On a hot Summer Saturday in Southern California we spent the afternoon in the City of Orange. The old town area is blocked off for pedestrians. One of our stops was the Pie Hole on the corner of Glassell and Maple avenue. We tried the Mexican Chocolate Pie Hole, the Strawberry Lavender Pie Hole, and a slice of Earl Grey Pie. The shop is located on Zirkle corner, former site of Wally’s Market. Here's some pictures from our visit. 🥧 🍊
As the saying goes, “Paris always a good idea”. We love visiting Paris and had a trip planned for May 2020. The flight was booked with Air France Miles. The trip was cancelled due to Covid 19. We called Air France, cancelled the flight, and the Air France miles were redeposited into our frequent flyer account. So far so good. The problem is, these miles, along with our existing balance, resulted in over 300,000 Air France miles that were set to expire in May 2021. This is over $3000 worth of travel that would evaporate unless we took action. Air France miles expire…
We flew into Paris after spending a week in the South of France. The plan was to meet three of our adult children who were flying into to Paris from California. We arrived in Paris a half-day early, checked into the hotel and headed up to the 19th Arrondissement to have lunch at the Paname Brewing Company. We had met the owner on a previous trip to Paris and wanted to check it out. The restaurant overlooks Canal de l'Ourcq and was busy on this Spring day in May. After lunch we strolled along the walking path and made a stop at Le…
On a past trip to Venice we took a water taxi as we left for the train station. We were picked up at the Hotel Gritti and had a memorable boat ride as we left towards our next destination: Firenze. Here's a quick video. https://youtu.be/7XbJRTQ7M6s
Looking for a bowl of cereal in the middle of the day? Cereal Killer Cafe can make that happen. We are familiar with Cereal Killer Cafe from our trips to the East End of London, but it was fun to spot a location in Dubai. Here's a quick video from our trip to Dubai and the Maldives in February of this year. Notice the tables and benches which are beds with old school designs. https://www.instagram.com/p/CD1-ohvFDoS/
Our trip to Venice included a stay at the Gritti Palace hotel, situated on the Grand Canal. The building dates back to the 1400’s and is part of Marriott’s Luxury Collection. Rooms run over $1000 a night, but we booked it with points. The following is a pictorial overview of the stay. Catching the Shared Water Taxi at the Airport We arrived at the Marco Polo Airport and caught a shared water taxi to the hotel. Travelers can walk from the terminal to the where the water taxis depart. Journey down the Grand Canal in Venice Arriving at Gritti Palace from the canal Entrance…
On a recent trip to Dubai, we visited the old part of the city and had the opportunity to ride across the creek by Abra. Part of the public transportation in Dubai are the Abras, which are boats that ferry people along the Dubai Creek. We hopped on at Deira Old Souk Abra Station, after visiting the Spice and Gold Souks. Our trip would take us from the Deira Old Souk Abra station, and across the creek to the Bur Dubai Abra Station. The cost for a one way trip across the creek is 1 AED, or about 27 cents…
The Mandhoo Restaurant at the Conrad Maldives on Rangali Island, is a restaurant not to be missed. It was recommended to us by other guests, we took the chance, and so happy we did! The food was impressive, fresh and delicious. Mandoo Restaurant- Conrad Maldives Entrance to Mandhoo Restaurant With views to the Laccadive Sea that are unmatched and as beautiful as they come. As you walk in, the open kitchen is to your left and the breathtaking views all around. The Mandhoo Restaurant prides itself in serving meals with balance from the 5 elements that form the foundation for…
Our stay at the Al Maha Resort included two complementary activities each day. There were seven complementary activities to choose from. FalconryNature WalkGhaf Tree WalkWild Life DriveCamel TrekSundownersArchery Guests are matched up with a field guide, and the field guide will help arrange the activities. One of the activities we couldn't miss out on was the camel trek. Guests ride by camel into the desert to watch the sunset. We enjoyed drinks and snacks as the sun went down over the Arabian desert. We met at the main reception area, and then proceeded to the edge of the resort where a caravan of…
Do you want to earn a large number of points and miles for travel? Here are ten steps to earn points and miles through credit card sign ups. When it comes to earning points and miles, the biggest bang for the buck is usually the welcome bonuses offered by credit card companies. It’s common to see offers of 50,000 – 100,000 points for signing up for a single card. In this article we’ll share ten steps to consider when you sign up for a credit card. This article is part of a series in which we lay out steps to save money…