2026 has certainly been a whirlwind of a year thus far. Back in March, Fred and I found out that we are expecting a baby! Although this was certainly planned, it still came as a shock that it all happened so quickly.
5 Day South African Safari
I know this post Is quite delayed so I apologize to those who have been anxiously awaiting to hear about our South African safari.
We flew from Cape Town (CPT) to Hoedspruit airport via Air Link which was about a 2 1/2 hour flight.
Our driver was waiting for us at the baggage claim then we began the 1 1/2 hour drive to our safari lodge.
The journey felt like our first game drive - we saw so many animals - including the one animal Fred and I needed to conclude us seeing the âBig 5â (we saw 4/5 in Kenya back in 2023) a rhinoceros! We not only saw one, but we saw a mother and her calf! It was an incredible sighting and the perfect welcome to Timbavati Nature Preserve.
Cape Winelands â Stellenbosch & Franschhoek
The Cape Winelands is a picturesque region in the Western Cape of South Africa, known for its beautiful vineyards, historic towns like Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, and excellent wine production.
When we were planning our South Africa trip we knew this region needed to be included in our itinerary, as Fred and myself are both avid wine lovers!
If you would like to check out our vlog click here. Also please give the video a thumbs up đ & subscribe to my Youtube channel so you wonât miss our Safari vlog.
Cape Town, South Africa
Fred and I traveled to South Africa back in November and I am so excited to finally share the details of our trip with you! This post will be dedicated specifically to our time in Cape Town, followed by 2 additional posts to recap our time in the Cape Winelands (Stellenbosch & Franschhoek) and lastly, our incredible 5 days on safari.
As always, we also vlogged during our trip so make sure to check out my Youtube channel here for the video about our time in Cape Town and if youâre not already, please subscribe to my channel.
4 Perfect Days in Chicago
Fred and I ventured up to the Windy City (Chicago) for the Memorial Day Weekend and it was an incredible trip! Although I have traveled there many times for work, itâs not usually more than 15 hours I get to spend in the city. There were some GREAT restaurants we ate at and some fun touristy things we did as well and I am so excited to share them with you all.
You know we also had to vlog our trip, so you can watch our video on my YouTube channel here. Donât forget to give the video a âthumbs up đ â and also hit that subscribe button if you havenât already. đ
Quick Trip to Medellin, Colombia đ¨đ´
Fred and I ventured down to South America over the Easter weekend to meet up with some of our friends from San Diego who were celebrating their birthday. Although it was a short trip, we were still able to check out a lot of great restaurants, cafes & rooftops so I wanted to share them with you all!
We also vlogged during our trip and you can watch it on Youtube. Donât forget to subscribe to my channel as we are planning some other fun trips later this year that we canât wait to share.
Summer Vacation Outfit Inspiration
I have been finding so many great (and affordable) summer dresses & skirts lately and I could not gate keep these any longer so decided to share them in a blog post.
Also, if you donât already follow my Shop LTK page make sure to click here and follow me. I post more frequently on my LTK page than any other social media outlet.
You can click any of the photos below to shop the items. Some of the shoes, bags or accessories may not be available any longer but Ive also linked similar options as well.
Our Experience on the Brightline Train to Orlando
Back in February, Fred and I decided to take the Brightline train to Orlando for a few days to celebrate our 2 year wedding anniversary. The service from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando only began in Q4 of 2023 so itâs still a fairly new route.
I was able to snag us discounted tickets (50% off) for their âsmart riderâ seats for just under $120 roundtrip total for both Fred and myself.
Trip of a Lifetime to Kenya đ°đŞ
Fred and I were finally able to take a trip that we have been planning for a few years now. He was born and raised in Kenya but doesnât get many chances to go back and visit his home country. This was not only my first time to Kenya, but to the African continent. I am so excited to share the details of this trip because I know so many of you have also wanted to go on an African safari and check it off your bucket list as well.
Fort Lauderdale Food Guide
I have been wanting to write this post for quite some time but have been procrastinating on it, but now that Fred and I live in Fort Lauderdale, I figured this is the perfect time to finally round up my favorite spots to eat here.
Whether youâre planning a family vacation, bachelor/bachelorette party, or maybe even just a couples getaway, I hope you find this post helpful.
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Fred and I traveled to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico from March 1 - 5th where I was the matron of honor in one of my best friendsâ wedding! I was very excited to not only celebrate this amazing couple but also explore a new part of Mexico.
We stayed at an all inclusive resort called Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach which was an absolutely stunning (and very large) property right on the beach.
Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic
One of my best friends got married in the Dominican Republic back in February and I wanted to share a few details of our trip. We flew into Puerto Plata (POP) on Wednesday and got settled into our resort - Iberostar Costa Dorada. Fred and I booked an ocean view room and it was perfect for our short stay.
Palm Beach Staycation
Fred and I recently took a trip to Palm Beach for a few days and I wanted to share some of the places we went that are definitely worth a visit.
We stayed in Lake Worth because the initial reason for our trip was a board meeting that Fred had to attend. He is a member of the advisory board at Palm Beach State College and Tideline Ocean Resort & Spa was just a short drive to the school. Although it was wonderful to be directly on the beach, I donât know that I would stay at this particular hotel again. The hotel amenities were underwhelming in my opinion and I think we would prefer to stay in Palm Beach next time.
Ironically enough, 3 out of the 4 places I am going to recommend are all located inside of hotels in Palm Beach that - depending on what youâre looking for - would be great options to stay.
My Must Have Travel Essentials
Now that we are finally seeing light at the end of this extremely long pandemic tunnel travel has picked up significantly (domestic & international), I thought it would be fun share my must haves items that I never travel without. Sometimes I feel like Iâm Mary Poppins because of all the things I carry, but I will say my friends, family & fiancĂŠ love me for it because I always have anything they might need while traveling.
48 Hours in Cannes
Our last stop in the French Riviera was Cannes. We didnât realize until after we booked our trip and were looking up things to do that we found out we would be visiting during the Cannes Film Festival. Although it was quite crowded, we enjoyed our time in this swanky town.
Our vlog from our time in Cannes is now live on my Youtube Channel so be sure to check it out here.
Day Trip to Monte Carlo, Monaco
On the day we arrived in Nice, our hotel room wasnât ready yet so we dropped off our bags with the bell hop and took the train over to Monaco for the afternoon. It was about a 35 minute ride from Nice to Monaco.
We were excited to be in Monaco because Fred and I are both huge Formula 1 fans and it just so happened to be the weekend of the Monaco Grand Prix. It was interesting to see how the city of Monte Carlo prepares for the race.
24 Hours in Nice, France
Nice (pronounced like ânieceâ) was one of the cities we definitely wish we had more time to explore but in the short time we were there, we could see why it is one of the most popular destinations in the south of France.
You can check out our vlog from our time in Nice on my YouTube channel here.
It was approximately a 2-hour drive from Saint-Tropez but we didnât have any issue getting an Uber (which cost just under âŹ200).
French Riviera Travel Guide: Saint-Tropez
Celebrities have flocked to this French Riviera town for decades and for good reason. Not only does it boast exclusive beach clubs, super yachts, and exquisite restaurants, but it also has the most charming cobblestoned streets that you could get lost in for hours.
There were a few options to get from Paris to the South of France, so we opted for a flight because it was the quickest and surprisingly the cheapest option as well.
We booked a flight on Easy Jet from Paris Orly airport to Toulon. The flight was about an hour and a half, and then we took an Uber from Toulon to Saint-Tropez, which was about an hour drive.
Once we arrived in Saint-Tropez, Fred and I both knew this town was going to be something special.
Day Trip to Château de Versailles
Fred and I took a day trip to Chateau de Versailles from Paris and it was so worth it! (If you havenât checked out our Paris vlog on my Youtube Channel yet you can click here to watch it.)
We took the train to get there which was quick & very inexpensive. We arrived at 9:00 in the morning - right when they opened - to try and beat the crowds, but there was already a long line of people waiting to get in. One thing to keep in mind is that a reservation is required to visit the Palace and Gardens (as of this writing). We made ours on their website which Iâve linked here.
Travel Guide: Our Honeymoon in Paris
I know that traditionally newlyweds go on their honeymoon immediately following their wedding, but for multiple reasons ours was a bit delayed.
For starters, Fred and I havenât done several of the âtraditionalâ things when it comes to our wedding/marriage because we enjoy doing life our way.
Secondly, we coudntât decide exactly where we wanted to go. Originally we thought Japan would be amazing since neither of us have been to Asia but unfortunately, they still require a 10-day quarantine upon arrival from the U.S. and being that we only had about 10 days to spend for our entire honeymoon, that wasnât going to work for us.
Although we have both been to Paris, we hadnât been there together as a couple - or better yet, as husband and wife. We decided to add the French Riviera to our trip to make it unique so we could both see other parts of France that neither of us had been to before, but that will be in future blog posts so this one can be dedicated just to our time in Paris.