Empty Nest Life Archives » Adventures of Empty Nesters

Orange County Fun Even With No Sun

April 19, 2024

Wow, we sure had a blast in Southern California this weekend. Craig traveled from Chicago, and I met him in Pasadena. I took Pilates with two very fit and inspiring ladies (87 and 84 years old)! When I asked my mom why she is so healthy at 84, she always said exercise. Her advice is …

Spring Travel News, Favorite Bits & Bites

April 5, 2024

Travel News for Spring

Spring is in full bloom in the Northwest. Blue skies, tulips popping up, and wild daffodils sprouting everywhere. It feels good!

I decided to write a short “newsy” letter to all of you, catching you up and keeping you in the loop. I don’t know about you, but social media can be exhausting and frustrating, and I never seem to see what I am looking for. Frankly, I am too busy to go searching, but I would love to learn about new things from inside my inbox and not have them disappear (like an Instagram Story) in 24 hours! So here we go!

Thankful for New Adventures, A New Podcast, Family & Friends

November 29, 2021November 29, 2021

Being thankful for new adventures is my mantra for 2021. Since 2020 was a lost year, I have moved on to the next, and frankly, I am starting to think in Covid years. I feel like we have lost nearly two years of regular life. We are eeking back, but it is slow going.

The Wonderful Smells of Life in the Pacific Northwest & Other Observations

June 2, 2021

What are the smells of life that evoke an emotional response? I have so many, do you?

Ah, the wholly different and wonderful smells of my new life in the Northwest.

Back in 2014 when I began Adventures of Empty Nesters, I wrote a post called, “Do certain smells trigger a rush of memories for you? and it was all about smell memories and my family.

I have always associated certain smells with people, places, and experiences. Maybe it was a perfume my teacher wore, or the aroma of a glorious meal while traveling, or the familiar scents of the holidays. Do you associate meaningful smells with exceptional memories?

A Juicy Springtime Cocktail & Savory Appetizer with Melissa’s Produce

May 14, 2021

Just for you! A Springtime cocktail for toasting friendship & family!

Spring is the perfect time for a new cocktail adventure! I just love bright new beginnings, sunshine, handcrafted cocktails, and a beautiful asparagus appetizer to accompany the tasty beverage.

We have been raising our cocktail game and consistently trying to include the very best organic ingredients and search for empty nester-friendly recipes. I found a gorgeous Blood Orange Margarita on Instagram, created by The Bitter Fairy. We have made it two other times already and thought it was time to share it with you!

The Perfect Mother’s Day Gift Idea – Very Clever & Smells Amazing!

April 21, 2021

A Clever Mother’s Day gift for the Moms in your life!

Are you searching for the perfect Mother’s Day gift? Something that is not the “same old thing”? A lovely present that is unique and clever? Lucky you, I have a suggestion!

Come Walk With Me to the Eastside of Seattle & Visit Kirkland, Washington

March 31, 2021

The Eastside of Seattle – Visit Kirkland, Our New Home

Come over to the Eastside of Seattle and visit Kirkland, WA. Eight months ago, we made the challenging decision to move to the Pacific Northwest to be close to our newborn grandchildren.

We sold our perfectly appointed Empty Nest in Southern California and bought a modern, sleek home with a view of Lake Washington. I have written about our experience HERE and HERE, and for the most part, I would say we are thriving.

Life’s Simple Pleasures – A Recipe for the Perfect London Fog

March 16, 2021

Life’s Simple Pleasures

Among the many lessons learned from the Covid quarantine, embracing life’s simple pleasures must be at the top. Life was so restricted that we needed to look for happiness in different locations.

Where I would normally embrace going out to a new restaurant, this was now not an option; shopping in a fun boutique, nope, not happening. We all ended up just accepting the circumstances and staying home to stay safe.

We cooked, we learned, we read, we baked, we did puzzles, we stayed home.

In our house, we created Cocktail Adventures– I was so desperate to talk about travel and share travel stories that Craig and I created a video series where we shared our favorite cocktail recipe and paired it with a travel memory. Click here to watch – these videos were pretty popular!

15 Books About Food & Travel That Saved Me During the Pandemic

March 10, 2021

Books about Food and Travel!

How did books about food and travel save me during the COVID pandemic? They provided me a way to escape during a challenging time and envelope myself in a world that means so much to me. Exploring interesting destinations, reading about exciting adventures, and real-life memoirs about chefs and food entrepreneurs is my passion. In addition to a personal escape, reading as much as I do helps to make me a better writer! As a brand ambassador and travel writer, the lockdown was particularly agonizing because I wasn’t planning and experiencing travel, nor was I working.

Some days were slow and relaxed, while others were depressing and sad. Most of us felt this way during the Quarantine, right? Confusion, sadness, and a longing for normality were the catalyst for my positive, uplifting reading choices.

The New Empty Nest: Home Design to Live, Love, & Work

February 25, 2021

A peek into the home design of our newest Empty Nest!

Home design is personal. What appeals to some will definitely not appeal to others. As we decorate and fill our homes with treasures, the only people we need to please are ourselves.

Craig and I have moved many times; this would be our 7th in 37 years. Why did we move so many times? As a young married couple, we were finding our way, looking for the right city to raise our children, and then after our nest was empty, we chose to downsize.

The downsize was the most significant adjustment, not only because of the new tiny footprint but also because we moved away from our friends and the city where we raised our family for 27 years.

Moving on… pun intended!