Larnaca, Cyprus + Jackson, Mississippi
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Alison is obsessed with, or pre-obsessed, rather, with a treadmill desk. She wants to be able to walk and edit at the same time! Lulu is feeling super inspired by the song SUPERBLOOM by MisterWives. Seriously these lyrics.
Alison is wishing for an eye makeup remover that doesn’t pull on her skin. Lulu informs her that her dermatologist recommends Vaseline. So there ya go, our big-ticket beauty recc! Lulu apparently has no wishes this week.
The Republic of Cyprus is an island nation in the mediterranean sea, just south of Turkey. According to an article on USA Today it is “the next big under-the-radar vacation destination” for those looking for a mediterranean island, but are over Greece and Sicily.
Alison is excited to check out this up and coming spot, and decides to go big and books the Presidential Suite of Larnaca's only five-star hotel, the Golden Bay Beach Hotel. The Presidential Suite boasts a living area, a dining area, an oversized terrace with expansive views, and TWO jacuzzis! One is outside on the terrace and the other is part of the all-marble bathroom. This stunning property has plenty to keep you busy with its myriad of swimming pools and multiple restaurants. They have playgrounds and a baby-sitting service if you decide to bring the kids, or you can opt for some adult time with their tennis and volleyball courts, sauna, and swim-up bar!
Before she starts her day Alison grabs brunch at Onar Larnaca where the booze is plentiful and the eggs Benedict come with a burger. Yes, you can order the Burger Benedict which we bet is every bit as amazing as it sounds! Also intrigued by their “Bueno Cream Pancake”…
Alison is going to take in some unique views and heads out to sea. She is going to take a glass-bottomed boat tour with Nemo Submarine just a ways from the harbor. She will be able to look down through the crystal clear waters to the mysteriously sunken ship called The Zenobia. Other than the bizarre experience of seeing a shipwreck from the surface of the water, the story of this ship's sinking is also quite odd. Despite hundred's of millions of dollars worth of cargo (not to mention the ship's value!), the owners never tried to collect insurance nor was an investigation ever carried out. Peculiar, right? Wonder what sordid stories are preserved down there...
Next Alison heads to the Larnaca Salt Lake. A collection of wetlands, one of which is a true salt lake, this area gets so dry in the summer due to lack of rain that all that’s left is a layer of salt. It used to be connected to the sea and formed a historically significant port, though now is a fascinating site to visit. Alison goes for the views…and for the salt. You see, she’s wanting to mix up some cocktails while in Cyprus, and she’s thinking this is the perfect salt to rim some margarita glasses! She brings Little Obsessed’s Margarita To-Go Cocktail Kit that comes complete with margarita elixir, sugar cubes, crystalized lime, and a muddler spoon! You just need to salt your rim (hence her summertime visit to the salt lake, it’s plentiful) and add tequila! She refuses to use plastic glasses, so she bought these stunning Jan Barboglio Margarita Glasses to serve her beverages in, mostly to herself but also to any other tourists within earshot of “hey! I’ve got a margarita with your name on it!”
Staying on her salt kick, Alison is heading to the Salt & Pepper Museum, which features over 20,000 salt and pepper shakers, the oldest of which dates back to 1703. Alison decided to buy an expensive salt and pepper set, so she gets these sterling silver hand crafted mushroom shape shakers for just over $2,000 USD.
For lunch Alison heads to The Secret Garden, a wine and coffee bar that also has beer and bites! She then heads for an afternoon trip out to nearby village Lefkara, a picturesque town known for its intricate hand-made lace. Souvenir shopping, done! Alison then ends her day with a seafood dinner at seafront dining establishment Marzano.
Lulu is headed for a unique day in Jackson, Mississippi. She is staying in an Executive Suite at the Westin. The draw of it’s downtown location is rivaled only by the brunch at Estelle Wine Bar & Bistro. She heads down to the on-site dining spot for bourbon glaze cinnamon rolls, eggs Benedict (her favorite!), hot chicken and waffles, and bottomless bloody estelles.
After brunch Lulu is visiting the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum for a day of exploring the movement that changed the nation. “Discover stories of Mississippians like Medgar Evers, Fannie Lou Hamer and Vernon Dahmer—as well as those who traveled many miles to stand beside them, come what may, in the name of equal rights for all!”
She also makes a quick stop at the Mississippi Museum of Art before heading to the Eudora Welty House to take in the gardens and the home where the author wrote all of her works!
Lulu is spending most of her day 30 minutes outside of Jackson in the Mississippi Petrified Forest, the only petrified forest in the Southeast. It is so abundant that petrified wood is the state rock of Mississippi. It is believed that a river knocked over many a giant tree, and that over time the fallen wood petrified to form this beautiful National Natural Landmark.
Lulu is going to create a friendly version of a haunted trail in these ethereal woods, with the help of staff from Pump It Up, $350 worth of old sheets from local thrift stores, and lighthearted (aka not spooky) music provided by Dat Band. At the end of the trail everyone gets a Petrify the Patriarchy T-shirt.
After her DIY-endeavor Lulu heads for a nice evening of caviar and charcuterie at Elvie’s Restaurant.
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