Articles by traveleatlove

The blogger behind Travel Eat Love, I am a marketing communications professional by day and a lover of all things food, travel, and wine related the rest of the time. I am looking to combine my love of writing and social media with all of my other passions to share great reviews, recipes, and experiences with you!

Happy last Friday of 2016! Out with the old and in with the new. . . though to be honest, the biggest new we are facing in 2017 has me sick. I am trying to be positive, but I have a feeling things will get worse before they get better.

2016 seemed to be a rough year for a lot of people, but aside from celebrity deaths and the election outcome, it was mostly a good one. It started out with a project that had dragged me along for months cutting me loose with no warning (to save money) even though they knew it was coming, but I more than made up for it with new opportunities throughout the year.

I was inspired by Molly to write my own blog post on 2016 goals (rather than resolutions), and since the year is almost over, I am finally facing the music and seeing how I did. Did you make any resolutions or set any goals for 2017 yet?

Read my 2016 travel highlights (always a favorite post to write) here!

1) Run six races in 2016.

Mission accomplished! In addition to the Chicago Marathon, I ran a local little race on One Boston Day, the BAA 5k, the Milton 10k, Lazy Lobster 5 miler, Cambridge Half Marathon, and the Halfway to Dot Day 5k. I beat my goal! I actually signed up for a few other races that I didn’t run due to injuries as well.

Chicago Marathon finish

2) Secure a new wine industry client.

This is currently in progress, and while details aren’t final, I am hopeful that 2017 will bring some exciting new clients that I will love working with.

 

3) Visit two new places.

Done! In February we found paradise a direct JetBlue flight away in Luquillo, Puerto Rico. We loved it so much that it might become our go-to getaway, though I still REALLY want to go to Panama.

Luquillo, Puerto Rico  

We also finally visited Asheville, North Carolina with a quick side trip to Lake Lure. This is definitely an area we will visit again.

Lake Lure

4) Send more cards.

Fail. We didn’t even get holiday cards out this year.

5) Take an honest look at my diet and exercise.

I looked at it. I even started the year with healthy eating at home. And then somehow it became the year of takeout and snacking and going out for apps and cocktails way.too.much. These behaviors are definitely something we need to reign in in 2017 for the sake of our health and bank account.

6) Better organize my work day, make plans, and stick to them.

Fail. I repeatedly miss things I want to do to stay at my desk a little longer, cram in calls when they can wait, and am generally available and connected 24/7. I even got a call on Christmas Day! I need a digital detox in the worst way.

7) Get paid by the scamming plumber and close that chapter of our lives.

Our next court appointment is in February. It’s pretty amazing what scam artists can get away with.

8) Move more.

Working from home makes this difficult, but I DID run a bunch of races and go on a bunch of hikes this year. I also spent every possible moment swimming in the ocean. Treading deep water actually became a pretty big cross training exercise! I was always super sore the next day. Still, on a day-to-day basis, I sit SO MUCH that it makes me sore and saps m energy. I have been building in jumping jacks while the water boils for my tea, but I need to do some serious sweating to make up for my sedentary lifestyle.

swimming in New England

I am still working on my 2017 goals. . . more to come!

Tags: exercise, fitness, goals, health, lifestyle, resolutions, Travel

2015 was a huge travel year for us, with a safari in Africa, three trips to Ireland, trips to Myrtle Beach, Chicago, and more. When 2016 rolled around, between being a bit tired and also getting a new boat, we wanted to spend more time staying local, and with the exception of a couple of trips, we did just that.

January – I got to travel to beautiful Hampshire County Massachusetts for work and to stay in Amherst, soaking up the quiet magic that is January in the region. It was cold, but we warmed up by the Lord Jeff fireplaces and with perfectly made craft cocktails. This was, as it is titled, a perfect Massachusetts getaway.

The Lord Jeffery Inn

 

February – A dreamy trip to Luquillo and San Juan, Puerto Rico was one of the highlights of the year, so much so that we might return again in 2017. 

Boats, beaches, seafood, rum, music, and lots of sunshine made this the perfect getaway, an easy and direct JetBlue flight from Boston.

Outdoor Adventures in Puerto Rico

Icacos sailing

 

AprilA much-needed getaway to Maine with friends included a stay at the beautiful Hartstone Inn, hiking to the top of Mount Battie in Camden, and shopping in Freeport. I heart L.L. Bean. Maine is just glorious, and our April 2017 trip to Camden is already booked!

16 Bayview Camden Maine

June – Sharing my June trip (and one of the best of 2016) is certainly bittersweet, as the amazing publicist who organized it recently passed away. Florence Tambone brought me along on the most wonderful day to the North Fork of Long Island on Cross Sound Ferry, along with other writers, and I just had the best time, visiting Long Island wineries, learning to shuck oysters, visiting a gorgeous farm, and laughing all day long.  Lavender by the Bay was perhaps the most breathtaking experience of my year. Thanks to Florence and Cross Sound Ferry, the North Fork is one of my favorite getaways, and I will always, always think of her when I visit.

lavender fields in Long Island

 

July – Another work trip to Hampshire County gave me time to stay at Hotel Northampton and visit a favorite, Black Birch Vineyard. I’m hoping that 2017 brings more opportunities to visit Western Massachusetts, both for work and fun!

Black Birch Vineyard

August – My cousin got married in Asheville, NC, so we got to visit this beautiful area for the first time. Outdoor time, beer tasting, and family time made it a perfect summer trip.

horses in asheville

September – We traveled just up to Ipswich, MA for the last weekend of summer and rented the most incredible little waterside cottage. We spent a ton of time on the screened in porch, went to the private beach in the Little Neck community we were in, explored Newburyport, Essex, and Ipswich, and ate a ton of seafood. This cottage is definitely in future plans. I love New England summer!

(I caught the sunrise on the first morning; magical.)

sunrise in Ipswich

October – We traveled to Chicago for the Chicago Marathon, which was a disappointing run for me but an amazing trip overall. We absolutely loved the Thompson Chicago, and WE MET EDDIE VEDDER. Maybe the highlight of my year.

image

 

November – Our annual trip to Ireland for Thanksgiving included time on Achill Island as well as plenty of time to wander around Galway, eating and drinking and being merry. We loved Tribeton for cocktails, and I have so many more Ireland posts to come!

wild atlantic way ireland

December – We rounded out the year with a trip to Maine to visit friends who just moved there. It’s great to have another excuse to visit Portland!

We had the most amazing dinner at Sur Lie in Portland, and despite bitter cold temperatures spent some time outside taking in the stunning coastal vistas and lighthouses. Vacationland for sure.

Portland Head Light

There were lots of weekends boating to the Boston Harbor Islands and other places in Massachusetts, along with other little New England trips here and there. Looking back on 2016, we actually traveled more than I realized.

In 2017, we’ll be going to Tuscany for a wedding in July, look forward to MANY more boating adventures, trips to Maine, and hopefully a warm weather getaway, possibly Puerto Rico again.

Cheers to a wanderlust-satisfying 2017 for all!

Tags: Achill, blogger, boating, Boston blogger, Camden, Galway, Ireland, Long Island, Long Island wine, Luquillo, Maine, New England, North Fork, Puerto Rico, travel blog, travel blogger, travel planning, wine blog, wine country

I recently received a shipment of Wines of Navarra to sample and review on the blog, and so far it has offered a beautiful taste of Spain. The first wine we tried was a 2015 Bodegas Castillo de Monjardin Garnacha.

Castillo Monjardin Garnacha

100% Garnacha from old vines , aged 6 months in American oak.

I am a big fan of Garnacha, and this was a big hit in our house, paired with turkey chili of all things. It would be great with a selection of Spanish meats and cheeses, and I am kind of dreaming of a glass of this wine and a plate of Manchego right now.

Elegant and well balanced, beautiful light ruby in color, this Garnacha offered chocolate, cherry, and earth notes without being heavy or overbearing at all. This is definitely a red for all seasons and could be sipped in front of a fireplace on a snowy day with lighter meat dishes as easily as it would pair with grilled chicken during a summer barbeque. I’m definitely not a red only in winter and white in summer wine drinker, and I always love finding wines that transcend season.

Exploring more of Spain (I’ve been to Barcelona only.) is definitely on my travel wish list, and I would love to walk some of the Camino de Santiago someday. . . so hopefully tasting Navarra wines where they grow is in the cards!

The Wines of Navarra website is really beautiful and offers information on the regions and its wines and gastronomy

About Navarra

Navarra is one of Spain’s 17 autonomous regions, a storied land of vast inherited cultural wealth tucked into the Pyrenees of north-central Spain, just below France.

Navarra lies at the nerve center of a celebrated medieval pilgrimage route, the Camino de Santiago, and was once a Kingdom of Navarra, whose cultural flowering under French monarchs in the late Middle Ages left behind both a stunning architectural legacy and a potent residual ‘Frenchness’ that still pervades local sensibilities.

Navarra sits along a rugged, transitional zone at the convergence of three major climate types–Mediterranean, Continental, and Atlantic. Its landscape comprises semi-desert basin, lush woodland hills and high mountain peaks, all within a total area is smaller than that of Connecticut.

 

Wines of Navarra provided me with wine samples. All opinions are my own.

Tags: Navarra, sample, Spain, Spanish wine, travel blog, wine, wine blogger, wine lover

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