Serendipity Travlers - Inspired Travel for Women

Weekend By The Sea

2012-05-15T05:26:00Z

Weekend By The Sea What's not to love about slowing down the pace of our lives... walks in gardens, sipping tea with a friend, taking time to be present in the moment and relishing the day. Life is short and traveling through it well can be a challenge. Vacations help. Taking time out just for yourself is something most of us don't do often enough. We are the nurturer's, caregivers, wives, mothers, daughters and friends. Our roles are many and hours for ourselves sometimes precious few. Just had a call from a client asking a bit more about our Weekend by The Sea - a blend of time to slow down with walks on the beach, visits to galleries, concerts, photography and lobsters if you like - a weekend just for you to celebrate where you are and where you are going.Do you need some pampering? Join us.

Bringing Your Travels Home

2012-05-02T00:14:00Z

Bringing Your Travels Home Whenever we travel, wherever we go, it is simple to bring memories back home with us. Photographs can lead the way to rekindling memories. Postcards, ticket stubs, shells, menus and more can enhance artful collages made from your trips. Keeping a travel journal is another way to relive the peoples, places, and foods experienced when traveling. Art is yet another way to remember your jaunt. Small or large, expensive or flea market, a piece of art that you incorporate into your living spaces will bring your travels home. Art that is wearable is a juicy way to remember wherever you may wander. A scarf, jewelry, shawl or jacket is all fun to wear and reminisce with when telling just where you found your wearable treasure. Artful travel begins with a handcrafted trip filled with authentic experiences creating memories. Bringing your trip home is also part of the joy of your women's travel experience.

The U.K. Cancer Garden at Chelsea

2012-04-25T03:11:00Z

The U.K. Cancer Garden at Chelseas Last year one of my favorite Chelsea Flower Show exhibits was themed Surviving ...A celebration of Life. The sponsor was Cancer Research UK. The garden was designed by Robert Myers, one of the UK's leading designers. This garden works to explore the theme of Survival as an enriching journey through life. The entrance begins with an extremely barren and spare seashore moving towards a safe, raised sheltered space "haven" where lush plantings transform the area. " The route is far from direct and involves different levels and changes of direction which represent how people might experience different routes in their experiences with cancer." Plants used along the way become more exotic. The garden was designed using plants adapted to survival. Trees were introduced further from the sparse beginnings near the rear where plants gradually work together to form a shelter. The intention is for life to become more comfortable and enriched through the process of survival. Environmental impact was considered with the use of reclaimed timbers and recycled materials. Myers is the recipient of numerous awards and has many gardens to his credit. The hopefulness expressed in his Surviving... a celebration of Life... garden was, as the Brits would say, "brilliant." I am looking forward to the 2012 Chelsea Flower Show and exhibits of this calibre which inspire and educate.

Ten Essentials for Traveling Well

2012-04-18T04:01:00Z

Ten Essentials for Traveling Well

Smiles
An Open Mind
Tolerance
Laughter
Flexibility
Mindfulness
Curiosity
Manners
Gratitude
Serendipity

Travel & Health

2012-04-11T02:17:00Z

Travel & Health Travel is one of the finest prescriptions for living healthfully. During different passages of a woman's life, travel can respond to your deepest needs in a myriad of ways. There are times when women need to reconnect, to be inspired, to celebrate, to recover from loss, to reinvent or to sort out the next step; times when you need to play, laugh and renew your spirit. Perhaps you want to move forward and jumpstart a new chapter or enhance the one you are living. Jon Kabat-Zinn is renowned for his work on mindfulness. One of his books is titled, "Wherever You Go There You Are". You take yourself with you wherever you go. Travel often alters the landscape of your heart, stirs your senses and as memories are made something happens as you step out of your routines or comfort zone into new landscapes, places, sights and sounds. Energy shifts and life unfolds in ways unimagined. Whether a hike to a pristine island waterfall, wandering amidst an English garden, shopping in Istanbul's notable bazaar, snorkeling in Dominica, watching whales in Hawaii, or walking amidst the seaside in Nova Scotia, we offer you a multitude of opportunities for travel each season to places of unparalleled beauty. Join us and experience women traveling together having fun, discovering new places, cultures and enrich your life.

Afternoon Tea

2012-04-05T03:28:00Z

Afternoon Tea
The Tea Guild has bestowed 21 Awards of Excellence in this year's Top London Afternoon Tea Awards 2012 to leading establishments in the capital. The venues achieving this coveted Tea Guild award for recognition of their consistently exceptional standards of quality and tea service are: Brown's Hotel; Claridge's; Four Seasons Hotel Park Lane; Grosvenor House Park Room & Library; Sofitel London St James; The Capital Hotel, The Chesterfield; The Connaught; The Dorchester; The Goring; The InterContinental Park Lane; The Lanesborough; The Langham; The Milestone; Hyatt Regency London The Churchill; The Montague on The Gardens; The Royal Garden Hotel; The Royal Horseguards Hotel; The Savoy; The Ritz and The Wolseley.

Afternoon tea in London at The Ritz is an institution in itself and The Ritz is a member of the Tea Council's prestigious Tea Guild. Served in the stunning Palm Court, the choice of several varieties of tea and a delicious menu combine to make a memorable late afternoon prior to the theatre.

An extensive selection of different types of loose leaf tea is offered. The traditional English Tea Menu includes freshly cut sandwiches with smoked salmon, cucumber, egg mayonnaise, roast ham and Cheddar cheese fillings. The finger sandwiches are served on a three tier stand, together with freshly baked apple and raisin scones with strawberry preserve and clotted Devonshire cream, followed by a delectable selection of afternoon tea cakes and pastries. Join us.

Travel Destinations

2012-03-28T03:42:00Z

Travel Destinations Our choices in travel destinations are as varied as we are. One woman may relish the thought of Yellowstone in winter while another wants to try snorkeling in the islands.
Throughout the year, we offer you a diverse variety of travel destinations for women wishing to experience traveling with a small group of women rather than solo. Our newest women's travel adventure is to Turkey. Please check out the itinerary if you would like to explore this fascinating land with us this autumn. If Turkey is not your cup of tea, you may find inspiration in the salty coast of Nova Scotia this summer or the untapped island of Dominca in the West Indies come winter. We offer you the ease of travel when you want to get away, change your routine or just add a touch of the extraordinary to your world. If travel is calling you, we suggest you listen to the whisper saying, "go ahead, Live Your Dreams!"

Women’s Traveler’s Tales

2012-03-10T01:20:00Z

Women's Travler's Tales A book that celebrates women's travel history is my recommendation for Women's History Month this March. The title is, Women Travelers: A Century of Trailblazing Adventures 1850-1950 including, tales of some of the greatest women adventurers ever. Savvy women from earlier years come to life in these colorful tales of crossing all five continents. Featured women include Fanny Vandegrift, the wife of R.L.Stevenson, who traveled from Indiana to Samoa and social reformer and Journalist Nellie Bly who accepted the challenge of traveling around the world in a mere 72 days. Thirty two women are highlighted in the book from fourteen countries traveling to remote jungles, deserts, mountains and icebergs. These earlier women travelers and their spirited approach to living life continue to inspire us today. The exceptional photographs enhance the traveler's tales creating a splendid read for Women's History month this March.
Alexandra Lapierre, author, has won international acclaim for her writing. Her works have been widely translated and she has received numerous awards including the Honorary Award of the Association of American University Women. She earned an MFA degree in 1981 from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Christel Mouchard, editor, is the author of many works about women explorers in her native French.

Women’s Travel

2012-03-03T17:39:00Z

Women's Travel Aloha! Recently back from the islands of Hawaii, and feeling unsettled. Home in body yet I think I left some of my heart and mind on the islands of Aloha. As I write I watch the lobsterman return from the sea and snow is falling gently. Contrasts are something I relish about traveling. From surfers to lobstermen, from coconut palms swaying to solid granite piers, from lobsters to mahi mahi, from hot cocoa to pina coladas. From the east to the west our wonderful world is filled with diverse landscapes, peoples, foods and cultures. Change is healthy and I like experiencing the changes that are born while traveling. Flip flops and boots, swimsuits and parkas. In the midst of winter sharing two places thousands of miles apart. Designing the itineraries for our tours is lots of work and plenty of fun. Lots of work and someone has to do it! I love desigining travel for women. Details, details and more details fill my notepads with resources, ideas, and plans for Serendipity Traveler's ongoing tours. Files, clippings, folders and telephone numbers to keep each tour distinctive and leading you a bit off the tourist routes. It is the keen eye recognizing the next wave when a surfer gets a grand ride and it is the same keen knowledge editing our tours. Knowing when to go, where to go and how to travel well creates a women's tour that is out of the ordinary which you can savour. If you like to travel and want to join women who enjoy the outdoors, like to discover and want a little change of pace, please join us. You may just leave a little of your heart somewhere too.

Chelsea Flower Show 2012

2012-02-11T22:31:00Z

Chelsea Flower Show 2012 Blissful Blossoms
An ode to spring in America is the lovely tradition of garden shows that sprout on the calendar from coast to coast. Perhaps one of the best known in America is The Philadelphia International Flower Show whose theme is Hawaii Islands of Aloha this year. Traveling now through the islands, I am taking photos of the blissful blossoms here. On the road to Hana, in Maui, the African Tulip Trees were lush and dripping with deep orange flowers. Wild ginger in all colors from royal red to lily white beautifies the roadways and private gardens. Bougainvillea in a riot of peach, purples and pinks cascade over volcanic stone walls. Hibiscus everywhere. In the Northeast, spring comes first with longer days and bunches of daffodils for sale in the markets. Then the snowdrops peek out and finally pansies to plant. If your interest is flowers and gardening, The Chelsea Flower Show in London, sponsored by The Royal Horticultural Society, is notably the grande dame of all flower shows. The exhibits are world class. The blossoms are luscious and there are artful displays from botanical artists and garden tools honed from Sheffield steel. Join us for our tour of English Gardens and The Chelsea Flower Show 2012 this May.

Ho’onanea

2012-02-07T07:45:00Z

Ho'onanea Aloha
Writing from the exquisite Hawaiian Islands while listening to a slack guitar CD entitled Ho'onanea. The CD leaflet describes Ho'onanea "To pass the time in ease; peace and pleasure; To relax; absorbed, contented." The Grammy award wining Hawaiian artist John Keawe continues ; " In this hectic , fast-paced world in which we live, we need to take time to reflect and absorb the everyday occurrences in our lives. Music unleashes many emotions. It is my hope that these instrumentals will provide a peaceful medium for you to relax your mind, your heart, nurture your soul and rekindle your spirit." Traveling well is similar to music in the myriad of emotions which are touched. A stellar vacation will not wear you out rushing from place to place. Traveling well will nourish you, leave you with heartfelt memories and offer you Hawaiian Ho'onanea each day.

Women’s Wellness

2012-01-23T01:00:00Z

Women's Wellness If you want to live your best life, taking a vacation can catapult you further along on your life's journey of dreams and explorations. Leaving your daily routines at home or the office and immersing yourself in places unfamiliar, yet inspirational and beautiful, will allow your mind, body and spirit to flourish in untold ways. Women today are over tasked. Stress is prevalent, disease is rampant and our inner most child is asking us to take time to play. We must create time just for ourselves in order to continue the discovery of who we are, where we are going and to discern the multiplicity of choices in front of us every morning. Play is the work of children and it is the weaver of dreams as we turn the decades of womanhood into a life of wellness and wisdom. On every trip, women travelers return home with renewed vigor, colorful memories, and frequently alter the landscape of their hearts as they move forward. Ralph Waldo Emerson tells us to "Live in the Sunshine, swim the sea and drink the wild air". Sage advice for all women's healthfulness.

Chelsea Flower Show 2012

2012-01-10T17:29:00Z

Chelsea Flower Show 2012 As the days lengthen in the northeast, my thoughts turn towards spring and the garden shows that sprinkle the world. The grand dame of flower shows is Chelsea, sponsored by The Royal Horticultural Society. Always of the highest caliber and creativity, Chelsea is a delight to experience. If you are a keen gardener or just beginning you will find inspiration and lots of knowledge throughout The Chelsea Flower Show's stunning displays. Flowers and plants are flown in from around the world to educate, inspire and provide the best in horticultural exhibits worldwide. Whether you are a backyard gardener, have an urban plot, a deck by the sea or a country cottage, you will enjoy all that is gardening at The Chelsea Flower Show in London..

Our 2012 English Garden tour visits Chelsea on member's day which begins the summer social calendar in Britain for many. You can wander the exhibits at your leisure amidst the bustle, sip some Pimms, perhaps buy your sweet pea seeds or others, talk to the experts at the David Austin Roses exhibit or wander through the botanical art and meet the artists who are emerging and internationally recognized. Whatever your wish, your day at The Chelsea Flower Show is one of pure garden pleasure.

Women’s Travel 2012

2012-01-06T03:19:00Z

Women's Travel 2012

Taking time just for you. That is what a women only tour is all about. Imagine going to a place you have dreamed of with all the details handled for your comfort and enjoyment. The excitement, fun and memories you create on each journey will endure. You will be connecting with women who, like you, appreciate traveling to explore new places, meet new people and experience traveling with all of your senses. Discover the tastes of a new culinary adventure, the sights of remarkable destinations, the music, art and culture that differentiate each locale. Opportunities on each tour to meet locals; sometimes wandering through their personal garden, other times visiting their artisan studio or cooking with them or sharing women’s travel tales together. Our women’s travel tours go beyond the ordinary to the extraordinary. Join us to travel with like minded travelers who, like yourself, want to make this world a little bit better; who cherish their families, support their friends, and have yearn to travel a bit more now. Taking a vacation is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Travel in 2012 and add more colorful memories to your life’s story this year.

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-01T20:10:00Z

Happy New Year 2012 Thoreau offers sage wisdom as we begin another year..."What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us". Whatever you choose to dream and do in 2012, may your days enrich, inspire and nourish yourself and the world around you. Happy New Year.