Category Archives: travel

July 26, 2012 · 10:44 am

Cambodia Countdown – week 4

Email, RSS Follow

New Continent. New Country. Cambodia!

4 weeks until the biggest adventure of my life yet! i gotta say i am more than a little excited and overwhelmed at the same time. i have been getting ready slowly, over time. BUT, now it’s really starting to sink in.

plane tickets √

accommodations (mostly √)

transfers (mostly √)

shots √

prescriptions √

fundraising (mostly √)

visa √

BUT i still have a lot of preparing to do. i need to read up on what all i should be bringing with me. like, first and foremost, mosquito repellant and sunscreen. AND other items i’ll need specifically for the Habitat for Humanity build like work gloves, dust masks & safety goggles. i have to think about what i’ll wear too because there are so many rules around modest clothing. then there are sanitation concerns as well so purell & kleenex packets are on the list for sure.

outside of physical preparations, i have also begun to think about emotional preparations. i really don’t know what to expect.

1. it’s a third world country. i’ve never visited one.

2. roads may be bad. i’ve heard stories of flooding and wading through water.

3. internet access and phone use will probably be limited. this is something i’ve not had too much trouble with up to now. albeit, this may be a welcomed break!

4. this country’s people have suffered terribly. something i’ve never really seen with my own eyes. yet, i hear the people are so gentle, kind and lovely. i look forward to their smiles.

there will be SO MUCH MORE to do to prepare. lists will be made and crossed off – at least for the physical needs. emotionally, i think there’s little i can do to prepare. i’m so excited about this journey of putting myself into an unknown world. i look forward to sharing what i learn and hope that it inspires us all to go out on a limb a little more often.

XO – lola

26 Comments

Filed under cambodia, travel

July 23, 2012 · 2:56 pm

travel: reflections and a note of gratitude

Email, RSS Follow

FRIENDSHIP – one of the many reasons travel is so precious to me!

i have a lot of reasons for loving to travel but i think my #1 would be making new friends. i recognize i’m fortunate to have done my fair share travel lately – especially when i reflect on my friendships. AND this summer has been a different kind of travel experience that i feel equally thankful for – having my love of travel come to my own part of the world.

when i “helped” Alex of Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler – i knew it was the right thing to do. what i didn’t consider is how much it would mean to me. by having her visit, it was like i traveled without leaving home. she told me about her travels and home country of Slovakia and it was as if my world had widened yet again. it was bittersweet when she left to go back to Europe. i was saying goodbye to a new friend – like i would to one i met while on the road.

lola & crazy sexy fun traveler

soon after Alex departed, i had an invitation to pop down to Newport, Rhode Island, to meet up with another travel blogger, Priscilla of Weekend In Paris. i was really busy catching up that week and could have easily convinced myself not to go but BOY was it ever what the doctor ordered! i’m so glad i went. not only did i have a lovely time and was treated like royalty by Priscilla but, also once again, i made some new friends that i really respect & enjoyed their company tremendously. i know we will connect over and over again. as i left the Newport city limits i wasn’t as sad as usual because Newport isn’t too far for me to return for an afternoon and catch up more with Priscilla and Co.

Newport Tweetup – Priscilla of Weekend in Paris is the beautiful brunette next to lola

plus, i was returning home to prepare for a visit i’d been looking forward to all summer long. Leah of Leah Travels was coming to visit me! we had some fun Boston plans cooked up, of course, but we also needed to plot our BIG upcoming trip of a lifetime. our one month-long tour of Europe from November to December. Leah and i had loads of fun on Friday checking out a few of the famous Boston sites and then heading to the Red Sox game. even though the Sox lost, there’s nothing quite like a game at Fenway Park. the rest of our time together was really devoted to getting “work” done. thank goodness we enjoy what we do and making our plans – really our “work” was all FUN. any time spent with Leah is always a pleasure for me. it’s like having a taste of Texas & being with an old soul of a friend. now it’s Monday and Leah has gone back to Texas and i now find myself sad again. my summer visits are over for now.

lola & leah – travelin’ BFFs

maybe i will see Priscilla again before the summer ends and i know i will be seeing Leah & Alex at TBEX in Spain in September. BUT that seems so far away. i’m glad i have my biggest adventure yet to distract me – my late August trip where i will meet a team of Australians in Cambodia for our Habitat for Humanity build. can you imagine how sad i will be when i have to say goodbye to them?

meeting new people is a very important part of my life and i’m always grateful for the new friendships. you learn so much by making new friends and inviting them into your life. while i love to learn about new places and see new things with my own eyes, it is TRULY the people from all over that i bond with and what makes it the hardest to say goodbye.

thank you for all the visits – you are some incredible ladies & you made my summer!

happy travels to you all! XO – lola

PS – if  you are heading to or near Boston – let me know fellow travelers. i’d love to meet you too!

22 Comments

Filed under boston, travel

Tagged as , , ,

July 18, 2012 · 8:29 am

Capture the Color with Lola

Email, RSS Follow

SHOCKING i’m sure – lola loves color!!

hello my traveling friends. there’s a new contest in town called “Capture the Color” put on by TravelSupermarket.com. the idea behind it is that you publish a post with pictures that capture these five colors – blue, green, yellow, white, and red. (of course, i’m bucking the system and adding pink because…how could i not?) i was graciously tagged by Erin from The World Wanderer and even though i’m no photographer, i’m happy to play along, so thank you Erin!

oh BLUE – i’d be so true to you

nothing was more beautiful than the BLUE BLUE skies of Greece to me

hello GREEN! too much of you could make one mean

cucumber cocktail…a healthy GREEN i like to imbibe A LOT!

look at the sun! look how it shines for you – and everything you do. yeah, it was all YELLOW

this YELLOW-orange sunset in Santorini may have been the most beautiful i’ve ever seen

WHITE – you are pure like the driven snow but i prefer you as BRIGHT WHITE roses instead

the delicate beauty of this WHITE bouquet made me weak in the knees

roses are RED and so is this yummy cocktail called Negroni

RED RED RED – that’s what i said

PINK PINK you make me think…i WANT this car really BAD

deep in the heart of Art Deco Miami lives a PINK car that i must have one day

 

now for the tagging on my part…

Alex of Crazy Sexy Fun Traveler – no doubt, your photos will be Crazy, Sexy & Fun!

Elyse of Foodie International – we all expect pics of mouth-watering food! NOM NOM

Jen of Scarlett Wonderland – i expect some sassy shots my hot friend!

Will Peach of WillPeach.com & My Spanish Adventure + many more sexy sites found on my ‘links amour’ page – may i suggest for your WHITE photo your shower shot from Alone & Naked in Lisbon

looking forward to seeing what you all come up with!

peace out! XO – lola

31 Comments

Filed under boston, cocktails, greece, miami, travel

Tagged as

July 16, 2012 · 6:54 am

Boston: taking on ‘The Hub’ one cocktail at a time

Email, RSS Follow

Boston booze outing

as you know, if you are a regular lola fan – i just LOVE my cocktails. i have my old standbys, to be sure, but i really enjoy trying out new ones and lately this has been especially fun. hand crafted cocktails seem to be ALL THE RAGE and many establishments change their menus regularly. this means all the more for lola to sample.

my little stay-cation in Boston recently proved very successful in the cocktail tasting department. allow me to give you a tour.

second marriage

i enjoyed this lovely “lola pink” cocktail – SECOND MARRIAGE – at Woodward in the Ames Hotel. although Ames is only 2.5 years old, SECOND MARRIAGE has been on it’s cocktail list since its opening. looks like the 2nd time might be the charm! 😉 AND while this looks like a girly drink let me warn you – IT IS NOT! another Woodward cocktail institution is ONE COURT. that’ll be my next cocktail victim when i return to Ames.

  • SECOND MARRIAGE ingredients: Ketel One Citroen with Chandon Brut and raspberries
NOW onto stop number two!

peach n’ pig

  • PEACH N’ PIG ingredients: Bacon-infused House-Smoked Bulleit Bourbon, Punt E Mes, Homemade Peach Simple Syrup, Homemade Bitters, Grilled Peach Garnish

Gn’T

  • Gn’T ingredients: Beefeater, Fresh Lemongrass, Homemade Lemongrass Tonic Water, House-made Bitters

hot and dirty

  • HOT and DIRTY ingredients: Ketel One Vodka, Homemade Dry Vermouth, Olive Juice, Sriracha, Garnished with a Habanero Stuffed Olive

st. james negroni

  • ST. JAMES NEGRONI ingredients: Berkshire Greylock Gin, Camapri, Cocchi Americano, Fresh Lemon Juice, Homemade Sage Syrup

the second stop on my cocktail jaunt was Post 390. i have dined at Post 390 before but the recent cocktail tasting to-do stop was brought to my attention by Thrillist – a “what’s happening” email newsletter i receive. they had me at bacon-infused bourbon in the PEACH N’ PIG! i am not a bourbon gal but this was too intriguing not to try. while it was quite tasty, i preferred the HOT & DIRTY more. what can i say, lola likes it spicy! really all the cocktails were incredibly tasty and worth the visit to Post 390.

negroni

the final stop of my Boston cocktail trip was brunch at Kitchen – a new establishment in the South End. Kitchen’s concept is a take on historically inspired foods which is a burgeoning trend right now. with every dish on the menu, Kitchen tells you how old the recipe is. most cocktails and dishes hail from the early 1900’s. i had the NEGRONI (circa 1919) with my brunch because, well, one NEGRONI tasting wasn’t enough!

  • NEGRONI ingredients: barrel aged Bombay Gin, Campari, Vya Sweet Vermouth, Flamed Orange, Orange Bitters

and that’s all folks for this edition of lola’s boozy visit to Boston!

sante! XO – lola

33 Comments

Filed under boston, cocktails, travel

Tagged as , , , , ,

July 11, 2012 · 1:51 pm

‘The Mikimoto’ at Beverly Wilshire

Email, RSS Follow

there’s a saying that “diamonds are a girls best friend” but did the girl ever meet Mikimoto?

it may come as NO surprise that the oh-so-luxe pearl jewelry experts, Mikimoto, have a store front in the posh Beverly Wilshire – Four Seasons. for those who don’t know, Mikimoto is the foremost producer of the finest quality cultured pearls. The Mikimoto name is synonymous with superior quality at every stage, from the selection of finest materials to expert workmanship to their customer service commitment. Mikimoto combines timeless elegance with sophisticated, modern design. let’s just say – VERY LOLA APPROVED!

however, only 1/3 of my Mikimoto story has to do with the gorgeous pearl jewelry outfitter.

another 1/3 has to do with a legendary cocktail that is the signature drink of Beverly Wilshire’s The Blvd. ‘The Mikimoto’ is a delicious concoction which was served for 50 days in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Four Seasons brand last year at the Beverly Wilshire, Beverly Hills. during my most recent stay with Beverly Wilshire, i requested to try the signature cocktail of the hotel. the lovely staff arranged for me to sample ‘The Mikimoto’ at The Blvd one afternoon with the dashing General Manager as my companion & tour guide to my cocktail tasting. well…i had NO idea what a treat was in store for me. i should have known as Four Seasons makes even the ordinary special! the brand prides itself on making your stay customized, unique & memorable if you allow them the opportunity. I SURE DID and they did not let me down.

it was a like a scene from Pretty Woman. no, i’m not claiming to be any Julia Roberts. let’s not get carried away. BUT this IS my Pretty Woman moment.

so, there i am at the Reg. Bev. Wil. and the GM escorted me out to a coveted sidewalk table with staff waiting on us hand & foot. he had the menu at the ready for me to view. then, as they brought me the drink – well, it was delivered in the MOST GORGEOUS crystal glass i’ve ever seen. here’s the final 1/3 of the story. the Beverly Wilshire worked with Swarovski Crystal to have a special glass for their signature ‘The Mikimoto’ drink. i can’t decide what was more heavenly?! the cocktail, the glass or the fabulous pearl designer it was all named after.

OH, and did i fail to mention Mikimoto created a signature bracelet to go along with this special anniversary? well, i was able to test drive one of these beauties and i think i’m now in LOVE.

‘The Mikimoto’ cocktail is a combination of watermelon, mandarin & pineapple infused ultimat vodka, along with cointreau & finished with a lychee garnish shaped like none other than a pearl! all of this deliciousness can be yours for $19.

if you were lucky enough to be a patron during the anniversary celebration you could have your ‘The Mikimoto’ served in the stunning Swarovski Crystal glass to take home to the tune of $500. and if your date was a BIG spender then you could have the divine cocktail, crystal glass & bracelet all for $2500. to me, this is the best value! the Trifecta…a case where three isn’t a difficult number.

i was sold. BUT where was my sugar daddy?! just kidding – the experience was reenacted for me and this was good enough for lola – for now! 🙂

thank you Beverly Wilshire for making me feel like a Pretty Woman sipping my own gorgeous ‘The Mikimoto’. you certainly did make my visit a most memorable one!

28 Comments

Filed under california, los angeles, swanky luxe stays, travel

Tagged as , , , , , , ,