Journal

Journal | 1.26.19

Happy Saturday! Brrr… it’s cold here today (I thought this was supposed to be Florida?), and we’re about to head over to our old place to finish the cleaning process so we can be officially moved out. That’s probably the thing I hate most about moving: having to clean your old place when you’re still …

Travel Products, Wish Lists and Gift Ideas

Valentine’s Day Gift Guide: Gifts for Your Fellow Adventurer

A pillowcase with a heart embroidered on it

I promise I won’t be offended if you roll your eyes at this post. I get it -many people find the holiday utterly insufferable with all of the forced “romanticism” and capitalist gifting. Whether you love or hate the holiday, I’ve rounded up a few items that any travel-lover would adore, regardless of whether these …

Journal

Journal | 1.20.19

Happy Weekend! These posts usually appear on Saturday, but after moving all day yesterday, I was a bit too tuckered out to open my laptop. We’re about 80% moved, which feels good. The rest of our weekend will be spent unpacking, transporting the last few items, and cleaning our old place – which means that …

Travel, Travel Products, Travel Tips

How to Outsmart a Pickpocket: 15 Items with Hidden Pockets

Alyssa places a phone in her inside jacket pocket

Google “Paris pickpockets” and you’ll receive nearly a million results. The city is famous for its landmarks and pastries, yes, but it’s also famous for something else: pickpocketing. In the months leading up to our first trip to the City of Light in 2014, I spent hours online researching scams and pickpocketing techniques (it’s an …

Destinations, Florida, Style, Travel, USA

A Bit of France in Florida: Attending the Pétanque Amelia Island Open

standing under petanque sign

I first encountered the sport Pétanque (also called Boules) when I was researching for my very first trip to France back in 2014. Upon arrival, I witnessed the cutthroat nature and unshakeable camaraderie of the players Michael and I saw in the parks of Paris and so were inspired to attend the largest tournament in …

Journal

Journal | 1.12.19

What a week it has been (and not in a delightful way). This week Michael and I have been slowly but surely going through our things and packing what we want to move in boxes, and hauling the rest away to other places that may use them. Books have made their way to Little Free …

Travel, Travel Products, Wish Lists and Gift Ideas

Winter Travel Style Wishlist

YSL Scarf hanging on door handle

Well, we’re already a few weeks into winter, but better late than never, right? I’m striving toward building a wardrobe I’m content with – both at home and away – which means I’m giving things a lot of thought before bringing them into my home. Mild winters here in Florida mean I can get away …

Destinations, Florida, Travel, USA

Small-Town Florida: A Day Trip to Mount Dora

Alyssa stands in the Modernism Museum in Mount Dora

You could say Mount Dora lives up to its “festival city” nickname, with so many events on the calendar. And indeed, a festival is how Michael and I found ourselves in the city one beautiful October morning as part of our mission to visit a different Florida destination each month. The Mount Dora Craft Fair …

Journal

Journal | 1.5.19

Welcome to the first Journal post of 2019! I didn’t intend to skip last week, but Michael and I were just having too much fun over the holidays and exploring Asheville, North Carolina. How is the new year treating you so far? Do you feel different, or does it just feel like a continuation of …

Home, Journal, Reflections

Setting Goals for 2019

New Year 2019 Marquee

Yesterday’s post looked back at an equally challenging and rewarding year; today I’m ready to look ahead to 2019. It’s important to set attainable goals, and I think I’ve done that here. By putting them out into the universe, I hope I’ll have a little extra push to form an action plan and accomplish the …