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Stacy's Finds
The ‘Family Adventure’ Category
San Diego, Martha's Vineyard Mix
Perth may be the most isolated city in the world, but she's second to none when it comes to the infrastructure that has been thoughtfully created for her sport loving community.
Imagine hundreds of miles of powdery white sand beaches lined with beautifully maintained boardwalks perfect for biking, jogging or walking with friends and a string of friendly beach towns in between.
Head to Cottesloe Beach, or "Cott" as the nickname loving locals call her. You'll find a vibrant family atmosphere bustling with ocean front parks offering modern facilities for the kids, grassy lawns & beaches perfect for picnics and plenty of dining options.
A little bit further along the coast, you'll find Fremantle, or "Freo," a historic port full of charming buildings dating back to the 1830's along with hopping pubs, mouth watering fish & chips, an interesting shipwreck museum that actually displays the hull of a real Dutch ship that never made it to her destination of Jakarta, Indonesia in 1629.
The coolest spot in Freo is the oceanfront brewery and restaurant, Little Creatures. We walked into the breathtaking warehouse to see children on the floor drawing masterpieces with free flowing chalk, along with fresh flowers and candles everywhere. Try their pale ale and a simple pizza topped with sea salt and rosemary.
We also loved the underwater shark viewing at the Perth Aquarium and the dinosaur skeletons at the Western Australian Museum in the historic city centre.
Follow the yellow brick road…
Having grown up in one of the most beautiful places on earth, I try not to set my expectations too high when we travel.
This wasn't the case for Margaret River though – Australia's version of Napa Valley with a little Santa Cruz and Provence thrown in the mix – my expectations were very high and "Margs" as the Aussies' call her did not disappoint.
We decided to take a break from the Bali heat and visit during Western Australia's off season which is our summer, their winter -and not even the hail, cold rain or frigid wind could dampen our spirit – an unusual cold snap for the area that definitely fulfilled my desire to wear fleece and get cozy by a fireplace.
Dramatic white sand beaches, idyllic rivers with bridges and walking paths, acre upon acre of pristine forest and to top it all off – over a hundred wineries within an hour's drive; one more beautiful then the next surrounded by vineyards as far as the eye can see, local breweries with the freshest beer on the planet and lively Aussie family ambiance and restaurants that serve only the most incredible fare produced right there in the shire – cheese, cream, butter, eggs, pastry, fish, chocolate, jam – you name it, Margaret River makes it.
For breakfast head to the eclectic Margaret River Bakery - I became addicted to the freshly baked scones topped with Devonshire Cream and local strawberry jam and served with a flat white, an Aussie version of a cappuccino topped with a creamier foam, of course.
Southeast Asia's hottest surf spot…
You don't have to be a pro surfer to immerse yourself in the lifestyle and surf culture of Uluwatu – one of the world's most renowned international surf destinations.
Just a hundred or so steps down a stone stairway will lead you to a cliff front warung (casual open air restaurant) perfectly positioned to provide not only jaw dropping views, but fairly close proximity to many of the top surfers around strutting their stuff right before your very eyes.
If you're up for a higher level of adventure including an energy cleansing swim, head down another couple hundred steep steps to the Uluwatu cave and white sand beach where the color of the Indian Ocean is a gorgeous milky turquoise.
Ask about the tide before you decide to go down though, as the cave can be treacherous on a high tide with big swell. This is where surfers paddle out to catch some of the most perfect and consistent waves on the planet.
This surfing mecca is located near Pura Luhur, a Balinese sea temple built in the 11th century! Try the Blue Point Bay Villas & Spa if you want to be within walking distance or Alila Villas Uluwatu if you're looking for eco-luxury eye candy.
Balinese Eco-Sanctuary
After eight months on the island, I feel as if we just experienced the fabled beauty of the real Bali – the one all of the artists were attracted to in the 1930's.
For the boys' spring vacation, we chose Seraya Shores, a boutique eco-resort of seven bungalows located on the island's East Coast between the small beach towns of Candidasa and Amed.
Seraya is set amidst an oceanfront coconut grove along a coastline dotted with rugged cliffs, miles of smooth round stones and pockets of black sand beaches. We felt right at home as the area closely resembles the Kohala Coast of Hawaii's Big Island albeit twenty years ago pre real estate boom.
Our second story bungalow felt more like a tree house as every window framed a view of bending coconut fronds, the simple zen-like swimming pool and the ever present sapphire blue Indian Ocean with Nusa Penida and Lombok Islands on the horizon.
As the resort's grounds are terraced to maximize views, there are three different dining areas to offer guests a variety and some privacy. Since we had four children under age nine in our group, the staff chose to quarantine us in the open air "yoga barn" most of the time which was just perfect as the long, low lying table surrounded by stuffed lauhala floor pillows allowed each meal to flow as effortless as it gets with four boys.
There is no set menu at Seraya – Chef Sasa, who is from the surrounding village and who has been with the resort since it's opening ten years ago, prepares each meal according to his finds at the daily market. We enjoyed lots of steamed fish, chicken satay, shredded mango salads topped with mint, stir fried bok choy and tempeh, and freshly squeezed juices.
Favorite activities during the week included watching hundreds of colorful sailing canoes make their way back to shore after sunrise fishing every morning, road tripping to Amed to enjoy some of the island's most colorful snorkeling where we found coral in hues of chartreuse, periwinkle and tangerine, accompanying Sasa to the local market in Amlapura where we found freshly pressed coconut oil, and letting the boys run loose around Seraya's grounds as the consistent sound of crashing waves kept track of time instead of a clock.
Our Favorite Restaurant! There's no question that the hands down winner of our favorite restaurant; especially for the mind blowing chocolate desserts goes to the Casa Luna Restaurant located in the bustling mountain town of Ubud. Chocolate mousse, chocolate decadence, flourless chocolate cake – you name it, they make it and along with the ambiance, it's magical! Built on a lush, steep ravine; Casa Luna is the successful dream child of powerhouse Bali expat, Janet De Neefe, who arrived on the island in 1974 and has built an iconic empire. Visit Casa Luna
Celebrating in Singapore
Everything you've heard about the island of Singapore is absolutely true: impeccably clean and modern, everyday citizens walking around dressed to the nines. a subway system that is unbelievably enjoyable and entertaining, the epitome of a shopper's paradise.
Let's start with Changi Airport: a tourist destination in and of itself: catch the latest movie, enjoy a massage, take a swim or peruse the stunning collection of indoor orchids and sunflowers; or in our case since we are here during "festive season"; gawk at over the top Christmas decorations: cherry red ornaments taller than Stanley, oversized and beautifully wrapped gifts lining the baggage claim luggage belt, pine trimmings and wreaths everywhere you turn.
Our first day in Singapore was marred only by the taxi drivers as they don't know a thing about where places are located. As it was our first day, we did not have an exact address of the restaurant where we planned to meet a friend. Of course, I assumed the taxi driver would know where P.S. Cafe is located since it seems to be a pretty well-known spot. Boy, was I wrong. Luckily, we all shared the most delectable (and huge!) wedge of chocolate cake in history, so the ill-fated taxi experience soon faded away.
The best way to get around Singapore is the subway system. Again, you would be hard-pressed to find even a candy wrapper on the ground. People just don't litter here. There is a S$500 fine imposed on anyone caught drinking or eating in most areas of the subway and there are video cameras everywhere. (Although Bristow has had his sippy cup in hand several times and no one looked at us twice.)
I'm sure all the rules and regulations must drive the local teenagers batty, but as a mom of two young children, the clean atmosphere is a dream. Not only is the subway easy to maneuver, air-conditioned and safe; the shopping is nothing short of sensational. We're talking Bobbi Brown underground, European bakeries and Japanese pastry shops at every turn, handmade spa products by Lemongrass House and every other wonderful food and product concoction you can think of.
On New Year's Eve, we woke the kids up at 9 p.m. and headed to Swissotel The Stamford near the Marina District which boasts the highest restaurant in Asia at 70 stories tall. The atmosphere was cozy, elegant, conducive to bringing the kids and incredibly festive. The streets were so jam packed after the fireworks with thousands of revelers that we jumped in a ric shaw home to top off the night.
Happy New Year – we wish you the very best in 2010! xoxo
I Surrender… Bali, here we come!
Call it a mid-life crisis or the adventure of a lifetime. We kind of like to call it redefining the American dream. It took us 5 months to formulate, 2 months to execute and 22 hours to travel from our idyllic home base of Kamuela on Hawaii's Big Island to our new landing pad of Bali, Indonesia.
There are four members on our team: David (41), Stacy (40), Stanley (5) and Bristow (15 months). Our family sabbatical sprung from the harrowing kindergarten application process at the end of '08. The last five years had whipped by at unprecedented speed – what would the next thirteen look like?
I have a horrible memory anyway, so beyond birthday parties and a few Christmas mornings thrown in there, what would I truly remember over the next few years, especially when the stress of daily life in America seems to weigh heavily on even the fun times. Our family's interest lies in spending more time together, not less, and yeah, I know that sounds crazy, but we actually enjoy each other's company.
So, we rented out our beautiful house, spent six weeks getting all of our financial stuff automated and paperless, packed two large Da Kine duffle bags, Bristow's Pack & Play, David's surfboard, Stanley's Legos and planned our escape in search of more laughter, less stress and yes, lots of beach time.
