travelgourmet's VirtualTourist Home Page
| Page Views: 17,845 | CARPE DIEM, COMPLEXO NOX by travelgourmet - last update: Jul 3, 2009  |
HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNITED STATES OF AMERICA .......................................................................TASTING THE FOODS,.......................................................................
.....................................HEARING THE LAUGHTER,..........THE SUMMER WINDS EMBRACE,............................
...................ENJOYING THE SUNSETS,......................................THE WINTER RAINS REFRESH,......................
LOOKING FOR THE RAINBOWS,....................................................TRAVEL, THE PATH OF ENLIGHTENMENT.
..... Never too old to travel, never too old to learn I trust you will give my tips a glance and enjoy my travel pages. I have visited some places many times, and the photos are mine. Some tips are just my opinion, others are tips that you may not know about, and some tips that millions and millions of other travelers know about, have been there, and done that. Some travel locations listed on my travel pages have no tips, not because I have no tips for these locations but they were traveled long enough ago to be old news, today. Some locations have but one tip, and others I could not give enough tips about, so I included the ones I felt were ideal for the location.
.....I love cruising the oceans of the world and my wife, Sue, and I have been on at least twenty-eight cruises (difficult to remember them all, nor is it that important) from three day to twelve day cruises. We also have taken many road trips throughout North American and Europe. It is truly a fascinating world we live in and I trust most of us get to see, understand, and appreciate this planet we share. As stated, the trips of my distant past are not entered with a tip or a photo. Too old to include here, as mentioned, as this is a travel site and I feel tips should be fresh within reason, unless I just can't do without the memory and have to include an oldie but goodie. The tips of those locations that we revisit are updated to stay current.
.....I have a fondness for gourmet foods. I have had the fortunate past to have enjoyed learning the ways of preparing food and cooking diversified foods that include among the varied recipes, world class chili, of which I entered cook-offs with my "Blasted Chili" during the years while I was a member of the International Chili Society. I enjoyed lessons to acquire the ability to make the refined gourmet dishes of many renowned chefs. I belonged to a gourmet group that had me plunge into learning about different food cultures around the world and prepare dishes as if I were a local. So, my restaurant tips and photos might go into a little depth on the courses offered or a dish that pleased my palate. The restaurant tip will also be my opinion with no reservations as to the critique of the beckoning bistros.
.....Many lodgings throughout my travels are reviewed and listed on the destination pages "Hotels and Accommodations" tips for your perusal. Most are in the mid-price range. I have attempted to include more than one picture per tip of the accommodation so that you may get the feel of a property.
.....My member pages, that could be others old memories, are my past destinations that will one day become my old memories. So, if you look into my pages and see something you have seen before, great for your memory and just click back to the Home VT page and start over......BUT.....
.....For those of you who will find information not known by you or enjoy reading my tips that might help you or maybe even just entertain you, I thank you for browsing and if the tips are helpful or informative for you, please let me know. Sometimes a photo says more than a thousand words. One way is by giving that tip a favorable rating. It's the one way I know I helped. So, please rate those tips you enjoyed. I am glad that I could please your travel appetite. Bon Appetit! |
|  | VT "WEEKEND WARRIOR" CONTEST WINNER Wow! This is really special to me to actually be a winner amongst so many great entries in the VT "Weekend Warrior" Contest.
Congratulations to the fellow winners, VTers; ATCL, goutammitra, Kathrin_E.
If you are interested in looking at the pages of my three entries, they were a great California gold rush town, Nevada City, a wonderful Southern California winery town, Temecula, and one of California's most beautiful cities, San Diego.
Thanks for stopping by and trust that my writings and photos help to brighten your day! Have revealing road trips, fantastic flights, smooth sailings, and palate pleasers from around this planet we all call home, Earth. Most of all, no matter where you roam, be it near or far, my policy to follow is to enjoy your surroundings as a respectful visitor and smile, it's infectious. I drink to your health and peace, travelgourmet. |
WESTLAKE VILLAGE. WHERE I LIVE Living in the city, out in the country. Open streets and winding roads through the hills from North Ranch to the Pacific Ocean at Malibu. A beautiful lake in the middle of all this, at Westlake Village. Sail, electric boating, fishing, but no swimming, at least not in the lake. Too upscale for lake swimming, with private homes on an island that would not like to see swimmers land on their piece of the rock. No need to worry about not getting wet, most homes have a swimming pool and/or spa.
Lake Sherwood/Hidden Valley and North Ranch/Oak Park are south and north of Westlake Village, making for a very upscale city/country setting. You can have your cake and eat it too!!! Thousand Oaks and Agoura are west and east of Westlake Village. Vehicle travel is essential, jogging and bicycling are great pastimes, but it is bikers hog heaven for Sunday outings, hitting the pavement at sunrise to get to the Rock Store off Mulholland Hwy in Cornell, next door to Agoura.
Hiking trails throughout the area gives one the opportunity to get away from it all, perhaps glimpse a bit of wild life that include rabbits, raccoons, possum, skunk, snake, coyote, deer, bear, and even a wildcat, as well as with the many bird life flying above and into the trees and shrubs from the tiny hummingbird to the ground running quail and the honking geese to the gliding hawks and circling vultures. All this out in the country but still within walking distance of your home.
Now that I have told you about the area surrounding my home, have some fun and click on the blue writing "Please sign my GuestMap". I thank you for visiting. Now, let me see where you live. PLEASE SIGN MY GUESTMAP. | | | SUNRISE IN WESTLAKE VILLAGE |
|
| SUNSET IN WESTLAKE VILLAGE |
| | THE MEANING OF MY MOTTO "Carpe Diem" (seize the day) and "Complexo Nox" (embrace the night) because in the scope of time, life seems over before it begins! As with every sunrise, a new day has dawned and the following sunset will surely bring the night. Imitated by life, as one has a sunrise and a sunset. So.....enjoy your life. "Carpe Diem, Complexo Nox." |
YOU DON'T SEE THIS EVERY DAY In my Temecula, California pages I have a travelogue on the steps to getting a hot air balloon into the air as well as an extremely rare sight video, a five hot air balloon formation lift off without any tie downs or ropes to keep them together, only the pilots skill. The video allows you to see this rarity as if you were standing there right along side of the hot air balloons. | | |
| SIR CHAUNCEY PUDDLES & LADY PHOEBE |
| | MAN'S BEST FRIENDS Travels are great, but getting home to your loving four pawed family is pure joy. They greet you with a big slurp of the tongue and a wag of the tail, no need to have sent mail. |
TAKE THE TIME TO SMELL THE FLOWERS Life is your best travel experience. That's my opinion. As you go through it, you see, hear, taste, feel everything that life throws at you, be it good or bad. You learn what you like and what displeases you. You may not see eye to eye with all, but you will also find those that seem like your twin in every thought. When you are up, the world is your playground, but as sure as there is an up, beware of the down. It may be difficult, but something about life makes you strive to get up when down and sometimes you could use a guiding hand to help you stand. Take it if offered and if there, be thankful.
Good health is a major factor in enjoying life, but despite any problems, as serious as the problem may be, if you can still smile while staring at the first rain of the season or just to hear the laughter of a small child, you are living. If you can smile when answering your phone to the warm hello from a loved one or be able to send an e-mail greeting to a virtual friend, you are living. What is wonderful about life is that you don't have to spend a fortune to enjoy it. So, where ever you may roam, be it near or far, please do stop to smell the flowers and if there is no scent, well then, just enjoy the beauty. | | | IF THERE IS NO SCENT, AT LEAST ENJOY THE BEAUTY! |
|
| | ON THE ROAD AGAIN "On the road again, like a band of gypsies we go down the highway. We're the best of friends, insisting that the world be turnin' our way. And our way is on the road again." (Thanks to Willie Nelson for the lyrics to my heart). Listed below could be the next road trip with Ol' Betsy and a few of the recent road trips taken by my wife, Sue, and me.
JULY, 2009.....Revving up Ol' Betsy and celebrating the 4th of July weekend in Temecula, California visiting the Wineries along Rancho California Road and the Pechanga Resort-Casino. I am a Yankee Doodle Dandy! Firewater and fireworks. Bam!!! My country, 'tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty, Of thee I sing. Happy Birthday to you, United States of America.
JUNE, 2009.....Our latest road trip in late June, saw us heading up Hwy 101 to the wine country of San Luis Obispo's Edna Valley to visit a few of the fine wineries in this beautiful area of California.
MAY, 2009.....Late May and the road trip took us to the ocean. Going on a scenic cruise for a 4 day outing leaving the road in Long Beach for the 26 miles across the sea and Santa Catalina was waiting for me. There is one town on Catalina and it is called Avalon that we visit every year. A small beach town that makes Catalina, "The Island of Romance". Ol' Betsy stayed in the garage and got a rest.
APRIL, 2009.....Late April and into May, saw us on the road again to the Santa Ynez Valley and Los Olivos to visit the wineries and tasting rooms for a little rest and lots of recreation, tasting the grapes in all their fermented glory.
MARCH, 2009.....Late March saw us heading for the beaches of coastal central California and returning after visiting Pismo Beach, Cambria, Morro Bay, and San Luis Obispo and the Famous Farmers Market, as well as Solvang, CA with the annual "Taste of Solvang Food and Wine Festival" held on the third weekend of March.
FEBRUARY, 2009.....In mid February, Sue and I returned from Julian, California after a few days enjoying the Valentine's Day snuggled inside a B & B. |
 travelgourmet's Albums | | | |
|
 Comments for travelgourmet | | | | |
JLBG Sat Jul 4, 2009 04:02 UTC
Thank you Larry for visiting my Dubrovnik page. It is such a magnificent city that I dream to visit it when there are not hords of visitors around but there seems to be no low season in Dubrovnik! | Slapshot1 Fri Jul 3, 2009 19:06 UTC
Have a very Happy fouth of July Larry!!! Celebrate Gormet style!! | janetanne Tue Jun 30, 2009 12:25 UTC
CALIFORNIA HERE I COME...and my VT friend Calevetta-Katherine is taking me to Napa Valley on Friday. We will toast a few to your discriminating taste! I'm only leaving 55 degree, wet weather in Michigan! | icunme Tue Jun 30, 2009 09:37 UTC
Ol Betsy is really spiffy!! Hey, my clock says it is 2:35 a.m. in LA!! You ol VT nightowl!<(•¿•)> |
|
|
email me
add as friend
