Armchair Escape…London
We continue to believe in that future the borders will be open, airplanes will cross oceans, people will fill restaurants, and we will all get out our passports.
As for now, take a peek at these pictures to inspire your next big adventure!
Armchair Escape…St. Lucia
We continue to believe that in the future the borders will be open, airplanes will cross oceans, people will fill restaurants, and we will all get out our passports.
As for now, take a peek at these pictures to inspire your next big adventure!
Armchair Escape…Santorini
We continue to believe that in the future the borders will be open, airplanes will cross oceans, people will fill restaurants, and we will all get out our passports.
As for now, take a peek at these pictures to inspire your next big adventure!
I had a whole list of projects that I put on my list to do while socially distancing, but somehow those lists turned into lots of movie marathons! Movies have a way of transporting you to new destinations without having to leave your porch, and what a better time to veg out and catch up on some old favorites.
Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) thought she had everything she wanted in life: a home, a husband and a successful career. Now newly divorced and facing a turning point, she finds that she is confused about what is important to her. Daring to step out of her comfort zone, Liz embarks on a quest of self-discovery that takes her to Italy, India and Bali.
When Frances Mayes (Diane Lane) learns her husband is cheating on her from a writer whom she gave a bad review, her life is turned upside down. In an attempt to bring her out of a deep depression, her best friend, Patti (Sandra Oh), encourages Frances to take a tour of Italy. During the trip, the new divorcée impulsively decides to purchase a rural Tuscan villa and struggles to start her life anew amid colorful local characters, including the handsome Marcello (Raoul Bova).
Anne (Diane Lane) is at a crossroads in her life. Married to a successful but inattentive movie producer (Alec Baldwin), she unexpectedly finds herself taking a car trip from Cannes to Paris with her husband’s business associate (Arnaud Viard). What should be a seven-hour drive turns into a carefree two-day adventure replete with diversions involving picturesque sights, fine food and wine, humor, wisdom and romance, reawakening Anne’s senses and giving her a new lust for life.
Some vacations entail running from attraction to attraction, which result in coming home exhausted, sleep deprived, and regretful of all the junk I ate. However, some vacations are meant for relaxation, taking the time to recharge, and an indulgence in self-care. Sure, it would be great to fly to Arizona to spend the night at a wellness resort, but that may not be realistic. With some creativity, you can turn any hotel stay into a wellness retreat.
Nothing relaxes me more than some pampering, so I try to find a hotel that has its own spa. I like spas that offers unique treatments I haven’t tried before. I love when they use local ingredients like blueberry massage oil when staying in Maine and salt scrubs when staying near the ocean. Book yourself a soothing treatment or two.
Boston Travel & Adventure Show
One of the questions I constantly get asked is, “Where do you think I should go next?” It’s the question that avid travelers are constantly thinking…I actually think it while I’m on a beach chair sipping a cocktail on my current vacation! If you are wondering where to have your next adventure…look no further…you’ll find your answer at the Boston Travel and Adventure Show. Located in the Hynes Convention Center on Boylston Street, the second year of this show here in Boston, this show did not disappoint.
There are so many different places to travel, it’s sometimes hard to narrow down your choices. Here you can discover lots of new places that you never would have thought of. I was very intrigued by Alaska, Antigua, Azores, Miami, Africa, and Montreal. It was also nice to discover local stuff to do. I can’t wait to take the Taste of Boston food tour, take a cooking class at the Essex, and explore more of Freeport, Maine. I also was excited to find new places to visit while in Florida.
This is the perfect opportunity to talk to people who are knowledgeable on the location. Ask them questions about resorts, transportation, and what to do in the area. We are heading to Jamaica this spring and the Jamaica tourism board gave me great ideas of things to do while there. After I told him the ages of my girls, he was able to tell me which attractions I should skip and which I should definitely do. He even told me about cute beach bars they would love.
Whether you are a traveler, blogger, or travel writer, there are sessions for everyone. This year they had some exciting ones, such as:
99 Ways to Cut Your Travel Costs – Without Skimping (Russell Hannon)
The Best Travel & Packing Tips for the Ultimate Vacation (Angel Castellanos)
Travel Safe, Travel Smart, and Travel Well (Lindsay Henderson)
Heritage Travel: Walking in Your Ancestors’ Footsteps (Mickela Mallozzi)
The start of a new year is always a good time for reflection and I can’t help looking back at the amazing memories we’ve made together as a family throughout the years. I get lots of emails asking for recommendations of where people should vacation, so I thought since it’s 2020 I would share my top 20 places I’ve traveled to. I’ve also included some of the things we did while we were there. I’ve LOVED all these places (they’re in no particular order) and they would all make perfect destinations for family travel. For a full itinerary, take a peek at ITINERARIES in my main menu.
Wishing you a year of happiness, health, and adventure!
Walked under a waterfall, rode Icelandic horses, hiked into the mountains to find a hidden hot spring, stood on top of icebergs, took a boat to see puffin, did the Golden Circle, went swimming in the Blue Lagoon.
Kissed the Blarney Stone, flew hawks in the woods of a castle, saw the Cliffs of Moher, Rock of Cashel, Jerpoint Abbey, Kilkenny Castle, explored Malahide, went to a medieval banquet in a castle, drank Guinness in Dublin.
Saw the best sunset of our lives, went swimming in the hot springs, Red Rock Beach, Kamari Beach, swam in Amoudi Bay, snorkeled off of White Beach, explored the gorgeous maze of streets.
After I posted some pictures during my trip to Barcelona last week, people have been emailing me with tons of questions about what was going on while I was there since my pictures included burning cars and officers with guns. People have been wondering if it is safe to visit Barcelona during the protests. So, I thought I would answer all of the questions I’ve been getting, since it was unlike any trip I’ve ever taken. Here we go…
On Monday, October 14, a Spanish court handed down lengthy jail terms to 9 Catalan leaders for their role in a 2017 secession attempt. People were outraged, so it sparked a week-long protest throughout the streets of Barcelona, the highways, and airport. I had a flight into Barcelona that Wednesday…two days into the protests.
I’m not gonna lie…I came really close to canceling my trip. I was afraid of flying in because I had heard on Monday people were stuck at the airport and many had to either sleep on the floor or walk with their luggage for six miles on the highway to get to the subway since there was no transportation leaving the airport. My husband was already in Barcelona for work, and he wouldn’t tell me to come unless he felt I would be safe, so that helped me feel less anxious. He also hired me a driver that would be waiting for me at the airport.
10 Ways to Reacclimate Your Family After Vacation
Your feet are sifting the grains of sand between your toes as you sip on your frozen cocktail while feeling the ocean breeze on your sun kissed cheeks. Then suddenly…BAAAAMMMM…back to reality…laundry…BAM… homework…BAM…afterschool sports…BAM…late nights at the office…BAM…the list goes on and on. It’s very easy to get sad and overwhelmed after a trip as you slip back into your everyday routine. So how can you make this emersion a little easier for your crew?
Here are 10 ways to reacclimate your family after vacation.
1. GET RIGHT BACK INTO ROUTINE: Since you may still be in laid-back mode (or running on island time) it’s all about preparation. Have your kids pack their backpacks the night before school, lay out their clothes, and even set out their coats and shoes.
2. PREP SOME DINNER: The last thing you want to think about when you return is what you’re having for dinner. Have something on hand that can quickly be reheated like a frozen pizza, canned soup, pasta, or a frozen meal.
Top 18 Travel Moments of 2018
It’s always fun to look back on all the amazing travel memories of the year. It was definitely a year of fun for us filled with laughs. Here are my top 18 travel memories of 2018. Can’t wait to see what adventures 2019 will bring!!
Going to the top of Mt. Shaw on snow mobiles.
Throwing the fish we just caught while ice fishing to a bald eagle and watching him swoop down to eat it.
