5 Ways I Lived More Intentionally in 2016

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So in 2016 I got really into what the interwebs are calling intentional living. Essentially intentional living is living based on your values by making conscious decisions that design a lifestyle around what you believe. Originally, living the kind of life I truly believed in seemed unattainable for me. For me my ideal life would entail consuming less and working toward being zero-waste, eating healthier and higher quailty food, buying from exclusively from sustainable/ethical/local businesses, living slower and being more present in every moment of everyday, committing to and developing my hobbies, and the list goes on and on... For years I was under the impression I couldn't attain all that I just listed either because of finances, time, or a combination of both. Because let's be honest being "green" or buying organic is expensive, and as a twenty-something who largest expense is paying off an education she completed years ago, there isn't a lot of space in the budget for this dream lifestyle. To quote Donald Trump (the only time I ever will btw): WRONG.

There is a way to start easing toward your dream life and living more intentionally. You don't have to buy what society is selling you. Yes, it takes a lot of time self-educating to find alternatives to what is out in the mainstream. And again, yikes!, the money. But if you are like me and are looking for a different way of living, maybe a simpler, slower more conscious one? Then here are 5 ways I have begun building that intentional lifestyle I am truly proud of.

Minimalism

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In 2016 I started calling myself a minimalist out loud for the world to hear. Minimalism was the beginning of a major perspective shift for me a few years ago, but I always kept it quiet for fear of being judged as not "minimal enough". But this year I learned being a minimalist isn't about the absence of things or being able to keep a tally of every item. It is about having only what brings me value and joy and being content with just that. It means trading in things that weigh me down, for experiences that brighten my life and encourage me to grow. Minimalism is about gratitude for what I have earned, not yearning for what I must indebt myself to own.

A lot of people say this but I truly believe it, minimalism looks different for everyone because it is about your values and your choices. No one can ever tell me I am doing it wrong because, although I still have a lot of things compared to some people, I am happy and my "stuff" works for my life. 2016 was the year that I became finally became completely content with being my kind of minimalist. One with more plants that can be counted on two hands and a disorganized collection of craft supplies. And once I accepted that my way of living with less should look different from anyone else's I become more comfortable in my home and with my finances. In the past I have had times where I got the urge to impulse buy and then feel guilty later, but now even my "impulse" purchases are in line with my lifestyle leaving me regret free (if that makes sense?). Honestly I could write a whole post (or many) about my minimalist journey, but I have to say last year was a turning point that has solidified this way of life for me!

Mindfulness

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2016 was also a year where I began to recognize the importance of mindfulness and self care. I have always been the type of person who prides herself on productivity over almost all things. And fortunately up until this year I could work myself non-stop without any repercussions. But this year the stress of working too much began to manifest in physical ailments (nothing too serious) but enough to force me to slow down. I have been Buddhist for 12 years, but I took up meditation to learn about mindfulness in a different way. I wanted to learn how to listen to my mind and body (and hopefully see the warning signs of burnout before it happens!). This mindful meditation has opened my eyes to so many other things that are important to me, like being present with the people I surround myself with and taking out time in the day for myself.  And an added bonus, once I became more mindful of each days moments I took little steps to make the day more enjoyable like walking the longer but more peaceful route to work (talk about intentional changes!)!

Purposful Purchases

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A big change for me, and one I thought most unattainable, was how I spend my money. I have always wanted to be able to buy sustainable, support great brands that are doing things right but I have always though that would be out of my reach because of my budget. But with the help of minimalism and needing less I found my budget started to loosen up and I could focus on buying a good quality coat made in the US versus having several from my former favorite fast fashion chains. Same goes for household and beauty products. I began carving out time to research natural alternatives in my beauty routine and around the house. And now when shopping for groceries we cut back on meats and focus on great quality produce. To stay on budget I prepare a lot more from scratch (which again takes time), but somehow I have found the time as this became a greater priority for me. By focusing on the power of my dollar and buying things I truly love, from clothes to food, I have gained an even greater respect for what money can do. Everyday better products are becoming more accessible and that is the inertia I want to support.

Hygge Moments

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Hygge (aka hooga). I totally hitched my cart to this bandwagon and have fully committed to the lifestyle. If you have yet to hear, hygge is the Danish philosophy of coziness. Discovering hygge and prioritizing comfort has validated my inner introvert in the most beautiful ways. Last year I made it a point to embrace my moments at home to make them restorative and peaceful. And when hosting I was constantly on the look out for what would make for the most hyygelig experience! 

Hometown Exploration

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The last way that I found I lived more intentionally in 2016 was by not taking my city for granted! As a New Yorker I tend to overlook the fact that I have access to so many amazing things: culture, public spaces, food, other people! But I took notice last year and took conscious efforts to see new places and get out of my usual routine. In part I was motivated to scratch my chronic travel itch, which I realized from my meditations I shouldn't push aside. It's like they say, YOLO - you only live once so you really have to prioritize the living part! My heart has grown even wider for my city and I have so many new favorite places because of it! So to sum up this post of how I live more intentionally, I will leave you with three of my favorite places I intentionally visited in NYC during 2016!

I look forward to what 2017 brings. Tell me, what do you think of living intentionally? Are you into this concept or do you practice it in your life? I would really like to know!

2017 Travel Resolutions

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I am a goal setter. That's why I love the process of looking back on the year and setting new years resolutions. Resolutions are firm determinations that I view as essential to living an intentional life. 2016 was the first year I made goals specifically geared toward travel and I found it really useful when preparing for my trips so I decided to do it again this year!

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So here goes, 3 resolutions I am making to myself in my quest for even more enjoyable travel in the years ahead...

Self Care

I set big themes in addition to my specific resolutions to hone in on characteristics I want to develop in myself. Last year's theme was hustle, a few years before that it was compassion... this year it is self care. I want to make a habit of practicing self care everyday, including when I travel. Whether it is 10 minutes of meditation, or spending more time on my cleansing my face, I want to take better care of me (I talked a bit about this in my birthday post too). This theme may be a direct consequence of my year of hustle which allowed me to see a need for it in every aspect of my life. Practicing self care when traveling is something else I have noticed I skimp on. Sometimes I trade off packing light for bringing leaving behind some of my favorite products in exchange for multi-use ones. Or I rush through meals or sleep less to fit in more activities. Or even book inconvenient flights to squeeze in the most daylight hours at my destination. I want to make sure I don't sacrifice to much comfort when I travel so that when I return home I am not craving a post-vacation vacation!

Weekend Trips

This year I did a lot of local exploration (which is another new habit I've adopted!) and I plan on expanding this in the new year to short trips around the US! Last year I made the resolution to see more of this vast country, which I did. But I realized late in the game that I could see even more by taking advantage of long weekends and holidays. These types of 2-3 day visits to nearby cities may be just the thing to stave off the lull leading up to a vacation and the post-vacation blues!

Human Component

My final travel resolution has to do with connecting with people. I am an introvert, and while not rude I generally don't go out of my way to meet new people when I travel. But that is something I want to change. On a recent trip to California I had the opportunity to meet up with a couple of instagram friends, @brownkids (Roe and Erin), and it was truly a life expanding experience (and there aren't many times you get to say that about brunch!). This showed me that although museums and architecture are fine ways to spend your time there is nothing like a conversation amongst people with a variety of perspectives on life.

That pretty much wraps up my travel resolutions (so far)! I would love to know if you have any resolutions for 2017, or if you believe in resolutions at all. And either way, how do you try to travel deeper and improve your experiences overall? Please let me know!

I hope you have a safe and fabulous time ringing in the New Year. Heres to an incredible 2017!!!

2016 Resolutions Report Card

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Each year after the busyness of the holidays and just before diving into the new year I like to reflect on the year we are leaving behind. This year my reflections brought me back to the travel resolution I made last year. Looking back I am grading myself (in a way) on how well I stuck to my resolutions and if my sentiments changed about any of them.

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SEE MORE OF THE UNITED STATES 

I give myself an A. This year I made a very conscious effort to take more day trips and explore more of my city which led to discovering so many new gems in my own backyard. But in addition to that I was able to play tourist in both North Carolina and California for short weekend trips. I think this resolution is going to have to stick around and become a permanent habit!

PACK LIGHTER

A+ for sure. I have finally gotten my luggage down to a carryon alone for trips up to 2 weeks long! This even includes being able to pop my personal item in there if need be. I have also cut out the frenzied pre-vacation shopping and really utilized what I already own. I think in the new year I will start sharing more of my packing light techniques because it has revolutionized the way I travel!

DEDICATED TRAVEL SAVINGS 

A+ This was much easier than expected once I really committed to my budget. I think the next step in this for me will be to start a system for tracking my travel spending that allows me to compare trips over several years and better prepare for upcoming ones.

MAIL POSTCARDS BEFORE COMING HOME

W (for withdraw). So this year I skipped the whole postcard thing altogether. While visiting Tulum this summer sending postcards just wasn't a priority (nor was it at my domestic locales). Maybe postcard sending will become a thing of the past for me, but for now, experiences I will probably try again with this resolution this year! 

KEEP A TRAVEL JOURNAL

I give this one an A+. I document my travel experiences and thoughts here on the blog and have been pretty diligent doing so this year (yay!).

TAKE A FAMILY TRIP

A big fat F. Unfortunately, this year the timing just didn't align to take a family trip (meaning my nuclear family... brothers, sisters, parents), but I have definitely redetermined to make this happen next year!!!

After reviewing my goals for this year I am more focused on what I want to achieve for next. I have a feeling 2017 will be less action oriented and more internally driven. Look out for some 2017 resolutions in the coming days!

Read More About the Why Behind My 2016 Resolutions

New Year, Better Me!

Giving Thanks

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Happy Thanksgiving! In the true spirit of the day, and momentarily overlooking the mass murder of America's indigenous peoples, I am thinking about all of the blessings in my life... this post is going to my long a rambly personal reflection so scroll to the bottom for the TLDR (too long didn't read).

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This week I got fully knocked out by a stomach bug and was a bit unsure if I could enjoy the feast of the day, but I am still so grateful for my health. And even when sick be able to bounce back quickly. Without general physical and mental good health, the reality of life would be completely different from what I currently enjoy. It is one less thing I do not consciously have to consider and accommodate on a daily basis and for that, I am truly grateful.

This year my Thanksgiving dinner will be with very close friends for whom I am so grateful to have in my life. They were bonus gifts I received when I met my partner. And they are people I am just as happy to spend this day of giving and gratitude with as my own family. All of these people, my family, my wonderful partner and my friends I am so grateful for. I know the power of community and I also know how hard it can be find people to let into your life and love, and I am so appreciative for all of these people that make it so easy for me to love them. And while I am on the topic of family, I am so grateful to have witnessed another year of growth for my family. I feel closer to them than ever and my heart aches in a beautiful way when I think of the eternal bonds we strengthen and share.

I appreciate my spirituality and seeking spirit. I have my grandmother to thank for the former and my parents to thank for the latter. It is my eternal faith in humanity and myself that gives my life mission and allows me to find happiness in the everyday. And the curiosity that my parents fostered that drives so much of my work and hobbies today. 

And on a lighter note, I am so grateful for the place I am in my life right now. I tend to be forward-looking and always striving toward the next goal. But this year I have been actively trying to appreciate where I am in this moment because this moment I will never get back. And more importantly, I am happy! I want to bask in my happiness. Of course, there is so much more I want to accomplish and so many many unknowns I have yet to fix or figure out, but I am so grateful for where I am in my journey right now. I am grateful I get to spend my days with someone I love, I am grateful to live in New York City, I am grateful for a job where I get to earn while helping others, I am grateful for the means to support myself and indulge my curiosities, and I am grateful that my family is healthy and making their dreams come true! I am appreciative of all the fortune I have. My life is complicated and challenging but I am glad it is my own.

And finally, in the spirit of this blog, I am super grateful for my passport (and have been thinking about it a lot lately). It is such a freedom to be a citizen of a country like the USA that has a standing in the world that allows me to travel freely to most countries and give me the protections so many people in this world are without. I feel truly lucky and indebted for my place in this world.

TLDR - I am so appreciative for...

  1. Good Health
  2. My Partner, Family & Friends
  3. A Seeking Spirit
  4. The Present
  5. My US Passport

Finally, I am grateful to you (yes, you!). Thank you for being here with me. Thank you for clicking and reading. See Soo Much is my passion project, and it would exist whether you were here or not but it is so sooo much more meaningful to me that you are. I have just begun to see that true friends can exist online and it really enriches my life and I have the potential to enrich others as well. So thank you, because if we are not friends yet I truly hope we can become so soon.

Anatomy of a Great Travel Partner

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I used to be one of those people who kind of preferred traveling alone. Planning a trip with other people would give me so much anxiety, let alone being on the trip! We have all been in a situation where differing personalities and the stress of traveling initiates unpleasant feelings between you and your companion(s). But it turns out there is a formula for being good travel partner that I have noticed in more recent years.

My partner and I took our first trip together about 6 months into dating. I was nervous, we both were. That trip was a bit of a test for our young relationship and I knew that the necessary coordination and potential stress of a vacation could be very telling about our future together. The trip turned out to be incredibly relaxing and convinced us both of our compatibility. I was surprised at how we actually made the entire process easier for each other than it would have had been had we been solo. But after all it should be easier together if you're properly sharing the work and the fun!

Since then we have traveled many countries together and our travel rhythm only becomes more and more fine tuned. I realize now that it just takes the right balance of attitudes and a bit of structure that makes a perfect travel pairing. Here are some of the keys I find make for an excellent travel relationship!

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Embracing Differences

We all know the saying "opposites attract", but when in a foreign place (or any unknown or stressful situation for that matter!) those differences can sometimes cause a bit of friction. When picking a travel partner it's important you both can embrace each others differences and play to each others strengths. My sister and I are perfect examples, we have many opposite personality traits. Most notably she is spontaneous while I like a solid plan. On our sister trip to Costa Rica I made sure we got everywhere we needed to on time and she made sure I kept my eyes open and taking in the experience!

Communicating & Owning a Role

Communication is key. Once you are able to acknowledge your differences and strengths and communicate them you can then pick a role and stick with it. I have found it's when one person has more of the burden to keep manage the trip that conflicts flare up. But if the less fun parts of the trip are shared and each person owns their role then everyone can have fun.

I generally handle big picture pre-trip planning (e.g. how to get from place to place, check-in times, sights to see, budgets, etc), while my partner takes the lead on the day-to-day grind (pulling out cash, navigating streets, and any other spontaneous unplanned events). That's because I am good with details and plotting out logistics while he is great at thinking on his feet and under pressure (much like my sister!). By knowing I have a set role I am responsible it allows me to not stress in the moment and same for him. We balance each other out while not stepping on each others toes forming a well oiled machine of a travel team. And because we divvy up the responsibilities and know how to communicate it actually frees up and allows for flexibility if one of us needs support when the plan goes awry (as it always does on an adventure!).

Being Compassionate

I find it takes more compassion for your fellow traveler than you'd expect to avoid conflicts when on the road. This summer my partner exemplified that in the most profound way to me when my acrophobia reappeared and made me nearly hysterical while on a cenote diving trip. Instead of him becoming frustrated with me (which would have been a totally legitimate response), he was patient and kind which allowed me to find my courage and move past this fear with him by my side. Maybe your compassion comes up in smaller ways, like being more understanding when the other is slow to rise in the morning or one of you gets hangry all of a sudden. I find it is hard to find a downside to mustering just a bit more compassion in any situation.

Having Trust & Being Trustworthy

The most important trait for travel buddies it to trust one another. If you have trust that the other person to take on responsibilities you are on the right track to having a fantastic trip. It's an added bonus if you trust each others decisions. For example, when visiting Rome last year I was skeptical of going very far out of the city center to visit a single museum with no other attractions we were interested to see nearby... it didn't seem like an efficient use of time. But my partner was intent on going so I trusted his judgement and his taste and ended up LOVING the museum and experience as a whole. That museum, the MAXXI, is one of my favorites to this day! 

acceptance + communication + compassion + trust = 

a wonderful travel companionship!

And here you have it, a formula for a great travel partnership! 

What do you think about traveling with others? Are you a solo traveler or do you like have a good partner? What other ingredients do you think make a good pairing? Let me know in the comments below!

5 Things You Must Do When In Athens

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In 2015 my partner and I spent a weekend in Greece to celebrate the union of 2 very lovely people. We arrived in Athens in the wee hours of the morning the day of their wedding and after much celebration late into the night we awoke the next day to take in as much as we could in 24 hours! These are 5 things you absolutely must do when you visit Athens, Greece.

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Eat

Number 1 (and most important), eat! But don't just eat anywhere, avoid the tourist traps and eat where the locals do. One of our lovely Greek friends guided us to an incredible restaurant near our airbnb. The food was so amazing we didn't manage to take a single picture of it all (probably the truest test of an amazing meal these days)! 

Another lovely restaurant near our airbnb
Another lovely restaurant near our airbnb
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Of our many delicious meals our first and most memorable was a spot (I forgot the name of) located at the corner of Kidantidon and Kallisthenous in a neighborhood just west of Filopappos Hill.

where we had our first meal in Athens
where we had our first meal in Athens

Filopappou Hill

Filopappou Hill, also known as Hill of the Muses, is a massive park with beautiful geologic outcroppings, trails for hiking and ancient ruins. A group of us wedding guests, led by our Greek diaspora friend-turned benevolent tour guide, slowly hiked through the park all the way to the Panatheanic Way. 

The tour group, only in Athens could you get a group of New Yorkers to look at a map
The tour group, only in Athens could you get a group of New Yorkers to look at a map
Views on our ascent
Views on our ascent
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We took in the beautiful scenery that gradually built up our excitement until the Acropolis was finally revealed!

Views of the Acropolis from afar
Views of the Acropolis from afar

Acropolis

Of course the Acropolis... no trip to Athens is complete without visiting the this rightfully significant spot. The site is home to many structures including the Parthenon, an architectural masterpiece. It is a symbol of democracy, citizenship, and western civilization as we have come to know it today.

Odeon of Herodes Atticus
Odeon of Herodes Atticus
Odeon of Herodes Atticus
Odeon of Herodes Atticus
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The Temple of Athena Nike and our fearless guide
The Temple of Athena Nike and our fearless guide
Erechtheum
Erechtheum

Truly the Acropolis is an incredible sight to be seen and even more stunning than I had ever imagined. And the views of Athens cannot be beat!

The Parthenon
The Parthenon
The Parthenon
The Parthenon
The Parthenon
The Parthenon
My honey on the lookout
My honey on the lookout
The Greek sun, ancient ruins and beautiful friends
The Greek sun, ancient ruins and beautiful friends

Acropolis Museum

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After seeing the incredible ruins of the Acropolis we went to the beautiful Acropolis Museum for a deeper dive into history and afternoon cocktail. Be sure to schedule enough time here because you can honest spend hours here without realizing it!

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Explore Pláka 

And finally Pláka! Pláka is a historic neighborhood in Athens at the easterly base of the Acropolis. You can spend lots of time wandering the maze like streets imaging yourself in ancient times or just shopping around in the many shops that line the footpaths.

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Stay for dinner and you may be lucky like us and find yourself a rooftop table with romantic views of the Acropolis and a pink sunset!

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Although our time in Athens was short, it surely was memorable and I look forward to returning to Greece and seeing much more of it's capital city soon!

 

save this for later!

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5 Inspiring Travel Blogs

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Last week I celebrated 1 year of blogging 🎉

When I started this blog I primarily wanted a place to share my ever increasing archive of photos and maybe share some of my motivations for traveling. But as I began writing over the past year I realized I have a lot more to say about the topic...

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Travel is very special to me. It’s not just the excitement of seeing a new place and getting out of the everyday routine, but it is a way for me to appreciate the world around me and learn more about myself. I frequently write about how I have become more aware of my values through going away, but through this blog I realized I can also keep developing those values by incorporating some of my travel habits and perspectives to my every day. A manifestation of that has been what I am calling my new hometown tourist mentality. I live in arguably the greatest city in the world (NYC) and although I have always appreciated that, this past year I have been far more proactive about seeing my surroundings. I feel like this is such a gift that my first year of blogging has given me.

Another gift I have discovered more recently is an entire community of like-minded travelers who inspire me. They offer such great advice and place-based inspiration. Plus when I am not traveling to a new land I can live vicariously through them! That's why in celebration of my blog I want to thank 5 bloggers (of the many) who I admire and, although they probably don't know it, truly motivate me to travel farther and deeper and continue growing here at See Soo Much. 

The Free Passport

Trisa Taro is the woman behind The Free Passport, originally from Hawaii but a NYC local her blog spans both the light and serious topics around travel. Visit The Free Passport for stunning photography and travel guides, or for thoughtful articles on issues that impact the way we travel. Some of my favorite posts include 3 Ways the U.S. Presidential Election Will Impact the Way You Travel,  Photo Diary: Hiking Cinque Terre, and Here's How You Can Turn 10 Days of PTO into 34 Days of Travel in 2016 (sounds interesting right!?)

website | instagram | twitter | facebook | pinterest

The Exploress

The Exploress and founder Nina Grace is all about empowering women to explore the globe while finding beauty in it all. The site just draws you into place you never knew should even be on your bucket list while simultaneously offering truly practical tips for travel. I really love their posts How to Travel Solo with Confidence, 10 Must Pack Tiny Essentials, and The Alaskan Frontier.

website | instagram | twitter | facebook | pinterest

Sea of Atlas

Sea of Atlas is actually a design studio created by the very talented and stylish Brittany Fabello. Her blog covers topics from lifestyle to business, but my absolutely favorite posts are their travel posts. I am smitten with the photography and absolutely love catching her in the travel act on instagram (can we stay insta-stories on fleek?). Be sure to check out A Weekend in Lisbon, Portugal and her entire Amalfi Coast series!

website | instagram | twitter | facebook | pinterest

The Travelling Light

I have followed The Travelling Light and author Katie McNoulty for quite a while and love the nonchalant and beautiful nature of her content. There is something so cool about everything she does, and now that I follow her insta-stories I am even more inspired! Explore her website by location, I am currently obsessing over her archive of Bali posts (when I am not stalking here current journey in India on social media!).

website | instagram | twitter | facebook | pinterest

We are travel girls

We Are Travel Girls (WATG) is a community of female travelers created by Becky van Dijk and Vanessa Rivers. The website is jammed packed with contributed travel tories and advice that serves as a non-stop source of inspiration. Be sure to read the post I contributed as well as follow WATG on instagram for some major wanderlust.

website | instagram | twitter | facebook | pinterest

Thank you to all of you incredible bloggers out there producing great content! I am so inspired by each one of you I encounter! 

Which travel blogs are really inspiring you right now or do you have a blog yourself? Leave them in the comments below, I would love to check them out!

Nice: A Photo Story

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It may be the cool weather or the fact that I can feel the end of 2016 creeping up on us, but I have been nostalgically sifting through old photos lately. During one of my digital strolls down memory lane I stumbled upon my 2013 visit to the beautiful French beach City of Nice. 

This sweet French Riviera town was not originally part of my itinerary that year. After visiting friends in London I decided to book and impromptu flight and spend a couple of day on the beach before heading to Italy. While my stay was short it was certainly memorable... maybe 2017 is the year to return..!

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Why I Don't Do Souvenirs

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Plastic magnets and metal key chains are a nice momento, but I prefer great stories, lessons learned and fond memories any day.

Before I moved back to NYC for graduate school I planned a month long trip of seeing new cities and sleeping friends couches. The plan was to pack up my apartment, move all of my belongings into my much smaller place in the city and then live out of a suitcase until the first day of orientation when I would make it back New York. This was all fine in theory, but as I executed the plan I realized how much stuff I owned and the emotional weight of it all. I was responsible for so many things that it seemed to tie me down and complicate my life. I managed to move and enjoy my vacation, but that month of living out of one bag (despite even that being way over packed!) was a huge revelation to me... I don't need stuff to live the life that I want! And actually, stuff is hampering me from living the life that I want.

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It was in 2013 that I got into minimalism. I stopped accumulating things and began appreciating what I had more. I believe minimalism is on a spectrum and is different for each person. For me it was about living lighter and viewing money differently. I now see money as tool for freedom (freedom to travel amongst other things) and not just for more things. I began measuring the cost of things as a fraction of a plane ticket or how many gelatos in Italy that would be (one pair shoes began looking much more delicious when converted to gelato!). This was exciting because it's what matters to me, being a traveler and having the mental and physical space in my life to explore.

So in essence I decided to say yes to travel and no to all the things that cluttered my life or didn't fit into my values.

Now how does all of that relate to souvenirs!? Well I am so glad you asked! It goes back to minimalism and acting in line with my values. Prior to this mindset I would feel obligated to buy everyone I loved, worked with or even mentioned my trips to a token from where I went. Not only was this expensive but it was totally unnecessary. Typically I would bring home tons of tote bags, notebooks and other random objects that my gift recipients didn't need and although they appreciated it, probably didn't really want. Often times the souvenirs I would buy would be low quality knick knacks and I realized I was just cluttering their lives with things, exactly what I had decided to stop doing in my own life! When I thought about what I would prefer over "some thing" it was a time and conversation about life and lessons and the new cultures explored. And once I decided I would no longer feel obliged to get gifts for everyone I began to get time back on my travels and found myself getting a gift only when it truly reminded me of someone and I knew they would cherish it.

So I suppose all of that to say it’s not that I don’t get souvenirs at all… I just don’t make it a mandatory part of my trips anymore. No more last minute shopping on the way to the airport. And even for myself I rarely bring items home unless it is a particularly beautiful rock from a pebbled beach, a beautifully designed postcard, or a delicious bar of chocolate I couldn't find back home! 

If you are like me and feel that the ritual of souvenirs can be overrated but like to bring home tokens to share with family I have found bringing home edibles to share, sending a postcard from your destination or taking perfectly posed photos with fun stories to tell on your return is a more than adequate substitute! 

I'd love to know what you think! Do you enjoy buying and/or receiving souvenirs? Do you think I am totally missing the point of them? Or do you agree and think souvenirs is something you'd prefer to skip? I would truly love to know!

Kings County Distillery

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When I am not traveling I love to spend my weekends exploring new places around me in NYC. Recently the city had Open House New York (OHNY), and annual event where institutions and businesses open up their doors for exclusive for discounted tours that highlights design and planning around the boroughs (so cool right!?). My partner and I decided to cross over to Brooklyn to tour Kings County Distillery.

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Kings County Distillery is the oldest distillery operating in the the 5 boroughs, but that isn’t saying much because it opened in 2010! It was the first post-prohibition era distillery to open up and has become a whiskey lover's favorite. I personally am not a whiskey kind of girl (I much prefer a spicy gin or full bodied glass of wine) but I had gifted my partner a small bottle of the bourbon a year or so ago based on the beautiful look of the bottle. He was immediately smitten.

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The distillery is located in Brooklyn’s historic navy yard in the relatively small former paymaster’s building. Because of their artisan small batch roots this is not a problem for the whiskey and moonshine makers. What they lack in volume is more than made up for in quality. Over the course of the tour we learned that the founder, originally from Kentucky, began making moonshine with a roommate after college, and later decided to move their small illegal operation to the navy yard once demand exploded and the FBI caught wind.

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We toured the basements where the mash is fermented in open air vats and then made a spirit by the stills. And then went upstairs to where the bourbon is barrel aged in a delicious smelling room. We ended our tour with a tasting of the classic moonshine, seasonal spiced moonshine, classic bourbon, and chocolate whiskey.

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In all it was a lovely to see how a product I respect so much is made, and meet some of the people part of that process. It really sparked my desire to learn more about other local products!

What is Mindful Travel?

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Mindfulness has become something of a hot topic. It is a key component of meditation and a lot of Buddhist practices aimed at changing the way you perceive the world. Essentially it is an awareness you develop of your feelings and environment that allows you to be present in the moment and accept the thoughts you may have about what you are experiencing whether positive or negative. In this Harvard Business Review article a leading researcher describes it as being more "sensitive to context and perspective" allowing a person to be more engaged with life. Most notably, the practice of mindfulness in daily life has been shown to result in happier, less stressed-out individuals, something I think it is safe to say everyone would like to be!

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Over the past five years I have been applying the principles of mindfulness to different aspects of my life, but it wasn't until recently that I began thinking of how it applies to the way I travel. On reflection I realize I have become more thoughtful of when I travel and my vacations have become more meaningful and memorable for me. I have learned more about the cultures I am exposed to, I have more personal interactions with the people I meet, and I learn more about myself and my values.

I like to think about mindful travel applies in two ways; the external - being mindful of the places you visit and your impact when you travel, and the internal - being mindful of your own experience and emotions.

Mindfulness of Place

Cultural consciousness is one aspect of "mindfulness of place." I think of it as simply being conscious of the customs and current events of the places I travel to. As a guest in another country (or even city!) I feel it is my responsibility to be respectful of the culture and aware of the political situations (#staywoke!). And not only is it courteous to the place and people hosting me but it benefits me if I a do a bit of research on my destination. I am able to be more alert of any risks and I'll have point of reference from which I can connect with locals.

In 2015 my partner and I visited Greece at the height of their debt crisis bailout referendum. After boning up on the economic and political issues we prepared ourselves for a variety of scenarios (like having enough cash on hand in case there was a currency shortage!) and knew to be considerate and open minded when speaking with locals about the situation. This helped us be more present and able to connect with and be compassionate with the Greeks we met and we were able to have open conversations with them about their opinions about it giving me a much deeper knowledge on EU politics!

Consciousness of place may also guide the types of activities you partake in. For instance shopping at small businesses and eating at local restaurants that benefit community instead of big commercial chains is a great way to immerse yourself in the true culture of a place and avoid tourist traps (and are usually cheaper and better quality too!) One thing I love to do is stay at airbnbs and get local recommendations from my hosts, they are always so knowledgeable and happy to help you have the most authentic experience. When being mindful of place you may even decide to partake in eco-tourism activities that pay attention to how they impact the environment thereby reducing your ecological impact (a topic I want to discuss more in a post of its own).  

Mindfulness of Experience

The other side of mindfully traveling and creating more meaningful experiences is focusing on how you emotionally experience and process your trip. I personally have a tendency to pack my schedule and see soo much () while I can! But this can leave very little time for me to reflect on everything I experience each day. I like to plan what I call "slow activities" that are less stimulating than traditional sightseeing. This could be a long lunch people watching, a museum where I can linger, or a beautiful sunset. I also like to carry a notebook with me to jot down thoughts or interesting things I notice while exploring and I find sitting down to write a postcard home allows me to reflect more deeply and rewind through all of the new memories fresh in my mind. But truly the best way to take in every experience is to be present, put down the tech and keep my eyes open. Afterall, the point of mindfulness is to be present and experience your life (including your travels!)

“The only true voyage of discovery is not to go to new places, but to have other eyes.”

― Marcel Proust