Dallas for shopping, JFK and JR!

There was a time when the Irish flooded across the Atlantic grabbing bargains in malls like Woodbury Common but the strong dollar has seen a slowdown in travel shopping. However, with the Euro making a slow comeback I arrived in to Dallas FW Airport with an empty suitcase to see if I could make up my fare like we used in the halcyon days. I booked my flight in the January sales for €498 − good value to the United States despite travelling to Heathrow to get a direct connection. I stayed at The Fairmont Hotel, located conveniently Downtown, close to the arts district and buzzing McKinney Avenue where the best restaurants can be found. The views from our hotel room were on par with JRs office! Great coffee making facilities and a huge bathroom are another bonus.

My travelling companion is an avid shopper and accountant, great help when working out conversion rates. We set off on our first excursion to the highly recommended Stampede 66 Texas restaurant. The decor is very cool with wire sculpted horses protruding from the ceiling. Dallas is buzzing and it's no surprise as the state of Texas has the 13th richest economies in the world, on par with Saudi Arabia.

After dinner, the Fairmont Hotel sent its courtesy car to collect us FOC and brings us to Reunion Tower. It's just one of the nice luxuries included in our room rate in a hotel and ten minutes later we are on the Geodeck, observation point on the 68th floor. With spectacular views of the Dallas skyline it's well worth a visit day or night and helped us to get our bearings. For an outlay of $44 the Dallas CityPass booklet covers the entrance charge. The CityPass is good value and covers admission into four major attractions, good value for a weekend sightseeing.

We took a cab to Deep Ellum next, the trendy music district for the rest of the evening. Most of the bars have live bands with no cover charge. We choose The Free Man, a Cajun bar and lounge, where the beer is reasonably priced and the band exceptionally good.

Next morning, thirty minutes by car took us to The Grand Prairie Premium Outlets, which opens at 10am and where designer and name brands are at savings of 25% to 65% everyday. We found great shops and excellent value at Columbia and Aeropostale. I brought a cardboard cut out of my daughter's foot to help find a pair of runners in the Nike store. I picked up a pink pair of trainers for just over $30. The Vans store also offered savings. For my tween daughter, Justice is perfect and one of the last stores that can't be found in Ireland. Everything in the shop had 30% off on the new season range. Reasonably priced trendy gear and different to all that will be seen on the streets of Dublin. The Converse store was another with great offers - two Tshirts for $25 working out at just over €10 each.

A brand purchase like a Micheal Kors handbag is where real savings can be made and a big purchase like an engagement ring from Jared Vault could save the price of flights or hotel or both. It's worth noting that US gold carat measurements can be different to those commonly used in Europe. The exchange rate doesn't mean that all items are as cheap as they used to be but they are definitely about 30% overall cheaper than at home. Shoes are up to 50% cheaper in some cases. The food hall was great for lunch with a choice of Asian or local food and before we maxed out our credit cards we decided it was best to return to the Fairmont and offload our bags.

The hotel courtesy car brought us to the Sixth Floor Museum and Book depository, saving on taxi fare. The sixth floor museum is a must do. It takes visitors through the final hours of JFKs life and I left with more questions than answers about who actually killed him. The Grassy Knoll is marked with a bright yellow banner and the actual spot where the president was shot is marked in the middle of the road by a white x.

With spring in the air the Dallas arboretum is a wonderful attraction and including the admission to the Sixth floor museum we have already more than made up the price of our CityPass. Art isn't the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Dallas but any city that is booming and prosperous has funds to support the arts. The Dallas Museum of Art is currently showing an exhibition of Dutch masters including Vermeers. The space and interactive information areas makes this one of the most impressive galleries that I have been to in a while.

The city that gave us hours of viewing in the 80s, and where the much beloved JFK came to a sad end proved to be a wonderful destination for a fun filled weekend.

Factbox

For more information visit www.visitdallas.com

Fights to Dallas with www.United.com start from €600 

Shopping information see

www.simon.com or www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/grand-prairie

Register online to download coupons and make savings

Dallas City Pass is $44

For Fairmont Hotel details see the www.fairmont.com/dallas

Rates start for a double room from $255pn

American Girls take a bite of the Big Apple!

New York has to be the perfect city for a girlie weekend. So, when my daughter Nicole, recently turned double digits, we set off for three nights to celebrate. We took a United Airlines direct-flight from Dublin to Newark and treated ourselves to some extra leg space for $60. With personalised entertainment systems, I was able to catch up on all the latest movies – from Wolf of Wall Street to American Hustle, while Nicole enjoyed Disney’s Frozen and other kids’ classics. The airplane journey was an adventure in itself, and I wasn’t asked once, “Are we there yet?” As we descended over Mahattan and the Statue of Liberty came into view Nicole gasped, “It’s tiny Mum!”

Nicole couldn’t wait to visit the American Girl store on Fifth Avenue. So, after dropping our bags in the Radisson Martinique Hotel, we set off to see what damage we could do with my credit card. The American Girl brand is a subsidiary of the Mattel group and its products reflect a variety of historical American Girls. With 60 personalised faces to choose from, your daughter can have her very own 18” doll that looks just like her. Dolls retail at $110 but you need to spend a lot more on accessories to have your daughter and doll co-ordinating. We were shown around by our personal shopper, Anne from Kentucky, who discreetly asked what our budget was. This was a good thing, as it would be very easy for a mother to lose the run of herself in a store that has everything her little girl desires. We decided to treat Nicole’s doll to a hairdo and ear piercing. Then the doll got a new outfit and a pet dog. We were meeting our friends for dinner, and booked into the American Girl Cafe on the third floor, for the ultimate finale to our shopping experience. Nicole’s doll got her own high-chair, and the food was delicious and reasonably priced – at $26 pp for three-courses.

Dinner at the American Girl Cafe

After dinner we took a stroll around the Rockefeller ice-rink, where there was an exhibition of decorated-giant eggs on display. We walked back to our hotel via the bright lights of Times Square, and took a photo of The Real Naked Cowboy. With our biological clocks on Irish Time, we were relieved that our hotel was located conveniently on 32^nd street and Broadway. Our room was on the top floor and large by New York standards. The Radisson Martinique is an historic hotel and the decor preserves the spirit of Beaux Arts perfectly.

Next morning the Buffet Breakfast was served in the Cafe Martinique, which whisked us to turn-of-the-twentieth-century Paris. Nicole devoured pancakes and syrup with hot chocolate, while I enjoyed a huge selection of fresh fruits, eggs and bacon. Our hotel was only two-blocks away from the Empire State Building. So, with city passes in hand, and an 8.15 start, we skipped the first line and didn’t have to wait long before we were ascending in the elevator to the 80^th floor. We had a great view of the city and the Freedom Tower, which is now the tallest building in Manhattan.

A City Pass is a must buy if you want to visit the major sights and museums. Macy’s is only around the corner from the Empire State and a must see. Here, Nicole had her eyes made-up with sparkly lilac shadow, because we had a very important treat that afternoon. Mamma Mia is in its twelfth year in the Broadhurst Theatre, on Broadway, and we had tickets for the matinee presentation. It is one of Nicole’s favourite movies, so I wasn’t sure how she was going to feel about seeing it on stage. I needn’t have worried, as she was enthralled from start to finish – apart from the embarrassing moment when I got up to dance. But as the rest of the audience were bopping in the aisles, Nicole decided she should get involved too.

Next day, our friends took us on a magical drive over the Queensboro Bridge to Astoria, to check out the Museum of the Moving Image. This suburb, in Queens, is where big screen history really began. The museum holds some of the most notable memorabilia from the movies and has plenty of interactive exhibits for kids. Nicole had fun doing a voiceover on the Wizard of Oz and making her own flick book movie. She got to see models of Yoda, Chewbacca and The Elephant Man. Afterwards we strolled down Steinway Street and enjoyed the cafe life of this booming suburb. As the Herald Square subway ran directly under our hotel, we had a quick train ride home that night. The boroughs have a lot to offer with trendy bars and boutique shops so it is worth stepping off Manhattan to explore them.

It was our last day and we had some important shops to visit. The FAO Schwarz toy store has to be every child’s dream. Nicole’s eyes were certainly bigger than her belly, as she sped around the Big Candy Store on the ground floor, collecting Wonka sweets and Gummy Bears.

The stretch down Fifth Avenue took us to more shopping heaven, but we needed our wits about us before tackling Hollister, and Abercrombie and Fitch. We queued for ten minutes, night-club-style, before gaining entry to the stores. Then I couldn’t make out the price tags, or hear myself think over the blaring music and scantily clad assistants – perhaps this was a clever ploy to distract and part of the brands success. 

We had more fun in The Juicy Couture store, where everything was on 40% sale, before lunching in the Museum of Modern Art. Although Nicole loves art, I wasn’t sure how a culture blast would fit in with our agenda on this trip. Once in the museum she grabbed my camera and happily snapped her way around the Picasso’s, Van Gogh’s, Monet’s et al. She even had the energy afterwards to take a trip on the circle line cruise, and delighted in the fact that the Statue of Liberty was a good deal taller than her brother.

With a second daily-flight now available from Newark to Dublin on United Airlines, it is possible to fly home at 10pm and really make the most of your last day. We left New York with a suitcase full of shopping and a bagful of precious memories. It may be extravagant to take a ten-year-old here, but it has to be the stuff that dreams are made of.

To read this article on the Sunday World website click here sundayworld.com

FACTBOX

Website for the Hotel Radisson Martinique is www.themartinique.com,

Facebook page is facebook.com/themartinique.com.
Rates vary seasonally, from $285.00.

United Airlines offers a nonstop service from Dublin, Shannon and Belfast to New York-Newark Liberty International Airport. A second daily nonstop service from Dublin to New York/Newark will operate from June 6 to Aug 19th, 2014. Flights are operated by Boeing 757-200 aircraft featuring 169 seats – 16 flat-bed seats in United BusinessFirst® and 153 in United Economy®, including 45 Economy Plus® seats with added legroom and increased personal space. Visit www.united.com or call 1890 925 252 

NYC & Company is the official marketing, tourism and partnership organisation for the City of New York. For all there is to do and see in New York City, visit nycgo.com or call the Irish office in Dublin on +353 1 6319604.

City Pass available from http://www.citypass.com/new-york Prices from $109 per adult & $82 per child

Mamma Mia tickets can be purchased via the nycgo.com website @ http://www.nycgo.com/events/mamma-mia Tickets from $124 per person

Galway with Granny and Granddad

Travelling with three generations needn’t be a challenge, if the destination for your weekend trip is just right. So with my Mum, my Dad and ten-year-old daughter Nicole, packed into the car, we set off for the newly refurbished accommodation at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Galway.

The hotel is in a great situation only a few hundred meters from Eyre Square and currently offering special packages for the over 65s. We ate lunch on arrival with oodles of choice from the hot buffet and salad bar. The delicious lemon meringue pies from the dessert tray were hard to resist so we had one each.

Granddad was keen to watch the Liverpool match so we dropped him off at Eyre Square in Garveys pub which offers music at weekends and was a delightful find. It left us three girls free to shop!

William Street was the start of our ramble through the shops and iconic bars that line the streets down to the Quay. The bustling street market sells the usual array of trinkets jewellery and handcrafts that put in a lovely afternoon. 

When we returned with our purchases to the hotel we were keen to try the leisure facilities. While Granny had a pampering facial in the Spa, Nicole and I decided to try out the newly opened Salt Grotto. We found it to be a place of peace and respite for the whole family and apparently it has medicinal properties that help improve the respiratory system. Nicole and I sat through a peaceful thirty minute session and afterwards, with the taste of salt on our tongues, hit the swimming pool.

Salt Grotto

Only over-sixteens can enjoy the sauna and Jacuzzi in the leisure center and there is a hot tub out on the deck with a beautiful view of the estuary.

 That night we dined in Marinas restaurant and with a Liverpool win earlier everyone agreed that they had a terrific afternoon. Dinner was delicious with excellent choices – we ate lamb, duck and fish and Nicole loved the spare ribs and pasta from the kids menu. The Sushi in the Sky restaurant on the fourth floor catered for those looking for a more romantic setting and specialised cuisine. The hotel offers cooking classes among other activities to make your stay educational and more interesting.

All the nightlife of Galway was on our doorstep but we retired to the bar and relaxed until time to go to our rooms. It’s worth splashing out on the newly refurbished Business class rooms which are luxurious with spectacular views. The beds are made super soft by feather and down mattress topers and the personalised reading lights allowed Nicole to sleep while I read. Although I’m not a coffee drinker the nespresso machine in our room was a nice touch.

As a busy mum I love nothing more than a nice spa retreat and I will most certainly be back to the One Spirit spa. With an excellent choice of rooms in the thermal suite The Beach came as a pleasant surprise – using subtle lighting and warm sand to lie on I was whisked away to sunnier climes. I went from the beach to the rock sauna which was extra hot before trying the hammam steam room.

The suite wasn’t busy on the Sunday morning I was there and I had the laconium and aroma rooms totally to myself. The relaxation area is swaddled in a warm cocoon of cushions and couches with subtle lights to lure you into rest. The usual herbal teas and fruit bowls are on offer with plenty of reading material. While my feet were pampered with a top class pedicure, Granny and Granddad brought Nicole off to mass.

Before returning home to Dublin we took a trip to the Aquarium in Salthill en famille. Fish can be touched and observed with or without the guided tour but we preferred to just wander while Granny and Granddad enjoyed Nicole’s reaction to the creatures.

Galway hosts its annual Arts Festival in July and the famous Galway Races in August make it a great destination in summer. You might even want to stop off for a mini-break while dropping your teenager to Irish college and with competitive rates at the Radisson Blu it is probably the perfect hotel for all the family.

FACT BOX

The ‘ Revive Pamper Package’ at spirit one spa includes the Elemis Pro-Intense Lift Effect Facial, use of the Thermal Suite, Pool, Hot-Tub, Jacuzzi and a delicious two course lunch in Marinas Restaurant for €100 per person. 
To book call spirit one spa on 091 538 423 or email spiritone.galway@radissonblu.com. Include an overnight stay in one of the newly refurbished bedrooms from €120 for two people sharing midweek or from €155 for two people sharing at the weekend. Guests booking midweek will also receive complimentary passes to the salt spa. For bedroom bookings call 091538521 or email reservations.galway@radissonblu.com.

Christmas Markets Belfast

My nine-year-old daughter is a big shopper and she wanted to know more about Christmas Markets so I decided to search out some yuletide cheer close to home. We cajoled my friend Catherine and her daughter Alice into taking the trip with us across the border for a night to see what Belfast had to offer.
We were pleasantly surprised with the continental market finding all the atmosphere and ambiance that a trip to Cologne or Prague would usually require. But we had it all only two hours drive from Dublin. Beerkellers and stalls selling traditional German sausage and French Tarteflette sat next to handcrafted French soap and Italian chocolates.

The girls had even more fun next day when we visited Winter Wonderland. With a real ice-rink and enough fairground rides to amuse the girls for the afternoon it was a massive hit.

The girls with penguin friends took easily to the ice and below with Santa on the rollercoaster!

The entire article is available to read on the Sunday World website by clicking here www.sundayworld.com

Christmas markets proved a big hit with our pair and I can't wait to see where we end up next year!

Hope your Christmas was wonderful and here's to many happy adventures in 2014!

Happy travels

Michelle x

Barbie Girls with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line!

The press trip which started all this travel writing happened earlier this year when I was invited to take my daughter on a Royal Caribbean Cruise...and what a trip it was! My eight-year-old had to be coaxed (kicking and screaming I might add) off the ship after our seven night stay.

We started off in Fort Lauderdale and took two days to reach the paradise island of Labadee. It truly was a sight to behold and with plenty to entice us back on the ship from Barbie events to new friends we started our journey to the next port of call Falmouth, Jamaica.

 Here we trekked Dunes River Falls and felt very adventurous indeed - Bob Marley music of course was everywhere and when we skyped my husband and son back in Dublin later that day they were very jealous!

Final destination was Cozumel Mexico and by now we were in a dream - the full article can be read by clicking here  http://www.royalcaribbeanpresscenter.com/view-in-the-news/65/when-barbie-met-ken/ and Nicole had such a fab time she blogged about it herself!
If you ever considered cruising with kids then read this article that I wrote for the Irish Mail on Sunday first!

Happy holidays

Michelle :)

www.michellejackson.ie