Printing Photos: Home v. Online

There are some quick and easy ways to print your photos at home or online. Keep in mind, I am talking snapshots, here. Not art.

So which online service should you use? Snapfish? Shutterfly? Kodak? I go for the value, since they are just snapshots. If I want a better image, I will take the digital file to a local photo shop and have them print it out.

Costco's Photo Center offers the best of both worlds: I can upload my photos online and go to my local Costco a couple hours later to pick them up (or I could have them sent to me). 4x6 snapshots are 17 cents! Recently, I uploaded my photos in Los Angeles and had my mother-in-law pick them up at a Colorado Costco. Pretty clever, eh?

If you're in a rush, you could always go to your local Walgreen’s, or Sav-On and plug your camera's memory card into the photo kiosk in the store. You'll have your photos ready in minutes.

If you really want to print at home, you should get a printer dedicated to printing photos. Regular printers just can't cut it if you want snapshot quality. It's definitely not less expensive (photo paper, ink), but assuredly convenient. With some models, you can entirely avoid the hassle of uploading photos to your computer and simply put the memory card into the printer.

How do you know which one to buy? First, you need to think about how you want to use the printer: all the time? Occasionally? How much space can you afford to give it? How easy to use do you need it to be? Do you need the top of the line? Then, go to Amazon or CNET and search “photo printer.” Read the consumer and editorial reviews. And lastly, it’s always good to go to an electronics store to touch the products and ask questions, even if you’re not going to buy it there because the price is better online. The benefit to buying it in a local store is that you’ll have more recourse, should the printer not suit your needs or not work.

Ski With the Kids at Schweitzer Mountain Resort

Skiing with your kids is not always the most relaxing vacation.  And it can be expensive.  And if you go and the lines for the chair lift are long, you're really out of luck. But it doesn't have to be this way.

At Schweitzer Mountain Resort, the lift lines are never more than five minutes, there is terrain for the whole family, from bunny slopes to terrain parks to beautiful tree runs.

Schweitzer has Kindercamp as well as a ski school: the employees have background checks and they even take babies!  Full day care starts at 8am and goes until 4:30.  Included in Kindercamp are morning and afternoon group lessons as well as lunch and a snack -- it's a great value.

I spoke to Nikol who teaches at the ski school and she gave me a great tip for parents who are taking their kids out on the slopes themselves:

Nikol's daughter, Quincy, even had a tip for kids her age:



And now, watch Quincy show off her form: remember, the girl is SEVEN!  Holy cow, she's got good form:



Just to show off a little, here Quincy is, skiing backward -- doesn't every 7 year old know how to do this?



Since we stayed at the White Pine Lodge in the little village that makes up the resort, we were just steps from the lifts.  But here's the only issue I had: the food was not terrific.  Buffet breakfast at the Chimney Rock Grill had supermarket bread for toast, instant oatmeal packets, green bananas, boxed donuts... you get the picture.  The saving grace is that where I stayed, the White Pine Lodge, which was very well appointed for families, had a fully stocked kitchen, including a dish washer, microwave, a four burner stove, oven, fridge and freezer.  Pack it in, people.  Eat what you like.

Although the food was lacking, the beer was terrific at Pucci's Pub.  Over a dozen interesting micro brews on tap, poured into frosty glasses at the end of the day was a real treat.  Great tunes, great company.

Disclaimer: I was on a press trip to Schweitzer, although I did not bring my kids.  Darnit!

Activities at Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort

So, you're going on a ski vacation and you don't ski. How much spa-ing, shopping and caffeinating can one person take? (Me? A LOT!) Here are some actitivies at Schweitzer Ski Resort to cater to those non-skiers...

Have you ever snowshoed? A peaceful walk through the fluffy snow in the woods. Doesn't get much better than this:


If you don't ski, but still want a thrilling winter sport, you can Air Board. Dani from the Activities Center atSchweitzer Mountain Resort explains:



And now, here's what Airboarding actually looks like:



A ski resort is not just for skiers. There are lots of activities at the Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort.  You can still play outdoors and the views are stunning.

Disclosure: I was hosted by Schweitzer Mountain Resort on this trip. Next time, I will go back on my own nickel.

Good Food: Trinity at City Beach, Sandpoint, Idaho

As mentioned in an earlier post, the quality of the food at Schweitzer Mountain did not match the quality of its activities. Should you make Schweitzer your vacation destination, and I would encourage you to do so, I would also offer two suggestions:

• Bring your own food in and rent a condo at White Pine Lodge
• Go to Sandpoint for a good meal.

We went to Sandpoint to eat two times. The first was at Trinity at City Beach. We drove to the Best Western parking lot -- to me, not such a great sign for an expectation of a good meal. But I had been forewarned: "it's a very good restaurant - don't think hotel restaurant - this is independently owned and operated." Good advice, because the idea of a great restaurant inside a Best Western was beyond me.

When we walked past the lobby and into the restaurant, we go an amazing view of the harbor at City Beach and were told that we just missed the sunset. Thanks. It was probably the perfect place to see it -- next time. The room was spare but tasteful and the harbor side was all windows; it's the way that room should be. Next to the dining room was an ample bar that looks like it would be a lot more fun when not a mid-week in March, early evening.

Our waitress was extremely attentive and helpful with the suggestions: I had osso buco with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes (they really do taste better in Idaho) and my dining companion had a homemade veggie burger and fries. She ordered from the lounge menu, while I had the dinner menu: lots of choices. We started by splitting a warm spinach salad with house-cured bacon. The salad was really good: the bacon was GREAT. Good bacon... such a blessing. We were both satisfied with our meals, the osso buco being more of a stand-out. It was just how osso buco should be: falling off the bone, the ragu over it was meaty and delicious and the asparagus and potatoes rounded it out nicely.

Next time, we'll go for a drink at sunset. As Spring and Summer progress, we won't have to go as early. Stays light in Idaho until 10pm in the summer. That would be a really nice post-dinner, sunset cocktail...

We also went to a pub in town that is very popular with the locals. The place was packed and the atmosphere was terrific -- it was Fat Tuesday, so that helps. Unfortunately, the beer was a little flat off the tap and the burgers were nothing to write home about. I'm going to leave this place nameless, but here's a suggestion: go to Yelp under Sandpoint and even though some place might get 4-5 stars, you need to read the reviews. Read between the lines. Determine if the writer is a friend of the owner, stuff like that.

I'm sure Sandpoint has more good food. There was only so much time and we never got to Ivano's. Next time!

Ski Idaho! Ski Schweitzer $99 Lift Pass For Three Weeks of Skiing!

Here's a smoking deal:  From March 14 until the end of the season at Schweitzer Ski Resort, you can buy a lift ticket for $99.  AND, you can use the $99 toward your season pass for next season.  Excellent skiing was never more affordable.

Find out about the Spring Fling Season Pass sale!