I can moov 2 Los Angelez? How to get cats from one city to another without losing your mind

Cats are great. They're silly looking, don't need assistance using the bathroom, are perfectly happy most of the time eating cheeseburgers and staring at the wall. And while it's recently been proven by "science" that cats are basically one step up from stuffed animals, cats have also been shown to reduce stress in their owner, simply by existing and occasionally letting you pet them. Which is good, cuz believe me, now that you're gonna live in LA, you're gonna be stressed. You might not know it, sitting pool side, but take it from me, jaded veteran that I am, this town will eat you up if you let it. It's worth it to have a fluffy friend on your side.

Yep, I've lived in the land of perpetual sunglasses and double-double cheeseburgers for nigh on exactly two weeks, and am officially able to offer my well-worn, ever-growing life wisdom. But before we get to that, we need to get you here. Now, it had long been my understanding, as I'm sure it is yours, that Los Angeles is a misty dream-scape of a world, much like heaven or one's early youth spent watching Rainbow Brite in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Along with rainbows and unicorns, Los Angeles is also a gigantic city, one with a tendency to shake violently and be on fire. A desert of sprawl and heartache, there are three airports within easy access, and two named after long-dead male movie stars (Bob Hope Airport and Burbank, and John Wayne Airport in Orange County). These are both terrific choices, with shorter lines and friendlier service, but if you want to go old school classic, you're going to want to fly into LAX, Los Angeles International, like I did. Terrific traffic, slightly larger chance of seeing a C-List celebrity at their best, and lines as far as the eye can see.

Sadly, most cats are not bright enough to follow you on their own.

So you'll do it through United Airlines (though if you're smart, you'll go through Southwest, as they're the best for one-way trips and let you change your departure date with no charge). You'll also call ahead to reserve a spot for your cats on the flight, as the web site will cryptically imply they're limited on cat-shaped space. You need to get to the airport at least an hour and a half before the flight to check in the cats along with your luggage (which will cost you $125 if it's over 50 pounds, so don't let it be over 50 pounds.)

Your budget will look like this:

$45 each for two medium size cat carriers

$125 each for a vet visit to get rabies shots, a bottle of kitty sedative Ace, (which lasts 6 hours and should be noted can rarely but sometimes have the opposite effect on some cats and drive them to be overactive and psychotic), and a signed form saying some random cats who might be yours are approved for flying (you'll need this at the airport). You won't need a collar or a leash, as these signify ownership/enslavement and we don't do that here and those were too expensive to buy.

$125 each to fly, for the opportunity to place your cats under the seat in front of you on the plane.

One hand gash earned while carrying your Zelda cat through security (so that the good people of O'Hare can search your fabric Sherpa bag for diamonds and bombs. My hand, incidentally, is healing well).

Beyond this, you've still got quite a run through the airport to get to your terminal, as you will almost definitely be running late, and your pants will most likely be falling off as you will not have time to put back on your belt. But once you get to your gate and sit, ice your hand in a McDonald's McIceCup and calm down, it's really not so bad. And all it cost you was approximately 1 billion dollars, about 6 hours of your life, four bandaids and a very pissy cab driver you'll likely never see again.

And it's all worth it. Because...well, because, at least in the most literal way possible, kid, you finally made it. You're here. They're here. We're here. The sun's shining. Now let's get started.

To read more of Gabrielle's moving to LA adventures, follow her blog at: A Simple But Impossible Task

Hotel on the Rails

What if you could forget about hotel-hopping on your next trip and your accommodations followed you instead? The El Transcantabrico of Spain’s state-owned railway line, FEVE, proposes just this. The train (which runs along the historic La Robla Railway), allows you to spend your days conquering several regions of Northern Spain, while returning to the comfort of a luxury hotel in the evenings. Private cabins feature bathrooms with hydro sauna, turbo massage and steam bath, and include a pub carriage featuring a bar, music and dance floor. If you're not exhausted from an evening under the strobe light (I'm not kidding, our pub carriage included a strobe light), you'll want to head to the dining car in the morning where Spanish buffet breakfast and coffee awaits, along with the daily newspaper en Espanol or Ingles.

El Transcantabrico refers to the journey as a, “Cruise on the rails,” since passengers dock at various sites, perhaps pursuing the enchanting Picos de Europa one day, or the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Santiago de Compostela the next. And, you'll also have the option to dine at Michelin-starred restaurants in the white-washed town of Luarca like I did, or even trying your luck at the casinos of sunny Santander’s posh beach community.

During a week-long trek, the train travels through Green Spain, snaking in and out of pre-romanesque and medieval towns and villages of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, the Basque Country and Castilla y Leon. My favorite sites included the capital of Asturias, Oviedo, where the quaint Old Town holds a magnificent Gothic cathedral,
San Salvador. Other areas of interest included the Paleolithic cave paintings of Altamira in Santillana del Mar as well as its stone houses dating back to the 15th and 16th century, and of course, the Basque Country’s Bilbao, where the famous Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim features funky permanent collections and traveling exhibitions.

If departing from Santiago de Compostela, we recommend flying into Madrid, and connecting with a flight to A Coruna, Galicia, or Leon, Castilla Y Leon.

For further 2010 and 2011 travel dates and itinerary, log on to the official website. Click on English and cruise away!

Does this Sign Look Familiar to You?

After disembarking an overcrowded, hot and smelly plane, passengers line around the luggage carousel to anxiously gather their belongings. While standing shoulder-to-shoulder, word gets out that their flight is assigned to an alternate carrousel. Like cattle, the herd tramples over each other. Black, navy blue, black, red. “Excuse me, Excuse me.” They excitedly scan each piece of newly dispelled cargo, until making an association with “the one.” It is then strolled to their cab, and unloaded at home, where they finally realize, they’ve chosen the wrong one. But who could be this stupid and careless?

Me. December 2003. After traveling internationally for a couple of days I was so excited to see my friends and family that I accidentally picked up another huge navy blue suitcase identical to mine. So, you could start to “Check your tags.” Or you could do what I do, buy a set of terribly bright pink luggage that no one in the world would ever have.

Eataly, Italy

Turin, the region’s capital, is home to Eataly, a food emporium endorsed by Slow Food,the movement turned organization dedicated to combating fast food by teaching the world about the culture of cuisine. Good food for all, the philosophy of Slow Food maintains eating well was not intended for intimate, privileged circles.

Eataly is housed in the former Carpano Vermouth Factory, and sells fresh food, wine and coffee produced from small companies, farmers and enologists throughout Italy’s 20-some regions, while also offering open cooking classes, olive oil and wine tastings. While touring through Eataly, customers can stop along the way to enjoy a margherita pizza, prosciutto crudo, mozzarella and more. However, GatG recommends taking home a few staples from Turin's Piedmont region, Barolo wine (produced from the nebbiolo grape), polenta, and the Baratti&Milano Cioccolata.