Tag: travel

Travels to Sutter Creek, CA

Posted on July 8, 2012 by

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lucky for me, amidst the craziness of planning for my trip to Indonesia, last week my husband and I were able to cash in a Christmas present gift certificate to Hanford House in Sutter Creek, California.  Two nights at a bed and breakfast was certainly a great way to slow it down and take some time to relax!

Many northern Californians travel to Sutter Creek and nearby Jackson to visit the wineries located in Amador County.  We decided to take advantage of the 4th of July holiday to escape to the foothills for some  quiet time.  Hanford House is an upscale bed and breakfast located near Main Street and offers beautiful guest rooms in the main building as well as adjacent larger cottages.  They even have pet-friendly rooms!
Upon arrival we were pleasantly surprised to walk through the comfortable living room to the parlor, which boasts handwritten notes from visitors dating back to the 1980s.  Lovely antique pine tables and chairs seat guests for the gourmet breakfasts.


Fortunately for us, the ‘Blue Room’ was located just adjacent to the parlor. We were pleasantly surprised to enter the serene guest room, complete with charming blue and yellow toile bedding.  Although the room was equipped with a flat screen TV and DVD player hiding in a pine armoire, we sunk into the queen sized bed and slept peacefully.

 

We knew to expect breakfast, but the care and presentation of both courses – three, if you count the warm blueberry-lemon scones delivered outside our door at 7:30 a.m.  To start, we were served fresh fruit with a vanilla Greek yogurt drizzle and chicken-smoked mozzarella sausages sliced into thin medallions.
And as if that wasn’t enough, next came decadent French toast with a vanilla cream….we were delirious with happiness!
Taking advantage of the guest bicycles and took off on an early July 4th morning to explore the town and surrounding areas.

Finding most of the shops closed this early in the morning, we detoured off Main Street to explore the surrounding hills.  I loved that we could go from ‘city’ to ‘country’ in a few short blocks!

 

 

Heading back to town, we caught a few of  bits of Americana along the way!
One of my favorite stops was the Fine Eye Gallery – just look at the amazing collections of beautiful artisan glassware and pottery!

We made it home in time to select some movies from their large, up-to-date selection, and settled down for another fine treat – cheese, fruit, crackers and glasses of lovely local wine.

The next morning didn’t disappoint – the scones were lemon, and the pancakes an amazing banana-blueberry, served with warm maple syrup and fruit.

 

I think the best part of our trip to Sutter Creek was really just spending relaxing instead of feeling like we were traveling.  The Hanford House owners couldn’t have made us feel more at home!
 
I highly recommend looking just outside your hometown for a hidden treasure like Sutter Creek!

 


North Coast on Dwellable

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

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Travels With Mamawolfe – The Anxiety Continues

Posted on July 3, 2012 by

ACK!  Two weeks from today I will begin my Indonesia adventure to Jakarta and Tangerang as part of a US Department of Education grant to study global learning.  And yes, I’m a touch nervous.

Not sure exactly where Indonesia is?  It’s a country made up of over 17,000 islands between Australia and Thailand.  Over 238 million people inhabit Indonesia and speak over 700 different languages, making it the fourth most populous country in the world!  87% of Indonesians identify themselves as Muslim, which will make my trip during Ramadan that much more unique.

Despite my absolute excitement about traveling to another new country, I can’t help but have a bit of anxiety about the trip…, knowing I’ll be so far away from home.

If you like to travel, or just want to live vicariously through my adventures, I hope that you’ll venture over to my travel blog, travels with mamawolfe, and follow me as I set out for Jakarta on July 17.

I could really use your company!  And remember – it’s a lot less expensive to travel with mamawolfe!

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

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The Anxiety Continues

Posted on July 3, 2012 by

I’m anxious.  It just keeps building up in anticipation of a trip which, in exactly two weeks from today, will take me halfway around the world to Jakarta, Indonesia.

Normally I’m a planner – I know where I’m going, how I’ll get there, who I will visit, where I will eat, what tourist sites I’ll see, and where I will sleep.

This trip is vastly different, mainly because I’m not in control of much of the itinerary.

Last spring when I applied for a grant from the US Department of Education to study global learning, I had no idea what would unfold in my life.  Traveling has been on my ‘bucket list’, and trying to manage exotic locales on a teacher’s salary takes some serious doing.

To my great surprise, I was one of 63 teachers selected through this national competition.  The criteria were described as being a secondary teacher of a core content area and having five or more years of experience.  I figured living in a university town with a great international faculty and student base couldn’t hurt, as well as the international travel already completed in previous years.  I guess I was right – I was selected.

After completing a rigorous online course designed to help globalize learning, I attended a symposium in Washington D.C. where I was introduced to my 10 Indonesian travel companions, as well as a visiting Indonesian teacher.  Our eyeballs grew large as we realized just what an amazing experience we were destined for – not only would we be traveling to a largely Muslim country, but we would be arriving during Ramadan.

Jakarta at dusk

Since then, I’ve tried to learn about the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Tangerang.  I’ve practiced infusing global citizenship, social justice and 21st century learning skills into my 8th and 9th grade class curriculums.  I’ve received plane tickets, had some emails with the Indonesian teacher I’ll be working with, and gotten to know my travel partner, Amy.

What I haven’t been able to do is quell this anxiousness that keeps welling up.  It’s not the typical travel questions that have me worried – I know I’ll find interesting things to eat (but not between sun up and sun down!), the water will not make me sick (I hope) and I can survive the high temperatures and humidity.  I’m planning how to sleep on the 14.5 hour flight to Hong Kong.  I’ve ordered my electrical converter, gotten an international calling plan and even purchased a few clothes that are modest enough to not draw too much attention to myself.

I guess what really makes me shake is the unknown.  The idea of going to a country where ideas and norms are so vastly different from what I’m used to.  The thought of being so very far away from the people I love the most.

Yes, I’m anxious.  I’m counting down the days.  And yes, I’ll keep you posted.

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

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Guest Blogger: Summertime Educational Field Trips

Posted on June 26, 2012 by

Are your kids starting to get bored with summer already?  Are you wondering how to spend your vacation in a meaningful way?  I hope you enjoy today’s guest post, and find something to do that makes your summer special!

Some people take vacations to get away from the stress of their everyday lives. Others like to take trips that will teach them something. If you have children, taking educational vacations is a great way to keep your child learning, especially during summer vacation.

You can find educational vacations in every part of the world. The following are just a few suggestions.

1. Historical Sites
Places such as Washington DC, Philadelphia and St. Augustine all have historical landmarks that you can visit to learn more about history. Most of these locations have buildings that are still around, and some even have tours that you can take to learn more information. These types of vacations are a great way to keep your family educated, and it’s a great place to learn about the history of our country, and even the history of some other countries. You can opt to visit famous historical landmarks, or you can opt to visit those lesser known ones, depending on where you’re traveling.

2. National Parks
Taking trips to national parks is another great educational vacation. The Grand Canyon, the Rocky Mountains and even Death Valley are all national parks that offer an array of education and enjoyment. You can hike, take tours, take pictures and even camp out at most national parks. If you’re lucky, you’ll even get to see plants and animals in their natural habitats, which is an experience unlike any other.

3. Zoos
Though it may not seem like a vacation, taking trips to the zoo is another educational trip. Zoos offer a great deal of information about the animals, from their evolution to basic habits to habitats and much more. Plus, taking a trip to the zoo is far less expensive than taking a trip out of state, so you can provide a great deal of education to your children without spending a great deal of money. Most zoos will have information around the zoo that you can use to learn, or you may want to pick up an educational brochure or indulge in a guided tour of the zoo to learn as much as you can.

4. Large Cities
If you live near a large city, you may be able to find some education there too. Most large cities have historical buildings or have experienced historical events, and these are great to see, tour and simply learn about. Some just have great stories and great sights to see.

The best way to gain some education from a large city is to take a tour. Some tours are by bus while others, such as Chicago, even offer boat tours. If you visit a large city in your state, you may be surprised at the events that took place in your town throughout the years, and it will captivate you to learn how old certain buildings are.

If you’re interested in taking an educational trip, you have plenty of historical and national landmarks that you can visit, or you can simply take a trip to your local zoo or large city to experience a new wealth of knowledge.

Ben Myers is a college English professor.  He is currently grading a huge stack of essays on Of Mice and Men.  In his spare time, Ben likes to study about learning methods and learning disabilities.

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

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Take a Trip To My New Blog: travels with mamawolfe

Posted on April 15, 2012 by

“A man of ordinary talent will always be ordinary, whether he travels or not; but a man of superior talent will go to pieces if he remains forever in the same place.” 

— Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Oh, I hate to be ordinary.

In three months I will be taking off on a new adventure to the other side of the world…Indonesia. This has been in the works for over a year, ever since I applied for and received a government fellowship to study global education.

Just a few days ago I received my foreboding travel itinerary, which requires nearly 48 hours of travel time to make over 8,800 miles from California to Jakarta. The thought of a 14+ plane flight kinda freaks me out, actually.

And the thought of leaving my children for two entire weeks…terrifying.

As the countdown begins, I’ve embarked on a new blogging adventure, travels with mamawolfe. I’m not entirely sure what the future holds for mamawolfe, but I know that there will be plenty of stories to tell and images to share as I take flight.

Come travel with me! I promise to share it all with you!

http://mamawolfe-travel.blogspot.com/

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

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