The L.A. Travel Mom Has Moved

I've gone legit and gotten my own domain. Please visit me at www.janeenchristoff.com for frequent updates and all you need to know about family travel from Los Angeles.

Blue Ribbon in Vegas

We loved our meal at Blue Ribbon Sushi at the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas. For some in our group it was a true dining adventure -- our friends from Texas and Denver had definitely never had eel or jellyfish before!
The restaurant was very accommodating to our group of 8, especially when there was a mix up with the number of people in our reservation. The sushi selection was great, especially the rolls and the wings with honey and wasabi marinade were delicious. Our waiter topped off the evening with a surprise sake bomb for my brother in law's 40th. It was a true celebration at that point. Had the Cosmopolitan not been so crowded, we could have stayed there all night!




Sake bomb!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Hiking in Pacific Rim National Park

Hiking in Pacific Rim National Park: Here is more from our B.C. trip in 2010. This article slipped through the cracks, but here it is!

Long Beach

From the rainforest to the ocean, clients can explore the interpretive trails of Pacific Rim National Park nestled along the southwest coast of Vancouver Island and backed by the Vancouver Island Mountain Range. With a rugged coastline and a temperate rainforest, the park is spread over 197 square miles on a thin strip of coastline near Tofino, B.C., and made up of three major areas: Long Beach, the Broken Group Islands, an archipelago of more than 100 islands accessible by boat, and the West Coast Trail.

Read more about our trip to Pacific Rim National Park.

Whale watching in Juneau

Ava and I had so much fun whale watching in Alaska. We saw so many whales. One of the highlights was when we spotted two whale tales at the same time -- mother and baby -- awesome!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Home Sweet Home

We have finally returned home after more than two weeks in Alaska and British Columbia. I think we all really miss being away since we are already looking for new things to do at home and no one wants to settle back into the old routine!

Favorite explorations include bear sightings.



Princess viewing.



Lots of playtime.



And new friends!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Rainbows in the Okanagen

Today, we had a gorgeous lunch at Victoria Road in Sunmerland and then we had a beautiful dinner in Penticton.



On the way home, we saw the prettiest rainbow to top off another great day in the Okanagen Valley!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Wine Tasting for Families

Wine tasting for families--really?
Today, we visited the Poplar Grove Winery where Gita makes fabulous cheese by hand. Coming here to taste the cheese is a great activity for adults and for children. We loved meeting Gita's almost 2 year old son and meeting their baby chicks. This may not be the way everyone will experience the wine and cheese, but the large yard where children can run free and throw a stick for the dog and the stunning vistas, as well as the delicious cheese (try the tiger blue) and wine makes a visit so worthwhile.
For other families driving through the valley, the Elephant Island winery is a must. Their fruit orchard produces unique varietals that are most certainly not just for dessert. They are delicious, varied and taste crisp and clean. I fell in love with their pink champagne. It's amazing!! We could barely get the children to leave as they sat relaxing with barbies while we relaxed with a final taste of the crab apple wine.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Fun in Gastown

Ava and spent a fun day in Vancouver living like locals in Gastown and Downtown. We ate at The Old Spaghetti Factory--a family favorite in Gastown. Then, we went to the Scotiabank Cinemas to see Kung Fu Panda 2. Ava missed some of the movie to take a nap, and I was surprised at how much I liked it!! I so love me some Vancouver.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Beauty in Tracy Arm

Ava had fun watching the scenery in Tracy Arm. Next time, I would make sure that nap


time was over before we arrived though!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Pizza in Skagway

My daughter and I just had great pizza in Skagway, Alaska! For an Italian, Mexican restaurant that also serves gyros, this place can't be beat! Head to the Northern Lights Pizzeria!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Main St,Skagway,United States

Pizza in Skagway

My daughter and I just had great pizza in Skagway, Alaska! For an Italian, Mexican restaurant that also serves gyros, this place can't be beat! Head to the Northern Lights Pizzeria!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Main St,Skagway,United States

Packing for Alaska

Well, the countdown to my mother-daughter cruise has reached one day. So, we are in full packing mode. I can't wait to board the Disney Wonder and head off to Alaska on Tuesday.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Ready for the Rapture

With all the work that I have to do in the office, I think that I would welcome the rapture as it would mean a great deal less for me to do next week, what with all the earthquakes. However, while I think it's really unlikely that the world as I know it will come to an end tomorrow morning, it is a great excuse to have an "end of the world" toast.

And, if you need some hints on what to watch to say adios to Los Angeles, here are some hints from Huffpost.

Rapture Movies on The Huffington Post

Family-Friendly Tours

Check out these tips for planning a family-friendly FIT tour

Traveling with family groups can be a great time and a stressful experience all at once. This is why many families opt to put their travel plans in the hands of an experienced tour operator. However, with so many options, what can travel agents do to recommend the best tour operator for their clients?

family getaways | Tips for tours

Hamilton Island, Australia

Hamilton Island Tourism Grows After Oprah Visit – TravelAge West

Follow the link to my story on a recent visit to Hamilton Island, Australia where you can cuddle a koala!

http://www.travelagewest.com/travel/South-Pacific/Info/Hamilton-Island-Tourism-Grows-After-Oprah-Visit/

Koala Cuddle

One of the best things to do in Australia!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Togethering the Show

This has been my pet project for more than 2 years. I really want to get it made. Please like us on Facebook (http://on.fb.me/dQuefd), follow us on Twitter (Twitter.com/TogetheringShow) or visit our site:

Togethering the Show

Wakey, wakey

I need tips on getting my 2 year old party animal to sleep 1) in her own bed and 2) at a normal hour. Anyone have any advice?




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

L.A. Times Travel & Adventure Show

This weekend, I attended the L.A. Times Travel & Adventure Show. Seemingly, the show was a success. I ran into some of my favorite travel agents, Marc Kassouf, Nathan DePetris and Jason Coleman, president of SoCalASTA. It was also fun to meet with Tourism Malaysia and learn about all the tourism opportunities there are in the country. I was surprised to learn that it is just now beginning to promote spa and wellness, which I think will be a really successful adventure. I also enjoyed meeting with Ecuador and South Africa and learning more about two tour operators that target a younger audience, Intrepid (http://www.intrepidtravel.com/) and Gap Adventures (http://www.gapadventures.com/). They even work with families -- making me think that, if I were a family with young children (oh, wait -- I am), I would really be interested in taking a trip with them!
Here are some photos of my trade show experience:

TravelBeyond shows off their new Ipad 2 (really cool) at the South Africa booth.

Really cool wine display at the Acura booth

Dancers at the Taiwan booth

Donating to Japan Relief

Mobile Blogging

I just got a mobile blogging app, which is something I have always wanted. I guess we will see if this makes it easier for me to blog more often!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Calvert St,San Fernando Valley,United States

Enjoying a Wine Night -- Without the Whine

A relaxing night.

After a long week full of meetings and long hours, I am finally sitting down to a night with some fancy cheese and a decent bottle of wine to relax. This is hard to do with an almost 2-year-old and an almost 4-year-old, so I've bribed them with a dinner of their choice (cheese sandwiches and a fruit cup) and a movie for my 1-year-old and an extra long V-Reader session for my 3-year-old. I'm praying the batteries don't run out. Now, when I have finished this blog post, I am ready for -- finally -- for some relaxation.

World Championship Skiing -- Winter in Bavaria

This winter I had the chance to check out the FIS World Championships in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

For more on all the action at the World Championships, see my article on TravelAgeWest.com.

Four Seasons in Colorado

My blog about the Four Seasons Resort Vail and the Four Seasons Hotel Denver is up on TravelAge West.

http://www.travelagewest.com/travel/north-america/Info/Two-New-Four-Seasons-Open-in-Colorado/