Monday, January 26, 2009

Packing

Hmm...overwhelming
(What you don't see in the picture are two small stacks of the clothes I brought with me to Dallas.)

Some people find packing for a trip the worst part of the experience. It can be, true. Especially if you waited until the last possible moment to do it. Once upon a time, I was the type of person who started packing about a week before the trip. And if it was a trip I was REALLY looking forward to, then I may open up a suitcase to start throwing in items about two weeks prior to take-off. Less pressure. You think of something you want to take; you walk by and toss it in the open suitcase; you don't worry about having to remember it...because it's in there already.

Alas, somewhere in the last six years or so, I became a person that packs at the last minute. Maybe a day or two before the trip. And now?? I pack the night before mostly!! LOL, funny how you change.

One thing that doesn't change is the sense of accomplishment I feel when I take the things in the above picture and get them neatly into my luggage so that I see something like the photo below. It feels good. You feel like you fooled the luggage. You know...as if the suitcase, yeah right, you're not getting ALL of that in ME!! And then you do and it's a good feeling. I love packing. I do not like unpacking. That's totally different.

All packed and ready to go

Monday, January 19, 2009

Irving, Texas

Homewood Suites (Hyatt Los Colinas)

Last week I finally took a trip for work up to Irving...it's been a while! We stayed at the Hyatt Homewood Suites Los Colinas since it was near the office. That place was really nice and offers singles, two- and three-bedroom suites. Very nice if you really get along with someone, want a roommate and don't mind sharing a living room. You still get your own room and bath so it's nice to have company to chill out with and unwind. I shared a suite with a coworker in FL last year and we had a great time. Made being away from home for work seem like a little mini-vacation.

We also ate at Cadillac Ranch which I understand is franchised. I loved it! The atmosphere was very nice; lots of professionals for dinner (many from our company I noticed). The food was great. I had the oven-baked fried chicken with potatoes and corn. Very nice so I highly recommend it. This restaurant is in a little mall across the street from the hotel. It was all very convenient for us.

Oven baked fried chicken