What is a Tasty Tuesday Travel Tour? If you love travel like I do, you are probably feeling a little tense right now. When can we go? Where will be able to go? And when? And where? AND WHEN?
Okay, take a deep breath. We all need to stay safe. I’m doing a few “staycations” around my region, and trying to be patient and wait.
One thing I have started as a way to help me get through this lull in travel is my new series on YouTube called Tasty Tuesday. Each week I’m presenting a new and delicious dish I’ve learned to make on my travels. You can join me every Tuesday and travel around the world with me through food. It’s a Tasty Tuesday Travel Tour! And it’s free!
Follow me on YouTube and let’s travel through our taste buds!!! Here is a link to this week’s TASTY TUESDAY.
Thanks for all your love and support. Be safe my friends and enjoy TASTY TUESDAY TRAVEL TOUR!!
I am a goals driven woman. I have always been this way. It has both positive and negative effects. When I was a career woman, sometimes my drive was perceived in a negative way by those who don’t work in this same manner. I don’t have those people to worry about anymore, and setting specific goals has been paramount in getting me through lockdown and quarantine. I set a self-care goal and gave it my nearly undivided attention. My self-care journey with Noom diet plan, getting healthy inside and out, has been a success. Here is how I did it.
(Please note this blog includes affiliate links with Noom, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and join Noom Diet Plan.
As we flew in an empty 787 across the planet during the height of the pandemic, I spent my airplane time trying to imagine what it was going to be like back in the USA. We had been gone for seven months, and stuck in Cyprus for two months. Nothing was the same, and my once highly controlled and organized life had fallen into chaos. If the pandemic has taught me anything it’s that I really am not in control. It’s been a silver-lining lesson.
Our last day in Cyprus at about 177 pounds late April
The only thing I knew for sure was I was going to have a lot of free time on my hands. And so my overly active goal-setting brain began to percolate ideas.
Without too much effort, I had laid out a plan for my personal self-care goals that for the next three months would focus on bringing me back to a healthy, active, confident and inspired Fab Fifties Life.
Becoming a Noomer – My Self-Care Journey with Noom Diet Plan
The Noom Weight Loss program is one I had been hearing about, and I knew several people who had been successful on the program. I debated about spending the money (about $260), telling myself I had the knowledge to lose weight, from all those other weight loss programs I had done over the years. But what I knew down deep in my heart, I needed some motivation and something to keep me accountable. So I signed up and began my self-care journey with Noom diet plan.
First week on Noom in May
Best decision ever.
What is Noom? Well, before I explain it from my perspective, please go back and read the very first sentence in this blog. What does it say?
I am a goals driven woman.
I ask you to read it again, BECAUSE my ability to focus on my goals is why I have been successful on Noom. Because Noom is not going to do it for you. Noom is a tool to ASSIST you in personalized healthy eating plan that should help you lose weight. BUT IT’S HARD WORK. Yes, I said it. Losing weight is hard work. And although Noom is designed to be entertaining, educational, and inspiring, you will only be successful if you set goals and and DO THE WORK – EVERY DAY.
My Goals
I started out my self-care journey with Noom diet plan using the Noom app to determine my weight-loss goals and how fast I thought I could accomplish it. I was very realistic in my goal setting, choosing both specific and achievable goals that included a target weight and work out plans. Knowing how much harder it is to lose weight at sixty than it was twenty years ago, I considered all the factors in my day to day life in search of realistic goals I could set for myself.
The next thing I did was create an action plan. For me this was just in my head but some people might want to write it down. It took me about two weeks to feel I was following my action plan effectively with daily workouts, nutrition study and focusing on well-being and mindfulness through both Noom and other online programs, lessons and videos.
My personal weight loss chart
I dropped 12 pounds before I began to share online that I was on Noom. I needed that time to find my rhythm and feel confident. Sharing your goals helps keep you accountable and also helps you find like-minded goal setters who can be part of your support system.
Today, my sharing continues and I am thrilled to have inspired several friends to join Noom and give it a try.
Comparison
Let me compare Noom to Weight Watchers. Now to be fair, I have not done online Weight Watchers but I did successfully lose weight on Weight Watchers many moons ago. I know a lot of people have used Weight Watchers in the past, so I’ll use it here as comparative. Noom is designed very close to how Weight Watchers is laid out. On Noom you are tracking your intake of food every day. On the app the foods will be designated a caloric number (instead of points) and will be put into one of three categories; green, yellow and red. I liked this part very much and here is why;
Watching what I ate each day and learning the caloric count was such an eye opener to me. I was fascinated to learn if I need a little snack I can eat a whole dill pickle for 4 calories, or a granola bar for 180 calories. That’s a no brainer. I also liked seeing the green, yellow, red foods at the end of the day. It helped me to recognize that some red foods (cheese, meat, hummus,nuts, oils) I have been eating more of, so I should cut back on and add more green foods (vegetables, fruit, fish, yogurt). Noom also has a library of recipes on the app, easy and at your fingertips.
Like Weight Watchers, Noom has a community you can get involved in, or if you don’t want to you can blow that part off. There is an online coach who checks in with you and you can ask your coach specific questions. The coach puts out daily challenges and there are daily “stories” to read that cover a wide variety of psychological, physical and science-based information about our bodies, our brains and weight loss. I thought it was well presented.
Noom Weight Loss weighing in everyday
One major difference between Noom and Weight Watchers is that on Noom they want you to step on the scale EVERY DAY! What? At first I thought that was ridiculous. Back in my Weight Watcher days you weighed in once a week (it was always kinda scary). But on Noom I weigh each morning and log the results on the app along with my food intake and also exercise. And I really learned to LIKE weighing everyday, and watching my body slim down oz by oz. I found it exciting and motivating.
Now for exercise. You aren’t required to exercise, but if you do you can add that to your daily log and then your daily calorie goal will automatically be adjusted. This I think is one of the reasons I was able to lose more than twenty pounds in two months…I was working out a lot. But like I said, you can work out a little or not at all, but your weight loss will be slower and calorie intake more restricted.
Day In The Life
Let me share my day in the life on Noom. Wake up usually around 6am. I always go pee before I step on the scale. Then I make coffee and take it back to bed, where I open the app, record my weight and read the challenges and stories and teachings for the day. As you progress through Noom the daily lessons become more interesting and are filled with science and psychology.
Noom diet plan breakfast
Next I go for my run and then come back for breakfast. Almost every morning I have a bowl filled with fruits, spinach, carrots, nuts, rice or grains and yogurt. I also have a hard boiled egg. It totals about 350 calories.
Then I go about my day. I rarely eat lunch but I’ll have a piece of fruit, or maybe a slice of lunch meat as a snack. Sometimes I might have a pickle, or some carrots. Occasionally if I am really hungry I’ll have some soup. I record this all on the app. I drink water throughout the day and I almost always have a cup of herbal tea in the afternoon. It fills me up and warms me up. Sometimes I have another cup in the evening. Zero calories.
Since we don’t eat lunch, we usually have dinner early around 4-5pm. Dinner is often fish, veg, grains. Sometimes chicken or pork. We eat several different kinds of veg at dinner. I will occasionally have a gin and tonic or a beer but not too often. I record all this on the app. We have eaten out a few times, but with the lockdown I was on Noom for many weeks before eating out was even an option. But when we have eaten out I record it and adjust my exercise or my calorie intake.
Fish Tacos
After dinner I don’t eat again until about 9am the next morning.
Surprises
I have stopped eating most dairy and have limited my bread. The most surprising thing of all is I have stopped having heartburn. So, I’ve been able to get off the omeprazole heartburn medicine I have been taking every day for YEARS! Because of my heartburn I also used to drink a Coke often when I had indigestion or heartburn. I haven’t had a Coke in three months. Boom.
Recap
So let’s recap. My Lockdown Self-Care Journey has focused on skin care, running, healthy eating and weight loss. I am going to need to stay focused on each of these goals, or lose traction and end up back where I started.
Noom Wheel of Life
One of Noom’s goal setting tools
I acknowledge that the fact I am retired, I have a lot more free time than many people. But, if you are serious about getting healthy and making yourself your number one priority, then you might choose one or all of these goals I am working on and begin your own Self Care Journey. Your goals will look different than mine. You know what you want. But Noom will only work if you make it a priority. It’s not magic.
Me this week at 154 pounds.
I’ve had a few people say to me they don’t have time because of their job. Yes your job takes a lot of time. But what are the other excuses you are using? Boards and committees? Watching television? Projects around the house? There is ALWAYS something…in your goal setting you need to prioritize what it important and maybe weight loss just isn’t important to you. And that’s okay. Just don’t sign up for Noom or any other program and say it didn’t work for you, when the reality is you didn’t make it a priority. Wait until you are ready.
I’m here to help. Ask me questions in the comments or message me privately. Join me on this healthy journey while we wait to find out how our life in post-Covid is going to look. Let’s do all we can to take care of our physical, emotional and mental health as we live through this stressful time.
Courage my friends. Be well.
(Please note this blog includes affiliate links with Noom, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and join Noom Diet Plan.
I grew up in the Pacific Northwest in the 1960’s and 70’s. Back in the day, salmon was cheap, local, abundant and taken for granted. Today, salmon is not as abundant in the waters of the Puget Sound. In fact, growing up with fresh salmon, oysters, clams, Dungeness crab and many other stars of the sea right in my backyard, I know now, we took it all for granted. This is how I have falling in love with wild caught Alaska salmon.
Fast forward forty years and as I travel around the world in my nomad life (currently on pause due to that inconvenient little virus), from Malaysia to Spain, I’ve run across some truly remarkable, unique and delicious fish I was never familiar with before. And I’ve also learned that most people around the world are eating farm raised salmon…that disgusting excuse of a fish. It’s why I never order salmon in a restaurant anymore unless it says wild caught Alaska salmon.
It’s like Christmas in July!
Back home in Washington State I don’t buy fish in my grocery store much either, because it is either Atlantic farm raised or thawed from previously frozen – and I’m unclear of how long ago that might have been. Did you know approximately 91% of the seafood that the United States consumes is imported from overseas? A significant portion of that fish is un-sustainably farmed. It is harmful to the environment and unhealthy for humans. Gross.
There used to be a woman in my hometown of Gig Harbor who had a small business selling wild Alaska salmon her husband caught in the summer. But she is no longer operating which led me to go searching for other options.
What a great story this company has. A family run, sustainably fished, environmentally conscious business with an amazing product you can have delivered right to your door. What you say? No joke. And, the customer service is remarkable.
So much yummy goodness in my box
I’ve been a member now for two months and we are eating so healthy having this beautiful fish in my freezer. Wild Alaskan offers monthly membership (cancel anytime), with door to door delivery of your choice of a box of salmon, or white fish, or mixed. I am currently enjoying the mixed which includes coho, sockeye, cod and halibut. I did a special order too of sable fish (often called Black Cod). Wild Alaskan salmon is always frozen soon after it’s caught to lock in that fresh taste. You want it frozen – that’s what makes it taste fresh. Seems weird but it works.
Wild Alaskan has given me an affiliate relationship, which means at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and join the fish club. AND if you use this link you will get $15 off your first order! So please check out the recipes I am providing to you below and place your order for your first box, and get cooking and enjoying unique and sustainable wild caught Alaskan fish – the best in all the world.
Watch for a blog in a couple weeks all about recipes for white fish. Meanwhile enjoy these;
Simply Salmon
Simply Salmon ready for the BBQ
Simply Salmon on top of a delicious salad
Frankly when the fish is this fresh, it really doesn’t need much done to it, and that is why Simply Salmon is one of my favorite preparations, especially in the summer. Easy and delicious
Serves Two
Two 6 oz Fillets Wild Alaskan Salmon thawed and placed on foil
Smear one teaspoon of butter on each
Squeeze juice of one lemon over all
Salt and pepper to taste.
Wrap salmon up in the foil leaving a vent at the top and place on hot BBQ for about five – seven minutes, test it for doneness it may need a few more minutes but be sure not to overcook.
Enjoy.
Smothered Salmon
Smothered salmon going into the oven
Smothered salmon over a bed of barley salad with warm vinegaret
This recipe works both for the BBQ or the oven and we have served this both summer and winter.
Serves Two
Two 6 oz fillets Wild Alaskan Salmon thawed
Place salmon skin side down on a foil covered cookie sheet if using the oven, or on a large enough piece of foil to put on the BBQ
In a separate bowl mix two tablespoons of mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of coarse ground dijon mustard and 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese
Smear each piece of salmon with mixture and bake at 350 degrees or BBQ until done.
Squeeze of lemon before serving
Salmon Lox
Salmon Lox with weights ready to go in the fridge
My favorite breakfast, lox and bagles with fresh made lox
One of my favorite breakfasts in the world is lox and bagels with cream cheese, until recently when I learned that much of the lox I have been eating is farm raised. So I made up this recipe for my own.
Two 6 oz fillets Wild Alaskan Salmon thawed
Set the salmon on your cutting board and let air-dry for about 20 minutes. Then pour one teaspoon of good gin over each fillet. Let sit for another ten minutes.
Meanwhile in small bowl mix 1.5 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1-2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper, preferably a mix of black, white and red peppercorns (I use my mortar and pestle for this)
1/3 cup fresh chopped dill fronds
Place one salmon fillet skin side down on large piece of cellophane. Top with sugar mixture. Place second piece of salmon on top of it – skin side up – to make a salmon sandwich. Wrap tightly in cellophane, use another piece of cellophane if necessary to seal it.
Place the salmon in a shallow dish such as a pie plate then top with another dish big enough to hold several cans of beans or tomatoes or whatever you have. These will serve as a weight. Place in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, turning once or twice a day and draining the liquid that collects in the dish.
Slice then and Eat!
Salmon Pie
Beautiful and cheesy salmon pie
Salmon Pie is delicious both hot or cold
Well, having salmon leftovers is really unusual, but if you find yourself in such a situation, this is an old family recipe from my husband’s side of the family. It was one of my kid’s favorite things when they were growing up.
Serves Four
In the bottom of a deep dish nine inch pie shell layer one cup of cheddar cheese. Take about 2 cups of cooked salmon broken into pieces and toss with 1 tablespoon of flour. Layer the mixture on top of the cheddar cheese.
Chop one bunch of green onions including tops and sauté in two tablespoons of butter. To this mixture and on medium heat add one can cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup, 3/4 cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon dry dill and 1/8 teaspoon white pepper. Cook until combined and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in two eggs. Pour mixture over the top of the salmon and cheese in the pie shell. Place the pie on a cookie sheet then bake for 30 min in a 325 degree oven. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Good both hot or cold.
Smoked Salmon
As part of my weekly TASTY TUESDAY on YouTube, our final recipe is a video, with instructions on how simple and delicious it can be to smoke your own Alaska salmon. You only need salmon, water, salt and brown sugar to create a delicious smoked salmon.
And there you go – my top five salmon preparations, each one made better with wild caught Alaska salmon. I’d love to hear from you if you try any of these recipes! And watch for more great fish recipes coming your way soon.
Not everyone is up for a staycation right now. But for me, getting away even for a day, or two, or three, is a great boost to mental health during pandemic paralysis. Since it looks like it might be awhile until we can fly off to the Alps, or the Cote d’Azure or the Azores…a little sanity staycation is a perfect pandemic prescription.
Our Cottage at Quintessa
We’ve decided to do several sanity staycations in the weeks and months ahead, visiting places within a few hours or a few days from home. Places reachable by car with low impact as far as crowds or contact with humans. Our first sanity staycation was to the beautiful Whidbey Island less than two hours from my home in Washington State where we have been on travel pause for two months.
Whidbey Island
The Quintessa
First, traveling mid-week is a great way to avoid crowds. On Whidbey we felt like we were the only visitors, and that was okay with us. We rented a cottage on the grounds of the Quintessa, a wedding and events location. But on a Tuesday, we were the only guests and it felt really special to have it all to ourselves.
Langley Washington
Whidbey is easy to get around by car. We’ve been here before so didn’t need to see everything, but if you haven’t visited before the cute shops especially in Langley and Coupeville are my favorites. If you are game there are also wine tasting rooms, distilleries and taprooms. Greenbank Farms will serve you wine and cheese and send you off with a delicious berry pie to take home – giving you a chance to savor your sanity staycation for a day or two more. Or pick up some world famous Penn Cove Oysters while here…the tiny sweet delicious mollusks are the best.
Joe’s Wood Fired Pizza
If you are an experienced cyclists it’s a great place to ride, but we left our bikes at home this time and opted for some easy hiking. We chose to do a really fun day hike in the Fort Ebey State Park, perfect for any fitness level and offering some really beautiful views. Exactly what my mental health was craving.
Fort Ebey State Parl
Although we didn’t have a reservation (highly recommended) we were able to slide in for an early dinner at the highly rated Prima Bistro in Langley. Both indoor and outdoor dining and a really great menu makes the Prima Bistro a top choice. If you want to social distance try to get a reservation off peak, although the restaurant was following all State of Washington distancing rules. On our second night we got take-out at the highly rated Joe’s Wood Fired Pizza. Excellent New York style pizza, in the Bayview area halfway between Langley and Freeland. We also made a quick stop for a treat at Coupeville’s Red Hen Bakery – killer cinnamon rolls, take out only.
The historic building in Langley,home to Prima Bistro
Plan Ahead
A sanity staycation takes a bit of planning…don’t assume everything is open and running regular hours. For instance Joe’s is only open for take-out currently (July 2020).
Also very important is that you check the current schedule for the Washington State Ferries (unless you plan to arrive from the North over the Deception Pass Bridge). Currently due to reduced staffing Washington State Ferries are running at half capacity (July 2020). The Mukilteo to Clinton Ferry (closest from Seattle and King and Snohomish County and all points east) is usually a 2-3 boat wait unless you can travel during non-peak. Another option is the Port Townsend to Coupeville Ferry. If you are coming from points west and south ( Pierce, Kitsap, Thurston, Mason or Jefferson Counties) this is definitely the way to go. The great thing about this boat is you can make a reservation and be secured a spot on whatever sailing you want.
Ebey Landing
But that’s all part of the “fun” (she says tongue in cheek) during the time of Covid. Learning to live with new rules and guidelines will serve us all in the long run…and taking a mental health sanity staycation is a highly recommended way to feel better and wash away the blues – but only if you are comfortable being out. We plan to choose safe, quiet and unpopulated places to visit on upcoming sanity staycations.
Not a soul around. Enjoying a cinnamon roll outside Red Hen Bakery
Be safe. Be smart. And above all else, please be kind.
I tried to read this book several years ago (published 2009) but couldn’t get focused on it. That was back when I was still a frantic working mom. Oh times have changed.
I am much calmer and have a lot more free time, and on my second try I became engrossed in the Wolf Hall story. This novel has been showered with awards, and is fascinating in its complexity and historical detail.
The book covers the early 1500’s in England, during the reign of King Henry the VIII and follows Thomas Cromwell’s rise to power within King Henry’s court.
This is the first of a trilogy about Cromwell’s life, a man who was close to every major historical event in England during this period. He influenced Kings and Lords, had his hand in the Catholic Church and eventually the Church of England.
Though filled with historical facts and people, the book is a re-imagined story built from historical records. My love of Ken Follett’s work of this same era is because of Follett’s ability to bring the reader so intimately into the lives of the lowly working class people of the time. Mantel does the same, but shows us the inner workings and confidences of the ruling class and aristocracy. From the King on down through the court Mantel careful makes these historical figures familiar to us.
I’m looking forward now to tackling the next two books very soon. I loved Mantel’s writing, her beautiful descriptive prose precisely put the reader in the moment. Her talent for words in itself is beguiling. She is a faithful, veracious author.
The link below is an affiliate link, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a comission if you click through and make a purchase. Thank you.
Funny title you say, how REI travels with us around the world? But it’s true. Oh so true. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and the Recreational Equipment Inc Co-op (REI) was just a tiny store back then in the ’60’s, but it was still a big part of my childhood. In those days REI was primarily focused on mountain climbing and backpacking. Jim Whitaker, the first American to summit Mount Everest and a Seattle native, was the first full-time employee of REI in 1955.
In the 1980’s REI expanded it’s offerings but remained true to it’s co-op roots. From then until now, REI continues to offer high quality gear for backpacking, camping, kayaking, cycling and travel.
All our bags last fall on departure day
I’ve been a member of REI since the 1990’s, and through membership you earn points for discounts on every purchase you make. And, because we travel so much and love the products, we make a lot of purchases at REI. In fact our family has learned to buy REI gift certificates for us when gift giving is in order.
We have been using our down time during quarantine to inventory our travel gear and prepare so that as soon as we can, we can hit the road again. It’s still gonna be a while, probably after the new year, but we will travel again, and our REI gear will be with us.
It takes a little effort to prepare for departure day
Even if you don’t travel as extensively as we do, REI has a wonderful selection of travel items for casual travelers, walkers, hikers and more. Because we are such big fans, tooday we share with you some of our most favorite items from REI that we don’t leave home without. We hope this is helpful to you.
The links below are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Thank you.
Travel Bags
Our REI bags ready for boarding in Berlin
We LOVE our REI roller bags and we can verify they are tough! Our bags are four years old and have been around the world twice! That’s 121 flights, 153,000 miles and 68 countries! With all the wear and tear the only thing we have had happen was one wheel got caught in a baggage carousel and we had to replace it…but the replacement was available on line and easy to install. We continually pack these bags to 50lbs each and will continue to do so. A great purchase for us.
Arne and his REI backpacking on the Portuguese Camino
We each have a backpack, mine an Osprey brand and my husband’s an REI brand. These have also been traveling with us as our carryon for four years. Additionally the backpacks made the 500 mile trek with us on the Camino de Santiago Frances, as well as on many other hikes. Both of these brands available at REI are durable and sturdy as well a comfortable. We beat them up, and the take a licken and keep on trekking.
When I first heard about something called packing cubes I thought it was just another gimmick to get me to spend money…boy was I wrong. I can’t imagine being on the road as much as we are now without packing cubes. Because we carry so much more than just clothes, our packing cubes provide us with a way to organize medicines, electronics and cords, office supplies and even things like salt and pepper and olive oil – and of course our clothes too. We have several different kinds of packing cubes but our Eagle Creek REI Cubes are our favorite and the most durable. The zipper (which has blown out on our other brands) is so strong and the fabric is perfect. I plan to pick up a few more of these before we hit the road again.
Yes we do carry a hammock with us around the world…why? Because we can, with this lightweight and compact hammock by ENO from REI. We use the hammock on the beach, or on our Airbnb patio and sometimes even on a hotel deck. The straps we also purchased from REI.
You might be surprised that I carry a French Press with me when I travel, but it is actually one of the things in my suitcase I use the most – in fact every day. And it’s so easy to be able to have my favorite French-press coffee each morning because of this amazing titanium light weight French press from REI. One of my all time favorite purchases from REI. It’s made for backpacking, but just as useful for a long trip or weekend getaway.
Me with my trusty REI trekking poles, Finisterra Spain, the end of the Camino
If you consider price and quality, buying a product that is well made will always give you more bang for the buck. Case in point, our trekking poles by Black Diamond. We have been using these same trekking poles for nearly 12 years. They took me over Mount Warminanusqa on the Inca Trail and all 640 miles on both the Camino Frances and the Camino Portuguese and hundreds of other hikes equaling thousands of miles. Trekking poles keep my posture upright, keep my hands from swelling and provide stability as I hike around the world. These collapsible poles easily fit in our suitcase.
My husband really likes the Cool Max REI hiking socks while my favorite are the lower cut Smartwool women’s style that keeps the merino wool off my ankle because I sometimes have a skin reaction with wool.
Head to toe in mud and REI gear after seeing the mountain gorillas in Uganda
We have purchased many of our favorite pieces of clothing for both hiking and everyday travel at REI. My husband is a big fan of PrAna and owns multiple pairs of PrAna shorts and long hiking pants. I have REI hiking shorts that I LOVE and will be getting another pair soon. And we both own several REI and Columbia brand hiking shirts, both long and short sleeve.
Hats
My fav hat and REI shorts
If you follow us around the world you will notice we are rarely without a hat on our head. I carry three or four different hats in my bag while Arne usually has two kinds. He likes a wicking style baseball cap for running and daily use and likes the Outdoor Research brand. And for hiking he wears a wide brim hat by by REI. I also have a wide brim hiking hat that includes a roll down neck protector by Sunday Afternoon. I have had this hat so long I don’t even remember and it’s still in great condition.
As you can see, I am a huge fan of REI, for the products I need at a price point I can afford. Through my experience I know I can trust REI for quality and durability on the things we love for our travels. It’s also really important to me to support local businesses. Although REI is now an internationally recognized brand, I love how it’s roots are solidly in the Pacific Northwest. And so that’s how REI travels with us around the world.
With friends last summer, Mount Rainier Washington State
Our fingers are crossed that we will be back traveling internationally in early 2021. We hope to pick up our itinerary where we left off (with some adjustments for weather) and continue on our Grand Adventure. The world has changed but our desire to see it has not. Another thing that hasn’t changed, how REI travels around the world with us. We are loyal customers and look forward to updating what’s in our suitcase very soon.
Feel free to ask me any questions about products I am endorsing here. We love it when you share our blog. Be safe.
Coffee. It’s my drug of choice. If you know me you know I don’t just drink coffee, I experiment with it around the world. And through that experimentation I have learned to appreciate the cultural aspect of coffee, the history of coffee and the fierce competition of the world’s best coffee. And so my Book Review of The Devil’s Cup: A History of the World According to Coffee fell right in my coffeehouse.
This book is actually old, published in 1999 and the story beginning in 1988. At that time, author Allen embarked on a around the world trek to research and get caffeinated and answer the question: Did the advent of coffee give birth to an enlightened western civilization?
Allen traveled from Yemen and Ethiopia to Europe and India and the United States and in his journey he not only drinks a hell of a lot of coffee, he finds himself in some interesting and hair-raising situations. All for the love of coffee.
The book has some great cultural history and Allen’s witty writing helps us follow the bouncing bean. Funny and interesting, but a tiny bit dated.
****Four stars for The Devil’s Cup: A History of the World According to Coffee
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