2013 Bucket List In Review

 This past summer I was able to visit four new states in an attempt to cross all 50 of the United States off my bucket list. While I had technically crossed the border of New Jersey a few times before, I can now say I have driven through the state, making it official! I also made a stop in Michigan, though an actual vacation in upper Michigan is something I have also dreamed of. I visited Florida, my first state in that whole corner of the US! And lastly I made a trip to Vermont, a beautiful place where I was able to see red covered bridges, and the burial sight of Robert Frost.

My road trip to Vermont came to fruition because I was taking a tour of The Beekman Farm, in Sharon Springs, New York. If you know Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell from their show The Fabulous Beekman Boys, or their adventures on The Amazing Race, you may know they own a goat farm and business in Sharon Springs. Every Spring the town has a Garden Party Festival and this year I was able to see the farm and meet Brent and Josh. They are amazing down to earth guys with a very bright future ahead of them.

This year I made my second giant cross country trip. I had help, and it was appreciated and fun! We made a stop in Cleveland, Ohio, and while I had been to Ohio before, standing on the lake in Cleveland was breathtaking. The Christmas Story is my favorite holiday movie and the house from the movie has been on my bucket list ever since I discovered that you could stop by and have a tour. We knew our timing would not work out to allow us to take a tour, but it was amazing for a movie geek like myself, just to stand in front of the house. 

Another trip took me to Walt Disney World and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. While I had been to Disneyland multiple times as a child, I had never been to Florida, or the many amusement parks. As a Disney and Harry Potter lover, it was so exciting to see the parks. And as a travel junkie, I may have left a little part of my soul in Epcot.

Last Spring I helped arrange 5 dates in 5 days for myself and my better half. My favorite kind of date is dinner and then renting a movie, and while a couple of the dates were as simple as a dvd, or coffee at Starbucks, the other nights were certainly more exciting... Fancy dining, a chocolate truffle class and Muse in concert. It was an amazing week, and 5 day challenges are definitely something I will continue to set for myself.

This past November I was able to attend a celebration for Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a holiday where people who have passed on are remembered. This holiday has become increasingly important to me because I like that our love ones can be celebrated in joy. 

2013 was a great year of travel, with additional trips to New York, to see a Broadway Play and Bryant Park. My hope for 2014 is to keep up that momentum, and to focus inward, to cross more personal goals of my bucket list.

Happy 2014, may it be a great one!

XoXo, Liza

Bryant Park, New York City, NY

We have had our first big snowfall where I live. You know, the kind that sticks around for days? After Thanksgiving preparations and the shop-any-way-you-can weekend that follows, it is sad to think that autumn will now slip into winter and I have yet to share a few bucket list events!

Recently, I took a trip to New York City. The trip was needed, but also included a bit of frivolity.

After a brief stint of adoration a few years back for the actor Orlando Bloom, it seemed only prudent that I should see him act on Broadway as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet.

In a nutshell, his performance was amazing. After some great advice from others, our seats were amazing. His attitude with fans after the play which resulted in autographs and photos galore... Amazing.

But I digress. While watching Orlando recite Romeo for an hour, just feet from where I sat, does cause a lot of awe, it was not my only purpose in the big city.

My goal for this trip was a visit to Bryant Park.

More accurately, Le Carrousel at Bryant Park.

I have always adored carousels, and there are so many beautiful carousels in the world waiting to be seen in person. An image of Le Carrousel stuck with me, and while I tried to get there for years when I lived closer, it took a bit longer to work this one out. Finally though, I crossed this sight off my bucket list.

XoXo, Liza

Christmas Market Treasury

In honor of a trip I took to Germany a few years back, I put together a treasury of some of my favorite items made by the very talented people of Etsy.

My trip to Hamburg, Germany was a very short one. I did not get to see so much of the city, and it seemed like a whirlwind adventure, but I wouldn't change it for anything. It shaped me into who I am today.

When you have time, please stop by and check out the treasury here.

XoXo, Liza