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Wednesday, December 21, 2022
Holidays Lights at Lake Compounce - Bristol, CT

Sunday, December 11, 2022
Winter Lights at Naumkeag in the Berkshires (Stockbridge, MA)
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Stockbridge, a small town home to Norman Rockwell in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts, does all of this with a heightened level of charm. Not only do they turn their town into a snowglobe backdrop, but they offer one of the best light shows in the country. Winterlights at Naumkeag offer a magical outdoor holiday experience at the famous estate which is a New England holiday event that cannot be missed.
Thursday, December 1, 2022
Providence Water Fire
Someone mentioned recently how much Adam and I have done relative to the timeline of our togetherness. I guess you can look at the timeline and say we were on a fast track in our mid to late 30s. In just a few short months (February of 2023), Adam and I will have been together for four years. In those four years we sold two houses, bought one together, renovated that house, got engaged and married, had our son, and will have had our daughter. It's a lot of life events in a relatively short timeframe but the truth of the matter is, we felt no need to linger. The beauty of meeting later in life is that we had truly lived full, rich lives before meeting each other. While there is a beauty is growing together (and we'll do that too), there is a fullness in showing up as that best version of yourself. We had established careers, developed goals, and knew what we wanted and needed going forward. We both did our fair share of dating, both short term and long term relationships, and felt ready to reach for those goals with no need to meet imaginary timelines.
This phase of life is awfully quiet right now, the calm before the storm if you will. Travel has been on a standstill as we manage a rambunctious almost 2 year old and finish up a few big house projects before the arrival of our daughter. Between cleaning up the remnants of tree work to renovating and creating a laundry room and master bathroom, it's been busy. We've relied on evening getaways and adventures close to home to get us out of the house and together without power tools in our hands.


Sunday, October 30, 2022
Visiting the Beardsley Zoo - Bridgeport, CT

Some things are just so much sweeter through the eyes of a child. I have always loved zoos and aquariums as an adult and visited my fair share before Whitney. I majored in Marine Science and completed an internship at the Mystic Aquarium, working with the beluga whales, sea lions, and penguins, learning the ins and outs of a research-based zoo/aquarium facility.


Zoos and aquariums often get a bad reputation when visitors see animals in their enclosures. As someone who has seen the ins and outs of these operations, I have a different appreciation for research and non-profit-based zoos and aquariums. I understand that these establishments are needed, captive subjects are researched and studied which in turn helps the larger wild populations. Beyond that, kids (and adults) need to see these animals up close and personal to care. It's one thing to read about a polar bear in a book, it's another thing to see one in real life and truly care about its existence, or possible lack thereof.
I hope Whitney grows to love animals, the kinds in our home, and in the wild. I hope he grows into a curious little boy with a respect for nature and everything in it. What better way to start than your local zoo?






Friday, October 21, 2022
Soapstone Mountain/Shenipsit State Forest Loop Hike, Somers, CT
Every year, I head up to the beautiful northern New England states for some kind of leaf-peeping fun. Whether it be mountain biking in Vermont or hiking in the Whites, I love to experience the glorious month of October up north. This year, it just didn't happen and I had to keep reminding myself, we are just in a different season of life. Things have been hectic between babies, renovations, colds, and the dogs and we just never found the time to make it north.

The good news is that my lack of travel meant I had to soak up all the color right here in Connecticut. Forced to slow down and explore a bit around here, I was pleasantly surprised at just how lovely the foliage was this year. From our own backyard to northern parts of Connecticut, the nutmeg state has a lot to offer come mid-October. I originally planned to head to the quiet northwest corner of Connecticut but after a bit of research, wanted to try somewhere a bit different. A quick search on google led me to the northern border to hike Soapstone Mountain in Shenipsit State Park in Somers, Connecticut. Short family and dog-friendly hike in a state park to a scenic vista with an observation tower to enjoy the views. What's not to love?
Monday, October 17, 2022
Sleeping Giant State Park (Tower Trail) - Hamden, CT

Monday, September 26, 2022
Hackensack Mountain Hike - Lake George Area

Thursday, September 22, 2022
Northeast Fall Round Up

New England and New York Fall Road Trip
New Hampshire

Kancamagus Highway

Mount Tecumseh

Applecrest Farm

Northcountry Hard Cider
Connecticut

Northwest Connecticut

Bishops Orchard
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Housatonic River |
Vermont

Northeast Kingdom/Kingdom Trails




Fall Camping Tips
Monday, September 19, 2022
Lobster Shack Tour - Winner Winner Lobster Roll Dinner

Katie Wanders food tours became my new favorite thing.
It's kind of an excuse to go bananas on a certain type of food, you know, in the name of "research". The New Haven Pizza Tour is complete, and the Connecticut Donut Tour is well underway. The Lobster Shack Tour was my first "food tour baby" if you will, and honestly, it took the longest to complete and how could we close out summer without knowing which lobster roll reigns supreme? Here we are, at the end of summer and in all honesty, a few years later than expected but a lobster roll winner has been crowned in the KW books.
I started it all in 2016 when I had the idea of finding which overly priced seafood sandwich was worth spending my money on. I wrote a post all about the scoring system, about lobsters, and how this little tour was going to work. Then, I spent the rest of the summer doing the hard, hard, work of sampling lobster rolls from lobster shacks (not big restaurants) around the Connecticut shoreline.
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Guilford Lobster Pound |
I finished this tour and found seven CT lobster shacks worthy of a review. While a lot of Connecticut eateries offer lobster rolls, I wanted to focus on the lobster shacks. You know what I mean.. the almost always seasonal, generally small, limited menu offerings that were known for their lobster rolls. I didn't just judge the roll although it was a big part. For the roll, I judged on butterage, rolls used, meat ratio and type. On a bigger scale, I judged on ambiance, parking, ordering, BYOB and dog-friendly settings, and more. A lot of restaurants have different-sized rolls at different pricepoint but to keep it fair, I stuck to the standard/smaller roll. We only judged the Connecticut style lobster rolls (warm, with just butter) because the cold mayo variety just doesn't fly here.
I finished the tour at the Lobster Shack in East Haven and so, we can wrap up the tour and rank these rolls from my favorite to my least favorite. So sit back, dream of lobster, and read where you can find the best Lobster Shack on the Connecticut shoreline right in time for summer.
Tuesday, August 30, 2022
Weekender's Guide: Northwest Connecticut/The Litchfield Hills

Tuesday, August 23, 2022
Camping with Kids - a guide, Shred Dog gear for kids, and more

Somewhere between my pre-2021 childless life and my 2022 life with a toddler, I've become an unofficial low-key ambassador for getting outdoors and living a normal life *with kids*. Sure sure, there are pro athletes and big-name influencers getting out there and sharing their stories of life with kids and it's amazing, we love to see it. But, I love sharing a side that's may be a bit more approachable to your average family. I'm your typical mom trying to balance my career outside of this space with the normal stuff like grocery lists, household renovations, overflowing piles of laundry, and weekend get-aways.
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Kids at camp |
Monday, August 15, 2022
North South Lake - Camping in the Catskills of New York

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Beach/Swimming Area at North Lake |
Wednesday, August 10, 2022
Visiting the Azores - A Guide to Adventure on Sao Miguel

The mainland of Portugal "Continental Portugal" is the small sliver of a country next to Spain on the Iberian Peninsula. What a lot of people don't know is that there are also two Autonomous Regions of Portugal, the Azores and Madeira. I've been to both and while they are both amazing locations, the Azores are a little more rugged while Madeira is a bit more resort-y (you can find my Madeira travel guide here).
Today's post is all about the Azores, an archipelago composed of nine volcanic islands in the Macaronesia region of the North Atlantic Ocean. The islands are about 1,400 km (870 mi) west of Lisbon, about 1,500 km (930 mi) northwest of Morocco, and about 1,930 km (1,200 mi) southeast of Newfoundland, Canada.
Saturday, July 23, 2022
Three Days in Lisbon, Portugal (with a toddler)

Monday, July 11, 2022
Three Days in the Algarve (with a toddler)

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The streets of Ferragudo |
Saturday, June 11, 2022
Hammonasset Beach State Park Walk - Paved Recreation Path in Madison, CT

I always appreciated a good rec path and this summer I started thinking about including a rec path section on KW. Why do I love a good recreation path? They are often flat, in a super scenic area, and provide a safe place for you to walk, bike, run, walk your dog, rollerblade, or whatever you want to do outside (without a motor). Once I had Whitney, I learned to appreciate these dedicated pedestrian lanes even more as a safe place to run. Exercise is a priority for my physical and mental health and finding the time to fit it into my busy day usually involves bringing Whitney along for the ride. I run around our neighborhood a lot out of pure convenience (right out the door) and safety (quiet roads with cul-de-sacs). The only problem is it's very hilly and sometimes you just need some flat roads and a change of scenery.
I started upping my mileage to include some long runs and knew I was bringing Whitney. It had been a while since I visited Hammonasset State Park a few towns over in Madison, Connecticut. It's known for its paved rec path through the park, beach access, campground, and nature center. It's all in the details like the rentable pavilions here families host birthday parties, the playground along the path, water stations along the trail (attached dog water stations included), boardwalks, a nature center, and some trails through the park. It's a great family-friendly place and truth be told, it's a great spot for a longer run. Safe, restricted paved path, bathrooms, a snack shack, a view, and flat terrain.
Friday, June 10, 2022
Farmington Polo Summer Saturdays

Wednesday, June 8, 2022
Road Trip with a Toddler

If you read my last post, you already know that we went to Maryland as a trial run for traveling with a toddler. Just when you think you have it all figured out, they are out of one stage and into the other and you have to pivot or even completely change your strategy. Traveling with a newborn vs a 6-month-old vs a 1-year-old is all very different. Gone are the days of sleepy babies happy to nap in the car or at a restaurant. Here are the days of a mobile toddler who hates to be restrained in any type of way and demands all sorts of food at all sorts of times. If you are nervous about traveling with a toddler, I can't stress a trial run enough. This road trip gave me confidence that we can travel with him as he moves through his toddler stages and we had the chance to test out some new gear and new strategies. Today's post is all about some tips and tricks that worked well for us.
Wednesday, June 1, 2022
Weekender's Guide to: Northern Chesapeake Bay, Maryland

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Downtown St Michaels, Maryland |