Castle (and I Don't Mean the TV Show)

As I mentioned, First Class was amazing. We jumped off the plane and then met our chauffeur. That's right--a chauffeur. It was high class all the way...to Bristol. After reading many recommendations not to drive in Britain immediately after arrival, we decided to hire a taxi driver to take us from London Heathrow to Stonehenge, then to Bath, then to Bristol. It was a great way to recover from the flight (with multiple nods on the drives between our stops). Chas, our taxi driver, was awesome. He apparently lived in the area we drove through, so was very educated about the area.

Our first stop was Stonehenge. It is extremely interesting and mysterious. Most of all, I was just in awe of the ability of man to drag a multitude of five ton stones across a waterway and another long distance of hilly countryside. Amazing. I witnessed a couple girls doing cartwheels while their family was taking pictures, and I couldn't help but copy them.

Stonehenge Cartwheels

After witnessing the mystery of Stonehenge, we hopped back in the van and went on to Bath. Even Chas asked what my plans for Bath were, but honestly, it was just because multiple people have told me it was a must-see. I have to agree. Bath is a beautiful city! My mom and I really enjoyed the shopping as well.

Bath Abbey

Then it was one more drive to Bristol airport to jump on over to Dublin where we stayed at Clontarf Castle. Clontarf is a beautiful place. The original castle makes up the lobby, restaurants, and public areas. The rest of the hotel is a modern era add-on. It's not centrally located, but very easy to get in and out of the city and to get to downtown only takes a couple minutes by car. The fresh fruit and chocolates awaiting our arrival were just another lovely detail.

Clontarf Castle, Dublin, Ireland

Across the Pond

On the plane to the UK! And so very excited. My mom and I are like four-year-olds in a candy store. I never knew flying first class, internationally, was so fabulous.

I scrubbed a case today with a plastic surgeon that told me the only reason you actually go on vacation is to gloat about it. So I'm going to start gloating now. The first class cabin on this flight is one of the "Flagship Suites". It reclines to a full bed and has all sorts of gadgets. My mom and I are gadget nerds, so this seat is right up our alley.

Features I have discovered (with help of the inflight "Seat Info" video):

1. The chair turns side to side
2. The chair reclines all the way to a "bed"
3. I have a very large table for dinner (and breakfast later)
4. I have my own TV with far too many movies and TV shows...I plan on watching The King's Speech and possibly No Strings Attached next
5. A night light
6. DC Power
7. Bose Noise Canceling Headphones
8. An amenities kit with toothpaste, toothbrush, socks, eye mask, chapstick and lotion (Burt's Bees), ear plugs
9. A copy of the NY Times
10. Blanket and pillow
11. Far too much storage for one person
12. A fabulous place to land--with an Arrivals Lounge!

It's show time...The King's Speech is on and my Sauvignon Blanc and dinner are waiting. :)

Princess In Waiting

Yeah, yeah. So Will and Kate have been the subject of hundreds of articles and blogs and videos and everything for months. Many people don't care about the Royal Wedding and anything it meant for tradition, the monarchy, or even just for the idea of true love, itself. This Royal Wedding was NOTHING like Princess Di's. They KNOW each other and seem to be very in love. Yes, a Prince CAN fall in love with a commoner and make her the next Queen of England.

While I have great respect for the monarchy, I really have respect for the two individuals themselves.

Firstly, Kate is just another one of the girls. She comes across as very genuine, and very confident (but not overly so). She is comfortable with herself, and obviously comfortable with Will. Her family consists of self-made millionaires, so she knows a thing or two about ambition and success. She has fabulous style; although, her natural beauty could mask any lack in the fashion department. She seems fun, but respectful. She seems born to be royal. Every time I see a picture of her, or a story about her, I just think to myself, "I don't want to be Kate Middleton, I just want to be her friend!" Even if she was nicknamed "Princess in Waiting" while in boarding school, she obviously has a poise all her own. I do believe she has found someone she truly loves, and the feeling is mutual. That's a rarity these days!

Then there's Will. Yes, he is quite charming. He has been through quite a lot in less than 30 years. I had someone ask me today, "What do the Royals even do?" That is the great thing about William and Harry. They do quite a bit. They do not just sit around and mooch off everyone else. In fact, William has a very generous heart, most likely inherited from his mother. He also volunteered during his gap year (and changed his life) rather than just traveling abroad. He has served in the Royal Air Force, as a search and rescue pilot. And all of this, he has accomplished without his mother for the last 15 years and served as an excellent role model for his younger brother.

Needless to say, I was very happy to see a day full of love, romance, magic, and fairytale dreams come true. Yes, the Brits really do know how to do a ceremony with plenty of pomp and circumstance. Princess Catherine was stunning and her Prince absolutely charming. I'm excited to see what Kate and Will can do for the monarchy. I hope their current approach is something that they continue, and I can only hope that others will follow suit.

I still can't get enough of the Royal Wedding yet. I may really have to make some effort to move to the UK just to enjoy the new monarchy to the fullest.

Happy Wedding Day! (Just 11 days after my parents celebrated 30 wonderful years of their own marriage!) All my best wishes to the couple!

Picture via People.com

Apologies

Dear Readers,
You are so new (and so am I) and yet I have already failed to keep the blog updated. However, this is only partially to blame on my laziness--blogging from the iPhone or iPad isn't quite the same as blogging from a laptop. Unfortunately, my MacBook Air hard drive is dead. Done. Gone. I don't want to spend $2500 to recover the data (that's far too much) so I have been left with very little of my materials to work with. Photos are on the iPad but not as easily edited and all my favorites, as far as web pages go, are gone forever. Pininterest, here I come! So please forgive me. Once the Genius Bar replaces my hard drive, I hope to have plenty new posts for you. I certainly spend plenty of time thinking about what to share!

Again, sorry for the inopportune timing of my hard drive's decision to fade out. Stick with me. The best is yet to come!

Dog Days Of Summer

The dog days definitely aren't over. They are just beginning. Recently I had someone rack my brain about dog-friendly patio dining in the Uptown area in Dallas. Believe me, Brewster knows a thing or two about dining out! In April, i Frateli's pizza has a "Smooch Your Pooch" deal every Wednesday. Bring your dog in, give em a big kiss, and get a free cheese pizza! (for the first 50 people at each location in DFW) Looks like pizza for dinner!




Some of Brewster's favorites:

State and Allen Lounge
Decently sized patio and strong drinks make for a great time, especially for weekend brunch. I'm especially fond of the chicken and waffles.

Dream Cafe
Half price wine on Wednesdays and a rather healthy brunch/breakfast menu. Brewster especially appreciates his own water bowl on every visit.

Breadwinner's
As long as there's a spot on the super tiny area they consider dog-friendly, then it's a great place to for a doggie-date. And in case you haven't tried it, they make more than just great brunch. Dinner is great too!

Toulouse
I love the French (and rather authentic French) menu and the patio is very dog-friendly. It's a bit crazy on the weekends with lots of passers-by from the Katy Trail, but a favorite of ours nonetheless.

Fireside Pies
Brewster and I love to grab some of our favorite comfort food and comfort drink (sangria) by the fire on the patio in the wintertime. Plus, the waitresses here have quite the affection for Brewster.

Taco Diner
West Village is the ultimate place for people watching and Brewster loves this kind of party. A mambo taxi makes it bearable long enough for Brewster to soak up all the attention.

Brewster and I are always looking for new places for dinner dates. If you know of great places, please reply with your comments!