Travel Archives » Laura Lohr

Temecula Wine Country by Limo

November 11, 2018 by Laura Lohr Leave a Comment

We got a family picture with the backdrop of the vineyards. Such a beautiful view!

It’s wonderful when things come together just right and a plan comes together! Recently, we had an opportunity to ride in a party bus limo and it just so happened that Mr. Bear’s cousin was in town from Arizona. We had lunch and took the kids with us to Temecula Wine Country. It was a perfect day—the weather, the company, the limo bus, the service—everything was fantastic!

Our limo bus arrived promptly, ready to go!

We live near wine country in Temecula and we enjoy visiting the different wineries nearby. We often bring our out of town guests to some of our favorite wineries when they come to visit. We’ve gone for many reasons: birthdays, bachelorette parties, anniversaries, reunions, conferences, meetings, and just because. Temecula Wine Country has become a great place for weddings and we are becoming a tourist mecca, especially in the spring and fall, when our weather is just right. What was great about this visit, is we had someone to drive us to place to place. I usually end up being the driver, as I don’t drink, so it was particularly wonderful to be a passenger and really enjoy the company of family and friends.

Abbey and Allie had to check all the snacks and drinks. They got first pick of seating.

AalI In Limo and Party Bus picked us up at our house at 10:00 a.m. The limo driver had a few wineries in mind and Mr. Bear’s cousin, Deann, a wine connoisseur, had some ideas of her own. Our first stop was lovely Bel Vino Winery. Allie brought a friend and one of Deann’s sons came with us. The kids and I enjoyed some snacks and sodas, while the Mr. Bear and Deann indulged in some wine tasting. We were able to take our time and enjoy each other’s company, at our own pace. Our driver was ready to take us to our next stop at our beck and call.

Our first stop was Bel Vino. We were the first ones to arrive! It was a quiet start to a very busy day!

A family photo! We all had a blast riding in the party bus!

Our next stop was De Anza del Sol. There is a great gift shop at De Anza del Sol and I love to shop there. Sweet DeAnn bought this lovely sign and it was such a nice gesture.

We grab some salami, cheese, crackers, and fruit from the store, then found a shady place outside to enjoy our nosh. The kids played their video games and chit-chatted while we got to visit and relax in the fair weather. We took a leisure walk along the vineyards, before heading back to our comfortable coach.

Cheers! Mr. Bear and his cousin, DeAnn with their tasters. Mr. Bear chose white and DeAnn chose red.

The party bus was spacious and fully stocked with all we could need. We were able to charge our phones, in between stops and listen to our own music. The kids stretched out and continued to snack. We had ample room and our driver made sure all of our needs were met. He kept in communication with us. He was knowledgeable about the area and gave us suggestions that he felt would suit our needs.

Allie and I grabbed a selfie at Wiens. It’s such a beautiful place!

The kids hanging out. The adults had one side of the bus and the kids had the other.

Our last stop was DeAnn’s favorite, Wiens, where she is a member of the Wine of the Month Club. She was able to get her wine before she headed back to Arizona where she lives. She used to live in Orange County, California, so it was great to get together.

We love when DeAnn comes out and takes our family photos in wine country!

We hung out outside and enjoyed some music and more snacks! It was time to go and time went way too fast. Our limo wine county tour came to an end. Our driver took us back to our house and we enjoyed a little lunch at a local restaurant.

Hollywood Hotel with Our Favorite Canine

May 30, 2017 by Laura Lohr 1 Comment

Me and my little pug, Jack. We loved our stay at the Hollywood Hotel!

We often go to Hollywood and play the part of tourists. As lifelong residents of California, we’ve been throughout Los Angeles and Hollywood, but we never tire of our adventures! My dad is a member of the world famous Magic Castle, which has afforded us many enjoyable adventures to Hollywood over the years. Typically, we get a pet sitter or board our pets. This time, we tried something new! We got to visit the Hollywood Hotel, which is a pet-friendly hotel in Hollywood.

The Hollywood Hotel didn’t miss a detail! Food bowls, treats, waste bags, bed, plush toy for the pug!

I was nervous about the prospects of bringing a pet with us on a trip. We’d never done it before and Jack the pug was a new addition to our family, which made me a little uneasy. This was a fantastic experience, however—one that I would do again and again! The Hollywood Hotel pulled out all the stops to make our trip with our favorite pug the most comfortable and enjoyable experience!

Jack the Pug and Mr. Bear in the lobby, waiting for our room.

There’s a business center conveniently located in the lobby for guests

When we arrived at their beautiful lobby at the Hollywood Hotel, we knew it was going to be a luxurious and pleasurable stay.. The staff were friendly and quickly got us checked in. They gave us a tour of the beautiful grounds and we learned a bit about the history of this historic hotel, built in 1903. I had no idea how rich the history of the hotel was or the famous guests who have stayed, such as: Kristen Wiig, Drew Barrymore, Aidan Quinn, Jessica Biel, to John Krasinski and BJ Novak and Jason Ritter. The hotel has a comedy club downstairs, where these celebrities have performed during open mic nights! Pretty cool! Rudolph Valentino lived in the hotel, in room 264. The Hollywood hotel is where he met his wife Jean Acker and where they spent their honeymoon!

The omelet bar was a wonderful surprise for our breakfast! I got an omelet with the works and it was amazing!

In addition to a full waffle and omelet station, there’s a continental breakfast, too!

The Hollywood Hotel had all the amenities we could have asked for! We had a delicious hot breakfast buffet downstairs in their lovely cafe. They had a chef on duty to cook us a tasty omelet of our choice of ingredients. I chose bacon, cheese, onions, and bell pepper. Mr. Bear had an omelet with everything. In addition to their cafe, they have a lounge with nighttime entertainment and a full bar, where Mr. Bear enjoyed a cocktail before we hit the town!

The spacious pool area was like a little oasis! It was hard to believe we were in the center of Hollywood on this private poolside area!

We enjoyed a dip in the pool and followed it up with a 20-minute sauna session. The hotel is just clean and beautifully well-maintained. The bed was so comfortable and the recently renovated hotel had a very modern feel, although they were very thoughtful about preserving some of its most charming historic charms.

We opted for the, “Pamper your Pet” package, which gave us all we needed for Captain Jack Sparrow, our one-eyed pug! Captain Jack was right at home! They provided us with: a plush and comfortable pet bed, a cute plush toy/stuffed animal, food and water bowls, dog treats, and pet waste bags. I was so grateful for that last one! I had forgotten to grab ours from home before we left!

Our pampered pooch was all tuckered out from the festivities and things to do at the Hollywood Hotel!

This is the luxurious bedroom and comfortable beds we slept in.

We found out that in true Hollywood form, you can make anything happen! Even if you don’t have a pet of your own, the Hollywood Hotel will provide you with a “Puppy Party” package! For an extra fee, you can have the pups come to you to cuddle! How much fun! It was $50 extra for the Pamper your Pet package, which was a steal for us! We usually have a pet sitter or board our pooches when we’re out of town. It was nice to have them with us and know they were well taken care of.

There were plenty of places to lounge around. Jack and Mr. Bear decided to hang out near the pool, in the shade, while I swam some laps.

The Hollywood Hotel is central to everything! The day we arrived, I realized I had forgotten my swimsuit. I saw the inviting pool and decided I must not miss a dip! The staff informed me that West Hollywood Gateway was just up the block. Thankfully, the shopping is nearby and I was able to get myself a new bathing suit and do a little shopping! SCORE! We took a taxi to the Magic Castle and even with Hollywood traffic, we were there in 10 minutes! The following day, we took a beautiful drive up to the Griffith Observatory and walked around at Griffith Park. It’s a stunning place to walk with your family and canine friends! We spent about an hour exploring before we trekked back home.

Here, Jack and I are standing in front of the Route 66 sign, in front of the Hollywood Hotel.

We really enjoyed our stay at the 130 room historic Hollywood Hotel. We know that we’ll stay again and make sure to remember our bathing suits, but if we don’t, we know that shopping is nearby. It’s a very reasonably priced hotel, especially for the Los Angeles/Hollywood area. It was great to be close to all the amenities we’ve come to enjoy in Hollywood. It was a great place to stay and met all of our needs! How great to be able to include our furry friends on our vacation!

Check out the Hollywood Hotel at:

Website: http://www.hollywoodhotel.net/

Instagram: @hollywoodhotel

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehollywoodhotel

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hollywoodhotel1

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/hollywoodhotel/

A Mother Daughter Weekend at the Oaks at Ojai

October 11, 2016 by Laura Lohr Leave a Comment

There are some things in life that happen at just the right moment. One of these things happened last weekend, when I was invited for a complimentary spa weekend getaway with my mom near Ventura, at the Oaks at Ojai. It couldn’t have been better planned. My stress level was a 12 on a scale of 1 to 10! I love the area around Ventura, but had never been to Ojai and I’d NEVER had a spa weekend. It was due time to connect with my mom and I was so excited! They offered us one complimentary spa treatment, as part of our package and I was counting down the hours until my appointment!

20160924_174343_29931338255_o — My mom, touring the beautiful grounds at the Oaks at Ojai.

We left Friday afternoon, enthusiastic and ready to indulge all our senses in Ojai. We had a blast on our road trip and arrived about 2 p.m. in the quaint, lovely city of Ojai. My mom and I immediately took a sigh of relief when we arrived, imaging what heaven was in store for us!

The entrance to our amazing bungalow! We LOVED 302!

We checked in at the front desk and were given an orientation about what to expect, where the important amenities were, like the sauna, the jacuzzi, the dining room, the pool, where we would be getting our facials, and finally, our room! The atmosphere immediately put us at ease, as did the friendly staff. We were escorted to our room, just a short distance from the inviting pool.

The view of the pool, where I spent a few quiet moments. There is a canopy that partially shades the pool and it was so nice!

Our room was absolutely stunning! First, you walk through this beautiful, private courtyard, complete with lounge chairs for enjoying the sun and a patio area to enjoy our morning coffee, or dinner. There was a lovely water fountain right near our door. My mom and I were giddy with anticipation to get inside and commence the pampering!

This gorgeous fountain was right next to our front door. It made it so serene! Our bungalow was so private!

Our own, private patio, where we could enjoy our morning coffee or bring our lunch back to eat on the patio.

My mama, opening our door to our beautiful bungalow.

Beautiful Rooms!

The interior of the room was as amazing as the exterior! The living room is spacious, complete with a wet bar, fireplace, refrigerator, and comfortable sitting area. The bedroom is roomy and the beds are like sleeping on a million feathers! I slept so well each night! The bathroom had a fantastic shower, full jacuzzi bathtub, and was beautifully adorned with Spanish style tile. I felt at home and I was pretty sure I was never going to want to leave!

Here is our spacious bedroom. The beds were heavenly! I slept like a baby!

Being very health and fitness conscious, we were pleasantly surprised with the preparation and care that goes into providing a wide range of healthy food options and ways to stay fit. There was always fresh fruit and snacks available in the lounge, as well as activities going on throughout the day.

I am sad I didn't get a chance to use this tub! It was so pretty! — I am sad I didn’t get a chance to use this tub! It was so pretty!

Lots of Activities!

We participated in several of the fitness offerings that go on throughout the day, including yoga, meditation, and history walk through the lovely area of Ojai. You are free to choose whatever exercise or activity you choose. With 15 different class offerings per day, you’re sure to find something that suits your desires. We opted for a nap one afternoon, although we had originally planned on taking a water aerobics class. You can be as active or relaxed as you like. We were given a blank schedule form to fill out with all the activities we thought we might like to do during the weekend and we enjoyed almost every one of our choices (except for the time we napped!).

The gym had a little of everything. Right next door was the yoga/dance studio. — The gym had a little of everything. Right next door was the yoga/dance studio that used to be a ballroom when the building was still young.

Great Location!

Saturday morning, I got up early to go for a ten mile run. I stopped off at the dining area to grab some breakfast and met some ladies that were hiking some of the local trails, with one of the Oaks at Ojai’s guides. I almost ditched my run to join them. It sounded like so much fun! Ah, well. Half marathon training continues! Next time, I’ll take that hike! What a beautiful run it was! I took the bike trail, which is 16 miles long. It starts in Ojai and ends at the ocean. It was all downhill and the views were breathtaking! About 3 miles into my run, I met a group of four runners that let me join their group. It was a gorgeous run! I ended up running 9.5 miles and then had Uber take me back to the resort.

The sun was still coming up when I left for my run. It was beautiful, watching the sun rise.

The mountains along the bike trail were so beautiful. There was a lot of walkers, runners, walkers, and dog walkers out, even that early.

I loved this foot bridge. There is a little river that runs below it.

bike_trail — Here’s the trail, near the park where I completed my run.

Healthy and Delicious Meals. No Cooking for me!

We enjoyed many healthy and delicious meals, but my very favorite was the dessert! We had this dessert that was so good, I couldn’t even believe it was low calorie! It had a cherry pie-like filling, with some granola sprinkled over the top, then drizzled with some vanilla yogurt, then topped with a strawberry. It was so tasty and it looked amazing! The recipes for a lot of the meals we ate are on the Oaks at Ojai’s website.

dessert2 — My favorite! I’m SOOOO making this at home!

Spa Services.

My mom and I both decided to try Fit & Firm VitAD Fortified Lifting Facial w/AHA. This was 75 minutes of absolute bliss! I was so relaxed and my skin looked 10 years younger afterward! My mom and I both kept complimenting each other on how great the other’s skin looked. We looked amazing! We both had a glow and our dark spots seemed to have faded a little. I did feel as though my face was firmer than it was before the facial. It felt so nice!

Sunday, we both got a pedicure before we wrapped up our day at the Oaks at Ojai. Oh! I could have spent more time there, for sure!

The City of Ojai

Saturday morning, my mom took the historic tour that the hotel manager leads. She had such a great time, learning about the history and the unique characteristics of the little city of Ojai. Ojai is very community-oriented and the park was built by the residents. Most of the shops and stores in Ojai are locally and privately-owned, as the city prefers to keep the big corporations out and the unique, small-town feel preserved. On Sundays, there is a farmers’ market, that boosts locally sourced foods and goods, including many organic, Ojai-grown fruits and vegetables.

We spent some time here. Ahhhh. Relaxation!

Saturday evening, we took the short drive to the coast and walked along the boardwalk in Ventura. It was a gorgeous night and we strolled along the pier. This is such a beautiful area of southern California. We stopped back by Ventura on our drive back home and got my dad a bowl of clam chowder to take home.

We walked to the end of the boardwalk. It was so peaceful and quiet.

I am so glad we took the time to enjoy each other’s company! This was a perfect opportunity for me and my mom to connect in a very meaningful way. My husband and I often get together with my family, but I don’t always get time with just me and my mom. We got to talk, uninterrupted. We got to relax. We got to relax. We got to eat. We got to exercise. We laughed until our bellies hurt. I had such an outstanding time with just me and my mom. It is time I’ll cherish forever and I can’t wait to do it again!

The Oaks at Ojai is such a great destination! My mom and I met many other moms and daughters staying when we were there. It is an affordable destination for anyone looking to find their inner zen, lose a few pounds, relax, take some extra exercise, or just lounge around.

Who would you take with you on your spa weekend?

We got to enjoy the mother-daughter weekend. Three times a year, the Oaks at Ojai offers a 40% discount off of their program rate for moms that bring their sons or daughters. What a deal!

November 1 – 20 Bring a Friend: Guests enjoy twice the fun and a 25% discount for both guests who share a room. Workout, chat poolside, explore Ojai and stay up late catching up!

Our spa treatment and weekend at the Oaks at Ojai were complimentary, in exchange for my honest review. All photos opinions are my own.

Temecula Wine Country by Limo

Hollywood Hotel with Our Favorite Canine