Socal Mom by Donna Schwartz Mills

Absence Makes the Heart Grow...?

I received a couple of worried emails today from friends who visit here often (thanks!) and were wondering about my long absence. Steph correctly guessed that it had something to do with school starting next week. Yes, even though we have not started yet, I've been up to my neck in PTA commitments (which I had put off and put off and put off all summer, meaning I've had to really focus on it now that we're gearing back up again).

Lorna, who has had a very busy and stressful summer herself, was wondering why all my most recent posts have been about travel -- and I have to say that in the time I've NOT been posting here, I've been wondering if I'd narrowed my focus a bit too much. I do love traveling and writing about it -- but I'm not as compelled to do so as I was when I was blogging here about whatever I happened to be thinking about on any given day... and I suspect that what I'm producing is also not as compelling.

The problem, of course, is the one I've been struggling with for the three years that blogging has been my chosen creative outlet: how to balance my need to describe what I'm feeling with my family's need for privacy. I thought that by sticking to a narrow focus of travel writing, I'd be safe -- and I have been. But it's not working for me. I have several travel-related pieces in mind, just waiting for a break in my time when I can do the research and put it down here... but that's the rub. The travel pieces take longer and the last couple of weeks I haven't had the time to do it and so I haven't posted at all and I've missed it. At the same time, I've had other things I've wanted to write about too, but which have no place here -- the Emmy tribute to Dick Clark, back to school in SoCal, PTA (you know, the usual suspects).

So I may change scope again. But not today -- I also received an email from the principal, who has not been able to open the PTA newsletter I put together (which has to be run off this week so it can be distributed when school starts). So in the meantime, here's a little travel observation:

There are BARGAINS around for Labor Day!! Two of the regular emails I receive from major hotel chains indicate that loads of people are staying home for the three day weekend -- and there are rooms to be sold. (If only we had picked THIS holiday to travel to New York instead of Memorial Day -- you can get a room at one of the W's this weekend starting at just $199 -- that's HALF what they were charging in May!)

Interested in a last minute getaway? Check out Marriott's eBreaks and W's "Let's Play" deals.

Marriott Becomes 100% Smoke Free

Traveling non-smokers rejoice. Beginning in October, all Marriott hotels in North America will consist of 100% non-smoking rooms.

According to an email sent to members of Marriott's frequent traveler program, "This is the industry's largest move to a smoke-free environment and includes over 2,300 hotels and corporate apartments under the Marriott, JW Marriott®, Renaissance®, Courtyard®, Fairfield Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Residence Inn®, TownePlace Suites® and Marriott ExecuStay® brands. The new policy includes all guest rooms, restaurants, lounges, meeting rooms, public spaces, and employee work areas."

Marriott says that they will continue to provide designated smoking areas outside their hotels for guests who smoke. That's probably little consolation for travelers who are jonesing for a winter cigarette.

The company says that 90% of current Marriott guest rooms are already non-smoking, and smoking is prohibited in many public spaces due to local laws. If these numbers are consistent with the rest of the hospitality industry, expect to see other chains follow suit.

For more information, click here.