*This is a long post! Scroll to destinations that intrigue you for the highlights, or grab your laptop, get cozy with some tea, and get reading <3*

Winter 2024: Curaçao

Every winter, my seasonal affective disorder demands that I go somewhere warm. Living in the southeast, it’s a quick flight to the Caribbean — in previous years, I’ve gone to Punta Cana, Mexico, Jamaica, and Aruba — but I’d heard so many great things about Willemstad, Curaçao. You only need a couple days! You’ll need these adorable mosquito repellent bracelets I found on Amazon. It rained way more than I expected, and I didn’t come prepared with an umbrella or rain gear. It was very humid and wet — if you want sunny skies, maybe don’t go in February!

Where to stay: I recommend this Airbnb in Willemstad. Curaçao itself is pretty small and easy to traverse in a rental car (we used D&D Car Rental), and Willemstad makes a perfect home base to explore the rest of the island. If you want a more resort feel, we also spent a night at the Renaissance Wind Creek Resort. It’s not all inclusive, but it’s a nice break if you want to think less and relax more.

Things to do: Visit the wild pigs and see the panoramic views from Grote Knip Beach, do a sunset cruise (I booked one on Viator), see the colorful, colonial-style building in Punda, or hike Shete Boka National Park.

Where to eat: Soi95 Terrace for amazing asian fusion, Mood Beach for dinner in the sand, coffee at Van Gogh Specialty Coffee, and Number Ten Cafe for an incredible brunch.

What I learned: When our flight got rerouted to Miami due to weather, we lost a day in Curaçao and had to spend the night in Miami. Admittedly, I was annoyed and stressed, preoccupied by the lengthy travel insurance claim I’d have to submit, notifying our accommodations in Curaçao that we’d be a day late, and scrambling to find a place to stay last minute in Miami. But you guys: I had the best time (12 hours) in Miami. It ended up being a highlight of the trip. It was a strong reminder that just because something doesn’t go as planned, it doesn’t mean that it won’t go well. Make the best of the inevitable travel hiccups and enjoy wherever they take you.

Spring 2024: Brooklyn, New York

I’ve been getting antsy. You might remember one of my first Substack pieces about moving to another city. I wanted to get a taste of something different, experience somewhere walkable, and eat as many bagels as humanly possible. This was a family excursion: we drove up from coastal NC with our dogs riding shotgun, our car packed to the brim with everything ranging from a rice cooker to my yoga mat. We rented an apartment in Williamsburg for March and April, so we had to come prepared.

Where to stay: We stayed a block from McCaren Park, (which I guess was technically considered Greenpoint but close enough to Williamsburg that I could walk there in 8 minutes). It was both delightful and necessary, because we had to walk our dogs several times a day (people in apartments with pets: seriously, how do you do it?)

Things to do: I really made myself at home here. I stumbled upon a food festival at Domino Park and fell in love with pilates classes at Greenpoint Pilates Studio. I cannot recommend a sauna/spa day at Bathhouse in Williamsburg. I did yoga classes at Alo Studios and saw comedy at Gutterbar. I went thrifting dozens of times. I’m going to say something super embarrassing: we only ventured into the city once — there was just too much to do in Brooklyn! I wanted to see it all.

Where to eat: There’s just too much, I’m breaking it up by category.

Italian: Misi, Lilia, Antica Pesa, Milk & Roses.

Asian: Antidote, Birds of a Feather, Kings Co Imperial, Nems, Di An Di, Baoburg.

Coffee / Matcha: Kijitora, Bakeri, Flower Cat, Copper Mug, Homecoming, Rhythm Zero, Hungry Ghost Coffee, Butler, Black Star Bakery, Blue Bottle Coffee.

Other honorable mentions: Sereneco for natural wine, Leon’s Bagels, Five Leaves for brunch, Oxomoco for tacos, Eavesdrop for cocktails, The Butcher’s Daughter for vegan fare.

What I learned: I am shouting this from the rooftop: do not chop your hair off just because you’re in a new city and feeling whimsical. Pack less. I packed barely any clothes and utilized my Rent the Runway subscription instead. Also, another destination surprised me with rain! I ended up needing to buy waterproof shoes to walk the dogs in. These EVA Birkenstock Bostons saved the day. Also — it’s very hard to live in a 700 square foot apartment with no yard and two fifty pound dogs when you’re used to living in a 3,000 square foot house with a fenced-in backyard. Am I cut out for city life? Not with these dogs.

Summer 2024 Part 1: France & Italy

This month long trip through France and Sicily began initially so I could see the Eras Tour in Paris (on my freaking birthday!) but we decided to take the opportunity to venture outside the city. While I absolutely love Paris, I’m so grateful that we took the time to visit Lyon and Nice. If you find yourself in Paris, download the Trainline app and hop on a train! It’s also a great home-base to explore other parts of Europe, because flights are generally quick and cheap. We also went to Sicily from Lyon (my homeland). I’ve been to Italy before, but Sicily really requires its own trip. We spent seven days on the island and it still wasn’t enough! Here’s a rough version of my itinerary: