This Week in Travel: Vol. 49

• I think we're all jealous of this traveling couple 
• A vacation that's out of this world (bad joke - sorry)
• Travel to the UK is now way cheaper (this is true - our recent tickets round trip were less than $400 per person!)
• It's like the town in Beauty and the Beast in real life 
• Baby born on flight (at 28 weeks!!!)
• Free trips based on DNA... a new concept
• Which airline has the fewest complaints?
• Bookmarking these two places for my next trip to New Zealand and Costa Rica
• Who wants to buy this small castle with me?
• The ultimate California coastal road trip itinerary 

WE'RE BACK! We spent 3 days in NYC seeing Hamilton (YES, it's as amazing as you think it will be), seeing friends, eating food, and walking around in the freezing cold. We did a Home Exchange and stayed in TriBeCa on the 41st floor - so the view was incredible (see above). 

We also spent 7 days in London, my favorite place. The weather was incredible, in the 60's and sunny every day (basically summer in the UK!) and everything was in full bloom. I saw all my friends, enjoyed the sights, and just lazily wandered my favorite city. Recaps on both coming soon! 

xo

This Week in Travel: Vol. 48

• A beginner's guide to first class
• Burn extra calories by walking instead of taking the NYC Subway (besides the fact that I'd actually have to swim across from the Brooklyn apartment we stayed in, this is a good idea ;) 
• You can upgrade your food without upgrading your seat!
• A good guide to Sanibel Island (the best beach in the world in my opinion!)
• How to talk about American Politics abroad
• Stop checking your email on vacation!!!!!!!!
• How to have a green vacation

Fun Ways to Make Money & Travel (seriously)

• Live in the Mall of America (they'll pay you)
• Get paid to drink beer around the world (no, really!)
• New Zealand just wants you to take the interview & get some cash in return (and possibly a job!)

Mad Cap Coffee in Grand Rapids, Michigan

I spent last week in Grand Rapids, Michigan for a work trip. I've never been to Michigan before, and while I was pretty busy for the most part, we did get to enjoy a few local spots! MadCap Coffee has been on my list for years, since a few other coffee loving friends had mentioned how great it was. I brought a bag of beans home and am enjoying another cup of their perfectly roasted beans as we speak. I was also able to hit up Perrin Brewery, which had a fun atmosphere, delicious food, and really unique beer. I'd suggest doing a beer flight so you can try a few of their brews!

It was my first trip (other than driving two hours to Memphis for our Global Entry interview) since Costa Rica in November. I truly don't think I've gone 3 months without traveling in the last 10 years at least... but more likely 12 or 13 years. After a nice, luxurious break, the next two months will definitely be crazy over here. We've got New York, London, Amsterdam, Panama City Beach, going home, having visitors, going to weddings, having another work photo shoot (locally, at least!) so it's going to be a wild ride. 

I hope everyone has a great week and keep your eyes open for a few posts later this week!

xo

This Week in Travel: Vol. 47

• We can blame the airlines (not the travel websites!) for the high prices. Interesting read.
• I loved this 36 Hours in Brooklyn <3
• Bring back free meals!
• Tourist traps that are worth checking out (in the US)
• The dollar is up which makes traveling cheaper than ever!
• Why you should always dress up for flights
• A little English slang for your next trip to London ;) 
• Which trusted traveler program is right for you? (this is the one we have!)
• "Let Them Travel" -- love this!
• Goodbye, in-flight entertainment (not completely, just read and see what I'm talking about)
• How early should you really arrive for your flight?

my succulents plots planted at the end of my sidewalk (they come back every spring like magic!)

Has Spring sprung for you? We have had an unseasonably warm winter (I'm not complaining!) and all of the trees are starting to bloom - in February - which is so early! I spent the weekend doing some much needed yard work and hanging out with friends. Last week was so much fun - we had plans every night Monday-Saturday, and it felt like a week long Valentine's Day spent with so many fun friends! Not to mention lots of delicious food. We chilled hard last night and it was awesome. 

Next week I'm going on a work trip - my first trip since Thanksgiving! A record, 3 whole months since I've been on a plane. I'll get to test out my new neck pillow & eye mask, and I'm pumped! We are heading to Grand Rapids, MI. It's a quick trip (only 2 nights) but I'd love any dinner recommendations. We are staying on the north side of Downtown Grand Rapids.

Since we are self employed, there's no such thing as President's Day off for us, so if you are enjoying a day off, I'm jealous! Hope you're doing something awesome. 

xo

This Week in Travel: Vol. 46

• Yikes! No cell phones on planes, please. 
• 25 Travel Hacks to save you money this year.
• A 200 year history of hotels & how they have changed (I thought this was so interesting!)
• Guess where they found over $400k worth of smuggled drugs on an airplane?
• Unfortunately, these are all myths. 5 common misconceptions about air travel rights.
• This Mexican beach looks amazing!
• A hilarious in-flight item for toddlers. Worth a shot, I think!
• Cruises and the younger generation.
• A change to American Airlines planes, but chances are you won't really notice. 
• Peanut allergy vs. airlines. I once sat next to a man who had such a sever allergy, they did not serve nuts on the flight because the dust may throw him into anaphylactic shock! I made him show me where he kept his EpiPen... just incase! (it ended up being fine)

Since it came in the mail about 2 weeks ago, I've been listening to La La Land on Vinyl constantly. Well, I was listening to it on vinyl - until we started the construction on our living room. Construction on that room means losing access to not only the living room, but the den (where the record player, tv, couch and most of my plants are) plus, the front door. So for now, we're walking around the house :) BUT I'm very excited about the new lighting & paint colors we're doing. I've wanted to do this update for about 3 years - so it's been a long time coming! As with most home updates, we're doing everything ourselves, so it will be a slower process than if we had a contractor, since we have full time jobs & other activities going on. Oh, and when I say "we", know that means Matt is doing 98% of the work and I'll be helping with some trim painting when the time comes :) 

Anyway - back to La La Land. Did you see the movie? Did you love it? I also loved the Golden Globes opening number inspired by the movie. I'm looking forward to our friend's annual Oscar party to see how many little gold statues they take home. I should also note, the silver lining of buying the vinyl was that it came with a free digital download. so my record player being confined isn't keeping me from this soundtrack!

Anyway, I hope everyone had a wonderful week! Cheers to a great one!
xo

From last week:
All About Global Entry
Costa Rica Packing List

This Week in Travel: Vol. 45

• Tomorrow is a holiday & you should be celebrating!
• How to avoid jet lag according to an airline pilot!
• This is SUPER COOL!
• A new travel scam
• Less than $300 for round trip flights to Costa Rica. DO IT!
• Why it's harder to get a free drink in Vegas these days
• Sad to read about the smog crisis in London :( 
• Is this the end of the carry on bag? (I would be incredibly sad)
• I will absolutely travel for breakfast
• Looking to move somewhere exotic? How about an isolated island in Australia? They'll pay you!

Hello hello! We are back after a whirlwind 36 hours in Memphis to complete our Global Entry interview -- and about 5 minutes after our interview, we got the email that we were officially APPROVED! This is exciting news, since we were hoping to be approved before our next international trip in March. I'll have a detailed post coming about the Global Entry process for anyone interested in applying themselves. 

We stayed at the beautiful Peabody Hotel in Memphis which is world famous for their ducks. Sounds weird, but I assure you, it's the cutest thing ever. I'll also be doing a little Memphis recap soon. I'd never been, even though it's only 3 hours away from Nashville! We also hit up the new IKEA which was great, because it's only about 2.5 hours from our house -- much better than 4 hours to Atlanta. We can now squeeze in a day trip to IKEA without speeding through the store or driving home at 10pm (we've done it so many times. Glad those days are over!) Not to mention Memphis traffic is nearly nonexistent and Atlanta traffic is always a nightmare. Thanks, IKEA! :) 

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, and hope you enjoy these links!

xo

This Week in Travel: Vol. 44

• 12 things the Italians do better than us. I agree!
• This is kind of scary to think about!
• Three things to do when your flight is canceled.
• Free days to visit National Parks in 2017
• A frequent flyer guide... don't get stuck with expiring miles!
• A compelling argument for the window seat (my personal favorite)
• Have you ever thrown change in a fountain? 
• Which airline has announced free WIFI on all domestic flights? Find out here!
• How your passport will change in 2017
• Spend less so you can travel more!

A photo booth in the streets of Florence

We're 1 week out from our Global Entry interview! From what friends have told me, we'll be approved almost immediately after our interview, which means we will DEFINITELY have Global Entry for our trip in March! YAY!!! I'm so happy our scheme worked.

We'll be heading to Memphis on Saturday to have our interviews, but we're staying overnight at the Peabody Hotel. Any suggestions for dinner while we're there? I'm having a hard time finding recommendations for anything other than BBQ. Please send me all of your recommendations! We're also hitting up Ikea, since they just opened one in Memphis. We're going to add recessed lighting & repaint the living room, so we need a few odds and ends. Have you picked up anything special from Ikea recently? I'd love to hear what.

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

xo

This Week in Travel: Vol. 43

• The youngest person to have visited all 196 countries! (I've only been to 25. I'm WAY behind.)
• The world's most punctual airline happens to be one of my least favorite! 
• The lure of travel slogans.
• Neil Patrick Harris on traveling. 
• Take a vacation without work ruining your life. 
• I know this is just a marketing ploy, but this bear makes me sad!
• Each airline has their own rules for traveling when pregnant. Check them out here. 
• The most annoying kind of airline passenger.
• Amazing drone photos around the world. 
• Packing advice from a flight attendant.
• I love this article on Auckland, NZ. 
• How to make food a part of your next family vacation (yum!)

inside a cute cafe in Copenhagen

Hello hello! I'm back in action after the stomach flu took me down with intense force. I haven't had a bug like that in a long time and I forgot how little energy you have. 

In more exciting news, Matt and I have applied for Global Entry and have our interviews in a couple of weeks! We're really excited to get this line-skipping party started. We have an international trip at the end of March, so I'm hoping 8 weeks is a quick enough time to get approved. That would be amazing! Do you have Global Entry? How quickly did you get approval? 

Is everyone else having a weird winter? It's been in the teens one day and nearly 70* the next. No wonder everyone I know is getting sick! But this warmer weather makes me want to put my sweaters away and wear dresses again (because I'm not even a little cold). What's your winter been like? Any pretty snow days?

xo

This Week in Travel: Vol. 42

• I saw this picture on CN Traveler and now I'm DYING to go to Austria!!! So dreamy. 
• The Caribbean's first over water bungalow. Sign me up!
• Would you ever stay in an Irish Lighthouse? I totally would!
• London vs. New York -- the ultimate showdown
• Come on, TSA.
• Could you take a tropical vacation if you were paid $300?
• Over $10,000 in free travel thanks to Home Exchange (we might have a similar savings!)
• Why a travel warning doesn't necessarily mean cancel your trip (we had a travel warning after the Paris attacks in Nov 2015 -- but still visited London, Bruges, and Copenhagen.)

Is everyone settling back into the routine of the new year? Starting those resolutions? Dragging yourself to your desk? It's a little bit of both over here after all the holiday craziness!

In breaking news: we are starting the year off with nearly 3 months of no travel. Yes, you read that right. 

We are not going anywhere until the last weekend in March and I couldn't be more excited about it. I know that doesn't sound like me, but I was missing my house and my kitty and not having to say no to plans because we were out of town. So I made it a point to stay PUT for a few months and really enjoy Nashville and our home. We are going to do some remodeling projects which should be fun. The only exception will be a quick trip to Ikea - we are thinking of checking out the Memphis location, has anyone been yet? Other than a little furniture trip, I'm keeping my suitcase unpacked and waking up in my own bed. Sounds nice, doesn't it? (Does to me, anyway :)

I'll be back later this week to recap 2016 and talk about 2017 travels. It's gonna be a great year! What are your travel plans?
xo

This Week in Travel: Vol. 41

• If you want to visit a real life snow globe! :) 
• Great tips for planning a honeymoon from the New York Times
• Sailing to Cuba is an option now... how fun!
• Australia to Europe NONSTOP. Crazy enough, it's only the 3rd longest flight available right now.
• The most Googled travel questions of 2016
• Planning a weekend trips is easy as 1-2-3
• If you're traveling specifically for the good Instagram shot, check out these hotels and these restaurants
• This story of the world's 2nd most well traveled man is so fascinating!
• Download Netflix & Amazon Prime shows NOW so you can watch on planes or out of the country on your trip!
• We are looking at doing some RV trips - have you considered it as a great way to travel the US?
• Wish the National Parks a Happy 100th Birthday!
• A new air merger promises "More to Love"

Is everyone ready for Christmas? After a really warm fall it finally feels winter-y around here. The Christmas decorations definitely help, but the 35* weather adds to the festivity. Although, as soon as I have to take down my pretty tree I'll be ready for the warmth again :)

What are your holiday traditions? I always do a Secret Santa with my girlfriends from college, and Matt and I make a gingerbread house. I'm also a big fan of my favorite Christmas movies on heavy rotation. Love, Actually, Home Alone 1&2, The Santa Clause, Just Friends, the Family Stone, the Holiday. I've realized that I'm not a fan of overly sappy classics like Miracle on 34th St, It's a Wonderful Life, or anything else like that. I like my Christmas movies to be generally comedic :)

We're staying put for the holidays and I'm so excited to be home. Our house feels extra cozy with the tree and a fire going... It's my favorite! Are you going anywhere for the holidays or do the festivities happen at your house?

Hope everyone has an awesome week!
xo

This Week in Travel: Vol. 40

• Jet Blue is offer 12 Days of Deals (today's is $20 flights!)
• The key to happy employees is travel, according to this study
• This is not a drill -- an ITALIAN FOOD THEME PARK
• An ode to my favorite way to travel!
• Why house swapping might beat Airbnb (I can't say I disagree).
• Why they don't want you to fly after 34 weeks! 
• The best time ALL YEAR to take a trip. I should note we have traveled during this time 5 years in a row.... because it's the best.
• 7 Christmas Trees around the world
• The science behind what make a vacation memorable. 
• It looks like stopovers are back!

After quite the hiatus - I'm back. We just got back from Costa Rica (incredible, by the way), and I realized there were so many things I tried to find information on before our trip, but couldn't. 

It inspired me to dust off this old blog and give the internet this information myself. So here we are. Hope you've been doing interesting things and going interesting places. We've got a lot to catch up on. Look forward to:

- NYC guides

- Toronto posts

- Costa Rica tips & tricks

- maybe a few other bonus tidbits!

Speaking of hiatuses, I'm trying my hardest not to leave the state until March (give or take an Ikea trip). It's been an awesome year of traveling, but I miss being home. Between the Companion Pass and Home Exchanging, we've been keeping ourselves busy on the cheap! So it's been tempting to go everywhere/do everything.  

There you have it. Be on the look out for more updates and posts soon!

xo

This Week in Travel: Vol. 38

• Looking for an active vacation? Look no further than our National Parks!
• I've always wanted to go to the Hamptons during the summer, so this might be my reason!
• What the numbers on your boarding pass mean.
• Have you been through a Delta security line yet? Thoughts? 
• You can stay in an apartment IN the Eiffel Tower! Amazing.  
• Yet another article that makes me long to visit Maine. I'll get there one day!
• Thinking about jumping on this bandwagon myself...
• Have you heard about the hoopla surrounding North & South Carolina's borders? What do you think? 
• Get used to hearing the words 'basic economy' more. As if Economy flights could be more basic?!
• Who uses a travel agent these days?
• A cheese cave grows in Brooklyn ;) 
• One writer talks about her vow to use her vacation days this year (and I think you should, too!)

We leave in about a week for a month long home exchange in NEW YORK CITY! We'll be living in Brooklyn for the month of July, and another family will be living in our house. Exciting, right? If you wanna learn more about home exchange, I'm writing a blog post about the process tomorrow!

The photo above is the house we'll be living in for the month. It's a husband and wife, and their 2 kiddos. She is a photographer and designer, hence the impeccable taste. Anyone taking a trip to the city this summer? Drop me a line, or at least send me your favorite NYC spots!

xo

This Week in Travel: Vol. 37

• It will become more difficult to visit Cinque Terre - here's why.
• A cool new walking tour app (I'm seriously going to download this!)
• How to get two passports (legally)
• Most hated airline on social media - and nobody is surprised.
• A selfie for your passport photo?!
• Delta had some press pros & cons lately. 
• You're missing the point of family vacation.
• Unlimited flights for a cool $2,000 a month.
• Places you're probably pronouncing wrong. I'm personally guilty of saying "Louie's-ville" until I was about 21 -- YIKES.
• The passport with the least amount of visa restrictions.
• Why turbulence is hard to detect.
• We all know you can't smoke on a plane, but e-cigs are also a no-no.

After months of anticipation.... I think SPRING IS HERE! Has it arrived for you, yet? 

Growing up in Florida, I never understood the obsession with spring – we went straight from a handful of cool days to boiling hot for 8 months. But now! The trees! The flowers! The longer days! Usually I find it hard to pick a favorite anything – but spring wins in the list of seasons by a long shot.

We've had a few quiet months around here. No big trips planned, nothing major going on (except the construction of our garage!) and it's been pretty nice. I'm turning 30 in just a few weeks and I LOVE BIRTHDAYS! I think it's such a fun excuse to get friends together, don't you? And like any other March baby I know, we have no problem making sure our birthdays are extra celebrated ;) Do you know any March birthdays who are celebration-obsessed?

The sunshine is calling my name, daylight savings time is around the corner, and life feels like it's back to normal again. I have beach trips on the brain as well – do you have any great warm trips planned?

Hope your week is going well!

xo

This Week in Travel: Vol. 36

• Traveling specifically for food - would you do it? (I would)
• What a deal. Only $11,000 for a private jet to cuba haha.
• Mark your calendars for the free entry days for National Parks in the US are this year
• An airplane that eliminates jet lag? 
• A few tips on getting into hard to book restaurants
• If your passport is expiring in the next two years the State Department thinks you should renew now (and with good reason!)
• Nerd Alert: A Downton Abbey tour in London!!! (I wish I'd know about this)
• An update on Zika, and why you should consider changing your plans. And what the travel industry is saying.
• Would you visit Iowa specifically for the caucuses?
• Why the airplane overhead bins stress us out.
• This sounds like my kind of Super Bowl Party (because there's nooooo way I'd travel to SF during the game!) 

How's everyone's week been? 

We're back from the sunshine state, although it wasn't quite as warm as I was hoping. I think I'm about 1% more than than I was before I left, so I'll take what I can get. :) 

After epic snow fall last week in Nashville, we're back to normal weather, at least for a few days. We've had snow, rain, tornados, wind, sun, heat, cold and everything in-between this winter - I think El Nino is really having fun this time around.

I picked up a few air plants on my trip to Florida, because I couldn't get on board with paying for them - they're literally laying all over the ground near my parents house. I found two stuck on a twig, so it was all ready to go. Yes, you can pack plants in a carry on - as long as you're not leaving the country :)

Speaking of carry on's and Florida, I was thinking about doing a packing list for winter in Florida. Even though I lived there my whole life, I wanted to pack dresses and shorts only, but with some days in the 40's-50's I knew I couldn't do that! It's hard to pack for mixed weather, so I think I'll share what I did (after a few packs & repacks).

Anyway, I hope everyone has a great week and a happy February!

xo

This Week in Travel: Vol. 35

There are so many travel blogs & publications I read on a daily basis! Wanted to share some of my favorite links, articles, info graphics and tips from around the web this week.

• Huh! There's a reason food takes different on an airplane.
• Cait's recap of her trip to Japan makes me want to visit!
• Is Iceland's Blue Lagoon a tourist trap or a must see?
• The ten commandments of air travel.
• How to use Netflix in another country (legally).
• A piece on Canada's sudden popularity.
• There's a reason airplane windows are round - who knew!
• These are legit - 7 ways you're wasting money on trips.
• What to do if you're flight is canceled due to weather (which may have happened for a few of you this week!)A study of the cleanliness of 3, 4, and 5 star hotels - yiiiiikes.
• The price of a Presidential vacation (just a few more dollars than my last vaca...)
• Chips in your hand! Mark of the beast, anyone?! This is kinda creepy.
• There's a reason airplane windows are round - who knew!
• Shout out to Milstead (Seattle), Crema (Nashville), and Wormhole (Chicago) - the best coffee shop in every state. 3 down, 47 to go ha!

THIS IS IN MY FUTURE. I miss the ocean so much, I can almost taste it! The snow is fun for about 5 minutes, then I want to be in a sundress again. 

I'm turning 30 in just about two months (!!!!!) and also want to celebrate with sand and sun. I'm thinking San Diego, since I've never been (and Southwest has direct flights). Does anyone have a suggestion for a great beach front hotel?

Anyway, hope everyone has a great week!

xo

This Week in Travel: Vol. 34

There are so many travel blogs & publications I read on a daily basis! Wanted to share some of my favorite links, articles, info graphics and tips from around the web this week.

• Not fun to think about, but great to know that flight attendants are being taught the signs to spot someone caught in sex trafficking
• The most beautiful towns in America - and the world. 
• Sign me up for  Lake Louise and Banff - free entry to Canadian Nat'l Parks in 2017! Thanks, Canada :)
• This is the CUTEST!
• Packing tips from the Pros.
• $99 flights to Europe - can it be true?!
• The Northern Lights from outer space. Amazing.
• Super cheap flights on Frontier Airlines! Like, the same price as your take out.
• A great Valentine's Day idea for the Harry Potter fan in your life. 
• A way to get the most out of your airline miles. 
• Perspective on traveling in a world of terrorism. 
• Moms-to-be: have you read up about Zika?

Did everyone have a good weekend? Ours was cozy. We had a really busy week, so I was happy to catch up on a few episodes of Downton Abbey (we didn't see last nights - no spoilers!!!) and eat home made soup. I made Kale & White Bean which is a favorite of mine. I didn't use a recipe (I rarely do when I cook), but it's something along the lines of this one, just without the bread (because I didn't have any, not because I'm above it).

I was inspired by Catherine to order the Warby Parker home try ons so I would actually check "eyes checked" off my 101 in 1001 list - and guess what! I have an eye appointment today and I believe I've already picked the frames I like. That's what I call getting it done.

What's on your mind today? I've got sunshine on the brain, as we're visiting my family in Florida soon. I've all but made a paper chain because my pale skin needs some Vitamin D. 

I hope everyone has a nice week!
xo

This Week in Travel Vol. 33

There are so many travel blogs & publications I read on a daily basis! Wanted to share some of my favorite links, articles, info graphics and tips from around the web this week.

• Aww, well isn't that cute? ;) 
• A suggestion for the undervisted locations for your next trip!
• I've never been to India, but these first timers tips are great.
• The best beaches in New Zealand - I absolutely agree with #3! One of the prettiest places I've ever been (#5 wasn't too shabby either) 
• THANKS FOR NOTHING AIRLINES
• This suitcase is weird, funny and a little creepy.
• Credit card charges/scams to avoid while traveling. Also - I love this card and this card for travel if you're searching for a new one!
• Not cool, United.
• Auction style airline upgrades! Has anyone tried this yet?
• The 10 worst habits of airplane passengers - are you guilty?
• A few tips to avoid the headaches of delays and canceled flights. 
• The 16 hottest neighborhoods to visit (according to Airbnb)

Big Sky, MT a few years ago

It's FREEZING! Is anyone else freezing? There were mini snow flakes covering my car this morning, it looked like Elsa from Frozen had been hanging out near my house last night. 

How was your weekend? We had Matt's parents in town, so we took them to a few of our favorite places (like Frothy Monkey for breakfast & Arrington Vineyards for some vino). It was nice to have a little visit! 

Tomorrow, I'll be posting a list inspired by Cait at Pretty & Fun, called 101 in 1001. It's a list of 101 things I want to complete in the next 1001 days (which is a little less than 3 years). It felt really daunting, but I spent a lot of time day dreaming about things I've always said I wanted to do or secretly thought about, but haven't had the motivation to complete. Now, I've got a little fire under my butt. I'm excited to work my way through the list. Does anyone want to join me on this adventure?

These chilly temps really have me craving a beach vacation. We'll be visiting my family in Florida soon, and I told my mom yesterday "it better be warm or I'll change my flight". Ok, so I probably wouldn't do it - but I'd be tempted! Being pale is not my best look.

Any travel plans in your new year so far? Staying warm, I hope?
xo

PS 
How to Travel More in 2016
Packing for 2 Weeks in Europe (Carry On Only!)
Why Cruises are the BEST Group Vacation
Recaps of London // Bruges // Copenhagen 

This Week in Travel: Vol. 32

There are so many travel blogs & publications I read on a daily basis! Wanted to share some of my favorite links, articles, info graphics and tips from around the web this week.

• Adorable amenities from Westin for kids :) 
• These are amazing aerial photos around the world!
• Would you share a hotel room with a stranger to save a few bucks? 
• Hey Nashville - we won! 
• Some fun travel tips from 2015.
• Cool news from NYC.... welcome to the future.
• 12 signs you desperately need a vacation (just take one, already!) 
• Do you live in Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, New Mexico, or Washington State? Your license will soon not be valid for DOMESTIC flights. Learn more here. 
• New York City rent is on the rise - is Airbnb to blame? 
• TSA may now deny your request for a pat down (time to work on your cool hands-over-head-feet-on-yellow-spots-pose).

Happy 2016!!! I personally cannot believe it's 2016.... I don't think my brain ever thought past 2008 (the year I'd graduate college), and now it's closer to 2020 than 2010. YIKES! The years really do fly by when you get older.

I hope everyone had a great holiday, and you're ready to get back into the swing of things! We had a fun, fancy New Year's Eve party (our signature grapefruit cocktail featured above!) with a few friends, and it was a great way to ring in the new year. Now, in what seems like a blink of the eye, the Christmas decor is down, and it's just a normal, cold, day. I miss my Christmas tree and spruce scented candles.

I hope there's a little extra coffee in your cup this morning... and here's to a great 2016!
xo