Road Trip!! - Southern California to Colorado

somewhere in the desert

This year we took our summer vacation at the very end of our kids summer holiday, so we were practically the only ones on holiday... it seems our school in Rhode Island started at least two weeks after everyone else! (but to make up for it they were not done with last year until the END of JUNE!) Honestly it was a bit of perfection... none of the crowds that normally present themselves while on a summer vacation, so mark your books - summer vacation the last weeks of August and you are GOLDEN!

managed some surfing with family in LA

a few breakfasts at AXE (for me)

We started out in Southern California, El Segundo to be exact, it is where my husband had a stint as the Artist in Residence at ESMoA (El Segundo Museum of Art) - we found El Segundo to be a secret little paradise, in the craziness that is LA! For me it's perfect since it's only minutes to my favorite street... Abbot Kinney at which I had two breakfasts at AXE and one at Gjelina and a delightful celebratory dinner at AXE... you might say I am all AXeD out.. but I'm NOT! (toast w/hummus and Avocado... with so much garlic you could kill someone.. mmmm... still dreaming of it!)

car window photo!

Enough of that... onto the important stuff... R  O  A  D    T  R  I  P.....

I am telling you NOW this is the PERFECT road trip for someone who does not like a road trip, we DO and this was the EASIEST road trip EVER. You think you can't hang with your kids in the car for more than an hour... I promise this is the trip for you... it's never more than five hours in the car at a time and the view is so GORGEOUS that you will never even turn on the music!! It's possible our kids watched one movie but I really don't think they did... (I don't remember because I was too busy looking out the window at the B  E  A  U  T  Y!!)

Start your trip with a bit of Southern California - pick your spot and stay wherever... we love anywhere in LA! (well just about...) But I would suggest a visit to LACMA (Los Angeles Contemporary Museum of Art - see my post here) it's great for kids and it's a great place to spend the DAY. I would also suggest a day at the beach... maybe Manhattan Beach or something easy like that... There are so many places to stay I can't even start - but I might suggest something near the beach with kids so that you can start the day with a nice walk around, anywhere, maybe Santa Monica (we have stayed at the Viceroy in the past and that is a really nice location).

Then on we go to Las Vegas - it's an easy, less than 5 hours drive from LA (including a couple of pee breaks). Everyone has their own variation on Vegas... mine is to stay the hell away... but my husband, he likes to see the people... there you go, the spectacle, so we compromise. I get to stay at The Palms Place which is just off the strip, with a view of it, but you are not IN it. DO NOT confuse the Palms Place with The Palms... totally different. It's chic, a kitchen, big rooms, great tubs... all you need for kids to have the feeling of crazy Las Vegas and not really be in it. The pool is kinda cool (smoothies available) and the restaurant serves organic food (wha..!?) yes organic, it's quite nice. I like to have dinner at Paris and sit outside so you can see the water show at Bellagio (for me, this is the only reason to go to Vegas... the Bellagio water show - I'm SO boring!).

ONWARD! Next is a delightful destination Zion National Park. We left in the morning so that we would have the day in Zion, it's only about 3 1/2 hours from Las Vegas. As you enter there is a wonderful little town, we heard that there were possible flash floods that night so we found a place to stay in the village instead of camping. The hiking in Zion is great with families of any age.. you can easily choose your trails, kids can get a Junior Ranger kit at the visitors center and learn all about Zion on their own (it's great when they get to tell you about things... ) We spent two days in Zion - you can easily spend a week on various hikes or just a day to check it out - but it's an amazing place.

this guy saved our A** -- he told us what to do, where to go, what time to go, everything in about 10 minutes he set us UP for Zion!

you will see a lot of this!

in Zion you will need: water shoes, hats, hiking gear, water bottles (none of which we had so you can also improvise! But you will probably get wet, at least from the knees down but maybe more)

you see that tiny white spec, that's my husband! this is such a VAST vista its amazing!

The drive out of Zion to Bryce Canyon is equally amazing! So make sure you take that drive in the daytime, you won't believe your eyes. One turn after the other... it's the most beautiful drive I have ever seen. We happened upon a time when we were practically the only ones on the road, amazing! We stopped quite a bit to check out the rocks, and really to just stop and stare! I think this was my favorite part of the trip, it all just keeps unfolding in front of you! As you get closer to Bryce the topography totally changes and you will see antelope, deer and lots of wildlife. We even managed to see a flash flood in action, although the only rain we had on the trip was a few drops here and there, and only for a few minutes.

I could throw down a hundred more of these shots... I took so many and I loved this part of the trip - but I love the way the road winds through this photo

The drive from Zion to Bryce is approx. 1 1/2 hours so we even hiked in Zion and then went to Bryce in the same day. BUT Then we had a bit of a crazy drive out of Bryce through Utah on our way to Arches that was spooky night driving in canyons... PITCH DARKNESS. We hadn't really done any research and found ourselves driving through these little towns, no starbucks, no mcdonalds, just mom and pop motels... it was too bad it was so late and dark but we were not ready to try these places so late at night. My suggestion, stay near Bryce and then head out the next morning to Arches National Park (the next stop).

whoa... and this is just the start....

Antelope (I think!?)

Amphitheater

Bryce Canyon is a mystical place, it really makes you wonder what the heck happened to make this canyon the way it is... I think a tour would be a GREAT idea, there must be so much to learn about how this happened, I just hope my kids will explain it to me one day... fascinating! You can also hike through Bryce Canyon which I would image may be easier than Zion. You drive through the park and stop at each of the 'views' and then at the end is an amazing Amphitheater of all of it... I suggest seeing IT ALL! You will never in your life see something like this again. And obviously photos do no justice to the Majesty of it all!

Bryce Canyon reaches 9000 ft.

There are no fast food places here in Utah... SO refreshing... we had ice cream at this delightful roadside stop!

From Bryce Canyon we were on our way to Arches National Park, which is a 5 1/2 hour drive (again super easy with kids). We hit some road construction delays so we had to turn around and skip Arches for our next trip. I have family in Colorado so we will be nearby again, we chose to get to family and save it for the next trip, we had already seen such amazing things I thought it was a good idea we save some for another trip, besides I'm really excited for Moab and I don't want to rush it. But if you decided to take this trip in a week you could easy take on Arches and Moab for a final look at some amazing landscapes!

Sander fly fishing

I would suggest this trip as a week-long trip, we did it in four days because we were on to see family. I'll just mention that an easy stop after Moab would be Aspen, you could even fly out of Aspen without ever going into the big cities (like Denver).  We flew out of Denver, another gorgeous drive, after staying near Aspen for a few days of Fly Fishing and fun! (more on that later!)

Road trips are THE BEST of ALL!

NEW :: Clare Vivier!

The Clare Vivier Simple Tote in tan with hair-on and black leather handles and shoulder strap

We just received new Clare Vivier and, in my opinion, it's my FAVORITE!! (Do I always say that!?) - but really this time you can't beat it! I like Celiné just like any other fashion 'freak' but I like these better! you tell me.... (if I don't scoop them all up before you that is...)

Clare Vivier simple tote

Clare Vivier foldover clutch (tan lamba and tan hair-on)

There is something about the hair-on effect (is there another word for this that I am missing... cause I can't think of a better way to explain it!) and in NAVY totally chic as well

Clare Vivier :: navy -hair-on- flat clutch

and somehow, Clare has made the fanny pack cool again... below is a photo of Clare while in New York at fashion week... looking fashionable! This is a GREAT travel tool and hands-free handbag (fanny-bag)

Clare wearing the fanny pack in red...

we have it in BLACK!

And just in case your favorite look is BLACK and WHITE (hey... so is MINE!) then you can take a look at this flat clutch in black and white, hair-on!

Clare Vivier :: black/white flat clutch

click here to shop the Clare Vivier collection - shop soon...!! or I will take it all!

Guest Blogger: Florence Rolando's Portugal

Portugal is a country that is dear to my heart and when I heard that Florence was going to be living there I knew I was going to learn more about this beautifully fascinating place. I am a friend on Instagram, which you should do too! and so we keep up... I love her posts because no one takes better photos than Florence! Today she is going to share her corner of Portugal... listen UP and lean-IN! And thank you for sharing your story with us Florence!

Up until very recently, we lived in big cities : Paris, Milan, London, New York. We are an urban-centered family, used to being surrounded by people of various colours and citizenship, used to finding foods from all over the world, to spending weekends around museums, busy streets, shopping, cinema. 

When the occasion to change lifestyle came up, at the beginning of this year, we jumped on it. 

I think some of our friends or acquaintances didn't really get it. Porto? Why?! A small city, and in a country facing economic difficulties? After New York and London, the only logical next step is a move to Hong Kong or Singapore, they seemed to imply. We don't regret our decision for a moment, however, and here are a few reasons why.

Space 

Those who have done the jump know that already: for what you get in a metropole, in a smaller town you can double or triple your living space, plus a garden and a garage. The simple fact of living in a house is so new and so great for our kids, who love climbing the tree in our garden.

Time / Southern Feel

Everything is a lot slower here, and in some parts of town, Porto seems delightfully stuck in the 50's with its old shop signs, mom & pop shops, the many old people, relatively few advertisements. We love that old world aesthetic, like something of a time capsule. Houses with laundry hanging out of the windows, late evenings, fiesta in the streets, family gatherings…

Porto sometimes reminds us of Madrid, Tangier, Naples all together.

New culture 

We love the immersion in a totally new culture and learning Portuguese is great. Very difficult for us adults, so easy for the kids. Portuguese is spoken in Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique, Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and it has also got co-official language status in Macau (China) and in East Timor (Southeast Asia). Might be useful abroad one day! For now, it's proving handy every day. 

Beach Within Reach 

That's such a bonus: imagine working all day and, rather than a quick pint at the pub, taking in a chilled white port aperitif on the beach, maybe even for less than an hour, just to watch the sun go down. OK, it's not Rio, but Porto has small charming urban beaches, with cute bars and a beach scene. And you never know what to expect: a flat ocean like a mirror, or crazy big waves that break with huge splashes against the piers. Endlessly fascinating. Not to mention the surf, a real paradise for the boys.

Praia da Luz

Food and Drink

Fish, vegetables, creative "pesticos" (tapas), cheese, Portuguese food is healthy and most of the time very genuine, home cooked. There is so much more to eat than the rightly famous Bacalhau. And so much more to drink than port wine. The vineyards of the Duoro valley and the Alentejo are consistently pleasing. 

People

Locals are very nice, always happy to welcome foreigners, to exchange kind words, to share their favourite places. Portuguese people reside on the shores of the Atlantic, but are Mediterranean at heart with a British facade. Quite reserved outside, warm inside. There's a melancholy side, but with great warmth. 

Old Foz

 So much to explore 

We've seen only a bit and we were amazed by the beauty of places in Alentejo and North Portugal. Lisboa, Braga, Sintra, Algarve… much for us to discover in Portugal.  Not to mention neighbouring Spain: Santiago de Compostela (only 1.5hrs away), Asturias, Andalusia.

We can even ski in winter, in Sierra Nevada or in Les Pyrenees, about 6-7 hours away by car.

 

Factories 

This is a bonus for me. I love factories, manufacturing, contact with materials. Arriving here I was able to start a little line of home products with a talented local designer. You will see more of our products soon... Carina has promised me to keep you up-to-date!!

Thank you Florence for sharing your part of Portugal with us!

Visit Florence's Blog 'Pirouette' here

see our visit to Portugal here from 2007

Moon Launch tonight! (Friday, September 6th 2013)

The East Coast has a chance at watching the first Nasa Launch, if the skies are clear Friday night around 11:27 p.m. ET, there's a fair chance that anyone from as far south as South Carolina, west into Ohio and on over to New England will be able to see something of NASA's first launch of a mission to the moon from the agency's spaceport on Wallops Island, Va.

You can bet we will be out there (if it's not cloudy) to see what we can see... telescope ready! NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer mission , is carrying "a robotic mission that will orbit the moon to gather detailed information about the structure and composition of the thin lunar atmosphere, as well as moon dust conditions near the surface." (you can also watch on NASA TV or on your iPhone NASA app).

learn more at Space.com

vitamin B-12 boost - have you tried it yet?

actually I got it in my butt... but you should know it's a needle!

The header reads "Feeling run down and tired?" - "YES" I answer. I think I have felt run down since 2001, and I have tried many things to get over this tired feeling. I'm not saying it's like a overwhelming chronic type thing, it's more of something about energy. When I run and exercise I see my levels rise, but you know when you get out of the habit, you expect those levels to still be there but they aren't...

So far, my favorite relief or boost has been from Moxi-bustion/acupuncture (I'm saying the non-exercise version). The only problem is you need to continue the sessions - at least until your energy hits a level that it will maintain on it's own. I did it for a few months and felt great and I wish I could have continued. Then, on a recent trip to California I was talking to a friend who suggested a B-12 shot, and that in fact, they do them at the grocery store near her house that Saturday. Well how could I say no to that! My only reference to a B-12 shot was an episode in Mad Men when all the guys took one and went bonkers... let's just say they are not the same, in the 60's a B-12 shot was filled with hallucinogens, etc... now, it's just plain B-12.

So there I was Saturday at Lazy Acres in Long Beach, CA (it's only one Saturday a month) and this wonderful woman, Dr. Bridget Anderson will give you a B-12 shot (for $30!), you can add-on various things, I added a B-complex which is good for Immune support, adrenal support, muscle repair, heart health and decreased inflammation -- all of which I was having trouble with at the time. I don't know what it is about travel but I am convinced it wreaks havoc on your immune system.

A vitamin B-12 boost should help you with fatigue, memory loss, numbness & tingling, stubborn weight loss and low mood... yes! I want something to fix all that! - I have to say that I think it was a huge help for me, I was so depleted of ALL OF THE ABOVE that I am convinced it helped. And at the very least gave me the attitude to just move on and not even think that I couldn't do it... ALL (you know what I mean when you travel with family, kids, husband... etc..). The effects last approx. two weeks on average, so it is an ongoing thing. My friend is pretty sure that it helps with her sleep, a more restful and deep sleep.

And hey, whatever... it's all the rage says Vanity Fair Magazine and I do everything they say!...

If you are in the Southern California area visit Lazy Acres Grocery Store and the delightful Dr. Bridget Anderson (only in California can you do this in a grocery store! LOVE it!) and give it a go...

NEW :: Fall collections...

We are feverishly working on getting all the new collections ready for you!  Photographing and all that comes with getting it ready... We just finished a photoshoot with ESP no1 and it was SO cute!! My kids loved everything (usually a good sign...), ESP is always one of my kids favorite to photograph - and we had FUN! Here is a sneak look at some of our favorite looks!

Online now... ESP no1 click here

cute right... watch out for more!!

LACMA :: James Turrell exhibit and MORE!

LACMA - perfect sunday!

On Sundays at LACMA they have a 'kids day' or what they call Arts for Nexgen - kids are able to sign up for free museum membership for life and they can take one adult with them! (not for use on the special exhibits but for general admission) super cute AND they have great little projects for kids which relate to each of the exhibits, changing weekly. It's really a great place for kids, and it wasn't crowded at all.. this shot above is at noon on a Sunday!

we were not allowed to take photos so I found this online, in case you are not familiar with James Turrell.. you get the idea

We had the chance to see the James Turrell :: A Retrospective exhibit (now through April 6th, 2014) and so the kids and I grabbed it! FANTASTIC! I think that it's one of those very special opportunities in which the moment you are in it, it may not hit you - but you walk away from this thing and you will never forget it! I know my kids won't! The really loved it, going into these rooms of color and space, it's very trippy, and kids take their time here, it's just how it goes. By the end they were crazy about James Turrell - and just wanted to know more about him.

cars moving like crazy all over the place through the Metropolis!

It just so happens that there was also the Chris Burden :: Metropolis exhibit going on at the same time, fantastic! Cars, Trains and all else whizzing by at great speeds, going up ramps, then rambling down. The guards are surprisingly sweet about making sure you get your kids to the right exhibits - love that in a museum. This is just plain FUN.

More short-lived (this exhibit ends September 15th) but if you can make it GREAT is the Architecture exhibit - The Presence of the Past : Peter Zumthor Reconsiders LACMA - I don't know about you but both of my kids are crazy for Mind Craft and so this Architecture exhibit really hit home for them. They were so into all of the scale models and the fact that some of them are from the 1930's is really fascinating to them!

A little lunch in one of their FANTASTIC cafe's and that was all we had time for.. it was a very delightful day.

Visit LACMA for more information

Guest Blogger :: Florence - Meet Michelle Marshall

My friend Florence Rolando is going to guest blog a bit while I am on vacation. Florence is one of my favorite In-the-know people in the kids business, her favorites somehow become mine, so I was excited when she wanted to share some blogs with us. You can always catch a tip or two from her on style and fashion and the kids industry at her amazing blog: Pirouette.

Today she introduces us to  Michelle Marshall:

Meet Michelle Marshall, Fashion/Lifestyle Photographer , Kids Stylist and Founder of e-store Quirky Collective.
Michelle Marshall is French, born and bred in Lyon.

In 1992,  she moved to the Midlands to study photography at the University of Derby, where she met her husband Philip, a Retail Interior designer. She then moved to London and worked as a studio manager for two award winning design studios (retail interiors and product design). Michelle and Philip have two daughters, Sissi and  Lola (6 and 8 y old) The family lives in North London and spends most of their holidays in France, at the beach in summer or on the alpine slopes in the winter.

photo by Michelle Marshall

In 2010, Michelle launched, e-store Quirky Collective and blog I Am Quirky, a committee of taste featuring cutting edge children's clothing brands. Michelle has gained a great following and a loyal client base since but today she is back to her first love : photography. Styling and the 'mise en scene' that are inherent to her image-making process are areas that she's hoping to explore more too.  Latest shoots include Sun-San/Salt-Water UK 2013 Lookbook and fashion story for Chalk and Wild.  

photo by Michelle Marshall

A foodie, Michelle knows some great places to eat in London and she recommends, whether travelling there with young ones or not,  Shrimpy's at the King's Cross Filling Station (work off the Soft shell Crab Burger with a walk by the Canal and/or splash about the fountains in Granary Sq),  or freaky chicken (as nicknamed by one of the girls' friends) at Mark Hix's Tramshed in Shoreditch. Michelle would love to spend even more time now with her daughters and seeing them blossom day after day.  Something she captures wonderfully with her lens and that also gives her tons of inspiration and material to use when creating narratives for her clients.

photo by Michelle Marshall

Thank you again Florence for sharing your kids networking knowledge with Nonchalantmom!