Tag: bucket list

Tuesday Ten: Fall Activities That Don’t Involve Apples Or Pumpkins

Happy Tuesday everyone!  Today’s Tuesday Ten is pretty straightforward.  If you’re looking to get in the fall spirit but don’t want to hit up a crowded apple orchard (I don’t blame you – Sunday was insane), then look no further.  I have ten fantastic ideas for you to embrace and celebrate autumn’s arrival!

  1. Get outside.  Whether you’re going on a hike or just taking a stroll, fall is such a beautiful time of year to enjoy nature.  On my list for Massachusetts is Walden Pond for a flat stroll and Mount Greylock for a hike (which I somehow have never been to!)
  2. Bake.  Whether your baking involves apples or not, fall is the perfect time to fire up the oven again (does anyone else hate how hot the kitchen gets when you use the oven in the summer?!)  Personally I’m a fan of some warm cookies outside in the cool fall air, but whatever floats your boat.
  3. Rocky Horror Picture Show.  Rocky Horror is the only cult film I really follow along with, and I was absolutely devastated when Midnight Madness in Harvard Square came to an end (it’s just not the same Downtown!)  Last year Jenn and I saw it in Austin at the Alamo Drafthouse (100% recommend checking this theatre out, read my post here for more info!) and the year before it we went to The Strand, a historic theatre out in Clinton, MA.  Short story long, I definitely recommend trying to find a theatre with a shadow cast near you!
  4. Go antiquing.  Last weekend was the first weekend in a while that B and I didn’t have a single plan.  We took this opportunity to drive with the windows down and stop at each antique store along the way.  We met so many kind people and found items with incredible history and character.  You really just never know what you might find at an antique shop!
  5. Light a candle and read a book.  After an active and busy summer, some down time is exactly what I need during September and October.  My reading list has gotten out of hand, so I’m looking to put a dent in it finally.  Whether your candle is fall scented or otherwise, it really puts me in the right mood to immerse myself in my book.
  6. Have a bonfire and outdoor movie night.  Bonfires are one of my favorite things, and I don’t have them nearly as much as I wish I did.  I want to get some friends together for one last round of s’mores and fire up the projector with a classic film!
  7. Food Festivals.  There are so many awesome food festivals this fall that don’t even involve apples or pumpkins!  This weekend there’s Fluff Fest in Somerville and Dumpling Fest in Cambridge!  A quick Google search will give you a better idea of what’s going on in your area, but fall seems to always have a good number of food truck festivals at the very least!
  8. Get Lost In A Corn Maze.  Something about corn mazes has always excited me.  Maybe it’s because I love puzzles, but if you can find a corn maze near you I promise they aren’t just for kids!
  9. Make chili.  While the days are still warm and sunny, New England nights have slowly but surely started to embrace sweater weather.  I’ve been craving some homemade chili for most of September, and can’t wait to enjoy some curled up under a blanket!
  10. Stargaze.  Whether you go to an observatory or your backyard, the fall sky is absolutely breathtaking.

What’s on your bucket list for fall?  Let me know in the comments!  Have a great day!

xo, C

Boston Summer Bucket List

 

After seeing two of my favorite bloggers (Grace and Kendall) write activity based posts, I felt inspired to write my own!  Today I’m going to be sharing my five bucket list items to check off in Boston this summer!  Whether you’re a Boston native or are considering a trip this summer, check out this list to see if any of them spark your interest!

 

  1. Boston Harbor Islands.  I went to the Harbor Islands a few years ago, but I am dying to go back (and go to more of them!) especially now that Barbara Lynch has taken over the concessions!
  2. Sunset Sail around Boston Harbor.  After seeing the Tall Ships at Sail Boston this week, B and I decided we absolutely have to take a sail around the harbor with my best friend and her boyfriend.  Due to work schedules and busy summer weekends, we will end up taking a sunset sail, but they offer daytime and even Sunday Brunch sails as well!  We have already started the planning process for this one and are so excited about it!
  3. Visit Fenway Park.  This one is cheating a little bit since I’ve already gone to Fenway twice this season, but I will gladly go again anytime someone asks me.  Fenway is one of those quintessential Boston experiences that everyone I know loves.  Whether you go for Mookie Betts, the wave, or just the Fenway Franks; Fenway has something for everyone!
  4. Catch an outdoor movie.  There are screenings all summer long at the Lawn On D, Hatch Shell, Boston Harbor Hotel, and more!  There’s a full list of outdoor movie screenings here.
  5. Visit a rooftop pool.  The Colonnade and Revere hotels both have rooftop pools, which I have promised to go to for the last four summers and failed each time.  Hopefully this is the summer I finally visit one of Boston’s rooftop pools!

What are your favorite activities to do in Boston for the summer?  Is there anything special on your bucket list this year?  Sound off in the comments!

Have a great weekend!

xo, C

2017 Travel Bucket List

(photo by me, first published in this post)
2016 was a pretty solid travel year for me. The year was filled with weekends in my favorite New England cities, visiting my family in New York City and going back again for my beloved New Yorker festival; but it also contained a lot of new experiences.

My first new trip of the year was to our nation’s capital in March to see the cherry blossoms. I had only spent one day in Washington D.C. before, so I loved the opportunity to embrace the food, architecture, and history of the city at such a beautiful time of year. My sister and I took a summer road trip to Saratoga Springs and spent some time at The Great Sacandaga Lake. I went to Texas for the first time with my best friend as we spent five days in Austin, then my mom and I went down to Philly to see my favorite songwriter (and also the Liberty Bell). At last I ended the year in front of Cinderella’s Castle in Walt Disney World with my four best friends in the entire world.

I feel so lucky to have been able to travel to all the places I have been. When I was younger, my dad was always traveling for work and coming back from around the globe with the most amazing stories. A postcard from Neuschwanstein, a Turkish eye, and Swiss chocolate stand out in my memory as triggers of places I wanted to see, cultures I was craving experience in, and food around the world I had to try. My parents blessed us with many vacations throughout our lifetime as well, taking us from the beaches of Hawaii to the museums of London, making sure we paid attention to the history lessons and absorbed the culture existing around us.

My early 20s were something of a mess as I stumbled my way through mistakes and learning what I wanted and what I needed to do. What I’m most grateful for during this time was the travel experiences I was fortunate enough to have. The time I spent in Europe, California, and Bermuda sticks out to me as places where I was staggeringly aware of myself and what I wanted, and that self-awareness gave me a lot of the confident direction I have today.

I know that in 2017, traveling will continue to be important to me. While I never know how many opportunities I will have, these are some of the feasible places I hope I’ll be able to make it to!

Pacific North West

Seattle and Portland have been very high on my list for quite a while now. If I have the opportunity to travel to a west coast place of my choice this year, I highly suspect it will be here. Everything from the cities to the mountains I am dying to explore.

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Big Sur

A road trip up (or down) Big Sur is one of those things I just know I have to do.  Whenever the opportunity arises, I will definitely say yes to it.

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Toronto

It’s been several years since I made it over the border and into Canada, but I have never made it to Toronto. Last year my mom was in Toronto with a group of friends and she told me I would absolutely love it. Sounds like a good enough reason to me!

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Havana

Now that JetBlue is flying to Cuba and US Cuban relations are better than ever, Havana has been promptly bumped to the top of my travel list. This year would be ideal, before the flocks of tourists force the country to adapt and change some of its culture and purity to appease the masses. I would love to go experience the arts and culture of a place that has for so long been untrodden by tourism. And also the cars. Definitely the cars.

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My ultimate travel bucket list has a lot more far fetched locations on it, but at this time in my life I know that shorter trips to more accessible locations is much more feasible and will also bring a maximum amount of joy into my life.
Do you have any travel plans or wishes for the new year? Sound off in the comments below!
xo, C