Have (Extra Large) Car, Will Travel...

It takes one large vehicle to transport 6 adults, one dog, snowboards with boots and gear, skis with boots and poles, food, and snow clothes. Unfortunately, we don’t own any cars large enough for the task.

My Volvo SUV might have 7 seat belts but the cargo space is tiny. So, these days, for any travel that involves “stuff,” we need to either drive 2 of our cars or rent something ridiculously big.

There aren’t that many options when you need people space and cargo room too. A Yukon/Suburban type only works if it’s a Yukon XL.

We found one of the only extra large vehicle rentals left in the Bay Area for our Tahoe trip. And, it is a lot more fun to all be together in the same car, even if a dog is part of the package. It’s just a little embarrassing to have become Extra Large travelers!

Boarding and some skiing too...

We had a great time on the slopes yesterday. Even with the lack of snow there are enough groomed runs that it’s worth going out. Although this is the most barren I’ve ever seen the snow in Tahoe.

You wouldn’t know any of the Knudsen’s hadn’t been snowboarding for awhile, they were all looking pretty sharp. My skiing, however, never improves these days; I just stay in the game so I don’t miss out on any of the fun.

Whenever we take a ski vacation I marvel that anyone can afford to ski and snowboard. It’s a great family sport but it’s ridiculously expensive. Just the equipment and lift passes are costly and then add to that a stay at a cabin; you wonder how all these people on the mountain can pay for this fun but high priced recreation!

One highlight for us was spending the evening with Brian & Jane Stanton and Jane’s family. They were also here at Tahoe and we all got together for a fun game night. We played a few rounds of As Soon As Possible, so Brian’s in-laws could see how exceptional he is at ASAP. Then we played Catch Phrase and Taboo with the competitive boys team beating our less intense girls team.

Today we’re heading back out for more skiing (for me) and boarding (for the rest of the bunch). Fun, fun, fun!

Reality Bites...

“No man needs a vacation so much as the person who has just had one.” -Elbert Hubbard

It’s hard to come back to reality after one vacation and I pretty much enjoyed two trips in a row: Rancho La Puerta & New York City.

So now it’s payback. The catch up begins. Ah, leaving town always comes at a price.

I’m certainly not complaining though. I feel very blessed to be able to do these fun excursions and I’m grateful Brent’s supportive of our annual girl’s getaway.

Plus, I’m lucky to have friends that I admire enough to travel with annually. Carole told one of her daughters that she should start a traveling group and she liked the idea but isn’t sure she likes her friends enough to spend so much time with them. In fact, we thought it was the ultimate compliment when Carole’s daughter told her that she thinks she might like Carole’s friends more than her own! Score!

And now, back to work (which there is no shortage of around here!).

“No vacation goes unpunished.” -Karl Hakkarainen

The Miracle of NYC...

“It is a miracle that New York works at all. The whole thing is implausible.” -E.B. White

When I first came across E. B. White’s book titled “Here is New York,” I was amazed at how well he nailed New York City. Although I shouldn’t have been surprised, E.B. White’s a phenomenal writer, one I’ve loved since childhood (think Charlotte’s Web).

I reread White’s essay this trip to NYC and found it’s still relevant and timely. White understood that the people (the entire mix) are the spirit of New York. Also, White was familiar with being surrounded by 10 million people but still being entirely alone.

“New York blends the gift of privacy with the excitement of participation; and better than most dense communities it succeeds in insulating the individual (if he wants it, and almost everybody wants or needs it) against all enormous and violent and wonderful events that are taking place every minute.” -E. B. White

At the end of White’s essay there is an eerie paragraph because while it was written in 1949 describing the nuclear threat, it could easily be about 9/11 and terrorism too. Here is the quote:

“The subtlest change in New York is something people don’t speak much about but that is in everyone’s mind. The city, for the first time in its long history, is destructible. A single flight of planes no bigger than a wedge of geese can quickly end this island fantasy, burn the towers, crumble the bridges, turn the underground passages into lethal chambers, cremate the millions. The intimation of mortality is part of New York now: in the sounds of the jets overhead, in the black headlines of the latest edition.” -E. B. White

The whole essay is worth reading. When it was first published, The New Yorker magazine called White’s work “the wittiest essay, and one of the most perceptive, ever done on the city.” For me it’s a win/win: I love NYC as well as E. B. White’s writings.

Have Subway, Will Travel...

The New York City Subway system is old and run down but it’s still a pretty amazing way to travel around the city.

We were all over Manhattan yesterday and could never have covered all the territory without access to the subway. From our hotel we rode down to SoHo for breakfast then took the subway to the 9/11 memorial site. You can’t see everything yet; it’s still a work in progress, but it’s coming along. And it’s a touching tribute.

Then we were back on the subway headed to Central Park (location of my favorite morning run). Later on we were back downtown to the East Village (where Abby Beal lives) for great Middle Eastern food and a visit to a piano bar (Maria’s Crisis Cafe) that plays sing-along broadway show tunes (the idea was fun but the crowd wasn’t quite what we were expecting, a rainbow pride part of the village- oh, well). We also got to see the movie, The Help and since we’d all read the book is was fun to compare notes (kind of an improv book group!).

So, thanks to the subway we can traipse around the city starting in midtown and going downtown, uptown and all over again, multiple times in a day. Taxis work too but it’s the rare taxi driver who can/will fit 5 women in their cab so usually it’s easier to hop on the subway.

Today is our last day in New York so it’s sure to be another busy day in the big city!

Eendraght Maeckt Maght...

On Saturday we spent a fun time touring Brooklyn with local residents, Mike and Catherine Leavitt. Catherine is Carole Beal’s daughter and she works for Tory Burch corporate in Manhattan. After Catherine earned her MBA from NYU she stayed in New York working in the fashion industry (Vera Wang, Narcisco Rodriguez, Cole Haan before her new stint at Tory Burch).

Brooklyn’s official motto is “Eendraght Maeckt Maght” which is an early dutch spellling for “Unity Makes Strength.” And, after seeing all the ethnic neighborhoods, the motto makes really fits. Brooklyn has always been a magnet for immigrants. We loved seeing the Park Slope neighborhood that Carole’s kids live in, Brooklyn Heights, and the Hasidic Jewish communities in Borough Park (especially since it was their Sabbath).

We also went to the US Open on Saturday for the semifinals. We watched more great tennis and thought we were really living large!

On Sunday at the Manhattan 1st Ward I ran into Susan Patton who had been in our La Jolla Ward over 20 years ago. Bill and Susan Patton’s son, Chris, is an attorney with Cravath Swain and Susan and I both happened to be visiting the same ward on the same Sunday..... serendipity! It was fun to catch up with Susan & the church meetings all focused on 9/11 and were outstanding!

The rest of Sunday was filled with visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art and then dinner at Sylvia’s in Harlem. Apparently a church member owns Sylvia’s but sorry to say, we weren’t very impressed with the food unless you happen to like soul food.

Listening to a youth speaker, Jason, in Sacrament meeting yesterday talk about his memories of 9/11 as a 6 year old (he’s now 16) was really touching. One thing Jason remembers is his dad spending all day calling ward members because his father was the bishop of their ward at the time. Jason said it was the first time he remembers having feelings of concern for others. He also recalls how everyone in the New York City communities treated each other differently after 9/11.

9/11 is such a senseless tragedy but many good things did come out of bad. Yesterday the city seemed to need all the memorial tributes; it felt like a day of healing for the big apple. The terrorists can kill but they can’t take our spirit.

In New York.....Anything Goes!

Flying coach on Virgin America isn’t bad at all. My nonstop (SFO to JFK) flight yesterday was pretty relaxing. Between this flight and my last Virgin America flight to Boston, it just might be my new favorite airline.

During my flight I reminisced on our first girl’s (apply title liberally since we are now old!)adventure. Logistically the trip was much harder to pull off nineteen years ago! My kids were young (preschool and grade schoolers) so we recruited Brent’s parents to visit Seattle and schlep their three grandkids to school and activities while I went galavanting off on vacation.

How funny that now, instead of recruiting help for Paige, Webb, or Andie, I’ve enlisted Paige to hold down the home fort in my absence. Last week when we left town for Mexico, Paige proved adept at meeting up with the runners, keeping things clean, the cupboards filled, watering the plants, etc. So, initially it was due to Paige (and my other kiddos too but she was the youngest) that I barely pulled off going at all and now it’s due to Paige that I can leave and things stay on course at home.

Our New York hotel isn’t very compelling but who spends any time in their hotel in New York City anyway. Just finding a place to accommodate 5 people in one room is difficult anywhere but nearly impossible in Manhattan. So we have a 2 bedroom suite (think quantity over quality this time).

Last night we saw “Anything Goes,” a Broadway revival of the 1934 Cole Porter musical. Sutton Foster and Joel Grey were the leads and the choreography was amazing. We all loved the show! And today we are off to the US Open...

New York, the Wonder City...

“I think you know that when an American stays away from New York too long something happens to him. Perhaps he becomes a little provincial, a little dead and afraid.” -Sherwood Anderson

I’m off for my annual girl’s trip and this year we are bound for NYC. Carole and Julie are already there; Susan, Ann, and I arrive today!

This is our 19th consecutive trip. It’s pretty remarkable we have pulled these boondoggles off year after year; a credit to good husbands who let us keep going! We think our 20th trip together next year should be big...maybe Paris, France.

But I’m excited that we’ll be in New York City this year, it’s a city I never get tired of. Besides, no matter how many times I go to New York City, I always discover new things to love! So, stay tuned...

“I carry the place around the world in my heart but sometimes I try to shake it off in my dreams. -F. Scott Fitzgerald

Gidget Goes to Rancho...

“There are a thousand ways to kneel and kiss the earth.” -Rumi

We spent 4 days in Rancho La Puerta but when we met Gidget she’d been at the ranch for 4 weeks! It’s an awesome place, nothing like I’d ever experienced before, but as cool as the fitness spa is, I don’t think I could stay for a month like Gidget.

The resort has won the top destination spa several years in a row. Multiple classes start on the hour every hour for the entire day. Between Brent and I (some together, some separate) we took classes in Pilates, the Bar Method, Yoga, Meditation, Foam Rollers, Circuit Training, Spinning, Cardio Workouts, Organic Gardens, Writing, Sleeping, Fasting, Walking the Labyrinth, Reflexology, Feldenkrais, Cycling, Poetry Readings, Stretching, and Group Hikes.

Spa treatments of all kinds are available anytime. We both had one massage but Gidget had a full spa regimen daily; she was quite a character!

The food is incredible; vegetarian and everything is organically grown. Healthy eating but still delicious! Although Gidget had to take a cab to Tecate for a cheeseburger one night.

Rancho felt like a summer camp for grown-ups, albeit a fancy schmancy camp to be sure. And despite all the non-stop activity, we still had a pretty relaxing time. Everyone on the staff is helpful and the guests were all friendly. There’s just a great vibe generally throughout the whole ranch.

We got a big kick out of Gidget who basically abandoned her family for a month to recharge her spirit. Her husband, who happens to be one of the owners of the Texas Rangers Baseball team, had to fly over to reclaim Gidget, who finally seemed willing to face life and the world again and they headed back to Dallas.

It seems like women are more typical spa goers, we heard the male to female ratio is often about 10 to 1! Yes, Brent was quite outnumbered!

The only celebrity we saw was Mariel Hemingway (actress and granddaughter of writer Ernest Hemingway). Actually there could have been others since we often don’t recognize movie stars.

Overall, Rancho La Puerta was a great adventure! We might have to return with the whole family sometime!

Rancho La Puerta...

We are up bright and early for our flight to San Diego, then crossing the border into Baja California (Tecate, Mexico) so we can spend some time at Rancho La Puerta, a health spa/eco-resort.

Rancho La Puerta was founded in 1940 by Edmund and Deborah Szekely and quickly became the standard for destination spa vacations that are all about health and fitness. Brent’s been anxious to check the spa out and I’m certainly game to accompany him.

The internet and cell phone connections are kind of iffy, so I may not be able to email or text or blog. Or maybe I’ll be able to, but just take a technology break for a few days! We’ll see...

So we’re off to our first spa adventure!

Post Vacation, Marathon, Graduation, Holiday...

“Happiness keeps you optimistic

Trials keep you strong

Sorrows keep you human

Failures keep you humble

Success keeps you hopeful

But only God keeps you going.” -Unknown

Girls Run Boston Marathon - Check. Paige Graduates from BYU - Check. Easter - Check. R&R - Check. In this instance R&R does not represent rest and relaxation. Rest and relaxation happens during vacations but this R&R refers to regroup and recovery. My post vacation behavior.

Yesterday it was back to Seminary and then it was a typical “post” day. Whenever I travel I always need a day on each side for “pre” trip preparations and “post” trip clean up.

Since Sunday was Easter I was tempted but refrained from tackling the long list of post trip tasks. Which left Monday with piles of laundry, cupboards without food, stacks of junk mail, the house in shambles, voicemail messages, and seemingly endless catch up.

By the end of the day things probably don’t look all that different to anyone else but for me personally the transformation is huge. I love traveling once I arrive but before I leave town I’m always anxious (befuddled by packing, nervous about logistics) and after a trip I’m out of sorts until suitcases are unloaded, the mail sorted, and the home front reclaimed.

When all my post chores are complete I feel a great sense of relief. A “the trip is behind me and all is well in the world” kind of relief. That’s the kind of R&R that leads to relief!

2011 Boston Marathon...It’s a Wrap!

“Only a short stretch of the Boston Marathon is along Boylston street, but it is where the long months of training somehow seem worthwhile. The stiffness and soreness from a hard day's work will fade, but memories of this final straightaway will remain forever."-Boston, Hal Higdon

The girls all agree: turning the last corner onto the Boylston Street straightaway with the Finish Line in view is quite a rush! It’s a well earned memory that they’ll have forever. A souvenir you can’t buy!

Yesterday was pretty incredible! Our trio of runners had a amazing time running the Boston Marathon and they raced it more like veterans than first time novices on the course.

There is an energy in New England for the Boston Marathon that’s unrivaled. From Hopkinton to Framingham to Natick to Wellesley to Newton t0 Brookline to Boston, every town the course winds through, the streets are lined with wildly cheering crowds.

A Kenyan ran the fastest time ever for a marathon; 2 hours, 3 minutes, 2 seconds! American Ryan Hall took 5th place but still ran a faster time than any American has ever run a marathon. American woman Desiree Davila took 2nd place and was only 2 seconds behind the Kenya woman winner. Imagine that! It’s heartbreaking but I loved Davila’s great sportsmanship, exhibited by this quote in the New York Times: “It was just a perfect day for me...other than not winning.”

While I can’t really speak for Andie, Paige, and Jennifer, I think that they would agree: It was a perfect day for them! Besides, they are all winners in my book! They came and they conquered!

“Finishing a marathon forces everyone to bring the mind and body together and to reach for extra resources from the power of the human spirit.” -Jeff Galloway

Patriot’s Day: Version Twenty Six point Two!

“Rejoice, We Conquer” was the dying cry of Pheidippides, the Greek messenger, as he rushed into Athens with news of the Greek vistory in the Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C.

Pheidippide’s run gave birth to a legend that inspired the long-distance running event.

But the Boston Marathon, the world’s premier marathon race, began as an entirely men’s race. For the first 70 years only men were allowed to run.

But here we are in historic Boston with three women runners. As a spectator with two daughters and one friend running I am super nervous. I think I’m probably more anxious than if I were running it myself. Actually our three contestants are pretty nervous too. I’m just hoping and praying that all three of our runners have a great experience. Boston is a tough race. Fortunately the course is lined with cheering supporters most of the way.

And we are the biggest fans of Team Andie, Paige, and Jennifer. Brent and I have rented bikes in hopes that we’ll see more of the race by cycling than by driving (and still make it back to the finish line in time). We hope our plan isn’t foiled by closed roads and we hope we aren’t overly ambitious with the bike strategy.

Ah, memories in the making...

Marathon Mania....

“Runners participate in the Boston Marathon for various reasons other than to win a prize or set a personal record. Most run Boston because it is Boston - the most famous marathon race in the world. Even qualifying for Boston is an achievement, a mark of honor." -Boston, Hal Higdon

Brent’s iphone picture quality is lacking but you get the idea. We’ve got three nervous but excited girls with bib numbers in hand.

Marathon mania prevails this weekend in Boston. No other city welcomes runners like Boston. The hype is everywhere and it’s all a little nerve wracking for Paige, who, like me, isn’t big on crowds and chaos.

Even our Virgin American flight from San Francisco was filled with runners. It was the fittest looking group of travelers I’d ever seen board a plane. Water bottles were the beverage of choice, runners hydrating for race day.

Yesterday we checked out the Expo, got settled in the Marriott and enjoyed a fancy steak dinner at Morton’s. Marathon runners are a ubiquitous sight in the Back Bay at every turn. It’s all quite a rush (and I’m just a spectator). Still, even being here as moral support is a blast.

Bound for Boston...

“And this is good old Boston,

The home of the bean and the cod,

Where the Lowells talk only to Cabots,

And the Cabots talk only to God.” - John Collins Brossidy, 1910

We are heading to Beantown! The Hub! I love Boston but our trip is a whirlwind so I’m already lamenting the fact that we won’t be there long enough to visit a tenth of the places I’d like to show the girls.

My adoration for all things New England is a mix of loving the sights and the history combined with my nostalgia for the years we were Massachusetts residents.

With wonderful memories of that time and place a trek back to Boston is bound to bring back lots of reminiscing.

Boston has always felt like Brainiac, USA to me. Besides Harvard (technically in Cambridge) there are probably more universities in Boston than any other city. Just to name a few: MIT, Boston University, Boston College, Brandeis, Wellesley, Tufts, Babson, Suffolk, University of Massachusetts, Bentley College, and last but not least, Sara Mitchell’s alma mater, Emerson College. The brain power almost feels palpable.

It’s a city with brains but plenty of brawn too. Boston’s professional sports teams have deep rooted loyal fans. We didn’t follow the Patriots or Bruins but we loved the Red Sox and practically worshipped the Boston Celtics during the Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Danny Ainge heyday (NBA Champions 1984 & 1986).

Last but not least, the sport (or reason) we are Boston bound is sometimes known simply as “The Boston” which references the exclusive Boston Marathon aka The Holy Grail for runners! And since we won’t have time to see all the sights, a good long run (say 26 miles) for the girls should be a good way for them to take in the city (and then some)!

Life, LIBERTY, and the Pursuit of Happiness

Saturday was memorable! A gorgeous day in Park City. Skiing for me, snowboarding for Brent, and catching a little of the Saturday General Conference.

Brent listens while boarding (recreation, church, it’s all good) but I can’t multi task like that. My coordination skills allow me to ski or take counsel from apostles but not both simultaneously. Although I got a play by play (talk by talk) synopsis from Brent each ride on the chair lift which was handy.

After skiing, it was off to Liberty, Utah to find the newlyweds (Anita and Robb) happily ensconced in their new diggs. Their incredible diggs!

The house is pretty amazing, in every way. In fact, it’s pretty ridiculous that their home isn’t the featured photo today, but wouldn’t you know it, I forgot to take pictures (dummy!). My official photographer, Anita, will have to send me a stunning shot!

In the meantime, the picture posted is one Anita took at Snow Basin which is basically their neighbor (nice stomping grounds when your neighborhood includes an Olympic ski resort).

Anita and I got to hang out while the guys went to the priesthood meeting. Anita fixed a delicious dinner and we enjoyed meeting Robb’s nice sons, returned missionary, Chase, and awaiting his call missionary, Luke.

The life in Liberty, Utah bodes well for anyone pursuing happiness. At least it’s certainly working for two of the new residents, Anita and Robb!

Park City! At Last...

After a comedy of errors on Friday morning we finally arrived at our destination: Park City!

We spent Thursday night in Wendover on the Utah side which basically consists of one Quality (interpret loosely) Inn. It’s spartan but it beats sleeping along the Nevada side of Wendover with it’s line-up of conspicuous consumption casinos.

By forgetting to gas up in the morning we were doomed along the Bonneville Salt Flats with stretches of “No Services.” Cruising along and suddenly boom, we were out of gas! What idiots!

Then Triple AAA couldn’t find us, then we had trouble with the car key, then we were rescued by the nicest doo-rag dude with more tatoos showing than skin, then we took a wrong exit, then Brent needed two bathroom stops within a ten minute span, etc. A “when it rains, it pours” morning (sans rain).

Needless to say, Brent might not be so keen on future road trip proposals. But in spite of the glitches (which were all relatively minor - just the cumulative frustration), it was still a fun excursion and the day got significantly better upon our Park City arrival. Whew!

We do love Park City! Brent still laments the day his father turned down an investment opportunity in Park City (maybe 40 years ago) and if the right situation came along I think Brent would be happy to own property here.

In the meantime, even without real estate, we almost think of it as a second home. We like Park City in every season (which I can’t say for all of Utah when it’s too hot or too cold). We like the proximity to extended family (close but not too close). We like the art. We like the mountains. We like the restaurants (especially the new one we tried last night: Talisaker on Main).

Actually there isn’t much about Park City we don’t like. Well, maybe when the ski resort gets too crowded. But we like the resort, just not the crowds.

So, at last, it feels like a mini vacation. Oh yeah, we like vacations too!

Bella Hits the Road (again)...

Bella is off on another adventure! But this time without Paige behind the wheel. It’s a road trip for the fun-seeking parents.

The old photo (you can tell it’s old because Paige looks about 12 but she must be 16 since she’s driving) was the only one I could find of Bella and I’m the lazy blogger who finds time to grouse (ad nauseam at times) but no camera time. Hence, blog pictures that aren’t ancient are usually just borrowed to illustrate my diatribes.

So, Brent and I leave later today following a luncheon with Mitt Romney (here we go again?! :)) We’re driving Bella up for Paige since the schedule is too tight post London (turnaround flights to Boston and then BYU graduation). In other words, it’s quite magnanimous of us but we do have ulterior motives.

For example, with skiing still prime in Utah (yes, even in April) and General Conference, it’s as good a weekend as any to road trip to Park City. Although the weather may be colder than I prefer.

I’m a fan of spring skiing with enough sun to ski sans parka. Yes, I like the conditions when the teenage boys sometimes schuss down the hills shirtless. Although their attire (or lack thereof) isn’t the reason for my spring weather preference. It’s strictly a warmth issue for this transplanted to California dweller. So I’m praying for sunshine while Brent is hoping for snow (somewhat incongruous desires but we’ll see what happens).

Study Abroad Serendipity...

"You don't reach serendipity by plotting a course for it. You have to set out in good faith for elsewhere and lose your bearings ...serendipitously." -John Barth

"Pleasant" surprises are those unexpected, beats your expectations, kinds of serendipity. Paige experienced one this month in London.

The BYU students are divided into multiple wards to attend while living abroad so they don't descend upon the Hyde Park London Ward in droves, overwhelming the members.

Paige was hoping her stars would align to be assigned to the convenient Hyde Park Ward. So, she was disappointed (initially) to learn that her church records would be in the Mitcham Ward which happens to be the furthest distance from the BYU center. While she could have walked to the Hyde Park Ward she now takes the Tube, a train and tram to get out to Mitcham.

But what a change of heart, from a little Saturday grousing to rejoicing on Sunday! It turns out that the Mitcham Ward is inconvenient and a lousy time slot (2-5 pm) BUT Paige gets to teach Primary to adorable black British children.

Paige went from initial frustration over her ward assignment to realizing what a unique experience had come her way. Lessons like this are a big perk of traveling and being willing to stretch out of our comfort zones.

Tourist sights can often be a let down. They may be overcrowded, over hyped or overpriced. On trips it's usually when I get lost exploring that I find the hidden treasures! Those unexpected joys in a different culture are the moments I adore (and remember most) in my travels.

So, as Paige opens her heart to embrace the kids in the Mitcham ward etc. , the more good travel karma should come her way. She's delighted with her opportunity to teach primary and hopefully Paige will have other great adventures in the UK that come about serendipitously!

Reality Bites....

A safe return home always feels good, until the reality sets in that the vacation is truly over.

Preparing before a trip is busy but the anticipation awaits. After the trip, there is plenty of catching up and no looming excitement.

Just lots of mail to open, luggage to unload, laundry to sort, and meals to fix. And, with the holidays winding down there are Christmas lights and decorations waiting to be boxed up.

Those hammocks that were so plentiful in the Caribbean seem awfully far away today! Those naps we took on the tramp at the bow of the boat were a luxury indeed!