Memories I recall are my first TWA transatlantic Constellation flight to Europe in 1960 at age 6, and weeks later the Closing Ceremonies at the Rome Olympics, living in Rome for a year eating ‘lupini’ in the colorful outdoor produce markets, a magical gondola ride in Venice and the dancing of pigeons in St. Mark’s Square. . .Little did I know in 1960 that I would travel the globe many times over to experience a myriad of vignettes of life. . . a balloon safari in the Serengeti Plains… a bull-fight in Madrid… a dip in Bondi beach in Sydney… floating in the Dead Sea in Israel… the floating markets in Bangkok… skiing the Alps… walking the Via Dolorossa in Jerusalem… experiencing the Passion Play in Oberamergau… and seeing so many Broadway Shows that set my foot a tappin’  . . . each new visit and each new place has enriched me beyond my wildest dreams. And now I sit in my office in serene Carmel Valley experienced and prepared to plan a vacation for you – perhaps in the image of one I shared before.

I lost a dear friend last month, a college pal who was only 55. She was a mother, a wife, a best friend, and didn’t deserve to leave so quickly, or so suddenly. . . so now more than ever I desire to live life to the max before a sudden surprise changes our trajectory forever.

Guy Lombardo made famous a song called, “Enjoy Yourself (It’s Later Than You Think)”.  The song puts a light spin on a dark subject, our own mortality, and some mornings I wake up with these lyrics stuck in my head on loop.   Today was one of those days, and while I adore the song, it always makes me feel a sense of melancholy for those people who do put off the joys of life and living and who get lost in the daily grind. I didn’t include the entire song below, just my favorite parts. I hope it makes you think of wonderful things you’ve done while living your life, and that it inspires you to keep living and having fun.

“Enjoy Yourself (It’s Later Than You Think)”
music by Carl Sigman and lyrics by Herb Magidson

You work and work for years and years, you’re always on the go
You never take a minute off, too busy makin’ dough
Someday, you say, you’ll have your fun, when you’re a millionaire
Imagine all the fun you’ll have in your old rockin’ chair

Enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think
Enjoy yourself, while you’re still in the pink
The years go by, as quickly as a wink
Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think

You’re gonna take that ocean trip, no matter, come what may
You’ve got your reservations made, but you just can’t get away
Next year for sure, you’ll see the world, you’ll really get around
But how far can you travel when you’re six feet underground?

Come play with us – We have a whole travel season ahead starting with New Years Week in Tahiti ! Please join me on any of our worldwide travel adventures and live life to the fullest!

Olives curing in a traditional greek method.

In the spirit of sharing, I will also tell you that at these parties that involve accidentally opening rather nice bottles of wine, I am also compelled to try new recipes that pop into my head.  Last time, I made meringues with rose petal sugar and also spicy Italian sausage with brie  in a crispy chard leaf. While I was in the garden gathering the chard (by flashlight) I realized that my olive tree was dripping with black olives.  I felt compelled to not let these olives go to waste.  So, they became my Sunday morning project.

I spent a lot of time researching olive harvesting and preserving, because olives really are astringent when fresh. I learned that for every culture there are multiple ways of curing olives.   I’m attempting a Greek dry curing method involving pounds of salt.  Since we have two cruises going to Greece, it did make me regret that I’m not going to Greece myself.  Sondra Bernstein of the girl & the fig heads there in May and Chef Celestino Drago of Los Angeles heads there in  July.

I can’t truly regret not getting to Greece this year because I have my trip to Vietnam and Thailand coming up this month followed by a trip to Tahiti for 7 days with my little sister on June 4.  You are welcome to join us, call for more details! ~ Candace

Isla Contadora Airport, where you await your delayed flight by going to the beach, and where your suitcase full of dirty laundry accidentally gets loaded into a private plane, never to be seen again.

It’s Candace again, and I’m back from my vacation to Panama, Columbia, Aruba, and Bonaire.  I had a wonderful time, along with a misadventure or two, and am happy to be home and back at work.  One of the nice things about flight delays is the opportunity to catch up on my reading.  I finished reading Grimm’s Fairy Tales, The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole, A Touch of Dead by Charlene Harris (her books are akin to crack in their addictiveness), The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, by Steig Larson, The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (an utterly fantastic read) and started The Women by T.C. Boyle.  Most of these were on my eReader, so I didn’t have to lug around a bunch of books, (thanks, Mom & Dad!).

But this post isn’t really about reading, after all, I did go to some really interesting places. My vacation was divided between exploring Panama and one of it’s little islands called Contadora and a non-Silversea cruise from Colon to the above mentioned countries.  I loved Cartagena and Bonaire, and would love to return and explore them.  Cartagena’s old town is charmingly restored and aside from the upscale boutiques, houses some wonderful restaurants, try Enoteca. Although  Bonaire is one of the top dive spots in the world, we didn’t get to dive here, but I got to try windsurfing!

That's me in the corner, windsurfing. Really.

This was the first non-Silversea cruise I’ve been on in a couple of years and the differences were noticeable and annoying.  I was in a balcony suite, so the cabin itself was about the size of a Silversea veranda on the Wind or Cloud, but the sheets were a polyester blend, and the only supplied toiletries were a single bar of soap and a wall dispenser of shampoo in the shower stall.  (They did have other shampoos, conditioners and body washes available for purchase in the onboard shop).  The closet was tiny and the bathroom induced claustrophobia.  There were 2,500 guests on the ship, so there was always a line to get on and off  and it was difficult to find seating near the pool (the only place that wasn’t crowded was the library).  I can’t fault the staff, they did their jobs, and some went out of their way to be helpful, but for the most part people didn’t make eye contact.  But three things truly annoyed me.

Assigned dining.  Nothing feels more uncomfortable to me than the cattle call that is assigned dining. You and approximately half the people on the ship all need to be in one place at one time.  Since everyone is seated at approximately the same time, the wait times for entrees and to place your order are long, and unfortunately you are seated next to the same people every night.  It would have been nice to have the opportunity to dine with the different friends we’d met aboard.  On a positive, our waiters were great, and respectful of our special requests, and every night the dining room offered a fruit soup on the menu.  Sounds crazy, but utterly fantastic.

Not all inclusive.  Thirsty?  A bottle of water was $6.00, a can of coca-cola was $2.50… let’s not talk about the inflated wine costs and service charges. Want to work off some of those calories you consumed through yoga or a spin class?  Pay the fee, want a cappuccino with breakfast or an espresso with that rich chocolate souffle? $4.  And each and every time you have to hand over your room card.  It was just a bit too much business before pleasure for a vacation.

Finally, and this is truly a personal preference: Staff photographers everywhere, trying to take my picture to sell me 5×7 photos of my vacation for $14.95 each.  Every time you embarked or disembarked there they were, dressed as pirates or sailors, not letting you pass until they could snap a shot.  In the middle of an interesting conversation at dinner or have a  mouth full of food?  No matter,  it’s time to take a picture.  Nobody likes a vacation invaded by paparazzi.  Seriously, I have a digital camera and friends, and I know how to use them.

I liked the fact that the ship had a very spacious gym, and I loved the climbing wall, and I truly appreciated that there was a quiet second pool for guests over 18.  Boarding and disembarking ran quite smoothly, and for not leaving me behind in Santa Marta when my tour got trapped behind a peaceful political protest that blocked all the roads, I shall be forever grateful.

At the end of March I head out on Silversea v3105 from Hong Kong to Singapore and it’s nice to know I won’t need to carry a purse for my room key in case  I decide I want a cappuccino with dessert.  If you wish to join me, fares start at $6,648 per person and include a $1,000 onboard spending credit.

I leave for Panama on December 29 and return on January 10.  I’ve heard many wonderful things about Panama; from the shopping to the jungles, to the people and the food. And I’ve got that giddiness that comes with starting an adventure.  My daily routine is interrupted with random thoughts about contacting my bank and notifying them that I’m traveling, and wondering how many pairs of shoes to pack. But this is only the first of two trips I have planned for the first quarter of 2011.

On March 28, my husband and I board the Silver Shadow on v3105 from Hong Kong to Singapore. (There is still space, great pricing and a shipboard credit available on this voyage!)  We’ll be exploring the coastline of Vietnam.  This will be my first trip to Asia and my husband Paul’s first cruise.  Afterward, we’ll be spending time in Thailand and maybe Cambodia with Bodhi Garrett, Paul’s best friend and founder of Andaman Discoveries, a community-based ecotourism program that just won Wild Asia’s Best Tourism Operator Award.   We’re looking forward to checking out their programs and seeing the new addition to his family.

With a new suitcase, a new website and new adventures lined up, 2011 looks to be an excellent year!  Happy New Year everyone!  ~ Candace