Vacation Paradise - Barcelona Day 3

Hola!

Barcelona Day 3 July 27, 2013

It's the end of Day 3 and I'm tired. I stayed up late last night working on both blog posts and went to sleep around 4am and was awake by 7am..then fell back to sleep. Breakfast at the hotel this morning very late (after we all woke up late).. Right before the buffet ended at 11am.

We went back to the room to change.. Only for me to fall asleep... Till 3pm..and it's not like they do siestas here..we finally got it together and took our scheduled bus hop on/off tour around the northern and western parts of Barcelona.

I'm so annoyed I can't get my pics up so ill be reporting again later with pics added.. In the meantime enjoy my narrative ..

The tour was fantastic! I took so many great pics that i'll load to my FB and IG pages for now ..hopefully I can get them in the blog soon. If you've never taken a double decker tour and sat up top - I suggest you do. It's a great way to see a city and hop on and off wherever you want. The cost was 24 euros ... There are several lines red , blue , orange and they all run through various parts of the city. I was never of fan of them at home and they seem so corny while you sit and everyone else in the street waives .. Or in the case of them passing in Brooklyn folks just ignore them. Lol But now I can appreciate the tour bus and its function.

Barcelona has both old and new cities and the architecture is simply amazing. I am in love with this city! We saw the Olympic Stadium, the Olympic village there is a World Trade Center here as well, the seafront, various villages such as Gracia, Sants-Montjuic,and the highlight for me was Segrada Familia . For those that don't know, I'm a history buff and this Basilica sits unfinished by Antoni Gaudi. It is the oldest it Spain. It's amazing to see that after a century the work is still being completed and donations are actually how the work progresses on this masterpiece!

We hopped on the red line and switched to blue and the churches, beaches, homes, were simply breathtaking. After ending our tour in Las Ramblas we decided to eat there and found a nice restaurant where I made friends with the local waiter.. Seems Roberto was smitten.. LOL

I finally had my gelato and it was pure heaven. The food in Barcelona is fantastic!

Some things I learned today.."cerrado" doesn't mean close in Catalan. As the story goes, Barcelona is the capital city of Catalunya or Catalonia , and has its own language, customs, culture and history. Hence at some point bestie, my sis and I have said a word or phrase that they look at us and go "huh" ? LOL You live and learn .

Did I mention that water isn't free here? We spent a pretty penny and you would think the water here is like in Mexico in that you can't drink it. Not so - some of the best filtration systems in the world are here in Barcelona yet there is no tap water brought out in restaurants.

Can be talk about the number of ice cubes you get in a drink? The standard number must be 2 'cause that's all we ever get. What's amazing is it takes forever to melt.. Who knows why ....of course it could simply be to lesson the water down effect of your drinks.. Which are oh so strong.. :)

And then there are the napkins, paper towels..We don't see them much. Perhaps it's our hotel..I think then are extremely green here .

I've eaten more great seafood here than ever. A word of caution some of to seafood looks different probably because the waters of the Mediterranean have different species. But I've have clams , mussels, lobster , shrimp, calamari, sardines, and anchovies all in some type of prepared food.

Oh I forgot to mention in search of "el bano" which in one lace was simply "aseos toilettes" we wound up in the department store "El Corte Ingles" which is our version on Macy's. It has many designer brands and was definitely the place for shopping . Too bad the value of the dollar isn't making me want to send money.

To end the night we found a great gelato spot and enjoyed Las Ramblas in the evening before heading back to our hotel.

Tomorrow Day 4 begins the second part of my dream vacation boarding Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas. Not sure about wi-if connectivity on the ship and it's typically not free and service is often spotty. Will try and keep up .. First stop in 2 days is Toulon France where we will embark on the Best of Toulon excursion!

I will miss Barcelona but it's on to new things and I'll be back here in a week!

Here's to hoping you are enjoying my story as much as I am ! Till the next port!

Ciao !

Vacation Paradise -Barcelona Day 2

Hola!

It's the end of Day 2 and we spent the day at the famed Las Ramblas. We realize today that our hotel while fab is not where we thought it was .. Perhaps it's closer to the cruise terminal... Did I mention this dream vacation includes a week in the Mediterranean ? Anywho , today was taxi's , euros and shopping . I'm a trooper but our first trip to the bank, my sister and my bestie are able to get cash out the ATM ... But I am not .. I called Citibank befor I left home advised I'd be traveling .. Thank goodness my crew came through for me. I was able exchange my cash later on during the day.



Will call Citibank to find out what the issue is. We spent the day in and out of stores .. Picked up some items and just looked like tourists taking pictures all along Las Ramblas . Yes this is the land of pick pockets .. And everyone was holding their bags tight. Scams are everywhere .. Living in NY. Brooklyn .. Makes one especially cautious anyway.

We stopped and had Tapas .. A must for anyone traveling to Barcelona ..and skipped the beer .. Partly because I really didn't want to ask " pro Favor , donde esta el bano?" We met a couple from wales yesterdwy , who we again ran into today , and a mother and daughter from Austriala and enjoyed the brief chatting that ensued at Starbucks. Of all things they like Oprah so we had a whole conversation about that. Made new twitter friends :) Of course you know I'd find the Starbucks!

Some things I noticed while here.. This is the land of bread and meat.. Lots of pig.. Swine.. Call it what you want but here they call it Jamon. I've had enough if it already. As for the bread.. The Mediterranean custom is olive oil with bread. So you'll find no butter here. I also notice they don't put ketchup out - you must ask for it. Funny the things we take for granted in the states . Bread and water cost here. You must ask before they put in on the table as they do charge for it. Castilian Spanish is not what we speak in ethic neighborhoods back in NYC.. This is a unique dialect sounds like a little French mixed in ..and the taxi driver looked at me crazy when I said the word "mucho." LOL


After a day spent out, we come back to the hotel make our phone calls to the states .. (We are 6 hours ahead of EST and its 2:48am but I'm wide awake) and head to the pool bar which has the most awesome view! Still trying to load pictures from my iPad ...

I also notice there are no duplicate receipts so you have a copy from the hotel so after asking for a copy today, and checking the current bill totals, why was my bill 60,000 euros??? WTH?? I was ready for bed 2 hours ago, but after
Taking my concerns to the font desk, the issue has been resolved and the charges removed. Thankfully. Funny one of the front staff looked scared when we came to question the bill .. Wondering why that is??? Hmmm..

I'm tired ... Tomorrow (or later today as I am behind in writing this) is another day.. Still in Barcelona.

The plan right now is to take a city bus hop on/off tour. Keep reading...


Ciao!

Vacation Paradise: Barcelona! Day 1

Hola !

I'm deviating from my spa updates because one of my other passions is traveling and I've got the opportunity to
take of my dream vacations and check it off my bucket list! I haven't been inspired to write but, I think I've found it again! Pampering is whatever makes you feel reinvigorated and whole. However you accomplish that - it's very personal . Here's my day-to-day updates of some of my favorite places : Spain, Italy , and France! I'm trying to get the pictures posted but having some issues - as soon as I Can add them I will. For now ..Enjoy!

Day 1 July 25, 2013

There's nothing like a vacation to rejuvenate your soul! I'll be blogging about my excursions for the next 2.5 weeks as long as I can stay connected! After a very long but uneventful Flight we left NYC at 5:30pm ..we arrive in Barcelona at 7:15am to a beautiful sunny day that was much cooler than NYC has been lately.. Our driver Marc was promptly there to greet us..yes this was extra but I had no desire to wait and deal with taxis so early in the morning.

We have yet to get Euros .. Nothing like the US dollar ..We arrived at the hotel at 8am and kudos to the
Staff for checking us in ! Once inside the stark white rooms we went straight to breakfast in the hotel. Trying
to add the pics but having difficulty at the moment. Will try again later.

After breakfast , jet lag and full stomachs took over and we went back to our rooms. My intent was to
put on my bathing suit and head to the pool to relax. I never made it . Passed out across the bed and woke up
In time to finally make it pool side... And relax with Sangeria .. Boy did we relax….

Some pics of our hotel and room ….

Several rounds of Sangeria later, (read..way too much..) we went to dinner at the hotel.. Partly because we were still exhausted. All in all, the first day is done and relaxation has begun!

Mother's Day Pampering! Spa/Brunch Ideas!

Hola,

Happy Mother's Day! It's that time of the year! For all they do it's time to celebrate mothers. Whether you are a Mother, Step Mother, God mother, Foster Mother, Adopted mother or anyone who plays the role of a mother whether legally or not - it's time to celebrate YOU.

Disclaimer - A holiday should NEVER be the only reason you celebrate someone you love. But....since culturally there are many days that are significant on the calendar if you don't celebrate any other time - then do it TODAY for your MOM.

I'm late with this post - but guess what?? It's still not to late to celebrate! My Twitter feed has many moms being catered to the most basic way I can think of....A DAY OF REST!!

So why not - let mom stay in bed.. help the kids make breakfast for her if they are too young to do it themselves....or make breakfast for her! It's the best way to say "I love You" and thank you! Moms are incredibly busy ALL THE TIME and the one thing that moms need most is TIME. Let them be catered to today...clean for them, cook for them, run the household for the day...shop for them :)

TIME on their own...to relax and rejuvenate so they can be the best people they can be for themselves and ultimately for you!

BTW (By the way) the reason why "spa-ing" and cruising (ok so I'm working on the cruse/travel blog next!) have become my favorite "me-time" vacation activities is because of my MOM. She's an avid cruiser and I definitely got that bug from her! After being undecided what to by her for Mother's Day and her birthday (my mom's birthday is next week!) one year, I took her to the spa....and the spa-diva was born!

So with that in mind ...it's not too late if you want to visit the spa. My go to resource www.spaweek.com is selling gift certificates in the range of $100.00 for $79.00! This way your mom,(gentlemen, you may consider this for the woman in your life raising your children) can take advantage of the spa at anytime!

In case your interested in some other fabulous ideas...I'm zipping through my post today since I will be headed out with my sister, bestie, and my mom for my new annual tradition with my mom....Brunch!

Brunch is that fabulous time after breakfast and before lunch so that any restaurant menu has enough of both to please everyone! One of my favorite brunch spots in the world is Norma's http://www.parkermeridien.com/eat1.php Manhattan in Le Parker Meriden Hotel...and the other hot spot http://socobk.com in Brooklyn.

Both paces are pricey but excellent! If price is a concern..there's always whatever your mom wants- even if it's a great home cooked meal!

The point is...take time to BE there for your MOM. In whatever capacity necessary. I am grateful I still have my mom around she is 84!

So salute moms today and everyday for it's their endurance, love and strength that keeps all all tougher!

Happy Mother's Day!

Spa the Day Away....

Hola!

Spa-Week has come and gone - but don't fret it will be back in October! In the meantime, I had a fabulous visit to Rescue Rittenhouse Spa in Philadelphia, Pa! Yes I went on a road trip!!

Not to be confused with the Spa at the Rittenhouse Hotel (I will visit this spot one day as well...) the Rescue Rittenhouse Spa is located near Rittenhouse Square. I have to publicly thank a Twitter friend @lindaskindiva (follow her on Twitter!) since she's the reason I made the visit! I waited too late to book a facial with her (she's the guru of facials in Illadelph - and I made an appointment for my birthday weekend in July!) and although I couldn't book the facial, I booked a massage.

Firat things first - this was not NYC, but the spa experience was lovely. I'm used to the overly large serene space in a huge business building turned into an oasis in the sky. This was similar, but much smaller in scale. I'd say along the lines of some of the day spas I've visited in Brooklyn, NY. Nonetheless, I enjoyed meeting my twitter friend - read all about her here... :)

http://www.rescuerittenhousespa.com/about/staff/estheticians/linda-harding/


My masseuse however was Ron and I have to say I had the best Swedish Massage ever!! For those who know I love one place in particular in NYC, Ron gave the most fabulous massage and while I'm not one for general talking during my massgae - we chatted the entire time and I left feeling restored and rejuvenated when I was finished!

Here is the man of the hour!

http://www.rescuerittenhousespa.com/about/staff/massage-therapists/ron-sirchie/

I enjoyed myself so much I simply forgot to take pictures of this wonderful little space. I was surprised there was only one bathroom and changing area however....I was told by the time I go back for my facial - and yes I'm thinking of booking Ron again for a birthday treat massage, they will have moved to another larger location.

Since I was a tourist here - some items of importance to those who don't live in "Illedaph" and happen to either be there for business or pleasure:

1. The Spa is located in Rittenhouse Square - a wonderful shopping district with all types of shops to explore and dine.

2. Easily accessible either walking, bus, or taxi. I stayed at the Philadelphia Downtown Marriott Hotel 12th and Market St. and the Omni
Hotel 4th and Chestnut St. (don't ask...) and the spa is located at 17th and Spruce St. or Latimer St? I took a taxi going since I was
running late - as I was new to the area - but walked back since it was not that far from the hotel and I had time to shop!

3. Easily accessible from Amtrak. I will be making a day of it when I go back in July - taking Amtrak ,and a taxi there. One nice thing I
didn't know about "Illedelph", you can hail a taxi like you do in NYC! Who knew??? If you choose not to hail a taxi, there's a hotel up
the block and you can get one there. (When the location moves - I'll keep you posted!)

4. As with all other spas, follow proper spa etiquette. Tip 20%, cancel beforehand - I believe the cancellation time period was 24 hrs in
advance, and advise when making the appointment whether you prefer a woman or a man. I have no preference, and because this spa has been
written up as among the best in Philly, I got an appointment with Ron due to a cancellation. One final note, don't wait until the last
minute to book!


For a wonderful differnt expereince if you are visting Philly, or live in the area try Rescue Rittenhouse Spa!

http://www.rescuerittenhousespa.com



255 SOUTH 17TH STREET, SECOND FLOOR, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19103 • PHONE: 1-215-772-2766


Until next time Ciao! Invite a few friends to follow me!

Spa Week is coming !! April 15th -21st!!

Greetings!

It's been a busy new year! So busy I missed updating for Valentine's Day - hope you had a good one! In the spirit of getting back in the swing of things, my favorite time of the year is here! Happy Spring! With spring comes this season's version of Spa Week!!

So this post is dedicated to that week where you can get spa treatments for $50!!! Spa Week is set for April 15- 21st. If you haven't heard of it before, all across the country spas that participate have all kinds of services offered for a mere $50.00, a fraction of what some services normally cost.



Here's my favorite site for more information: http://www.spaweek.com

Spa-Week runs all across the country so register and check your city to see what specials are in your area!

In case you don't know - I swear there's not another spa yet that I love as much as this one... and even though they don't pparticiapte in Spa Week anymore - it is still my favorite :

http://www.edenspanyc.com

I think I should add testimonials to this blog for the number of friends I have referred there and they love it!

I will say - I have a wish list of spas that don't ever participate in Spa-Week.....

So if you are feeling especially luxurious and have the funds to splurge , check out this article and one place I am dying to go:


http://ny.racked.com/archives/2013/01/30/nine_of_new_york_citys_most_expensive_spa_treatments.php

The most expensive spa is NYC right now is located in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Before the end of the year - I will be there!!

http://www.mandarinoriental.com/newyork/luxury-spa/


Here's another one off the list I have been to:

http://www.reddoorspas.com/reddoorlocations/the-chatwal.aspx

While Elizabeth Arden seems to be a hit with many, I was underwhelmed. The service wasn't that great nor was I happy with the massage - which even with all the bell and whistles, is the most important service. You be the judge. If you visit contact me and tell me your experience!

"Spa-ing" At Home...

Greetings!

I've been away for a moment bit now I'm back! This was a rough week for me and while I have a spa appointment booked for spa-week (which the blog entry I started a week ago and haven't finished is about...and back to reviewing spas) tonight I needed a little relaxation in the peace and quite of my own home.

For those times when your money is funny and can't make it to the spa, or if you'd rather spend your hard earned money on something else - there's always the personal and private home spa!

It's virtually free - other than what you purchase to make your spa-experience special!

For me "spa-ing" at home is a perfect quite ritual which includes candles, music, a book (or my IPad) and a great bottle of vino!

Last year I went to Napa Valley and fell in love with some of the wineries there. So much so - I shipped back some of my favorites! One of my favorite spots was

http://www.domainecarneros.com/index.cfm one of the few wineries run by women!

I came away with a great bottle of Pino Noir (along with a whole lot more!) and wonderful memories!



You too can create your own home spa with a variety of items:

1. Do you use scented creams, body lotions, bath salts, shower gels? All those items help to create a great spa experience! Many love the items at Bath and Body Works (as do I). Start with the scents you (or who ever you are "spa-ing" with - since it's much more fun together!) love. Familiarity is always a great thing :) Here's some of my favorites..


2. Be daring... different - try a scent you would never try!

3. Keep in mind the health benefits to "spa-ing". While it makes you feel good, it also reduce stress as do a variety of scents. Look for Lavender scents (Disclaimer: I HATE lavender) But it does reduce stress....I prefer Eucalyptus which is also another stress reducer....

4. Use your best wine Goblets for a fabulous experience! Treat yourself special! Use that stem ware you never want to use!

5. Get a home spa kit! This one my bestie gave me which comes with all kinds of spa goodies...including shoes!




Whatever you decide - take the time to relax and enjoy your own home spa your own way!


Ciao!