Phaedra Parks with sons Ayden, 13, and Dylan, 10.Photo:Pixie Productions
Pixie Productions
Phaedra Parksis allowing her sons Ayden, 13, and Dylan, 10, to enjoy a world of culinary adventures.
The well-traveled trio’s latest stop was to theettehotel in Orlando for a relaxing spa getaway and an ultra-elevated food and mocktail experience atAkira Back’sSalt + the Cellarrestaurant.
Speaking with PEOPLE exclusively about her trip, theMarried to Medicinestar dished about the hotel’s enhanced hospitality and the importance of teaching her boys good manners.
“They can be a bit bougie,” Parks, 49, jokes to PEOPLE, adding that she is proud that her sons have developed an appreciation for creativity and different cultures. “They have great manners. I’m very proud to call them mine,” she says of the teens, who have become foodies in their own right.
“They’ve had their passport since birth. They’ve been to Paris, they’ve been to London, they’ve been to Cuba,” Parks continues. “Dylan loves all Asian countries. That’s his big thing. My eldest son Ayden loves Paris because he thinks he can speak French well,” Parks laughs.
A wellness-focused hotel was the perfect way to unwind.
“I’m not a big drinker, so it resonated with me and it was very farm-to-table, you know, very original food, not your typical Mickey Mouse Disney World theme,” she says. “So as an adult that gives you a break from the monotony of what we usually think about Orlando because it’s very elegant and elevated.”
“When I learned the meaning of ‘ette’ — earthy, true, timeless and elegant — that really made me interested in the hotel. And of course, because I like to work out, every room has a Peloton,” she says. “My kids are big workout enthusiasts too. Everything was so nice. It definitely has a European feel to the hotel versus the traditional chain hotels.”
Aico Lind / Studio Aico
As for the boys, they were “most excited because of the mocktails,” Parks says of Jarl de Vries' over-the-top creations.
“The ‘Into the Woods’ was their favorite. It was green and the presentation was decorated with mushrooms, like a forest. It was also an aromatherapy experience,” she said of the drink made of fresh green herbs, ginger, cucumber, lime, cookie crumble, along with the aromatic mist coming out of the “forest.”
Adds Parks: “At our house we are really into holistic health and we know aromatherapy is essential to, you know, mental clarity. So that whole aromatherapy thing was perfect for us.”
For the food, the boys told their mom it was “hands down the best steak that they had ever had” out of all of their world travels.
“[Akira] Back is known for thebest steaks around,” Parks shares, adding that she also fell in love with the Korean chef’s tuna pizza creation. The family even spent some time with Alex Ekbatani, the boutique hotel’s co-founder and president, to give him their personal stamp of approval.
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For guests who do like to imbibe, the property allows diners to bring their own wine and spirits (with no corkage fee) to add to the whimsical array ofmocktails. The concoctions also include the “Moon Child” with watermelon shrub, lime, agave, featuring a lavender aromatic mist, and the “Hidden Path” with crodino, balsamic vinegar, ginger ale, dehydrated strawberries, 0% gin and 0% vermouth.
Moving on to the hotel’s spa, while mom was getting pampered with a massage, signature diamond facial and other treatments during her day of personal time, the boys enjoyed a visit to Fun Spot America amusement park as a Disney alternative — and a sunset wildlife tour.
“Seeing all the fireworks on the roof was really freaking cool,” add Parks of her trip’s grand finale.
source: people.com
