These are the trips I dream of taking, the ones on whom I have mountains of travel brochures and articles, the ones that will make me feel like my time on earth has been beautifully spent… What are your dream trips? 

1. Early March in Alaska for Iditarod and Northern Lights!

The first two weeks of March are prime aurora borealis viewing time, and couple that with the kick-off of the world’s most famous dogsled race in Anchorage at the same time, and you have yourself the ultimate northern exposure.

2. The Sahara Desert and Timbuktu

Delve through the sands of time literally on a trip through the Sahara desert. Enter through the Moroccan corridor, another dream trip of mine, and speak French to my heart’s content as I leave civilization behind and welcome the pure undulation of dunes as my reality for the duration. Push through to Mali, a country drowning in sand, and find the original ruins of Timbuktu.

3. Hats Off at the Kentucky Derby

Someday, somehow, I will buy the biggest hat around and attend the Kentucky Derby some sumptuous spring. It’s like UK’s Royal Ascot shaken, not stirred, with Mint Juleps and lemonade.

4. Hello, Dolly…Wood, That Is

When you’ve had enough of working 9 to 5, what better time to take time off and head for Dollywood, hopefully when Dolly Parton herself is around. Tucked away in the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, this theme park is homage to the greatest female entertainer on the planet, Miss Dolly Parton.

5. Egypt: Pyramids, Luxor, The Nile, Alexandria…All Of It!!

Egypt has been a dream of mine ever since first grade when I decided I wanted to be an Egyptologist. Of course I didn’t know what one was, but my fascination with heiroglyphics and pharoahs were unwitting clues to my life’s chosen path. Then I got to college and realized that anthropology classes met way more early in the morning than literature ones, and thus an English major was born!  

6. Shoppers’ Paradise, High Rolling Dubai!

Million dollar properties for sale on palm tree-shaped reclaimed land, million dollar horse races and golf tournaments, ten billion star hotels and star-studded other sumptuousnesses tucked in the progressive heart of the Middle East? A thousand and one Arabian nights of decadence are to be had in this UAE capital, and I can’t wait to start enjoying them.

7. South Africa: Safaris, Shopping, History, Wine

In high school, my hero was Stephen Biko. I’d just read his bio, and I was captivated by his fight against apartheid. He brought my global consciousness to life and filled it with an awareness of injustice. Throughout the 80’s, we young Amnesty International members were more concerned about arrests and tortures in South Africa than about the nuclear arms race with the USSR, and that was saying something.

Now beyond the looking glass with its upside-down, inside-out politics on the mend, modern South Africa beckons not only with its shocking history but with shopping in Cape Town, wine tasting and luxurious safaris like Singita in Kruger National Park. 

I can’t wait to see Robin Island where Mandela was held prisoner and Soweto where so much violence, culture, poverty and history continues to viscerally simmer. These touchstones of history should all be visited so that none of us forgets.

8. Dracula’s Transylvania

I vant to suck the blood of literary life so that I, too, might live forever like this chilling legend. My trip is planned for July and I can’t wait! Vlad the Impaler, on whom Dracula is based, is a local hero in Romania because his brutality against Turkish invaders was on behalf of a grateful nation.

9. The Dakotas

Not only does one of my very best friends live in Fargo (how exotic!), but I’ve never seen Mt. Rushmore. Plus there’s the Badlands, Lewis and Clark stuff and the Crazy Horse Memorial. It sounds like an awesome road trip!

10. Savannah and Charleston

I finally just made it down to these bastions of Spanish moss, gardens and ladies with big hats. Wow. What a dream trip! I absolutely loved these cities and was proud to finally cross them off my list of dream trips. Charleston charmed with its annual Festival of Houses and Gardens, and Savannah reminded us all to visit a garden of good and possibly evil at midnight.

What was most illuminating was the African American cultural heritage of the region. From slavery through the ‘War of Northern Aggression’ (a local term), to freedom, the story of the region is really shaped by black history. I went on a Gullah tour (the term for the common language and culture developed by slaves from different African nations), which I HIGHLY recommend, and was able to even shake hands with 94-year-old National Treasure Philip Simmons, legendary blacksmith and iron artist. Wow.

* 

Yes, from my own USA backyard to the far reaches of the globe, there are so many places to see in the world!! What’s your dream list?? 

I’m just back from a week of being so very, very good.

A spa vacation at the Oaks at Ojai <http://www.oaksspa.com/><http://www.oaksspa.com/>  just doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for getting into trouble. Meals are healthy and plentiful, totally adequate but, by design, not terribly tempting. Snacks like fresh fruit, herbal teas, broths and popcorn are available in the main room, appropriately named the “Winner’s Circle,” throughout the day.

In other words, all the calorie counted dishes kept me from fudging my numbers. I looked at my three squares as an opportunity to fuel up and enjoy chats with my interesting fellow spa-ers minus the guilty feelings that often come from making bad food choices.

The pool is clean, utilitarian and the best place to engage in aerobic moves sans muscle strains for the slightly out of shape (moi!) as we burned fat with a great water work-out. Getting up with the chickens ( 7:00 am ) for a brisk 60-minute walk or a good hike was the true test of my endurance…but, I did it!! How could I not when one morning our guide was the founder of the Oaks, Sheila Cluff , who makes becoming a Septugarian look like great fun. Sheila is a tiny Tinkerbelle who exudes pixie energy, with the face and bod I wished I had when I was 22! She’s the best advertisement possible for a healthy visit to the Oaks. To look and feel like Sheila… now, that would be a very good thing.

Classes are just what they should be for….a spa newbie, a little older spa- gal (lots of ladies were in their 50’s and 60’s ++) and any girl who likes to come back from vacation with a little change in her pocket. With over 18 daily exercise classes, including some lovely night time yoga before bed, a guest can pick her passion-or poison. In otherwords, go easy or up the ante….you know the drill, listen to your body.

Now, a word for the spa treatments. I opted for the Ojai River Rock massage and my pal went for the basic Swedish massage. Both were fine, not top-of-the- line, but fair value for their resonable price. The real treat was afterwards, when sleepy and relaxed, we toddled straight away to our suite.

Rooms are fine, not plush, but clean, with TVs, middle of the road toiletries and comfortable, though not luxurious beds and bedding. Throughout the Oaks I would have appreciated more visual temptations — the decor is too “casual Friday” for my taste. Still, by the number of repeat guests, it seemed apparent to me that the always booked up Oaks meets the needs of most by a landslide.

Talks on a variety of subjects were enthusiastically attended. We heard a local historian regale us with tales of how Ojai Valley began — it was fun to hear grist from the local gossip mill.

The Oaks in a Nutshell:
While no Canyon Ranch the Oaks has an important place in the Spa World. Frill free, user-friendly and non-threatening it offers an all inclusive spa vacation. Meals, classes, activities and spa facilities all included in the price. Treatments are an add on cost. Staff is helpful, kind and encouraging. Go for the basics and with the certain knowledge that this is one spa trip where you won’t need to break the bank.

The Oaks At Ojai
T: 800.753.OAKS (6257).
www.oaksspa.com <http://www.oaksspa.com/><http://www.oaksspa.com/>

Congratulations!!

Wendy Bishop of New York – you have won! By joining Tango Diva and this amazing worldwide community of travel savvy women – you have made an excellent choice! We will treasure your words of wisdom when to comes to traveling in Central America!

We see by your profile that you are an avid beachgoer! Have a great time!

All other registered Divas are welcome to send Wendy Bishop congrats – and plan to meet up with her in Costa Rica at Pura Vida Adventure!

Patti
a fellow beach lover!

These San Francisco restaurants really took the cake at our VIP book launch press event for Fly Solo. Don’t you just adore the book? Well to further whet your appetite, these San Francisco eateries should always be in your travel journal and on your lips when friends ask you for recommendations.

And our faves are…

1. Slanted Door (1 Ferry Building, 415.861.8032)—everyone’s favorite Vietnamese fusion restaurant at the Ferry Building, a visit to the Bay Area just isn’t complete without a meal here. Please plan ahead!

2. Alembic (1725 Haight Street, 415.666.0822)—Chef Eddie Blyden takes California fusion to a down-home level (gourmet Philly cheese steak sandwich!!). The nicest eatery in the Haight for grown-up hippies.

3. Circa (2001 Chestnut Street, 415.351.0175)—if only these walls could talk: this swank Marina establishment was once the favorite haunt of yuppie singles, perched as it is on the corner of Getting Wasted and Getting Some (Chestnut and Fillmore Streets, both great boutique and bar streets).

4. Roe Restaurant (651 Howard Street, 415.227.0288)—the home of virtually every single Tango Diva event on record, from fashion shows to literary salon. This chic Asian restaurant serves to-die-for sushi and a Kobe beef appetizer. Let’s call it our home away from home!

5. Sociale (3665 Sacramento Street, 415.921.3200)—down a posh little alley lies Sociale. An outdoor courtyard and a fine zipcode make it the perfect place for both a ladies’ lunch as well as a romantic date.

6. Postrio (545 Post Street, 415.776.7825)—see and be seen by the VIP scene of San Francisco at Postrio, where mayors, supervisors and news anchors dine side by side, where deals are made and fortunes, too. If your last name isn’t Getty, it probably belongs to the guy next to you.

7. Maverick (3316 17th Street, 415.863.3061)—this American eatery and wine bar celebrates a radical cattle man who refused to brand his heffers, but when you experience all their delicious vittles, this place will nonetheless become branded in your mind as a great local spot.

8. La Mediterranee (2210 Fillmore Street and two other locations, 415.921.2956)—you’ve probably wondered where, at most of our other events, we get our luscious dolmas, hummus and other phyllo delights. The answer is here! 

Diva Wear on the Road!I found 447 DIVAS in San Francisco!. It’s really fun seeing the faces and reading the profiles of the members of this traveling community. If you have not checked into your MY TANGO lately – do it now. Get in and upload your photo, fill in your profile, and look for the DIVAS who live near you or live where you are traveling this year. CONNECT!

Shopping in the suburbs is as inspiring as visiting my OBGYN. Not my favorite thing to do, but it is one of the evils of life. You see, I needed a new showerhead. I am a showerhead snob and so I tend to go through showerheads at the same rate others go through stilettos. I know that the Swedes are showerhead snobs too. Remember my shower at the Hotel Diplomat in Stockholm? Dang, that thing took me an hour to figure out it was so technical (Then I spent the next 2 hours enjoying it).

Okay, back to my story. Just across the highway from the new Four Season’s hotel in Palo Alto, the Swedes have built a monolithic structure dedicated to all things IKEA. I figured that was the place to go to pick up a new showerhead. I walked in, and the first thing I saw is their IKEA café – well, more like a Swedish cafeteria. At first I was skeptical, but I was as hungry as I was curious. So, I stepped up to the counter, and you would not believe what I saw. REAL SWEDISH FOOD! Yes Divas, you heard me right. They had herring and shrimp on toast, and even poached salmon with dill. I ordered the salmon and it was out of this world! It came with a side of steamed vegetables and 2 potatoes.

The serving size was realistic – not like those ridiculous fat-producing servings at other American joints (heh hum). Besides the screaming kids (something you won’t hear in Sweden) my meal was delicious and very enjoyable. It would be so wonderful if other stores and restaurants took the IKEA challenge and revamp their menus and include healthy choices and smaller sizes.

So, if you happened to be at one of those crazy-big IKEAS, make sure you order the poached salmon, all that’s missing is a gorgeous blonde and a shot of Absolut vodka. But you can always bring your own. Blonde, that is. 

Bravo! The incredible De Young museum has outdone itself with the latest exhibition of masterpieces by Vivienne Westwood. Oh, it was such a fabulous scene – everyone who was anyone in San Francisco’s fashion world was invited to spend the afternoon with the Dame of Design. We mingled and snacked on English treats, glance about to see what everyone was wearing, and snap photos of Vivienne speaking candidly to us about her political views and how it all relates to fashion. “Without justice there is no culture, without culture there is no inspiration, without inspiration, there in no fashion!”

How true, yet tragic her words were.

I asked her a question about what places inspire her to design and create expecting an answer as deep as her blue eyes, but I was surprised when she told me that her inspiration come from her head and home. As a matter of fact, she is a bit of a home body.

We toured her collection with an endless assortment of creations dating back to the seventies. And at each decade, she would stop and fondly speak about the collection we were looking at.  From sexy post-punk pageboy outfits to over-the-top, opulent sequenced gowns, nothing was too much for Vivienne.

Now in her sixties, there is no sign of her slowing down. Thank goodness, because we all need a bit of Vivienne vitality to keep us on our toes.

I spent a wonderful afternoon with one of my mentor from Stanford University, Sharon Bower. She is the author of two books that really helped my career: Asserting Yourself and Painless Public Speaking. She was hosting a cozy lunch at her home for Abigail Trafford. If the name sounds familiar – it should. She is the acclaimed columnist at the Washington Post and author of Crazy Time and My Time. Crazy Time is about getting through the crazy time of divorce and My Time is about life after 50. Both speak of ending up alone and being okay with it.

That is one of the struggles of traveling solo. The fear of being by yourself and lonely. But in her books, she not only questions this TIME, but also the underlying stigmas that have been created by our society.

Before lunch, we heard her speak at Stanford and even though the demographic she is speaking to is primarily over 50, what she has to say is profound for any age. Basically, life keeps rolling – with or without you – so why not get on board and have a ball!

What a special afternoon, with some extraordinary women. I left the lunch inspired and looking forward to MY TIME.