FAIRYTALE COOKIES?

Eunice and I received a box of Fairytale Cookies. Not the brownies, but cookies. We thought that there might have been a mistake as we were used to those absolutely fudge-y brownies. We checked them out while going onto the website of Fairytale Brownies and saw that it was true. Now we just have to get someone to rip the cellophane off the cookie so we can eat it!

OY VAY, WHAT A DAY!

The original itinerary had us going on the segway tour at 10 a.m. and got switched to 8 a.m. instead. But what a bummer it was. There were five segways and we first had to get instructions on how to use it as well as some practice. Well, that rude lady shows up just about after we are done and doesn't comment. Eunice and I couldn't go because of her. We kind of said that we would give up our spot since there was only about 7 minutes left to ride. Heck, she neither thanked us nor even acknowledged that there was only 5 yet alone notice that someone was bowing out. That's some jem of a woman.

The guy running the tour said that we were welcome to come back later to test it out on the beach.

The van comes to pick us up and the jem quickly walks to get the front seat. Eunice commented on needing to sit there (it's easier to get on that first step and haul yourself onto the seat) and the driver tells the jem, but she does not even acknowledge. She just says, "I have a bad knee". Good grief, she suddenly has a bad knee and has not only been walking all over with no problem but is able to pace it to quickly get to the van. Well, there was yet another writer who had a problem walking. We all told the driver to take the van back to the hotel and come back for us. Not only did the van come back but a few of the writers came with it to make sure that we were okay.

We then had breakfast while others on the FAM tour were doing a different activity. It wasn't much longer until lunch. Again, no step stool on the van but we did manage to get that front seat thanks to the support of our fellow writers. Eunice's leg was getting even worse.

A few hours passed and it was time for lunch. It seemed that things were being changed again from that first itinerary including going to some wine tasting, making our own beer at a brewery and riding these things called Pedicabs, which would have later come in handy.

Van to a Fred's Mexican Cafe and the food was really good. Tex-Mex but better.

Walking tour of downtown, we caught up with them at the Surf Museum. We got to really check out the place!

We then went to watch fudge being made and get a few samples. It was taking the guy 20 minutes just to melt and stir the sugar. Many of the writers decided to walk back to the hotel.

It seemed that the van couldn't pick us up at the fudge place and we had to walk back to the Surf Museum to get it. Well, guess who sprinted fast enough to grab that front seat. Now, were talking being spiteful, let alone rude and nasty. Eunice let out a long cackle at her but the jem didn't even bat an eye. I think she was shocked at the idea that someone was actually telling her off.

The next activity was a sandcastle building lesson. It was really tough for Eunice to not only walk on the sand but the building lesson was a pretty good distance away from the hotel.

Lesson over it seemed that we had to walk even further for a bonfire. They had these low chairs for the sand and Eunice just couldn't sit in one. I stayed with her and we sat on this nearby wall. Dinner was Mexican, again. Fish tacos. With all of the Mexican food, we could have propelled ourselves back to the hotel. No van, we had to walk.

POST FAM TO HUNTINGTON BEACH

With the Travel Media Showcase coming to a close Eunice and I prepared to go to Huntington Beach for the Post FAM tour. We arrived in Huntington Beach and checked into the Huntington Beach Resort Hotel. The room that we were given was dirty. There were crumbs on the bed and the chair next to the table was filthy. I'm glad that they gave us another room.

Lunch time and we are off to a restaurant called Sandy's Beach Grill located at the beginning of the pier. It was quite a long way for us as it seemed that Eunice's foot had been bothering her. A cute doggie greeted us at the restaurant and the food was good.

Our next stop was to the Farmer's Market, which was just near the restaurant. I checked out the corn and some celery root and poor Eunice was shocked to see a bunch of relatives that were both headless and footless.

We had a van pick us up but the van didn't have a step stool to get into the back. Fortunately, Eunice and I were able to get the front seat, but of our new friends couldn't make it into the back and she decided to walk instead.

Now that we got back, they scheduled a cooking demonstration. Actually, we didn't see anything being cooked as the demo was a salad using the stuff purchased by the chef.

So, now that we saw the demo, they arranged for us to have a cocktail (not that kind) party and sample the salad. There was this writer who had been rude and nasty from the time we were in Catalina Island. At first, Eunice placed her drink on a table and was standing behind the chair and holding onto it. This woman sat down at the table and Eunice had to tell her that she was already sitting there. Then we went up to the table where the salad was and since she arrived there about the same time, we let her go first. Well, she was picking out a piece of the salad, such as a piece of tomato, bringing it to her face, looking it over and deciding if she wanted to put it on her plate. If not, she put it back and ruffled through the salad continuing to do this. Some time went by and we decided to grab a fork and go into the salad where she wasn't poking and put some on a plate. She got indignant and mutter something under her breath as she walked away.

Now that we had some appetizers, we were now off to dinner, where the chef was grilling. There was food other than that salad and it was good.

TMS DAY 2: THE MEETINGS

Well, it was day 2 with a full day of meeting reps. We met Julie Toledo from the Buena Park Convention and Visitors Bureau; Diana Norton, Idaho Division of Tourism; Nancy Millar,McAllen Convention & Visitors Bureau; Suzanne Halbrook, Alton Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau; Mika Doyle Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau; Katie Macdonald, Tourism Queensland. Carolyn Fittipaldi, Temecula Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau; Bob Lukens, Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau; Pamela Miller, San Angelo CVB; Ron Kuhlman, Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Break for lunch and a fashion show. We were shocked as they were serving CHICKEN!

Back to the interviews. Terence Sullivan, Embassy Suites of Southern California; Lori Hogan, Wyoming Travel & Tourism Division; Hillary Angel, Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism; Waco, Texas CVB; Erin Erdmann, Bloomington Indiana Convention & Visitors Bureau; Megan Mayo, Albuquerque CVB; Katie Harrington Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau; Sylvia Oliande, Kissimmee CVB; and this guy who rented motorcycles which we were about to test out, when he caught us.

They later announced that next year's TMS would be held in Oklahoma City!

FIRST DAY OF THE TRAVEL MEDIA SHOWCASE

The first day of meetings was a short one as there was another FAM tour after lunch. We met with: Capitol-Saratoga Region in New York; Chicagoland's Fox River Valley; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; San Mateo County, California; Irvine, California; Valley Forge, Pennsylvania; Yucca Valley, California; Southern Indiana; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Montgomery, Alabama; and Fort Worth, Texas.

Brief lunch and then off to an Irvine FAM tour beginning with the First America Title Building which had a whole bunch of old photos depicting the history of the area as well as few artifacts. Eunice was caught trying to open the vault. I don't why she would need money unless she was really looking for the deed to the Rubber Chicken Forest, which is not even in this part of California. We later found a relative of some sorts made of something other than rubber.

Eunice and I hit the Performing Arts Center and the Irvine Museum. We expected the museum to have artifacts but instead had art work about Irvine. Painting, photos and some sculptures.

Next was the Irvine Historical Society which had lots and lots of artifacts. We checked out a saddle, played an old piano and got our photo taken with Merle Exit and some Native American Indian thing.

After that is was back to the hotel. There was this Taste of Irvine set up that had a lot of the local restaurants giving samples of their cuisine. The food was great although we were a bit pooped and didn't feel like taking photos.