"Not all who wander are lost."

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Home

Well, I got home Wednesday around 1am and am finally able to blog. I missed finishing the trip with the belles, but I had a Sweet Sixteen party to throw for my first born. I am not a big movie buff, but I loved everything we did! Doug and I were the last ones to arrive in Salt Lake. We had a nice 4 hour layover in Dallas and arrived in Salt Lake in a blizzard! Well, compared to what we get in Georgia it was!! After we got our mac daddy black all wheel drive Suburban, we headed out to meet the rest of the gang. Thanks Shannon for getting our dinner! First stop was getting the guys their ski gear for the weekend of fun! The belles left them to their own, and we set out to get to the condo before the pass ticket place closed. We had a great one bedroom condo with 2 beds and one murphy bed and one couch. Thank you Angela! I hope your neck feels better.
The guys went night skiing and we went and got tickets for some of the movies. Saturday was so much fun! I have never skied and all the belles signed up for the Never Beginner Ski class! I love to learn new things and test my athletic abilities. I went thinking I would not like to ski, but ended up almost loving it!! I will definitely do it again!! We had so much fun and I was the only one to fall 3 times! So much for my athletic abilities! Sunday Doug and I went snow tubing, but at the wrong place! It was not one I recommend, but one we got laughs out of. While I was there, I noticed the air was so crisp! You could not help but love to walk and observe all the different scenes. What a wonderful trip and the next one we take I will be there until the end!

Belle"shopping"

So, a belle's gotta do what a belle's gotta do -- and that means SHOPPING!!! We are of course away from home and we just have to see what the local scene has to offer. What we found is Main Street in Park City is THE place to shop!

I think it is important on trips to not look for the chain stores that you love for home but rather to patron the local merchants. This is definitely the best way to get the local flavor and style. You know me however, and I am the "bargain" belle so before hitting Main St. I did a little research and planning of course :) Once again I used my favorite website on this trip: www.parkcityinfo.com because it offers a tab for shopping. I had a list in hand before we even set out!

Mary Jane's was my top pick!!! This is a totally chic boutique right in the middle of Main St. and all the action during Sundance but you would never know it! The prices are totally affordable and the look is unique and defined. The perfect place for a great accessory or two and it won't break the budget. I found an adorable hat ( a necessity for the weather) and a great pair of fashion sunglasses and my total was $36. WOW!!! They also have a great website and facebook page so check it out at www.maryjaneshoes.com -- You are gonna love it!

Ok, so the other big part of my plan was to go vintage! This is a favorite past time for all the belles and a great way to save money! Two great places again right on Main St. in Park City: Changing Hands (580 Main Street, Galleria Mall) was a great find and The Xchange (350 1/2 Main St.) was another fabulous treasure! Changing Hands owner Paula Etherington had an infectious personality and was great at welcoming us to Park City. Lise found the most amazing outfit -- purse, hat, and coat -- I on the other hand found a great vintage turquoise necklace that is going to be a lasting memento of the trip! At the Xchange, Angela got into the act with a great blue fur (not a typo :)) and I found a Coach purse and North Face jacket for my daughter all for under $60. The great thing about both of these stores was that they specialized in ski wear, accessories and trendy styles. They both were well organized and up to date styles only with great timeless accessories that you could afford! At the Xchange there were lots of vintage furs also -- a love of the belles if you haven't noticed. If you visit make sure and check these out!

You can't attend the Sundance Festival and not take home a great token. My advice is to buy early and not wait! On Main Street there is a Festival store (a few others at certain theatres also) -- merchandise is brought in for this week only and in limited quantities. We all went for shirts, hats, and pullovers! Everything is themed around the Festival theme this year of Rebel -- great look and pretty good prices but quality is great! Remember that purchasing festival merchandise is contributing to the a nonprofit -- making a contribution and no tax! If you want to look at any of the merchandise go to www.sundance.org and it will link you to the online store. Check out the pictures from our group as they are posted and you will spot many of the items!

So, to say we had fun shopping is an understatement! As always when shopping with friends we shared lots of good laughs and great memories. This day was one of my favorites and know it was for all the belles!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

SUNDANCE 2010 - Snowed Inn


Ok..... It has taken me a couple of days to get on here and give everyone the low down on our AWESOME experience at Snowed Inn, on the mountain at Park City Mountain Resort, but I finally have gotten enough sleep to string more than three words together in a cohesive way.

So, after our ski class (which was awesome but exhausting) we made our way to the pick up spot for the horse and sleigh that we took half way up the mountain (now they did have a big blanket to cover up with, but you still definitely want to dress for the cold, not necessarily fashion) to the overlook and then to the cabin where we would chow down.... our sleigh driver Kelly was hilarious! When we got there, there was a roaring fire and homemade cider waiting on us. They had a live guitarist, who played all of the Waylon & Willie we could come up with. I had the prime rib with mashed potatoes, sirloin chili and salad.... DELICIOUS! Then triple chocolate brownies with vanilla bean ice cream for dessert. After much karoke and fun, it was back down the mountain, where we placed our lives in Lise Marie's able hands, as she was allowed to drive the team of horses down the mountain (narrowly missing a post and flipping the whole 8 of us out on the snow).
It was a fab experience, a little pricey at $79 per person, but over all worth it!

www.snowedinnsleigh.com

All of my film critiques will be next.... so tune in!!!

Monday, January 25, 2010

The Belles Have Landed




Park City, Utah may never be the same again! THE BELLES HAVE ARRIVED!!! True some of us brought our husbands out for the weekend and some of us took different flights that worked with our schedules but as of today all belles are together! Did I mention we are having so much fun?

We have seen movies, skied, shopped, dined and celebrity watched! Wow and we still have four days to go!!!

I have found that organization has been key! True, I am the "go to" belle but I think everyone has appreciated the steps we took before we got here to put together a plan and organize this trip. Before I left I printed out all our reservations, confirmations, and trip planners. I also made sure that all numbers were handy as well as a master schedule for the Sundance Film Festival. I put everything together in an expandable file folder and made sure that I kept this with me on the plane. This made finding flights, car rental, hotel reservations and ticket confirmation easy and saved lots of time.

As for organizing our days it was a snap once we put everything onto our calendar and plugged in the events. It is important to not put too many things down for one day. You want to enjoy yourself and go at a relaxed pace. You don't want your vacation to seem like work. Because of this we made sure to plan lots for "free time" for all the belles.

When you have five "belles" with five different personalities it is important to try and make everyone happy! We made sure to plan some group activities such as skiing and a sleigh ride dinner but then we also planned some flexibility for alternate activities. Remember this year we chose a film festival that is hosted by an amazing city and we wanted to make sure that we allowed everyone time to get to know Park City.

Although, I tend to be the go to belle it has been Shannon who has kept us on track. She is a seasoned festival attender and really knows the bus system and the ins and outs of the movies. She has been wonderful and I think it is a good idea when planning a group event like this to make sure you either have someone who has visited or hire a guide for the experience. It makes everything easier!

Looking forward to the rest of the week there are about fifteen more movies that we will see and lots more fun adventures to be had. I personally can't wait! Knowing that we even planned time to sit and catch up has made all the early mornings and late nights worth while. Spending quality time with the belles has been so much fun and I can't wait for the rest of the week!

Monday, January 18, 2010


So...I am FINALLY putting my thoughts down for all to enjoy! I am new to the blogging thing but everyone who knows me knows that I LOVE to talk...so I truly feel that once I start blogging about my wonderful BELLE moments, I will have tons to say!

I can hardly believe that SUNDANCE 2010 is literally right around the corner. I am so excited to finally venture to that part of the country and see REAL snow! Being a true Southern Belle, we don't see alot of the powdery stuff around here...and so I know skiing will be amazing on slopes where it snows all the time!

I am looking forward to trying the slopes out...I may be on the bunny slopes the entire time but I cannot go all the way out there and not do it! I have to at least try and say that I did! I definitely think I will at least "look" like I know what I am doing and I must look fashionable on the slopes!

The hardest part for me right now is the packing! As the Belles know, I am NOT a light packer!

I really stink at the whole packing for an airplane trip! For our Vegas trip I brought TWO...yes TWO suitcases...both checked in...and had no idea you had to pay for your luggage now! Then I find out not only did I have to pay to fly it out there but I had to pay it AGAIN to get it back home! My problem in the packing is that I truly am an accessory and shoe person. So for this trip...and I am putting this in writing...I, Angela, promise to NOT bring dozens of necklaces, rings and earrings on this adventure! That's right folks...I said it and I mean it! I am also not bringing tons of shoes. Two...maybe three at the most...all boots of course. I am trying and I am ONLY checking in one bag. I can think of many other uses of my money than paying for a suitcase to fly!

Speaking of boots, I found a great deal on the snow boots I ordered. I have been looking online for weeks to find the right one I wanted. I seriously love the two pairs of Uggs I already own, so I thought I might look into some snow boot type Uggs. After checking on their website I find the pair I wanted...but really didn't want to spend that much money on them. After doing some research online I found a website...cozyboots.com...which sells Uggs. Low and behold they had THE pair I wanted...in the color I wanted and they had three sizes left...one of which was MY size! Even better, they were fifty dollars less..with free shipping and no sales tax. Uggs are very rarely discounted or put on sale so this just made my day! But beware....there are SO many websites that say they sell Uggs and they are actually selling fakes. Make sure you get them from a site that is an authorized dealer of the Australian boots! On Uggs official website I actually went to the page that listed all their online authorized dealers and cozyboots was one of them. I love finding a great shopping deal...and I never try to pay full price for anything. Always take advantage of free shipping too! It is awesome! I can't wait to be sporting them in Park City!

ACTION PLAN

So, as you can tell from my blogs I really like a plan of action! That is not to say that I can't go with the flow, but if I at least have ideas about what options are available I am happier. :)

That being said, I find that the Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Bureaus in most places are an invaluable resource. Park City is no exception. They have a site www.parkcityinfo.com that really gives great info out for the visitor! One of the things that I LOVE is that they have a "trip planner" so when you see something that interests you all you have to do is click "add to my trip" and it creates a planner for you. This is such a great tool -- since the site is broken down into entertainment, shopping, recreation, food, etc. you can compile everything that interest you in one place. Then all you have to do is email or print the planner. I do both! I like to have the paper schedule to show the girls and the email tool is great to open on my phone when I am out and about. Everything you need for the locations and points of interest is at my fingertips. I have a map, phone number, address, hours of operation, and website constantly at my service. Gone are the days of picking up hundreds of brochures and aimless wandering! YEAH!

My suggestion is to look up information on a destination as soon as you decide to travel. When we decided on Park City I did a general search for: "things to do," "free and Park City," and "travel specials." By doing this I was able to register for a free travel planner to be sent to me well in advance of my trip. I also was able to the travel book with the belles at our dinner recently! I like being able to look at events going on while I am going to be there such as art shows, sporting events, and festivals -- often these are free or at a very low price and I am able to really get a feel for the local lifestyle and not just tourist attractions. Finally, I also have deals emailed to me as they become available and this keeps me updated of any new values that are being offered. This really helps me with my budget planning!

Another great tool for when you are traveling is facebook. Yes, you heard me correctly...facebook! Why? Because most cities have a facebook page. I LOVE this!!! I am able to see what "real" people think of where I am visiting. Often advertisements are written by professionals that are paid to make you want to visit, shop or eat at a destination. I find that it is often much more helpful to hear from someone who has visited there recently. This is how you find the great "local" restaurant that has the best entertainment and "to die for" food. Each facebook page has fans and links and this helps me find a great locally owned bookstore, coffee house, or vintage clothing store. I am able to post a question and get a "real" answer. LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!!!

So, now that we are in the packing phase for the trip I am compiling everything! Since I like to travel light (last trip I only took a carryon and saved on the checked baggage fee :) I will organize my info into my note app on my phone and carry all coupons, vouchers, and passes in a small index card organizer or coupon organizer that fits perfectly into my purse or carryon. The organizer is great also for making sure you stay on budget because I either attach the money budgeted for each event or jot down the amount to help me stay on track if using a credit or debit card. I include a "treat myself" section with wish ideas and any extra money goes there -- almost like a game. On the last trip I "treated" myself to a massage with my extra money!

Happy packing .. 3 days till takeoff!

Saturday, January 16, 2010

SO, here's what I think is the best deal for the guys with the whole skiing thing..... We should book in advance and get the 20% off of gear for them and ourselves (guys fri-sunday) and us just sat.... skiis are only $9.80 for the beginner ones! Then the guys should get the 2 out of 7 day pass for Park City Resorts at the Salt Lake Valley location of Ski N' See.... ( we will have to map quest that ) and stop there on the way up from the airport. The price goes down from $170 to $118!!! (and that's for 2 day lift tickets, which is all they need anyways if they ski for free on Friday.) I am still looking for info on the ski classes we should all get in. I am planning on getting settled on Friday and picking up my pass and tickets and then walking around a bit.... no night skiing for me on Friday... too scary!
http://www.skinsee.com/tickets.html
belles at N9Ne, vegas '09

Yes, the count down is on track! I have been gathering all the essentials for my first ski trip! Ski jacket: check, ski boots: check, ski goggles: check, warm underwear! check, the belles: check and double check! And of course our husbands this round! I am not familiar with the layout of Park City and were we will be, but I know I will make sure that we all get plenty of exercise! There is the skiing and of course the walking everywhere. One of the goals when you travel is to enjoy different sites, food and weather. Just because you are traveling, does not mean you can't enjoy the food! I love food as much as I love to exercise. There are smart ways to do both. So, as we embark on our second trip together, I can not wait to share with all my family, friends and world the creative ways to enjoy food AND fitness!!

Friday, January 15, 2010

SUNDANCE 2007




Hey Y'all...Here's an old picture I found from Sundance 2007, in front of the Egyptian Theater. This is the year our Asbury Alumni Peter Hutchens, was one of the DP's (director of photography) for a AWARD WINNING documentary War Dance.... it later went on that year to be nominated for an ACADEMY AWARD! Peter is middle row last guy on left (no hat). I'm in the middle with the big rabbit scarf.

Here is Peter's IMDb link. : http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2386927/

COUNTDOWN WEEK

bells in vegas '09

OK, Y'all..... so dinner with everyone... including the hubbies was a success! It was great for everyone to get to meet each other before the trip. (we really wish you were coming Keith!) Now on to the really tricky stuff.... buying tickets and scheduling movies. For me this is THE REASON why I go. I would see 5 movies a day, if it worked out right. (time slots match up and allowing time between movies to catch the bus) As it turns out, we will probably see only 3-4 movies a day with the except on possibly Wed. We have 4 tickets already purchased, but the new Robert Duval movie Get Low is playing in the middle of the day, but, it is sold out and we will have to stand in line for that one, so ..... who knows! (hint: if going to Sundance, be prepared to stand in line at least 1.5 hours in advance to get a number .... just to see if you can get into a "sold out" show.)

See, the reason so many films are "sold out" is.... they are REALLY not sold out. They have to leave enough seats open for festival "pass holders", like myself, so there is enough seating if those people so chose to show up.... then 15 mins before the show starts they start selling off the remainig seats..... so bring cash money! ( I bought the Adrenaline Pass with lets me see ANY movie of my choice from 8-11AM and 11-midnight, it is for the crazy people! But it is the cheapest pass you can buy... $400)

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Start Packing Your Bags!!!



Tickets have been selected and purchased for our movies!!! Shannon and I spent the afternoon prebuying movie tickets for the trip. I definitely think this is a smart way to go unless you can afford to buy a pass :) Anyway, everyone sent in their choices and then we compiled the list and prioritized the movies. It does look like we will have to stand in line for most of the weekend movies but for Tuesday through Thursday the movie choices have been made and the tickets have been bought! Lots of pressure off of me as far as figuring out when to do what and where we will be going -- I'm a little neurotic about those things as the "belles" know! Also, buying tickets in advance really helps you keep to a budget. Much less money needed on the trip -- for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday my only need will be food and the occasional treat:)

So far the line up is as stands:
Friday -- Fly out of Atlanta and arrive in Salt Lake City
FREE skiing (use your ticket voucher) all afternoon
Dinner with friends :)
Late Night Movie

Saturday -- early morning movie
Shopping, ski lessons, sight seeing, exercising -- you pick ;)
Lunch on the run
Afternoon movie
More activity time
Dinner
Late Night Movie

Sunday -- early morning movie
mid morning movie
lunch
afternoon free time
dinner with whole group -- Sleigh ride to Snowed Inn
late night movie

Monday -- early morning movie
take hubbies back to airport
celebrate with cocktails and lunch -- Girls Week Away!!!
afternoon activity -- find the celebs :)
dinner
late night movie

Tuesday -- Thursday
Movie marathon (at least 4 movies a day!!!)
eat on the go
crash and start again :)

Friday -- one last early morning movie ..... then fly home~
Saturday -- pass out!!!
Sunday -- start planning next trip!!!

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Getting Ready

elyse & shannon @ beatles love '09

We had our meeting on Friday to go over the plans for the big Sundance trip! I can not wait to see and be seen! Walking or probably running to stay warm, to get places. A great way to burn those calories. I am looking forward to snow skiing for the first time in my life. I have a new ski jacket coming of course, as well as goggles so I will be styling. Bunny slopes here I COME!!!!!!!