Mazda fares well on family road trip

I received a loan of a Mazda CX-9 for a one-week period in order to provide a review. I was not compensated for this post. All opinions are mine.

Although according to the calendar it is still summer - and will continue to be for a couple more weeks, the kids are back in school and summer as we know it is coming to an end. It always goes by too quickly, so I always try to seize the opportunity to do some short family road trips with the kids each summer. It’s getting harder and harder as they get older and are involved in activities and are committed to work schedules. I did manage to get in a nice trip this month, though, with 3 of our 5 sons and I was so excited to have use of a Mazda CX-9 as we traveled.

My everyday driver is a small sedan, so it was nice to have something as roomy as the CX-9 for traveling. The 7-seater had all the bells and whistles I’d hoped for - and much more. We made our way out of the Chicago area, through Indiana and up the west coast of Michigan in our SUV. I should insert here that I felt like the car needed a name, even though I have never named a car that I’ve owned before. It felt like it needed a sexy, exotic name and I settled on Antonio after taking to social media with my name contenders and asking friends and followers to vote. Coming in a close second was Pierre, followed by Joaquin and Jean-Claude. Antonio was comfortable and made the drive a breeze.

The biggest thing that wowed me was the radar cruise control. With this feature there were times when I felt like the car was doing the driving for me, even though I had to do the steering. I didn’t, however, have to do any braking or adjusting of the speed. Once I set the cruise control, Antonio did the work. If there was a car in front of me that was going at a slower speed, it adjusted. So, when I set the cruise control to 65, the car went along as usual, maintaining the speed I’d set. But…when I came upon a car that was going slower than the speed I had set, the car adjusted on its own. If the car in front of me was going only 50, the speed was adjusted and a safe distance was maintained. If I then switched into a lane that was clear ahead, up the speed went back to where I set it at 65. It was a little awkward at first and I had a little trouble trusting it at first, but I got over it quickly and loved how little I had to do.

I also loved the Head up Display, which showed my speed and directions right in front of me so I didn't have to look away. There was also a navigation system built in that I could view on the screen to my right. The screen also displayed the radio. Speaking of screens, behind the passenger and driver seats were screens with DVD players - something that is great to have when traveling with kids. 

The seats were comfortable in the front and the kids in the middle row agreed they were very comfortable. We had one seated in the back row, who grumbled that he could have used a little more leg room. It wouldn't have been a problem a couple years ago, but since I now have four teenagers in the house, they're growing like weeds and taller than me.

One other feature I loved was that it showed how many miles until your gas tank would be empty. I'm always guessing, especially on a long road trip and I loved that there was no more guesswork. Filling up also wasn't needed as often as I'd expected - it got 20 MPG in city driving and 23 on the highway.

The cargo area had a lot more room than I expected. Before our trip, I made some stops for groceries and other things. The power tailgate was a great feature as I was lugging out bags. One day I stopped for a couple oversized flower baskets at my local farm stand and was surprised at how well they fit in the back. I got them home without losing a single petal. That never happens in my car. Either the trunk smashes them down or I wiggle them on to the floor and lose several flowers in the process. It was very roomy for groceries, too.

I was pretty sad when it came time to return an Antonio. I'm glad he was part of our family trip and would be a vehicle I would love to drive around in every day, whether close to home or on a family excursion.

University of Notre Dame

For the past six years I have been making my way to the University of Notre Dame in South Bend each summer to attend the Shakespeare Festival. I have a son who has been involved in a youth theatre group where they do a Shakespeare production each year through their Education Through Theatre Program. In mid-July, he and his fellow youth actors take the stage at Washington Hall on the campus of the University of Notre Dame for Shakescenes - a variety of Shakespeare-related skits from several youth theatre groups. 

It's something I look forward to each summer - obviously it is exciting to see my son perform, but even moreso when it is on a stage at the University of Notre Dame! However, I also love this annual event because it gives me a chance to spend time on this amazingly stunning campus. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I take a deep breath as I enter the grounds and I can just feel the stress melt away. The winding roads, architectural masterpieces and natural beauty make for a very peaceful setting.

On our visits to Notre Dame, we've also visited the bookstore and the Eck Visitor Center next door, which is where my sister happened to get married five years ago. Her husband grew up in South Bend where he could see the Golden Dome from his yard, so it seemed a fitting place for them to marry - and a central spot for family coming from Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. The Golden Dome is another place I have enjoyed visiting on our trips to South Bend. The Golden Dome serves as the administration building and is located next to Washington Hall and it wasn't until last year that I ventured inside. As beautiful as that dome is from the outside, it's more amazing from the inside.

The Basilica is also a very popular spot on campus and if you have the opportunity to pop in there, you must. You may even want to work in time to be there for a mass. There are 
often weddings there on weekends and if one it taking place, it is closed to visitors. It is absolutely breathtaking and well worth waiting a bit if you have to so that you can get a glimpse of the inside.

On the way in to campus, there's a pond that I pass that is usually occupied by ducks and surrounded by those jogging, walking or biking if the weather is nice.

So far on my visits there, I haven't had time to venture further into campus, but the football field and "Touchdown Jesus" are two spots on campus that are also popular with visitors.

Aside from the campus, which is enough of a reason to visit South Bend, there's much more to see an do if you plan to spend a full day or a weekend there. You can take in a game of the South Bend Cubs, tour the historic Oliver Mansion, check out classic cars at the Studebaker Museum and pick up some chocolate treats at the South Bend Chocolate Factory...and much, much more. Also, an eatery that I highly recommend is Chicory Cafe, a New Orleans themed restaurant that has amazing mufalettas, po' boys and more. For more info on the area, go to visitsouthbend.com 

Palmer House Hilton

As I was cleaning out my inbox this week, I noticed an email from the Palmer House Hilton for a special July deal with rooms for this winter starting at $115 per night. I'm tempted to plan a little getaway because that is a great deal - especially during busy times of year. The deal is good for bookings through July 31 for stays from November 16 - January 31. When I hit the link and plugged in a couple dates, I came up with rates even lower than the advertised $115. I found some dates as low as $94.

The email also took me back to a couple years ago when my son and I stayed there in January when we attended the Cubs convention. This Chicago hotel is a historical and architectural gem built for business magnate Potter Palmer. It is said that the hotel was a wedding gift to his bride Bertha (who was 23 years younger than him.) The hotel burned in the Great Chicago Fire just 13 days after its grand opening. He rebuilt and the new hotel opened in November 1873.

The Golden Empire Dining Room, which opened in 1933 hosted such entertainers as Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Harry Belafonte, Judy Garland and Liberace and you'll see the halls of the hotel lined with photos of the performers.

In recent years, the hotel has undergone a $170 million renovation and the place is simply breathtaking and somewhere everyone should stay at least once.

I've also heard that they do historic tours of the property and I've got that on my bucket list. 

By the way, when we stayed there our room was very spacious and nicely decorated and we took advantage of room service. Breakfast was very good and a nice little luxury before we set out for a day of standing in lines at the Cubs Convention to meet players. 

Palmer House Hilton

17 E. Monroe

Chicago

312-726-7500

palmerhousehilton.com

Serenity Springs

A few years ago I came across a place online called Serenity Springs and I jotted it onto my list of places to visit at some point. It came back on my radar this month as I was scoping out possible spots for an anniversary overnight that wasn't too far from home and Serenity Springs seemed the perfect spot. It was within an hour's drive of my home in Chicago's South Suburbs (it's between LaPorte, Indiana and Michigan City) and from all the online photos and descriptions sounded like a romantic, secluded place to get away. It absolutely lives up to the name - it's complete serenity from the moment you enter the grounds.

We reserved a room for a Thursday evening and as soon as we got there realized we really should have reserved two nights. The place offers much more than a room to spend a night in. The 85-acre grounds are beautiful and have 31 unique cabins situated either on their lake, pond or creek. There are five different rooflines, so there are different layouts - like the A frame with an upstairs bedroom and a barn-style with a loft with a little seating area that you get to via ladder, but that offers pretty, elevated views. 

The place opened 19 years ago and although it's easily accessible and right off of an expressway exit, it feels far away from the hustle and bustle. 

Although it is designed to be distraction-free and there are no phone in the cabins, there are televisions and a number of activities on site for couples to enjoy together - trail walks, bike rides, ping pong, board games, fishing and more. Each cabin has a private deck with a fire pit and grill and there's a bin of food for the geese, ducks and swans that reside there.

When you arrive, you park your car in the lot next to the check-in building and you are taken back to your cabin via horse-drawn carriage. You then get a little tour and explanation of the cabin and amenities by staff. One of the really unique features of the cabins is that once the staff drops you off any correspondence is done through a butler box, so for anything you need you don't have interruptions. 

If you have a request, you put a note in the butler box and flip a switch to let them know something is there. When they drop something off for you, they put it in the box and flip a switch that activates a light inside the cabin to make you aware that something has been dropped off. 

Not long after check-in, our light went off and we had a little s'mores kit waiting with everything we needed to make s'mores on our little patio campfire. After dinner our light went on again and we found dessert in our box. 

And then before bed, we had breakfast for the next morning delivered - a basket of muffins and fresh fruit. We also had the option of requesting complimentary fresh eggs (there are several chickens on site that lay eggs for guests) and for $5 we purchased bacon from a local meat shop. Both were delivered to our butler box with pans and utensils so that it could be prepared on the grill in the morning. They also leave a basket of snacks in the room, so there's always something there if you get hungry.



With grills on the patios, guests are welcome to bring their own meal to prepare. You'll also find menus for some local restaurants in the cabins. For dinner, we opted to order from one of the local restaurants and have it delivered. This was the only time delivery didn't come through the butler box. Two employees came in quickly, set down a table cloth, lit candles and placed out our meal of steak and pork chops from Decoy's Bar & Grill. It was lovely. 



There's a big selection of movies in the check-in office and I picked out a couple. It seemed an appropriate time to watch "The Notebook," which I had never seen in its entirety, so we watched it. At home, we have few opportunities to sit together and watch a full movie without interruptions, so it was nice to have the luxury of time to do so. After dinner we watched the movie, after a couple of rounds of ping pong in the clubhouse that was a short walk from our cabin. We also took an evening walk where we could see fish jumping out of the water. We talked about getting up and fishing the next morning, but after cooking breakfast we just didn't have time. A second day would have definitely been enjoyed - doing a little more walking, fishing, feeding the geese and just chilling together in our room. I now see why the line "One Night's Just Not Enough" is printed just below the logo on the home page of the website. It was a perfect anniversary get-away and one I am certain we will repeat for an anniversary in the future.

Serenity Springs

5888 N. U.S. Hwy 35

Michigan City, Indiana

219-861-0000

Serenity-Springs.com

***We were hosted so that we could experience a stay and write about it. I was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own.

Blue Chip Casino Spa

Looking out from the mani/pedi area

Last week we were spending a couple days in Michigan City, Indiana as we celebrated our wedding anniversary. After an overnight at nearby Serenity Springs, we spent the next day at Blue Chip Casino, which included some couples services at the spa.  

Located a few floors up in the Spa Blu Tower, the 10,000 square-foot Spa Blu has a long list of offerings, from foot, hand, skin treatments to manicures to massages to hair styling to make-up applications - with lots of extras and enhancements that can be added on to the experience. 

Within the locker room areas, there's both a steam room and whirlpool to enjoy and you can order an alcoholic beverages to also help you unwind. When I visit a spa, I always linger for a while in the relaxation room. I absolutely love to sit back with a cup of tea and read a magazine, but it's something I just don't make time for at home. So, anytime I am at a salon or a spa, I try to put the phone down and indulge in some alone time with tea and a gossipy celeb magazine. Spa Blu's lounge was dim and comfortable with soothing music. 

My idea of relaxation - tea and a magazine in a quiet space.

On our visit, we first made our way to the mani/pedi area where we sat side by side for pedicures and added on the paraffin wax treatment. Our appointments were scheduled so that we had over an hour in between services, so that gave me plenty of time to just chill. I may have taken some time to enjoy the steam room and whirlpool, but because I just had polish applied to my toes, they recommend skipping it so I didn't damage the work they just did (so something to keep in mind should you schedule services - plan out some whirlpool time before your appointment if you are getting a manicure.) It worked out fine - I got a full uninterrupted hour all by myself with no emails, phone calls, barking dogs or kids complaining that we're out of ice cream or fighting over video games. It was an hour of complete bliss with an issue or People and a hot cup of red rooibos.

Our pedicures were followed up with a 50-minute couples massage. It was our first time experiencing a couple's massage and it was so nice to relax together. And it releived that little bit of guilt I feel when I take advantage of an opportunity to get a massage. I love to get a massage if I can when we travel, but it had been a decade or more since my husband had a massage. With his very demanding, stressful and physical job as a firefighter, he certainly needed it.

Log on to bluechipcasino.com to take a look at the full spa menu.

Of course there's way more than just the spa to enjoy when you are there- besides the 65,000 square-foot casino itself, you can enjoy big name performers in the Stardust Event Center, which seats 1200. You can dine at one of five eateries, which offering everything from snacks to prime steaks. We pre-gamed before our spa appointment at The Game sports bar for a snack and a flight of craft beer and we followed it up with a luxurious meal at William B's Steakhouse. I'll be posting about our dinner experience soon at ChicagoFoodieSisters.com, so keep an eye out for that review of our amazing meal.

If we hadn't already had plans for an overnight elsewhere, it would have made a great getaway. You'll find some great deals on hotel rooms if you take a peek at the website before booking.

Cloud Gate and Millenium Park

If you Google the top tourist attractions in Chicago or in Illinois, you'll find Millennium Park in the top 10 of just about any list. And according to the City of Chicago's official numbers, Millennium Park became the most visited site in 2016 in not just Chicago or the state, but in the entire Midwest. Millennium Park is the site of many events throughout the year - music events like the Chicago House Music Festival, the Chicago Blues Festival and the Chicago Gospel Music Festival along with free movies in the park each Tuesday from June - August during the Millennium Park Summer Film Series and free music on Mondays and Thursdays as part of the Millennium Park Summer Music Series. It's the home of Chicago Gourmet. It's right next to the Chicago Cultural Center where you can enjoy a multitude of performances and activities. And below it is Millennium Station where you can travel in by train from the suburbs. It sits besides Maggie Daley Park, which has a plethora of activities for youngsters. In the winter, you can lace up skates on the rink within the park. You can grab a bite to eat at Park Grill, an awarding winning restaurant at the gateway to the park. And Millennium Park is just a stone's throw from Lake Michigan. 

Aside from all of the above, a huge draw at Millennium Park is a mirrored sculpture known as Cloud Gate, that is more often called "The Bean" by locals. 

It took many years after it was installed for me to visit and see it in person. And when I finally did, I was - like most of the other visitors - mesmerized by the beautiful reflection of the city's skyline. And you can visit many times and never get the same shot. One day it may be bright and sunny with the sky a stunning shade of blue. The next day may be overcast with a more dull hue of sky blue dotted with white clouds. Unless you are there at the crack of dawn when the park is quiet and uncrowded, you'll see reflections of tons of faces. It's virtually impossible to get an identical image on two separate days. 

Best thing about stopping at the park to see this artistic masterpiece is that it is free.

Sable Points Lighthouse Tours

I've always been fascinated by lighthouses and they always look stunning with the blue water and blue sky as a backdrop. I've had the opportunity to climb a lighthouse and peer out from the inside and it was amazing. 

I was recently in Ludington, Michigan where there are two lighthouses (with others not far away), but I was too early in the season to have a chance to get inside. However, there are four lighthouses that are run by the Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association that can each be toured. They are:

BIG SABLE LIGHTHOUSE

LUDINGTON NORTH BREAKWATER LIGHT

LITTLE SABLE POINT LIGHTHOUSE

WHITE RIVER LIGHT STATION

You can climb each lighthouse for $5 for adults and $2 for children. 

The Big Sable Point Lighthouse will open for the season May 8 and it will be open daily from 10 a.m - 5 p.m. through November 4. This year it turns 150 and you can celebrate during the Michigan Lighthouse Festival in Ludington August 15 - 27.

The other three lighthouses open May 26 and each is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each with different closing dates for the season.

The Ludington Light is visible from downtown Ludington and accessible by pier. We had hoped to walk out on the pier for a closer look, but the winds that day were pretty brutal and waves were crashing over the pier, so we weren't able to walk out close to it. It still made for some pretty pictures from the shore.

For more info on the lighthouses, visit splka.org.