travel Archives » Page 17 of 29 » Adventures of Empty Nesters

The Blooming Cherry Trees at the University of Washington

March 14, 2016

The ethereal cherry trees at the University of Washington will take your breath away ~

Our daughter happily left our home in Southern California to attend the University of Washington in Seattle. Alex graduated and has been working and living in Seattle for total of 9 years. Our family has spent a great deal of time on this incredible campus and in the “Emerald City” of Seattle. Additionally, we chose to live in Seattle temporarily while our little fixer upper in Pasadena, CA is being renovated.

UW is an absolutely gorgeous campus, with grand architecture, massive green lawns, forests of towering trees, divine fountains and lovely gardens, however, the UW Quad is my favorite spot on campus.

Tulips & Mac N’ Cheese at Pike Place Market

March 11, 2016

Spending A little Time in Pike Place Market

There are special places in Seattle that will always put a smile on your face rain or shine and Pike Place Market is one of the best of them. It is a “must do” when visiting the city! Tourists fill the isles looking at all of the delicious items that our found at the market. They especially like visiting the Pike Place Fish Market, where the fish mongers sing songs and throw whole fish.

A Perfect Weekend in Newport Beach & Balboa Island

April 15, 2016March 7, 2016

Would you like to spend the weekend in Newport Beach and Balboa Island? Me too!

Orange County is a very popular summertime destination, however, springtime is also the perfect season for a weekend visit to Newport Beach and Balboa Island because the crowds of summer have not yet arrived and the temp is most likely hovering around 74 degrees or higher. With so many lovely beaches, great shopping and fabulous restaurants, it is difficult to choose where to go next. There are many amazing hotels and resorts to choose from, but one of our favorite places to relax and unwind, is the Hyatt Newport Beach.

We raised our family in Orange County and fortunately have had decades of experiences and adventures here. Now that our kids are grown and we are empty nesters, my husband and I have recently moved to Pasadena, (about 60 miles north of the OC) to begin a new adventure. We still come south to visit often and pretend we are tourists! I am happy to share my tips with you!

Handcrafted Cocktails: A Bad Ass Bartending Class

February 29, 2016

Handcrafted cocktails – Yes please!

the Pantry handcrafted cocktails class — The adorable kitchen and classroom of The Pantry

The Pantry is a community kitchen in the charming Seattle neighborhood of Ballard and the cooking classes are popular as well as a red hot commodity. They offer a variety of classes that focus on traditional food crafts and technique, culinary camps for the kids, and other creative ideas that bring people together to eat great food and to learn.

The Pantry Classes fill up very quickly and a spot is not that easy to get, so when our foodie daughter (SeaTownBites.com) asked if we wanted to reserve a spot for the Bad Ass Bartending class three months in the future, we said yes without hesitation.

Seattle: A walk around beautiful Seward Park

February 24, 2016

Seattle is truly one of the loveliest cities in the world. We have been living here for 6 1/2 months but now getting ready to move back to Pasadena. I feel the panic of trying to see and experience everything we have not yet visited!

I should not be disappointed in our activity level, we actually have done quite a bit of exploring and Craig reminds me of this daily. However, we had not yet been to Seward Park in Southeast Seattle, so on a recent sunny weekend day, we grabbed Rocco and drove the six miles to the prodigeous park.

The Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel: Saying Goodbye to an Icon

February 22, 2016

I never thought it was possible to have a relationship with a hotel, but we certainly have had a beautiful association with the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel also known as the “Century Plaza” for several years.

Unfortunately, those days are over because on March 1, 2016, the 49-year-old Century Plaza in Century City, CA will no longer exist. So sad but true. The unique property has been sold and there are tremendous redevelopment plans ready to begin. There will be new towers, a new lobby, new owners and I am sure it will be extraordinary, just not the same as it always has been. It is time to say goodbye to a glamorous icon and hello to change. Change is inevitable, but it makes me sad that such a special place will now be gone forever.

Planning For Travel Can Be Fun!

February 19, 2016

Thank you to Fisher Investments for sponsoring this post which allows me to share our planning ideas for creating adventure in midlife. All opinions are my own.

The kids have grown up and moved out of the nest and it is now our time to find adventure. We are no longer focusing on our children on a day to day basis, it is time for our personal adventures to begin!

We look for ways to create meaningful experiences to enjoy in our new found “freedom”. We ask questions, look for referrals and rely on others to help us make these plans.

Craig and I have learned a great deal in the past four years and we like to think we are experts in encouraging others to find adventure in midlife! However, we need to pay for these adventures as well and have learned some valuable lessons over the years that help this process.

Portland’s Powell’s Books- The Largest & Best Bookstore Ever!

March 24, 2020February 8, 2016

So happy to find the largest & best bookstore ever… Ever since I read Harriet the Spy in the fourth grade I have been a reader. In some years way more than others, but I almost always have had a book or two on the nightstand. In the last few years since becoming an Empty …

Learning to Scuba Dive – An epic adventure for Laura

January 13, 2016

Welcome back Laura from the Coast of Ilinois! Laura once again tells a fantastic story with wit and colorful commentary. Thank you! The perfect time for more Tales of the Caribbean! Jamaica Edition! As mentioned previously, our SFJV (Supremely Fancy Jamaica Vacation) set up home base at the Iberostar Grand Rose Hall Resort. Truthfully, home base …

The Top 5 Most Popular Posts of 2015

March 24, 2020January 3, 2016

You do not have to look too deep in to the world of social media to see that everyone is publishing topics like the Top 5 Most Popular Posts ,The Nine Best Instagram Photos, The Best of This, The Best of That and even The Top Ten Dishes of 2015 (I did that). There is a very good reason for this. Reflection. As responsible bloggers, we need to reflect upon the work from the prior year in order to plan for and evaluate the next year’s editorial calendar.

However, my favorite part of the “Best of Post” is revisiting a topic that made people happy! My goal was to bring together a community of empty nesters to share their adventures. I am indeed the largest contributor, but there have been many Guest Adventurers who have written amazing articles and were willing to allow me to publish them! Thank you for that!