Ever since I broke my foot last year, I have had a hard time finding shoes that are comfortable enough to last on an all day long walking excursion yet nice enough to wear out to dinner that same night. My fancy tennis shoes work great throughout the day but don’t cut it as a shoe for a dinner out. My favorite flats can barely get me through a grocery store before they start to bother my feet.
The Maha Strap by Patagonia is a nice mix of both shoes. The shoe is made of nubuck leather and mesh breathable fabric. The inside lining is soft so that the shoe is comfortably worn without socks. The strap wraps around your ankle and through a hook and loop velcro closure. It can be removed if you choose but I left the strap on when I wore the shoes. The shoes come in Black and Espresso, a brown and tan color combination.
When I first pulled the shoes out of the box, I wasn’t sure how I felt about the style of the shoe. After putting them on, I decided that I did like the style. I was also concerned that the barely there, recycled rubber sole would not be supportive enough for my foot. I wore the shoes on a recent cruise while I was taking a self-guided tour of the ship. I walked for about three hours without stopping except to snap a picture here and there. They held up well and besides a small blister because they are just a touch too big, my feet were happy. When it was time for a more formal dinner that night, I was able to pair the shoes with a long black skirt and blouse without looking sloppy. I also wore them throughout the airport as I raced from one side to the other. They are supportive, yet stylish.
This pair of shoes seemed to run a little bit big but I don’t think the size below would have fit as comfortably as the original size I tried.
My favorite part about this shoe is that they are compact and can be easily packed into a small suitcase without taking up too much room.
The Patagonia Maha Strap is available through PlanetShoes.com for $95. From now until April 2, Patagonia will donate $10 to the Appalachian Mountain Club for each pair of Patagonia shoes purchased.
Thank you to Planet Shoes and Patagonia for offering a pair of shoes to facilitate this review. As always, opinions are all my own.
Please welcome Colleen Pierre from Saratoga Mama. She is sharing some of her favorite family friendly things to do in Saratoga Springs, New York. Be sure to follow the links to Colleen’s blog if you are planning a trip to the area. She lists calendar events, things to do in the area, good places to eat and more.
I am really enjoying my new Travel in My Town series because I am learning more about places that have long since been on my list to visit and adding some that weren’t previously on my radar. Do you want to share your favorite things about your town? Send me an email at jennifer at twokidsandamap dot com.
Saratoga Springs, NY is located about 30 minutes North of our capital city, Albany and about 3 hours north of New York City. Situated near the stunning Adirondack mountain range, near gorgeous lakes and rivers, and home to many cultural events and activities all year, Saratoga Springs is a wonderful spot to take a vacation! It was very hard to pick and choose what to tell you about, but here’s a good overview of just some of what our city has to offer!
Broadway – Downtown Saratoga Springs centers around Broadway, our “main street”. Broadway is home to amazing boutiques and shops, fabulous restaurants, bakeries, ice cream shops, beautiful art galleries, hotel’s and some of the best independent coffee shops I’ve ever been to. A few Broadway kid-friendly standouts include: Bettie’s Cakes, a 50’s-themed cupcake café, G. Willikers, an independent toy store, Circus Café, a restaurant with a fun décor, yummy food and huge plates of cotton candy for dessert, and Plum Dandy, a frozen yogurt place with more toppings than you could ever need. A stroll up and down Broadway is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon in Saratoga.
Congress Park/Carousel – In the spring and summer months, Saratoga Springs downtown comes alive! Our “central park” is located just off of Broadway and is called Congress Park. With duck ponds, grassy meadows, historic landmarks and a wooden carousel, Congress Park is a great meeting place, picnic spot, or people-watching destination. In July and August, Congress Park is home to live music concerts, arts and crafts festivals, and other special events.
Museums – A trip to Saratoga would not be complete without visiting one of our many museums. Horse lovers will enjoy the National Museum of Racing, dance fans adore the National Museum of Dance, car enthusiasts rejoice at the Saratoga Automobile Museum, artsy folks like Skidmore College’s Tang Museum and Art Gallery, and kids go wild for The Children’s Museum at Saratoga.
SPAC (Saratoga Performing Arts Center) – I grew up attending concerts at SPAC from Journey to Phish, Dave Matthews Band, to the ballet, opera and orchestra. The thing about SPAC is that it’s an amphitheater, which means there’s partial seating inside and a huge sloped lawn area for outdoor seating. Lawn tickets are much cheaper and on a nice evening, you can bring a picnic dinner, lawn chairs, a bottle of wine and enjoy the New York City Ballet or Philadelphia Orchestra! I took the kids to the ballet this past year and we all sat on the lawn- a unique and cultural experience.
Saratoga Farmers’ Market – Our year-round farmers market is both a social place as well as a place of business. With products including vegetables, fruits, honey, baked goods, meat, cheese yogurt, milk as well as crafters and on-site prepared food, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market is another must-do activity! The market is held on Wednesdays and Saturday from May through October and indoors on Saturdays from November to April. Just about every week there is live music, chef demonstrations, and other community-based special events. We appreciate your support of OUR local farmers too!
Horse Fever! Saratoga Springs is probably best known as a horse racing destination because of the Saratoga Race Course, a 350-acre horse racetrack. With 40 days of horse racing starting at the end of July and ending around Labor Day, Saratoga really comes alive in the summer. Tourists (and locals) love attending “the track” to watch and bet on the horses, and Saratoga Polo for the unique experience of attending polo matches.
Here’s a post about enjoying Saratoga Race Course with the kids and another Mama Guide to Saratoga Polo.
Saratoga Springs NY offers so much to do and see, I hope you have the chance to visit us soon!
-Colleen Pierre, SaratogaMama
Colleen Pierre is a mother of two wonderful children, Robby (3) and Angie (1) and owns SaratogaMama an online resource for families. The site provides Saratoga County families and visitors with an easy way to find events and activities, information about area schools, daycare options, community news, recreation options, and lots more.
Let’s Connect! Email me at colleen@saratogamama.com. You can also follow Colleen on Twitter and Facebook.
When given the opportunity to attend a retreat with Traveling Mom aboard the Disney Fantasy for an inaugural cruise, I jumped at the chance. I booked a plane ticket to Orlando and gave myself an extra day to enjoy some time before boarding. The timing couldn’t be more perfect as my kids are on spring break so we set up a visit to the grandparents. Both the grandparents and kids are thrilled. My husband is looking forward to having some time to do the things that he wants to do without having to worry about what we are doing. I know that safety is important to Disney and I know that I will be safe and have fun on the ship. I wasn’t worried about anything.
Until I visited my cell phone provider this week.
After waiting way too many minutes to speak with someone, I was informed that I could in fact have cell phone service on the boat but it would cost approximately the equivalent of a semester at college. We decided not to enable the service and will just pay the extra fees if I have to make an emergency call.
I know that Internet service is available on the ship, but I have been told that it is also pricey and spotty. I will be interested to see how it is for myself.
Luckily, my family can still get in touch with me if they need to. My Disney cruise documents came with three little cards to give to loved ones. Each card has the contact information should there be an emergency. This has given me a little bit of peace of mind while I am completely disconnected from my family.
Have you ever been completely disconnected (or for the most part) from your family? What did you do to make sure that they could get ahold of you in case of an emergency? Were there any issues?
Posted in Sharing on March 19, 2012
My family is not incredibly adventurous. Okay, that is not the truth. I am not incredibly adventurous. Jumping out of an airplane? Um, no thank you. Zip lining through a jungle? I have thought about it but it isn’t high on my list of things I want to do. Scuba diving with sharks? No way! Even though I get nervous about scary activities, we still manage to have some great adventures together as a family.
When I tried to think of my favorite adventure, the first thing that came to mind was a rainy hike in Hawaii. My husband and I had left the kids with the grandparents for our ten year anniversary trip to Oahu. We decided to go for a hike at a popular spot called Manoa Falls. The only problem was that it was pouring and everything was muddy and wet. As we walked through the gates leading to the hike, a local told us to be careful because many a tourist had slipped and fallen during a rainy hike.
In my mind, I was picturing helicopters airlifting me out of the rainforest, ambulance sirens going, and lots of broken bones. In all honesty, it probably wasn’t the best time to make this hike. The constant downpour caused everything to be very slippery and we had to catch ourselves from falling several times. The trip ended up being this romantic adventure that reminded me of Romancing the Stone.
Family adventures don’t have to be crazy activities to make lifelong memories. Bike rides through the city, tent camping in the woods, and kayaking down the river all qualify as adventures in my book.
When I think of a family adventure, our many road trips are what come to mind. Traveling 1500 miles by myself with my two children was quite an adventure to me. When we are all together, those road trips are just as much of an experience. Whenever the GPS turns us the wrong direction, we always have a grand adventure. To me, getting lost is one of the best adventures. We always seem to find a great roadside attraction to entertain us while my husband tries to get us back on track. Visiting those attractions are the moments that my children always remember, not the fact that mom and dad got lost twelve times.
As my children continue to grow older, they are starting to get a little bit more adventurous themselves. My son wants to go to Hawaii and try surfing with his dad. My daughter has a new adventure in mind every day and it is hard to keep track of what she wants to do next.
I know that I am going to need to loosen up and support their adventures as they get older. Who knows? Maybe you will find me sky diving one day. Well, maybe I will try indoor skydiving!
What kind of adventures have you taken as a family?
Disclosure: Sponsored by Austin Lehman Family Adventures Vacations
It is no secret that we were so excited to hear that a LEGOLAND theme park was opening south of Orlando. When we got to visit over opening weekend, my children couldn’t believe their luck. Jumping from ride to ride with my kids and watching their eyes light up as they found out they were big enough to go on just about every single ride was the best part of our trip. Usually when we visit a theme park, I spend a lot of time telling my daughter that she is not quite tall enough (though we are almost out of this phase) so it was nice to be able to tell her that she was able to ride the ride!
LEGOLAND is expanding this summer with a water park! There will be a wave pool, which is one of my children’s favorite parts of any water park. There will be water slides, an interactive playground, and a section just for little ones.
The one thing that I am looking forward to the most is checking out the Build-A-Raft River where families can “imagine, design and build a unique LEGO vessel and set afloat on a maiden voyage” on the lazy river. I love that so many of the attractions at LEGOLAND Florida inspire thoughtful interactions.
The LEGOLAND Water Park is set to open May 26, 2012. There will be several ticket options. If you purchase a single day ticket, it is only $12 per person (only $3 for children under 3) to add the water park.
I am hoping that we can squeeze in a quick weekend trip to LEGOLAND to check out the water park after it opens. Will you be visiting this summer?
I am so excited to introduce a new series that I will be posting occasionally on Tuesdays called Travel in My Town. I have some great guest posts from the blogging community to share with you. I am looking forward to learning some insider tips about favorite activities in their cities! I am honored to begin this series with my writing pal, Keryn. Keryn lives in Seattle, a city that I have never been to but is high on my list of places to visit, and she is sharing her favorite toddler-friendly activities. Be sure to follow the links to her blog, Walkingon Travels, where she writes about everything from flying with children, to exploring Asia with kids and finding inspiration to travel. Keryn is kind, funny and helpful. Someday, I hope to make it to Seattle and maybe we can meet for coffee! Welcome, Keryn!
I’ve lived in Seattle for over 5 years, but I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of all this city has to offer. Whether we are under a seemingly endless rain cloud or enjoying gorgeous summer days (it’s why we all live here after all) I can always find something to do with my toddler son in a city of endless activities and natural wonders.
Woodland Park Zoo
Our local zoo may not be the biggest in the country but it sure does pack a punch. I have been there at least 20 times and I still happen upon exhibits I have never noticed before. Orchids, poisonous frogs and birds fill the Tropical Rainforest building, while snow leopards, tigers and jaguars will have your kids growling and purring in no time. There are daily feedings and animal presentations that both kids and parents can get excited about and learn from. If you are looking for a little break from the animals, there is also an historic carousel you can take a whirl around before setting up a picnic lunch on the lawn.
Pike Place Market
Yes, this seems like a tourist trap to be sure, especially in the summer, but it is also a very active local market. If you love to eat and have kids that can’t wait to try out a few new foods along with some of their old standbys then than Pike Place should not be missed. You will definitely see a few characters offering everything from fresh off the boat fish to bursting with flavor strawberries and a silver necklace with matching t-shirt to boot. Do a little jig along with a street musician, watch cheese masters shoveling curds and gorge yourself on crumpets and donuts from the Daily Dozen. Just watch out for flying fish.
Kubota Garden
A free park, beautifully maintained and away from the tourist crowds, what’s not to love? I continue to head to this park just south of downtown to soak in the Japanese inspired design. The dramatic colors change with each season and make you wonder what next month will bring. Paths are extremely kid-friendly and there are no park rangers yelling at you to keep off the grass. Be respectful, but also feel free to explore what Mother Nature is cooking up that day.
Ballard Farmers Market
This is by far one of our favorite farmers markets in the city. Held every Sunday, rain or shine, this is the place to go for fresh produce, some delicious street food and a whole lot of people watching. If you aren’t up for Pike Place Market this is a great, if not better, introduction to Seattle’s love of farm fresh food. Pull up a slice of curb, a freshly made tamale and just watch the locals stroll by with kids, dogs and bicycles in tow.
Volunteer Park
I’m not sure if I get more excited about the various elements in this park that makes multiple trips a must, or the Volunteer Park café down the street that serves up one heck of a breakfast. Whether you want to swing from the monkey bars at the playground, take a peek at a few paintings in the Asian Art Museum, or just warm up with some flowers in the Conservatory, there is something for everyone. Oh and Bruce Lee is buried just behind the park if you feel the need to make a little pilgrimage.
Seward Park
I’ve only seen a fraction of this park but it is already one of my favorites. Stunning views of Mt. Rainier peak over the horizon. There are sandy beaches for kids to splash around in along with a very impressive playground. The Seward Park Environment and Audobon Center leads toddlers on a Little Tykes Tales and Trails expedition, even on rainy mornings, throughout the park.
Mom and active blogger, Keryn Means left the publishing world in 2011 to take care of her growing family and follow her passion for travel. A native of Philadelphia, she spends her days exploring her new home in Seattle with her toddler son and anxiously awaits the arrival of her second born due in late April. When her son is asleep you can find her editing photos and writing away on Walkingon Travels. Keryn follows the mantra that just because you have kids doesn’t mean you have to put your travel dreams aside, if anything they just get bigger and more exciting. Follow Keryn on Twitter and Facebook, too!
At the end of January (well, just a few weeks ago, really), I announced that I was going to start posting a list of books that I read for each month. I am doing this for two reasons. First, I would like a place to keep a list of all the books I have read and just haven’t found a good place for it yet. Second, I love hearing what other people are reading and I like to add to my list of books to read.
Here is what I’ve read in February:
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson – I read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo about a year ago. I will admit that it took me a long time to get through but I liked it. Immediately after I finished it, I picked up The Girl Who Played with Fire and got through the first few chapters before putting it down for something else. Fast forward to the release of the first movie. After watching the movie with two friends who read the trilogy, I promised myself that I would read them. I am glad I did. Though it took me awhile to get in to it, I really enjoyed The Girl Who Played with Fire and I am looking forward to the next movie.
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson – This is actually my favorite out of all three of the books. I like the way everything you have learned about in the past two books comes together seamlessly. Be aware that all three books contain a lot of violence that is hard to stomach.
31 Days to Building a Better Blog by Darren Rowse – If you are just getting a blog started, this book is an excellent resource. If you have been blogging for years, some of the information will be repetitive but all of the information is useful. It was a good reminder for me to work on things that I have been slacking on lately.
Westward Expansion: An Interactive History Adventure by Allison Lassieur – Do you remember those choose your adventure books? The ones where you follow the directions at the botton of the page to determine what happens to your character? This book is reminiscent of that and is part of the You Choose series that concentrates on historical events. In Westward Expansion, you get to choose to be a Lakota warrior trying to preserve your way of life, a Civil War veteran looking for work, or a traveler on the Oregon Trail. My son and I read this together and have since added a Choose Your Own Adventure Ninja book to our reading pile. See my full review of this book at A Traveler’s Library later this week, on Friday.
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss – My daughter and I read a book out loud together just about every day. I don’t share all of those here because the list would be long. Although, some months, we read the same book over and over and over! However, with the movie coming out I thought that I would mention we have read this book several times this month. I love reading The Lorax with my kids but I was disappointed that the movie didn’t have as much Dr. Seuss speak as other movies based on Dr. Seuss books. If you haven’t read it, this is one time where I recommend seeing the movie before you read the book. The movie was enjoyable and my kids liked it but the book is better!
Already a week into March and I have finished a YA book that I have been waiting to be released. I am currently reading The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht. I still need to read The Clockwork Prince (which I am waiting to borrow from a friend) and I am also planning on reading Quitter by Jon Acuff. I will share what I actually get through next month!
What do you have on your reading list for the month of March?
What does a mop have to do with my family travel blog? Well, not too much but you will find out if you click over to Facebook and join our community of travel lovers at Two Kids and a Map. I will share my favorite posts about family travel from all over (including some of my own). I hope you will join us!
Two Kids and a Map
Posted in Sharing on February 17, 2012
Next week, I am hopping in the car for the seven hour drive north to attend the Blissdom conference. It is my first time attending this conference and I am excited to learn more about writing, blogging, and everything that goes along with it. But I am most excited about a certain reunion!
My friend, Katy, and I have known each other since the very early 90s (quite possibly, it was the late 80s!)…we were VERY young so don’t start counting years! My sister and Katy are the same age and were in the same Sunday School classes. We went through confirmation together, we shared adventures on houseboat trips, and we spent spring breaks in a tent in Mexicali on mission trips. Many of my fondest moments from middle school and high school are moments that Katy was there for. After I graduated high school, I lost touch with Katy when I crossed the country for college.
Fast forward a few years to the rising popularity of Facebook for people who had already graduated college. Katy was one of the first friends with whom I reconnected. Over the past few years, we have shared a love of writing and blogging and are working on similar projects. When she asked if I would be interested in meeting up for Blissdom, I jumped at the chance. I haven’t seen Katy in almost ten years when she was in town for the weekend for an event.
So next week, Katy and I are going to be roomies. We will spend the days learning together in sessions (or maybe just meeting up and sharing what we learned!) and the nights laughing and reminiscing together.
I am so looking forward to reconnecting.
Are you headed to Blissdom? Leave me a note so we can connect!
Posted in Tips on February 14, 2012
As a mom, finding time to read can be difficult. Reading is one of my favorite things to do and when I make time for my other hobbies I also make time for reading. I am almost always with a book. I take a book to my daughter’s dance class, my son’s soccer practice, the doctor’s office, carpool line, and more. Traveling is no exception. Before I got my Kindle, I used to pack several books because I didn’t want to run out. I still love a good hard back book, but the Kindle is great for travel.
I have been trying to come up with a way to store a list of the books I have read. I have tried Good Reads and Shelfari but I just am not down with the interface. It is fun to see what my friends are reading, but not many of them use those programs and the constant emails and notifications can be irritating. I just haven’t found the perfect way to maintain my list so I decided to share a monthly list on my travel blog. Reading goes along with travel, right?! Here are the books that I read during the month of January!
39 Clues Books 1-4 – I am fascinated with the concept of 39 Clues. The series was written by several popular children’s and YA writers but it flows together well. Two children find out that they are part of a powerful family and have to discover 39 clues before the end of the series or something awful will happen. The children travel all over the world, sometimes with their au pair and sometimes without.
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness – Think Twilight for grown-ups with lots of history and literature thrown in to it.
Black Wind by Clive Cussler – I love Clive Cussler’s books. The handsome adventurer always comes to the rescue.
Other Clive Cussler books read this month: The Jungle and The Wrecker
Delirium by Lauren Oliver – This book was recommended to me by Kristin over at Camels and Chocolate. I read it in less than a day and can’t wait for the second book to be released later this month.
Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close – I have to admit that I downloaded this book because we share the same name. I get daily Google alerts (I have one set up for my name) about her book and I was curious. I admit I was a little underwhelmed by the book’s ending but it was a quick beach read.
The 4-Hour Body by Timothy Ferris – Timothy Ferris has some interesting thoughts on how to lose weight and help make your life better. I took a few diet suggestions from the book and am trying to apply them to our most recent food and lifestyle changes.
Six Wives by David Starkey – A book about the queens of Henry the VIII, how they became queen, and who they were. I have been reading this book off and on for awhile and I finally finished it this month.
Running Away to Home by Jennifer Wilson – Jennifer and her husband pack up their family and move to Europe to learn more about where they came from. The book is about how she and her family adjusted to their new life. I had a hard time getting in to the book. I started it, put it down and picked it up again and was glad I did. I finally finished this book this month as well. *I received this book from the publisher to review.
The Colonial Caper Mystery at Williamsburg by Carole Marsh – The Marsh mysteries take your children all over the United States. The two main characters try to solve a mystery at each destination. My 7yo and I really enjoyed this book about Williamsburg. I will have a review up over at A Traveler’s Library in the next month or two as part of Family Travel Friday.
What is on my list for February? Even though it is already the middle of the month, I will wait until the end of the month to share but I am currently reading The Girl Who Played with Fire by Steig Larson and I have A Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare ready to read after that.
What are you reading?
