Hot for Summer – Travel, Chocolate Bark & Portable Wine! Fun with Momtrends 

The Mint Chip Mama learning about summer travel & enjoying the world with Momtrends #MomtrendsTravel!

Travel is my passion, so when Momtrends invited me to their Travel Trends 2015 event at We Work I was so excited. It was great learning about products created with the idea of ease – whether you are traveling to the other side of the world for your summer travel or down the street to a restaurant.

The Power of Travel

I loved how Nicole Feliciano opened the night, holding up her (then) baby daughter’s passport & telling us that just having a passport gives us the power of travel. What a true statement. So simple yet so true. It’s kind of sexy to think if a handsome masked stranger rang your bell, swept you off your feet, and whisked you away to JFK – you could get on the plane…

I also loved Nicole’s advice to live smaller so you can travel around the world and to find stuff to do once there that’s out of your comfort zone. Some of my best travel experiences were by chance or something that wouldn’t have happened if I just followed the tour book.

New York Family

We were also lucky to have Eric Messinger from New York Family talk to us about the two new indoor water parks opening in the Poconos, the huge National Park push for the summer (check out #findyourpark), the increasing popularity of multi-generational travel (especially if Grandma & Grandpa foot the bill!), and the growing desire to reconnect with long lost family members.

This is something we are very interested in at my house. My husband has done tons of research on sites like ancestry.com and we love the show Who Do You Think You Are (especially when the celebrity gets to trace their roots back to a cool country they never knew was part of their history). If genealogy interests you too, check out the Global Family Reunion June 6th at the New York Hall of Science.

I also loved hearing that all of us bloggers think parents want to read about parent stuff but they – and let’s be honest, us too – really want to read about travel! Sitting there I smiled at this as I thought of my 20 year old self, Eagle Creek backpack on (which I have continuously used since 1999), Eurailing around Europe. I still want think of myself as that girl, even if I now have bags of kids cereal and wipes in all of my pockets…

Loved getting a little treat from The Container Store! Anything Eagle Creek makes me smile!

Embrace Your Body On Summer Travel

Finally, for the ladies in the house, I loved the idea that we – as moms- need to embrace ourselves and our bodies in bathing suits. Come on, we would all trade magic beans for our idea of perfection, but if I’ve learned nothing else from having a wonderful man love me (awww), it’s that what’s outside doesn’t really matter.

If my legs aren’t shaved, my C-section scar is showing, my boob stretch marks are glistening in the sun it’s not that important. Keeping my family together, healthy, & smiling is what’s important. I want to teach my daughter THIS. I want to put on a swimsuit, run into the water with her and think I look like Phoebe Cates when I get out, even if I really look like Sloth. Get comfortable with yourself. The cow is bought. It doesn’t matter anymore. Just love yourself & the stripes you’ve earned.

Teach this to your kids.

Here are some fun pictures from the event:

 These salmon bites were amazing!

Beyond delicious chocolate bark by BarkTHINS. My favorite was the Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Seed with Sea Salt & the Blueberry Quinoa with Agave. 

Thought these were BRILLIANT! Sealed, plastic wine glasses by XO, By G. Perfect for a romantic picnic – by yourself or with another – as the sun is setting over (enter your dream destination here).

I’m addicted to these Glamsquad hair ties!

Best part of the night was when MY name was called as the winner of this Melitta travel set! Equally – anything coffee makes me smile!

Thanks for the great swag bag! Photo Credit: Momtrends