Category: Wanderlust

Beach Dreaming: Postcard Inn

You know how sometimes you read about something, and then you keep seeing it over and over again, in weird places?  And after a few references to it, you almost think someone’s trying to tell you something?  That happened to me with The Spotted Pig restaurant in NYC’s West Village before our trip back in March, so I insisted we go.  And it was one of the most memorable meals I’ve ever had!

Similarly, I keep hearing about the Postcard Inn lately.  It seems a lot like the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs, except it’s in St Pete Beach, Florida (an area I know very well – it’s right next to Clearwater Beach, where I was born, basically raised, and where I had my beach wedding).  The Postcard Inn looks fresh and hip, and their website is really captivating.

I know, I know… I just took a holiday.  But I bet in mid-January, the Postcard Inn is going to look even more appealing.  Not convinced?  Watch this uber-hip promo video featuring Pheonix:

Welcome to Postcard Inn from Postcard Inn on Vimeo.

Back from California

We’re back from our trip to Palm Springs, and catching up on emails, pulling sweaters out of storage, and getting ready for autumn.  We had an amazing trip – we spent a week in Palm Springs, exploring the desert, and floating around the swimming pool.  After a week, we headed to La Jolla (northern San Diego) to see the sea lions, seals, and gorgeous beaches around Torrey Pines.  We also had a memorable meal at an ocean-view table on the terrace at George’s.  Then we drove up the coast, taking the scenic route back to LA for our flight home.  We stopped briefly in Laguna Beach – I wish we had more time to hang out there.  The beaches are unbelievable, and the town seemed really cool.  After a quick jaunt into Santa Monica (and a burger at The Counter), it was off to LAX for our flight home (sidenote – Virgin America is a great airline).

There are some of my favourite photos up there… at the top is a photo from Joshua Tree National Park, featuring a bunch of different types of cactus, including a few joshua trees.  Below that is a photo of Ian and I, taken from a lookout above the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs is behind us).  The photo of the seals on the beach is from La Jolla, and the spectacular coastal photo at the bottom is from Laguna Beach.

Adios Muchachos!

It’s finally holiday time!  This afternoon Ian and I are headed up to Huntsville to the Pow-Wow Point Lodge for the wedding of Darrin and Amy.  We’re back briefly on Sunday, and then we head to the airport on Monday for our Virgin America flight to Palm Springs (well, actually, a flight to LA, and then car ride to Palm Springs).  I won’t be blogging while I’m away, so if you’re really bored, you can read the archives.

I’ll be back on Monday October 4, with lots of pictures and stories from our trip!  Have a great two weeks.

TripAdvisor Alternative – Raveable

I’ve been reading a lot of about Raveable lately.  Supposedly, it’s a good alternative to TripAdvisor.  I use TripAdvisor all the time, but I’m a bit baffled sometimes by the seemingly polarized reviews of a hotel – some people seem to love it, and some people seem to outright hate it.  So what will I think?

Raveable indexes hotel reviews from TripAdvisor, Expedia, Travelocity, and MyTravelGuide, plus some other “lesser known sites such as individual travel bloggers”.  They immediately state the pros and cons, so you don’t have to sift through paragraphs and paragraphs of some wacko complaining about every little thing.

Compare the two screen shots above – they’re both for the Casa Laguna Inn in Laguna Beach, California (where I’m thinking about visiting on our trip to Cali next month).  The top screen shot is from TripAdvisor.  Not bad, but a bit cluttered.  The bottom screenshot is from Raveable.  Clear and easy to read.  I think I just found my new favourite hotel review website.

Pumped for Palm Springs


In just over 4 weeks we head out on our home exchange in Palm Springs, California.  I’m getting so excited – it’s been a long time since our last holiday (summer long weekends don’t count, but they’re still lovely).

I’ve been doing Google Image searches for photos of Palm Springs when I need a break from work.  Those are some of my favourites up there… I can’t wait to ride the Palm Springs Aerial Tram, relax by the pool, see some of the best mid-century modern architecture anywhere, and go for a hike in Joshua Tree National Park.

Frank Lloyd Wright Sleepover

How cool is this?  You can rent The Palmer House – the home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for William and Mary Palmer in 1950.  The house is in Ann Arbour, Michigan (only a 5 hour drive from Toronto).  It’s renting for the rather reasonable rate of $400 a night for the 3-bedroom house and neighbouring tea house (3rd picture above – isn’t it lovely?).  Split that with another couple, and that’s a deal.

More info on Palmer House can be found here, and the rental listing on HomeAway can be found here.

Fresh Seafood on the Isle of Skye

Hold me back, or I’ll buy a plane ticket… the New York Times recently published an article in their travel section about fresh seafood and other fine dining on the Isle of Skye, in Scotland.  The idea of Scottish fine cuisine used to be an oxy-moron, but now there’s a Michelin star resto on Skye.  I wish I was there, slurping back fresh oysters, looking out at the dramatic hills and coastline…

Anywhere But Here: Blue Ridge Mountains

When I can’t concentrate on work or I need a little distraction, I like to daydream about where I’d rather be at that moment.  Today, it’s Highlands, North Carolina, in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  One of my favourite Aunts has a mountain home in Highlands, and I wish I was there visiting.  I would spend my time hiking, playing in waterfalls, watching the mist hang in the hills, and enjoying amazing BBQ.   Ever see the movie Cold Mountain?  Cold Mountain is really close to Highlands.  Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a farm here, like Ada did in the movie?  Minus the whole Civil War part, of course.

Ultimate Travel Apps

There’s a great article over on Budget Travel’s website, covering 24 great travel apps for your smartphone.  I’ve been using TripIt and Yelp for a while now – they’re both great. I was happy to learn about a few more apps though, including GateGuru, which is like an insider’s guide to airports.  I think that will come in handy when we’re roaming LAX in September.  The Undercover Tourist sounds like a must for anyone visiting Disney World.  And the toilet finder SitOrSquat is a genius idea.

[Illustration by Nicole Wilkinson taken from the Budget Travel article]