It took my husband and I a long while to succumb to the idea of a staycation in Singapore. It just didn't feel worth the money to stay at an expensive hotel for a couple nights, knowing that your own bed is probably not more than 10km away. It felt frivolous and wasteful. And what's more, we highly doubted it would truly feel like a getaway. Well, I'm writing this blogpost to tell you that we were wrong on all counts. 

Who the staycation will be beneficial for: 

1. Those who want to break away from the routine: You have to think from the perspective that a staycation offers you a change of scene (of course it's not the same as a true holiday!). Having seen only the four walls of your house for the greater part of the year, you WILL appreciate getting out and breaking from the usual routine. 

2. You get to be a tourist in your own city and have an immersive experience in a different part of town. We discovered lots of new things about the area we stayed at (Sentosa).

3. Families with young children will have a great time without the hassle of airport travel and lugging bags while getting as close to a "holiday experience" as possible with the hotel stay. 

4. If your child is old enough and if you feel comfortable leaving them with your nanny/helper back at home, you and your spouse can get some kid-free, well-needed time off. 

(Who the staycation may not be ideal for: Those with young babies for whom you probably need consistency with sleep schedules and routines. A staycation can mess with that and in the end, you might end up finding it more tiring than relaxing.)

Now that I have sufficiently convinced you that a staycation is worth it, here are a few things to know about booking your staycation in Sentosa and what to do there.

Hotel Bookings:

Don't book without looking for a deal! And if it means calling up the hotel to ask if they have any special promotions going on, do it. I have done two staycations at The Sofitel at Sentosa in the past 2 months and on both occasions, we got a good deal which included all meals covered plus a discount on the hotel room price. Check out the hotel websites as well as the following links for promos: SassyMama ; RWS Sentosa ; Klook .

I can only comment on The Sofitel Hotel experience - the food was delicous and the hotel has very relaxing, vacation vibes. Both times I have really enjoyed my stay there. Service can be a bit spotty at time, so if you can overlook it, it's a great choice of hotel. Also, they took all the necessary precautions for Covid-19. Hotel guests have to book slots for pool access (2 hour slots available throughout the day) as well as for dining. This is to maintain a certain person limit in the public areas. Also, if you didn't wear a mask while roaming about, the hotel staff was conscientous in reminding you to put it on (they also provided disposable masks upon request). 

As for length of stay, we did 3 days/2 nights. For the first 2 days/1 night, the kids were with us. For the remainder, my husband and I sent the kids back home with our nanny so that we got some time to chill without kids as well. It was the perfect balance! I also recommend doing a staycation for at least 2 days because it takes a day to get into the "staycation" mode and unwind. 

Sofitel Hotel surrounded by peacocks

Beach access: 

If you book at The Capella or The Sofitel hotels, you will be located within walking distance of Tanjong Beach. This is great because you can step out of your hotel and have access to the beach and sand for the kids to play. (Agreed that the beaches aren't anything to write home about but the kids don't know any better at this age, right?!)

Transport: 

If your bags for the overnight stays aren't too cumbersome, consider taking the cable car ride from Mount Faber into Sentosa Island. It's a different way to enter Sentosa and something that would be exciting for the kids. 

Within Sentosa, take advantage of the free tram rides which take you along the length of Sentosa beaches (Tanjong, Siloso, and Palwan beach). Fun for the kids, easy on the wallet! Hotels along the beaches will have easy access to these trams which run all day long.  

Biking:

Ask your hotel about free bike rentals to go around Sentosa. It's a great way to explore the area and we came across such different parts of the island - from lush trails with toucan bird-spotting to areas which looked like Beverly Hills with palm trees and perfectly manicured lawns. The bike rides are easier to do without the kids though (due to the slightly hilly terrain).

Kid-friendly activities:

• Sky Ride and Luge: Super fun! There is a minimum height requirement of 110 cm, and the younger ones can ride accompanied with an adult. Note that tickets bought online are cheaper than those bought in person
• Nestopia is a huge outdoor and shaded playground suitable for kids ages 2 and up. It's located along Siloso Beach.
• Trick Eye Museum
• S.E.A. Aquarium
• Headrock VR is an indoor theme park where you can escape to worlds through virtual reality. Open to kids over height 110 cm
• Segway tours

Having fun at the TrickEye Museum in Sentosa

Restaurants: 

While our meals at the hotel were covered, we did step out for some meals just to get out of the hotel. Here are a few places I would recommend: 

• Rumors Beach Club - Accessible by the free tram ride or cab ride from Sofitel. One of the better beach clubs because of the size of the pool and kid-friendly factor. The place is known for its satay but the pizza and pasta are good too! I really liked the chill vibes here - get the cabanas if you can!
• Panamericana - Within walking distance of The Sofitel, this restaurant is located within the Sentosa Golf Course and has an amazing panoramic view of the sea. 
• Coastes - Chill restaurant by the beach and located just next to The Luge. The place has a variety of food options which are good
• Sentosa Cove - you probably have already been here before but lots of good restaurant options. Actually, this was a great morning spot to come to for coffee after a good, active bike ride

Hanging out at Rumours Beach Club

At Coastes restaurant along Siloso Beach

The East Coast is among my favorite places to hang out in Singapore. Wide open green spaces, the ocean front, paved paths for scenic bike rides, playgrounds, restaurants/cafes, and areas for picnics are all part of what the East Coast has to offer. It's a great hangout spot for kids and adults alike. Which is what led me to the idea of having my birthday party there a few months ago. I booked one of the picnic grill spots and threw a BBQ party. We had a great time and the party was a success partly because the location was just so great. A lovely breeze and a romantic view of sailboats bobbing in the ocean in front of us were the perfect props to the party. Being by the beach allowed the kids to be happily occupied with playing in the sand while the adults could get their time together. In addition, I had hired a BBQ-er and ordered a variety of different foods (veg and non-veg) through HungryBBQ.com, a great service if you're looking to outsource the messy job of BBQing food yourself. Someone comes and takes care of everything from setting up the grill, cooking the food, and cleaning up so that you can focus on the main task at hand - socializing with friends without the burden of cooking! Everything went off perfectly. Something to consider next time you're planning a party! :)

Moving on to the pictures...I'm sporting a boho chic look here with my hat (purchased from a hat store at Haji Lane), my tasseled Rebecca Minkoff cross body bag, and my Urban Revivo top (read about this relatively new brand here and how I love it!). I got here just in time to catch the sunset and it was beeeautiful!

Urban Revivo top | Gap jeans | Shoes from Charles & Keith | Rebecca Minkoff Crossbody Bag | Hat from street shopping at Haji Lane | Gorjana bracelet

Pattaya is a well-known spot for local Thais and tourists alike. At just a 2 hour drive from Bangkok, this beach town offers the quickest getaway from the mad hustle and bustle of the city. I have memories of going to the beaches of Pattaya with my family when I was a little kid. Back then in the ‘80s, Pattaya was a sleepy beach town with clean sand and waters, good food, and a relaxed pace of life. Cut to 10-15 years later and the place had exploded with hotels, become crowded with truckloads of visiting tourists and locals, seedy bars and “lady boy” cabaret shows, and dirty beaches. Not a good scene. I had avoided going there in recent years.

By now you may be wondering – is this a travel post in favor of or against Pattaya? Don’t worry, I have good things to say! A few weeks ago, I made a trip to Pattaya with my family, including my two boys of course. We had heard that there have been attempts to clean up Pattaya’s beaches and turn its image around to become more family friendly. And indeed, that is what we found! We did a bunch of activities during our 2 night stay and had a lovely time.

Besides the obvious activity of hitting up the beach, here’s a look at the top 5 “non-beachy” and family friendly things I would recommend doing while visiting Pattaya: 

1.     Silverlake Vineyard: A vineyard outside of Bangkok? Why yes! If you’re headed to Pattaya, this vineyard with its Italian countryside feel are a definite visit along the way. We walked around the beautiful fields, did a wine tour, and enjoyed a lovely Italian meal at the restaurant there.

2.     Sanctuary of Truth: This is a temple located in the heart of Pattaya but you would never know it unless you looked it up. Only by driving through some inner roads will you find yourself at this awe-inspiring wooden structure by the ocean. Work on the temple was initiated in 1981 and is expected to be completed in 2050! As you walk around this temple, you’ll be struck by how every square inch of space is filled with intricate carvings depicting traditional Buddhist and Hindu motifs and images. You can also do elephant and horse rides around this area.

3.     Pattaya Sheep Farm: There is apparently more than one sheep farm in Pattaya but this is the better known one. If you have kids, this is a must-visit for them. Guaranteed fun in feeding the sheep, goats, and alpacas here! There are several other farm animals to see as well as a small park with scenes depicting well-known fairytales (think Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Bean Stalk, Rapunzel, Alice in Wonderland, etc). The sheep farm definitely makes for a great photo op!

4.     Art in Paradise: With one location in Bangkok, this Pattaya attraction is great to visit with family and friends (even more so with kids). It’s a 3D art museum with impressive artwork that creates tricks on the eye. The whole purpose is to stand in front of these images and take photos that appear as if you have been transported into a different place or scene. It makes for an exciting and interactive time! Make sure your camera or phone is fully charged because you’ll be taking tons of photos!

5.     Massages: Massage places are a dime a dozen in Bangkok. Same story in Pattaya. Find a decent looking spa or massage spot and treat yourself to a relaxing massage. Now it really feels like you’re on a mini-vacay!

There are several other places that seemed interesting which we didn’t get to visit. Here is a resource which we found useful for family-friendly activities in Pattaya: link here.

You know you will visit a place again when you leave wanting more. That's how I felt on my first trip to Australia a few weeks ago. Despite a 10 day trip to the land Down Under that consisted of visits to Sydney, Melbourne, and the Yarra Valley wine region, I felt like I had just scratched the tip of the iceberg. So many places to still see and explore in this vast country!

Let me let you in on a little secret: Traveling with kids isn't easy. Thus, we kept this vacation relatively simple in terms of the types of activities planned since we were traveling with the little one. So sadly, I didn't visit the Outback or rough it up Blue Mountain or climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge this time. But that doesn't mean we didn't have a good time. We opted for more child-friendly activities and a less hectic pace of taking in the sights. It proved to be worthwhile: happy kiddo = happy traveling parents! The first stop was Sydney. We strolled along Bondi Beach and neighboring beachfronts. We checked the box with a visit to the Opera House followed by an afternoon of walking along the harbor and downtown area. Then there was a day trip out to Chowder Bay with its seafront cafes and restaurants. All very doable in a four day visit if you're traveling with a family, or even otherwise.

(More on what we did in Yarra Valley and Melbourne in future posts so check back soon.)

A trip to Sydney is incomplete without a visit to Bondi Beach

Opera House on a hot summer day

Sydney Harbor Bridge

Took part in Australia's fine coffee culture

Fell in love with this cafe/bar in Chowder Bay. Check out the East Coast Lounge for sure if you go!

A view of Chowder Bay

This is part II of a post on my travel to Florida a couple weekends ago (part I outfit post is here).

After a particularly chilly and rain-soaked spring in NYC, I was eager to get myself out of the Northeast for a few days. Florida was just the antedote to my cold spring blues. 

I’ve been to Miami several times before but I always enjoy walking along Ocean Drive and visiting South Beach, flocked by locals and tourists alike. I love the energy and the upbeat vibe here. You might have heard of the Delano Hotel and Nikki Beach, which are great hangout spots close to the beach. Perfect for soaking in some sun, sand, and cocktails during the day or night! One of the mornings, we also made a happy discovery of a great brunch spot called the Front Porch Café along Ocean Drive. Orange zest French toast with a cappuccino? Yes please! For a more local scene, visit the Brickell neighborhood and drop in at Taverna Opa. Guys, this place is life-changing! It's a crazy, odd combination of a really good Mediterranean restaurant that turns into a bar and where dancing on the tables is the norm!

The other stop on our weekend trip was Ft Lauderdale. Although it’s a mere 40 minute drive from Miami, Ft Lauderdale offers a totally different beach town vibe. While Miami has the showy culture with the wow-you-with-my-fancy stores, restaurants, nightlife, cars, and fashion (you’ll see a Lambo or Ferrari on every street, and women love showing off their tanned bodies with tight bodycon dresses and sky high heels, even in the daytime!), I found Ft Lauderdale to be more quaint. Walking along Las Olas Blvd, one of the main streets, I couldn’t resist taking pictures of the cute storefronts and mom & pop shops. And because I can't help taking the New York brunch culture with me wherever I go, I had to find a nice place to get my morning carbs. La Bonne Crepe along Las Olas Blvd with its amazing sweet and savory crepes was a great find!

It’s hard to believe we’re in the middle of May. I thought Memorial Day Weekend was supposed to kick off the unofficial start of summer! Instead of skipping around outside in skirts and dresses, I’m hiding indoors from the miserable rain or wearing a coat to keep warm in this cold! As you can tell, I’m quite bitter about the slow start to the summer. Which is why last weekend’s getaway in Florida was SO GOOD! It was a friend’s wedding that brought us to Miami and Ft Lauderdale. A bit of sun, a bit of pool and beach time, a bit of dancing, and a whole lot of fun.

With that blazing heat in Florida, light airy clothing was in order to stay cool and dry. I'm loving my recent purchases from Joe Fresh. Their current spring/summer collection literally screams summer brights and colorful, happy prints. How could I resist? So even if New York is holding out on us with summer, at least I got to wear these pieces in sunny Florida. Take that, New York!

Joe Fresh silk blouse and pants; LC purse; bow flats and owl cuff from Bangkok, vintage turqouise ring

 

Be sure to come back for the second travel section of this post!

Hey everyone! With Memorial Day passing this last weekend, it is now officially summer! Woohoo! Summer is my favorite season…the sun is out and the days are longer, giving you more time to do fun activities! As usual, there are a hundred things I would like to do this summer, so I thought I’d organize them into my DC Summer Bucket List! Some of these activities are big and require planning, while others are smaller things I’ve always wanted to do when the weather got nice but never got around to. So here it is, my DC Summer Bucket List!

1) Tubing: Nothing screams summer like hours spent floating down a river under the hot sun! I haven’t had a chance to go tubing in the past, but with summer tubing deals coming out and the Potomac nearby, this is a summer activity I don’t plan to miss out on!

2) Grilling: With great weather outside, people turn to this favorite all-American activity as a way to relax and enjoy some succulent meat! I like Whole Foods’ pre-marinated meats which are ideal for grilling. Try their salmon and spinach burgers with feta cheese, they’re delish!

3) Jazz in the garden: The National Gallery of Art offers this free concert series every Friday throughout the summer. People can enjoy a cocktail outdoors while listening to live jazz music, dipping their feet in the fountain, and engaging in some political talk. How quintessential DC!

Enjoying sangria at Jazz in the Garden

4) Dining at outdoor patios: With DC teeming with outdoor seating venues, getting dinner and drinks at an outdoor patio is just one of the things I equate with summer! Some of my go-to’s are Lauriol Plaza, Eighteenth Street Lounge, and Marvin…but I hope to explore a few other places this summer!

5) Attending a concert: Summer is the time for concert tours and music festivals, like Lollapalooza and Firefly. I just bought tickets to the LMFAO concert at the end of June in Philly, so I’ll be looking forward to some Party Rocking!

6) Picnicking at the National Mall: Bake some treats, buy some white wine, grab a book, and you’re good to go. Sleeping on the grass while reading the book is optional.

7) Beach time: You can’t say beach without summer. I can’t wait to lounge around at the beach, do some water activities, and work on my tan (oh, who am I kidding? I’m Indian! We don’t like tanning!)

Soo ready for some beach time!

8) Enjoy snow cones: While stores that sell these are hard to come by, I know of vendors who set up camp in Bethesda. If you’re looking for snow cones in New York, look no further than La New Yorkina with flavors like mango chile, cucumber lime, horchata, and fresh coconut. Yum!

These are just some activities that are at the top of my wish list this summer. What activities are big in your town and what are you looking forward to?