Here you will find an archived weblog of my food, travel, and creative pursuits which I kept from 2010-2016. Please note both that the travel information contained here may outdated and that these logs were created on a prior version of this website and may not yet be optimized for the current version. If you’re looking for specific content, use the search field below! <3
For the first time in my travels, I found every guidebook purchased for this trip almost entirely useless. Perhaps their only positive contribution was to guide us to a spot we wouldn’t find interesting, so we would then be forced to go explore on our own. It was a fascinating set up for what has become one of my favorite travel adventures yet.
Read MoreOn our second night in Portugal, we ventured down to Praia da Adraga to watch the sunset - our very first over the Atlantic Ocean. These few hours we spent beach combing and shooting photos were the first indication that golden hour has an entirely new degree in Portugal. The photos you'll see in this post don't have their saturation levels raised - in fact they're just barely edited at all. This is what golden hour really looks like in Portugal.
Read MoreIn January 2012, while researching for our trip to Northern Spain, the GOOP newsletter arrived in my inbox with some details about visiting Portugal for a film festival. As I scrolled down, I noticed a small entry about an eco-friendly bed and breakfast named Colina Flora. Following the link to their website, I was immediately enchanted and suddenly Portugal had made it on to my travel wish list. So you could say that Colina Flora was the initial impetus for our two-week trip to Portugal this year.
Read MoreThis question stops me in my tracks each time I hear it upon my return from one of my “magical” adventures – as my day job co-workers refer to them. Trying to summarize a two-week experience driving over 1,600 kilometers around most of Portugal into a concise reply seems utterly challenging at first.
Read MoreIt’s early Thursday morning, three days before my husband and I leave on an adventure to road trip Portugal, and I’m getting my head scanned for a “slow bleed” in my brain. Everyone is in on the rush job since I injured myself only two days prior, from my naturopathic doctor to the tech performing the scan. Upon leaving each appointment, they tell me “you’re going to have a wonderful time on your trip.”
Read MoreThe Harmony Trail was an unexpected short hike which made an excellent addition to our unexpected day at the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. At just under two miles round trip it's a relatively easy hike down to to the edge of Spirit Lake. The history of what happened to Spirit Lake during the 1980 eruption is simply fascinating and of all the points of interest in the park - this one captures my mind the most.
Read MoreAs I started packing for the trip about a week prior to take-off, I found myself packing in an entirely new way than in the past. Specifically, I've been packing based on what my travel essentials are versus what I think I'll need for every single day of the trip. Instead of planning each outfit to wear, I just bring my best tried and tested travel gear. It's been remarkably less stressful to pack this way since it's just a matter of bringing the best of the best.
Read MoreFor weekend camping trips within a few hours of our home base, I believe there's no reason to both overcomplicate and skimp on meals. All you need is a cooler with ice packs and you can bring just about anything, except ice cream I suppose. I'm also a big fan of doing as much prep work as possible at home to make meal preparation at camp much easier. This includes baking any goodies, washing all the produce, and preparing condiments and sauces.
Read MoreIt's an interesting turn of events when you select a random campsite based on reserve-ability at the last minute, think you'll just have a quiet weekend in the forest, and find yourself at the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.
Read MoreWhile I would suggest you devote far more time to exploring the Oregon Coast - if you only have one day, TAKE IT! It's a journey of over 300 miles and if you start as early as you can possibly stand - you'll have time to briefly explore a whole lot of beautiful places.
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