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Month: June 2014
Meet Me at Marco – MOMS Travel with Alexa
BY ALEXA WILBERTON
Sometimes it seems as though life is a vicious circle of constant work and never-ending emails. Oftentimes I find myself drowning in the chaos of everyday life buried under a pile of “To Do” lists not even the strongest iced skinny vanilla latte from Starbucks could motivate me enough to complete. Where the words “vacation” and “paradise” are simply figments of my imagination, or should I say were? Yes, were.
Just recently I was presented with a wonderful opportunity via The Moms, to escape the chaos of everyday life and go on a trip to the Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort, Golf Club & Spa, or as I like to call it along with those who’ve experienced the beauty and all that this resort has to offer, Paradise.
Whether you’re traveling alone or with the family, no matter how old or how young you are, the Marco Island Marriott Resort is a magical place where unforgettable memories are created. Golf clubs are always exquisite places to spend time, you can see our local club here that we frequent on a regular basis, as another example. We became members so that we could enjoy the many perks it has to offer. This resort also offers a large range of activities including a shelling and sailing excursion where you and your family can stop on one of the inhabited 10,000 islands to hunt for seashells and learn about Southwest Florida’s ecosystem, maybe even see a manatee or two!
If you’re a traveler yearning for a bit of adventure, like myself, make sure to take an invigorating Waverunner tour with Marco Island’s Water Sports. Where you will jetski through the mangrove forest as you journey into the exquisite Ten Thousand Island Everglades with one of Marco Island’s professionally trained guides. Other beach activities available to you during your stay at the Marco Island Marriott include activities such as parasailing, kayaking, paddle boarding, and more! If you live in California, you could use paddle board rental san diego to get some paddling practice before heading out to Marriott.
Some of the people that I traveled with had a go at kayaking as they had never taken part in the activity and wanted to give it a try. As you can see on universitytimes.ie, students have opportunities to do activities like kayaking all the time and that’s how I first went kayaking – it was with my university. This means that I had quite a few more years of experience than the others but I was happy to give them advice! It was recommended to them to use the best sot for beginners so they could make the most out of the experience. When they had finished they had said they had a great time and would be looking forward to their next kayaking opportunity.
Each room at the Marco Island Marriott offers a spectacular view of the the Gulf of Mexico, Marco Island or one of the resorts two exterior swimming pools. There is Quinn’s pool and my personal favorite, where you and the family can play under the pools waterfalls. While the kids are taking turns on the “Kids Only” water slide you can grab a bite to eat at the Tiki Bar, located alongside the pool.
Looking for a little more lux? The Spa at Marco Island Marriott is the place go as it offers its guests treatments that are designed by world-renowned experts working in a Balinese-style atmosphere. I know what you’re thinking, “Adult only?! What do I do with the kids?”. I’ll tell you , the resort offers a Discovery Day Camp where your young ones will have the chance to become wildlife explorers participating in a variety of activities that are led by trained Marriott camp coordinators. I bet the Whirlpool & Cold Plunge Pool is looking pretty good now isn’t it?
After a shelling excursion and a trip to the spa what’s a better way to end the day than a beachfront dinner at Quinn’s, one of the seven eateries located in the resort and also my personal favorite. The fish tacos and mango lemonade are to die for but wait, it gets better! Every evening in front of Quinn’s a sunset tradition occurs where a professional fire dancer salutes the skies with an amazing fire dance performance, definitely something you don’t want to miss!
I could go on for hours about all the things I’ve done and you can do during your time at the Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort, Golf Club & Spa but strongly suggest a trip or two to personally experience all the wonders this resort has to offer. So the next time you find yourself drowning under a pile of emails at work thinking about that iced skinny vanilla latte, remember the Marco Island Marriott. Oh, if you need a friend I’ll be more than happy to tag along just say #MeetMeAtMarco and I’ll be there because every now and then we deserve it to ourselves to take a little trip to paradise.
Mamarazzi® with How To Train Your Dragon 2
Want to share a little secret with your kids? Watch our Mamarazzi conversation with America Ferrera and Kit Harrington to find out what to tell your kids to look for when you take them to How To Train Your Dragon 2. And… as always lots of other behind the scenes information and some questions from kids! CLICK HERE TO SEE
How Sweet It Is with Alison Sweeney at Duff's Cakemix in LA
The MOMS, hosted Alison Sweeney at Duffscakemix on Melrose in Los Angeles for a Mamarazzi event. Guests had a really “sweet” morning with Alison who signed books and took photos with all the guests. Everyone was able to decorate their own cakes as they sipped on Skinnygirl Sparklers. The DIY cake studio was the perfect spot for the event.
Father's Day Gifts with Denise on PIX11
Looking for last minute Father’s Day Gifts under $40.00, under $20.00 or things to do with your kids, CLICK HERE for ideas!
Summer Safety First
School is almost out…wahoo! This means we will all be spending a lot more time outdoors. Whether you’re on vacation or just in your backyard, safety starts with preparation. You’ve got to have everything on hand to keep your family safe and healthy this summer. I’ve teamed up with some great companies to help do just that.
Preparation and the right tools are key to a smoother and safer road trip. Most families travel by car when going on vacation and Evenflo’s new Platinum Symphony All-in-One car seat keeps kids safe and comfortable with Outlast Performance Fabrics. This technology, developed at NASA, actually regulates your child’s body temperature so your baby or toddler stays comfortable during all kinds of weather. They also have this great buckle pocket where you can tuck the buckle away out of the sun – so your child doesn’t get burned by the metal which happened to my little one once, during a hot summer day. If this is all too techy for you and you require something simpler for a car seat, check out Strollerbuzz.com, with reviews on car seat/stroller combos. There are also a few other bits you might need in the car to make your children’s journey as comfortable and safe as possible. You might want to put cushion covers over the seatbelts to stop them from rubbing against your child and if they’re black, it’ll stop them from getting hot too. Car sun shades are a must for babies in a car too. They’re easy to put on windows and protect small children from the sun and its harmful rays. There are a variety of different shades available, some with different shapes and sizes and some with patterns and designs too.
When it comes to the vehicle itself, the bigger the better if you’re concerned about safety. For this reason, you could consider hiring a campervan. They have the added benefit of far more internal space too, and of course the option to use it as free accommodation! Just search for local providers wherever you go, for example ‘hire a campervan in Australia‘ if you’re going down under, or ‘campervan hire Canada’ if you’re in that neck of the woods. Sometimes it can be difficult to find a campervan site even when you’ve managed to source the vehicle itself. Of course, you’d like one with all the mod con facilities but usually, you can only prioritise cleanliness and perhaps some great views. Sticking with the Australia theme, you can book campervan park in South Australia here, but when it comes to other regions you might have to do a bit of digging.
Summertime is a popular time for potty training but accidents can ruin a perfect summer outing and can certainly make for an uncomfortable car ride which we have experienced in our home. Pampers Easy Ups are coming to the rescue. They absorb 25 percent more than the leading brand and provide better leak protection. No need to lug around extra diapers and clothes plus your road trip will be accident-free.
Also saving where you can is key and a good breakfast always starts the day off right. Malt-O-Meal brand cereals are delicious and affordable so you can save money without compromising quality. Your whole family will love these great flavors.
Finally, sun care is so important when you’re outdoors – whether you’re taking the kids to the pool or playing outside. Walgreens helps make it easy and convenient to protect the entire family — especially the little ones. They have natural and organic coverage to sports formulas and protection just for kids, they have sun care products from all your favorite brands…and they are just around the corner.
So starting off summer with safety will hopefully ensure a healthy and really fun summer.
Ending Childhood Hunger with Viola Davis and HungerIs.Org
The MOMS partnered with the Safeway Foundation and the Entertainment Industry Foundation in support of their childhood hunger program, Hunger Is at Riviera 31 at The Sofitel LA. The MISSION of the Hunger Is initiative is to end childhood hunger in America and improve health-related outcomes for hungry children and their families. One out of five children go to school everyday. Viola Davis was one of them.
We can all help. Go to HungerIs.Org for more information and take a look at this PSA
How Does Allison Sweeney Do It All
Just ask a busy person. That’s the best way to get everything done. And is it easier or harder as a working mom when the kids are getting older? We spoke to Alison Sweeney at our Mamarazzi event at Adella in NYC. We hosted the event for Ali’s new book, Scared Scriptless with Valspar Paint and AriZona Beverages and a room full of moms. Also check out Sweeney’s hidden talent.
Click HERE for video from The Huffington Post and see below for the full interview.
Video and Photo Credit: Mission 101 Media