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Room With A View In Miami

December 18, 2012 by 4 Comments

The last time I was in Miami, it was to embark on a short cruise to visit a friend who was working on a ship as a dancer.  This time, the visit was also with a friend, but to help her out with an event.  Totally different experience!  Last time, I only had one short afternoon to walk around South Beach.  This time, I stayed right on it.  Last time, I was sharing a miniature mouse size crew room.  This time, I was in a glorious room with a spectacular view that played out many stories.

 

The View From My Room At The Westin Diplomat

The View From My Room At The Westin Diplomat

 

I managed to capture an extremely rare moment where the hotel pool area was empty.  This pool was open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  During the day it was filled with families.  I would sit at my window and watch the faces of parents, worn with daily stress of work and life’s challenges, soften to sweet peace as the first minutes of vacation set in.  I could see children laughing and screaming, and of course, getting scolded for running on the deck.  The spirit was definitely lively down there!  Spontaneous games of water tag, races, and hilarious synchronized swimming routines would occur every so often as well.  It’s funny how well we can get along with strangers when we’re on vacation.  If only everyone could carry this same energy back home.

A little later in the afternoon, the hungover party crowd would start to emerge.  It’s not hard to miss them.  Pretty much anyone with a slow walk, head down because even with sunglasses it’s too bright, and looking lost and kind of angry that it’s taking so long to find an available chair to flop down, on fits the bill.  I understand why they feel the way they do.  At night I would see them in full force, hitting the pool after a crazy night in South Beach.  The people on the lower floors definitely got a good show!

Since I was in Miami to work, my own indulgence came from soaking in the tub.  I loved that there was a ‘window’ to the room and that I could still see the outside sky.  I could see a plane with a long banner flying by.  I wondered if it was a grand marriage proposal gesture for some lucky girl, or a sign beckoning visitors to happy hour somewhere.  I have to say, I don’t enjoy tubs that are confined to tiny bathrooms.  It leaves nothing to the imagination!

 

A Tub With A View

A Tub With A View

 

Filed Under: All Aboard!, Around the World, Brie Mason, Down South, Kid Travel, Our Travelers, Tubs We've Enjoyed, US, World's Best Soaks Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Loving the Locals

December 6, 2012 by 3 Comments

How many countless times have you relied on locals when traveling? I know first hand how invaluable their advice can be.  Not just for the obvious needs of helping with directions when you are lost, but for other trip enhancing tips.  “Where can I go to see the best view of your city?”, “Where is the best place to get a good family dinner?”, “Where is the best shopping district, and live music night scene?”.  Taking advice from locals will take you away from the tourist destinations and into the real heart of the land you are visiting.  I have fallen into so many unexpected, life memorable experiences this way.

 

Oistins Fish Fry in Barbados

 

Once, when visiting Barbados, we found out where the best flying fish was served.  We could dine amongst the locals without the tourist crowds from the cruise ships we had encountered elsewhere.  Through conversation over our meal, we were directed a few streets over to where a woman was selling lunch off her porch.  She was dishing right out of the pot from her kitchen, and there was a huge line up! She ran out of food and the droves of neighbors skulked off with heads hung low.  I would have loved to enjoy her home cooking, but just witnessing that was fantastic.  I have to say that to this day, I can still remember the flavor of the fish back at Oistins.  I am so glad we went, because it was a unique experience and certainly nothing I could just pick up and go do in my daily life at home!

 

The Menu Back At Oistins…1 Mouthwatering Memory Please!

 

When the travelers come to you and it’s your turn to be the local, will you be ready?  Will you be able to answer their questions?  What do you think are the highlights, not-to-be-missed features of your city?  What food, music or social interactions might move the soul of a traveler, and where would you point someone who’s on the quest for ‘roamance’?

Filed Under: All Aboard!, Around the World, Barbados, Brie Mason, Carribean, Our Travelers, Tasty Morsels Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

The Art of Beach Posing

November 12, 2012 by 2 Comments

There are a few places in this world that make beautiful back drops for photos.  In fact, these places compel you to take photos.  You just can’t help yourself because you must capture the essence of joy you felt there in hopes of bringing it back to your daily life.  One of those places is the beach.  On a hectic day, there’s nothing quite like looking at a photo of yourself at the beach to remember that you were once relaxed.  Sometimes as a mom though, you just don’t feel like you have the mojo to be the bikini clad subject of a picture.

After a bit of experimenting, I have developed the art of posing at the beach, creating a stunning creative shot, and keeping your confidence in tact. First, there’s the hair and beautiful dress blowing in the wind shot.

 

I’d Put This One On My Desk, And Even The Wall At My House!

 

The beach really steals the show in this photo, but I’m in it too…and for the first time, I didn’t want to hit delete! None of my problem areas show.  You would never know how out of shape my legs are, how sad my ‘mommy’ chest is, or how big I think my nose is.  When I look at it, I can imagine the soft sand beneath my feet, and the warm wind passing by.  Goal accomplished!

Next, we have the artistic shot.  This was actually taken at the same time of day, but if you stand with the sun in a different spot and play around with camera angles, you can achieve something intriguing.

 

I Feel Like Someone Could Write A Deep Thoughts Type Of Poem For This

 

I can picture this photo on some sort of ‘Thinking of you’ or ‘Missing you’ kind of greeting card.  Maybe even the cover of a romance novel “Waiting For Love’s Whisper.”  Either way, I think it’s a pensive shot, and the thoughts it makes me have are definitely not, ‘Oh man, I can’t believe how horrible I look on the beach!’

Lastly, we have the very creative fun shot, meant for whimsy and play.

 

Shadow Play

 

I think I might make a whole series of these with fun movements and call it ‘Shadow Dancing’.  I took this picture myself, which is why there is not a photographer’s shadow.  This kind of posing is perfect for hiding absolutely everything!  It doesn’t matter if you’re having a bad hair day, have a pimply face, or just don’t like your outfit.  I think it is especially great for the upcoming holiday beach trips where your skin is already winter white and you are unable to hold off the photo taking until the golden tan arrives.  It’s time to stop being the one who takes all the vacation photos.  Get creative and be the star in some of them too!

Filed Under: All Aboard!, Around the World, Brie Mason, Kid Travel, Our Travelers, West Coast Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A Legendary Night In Hollywood

October 5, 2012 by 2 Comments

I have been craving a night out with a live band for quite some time now.  The smoky, hazy fog, the music pounding through my feet into my chest, and I can’t lie…a good beer, were beckoning me.  I figured, what better way to check out the music scene in LA, than to hit up the place where legendary icons got their start.   My friends suggested we start at the Rainbow Bar and Grill.  They laughed when I asked if they knew it was a gay bar.  All I was thinking of was the Rainbow Room bars I see in all the movies. The Rainbow Bar and Grill is part of the Sunset Strip on Sunset Blvd, and it’s a restaurant bar with a clear legendary rock and roll history.  The walls are lined with old photos of celebrity patrons, it’s dark inside with dim lighting, old leather booths and really great food.

 

The Rainbow Bar and Grill

 

I do highly recommend the fried zucchini sticks, and apparently this is one of those places that has a secret menu, but I only learned about it after the fact.  Perhaps the best part was, knowing that we would be continuing next door to The Roxy, our waitress offered to keep our left overs in the fridge so we could come back for them at the end of the night, when we would most certainly want to eat again.

 

The Iconic Roxy Theatre Club

 

As soon as we walked into The Roxy, all of my cravings were satisfied.   There was already a band on the stage and it was just the right amount of loud.  The atmosphere, and yes, the draft beer truly had me rockin’.   I imagined myself blasting through the times when Bruce Springsteen, Guns N’ Roses, and Pearl Jam all played here in their early pre-stardom days.  We spent some time back by the bar taking it all in, and then moved right in with the standing crowd in front of the band.  I love it when you’re so close you can see the sweat on the performers.  It somehow makes it all that much more real.  It’s always interesting to people watch too.  Everyone enjoys their music differently I guess.  Some people were head bobbers, others were swayers and some just stood there staring.  As for me, I probably looked like I was in la-la land, being so happy to be immersed in the music scene, having a very Hollywood night out without the kids.

 

Taking It All In

 

Filed Under: All Aboard!, Around the World, Brie Mason, Music, Our Travelers, Tasty Morsels, West Coast Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I Never Thought I’d Find These At The Airport!

September 13, 2012 by 5 Comments

When passing time at an airport I think most children like to hang out in the gift shops.  They usually sell interesting items that we don’t typically see in our local stores.  When traveling with my daughter recently, we came across a most unusual new toy concept.  We spotted some cute little fluffy things from a distance that caught our curiosity.  Once we got close to them though, we realized they weren’t cute at all! They were germs!

 

The Wall That Peaked Our Interest

 

E. Coli!

 

Can you imagine cuddling up with E. Coli, Pneumonia or the Swine Flu? We tried to creatively think of why you would buy these stuffed germs, or Giant Microbes as they are labeled.  First we thought they might be a good educational tool for an advanced science class learning about such topics.  They actually have an image on each tag that shows the true organism as it would appear under a microscope.  The addition of eyes threw us off though, as it suggests they should be purchased to be a friendly buddy.

 

Mad Cow and Toxic Mold

 

We then noticed that they also sell penicillin, so we decided upon the most logical use for the Giant Microbes .  Before getting on the plane, purchase a few of them to teach your children about possible illnesses they could contract while traveling.  Make sure to pick up the penicillin guy too so they can keep busy on your flight playing with the little stuffed blobs in a make believe bad guy/superhero role-play kind of way.  I can just imagine what that would sound like!

Filed Under: Air Travel, All Aboard!, Brie Mason, Kid Travel, Our Travelers Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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