Puerto Vallarta - You CAN travel in a recession!

Last week my BF and I took a little trip to Puerto Vallarta Mexico. I know, I know. Mexico in August? It’s the rainy season, and when it is not raining, it is swelteringly hot! All true, yes, but Mexico in August also means off season discounts! Get this. We got two round trip plane tickets from Chicago to Puerto Vallarta and a four night stay for two in a fantastic hotel for around $1100 – total!

We are in a recession folks, and even though those smart people on TV and in the papers are telling us that things are looking up, money is still tight around this household and looks like it is going to stay tight for a while. But that shouldn’t mean that we all have to sit around home and have game nights, (as fun as those are.) It seemed like the magic word this summer was “Staycation”, and as much of a great marketing spin this is, it is also so limiting - making people believe they can only afford to stay home, when in fact there is a lot of bargains out there to be had if you just take a little time to look.

Airlines and hotels around the world are desperate right now for people to use their services and are offering tremendous discounts. My suggestion on where to begin is one of the big online travel sights such as Orbitz or Travelocity. These sights are easy for both the companies and the individual to use in order to get what they want, and even if you don’t find the deal you are looking for, they are still a great place to get a list of reputable hotels and etc. all in one place. They also compare prices for different airlines so you can choose the exact right flight for you, and you can book everything all at once! Time is money after all!

For our Mexico trip I used the Gay and Lesbian Travel section of Orbitz.com. This is an amazing tool for the gay traveler. They have a map of the world, and you simply click on the country that you want to visit, (I had to contain myself) and they will then show you all the gay friendly places in that area to stay. A gay friendly place was very important to us because we did not want to have to worry about getting the stink eye from other travelers when we would hold hands or – gasp! – kiss! We wanted to be able to simply relax and be ourselves. (and for us that means kissing!)

Orbitz provides you with a quick link to each Hotel’s individual website, and I poured over each one searching for not only the best price, but also the place where I thought we would be the most comfortable. I finally decided upon a place called Casa Cupula, and if I don’t say so myself, I made a rock star decision. I will tell you all about this amazing hotel soon, as well as all the fantastic stuff we ate, saw and did in this fantastic city!

Pure Delight!

A gift for you. These guys, and particularly this performance make me beam with joy!

If you are interested, some background info.

This group is called Ambassadors of Harmony, and are the 2009 champions of the BHS (Barbershop Harmony Society) International competition. They are a group based out of St. Charles, Missouri.

Why do we love the P Runway?

Project Runway's Tim Gunn & Heidi Klum!
Originally uploaded by beastandbean

What better topic for my inaugural post, than the ever wonderful, the ever addictive, the ever fabulous, Project Runway? I have seen every single episode since that infamous first season, and I just can’t stop! I have watched Wendy Pepper cry, Santino be loud, and have savored every runway meltdown. This year, though, the show made it’s controversial switch from Bravo, to Lifetime. I was very apprehensive last year when the network change was announced. Would my beloved show loose it’s, no pun intended, style? Would all the judges, and most importantly, Tim, all be back? And seriously, LA? The undisputed capital of fashion is New York people!
Regardless of all these concerns, I am still a hardcore fan, so last week, I sat down in front of my TV, flipped the channel from the fabulous Bravo to that station with all the Nora Robert’s movies and held my breath. The familiar music began, the designers were introduced one by one, and before I knew it, I was pulled right back where I had been every other season premier. Ladies and gentleman, out P Runway, is the same old, glorious fashion fun as it always was. All our favorites are back, the format is the same, and even though they are in LA, it is really the challenges, the catfights, and the catwalks that we care about, and they are all just as delicious as they have always been.
I read the next day that this premier was one of the most watched episodes of Project Runway ever! It seems that all the P Runway fans did like me and tuned in. But just what is it that makes us all come back each season no matter what station it is on? I personally think that it is the fact that the show is predictable – in a good way! There is a set format, right from the beginning, and they don’t deviate even an inch. There is always a quirky mix of personalities and aesthetics among the chosen designers. Then each week they get a new and interesting challenge. Some of them create something wonderful, and some of them, well, don’t. But there is always juicy commentary from the judges. Inevitably a contestant cries. Someone is in. Someone is out. Auf Wiedersehen. Kiss, kiss. “Collect your things from the workroom”. Then we do it all again the following week, till it all builds up to the shows at Bryant Park by which time we are on the edge of the seat scrutinizing every stitch and fabric choice. And finally there is a winner – the end! It all gets tied up with a nice sequenced bow!
So each season, we sit back down and know exactly what we are getting. It is tried and true. No guess work involved. I don’t know about you, but my life is anything but predictable, so when I can sit with my bowl of ice cream, and not have to worry about anything at all, then I am all in! And if it has some fabulous clothes to boot, even better!
I am currently writing this on a Thursday at 9:45p, 8:45p central, which means that I have a date with my remote in 15 minutes. We will have to talk more P Runway later. Of course we will! It’s one of my favorite things!