Floating on Air.

Ok we all know that New Year's Eve is the night to go out and party, and it is believe me I know (I'm still planning my attack for all the parties I want to attend that night). But what about New Year's Day? I think we all dismiss it as a day to recover from the wild night prior to it, but why can't New Year's Day, be the day you use to set the tone for the rest of the year? I, of course, am going to issue a challenge! Make New Year's Day something special for you so that you start the year off with a bang. I am challenging myself to plan the most romantic date possible for my main squeeze before he has to go back to the desert and get back to his larnin'. 

I sat down with the genius who guides me, Harold (cha-ching!), and we brain stormed over what would make for a wonderful date in good ole big D. Initially we tossed around restaurants, he highly recommended Adelmo's Ristorante off Mckinney, they apparently have a very cozy spot for lovers to dine and smooch on the second floor, the food is out of this world too. But it seemed that if you're planning the perfect date, a bed and breakfast feel is what you want. It has to be something where you feel whisked away from your life and plunked down into a fairy-tale written just for you (and no that doesn't mean go to Medieval Times, put on a crown and run around screaming I'm a princess). 

We narrowed down the list of perfect settings for the perfect date to three locations, the criteria was that the hotel had to be lavish and luxurious, it had to have a restaurant with one of Dallas' finest dining, and it had to be an amazing location. The three who made the list were the Stoneleigh Hotel, the St. Germain, and of course the Adolphus.

Let's start with the Stoneleigh, it's a classic hotel that silver screen actors from the 40's used to flock to as it was the hotspot to visit when one came to Dallas. It's one of the staples of lavish Dallas history as it has been around since the 20's and with it's new reservations it's got the feel of a brand new starlette fresh from a 1920's movie screen. Along with the phenomenal accommodation that will make you stay tucked away in your room, there's the Bolla Restaurant located in the hotel. This uptown dining delight is under the watchful eye of  creative Chef Cesar Gallego's. For those of you who are budgeting after the holidays and worry that such a fine establishment is well outside of your price range, they offer these amazing four for forty menu's, it's a prefixed menu with a four course meal of some of the Chef's most innovative creations for your delight at such an affordable rate that it's ridiculous!

Next is the Adolphus. I shouldn't even have to tell my readers why the Adolphus is amazing because I have loved it so much that I think you have all come to love it too. However, I will never pass up the chance to gush about my beloved. The reason one should stay at the Adolphus is because it's one of the most romantic places in Dallas to be. The rooms are glorious and so comfortable with their french antique inspired themed. There's no need to leave your room because the staff is willing to bend over backwards to do whatever they can to make your room the absolution of a romantic getaway, but you should leave your room. You should get dressed to the nines grab hold of your significant other and go down to the French Room. There's nothing more romantic than sitting in a cozy table in the corner of one of the most beautiful rooms in Texas while serenaded by light piano music and devour eyerolling extraordinary five star dining.

Last on the list is definitely not the least but it is the smallest, which makes for it's very intimate feel and appeal (see what I did there). This hotel comes with the Harold stamp of approval, it's the Hotel St. Germain located on Maple. It's the only one of the three that is an actual bed and breakfast. It's decorated with a french theme throughout the entire estate and is truly marketed to lovers. The dining is a European themed candle lit restaurant that over looks the ivy covered french quarter styled garden courtyard. It's really the perfect place to go if you want the feel of being isolated in a romantic french cottage but still want the option of hitting the town seeing as Dallas has a lot to offer especially in that area. But again, it's the intimacy you're getting here, where the other two are luxurious and classic, this place is very cozy and small, there's only seven rooms in the entire venue!

I hope you all have a great and safe New Year's Eve*, and I truly hope your year starts off bright and inspiring. There's nothing more wonderful than the promise of a clean slate to start fresh. Happy New Year everyone!

*There's no excuse to drink and drive this New Year's Eve. AAA is offering Tipsy Tow: Even for those whithout a AAA membership, from 6pm-6am New Year's Eve/Day they will tow your drunk self and your car home for FREE. Save the number (800) 222-4357

The Nerd is the Word!

Hello my darling little gnomes, I trust you all had a  weekend, filled with wretched packed malls  as you scrambled to find the perfect last minute gift. Christmas time is known for a few staples. One of them is making sure you bought the perfect gift for all your loved ones, and another is Holiday Parties! I went to one holiday party this weekend in Austin, and it wasn't your traditional one. It was hosted by one of the world's largest gaming companies, it was phenomenal. Usually holiday parties are adorn with Christmas trees, garlands decorating every surface the eye can see and delightful Christmas jingles playing for everyone to sing along to. Not this party, this was decorated with classic arcade games, the coolest throw back toys and candy from the 80's, and a wild mix of techno pumping up the dance floor. As I sat back watching absorbing the awesome spirit of the party, I realized nerds do it better.

In the spirit of honoring my nerdy brethren, I thought I'd discuss something that would be a great Christmas gift for your favorite nerd/geek! I present you with (drumroll please) Geeky Travel, brought to you by the Wide Eyed Traveler.

• Switzerland, yes I understand that little geekcicles trembling up in the mountains sounds a little cruel, but there's something that calls out to those of us up there in that snowy paradise, the Cern Sepercollider. Your favorite nerd will love you beyond comprehension for taking them to see the research facility where they search for the elusive God Particle. This atom smashing research extravaganza would be a notch on your geek's belt that none will be able to compete with. While you're there, you and your geek can hit the slopes, if they're anything like me, they'll wipe out over and over again... on the bunny slopes.
• Game Central! If you're like me and the cost of traveling to Switzerland immediately isn't really in your budget, then consider this as a holiday gift for your darling pocket-protector-wearing love. Taking them to visit their favorite gaming company. It's a small gesture that goes a long long way (trust me I know). Find out who their favorite developer is and make a weekend of it. Find the coolest hotel, most obscure restaurant, and get the information you need on the company's tour information. You'd be amazed at how wonderful it is to see the inner workings of something you love to do, and the appreciation one gets when they lay eyes on all the hard work they put into making your favorite gamer's past time run smoothly.
• Starstruck, instead of getting your sci-fi enthusiast another DVD to add to his/her monsterous collection, try taking them somewhere they can actually look at the stars. Find out when the next meteor shower is predicted to take place and take them to a cabin, or even better a trip to Kokopelli's cave up in the cliffs of New Mexio. You can sit on the terrance secluded from the noise of the world and watch the cosmo's own lazer light show.

Nerd vacation's are the new frontier, you need to hop on the segway and follow suit, or you'll get left behind wondering who is going to show you where the HDMI cable is suppose to go. Make your Geek happy this Christmas with an imaginative trip they'll respect and love you for and a stocking full of bacon theme'd products! Merry Christmas my gnomes!

Yep, I'm Special!

Today I am faced with a hard, hard challenge. An even harder challenge than planning the perfect family vacation.... The task that faces me, and stares me down is a complicated one in more ways than I can fathom. I have to write a bio about myself for our travel site. 

You would think, yamming about how amazing you are and letting the world know that you are the best for whatever their needs would be cake walk. But you're wrong. There is a huge obstacle facing you in a challenge like this because as you begin to type you start realizing that all your short comings are not short or meek they're these skyscraper size hurdles that you can never conquer and all those people who said you'd never amount to anything are right! Oh the humanity! Ok, so maybe not so intense but it is a big unforgiving mirror being shown to you. 

Your focus goes from everything you accomplished in your life to every opportunity that seems to have passed you by like a bullet train. Not to mention somewhere in the back of your mind is the fact that eventually after you finally get the emotional strength to pull yourself together and write what you think is the most jaw dropping bio written on a person ever, your boss is going to attack your personal Pulitzer prize winner with a weed whacker. 

But to hell with feeling like a nobody, and to hell with worrying if you're not good enough. I'm going to put on my big girl panties, suck down my body weight in caffeine, munch on some chocolate, blast my favorite tunes, and write a bio that's worthy of having my name attached to it. I am the self proclaimed Queen of Halloween and Paranormal vacations. I got to write a review (that is now highly respected) about a hotel I once dreamed of. Those are just a couple things that I have already accomplished and I have only been in the travel business for six months, image what goals I'll reach after a year or even a decade. The Augustine might be my dream now, but the whispers I hear calling out to me will be answered, and I'll be taking so many people on beer excursions through Prague that it won't be a fantasy, it will feel as at home to me, as Italy feels to Harold. Perhaps you should take a look in the unforgiving mirror, push past everything, and write your own stellar biography, make yourself your own inspiration. 

Puzzle Pieces

Recently I got in touch with a cousin who has a story that really inspires me. It's been about a decade... or more since I've heard or seen anything from my cousins in Miami. It's not that any of us were avoiding each other, it was just distance and life got the best of us and we all lost touch. But now, thanks to social media it's easy to catch up on those loved ones we lost touch with so long ago (or an ex you wanted to see if they were indeed lost without you).

After getting in touch with my cousin Eddie I found that he had not only grown into a wonderful person, but that he was brave in a way that so few of us are. He went to school and got a degree. Like so much of us he went out into the big world and found a well paying job, and even purchased a home. He did what was expected of everyone, he lived the American dream. What happened after that, I imagine was a lot like a scene from the movie Office Space, Eddie realized he was bored and that this life was not what his soul thrived for, so (in what I consider the bravest thing anyone I have ever known to do) he quit his job, sold his home, and bought a one way ticket to New Zealand. Now Eddie lives a life that he's loves with all his heart and soul. He lives in this gorgeous land living his life to it's fullest. I'm sure the road he chose was not easy but I don't know anyone who seems as happy and free as he is. It makes me jealous and joyful that he found  the strength to go against the grain and create a life that inspires me so much it brings me to tears.

I know little gnomes that I need to bring this around to travel so hold your horses I'm getting there! Since learning about my cousin's dynamic life changing decision and being overwhelmed by his bravery I have started having these dreams about taking/planning a travel package where I send people to go to New Zealand, where they too can be inspired by Eddie's encouraging story. In my dreams he shows them this eye opening world that inspires them and changes who they are too. It's more than a vacation it becomes a pilgrimage for them to discover who they really are. Every time I have these dreams I wake up energized and desperate to find some way, some place for people to find the courage to go out and live the life they actually dream of.

I don't know if I'll ever be able to convince my cousin to become a ground operator and share his story with people, showing them around the new homeland he has found for himself. I will still have his story inspiring me to help people find the path that will change their lives and realize their truest dreams.