One Busy Bee Enterprises LLC

23/06/2024

A visit to the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show is always a good time. Expect a lot of muscle, skill and laughs. Check out this fun show via your next cruise to Alaska. Happy to help!

22/06/2024

Sangria from Juneau’s Amalga Distillery. I love long stays at port with no need to rush and you can savor the flavors.

Which drink would you order?

22/06/2024

LOVE the modern architecture in Vancouver, Canada!

Which is your favorite?

19/06/2024

From our Alaska Airlines flight from PDX to YVR, you can see Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helena if you sit on the right side. I hope you fly during excellent weather!

19/06/2024

Learning the basics of a local language when traveling is always appreciated by the locals. I recently switched from practicing Spanish to Italian on Duolingo. I hope to go back soon. Andiamo!

17/06/2024

I love my Southwest Airlines points and credit card! My last few trips have been free due to using points. Want more travel?

Earn 85,000 bonus points with any Southwest Rapid Rewards personal Credit Card. Business owners can earn 60,000 points with the Premier Business Credit Card or earn 80,000 points with the Performance Business Credit Card. *I can be awarded if you apply here and are approved for the card.

Click to learn more.

17/06/2024

Last full day in the Portland area before heading off to Vancouver, Canada to catch the Grand Princess by Princess Cruises. We’re excited! This is taken from the rose garden in Washington Park near the Portland Japanese Garden. Purple is for alzheimers and I’m participating in my 5th Walk to in San Francisco this October. I participate because I want all of us to be able to remember vacations, birthdays, graduations and other special moments for as long as we can. Please consider sponsoring me in any tax-deductible donation at http://www.tinyurl.com/BMEndAlz2024. Thank you for your consideration.

San Francisco Walk to End Alzheimer's
Alzheimer's Association

17/06/2024

Happy Father’s Day from your Travel Agent! May all the amazing fathers that bend over backwards for their children get a relaxing trip to Alaska sometime in their future. Enjoy all the water sports, whale watching, fishing, hiking and exploring the 49th state has to offer.

📸 in Juneau via Princess Cruises

16/06/2024

It has been a filling first few days here in Oregon. Let me show you what I’ve had so far.

- In Portland -
Javi’s
I enjoyed a Monte Cristo sandwich with delicious strawberry preserves. It came with a side of potatoes and was convinced by the server to get the sweet potatoes. I should’ve went with my gut to get hashbrowns, but I wanted to try something new. My nephew had the enormous breakfast burrito.

Pip’s
Next stop was Pip’s. When it’s your birthday you get a free dozen so we will be returning on Monday. We went with the combo pack. I tried the bacon donut in the bottom, left hand corner. I am not really a cake donut person, but my family loves it.

Chef Zhao’s
For dinner before a graduation at the University of Portland, we went to Chef Zhao‘s. I never really order sesame beef, but my nephew loved it, and I really enjoyed it. We had the sautéed string beans, honey walnut prawns, chow mein, and sweet-and-sour pork. It was quite a deal because everybody got soup and a mango pudding, which was delicious. It wasn’t busy and the server was sweet and attentive. My nephew also got a Lego like toy as well.

T4 Tea For U
As advertised in the window, I got the mango drink with coconut milk. It was a nice treat.

- In Salem -
Wicked Sweet Bakery
Visiting a friend, I couldn’t go empty-handed. At 11 AM offerings were slim, but they were delicious. This is the Red, White and Blue with cream filling and strawberries and blueberries. And a banana pudding doughnut. Incredible. I also got the chai and raspberry donut.

Masonry Grill
For lunch, we enjoyed a flight of margaritas. The strawberry margarita was actually made with fresh strawberries - no syrup. And I had another Monte Cristo. And unfortunately, it was not good - no powdered sugar, no preserves and the bread was really dry (not a French Toast texture) but I got a lot of tater tots!

More to come from the Pacific Northwest!

09/06/2024

Such a memorable dinner at John Ash & Co at Vintners Inn Santa Rosa, Ca. Thanks to Chef Lyndon Honda! His updates to the menu were delicious! The wings (not pictured), strawberry salad, linguine and custard were my favorite! If I could have a bottle of the wings’ sauce and salad dressing home! Sooo good! It was a wonderful way to end a day of wine tasting with lovely people.

They have just added former Top Chef Mexico contestant, Chef Sergio Howland, as their nee Executive Chef. Perhaps another visit is now needed!

Which dishes would you order?

05/06/2024

Has Italy been calling you? It has been for me for a verrrry long time. Your Travel Agent has been to Venice twice. I keep telling myself that the next time I go to Venice, I will be in love. Let's be honest, I think I will be more in love with the food. That counts, right? Researching tours for my client and I would definitely do this food tour with a sommelier (see link). Would you?

Photo from my time in Rome but you get the idea.

https://travelagents.viator.com/tours/Venice/Private-Venice-Street-Food-Tour-with-Your-Local-in-Venice/d522-301873P1

05/06/2024

If you have seen the show Nashville, you need to enter this giveaway!

For fun, who is your favorite country artist of all time?

04/06/2024

It is definitely a Travel Tuesday. I am currently working on itineraries for Italy, Greece and Spain for a client with a lot of transfers and train rides. Once I provide options for hotels, I will look into tours including foodie and wine tours. Here is one I booked in Athens. Athens and the Acropolis have been on my bucket list since grade school and it was one of the many cities during my first trip to Europe. Let's fulfill your dreams!

https://www.viator.com/tours/Athens/Athens-Full-Day-Private-Tour/d496-63145P3?pid=P00005981&uid=U00051838&mcid=58086¤cy=USD

03/06/2024

Is Egypt on your bucket list? This is an exciting tour I plan on going on September 16, 2025 and am looking to book at least two rooms for my clients before the end of the year. Will you join us?

A $400 deposit per guest is required to hold your reservation. You may change or cancel 56 prior to departure. The deposit may be transferred to another trip or held for a future travel credit.

Trip details
https://agents.intrepidtravel.com/us/usd/egypt/premium-egypt-150977 -&-availabilities

Photo from Shutterstock.

02/06/2024

My favorite three bites in Vegas for this trip were at Best Friend, Balla Las Vegas and Rí Rá Las Vegas. If I could have taken a to go order of the fried rice home to California, I would.

See also the latest blog post at http://www.bernadettemanzano.com

01/06/2024

The last of three properties I enjoyed in Vegas was the Bellagio Las Vegas. Thanks to getting a free night (Ask me how!) I was able to enjoy a beautiful room with a spacious bathroom with double vanities, a tub and shower stall with a seat, a king sized bed with comfortable pillows, buttons to open and close the shades and drapes and a view of the strip and fountain show. On channel 22, you can watch the fountains and hear the same music they play on the strip. I’m sad I didn’t get to spend another night at this property. But now that I can also use and earn Marriott Bonvoy points, it may be my preferred Vegas hotel.

Need a Marriott credit card to help you get more rewards faster? Let me send you a referral link!

01/06/2024

Having just opened in December, it still has that ‘new car smell,’ if you will. The Fontainebleau Las Vegas is gorgeous! I got a personal tour of the property from their light, high ceiling casino floor to their panoramic suites (they have larger ones than that!) to their gym and food court. The blue and gold colors really appealed to me and it is just as beautiful as their Miami location. Let me know if you’re interested in staying at one of the newest properties in Las Vegas! Happy to help!

Also see a blog post at http://www.bernadettemanzano.com

01/06/2024

This One Busy Bee has been concurrently working on another project called Pistash, a pistachio milk, coming to market late this year. So I was on the search for all things pistachio!

My pistachio hunt in Vegas resulted in scoops of ice cream at Cream Me Ice Creamery in Downtown Vegas, a macaron from Dominique Ansel Bakery at Caesars Palace and a box in my hotel room at the Bellagio Las Vegas. My friend also had the agnolotti pasta from Balla at the SAHARA Las Vegas. And though not a pistachio donut from Randy's Donuts, this is a green matcha donut in my green dress to greet a friend coming into Sin City.

What else did I miss? Please tag offerings in the comments!

31/05/2024

I have done in several different countries and Vegas was not a challenge. Staying for a free night at the Bellagio Las Vegas (ask me how!), I stayed on property and opted for a 9:30 PM reservation at Spago by Wolfgang Puck. Note, other restaurants on-site didn’t offer reservations to a solo diner so thank, Wolfgang! I usually like to sit at the bar as a solo diner however, if I had the opportunity to sit on the patio, near the fountains, I was going to be ecstatic. And my wish was granted. Every 15 minutes there was a new song and a new fountain show.

For dinner, I opted for the salad with miso dressing and the fettuccine entree. It reconfirmed my dislike for fennel, but for $24 I was going to eat all of it. The dressing was the best. My main dish was good with a light sauce. The mushrooms were generous, but the asparagus took over the plate. Other tables were offered cheese, I was not though I didn’t ask for it. I wanted to enjoy the celebrity chefs’ dishes as they came. With a glass of Prosecco, I passed up dessert. It was a great experience and Joy, my server, lived up to her name. It was a memorable meal to end my stay in Las Vegas. But more to share soon!

What are your thoughts on Wolfgang’s restaurants?
Do you have a favorite?

28/05/2024

The Marriott’s Grand Chateau‘s location is great with being in the center of the strip and a block away from Las Vegas Blvd. It is 38-stories high with 3 bars, 2 pools and a great gym. This is my second time staying at this property and love getting my Marriott Bonvoy points! The 1-bedroom villa is spacious and comfortable with great views, a big tub and shower with two heads, a kitchen equipped with everything you need, a dining table, a washer and dryer and a comfy pullout sofa. Rates start at around $459/night but I can definitely look out for deals or if you don’t mind sitting in a 90-minute sales presentation.

Could you and your family/group use more space and a kitchen when you’re in Vegas?

28/05/2024

Your Travel Agent has been to Las Vegas several times and have booked clients here. There is always something new available in SinCity. Entertainment is never-ending, food options and cuisines are abundant and you can try to stay under a budget or go all in with top of the line everything. I explored the Park MGM for the first time and enjoyed Best Friend for dinner and their fun club called On The Record LV. Pics include Lady Liberty at the NYNY Hotel, the entrance to Park MGM, signs for the BLVD in construction, and the gorgeous flower arrangement at the Aria. More to come!

28/05/2024

Happy Memorial Day!

24/05/2024

Wow! First impressions matter! Here to take a tour of the new Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Stay tuned for more soon!

23/05/2024

Good morning! Your Travel Agent is off to make more memories this MemorialD ay Weekend in Las Vegas. Like previous trips to Walt Disney World. NYC and The Bahamas via MSC Cruises, I will be logging my steps starting today until I land back in Oakland on Tuesday for a cause. I am participating in my 5th Walk to End Alzheimer’s in November and exercise is a great way to “improve memory and learning by stimulating the production of hormones and neurotransmitters like endorphins and encephalins.” I will be walking A LOT in Las Vegas and dancing to Carlos Santana tonight. Any guesses as to how many steps I will make in total? Including plans to hit the gym, I would estimate I will hit at least 18,000 steps per day. Comment below with your guess by the time I get back to Oakland! I will send the closest guess a prize! Please help me make a difference by sponsoring me at tinyurl.com/BMEndAlz2024 Stay tuned for more from Vegas!

📸 at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas

23/05/2024

Spent a Friday night in San Francisco to see a friend who was in town from New Mexico. From the East Bay, I took Bart from West Oakland to Embarcadero (1 stop) and walked to Cioppino’s at the Fishermans Wharf. I stopped off at PIER 39 where the Aquarium of the Bay and the famous sea lions are. On the walk back to Bart, I loved seeing the colors of the San Francisco 49ers light up the clock tower at the Ferry Building and the animated tip of the Salesforce tower. The city has changed a lot and I hope tourism improves. We gladly welcome you to our beautiful city! Happy to help plan your itinerary!

21/05/2024

Aye, aye, Captain! Happy National Maritime Day! This is a pirate ship you can climb aboard at the marina in Ensenada, Mexico. We walked by it during a taco and tequila tour booked thru Royal Caribbean International. There is one at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco too! Where have you seen pirate ships?

15/05/2024

There’s nothing like enjoying the hot tub aboard a cruiseship along the Mexican Riviera with a serving of prosecco. Happy Wine Wednesday! Cheers!

12/05/2024

I hope you are able to see it wherever you are! I will pop out on my balcony in Hayward a few times thru the night with hopes of fulfilling a bucket list item. I just mentioned the northern lights on a recent blog post listing reasons to go back to Scotland. There were reports that they were seen shortly after we left Edinburgh in late September last year. I was disappointed but knew there would be another opportunity. Never had I had thought it would be in my own backyard. Good luck!

(KRON) — If you missed the northern lights Friday night, you might have another chance. The Space Weather Prediction Center is reporting that additional flares will impact Earth Saturday nigh…

02/05/2024

to spending Cinco de Mayo in Seattle. It was the most pleasant time I have spent in the area in terms of weather. Where are you eating tacos and drinking margaritas this weekend? I will be in El Dorado Hills. Shall we book you a future trip to Mexico? Vamanos!

02/05/2024

The blog has been getting a good amount of page views. Thank you for those stopping by. I wanted to kick off the month of May with a new post. It just happened to be Wine Wednesday so I am sharing some wine photos that has been in my 'Favorites' album on my phone for quite some time. Cheers! I hope to help you create new memories in wine country, near or far.

Mentions of
Tres Sabores
Hawaii Food & Wine Festival
Roy's Restaurant
Pebble Beach Resorts
El Dorado Wine Country
Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery

https://bernadettemanzanocom.wpcomstaging.com/2024/05/01/winewednesday-favorites/