Travel

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I get cabin fever incredibly easily, and aside from a weekend day here or there where I really want to just hang around the house and cook, I often am itching on the weekends to hit the road (or the sea) for an adventure. We’ve spent enough time in Ireland that we’ve become of the mind that if you don’t go out in the rain, you’ll never go out at all. As such, we’ve started making sure we have all of the attire we need for bad weather. . . which for me means all the L.L. Bean!

It really does make a difference though, to have a good rain coat and boots and to be able to stay dry and warm.

A few weeks ago our New England wanderings took us down to Carver and Plymouth, Massachusetts, for some fun in the rain.

Carver, Massachusetts Our first stop was Carver for a quick walk amongst the evergreens. I crave nature, and the misty air and the smell of green just filled my soul with happiness, setting us up for a great afternoon.

Not long after, we made a visit to the lovely and historic Flax Pond Farms where we learned about the history of cranberry growing in the area and got to pretend we were workers back in the olden days, sorting out green and wrinkled cranberries on a conveyor belt.

Flax Pond Farms Flax Pond Farms Flax Pond Farms was a beautiful space surrounded by nature and reflecting its cranberry history, in addition to being full of delicious treats like a spicy cranberry spread and cranberry honey I got to go with some soft cheeses. One of my favorite parts about unplanned trips like this is the potential to come across little gems like Flax Pond Farms.

Flax Pond Farms After we left Carver, our rainy day travels took us to Plymouth, where we explored antiques and other secondhand items in some of the adorable downtown stores. There was plenty to see in town, but still wanting to be outdoors, we headed to the waterfront, where we discovered a charming little park with a beautiful stream running through it and foggy views of the sea beyond.

Plymouth, MA

I did some skipping and puddle jumping, because I simply can not resist jumping in puddles!

Plymouth, MA

Plymouth, MA

And of course, we spent plenty of time admiring boats in Plymouth Harbor.

Plymouth, MA  Ramble on Rose

This gorgeous sailboat brought together three loves: boats, the Grateful Dead, and San Francisco.

After some more walking around the waterfront and the town and a quick spin through the John Carver Inn, we made our way back to the waterfront to the Plymouth Yacht Club. With our own club membership in Boston, we’re usually welcomed into other clubs around the US, and Plymouth certainly made us feel at home.

Plymouth Yacht Club  Plymouth Yacht Club

A sprawling waterfront lawn and plenty of seating gave way to a grand building, which we soon explored, eventually making our way to the top floor members bar to soak up the coziness and a couple of Dark n Stormy cocktails as we chatted boating with some locals.

Plymouth Yacht Club It’s amazing what you can discover when you don’t have any plans! We had such a fun day together exploring a new-to-us place, and while I loved the harbor on a rainy fall day, I am even more looking forward to boating into it next summer.

Have you discovered any fun places by accident lately?

Tags: blogger, boating, Boston, clubs, cocktails, fall, New England, outdoors, Plymouth, sailing, Travel, travel blog, travel blogger

Since the Cubs are in the World Series, I thought it would only be appropriate to share a quick recap of my latest trip to Chicago for the Chicago Marathon.

I love Chicago. This was my fourth visit during my adult life (Travel recaps from last year can be found below.) and while the trip was marathon-centered, we definitely did some eating and sightseeing. I can’t wait to go back.

Scenes from Chicago

Goose Island Tour and Tasting

Architectural Boat Tour

This time around we stayed at the Thompson Chicago which we ended up absolutely loving. It was right in the center of the North Rush and Division restaurant scenes and easy walking distance to the lake, Magnificent Mile, and the Riverwalk. It was also a celebrity hangout where we met Eddie Vedder and saw Bill Murray, both in town for Cubs games. Meeting Eddie Vedder was definitely a highlight of the trip. . . and my life. Swoon.

Thompson Chicago

On our first full day we relaxed and roamed aimlessly around Chicago, just enjoying a beautiful fall day and the architecture before heading to the suburbs to visit with family.

Chica Fire

Chicago architecture

Chicago River

 

Chicago Marathon 

Chicago Marathon Day: I was injured going into this marathon and was definitely not feeling very confident about my ability to finish. Still, I tried to keep calm as I got ready to enter my corral in Grant Park. It was a gorgeous morning, clear and cool, and that nervous energy that fills the air before a marathon also filled me up, giving me the boost I needed as we counted down to the gun.

Grant Park

 Chicago Marathon Long story short; my first six miles were perfectly on pace, and I felt amazing, like I was barely working. Sometime after mile six, I felt a tearing in my injured calf muscle, followed by some pretty excruciating pain. That was it for me. I ran/limped the rest of the way,  giving up any hope of beating my PR or even running a time that I was happy with.

That finish line was the best sight. I just wanted it over with. And I want to do it again. Despite my struggles, it is an incredible race.

Chicago Marathon finish

If you’re a runner, I definitely recommend adding the Chicago Marathon to your running bucket list.

Other Chicago recommendations?

Hash House a Go Go

Hash House a Go Go for brunch – The Sage Fried Chicken and Waffles is a specialty and a spectacle. People came off of the street to gawk at this plate of food!

Navy Pier Spend a few hours wandering and relaxing at Navy Pier if the weather is nice. The views are gorgeous, and there’s plenty of people-watching to be done. 

Downtown Dog

Chicago hot dogs at Downtown Dogs

 

Chicago water taxi

Taking a water taxi AND an architectural boat tour – the water taxi is just a fun way to get around, while the architectural boat tours are super informative and a great way to spend 90 minutes.

 

Carmine's Chicago 

Classic Italian food at Carmine’s, perfect for pre-marathon carb loading!

 

Gibson's Steakhouse 

Dinner at Gibson’s, one of the best steakhouses in the US

 

Signature Lounge

Followed by drinks at the Signature Lounge on the 96th floor of the Hancock building – the views are everything.

 

City Winery Chicago

Leisurely time on the Riverwalk, including a glass of wine at City Winery Chicago – the Riverwalk is one of my favorite parts of Chicago and a perfect place to log a few miles as a pre-or-post race wander.

I have so much of Chicago that I still need to see and a much faster Chicago Marathon left in me, and I hope to visit again soon. Go Cubs!

Tags: Chicago, Chicago Marathon, cities, Food, running, Travel, travel blogger

On our recent trip to Asheville, we ran out of time to visit the Biltmore Estate and decided to definitely save it for our next trip. We’d heard from many people that it takes at least a few hours to tour properly, and with the extreme heat we enjoyed, we figured we would also have needed to build in rest breaks.

That didn’t stop me from tasting Biltmore wine, however. (You know me better than that!)

biltmore estate brut sparkling Before we checked into our house rental, we made a stop at the local grocery store to stock up on breakfast items and celebratory drinks. I was so excited to see that they sold Biltmore Estate Brut Sparkling Wine. Did you know that the Biltmore Estate has America’s most visited winery?

biltmore estate brut sparkling

With the Estate being involved in so many things, I wasn’t sure what to expect of the wine. This sparkling wine was made in the traditional Champagne method, and as such had those yeasty, bread-y notes that I love in Champagne, along with notes of honey, vanilla, and citrus. Lots of tiny bubbles and a celebratory spirit made this wine one that will most definitely stand out in my Asheville memories and makes me want to do a full tasting experience at Biltmore. The tasting notes say it pairs well with seafood, but as a brunch drink, we paired it with salty bacon and eggs. Bacon and bubbly has become my favorite pairing as of late, and I look forward to the weekend for an excuse to enjoy the two.

The Biltmore Estate also has a marathon on property that I may or may not have considered over the past couple of years. . . We’ll wait until after Chicago to see about that!

Tags: Asheville, bubbly, sparkling wine, Travel, wine, wine of the week

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