Travel Diary: Quebec, Canada

September 2, 2016 36 Comments

Finally able to complete this travel Diary of Old Montreal, Parc Safari and Old Quebec, Canada trip 2 weeks ago.

Old Montreal

We planned this trip to celebrate Aidan’s third birthday. If you have been following me on the blog or my instagram you will notice our family loves to travel. Most of the time we do it when we are celebrating birthdays. I have been wanting to go back to Europe but It is still feasible at this time as I have to save up for that since we just went to the Philippines early this year for 3 weeks. It so happened I googled Canada and Quebec came up. By looking at the pictures it really looks like Europe and the language they speak there is french which is good. They also speak english as that is Canada’s national language.

We stayed at Residence Inn by Marriott near the airport even though we drove here from the US. It took us 12 hours drive from Maryland. The Hotel was 20 min away from Old Montreal which wasn’t bad. We enjoyed our stay there because they have free breakfast (love their food!), indoor pool, gym and office. The room has its own kitchen and it looks like a studio unit condomonium.

We went to Old Montreal Saturday morning and it was a lovely day as you can see on the pictures. There were a lot of constructions going on all around the city. But we still able to see the beauty of this old city. People are very nice and friendly. The architecture is superb, they have cobblestones where you walk just like in Europe.

Nice restaurants around old town. It was not hard to find parking and it was also not expensive.restaurants, shops and street performers are everywhere. A lot of tourist too as you may notice.

Notre Dame Basilica

My outfit is seen here

The food in this area is a bit pricey but of course, you are in a nice location and you will love the ambiance. You can do the horse ride too touring the whole city. we didn’t do it we just walk because most of the land marks are just close to each other.

Then we took the kids to the Parc Safari so they can also enjoy this trip. Strolling around the city is basically for us adults.

Parc Safari…

It was a great experience as it is kind of a zoo, theme park and a water park all in one and they have free parking. We got there late like 4pm already but they were open until 7 pm. In those 3 hours we stayed there, we started doing the safari adventure where you feed the animal you see roaming around while you are in the comfort of your own vehicle. We really enjoyed this experience so much. water buffalo’s moving around here at safari adventure feeding the animals close encounter with this cutiepetting this friendly animals

It was such a wonderful and unique experience for us. The whole family enjoyed this ride so much and Adi got scared when the camel looking animal took her box of food and ate the box. It was so cute and hilarious when she said “this is so ugly” pertaining to the situation that happened.

with the parc mascot restaurants, I must say… Canada has the best ice creams!! Everywhere we go here we try their ice cream and they are all sooo good! Adi Practicing her gymanstics such a fun family ride that we all had to do it over again

the kids got their face painted

Old Quebec

This is the best place to visit as we really enjoyed everything here. It was so relaxing, entertaining here and the view is so amazing! It was worth the travel because this is 3 hours drove from Montreal. The scenery, food, street performers and architecture is just perfect. Felt like we were in Europe again plus the people speaking french. The best place for photo op too 🙂

street performers lovely wall murals

Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac (most photographed Hotel in the world)

they have the best pizza and calamari

my outfit seen here

Outfit, Travel

Virginia Beach Mini Vacation

August 17, 2016 22 Comments

Adi and Aidan enjoying the sand….

Surrey Biking with the Family for an hour, whew! It was a workout but we all had fun

On Me: OFF SHOULDER TOP (NO LONGER AVAILABLE) SIMILAR HERE AND HERE/ SHORTS SIMILAR HERE/ SANDALS SIMILAR HERE/ BRACELET c/o COLLECTIONS BY JOYA

took a pit stop at the end of the boardwalk for the kids to play

Virginia Beach Mini Vacation: A Family-Friendly Getaway

As summer comes to an end, our beach trips are a must. We took two days off to enjoy a mini vacation at Virginia Beach with the whole family. When we travel, we always prioritize family-friendly destinations with plenty of activities for the kids. Our recent trip to Virginia Beach was no exception, much like our memorable trip to Mexico in 2014.

Virginia Beach has seen significant improvements. The boardwalk is cleaner and more inviting, making it a popular spot for families, joggers, skateboarders, and rollerbladers. There’s also a spacious bike lane for cyclists. On the other side of the street, you’ll find musicians playing live music at nearly every block, adding to the vibrant atmosphere. The variety of restaurants ensures you’ll find something delicious to eat.

We stayed at the beachfront Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, where the sound of the ocean and the sight of people enjoying themselves added to the charm. The view was lovely to wake up to and a perfect way to end the day. Despite our stay being just overnight, it was an amazing trip for the whole family. The kids loved playing in the sand, bodyboarding, swimming at both the beach and the hotel’s indoor pool, surrey biking, and enjoying the playground.

If you’re near Virginia Beach, it’s a must-visit during the summer. We had a fantastic time, and we’re looking forward to more adventures. This weekend, we’re heading to Canada for our son’s birthday, so stay tuned for updates.

Thank you all for stopping by and for your comments. Have a wonderful day!

Simply,

Christianne

Outfit, Travel

Travel Guide: Orlando, Florida

August 5, 2016 34 Comments

I finally get the chance to finish this travel post from our trip last month in Orlando, Florida. Here are the highlights of our recent trip and some tips for you on where to go, to eat and to shop.

Disney World: Magic Kingdom We went there 4th of July and it was a great experience as their usual fireworks display was extra special. The fireworks was all over the Magic Kingdom (360 degrees). It was so cool!! The ticket price for 1 day pass was $134 but includes 3 fast pass, you just have to download their app and sign in there to get the fast pass. The whole experience was great it was indeed the happiest place on earth. Our relatives was with us too. This is so cool! It shows different Disney movies here at the castle like this “Up.”
Never Ending Pool days at the clubhouse

This is the round up of all my look from our trip in Orlando, Florida.

Look 1 ONE PIECE SWIMSUIT Look 2 PALM PRINT PLAYSUIT Look 3 PRINTED SHIFT DRESS Look 4 TASSLED SPAGHETTI STRAP TOP Look 5 SHIRT DRESS AS SWIM COVER UP

3. Aquatica Water Park

This is such a nice place because the kids really enjoyed the water even my husband and I. In here they have this cool water slide where you will see underneath the dolphins swimming beside you but you will be inside the tube slide. They also have wave pool and other cool water slides, lazy river… We also purchased the meal all day so we just have to pay one time. It is buffet style and the food is okay.

4. Disney Springs formerly known as Downtown Disney

This we just strolled as they have a lot of restaurants, shops, entertainment for all ages.

5. Universal Studio City Walk

This is kinda similar to Disney Springs as they have a lot of restaurants, shops and entertainment but this one is way smaller than Disney Springs.

6. Crayola Factory

Family friendly place and a lot of arts and crafts for all of you. The entrance fee is $22 but got there an hour before closing so it was half the price. I suggest go there early so you can go to all their stations for arts and crafts.

We really enjoyed our stay here in Orlando. Some places we did not get to take a lot of pictures as we were really enjoying it. We also went to Artegon Marketplace, they have unique stores from artisans and they have cute wall arts. We thought of visiting the beach to get to see some white sands but did not get a chance. Our 7 days stay was not enough, it should be at least 2 weeks 🙂 We stayed at our aunts rest house, but there are a lot of hotels within the area.

Until the next adventure: Upcoming trios for us this month are Virginia Beach and Quebec, Canada. Follow along our family travel.

I hope you find this post helpful when travelling to Orlando, Florida.

Thank you all for your comments and for visiting my blog. Have a wonderful weekend!]

Simply,

Christanne

Outfit, Travel

Boho Vibes at Great Falls Park

June 24, 2016 36 Comments

NOV_3342 — Great Falls Park, Virginia Side

ON ME: OLD NAVY TOP SIMILAR HERE/ CUT OFF SHORTS/ GLADIATOR SANDALS/ STRAW BAG SIMILAR HERE AND HERE/ SUNNIES

ON ADI: GRAPHIC T-SHIRT/SHORTS/PINK SHOES

ON AIDAN: GRAPHIC T-SHIRT/ SHORTS (OLD)/ SHOES

Good morning and Happy Friday lovelies! Today, I will be sharing with you this Boho Vibes at Great Falls Park adventure we had on Father’s day. It was so nice to have seen this place as this reminded me of the beauty of Niagara Falls. Good to find out about this park as we live here in Maryland for 8 years now. We did not know that we have this amazing view of this place which is literally only 30 miles away from where we live.

THINGS TO DO AT THE PARK:

Picnic
Biking
Kayaking
Camping
Sight Seeing

If you happen to visit DC, MD, VA area and you are a lover of nature, please do visit Great Falls Park.

As for the outfits we have here. I started shopping for our upcoming trip from Old Navy and Tjmaxx. When I was putting the outfits together I noticed that I can create a boho look putting the items together. It was so sunny and hot that day so we all opted to wear t-shirts and shorts. Take note, I had to change my shoes when we went going down the cliff to get to the river trail as it was the appropriate shoes for that. We all wanna look cute, but if you plan to hike make sure you are wearing the right shoes.

I hope I was able to give you all some inspiration for a boho look and another place for you to visit when you get a chance.

Thank you all for stopping by and for all your comments. Have a wonderful weekend!

Simply,

Christianne

Travel

Chicago Diary – City Guide

March 19, 2016 16 Comments

Happy Saturday lovelies! Today I’m Sharing some tips on how to get around the City of Chicago (our Chicago Diary – City Guide) if you only have a day or two.

Oh the city of Chicago, so beautiful but so little time. As you all know, we went to Chicago 2 weeks ago for my husband’s mini birthday getaway. We love to travel so much so we decided that every year we should go to a place we have never been to before. Chicago came up on our list to see. We have been fascinated by “the bean” or Cloud Gate” at that Millenium park and their beautiful skyscrapers like what we see in the movies.

We were not disappointed with what we saw, but with so little time that we have to explore the whole city. We arrived at our hotel at Elmhurst, Illinois about 19 miles away from the city at 4pm. We still got time to explore the city that night. We just stretched and set our stuff in and we headed right away to the City.

20160306_174556 — Chicago Diary – City Guide

WHERE TO GO:

20160306_183050 — 360 Chicago Observation Tower

360 CHICAGO (formerly known as JOHN HANCOCK CENTER)
If you are not afraid of heights you should try the tilt, you will step next to the glass wall/window and it will tilt at a certain angle.

They also have bar/lounge at the same floor (95th) where you can just chill and enjoy the gorgeous view of the city at night while sipping some margarita.

WILLIS TOWER (formerly called SEARS TOWER)
They have this sky deck on 105th floor where you get to view the while city of Chicago and Lake Michigan. The sky deck has transparent floors where you can take your photos while seeing what is underneath you. This is listed as one of the tallest buildings in the world.

20160307_112124 — our own reflection from the bean

MILLENIUM PARK
This felt like a mini Central Park to me. The park is so clean and has pretty cool architecture surrounding it. Just like the famous Cloud Gate or most commonly referred to as “the bean” by the locals and the Crown Fountain.

NAVY PIER
They have shows, River cruise, Ferris Wheel and you can stroll here just to view the beautiful Lake Michigan and take pictures.

LEGOLAND DISCOVERY CENTER

If you have kids with you like us, they will definitely enjoy this as it is like a mini theme park and at the same time like an activity center for the whole family center.

UNITED CENTER

If you’re a fan of Micahel Jordan, then go visit and take a picture with his statue outside the center just like my husband did.

the 2 latter places where in the outskirts of the city of Chicago, see them last once you’ve seen the rest of the city.

SHEDD AQUARIUM, CHICAGO INSTITUTE OF ART, ADLER PLANETARIUM.

WHERE TO STAY:

MARRIOTT HOTELS (we stayed at the Springhill Suites by Marriott)

There are a lot of hotels within the city. Just make sure it is in the center of all the attractions so you can just do a hop on hop off bus tour or take a cab or use uber. Parking is very expensive, just like in most cities. You can also try the bike and you don’t have kids with you.

We stayed outside the city because we drove and we have the car with us. We just parked it close to the places we wanted to see. To save from paying too much with parking, we just rode a cab to the next destination.

WHERE TO EAT: I only recommend these places where we have eaten.

GINO’S EAST DEEP DISH PIZZA
They are always full because their pizza is really good, so call them ahead of time to make reservations specially on the weekend. We were already in like and was told to wait 30 mins but this angel (this man coming out of the restaurant said his party did not come and gave us this priority seating ticket) got lucky! We didn’t have to wait at all.

GARRETT’S POPCORN – if you are looking for some snacks try this one it is very good.

BIG BOWL – this is an Asian restaurant and has very tasty food.

I hope my travel guide to a quick Chicago City tour will help you get around. We are hoping to be back soon to get to see all of the other places we missed. Just in case you have plenty of time. they offer Chicago city passes to see most of the attractions with discount. check out citypass.com or smartdestinations.com

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend and start of the spring break. Enjoy and have fun! Make memories!

Thank you all for stopping by and for all your comments.

Simply,

Christianne

Photos: Novel (my better half)

Travel

Long Driving Essentials

March 12, 2016 8 Comments

Happy Saturday Lovelies! I know it is the weekend, not my usual day to post on the blog. I will resume regular posting schedule next week. Today, I will be sharing all the long driving essentials you need to take with you on your trip.

If you have been following me on Instagram. You know that we went on a quick trip to Chicago. We actually drove from Maryland to Chicago it was a total of 748 miles supposed to be 12 hours drive but it took us 13 hours including all the stops at the rest areas. Here are the list of the things you will need to survive the long drive. Thank you ANKIT for providing me some of the essentials I needed during our long drive like the HEADPHONES, MASON JAR BANK, CAR CHARGER.
1.) WATER It is a no brainer, we all need to be hydrated.

2.) GOOD PLAYLIST with GOOD HEADPHONES (this is just extra) I need because some of the songs I listened to are not kids friendly. Having good music will keep you sane especially when the road becomes just a straight line. It will make you feel sleepy, having it will keep you awake.
3.) SNACK this will also keep you awake and will save you until you come across next rest area to get some real food to eat.
4.) MAP/GPS – nowadays most cars and smart phones have this. But if you do not have these technologies, map is still the best option of them all. Make sure to look at it before hitting the road so you can plan your route.
5.) EMERGENCY KIT like first aid kit just in case and car kit like jumpers and other car tools in case you encounter car trouble. (Have your insurance Roadside assistance number handy).

6.) CASH Even though credit/debit cards are widely accepted in the US we still have some areas that will require you to pay cash. Just in case bring some with you.

7.) TOILETRIES to keep you fresh and clean when you stop at a rest area.
8.) CAR CHARGERS to keep you technology working for you like your kids ipad, your ipod, cellphones etc.

9.) PODCAST AND BOOK if you are not driving and just a passenger this will give you company too, and if you are the one driving podcast is really helpful keeping you company.

All of this we take every time we do go for a long drive. Another one, if you know you will be going to pay tolls. If you buy their RFID kit (like EZ PASS) ahead that will save you time lining up and will also give you discounts.

I hope you find this post helpful and do share it to those people you think will benefit from it.

Thank you so much for stopping by and enjoy your weekend!

Simply,

Christianne

Photos: Novel (my better half)

Outfit, Travel

Where to go in DC, MD, VA (DMV area)

February 25, 2016 23 Comments

Where to go in Dc, MD, VA or the DMV, as what we call it around here?

National harbor (Maryland)
A very nice place to visit when in the DMV as they have a lot to offer. Everything in just one place! They have best hotels, restaurant, shopping places and other fun activities for everybody. You don’t need to drive far! I am just so lucky to be living just a few miles away from this place. If you are a fitness junkie and you do brisk walking, biking or running, this is connected to Old Town Alexandria via the Bridge! Gorgeous view of DC and the Potomac river along the way.

My Recommendations: (I only recommended the places I have tried that I like)

For Happy Hour:
McCormick and Schmick $$
Red Stone American bar and Grille $$

Dine in:
Rosa Mexicana
Nando’s Peri-Peri

Places to stay:
Gaylord hotel ($$$)
Marriott ($$)
Hampton Inn ($$)

FB_IMG_1455943690775 — The White House at Night

FB_IMG_1455943729812 — Jefferson Memorial

FB_IMG_1455943750839 — Washington Monument

Washington, DC

It is just so gorgeous to visit this City as it has all the important places here in the United States. Of course it is the US capital that is why it is so special. We always get to visit this specially when we have visitors, we tour them here. Great tourist destination, specially this coming Spring for the CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL.

Visit all the monuments (District of Columbia)

Lincoln Memorial

White House
House of Congress
Jefferson Memorial
Washington Monument

I suggest use the hop on hop off bus to get to all these stations if you don’t wanna walk. They are all strategically placed and very easy to navigate. Another way to get around the city is use the train system, but not during the rush hour or use Uber to get around.

Places to eat:

Food trucks!! Need I say more? Inexpensive, fast and mostly good food on every corner of those tourist Spots plus the souvenir stores.

Restaurants:
Coco Sala – The Best! $$

Capital Grille $$

Oya $$

Zaytinia $$

Tosca $$$

Masa 14 $$

FB_IMG_1455944174056 — George Washington Masonic National Memorial

Old Town Alexandria (Virginia)
Another lovely place to visit and stroll around is this place specially at King street as they have a lot of boutiques, shops, restaurants and …. It feels like You’re in Europe when you walk around that area. They also have a tram where you can ride and really feel like a tourist. It is very easy to get around this area, everything is wlaking distance.

Restaurants:

Zento Sushi ( Japanese) and Pines of Florence (Italian) is our go to restaurant, the best!!

I hope this was a very helpful post to all of you if you will visit this winter. These area are close to the river so letting you know it will be cold so dress appropriately and wear comfy shoes.

Here is an outfit idea for you when you visit in the winter.

DETAILS: all similar styles MANGO SWEATER/ ZARA COAT / H&M JEANS/ NIKE SNEAKER/ MK BAG/ SCARF/ SUNGLASSES

This is my personal preference for an outfit to wear strolling DMV, and this winter is you have been following this blog I have worn a lot of black and red. It has been my favorite Winter color combo. It just looks so elegant and for me wering black in the winter makes me feel warm. I chose to wear scarf and Wool coat as weather and temperature are unpredictable, it is better to be overdressed than under dressed. Do you agree?

Do visit our area as there are a lot of nice area and things to do for everybody.

If you find this post helpful, I will appreciate it so much if you will share it to give ideas to other people who might be interested in this topic.

Thank you so much for stopping by and for all your comments.

Simply,

Christianne

Photos: Novel (my better half)

If you plan on visiting DC, check out Eventbrite for cool events to do while you’re there!

Travel

Staycation Tips and Benefits

February 18, 2016 12 Comments

IMG_20160214_154547 — It was a super cold Valentine weekend.

20160213_200904 — Adi having fun with the soft beds.

20160213_205500 — The cold outside didn’t stop us from swimming.

IMG_20160214_094811 — Adi in her Vday PJ’s and Aidan still in his Christmas PJ’s

20160213_222500 — As you all noticed, I was the camera woman here. Hubby had a day off.

We stayed at Courtyard by Marriott in Fairfax Virginia. I highly recommend stay at Marriott hotels they are simply the best!

Happy Thursday! I hope all is doing well today. I just want to share how we celebrated our valentines day as a family. We did “staycation” and OMG! it was fun and relaxing. Specially with the brutal cold weather we had here over that Valentine weekend. It was really a good idea to just stay inside. But we wanted to breath a different air so we stayed in a hotel near were we live.

Benefits:

1.) It’s Relaxing! It says it all 🙂 as you can get away from household chores,
2.) Less travel time, less stress
3.) Cheaper than a vacation
4.) you get to explore the things to do in your area like (bike trails, museums etc.)

TIPS to really enjoy your stay:
1. book a hotel that has free breakfast – it saves time and money.
2. If you’re a fitness junkie – book the one that has a fitness center
3. Hotel that has a swimming pool is a good idea, it is like an outing (really a getaway) in our area since it is always cold during the winter. We always book a place with indoor pool so the kids and the whole family can enjoy taking a dip.
4. Take some board games with you. What took the dominoes with us and Adi really enjoyed it.
5. You can get coupon book from the rest areas for hotels around your area and get good discounts.
6. If you are staying at home, try activities within your area.

I hope those tips and ideas help you in your upcoming staycation. It is very easy to plan. And in case if you are wondering where I got my Winter coat, It is no longer available as it is old but I linked here similar styles.

Outfit, Travel

Reasons Why You Need to Visit Philippines

February 1, 2016 28 Comments

Happy Monday my loves! Today I will be sharing some places to go when in the Philippines and the reason why you should visit. First of, for those who have not heard of that country. It is located in the southeast Asia close to Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and also a neighbor of China, Japan, Korea and many more.

I had to post these outfit because these Tom’s are my companion most of the time. Very comfy shoes to walk around town. I guess if you are flat footed it my not be the same comfort for you. These I wore when we went to Tagaytay where you can see the beautiful view of the Taal Volcano. Click >>> TAGAYTAY for more info from this blog.

Philippines is close to the equator that is the reason why it has 7,107 beautiful islands. We have a lot of beautiful beaches with white sand and crystal clear water. Check out those post below by my fellow bloggers. You will also love and enjoy the Filipino hospitality. When you visit you can see for yourself.

Click this >>>PALAWAN by Aimee of songofstyle.com

Click this >>>BOHOL by Paula Ordovas of mypeeptoes.com

My own experience of Bohol from my previous post here and Boracay island here.

Why am I blogging this topic? I want all my readers to get to know the country where I grew up before moving here in Maryland, USA.

When you are in the City and around it, These are the places I recommend you visit. Click those links below to check out some more.

Kidzania (for family with kids, kids get to role play)

Resorts world (for people who wants to gamble, party, dine out and a lot more.. It is like a mini Las Vegas)

Manila Ocean Park (If you like big aquariums and sea lion shows this is the place for you)

Ocean Adventure (This is outside Manila but few hours away only and from the name itself it is on the beach and you’ll get to see an play with the dolphins)

Zoobic Safari (This is close to Ocean Adventure and here you see different animals, it is like an open zoo)

I was only a few places I was able to talk about but please do check out the Philippine tourism page >>> ITSMOREFUNINTHEPHILIPPINES to see more.

I hope this post made you go for your next adventure in Asia.

Thank you for stopping by and for all your comments. Have a great week ahead!

Simply,

Christianne

Outfit Photos: Novel (my better half)

Outfit, Travel

Best View of NYC

November 2, 2015 52 Comments

Hello and Happy Monday Everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I just all of you to know that to see the beauty of the whole Manhattan is to be on the other side. That being said is to be at Jersey City, New Jersey. As you can see from the picture below.

We already planned to visit NYC for the nth time since we were already close by. If you have been following me on instagram @simplychristianne then you would know that we attended my cousins wedding on Halloween. It was at Somerset, NJ which was an hour and 15 mins to get to the Big Apple, but it was bad timing. They had the New York Marathon so there were a lot of roads closed. That being said, I just thought about getting the best view so I asked our relatives to join us at Exchange Place, still in NJ to get the best shot of Manhattan.

Exchange place is also a nice area, it also feels like NYC but not as crowded. They also tall buildings and you’ll get to see lady Liberty from a far when you’re at the pier side. So if you plan to get the best view of the City when on land then this is the place for you to go. They also have restaurants around the area and they have this path train you can take which connects to the NYC subway.

As for the weather, it was really gorgeous as it was in the 60’s so I just wore jeans, OTK boots and this cute pink sweater from Target. The whole family actually wore the same except for my so girly girly daughter who requested if she can wear a dress.