Giles County/Blacksburg VA

Must stay at Marriott Courtyard.  Nice suites!!!!  On Main St.  Go to Social House for dinner yum.

Try not to check a bag.  Just bring to gate and they can check in short term and it will be waiting in jetway.  Otherwise, you will be waiting in Bag Claim forever.  Very pretty in Giles so bring your camera if you are a picture (country side) buff.

Fly into Roanoke and stay in Blacksburg.  It is a finicky airport as I've been fogged in before.  Today was rainy and bumpy but they landed no problem.  More tomorrow

Blacksburg VA (Giles County Plan)

Social House for dinner.  In historic home and owned by an Asian woman who wears hot pants!  She is very nice and I've always had great service.  Don't see that they take reservations.  Enjoy!

St. Louis August '15

Residence Inn by the Galleria is more like condos.  No elevators.  Ended up staying at Spring Hill Suites.  Small pool, not that great.  Nice people and ok breakfast.  Had dinner with the Nyradys.  No free internet at airport.  Fly Delta as SW not that many flights out and had to wait until 6:45.  Eat at Galleria.  Mostly chains but safe.  Not much redeeming about St. L.  Teachers in Hazelwood had decent attitudes.  Admin doing the retraining themselves.  Hmmmm

Alcoa TN

Easy to stay at Hilton Garden at airport and have them take me to Alcoa Elementary.  The hotel is pretty basic with old carpet but the buffet in the a.m. is decent.  Going to stay downtown Knoxville in August as I'll be there for 3 nights.  Always nice restaurants there.  Alcoa Elementary is so on board.  They are doing FUN K-3, JW and not sure about Wilson.  We're getting there.

St. Louis/Hazelwood, MO

Stay by the Galleria.  There were 4 of us there and we ate at Nordstroms one night and Maggianos the next.  Delicious both times.  The district is pretty challenging, but Mona is going back to save the day.  Not much pretty to see here.  Going to meet up with Barbara in August as I'll be here 2 more days to finish up the workshop.

Dyersburg TN

So the highlight was stopping in Memphis to have dinner at Grisante's with Ellen and Frank.  What great hosts and it was wonderful seeing them and the food was delicious.  Dyersburg is about an hour and a half north.
So Dyersburg is very lean on good places to eat.  I ate at a Japanese restaurant tonight and that may be my place as I'm here for 4 nights.  The Hampton Inn is very yuck.  My door was banged on or messed with a crow bar.  Carpet is old and smell hmmmm.  The teachers invited me to eat at Mom's restaurant for lunch.  It was a buffet of fried chicken, corn, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn bread etc.  Ya.

New Orleans

Here for one night July 2015.  Stayed right downtown in Marriott Courtyard.  Very nice and nice upgrade for room, but it is a little crowded down there.  Might try staying closer to river and away from all the people.  A bitty sleazy and tacky and being here by myself was not the most fun.  Did a Level 2 workshop for Renew Schools.  Very young and nice folks.
Late lunch at Deannie's Seafood right across from the hotel.  Very yum.  They brought me boiled spicy new potatoes.  Amazing.  Butter too.  ha ha

This is really just a test blog to see if I am doing this right :)

I am in Blacksburg, VA on the campus of the lovely Virginia Tech.  Staying in the good ole Hilton Garden Inn.  If I don't look out the window -- I could be anywhere because every room looks the same -- everywhere :)

Jean will be here tomorrow night as we are both doing workshops this week.

My next travel plans will be June 23 and 24 when I travel to North Haven CT to do a JW workshop.

See you all soon and safe travels!

Bonnie O

Collins, OH (near Cleveland)

Staying downtown in a beautiful, historic building was fun, but too long of a drive to Collins (Wakeman).  There are closer spots and Shari stays by the airport which is about 15 minutes closer.  Great restaurants in Cleveland but parking $$$ and small underneath hotel (Marriott).  I ate at Chinato on 4th St.  It was delicious but there were panhandlers so I would eat inside next time.  It was also the end of May but chilly outside.  Blue Point Grille is excellent as I ate there on another visit.  The drive to Wakeman/Collins is really a pretty one and I was able to snap a few barns for my collage future!  Shari has trained the Level 1 folks.  I just did the Adv. Strate Workshop.  Sigh.

Culpeper, VA

Close to Charlottesville.  Holiday Inn is the best I could do in Culpeper.  Sweet little school, Sycamore Park Elem.  Monica Weaver knows what's happening and they are doing JW and FUN.  Diane H. also coached here.  I'm only doing K.

Eating out.  Lucios the last time and going there again tonight.  In square.  Pepperberries cute store to have time and a good breakfast place right across the street.  More on Lucios tonight. Lucas excellent service and food.  Sat outside.  I didn't lose my phone this trip.  No coaching next year so this is it.

Washington DC May 2015

I rented a car this time and for the most part it was really nice.  Parking a little stressful as I was challenged to not spend $45 a night for valet. I stayed at the Kimpton Topaz Hotel on N street.  A little old but big room with yoga mat and 24x7 yoga on TV.  Food not good so I ate at hotel next door for dinner and breakfast.  Nice outdoor patio with little birds.  I can't remember the name but very old and quaint.  N street is really quiet and if you're lucky you can park right in front of the hotel.  Nice wine for Happy Hour every night.  Not as nice as Kimpton in Vero")

Greensboro, NC

Oh yes, do stay at the Proximity.  It is soooooo nice and the Print Works restaurant is super yum.  The rooms are a nice break from the same old, but you don't earn points.  Since it is May and I already have enough points for my vacation, I am treating myself.  Here with Bonnie.  They have a really nice pool, but it is outdoors and today May 5th it is too  cold for me.  The schools are coming along.  First year implementation for some.  Went to Sumner today and we are making progress!!

Last visit to Eastern Elementary.  Teachers attitudes are great.  Principal supportive.   Going back next year.  Trying to stay in Christiansburg Hampton Inn as the Hilton in Blacksburg noisy.  But I like to eat in Blacksburg.  Va. Tech Inn has a very good restaurant.  Also, ate and got lunch to go at Pita Vera.  Good food, but not salmon.

Giles County, Va

Very pretty here.  Staying at the Hilton in Blacksburg.  Really cute college town with lots of restaurants and good walking on Main Street.  Tonight I ate at Cabo Fish Taco and sat out side as it is April.  It was very nice and fast service.

Got a hummus sandwich for lunch tomorrow.  Am seeing Eastern Elementary School as they only have K and 1 Fundations this year.

Roanoke is where I fly into, but the last flight out is at 5, so I am staying an extra night. It's such a small airport that they called the travel agency to let them know I left my paperback book on my seat!  Wow...  I took a few pics of downtown, but don't see where to upload......