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Four Favorites August

September 2, 2016

August flew by and you won’t hear me complaining. I try not to make a habit out of wishing time away, but we’ve finally entered into my FAVORITE part of the year, September – December.

Before I jump in with both feet, though, I need to share my Four Favorites for August. This month I’m back to my regular pattern for this post featuring a Book, Blog, Brand and Break. We spent the past two weeks on and off with travel so I’ve had little time in the kitchen, but lots of time to read some new favorites and do some sightseeing.

This month, I want to share a book that redefines happiness, a blog with a splash of inspiration from Polish cuisine, a goat cheese we enjoyed all summer and a short trip in the heart of cheese and cherry country.

Sacramento: Seven Places to Eat and Drink

August 9, 2016

Insight Coffee Roasters, Sacramento | Food and Drink Travel | Fake Food Free

It only took a stop in one coffee shop for me to wonder why I’d not made Sacramento a higher priority on my California travel list. Things appear to be changing rapidly in this city and that means it is ticking all the boxes of a top food and drink destination.

There are coffee shops that make you want to pull out the laptop and sit a few hours, craft beer lists that represent the state’s growing number of breweries and beyond, happy hours with bites that combine comforting favorites with trendy twists, and vegetarian food that I could easily pick over a meat treat any day of the week.

I was in Sacramento for 4 days at the end of July to attend the International Food Bloggers Conference. It was a fun few days catching up with old friends and making new ones. The conference did an excellent job of tying in so many of the wonderful foods and food companies that Sac has to offer.

Four Favorites in June

July 1, 2016

I know, I know. I completely skipped over my four favorites for May.

That’s not the worst of it, though. I also missed this blog’s anniversary.

Again.

I haven’t remembered one year, in fact.

Mid-summer rolls around and I think — Oh, that’s right. I started this blog in May of 2008. I forget. Every time.

I’m back on track now, though. And so far this summer I have encountered some really great stuff. A coffee subscription service, a book I know you know about but that you should still read, a blog that inspires me and a lavender ranch.

In case, you are new around here, my monthly (or sort of monthly) Four Favorites is where I share my favorite finds in the form of a brand, a book, a blog and a (travel) break.

Four Favorites in March

April 5, 2016

Favorites in March include a granola that takes me back to my days in Kentucky and some excellent literary guidance for travel writing. My four favorites posts are where I share a brand, book, blog and break that I enjoyed throughout the month and want to share with you.

I’m backtracking just a few days to share my four favorites post for March. I had every intention of publising this post up last week. I have it written all over my calendar to prove it. But life got in the way. And by life, I mean our new house! I haven’t said much about it so far, but we’ve finally purchased a home in California. Things aren’t quite as crazy as they could be, but we are still juggling a few projects like working with painters and having some new flooring installed. It has me way off schedule with new posts. Just a few more weeks and hopefully we’ll be back to smooth sailing.

Fortunately all that has been going on hasn’t kept me from exploring some new foods, books and blogs in March. I have a lot of good stuff to share so read on!

What to Eat and Drink at Berlin Christmas Markets

December 9, 2015

After visiting our first Christmas market in Europe in 2013, I feared this might happen. Then we went again in 2014 and I knew there was no escaping it.

My brain has permanently redefined the holiday season.

Now, if you look up the definition of the holidays in my head, you will find Christmas markets in Vienna, Krakow and also Copenhagen and Berlin.

This is Christmas.

The lights, the jolly attitudes, the crowds, an evening standing in the freezing cold and actually enjoying it, and of course, the food and drink.

Now, nothing says Christmas to me like experiencing one of those markets.

This September

September 22, 2015

I’m usually not one to comment on how quickly or slowly the months go by. It varies for me from year to year. It all depends on what I have going on.

Lately though, I’ve been thinking a lot about this September. Mostly about how it came along quickly, after what felt like a long August, and now suddenly it’s almost gone.

There are 3 very good reasons for this.

Food, Drinks and Beautiful Views in Maui, Hawaii

April 21, 2015

Food, drinks, and beautiful views. Just a few of the reasons why even the most touristy of locations can’t ruin a trip to Maui, Hawaii.

“Yeah, it’s a bit of a touristy area, but it will be fine. It’s a quick trip and Hawaii is so close now. We’ll be back.”

Famous last words when travel planning.

When we decided we would visit Maui, I spent some time researching accommodations. Our first thought was to get a remote rental where we could relax and cook a little using local ingredients.

Then when booking our direct flights from Oakland we got swayed by the great package deals, so we went ahead and added the hotel, too.

So with our tolerance for crowds way up, we arrived on the island, eager to finally see Hawaii.

St. Patrick’s Day Recipes and Travel

March 16, 2015

I’m sharing some green, along with my favorite St. Patrick’s Day recipes, and travel inspired by one my favorite places — Ireland!

I’ve had green on my mind lately. Isn’t it such a beautiful color? I grabbed some green things from around the kitchen last week and took a few fun photos. It got me in the mood for spring and for St. Patrick’s Day!

We’ve been to Ireland a few times now and each visit I get more inspired by the people, the food and the landscape. So when we have a holiday where I can celebrate those things back home, I’m all in.

Krakow Christmas Market

December 10, 2014

Our holiday visit didn’t stop in Vienna. The Krakow Christmas Market in Poland was equally as exciting with one of a kind food experiences!

As I stand in the town center of Krakow, I wonder why a visit to Poland had not been higher on my travel list. It was always there, but tucked beneath what I thought were more intriguing destinations.

I take my first steps into the market and I see a stand selling pierogi. No surprise there. I am in Poland after all.

Visiting Vienna Christmas Markets

December 8, 2014

If you have ever been tempted to visit Christmas markets in Europe, I hope this post will convince you to finally book the trip. We spent time in Vienna last December and the experience left me speechless. After a year to gather my thoughts, I’m sharing the highlights with what to drink and eat when visiting Vienna Christmas Markets.

I haven’t fully decided how I feel about the term bucket list. I’m not a huge fan, but that might just be because it is so popular and overused. At the same time, I lack an appropriate name for my list of places to see in this world.

Must-go, must-see, travel list? They all feel rather boring. Especially with the places that I have on my list. I feel like the name needs to match the magnitude of the experiences.

So while I’m searching for a name, I’m slowly progressing through my list (whatever it is called).

A big, and I mean huge, destination for me, became a reality last December. We’ve been to Vienna a few times now and it remains one of my favorite places in the world, but I’ve always wanted to go in December to see the Christmas markets.