Gentrification of Upstate New York is nothing new. Several towns (and I’ve written about many on this blog) in the Hudson Valley and Catskills have gotten the Brooklyn treatment in the last decade or so. But not all such restorations have gotten the same level of care as The Henson Hotel, a brand new luxury inn in sleepy Hensonville, New York.
Read MoreA lot of new, hip businesses and motels are popping up in the Western Catskills. Livingston Manor has even been described as the Catskills’ newest hot spot. But don’t go there or really anywhere in the Western Catskills expecting a ton of action and excitement.
The Western Catskills are where you go if you’re looking to unwind. The living is slow, quiet and outdoorsy in Sullivan County. The downtown areas over here range from small and sleepy to non-existent, especially if you compare them to actual Upstate NY hot spots like Hudson or Beacon.
Come to the Western Catskills to hike, to fly fish or to simply relax in a hammock next to a scenic lake or stream, breathing in the cool Catskill Mountains air.
Read MoreHawaii is quite far from the east coast, so you don’t often hear about east coasters visiting outside of a honeymoon. But I turned 40 this year and YOLO - so we took the kids and did it. I’m so very glad we did. Hawaii is pure magic and is NOT “just like the Caribbean but farther.”
Some folks will tell you to skip Oahu - that it’s crowded and urban and not as pretty as the other islands. Ignore those people. In Oahu, you get Honolulu, a crazy fun and exciting city, and its infamous Waikiki Beach neighborhood, you get beaches and lush greenery that will take your breath away and you even get a surfer culture nothing like you’ve ever seen before, at least on the east coast.
Read on for all that we loved and did in Oahu. And then check Part Two detailing our time in Maui.
Read MoreFun Fact! I’ve been to Hershey, PA about 20 times in my life yet I know very little about Hersheypark. Why? Because all but just one of my visits to Hershey have occurred in the month of December and Pennsylvania isn’t usually hot and humid in December.
Cool temps notwithstanding, Hershey puts on quite a show during the holiday season and it’s a cute little place to celebrate (and in my family’s case) extend the holiday spirit for a few more days.
Read MoreI’m a mom. I’m a corporate lawyer. I really like to explore, eat and travel and I also like to plan where I’m going to eat, where I’m going to explore and where I’m going to travel. I hate the gym but also hate sitting still. I love NYC and try to get there often. My kids see me on my phone a lot looking at pictures of food, pop ups and dogs.
I started this blog because I was sending too many one-off emails to friends with suggestions on what to do and where to go. My posts are not intended to be full fledged reviews, but rather quick glimpses of what I've been up to. Hopefully posts will inspire you to check out some of those same things.
