First, J. and I were in the NY Times wedding section a few weeks ago!  I didn’t blog about it in order to preserve our anonymity (or what little of it is left) but it was so cool to share and enjoy with friends and family!

Second, President Obama sent us a congratulations card.  (What, you say everyone who invites the President to their wedding gets one?  Psshhh, please, you know nothing about how famous we are).

Third, of course you know our wedding was featured on Wedding Chicks, with incredible photos by Jessica Morrisy.

But did you know we were also famous on our honeymoon?  Well ok technically, it was after our honeymoon, but  nonetheless, the good people over at the U.S.S. Bowfin (an incredible WWII submarine we visited at Pearl Harbor) read the blog and saw some photos from our trip and now we are featured on their facebook page!

It makes me want to talk like a pirate or something.  Ahoy!  So anyhow, I have to say, we really enjoyed our time visting the Bowfin museum and are overjoyed to have some of our photos featured on their page.  Hooray for American history, vacations, and new cameras!

Arghhhh

I check out the view of Honolulu after hiking to the top of Diamond Head crater!

Perfect. Rainbow. Perfect.

Pipeline surf contest, north shore. For reals.

Another gorgeous Hawaiian senset, as viewed from our room!

Hitting the decks of the U.S.S. Bowfin at Pearl Harbor.

And wrapping up our trip, paying respects at the Arizona Memorial.

J. and I are so fortunate to have been able to start our new life together with such an incredible vacation.  In these times when so many people are going through so many real, heartbreaking problems, having the means and ability to take this trip is not something we take for granted.  Every moment is precious and we will certainly treasure these memories.

I put some computer-themed Mad Libs in J.’s stocking for Christmas and we brought them, along with a sudoku book, thank you notes-to-be-written, and gossip magazines on the airplane to keep us busy on the trip to Hawaii.  And the thing we used the most and loved the best was totally Mad Libs!  When I was a kid, all we had to do to make Mad Libs funny was reference some form of human gas.  So I wasn’t sure if we’d still think they were funny as adults.

But after reading about pornographic pictures of Mr. Miyagi in an airport and laughing so hard the other passengers were giving us the stink eye, I can say with authority that these are time well spent.

Bet you never thought you’d be reading the phrase “pornographic pictures of Mr. Miyagi” outside of email spam, now did you?

image source

I didn’t know it at the time but I grew up in paradise.  As a teenager, I kept a bikini and a beach towel in the backseat of my car in the way that people up North always travel with an ice pick, because you never knew when you’d need them.  I left Florida at 18 but now as I get older, I find myself going back to visit more and more. Lately, I’ve taken to suggesting to friends planning vacations and honeymoons, “Why don’t you just go to Florida?  You can do all of that in Sarasota…”

And really, a stateside honeymoon in a Florida beach town has a lovely 1950’s vintage vibe and you can save a ton on flights.  While Sarasota may have a Ritz, it also has countless adorable mom + pop beach bungalow resorts and you will have the opportunity to go both fancy and budget.  Below is a quick hit list of retro Florida charm from my hometown….

Siesta Key is a 7 mile barrier island off the Gulf of Mexico.  Two bridges tether it to mainland Sarasota.  The sand on the beaches is 99% quartz, making it some of the whitest sand in the world (which keeps it from getting too hot in the summer – - – hello 7^th grade physical science!).   A good way to stay on the beach and save is to stay at a resort that shares beach access with another resort – this will allow you to stay alongside the beach and always have a parking space.  Google Siesta Key and lots of fun retro options show up – prices are cheaper after spring break and stay that way until December.

While you’re out on the Key, be sure to check out Siesta Key Village (locals just call it the Village).  The Daiquiri Deck offers some fun Florida silliness with a wall of machines mixing 13 different frozen concoctions (and one non alcoholic daiquiri of the day – ask your server).  It’s 2 for 1 Daiquiri’s from 3-7 and you’re on vacation so it’s totally fine to start drinking at 3 (or 11 am for that matter….) A word of advice – don’t drink the ones that boast grain alcohol….those are for the single girls and you really don’t want to end up barfing into your honey’s hair….

Up the street is the Old Salty Dog, a Sarasota fixture with great hot dogs and an awesome blackened grouper sandwich.  You’ll pass all the cute souvenir shops on the stroll where you can pick up postcards to use for thank you cards!  Be sure to also get a waffle cone from Big Olaf’s – sooo tasty! 

My hometown is not all deep fried hot dogs and custom-built booze slurpee machines.  We have a pretty excellent cultural scene for a town so small!  At the turn of the 20^th century John Ringling commissioned a museum to house his art collection which became open to the public in 1931 and houses a Renaissance heavy collection.  This commitment to the arts has lived on in future residents and we also host the Florida State ballet, have an opera house, and a great number of galleries around Main Street in downtown Sarasota.  You can also wander the grounds alongside Sarasota bay and see the old Ringling mansion (which was featured in the remake of Great Expectations).    While you’re driving around, check out the public access radio station, WSLR 96.5.

Finally you can’t get vintage Florida without checking out the state parks or having some time out on the water.  There are tons of places to rent kayaks or jetskis if you’re staying on the key.  Close to Sarasota are two state parks, Myakka River State Park and Oscar Scherer State Park.  At Myakka you can rent canoes, go on boat tours or just go hiking and biking – they’ve also built a canopy walkway on one of their trails which is absolutely gorgeous.   Oscar Scherer also features canoe rentals, hiking and has a lake for swimming.  It also connects to the Legacy Trail a “rails to trails” path that connects Sarasota to Venice, a town a little ways south.  The trail is great for biking and jogging.  

Happy Honeymooning!

Once we got settled- really settled- we started exploring the North coast of Maui with the top down in our Jeep (a small upgrade from J!), which has an incredible cliff-hugging drive with these semi-secret “Olivine Pools” which you have to basically have to climb down a cliff to get to- but which were absolutely awesome in person.  And the Hana highway?  Pretty cool even with this season’s lack of rain (no seven sacred pools this year!)- we saw an ancient temple, lava tubes and arches, a black sand beach, and let’s not forget how we followed our guidebook’s instructions and did some off-the-tourist-road hiking to find an amazing waterfall and perfect swimming hole with NOBODY there!  Whale watching?  Better than I ever thought possible!  Our boat ended up being surrounded by three whales for about an hour, so we got to get within 10 feet of humpbacks, watching them play and breach.   We’ve mostly done cheap or free things here to account for the extra hotel expense, but with so many natural wonders, that’s been easy to do.  And of course, the restaurant scene here is outstanding!  Overall, I give it an A++!  So here’s some of the highlights from our five days of Maui-mooning:

Our room with a view!

The Olivine Pools- Secluded Secret or Death Trap?

Whale tail!

Yes, there are THREE whales in that photo!

Luau!

Piilanihale Heiau, the largest ancient temple in Hawaii.

Poised on the edge of a lava tube!

J. braves the icy spring water for a shot at our "private" waterfall!

I savor a sunset and watch the big boys surf near Mama's Fish House (home of the best seafood ever).

Remember these love birds?

Let me preface this entire entry by saying that if you are a high-maintenance person or someone with little patience, Jamaica is NOT the destination for you.  I mean it.  Don’t even bother reading on.  Jamaica takes “island time” to a whole new snail-paced level!  From the time you get to immigration and customs (prepare for a long, hot wait), to the time you get in line for your boarding pass home, you will be inching your way through each day.  But if you’re looking for an escape, isn’t that part of the draw?  Bring your patience!  There.  Now that we’ve gotten that business out of the way, let’s continue!

Pancakes of the day: worth the patience!

My husband and I chose Jamaica as our weddingmoon destination for myriad reasons: it’s easy and relatively inexpensive to get there (compared to other Caribbean destinations), it’s absolutely covered in all-inclusive resorts, it only has a 24-hour “residency” period before couples can legally wed (and no pesky blood test),  it has a definitive island culture (I loathe islands that make me feel like I’m still stateside!), and it has LOADS of things to do.  Plus, as neither my husband nor I had ever visited Jamaica, it would be a new adventure we could forge together. 

Seriously, how cute are these two?

Ultimately we zeroed in on Negril, Jamaica, home of the famed 7-Mile Beach,  often featured in “world’s top beaches”-esque specials, and Rick’s Café, a great place to enjoy some cliff diving.  Negril has a wide variety of hotels and resorts ranging from economy to luxury.  The majority of the hotels are on right on the 7-Mile Beach (Couples Swept Away, Hedonism II, Sandals Negril, Negril Treehouse, and Idle Awhile), although you will find several all-inclusive resorts further north on the Bloody Bay (Couples Negril, Riu Palace Tropical Bay, and Breezes Grand), and a variety of smaller hotels and resorts further south on the West End (Rockhouse, Catcha Falling Star, and Tensing Pen).  Picking a hotel when you’ve never visited a location before can be quite daunting.  I find that maps are helpful to put things in perspective [for a fabulous map of Negril’s hotels (and restaurants, shopping, and more!), click here!]  Do your research, but beware of online reviews.  If you’re a seasoned traveler, you’re probably already aware that the Internet and sites like TripAdvisor give a voice to any and everyone.  For every glowing positive review, there is a scathing negative one.  Sometimes it sounds like they’re talking about two completely different resorts!  Try to keep realistic expectations and read reviews with your eyes open.  I was floored that people complained about bugs around the resort, or that restaurant service was slow, or that it rained every day.  Um, hello, folks?  You’re in the Caribbean; there are bugs, island life moves more slowly than the hustle and bustle of the big city, and tropical islands are visited by rain (almost every afternoon in Jamaica – a great time to enjoy indoor honeymoon activities).  Why did you even visit a tropical island?  Sheesh.  At any rate, you have more than ample choices!   

Oh, yeah, THAT's why I visited a tropical island!

I poured over travel books and websites and magazines before finally convincing my husband that we wanted to stay at Couples Swept Away on the 7-Mile Beach because it was a couples-only, all-inclusive resort with inexhaustible entertainment and dining options on the premises.  I was also bowled over by the die-hard Couples fans on the resort’s message board (and quickly became one upon our return).  CSA has six different restaurants, ranging from a nearly all-day buffet to a Jamaican-Mediterranean fusion restaurant to a dress-code-enforced gourmet restaurant.  My favorite was the Sea Grape Café, a tiny café right on the beach with slightly healthier fare (and a soft-serve machine… I did only say “slightly,” right?).  There are also bars everywhere you look – bars that look like little tiki huts and serve the most amazing frou-frou concoctions ever (I recommend anything involving rum crème).  Another selling point for CSA was the full spa located on their sports and fitness complex.  If you get any spa service (which you must – a massage at least!), first grab a pineapple-infused ice water from the spa juice bar, then show up early to take advantage of the gorgeous Jacuzzi (we were lucky enough to enjoy the sights and sounds of a relaxing tropical rain shower during our visit to the Jacuzzi and spa).  The final selling point for CSA was the variety of activities available each day (all of which are included).  You could go SCUBA diving or snorkeling (seasoned divers – beware – the reefs are pretty torn up from inexperienced divers flailing around, but there is a lot of great marine life to enjoy), take a sunset booze cruise down to the cliffs, take a kayak out on the ocean, learn how to sail a Hobie cat, join a game of beach volleyball, learn some margarita mixology, take a couples massage class, learn the history of Negril, partake in a squash clinic, or just relax on a beach lounge chair and have the frou-frou drinks delivered right to you (thank you, little green flags!).  Honestly, the beach and the ocean are so gorgeous in Negril that it’s hard to pull yourself away! 

Laze around in a hammock?

Despite the fact that CSA met all of our entertainment and dining needs, its location also gave us the freedom of direct access to any public 7-Mile Beach activities.  We could walk down the beach from our resort and hail a parasail boat or a jet ski rental, swim out to Margaritaville’s giant water trampoline, or patronize beach vendors selling various crafts.  Being on the beach also allowed us to take advantage of roving musicians and vendors selling “fresh crab, banana, good smoke,” if we were so bold.  Of course, the resort was so fabulous that we only left it to spend time with our family, who were staying elsewhere.  Destination brides, you may want to consider that!  We also ventured off campus to visit Rick’s Café (twice).  It’s a great place to watch a sunset, listen to live music, and enjoy the entertainment of some truly amazing cliff divers (or jump for yourself!).

Cliff diving!

Let’s talk weddings, since this is a wedding blog, after all.  If you’re going to get married in Jamaica, you need little more than a birth certificate.  Jamaica is a relatively popular wedding destination, so most hotels and resorts have wedding planners who will literally take care of everything for you – you just have to mail your documents, pay the bill, and show up!  Many of the all-inclusive resorts even offer complimentary weddings (with the potential to pay for any upgrade you might imagine).  This was the draw for me, as I’m relatively lazy.  CSA’s wedding planners took care of everything for us; we opted for the complimentary wedding package with upgrades to my bouquet and the arch, plus we arranged for our own photographer, Diana Campbell, to shoot the wedding.  Again, though, be patient; you’re on an island!  Just relax and enjoy your own special day. 

The happy couple!

I hope some of you decide to spend time in Negril.  My husband and I have no regrets about our decision.  Negril set the perfect stage for our vows, and we look forward to returning there for future anniversaries.

Nora and her boyfriend Fernando getting ready for adventure

Honeymooning in Honduras

Central America is a great, tropical, off the beaten track, place to spend your honeymoon and Honduras is a great country to do it in.  Despite recent political strife, these destinations are far from the political epicenter of the country and safe to visit.  You are likely to find great deals too!  Coffee farms and white sand beaches are in store for you if you make Honduras your Honeymoon destination!

I have been living and working in Honduras for 3 years, and I want to tell you about my favorite place here.  It is a coffee plantation outside the town Copan Ruinas in the Western Honduras called Finca El Cisne.  Horseback ride on cool mountain trails, tour coffee and cardamom plantations, savor real Honduran cuisine prepared with products from the farm, swim in rivers, bathe in soothing, natural hot springs and sleep tranquil nights in the country (with your sweetie!).  This is the escape you have been looking for and continues to be the most relaxing place I have been in Honduras.  This great location because it is located 25 km outside of the town Copan Ruinas—where you can tour one of a kind ancient Mayan ruins.   Definitely plan to stay a few days in the region—you won’t regret it.

Then you can hop over to another wonderful treasure that Honduras has to offer:  The Bay Islands

The Bay Islands- just lovely!

These islands with white sand beaches and amazing coral are located in the Caribbean Sea just off the coast of Honduras and offer a great beach getaway.  The three islands: Roatan, Utila and Guanaja, all offer something different.  You can rent a private house, go snorkeling, enjoy fabulous sea food, stay at a 5 star resort, or stay at a modest (read: not expensive) place as well while enjoying your surroundings.   These islands are a national treasure and a vacationer’s paradise!

Honduras is full of diversity and many off the beaten track places.  If you and your future spouse are an adventuresome couple, then Honduras could be the place for you.  Please do not hesitate to contact me via “The One”  for more information.

Nora and Fernando beaching it up!

 Why you should go:

(1) It is quite reasonable to go.  J. and I got a package deal off of CheapCaribbean.com called a “super surprise special.”  That meant for the low low price of $1200, we got airfare and hotel for a week for BOTH of us, but with one catch: we did not get to find out our hotel until the week before we left.  At the time we were watching our pennies so we decided to risk it.  And it was SUCH A GOOD IDEA!  Our resort was called Bluebeard’s Castle and it may not have been redecorated in a while, but it had a 1950’s vibe and a shabby vintage feel centered around a real pirate’s tower from the 1600’s!  It also had incredible, incredible views.   Currently the website says it is being renovated- but I hope hope hope they don’t lose the vintage charm. 

(2) It is a U.S. territory.  No passports or worries about the low value of the dollar required.

(3) The place has class.  I don’t mean that it’s the fanciest in the world.  But it is easy to avoid the uber tacky, irritating tourists and do your own thing.  Basically everything you do will be fun.  It is not like spring break in Cancun- so if you were hoping to enter a hot body contest, you’ll be disappointed.  But assuming you’re not a character person on Jersey Shore, I think you’ll love it.

(4) Restaurants here are shockingly good.  If you’re used to big city prices, you won’t even feel sticker shock.  A fried conch appetizer will run about $7 most places. 

Resort views

The old tower at Bluebeard's

View from inside the tower

What to do when you get there:

(1) First, go cheap on hotel and use the money you saved to rent a car.  You will need it to really experience the island and it is not that expensive.

(2) Hit the beaches at the nice resorts.  We particularly loved the beaches at the Ritz and the Marriott.  They’re all public under U.S. law so even if you’re not staying at a given resort, you can go play.  Besides, nobody even checked when we plopped down on the beach chairs, though in theory they were supposed to.  It’s just that relaxed!

J. and I putting on our Ritz

(3) Take the ferry to St. John!  Most of it is preserved, and there are feral farm animals roaming the place.  Fan-friggin-tastic!  Not to mention, the ride on the ferry can be stunning.  And while you’re there, consider going snorkeling with one of the small local catamarans.  We went with just one other couple and a guide and saw some amazing stuff.  If you can find captain Han, go with him.

One of the many great sunsets we saw from the St. John ferry!

Just another feral donkey on a Tuesday

(4) Take a sunset sail even if those Caribbean clouds roll in- they move out quickly- and it makes for better photos!  Just don’t expect a gourmet meal- it’s all a lie.

Cloudy sunsets are still lovely sunsets!

(5) Eat at The Old Stone Farmhouse.  The chef is a genius and the atmosphere- a 200 year old restored fieldhouse- cannot be beat.  Get the tasting menu with wine pairings.  I swear to you that they actually serve wine worth drinking chosen by an actual sommolier and not just random cases the restaurant needs to drink up- a rarity in prix fix menus- and well worth it!

Ohm nom nom

(6) Go shopping in Charlotte Amalia, but go when the cruise ships are NOT there.  Otherwise you will want to commit violent crime against the whiny, me-first east coasters who have cruised on down to flood the town, cut in lines, and argue with the locals.  Avoid at all costs!  That said, J. got a bargain price on a gorgeous Movado watch while there, and the cobblestone side streets are charming.

The streets of Charlotte Amalie

"I sailed! On my first try! I just let the boat do the work."

What you should maybe not do- or maybe absolutely should do?

On our last night in St. Thomas, J. and I decided to hit an open air restaurant in the middle of town for some live music.  During the day, the place is a tourist mecca.  But after dinner, the place turned into a serious night club, which we didn’t realize ahead of time.  A metal detector was brought to the door and the club became packed with locals in a neighborhood that we’d been warned was “unsafe” at night for tourists.  But it was already too late by the time we figured this out- we were there.  And the music was insanely good.  Incredible.  We danced and danced and danced!  So yeah we were the only tourists (and only white people) there other than a random Canadian couple, and I’m sure the locals thought we danced like nerds, but it was quite possibly the best night we had there!  Just be aware that if you’re considering doing the same, please be careful and use your common sense- I can’t vouch for how safe it was

Mmmwah! See ya'll next week!

First, a public service announcement.  Today our wedding is featured on Wedding Chicks, so go check it out!  Special thanks to Jessica Morrisy for capturing the day with such flair!  Woo!

Now more importantly, at this moment I’m drinking my morning kona coffee and eating some locally grown fruit (which J. made into a salad this morning!) while listening to the sounds of the faux waterfall of the resort out our window right now.  I am in pure heaven!  I just wanted to say hello to you all and recommend that you plan a trip just like this sometime in your future… worth it worth it worth it!  Right now we are in Kapa’a, Kaua’i at the Waipuli Resort- recommended as a money saving option by our travel agent because it is technically a condo and not a hotel.  But for us, that meant an apartment sized room with housekeeping, a full kitchen which we’ve used every morning and some evenings, a great location and a lovely pool.  And the room itself is local hardwoods, granite countertops, so much nicer than anything the Hyatt can offer.  So travel tip: go the condo route!  Next up, we move on to Maui and another condo (which my research suggests will be slightly outdated inside but with killer views of Molokai and whales)!

Highlights of this week have included an incredible helicopter tour, hiking to “secret” waterfalls where J. jumped off, getting a couples massage at the St. Regis, taking surfing lessons and both actually getting up (!), ziplining through the valleys of a cattle ranch, visiting the “grand canyon of the pacific” from the ground, and getting up close and personal with a Hawaiian monk seal.  So I’m not going to spend much more time blogging, and instead I’m going to go soak up some sun!  I leave you instead with some photos of the best things we’ve done this week!

xoxo,

Sarah

J. jumps off a 25 foot waterfall (I was too afraid so I just took pics instead!)

Who doesn't love watching a sunbathing seal!

Here we are on day 1 post-massage in Princeville, enjoying the views of Bali Hai

Zipping on "king kong" which was over 2000 feet long!

View of the Na Pali coast from our helicopter

Look closely and you'll see THREE whales- a mama and her babies? I like to think so.

Post-surfing lesson!

Alright everyone, today’s travel tips come from FSIL Diana who has some excellent information for all you children-at-heart, who might be considering a Disney vacation… who wouldn’t love sunshine, fancy dinners, fun rides and time with Mickey?

Honeymoon Travel Tips: Disney World

Okay, you’re all set for the wedding and now it’s time to finetune your honeymoon plans. Some of you may be considering spending your honeymoon in Disney World. While we are not spending our honeymoon there, my fiancé A and I recently vacationed there. Here are a few tips for those of you considering this fine location.

First of all, no matter if you’re 25 or 45, you are not too old for Disney World! If you have any kind of embarrassment or guilt about spending your honeymoon here, get it out of your head now. We saw plenty of adults without kids vacationing here during our trip this September. Actually, we were quite surprised by all the “adult” things there are to do – from fine dining to even a bit of nightlife.

Go during the off-season. I realize that you have probably already picked a date for your wedding, but if you are planning on honeymooning during the summer or right after Christmas you should scratch this destination off your list. It is best to avoid Disney World during holidays, school vacations, and the summer in general. By avoiding these times, you also avoid huge crowds and long lines at both rides and restaurants.

Stay at a Disney Resort. If you think staying at a Disney resort means bumping into Mickey and Minnie and dodging strollers in your hallway, think again. Disney resorts are surprisingly nice and un-cheesy. Each resort contains several restaurants that range from cafeteria-style to upscale dining. Plus, you get free transportation (via monorail or bus) to all of the theme parks and Downtown Disney. We stayed at the Polynesian, which was very fun, but the Grand Floridian or the Contemporary resorts may be the fanciest if you are looking for true luxury.

Make dinner reservations a few weeks in advance. This is something that A and I learned the hard way. Disney has a few very nice places to eat, but they book up well in advance, even during the off-season. You may want to look into Victoria & Albert’s, the California Grill, or Wolfgang Puck. I would also highly recommend the Kona Café in the Polynesian resort, which offers a set menu ranging from Hawaiian bread to unlimited barbecued meats and an amazing banana caramel crème brulee. We missed out on the Spirit of Aloha dinner show because we didn’t make a reservation in advance, but it sounded like a blast.

Do some research. If you’re reading this, then you are probably pretty involved in the details of planning of your wedding and honeymoon. I would highly suggest you take some time to check out other Disney-related articles to determine which restaurants you’d like to try, what rides you must go on, and which parks to visit. It will feel quite overwhelming if you arrive without a plan. There is just too much to do! By choosing a few things you know you would like to try, you set yourself up for success but also leave some time to explore.

Check out Downtown Disney for some nightlife. While most of the parks close between 7 and 9pm, there is still something of a nightlife at Disney World. If you are into the bar scene, there are several places to try out in Downtown Disney. We stopped into a cigar bar while we were there and saw several other spots, including a House of Blues, that looked cool. There’s not much else to do here, though, besides shop for souvenirs and eat.

Feel free to hang out at your hotel. Like most visitors, you will be tempted to overdo it here. Take some time to relax – it is your honeymoon, after all. The resorts all have nice pools, areas to sun yourself, restaurants, bars, and perhaps even a hammock. Take a day off from the parks to just hang out. Remember, this is your honeymoon. You can come back in the future to ride Space Mountain. For now, pick the few things that sound most enticing and spend the rest of the time relaxing and getting to know your new spouse. Enjoy!

Happy Honeymooning!