happy(er) travels.

Hey all you pet lovers out there quaking in your boots about the big flight for your babies. I discovered a natural remedy, Happy Traveler - all natural calming product, that seems will work, and came with endorsement of several fellow pet lovers. These fellows went to the doggie spa, otherwise known as Urban Fauna, this week for a shave and a haircut. We won't talk about how the rain has messed up their $50 do's. While there I investigated travel remedies. This is a trusted pet location ... I've been going for years and they love our four legged friends. The propriétaire told me she tested the formula on herself before giving it to her pet (which she claims is her practice, that is love and dedication for you) ... it is an all natural formula with the main properties being Valerian and St. John's Wort. She felt positive effects and witnessed them on her dog as well.

Needless to say I snapped it up. Not sure I'll be trying it on me until I board the plane ... but who knows! many folks who know me might encourage a daily dosage! And my friends at Our Juicy Life, Function of Time, La Belette Rouge ... I'll keep you posted on my tests on my little guys ... you may want the details for your loved ones.

By the way, I was thinking of pursuing product endorsement contracts for my dogs ... but Louis (pronounced the french way) is completely uncooperative. Being a bichon and convinced he is royalty ... he did his damnedest to scoot as far AWAY from the bottle as possible. His attitude was "touch me not and if that bottle touches me ... well, YOU take the risk if you want, I am not responsible. God, I am SO above this!" You'd think I'd sat him next to a skunk or something. Bruno on the other hand was his usual "here I am, look at me, let me lick you incessantly, watch me cock my head, aren't my eyes deep pools of liquid chocolate?" self. frikking adorable, the both of them. hmmmph.

stateside week-end getaway finds.

I've got a couple of tips for those of you needing a quick recharge. They are on opposite ends of the spectrum but are both pleasing in their own way.

A couple of weeks ago I spent a couple of days in Newport, Oregon in the artsy enclave of Nye Beach. Someone suggested I try the Sylvia Beach Hotel. Sylvia Beach is a retreat perfect for book lovers. You will not find a television or computer (including access) in sight. What you will find are sweeping beach views including the Yaquina Head Lighthouse, cozy corners for reading, crackling fires, good wine and best of all, glorious peace. If you book one of the smaller rooms, minus a view, you can still while away your time in the 3rd floor library and drink in a magnificent view.

Sylvia Beach was a well known American expat in Paris. She founded the famous Shakespeare & Co. bookstore in Paris. One of the shop's claims to fame is that it published James Joyce's Ulysses in 1922.

I stayed in the Agatha Christie room. Let me tell you, I could happily establish myself permanently in this room. It is the kind of place I'd envision for me if I were going to assume one of those hotel living lifestyles. You know, like when you read about the folks who lived part-time at the Plaza Hotel or somesuch. The room had a fabulously comfortable bed, a small couch facing the fireplace, french door to private ocean-front terrace. Chock full of books, art and charm. It was here that I sat and experienced my seagull epiphany!

My dear friend Tom has provided the suggested opposite end of the spectrum. Being a mid-century modern fan, he recently discovered a spot to go basking in the sun in style. Just visiting the website of the Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale, Arizona, you are instantly transported to the essence of cool, when Frank Sinatra serenaded the hip cats and all the lines were smooth. The hotel had a renovation in 2005 and there are even Phillipe Starck bathtubs in many of the rooms. The rooms are retro-chic, many with views of Camelback Mountain. I loved this press description, "Like a girl doing the twist when everyone else is doing downward dog!"

There are multiple restaurants, a spa and ooohh! did I mention the cabanas? Truly a must see. This joint is jumpin' and after some serious spa time, drinks by the pool and dress up dinners ... you'll be channeling the rat pack vibe all the way home.

my first trip to France.

My first trip to France was in 1997. My daughter Johnelle, 17 at the time, was living with a family in France on a study abroad program and it was time for her return. We had agreed that we would spend her last few weeks together. It would be an opportunity for her to show me "her" Paris, and for us to explore a new region together.

Because I had only dreamed a small bit about France, I relied upon friends to recommend their favorite aspects of Paris to me. A friend and colleague, Bill Moreno, had a brother who had lived in Paris. He recommended an arrondissement (district) to me that he thought I would like. I was introduced to Le Marais, which to this day remains my favorite district in Paris. It crosses the 3rd and 4th arrondissements, on the right bank of the Seine (or le rive droite). I'm not sure if it is my favorite because it is now familiar to me or because I have watched it revive over the last 10 years. This first visit presented a district marred by graffiti and still populated with empty storefronts. Today, years later, it is a bustling mecca for shoppers, tourists, and a funky mix of young families, gay culture and the inhabitants of a centuries-old Jewish quarter. An added benefit is le Marais is one of the few districts that is bustling on a Sunday, shops included. So on good weather Sundays it is rocking!

Le Marais emerged from a marshland in the 12th century. In 1612, the Palais Royale was established here and continued until the court moved to the Louvre and Versailles. Two notable items of interest in le Marais are the Place des Vosges, the oldest square in Paris and a truly remarkable spot to laze away an afternoon. You can stroll the Arcades, have a gourmet meal at one of the notable cafés or picnic in the park. Or "une experience gastronomique" at L'Ambroiserie, a restaurant with 3 Michelin stars. On our first trip in Paris, Johnelle and I spent many an evening tromping off our excessive dinners by strolling (repeatedly) through the arcades.

One of the best evenings I have spent in Paris was viewing an outdoor film at the Place des Vosges. Near dusk, an inflatable screen was erected and we reclined on blankets in the grass to view Les Miserables.

A short walk across Rue de Turenne brings you to Rue des Francs Bourgeois, an exhilirating shopping lane where you can easily while away an entire afternoon, emptying your pocketbook in the process.

Another treat in le Marais is to explore the venerable Jewish quarter. Seek out Rue des Rosiers, home of a vibrant Jewish community for six hundred years. Here you will find bookstores, synagogues, Jewish schools and, of course, kosher food.

Johnelle had a number of good tipsters herself and planned some perfect first visit activities for us which I would also recommend to any newbie visitors. Paris is made up of endless tiny neighborhoods, each with their own personality and style. It would be easy to get lost in one or two of these and leave from your first trip without a good overview of the city as a whole.

So, try starting out with one of the open-air bus tours which traverse the city. Yes, they might be a tad touristy ... but they provide a great feel for what the city has to offer you. With the bus tours, you can disembark at various stops and explore further if the spirit moves you. Pick-up the next bus that comes along and see more.

Another completely different way to view the city is to try the Bateaux Mouches. A cool thing about these boat lines is there is also a water taxi of sorts, the Batobus. You can buy a pass and hop on to get around Paris, up and down the Seine, as an alternative to bus or metro. Very nice option in the summer.

I'll share more about my first trip to France later, especially of note was our trip on the TGV to Avignon, the papal seat for most of the 14th century. Breathtaking.