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Viva Mexico City

I recently had the luxury of skipping town with my husband. With the help of both of our parents, who kept our kids, we were able to explore a place I’d never been to, Mexico City. I’ve always associated Mexico with beach towns like Cancun and Puerto Vallarta. When an opportunity presented itself to check it out, I said “Si!”

With a population of about 21 million (including the metropolitan area) I had thoughts of what the city might look like. Much to my surprise Mexico City turned out to be completely different than I had imagined. As Americans, we have a decent amount of exposure to Mexican culture – language, food and some customs.  Growing up as an Indian American, I’ve always drawn parallels between the Mexican culture and Indian culture as both are filled with lots of color, food and deep-rooted customs. Mexico City did not let down in any of those categories.

I wanted to break down the 3 things I would recommend checking out if you make your way over to Mexico City!

The Houseboats in Xochimilco (Pronouced
So-chee-MEEL-ko )

House Boat Tour

This is a one of a kind authentic Mexican experience that can’t be missed!  It takes about an hour to get to from Mexico City, but is totally worth the drive!  Upon arrival it will be suggested to use the restroom, make sure you have some money on you…. they charge 5 pesos to use the facilities. There are dozens of brightly colored house boats waiting for you, if you plan ahead you can even have one of them personalized just for you.  You will have someone on board to do the rowing, it feels like Venice but with a Mexican twist. There are two long tables with chairs to seat 20. Many people pack large picnics and make a day out of the excursion.

While rowing down the river you can see other houseboats with mariachis on them. If summoned they come on board and perform (for a nominal fee). Of course we did this and what a treat it was!  They also have boats with fully equipped kitchens, so you can order hot and ready to eat quesadillas and tacos, so fun!

  • The beautiful houseboats!
  • Mariachi on board performing

A Soccer Game at the Aztec Stadium

We scored tickets to see Cruz Azul play Pachuca. This was my first soccer game, ever!  The stadium was clean and for about $50/tickets we had some pretty awesome seats!  Soccer is a huge sport for Mexicans so to see their excitement and loyalty to their team was a treat!  I would recommend a stop in if you have time!

Sporting my new Cruz Azul gear!
Sporting my new Cruz Azul gear!
Shop SHEIN for the latest in Fall and Winter Fashions
  • Tickets to my first soccer game!
  • National Anthem, let’s the games begin!

The Culinary Scene

I’m not quite sure what I expected from the culinary scene in Mexico City, but I was pleasantly surprised by the number of beautiful restaurants and the delicious food that we had! There were two particular restaurants that stood out to me that I wanted to share.

Azul Restaurantes
Situated right in the middle of the city Square, this location would be an easy one to squeeze into your itinerary. The restaurant is absolutely stunning! As you first walk in you’ll see women making fresh corn tortillas which was a nice first impression!  The service was impeccable as was the food. As a vegetarian I can vouch for their selection. The molè sauce was one of the best I’ve ever had!  Make sure to try one of their delicious Mezcals. Mezcal has more of a smoky flavor than tequila and requires a little bit of getting used to. I found it to be a little too strong for my taste buds, but it is a must try anyway!

Azul Restaurante

Blanco Castelar
This particular restaurant is in Palanco.  Our hotel (Las Alcobas) was in Palanco which is considered one of the posh-ier sides of Mexico City.  Blanco Castelar is stunningly beautiful to the eye, but the food is also fantastic!  Although it was not a full Mexican menu, a lot of their items had a Mexican twist to them.  It wasn’t the most vegetarian friendly place, but I still had enough options. I ordered the risotto de esparragos and it did not disappoint. Stop in for a cocktail and bite, you will be glad you did!

Blanco Castelar

Mexico City is a beautiful culture-rich city!  If you’ve done the beach towns, consider Mexico City on your next trip south of the border!

Your Chick,
Sonia

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Tybee Island Sunrise To Sunset

So often we hear about going off the grid for a bit to re-discover what life is really all about. With the hustle and bustle of my daily life between juggling google classrooms and social media with Digital Chicks, going off the grid has not been on my mind.  But a few weeks ago, that changed.

Even though I have lived in Georgia for eight years now, I had yet to visit Tybee Island – a short three hours away from my home.  Boy, have I been missing out! We went recently on a family vacation/reunion and stayed at the home of author Mary Kay Andrews. 

Shop This Look Here
Shop This Look Here

I should have known that the author of The High Tide Club, Sunset Beach, and The Weekenders would know what being present and living in the moment is all about! Every inch of the massive 7 bedroom house is meticulously decorated with reminders of what is important. The house reflected the elements of the earth: air, water, fire, and wind.  Each can be felt at every moment when you are in the house or at the beach – which is a short one minute walk away.

With so much to do and see, it was easy to go hours without a worry, so I left my phone on the charger and stepped out for some fresh air.  I was fortunate to have gone with A LOT of family.  We sat for hours talking, playing, laughing, and reminiscing. 

Tybee Island has clean, un-crowded, soft sandy beaches that I am ALREADY missing.  The lighthouse and pier are hard to miss and easy to visit. As someone who has been to Savannah several time, I was surprised to learn that Tybee was so close by. Next time you are in Savannah, drive out another twenty minutes to Tybee, you won’t regret it!

Not too long ago, I visited another quaint place called Put In Bay, see that post here.

Your Chick,

Rina

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The TRUE Cost of Visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

As a blogger, I frequently turn to other blogs for information.  So when I planned to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ at Universal Studios I thought I had all the information I needed to make my way through the whole thing without a glitch.  I got a lot of great advice, but one BIG thing that was missing from all the posts was the total TRUE cost of seeing all of it, so I decided to write about it.

My daughters are seven and eight years old and in the thick of Harry Potter, we just wrapped up the fourth book so a trip to Orlando seemed perfectly timed. To break down exactly how much you need to budget to truly experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™exhibit here is a tally.

Diagon Alley

Park Tickets (2 Park Pass)     $169.00 Adult / $164.00 Child

The whole Harry Potter world crosses between Universal Islands of Adventure AND Universal Studios. That means you have to buy a two park pass to get to all of its parts. It is connected by the Hogwarts Express train ride (which you CANNOT ride if you only have a one park pass).

Express Passes $120.00/ Per Person Total for Both Parks

You will need one for each person AND EACH PARK (they are $60, per park, per person)!!                                   

The reason why you need this is because if you are NOT lucky enough to live in Orlando and go on non peak times like weekends and holidays, then wait times can be up 120 minutes per ride!!!  If you are going all the way to Orlando to see this, then save up and get this pass to assure that you see everything.  Otherwise you are just wasting time standing in line.  

(**One tip here is to stay at a Universal Orlando Resort, your stay comes WITH fast passes, so you may be able to cut some of your losses there!)

Butter Beer      $6.50

It’s a must try really, and is actually really good…we ended up each getting our own!

Wizard gowns are $115.00, broom sticks are $35.00, chocolate frogs are $10.50, and wands start at $50.00.  The amount of money (if you have it) that you can spend here is never ending.  I did a little Amazon and Walmart shopping before hand and saved myself the trouble and cost of shopping for souvenirs there. 

All Aboard

The Takeaway:


Total cost with NO EXTRAS for a family of four to see The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™is $1152.50

Please know that even with the fast pass, it is UNLIKELY that you will see much else in either Islands of Adventure or Universal Studios, you would have to be really motivated (or have older children).

There are several blog posts that were really helpful and I have linked them below:

Tips for Visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Harry Potter Theme Park Tips: What to Know Before Visiting the Wizarding World

10 TIPS FOR VISITING THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER

I wish I had a full understanding of the expenses associated with my most recent trip. Hopefully, you found this post helpful.

Your Chick,

Rina

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4 Reasons To Stay At The Hyatt Regency Orlando

When we bought tickets for our Disney and Universal Studios trip a few months back, finding the right hotel at the right price was a daunting task.  I know that the Disney and Universal Resorts are amazing. I kept asking myself if it is really necessary after spending the whole day at the park to pay a premium for that experience.  I got on Priceline and found an Express Deal of $119** for the 4.5 Star rated Hyatt Regency Orlando and immediately booked it.  I knew I would be happy no matter what, but after my stay, I know why this was worth it!

The Location

This property is located less than 5 miles (or a $10 Lyft ride) from Universal Studios and 12 miles (or a $17.00 Lyft ride) from Disney.  Parking at the parks were $25/day so in the case of Universal it was cheaper and easier to ride share.  What an incredible location, right on International Drive, less than 10 miles from the Premium Outlets. The Hyatt felt centrally located.

The Rooms

For a ‘standard room’ we were thrilled to find luxurious details like a chaise lounger, 415 square feet of space, marble accents in the bathroom, and my kids favorite, a TV in the bathroom mirror!  We had plenty of storage space to tuck away all our swimming accessories, shoes, souvenirs, and so much more.

The Pool

Ok, so this is NOT your average pool! It has a medium sized water slide, little beach area complete with beach umbrellas, waterfall cove, zero depth heated pool, hot tub, splash pad, private cabana, full size poolside restaurant, and a little shop that will inflate AND deflate floaters for you! Despite being there on a busy weekend, we never felt like the pool was over crowded and we really enjoyed the variety of settings for kids who like to move around. 

The Market

Even though the property has SEVEN dining options on site (yes, 7!) each morning we took advantage of The Market.  It truly has a full ‘grocery store’ type menu with not overly inflated prices.  My girls were able to grab their favorite cereal, yogurt or oatmeal while I grabbed a coffee and bagel.  Starting off my day at The Market for less than $20 was such a convenience before we headed out for a long day of adventure. 

Photo Courtesy of Trip Advisor

This property is also attached to a convention center so to say that it is a big property is an understatement.  With all the hustle and bustle of international conferences and weddings, the Hyatt was able to still provide an intimate experience that we really enjoyed.

Typical of any mom in my situation, I was happy that my kids were happy and I was thrilled that I didn’t have to pay more for a place to rest my head after a busy day.  If you are in the Orlando area, look into scoring a deal on the Hyatt Regency Orlando, you won’t regret it!

Cheers,

Rina

** On my bill on the way out I noticed that I was charged a $25/day ‘Resort Fee’ which I told the manager was a sneaky move on what I thought was a great deal.  But after some consideration, even at $144/night, this place ends up being a pretty good deal.  

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