Getting some sun on my cabin's balcony at L'Auberge de Sedona.

In this world of online projects and juggling a million things at once (let alone my full time job, two rambunctious big dogs, plus three to four fancy fashion soirees, magazine parties, and premieres a week — and I try to save some time for friends), I think it’s become extra-important to take a pause every once in awhile. Stop time, turn everything off (most importantly my brain!) and just … pause. Recently I was lucky enough to land in gorgeous Sedona, Arizona, at the decadently peaceful L’Abuerge de Sedona.

When you live in the desert like I do, waking up to this lush view is a dream come true! Even though it had snowed (!) the day prior to our arrival, it was warm and sunny by the time we got there. Sitting on my private balcony or on the main deck eating lunch was both peaceful and reenergizing — it’s amazing what one rushing creek and loads of green foliage can do.

The grounds of L’Auberge had many more colors that we see in other parts of the Southwest.

The infamously strong southwestern sun beats down on the classic decor of an L’Auberge room.

And how does one sleep in these idyllic surroundings? In the fluffiest bed, of course!

A few days in my private cottage in beautiful Sedona, the sound of the rushing creek lulling me to sleep at night, was just the pause I needed from my busy life in Las Vegas. Where do you go when you need a little break?

If you’re like me (on a budget), you’re looking for the best deals the web has to offer for booking a fabulous holiday for you or your family. Interested in Lapland Holidays? They have the most gorgeous lakes and mountains.

L’Auberge de Sedona: the loveliest of pauses brought to you by The Jungle Princess.

For New Mexican food, it was worth it.

I scoff at the salsa at about 95 percent of Mexican restaurants, often politely asking that the “tomato sauce” be removed from the table. But the trio of sauces at Quince Jerome was impressive. Each was unique, with the right amount of flavor and spice. I ate way too many chips. Not that I cared — I knew I was home.

For a starter, even though it was hot as blazes outside, there was no way I was leaving without a cup of green chile stew. They had a whopping six options, and I just didn’t know what to do about this. Diana got the green, so I tried one of the reds. I rarely order red green chiles, but here they beckoned. It was an excellent choice. It had just the right amount of kick to it, but it wasn’t hot just for the sake of being hot. That famous roasted green chile flavor seeped through every bite, and the homemade flour tortilla on the side was perfection.

For our entree, Diana and I split the fish tacos, which were more an ode to my time living in Costa Rica than New Mexico. Just look at ‘em. Yum!

After I got home, I read a little bit about how the Bolivian Vlad Costa “the mad chef” made his way from Taos, NM (an amazing town, if you’ve never been) to charming Quince Jerome. But I’d love to learn more! What is clear: This guy has an enormous passion for food, and for authentic New Mexican cuisine. I couldn’t recommend it more!

If you go:

Quince is open seven days a week and is located at 363 Main Street, right in the middle of historic downtown Jerome.

(928) 634-7087

Go on down and check out what I now officially called the best New Mexican joint outside of New Mexico (and it’s better than some places IN it, too.)

Enjoy!

Good New Mexican Food Was Worth Risking My Life, Quince Jerome brought to you by The Jungle Princess.

Relaxing in Sedona before our death-defying drive to Jerome, Arizona.

Since I already hinted at a stop in the charming mountain town of Jerome, Arizona, I thought I’d go buck wild and kick off my recent Southwest road trip there, although it was technically our last stop. Diana and I went there on a whim (following a restaurant recommendation, of course), with zero expectations. As we climbed higher and higher towards this town that sits at more than 5,000 feet, my hands sweating as I rounded a few bends guarded by a barrier I just didn’t think was thick or high enough, I decided this was my first and last trip to Jerome. Diana drove the rest of the way! Once we were safely parked, however, we both fell in love with this historic mining town.

Charming Jerome is about two hours north of Phoenix and 45 minutes from Sedona.

I’m so glad I didn’t read that Jerome is called “America’s most vertical city” until after our detour — I might have chickened out on the drive!

I bought several trinkets in stores like these on Main Street.

If I ever go back to Jerome, I’m told I have to eat at the Haunted Hamburger. Did I mention that they also call Jerome “the largest ghost town in America”?

As this old-fashioned police sign says, Jerome was founded in 1876. About 500 people still live there.

 Even though the town was founded in 1876, Jerome fell victim to three fires before 1900!

Many of the buildings in Jerome have fallen victim to the town's 30-degree incline.

If you love the Wild West history of the Southwest, Jerome, Arizona is a must-see. It was once the wildest of the wild mining towns (nicknamed the “wickedest town in the west”) but is now an adorable throwback to simpler times.

Jerome’s tourist site has directions from major Arizona towns.

Have a safe drive! (Don’t look down…)

Drive carefully: charming Jerome, Arizona sits at 5,000 feet (straight up). brought to you by The Jungle Princess.

See you there?

Love in Jerome, Arizona brought to you by The Jungle Princess.

Posing with Penny, star of Absinthe.

There’s never a dull moment in Vegas: From the parties to the legendary shows, there’s always something to do. And let me tell you, Las Vegans dress the part. Short skirts and sequined dresses are the norm on the Strip — so leave it to a little hit show called Absinthe Las Vegas to completely knock that on its head. At this point, I hope everyone in Vegas has seen Absinthe at least once. For those of you who haven’t yet met this phenomenon, go. It’s an old-school circus that performs daredevil acts on a teensy tiny circular stage in a tent in front of Caesars Palace. The ringmaster is a perverted jokester named the Gazilionaire, assisted by the even raunchier little Penny Pibbitz,  shown here, third from left.

After sightseeing all day at the Hoover Dam, I arrived at the Absinthe Las Vegas tent with my two best friends from New York. The occasion? The runaway hit’s 500th show in Vegas. The performance was fantastic — just as I remembered it. Then, after the last number, alarm bells went off, which caused much confusion. The Gazillionaire jumped onto the stage dressed in an astronaut suit and helmet. As he rambled on about owing too much money, it slowly came out that the tent was turned into a spaceship and headed far from Earth. Astronaut suits were being passed out at a rapid speed, as well as pieces of aluminum foil.

The Gazillionaire's logo on every spacesuit.

The Gazillionaire claimed that he was too cheap to buy a helmut for anyone but him — so we had to all make our own of foil. As my friends and I looked around, we were absolutely shocked. Everyone was actually putting ON the astronaut suits! When I say everyone, I mean everyone — from hipsters to surprised Midwestern geeks to grandmothers.

So we put ours on.

The intro to the party was clever: the Gazillionaire told his adoring crowd that the Martians hated DJs — so we should dance the night away. And the Martians hate fancy food like crab cakes, so we should eat up. And the Martians HATE champagne — so we were to always have a glass in our hand.

Suited up: local celebrity John Katsilometes.

 This was by far the most clever surprise party I’d ever been to. Does anyone else have any to share?

Absinthe Las Vegas celebrates 500 shows with… astronaut suits brought to you by The Jungle Princess.

Nevada's oldest casino lies between Vegas and the Hoover Dam.

The drive to the powerplant passes through gorgeous Southwest landscape.

The magnificent Hoover Dam, which provides hydroelectric power for Nevada, Arizona and California.

More than one million people visit the dam every year.

The exhibit at the dam includes many fascinating celestial maps and such; here, my sign, Pisces.

My besties visiting from NYC: Alicia and Lori.

 The Hoover Dam Visitor Center is open every day 9 am to 6 pm, with tours ending a few hours prior to closing. There are several options at various prices for tours of the dam and powerplant.

The Magnificent Hoover Dam brought to you by The Jungle Princess.

Dancing with the Stars' Brooke Burke signs her cover of Vegas magazine.

Hitting the red carpet with Vegas's publisher, Joe Vann, and Brooke.

I attended the party with Fox 5's Rachel Smith and Kidville Mayor Melissa Weiner.

Any other Dancing with the Stars fans out there? Who are you rooting for? I’m Team Roshon all the way!

Vegas magazine party with Brooke Burke brought to you by The Jungle Princess.

What are some of your favorites?

Coming to town and want to snap a panoramic shot of the Las Vegas Strip? I’d recommend going to Mix at Mandalay Bay, the southern most hotel, to try to take a vertical shot, or heading to the Stratosphere on the north side, home of my favorite ride, Big Shot, which starts its free fall adventure at more than 1000 feet. After you grab that perfect Strip photograph, you can even now jump off the Stratosphere from the 108th floor!

Me? I cheated. My Vegas magazine office, where I serve as editor-in-chief, has a beautiful Las Vegas Strip view. Thanks to our flat desert landscape, I have a clear shot, even though it’s about 20-30 minutes away in a car.

Here’s a full shot, from my office in suburban Henderson, NV:

As you can see, living in the Vegas suburbs offers the best of both worlds: a “normal” lifestyle that’s within eyesight of the parties, A-list events and more that pack the exciting Las Vegas Strip!

How well do you know the Las Vegas Strip? brought to you by The Jungle Princess.

©iStockphoto.com/giovanniortiz

Do you ever look back at something you did and think, “yeah, that wasn’t the best idea”? I’m having one of those moments. I mean, being a biker chick for the day while riding a motorcycle through the desert seemed like a good idea at the time… Now? I’m adding it to the “glad I did it once but never again” file. It all started when a friend of mine on a recent Saturday night asked me to go the very next afternoon. We had had a bit of a cold spell, and we were suddenly thrown a gorgeous, sunny weekend. “Sure!” I committed before really thinking about it.

I have a love/hate relationship with daredevil activities: I was recently the only person to chicken out on a pole-climbing challenge and barely made it down the bunny slope while skiing in Vegas. But I loved sky-diving and zip-lining, so you really never know with me. I am also up for anything, such as hypnotherapy, mini round the world backpacking or shaman readings.

One thing I am such a sucker for: fun, impulsive activities that require zero planning on my part.

I was sold.

The next morning, I put on jeans for the first time since about Christmas, a pair of ballet flats, a top, and my toughest jacket. When Ron picked me up, he was not impressed.

“Where’s your leather jacket?”

Um, you’re lucky I own jeans. He was also puzzled by my footwear. But since I don’t have any sneakers, we soon took off. I was somehow reassured by his pink, flowery helmut that his young niece usually wears. Well, if SHE can do this…

About 20 minutes later, while tearing down the freeway at 80 miles an hour and seeing how dangerously close my thin shoes and bare skin on the top of my foot were to roaring pavement, I learned why bikers are always covered head-to-toe in leather. My wardrobe is definitely not biker chick-worthy.

We ended up very soon after getting off the highway for a leisurely ride on backroads I never knew existed.

©iStockphoto.com/Pgiam

It turned out to be an interesting subculture to Vegas.

First, the scenery was gorgeous. I didn’t take a single photo, because my camera was in my purse in some holder I was sitting on — and I was holding on for dear life. But these backroads wind through the desert with unobstructed sweeping views of the mountains and desert. Motorcycle clubs really are a fascinating way to see the country!

Only bikers were on these roads, and they always wave. Not the military-type salute I see police bikers do… Instead, they put out their left hand really low in acknowledgement.

We made several stops along the way, including Primm. I get stuck in so much traffic driving on the highway from Primm to Vegas, that I was shocked at how fast we arrived there on the backroads.

I also saw the dirt bikers. Although I’ve long heard that that’s a big hobby here in town, I never thought about where they do it. Well, I saw! There was a huge area filled with cars parked randomly all over the desert. Apparently, the dirt bikers drive out there with their bikes and spend the afternoon riding.

©iStockphoto.com/ericfoltz

Our last stop was the biker bar Pioneer Saloon in Goodsprings, Nevada.

Did I mention that my coat had a ruffle on it?

Luckily, a triathalon of some sort had stopped there for some sort of post-race lunch. It was an interesting mix of people!

There was also a rough old lady wearing a chicken suit kicking up her heels to the live music. I ordered a beer, served in a mason jar, and took it all in.

©iStockphoto.com/lisafx

The saloon was built in 1913 and has a room dedicated to old press clippings and history. It was built during the mining boom that earned Nevada the nickname of the Silver State and is made of tin — one of the last metal buildings in the country that’s still standing.

Included in the Pioneer’s history: much dedication to Hollywood legends Carole Lombard and Clark Gable. In a devastating twist of history, Carole died in a plane crash in the desert nearby. Her husband, Clark, came rushing to the Pioneer, where he waited for news for three days before returning to LA alone and brokenhearted.

I can’t wait to return to the Pioneer! (Maybe next year for its 100th anniversary — who’s with me?) Although next time I’ll have my camera ready… and arrive in a car.

If you go:

Goodsprings is about 30 miles southwest of Las Vegas. Take 1-15 South, and make a right on Exit 12. It’s a few miles up the road.

(702) 874-9362

Biker Chick for a Day brought to you by The Jungle Princess.

March 19, 1999 (my 23rd birthday): “Happy traveling this summer!”

My mom gave me a travel journal for my birthday, and I used it to cover every single day of my trip, technically an RTW (round the world)-type, long-term adventure, although we had never heard that term. Man I wish I still kept a journal. I did for many, many years — it was my month in Borneo two years ago when I looked at my empty notebook on the way home and knew I was a lost cause. Luckily, I soon started a blog!

May 22, 1999, Melissa and I went looking for some friends we were supposed to meet up with. We had no iPhones, iPads, nothing. Just a hotmail account we could check in Internet cafes. I later wrote, “We got a little lost, but we figured they’d wait. Instead of a small group of blond American girls, we found hundreds of drunk Brits cheering around a huge fountain filled with naked soccer fans. Bad loss?”

As a dear friend whose birthday also happens to be today just told me: “Let the games begin.”

We spent a good chunk of time in Spain, where I studied abroad in college, and Portugal, and we went as far southeast as Greece and all the way up north to Stockholm. We flew by the seat of our pants, changing plans on a whim, following our hearts. We got lost, spent the night in places we thought were other places, jumped on boats that took us twice as long as needed to get someplace…

It was heaven!

As I wrote last week, I went to a shaman recently who was adamant about reconnecting with my younger, more carefree self, and I made a pact at the beginning of the year to make happiness a priority in 2012, to throw out all preconceived notions of what my life should be like. Through all the ups and down of my life, I always vow to be free to make my own choices. This year, I am doing what I love, in a city that I love, and traveling whenever I possibly can. I haven’t dwelled on anything, I have fun, I seek adventure.

I often hide from the attention that comes on my birthday, but this year, I am giving myself the love I deserve.

Happy birthday to me! And may I continue to have an exciting life filled with adventure…

Who’s with me?

Round the World? brought to you by The Jungle Princess.