Let’s ignore for a moment that summer is ending (see related post on previous summer reflections here) and talk more about fun travel destinations. For those who’ve never been, Maine (AKA Vacationland) is split into eight regions. (Note: I’m not sure how official the ‘regions’ are, but Maine Bed and Breakfast endorsed them, so that’s good enough for me. See map.) Obviously, there’s a lot of ground to cover (and on rather local roads), so it makes sense to review the regions one by one. I’ve spent the most time in ‘Mid-Coast Maine’, the region that stretches from I-95 down to the water between Brunswick and West Penobscot Bay. I…
Summer of Gratitude
I love summer. Duh. Everyone loves summer. The problem is summer is ending. For me there are 5 official days left. I do not want to spend those days thinking “Gah! I wish I had been able to go to Singapore this year! (Seriously-read Crazy Rich Asians. We all need to go to Singapore immediately). I want to spend these days reflecting on all the great stuff I did this summer and being grateful that I have what most American adults consider to be an absurd amount of time to travel, relax and generally do whatever I want during each year. For example… Today I took 3 hours worth of…
Vacation, Pray, Love
There is an order to the summer and it goes: vacation, pray, love. As one does on vacation, I have been amusing myself all summer with thoughts of what I would do if I quit my job and was able to focus on what I really wanted. Normal jobs only give a few weeks to consider the topic, I have been turning it over in my head for almost 2 months. Yesterday my thoughts turned to Elizabeth Gilbert and her darling 2002-ish plea to ‘Eat, Pray, Love‘: I think it is phenomenal she distilled what she wanted into 3 simple words. What would my words be?! Vacation, Pray, Love…
How to Make Vacation Longer
Sometimes, the secret of how to make vacation longer is all about your mindset. For example, I have been back from my latest trip for approximately 36 hours. I have already: Gone out to an amazing dinner with my boyfriend, read a book, ran 4..ish… miles in Retiro Park, written a blog post, caught up on my e-mail and started harassing my friends about our NEXT destination. At around 7 PM I realized-I needed to get my head back in vacation mode. I immediately booked an appointment at the Hammam Arab Baths. By 8 PM I was floating blissfully in a pool of hot water, debating the merits of…
Pictures of Italy
As promised, here are some pictures of Italy. I went to Rome and Florence over my spring vacation just so I could take them for you. You’re welcome! These photos are just a drop in the bucket. From Rome, I included the Vatican, the Colosseum and the Roman ruins. From Florence, I included one of the main streets and the river. I’m not great with food pics, so these pictures of Italy are just landscapes. If you are looking for drool-worthy Italian food, click here. And if you want more awesome pictures like the banner image on this post, check out Willian West on Unsplash. Otherwise, enjoy! …
Beach Time
Hi reader, I am on vacation in Florida and I’m feeling all the glory of beach time. I need to get back to my recliner chair, but first five quick things that are fabulous, right here right now: 1. Walking in the sand. I love to spend time walking on the beach-it’s great exercise and the sound of the ocean is so soothing. Also, it turns out horizon lines are very important to provide mental clarity 2. Fishing off the shore. I’m terrible at fishing and I think that’s why I enjoy it so much. I don’t feel pressure to catch anything and I’m free to just let my mind…