Princess Cruises: Now Pouring Globally Inspired Cocktails by Rob Floyd

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Princess Cruises: Now Pouring Globally Inspired Cocktails by Rob Floyd

By Erin

*I was invited as media to come sample the new beverage menu with Princess Cruises. All thoughts and opinions remain my own!*

 What’s the best way to beat the heat wave we’ve been having? Go on a cruise with Princess Cruises! Even more exciting is that Princess Cruises is now pouring globally inspired Cocktails by master mixologist Rob Floyd! Cool off with one of the many refreshing beverages that have been added to the menus. Destination-specific ingredients have been carefully selected to tantalize guests’ taste buds with flavors from every corner of the world. In addition to the new cocktails, the line has added 20 new high-end and exotic spirits, 39 new wines by the glass, and 17 new international and craft beers to the new menu.

These fun new menus will be featured throughout the bars and lounges aboard Princess ships and will offer the best cruise vacation experience at sea. One thing that I love the most about traveling is enjoying the food and drinks that are local to the area that I am visiting. Food tourism has become a big thing. Getting cool pictures of the area and making memories to last a lifetime are important, but so is the culinary experience of the culture one is visiting. Princess Cruises understands this and includes flavors from every corner of the world that go with the destination you are cruising to. I love that!

Floyd believes spectacular drinks combine the best of “The Three T’s.” First is “Taste,” as interesting ingredient combinations produce delicious flavors. The second element, “Technique,” refers to the skill and craft that goes into creating each drink. And last but not least the “Tale;” a creative and fascinating inspiration behind each unique cocktail. I love that each drink has it’s own special story to tell.

Whether traveling to Mexico, Italy, or the South Pacific, these globally designed cocktails have the flavors to inspire. Initial offerings are to include:

  • Mayan Heat: Patrón Silver tequila, Triple Sec, lime juice, agave syrup, muddled jalapeño

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Glen Ivy Hot Springs in Corona

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Glen Ivy Hot Springs in Corona

By Erin

Need another way to beat the heat and relax this summer? Glen Ivy Hot Springs is a destination like no other. Come for a day with friends, a wellness escape, top therapeutic treatments, healthy food or float around in the beautiful pools and enjoy the lush landscape, Glen Ivy guarantees to make your day special, relaxing and unforgettable. With 19 different pools, including the mineral spring pools, there is a lot to experience here! A special thanks to Glen Ivy for inviting us to spend the day! We were treated to a day’s worth of relaxation at the spa, along with lunch, mimosas and a couple of the fluffy robes. We did not want to leave at the end of the day (I have been coming here since I was a girl scout in middle school and this place never gets old)!

To get the most out of your day, be sure to arrive 30-45 minutes before opening so you can find parking near the entrance, check in quickly and find a comfortable lounge chair in a prime place near one of the pools, in the shade of the palm trees or where the sun will hit the longest. If you’d like to have the same lounge chair for the entire day, reserve a lounger in their VIP seating area (Loungers are limited and are $30/day.)or consider booking a Cabana for the day. Cabanas are available for groups of 2 to 12 and are a lovely compliment to your special day. You’ll also enjoy hosted service from the Cabana menu.

If you are not reserving a lounger or cabana, be sure to take a quick tour of the property when you arrive so you can  see all of your options and choose which pool you’d like to enjoy first. There are plenty of lounge chairs around to find a spot to relax in. I like finding a spot near the pool here, then just lounge around in the pool with drink in hand. You can also register your payment options in the bath house changing area and whenever you purchase something throughout the day, they will put it on your tab. That way there is no need to carry around your wallet or debit card and you can enjoy all your food and drinks hassle free.

You will want to enjoy a meal or two at the Ivy Kitchen. Serving up sustainable, healthy and organic food, they even make fresh squeezed orange juice everyday from oranges on the property. There is something for everyone on the menu. We started the morning with bagels and lox on an arugula salad, and for lunch, we each opted for the poke salad. It was the perfect addition to our day to be able to enjoy such delicious food on our spa day.

Did I mention there were cocktails to be enjoyed? Glen Ivy recently expanded and there is now a new covered lounge area called Lounge 1860 and is serving up an assortment of wine, beer and craft cocktails.

Another one of my favorite things about Glen Ivy is Club Mud! Immerse yourself in a spring water mud pool where you can slather yourself with fistfuls of California red clay. It’s blended into a silky soft paste with mineral water. Then bake in the sun or in the warm ‘Wafa’ cave. Wash off the dried mud when it becomes loose and flakey on your skin. Boom! You’re left with super baby-soft skin. Clay is a great skin exfoliator, known throughout history to draw out impurities from the body. Club Mud is open all day. It is HIGHLY suggested you bring a second, darker swimsuit for this treatment as the red clay may stain fabric. I just wear a black colored bathing suit and wear it all day. I have never had any staining issues with that. 🙂

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Knott’s Soak City

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Knott’s Soak City

By Erin

*We were given tickets for purposes of this post. All thoughts and opinions remain our own*

Another place to keep cool this summer in Southern California is Knott’s Soak City in Buena Park. Splash into summer at Knott’s Soak City Waterpark. Orange County’s largest outdoor water park is the perfect family destination to cool off during these hot and humid summer days with over 15-acres of aqua-tastic fun. Come on and splash into the fun!

In 2017, Knott’s Soak City expanded the water park to offer even more fun in the sun including a fully remodeled Longboard’s Grill restaurant, additional seating areas, and new spacious cabanas, plus two new water slide towers – Shore Break and The Wedge.

Shore Break towers over seven stories high and features six different thrilling water slide experiences. Four of the slides include Aqua-Launch chambers where guests wait anxiously as the floor drops out from underneath their feet sending them on high speed free fall down a 60 foot tall slide. Additionally, Shore Break offers two dueling tube slides which will have riders zipping through drops and turns. The newest family raft ride, the Wedge, takes up to six riders on an open-raft trip navigating through twists, turns and unexpected drops for some spills and thrills. Guests can look forward to another unforgettable summer season running through September 9th at Knott’s Soak City Waterpark. 

One of my favorite things to go on at Soak City! Go for a float down Sunset River and let those cares just float away. On this classic lazy river you’ll meander down the 1,780 foot long waterway to a destination of pure relaxation and enjoy some delightful scenery along the way. Sunset River is a great way for everyone in the family to cool off and chill out.

Tidal Wave Bay is another one of my favorites to just float and relax. Holding 750,000 gallons of water, this state-of-the-art wave pool has enough room for everyone in the family to catch some awesome waves. Grab a tube and ride the waves or go freestyle and body-surf on your own. Tidal Wave Bay is surrounded by lounge chairs and cabanas so chilling out by the pool is fun too.

The Beach House offers three stories of hands-on water fun including interactive water guns, nozzles, faucets and other surprises. Every five minutes the water bucket unloads 500 gallons of water on anyone below! This is a fun place to just hang out at.

Even better news for Gold and Platinum Passholders! They can enter Knott’s Soak City Water Park starting at 9am on weekends through August 5.

We will be coming here often this summer to cool off, will you?

WHERE: Knott’s Soak City Waterpark – 8039 Beach Boulevard, Buena Park, CA 90620

For more information on Knott’s Soak City Waterpark please visit knotts.com or join the conversation by using #KnottsSoakCity on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram