Alaina Yoakum is a Marketing, Communications, Social Media and Event Planning expert with over 20 years’ experience. When she’s not traveling the world or spoiling her two children at home in Northern California, she loves to help clients promote their brands more effectively through winning strategies, catchy copy, dynamic designs, and unforgettable events. 

If you’re anything like me, sometimes you just need to grab your favorite gals and escape. The endless to-do lists, piles of laundry and constant homework monitoring just gets to be too much.

So when Holman Ranch invited me and a friend to stay at their breathtaking 400-acre historic property, I jumped at the chance. And what a treat it was! When it comes to crafting the perfect recipe for a girlfriends’ getaway, Holman Ranch has all the right ingredients.

About Holman Ranch

Set in the hills of Carmel Valley, Holman Ranch is less than a 13-mile, 30-minute drive west of the coast and tourist hot spots like the Monterey Bay Aquarium, 17-mile scenic drive and Point Lobos, where you can often spot sea lions.

Holman Ranch is a premiere location for weddings, corporate retreats, family gatherings, and special events – not to mention unforgettable, indulgent girlfriends’ retreats. An overnight on a stunning ranch with picturesque views? Check. A private wine tour and tasting? Check. Private massage therapists and manicurists? Check! They’ll even plan an ATV ride through their vineyards, hayrides, dummy cattle roping – you name it! My friend and I knew we were in for a treat – we couldn’t wait to start our tour!

Savoring the Wine & the Views

After checking into our ranch guest house, my friend and I lounged on our beds, enjoying the sweeping views of the valley outside and the rustic touches of the décor inside. Next on the agenda was a top highlight of our stay: A private wine tour and tasting with Nick Lowder, who owns and operates Holman Ranch along with his wife, Hunter.

Nick took us on a stroll through the enchanting grounds, past a blue-tiled swimming pool built in 1931, and into the wine caves. There, we tasted some of their award-winning wines – straight from the barrel. My favorite was their bold and rich 2010 Pinot Noir Hunter’s Cuvee. I was also impressed by their commitment to sustainability in how they grow, farm and produce their organic wines. Their 21-acres of vineyards yield grapes to make a range of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc wines. You can purchase their wines online, or better yet, join their Estate Wine Club for benefits like a two-night stay on their ranch.

Star Power

After a glass or two’s worth of wine and a mini power nap in our room, my friend and I reunited with Nick for a tour of the rest of the Holman estate – accompanied by a glass of their scrumptious Chardonnay, of course! We enjoyed the sunset in their blooming gardens and then entered the circa-1928 restored stone hacienda. Inside, Nick told us tales about the ranch’s illustrious history and how it once catered to Hollywood royalty, including Marlon Brando, Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin and Vincent Price.

As a fan of old black and white films, it felt luxurious to walk along the same paths and lounge in the same rooms as those heavenly stars. It reminded me of a movie I loved as a young girl, called Somewhere in Time. In it, a man becomes obsessed with the portrait of a movie starlet who lived long, long ago. Using hypnosis, he inexplicably travels back in time to an old hotel in the early 1900s, where he meets – and falls in love with her. Inside the Holman Ranch hacienda, among the old paintings and period furniture, it felt like we’d been transported to that bygone era, when women wore long slinky gowns and men wore tails.

Fabulous French Fare  

The food wasn’t the only thing that was good – I loved the decor and antique signs at this bistro!

The luxury continued as we got whisked to town in a chartered bus to Nick and Hunter’s restaurant, Wills Fargo Steakhouse and Bar, for one of the best meals we’d ever had. We started our culinary journey with a sublime bowl of French onion soup, followed by roast chicken with a heavenly potato gratin. My friend, who is typically a picky eater, surprised me by ordering seconds of the side! We ended the meal (reluctantly) savoring the molten “Fondant” Au Chocolate and a vanilla ice cream with a twist – it was made using olive oil from Holman Ranch’s olive groves.

Full credit for this exquisite meal goes to their Executive Chef, Jérôme Viel, a classically trained French chef born in Brittany and who has been studying the culinary arts since the age of fifteen. Given how delicious the food is, it’s no wonder!

All in all, Holman Ranch is the perfect combination of luxurious, modern amenities and old-world charm. If you’re planning a getaway with one friend or a dozen, I highly recommend Holman Ranch and Vineyards.

To learn more about Holman Ranch and Vineyards, check out their website, visit them on Facebook or read their blog.

Disclosure: Alaina was on a press trip at Holman Ranch, but all opinions expressed are her own.

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This past spring break was an interesting one. After living in and near NYC for a lot of years, I decided it was time for my kids to have a NYC staycation.

We stayed in hotels, went to museums on 42nd Street like Madame Tussaud’s, took a bus tour, ate in Chinatown and Korea Town, went to the top of the Empire State Building, visited the Statue of Liberty and toured Ellis Island, went to the 9/11 Memorial, explored the orchids at the Botanical Gardens in the Bronx and had pizza on Arthur Avenue, indulged in cupcakes at Carlos Bakery, strolled through Soho, munched on hamburgers at Five Guys in Times Square…wow, I’m tired from reliving it all. But I want to relive it for you here, so I can wear you out.

Here are highlights from our weeklong staycation in New York City:

– We stayed overnight at The Westin New York at Times Square, where they offer a WICKED Night Out, an exclusive WICKED-themed hotel package. As fans of the show, the experience of seeing the cast perform in an intimate setting was a one of a kind, in addition to our fabulous views of the NYC skyline from our room.  Find out more about our experience here.

The Westin New York at Times Square at Times Square is located at 270 West 43rd Street and you can get more info about the WICKED Night Out at their web site, www.westinny.com.

– We took a 3-1/2 hour bus tour of the film and TV sites in NYC via On Location Tours, along with an animated tour guide and a bus full of tourists. The guide mentioned sites used in Sex and the City, Gossip Girl, GhostBusters, Serendipity and to off the beaten path to Manhattan neighborhoods including SoHo, the Meatpacking District, Greenwich Village, Tribeca and the Upper East Side. We were shown where Taylor Swift lives and driven by film and TV shoots. The guide gave out yummy black & white cookies and there were several opportunities to take quick strolls and get off the bus. It was a great way to see all sides of the city, even natives will enjoy it.

Information about On Location Tours can be found at http://onlocationtours.com.

– We went to see the extremely creative and utterly wonderful CATCH ME! (Attrape-moi) at the New Victory Theater, featuring the six young talents of Flip FabriQue, an up-and-coming troupe from Quebec City, Canada, whose members have performed with Cirque du Soleil, Cirque Éloize, 7 Fingers and more. It’s one of those fearless, fast-paced shows that takes athleticism and showmanship to new heights in a high-flying spectacle that highlights the artists’ (men and 1 woman) individual talents, including aerial hoop, aerial straps, banquina, juggling and trampowall, among others. Read the rest of my review here and check out the New Victory’s upcoming shows here.

The New Victory Theater is located at 229 West 42nd Street.

– We had lunch in Korea Town, not once but twice, at a place called Mandoo Bar. They make the dumplings in the window and then serve them sizzling hot and they’re divine. When you sit down, they bring salad and Korean pickles over. I lunched on Spicy Ramen Soup with Tofu, the kids had bibimbap, steamy delicious meat and veggies served in a hot stone bowl. The waiter adds hot sauce and rice and stirred it up in front of us. 

Mandoo Bar is located at 2 West 32nd Street in NYC’s Korean Town. For more info, visit http://mandoobarnyc.com.

– We spent an entire day at the annual orchid show at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. Chandeliers are the theme of the NYBG’s 13th annual orchid show. Each year showcases a different design. Along with the show’s massive chandelier, the exhibit features hanging baskets and columns of orchids and plants and it was all ogle-worthy. The NYBG offers classes on orchid care, as well as gardens that are available all year. We rode a 25-minute tram around the park to take in all its offerings and look forward to future visits. Our visit also took us to nearby Little Italy where we indulged in the real thing – Italian pizza and pastries.“

The Orchid Show: Chandeliers” runs at the New York Botanical Garden’s Enid A. Haupt Conservatory through Sunday, April 19. Price of admission varies, with tickets costing $20 for adults on weekdays. For more info, visit www.nybg.org.

– I hadn’t been to Madame Tussaud’s in years, since BlogHer 2010, so when my daughter asked to go during spring break, I was happy to oblige. I took both my kids and one of her friends, and we spent about 90 minutes taking the tour. There are six themed, interactive environments showcasing nearly 200 masterfully crafted, lifelike wax figures, that includes Woody Allen, Bette Midler, Nicolas Cage, Hugh Grant, Oprah Winfrey, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Donald Trump, Marie Antoinette, The Dalai Lama and Maya Angelou. The tour is historical and interesting for pop-culture lovers like my kids, who loved the new Taylor Swift and Jimmy Fallon fixtures.

Madame Tussaud’s is located in Times Square on West 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues. Ticket information is here: https://www.madametussauds.com.

– We also stayed over-night at Wyndam Garden Chinatown on Bowery, a hotel right in the center of Chinatown. The hotel is clean, cozy and gave us complete access to the area including Soho, LES, Tribeca and Little Italy.

The Wyndam Garden Chinatown is located at 93 Bowery and booking info can be found here:  wyndhamchinatown.reservations.com.

– We each used a CityPASS for reduced admission to some of the city’s best attractions. It gives free entry to all top iconic places but also to many unique tours, as well as easy access. There are over 80 attractions to choose from. We went to the top of the Empire State Building, an attraction my kids had long awaited. They enjoyed going up 86 floors and looking down on a city they live near and love, but the crowds on the top were pretty intense. The CityPASS also took us to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, two places my kids had yet to visit, and a visit, which took a full day, and the 9/11 Memorial Museum.

Information about the CityPASS is located at http://www.citypass.com. New York CityPASS is a booklet of admission tickets to 6 must-see tourist attractions in New York City. You’ll save 41% compared to combined regular box office prices.

– Other stops included Carlo’s Bakery in Times Square where we waited 45 minutes for a cupcake made by the Cake Boss chef; burgers and fries at Five Guys Burgers & Fries; Shanghai Cafe at 100 Mott Street for an authentic Chinese meal; Taqueria Tehuitzingo on 578 for high-quality, low-cost Mexican fare and Full Moon Pizzeria at 600 East 187th Street in the Bronx for real Italian pizza.

I want to emphasize what a treat it was to be a tourist in my own town. As a New Yorker, I saw the city through a slightly different lens and it was very impressive. It was also very crowded. We actually ended our tour at the 9/11 Memorial, which was fitting and a wake up call to the reality we are living in. We were also reminded that life has changed immensely since I first moved to NYC and went to some of these same sites for the first time by the extra-tight security at many venues. The security checks made the lines longer and added to the time at each venue and the tourists are certainly spilling in, but we just blended right in and I love New York even more than I did before. And that’s really saying something.

Disclosure: The CityPASS, On Locations Tour, hotel visits and Madame Tussaud’s were complimentary to facilitate the writing I am doing here and on other web sites, but as always, all opinions are my own.

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We recently attended a media event in New York City hosted by Insight Vacations®. That particular night they were promoting their journeys to India, Bhutan and Nepal. We were joined by Insight Vacations President Phil Cappelli and Global Brand Ambassador and Bollywood actress, Lisa Ray, and an exclusive group of media for an evening of authentic Indian food and inspirational travel conversations. The results were tantalizing and we can easily see the attraction of visiting India in 2015, and it’s now on our bucketlist even more than it was before.

Insight Vacations’ 2015-2016 India, Bhutan and Nepal collection of luxury escorted journeys includes six all-inclusive Insight Gold journeys featuring an impressive array of outstanding Signature Events.  Cappelli told us that 6.8 million visitors are going to India every years and a million of them are Americans. That rate is growing at 8 percent a year. India is ranked third among the fastest-growing destinations for the next decade.

Insight completely redesigned their India vacation to create a new, unique, special experience –  “a vacation that completely will completely transform the way you think about the experience of travel.”

Rather than focusing on “sightseeing,” they present their tours as constructed of what it calls Signature Experiences, such as riding a cycle rickshaw through the Chandni Chowk Bazaar in Delhi and ending up at the Gandhi memorial at Raj Ghat, or an attendance at a Kathakali dance performance in Kochi. Insight’s India product also includes seven premium Mini Stays that have been designed to perfectly complement longer journeys, but they can also be combined for a customizable adventure or stand alone as a remarkable short trip.

2015 has been heralded Insight Vacations’ Signature Year, and the India collection is brimming with Signature Experiences, Dining, and hotels that differentiate Insight’s program from other tour operators. For example, while discovering the “Essence of India,” guests commute around Delhi like a local with a cycle rickshaw ride through the lanes of the Chandni Chowk Bazaar before visiting the Gandhi memorial at Raj Ghat. On “Colours of Rajasthan,” guests explore a potpourri of palaces and pavilions – and Rudyard Kipling’s realm of the Bengal Tiger – as well as enjoy an evening cruise on Lake Pichola followed by an inspired Celebration Dinner. Even the Mini Stays are full of Signature surprises, such as partaking in the fervent “Putting to Bed” ceremony at the Amritsar temple on Insight’s “Spiritual Divine.” Trips range from 3-14 days and all-clusive of breakfasts, dinners and signtseeing excursions.

Insight Vacations’ 2015-2016 India, Bhutan and Nepal collection of luxury escorted journeys includes six all-inclusive Insight Gold journeys featuring an impressive array of outstanding Signature Events. Insight’s India product also includes seven premium Mini Stays that have been designed to perfectly complement longer journeys, but they can also be combined for a customizable adventure or stand alone as a remarkable short trip.

Ray was on hand to present a photo and video show of her recent trips on Insight Vacations to India and Italy. Her stories were inspiring and really painted a picture of what it’s like to travel with Insight Vacations through India. She is clearly passionate about her role as Ambassador. Capelli told us her passion is an extension of their mission: “It’s about building stories, when people come home and they talk to friends and then they tell the story, and that story grows. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

Ray also emphasized the food in India, which is obviously a very important part of Insight Vacations. As if our palettes weren’t fulfilled as enough by the wonderful cuisine served that night at Tamarind Tribeca, we were given a cook book to build on the classic Indian fare called 660 Curries. I can’t wait to make exotic curries as I dream about going to India….

Disclosure: We were a guest of Insight Vacations to learn more about their tours and hear Lisa Ray’s take on her ambassador-ship.

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If you’re looking for a vacation with the kids in 2015 that has good hotels, restaurants, a variety of activities for all ages, good weather (all year long), art, culture, shopping, and more, I have an idea for you. I just got back from a few days in Long Beach, California, and I have to say it was the ultimate getaway with my tween. Located along five and a half miles of beach, half way between Los Angeles and Orange County, Long Beach offers great food, cultural diversity, waterfront dining and a slew of options for families of all shapes and sizes. In two days, the two of us covered so many attractions, neighborhoods and eateries providing the perfect low-down on what makes Long Beach a great option for your next family trip.

In case you are wondering why I traveled alone with my tween, I’m a huge proponent of spending quality time with each of my children. Last summer I took my son to Palm Springs for a few days, during which time we indulged in his interests and I continue to reap the benefits of the bond that was built on that trip. My daughter’s 11 – the perfect age for a young girl to experience new places, people and things. She’s like a sponge and took everything in using her senses. It was a pleasure to travel with someone so in tune and interested in what we were seeing and where we were traveling. Plus, she loved the warm weather (they have 365 days of sun) and we were both thrilled to leave our winter coats in the hotel room, never to be picked up. She also had no idea she was going to partake in a slate of new experiences like riding a surrey, going on a gondola ride, trying new foods and more.

Where to Stay

Our hotel destination in Long Beach was the Hyatt Pike. It was hands down one of the best city hotels I’ve yet to stay in. Take a Hyatt Regency Hotel, cut in half and you have a stylish boutique getaway – voila, the Hyatt Pike. You also get comfortable, cozy suites with free Wifi, Mac desktop computers, flat screen TV sets, on-site restaurants, big showers, a roof-top swimming pool with a great view, good service and close proximity to good restaurants and shopping. The room had a sleek, modern feel and was incredibly tidy. My tween and I snuggled up late at night after a long day out and watched The Gilmore Girls (yes, we are on a roll) in bed and then drifted into our own separate dreams. Rooms are relatively inexpensive, too. The Hyatt Pike is located at Rainbow Harbor, 285 Bay Street/ Tel: 562-432-1234.

Tween-Friendly Attractions

We started off at the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific, home to more than 11,000 inhabitants of the Pacific Ocean representing some 500 different species. My daughter loved learning about the animals swimming in the Pacific Ocean, including sting rays, sea cucumbers, starfish and more. We went to a sea lion feeding, gawked at penguins, fed parrots, touched sharks and saw hundreds of fish and jellyfish, some neon. The Aquarium of the Pacific is located at 100 Aquarium Way/Tel: 562-590-3100. Children ages 3-11 are $14.95 each; adults 12 and up are $23.95 each.

We then took a Harbor Breeze waterfront boat tour, a 45-minute ride around the harbor, with magnificent views of the beautiful Long Beach skyline, California Sea Lions, the world-famous Queen Mary, large cargo/container ships from all over the world, seagulls, sea lions, a light house and a view of the Shoreline Village. We both quietly took in the beautiful surroundings and really appreciated seeing the city from a different angle. You can pick up the cruise at 100 Aquarium Way, Dock #2/Tel: 562-432-4900. Adults are $12/seniors $10/children 11 and under $6/children 2 and under are free.

The Shoreline Village is a collection of restaurants and souvenir shops on the water. After the boat ride, we walked on its boardwalk while staring at the gorgeous sea and fishing boats before stopping for lunch at Parkers’ Light House.

We then headed toward a completely new experience for both of us: riding a single surrey, rented at Wheel Fun ($25 per hour). The experience was awesome – we rode down the coastline, past sailboats, condos, other bikers. As a bonus, we got a good amount of exercise – pushing the pedals on the surrey was hard work! We needed a break afterwards and the Hyatt Pike was the perfect place to return to.

On our second day, we spent hours exploring the Queen Mary, a historic ocean liner that is now both tourist attraction and 346-stateroom hotel.  It was one of the world’s most luxurious ships to ever sail the Atlantic Ocean. We got there at 10am and had an hour to wait before our historical tour of the ship would start, so we headed to an exhibit about Princess Diana (after all, the ship was created by Royalty) and were both mesmerized by royal history for an hour. At age 11, my daughter is really able to sustain and hold attention, and that level of patience continued on our tour (just!). We had the most expressive tour guide on the planet, which made for a very interesting tour. You can also learn about the haunted part of the ship and explore the Soviet submarine Scorpion, which is moored adjacent to the Queen Mary. We topped off the day at high tea on the Queen Mary, an irresistible experience. You can find the Queen Mary at 1126 Queens Hwy/Tel: (877) 342-0738. Tickets are a range of prices, depending on the tour you take (self-guided or with a guide). It’s a very touristy experience, so take the experience in stride.

While we were there, we took part in their major holiday event called CHILL. It was literally what it sounds like – a frozen celebration which included a ride on a an original ride from Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch, the closest I ever came to the man himself, and a walk through a freezing room full of ice sculptures. My daughter even went tubing in the middle of Southern California.

Source: Boston.com

Later we had a really unique experience, riding the canals of Naples Island on Gondola Getaway. Who knew we’d feel so Venetian on our trip, cruising the waterways of the island, near Belmont Shores, a popular part of Long Beach. Our gondola driver was a college student who kept saying “Ciao” to everyone who rode by (his Italian clearly limited) but an engaging storyteller nonetheless. We took the tour at night, but I’d recommend doing it with your kids during the day as the trip is very beautiful, even in the dark, albeit more romantic. Our driver had just witnessed a marriage proposal in his ride before us. You can reach Gondola Getaway at 562-433-9595. Prices are $125 for a Traditional Gondola (4 passengers, $20 each additional person up to 6 total).

Culture Vulture Time

Long Beach is home to a number of impressive museums, including the Museum of Latin American Art (MoLAA), one of the only museums in the country to focus exclusively on the contemporary art of Mexico, Central and South America and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean. The Long Beach Museum of Art includes the historic Elizabeth Milbank Anderson house and carriage house (built in 1912), oceanfront gardens and a pavilion with two floors of expansive gallery space for changing exhibitions.

Disclosure: The Long Beach CVB invited me to Long Beach for two days with my daughter and paid most of my expenses, but all opinions are my own.  I will be writing on several other sites about our experience.

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On a recent visit to Hyde Park in the Hudson Valley, we took our son for a tour of Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site. It’s a remarkable property was built over a hundred years ago in 1898 by Frederick Vanderbilt, grandson of railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt.

The tour took us to see about 15-20 rooms of the 50-room Classical style mansion. One of eight heirs to his family’s fortune, Frederick purchased the property in 1895 and hired architect Charles McKim to decorate a “country house” in which the family could entertain guests during the spring and fall. He also used the property as a “gentleman’s farm,” often spending hours among its gardens and specimen trees. Beautiful pieces of art and sculpture are interspersed around the house and in the gardens. There are also pieces of grand antique furniture, Venetian ceilings, 15^th century tapestries, gorgeous vases, Renaissance chairs, 16^th century Florentine chests and rooms lined with gold and marble throughout the drawing room, bedrooms, library, and walls lining the stairs. We also went downstairs to the kitchen and saw where the servants used to live and work, which was very reminiscent of Downton Abbey.

Our guide told us tales about the lives of the Vanderbilt family which kept my son interested and on his toes. After the tour, we ventured outside to take photos of the stunning views of the Hudson River and the spectacular gardens. I could see spending more time there in the future, as the grounds are heavenly and there is so much to do in the area, including the Culinary Institute of America, Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Home and great hiking opportunities.

Vanderbilt Mansion Tours

We got to the mansion thirty minutes before the last tour left for the day at 4pm. Tours are required in order to enter the mansion and the guide takes large groups in for each one, so it’s not hard to get a space on one. Children 12 and under are free. Older children and adults cost $10 each. The tour lasts about an hour and is very kid-friendly. The tour’s combination of architecture, history, antique,; history, Italian gardens and amazing scenery (the mansion sits on the banks of the Hudson River) make it an interesting experience for everyone. They have a shop with coffee and cookies if anyone gets hungry.

If you’re heading to the Hudson Valley soon, I highly recommend a stop to the Vanderbilt Mansion.  It’s a day of history, education and amazing beauty.

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Disclosure: I was a guest of Vail Local Marketing District, who hosted my experience at the Vail International Dance Festival.

Last Saturday night I experienced something very special: a night at the Vail International Dance Festival.  I was in town for a few days which happened to coincide with opening night, which celebrated its 25th anniversary.  In celebration of that, the festival featured a bill of repertory highlights at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater stage.  We were privy to some of the finest dancers in the world, including Charles “Lil Buck” Riley, Maria Kochetkova from San Francisco Ballet, Jeffrey Cirio from Boston Ballet, Analia Centurion and Gabriel Misse performing tango, dancers from the NYC Ballet and best of all, a performance of “Serenade” by the Pacific Northwest Ballet, bathed in natural moonlight and accompanied by full orchestra.  Each act had something both interesting and beautiful about it, either in the performance or the message.

Sitting in the beautiful amphitheater, surrounded by art, music and dance lovers, smack between the beautiful mountains of Vail, I was struck by a city’s love of life and culture.  There were people who must come to the festival year after year and respect the Artistic Director’s opinion of who the most important dancers are in the world.

That person is Damian Woetzel, who has been Artistic Director since 2007 and since then, the festival has grown immensely and is considered a nationally recognized summer showcase for dance.  He also heads up the Director of Arts Programs at the Aspen Institute, where he creates programs aiming to further the value of the arts in society, focusing on education, economics and cultural diplomacy. Among his recent projects, he produced and directed an arts salute to Stephen Hawking at Lincoln Center for the World Science Festival, and directed the first performance of the White House Dance Series, which took place in the East Room of the White House and was hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama. He clearly puts a lot of thought into each act chosen to dance in the festival, based on his background, knowledge and passion.

The setting is also interesting because there is no curtain, it is totally outdoors and during intermission, we watched the Pacific Northwest Ballet warm up wearing fleeces, necessary in the chilly Colorado weather. Woetzel pairs up dancers from around the world with great skill.  Some of them have never met or danced before hitting the Vail stage.  He announced this being the case with the first act of the evening, “Don Quixote”. Choreographed by Marius Petipa, the father of classical ballet, and premiered in 1869 at Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre, the re-staging for Vail was performed by San Francisco Ballet’s Maria Kochetkova and Jeffrey Cirio of Boston Ballet. You never would have known they had never met.

My favorite act of the evening was the kooky and vibrant “I Can See Myself in Your Pupil,” performed by Jonathan Royse Windam and Francesca Romo. Apparently, it was his return to Vail, where he first performed at age 10 in a community production of Annie.  And I loved “Gangsta Walk” performed by the hip hop dancer Charles Riley, who is currently a featured performer in Cirque di Soleil’s Michael Jackson ONE in Las Vegas.

Source: DenverPost.com

The Vail International Dance Festival, going through August 9th, is quite an experience, so there is still time to get tickets and go.

Monday features five new pieces by choreographers Paul Taylor, Larry Keigwin, Fang-Yi Sheu, Brian Brooks and LilBuck.

Tuesday offers a “Dance for $20.13” program that brings back LilBuck and adds Tiler Peck and Robert Fairchild from the New York City Ballet, Keigwin + Company and others. Thursday’s main event is the legendary Paul Taylor Dance Company.

All tickets on the lawn are $20 each for every performance and offer good views.  Food and drinks are served at every performance, and the menu is very varied.

All performances are at 7:30 p.m. at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. Prices vary. 970-845-8497 or vaildance.org.

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Yesterday I went to the Heard Museum, a museum dedicated to the myriad cultures and art of Native Americans of the Southwest.  I have to admit that my knowledge of this diverse and large group of people is narrow and I was eager to explore the museum and take it all in.  Open since 1929 and located right downtown, the Heard is not only a history lesson but it’s a salute and homage to Native Americans.  It also gives Indian artists a place to display their work.  We happened to be there during an outdoors Spanish Market, a large festival displaying work from more than 75 Hispanic artists from Arizona, New Mexico and South America which complimented our experience.

The museum features ten spacious exhibit galleries with more than 35,000 artifacts, as well as lovely outdoor courtyards that feature traditional and contemporary Native American art.  The experience is both colorful and illuminating, revealing a history that many of us Americans should know more about and understand. The museum is clearly committed to showing the history of Native cultures, celebrating but also depicting painful periods in our history.

As I walked from gallery to gallery, I was mesmerized by tales of the Native people of the past and present.  Their signature exhibit HOME: Native People in the Southwest contains cultural objects and showcases how they live. They have an actual Navajo hogan, the Pueblo horno and 400 katsina dolls on display.

Remembering Our Indian School Days: The Boarding School Experience nearly had me in tears.  It examines Indian boarding schools that were formed in the late 1800s.  Children were forcibly removed from their homes and forced to adopt the white man’s language and cultural identity. Tales of actual Native Americans who lived through this are told overhead via speakers and are still ringing in my ears.  There is an actual chair used to strap them down and chop off their hair, with long strands all over the floor.  Many of these children returned to their reservations and were totally transformed so they became teachers or entered helping professions to help their community.  This is both a powerful and emotional exhibit.

Temporary exhibits include:

Native words: Native warriors and Navajo Code Talkers, Photographs by Kenji Kawano (through March 3rd, 2013)

Native American Bolo Ties: Vintage and Contemporary Artistry (through November 4th)

Retha Walden Gambaro: Attitudes of Prayer (through December 31st, 2013)

Beyond Geronimo: The Apache Experience (through January 13th, 2013)

Namigha Family: Landscape, Form and Light (through January 27th, 2013)

Elegance from Earth: Hopi Pottery (through August 25th, 2013)

The Heard is very child-friendly.  Any child will be smitten with the artifacts, dolls, clothes and art created by Native Americans.  They have several exhibits children for children to engage in: Every Picture Tells a Storywhich tells how local wildlife and vegetation inspire Native artists. From making a dragonfly or butterfly to exploring the Arctic and creating your own bandolier bag, this exhibition journeys to seven regions and shows how American Indian artists reflect their environments in their artwork.  We Are! Arizona’s First People celebrates Arizona’s 21 federally recognized tribal communities that share the importance of land and family as well as the preservation of languages and traditions in an interactive gallery. They offer hands-on activities for kids of all ages.

The Heard was relocated to its current location in 2007.  It’s located at 2301 North Central Avenue, Tel: 602-252-8840.  Admission is as follows: $18 adults; $13.50 seniors; $7.50 students; $7.50 children ages 6-12; free for children under 6 and Heard Museum members.  The museum offers private tours at noon, 2 and 3pm.

Disclosure: I was provided complimentary admission to facilitate this review but all opinions are my own.

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Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take photos inside, but I can tell you that my kids were just as impressed by the architecture and art as we were.  I was worried that the tour would bore them, but I was wrong.

The Biltmore Estate is the realization of George Washington Vanderbilt’s vision to create an estate both sustainable and beneficial to its surrounding community. The estate now encompasses acres of gardens, parklands, and managed forests. The home itself features four acres of floor space, making up 250 rooms, 34 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces complete with an underground swimming pool, gymnasium, bowling alley, and kitchens.  Its opulence has been utilized in films such as Forrest Gump, Being There, The Swan, The Last of the Mohicans and many others.

We toured through 42 rooms which comprise 80% of the house via the audio tour (key to keeping kids happy and educational for all).  It was pretty incredible learning about this incredible, rich part of American history.

We also visited the Biltmore Estate Winery which fuses rich winemaking tradition with state of the art technology and is where they produce 75,000 cases of roughly 15 varieties annually. The winery offers free guided tours, tastings, and seminars on their award-winning wines, culinary demonstrations, live music and more.

My kids had their first wine tasting (okay, it was grape juice).

My son’s favorite part of the day?  His ride on a mini Land Rover.  Oh, yeah.

And that is the sign of a successful day.  His smile.

Tickets are $49 each and include:

• Self-guided visit of Biltmore House
• Access to gardens and Antler Hill Village
• Access to our new Legacy exhibition,
The Vanderbilts at Home and Abroad
• Free wine tasting and guided tour at the Winery
• Plenty of dining and shopping opportunities
• Free parking

Helpful Family-Friendly Tips to Plan Your Visit (provided by Biltmore.com )

• The Biltmore House has a special right now — kids ages 16 and under get free admission this summer (through September 3). Outside this promotion, kids ages 9 and younger are admitted free year-round when accompanied by a paying parent or guardian.
• Every restaurant is family-friendly. There are a variety of dining options on the estate, and every restaurant features a children’s menu and helpful wait staff.
• The Winery is family friendly, with complimentary grape juice available for kids.
• Bring your stroller. Lightweight travel strollers or child backpack carriers are ideal for visiting Biltmore House. They allow you to navigate the house’s stairs with ease and give little feet a break.
• Take breaks during your tour of Biltmore House. There’s no rush to see it all. Sneak outside to the Stable Courtyard for some fresh air, a quick snack, or an early lunch at the Stable Café.
• Check out a Family Fun Itinerary page for fun and easy ideas.
• The Outdoor Adventure Center in Antler Hill Village is another great stop for families. Bike rentals, Segway tours, fly-fishing classes, and river float trips provide the opportunity to explore hidden areas of the estate.  Stop by the Land Rover Driving experience especially for kids. Children drive a replica Land Rover over an adventurous terrain to experience this unique off-roading activity. The course is designed for children between four and eight years old.

Disclosure: I was provided with free tickets to tour the estate but paid for my own activities and meals.

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Where to Eat with Kids in London

A Day at London’s Science Museum

Exploring the London Museum of Jewish Life with Kids

London’s Restaurants for Traveling Moms

London on a Budget with Kids

10 Ways to see London on the Cheap

So, since we come here every year, I wanted my kids to see new places and experience different parts of London.  I never come with a set agenda, I like to wing it, and inevitably we find ourselves experiencing London like it’s all new again.  Here are some of the highlights from this year’s trip:

Kensington Palace

I wanted to take my kids to Kensington Palace this trip to introduce them to the Royal Family.  We’d been outside Buckingham Palace last summer for the Changing of the Guard and this year I wanted them to truly experience the “Royal” side of Britain.  Now that they are 7 and 9 and seem to appreciate the history more than before.  Plus, it’s the year of the Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee, so there is a lot to celebrate.  There are four state apartments that we explored: Victoria Revealed – 10 lavishly decorated rooms that tell the story of Queen Victoria’s life, in her own words from letters and diaries, from her birth in the Palace, through her childhood, ascension, marriage, periods of mourning and her own Diamond Jubilee; The King’s Apartments – grand architecture telling the stories of the courts of William and Mary, George I and George II in the 17th and 18th centuries; The Queen’s Apartments – more intimate rooms, lifting the curtain on the private lives of Mary II and Anne and the decline of the Stuart dynasty; Diana: Glimpses of a Modern Princess – a selection of five dresses work by Diana Princess of Wales at different points in her life.

Big Ben, Houses of Parliament

National Gallery

Covent Garden

When the kids started to get tired, as did I, we headed straight to Covent Garden for some free entertainment by street performers.  The area is worked by street performers nearly every day of the year. Many of these performers make the majority of their money working nowhere else. And likewise, many of them have been performing at Covent Garden regularly for 10 years or more.  We actually caught one performer (the one pictured above) who we remember seeing last year.  They’re all very good performers, as a matter of fact, they have to all audition to perform at Covent Garden.  We always grab something to eat and camp out on a curb.  My kids spent the afternoon laughing through magic tricks, break-dancing and comedy….all for free.

Tower of London

Islington Green

Unicorn Theatre

After spending a good part of the week trying to get tickets for Matilda the Musical to no avail, I was hungry for theater.  Fortunately, one day we stumbled into a small children’s theater called the Unicorn Theatre near the London Bridge just before a show was about to start.   It was called “The Legend of Captain Crow’s Teeth” for kids ages 7 and up.  About to rain, and all of us tired from our trip to the top of the London Bridge, we all opted for the show, and what a treat it was.  Based on the book by Eoin Colfer and directed by Matthew Lenton, the show included all professional actors and involved a plot that revolved around pirates and a family on holiday.  The actors were all excellent thespians and were all impressed with the quality of the performance.  The Unicorn was definitely a find for us this trip.

Tate Britain

Tate Britain holds the largest collection of British art in the world. The gallery shows work from the last five centuries, including contemporary British art, in a series of free changing displays.  Their main collection includes masterpieces by British artists such as Hogarth, Gainsborough, Constable, Millais, Burne-Jones, Whistler, Sargent, Sickert, Hepworth and Bacon. The extraordinary work of JMW Turner can be seen in the Clore Gallery.  We looked around and headed to their special expedition, Picasso & Modern British Art.  Determined to really focus on the collection, I purchased the radio tour for all of us.  The exhibit explores Picasso’s extensive legacy and influence on British art, how this played a role in the acceptance of modern art in Britain, alongside the fascinating story of Picasso’s lifelong connections to and affection for this country.  It brings together over 150 spectacular artworks, with over 60 stunning Picassos including sublime paintings from the most remarkable moments in his career, such as Weeping Woman 1937 and The Three Dancers 1925.  It was fascinating to read about his rise in the UK, as well as his impact on so many of the country’s famous artists. Best of all, my kids seemed to appreciate it.

Issy's Milky Way

Issy's Milky way

Issy's Milky Way

We had a lot of child-friendly meals on this trip, but the one that stands out in our memory is Issy’s Milky Way, a new 50s style shake place in Islington’s Camden Passage.  It’s a 1950s soda fountain that serves cheese toasties,shakes and scrumptious cupcakes.  The jukebox, the Felix the Cat clock on the wall, the Elvis memorabilia, the Homemaker China all take you back in time, and my kids loved sitting at the counter watching the owner make traditional toasties.  Located at 28 Camden Passage, this is a real throw back in time and was a great stop with the kids.

Expect to hear more about this trip in the coming weeks.

Disclosure: I paid my own admission into every attraction and restaurant mentioned above.

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On our recent visit to Chesterfield in Derbyshire, we visited my children’s first real castle called Bolsover.  Built in 1612 by Charles Cavendish as a mansion modeled on a medieval castle, it is now a tourist site that proudly displays the castle’s remains. It has withheld the test of time, and there is a lot of history to be learned from a walk around. Some of the castle is in the open air, so do bundle your kids up.

The castle is now in the care of English Heritage and has been since the death of William Cavendish’s (the son of Charles) wife in 1883 and they have take great care to restore and conserve as much of the castle as they can.  The symbolic wall-paintings it, the castle battlements and the garden have been restored, and the fountain, with 23 new statues, plays again for the first time in centuries.  We explained to our children that we were witnessing a very special part of history and they were intrigued.

During our visit, which happened to fall right before Easter, the castle was hosting an Easter egg hunt.  The children had to find eggs with letters around the castle and figure out the words that they spelled to get a chocolate at the end of our tour.  They loved it and it definitely kept up their interest on our tour.  The word spelled out “Easter Eggs” in case you were wondering about the result.

The castle is very well laid out and we took a free audio tour which was very informative and educational for us all.  With the explanations, it was easy to imagine the lavish meals and parties had in the Star Chamber; guests playing cards in the Marble Closet;  the cooks cooking extravagant meals for guests in the kitchen; guests warming in front of the fireplace after a play in the garden.

After our walk around, which took about an hour plus, we ended up in the cafe, where they serve traditional tea and scones.  There’s never a good time to educate my kids who hold British passports like the present.

The Castle is located at Castle Street, Bolsover, Derbyshire – S44 6PR and is open between April and November.  Admission times and prices are listed here.

Disclosure: I was provided with complimentary tickets to facilitate this review, but all opinions are my own.

 

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