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 Truckee was once a place you stopped to fill up your car with gas on the way to one of the many ski resorts that circle Lake Tahoe. But now skiers are staying over night in this small town, located about 30 minutes from Reno. With a handful of great places to bed down, a happening restaurant scene, and a main drag lined with old Western facades, Truckee offers more charming delights than you'll find at any of the ski resort villages. My family recently spent two days in Truckee, and we discovered a great places were travelers can stay, play, and eat. Stay: With feather beds, an outdoor hot tub, and free hot breakfast, the Best Western Truckee Tahoe Lodge provides comfort and value. At the front desk you can buy discounted lift tickets for nearby resorts such as North Star and Squaw Valley. Play: Twenty minutes south in Soda Springs, Royal Gorge Cross-Country Ski Resort offers some 200 miles of trails that spread across 10,000 acres of mountain, forest and meadow. For families, it's a great alternative to the nearby downhill resorts that are spendy and often crowded. The kids camp is only $75 and includes a full day of instruction, lunch and rentals. Access to the trails are free for children 10 and under. Eat: Downtown's Donner Pass Road is chockablock with restaurants but Moody's Bistro is the rowdiest and most refined of them all. The nightly changing menu features dishes such as homemade gnocchi drizzled with truffle oil and roasted Fulton Valley chicken, and the food is so good that it got a write-up in The New York Times. But peope aren't only coming here to eat. They're also pouring into this former hotel to hear live music; Paul McCartney has played here not once, but twice. And on Sunday, this is a hot spot for families as dinner is served family-style--$30 per adult; $15 for kids 12 and under.
 We're in the midst of our second trip to the snow this year, and I've learned a few things when it comes to kids and ski gear: 1) Dress kids in layers: Children are miserable when they're cold--and when they're hot. Dress them in layers. On the top, put them in a long underwear top, a wool sweater or fleece shirt, and a waterproof, well-insulated ski jacket. On the bottom, they need waterproof pants or bib tops, and likely a pair of long underwear. 2) Wool socks are a must: Tiny toes freeze without them. Soft, thin wool socks are most comfortable. Never double up with two pairs, or else they'll end up with blisters. 3) Pack two hats per kid: Wool ski hats get lost--on the trail, during lunch at the lodge--and you don't want little heads going uncovered. 4) Gloves, not mittens: This is one of the most important purchases. Buy your kids a quality glove that's well-insulated and fits well so they can easily hold onto their poles. You want a glove that's big enough so they can easily slide their hands in without mom and dad's help, but you don't want it so big that it falls off on a steep downhill. Wool mittens don't do the job. 5) Don't forget sunglasses and sunscreen: You need this stuff at the beach, and on the slopes. Sun reflecting off the snow is bright and powerful.
 I don't remember the first time I saw snow, but I have seen the photographs of my parents pulling me around in a sled when I was about 1 year old. But I will never forget my first trip to the snow with my kids. My daughter, Paris, was 4 and my son, Dante, 3. We were in Idaho and drove the kids to Galena Lodge, a community center outside Ketchum where you can rent cross-country skis and sleds, or sit inside sipping hot chocolate by a roaring fire. Paris loved the snow. She rolled around in it like a frisky cat. She stuffed her mouth with snow, made snow angels, and happily tried sliding around on a pair of mini skis. My son hated it. We set him down in the snow and he screamed. He didn't like the crunching sound his feet made when he walked. And he was miserably cold. This weekend we watched another child see snow for the first time. We were in Truckee, Calif., just outside the famous Squaw Valley ski resort, for the weekend with a classmate from Paris's class. When Lily first spotted the white stuff from the car she said, "It looks like there's whip cream everywhere outside." Lily was so excited to run outside and touch the cold snow. She put a huge handful in her mouth. The kids built snowmen and had a snow ball fight, and the parents took lots of photos so it's a day they can remember. Do you remember your first time in the snow? Or your children's first visit?Image: UtahValley.org
 When my daughter, Paris, was 3-years-old a friend gave her a children's book about the artist Frida Kahlo. Paris was struck by Frida's haunting paintings and sad life story. After reading the book some 50 times, I called the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, only 2 miles from our home, and asked, "Do you have any paintings by Frida Kahlo in your permanent collection?" The answer was yes and a few hours later my daughter and I found ourselves at the museum in search of a woman with handlebar eyebrows. Paris spotted her first. "Frida!" she screamed. "Frida! That's Frida!" Others in the gallery smiled and seemed impressed by this shrimpy toddler identifying one of Frida's world-renowned self-portraits. But of course, one person looked annoyed at Paris who was destroying the gallery's sanctuary-like quality. We returned to the museum again and again to see Frida. An annual pass alleviated the pressure to get our money's worth and stay for hours on every visit. Paris and I often dropped by to see Frida for 10 minutes. Other times we browsed the entire permanent collection (Wayne Thiebaud's painting of cakes was another favorite).
And then one day we dropped by to say hi to our friend and she was gone. "Where's Frida?" Paris sobbed. "Where's Frida? I want Friday!" (Frida was getting ready for a traveling exhibition that would eventually make its way to San Francisco.) Did the museum seem kid friendly on these visits? Well, yes there were changing tables in the bathrooms and a corner devoted to toys and picture books in the gift shop, but what really made the museum meaningful for Paris was the fact that I had read her a book about an artist whose work was on display. At the time, I didn't feel like the museum was reaching out to us; I felt like we were reaching out to the museum. And then on one of our visits a museum employee directed us to the Koret Center on the second floor. Paris walked into a room with "real" ballerinas wearing "real" tutus--and her eyes nearly popped out of her head.
The ballerinas were posing for kids and their parents who were creating sculptures out of wire and clay. We had stumbled upon a Family Studio and this one was linked to the exhibit Matisse: Painter as Sculptor, which included pieces by Edward Degas who is known for his paintings and sculptures of dancers. On this day, I learned that SFMOMA has a Family Studio on the first and third Sunday of each month, and admission is always free for families at these events. There are also Family Days in March, June, and October when all San Francisco museums, including SFMOMA, welcome kids and their parents. The programs feature hands-on art projects, gallery tours for the whole family, and a changing lineup of readings, screenings, and performances. The program is typically linked to an exhibit in the museum. During the recent Olafur Eliasson exhibit, an artist who is known for playing with light and color, Paris and I made a kaleidoscope. Annie Lawson, manager of school, youth, and family programs, is the woman behind all of this. "We know that bringing kids to a museum at a young age can affect how they perceive institutions such as this for the rest of their life," says Lawson, with an undergraduate degree in art history and a masters in visual criticism. "Tons of studies show this." Lawson believes that kids who visit museums develop a deeper appreciation for art later in life and they're more comfortable with it. Lawson admits that SFMOMA isn't a museum designed specifically for kids with hands-on exhibits and places to run around. But Lawson works hard to make SFMOMA kid friendly and multigenerational. "How many places can you think of in this city where all ages can interact and engage?" Lawson asks. "At our Family Studios, we see kids and parents working together on projects." When the Frida Kahlo exhibit came to the SFMOMA I brought Paris. We started in the Family Studio where she created three Frida-esque self-portraits and turned them into a flip-it book (pictured above). And then she insisted on making another book. Finally, we made it to the exhibit upstairs, which was packed on a Sunday. I knew we wouldn't last long because Paris hadn't eaten a thing in three hours--but we worked our way through the galleries stopping to look at a Frida with parrots perched on her shoulder and another with monkeys. Paris seemed tired and apathetic. I was disappointed by her mood since she was deeply moved by the artist in the past, even crying when Frida's self-portrait was removed from the museum. And then as we were leaving, Paris looked at me and said, "I'm glad Frida came home." Those words were enough to assure me that our many visits to SFMOMA did mean something to her. Have you taken your kids to an art museum? Please share your experiences.
 A recent story in the NY Times tackles the stressful, overwhelming experience of packing for a family ski trip--which usually occurs when mom and dad are in a frenzied state trying to hit the road on Friday afternoon before traffic gets too bad. Bill Pennington, who claims to have performed the pack/unpack/pack operation maybe 150 times with his wife and three kids, offers up a handful of tips. I read this story with great interest since our family is planning to go to the snow several times this winter. Here are few tips pulled from Pennington's article. - Train each person to be responsible for his snow gear. Give each member of the family a bag for their ski clothes and a list of what they need to bring: boots, hat, goggles, gloves, sunglasses, helmet, and so on. "The key to this is getting young children — and doddering adults — accustomed to the idea that all the ski/snowboard-specific items go in this one bag," Pennington advises. (I have always packed for my kids who are now ages 5 and 6, but when we head for the snow next weekend I'm going to put them on the task of packing their own gear. Creating a list seems like a tedious, time-intensive task but I'm willing to try. We'll see how it goes.)
- Rent equipment--boots, poles, and skis--before you leave so you avoid lines at the resort. (This seems like wise advice if you're down-hill skiing. The cross-country ski resorts typically don't have any lines.)
- Bring two sets of gloves "because the ones used for skiing might get wet and need to be dried by the radiator or fireplace. You will be happy to have additional warm gloves for walking around at night," Pennington writes. (We just spent nearly $200 on outfitting the kids in snow gear so I'm not sure I'm ready to pop for a second pair of gloves.)
Stuff instant oatmeal in your suitcase. "With a dozen instant oatmeal packets, which cost about $4, you can feed the whole family a breakfast on Saturday morning and be on the slopes while everyone else is still ordering in the hotel restaurant," Pennington writes. "Use the coffee maker that probably comes with your room to heat up the water for the oatmeal, bring along some paper bowls and plastic spoons, and everyone gets a nice hot meal that will last until lunch....Yes, it’s not fine cuisine, but who cares if it means you get four runs on unoccupied trails before the hefty morning lift lines build." (This is one tip I definitely won't be following...instant oatmeal is the equivalent of wallpaper paste. It seems easy enough to set the alarm for 7 a.m. and eat a quick breakfast at the hotel, which in many cases is free and included in the rate, and then hit the slopes.)
 I have always seen a plane flight as an escape--an opportunity to relax. A flight from SFO to JFK provides a solid block of time to watch two movies in a row, or read the book that has been sitting unopened on my bedside table for weeks. If you're traveling with kids, a flight offers time to play 100 games of tic-tac-toe, read Stuart Little straight through from beginning to end, and color an entire Snow White coloring book--things I would never do with my children at home because the dishes always need to be washed, dinner needs to be made, the kitty litter box needs to be cleaned. And most often I need to get online to do some work. I work at home and most of my projects are done through Web-based programs, so when I'm at home there's always this pressure to be online, and I'm constantly fitting in computer time between quick games of Go Fish and fierce lightsaber battles. But on an airplane that pressure has always evaporated. An airplane was a place where I could relax or focus on my kids for hours and hours...until airplanes introduced wi-fi. I have been reading all about airlines adding Internet access on their planes but I had yet to actually be on a flight with a connection until a few months ago. Before boarding the flight, I was looking forward to reading my daughter Pippi Longstocking and watching Word Girl with her on my laptop. But then I got on the plane and the flight attendant made the announcement about the wi-fi...and I began to think, I really should be working....I bet I could get her to do some coloring and I could respond to a few emails and get that assignment done...Argh! My escape was gone. Photo credit: http://blogs.zdnet.com
 Last week, Best Western announced that members of its rewards program can now contribute rewards points to the massive relief effort currently underway in the devastated nation of Haiti. Members can go to www.bestwestern.com/haitirelief to make a donation of 5,000 points (which translates to $20), or more to World Vision, Best Western’s official charity partner. Image: ©2010 James Addis/World Vision
 This backpack and rolling suitcase are perfect for young jet-setters' winter travels. You might even be able to get your kids to carry their own stuff. Cost only $29 online at Walmart.com.
 New York Times Frugal Traveler Matt Gross declared that one of his 2010 New Year's travel resolutions is it to ride more of them. Peter Greenberg wrote that they're a much better way to get around in the United States than trains. Buses--they're all the rage. They have always been the cheapest way to travel, but now they're even becoming comfortable . Greyhound just introduced new buses with wi-fi, electric outlets, and plush reclining seats providing tons of legroom. The buses are traveling along the I-95 corridor between NYC and Boston, D.C. and Boston, D.C. and NYC, D.C. and Montreal. These new buses are also more fuel-efficient and generates nearly 3 times less carbon dioxide per passenger, per mile, than a hybrid vehicle. Other options along the East Coast corridor include BoltBus, MegaBus, and LimoLiner. Between Southern California and Las Vegas, you can take Orange Belt Stages, and in the Pacific Northwest, a service called Northwest Trailways travels between cities in Washington and Idaho. Busjunction.com can help you locate bus services throughout the country.
 My memories of downhill skiing with my parents as a child are full of embarrassing moments. There's the time I skied into a tree. The end of my pole hit my eye and I had a shiner the rest of the trip. There's the time I wet my pants on the chair lift. And the time I fell off the chairlift and a boy from my high school happened to be in the chair behind me. Ugh! I never took to the sport. I hated the cold, the scary downhills, the long lift lines, the crowded slopes. Yet, I was frequently dragged to the snow because my parents and brother loved to ski and they were good at it. I decided to introduce my kids to the snow through a different activity: cross-country skiing. It's mellower, less-intimidating, and a much friendlier sport for kids (and I like it). This past weekend, we made our first big trip to the snow. We rented a cabin with some friends in the Tahoe area that's only four hours from our home in San Francisco. And we planned to spend a full day cross-country skiing. We opted to ski at Kirkwood, south of Lake Tahoe, because they have a cross-country center with 50 kilometers of groomed trails, equipment rentals, and lessons. For $48, adults get an hour introductory lesson, a trail pass for the day, and ski, boots, and poles. The price for kids is $25. For our family of four, the total came to $150. If we skied at Kirkwood's nearby down hill resort and put the kids in half-day lessons, we would have spent $330. Our family started the day with a one-hour lesson. We had the instructor to ourselves. She taught us how to hold the poles, glide across the snow, snowplough down a hill. Simple stuff. My husband and I had skied five years ago so the class was a refresher. The was the kids first lesson and after an hour they could cross-country ski. After the lesson, a little practicing, and lunch, we skiied the 5-kilometer trail that circles a giant meadow. We glided over gently rolling hills through a snowy expanse surrounded by mountains. "Is this a winter wonderland?" my daughter asked. The kids easily made it around the trail and near the end my daughter said, "I think I might like to try that downhill kind of skiing, Mommy."
 When you're shoveling snow outside your house, it's hard to think about summer. But if you want to visit a national park this summer--especially one of the popular ones such as Yosemite or Yellowstone--you might want to start thinking now. Lodging in and around the parks books up fast, and many travelers make reservations in January and February. Jeffrey Olsen at the National Parks Service (NPS) told USA Today, "It's always best to book summer trips sooner rather than later. If you've decided on a destination, book it." Browse park listings here.
 Tight security at the New Orleans airport cost one little boy his Christmas gift from Grandma, according to Fox News. Flying home after the holidays, the TSA confiscated Josh Pitney’s Play-Doh.
"I had the kids and my husband was there with all our bags," Christy Pitney, the child's mom, told Fox. “Josh and I were sitting, getting our shoes on and, my husband kind of motioned to us and said, They took our Play-Doh." "And the man from TSA was taking every can out at a time and putting it on a table, and Josh saw and he started fussing," Christy continued. "I tried to explain that those were the rules, but it turns out it’s not prohibited on the TSA’s website - so apparently those are not the rules." Christy is right. Play-Doh is not among the items the TSA has banned passengers from bringin on board.
But plastic explosives can be camouflaged to look like Play-Doh, and a TSA spokeswoman told Fox screeners are told to use their own discretion.
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Truckee was once a place you stopped to fill up your car with gas on the way to one of the many ski resorts that circle Lake Tahoe. But now skiers are staying over night in this small town, located about 30 minutes from Reno.
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