Lower Your Expectations: Tips For Successful Family Road Trips Near or Far

March 1, 2013 by 9 Comments

People often put so much pressure on themselves to have a good time on vacation that they stress out too much to actually enjoy it. This has been all too true for me when taking road trips with my husband and kids. As the Chief Executive Trip Planner and Worrier for my family, I have learned the hard way that no matter how much I prepare, something always goes wrong when we travel together. It’s better to relax – have a plan, but relax and let the vacation happen. Otherwise I’ll miss it – even though I’m right there.

Here are a few hard-won tips to avoid stressing out on road trips:

Play to your family’s taste. My husband hates big crowds, and my older son hates most thrill rides, so amusement parks don’t work for our family. We found this out after dropping hundreds of dollars on one visit. Awesome! When you’re choosing where to go on your next road trip, consider a destination that has something for everyone. Our favorite is a beachside vacation rental: a long stretch of coastline, restaurants and shops nearby, a full kitchen where we can save money and prepare our own food, and comfy beds and showers to clean up and rest.

Prepare, but don’t be so hard on yourself. Make a packing list, but admit that you can’t fit everyone’s bikes, the camping gear, four changes of clothes, AND food into your 4-passenger hatchback. And if you forget something, get creative. At a quick stop in Pismo Beach, our 2-year-old had a blast playing in the sand and getting his clothes (and diaper) all wet..until the clouds blocked the sun and the temperature dropped about 10 degrees. A nearby souvenir shop sold us a cute hoodie that was a few sizes too big so that it fit him like a dress. Sure, people thought he was a girl for a few hours until we got back to our campsite, but he got to wear that souvenir hoodie for years. Two birds, one Pismo Beach sweatshirt.

Overestimate your drive time. Depending on your kids’ ages and how far you’re going, you might have to make more pit stops than you ever expected. This one has to pee, this one has to be separated from his siblings, this one is hungry, and oh what a surprise, Mom has to pee again. On really long drives you should let the children get out and run around. Like puppies. This is especially important on your return trip, when everyone is tired, probably dirty, and possibly sick of each other. A special treat for the ride home — like a meal at a normally forbidden fast food restaurant — will give the kids (and admit it, you too) something indulgent to anticipate.

Embrace the unexpected. On your way to your destination, pay attention to what’s around you. Use your electronic devices, but not to escape the journey. Use them to find the best roadside diner near the next exit. Or turn off the main highway and take the local roads so you can experience the towns you’re passing through. Being flexible with our plans has led to some delightful discoveries – a protected nature reserve along the Pacific coast in Guadalupe, a greasy spoon off Route 101 where the kids had the “best breakfast ever,” the poem in an iron fence at a public art park in Laguna Beach, a wonderland of watermelons in Bakersfield.

Lower the bar. This helps the most, especially when I’m about to lose my temper because everyone is bickering and I’m hungry and I just realized we forgot the bread for the PB&J sandwiches. Don’t plan the perfect vacation. Plan YOUR vacation. Put down your camera after you capture the perfect moment and experience it. Give the kids a break and don’t expect them to nap on schedule. Give yourself a break and have your glass of wine before you wash the dishes. Grit your teeth and allow everybody to be caked in dirt if they want to. Face it – on a road trip everything gets dirty. You can wash it all when you get home.

This post is part of BlogHer’s Family Fun on Four Wheels editorial series, made possible by Mazda CX-9.

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Grilled Cheese For Garcetti and Beyond – Mark Peel at this is not a pop up

February 19, 2013 by Leave a Comment

c/o Garcetti for Mayor 2013

Since I won’t be voting in the Los Angeles mayoral election – not because I don’t have an opinion, but because we in The Bubble don’t get a say, but that’s part of the price of being it here, isn’t it? – this is not a political post. But since the whole point of me sampling the sublime grilled cheese made by Mark Peel at the shuttered Campanile last summer was to meet Eric Garcetti, it might feel like one.

Peel and his wife, Daphne Brogdon, are longtime friends and supporters of Garcetti, and they were eager to introduce the mayoral hopeful to a roomful of bloggers from the Los Angeles area. We were encouraged to ask questions and voice our concerns. My contribution to the conversation came during the part about the state of LAUSD schools, to which I added “…that’s why my family moved out of LA.”

Garcetti was, of course, quite lovely, but his tight campaign schedule only allowed him a short time with us before he was whisked away.

Meanwhile…the bloggers feasted on gourmet grilled cheeses.  There were sandwiches of fancy cheeses, fig preserves, bacon, and many mouthwatering combinations.

I was sad to see Campanile shut down shortly afterwards. But the good news is that Mark Peel is at large, cooking at mobile Grilled Cheese For Garcetti events and now at “this is not a pop-up,” a series of chef-hosted events at Square One Dining in Hollywood. During Peel’s tenure this weekend (Feb 21-24), grilled cheese is not on the menu, alas, but I can tell you from the other times I dined at Campanile that all of the food was delicious and inspired. Oh, and the cocktails, too.

this is not a pop-up
Square One Dining
4854 Fountain Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90029
Dates: Thursday-Sunday Feb 21-24
Hours: 6:30-10pm

Reservations required

 

Filed Under: Food Tagged With: , , , , ,

Local Blogger Spotlight: David Lockeretz of Nobody Hikes in LA

February 13, 2013 by 8 Comments

Descent From Ladyface Mountain, by David Lockeretz of Nobody Hikes in LA

I am happy to introduce a new monthly feature here on Agoura Hills Mom – the Local Blogger Spotlight!  (I couldn’t think of a kickier title for this.  Let me know if you have any better ideas.) I’ll be helping us all get to know the people behind the online resources you might be using all the time, or introducing you to those you should know about.

It is my honor to have David Lockeretz, intrepid hiker, photographer, and note-taker, appear in this space as the very first subject of this series.  I have never met David in person, but since I started following his blog, Nobody Hikes in LA, years ago (it is one of the few that I actually subscribe to because I have such big dreams of hiking more often) we have connected through the internets and I have found him and his blog to be very helpful.  Read on to find out how he does it, why he does it, and what he has against strawberries.

Why did you start Nobody Hikes in LA?

I was trying to create the site that I would have wanted when I first got into hiking. I wanted each post to be as comprehensive as possible, and I wanted to provide information about as many different hiking trails as possible. I’ve always been into writing and photography, and the blog provided a great outlet for both. I’ve also enjoyed sharing my hiking experiences with my friends, and through the blog I’ve connected with new people too (present company included.)

How often do you hike?

As often as I can – usually at least once a week, sometimes three or four times.

What’s the farthest hike that you have considered to still be “in” LA?

I’ve done some that are pretty far from L.A. One of my favorites is Garnet Peak in southeastern San Diego County, in the Laguna Mountains. It’s at least a three hour drive from L.A. but it’s a great hike, so I recommend making the trip. I’ve also covered a few in the San Jacinto and San Gorgonio Mountains, which are two hours east of L.A., and a few up in the Santa Barbara area. If a hike is really good, it’s worth making the trip.

How do you remember all the details of the hike so that you can write about it when you get back? Do you take notes, or rely on your photos?

Usually I take a bunch of pictures, and I’ve also used an app called Every Trail that’s available for Droid and iPhone. You can use it to track your hike, including elevation, and you can upload it to the Every Trail web site. You can also download other peoples’ hikes. Many of the hikes I’ve done are also written up on other blogs, or in guidebooks, so I can refer to them for notes.

Sandstone Peak @ Dusk

Can you share some of your favorite places to hike in or near Agoura Hills? Why are they favorites?

Sandstone Peak, which is the highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains, is absolutely phenomenal.  It’s got everything – ocean views, geology, canyons, mountains, woodlands – and it’s challenging,  but not too difficult.  A good hike right near Agoura Hills is Ladyface, which you can see from the 101 Freeway at Kanan Road.  There’s a lot of off-trail scrambling on that one, and the descent can be pretty nerve-wracking – there are a few spots that are nearly vertical, or at least it seems that way.  But the views from the top are great.  Paradise Falls near Thousand Oaks is another good one.  It’s a year round waterfall in Wildwood Park.

Paradise Falls

What about places to avoid? Trails that are badly maintained or are considered dangerous for some reason?

I really don’t think there are any BAD trails – I don’t recall ever going on a hike and feeling as if I’d rather be at work, or thinking afterward, “Gee, I should have stayed home and watched TV instead.” I do think that to enjoy a hike, you have to know what you’re getting into, which is why I provide a lot of information on my site. The first time I tried Black Star Canyon Falls, which is a very popular waterfall in Orange County, I didn’t prepare accordingly. I didn’t make it to the waterfall, and I got poison oak. When I returned, I knew better what I was getting into, and I avoided the poison oak and made it to the waterfall. There are a lot of factors into picking the right hike, such as difficulty level, season, and challenges such as navigation or rough terrain. If you plan well, you’re likely to have an enjoyable experience.

What would a casual reader of NHiLA be surprised to know about you?

That I originally moved to L.A. to pursue music. I still play in a few bands, and teach music lessons, and have recorded a bunch of stuff, but I’ve come to realize that hiking is really what I love to do. Also: I hate strawberries. I mean, seriously hate them. I react to strawberries the same way that I do when I go to a public bathroom and the person before me didn’t flush. I don’t like avocados either, which I realize is sacrilege when you live in California. On the other hand, I really like beer, especially India Pale Ales. In fact, I’m probably going to start a blog about IPAs in the near future.

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Well, if Nobody Drinks IPAs in LA pops up, dear readers, you can bet I’ll be letting you know about it here! And of course I took this opportunity to educate David about Ladyface Alehouse for a great post-hike watering hole.  

All photos courtesy of David Lockeretz, who has a pretty amazing gallery of photos for sale (and a calendar, too!) at his site.  Drop by Nobody Hikes in LA and check out David’s great trail recaps at locations all around us in Agoura Hills!  And tell him Agoura Hills Mom sent you!
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