Ask Amy: European Cruise Read Post

Ask Amy: European Cruise

Question: My family of four is embarking on a European cruise in August. Our trip starts in the United Kingdom. We're staying at the Best Western Master Robert Hotel, near Heathrow airport, for one night. I'm hoping you can offer up tips on things to do in that area. Then we're going to the Southampton cruise port--anything we should see on the way?

Our cruise is stopping in the following locations and I'm hoping you can offer up some advice on things to see in these locations: Vigo, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; Cadiz, Spain; Gibratar, United Kingdom; Malaga, Spain; Callari, Sardina, Italy; Naples, Italy; Civitavecchia (Rome) Italy; Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy; and Villefranche (Nice) France. Finally, the cruise disembarks in Barcelona, where we're staying at the Best Western Hotel Alfa Aeropuerto--what should we see? —Ana Monteiro

Answer: Wow! This sounds like a great trip. You'll be hitting many destinations.

Let's start at the beginning: You have one night at the Best Western Master Robert Hotel, where close to many attractions from Kew Gardens to Legoland, but if you're going to visit only one place I would go to the Hampton Court Palace, a historic residence of kings and queens. My parents took me here when I was a child, and I'll never forget my dad chasing me through the giant hedge maze. During your short time in Southampton, you could drop in the Archeology Museum.

For your cruise, pick up a copy of Rick Steves' Europe 101: History and Art for the Traveler. This book will ground you in art history and enrich your sightseeing experience. Throughout the book, you'll find handy lists of sights that allow you to use your newly acquired knowledge to plan your trip. You could also consider buying Rick Steves' Best of Europe, which offers tips on sightseeing in a few of the destinations you're visiting including Lisbon, Barcelona, Florence, and Nice.

Here's a quick rundown of attractions in each of your destinations:

Vigo, Spain: Outside of town, visit one of Europe’s most revered and historic pilgrimage sites, Santiago de Compostela.

Lisbon, Portugal: Stroll the Avenida da Liberdade. Here, you can walk along the city's most famous avenue, relax at an outdoor cafe, and spot some of the finest architecture around.

Cadiz, Spain: Walk through the charming old quarter with its narrow alleyways, delightful plazas, and flower-filled balconies. Be sure to stop in the Cadiz Cathedral.

Gibraltar, United Kingdom: Take the cable car from Main Street to the top of the Rock and see both Spain in Europe and Morocco in Africa. Also, consider going on a boat ride to visit the dolphins who live in Gibraltar Bay.

Malaga, Spain: Relax at Playa Huelin, a busy beach lined with cafes.

Callari, Sardina: Browse the Mercato di San Benedetto, a colorful fish market where locals shop.

Naples, Italy: Bite into a neapolitan pizza at Da Michele.

Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy: Don't miss the famed Colosseum.

Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy: Visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa, of course.

Villefranche (Nice), France: Go to the beach. Just a few minutes from Nice, Villefranche sur Mer is sandier, quieter and less jam-packed with tourists than other Nice beaches.

Barcelona, Spain: Tour Gaudi's architectural marvel, La Sagrada Familia, an unfinished yet astonishing church.

Bon Voyage!
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Sharing trip details Read Post

Sharing trip details

We're back from our Route 66 vacation and settling into life off the road. The kids are eager to reconnect with friends so we have been quite social, which means we're hearing a lot of "How was your trip?"

I always grapple with this question. When a friend inquires about a trip, do they really want to hear about it or are they simply being polite? Let's face it, listening to someone talk about the pretty hotel bedspreads in New York and the bad meal in Dallas can be flat-out boring. Hour-long slide shows are even worse. (The beauty of a blog is that friends and family can skim!)

My mom developed a smart strategy after a vacation in Asia. She selected her five best photos and came up with a story to tell about each one. A friend says that he decides on the No. 1 trip highlight and only shares that, unless friends beg for more. Unfortunately, I'm not that disciplined. I tend to go on and on and then stop myself midsentence and says something like, "You look bored! I'm going to stop talking...How are you, by the way?"

I think there's a solution to this problem. People need to ask better questions. Instead of "How was your trip?," ask, "What was the yummiest thing you ate?" "Who was the most interesting person you met?" "Did you buy a great souvenir?" Specific questions like these have short answers.
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Route 66 slideshow Read Post

Route 66 slideshow

Lined with old neon signs, vintage cars, and 28-foot-tall rocket men, Route 66 is fun to photograph. Here are my favorite pictures from my recent journey along the Mother Road. You'll also find the show in the column to the right.

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Day 15: Chicago (the final day) Read Post

Day 15: Chicago (the final day)

THE STATS
Expenses
Breakfast: free at hotel
American Girl doll, Julie Allbright: $115.76 (plus $112 we saved during our trip)
Lunch, American Girl Cafe, Chicago: $67.26
Bus fare: $3
Dinner, Giordano's, deep-dish pizza Chicago: $71.17
(Thanks to our friend Nancy Robb, who sent us $40, we ordered a bottle of wine!)
Hotel: $135
Gas: $42
Rental car: $50
Sub total: $442.19
Less $40 from Nancy Robb
Less $112 (saved during trip to pay for American Girl)
Total expenses: $332.19
Miles: none

Photograph of the day: Paris and her new doll, Julie Allbright, dining at the American Girl Cafe in Chicago.


Quote of the day: "When do I get another American Girl doll?" Paris asks, only a few hours after I bought her Julie Allbright.

Low point of the day: We lose Julie Allbright's purple crochet hat and retrace our steps. We go back to Banana Republic—no hat! We check the lost and found at Navy Pier—no hat! Paris is crying at this point.

High point of the day: We decide to walk all the way back to the American Girl store because Paris thinks she left the hat at the café. Guess what? They have it. "Hipee! Skipee!" Paris says.
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It's an (American) girl! Read Post

It's an (American) girl!

There's a new member of our family. It's an American Girl. Her name is Julie Allbright and she's groovy!


At the beginning of our Route 66 road trip, Paris and I made a deal: If she behaved, I would buy one doll at the American Girl store in Chicago. We created a doll fund and put away $8 on each day of our vacation—a lesson in earning and saving.

After two weeks of "behaving" in the backseat of the car, Paris finally made it to American Girl Place (watch the video above). She took the event quite seriously, insisting that I iron her dress, part her hair, and loan her some lip gloss before we hopped on a bus to Michigan Avenue.

I was skeptical of American Girl. I'm easily turned off by toy companies with overzealous marketing. But when we walked into the store and I looked at my smiling daughter, I embraced the moment. I didn't even roll my eyes when we peaked into the hair salon where you can pay up to $25 to have your dolls' hair styled. If our budget wasn't so tight, I would have handed over my credit card for braids in Julie's hair.

Paris arrived at the store knowing that she wanted Julie Allbright, described in the catalog as "a fun-loving girl growing up in San Francisco in the 1970s." Julie comes wearing bell-bottom jeans, a peasant top, and platform sandals--an outfit right out of a store in Haight Ashbury. Paris was oblivious to Julie's 70s look; she simply liked her because "she has long hair."

American Girl offers an assortment of dolls, each representing a different time period. Molly McIntire is a patriotic girl growing up in Jefferson, Ill., during World War II, while Kit Kittredge lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, during the Great Depression. (The new American Girl movie tells the story of Kit's life.) Each doll stars in a historical six-book series. The Felicity Merriman books are set in colonial times during the Revolutionary War; the Julie Allbright books talk about Julie's parents' divorce (that's the 70s!).

After adopting (paying $90 for) Julie, we treated her to a special lunch at the American Girl Cafe. Julie sat at our table in her own special chair and Paris helped her sip tea from a tiny teacup.

As we were eating our fruit kebabs, I looked over at Paris and said, "I love you."

"Do you love Julie too?" she asked.

"Yes, I love Julie too." And I sort of meant it.
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Ariston Cafe, Litchfield, Ill. Read Post

Ariston Cafe, Litchfield, Ill.


The Ariston Cafe may be the classiest place along Route 66. Here at this restaurant in a small Southern Illinois town, you'll find crisp white tablecloths and fresh flowers at every table, a menu featuring a delicious Greek salad, and a dessert cart holding homemade pie. This is a place where your kids should put their napkins in their laps.

Founded in 1924 by Greek immigrant Pete Adam, the Ariston is believed to be the oldest restaurant on Route 66. These days the majority of the Ariston's diners are locals; owners Nick (Pete's son) and Demi Adam say many people in town dine twice a day at their cafe. But the Adams still get motorists who are following the route.

"We see a good number of Americans," Demi says. "But we see thousands and thousands of Europeans. They're taking four to six weeks to drive Route 66. Some are on their honeymoon, and many do it more than once."

When we stopped in for lunch, I flipped through several albums displaying photos and postcards the Adams collected from European friends. There were pictures of people traveling on tandem bikes, others driving in Dukes of Hazard cars, and many in vintage Corvettes.

"Why do Europeans drive Route 66?" I asked Demi.

"What I hear most often is, 'It was my dream.'"
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Day 14: St. Louis to Chicago Read Post

Day 14: St. Louis to Chicago

THE STATS
Expenses
Breakfast: free at hotel
Lunch, Ariston Cafe, Litchfield, Ill.: $23.20
Gas: $46.58
Dinner, Launching Pad, Willmington, Ill.: $11.93
Hotel: $135
Rental car: $50
American Girl doll allotment: $8
Total expenses: $274.71


Miles: 350
Number of stops: 4
Hours: 8

Photo of the day: The 28-foot-tall Gemini Giant guards the Launching Pad restaurant in Willmington, Ill.


Quote of the day: “I don’t want to drive Route 66 to Chicago because I think it takes longer."

High point of the day: Driving into Chicago at dusk and spotting the Sears Tower.

Low point of the day: Realizing that the prices in Chicago are higher than those in Missouri.
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Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, St. Louis Read Post

Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, St. Louis

I wanted to do only one thing in St. Louis: sample frozen custard from Ted Drewes. The custard stand sits on Route 66 on the outskirts of town and dates back to 1931. Many people claim a Concrete from Ted Drewes is the most delicious treat along the route.

My parents met us for the weekend in St. Louis so we loaded into their rental car, a plush Lincoln Continental (a nice experience after driving around for days in a car the size of a sardine can). Of course, we got lost but finally we found Chippewa Street and my parents shouted out when they saw a sign marking Route 66. "Look we're on Route 66! Yeah!" (A lot of the fun of a Route 66 road trip is seeking out original stretches of the route marked with signs.)

Frozen custard is a sweet, creamy treat resembling ice cream but it's richer and contains more eggs. Ted Drewes offers only vanilla, and you can watch them making it right there in the stand. The shop is best known for a specialty called a Concrete, which is custard blended with any of dozens of ingredients, and served in a large yellow cup. Concretes are so thick that you can hold the cup upside down and nothing falls out. The Concrete was the inspiration for Dairy Queen's Blizzard shake.

So how was it? Amazing. Anthony ordered a Tropical Delight blended with fresh macadamia nuts, bananas, coconut, and pineapple; Dante shoveled a Strawberry Shortcake into his mouth; and Paris finished off a Crater Copernicus mixed with hot fudge, devil's food cake, and whipped cream. My parents shared a root beer float and my mom said, "This is the best root beer I have ever had. I'll never be able to drink a float without thinking about Ted Drewes."
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Day 13: St. Louis Read Post

Day 13: St. Louis

THE STATS
Expenses
Breakfast: free at hotel
Lunch: free
Frozen custard, Ted Drewes: $16.89 (treated the grandparents)
Dinner, Square One Brewery, Lafayette Square: free
Hotel: $65
Gas: none
Rental car: $50
Total expenses: $131.89 (thanks to the grandparents picking up the tab on lunch and dinner)

Miles: none

Photo of the day: A charming village in Europe? No, this is Lafayette Square in St. Louis.


Quote of the day: "Mommy, don't tell me that frozen custard is like ice cream," says Paris, as we're driving to the famous Ted Drewes Frozen Custard. "Tell me exactly what it is. What's in it? How do they make it?"

High point of the day: Sleeping in—the grandparents took the kids overnight.

Low point of the day: Saying goodbye to the grandparents.
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Hooray for hotel swimming pools Read Post

Hooray for hotel swimming pools

If you asked my kids what they liked most about our Route 66 trip, they wouldn't say riding the Ferris wheel at the Santa Monica Pier. Or traveling to the top of the Grand Arch in St. Louis. Or even looking out over the Grand Canyon. I can assure you they would say the hotel swimming pools.

Paris and Dante would be happy driving directly from hotel swimming pool to hotel swimming pool--skipping all the sites and attractions in between. Yes, they thought the Grand Canyon was "cool, but sort of small," and they liked the St. Louis Arch, but "it was so hot in that city." But the hotel swimming pools are "so fun" "the best," "my favorite part of the trip." I now realize why some families just park it at one hotel and spend their days at the pool.
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Day 12: Springfield to St. Louis Read Post

Day 12: Springfield to St. Louis

THE RUNDOWN
Expenses
Breakfast: free at hotel
Gas: $42.17
Lunch, Main Street Bakery, Cuba, Mo.: $29.83
Dinner: Free!
Hotel: $65
Rental car: $50
American Girl Doll allotment: $8
Total expenses: $195

Miles: 260
Number of stops: 2
Hours: 5

Photograph of the day: The St. Louis Gateway Arch designed by Eero Saarinen and completed in 1965.


Quote of the day: “I have so many things in my mind,” Paris says. “I need to say something so stop talking and listen to me. I don’t know which American Girl doll to get when we get to Chicago. There are too many choices. I want all the dolls. Also, you need to tell me what’s in Chicago so I can think about what I’m going to do there. I know that we’re going to American Girl but what else are we doing there? Are you listening to me? What’s in Chicago?”

Low point of the day: We take a wrong turn and miss the world’s largest rocking chair in Fanning, Mo.

High point of the day: We meet grandma and grandpa in St. Louis. Yeah! Free food! They treat us to a fabulous dinner at Landry’s, housed in the former train station. I order salmon—my first omega-3s in two weeks. We also share a gigantic chocolate brownie sundae.
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8:21 PM 3 comments
Coming soon: Interview with Route 66 Rail Haven Inn owner Read Post

Coming soon: Interview with Route 66 Rail Haven Inn owner

For over 50 years the Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven Inn has welcomed motorists traveling the Mother Road. I especially enjoyed our stay in this restored old-school motor court hotel that captures the spirit of Route 66. Next week, I'll publish an interview with the Rail Haven's owner, Gordon Elliott, and offer the lowdown on his vintage cars parked in front of the hotel, his sign collection decorating the outside of the property, and his favorite stops along Route 66. Stay tuned...
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Hula-hooping in downtown Tulsa Read Post

Hula-hooping in downtown Tulsa

Stop every two hours—that’s my No. 1 tip when road tripping with kids. Pull off at a rest stop for a game of tag, park in a small town to grab an ice cream cone, track down an elementary school with a jungle gym—this is the key to keeping children sane in the car. Out in the middle of nothingness? Play a game of "monkey chase the weasel" around the car.

I always pack a few basic toys in the trunk to make our stops more fun. On this trip, we brought a ball, Hula hoop, and jump rope. When we were driving through downtown Tulsa and Paris screamed "Get me out of the car right now!" we pulled over and she swung a Hula hoop around her hips (pictured). In a field of grass in Missouri, the kids got creative with a jump rope. Paris tied the rope around Dante’s belt loop and walked him around like a puppy dog. Does your family take time to stop on long road trips? What are your tricks and tips?
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3:00 PM 1 comment
What should we do in Chicago? Read Post

What should we do in Chicago?

Tonight, in St. Louis, Mo., I’m doing a phone interview with Nick Digilio, who has a talk show on Chicago’s WGN Radio. The timing is perfect because tomorrow we drive to the Windy City, where we'll spend three days. I’m hoping some of those Chicago listeners can offer up tips on what to do in their city. Please share your favorite places in the comments section. Keep in mind we’re traveling with kids and we’re on a tight budget. Also, we’re especially interested in visiting Route 66 attractions as we drove the Mother Road all the way from California. Thanks!
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Day 11: Tulsa to Springfield, Mo. Read Post

Day 11: Tulsa to Springfield, Mo.

THE STATS
Expenses
Breakfast: free at hotel
Will Rogers Turnpike, toll: $1.25
Lunch: $12
Coke, chocolate milk, and Bit-O-Honey at Rancher Convenience Store in White Oak, Okla.: $4.03
Gas: $41.46 (only $3.78 a gallon in Joplin, Missouri—the cheapest yet.)
Sticker books for kids: $19.20 (Anthony makes this purchase behind my back! Errr!)
Dinner at Burger King: $16.07
Hotel: $84.27
Rental car: $50
American girl doll allotment: $8
Total expenses: $236.28

Miles: 300
Number of stops: 4
Hours: 5

Photograph of the day: Lost in Missouri.


Quote of the day: “I’m not going to Chicago without touching a piece of original Route 66 concrete,” Anthony says, after we take a wrong turn and miss a section of the road dating back to 1922. “Dammit! We’re going back.”

Low point of the day: Instead of retracing our steps to find the original section of Route 66, we take a "short-cut" and drive down a dirt road past hay bales.

High point of the day: We never find that piece of vintage concrete but we do see our first corn field. I figure we must be getting close to Kansas and I get really excited since it's a state that I have never visited. Paris squeals in the backseat, "We're going to see Dorthy!"

Lowest point of the day: We get lost again and never make it onto the 13 miles of Route 66 that passes through Kansas. We end up missing the state entirely. Oh well, more reason to drive Route 66 again next summer.
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Day 10: Oklahoma City to Tulsa Read Post

Day 10: Oklahoma City to Tulsa

THE STATS
Expenses
Breakfast: free at hotel
Turner Turnpike, toll: $3.50
Lunch at Ollie’s Station in Tulsa: $25.77
Dinner: $16
Hotel: $34.04
Rental car: $50
American Girl doll allotment: $8
Total expenses: $137.30 (Yipee! This makes up for overspending in the Grand Canyon. We're back on track.)

Miles: 120 miles
Hours: 2

Photograph of the day: The Blue Whale in Catoosa, just outside Tulsa, has been a Route 66 landmark since it was constructed in 1970 as an anniversary gift from Hugh Davis to his wife, Zelta. (I already asked Anthony for a whale for our upcoming anniversary. He promised to carve one for me out of a hotel soap.)


Quote of the day: “Oklahoma is just like Hawaii,” Paris says. “It’s really green and the air is hot and wet. But they don’t have a beach. Hmmm…why don’t they have a beach here?”

High point of the day: The breakfast buffet at our hotel in Oklahoma City has donuts. (I’m a mean mom and I don’t let the kids have one since they have eaten so much junk on this trip. But I sneak one into my pocket and eat it in the bathroom. Yum!)

Low point of the day: Lots and lots of rain. We get stuck in two traffic jams due to accidents on Tulsa highways.
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Mediocre Music Makers, Erick, Okla. Read Post

Mediocre Music Makers, Erick, Okla.


No doubt, the most memorable part of our road trip is our time spent with the Mediocre Music Makers, Harley and Annabelle Russell, in Erick, Oklahoma. In a former Meat Market, now known as Sandhills Curiosity shop, the Russells entertain Route 66 travelers from all over the world with songs, dance, and cold beers. Sporting red-and-white striped bib tops, which they refer to as their redneck tuxedos, Harley and Annabelle put on a crazy and zany show. "We offer visitors that bit of authentic American culture they're looking for on the route," Harley says.

In this video, the Russells share their version of Bobby Troup's "Get Your Kicks on Route 66."
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1:12 PM 1 comment
Hello Springfield, Missouri! Read Post

Hello Springfield, Missouri!

This morning, I shared the details of our Route 66 road trip on Ozarks First, a Fox affiliate morning television show based in Springfield, Mo. You can watch the video by clicking here.

The live remote takes place at the Best Western Rail Haven Inn, a classic motor court hotel right on Route 66. It's one of the oldest Best Western properties in existence. The hotel has undergone $1 million worth of renovations in recent years but still features some of the original cottages built in the 1940s.
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Coming soon: Mediocre Music Makers video footage Read Post

Coming soon: Mediocre Music Makers video footage



Our most memorable stop along Route 66 was Sandhills Curiosity Shop in Erick, Okla. Here, in an old meat market piled high with antiques, the Mediocre Music Makers, Harley and Annabelle, welcomed us with a little authentic American culture. They're the zaniest people I have ever met and I will be posting video footage and sharing more about our visit soon.
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Day 9: Amarillo to Oklahoma City Read Post

Day 9: Amarillo to Oklahoma City

THE STATS
Expenses
Breakfast: free at hotel
Lunch, snacks in car and left-overs from breakfast: free
Sandhills Curiosity Shop, Erick, Okla., donation: $35
National Route 66 Museum, Elk City, Okla., admission for two adults: $6 (kids free!)
Merry-go-round ride, Elk City: $2
Dinner at Golden China Restaurant, all-you-can-eat buffet, Elk City: $29.44
Gas: $36.22
Hotel: $79.70
Rental car: $50
American Girl doll allotment: $8
Total expenses: $246.36

Photograph of the day: U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, Texas. Ramone's House of Body Parts in the Pixar film Cars is modeled after this refurbished gas station and café that house the town's chamber of commerce and a small museum.


Low point of the day: Listening to the American Girl doll Book on Tape for the 100th time. If I hear the story of Felicity ever again, I'm going to scream!

High point of the day: Lightning show during nighttime drive into Oklahoma City.

Quote of the day: "I'm not going in the swimming pool when it's lightning outside," Dante says. "That's way too scary!"
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Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, Texas Read Post

Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, Texas



We stopped by Cadillac Ranch on a hot, windy day. As we walked up to the 10 Cadillacs buried hood-first into the ground, their tail-fins silhouetted against the Panhandle sky, Paris asked, "Why are those cars stuck into the ground like that? It looks weird."

"It's art," I explained.

"No, that's not art," she countered.

I went into a long explanation on how art can be many things. "It isn't always a picture you draw on a piece of paper," I said. And then I told her about Texas millionaire Stanley Marsh 3, and how he hired the Ant Farm, a San Francisco-based design firm, to create something that's expressive of the American automobile. I told her that the cars are from different time periods and represent the evolution of the American automobile, mainly the rise and fall of the tail fin. Of course she quickly lost interest and started to chase her brother around one of the cars.

But she must have grasped the concept. When we were back in the car, Paris shredded a piece of paper and threw it over the back of my seat onto my head. "Mommy, this is art." she said. "I'm expressing how tired I am of being in the car."
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Day 8: Sante Fe to Amarillo Read Post

Day 8: Sante Fe to Amarillo

THE STATS Expenses
Breakfast: free at hotel
Lunch in Tucumcari, N.M. at Del’s Restaurant, one grilled cheese: $4.63
Gas: $48.36
Dinner at Blue Sky in Amarillo: $22.36
Two sodas: $2.50
Hotel: $91.52
Rental car: $50
American Girl doll allotment: $8
Total expenses: $227.62

Photograph of the day: A sign marks the half-way point between LA and Chicago.


Low point of the day: Mistakenly driving down a dead-end stretch of Route 66, resulting in a 30 minute detour.

High point of the day: A fresh banana milk shake made with real ice cream at Blue Sky in Amarillo, Texas.

Quote of the day: "Mommy, stop telling everyone about your blog," Paris says. "It's really annoying."
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Day 7: Albuquerque to Santa Fe Read Post

Day 7: Albuquerque to Santa Fe

THE STATS
Expenses
Breakfast: free at hotel
Lunch in Madrid, N.M., one hot dog and snacks from car: $4.80
One humongous ice cream cone: $3.73 (Our family has become good at sharing.)
Drink: $2 (Anthony's lunch)
Hand sanitizer from Five and Dime in Santa Fe: $1.79
Dinner at Cafe Pasqual’s in Santa Fe: $91.33
(Citrus gazpacho, baby back pork ribs, beet-potato salad--worth the splurge.)
Hotel vending machine, M&Ms: 50 cents
Gas: none
Hotel: $68.76
Rental car: $50
American Girl doll allotment: $8
Total expenses: $230.91

Miles: 40
Number of stops: 3
Hours: 2

Photograph of the day: An art gallery in Madrid, N.M., just outside Santa Fe.


Quote of the day: "What happens if we run out of gas?" asks Dante.

High point of the day: Hearing a live band play Bobby Troup's “Get Your Kicks on Route 66” in one of the bars on Santa Fe’s main square. (We listened from outside.)

Low point of the day: Dante picks up something really disgusting in Santa Fe’s main square—causing Anthony to freak out and rush Dante into a restaurant to find a sink. Then Anthony dashes off to a drug store where he buys hand sanitizer and dumps the entire bottle onto Dante's hands. Dante, who doesn't know what's going on, asks, "Why do you keep washing my hands?"

Most interesting person met along the way: Our server at Cafe Pasqual’s is a former San Francisco local and dated a girl who lived right down the street from our condo. He also worked at a San Francisco restaurant, iFratelli, where my parents ate once a week before it recently closed. Small world!
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El Rancho Hotel, Gallup, N.M. Read Post

El Rancho Hotel, Gallup, N.M.

Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn stayed here during production of The Sea of Grass; Burt Lancaster and Lee Remick were guests when they made The Hallelujah Trail. The list of Hollywood stars who bedded down at the El Rancho Hotel in Gallup, N.M., goes on and on: Gene Autry, Jack Benny, Humphrey Bogart, Kirk Douglas, Henry Fonda, Ronald Reagan, James Stewart, John Wayne, Burt Lancaster, and Mae West.



Built in 1937 by R. E. "Griff" Griffith, brother of movie mogul D. W. Griffith, the El Rancho's rustic charm was attractive to the movie makers and stars filming in the surrounding red rock canyons. Their autographed photos line the walls of the spectacular two-story lobby with dark wood beams, Navajo rugs, mounted trophy heads, a circular staircase, and an enormous stone fireplace.



Today the El Rancho is on the National Register of Historic Places and a popular attraction along Route 66. We stopped for lunch at the café where you can order a Lucille Ball beef patty with fruit and cottage cheese or a Roy Rogers half-pound burger. Paris and Dante raced up and down down the hallways full of black-and-white images of bygone Hollywood stars--as I studied each one carefully.

"Why do you keep looking at those pictures?" Paris asked.

"These are really famous people and it's amazing to think that they were all here--out in the middle of nowhere."

"But the pictures look so old. They're boring." (Paris's new favorite word.)

And then I showed Paris a photograph of Katharine Hepburn.

"Ahhh...She's really pretty."

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Day 6: Flagstaff to Albuquerque Read Post

Day 6: Flagstaff to Albuquerque

THE STATS
Expenses
Breakfast: free at hotel
Soda at Jack Rabbit: $1.50
Postcards and rocks for kids collection: $1.75
Lunch at El Rancho Hotel in Gallup, N.M.: $28.50
Dinner at Sadie's in Albuquerque: $38.88
Gas: $35.65 (only $3.93 a gallon in Laguna, N.M.—yippee!)
Hotel: $69
Rental car: $50
American girl doll allotment: $8
Total expenses: $233.28

Miles: 400
Number of stops: 4
Hours: 7

Photograph of the day: Paris and Dante at the Jack Rabbit Trading Post


High point of the day: Singing songs in the car together as a family: "I've Been Working on the Railroad," "Do Your Ears Hang Low," and "ABCs." (We need to learn some new songs!)

Low point of the day: Learning that the restaurant where we wanted to eat in Albuquerque, the Durand Central Pharmacy, was closed for dinner. We should have called ahead!

Quote of the day: "Mommy, you said people would be galloping in Gallup, New Mexico," Paris says. "I think you were lying because I don't see anyone galloping here."
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