Family Travel: Our stay at Marriott Clearwater Sandkey

September 12, 2022

Summer Travels at Clearwater Beach Marriott

Our family stay at Sand Key

Its hard to believe the kids are already back at school! We had an amazing summer capped off with an incredible family vacation in Florida. We closed out our vacation with a stay at Marriott Sand Key in Clearwater Beach and I’m so excited to tell you all about it!

As you all know, we LOVE to travel as a family. It can be a lot of work, but we find that if we select the right place with a good location and amenities, it can make traveling a little bit easier with small kiddos!

When looking in Clearwater, being near the beach was top on our list. The water is so stunning there- think white sands and clear water (no pun intended!). We love the beach- swimming, walking, and even playing beach soccer. We also wanted somewhere that had a good location: think easy access to grocery stores, things to do as a family, and shopping. Marriott Sand Key is about a 5 minute walk to the beach, and is super close to tons of shops, grocery stores, a quick 5 minute drive from downtown Clearwater and there is a huge state park about a 5 min walk away!

As for the property itself, we first and foremost look for large rooms to accommodate our family of 5. Being an all suite hotel, Marriott Clearwater was perfect. With doors that were able to separate us when the kids slept and a separate sleeping area, it was ideal. Not only did we have tons of room, but we had a gorgeous balcony overlooking the bay and pool area, as well as a spacious sitting area where we could relax. It also had a sink, microwave, and small fridge which was great for feeding the kids snacks and small meals.

Anyone with kids know they’re constantly hungry! Easy access to Restaurants on property was something we were looking for as well. Marriott Sand Key delivered large in this- they offer a buffet breakfast at their Watercolour restaurant for $22 and kids under 4 eat free. Kids 10 & under are only $10 so the whole family was able to fuel up for the day. We also went to Watercolour for dinner and the food was INCREDIBLE. Not only did we have an amazing view of the bay, but the service and portions were huge for the price. The kids meals were literally $7 each and I swear my 3 year old has never finished his plate eating out like he did there! I highly recommend the Watercolour for any meal. Ps. I recommend the scallops- they were to die for!

As for the property, it was super easy to get around. The pool area was gorgeous with a large pool complete with a volleyball net, basketball net and there was a splash pad area for the littles that my 3 & 5 year old loved. There were tons of beach chairs and cabanas for rent- no fighting for pool chairs or feeling overcrowded. They had a super nice gym complete with cardio machines and free weights which we used every day.

The boys LOVED Lisa’s Kids klub! This was a cute place where you could drop your kids off for $5/hour per child and they could do crafts, paint, make necklaces, play ping pong, video games and board games. The boys went in here while we worked out and they were begging to go back after their first day there.

Did I mention the service? I think the one thing my mother-in-law (who visited from Australia) and my husband were impressed the most with was the service. From the check in desk, to the bellman, to the servers at the pool…it was top notch and we were very impressed!

Clearwater Beach Marriott Sand Key literally has it all- great location, gorgeous beach, high end rooms, incredible service, a fine restaurant, and amazing amenities. I highly recommend this property whether you are looking for a couples getaway, a family vacation or a fun girls weekend!

Thank you to Marriott Clearwater Beach for sponsoring this post. As always, thoughts and opinions are my own!

Alex

Experience Sandestin: Our family trip to the Emerald Coast at Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort

March 17, 2022

Experience Sandestin:

Our Family Trip to the Emerald Coast at Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort

Sunny days. White sand. Clear Water.

Sandestin, Florida.

Living in upstate NY can mean long, cold winters- IYKYK! Usually by the time February rolls around we are all incredibly anxious to get out of the snow for a quick getaway down south. The Emerald Coast in Florida is a place we loved visiting this past summer. The small town vibe, family friendly feel and gorgeous beaches had us hooked. We had heard great things about Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort, so we decided to head there for our family vacation at the end of February and we had such an amazing time!

There were so many things we loved about Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort….where do I even begin?

Location:

Sandestin, FL is located in South Walton County in Florida’s Northwest Panhandle. It is a 24,000 acre development located in Miramar Beach between Pensacola & Panama City Beach. Because we live in New York, we flew into Destin/Ft. Walton Airport and it was about a 40 minute ride to Sandestin. Other airports nearby are ECP or Pensacola.

Almost my whole life when I’ve gone to Florida, I’ve visited Orlando and the Eastern Coast of Florida. I do feel like the panhandle is a little undiscovered to Northeastern US, which is actually great. This means that our school breaks don’t always line up and we miss the “peak” times. Its definitely a hot spot among southern travelers and I don’t blame them!

Also, as a side note, this area of Florida is actually central time zone!

Where to stay at Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort:

We stayed at the brand new Osprey Pointe 3 bedroom condo which was amazing! The modern furnishings, spacious layout, and relaxing balconies was just what we needed as a family of 5. The gourmet kitchen was a dream and super convenient having 3 hungry littles. We eat every meal outside on the balcony as a family.

The pool at Osprey Pointe was not only a hit with the kids, but also for my husband and I to relax while the kids play. Less than a 2 minute walk from our rooms, the heated pool had a waterfall, a wading area, and a hot tub.

Osprey Pointe was centrally located to all the amenities that Sandestin offers which was amazing for us with 3 small children. We were able to bike or walk everywhere including the beach, pool, Baytowne Wharf (more on that later), and the Fitness center.

I highly recommend Osprey Pointe, but know there are tons of different accommodation options at Sandestin. You can check them out here!

What to do at Sandestin

The biggest takeaway for me after staying at Sandestin is that there is something for everyone! Whether you love to lounge on the beach (the beaches are seriously gorgeous), love to play golf, want to relax at the pool, get a workout in, play tennis, head to shops/restaurants, have little ones and need to entertain them, or go on a bike ride, Sandestin has it all.

Most of what we did revolved around things we do as a family:

Beach time: We headed to the beach everyday and played in the sand & swam. The water is as clear as day and sand as white as can be. I dare you to find a more gorgeous beach in America.

Bike Riding: Every day we rented bikes and explored the property with the kids. Our older two ride 20/24” inch bikes and our little guy was in the trailer/toddler seat. The best part was that the bikes were complimentary!

Baytowne Wharf: Baytowne Wharf was a short 12-15 minute walk from Osprey Pointe and the kids loved it! This is modeled after Bourbon Street in New Orleans & they have really fun festivals and events there, including a Mardi Gras parade while we were there! Complete with shops, restaurants, little fun activities, a playground and an arcade, this was a hit with the kids! Other activities include giant checkers, a carousel, a Zipline, & a ropes course!

Poolside: There are over 15 pools on the Sandestin Property so if swimming/being poolside is your thing, there are plenty of options!

Trails: We loved all of the biking and walking paths throughout the property. We even found a kids treehouse/playground at Fort Davidson Nature Preserve. So fun for the boys!

Other fun activities to do at Sandestin are boat & dock fishing, exploring Jolee Island, mini golf, hitting the basketball courts, and heading to the spa (I’m saving that for next time ;) )

Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort Free Amenities

Traveling with 3 littles can sometimes be stressful, so having a bunch of free amenities with our stay was SO nice. As I mentioned earlier, we were able to rent bikes everyday free of charge. Also, we were able to rent/use the fitness center (see photo), tennis time, and kayak and boogie boards. Keep in mind there are time limits, but it definitely saves a ton of money especially with littles who want to buy a boogie board during your 7 day vacation, haha.

We had free wi-fi throughout our stay and the customer service was excellent. Not only do they have an app with information on it, but they also have a free text service where you can just ask any question and they are able to help you out within minutes!

Other things to know

Grocery: Publix is literally two miles away which is super convenient. We were there every other day! There is also a Whole Foods 15 minutes away

Shopping: We hit up Silver Sands Premium Outlets (you can’t say you are surprised are you?) and they have some great stores like Nike, Disney, Adidas & Saks Off 5th. This was only a few miles from the property. There is also Grand Boulevard at Sandestin which has upscale shops such as Anthropologie & lululemon.

The Beaches of 30A (Rosemary Beach, Alys Beach, Seacrest Beach) are a close 25-30 minutes away as well as Seaside which is a fun trip.

The Donut Hole is world famous & the kids favorite spot!

Sandestin: The perfect Family vacation or getaway for anyone

All in all, if you’re looking for sugar white sands and clear water but don’t want to leave America, Sandestin should be at the top of your list! There is really something for everyone and is our favorite vacation spot.

For more info/to book your next vacation, click here.

Have you been to the Emerald Coast before?

Thanks to Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort for hosting us! As always, thoughts and opinions are my own.

Happy Travels,

Alex

Travel Series #1: How we fly affordably as a family

March 15, 2022

The Travel Series #1: Our Flying Hack

How we fly for next to nothing: Southwest Companion Pass

I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately as I get a lot of questions about travel as a family and how we do it! How we are able to travel so much, tips for traveling with kids, etc. and I thought it would be perfect timing to start a mini-series on the blog on travel especially now that people are traveling more now after COVID. I wanted to start off with how we travel so much as a family with the costs of travel these days.

A little bit of background: Us & Travel

I know a lot of people with kids wait till they get older to travel and I totally respect that. It costs a lot to travel and it is a TON of work. On top of that, kids are creatures of habit and it is hard on them to travel and be somewhere new. And, I know a lot of people say that the kids will never remember it, so why spend the money/time. I definitely agree with some of these sentiments, but my husband and I are definitely traveling people. Even though it is a lot of work, we are still making tons of memories and exposing our kids to different places all over the country/world which is really important to us! My friend Sarah puts it best : do you stop reading to your kids because they won’t remember it? Of course not ! Travel is so AMAZING for kiddos of every age.

E-A-S-Y

I will say that we have definitely curbed our travel (we’ve only been to Europe/overseas once since we had our oldest-before we had him we were traveling to Dubai, Australia, Thailand, etc!). And when I say curbed our travel, I mean picked places that are easy to get to (read: direct flights) and that are just EASY! Also, the last 2 years traveling internationally has been impossible with COVID. In saying that, we have gone as far as Hawaii with our kiddos and don’t regret it for a minute! We are excited to head over to Australia/NZ in the coming year when they completely open up and see our family overseas.

With real little kids (read: infants, toddlers, multiple ages of kids) Florida has been our go-to for so many reasons since we had kids. Obviously, the weather. On top of that, my parents have a place down here so we are able to coordinate when we can come down here. This also helps with keeping some “baby” things down here which make it feel more like home-think: high chairs, pack and plays, playpens, and other random kid things. We don’t always stay there -sometimes we get a hotel in Orlando or head to the Emerald Coast / 30A area (we did this in august and for February break) but 75% of the time we have the option to stay down here which is nice. Now that the boys are getting older we will be hitting different places for sure. 30A/Destin/Emerald Coast is our current family favorite!

My first tip is to avoid school break travel if you have toddlers/ preschoolers/ no kids. This will guarantee lower prices for flights, hotels, and less crowds at theme parks. Also, I find that leaving mid week is always best for prices. If you do have school age kids, I definitely recommend booking early, OR leaving a few days early/ and or returning a day or two late. This is what we did over February break. We never pull the kids out for a full week of missing school, but we are okay with missing 1-2 days to save $500 or more.

We have had 3 kids in 4.5 years, so Florida has basically been the #1 destination for us because we have always traveling with babies! lol! We need something simple & easy! Because we flew so much to Orlando on Southwest over the past few years, we decided to snag the southwest airlines credit card and THIS is how we travel. For example, when we flew to Florida over Christmas we paid under $1000 for 5 people during peak holiday travel.

How did we get it so affordable? I used points for part of the two older boys flights, and my husband has the companion pass through southwest and flies for free with me! AMAZING. I’m sure you’re wondering what the heck the companion pass is, and how you get it, right? Let me help you out:

What is the companion pass?

In a nutshell, the Companion Pass allows you to bring a designated friend or family member for (almost) free on any Southwest flight you take. You’ll just need to pay the taxes and fees (like $5 each way!). This is especially valuable because it applies to both paid and award tickets, allowing you to redeem Southwest Rapid Rewards points for you and then bring your companion without using any more points.

How do you get it?

You’ll need to earn 125,000 qualifying points or take 100 qualifying one-way flights in a calendar year to earn a Companion Pass. I know this sounds totally out fo reach but HEAR me out!

Timing really is everything with this! The pass is valid for the rest of the year in which you earn it plus the entire following calendar year. The first time we earned ours was in August of 2019, so this means we had it for the remainder of 2019 and the whole of 2020! SO, you definitely want to earn it as early as possible to gain the most value.

All that said, it’s important to note that not all Rapid Rewards points count toward the standard qualification requirements. Here’s how Southwest defines points that will count:

“Companion Pass Qualifying Points are earned from your revenue flights booked through Southwest Airlines, your points earned by making purchases with a Southwest Airline Rapid Rewards Credit Card, and your base points earned from Rapid Rewards partners.”

All revenue flights booked on Southwest will count toward earning the Companion Pass, as well as partner activity including the following:

Rapid Rewards credit cards, including sign-up bonuses (we earned 50,000 signing up and spending $1,000 in the first three months! This means we earned almost half the qualifying points in the first three months!)
Shopping and dining partners, including Rapid Rewards dining
Hotels: This is how we racked up a ton of points and secured the companion pass. We booked the Grove Resort in Orlando in August 2020 the first year we had the card and paid a very reasonable price for booking through Southwest’s site and got another 50,000 points. I always look for hotels that have high return on points when booking hotels on any travel! I look on the southwest app under hotels or on the desktop.
To register for the SWA Credit Card, click here! Right now they have an offer out to earn Companion Pass through 2/28/2023 plus 30,000 points after you spend $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Can you change your companion?

You can change your companion up to three times per calendar year. In other words, you can have four different companions the first calendar year, then three in the second year (up to seven total across the life of your Companion Pass). It’s worth noting that even if you switch back to a previous companion, it’ll still count as one of your three allotted changes per calendar year.

What is the best way to earn the companion pass?

There are a few ways to earn the companion pass- Personally we used a combo of all of these to secure it! There is no way we could fly enough to gain it just via flights! I highly recommend looking into this in detail because it really is more attainable than you think!!!

Flights
Spending on the credit card- $1 = 1 point, and you get 1.5 points for any SWA purchase.
Partners (ie. booking through SWA for hotels, cars, etc.)
Credit Card bonuses: this is what i spoke of above, we got a huge bonus after we spent the initial amount. You can also open a small business credit card if you are self employed and double up on points and get a SWA business credit card.

What if I have no chance of doing the above and securing the companion pass? Is the card still worth it?

YES, YES and YES! I am constantly getting points deposited into my account to use for flights every month when we buy everything: gas, groceries, etc. So, even if you don’t manage to get the companion pass, you’re still able to get TONS of flights for free! Think about it: the current offer is 40,000 points for spending $1,000 in first 3 months- thats basically 2-3 roundtrip tickets in the USA! Totally WORTH IT!!!

We’ve flew to florida twice at peak travel times right before covid hit and paid less than $700 TOTAL for those two vacations for a family of five. This is unheard of!

About Southwest…

FYI this is NOT a sponsored post! I genuinely love this program and what it has done for our family. SWA has incredible customer service and is one of the ONLY airline out there that doesn’t have change fees! These are key for me traveling with kids (we are always moving things around between our businesses and things with the kids-sickness, etc!). Also they don’t charge for bags which is great because I always overpack HA. Also, with kids you have carseats and things and you never have to worry!

I know some people don’t like the fact that you don’t have an assigned seat, but 6 & under is family boarding and it is worth it to me with all of their perks!

To register for the SWA Credit Card, click here! Right now they have an offer out to earn Companion Pass through 2/28/2023 plus 30,000 points after you spend $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. This is AMAZING!!!!

And as always let me know if you guys have any questions about how we fly on Southwest or use the card or how any of this works!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of the Travel Series!

Alex

***I am not a financial consultant or expert. I may gain additional points through Southwest’s program if you use my link. You should not use this blog to make financial decisions. From reading this blog I cannot assess anything about your personal circumstances, finances, so any information contained on this blog are just that-opinion/information. All thoughts and opinions are my own and should be taken as such, and are based on my personal experiences/situations.

Doing Disney: Hacks, Fashion & More!

December 23, 2021

As I write this, its about 30 degrees outside and I’m dreaming of being in Florida & Disney! ha!

I wanted to hop on today and share a little bit about our experience at Disney and some new things that we learned along the way!

Also, if you’re going to Disney you have to make sure you look the part! I’ve found some SUPER cute Disney looks for you guys. Unfortunately my outfit from Disney is an old Siwy x Disney collab, but I did find some tops that will look just as good!

Prior to going down to Orlando, we were unsure if we were even going to go to Disney because we knew the crowds were gonna be in full force! But, the weather cooled off for a day or two and it was the perfect opportunity to step away from our mornings swimming and head to the parks. I did some research and saw that NYE is the biggest day at Disney all year round. So I knew we woulden’t be going then!

BUT I started thinking…well if NYE is their biggest day, and people are staying to ring in the new year there is no way they are getting their kids up at 7 am to hit the park at 8 am on New years Day! AND I WAS RIGHT. Sure, did it get busy by 12 or 1? Yes. But we got on sooo many rides the first couple hours and it was honestly the most enjoyable time that we have ever had at Disney! Also, this thinking applies to when they have their “Evening Extra Magic Hours”. Everyone will have gone the night before and stayed late and the park should be quieter the whole morning.

Here are a few of my hacks that I’ve learned along the way. I’ve gone to Disney as an adult without kids, and with 1 kid, 2 kids, and 3 kids…so I’ve done it all!

Change your mindset: Honestly this has to be one of my biggest tips. Going to disney is SO different than it was when we were younger. Lines are way longer and you just need to accept this, especially if you are going during a school break. Know that the trip is all about the experience, the atmosphere ! If you get on rides, great. But don’t let it make or break your time especially you go during school breaks. Which brings me to #2.
I’m not trying to be anti-school or anything, OFF PEAK, guys. OFF PEAK is where its at! EVERYTHING is cheaper when you don’t go during school breaks, you’ll save soooo much money and have a better time at disney. If your kids are 3rd grade and younger, I say take them out of school! If you can save thousands of dollars (which you will between flights and hotel) that can go towards their college education, do it! 5 days is not a lot in the grand scheme of things.
Do research before you go! There are so many AWESOME resources out there online that tell you the busiest days at Disney, whats happening at the parks, how fast pass works, and tons of tricks of the trade! Utilize the Disney fanatic web pages.
CHILD SWAP, CHILD SWAP, CHILD SWAP. Y’ALL this is the BEST thing that ever existed and honestly so many people that I speak to know nothing about it! It basically means that if you have a child that is under height to go on any rides (ie. baby-4 year old) your older child gets to ride twice. YES, you read that correctly. For instance, if I go on splash mountain with my son Max who is of height, and my husband has to stay with our 3 year old and 1 year old,. once Max and I get off the ride (we use our fast passes), Max can get back in the fast pass line with my husband (who uses his own fast pass) and he gets to go on AGAIN without using a fast pass because my husband missed out on riding with us because of our younger kids. If you don’t understand it, check out this website which may explain it better. But guys, its seriously the best thing ever and our kids went on double the rides because of the baby!
Which brings me to fast passes. If you’re not a frequent disney go-er, you’re probably like fast pass WHAT? HUH? Basically the fast pass allows you to not wait in line as long! You have an expedited wait (think 5-10 mins) vs 60 minutes or more. You get 3 fast passes to use at a time. Once you use one, you can rebook another. The window of time that you get to use it is one hour and you can only schedule one fast pass ride per hour. Generally I pick the rides that always have the longest waits. For instance, at Magic Kingdom, that would be Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Thunder Mountain railroad, the Mine train, Pirates of the Caribbean, etc. Make sure you download the Disney App and you can get everything in real time including securing your fast passes, as well as viewing wait times! You can also get all of your Disney vacaation photos uploaded to the app! Sometimes I use the character meet and greet for a fast pass as well, depending on wait times. TIP: MAKE SURE YOU KEEP REFRESHING the fast pass page. If the ride doesn’t show up, don’t give up. Sometimes I input the info like 15 times and every time I get different rides! So don’t login and input the information and think those are the only rides available! Exit out and try again! Do know that reserving some Fast passes on popular rides like I mentioned above a few days in advance will help you secure it because they are tough to get.
This may seem like a lot of work, but I always pack our lunches and bring it with us. Disney is great about bringing food and water into the parks, and I take full advantage. It is extremely expensive to eat there (we are talking over $50 for a family to eat lunch) and I would rather spend that money elsewhere! Also it is a lot healthier! We have a stroller and I just bring the boys school lunch boxes with us, throw it under the stroller and we are good to go! No crazy money being spent, no lines waiting for food and you know what is going in the kids bodies! Even packing lunch & eating out for dinner helps from budget standpoint if you’re staying the whole day! Every meal counts. Also! we always stay in a hotel with a kitchenette so we have everything we need in our hotel to pack sandwiches, fruit, bars, etc.
Take advantage of Disney Springs. Its free, super cute and lots of fun for the kids including the LEGO store!
Speaking of Disney Springs, Restaurants book out quickly there (and at the parks if you do decide to eat out at disney!) , so make sure you plan out if you want to eat at Disney Springs Dinosaur restaurant or Rainforest cafe. Especially if you have a big group!
Go Early: I highly recommend getting to the park early! Any good experience I’ve ever had there has always been when we get there early (think: arriving at parking lot 30-45 mins before rides open) Also, ride lines are short(er) up until about noon or 1 pm so save your fast passes for the afternoon when it is peak riding time
Bring a stroller if you have kids 6 & Under -or rent one at disney. If you want to get bang for your buck, staying there fo 10-12 hours is how you do it! Its a long day of walking for adults much less for kids 6 or 7 and under!
Lastly, if you have a baby, use the baby centers! Its a private place to nurse, change, and have some quiet time while your husband takes the older kids on a ride or to the bathroom. I also like using town hall for a nursing station :)

Disney Fashion

OK. On to fashion…I know I mentioned that the outfit I had on is no longer available but I found tons of cute options for you heading to Disney. Also, make sure you check out Gap Kids for their disney collabs that they have. I get so much there for our kids! Its so cute and great quality!

Have a magical day xo

Alex

Peanut Butter Blondie's NYC Travel Guide

November 10, 2018

Hey yall! Happy weekend!

I just returned from New York and I had a few DM’s and text messages about recommendations for the city because..well…I’m there quite a bit!! I also get asked by family and friends….Its basically my favorite place. Ever.!!! You just can’t beat the vibe, energy, food, and of course…shopping! I am just in love with it. I’m so sad that it’ll be 4-5 months (hello, post partum life) until I’m back! So I thought I would finally hop on here and write something up officially for you guys!!

I wanted to say first off that THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO AND SEE THERE and I feel like its impossible to hit everything in a post! Lol! I am by no means an expert; but I have been there a lot more than the average person so take my tips but also know there’s tons out there to do, see, eat, and shop!

Getting around: there are obviously a bunch of cabs (and uber) everywhere but it is cheaper (and you see more of the city) by walking. The subway is a great option & cheap…I think its fairly easy to navigate after a day or two also so I recommend that FOR SURE!!

Anyway, let’s cut to the chase. I’ve divided this into a few different sections: Food/Restaurants, Tourist spots, Hotels, Things to do, and last but not least…SHOPPING!!

Jackie Onassis Reservoir in Central park…the “Bridle Path” in the Park takes you to this awesome circular running/walking path. I love that its not pavement either!!

Food:

OK, the best part. Gimme my food. lol. there are sooo many places in New York it is overwhelming sometimes! I’m going to list some that I love, but there are so many great places! All of these can be googled where you can view their menus, address/location and also make a reservation!

1. Rosa Mexicana- Because what would life be without guac and tacos? two locations, this place is SO GOOD.
2. G R Slouvaki- this Greek Restaurant right in midtown is divine and the décor on the inside is adorable. You feel like you’re right in Greece.
3. Thai Topaz- I love this Thai place right in midtown. Very flavorful and great prices.
4. Guantanamera- Cuban restaurant with live music. Great food and vibes.
5. Calle Ocho- Another Cuban/Latin place..and no I don’t have a thing for Cuban food! But it’s really good, I never had their food before I went here and it is so good!
6. Red eye Grille-American restaurant that is super tasty & lots of options if you have “picky” eaters.
7. Anywhere in little Italy- it is all amazing!
8. Trattoria Dell’Arte -This place makes like a “pizza” chicken parm. They flatten the chicken out…I just can’t. Its so good!
9. Sara Beth’s -I little pricy but the food is GREAT and its right across from Central Park. V popular for brunch/lunch!
10. Grimaldis---Pizza place on Brooklyn Bridge (other location in Chelsea, not far from the TJ Maxx/Marshalls)-this place is always packed. If you can’t get in at the Brooklyn Location, I suggest trying the Chelsea spot! Their pizza is amazing and your typical NYC slice!! To. Die. For.
11. Spring Natural: Healthy place in Soho- This is a great option if you’re shopping in Soho and want some organic tasting food.
12. Levain Bakery-gooey. Melt in your mouth. Cookies. Need I say more? 2 locations on the UWS! THIS IS NOT A DRILL. You need to go here.
13. Magnolia Bakery: Yummy pastries, cupcakes, muffins, etc. Cute décor on inside!
14. Tea at the Plaza- I have yet to do this but its on my list!
15. Fresh and Co and Chopt’d are two of my favorite “fast food” places in the city. They have tons of healthy options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if you’re looking for something fast and healthy.
16. Gramercy Tavern- we went here for my 35th birthday and it was AMAZING. ((BOOK IN ADVANCE!!!))
17.Last but certainly not least is the Robert- the VIEWS of Central Park are unreal here. It is right in Columbus Circle (right by Whole Foods).It sits atop the Museum of Arts and Design. Also- the food is LEGIT!!! This is a must.

Tourist Spots:

1. Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
2. Little Italy: So cute, especially at Christmas time!
3. 9-11: The museum is seriously so moving and is a must for ANY American. #NeverForget
4.. Wall Street
5. Rockerfeller Center- “Top of the Rock” ; ((during Christmas come here to see the tree))
6. Empire State Building (great photos)
7. 5th Avenue shops
8. Obviously Central Park ((photos…))
9. Brooklyn Bridge ((awesome photos))
10. Times Square: too busy for me and I’ve been a billion times, but great for first timers and even if you haven’t been in awhile- the vibe and life is awesome!!

Fun Things to do:

Walk/Run in Central Park
Rent bikes and ride them in Central Park (so fun)
Walk Brooklyn Bridge (Best to take subway across to Brooklyn and walk from Brooklyn to Manhattan-best views)
Get a spa treatment (I like Exhale Spa, or bliss)
Ride in a horse drawn carriage through the park (I haven’t but a lot of people love it)
Christmas Markets by Columbus Circle
Christmas Markets in Union Square
Ice skating in Central Park
See a broadway show (so many options!! They just came out with Frozen (girl moms!!!!) and Harry Potter for those who love a little HP in their life)
Explore the different neighborhoods: Upper West Side, Upper East Side, Queens, etc.
Check out Battery Park and all the fun things going on (this would be part of your downtown excursions)
Helicopter ride over NYC - if in your budget or you are there for a special event; this is AMAZING!!!

Helicopter Ride over NYC for my 35th Birthday!

Hotels:

I tend to always stay in midtown. I have stayed in different spots, but I really like being close to the park (I obviously love it and like running there), but I also like being close to the shopping areas. I have stayed at a number of places- there are honestly so many options! My biggest tip would be to look around on the travel sale websites including Jetsetter, Hotwire, and even expedia have sales. I’m trying to think off the top of my head over the years the different hotels I’ve stayed at…..Here are a few :

1. Doubletree on Lexington

2. The Warwick (most recently)

3. Le Parker Meridien (very modern; good location)

4. The Plaza -got an amazing deal, this place is soooo nice. It is all it is hyped up to be and more!!

5. JW Marriott (amazing!! Super expensive but I got a travel deal on it. Right across from the park

6. We stayed at the Peninsula for my 35th. Booked it on hotwire-it was SO AMAZING. We got it for 60% off so that’s the only reason why haha! Its so pricy. But it is gorgeous, amazing service. Incredible.

7. Manhattan Club- this is my go-to when I’m nursing and pumping. They have kitchenettes so I’m able to store my milk in a fridge haha. And the location is great.

8. Park Central- This is probably the place I stay at the most. Reasonable prices especially in off season; great location, decent rooms and just really reliable.

9. The Manhattan at Times Square- I’ve stayed here once but didn’t really like it.

10. Hyatt Grand Central: Stayed here years ago, central location (not close to the park though). This was really nice though. It might be pricy.

11. New York Palace: This is gorgeous hotel that I stayed at with my mom. Pretty sure Gossip girls was filmed here? Anyway, this is another one I got on Gilt travel for a cheaper rate than online.

12. TRYP by Wyndham- I stayed here with a group of people and they had bunk beds in the rooms as well as regular beds. Might be a good option if you go with a number of people or with kids! Not close to the park but near Macy’s and Herald Square!

Views from Ellis Island/Statue of Liberty

Shopping:

Soho (Broadway, Spring, Greene, Mercer, etc): They have everything here from department stores to high end shops, to little boutiques where you can get unique items!

TJ Maxx/Marshalls/Old Navy in Chelsea: Obviously they have these where I live but…THEY ARE JUST BETTER IN NEW YORK. PERIOD. Selection, higher end brands, and they are all on steroids. They are soooo BIG!

Nordstrom Rack/DSW/lululemon in Union Square: I love all of these shops and the Union Square area is so cute!

Lord and Taylor on 5th: Again, we have this at home but this is like…8 floors. Yes, here, I’ll give you allllll of my money. Thanks, bye.

Macy’s- I do like some things at Macys, so sometimes I stop here if I have time. During the holidays its pretty incredible (decorations) and is quite the spectacle.

Athleta-UWS: gimme alllll of the athleisure. Great spot on the UWS and only 2 blocks from the Levain Bakery!

Bloomingdales on Lexington (h & M, Victorias Secret, AE, a ton of other stores around there also) Bloomies has my heart. Such a great department store!!

5th Ave: Even if you don’t buy anything here, just window shopping is fun. tons of luxury high end brands here- Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Tiffany’s, Dior, Chanel, etc. Keep going down 5th though and you’ll see everyday brands like Gap, Abercrombie, etc.

PS: Travel with Kids to NYC

I have only travelled here once with kids and it was with Max when he was about to turn 2. He was really young so we didn’t go take him too many places (and we were only there for like 36 hours) but here are some places that I want to definitely take the boys when they get old enough.

Also the tourist destinations I listed above are good for kids too, especially if they are 4 and over (like Statue of liberty, Ellis Island, Empire State Building, etc…)

1. Natural Museum of History
2. Play at Central Park (so many different playgrounds and areas for kids to play)
3. Childrens museum of Manhattan
4. New York Transit Museum
5. Central Park Zoo- we took Max here; it was super cute.
6. Bronx Zoo
7. NYC Fire Museum (my boys would be so excited!!)
For Girl moms, they have Frozen on broadway now, and the American Doll store is a big hit!

Like I said, I haven’t been to many of these places yet because I haven’t gone with the boys really yet, but these are some that I want to hit up!

WOW!! Hope this helps all of you guys! Enjoy my favorite place and have fun!

Alex

Paris Babymoon!

October 18, 2018

4 days, 50 miles of walking, lots of bread, coffee, Nutella and French food and we are on our way back to America!

I’m sitting on a flight that seems to have taken twice as long as the way over ((this could also be because this flight is absolutely. Positively. Full.)) and I thought I’d utilize my time to recap our trip while its still fresh in memory.

Its funny because I’m yet to post anything other than the “fashion side/what I wore” of our trip to Hawaii with the boys that was almost 6 weeks ago, but hey, nobody is perfect right?! I’ll get to it at some point!!

How we picked Paris

Back to Paris. Originally in our minds we had planned on going somewhere not as far, but still with a European feel to it. A few reasons, 1. Because we hadn’t been away from the boys for an extended period of time before (more than 2 days). I think that’s something that every set of parents have different timelines, especially when you have multiple kids/different ages with different needs. Secondly, The flight prices seemed so crazy to get over to Europe or even anywhere in the US!?? Like $800 or over for Europe. Usually during September/October/November the rates drop and although I was excited about Montreal I was pretty disappointed about not being able to go somewhere in Europe.

After we returned from Hawaii, I randomly looked at some flight prices for the bigger cities across the pond (there’s that never say die attitude…I just coulden’t let go of the idea lol)- London, Munich, Paris, Zurich….and Paris…BINGO. Found a flight for the price of what you would pay for an domestic US flight on cheaptickets.com (I always look on cheaptickets and expedia for good deals on flights).

I acted fast and enlisted the troops (ie. Grandma and a little help from our babysitter) and booked the flights from a Wednesday night to Monday. Part of me also knew that potentially next year would be hard to get away with a baby for any extended period of time (#thatnursinglife) under the age of 1 so it was kind of a Seize the day moment! Lol!

I’m going to share everything about our trip here, must see places, suggestions, and just random info that will be helpful for anyone thinking of hitting up France anytime soon! :)

The deets:

What we flew/Travel Itinerary: We flew on American (which was totally average IMO) from Buffalo to Philly, Philly to CDG. Flights were great other than being about 45 mins late arrival to Paris. The flight had empty seats and I ended up with a row to myself while Aaran had 2 seats to himself as well. I attribute this to why I felt somewhat decent getting in as it was an overnight flight, and being pregnant I was able to lay down completely and sleep for 5 -6 hours. The return flight we weren’t so lucky with seat availability but we did get upgraded for no fee to the extra leg room seats so that was much appreciated!! We left CDG at 10:30 am and arrived back at home that same night about 8:30 pm connecting through Charlotte (after a few delays…total buzzkill!!)

Where we stayed: We had spent a couple of weeks trying to find the best hotel/location and one that served our needs (gym, A/C, free wi-fi, breakfast included). We ended up selecting the Renaissance in Vendome. Its actually a Mariott owned hotel, but with a boutique feel to it. The rooms were small but nice and we were happy with the service and amenities for the price. I think if I had to do it over again, I would have snagged the Hyatt that we saw for a similar price just knowing the rooms would have been a little bit bigger (more “Americanized”) while getting the same amenities.

Weather: I think this time of year can be hit or miss (just like in the US) but we majorly lucked out. It was pretty much 75-80 F by the time 1 pm hit, and sunshine. The mornings were definitely cool but it was perfect weather to walk, sightsee, and enjoy a new city.

Must- see attractions:

There is so much history in this city-I won’t get into all of that (you can research prior to going) and I’m sure there is so much more to see than this list…. but it was so interesting!!!

Eiffel Tower
The Lourve
Champs de Elysses
Vendome
Notre Dame Cathedral
Siene River
Moulin Rouge
The Opera
Sacre Couer Basilica (views of the city here are amazing!!)

Areas of Interest/Neighborhoods & FOOD:

Latin Quarter: I absolutely adored this little pocket of Paris. So many little shops, cafes, and restaurants and had such a culture and vibe to it. I bought a few really cute things here, and had an awesome Greek gyro here that I swear I’ll remember the rest of my life! I highly recommend getting up here!

Monmarte: This is the neighborhood that the Sacre Couer Basilica is in. It was such a beautiful area with winding, hilly European streets filled with cafes, shops and lots of energy. The views from the Basilica of the city were amaxing and they had a huge food festival going on! The only hard part was all the uphill walking at 25 weeks pregnant haha I needed a wheelchair! It was totally worth it though, my HR was at like 100 lol.

Food: We had two nights of French, 1 night of Italian and one night of Lebanese/Persian. Every night seemed to be better than the last. Out of everything in Paris, I would have to say the food was one of my favorite parts. Our breakfast was included in our rate so we had different breads, muesli, omelettes for breakfast (we also brought our own Nutella lol ) to start us out for the day. All of the restaurants were within our Arr. (1) so very close by. La Corte was the Italian restaurant we went to which was very popular and we needed reservations 2-3 days in advance. Likewise with the French restaurant that a nice lady working at the hotel recommended to us and actually received a Michelin award. The food was off the charts. The last night we actually ate in our own hotel, at their restaurant which was called Balagan. I HIGHLY recommend this restaurant if you are ever in Paris. It was so unique and everything we had tasted amazing.

Random tid bits about Paris:

-A lot of places are closed on Sundays so be sure to do your research ahead of time while making plans. We honestly kind of “winged” the whole trip, mostly because we are so scheduled on a daily basis, but on the Sunday night we got reservations so we woulden’t be caught without a place to eat.

-If you haven’t been to Europe before, be prepared for small everything. Small chairs, hotel rooms (unless you pay an arm and a leg) small elevators, small tables, NO SPACE in between tables at restaurants…lol. It’s all part of the atmosphere and its all good, just be ready for it!

-Tourist friendly: I had read a lot that not many people speak English in Paris, but I was pleasantly surprised at how many people spoke English, and well. They were pretty helpful if you asked.

-Utitlize your hotel concierge: Honestly, our concierge were so helpful. Obviously they can make restaurant recommendations (ones close by are best just due to the fact that you walk around the whole day and are tired!), can point you in the right direction on how to get tickets, book taxis, etc. Utilize them as a resource.

-We found that we got a lot better of a rate using our credit cards vs. changing money into Euros. Obviously we did change some money because you need cash but a lot of our purchases were with our Card. Check your credit card for foreign transaction fees and exchange rate info; ours is a travel rewards card so it has great perks for traveling internationally. Also, be sure to add your travel notice before you head out of town!

-Transportation wise we took cabs to and from the airport, and walked everywhere else. We didn’t use the metro or buses so I can’t comment on the easibility of those. The city is a little confusing the first day or two but once you get your bearings it gets a lot easier! Also useful to us was buying 2 days on the hop-on hop off bus. This way we could get to sites quicker at times when we wanted to and had the freedom of getting on and off when we wanted to. We were only there for 4 days so we wanted to be sure to make the most of our time!

-Note that we aren’t really “art buffs” so we didn’t go inside any of the actual museums, but if thats your “thing” then you will LOVE Paris.

-The traffic was pretty heavy to and from Charles DeGualle airport so keep that in mind when planning.

All in all, Paris was a beautiful place and we were so happy to have had the opportunity to travel to it. I highly recommend throwing this city on your bucket list if you haven’t already done so!

Alex

Hawaii Vacation P1: #whatiwore

September 18, 2018

Happy Tuesday friends! Hope you all had a good start to the week! Now that the dust has settled I wanted to do Part 1 of our vacation trip to Hawaii: What I packed/wore.

Packing normally takes me days on end, but this time I feel like I was slightly limited due to some of my clothes (well..most of them) not fitting me. I did do a little shopping before I left grabbing some swimsuits, and athlesuire wear. I’m so glad I did because we lived at the pool/beach and we did so much walking in the heat wearing some of my activewear was really comfortable!

A majority of the clothes that I did bring down there were non-maternity and I either sized up or they were a looser cut. My biggest goal was comfort while still being somewhat stylish! I think some maternity stuff is really cute but honestly this is my last pregnancy so I’m focusing more on winter clothing for maternity wear and trying not to get too much.

Part 2 Hawaii will be what we did, & travel tips for long haul flights with 2 littles! Stay tuned!

What I packed: (Links are attached in each number and if you scroll down you can click on moving windows and it will take you to the products :) )

This super cute non-maternity bikini top- love the back!
The matching bottom
I always love a good vintage tee. This Beatles tee is great to travel or lounge in!
My fave high waisted leggings from Nordys. They also come in maternity and are super comfy!
This polka dot maternity swimsuit…I am obsessed and the price is EXACTLY what you want to spend for a maternity suit!
From the same retailer comes this flower maternity suit- beautiful colors!
I love this non-maternity pink romper from asos!
These fun heart shaped sunglasses!
Believe it or not, I wore non-maternity jean shorts (they were one size up). I love these paige jimmy jimmy jean shorts. Stretchy and super comfy whether you are pregnant or not.
I’ve spoke about this free people top before! On sale and super light and comfy. Great for summer and even fall for layering.
My birks. Enough said.
This Becca suit. I sized up about 2 sizes as its non-maternity but its so flattering and has a sexy side to it without being a bikini! Also can’t beat the price!
These are the joggers I travelled in from Anthro. They run big so I would recommend sizing down if you are between sizes. I still was able to get a small (with room) at 20 weeks pregnant. So comfortable and are chic enough to wear out and about and perfect for travel.
I have worn these every. single.day. since I bought them. The Lululemon tracker 4 inch. I sized up 2 sizes, but they have been a lifesaver the last month with the warm temps still going and were great for vaca!

Have a great afternoon!

Alex