Romance/Getaway Series #65 - Buckingham Palace & Windsor Castle

Recently my husband and I had a chance to visit various locations in Europe, and we started with London. London has become quite a popular place since the royal wedding this past April, and seeing as this was part of the Romance and Getaway series I thought that London was a great place to begin!

Buckingham Palace serves as both the office and London residence of Her Majesty The Queen, as well as the administrative headquarters of the Royal Household. It is one of the few working royal palaces remaining in the world today.

From July 23 through October 3, 2011 they have a special exhibit dedicated to the Royal Wedding of Kate and William. The Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding dress, designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, is on display, as well as her jewelry, shoes, Halo Tiara and their wedding cake. The Duchess chose British brand Alexander McQueen for the beauty of its craftsmanship and its respect for traditional workmanship and the technical construction of clothing. Her Royal Highness worked closely with Sarah Burton in formulating the design of her dress.

The palace is a very spectacular place to visit. It's where the Royal Family spends their time, and you get a taste of what it's like to spend a day in their shoes. I loved the brilliance of the palace and would enjoy staying there for a day or two, but I couldn't see living there. I live in a small cozy home, so I can't imagine calling a large, gold adorned house my home, but it is for the Royal Family.

...And while in London you can't miss the Windsor Castle. Windsor Castle, the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world, is one of the official residences of Her Majesty The Queen. The Castle's dramatic site encapsulates 900 years of British history. It covers an area of 26 acres and contains, as well as a royal palace, a magnificent chapel and the homes and workplaces of a large number of people.

 

Of all the places we visited in England, Windsor Castle was, by far, my favorite. I had only been to one other castle in the past, Gillette Castle, and there was no comparison. Gillette Castle looked like an apartment compared to Windsor Castle.

Windsor Castle, with it's beautiful architecture, decorative doors, windows, archways, as well as the exquisitely manicured lawn and gardens could keep me occupied for days. If you enjoy photography, architecture or horticulture you will LOVE Windsor Castle. I think that this is one place that you don't want to miss!

 And of course, what is a trip to London, without a photo with the guards? The photo on the left is with the guard at Windsor Castle. They are not allowed to talk, smile etc, but they will stands there while you snap a photo. :)

Our time in London was wonderful. We had a chance to see Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey (where the royal weddings take place), Big Ben, Windsor Castle (outside of London city), St Paul's Cathedral, London Eye and more. While the cooler temperatures may keep some people away, it was a nice break from our 90 degree PA weather, and perfect for doing a little sight-seeing!

disclaimer: tickets provided for this review

Vacation Series #13: Dockers

About Levi Strauss & Co. (parent company of Dockers):

Founded in San Francisco by Bavarian immigrant Levi Strauss in 1853, we created the very first pair of jeans. Today, our products, sold under the Levi’s®, Dockers®, Denizen™, and Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ brands are loved and trusted by people from all walks of life.

 

My Thoughts: I am a big fan of Dockers as a whole. I feel that they have quality clothing that lasts at reasonable prices. We were sent some pants and shorts that would travel well, and indeed they did. In the photo to the left is my husband in his black soft khaki pants that were so soft and comfortable, and didn't need ironing during our 18 day adventure abroad. Below he is wearing a legion blue soft khaki shorts, and again super soft material and very comfortable...perfect for traveling. They also have deep pockets which is great when carrying maps, money etc. My husband also purchased a pair of their Soft Khaki Classic Fit pants in Barn Door color and gets teased for them, but he and I both love them. I don't see why men can't have color in their wardrobes like women do, and am glad Dockers offers so many colorful options for men and women.

For more information or to buy a pair for yourself, visit http://us.dockers.com/home/index.jsp?clickid=topnav_logo_img

disclaimer: sample items received

Vacation Series #12: Funky Monkey Snacks

Funky Monkey Snacks are all-natural real fruit made using a proprietary freeze-drying process that creates Fruit That Crunches!® while retaining fruit's natural goodness. Funky Monkey uses full slices and pieces of real fruits, not the small dices found in other freeze-dried fruit products. Each ounce of Funky Monkey contains three servings of fruit, providing a snack that is delicious, healthy and convenient.

My Thoughts:

I am glad that companies are finally paying attention to nutrition for kids. There are way too many snack foods out there high in sugar and fat and lacking in nutrition, so I'm glad that more and more companies are using fruits as snacks. The way that these products are marketed appeal to kids - bright colors and funky combinations like pink pineapple - colorful, tasty and crunchy! The names alone appeal to kids - Purple funk - who wouldn't want to eat that? :) They have great products that are nutritious that kids would want to eat. Bravo Funky Monkey Snacks!

For more information visit http://www.funkymonkeysnacks.com/

disclaimer: samples received for review

BUY IT:

Vacation Series #11: Peter Rabbit - CLOSED

Congratulations to:

HEATHER

About the brand:
"Our fruit and veg puree pouches are all organic, contain 100% fruit and veg, and never have added sugar or anything artificial.  You won’t have to read the label – the fruit and veggies you see on the front is what’s inside!  If you do read the label you’ll see your snacks are high in vitamin C, have between 70 and 85 calories, 0 fat and 1.5-2 grams of fiber. Peter Rabbit Organics don’t require refrigeration before eating and come in BPA-free resealable pouches for easy packing.

You can find us in Starbucks nationwide, in select Whole Foods Markets, Publix and Albertsons, and natural food stores, in all Buy Buy Baby stores, and online at Amazon.com, Diapers.com, BabiesRUs.com and Spud.com."

Why include this product in a Vacation Series?
When you go on vacation, especially if it was a crazy whirlwind one like we had, you need food you can eat on-the-go. I know there are many pre-packaged foods out there but I am concerned about health and nutrition even when I'm on vacation. While I rarely "exercise" on vacation, I always try to maintain my normal diet of eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, and Peter Rabbit Organics helped us to do that. While trekking through Europe we tossed a few of these pouches into our bags to eat when we got hungry and they worked perfectly. We also saw some moms giving pouches like these to their toddlers, so all ages love these fruit and veggie pouches. The strawberry banana was my favorite flavor, but I really like these products and would highly recomend them to moms and to people who care about healthy on the go snacks!

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WIN IT: One reader will win an assorted pack of 12 pouches

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Ends Oct 1, 2011