The Culture Mom» traveling mom

Family Travel: 10 Reasons Why to Visit Beaver Creek Resort

CultureMom — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 04:20:06 +0000

If you’re looking into planning a ski trip this winter with the family, you should definitely consider Beaver Creek Resort in Beaver Creek Mountain, Colorado, as a top option on your list. Known as a village in the mountains that offers the promise of “not exactly roughing it,” it is a place that offers the perfect amount of rustic luxury for any family to travel comfortably and affordably.

From the moment you step into the crisp air with mountains gazing at you from every direction, you will be transported. The views are stunning and the resort is immaculate and perfectly built with ski in/ski out accommodations. But the beauty of the resort is not only that it provides a unique amount of ease for families (everything is close, transportation is free and efficient, there is ample family programming) but also that everyone at the resort loves either visiting, working or living there.

This is the first of my many posts about Beaver Creek. All week I’ll be blogging about the resort so you have all the information you need as you plan your next trip there (because you’ll want to after you read my posts). You can read about it here and on other web sites which I’ll point out. Before I launch into details, I now present my top ten reasons you and your family should choose Beaver Creek as your next family getaway:

1. Beaver Creek Resort was voted the #1 place to ski and stay by Conde Nast Traveler this year calling it “tops for terrain, speedy lifts and apres-ski to the hotel havens that provide to the softest of landings.” It even edged out Whistler Blackcomb, in British Columbia. That came straight from the expert’s mouths.

2. The resort’s mountain is unique in that the harder terrain is at the bottom so more beginners can go to the top. It’s pretty terrific for beginners, especially, young children, riding all the way to the top of the mountain (11,400 feet) to ride down the greens. If you plan your trip in advance, book your Beaver Creek lift tickets online to save a significant amount. It’s usually cheaper within 7 seven days of your visit.

3. The resort is less crowded than Vail, at all times of year, so the lines to the lifts are shorter, the lines in the restaurants are shorter and it’s easy to make reservations for meals. The resort also uses Epic Mix, an app allows you to track your vertical feet, connect with friends, and share photos from your ski vacation.

4. The resort is extremely family-friendly. In addition to ski-school, they offer day care for children 2 months – 6 years old, ice-skating, tubing, sleigh rides, complimentary snow shoe tours one day a week and different activities every day of the week from Christmas to March including disco ice-skating, story-telling, Cookie Time and others that I will be going into more detail about this week.

5. As mentioned above, everyone loves Beaver Creek who visits. Many never leave, as witnessed from my meetings with hotel staff, shuttle drivers, ski instructors, wait staff in restaurants and ski equipment rental staff. The people seem to be on happy drugs, but they’re not. Everyone is just happy to live near good skiing terrain and seem to really, really, really enjoy life. It takes natural high to a whole new level.

6. The shuttle service is free, accessible and easy at all times of day from 7am until it stops its service at midnight. All you do is call the front desk, tell your waiter, or step into designated areas with phone service to call Village Transportation (tel: 970-949-1938) and transportation comes right away. It’s quick, efficient, clean and free (I have to mention that again).

7. There is a wide variety of food in Beaver Creek, and it’s really good. There are top-rated restaurants with prestigious chefs, like the Pines Lodge’s Grouse Mountain Grill, a AAA Four Diamond Award- winning restaurant and a 2011 James Beard Best New Restaurant nominee. Other restaurants worth noting include Toscanini, Coyote Cafe, the Osprey, the Chop House and when you’re skiing, the Spruce Saddle.

8. Accommodations come in every price range and are plentiful and scattered all over the village. You can stay in hotels like the Pines Lodge which offers ski in, ski out and a full-service restaurant or in condos like the Elkhorn Lodge with a full kitchen and multiple bedrooms so you and your children can sleep separately.

9. Ski and snow shoe equipment are easy to rent. Places like Beaver Creek Sports or Beaver Creek Nordic Center make it really simple, and you can can’t beat the customer service. They can also hook you up with group ski lessons, show shoeing tours and private lessons.

10. If you’re not a big skier or you’re going with your family and want to sit some of the skiing out or relax, there are other offerings around town. There are free wine tastings offered on occasion, and there’s the Vilar Performing Arts Center, a 350 seat theater where you can catch a symphony, dance performance or popular band or singer. There are also spas like Spa Struck, located in the Charter Hotel, where you can get a massage, facial or bodywrap (which also comes in handy when your muscles are sore from skiing or snowshoeing).

Check out my Flickr collection below from the trip and stay tuned for my many reports coming down the pipeline this week on Traveling Mom and elsewhere. Believe me, you’ll soon be packing your bags to experience Beaver Creek for yourself.

Disclosure: I visited Beaver Creek to research this article and others and received what was largely a complimentary stay, but all opinions expressed are my own.

My Latest Million Moms Challenge (ABC News) Post: On the Job Training

CultureMom — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 21:00:08 +0000

I might have mentioned here also that I just became a member of the Million Moms Challenge. The Million Moms Challenge is sponsored in part by ABC News, the UN Foundation, BabyCenter and Johnson & Johnson, as well as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It’s an honor to be part of this prestigious group of women to write about topics of extreme importance, topics meant to improve the lives of women and children all over the world. I am so proud to be a member of this group and would LOVE it if you could please comment on my first post: Going from One to Two, and now on my second comment On the Job Training. Here is a snippet from my latest post:

When I held my daughter for the first time, I felt like I was dreaming. The feeling that swept over me was unlike anything I had ever felt. I hadn’t been prepared for having a girl My belly was shaped like there was a boy inside and everyone predicted “she” was a “he”. Being one of three girls, that somehow overwhelmed me. And of course, she was beautiful. She came out of my body weighing 8 pounds, 14 ounces. She had these gorgeous blue eyes that penetrated into my own.

So, there were tears. There was joy. And then there was fear.

Curious what kind of fear? Check out my article here and let me know in the comments on the ABC site if you can relate or if you think I am way out there. It’s all about having a conversation, please join in.

Disclosure: I am being compensated by ABC for being a member of the Million Moms Challenge but all thoughts expressed are my own and my real experiences.

Where You’ll Find Me

CultureMom — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 21:35:45 +0000

From time to time, you can find my writing popping up on other web sites, so I thought I’d take you on a short tour. I started writing as a regular contributor to CBS New York about a month ago, and I’ve had a few articles appear that I’m quite proud of. As you know, I love NYC. I wasn’t born here, but you would never think that. I’m all NYC – my total being. To be able to write about what to see and do in the Tri State area for CBS a few times a week is a treat. Here are some of my articles that have been posted recently:

The 7 Best Pumpkin Picking Destinations in NY, NJ, Conn.

The 4 Best Apple Picking Locations in the Tri State

5 “Haunted” Spots in New York City

Over on other sites I contribute regularly to, I’ve had a few pieces in the last month. On Traveling Mom, I wrote about our recent trip to Mystic, Connecticut with the kids. That was a fantastic trip, and I have a piece about it coming up on another site that love and contribute to, A Child Grows. I’ve had the privilege of writing for a site that I adore, Ciao Bambino, about New York with Kids/Fall Acitivities for Families in New York City. Over on A Child Grows, I wrote about our recent trip to Philadelphia with the kids and called it A Day Out with the Kids in Philadelphia. Early this past summer, I was also featured in Project You Magazine with Montreal Magic, where I wrote about my magical trip to Montreal and what a family-friendly that amazing city is.

That’s a wrap!

Your First Stop in Montreal with Kids: Pointe-a-Calliere

CultureMom — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 03:20:06 +0000

Pointe-a-Calliere is a great first stop to make with kids to introduce them to the history of Montreal. It focuses on the early periods of Montreal’s history and shows how the city grew from an Iroquoian village to a missionary colony to the French empire in America to a world-class metropolitan city. The museum offers a one-of-a-kind experience as it takes you and your children on a thrilling underground archaeological tour.

You start with a brilliant 18-minute 3-D multimedia show called Yours Truly, Montreal, that takes visitors to the heart of great Montreal moments in its history. The city is shown during early stages of development: the birth of Mount Royal, the arrival of the Amerindians, the founding of Montreal, French and British regimes, into where the city is now. It’s a multi-media show projected on top of real archaeological remains. It’s really gripping and will engage your kids with its images, sound and interesting presentation.

After the film, head down to the museum’s archaeological remains, which enables visitors to take an underground archaeological tour. Five models set in the floor reveal how Place Royale evolved through the centuries and the exhibits include displays of artifacts found there, including dice, crockery, old combs and beer caps. Virtual historic figures also pop up to chat about their era. Even kids who hate museums won’t help but be intrigued and leave with a better understand of how this city has evolved over the centuries. You’ll also see Montreal’s first Catholic cemetery, which dates from 1643. Your kids will enjoy the permanent exhibition, Montréal Love Stories, which focuses on contemporary Montreal and the people of all origins that call it home. The Museum also presents two national or international temporary exhibitions every year on historical or archaeological themes, as well as many cultural activities.

Summer hours are daily from 10am-6pm until Labor Day (when it changes closing time back to 5pm). There are guided tours, lectures, interactive workshops, seasonal activities (Halloween and Christmas) and interactive games. This summer there are many special events to be aware of that your kids will love:

Family Exploration Tour: Children from 7 to 12 years old are invited to discover the Museum in a whole new way! They must help Romeo, the nosy, storytelling rat, find selected objects among the Museum’s archaeological remains. (August 1st-31st)

Montreal’s “Fete des enfants”: Two special activities are offered at Pointe-a’-Callière as part of Montreal’s “Fête des enfants”. On this occasion, family will benefit from a special admission price: instead of paying a family price of $30 they will pay $20. (August 13th-14th)

18th Century Public Market: Over the course of a weekend, take a trip back in time to find yourself in the company of farmers, craftspeople, and entertainers as they existed in 1750, at the time of Montréal’s very first public marketplace. A not-to-be-missed event in Old Montréal, Pointe-à-Callière’s 18th Century Public Market is a unique experience, a festive marketplace that retains its agricultural role while offering an array of historical activities and presentations in an atmosphere unique to New France. (August 27th-28th)

Budding Archaeologists: As part of Pointe-à-Callière’s 18th-century Public Market, the Budding Archaeologists activity, intended for younger children, offers a unique opportunity to learn a little more about the archaeology profession. In the Museum’s discovery space, children take part in a simulated archaeological dig led by an archaeologist interpreter-guide. Their mission is to unearth remains linked to different periods of Montréal’s past. (August 27th-28th)

For more information about admission and upcoming events at Pointe-a-Calliere, visit the museum’s web site.

Disclosure: I was given complimentary admission to this museum to facilitate this review, but all opinions are my own. My trip was sponsored by Tourisme Montréal. This post originally ran on TravelingMom.com.

Epcot with Kids

CultureMom — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 02:22:54 +0000

(This article ‘Epcot with Kids’ is also featured on TravelingMom.com. I am currently on vacation in Orlando and will be posting articles from my trip over the next few days across both web sites.)

When we decided to visit Disney World during Spring Break and Easter weekend, we didn’t really factor in the expected lines and big crowds. So, we decided to spend our first day at Epcot.

Epcot may not be the first Disney park you may consider as a good place to start for your kids. It’s big, it’s educational, it doesn’t have the roller coasters and more popular rides (although it’s Soarin’ is actually the theme park’s most popular ride we were told), it kind of involves concentration and awareness. But Epcot is fabulous with a capital “F” for so many reasons and really is the best place to orientate your children to the magic of Disney.

Epcot is also less congested than the other parks. The lines are more manageable, and there are creative strategies to avoiding lines if you know in advance, like the Fast Pass which is described in more detail below. As a parent, it’s nice to combine the thrills and the education. The rides teach about history – future and past. They also explore the depths of our imagination. Epcot is a unique and wonderful place and it’s very easy to fill up an entire day.

There are nine pavilions in the Epcot’s Future World part of the park, and 11 countries are featured in the World Showcase. We started and ended our day in the Future World. My six-year-old is very into planets, spaceships and technology, so I knew he’d be attracted to much of its offerings, which includes rides, touch and feel exhibits, 3-D films and shows. We took a stroll through the countries to break up the day between rides. It was a very pleasant day – no rushing around from attraction to attraction. We followed our nose and it worked out. A lot of guidebooks suggest that you map out your route, and I’m not saying that wrong. But we kind of liked going with the flow. However, knowing what rides you don’t want to miss in advance is a huge help.

One especially helpful hint to note: Disney has a wonderful policy called Fast Pass where you insert your ticket into a machine and get a timed reservation to return. When you do, your wait is 10-15 minutes. We did this several times throughout the day, and it was a wise move every time.

The Epcot park opens at 9am and we managed to organize ourselves to get up and out to make it before the lines got long. Here’s a snapshot of our visit to Epcot with some thoughts so you know what attractions are hits and which are misses for family trips to the park:

Spaceship Earth: It’s a 13-minute ride that shows how human communication has evolved since the beginning of time. It starts in prehistoric ages and shows the scientific progress made until today. At the end of the ride, you map out your own future. My son, who was a first-timer at Disney, was mesmerized and ready for more.
Soarin: Worth the wait. I was happy to see that my son was big enough for this ride and many others in the park. You are seated in a plane-like row of seats and taken on a exhilarating ride through the air that takes you across the world. This was the first time that my son looked at me during the ride and loudly stated, “I love this ride so much.” He’s not the easiest child to please, so what a feat.
Mission Space: Our son loves space and everything to do with it. Thankfully, he met the height requirement on this ride. You step into a mock space capsule which simulates some of the experiences of a real launch and spaceflight. It threw me off at first when I saw vomit sacks
Test Track: In my son’s opinion, “Awesome.” He loves race cars, and this ride is no exception. You board a GM vehicle and take a long, fast ride, both inside and outside. It’s fast and furious, and a complete and utter thrill.
Epcot Character Spot: My kids had no problem waiting 30 minutes to meet 5 of their favorite Disney characters including Mickey and Minnie. They secured their autographs in their new autograph books (purchased at the gate as soon as we entered).
Other attractions to cheek out: Living with the Land, Journey into Imagination with Figment, Image Works, The Circle of Life, The Seas with Nemo & Friends. The 3-D film, Captain EO, starring the one and only Michael Jackson and Character Spotting Areas where kids can met up to 5 characters at a time.

Then, of course there’s the wonderful Epcot World Showcase featuring eleven countries. Even my cynical husband was impressed by the amount of detail that went into each one. The walk through took about two hours and the attractions in a few made them more interesting for my kids (Gran Fiesta starring Three Cabelleros in Mexico, Reflections of China in China, Maelstrom in Norway). The food is also incredibly authentic in each country, and I can’t tell you how happy my English husband was to stop for a beer ina UK pub. And how much fun was it for my kids to meet Pooh and friends in an English toy shop and Mary Poppins outside the pub? There’s also music in the streets, art projects in various countries and character meeting opportunities for when the kids have had enough.

Epcot is a wonderful day-trip for a family. It’s leisurely, not as crowded as the other parks, but requires a bit of foresight into what you want to see. Be ready to pull out your ticket to get a fast pass when necessary, and give your children breaks when they get tired. The great thing about Epcot is that you they can stop to look at flowers or explore the Rose Gardens in England. The options are endless.

Disclosure: I was provided with a complimentary ticket by the folks at Visit Orlando, but all opinions expressed are my own.

Blogging Elsewhere

CultureMom — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 03:29:25 +0000

From time to time, I write for other blogs which many of you may not know, so I’m featuring some of them here in case you want to take a look.

Integrating Culture into Family Life

Project You, Love Yourself, Westchester Edition

“A Role of a Lifetime” and “Day-Tripping”

A Culture Vulture’s Walt Disney World

The World’s Largest Bake Sale to End Hunger

New Travel Gadgets to Keep Moms Sane

A Trip to Walt Disney World without Breaking the Bank

Culture Vulture’s Walt Disney World

Should Airlines Have Kid-Free Flights? Voice Your Opinion here.

Maira’s World of Storybooks at the Jewish Museum

Hello Ballet! Short Performances for Your Kids

Deadwood for Kids: Boom Town

Jazz For Young People: What is the Big Band Era?

Family Opera Concert: Where the Wild Things Are

Winter Family Activities in NY, NJ, CT

This Summer’s Free Concerts in NYC

CultureMom — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:05:00 +0000

There’s nothing like summer in New York City. It doesn’t matter how much money you make. Every summer free music is offered all over the city and it’s at your fingertips, easily accessible all over the city. NYC attracts the world’s best artists to perform for the masses and the offerings are unreal.

I’ve seen some of my favorite artists perform for free in the city – everyone from Freedy Johnson & Annie Lenox in Central Park to David Byrne at the Bandshell in Brooklyn. Even U2 gave a free concert one year in Brooklyn at the Empire Fulton Ferry State Park in 2004. I’ve been introduced to some of my faves, as well, like Paris Combo and They Might Be Giants. I’ve even caught up with some of my faves from my youth like Blondie and Joan Jett.

To read the complete article and to find out about the great shows coming to NYC this summer, go here.

Exploring Tel Aviv with Kids

CultureMom — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 11:20:00 +0000

If you haven’t visited Tel Aviv, you must put it on your list. It is such a happening city, offering so much variety: great beaches, good shopping, restaurants of all kinds, easy access to all of Israel including Jerusalem in one direction and the north in another. It’s bustling, absolutely thriving.

Tourism is definitely up, as witnessed by the various accents throughout the city and a decent exchange rate. The city has changed a lot since my last visit seven years ago, only for the better. There’s also a lot to do with children, everything from beaches to museums to playgrounds to historical landmarks.

When we first drove in after spending a few days in Jerusalem on this past trip, I immediately noticed how much construction has taken place over the years. The city is booming, it’s truly a metropolis. You can’t help but first notice all the motorcycles buzzing through the city. It’ must be the latest craze and an economical way to get around. There are coffee shops popping up all over the city. The Tel Aviv Port has been renovated. The markets are buzzing. Whenever you tire of city life, you can just head over to the beaches that line the city on one side and are heaven on earth.

In Jerusalem, we felt a heavy army presence, as well as more of a split between the religious and non-religious sectors. You don’t feel this in Tel Aviv. However, just as I felt safe in Jerusalem, I felt equally safe in Tel Aviv. On our last visit in 2003 right before my daughter was born; there were guards outside every restaurant. Buses were dangerous. This is no longer. We felt incredibly safe. What a difference 7 years makes, including the fact that I now have a child. Last time I was in Israel, I was 32 weeks pregnant with my first child. She went around telling our family and friends that this is her second trip there, even though the first trip was in vitro.

To read the entire post, please go here.

Exploring Jerusalem with Kids

CultureMom — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 11:15:00 +0000

I have spent a lot of time in Israel in my lifetime, and I have traveled to a lot of places. Yet no matter where I go or how exotic the destination is, Jerusalem holds a special place in my heart. When I started booking our recent trip to Israel, I knew we had to start in Jerusalem and spend a few days there.

The city also holds many special memories for me as I attended part of high school and college in the city. I know Jerusalem as intimately as I know my own hometown, perhaps even more so.

Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and is one of the most inspiring cities in the world. When you are there, you feel its sanctity, history and multiculturalism and it runs through your pores.

The city was established 5,000 years ago and literally means “The City of Gold”. The entire city is built with a special stone, the Jerusalem limestone, which makes its architecture incredibly unique and beautiful. Jews, Christians and Muslims live here and there are many religious shrines and monuments for everyone. The city truly shines, in more ways than one.

Jerusalem is a divided city. It was divided until 1967 between the Jews and Arabs, when Israel took the city during the Six Day War. Today it is reunited under Israeli government but is still in debate. You don’t feel the tension when you are walking around, but it’s definitely important to know where you’re going so you don’t end up anywhere you are not supposed to be.

To read the rest of this post, visit TravelingMom.

Don’t Get Ripped Off When Traveling Abroad

CultureMom — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 22:18:00 +0000

We consider ourselves to be seasoned travelers. We go abroad every year with the kids and have since they were newborns. Yet on our last trip, we ran into several problematic incidents which I feel could have been avoided had we had foresight or consideration from the other side.

As much as I enjoy traveling abroad and experiencing life in faraway lands, I have to admit that it is somewhat easier and less rigid in the United States. Here are 10 money-saving strategies and things to be aware of before you go on your next international trip, particularly when traveling with kids. When you have precious cargo with you, you certainly want to avoid longer waits or additional charges.

Pay attention when booking your flight to the fine print on printing your boarding pass. Some airlines now require that you print out the boarding passes before you arrive at check-in. If you click the box agreeing to this, you have no discourse. We recently flew from Manchester to Tel Aviv on Jet2 Airlines and were charged 17 pounds each for not printing the passes in advance. The staff was very inflexible and did not care whether my husband noticed this small detail or not. In their mind, it was a done deal and we were instantly charged for printing the boarding passes on paper they would soon throw away and give us proper tickets in place of.
This is a very obvious detail, to everyone but myself, but it is important to note that airlines do not allow snow globes in packed luggage. This caused me a bit of trouble on my last flight home from England. When security threatened to confiscate them all, I opted to check in my bag to send them all home. I was then told it would cost 45 pounds to ship an extra bag home. Thankfully, my niece later went to the airport to collect a bag I left at Left Luggage (which of course cost a hefty 5 pounds a day – shelf space is expensive!).
American Express does provide liability, and you can use it when renting cars in place of buying their very expensive auto insurance. However, there are six countries that don’t accept Amex as liability – Israel is one of them. Unfortunately, we found this out after being allowed to book the car using Amex in Tel Aviv and realized two days later in Jerusalem that it wasn’t valid. When we went to add insurance, it took us nearly two hours.
As mentioned in #2, baggage restrictions have gotten very strict and seem to be stricter abroad. You will be charged for bags that are over the weight allowed and definitely more for extra bags.
Hotels often charge you to park. They do the in the UK, anyway. Our hotel in London cost 15 pounds a day; in Manchester it cost 5 pounds per day. Ask beforehand so there is no surprise.

To read the rest of this blog post, please go here.