Spas - Mom's Guide To Travel

Oct 01 2011

Caribbean Joe Photo Contest

In honor of their new site, caribbean-joe.com, the guys and gals over there are hosting an amateur photo competition.

Who is Caribbean Joe? Straight from the mouths of babes…

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“Caribbean Joe represents the best side of us all – our shared values of family, time together, fun, generosity = and our dynamic optimism. You find Caribbean joe at the beach, the barbecue, on a fishing boat, in the grocery store and at the little league games.

We believe that the glass is half full, that barefoot is best, and that time spent together is time well spent. We believe in the healing power of sand, rum, limes and laughter. We believe in the island spirit of warmth and hospitality.”

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The Contest:

In their photo contest, www.caribbean-joe.com/gallery/ they invite people to share and vote on photographs of their favorite Caribbean Joe-like memories. These can be vacation pictures, family picnics, anything! Faces are best, but even a beautiful meal could win! Voting will be on the site, and via their Facebook page /CaribbeanJoe.

The contest is open to all amateur photographers and family (wo)men, and once registered, you can upload a picture a day if you like, and vote as often as you like as well!

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Prizes:

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1st prize: A gift certificate for a Celebrity Cruise Paradise Getaway for Two, a Caribbean Joe wardrobe and luggage set (yes, we do luggage too!) for the trip.

2nd Prize: A Caribbean Joe wardrobe and luggage set.

3rd Prize: A Caribbean Joe wardrobe.

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They’re also online at facebook.com/CaribbeanJoe where you can read the fine wording of the rules. And they’re also on twitter @Caribbean_Joe.

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Good Luck! Let me know if you win.

Sep 27 2011

Fall Family Getaway to Myrtle Beach with Holiday Inn Club Vacations

This past weekend my family and I ventured off to Myrtle Beach, S.C. as part of a sponsored blogger stay with Holiday Inn Club Vacations (HICV). Their South Beach property in Myrtle Beach was our home for two restful evenings that defied the grim forecast of rain, rain, and more rain. However, Mother Nature was on our side and we had the opportunity to enjoy the property’s outdoor amenities after all.

: The grounds

The Myrtle Beach Area
In my honest opinion, as far as beach locations go, though a very popular destination, Myrtle Beach itself isn’t the most pristine of beaches. My husband, a Charleston native, was very opinionated on this fact as well. Luckily, the area has a lot of other things going for itself which makes it a neat family destination. However, as you drive further up the beach towards North beach, the area is crowded and congested and hotels are right on top of each other.

: Hotels on Myrtle Beach

The Property
The great thing about HICV’s location is that its’ property is a few miles down Ocean Blvd (the main hotel strip), across from the beach and away from the heart of the congestion. HICV gives you the best of both worlds. The property’s Oceanfront Breezes Beach club sits on the beach, offering private access, an owner’s lounge area, a kiddie pool, a regular pool, and a deck area. The property’s shuttle bus runs continuously between the two locations so that you don’t have to worry about driving.

: South Beach Resort

The 256 one, two and three-bedroom villas are spread out across eight 4-story buildings. What does this mean? Rooms aren’t stacked on top of each other but instead, are spread out – your elevator wait time is short, which is something you wouldn’t necessarily think about until high-traffic times such as when it’s time to depart or venture out for dinner.

The Villa
We stayed in a two bedroom villa complete with a full-sized kitchen, which opened up to a spacious living and dining room area. Our room overlooked the Lagoon Pool and Captain Cliff’s Lagoon Bar. The villa can sleep up to 6 people comfortably. Our villa was right by the elevator and the window of our boys’ room faced it, so I wasn’t too crazy about that. However, we just kept their curtains closed for the duration of our stay. Luckily, there weren’t any loud vacationers on property waking our kids.

Our room, located on the opposite side of the villa, was spacious and had a screen-enclosed patio just off of it. This is a priceless feature and an overlooked necessity for any patio in South Carolina where the mosquitoes are ruthless. Our suite had a sauna-style tub as well as a shower. I can’t say anything about the bed because I don’t remember falling asleep in it, it was so comfortable.

The Owner’s Clubhouse
My favorite features of the property were the numerous pools and hot tubs in addition to the gym and adjacent arcade. Kids may be content with doing the same thing day in and day out but adults like change-up. And the resort does a nice job of meeting parents and kids in the middle by offering several places to relax in the water: the indoor to outdoor pool in the owner’s clubhouse complete with two hot tubs and a wading pool for the youngest of guests, a lazy river behind the clubhouse and the Lagoon Pool with bar. The clubhouse pool was by far my favorite because I was able to allow my 7 year old son unlimited fun in the pool while I relaxed in the hot tub, just three feet away.

Another set of amenities that I thought work really well for families is the gym and the arcade. The location of the gym near the arcade allows parents to easily keep an eye on their kids through the glass doors while their child plays and they work out. This is such a smart feature – the convenience factor is invaluable for families with younger children.

: Gym

: Gameroom

The resort offers families so many things to do, all of which I can’t possibly cover in one post. Here is a summary of the other amenities I didn’t mention in detail: saunas in the locker rooms, the Marketplace grab-and-go eatery, free wi-fi, an activities center, pool table, grills and picnic tables, a volleyball court, and an onsite Par 3 course.

With all these offerings, could I possibly have any criticisms? Well, I love gyms with all the bells and whistles and I’d say the resort’s gym was pretty basic. However, the sauna and nearby game room make up for this. The only criticism my husband had was the lack of flat-screened televisions in our villa. For me, it’s not an issue but nowadays Fall=football=flat screen. Personally, I’d rather see Holiday Inn spend the money on an outdoor playground for toddlers looking for open space to run. Overall, our stay with Holiday Inn Club Vacations in Myrtle Beach was terrific and relaxing. A great Fall getaway and change-up to the hustle and bustle.

Disclosure: My two-night stay was sponsored by Holiday Inn Club Vacations who also provided my family with an expense credit and tickets to the Aquarium. Opinions expressed within this post are solely my own (besides my husband’s input on the televisions) and based upon my experience.

Sep 25 2011

FELA! – Broadway to D.C.

Last Wednesday I had the pleasure of seeing FELA!, the Tony award-winning hit Broadway show produced by Jay Z, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith along with Ruth and Stephen Hendel. The production launched the American leg of its international tour in D.C. on September 13th at the Sidney Harman Hall and will continue its run there until October 9th.

FELA2 — Sahr Ngaujah as Fela Kuti. Photo by Monique Carboni.

The show intoxicates and energizes the audience with its music, dance, and story-telling. As soon as we walked into Sidney Harman Hall for the performance, we could hear what sounded like a party down the hall. And once we walked into the theatre, our thoughts were confirmed: there was a party going on, right on-stage, creating an even more than usual voyeuristic feel to what you would expect in a theatre environment. The intimate space amplifies that feeling. I think the use of multimedia components in the production enhance the show’s value and gives it more mass appeal, especially for those musical numbers where the words and accents are hard to understand.

A word to the wise: be prepared to be transported back in time to The Shrine nightclub in Lagos, Nigeria, mesmerized by musician Fela Kuti. You will be drawn in by his charismatic but tragically-flawed personality, and find yourself willing to cooperate in his finger-snapping, pelvis-gyrating escapade.

FELA dancers — FELA and dancers. Photo by Monique Carboni.

Sar Ngaujah who plays Fela owns the role and honestly, I had to keep reminding myself that he wasn’t the man whom he was portraying. Loud, talented, and undeniably funny, he keeps you engaged in the story. His accompanying dancers’ energy is consistent and non-stop, giving testimony to their athleticism. If you’ve ever taken an African dance class, watching the dance numbers will not only make you reminisce about those heydays but also invoke you to want to get up and revisit that time. Luckily, Fela gives you that opportunity when he asks for whole-audience participation to stand up and learn “clockwork”. I won’t spoil it for you with exactly what that entails – just know that it was funny watching little old white women mimicking the gyrations of young vibrant African dancers.

Besides Fela, one of my other favorites in the show was the character Ismael who also commands your attention with his griot-style chants. His alternate universe James Brown rendition is hilarious and entertaining. However, the performer who sealed the deal for me was Melanie Marshall who plays Funmilayo, Fela’s mother. Her vocal range is ridiculous and when she sings, it sends chills down your spine. The last number that she sings, “Rain”, had audience members burrowing their brows, tucking their necks and saying “hmph” as she hit operatic notes accompanied by an occasional but well-placed vibrato. Her performance made up my mind to purchase the original cast recording.

If you don’t know about Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, the play may motivate you to learn more about this revolutionary Nigerian figure – both his history and his demise. Overall, FELA! is a well-balanced musical that has a deeper ideological message. Although the snotty New Yorker in me believes Broadway is where the show belongs, I’m glad that the production is traveling so that the story of Fela can be shared more generously with audiences around the world.

[Disclaimer: I received tickets to see FELA! from the Shakespeare Theatre Company. This post is solely my opinion and not influenced by any other parties (not even my husband). ]

Sep 15 2011

D.C. Travel – Something else to do with the Kids

Everyone knows that the nation’s capital is full of drama but how many actually travel here to watch it? The average visitor would be pleasantly surprised to find out how much real theater takes place on a traditional stage. And families traveling to D.C. will be happy to know that there are other culturally-enriching things to do with their kids.

When you think of Washington, D.C. what are the first places that come to mind for things to do or see? Now, no answer is the wrong answer but most visitors think of the White House, the Smithsonian, and a slew of other national monuments. These are Washington’s iconic symbols and are what usually top average online guides. Aside from the Kennedy Center, many tourists don’t think of D.C. as a travel destination to see a stage show.

Sidney Harman Hall, courtesy of the Shakespeare Theatre Co.

However, D.C. is on its way to becoming a viable theater destination.

As I mentioned in my previous post, this past weekend I had an opportunity to check out the D.C. Arts on Foot festival on a trip sponsored by the Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC). I saw a preview of several upcoming shows including the possibly Broadway-bound Oklahoma and the popular world-touring FELA! Hosted by STC at its Sidney Harman Hall, approximately 18 companies previewed their upcoming fall performances. These presentations ranged in variety from flamenco dance, ballet, opera, and hispanic theater, to name a few. I also had the opportunity to see a bit of classical theatre, catching the STC’s 25th anniversary season-opener, The Heir Apparent, an adaptation of the French farse.

Cast of The Heir Apparent, Photo by Scott Suchman

I’ll be honest with you – I did not know that D.C. had so much to offer in the area of theatre and performing arts. I’m that biased New Yorker who only looks for theatre on Broadway. Shame on me.

The Festival and showcase illustrated that there’s more to D.C. than meets the eye. (Hence, why I’m a big fan of festivals). Besides the shows, I had the opportunity to taste and survey delectable creations of rising culinary superstars, all employed in the kitchens of what I like to call chic-fab restaurants. This concentration of restaurants and performance art spaces in the Penn Mar neighborhood are easily turning the once-dilapidated area into a little theatre district.

Bottomless Brunch — Breakfast Flatbread @ Coco. Sala

My favorite foodie stop was CocCo. Sala. If you follow me on Twitter, you will have seen my numerous brown-nosing tweets. Excuse my French but it was a chocolate lovers wet dream. I dined at this little piece of heaven for a decadent brunch and could easily see myself bringing my kids there on a Sunday or returning with the hub for a romantic evening. It may be a little bit on the sophisticated side for younger kids but with all the chocolate offerings, I still consider it to be kid-friendly.

If you’re a fan of tapas-style dining, nearby Jaleo is the way to go. It would make an excellent choice before a show. Small well-proportioned plates will populate your table quickly and fill your tummy without over-stuffing you. The Flan al estilo traditional de Mama Marisa was the smoothest flan I’ve ever tasted and I couldn’t stop eating it. I wasn’t a fan of the dark meat used in the Pollo al ajilloo con salsa verde but I did enjoy the non-greasy Croquetas de pollo (traditional chicken fritters).

My trip to D.C., a city I write family travel advice on, re-proved a point: Travel is not just about the arrival, it’s also about the discovery. The performance-art identity of D.C. is definitely understated and not as quickly recognized as a theater destination for travelers. If you decide to visit, after you’re done doing the typical tourist stuff in the city (museums, monuments, and memorials), take a load off, enjoy a show and partake in some good eats. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Have you considered or seen performance in the capital? I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments.

Disclaimer:

My trip was sponsored by The Shakespeare Theatre Company, who provided accommodations, dinner, and theatre tickets. I was not financially compensated for this post. The opinion expressed within is solely my own.

Sep 11 2011

Traveling Solo: D.C. Without Kids

Traveling with children to cultural meccas is fun, rewarding, entertaining, and educational for everyone in the family. It can also be slightly restrictive if you have really young children. It’s not often that I get to enjoy a hotel room by myself. Family life and priorities rarely afford the opportunity. However, this weekend I got a chance to travel to D.C. without the kids. I was blessed with a few moments to myself at the The Hotel George in D.C. on a blogger arts trip sponsored by the Shakespeare Theater Company.

If you don’t believe in the power of God then feel free to skip this paragraph as I display how He answered a very specific prayer. Several weeks ago, overwhelmed by work, home-life, triathlon training, and everything else in between, I told my husband that I needed a monthly getaway at a local hotel. One full day a month, I would check into a hotel and have quiet time with myself and my computer. This, I told him, was my wish. So we debated briefly about the lack of room in the budget for such behavior, with me strongly arguing my case. After the discussion ended, I left it alone but only after saying, “God, I wish….” Fast forward and here we are to my point about the power of prayer. My very strong feeling and request manifested itself and placed me here, in front of my computer, in a hotel room by myself.

Today I was completely in my element. I enjoyed a day of walking in the city, attended a street festival, watched amazing live theater, tried new and interesting foods, and relaxed in a hotel. Solo.

Traveling alone isn’t necessarily about getting away from the ones I love. For me, it represents a time of solitude, something that I occasionally need which feeds my mind and my soul. That’s just who I am. It is a time to get back to me and appreciate the simple things I took for granted before kids. Like what, you ask? Well, things such as:

Long showers in the middle of the day.
Uninterrupted self-paced walks through the museum.
Non-assisting meals.
Extended walks in the city.
Experimental eating.
Spur-of-the-moment unplanned decision-making.
Sustained conversations with new people that I meet.

Here are some of the sites that I saw and foods that I tasted along the way:

The day began early and ended well after midnight. It was filled with extensive walking, relaxed museum-touring, wine and food tastings, evening theater, and good conversation. These are not things I personally would have been able to do with my kids. What are some of the things you seek or look forward to when traveling solo?

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