North America Archives - Wanderboomer

BY Nancy Mueller Leave a Comment ON January 28, 2021

Visit California Safely and Responsibly

A year ago this week I was enjoying the energy of New York City, catching up with travel pals and destination organizations at the New York Times Travel Show. Unfortunately, the show organizers have cancelled this year’s show due to current constraints related to COVID-19. So instead I’m joining a three-day Virtual International Media Marketplace (IMM) North America event. While we may not yet be able to drink as deeply from the travel well as we desire, we can still dream about and plan for our future travels right now.

Safe and Responsible Travel

The Lyons Steps in San Francisco — View from Lyons Steps in San Francisco @Nancy Mueller Photo

Any good traveler knows the value of familiarizing oneself with local guidelines and regulations as a matter of showing respect for the destination and its residents. From San Francisco to Ojai, from the Central Coast to Palm Springs, Visit California, a sponsor of the 2021 Virtual IMM gathering, invites visitors to read and follow the state’s Travel Code, “How to Travel Responsibly.” Together, these seven principles define R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Roam Responsibly, Educate Myself, Safety First, Preserve California, Embrace Community, Celebrate Culture, and Teach Others. For a detailed description of the guidelines, check out the Visit California website.

Joshua National Park @Nancy Mueller Photo

As COVID restrictions ease in the months ahead, visitors can expect safety protocols like social distancing to continue but vary depending on local conditions.

What’s New

Caroline Beteta, President & CEO of the non-profit organization, says California has used this travel downtime to not only implement new safety guidelines but to improve visitor experiences as well. A number of new attractions have opened as well as new hotels in Napa, Annaheim, and Oceanside in the last year. In the spirit of “resilience and ingenuity,” there has been a surge in outdoor experiences, ski resorts have gained in popularity, and travel operators have packaged specialty tours, like private or small group bikes and hikes, gondola rides, surf lessons, wine tastings, and even helicopter tours.

What Hasn’t Changed

Joshua National Park, CA @Nancy Mueller Photo

While California experienced its worst fire season on record in 2020, a loss of roughly 4 million acres, the total represents but 4% of the state’s forests, according to Beteta. Wine is grown over the entire state, with the majority of vineyards untouched by the wildfires. As a result, the visitor experience remains largely intact.

Wander on!

Where are your travel dreams taking you, wanderboomers?

BY Nancy Mueller Leave a Comment ON March 5, 2018

Take a Luxury Tesla Road Trip in Okanagan, BC

For a Boomer girlfriend getaway, it’s hard to top a luxury Tesla road trip along Route 97 in BC’s beautiful Thompson Okanagan region. Here’s why:

Tesla “Wow” Factor

Every great road trip starts with a fun vehicle. But driving a Tesla kicks that way up a notch with its undeniable “Wow” factor. Just imagine Lucy & Ethel or Thelma & Louise behind the wheel of a luxury electric car like our Tesla Model S P85 sedan all-wheel drive, and you have some idea of our grand adventure. When a neighbor heard of our pending trip, he said, “You do know that the Tesla can go from 0 to 60 in a nanosecond, don’t you?” I didn’t, but not to worry. I knew we’d figure it out. And we did.

After landing at Kelowna Airport, we met up with Ryan, our host from Power Trips, who offered a quick, but thorough, orientation on driving our Tesla before turning over the keys – or rather the key fob for our remote car entry. With its cool feature of door handles that slide out when sensing your approach, Tesla had us hooked from the start.

We were off, not quite in a nanosecond, since we still had to make it out of the parking lot and onto the freeway (in our case an adventure in itself), but soon enough.

And what’s a great road trip without an accompanying playlist? Once we got familiar with the display panel and settled on our eclectic choices (from Bobby Darin to the Beatles, Beach Boys and more – MUCH more), we eased into the sublime comfort of driving our luxury model. It’s a heady feeling knowing you can accelerate instantly at the slightest pedal to the mettle. Then add the fun of causing more than a few head turns while you whizz along the highway.

After watching us park perfectly in downtown Vernon, a passerby backed up a few steps and said: “Mind if I ask how much this car cost?” My girlfriend and I looked at each other, then responded: “Umm. About $150,000.” Was it wrong of us not to mention that was the “new” price or that we were only renting the Tesla for our girlfriend getaway?

At several more stops on our road trip, people asked what it was like to drive one (“Exhilarating!”), how far we could drive without recharging (“426km, almost 265 miles, per charge.”), or in one case, how we had even managed to get our hands on one since his girlfriend had been on the waitlist for the last six months.

Sounds of Silence in a Tesla

If you’re not used to driving an electric car, expect some mental and physical adjustment, like shifting from driving an automatic to a stick-shift. Besides overcoming the twitch to turn the key in the ignition, we also had to get used to the sounds of silence. We marveled at how quiet the model was, so quiet in fact, that even after the engine was on, it was hard to tell if it was actually running. And if we couldn’t hear it, that meant that the people standing in front of our car couldn’t hear it either so we couldn’t assume they would simply move out of the way when we were ready to pull out of our space in the parking lot.

Tesla Charger Stations

Driving a Tesla means no gas stops needed, but you do need charging stations. Ryan had assured us we’d have no problem finding any along Route 97, and he was right. How cool to know that while we were off exploring wineries, golf resorts or even staying at our resort, we could recharge the Tesla for as little or as long as needed. Plus, at many destinations, we discovered that valet service is only to happy to help out, even if the team needs to go to YouTube for advice.

Just know that charging times vary, depending on whether using a Tesla destination charger (up to 8 hours for a full charge) or a Tesla Supercharger (typically 45 – 60 minutes). Our car also came with an adapter, so if we had needed to (We didn’t) we also could have used any electric vehicle charging stations along the route.

Tesla Green Factor

Besides the sheer fun of driving such a cool car, the ultimate payoff of getting behind the wheel of a Tesla is knowing that you’re in a vehicle with top energy efficiency and minimal environmental impact.

Ready for your own Tesla test drive? For more information on how you can play in BC’s Thompson Okanagan region, too, visit:

Power Trips.

Many thanks to our hosts for the chance to take a Tesla tour in Okanagan, BC:

Tourism Vernon.
Tourism Kelowna.
Visit Penticton.
Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association.
Destination British Columbia.

Up Next: Roadtripping Attractions in Beautiful Okanagan, BC

How about you, Wanderboomers? Have you driven a Tesla? Share your experience with us here.

BY Nancy Mueller Leave a Comment ON February 21, 2017

Mardi Gras Revelry in Mobile, Alabama!

All Aboard for Mobile’s Magical Mardi Gras Tour!

Where better to celebrate the fun and festivities of Mardi Gras than in the city that claims its rightful birthplace in the United States? If you’re guessing New Orleans, cher, guess again. We’re in Mobile, Alabama, “The Little Easy,” where moon pies, music and merriment abound in the city “born to celebrate.”

Dining with a View of Mobile at Dauphin’s Restaurant

It wasn’t hard to coax this Pacific Northwest wanderboomer to a land of sunshine, southern hospitality, grace and charm in February. Add good old-fashioned family fun for Mardi Gras, and my bags were packed.

Ready to plan your own Mobile Mardi Gras adventure? Here’s how to make the most of your visit:

Start Your Day with Traditional Southern Foods.

Breakfast at Royal Street Café

Nothing says “Rise and shine!” in the South more than a breakfast of biscuits, gravy and grits. Order the cheese grits and cathead biscuits at local favorite Royal Street Café. Cathead biscuits? Fluffy, light-as-air, these delicate concoctions seem so-named because of their size, about as big as a cat’s head.

Have a hankering for hot beignets instead? Head to Panini Pete’s to experience Mobile’s version of this New Orlean’s classic. Tip: Ask about Panini Pete’s wet vs. dry baking process and adding a twist of lemon to your beignets.

Miss Ruby

How about an order of bananas foster French toast? You’re in good hands at Miss Ruby’s Spot of Tea downtown where exceptional service is a way of life. “Everybody eats two meals a day and we never know when someone comes to our door what they walked away from and what they’re walking back to. My thrust in life is that people are fed well and have gotten information about what Mobile has to offer.”

Miss Ruby makes the rounds at each table in her role as part concierge, part Mobile ambassador, asking patrons about their interests. It’s also her way of keeping up to date on what’s happening in the city. “If at the end of the day, my customers ask themselves what they experienced, they would say at Spot of Tea someone looked me in the eye and paid attention.”

Stroll the Downtown Commercial District.

Mobile is home to seven historic districts within 600 square blocks, each with its own distinct character. Before jumping into your fun Mardi Gras events, take time to get acclimated in your Southern surroundings. Walk off your hearty breakfast with a leisurely tour of Royal and Dauphin Streets for an overview of popular restaurants, restored Art Deco, brick and stone buildings and museums.

Notable stops on Royal Street (besides the Royal Street Café) include: Fort Condé, where visitors can explore the city’s colonial past; the History Museum of Mobile, with its permanent collections and rotating exhibits; and the beautiful Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa.

Rest up from your shopping excursion on Dauphin Street in one of Mobile’s public parks, Bienville Square or Cathedral Square. Or stop in to view the beautiful art glass windows and hand-carvings at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

Take a Driving Tour of Mobile’s Historic Homes and Districts.

A grove of century-old oaks welcomes visitors outside the Bragg-Mitchell Mansion in the Midtown Historic District. Inside, a grand circular staircase, immense double-parlor ballroom, crystal chandeliers and treasured antiques, hint at Southern-style entertaining of times gone by. A fainting couch prompts our guide’s comment: “If you think about the corsets they had to wear, you know why they needed them.”

Soak up more Southern ambiance in the Greek-revival architecture that defines the Oakleigh House in the Oakleigh Garden Historic District. In the home’s authentically-restored period rooms, visitors can step back in time to 1833 when James Roper began one of the first homes built outside Mobile’s city limits.

Visit the Mobile Carnival Museum.

For a preview of coming Mardi Gras attractions, learn about its history at the Mobile Carnival Museum. From intricate costume designs to elaborate float constructions, you can view past parades and balls through videos and exhibits. By the time you have finished your museum tour, you’ll be ready to join in the neighborhood parties and line the parade routes, if you haven’t already.

Rent Your Ballgown or Tux.

If you receive an invitation, or purchase a ticket when possible, to one of the Mardi Gras balls, you will need to dress the part to attend. “Costume de Rigueur Strictly Enforced” means white tie and tails for men and floor or ankle length dress for women. No military uniforms allowed. No exceptions. Otherwise, you will not be admitted.

To avoid getting turned away at the door, pack your formal wear or visit Francia’s Formal Wear for your tux or gown fitting.

Line the Parade Routes.

So many Mardi Gras parades, so little time! To join a parade, you will either need to be born into one of the groups hosting one or pay for the privilege.

Party Reveler at Joe Cain’s Parade

The good news is you don’t need to be in a parade to enjoy the revelry. Plan to see as many parades as possible during your stay. The more the merrier! From the Floral Parade with its MCA Juvenile Court, including a king and queen for children, to Joe Cain’s “People’s Parade,” one of the oldest and most secretive krewes (group hosting a parade, ball or social events), each has its own unique history and festival theme. Look for the schedule, a list of balls and parade routes in Mobile Mask, The Reveler’s Guide to Mardi Gras.

Along the parade route, partygoers throw bushels of Mardi Gras beads, small toys and moon pies from their floats. Before long you will be toe-tapping, screaming and reaching for throws along with everybody else. Trust me. Just be sure to stay alert to avoid getting hit in the eye.

Party On!

Mystics of Time Ball

By the time you wrap up your Mobile Mardi Gras adventure, you’ll be a party-goer pro. Memories of good-time parades, coronation balls, delicious Southern dishes and warm hospitality will dance in your head for years to come.

For more information:

Mobile Mask
Alabama Travel
Visit Mobile
Hunter Livery

Many thanks to Alabama Travel for the opportunity to join in the revelry for Mobile Mardi Gras!

Wander on!

“Miss Nancy”

What’s your favorite Mardi Gras memory, wanderboomers? Please share with us here.

BY Nancy Mueller 1 Comment ON October 11, 2016

Top 5 Tips for Getting a Taxi in Vancouver, BC

Wondering how to get a taxi the next time you travel to beautiful Vancouver, BC? Here are my Top 5 Tips to get you where you need to go:

1) Catch a Cab at Convenient Locations.

Your best chance of getting a cab is much higher at designated taxi stands near popular tourist arrival spots. Think airport, train, bus station or hotels. From your hotel, you can schedule a cab pick-up in advance in one of three ways: by phone (though it may take several minutes to get through to a dispatcher), via an app on your smartphone, or through the services of your hotel concierge.

Outside of transit hubs or your own hotel, your best bet of flagging down a cab is in the downtown corridor. Not having any luck? Simply walk to any nearby hotel like The Listel Hotel on Robson Street or the Hyatt Regency in the downtown core and catch a cab from there.

2) Know Where You’re Going.

Seems obvious, doesn’t it? When you hop in the cab, you should expect the cab driver to get you where you want to go as quickly as possible. But for hotels with more than one location in the same Vancouver vicinity, it’s not enough to say, “The Fairmont,” for example, because your driver will ask, “Which one?” If you respond, “Downtown,” you probably mean the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, but you might also mean the Fairmont Pacific Rim or Fairmont Waterfront because all three locations are relatively close to each other.

If you didn’t know there was more than one Pinnacle Hotel in Vancouver, you might also think that “Pinnacle Hotel Waterfront,” and “Pinnacle Hotel on-the-Pier” are one and the same. However, one gets you to a downtown location (Pinnacle Hotel Waterfront) while the other (Pinnacle Hotel on-the-Pier) takes you across the Lions Gate Bridge into North Vancouver. Oops! Play it safe and be sure you know both the name and address of your destination.

Note: While both the body of the Yellow Cab and the Black Top Cabs are yellow, they are two different cab companies. If you plan to use vouchers from a travel company, verify with which cab company the vouchers may be used.

3) Plan for Special Needs and Unexpected Delays.

While taxi stands are available at major city attractions like the Vancouver Aquarium, cab sightings are fewer in non-peak hours or off-season so plan accordingly. Also, just because you can book a cab ahead of time doesn’t mean the cab will be there for you at the reserved time. In a nanosecond, rain and everyday traffic tie-ups can impact your schedule, from dinner reservations to departures and everything in between. Add road closures due to construction or dignitary motorcades like a royal visit by William and Kate, or Harry and Meghan, and you may experience taxicab stress.

In 2014 the Vancouver Taxi Association, together with the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities, implemented an enhanced taxi training program, Ask-Listen-Act. The goal of the program is to ensure accessibility, safety and respect for everyone. When reserving your cab ahead of time, confirm that your driver and taxi are equipped to handle any special needs you may have for your comfort and convenience.

4) Have Your Payment Ready.

Plan to pay your driver with Canadian currency, if possible. But don’t worry if you haven’t exchanged your US dollars into the local currency yet. Vancouver cab drivers are happy to accept U.S. dollars, especially considering the current favorable exchange rate. If you pay in US dollars, be mindful of that exchange rate between the two currencies. In most cases, you can also pay with credit card. Be sure to check with your bank beforehand to be aware of foreign transaction fees. Tipping ranges from 10 – 20% of the cab fare with 15% the standard.

5) Download the Free YVR Zone Fare Map.

To find out what the typical cab fare is from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to your destination, download the free YVR Zone fare Map. For further information on Vancouver cab fares, visit Taxi Fare Finder.

Many thanks to Tourism Vancouver for the opportunity to explore Vancouver, BC. Some, though not all, of my expenses were hosted. All opinions are my own, as always.

Other Helpful Links:
Tourism Vancouver
Yellow Cab app
The Listel Hotel Vancouver

Wander on!

Nancy

What’s your favorite way to get around a city, wanderboomers? On foot? By bus? Trolley, Taxi or Towncar? Please share with us here.

BY Nancy Mueller Leave a Comment ON August 15, 2016

Off the Beaten Culinary Path in Richmond, BC

For aficionados of Asian cuisine, Richmond, BC is a food lover’s paradise.

With over 200 restaurants on Alexandra Road alone, Canada’s multicultural city serves up a variety of flavors – Cantonese, Szechuan, Shanghainese, Northern Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean and Malaysian. While you could start and end your visit on “Food Street,” covering just three short city blocks, Richmond offers an abundance of eateries beyond the city’s Golden Village. So why not wander Richmond’s culinary backroads, watch master chefs in action, and expand your cultural horizons?

Here’s where to find a few of the region’s best discoveries off the beaten culinary path:

Food Courts

Parker Place, Empire Centre and Landsdowne are among Richmond’s twelve or so food courts offering plenty of places to get your Asian food fix. Whether you have a hankering for BBQ, clay pot rice or pork soup dumplings, stop here to check out local favorites. Stroll through the centers for an overview not only of the food scene, but also for a flavor of Asian decor, trendy fashions and popular art in the speciality stores on site

Our group’s weekend food fest began with lunch take-out from two food stalls at Parker Place Food Court, Lai Taste and Parker Place Meat & BBQ, for tastes of Vietnamese fish subs with a refreshing complement of cucumber and cilantro, succulent roasted bbq pork and duck, and soya chicken.

Tip: Arrive early at Parker Place Meat & BBQ. Expect waits of up to 30-minutes or longer at this popular takeout-only venue known for its scrumptious food and friendly service.

Cap off your lunch with the sweet taste of Chinese bubble waffles and dragon beard candy. Like a waffle in reverse, bubble waffles are a Chinese snack with batter inside that can be customized with matcha, Oreos or red bean paste.

What’s dragon beard candy? “Like a little cloud of sweetness,” the candy is spun sugar made originally with stuffed peanuts, similar to Turkish delight.

Still hungry? Head to award-winning James Snacks at Empire Centre Food Court to sample its signature dish, claypot rice, a one-pot dish of meats or chicken and vegetables. Try the Chinese preserved sausage (darker in color than the regular sausage) for a hint of sweetness.

Tip: Call 30 min. ahead to place your order to allow enough time for the the rice to form a crisp crust and the flavors of the ingredients absorbed into the rice.

At Lansdowne Food Court, be sure to try the juicy pork soup dumplings (Xiao Long Bao) at R & H Chinese Food.

On any given weekday, you might catch Wang Mei Ling preparing one of the 40-50 baskets she makes daily (80-90 baskets, 6 dumplings per basket, on weekends). She fills the wheat flour wrappers with minced pork and aspic, seasoned with salt and white pepper, sugar, rice wine soy and ginger. One of my favorite finds!

Richmond Public Market

How about some hand-pulled noodles for your Asian food fest?

At Xi’An Cuisine on the second floor of the Richmond Public Market, watch the chef as he demonstrates his noodle-stretching technique before you sample one of the many noodle dishes sold here. You can even pick up ingredients for a home-cooked Asian meal at the grocery store or food shops on the first floor if you want to try your own hand at noodle-stretching.

Hole in the Wall Locations

Small, unpretentious, with a focus on family-friendly food fare for the adventurous, these restaurants might otherwise go unnoticed in their tucked away locations were it not for their loyal followings.

Tip: At many hole in the wall restaurants, you can’t make reservations ahead of time. Expect up to 30-minute waits(at least) for seating depending on the time of day.

Here a few favorites from our weekend extravaganza:

Happy Date Restaurant and Bakery

Start your second day in Richmond with breakfast at this Hong Kong style restaurant with a bakery attached. Enjoy a Chinese donut (crispy on the outside, soft on the inside), dipped in soy milk.

Follow with a bowl of congee with preserved egg and shredded pork, and you’re all set for the day ahead.

Xin Shun Spicy Crab Hot Pot

Put on your plastic gloves and get your hands dirty when you dive into this dish of spicy stir-fried crab mixed with shrimp, vegetables and meats. What fun – and so delicious!

Prata Man

For a taste of traditional Hainanese Chicken, Prata Man is the place to go. Just head to the end of a small plaza on Garden City Way and have a seat at one of the dozen or so tables inside. Here the Hainanese chicken is served cold with green onion and ginger, complemented by chicken oil rice and a clear, hot broth.

Prata Man prides itself on having the highest quality of all three ingredients – the broth, chicken and chicken oil rice – to create the best possible traditional dish.

BBQ Meats at HK BBQ Master

Accessed through a parking lot located under a large supermarket, BBQ Meats at HK BBQ Master ranks high for its superb crackling roast pork, thanks to its use of pork belly.

Crackling is the crispy skin on cooked pork. Not a fan of crackling roast pork? No worries. The moist, flavorful BBQ duck and pork also drew high praise from our group of food explorers.

Order the choy sum (a Chinese leafy green like gai lan, but softer and sweeter) as a tasty side dish.

Shibuyatei

Travel is all about discovery, and Shibuyatei is a gem. Located next to a car wash, Chef Takeo Sato runs his one-man restaurant with passion. But don’t let the location fool you.

Shibuyatei is billed as one of the best places for authentic “larmen” outside Japan where Chef Takeo previously ran a ramen shop. His focus on flavorful ramen, minus MSG, is evident in every delectable bite.

Sushi Hachi

For an intimate, upscale Japanese dining experience, book a reservation at the exclusive Sushi Hachi, open only for dinner Tuesdays through Saturdays. The husband and wife team specialize in serving authentic traditional nigari and sashimi, simply presented.

If you’re not sure what to order, you can’t go wrong saying this magical phrase, “Omakase,” loosely translated as “Chef, I am in your hands.”

Sugarholic Cafe

But wait – Let’s not forget dessert after all our Asian dining! How about a bite of this scrumptious bananas & chocolate honey toast tower from Aberdeen Centre’s Sugarholic Cafe, described as “European high tea meets Japanese sweets.”

At least you know what you’re getting here!

After a whirlwind weekend of sampling traditional Asian foods at fourteen favorite eateries in Richmond, BC, it’s time to head home, with visions of yummy Asian dining dancing in my head – and on my palate.

Wander on!

Nancy

Thanks to Visit Richmond BC for showing me a few of the best hole in the wall restaurants the area has to offer!

What’s your favorite Asian dish, wanderboomers? Please share with us here.

Visit California Safely and Responsibly

Safe and Responsible Travel

What’s New

What Hasn’t Changed

Take a Luxury Tesla Road Trip in Okanagan, BC

Tesla “Wow” Factor

Sounds of Silence in a Tesla

Tesla Charger Stations

Tesla Green Factor

Mardi Gras Revelry in Mobile, Alabama!

Top 5 Tips for Getting a Taxi in Vancouver, BC

1) Catch a Cab at Convenient Locations.

2) Know Where You’re Going.

3) Plan for Special Needs and Unexpected Delays.

4) Have Your Payment Ready.

5) Download the Free YVR Zone Fare Map.

Off the Beaten Culinary Path in Richmond, BC

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