Texas Bound

Leaving Saint Augustine was hard, but the prospects of seeing old friends along the way seemed to add a little sunshine on the horizon. We had originally planned on taking a very indirect route so that we could stop over in Nashville and add a new city and state to list of time spent, but once I knew that one of my dearest and best friends was going to be in Alabama while we were on our trek west, our route became more direct. Plus an added bonus, we would be driving through Pensacola, which meant a dinner with one of my college/sorority sisters must be included.

Loren and I

We arrived in Pensacola early Friday evening and it allowed me the opportunity to sneak away and meet up with Loren; a ZTA Sister from SUU, for a drink and reminiscing about the good ol’ days at college and all the life developments since then. It was such a great night of fun conversation and I a reminder as to why I completely adore this lady. Plus I haven’t had the chance to see her since her wedding many moons ago, but seeing her and talking, it was like no time has passed; I just love those relationships where you can get together after years apart and it’s as though no time has gone by, it’s almost as though the conversation started off just where we left it last.

Sunrise view from our hotel room

Saturday was full of surprises and unexpected gifts that all started early. First we were lucky enough to have a beautiful east facing hotel room over the bay, so all we had to do was open the drapes and let the suns painted light permeate our room all while we laid in bed in sipped on our coffee; this was a much needed start considering the early morning loading of the car the day prior. A sunrise call from Stephanie, letting us know she landed safely in Alabama the night before and her ETA to meet up with us for a full afternoon of hugs, laughs and non-stop talking. We quickly devised a plan to meet up in downtown Pensacola for lunch, giving her time to drive the coastline and for us to stop and visit the Air Force Armament Museum.

Tom and the look of joy on his face from staring at planes

The Armament Museum was great, giving Ethel the opportunity to strut her stuff by age old planes and of course my favorite, watching Tom completely geek out at all the aircrafts. His bits of history and information about each plane floored me, I knew Tom loved them, but how much and what he knew was such a pleasant surprise. His giddy reaction and fascination was well worth the stop and total man haven if you’re ever the area.

Beads, beads, beads!!!

From there we were on to Pensacola to find a dog friendly lunch haunt and to meet up with Stephanie. We had originally planned on meeting up with her downtown, but once we arrived we were immediately met with the mayhem of a Mardi Gras Day parade and celebration. We had a bit of time on our hands so we parked the car and took off to explore some of the floats and the crazy antics that were already unfolding. It is these spontaneous adventures that I just love stumbling upon and getting to be a part of, plus the people watching just takes the cake!

Fighter plane engine

Instead of trying to figure out how and where to meet amidst the Mardi Gras crowds, we found a little diner just outside of downtown to meet up at. Fortunately for us we were the only ones outside for the three short hours we occupied their tables, which was wonderful for Ethel, she was able to run amuck and not be bothered to share anything, especially her people. Sorry, y’all I have raised a dog diva!

Stephanie, Bonnie and Tom

Time flew by and before we knew it the sun was beginning to set, at some point the restaurant staff ceased to exist and all that remained was endless conversation. Although Stephanie and I would regularly text and often talk on the phone, there is just something to be said about seeing one of your favorite people in person after a long absence.  I don’t think I realized how much I missed Stephanie until she was standing in front of me and couldn’t stop hugging her; seriously, if people didn’t know us, they might have though us lesbians; especially after the boundless hugs goodbye! You’d think somebody had died!

Crossing the Mississippi as we head back west.. What an amazing year since we crossed it going east!

Next day, we were off to Texas and bound for our new home for the next six weeks. This is the first time since we set out that we have not used Airbnb for one of our extended stays, instead this time we used Execustay through Marriot. Not because of a lack of options with Airbnb, but pricing more or less; I don’t know if it because part of our stay was during spring break or what, but the housing prices were off the charts high for Airbnb. In fact I had checked out the cute little retro place we had stayed at last time we were in San Antonio (click here for that post), but that had close to doubled since our last stay over a year ago.

San Antonio apartment

Our home in Texas was a great location for Tom, less than half a mile to his client, so he could walk to and from work, making the need for the car almost obsolete other than Ethel and I’s adventures during the day. Our cute little apartment was exactly that: cute and little, although we don’t require much. Execustay managed to win us over with everything: new, clean and completely organized for our stay. This is definitely a service we would use again, the fresh new towels, bedding and dishes, pretty much won us over.  Not to forget the pool and the gym, seriously though, the pool was divine at the complex; it almost felt like we had been transported to a Vegas resort! So here it is, our perfectly located Execustay:

How to be a great AirBnb Host (from a serial AirBnb guest's perspective)

If you have reached this post without knowing our blog, you can read about our individual AirBnb stays from the previous posts.

Considering my wife and I have been using AirBnb monthly for the past 15 or so months - I believe we have earned the status of experienced guests.  We have stayed in an array of places from tiny a NYC apartment to multi-room beach houses.  Our only real limits during our searches are price and the pet policy (our dog is also along for the journey).

I don't think we would call ourselves picky, but we have definitely learned what makes life a little easier while on the road for so long.  The list isn't extensive. I'll break everything into three categories. The first of course are the "Must-haves".

This category is simple, if they don't exist it makes life potentially miserable either upon arrival or at some point during the stay.  Remember we are roadies, we don't have a home base so some of these may not matter as much to a short term-er.

• Toilet Paper - have some on the roll and some close by for backup. Sometimes we have some left over from the previous stay and pack it with us, but not always. When you come off a long haul road trip it's nice to know I don't have to completely unpack to use the restroom.
• One medium sized non-stick frying pan- There were a few places where we didn't even attempt to turn on the oven, but usually scrabbled eggs are a morning ritual and if you don't provide at least one good pan, it really puts a damper home cooking. (we actually purchased our own and pack it to every new location)
• Ok we need more than just a frying pan - provide enough kitchen stuff to let us cook most basic meals. We don't need a gourmet supply of pots, pans and utensils, but try to cook a decent breakfast and dinner in your provided kitchen before you rent it out as a test.  
• Coffee Pot - enough said. (I assume I don't have to list microwave.)
• Towels - not just one in the bathroom or hidden away in a closet, have a few and put some in the kitchen too.
• Pest control - no one wants to see bugs of any kind. We were pretty lucky to avoid any major issues thank God! (Bonnie hates to kill spiders for me)
• Wifi - I don't care if you have cable, we cut the cord long ago. I do need to work and occasionally watch Netflix or Hulu so please have at least a 3mb connection with a single throughout the house.

The next category I would call "Over the top". These are the things a host can do that are really above and beyond and sometimes - if you have been in the car for 10 hours with a dog that has occasional panic attacks can really make our day.

• A welcome package - This has been provided on many occasions, it's amazing how much it makes the guest feel comfortable in the rental.  If you want to go way over the top provide some treats or booze, enjoying some wine while I unpack the car is always a pleasure. If you aren't weird, greet the guests. We have only met a couple of hosts, but they were great experiences.
• Coded door locks - keeping track of keys is a nightmare! It is so much easier to remember a code and know you will always be able to get back in without the need to contact someone if you don't have the keys. I know it's not always possible because of property rules, but it's an awesome feature.
• An iron and board - We have a tiny travel iron which is a pain, whenever a house had these items it was a wonderful surprise. Remember on the road, everything gets wrinkled.
• Washer and dryer - when these are in the rental, it really saves the day. Everyone probably understands how fast laundry builds up, and without knowing an area it can be difficult to locate a worthy laundromat. We already have to yelp dry cleaners every month for dress clothes.
• Stuff to do - you know, tell us where the best restaurants are located, what are the must dos only the locals know about, give us some history on the property, whatever, make it an experience.

Luckily we haven't had poor hosts, it's what makes AirBnb so cool, but if there were anything we wouldn't want to happen, they would fall into this final category - "Avoid these".

• Require us to do something for you - We are nice, we will comply. Sometimes it's unavoidable, but do your best to not give us chores (see 'over the top' for ways to keep us happy if you do ask)
• Miss anything on the"Must have" list - Duh.
• Angry neighbors - Are you renting your place on AirBnb and your neighbors hate the idea? Resolve it! 
• Illegally renting your place - Are you breaking building rules, HOA rules, or local laws? Guess what, your guests don't want to be caught in the middle of some battle. Do it right or don't do it at all.

So there you have it. See we aren't high maintenance, but we do know what we like.  Feel free to ask us questions. AirBnb has been great to us and I would suggest you give it a try over a hotel next time you travel. 

A Return to St. Auggie

“The voyage of discovery lies not in finding new landscape, but in having new eyes.”                                                                                           -Marcel Proust

We descended upon St. Augustine Beach again, once wasn't enough for us and we needed to get back. In fact, this is my confession: I am addicted to the ocean, this place and the energy that surrounds it; however, no intervention needed, I am fully and painfully aware of it. We had originally planned on spending another five weeks here, but when Sherry let us know that Todd and her were bringing the kids and her folks out in February, well that left us scrambling to extend; how could we not find a way to see them all? Bonus, we got to stay longer and our five weeks became seven weeks, a chaotic last couple of weeks as we transitioned from our first place to an interim hotel and then to our last home here, but nothing a walk along the beach can’t calm and completely worth the pandemonium in the end.

Our first place this visit was up on 13^th Street, when we were here last October we were down on 6^th, and I found myself pining for the lower streets. They have more of a local charm to them and it could be they are closer to that “Golden Mile,” and the beach living is at its finest. Or it could be that I wasn't in love with our place like I was with the little yellow cottage we stayed in last time. This place was updated and had some great conveniences, but was completely lacking in that perfect nostalgic beach home, especially that 50’s-70’s style retro home that makes Saint Augustine Beach so unique.

Like I said, our first place had some great amenities, especially only being a block from the beach, but is a place that had completely been updated and well it lacked in the beach feel. In fact the décor was more like the eighties got frisky with as Asian tchotchke shop and the outcome was our living space for six weeks. Fortunately we are movers and shakers and don’t really spend too much time indoors, and why would we, there is a beach a block away! Being down on the higher streets, put us in a more tourist area, so everything was close. Meaning, we could run across the street to grab dinner from one of the great restaurants on the island and the pier was around the corner, making my Wednesday produce haul from the farmers market much easier to get back home.

Time flew by and our once five weeks, that extended and turned into six, was gone and we found ourselves loading up the Flex again and off to Ponte Vedra Beach to crash at the Sawgrass Marriott. We had one night where we were homeless and in between spaces in Saint Augustine Beach, we needed to be out of the 13^th street home and our next landing space on 5th not ready for one more day. So we leveraged Marriott points and pampered ourselves a bit, and Marriott thought we needed some extra love too and they upgraded us to a Villa. Ah, the perks of being married to a road warrior! And such a welcome surprise after all the stress and chaos of finding another home to rent; although I might have considered sleeping in the car had it meant we got to see our family!

The Sawgrass Marriott is right next door to TPC (Tournament Players Club) Sawgrass.  Home of the PGA headquarters and probably the world’s most famous golf course, how can one forget that notoriously famous 17^th hole. Our villa looked right out on the 14^th fairway and although I found it peaceful and relaxing, Tom might have might have been slightly tortured; being so close to such a famous course, not having his clubs and the $400 fairway fee kind of put the idea of playing a round a tad out of reach for now, but there is always next time. 

View from the patio of our Sawgrass Villa

Fully rested, we got back in the car and made our way back to St. Augustine Beach to unload the car and get moved into our last home here before moving on to our next destination. Our place on 5^th was such a welcome and inviting surprise; we walked into a haven of beach chic. A home swarming with charm and I was ecstatic we got to finish out our visit here in a place that screams St. Auggie!

Image of the 17th hole, borrowed from the TPC Sawgrass web page, not my image :)

The home was idyllic and was the epitome of a true beach cottage. We were one house from the beach and back in the haven of that precious Golden Mile, where surfers run up and down the road and the locals are differentiated from the tourist by those that have shoes on versus those that don’t. The home was clean, a mix of vintage and even had bikes, surfboards and paddleboards for us to use; granted the water was freezing so the latter two weren't really options this stay. We also became cat parents while we were staying there, that's right, this home comes equipped with its very own cat, Donger. In fact the home is his and anyone that stays, are his guests. Donger spent his days at the beach and only made an appearance at night and had his own room off the back of the house; and my allergies only acted up once when I was giving the guy a little too much love for my eyes to handle. And how did Ethel handle the cat, well the old girl is so blind, I don't even think she realized he was there most of the time, besides, I think she was fully aware she would be a on the losing end of an battle with Donger; street cat vs. pampered pooch, the odds wouldn't have been in her favor. 

This being our last week in town and being in a place that cozy, that exemplified beach living was hard to leave, but here she is, our last home in St. Augustine, unless of course I convince Tom to move there! Which by the way, every home we have stayed at in St. Auggie is officially up for sale right now, I must be putting out some crazy, 'I want to move there' energy! 

Donger the Cat

Home Sweet Indian Rocks Beach

We left the Atlantic side of Florida with just a quick drive across the state to spend the end of October and the first third of November on the Gulf of Mexico at one of the barrier islands.  Although they were in the same state and both the epitome of beach life, Indian Rocks Beach failed to win me over the same way the Saint Augustine did; IRB was missing that carefree, easy going lifestyle that I had become accustomed too.

Getting to the barrier islands from Tampa is quite a journey and we learned quickly that whatever the mileage is, you needed to double the amount of time to miles to get anywhere due to the copious amounts of traffic on Pinellas Peninsula. I like to compare driving here as being as torturous as pulling teeth; I’m pretty sold on the idea that most people here got their license from a Cracker Jack Box. It was a huge wake up call after leaving St. Augustine, where everyone is all smiles and peace signs; no you go, no you first. Instead I was afraid if I blinked on the gulf side that someone would take the front bumper off the car trying to get in front of us; I had to revert back to New Yorker Bonnie in quite a hurry and well that bitch was well hidden in a cobweb of beach Zen.

On the island, in Indian Rocks, life was a little slower and the beach was just across the street which meant sunsets and pristine white sand were in my future and that helped curb the frustration of driving. Downfall, the beaches nearby were not pet friendly, so I would sneak over with Ethel in my arms to and stand at the tree line to watch the sun say goodnight. However restaurants and shops were all in walking distance, and the Gulf Boulevard Shuttle could be picked up just outside our door which made getting around simple and easy.

The only pet friendly beaches were at State Parks and at each end of the chain of the barrier islands; Fort de Soto and Honeymoon Beach. Each of these ended up being about a forty minute drive to get to, although beautiful, a bit of a drive for a dog who hits a max of beach time within thirty minutes, so visiting just didn't seem worth the time. Also, Gulf Boulevard didn't have sidewalks but an extension of the road for walking on and every time we went out onto the road for a walk, I was pretty sure somebody was just going to look down for a second and steer right into us. Daily walks with the critter became walks in our condo complex down to the fishing pier instead of getting to peruse the community, alleviating any unnecessary panic about the dog getting too close to the road.

Once we left Philadelphia, we thought we were done with walk up buildings, but we were surprised by being on the third floor of a walk up in Indian Rocks. Which we may have only complained about a little while we were moving in and out, but I must say the view of the Intracoastal totally made up for the labor. Plus the condo felt huge and spacious and reminded me a lot of our old home, they were built about the same time and some of the finishes were pretty similar. Bonus it was furnished with a king size bed, something we didn't realize how much we missed, and the community had a swimming pool which made for a quick escape for a little sun time without having to commit to the beach. Overall this place gave us a great little oasis for a month even though I still felt myself pining for St. Augustine.  

So here it is, our Intracoastal View House in Indian Rocks Beach: 

Home Sweet Black Mountain

We departed Boston bright and early, knowing we had a lengthy day on the road and we wanted to get in as much discovery as possible before hitting our landing point for the evening. The Flex was loaded and pointed towards the sea for our first trek to Rhode Island and all on our set timetable, insert happy dance here! Seriously, for or us these days this is a big accomplishment, especially since I have become accustomed to the laissez faire attitude on our journey and generally find myself moving much slower than I anticipated. I know, I have become that person you need to deceive by telling them the party starts sixty minutes prior to the official time. At one point I would mock these people and now I have come to value the aspect of living and being in the moment, and I must say it is quite nice here, I don’t know what took me so long to succumb.

Mystic

Newport, home of the social elite was our first stop, taking a moment to stare in awe at the opulence of the chateaus of the rich and powerful. I felt like I was a world away and had just stepped out of the pages of “The Great Gatsby,” a tad envious, but at the same time the grandeur of these places seemed tinged with sadness. I don’t know if that is because the vast size or that they just seemed cold and appeared to lack that cozy “home” vibe. Many of these historic mansions were built during the American Gilded Age, 1865-1914, some are open for tours, some still occupied and some rumored to be haunted; all exuded a lush extravagance and I wish we would have had time to tour a few before moving on to our next destination, but alas, we arrived before opening hours. We did however take some time to stop on  Ocean Drive, breath in the seaside air and listen to the crashing waves before loading back up and hitting the road for Mystic, CT.

Bascule Drawbridge

Mystic is a town that screams nautical from the very second you drive in to the historic downtown; the maritime feel consuming you as you drive over the Bascule Drawbridge and park along its shop lined streets. Our stop came at a perfect time, ready for a coffee re-fill, a nice walk to stretch our legs and to witness this counterweight bridge lift and lower to let boats pass through the channel on their way out to sea. Our only regret was arriving too early for lunch at the famous Mystic Pizza, but we did however manage a fresh bag of kettle corn from a local shop that was gone within an hour of being back on the road.

Monticello and it's picture on the nickel

Between stops and detours we had hit eight states (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia) and we had been on the road for close to twelve hours. By the time we had hit our resting place in Charlottesville, VA we were ready to crash and burn. We rose with the sun and went out for a run, breakfast and one last stopping point before heading to our final destination in Black Mountain, NC.

Thomas Jefferson's resting place at Monticello

Our quick stopping point was to visit that famous home that has had its mark on the reverse of the nickel since 1938, Thomas Jefferson’s retirement estate, Monticello. We arrived early, before the crowds had set in and virtually had the place to ourselves, giving us plenty of unobstructed photographs and time to take in the serenity of the views overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains. We took our time, walking the trail up to the home, passing by the resting place of Thomas Jefferson and his descendants, the slave quarters and then looked upon the beauty of a home. Before leaving we stopped by the gardens and vineyards, all still producing from the original plants in Jefferson’s time. A few of the tour guides stopped to visit with us, admiring Miss Ethel’s adorable factor, and we learned that Monticello works with no-kill animal shelters, adopting dogs to live on the property and to roam free during hours they are closed to the public. If you ever find yourself in this area, Monticello makes for a great history lesson and is definitely worth the stop.

Gardens at Monticello

Two days on the road and we finally had arrived at our resting place for September, just outside of Asheville, NC in the quaint town of Black Mountain. As you pull up to our adorable Red Cottage, the first thing you notice is the picket white fence, then the rocking chairs that adorn the lovely front porch; imagine our delight and hurry to unpack so that we could pour a glass of wine, sit out front and begin to thoroughly enjoy the view of those majestic Blue Ridge Mountains while rocking away. This porch has a serenity about it, I start my day out here with my morning cup of coffee and end it at night with a glass of wine, listening to the birds by day and the sound of crickets by night, all adding to the allure and charm of this home.

Sunflowers at Monticello

Our place here has been a real retreat for us, being in the country, surrounded by mountains again and something all three of us needed after spending five months experiencing city life. There is a peaceful silence about this place, a calming essence, or we could just be succumbing to the healing vortexes and that vibrational energy that resides in these ancient mountains. I feel like our spirits have renewed and we have been loving the opportunity to just get out and embrace the harmonic energy of Mother Nature again.

Lake Tomahawk

Not only do we have all this amazing electromagnetic energy going on around us, but we have the cutest and coziest home to stay in and the hosts have not let any detail go. The home has everything one could need: to cook, to relax and the love and hard work that has gone into this place definitely shows. Our hosts are the real deal, kind and friendly, oh and beyond fabulous; they continue to make sure we are taken care of and have completely spoiled us. In fact upon our arrival, we were greeted with wine, coffee, snacks, fresh produce and all the makings for a breakfast the following morning; did I mention they have thought of every detail! Their kindness and generosity has been beyond appreciated and I am contemplating never leaving!

Spoiled by our hosts, and this is just a portion of it. :)

Ethel has also taken to this place, she loves having a yard again, to sniff around and play without the restraint of a leash. I do have to say it has been wonderful to just open the door when she needs to go out and getting to forego the process of putting on the harness and leash, then searching for a grassy patch like we did in the city! Ethel’s favorite is Lake Tomahawk and taking a stroll around the lake, chasing ducks, meeting new friends and getting all her wiggles out. I have also fallen in love with our daily strolls here and many of times I have make it a midpoint for my runs, just so I can soak in the view and the calmness of the place, it almost makes me forget I am running, almost.

Our Adorable Black Mt. Home

We have been here for a bit now and have been out on so many adventures that I can’t wait to share with you, but for now, here she is, our little Red Cottage: