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  We're Traveling Mamas sharing our adventures with the world. We offer tips on great (and not so great) places to visit with children and how to have the best family vacations -- but it's not all about the kids, of course! Romantic escapes, girlfriend getaways, and solo trips are also important to us. Plus, we cover industry news and review travel gear, and we love to give things away!

  
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Hawaii Travel Gives Los Angeles a Taste of Aloha

Guess who came to town last week? Some of my favorite people in the travel and tourism industry, the Hawaii CVB. These are some of the friendliest, most down-to-earth folk you’ll find (wonder how they’ll survive in Los Angeles…), and they’re here to promote travel to the islands of Hawaii. There were a few local journos I’ve met before at this media event, as well as Jessica from the Big Island, and John, Nathan, Darlene and Michael from Oahu.

During the reception, we listened to Joan Namkoong discuss local cuisine and its many international influences – including Russian sturgeon, which surprised me. That explained the caviar that showed up later, at dinner. George Kahumoku, a Grammy-award winner, entertained us with music and hilarious tales if his life on Maui – including the time he flooded the top floors of the Westin Maui in Ka’anipali.

Most surprising guests of all? All four mayors of Hawaii! These four – mayors of Kauai, Oahu, Big Island, and Maui/Lanai/Molokai, were a blast. I sat with the mayor of Kauai, who led a couple tables in a rousing rendition of “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction.” Clearly, these are NOT shy politicians.

The purpose of this, and similar upcoming events in Portland and Seattle, is naturally to promote Hawaii tourism. Vacations usually get cut from personal budgets during recessions, and the ripple effect is obvious; travel dollars boost the Hawaiian economy and employ thousands of people. But a Hawaiian vacation does more than that. I got just a glimpse of the positive spirit of aloha during this dinner, but it brought back memories of the culture of camaraderie prevalent on the islands. Family vacations and romantic getaways to Hawaii may have different intentions, but they are similar in that the unpretentious, casual and friendly pull of the islands. Be it Maui, Big Island, Kauai or even quiet Lanai, a vacation in Hawaii creates happy memories to last a lifetime. Even in a worrisome economy, it’s an experience worth every penny.

Interview with iCarly Actor Jennette McCurdy

The Nickelodeon Family Cruise out of Los Angeles, on Royal Caribbean to ports in Mexico, is great and highly recommended for family vacation. There were plenty of child friendly activities every day, ranging from Dora the Explorer sing-alongs for young children, to the Club Nick Late Night Deck Party for teens.  Meeting the stars of Nickelodeon was absolutely one of the best highlights for my own kids, though: My younger daughter got to interview Nathan Kress, and later, when he sat down next to her and started up a conversation, that excited little girl could barely contain herself.  Now, Jennette McCurdy is another fantastic, well-grounded young actress on iCarly. We were able to grab her for a quick interview, and she answered my older kid’s questions very sweetly. Here’s the video:

Isn’t Jennette McCurdy a terrific young person? She generously talked about about the cruise, acting on iCarly, and favorite travel spots. She, Nathan Kress, and True Jackson VP’s Keke Palmer were all just wonderful  (and dealt with hundreds of adoring fans) for the entire Nickelodeon Family Cruise.  My children still talk about this vacation, and I’m sure they’ll keep the cruise memories alive for the rest of their lives. Thanks for the interview, Jennette!

LUSH Contest Giveaway – Natural Antibiotic Travel Soap

The Traveling Mamas love vacations, of course, and the joy of discovering new places in the world is only beat by sharing those discoveries with our kids (and readers). What we don’t love? Getting sick while on vacation. When a child gets sick on a trip, it’s no fun for anyone. But it’s hard to avoid all those nasty germs in new places (not to mention planes, trains, and cabs). I’ve been hesitant to use Purell too liberally with my children – some vague fear of those antibiotic-resistant superbugs is involved here, along with that stinky, stinging smell.  This Lush soap contest giveaway offers a nicer way to help keep us healthy on the road.

LUSH brand fresh, handmade soaps are fantastic. A new soap, 13 Soap Unlucky for Dirt, takes the natural route to fighting off bacteria with the inclusion of oregano oil. Oregano oil is a natural antibiotic, and it’s a strong antifungal, antiviral oil as well.  This is no myth:  In fact, nurses have started using oregano oil to help prevent catching the antibiotic-resistant superbug staphylococus aureus (MRSA). Further, the Journal of Applied Microbiology reported (2000) that oregano oil fights off 25 different bacteria in lab tests.  LUSH created 13 Soap Unlucky for Dirt to provide a natural alternative to other antibiotic soaps – and it smells better, too. Along with the oregano oil, there’s honey and rose petals for a floral scent (rather than, er, a pizza scent).

We’re giving away 13 bars of 13 soap to one LUCKY winner. Yes, in this case, 13 will be someone’s lucky number! That’s enough soap to keep yourself clean for many, many travel adventures. Just leave a comment below describing the most disgustingly germy place you’ve been (no need to get gross in your description if you don’t wanna). In other words, let’s hear about a place where having a bar of 13 Soap Unlucky for Dirt would have really been useful. Enter until 11:59 p.m. (EST) Tuesday, September 8, 2009. We’ll choose a comment number at random, and annouce a winner Wednesday, September 9. (One entry per person; US mailing addresses only.) Have fun with this, and remember to wash your hands afterwards.

The Astor’s Mansion in Newport, Rhode Island

Astor’s Beechwood Mansion is just one of a long stretch of jaw-dropping, meticulously maintained mansions along the Cliff Walk in Newport, Rhode Island. The Rhode Island Convention & Visitors Bureau invited me and my family to come to Newport and look at these mansions – and the Astor’s Beechwood was specifically mentioned as more accessible for children.  The phrase “more accessible” means “less boring,” in this case, as goggling at fancy furniture probably doesn’t rank highly on many kids’ vacation priorities. The Beechwood Theatre Company work here: Several actors in era-appropriate costumes act as actual Astors and their staff (footmen, maids) to give kids an idea of what life was like in the Gilded Age.

I have many more photographs from the Astor’s Beechwood Mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. They’re on my digital camera, though, and I forgot to pack the USB port that lets me upload photos (these ones were taken with my Blackberry). A more detailed post about the actors that made an educational tour fun for kids will have to wait for my eventual return home. In the meantime, enjoy the glimpse of life at the upper-crust of a more sophisticated era!

Win a Free Hawaii Vacation with Marriott Resorts Hawaii

The Traveling Mamas love Hawaii, that’s no secret. From the Big island to Kauai, the best tropical island family vacations in the world are here. One of the best social media contests we’ve heard of (for travel lovers) will allow lucky, lucky winners to have amazing, all-expense paid vacations in Hawaii: Marriott Resorts Hawaii along with Hawaiian Airlines, Hertz, and the Hawaii CVB are running a viral campaign to raise awareness of the islands. A whopping 25 trips for two can be won in this contest giveaway! In fact, there are two different ways to enter and win this contest. Really, a chance to win a free vacation in Hawaii – that’s pretty awesome.

Details, details, you’ll be wanting the details. Easy! If you’re reading this, you’re already online.  If you’re on Twitter, it’s easy to enter this “Tweet Your Way to Hawaii” contest. To enter and try to win one of the 25 trips for two to Hawaii, go to MarriottHawaiiTweets and fill in your Twitter handle and/or Facebook name, plus email. Starting August 28, one winner will be randomly selected, with Kauai, Oahu, Maui and the Big Island in rotation.  Random drawings will continue every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday ending on October 21, 2009.  And guess what? Winners will be announced on Twitter (check @MarriottHawaii) and on Marriott Resorts Hawaii’s Facebook page. This IS a social media contest, after all. Winners will also be emailed the good news. What does each winner get in this amazing giveaway? You’ll love it:

• Roundtrip tickets for two on Hawaiian Airlines from any of its eight US West Coast gateway cities.
• Five-night stays at one of the Marriott resorts in Hawaii, such as the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa on the Big Island and the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa on Maui
• $100 daily resort dining credit
• Hertz rental car
• Access to Hawaii attractions and activities
• Trips must be completed by December 20, 2009

The second Hawaii vacation contest giveaway is a bit more involved. This “Tweetup for Twelve” has one winner, but he or she gets to invite eleven friends and/or family members to come, too. Imagine 12 friends on a free vacation in Hawaii! To enter this contest, create and submit a YouTube video to MarriottHawaiiTweets by December 20, 2009. The video should basically be a fan video showing why you love Hawaii (see the website for more details), and the winner will be chosen by public voting. The highest vote-getter will be announced in January, 2010. Here’s what you get if you win:

• Roundtrip tickets for 12 on Hawaiian Airlines from any of it’s eight US West Coast gateway cities.
• Seven-night stay at any two Marriott resorts in Hawaii
• Professional group photo – talk about memories!
• Luau dinner and show
• Commemorative Hawaii state quarter (this is the 50th anniversary of statehood)
• 25,000 Marriott Rewards Points for the winner

Now, these contests are not sponsored, approved or endorsed by YouTube, Twitter, or Facebook, but the Traveling Mamas sure approves of them. Anything that gets people to be able to experience the magic of a vacation in Hawaii is worth promoting, after all. Proof? My own Twitter profile page shows a photo I took of Wailea in Maui. It really is one of my most favorite places in the world for family travel.  Please follow @MarriottHawaii for updates.

Legally Blonde in Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles is a very popular vacation town year-round, but in summer it especially seems to be crawling with tourists from all over the world. For all those August family travelers to Southern California who are wondering what else to do besides go to the beach and Disneyland, here’s a pretty good tidbit. Legally Blonde The Musical is playing at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, from August 12 to September 6th. This end-of-summer limited run show is plenty of fun (remember the movie?) and adds a bit of culture to a Los Angeles family vacation. Hey, it’s the theater! Sounds cultural to me, anyway.

If you’re in Los Angeles now, and thinking about going, Broadway LA is offering $20 savings on selected seats until August 22. Are you here? Enjoy the rest of your Southern California summer vacation!

Actors on the Nickelodeon Cruise Make Children Happy

My children and I were so lucky to have been invited to go on the Nickelodeon Cruise.

This Royal Caribbean West Coast cruise set sail from Los Angeles, going to the Mexican Riviera with ports of call in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta. In between, as you can guess, there is non-stop Nickelodeon fun and activities for the kids. Since this was my first real cruise (we were also on a two-day “mini-cruise” in February), I can say that this was the Best Cruise Ever! (Yes, having no point of comparison makes this a rather flimsy claim, but all the children I spoke to on the cruise were having the time of their lives.) One of the biggest highlight of the Nick Cruise was the up-close interaction with several young actors on Nick television shows.

Children younger than mine were delighted to see Dora, Diego, and the Penguins (from Madagascar) walking around, and my kids loved getting to meet real-life actors from iCarly and True Jackson, VP. On the 2-day cruise my younger daughter got to “interview’ iCarly actor Nathan Kress, and she was delighted when he recognized her and sat next to her for a few minutes. He’s a great guy.

My older daughter got to interview his costar Jennette McCurdy on this cruise, and later, when Jennette remembered her name and spoke to her briefly, my daughter was (for once) rendered nearly speechless. And Keke Palmer, star of True Jackson, VP, was so friendly and delightful that even the shyest kids accepted her hugs with glee.

Yes, Spongebob Squarepants is all over the Nick Cruise – and there was a great “concert” starring the voice of Spongebob, Tom Kenny. Seriously, he rocked out with a band, in a way that the children and teens really appreciated. It was the most joyous sing-along of the Spongebob Squarepants theme song you can imagine. Loud, too. On the last night of the cruise, all the stars participated in a game of “Tic Tac Nick” (I think it should have been called Nick Tac Toe, but whatever) in one of the giant theaters, The Savoy. Lucky Tom Kenny got to go twice, once as himself and once as the voice of Spongebob. This was, like every other theatrical show – including the ice show – an audience participation game.

More on the cruise to come – I loved getting off the Mariner of the Seas and exploring a little of Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta with my children – but believe me; those teen actors on the Nickelodeon Cruise couldn’t have been nicer to the kids on the boat, or more professional with the adults. Nickelodeon does a great job with their cadre of young actors. What a wonderful family vacation.

BlogHer Conference: Parties, Panels, and Pals (and Starbucks)

This year’s BlogHer conference is right around the corner, and this Mama is sure looking forward to it.  I’ve never gone to a BlogHer conference before, but from all the online chatter, it’s clearly a Big Deal. There will be around 2,000 total people in attending, including 1,500 BlogHer conference ticket holders, and 500 other bloggers enjoying parties and the Chicago summer weather. I’ll get to see some fellow travel writers again such as Nancy D Brown and Pam Mandel, and meet “in real life” many others who I’ve known for a long time (over a year is huge in internet-time), like Kim Mance, Jamie Pearson and Kelby Carr.

I’ll be one of three bloggers running a Room of Your Own panel called “Your Blog is Great, Get People to Know About It.” That’ll be fun, of course. The whole conference is going to be terrific, I’m certain, as will be the parties and dinners sponsored by various companies… Also, I’m very excited to be able to share my new favorite ready-to-brew Starbucks coffee – great for travel and iffy hotels. Starbucks has generously provided over a thousand samples of its high-quality version of instant coffee, Starbucks VIA, for me to hand out.  Starbucks Via is On the Move Approved for easy of packing and use (just add hot water). Thank you, Starbucks, for offering it to me, to share with so many other people. And anyone reading this who is attending the BlogHer 209 conference, dont be shy! Come find me and get your sample of Starbucks VIA. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Unaccompanied Minors – Keep Children Safe on Planes

I used to fly with my younger brother to my grandparents’ home in Florida when I was a kid, and I have pretty powerful memories of being treated like royalty by the airline staff. We were unaccompanied minors, and the flights always went off without a hitch…except the time my brother got steak instead of a burger as his in-flight meal. Yes, he cried pitiably.  An unwanted meal pales in comparison to a few recent incidences involving unaccompanied minors, though. Continental Airlines has put children on the wrong planes, to the wrong destinations. Worse, a 13-yr old unaccompanied minor was actually molested by a pastor on a flight from Philadelphia to Oakland.  This absolutely sickens me, and the fact that the US Attorney’s office declined to bring charges against the alleged molester – despite that the girl’s testimony was deemed much more credible than his – is revolting.

As a parent of a elementary school-age children myself, I would do some planning prior to them flying as unaccompanied minors. Besides teaching daughters to be assertive if strangers are touching them (which is a good idea in general), this is what I recommend:

• Talk with your child, even if she’s flown solo before, to ensure that she understands the process from beginning to end.
• Get a prepaid calling card for your kid, just in case (unless said kid has her own cell phone).
• Print out an e-ticket the night before, and make certain that all the information on it is correct.
• Make sure that the airport personnel know that you are supposed to take your child right up to the gate, not just the security line.
• Introduce her, and yourself, to the flight crew if you can (this isn’t always feasible or convenient).
• While waiting to board, talk with your child about how she can request a seat change if she feels uncomfortable with her row mate. Flight attendants will always honor these requests.
• The airline staff will probably give your kid some sort of wearable identification that indicates she’s an unaccompanied minor – make sure it’s securely on, and remind your child not to tell any strangers personal information.
• In case the flight is delayed horribly, don’t leave the gate area until the plane has taken off.
• Last, make sure that whoever is meeting your kid (grandparent, etc) knows to call you as soon as your child has arrived.

Children have been flying alone for decades, of course, but it’s probably never the first choice for parents who would rather keep close eyes on their kids. These days, with divorced parents often living far from each other, it’s just not economically feasible for parents to fly with their children to drop them off at their exes’ homes. Visiting grandparents while parents must be at work also means older children flying as unaccompanied minors. These recommendations aren’t only a good idea for the security of your child, they should also go a long way towards easing your own understandable anxiety.

Starbucks VIA Coffee for Travel

Anyone who’s stayed in a lot of hotels – for business travel, vacations or both – knows that the quality of the hotel doesn’t necessarily correlate with the quality of the coffee served.  You know what I mean; some unassuming little B&B’s serve a fantastic cup of coffee, and some large well-reputed chain hotels serve dreck they call coffee, but really is what David Letterman once called “useless warm brown water.” I love that line! But I DON’T love terrible coffee: It really can mar an otherwise lovely travel experience to have nasty coffee in the morning. That’s why I’m so happy to have found Starbucks VIA, a ready-brew coffee packet that surprisingly comes close to the Starbucks quality coffee I brew at home (and buy, way too often, at Starbucks stores).

Made of the same 100% arabica beans – freshly ground and sealed, of course – as the full-bodies Italian Roast Starbucks blend, VIA is made in a snap. I’ve used it several times already; just pour the grounds in a coffee cup or mug, add hot water, and stir. That’s it! Add sugar and milk if preferred, naturally. Italian Roast is a bold blend, though. For coffee drinkers with milder flavor preferences, the medium blend Columbia brew is a viable option.

Starbucks VIA comes in 3 or 12 servings to a packet. These packs of three are passport-sized and very transportable; perfect for a weekend getaway or quick business travel at a hotel whose coffee is of an unknown quality. The 12-piece pack is a little wider. Because of its ease of travel and superior taste, Starbucks VIA ready brew coffee is Traveling Mamas On the Move Approved.

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