Our Travels Archives - Page 20 of 24

Despicable Me 2 Recapitulation

July 3, 2013 by Melissa

Since the worldwide blockbuster Despicable Me entertained audiences around the globe in 2010, grossing more than $540 million Gru has ben a doting dad to his girls, Margo, Edith and Agnes and an aspiring entrepreneur. Life has been calm and actually quite boring that is until he is visited by Lucy Wilde, a secret agent who overpower’s Gru’s infamous “freeze ray” and kidnaps him.

This entire experience puts Gru back in the game just on a different team.. As a new member of the Anti-Villain League (AVL) Gru and his new partner Lucy work to bring down a super-villain called El Macho that not only wants to the take over the world but also tear apart Gru’s extended family. The minions are in trouble and Gru along with the help of the girls and loyal Dr Nefario.

Rob, Shaun, Shae and I got the chance to see an early screening of Despicable Me 2 in White Marsh, MD (our old stomping grounds) and we loved it. Rob and I sat on opposite ends of the kids and I heard him chuckling throughout the entire film. Despicable Me 2 was written for ALL audiences. From Gru’s dating catastrophes to the soulful music of Pharrell Williams this movie is definitely going to be a family favorite no matter who is in your family.

I dare you NOT to dance to this song, HAPPY. The guy that was sitting next to me almost jumped out of his chair he was moving so much!

It was a Pirate Kinda Weekend #tuckerton

June 11, 2013 by Melissa

Consideration for this post was provided by Real Mom Media. Opinions expressed here are my own.

This past weekend was a fun filled Pirate themed event for us. Tuckerton Seaport & Baymen’s Museum in Tuckerton, NJ hosted the Privateers & Pirates Festival.

All Things Pirates! Learn the difference between privateers and pirates and then be one. Pirate history – authentic and make-believe – plus a treasure scavenger hunt, costume contest and pirate craft activities. Enjoy the crew of the Valhalla Pirates with historic pirate entertainment.

The day started with some rain showers and clouds but stayed perfect for the rest of our adventures. The Museum went all out with the theme and pirates and wenches could be found at every turn. The kids were able to “Walk the Plank” create their own Parrot craft and touch a sea star.

The Valhallas Pirates are always a hit too. The characters and their elaborate show and costumes draw in the audience all day long.

The museum is home to 17 historic and recreated buildings that are rich in maritime heritage. Tuckerton, NJ became a port of entry into the United States and the museum is home to many artifacts and documents and research of the tradition of the Jersey Shore. Museum programs offered include hands on activities, workshops, tours and classes taught by Jersey Shore artists.

All season long the Tuckerton Seaport & Baymen’s Museum welcomes visitors through their doors just so they can continue the work of restoring and remembering the history of the community. Becoming a member and visiting throughout the year is a great way to show your support and ensure quality wholesome family fun right in your backyard.

We are Jersey Shore visitors but this was our first time at Tuckerton Seaport & Baymen’s Museum. We hope to visit again and again.

Our Fun with #VisitLancaster

May 30, 2013 by Melissa

Thank you to Girl’s Lunch Out and Lancaster Tourism for providing the weekend away and experiences.

Finding family friendly adventures that everyone can enjoy are sometimes hard to come by. Recently we took a trip to Lancaster County, PA to Amish Country and were pleased at the things available to us. Even though the trip was just me and the girls I know Rob and Shaun would’ve love the weekend too.

In Lancaster County, PA you’ll find outlet shopping, scenic rolling hills, quality furniture makers and of course markets that sell the best products from the local Amish families. What you may be surprised about are the quaint attractions that are geared towards all members of your family.

Strasburg Railroad is home to museum quality, turn of the century steam locomotives, freight cars, dining cars and private cars. The railroad offers 45-minute rides several times a day overlooking the lush farmland of surrounding community. Choose to attend a special event like Day Out with Thomas or Traditional Dinner and Murder Mystery to enhance the excursion.

We were lucky to catch Vintage Baseball during our ride. We hopped off the train to watch a mini tournament of Vintage Baseball teams playing the way they would have played in the 19th century. The teams and crowds were welcoming and many were even in character from that era.

The Choo Choo Barn sounds like something perfect for the smaller kids in your family. but you’d be surprised to find 1700 square feet of animations and creativity with model trains. The detail put into this amazing display can only be truly appreciated in person.

Some of the best portions of the display are
• Amish barn-raising
• Three-ring circus and parade
• Display transformation into nighttime (every 10 minutes)
• Dutch Wonderland, enhanced with new lighting this year
• A house fire and the fire crew that puts it out

This is truly a must see for all ages, not just the train enthusiast either.

image provided courtesy of ChooChooBarn

If you are interested in knowing more about the history and tradition of Amish Country then The Amish Village is something you should experience. With an authentic farmhouse, one-room school house, blacksmith shop and barn you’ll be able to see and learn how the Amish lived and still live to this day.

We were able to see a calf, Freddy and pet his soft hair. This was Sabreena’s highlight, she has a thing for cows.
The entire grounds were open for exploration and education.

Our #VisitLancaster trip was short but packed in so much that I know we’ll be visiting again.

Previewing #ArtSplash at @PhilaMuseum of Art

May 28, 2013 by Melissa

Arts and crafts is important in our home. I love letting my kids explore and express their feelings, emotions and moods with their hands and imaginations. I try to keep different mediums on hand at all times so there isn’t anything in their way to stop them from creating.

Exposing them to other forms of art and literature is a great way to open up the floodgates of imagination and conversation.

This summer the Philadelphia Museum of Art is representing Art Splash, a season filled with art, imaginative installations and creative play. We got a sneak peak of what they have to offer and were able to get hands on with displays, artists and activities.

Shae worked on a paper Mannequin. She was given markers, stamps and fabric scraps. I see a future fashionista on our hands; dontcha love how the hat has a little attitude with the tilt.

Each week Art Splash will be offering new theme with appropriate exhibits, tours and play to fit a wide range of children’s ages. This program is free for children after general museum admission. Opening weekend is June 28-30 with Make a Splash theme.

Create, Play, and Explore All Day!
Perfect for all ages

Free after admission

Stop by Art Splash anytime to CREATE in the Splash Studio, PLAY in the Art in Action zone, or EXPLORE the exhibitions. Mini-tours with one of our Museum educators could “pop up” any time and art-making is ongoing every day.

Friday, June 28, 2013, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, June 29, 2013, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, June 30, 2013, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

This is just the start. Check out the entire schedule at http://www.philamuseum.org/artsplash

We were able to get a sneak peek before it opened to the public.

Candy Coated Wonderland is unique and whimsical installation from candy Coated, a Philadelphia based artist. Her use of screen printing, vinyl cut outs and ceramic gems are the backdrop for a collection of historic dress costumes. The mannequins are posed in fairy tale and nursery rhyme settings.

All Dressed Up : Fashions for Children and their Families was a peek inside how children in the 1800s dressed for play and everyday. We learned that children emulated the adult because they were being raised to have the same manners and behaviors as adults. Their clothing resembled each other’s very closely. This exhibit also boasts a large drawing table to encourage children to design their own fashions from the garments they see or from books available on display.

photo courtesy of Philadelphia Museum of Art

Museums all over the world are open to provide inspiration, hands-on experiences and programs for the community. We are lucky to have The Philadelphia Museum of Art right in our backyard.

Mohawk #LicensetoSpill Tour Philadelphia #cbias

May 20, 2013 by Melissa

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and their client.

This past weekend I was invited to visit the 9th Street Italian Market Festival. The Italian Market in Philadelphia is the nation’s largest outdoor market. On any given day your senses will be assaulted by the rainbow of colorful produce, the scent of baked goods and coffee and the variety of fresh seafood and meats at the butcher shops.

The Italian Market Festival is a gathering of the entire community to celebrate with music, food, shopping and crafts. We were able to be an Italian for a day with food from Chef Peter McAndrews of Paesanos and pastries from Isgro Pasticceria.

This is also a spot for brands to show off some of their newest and best products to the thousands of people walking by. Mohawk Flooring, #LicensetoSpill tour was in attendance to share their newest technology, SmartStrand® carpet flooring. Chip Wade from HGTV’s Elbow Room was on hand to show off the beauty of design of the carpet.

SmartStrand® has permanent stain and soil resistance without the addition of treatments or aftermarket barriers. We watched as children were allowed to spray a carpet remnant with soy sauce and fruit drinks and the stains were removed with water. Plain, room temperature water brought back a tan carpet back to it’s original color.

In our own homes a spray bottle isn’t going to get our entire home clean. A carpet cleaner with warm water and mild soap (like dish soap) is all that’s needed to get out surface dirt, spills and soil.

Not only is it easy to clean and maintain but it’s eco friendly, Dupont Sorona. SmartStrand® is produced using renewable sources, reducing our dependence on energy for production and manufacturing. This makes choosing SmartStrand® flooring a great choice all around.

Mohawk is the world’s largest flooring manufacturer, selling its beautiful flooring products through retail partners. Enter to win your own 6′ x 9′ SmartStrand® Silk bound carpet rug from Mohawk Flooring. We are already Mohawk users for our living room area rug. It’s withstanding the abuse and traffic from a family of 5 and 2 dogs quite well but I’d love to see SmartStrand® in action on the rest of our home.

Our #VisitLancaster Stay at Bird-in-Hand Family Inn

May 16, 2013 by Melissa

Amish Country, Lancaster County is a pretty popular tourist destination here in the US. In fact it looks like 10 million people knew better than me because I had never been to Lancaster, PA before. Even sadder to learn is that it is only an hour from me.

Luckily we were invited to visit Lancaster a couple weekends ago. I used it a chance for a girls weekend, just me, Shae and Sabreena.

The day started early but it quickly turned very enjoyable. The ride into the different world was an experience all on its own. The scenery, farms, rolling hills, cows, cows and more cows, the buggys and the quaint homes and shops were hard to miss.

The Bird-in-Hand Family Inn was situated right on the main road but was tucked away enough to be peaceful and relaxing. We were greeted with smiles and treats for the animals in the petting zoo.

I didn’t do much research on the hotel before arriving so when I found out they had an outdoor fire pit, pond with gazebo, miniature golf, basketball courts, large playground and a complimentary 2-hour Amish Farmland tour I was shocked.

Settling into our room was easy. It was spacious and clean and best of all had plenty of towels. We relaxed a little before heading out to the petting zoo and playground. The other parents and I chatted while the kids burned off energy before dinner. The playground nicer than most I’ve seen in communities at home and was large enough to accommodate lots of kids but it lacked a smaller structure to keep the toddlers safe from the older kids.

Dinner at the Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant was decent buffet food. I discovered corn nuggets, YUM. The girls didn’t agree but whatever. The service was lack-luster to say the least. Servers were hard to find, cashiers were heavy on eye rolling at patrons and quick to judge mediocre tips in front of others. For such a large restaurant I thought there would’ve been more variety, Sabreena ended up ordering off the menu. She enjoyed her burger but was hoping for more than just the burger. It was a warm day and our water glasses stayed empty for a long time. In fact Sabreena spilled her ice and instead of someone coming to help clean up she was handed a stack of napkins and cold shoulder. I wish the smorgasbord had the same level of welcome and acceptance that the hotel did. These were two very different experiences at the same establishment.

The swimming pool was amazingly gorgeous. The boast of an “indoor pool” is usually a construction of a second thought cinderblock room with a pool not big enough to hold 2 families comfortably. These indoor pools, yes POOLS, we’re definitely spa worthy. There was ample room for lounging, jumping, splashing and flipping.

photo courtesy of Bird-in-Hand Family Inn

I think we may have had either too much food, swimming, sun or a combination of everything because around bedtime Shae got sick. She threw up the Jell-O she was so excited to eat at after dinner. Unfortunately she didn’t make it to the bathroom in time. We called the front desk and they immediately came up to help with the clean up. And my help I mean clean it up all by themselves. The gentleman was polite, incredibly quiet since it was after 10:30pm and gracious even though his task utterly sucked.

It took a long time to get to sleep because I was then panicked Shae would be sick again but by the time I relaxed and Shae crawled in bed with me we slept like babies. I found the beds to be comfortable and we even slept with the windows open. I would never do that in another hotel anywhere. It was a serene environment that just begged for sound sleep. I was wondering why I was hearing the clip-clop of horses around 2am though. Do the Amish work through the night?

There will be another visit to Lancaster, PA. I’m sad it’s taken me 38 years to visit but I’m hoping to get Rob and Shaun there in the next few month. I’m thinking Fall would be spectacular. If you followed along our trip on Instagram and Facebook you’ll see many more pictures from the weekend. Just look for #VisitLancaster for mine and the rest of the families experiences.

Thanks to Girl’s Lunch Out, Bird-In-Hand Family Inn and Lancaster Tourism for welcoming us “city folk” to your gorgeous worlds away from home.

A Weekend in Amish Country #VisitLancaster

May 3, 2013 by Melissa

Accommodations are being provided for the #VisitLancaster trip but all opinions are my own.

This weekend is a Girls Weekend but probably not the kind you are thinking. I’m headed to Amish Country to #VisitLancaster with Shae and Sabreena for a mini retreat with some of my favorite bloggers.

We’ve been invited for an overnight at Bird in Hand Family Inn and Restaurant. This family friendly resort is surrounded by Amish farmland and boasts 3 indoor/outdoor pools, a petting zoo, tennis courts and more.

Bird In Hand Family Inn, Lancaster County, PA

During our stay we’ll be taking a ride on the Strasburg Railroad and touring The Amish Village and Choo Choo Barn.

Strasburg Rail Road, Lancaster County, PA

The Amish Village, Lancaster County, PA

Choo Choo Barn Lancaster County, PA

This is expected to be a relaxing but fun family friendly weekend that will produce memories for a lifetime.

A Weekend in Ocean City, MD

May 1, 2013 by Melissa

Last week our family was in need of a little together time. Between work, school, sports and personal lives we’ve been a bit disconnected. Shaun had a lacrosse game in Berlin, MD (about 2 hours from us) so I thought the best idea was to get a hotel room for the night before at the beach. This brought us much closer to the game and gave us an excuse to stay unplugged for the day and night.

The Cayman Suites Hotel in Ocean City, MD was a pleasant surprise for the price. The suite was large enough for all of us with room to move. Just being 1 block from the beach was the best part.

Rare picture of me and Rob together.

Teeny Tiny SeaShell

I’ve never seen Beach Cactus

The kids played in the sand, looked for shells and got a bit too wet in the 50 degree weather.

When beach time was over we headed to the indoor pool then ordered takeout that was eaten in bed and started the next morning with donuts and another swim at the hotel pool. I’m glad we took this time together, it was an awesome weekend.

Manayunk StrEAT Food Festival

April 12, 2013 by Melissa

Newark, Delaware isn’t known as a food town. If we want to try something new or eclectic we head to the Philadelphia area. Even the food trucks are better there.

This weekend we are headed to Manayunk StrEAT Food Festival where 30 local food trucks will be featured to kick of Restaurant Week.

On April 13^th, 2013, a variety of vendors will offer samples of delicious food on Main Street. Then, from April 14^th-26^th, Manayunk restaurants will host a Restaurant Week. Snag amazing deals on even more amazing meals at Manayunk’s finest eateries. Be sure to mark your calendars, because this event is not to be missed!

The trucks will be lined up along Main Street facing the sidewalk for easy pedestrian access. Visitors are encouraged to stroll the street, taste the offerings from their favorite trucks, and sit and enjoy the food at picnic-style seating areas around the district.

Find unique Food Truck offerings like:

Mac Mart Cart-mac and cheese, old school and new school styles

Farm Truck-feature local and seasonal produce

The Cow and the Curd-a midwest favorite comes to Philly

My goal is to get a taste of at least 1/2 the Food Trucks there.

If you’re local to Philadelphia and the Tri-State Area come by either for the StrEAT Food Festival or take part in the Restaurant Tour next week.

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