Renting Vacation Homes: Tips for Budget Family Travel Planners

A lot of families are harried, with work, stress, and over-scheduled children getting in the way of genuine familyRental Properties for Budget Family Vacations (homeaway.com) togetherness.  We often depend on family vacations to bring us together. Be it relaxing by a lake or actively exploring a new country, an annual family vacation is one of the best ways to build strong family ties. It’s a shame that economic worries are relegating annual family trips to the backburner: Those valued experiences should never be disregarded in their importance. With budget being a concern, vacation rental properties provide a money-saving alternative. I spoke with Justin Halloran, VP of Global Initiatives for HomeAway, about tips regarding rental vacation houses for families on a budget.

Many families are reducing or even eliminating their travel budgets this year.  What are the benefits of vacation rental properties for families?

With vacation rentals, the space is key for families:  Kids can run freely. Parents can enjoy their own room and don’t have to split the kids between two double beds and if you’re traveling with older kids you are saved the expense of booking multiple hotel rooms.   I personally find having a kitchen the best feature in vacation rentals.  Kitchens allow you to save a lot of money by avoiding the outrageous costs of mini bars, room service and eating out for every meal. Staying in for breakfast and letting the kids stay in their pajamas is just so much easier and more fun.  Plus, when you recall your favorite family vacations you never picture your family crammed into a hotel room.  But if you stay in a vacation rental, I bet you will have lasting memories of your family sitting around the table during a meal, talking, laughing and feeling a true sense of relaxation and contentment.

HomeAway offers these cost-cutting tips for that family vacation:

* Stay closer to home- drive instead of fly
* Stay in a vacation rental instead of a hotel
* Travel with extended family or another family to split costs and double the fun
* Save money and your sanity by preparing meals in your vacation rental instead of always going to a restaurant
* Check HomeAway.com for Special Offers and VacationRentals.com for deals and freebies

What are some of the most popular places for HomeAway vacation homes for families?

rent a vacation property in Hawaii (homeaway.com)Vacation rentals are always a better option in accommodations for traveling families because they get come with more privacy, amenities and multiple bedrooms. However, some of the most-popular destinations for family travel include: Destin and Orlando, FL (Disney is always tops for families), Hilton Head SC, Cape Cod MA, San Diego CA and Outer Banks, NC.  Here’s a list of vacation rentals that show the perks and variety of family-friendly vacation rentals on HomAway.

What are some tips or suggestions you’d give to first-time vacation home renters?

Here are a few helpful tips for first-time renters, but for a full breakdown of how to rent a vacation rental check out our how-to list.

* Book with a reputable site with a substantial inventory.  Using sites like HomeAway.com, VRBO.com or VacationRentals.com, travelers can easily find and compare thousands of properties from around the globe.  The more choices that are available, the more likely you’ll be able to find a property that has availability and meets your needs and budget.
* Talk to the homeowner—Once you find a home that you think may work, contact the property owner or manager directly to ask questions about the rental and the area to make sure its suitable for your group.  Having a conversation with the owner may enable you to negotiate a price that’s more within your budget, find out great local spots to check out while visiting, or if it turns out they’re booked, they may be able to refer you to another property nearby.
* Read reviews—Sites like HomeAway.com feature reviews from previous guests, which can come in handy for getting a first-hand account of the property
* Register your trip—All of the properties listed on the HomeAway sites are protected by the HomeAway Rental Guarantee.  Travelers who register for the free-guarantee are covered up to $5,000 in the event that the vacation rental book is determined to be not-legitimate.
* Get it in writing—Make sure you have a rental agreement that clearly states the homeowner’s rules and policies regarding check-in/out times, cancellations, etc.
* If possible, pay by credit card.

These are some valuable tips, Justin. Thank you for describing the advantages of renting vacation houses for family travel planners on a budget.

family vacations with rental homes (homeaway.com)

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July 3, 2009 | Filed Under Budget Travel, Family Travel | 6 Comments 

Win a Spa Getaway Vacation in Napa Valley, CA

Quick - who here loves California’s wine country, spa treatments, and long weekend getaways? Really? Me too! Imagine that. I’m excited because one of my favorite resources for luxury family vacations, Ciao Bambino, is running a giveaway that seems tailor-made for me: A 3-night stay for a family of 4 in Napa Valley’s Solage Calistoga, plus a (get this) MUDSLIDE spa treatment for two. No wonder I’m excited.

Win a Spa Getaway (ciaobambino.com)

Honestly, part of me considered keeping quiet about this - giving myself a better chance to win - but then, that wouldn’t be fair. Solage Calistoga, after all, is a beautiful resort that is really child-friendly, somewhat of a rarity in upscale Napa Valley. Wine tastings and romantic getaways are more typical of Napa Valley vacations.

Just fill in this form to enter, and good luck. I entered too. The contest run ends July 17, 2009.

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July 1, 2009 | Filed Under Destinations, Family Travel, Luxury Travel, Travel News | 3 Comments 

Twilight Tour Video - Family Vacation in Olympic National Park

Parents and children flock happily to the US National Parks every summer for family vacations. But what about that cranky, out-of-sorts teenager? Adolescents can be real downers during a family vacation, what with texting, eye rolls, and “I just wanna be with my friends.” That’s why families with teens should strongly consider Olympic National Park. This is where the Twilight book and movie series takes place, after all - Forks is right in the National Park. In fact, several Twilight locations are specifically designated as such now, such as Edward Cullen’s and Bella Snow’s houses.

Dazzled by Twilight is a store and tour bus operated by Annette Root, and she’s as passionate a Twilight fan as they come (Team Edward, I believe, but I’m not sure). She hired a fantastic Twilight guide, Travis, to show my group around. Yes, the group was all women - coincidence? I think not. Twilight fans skew strongly female. Check out the video below: Since the Dazzled by Twilight Tour is sure to be every teenager’s highlight of an Olympic National Park family vacation, I don’t give too much away.

Twilight may be why your surly teenager suddenly wants to visit Edward Cullen from Twilight in Forks, WAOlympic National Park, but Forks is not only the setting for the incredibly popular vampire romance series. A true story, passed down orally throughout the years, was retold by my group’s travel guide in the Forks Timber Museum - yes, a dose of reality for the family may just cure that sense of being overpowered by vampire lore. For someone like me, that’s just what the doctor ordered.

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June 25, 2009 | Filed Under Budget Travel, Destinations, Family Travel, Videos | 10 Comments 

Q&A with Megan Calhoun, TwitterMoms Founder

Traveling Mamas interviews the Head TwitterMomI’d like you to meet Megan Calhoun, the brains behind TwitterMoms.com. In case you don’t twitter (or are not part of the demographic) Megan started this website as a convenient, easy to use way for moms who use Twitter to find and keep connections with their cohorts. It’s quite a site: In less than a year, TwitterMoms has been recognized as a force in the online community, with a distinct, lively personality and active forum. So impressive! A mama with great ideas is a mama we want to get to know better.

Tell us a little about TwitterMoms; what inspired you to create it, and what would you like to see happen with it in the future?

As a stay at home mom, you sometimes don’t get enough adult interaction during the day. Twitter was great for connecting with friends, and I noticed a lot of interesting moms on it – but no easy way to learn more about them, or make decisions about who would be really interesting to connect with on Twitter.

My husband joked about starting a site to fill that niche. On Sept. 2, 2008 I had roughed out the concept on Ning (a free “build your own social network” web hosting company). I added the URL to my Twitter profile and the next morning we had four members. A month later, membership rushed past 2,200 active members, and now stands around 16,000. It’s been quite a rush!

For the future of TwitterMoms, I would like to continue to offer the moms high-quality opportunities and resources from the media, marketers or other moms. I want to give my members value that could possibly help them in either their professional or family life.

We believe that any mama can be a Traveling Mama. Where are some places you’ve vacationed with your children?

rockiesWell, I love to travel – it’s one of my passions that I would like to pass down to my kids. But since they are so young right now I’ve really only taken them to places to visit family like Colorado to go skiing with their cousins, Florida and Indiana to visit the grandparents. However, I plan to travel internationally with them when they are older.

Since becoming a mother, have you had to travel without your family?

Funny you should ask I’m leaving for a business trip to New York without my kids in a couple of days. It’s the longest time I have ever been away from them. On one hand, I’m very excited about having a break, but on the other, I will miss them so much.

Where is the one place you’d most like to vacation with your children?

Italy. Because I want to give my children the opportunity to learn about another culture and experience a different world outside of their bubble. And, I love the food, language and people. My dream vacation would be to rent a villa in Tuscany for many weeks and take trips to Florence, Venice and Rome. Wow! I would love that.

Thank you, Megan! And for the uninitiated, you can find Megan at Twittermoms, or on Twitter as, well…her Twitter name should be no surprise. Thanks for letting us get to know you better, Megan!

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June 18, 2009 | Filed Under Mama Interviews, The Cookie Jar | 2 Comments 

Children and Flying - Unaccompanied Minors

By now most of us with an interest in air travel have heard the news about that 10-yr-old unaccompanied minor who was put on the wrong plane at Logan Airport. This was due to errors and miscommunication of Continental Airlines staff at the gate, and you don’t have to be a parent to imagine the heart-stopping fear that the child’s parents must have felt before she turned up in Newark.  After the sympathetic anxiety resides, though, parents should consider that this sort of complete mess-up is incredibly rare. After all, unaccompanied minors fly every day. How do we decide when our children are ready to fly without us?

Children Can Fly Solo on Airplanes (swiss_a320 via Flickr)

Kids have varying degrees of independence, needless to say. One 10-yr old could happily skip aboard a plane, while another may cower and cling.  The major guideline is simple: No child under 5 years old can fly as an unaccompanied minor. Airlines wisely have age restrictions with types of flights allowed broken down by age group. For example, United Airlines clearly states that 5- to 7-year-olds (the youngest age group allowed to be unaccompanied minors) may only fly on nonstop flights. Southwest doesn’t delineate age groups in such detail as United, but has a policy for children age 5-11, with kids 12 and up having aged into their Youth Fare. Most airlines have additional fees for unaccompanied minors.

Now, I can’t imagine having a 5-yr-old child of mine fly unaccompanied, but that may speak more to the relative dependence - and whine factor - of my kids when they were that age. Other young children may be capable of much more! …And other parents too; a big element of “being ready” to fly as unaccompanied minors has to do with parent readiness. My 10-yr-old may feel ready to fly solo, but me? Not so much. As a matter of fact, I’m hoping that someday in the distant future, her husband will agree with me that living in her childhood bedroom as a married couple is a TOTALLY awesome idea.

In the meantime, Continental Airlines made a huge mistake, no doubt about it. It’ll be interesting to see the fallout, if any. After all, the policies regarding unaccompanied minors are already pretty straightforward. We can’t ever eliminate the chance of human error, either…so, what do you think? Are people going to change the way they let their children travel?

(Bob Richards, via Flickr)

UPDATE - Maybe it’s just Continental Airlines: The Associated Press is reporting that the same day that the 10-yr-old girl got on the wrong flight, another unaccompanied minor was also misdirected by staff at Continental. In this case, an 8-yr-old girl intending to fly to Charlotte, NC, ended up in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The AP quotes her mother as saying, “I’ve never seen so much incompetence in all my life.”

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June 17, 2009 | Filed Under Family Travel, Flying High, Travel News | 6 Comments 

What’s Open on Christmas Day in NYC?

Your Questions Answered: A little while ago, one of our readers wrote to ask about Christmas in New York City. Specifically, she wanted to know what would be open on Christmas Day in NYC: It would be her last day in the city, as she has a nighttime flight home and some time to spend strolling around by herself. Well, the Mudslide family spent a lot of Christmases in New York City, so I’m happy to help her figure out how to fill the last day of her vacation with NYC activities!

Radio City Christmas Spectacular in NYC (radiocitychristmas.com)

  • Sure, not EVERYTHING’S open in NYC on Christmas Day, but you’d be surprised at what IS. Since you’re not leaving until nighttime, you have all day to wander the chilly streets and take in the sights. Radio City Christmas Spectacular has shows at 1PM, 4PM and 7PM - plan ahead, buy a ticket, and watch one of the most famous Christmas time shows in the world. Who hasn’t heard of the Rockettes?
  • If you’ve already seen the Radio City Christmas Spectacular Show, or if you’re just not that interested in it, there are several Broadway theaters that aren’t dark (i.e. closed) on Christmas Day. This changes year to year, of course, so check playbill.com to see what your options are.
  • Why not see NYC on Christmas Day from up high? The Empire States Building is open until early Empire State Bldg. is open on Christmas Day (wikipedia.com)afternoon (last year it opened from 10AM-2PM) and Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center is open all day.
  • Also at Rockefeller Center, the ice skating rink is open all day, straight through to midnight on Christmas Day. Other ice skating rinks that are open on Christmas Day include the Wollman Rink in Central Park and the Pond - well, it’s presumably a frozen pond by late December - in Bryant Park. Both remain open through the late evening.
  • Now, tons of restaurants stay open during Christmas Day in NYC. If you want to splurge, consider making a reservation at the Rainbow Room. Yes, this is in Rockefeller Center, like the Rink and the Top of the Rock - this restaurant is pretty fancy, though, and men need to wear jackets. If you’re wearing what you want to fly home in (meaning comfortable clothes), then The Rainbow Room Grand Holiday Buffet may not be the smart choice for you. Chinatown restaurants are by and large open. A great resource for dining is Open Table. It has updated lists of the restaurants in NYC that are open on Christmas Day.
  • And, you know, it IS Christmas Day. If you so choose, there are religious services (and special concerts) in churches all over New York City. St. Patrick’s Cathedral Christmas Day Mass is celebrated nearly every hour on the hour until 1PM. and St. John the Divine hosts annual Christmas Day concerts - usually one mid-afternoon and one at night. The Trinity Wall Street has a late morning Holy Eucharist on Christmas Day too, although St. Paul’s Chapel itself is closed on Christmas Day.

He Knows What To Do in NYC on Christmas Day! (TapRootDancer via flickr.com)B. wrote back and said, in part, “…Going to NYC at Christmas time  has been a dream for years and I’m going alone as no one else thinks it’s such a wonderful idea!! (I think it’s just because it’s so cold). But I love Xmas lights and all the excitement. I’m all ready to go shopping and see the sights…Thanks again for all your information.” You’re welcome, B. The Traveling Mamas hope you have a wonderful Christmas in New York.

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June 8, 2009 | Filed Under Destinations, Family Travel, Luxury Travel | 4 Comments 

Budget Summer Vacation in Sedona, AZ

Budget Summer Vacation in Sedona AZSedona is one of my favorite US vacation destinations, no doubt. Whether it’s a family trip or a romantic getaway, the glorious scenery and outdoor adventure opportunities make it one of my top recommendations for travel. So when the owner of the Innovative Analysis Group asked that I talk with him for his well-regarded aviation and travel industry’s podcast, I immediately requested that the podcast’s travel destination focus on Sedona, Arizona. Addison Schondland agreed, suggesting that the theme be summer budget travel to Sedona. After all, it’s HOT in Sedona in the summer; all the more important to get great value from a summer trip there. Smart man; these days, everyone’s looking for ways to get the most out of their vacation budget.

Talking with Addison was a lot of fun; the podcast (click here) regarding Sedona summer vacation activities came out well as a result. It may sound counterintuitive to plan a summer trip to Arizona, but my kids loved it last August, and I wouldn’t change a thing.

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June 5, 2009 | Filed Under Adventure Travel, Budget Travel, Destinations, Family Travel, Travel News | 1 Comment 

Q&A with Nia Vardalos, My Life in Ruins Movie Star

Nia Vardalos, My Life in Ruins (foxsearchlight.com)Show of hands: Who here has seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding? Whoa! Maybe I should ask, who here has seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding over 5 times? …That’s still a lot of hands. Well, the Traveling Mamas are extremely proud to have Nia Vardalos with us for this Mama Interview. Nia Vardalos is, of course, the creator/writer/star of Greek Wedding, and June 5, 2009, sees her starring in another fun comedy, My Life in Ruins. This movie takes place in Greece (get it? Ruins?). I loved the gorgeous background scenery for Mamma Mia; My Life in Ruins promises to be a movie with settings that makes the travel lover in all of us want to pack our bags, too.

Nia Vardalos is also a strong supporter of the Alliance for Children’s Rights - the Traveling Mamas’ featured nonprofit this month. What with starring in movies, raising her daughter, and supporting this worthy organization, she is one busy mama. She still finds time to be HILARIOUS though.

Your movie, My Life in Ruins, takes place in Greece. Where were some of the locations? Had you been to those specific places before?

All the locations are within the Mystical Triangle: Acropolis, Olympia, and Delphi which were built 121 kilometers Movie in Greece (foxsearchlight.com)from each other…2500 years ago! I had visited all these sites (bored) as a kid. Now I see the healing powers of traveling the triangle. You’ll come out refreshed. Your skin will be clear. And you will fall in love!
How did you come to be such a strong supporter of the Alliance for Children’s Rights?

I didn’t know, before my husband and I adopted our daughter, that we didn’t have orphanages in the U.S. But we do have 500,000 kids in foster care. Of these kids, 129,000 are legally free for adoption and waiting for a family. We had waited on many waiting lists for an infant and when these routes kept falling through, turned to FosAdopt. Nine months later our daughter, at the time 3 years old, walked into our house, and turned it into a home. Now I feel compelled to tell anyone and everyone: American FosAdopt does not discriminate against age, single parents, sexual orientation, income level.

Where is your favorite travel destination?

Clearly I love Greece, and not just because the men look like my costar Alexi G, and the landscape looks like Nia Vardalos, Alexis Georgoulis; My Life in Ruins (foxsearchlight.com)the posters, but because there is a laid-back wisdom and joy in that country. Also, I loved being in Japan because I couldn’t speak the language or even read the street signs. It was a joy to just get lost and figure out what to eat every day (oh boy, I can only imagine what I thought was a gum ball, may have been an eye. Anyway, I loved it there!)

Any mama can be a Traveling Mama. Have you taken any trips with your daughter yet?

Yes, and I always thought I would be an organized drill sergeant. I am surprised how laid back I’ve become. So, we forgot the crayons, big deal…I hand her a lipstick and let her draw on my pants.

Lipstick on pants? Been there. Believe me, the Traveling Mamas are going to be first in line to see My Life in Ruins. And who knows - a group trip to Greece may be next! …we can dream, anyway. Thank you, Nia!

A Travel Guide in Greece (foxsearchlight.com)

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June 3, 2009 | Filed Under Destinations, Girlfriend Getaways, Luxury Travel, Mama Interviews, Travel News | 10 Comments 

What To Do Outdoors in Sedona, Arizona

Mention you’re planning a trip to Sedona, and you may get some quizzical looks. Really? People wonder. So you’re into that whole vortex-New Age-crystals philosophy? Well, no, but that’s a big part of the subculture in this part of Arizona.  Sedona means many things to many people, and while I tried to feel some sort of otherworldly sensation at the Vortex, all I got was a view. But…what a view it is. Sedona is one of my favorite places to vacation in the United States, and the prevalent New Age culture has very little to do with it. There are many things to see and do in Sedona, almost all of which involve getting outdoors and appreciating one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

Pink Jeep for Off Road Travel Adventure

What to Do Outdoors in Sedona Arizona

Jeep Tours: My family visited Sedona last summer, and since we had our kids with us, this vacation involved more placid activities; the Red Rock Jeep tour took us off the road, but it wasn’t quite an off-roading experience. This past trip was just my partner and I; the Pink Jeep tour was everything an off-roading adventure should be (heart-pounding bumps, access to off-the-beaten-path cliffs and mesas) with a guide who nonetheless knew the local flora and fauna like the back of his hand. This Broken Trail jeep tour was a real highlight of our trip. I recommend both: Red Rock Jeeps for families with young children, Pink Jeeps for teens and adults. There is also A Day in the West jeep tour, but I haven’t personally experienced that one…yet. Earth Wisdom jeep tours offers a New Age experience, going to the famous vortex as well as some sacred sites.

Hikes: Oh boy, the hikes. Hiking in the morning to see the sun rise over the red rocks of Sedona must be an exhilarating feeling, but I slept right through that. The sunset hikes are just as magnificent - I hope, since that’s what I (with my sleeping-in-is-a-vacation-priority self) did. Now, there are over 100 hiking trails in Sedona, so my list of recommendations is by no means complete.

  • Quick, easy, low grade hikes in Sedona include the Vultee Arch wilderness area (elevation gain 400 Cathedral Rock in Sedona AZft), Deadman’s Pass (don’t let the name scare you off) is appropriate for horseback rides with its wide trail (elevation gain 300 ft), Fay Canyon running along Bear Mountain, with views of a rock arch and Indian ruins (elevaton gain 95 ft), the easy Brins Mesa Loop (there’s a hard one, too) which takes hikers through arches and affords a view of Uptown Sedona, and Dry Creek Trail, the longest of the easy hikes at just over 5 miles both ways (elevation gain 450 ft).
  • For those of us who hike regularly and don’t mind some challenges, moderate trails in Sedona include the Secret Canyon, which follows a stream bed along the base of those amazing red mesas and buttes (elevaton gain 660 ft), Lost Canyon at the “Brins Mesa #119″ trailhead marker which takes hikers through small canyons and Indian ruins; follow the marked trail carefully as there are some steep drop-offs here. Other moderate hiking trails in Sedona are Long Canyon, which brings hikers up close to some of the most intricate natural rock formations around (elevation gain 580 ft), Boynton Canyon, off the property of Enchantment luxury resort, through a box canyon with multiple paths and trails to explore and a supposed vortex (elevation gain 400 ft), and Doe Mountain, which at less than 2 miles is a fairly easy part of Boynton Canyon that leads to the top of a mesa with 360-degree views (elevation gain 400 ft).
  • For experienced hikers looking for even more of a challenging hike, the Cathedral Rock Trail off rte 179 has the best views of any on the list; a 360-degree perspective of all of Red Rock County, through to Verde Valley and all the way to Jerome (30 miles away). The strenuous Brin’s Mesa Trail begins in a manzanita forest but gets challenging along the way - this trail begins at the end of Jordan Road.

View of Sedona

View of Sedona

Aerial Views: There are helicopter rides and a hot air balloon tour through the red cliffs of Sedona. I haven’t done either, but I’ll be honest with you: If a helicopter had come chopping through the air during one of my hikes, it would have seriously interrupted my groove. While I can’t speak from experience, I imagine that Red Rock Balloon Adventures offers a much more peaceful aerial tour of the county. That company also doesn’t disturb the peace and quiet of the natural surroundings.

Shopping: There are a lot of shops in Uptown Sedona, along Highway 87A. These range from the tackiest of tourist traps to some pretty awesome art galleries featuring local artists. But a shopping vacation in Sedona really isn’t complete without a stop in Tlaquepaque. The stores here are ultra-high end, yes, and the few restaurants are pricier than a fast food joint. But the enclosed area of Tlaquepaque is modeled after an authentic Mexican village, with lovely architecture and cobblestone streets (cars pack outside). Be sure to check out El Prado Gallery here; it’s probably my favorite art shop in Tlaquepaque. I also like Geoffrey Roth’s gallery and, on the less expensive end, Esteban’s.

Just Outside Sedona: I recommend taking a morning trip to a couple of historic sites of the Sinagua Indians. Tuzigoot National Monument is an ancient pueblo that travelers can really explore, although of course with respect. Montezuma Castle National Monument is an elevated cliff dwelling (and park), hence cannot be experienced in quite the same hands-on way, but my family loved it. There is also the nearby Montezuma Well, which is a visible underground well the Sinagua built for farming purposes.

These are just a few of my favorite things to do outdoors in Sedona, Arizona. There are bound to be countless others; feel free to mention your favorites in the comments below!

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May 29, 2009 | Filed Under Adventure Travel, Destinations, Eco Travel, Family Travel, Luxury Travel | 21 Comments 

Winning Wednesday - LUSH Contest Giveaway Prize Winner

Wow! We had a near-record entries for our Lush contest giveaway: 375 comments is a lot for this humble travel site. What can I say? People love their fresh, organic luxury bath products.  Giving away a LUSH gift box full of The Art of Bathing bath bombs and bubble bars sure taught us that. There’s not much that relaxes me as much as a wonderfully scented Lush bath - I’m so happy that our (random) prize winner is also, clearly, a big fan of Lush products! Just take a look at what Emily had to say:

Lush Bubble Bar

Lush Bubble Bar

“I work a pretty customer service oriented job and am definitely a people pleaser so it is really hard for me to let go of my day or not take my job home with me. I am a HUGE fan of LUSH products and they always come into play when I am trying to unwind. My favorite thing to do to get away from it all is to give myself a facial and make myself a really really good sandwich. Often my boyfriend participates in both (since the day I noted his flaky tzone and did the LUSH Love Lettuce mask on him - he was very impressed with the results) and I start with Ultrabland, then steam my face over a bowl of hot water with a C toner tab to get everything out of my pores. Then I do the Cupcake mask which smells just like chocolate frosting and wipe it off with the toner water and moisturize with Imperialis. Then we watch a bad bad wedding movie or old episodes of The Cosby Show and he tells me I won’t always be able to please everyone and we have a cup of tea. It’s my favorite thing. This is an awesome giveaway. Thanks for letting me enter!”

Congratulations, Emily. I’m thrilled to see that this prize is going to someone who will definitely appreciate it. Contact me through this site, and the Art of Bathing gift box will be mailed to the address of your choosing. Happy bathing!

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May 27, 2009 | Filed Under The Cookie Jar, Travel News | 3 Comments 

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