Browsing Category

Style

A Watch For Every Guy

Posted on December 1, 2017

Lets get ready for some gift giving! Armitron and I teamed up to show you (3) different watch options that are the perfect holiday gift. If you’re like me, you have a lot of people to shop for, and with Armitron’s price point, one of their watches is a hard to beat option. I mean who doesn’t like getting a new watch?! I actually think I’ve bought my mom a new watch every Christmas for the past 5 years and she looks forward to it every year! I picked (3) different watches and styled them 3 different ways to show you there’s a watch out there for everyone!

The first watch I styled is the Armitron Solar Stainless Steel Watch with a brown leather strap. I don’t work in an office, but I imagine if I did this is the kind of outfit I would like to wear. This watch has a classic style due to the chrome bezel and blue face, but the brown leather strap gives it a rugged masculine feel, and I tried to make my outfit jive with that vibe. I’m really into olive and tan tones and like how the mix of these colors looks layered with some denim. After all, it is the perfect time of year to layer up! I wore these dress boots that have a military vibe to them. Just like the watch, I think they help dress up the look but also help to toughen it up just a bit. One more call-out on the watch! For the tech guys out there, he will really dig the fact that this watch is solar powered…I know I do!

On to the next watch! The 2nd watch I styled is the Black IP Stainless Steel Analog Watch. Every guy likes wearing black. Especially a black leather coat! I went with a more streetstyle vibe for this watch. I just love how black watches look with black leather jackets! Whenever I’m having a hard time picking out an outfit I know I can just start with a black leather coat and a pair of denim jeans, and the rest will work itself out. Just like a leather jacket immediately elevates a look, a watch can have the exact same effect. And you can’t go wrong with a sleek black, masculine timepiece. I really like how the black of the striped shirt, the beanie, the jacket, and the watch all compliment each other!

Out of all the looks I shot I think I liked how this outfit coordinated with this watch the best. The vibrant red Digital Chronograph Sport Watch really popped and stood out. This watch is tough enough to take on your hikes, but stylish enough to just complete any sporty look. I styled this watch with a pair of black pants, a black turtleneck, and a black puffer cardigan. The large faced red watch gave my outfit a pop of color, and to bring out the red just a tad more, I rocked a matching red beanie. The hint of red in the laces of my alpine boots was just the right amount to give my bottom half that little bit of color it needed. I really dig this outdoorsy look! I can’t believe this watch only cost $30…it’s perfect for your sporty guy!

If you’re looking for an easy to pick holiday gift for someone, you can’t go wrong with a watch! Armitron has a great selection of watches for both men and women, and at the perfect price point where you’re not spending a ton, but don’t come off too cheap either! (LOL) Check them out!

Defying my DNA With Rogaine #Sponsored

Posted on November 21, 2017

This post is sponsored by Rogaine, however all opinions are my own. It’s true you can’t change your DNA, but your DNA doesn’t define you. So why not work on it and try changing the things you can control. I lost my father when I was only 15. Just like my son is a lot like me, I am a lot like my father. Even though my father was amazing to me and was a great dad he had a lot of bad habits. Unfortunately, without even knowing I was following in his footsteps, after he passed away I found myself also following some of his bad habits. Now, being a dad, and with my son Nathan here, I want to make sure I’m around longer than my dad was, and to see that Nate doesn’t make the same mistakes I did. By staying healthy and active, I will defy my DNA. I have to be honest with you, it’s not always easy for me. I try to make it a lifestyle, but there’s probably 3 months out of the year where I end up not exercising and binge eating! I blame it on my sluggishness from allergies and the time of year, but I’m working on it! I try and work out about 5 days a week and involve Nathan in it as much as possible. Whether it be going for a jog, or now that Nathan plays sports, it’s a little easier, because we can go to the park and play soccer, basketball, or just run around and be silly. I think if my father hadn’t passed away when I was young, maybe I would’ve been more involved in sports and other activities in High School and would’ve had less time to make bad decisions. I actually have the same exact hair as my father, which makes sense, because I get most of my looks from him (sorry mom). Unfortunately, thinning hair is hereditary, and now that I’m getting older, even though I still have a lot of my hair, I’m definitely starting to notice it thinning. At first I was really bummed, not only because I don’t like the way I look with thinning hair, but it’s also a reminder that I’m getting older. I tried making myself feel better by telling myself that at least it didn’t happen until I was 37, unlike some of my friends who had to shave their head early on due to balding. But, it’s still getting to me lately. Luckily, there are products like Rogaine out there that can help. If we’re proactive and start making changes early on, we don’t have to just let baldness happen and we can use products like Rogaine to regain our confidence! When I look back on photos of myself from a year ago, I now do notice the thinning hair, but for whatever reason at that time, I didn’t really notice it then – or maybe I was in denial! I’m happy I can finally accept the reality and am in the process of working towards a better head of hair with Rogaine. Men or women, if you’re starting to notice some hair thinning…don’t wait….Be proactive about it!

Style

Cords + Plaids

Posted on November 9, 2017

Just like denim, corduroy is timeless. It never seems to go out of style. I love that you can find corduroy’s in so many different styles, textures, and thicknesses. I partnered with Stitch’s Jeans to show you their Barfly Slim Corduroy Jeans in the Bone color. These are perfect for fall! The corduroy is a thin texture and makes for a very light pant. These are actually also the perfect corduroy to wear during summer. They are slim fitting but also have a flowy, light feel because of the thin material. And I love the color! I paired these pants with their Rustic Plaid Button Down. I love the rustic, vintage vibe and colors of this shirt. The quality is also really comfortable! In my opinion you can never have too many plaids in the closet – even if it’s just to tie around your waist to channel your inner 90’s! I threw on a navy jacket that I already owned and couldn’t resist wearing my straw hat to coordinate with the pant color and play-up those western vibes. In the wardrobe market for some cords? Check out Stitch’s Jeans for a wide array of colors!

Family Reviews Style

Old Navy Streetstyle With Nate

Posted on November 1, 2017

This fall weather has me wanting to pick out more and more comfy, casual pieces. One of the most classic pieces you can have in your wardrobe is a denim jacket. During fall and winter, a great way of keeping the denim jacket season going is by getting one with a cotton sherpa lining. A lot of times when you come across a sherpa lined denim they can feel bulky and even stiff, but Old Navy did it right and this denim has a more broken-in feeling that makes it really comfortable. I wanted to do something a little different than my other Old Navy looks and keep this one a little more grungy-street, so I layered the jacket with a black distressed pullover hoodie underneath. I’m in love with this hoodie. It’s also very comfortable and cozy. The distressed color is so on point and really looks good with any outfit. I’ve already worn it twice since we shot this look! I really like how hoodies look when layered with a denim jacket. I always tend to trend toward a skinny leg, or in this case a slim pant. The rust color, or trident maple as Old Navy calls it! looks great with the tops I chose. It’s almost that garage-worker kind of vibe that I dig, and I thought the look worked really well with Nate’s Jacket. Without really matching color or pieces this time around, Nate and I were trying to kind of match grungy styles. Nate loved the piece sign patch on his jacket, and I have to admit if they had this jacket in my size we probably would’ve been wearing matching jackets! He wore a pair of matching navy pants – also skinny fit. I really like how Old Navy pants fit on Nathan. He’s got his father’s skinny chicken legs, so it’s nice to find a good skinny jean that’s comfortable for him and that doesn’t have a wide leg. While shooting, we were lucky enough to make a new friend, Zeba-DeAngelo. (If I messed up his name, I apologize!) It was this beautiful white parrot with these bright blue eyes that was just the sweetest. Nate and I got a chance to have him climb on us both, see him do some tricks, and of course snap some pics for the gram!

Family Home Reviews Style

Soccer Season Begins With Flipp

Posted on September 26, 2017

This post is in partnership with Flipp. All views and opinions are my own.

With the warm weather coming to an end and the long days of sunshine slowly getting shorter, the end of summer can be a very depressing time of year. However, this September was VERY exciting (and emotional) for us, because our little boy started kindergarten! And by exciting, I mean for Nate…for me it’s more of just sadness. I’m excited for him, but it’s also just a reminder that he’s getting older and starting this new big boy chapter in his life. Lucky for me we had lots of back-to-school shopping to do to help cheer me up. I’m curious if I’m the only dad who actually enjoys this part of it! LOL

With most of Nate’s new clothes shopping complete, we just needed to pick up some equipment for his first year of actual soccer. Last year it was more practice drills with hands-on help from the parents, but this year he’s on a little team with real practices and real games! He’s very excited. It also means he’s going to need some official equipment. I recently teamed up with this amazing app, Flipp, to show you how I handled finding exactly what Nate wanted at the best prices. Talk about perfect timing! The app takes all of the circulars you receive at home (or don’t receive!) and brings them to one digital space. Think of all the time you can save by just opening up the app and finding all the deals from your favorite retailers right at your fingertips, and not having circular after circular scattered across your counter-top! Browse by retailer, by product category, or by discount offered…no matter which way you Flipp it, Flipp helps you find the best deal across multiple retailers. Whenever I’m in a store and find an item I usually try searching it online to see if I can find it cheaper, but now that I have Flipp, it can handle all of that for me!

You can even store all your reward cards in one place so you don’t have a wallet or keychain full of cards. Once you find the deals as well as any additional coupons you want, Flipp gives you the ability to just clip them right to your loyalty cards, or get money back via rebate. I must introduce this app to my mom and mother-in-law who are still carrying around reward card keychains from 1999! LOL

We used Flipp for our back-to-school soccer season shopping. Nate was able to pick out his cleats, shin guards, and a hat that he wanted for soccer and then I was able to go on the app and figure out where I could purchase them for the best prices. He’s officially all set for his first week of practice, and we saved at least $30 by using Flipp to find the best deals.

Apparently my son also thinks that when you just click an item in the app, it will magically be shipped to our home, (no $ needed) so he asked for us to download Flipp on his tablet as well so he can browse for soccer balls! LOL

Download the free Flipp app today for iOS or Android and let us know how you used it to help you save for back-to-school activities!

Family Reviews Style

Coordinating in Camo With @OldNavy

Posted on September 22, 2017

Well, it’s officially fall! The weather is getting cooler and the leaves in NY are starting to change. I wasn’t ready for it, but now that it’s here, I’m excited about switching up the wardrobe for fall. Nate and I recently took a trip to Old Navy for some fall looks. Nate is really into camouflage right now, and I must say he’s right on trend! (LOL) Camo can be one of those patterns, if done correctly, can really boost your outfit and give it a unique look. It can also make you look like you’re about to go hunting, if you wear too much of it! When it comes to camouflage, I like to try and only have one piece in my outfit…keep it simple. I know I’ve said it before, but I love coordinating my looks with my son. He just makes everything look cool, including me! (haha) We took it to the streets of NYC in our coordinating Old Navy outfits. I love how cool Nate looked in his all black outfit. He wore the black Old Navy Karate Skinny Jeans (currently on sale!) and this iconic Old Navy Run DMC t-shirt. I’m not going to lie, I kind of want both of these pieces for myself. I used to have the same t-shirt back in the day. The camo Old Navy Canvas Utility Jacket, which he loved, really looked good with the all black look. He cannot wait until it gets cooler out and he can wear this to school with his camo backpack! He was definitely a little show-stopper on the streets in this outfit. I went a different route and wore the camo Old Navy Slim Khakis and kept it light with the other pieces. I went with a monochrome look with the shirt and jacket. The Old Navy Slim-Fit Flannel Shirt, in the Creme De La Creme color, is super soft and comfortable! It looked really good with the clean look of the Old Navy Twill Coach’s Jacket in a similiar color. I feel like the lighter color and the clean silhouettes of these top pieces slightly dressed up the casual vibe from the camo. I completed my look with shoes in a similar color to the tops, and of course a classic tight-roll to the pants. I can’t believe how often I tight-roll my pants now-a-days! (LOL) I really love how the outfit came together! Comment below and let me know what you think! Having camouflage pieces in both of our outfits is just another way Nate and I can match without having the exact same pieces on. It’s so cute how Nate’s now getting to that age where he has opinions about his clothes and what he’s wearing. It melts my heart that he’s eager to find something similar to wear to match his daddy. 🙂

Reviews Style

Grooming With Kiehl’s

Posted on September 17, 2017

Getting older sucks! The only thing worse than getting older is looking older. Growing up I took looking young for granted. You probably can’t tell now, but I used to have a baby face — at least that’s what everybody used to tell me! My father always looked young for his age as well — at least that’s what everybody used to tell him! LOL His era didn’t have the luxury of all of the great products we have now. So, growing up, I never knew the importance of taking care of my skin. This may sound a little strange, but, I never actually used to wash my face until a few years ago — I just thought the shampoo from my hair, the leftover body wash, and some water was good enough. (I know, please don’t cringe) I guess I just though soap was soap! I don’t plan on using product on Nathan quite yet (he’s only 5), but I do want him to at least know how to take care of his skin and how important it is. The more he sees me doing the right thing, the more likely he will hopefully continue to follow in my footsteps. He’s already curious with some of my grooming routines.

With so many products on the market, finding a grooming kit with all the right products working together nicely, makes it easy and a lot less intimidating. It also saves me from having to go to the store and figure out which combination of products I need. The Kiehl’s Nourishing Shampoo + Conditioner is tough enough to get out all of the concrete, plaster and other dust that I come in contact with at work or just the normal muck from traveling around the city shooting. It has a great woodsy eucalyptus smell which is a nice change from the stuff my wife buys. For years I used what my wife bought and most of the time my hair smelled like a pina colada…Not Cute. LOL

All that dust I work around, being out in all of the elements every day, plus being by the pool and beach all summer long can really dry out and take a toll on my face. I honestly feel like this is the first year where I’m starting to see that age on my skin! The Kiehl’s Facial Fuel Energizing face wash gets my face clean without over drying, and, I can’t afford for my skin to become any drier. (I think it’s getting drier as I age). This is also the perfect face wash to get your skin ready for a shave.

Now, if you’re using normal shaving cream, you’re doing it all wrong! In my opinion, there’s nothing better than using the Kiehl’s Smooth Glider Precision Shave Lotion. You get a much better and smoother shave and there’s less chance of irritation – I haven’t used regular shaving cream in years. As I’m writing about it, this may all seem like a lot, but these are steps you’re probably going to take anyway, so if you’re going to do it, you may as well do it right – and with quality products with natural ingredients, from a brand that’s been around since 1851.

To finish my routine, I use the Kiehl’s Facial Fuel. It’s designed to help resist the effects of the elements and re-energize the skin without leaving you feeling oily.

Last but not least – you have to protect your lips just as much as your facial skin! My wife hates when I have chapped lips — and I have them a lot. When I do, it means 2 things: I’m probably going to steel her lip balm (which I do and then always seem to lose it – whoops LOL) and when she kisses me, it’s going to be against dry, rough lips. It would be irresponsible for me not to use the Kiehl’s Lip Balm #1 to keep these lips in tiptop shape — if not for me, for the wife. 🙂

At 37, I really wish I would’ve started taking care of my skin much earlier, but I guess better late than never! Now to hide all the quality products and keep my wife from steeling them on me! If you’re a guy in the market for some new products, or need a good place to start to get on the road to starting to really take care of your skin, definitely give the Kiehl’s men’s line a shot!

This post is in partnership with Kiehl’s. However, all views and opinions are my own.

Family Reviews Style Travel

Mandarin Oriental, Miami

Posted on September 15, 2017

This labor day I partnered with the Mandarin Oriental, Miami to take the fam on an extended weekend getaway. It was perfect timing! Nate was starting Kindergarten the Tuesday after we got back, and Sarina (my wife) and I were a little stressed, so we were in need of a little distraction from reminding us that our little man is growing up. The hotel is located on Brickell Key and is only 20 minutes from Miami airport and only a 10 minute walk from the Brickell Shopping area – which makes it super convenient. Since this was Nate’s first time in Miami we did do a little exploring, but now after looking back and spending the weekend at the hotel I honestly don’t think there was a need to leave the hotel at all! LOL We were perfectly content spending all day in their gorgeous pool. The pool had an infinity vibe and was right on the bay so you could see the ocean and city skyline directly in front of you. It was a beautiful open space, surrounded by a row of tall palms on one side, and the architecturally sleek hotel building on the other. We especially loved it because the pool was open until late! We love ending our vacay days with a family night dip! The pool area also had a Jacuzzi hot tub and the Oasis Pool Cafe. With a hit of a button you could have one of their super friendly staff come over and take your order, while you jump back in the pool. They would let you know when your food was ready or come right over and hand you your mojito or pina colada wherever you were. Talk about service! On the grounds they also had a private beach area, with cabanas, lounges and plenty of outdoor seating. Since it was the bay where boats were coming in, you couldn’t swim, but it an added perk to get right up near the water’s edge, surrounded by tons of palms overhead, with an amazing city view. Nate loved just digging in the sand and watching all of the luxury yachts coming in at night. We stayed in the Skyline View Suite and the room had everything. When you walked into the suite you entered the living room area which had a chaise couch, desk, built in cabinets with a flat screen TV, and a stocked bar with all of the necessary goodies and my favorite – the Illy espresso machine. The room also had a bedroom, master bathroom with a stand-up shower and tub, another half bathroom and a balcony that wrapped around from bedroom to living room and had gorgeous views of both the city and bay. The first day we were at the hotel we just hung out at the pool for most of the day. We honestly didn’t want to leave the pool, so we ate lunch at the poolside restaurant, where I had these delicious Asian style ribs, accompanied by a very tall pina colada. After lunch, I had some quiet time at the spa. I felt bad leaving my wife and Nate, but they continued having a blast at the pool. It was actually really nice to tune everything out and just unwind. I definitely passed out during most of it. After the spa and pool, we then got dressed and headed to their in-house restaurant, Yaku by LaMar. We had some cocktails on their outside patio, and I ordered some muscles as a pre-dinner snack! Since we were with Nate we knew we weren’t going to get to experience the real night-life so it was nice to get to hang out on the patio with a cocktail and listen to some music before dinner. I let loose a little and think I might have scared Nate with my dance moves. He has yet to appreciate my two step! LOL Once we sat down for dinner at LaMar I had one of the best culinary experiences of my life. I met with the super-talented chef, Diego Oka, who comes from an Asian and Peruvian background and has come up with some of the most delicious Peruvian dishes I have ever tasted. I’ve had Peruvian food in NY before, but nothing has ever come close to this. After chatting it up with myself and my wife, he offered to prepare a little something for us to taste each of the dishes on the menu. And since my wife mostly eats chicken, he even tailored her dishes around chicken, so she could still try the flavors. You could really feel his love for cooking. Diego had a way of talking about and romancing the food, that actually made my wife try dishes and flavors she normally would never have tried. Some of my favorite dishes were the Lomo Saltado and the Conchitas A La Parmesana. They tasted just as good as they were presented. Hands down – best dinner experience ever! On Saturday, we woke up early, enjoyed a morning dip and some pool time before heading over to the Frost Museum of Science. It’s always nice when an area we visit has something like this for Nate. He loves museums, aquariums, and any hands-on children’s center. Taking some time out to take him to something he really enjoys makes our trips a little more exciting for him and always helps make it feel like a complete vacation. The museum was excellent! It was very hands-on, with lots of interactive exhibits. We also got to see some fish, sharks, and other aquatic animals – which my family is always a fan of. Nate is all about space and the planets, so we also took him to the Earth IMAX movie, which he of course loved. After the museum we took a quick drive over to the Wynwood walls area to take a quick look at some of the artwork and check out the area. If I’m ever back in the area, and I hope I definitely am, I would like to spend a little more time in Wynwood. It looked like a very cool area! At this point, and with the Miami heat, we could not wait to get back to the Mandarin Oriental, Miami pool. The pool was so nice and relaxing that whenever we left we found ourselves all just saying to each other that we could not wait to get back. We stayed in the pool for as long as we could until it was time to get ready for dinner. We spent the night at the lobby bar and lounge, MO. Again, just what we needed! There was a Cuban Jazz band playing and we ordered food and cocktails and just melted away. If you decide to visit, make sure you go to MO’s Bar + Lounge and order the cucumber blah. It was by far the best drink on the trip. I cannot wait to make these at home! I was a little nervous it might be awkward bringing Nate to the bar/lounge area but because he was behaving so well, it was not a problem at all. He likes watching live music so he was intrigued. Nate just sat there with us adults, and his little Shirley Temple and just stared at the musicians in awe. It was such a relaxing and cozy night with the fam. Once again, before we went to bed, we went back to the pool for a night dip! On Sunday we started the morning (yep, you guessed it) back in the pool! LOL We then headed to the LaMar Sunday brunch. And by brunch, I mean BRUUUUNCH. There were two rows of food. One row had things like sushi and ceviche, and the other row had hot food like BBQ chicken and steak. Also included was a Peruvian rice – which I could literally eat every day. THEN…you also got to order something off of the brunch menu! I ate and ate and ate until I could literally burst. It was insanely good and insanely filling! LOL There were also unlimited cocktails from the brunch menu. And it wasn’t just your normal bloody mary’s and mimosas, there were custom cocktails included. I forget the name of the drink I had but it was made with cucumber and it was delicious. I love cocktails that are made with cucumber – they are just so refreshing! Now onto the dessert! They were all so elegant. It was a selection of bite size sweets that was served on a tower tray. One dessert even had a beautiful edible flower on it which I dared Nate to eat and surprisingly, he did! After brunch we rolled ourselves over to South Beach so we could show Nate the beach and the strip. We spent about an hour at the beach, took a quick dip, and then walked the strip. Nate was a huge hit down there. I think with his little shaved blonde haircut, and his beachy swagger with his Adidas slides and Raybans everyone looked at him like he was a little celebrity. LOL Every person he walked by or that passed him would turn there heads and give him a compliment. I thought it was hysterical…but he was oblivious LOL. He loved all the fancy cars and bikes that passed by on Ocean drive. Before leaving we all had to have one of those jumbo pina coladas you see spanning across the entire strip. Though South Beach might not really be for me anymore (it was a little crazier than I remember), it was nice that it was only a 25 minute drive away and that we could share another experience exploring with Nate. We just love exploring new places as a family! After a few hours we were ready to get back to that pool at the Mandarin Oriental, Miami. It was our last night there so we wanted to make it last. We stayed in the pool for as long as we could, and then ended the evening in their private beach area watching the sun go down and the yachts come in. It was a bittersweet night. It’s never fun when a vacation comes to an end, but Nate was starting to get excited about school the following day. After some city views on the balcony, we all snuggled in the king size bed before heading out the next morning. It was such an amazing weekend. The luxurious hotel, the over-the-top staff, the memorable food, and the pool we started and ended our days in, combined into the perfect experience and really made our extended weekend trip, feel full and complete. We all had a blast! Thank you Mandarin Oriental, Miami for such a warm, welcoming and memorable stay! Nate is already asking us When are we going back to Miami?!

If you’re looking to visit Miami, definitely consider staying at the Mandarin Oriental, Miami! Click here and get 15% OFF the best available rate!

This post is sponsored by the Mandarin Oriental, Miami.. All views and opinions are my own.

Family Reviews Style

Back-2-School in Old Navy

Posted on August 24, 2017

I can’t believe summer is almost over and fall is right around the corner. This time of year is always bitter sweet, because the weather and long days will soon be taking a shift, but we also look forward to the different activities each season has to offer! This September is even more memorable for us, because my little Nate is finally starting kindergarten! My wife and son are super excited, but I’m not feeling as enthusiastic about it. Knowing that Nate is growing up and starting this new chapter in his life is a reminder that he won’t always be my little boy. With that said, now that he’s heading into the first school year, that means it’s BACK-2-SCHOOL SHOPPING TIME! (and not just for Nate, but for myself too LOL) Let’s be real, I can’t go shopping and not get some new pieces for myself as well! This fall season we teamed up with Old Navy to #SayHi and show you our back to school looks. Prior to being a dad, I’ve always hated when fathers and their sons wore matching plaid shirts, and I always told myself I would not be that cheesy dad. However, fast forward to me now, and I absolutely love any chance I can get to match with Nate. Although, I just try and do it in a more subtle way – maybe we’re less matchy matchy and more about coordinating. I love color-blocking and wearing monochrome looks, so I picked these Olive Pants, with the built-in Old Navy Flex Twill, which makes it easy and comfortable to get that fitted jean look without sacrificing comfort. I paired them with a different tone of olive and went with the Old Navy Lightweight Hooded Anorak Jacket. This jacket is the perfect fall staple! I wanted to go in a different direction than I normally would and add in some color, so I broke up the shades of green with the Old Navy Garment-Dyed Fleece Sweatshirt in their Brick Yard color. The dye process gave the sweatshirt a subtle, cool vintage look. Nate is usually drawn to fun, bold prints, so he picked out the Old Navy Sneaker-Printed Fleece Sweatshirt on his own. He thought it was super comfy and loved the little sneakers. He has a fun pair of grey Old Navy slip-ons from last season, that went perfectly with this grey sweatshirt…he takes after his daddy and loves slip-on sneakers! We used the color red to coordinate our outfits, so Nate wore the red Old Navy Hooded Uniform Jacket, which looks similar to mine (and like me, he always loves when we have similar pieces). Nate lives in joggers and rarely wears jeans, but didn’t mind wearing these Old Navy Distressed Karate Skinny Jeans because of their stretchy fit. I don’t know if it’s because I rarely see him in jeans, but I just thought he looked more like a little big-boy than ever – all ready for school! And I love how his little chicken legs look in them LOL. Can’t wait to see this little school boy head off to his first day of big-boy school! 🙁

Family Reviews Style Travel

The Royal West Indies Resort @ Turks

Posted on August 23, 2017

At this point it’s no secret, my family loves the Caribbean! Almost all of our vacations consist of visiting a beautiful beach, on a beautiful island, surrounded by that beautiful blue water. I have wanted to visit Turks and Caicos for years now, but I was waiting for Nate to get a little older so he could enjoy some of the best snorkeling in the Caribbean. We finally decided we would plan our trip, and we’d just have to go again once Nate learned to swim. Little did we know…Nate actually learned to swim AND hold his breath under water, the week right before our trip. Perfect timing Nate! We partnered up with the Royal West Indies to share our first Turks & Caicos experience, while staying at their beautiful resort. The resort is only 15 minutes from the airport, which is perfect, since it’ a 4 hour plane ride from NY, and we didn’t want to spend any more time in a car. Although! We did stop at the island’s very popular, Sweet T’s, fried chicken spot on the way to the resort. When I tell you the chicken was good, I mean it was good! It’s one of the local’s fave spots, so make sure you stop by after you land! It’s been awhile since we stayed at a bigger resort, and the grounds at the Royal West Indies were just beautiful…they had the best landscaping and picturesque gardens. It was a great blend of green trees, cactus, palms, and colorful flowers. It was the perfect scenery for all of my photos 🙂 They had 3 pools: a huge pool, with an adorable kiddie pool attached (Nate’s fave!) and a bridge crossing over it to take you to their Pelican Bay Restaurant, and then 2 smaller sized pools in the quiet area – for those of your traveling kid-free and looking for a quieter scene. There was also a hot tub in the quiet area, and it was perfect for the wifie and I to get some mommy & daddy time, after Nate was in bed. My mother-in-law came on the trip with us, so it’s nice when my wife and I can get some adult time in. 🙂 The fact that the main pool had an attached shallow kid’s section for Nate and an underwater bench along most of the pool made Nate absolutely love it and helped him get the confidence to really expand his swimming skills. Now don’t be scared off! The resort is kid-friendly, but there was definitely not an abundance of them. During our time there I think I only saw 1 other kid in the pool. The craziest kid there was probably Nate (LOL). The pool was a stone throw away from the bar, which was perfect for us to grab our pina coladas and a bite to eat, because Nate literally never wanted to get out of the pool. The restaurant has some great choices and variety, but my favorite was the breakfast dish of grits and beef hash. I was told this dish is what the locals eat and it was soooo good. I actually ate it every morning. I’m a huge fan of grits and if it’s on the menu I’m ordering it. The pool-side bar also had happy hour from 5-7 so we always made sure we were in the pool at that time (LOL). I honestly can’t tell you how many pina coladas I drank, but they don’t get any better than how they make them here. Great, now I’m craving one right now! All of the pools are open 24hrs…which we all loved. Night life for us is pretty mellow these days, so it’s fun to be able to make a cocktail and head to the pool late at night with Nate, to extend our night and really maximize our vacay days. The room was a pretty standard size and included a bed (or 2), flat screen TV, and a small kitchenette with the basics, like a mini fridge and coffee maker. Our room had a balcony with a partial view of the ocean and pool and it was nice waking up and seeing both. The resort had bicycle’s you could use, as well as mini catamarans. The beach was of course beautiful. They had chairs and umbrellas you could use and it was only a very short and pretty walk from the pool. Though there wasn’t any reefs directly in front of the hotel beach, you can take a 15 minute walk down the beach to a small and very cool reef where we were able to snorkel from the shore. On the way, you can stop by Flamingo Cafe and grab a bite and cocktail right on Grace Bay Beach. We didn’t get to go scuba diving on this trip, but we definitely will on our next trip back – which hopefully will be soon! We did take a snorkeling excursion with Caicos Adventures. We stopped at 3 different reefs and I was blown away by the reef and variety & abundance of sea life. I never seen so many different types of coral. We saw so many different fish, lobster, and even some eels. Do however, beware of drinking too much of the complimentary rum punch like I did, because you are guaranteed to need a nap after (LOL). I think me and a fellow snorkeler must have drank a gallon! If you don’t feel like shelling out the $115 pp to take an excursion you can easily take a ride to one of the many snorkel spots off the shore. We went to the Coral Gardens Reef, which was literally 20 ft right off the beach. We went 3ft in and immediately almost stepped on a sting ray. This reef was perfect for Nate to get a first taste of snorkeling. I could not believe how good he did! He didn’t use a snorkel but he would hold on to me and swim around holding his breath underwater for about 20 seconds, and would just keep on pointing out all the fish he saw. The whole trip he kept saying he wanted to see a turtle and we finally were snorkeling around the reef and came up to 2 huge turtles lying on the ocean floor. He got to watch them swim up and take a breath above the water, and they were only about 3 feet away from us, so we all got a great close-up view! Snorkeling with Nate will truly be an unforgettable memory. I have never had so much fun and been more proud of my little man. Between the pool, the beach, snorkeling, and all of the pina coladas and rum punch, you really work up an appetite. There were so many restaurants to eat at but my favorite 2 would definitely have to be Cocovan and Mango Reef. Cocovan was a cool air-stream converted into a taco truck. They had the best tacos I have ever eaten! The Korean Beef and the Duck were my favorite. Oh and did I mention they have churros and ice cream for dessert. Sooooo amazingly yummy. Mango Reef was right by the water and was lit up with all these neon lights. They even had some neon lights in the water. The ambiance really made it feel like you were on vacation! As I’m writing this, it’s making me want to go back already. We all had an amazing time at the beautiful Royal West Indies. I know every vacation is going to be one for the books, but this one had a few firsts for Nate, so I’m always going to remember that this was the one where he really learned to swim and finally got to experience the magical sea turtles with his mommy and daddy. Thank you Royal West Indies for such an amazing trip! If anyone is looking to visit Turks & Caicos, definitely check this resort out. It was in the perfect location, had gorgeous grounds, really fun pools, is right on Grace Bay Beach, and has the best pina coladas! 🙂 We will definitely be back!

Older Posts

Newer Posts

Style

Instagram