I like looking at travel/food blog posts. I get a little boost, a little vicarious relaxation.
Maybe it’s the cold, rainy, icy weather we’ve been having lately, but I’ve been craving some go time, the kind of meandering that starts with a leisurely cup of (fancy) coffee and goes . . . wherever.
Fancy coffee always makes me feel like I’m on vacation.
Add in a great view and I’m set
Do you have any plans to travel soon? Where would you go if you could go anywhere right now? Would you eat seafood cake?
Have a great week!
Coleen Patrick 
Hmm… so many places I’d love to see. A cozy cabin in the snowy mountains near a good sledding hill sounds great right now. We’ve had no real winter to speak of in Philly, and I am strangely hankering for a day of snow angels, snowmen and cocoa by the fireside.
Chicago’s park reminds me a lot of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. A fun place to hang out on a nice spring day.
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Yeah, I like the inner harbor in Baltimore. I remember the aquarium the most and the Barnes and Noble. Isn’t there a cool fish tank in that B&N?
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I’m going to Hawaii in 9 weeks and I’m so excited! I’ve never been. We’ll be there for 11 days. I’m going to soak up some sun, baby!
BTW, your pictures are fabulous. If I didn’t already have a tripped plan, I’d be inspired to book one!
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I imagine Hawaii is going to be a very cool adventure! I hope you will post some pics Emily 🙂
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Love those pics! Funny you shoud mention travel. I have been to some amazing places and I feel like getting my photos out and sharing some experiences on my blog. It’s awesome to feel like you’ve been somewhere without actually going, though I may be going out to the cafe after seeing all that nice coffee lol :0)
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I hope you post them Catherine! I’d love to see them. 🙂
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Ooh, lovely pictures and thoughts. I’d definitely try the seafood cake, especially on a cruise. A warm cruise! First travel choice would be back to Ireland, but would also love a decent-length visit to France. And would love to go camping high in the Oregon Cascades, in some secluded spot that my forester-brother knows. Other dreams? Hawaii, some place in Central America, and a Caribbean cruise.
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Oregon is on my list too. And I definitely recommend Caribbean cruises. So pretty down there!
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Usually, at the start of a new year, I have ideas and am making plans, but not this time around. Last year’s two-week vacation in France was close to perfect, and, in spirit, I’m still there. Seriously, I’m still there.
Loved your pictures! (My mind’s still in France, though.)
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I almost posted my photo of the Eiffel tower today. Somehow it seemed too majestic for this quirky post. So it makes sense that you are still in France Pat. 😉
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I was just looking at pictures of New Zealand and Iceland that were so beautiful. Maybe a trip to one of those! Closer to home I would probably pick Florida….for the warmth!
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What? No Atlantic City?? 🙂
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Your photos are gorgeous!
A friend of my husband’s and mine is thinking of getting married in Hawaii – we’d love to go, but not sure we can swing it with a kid going into college! So chances are, my travel will be virtual for the most part.
Is the “icing” on the seafood cake traditional, sweet icing, or something like cream cheese/ranch? If the latter, that would be good!
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I did not eat any of that cake. But I do know it was of the savory variety. I’m sure it was a seafood lover’s delight. lol
I hear you about the vacation vs college thing. We want to go to Alaska for our 20th this year. We’ll see!
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Travel is enriching. In my case aromas can transport me to places where they were first encountered, hell I was a cook. On that point truffle mac and cheese has just movbed to the top of the list of meals that are nagging at that part of the brain that makes life worth looking forward to. Now to find truffles.
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My daughter and hub love truffle anything! And I’m with you about smells–they definitely transport!
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Love the pictures, Coleen! Would I eat seafood cake? Probably not, but it sure is cute. 🙂
If I could go anywhere right now, where would it be? Unlike most people, I’ve never had any great desire to travel far from home. First, I feel like spending hours, or days, traveling to get to a destination is time wasted that I can’t get back. And second, Michigan is such a cool state that I’d rather spend that time exploring it.
I mean seriously…we have lakes so huge that ships sale on them (and have sunk), we have sand dunes, forests, islands, mountains (in the Upper Peninsula)…and even tropical weather in the summer. 🙂
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I agree. There is SO much to explore near home. I used to live in Michigan. So many cool experiences, from driving out on frozen lake Michigan to vacationing in the dunes near a lighthouse. 🙂
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I don’t think I’m adventurous enough to eat seafood cake. That fancy coffee looks good though even if I don’t lie coffee.
I f I could go anywhere I would got to Texas or Ireland or London or Australia. Maybe not Australia. I don’t need a ginat spider attacking me 😛
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Giant spiders are certainly daunting, but the plane ride to Australia would be the thing I’d really have to gear myself up for!
Thanks Adriana!
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Lovely and inviting photos. Makes me want to travel — but to some place warm right now. Will head to NYC for the SCBWI conference next week and that will be fun, but not a vacation. Would love to travel through Europe — just dreaming.
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Enjoy the conference Patricia! I went to that one a couple of years ago. They always have such great speakers. 🙂
And yes, warm would be good right about now!
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What a fabulous little vacay you took me on! You’ve been everywhere ~ sheesh. I need to travel with you since you seem to find the most fun places and out of the way little nooks of awesomeness.
If I could travel anywhere right now? It would probably be to San Francisco to see my Baby Girl. It’s been three weeks since I saw her and I miss her. Then I’d jet us off to Greece for some sunshine. We have sun in SoCal, but it’s cold. I’m hoping Greece is warm this time of year. 🙂
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I SO want to go to Greece! Every time I see pictures or a movie that is set there (like Mama Mia) I want to book a vacation there! 🙂
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I love food and travel pics, too! And those are some really great ones.
Normally I don’t get many opportunities to travel, but this year my hubby and I are going to NY in the spring, and me, my hubby, and my kids are going to Scotland and San Diego during the spring. As excited as I am, it also makes me extremely nervous.
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New York is always fun–always so many different things to do. I’d love to see Scotland one day. I used to have a minor obsession over the Loch Ness monster when I was a kid. 🙂
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No money in our budget for a big trip this year so thank you for the lovely vicarious tour, Coleen. I particularly loved the sculpture of the typewriter eraser. Yes, I am old enough to remember them well.
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Your welcome Kassandra! You are the first to mention the eraser. Was wondering if anyone would mention it. My teenagers had no clue what it was . . . so weird!
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So many things to love in this post! I just got a subscription to a travel mag and I can’t wait! I love the Travel Channel on TV, big fan of Anthony Bourdain and his books. I’m sad Samantha Brown isn’t on anymore.
From your lovely pictures, I adore the name of that pastry shop! I’ve been to Navy Pier, but that’s the only spot. If you feel like sharing your mac and cheese, I’ll gladly grab a fork! *drooling*
If I could anywhere right now…I’d love to go to Peru! I want to see Machu Picchu before it deteriorates too badly. I heard all the tourism is starting to wear on the ruins. 😦
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My hub loves Bourdain too. And I miss Samantha Brown too! She always made for a fun travel host.
Thanks Jess!
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Wow! First off, I feel like I’ve just been on a little vacation looking at all those pictures – thank you! Second, did you take them all? Have you been all those places? Very cool! Third, I would not eat seafood cake. Sorry. Just no. As for actually going on vacation, I’m pretty much of a homebody. But I do think it would be fun to go on one of those walking tours of the Cottwolds or something like that 🙂
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My hub and I took those pics. And believe me, if we ever have a blogger/writer friend party there will be NO seafood cake.
Ok just googled cotswold, So my cup of tea–would go there in a heartbeat!
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Ack! That seafood cake scares me. 😉 Dip in chocolate, then maybe…
I’d love to be someplace warm and peaceful near the ocean right now with nothing to do but read, write and strum my guitar. Meanwhile, someone far off would take care of all grownup responsibilities and friends, including you, would join me for dinner parties in the evening… Okay, packing NOW. 😉
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Ok all packed August. When are we leaving?????
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Oh, no seafood cake for me
But I’ve just booked a holiday to Bali in April – only my second venture off this island, so I’m looking forward to that! Love the fanciful romp around the world just then, Coleen. Thank you 🙂
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Bali!! Sounds amazing. The first thing it brings to mind is the water . . . paradise!
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Okay, seriously, there is just something wrong with that cake. lol. Loved the pics Coleen. Now I’m hungry and I want to go somewhere. Thanks a lot. No really. Thanks for the mini vaca Coleen! 🙂
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Yes, not a fan of the cake. Except for the fact that it makes for a great conversation piece. 🙂
Thanks Karen!
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As a matter of fact, I just returned from a weekend trip to Las Vegas with my husband. I hadn’t been there before. The architecture was amazing. I wish I had your photography skills! I just snapped phone photos. Beautiful pics, Coleen.
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Thank you Julie. Isn’t Vegas like another little world? I’ve been twice and both times it felt like being in a tiny, fantastical snow globe city. 🙂
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I love to travel! Only been to the U.K. and Greece so far but, I have this incredible desire to see all the ancient cities I’ve read so much about: Egypt, Peru, India, Africa, Antarctica…and on, and on. Cool post, Coleen! Loved all the pictures.
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Greece is on my list! I like the ancient cities too. We went to Akko last summer (Israel) and it stunning to consider the age and history of that city!
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You have some amazing pictures. I’ve always wanted to visit Pompeii. Beyond that, there are so many places abroad. We just took our family vacation so we don’t have any plans set at this time. I may spend the budget on writers’ conventions. LOL.
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Oh Pompeii would be cool. Hopefully one day we will connect at one of those conferences Debra!
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Fun trip, thanks Coleen! I haven’t been to some of those places but I love the pics you used as I suddenly got a sense of place through them. No, I don’t think I’d eat seafood cake. 🙂
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Thanks Kate! You and me both. 🙂
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we are making plans for spring break and heading for the Florida Keys – it is tropical and warm… enough to keep the kids happy and enough for the big kids (mom and dad) relaxed and restored…..I dream of another visit to France and exploring the countryside and maybe heading into Belgium….- spmeday
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I’ve been to Key West once–would love to go back. I’ve been to Brugges in Belgium–so very cool. Chocolate and beer!
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What a fabulous trip! Thanks for taking me along Coleen! Love all of your photos! We have a plane ticket to use before Feb. 15th and are trying to come up with a place to go for a long weekend. So far we are thinking Lake Tahoe to do some skiing. The snow is pretty thin here….
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I’ve never been to Lake Tahoe, but it sounds fun to have a plane ticket to just choose!! 🙂
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I’d go to Hawaii. Always wanted to go there. But I’d stop in AZ to pick up my writing buddy. 🙂
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Yes, buddies make trips even better!!
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These pictures are amazing. I love to travel, but definitely don’t do it enough. If I could make enough money writing to travel a bit, I’d be totally satisfied!
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Yes, I’m with you on that one Leigh!!
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Wonderful pictures. I’m ready to go — unfortunately not really in the plans for the near future. In the meantime, I enjoy the vicarious vacations your pictures afford me.
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Thanks Lynette. 🙂
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I’d definitely go visit that Cottage shop.. it has just the sort of vintage “goodies” I love to collect. Did you buy anything there?? xx
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I love looking in those kinds of shops too! The one in the pic wasn’t open yet when we passed by, but i had to snap a photo. ::)
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I think I need a bite of that Fishcake!
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I am passing you a fork . . .
🙂
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So many cool pictures! It looks like you’ve traveled to some really awesome places!
Now to answer your questions…1) No plans to travels soon but I just came back from London two weeks ago, it was my first trip out of the country and it was incredible! 2) If I could go anywhere right now I’d go to Australia. 3) You couldn’t pay me to eat seafood cake!
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I bet London was amazing! It’s definitely on my places to go list. 🙂 And you couldn’t pay me to eat that cake either. I don’t even like referring to it as a cake!
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Those Irish cows almost look to me like they’re wearing extra leggings for that bushy-legged look that’s hip among the bovine types. Are these your photos? If so, it sounds like that whole-world exploration goal you’re talking about is within your grasp.
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Thanks Chris!
The photos are a mix of mine and my husband’s. 🙂
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That olive photo is beautiful! However, the seafood cake kind of made me gag. Ha!
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Yes. That “cake” is certainly a conversation piece. Nothing else, in my opinion. 🙂
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Beautiful pictures and great post Coleen as usual. Coarse anyone get’s an A+ when it makes us dream…which is what you did with this one. Inion N. Mathair will have to give two answers as Inion’s response is most definitely Ireland. A dream of hers for quite some time. My answer however would be Switzerland. Perhaps we’ll meet somewhere in the middle. lol
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Thanks! It’s always fun to do the “where would you go, what would you do” dream posts. Switzerland looks so pretty in photos–I imagine it would make for an amazing trip.
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Hmm. I’m going to say no on the seafood cake, but may change my mind in 2014 during the family cruise trip. 🙂 I do love to travel and try new things. I’m not so sure about that ….
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For the record, I said no to the cake too. 🙂
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Wow ! Lovely pictures captured by you. I am going to Chicago after one month and I am very excited.
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Chicago is definitely a fun place. Hope you have a great time!
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