onion. The two skewers were served on a bed of tortilla chips with a really wonderful spicy dipping sauce. Yum. For dinner, naturally, we got steaks. I tried the bacon-wrapped tenderloin and Josh got the sirloin. The steaks come with one side each, but Josh and I took the option of ordering more. Between us, we had mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, broccolli, corn on the cob, and sautéed mushrooms. The food was hearty and very tasty. I won't claim that this was the best steak I've ever had - although it might have helped if my medium rare steak hadn't actually been cooked to medium - but I did thoroughly enjoy the meal. Add in the fact that the steaks at Josephine St. cost less than even the elbows on the table chains, and you can see why this place has been going strong for 30 years.
http://josephinestcafe.com/
Monday, August 31, 2009
And I must follow, if I can...
So the question is, what if I don't want to go back again? And honestly, can you ever really go back again? Thomas Wolfe didn't think so. Neither did Snoopy.
Confused yet?
Let me backtrack. Until just a few moments ago, this blog was titled "There and Back Again, A Librarian's Tale." I like this title. I like the Tolkien reference, I like the travel reference, and of course I like the reference to my profession. This last made particular sense since the blog began life as part of a professional development project for work.
But recently I've decided that I'd like my life to be more about moving forward, and less about, well, creating more of the same. New perspective, new blog title. I'd like to focus more on travel, and writing, and finding new ways to explore this incredible world.
And whither then? I cannot say.
Confused yet?
Let me backtrack. Until just a few moments ago, this blog was titled "There and Back Again, A Librarian's Tale." I like this title. I like the Tolkien reference, I like the travel reference, and of course I like the reference to my profession. This last made particular sense since the blog began life as part of a professional development project for work.
But recently I've decided that I'd like my life to be more about moving forward, and less about, well, creating more of the same. New perspective, new blog title. I'd like to focus more on travel, and writing, and finding new ways to explore this incredible world.
And whither then? I cannot say.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Storming Austin
Small concert venues rock. Small concert venues with dynamic performers who make you feel like you are at a big family party rock a lot. Case in point: last Saturday's Gaelic Storm concert at Threadgill's in Austin, TX.
If you think you're unfamiliar with Gaelic Storm, think again. Remember Titanic? Remember the rowdy party in steerage with the jig-able music? The fictional steerage band in Titanic was played by real band Gaelic Storm, and the band's live concert had a remarkably similar vibe to that cinematic party. Their music is a mix of classic Irish and orignal pieces, with a heavy emphasis on drinking songs. The Austin concert featured dancing and drinking and the crowd was small enough (while still filling the space) to make it feel like a backyard party.
I'd never been to Threadgill's before. It is a restaurant with an outdoor concert space which really is no bigger than a good sized backyard. Josh and I ate in the restaurant before the show. The stuffed jalapeños, black and blue Caesar salad, and blueberry cheesecake were all excellent. The chicken fried steak was ok, but if you are looking to sample an excellent example of this Texas classic, I recommend The Gristmill in Gruene.
I think I will probably go to Threadgills again. I know I will go to a Gaelic Storm concert again - at the earliest available opportunity. If you like good music and a good party, so will you.
If you think you're unfamiliar with Gaelic Storm, think again. Remember Titanic? Remember the rowdy party in steerage with the jig-able music? The fictional steerage band in Titanic was played by real band Gaelic Storm, and the band's live concert had a remarkably similar vibe to that cinematic party. Their music is a mix of classic Irish and orignal pieces, with a heavy emphasis on drinking songs. The Austin concert featured dancing and drinking and the crowd was small enough (while still filling the space) to make it feel like a backyard party.
I'd never been to Threadgill's before. It is a restaurant with an outdoor concert space which really is no bigger than a good sized backyard. Josh and I ate in the restaurant before the show. The stuffed jalapeños, black and blue Caesar salad, and blueberry cheesecake were all excellent. The chicken fried steak was ok, but if you are looking to sample an excellent example of this Texas classic, I recommend The Gristmill in Gruene.
I think I will probably go to Threadgills again. I know I will go to a Gaelic Storm concert again - at the earliest available opportunity. If you like good music and a good party, so will you.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
The Bed of a King - in Maui
My husband and I bought a timeshare in 2001, and I have to say we have been happy with the decision. We own one week in even numbered years at a resort in Orlando, FL - where we have never stayed. Since 2001 we have traded our week to visit St. John, USVI; Scottsdale, AZ; and cruise the Caribbean. Now, our tenth wedding anniversary is approaching, and, well, I was thinking of...Maui.
Trading a timeshare, if you aren't familiar, means depositing the week you own with the timeshare network, and then hoping that someone else deposits a week in a place you want to visit, at a time that you want to go. You can pick an exact resort that you want, or you can search for a general region, or you can pick your dates and see what is available then. If there are no matches for your criteria, then you can submit a request, and once something comes available, you get it.
Here's the tricky part. If something comes up that matches your search criteria, they will book and confirm your reservation without doublechecking with you that the match is a good one. So you have to make sure you specify your search well enough that you won't end up with something you don't want. They do allow you to limit to only resorts with certain amenities, like beach onsite (why would I go to Hawaii and not stay at a place with a beach?). You can tell the search program that you require a kitchen in your unit (this can actually make a vacation MUCH more relaxing). But you can't - and this is my sticking point - limit by available bed size.
My husband is a pretty big guy. I am not very big, but I am an expert sprawler. Also I toss and turn. At home, we have a king sized bed, and after 9 years with it, we don't do all that well in queen sized beds or smaller. Just like I am not going to travel all the way to Hawaii and NOT have easy access to a beach, I don't want to go for a relaxing week at the beach - and have trouble sleeping every night. Not if I can prevent it anyway.
So when I request a timeshare match, the only good option for me is to look at the directory of resorts in the area I want, and then do a little research to find out which ones offer king sized beds in their units. Then I can tell the search program to ONLY match me with these specific resorts. Which I did.
So, if you happen to own the week including Sept. 23, 2010 at either the Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas or the Ka'anapali Beach Club, I think it would be really nifty of you to deposit that week with Interval International - go somewhere else for your 2010 vacation! I hear Orlando's nice.
Trading a timeshare, if you aren't familiar, means depositing the week you own with the timeshare network, and then hoping that someone else deposits a week in a place you want to visit, at a time that you want to go. You can pick an exact resort that you want, or you can search for a general region, or you can pick your dates and see what is available then. If there are no matches for your criteria, then you can submit a request, and once something comes available, you get it.
Here's the tricky part. If something comes up that matches your search criteria, they will book and confirm your reservation without doublechecking with you that the match is a good one. So you have to make sure you specify your search well enough that you won't end up with something you don't want. They do allow you to limit to only resorts with certain amenities, like beach onsite (why would I go to Hawaii and not stay at a place with a beach?). You can tell the search program that you require a kitchen in your unit (this can actually make a vacation MUCH more relaxing). But you can't - and this is my sticking point - limit by available bed size.
My husband is a pretty big guy. I am not very big, but I am an expert sprawler. Also I toss and turn. At home, we have a king sized bed, and after 9 years with it, we don't do all that well in queen sized beds or smaller. Just like I am not going to travel all the way to Hawaii and NOT have easy access to a beach, I don't want to go for a relaxing week at the beach - and have trouble sleeping every night. Not if I can prevent it anyway.
So when I request a timeshare match, the only good option for me is to look at the directory of resorts in the area I want, and then do a little research to find out which ones offer king sized beds in their units. Then I can tell the search program to ONLY match me with these specific resorts. Which I did.
So, if you happen to own the week including Sept. 23, 2010 at either the Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas or the Ka'anapali Beach Club, I think it would be really nifty of you to deposit that week with Interval International - go somewhere else for your 2010 vacation! I hear Orlando's nice.
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