Healthy Chicks

I’m officially 26+ weeks pregnant, and time is starting to fly! I can’t believe we have only 14 weeks left until we get to meet our sweet little girl. She’s already such big part of our lives (we love her so much!), and I know our life is about to change in a big, big way.

While I don’t agree with the random woman who told me I won’t have a life once baby comes (um, that’s bizarre advice to give someone you don’t even know), I do agree that life as we know it is about to come to a closing. It will be hard, there will be a lot of change, but we’re about to experience a love like never before and for that I am SO excited.

To celebrate being three months from our due date, hubby and I decided to take a much-needed Babymoon getaway to West Palm Beach last week! In this post, I highlight our favorite places to stay, dine and play while vacationing in West Palm.

 

Getting There

We are suckers for flying JetBlue, so you can imagine my excitement when I found super affordable flights for just $163 each roundtrip from Logan Airport. Score! We booked our trip about two months in advance, which I recommend for keeping the cost down. We also opted for early morning flights (7:00am and 6:00am) so we could take advantage of the full day, and as a bonus these flights were cheaper.

Hubby’s aunt lives just 10 minutes from Palm Beach International Airport, so she was able to pick us up and show us around the Palm Beach area! We stayed with her at her newly renovated condo the first night as well as the remaining 4 nights of our vacation, which was lovely.

Where to Stay

Casa Grandview

We spent one night at the Casa Grandview, a luxury bed and breakfast, which is a must for those babymooning in the Palm Beach area. Owner Cheryl and her husband Kirk are the sweetest couple, and you can tell they put a great deal of time making every little detail special. From the lavish garden grounds to the complimentary snacks and beverages in our cottage, we were truly blown away!

 

Upon checking in, we were taken to our own little cottage — the Sundance North Suite — where our luggage was already waiting for us. I was expecting a more old-fashioned room typical of your B & B, but we were impressed with a gorgeous living room with contemporary white couches, our very own library, King Size bed (with the most comfortable plush hybrid gel mattress), and beautiful bathroom with a rain shower head!

 

Steps away from our cottage was one of the two heated saltwater swimming pools. It was enclosed with beautiful palm trees complete with a hammock, plenty of lounge areas and a giant flamingo floating in it (which of course I had to climb into).

 

While the grounds were quite impressive, my favorite part of our stay was the delicious breakfast the following morning, prepared by owner Cheryl and her team. We started off with heavenly coffee ground fresh from Guatemalan Rainforest beans and some fresh fruit parfaits.

 

Then Kirk came over and simply asked, “So, what would you like for breakfast?” Um, anything? I loved the no menu concept, which truly shows that their team will bend over backwards to make their guests happy.

I went with a kitchen favorite — the Veggie Scramble with gluten free toast — and Jason ordered French Toast with a house-made syrup and sausage. Everything was perfect, and we enjoyed that special time together dining outside among the birds, flowers and reggae music.

 

Thank you Cheryl and Kirk for a memorable Babymoon experience we’ll never forget! For a better visual of the Casa Grandview, you can get a virtual tour over on my Instagram stories. 

 

Other Places We Stayed:

• Tideline Resort & Spa: We loved the ocean-view room and easy beach access, but it definitely didn’t feel as “special” as the Casa Grandview as far as hospitality if that’s what you’re looking for since it was more your typical resort feel. I however surprisingly had some of the best blackened mahi-mahi tacos beachside alongside my mocktail!
• Jason’s Aunt Nancy’s Condo: Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Where to Dine

Leila Restaurant

I’m still dreaming about our romantic, flavorful dinner at Leila Restaurant, which was by far the best Mediterranean food I’ve ever had. When we got there, we were greeted by the wonderful owner Alex and super knowledgable, friendly waiter William who took care of us from start to finish.

We decided to sit outside for more privacy and to soak up the gorgeous Florida weather, and Alex was kind enough to bring over some bug spray when he saw I was getting bit (which definitely did the trick)!

We started with several of their recommended appetizers: the falafel, hummus and jibnee banadora (alternating slices of flavorful Halloumi cheese and red ripe tomatoes). Everything was delicious, and let’s just say hummus will never be the same again.

For our main courses, I went for their signature shish tawook, featuring chicken kebobs marinated in garlic, olive oil and lemon zest. Since I don’t eat gluten, I skipped the couscous and got double grilled veggies instead! Jason decided to try something new and ordered the lamb kefta — a kebab of finely ground lamb blended with parsley, onion and spices.

 

Our waiter suggested Jason pair his lamb with a glass of red wine, recommending a Lebanese Chateau Musar which paired perfectly with his meal. I was so full I could barely breathe, but hubby also enjoyed their signature sokseh for dessert — sweet chocolate infused with a biscuit served cold, with a dusting of powdered sugar. Wow, just wow! I can’t wait to come back here next time we’re in Palm Beach.

The Leopard Lounge at Chesterfield Hotel

If you’re looking for a more upscale place to dine with phenomenal food, The Leopard Lounge is your spot! Nestled inside the Chesterfield Hotel, the restaurant has an old-fashioned, loungey vibe complete with live music and dimmed lighting. Did I mention the food is out-of-this world?

I started with the Chopped Salad (made with greens, beets, tomatoes, avocado, spring onions, celery and bacon), while hubby went for one of his favorites: Maryland Style Lump Crab Cakes with chili lime mayonnaise.

 

For our main course, I was in the mood for something from the sea so I landed on the Pan Seared Salmon, which was served with fingerling potatoes, sautéed spinach and a savory lemony caper piccata sauce (which paired perfectly with my salmon).

Jason decided to go with a “Manly Steak” and chose the 14 oz. Josper Wood Grilled Prime Strip Steak served with mashed potatoes and asparagus. He asked for bok choy and shiitake mushrooms instead of asparagus (since he was originally eyeing the Chilean Sea Bass), which they gladly accommodated!

 

Throughout dinner, Jason ordered several cocktails including the Lychee Martini and some scotch, while I caught up on my hydration with good ol’ H2O. While I was pleasantly full, hubby topped off the evening with a winning dessert: the Chocolate Molten Cake.

We thoroughly enjoyed our meals and the atmosphere, especially when it got a bit later and couples started dancing to the live music!

Other Places We Dined:

 

• Al Fresco: On a golf course, great for a refreshing seaside bite with huge salads
• Brandon’s: Tideline’s restaurant, where I ordered those amazing mahi-mahi tacos
• Benny’s on the Beach: A landmark on the Lake Worth Pier. Lots of fresh fried seafood, bakes and raw bar
• Rocco’s Tacos: Phenomenal Mexican food with great tacos and tableside guac!
• Grease Burger Bar: It’s all in the name. Greasy and hearty burgers, fries and beer!
• Square Grouper: Super fun spot for apps with outdoor waterfront dining, tiki bar, and live music
• Mellow Mushroom: Delicious pizza, and I was especially happy to see they offer gluten free crust and toppings!
• Sweet Tomatoes: Huge salad bar complete with baked potato station, Mac ‘n’ cheese, sides and soft-serve ice cream

Where to Play

 

• Get a Drink at the Breakers: If you can afford to stay at The Breakers, do it! But for everyone else, at least drop by this stunning mansion for a cocktail (and a mocktail). We loved the Seafood Bar, with oceanfront views and a bar made out of an aquarium! You literally feel like you’re back in time aboard the Titanic. Hubby got the Swizzle (a bourbon drink), and I got a refreshing alcohol-free elixir: the Ginger Basil Grapefruit Spritzer.
• Spa Day at PGA Resort & Spa: One of our favorite days on the Babymoon was our Spa Day at the PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, a must for anyone babymooning to the Palm Beach area. Read all about our experience here!
• Hit the Breweries: Let hubby have some fun by checking out the local brewery scene! He loved the New England style IPA’s at Mathew’s and Civil Society. Bonus: Mathew’s has a gorgeous beer garden with a food truck — perfect for preggo women to get some munchies while hubby drinks.
• Clematis St. + City Place: The downtown area of West Palm Beach is awesome, and Clematis St. and City Place are walking distance to one another. We loved enjoying live music at Clematis By Night  (every Thursday), and all the shopping at City Place. A must for an early evening or weekend fun!
• Jupiter Island: A day trip to Jupiter Island is 100% worth it for lighthouse views, shopping at Harbourside Place, a beach day (if the weather cooperates) and a bite at Square Grouper.

Happy babymooning, ladies! Did you take a Babymoon or plan to? Where did you go and why? 

Note: Our experience at Casa Grandview, Leila, and the Spa at PGA were comped in exchange for this post; all opinions as always are my own and I would never recommend anything I didn’t love.