Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Long Weekend in Pensacola

We spent a long weekend in Pensacola visiting my stepson who is just starting flight school. We left Quincy with a dog sitter and flew down on Thursday morning. We met up with the girls and SIL Sean (who drove down with the dog) at Grant's house. After meeting some of his roommates, we checked into our condo on Pensacola Beach and then went out for a family dinner to one of Grant's favorite places, The Fish House. I had the grilled shrimp and it was sooo good!

The next day, mrC and I were up early thanks to the one hour time difference, so we went for a morning walk on the beach. He and I have a thing for sunrises!

Then we headed to his old training base, which is Grant's new training base for a little walk down memory lane. It's fun to see and hear about the places where his flying career started.  Two F35s were visiting and we got to see them up close. The pilots gave a walk-around presentation of the planes and answered questions. It was mrC's lucky day!!

Before meeting back up with the group, we stopped to grab something to eat. I picked up a watermelon cup from the grocery and a cup of tuna from Subway. 

We met up with the rest of the gang at the Naval Aviation Museum. Grant and one his roommates gave us an awesome guided tour. It was by far the best experience I've ever had visiting a museum!


Another group dinner, this time to The Oar House. I ordered grilled shrimp again. So good!


After dinner, the kids went to Grant's to visit the dog (he and his roommates were keeping him there because our condo didn't allow pets). mrC and I caught the sunset on the bay behind our condo. Ok, maybe we have a thing for sunsets, too.

My super smart husband planned the trip so that we would be there for Blue Angels weekend. The kids set up some canopies on the beach early Saturday morning and we walked about a mile to join them after breakfast. Since our condo had a fully stocked kitchen, we had grabbed a few staple items at the grocery the day before: eggs, strawberries and gluten-free toast.

It was perfect weather to hang out on the beach for the air show. Blue skies, sunshine and hot temps! 


We stayed in the water until they kicked us out when the Blue Angels were starting. This was my first time seeing the Blue Angels anywhere and it was incredible. I think the location was just the cherry on top.



After a day at the beach in the hot sun, we kept it simple and walked to Peg Leg Pete's for dinner. There was a bit of a wait, but they have a fun bar downstairs with license plates from all over the US lining the walls. For dinner I ordered the yummy Grilled Flounder sandwich!

After dinner, we took in another sunset...this time with the kids.



Sunday morning, we all met up for breakfast in downtown Pensacola. Our first choice was the Ruby Slipper, but there was a 90 minute wait. So we walked to The Garden to Pearl & Horn. The menu was small, but packed with a variety of yummy choices. I went for the Smash Burger and sweet potato waffle fries!


We split up so the kids could go take Ralph for a walk and we headed to Pensacola's first lighthouse. The plan was to walk up the 177 steps to the top to see the beautiful Gulf Coast from above. The spiral steps without a handrail on the inside was too much for me though! So we enjoyed the view from below and walked through the museum. 


On our way back to the condo, we stopped at Single Fin Cafe to share an acai bowl. The cafe was located inside Waterboyz, a surf and skateboard shop. It wasn't the best bowl we've ever had, but I loved the decor of the shop.



We had plans to do a sunset sail with mrC's friend, Dr. Bri. He used to take us sailing when we lived on Oahu, but like us he has also relocated back to the mainland...in Pensacola! Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate, so we stayed docked in the marina. We still had a great time hanging out down below until the storms blew over and having the Tip Top crew back together again. 


 

Our departing flight wasn't until afternoon, which gave us time to enjoy a final morning on Pensacola Beach. It was so nice to be able to walk right across the street and see the beautiful white sand and blue water. To top it off, we saw a bunch of dolphins swimming right off shore! 


Our long weekend in Pensacola visiting Grant was the best!



Thursday, June 16, 2022

My Favorite FASTer Way Travel Friendly Snack Recipes


Brownie Protein Balls!!

1½ cup raw walnuts
1¼ cup pitted dates
1 scoop FASTer Way Chocolate Protein powder
2 scoops FASTer Way Collagen
2 tbsp 100% Dutch-Process Cocoa
Sprinkle of salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp maple syrup
Put walnuts in a food processor and grind to fine crumbs. Add dates, protein powder, cocoa, salt, vanilla extract and maple syrup and process until crumbly. If necessary, add 1 tsp of water at a time until batter sticks together. Roll into 1½ inch balls. Place on wax paper and freeze. Keep stored in the freezer or refrigerator.
MACROS: 17G CARBS, 9G FAT, 8G PROTEIN

👉 Get FASTer Way clean protein by clicking here.



Berry Baked Oatmeal

1 cup Oats (quick or traditional)
1 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk 
1 tbsp Maple Syrup
1/4 cup Unsweetened Applesauce 
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tbsp Chia Seeds
1 cup Frozen Berries 
2 tbsp Sliced Almonds

Preheat oven to 350F (177C). Grease a baking pan with coconut oil. Add all ingredients except the sliced almonds to a mixing bowl and stir until thoroughly combined. Transfer to baking pan and bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Sprinkle with sliced almonds. Serve warm or let cool and cut into squares for a to-go option.

MACROS: 35G CARBS, 7G FAT, 6G PROTEIN, 7G FIBER


No Bake Energy Bites

Makes 12 bites (1 per serving)

Ingredients
1 ½ cup rolled oats
½ cup nut butter of choice
2 tbsp maple syrup or sweetener of choice
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 scoops FASTer Way Collagen
Pinch of sea salt

Add all ingredients in a small bowl and stir until well combined. Once mixed, scoop equal-sized balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Store in an airtight container and enjoy!

MACROS: 13G CARBS, 6G FAT, 6G PROTEIN, 2G FIBER



Which one will you be trying first?? Comment below to let me know!







Monday, May 10, 2021

A Winter Wedding

Ok, this is a long overdue post!! 

In December we went to New Hampshire for about 10 days to see my stepdaughter get married and celebrate Christmas. 

Well, it started out as a 10 day trip but turned into 11 when Winter Storm Gale decided to arrive in Boston the same day as us. So, we left Hawaii a day early. 

It's a long trip from Honolulu, but I flew First Class for the first time! Got to love upgrade points!


We got to spend an extra day hanging out with the girls in Portsmouth. Their brother was delayed a day getting out of Denver.

The Hickman House is just beautiful but even more so in the snow with holiday decorations.

Even though these two islanders were freezing, we enjoyed walking around town and taking in the festive vibe.

We even got the obligatory downtown Christmas Tree photo.

Of course, I can't forget Ralph, our grand puppy. We finally got to meet him in person.

We even found time to use the hotel gym and get some of our FASTer Way workouts done.


And, I loved having my Countertime minis with me so I could still enjoy my morning and evening pamperings while traveling.

The wedding rehearsal dinner was held in the same hotel we were staying which was so nice.

Because there were still restrictions in place from the pandemic, it was an intimate event. We are so grateful that all the siblings were able to make it. 


Before the ceremony, the couple met up at the hotel for first look pics (and give us a ride to the ceremony venue).



We did some of our own while we waited for them, haha!



We arrived early for family wedding photos. 




Despite the circumstances and the crazy winter weather two days prior, it was a simply stunning ceremony and reception. For those who couldn't be there with us, Dev and Sean arranged for it to be streamed on Zoom. 



After a brief interlude, we all headed upstairs for dinner and dancing.



Before heading home, we made the trip to Springfield to visit the in-laws. It's hard to get everyone together, but we're always happy to see those who can make it.


I started writing this post on January 18 and I'm not sure what took me so long to come back and finish. One good thing about wrapping it up a few months later is how fun it was to look at all the pictures again!

Have any of your kids gotten married yet?









Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Quarantine and Food

One thing I will remember about 2020 is that for the first time in my life, I had to quarantine. Whether you have to do it as part of a community order, travel or because you are sick, most of us will experience the Big Q (as one of my client's calls it) at least once.

I recently returned home to Hawaii after attending my stepdaughter's wedding and had to quarantine for 10 days (because as a resident, I chose not to get a test) -> which is a lot better than the 14 days I did in August or the 21 days my friends are doing in Hong Kong!! No matter how long it is, it's a disruption to our normal routine.


Sticking with healthy habits during quarantine might be the LAST thing you want to do if you're angry about the situation, but it can also be a great time to FOCUS on those habits. Here are a few tips for how to stay on track during your Big Q:

1. Stick to your normal eating schedule - this is going to keep you satiated and prevent binge eating.

2. Stock up on healthy foods - Here is a list of foods that are helpful if you are confined to a hotel for your quarantine:

Canned tuna/salmon

Nuts

Protein powder (my favorite is Nuzest)

Lean protein jerky

Deli meat and leafy greens

Canned beans

Fruit

Instant rice/quinoa

Cold pressed juices

Rice cakes/crispbread

3. Plan delivery for your main meals if you can't cook for yourself 

4. Stay hydrated - drink at least half your body weight in ounces, but aim for more if you are also exercising during your quarantine.

5. Exercise - get in some form of movement every day. Do a daily workout, get up and walk around every hour to get as many steps as you can, stretch, do some yoga.

The important thing to remember is that even if YOU are in quarantine, your health is NOT in quarantine. You can stick to healthy eating and exercise. It might not be as fun or as easy, but you can do it!


Tell me: have you had to quarantine? How did it go?




Friday, September 4, 2020

Cape Cod Trip 2020

Last month we met up with all three of the kids for our annual family vacay at the Cape House! 

(FYI - long post with lots of pics!!)

Despite gallbladder surgery (missG) and COVID restrictions, we all made it to North Falmouth for the whole week and then some. If you have kids, you know how hard it is to get all of them together once they are all grown up. Plus,  COVID has been wreaking havoc on everyone's travel plans. We were thrilled to have all three, plus one fiancé and one boyfriend! 

We spend a lot of time hanging out at the house and on the beach together, but each year we make a point to do some new things. This year we weren't sure what that was going to look like, but in the end we had just a great of a time as usual.

We took a day trip up to Provincetown. It seemed like a good idea since tourism is down and the traffic would be lighter than ever. We were right. On the other hand, Provincetown was hopping with many more people than we expected. The Monument was closed and there was a mandatory mask zone, but we still enjoyed walking around. We explored MacMillan Pier and missD decided to join the locals and jumped off when we weren't looking! We had a drink at Ross's Grill at Whaler's Wharf - great views and nice seating indoors or outdoors. Then grabbed some food at The Canteen - basically takeaway food that you eat at picnic tables behind the shop.

Another day we went for a bike ride on the Shining Sea Bikeway to Woods Hole and back. This has become a yearly tradition and I love it. It's about a 20 mile round trip ride. In Wood's Hole, we stopped for food at Wood's Hole Market. There was something for everyone, from smoothies to sandwiches to pizza to chips and salsa! The best part was the super secret deck seating with a view upstairs. We're practically locals, haha!


When we were down to just the five of us, we decided to go play mini-golf. Cataumet Light Mini Golf was open with social distancing - easy enough on a hot and sunny day. The kids are super competitive, but we had a lot of fun. missD got the lowest score but mrC got three hole-in-ones!! We celebrated with acai bowls from Absolutely Juiced in Mashpee. 


Of course the acai bowl gets its own pic

We make a point to walk to the beach for as many sunsets as possible, although at the request of one, we limit group pictures to one night. It was sooooo windy the night we chose, but someone in the parking lot was nice enough to leave their headlights on so we could get the sky behind us without being dark figures. 




Just like last year, when we left the Cape we headed to our second favorite place ---> Newport, Rhode Island. This year, everyone was able to come for at least one day.

Our first adventure in Newport was taking a harbor tour on the Rum Runner II. Full disclosure, we were expecting a sailboat, but booked the wrong thing. However, we were not disappointed in the least with the East Passage Express tour. Great views, great information, great guides. I highly recommend looking them up at Bannister's Wharf. We had lunch at The Lobster Bar (a favorite) and dinner for the first time at Bar and Board Bistro. Our table for dinner was outside on what was formerly a parking lot because we were a large party (COVID rules), but it was nice.



We squeezed in one more group activity before half the group had to head home for that thing called work! But first, we had a big break-FAST at Belle's Cafe at the Newport Shipyard. After years of saying we were going to do it, we finally went to Norman Bird Sanctuary for a hike. There are quite a few trails so you can mix and match to do long or short hikes. My friend Nancy had just posted about doing the Hanging Rock Trail and it looked fun, so that's what we choose.



It was time to visit family in Springfield. We stopped in Hopkinton on the way in and out of town to see mrC's aunt who was in hospice (so glad we did that). In Springfield we spent most of our visits chatting with mrC's dad through the house windows, but when we started taking sibling pics on the last day, he wanted to come out. I am so glad that he did! I'm also really glad that my sister-in-law made her famous gluten-free blueberry muffins and brought some to share.



Our next stop was Portsmouth, New Hampshire to see missD and S's new condo and meet the future in-laws! The condo was beautiful and totally suits their personalities. I loved their neighborhood and that it is walking distance into downtown and the waterfront. 

While the kids were working from home, mrC and I walked. First we had acai bowls with missD at Fresh Press and then walked to Prescott Park, Pierce Island and Four Tree Island. We walked A LOT, haha! That evening, we crossed over the state line into Kittery, Maine to see the wedding venue at Pepperrell Cove (gorgeous) and meet S's parents for dinner at Frisbee's Wharf. Can you tell we like outdoor dining with a view?



What we ate. Over the two weeks, we had a nice mix of meals. At the Cape House, we have a fully stocked kitchen. This year, we rotated cooking duty among all of us for dinners and it was GREAT. The menus included baked salmon with asparagus, coconut cod tacos, GF spaghetti, BBQ chicken and squash, beef burgers, taco salad and GF pizza. 


Even though we were walking quite a bit, I couldn't go two weeks without doing some structured workouts. The FASTer Way program makes it so easy with options in the app like banded workouts, travel workouts, or I could just do the regular at home workout for the day. Working out at the Cape House was super easy because I had so many space options inside and outside and my strength bands work so well in place of weights. 


It is always hard to say good-bye after such an incredible visit, but we always look forward to the next time we will get together. 

Extra big thanks to missD for picking us up and dropping us off at the airport and chauffeuring us around for almost two weeks. The view from the backseat of the Jeep is pretty fun!
 

Already looking forward to next year!


Does your family vacation together or make an annual trip together?








*