San Diego at Christmas

 My travels led me to San Diego during December. Quite the magical time to be there (and the weather wasn't too shabby, either).

 I stayed the historic and lovely Hotel Del Coronado, which featured an upside down Christmas tree in the foyer.

 Torrey Pines was as lovely as I imagined.

 The hotel decorations were off the chart everywhere we went.

 Lunch al fresco in December? Yes, please.

 Hanging with some cuties at Sea World.

We got to experience an amazing lunch with handmade tortillas in Old San Diego. Dreamy.

Married and Bright: A Napa Wedding Celebration

 I was 12 years old when I started as a mother's helper at the Freccia house in Stamford, Connecticut.
Vinnie (far right) was two. Sam  (far left) would be born not long after I started. And Max wasn't even a twinkle of the eye.
So you can say they've been in my life a really long time.
The photo above is from my wedding, 15 years ago.
Fast forward to November 2017 and Vinnie was marrying Alix. In Napa. Of course, we were going to be there.

 The journey began in San Francisco. A quick overnight, before making our way north to my mecca: wine country.

 We did a great tour, which took us to three fantastic wineries.

 The wedding gang was all staying in Santa Rosa, and we met up for drinks the night before the big day.

 Pre-wedding, Dave and I hit the redwood forest, which was simply amazing.

 There were In n Out burgers for lunch, of course.

 The wedding took place at a gorgeous venue, Trione.
The bride and groom had selected another winery for the ceremony, Paradise Ridge. The destructive wildfires the month prior did significant damage to the winery, so plan B was put in motion in record time.

So very happy we got to celebrate Vinnie and Alix, with amazing friends in a wonderful venue. Cheers!

A Journey to the Land of Fire and Ice

Iceland...
[Editorial update March 26, 2020:  Wow Airlines is out of business]

I am pretty sure this is the farthest north I have been to date, surpassing Alaska. 
First, I bit the bullet and gave the new discount airline offering service to Reykjavic from the US a try. I had a great experience on Wow.
I mean, the "air sickness bag" was even good for a laugh.

As long as you know what you are getting into, it's pretty easy and a great value.
1) There is a fee for a checked bag, as well as most carry on bags
2) They charge for everything on board, including water. Bring your own food and drinks and you are good to go. The food cart has tons of options though, and the prices aren't terrible.
3) Unlike the major carriers, there are no TVs to watch; they have IPads for rent. Best bet is to load your own device with movies, etc (Netflix and others let you download certain ones) or bring a DVD player.

There were plugs at every seat and--gasp--they actually worked.

Be forewarned, however--the one downside I can see is that most US gateways offer just one flight per day. Which means if your flight gets cancelled for any reason, it could be days before you get on another as the flights are usually sold out.

But the price was right, service was good and if you are interested in using Reykjavic as a stopover to or from Europe, it's an even better deal. (Wow allows you 48 hours of layover without an increase in fare. From Reykjavic, there are many major European cities to get to, including London, Dublin, Munich and more.)

Now, for my adventure on land.

 I flew on Halloween, on a redeye, and arrived early the next morning. It was dark. Until almost 9 AM. So that was something to acclimate to.

 After a city tour and some other activities as part of the program, I ventured to Den Danske Kro, which had received good reviews online as a fun "local" type place. Plus, it was two-for-one drinks at happy hour; much appreciated in a city where things were quite expensive all around.

 A visit to Iceland would not be complete without a dip in the Blue Lagoon.
A bit of a tourist trap, but worth the time for sure.
My recommendation for those flying in from the US on the red eye: It opens early in the morning. Make a reservation (MUST DO) and stop on your way from airport into town; it's just about half way.
It's a great way to kill time before you get in to town; and your hotel probably won't be ready until later in the day anyhow.
Plus, after a long flight, geothermal waters are pretty awesome.

 The food was quite simply exquisite. The lamb was outstanding.

 As was the requisite lamb dog. 

One evening we were picked up by these bohemoths.
They took us offroading; quite an experience.

We were of course on the hunt for the Northern Lights. This photo was taken by the professional photographer they had traveling with us so I take no credit.

Truth be told, you could not see this with the naked eye.

But it was still an awesome experience to be out there. Cold, but awesome.

I consider it "half-checked" off my bucket list.

 We journeyed to less-inhabited points to enjoy local lobster after the Northern Lights search.

 On the final morning, they took us not far outside the city for an amazing dunebuggy adventure. I haven't been to the moon, but would think it's a lot like this.

Overall, Iceland lives up to the hype. It's not a cheap venture so bring your wallet, but be prepared for great hotels, restaurants and culture.
I will go back to explore more of the island, likely in summer.
I want to be there when it stays light past 4 PM!