Off on vacation!

We all know the value of vacation time  We dream about where we are going, we make plans, book hotels, and meet up with family and friends.

The Europeans know the value of vacations as they have a government-mandated, paid 5 weeks time off a year.

It means time to slow down, let the body relax and mind think on stuff other than our daily lives. When it comes to an end, we pick up, with more energy, our lives as we know it.

One of my coaching clients just returned from a month's vacation and sounds completely different. She has a lightness to her voice from having regained her sense of self and has a new perspective on how to move forward in her life and business. Plus her great sense of humor has returned full force.
 
So before I return from vacation, rested and renewed, I wonder what the rest of the world does to  maintain the sense of renewal and carry it forward until the next vacation?

Quicknote:  "No Touch Monkey" by Ayun Halliday is the funniest travel adventure book I have read in a very long while.  High recommend reading it.

How would you do it?  Comments most welcome.

Carnitas Sabrosas in Los Angeles

Carnitas in Los Angeles

As a child in Mexico City I was served every style of Mexican food cooked in our kitchen: empanadas, pollo, carne asada, rice, beans, plantains, etc. But NOTHING and I mean NOTHING compared to the taste of fresh tortillas from the tortilla factory around the corner from our apartment.  Our criada would carry a cloth-covered basket and a small black coin purse, grab my hand (I was only 5) and take me to the corner tortilla factory. While we stood in line I would watch in wonder as the tortillas were placed on a conveyor belt after being 'slapped' by the strong hands of the 'fabricantes.'  The belt would carry flat, wet tortillas up towards a hole near the ceiling, disappear behind a wall, through the stove and then back down towards us, hot, puffy and delicious. It was magic!

Our criada would take 2 out of our basket and have the local food cart fill each with carnitas.  One bite into the tortilla and I was transported to heaven. This is the experience I look for every time I enter a Mexican food joint in Los Angeles and give their carnitas a try.

Here are two of my favorites:

Poquito Mas - Sherman Oaks - Dos Sabrosa Estrellas

I often skip lunch just so I can bee bop down to Poquito Mas in Sherman Oaks, order to go and eat on the way to picking up Daughter#2 at school.  When she gets in she can smell the wonderful smell and says, "Hey, where is my burrito?"  I hand one over to her and she smiles in extreme pleasure.  Puts her in a good mood the rest of the day.

Hot fresh Mexican/American food is their pervue and they cook it up fresh everyday.   The carnitas are tender, well-cooked and not too greasy.  SABROSA is the word I use as they are not mixed with lots of salsa or other some such cover up sauce. Several all over LA.

La Luz Del Dia - Olvera Street - Tres Sabrosa Estrellas

My mother loved Mexico with all her heart and when not traveling through the country, she would trek down to Olvera Street, with us in tow, for a bit of authentic Mexican food.  After trying all the various restaurants on the street she declared "La Luz Del Diaz" the best. The atmosphere was 'very public Mexican marketplace' and the food home cooked.

It became a habit that we would go there every Sunday night.  We had the place to ourselves, the owner would flirt with my mother and we would gobble up the extra portions he served us along with the best rice, beans and guacamole going.  We would leave the place beyond full and drop into a deep sleep on the drive home.

A recent trip to Olvera Street showed me the the place nor the food has changed.  The carnitas are still the juciest, cooked slow overnight.  They are so tender that the women behind the glass counter serve them up by hand as a fork makes them fall apart - as carnitas should be. The tortillas are thick and warm and puffed up as in Mexico.  TRIPLE SABROSA is the rating on these puppies.  Ordered with or without beans, rice, salsa and guacamole.

Flight Damage

Hubby took care of all the arrangements for our trip back to Chicago to visit family. He cashed in the chips for flights, hotels, car rental and limo to the airport.

But he forgot to mention a slight detail; food is no longer served on flights. So when he informed me of this fact, I panicked!

Ok, airport food it is.  We get through security and arrive at the gate with 15 minutes to spare.  I suggest Hubby board first and save us overhead compartment space. I park the kids and run to the Starbucks to buy sandwiches and bottled water.

The line was moving quickly. I figured I had 5 minutes to grab, pay and go. That is until “Miss Professional Complainer” stepped up to the counter.

“Um… I’ll have a this and that and ok that too. No wait, I don’t want you charging me for this one as you guys owe me.” The Starbucks crew of three looks befuddled and all manner of movement comes to a dead stop. FOR 4 MINUTES. And then it takes her another 4 minutes putting it all in her large bag! The entire line is rolling their eyes and doing the impatient dance.

I stand firm, knowing Hubby is not going to let the plane take off without us.

The line moves at a snails pace as the orders become complicated a la “too much choice” menu and time slips away. I abandon the line knowing I can buy (and at even higher prices) snacks on the plane and race to the kids. The line is empty, the passengers all on board and I think, cool, we just swipe and go.

But the Professional Complainer steps up right in front of us! And she now goes into her spiel with the ticket taker.

“You guys owe me an upgrade to business class. I missed a huge important party and well it was really important and you guys owe me an upgrade. I talked to the guy at the counter, but he didn't get how I missed this really important party. So you need to give me an upgrade.”

The ticket taker smiled her “valium smile” and waved PC on down the jetway to the airplane. We swiped passed the woman and smiled the “knowing smile.”

We are the next to last passengers down the jetway and I have "where are u?"texts buzzing my cell phone from Hubby.

Professional Complainer is now on the plane at the entrance giving her you-owe-me spiel to the greeting attendant. It lasts another 5 minutes while we wait impatiently behind her. She is told, “sorry no seats available in business class.” And the discussion picks up again. AHHHHHH!!!!

By now I am 1) hungry, 2) totally frustrated by this woman’s need to claim her upgrade at the last minute. I am ready to blow past her with a loud “Excusssse meeeee” but am dead stopped by a look from D#1, who is not about to be humiliated by her mother so early on in the trip.

Hubby falls asleep right after take-off so I reach into his pants pocket to grab his wallet. Years of marriage have taught me that once he’s out, he’s out so I continue working my hand down his pocket while the food service attendant looks on with patience.  Guess she has seen it all. I spend $25.00 on ‘snacks’ to make us happy.

We can hear the Professional Complainer, four rows ahead of us, still going on and on to her seatmate about how “they owe me an upgrade. I missed a really important party and well they owe me!”

In listening to her I realized how her speech was incredibily ineffective.  As she got off the plane, she was still letting all airline personnel, "you guys owe me an upgrade 'cause I missed a really important party."

What what is wrong with her spiel?