Today our group joined up with tour operators Desert and Sea for a two-hour trek across the rocky ridge of the Baja, to the little fishing village of Puerto Lopez Mateos for a couple of hours of Gray whale watching in Magdalena Bay.

Once at Puerto Lopez Mateos, we boarded open-air longboats (pangas) and headed into the lagoon in search of whales. We were out about five minutes in Magdalena Bay when we spotted the plume of a whale's exhale. Our boatman (panguero) steered us directly to the spot and within minutes, we'd seen a mother and calf lifting and arcing along the surface.

For the next hour and a half we watched the mothers and calves, many times they surfaced directly in front or beside our little boat, rising up to look us in the eyes, curious about the thing floating above it. One of the most beautiful sights of all was amother and calf lifting side-by-side, blowing a jet of water, then arcing back into the water like a synchronized swim duet.

The Sea of Cortez is dotted with islands from Los Cabos to Loreto. The islands form one of Mexico's largest national parks. We took a skiff right from the Inn at Loredo's shore, past the town of Loreto and the big Holland America cruise ship in port there, and around Isla Coronado. It's not uncommon to see several species of dolphin on the crossing and even the blue whales that frequent the Sea of Cortez.

We didn't see any dolphins, but we saw dozens of sea lions sunning on the rocks and frolicking in the water. The islands in the Sea of Cortez are renown to scuba divers and snorkeling enthusiasts for the ample and diverse sea life below the surface. The water was so clear, leaning over the boat we could see hundreds of colorful fish.

Putting ashore on a white sandy beach, we did some beachcombing. As a protected eco-system, visitors are forbidden to take away shells or specimens from the Bahia de Loreto islands. I snapped about a hundred pictures that I'll put up in a gallery somewhere for online viewing when I get home. Looking out across the clear, white beach and turquoise waters it was hard to believe I was not in the Caribbean, but only an hour's flight from Los Angeles.

Dinner that evening found us at the Oasis Hotel in the old town of Loreto. Set right on the beach, the hotel has been a favorite spot for divers and sportfishermen who have come to Loreto for years. With clams so plentiful in the bay, a traditional clambake right on the beach set the mood for a great evening under the stars.

The Inn at Loreto Bay is about 20 minutes from the airport at Loreto and about a half-hour from town. Staff met us in the lobby with margaritas that could strip the spines from an iguana.

Spread across the arc of Loreto Bay, each room at the Inn has a view of the bay. Rooms are average in size, with typical amenities. Most impressive to me is the Inn's dedication to sustainability. This is the first resort I've ever visited that had a recycle bin in the room. Instead of the little plastic shampoos and lotions in the bath, the Inn has large, attractive pump-style options of its salon brands.

Dinner was served on a patio facing the beach, the table lovely with white linens and crystal stemware. Cerviche made from sea bass with chunks of avocado and chopped cilantro and white fish served with risotto. The wind picked up off the Sea of Cortez and even the men in our group got chilled. We moved inside the Inn's dining room for dessert of creme brulee, coffee and a snifter of damiana, an liqueur made here in Loreto from herbs found Baja.

Rather funny that Alaska Airlines is flying me down to Loreto, a direct flight from LAX. Loreto sits on the eastern edge of the Baja peninsula, about half-way in between the US border and Los Cabos. Loreto is seeing plenty of development these days, with accommodation choices from the Inn at Lareto to the new JW Marriott. I'll be looking for green practices and cultural sustainability in these resorts.

Jacques Costeau once called the Sea of Cortez "the ocean's aquarium" because of its diverse marine life. My itinerary includes whale and shark watching--the whale shark is quite populous in the Sea of Cortez. I'll be snorkeling out near Isla Coronado, where I'm told encounters with the gentle whale shark are not uncommon.

That's all for now. Time to load up the big red suitcase and hit the road to LAX.

Dinner time came here on the West Coast a few hours later and off we went to Circa 59, one of the poshest new dining spots in Palm Springs. The restaurant is tucked inside the legendary Riviera Hotel and Spa where BassMan and I are taking a post-holidays decompression getaway.

With my tongue teased by Kristy's tweets, I was craving something unusual when we walked in. A quick perusal of the menu showed several imaginative concoctions and with seafood, beef, chicken and vegetables. When I saw the Snapper with Shrimp and Chorizo Ragout, I knew I needed to try this.

BassMan and I began with lobster bisque, smooth and sweetened with brandy, then moved on to the Asian pear and arugula salad tossed with a Dijon champagne vinaigrette and topped with gorgonzola cheese and candied walnuts.

Who would think to combine a chorizo ragout over grilled snapper and sautéed shrimp? Circa 59's executive chef Adam Votaw did. And it was amazing. The large chunks of Spanish chorizo played well with the ragout's sweet tomato base. It covered a good size fillet of grilled snapper and two huge, succulent shrimp. Set to the side was a risotto of steel cut oats both chewy and creamy.

BassMan ordered Kobe steak, grilled to medium with a brandy peppercorn sauce, and truffle fries on the side. I'm not a big beef eater, but if I were, this is the kind of steak I would crave. Tender, juicy and expertly grilled perfectly as ordered, BassMan savored every single bite. The truffle fries were coated with a truffle crust that gave them a savory crunch.

Neither one of us had room for coffee or dessert. We came straight back to our room so that I could post this while the taste was still fresh in my mouth. And now I'll twitter back to Kristy how her mouth watering tweets influenced tonight's dinner.

You'll find other Mexico cities on sale from different US gateways. Tickets must be purchased TODAY, for outbound travel by February 26 and return by March 2. Purcase your tickets here.

If you miss today's purchase deadline, you've still got great discount options. Los Cabos Visitors and Convention Bureau is running "Fly Me to the Sun," a program thoughout 2009 that offers the equivalent of one roundtrip airfare when you stay at participating hotels in Los Cabos. Check out this site for details on your $400 hotel credit through this program.

I've been wanting an extended whale watching expedition to the birthing/mating lagoons on the Baja coast north of Cabo. Sounds like a great opportunity for to visit Cabo and then go play with the Pacific gray whales in Laguna San Ignacio before they leave in March for their 3,000 mile migration back to Alaska.

Travel forecasters are optimistic that with the drop in oil prices, airline fuel surcharges will fall and road trippers will take to the highways again. Travel is something our culture craves and is not likely to give up. Americans love to go places, even if it's a staycation, where they stay in their own home while visiting the cultural and entertainment venues of their community, or taking advantage of the stronger dollar in Europe.

I have a calendar of trips planned for 2009, beginning next week with a stay at the newly renovated Riviera Hotel and Spa in Palm Springs; followed by a couple of days at Encore, Wynn Las Vegas' exclusive new hotel, and the brand new Pelican Hill Resort at Newport Coast. I'm hoping to do some skiing at the Lake Tahoe resorts and also get to know Reno.

What are your travel plans for 2009?

"All it takes is one good storm for a white Christmas," said Andy Chapman, tourism director of the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association. "And we got it and then some. From our ski slopes to beaches, everywhere you look is covered in new snow."

The lifts are up and running at North Lake Tahoe ski resorts. Boreal Mountain Resort and Northstar-at-Tahoe are open top to bottom. Also open are Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe and Sugar Bowl. Squaw Valley USA is open with 22 inches of fresh snow. Tahoe Cross Country Ski Area in Tahoe City and Tahoe Donner Cross Country will open tomorrow, December 16.

Tahoe Donner Downhill and Diamond Peak in Incline Village will open Thursday, December 18. Alpine Meadows plans to re-open Friday, December 19.

Tim goes to the farmer's market every Saturday to buy fresh, local produce and to see what the area farmers are producing. We followed Tim around as he bought bunches of fresh fennel still on the stems, three colors of beets with the leafy tops, sweet potatoes, asian persimmons, swiss chard, autumn royal grapes, portobello mushrooms and bags of other ordinary stuff.

I bought a bunch of purple carrots, a bundle of beets and some delicious greek olives. When Chef Tim was finished shopping, he headed back to the Side Car Restaurant to cook lunch for us with all of the ingredients he'd purchased. We strolled down Main St. and browsed through many of the stores and boutiques that make Ventura's downtown so charming.

Just after noon we headed to the Side Car for lunch. The Side Car isn't ordinarily open for lunch, but Chef Tim invited us for a special "Farm to Table" lunch to show us what can be done with the local grown ingredients he'd purchased just that day.

The Side Car restaurant sits on the road that had once been Highway 1 before the 101 cut through the city. Just as the name implies, the Side Car is a an old train car, built in 1910 and through the 30 years of its rail service was used as a dining car and the animal car for a circus. It was retired in 1933 and brought to its present setting here in Ventura. It began its Ventura run as a reknown restaurant called The Side Car and was a favorite stop for celebrities driving Highway 1 between L.A. and San Francisco. In later years it declined, was sold and saw a dozen other businesses claim its distinctive place.

Chef Tim met us at the Side Car, showed us around the grand dining room, then seated us for our Farm Lunch. He began bringing out dish after dish served family style for each of us to serve ourselves. The imagination this man has for food and combinations is as fresh as the Side Car is vintage. He brought out sweet potato soup made with coconut milk; salads made with fuji apples and shaved fennel (not just dusted with the lacy green tops); persimmon and grape salad with goat's cheese crumbles, portobello mushrooms polkadotted with goat's cheese, and roasted beets.

You can be sure I'll be back to the Side Car next time I'm here in Ventura.

See more Ventura photos in my Facebook album here.

We're staying at the Marriott, right off the 101 and only a couple of blocks from the beach or the harbor. Just down the road is the Crowne Plaza situated right on the beach. If I were here for a beach excursion, I'd rather be there, but the Marriott is convenient and comfortable and affordable.

We began our evening out at Weaver Wines, a wine bar and wine gift shop in the lovely old downtown area. Weaver Wines is one of those amazing places with small-town ambience, but big city style. You can sit and sip a good glass of wine, enjoy one of the daily wine flights, or tee-total over a glass of mineral water.

The wine and gift shop carries distinctive gifts all year around. This time of year the store is bedecked with all-things holiday. I never knew Santa was so into wine, but he's all over the place here. Now I wonder if the reason why I never got what I wanted for Christmas as a child was because I left out milk and cookies instead of wine and cheese.

After a five-wine flight including three whites and two reds, we walked around the block to the Watermark restaurant, one of Ventura's newest and hippest places to dine and drink. Watermark is located in a historic building built in the early 1900s for the electric company. Through the years it's been a bank, a jewelry store, an antique store and several other blurred businesses.

Looks to me like Watermark is here to say. Owners Mark and Kathy Hartley and Jim Rice spent several years restoring the old building to its early grandeur, including the murals of Ventura valley life painted in the 1920s. The ceiling of the ground floor is spectacular, with carved and handpainted wooden beams. The restaurant is on the ground floor and serves California cuisine with high style.

Upstairs you'll find W2O a hip and trendy bar reflecting the beachside community. The ceiling of W2O retracts to allow sunshine and fresh air to circulate. Across the building tops of the city you can see the ocean sparkling in the distance.

Tomorrow we're going downtown to the Saturday farmer's market, do some browsing through some of the boutiques, lunch, chocolate tasting at Trufflehounds, more wine tasting and then dinner at Brooks restaurant.

See more Ventura photos in my Facebook album here.

For every $50 or 7,500 mile contributuion, United will arrange for a huggable, limited-edition 18-inch Gund® teddy bear to be delivered to children in select hospitals across the country. Contribute $250 or more and a second teddy bear will be sent to your home.

To contribute, click here.

Frequency will be:
Monday, Friday and

• Sundays


• Departure from Oaxaca at 6.55 PM arriving to Los Angeles, CA at 9.30 PM.


• Departure from Los Angeles

I flew to Puerto Vallarta on Mexicana in October and was delighted with their service. They offer roomy cabins, complimentary cocktails, beer and wine, plus a meal. In these days of declining airline service, it's a treat to get a snack on a flight, let alone comp cocktails and food.

I'm working on a piece about traveling with pets, so this wasn't a complete goof off. It was research. Since we had only a small window of time before BassMan had his crime-time shift in the skies over the IE, we decided to hit the dog beach in Huntington. Grabbed our beach gear, our dogs and hopped into the car.

Here's what you need for a day on the beach with the dogs:

• Water. A big water bowl and plenty of fresh water to replace the water that gets all sandy from their sandy tongues.


• Snacks. Some for the dogs, some for yourself. There is no snack bar here and no fast food within easy reach.


• Toys. Not every dog loves toys, but if you have a ball-chaser, this is the place for toys.


• Towels. Not just for you, but for the dogs. They will get sandy and possibly, no, probably wet.


• Plastic bags. No sooner had we parked our chairs on a clean stretch of sand when Buck, our beagador, did his duty. Always in competition, Tank, our JR terrier, followed suit.

Huntington's dog beach provides clean-up bags, but they are up the bluff and not convenient for a quick clean-up. If you go here, be sure to take your clean-up bags down with you to the beach. You won't find trash receptacles on the beach, either. Take a larger trash bag down with you to collect your doggie bags.

The fun begins at the dog beach when the leashes come off. Dogs are mostly like children in how every other dog is their friend. It's amazing how dogs on a leash are territorial, but once you remove the leash in a neutral place, they back down and play like puppies.

We let Tank and Buck sniff around and make some friends with nearby dogs before we brought out the Frisbee. Tank is obsessed with the Frisbee. Once it appears, he is so fixed on that plastic disc, he doesn't want to do anything else. Buck isn't obsessed on Frisbee, he's obsessed with Tank. It usually goes like this: BassMan throws the Frisbee, Buck head it off as the faster of the two, but Tank always returns with it. Buck hasn't a chance with the Frisbee.

Tennis balls are another matter. Buck is faster and he gets the ball about 75 percent of the time. He doesn't bring it back, either. He plays keep away and we have to wait until he loses interest and then grab it.

So the ball or Frisbee inevitably goes into the surf. It took a few tender tries before Tank and Buck decided the water was okay. BassMan threw out the balls and the boys threw themselves into the water without hesitation.

The Huntington Dog Beach is located on the stretch of coastline in between Golden West and Warner. This is also a popular surfing area, so parking can be a premium on a good day. Bring plenty of quarters to feed the parking meters. You'll get one hour for six quarters ($1.50 per hour).

Here's a listing of dog beaches throughout the USA.

Do you have any favorite off-leashes places to take your dogs? Tell us about them here.

The residential options are spread across the resort in bungalows, bungalow suites and private villas. Each one-story Bungalow or Bungalow Suite features a limestone fireplace, private ocean-view terrace, hand-hewn wood beam ceiling, marble bath and adjacent parking. They are a spacious 847 to 1,694 sq. ft. The villas are 2, 3 or 4 bedrooms up to 3,073 sq. ft. and are set in a private, gated enclave with butler service and all of the amenities one expects of the world's finest luxury hotels.

Privacy and exclusivity are by words of this property, so don't be surprised when you begin hearing about celebrity sightings and posh weddings.

For opening specials and to see their beautiful online brochure, visit here.

Bellagio's spectacular Conservatory and Botanical Gardens have been transformed into a magical holiday tableau for guests to enjoy beginning December 7 and running through January 3, 2009.

The centerpiece of the exhibit will be a stately 32-foot Shasta Fir ablaze in an intricate 'tiara' of twinkling lights. The tree will feature more than 12,000 state-of-the-art LED lights, sparkling chrome accents and delicate jewels. Giant holiday ornaments will encircle the tree and appear to float in mid-air.

Bellagio's Conservatory and Botanical Gardens will wow you all year long. When the winter holidays theme concludes, the stylists will be ready to welcome the Year of the Ox in its Chinese New Year theme from January 11-February 28, 2009.