It’s no secret around here that we love our summer trips to Europe. We’ve been doing it for over a decade and we’ve been to 20 countries so far. What might be a bit of a secret, though, are some of the lesser-known and off the beaten path locations we’ve discovered while visiting some of […]
After spending a full weekend at Churchill Downs, I had to split the experience into two posts. Be sure to read my Kentucky Derby Experience: Part 1, which detailed our day at the track culminating in The Kentucky Oaks race. Today’s post is all about the main event – Derby Day! As most great days […]
And they’re off! That’s what I was thinking as we boarding a plane on our way to Louisville for the 144th running of The Kentucky Derby. A little over a thousand miles and what felt like a thousand mint juleps later, I finally knew what it was like to behold those iconic twin spires and […]
Now that we’re back and our shins have rested (those ski boots really take it out of you), I put together our Vail Travel Diary so that you can see how to maximize a short ski trip. If you’re new to the blog, this post is part of my Eat+Stay+Play travel series, a collection of […]
We just returned from a fabulous four days in Vail. If you followed along on Instagram you saw a little behind-the-scenes of everything we did, including our stay at the beautiful Hotel Talisa. I’ll be providing an extended blog post later this week recapping our entire adventure, but I wanted to write about Hotel Talisa […]
Hi, friends! If you read my recent newsletter, you know by now that we are headed to Vail this week! It’s been a few years since I’ve been skiing and I can’t wait to see snow again. I usually start gathering the items I’m packing a few days ahead of time so that I don’t […]
I have only been to Chicago twice, and both times were for just a few days in the month of October. But that’s all it took for me to fall completely in love with it. I titled this Eat+Stay+Play guide “Chicago, City of Appetites and Architecture” because it was those two things that made the […]
Happy Friday, everyone! As you read today’s post I am either in the air or have landed in Las Vegas! As I mentioned in my reflections post earlier this week, I turned another year older. And I’m completely ok with it. I’m actually pretty proud of it. I’ve made it this long on Earth and […]
After spending some time in Northern California earlier this summer (check out my 5 day ESP guide here) I was excited to return to the Golden State and experience a little SoCal life. We spent an extended Labor Day weekend in LA and had the best time. I put together an Eat+Stay+Play guide so you […]
The island of Naxos is the largest of the Cyclades islands and yet might be an island that some travelers overlook. We traveled by ferry between Athens and the islands and saw fewer people disembark at the Naxos port than in Santorini or Mykonos. We planned our Greek holiday so that we had a little […]
Happy Travel Tuesday! Today I’m so excited to share part two of my four-part Greek travel guide series – all about Mykonos! Head over to part one – Eat+Stay+Play: 2 Days in Athens – in case you missed it. As with all my travel guides, don’t forget to access my free downloadable pdf of quick links […]
Welcome to the first of my four-part Greek Eat+Stay+Play series – 2 Days in Athens! I’m working on guides for the islands of Mykonos, Naxos, and Santorini as well. Greece has so much to offer. I’m not sure why it took us so long to finally get there, but I’m so glad we went. Most […]
We are not strangers when it comes to visiting a winery or vineyard. In fact, we have been to vineyards in Spain, France, Italy, Chile, Texas, and now California. Through our experiences we’ve taken a much greater interest in winemaking and our home cellar continues to grow by leaps and bounds. I love sharing wine […]
Returning from a restful getaway to cold hard reality is never easy. Returning from a restful getaway in California has proven even more difficult. My mom and I spent five days in The Golden State for a much needed girls’ trip. California completely took hold of my heart, making it ever so painful to wrench […]
Hello and happy Monday! I hope this week is off to a grand start for you. This week I’m traveling to California with my mom. It’s a long-overdue girls’ trip and I’m so excited. We will be spending some time in Carmel-by-the-Sea, the Carmel Valley, Paso Robles, and San Francisco. It’s been since I was […]
I could write a love letter to the weekend. Any weekend, really. Those magical two days of mental bliss. No work stress, no “office hours.” Just relaxation and fun. Maybe a little sleeping in, maybe an adventure or two. I live for these days (and must work to fund them, but as the saying goes, […]
Hello and happy Wednesday! There is really nothing prettier than springtime in central Texas. The weather is getting warmer but not too warm and the wildflowers are starting to pop up everywhere, blanketing the landscape in beautiful bluebonnets. Even my wardrobe is starting to look a little more light. With all this color around us I […]
Thank goodness for Thursday, or “Friday Eve” as I like to say! We are past the mid-week hump and from here on it’s downhill to the weekend. This week has been so busy that I haven’t been able to post regularly, and for that I apologize. I’m going to be so happy to see my […]
TGIF!! I hope you’ve had an exceptional week and are ready for some weekend fun! I know that the Mr. and I have some *light* shopping and dinner planned, so be sure to follow me on Instagram (@cathedralsandcafes) for a story or two. 
Today I’m sharing my 10 favorite European locales. I have the […]
Hello and Happy Wednesday! I’m taking this post back to Chile again, with some recommendations for fellow wine enthusiasts. We have been to some of the world’s best wine regions, having toured vineyards in France, Italy and Spain. So we were eager to learn more about Chilean wine making and sample some vintages we can’t […]