St. Paul

Afternoon Tea at Fortnum & Mason

An experience in London would not be complete without taking the time to sit and enjoy afternoon tea at Fortnum and Mason in the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon.

For a great date while touring London, take the time to stop in at one of the most famous food emporiums in London, Fortnum and Mason. Fortnum and Mason has been around, selling and sourcing tea for 300 years and is now one of London’s most famous and elegant shops.

Sit down, and enjoy a delicious afternoon tea, complete with the most extravagant finger sandwiches, scones, cakes and fancies.

Tea time at Fortnum and Mason is guaranteed to give you the full and quintessentially English experience, so don’t miss out!

Relationship Tip: Take time out of your busy schedules and plans to sit and enjoy quality time together.

Image Source and my own personal photos.

London Sky Garden

When in London, visit one of London’s best kept secrets!

The Sky Garden is known as “London’s Highest Public Garden”. It’s the perfect date location for a couple on vacation in London. Not only will you find some of the greatest views of London that can be found, you can enjoy dinner, brunch, drinks, live music, early morning yoga, or even more drinks, all with a view!

Take a seat and enjoy a romantic meal as you watch the sun set on the most gorgeous view of London. 

Or start your morning right and get a little yoga in before you both spend the day touring this enchanting city. After you’ve relaxed with yoga, take a seat and enjoy breakfast or brunch.

How about drinks and live music? Can you imagine a cooler atmosphere than the top of a skyscraper overlooking the city of London? You can dance the night away, on top of the world!

Whatever you do at the Sky Garden, you will have the time of your life and make great memories together from your time in London, my husband and I did!

One of the best things about this place is it is free to visit. All you have to do is book ahead!

The Sky Garden is open from 10am to 6am, Monday - Friday and 11am to 9pm on weekends. Go take your spouse on a great date and enjoy fantastic views like these:

*All photos were found on the Sky Garden website, except for my three that are my personal photos.

Relationship Tip: Don’t forget to go on dates, even when you are on vacation! If you spend all of your time touring in a city, you might as well spend some of that touring time strengthening your relationship.

Vacationing on a Budget: Berlin, Germany

During the many years we’ve been married, there have been a lot of sacrifices we’ve had to make for our family. We don’t drive expensive cars.  We are more likely to eat at home than take our family out to dinner.  We often shop at discounts stores.  We hardly ever took vacations because they always seemed so expensive and there was always a “Next Emergency” to save for such as doctor bills, car repairs, or braces. I have never regretted these decisions.  As our children grew older, we were determined to find ways to take vacations without taking out another mortgage.  Our first attempt came a few years ago when we decided to take the family on vacation to California and specifically Disneyland. We saved for two full years, taking money out of every paycheck and putting it into a special savings account just for vacations. Every week we marked off the amount we had placed in savings on a chart we created with our children. We cut costs on the trip by staying with family, paying for a few favorite activities, and then filling in the rest of the days with free trips to the beach and historical sites. We made our own meals, eating out only one meal per day.  Best of all, we all had a fabulous time.

With this success behind us, we started looking for an opportunity for my husband Mark and I to vacation together. We started saving again, but we knew this would have to be a shorter trip due to needing to get back to our family.  Like our family’s vacation, we knew the most economical way to vacation would be to find a way to have some of our costs covered.  Our first opportunity for a 

couple’s vacation came when Mark was asked to take a business trip to Berlin, Germany.

Business Trips or Vacation: Mark’s company was hosting a five day conference in Berlin.  Business trips are a great way for couples to have a little time together at a discounted price. In our case, Mark’s plane ticket, hotel and meals were covered for the time he was there. With frequent flyer miles, I was able to join him for a small fee. Our breakfast was provided by the hotel, which only left lunch and dinner costs for me.

Unlike most vacations, I did not conduct a lot of research before arriving in the city. Therefore we sought the advice of our cab driver and hotel staff for our first excursion. We quickly learned we were located within walking distance of several historical sites. On our first day we walked to “Check Point Charlie” (the check point between the Russian and American occupied parts of Berlin).  We discovered remnants of the Berlin wall and explored museums.  We walked along the River Havel and across the bridge where lovers had placed locks to symbolizing their immovable love for each other.

On day two Mark and I set out early. His conference started that evening, so we waited in line for tickets to take the tour to the top of the Parliament building.  We also took a guided tour of a museum and enjoyed delicious food.

Over the next few days Mark was in meetings, so I was free to play tourist. I signed up for two days of bus tours, which allowed me to travel around the city and exit the tour bus when I saw something that interested me.

In the evenings Mark and I would meet up for dinner. I would tell him about what I had discovered and he would talk to me about the people he met from around the world that were also attending the conference. We would make plans for what we wanted to see together and share our adventurous hearts with one another.

One of my favorite spots was a huge courtyard on Museum Island. I had discovered it while traveling around the city on a bus tour. The next day I stopped there and enjoyed a book at a little café while sipping a cup of cocoa. It was an ideal moment and I longed to bring Mark back there.  On the following day we set out as soon as Mark was free and enjoyed a good walk to the courtyard. Along the way I pointed out some of the places and history I had learned on my tours. We even stopped at a Ritter Sport Chocolate Bar Factory and made custom chocolates to bring back to our children. When we finally made it to my courtyard I was able to show Mark its beauty.

  

Berlin is truly one of the most beautiful cities I have ever enjoyed. The people, food and history were astounding. Mark and I were moved by the raw, honest emotion of the Holocaust sites and then blown away by the beauty of the gardens, buildings and kindness of the people. 

  

Our journey was filled with wonder and our love and appreciation for these people was heightened. We created a shared history that united us and had many moments to recall with enthusiasm and joy. We took a piece of Berlin home with us and life in Texas has never been better.

Cost Cutting Ideas: Whether your vacation is across the Atlantic or a few miles up the road, here are 10 things you can do to help have a great time without breaking the bank.

1. Set a budget for your trip and stick to it. This will help you decide if that exhibit or souvenir is worth the cost or if you should just take a photo and keep looking.

2. If you travel overseas, know the exchange rates and what your bank charges for ATM fees.  We purchased a prepaid credit card with we loaded each with the allotted funds for the day.

3. Turn a business trip into a vacation by adding a day or two. We had one day before and after the conference. Catching the first flight in and the last flight out can help pad some extra tourist time.  On our last day, I showed Mark all my favorite spots and we explored the Jewish Holocaust Museum.

4. Eat free breakfast provided at your hotel. If breakfast is not included, consider eating at a small café or picking up something at a grocery store.  Every meal you fix yourself is a win for keeping costs down.

5. Enjoy small cafes or sandwich shops rather than big expensive restaurants. I discovered the best Kebab shop right around the corner from our hotel and it became my favorite lunch while in Berlin. 

6. Ask the hotel for discounts or coupons for local tours and attractions. I received a voucher for two days for the price of one on my bus tour. The tour came with either a guide who spoke English or a headset that talked about all the historical sites we were near.

7. Walk.  Our hotel offered a map of the surrounding area. It was also located in a central location to many historical sites. We were able to walk to most of the sites we wanted to see.  It was great exercise and we weren’t rushed to catch a bus or struggling to find a taxi.  

8. Enjoy parks, free exhibits, and architecture.  Look for non-tourist sites and ask locals what they like to do. I made friends with one of my guides and even a Taxi driver.  They were full of helpful information.

9. Bring a water bottle with you. Drinks are expensive!  Having a water bottle helps give keep you moving without having to fork out 3 Euros every other stop.

10. If you have children, ask a grandparent or close friend to stay at your place. This way kids can stay on track and you can save the cost of a sitter.

Happy traveling!

Friday Night Date Night

With five children it often feels daunting to steal even a few minutes with my husband; finding two hours for a date night often seems impossible. Sometimes it even feels a little extravagant. When so many people and things need our attention, is it really fair to leave the house for just us two?

Yet, there is something special about sitting across the table from the person you love and talking only to them, hearing about their week, and laughing together about funny stories from work or home. In those moments, your hands naturally find each other and you remember this is how you always dreamed marriage would be. You are friends, partners, and lovers. 

Perhaps you decide to take a stroll after dinner, holding each other’s hands just a little longer. Maybe it’s while you’re walking together that you begin to open up about your dreams or your fears for the future. There might be excitement, tears, or perhaps both, but the two of you feel safe and connected.

After years of making excuses about why we couldn’t go on date nights, I finally understand. It’s about the connection. This time nurtures the relationship and strengthens your connection. This investment of time says “You are important to me.”

So on a Friday night when others might be organizing a girls’ night or our teens are requesting a ride to hang out with friends, we choose to put our relationship first. We can be found at one of our favorite local spots, holding hands and sharing precious time together. 

Photo credit

Anniversary Inn

If you haven’t been to the Anniversary Inn for a getaway, then you are missing out! There are 3 locations in Utah, which are Logan, and 2 in the Salt Lake valley. There is one location in Boise, Idaho. The Anniversary Inn is the ideal place to celebrate your honeymoon, anniversary, or even just to have some quiet and alone time with your sweetie.  It's a total escape to other countries or your imagination! Plan a little adventure, in the Mysteries of Egypt Suite or the Arabian Night's Suite. Sleep in a treehouse in the Swiss Family Robinson Suite or watch a movie on the big screen while lounging in the back of a pick-up truck in Rich's Drive-In. Want a little romance? Pamper your beloved in the two story Juliet's Balcony or Romeo and Juliet's suites. Sweep your sweetheart off their feet in Sleeping Beauty's castle or Aphrodite's Court. These are just to name a few rooms that are available at the Anniversary Inn. Something to consider, each location does have similar rooms, however, they also have different rooms as well.

The prices vary depending on the room that you reserve. The Ruby Suites are $169 per night. The Emerald Suites are $219 per night. The Diamond Suites are $269 per night. During the week, the rooms are $20 less. They have a Romantic Rewards loyalty program, as well as running promotions throughout the year. They even will text you deals when they become available.

To make your stay even a little bit more special, they have a gift shop where you can order little extras for your stay. They have items such as champagne flutes adorned with the Anniversary Inn logo. You can even have them filled with chocolate Hershey Kisses. Speaking of chocolate, you can order a box of gourmet chocolate, chocolate covered strawberries or pretzels. If you want things that smell scrumptious, they have candles, essential oils, and bubble bath bombs. They also have a variety of gift packages, including a couple’s massage. 

If you like blogs, they have that, too! They have a blog that talks about a different room with pictures. It gives you a good idea about what each themed room looks like and its amenities. 

The Anniversary Inn has been awarded with many awards for their business. 

If interested in this destination for a getaway, please call 1-800-324-4152. You won’t regret it!

Date Night in a Box Series #1 Unbox Love

Are you ever too busy to go on a date or even plan a date? It seems like we all have become so busy that sometimes we simply forget or don't have time to plan! Well, there are some great companies out there that are willing to do 100% of the work for you! They are Date Night Subscriptions where every month they send you a dat in a box and you take part and have fun with your spouse! We are going to run a series on some of the Date Night Subscriptions and give our honest opinion on just how well we think it works and if we felt like it was worth the month that they charge!

Up First! Unbox Love My husband and I received the November box from this great company to try out! It came at a perfect time because I had just found out I was pregnant and was suffering from terrible morning sickness and did not feel like going out and spent many days in bed.
I opened the box prior to Ty coming home from work. I love that they provided me with Time Saving Tips and a recipe to try! Along with that, Unbox Love sent directions on just how to go about our date with 4 simple steps. They sent for His Eyes Only and Her Eyes only Cards as well, which you will use during the date on the Appreciation step!

It asked us to "pop" our snack and while we did this appreciate one another with various things that it told us to do in the directions. After this. we got to get competitive, who doesn't love a little competition? They sent us Tummple Time A challenging twist on Jenga. And Yes, we did have a little side competition going and I won! They encourage you to share using #unboxlove! After the game they give some wrapping up ideas.
Overall, we really loved our Unbox Love Date Box. It was so nice that everything was planned out for us and gave us ways to connect as well as ways to have some friendly competition. If you are a busy couple who needs a pre planned at home date this is a good company to go through.

There are three subscription options: Month to month, 3 months, or 6 months. The prices vary depending on which package you choose. from $39.00 to $34.00. You can also gift these boxes, but that does cost a little bit more. For the pricing click here! Shipping is free and arrives right on your door step and is all ready to go! I would recommend this Date Night Subscription Box to others based on the box we received for November!

Be sure to follow Unbox Love on Twitter! #UnboxLove


*These opinions gave are the honest opinions of Date Night Rewards. We were in no way paid for our opinion. We did receive a complimentary box to try and and review.