Thursday, November 12, 2009

Champagne Taste...on a vacation

     This week Cam, Lauren, and I are on vacation. Austin is at home with grandparents at our house, since we didn't think it wise to pull him out of school. We are at the lovely Massanutten Resort near historic Harrisonburg, Virginia.
     About 10 years ago, Cam and I purchased a timeshare at Horseshoe Valley, with the specific intentions of trading weeks to stay at different resorts. We bought 1 week every other year, and we've really enjoyed having relatively inexpensive holidays in nice condos at deluxe resorts. So far we've been to Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head Island, Orlando (Disney World), this resort twice, and we've given a couple weeks to my parents and Cam's parents. I can't recall where Cam's parents went, but mine had a nice trip to Palm Beach.
     Although it seems counterintuitive to go away on vacation when I am on maternity leave, we had a timeshare week that was due to expire this year and it would be a complete waste of money not to use it. We decided to travel to a resort that was drive-able, so as not to spend additional money on airfare. The drive had to be reasonable with Lauren, so anything in the warm zone like Hilton Head was out of the question to drive with the baby. Our drive to this resort was 10 hours, which included 2 comfort/feed-the-baby stops. Totally do-able.
     We took a 2-bedroom condo at this resort, which is perfect for us. We love having a condo versus a hotel room when we go on vacation, because we can make a lot of our own meals. We both like to cook and we like checking out different grocery stores in different places, and cooking different things than at home. And, the grocery budget on vacation can be a little more relaxed, as it is cheaper than eating out in restaurants all the time when on holiday.
     What's funny about our particular condo unit is that someone (the interior designer) applied Champagne Taste principles in a wackadoo way with the appliances and amenities. We have what's called a "partial" kitchen, which means we have full-sized appliances and everything you could possibly want, except for a stove. No stove. Seriously. However, to compensate, there is an electric griddle (sometimes referred to as a "breakfast nook", which makes no sense to me, but whatever), an electric fry pan (remember those from the 70's?), and a 2-burner range (I call it a hot plate.) This works for us and has made no difference to us in our meal preparations, whatsoever.
     What's totally bizarre, however, is that in one of the bathrooms, they've put the world's biggest jacuzzi bath-tub. This thing is about the same size as a hot-tub. I suppose the thinking was along the Champagne Taste style of "let's scrimp on a stove and give people a big-ass tub instead", because it makes a nice treat while on vacation. However, for us, it's all about food and drink, so we would have spent the money on a stove instead. But no matter, it's not impacting us at all. If there'd been no coffee-maker or no cork-screw, we'd be snookered.
     Ah this is the life. Cam's out playing another $5 round of golf at one of the resort's multiple courses, Lauren's asleep in her bedroom, and I'm chillaxin' while the people in the unit next door ("full" unit with a stove) try to contain their rambunctious kids, who sound like they'll come through the wall any minute. All I can say is they better be enjoying their stove.

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