This is such a cool and free thing to do...The Organic Pharmacy in Beverly Hills is hosting free seminars called Wednesday Parent Mornings. It's a great opportunity to meet their on-site homeopaths and ask them questions, have a nice cup of tea and organic snacks, and to discuss different topics regarding children's health. We are just waiting for them to open one up in New York!
Jen Karetnick, Contributor
Experts say it's easier to learn balance sports like surfing when you're young, and your center of gravity is close to the board. I tested that theory during a recent vacation in Hawaii by booking a parent-child surfing lesson with Maui Wave Riders, a company that specializes in beginners. The results? Our instructor Bully congratulated my 40-year-old efforts with as much gusto as he heralded my 10-year-old daughter Zoe's display. "You're dancers, right?" he asked when we both stood up on our very first waves and rode them in (wobbling only a little, I swear). "That explains your good balance." In fact, neither of us are particularly known for grace (especially under pressure) nor are we that fond of water (even though we're from Miami). Bully's demeanor (belying his name) and proficiency, however--coupled with the admittedly gentle waves we learned on--made the exercise completely fun and approachable. As bonding experiences go, nothing beats hearing your kid's belly laughs as you're catapulted off your board (or returning the favor tenfold). It was valuable for Zoe, I think, to see me, her mom, in a learning context where I, too, was learning and trying and failing and trying again...
Sean Woods, Contributor
The last gasps of winter, a work overload and continued news of a world wide economic meltdown were beginning to take its toll on my family unit, so we decided it was time to do something we've never done before : go to a swank all-inclusive resort someplace warm and sunny. My pregnant wife and I packed up our three-year-old son and flew to Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic and stayed at the Reserve at the Palma Real. Now, you would think that a Caribbean vacation with an overcast sky and a sand-whipping wind that made the beach inhospitable would be a real bummer and extremely disappointing but our trip couldn't have been more relaxing--all because of the elegance and comfort of the resort.With its low-key, European-villa design, red tiled roofs, maze of free-form pools and Jacuzzis, the Reserve at Palma Real is all about relaxed elegance and, somehow, the place pulls it off without ever lapsing into cheesiness. When we arrived, the exceptionally nice and friendly staff had a frozen cocktail waiting for me, a sure way to my heart, anyway. The Reserve is set back from the much bigger, main Palma Real hotel, which has a grander but more standard resort vibe, and houses most of your eating choices (as well as some pretty fabulous flamingos, a big hit with the kid). 
Now if you're like me and traveling with small children gives you major agita (the thought of the plane ride alone fills me with icy dread), then the Palma Real's Family Concierge service is for you. As soon as we arrived they handled everything. A package of kid supplies (toiletries, a robe, bath toys, snacks) was set up in our room. We were given a walkie-talkie and told that the woman at the other end of the line would handle our every need during our stay, and she pretty much did just that: reservations at the various restaurants, transportation, extra towels when I flooded the bathroom by overfilling the hot tub etc. In fact, our concierge service lady seemed almost disappointed we weren't asking her to do more for us, but it was all so easy that we didn't require much. That's because the whole place is designed to make travel with kids easier and still feel luxurious (they have babysitting available, a rec-center for kids with an outdoor playground, a kids pool with various animal-shaped water slides and waiters constantly running drinks to the thirsty parents).
Yolanda Edwards, Travel and Lifestyle Editor
One of our favorite blogs, Babyccino, has just launched city guides on their site. We love it because you can find all their favorite finds in each city, in a very organized place. If you have the opportunity to be in London, Paris, Amsterdam, or Milan, definitely have a look at their site...even if you aren't travelling with children, you'll know the best spot to pick them up a present.
Yolanda Edwards, Travel and Lifestyle Editor
We were just in the Bay Area last weekend, and had a perfect Sunday afternoon at Harley Farms. Dee Harley, the owner, is a passionate farmer who raises goats and makes some really lovely goat cheeses, and even soap and lotion that has her goat milk in it, as well as the lavender she grows. Every weekend they have two hour tours, twice a day (kids welcome), and you get to see the whole operation in action, and even make your own cheese at the end. It is so much fun, so inspiring, and so easy to get to--just 45 minutes from the San Francisco Airport (and a lovely drive at that, past all the beaches on Highway One).
Rebecca Etter, Travel Assistant
The Mother Road is a vast and wacky road. Our Route 66 story from last summer focused on the Southwest part of the route, and just today we found a great article in Midwest Living about the Illinois to Oklahoma leg.
Read about places like Ted Drewes Frozen Custard (the custard is so thick that you can turn it upside down) in St Louis or the 27-foot-tall spaceman in Wilmington, Illinois. It'll remind you that Route 66 has so many great finds, you'll have a great time no matter which leg you drive.
Yolanda Edwards, Travel and Lifestyle Editor
I just stumbled upon this book, Hungry For Paris, written by one of my favorite food writers, Alexander Lobrano, a contributor to Gourmet. I am headed to Paris in a couple of weeks, and have only two nights there, with our 5 year old. Knowing that we will be tired, from our flight, and from cramming in too much during the day, I want to find a restaurant that is in our hotel's neighborhood, so we can walk to and from dinner. I googled "8th arrondissement Paris restaurants", and up popped this book, and his website, which has an amazing reader forum and diners journal. Readers write in their questions (mostly the same ones everyone has, so it is good to read through all of them), and Alec actually responds to every single one. So, if Paris is on the agenda, get the book, and keep his website in your bookmarks.
Curious about what's going on around the country? Check out our recently updated festival list, it's a great resource for weekend day trips or just staying in the know.
Know of a festival that's not listed? Let us know...
Photo from the National Cherry Blossom Festival of Washington D.C, one of our Spring festival picks
Tamara Heber-Percy, Mr and Mrs Smith
Here's why I love it:
The spa
You can properly pamper yourself with one of the Como Shambhala Urban Escape's vast medley of Asian-inspired holistic treatments, including reiki, Thai massage, reflexology, and shiatsu.
The food
Nobu has a reputation that extends well beyond London. And deservedly too--the world-ranking restaurant is hard to beat either in terms of style or the artistry of its delectable New Japanese cuisine.
The facilities
The Met's not only an ideal á deux if if you've left the little ones behind, but if you do have the kids in tow, it's more than capable of keeping them entertained. Under-16s stay for free. Babysitting can be arranged, and children's menus and high chairs are available. Staff are happy to heat up baby food and milk, and can provide child-friendly packed lunches on request. There's a PlayStation 2 console and games to borrow on request. All rooms have TVs and DVD players, and minibars that have space for milk.
The area
London is on your doorstep, and the concierge can arrange tickets for everything from a Duck Tour in an amphibious bus to Madame Tussauds famous waxworks.
We recently returned from a weeklong family reunion (my wife's family--us, her parents, and her brother with his wife and son) in Kauai. Thanks to various delays and snafus--as well as just the extreme distance--our travel time getting there added up to 25 hours, which was particularly fun, as I'm sure you can imagine, for a party that included two 4-year-olds and a 5-month-old! It had me wondering if our first trip to the island with kids (we had been there once before, pre-kids) would be worth it at only a week in length.
Well, I shouldn't have doubted. Part of the magic of a visiting a place like Kauai with kids is that you don't really feel the need to do much--for the most part, you just pick a beach and hang there. We were staying at one of the big Marriott timeshares, which made up for its fairly basic aesthetics with its location: right on the beach at Poipu. Since our room was on the first floor, we could just open the screen door and stumble out to the beach, which generally came complete with sleeping monk seals. After our long journey, that was heaven. The weather, 75 degrees and sunny all week long, didn't hurt either.
When we'd finally decompressed--it took a couple of days of beach hang--we did manage to do a little family-friendly exploring: The drive up to Waimea Canyon and the mind-blowing view down the cliffs (and through the clouds) of the stunning Na Pali Coast (which contends with Italy's Amalfi Coast for "most beautiful place I've ever seen in person" honors); whale and bird watching by the lighthouse at Kilauea Point; the wonderfully rich ice cream from Lappert's (try the Kauai Pie flavor) in Princeville after a picnic lunch on the beach at; taking the kids to a hula-dancing demonstration in which my oldest son decided to join) in Poipu itself; touring the plantation and getting gifts for friends (and, okay, ourselves) at Kauai Coffee; the amazing Kamalani Kai Bridge near Lydgate Beach Park, where the toddlers got themselves suitably, blessedly exhausted....
Posted by: Myles McDonnell, Copy Chief/Senior Editor
