Author: suburbansoundtrack

The kids had a half day off of school on Friday and since San Diego is only about an hour and a half south of us, we decided to hop in the car and take a mini road trip.  One of our favorite places to stay is the Hotel Del Coronado.  This iconic hotel was built in 1888 and was designated a national landmark in 1977.  It sits on a beautiful beach on Coronado Island, just over the bridge from San Diego’s best family friendly sites.

This visit to the Del we chose a “resort view” room, which I fully understood to mean “parking lot view”.  I was correct in that assumption.  But, since it was the cheapest room available, I knew what I was getting into.  Plus, we were going to be out much of our time there, so it didn’t really matter.  On a previous visit we stayed at the Beach Village, which is a sub-resort of the Hotel Del Coronado.  This seems to be a trend in luxury travel – the ultra exclusive resort within a resort.   Pelican Hill in Newport Beach has the villas, with a separate entrance and guard gate.  The Phoenician in Phoenix has the Canyon Suites, which is also separated from the main 5 star resort.

If you can swing it, the Beach Village is amazing.  The rooms are much larger and newly constructed.  All aspects of these rooms are modern and beautiful.  As a bonus, the resort has a private dining space with a smaller version of the main breakfast buffet, that is reserved just for Beach Village guests.   These rooms also come with a dedicated concierge and BV guest only pool.   On our last stay I mentioned at check in that we would be celebrating my son’s birthday that week.  The concierge arranged for a cake to be brought to our room on his birthday free of charge.   The extra attentive service put this hotel experience at the top of our list. On our next visit to San Diego we will definitely opt for the Beach Village room again, rather than the original hotel.

Palm Springs brings to mind Frank Sinatra’s “Luck Be a Lady”.  All Rat Pack swagger, Mad Men and mid century modern design.  I wanted to embrace that vibe on our trip to the desert with the kids.  So, out went the Hilton and Renaissance.  Out also went several hotels stated as “adult only”.  That was actually helpful.   As much as Joe and Jane don’t want us to spoil their honeymoon, I don’t want to keep telling my kids to “be quiet” and “consider the other guests”.   Because, frankly, they don’t.

Based on some (extensive) internet research I narrowed it down to:

• Avalon
• Riviera Palm Springs
• Colony Palms Hotel

This was a feat because there are MANY hotels in Palm Springs!  Who knew?  Ok, maybe lots of people who are actually from SoCal, but not me.  So, here’s a rundown of the good, the bad and the ugly of each.   All the hotels allow kids and are roughly located in the same vicinity.

• Avalon -$379/ night for Premium Studio 2Q.  Hollywood regency decor- sleek, white rooms.  Sophisticated pool with a view.  Reviews warn this hotel could be showing it’s age, but the positive reviews far outweigh the negative.  http://www.avalon-hotel.com/palm-springs
• Riviera Palm Springs – $233/night for Grand Deluxe Suite.  Starwood hotel – so points are nice.   Funky decor, but still accessible.  A meld of a comfortable family resort with some vintage Palm Springs. Some reviews stated the hotel is used often for conferences, service can be poor and rooms need updating.
• Colony Palms Hotel – $439/ night for Deluxe 2Q room.  Cool, Moroccan vibe.  Nice pool with a view.   Hip, but could it be too hip for us?  We’re not that hip.  Reviews were overwhelmingly positive about the rooms/ground/service, with only a few one-off negative experiences.  http://www.colonypalmshotel.com/

On a side note, without kids I’m coming back to stay at L’Horizon Resort and Spa.  http://lhorizonpalmsprings.com/   The place looks amazing, and by the room set up and multiple pictures of romantic frolicking, it  is clearly meant for a couples getaway.

I’ll update soon with our decision, pictures and reviews after our trip….

Each year traveling with my kids changes.  I have found myself looking less for the closest playground and more for nearby adventures.  When I’m planning a vacation I scour the internet for anything related to “Best hotels in CITY X for families”.   The thing is, “family” can have a whole mess of different requirements.   And don’t get me started on what constitutes “best”.  While mine are no longer infants or toddlers, they have still been known to burst into a cannonball or four.  So, anything hyped as “romantic” or “zen retreat” is out the window.   Here’s a breakdown of what I look for on a family friendly vacation:

1. Weather.  Nothing spoils a great trip more than bad weather.  Boston is a fun and exciting city.  Just not in February.  So, first we decide what activities do we want to do:  beach, ski, city sightseeing, etc.  Then, find a place that matches those activities.
2. Location.  How will we get there?  Is it viable during our allotted schedule.  I’m dying to visit Australia and Bali, but we can’t quite get our heads around the 24 hour flight.  One day…..
3.  Luxury accommodations.  While we don’t live extravagantly at home we want our travel experiences to be all that they can be.  That means a room with a view (or butler, as the case may be). More important than the room, is the hotel.  Service is paramount, as well as grounds.  I’ll take a small room at a nicer hotel, than the other way around.
4. Nearby adventures. A beautiful room is great, but we won’t be lounging around all day.  I’ll save that for the trip sans kids.  We want to make sure we are in a location that is close to the activities we will be exploring.

At the kids new school they not only have Spring Break, but also a Winter Break!  So exciting!  I am actively planning trips for both, so I’ll keep you updated on when/where/how those come together.

We arrived safe and sound in lovely southern California about a week ago.  Which isn’t particularly notable except for the fact that we are traveling like gypsies with 6 suitcases comprising 6 months worth of belongings.   It was a whirlwind first week – touring the kids new school, buying uniforms, enrolling them in school, and basically trying to figure out where everything is.

School was the easy part.  Finding living accommodations was a bit harder.  We were looking for a furnished space with at least 3 bedrooms with either a pool or ocean view (we are in southern California, after all) that will give us a 6 month lease.   Unfortunately,  there weren’t many places that fit the bill.  In the end, we decided on an extended stay villa at a local resort.  The place is gorgeous, with a view AND a pool!   So, even if it means the kids can’t go to college, at least we will live like kings these next 5 months.

Sunset on our first night.  Before the rain…..

Homework on the porch.  Can’t do that in Virginia in January.

In an effort to live a more conscious life we are off to California.   What I mean to say is, after leaving my career and staying home with the little guys (who aren’t so little anymore) I am finding the days just slipping away.  We are swept up in a storm of sports practices, homework, and crockpot meals.  I realize I can’t slow time (anyone working on that?), so we’ll do the next best thing, which is to get out of our routine and try something new.

We got lucky when Pete’s company won a project at a bank in California.  That buys us 6 months to make the most of sunny weather, beaches, and hopefully more quality family time.  I’m guessing the kids are more excited about the first two.   Along the way, I’ll share my thoughts on the whole experience.  Maybe I’ll even come up with some new recipes!

Wish us luck!

For a little fun I decided to take an online career quiz.  I thought, maybe it will give me some insight into which direction I should follow.   Here are the results:

What Career Should You Actually Have?

You got: Astronaut

1. You are an explorer. You are curious about the world around you and the way it works. You look at things closely, and often with a different perspective than everyone else. You’re quite unique, lucky you. Other occupations: researcher, teacher.
   

Seriously?

Maybe I should start looking a little deeper.   I’ll start by listing my passions and strengths.  Sounds reasonable, right?

Passions: Travel, fashion, baking, food, sewing, crafting

Strengths:  baking, crafting, party planning, math

While there are some overlaps, I know I don’t want to do anything related to food.   After a stint cake decorating I am too familiar with the time sensitivity and fickleness of baking.  So, I’ll have to keep that in the ‘just for fun’ column.    Now if only I could find a job that has me traveling around the world and eating.   If you know of a vacancy please let me know!

It’s January, so like everyone else in the world I am making my new year resolutions.  Eat healthier, exercise, be more patient with my children, blah, blah, blah.  But now I’m thinking something bigger is in store.

Last summer I turned 40.  I didn’t really mind it, actually.  It didn’t make me reflect on my life’s purpose or bemoan my aging body.   Maybe that comes over time.  6 months later, though, I had an epiphany.  I was watching Project Runway junior with my 10 year old daughter when I turned to her and said “Oh, A, you should be a fashion designer.  It’s too late for me, but you have your whole life ahead of you”  to which she replied “Mom, I’m going to be a zookeeper, remember?”  Oh yeah.

I can totally see how some people live vicariously through their children.  I had given up on anything really exciting or fulfilling for me, but the children!  The world is their oyster!  Which got me thinking, maybe it’s not too late for me.  Sure, I’m no spring chicken, but maybe there is some time left.  So, I’m dedicating 2016 to eating healthier, exercising more, being more patient with my children, and figuring out just exactly what I am meant to do.  Here goes nothin’……..

It’s hard being a mom. I don’t mean the hectic schedule, constant neediness, and exhaustion that comes with caring for little ones. Of course, that, too, but I mean after all that. When the kids are a little more self sufficient and you are left alone. Something you have been aching for these past years, by the way. Now what? My friends and sisters that work full time battle with the guilt of feeling like they are not spending enough time with their kids. As a stay at home mom I worry about spending TOO MUCH time on my kids. There’s a little spot in my brain warning me about becoming that crazy cheerleader mom from Texas that mowed down her daughter’s competition. Remember her? Yikes!

So, here I am, pouring my thoughts and feelings out online, hoping it will spark some inspiration. In the meantime, I take solace in the little things that make my life more about Jen and less about Avery and Luke’s mom. Fashion, food, travel and the music that plays behind it all.

For now, though, I’ve got this on my to do list.  Anyone want to help clean up legos?