Tag: travel

travel

2019 Travel Plans: Looking Back, Looking Forward

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Well, as 2018 winds down, I can comfortably say that I’m done traveling for the year. I don’t anticipate going anywhere new until next calendar year, but boy, what a fun year this has been!

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From my trip to Kenya, to road trips to Philadelphia and North and South Carolinas, to my cruise last month, I’ve been a busy girl. And 2019 shows no signs of me slowing down!

I’m finalizing a few details on a late winter trip to San Juan, as well as a late spring/early summer trip to Paris. I was toying around with the notion of attending a very pricey and exclusive class next spring, but I’d rather spend my money on transformative or “bucket list” travel. The class can wait!

Next falls looks like it may include another family cruise and, if not, I’ll be in London for a few days to attend an event I’ve been eyeing. I’m also looking into some additional travel to the Pacific Rim: I haven’t decided on a country yet, but I feel like this region is calling me, so we’ll see where my hankering takes me.

I have to finish reviewing my cruise travel for you all, but once that’s done, I’ll be laser-focused on my 2019 plans. I’m so excited!!!

I hope you all are having a relaxing Monday and an easy transition into this post-Thanksgiving work week. Take care, and I’ll talk to you all tomorrow!

 

international · travel

Cruise 2018: Dining on the Sea

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If you all didn’t know, I love to dine out. I actually think I like eating out a bit too much, which is why I’ve cut down significantly over the past few months. That being said, I still got excited at the dining options available on my latest cruise.

KODAK Digital Still Camera

The Allure of the Seas (a Royal Caribbean ship) has multiple restaurants on board, as well as several cafes, wine bars, and snack bars. My family and I dined regularly at the main dining room at American Icon Grille. This restaurant  published a luxe menu every evening, featuring various appetizers, entrees and desserts. The restaurant changed up the menus every day, so there was always something new to try. There are also a few other themed restaurants, such as Silk (Asian foods) and The Grande (American foods).

KODAK Digital Still Camera

A typical breakfast that I’d order from room service

There is also a buffet located near the pools (the Windjammer Cafe), which has a few of the food items featured in American Icon Grille but also other dishes that aren’t available in any of the dining rooms. To be honest, I had the best time dining at the Windjammer in the evenings. The buffet had a different chilled fruit soup every night which were delicious and I could literally eat every day without getting tired of them (think the world’s smoothiest, most delicious smoothies . . . yes, it was as tasty as it sounds).

KODAK Digital Still Camera

A menu from one evening at American Icon Grille

Oooh, not to mention, there is a Sorrento’s pizza, which makes fresh pizza until 3 AM. Who doesn’t love pizza? And the room service has lots of delicious fresh options available all day long.

I won’t continue to talk about the foods: let’s see some pictures, shall we?

KODAK Digital Still Camera
KODAK Digital Still Camera

Lobster bisque and Tiger shrimp

KODAK Digital Still Camera
KODAK Digital Still Camera
KODAK Digital Still Camera

Left: Shrimp ceviche; Top right: Shrimp and potato salad; Bottom right: Lobster

KODAK Digital Still Camera
KODAK Digital Still Camera

Desserts!!!

Enjoy your Friday, and I’ll talk to you all tomorrow!

international · travel

Fall Vacation Part 1 – Cruise Overview

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Happy Monday, friends! Today’s post will be an abbreviated one, because I’m going to flesh out some more of the details over the next week or so.

As you all recall, I just returned from a cruise. I’ve cruised many times before: please don’t ask me to count them, because I can’t LOL! It’s something that my family enjoys doing, so I participate because I enjoy spending time with them. We have done several Caribbean cruises and this most recent cruise also took us back to the Caribbean.

cruise

This isn’t a photo from our ship, but the sunset looks so much like the ones that I saw!

We cruised with Royal Caribbean on the ship, Allure of the Seas. The ship is large, beautiful and has lot of activities for all age ranges. Believe it or not, one of my favorite things to do on the ship was get cotton candy on the boardwalk area. There are several videos you can view, if you want to see the ship and its features.

We visited Nassau, Bahamas; Cozumel, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; and Costa Maya, Mexico. We cruised for 7 days, and we sailed out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. My family has found it prudent to arrive one day prior to sailing and leave one day after arriving back, just to have a bit of a travel “cushion” in case there are any unexpected delays. So, I also have a post reviewing the hotel where we stayed coming up pretty soon.

I tried to stick with my IF eating plan but I gave up two days into my vacation! There were so many great dining options that I have to discuss those in a separate post.

 

international · travel

I’m Back!!!

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cruise

Yes, I’m back from my cruise and I have SO many photos and stories to tell! I knew I wouldn’t be able to give “real time” updates while I was on the ship (I go on the cruise to disconnect, not to maintain my regular routine!) so I made sure that I scheduled some posts for you while I was away.

I always love my time on the water, and I’m really excited to share this experience with you all. Today, however, I’m winding down and catching up on my emails and all the things that happened while I was away. I hope you all have been doing well!

Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll be back tomorrow. Adios!

 

luxury · travel

Fine Jewelry at Freeman’s

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Freeman’s Auction has done it again. You may recall that I attended my first Freeman’s Auction a few months ago, when I saw a brooch that I wanted to add to my collection. I got a catalog from them a few days ago, letting me know about an upcoming fine jewelry auction.

Guys, I’m thinking about making the trip.

I generally avoid going anywhere north of Washington, DC from the months of November to April (I hate the cold) but I may put my usual protocol aside to do this trip. Besides, I loved the Philadelphia Museum of Art and a return trip would be awesome.

As far as the auction goes, I liked a few pieces in the catalog but I wasn’t struck by any lot in particular. However, I was much more impressed when I checked out the full list of jewelry on the Freeman’s website. My favorite is this wheat stalk brooch. It’s 18 karat gold, simple but unique. How many wheat brooches have you seen recently? Exactly. I’m sure there are only, like, 2 of them in existence. And I’d love to own this one.

Screenshot 2018-10-15 at 8.24.03 PM - Edited

This gold pillbox is also going to be auctioned by Freeman’s and it’s so beautiful and vintage: I can’t stand it! It’s also 18 karat gold and has a Greek key-like pattern on the outer edge, and concentric circles on the top. No one has elegant holders for their pills anymore: how lovely is this?

Screenshot 2018-10-15 at 8.23.58 PM - Edited

The Freeman’s Fine Jewelry Auction will be held on November 6, 2018 in Philadelphia, PA at 12PM EST. I may be there, so if you decide to make the trip, make sure that you say hello if you see me!

style · travel

Cruise Ready – How I Pack for a Seven-Day Trip

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As I look ahead to my Caribbean cruise, my mind comes down to the one question that matters most of all:

What will I wear?

Now, I’ve packed for many (MANY!) trips over the years so I’m a bit of a packing pro. However, I don’t think I’ve ever written down my luggage logic. Until today.

luggage

I’m going to break down exactly what I pack for 8 days. Warning: there are some pieces that will be worn more than once. Fortunately, the ship has a laundry room, as does the hotel that I’m staying in when I return from the cruise. Also, the ship has laundry and dry cleaning service, so you can leave the washing to someone else, if you’d like.

The outfits I’m packing are as follows:

  • 2 “anytime” dresses
  • 1 formal/semi-formal dress
  • 3 tops
  • 1 pair of shorts
  • 1 skirt or 1 pair of capris (haven’t decided which one will make the cut yet)
  • 1 set of pajamas
  • 1 swimsuit
  • 2 sarongs/pareos
  • 10 sets of undergarments (bras and panties); 4 pairs of socks
  • 1 workout ensemble
  • 1 pair of sneakers
  • 1 pair of heels

It’s important to remember that I’m wearing an outfit onto the ship, so I’m not counting that ensemble in the items above. For my 1st day/boarding the ship ensemble, I’ll be wearing:

  • long pants
  • blouse
  • ballet flats
  • small scarf

I want to keep it simple, but the truth is, it’s easy to run out of things to wear when you are doing a capsule wardrobe. Just because I’m keeping it simple doesn’t mean I want to be bored when I get dressed. I also don’t want to have to wear the same exact outfit 4+ times before I get home . . .

I’ve usually consulted The Vivienne Files for help with planning my travel wardrobe. I found a cruise-specific capsule wardrobe that may be of interest to someone. While I wouldn’t wear the colors and pieces specifically included, it still provides a good visual of what kind of items would give you the most versatility when packing for a cruise.

That’s my list for now. I’m actively trying to see if I can pare it down even more. If I can, I’ll let you all know! How do you all pack for travel? Let me know in the comments below!

food · travel

Review: Another Broken Egg Cafe, Morrisville, NC

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Back in August, I spent a few days in Raleigh/Durham, NC. While I was there, my friend and I stopped for brunch at a little restaurant that I’d never heard of before: Another Broken Egg Cafe. This restaurant – located in the small town of Morrisville, NC – features a variety of breakfast delights. My friend and I decided to try a few dishes and here’s my review of the experience.

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It took a while before the server greeted our table, but the restaurant was very busy so we understood why there was a delay. We got coffee and ordered the Crab Cake Benedict, Lobster & Brie Omelette, pancakes, fresh fruit and biscuit beignets.

Pancakes and berry medley

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(Clockwise from top) Crab Cake Benedict, Lobster & Brie Omelette, toasted English muffins

Everything was cooked to perfection, piping hot and delicious. I was particularly fond of the omelette: it was flavorful, fluffy and sumptuous. The portions were generous and everything tasted wonderful. The only thing I’d change about my visit would be coming at a different time, so I could have more interaction with the server. But other than that, it was a great experience.

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Biscuit beignets

If you’re ever in the Durham/Raleigh/Cary area, you should definitely check out this restaurant! Or, you can always go to the one nearest you, since it’s a nationwide chain.

That’s it for today, folks: I hope I haven’t made you all too hungry! Talk to you all tomorrow.

travel

On the Road Again

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Today is a driving day, so I’m only popping in for a minute. I hope you all are enjoying your Saturday and making the most of it!

Photo from the road

If you have some free time and want to listen to something useful, check out James Wedmore’s most recent podcast about how he structures his day. On my way to my weekend getaway, I also listened to a juicy episode of the Afford Anything podcast, where the host, Paula Pant, interviewed Suze Orman. Orman’s emphatic denunciation of the FIRE (Financially Independent Retire Early) Movement made for a riveting – albeit polarizing – show. Even if you aren’t an entrepreneur or ascribe to the FIRE Movement’s principles, you’ll likely glean some good tips from both of these episodes.

I hope you all enjoy the day and the podcast episodes I linked above! Talk to you all tomorrow!

life curation

2018 Goals – More Updates

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Happy Monday, and welcome to October, friends! You all are overdue for a 2018 goal update (my last one was in June) and, since we have only 3 months left in the year, it seems like a good time to rev up the activity and finish the year strong.

As a quick reminder, here were my goals:

  • Publish some of my writing
  • Travel more
  • Dabble in an art career

Here are the updates on each goal up to this point:

Goal 1: Publish some of my writing

books

In my last goal update post, my short-term writing goals were:

  • Finish writing out supplemental/resource material for the how-to book
  • Allow my friends to read a draft of my novel for feedback
  • Resume work on novel # 2

I’m happy to say that the how-to book is completely finished and I did a little more work on novel # 2. I haven’t asked for feedback on my novel yet, mainly because I read through it and I think – actually, I know – it could use some more editing. Since I made progress during this last round of updates, I’ll go easy during the next 3 months. However, going “easy” doesn’t mean that I’m doing nothing. I want to take fewer but more impactful actions.

My next set of goals is as follows:

  • Complete edits on my novel
  • Participate in NaNoWriMo in November
  • Publish my how to book

Goal 2: More travel

luggage

Ah, travel. It’s my most consistent love and one of my favorite hobbies. My goals last time were mostly about planning and paying for travel:

  • Finalize details for birthday trip in August
  • Finish paying off October cruise balance
  • Start budgeting for international trip in December

My birthday trip happened and it was epic! I also paid off my cruise balance and I’ll be on the ocean in a few weeks. I am going to postpone my December trip because some changes in my life mean that I will need to stay closer to home this holiday season. However, I’m going to be READY for some great travel in 2019! Here are my goals for the remainder of the year:

  • Plan out 2019 trips
  • Film at least three travel-related videos for my YouTube channel
  • Get TSA Pre-Check/Global Entry

Goal 3: Dabble in an art career

art

My goals for my art related career aspirations were as follows:

  • Complete an art course
  • Create a website for art career “secret project”
  • Read “Institutional Time – A Critique of Studio Art Education” by Judy Chicago

This area was the one that I had the least progress. I started an art-related course but I didn’t finish it. I never worked on the website, nor did I read the book I intended to finish. I was a bit discouraged at how little I worked on my art-related goals, but I know that the lack of progress is a symbol of something else. In this case, I need some additional clarity over what kind of art-related career I want. There are a lot of things I could do in the art world but, without clarity, I feel very aimless. In order to make strides in this area, I have to develop my dream a bit more.

On that note, here are my goals for the remainder of the year:

  • Clarify what kind of art-related career I desire
  • Create a preliminary career “plan” for my target career
  • Attend at least three art related events so that I can meet more likeminded people

Those are my mini-goals in a nutshell. I’ll keep working on it, and I’ll report the final outcome at the end of the year. I’m so excited: this is going to be an incredible three months!

Talk to you all tomorrow!

travel

Another Trip Delayed

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I’m so frustrated: with this week’s increased work activities, I had to postpone my Charlotte trip once again! I’m almost concerned that I won’t be able to get down there before November, which is unacceptable – I’ve been wanting to do this trip since the middle of the summer!

I’m reminding myself – constantly – that everything is working out just as it should. I believe that any perceived “delays” are generally for the best of all involved, and nothing good comes from “forcing” anything. So, while I’m frustrated, I’m also remaining optimistic. After all, there are several things that have worked out in my favor thus far, and I’m grateful for them.

frustration

Embracing the frustration and moving forward in due time

First off, I haven’t lost any money on reservations, so it’s not like this has cost me anything financially. Also, forcing a trip right now would leave me exhausted, which is no good, considering the fact that my mind has to be especially sharp at the end of the fiscal year. I mean, it needs to be sharp every day, but this is not the time where I want errors or issues to “slip by me” . . . When I travel to Charlotte, I drive myself, and spending 10 – 12 hours on the road is not exactly the kind of trip I want to “squeeze in” during stressful times at work.

So, tentatively, the travel dates have been pushed to the first or second weekend in October, after work has calmed down a bit and I’ve caught up on my sleep. It’s not what I wanted, but it’ll be okay. I’ll make the best of it!