One night in Omaha: a family holiday for the holidays

Omaha, NE can be a fun time around the holidays.  Especially for families.  Lots of stuff to do beginning Thanksgiving Day.  There is the tree lighting ceremony on Thanksgiving night and festivies the Saturday after Thanksgiving and the Holiday Lights Festival the second weekend of December where Dickens in the Market and Durham Museum festivities involve costumed characters and Santa visits.

Marley was scary!

"Not the gumdrop buttons!"

Unsure what kind of a face that is Jon!?!

Jon's favorite place to be, with a princess.

There is also the enchanted carriage rides at night.  Meaning, the normal horse drawn buggies are available as usual in the Old Market but dressed in Christmas lights for the season. 

We went to Omaha December 10th and got a great deal at the Embassy Suites in the Old Market and could have purchased the package which included a $25 gift card for shoppping in the Old Market and 4 tickets to the Durham Museum festivies.  We opted out ofthe package but still enjoyed the festivies in the Old Market that were free.  Like carolers, we sat at Wheatfield's in the Old Market and were visited by carolers inside the restaurant while we (Jeremiah and I) warmed up around hot cocoa, broccoli and cheese soup and cinammon rolls. 

 

Jon had the meatloaf and potatoes and said it was the epitome of comfort food.  Next, we went ice skating.  The Con Agra Foods headquarters has a large campus and hosts an ice skating rink for the Food Bank of Omaha where all proceeds from the ice skating rink go directly to the Food Bank.  Cost was only $5 per person and we ended up going both Saturday and Sunday because we has such a fun time.  Holiday music played while you skated. It was just like a roller skating rink and if you weren't that good you were in good company.

Dumb and Dumber...duh!! LOL

 Jeremiah's first attempt at ice skating.

He really got into it and ended up loving it!

JTK

Lincoln, NE boasts a great higher end restaurant in JTK which is located in the historic Haymarket in the old train station.



    

We accidentally (but thankfully) ate there two nights in a row this week.  One was a friend's birthday dinner and they were in the mood for American Kobe Beef and one was taking people who work for us out to a special dinner with special steak as steak is their favorite.  So, of course, we had American Kobe Beef again!  It is priced at market value so be ready to spend a bit of money on a great experience!  You should try it at least once in your lifetime!  It is a great experience for birthdays and anniversaries.  The servers are knowledgable and excited to serve, they have a 91 and above rated wine selection and other yummy menu selections of steak au pourve, medallions, pork tenderloin, salmon and duck breast to name a few. 

For two days in a row, I had the cheese plate and kobe beef sliders both appetizers and Kobe steak one night and the pork tenderloin the next night.

The cheese plate: Three different cheeses that change up every two weeks or so served with baguette slices, raspberries and thick proscuitto slices.  The flavors intermingle well but not fabulously which I would mention as the only draw back to the plate.

The Kobe beef sliders: Served on polenta cakes and topped with truffle oil and carmelized onions were amazing because they were made with the best beef around however, a little bit over done.

The orzo pasta: served with the Kobe beef steak was creamy and delicious although not much flavor to it. 

Finally, the American Kobe Beef steak: Cooked to medium rare is not the reason for its melt-in-your-mouth consistency and perfect flavor.  The fact that it is Wagyu beef is the reason you are enjoying that steak so much!  No other cut or quality of beef could ever compare to this style of raising, feeding, caring for and butchering this type of cow.

V. Mertz with friends

Omaha, Nebraska boasts a great high end restaurant with crumb catchers, pallet teasers and cleansers and 4 course extravaganzas for your mouth. V. Mertz used to have Jennifer Coco, now at Flatiron.  Their menu changes often and includes wonderful delights of Wagyu beef, scallops, polenta cakes and gnocchi which all sound plain when read in black and white but when tasted at V. Mertz in all their colorful, spicy accompaniments are breathtaking at worst. Try it out!  If you live in the Midwest and are looking for New York style dining and variety look no further than V. Mertz in Omaha!

 

Things I do before Traveling: Play dress up!

Ummmm...no.

Nope.

Yes!

I like it! Mental note: Keep in mind for "a night out".

I think so. Perfect for a business trip.

Yes! Great traveling outfit.

Picnic Winery Bike Tour

So, we found this great bicycle rental shop Zoom Leisure, online before heading out to Niagara-on-the-Lake.  The reviews were all positive so we decided to book a Picnic Winery Bike Tour although attempted to book a Pub Lunch Winery Bike Tour.  That tour was all sold out but we happily picked Plan B.

You get a bike, water bottle, healthy snacks, lunch at a local market along the way, four winery visits and private tastings and if you buy anything, Zoom picks it up and brings it back to the bike rental shop for you to pick up after the bike tour.  It was well worth the $90/person charge.  It was so much fun.  We ended up friends with the people on the tour by the end of it (I think the wine helped with that) and we had a well balanced 6 hours of exercise and rest/fun.

Winery #1: Lailey Winery

Lailey Winery - a small "mom and pop" operation

Cheers to wine and biking!

The Market where we ate lunch

Enjoying a yummy lunch of great conversation, a sandwich, a fresh Canada peach and homemade ice cream!

      All our bikes outside the Market

                               

I caught a cute moment between a girl, her ice cream and her dog.

Winery #2: Reif Winery

Reif Winery - German founder/vinter and amazing Ice Wine found here

Handle bar mustache at Reif Winery

Private tasting at Reif Winery .  Our bike tour guide Michel is on the right.

Winery #3: Inniskillin

 

Inniskillin is a little more commercial than the "mom and pop" operations.  This only means they have to give their suppliers a certain amount of cases per year and if they fall below the quota could be dropped from that suppliers buying list.  If you were a winery who chose to be a small operation you'd sell at your own pace and have the time to create and age your wines to your standard of perfection.

Our private tasting included a tour of the winery.  Here is the cellar and we watched a video on how Inniskillin makes their Ice Wine from vine to glass.  *The wine boutique and cellar (wine storage) are all Frank Lloyd Wright inspired, including this table and chairs set.

The chairs wonderfully scream Frank Lloyd Wright

On to the next winery

Winery #4: Marynissen

A small "mom and pop" operation on purpose although they could go commercial because of their popularity.  You can only buy their wine at the winery or at some restaurants in town.  They want to stay small because that means more creative license and time to spend aging their wines.

    Private wine tasting with a comical fellow.  Michel tells him he missed his calling in stand-up comedy.      

 Crystals on every cork of their Cab Franc bottles but I forget why!

A hodge podge of bikes is an inspiring sight!

 Winery #5: Peller Estates

 Peller Estates coming into view

 

Private wine tasting at Peller.

Peller is a commercial winery boasting even a 5 star gourmet restaurant in the winery shop.  They are also very famous for their Ice Wines.  We concurred and bought a pack of 8 small bottles as gifts which we wrapped up in various clothing items and stowed in our luggage.  We however, have not received that piece of luggage back as of yet so would not recommend this practice.  You have to drive to and ship from Buffalo, NY if you transport purchases by mail because Canada cannot ship alcohol out of the country.





Just say the name...

...Niagara-on-the-Lake.  It is the epitome of the way my brain works.  I need to describe something or I cannot remember the word I am looking for or the word just does not exist in my language so I string together a bunch of words as THE word for what I am looking for.  This town is 30 minutes away from Niagara Falls, it is near the Niagara River but it is on a lake instead of the river or the falls.  So, it is near a body of water but not THE body of water that people know as Niagara Falls, instead its "Niagara but on a Lake".  I love this!  My kind of people, those Canadians.

Our hotel Queens Landing a part of the Vintage Hotels which also have Pillar & Post and Prince of Wales.

Our hotel has an evening turn down service. Depending on the hotel your turn down service means the housekeeper gives you extra towels, turns down a corner of your bed linens and most turn down services leave something nice for you to "come home to."  This hotel leaves a fresh rose every night and turns your clock/radio on to the jazz station.  Other's have left chocolates or towels made to look like animals! 

Our turn down service. Picture also soft jazz music playing and soft lighting as you walk into your room after a long day of either work or exercise.

At our hotel, I am not a fan of their in-house restaurant "The Tiara" (French cuisine although everything was bland) but I liked The Cannery at Pillar & Post.  The food was excellent and our server was knowledgable and very friendly.  She was on her way to becoming a Sommelier meaning she could pretty much talk about or describe perfectly any type of alcohol to you.  She also spoke fluent German and Italian and had lived in Europe for 4 years.  It was one of those dining experiences you would rate a 10. 

The Twice Baked Goat Cheese Souffles I had as an appetizer were just enough food without being too much.  They were tasty with the onion chutney on top as well.  I had a small cut of the beef tenderloin which was nothing to "write home about" but was so much better than the Tiara Restaurant's steak I felt like I had a significant meal upgrade.  I stuck with my staple martini or wine at dinner but for dessert tried a Remy King VSOP grape cognac.  Smooth when it went down but like fire in your nose when you first sniffed it.



Going home can be anti-climactic

Especially when you are traveling for 12 hours but you are going by planes!  We are going to look into a new travel agent when back home for one and for two, we are going to get a new travel agent.  All in all however, it has not been bad.  No lost luggage, no missed flights, no pat downs or luggage rummaging by TSA mostly a lot of waiting. 

And it is Jon's birthday today!  I have tried like the great wife I am (;-D) to make it special and/or seem special even though we are in airports and airplanes all day today.  In Cancun's airport we ate at Air Margaritaville.  I arranged with the server to have something special done for Jon in honor of his birthday.  In perfect harmony with what I was thinking, three pretty ladies came out to sing "Happy Birthday" to him and gave him a shot of La Cucaracha which he was to slam as it tasted terribe (it was smoking as well).  In good sport he downed it.  They then told him he had just participated in a Mexican birthday tradition.  Way cool! 

Dolphins!!

The dolphins are trained with sign language! All the behaviors have their own sign and they get rewarded. They seem to me like the oceanic "man's best friend."  To be this close to them and touch them was absolutely wonderful and a beautiful experience. Unfortunately the neither of the kids ended up experiencing it.  One was too sunburnt and uninterested (the teenager) and one (our youngest) had a rash that was causing him to go into kiniptions in the salt water. :(  But I am glad I got to enjoy it!  Last time we were in Mexico I was pregnant so didn't get to do a whole lot.

Dolphin kisses

They gave us quite a ride

Jon loved it!



Welcome home!

Fun thing to see when I come back to my room at Aventura Cove, Playa del Carmen, Mexico!

Chichen Itza

People of the Mouth of the Well - They are Mayan and lived near a large well.  They created a whole holy city center around the Well.  It was a completely spiritual and extreme city in its existence.  Only the high priest and his family and other priests as well as the high class lived there.  They literally reconfigured their bodies to show they were the elite of the people and only religious practices where adhered to or practiced here.  The infamous ball game where winners or losers (unknown) were decapitated, volunteer human sacrifice occurred in the well and their famous astronomy practices as well as temple worship of all their gods.  Mayan people living in surrounding communities could visit this place but not live there. 

It was a powefully mysterious energy to be around as a lot about this people is mysterious.  For instance, tools were never found in excavations even though huge temples were built.  Also, the largest temple we can see might just be the top half or even just the tip of the actual temple.  There has been recent excavation (funded by Greece!) and more parts of the temple have been found!  Mexico puts little funding into excavating their ruins so little by little more might be found!  And who knows what's buried in the jungle...(No really! More could be found. In Sri Lanka, a whole kingdom built on top of a rock was found buried in the jungle by an Australian archaelogist back in the 1970's.)  More famously, a whole calendar system was created (and was accurate) based on the stars even though they did not have telescopes (or nothing resembling an acient type of telescope was ever found).  An amazing yet dire people.    

The unfortunate thing about experiencing Chichen Itza is having to wade through the constant acosting of sellers or cheap items including children doing the same thing.  They are literally everywhere! Including in sacred and sad places.  For instance, on our trek to the Mouth of the Well where people, including mostly adult men and children, hurled themselves in the water to drown to appease the "Rain god", sellers were right at the sight barking their prices and sales pitches.  It took everything in me not to go give them my two cents!  "I don't want to hear your voice again while I am at this sacred and somber place! You are exploiting this place and I have no respect for you nor will I purchase your cheap things, ever!" I felt a little bit like Jesus did when he went into the temple and found sellers and money changers.   A sacred place yet greedy people conintually trying to make a buck at the expense of the holy.  I have no respect for such people.  I can empathize with their motivation and desires but not their actions!

World Traveling Frustration! or "WTF!"

Always bring an extra pair of glasses, contact lenses or whatever helps you be able to see clearly in case you lose any of the aforementioned items; an extra earring/nose/belly button/etc. ring if you've just gotten your ear, nose, belly button, etc. pierced and lose your existing whatever ring; and always keep your wedding   ring on or in the hotel/resort safe or another safe and secure place so you don't lose it. 

Yes, I've done all of these things mostly all on the FIRST day here!  Have replaced contact lenses but prescription isn't right, maintenance guy retrieved the nose ring from the P Trap in the sink's plumbing and I am still hoping my wedding ring (that I made, is Argentium silver and expensive) is found before we leave!

Second day in Mexico

Blogging only because I have to follow up on my previous post about how great the Aventura SPA resort side is. I might blog every day we are here but I don't want to over do it.

I went to a yoga class this morning as the SPA side is open to all adults staying in the FAMILY side.  It was in a beautiful setting of a meditation temple (looked like a small scale pagoda) with blue sky paint on the ceiling made up mostly of windows.  There was also a neat garden and walking path around the temple and it was near the ocean so you could hear the waves breaking while in class.  I realized through this class that if I wanted to gain more flexibility and strength in all my muscles I would need to take a class and probably change instructors every so often to keep my body "on its toes."  Anywho, after the class I went to the fitness center near an open air indoor type swimming pool and hot tub area that was gorgeous.  Right near there for the residents' convenience and health was a juice bar that made 8 different healthy cocktails.  No shots of vitamins or wheat grass just different mixes of fruits and/or vegetables based on what you wanted to boost so-to-speak.  Beauty, life, vitality, general healthiness, sleep, relaxation,etc.  I chose the multi-vitamin cocktail and went to the fitness center to use their cardio and strength training machines.  I need to burn off the extra calories I am consuming this week! It's a good thing the next two days involve mucho caminando (walking)!

When you book with this resort (like many others) you get "resort credits" where you can "spend" money depending on how long you stay.  We received $1500 in resort credits for staying with them 8 days and 7 nights.  The credits go towards items like Tours of Mayan ruins, snorkeling tours, zip line adventure tours,  swimming with dolphins or in this particular resort, spa services or a "romantic lobster dinner."  We chose two tours and the spa services and dinner.  In the late afternoon, Jon and I went to the SPA side again for massages and later in the evening SPA side again for the "romantic lobster dinner" at El Greco (serving Mediterranean cuisine). 

The dinner was quite good, sea side with 4 courses, appetizer, soup, entree and dessert.  Our app was bleu cheese and candied apples with a few lettuce leaves tied off with a carrot strip.  The soup was a delicious Cream of Spinach and the entree was Surf 'n Turf with lobster tail (of course) and small beef medallion and mashed potatoes with a few steamed veggies.  For dessert we ate a chocolate tiramisu of sorts and drank Mayan coffee.  The process to make it is exquisite and is done table side.  

First day at Aventura Cove, Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Not only is this a great FAMILY resort we are next door to Aventura SPA which is for adults.  This is an affordable health spa resort!! An affordable, yet quality health spa resort is hard to find.  It is among the Palace Resorts family so they know how to do this and do it well!  But let me back up...we are 1 full day and a half into this "aventura" and I got excited and ahead of myself. LOL!

The boys 17 and 7 are in heaven with room service (at no cost to parents as it was paid through the nose already a.k.a. an all-inclusive resort), TV, Xbox and swimming virtually any time they want any of it.  Parents have a room with a mini-bar including 5 different types of alcohol, cervezas, pop, juice or water, a whirlpool tub for 2, a deck with a hammock and peace of mind because the kids are next door in their OWN room of 2 double beds and the rest of the amenities afore-mentioned.  Paradise ala carte for all involved!  Moving out into the resort (Family side), you have three different types of restaurant options not including two bars one being a pool bar which provides 5 different types of pizza (made to order on the spot in a home-made brick oven) and nachos (toppings including: nacho cheese, pico de gallo, gaucamole, sour cream and salsa). Yumm!

 We ate at La Hacienda last night our second night in Mexico.  This place is one of the three options on the FAMILY side of the resorts.  I had chicken enchiladas with mole sauce, Jon had fajitas and we all had fresh fruit custard tarts for desert.  The Mexican food here is amazing.  I don't mind the buffets or non-traditional foods but I am preferring Mexican fare most of the time.  We didn't try the guacamole but saw the dish being served and its worth noting.  The server brings out huge tray full of numerous little bowls with spoons (different toppings like salsa, sour cream, etc.) a bowl of chips and makes up a plate for each person at the table.  The interesting part is the "guac" he or she makes it right there on the spot gutting the avocados and everything right before the diners' eyes.  Not only that but when the server makes the guac they use a shot of tequila that they light on fire and pour over the guacamole! It's a sight and we've decided to go back just to get it.

After dinner we went to the resort lobby where a Mexican Fiesta was the entertainment of the evening.  There was a mechanical bull and a Mariachi band.  It was entertaining to watch the band perform as their trumpeter was quite good, holding notes for a long periods of time and the MC continued to be quite entertaining through the night calling up random people from the audience to pretend to be machismo Mexican hat dancers or to do the Macharena with him.  The bull was our focus as my son wanted to do it but wanted me to go first.  So we scoped it out for quite awhile watching young and old alike ride the mechanical bull.  The operator obviously made it tougher for dads, semi-tough for moms and quite easy for kids.  I tried my hand at it. I can see why people get thrown, after awhile your legs (particularly the thigh region) get very tired after a while on the "bull" and you just want to be thrown off to make the pain stop!  However, I stood my ground, rather, sat my ground and was never "thrown."  My son did try it but let's just say, he's not going to make a living in the rodeo. 

My husband and I topped the evening off with a chair by the ocean under the starry sky and the kind of conversation that endears you to your life partner all the more reminding you of why you said "yes" all those years ago. ;-)  However, rain clouds and lightning broke that party up a good several hours into the conversation so we felt glad we got the relaxing time by the surf that we did.

Moral of the Story

Trips to Chicago, NYC and Memphis: I have pin pointed a few iconic people that inspire me creatively and I got to be in the presence of them or their energy in the last three weeks...

Alexander McQueen - I not only saw his recent work at the MET but went to one of his boutiques in NYC.  I felt like I stepped into a cross between a high-end retail shop (where there are no cash registers) and The Shire in Lord of the Rings (where there are small bungalows built into the side of a hill and you have to stoop as a human to walk through).  I saw an iconic Alexander McQueen dress cost of $15,000 as well as sale shirts/dresses for $300-$1,000.  I saved up my money and wanted to buy an Alexander McQueen piece of something so I tried on sale shoes and sale shirts/dresses ending up with a pair of shoes with the famous hoof look in the arch (made famous in Platos Atlantis Spring/Summer 2010). 

Art Smith - I am inspired by this artist as well. A jeweler from the 1940's - 1960's, he had a studio/gallery in Greenwich Village open to friends interested in chatting the afternoon away while he worked in his studio.  He is known to be part of the Modern Arts Movement, his pieces being described often as "structural" and "architectural."  His style and/or design both as a studio artist/classic entrepreneur and as a jeweler are my sentiments exactly when it comes to being an artist making it in the world, interacting with those around you and in creating jewelry.  I have studied (as much as I can as there are no books dedicated to him only shows and a few articles here and there) and been inspired by him for 5 years now.  The last day we were in NYC, Jon happened to open a magazine and see that there was an Art Smith neckpiece on display at the Museum of Art and Design as part of the Tiffany & Co. permanent collection.  We had literally one hour before our car was to pick us up to take us to the airport but we made it happen!

And I am so glad we did!

Bono - A fan for 15 years listening to U2 for 20 I didn't want to regret not seeing them play live.  The anticipation was staggering.  Being in the moment captured in the photo below was staggering and thrilling all at the same time.  I stood up the whole show and cried for half of it.  Of course, their shows are always emotional with the artistic way they report on the different groups they assist and on the ONE campaign but seeing them for the first time in person didn't help either! 

Saul Williams - I am pretty sure I saw him waiting for the Staten Island Ferry!  I watched Slam for the first time as a college student.  My creative energy was ignited.  I began researching Slam poetry, trying to find local venues to watch it in person or maybe try my hand at it.  No such luck and I hear that currently it is almost dead in Lincoln, but the journey was worth it!

Martin Luther King Jr. - I read one of his biographies and not just his also Nelson Mandela's Long Walk to Freedom, Native American activist Russell Means' Where White Men Fear to Tread and The Essential Writings of Mahatma Gandhi.  All inspirational pioneers, dreamers and perserverers.  I was stunned to happen upon (which is exactly what we did) the assassination spot of MLK with a new National Civil Rights Museum attached to it! We spent 4 grueling hours reliving through stories one of the most emotionally intense eras in our nation's history.