Girlfriend Getaways Archives - Page 2 of 3

27Apr

Planning a Girlfriend Trip to Asia: Motherhood and Wanderlust

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I currently have a 3-part series over at a wonderful site called Go Girlfriend. The first part debuted last week and it was about the planning and thinking process that went into my trip before I left. Why did I want to travel without my family and how was my decision perceived. It's all in this piece. Here's a snapshot: Every time we told people we were heading on a solo adventure, they immediately assumed we were traveling on business or were having a mid-life crisis. How could I not be traveling with my husband, they asked? Why is Read More

18Feb

Exploring Vietnamese Street Food in Hanoi

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Tucked away in the heart of Hanoi lies the Hanoi Cooking Centre. Located in 44 Chau Long Street, nestled on the edge of Hanoi's old quarter and close to Truc Bach and West Lake, Hanoi Cooking Centre is a cooking school, and cafe. The centre offers hands-on cooking classes and short courses in a relaxed atmosphere, designed by chef Tracey Lister, co-author of KOTO - A Culinary Journey Through Vietnam and Vietnamese Street Food. We were lucky to discover the school before we departed for Vietnam and had a tour set up before we left. While we were Read More

13Feb

On Being That Girl Again (and Why Moms Should Take Solo Trips)

Posted by The Culture Mom 19 Comments

If you read my blog, you know that I recently left my family for nearly two weeks to head to China and Vietnam. While I was traveling, I posted on Facebook on occasion, and very often on Instagram. I truly thought of my time in Asia as time to regroup and decided I would benefit from a break from real life and that included social media. I also didn't carry my computer nor did I have Wifi access everywhere I went. I have never been in such a visually stunning place in my life, so photography became my best friend and I filled my Instagram stream Read More

11Feb

Ngong Ping 360: Lifting Up into the Chinese Sky

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On my recent visit to Hong Kong, we had a very full agenda full of recommendations of what to see and do in this city that was completely new to us. We were told to visit Lantau, the biggest of the more than 200 outlying islands, with the Tung Chung area and the Big Buddha. Game for an adventure and after inspecting photographs of the site, we were curious and eager to go on the 25-minute cable car journey on the Ngong Ping 360. We entered a crystal cabin with glass bottom floors and started making our way across the ocean, just as excited as our Read More

09Feb

On Being an “Independent Woman” & Traveling Through Asia

Posted by The Culture Mom 4 Comments

We were midway into our trip to Vietnam. We had ventured to Halong Bay, a fairyland of limestone peaks. It was one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to and I felt like I was dreaming. As we headed into a smaller boat from our cruise liner for a day of kayaking in the caves, a Vietnamese worker on the boat looked at us - a group of five American women with no men in tow - and called us "Independent Women". A big smile swept over my face, and it remained with me throughout my travels. Every which way you look in Halong Bay, you see pure, Read More

19Nov

A True Travel Adventure: Paddle Boarding on the Salt River

Posted by The Culture Mom 1 Comment

While recently on a visit to Mesa, Arizona, I was taken on a real adventure: paddle boarding on the Salt River. I will admit upfront that I did not stand up on the board like you're supposed to. When we arrived, I was ready to stand up and paddle but was advised by the instructor that the winds were pretty bad and she didn't recommend it as a first-timer. Looking back, I wish I had tried, but I really enjoyed riding around the river in the middle of the desert on my knees. I took deep breaths, ogled at my surroundings and as I thought about Read More

17Nov

A Culinary Tour of Phoenix and Mesa

Posted by The Culture Mom 3 Comments

First, let me get one thing straight. I am not a food aficionado. I have never lived to eat and my eating tastes are narrow. That is why on my recent trip to Phoenix and Mesa, Arizona, I was shocked to see myself turn into a foodie in the course of the five days I was there. I looked fervently eager to each meal and felt the urge to devour everything that was put in front of me. The food in Phoenix/Mesa is fresh, innovative and mouth-watering. And I'm from New York, where I've always declared the food is the best in the world! Go figure. We started Read More

14Nov

Chocolate, Chiles and Plenty of Cacti at the Desert Botanical Garden

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This past week I was fortunate to be invited to explore the Desert Botanical Garden while visiting the city of Phoenix, Arizona. Located in Papago Park, not far from downtown Phoenix, the park is a local gem for any visitor either living in the area or coming from another place, like me. A “Phoenix Point of Pride,” it's one of only a few botanical gardens accredited by the American Association of Museums. And it feels like a museum! The 20,000 plants from around the world represent 3,931 plant classifications in 139 plant families. They accurately Read More

13Nov

A Bit of England at High Tea at the Ritz Carlton in Phoenix

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How do you hold your cup of tea? Do you lift your saucer and insert your pinky through the handle of the tea cup? Little did I know before I had high tea at the Ritz Carlton in Phoenix on Saturday afternoon that I would learn the true way to hold my cup and experience an Afternoon Tea right out of England. Yes, I do go to the UK every year and I do get served a lot of tea when I'm there, but I haven't mastered the art of high tea. I was in for a big surprise at High Tea at the Ritz. The Ritz is as elegant as it gets and you can't beat the Read More

12Nov

The Heard Museum in Phoenix: Colorful, Illuminating and Historical

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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 Read More