A digital travel diary. · WP v1.08 · Updated
. . It was time for our Spring Break trip to Puerto Vallarta! . . . I initially considered canceling our trip because Alex and Inna had come down with the flu, but they convinced me to continue since they were feeling much better. I contacted Costco Travel to double-check the severity of my penalties. If I canceled the trip, I would lose 60% of…
Read More: Vacationing in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico
After a long day of snowboarding at Heavenly, we decided to try snowboarding at Kirkwood - one of our favorite Lake Tahoe resorts - especially because the US-88 road was open.. . . . To avoid parking problems, we woke up early and departed South Lake Tahoe at 7:00 am for the one-hour ride to Kirkwood. We left on time and arrived at Kirkwood at…
Read More: Final Day of Snowboarding Kirkwood
While Alex and I were busy snowboarding at Heavenly and Kirkwood, Inna found time to visit the beautiful Filoli Gardens in Woodside.. . . . Inna spent many hours walking around the beautiful gardens, photographing many tulips and other blooming flowers.. . . . She saw a few beautiful peacocks wandering on the property.. . . . With many tulips in full bloom, she took…
Read More: Beautiful Filoli Gardens
With another significant snowstorm approaching, Alex and I were eager to have one last go at snowboarding at Lake Tahoe's ski resorts. Checking the weather on Friday, March 16, I was concerned about the requirement for chains on Highway US-50 and US-80 and the closure of US-88 (the road to Kirkwood).. . . . When I woke up at 4:00 am on Saturday morning, I…
Read More: Heavenly Powder
Time to make fresh tracks!. . When a massive snowstorm appeared on the horizon, Alex and I began tracking it using the OnTheSnow and OpenSnow apps on our iPhones. Hoping for some fresh, light powder at Lake Tahoe ski resorts, we eagerly anticipated its arrival.. . . . As expected, the storm deposited 30+ inches of fresh snow at Kirkwood, Heavenly, Northstar, and other nearby…
Read More: Fresh Powder at Kirkwood
In November 2017, we considered skiing at Whistler/Blackcomb but realized the cost was too high. However, while drinking coffee at our favorite Philz Coffee, I was perusing a message from NorCal Snowboarders and noticed a planned Whistler ski trip, which was really inexpensive. How did NorCal manage to keep prices so low? . . . Inna and I looked into it further and discovered we…
Read More: Snowboarding Whistler
I have always liked the entrees and desserts at the Plumed Horse - a Michelin 1-star restaurant in Saratoga. When it was time for Valentine's Day, I reserved a spot for my wife and me.. . . . The Plumed Horse prepared a special Valentine's Tasting menu for $225 per person (quite a steep price).. . When we arrived, we were quickly seated at our…
Read More: Plumed Horse, Saratoga
With a reported total of 16 inches of fresh snow at Lake Tahoe on Wednesday, January 24, and Thursday, January 25, Alex and I decided to try snowboarding at Northstar and Heavenly on Saturday, January 28, and Sunday, January 29. . . . We woke up around 03:50 on Saturday, January 29, and quickly dressed for the 4-hour drive to Northstar (from San Jose). The…
Read More: Snowboarding at Northstar
Since I purchased the Epic Local Pass from Vail Ski Resorts for Alex and me, I was eager to snowboard at one of the accessible ski resorts (Heavenly, Kirkwood, or Northstar). Although the snow conditions were not very favorable, I decided to try snowboarding at Heavenly anyway.. . I booked a room for one night on Saturday, January 13, at the conveniently located Blue Lake…
Read More: Snowboarding Heavenly
Which are the best restaurants, spas, and travel destinations? At the end of 2017, I am rating the following (from best to worst) based on my personal experience.. . . . . . Restaurants. . Even though Michelin has not rated it, Mama's Fish House on Maui is our favorite restaurant worldwide. Mama's Fish House combines an authentic Hawaiian atmosphere with exceptional cooking and a…
Read More: Best of the Best 2017