All in Food & Drinks
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 it’s still a fairly new route.
I was able to snag us discounted tickets (50% off) for their “smart rider” seats for just under $120 roundtrip total for both Fred and myself.
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 doesn’t 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.
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 you’re planning a family vacation, bachelor/bachelorette party, or maybe even just a couples getaway, I hope you find this post helpful.
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 friends’ 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.
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.
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 don’t 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 you’re looking for - would be great options to stay.
Our last stop in the French Riviera was Cannes. We didn’t 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.
On the day we arrived in Nice, our hotel room wasn’t 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.
Nice (pronounced like “niece”) 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 didn’t have any issue getting an Uber (which cost just under €200).
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.
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 haven’t done several of the “traditional” things when it comes to our wedding/marriage because we enjoy doing life our way.
Secondly, we coudnt’t 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 wasn’t going to work for us.
Although we have both been to Paris, we hadn’t 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.
Our trip began on Tuesday, November 23rd when we arrived at LaGuardia airport around 9AM. After collecting our luggage from baggage claim (because you know I couldn’t fit all my boots & sweaters in just a carry on) we hopped in an Uber en route to our hotel. We stayed at a hotel near Grand Central Station, in order to be in close proximity to many sights we planned to visit during this trip.
While we visited San Francisco over Labor Day weekend we took a day trip up to Napa Valley for a ride on the famous Wine Train. Taking a ride on the wine train has been on my bucket list for years now and I am so incredibly thankful Fred was able to make this dream come true. Not only was the staff fantastic, the food and wine was outstanding as well! It was truly an unforgettable experience that I’m so excited to share with y’all.
Over Labor Day weekend, Fred and I took a trip out to the Bay Area of California. We stayed in San Francisco but also took a few day trips to surrounding cities like Sausalito & Napa (which will have its own standalone post coming soon). It was such a wonderful weekend doing all the touristy things and making so many great memories of Fred’s first visit to San Francisco.
Over the last few years I’ve tried to implement more sustainable items into my everyday life. These are some easy changes you can make that will not only save you money in the long run, but also help save our planet.
On my Instagram this week, I asked my followers to help me compile a list of their favorite small or local businesses that we could support this Holiday Season. Unlike major corporations, small businesses rely on purchases from every single customer to help keep them running. Since so many small businesses are hurting because of the Pandemic this year, I thought I could do a round up with the ones that I personally love, as well as the ones that were recommended by you guys!!
Hi friends!! I hope that you are all having a wonderful week thus far. Since this pandemic is still in full force I have a feeling there will be a lot more online shopping than in store this year, and also with all the shipping delays I thought this would be a good time to share with you all some gift guides that I put together & could be helpful for anyone who will be shopping the sales of Black Friday/Cyber Monday. However, if you wont be shopping quite yet, you can still use this post to refer to when you are ready to do any holiday shopping for your friends/loved ones (or even yourself).
Last year I shared a few cocktail recipes around the holidays and y’all really enjoyed it, so this year I knew I had to share more. This Sangria recipe is delicious and super easy to put together!
Testing out these cocktail recipes takes me back to my bar tending days in college. I’ve got three different drinks that I’m going to list in order of easiest (& least time to prepare) to most complex. They are each different but equally delicious and sure to be a hit at your next get together!
I created this holiday-inspired cheese board just in time for Thanksgiving. Whether you’re playing hostess, or invited to a family or friend’s Thanksgiving celebration, this is the perfect appetizer to please a crowd.
