Do I have to tell you things have been busy? I know you already know that. It’s 6:30 am and I got back from Europe last night. We shot the Weekend show in London, Florence and Paris. My husband joined me the last few days in the City of Lights as we had plans to leave on Sunday and fly to San Sebastian, Spain. I have wanted to go to this beautiful seaside side resort for probably ten years now since my first time in Barcelona when I really enjoyed a restaurant that served only Pintxos. These are little individual bites like tapas but done with a more inventive flare. I remember someone explaining to me that if I loved that style of food then I must go to the Basque region of Spain to San Sebastian. When Frank Gehry unveiled his drawings for the now famous Guggenheim Museum in nearby Bilbao it furthered my resolve to get to that place in Spain as no piece of architecture has ever electrified me. Food and architecture, how could you go wrong?
It almost did go wrong as the wonderful people of Air France decided to strike the weekend we were to leave. The trains were so busy their website kept crashing and no amount of calling would put us thru. Kevin was convinced that every time he “pressed #3 for English” the connection would just be automatically dropped. But when we had the concierge make the call he was no more successful. So we rented a car and drove the ten hours. I joked to Kevin that this must be the first time a non-Parisian couple has left Paris for a romantic getaway. Kevin did all of the planning on this trip as my schedule for a month in China then three weeks in Europe right after cut down on anything and everything that didn’t have to do with my job. Luckily Kevin thru his own travels (and one bachelor party) had become friends with a man named Ken who runs a tour company called Totally Spain. Ken helped us with some of our arrangements. When we arrived we had 15 minutes to drop off our bags and greet a guide Ken had arranged for us that evening. Her name is Gabriella she runs her own culinary and culture tour business called Tenedor (fork) tours. As an American she came here in her early twenties and completely enamored with the food and way of life she never left. She had to have been one of the best guides I have ever had and I struggle to say guide as both Kevin and I were not just guided by her but inspired and thrilled. We went around the old center of the city and dropped by 5 or 6 or was it more? Pintxos bars sampling only one or two in each before moving on-as is the custom. Thru all the eating we talked and learned about the history, the customs and culture of a part of Spain that I have always wanted to go to. After we said goodbye to Gabriella Kevin said that from now on wherever we travel we hire the best person to show us around that first day or night so it puts on the right track for the rest of the trip. I agreed and said they are sort of like Personal trainers in a gym teaching you how to do each exercise correctly so when on your own you don’t hurt yourself. Kevin hasn’t been to a gym in years and therefore didn’t like the analogy. I was happy to eat Pintxos the entire time of our short vacation but Kevin had made a reservation at one of the top Restaurants in all of Europe called Arzak. What a meal! The restaurant is run by Juan Mari Arzak and his daughter Elena. We had a chance meeting on the street with Elena and Gabriella and so when Kevin and I walked in to the restaurant for our reservation we got a special tour of the kitchen as well as the “Lab” where all the Basque recipes are tried out and tested with scientific precision. After our third course of dessert Kevin and I had to leave as it was closing in on 1am and we had to be up by 4am and we still had to pack for our long trip home. It was an amazing way to celebrate our one year anniversary thru what we both love so much and yet rarely get to do together which is travel. But let me tell you it is soooooooo good to be home. There is still lots to share with you about China and of course Europe but those journals should I guess wait until the shows begin to air. I hope you are all doing well and I appreciate from the postings I’ve read that you understand my long absence from the website. Even though I may not write I’m always checking in to see how things are going on with my friends. I would love to hear from you personally and will be checking the forum all this week to answer any questions you have of the new season, post Latin-America, whatever!
Looking forward to talking to you
Samantha

Good afternoon a second time, Samantha,
For some reason this increasingly odd forum did not display any of your replies here on Sam Central until evidently quite recently. You have responses waiting for you in the Latin American section, however, but maybe any further ones really belong right here. We're very glad you're back, anyway, regardless of the location of your messages. But I need to take off for the evening now, and am a working boy tomorrow. You should take it easy, on the other hand, but I suspect you know that too well. Welcome home again, Samantha, but do realize that many of your fans are baffled by the new system here. But they welcome you home too, I'm quite sure.
"Capt. Tuttle"

Hi again Samantha, I too, posted over in the PTLA forum first, before seeing your post over here. So now, I see that there will be domestic episodes of the weekend getaway show and that you’ve seen Father Oranges thread with some new ideas. But my gosh you’ve been busy, I think they should let you take the rest of the year off. Welcome home!

Dave

Sam! So glad you're home and that you had a fabulous anniversary getaway. We've been patiently awaiting your return--we knew you were super-busy and you'd come on here when you had a chance. I know how it is--lately I've barely had time to sleep. I actually just got back from an all-day Model UN conference (I was Egypt). When I saw a topic titled "Hello!!!" with three exclamation points, I knew it was you. I'm glad you weren't messed up by the new system like so many here were.

The Basque region sounds fantastic. I'd love to go there, and then to Arzak... food scientifically tested to be the best? Yes please! Did you speak any Basque when you were there? It's such a unique language. I can't wait to go back to Europe--I almost had a chance this year, actually. My European history class is planning a trip to England and Wales over spring break, but unfortunately it's not the best decision for me as it's my last spring break before my friends and I go off to college. And it would cost me a lot of money... Oh well, I'll definitely study there later.

How was China???? I guess you'll tell us later, but I'm dying to know! Was it how you expected or completely different? Did you, or could you, speak any Chinese (personally I'm scared to death to try to speak it... I'll stick to Latin-based stuff, thanks). I didn't know Great Weekends was going to be in Europe too, I thought it was just the U.S. Sweet.

Well, I'm so psyched for the new series, and I know you'll have a lot of posts to answer, so I'll cut myself off for now. Get some rest and enjoy home!

~Kelsey

Hi Sam!
I'm new to the site but have been watching your various Travel Channel programs for awhile now. My family and I have been hoping to be able to travel to China for several years so I'm looking forward to your program next year. Recently my daughter (8) was introduced to your shows by watching Great Hotels Disneyworld. She is hooked! She wants to watch your shows every weekend and just loves you! And we have learned so much about Latin America. She will really be happy to know you are doing a show on China. We are surprising her and her older brother with a trip to Disney World during the holidays. I looked on the Travel Channel website and found out that the week before our trip, your program, "Disney Holiday Magic with Samantha Brown" will air. I'm going to wake the kids up early the day before we leave and have them read a note from Santa saying to watch your show to tell them where they are going! This is probably the last year she will really believe so I wanted it to be extra memorable. Your show will be the icing on the cake! Enjoy your holidays! And Thank you!
Kathleen

Captuttle,

I seem to recall from my Message in a Bottle September edition that you were off to London. How was your trip? I agree with you that when you arrive it's like nothing has changed, the architecture remains reassuringly it London charm best but when you focus in more closely you begin to see how this great city is evolving. Financially, its a difficult place to be. I went back to my favorite noodle shop Wagamama had a bowl of curry noodles, steamed dumplings, water and a glass of wine and it was 20 pounds or 40 bucks!!! incredible. when will the dollar rebound?

hey David,

I have been very busy but I will be home in NYC for the entire month of December. Perfect time to catch up with friends and spend time with the family. I am very excited

Hello Kelsey,

you know for a week I couldn't post because of the problems. which was frustrating seeing how long I haven't posted on the forum.

China was more incredible than I could have ever imagined. I did try to speak but the tonal system is such a challenge. Instead of calling the waiter a waiter I called him a Little monkey. that's when I threw in the towel.

So you just got back from a UN event in Egypt? please explain sounds incredible

Kathyleen,

You know you hit the nail on the head with what my ultimate goal is for my shows. That the same people who in enjoy Disney (not a big challenge) will take time to discover far off places like Latin America and China. And the fact that your children are so young and into it really, you couldn't have flattered me more.

We have begun shooting the Disney Holiday special and will resume right after Thanksgiving its going to be a great show. Wait till you see what they did to Cinderella Castle this year for the holidays!

Hahahaha nooooo Sam I wasn't in Egypt--I was at a conference for Model UN, which is high school students representing different countries and discussing topics currently being discussed in the United Nations (for this conference, the topic was nuclear proliferation in Iran). I was representing Egypt, but the conference was about 30 minutes away from where I live. Though going to Egypt would be cool. Sorry if I made it sound like that! It was chaotic and there was much arguing (like the real UN) but in the end we managed to pass a resolution with 3 minutes left of the day-long conference.

I think I'm the only person that didn't have major problems posting... the only thing I've had issues with is that the site doesn't automatically log me on. I have to do that every time I go to the site. <_<

You called the waiter a little monkey? That's so funny. Yeah, at that point I'd just have someone translate! At least you tried though... I'd be terrified.

~Kelsey

Hi Samantha,

I’m glad to hear that you’re going to get some well-deserved time off. I’m sure that NYC is a fun and nearly magical place during the holidays, or maybe I’ve just seen too many movies that depict it that way. In any event enjoy!

Dave

Samantha,
Of course I watched Passport to Latin America and did enjoy it. You must have realized that. The areas of the world that don't interest us so much may be because we don't know enough about them. We should always open up our minds to learn of new places to be seen. What a bland and blinkered existence we would lead if we only saw the same congested highways to the mall or work and back. And what ignorant and sad beings we then would be. I didn't even know how tequila was made before, and look at me now. You're a wonderful ambassador to so many places, Sam, and I'll follow you to China, too. But yes, please continue with your journals. They do show an introspective side of you so worth discovering as you filter through the layers of your experiences for us here. And you do write well, Sam and, much more than Tuttle, have something meaningful to say when you do.

And has it ever really been brought out that you are now a purely prime time figure? It arrived so naturally and without fanfare that I don't believe we ever officially congratulated you for that achievement. No more daytime Emmies, of course, but you've always been our prize here.

I had to go back and see your September Bottle again to find how much I wrote then about this recent England trip -- much more than I recalled -- so I'll refrain from much more here. With daytrips crammed into every day but one, I only spent the first cotton-headed day roaming (warm and sunny) London, the rest being bits and pieces fitted into the remnants of the days. But there are areas of London that I have to see each time: parts of the City, the Inns of Court and Bankside by the river, Pall Mall and St. James's from the Haymarket Theatre to the gentlemen's clubs like White's and Brooks's at the top of St. James's St., near one of your past hotels in fact, and the side streets in between and, yes, those shopping arcades where no one seems to actually buy anything (and I've never seen the beadle).

I quickly need quiet corners from the crowds, but there's the Staple Inn off Chancery Lane or Sir John Soane's house in Lincoln's Inn Fields with clocks softly ticking, or the medieval chapel of St. Ethelburga still there from the 1300s only a few yards from the traffic of Holborn Circus where no one ever goes but is always open. But then, to remind me, as you, that London isn't static, an entire city block between the Smith's Umbrella shop and Shaftesbury Ave. just disappeared in my absence, a new massive office complex on its way, and there is some wonderful new construction, esp. in the City.

But you know, Samantha, that Wagamama is an Orange topic, and it was they who first convinced me to try it. The small one near the British Museum (and my "hotel") is the branch I frequent - where is yours? Number 42 I think is what I usually get, nice and zippy, and the peach iced tea Mother O recommends is great in summertime. But I still love best a tall can of Strongbow on the quiet train rides home which I love after the long daytrips out of London. I found some wonderful new old medieval houses and gardens way down in Somerset and Dorset this time (not quite Cornwall) and up in Derbyshire and Lincolnshire, and Kipling's ancient old house in Sussex with some idyllic hiking out to some of them. I can mentally see them all again right now (with hundreds of digital photos to remind me if I need to).

But I've written too much to you, as ever, although you do inspire us to this fault, but don't forget to replay mentally for yourself all you've seen and heard (and eaten) since we last talked here, with a wedding anniversary too. There's much for you to savor and appreciate this week, I'm sure. Thanks for writing to us, Sam. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
"Capt. Tuttle"

P.S.
I heard the Chinese gong up there today at 3, and will be there Thursday through Sat., but not so much in December as things quiet down.

Hi Samantha,
Great to hear you're doing well! And have to thank you for your excellent work on PTLA. I've always wanted to travel, but of the little I've done, only once did it take me out of the US; Lima and Cuzco in Peru. Machu Pichu, even in the rain, was a wonder to me though. And seeing the episode you did there (my favorite of all your work), it completely captured the same spirit and memories I have of that amazing site. I'm a big fan of PTE and PTLA. There are so many places you've been I'd love to go as well. And if you were able to capture the same great experience that I had, I can only wonder what other experiences in Europe and Latin America i've been missing. Hence my new resolution to start traveling. Keep up the great work. And I wish you all the best on your anniversary.
john

You must have been extremely tired
after just a couple hours of sleep
on your anniversary.

Happy anniversary!

I don't have cable anymore, or internet... I'm mellowing out on those things right now, but i'm trying to watch the Passport To Latin America shows and take notes to do silly reviews
of them on here. I dunno, i'm silly.

Well, you get more wonderful with the seasons.
(There is nostalgia, as well.)

~SAMISCUUUTE!

Let's bump this thread back to the top where it belongs. There. That's better now.

good morning all, good morning Sam. welcome back! so you mean that's not really you I found on myspace? bummer. after some trouble of my own signing in here, I made it. just call me the artist formerly known as bigse

Nice to know you have some time off soon, I'm sure you need it. anything new on your ipod? might I suggest some of my favorites: Matt Nathanson, James Morrison and Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers. nice singer-songwriter stuff. does the writers strike in L.A. affect the production of your upcoming shows?

take care. happy thanksgiving.

p.s. I'm enjoying the Latin America podcasts on itunes. that peppery beer thing you had sounds interesting. might have to try it at my next party

H A P P Y T H A N K S G I V I N G everyone. We do indeed have lots to be thankful for.