From Dublin to the Marshall Islands: The History Of Irish Coffee

12/3/2021

The history of Irish coffee involves a chef, a travel writer, and a journey around the world - but you can easily make it at home.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

History of Irish coffee: Two clear mugs are filled from a clear pitcher of hot coffee Picture

The history of Irish coffee always starts with a story about "good, strong coffee".

An oral history of Irish coffee usually begins in Foynes, a small community in western Ireland. But in actuality, the legend of this popular cocktail wraps around the world, from Dublin to the Marshall Islands. And a travel writer plays a starring role!

This boozy, creamy drink first gained popularity after it was served by Irish chef Joe Sheridan at Foynes Airbase, likely in 1943. It was offered up as a bracing concoction for passengers whose flight was forced to turn back due to poor winter weather and they promptly fell in love with the combination of coffee, whiskey, sugar, and cream. However, it was travel writer Stanton Delaplane who popularized it in 1952 when he brought the recipe home to San Francisco.

(Let's all take a moment to appreciate how fitting it is that someone whose last name is "Delaplane" choose a career as a travel writer. Marvelous.)

Stan convinced his friend Jack Koeppler, owner of San Francisco's Buena Vista cafe, that the drink would be a hit. Or, depending on who you believe, Jack approached Stan and tasked him with the job of recreating the Irish drink that was slowly getting a word-of-mouth reputation. According to official lore, since they couldn't figure out how to to properly add the cream, they offered Joe Sheridan a job and the chef immigrated to San Francisco in 1952. Problem solved!

Alas, there may be more to the story. In a Time Magazine interview with Joe in 1955, he stated that he immigrated through Canada and Hawaii before settling in San Francisco by coincidence, where he found work in an all night dinner called Tiny's Waffle Shop (now closed). Like many travel legends, it seems like this story has some tall tales.

0 Comments

The Coziest Things To Do In Ogunquit, Maine

21/2/2021

2 Comments

My list of the best things to do in Ogunquit, Maine, includes lots of cozy, affordable microadventures - plus plenty of foodie fun.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission. Note that I first visited the Cliff House resort and Ogunquit Playhouse in 2015 as part of a press trip.

Things to do in Ogunquit Maine: Visiting Cape Neddick Lighthouse, situated on a rocky island with a lighthouse keeper's home and small out buildings.

Visiting Cape Neddick Light is one of the essential things to do in Ogunquit, Maine.

There’s nothing like the sound of the waves, the smell of salt spray, and proverbial long walks on the beach to make you realize just how much you love oceanside travel. The tiny town of Ogunquit, home to less than 900 people, stands out as one of my favourite seaside escapes in southern Maine. I promise it will check every box on your cozy wish list, but this is no place to simply be idle. There are plenty of things to do in Ogunquit, Maine to fill a long weekend - or maybe even an entire week.

These are some of my absolute favourite places to stay, spots to eats, and things to do in the Ogunquit area.

2 Comments

Carnival- Inspired Brazilian Chocolate Brigadeiro Recipe

18/2/2021

4 Comments

If you can't go to Rio for Carnival, this festive Brazilian chocolate brigadeiro recipe is a delicious alternative.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

Colorful, festive Brazilian chocolate brigadeiro recipe Picture

How pretty are these? With our festive Brazilian chocolate brigadeiro recipe, you can recreate these sweet treats at home.

If there's one thing that travel has taught me, it's that every country seems to have their own special chocolate concoction and Brazil is no exception. Brigadeiros are best described as a Brazilian bon-bon. These soft, truffle-like delights are incredibly easy to make (cocoa and sweetened condensed milk are the star ingredients) and you can easily customize them according to your own tastes. This Brazilian chocolate brigadeiro recipe is the perfect way to inject a little travel coziness into your day, even if you can't exactly fly to Rio!

4 Comments

Easy Travel-Inspired Black Forest Cookies

12/2/2021

0 Comments

These delicious chocolate-cherry Black Forest cookies taste like travel but feel like home. Anyone with wanderlust can whip them up in just a few minutes!

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

Black Forest cookie mix, with cherries and chocolate chips, in a white bowl

Black Forest cookies, the pre-quel. They're pretty even before they're made!

I used to think travel bloggers were really dedicated to their craft... that was, until I stepped into the shoes of food and recipe bloggers for an afternoon.

What I thought would be a simple photography challenge of capturing some pretty cookies ended up as an exhausting, sweaty affair - and that was just the effort it took to scrub my kitchen to get it photo ready! For those of you who do this everyday, I tip my hat to you. It takes extraordinary effort and skill. Meanwhile, I think I'll stick to my day job of chatting about travel but there's no way I'm letting all those photos go to waste so I'm going to borrow one more page from my foodie friends and share the recipe and process here.

These travel-inspired Black Forest cookies have THREE kinds of chocolate in them, are filled with moist cherries, are super easy to make (at least, they are when you don't have to photograph them,) and they're perfect for festive occasions like Valentine's Day or Christmas.

To be clear, I didn't invent these cookies. All credit goes to Beth at The First Year blog. Please check out her site to see her original notes and the gorgeous photos that originally inspired me.

0 Comments

Window-Swap Is My Cozy, COVID-Compliant Travel Treat

5/1/2021

0 Comments

Window-Swap's virtual travel rooms are the best way to experience travel at home.

Note that this post might have affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase through these links, we may receive a small commission.

Instagram screen shot showing a snowy winter street with tall trees in Finland, plus the Instagram caption applicable to it and other shots. Picture

This is how winter should be - snug, snowy, and enjoying indoors!

If winter-haters had the opportunity to soak in the snow-clad streets outside Helpi's house in Hämeenlinna, Finland, they might just find themselves converted to the season. Tall, lacy trees shrug under the weight of ice, each branch individually painted a soft, silvery white. A thick, fluffy layer of snow muffles sounds and erases footprints. Meanwhile, the soft glow of the streetlights provides a timeless quality. Disney itself couldn't come up with a better backdrop if they were imagining their ideal winter wonderland.

Now Helpi, along with thousands of other travel lovers, are welcoming virtual guests into their homes, just to take in the view. It's all thanks to a super-cozy travel site called Window-Swap.com

0 Comments

Virtual Travel Experiences Perfect For Christmas Gift Giving

4/12/2020

0 Comments

If you can't go around the world, it's time to bring to world over to you. These virtual travel gifts are perfect for everyone on your Christmas wish list.

This is the point in most blog posts where I say that some of these links are affiliate link etc etc. But guess what? They're not! Mostly because I cannot figure out how to do that. But the banner ads are indeed ads and, if you click on them and make a purchase, we may get a teeny tiny commission.

Ryan and a grandmother in Rome roll out pasta dough on a stainless steel table.

One of the best in-person travel gifts is a cooking class, like Ryan experienced in Rome.

Have you ever had one of those crazy travel days where you wake up in one country, have lunch in a second, and go to bed in a third? I've been there, and more than once. What these days offer in exhilaration, they take away in exhaustion! However, ever since the advent of COVID-19, these multi-jurisdictional travel adventures are more accessible - and rejuvenating - than ever, thanks to virtual tourism activities.

There are now hundreds, if not thousands, of virtual activities and the travel world is the better for it. Alas, it would be impossible to list every possible remote adventure here but, with Christmas around the corner, I've rounded up some of my favourite selections to help you find the perfect cozy travel-inspired gift for everyone on your holiday shopping list.

Gifting virtual travel experiences isn't just a great way to get your shopping done without stepping foot into a mall. Virtual gifts have a very low carbon footprint, they don't require standing in line at the post office, and they're a creative way to support small businesses. Plus, when you do get to travel again, you'll have a fun story to share if you meet up with these companies in person.

Connect with llamas over Zoom

Two white llamas, hiking in a Montana forest with humans partially visible behind them. Picture

I met these handsome dudes in Montana but you can see faces like this on your next Zoom call!

Fatigued by endless online meetings and Zoom social hours? Maybe you'd feel differently if you were joined by a cheery llama, or perhaps an alpaca or another barnyard companion.

Many petting zoos, farms, and animal sanctuaries now offer you the option of adding one of their furry friends to your next online meeting for a small fee. They receive valuable funds and you get invaluable FUN, the kind that only comes when you're hanging out with a llama. Online. During work.

Perfect for: The office Christmas gift exchange.

One place to try: Sweet Farm animal sanctuary in California.

0 Comments

Choosing Cozy Canadian Craft Spirits That Are Pandemic-Perfect

19/10/2020

0 Comments

A new book highlights Canadian craft spirits - and the cozy distilleries that make them, just in time for the pandemic.

I received a digital copy of The Definitive Guide to Canadian Distilleries at no cost. Note that this post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase through these links, we may receive a small commission.

Old fashioned cocktail in a short glass with large ice and a twist of orange rind.Photo by Adam Jaime on Unsplash

Now we're talkin'. Photo by Adam Jaime on Unsplash

What’s your lockdown libation of choice?

In my pre-pandemic life, I often kept things simple -- and alcohol free. My tipple of choice was a mix of cranberry juice and ginger ale. A pretty, refreshing blend, it never failed to remind me of travel. After all, ginger ale is this queasy girl’s best friend! But these days, there’s just something about, well, EVERYTHING that has me reaching for a stronger beverage to imbibe. Drowning sorrows and remembering simpler times? I can get behind that.

I’m craving something tangy, herbaceous, and travel-y. The mix of gin, lemon, and elderflower I had at Sydney’s New South Wales Art Gallery the night I heard Rolling Stone writer Toby Creswell speak about the origins of American rock and roll comes to mind. Or perhaps I’m really hankering after a generic frothy blender concoction like the one I sipped in a Bangkok infinity pool, where the overpriced slush diluted my fears of ice and waterborne diseases. Heck, maybe a classic Sex And The City-style cosmopolitan would do the trick, so long as I call it a quaran-tini. Ginger ale just doesn’t cut it anymore. And I’m not the only one who feels this way!

0 Comments

Self-Care For Travel Lovers In Times Of Crisis

15/3/2020

8 Comments

When planes and plans are grounded, it's time for travel lovers to help others - and themselves.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

Table filled with spider plants and alabaster picture frames Picture

On March 12, 2020, I told friends that it felt like a tiny part of me had died.

After weeks of distressing reports about the spread of COVID-19 - and an equal amount of time whereby I stoutly resolved to keep calm and carry on - the writing was on the wall. There was clearly no way that I would be able to take a long-hoped for trip to Paris in April.

This wasn't just any trip. This was THE trip. I was turning 40 and I was moving to Paris - solo! - for a month, to write and eat and dream. Bookended by a layover in London and a trip to the United States, it was due to be my longest solo adventure since I was 24 years old. Until, of course, it wasn't. I say I made the decision not to go, but in reality the decision was made for me. Within 24 hours of my choice to withdraw, borders were closing, the news cycle went into overdrive, and I hunkered down into my home, happily choosing social distancing for everyone's benefit.

I felt like a tiny part of me had died. And I was filled with shame.

What right did I have to be crying (and let me tell you, there was crying) over missed macarons and museums when people were dying, when people's entire livelihoods were evaporating in front of them? I thought of the people of Italy, an entire nation quarantined, finding solace in community song, joining their voices together from the safe distance of apartment balconies to comfort one another in their grief. What right did I have to feel sad?

But my online community disagreed. Several people reached out to say that it's both normal and expected to feel sorrow for those in need and to also be sad that someone you really wanted did not work out. That it's okay to feel blue when your dream dies, even if it was a dream built on pretty, dainty, cozy things, and you can still have tremendous empathy for those who are also suffering in their own way. Pandemic self-care for travel lovers can acknowledge and incorporate both.

8 Comments

Death Sets With The Sun In Botswana's Chobe National Park

13/1/2020

0 Comments

On the banks of the Chobe River, an elephant mourning ritual shows that the cycle of life and death has never been so raw.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

Elephant on a river bank examines the bones of a dead baby elephantPicture

The bones are loose and barely holding together. The meat and sinew have all but disappeared. What little is left threatens to slip away at any moment, taking what remains of the little elephant and scattering it along the river bank, letting it slip into the water, letting it melt away.

There's a sense the other elephant knows this. Though he uses his trunk to jostle and even toss what is left of the baby's remains, there's a gentle urgency to it. Wake up. Wake up now and you won't be left to fragment. Wake up and you won't be reduced to crumbs.

I am intruding. There is an intimacy here between the living and the dead that's palatable. This is a private moment. While our safari vehicle is a safe distance away - respectable, even - I feel awkward, embarrassed by our proximity, ashamed by how hungrily I suck back the scene. If asked, I would use my interest in nature as a shield. Exactly how often does one see an elephant mourning ritual? Perhaps if I cling to this I'll feel better about the moisture which goes everywhere save for my parched mouth.

The sun is starting to set. In less than an hour the park will be black. I am haunted by this jumbled-up pile of bones and by this adult who won't mosey on. I want to scream at it to move lest it spend all night next to a corpse, easy pickings for predators and ghosts alike. But its grief is a glue.

A distant passage I once read awakens in my mind, like a lazy cat indulging in a luxurious stretch after a very long nap. "Her face was like stone." It takes me more than a year to place it. It's from Bruce Northam's Globetrotter Dogma: 100 Canons For Escaping The Rat Race and Exploring The World and it reads:

"While visiting a hospital in Delhi, India, I observed a mother carrying her dead infant down a long dim hallway, out the front door of the hospital, and into her gruesomely impoverished neighborhood. Her face was like stone."

The beauty of Botswana's Chobe National Park contains an embarrassment of riches. It is a lifetime of journeys away from the grim hospital and tableau of death Northam observed decades earlier. But his words about grief won't leave me. I can hear them in the elephant's gentle grunting breath.

Her face was like stone. Her face was like stone. Her face was like stone.

0 Comments

<<Previous

From Dublin to the Marshall Islands: The History Of Irish Coffee

The history of Irish coffee involves a chef, a travel writer, and a journey around the world - but you can easily make it at home.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

The Coziest Things To Do In Ogunquit, Maine

Carnival- Inspired Brazilian Chocolate Brigadeiro Recipe

If you can't go to Rio for Carnival, this festive Brazilian chocolate brigadeiro recipe is a delicious alternative.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

Easy Travel-Inspired Black Forest Cookies

These delicious chocolate-cherry Black Forest cookies taste like travel but feel like home. Anyone with wanderlust can whip them up in just a few minutes!

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

Window-Swap Is My Cozy, COVID-Compliant Travel Treat

Window-Swap's virtual travel rooms are the best way to experience travel at home.

Note that this post might have affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase through these links, we may receive a small commission.

Virtual Travel Experiences Perfect For Christmas Gift Giving

Connect with llamas over Zoom

Choosing Cozy Canadian Craft Spirits That Are Pandemic-Perfect

Self-Care For Travel Lovers In Times Of Crisis

When planes and plans are grounded, it's time for travel lovers to help others - and themselves.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

Death Sets With The Sun In Botswana's Chobe National Park

On the banks of the Chobe River, an elephant mourning ritual shows that the cycle of life and death has never been so raw.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

Post Categories

Posts by Date

Disclaimers, Privacy, and Cookie Policy

The history of Irish coffee involves a chef, a travel writer, and a journey around the world - but you can easily make it at home. ​This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

If you can't go to Rio for Carnival, this festive Brazilian chocolate brigadeiro recipe is a delicious alternative. ​This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

These delicious chocolate-cherry Black Forest cookies taste like travel but feel like home. Anyone with wanderlust can whip them up in just a few minutes! ​This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

Window-Swap's virtual travel rooms are the best way to experience travel at home.

Note that this post might have affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase through these links, we may receive a small commission.

Connect with llamas over Zoom

When planes and plans are grounded, it's time for travel lovers to help others - and themselves. ​Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

On the banks of the Chobe River, an elephant mourning ritual shows that the cycle of life and death has never been so raw. ​​Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

Post Categories

Posts by Date

The history of Irish coffee involves a chef, a travel writer, and a journey around the world - but you can easily make it at home.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

If you can't go to Rio for Carnival, this festive Brazilian chocolate brigadeiro recipe is a delicious alternative.

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

These delicious chocolate-cherry Black Forest cookies taste like travel but feel like home. Anyone with wanderlust can whip them up in just a few minutes!

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

When planes and plans are grounded, it's time for travel lovers to help others - and themselves.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.

On the banks of the Chobe River, an elephant mourning ritual shows that the cycle of life and death has never been so raw.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, we may be paid a small commission.