I found a postcard in my mailbox from my wireless provider yesterday. “DAYLIGHT
SAVINGS TIME IMPORTANT NOTICE – UPDATE YOUR DEVICE BEFORE MARCH 11, 2007,”
it read.
Problem was, it didn’t arrive until the 12th.
The day before that – the day of the time change – when I’d really needed
the notice, I’d been surprised when a 1:30PM phone call came through at
12:30. It occurred to me that the time might’ve changed, but I didn’t
quite believe it since my Blackberry hadn’t updated itself to reflect the
shift.
A new kind of digital divide
In an era when digital devices direct
many of our moves – like emailing (PDAs), golfing (Radargolf handhelds)
and even driving (GPS devices), I’ve become reliant on them as my own personal
arbiters of what is really, truly going on.
So even when my gut told me that it might be time for a time change, I
believed my Blackberry instead.
The belated postcard ultimately cleared everything up. “Please note
that Daylight Savings Time is going to take place 3 weeks earlier this year,”
it explained. PDAs, including Blackberries, would need to be manually
updated to reflect the change.
An early spring means wine country savings
The fact that Daylight
Saving’s Time arrived early this year means that lots of folks – and a few
digital devices – weren’t prepared for it. But
it also means – perhaps much more critically to readers of this
column – that these three weeks of early spring sunshine make for a great
excuse to head to wine country, where you can get a jump on the summer crowds
and still lock in some great “off-season” deals on lodging, dining and other
perks.
Packages abound
Sonoma’s posh Hotel Healdsburg, for example, is offering
several dynamite packages to early bird spring time travelers. Available
through the end of March every night of the week except Saturday, packages
include the tempting Un-Wind & Dine, which gets you and a pal a night’s
stay at the hotel, a six-course tasting menu dinner for two at Dry
Creek Kitchen, spa treatments at the The Spa Hotel
Healdsburg and a gourmet breakfast
before you leave. All for $539.70 through the end of March. hotelhealdsburg.com
The wonderfully luxe new Carneros Inn, comprised of 86 individual cottages
featuring lush linens, stylish décor, wood burning fireplaces and their
own private gardens and outdoor showers, offers spring time visitors several
appealing packages as well. Through the end of March guests can take
advantage of the now ironically named Winter Comfort Package, which includes
a night’s lodging in a cottage or spa, two 60-minute Therapeutic Massages
and a gourmet breakfast for two. How’s that for a fabulous time change
fringe benefit? Available seven days a week through the end of the
month for $635. thecarnerosinn.com.
No Blackberry required
Looking to spend a little less on your springtime
rendezvous in wine country? Most
hotels in the area offer off-season discounts or packages and are
happy to share details with interested parties over the phone or via their
web sites. You may have to do a little research to track down these
deals, but it’ll pay off when you find yourself happily drinking, dining
and spa-ing in wine country, where just about everything except the crowds
is springing to life right now.
And there’s nothing wrong with leaving your PDA at home.
