Making the most out of biz trip

This article in USA Today about how to make the most of a business trip by getting out of your hotel, reminded me of all the times I've been able to leverage a work trip for fun. It also reminded me of how frequently I used to travel to work and how that has changed. :(

My favorite travel experiences that were add-ons from business trips were my last Europe trip (my first blog post!), San Francisco and San Diego. All of those were from 2008. Damn. I need to figure out how to do some leveraging, STAT.

Pros for traveling solo

Over the weekend, I read this column by Rick Steves in the PD about the benefits of traveling solo. I've found that when I'm on my own in a new city, I'm much more adventurous and likely to chat up people I don't know. Two trips in particular stand out in my mind. First, Paris when I crashed the dinner party of my Eurostar seat mate and then San Diego (my first trip) when I met a woman who treated me to a flight of wine at an awesome outdoor wine bar. And, NYC solo is always fun since my schedule is usually frenetic anyway. (Plus, you guys make fun of me for asking random strangers to take my pic in front of landmarks. I have no shame.)

Don't get me wrong, I think I would have hyperventilated multiple times if I traveled to Asia on my own. Having a traveling companion when we got super lost on a four-hour bus ride in Thailand while looking for a beach would have been extra terrifying without a friend at my side. Same for navigating multiple bus and train routes throughout Japan...Gina's navigating skills were a lifesaver!

So, wanna go somewhere but can't find someone to go with? First, ask me :) and second, just go! You'll learn a lot about yourself.

Phil vs. Christina

Pop quiz:

What made Phil happiest on this San Diego trip?

a) ambushing me w/ a pillow bolster from our hotel room (knights could have used this thing to ram down castle doors)

b) scoring tasty taffy with unusual flavors by the seaside

c) downing Mr. Pibb in excess (a Cleveland rarity) in the Houston airport

d) it's a toss-up

Christina?

a) Sunday's Wine Steals extravaganza (including my bacon chocolate bar)

b) my trek to see the kimono exhibit

c) convincing Phil to ride a girlie, side-by-side bike at Coronado

d) can't make up my mind

If you guessed "d" for both, you're right on, which I suppose means we're both indecisive (or Phil is less of a pessimist than he thinks). Notice that choices for both of us included torturing one another. That's love, baby.

So is traipsing through two effing terminals to find Mr. Pibb for your one and only...not just any kind of Mr. Pibb, mind you...Mr. Pibb from a fountain. I suppose it's fair for all the times he comes home with icees to my sheer joy.

Hopefully we'll be out of Houston soon after a delay in San Diego this morning...apparently it snowed here last night and Texans don't know how to deal with snow. I told you I have bad luck with de-icers!

P.S. This airport has way too many motorized carts. Every 30 seconds, I hear "carrrrt pleeeeease" in some carnival voice. Annoying.

Coronado Island, pooches and fire pits

When I first visited Coronado Island in June, I had a blast trekking around the island on a granny bike. This time, with Phil in tow, I thought there would be no way I'd be able to convince him to rent a ridiculous canopied two-seater, but I was pleasantly surprised. We had a great, albeit sweaty, time riding around the island, despite our near miss with a garbage truck while trying to cross a forbidden, super busy road. This "bike" also required quite a bit more man power. I don't remember it being so much work the first time around.

We checked out awesome houses on the island as we cruised through the neighborhoods. There was a normal-sized, adorable Tudor house I ogled. Found out later it was $2.5 million...just a tad out of our price range.

We tired out before getting to Hotel del Coronado (a shame, I know, but I saw it last time), so we grabbed a late lunch and headed back to the mainland to meet up with Mandi.

Mandi gave us a sweet tour of the Hard Rock Hotel in the heart of the Gaslamp District where she works, and I would definitely consider staying there during our next visit. Awesome decor and ambiance, cool rooms and a great outdoor bar with fire pits (I am obsessed with fire pits at bars). P.S. We really liked our hotel, Manchester Grand Hyatt.

Tonight was the night of fire pits. After Moonstone at Hard Rock, we headed to my fav outdoor wine bar (with fire pits), San Diego Wine & Culinary Center to grab a drink. It was doggie night, so bunches of furry mutts kept us entertained, particularly a little Chihuahua named Cha Cha. I had a fantastic experience the first time I was here, but service was a little off tonight, and I never got my port and chocolate, so I was a little grumpy.

When the weather is as gorgeous as it is, it's easy to shake off a mild inconvenience...and replace chocolate with other candy. So, we went back to the candy shop behind our hotel to restock our taffy supply. Then headed back here to pack and wind down. Time to get on that.

A little CLE+ in San Diego

Phil's conference will end shortly (or now...he just walked in), and we're gearing up for our last full day in San Diego. Headed over to Coronado Island this afternoon to touch our toes in the ocean.

Yesterday, I did a half-day walking tour of San Diego from downtown to Balboa Park where many of the museums are located. My favorite parts of my walk:

-Crossing a pedestrian suspension bridge over Maple Canyon and a wooden one over a ravine...really cool (and bouncy).

-Exchanging nods with an older gent who was blowing grass off the sidewalk with a parakeet perched on his shoulder and a cig hanging from his lips.

-Visiting the Timken Museum of Art (yes, that Timken from Canton) to see the Itchiku Kubota kimonos as art exhibit.

Canton will be hosting the kimono exhibit next year, and I've been really excited to see it, so I feel fortunate that I caught a "preview." Awesome show!

Besides the kimonos, my favorite part of the show was learning how the Impressionist painters impacted Kubota's creation of his kimonos.

For example, as Monet and others painted multiple canvases of scenes (Haystacks, Parliament series) to show the effects of light (dawn, dusk, etc.), Kubota created multiple kimonos depicting his beloved Mount Fugi in different light patterns.

The museums of Balboa Park are beautiful and charming. Long, stone tunnels span both sides of the street so visitors are pleasantly shaded when walking from one to the next. The lath Botanical Building is like another world.
In addition to my neighborhood tour on the way (Banker's Hill, etc.), I wandered along some of the crazy trails. See pics for graffitied cacti and zigzagging trails about the highway.

Now off for more exploring...

Averting Final Destination 5

I'm sure many of you have heard about the San Diego military plane crash by now (thanks to everyone who checked in to make sure we were OK). I'm starting to feel like I'm living my own personal version of Final Destination since disaster appears to be chasing my heels, particularly after my near-miss of the Bangkok airport snafu and now the plane crash while I'm in San Diego on vacay. Very strange.

Otherwise, having a good time. The weather has been in the 60s, and I've been able to bum around in flip flops and my fav capri jeans, so life is good.

Nothing too exciting happened yesterday. I walked to the mall to score my running shoes (yes, I finally worked out) and also snagged a pair of plum velvet pants from Banana that I noticed in a magazine spread I read on the flight out here (Phil: I swear I used gift cards left over from my bday).

Met up with Phil for lunch and dinner (check out the pic of our longboard pizza), and then we both crashed pretty early. B-O-R-I-N-G. He did have his poster presentation last night, so he was pretty worn out. I, however, had no excuse since I pretty much lounged for most of the day (awesome).

Tuesdays are free museum days in San Diego, so I've got a nice walk plotted out for myself...as soon I get a draft of my Thailand article done...some big time procrastination has been going on.

Tonight we're headed to a fun Mexican joint for Taco Tuesdays and might crash Mandi's party at the Hard Rock if we don't run out of steam first.

Yesterday's menu: taffy, port & a chocolate bacon bar

So, part of my plan for this week was to get my workouts back on track since I've been a gluttonous sloth...not working out so well since a) I somehow unpacked my running shoes before our trip and b) I had French toast and hashbrowns for breakfast at Maryjane's at the Hard Rock Hotel, ate taffy and chocolate for lunch and had cheese, wine, champagne, port and a chocolate bacon bar (so good!) for dinner. Oh my.

I'm overdue for new running shoes and there's a store within walking distance that has my Asics shoe in my size, so it should all work out.

Yesterday, Phil and I meandered around the harbor while enjoying the breezy, fresh air and watching the antics of seals, pelicans and ducks. After our yummy breakfast, we walked around the Gaslamp Quarter, wandered through a quick farmers' market (avocados for $1) and checked out Seaport Village, which turned out to be a bunch of touristy shops but led us to the awesome candy shop where we scored the taffy.

We had a great stroll and kept commenting on the opportunity Cleveland is missing out on by not developing our lakefront. Big bummer.

Once Phil's conference started in the late afternoon, my friend Vikki's sissy, Mandi, picked me up and we went to Wine Steals for its famous cheapo Sunday wine tasting. Taste, a cheese shop next door, was having an open house, so we scored some awesome blue cheese and gruyere fondue and then planted ourselves back at the bar.

An interesting character named Bruce provided most of the night's entertainment. The short of it is that Bruce is a 50ish former theatre performer turned porn "star" turned screen play writer turned Wine Steals regular. Let's just say I got quite the education last night. Google flufflies and blushies fetishes and you'll get an idea. Warning: you'll never be able to look at Care Bears again.

Hysterically, the last time Mandi was at the bar with Vikki, Bruce was there, and their visit is still remembered by the bar

tenders, which is how we scored free champagne on the house. Vikki, I toasted you last night!

Thankfully, some of Mandi's pals arrived and provided a much-needed distraction. Afterward, Mandi took me on a drive-by neighborhood tour before dropping me back off at the hotel. Pretty streets and houses and lots of Christmas lights. Tomorrow is free museum day at Balboa Park, so that's where I'll be.

Sunshine & science in San Diego Part II

I’m back in San Diego less than six months after my June business trip, but this time with Phil (yay!). He finally pulled his weight in the travel department by signing up for a conference that starts tomorrow. I swear I must be the only wife who Googles “angiogenesis + conference” to make suggestions to my hubby based on destinations I want to visit…fingers crossed for a long-shot Tuscany conference in our future!

The last time we traveled together was in March when we went to Vegas, so it’s been a long dry spell. It was mighty cold when we left today, so maybe Cleveland will have another blizzard so we can stay here for an extra week :).

I used frequent flyer points for this trip, and Phil and I were on separate flights coming out west. Everything worked out, so a small sacrifice. Zippy is boarding at doggie day care, and Ava is sleeping over at Uncle Rob’s.

I’ve had some fantastic trips this year, but all of them have been packed with activities, so I’m excited to take it slow this week. My plan is to read (already blew through about seven magazines on the flights out), veg and write (the PD accepted my outline for a travel story about my Thailand trip). I spotted fire pits by our hotel pool, and I plan to stake out a spot ASAP.

Regarding Thailand, I made it out of the country in the nick of time before the airport was shuttered for eight days leaving nearly 400k foreign tourists stranded. I loved my trip, and my heart goes out to the country for its political turmoil (and resulting loss of tourism revenue) and all the foreigners who got delayed.

And, you probably noticed I’m using a different platform for my travel blog. I’m still working out the design and functionality, but would love to hear your impressions on this site vs. travelpod.com.

Paris déjà vu

Ah, what a turn of events for tonight. I started out the evening snoozing by the pool thinking I would nurse a glass of wine by myself at a wine bar I saw (they have FIRE PITS!!!). And I ended my night with new friends and plans for a girls' trip to Vegas in December. What????

Once I got my arse up from the pool chaise at my hotel, I shuffled outside and called Phil to see how our softball game went. Alas, GCOWA II got a reverse can of whoop ass. Phil asked me what I was up to, and I told him I was trying to find the cool wine bar Mandi and I walked by Tuesday night (and she recommended). I finally let him go because I knew I walked too far, and told him I would ask for directions.

I stopped outside a residential tower and started Googling when a woman came out with a stroller. Turns out it wasn't a baby, but 16-year-old Sammy, an old chihuahua soul who needed a little pampering. I asked the woman, Michelle, where I could find a wine bar with cool fire pits outside, and she exclaimed that she was on her way there and I should join her. Weird, and yay!

It gets better. When we got there, Michelle introduced me to her Serbian friend Ivana and then explained that because she is a wine club member, the three of us could all enjoy flights of wine for free (yesssssssssssssss). So we started with a white wine flight of local and international wines, then nibbled on a cheese plate and moved on to reds. Our sommelier was great, as was my company, and I learned a lot.

I chatted for a few hours with the girls, and then we exchanged contact info and pledged to meet up in Vegas in December for a rendezvous. The evening very much reminded me of when I crashed a dinner party in Paris after randomly meeting someone on the train from London.

It also reminded me of when I lived across the street from a wine bar in Cleveland Heights and my only worry was not swaying too far outside of the crosswalk lines when I walked home after a mellow night with friends.

All the BIO show walking and wine is going to help me sleep well tonight before my long day of connecting flights tomorrow.

P.S. Enjoyed a delightful lunch at Cafe Chloe in the East Village. Lavender lemonade and gourmet mac n'cheese rocked.

Mingling with every scientist but my own

I'm an old lady.

I turned down an invite for drinks at Envy at the Ivy Hotel so I can crash in my hotel room. To my credit, my brain is full and I've been on my feet all day (OK, except for my mani and 15-minute chair massage :)). And, my hair is frizzy.

I was at BIO all day and then attended a poolside cocktail party hosted by my client at a nearby hotel. My notepad is nearly full from all of the trends and topics gleaned from bio attorneys I've been chatting with, so I'm really glad I was able to attend the convention. At one point I was getting story ideas from three people all at once. That NEVER happens. Usually I have to drag info from these folks.

A lot of the bio attorneys I've been chatting with have chemistry degrees and Ph.Ds like my hubby, so I feel inclined to network on his behalf in case any of their client companies are looking for the next biochemist superstar. Phil grumbles when I write about him, but such is the price when he doesn't take me up on being my travel buddy. Phil, can we come back to San Diego in December for that angiogenesis conference? Please?

For lunch, I wandered back onto 5th and ate at Bondi, an Aussie joint with very cool space with interesting pods for seating. (Apparently Bondi is a popular beach and the name of the surrounding suburb in Sydney, Australia.) I tried Wagyu sliders (mini burgers), which were described as what made Bondi famous. My meal included three mini burgers with havarti, lettuce, tomato, beetroot, mustard mayonnaise and onion jam, but I declined the mayo and jam because they're sick (duh). Mustard mayonnaise is a double whammy for me because I hate mustard and mayo individually with vehemence. Basically, I am anti-condiment. However, I am now a big fan of beets on my burger.

At the end of the day, I walked a little bit of the show and noticed there were sections named after states and countries. I was hopeful I'd find an Ohio contingent, and I finally did with the BioOhio booth. Go Cleveland biotech!

My comrades and I at the show made friends with the New Zealand booth nearby and those dear souls graciously kept dropping off wine samples from their tastings. One wine was a trophy winner in London...wonderful, but don't ask me what it's called because I don't remember.

Some of the booth gifts at the show were a bit ridiculous. Green Crocs and wooden Rubix-like cubes were the big hits. I turned down syringe pens...no way am I trying to get those through airport security... and beach balls. Finally did break down and get in line for Crocs. I learned at the booth that you can culture stem cells from fat removed during liposuction. Sign me up! I'd be happy to lose 5 lbs. in the name of science.

Tomorrow is another full day at the show, and a night to myself.

BIO show begins, Jamba Juice ends my day

The BIO convention officially started this afternoon, which is about a 15-minute walk from my hotel. After a few unsuccessful tries to get in early to the expo to meet up with my client, I registered for access later and then headed out to find a lunch spot.

An archway proclaiming the Gaslamp District as the historic heart of San Diego caught my eye, so I wandered in that direction and walked into an area I hope Cleveland's East 4th Street will rival in five years...a plethora of restaurants and trendy (but not necessarily expensive) boutiques. Man, if we can get the Medical Mart downtown, I think we'll see ripple effects from East 4th and the Warehouse District. It's amazing to think of the potential.

I stopped in at Masala, an Indian restaurant with a rich, exotic décor and a great atmosphere. I lovvvvvvvvve masala dishes. (My all-time favorite is chicken tikka masala from Indie's downtown in the Old Arcade. So good, so cheap and so lauded by Indian friends as the best Indian fare in Cleveland.) The food at Masala was good (yummy spinach curry and a surprising banana curry), and I really liked the drink I ordered: Night in Jaipur, which was comprised of lemonade, pineapple, cranberry and mango pulp. I was completely mesmerized by the bellydancing music videos on display that featured a Colin Farrell lookalike and a gorgeous Indian beauty. I'd come back just to watch more. A few years ago, I took bellydancing classes for a while and loved it.

Finally got into the show once it was officially open to all attendees to mingle at the booth and facilitate an interview with a reporter. When I left the convention to go back to the hotel, protestors were crawling all over the place shouting, "BIO, go home!" They were all really young --maybe high school/college kids-and I thought it was strange that most of them had their faces covered with bandannas. At first I thought they were trying to demonstrate that chemicals impact air quality, but then I realized I was thinking way too high-level and they just wanted to protect their identities. Lame-o.

Headed back to my hotel to change into my workout gear and then window shopped next door at Horton Plaza while I waited for Vikki's sis Mandi. Mandi graciously gave me a brisk walking tour of the city to the tune of nearly 2.5 hours. I'm going to sleep like a baby tonight! I had a blast chatting with her and hearing her funny anecdotal stories. I caught myself staring at her because she reminds me so much of Vikki (work friend)...her voice, her face, her vernacular.

Mandi walked me all along the harbor past the ginormous USS Midway (now an aircraft carrier museum), historic ships and a sea of sailboats. We saw the sun go down, the moon glow and even fireworks. Good times.

By the time we got back, I was beat, so I dined on a Jamba Juice shake and am ready to hit the hay. Tomorrow is the BIO show all day followed by a client soiree that's poolside. No worries - my client has already banned me from sporting a bikini at the party. Seriously.

Biking Coronado Island

This is my first visit to San Diego, and at first blush, it's fantastic! Absolutely perfect weather (mid-70s all week), gorgeous scenery, cool art deco buildings and a lively night life.

I'm here on behalf of a client for the international BIO convention and will be working the show to set up booth interviews with reporters.

I'm staying in the Gaslamp Quarter right next to Horton Plaza, which is an outdoor shopping mall (yessssssssssss). Hilariously, I think the historic district's name has something to do with a feisty, red-haired call girl Ida Bailey from the late 1800s. Love my fellow gingers.

I flew for pretty much most of the day yesterday and got to my hotel around 3 p.m. PST. I checked in, put my bags in my room and then grabbed my suit and hit the pavement to catch the ferry to Coronado Island, which was only a 15-minute walk away. My friend Kim from work visited San Diego a couple weeks ago with her hubby and gave me lots of tips for places of interest and restaurants, and she said Coronado Island was a can't miss.

I had a blast! I caught the 4 p.m. ferry (stopped for ice cream while I waited...yum) and immediately rented a bike once I got to the island. I opted for an old school "cruiser" bike because it looked so ridiculous and even got hooked up with a basket for my garb.

The bike path was great and maneuvered along the boardwalk of the island, so my ride was almost always right next to the water. I haven't ridden a bike with brakes on the pedals in forever, so I may or may not have been the cause of a near three-way collision with a golf cart and another bicyclist. I'm not telling. I rode past parks, a golf course and even a pick-up softball game, which I totally would have joined had I not been sporting flip flops (or been absent a glove).

My trip from one side of the island to the other was about two miles and ended at the famous historic Hotel Del Coronado that celebrated its 120th anniversary earlier this year. I parked my bike in a rack and then walked the beach and stumbled upon the end of a wedding, which was great. All of the wedding party and guests were in formal wear without shoes...my kind of party.

I gave myself a tour of the hotel shops and lobby and perused a cool display about the history of the Del. In 1958, the Del was the backdrop for "Some Like It Hot," starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. The resort has also seen a steady stream of celebrity visitors - from Charlie Chaplin and Humphrey Bogart to Brad Pitt and Madonna.

Since many of you comment on your curiosity about how I get random people to take my picture for my posts, I thought you'd appreciate that the first couple I asked to snap a shot of me on my bike said no. It was really funny!

While the ferry leaves San Diego on the hour, it departs Coronado every half hour, so I took the 6:30 p.m. one back to the mainland. Since I had dinner plans at 7:30 p.m., I had to book it to get back to my hotel and get ready. I'm happy to report that I arrived on time even after a minor directions snafu.

Dinner at Trattoria La Strada was delish, and I scored with a cheesecake martini and spinach ravioli with a rich gorgonzola sauce.

Heading to the show shortly and then have a date tonight with the sister of my friend Vikki from work who lives here. Mandi offered to give me a walking tour, and I can't wait.