Yearly Archives: 2015

Kernville & Lake Isabella: Places to Stay

 in Deb's Travels

(A version of this was first written for ValleyLife Magazine, June 2009, when I was its Editor. Both hotels are still in business in 2023.) The Kern River is close enough that from the Los Angeles area, you can leave home in the morning, enjoy a day or two on the river (camping overnight), and return home. One of my friends did just that. I wanted more relaxation so my other companion Lorrie and I stayed in Kernville before and after our two-day rafting holiday. For our first night, I wanted to experience the town, so I selected the Kernville Inn, which sits beside the river and is right on the main street. After our 2-day rafting trip, we stayed outside of town at Chuck Richard’s Falling Waters Resort. At both, our “room” included a kitchen and living room, great for families and long stays. Kernville Inn The 28-room Kernville […]

Kernville Inn's view of the Frandy campground on the river.

Great Pizza in Tzfat, Israel 1

 in Food / Food in Israel / Israel

If you’re craving pizza while in Israel, you will do very well to have that pizza at Pizza Simta in Tzfat! Crispy crust generously sprinkled with sesame seeds surrounding nice-tasting sauce and cheese, freshly made right in front of you, then served bubbling hot!

My pizza standard was formed by growing up with NY and then NYC pizza. It was furthered by pizza in Naples, Italy. If I had pizza in other states or countries, I was unimpressed to remember it either way. For me to say I love a pizza is a pretty big thing.

0-100 in Hebrew — by age

 in Israel / Travel Tips

It’s always important to learn at least basic numbers for countries you visit. Here’s the most fun you’ll have being introduced to the numbers 1 to 100 in Hebrew! And even if you don’t want to learn Hebrew, it’s a great video. It took Tom Ross and It took Maya Cohen three journeys to Israel to make this video. 101 people, one from every age between 0 – 100.

Counting 1 to 100 in Hebrew - by age

Identify your belongings in a unique way 2

 in Packing / Travel Tips

I bought 3D Slick paint that works on fabric. My intention was to use it on my backpack. But as I started to practice using this paint, decided to give my equipment a nicer looking identification than just my name written in permanent marker

I love that I have a unique identification method. Plus, it’s fun to take an artistic break once in a while.

Pack a sleep mask — my choice is Nidra mask 5

 in Packing / Sleeping Accommodations / Travel Tips

When you travel, you don’t get to control the darkness in your room. There’s always that gap in the curtains or a room is pretty but not pretty dark.

So I did sought out the best possible mask and best value for the money. My choice is the Nidra Deep Rest mask. Light-blocking, but lightweight. (You know I love that!) MOLDED so it lets me sleep in darkness but be able to open my eyes fully. And best yet, it doesn’t create eyebrow wonkiness.

Ladies… that lace…

 in Packing

Another Packing Tip: Ladies, that lace undie you love… Leave it unless you can weave it. Lace undies are beautiful. They make us feel good. And best for a traveler, they are light weight. However, lace is fragile and the garment won’t last long when worn and washed every two weeks or more as will be the case as you travel. So don’t count on fragile threads lasting. If you bring that lace, be ready with your sewing kit to reweave the pattern or pull the connected sections together. Buying new undies in various countries, especially outside of big cities, is a challenge and sometimes not even possible if your size and shape is not common wherever you happen to be so don’t make the mistake of thinking you’ll just replace it. [This post was inspired as I sat sewing a thin bit of lace on an otherwise durable garment that I […]

Cooking on the road: inexpensive meat becomes a great cut

 in Food / Travel Tips

As you travel you may crave a soft steak but you need to watch your budget. (Or, due to language, not order the desired cut from the local butcher.) I have not tried this trick, but apparently there is an easy and very inexpensive way to soften that tough cut of meat, making it a much nicer and more edible experience.

This episode of Cooking with Jack Show can help you out with that. Any steak, some kosher salt and some time…

Can you still call it camping if you’re getting 3G?

 in Traveling with Technology

My friend Aaron, an endearing traveler whom I met traveling of course, posted this to facebook: “Hello from Khao Yai, one of Thailand’s national parks. Can you still call it camping if you’re getting 3G? …” The first comment came quickly from a female friend of his: “Yes, 3G is roughing it.” I don’t know her, but I love her! (This is published here with Aaron’s permission.)

park
Computer Talk Radio logo

Recording Computer Talk Radio at crazy hours as I travel

 in Deb Fixed It / Deb's Travels

It is 4:19 a.m. on this now-Wednesday pre-dawn day. I just finished recording my weekly Computer Talk Radio segment because the engineer is in the US, 9 hours behind my time (here in Israel). Tuesday evening was always my time slot to record and it’s Tuesday evening in California now. The topic this week was my long-time method of doing taxes. I am a huge Excel-tracking + [not online] TurboTax fan and recommend [your computer-based] TurboTax for everyone — even if you hire someone to do your taxes. If you’re into “what-if” scenarios and are thinking about starting your own business or making some income changes, TurboTax is a great tool to see how those changes may play out. Anyway, the show is recorded. Our listeners will learn, and me… Now I can go to bed and sleep 7 hours straight rather than try to sleep at midnight but not get […]

Index of my Yucatan, Mexico travels

 in Deb's Travels

Click this heading to see the list of all posts from my arrival Mexico until my departure. Then click any post listed to jump to that post and after use the Post Navigation at the bottom of each post to move through my trip. <div class=”clearB”></div> Tip: If you right/control click to open any of these posts in a new tab or window you’ll still have this list to return to when you close that tab/window. [catlist id=94 orderby=date  order=asc numberposts=-1 date=yes] I’d appreciate your comments on how you like or dislike this listing instead of seeing summaries of my latest posts for this topic.

Places to start following Deb’s Travels

 in Deb's Travels

If you’ve been following my travels, welcome back. If you’re new here and would like to follow all or any part of Deb’s Travels from the start, this page of links will help. For example, you can start reading from the start of my time in Guatemala, or any other country. =======>>>> Start reading from the start of 2011. Start reading from the start of Mexico. Start reading from the start of Belize. Start reading from the start of Guatemala. Start reading from the start of Honduras. Start reading from the start of El Salvador. Start reading from the start of Costa Rica. Start reading from the start of Panama. Start reading from my US 1 year break from international.

Vonage mobile app saves the day for travel & work

 in Deb's Travels / Travel w/Tech Wherever / Traveling with Technology

I just gave a good shoutout to Vonage for the Vonage Mobile app on Twitter … @Vonage Fab! #VonageMobileApp just maintained a 66 minute call to terrific #JustHost from mountains of N Israel to US as a storm headed in. and I’m doing the same here. — Deborah Shadovitz (@DebShadovitz) February 10, 2015 …and I’m doing the same here. Vonage Mobile app maintained a 66 minute call – during a storm! For months I have slowly been redesigning this website and was finally ready to take it live. Just as I wanted to talk to one of the great support guys at my blog’s host, JustHost, the impending storm headed into these Northern Israel mountains right on schedule. The Wi-Fi is always shaky where I am working under a hard working heater — and with a storm coming in, there was a good chance I’d lose the signal — thus losing my support call. The signal did […]

Adventures of recording my radio show on the road

 in Deb Fixed It / Deb's Travels / Traveling with Technology

Wednesday, April 23, 2014 Every week, for several years, I have recorded my segments for Computer Talk Radio, a syndicated program played on the air in the United States.  Back in my Normal Apartment Days, I’d put a Recording sign on my apartment door, step into my office, and record. Only once did a friend — the amazing Andrew Coleman — walk in and make us laugh. But ever since I went Base-less,  I’ve never quite known exactly when or where each week’s recording would take place — or what challenges the location would bring.  __________________________________________ Wanna skip the words? Just have a listen: __________________________________________ Months in NYC, 52 weeks in Central America, a year of house-sitting all over Los Angeles, and now weeks in Austin…  I’ve huddled in closets. I’ve walked dirt road of Roatan to get to a cellular signal. I’ve recorded from a sales desk in an appliance store […]