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A slice of Japan in Florida

June 8, 2016 6 Comments

It was a beautiful Sunday morning, my husband was working, my girls were in Sunday school, and despite all the housework that needed to be done I was day dreaming about travel. Of course I begin scrolling through my Instagram and Pinterest feeds and start seeing all these wonderful pictures of spring in Japan. Then I remembered that about 1 hr away from home is Morikami Museum and Japanese gardens. Despite living in South Florida for well over one decade I had not visited these gardens yet. So without any more thought or planning I decided that today was the day I would visit this little slice of Japan in Florida.

Food

New York Grilled Cheese Co. (Wilton Manners, FL) – Review

May 29, 2016 2 Comments

Not sure what it is about rainy days and comfort food like grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup but they go well together. So when the rain decided to interfere and ruin my plans of a lazy day by the pool with my family, I changed my plans and headed out for lunch with them instead to the New York Grilled Cheese Co.

How did I hear about this place you ask? I discovered it quite by accident as I was browsing through Instagram. There on my feed was a picture of what looked like a stuffed waffle. It intrigued me enough that I looked it up and realized that this was not a waffle at all, but a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich that was cooked in a waffle press.

Travel

Miami – An afternoon in Wynwood

May 22, 2016 20 Comments

This post was most recently updated on May 26th, 2016

Some days you just have to play tourist for the day and enjoy the sites that your own city has to offer. Today was one of those days. So with exploration in mind and a beautiful sunny day we decided to head to Miami. When most think of Miami they probably think of palm trees, beaches and South Beach. But the Miami we went to explore is filled with art -urban graffiti & street art. It was incredible to see how some of the world greatest artists working on graffiti have converged to create street art in Wynwood.

Lifestyle

Where are you from? – A matter of identity

May 21, 2016 19 Comments

This post was most recently updated on May 26th, 2016

When you meet someone for the first time, whether it is during your travels or at home, one of the typical questions that comes up in conversation is: Where are you from? And you would think this is an easy question to answer right? – WRONG!!! For me, and I am sure countless others, this is probably a very difficult questions to answer and may boil down to a matter of identity. I may have been born in one place but I have lived more than half my life in another. And more importantly I identify with more than one culture.

Food

Tin Fish Restaurant (Sunrise, FL) – Review

May 15, 2016 4 Comments

This post was most recently updated on May 26th, 2016

About a week ago I saw this post on Facebook from my mom raving about this little restaurant in Sunrise, FL called Tin Fish. Since this is not far from home we decided to give it a go and see what all the fuss was about. The Tin Fish restaurant is a little gem of a place, it has a casual atmosphere and simply put good fresh food. Not sure why it is called Tin Fish as I am pretty sure that nothing they cook in there came out of a tin.

Travel

Must See D.C. Attractions

May 11, 2016 14 Comments

This post was most recently updated on August 2nd, 2016

There is so much to see and do in Washington, D.C. that you could probably spend a few weeks here and not see it all. It can also feel a bit overwhelming for a first time visitor. But don’t worry, I have a plan and a list of essential experiences that I will be sharing with you. So if you have limited time I recommend the following:

1) Plan ahead.
2) Select your must see attractions – you can use the list I am providing as a guide.
3) Plot them on a map (I use Google maps) to find the best route to connect them all and save you time.

Remember D.C. is a great walking city so you will be able to walk or take public transportation to most of the must see attractions and best of all most of them are FREE. Here is my list of must do’s while in Washington, D.C. :

Travel

Top 8 Tips to Avoid Jet Lag

May 3, 2016 2 Comments

This post was most recently updated on August 2nd, 2016

As my summer trip overseas approaches I find myself thinking about jet lag. When flying to and from different time zones your body and internal clock have a hard time adjusting to the changes and you wind up dealing with what is commonly known as jet lag. Many assume that this will ruin your first few days on your trip. And with holidays not being as long as we want them to be, missing out on a day or two can certainly put a damper on your itinerary. But jet lag does not need to be the Grinch that stole your vacation. It is possible to minimize the effects of jet lag and here are my top 8 tips.

Food, Travel

Bacon & Bourbon Festival

April 21, 2016 2 Comments

This post was most recently updated on May 26th, 2016

Everything is better with Bacon and if you add a little bourbon it becomes a match made in heaven. This year was the 2^nd Annual Bacon & Bourbon Festival in Delray Beach. The event featured bacon inspired dishes, a huge collection of bourbon & whiskey as well as great mixed drinks. If bourbon is not your thing then they did have some beer and wine and even tequila. To top it off they had live music, lots of tables and seating, and some games to pass the time. So was the event worth it? Keep reading and you be the judge.

Lifestyle, Travel

Confessions of an Obsessive Compulsive Travel Planner

April 14, 2016 20 Comments

They say the first step to recovery is to admit you have a problem – so this is confession time. I hear time and time again that you need to be loose with your itinerary, allow room for things to happen, don’t over-schedule. Well my friends, I confess that I have a problem. I obsess over the planning phase of travel. I spend countless hours researching, reading guides, reviews, googling everything and anything related to the destination, and yes, I even analyze and study maps to see what is in the area and how to best maximize my time. While others stress over planning a trip, I pretty much live for it. I look forward to planning my next trip like an alcoholic looks forward to their next glass of booze.

Travel

24 hrs. in St. Augustine

April 12, 2016 2 Comments

This post was most recently updated on August 2nd, 2016

A year ago my daughter went to St. Augustine as part of a school field trip. She enjoyed it so much we decided to make a 24 hr stop on our way to Charleston the following summer. For those who do not know, St. Augustine is the oldest city in the country. Not only is it full of history (from Spanish colony to British rule) but it is fun to. It is a great place to walk around, admire the cool Spanish architecture, have some good food, and experience some great tours and entertainment. There are also tons of tourist traps – I mean shops along the way to pick up some mementos. If you have never been to St. Augustine, then pack your bags and give it a go. There is lots to keep you busy and I guarantee you will find something that is right for you. We spent less than 24 hrs in this historic town and sampled just a bit of what it has to offer. I can’t wait to go back for more.

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A slice of Japan in Florida

New York Grilled Cheese Co. (Wilton Manners, FL) – Review

Miami – An afternoon in Wynwood

Where are you from? – A matter of identity

Tin Fish Restaurant (Sunrise, FL) – Review

Must See D.C. Attractions

Top 8 Tips to Avoid Jet Lag

Bacon & Bourbon Festival

Confessions of an Obsessive Compulsive Travel Planner

24 hrs. in St. Augustine