Epcot, Magical Kingdom, and the Princess Makeover of a Lifetime!

EPCOT CENTER

We spent a day at Epcot Center going on some of the rides and doing a lot of walking around visiting the different countries that were represented.  The girls had a mission - to find Belle and Mulan!  When they did find them, they were able to get their autograph books signed by the strong princesses they've always looked up to!  They also loved the Little Nemo ride that made them feel like they were all a part of living under the sea.

At night we saw the Epcot globe lit up purple and got together with our group to eat at Coral Reef Restaurant...what an adventure!!  We got to eat in front of a HUGE fish tank where there was an ecosystem of aquatic life which the girls adored.  We even had a diver stop by and join us for a bit inside the tank!  Other than the incredible view we had from our dinner table, the food was delicious and it was just such a relaxing and much needed place to unwind after the tiring daytime.

To finish the day off with a cherry on top we saw an amazing performance of Reflections on Earth which was a big show and a grand fireworks extravaganza show full of beautiful colors that blew my girls away!  

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MAGIC KINGDOM

Our final day was at Magic Kingdom, probably my daughter's favorite park.  We had an amazing breakfast at the Be Our Guest restaurant based on the movie Beauty and The Beast. We were served our breakfast in this beautiful ballroom that was designed to look just like the Be Our Guest scene from the movie. Even the waiters and waitresses were dressed accordingly in costumes!

My daughters finally got to meet after a lifetime of watching them on the TV screen and getting to talk with them in real life and taking pictures, holding hands with the characters really put a huge smile on their face. There are a lot of thing to do in this park and the girls had their first roller coaster at the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train! We went all together and as you can see my oldest in the front is holding on for dear life, while my youngest in the back has the biggest smile on her face (she’s more of a daredevil). When we got off the ride, the two of them both could not express how much they loved it. After, we went to the Disney Springs where it’s an outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment complex, good for both adults and kids to enjoy. We Had gone there for an early dinner trying the Chef’s Art Smith’s Homecomin’ where they had lovely options to eat. Soooo delicious!

Then we went for the girls favorite part.. the Bibbidi Boddidi Boutique to get princess makeovers!!  The girls got to choose their favorite princess makeover (my eldest chose Belle and my little one picked Aurora).  They were taken to to get the whole royal treatment as a true princess would get like having their hair, makeup, and nails done. Watching them was really such a delight to see their faces light up at the thought of transforming into real princesses.  Though in my eyes they are forever my Princesses. After the whole makeover process they went for a beautiful photoshoot with these incredible backdrops that made them look like they were in their Disney film.  And just like that, our trip ended with a Princess happy ending!

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DisneyWorld for the first time with a preschooler (and an older one)!

This is our first time to Disney World with my two daughters, one which is a preschooler and I learned quite a whole lot of things.  Seeing their eyes go wide with amazement is true joy and exhilaration when they enter and see a real castle for the first time.  It’s best to be organized and prepare for smooth sailing without any unnecessary mishaps that might make the trip any less enjoyable. There are some things that I found to be really helpful to keep in mind that I’d like to share:

Firstly, let’s start with some packing tips. THE most important thing to pack, I believe, is a single stroller, and if not, get it at the park because although they are full of energy, preschoolers tire out really fast in a place as big as Disney. There’s tons of walking around involved and unless you want to be carrying around your tired preschooler around all day when they get hot and tired, stroller is a necessity! Always pack 2-3 outfits per day, just in case the weather does not go according to forecast (which we all know happens now more often than ever before).  Also, you never know if your preschooler might have some kind of accident or maybe make a mess in all the fun their having. There’s also lots of water splashing rides that maybe your child will want to stand by and get splashed, or even you and your entire family might unknowingly be in a splash zone (really… that happens).

Now if you're flying to Florida on a plane, sometimes toddlers need their afternoon nap and it’s best to find a flight sometime in the morning rather than in the middle of the day.  I would say between 9am-10am is your best bet. You don’t want it to be too early because you have to get them up and also allow yourself enough time to make it to the airport without any rush, because let’s be honest, rush = stress = everybody is upset. Then it’ll work out perfectly that by the time you’re on the plane, your kids can distract themselves with something like a movie or the iPad and then eventually fall asleep.  And the next thing you know, they’ve landed and you are trouble free for the duration of the flight plus they’ll be fresh and ready for the start to Disney World.

The flight on the way home we like to approach a little differently. I recommend finding flights in the later afternoon around 3pm-4pm, after their naptime. The reason I say this is that the timing will work out perfectly that when the flight arrives home, it’ll be just in time for dinner and then they’ll perfectly tire out from the flight (and the entire trip to say the least) just after, in time for bedtime. They’ll wake up back home the next morning, wide eyed and well rested,  with most magical memories of Walt Disney World!!

We had the pleasure of staying at the Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, which has the largest pool of the Disney World Resorts.  It is beautifully made with a Finding Nemo theme which was design for the kids to feel as if they were playing in the water as Nemo did with his friends. Though that was not the only theme there are also The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, and Cars, which is the suite where we stayed. There were Cars animations all over the walls and hallways, as well as Cars models scattered around for the girls to pose cute pictures with. Disney really know how to integrate a theme in to all parts of to make the kids feel like they’re in the movies. Might I add, for the parents, they had great service and were sure to have our stay be as easy and convenient for us as possible. They have two location at which you can eat where the service was impeccable. One of them was by the pool for the adults and the other one is a dining hall which serves a delicious assortments of hot foods, all including the choice of pizza which is the favorite food to both my daughters… and I’m sure that stands true for many kids!!  We got to use these Disney Quick-Service Dine Cards which is a great option because these gift cards have more value that the price you pay for the card. You can using them at many dining locations around the park for your meals and snacks.  It’s so quick and easy and rids you of the burden of carrying around any money with you!

It’s really unbelievable how Disney World makes each park seem as if your stepping out of reality into another world! Unlike any other park, the Animal Kingdom was so full of green and nature everywhere you look. I was happy to see my kids enjoy a jungle like, natured theme park so much. We had gone on a few rides as a family such as the Triceratops Spin which is a perfect ride for preschoolers and small children. My youngest is in love with dinosaurs so she was definitely ecstatic about that one. But the most extraordinary ride was the Navi River Journey, located in Disney’s new (Avatar movie’s) Pandora themed area.

My goodness, it’s really something that has to be experienced for yourself and that words themselves could not do it justice! The Navi River Journey is calm boat ride, which can be done as a family even will small children, which takes you through the world of Pandora. Even if you’ve never watched the movie Avatar, this is something you’re going to want to experience… and then will probably end up wanting to watch the movie afterwards. You’re sitting in this boat that flows down the “Navi River” through this science fiction, luminescent jungle of glow lights, immersing you in the theme of the earth and animal, shining a light (literally) on the feeling of being one with nature. Everything is this area is very grand and colorful creating a very realistic environment as if you were really living in the Avatar movie.

We also experienced the River of Light which was a night show with these beautiful fixtures in the water, using tons of colorful lights and beautiful dancers dressed in marvelous costume designs. The show included some extravagantly designed animals and water structures that synchronizes to the music.  What a magical way to end the night!

As mother and parents, we are well aware of how tough it is to travel with young children.  Especially somewhere such as Disney World where they have many resorts and parks in which car travel between the destinations are unavoidable.  It’s always a concern of mine in the back of my mind that my girls won’t have car seats… We mothers just can’t help ourselves from worry for our most precious cargo!  But boy does Disney know how to allow you to enjoy your stay as worry-free and comfortable as possible!

They have this service called the “Minnie” Van Service where they partnered with LYFT.  Its an absolutely adorable van covered in Minnie Mouse polka-dots—which might I mention, our girls were freaking out about. It so incredibly convenient and most importantly cheap!  It's an easy thing to do, just order it off the LYFT app on you phone - you can just easily choose the 'Minnie Van" car.  For $25, the Minnie Van will pick you up from your resort and drive you to almost any of their parks and vice versa. I know you might now be thinking, “well I can just call my own car service and they would do the same” or “well I can just take the bus with my family instead.”  But firstly, let’s be honest with ourselves and think for a second… if you are a mother you know the difficulties of what it means to ride a crowded bus with your strollers, all your bags, and two little children.  The Minnie Van Service also provides two car seats for children and babies which was invaluable for us.  As I mentioned earlier, the girls were freaking out about the Minnie Mouse theme of the cars… to them it almost counted as an amusement park ride on its own!

At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, we had breakfast at Disney Junior Play ‘N Dine where we were able to dine with the characters my daughters grew up watching on tv!  Their favorite character is Sophia so for them to be able to wake up in the morning and first thing was to have breakfast with Sophia and friends was an absolute joy for them.  Even though at times, our youngest was upset because she wanted to go to the pool everyday (irrational children problems… helloooo we still have all of Disney World to see!).

One of the best things that Disney built for families with young ones and babies are the Baby Care Centers in all the parks.  These are air-conditioned lounges set up for families with infants or children who need assistance with feeding or changing or cleaning.  They also have on-site shops where you can buy formula, baby food, diapers, wipes, sunscreen, or any emergency over the counter medications.  This full service facility is definitely welcomed and shows Disney's true commitment to making helping families out along with providing all the fun in the world!  

Later that day, we went to see “First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing Along Celebration”, which you already know they had the time of their lives… ‘cause what child doesn’t love Frozen!  The girls were singing their heads off to “Let it Go” with the live characters. The show later even had really snow that came down which was impressive and made the girls feel like they were really in the movie with the characters as they’ve always wished to be.

Us moms got a presentation of the upcoming Toy Story Land that is coming to the park this summer in June! It’s be a world created based on the Pixar’s Toy Story films, making you feel like you have shrunk to the size of toys as Woody and Buzz and all the other toys had felt, bringing the character to life on scale that you could only imagine!

With all the excitement during the day we ended going back to relax for a bit before our next stop:  EPCOT and Magic Kingdom!

This post is sponsored by Disney.  The content and opinions expressed below are that of Inrachelshoes.

Amalfi Coast

We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us. No matter how hectic life gets, my husband and I always try to squeeze in at least two vacations a year.  I think it's healthy for marriage and every married couple should do it, even if it's just for a weekend.  Not only do we get some alone time to enjoy ourselves (and get some sleep!), but I think it's also good for kids to learn a bit of independence.  We decided to take a trip to Amalfi coast this year and these are some of our photos and tips we've learned.

 

Here are some tips how we plan our trip:

Air fares - google flight (put in the dates that you desire) save it and track the price, you will get notification when the price changes.  I book hotels using booking.com (they will price match if you find anything cheaper also).

I suggest flying to Naples International Airport.  From there you can get to Amalfi Coast in a couple of ways.  We took the cab from the airport. That's the fastest (about an hour and fifteen minutes to get to Positano) and we were too exhausted from the flight to do any connecting boat/bus rides.  The cost was 130 euros (but it's cheaper if you book a ride before going there online).  You can also take the boat from Naples to Sorrento or Salerno then from Sorrento or Salerno to Positano (by bus or ferry)

Hotel recommendations:

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We stayed at the Eden Roc Suites.  Highly recommended:  Great service and convenient location (10 minute walk down to the beach and bus stops are practically a few steps away).  They also offer free breakfast and lots of their rooms are newly renovated with a breath taking view out of the balcony.

IMAGE courtesy of oyster.com

IMAGE courtesy of oyster.com

Le sireuse:  Another amazing hotel that has an awesome view bar (always lines out the door around Sunset time!)  They also have a Michelin Star restaurant for some fancy dining and unforgettable sunsets.

IMAGE courtesy of booking.com

IMAGE courtesy of booking.com

San Pietro Di Positano.  Stunning resort with the only private beach in Positano!  It's away from all the crowded areas and is located down by the water with easy access to their boats.  

 

Restaurants to try:

I love to eat and I try to go to as many different restaurants as I can.  Every restaurant we went to was amazing and highly recommended!  

Chez black (lunch or dinner) - this is the 'must eat' restaurant in Positano.  It's the people watching/celebrity spotting restaurant that's right by the beach.  The food was amzing, the atmosphere was lively and everybody was having a really good time.  The Spaghetti with Sea Urchin was delicious and came in it's own Sea Urchin bowl!

Da Adolfo (lunch only) - the 'IMPOSSIBLE TO GET RESERVATION' restaurant is worth all the hype with delicious dishes such as the octopus appetizers and grilled whole fish.  There's a boat that takes people from the beach to their restaurant in another destination only if you score a reservation.

Mammà in Capri (lunch or dinner) Michelin star restaurant with delicious raw seafood and beautiful plating!  Their view of Capri is breathtaking and if you get a chance try to watch the sunset there.  

Ristorante da Costantino Request a table by the window and order their house wine, you won't be disappointed!  Their whole fish was delicious and they were not very expensive for very authentic Italian.  They're located a little far away but they have pick up and drop off service.  We learned the hard way by walking there (45 minute of walking up lots and lots of stairs!) but it was definitely a memorable walk and it's the best way to get the sweeping views of Positano!

One great thing about Amalfi coast is how easy it is to travel from one part to another.  You can easily take ferry (or private boat) rides between Amalfi, Capri, Ravello, Positano, Sorrento, and Salerno.  Prices range from $12-$15 euro for a one way trip and you get to see the beautiful coast of Amalfi from the water.  We were able to visit Capri and Amalfi in the short time we were on vacation!

Bermuda family trip!

I had the pleasure of visiting Bermuda for the first time with the family and it was a wonderful experience.  Stayed at the Fairmont Southampton for a few days and everybody was very friendly and accommodating.  The weather was the same as NYC so let that be a fair warning to anybody who wants to travel to Bermuda in the winter - it can get cold there!  

Most of the time we ate at the resort (we loved Jasmine Lounge because kids under 5 eat for free!) but we did go out twice and ate at Lobster Pot (great appetizers...get the Escargot!)  and Barracuda Grill in Hamilton.  Both served delicious seafood locally and the kids loved the pasta.  We were lucky to have Horseshoe Bay Beach practically in our backyard and the kids loved playing in the beautiful serene beach!  

Hong Kong... food and sights!

I used to go to Hong Kong once a year but after being a mom of two, the chance to travel to one of my favorite places just became extremely difficult.  But through some sheer miracle I got the chance to visit Hong Kong (for 2 whole days!)  So all I got to do was eat and eat and eat.  And try to visit the Big Buddha which I never got to do in previous trips.  Hard to believe but it looks like Hong Kong is becoming even more modern than I last remembered.  But more importantly, the food is always the best thing.  I got to eat at Mott 32The ChairmanLung King HeenTsim Chai Kee, and 忠記粥品 (only congee that was open in the morning!).  There's about a million other restaurants I would've loved to eat at...but that'll wait till next time!

Up, up, and away in Chiang Mai, Thailand!

I traveled to Chiang Mai to experience a city that is unlike the busy streets of Bangkok.  Set in Northern Thailand, this city feels more relaxed and even though 1.6  million people live here it doesn't really feel it.  However, part of that peace and quiet came from the fact that we stayed at the beautiful Four Seasons Chiang Mai in 502 Moo 1, Mae Rim-Samoeng Old Road.  We stayed at the pool villa where we could've just hung out there the whole time.  But the rest of the resort was just so amazing, which includes it's own public infinity pool looking out to the lush greens of the resort.  We wanted to get a higher  look of Chiang Mai and went on a hot air balloon from Balloon Adventures Thailand.  It was an incredible (albeit cloudy) view of what Chiang Mai looks like.  Chiang Mai's 'famous' noodle is the Khao Soi and eating that intense bowl of crispy noodles in curry broth really makes me feel I am far from home.  You can have that noodle dish practically everywhere so you do not have to worry about where to get it.  Was Chiang Mai worth the 20 hour flight (stop-over in HK, of course!) to get to?  Most definitely.  It gave us the time for us to just relax away from the hectic life of living in New York City.  Can't wait to return!

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Experiencing relaxation and luxury @ the JW Marriott Los Cabos Beach Resort & Spa

I had the pleasure of working with JW Marriott Los Cabos Beach Resort & Spa for a weekend of relaxation, luxury, and amazing wine & food.  I was there for a perfect weekend where the weather was hot and the skies were clear.  I was able to experience one of their relaxing massages at the Jasha Spa and Salon.  There were two wine tasting events that were both different and a lot of fun.  The first was an outdoor wine tasting provided by the Chateau Saint Michelle Winery and an outdoor band and tapas appetizers.  The following night we had a special 8 course tasting dinner at Café des Artistes by renowned chefs Thierry Blouet & Javier Plascencia.  This was followed by a concert out by the pool under the night stars.  A truly romantic and magnificent weekend.  I look forward to going back when I want to be away from all the stress and buzz of the city.

 

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The wonder and beauty of Macau!

It's been many years since I've gone back to Macau.  Back when I went, all I remember was the beef jerky and the very cool looking streets.  Now that I'm back, I still love the beef jerky and the very cool looking streets.  I think it's from all the Portuguese influence.  It has modernized a bit (from all the gambling investments) but the small streets are still there.  They're small streets with a lot of stores (lots of beef jerky stores...I told you they're very good here) and colorful apartments on top.  I was taken to quieter areas of Macau where there were a lot of trees and cool looking homes during the times when Macau was a Portuguese colony.  I had the pleasure of staying at the Presidential Suite at the amazing JW Marriot Macau and the views were a sight to behold.  I was lucky enough to finally have hairy crab at the beginning of the season for the first time...the roe really is something special (did you know there's a special way to eat it?).  Having lunch at Lai Heen was a pleasure, what a beautiful exotic room to be eating in.  Overall my short time in Macau made really want to go back there soon to experience more of the quiet side to this tiny side of China.

p.s. oh, the Portuguese egg tarts were a delight too!