The Best Comments Of The Month: January 2009
Every insightful comment you leave on a post enhances foXnoMad more than I could with even the best travel article. I appreciate every comment, hope you’ll leave more, and encourage you to do so if you never have.
In case you don’t get a chance to follow the latest comments in the sidebar, or read through a viewer, here are some of the best comments of the month.
- Kim recommends having your friend’s extra car in your driveway to protect your home when you’re traveling.
- Erica is too guilty of showing up at her gate at the last minute. I, like her, have resolved to be (more) on time after missing my first flight ever last month.
- My picture of palak paneer from Bangalore looks like “molokeyya” to Yasser, I’m still dying to know, what is that?
- Tough economic times are a blessing in disguise forcing us not to forget the world around us according to Taylor. I agree, a tight budget can make for a more creative traveler.
- Andy gave me one of the best compliments I’ve ever received.
There have been some great conversations among the comments this month, thank you all who left your mark this month on a post. If you’re shy and haven’t left a comment yet, check out some of the most recent comments and join your favorite discussion. We’d all love to hear from you.
[photo by: Doug Sparks]
Dog Tricks You Need To Learn If You Want To Travel Without Your Pooch
Traveling with your dog is a difficult undertaking but leaving her behind isn’t easy either. One of the 4 things frequent travelers have to consider before getting a dog is the added planning that goes into traveling with and without your pooch. It’s important to establish a strong base of pet sitters and make your dog a pleasure to watch.
Whether or not you’re planning on getting a dog or already have one, there are a few tricks to getting your dog’s arrangements taken care of well in advanced of your next trip.
- Pet Sit For A Friend – You don’t need a dog to help out another friend who may need a dog sitter for the weekend. Offer your services to your buddies who have dogs and be ready to help out when you can. Not only can you ask them to return the favor later on, you’ll gain experience taking care of, walking, and disciplining a dog before you have your own to handle.
- Introduce Him To Your Family, Early – If you’ve got the luxury of family near by, bring your dog over right away to meet them. Introducing your pet to your family early on bonds them (and her) to each other, making it easier to ask them to pet sit for you. (It works even better if the dog is a puppy.)
- Set A Routine – It doesn’t have to be down to the minute, but your dog needs a daily routine of walking, eating, etc. Not doing so makes it difficult to leave him anywhere – and you don’t want your friends and family rejecting you after their first pet sitting experience.
Wine Tasting At J. Lohr – San Jose, California
January 28, 2009 by Anil P.
Filed under Food, Travel Journal
Located in downtown San Jose in a quiet residential area is the J.Lohr tasting room. Approximately the 15th largest wine seller in the United States they offer free weekday tastings. The daily event, from 10am to 5pm, is a great quick stop for any trip in the San Jose area. Up on my way from the beaches of Santa Cruz recently, I decided to pay J. Lohr for my first ever wine tasting.
Despite the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, there were only about 15 people in the tasting room, a nice sized crowd for the space. I walked right in to a small shop at the entrance of the tasting room and made my way up to the bar. One of the J. Lohr employees came up to me promptly with a wine list and explained to me that anyone who visits during a regular weekday tasting is entitled to 6 complimentary tastes of either red or white wine, or a combination of the two.
The glasses are filled generously, a little less than half full, and I drank 6 of them – an assortment of their red wine selection. Most of the J. Lohr wines are grown in Paso Robles, although there is a small vineyard right behind the tasting room in San Jose. The best red wine I had at J. Lohr, the Cypress Hills Shiraz, is also their best value. ($4 a bottle but you have to get a minimum of 6. They can wrap it in an airline approved packaging or ship it within the US.)
You are not obligated to buy a bottle once you’re done tasting so once you’re done you can simply walk out the door. This felt weird to me personally so I picked up a bottle of the Cypress Hills Merlot, my second favorite (that I could afford.) In all, the entire experience will take you at most an hour, cost you nothing, and keep you close to public transportation and the rest of San Jose.
You can find more about J. Lohr and their daily tastings at their website, JLohr.com. I’ve also posted some of my pictures from inside below.
4 Things Frequent Travelers Need To Consider Before Getting A Dog
There are a number of things that anyone who is considering adopting or purchasing a dog has to commit to beforehand. As a traveler there are a number of added concerns and situations you need to recognize in order to determine if a dog is right for you. Over the last few months after adopting a puppy (the wrinkly guy on the right) I’ve got a better understanding of the added items travelers need to add to their ‘pre-dog checklist’.
1. You Travel More Than You Think
The more we travel, the more travelers tend to underestimate how much they travel. Take the previous year, for example, and count how many days you were actually not home. Multiply it by one and a half and that’s the amount of time you’ll need to find someone to watch your furry friend.
In some ways it’s easier for those of you who are always on the road to get around moving all the time with your canine. Dogs are driven to migrate by instinct and if you can avoid air travel they’ll love hitchhiking around with you.
2. Your Travel Budget Will Take A Hit
Traveling is a luxury, not a necessity, dog food and rabies vaccinations aren’t. Expect that some of the money you’ve previously been spending on vacations, adventures, and even quick trips out of town will go to your dog. That might mean canceling a trip here and there or staying in one place longer. If you can’t deal with this, don’t get a dog.
3. You’re Planning For Two Now
Every trip you will take for the entire lifespan of your dog (varies between 9-15 year) will double or triple the amount of planning you’ll have to do beforehand. A dog can’t help you with this, so it’s more effort than making plans for a family or group of friends.
Consider that you’ll have to:
