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!
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)
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.
There’s nothing better than waking up and seeing that one of my pieces is on Thrive Global, Arianna Huffington’s fabulous website. The piece is about multigenerational travel. Enjoy!
https://www.thriveglobal.com/stories/46574-multigenerational-travel
Mamma Mia…Here I go again…My my…
We just saw Mamma Mia 2 and we are still dancing in our seats! Cher was amazing. The woman never ages! Watching the beautiful Greek islands in the movie made us start reminiscing of our adventures there. Here’s a look back at the gorgeous island of Santorini:
Just one look
and I can hear a bell ring…
One more look
and I forget everything…
Travel can be expensive, time-consuming, and stressful. So why do people bother doing it? There is something magical about getting away from everything and embracing the unknown. The following are 10 things that I notice happen when we are on vacation:
1. CELL PHONES LOSE IMPORTANCE. I hate to admit it but when I’m home I can be pretty glued to my cellphone. I am constantly checking emails and getting online to research different topics. However, on vacation I can care less where my phone is! Sometimes I even go days without taking it out of my purse and it is the best feeling to be in the moment with my family.
2. VIDEO GAMES DISAPPEAR. Since the kids bring several electronics with them on vacation to play with on the plane, I expect they will play with them throughout the trip. This rarely happens. On some trips, it never comes out of their suitcase. There are so many new things to discover that our kids would rather go out to the beach to look for shells or build a sandcastle that electronics lose their interest.
(In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month…)
When I was 5 and my brother 7, we lost our mother to ovarian cancer. That changed my life forever. Three years ago my daughters were just about to turn 5 and 7 and I knew I had to contribute some way to raising awareness about cancer (all cancers) and help with fundraising for research. When I decided to do the Susan G Komen 3 -Day walk in Boston I never knew how much it would change me.