5 Reasons to Make a Trip to Renaissance Indian Wells Resort & Spa

Posted on March 8, 2017 by Erin

5 Reasons to Make a Trip to Renaissance Indian Wells Resort

By Erin

Located in the heart of the prestigious desert community of Indian Wells is the Renaissance Indian Wells Resort and Spa. 13 miles from Palm Springs and nestled at the foot of the majestic Santa Rosa Mountains, makes for an easy getaway weekend for those in Southern California. For those outside that area, Palm Springs International Airport is a quick 16 miles away. I was invited to come and stay here for the weekend to check it out, share my thoughts and show you my favorite spots. I hope you enjoy this beautiful property as much as I did!

The Pools

One of the biggest draws for me to want to stay at a hotel or resort has always been the pools! As soon as I saw what the pools here looked like at the Renaissance Indian Wells Resort & Spa , I could not wait to get here. The resort boasts the largest hotel swimming pool complex in the desert region including three distinct pools, a pool bar, cabanas, a waterfall and hot tubs. A poolside sandy beach entrance is perfect for traveling families–It is a special favorite among families/children and beach lovers. An amazing pool cabana experience featuring flat-screen TV’s, sofas, loungers, ceiling fans, personal coolers and refreshments.

Our cabana for the day and refreshments. It was so relaxing to just sit by the pool and enjoy the beautiful day with family.

The pool is just as beautiful at night and perfect for some hot tub time!

Room with a View

Very spacious, modern, upscale guest rooms – among the largest and most comfortable in the area. The best part I think is, those VIEWS! How amazing is it to wake up in the morning or go out at night and see THIS view from your room???

The rooms are very spacious and comfortable. As you can tell by the views above, I especially loved our patio!

Star Suites, featuring specially commissioned celebrity artwork and retro decor inspired by legends of Hollywood including Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball and Bing Crosby to name a few. Our room had some neat artwork in the bathroom on the wall.

The bathrooms were very spacious as well, more than one person can get ready at a time. All the amenities you could possible need are here.

The Spa

Spa Esmeralda, features both indoor and outdoor treatment and spa pool offerings, as well as a salon and fitness facilities. The spa is beautiful and the perfect place to get away to relax and enjoy a facial, massage, body scrub or wrap, waxing and nail care. I enjoyed a luxurious facial during my time here and enjoyed every second of it.

One of my favorite places at the spas was outdoors. Such a beautiful outdoor spa. Very private, quite and serene.

The Food

There are numerous food and beverage locations and dining experiences throughout the resort – including amazing sushi, SPC serving casual, modern Italian cuisine, and Cava – serving a broad menu of American and family favorites. Vegan and gluten-free options are available.

During my stay here we tried the seafood buffet that they serve at Cava on Friday nights. We also had breakfast here both mornings during our stay.

Just a few of the many options to enjoy at the seafood buffet. Everything is served up super fresh and was oh so delicious.

Ontario Mills Lights Up the Lunar New Year

Posted on January 23, 2017 by Erin

Ontario Mills Lights Up the Lunar New Year

By Erin

*This is a sponsored post*

California’s largest outlet and value retail shopping destination, Ontario Mills, is celebrating the Year of the Rooster with traditional performances, activities and giveaways on January 28. This Spring Festival is to commemorate the Lunar New Year. On Saturday, January 28th, guests will be treated to sensational performances by cultural lion dancers, Kung Fu masters and towering stilt walkers in addition to fun activities and exclusive giveaways to ring in The Year of the Rooster. I am looking forward to all of this year’s festivities.

As January 28th officially kicks off this year’s Lunar New Year, Ontario Mills joins in the celebration. Starting at 1:30 p.m. in Fashion Alley, guests will be treated to face painters, balloon artists, a themed photo booth and a special Teavana tea station with cookies, all available while supplies last. The performances will begin at 1:30 p.m. with theatrical stilt performers, dressed in ceremonial costumes, walking and greeting guests. To follow, five professional Kung Fu martial artists will perform individual routines at 2:30 p.m. For the grand finale, the Ane Thanh Lion Dance Group will perform a traditional and honorary lion dance show with live drumming and cymbals at 3:30 p.m.

“From the diversity of the Inland Empire to the international guests hailing from over 80 different countries worldwide, we’re proud to host an event celebrating culture and custom,” said Lisa Restaino Morony, Director of Marketing at Ontario Mills. “As Ontario Mills has celebrated countless milestones this past year, we’re looking forward to what fortunes The Year of the Rooster will continue to bring.”

The festivities continue throughout the day with exclusive prizes from 1 p.m. through 4 p.m. Guests who spend $55 or more and present their receipts at the Lunar New Year informational table in Fashion Alley, will receive either a Lunar New Year tote or special hand-fan, while supplies last. Ontario Mills will also be distributing Lunar New Year Offer Guides featuring over 20 special retailer offers from January 27 through February 19.

For more information and further updates, visit http://www.ontariomills.com, and follow Ontario Mills on Facebook, on Twitter and Instagram.

About Ontario Mills

Ontario Mills, California’s largest outlet and value retail shopping destination, offers the ultimate shopping experience with more than 200 outlet and value retail stores, including Kate Spade New York, Michael Kors, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH, Coach Factory Store, UNIQLO, Ulta Beauty, Tommy Bahama Outlet, Nordstrom Rack, H&M, Forever 21, J.Crew Factory, Tommy Hilfiger Company Store, Abercrombie & Fitch Outlet, Hollister Co. Outlet, Michael Kors, Tory Burch Outlet and Nike Factory Store. Shoppers can enjoy dining and entertainment venues such as Market Broiler, Rainforest Cafe, Dave & Buster’s, Blaze Pizza, Johnny Rockets, GameWorks, Improv Comedy Club & Dinner Theatre and AMC 30 Theatres.

For more information on Ontario Mills, please call (909) 484-8300, visit www.OntarioMills.com or follow Ontario Mills on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OntarioMills, Twitter at www.twitter.com/ShopOntario and Instagram at www.instagram.com/shopontario.

About The Mills^®, A Simon Company

The Mills^®, one of Simon Property Group’s five real estate platforms, offers a unique brand of shopping with a mix of popular name brand outlets, value retailers and full-price stores, plus family-oriented dining and entertainment concepts. The Mills’ are well located in major metropolitan markets and many are recognized as leading tourism destinations. Notable properties include Arundel Mills (Baltimore), Gurnee Mills (Chicago), Grapevine Mills (Dallas), Ontario Mills (Los Angeles), Opry Mills (Nashville), Potomac Mills (Washington, DC) and Sawgrass Mills (Ft. Lauderdale/Miami).

About Simon

Simon is a global leader in retail real estate ownership, management and development and an S&P100 company (Simon Property Group, NYSE:SPG). Our industry-leading retail properties and investments across North America, Europe and Asia provide shopping experiences for millions of consumers every day and generate billions in annual retail sales. For more information, visit simon.com.

Carmel by the Sea: a Foodie Paradise #LLBlogNotAConf

Posted on August 22, 2016 by Erin

By Erin

I traveled with a group of talented writers to Central California. We spent a few days in Carmel by the Sea, the Carmel Valley and Monterey for #LLBlogNotaConf.

Taking a vacation up the Central Coast in California is one of my all time favorite destinations. Enjoying family vacations in this part of California has always been a favorite. So much so I have been there countless times again and again on my own with friends as an adult. When I heard that there was a trip being planned to head up this way with some of my favorite writers and fellow foodie friends for LLBlogNotAConf, I could not pass the opportunity up.

Carmel by the Sea

Carmel-by-the-Sea is a beautiful little European-styled village, sitting above a picturesque white-sand beach that has inspired artists, sparked romances, and attracted celebrities for decades with its charm. One of the top-10 destinations in the U.S. year after year, Carmel-by-the-Sea is a place you will want to vacation at too. Everything is within walking distance from your adorable hotel or inn. Activities range from the performing arts and cultural activities to hundreds of Carmel shops, restaurants, wine tasting, art galleries, and so much more, with tons of other options nearby as well. Food is a huge part of traveling for me, so I will share some of my favorite spots with you here and in the surrounding areas nearby.

Right now the city is in the midst of their Centennial Celebration, with lots of events all year-long culminating in a special parade on October 29th. You can find a list of upcoming events here.

Now, on to the FOOD right? Here are some of my top picks for places to stop along your drive up to Carmel from Southern California and while you are in and around Carmel.

The Apple Farm

A childhood favorite of mine, I always have to stop at The Apple Farm in San Luis Obispo for breakfast on my way through the Central Coast cities. Not only is the food amazing, but so is the atmosphere. There are so many things to see, you will want to make sure to leave a little time to wander around a bit before or after your meal here.

Jocko’s Steak House

If you LOVE steak as much as I do, then you MUST stop here on either your way to or from Carmel (or both if possible!) Located in Nipomo, CA they serve some of the most delicious steak around for a very unbelievable price; $24 for the Small Spencer (ribeye) pictured below, which was more than I could eat by myself. There was so much food with dinner. The steak was perfectly done, the pinquito beans were amazing, and the garlic bread was super garlicky. It also comes with a baked potato, salad, a relish tray that has a bunch of pepperoncini and sweet cherry peppers, dessert and coffee. Some of my favorite stuff, all included in one price. Such a crazy good deal right?

You don’t eat here for the ambience – that leaves much to be desired. It’s pretty plain and simple. You walk in to see a variety of animal heads plastered all over the walls and then walk into a very non-descript dining room. You come here for the food. It gets insanely busy here (since it’s that good) so it is best to make a reservation in advance if you know you will be coming up this way.

Wine Tasting

If you’re looking for a little wine-tasting before your meal, or you want to spend a relaxing afternoon strolling around town while sipping on some wine, make sure to get yourself a Wine Tasting Passport (The passport costs $65 and is a $90 value)! Sip and savor some wine in one of the many super friendly and pet-friendly tasting rooms. With your Passport you get 9 tasting tickets, so you will get to sample a wide variety of wine from many different tasting rooms.

Carmel Belle

Once you have made it to Carmel and you’re ready to have an amazingly delicious lunch (or breakfast or dinner) then make your way over here! We joined our group here for lunch after doing a little bit of wine tasting, and it really hit the spot. From salads, soups, to sandwiches and comfort foods, you are sure to find something that will make your taste buds happy. I tried the Mozzarella and Prosciutto La Quercia Sandwich with Tomato Bisque soup, both were delicious and very satisfying. Their soups are made by scratch daily. And dessert? Carmel Belle has plenty of options to make your sweet tooth happy too. 🙂

Mozzarella and Prosciutto La Quercia Sandwich with vegetables on country toast.

Scrumptious made from scratch Tomato Bisque Soup.

An assortment of delectable desserts to choose from. I’m in heaven! 🙂

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5 Reasons to Make a Trip to Renaissance Indian Wells Resort & Spa