Special Guest blogger: Lisa- A celebratory mom/daughter getaway!

Let’s hear it for a Girls trip! My daughter Ryan is graduating from High School, and while she will be the first to say this may not be a huge accomplishment for her- it IS a huge milestone. She will be moving to Phoenix for college at Grand Canyon University in August, and I am going to have a hard time with my only girl leaving our home- she is a joy to have around and will be greatly missed (if I add an exclamation mark it will sound like I’m happy, but it’s more like I’m happy for her- is there an emoji for that??)

Over the past several years, Ryan and I have enjoyed taking winter Girls trips to Florida- to Miami Beach, Ft Lauderdale, and Marco Island. This year, I wanted to do something extra special with her…  and decided on Hawaii. I visited the Hawaiian islands about 30 years ago and have always wanted to go back. Since she only had a week off school for Spring Break, we just chose to visit one island. Her primary goal was to RELAX (and get a tan) so I knew the resort would be KEY, and where we would spend the majority of our time! Our musts: beautiful beach and pools- and great food (no chicken tenders for a whole week- is that too much for a mom to ask for?)!

We chose the Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island of Hawaii, a 5 star Luxury resort with lush gardens and tropical vibe. We invited our longtime friend Chelsea from Oregon to join us there; we have lots of memories together… Chelsea lived with us during her college years, and shared a room with little Ryan- they became close friends, like sisters! Our flights arrived into Kona (on the west side of the island, where it is more sunny and most resorts are located) around the same time in the afternoon. We rented our car from Hertz, and after a long day of travel we arrived to a lovely lei welcome at the Fairmont Orchid… Did we feel as lovely as our lei’s? NOOO, we did not! But we were SO happy to be there.

Our ocean view room overlooked the Mauna Lani golf course next door, such a peaceful setting. The bathroom was beautiful with marble floors, walls, and counters- and best of all had TWO showers, perfect for 3 girls getting ready!

We were on the 5^th floor (the resort is only 6 floors high) and had a balcony where we spent every morning doing devotions and drinking our coffee- the Nespresso machine in our room was wonderful. The Fairmont gave us two reusable water bottles as a keepsake from our stay, and to use at the water dispensers which were plentiful throughout the resort.

Let’s talk about the gardens, the lush tropical landscaping with waterfalls and koi ponds was stunning! It made every walk around the resort feel special, since there was so much beauty to take in!

The pools meandered through the gardens, with an organic shape and plentiful chairs- there was NO waking up early to reserve a chair! We always had choice of where to sit- lawn or poolside, under an umbrella or in the sun. The resort provided chair covers, towels, sunscreen, ice water- and FRUIT service… that last one was a treat, every afternoon they walked around with fresh pineapple on skewers! Oh, and cold neck towels- we really felt spoiled!

The beach was a small, secluded cove where we enjoyed great snorkeling- many colorful fish were right off the beach! We could rent stand-up paddleboards and kayaks (but we didn’t, because you know- we were too busy relaxing!) Whether we were at the beach or pool, there was always a nice breeze- so we were comfortable, even in the heat of the afternoon.

Who is here for the food content? I mean, really this surpassed expectations. Yes, food is more expensive in Hawaii- that was expected. However, the quality of the food was exceptional!

Let’s start with dining at the Fairmont Orchid… known for Brown’s Beach House- where the oceanfront dining makes for the perfect setting! They brought purple sweet potato buns to our table right away, with a honey butter. These were melt-in-your mouth glorious! And we learned…. The Fairmont Orchid is home to more than 80,000 honey bees. These honey hives are located close to the kiawe tree blossoms and produce a delicious kiawe honey blend… All I can say, is this pairing was exquisite!

Kona’s local fish is Kampachi. And tonight we had it prepared with a generous Dungeness crab topping- perfection! And since we were celebrating a special occasion, this surprise dessert arrived for Ryan! After sunset, we ended the night at one of the oceanfront firepits before heading to the outdoor hot tub.

Another special restaurant at the Fairmont Orchid is the Binchotan Bar & Grill. I met up with my longtime friend Cat, a native Hawaiian who lived in Peoria during which we became good friends! The Kanpachi Tartare (in front of food photo) was so fresh and delicious.

Merriman’s has been highly rated, so we made reservations- and I’m SO glad we did! It was a 30 minute drive from the Fairmont Orchid. Up winding hills, through a misty rain- and over a literal rainbow. It’s hard to describe the ambiance, because the feeling was unique- you knew you were somewhere special when you were greeted and entered a modest-sized dining area. The warmth of a farm to table restaurant resonated, yet it was upscale in a non-pretentious way. They knew quality, and you knew you were in for a treat! Our waiter was older and well-versed in the menu and answering our questions.

We started with a Mai Tai, which we heard they were famous for, but the lilikoi (passionfruit) foam froth elevated the drink to a new level- WOW. I ordered the roasted Chateaubriand Hawaii Island Beef, it melted in my mouth. And again, Ryan was celebrated with a dessert!

We ventured out from our resort very little, even though we had a car, because we loved the property so much and had everything we need! However, we drove to the other side of Kona (45 minutes) to tour a local coffee plantation, Greenwell Farm. And, oh my, I am SO glad we did! It was such a great tour- free and no reservations required- and was both educational and entertaining. We learned about the history of how coffee came to the island and to this particular spot, how the coffee “fruit” is harvested, dried, and roasted into the beans that we purchase. Kona Coffee is well known, and we loved gaining an understanding of its origin. We also enjoyed tasting their different roasts and brews!

The Fairmont Orchid hosted a Luau on Saturday, which we were so excited for! We had front row seating, and loved everything about this evening- from the delicious food (made by the Fairmont chefs) to the Polynesian Show! THIS was the most memorable night of our trip!

The Fairmont Orchid has a shuttle within the Mauni Lani Resort area, so one evening we had dinner at the Canoe House at Mauna Lani. This beautiful oceanfront dining restaurant made for another memorable night!

Let’s loop back to the Fairmont Orchid… we saw many families, Honeymooners, couples of all ages, and friends traveling together to enjoy the beauty of this island and resort. I would recommend this resort to our clients, and would return in a heartbeat! We could have ventured out so much more than we did…. Volcanoes National Park is 2.5 hours away, Akaka Falls State Park is known for its short trail through a lush rainforest to a beautiful waterfall that plunges 442 feet into a gorge, the Manta Ray Night Snorkel was highly recommended… and so much more!

I will just stay that we enjoyed every moment of this trip, it was perfect in every way for what we were looking for- luxury, relaxation, and beautiful memories! I would love to book this resort for any of our clients who are looking for a similar experience. Reach out if this sounds like something you would enjoy!!

~Lisa

Rockies to red rocks… a journey shared with friends.

Hi Friends. I’m back with more traveling adventures…. so grab some coffee or tea and curl up with a blanket. This is a great one! They all are though, aren’t they?

This Fall, Fred and I planned our annual getaway and decided to test out the Rocky Mountaineer railway. We decided to stay closer to home and explore the USA more, so we settled on the Denver, CO to Moab, UT route. Rocky Mountaineer has 2 rails they operate… Canadian Rockies and (recently in 2021 opened their first US based route) Denver to Moab. After Moab we decided to go to Zion National Park, about a 5 hour drive from Moab.

So, in all the planning, we decided to invite our dear friends Shane and Tonya. They agreed it sounded like an adventure.

September 9th. So the route from Denver leaves around 8 AM but you have to arrive around 7 AM, so we flew out the day before. We flew American from Peoria to Denver. Upon arriving in Denver we took a Lyft/Uber to Hotel Teatro. This boutique hotel was GREAT. They have a complimentary car that can take you within a certain distance around the hotel. However they were short staffed when we were there, and it wasn’t available when we needed it. But no worries. This hotel was within walking distance of several restaurants and the next morning we walked a few blocks to Union Station. We ate lunch at a burger joint and finished with… ice cream of course! What’s vacation without ice cream? After returning to our hotel we grabbed a taxi to a store that Shane wanted to go see where he gets his favorite cowboy hat. Well, that alone was an adventure. We were not expecting the site that met us… see the store picture below!

Check out “The Cow Lot”. Best cowboy hats around. And it was great to be able to watch them design it and shape it exactly as Shane asked.

After that adventure we went back to the hotel and sat in the lobby and talked a bit. For supper we walked to the Cheesecake Factory. Well known, but a favorite.

September 10. The next morning we got up headed off to the train station. We had checked in the day before, so when we arrived we just stood around and chatted with other passengers while we waited. After everyone was checked in, we loaded up in motor coach buses and headed to another rail yard where the train was waiting. On the way we passed through the beautiful arts district and saw amazing paintings in the sides of buildings.

After pulling out of the rail yard we met our chef (one chef for every car, each car has their own kitchen), and our hostess for the trip. After introductions, they jumped into action to get us our breakfast. The seats were super comfortable and lots of room for walking around. They encourage walking around. After we got outside of Denver the scenery changed from mild hills as we wound upwards into the mountains.

We spent the morning looking out windows and listening to commentary. At one point we passed by the house of one of the Rocky Mountaineer employees, and he and his family came out to greet the train. Like a normal rail experience there were times we stopped and sat and waited for other freight or passenger trains. Eventually they served a delicious lunch. The meals were a treat, and they kept offering drinks. Each car had two restrooms. There were also two large windows in the hallways between cars and oftentimes you could go out there and watch the scenery go by without a window between you.

So I liked this rail route best because we got into Glenwood Springs around 3 pm. If you do this route in the reverse, it leaves Moab late on the afternoon and gets to Glenwood Springs at night around 8 pm. No time to sightsee or even see the area in the daylight. So upon arriving in Glenwood Springs, we loaded into a bus to our hotel. There are several hotels offered. We were assigned the …..NAME. After dropping bags at the hotel and freshening up we got back on the bus to head to town. We visited the Hotel Denver (one of the other hotels offered by Rocky Mountaineer) and the hot springs. After that enjoyed ice cream… because…. vacation! For just sitting all day we were exhausted so we went back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep. We had another early morning start the next day.

Thr glenwood springs rail station

A view of downtown glenwood springs from the pedestrian walkway Bridge.

Known for its hot springs.

September 11. Another beautiful morning. I personally started it with some hot chocolate on the platform. Once we boarded we again were fed a delicious breakfast. Today the scenery changed from mountains to canyons to desert to red rocks.

They wave you out of every station

And they waved and welcomed you into every station also.

From here, literally a desert just outside of Moab, we were let off to board a transfer to the Moab airport where we were going to pickup our rental car. I guess here I should mention that we had run into a small problem… Fred’s birthday was just two days before we left andddd he was due to renew his driver’s license. Well, that detail got missed. Fast forward to car rental, and we realized I was primary driver since Fred couldn’t drive. So I embraced this, and told both boys that I wouldn’t tolerate back seat drivers or female-driver comments. Once in agreement, we hopped in our rental vehicle and drove the first 30-40 miles to grab lunch. Then we hopped onto the Interstate where we would have 90 miles before there was any exits or gas.

After lunch we started out on the remaining 4 hrs drive ahead of us. While chatting with Shane about opening an Airbnb in the west I suddenly braked realizing there was a police officer, and I had no clue what the speed limit was. Sure enough…. I was pulled over. Thankfully he just gave us a warning. Honestly, I think Fred was worried that we would go home with a souvenir we hadn’t planned on buying!

As we set out toward the canyon I was amazed at just how beautiful it really was, and not long into entering the canyon there were lots of oohs and ahhs from the passengers of our car. We made a roadside stop- and boy were we glad we did! The view was breathtaking.

Shane was the best man at our wedding, so glad to share this adventure with him and his wife, Tonya. ❤️

It was late and dark by the time we pulled into the ranch that would be our home for the next 3 nights. We shared a 2-bedroom cabin and it was great! They had a delicious restaurant on site called the Cordwood that we ate for dinner when we arrived. Please note: If planning a trip to Zion this property is at the east entrance. Most of the “downtown areas, coffee and restaurants” are located at the west entrance. So if we wanted to go into town we had to drive the traffic of the park and pass through, while beautiful, it could take 40 mins to do.

September 12. It was a beautiful morning sunrise. We leisurely woke and got started. Today we headed into Zion for a day of hiking. We were hoping to see the Narrows, however when we got to the entrance it had rained before we got there and it was closed due to flooding. Regardless we enjoyed our hike in. After the hike we went to a pizza joint for lunch.

Enjoying our deck while soaking in God’s beauty

The cordwood had a wonderful buffet breakfast every morning.

The drive through the park every day was gorgeous

Fred, the squirrel whisperer.

Weary and hungry hikers.

After that it got darker and a bit of rain came in. We headed back to the cabin to get ready for our evening sunset horseback ride. It turned into a gorgeous night for a ride and we even got a rainbow!

September 13. Another beautiful morning. Another buffet breakfast. Today we had a morning jeeping tour with Zion tours. Our guide was great and took photos for us.

After the tour we went to a nearby resort and ate lunch at their facilities. A pretty good burger. Then we drove to Zion National Park and started our next big hike for the day. This one was more exhausting and a little more elevation. After this hike we went to the lodge and had …. ice cream, of course!

After that we drove back to the cabin. On the way we saw some mountain sheep, so Tonya and I jumped out to get a closer view. Then we made one more stop at a scenic lookout that had a 1 mile hike. We thought that as the sun was going down it’d be a beautiful lookout, so we embraced it. We were not disappointed.

Canyon overlook. You could look down and see the switchbacks we drove every day through the park. It was amazing.

September 14. Our final morning. We said goodbye to our cabin and drove about 1.5 hrs to St George, Utah for our flight. On our last trip through the park we got to see a beautiful ram high up on the mountain in the canyon. We were so excited to see this beautiful picture. We covered the whole state of Utah pretty well with this trip!

Thanks for coming along on this trip. It was the perfect mix of relaxing and active. Lots of good talking, laughter, and a great opportunity to be together with friends. Would you enjoy a trip like this?

Why NOT go to the Dominican?

Dominican?  YOU ARE GOING TO THE DOMINICAN?  HAVEN’T YOU HEARD WHAT IS HAPPENING THERE?  These are the responses we got when my husband and I announced a 5-NT getaway in August of this year.  So i’m going to be honest and frank here- this is my take on the situation evolving in DR. {sidenote have you noticed you haven’t heard much anymore and the story has subsided?}

Needless to say when news feed broke out about all the HYPE and HYSTERIA in Dominican I started to ask more questions and do my research.  And I decided we wouldn’t be scared.  Why?  Because quite simply 12 ppl died over the course of a year.  Let that soak in.  12 people, in ONE YEAR.  Friends, traveling companions- we lose more than that in ONE DAY in random shootings all around us in the USA.  When you think of that the Dominican is not so bad!  In fact the US Government hasn’t changed the security level at all.  It is the same level as Mexico and that is simply “exercise caution.”  But really shouldn’t we ALL be cautious when we travel?  Pay attention to our surroundings?  Stay in groups?  Don’t go out after dark?  The people that died in the Dominican are LESS than 1% of the tourists that visit there.  And yes while there is a concern that a lot of it is surrounding the alcohol we have to take into consideration each persons background.  Some were on meds, which don’t mix well with Alcohol.  Some maybe were used to desk jobs and when they went on vacation became more active and drank more than they normally would at home.  There are MANY MANY scenarios that could have affected or played a part in the deaths…even if they are healthy.  I am not going to try and “figure this out”.  I just ask my clients to keep an open mind.

Let me introduce some of the Dominican people! You can’t blame 1-2 incidents on the people as a whole and most definitely on the COUNTRY as a whole.

This is Antonio. He is a butler at our resort. He was Amazing!  He has three children similar in ages to our family and is a family man.  He has worked at other resorts on the island but Secrets is his favorite so far.  And you know what?  He likes to travel!! He loves the churches in Europe and the history!  His BIG bucket list dream is to go to Israel and “walked where Jesus walked”!  That is my kind of butler!  Best wishes Antonio- I pray you get to see it someday and take it all in!

Antonio! The BEST Butler in the Preferred Club!

Then we also met Omar- our drinks waiter on the beach.  When I questioned what he thought about the Dominican’s recent issues- he sat down on our chairs and talked with us.  He chuckled and says “They (Americans) will come again”.  And he points out that more than 12 people die in shootings in ONE day in the USA and yet we are worried about 12 people OVER A YEAR.

Folks, media is having a heyday- but by negatively reporting, scaring, and coercing people, they are putting a death sentence on the Dominican.  The Dominican are kind and hard working and need our support!

They have a beautiful country.  Our water was colored so blue-green that words and pictures don’t describe it!  The people were hardworking and friendly and we never, NEVER felt worried or unsafe.  Dominican offers a perfect environment for everyone; families, couples, destination weddings, girlfriend getaways, work retreats, family reunions and so much more!  They have a diverse culture a jungle and mountains in their back yard and an excursions list a mile long!  Zip line, horseback riding, ATV’s, hiking, food tours, tours of the capital city- and so much more!

Set up for a Destination Wedding on the beach at Secrets Cap Cana Resort & Spa

So if you are thinking why would anyone go to the Dominican Republic?  I am here to say why would anyone not go to the Dominican Republic? 

via Google