the lazy travelers

weekend warriors // one night at gleneagles

Lazy Travelers — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 09:49:05 +0000

As you may recall, last summer, we took our little family of four up to the Scottish Highlands for a week on the Isle of Skye. If you know anything about Skye, then you know it doesn’t make much sense geographically to follow it up with one seemingly random night at Gleneagles. AND YET, spoiler alert: that’s what we did. After many mishaps. While we initially planned to fly in and out of Inverness for a Saturday – Saturday itinerary, we realized pre-trip that this meant returning to Notting Hill during Carnival. LOL, NO. Luckily, it wasn’t too difficult to make a last minute change and extend our trip to include a weekend in Edinburgh. In the end, we decided to check-out of our cottage as planned, and spend Saturday driving south through Glencoe. It was a long drive, so we justified a one-night stop in the countryside, picking somewhere halfway between Skye and Edinburgh. Then, after our one night in the countryside, we would drive another two and a half hours, and explore Edinburgh for the weekend. After, we’d fly back to London on Tuesday afternoon. We found and booked our countryside hotel, and we used our Marriott points for an Edinburgh pick. Clearly, this plan was perfect! And then, everything went awry. Because for SOME REASON! This JUST SEEMS to be what happens to us IN SCOTLAND. I cannot tell you why, but on our second to last day in Skye, I asked Jeff to give our next hotel a call and make sure they had something we needed for our baby. Honestly, I don’t even know what it was, but my 4-month postpartum brain decided it was important, so he rang them up. I could tell instantly that it was not going well. Apparently, they were all, “baby? what baby? you don’t have a baby, we hate babies.” I’m paraphrasing, but they had in their records that we were booked into a room that is strictly NO BABIES, despite the fact that we included two of ’em on our reservation. I had definitely birthed two babies who we had brought on this exact trip! I was pretty sure one involved party had gotten it wrong. Listen, I’m not going to name and shame the hotel, because I’m positive they would have helped us out if they had availability in their baby-approved rooms. (Are these farm-style pens? Or do these rooms have walls made of pillows? Sounds like a suffocation hazard. ANYWAY. We will never know!!). Really, I have no recollection of wtf hotel it was, because I erased them instantly from mind and got to work finding a Plan B. Finding something on the route we wanted to drive was the real issue, and then finding someplace with availability was the next problem. Our search moved further and further south, until I was looking at Andy Murray’s Cromlix, about an hour’s drive north of Edinburgh. They didn’t have anything that would work, but the extremely nearby Gleneagles absolutely did. Done, one night at Gleneagles, booked. We now had a 4.5 hour drive ahead of us instead of a 2.5 hour drive, but it was fine. I mapped out the perfect little roadtrip through Glencoe with tons of stops to stretch eight legs and two growing spines. It would be longer in the car than we’d planned, but I was going to make. it. WORK! After we checked out from our cottage early on Saturday morning, we began the drive south. We decided to stop in Fort William to see the Glennfinnan viaduct of Harry Potter fame, and watch the Jacobite Steam Train pass. I read that the train would cross the viaduct about 30 minutes after leaving the station at Fort William. You can check the timetable on the Jacobite website here, and plan accordingly. We struggled to find the closer angle that looks more like the film before the train would cross, but I actually enjoyed the panoramic view. This post is way more detailed than I could ever be because #lazy, but if you’re interested in planning your own visit, then have a read. It details how to find the other spot, and offers a few more tips and tricks for planning your day. After, we walked back down to the visitors centre and enjoyed a little picnic. We also bought two little stuffed hairy coos for the kids. I named Henry’s Hamish, Margot named hers Sven. Hamish and Sven and our family of four were downright SMUG after the best little start to our day. Next stop: Glencoe! (HA!) We climbed back in the car, and I set Gleneagles as our destination. Here’s what I saw as I set the phone back down, and promptly fell asleep. “Wake me up when it’s pretty,” I murmured, knowing we were about an hour from Glencoe. (Before you’re all waaah pooooor Jeffffffffff, first of all: I was breastfeeding a giant turkey of a baby, which is exhausting. Second of all, I’m a prize, let me sleep.) Anyway, here is where I woke up: Apparently, during a signal drop, the GPS reset to the shortest route (BY 1 MINUTE), and sent us an hour in the opposite direction. Jeff didn’t realize it until we were an hour past Fort William, for a whole list of reasons. Words were exchanged, and I listed some other possible reasons, most of which were “unfair.” Marriage! We ultimately decided and begrudgingly agreed that a drive back an hour in the wrong direction on a 4.5 hour roadtrip just wasn’t worth it. This is a decision that will haunt me for the rest of my life. Or at least until I’m done writing this post, when I’ll probably forget about it again. And then I’ll trot it back out as a classic roadtrip story to tell the kids in 15 years. But anyway, more on that in a minute. For now, our new route didn’t have any of the planned stops I’d mapped out. As we ducked in and out of service, I tried to find some worthy new excursions. After a quick search, we made our way toward Pitlochry. As we passed a village called Killiecrankie, I though YES, it’s me. But nay, we didn’t stop, Pitlochry was the new goal. We parked in Pitlochry and walked around the objectively adorable town, trying to spin our moods around. Because my entire life now revolves around snacks for all ages, we stocked up. I carried the stuffed hairy coos with their heads poking out of my purse, at Margot’s request, so they could see the sights, too. We made up silly songs about Hamish & Sven, and made one final stop in a cute childrens’ shop. Moods (mostly) lifted! But at the till, the shopwoman asked us in her thick brogue if we were aware of the traffic incident. She thought the closure might be pretty disruptive for the final hour of our drive, but didn’t really have any details. Just an ominous warning, half whispered in a Scottish accent. As all ominous warnings should be, really. We hopped back on the A9, and soon realized that whatever had happened was bad. The traffic was all rerouted, but this was a Saturday in August. It’s like, the only month other people visit Scotland and the only month the Scots stay put. There was no option but to sit. And sit. And sit. Bumper to bumper. Frozen on repeat. We left Skye at 6 AM. I estimated a 3 PM arrival based on our Glencoe route, which had about 4 stops. We pulled into Gleneagles just shy of 6 PM. With 2 stops. Def not counting the roadside breastfeeding stops. Yeah, probs should have turned around back at that random ass craft shop, EH? None of it was ideal. Honestly, no one was in a good mood. And like the amateurs we are, we’d promised our 2.5 year old we were going somewhere with a pool. Of COURSE we can go in as soon as we get there! (Idiots). Here’s where I will say that our one night at Gleneagles was lovely. The staff is warm and welcoming, the property is gorgeous, and it’s insanely family-friendly. Our room was beautiful (minus the hideous baby cot, which seems to be a serious hotel problem across the board). We had our own little garden, plus a sitting area and the coziest baby robes I’ve ever felt in my life. They were so cozy that Henry fell asleep the second we wrapped him in his, which means one came home with us. Turns out it wasn’t the robe, he was just exhausted from screaming his face off for the last 2 hours of our accidental 12-hour roadtrip. But still, it is soft af. The newly decorated kids club is incredible, with a section for older kids and a more secure and heavier staffed area for under 3s. As promised, Jeff took Margot to swim as soon as we arrived, while I waited with Henry for our room service dinner to arrive. Here’s where I point out that I took, like, no great photos. It wasn’t a planned stop, it wasn’t sponsored. It’s still worth talking about. After a necessary and restorative sleep, we woke up ready to enjoy the day. Naturally, our day spent in the car was probably the most gorgeous weather Scotland saw in 2018. Sunday was predictably gray with nonstop downpours. NO MATTER, we made do. We had breakfast downstairs, and Margot took another swim before we played around the kids club for a bit. After, I took her out for a tour of the stables, where she fell properly in love with every single horse. We went back into the hotel for lunch, and Jeff and I grabbed a drink at the bar while both babies took their afternoon naps. (Ahhhh the days of two kids napping). Our one night at Gleneagles ended quickly. I mean, technically it was longer than our drive to get there, but spiritually, it felt SIGNIFICANTLY shorter. Our following two days in Edinbrugh made up for it all, but I’m going to hold back on that for a bit longer. Why, you ask? For an excellent reason, thank you. That’s right, an LT TRAVEL ANNOUNCEMENT! Carolyn is heading back to London for Friendsgiving this year. Friday morning, we’ll hop a flight back up north to explore this new-to-her city! As this will be my third visit, I feel most confident giving you one comprehensive guide once we properly experience it together. Stay tuned! xoxo, ashley

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london daytrips // the harry potter tour at warner bros. studios

Lazy Travelers — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 11:19:12 +0000

– this post, “london daytrips // the harry potter tour at warner bros. studios” is in partnership with BoxLunch, and contains affiliate links. this means that if you decide to buy any of the below items, we may receive a small commission – As 2019 comes to a close, we’re still looking back at our 2018 travels, and whoops! We skipped something! About a month before Henry arrived, Carolyn jetted over to London for a long weekend. On the schedule was our usual: eating, relaxing, and adventuring with lazy baby numero uno (and her parents). One not-so-standard addition? The Harry Potter tour at Warner Bros. Studios. Like many millennials solidly in their 30s, we grew up with Harry, Hermione, and Ron — almost year for year. From our desks in our boring old muggle middle school, we followed their every move, starting in year 1 at Wizarding School. We spent an embarrassing amount of time wishing for our own owl-delivered letters to Hogwarts. On an impromptu London meet-up circa 2008, we even visited Kings Cross Station’s Platform 9 3/4… very late at night. Back then, it was just a cheeky little hidden nod to the book, and really only there if you knew to look. Now, of course, they’ve made it a proper tourist destination. At the time, however, we were APPALLED we couldn’t get through and board the Hogwarts Express. a defining moment, truly Anyway! When the team at BoxLunch recently reached out to us about a partnership, we nipped right over to their website for inspiration. Lo & behold, we found it immediately. An entire section of their site is dedicated to Harry Potter. Hello to the perfect excuse to finally regale you with the details of our day on the Harry Potter tour at Warner Bros. Studios, ya welcome. talk about a glow up Before we dive in, a quick note about BoxLunch. We actually didn’t know much about their shop until now, but they have a great mission. As a civic-minded retailer, for every $10 you spend on any of their pop culture-themed product, BoxLunch helps provide a meal secured by Feeding America® on behalf of local member food banks. So! Definitely check out our links below. If you see anything you love, know that you’re shopping with a bit of a purpose. Win/win/wingardium leviosa. Get excited // We haven’t read all the books in years, though we’re fully guilty of catching the movies if they happen to be on TV. Because Margot didn’t really know what Harry Potter was, we figured an abbreviated viewing of the first movie was in order. It paid off. She was the exact right level of interested in Harry and Hedwig pre-studios. Get ready // We’re not the types to go anywhere in full costume, and the Harry Potter tour is no exception. Even so, we DO love to let our destination inspire our looks. After browsing BoxLunch’s Harry Potter shop, we’re pretty in love with the below: Harry Potter Bolt Snitch Star Stud Earring Set // Harry Potter Snitch Braided Bracelet // Harry Potter Hogwarts Travel Mug // Loungefly Harry Potter Three Broomsticks Coin Purse // JuJuBe Harry Potter Be Zealous Flying Keys Diaper Backpack Out of everything we loved, these little stud earrings might just be our top fave, though obviously the idea of matching friendship bracelets appeals. Remember, this HP love goes back to our middle school roots, where we met on the school bus. Braided friendship bracelets at 33 just… feels right. Almost as right as this HARRY POTTER THEMED NAPPY BAG, hello. A coin purse is basically a requirement when you’re traveling with sterling. And lastly, as we all try to be a bit more sustainable in our day to day… anyone else fancy a Hogwarts-adorned keep cup? Honestly, we’re ready to buy all this up and book ourselves another trip to the studios. Get tickets // The main thing holding us back from planning our HP tour visit in previous years was just how impossible it is to get tickets fairly last minute. As you may have heard… we’re not exactly planners. This time, we had about a two-month lead time from when the trip was officially a go. Naturally, all the dates and times on the website were totally sold out. Around this same time, Jeff let it slip that his office building has a concierge service. We politely asked him to see if they had an in for tickets, while Ashley rubbed her growing belly and blinked slowly. And aHA, they did! This hasn’t worked in other instances — the Dior exhibit at the V&A and Hamilton are two events that come immediately to mind. But because it worked well for Harry Potter, then we feel confident in suggesting that a hotel concierge or travel agent might also have an in if you’re dying to go but don’t have 6 months to plan. The tickets came at a premium, but current website prices note £45/adult. We paid… a lot more than that. Just looked at our receipt and feel embarrassed. Wow, people will do anything for a pregnant woman. Children under 4 are free, which is a good way to tell that little ones will be totally fine. There are some dark and potentially scary parts (a stroll through the Forbidden Forest comes complete with MASSIVE spiders, for one!) But, like anything, it all depends on your kid. It’s really a perfect mix of movie magic and fun, in our opinions. At just over 2, Margot was just curious and excited more than anything else. But she also loves an adventure, so again: it all comes down to personalities. a good example of the kind of personalities that thrive at the harry potter tour at warner bros. studios, tbh Get there // Our tickets were for 11:30 AM on a Sunday morning in March. They suggest you arrive 20 minutes before your entry time. The train takes about 20 minutes from Euston Station to Watford Junction, with regular shuttle buses to the studios. We decided to aim for a 9:30 AM train. When you travel with little ones, it’s always better to give yourself lots of room to breathe. In this case, it was a lifesaver. We had some weird train issues getting out there, and they redirected us to some other random station. We paired up with two German girls and split a taxi, and ended up getting there right at 11 AM. (It’s possible our new German friends missed their entrance, they were not thrilled). The return, it should be noted, was a breeze. So even on a bad day, it was all fine and still better than one of the bus tour packages, we’re sure. not the train we got, but absolutely the train we deserved Get lost // A huge part of the magic was just how little we really knew about the studios. We didn’t research much before we went (hello, how on brand), and you shouldn’t either. After entering through the main hall, we basically just wandered for nearly 90 minutes, taking in as many of the little details as we could. We took pictures in wizard capes while pretending to play quidditch in front of a green screen, and we stopped for lunch and butterbeer at a pop-up Three Broomsticks. you’re extremely welcome In total, we explored for about two hours. We loved Diagon Alley and the Gryffindor Common room, but the fully scaled model of Hogwarts was most definitely our favorite part. Get muggle snuggled // Once we were home, all we wanted to do was experience the movie magic all over again. Next HP viewing party, we demand the below: Harry Potter Clue // Harry Potter Gryffindor Quidditch Alumni Ankle Socks // Harry Potter Gryffindor Tapestry Throw Blanket // Harry Potter White Grim Tea Cup & Saucer Set After a long day of train travel and adventuring with a toddler in tow, there’s nothing better than cozying up. Give us snuggly socks, a warm blanket, a boardgame, and teacups… filled with red wine, natch. So tell us! Have you been on the Harry Potter tour? Are you dying to go? xo! ashley & carolyn

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to the highlands // one week on the isle of skye

Lazy Travelers — Wed, 07 Aug 2019 10:00:34 +0000

– This post, “to the highlands // one week on the isle of skye ” includes affiliate links. This means that if you decide to book some of our recommendations, we may receive a small commission. – I’ve wanted to visit the Isle of Skye since… I honestly can’t recall. I just know that it’s been at the top of my list for a long, long time. Unfortunately, it’s one of those destinations that comes with a lengthy list of solid reasons not to go. As anyone will tell you, if you want decent weather, you have to go in July or August. Plus, it’s far and hard-to-reach, so you really need to go for at least 4 days to make it worth the travel time. But! Once you’re there, it’s misty and magical and made for cozy jumpers and cups of tea! BUT! Who wants to spend their prized vaca time hauling it up to what is essentially a cool-weather destination during the peak of summer? A woman who just had a baby, THAT’S WHO. I’m thinking back to last summer, and realizing that we were maybe slightly insane? Henry arrived nearly three weeks early, in early April. Six weeks later, we boarded a flight to the US, and celebrated my sister’s wedding. A few weeks after we landed back in London, we spent a quick weekend at the Four Seasons Hampshire. About a month later, we spent nabbed ourselves a 4-day weekend on Daylesford Farm. Shortly after that, we… moved flats. Yes, with a 2.5 year old and a 3.5 month old, we packed up our lives and our flat and said our tearful farewells. We tailed a moving van to a few neighborhoods over and a few flights up, where we found ourselves in a 3rd floor walk-up, on a leafy little street in Notting Hill. (We have since backpedaled on that decision and moved to a lower ground floor flat, same street. My spine is eternally grateful.) ANYWAY. Before we signed the lease, because we knew we wanted to move to Notting Hill, we also knew we had to plan to leave over the last weekend of August. If you’re in the UK, then you know that that’s a bank holiday weekend, meaning everyone has off that Monday. If you’re in London, you probably know that that’s also when Carnival falls. A 3-day, 24-hour street party that takes over almost all of Notting Hill, and most definitely the area around our flat. Know what’s extremely inconvenient when you’re trying to get a 4-month old to sleep through the night? A 3-day, 24-hour street party. AND SO, in the midst of my pregnancy, our brainstorming began. I knew I wouldn’t want to go anywhere too hot, since newborns and high temps do not pair well. (This is mainly true if you suffer from postpartum anxiety and have an extreme dependency on Dr. Google. Hello, I was and am afflicted with both.) We brainstormed and fairly quickly agreed: this was the ideal time to finally (finally!) visit the Isle of Skye. how we traveled // We woke up early for a pre-9 AM flight to Inverness, and arrived just over 90 minutes later. Inverness airport is tiny, and we got a shuttle to a funny little office to pick up our rental car. We travel with our own carseats, by the way, and installing them is STILL a headache. It is, without a doubt, the only truly horrible part about traveling with children. I honestly only wish away time when I dream of the days they’ll be big enough not to need carseats, I mean it. But alas, they are still wee ones, as the Scots say. So install the carseats we (read: Jeff) did, and eventually, we were off. We were faced with a nearly 3-hour drive to the cottage we rented, but agreed to stop along the way, if needed. Fortunately, both kids zonked out almost immediately, and we made it two straight hours to Loch Carron. (In Wester Ross!) (Not Westeros). We stopped at a little craft store for treats and coffees. Obviously, we ended up buying adorable little sheep-lined booties for Henry. Don’t worry, I managed to tear them the very first time I put them on his giant sausage feet. From there, we drove directly to the cottage we rented in Dunvegan. where we stayed // Here’s the thing. The accommodation options in Isle of Skye are pretty limited, and from our research, we decided a cottage was probably the best bet. It seems that pretty much all of the cottage rental companies get the same feedback. If your cottage is fine, your experience is fine. If there are any issues, then the company probably will not offer any support. Fortunately, ours was beautiful, but unfortunately, we did run into some small issues that became bigger when we tagged in the company. Even so, I’m not going to call out our specific company. I was really frustrated with our customer service experience, yes. The cottage we rented was mostly really nice, and the location was incredible. There was a ton of space, and we had all the basics we needed. It looked out on a picture-perfect loch, and a herd of sheep hung out on our front lawn every single day. Unfortunately, it was not cleaned properly before we checked in, and that set off a whole series of irritating, uninteresting events. I really only mention it, because I do think it’s worth knowing that this is not uncommon. We later lamented about this experience with friends who travel often to Scotland, and they kind of said this is par for the Scottish experience. All’s lovely until you have a complaint, and then it become a weird, exhausting blame game. (Please note Henry’s booties. SO cute, so short-lived.) This certainly rang true, so just do your research. Pay more attention to the negative reviews than the positives, even if they seem few and far between. I think the biggest issue is the fact that all of Skye is working hard to catch up to the sudden surge in tourism. There’s now a huge demand that they can’t quite match. I also suspect that as Skye’s popularity continues to rise, so will the range of accommodation options. When it comes down to it, though, I can say that having a little lochside cottage of our own was, generally, pretty stellar. what we did // When you’re traveling with kids, itinerary planning can be a massive waste of time. Everyone’s interests and motivations can change daily, if not hourly. We learned early: when traveling with kids, it’s best to keep your expectations as low as possible. Oh, and always bring extra snacks. And then pack some more snacks on top of the extras. Portree | This is Skye’s capital and largest village. We decided to visit early in the week, so we could go back again throughout the week if we loved it. And we did! We had lunch, we walked along the cobbled streets and down along the water, and we did some shopping. The best buy? This book, “There Was a Wee Lassie Who Swallowed a Midgie,” obv. Old Man of Storr | If you google things to do on the Isle of Skye, a hike up the Storr and a visit to the Old Man (aka: a series of rock formations overlooking the Sound of Raasay) is on every single list. We ended up heading over fully unprepared, but figured we’d just scout out the easy — yet steep — hike. We made it about halfway before Margot sat herself down on a rock, sighed deeply, and said she was ready to go home and see the sheep now. Naturally, that’s exactly what we did instead of push to the top. But we did stop on our way home at a cute honor bar-style farmstand, complete with eggs, homemade sweets (including a fudge-like sweet call Scottish tablet), and fresh jam. We left with our spoils for the tiny amount of sterling that was requested. Dunvegan Castle | This was another highlight that was extremely close to our cottage (telling you, its location was unbeatable!), and we were happy to go in and poke around a bit. The real highlight for all of us were the grounds and the gardens, and it was a good little half-day excursion for us all. Neist Point | Like the Old Man, Neist Point is on every Skye-related list. We again didn’t make it all the way along the trail, but we were happy to take in the views on our own, abbreviated version. The Fairy Pools | This was a hike that we made a point of fully preparing for. We packed lunches in the morning, and ate a big snack in the car before we set off. I wore Henry in the ErgoBaby 360, and together we crossed streams and climbed over rocks and looked for fairies. Margot was ON BOARD for this hike. I honestly believe her when she says she saw fairies swimming in the pools. where we ate // We cooked breakfast and dinner at home, which worked out well for us. But we ate lunch out pretty much every day, and these were the stand-outs. Dulse & Brose | This little gastropub in Portree was adorably decorated, and a worthy lunchspot in a town that is the definition of SO STINKIN CUTE. Jann’s Cakes | Jann’s was around the corner from our cottage, and she comes with a lot of diehard fans. Katie of Stories my Suitcase Could Tell was really my biggest motivator for going, mainly because she grew up in the Outer Hebrides, so I trusted her for an authentic rec. (The Isle of Skye is one of the Inner Hebrides islands.) YEP, STACKED UP. We ordered sandwiches before our cakes, but I’d say just go for the cake. Skeabost House Hotel | We considered staying here when we weren’t sure if a hotel would be preferable. Based on our experience at the restaurant, I’d say it’s a great option for couples or families with older kids. It just felt like a serene and relaxed place, and while they were great with Margot & Henry, the general vibe was definitely just a bit more grown up. The Three Chimneys | We were extremely lucky we nabbed a (very!) last minute lunch res here. It’s consistently named one of the best restaurants in the UK, and arguably cited as the best in Scotland. They don’t accept kids under 8 for dinners, but there were little ones at at least three other tables during our meal, and the staff was lovely. They even amended the seasonal gnocchi dish for Margot to enjoy (upon request), but then they both passed out for the majority of the meal. We took her gnocchi to go, and it was basically like we had our own little Michelin-starred vaca lunch. LUXE. This trip really was so special. This year, we opted for a more traditional summer holiday, complete with sun and lots of sand. (So much sand, I’m still finding sand from that trip.) It was incredible, but a little part of me felt wistful for extra long days donned in jumpers and wellies, going on long walks, looking for fairies. But our little Scottish escape didn’t end with Skye! Stay tuned for the final three nights. xo! ashley – This post, “to the highlands // one week on the isle of skye ” includes affiliate links. This means that if you decide to book some of our recommendations, we may receive a small commission. –

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english escapes // a family trip to daylesford farm

Lazy Travelers — Tue, 30 Jul 2019 11:00:48 +0000

Nesting takes many forms, and before Henry was born, my sole mission was to plan our summer travels. Mostly, this was because I knew we had to jet back to the States just one month after his due date. As a result, I wanted to keep the momentum going, and ensure we didn’t go into the same hibernation mode we experienced after Margot was born. Please note: the newborn bubble is dreamy, so don’t burst it before you must. Especially with your first. But life with an active toddler and an April newborn made for a much different vibe the second time around. I knew being housebound wouldn’t work out well for us. As we toyed with where to spend our summer holidays, we decided to dedicate our travels to the UK. We could still get out and explore, but in the event of an emergency, everything would be familiar. After two weeks in the US (and as a way to decompress), our first weekend trip together took us to the Four Seasons Hampshire. Our second getaway was a long weekend in the Cotswolds, for a bucket list stay at one of the cottages at Daylesford Farm. We’ve long loved the Cotswolds, and this was our fourth visit since moving to London. I’m actually just realizing that this may be our first year since moving here that we haven’t planned a weekend Cotswolds trip? We decided to try out East Devon and Cornwall this summer instead. But I have a feeling we’ll make a point of returning to the Cotswolds next year. We really just love it that much. As per usual, we rented a car, and left early one morning to drive the two-ish hours to the farm. Though we could have gone directly there, we opted to stop on our way for lunch at The Woodstock Arms, and to explore Blenheim Palace. We’d strolled around Woodstock and the grounds of the palace once before, but visiting in summer was a totally different vibe. We loved it so much that we left as annual members, but I’m a little embarrassed to admit it’s now expired without us making any actual use of the pass. Whoooops, this is what happens when you make decisions while addled with baby brain. After this little pitstop, we hightailed it to Dalyesford, where we checked into the Apple Store cottage. I’m genuinely surprised we ever even left, because it is objectively perfect. We walked into an open plan kitchen, dining, and lounge area. Our booking included a surprise welcome gift, which ended up being a complimentary heart-shaped cutting board. Hearts are the official symbol of Daylesford, though I never quite got the backstory — you just notice them everywhere. You also notice that the decor is impeccable. I left wishing I could do a complete overhaul to our flat, replacing anything with a touch of color with various shades of oatmeal, cream, and taupe. It was all extremely calming, with only fresh flowers and bunches of lavender offering the occasional splash of color. My biggest regret is my suitcase included no white linen to wear (because, again: small children). My second biggest regret is that until this stay, we didn’t know wtf an Aga was. We learned when we called the staff and asked why the OVEN was on. Isn’t that so DANGEROUS for children?!!?!? They were like, ummm… we can turn it off? But then it takes a day to cool off. And two days to heat back up. So… then you can’t really cook any of the delicious food we left you. Sooooo…? I mean, they were extremely gracious considering how stupid we probably sounded. But I will say that it’s odd to me to have an oven you keep on 24/7 in the middle of summer. Yes, even in the UK! We certainly weren’t aching for air con, but the kitchen area was warm, all day. Am I missing a trick here? Obv at the same time, I now dream of having my very own Aga in my very own Cotswolds cottage, just because it’s all so damn QUAINT. ANYWAY. Back to the delicious spoils they left for us. The cottage featured a stocked bar with complimentary bottles of red, white, and rosé (all their own label, but made in France), plus ingredients for the perfect G&T, lest you forget you’re having an idyllic British experience. The kitchen came with freshly baked bread, eggs from the farm, cheese, jam, milk, fresh juice, pasta, tomato sauce… It basically was like someone went grocery shopping for an exhausted set of new parents and told us to put our feet up. WHICH THEY PRACTICALLY DID, because included in our booking were two complimentary spa treatments. Hello, private massage mornings, sandwiched in between a fresh breakfast and a farm-to-table lunch. Where on earth have you been all my life? pre-treatment tea Other perks of the stay were the Bamford spa products in the bathrooms, and full containers of Daylesford laundry soap if we needed. (Fellow parents will recognize just how lovely a gesture this truly is). As a guest, you also get 10% off at any of the shops. There’s a massive Daylesford store attached to their restaurant, and a smaller shop near the spa. Plus a florist, I think? I don’t know, honestly. If I wasn’t in that sweet, hazy newborn bubble, there’s a very real chance I would have walked in as myself and cycled out, effortlessly polished, in a white linen pansuit, with a baguette and a fresh bouquet of flowers in my front basket, tiny fluffy poodle mix in my lap. It’s just that kind of place. Whether it’s factually correct or not, I feel like I passed a bunch of tiny shops around the grounds, each selling all you need to complete this oddly specific scene. It’s a bit Goop-esque, if Goop was run by Diane Keaton instead of Gwyneth Paltrow. For meals, we basically had breakfast and dinners in our cottage. On some nights, we ordered takeaway pizzas from the Daylesford restaurant on-site. Other days, we picked up accoutrements for cheese boards and charcuterie plates, and snacked away. On Sunday, we went out for lunch, and LOVED The Fox at Oddington. We sat in the garden, the sun was shining, the Sunday roast was on point. Sidenote: I always want to write en pointe. And in this specific instance, I’m picturing my Sunday roast doing ballet, and you know what? I wish I could tell you I’m following Hemingway’s rule of write drunk, edit sober. I’m not. Writing about a trip a year after it happens is just super tricky, as it turns out. We spent the rest of our weekend driving around to our favorite local villages, including Burford, the Slaughters, and Bourton-on-the-Water. In Bourton, we ate ice cream and ducked in little book shops. We stopped on Monday for lunch at the Kingham Plough, which was lovely, but we sat next to a family who was… distracting? I was distracted because their two young children were horrifically behaved — complete with wrestling practically under our table, bare feet on the tables, and toys getting tossed in the air, all while their adults mostly ignored them. Jeff was distracted because their father kept calling his own parents mummy and daddy. We left with a LOT to discuss. Unfortunately for the restaurant, it’s really the only thing we remember. But I did find the restaurant itself charming, and I recall thinking the food was good! After each daily drive, we went back to our cottage to relax and have dinner, and attempt our new bedtime routine with two babies. We managed to get them both down by 7 pm each night, and it was at the Apple Store cottage that Henry slept 12 straight hours for the first time in his little life. This obviously called for wine in the little garden off the front, chatting and relaxing and even — gasp! — reading for pleasure. We drove back refreshed and relaxed and, most astonishingly of all, well rested. For that reason alone, I’ll always be happy to look back on our little family weekend in the Cotswolds, and ideally start planning a return sometime soon. xoxo! ashley

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give stories, not stuff // inspiring experiences with tinggly

Lazy Travelers — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 17:13:43 +0000

– This post, “give stories, not stuff // inspiring experiences with tinggly” is sponsored content.- Can you believe that it’s been nearly eight years since we started The Lazy Travelers? So many things have changed, but there is one important constant. We remain travel-loving besties who will jump at the chance to reunite and drink wine, anywhere in the world. We may have an ocean between us instead of 2nd Avenue, but our husbands can attest: our scheming and travel-dreaming has not waned. Recently, a company called Tinggly reached out to us to talk about their service. The tagline immediately piqued our interest. “Give stories, not stuff” is the perfect mantra for urban dwellers like us, who live in small spaces and are maybe maxing out a bit in the THINGS department. (Alternative tagline suggestion: tings, not things. Call us, Tinggly marketing department). Perfectly packaged in neat little boxes, Tinggly gift experiences are bookable all over the world. We’ve been browsing the Tinggly Experiences Map borderline obsessively, and it’s addicting! We love that some are extremely open-ended for the received to decide where to go — like the 3 Days in 100 Capitals box. Others are more niche, perfect for locals who may need to reignite the spark they have for their home city. As former New Yorkers, this Think You Know New York? box would have been MUCH appreciated toward the end of our Manhattanite days. You won’t be surprised to know that the more we browsed, the more our own wishlist grew. While we could highlight hundreds of options, here are five inspiring experiences that caught our attention, and give you a good idea of what it means to give a Tinggly experience gift. Jacobite Experience: 2-Day Tour with Hogwarts Express // Ashley & fam took a detour by the Glenfinnan Viaduct on their drive south from the Isle of Skye last summer, and it was a definite roadtrip highlight. But it was also a little tricky to find the best view. After some searching, they ended up on a crowded platform with a lot of other Harry Potter fans. (And also steam train fanatics which, if you can imagine, are even nerdier than HP fans. We’re HP fans, we can say this.) This guided tour looks like the perfect way to maximize your time in the Scottish Highlands without feeling too rushed. Bonus point: you can truly enjoy the stunning views with someone who is probably more knowledgeable than a last-minute Google search. Chobe Safari Experience in Botswana // Ever since our first and only safari experience in South Africa, we’ve been pretty much dying to return. We asked our guide at the time where he’d recommend for our inevitable second safari. He didn’t hesitate before replying: Botswana. And seeing as this specific tour includes a complimentary sundowner, then we’re pretty sure it was made for us. Unique Japanese Home-cooking Class in Tokyo for Two // Last summer, it looked like Carolyn may have a work trip to Japan. For a solid three months, we considered meeting up for a week in Tokyo and Kyoto. This would have been a first for both of us. It didn’t work out, but it did bump Japan up much, much higher on our list. The biggest motivator?? THE FOOD. This means a cooking class would basically be a requirement, and we’re filing this one away for when we can make this newfound dream a reality. Horseback Ride Under the Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles for Two // We have two more reunions in the books for 2019, and then we’re looking forward to 2020 plans if you can believe it! High on the list? A return to California, but this time focusing on the southern half of the state. Our travels have included a horseback ride once before, when we explored the hills of Dingle during our pre-LT Irish roadtrip of 2009. Is this the perfect excursion to re-live that (hilarious) adventure? Yes, we’re pretty sure it is. Half-Day Wine Tasting in Santiago for Two // South America is high on our list, even more so after Carolyn’s quick stop in Argentina before and after her time in Antarctica last January. We probably could have made a Tinggly wishlist based solely on this one continent. A wine tour of Santiago, however, feels like an excellent starting point. So, hop on over to Tinggly and tell us: which inspiring experiences catch your eye? And if you have any big events coming up to celebrate, would you consider giving the honoree a Tinggly gift experience? We’re honestly considering forcing our husbands to remarry us just so we can register. xo! ashley & carolyn – This post, “give stories, not stuff // inspiring experiences with tinggly” is sponsored content. Thank you to tinggly for supporting our blog. –

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english escapes // a family weekend at the four seasons hotel hampshire

Lazy Travelers — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 11:49:28 +0000

– This post, “english escapes // a family weekend at the four seasons hotel hampshire” includes affiliate links. This means that if you decide to book some of the below recommendations, we may receive a small commission. – Before I started writing about our last trip to Rome as a family of three, I made a list of all the trips we’ve taken since Henry was born. It was mainly because I plan to catch up on blogging, but I was still curious to see the ground we’ve covered with two kids in tow. I had obviously expected our family’s travel style to change again once he arrived, and I also expected us to slow down. Somehow, almost inexplicably, we’ve still managed to travel quite a bit… and things haven’t changed that dramatically. Most notably, we’ve become even bigger fans of proper English escapes. Every once in awhile, there’s just something about getting out of London and plopping down somewhere in the countryside. We’ve always been pretty into the Cotswolds, and this trip to Dorset was a before-baby-deux family fave. It wasn’t until we added our tiniest member that we realized! We may be just shy of five years living in the UK (!!!), but this country is still extremely new to us. When I realized last summer that Jeff’s birthday weekend lined up with his first Father’s Day as a dad of two, it was obvious. This was the perfect excuse to plan something close, but special. I researched places that would easily (and relatively affordably) arrange a car service for us from London, ensuring a breezy escape where we could all zone out from start to finish. Enter: The Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire Full disclosure: it is almost definitely cheaper to rent a car, especially if you’re just going for 24 hours. But for a special occasion? £150 each way for a private, door-to-door car transfer with zero stress was well worth it. At 9 AM on a Saturday morning, a Mercedes van pulled up in front of our flat. Our driver quickly loaded up our luggage, while Jeff installed our two car seats. By 10 AM, we were merrily on our way (with two kids snoozing shortly thereafter). It is chaos getting four people out the door, but I built in some extra time to soften the blow. Mark my words: this was key. Just over 90 minutes later, we were pulling up to the Four Seasons. Our laid-back, late morning arrival meant time to explore the grounds and suss out a relaxing lunch on-site. We spent the next 24 hours exclusively at the hotel. The pressures of getting out and exploring the area pretty much disappeared without a car. We of course could have arranged excursions with the hotel if we wanted. But I had booked this hotel because there was plenty to do on hand, so leaving didn’t feel necessary. Plus, once Margot realized there were horses, a playground, AND a pool, we were practically busy! We had our first little lunch at Cafe Santé, but ate the rest of our meals at Wild Carrot (with stops at the adjacent bar before dinner on Saturday and Father’s Day roast on Sunday). We spent Saturday afternoon splashing around the indoor pool, surrounded by other families with kids. On Sunday morning, I booked a private hour-long tennis lesson for Jeff. We roamed the grounds, and walked up to the stables to visit the horses. We also visited the playground, and strolled through the gardens. We’ve stayed in plenty of hotels that welcome kids with open arms, but this one embraced us with a warm hug. It was exactly what I (and I think we all) needed at 10-weeks postpartum. At 6 and a half weeks, we had already taken Henry back to the states for a family wedding. It was a two week whirlwind that included Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. We had a blast, but as often happens when we cross timezones these days, Jeff and I came back more jetlagged than the kids. That will always be our extremely special first trip as a family of four, but this felt like our first true break. It was like we had been holding our collective breath the last 2.5 months, and at the Four Seasons Hampshire, we could finally exhale. We showed up for the first seating at nearly every meal, but the other families were rarely far behind us. There were a ton of other kids exactly where you expected to see them. The restaurants were lively, they had bike rentals for every age. The indoor pool during children’s hours was a sight to behold. But it still, somehow, managed to never feel like a hotel for kids. I might have felt differently if I were visiting without my own little ones, but honestly, I’m not sure. It seemed like a place you could easily go for a couples’ escape or a spa retreat. Kids were around, but there were also lots of spaces tucked away where they weren’t roaming freely. Since I can only attest to what our experience was like with kids, then I can assure you you’ll feel at home from the moment you walk in the door. As with other FS properties, it felt like there were about five staff members for every guest, and everyone knew our family’s names immediately. But the most baby-friendly thing I noticed? The public bathrooms (male AND female) all had fully-stocked changing tables! I’m talking nappies and wipes and creams and cotton swabs, with swim nappies on hand in the spa changing rooms. Our room also had tons of goodies for little ones. It was chock full of bath toys, special treats, cute messages scribbled on the mirrors, and kid-sized bathrobes. They even included a nappy bin in our hotel room which seriously? Without saying too much… when you have two kids in nappies, this is HUUUUUGE. We’ve only stayed in one other hotel since then that has thought to do this, and it’s such a small but meaningful gesture. I’m aware this is reading like one giant advertisement for the Four Seasons, but this wasn’t a sponsored stay. And I will say this: if I have one complaint, it’s that the rooms could all use a refresh. The hotel itself is beautiful and feels new and modern, so I was really surprised to find that our room, at least, felt tired. We didn’t actually spend much time in the room so it didn’t bother us a ton, but I think a big room reno is due. We’ve had other similarly amazing and exceptionally family-friendly stays at Gleneagles, Daylesford Cottages, and the Pig at Combe within the UK, and The Four Seasons Orlando and Verdura Resort abroad … but I’ll get to those later. xo! ashley – This post, “english escapes // a family weekend at the four seasons hotel hampshire” includes affiliate links. This means that if you decide to book some of the above recommendations, we may receive a small commission. –

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style spotter // a return to toy story playland with shopdisney

Lazy Travelers — Fri, 28 Jun 2019 09:00:03 +0000

– “style spotter // a return to toy story playland with shopdisney” is a sponsored post. we were paid a flat fee for our content. if you like what you see and decide to buy, some of the links below are affiliated and we will receive a small commission. – Well after Rome and just before a more recent trip to Paris, there was Orlando. Just picture it: a three-year-old all hopped up on Disney magic! A freshly-minted one-year-old, genuinely wondering if this is real life! There was action, there was adventure, there was a parade of little green army men marching through Toy Story Playland. I’ve been asked more than a few times for tips on how to handle Disney World with two little ones. And, um, WHOA, BABY. DO I HAVE TIPS. That full post will have to come later, but my main ones? FastPass every single thing Frozen or Toy Story-related. Don’t ignore the classics (the teacups are extra fun with tiny ones!). Whatever you do, do not skip Toy Story Playland. ShopDisney recently reached out to us to celebrate the release of Toy Story 4 (in cinemas now!). Margot has been asking if we can head back to Disney World basically since our return flight took off. I don’t love telling the girl no, but I AM all about bringing the magic home. The best part? All would be great travel companions, either for in-flight distractions or some decompression playtime in the hotel room before or after a busy day. woody interactive talking action figure // The first time Margot watched the original Toy Story, all she wanted was a Woody doll. He’s very clearly a must-have for any kid who’s convinced the toys all come alive whenever they leave the room. Who else will keep the playroom safe when somebody’s poisoned the water hole?! slinky dog talking action figure // Two of the kids’ favorite toys are little pull-along animals. Neither of these animals talk (as far as we know…), which may put slinky dog ahead of the pack. Exactly where he belongs, obv. toy story alien plush // Of all the Toy Story related toys we could have brought home from Disney, this is the one that made the cut. Henry, having never seen the movie, saw this little martian and turned into a real live version of the heart eye emoji. How can you say no? toy story 4 create your own forky kit // Margot LOVES a craft. The problem is she can’t quite pronounce the “ft” sound yet… it comes out as more a “p” sound. This was awkward for me when she got an adorable little craft kit as a party favor, and told me she couldn’t wait to thank the birthday girl for her “crap.” I do not doubt that she will be team Forky, and this craFFFTTTT kit will be another useful way for me to try and work on her diction. Win/win. buzz lightyear light-up costume for kids // We are big into dress-up these days, and while he’s a total trooper, I do feel like Henry would appreciate a more manly addition to our little collection of princess dresses and flower crowns. Although, let’s be honest, the moment Margot realizes this thing lights up, she’ll stake her claim. bo peep costume for kids // Because what better way to teach them both that girls are heroes, too? And even heroes need to accessorize. gabby gabby pop! vinyl figure by funko // As my parents learned from The Little Mermaid and I have already learned from Frozen, little red-haired girls latch onto red-haired cartoons and do not. let. go. While Gabby Gabby doesn’t look much like my own little ginger kid, this figurine version absoLUTEly does. toy story 4 toy box words to play by book // We try to limit the kids’ TV time to travel days and special occasions. I’ve found that books featuring their favorite TV and movie characters are a good holdover when I’m trying to keep screentime down during the week, and this little set looks perfect. rex knit shirt and pants set for baby // Henry loves nothing more than to roar, and while lions and tigers and bear will all do, DINOS really bring it out of him. This Rex set is impossibly cute. SO, fellow Pixar lovers. What do you have your eye on? xo! ashley – thank you to shopdisney for sponsoring this post, “style spotter // a return to toy story playland with shopdisney” –

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weekend warriors // a roman holiday for three (and a half!)

Lazy Travelers — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 13:59:30 +0000

– “a roman holiday for three (and a half!)” includes affiliate links, which means if you decide to use some of our recommendations, we may receive a small commission. – OH HI! I perhaps owe you a quick refresher before I regale you with tales from our Roman holiday. It’s been awhile, huh?! (L O LLLLLL. understatement.) To recap: in April 2018, I had my second baby — a little boy named Henry. It felt like life was instantly chaotic, and it’s only ramped up since. Nearly 15 months ago, our little man came figuratively barrelling into our world and flipped it all upside down. Now, he’s literally barrelling around, very much flipping everything upside down. And scaling furniture and hiding shoes and insisting all animals roar, cats and pigs and dinos alike. But before I became a true blue boy mum — just before, in fact — there was Rome. Our last trip before his arrival was a Roman holiday for three (and a half!), and it was perfect. The briefest of recaps: we stayed at the Baglioni Hotel Regina. We ate cacio e pepe for nearly every meal, but Roscioli remains my favorite. I can’t imagine there’s better gelato in the world than Come il Latte, which doesn’t have a website, but is on Via Silvio Spaventa. I want every single thing that Chez Dede has to offer. We toyed quite a bit with where to travel for our last hurrah as a trio. When I was pregnant with Margot, it was easy. My 32nd week lined up with Thanksgiving, so I was thrilled to spend my final pre-baby trip in Val d’Isere. This time, we were eyeing the middle of February, which here, is half-term. A note: half-term is a UK school system phrase, and it’s basically a week-long, mid-semester break. UK schools have three terms a year here, and a half term break for each. Public schools (called state schools in the UK) all follow the same, government-mandated calendar. Private school (also called independent schools in the UK) may follow a slightly different schedule. It basically creates 2 weeks of mayhem in February, May, and October, when each half-term break falls. Clearly, this limits your options if you’re planning last minute, and can jack up prices and lower availability. A last-minute ski holiday? Impossible. The Canaries? Fully booked. The UAE? Way too far to fly with my uncomfortably large bump. Finally, we reverted to a place we’ve learned is always a safe bet: Italy. We’d fallen in love with Rome back in 2014, and we were itching to get back. While planning, we were vaguely aware that, much like our visit to Venice at the start of my pregnancy, Rome could be tricky with a buggy, due to all the cobbled streets and steep inclines. For some reason, I didn’t really think it’d be tricky while pregnant with limited lung capacity… but. Duh. Of course it was. We landed at FCO in the morning, and were quickly ushered to the front of the passport queues. It’s important to note that Italians LOVE BABIES. From there, we hopped on the train and, high on Italian winter sunshine, we decided, like lunatics, to walk the 17-minute Google maps estimate to the Baglioni Hotel Regina, which is at the top of Vittorio Veneto. With a full buggy and a suitcase and a 31 week old bundle of joy curled up inside my abdomen, we made it about 35 minutes later. note: not the baglioni, but I didn’t take any pics of the hotel because I was a baby-brained prego, so you can just enjoy this charming street scene, ya welcome When we booked our trip, we were surprised to find plenty of well-priced availability at the nearby St Regis, but as it was still under construction, the extremely mixed reviews scared us off (and explained the steal we thought we’d found). Availability elsewhere was hard to come by, so after pouring over the reviews of our now-limited options, we settled on the Baglioni Hotel Regina. We nabbed a huge junior suite for a fraction of the price, and I’ll say that I think the value for the money was great. The staff was lovely, we had a nice view, and the bathroom and suite were enormous enough that they cancelled out most of the little quirks. The neighborhood is also really quiet, which is key when traveling with little ones. The art deco room decor wasn’t quite my style, but I find that often in Italy, if I’m being totally honest. The St. Regis now seems to be complete, and I’d def try there if given the choice. In a last-minute pinch, I have no real complaints about the Baglioni. Our walk from the train station ended up being a solid preview of our four-day weekend. I don’t know what it was about this pregnancy, but I just needed to move. My round ligament pain in my hips and pelvis was just as bad as my first pregnancy, but it was eased greatly with movement. And so, each morning, we woke up with room service breakfast while we got ready, and then slowly walked down the hill in whatever direction suited us for the day. My memory doesn’t quite serve, but I’m pretty sure we scaled every inch of all seven of the Eternal City’s hills. Is there an old wives tale about your pregnancy reflecting the personality of the baby you’re carrying? Because there should be. Henry has just wanted to move since he could kick, and I’m pretty sure he was propelling me forward that entire weekend. And also encouraging all the pasta, natch. Most importantly we accomplished our main goal: chasing our newly-minted 2-year-old around cobbled streets as everyone’s bellies grew (but mine grew the most). I kept my emotions in check as I wondered just how different our family dynamic would be. I’m happy to report that our little dude showed up and inconceivably, made everything even brighter. where we ate sant’eustachio // The perfect Italian cafe, where you have no choice but to have your cup at the counter. pasta chef monti // Nestled in one of Rome’s most charming neighborhoods, this looks like a fast food haunt that we absolutely would have skipped at face value. That would have been a mistake, as we had some of the best pasta of our trip here. roscioli // The reason we traveled to Rome, and the reason I am basically always ready to pack my bags and go again. trattoria al morro // A classic old trattoria, with a charming staff comprised mostly of attentive old Italian men who make you feel like you’ve traveled back in time. gelateria come il latte // Normally, I follow strict guidelines about the seasonal appropriateness of ice cream and related desserts. In Italy, this goes out the window. This is the only place I pulled the preggo card and demanded we go every day. what lazy baby loved piazza navona // Piazzas (piazze?) were a big hit for our little one! This one had the added bonus of live music. She stopped and danced and dropped euro coins in buskers’ hats each time we walked through. She then tried to negotiate a winter swim in one of the three fountains. She did not succeed. piazza campo de fiori // LOVED the market here! That may be because she got a LOT of attention and spotted a LOT of pupperini. That’s Italian for dogs, right? villa borghese // We’d never walked through this public garden before! It was a quick walk from our hotel, making it an extremely easy and gorgeous stop. And that, little travelers, is a wrap! So tell us: if you took a final family vaca before welcoming a new little one to the fam, where did you go?! xo, ashley – a reminder that there are affiliate links to be found in “weekend warriors // a roman holiday for three (and a half!)” –

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