Falling in Love with Jane the Virgin

Jane the Virgin
Image copyright CW

I have found a new love in my life, and it is a tv show called Jane the Virgin. This fantastically quirky, heartfelt, and humorous show debuted on the CW in 2014 and just started its sophomore season a few weeks ago.

Gina Rodriguez plays the title character whose full name is not really Jane the Virgin, but Jane Gloriana Villanueva. Jane is 23 when we first meet her, and despite the fact she’s in a two year committed relationship with her boyfriend, Michael, she is still a virgin. This is almost completely due to the influence of Jane’s abuela (grandmother), Alba, who Jane lives with, along with Jane’s mother Xiomara. Alba is originally from Venezuela and is a devout Catholic. Xiomara had Jane when she was only sixteen, so it is Alba’s mission to protect Jane’s virtue and to not let Jane follow her mother’s path.

The show is set in Miami and is so delightful with the cast of characters. The best way I have come up with to describe this fantastic show is a wonderful combination of the Gilmore Girls, a Mexican telenovela (soap opera), and the magical realism of author Gabriel Garcia Marquez, infused with the hallucinations of Ally McBeal. For Gilmore Girls fans, there are many similarities between Jane and Rory, and Xiomara is a much looser interpretation of Lorelai. Jane is hardworking, determined, goal oriented, and loves her family. She also longs to know her father, but Xiomara lied to Jane telling her he was a soldier on leave. In reality, Jane’s father was Xiomara’s high school love, Rogelio de la Vega, who turns out to now be a megastar on the Villanueva family’s favorite telenovela, The Passions of Santos.

The premise of Jane the Virgin is tricky, but I’ll try to explain in the least complicated way I can. It is a soap after all, complete with a narrator and captions on the screen. Jane lives at home with her mom and grandma, is in a loving relationship with Michael, is finishing up her undergraduate degree in education with hopes of becoming a teacher. To help pay her way through school, Jane works as a waitress at an upscale hotel on South Beach called the Marbella.

Here is where it starts to get complicated. Jane the Virgin works for the super hot young hotel owner, Rafael Solano, with whom she had shared a kiss five years prior when she was a waitress at the country club where he belonged. Rafael is married to Petra, who wants to have his baby to save their troubled marriage. He previously had cancer, but is now in remission, so Rafael had saved some sperm prior to his chemo with hopes of eventually having a child with Petra after she miscarried a few years earlier.

Petra is now taking Rafael’s sample to her ob/gyn to be artificially inseminated, without his knowledge. It so happens that Jane is at the same doctor for her annual exam. The doctor also coincidentally is Rafael’s half-sister Luisa, who is very upset, having found her wife cheating on her the night before. Even though her nurse tells Luisa correctly that she has an insemination in one room and an exam in the other, Luisa mixes up the rooms and goes into Jane the Virgin’s room. Luisa asks the exhausted and partially sleeping Jane if she’s ready for her insemination and Jane pulls a “what? yeah” out. So Jane is accidentally inseminated with her boss Rafael’s specimen, then Luisa enters the second room to find Petra there waiting to be inseminated. Did I mention this was also Rafael’s only remaining sample?

As you can imagine, hilarity, and a good bit of drama ensues once it is discovered that Jane the Virgin is pregnant with the baby her boss’ wife was trying to surprise him with and it was his half-sister that caused the mix up. Many soap opera tropes appear like hidden identities, twin swapping, unknown parentage, affairs, and of course murder.

Having said all of this, Jane the Virgin is one of the funniest and most lighthearted shows I’ve seen. I highly recommend you check it out. The first season is streaming on Netflix and available on dvd, and the first four episodes of this season are still streaming online at the CW. Jane is one of my favorite characters on tv ever. She is intelligent, independent, loving, and hilarious. Go watch Jane the Virgin now and I bet you’ll fall in love too!

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Four Seasons Resort Orlando: Couples Weeks Return #FiveDiamondOrlando

Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort Couples Weeks Return

Four Seasons Resort Orlando:

Couples Weeks Return

A couples package plus dedicated adult-only offerings ensures an ideal couples escape to Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort, Central Florida’s only AAA Five-Diamond resort

Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort is a couples paradise, with amenities including a lakeside infinity-edge adult only pool, Tranquilo Golf Club, and an 18-treatment room Spa with six couples’ suites.  In September 2015, the Resort launched a new Couples Stay and Play package and special Couples Weeks. Now, Couples Weeks are back for December 1-17, 2015, and select dates in 2016, providing additional reasons to enjoy an adult-only getaway.

Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort Couples Weeks Return

Couples Weeks feature added offerings, including twice-weekly mixology classes so couples can “shake and stir” things up, as well as Dinner & A Movie nights. Every Friday night throughout the select Couples Weeks, a romantic comedy will be shown poolside at The Oasis adult-only pool, with the option of ordering poolside dinner.  Also, The Oasis adult-only pool for guests ages 21 and older will offer extra complimentary amenities, such as infused fruits, each afternoon.  Movies for December Couples Weeks include Crazy Stupid Love on December 4, and 500 Days of Summer on December 11.

Mixology Classes
Mixology classes let couples have a little fun while enjoying some delicious cocktails of their own creation.  All classes are held in the Resort’s Demonstration Kitchen. The Couples Weeks mixology schedule is:

  • Wednesday, December 2 – Capa presents: Learn how to make a warm Spanish dessert cocktail
  • Saturday, December 5 – PB&G presents: Mix it up with PB&G’s eggnog with a twist
  • Wednesday, December 9 – Plancha presents: Discover how to make a delicious slow mulled wine
  • Saturday, December 12 – Ravello presents Café Amare: Enjoy an afternoon pick-me-up with this coffee-based cocktail, an Italian twist on a hot toddy
  • Wednesday, December 16 – The Lobby Bar presents North Star Nog:  Time to open up the spice rack! Indulge in this modern take on a holiday favourite with an added kick

Massage 101 Classes at The Spa

Couples can enjoy the benefits of therapeutic touch and learn techniques of massage at a special Massage 101 class at The Spa. A talented team of Spa professionals will guide participants through pressure points, assisted stretching and more to alleviate muscle tension, relieve stress, and connect with their loved one. Classes are offered to guests on December 3, 10 and 17 at 3:00 pm.

 

Couples Stay and Play Package

Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort Couples Weeks Return
The Couples Stay and Play package includes two welcome cocktails, daily breakfast in bed for two, a guaranteed late check out of 2:00 pm to enjoy extra time to sleep in, unlimited in-room movies, plus the couple’s choice of a 50-minute Spa treatment for two, a golf lesson for two, or a tennis lesson for two.   

“This package gives couples the perfect excuse to check in without kids in tow,” says Thomas Steinhauer, General Manager. “It’s true there’s a lot for families to do in Orlando, but there’s also so much fun for adults to experience.”

The fun Steinhauer references includes the Disney theme parks and more – from fine dining at one of the Resort’ssix restaurants to enjoying the sumptuous spa and many recreation offerings, Four Seasons offers something to appeal to many couples’ interests.

Couples Weeks Calendar

Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort Couples Weeks Return
Whether celebrating an anniversary, babymoon, mini-moon, reigniting the spark or just for fun (perhaps an early holiday treat!), Couples Weeks have never been more ideal.  Couples checking in December 3-17 will enjoy experiencing the Resort’s spectacular holiday décor and grand Christmas tree in the main lobby.  Couples Weeks are offered December 1 through 17, 2015.  Additional Couples Weeks dates for 2016 include January 4 through February 8, and April 27 through May 26.  The specific calendars of events for 2016 Couples Weeks will be released soon.  For reservations: 1 800 267 3046.

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