Thursday, July 25, 2013

kidecals



On our recent trip to Baja, we met the founders of Kidecals.  They make adhesive name tags to put on cups, clothes, or whatever else you need to label.  They can be peeled off without leaving sticky residue, and then reused.  They are especially great for kids.  As a teacher, I'm constantly sorting through lost items and trying to reunite them with their rightful owners.  This  process would be a lot easier if everything were cutely labeled with Kidecals.  



One of their bestsellers, keycals, are individual stickers to fancy-up your MacBook.  If you are not a Mac user then, sigh, these are sadly not for you.  I am so pleased with the ombre purple stickers on my personal computer, that I am ready to upgrade my work computer as well.  




Kidecals are so useful that they are beginning to gain a bit of notoriety.  Check out this recent bit from the Today Show.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

baja bliss

Ryan and I wanted to plan a beach vacation during the summer, but making sure it was affordable was our top priority.  We ended up purchasing a deal on QuarterOff for a beach resort on Cerritos Beach on the Baja Peninsula.  The Cerritos Beach Surf Colony came highly recommended by friends, so we felt comfortable grabbing the deal.  



There are a few things to know about this deal and about the Surf Colony:
  
1.  Some of the pictures on the QuarterOff site are not actually of the Surf Colony.

2.  Summer is the off season, so they run special summer prices.  While it's $289/night for a studio in the winter, during the summer it's only $95.  To make the most of the deal, it's best to book during peak season.  Although there will be more people, the surfing will be better.  This hardly mattered to us, but for people that actually know what they are doing in the water, it just might.  

Deal Cost for six nights:  $489

Winter price for six nights: $1734
Winter savings: $1245

Summer price for six nights: $570
Summer savings: $81

3.  They offer this deal frequently and through multiple sites, including Groupon.

4.  DON'T TAKE THE TOUR OF THE HACIENDA!  There are several employees of The Gold Crown Resort trolling the grounds.  They want to take you on a tour and then give you the hard sell to join their little club.  Don't be duped.  Plus, you can go up there on your own to scope things out.

5.  Sometimes the electricity goes out and the water stops working, but you're in Baja, so who cares?

All that said, we ended up having a great time and loving our trip to the Surf Colony.  Our palapa, which featured a kitchenette, was right on the beach.  

The view from our palapa

Cerritos Beach and the Surf Colony

Surf Colony pool complete with swim-up bar

Once we had affordable lodging locked down, we wanted to make sure the remainder of our trip was also cost effective.  As I mentioned, our palapa had a kitchenette.  We were able to make breakfast and lunch in our room, which meant we only needed to go out for dinner.  

Although Mexico is affordable, there were several places in the area that offered mediocre meals at American prices.  We did, however, find a few places that offered cheap meals that were far superior to their more expensive counterparts.  



Located in the town of Todos Santos, La Esquina has delicious breakfast and lunch.  The smoothies are so good that Ryan actually had a second helping.  I left full without empty pockets.  They also have beautiful gardens, plenty of outdoor seating, live music, and a Wednesday farmer's market.  




This rustic little pizzaria is in the town of Pescadero.  Blink, and you will miss it for sure.  I've never seen so many smiling happy faces on both employees and customers.  Plus, the pizza maker had the world's cutest puppy, Pancho, who happily sat on patrons' laps.  Ryan and I had a pizza, an order of pasta, and drinks and we only spent $22.  



Ginormous margaritas

Fresh blueberry margarita

Pineapple margarita

Margaritas, art and a sunset.  Is there anything better?

This place is great for drinks, but terrible for food.  Also, to avoid surliness, make sure the staff know you are there to partake of the drinking and not just the art.  

Side note: I got pretty sloppy after that margarita the size of my forearm.  




Need a coffee fix?  Baja Beans is the place.  Located in between Pescadero and Todos Santos, the cafe is set in a serene garden.  Ryan and I chatted in the garden, sipping an iced late for an hour as roosters, lizards, and hummingbirds meandered past.  

With food and drink out of the way, it's time to focus on what to do.  The answer:  Surf.

The Surf Shack on Cerritos Beach offers board rental for $10/hour or $30/day and surf lessons for $60. If you take lessons, you get to keep the board for the rest of the day.  The guys that man the shop, were helpful and patient with my novice abilities.  By the end of the trip, we were both doing the surfing.  




A word to the wise, summer is stingray season.  The stingrays arrived our last day of surfing and are reported to linger for about two months.  I saw several on our last day, July 12th, which seriously hindered my ability to be in the ocean. 

Our big splurge for the trip was a snorkel and kayak trip in La Paz with Mar Y Aventuras.  The 95 dollars per person was well worth the full day on the boat.  We set off about 8:30am and returned around 5:00pm with a lovely lunch included in the cost.  We boated to Los Islotes to snorkel with sea lions  and kayaked in the aqua water off Isla Espiritu Santo.  As an added bonus, we saw a school of dolphin doing their thing in the middle of the Sea of Cortez.  Incredible day. 



Mom and baby dolphin doing tricks

Snorkel dork


Doing the kayaking

It is possible to be dropped off on the island and camp for the night.  A few people on our tour did this. I was mighty jealous when we left them, beer in hand, on a white sand beach with three kayaks, tents, and dinner.  Next time.

Our last night in Baja was spent in Cabo.  I can safely say that I don't ever need to return to Cabo.  It was a complete shit show.  I much prefer the mellow, laid back, vibe of Cerritos Beach and Todos Santos.  

It was hard to leave, but I will be back.  

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

11 books

My goal for 2013 is to get through 20 books.  We're just a little over half way through the year, and I'm just a little over half way to my goal.  Looking for something to read to fill your summer days?  Here's what I can recommend:

1.  Where'd You Go Bernadette, By: Maria Semple


Told through emails, journal entries, and letters, Where'd You Go Bernedette, is the story of an architect gone missing and the family she left behind.  A quick summer read, especially enjoyable if you've spent time in Seattle.  My favorite part is when Semple discusses the quirks and frustrations of Seattle driving.  


2.  The Marriage Plot, By: Jeffery Eugenides


A recent college graduate finds herself in a relationship with a manic-depressive classmate.  Eugenides focuses on the trials of beginning a life post-college, as well as the difficulties of relationships.  Like Middlesex, this is a dense and slow read.


3.  WildBy: Cheryl Strayed


The book opens as Strayed's hiking boot goes careening off the side of a mountain in the middle of the PCT, a scene which pretty much sums up her novice hiking status.  This book is  the love child of Into the Wild  and Eat, Pray, Love.  Strayed discusses her failed marriage, her relationship with her mother and siblings, and her need to find herself.  A surprisingly engaging read about life on the trail.  


4.  The Paris WifeBy: Paula Mclain


I love, love, loved this book.  The story of Hemingway's first marriage to Hadley, and their life in Paris as he struggled to define himself as an author.  This book was especially fun to read on an iPad, as I was able to look up images, as well as read factual articles about the characters. 


5.  The Forgotten Garden, By: Kate Morton


The tale of a child adopted by an Australian family, and her journey to discover her true identity.  Unraveling this mystery weaves in and out of time and place.  I completely lost myself in this page turner.  Entertaining and engaging, a great summer read.


6.  Anthropology of an American Girl, By: Hilary Thayer Hamann


Ack, this book was a true test of perseverance.  I've never read a story with a more unlikable cast of characters.  Everyone is more self-centered, egotistical, and moody than the last.  A high school senior experiences first heart ache and first love.  The unrealistic dialog reads like an episode of Dawson's Creek.  Save your time, avoid.  


7.  The Family Fang, By: Kevin Wilson


This novel felt like an Wes Anderson movie, specifically, The Royal Tenenbaums.  Two children, forced to be actors in their parents' performance art, return home after years of avoidance.  Now dysfunctional adults, they are thrust into the mystery of their parents whereabouts.  A silly and quick read.


8.  Girlchild, By: Tupelo Hassman


Rory, a Girlscout wannabe, lives in a trailer park with her alcoholic mother.  Definitely not the most uplifting book I've read, but well done.  You're heart breaks for the little girl as she dreams of greener pastures and manages the bleakness of her day-to-day.


9.  The Fault in our Stars, By: John Green


Hazel, a sixteen year old cancer patient, meets Augustus, a sixteen year old cancer survivor.  Together they teach each other about love, life, and happiness.  Probably best to read this one at home, unless you're ok with public displays of blubbering.  The Fault in Our Stars will be released as a motion picture in 2014.  Be ahead of the game and read it before the movie comes out.  


10.  Greyhound, By: Steffan Piper


Apparently my literary theme this year are children from dysfunctional families and unfortunate childhoods.  Sabastien's mom chooses a relationship with an abusive accountant over her son, and sends him packing.  The eleven year old finds himself on a cross country Greyhound bus ride with a convict as a seat mate.  The duo strike-up an unlikely friendship as they roll through America's countryside.  A well written coming-of-age story.  


11.  The Light Between Oceans, By: M.L. Stedman


Maybe I loved this book because I read it on a beach in Baja, or maybe because it was just that good.  After two miscarriages and a still birth, Tom and Isabel receive a gift from god.  A boat, containing a dead man and a living baby, wash up on shore.  Deciding to raise the baby as their own, eventually comes to bite them in the ass as they realize their decision has impacted the lives of others.  A beautiful story about familial love and marriage.  


With nine more books to go, I'm looking for recommendations.  What's on your reading list?