The Greenbrier Guide

Last week at this time we were checking into The Greenbrier, in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. The Greenbrier was a two night pit stop on our drive back to Chicago from North Carolina and was a perfect place to recharge our batteries before the remainder of our drive and of course, settling back into reality. The Greenbrier was introduced to me a few years ago by a dear friend in DC but the closest comparison in the Midwest that I can come up with is The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island in Michigan.

The Greenbrier has quite a storied history dating back to 1778, some of which I was aware of and some of which we learned about while we were there. It’s original draw were the sulphur springs in the area, but it at one time served as a hospital, was famously decorated by Dorothy Draper and even houses a bunker that was part of the top secret nuclear fall out plan for Congress. It’s no wonder that this 11,000 acre resort, one of the oldest in the country, continues to attract visitors - it has a knack for reinventing itself! Nowadays, I believe the draw has something to do with its spectacular Allegheny Valley setting, the golf courses, nostalgia and it’s plethora of amenities.

Read on for my TAKE on a Greenbrier travel guide as I attempt to break down all the Greenbrier has to offer.

When to travel

The Greenbrier would be beautiful at any time of year but we went in early August. Thanks to I’m sure a large landscaping staff everything was in bloom, green and well manicured. The weather was perfect…cooler in the morning and evenings due to the mountain valley location and with little to no humidity! A stark difference from our time earlier in the week on the North Carolina coast.

How to get there

As stated before we stayed at the Greenbrier on our road trip back to Chicago from North Carolina. White Sulphur Spring is just past the Virginia border into West Virginia. It was an almost 7 hour drive from the coast but the drive through the Blue Ridge Mountains was quite beautiful and luckily the winding roads didn’t prove to be to extreme. Aside from traveling by car there is an Amtrak railroad station (White Sulphur Springs) directly across from the resort and the nearest airport is Greenbrier Valley Airport which surprisingly has direct fights on SkyWest from Chicago and not so surprisingly Dulles airport.

Where to stay

Perhaps I should rephrase this as to “where to stay” at the resort because there are options a plenty. The hotel itself is enormous (perhaps the largest in the States) and has multiple room options. In addition, on the resort property there are multiple types of cottages that can be rented. Despite not being directly in the hotel the majority of the cottage options are conveniently located. We stayed in a “Spring Row” cottage which is the smallest cottage offering but has a large Master bedroom plus a generous bathroom, dressing area and a sitting room with a pull out couch. This was perfect for our troop as our youngest is still in a crib. The kids honestly, slept so well here sleeping in till about 7:45am each morning which never happens at home! Aside, from the most adorable decor our favorite aspect to the cottage was the front porch where we could sit have a cocktail and watch the horse drawn carriage trot past us on their tour route. If coming in a cooler month the cottages do have a fireplace and come stocked with fire wood which would make for quite the cozy getaway.

What to do

There is so much to do at the resort that I’m afraid we didn’t even scratch the surface in our two days there. There is a daily schedule delivered to your room that was most helpful. Our priorities were swimming at the outdoor infinity pool and playing a round of golf but we made time for exploring the grounds, playing at the playground, checking out a few shops, croquet, the bowling alley and video arcade as well as catching an evening film in the resort cinema. If we had spent more time and the kids were a bit older I’d love to send them to one of the tennis or golf programs, take a tour of the bunker, rent bikes for a day and perhaps find some time for myself at the spa. The resort is also known for its tea service, fly fishing and falconry amenities in addition to its resort casino. The concierges can help schedule anything before or during your stay and pricing varies per activity.

What to pack

Traditionally, The Greenbrier has had a dress code of sorts which seems to have relaxed in recent years to what is known today as resort attire, but I still used it as an excuse to dress the kids up in some of their nicer attire. However, swim cover ups and Jackets for men (at dinner) are still some of the mainstays as well as no workout attire or pajamas in the dining room for breakfast continue to remain part of the culture. I love to go on vacation and dress up for the evening meal and at The Greenbrier, dresses are quite popular for women which gave me an excuse to leave my white jeans at home! Dinner can be quite the occasion at The Greenbrier and they even offer family photography on a nightly basis. Shockingly, we never took advantage of this as I felt like we were already pushing the envelope with our late meal times and the daily pictures I subjected them to.

Where to eat

There are 33 restaurants on the property and we only visited five of them. Like I said, we didn’t even scratch the surface of what The Greenbrier has to offer. However, the main dining room is an experience not to be missed for it’s decor and service alone. We went on Sunday morning and splurged on the buffet because our kids tend to consume the majority of their calories at breakfast. The buffet also worked in our favor as there was no waiting for food to arrive so no one was hangry aka the kids were well behaved during the meal. Other favorites were Drapers for the decor, ice cream and a laid back dinner. This place would be perfect before or after a set of bowling too! However, as the weather was beautiful we spent much of our time at the outdoor pool and dining at Tree Tops Cafe which offers both restaurant and pool side service and serves the kids meals in a plastic sand bucket! If traveling with kids and a sit down meal is just not going to happen (especially after a long day) The Forum restaurant delivers pizzas in an adorable blue and white gingham Volkswagen bug!

Want to learn more?

If you’re interested in traveling to the area but first want to learn more about the history and historical significance of The Greenbrier, I’ve found the following books:

The History of the Greenbrier: America’s Resort

The Greenbrier Cookbook: Favorite Recipes from America’s Resort

In the Pink: Dorothy Draper -- America’s Most Fabulous Decorator

I’d certainly love to come back someday when the kids are a bit older and take advantage of the golf and tennis programs as well as some more dining options. I mean another excuse to dress my kids up and perhaps stuff George into a navy blazer…yes please! As for our next little excursion post our annual North Carolina trip, well…I have my heart set on Colonial Williamsburg.

30A Travel Guide - Part One

We returned from Florida’s Emerald Coast nearly a week ago and we’re already itching to go back. I’ve been traveling to Florida’s panhandle for 28 years and I loved it ever since my first visit. It’s truly one of my favorite spots and I’m so pleased that my husband and children love it too! There are so many vacation destinations along 30A (the scenic highway that hugs the Gulf of Mexico) perfect for families that I thought I would write a blog post and share some of my TAKE on this beautiful area of Florida.

30A is on the panhandle of Florida, positioned between Santa Rosa Beach and Inlet Beach or more broadly Destin and Panama City. It isn’t at all like the Florida you may have grown up with i.e. in my case high rise condominiums, Disney, palm trees, snow birds and shell filled beaches. 30A is full of white sugar sand beaches, sand dunes, cottages, evergreen trees and families. It’s a lot cooler than Southern Florida but I love weather that requires evening layers, yet is still swimsuit appropriate in the afternoons.

My parents discovered 30A after reading about Seaside, Florida in what I believe was Architecture Digest in the early 90’s. Seaside was designed by a group of architects with new urbanism at it’s core. It’s essentially, a small town with a town center full of shops, restaurants an ampitheater and a beloved market. There are brick paved streets full of pickett fences, sandy side streets and architecturally intriguing cottages with fun names like: Green Gables, Caribbean, Bonne Dunne, Savannah Rose etc… Each main street leads to a pavilion welcoming you to one of the loveliest beaches in the States. To be sure, Seaside is idyllic so much so that it was used as the backdrop for the movie, The Truman Show. It’s quaint and evokes a sense of community that I didn’t have growing up. I think the community aspect of Seaside is the key to it’s success and is probably why we fell in love with it. Growing up on a local highway in Wisconsin, we weren’t able to walk or bike into a town square, let alone cross the street by ourselves and the freedom to do that in Seaside paired with sunshine, beautiful beaches and a neighborhood pool was like heaven.

When we first came to 30A, Seaside was the only community on the coast. While the plans for the community were almost laid out in entirety Seaside was less than half of what it is today and still had it’s quintessential water tower. The site for Rosemary Beach was established a few years later and Watercolor and Alys Beach would soon follow and one could say, the rest is history. 30A has grown exponentially in recent years…there are more communities and with that more restaurants, shops, people and essentially options. Seaside, was the original and for that reason will probably always be my favorite but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t options out there that may be a better fit for your family or even mine! As a point of caution, be prepared for some sort of construction in almost every community along 30A. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing as I love to check out the new development whether homes, restaurants, shops etc… but it’s certainly something to be aware of when traveling to the area.

Stay tuned for my post next week “30A Travel Guide - Part Two”, where I’ll share my TAKE on where to stay, dine, shop along 30A, what to pack and the best ways to travel there based on my personal experiences over the past 28 years!

If you’re interested in reading more about the area here are some excellent references:

• SEASIDE

• 30A Living

• Rosemary Beach

• The 30 A Coloring Book

Nashville Guide

We recently got back from a road trip to Nashville, Tennessee. I’ve been wanting to go for the last couple of years and we finally found the time to make it happen. Nashville is about a 7.5 hour drive from Chicago which makes it feasible in a day even with three kids along for the ride. It helps that our kids are pretty well versed on road trips thanks to some of these essentials. Despite a couple of incidents with very tired kids, we a wonderful time and Nashville far exceeded our expectations. Certainly, the Spring like weather (30 degrees warmer than Chicago) contributed to our experience but Nashville is such a creative and lively city - we can’t wait to go back! I’m sharing our itinerary below plus some things that we are saving for our next visit. So grab some sweet tea and enjoy my TAKE on a travel guide to Nashville, Tennessee!

Day One

We had a late start in Chicago and hit some Spring Break traffic so our first day was solely for travel. Luckily, we easily checked into the Omni Hotel Nashville and the kids were beyond thrilled to be greeted with milk and cookies. Not the best thing right before bed, but a lovely surprise. I selected the hotel based on location and for their roof top pool and we definitely had a great experience. While exploring the city I came across the Union Station Hotel and Bode which also look very promising. Bode especially would be great for a girls trip or with a large family as you can book multiple rooms but share communal space.

Day Two

The kids were up at 6am so we were out the door by 8am to make use of the most beautiful day. We stopped at Proper Bagel for breakfast and sampled various cream cheeses on on the best Sesame Seed bagels plus a breakfast sandwich or too. Such a fun spot in the Belmont neighborhood with delicious bagels, schmears, sandwiches, baked donuts, salads, fun treats like fresh Strawberry Pop Tarts and most importantly caffeine!

Then we were off to find a few murals in the neighborhood such as the famous “I Believe in Nashville” mural which is in the 12 South shopping district before heading off the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere. The zoo was a highlight for all of us. It is legitimately, one of the nicest zoos we have ever been to. It is relatively new with clean and engaging exhibits plus a unique array of animals and experiences. For the animal lovers there is a Kangaroo Walkabout where you can pet Kangaroos, adorable Clouded Leopards, a Veterinary Center where you can observe and if you’re into Tigers a new exhibit is opening in April, 2019. For children and big kids alike if you need to burn a little more energy, the zoo has the most amazing jungle gym (66,000 sq feet) I’ve ever seen plus fun activities like rope bridges. We spent four hours at the zoo but could have easily spent more and will definitely stop again on future visits. Pro tip: if you’re stopping at the zoo on the weekend make sure to arrive early to find parking!

Post zoo we drove around for a bit so our youngest could nap and I got to stop in at a couple of children’s stores that I’ve long been a fan of like Magpies Nashville in addition to touring around the gorgeous Belle Meade area. After quick car naps we headed back to the hotel for some downtime and dips in the pool (always a highlight for the kids) before heading back out for a Sunset trip to Centennial Park and a visit to the Parthenon. It was such a beautiful night there were picnics abound and plenty of park goers enjoying their surroundings.

For Dinner Saturday night we went to the famous Hattie B’s Hot Chicken. There are a couple of locations in the city but the Melrose location has a turf area and picnic tables which are great for the kids. Note that when I say “famous” it is and do expect a line but note that it does move fairly quickly and after placing your order seating is plentiful. There are non-hot options but my husband got the Hot Chicken Sandwich and I sampled a few bites paired with their delicious Ranch dipping sauce - it was definitely hot but also kind of addictive.

Day Three

Thankfully, after a very full Saturday the kids slept in a little bit, i.e. 7am - woohoo! As soon as our kids wake up they are asking for food so we went off in pajamas to the Belmont neighborhood (again) to the infamous, Pancake Pantry. We arrived around 8am and avoided lines but they were around the block when we left. The restaurants pancakes and syrup is delicious plus they’re fun kids menu i.e. polka dot pancakes (M&M toppings) were a hit with our pancake lovers!

After breakfast is was back to the hotel for swimming and showers before checking out the Country Music Hall of Fame and Hatch Print Show Shop which were conveniently attached to our hotel. Both tours exceeded our expectations and all offered a bit of history and ended with some interactive play. We got a couple of audio guides at the Country Music Hall of Fame which helped to keep the younger kids engaged as we walked through halls of memorabilia (i.e. costumes, instruments, posters, cars) before we got to more interactive exhibits which they loved. George, especially was a fan of the recording booth. I probably enjoyed the Hatch Print Show tour the most as I love letterpress. The shop has moved over the years but it’s still full of vintage presses , letters and carvings. The tour ended with a review of vintage posters and the ability to create our own print, which the kids loved.

Despite needing a break post tours we powered through and went for a treat of Goo Goo Clusters at the Goo Goo Shop. Branding and clusters are on point in this shop that also offers up scoops of ice cream across the street from the Johnny Cash Museum. After ice cream and clusters we walked the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge (aka Shelby Street Bridge) across the Cumberland River and enjoyed beautiful views of the city.

Before dinner we finally took some time to rest at the hotel before heading out for BBQ. BBQ restaurants are plentiful in Nashville but we went to Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint in the Belmont neighborhood. There are a few locations in the city but this one was spacious, family friendly and the BBQ and sides were delicious (The broccoli and potato salads were my fave}. Plus they offer moon pies to the kids for dessert and had some of the best crushed ice I’ve ever had!

Day Four

We spent Monday morning packing up before touring Vanderbilt University and answering a zillion questions from the kids about dorm life. After Vanderbilt we quickly stopped at Draper James on 12 S which was packed upon opening and George drank all the sweet tea. If you wanted to grab breakfast in this area Five Daughters Bakery and/or Frothy Monkey are nearby. Five Daughters Bakery is famous for their #100layerdonut and we are familiar with it’s airstream location in Seaside, FL. After the 12S excursion we stopped in the nearby Gulch neighborhood to shop along 21st Ave S before heading to an early lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches and milkshakes at the Grilled Cheeserie. With six speciality melts and the ability to make your own this was a crowd pleasing stop for all and the perfect way to fuel up before we headed back to Chicago.

It’s safe to say that we all had a lovely time in Nashville as there truly is something for everyone. It’s so easy to get around and everyone was more than helpful. We had an extensive to-do list (I had been wanting to go for years) and paired down when needed based on the kids and we’ll just have to return in the future to finish off our wish list!

For Next Time…

Rolf & Daughters and Husk plus a concert at the Ryman are on the list for when we aren’t with the kids but if we are we will most likely be hitting up Biscuit Love for breakfast, visiting Las Paletas for popsicles, the Adventure Science Center to run the kids wild, Robert’s Western World for music (kid friendly during the day) and of course, boots at Boot Country. If I get my wish we’ll also get to play a visit to Arcade Kids which was closed during our visit. If you’re looking for more kid friendly ideas Arcade also has a great Nashville Guide on their site. I’m certainly not a Nashville expert but loved researching for this trip so please share if you’ve been and feel there is something we must do on our next visit!

Charleston City Guide

I recently got back from a girls trip to Charleston, South Carolina. We had hoped for some beach weather but mother nature had something else in mind so we ate, drank and shopped our way through the historic city. If you're hoping to plan a trip in the future please read on my for my TAKE on a Charleston travel guide. Happy trails!

Where to Stay

In planning the trip our goal was to spend time in the city and also relaxing on the beach but as we were traveling in mid May most hotels in the downtown area required a three night stay so we opted for the beach. The four of us stayed on the Isle of Palms in a condo we had rented via VRBO. We all had our own room, bathroom and a beachside location. The only downfall being that it rained on and off every day but we did have decent weather for one walk on the beach! The weather meant that we would spend more time in Charleston thus commuting via Uber/Lyft sometimes 2x a day each way. Next time I visit I plan to stay in the city but I'm so glad I have a better understanding of the surrounding area.

Where to Eat

Dining out is an experience, one that my friends and myself enjoy. The restaurant scene in Charleston has been booming for years so we were excited about eating some delicious food. We did a bit of research beforehand and had our dinner reservations booked well in advance but our lunch/brunch stops were based mostly on word-of-mouth from locals. Our eyes were often bigger than our stomachs so at some restaurants we shared plates or ordered just appetizers as we literally wanted to taste everything. 

• The Obstinate Daughter - Dinner (Sullivan's Island)
  • Loved the decor
  • The Obstinate Flatbread with the Butterbean Puree was amazing
  • I'd eat just about anything with Comeback Sauce
• Acme Lowcountry Kitchen - Breakfast (Isle of Palms)
  • Popular spot on the Isle of Palms
  • Southern classics
• Leon's Oyster Shop - Lunch (Charleston)
  • Funky and trendy decor in a laid back setting
  • Delicious side salads, oysters and fried chicken sandwiches
  • The Rose Slushie is not to be missed!
• FIG - Dinner (Charleston)
  • Our favorite dinner spot; reservations are allowed a month in advance
  • A bit dressier than the other locales we visited
  • The menu changes daily but all was delicious
  • If the Riccota Gnocchi alla Bolognese is on the menu - order it
• Callie's Hot Little Biscuit - Breakfast (Charleston)
  • Popular spot for a quick, fast and filling breakfast
  • We went to the King Street Location
  • I opted for a biscuit sandwich with pimento cheese 
  • Delicious black iced tea with mint
• Raw 167 - Lunch (Charleston)
  • Super popular, delicious but limited seating
  • Reservations aren't taken, put your name in and shop for an hour, come back and order a drink while waiting out the remainder of the line
  • Tuna Poke, Ceviche and the Lobster Roll were are the top of our lists
  • Bonus: the host looks like Jamie Dornan
• Husk - Dinner (Charleston)
  • Charming exterior - the restaurant is set in an old home in the French Quarter
  • To be honest was expecting to love Husk but we were a bit disappointed
  • It's possible we ordered wrong as we focused heavily on appetizers - we were still full from our late lunch
  • Loved the Arugula and Little Gem Salads but wasn't a huge fan of the very popular Pig Ear Lettuce Wraps
• Poogan's Porch - Brunch (Charleston)
  • Located right next to Husk in another charming restored Victorian
  • A longstanding establishment recommended by a number of people
  • Classic comfort food like fried green tomatoes, fried chicken and waffles etc...
  • Oh by the way; Poogan was a dog

Where to Shop

We spent quite a few hours escaping the rain shopping on King Street and I'm afraid we didn't scratch the surface. There was a mix of local and national retailers and we enjoyed success in the shops below and I promise it wasn't all for our kids!

• Sugar Snap Pea - Children's
• Pink Chicken - Children's
• Hampden Clothing - Contemporary Women's
• Copper Penny + Shooz by Copper Penny - Women's & Shoes
• Aillea - Beauty

What to Do

One could walk endlessly exploring the history of Charleston and taking in the charming old homes. I was in heaven. The area South of Broad within the French Quarter was spectacular but literally every home had unique details and the gardening prowess of Charlestonian's was next level. As it was all of our first time in the city we spent most of our time getting the lay of the land, picking up whatever historic tidbits we could and made sure to find some time for relaxation. Next time I'd love to see the city from the water and find that pineapple fountain!

• Historic Charleston Market - This market is in the heart of downtown and has been open since 1804. It has a variety of vendors and the market itself has a unique history and during hurricane season can be found flooded.
• Palmetto Carriage Works - This horse drawn carriage tour was a great way for us to see much more of the city than we could have on foot and provided cover in the rain. There are a lot of tour companies in the city but we were quite pleased with this one and the guides are very knowledgeable. No need to book more than an hour in advance (unless you have a large group) and there are frequent tours throughout the day.
• The Spa at the Dewberry Hotel - We all had the Signature Massage and it was heavenly. Added bonus they put your robe in a warmer for you so post massage you could fold yourself into a warm and cozy robe.