So, in honor of Father’s Day, John has agreed to share his wonderful recipe.

First, a few hints from me:

• Grow your own basil in the garden or in pots.
• I like to use pots because it’s easier to move around to sunny spots, and to control the pests (Japanese Beetles ate ALL of my basil last year).
• I prefer Sweet Basil, which has giant green leaves, and great flavor.
• Try to harvest your basil before it goes to seed.  I think the leaves get bitter, but no one seems to really notice it but me.
• I have not figured out a good way to freeze or store pesto longer term, so if any of you have good ideas, please pass it along.
• We love pesto on pasta, but have used it as a spread on sandwiches, in layered dips with roasted peppers, olive tapenade, and goat cheese.
• I’ve heard that some people like to “cut” the pesto with spinach or parsley, but we’re purists.  If you don’t like basil that much, then this is not the recipe for you.

John’s ‘Green Spaghetti’ Basil Pesto Recipe

Ingredients:
6 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

1 tsp. salt

4 T. pine nuts

1 stick of butter, softened

About 4 cups of basil leaves (no stems), which weighs in at around 4.5 ounces; washed and spun dry in a salad spinner (its important that the leaves are freshly picked and dry)

1 c. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (the real thing, not the Kraft stuff in a green container)

4 T. freshly grated Romano

1 ¼ c. extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

In a good blender (preferably a Vitamix if you’re lucky enough to own one … we’re not), place the garlic, salt, pine nuts, butter, and blend well until it looks like mayonnaise.

Next, add about 1/3 of the basil leaves, about 1/3 of the olive oil, and blend well.

Add another third of the basil and olive oil, and blend again.

Repeat until you’ve used up all the leaves and oil.

Finally, add the cheeses and blend.

The consistency of the pesto should blend well and create a vortex.  If it’s too thick, add some more olive oil.  If it seems too thin, it’s probably okay, but you can add some more grated cheese to thicken it up.

***Always place the lid on the blender when you’re starting or stopping it, because the mixture burps and splatters.  Oh, and in between blends, use a scraper to scrape down the yummy green bits that get stuck on the sides.

This recipe will make about 2.5 cups of pesto, and can be tossed with 2 lbs. of pasta, with a little left over for the next day.  Refrigerate leftover pesto.

It also goes exceptionally well with my tomato-onion-feta salad.

This particular recipe was inspired by Paula Deen’s White Bean Chili recipe, because I really liked the technique she uses, but I modified the ingredients (i.e., removed the butter) and doubled the number of servings to feed my hungry boys for a couple of days.  I make it winter and summer and, once again, it’s a great dish when I’m headed out of town for a few days.  It gets better after reheating it in the pot at least a couple of times!

Bon Appetit!

White Chili Recipe

Ingredients:

2 lbs. Great Northern dry beans, picked over

8 cups stock or broth (chicken or vegetable)

Hot water in a kettle on the stove

2 cups chopped sweet onion

2 T. chopped garlic cloves

2, 4.5 oz. cans of mild chopped green chiles

3 – 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or about 1.5 lbs.), cubed

1 – 2 T. ground cumin

1 T. chopped parsley

½ tsp. hot pepper flakes

Directions:

Rinse the beans well, cover them with cool water and let them soak for 2 hours.

Fill a tea kettle or medium pot with water, and bring it to a boil on the stove, and keep it hot while cooking the chili.  You will use this hot water to add to the beans as they are cooking, and quickly absorbing the liquid.

Drain the beans and place them in a 6qt. stock pot or dutch oven, add the stock and bring it to a boil over high heat.  In a separate saucepan, heat some olive oil over medium heat, and sauté the garlic, onions, and chiles for at least 5 minutes.  Add this onion mixture to the beans and stir.  Add the cubed chicken breast, cumin, pepper flakes and parsley.  The 6 qt. pot should be filled to the top.  If not, add some of that hot water.

I don’t usually add salt because the stock is usually pretty salty on its own; and I serve cilantro as a condiment rather than cooking it in the chili (it tastes better).

Bring the bean mixture to a boil, then lower the heat enough that it continues to gently bubble and cook for at least 90 minutes or more.  Stir on occasion.  As the beans soak up the stock, keep adding hot water so the pot is always brimming full (you don’t want to bring the temperature of the chili down by adding cold water; you want to maintain the gentle boil by using hot water),

When the beans are done and the chili is nice and thick, taste and adjust the seasoning.  Serve hot with the usual condiments and trimmings (see my red chili recipe for a complete listing).  But, for some reason, white chili goes especially well over a hearty pasta … try it, you’ll like it!

If you let the ingredients sit for a few minutes and marinade, the tomatoes and onions release these amazing juices, that we all fight to dip our bread into at the end of the meal.  Enjoy.

Tomato-Onion-Feta Salad

Tomato-Onion-Feta Salad

• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 4-5 medium Beefsteak Tomatoes, sliced into wedges
• 1/2 pound French Feta, cubed and crumbled (or any other feta you can find, but we prefer French, it’s a little less sharp, and softer)
• Sea salt
• Olive oil

Directions:
Put the sliced onions in a medium bowl.  Generously salt the onions with some high quality sea salt.  Then, with one or both hands, work the salt into the onions, squeezing and “pulverizing” them until the onion slices get soft and juicy.  Next, add the tomatoes slices, feta, and drizzle about 1/3 of a cup of olive oil (or canola) and gently toss the mixture together with a large spoon.  Taste and re-season if necessary.  Prepare the salad about a half hour before the meal to let the flavors blend.  It should be served at room temperature.

I don’t recommend making this salad too far in advance, though, as the juices can take over the texture and drown the goodies.  Also, play with the ratios to suit your taste.  Less onion, more tomatoes, more feta.  Or, for a more elegant presentation, layer the ingredients in a platter.

So here are a few tips we’ve learned from our soirees:

• Invite about 4 – 5 couples, because it’s hard to mix a lot of martins at once.  With a smaller group, you can serve a bigger variety of martinis, and still mix / shake / stir them individually so they’re nice and fresh.
• Use doodle.com to find a date that works for everyone.  It’s a free site and very handy for getting a lot of people’s schedules in order.
• Choose a designated bartender, usually my husband.  But, it’s also fun to invite or hire a guest bartender if you know anyone.  My husband practices his martini technique for weeks, and refines the menu and recipes each time.  It’s hard work but someone has to do it.
• Decide on your martini menu.  Here’s the menu from our last party.  We include a couple of classics, and a couple of dessert martinis to cap off the evening.
• Pick a theme.  You would be amazed how a bunch of 40- and 50-something folks love to dress up!  For our first martini party, the theme was the Rat Pack; for the second it was Mad Men.  Our next martini party theme will most likely be Sex and the City or James Bond.  Be creative, give instructions and examples in the invitation.  Here’s the one we used:
• Be creative.  It doesn’t have to be a party martini.  A Miami-themed Mojioto party would fun, too.  You can serve Mojitos, Cuban sandwiches, play some Gloria Estefan!
• Prepare some theme-appropriate games (we played Charades, for example), and get some theme music from your local library.  Our favorite is The Rat Pack Live at The Sands.
• Prepare a themed and / or seasonal menu.  Since we were all yearning for Spring, my menu was a combination of 1960’s appetizers combined with some Spring foods.  So, I prepared deviled eggs, mixed nuts, grilled lamb chops, asparagus wrapped in prosciutto, chocolate fondue, etc.
• Print both the martini and meal menus and have them available to your guests.
• Stock your home bar with all the necessary ingredients, garnishes, and supplies, all prepped in advance.  Get your martini glasses sparkling clean.  If you’re afraid of tall martini glasses being knocked over in the heat of the moment, the new stemless glasses are great and versatile (I’ve used them for serving cold soups, appetizers, and desserts).  Ask your neighbors to bring extra cocktail shakers.
• Place an ice bucket filled with small water bottles, beer, club soda, etc., nearby for guests who may not want to imbibe in martinis.

And for our finale … my husband’s treasured Cosmopolitan / Pomtini recipe.  We don’t give it out often, but I’m willing to share the fun if credit is given:

John’s Cosmopolitan Martini Recipe

4 parts Absolut Citron Vodka
2 parts Cointreau
1 part freshly squeezed lime juice
4+ parts high quality cranberry or pom juice*

*Lately, I prefer pom juice because it has a more vibrant color, and more distinct taste.  Ocean Spray-type cranberry juice cocktails lack flavor and color.  Try using a high quality, 100% cranberry juice that is not a “cocktail” and perhaps organic.

For just one martini, use about 8 ice cubes in shaker, and measure out all ingredients into the shaker.  Give it a good 40 shakes, then set the shaker down and let the concoction rest a few minutes and mingle with the ice cubes.  Poor into a pre-chilled martini glass and garnish with a lemon or lime wedge, or cherries.  Cheers!

Pikes Peak, Colorado Springs

Two of the biggest perks of being self-employed for the past 15 years are flexibility in my schedule, and traveling for my clients.  When you combine the two, it results in wonderful opportunities to extend business travel into leisure.  And, we’ve taken advantage of this opportunity quite often over the years.  Most of my business travel is within North America, but it’s a big place, and there are still several states I’ve not yet visited!

I’ve also had opportunities to experience getaways with a variety of people … my husband, my mom, my best friends, my favorite clients, or just by myself.  Each experience has left me with amazing memories, many of which I reminisce about lately as my clients have experienced severe travel cutbacks.

But, next time you find yourself traveling on business, think about staying a bit longer and enjoying wherever you are!  Here are some of my favorite places I fortuitously found myself enjoying…

1. Colorado – I had to work at one of my client’s conferences in Colorado Springs, and I asked my best friend to assist me.  When the conference was over, my husband flew out and met us.  We drove all around Colorado, including to the Royal Gorge, we visited wineries, and drove up, and consequently down Pike’s Peak (where I cried all the way up and down the harrowing “road”).  It’s an exhilarating place to spend a few days.
2. Las Vegas – Believe it or not, I have traveled to Vegas for work – no lie, and it didn’t involve a convention!  On one memorable trip, my client and I worked all day, and partied all night, leaving just enough time to get back to our hotel rooms to pack and get to the airport for our morning flight home.  Our favorite stop that evening … Red Square at Mandalay Bay.
3. New York City – One winter, I decided to take my mom with me to NYC while I was there on business.  During the day, while I worked, my mom shopped and walked Fifth Avenue by herself.  It was her first-ever trip to the Big Apple, and she didn’t care that it was cold and snowing.  Together, we had dinner at the Rainbow Room (closed now), afternoon tea in the Palm Court at The Plaza, a walk through FAO Schwarz so she could pick up souvenirs for her grandsons, and a Broadway play.  It was one of the most memorable few days my mom and I have ever spent together, and we’ve spent many.
4. Cape Cod – Just a couple of months ago, my husband and I were in Boston on business together.  Before flying back home, we drove out to Cape Cod where we honeymooned 24 years ago.  The resort was boarded up for the season, but it was a beautiful fall day, warm and sunny, and a trip down memory lane for both of us.
   

   Me on Cape Cod

5. Sarasota – On a trip to Orlando for business, my husband and I spent a weekend in Sarasota, staying on Longboat Key and shopping at St. Armands Circle.
6. San Francisco & California Wine Country – I’ve been out to this part of the country on numerous occasions, and have always stayed an extra day or two to experience the region.  Our favorite place to stay … The Claremont Resort in Berkeley, where Robin Williams filmed part of Birdcage.
7. Scottsdale – Another place you’ve heard me talk about before.  After a very long day of working, standing, and presenting, my dear friend Barb and I (the same one who accompanied me to Montreal, Colorado, and San Diego) strictly follow a post-work detox ritual:   Nap, massage at the Phoenician spa, followed by dinner at the Phoenician restaurant.
8. Montreal – Have been there several times for work, and long to return again.  An amazing European city in Canada.  My French is really rusty, but I held my own ordering the most amazing croissants and pastries I’ve ever seen or tasted.
   

   Montreal Bakery

9. San Diego & Coronado Island – One of the most relaxing getaways ever, especially the beach on Coronado Island and the historic Hotel Del Coronado.  Our favorite thing to do there is to have martinis on the Hotel Del’s outdoor patio, overlooking the beach, watching Navy Seals jog by and Warthogs fly overhead.  Then head over to our favorite Thai restaurant for dinner.
   

   The "Hotel Del"

10. Philadelphia – This is one of those cities that I never would have chosen to visit for a getaway, but have found myself going there on numerous occasions this past year.  It’s a rough city, not for the faint of heart, which is why I like it so much.  Growing up in Cleveland, I like cities with a personality and some toughness.  Underneath its rough exterior, it’s a beautiful city, with lots of history, great restaurants, and warm people.  Our favorite place to stay is in the Old City District, where we’re within walking distance of our two favorite restaurants … Armada for authentic tapas, and Morimoto for sushi.

Growing up, “fasting” for Communion was an excuse to load up on the carbs … not much of a “fast.”  Since my parents were never big fish eaters, we would eat pastas, breads, and a lot of beans, along with a few veggies thrown in for good measure.  Now that I’m older, and a bit more health conscious, I’ve always considered it a challenge to eat this way all week, but keep the carb intake to a minimum.  The best that I’ve been able to do is under 200 g. of complex carbs per day.  Not bad, considering there’s no meat proteins, cheeses, and eggs to fall back on.

My favorite vegetarian meal (sans dairy) is brown rice and fish baked in parchment.

I’ve been a fan of brown rice for a long time.  The first time I tried it was many years ago at the Mustard Seed’s restaurant on the second floor of their amazing grocery store.  I found out that they use Lundberg’s brown rice at the restaurant, and I immediately bought a bag and tried making it at home.  It came out a little chewy, not as good as the restaurant’s. Then, I came across Alton Brown’s recipe for Baked Brown Rice, thanks to my older son, who’s a big fan of Alton’s geeky-science approach to cooking.

This is the basic, no frills “starter” recipe for baked brown rice.  Once you get the technique down, and there’s not much to it, you can improvise.  Use flavored broth instead of water, toss in some veggies, parsley, nuts, or raisins.  Use whatever you’re serving with the rice to inspire you.  The only drawback is that it takes some time … one hour to bake, but there’s hardly any prep time at all.  It’s worth the wait.

Alton Brown’s Baked Brown Rice Recipe

Alton Brown's Baked Brown Rice

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups brown rice, medium or short grain

2 1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon unsalted butter (I use olive oil instead)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the rice into an 8-inch square glass baking dish.

Bring the water, butter, and salt just to a boil in a kettle or covered saucepan. Once the water boils, pour it over the rice, stir to combine, and cover the dish tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, remove cover and fluff the rice with a fork. Serve immediately.

Paper-Wrapped and Steamed Red Snapper

Fish Baked in Parchment Paper

The steamed fish in parchment is a recipe from an old Japanese cookbook I’ve owned for years. Again, you can change the fish, the veggies, and seasoning as you like.

Ingredients

4 red snapper fillets (or any white, tender fish)

8 asparagus spears, hard ends discarded

4 spring or green onions

4 T. sake

Grated lime rind

Thinly sliced lime

1 tsp. shoyu (a type of soy sauce)

Directions

Sprinkle red snapper with salt on both sides and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare the parchment parcel (directions follow)

Cut off the asparagus tips, and slice the stalks lengthways.

Slice the spring or green onions on the diagonal to make thin ovals.

Par-boil the asparagus tips for 1 minute in salted water and drain.  Reserve for later use.

Place the asparagus stalks and the onions inside the packets.

Sprinkle with salt and lay the fish on top.  Add more salt and some sake (I sometimes use white wine), then sprinkle with lime rind.

Pour boiling water into a deep roasting pan fitted with a rack (making sure the packets are not sitting in the water).  Place the parcels on the rack, and cook for 20 minutes.  (In a pinch, I’ve also just placed the packets directly on a baking pan, without the water bath.)

Check the fish – it should go from translucent to white.

Transfer the parcels to individual plates, and cut open.  Insert a thin slice of lime and place two asparagus tips on top.  Serve with shoyu (soy sauce) if you like.

How to Fold the Parcels

The folding method in this cookbook is complicated, you have to be an intermediate level origami master to figure it out.  So, I just recommend the old standby method found in many en papillote recipes:

1. Fold a piece of 12×15” parchment paper in half and cut it into a half-heart shape, staying as close to the outside edges as possible.
2. Open the heart, and place ingredients on one side of the fold line, at least 2 inches from the paper’s edge.
3. Fold the top half over to enclose. Starting at the top of the heart fold about ½” of the edge toward the center and start rolling this “hem” around the edge, pinching the roll as you seal it. When the roll reaches the bottom tip of the heart, twist the bottom inch or two to seal.
4. Repeat the process to make four parcels.

Enjoy, and let me know if you have any favorite vegan recipes!

Hot and bubbly lasagna, just out of the oven.

It didn’t take long to figure out that the most visited posts on my blog are the recipes! So here’s another great recipe that I’ve refined over the years. It comes from a dear, old friend of the family – Marie.  Like my chili recipe,  it’s simple to modify and make your own.

I usually prepare 2 pans and stick them in the deep freezer. When I travel for work, it’s easy for the grandparents to pull out, thaw, and pop in the oven for a wonderful meal. My kids have always liked this recipe because it’s simple … not too many lumps, just enough cheese, and a tasty sauce. They’re not big fans of lasagna loaded with mushrooms and sausage. And, the kids can help put it together. We usually stand side-by-side at the kitchen counter, each of us working on layering one pan.

You’ll have some extra sauce, which you can use to make a third small lasagna, or to serve extra sauce on the side.

Recipe for Marie’s Simple Lasagna

SAUCE:

1 lb. Bob Evans Original roll Sausage

1 lb. all natural ground beef (locally, I have access to Naturewell beef products)

2, 15-oz cans of tomato sauce

Assembling the lasagna

1 large can of tomato paste

2 cans of water

2 tsp. Italian seasonings

1 tsp. Oregano

1 tsp. sugar

Salt to taste

Large jar of Prego Traditional Sauce

FILLING:

3 boxes of Barilla Oven Ready Lasagne

30 oz. Part Skim Ricotta Cheese

1.5 lbs. sliced Mozzarella cheese (I usually get it sliced at the deli); cut each slice of mozzarella into about 6 pieces … you can just slice right through the stack.

Using a 6-qt. pot, sauté the beef and sausage together on medium heat, being sure to stir well and break up the big chunks, and until the meat is no longer pink. Drain excess fat. Add all other ingredients, except for Prego. When all other ingredients have been added, pour enough Prego to the pot to fill it almost to the top.

Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer the sauce for at least one hour. Stirring on occasion.

In the meantime, prepare two oblong, glass baking dishes (13 x 9 x 2). Spray each pan with Pam, and prepare some counter space with the two pans, the cheeses, the pasta, and the sauce.

LAYER:

1. Put some sauce on the bottom of each pan

2. Put one layer of noodles on top of the sauce (follow the directions on the box to determine how many pieces to use per layer; usually, it’s 4 per layer)

3. Spread more sauce over the noodles

4. Drop about 10 to12 spoons of ricotta on this layer (using about 3 dollops per pasta layer)

5. Put about 12 small pieces of mozzarella directly on top of the ricotta

Repeat steps 2 to 5 until you’ve used at least one box of noodles per pan (I reserve the 3rd box to replace broken pieces, or to make a 3rd, small lasagna if there’s leftover sauce and cheese, or to squeeze in another layer of pasta if the dish is deeper than 2”).  The top layer should be finished off with sauce and a few pieces of mozzarella.

The lasagna should be pretty “wet” at this point. The no-bake noodles soak up a lot of liquid.

Loosely cover with foil to prevent the top from burning or drying out. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 – 45 minutes, or until bubbly. Remove the foil the last few minutes of baking.

In my opinion, no-bake lasanga noodles work best if the lasagna has been frozen first. Lasagna freezes really well. Be sure to cover the unbaked lasagna with plastic wrap after it has cooled, and then cover the plastic wrap with foil, and freeze.

When you’re ready to use it, thaw the lasagna, and bake as directed above.

Serve with a refreshing green salad with our favorite salad dressing – Garlic Expressions and some homemade garlic bread.

Buon Appetito!

I was one of those die-hard fans in the stands that day, freezing my toosh off in sub-zero wind chill temperatures whipping up off of Lake Erie. But, alas, we lost 14-12 against the Oakland Raiders, who went on to win the Super Bowl that season.

So every year during the Super Bowl, we watch the game, half-heartedly picking sides to make the game and the evening more interesting. But it’s just a sad reminder that we really don’t care who is at the Super Bowl, because it’s not us … again.

On a brighter note, I usually make my “famous” chili on Super Bowl night for dinner. Actually, I make it quite often during the winter months. It’s hearty, healthy, and warm. I could have used a bowl at that game in 1980!

The best part of this chili is that you can personalize it, too. Make it hotter, thicker, meatier, or even vegetarian. Our favorite part of eating chili is the stuff that goes under it, over it, and with it!

Here’s a list of my favorite accompaniments:

Pasta (something that will cradle the chili, like DeCecco Gnocchi no. 46)

Rice (white or brown)

Shredded cheeses (cheddar, mozzarella)

Sour cream

Cilantro

Corn bread

Chopped onions

Jalapenos or homemade pickled serranos from my garden

Sriracha or Tabasco (my husband’s favorite is Chipotle Tabasco)

Enjoy the recipe and let me know how it turns out for you!

Recipe for Helen’s Super Bowl of Chili

2 lbs. ground turkey (or beef, if you prefer)

2 onions, chopped

2 green peppers, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped fine

2, 14 oz. cans chopped or sliced tomatoes

2, 15 oz. can tomato sauce

1, 6 oz. can tomato paste

2 large cans (2lbs., 8 oz. each) of dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

3 T. chili powder or more to taste

½ cup or more of Frank’s Red Hot Cayenne Pepper Sauce

Beef broth or water

Seasonings to taste: salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, 1 tsp. sugar

In a 6 qt. pot, add a little olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan; brown the onions, garlic, peppers, and turkey on medium heat until the meat is no longer pink, breaking up the meat so it incorporates well with the veggies. Drain the liquid. Add the rest of the ingredients, not including the beans; add broth or water to fill the pot mostly full, leaving room for the beans at the end.

Heat to boiling, reduce to simmer and cook for 2 hours, partially covered. Add liquid, as necessary if it reduces too much.   Before adding the beans, take a taste and see if the seasonings need to be adjusted, then stir the beans in, heat them through, and serve with your favorite condiments and cold beverages!

Building sandcastles on the beach at Lago Mar

Over the past 18 years or so, we’ve tried to take family vacations on a regular basis. It was easiest when the kids were really little, and we didn’t have to deal with school schedules, practices, lessons, and friends. It was also easiest when the economy wasn’t in the dumper. Occasionally, we would even take grandparents with us to help out – built-in babysitters who are more than willing to spend extra time with the grandkids, and give us a much-needed break.

Vacation memories are priceless. Lately, when we’re all together, we talk about which vacation was most memorable for each of us (and it’s always different for each person), or what we remember most. I’m proud to say that all of our vacations have been wonderful. Even the time we were in Disneyland during a hurricane. Vacation memories are the glue that help families “bond.” And, it’s the ultimate test of one’s research and organizational skills.

So as you’re thinking about planning a family vacation this year, here are some ideas that have worked well for us. Do your research, and organize well. Thus, keep in mind, that properties change over time. What was wonderful a few years ago, may not be in good shape anymore, especially given the economic strain on vacation properties the past couple of years. My favorite travel site for researching and for solid reviews is tripadvisor.com

So here’s a list of some of our Top Six past favorites, which I offer not as recommendations, but as inspiration in planning your next family vacation:

1. Nemacolin Woodlands

Located in Pennsylvania in the Laurel Highlands. They have lovely two-bedroom town homes, with a full kitchen, living room, deck. Our favorite town homes are the ones overlooking the golf course. Our sons LOVE this resort. It’s like a cruise ship on land. The activities are endless. Some of our favorites include: fly fishing, Hummer Off Road Academy, horseback riding, zip lining, sitting by the pool, high tea, hiking. The spa is one of the best spas I’ve been to, and the moms always manage to squeeze in a massage. If you love nature combined with elegance, check it out.

2. Maumee Bay Resort

This an Ohio state park property located near Toledo on the shores of Lake Erie. We usually visit in February when we’re all suffering from cabin fever. We’ve never visited in the summer because the cabins book up, and minimum rental is seven days. We rent one of the cabins on the golf course, which come equipped with a fireplace. We usually bring a big pot of chili for the first night, and plenty of board games and juicy novels. If the weather cooperates, take a walk through the nature center and try to spot a bald eagle. Good if you need a quick getaway in Ohio in a spacious cabin.

3. Fairmont Kea Lani

The view from our balcony in Maui

This resort has some funky architecture for a Hawaiian destination, but its location and open spaces make it a great resort. It’s right next to the Four Seasons and Grand Wailea, but we fell in love with the sprawling green lawns, where you can find a chaise, some shade, and privacy. The other resorts’ outdoor spaces just seemed cramped. The rooms, likewise were large and nicely furnished, and the balconies were all oceanfront and big enough for the four of us to have breakfast in the morning, and cocktails during sunset in the evenings.

4. Disney Cruise

A few years ago we went on a short four-day cruise on the Disney Wonder. We went with our friends and their two kids (our Godchildren). It was truly “magical” in the Disney sense of the word. The outside cabin was just enough room for the four of us with two twins that pushed together at night to make one big bed for the parents, and basically a bunk bed for the kids. Our favorite part of the cruise was the afternoon we spent on their private island. It was a combination of Gilligan’s Island, Lost, Survivor, and Fantasy Island! Even though our sons wouldn’t be caught dead on a Disney cruise now, I think they can’t wait to go back some day with their own kids.

5. Lago Mar Resort & Club

One year, we decided to drive to Florida over winter break. Our favorite part of the trip was watching the thermometer on our mini van go up, up, up with each passing mile that we drove south. We stayed at this resort in Fort Lauderdale because we wanted to be further south to ensure heat and sun in December. We had a blast at this resort. The suite included a separate bedroom with king bed, a full kitchen, and a sofa that opened up to two twins, one each for the boys. They did a great job of keeping us all busy on the property, but we also enjoyed a day trip to Miami Beach, the water taxi in the Intercoasal Waterway. The resort went all out in decorating for the holidays, too.

6. The Phoenician

Our favorite vacation spot in the U.S., by far, is the Phoenix area, in particular Scottsdale. I have traveled to this area on business two to three times a year for the past ten years. I’ve watched Scottsdale grow, grow, and grow some more. But, I still love it, and so does my family. There are many fine resorts for all budgets, but The Phoenician is equivalent to staying at The Bellagio in Vegas. It’s opulent, elegant, expensive. Needless to say, it took me years to accumulate the points to stay at this Starwood property! Our favorite part of staying here was spending time by the pool, soaking up the Arizona sun, ordering smoothies pool-side, and then walking around the property, trying to spot wildlife.

A few more tips to keep in mind as you think about a family get-away:

• If you find a resort that sounds appealing, check to see if they have “villas,” condos or houses on the property, in addition to regular hotel rooms. These are often timeshares that the resort will rent out if they’re not being used by the owners.
• Check out the timeshares themselves. I learned long ago that you can rent any timeshare direct from the property managers, usually for at least seven days. For example, check out the RCI site’s catalog of properties, and contact the property directly.
• Rent direct from the timeshare owners at vrbo.com.
• Several of the hotel chains also offer their own timeshares which can be rented, including Starwood , Marriott, and Hilton.

Happy Travels!  And, let me know what some of your favorites are.  I’m getting the itch to plan a vacation.

I’ve shopped with moms and their newborn babies for diapers. I’ve shopped with burly men for lawn tractors, and construction workers for tools and supplies. The one thing that I can say for sure, is that most people are confused when it comes to making certain purchases. Something like 50% of all the product categories out there are considered confusing or overwhelming to shop for. But, what came as a big surprise to me, was how affected my own parents were by this.

The 80's emerald green has got to go!

First, a little historical perspective. My parents are go-getters; immigrants who arrived in Cleveland in 1967 with $20 in their pocket, a job in manufacturing, and a five year old little girl (you do the math!). Since then, they’ve built two homes, did all of the landscaping themselves, and completed a ton of remodeling projects. They were the original DIYers, and quintessential hard-working Eastern Europeans. But, they also had great taste. So, on weekends, after both had worked full-time Monday through Friday, they would paint, garden, fix the plumbing, and keep an otherwise immaculate and stylish home.

My mother, in particular, knows what she wants, and usually will hunt down a bargain to fulfill her vision. I get my love of decorating and design from her. Of course, I didn’t inherit an ounce of my father’s artistic abilities. Nature is cruel.

Back then, they shopped at independently owned shops, or hardware stores. They would get personal service, answers to their questions, but a somewhat limited selection. Today, I find that my parents are totally lost trying to navigate big box home centers. Somewhere along the way, they lost the ability or the patience or both, to navigate these types of retail environments.  Maybe the retailers and brands have evolved so quickly, that they can’t keep up.

So, a couple of months ago, my parents decided they wanted to do a simple redecorating of the main bath: paint, new floor, new countertop, new faucet, new light fixture. Done. They started with the easiest decision … paint the walls a warm beige. My father got a few strokes in and said that looking up made him dizzy. So they paid someone to finish the job. Next up … they bought a very nice light fixture, which my husband installed when we were in for a weekend. The light fixture was an easy purchase because they really couldn’t find much of a selection of things they liked, so they settled on a transitional / Asian-influenced fixture. Check.

When it came time to look for flooring and countertops, they were stumped. They would go out to the stores, again and again, and come home empty-handed. So, one weekend, my husband and I decided to go with them to The Home Depot and Lowe’s, in order to help move them along in their decision process. The four of us spent the better part of a Sunday just trying to get a handle on the right countertop!

I’m good at shopping, especially at the big box home centers. I know how to get help, and I know which questions to ask. But, holy cow, the options were endless, the displays were 15 feet over our heads, and the sales associates, while plentiful that particular day, were not very helpful. We left with a handful of brochures, and were still nowhere near making a decision.

My parents kept thanking us for “helping” them make sense of all the options, but I felt like such a failure (that’s the only child in me). How are you supposed to match the countertop color to the wall paint and flooring, when all you see is a 2” square photo on glossy paper? Two months have passed, holidays come and gone, and still no new countertop or flooring. We haven’t even cracked the flooring nut yet! Laminate, wood, vinyl, ceramic … oh, my. It could be years before this bath is done!

Anyway – the thought occurred to me that my parent’s demographic group is growing, yet many of my clients would consider them too old to talk to, to market to. But they have the time, they have the money, and the desire to still live in a beautiful home, thanks to a mild addiction to HGTV. And, yet, they feel about as lost at a home center as they do while choosing supplemental health insurance, or trying to navigate the internet! It’s painful for them.

I suppose if they really had a lot of money, they could just hire a designer or remodeler, but that’s probably not a realistic scenario for most retirees these days, including my parents. So, here’s a thought. Is this demographic not profitable because it’s easier for seniors to do nothing, than try to navigate the choices, and come home empty-handed each time they venture out?

I’m not sure what the answers are, but next time you encounter a senior with a project – help them out. Offer to shop with them, offer to collect brochures, and price quotes. Because soon enough, we’ll be the ones paralyzed with indecision.