Of Mice and Moments

Sure, Valentine’s Day is more about romance of the couples variety — and it’s on a Tuesday, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use the excuse of a candy-filled holiday to take a mini-vacation. Am I right?

Personally, I’m a fan of the family theme park outing. Disneyland and Walt Disney World (dinner at Victoria and Albert’s, anyone?) always have something up their, um, glove(?) for Valentine’s Day, which means fun for the whole family. What? Disney is totally romantic.

If theme parks aren’t your thing how about a cabin stay in one of our many state and national parks? It may be brisk out, but a few hours of hiking or mountain biking will warm up the family in no time.

Of course, there is always the option of getting a babysitter and, hopefully, a reservation at some restaurant with a special holiday menu (see, pricy) and being one more sucker in a suit — don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with that, but why wait until Valentine’s Day to do it? Go out on any Tuesday, it will be less crowded and a lot more meaningful. Spend Valentine’s Day with the entire family, that’s the love, people.

Photo by W. Honea

In addition “Universal Cinematic Spectacular” will be a new after-dark salute to the movies, featuring waterfalls, fountains, pyrotechnics, lasers and narration by actor Morgan Freeman. It will be presented on the park’s lagoon. A new Blue Man Group show and upgrades to it’s Spider-Man attraction are also planned.

“I bought the suitcase here and a whole bunch of stuff that is inside,” said Nunes, 25, from Recife, Brazil.

By early afternoon, Nunes had filled the Calvin Klein bag with clothes for herself and her boyfriend at Orlando Premium Outlets — Vineland Ave.

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Shrek on Ice

Shrek the Halls

A few months ago I wrote that the Gaylord Hotels and DreamWorks® had formed an alliance, which would bring popular DreamWorks® characters into the resorts. The “kick off” event of the alliance is the spectacular ICE, held at each hotel. At the fabulous Gaylord Palms the theme this year is Shrek the Halls, a magical story told in 4 ½ acres of spectacular ice sculptures.

Walking through ICE is breathtaking- and not just because the area is kept at 9ºF. Sculptures of all sizes draw you close to marvel at the detail; signs and narrative tell the story you are seeing.

ICE slide

About half way through ICE are the ice slides. Five slides, created from ice, beckon young and old to take a quick slip.

The most magnificent carvings, however, aren’t of Shrek and the crew, but appear at the end. Carved of crystal clear ice a full Nativity scene is nothing short of awesome.

ICE nativity

Tips for ICE:

• Wear jeans, warm socks, close toed shoes and a sweatshirt.
• Bring gloves or mittens.
• A coat is not required as the resort provides heavy parkas- which you must wear if you want to use the slides.
• Photos are allowed in ICE, though your camera may take a while to thaw out afterward.
• A souvenir photo is taken as you enter ICE; option to purchase.

Kung Fu Panda’s Awesome Snow

Kung Fu Panda Snow

If snow isn’t a natural occurrence where you live your kids will love this! 130 tons of freshly made snow, playground equipment and a carnival slide will keep the kids entertained for the full hour. Po, the Kung Fu Panda, leads you into snow and after it’s over you’ll have your chance to get your picture taken with him (option to purchase).

Tips for Snow:

• This event is best done after ICE as the room is kept at a “crisp” 55ºF.
• Wear water resistant or water proof shoes.
• You will be wet when you leave.

Gingerbread Decorating with Gingy

Gingerbread decorating with Gingy

Step inside Gingy’s house and decorate some gingerbread! You can choose from a small gingerbread house ornament, a big gingerbread house, or a 6 piece gingerbread family. Each kit comes with everything you need to create a tasty treat or keepsake. And Gingy will come in to check your artistic abilities and pose for photos (option to purchase + use your own camera).

Puss in Boots 3D

Inside Holiday Hall is a 3D theater, featuring DreamWorks® newest movie, Puss in Boots. You’ll walk the red carpet, have your photo taken with Puss himself (photo included in movie fee) and be treated to you choice of snacks at the incredible snack bar.

Movie Snacks (choice of 2 + a drink)

After the movie go on the “Quest for the Magic Bean” throughout the Gaylord Palms (pick up your quest form from the DreamWorks® concierge by the lobby). When you complete your quest a prize awaits!

Tip:

The snack bar is fabulous! Don’t eat before coming to the movie.

ShrekFeast

Fiona and Shrek

Join Shrek, Fiona and Puss in Boots for breakfast. Meet the Town Crier to become an honorary ogre and earn your ogre ears. Taste swamp juice and enjoy ogre waffles. You’ll also get one-on-one time with the characters to pose for pictures.

Tip:

Don’t forget your camera!

More Fun Activities

Do you see the polar bear?

Character Meet & Greet The merry friends from Madagascar are here too! Check your Character Passport for meet & greet times.

Polar Bear Pursuit There are 20 Coca-Cola Polar Bears hidden throughout the Gaylord Palms. Find 10 to enter a sweepstakes to win a Gaylord Palms VIP getaway.

Luminescence and Family Traditions Musical Revues Take a seat at the stage under the giant Christmas tree and enjoy live music, dancing and even some breathtaking stunts!

Meet Santa Have you been naughty or nice? Santa knows. And he’ll let you whisper your wish list in his ear.

Pampering at the Gaylord Palms

While you don’t have to stay at the Gaylord Palms to experience ICE, the Christmassy DreamWorks Packages are a great deal and include many of the events for a single price. Staying at the Gaylord Palms is a treat in itself, with spacious rooms, large bathrooms, comfy robes for mom & dad and fun DreamWorks® amenity packs for the kids.

Each of the four Gaylord Resort is hosting it’s own ICE celebration.  The other Gaylord resorts are the Opryland in Nashville, the Texan near Dallas and the National in Washington DC.  Have you been to ICE at any of the Gaylord properties?  I would love to hear your thoughts!

All images by Jody Halsted.  Family Rambling would like to thank Gaylord Palms for hosting us at ICE.

The plans include two additions scheduled to debut next spring: TurtleTrek, a manatee and sea-turtle habitat that will include a first-of-its-kind, three-dimensional and 360-degree movie experience; and Freshwater Oasis, a new area in SeaWorld’s limited-admission park Discovery Cove. Oasis guests will be able to swim, wade and hike through a rainforest-themed environment that will include encounters with Asian otters and small monkeys known as marmosets.

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These were my 11 favorite things at Legoland Florida:

1. The historic carousel.  I love carousels and have been on many, but never a double-decker one before.
2. The Dragon roller coaster.  Even for coaster wimps like me, it’s a fun ride, and the relaxing indoor ride through Lego creations is equal to the thrill portion when the dragon escapes outside.
3. Technicycle.  The interactivity in this ride is terrific–if you want your cycle to soar, you must pedal it throughout the ride.  Stop pedaling, and it sinks close to the ground.
4. Lost Kingdom Adventure.  It doesn’t matter if you’re an adult or a kid, shooting the lit targets will make you want to challenge your friends over and over again.
5. Granny’s Apple Fries.  Like apple pie in a french fry container.  Yum!
6. Southern Belles.  A nod to Cypress Gardens’ old days, these lovely Lego ladies greet visitors to the park and botanical gardens.
7. The Banyan Tree.  It’s a huge tree and the focal point of the historic Cypress Gardens botanical gardens.  Walk through the gardens and teach your kids about the Banyan tree and cypress knees and you can claim an educational element to your trip.
8. Driving School.  I was disappointed that adults couldn’t drive the little Lego cars one the miniature streets complete with roundabouts and stop lights.
9. Battle for Brickbeard’s Bounty Waterski Show.  Seeing a foam Lego character on waterskis is remarkable; kids will love the story and alerting the princess to PIRATES!
10. Miniland.  Thirty million bricks formed into familiar sights make this the core of Legoland Florida.   Can you find all of the minilanders (tiny Lego people)?
11. Legos.  They’re everywhere–in miniland, hanging around the park, and as the perfect souvenirs for your little Lego builder.

Legoland Florida, central Florida‘s newest theme park, is designed for families with children ages 2-12, and is located less than an hour from Orlando and Tampa, Florida.

Photo credits: the author.

Linda (minnemom) writes about family travel at Travels with Children, where her popular 11 Things series includes locations big and small, such as Walt Disney World; Decorah, Iowa; and Golden, Colorado.  Her expenses to visit Legoland Florida were paid by the park.

Entrance to the Legoland Florida Theme Park

This weekend, I was privileged to be among the first to visit the new LEGOLAND Florida theme park in Winter Haven, Florida, about an hour’s drive from Orlando and equally close to Tampa.  This new theme park sits on familiar territory to those who visited Cypress Gardens in the past, and the botanical gardens, including the famed banyan tree, have been preserved.

The Legoland botanical gardens include a Lego-themed nod to the Southern Belles who roamed Cypress Gardens.

While many will enjoy the historical aspect of the park, including the double-decker carousel, the real audience for Legoland California is the two- to twelve-year-old set.  For these younger children, Legoland Florida offers more than 50 rides, shows, and attractions that will keep them busy for a full day or more.

The four roller coasters in the park are described as “pink-knuckle” attractions, and this scaredy-cat of a mom managed to ride all four of them, even going back for a second ride on The Dragon.  Kids will love the Ford Driving School, where they can drive Lego-themed cars on miniature streets that include stop signs, traffic lights, and roundabouts.  (Sorry, adults, as much fun as it looked, they wouldn’t let me try driving there.)

Ford Driving School at Legoland Florida

The park attempts to include interactive aspects to their attractions as well, such as the Technicycle ride that makes you pedal to keep your car up in the air instead of merely pushing a button as on similar rides in other places.  The pirate-themed waterski show allows kids to get in on the action and help water-blast the pirates who attempt to overtake the ship.

Two live shows and three 4-D shows allow visitors to take a break from the rides for a while, and a stroll through the botanical gardens offers a respite from the hustle and bustle of the other park attractions.

The real star of Legoland, however, is Miniland, where 30 million Lego bricks have been used to recreate scaled versions of famed American landmarks such as the U.S. Capitol and nearby memorials, the New York City Skyline, Las Vegas hotels and attractions, and the beauty of San Francisco.  Florida history has been included as well, from the Daytona raceway to the Kennedy Space Center.  Kids and adults alike wandered through Miniland, trying to spot all of the 5258 “minilanders” who are a part of the scenes.

US Capitol with New York City in background at Legoland Florida’s Miniland

LEGOLAND Florida adds another element to the theme park destination of central Florida, and it does well in providing family fun for its young audience.

Related:  Bed & Brick Preferred Partner Hotels for Legoland Florida

Photo credits: the author

Linda (minnemom) writes about family travel at Travels with Children.
Her trip to Legoland Florida was sponsored by the park, but all opinions are her own.

That would be creepy if Mimi wasn’t so adorable and smiley.

Mimi runs Touch the Earth Adventures, a tour company that specializes in women’s hiking and kayaking retreats. For $1,150 per person, women enjoy a week of outdoor adventure in various locations all over the country. Good news: tents aren’t needed as Mimi lines up beautiful lodging as part of her weekly packages. She also arranges for activities like yoga sessions and spa treatments.

It’s no wonder her customers come out of the woods feeling empowered!

Mimi told me she takes groups of women who already know each other as well as groups of individual women who meet on the trip. Her groups can be as small as 5 women and as large as 20. Women can explore the outdoors of Ohio, where Mimi is based, or take a trip to the Carolinas. Her next week-long retreat will be in November to Charleston, South Carolina.

I would love to do this with my girlfriends and the women in my family. It sounds like an incredible girl power getaway!

Photo: Britt Reints

The gorgeous Atlanta Botanical Garden

The first time I tried to visit Atlanta’s Botanical Garden was in early March of 2010. My then fiance and I were on a date, and I was looking for something romantic and peaceful to enjoy. As we walked up to the Botanical Garden’s entrance, I quickly realized that most of the plants were still in their “sleepy” winter state. In other words, most of them were rather dead and sad looking. Even though it was late winter, the day was beautifully sunny with clear, blue skies, and it had never occurred to me that late winter was not the best time to go.

“Do you still want to go in?” my fiance asked.

“No,” I admitted. And that was that.

If only we had persisted with our original plan! Now, after four years of living in Atlanta, Georgia, I can happily report that I finally made it to the Botanical Garden, and now that I have, I truly cannot believe that I had never visited before. The gardens are truly spectacular, and much larger than I had anticipated. “This is a world-class botanical garden,” my dad exclaimed, and he was right.

We picked a great day – partly sunny with just a hint of coolness in the air. It was in mid-September, so the Fall plants were starting to hit their stride and yet it was warm enough for many of the summer flowers to still be in bloom. One of the most impressive parts of the garden was the 600-foot long pedestrian bridge. It gradually slopes up until you are suspended among the tree tops, and the bridge’s construction makes it appear as though there is nothing really supporting the bridge.

The pedestrian bridge at the Atlanta Botanical Garden

As a gardening newbie, I loved the Wall of Herbs! A large variety of herbs are arranged vertically on a wall. The smell as you walk by this wall is just heavenly. The herbs are located in an area called the Edible Gardens, where you can admire rows of seasonal vegetables and fruits being grown. I had never actually seen a pomegranate tree before, so that was neat.  Just past the edible gardens was The Orchid House, which serene and lovely. It felt like you were walking through a tropical rain forest, and the place like a giant, blooming flower. I saw many different orchid varieties I had never seen before, including one that only blooms at night. Neat

The incredible vertical Wall of Herbs at Atlanta's Botanical Garden

The Botanical Garden is one of those places that you need to visit in different seasons in order to really appreciate it. Afterwards, I found out that if we had gone inside during early March, there would have been plenty to see and enjoy including the Winter Garden. Here in Atlanta, we are fortunate to have many plants which bloom year-round due to the relatively mild winters we normally have. I’ll just have to head back to the gardens this winter to see what there is to see.

If you do go, plan on spending at least 3-4 hours exploring, though even that is nowhere near enough time to fully appreciate all there is to see and do. You really need an entire day; next time, I plan to bring food and have a little picnic on a bench somewhere. Can’t beat that for some relaxing afternoon fun! And don’t worry about getting bored from looking at too many plants and flowers — there’s a wonderful assortment of sculptures and art work scattered throughout the grounds to keep everyone’s interest piqued.

Atlanta Botanical Garden

Photos: Jenny Bengen-Albert

Perhaps the most widely known is the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden next to the Walker Art Center near downtown Minneapolis.  Home of the “cherry on the spoon,” this park includes many other sculptures in various shapes, sizes, and media, as well as a garden walk and an indoor conservatory of tropical plants.  Children will like wandering the grassy areas of this large park and seeing the variety of artwork as they round each bend.

Spoonbridge and Cherry at Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

North of the Twin Cities on U.S. Highway 8, the Franconia Sculpture Park is a work in progress, and chances are decent that you might encounter an artist at work if you visit.  The sculptures here include many reclaimed materials, such as a basketball court and tractor.  The mown paths among the prairie grasses and flowers take visitors past the creations, but kids will likely want to spend most of their time at the sculpture that is a useable playground.

Playground Sculpture at Franconia Sculpture Park, Minnesota

On the other side of the state, the tiny town of Arco sits near the South Dakota border in the midst of farm fields and prairie lands.  Arco has its own sculpture garden of sorts, a “scenic rock garden” in the city park which borders a lake just outside of town.  Here, replicas of the Statue of Liberty and Liberty Bell made out of rocks found in the area are the highlights of the stop.  A drive into town yields a look at the rock building that was formerly a gas station, done in the same style by the same artist.  If you enjoy the off-beat or quirky, you’ll like a peek at the Arco sculptures.

Statue of Liberty Replica at Scenic Rock Garden in Arco, Minnesota

While art enthusiasts will enjoy the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Weisman Art Center, and other quality art museums in Minnesota, youngsters will be drawn to the larger-than-life artwork in these sculpture gardens in the state.

Related: Frederick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Photo credits: the author

Linda (minnemom) writes about family travel at Travels with Children.

511destinations.com is a different kind of travel guide. While most vacation guides on the Internet concentrate on the major tourist destinations, this new website presents smaller market and off the beaten path destinations… with a twist.

Rather than being bombarded with local information to sift thru, each 511destination is a snapshot. Where to stay, eat, go and how to get around are the basics, presented in a clean, well designed layout with eye-catching graphics and great functionality.

What’s more, users are encouraged to build their own destination guide simply by submitting a brief overview. Right now, there are no limits. You can be a proud resident that wants to tell the world about your town, a traveler that’s itching to share a destination they’ve discovered, or a business looking to promote themselves via a little local information.

It’s a great little website loaded with information that you often just can’t find anywhere else. 511destinations.com is also built to accommodate viewing on smartphones and mobile devices!

Visit 511destinations.com

A Hawaiian orchid

The bitter, Midwestern weather and flat prairie lands of Chicago are probably about as far away as you can get aesthetically to the lush, tropical beauty of Hawaii but this weekend, touches of Hawaiian beauty and culture will be explored at the Chicago Botanic Gardens for the ‘Food Network Magazine and The Hawaiian Islands Weekend”  free event on October 1st and 2nd.

Visitors will get the chance to take in the singular beauty of Hawaii flora and botany as well as sample ingredients found only on the Hawaiian Islands. From 10-4PM each day, demonstrations and seminars on a dizzying variety of Hawaiian culture and botany will be supplied.  The Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Island will be decked out in all the flowers, plants and fruits of a Hawaiian paradise.  Highlights include a poi pounding and making workshop, a lei-making demonstration with fresh orchids and plumeria from Moloka’i, instructions on the ancient art of la au lapa’au or Hawaiian herbal healing, and an in-depth examination of the Hawaiian  ahupua’au land division system. The Garden Cafe will also be serving up tastes of the Hawaiian islands including Mauna Loa macadamia nuts, Waialua Estate Cacao and Molaka’i style tisane tea.  After visiting Hawaii, switch back to the Midwest with a stop by nearby Prairie Grass Cafe, which focuses on locally grown, seasonal ingredients.  Try the sauteed whitefish with lemon, caper and tomato.

Photo courtesy of Chicago Botanic Garden

Roasted cacao beans

There’s no nirvana quite like the aroma of  fresh cacao beans roasting during the chocolate making process. If you’ve never experienced this special treat, a visit to Ann Arbor, Michigan’s  Mindo Chocolate Makers is a requirement.  These artisan chocolate makers process organic chocolate right from the cacao pod to handmade and dipped chocolate.  This family-owned business operates a joint production in Mindo, Ecuador and Ann Arbor for a one-of-kind chocolate trip.

Mindo operates out of a house in Ann Arbor, where you can purchase delicacies including 77% pure chocolate bars dipped in sea salt or stuffed with Michigan cherries. Visitors can also take a hands on “Bean To Bar Chocolate Making Class”  and participate in taking dried cacao beans and adding chocolate liquor, organic evaporated cane juice and cocoa butter to make hand crafted chocolate. Observing the cocoa nibs being  grinded into cocoa liquor  and watching the cocoa butter form is a fascinating episode. Tasting lots of chocolate samples is a popular part of the process as well as purchasing handfuls of bars to take home. You must make reservations for tours or chocolate making classes at mindochocolate.com.

Vinology

Extend your rarefied  Ann Arbor culinary experience by dropping by Vinology  wine bar and restaurant in downtown Ann Arbor.  The stunning space is designed with stainless steel, cork and glass to evoke the wine making process. There are even custom-made boxes over each table filled with quirky wine-related elements like chalk soil from the Champagne region of France and colorful shards of wine glasses. The gourmet menu is coordinated with the extensive wine list for innovative pairings. Try the crispy duck wings, sweet potato samosas and slider trio.

Photo courtesy of Rosalind Cummings-Yeates

The Creole Choir of Cuba perform at the Chicago World Music Fest

Visit the Windy City this week and you can grab the added bonus of traveling around the world without any extra cost. The annual Chicago World Music Fest presents rhythms from around the globe , transporting listeners to  exotic places like Mali, Cuba, Finland and Egypt.  The 13th annual event takes place city-wide in multiple venues including museums. parks, theaters and clubs.

The non-stop melodies run From September 15-22 and feature world renowned artists sharing their music and culture.  Today’s finale concerts feature a  free Malian independence celebration in Daley Plaza, featuring Malian musician Sidi Toure as well as an all day concert, “One World Under One Roof,” at the Chicago Cultural Center that runs until 11:30 PM.  Performers include Hawaiian band Kaumakaiwa Kanaka ‘ole, Finish musicians Frigg, Nawal Quartet from the Comoros Islands , Brock McGuire Band from Ireland and the Creole Choir of Cuba. This all-ages concert is free. After sampling such a diverse musical menu, head over to Rumba Restaurant for diverse cuisine and more live music and dancing.  This elegant supper club offers  Latin fusion dishes along with live Latin music.  Start with Havana crab cakes or empanadas de la rumba and work your way to Caribbean steak or coconut and plantain encrusted sea bass and you’ll be fortified for the all night dancing.

Photo courtesy of Chicago World Music Festival

The Milan Historical Museum complex includes nine buildings situated around a courtyard. Only two of these buildings actually have any historical significance while the others were either built specifically to showcase collectibles or converted from garages and storage sheds for the same purpose. It seemed odd, at first, this forced reverence to a history that hadn’t been carefully preserved. However the sheer volume of the items that jammed these old buildings – almost all donations from past and present town residents – indicated that history had in fact been treasured privately, if not on a larger scale. Everything from dolls to old potato diggers (which were once manufactured in the area) are part of the exhibit, and you get the feeling you’re wandering through an episode of American Pickers in some spots.

Among the various odds and ends are a few spectacular pieces, like the collection of vaseline glass that glows neon green under a black light due to traces of uranium. There’s also an impressive model of a massive ship that would have been built in one of the old shipyards when a canal still ran through the town in the early 1800s. Along side the pressed glass and wood craftsmanship you’ll also find a blunderbuss, a rare firearm used primarily in the 17th and 18th century.

The very existence of a historical museum in a town the size and significance of Milan, Ohio is an oddity. The collection of artifacts, then, is perfect.

Photo by Britt Reints

As I was in my kitchen up to my elbows in apple juice that will become jelly tomorrow, travel was the last thing on my mind.  At this time of year, it’s hard to find time to run for groceries, much less think of something fun to do.

But then I started thinking about grapes, and how nice it would be to have some grapes so that I could make grape jelly along with my apple jelly.  We had nary a grape on our decades-old vine this year, so if I want grapes, I’m going to have to beg from my neighbors, or find a place to buy some.

One might think it could be difficult to find a place to buy some grapes for making jelly, but in Minnesota we have it easy.  We have the Minnesota Grown Directory, available in both print and online formats, to direct us to farms that sell grapes or apples or meat or honey or other farm-to-market items in the state.

With just a few clicks of the mouse at minnesotagrown.com, I’d found five places within a reasonable driving distance that sell grapes, some for wine, some for juice and eating at the table, as well as contact information to learn about pricing and availability.

I’ve used Minnesota Grown before, often in the fall when looking for a new orchard to visit.  It was through the Minnesota Grown Directory that I found Holmberg Orchard and others that have become favorites for family activities as well as sweet fall pickings.  If I want to find a pumpkin patch for the kids, I turn to Minnesota Grown.  Farmers’ markets, CSAs, Christmas tree farms, and more are also included in the directory.

The free print version of the Minnesota Grown Directory is updated each spring, and this year marks its 30th anniversary of being a resource for those looking for fresh, local food.  If you’re looking for a new source of good food, or even a fun family fall outing in Minnesota, Minnesota Grown should be your first stop.

Photo credit: minnemom on flickr

Linda (minnemom) writes about family travel at Travels with Children.

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“Avatar is just a set of worlds that is really rich and offers so much to explore, we thought that offering a land-based approach gives us a much better opportunity to explore,”Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs said in an interview following the announcement.

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The Shops of Ruskin in Seaside, Florida

Seaside, Florida, is a brilliantly laid out, planned beach community on Highway 30A in Florida. The entire town speaks to a different time, when there was time to spend drinking iced tea on porches and when it was important to always say hello to your neighbor. At Seaside’s core is a central square that surrounds the community amphitheater. This square houses a collection of shops, cafes, and ice cream parlor and the like which afford beach-goers some air conditioned relief from the very sunny days. Chances are you’ll duck inside these stores every ten minutes or so during the very hot days of July and August, but during the rest of the year, the trees provide enough shade and encourage more lazy wandering. All sorts of shops can be found here — art galleries, clothing stores, restaurants and funky stores that are difficult to categorize.

An ice cream shop beckons in Seaside, Florida

If there’s one word that could sum up this entire area, it would be charming. The architecture somehow alerts you to the fact that the ocean is just a few steps away, even if you couldn’t actually smell or feel the sea breezes. The paint colors are light and bright and decidedly beachy. The shops here are an ideal place to search for that non-cheesy beach souvenir you’ve been looking for — because they have plenty of the cheesy sort at the Snappy Turtle (I’m not judging! I bought a necklace there, too) . Maybe a painting of Seagrove or Rosemary Beach to immortalize your trip? Or a beautiful picture frame to capture your own special beach memory?

A little bit of everything in Seaside’s shops

The neat thing about Seaside’s Shops at Ruskin is that even though they are shops, nothing feels pushy or commercial — there’s an old world charm to how the shops are organized, decorated and presented. The shops here quietly say “hello, have a look if you like” as opposed to “Come inside and buy stuff!” To me, that is the greatest fault of so many beach towns — the overuse of neon colors and ridiculous signs to draw shoppers inside. That is an obnoxious habit that tends to drown out the relaxed vibe a beach town is supposed to represent.

Shady trees and beach cruisers in Seaside, Florida

So go — do have a look. And buy some ice cream. It’s very, very good.

Photos:  Jenny Bengen-Albert

Chicago hosts scads of Summer events but none quite so legendary as the annual Bud Billiken Parade. A South Side tradition for 82 years, the parade is the nation’s oldest and largest African American parade, second only to the Tournament of Roses in terms of size. Over 1.5 million spectators are expected the parade which runs through the historic Bronzeville corridor on Saturday, August 13.

With entries from 48 states, the Bud Billiken Parade supplies a feast of colors, music and dance for all ages.  The parade kicks off at 10AM at 39th and King Drive and features  Mayor Rahm Emmanuel as Grand Marshall, R&B star R. Kelly as honorary Grand Marshall and appearances by Mickey and Minnie Mouse,  Tiana, Disney’s first African American princess and a host of vibrant marching bands, drill teams, majorettes and celebrities.  This year’s parade also introduces a gospel festival, which begins at noon in Washington Park.  Fest highlights include nationally acclaimed performers Walt Whitman & The Soul Children, The Brown Sisters, The Victory Travelers and a special tribute to Chicago’s late Queen of Gospel, Albertina Walker. After enjoying all the festivities, make a stop to the nearby Chicago’s Home of Chicken & Waffles on 39th and King Drive. A popular neighborhood hot spot, the quaint diner serves up generous portions of soul food favorites including fried chicken, collard greens and chicken with waffles. Don’t miss the omelet stuffed with fried chicken.

Photo courtesy of Bud Billiken Parade

Heavenly Ice Cream in Seaside, Florida. Couldn’t have picked a more fitting name.

Those who know me are aware of my love complete and utter obsession for ice cream. And not just during summer. So, when temperatures did this stuff last week during my stay in Seagrove/Seaside, Florida, I set out on a mission to find an ice cream store. Preferably a gelato shop. Or both.

At the time, it seemed like a great idea to take a short stroll around Seaside and admire all the adorable pastel colored homes and quaint streets. After about ten minutes of walking around, though, my smile started to fade and my desire to photograph waned considerably. It was H-O-T. I needed ice cream, and I needed it STAT.

Lo and behold, a blue awning became visible though the humid haze. I wiped my sweaty brow and tried to make out the name — did it say Heavenly ICE CREAM?! Oh, my. It’s remarkable how fast I can move when dessert is involved.

Once inside, I fought the urge to throw myself on the display counter’s cool glass. The air conditioning was cranked on full blast, and it was deliciously cold inside. Look at all of those flavors! And was that gelato I spied? Yes, yes it was.

So many flavors…

I immediately decided on pistachio, and you’ll just have to take my word for how amazing it was. Real, pistachio ice cream with actual chunks of nut and real pistachio flavor. It was green, so a touch of food coloring had been added, but whatever, the taste was pure heaven. Sadly, I have no photos to document the scoop huge overflowing cup I ordered…I was too busy wolfing it down to work my camera. Next time!

I did, however, manage to take a photo of the shop itself, which was very cute. It had a whole vintage ice cream store theme going on, which I find so appealing. I find that an ice cream shop’s decor really adds to the whole experience and somehow makes the ice cream taste even better. Crazy? Try ordering a sundae in an old fashioned ice cream parlor and a sundae in a Baskin Robbins shop. See which sundae is more satisfying — trust me, I’ve tried this!

I love how all the bottles are arranged

So there you have it! You can find Heavenly Ice Cream in the Shops at Ruskin in Seaside.

Photos: Jenny Bengen-Albert