The Grove Park Inn

The Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC loves to have these competitions; Gingerbread Houses and Birdhouses to start. Personally I like eating in the restaurants and getting spa treatments.

So now it's time for their Eleventh Annual Decorated Birdhouse Competition and the field of creatively designed birdhouses will be on display at the resort from April 12 to May 10, 2010.

This year, competitors will vie for more than $3,000 in prizes among three major categories: Adult, Teen (ages 13-17) and Youth (ages 12 & under). New to the Decorated Birdhouse Competition this year is a category for functionality. While the contest is primarily for decorative birdhouses, additional bonus prizes will be awarded to the three highest scoring birdhouses, regardless of category, that are deemed functional by the judging panel. Contestants must describe the type of bird for which the house was constructed.

Winners will be announced on Monday, April 12 and the prizes are substantial.

Entry forms must be received by Wednesday, April 7, 2010. Forms should be sent to The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa, 290 Macon Avenue, Asheville, NC 28804, Attn: Special Events, or faxed to (828) 252-6040, Attn: Special Events. For further details and to obtain an entry form, please visit The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa website: www.groveparkinn.com and click on “Happenings” or call (828) 252-2711 Ext. 8045.

Even if you don't have a birdhouse to enter, viewing the talent and creativity is amazing, so be sure to stop in.

Happy Trails, Mary Gallagher

Great Wolf Lodge Concord, NC

Hello Friends: A neighbor woman friend and I just escaped for 36 hours to stay at the Great Wolf Lodge outside of Charlotte, NC proving that great girl getaways can be pretty simple. Although Great Wolf is billed as a family destination we left her four children at home and planned it for ourselves with a limited budget. It would be easy to leave husbands and children at Great Wolf for the day or if your "guys" were at the races (Lowe's Speedway), never leaving the Great Wolf premises with your kids for a day, part of your time there, would work too. But we enjoyed looking at other people's kids this trip as she left her four at home. Nothing like the unlimited shopping mecca of Concord, NC which like Potomac Mills, VA or Mall of America in Minnesota may be the biggest attraction in these states. This was shop till you drop time. Without encumbrances like children, spouses, or partners time is not an issue and 45 minutes in Victoria's Secret examining seamless underwear or push-up bras that magically make one at least two sizes larger was wonderful. Although we did decide the seamless items felt like they were made of balloon-like material. Great Wolf Resorts fits many situations and needs and would be wonderful for any type of multigenerational time and being here in North Carolina we saw many families that included soldiers about to be deployed overseas. Save airfare and check Great Wolf Lodge for one near you. Regards, Mary Gallagher

Volunteer Vacations

Hello Friends:
I did a segment for the CBS Morning News in Washington DC a few years ago on volunteer vacations and it was an eye opener. Mistakenly I thought "volunteer" meant one was an unpaid participant in some worthy project and your way was paid by the organization in exchange for your labors. Well there aren't any or very few that operate that way. The majority of the non-profits operating these beneficial programs require you to get yourself to the destination and pay for your food, housing and possibly more.

We've published several stories on GallaghersTravels.com from Global Volunteers team leader Francoise Yohalem as she goes about the globe involved in their projects. She was just in Vietnam and also Montana with various teams of volunteers.

I have never done a volunteer vacation although I do a lot of volunteer work in the geographic areas where I live. I think this is a wonderful cause to support but would mention that you need to thoroughly check out the organizations that seem to have the program destinations you will be the most interested in.

When my daughter was small, she loved horses and riding and one summer together with a few other little girls decided to convince us that they should go to a horse camp in South Dakota. One parent drove them and another picked them up. We didn't know all the details until they were all back safe and sound but very dirty! The bunk houses were old chicken coops, not a single fresh vegetable or fruit was served in a weeks time and sundry other horrifying issues.

All kinds of travel is broadening for anyone of any age but do make sure you get good references and check the organization thoroughly with current facts not a brochure with pictures ten years old.

Francoise is our expert and you'll enjoy reading her stories.

Happy Trails,

Mary Gallagher

The Fearrington House Country Inn and Restaurant wins Big!

Hello Friends:

You've probably heard me tell about our recent stay at the Fearrington House Country Inn in Pittsboro, NC and the delicious eating we did there. Now another well deserved accolade has been awarded as you can see by todays press release below.

So how was our visit? Let's say I would move there in an instant to be able to participate in all the activities, cooking classes, wine dinners, farmers market, tea and eat lunch every day!

If you're on a business trip to Chapel Hill and the Triangle area stay over an extra night or two and make it at the Fearrington House Country Inn. Is there a special occasion coming up like a birthday or anniversary? Make it a weekend at the Fearrington House Country Inn. Every moment will be wonderful.

Oh the breakfast selections, and the most authentic high tea...plus the accommodations are so relaxing, the shops well stocked with interesting and quality items, a little walk around the village to tell the belted animals good night before turning with a new book from McINTYRE'S FINE BOOKS, a few house made chocolate truffles and a nice bottle of wine from the Belted Goat gourmet shop. What could be greater?

We tell everyone how we loved it here and can't wait to have a reason to go back...oh heck who needs a reason.

Happy Travels,

Mary Gallagher

Pittsboro, NC - October 19, 2009 - The Fearrington House Country Inn and Restaurant was voted the 9th best small U.S. hotel by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler in its 2009 Readers' Choice Awards. The awards appear in the November issue (on news stands October 20). This year, 25,008 readers voted on more than 10,000 properties and destinations. This year's survey included a new category: Small Hotels (under 50 rooms) in the United States .

"We're thrilled the readers of Condé Nast Traveler have voted us among the very best small U.S. hotels. This new category allows smaller properties, many of which are Relais & Chateaux properties such as ourselves, to really shine," said Theresa Chiettini, General Manager of the Fearrington House Country Inn and Restaurant. "We're also pleased to share the top rankings with some other outstanding North Carolina properties. It really showcases the tourism appeal of the state." Also in the top 20: The Swag (rated #2) in Waynesville , NC , and Old Edwards Inn (#21) in Highlands , NC.

Contemporary Japanese Fashion

Hello Fellow Fashionista's:

I've just returned from previewing the new show Contemporary Japanese Fashion: The Mary Baskett Collection that opened October 17th at the Textile Museum in Washington DC. If you're interested in the creative arts of any sort this show will provide a sensual overload.

Innovative and avant-garde designs from Yohji Yamaoto, Issey Miyake and Rei Kawakubo will move you to go home and re-mix your existing and perhaps tired clothing stock into whole new ideas. I'm going to wear things inside out, cut off a few hems and wet skirts to tie into random wrinkles and folds just as a start. Re-purpose what we have!

The show runs until April 11th, 2010 and I for one, will revisit several times. The Textile Museum is located at 2320 S Street NW in the tangle of streets that make up the Kalorama neighborhood near Dupont Circle with lots of great places for lunch. Admission is free with donations cheerfully accepted.

While you're there see the accompanying exhibit Fabrics of Feathers and Steel: The Innovation of Nuno. Fabrics that integrate cutting edge technologies and unique properties like aluminum foil, steel, bamboo and bird feathers!

Another great feature of the Textile Museum is their gift shop. Well supplied with unusual items tied to the "textile" theme, this month they had a proliferation of felted items including colorful purses, slippers, scarves (or perhaps they were table runners?). The shop is one of those places I always say "oh I can do that" and of course if you've ever felted as a craft know how difficult it really is. If you have someone to buy a gift for that owns absolutely everything shop here.

The museum also has wonderful lectures and symposiums be sure to sign up for notices or check their website.

Happy Travels,

Mary Gallagher

Alive and Well at the Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa

Hello Friends:

Check out my day to day progress at the Pritikin Longevity Center and Spa in a beautiful part of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on the Health and Beauty blog.

Mary

Yes, we can travel successfully with our babies.

Dear Friends:

At last a site that helps those of us who want to travel with our babies. Now I know we all love those vacations away from all family responsibility like "Spa or NYC Shopping weekends" but most of the time and whenever possible we want to travel with our babies.

BabySafeTravel.com is your home for traveling tips, clues, advice and resources for traveling with your baby. Their list of blogs and reviews by other parents help find the most family friendly hotels. You can also buy the latest baby travel products to make your trip as easy and safe as possible.

The best way for traveling with your baby is with thorough planning and extensive knowledge on the options available for both parents and baby. Traveling as a family creates a closer bond and pulls us out of our daily routine to reconnect and remember what is really important in life—family. Remember all those Chevy Chase National Lampoon Family Travel films! Traveling with a baby presents an occasional blip in the schedule so we need to leave room for spontaneity too.

Things will not always go according to your schedule or plan whether you re traveling alone or with your baby. Your adventure will be more fun and rewarding if you can leave lots of room for spontaneity and don't be afraid to ask for help. No one can resist the big smile or teary eyes of a little child.

BabySafeTravel.com makes the planning easy and includes the following Travel Tip categories:

• Tips for Infants


• Tips for Crawlers


• Tips for Walkers


• Tips for Multiples

Mary Gallagher, the Travel Expert