 |
| My sun bunnies in San Antonio, TX |
 |
| Nana and Noëlle |
Our first stop was Tampa, FL, where we visited my Nana in her retirement community, Strawberry Ridge. It's a sweet little place. I am talking golf carts in lieu of cars on the tiny roads, dessert-themed street names (Shortcake, Cranberry Knoll, etc.), tennis courts that are rarely used, a big lovely pool filled with spry dames doing water aerobics while cooing over Noëlle, and little houses all lined up, with perfectly-manicured lawns and Welcome signs on the pathways-- a veritable Pleasantville. But, of course there isn't a whole lot for young folks to do there. Although, I must admit, that suited us just fine. We went on morning walks before the Florida summer heat consumed us, visited the pool during patches of sunshine, played tennis, watched several old movies while my Nana napped in her favorite chair, and came up with out a workout routine to do in the living room (while my Nana napped in her favorite chair). Oh, and we ate! Nana is a classic Italian grandmother: warm, loving, affectionate, sassy-as-heck, and a fantastic cook who thinks that "you're a good eater" is complimentary for a woman in her early 30s. Every time we visit, I have to prepare myself to eat like I haven't eaten in years. With a menu consisting of her famous eggplant parmesan, ravioli, meatballs, Italian sausage, homemade stuffed macaroni and an array of cakes, cannolis, cookies, and ice cream, it is hard to avoid massive bloat. Especially when, as soon as she finishes cleaning up lunch, she starts preparing dinner and, while that's cooking, asks if she can "get you something to eat." While it is hard to say no her fabulous and generous cooking, we did go on the hunt for healthier, leaner options to counter the decadent gifts of carbs, cheese, cheese and red meat she was lovingly bestowing upon us daily, and in some cases, every hour. Early on we discovered a farm stand with fresh, local fruits and vegetables nearby. Hallelujah! We stocked up on squash, sweet potatoes, lettuce, and a variety of fruits that we made into yummy smoothies every day. That is, after explaining to Nana what a "smoothie" was. But the best news is that, starting with our little vocab lesson, I think some of our habits made an impression. The last night she made for us pork chops with apple sauce, steamed broccoli, and sweet potatoes. And she seemed to be overjoyed that Noëlle eats so healthfully. She proudly exclaimed on several occasions, in her heavy Bostonian accent, "she is such a good eater, that baby!" Chances are Noëlle will still be hearing that when she is 31. At least I do.
The only activity outside of Strawberry Ridge that we had settled on before heading to Florida was a trip to the Clearwater Marine Hospital and Aquarium. If you saw the movie "A Dolphin Tale" about Winter the
dolphin, you know what I am talking about. The hospital is a wonderful, non-profit operation that rescues and rehabilitates marine animals, releasing every one that can be released back into the wild. Those that cannot be call the aquarium home. Like Winter who, after an accident with crab nets, lost her tale. But, as you will see in the movie, she was outfitted with a prosthetic--the first in history for a dolphin! Thanks to her popularity when she came to the hospital, catapulted by the making of the movie, what was once a small, underfunded, dilapidated little hospital preparing reluctantly to close its doors, is now not only fully funded but is growing rapidly. We saw the plans for the new building while we were there, and it is going to be fantastic! I think what touches me the most about it all is that Winter has been an inspiration to people with disabilities, in particular. Amputees, wounded veterans, young children with disabilities and many others travel great distances to see her and, in some cases, touch and swim with her. But it's not just Winter who has a heart-warming story thanks to the hospital and aquarium, there are 3 other dolphins who were rescued and live there. I even watched a partially paralyzed otter who had been hit by a car, swim and scoot around using only his front legs, and I felt so happy just to have paid our $40 ($20/person) to support such a wonderful organization. If you are ever in the Tampa or Clearwater area, please stop in and see Winter and all the animals! And support the work that this important organization does every day.
 |
| Nicholas, the male bottle nose dolphin who was rescued and now lives at the aquarium (here he is playing with his toy) |
 |
| Aaron and Noëlle heading to the farmers market |
Next, we went to Dallas. Well, first we went to an area outside Dallas called Roanoake, where we stayed with our dear, newly-pregnant friends Reagan and Megan (it's a boy! yay!) A small town of just over 6,000 people, Roanoke has an impressive assortment of local shops and restaurants, which of course we love to see, on their darling little Main Street. Aaron and I were especially pleased to learn that their first farmers' market had just opened. We love to visit farmers markets when we travel, and get a taste of what the locals are offering in those places. So that Saturday morning we walked the 2 blocks to the market where we picked up peaches from one farmer and squash and tomatoes from another (neither squash or tomatoes were ready yet in WA, but TX was considerably warmer at the time.) One of our favorite things about farmers' markets is that we can actually talk with the individual growing or making the food. So while Noëlle noshed on a fresh, organic peach, we struck up an excellent conversation with the local honey farmer. He shared how he uses honey as a medicine, to heal wounds and treat his outdoor allergies. Well, one of my favorite uses for honey is as a healthier sweetener in my tea or coffee. It's so creamy and has such a natural and subtle sweetness. And it's good for you! So I bought, for $8, a small "squeezy bear" of raw, local honey that would be traveling with us on our trip. "Squeezy bear" in hand, we bid farewell to Mr. Farmer and were on our way. For the next two days while we were in Roanoke, Noëlle enjoyed her market fruits and veggies. And Aaron and I enjoyed cups of coffee with organic cream and raw honey. Ahh heaven.
 |
| Roanoke, TX Farmers' Market (you can see the honey farmer in the far right stall, grey shirt, with jars of honey in front of him) |
Once in Dallas, we hit some of our favorite restaurants. Not the chicest or crunchiest, per se. But childhood favorites like Mi Cocina, Celebrity Bakery, and Houston's (now called Hillstone). And Central Market!! I love Central Market and Whole Foods. Say what you will, but my family has been going to Whole Foods since it first opened in Dallas in the early 90s. And while they do offer conventionally grown produce (be sure you know which you are buying), they also offer an impressive array of organic, minimally-processed and local foods. And that is what I go for. We picked up some goodies for our brief stay in Dallas such as coconut water (a great source of electrolytes, and Noëlle loves it!), raw almonds for snacking, and some fruit and organic baby packets and snacks for Noëlle. I like, whenever possible, to ensure that no matter where we are, Noëlle has access to fresh, organic fruits and vegetables and healthy, organic snacks from makers like Plum and Earth's Best. Sort of balances out all of those trips to Mexican restaurants, and the overindulgence of beans, rice and guacamole. Mostly our trip to Dallas was about seeing as many friends as we could. It was a total whirlwind of lunches, dinners, drinks, home visits, etc. We weren't able to see everyone, sadly, but we will be back next year!
Then it was on to San Antonio where we spent
time relaxing, hanging with the family, eating decadently thanks to Aaron's mom, going on long walks, and swimming in the pool. We also began introducing my mother-in-law to healthier alternatives to certain foods, household cleaners, personal care products and cooking staples. Instead of lecture and list off our favorites, we decided to just start swapping out some items. Among those "swap outs" that we picked up both from Whole Foods and the local HEB where organic Safflower oil to replace the ubiquitous vegetable oil (which is usually genetically modified corn, canola, and/or soybean oil); organic quinoa instead of white rice or pasta (more protein and less carbs/sugars); organic, fair trade coffee beans instead of regular coffee (coffee is something that you really want to get organic because of the extent of chemical use on the beans that are conventionally grown; and if not "fair trade" often the farmers are not treated well or paid fair wages); Bob's Redmill Masa Harina for making homemade (and non-gmo) corn tortillas; organic corn chips instead of non-organic (and GMO!); an assortment of organic fruits and vegetables instead of those conventionally grown; organic and non-toxic body lotions and sunscreens from Whole Foods (check out their assortment!); a "3 Free" red nail polish from Mineral Fusion, the line that Whole Foods carries, to replace Aaron's mom's favorite red nail polish; Seventh Generation household cleaning products (it was the "green" brand carried by HEB) to replace those she had been using; and Ecos laundry detergent to replace their Tide (in some countries, Tide is banned for being too toxic!) We figured that was a good place to start. And she seemed more than happy for us to just pick out the products and show them to her! It's what I do best.
 |
| We did a lot of swimming and poolside lounging |
 |
| The Friendly Spot, San Antonio, TX |
Also while we were in San Antonio, we visited the downtown Pearl Street Farmers' Market, and Aaron and I had a lovely date night while Gami and Grandpa watched Noëlle. The night started at a small outdoor bar called The Friendly Spot, which serves an array of local beers and their own homemade sangria, which they make using local, blackberry wine! A totally rad joint. While we sipped on our second round of drinks, micheladas for both of us, we began to realize just how many people were pulling into the bar's property on their bikes. It was really nice to see that bikes were making a big comeback!
 |
| Noëlle with Gami and Grandpa at the beach in Port Aransas |
Next we headed to the coast, to Port Aransas, TX. We spent a long weekend there with the extended Rodriguez family (my husband's). To prepare for the trip, Aaron and I paid another visit to Central Market and stocked up on everything we knew we would want for the weekend: organic fruits and veggies, humanely-raised, hormone- and antibiotic-free deli meats and cheeses, Dave's Killer Bread (my favorite spelt bread for making sandwiches), coconut waters, organic corn chips and salsas, non-toxic sunscreens, organic baby food pouches and snacks, raw nuts, dried fruit, and trail mixes, local beer and wine, and organic veggie juice and limes for my highly-anticipated bloody mary splurge. So basically, all the staples for a trip to the beach, just kicked up a health notch. Stocking up on truly healthy foods and products prior to taking a roadtrip ensures that even with lovely meals out and those generously prepared by others, all of our snacking, and the foods we provide for Noëlle have healthy ingredients. And ultimately, compared to eating out for every meal, it is very economical. A trip to the co-op or other health-food store has become a routine for us before traveling anywhere, and we always thank ourselves for doing it.
So those were just a few of the highlights I wanted to share. So much happened, and we had tons of fun. Noëlle LOVED her adventures down south, especially at the beach and the pool, and we got to spend a lot of quality time with family and dear friends. What could be better?
 |
| Noëlle and daddy at the airport, heading home after a fantastic trip |
So the next time you plan to go anywhere, by boat, car, train, or plane, know that there are ways to improve your trip, especially with kiddos. Prepare in advance with healthy foods and once you arrive at your destination(s), set out to explore the crunchy chic activities, sights, and sounds that any city or small town--like Roanoke, TX--has to offer. On the ride home, reflecting back, we are always so glad we did.
From our happy, healthy home to yours,
Lauren
Ms. Crunchy Chic (with a tan)
No comments:
Post a Comment
I love my readers and hope you will all feel welcomed to share valuable information. Please feel free to ask me a question via the comments section. Thank you for your thoughtful notes!