Our trip to Southeast Asia was a unique and wonderful experience. Our first big trip since the…read morepandemic so a bit nerve-wracking even though we've done smaller trips closer to home. But this time we were away for practically a month! We've never been away that long in any of our trips pre-pandemic days so this was a first! We initially had planned a different trip down under for Dec but had to cancel and instead decided on Southeast Asia. We often travel with a group of friends/relatives but missed their land tour of Vietnam/Cambodia several years back, the region sounded so interesting historically and culturally. Thus we decided we had to visit the area, opted for a week in Singapore and a 2-wk cruise that included Thailand and Vietnam. My spouse is mobility challenged thus we rely on accessibility whenever/wherever it's available. By the time it was decided on cruising Southeast Asia, it was a bit late to book excursions that were accessible although usually there is generally something available when booking at the last minute on the ship. To ensure my spouse could also participate in some of the excursions, we needed tours that were accessible including support in handling individuals in need of more assistance. We were aware that Asia is not exactly handicap friendly at least not as completely as in the Americas, and expected there may be access limitations. I seeked help from Jeanie of Riveting Trips for tours in Singapore and excursions for the day visits off the ship and overnighters. She is affiliated with the Virtuoso Travel Consortium I had used for an online hotel reservation that was merely a fluke discovery while surfing the web a year earlier. I generally prefer to do my own bookings and research but in the interest of time plus a remodel in progress, I'm so glad I seeked help from Jeanie. She provided so much advice and prep info including whether the ship was in port or tender to the shore-that was key on whether my spouse could do an excursion at a particular stop. Then it was suggested by her travel connections in Southeast Asia that overnight stays could be in a hotel since it was a 90 min to 2 hr drive from the port to the town of interest-in this case Bangkok and Hanoi. So glad we decided on the overnight stays in the hotels-we were able to enjoy the destination more w/site-seeing and shopping before heading back to the port. Plus the hotels were 6-stars, elegant and service all around were outstanding, definitely would return to the hotels if we visit again. All the guides we met in each stop were excellent, communications between the guides and Jeanie were all on point. Jeanie was always part of the group chats w/each guide we met should there be any problems that she could intervene if necessary, but that was never the case. I would use Jeanie again for future travel that entail detailed coordination and when we're traveling on our own. Overall, a great trip, despite a hiccup in accessibilty at one location and the hot temps and heavy humidity down south. Dec-Feb is supposedly the best time to travel around southeast Asia....we know humidity from the good ol' southern states in the USA but it was downright steamy in Singapore & Thailand!

Hands Down Best Experience The title says it all. I have to…read morestart off by saying I have absolutely no experience with international travel at all, zero. So when my son graduated college and I knew I wanted to send him on a trip I needed help. After reaching out to Jeanie and having a quick call with her I was completely put to ease that I found the right person. She was very informative and provided plenty of options to chose from. It was great to receive updates along the way with COVID restrictions provided regularly. Weeks before the trip she stayed in contact with up to date info and reminders even as she went on vacation herself. We were so appreciative of her support before and during the trip. We will definitely be contacting her for all future trips

I enjoyed learning about the Winchesters, wading through the historic labyrinth-like house and…read moregarden, shooting ghosts at the gallery, and getting Zelda's fortune telling card at the gift shop. I do wish the house was air conditioned for a sweltering summer afternoon tour, and to have an option to pull cash at the shop via card/digitally.

You HAVE to visit this place at least once as a Bay Area native--especially if you like spooky…read morethings! We've been so many times over the years--as a family, for special events, and even as a Girl Scout troop! Weird and strange and spooky and fun! Little pricey. Parking is easy. Great gift shop.

Had always been curious about beekeeping and mead so signed up for this experience via Airbnb. Our…read morehost was incredibly knowledgeable about bees and I loved the educational aspect, from beekeeping to the honey industry. We were able to see the hive with all the proper gear - totally safe - and then went in for our tasting. We were able to try all the different seasonal honeys and eventually try our hand at making our own mead based off the mead tasting we had. Was a really lovely and new experience that I'd recommend to anyone. Plus got some cool photos, mead, and a honey sample out of it!

It was amazing! Dr Ali was super knowledgeable and she was extremely patient with my two young…read moreboys! We had a wonderful hands on experience and learnt so much about honey bees and beekeeping! the food tasting with different crackers, almonds, raisins, homemade goat cheese and blue cheese at the end made my son's day!!!! he is crazy about cheese and honey and that combo made him the happiest kid on the block:) it was truly unforgettable and something we will talk about for a long time!

I loved this food and wine tour is the Sonoma Plaza. Our guide, Teresa, was very knowledgeable, but…read morealso warm and personable. We had four unique stops for wine and food; each stop was great. We started with cheese and champagne, two stops with white wine; one with Indian food, the other with a grilled branzino. The last stop included two beautiful reds and two dark chocolates. In between we learned so much about the history of Sonoma.

What a super fun experience! I highly recommend this food, wine & history walking tour. We did…read morethe Sonoma Square tour with the owner, and local Novato gal, Renee Rebell. She is very knowledgeable and personable. We enjoyed all of our pairings. We had friends in town, who came just for this experience! She mentioned she also does similar tours in Sausalito & Napa. I tried my first food tour at Pike's Place Market, in Seattle. It's a great way to get to know a new foodie town or in this case, get a deeper knowledge and appreciation for a great place closer to home. We especially liked be taken to a tucked away Indian restaurant to try a dish we've never had before. With a paired wine of course!

I found this Pop-up event & thought its a nice idea. I t was a delightful evening, hands-on class &…read morethen we had dinner. The event held in the Chef's beautiful house & everything was well organized, well prepared & extremely flavorful! People at the group were very sweet & enjoyable to cook with. I highly recommend any event with Chef Mashav. She is really professional & knowledgeable!

What a fantastic tour by Mashav (the owner and the chef of Le Couloir)! Richmond neighborhood in SF…read moreis known for its mix of cultures, but Mashav masterfully uncovers all the hidden secrets and gems - Secrets only someone who lives in this community is familiar with. And she does that through food and hand-picked dishes that you will never uncover without a guide. Even though locations may change per tour, our group tasted a mix of cultures and got some stories behind the dishes, the restaurants, and their owners. Few examples - * Russian cuisine - Herring with a pickled onion on fresh bread * Indian street food - I was surprised how much I enjoyed this vegan street snack - I would have never ordered anything without meat, and I dislike spinach, but the fried spinach snack was mind-blowingly good. * Mexican - Quesadilla with plantain. Again, no meat but it was soooooo good. * Chinese - Glazed Pork and pork-filled bun I won't spoil the surprise for some of the other locations. And more, and more - Total of about 7-8 places. You won't stay hungry, guaranteed. The walk itself is not challenging; there are no hills to overcome, even though it's San Francisco. Don't wait - Just go!

My experience with Punto Fino Coffee was a special one. Dan was our guide for this roasting…read moreexperience and he didn't disappoint. The roast was hosted at his lovely home tucked away on a wooded hillside in Fairfax (Amazing view I must say). Dan started off with some basic worldly knowledge about coffee and then got into different roasting techniques, sharing a couple of his passionate stories about coffee along the way (very enthusiastic and knowledgeable). The part most special to me was actually roasting the coffee beans over the open flame. Putting the knowledge I just learned to the test was a very gratifying experience. I look forward to drinking my freshly roasted coffee with my partner at home. At the end they have beginner roasting kits for sale so you can continue your roasting experience and you can even snag some cool merch! Overall the experience was very educational and would highly recommend to coffee enthusiasts or beginners alike! You won't be disappointed.

From the owner: Punto Fino Coffee is a recreational experience company offering a coffee roasting workshop for…read moreanyone interested in coffee or home coffee roasting. Roast Your Own Coffee is 90 minutes of coffee topics, home-roast methods, demonstration, coffee tasting, and hands-on coffee roasting. Reservations required. See the website to book.

Pack your walking shoes, you won't need your car much if you stay at Hotel Valencia!…read more Although we only stayed 1night, we really liked our stay here. The location was unbeatable since everything we had planned was on Santana Row. Restaurants, shopping, Westfield Valley Fair, and the Winchester Mystery House were all within easy walking distance. The room was clean, the staff was friendly, the property was beautiful, and the complimentary sangria at check-in was a nice touch. The bed was also one of the most comfortable hotel beds I've slept in. Just be aware that this is an upscale hotel with upscale fees. Early check-in before 10 am is $100, early check-in by 1 pm is $60, and valet parking is $60 per day with in-and-out privileges. We arrived around 9:30 am but decided to wait until check-in since the early check-in fee wasn't worth it for us. We came back around 2 pm and were pleasantly surprised they checked us in at no extra charge. We also skipped valet and parked in one of the nearby garages for about $15 per day. We'd definitely stay here again and next time book a longer stay to enjoy it even more.

My sister and boyfriend got a hotel for the weekend for her birthday. After dinner we all went back…read moreto the Valencia BARand all 12 will NEVER GO BACK. First the bartender told my sister she can't sit on her boyfriend lap. Second they are WAYYYYYYY OVER PRICE.... Third bartender told my sister to to change the light back to blue. They have little laps on the table that change colors and she put it to the bright regular light so she can see and I told her to change it back to the dark blue.. It was my sisters birthday in and one of our friends end up drinking a little too much dancing a little loud, not rude, or being like the bad guy a troublemaker, but they kicked us out because she was too loud . so if you're trying to have a good time, lots of fun and not being picked on do not go to that bar.. the energy in there a little more was almost we were to go to be there and we did not appreciate that we just wanted to drink. Have fun and celebrate. And my husband made that bartender apologize to my sister is the one that told her to get off her boyfriends lap .

Perfect Party Bus Experience - Ask for Bobby! We had an…read moreincredible time on the Party Bus Sprinter today! We toured the Livermore wineries and everything was flawless -- the bus was clean, comfortable, and felt like a VIP experience. Yesterday we went to Napa and our driver Bobby made the trip unforgettable. He was professional, fun, and knew all the best spots. His driving and hospitality were top-notch -- we felt safe, relaxed, and completely taken care of. If you're looking for the BEST party bus or Sprinter service in Pleasanton or Dublin, this is the one to book. And if you can -- request Bobby as your driver! He made our trip 5 stars all the way. Highly recommended!

The perfect Livermore wine tour experience! We booked a…read moreparty bus with Pleasanton Limo and Bus for a day of wine tasting in Livermore, and it was absolutely fantastic! From the moment we reached out, their team was responsive, professional, and made planning effortless. Our driver, Tom Staats, was an absolute rockstar. He showed up early, had the bus cooled down and ready to go, and made everyone feel comfortable right away. Tom knew the area so well -- he even suggested a few hidden-gem wineries we'd never heard of, and they ended up being some of our favorites! The bus itself was spotless, super spacious, and had great sound and lighting -- perfect for our group to relax and celebrate between stops. We never felt rushed, and Tom kept everything running smoothly and safely all day. If you're planning a wine tour or special celebration, Pleasanton Limo and Bus is the way to go. Excellent service, beautiful vehicles, and drivers like Tom who go above and beyond to make sure you have the best time possible. We'll definitely be booking with them again!