Travel News for Spring Spring is in full bloom in the Northwest. Blue skies, tulips popping up, and wild daffodils sprouting everywhere. It feels good! I decided to write a short “newsy” letter to all of you, catching you up and keeping you in the loop. I don’t know about you, but social media can be exhausting and frustrating, and I never seem to see what I am looking for. Frankly, I am too busy to go searching, but I would love to learn about new things from inside my inbox and not have them disappear (like an Instagram Story) in 24 hours! So here we go! Travel in a nutshell Our travel sea ..read more

Tuscany, 2021! Being thankful for new adventures is my mantra for 2021. Since 2020 was a lost year, I have moved on to the next, and frankly, I am starting to think in Covid years. I feel like we have lost nearly two years of regular life. We are eeking back, but it is slow going. Here’s what I mean. The last time I saw many of my friends was over two years ago, but in COVID years, just one. Our trip to Iceland, three years ago, in COVID years, one. You get the idea. Last year was utterly awful and wonderful at the same time. I am thankful for new adventures and a life change so different from ..read more

A new podcast Adventure! I am so thrilled to share some exciting news! On October 1st, I will formally launch my brand NEW podcast!  It is called Travel Connections and I wanted to let you know first so you could subscribe and tell all of your friends it is coming your way! As of now, you can listen to the short Welcome Episode! So fun! More exciting episodes will publish every two weeks starting in October. Are you a podcast listener? I started listening to podcasts several years ago when I would take my dog Rocco for a walk. Many people listen while working out or while driving. It is ..read more

A beautiful green array of Hatch Peppers by Melissa’s Produce – Before roasting Ok, true confession, this is my very first Hatch Chile Season! For a very long time, pepper lovers from everywhere have been enjoying this prize produce which is grown in fertile soil along the Rio Grande in Hatch, New Mexico. Hatch peppers are harvested within a short six-week season and now I am a BIG fan. After my first collaboration with my friends at Melissa’s Produce, I was thrilled to join their new cookbook launch, the Hatch Pepper Cookbook and it was published just in time for Hatch Chile Season. This deli ..read more

Dining at The French Laundry has been a dream of mine since my passion for food, restaurants, and the presentation of dishes bordered on obsession. This world-famous, three Michelin Star, pinch me I’m dreaming restaurant is the place where food lovers spend an evening of a lifetime. Seven years ago, my wish to dine at The French Laundry came true and Craig and I experienced this spectacular dinner for the first time. As expected, it met every one of my expectations and more. The entire food adventure was dreamy and surreal, delicious and memorable. I wrote about my experience here on th ..read more

What are the smells of life that evoke an emotional response? I have so many, do you? Ah, the wholly different and wonderful smells of my new life in the Northwest.   Back in 2014 when I began Adventures of Empty Nesters, I wrote a post called, “Do certain smells trigger a rush of memories for you? and it was all about smell memories and my family.  I have always associated certain smells with people, places, and experiences. Maybe it was a perfume my teacher wore, or the aroma of a glorious meal while traveling, or the familiar scents of the holidays. Do you associate me ..read more

Why do we travel? One reason: For travel connections I am often asked – Why do you travel?  Whenever or wherever I travel, I look for special connections, unique moments, and delightful conversations. What do I mean by travel connections? My goal is to gather stories, backstories, inspirational stories, and going deeper into the lives of the people who live in these glorious destinations. Now that is traveling! Of course, we visit the local attractions, but there is so much more. Tell me about the food you grew up eating? Please share with me your favorite local place to relax and soak u ..read more

Just for you! A Springtime cocktail for toasting friendship & family! Spring is the perfect time for a new cocktail adventure! I just love bright new beginnings, sunshine, handcrafted cocktails, and a beautiful asparagus appetizer to accompany the tasty beverage. We have been raising our cocktail game and consistently trying to include the very best organic ingredients and search for empty nester-friendly recipes. I found a gorgeous Blood Orange Margarita on Instagram, created by The Bitter Fairy. We have made it two other times already and thought it was time to share it with you! You ar ..read more

A Clever Mother’s Day gift for the Moms in your life! Are you searching for the perfect Mother’s Day gift? Something that is not the “same old thing”? A lovely present that is unique and clever?  Lucky you, I have a suggestion! Way back in 2014, I introduced you to a fabulous new online gift company called BOXFOX which was created by an entrepreneur and UCLA graduate, named Chelsea Moore. As fellow UCLA alumni, we need to support each other! I am happy to report that Chelsea and her two business partners Sabena Suri and Jenni Olivero created a very foxy, and now in 2021, very successful ..read more

We live one mile from this spot at OO Denny Park, so we just grabbed our beach chairs and headed over at 4 pm on a weekday!The Eastside of Seattle – Visit Kirkland, Our New Home Come over to the Eastside of Seattle and visit Kirkland, WA. Eight months ago, we made the challenging decision to move to the Pacific Northwest to be close to our newborn grandchildren. 4 Generations – My Mom came to visit and we were delighted by the magical sunset. L to R Me, Josephine, daughter Alex, my mom Linda and James. The twins are 7 months in this photo. We sold our perfectly appointed Empty Nest in Southern ..read more