HONEYMOONS WORTHY OF YOUR LOVE... Anse Chastanet and Jade Mountain

Are you dreaming of an island resort, that’s all-inclusive, yet one-of-a-kind?

Here's Anse Chastanet and Jade Mountain, St Lucia’s exclusive creations by Nick Troubetzkoy.

It’s passionate nature…

The architect’s dream was to marry foliage and flowers, perfumes and peaks, sea and bird song.

It’s classic simplicity…

The resort's intimate size ensures that your honeymoon will not be a mass market statistic on your arrival list but that there will be a genuine endeavour by management and staff to provide YOU AND YOUR SPOUSE with the holiday of a lifetime.

It’s remote…

The sign said, “2 miles, Anse Chastanet”, but the potholed dirt road, going straight up cliffs and around hairpin turns, forbidding you to take even a glimpse of the famous Pitons, let you know that you are headed for a decadently secret hideout.

It’s exclusive…

The guard announces your arrival at the understated entrance. You have no idea, that, in store for you, is an exquisitely decorated treehouse, with original oil art and world-renowned views, even from your bed! (Anse Chastanet and Jade Mountain have the singular privilege of Piton views from guestrooms!)

It’s a pristine island playground…

The Soufrieire Marine Sanctuary is an acclaimed snorkel and dive spot. There’s also the Searenity, a 42’ sailboat for sundowner sails, and lots of jungle biking, rainforest crossing, zip-lining, and hiking on the 600-acre estate!

It’s the epitome of haute architecture….

When it comes to lodging, you have “arrived” at Jade Mountain’s Sanctuaries. With more than 2000 square feet completely open to the sky and scene, with 900 square-foot infinity pools right next to your bed that drop you (visually) into the sea, with a clever design that gives you complete exposure yet absolute privacy… Jade Mountain has been declared #1 in the Caribbean, and #3 in the World!

It’s all about peace, tranquility, and romance

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HONEYMOONS WORTHY OF YOUR LOVE.... Sandals Luxury-Included Resorts

Savor your morning latte at the Parisian chocolate shop, then strike out on a guided scuba dive. Boat out to the private island for lunch at the Thai hut, followed by a little beach time. Take in a golf clinic, cool off in your private plunge pool, then be escorted to the sunset beach for your candlelit dinner-for-two. Choose from a live reggae band or some casino action, before retiring to the beach to sip champagne under the stars while the steel pannist performs,

AND NEVER TOUCH YOUR WALLET! IT’S ALL INCLUDED!

That is the magic of the Sandal’s philosophy, the “Luxury-Included” Resort for couples in love.

So why chose Sandals above the slew of All-inclusives out there?

Ø Everything’s TRULY included! Want green-fee-free golfing? Like to scuba dive, without tank charges? Looking for your favorite top-shelf mixed drink? Need a wheelchair? A babysitter? Want to dine at your favorite restaurant every night without keeping track? This is the place! No nickel-n-diming like other All-inclusives.

Ø It’s first class, all the way! Sandals has excelled by offering exclusive perks like English butler service, creating intimate dining nooks, designing bedrooms with luxurious linens, and cooperating with celebrity names like Preston Bailey, the Wedding Planner Extraordinaire, to add all the special touches.

Ø Spectacular settings! Whether abutting the historic Pigeon Island of St Lucia, the famous 7-mile Beach of Jamaica, or the stunning Grace Bay (named on Conde Naste’s Top 10 Beaches of the World) on Turks/Caicos, Sandals properties showcase some of the Caribbean’s prime real estate. Sandals is expert at manicuring beautiful landscapes with exquisite waterfall-ed pool sanctuaries, intimate hammock-beds-for-2, and breathtaking candlelit outdoor dinner venues!

Ø Stay-at-1, Play-at-3! You enjoy full reciprocity between Sandal’s resorts, via their complimentary shuttle. On St Lucia and Jamaica, you can stay at any one Sandals properties, and dine, beach, golf, and party at any of the others, as much as you like.

To hear more about the Sandals properties or get a brochure, email Melanie @ Melanie@ToughLoveTravel.com!

SQUEEZIN’ THE LAST DROPS OF SUMMER FUN!

Camp is done, and school’s still a month away. How will you squeeze the last fun out of this summer? Here’s how:

• Find a festival!

Ballooning! July 26- August 1. http://www.balloonfestnj.com/

Music and Arts! August 14-16. http://www.skylands.org/

Chowder! October 3-4. http://www.chowderfest.com/

• Visit Grounds For Sculpture! This 35-acre outdoor sculpture garden in Hamilton, NJ, inspired by Seward Johnson, is a great place to experience sculpture, meet resident artists, let the kids romp, and enjoy a cocktail and dinner at one of the on-site restaurants (The Gazebo is moderately priced and right on the lily pond… a gorgeous setting in the early evening. http://www.groundsforsculpture.org/dining.htm

• Grab a blanket under the stars! Try Sunday Night Movies on the Beach in Belmar: http://belmar.com/index.php?s=movies+on+the+beach Or outdoor Shakespeare in Madison: http://www.shakespearenj.org/

• Pick something! Berries abound in central jersey! Here is a directory of local spots to pick-you-own: http://www.pickyourown.org/NJcentral.htm#listings and if you’re feeling really ambitious, here’s a jam-making guide: http://www.pickyourown.org/jam.htm

• Have fun on the river! Tube from Point Pleasant (PA side) http://www.rivercountry.net/, stroll river towns, have a campfire at Bull’s Island (north of Stockton) and even pitch a tent for the night if you’re inspired http://www.dandrcanal.com/camping.html, join a guided whitewater canoe trip on the Northern Delaware http://www.kittatinny.com/, or hang out on the wing dam by Lambertville at sunset (with a disposable hibachi and some marinated chicken and a cooler of cold drinks, you’re all set) http://www.panoramio.com/photo/3876556

• Go on a Lighthouse Lark! Follow these special structures and their history along the Jersey shore, Here’s a map to help plan your route: http://www.lighthousefriends.com/nj.html and end your day at Barnegat Light, with a sunset sail out onto Barnegat Bay. (if you go on Wednesdays, you can be on the Fireworks Sail!) http://seacaptain.hypermart.net

• Cheer at the Races! Check out thoroughbreds at Monmouth: http://www.monmouthpark.com/ (click on Racing tab for calendar). Or harness-racing at Freehold, starting August 12th: http://www.freeholdraceway.com/

• Visit the Liberty Science Center! In Jersey City, the IMAX is featuring “Wild Oceans”, “Sea Monsters”, and Jane Goodall’s “Wild Chimpanzees”. http://www.lsc.org/lsc/visit/directions

• Learn something! Pick something you’ve always wanted to try, and take a class:

Surfing! http://www.surfingshipbottom.com/

Pottery! http://www.cassellpottery.com/Lessons.htm

Cooking! http://www.westfieldtoday.com/classicthyme (they do 3-hour team-building cooking events! Perfect for a family!)

Kayaking! http://www.kayakeast.com

• Catch something! Go crabbing: Here’re lots of easy spots, right from the dock; http://www.scottsbt.com/misc/crabbing/crabbingspots.htm Go fishing: Try http://www.goldeneaglefishing.com/, or on Long Beach Island, the Miss Beach Haven “party” boat: http://www.missbeachhaven.com/

• Make a day of it at the Shore! Check out Seaside Heights: http://www.discoverourtown.com/NJ/SeasideHeights/Shopping/121037.html You can visit the nature center at Island Beach State Park, picnic, stroll the boardwalk, and then play at the amusement park on the way home. Arrange a banana boat ride as a special surprise! (Island Beach Park fills up on hot days, so get there early!)

• Hike! The shady, streamside paths of the Delaware Water Gap are a welcome shelter from summer’s heat, and Sunfish Pond makes a great lunch stop! http://www.nps.gov/dewa/planyourvisit/hiking-nj.htm

• Go to Liberty State Park, ferry across to Manhattan, and Bike Tour! At Bike the Big Apple, they’ll set up custom tours for you, give you guides and bikes, and even help you to their starting point! http://bikethebigapple.com/calendar.html

• Canoe! Explore the cranberry bogs and deep into the pine barrens, http://pineypower.com/canoetrip/canoe_trip.htm or even cruise along one of the local canals closer to home in Griggstown and Princeton, http://www.canoenj.com/. Here’s state-wide directory, http://www.aboutnewjersey.com/outdoors/Canoeing/index.php (remember the sunscreen and hat, a cooler of iced drinks, and dry shorts for the ride home!)

• Go to the Ballpark!

The Trenton Thunder http://www.trentonthunder.com/ or the Lakewood BlueClaws, by the shore http://www.blueclaws.com/ or even a pre- season Giants Football scrimmage, http://www.giantsfootballblog.com/category/2009-pre-season/

• Ferry between Camden and Philly! The Camden Aquarium http://www.adventureaquarium.com/index.cfm, has special exhibits on sharks, touch tanks, creatures of the Caribbean, penguins and seals, and even exotic bird feeding… then ferry over to Philly for a cheesesteak on South Street! For ferry info: http://www.riverlinkferry.org/

• Be a Farmhand! At Howell Living History Farm, kids and parents can harvest honey, plant and water crops, weigh pigs, and learn about farm life as it was on this historic property: http://www.howellfarm.org/information/information.htm

• See how many different ethnic foods you can eat in one day/week! New Jersey is a wealth of ethnic boros, so map out a course and go for it!

Cuban food in Union City: http://www.havanarestaurant.net/

Portuguese food in Newark’s Ironbound section: http://offthebroiler.wordpress.com/2006/05/21/nj-dining-newarks-ironbound/

Italian: DeLorenzo’s Tomato Pies (Chambersburg) is a Winner! Only open Thursday – Sunday.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g46874-d485590-Reviews-De_Lorenzo_s_Tomato_Pies-Trenton_New_Jersey.html

Greek: Try Mythos, in Glen Rock. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/639738

Irish in Kearny: They’re more than haggis! Argyle Fish& Chips.

http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2009/01/new-jersey-dispatch-robert-burns-day-haggis-argyle-stewarts-kearny.html

West Indian: Real Jamaican Jerk, in Somerset. http://www.realjamaicanjerk.com/

Amish: New serving location at Trenton’s Farmer’s Market! http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2009/07/amish_set_up_shop_at_trenton_f.html

GET OUT AND MAKE SOME MEMORIES FOR SUMMER '09!

DOES YOUR VACATION FEEL LIKE THIS?: Surviving the Family Road Trip

Forget those “10 Car-ride Card Games"!  They wouldn’t keep my crowd happy for 200 miles, much less 2000.  Here’re some strategies that worked for us:

v    The Seat Shuffle!  Number the van seats and put the numbers in a hat.  Each morning, bring out the hat and everyone picks a number--That’s their seat for the day.  It’s totally random and so totally fair, and “mixes it up"so people get a new neighbor every day.

v    Start Early! You can almost double your daily mileage with this simple plan!  Havthe car packed, gassed, and ready to go the night before. In the morning, a gentle nudge of the kids and a sleepwalk to the car seat (pjs and pillow in tow!) and your family is on their way.  The kids fall right back to sleep, trust me!  And if you wake at 5, you can log 3 hours of light traffic before you have a wide-awake and hungry car!  You’ll stop for pancakes with 200 miles behind you, and, best of all, your crew’s  still fresh for the day’s drive!  (anyone who hasn’t read Bill Cosby’s behind-the-wheel account of driving his snoring family over the Brooklyn Bridge, should look it up!)

v    Everyone Votes!  When planning your trip, each person--even the pre-schooler-- should get to choose ONE component.  I had 4 sons, so you can imagine the mix I got:  my oldest needed a wilderness backpack, my 2^nd –born city-kid wanted to hear live music.  My next was a pro baseball fan, and my youngest just wanted a beach.  So, there were some compromises… it turned out to be a RIVER beach, not the Pacific… but that float trip down the Salmon turned out to be a favorite memory, not only for this child, but for our entire family!

v    Play Candy Poker!  A jelly bean is a dime; a jolly rancher is a quarter; a chocolate kiss is a dollar. (hint: watch meltable “money” if you’re driving in the South)  If you’re 6 years old, you can learn Texas Hold ‘Em.

v    Set Quiet Times!  Silence soothes the driving soul, so get out blankets, ipods, books.   Set a time limit (30 minutes) or a destination (like til we get to the city limits of St Louis).

v    Expect mess!  My confession?  I allowed Spit Ball Wars in order to get home from Chicago one August.  Just make van cleanup a daily ritual…while waiting for a table at the restaurant or as a chore at the campsite. 

v    Change the pace! Why succumb to daily drudgery of long drives with little time to play or even recuperate?  Try a longer – even a full day--of driving, and then 2 full days, out of the car, to play!  Something else to consider: if you have enough drivers, drive through the night!  I used to do this, just to survive a van-ful of adolescent boys!  But my 13 year old surprised me one year, using a “drive through the night” as his One Special Vote—the ONE thing he chose to do!  I guess it was the feeling he had remembered – all snuggled together, in the dark car, with soft music (usually something the kids thought was hysterical like John Denver) and the occasional flashlight of one his brothers making stray swipes across the ceiling, whispered conversations as lights of cities and bridges flew past, and of course, those gas stops, where any kid lucky enough to be awake was sure to get a little package of donettes from the quikmart.

v    Invest in a car DVD player! Watch your family favorites, of course.  But also bring documentaries (people, sites you’re visiting), history flicks, National Park videos.  I even tried Gilligan's Island, and some other series from my own childhood, to bridge the generation gap!  Visit your local library for cheap movie rentals before you leave town.

v    Start themes:  “We’re only going to eat at Dairy Queen from Key West to New Jersey”.  Get out and walk across each state line.  "Every time we see a Waffle House we have to stop."  Play the Capitals game. 

v    Make a Digital Diary of your road trip!  With a simple digital camera and a portable printer that runs off your cigarette lighter, you and the kids can “shoot” a diary of your trip… people and places you pass, plus all the events INSIDE your car too! Collage your photos on a big poster, taped to the ceiling of your van.

For more Surviving the Road Trip strategies, catch me at Melanie@toughlovetravel.com. We parents have to stick together, so survival advice is free! 

Safari: 7 Ways to the Big 7!

 
 


Everyone talks about catching the Big 5 on South African Safari!    Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Buffalo, and Rhino!   Do you know the other 2?

On safari, you can opt for luxuriously appointed backcountry lodges, OR mobile tenting operations (envision guides setting up and breaking down camp), OR even your own, self-drive safari routes!   (don't worry... this won't happen to you!  

But there are even MORE options!  Consider these:

1. Jeep Safari:  the most common, although sometimes in uncommon places
2. Trekking Safari:  sunrise, sunset, and sometimes with a breakfast stop in the bush!
3. Horseback Safari:  many animals, like giraffes, are shy of jeeps, but stay relaxed when horses approach, letting you get "up close and personal"
4. Balloon Safari:  the only birds' eye view of the vast grasslands!
5. Elephant-back Safari:  an extravagant treat, especially when tracking the rare black rhino up into Botswana!
6. Mokoro:  a dugout-type of canoe (originally carved from trees but now mostly fiberglass for conservation reasons), perfect for exploring during the rainy season, to flood regions like the Okavango Delta 
7. Photo Safari:  not just for photo specialists!  Read the sidebar on Tips for Photo Safaris!

And a bonus!  Get married On Safari!

GOIN' ON A SHEBEEN CRAWL, South African Style

The reality show flickering from the corner tv set was the only thing out of place in the shebeen that day.  Shebeens, the local pubs famously popular throughout black townships, are purely South African… local brews, colorful dress, native dialect, neighborhood gossip, African music and dance, and, of course, fellowship!

Some shebeens are open air, and most sprawl onto patios and sidewalks, but this was a cozy den.  The dark wood walls were thumb-tacked with soccer posters, beer ads, and, in a prominent clearing by the bar, the dusty frame of Nelson Mandela… all barely made out in the dim glow of the single bulb which swung over the room.

A few ladies sat and giggled as patrons, but most seemed to prefer to decorate the entry with their yellow and red cotton dresses and headwraps, acting as the matron or morality police, giving the whole scene a feeling of warmth and security.

The bar (really an informal shelf along the wall) doled out bottles of Castle ales to crowds of 20-year-old men in jeans, but a few older men shared a stoop and a jar – more like a bucket – of homegrown brew. 

There’s often live music (check out the sidebar on African favorites!), but today, the radio hummed with the heavy accent of a native folker, while fans streamed in for the afternoon attraction:  the televised “futbol” match between Bafana Bafana, the national team, and Cameroon.

Shebeen is a traditionally irish word, conjuring images of lamb stew and gaillic bar signs, and both in Ireland and South African, fancy versions of the Shebeen have sprung up, with gourmet grouper replacing mealie (corn) soup, white linens in place of batik, and nary a “local” in the place!

The organic shebeen is still thriving, though, and in fact, these previously outlawed establishments are the vibrant, pulsing heart of the community where locals meet, strum, and dance.

On this afternoon, the only other thing – besides the reality show --  out of place was a clutch of pale-faced smiling tourists, clad in shorts and too-white tennis shoes, who’s off-rhythm clapping marked them apart from the organic culture.   The locals didn’t care though.  At the shebeen, it’s all about men and music and fellowship.

 

Shebeens are most often located in black townships as an alternative to pubs and bars, which, during apartheid, were reserved for only white Africans.Originally, shebeens were operated illegally, selling homebrewed alcohol and providing patrons with a gathering place where they could meet and discuss political and social issues, particularly during Apartheid. Often, patrons and owners were arrested by the police, though the shebeens were frequently reopened.  All classes of black Africans congregated at Shebeens—community members on one lot, lawyers and doctors and musicians around the corner.

In current times, shebeens have become a sanctuary for music and dancing traditions, allowing patrons to express themselves culturally, and eventually enabling the rise and support of the musical genre Kwaito. Currently, shebeens are legal in South Africa and have become an integral part of South African urban culture, serving commercial beers as well as Umqombothi, a traditional African beer made from millet. Shebeens still form an important part of today’s social scene. In contemporary South Africa, they serve a function similar to juke joints for African Americans in the rural south. They represent a sense of community, identity, and belonging.

 

 

 

Great Whites...a Shark or a Wine?

South Africa has many faces!  Think about….

 

• WINE

      Explore the world’s longest wine route! The country’s first plants were grafted from French and Spanish vines back in 1655, to become   the root of the Constantia Wine industry, thriving by the 1700s and   still vibrant today.   In Constantia country, chase your vineyard tour with a dinner-to-remember at Brad's Grill, “a hugely popular restaurant thanks to… well.. Brad”! (2nd Avenue, Harfield Village,   Kenilworth [021] 671 2527. Link to Brad's).  Or stay a few nights at at boutique hotel in Stellenbosch, and travel the VineHopper to any of the 100 surrounding vineyards. Want to learn more?  Twitter with  Micheal Olivier (http://twitter.com/Michael_Olivier) who says, “All you need to understand wine is to have a glass and a corkscrew”!  Or pick up AFRICA UNCORKED: Travels in Extreme Wine Territory, a travelogue about wine tasting throughout Africa.

 

• ADVENTURE

      Abseil 112 meters off Table Mountain (think rappelling), sandboard the dunes of the Northern province,  surf the tubes in Jeffery’s Bay, 0r go wild and cage dive with the Great White Sharks!  

 

• ARCHEOLOGY

      Explore the history of humankind! Dating 3 million years old, sculls   and skeletons of the first hominids are still being excavated in the   UNESCO site, “Cradle of Humankind.” See it firsthand while spelunking in Sterkfontein and Wonder Caves!  Then visit the highly-praised exhibit at Maropeng for underground boat rides, extensive fossil exhibits, and helpful interpretation.  For more on this topic, stay tuned to toughlovetravel.blogspot.com later this month!

 

• THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE

      Drive the Cape Route!  Envision Big Sur wildness down Bermudian garden lanes. Loop the peninsula south of Cape Town through colonial   towns along the east coast and boardwalked beaches on the west, past ostrich farms and vineyards… braking for baboons…even a colony     of penguins! If walking’s more your “thing”, try the famous 70-km    trail to Cape Point on an ambitious but awesome 5-day guided trek!   A fantastic guide/writer on Cape hikes for all levels is Mike Lundy.  http://www.hikecapetown.co.za/

 

• THE FIFA WORLD CUP 2010

      Join the frenzy for the “Olympics of Soccer”!. South Africa was awarded this once-every-four-year hosting privilege, and the action   starts June 11^th, 2010.  It’ll run for about 30 days, with over 200    teams from around the globe competing in 9 stadiums, in 8 cities,     across SA.  To read about the brightest soccer stars, the competition of the different national teams, and what to expect at World Cup, go to FIFA Tournament News.  To learn about the international ticketing process, go to  FIFA ticketing procedures (we’re now in Stage 2).  And if all this sounds just too confusing, call my cell and we’ll talk (609.923.0304). Once you get your match tickets, I can also help with lodging (from homestays to boutique hotels, to “buspackers” to 5*s), transportation between venues, and must-see sightseeing.

 

• TRAIL THE TRIBES

      With 13 languages (including sign language), South Africa is ripe with tribal heritage. See the Zulu Kraals and their cattle culture, follow the Ghandi Trail, volunteer in a building project for a tribal playground, or homestay with a Xhusa family on the Wild coast!  For     some great cultural museums in Zulu-Natal, go to KwaZulu Museums.

 

• “STRUGGLE”

      Walk through Soweto, the famous shantytown of SW Johannesburg,  and follow the routes… or roots… of Apartheid.  Meet the locals in their homes and listen to the stories of the schoolchildren that unfolded right there on Soweto’s streets, then spread worldwide!  Open your mind at the Apartheid museum, then travel to Robben Island, off of Cape Town, and pay respects to Nelson Mandela’s cell and garden plot from his decades of imprisonment. For a slideshow of Soweto,    go to Tough Love Travel on Facebook!

 

• SAFARI

      Shoot (with a camera lens!) the Big 7 (elephants, leopards, rhino,     buffalo, and lions… plus sharks and whales!) at Addo Elephant park,     or go to SA’s #1 Park, Kruger.  (Check out YouTube’s Battle At       Kruger-- below!)  If you have the time, you can even take a weekend   jaunt up to Namibia to search for the rare black rhino. Remember, there are walking, elephant-back, jeep, mokoro, self-drive, 5*, and   mobile tent safaris… email me at Melanie@toughlovetravel.com to find out more!

South Africa is truly a rich stew, or “bredie’, as they call it in Afrikaans, the local Dutch polyglot.  The best way to see it is by sampling ALL of these themes, and with the dollar strong --about 1 USD for 9 Rand, getting you a sandwich for $2 and a cab for about $10 – it’s a great time to go!