My recent multi-purpose trip to Dallas was fun-filled, and way too short! I got to catch up with long-time friends, see my nephew and his fiance, and even see a few former students. Of course (as usual) I ran through DSW looking for the gotta have shoes. My gal pals and I also made our yearly journey to Pete's Dueling Piano Bar in Addison. They put us front and center because they figured we'd be fun, or rather entertaining. Go figure! One of my buddies and I stayed at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine so I could do some investigating and writing about its staycation and girlfriend getaway qualities. I'm happy to say that the property passed on both accounts. Check out my article on Examiner: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-3825-Dallas-Getaways-Examiner~y2009m5d20-Staycation-getaway-at-the-Gaylord-Texan-in-Grapevine-Texas

(Click on the brochure to enlarge.)

Mark and I will both be presenting at the Panhandle Professional Writers Association this summer. Come check it out.

The books are turned in! We're getting a few photos together, but that's no sweat. Our recent trip to Telluride and Durango was worthwhile for some fact checking confirmations, but it turned out to be a much needed getaway.

Off season in Telluride is something not to miss. It's calm, quiet and the lodging is at a discount. A lot of the stores and restaurants are closed, but that adds to the quite (almost locals only) charm. Of the shops opened, most have deep discounts you (we) just can't pass up. Most everything will be opening up for summer between now to the end of May.

Give Mountain Lodge at Telluride a try; we loved it. (Advice, make sure you know how to heat up the hot tub before jumping in.) http://www.mountainlodgeattelluride.com

I'll be in Dallas (Grapevine) soon to check out the Gaylord Hotel for a Staycation and Girlfriend Getaway locale. I can already tell it will fit both perspectives perfectly. I hope to make a visit to the Grapevine Winery, get in some good shopping, and eat out at some non-Amarillo restaurants.

Stay Tuned.

I've been busy working and writing two books for Wayfinder Press (with Mark), both due in May, on the Top 30 Things to do in Durango and the Top 30 Things to do in Telluride. Unfortunately travel has been limited lately due to such a busy schedule. I did manage a great trip to Durango (for fun) and one to Houston (for family) and have plans for a Telluride trip next month.....thank goodness.

I'm now the Dallas Getaways Examiner for examiner.com and have been writing to keep regular posts. Look for my upcoming article on Costa Brava, Spain. Explore the rest of the site too, it really has a lot of great info from writers around the country on all kinds of subjects.

My latest article for the Amarillo Globe News will be out this Sunday. All you flyfishers be sure to give it a read for some tips on getting ready for Spring fishing.

More to come....

I'm back from a winter wonderland, snow-covered Durango trip. The snow was gorgeous and made for some excellent skiing up at "Purg." The best part was getting to make fresh tracks on the barely accessed back of the mountain - even late in the day. Next time I'm heading to the back side first thing and staying right there for the day, or at least till I need a good dose of hot chocolate. The base area has changed a bit in the last year, with new lodging and busy-ness. I never found the best new place for non-skiers to hold up for the day, but I'll be back soon for some more skiing and will investigate the amenities a little better.

The Seasons, my favorite Durango restaurant, is getting ready to reopen after a devastating fire last year. I can't wait! It looks like it will have an outdoor balcony overlooking Main Street - fun! In the meantime check out Randy's for delicious dining, the pork medallions are to die for.

Head out to Dallas' West Village (3699 McKinney Avenue), December 5th for an Electric Holiday Celebration. There'll be live music, shopping, treats and drinks, and holiday cheer from 6 to 10 PM. I love this shopping area and this part of Dallas as well. Have fun getting into the holiday spirit!

More to do in Dallas

R and R:
Relax and unwind at one of these favorites.

• Times Ten Cellars is a casual, winery and wine bar. Private spaces available. 6324 Prospect Ave, Dallas, 214-824-WINE.
• The Library Bar, is quite and comfy, with great music from the piano bar. 3015 Oak Lawn Ave, Dallas, 214-224-3144.
• Salon Pompeo will get you ready to hit the town while taking time to unwind. (over 30 spa services) 3227 McKinney Ave. Ste. 103, Dallas, 214-979-0440.
• Exhale Spa’s 10,000 square feet of “spadom,” provides skin care and body therapies to mind and body classes, boutique shopping and gift certificates. 5300 East Mockingbird Lane, at the Hotel Palomar, Dallas, 214-370-5800.

My Girlfriend Getaway article, on BIG D, came out on the front page of the Lifestyles section in the Amarillo Globe News today. Newspapers have to keep it brief, so a few of my favorite spots didn't make it into the sidebar sections. Here are the ones that didn't make it. To see the others you'll have to get a copy of the paper since the sidebars of the cool spots don't show up online.

Suit your fancy:
You need lots of time to explore all the art, history, sporting events and such that Dallas has to offer, so pick one, for now.

• The Dallas Museum of Art sits in the largest arts district in the US. Browse its ancient and contemporary collections, visit its restaurants, and its unique shop. 1717 North Harwood, Dallas 75201, 214-922-1200.
• The quaint Mozzarella Company offers shopping, tours, and classes in wine and cheese pairings plus hands-on cheese making, following centuries’ old recipes. 2944 Elm Street, Dallas, 214-741-4072.
• At Swirll Winery, sip and mix your own tasty batch of vino. Personalize your batch’s name and label design, ready in 6 to 8 weeks. Visitors love the urban setting and historic building. 1311 Main Street, Dallas, 214-573-6603.
• Catch a Mavs game at American Airlines Center in Victory Park. (A different experience without our testerone-ladened beaus!) Go early and explore Victory Park, Dallas’ hip urban center. 2401 N. Houston, Dallas.

Going to Georgia anytime soon? Atlanta has a hip, funky, affordable, fashionable boutique called SAGE that any of us girls will love. You'll love what you see, but even more you'll love that nothing, well almost nothing, is over $100! Try the Midtown location at Brookwood Place, 1745 Peachtree St. N.E., 404-815-0555 or Buckhead Market Place, 37 West Paces Ferry Rd., 404-233-8280. The newest location, in Cumming (410 Peachtree Parkway, Suite130), should be opening this month. If you get there before me let me know what you think. All stores have weekly shipments of skirts, tops, dresses, accessories, etc. You gotta love it!

I spent the day with my girls hiking around the beautiful Sugarite Canyon State Park a couple of weeks ago.  The weather was cool, the colors glorious.  If you haven't been to the park, you should check it out.  It has a ton of history from dinosaurs to coal mining, species after species of birds, all kind of animals, great fishing, and miles of hiking trails.  

Canton, Texas - Part II

Where: Canton is located in East Texas, about an hour from Dallas on Flea Market Rd, Canton, TX 75103

What: First Monday started in the 1850’s as a way to trade goods and services and has grown into a world famous mega flea market shopping experience with hundreds of thousands of visitors every year and thousands every month.

When: Thursday through Sunday prior to the first Monday of every month from 8AM till dark– Thursdays and Fridays are the least crowded.

How: Parking lots are scattered around all sides of the Canton First Monday Trade Days grounds. The rates may vary a bit by location but generally not much at all. Parking fees run around $5.00 per vehicle, ask about a weekend pass

More to do: Check out the local lakes, Canton’s boutiques and outlet stores. In August you’ll want to make time for The Van Zandt County Fair and Rodeo and the Annual Bluegrass Festival. Stop by Granny’s Pie Shop, “Crazy ‘bout’ Cookin” for a slice o’ pie (or the whole kit and kaboodle) Friday-Sunday till the pie’s gone.

Amy's Bed & Breakfast, 107 Rolling Hills, Canton, TX, 75103, (903) 567-2718, cell: (512) 922-5689.

Canton, Texas - Part I

This trip offers East Texas-friendliness, down-home creature comforts, and some of the greatest flea market shopping on the continent. 100 acres. 6,000 vendors.

Most women I know would give anything to shop with their friends instead of their spouses or male counterparts especially at a venue such as a flea market where one can wander, bargain and browse hour after hour. Have you ever watched women shop? We pick up and touch everything, feeling textures and fabrics even if we have no intention of buying the item.

Get it all at First Monday Trade Days in Canton, Texas, a girlfriend’s shopping and treasure hunting paradise. You’ll be able to buy everything from home furnishings to vintage clothing, from antique jewelry to produce and everything in between.
First Monday is open year-round, but spring and fall are the most favorable times to visit because the temperatures are most reasonable. Summer in East Texas is hot, but plenty of water will keep you shopping till dusk. You’ll find plenty of good eats at Canton so you won’t starve. When your heels are achin’, take your loot back to one of the cozy bed and breakfasts around the market. I recommend the all-girls’ lodge, Amy’s Bed and Breakfast, just a mile and a half away.

The market is huge so wear your best walking shoes. This is not the place for flip-flops, trust me. Once in the park, look for a free map of the grounds to plan your shopping day. Even if you don’t want to plan your path, you’ll want to be able to get back to your car.

Some vendors take checks or credit cards, but cash works best especially when bargaining (First Monday Strategy Number One: always ask for the vendor’s best price.] Bring a tote bag, rolling tote, or even a wagon for all your finds. Look for rentable wagons and carts in the market. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone leave the grounds empty-handed. Since First Monday is said to have anything you can think of you’re bound to find plenty you want, need, or just can’t pass up. It is a shopping mecca after all.

Fall is the perfect time of year for one of my favorite pieces of shopping paradise, First Monday Trade Days in Canton, TX.  My Texas buddies all know about this place and love searching out for the fun, unusual, and bargain goodies.  I've even visited First Monday as a vendor selling baseball cards of all things.  It's all about the bargaining, no matter which side of the First Monday table  you're on.  From my experiences, my girlfriends are much better at this than my dear hubby.  Girls love a good deal, love bragging about it and showing it off.

Here's a way to recreate the trip:

A Great Girlfriends Getaway Shopping Weekend in Texas

Hello.  I'm Amy Becker Williams, fulltime elementary school teacher and wife, and increasingly, fulltime writer.  I've lately been writing up a storm, penning education articles as the Education Expert for www.Tibesti.com, flyfishing articles for Rocky Mountain Game and Fish magazine, and finishing a proposal with my husband Mark (also a teacher and writer) which we contracted with Westcliffe Publishers just last week (the book is Touring Colorado's Wineries -- talk about some great girlfriend getaways.)  I've written travel articles for numerous magazines and newspapers, published my images in books and mags and even written two education books.  

I love to travel and have been enjoying girlfriend getaways for decades, long before they became trendy or headlining magazines or became a niche market, and I'm sure a lot of you have been doing the same too.  There's just something different and special when you go on vacation with your sister or your best friends.  Girlfriend getaways are now the hottest niche market in the travel industry and with good reason.  

Since I've been traveling the world photographing and researching with Mark over the years, I saw the need for a worldwide guide for we women.  Not just British Virgin Islands (which is one of my top places for a girls trip) but also spots like First Monday in Canton, Texas or Crested Butte in Colorado.  

In future blogs, I'll be sharing some of the places I love to visit with my female friends and family.  Enjoy, 

Amy