The Blonde Diaries

Ok so maybe he isn’t coming to Houston per se but he is coming with his best friends to Galveston, Texas for a little relaxation and fun. Today sources leaked the information that will be discussed in luncheon and presentation tomorrow morning here in Houston. Beginning in September 2012 the Disney Cruise Line will begin sailing the Disney Magic from the Galveston port! It was first reported on Local Station KHOU and their website.

This is fairly exciting news because Houston is a rather large city but our cruise choices have been limited to Royal Caribbean (not complaining here) and Carnival. Now with a third cruise line hanging out here we should see some price decreases and new sailing options. Plus maybe it will get the kids off of my beloved Royal Caribbean boat. Even if it doesn’t change who is sailing on which boat, it is exciting to have Disney characters and the Disney feeling so close to home. I’ve never even thought about sailing on the Disney Cruise Line because the cruise itself is fairly overpriced and I’d have to factor in excursions and airfare. Now with it just 45 minutes away it might be worth it to give it a try once. I’m interested in hearing the full announcement tomorrow to learn which ports the ship will be visiting. I’m sure it will be the usual Western Caribbean spots but I’m hoping for a different one or two – add in some variety.

One of the things I’ve been doing while laying on the couch with my puppies is DVRing tv shows and movies like a mad woman. I love old movies and since we have Turner Classic Movies, I am constantly recording old black and white movies and enjoying them when that mood hits. I’ve also been taping way too many shows on the Travel Channel. Normally that isn’t a bad thing but right now all I can think about is getting away and having some fun.

Unfortunately being unemployed puts a cramp in that plan but I am coming up with a huge list of places I want to go on vacation. San Juan, Puerto Rico looks fabulous, Europe is always lovely, and sometimes just a quiet beach getaway like the ones on the top beaches special is all you need. By watching the different shows I’ve learned that there are many beaches in the US that are just as fab as the ones in the Caribbean. Additionally, you can skip the hotels and look for vacation rentals like many travelers do when planning a vacation to the Outer Banks. I couldn’t believe how cheap the Outer Banks vacation rentals were compared to what some hotels charge when you stay at the beach. Quite often when doing the vacation rental you get more space and more amenities for the money than you will with a hotel so why be cramped on your vacation?

Fingers crossed one of my interviews will work out and I will have a job in a few weeks. Then I can start using my paychecks to save in my vacation account. A girl can dream right?

This week has been filled with headlines about the airline industry. First, Southwest announced that they were acquiring Air Tran, another low cost airline, then United and Continental announced that their merger was approved and final. As an accountant, I’ve learned that mergers and acquisitions are often the best way for companies to grow and bring value to their stockholders. But as a consumer, I have to say that I am slightly worried with all of the mergers and acquisitions going on in the airline industry. Air travel is already pretty expensive and now that there are less airlines to choose from the  travel deals we are all use to as consumers might dry up fairly quickly. It just isn’t about saving money either. It is about picking the best travel times and with less flights to choose from the harder it might be to pick the travel time that works best for your travel situation. I think I hate the idea of less choices – less flight times, less companies to choose from – more than I hate the idea of slightly higher ticket prices. It will be interesting to see what these mergers and acquisitions do in the long-term. Maybe it will lead to other budget airlines emerging and competing in the market like JetBlue and AirTran has emerged in the last couple of decades.

The cooler weather is bringing outdoor festivals back to Houston. I am super excited because it allows me to get out and immerse myself with cultural activities and enjoy the company of others. I have 2 festivals and a market that I am itching to go to this fall: Oktoberfest in the Woodlands, Greek Fest in Houston, and the Nutcracker Market. I’ve never been to the two festivals but I have been to others like the Polish Festival and the International Festival so I’m sure these will be just as good. The Nutcracker Market is always a fun market to go to and walk around. You can usually find cute Christmas gifts and house decorations at the Market. I don’t think I’ve ever walked out of there without carrying a few bags out with me.

If you are new to Houston or looking for the information on these festivals here are the respective websites, dates, and admission fees. Tickets are available for purchase at each site for the festivals.

September 24-26, 2010 -> The Woodlands Oktoberfest $10 admission fee for 10 and up, under 10 is free. The party runs Fri: 5-9pm | Sat: 12-9pm | Sun: 12-6pm

October 7-10, 2010  -> The Original Greek Festival $5 admission fee for 12 and up, under 12 is free or for $18 you can buy your admission and a dinner/pastry plate. The party begins Thursday (5-10pm) and continues Friday (11am-3pm and 5-10pm), Saturday (11am – 10pm), and concludes Sunday (12-7pm). The festival is at the Cathedral on Montrose and parking is free at Lamar High along with a shuttle.

November 11-14 -> The Nutcracker Market at Reliant Center. Tickets are available at Randalls for $11 (beginning October 18) or at the door for $12. Shopping times are as follows: 10 a.m – 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Get there early for the best selection.

It is finally starting to cool down here in Houston. How cool are we getting? Well, this week we are in the – wait for it – low 90s.  Oh yeah! It is something to start celebrating. While our friends to the north are enjoying highs in the 70s and experiencing the changing leaf colors, Houstonians are starting to notice a decrease in humidity and sweating while walking around outside. At the rate we are going, I probably won’t need to pull out my heated blanket until February!

But in all honesty, I would rather sweat it out and be hot than freezing cold. I know the saying is that you can always bundle up more if you are cold but you can only take so much off if you are hot, but… I just can’t take the coldness. And snow! I don’t even want to go there on how much I dislike the white fluffy stuff. It is just too foreign for me to enjoy it or even the thought of it. No thank you! I think I will just take my heat and humidity and lack of a fall/winter season and be happy. There aren’t too many places in the world where you can wear shorts on Christmas morning or when the summer sales on fashion is still “in season” lol. For those reasons and many more I am happy to be a southerner and will gladly accept the low 90s during the fall.