grand adventure on the mighty miramichi. dick cheney is a regular there so i am in good company (that was sarcasm, btw). thanks to greta peters for setting up the trip, heather from tourism new brunswick for organizing it around my crazy schedule and debbie norton of upper oxbow adventures and her great guide betty ward for showing me the ropes, so to speak. it was fun and a great way to de-stress.

the editor liked it so much she offered me another book, one i would author solo. eeek! i am thinking about doing it. i would get royalties for every copy sold, which is an alluring incentive. but writing 55,000 words in three months is a daunting prospect, especially since i am still doing the bulk of the writing and photo sourcing for goodlifereport.com. what do you think i should do?

i have also been traveling a lot. i was in new brunswick to fly fish on the same river as the venerable dick cheney. i know, cool, huh? a few days after my return, i left for california to attend a wedding in st. helena and to travel through wine country and san francisco. it was a great trip. i could have done without the 100+ temps in napa, however. biking in that heat is insanity but we did it. was great to see my friends colleen and josh and sarah and adrienne. had a great time in san francisco. i recommend the hotel vitale for great views of the harbor.

while in yountville, we stayed at the bardessono hotel. it’s almost fully eco-friendly. the structures are made from reclaimed lumber and cement, the water is filtered and recycled, the whole complex is heated and cooled via geothermal wells and solar panels power the electricity. amazing property. one of the best hotels i have ever stayed at and that’s saying a lot.

we never made it to the french laundry for dinner or lunch. reservations are notoriously difficult to get. next time for sure. i just have to save up for that…

more than halfway through writing the “insider’s guide to new york city” but i fear i won’t meet the june 11th deadline. my trip to toronto to attend my cousin’s wedding sidetracked me…

been beyond crazy busy with goodlifereport.com (please subscribe if you haven’t already), justluxe.com and “the insider’s guide to new york city.” haven’t had much time for my little blog.

impressed by some things but not others. great room. spacious, clean and pretty. the beach is lovely and the staff is very attentive even if some of them can’t speak or understand english. the food is a huge disappointment, especially considering a food writer friend raved about it. the surf and turf restaurant was el horrendo. rubbery lobster, not that i eat the stuff but that’s what was said. the buffet breakfast/lunch is hit or miss. eggs are good but i hear the meat is not.

antonio banderas, he of the two-inch lifts and plastic wife, held a press conference yesterday to announce the new ad campaign for the spanish hotel brand. banderas is featured prominently in it. i may make fun of his self-consciousness with being short but he’s a nice guy. met him a few years ago after he appeared on the cover of cigar aficionado, the magazine at which i was the senior editor. he was launching a new cologne and i dragged my best friend along, albeit happily; banderas is her celebrity crush. the guy was in the VIP section. i walked up to him, introduced myself, explained who my friend was and asked him if i could take a picture of the two of them. he paused and said, “i think i could do that!” the picture is still on her fridge, much to her husband’s dismay…

this is my first trip to the maldives. i always thought i’d go on my honeymoon but i am traveling with two other journalists and a public relations professional. everyone is really nice and we all seem to be getting along.

yesterday, i flew out of jfk airport during a really bad snowstorm. seems i am always flying in or out of noreasters these days. unlike my jet blue flight from aruba, this flight was practically bump free and the service was exceptional. getting treated like a VIP spoils you; you come to expect such treatment and are disappointed when your expectations aren’t met.

qatar airways is a relatively young airline but it’s growing, with more 777s and an airbus 380 on the way. i was seated in business class but i noticed the economy seats had more leg room and seemed sturdier than those on etihad airways, which i flew last year to the middle east (that was a horrible experience, one i never wish to repeat). i’d definitely recommend the airline to anyone who flies to the middle east or the maldives. the staff is patient with passengers and believe in service with a smile…

the second story is about where to eat in the crescent city. so many choices exist and we hit many of the most famous spots. but i chose my favorites. note to friends and family: no, i didn’t eat any pork. my companion did and told me what it was like for the story. also, gluten was in everything so i wasn’t able to adhere to my strict diet. boy did i pay for that decadence…

last year, i wrote about the launch of a bacon-flavored vodka. i called it ridiculous. i was mocked for my opinion. i still stand by it. this bacon craze has lasted longer than the pork belly one and that was over the top.

now a friend tells me about this. i know a number of people who would gladly give up their american citizenship and pledge allegiance to such a state. but when you can’t even create a catchy anthem, why would anyone flee to your pork-fat shores?