The Best Seafood Restaurant on the Gulf Coast – Lulu’s!

Posted on June 16, 2012 by Jan Ross

Lulu's at Homeport Marina on Urbanspoon

We thought we were going to a little seaside dive restaurant and, honestly, our expectations were low.  We were staying at the Perdido Beach Resort in Gulf Shores, Alabama and one of my completely lovely PR people had arranged a visit to Lulu’s. My first mistake was in not checking their website or any reviews because I was just doing a favor for her and how bad could fresh, local seafood be?

Not bad. Not bad. Just about as opposite as you can possibly be.

In fact, completely fabulous.

Our first clue that Lulu’s  was a whole lot more than a little seaside dive restaurant was when we pulled up and saw the place. Lulu’s is…well…Lulu’s is incomparable. Composed of a series of different, beachy-looking wooden buildings, Lulu’s is, first of all, huge. It has something to offer every single member of your family, especially the kids, and if you are anywhere near Lulu’s on your next vacation – in fact, if you are within approximately a day’s drive of Lulu’s or a week’s drive or whatever – you need to go here.

There are plenty of places for the kids to play, a cute and kitschy store and the restaurant itself which sprawls over a large area and overlooks a lovely lake. They have ceiling fans and live music and tons of people having a great time and the food. Oh my Lord, the food.

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Categories: Alabama, Beach, Countries, Restaurant Reviews, United States | Tags: , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The Most Perfect Condo in Navarre Beach – Summerwind Resort

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Jan Ross

Why, yes. Yes, it is just that gorgeous.

We stepped through the door of our condo at the Summerwind Resort in Navarre Beach, Florida with pretty high expectations.

I had been coming to nearby Pensacola Beach, also on Santa Rosa Island, since I was a little girl so I knew the snow white sand and emerald water were going to make a pretty nice view since all the Summerwind condos face the fantastic Gulf view. Gulf Blue Vacations had been kind enough to provide us with a beachfront condo so we had not asked for any details because seriously?

Beachfront condo.

You just say thank you very much and go check in.

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Sublime Relaxation at the Aji Spa at Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort

Posted on June 14, 2012 by Jan Ross

Entrance to the Aji spa.

Because everyone at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort is kinder than kind, when they found out that I wanted to have a spa experience while we there for for only one night, they arranged it so that we could check in very early in the afternoon so I could work it in.

These people know the importance of the spa experience.

After we checked in and spent a little time enjoying the view from our window, I left Tom to relax in the room and headed down one of the paths through the desert to the Aji spa building. Being the geographically challenged person that I am, I managed to get lost but had a quite lovely time wandering around, enjoying the scenery. Luckily, I had allowed plenty of time so I walked in at just about the right time for my treatment. The Aji Spa is in a beautiful building, designed like all the others in the resort to pay homage to the local cultures, and is actually only a short walk from the main resort building if you go the right way unlike me. It has a beautiful, sparkling private pool where you are welcome to relax before or after your treatment, along with a nice lobby and gift shop, comfortable locker rooms, waiting areas and both indoor and outdoor Jacuzzis.

The beautiful pool at the Aji Spa.

Aji means “Sanctuary” in the Pima language and the spa is named for the nearby Aji Mountain located on the Gila River Indian Community. The Aji Spa is where sacred Pima and Maricopa traditions are practiced and shared. The spa offers the only authentic Native American spa menu in existence and was designed and practiced by Aji’s Pima and Maricopa Cultural Caretakers. The local culture is also obvious in the design of the spa and the legends they share during your treatment. They offer a wide variety of treatments, which you can peruse here which all look incredible and which make me want to go back right now and experience them every single one.

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Ko’Sin Restaurant at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Jan Ross

Ko'Sin (Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa) on Urbanspoon

 

Because we only had one night at the fabulous Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort, they were determined we should experience as much as possible of their wonderful location so, when dinner was offered at the lovely Ko’Sin restaurant, we were thrilled. Ko’Sin means “kitchen” in the Pima language and the kitchen here must stay constantly busy whipping up one delicious concoction after another because everything we ate was wonderful and, if it was not exactly to our taste, they whipped it away and instantly replaced it with another offering.

We were seated in a comfortable and private area with a lovely view of the grounds and the soaring Sierra Estrella mountains in the distance. After poring over the menu, we casually ordered what turned out to be the best Caesar salad we have ever eaten in our lives.

In our lives.

You would not think Caesar salads would be that different but, as a connoisseur of them, I can tell you that they vary in quantity a great deal. Up to this point, the best one we had ever eaten was at a waterfront restaurant in Madison, Wisconsin where they brought the ingredients to the table and mixed it up in front of us.

However.

That quite nice salad paled in comparison to this one.

Maybe it was the dressing, maybe it was the croutons, maybe it was the fact that it had big slivers of delicious cheese on top but, whatever it was, it was perfect in every single bite.

Best. Caesar.Salad. EVAH.

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Categories: Arizona, Resorts, Restaurant Reviews | Tags: , , , , | 6 Comments

Five Fantastic Destinations in Arizona for Equally Fantastic prices

Posted on June 11, 2012 by Jan Ross

 

If you’re looking for the perfect place for your vacation this summer, look no further than Arizona. It gets pretty warm in the summer, but drink plenty of water or jump in the closest pool because it’s worth it for the great deals you are going to get.

There are plenty of things to do and see in Arizona at this time of year, from just relaxing by a pool to getting adventurous and taking a jeep tour of the gorgeous desert landscape. Whatever you do, make sure you choose the perfect place to stay at the perfect price. For you, that might be a lovely B&B where you can meet strangers over breakfast who will become friends, or a condo where you can grill your own steaks for dinner while enjoying stupendous mountain views.

Whatever accommodations meet your fancy, Arizona offers them. Here are five places we enjoyed on our recent trek to the Grand Canyon State.

Read the rest of this article on Travel for Boomers HERE

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Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort in Chandler, Arizona

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Jan Ross

I only have one teeny, tiny regret about our stay at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort in Chandler.

We only got to stay one night.

We were heading home the next day after our epic tour of the Grand Canyon state and had arranged a stay at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort for the night before we left. Our one and only mistake about this truly wonderful resort was that we did not get to experience it for a couple of nights. Or a week.

Or possibly a month.

Because it is seriously a perfect place to stay when you are in the area. It would be perfect for families, a romantic getaway or a girlfriends getaway – pretty much any sort of travel plans would work here! We turned off the interstate and assumed that we would pull up to the resort almost immediately but this is not the case with the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort. It is located smack in the middle of the desert and you have to drive about two miles through gorgeous, saguaro dotted landscape before you even reach the resort buildings. Because the resort buildings are located in this desert landscape, there are walking trails all over and you can also go horseback riding through this scenic area.

Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort, photo courtesy of the resort

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I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Jan Ross

The next time I’m blue, I swear I’m going to take a picture.

No, not that kind of blue. Not the depressed kind. And not the cold kind.

I mean quite literally blue.

As in all over blue. As in deeply, richly blue as one of the characters on “Avatar.”

I have been blue twice recently. Both times I was in a spa. Both times I had completely unusual but completely fabulous treatments. And both times I was totally and absolutely blue.

Now, anyone can go to a spa and get a treatment of some sort. A massage is quite lovely and a mani/pedi is always a nice experience. But those are a little too tame for me. Just how many words can you write about getting a massage or having your toes painted? But getting turned blue? Now we are talking. So it’s my own fault. Because I ask for something unique at each spa. Something different.

And apparently that translates to something blue.

Read the rest of this article on SavvyGal.com HERE.

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Haven in the Desert: The Inns at El Rancho Merlita

Posted on May 30, 2012 by Jan Ross

First, watch this video.

Now, let me assure you that yes, it is just like that.

The Inns at El Rancho Merlita in Tucson are tucked neatly away in a neighborhood on the outskirts of the city and, once you drive up the driveway that wends through the desert and through the lovely gates, peace and quiet envelops you. Pretty soon, you find that the history of this gem of a bed and breakfast location is just as fascinating as the peacefulness.

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The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson

Posted on May 28, 2012 by Jan Ross

When we told our six-year grandson that we were going to Arizona and would probably visit the desert while we were there – at this point, we didn’t realize that most of Arizona is pretty much one big, albeit beautiful desert – he was tremendously excited.

“Rattlesnakes live in the desert! You will probably see rattlesnakes! Rattlesnakes are everywhere! Bring me a picture of a rattlesnake”.

Seriously.

He was freaking me out a tiny bit about the rattlesnakes.

I am here to tell you that we only saw a rattlesnake one time.

Yes. There are, indeed, rattlesnakes in the desert.

However, they are there. As evidenced by this sign we saw at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum trail in Tucson which just about caused my heart to seize up into a real-life Southern girl fainting spell. But then I would have been lying on the desert sand where the rattlesnakes were so I got myself together. And we actually only saw a few rattlesnakes. In cages. Thank God.

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Categories: Arizona, Tours | Tags: , , , , | 3 Comments

Who, What, When, Where and Why – the Five W’s of a Bargain Beach Vacation

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Jan Ross

I’m writing this article in a tiny, circa 1920s cottage called Old Love on Tybee Island, Georgia. The hot pink exterior is complemented by the bright turquoise and white interior where lazily turning ceiling fans evoke that special, incomparable beach mood.

Mermaid Cottages offers a wide variety of cottages all over the island in different sizes, styles, and prize ranges. They are lovely and interesting, many are just steps from the beach (ours is precisely 99 steps, apparently) and, best of all, many are very, very reasonably priced.

We’ve stayed in fabulous, sprawling, luxury hotels in Hawaii — hotels that were mere steps from an incredible beach and offered amenities that would boggle your mind. Then we’ve stayed in places like this quaint little cottage. We enjoyed both vacations equally. There is a beach vacation out there for everyone. And everyone needs a beach vacation. The sun, the sand, the smell of the air, the taste of fresh seafood just pulled out of the water, kids building sandcastles – yes, everyone needs a beach vacation.

Now, just how do you get one?

Read the rest of this article on Travel for Boomers HERE.

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