Best Drive of 2019!

November 6, 2019

I have shared before that I live in a small town. Living far from places I like to visit has turned me into quite the driver. Give me a destination and I am there!

I have really grown to cherish my time on the road, I love being alone with my thoughts and of course my music! When I travel, I always make sure to rent a car to get around. Some of my most memorable drives have been around Hawaii and most recently on my trip to the Grand Canyon.

Surprisingly the drive from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon is less than 4 hours and the route goes straight through one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE cities of Sedona. I had good company (my kids) and good music to go along with the scenic views.

Check out our ride and some of the landscape in the video below.

Grand Canyon

At the Grand Canyon we signed up for a jeep tour with Grand Canyon Jeep Tours and Safaris. Although we enjoyed the tour, I recommend skipping the pricey jeep tours and heading straight for the Visitors Center where you can easily build an itinerary according to your time available and personal preferences. There are hikes and view points to accommodate all ages and interests. They also have a cute and FREE Junior Rangers program for the kids to keep them engaged! Two things to keep in mind when visiting the Grand Canyon: it’s COLD, you are between 7000 and 9000 feet high, bring layers, it was 41 degrees the day we went in October. Secondly be sure to catch the sunrises and sunsets, they are breathtaking. Whether you watch the canyon light up in the morning or turn down for the night, the overwhelming beauty that is the canyon is really captured at these hours.

Shop SHEIN for Christmas Gifts and Apparel

Sedona

On our way back we stopped for a while in Sedona. This incredibly beautiful and unique city has had my heart since I first visited ten years ago. Something about its isolation, desert landscape, and tall red rocks just captivates me. Unlike in the Grand Canyon, in Sedona I HIGHLY recommend a jeep tour. Getting up and around these rock structures is not easy, but with the Pink Jeep tours its fun and scenic! We had lunch at the tasty Oaxaca Restaurant that has the most beautiful view in the city. Be sure to swing by the Fine Arts and Crafts Square where there are interesting boutiques and art galleries, live music, cafes, and more!

This drive was truly one for the books and with the beautiful Arizona sun on our side. We enjoyed every minute we spent on the road. Now, I am off to plan my next #RoadTrip.

Your Chick,

Rina

Travel

Happy To Keep Austin Weird

April 4, 2018

We have all heard of it, everyone is moving there, songs are written about it… Austin, Texas!

Over Thanksgiving my family and I went to Austin. I have a cousin who lives there and he can’t rave more about what a wonderful city it is! With two kids, 5 and 7 years old, we were looking for a good balance of sightseeing and family-friendly activities.

The Hotel: Westin – Downtown Austin

We stayed at the Westin in downtown Austin. The location of the hotel was central to many of the the places we planned to visit. Being a Starwood member with Westin allowed us to upgrade our room to a suite for a comfortable stay in a new city.

I recommend renting a car when you visit…unlike other cities, like New York or DC, a lot of this city is best accessed by cars or ride-share services. Majority of the things we saw were a driving-distance away.

For those of you who have read my previous travel diaries, you’ll notice I like to recommend my favorite vegetarian spots.

The Eats: Uchi and Counter Culture

Uchi was a fantastic spot for both food and ambiance. Don’t be fooled by its label as a sushi restaurant, chef Tyson Cole whips up many delicious vegetarian dishes. Uchi’s dishes come both in the form of sushi and others variations! My personal favorite was the nasu sushi…..I’m still dreaming about it! This dish was a succulent eggplant dish that literally melts in your mouth. This restaurant is not necessarily family-friendly but our kids enjoyed themselves nonetheless.

Another restaurant I would recommend is Counter Culture. We came upon this restaurant on our drive back from the grotto (which I will touch on later). It was a small vegan restaurant with a quaint feel. The food was absolutely fantastic — they were able to mimic regular restaurant food with vegan replacements….it’s always a great feeling to know you can eat everything on a menu! Unlike Uchi, this was a much more causal spot. Don’t leave without trying their nachos!

Lake Travis

A MUST stop is Lake Travis. While I didn’t find the vegetarian food at the Oasis to be all that great, the views were simply breathtaking! We had a family sunset dinner on their outdoor terrace which made for a beautiful family memory…I would highly recommend this stop if you have time!

Family Friendly Activities

Because we were with our kids, we enjoyed doing a variation family friendly activities. Some that stood out were the bat cruise, canoeing Lady Bird Lake and paying a visit to Westcave Canyon and the Grotto.

The bat tour takes you beneath the bridge that is home to thousands of bats. If you take the sunset tour, as we did, you can see hundreds of them flying in and out. Needless to say, both adults and kids delighted to see the hustle of nature as it integrates with man-made architecture. As city dwellers we don’t get a lot of time to connect with the great outdoors so this made for a fun stop!

We took the kids canoeing at Lady Bird Lake – which is a clean and crystal clear body of water. The kids loved spotting turtles and fish all in their natural habitats. My husband and I spent most of our time doing the rowing, but the kids loved pitching in every now and again. Not a bad workout, honestly!

Finally we went to Westcave Canyon. They provide guided tours to the infamous “Grotto” (pictured below). This beautiful natural occurrence made for a beautiful sight and great teachable moment for our kids. Our guide was knowledgeable and respectful about nature, serving as a role model for our children. The hike there was easy enough for a 5 year old and the end result….seeing the Grotto, was the cherry on top! A must-visit, but make sure you call and book in advance!

“Keep Austin Weird” is a common phrase throughout the city. This is likely in reference to its diverse array of activities and food, enough to entertain populations from children to adults. I would venture to add “Keep Austin awesome!”

I would highly recommend this beautiful city for a great family trip! See where else we have wandered here.

Your chick,
Sonia

Travel

Park City, Utah Will Give You Life

January 18, 2018

When I first became a mother I was told by veteran Mom’s that taking time for yourself is important. When my kids were infants I found it difficult to separate myself from family life and always carried a feeling of “mom guilt.” Now that my kids are 5 and 7, I understand why that advice is so important. With no diapers, bottles or sleep schedules, I have a lot less “mom guilt” leaving the kids to spend time with their dad or grandparents to have some “me” time.

Destination: Park City, Utah

Back in October, I went with four friends to Park City, Utah. We stayed at the Montage in Deer Valley. Though it was off-season, and we didn’t go for skiing, there was still plenty to do! We rented a four-bedroom residence which offered a kitchen to make at-home meals or store late night snacks. We didn’t really make good use of the kitchen since we were trying to escape the daily routine of family life including cooking and dishes! The Montage offered complimentary coffee and assorted teas in the morning which was a nice, and much needed, touch.

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A quick note: For those of you who have altitude sickness, Deer Park sits at almost 7000 feet so you might want to come prepared with some extra oxygen or Advil for minor headaches. I suffered my first night there, but staying hydrated helped get me back up and running the next day! Learn more about altitude sickness here.

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Sundance and North Forty Escapes

Two excursions that we really enjoyed were our trip to Sundance and our trip to North Forty Escapes. The Montage was kind enough to offer a complementary car for us to drive out to Sundance. We did a hike to Stewart Falls which made for the perfect outdoorsy addition to our girls trip. If you decide to make your way there, bring a sweatshirt or light jacket…there are several microclimates along the hike which make you both hot and cold (be prepared)! It’s not overly strenuous but also not easy so make sure you are wearing proper shoes.

Our drive to North Forty Escapes took us through the weaving back roads of Park City. If you plan to drive yourself, be sure you have your bearings and directions..we lost cell service… you don’t want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere! When we arrived we did some clay shooting and horseback riding. It made for a fun and productive way to be together in the great outdoors. The sign for the ranch is small so be sure to keep your eyes peeled on your drive in.

Tried Shooting For The First Time — Tried Clay Shooting For The First Time (not hunting, I am a vegetarian and animal lover!)

No trip is complete without food! As a vegetarian, I can be picky about the places I suggest. Two dinner spots that stuck out were, Chimayo and River horse. Chimayo is a quaint restaurant which offers Mexican fare. I would recommend the wild mushroom enchiladas with a delicious spicy margarita. River horse was a more dressy upscale restaurant that offered live music and delicious food! The pot-stickers and tofu dishes were outstanding! Both were beautiful in their own ways and accommodating to food requests.

When it was all said and done, a quick weekend trip away was just what the doctor ordered. The spa at the Montage (the #1 spa in Park City) was the cherry on top! When I came home I was ready to get back to the routine and daily life of being a good wife and mom to my family.