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beach, girls trip, the Tourist, Travel | May 7, 2015

Just A Few Things About Grand Cayman

Some say, “Variety is the spice of life.”  But for me, “VACATION is the spice of life!”  And a vacation with my girlfriends is VITAL!  This post is about our most recent trip.  We were all set to take a road trip but our planning took an exciting u-turn when we decided to fly to Grand Cayman!!  I hope this post has you booking a trip to Grand Cayman and knowing what to do when you get there.

 

Travel Time:  When I only have 3 nights away for fun I want to get to my destination fast!  For Houstonians, United Airlines offers non-stop flights to Grand Cayman and the flight is only 2 hours and 50 minutes.  That’s faster than my frequent road-trip to Dallas!  For other major cities, several airlines offer non-stop flights, here’s a chart to give you an idea:

 

Cab System: I’ve never met a cab driver in GC I didn’t like! This was our method of transportation. The drivers would give you their card and ask you to call them if you needed a ride.  If they weren’t available they’d call their friend for you.  This all started with the very first cab we stepped foot in upon arrival at the airport.

Where To Stay, Good Question:  We had the hardest time deciding where to stay.  I created this map  and a cost comparison to help us figure it out.  It was between a Deluxe Oceanfront Room at the Westin Grand Cayman (top green pin on map) or a Garden View room at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman (bottom green pin on map).  The two hotels looked like they had about the same linear feet of beachfront but the Ritz was a much bigger resort (so maybe more crowded on the beach?).  At the Westin we’d be able to slide open our patio doors and walk onto the beach or at the Ritz, the walk to the beach from the room (red pin on map) was estimated at 5 min. per the website room description.  So it was The View vs. The Luxury.

We chose the Westin where this was our view, morning, noon and night!  Can you hear the relaxing ocean waves slowly rolling in?!

And when you choose the less expensive hotel, then you’re more inclined to reserve a private cabana for two days!  This is where we ate lunch both days and when a short storm blew through we just closed the drapes and rode it out. 🙂

Red Sail Sports: One of the benefits of staying at the Westin is access to Red Sail Sports.  These are the people who put the adventure into your vacation!  In my opinion, they are the best way to get out to Stingray City (see below). After seeing the other sailboats I was happy we were in the hands of Red Sail Sports,  I was impressed with their practices and felt safe.  We took the 9 am sail on one of their 65′ luxury catamarans out to Stingray City and then to snorkel on a reef.  The trip was about 4 hours and cost us $80 each.

Sting Ray City: I wanted to go to Grand Cayman just for the sake of Sting Ray City.  It’s an area of sand bars where the stingrays come to interact with the people (because the peeps bring easy food).

I suggested it to my friends even though I had no idea how I’d have the courage to do it.  A couple days before the trip I led an Al-Anon meeting for the first time and chose the topic of Courage in hopes of combating the fear.  Then on the sail out to the sandbar I talked to a 6 year old girl who had nothing but joy and excitement and she couldn’t wait to get in the water with the Rays!  I also knew my God did not want me to live in fear and worry.  And with my friends, we were in it together, not alone!

By the time we anchored at Sting Ray City I was that 6 year old and could not wait to have my turn to hold the Stingray.  The fear was gone, completely!

Does this look like courage?  I hope so!  Now, how many tries does it take to get a selfie with a Stingray? Lost count! Ha!

Can’t wait to look back at this one when we’re Golden Girls!  What an adventure! Write Stingray City on your life’s to do list!

Dinner at The Wharf:  This restaurant is touristy but you’ve gotta go to it!  It’s oceanfront and located at the start of Seven Mile Beach.

You’ll get to watch the sunset as you eat dinner, glorious!

AND the biggest draw is all the tarpon fish!  You can feed them if you want, fascinating to watch how they go from 0 to 60 in 5.0 as they dart through the water at The Wharf.

Dinner at Calypso Grill:  This restaurant was recommended to us by everyone!  And we will do the same for you!  If you’re going to have one fancy dinner, make sure it’s at the waterfront Calypso Grill at Morgan’s Harbour, West Bay.

The ambiance inside and outside is charming and the food is delicious!  After you book your flight for Grand Cayman, send an email to Dine@CalypsoGrillCayman.com to reserve your table for dinner. “Order the Sticky Toffee Pudding!”

Friday Night at The Ritz-Carlton’s Silver Palm Lounge: This is a must if you like to dance and people watch.  Do you see the glowing light in the picture above? That’s where the DJ was and they got started around 10 pm.  For a while no one was dancing, but it only took one!  If you know my friend Laura, you know she has the courage to start a dance party at the Ritz-Carlton.

And before we knew it, the whole lounge was on their feet, no backs against the wall.  And the night was unforgettable!

Seven Mile Beach: Amazing relaxing water that we loved hanging out in as if it were the pool.

 

 

George Town Yacht Club:  This is a great place to hang out if you have a few hours to kill between hotel checkout and airplane departure.  And no worries if you realize you don’t have time to wait for a  cab to take you to the airport, you can walk. Ha!

Reward, Relax, Rejuvenate and cherish Relationships. These are the 4 Rs I’ve come up with to motivate us all.  Whether it’s a staycation or a trip to Grand Cayman, if you want it, YOU can make a vacation happen!  We booked this trip mid June and were on a plane at the beginning of August.  Forward this post to your girlfriends to get the ball rolling!

If this post has you feeling sporty, I selected a few rash guards I’m loving right now!  Click on the thumbnail picture above to shop it.

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Recommendations for Seaside!

family date, the Mommy, the Tourist, Travel, vacation | April 10, 2015

Recommendations for Seaside!

Last year around this same time we didn't have any plans for the summer.  But somehow before the Summer was over we went on three amazing vacations that I've been wanting to share with you.  I'm telling you this because it's never too late to plan a vacation and it is so important to take time off, Continue Reading

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New Finds in Round Top

Round Top, the Designer, the Shopper, the Tourist | September 26, 2014

New Finds in Round Top

We are back from another awesome early weekend at The World's Best Antiques Fair in Round Top, Texas!  Even though we've visited twice a year for about 6 years, this trip was full of wonderful firsts.  These firsts have qualified as "FINDS" worthy of sharing with your neighbor! Continue Reading

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World’s Championship Bar-B-Que 2014

HLSR, the Tourist, volunteer, WCBBQ | March 5, 2014

World’s Championship Bar-B-Que 2014

This was my 9th year as a volunteer for the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo's World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest.  I'm on the Judging & Scoring side of the contest's committee and I love every minute of it.  Last year I did a blog post every night when I got home of my favorite pictures Continue Reading

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Travel Edition: TRAVAASA Austin, Texas

Austin, friend, girls trip, the Tourist, Travel | February 12, 2014

Travel Edition: TRAVAASA Austin, Texas

This long lasting cold weather has me thinking about a sunny and warm vacation!  I really need to get something in the works so I can get through the rest of this cloudy and freezing season!  Y'all thinking what I'm thinking?  Spa, Pool, Sun, Girl's Trip!!!   If you are, please let me Continue Reading

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Hello Neighbor! I’m Erica Smith and this is where I share discoveries and tell a few stories!

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  • Everyday Outfits: Workout Wear Edition
    I rarely buy workout wear. I think it’s because I find it difficult to find cute stuff, and I’d rather buy cute “real” clothes. But when I saw all the cute workout wear on the SAKS website, I knew I wanted to share it with you for this months SAKS collaboration.  I ordered a whole […]

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@spicepaperdesigns packaging makes me happy happy, @spicepaperdesigns packaging makes me happy happy, indeed! 🤩 I have volunteer gig next week with @stagnesacademy and I’ll need a clipboard for it. So I ordered from my favorite clipboard maker, SPDs,  and Becca did something different with the design in the corner and I like it a lot! 😍
Did you know @heb has the best cornbread? My frien Did you know @heb has the best cornbread? My friend told me about it and it’s true! So good! @emilychaudoiradams @cookwellco @daisybrand @tillamook #hebbakery @hebbakery
🔔Neighbors, you missed this!📣@branch_product 🔔Neighbors, you missed this!📣@branch_products wants to give this rug to one of you!🎉 @abbeybranch used the word I was looking for to describe the fringe stripes, darling!! 😍 And she’s forecasting this color 🧱 as one of her picks for the 2023! Go enter to WIN 2 posts back 👉 @tellittoyourneighbor. 🍀
While we were in Cabo we got a call from home that While we were in Cabo we got a call from home that our garage door broke and wouldn’t close. This can be a dangerous situation because it’s a heavy piece of woodwork, the cord can snap and the door can fall! @mygoodsmith was our hero, came over early Saturday to assess the situation and make sure our kids were safe by staying away from it. 🙏🏼 Then their Garage Door Partner was out a few hours later and fixed it! 😅 All of this happened while we were relaxing on a beach 1,000 miles away from home! Thank you @mygoodsmith and Morgan Booth for coming to the rescue! 😃

Photo 1: Awesome Goodsmith team members Harold and Bruno.
Photo 2: The champagne bar with swings on the beach, Va y Viene, in Cabo San Lucas.
🎉 @branch_products has a new line and we’re k 🎉 @branch_products has a new line and we’re kicking it off with a RUG GIVEAWAY!! 📣 The new line is Nanimarquina and Branch is excited to bring their handmade rugs to Texas! Nanimarquina, headquartered in Spain with a showroom in New York, has been reinventing the rug and has been collaborating with international designers for more than 35 years. Their original designs enable designers to find “a unique rug for every person, space and emotion.” 

Branch is giving away is the Mía Rug in color Brick designed by the textile company’s founder herself, Nani Marquina! Mía (in every picture above) is a wool flat-woven rug handcrafted in India and it stands out for its central fringe that adds personality! So unique but still classic, I love it! 🧶 The size is approximately 5’7” X 7’10.5” and it retails for $2,400!!

Here’s how to enter @branch_products’ fantastic and generous giveaway:
1) Follow @abbeybranch, 
2) follow @branch_products and 
2) leave a comment below tagging 1 friend.
3) For extra entries, tag additional friend(s) in separate comments.
Each comment counts as an entry! (This is not affiliated with Instagram.) 🍀Thank you & good luck!!! 🍀 
This giveaway ends at 10 am, Friday, February 3rd and I'll announce the winner on stories.

📷 1st and last photo: work by @peterfehrentz. 😍
I like to save my Nordstrom Notes and use them tow I like to save my Nordstrom Notes and use them towards a bag. I’m not sure when this tradition started but I like it! 😃 This time I needed a new bag for travel and this tote has been perfect! Everything fits in here, even my laptop! It’s so squishy and soft, I could take a nap on it. 😴 And it has a removable pouch big enough to hold a change of clothes and flip flops just in case. I appreciate all the details, you’ll have to check them out in the next photos: the red on the edge of the leather, the yellow stitching and the hot pink interior. 😍 If you’re needing a new tote, check this one out through the link in my profile 👉 @tellittoyourneighbor. And if you’re not in the market, check out my aerial photos I took from the airplanes. It’s my in-flight entertainment! 📸 Let me know if you spot your office building, your favorite hotel, your local elementary or maybe your house! 👀 Thank you!!

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