Categories
Travel

Mykonos Travel Guide

+LETS TRAVEL!!

-I’m BACK!! After a LONG hiatus and surviving the pandemic, I returned to traveling this summer and honestly had one of the best summers of my life!!! I returned to Greece, a country I thought I would never visit again(so many tourist the first time around), and had the best time exploring the little streets of Mykonos. With few tourists this was a tour of Greece completely different from my previous visit. I was able to explore the beautiful streets nearly empty, enjoy the sunsets from the best locations and partake in the endless fun Mykonos is known for.

If your looking for a beautiful island, with great food, and great vibes, Mykonos should definitely be on your bucket list and here are some tips to help you plan your Grecian getaway!!

+GETTING TO MYKONOS

-Mykonos is located 100 miles from Athens, Greece in the Aegean Sea. It is one of 277 Greek Islands and is known for its music, good energy and fun atmosphere. When planning on visiting the island you have several options from Athens to Mykonos.

  • Air-Flying out of Athens International Airport is the most economical and one of the quickest direct flight from the US. From there you can book a round trip flight on one of several airlines such as Aegean Air, Olympic, and Skyexpress. A quick 45-60 minute flight and you’ll be hopping off in paradise.
  • Ferry-There are also ferries in and out of Athens daily to many Greek Islands. You can book you ferry tickets daily, although it is a good idea to book in advance, using Ferry Hopper. https://www.ferryhopper.com/en/ferry-routes/direct/piraeus-athens-to-mykonos

+THINGS TO DO/SEE IN MYKONOS

KATO MILI WINDMILLS 

The island’s iconic windmills are a short walk from the Little Venice waterfront. There are a few windmills throughout the town, but these are the most popular, especially during cruise ship season, so I’d make this the first stop of the day. There are also many water front bars and restaurants near the Kato Mili Windmills to sit and enjoy the sunset,.

LITTLE VENICE WATERFRONT

The dreamiest tiny streets wind throughout this area known as little Venice. This is a great place to visit during the day, shop, enjoy good food, catch the sunset, have a drink, or stay out at night. 

NEGRITA BAR

A cute and fun bar in Little Venice with charm and sea views. A good time day or night.

PARADISE BEACH

Paradise Beach is a popular spot to enjoy the beach and enjoy good music. You will definitely find the party here. It’s located in South Mykonos, and the pretty turquoise waters attract a lot of tourists during high season. 

180 SUNSET BAR

Located in Mykonos Town 180 Sunset Bar is a bit of hike or a quick uber trip from the town and has one of the prettiest views in the city. It is a great place to dine and catch the sunset.

SCORPIOS MYKONOS

Chic, vibrant and always fun of entertainment. Scorpios is another beachfront beach party/restaurant to visit on the island. Also, located in South Mykonos, this is a spot you will definitely need reservations for and I recommend booking in advance.

+WHERE TO STAY IN MYKONOS

-Mykonos offers a variety of places to stay while you visit. As with any vacation, you will have to decide what kind of stay best fits the experience you are trying to have. There are hotels from every price range and many gorgeous Airbnb’s throughout the island. Airbnb’s can run anywhere from $100-$1000+/night and will depend on what you are looking for and what amenities are include. You can find beautiful, reasonable rentals throughout the island and will most likely need some sort of transportation, or plan on using a ride share service to get around.

Pro tip: Renting an Airbnb with a pool is worth it!!!!

+TRANSPORTATION WHILE IN MYKONOS

-Although Mykonos is a small island you will have to plan for transportation while you are there. The most common, easiest, and most efficient way to get around the island is by ATV (All Terrain Vehicle.)

-ATV’s and cars are available to rent throughout the island, however, any US citizens must have a drivers license from United States and an international driver’s permit (IDP) issued by American Automobile Association (AAA) OR the American Automobile Touring Alliance to drive or rent a car in Greece. This is something you will need to take care of before hand, and only takes a few minutes, but is necessary in order to rent any type of vehicle on Mykonos Island. If you are not able to get an international drivers license you can get around using several ride share companies on the island.

+MYKONOS TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS

-Currently the country of Greece requires all travelers to show proof of vaccination or a NEGATIVE COVID TEST, 72 hours before arrival. All passenger must complete an electronic PLF(Passenger Locator Form) and all information must be uploaded to https://travel.gov.gr/#/ before departure in order to receive QR code upon arrival in Greece.

-All US citizens, regardless of vaccination status will have to proof of NEGATIVE PRC COVID TEST 72 hours before arrival. All information must be uploaded to https://myverifly.com/#/ app before departure.

+MYKONOS EXPERIENCE

-The Mykonos experience is something you will often hear travel goers talk about long after they have returned, but I recommend experiencing it for yourself! It’s an island full of fun, beauty, and amazing vibes. Definitely, the funniest Greek island I have visited so far. I hope these tips help you when planning your Grecian getaway!!

Categories
Food

Perfect Strawberry Bundt Cake

Happy Valentine’s Day, Everyone! Today, I am sharing an easy, quick, Strawberry Bundt Cake I love making when I want a pretty cake, but don’t want to spend to much time baking and decorating. It a great cake if you’re feeling festive on Valentines day, hanging out with your girlfriends or for any get together you can think of. Easy and pretty. Hope you all enjoy!

Cake Ingredients

  • 1 white cake mix (I use Duncan Hines)
  • 3 TBS flour
  • 1 small box strawberry Jello (DO NOT use sugar free)
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup frozen sliced strawberries with juice 
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Strawberry Glaze 

  • 1.5 cups powdered sugar 
  • 3 TBS of the frozen crushed strawberry juice
  • 2 TBS melted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. In your mixing bowl, whisk together the cake mix, flour, and jello to combine dry ingredients.  
  3. With mixer on low, pour in the oil, water, and strawberries with juice.
  4. Add eggs and vanilla 
  5. Increase mixer speed to medium/high and beat for 2 minutes 
  6. Pour into heavily greased bundt pan and bake for 37-40 minutes. (Insert a toothpick in the middle of the cake, if the toothpick comes out clean, without any batter on it your cake is done). 
  7. Allow cake to cool for 10 minutes, then invert pan onto a cake plate. 
  8. Whisk together all ingredients for the glaze, drizzle over almost cooled cake
Strawberry Bundt Cake

Hope you all enjoy this recipe, and enjoy today, however you choose to spend it! Until next time!

Categories
Travel

The Santa Fe Experience-Hotel Santa Fe Review

Hi, Everyone!  January was a busy month, and I like so many people who thought the month drug on, I thought it went by super quick and was excited to attend my first retreat of the year and enjoyed a stay-cation at Hotel Santa Fe in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

+Getting to Hotel Santa Fe– Santa Fe, New mexico, located about an hour north of Albuquerque is very easy to get to and located just a five minute drive from Santa Fe Plaza. Definitely, a must see when visiting Santa Fe. The hotel also provides shuttles and has the cutest London looking cabs to take you to and from the hotel to the plaza, which came in handy on my snowy day visit.

+About Hotel Santa Fe-Hotel Santa Fe is the only Native American owned hotel in Santa Fe. The property is beautiful and WELCOMING, with an exquisite multi MILLION-DOLLAR Native american art collection throughout the hotel and property. You can spend time sitting my the cozy, enjoying a cocktail or two at the bar, eating at Amaya restaurant located onsite, or taking a dip in the pool or hot tub.

+Rooms at hotel Santa Fe- my room at  Hotel Santa Fe was a two room suite with a sitting area which opened up to a private balcony. Let me tell you, this was such a treat with the blanket of snow outside. You have several options to choose from when staying at Hotel Santa Fe, hotel Santa itself and the hacienda at Hotel Santa Fe, which come with your own private butler. All rooms are newly remodeled and start at $150/night. I also must add the hotel is pet friendly and you are welcomed to bring your pets along with you to enjoy the stay! This makes life so easy if you often have to take your furry friend with you.

+Food-As mentioned earlier, Hotel Santa Fe has an amazing restaurant located onsite, Amaya. We had the pleasure of dinning at Amaya during our stay. The food was outstanding!! Mixing Northern New Mexican and Native pueblo cuisines. It was one of the best meals I have had in a while. You do not have to stay at the hotel to eat Amaya and can make reservations online or by calling Hotel Santa Fe, however, you will not be disappointed in your stay or meal. The hotel also provides room service, breakfast in the lobby in the morning and complimentary coffee and tea on every floor each morning. Perfect for sipping out on your balcony early in the morning.

If you are looking for a cozy hotel in the Santa Fe area when in town or looking for a place for a great stay-cation, Hotel Santa Fe is a great choice. From now until April of 2020 you can use the code SFExperience for 20% off your Stay at Hotel Santa Fe.

Hope you all stay and enjoy!!

THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY HOTEL Santa Fe, ALL VIEWS AND OPINIONS EXPRESSED are those of charming jay blog.

Categories
Travel

The Ultimate Park City Travel Guide

Hi, everyone, I’m back and if you read my last blog post you might remember my trip to Park City, Utah, I mentioned to you all in my 2020 Planning Blog. My very first trip of 2020, and my first time skiing this season. Park City did not disappoint. It truly felt like a winter wonderland. It snowed on and off each day but the sun came out for a perfect day on the slopes. If you are looking for a true winter escape, whether you ski/board or not, Park City is definitely a place for you to check out.

+ Getting to Park City-Park City is located about 45 minutes away from Salt Lake City, Utah. If you are flying into Salt Lake there are a few options to get to Park City. There are several shuttles you can book to transport you, they are located in the baggage pick up area and can be arranged ahead of time. You can also take an Uber or Lyft and depending on the time of day will run you anywhere from $40-$60. There are also car rental places and depending on what you plan on doing when you get to Park City this may be a good option for you. When in Park City you can use the city shuttle or trolley for free from one side of Main Street to the other. This is super convenient, especially if you make into town and don’t get back to the lifts before they close.

+Things to do in Park City- If you are thinking about visiting Park City, like most people you are probably looking to hit the slopes, but if skiing/boarding is not for you there are many other things to do and enjoy in the town itself.

+Skiing/Boarding– If you are looking into hitting the mountain you can purchase your lift ticket in advance at Park City Mountain for a cheaper price than on the mountain. Park City Resort is a large mountain and regardless of your level of expertise there are runs for everyone. Being the largest ski resort in the US if you want to ski/board the entire mountain you will need more than one day to really be able to hit all sides of the mountain. It is definitely beautiful and most certainly worth it. There are also several places to rent equipment if you will not be taking your own. We opted to use a ski valet company. They get your information before hand and then literally take and pick up the equipment for you. It was so easy I highly recommend using this service if you will be in need of renting equipment and if you do not have a vehicle during your stay.

+Thinking to do in town- Park City is a such a cute, trendy town. There is plenty to see and do in town without skiing/boarding. Downtown Park City has both local and commercial shops and many places to eat and drink. If you like shopping there is plenty of it downtown. If you are more of a foodie, make sure to check out the High West Distillery and Saloon, you can even ski in and ski out if you are on slopes for the day. You can also search for original Banksy artwork, which isn’t very hard to find, right off Main Street, if you are interested. One thing I was not able to do but will definitely check it out next time is Olympic Park. I hear it is super cool.

+Where to stay in Park City- Park City like any ski resort city has major hotels located relatively close to the ski resort. There are also many Airbnb options, some closer than others to the resort. During our stay we wanted to be as close to the mountain as possible to be able to walk over to the resort and hit the slopes. Park City Silver Star Retreat is a lodging resort with the ski mountain as it’s back yard. Our condo was beautiful and was just a 2-3 minute walk to the nearest ski lift. It was awesome!

Park City was such a surprise and a beautiful town, I really would like to go back again. I loved all the snow and vibe of the town. If you are considering a ski trip or just going for fun you will not be disappointed. I can only imagine how beautiful it is during the spring and summer. Add Park City to your list of ski towns to visit!!

Categories
Blog

Following Up On Healthy Habits||Planning To Achieve in 2020

Happy New Year, Everyone! Yes, I know we are three weeks into the new year, but 2020 rolled in and just got started. Seriously! I’ve already gone on my first out of town trip for the year< Park City, look out for my blog post coming soon.Had a mini staycation in Santa Fe over the weekend and have been super busy with work and business. It’s been a good start to the year but with less time to sit down and do the things I usually do at the beginning of each year. Usually, I start my new year writing down my goals and resolution for the year, but this year I just haven’t gotten to it. So here we go! A review of what I hoped to accomplish in 2019. What worked out and what didn’t, and what I’m hoping to accomplish in 2020. My motto for 2020 is “Finishing What I Started,” and finishing up the many things I started in 2019.

I hit the ground running in 2019, ready to accomplish so many things, especially with my blog, but in every day life as well.  2019 was a great year for travel. With the best of intentions, February came, and my plan was completely derailed. So many things happened during the month of February I really felt like I had the wind knocked out of my sails and I lost momentum. Even my blog stats show February and March being my lowest numbers of the year. Little by little I got back on track and was able to accomplish many of the things I set out to at the beginning of the year but I wasn’t sad to see 2019 go and I’m hoping 2020 brings lots of good things my way. 

+Blogging– Below are my 2019 blog goals and in italics is what actually happened and whether they were accomplish or not.

  • Sharing more about myself, making sure my blog is more personal and really shows you all who I am. (I really worked on this over 2019, on my blog, but a lot through social media. I still struggle with sharing too much of myself and talking on camera, but will definitely be adding some this to my goals for 2020.)
  • Consistent posting. Aiming for 2 posts each week. (Yikes, I mean, I had really great intentions but this just did not happen. On average I shared a blog post 1x-2x each month. This is something I really need to focus on for 2020 to get my blog views and blog income where I would like it to be.)
  • She’s Such a Jam Monthly Roundup. (I still think this is a good idea but it is something I just never got started. I was hoping to start a monthly catch up to share more about me and my day to day life with you all, but like I said, didn’t happen. Hey, you never know, maybe this month you’ll see the first installment of She’s Such a Jam!)
  • Increase WordPress followers. (Yay, finally something that I did accomplish to a point. My WordPress followers increased over the year. I actually saw how many followers I had the other day and was a little surprised because I remember when I had like five WordPress followers. This will be something I continue to work on over 2020.)
  • Monthly newsletter and email list. (Okay, can we say no, again! I didn’t do this, but the more I talk to other bloggers both of these ideas are important in growing your blog, so I have to get on it in 2020.)
  • Increase social media following. (This one is another yes. At the beginning of 2019 I started an Instagram and Facebook page for Charming Jay and have been pretty successful and growing my following.)
  • Upgrading my blogging equipment(camera, computer, editing programs.) (Another definite yes! New camera, computer, photo editing programs all came in 2019 and helped me produced better content for sure.)

+Blogging Goals 2020

  • Increase WordPress followers.
  • Blog post at least 2 times each month.
  • Increase monthly blog views.
  • Add ads to blog.
  • Increase blog income.
  • Start email list.
  • 10k Instagram followers.
  • Step my Pinterest game up! 800k-1 million views per month.
  • Photography class.

+ Health & Fitness-2019– I started working on my health & fitness, again. I had my ups and downs but was able to finish the year with progress made and fitting into my skiing pants, which I tried on last year and did not fit me and were the number one reason I decided I need to get back to work on my fitness. My goal in 2020 is really to finish what I started! No more really good months and then falling off. Just consistently eating well, working out and meeting goals.

  • Get back to activities I love (Dancefit/yoga) at least 3x/week. (Yes, to all of this. I danced my way through 2019, especially the difficult months. I even got back to lifiting weights in the gym which is something my body needs and had been missing.)
  • Start 20 minute Beachbody program. (Finally!! I had been wanting to try Beachbody for a while and 2019 I made it happen. I did the workouts consistently for a few months but then started going to the gym more and haven’t logged on for a while.)
  • Workout before work at least 2x/week. (Okay, no to this one, this never happened and I’m not surprised. I already wake up at 5:30 am to get ready for work, so getting up at 5 or 4:45 is something I just couldn’t make happen and I’m okay with that.)
  • Weekly meal prep. (I did lots of meal prepping in 2019. Meal prepping really helped me hit some goals and I’m hoping to get back on it and really get to my goal weight and strength goals in the next few months.)

+Health & Fitness Goals-2020

  • Dance 2x/week
  • Weights 2-3x/week
  • Yoga 1x/week
  • Increase amount of weight I can lift and gain more muscle.
  • Consistent meal prepping.
  • Goal weight by May!

+Lifestyle & Travel-I always put lots of work into my daily life, working on projects, planning trips, scheduling time with family and friends. This is the fun stuff for me and usually happens without much thought, but I still always like to write down my hopeful plans and ideas to see what comes to happen each year.

  • More time with family, especially my mom. (Did a lot of this but always want to spend more time and cherish my mom.)
  • Visit 1 new country. (Beilze & Guatemala)
  • Visit/Sleep in one new state (USA.) (Sure did! Washington.)
  • Explore a new place in my own state (New Mexico.) (I feel like I am always doing this, but yes, check out new hot springs over the year, new restaurants and coffee shops in my own city and always hope to keep doing this.)
  • Girls trip! (Yes, went on several girls trips over the year and loved every one!)
  • One great concert. (So much yes! Maluma, Post Malone, Khalid, Kacey Musgraves.)
  • Finish upstairs loft. (Did this and I love my loft it’s where I literally spend most of my time when I’m home now.)
  • Outdoor patio completed. (90% completed this goal. Just need a few landscaping touches in the backyard and I’m all done with the backyard/patio area.)
  • House paint update. (Did this and am so glad I did. Paint made such a difference and gave downstairs a much needed update.)
  • Less spending more saving. (Okay, well, not so much. I traveled a lot, worked on my house and didn’t do as much saving as I should have.

+Travel & Lifestyle 2020

  • Spending as much time with my mom as possible, calling her more.
  • Spending time with my girlfriends, nurturing my relationships with the people who are in my life year to year.
  • Visit 2 new counties.
  • Sleep in one new US state.
  • One great concert.
  • Kitchen update.
  • De-clutter, get rid of excesses cosmetics, clothes, electronics, etc.
  • Paint upstairs loft.
  • Finish backyard(Gravel, new flower bed, plant vines.)
  • One project at the ranch(road, demo, something!)
  • Save money. For real this time.

Well, there you have it! My 2020 goals! I’d love to hear what you all are hoping to accomplish over the year, and remember, even when things do not work out as planned, you can still recover and accomplish the things you set out to. 

Categories
Travel

48 Hours in Milan

Happy Holidays Everyone! I love this time of year. I love the cold weather, the Christmas lights. Everything Christmas and festive, count me in! This was one of my favorite blog posts to write and share with you all because nothing compares to Christmas time in Europe and spending the holiday in Milan was over the top amazing! Just thinking about this amazing city gets me excited and I hope you all find it helpful on your travels.

If you have ever wondered if traveling Italy during the holidays or during December is a good idea, trust me, you will not be disappointed! Yes, the weather is colder and you will definitely need sweaters, a nice warm winter jacket, gloves, scarves and hats will come in handy, but for the most part the weather during the day is a mild cold. It does snow in Italy, so packing with that in mind is best, but for the most part the weather is nice enough for sightseeing and exploring.

 Another great perk of traveling during the winter is the lines and amount of tourists out and about. Yes, there are still tourists and lines, but for the most part there shorter lines and less tourists than the hot summer months. Milan is a very busy city and you can expect the attractions to have many tourists anytime day or time of year. With that said, it is still very possible to spend Christmas or New Year’s in the city and fully enjoy yourself!

+Getting to Milan-

There are several different ways to get to Milan. With a large international airport, you can fly in at most any time of the day. However, depending on what your itinerary is when traveling Italy, using the train system is an easy and affordable way to get around, moving from city to city. A train ride from Rome or Venice to Milan is a little under 3 hours, and gives you a chance to see the countryside and much of the Roman landscape not just the most popular cities. While in Milan, you can use a ride share service or the public transportation, which is very good in Milan. 

+Where to stay in Milan-

Milan is a large city with most every hotel chain you can think of. Depending on the attractions or area of town you are most interested in exploring you can find a hotel close to anywhere you would like to stay. Airbnb is great, and in my opinion, the best option. I stayed in the an amazing Airbnb, right around the corner from the Duomo di Milano. It was close to every the attraction, great restaurants and shopping. It was also amazing to walk out on New Year’s Eve and be surrounded by the magic of the Duomo and the night.

+Attractions in Milan-

  • The Duomo di Milano or Milan Cathedral is one of the largest cathedrals in Europe. Honestly, the most beautiful cathedral I have ever seen. It’s magical.
  • The Last Supper portrait, located inside the Duomo. You can buy tickets to tour the Duomo online and in advance which I recommend. Especially, if you are traveling during a holiday like Christmas or New Years.
  • Galleria Vittorio Emmanuelle. If you love shopping this is the place and Milan to shop. If you don’t, the building itself is beautiful and worth seeing. It is located right next to the Duomo di Milano so you can easily see both, one right after the other.
  • Castello Sforzesco. Built in the 15th century, now a museum and houses many art collections.
  • Arco della Pace – The Arch of Peace, a dedicated to the battles of Napoleon. It’s beautiful, like everything else in Milan and worth seeing if you are in the city.
  • Navigli District- Along the canal, has lots of shops, bars and art galleries. It’s a charming district and a great part of the city.

Milan is one of the most amazing cities I have ever visited and I hope you if you ever have a chance to visit the great city of Milan during the holiday season this travel guide helps you plan your travels!