Hope your travelling was uneventful, especially given the day.

Sam Sam Sam...how do you keep us all straight? Do you have printouts and files on all of us stalkers...I mean devoted fans?

Yes, my dad came to Iowa with me. 10,000 riders this year! The route was is southern Iowa...River country which means more vertical climb then is the past years...but it was a fantastic week. Very enjoyable ride with just enough challenging hills.

Yep...I went to help two years ago and found myself in the thick of things. The sights and sounds in the immediate days after are....well....there are no words for it. It's funny how simple sights and smells triggers the memory. We had to wear goggles and masks because of the dust and debris in the air. I went scuba diving this summer and almost panicked with the scuba gear on.

The rescue dogs are amazing. They would sit as still as stautes as we tried to pluck shards of glass from their paws and rinse their red irritated eyes, then give us big ole wet kisses in appreciation. They did get depressed and there is nothing worse than a depressed Laborador! We also tried to get animals out of the abandoned buildings. These critters were freaked out! You could almost see their though process..."You're not my master, I should bite you. BUT...I've been alone for 5 days and you have FOOD!!!! I'll eat the food now and maybe go after your hand later."

It was pretty soon after all this that I adopted my own four legged bundle of joy (Matilda!) She came to me abused and very injured and needed someone like me to get her all fixed up. Didn't take long to admit that I actually needed her more then she needed me. She gets LOTS and LOTS of hugs and kisses!

So tell us some tales of travel!!! I have not been to Disneyland since California Adventure was built. Did you do Del Coronado? What has been the best so far?

Is Fiona a calico? Saw her picture on a recent episode...that explains a lot!!!! Calico are...well...demanding. I have one as well.

Well I've gone on for long enough... I'll let someone else chime in!

Take Care
Kel

wow! crazy to finally be able to participate in a forum. i saw your one hour New York City special, it was great. i love your show, watch it every single day and i enjoy laughing with you. i was wondering if somehow you would be able to let me know if and when you are coming to Santa Fe, NM, i saw it on the list, i would love to meet you. i will also be going to florida on aug. 20, will you still be there?? one more thing, i would really like an autographed picture of you? trucry@yahoo.com, i'd really appreciate it. i am anxiously awaiting the new season. good luck!

#1 Fan!
crystal

sorry, i am still in the month of august i guess. i meant i will be going to florida september 20. well let me know, would love to meet you!
crystal

ps. how in the world did you land that dream job, looking for anybody to add to the GH crew??

Dear Samantha,

I tried asking you for a picture before, but you ignored me. Actually, I think I just missed you last time you were posting stuff. Anyway, I'm a big fan and my e-mail is egponce@attg.net. Keep up the good work and I like your hair.

Yours,

Erwin

That story of the interpreter breaking character to tell you she loved the Walton's is hysterical! what a love. I have a different experience with The Walton's. They were always on at 5:30pm. The brown family ate dinner at 6:30. I was always starving at 5:30 but my mom didn't want me to ruin my supper so to pass the time I would watch tv. So I associate The Waltons with hunger.

I am back from the Keys and I must say I had a wonderful time. I think it is because we were there during the down season. I really don't enjoy crowded places with hordes of drunkards.

I can't believe the Old Man is gone from the Mountain. I remember reading an article about the controversy to save it or let it take it's natural course. our motto is Live Free or Die.

I thought the Grand Californian was just beautiful. I am a big fan of the Arts & Crafts movement so I enjoyed all the special touches that Disney does so well. I also ate at Napa Rose. WOW! It's a gorgeous restuarant and I had the juiciest Pinot Noir ever. I believe it was a William Selyem. In Napa Valley we did the incomparable Auberge du Soliel and the lovely Meadowood Inn.

A photo will be yours!

thanks for the compliment. It sure is hard to do those bikini scenes. No Chocolate Chip cookies! so i'm glad it paid off. We are not going to do Mackinaw. It's ashame that Island is one of my favorite spots and I would love to stay in that hotel.

thanks for the tips. We will be in Boston in a month shooting in Cape Cod and Downtown Boston. I don't know the properties yet.

I know I've already request an autograph for myself, but may I request one for a friend also?

Email me for further info! Thanks - you are the best!!!!

Melissa

mjurgensen@hotmail.com

Hiya Darlin!

the new do has more to do with the high dew in NYC in the middle of a heat sweltering August. My hair curls up like Shirley Temple so we just have to go with it as they say.

The people we featured in Great Vacation Homes were all so wonderful. I miss that aspect of my job-We almost never stayed in the homes. We were a crew of 5 and that would be hard on the homeowners.

good to see you've stuck with me even after my long absence. Sheeba was a friend of a friends dog. The hotel was a little scared when we said we were bringing a Great Dane but everyone will always remember that hotel for just that. Have a great time in the big apple this is definately the time of year to come. the weather is beautiful.

You know you're right. It's architecturally a stunner designed by I. M Pei. I'm not involved in the choosing process so I'm not sure what happened.

we went to Philly last year. We did the wonderful Rittenhouse Hotel and the Park Hyatt. I had a cheesesteak at Pat's.

just give me your email address and it's yours.

thanks for your praise. I travel about 9 months out of the year. Sometimes people join me but very rarely. It's tough because the "idea" is that i am on vacation but the reality is that we work 12 hour days and then I write for the next day after that. So I don't have any time to play if I have guests.

I think I have that picture of Paige Davis and I in one of the Photo Galleries. Try the Emmy one. She is just a love and has an even tougher travel schedule then I do. I really don't know how she does it. A funny story. This couple came up to me all exited and wanted to take a picture with me. The young lady told me that she just loved me and never misses a Trading Spaces. I felt so sorry to have to tell her that I wasn't Paige Davis. She was really embarrassed but I said that I was extremely flattered-that Paige is a looker!

I might be moving to Brooklyn soon! I may be losing my incredible apartment so I'll be looking accross the bridge.

a picture will arrive shortly!

my gosh you travel more than I do! I have to admit that cruises scare me. I don't know how i would feel being on the open ocean. I also love to hike and mountain bike while on vacation so that would be tough. I would however love the chance to take a cruise around Alaska. That seems amazing.

you can definately have a picture just leave me an email address.

happy 10th!

that's too bad I was in NYC all August. About posting a schedule of where I'll be. I guess I'll have to talk to some people at the Travel channel about that. There's been a security issue surrounding these kind of things. It would be one thing if it was just for a day. but i do stay in these hotels and go for jogs at night. It's a real shame that you have to worry about these things. That's why I try to do as many of these live forums. I definately have a great group of fans and would like to remain as accessible as I can without jeopardizing my safety. does that make sense?

good to hear you won money. I'd say my favorite was the all suite Venetian.

Keep looking for it. I promise it will air again. a picture is yours!

which dessert have you been deployed to? GH 3 will start to air September 29th (so a fan has informed me) Travel Channel keeps me on a need to know basis

can't fly huh? These are Loooong drives I hope your new marriage is strong enough

northern Fl-Ritz Carlton Amelia Island
S.C. Daufuskie Island
NY The Sagamore
MI Makinaw Island

How's your recovery going. Make sure you boss around your kids ALOT. You had to take care of them for twenty year (and going) now they can pitch in. For Great Hotels we have never done The Grand Hotel on Makinaw Island. Great Vacation Homes however we did two homes on that beautiful Island. the only reason we have not done that hotel is because of scheduling problems. It has always proven to be too difficult to get there and stick to our very demanding itinerary of 45 other hotels. We are going back to Hawaii in late October! So look for new episodes after Christmas.

OH NO the truth shall soon be revealed on what I am really like. I smoke cigars as big as kittens and push kind old ladies out of the way .

sad to say nothing supernatural has ever happened to us. It's funny some of the hotels we do do not want to play up their haunted past for fear of scaring potential customers. The Marshall house had no problem with that. Probably because all of Savannah is thought to be visited by ghosts.

I love your login name! We are going to be doing a Disney at Christmas special so look for that second week in December. As for Las Vegas you can't go wrong at Bellagio or The Venetian.

We have never done Raffles and I've brought that to their attention but I guess it's still up there. My producers and Travel Channel decide what hotels we'll visit. I have no idea if there will be a season 4. We are still knee deep in season 3. Hopefully there will be

did you send me your email address?

got your correct email

THAT IS AWESOME! I love it! absolutely love it! Thanks for giving me thick hair and a pretty nose!

that's true the Turtles are amazing. I'm glad you enjoyed your time there. We are going back to Hawaii to shoot four more hotels so I'll keep you posted.

we did do the Grand Californian Hotel which I really enjoyed and the Del Coronado. What a beauty that hotel is we also had a fabulous time with the staff. Fiona is with me right now as a matter of fact. She is a pastel Calico. That picture you saw is not of her. I couldn't get one in time so we had to go with a random cat. I haven't had the heart to tell Fiona about this. I know she would be very upset.

I believe Santa Fe is still on for sometime in the late winter. I went there with my mom last year and just loved it. We stayed at the Inn at Alameda and loved it! A picture is on the way.

sorry if you think that I ignored you. That certainly is not my intention when doing these live forums. Thanks for you email and I promise PROMISE you'll get a picture. Thanks for coming back.

I love your show! It has inspired me to go back to school and get a Masters Degree so that I can design restaurants and hotels for you to visit. I love NYC and I'm so excited for the new season! Hopefully one day you'll visit one of MY hotels.

Hi Sam!

I'm an actress and I love your show. I read how you got the audition after doing some commercials, my question is, were you part of a union? I'm non union now, but unsure what is the best to join, what will benefit me the most, suggestions/advice?

Thanks! I'd love a pic too, if you get a chance!
Roxielimon@aol.com

Bridget

Glad to hear that your back and that season 3 is on the way, looking forward to seeing you again!

Take care and stay in the light next time(no blackouts, HaHa)!

Hey Sam. It's Rory again. I have a suggestion for a hotel that you could possibly do on Great Hotels. It is called Winter Clove. It is up in the Catskills in NY. It is such a peaceful place to go to for a few days. I've been going every few years since I was a baby. I actually learned to walk there when I was an infant.

Is is possible for me to get an autographed picture of you? I would absolutely love it. My E-Mail address is VacDisney@aol.com

Hope to hear from you soon. Bye.

~Rory

Hi Samantha, I just wanted to say and tell what a big fan I am of Great Hotels. I started watching them to see the Disney episodes. Now I watch them every chance I get. I'm looking forward to the Disney at Christmas special. Are you staying at Disney hotels during the taping of the special? Are there future plans to do episodes of other Disney resorts, like the Polynesian? I also hope in the future you can have more episodes in the South.

You're doing a great job and we enjoy watching you! Keep up the good work!

Hey Sam!!! I watch your show every morning and I love it. There was one show in New York where you went to a chocolate bar and I have been searching for it everywhere and have not been successful. I was wondering if you could tell me where it is located. My sister and I are going to New York in October and we really wanted to go there. Thank You very much.

Hi, Samantha! First time poster here... I wanted to tell you how much I loved the special. I lived in NYC for 30 years, and I'd never heard of some of those hotels! Of course I want to stay in all of them... What completely cracked me up was the scene with Sheba the dog -- how you told her to check out the room, and she did... IN BLACK AND WHITE!!! I don't think I paid attention for the next minute or so, I was laughing so much. That's why I love your shows, Samantha -- it's just like you to pay attention to the small, quirky details, like dogs not seeing in color. I just wanted you to know that those little quirks are not lost on your audience, and please keep it up!

sam! thanks for the quick reply. it's so cool to be watching you on tv one minute and you actually responding to my message the next. technology!! well i will be looking foward to my pic and hopefully i will get to see you if and when you come to santa fe. try INN OF THE ANASAZI, it's great.
thanks so much,
crystal

Sam, I’d love it if you would go to the Crystal Mesa Farm Bed and Breakfast outside Sante Fe. I’ve always wanted to stay there, but I haven’t made it there yet. It is run by Walt Willey (Jackson Montgomery on All My Children) and his wife. It looks gorgeous! Check out their site: http://www.crystalmesafarm.com

Melissa

Samantha.... whereas I usually associated The Waltons with somewhat unecessary sappiness, way too many children, and quickly changed channels.

Glad you enjoyed the Keys (though I would have been a bit surprised if you hadn't); I generally fail to enjoy loud drunken crowds myself (which a good wealthy college town like C-ville has in abundance here, probably already underway in fact) except in the rare occasions that I'm actually one of them. You did appear a bit out of place in that episode with the glowing drinks, I think I recall. I'm sure your own wine-filled affairs are far more congenial, appealing and, certainly, articulate.

Just did a quick 11-3p.m. Monticello guide shift and 3 nice little tours; drizzly and breezy here but romantically atmospheric all the same. No one from NH today (whose motto I thought was "Live Free, If Not Grammatically Correctly, and Then Die").

Am concerned that XAshleyKristianX (misspelled I know, sorry!) hasn't appeared yet, nor the wonderfully articulate Mother Orange, who last spring was supposed to tell us what a New England whoopee pie was (I certainly don't know).

Hope you're e-mailing from some other idyllic e-mail port. As I obviously cannot resist the opportunity, no doubt I'll chime in again during your next (post-October?) appearance. Happy visiting and bedsheet thread counting in the meantime. Surely fine seafood and Italian dining (north end) await you in Boston, Sam.

Samantha, I watch your show all the time and I must say I am smittened by you. I am a 33 year old good -looking, tall Italian man from New York. You show so much enthusiasm on your show and seem to brighten up every hotel room that you enter. I would love to meet you one day and was wondering if you were married. I dont see a ring on your finger and I am not a nut or anything, just someone who would love to take you out on a date one day. Take care.

Paul

I can't wait to see your new season of Great Hotels!! I love your show!! I tape it every day because I'm in school, but I love it! Anyway, I was wondering if I could possibly get a signed picture from you. If you could that'd be terrific!!! My email is alohagirl428@yahoo.com Can't wait for the new episodes!!! Thank you!!!

keep me posted and I'll be there.

If you still need experience don't join the Unions. Most of the jobs you gain your sea legs on are non union jobs. If you become apart of a union too soon you can hurt your chances two ways; You will not be experienced enough to stand out from all the competition and being apart of a union will keep you from gaining experience thru non union work. break a leg