The Unique Food of Iceland is Truly An Adventure!

February 25, 2020April 8, 2019

The food of Iceland is an intriguing adventure

For me, the food of Iceland takes second place behind the breathtaking abundance of nature.The beauty of the vast flat lands, numerous snow capped volcanoes, enormous waterfalls, and pale blue icebergs continue to keep me dreaming of our Northern Lights Tour. Reykjavík is the capital of a country with only 350,000 people and is the culinary barometer for this fascinating destination.

The culinary scene in Iceland is different. Not different in a negative way, just different. We were able to sample their unique fish focused cuisine and also discovered the most popular hot dog in the world, an organic tomato farm and the freshest farm to table dairy products. What a combination!

In early days it was necessary for Icelanders to utilize what they had access to like the ocean fish, including arctic char and herring and the lamb they found on land. In present day, they still eat a great deal of fish and lamb served many different ways. Additionally they do serve horse as well Minke whale. Yes, they do. Although I would not eat these dishes myself, many locals and tourists do.

I will focus on the food we enjoyed and I want to emphasize that a city like Reykjavík caters to tourists with an international palette, so rest assured, if you explore enough, you can find what you want to eat. Craig and I found several super cool, hip, foodie-type restaurants where we enjoyed friendly service and the dishes were eye-catching and delicious. Next week I will share our time at Grillmarket, an extraordinary establishment in Reykjavík. It blew us away.

Suitcase Adventures: Let’s Talk About Packing for Your Next Trip

February 25, 2020April 2, 2019

Let’s talk about packing for your next trip.

I am no expert, but I do pack an awful lot! I travel a couple of times a month for all types of weather and experiences. Sometimes the trips may be for a few days and others a week or two. Last summer I spent a month in Europe. Sounds pretty glamorous doesn’t it? My Viking Cruise and family trip were back to back on purpose. This saved a lot of flying time! However packing for a month was a bit daunting, I managed. Poor me.

I have explored other blogs and articles about how best to prepare and everyone seems to have a little different take on the subject of packing. Some writers even get super specific, getting down to items like toothbrush and toothpaste.

I believe most of us can remember to bring those things and need more of a general conversation rather than how many shirts/pants/pairs of underwear I need. I talk with my travel friends to learn their tips and tricks as well. We can all learn from each other!

Some people are once a year travelers and would love some extra guidance, others may just be looking for a clever idea to add to their already sufficient packing system. Here we go…

The Icelandic Horse :: A Pictorial From Our Adventure in Iceland

February 25, 2020March 18, 2019

Don’t you just love an Icelandic horse! Craig and I had just arrived in Iceland at 6:00am, a day before our Magical Northern Lights Tour with Collette began. With no time to waste, we met up with the Collette video production team at the hotel. After packing the Land Cruiser to the ceiling with camera equipment, we went looking for adventure in a phenomenal Icelandic landscape. The great news was that we didn’t have to travel more than an hour outside Reykjavik when we came across this glorious sight! A truly pinch me moment!

The Unique Icelandic Horse

The beautiful and sure-footed Icelandic horse can be seen all over Iceland. I have read that there are some 80,000 horses in the country and there are only about 350,000 people! These are treasured animals. As we drove the primary highway called the Golden Circle in Southern Iceland, we pulled over a couple of times when we had a chance to see these beauties up close.

An Epic Tour of Iceland You Need To See & Experience

February 25, 2020March 11, 2019

A Tour of Iceland with Collette

Where do I begin? Iceland is so unique and so insanely interesting that I have had a challenging time trying to organize how I am going to share this with you! This post is a long one but filled with interesting facts and engaging photos. You can always bookmark it for later or better yet start a new travel adventure file for a future trip! Here we go!

Iceland is called the land of fire and ice, but it should be considered the land of water as well. It is a watery wilderness with waterfalls so tall it is difficult to see the very top and others so enormous they would dwarf Niagara Falls. Around every bend in the road there is a new natural wonder to enjoy!

The fire description is attributed to the fact that the island is covered in volcanic rock and volcanoes. There are 130 volcanoes and 30 active ones! As you drive along the primary touring highway, the Golden Circle, the landscape changes from rocky mountains and meadows, to snow covered land, to a rocky volcanic surface which looks like you just landed on the moon.

The Northern Lights Tour by Collette manages to pack a great deal in to just seven days. Everyday another fascinating aspect of nature was ours to enjoy and photograph. In addition to traveling with the tour group, my husband Craig and I traveled with Dan and Drew, the professional photographers whose goal was to capture on film what it was really like on this extraordinary tour. I will describe this bonus experience in another upcoming post.

A Simple Travel Tip of Epic Proportions & Thanks Alaska Airlines!

February 25, 2020March 1, 2019

A travel tip for you!

I recently returned from the trip of a lifetime in Iceland. The time difference is eight hours and on my return trip I had to fly from Reykjavík to Seattle, go through customs, layover 2 1/2 hours and then fly home to Los Angeles. I was definitely tired. So happy for the experience but travel can be exhausting, everyone knows this. But mistakes can happen.

The New Hyatt Regency Seattle :: An Impressive & Beautiful Hotel

February 25, 2020February 15, 2019

Our stay at the new Hyatt Regency Seattle

The Most Romantic Dinner Ever – Mallorca, Spain

February 25, 2020February 4, 2019

Today I will take you to Mallorca, Spain where the Mediterranean Sea is so magical and so deeply blue, the sun is bright in the sky and the air is sweet with vacation vibes. A relaxing time for two was spent with my favorite person in the world, my husband.

My Most Romantic Dinner … Ever!

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching and some of us may be in the beginning stages of making some romantic dinner plans? What really qualifies a meal as “the most romantic dinner ever”? This is certainly a very personal opinion and preference. Some couples enjoy snow-capped mountains and a picnic by the fire sipping champagne or some love watching the sunset at the beach, while others may enjoy a private dinner at their favorite restaurant.

Happy Five Year Anniversary to Adventures of Empty Nesters!

February 25, 2020January 29, 2019

We are five years old!

Happy Anniversary to me, to us, to you! Without you there would be no us! Adventures of Empty Nesters (AOEN) was created out of the need for me to share my feelings about our empty nest. After five years I have found my sweet spot(s).

I definitely focus upon more than one area of life. I find it imperative and somewhat comforting to share the happenings with our family and with our life as an empty nester couple. Additionally, my dream is by offering colorful details of my traveling adventures you too will plan your own. One of the many benefits of travel blogging is that it takes you inside of a trip or tour. This type of writing does not read like a brochure or pamphlet. We tell stories, but hopefully they enlighten you and perhaps delight you at times. However, most of all, my wish for you is to find adventure.

The Empty Nesters Play : A Charming Production in LA

February 28, 2020January 21, 2019

Empty Nesters Play on Stage in LA!

Yep it’s true. Someone wrote a play about this very important demographic… US!

Recently, a local marketing consultant reached out to me to share the news of this fantastic play opening in Los Angeles. I was able to invite a few guests, so of course I asked my sweet husband to come. My good friends Tammy and Steve are always up for the theater so they also came with us on this very exciting Hollywood adventure!

empty nesters play — Photo: Paige Petrone LAArtsOnline.com Tammy, Steve, Pamela Gaye Walker, JW Walker

A Quiet Vacation for Two in Mallorca, Spain

February 25, 2020January 18, 2019

Vacation for two please

Now that we are experiencing more rain, grey skies and in some areas of the country, harsh winter months, does warm sun on your face, eating tapas by the beach, watching cliff divers and gazing out at the spectacular turquoise blue Mediterranean Sea sound good? Yes, it does to me too.

For the second year in a row we visited an island off the coast of Spain that is spelled two ways (Mallorca and Majorca)and actually most people have not heard of it. Just a 45 min plane ride from Barcelona, sits an unspoiled, quiet vacation for two. The stuff that dreams are made of.

We discovered this magical place last year and we could not wait to return. This past summer Craig and I traveled with our family to Italy and the trip to Mallorca from Florence, Italy is an easy one. We needed a vacation from our vacation. Not really, but we had such a special time that we wanted to try to replicate it. And it was such a quick flight.

Side note: If I am stressed and need to imagine a quiet place that could transport me the calmness I hope for, I think of Mallorca.

Can everyone fly off to a tiny Spanish island to “get away”? No probably not. I do believe that this is the kind of place I would spend my vacation fund however. It is so amazing, so special, so unique that I want my friends like you to know. If for nothing else than a 5 minute escape from whatever you were doing before you sat down to read this. We saved airline miles and hotel points and created this perfect vacation for two.