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Recently my husband and I went on a week long “sun” holiday in the Mayan Riviera.
We stayed at the Fairmont Mayakoba, and visited the sites around the area. Our room was on one of the man made canals at the resort, so we always had a nice sunny and secluded place to have breakfast with the ducks swimmming by, and the occassional paddle boat floating by.
Overall the hotel was very nice…but pretty removed from everything and the trek to the beach was quite far. While we were looking for a nice quiet getaway, it was almost too quiet. After a few days of reading by the pool, eating lazy lunches and lounging around, we were both ready for some action!
So we took a day trip to Chechen Itza, which to be honest was a bit of a dissapointment. The ruins are beautiful, but it seems so little is known about the Mayans that it’s difficult to make their stories come alive through guided tours. It ended up being a really dry and boring tour, and I was surprised to see so many hawkers and people selling their trinkets and bad artwork in a UNESCO World Heritage site. I’m glad we went….but I’m not sure I would recommend this tour.
the famous Mayan "basketball courts" at Chechen Itza...where the losers head was cut off!
On another day we went to the ruins in Tulum, which were much nicer! So peaceful, a beautiful setting (these smart Mayans had their city right by the ocean!), no hawkers in the actual historic areas, and much less people.
Of course did the normal touristy things, like going to Playa del Carmen, a little sightseeing in Cancun, and a boat ride through the canals at our resort.
One fantastic thing occured to me on this trip though! Normally, when taking a vacation I have my head crammed with ideas of things I want to do….problems I need to solve, and at the end of the trip I normally have pages and pages of things I want to “fix” in my life. When driving to the airport I realized this time that I really don’t have anything in my life that I need to urgently “fix”! My company is growing at a nice pace and I’m making some positive changes that will allow it to grow more strategically, my relationship with my husband is in a good place, I have a handful of lovely friends that keep me centred and very happy…and I don’t have any family drama or “problems” so to speak of! What a wonderful realization!!
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This year for Christmas we decided to do something a little out of the ordinary. Instead of driving or flying far away to go see family, we decided to go to New York City – and it was incredible!
We stayed with my husband’s best friend and family, who were lovely hosts, and made us feel so comfortable. I even took a guilt free nap for about 1.5 hours every afternoon – it was amazing!
We drove down to NYC from Toronto…and like every long car drive with my husband we ended up fighting pretty much the entire way. It turns out road trips are not on the “route to happiness” for us!
But the next day we were up, and ready for some adventrues!
We stayed around our friends apartment, did some last minute Christmas shopping, and then prepared for the Christmas Eve party. For Argentinian’s (my husband), the Xmas Eve party is much more important than Christmas Day. So, we went grocery shopping, helped set up their apartment and waited for the guests to arrive.
For the Christmas Eve party guests started arriving around 830 – 9pm. And as part of their tradition, the host lays out the plates, glasses etc, but doesn’t really start to cook until the guests arrive…because part of making your guests feel welcome is letting them help you prepare your appetizers and meal together! This is a BIG departure from my German/WASPy culture, where you need to have everything laid out before the doorbell rings, and guests are not expected to lift a finger!
The party continued well in to the evening, with drinks, snacks, meals, some guitar playing, some minor tantrums from the kids that were staying up well into the morning (3am; also a big departure from my culture!), and everyone having a great time overall.
On Christmas Day we had anything but a traditional Christmas Day! We woke up around 10am, opened some presents, and then headed downtown.
First we tried to go to Katz’s Deli, figuring most other places would be closed for the holidays…and of course the Jewish deli would be open! But the line-up was way too long, and with 2 little kids in tow it didn’t seem like a smart idea to try and make them wait for 30 minutes for a table.
So, we headed just around the corner to a little restaurant called Pink Pony, which had tables available for us, a cool vibe, and fantastic brunch food! It was a huge success!
After brunch we went to Central Park for a walk. Our friends decided to head home early, but we stayed to walk around, get some excercise and enjoy the mild Christmas Day!
After an hour long walk we headed over the Four Seasons for a drink. It’s a beautiful hotel, and they have a fantastic bar that’s great for an early evening cocktail. I very much enjoyed this quote on the cocktail menu!
Then we walked down 5th Avenue to see the Rockerfeller Centre Christmas tree and skating rink. It was jam packed with people…and everyone was taking pictures of the tree and walking the streets. It was a great feeling to be in so much activity!
After our long day out we headed back to our friends house to have a nice relaxing meal at home, and prepare for our long drive home the next day.
This Christmas was one of the best! A nice getaway, spending time with good friends, relatively stress free, and some great memories to hold on to!
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Today I travelled to Vegas.
And it was not that easy of a travel day!
For the first time ever in my life I MISSED MY FLIGHT! I’ve taken probably 100 flights and I’ve never missed my plane!
My flight was at 8am, and I set my alarm for 5am to make sure I had enough time to shower and get to the airport….but when I woke up at 7:47 (the irony of the time not lost on me!) I realized there was NO WAY I was going to catch my plane.
It was a terrible feeling!
The first thing I did was scramble to call the airline to re – arrange my ticket. They weren’t able to help me on the phone so they said to just go to the airport and try and catch the next flight at 10am.
After panicking, and racing to the airport as fast as I could I arrive at 9am, and am able to get booked on the next flight…but instead of flying from Toronto to Denver to Las Vegas and arriving at 1pm, I have to go from Toronto to Chicago to Houston to Las Vegas, and arrive at 6pm.
Extended travel time aside, I was just happy that I didn’t have to buy a whole other plane ticket. Wasting hundreds of dollars would have broken my heart!
After checking in I had to run to clear customs and then do the security check. As I approach the customs line I realize it’s miles long! I get through in about 30 minutes and go to security just as my flight is boarding! God forbid I miss two flights in one day…
I realize very quickly that there was NO WAY I will make my flight if I wait in line properly, so I ask the nice guy helping people through if he can help me jump the line so I didn’t miss my flight. Count my lucky stars – he helps me!
I make me flight, make my connections and make it to Vegas – totally exhausted!
After running a few errands for work I go to bed and crash really hard at 11pm.
So much for Vegas being my party town!
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Next week I have to go to Las Vegas for a work conference. I’ve always wanted to go to Vegas – it’s always talked about, it’s a big party place, and there’s just something about it!
So, when a work conference came up it seemed like the perfect reason to go – not only could I build my business, and make great contacts…but I would get to take a trip that I could totally write off (Oh, the perks of being an entrepreneur!)
So I booked my room at the fancy, schmancy new place to be, the Cosmopolitan hotel, and got ready to have fun!
Of course, that’s never how work trips go…it turns out I have to be at a trade show at 8am on Saturday morning to start the trade show – which means I have to get my plane ticket for 1 day earlier, and means I had to book one more night in a hotel. When I called the Cosmopolitan to add another night the room rate had increased from a decent $135 a night to a whopping $550 a night! Eeeks!
So, now I’m booked to stay at Paris, Las Vegas for one night and the Cosmopolitan for 3 nights. Nothing better than a hotel tour in a new city!
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In Ontario we have a fabulous 3 days off for the August long weekend.
Not sure what to do? There are lots of fantastic things going on, not to mention the weather is going to be absolutely gorgeous!
Things To Do In Toronto
1.Take A Day Trip To The Toronto Islands (click here to read more)
One of our favourite things to do is to go the the Toronto Islands.
2. Go To The Beach (click here to read more)
The Beach is also a favourite place to be this weekend. Take a stroll on the beach, play some volleyball, watch the seagulls, or enjoy a delicious brunch along Queen Street.
3. Visit The Harboufront Area (click here to read more)
There’s also lots of great things happening at the Harbourfront in general. Read on to find out what to do, where to go, and where the best patio is!
4. Take Part In Caribana (click here to read more)
Of course you’ve probably heard that this weekend is the Caribana weekend – it’s a massive party that consumes a large part of our city to so here’s information on how you can get involved.
Things To Do Outside Of The City
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5. Take A Day Trip To Niagara On The Lake (click here to read more)
Niagara On the Lake is an absolute favourite. Here’s a short post on what do while you’re in Ontario’s favourite wine country.
6. Go To Cottage Country (click here to read more)
Cottage country is gorgeous, and there’s no better weekend to enjoy it than this one! Here’s a link to a last minute cottage rental site…so tempting!
Things To Do Anywhere
7. Host A Fabuous Dinner Party (click here to read more)
It’s going to be gorgeous, so host a fabulous outdoor dinner party with these amazing recipes.
8. Go On A Cheap, Fun & Active Date (click here to read more)
Great suggestions for cheap, active and super fun date activities. If you’re single don’t fret, grab one of your girlfriends and make it a girls date!
9. Go Hiking With Your Girlfriends (click here to read more)
The great outdoors, great girlfriends…well it all sounds pretty great. And it is. Do something totally different this weekend, and go hiking with your ladies. You’ll love it!
10. Day Dream What Your Fantasy Life (click here to read more)
In a relaxed environment, with no pressure or noise, or stress, or anything to disrupt you, let your mind wander…and create a picture of your dream life. It will be the start of great things for you!
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Tired of doing the same thing every time you get together with your girlfriends? Have cocktail parties, shopping trips, and coffee shops lost their excitement? Ready for a change?
Try a day hike with your girls! Every year a few of us head out into a nearby nature reserve, or sometimes a bit futher away, and go for a long hike together.
We chat, giggle, take some breaks to enjoy the scenery and get some excercise! It’s an amazing way to spend time together…and best of all, it’s fun that makes you skinnier!
We’ve been to Forks of the Credit, and Webster Falls, but there’s so many great hiking trails in Ontario to visit.
So next time your girlfriends want to plan a day out together, why not do something totally different? You’ll feel amazing if you do!
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Who doesn’t love a good boost? Here are some hilarious stories guaranteed to put a smile on your face!
Everyday Funny Things
Holy Vaginas! New Va-Jay-Jay Accessories Are All The Rage
That’s right, detailing your hoo-ha is now a fad. Read on to find out what some women are doing to their “precious ladies”
The Most Annoying Thing Boys Do
If you’ve ever had a dad, brother, boyfriend, or anyone male around you know what this is like!
Men vs. Women: Who Brings The Condoms
A hot topic, what does it say about the girl if she’s bringing the condoms?
Travel Tales
The Essential Guide To Travelling In Italy
Hope you have lots of air miles, because after reading this you are going to want to go to Italy
A Day in Siem Reap, Cambodia
Cambodia is a gorgeous country, and you’ll be surprised by the funny monkeys!
Inspiring Women: Fearless and Fabulous Female Entrepreneurs
Ali De Bold – cofounder of ChickAdvisor
Equipped with a great business idea and loads of hard work she and her husband and business partner, Alex De Bold, started www.ChickAdvisor.com – Canada’s first user generated reviews community for women to share advice on their favourite products and local places. Find out how she did it, and the one thing she would have done differently!
Lisa Ng – founder of HelloDJ
Lisa Ng is a woman that goes after what she wants. She’s never worked in a corporate office, she owns her own DJ company, Hello DJ, and she’s not afraid to take risks. But how did she do it and what’s it like?
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It’s Spring, and the travel bug is spreading like crazy! This year Italy is a very hot vacation destination. With loads of airlines having big sales, hotels offering deals, and a huge desire to get away the time is now to plan your summer vacation.
Check out these posts with great tips on what to see, where to go, and what it’s like.
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BBQ is a must do in Argentina!
The lovely ladies over at Hip and Urban Girl asked me to do a restaurant review recently…and when in Argentina the opportunity to review a traditional barbecue restaurant was one we couldn’t pass up.
Find out here what happens at an Argentinean barbecue restaurant…including an interesting experience involving stuffed cows and “interesting” menu items…
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While in Argentina the size and activity in Buenos Aires can be a bit much. So why not take a weekend off and go to the renowned beach town Mar del Plata?
A short four hour drive outside of Buenos Aires, you can rent a car, take the bus, or hop on the train to get here. Once you arrive the first thing you want to do is head to the beach! The rocky shore, grassy slopes and soft sand all combine to make a beautiful beach landscape. In Mar del Plata the beaches are all well maintained, and extremely popular, so if you go in peak season prepare to be packed in the sand with 2 million of your closest friends! It will be busy, but it’s worth it – the views are gorgeous, the vibe is cool, and the setup of the area will remind you of beach towns of yesteryear with a gorgeous boardwalk that spans from one side of town to the other.
If you want a more exclusive beach experience you can always go to the private beaches a bit further south. Nikki beach is just by the lighthouse and offers a great beach, parking, and a fancier beach experience.
Whichever beach you chose keep in mind this is the Atlantic Ocean, and you’re pretty far south, so it’s pretty chilly all year round – even in the hot period of January/February. Look what happened when we went in the water!
After strolling on the beach for a few hours it’s time to grab a bit. If you are going to a waterfront restaurant bring your patience along because the queue to get in will be long, and service will take forever! Some of the Mar del Plata institutions include Manolo’s (an Argentinean take on the American diner) and Torreon (a coffee shop designed to look like a monastery). Keep in mind that Argentinean’s eat lightly during the day, and have a large dinner at night, so the lunch options will be on the lighter side.
After lunch it’s time to head downtown and see the city sights and have an afternoon cafe. When downtown Boston Confectionary is a great coffee shop, and the medialunes (half moon pastries that are like croissants but sweeter) are out of this world! After your coffee stop stroll around the pedestrian streets, enjoy the parks, and take your time just strolling around and taking in the local culture. Keep in mind that any touristy areas, like the pedestrian streets, are hotspots for pick pocketing and purse snatching, so keep your possessions close to you.
After some light shopping downtown it’s time to head over to the hotel for an afternoon nap. Our top pick is the Sheraton hotel; it’s clean, new, the service is excellent and it’s a bit removed from the party central downtown. You also have excellent views from pretty much every room and breakfast in the charming La Pampa restaurant is included in the nights stay. The hotel is close to the golf course, and also close to the cool night spots on Alen Street.
After a long afternoon nap it’s tea time. Some light sandwiches a warm drink and lots of water will have you refreshed and ready for evening. When it’s time to head out on the town for dinner – typically around 930pm there are great barbecue offerings, or pasta from La Trattoria. When dining make sure you take in the great night sights of the city. There are many beautiful places to watch the city go by, so make sure you enjoy!
Looking for a little night-time activity? Alen Street is a great pick for bars, cafes, ice cream shops, and watching live music. If you are tempted to go to the casino think again. It’s a dark, dirty and depressing place to spend some time, and with smoking inside and no ventilation it’s hard to see the poker tables through the smoky plumes of the players.
Mar del Plata is a great place to visit, and one of the most charming towns/cities in Argentina. Known as the Vegas of Argentina it’s a bit of a party town, but the natural beauty of the area make it a great place for families and pretty much everyone enjoy!
