California Get-away Get-away

Chronicling the bourgeoisie is a rich and significant literary tradition. Jane Austen, Anthony Trollope and Edith Wharton measured the exquisite tension between love and money, integrity and comfort, holidays and adventure investigating the lives of women and men who used income as a measuring stick and marriage as a social upgrade. What would they write about today as the foreclosure pages pad the back of each weeks' Weekly and the adjectives to describe the current economy become scarier by the moment?

The current news leaves no mental escape valve, I can't even plan a sailing voyage to down under where koala bears fight for their little singed hides as flames engulf the island.

You can run, but you can not hide as the old saying goes. How true do you think that statement is? Think about all that Northern California has to offer, spring break is next week. Never been a better time to escape.. a little mental muscle of course will be necessary to actually shift gears into the escape mode but I think we are all capable.

Calistoga has great deals at the moment, and it's a perfect mix of kid friendly or sanctuary depending upon your mood ring. Tahoe skiing was reported to be stellar just a few short weeks ago. Craigslist is packed with adverts for rentals. This season people are actually returning calls AND willing to negotiate. How's that for good juju? A city hit always contains my creature of habit short list, which includes Angel Island (we sail, but the ferry shuffle is fun.) Alcatraz ROCKS this time of the year, sans crowds and abundant wildflowers..you will have the place to yourself. Sunday morning brunch at The Ramp always a good choice. Best bloody Mary's and amazingly tatted & pierced service staff make for some of the best people watching while perched on the patio of the china basin boat yard (yes, that boat thing again.) I have my pet list of city vibe, should your interest be peaked. Send a quick email and I will elaborate a larger list.

All else fails, a little R & R on the home front with movies streamed from Netflix- e voila! It's a room service like moment from the comfy confines of the couch. Although if I opt for the home front holiday next week, I may lose whatever shred of sanity still available. What are you planning for the school break holiday, care to share?