Travel Destinations: Cabo

Cabo San Lucas might be my favorite destination to travel to for multiple reasons. First and foremost it’s proximity to Arizona which means short flight which is always nice whether it is with children or without. One of our favorite places to stay, especially when it is a solo trip without the children is Las Ventanas Al Paraiso. When flying out of Scottsdale, nothing beats SetJet.

When you arrive at Las Ventanas, they are always there to greet you and make you feel like you have arrived in Paradise! The rooms are impeccably clean and have you so close to the beach that you can hear the waves crashing at night.

Las Ventanas goes above and beyond to celebrate every single occasion, from anniversary to birthdays and everything in between so don't be shy in telling them anything you are celebrating.

The Alebrije and Sea Grill restaurants sit close to the ocean and allow for spectacular viewing of the changing colors of the clouds at sunset. The food is delicious and it doesn't get any better listening to the ocean waves.

Arbol, however, has quickly become the restaurant they are know for with the stunning setting amongst the trees and pool and the most spectacular cuisine featuring Asian and Indian influences combined with the fresh seafood of the region. Certainly a gem of a restaurant located within your hotel.

The next best kept secret is the speakeasy known as La Botica. A Prohibition Era-inspired bar that offers the best cocktails, but most importantly the best singer and musicians in all of Cabo and maybe the world. Rosalia de Cuba has the most incredible voice and every coupled with her incredible team of musicians they make dancing until the wee hours of the night seem like the only thing to do while in Cabo.

And in case the night gets away from you while at La Botica, they now have a Taco/Hamburger/French Fry cart that greets you on your way out for a late night snack. Brilliant!

Back to those added romantic touches, they are quick to decorate and make everyone feel special and loved whether greeted by rose petals, a drawn bubble bath and balloons.

Truly an elevated experience that passes every bit of The High Bar standards! We can’t want to go back!

A Trip of a Lifetime: The Masters

There is a reason it is called a “Tradition unlike any other!” Visiting Augusta, Georgia during the Masters tournament was a dream come true, especially for a 10 year old. Our older son was born on Masters weekend and has had a Masters themed birthday party since he was 4 year old. His dream was to go to The Masters Tournament on his 10th birthday. It was not easy, but we made that dream a reality and it truly was the most magical weekend with our first born.

I would highly recommend the Par Three Tournament on Wednesday, especially if you are taking children. The one caveat is that I would suggest age 10 as the youngest age to take children as there is a LOT of walking involved and it is not for the faint of heart. The Par Three is so special as it is one of the only days you can take cameras in. Not cell phones with cameras, I might add. We are talking point and shoot cameras only. This is unique as you can actually take pictures on the gorgeous property of Augusta National as well as potentially get some pictures of the players.

The proper etiquette is that only children are allowed to ask players to sign the yellow August National flags, and some players are more willing to do so than others. Below is a picture of this years Masters Champion Scottie Scheffler signing our son’s flag. Please keep in mind that this was on Wednesday! Little did we all know that he would be the big winner!!

The other must do at The Masters is the gift shop! There is usually quite a long line just to enter, but it is worth it! They have everything from Masters ties, backpacks (always our sons choice for school) as well as countless other knick knacks you never knew you needed. It makes for wonderful gifts as well since most things can only be purchased on site.

Thursday-Sunday are a whole new ball game as even more people arrive for those days. We found that Wednesday-Friday was a perfect amount of time for us as we got to set up shot on both the 18th hole as well as Amen Corner which are both must do’s in my opinion! The most incredible part is that on our son’s actual birthday, he got a ball from Tiger Woods. Little does he know that we will never be able to top that birthday and The Masters will forever be cemented in all of our minds as a tradition like no other.

Travel Favorites

It’s that time of year where random travel sneaks up on you! Whether you just got back from a quick jaunt away for MLK weekend, or preparing for ski week or the ever-fast approaching Spring Break or Easter travels…just when you think things are calming down they pick back up again! During this time of year I also love incorporating small gifts for Valentine’s Day that can be useful for travel days ahead. I have compiled a list of some of my very favorite items.

I am notoriously an over-packer…even when I try to consolidate, I despise when things get wrinkly or don’t look fresh. Alas, the perfect travel steamer by Steamery! We used this steamer on our recent work trip to Utah this year and it works like magic! It is also very sleek and works well even at home, not just on the road. I also love packing cubes and am addicted to organizing my items by category in separate packing organizers including for shoes. As a slight germaphobe, I find the thought of shoes touching my perfectly clean clothes horrifying. Paravel makes a dreamy combination of luxurious fabric with the option to monogram as well as the ever so popular aspect…purely functional!

I am also an over-consumer of Apple products to say the least, but I must say I am a big fan of the new Air Pod Pros. As a mom I find it highly unlikely that I would have time to kick back and listen to a podcast or (gasp!) even watch a movie on an airplane flight with three children. In the off chance, however, that there is a moment of calm where one (or even two!) of your children dose off, these are a perfect option to pop into your ear for a quick dose of sanity! The only problem, up until now, is that you can not watch the programing of your screen if you happen to be fortunate to have one in front of you. Enter, Airfly! The portable bluetooth transmitter that allows you to watch or listen to the content of your airline tv through your Apple Air Pod Pros. This is a game changer, particularly for a long flight and works incredibly well!

For all of you over packers (like me!) a great option is to have a portable luggage scale so that you know if you are one (or five!) pounds over for your luggage weight ahead of getting to the airport. Nothing irks me more than a check-in agent telling you to move around a few pounds of clothing to eliminate a surcharge. A decent travel adapter is also key for international travel to be sure you never have an issue with charging your ever so important electronics. Just be sure to always double check your hair styling tools, as converters don’t generally work on things such as straightening irons. Trust me when I say it is not a pretty sight when the iron gets so hot it literally burns the hair right off of your head. My personal trick is to ask the hotel if they have any styling tools that were left at the property you are staying at, or purchase one locally from a pharmacy.

Speaking as someone who despises germs yet loves to travel, hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes are a staple in my purse and diaper bag. Most sanitizers, however, leave my hands feeling dried out and don’t leave much to be desired on the fragrance front. Enter Byredo’s Tuilpmania! One of the best smelling fragrances I have found and is a rinse free sanitizing gel. It is a luxury item to say the least, but is worth the splurge for a trip where you will be overindulging on the cleansing of your hands! This also makes for a lovely gift for the person in your life who is difficult to shop for!

Last, but certainly not least, the lovely little ones in your life deserve a few upgrades to the travel scene and one of my very favorites are monogrammed packing squares that come in different colors and can help you organize your children’s clothing. This becomes increasingly more important with the more children you have as keeping things separate and organized is imperative to speedy and tear-free daily dressing. As a treat, the Puro Sound Lab Noise Cancelling wireless headphones make for a wonderful travel companion for long car rides and/or airplane rides.

Hope you find these items as a helpful guide for you or someone in your life! Bon Voyage!

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- Love List -

1. Travel Steamer, Steamery 2. Packing Cubes, Paravel 3. Air Pods Pro, Apple 4. Bluetooth Headphone Transmitter, Airfly 5. Digital Luggage Scale, Sharper Image 6. Hand Sanitizer Gel, Byredo 7. Leather Travel Adapter Case, Hammacher Schlemmer 8. Children’s Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones, Puro Sounds Labs 9. Travel Shoe Cube Duo, Paravel 10. Children’s Stackers, The Monogrammed Home

Traveling with Littles - SLC

Salt Lake City, Utah

For most of you planning a get-a-way, Salt Lake City is probably not a front runner for a destination! But in the off chance you have to travel to a conference or you are looking for something different before heading up to the Mountains, I have your inside guide!

Our favorite hotel is The Grand America which is an institution in the area! It’s strong architecture and stunning lobby make it an attractive sight, but not necessarily screaming kid friendly. The amazing part is that it actually is and offers an incredible toy store/candy store within the hotel to rival those of Disneyland! Yes, I said Disneyland! To top it off their Christmas decorating starts in October and features a life-size Gingerbread House and spectacularly lit up gardens.

The interior courtyard is a great place to run around and they have an indoor and outdoor swimming pool that is great for both the hot and cold months of the year (it is early October and the high is 42 today). The light rail train has a stop right outside the hotel and runs into Downtown which is an exciting activity for a 3 and 7-year-old. They also have warm chocolate chip cookies in the lobby throughout the day, which makes for a fantastic reward for your little ones.

Our favorite restaurant by far is called Valter’s and while it is not a “kid-friendly” institution and definitely screams special occasion, you can get away with going on the early side if your children can handle dressing up and a “fine dining” experience! I won’t lie, our children were borderline but we enjoy exposing the children to opportunities like that when we travel to make them appreciative getting to dine with mommy and daddy and they for now are willing to rise to the occasion. Valter is there almost every evening and delights with his authentic take on hearty homemade Italian. The food is truly divine!

The Children’s Store, Jou Jou, is beyond fabulous! The toy selection is very well sourced and covers a wide range of ages and that candy display is one of the prettiest I have ever seen! Don’t forget to peek at their board game collection which features the most incredible wall display of original board games. One more perk for children and adults alike, is their pastry shop, Bonne Vie, featuring hand made French pastries that are sure to delight the pickiest of connoisseurs.

Luckily getting there is easy as most airports offer non-stop service to SLC with Southwest and Delta being the two airlines that operate most out of that airport. They redid the City Creek Shopping Center almost 8 years ago and you can find everything from an Apple Store to Nordstrom’s and they are conveniently located across the street from the Salt Palace Convention Center.

My favorite part about Utah is the skiing in the winter and I have a special spot in my heart for the darling town of Park City. We will be going there this winter and I will be sure to do a post about it then!