Neimen Marcus Sale TOO GOOD TO MISS!
Check out our favorite picks from the Neimen Marcus Sale!!
Happy Shopping!
Your Chicks,
Rina and Sonia
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chicks and salsa
Travel Guide for Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica
When the opportunity to go to Costa Rica came about, my husband and I couldn’t resist! Known as a great family-friendly destination, we decided to go with our kids and four other families.
Instead of trying to do a hotel with different rooms, we got a house together in Manuel Antonio. The home was a purchase from a gala that one family had recently attended.
The Villa Mariana (our home away from home for the week) was a beautiful property located right in the middle of the Costa Rican jungle. While there was enough room for us all to sleep, it didn’t prove to be the most kid-friendly property. As an important note, I would highly recommend this property for adults only! Keep in mind many of the properties in Costa Rica do not have central air conditioning in the common areas, so make sure to inquire before booking your stay. We only had air-conditioning in our bedrooms, so you can imagine how hot it felt in the main hangout areas when it hit 90 degrees! Thankfully we had two pools to cool off in, so it didn’t ruin the trip (but something noteworthy to consider when booking your next trip to Costa Rica). The main home in the Villa Mariana has four bedrooms with a guest house boasting two additional rooms to make for enough space to accommodate 5 families. Aside from the home, I wanted to share my top 5 things to do in and around Manuel Antonio.
Playa Espadilla
This beach was a short 10-minute drive from the Villa Mariana. Make sure to book umbrellas and chairs ahead of time. The Costa Rican sun gets very hot midday. Consider bringing a cooler (they allow them!) with cocktails, water, and snacks…. it will make things easier especially with kids. For a proper lunch, we headed to a neighboring hotel which you might want to consider when deciding where to have your umbrellas set up. Make sure to pack a portable speaker and some beach toys. This is a great way to experience the Costa Rican beach and dip in the Pacific Ocean!
Catamaran
Since we were traveling with 20 people, we decided to book our own private Catamaran. If you are traveling with a smaller group, they have group charters. We opted for the sunset cruise. Aboard the boat, we had two chefs and two helpers. Our outing included a late afternoon meal with rice, beans, chicken, and veggies as well as snorkel gear, and dolphin watching. This was a great way to dip in the water, bond as a group, and watch to a beautiful sunset on the water! A must-do activity!
Manuel Antonio National Park
At this park, we saw some extraordinary animals including sloths in their natural habitats. With some small stops along the way, including some food, it makes for a nice outing with the family. Midway in the national park, there is a beach with the option to take a dip (pack a swimsuit or wear one under your shorts).
*Something noteworthy* If you plan to include this in your travel plans make sure to pick a temperate or cloudy day so it can be more enjoyable. On the day we had planned the national park it was VERY hot! There was not a lot of solace from the sun along the walking path and doesn’t make for easy transport of infants. The walkways are rough at the beginning so not ideal for strollers. If you catch a nice day, this is a must-see stop!
Zip Lining: Canopy Tarzan
We picked Canopy Tarzan for our zip lining. To be honest, it wasn’t the closest to our house in Manuel Antonio, but we heard it was the best one. It did NOT disappoint! With a multitude of LONG runs, it made for a perfect way to experience the jungle from the treetops. The last jump in this excursion, was a quick dip in a pool and waterfall, make sure you wear your swimwear under your shorts! *If you have a fear of heights this might not be your best bet.* Lunch was included. Make sure to mention any dietary restrictions when booking.
White Water Rafting: Savegre River
The location for white water rafting was a total of an hour and half away in the middle of the rainforest and mountains of Costa Rica. It was simply breathtaking! Kids ages 6 and over are allowed to partake in a class 1 rafting trip. Equipped with proper gear and a guide, you are taken down the Savegre River’s rapids and taught fun facts along the way! There are safe places for you to take a dip so make sure you are in your swim gear. I would highly recommend this as a fun-filled family excursion!
I hope this guide helps plan your next trip to Manuel Antonio! Costa Rica is filled with beautiful customs, food, scenery and most of all beautiful and friendly people!
Happy traveling!
Your Chick,
Sonia
Quarantine Crafts You Can Do Right Now!
Oh boy, in trying to literally keep up with an actual school curriculum I have managed to include; Music- Piano Practice // PE- Playing Outside // Technology – IPads // Language Arts, Math and more, but one subject was a little left behind, ART!
So here are some free and low-cost ways to keep your kid’s creativity flowing during this extended time at home when they do actually need to get some work done.
FREE IDEAS
LOW-COST IDEAS FROM AMAZON
I have two daughters ages 8 and 9 and they are super crafty, they loved these recommendations and hopefully, your minis will too!
I hope that these were some fresh new ideas for some of you! My girls had never done paper mache!
Your Chick,
Rina
The Jeans You Need for Spring are On Sale Now!
I live in jeans! I don’t wear skirts or shorts much, but jeans – yes! Over the years I have also crept my way up in price points out of curiosity to test out if when you spend more you get more.
In comparing the three brands I am going to share with you I wanted to judge them on: quality of denim, variety within the collection, price point, and durability.
It is a pet peeve of mine when denim stretches and lose their overall shape. I also don’t love it when denim loses its ‘luster’ after a few washes. NONE of the brands I have shared here do that. They have all been tried and tested by me.
That being said I wanted to share three brands at three different price points that I love and why.
Articles of Society -Under $50
Let’s start with the most affordable and impressive brand in this category. Articles of Society denim is available at Nordstrom (so for those of you who are cardholders, your money goes a lot further). With the average cost of these jeans coming in at $50, you can get 4 pairs of these when compared to higher-end designer jeans.
These jeans are true to size, have a lot of style choices in their collection and are a good buy! I gravitate to Articles of Society for more playful denim. These are great for a unique pair of jeans that you won’t necessarily wear every day. For daily wear, jeans keep reading.
NYDJ Jeans– Under $100
Also available at Nordstrom (but on a steeper sale here), I describe NYDJ jeans as Mom Perfect. There is truly a practical cut that feels great for ANY woman out there in this collection. They tend to deliver the most classic and clean-cut looks that I would call “Mom-friendly.’ Because of this, they are perfect for finding a great pair of daily wear denim.
NYDJ jeans have the perfect stretch and they’re high-quality denim that holds up. There is a reason these are priced at a little under $100 (so many styles are on sale now).
If you are just looking for a great pair of jeans that you can count on day after day ( I wear them around town and for playdates often) and look good and feel great, these are it!
Good American – Over $100
Khloe Kardashian really did a great job with this brand. I have several pairs of Good American jeans because they are ‘stylish.’ They offer an extra edge to help justify the price point which sometimes is worth it. Ten out of ten times if I am on a Date Night or GNO, I am wearing my Good American jeans. They are stretchy, comfortable, and edgy. In my opinion, totally worth the splurge (I have had mine for over two years). She has added so much to the collection that I have not checked out yet, so stay tuned for a haul on that soon.
Hopefully, if you are looking to shop some new denim, this post was helpful. Finding the right pair of jeans can be totally worth the effort when you wear them all the time.
Your Chick,
Rina
My NYDJ jeans were gifted in exchange for this post.