JenLeoLIVE!

Mount Charleston Lodge: Valentine's Day for married people

I did what I never thought I'd do. I gave John a free pass on Valentine's Day. Let me first apologize to all my ex-boyfriends for the hell I put you through on one of  my favorite holidays. The constant demands, high expectations, whining and begging only to be followed by dirty looks — John didn't get a scent of it. Instead, I asked him if we could go to a nice restaurant on a different day in the hopes we'd get better service. He agreed and we set our V-day for Tuesday, Feb. 19.

Unbeknownst to me, he had other plans. John's first V-day present as a husband was a surprise. Last Sunday afternoon he told me to clear my schedule from Tuesday afternoon - Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. Despite two days of guessing, I didn't find out until Tuesday that he had reserved a cabin up at the Mount Charleston Lodge, a legendary Vegas attraction I'd been talking about going to for years.

Jen Leo flys Virgin America with Richard Branson

Last week I took the inaugural Virgin America flight to San Diego. This airline does it right. They aim to be the funnest airline in town, and that they have become.  Richard—he's trying to change the world. I wish I had used my chance to talk to him, but I wanted to make sure all my equipment was working and used that time on the couple that met on VA. Then I got transfixed by Charles, the hunky creator of their in-flight entertainment system. And you know, an hour goes by fast!

I totally geeked out, twittering away - and you can read all about it on the L.A. Times Travel Blog. Here's another post of pics from the Virgin America arrival in San Diego. John met me in San Diego and we drove back to Vegas together. This was nice, but I was a little bit bummed I couldn't go to the Virgin America party at The Ivy hotel. Ah well, hopefully they'll ask me to their next launch.  There will be two more destinations opening up this year. I've got my fingers crossed one of them is Chicago.

CURRENT: Las Vegas
NEXT: San Diego (Feb. 27-March 5)

Los Angeles Times Travel Show this weekend

Get your butt out to Long Beach this weekend! The Los Angeles Times Travel & Adventure Show is hip and  happening. Plan a vacation, shop brochures for the ideal honeymoon, or listen to the big names in travel give you good reasons for getting out of dodge.

I'll be there all weekend and moderating the panel, "Online Travel Tips & Tricks from the Experts" with Johnny Jet, Juliana Shalcross of HotelChatter.com and George Hobica, creator of one of my fave travel websites - Airfare Watchdog. (Sat. 12noon, Room 104A)

I'll also be interviewing Pauline Frommer live from the show on Saturday and will be a guest on Arthur & Pauline Frommer's The Travel Show radio program on Sunday. It's one mega travel weekend!

Other big names at the show include Rick Steves, Phil Keoghan from The Amazing Race, and a bunch of serious adventurers with National Geographic Adventure.

One author I'm excited to meet is Don Mankin, co-author of Riding the Hulahula to the Arctic Ocean. I love that he wrote an adventure book for travelers over 40.

Come on out - you can find me in the L.A. Times booth, meeting the masses and talking about our favorite subject - TRAVEL.

CURRENT: Hyatt, Long Beach
NEXT: San Francisco...to take the first Virgin America flight to San Diego!

Speech for my father's service

I've been flat out since the service last Tuesday. I got hit with the flu the day after and just started feeling normal yesterday. I wanted to share this speech for some of my friends who didn't get to see it. The service at Rosecrans was a good one. It was a beautiful day and the gazeebo that overlooks the bay is stunning. We were pleased with the entire day with one exception, Rosecrans was extremely tight with their time. The service was only 30 minutes with the clock ticking from the moment we left the office. We didn't realize there would be a flag folding ceremony, and it ended up taking quite a long time. The poor newbies did a lovely job, but they must've not liked how the flag was turning out because they tucked and tucked it to no end. It took it all out of me not to rip it out of their hands as I sat in front of them looking at Michelle's watch. I knew we were running out of time, but I was on best behavior and didn't.

My cousin Michelle and Jason gave heartfelt accounts of their time with my dad and what it meant to them. There was a bugler who played taps and a bag piper who played tear-jerking rendition of Amazing Grace. All beneath a blue sky and overlooking the San Diego Bay. It was gorgeous. With just a few minutes left I made some crack about how I never give short speeches and invited our friends to come back to the reception at my Aunt Val and Uncle Jon's where I shared these words....