HHello again! I’m finally back from New York City and grateful to return to this little corner of the internet. Time away can be a gift — stepping out of everyday routines allowed me to rest fully and come back refreshed, energized, and eager to create.
Having my husband with me on this trip made the visit feel even more special.
Priceless.
If you’d like a little extra ambiance while you read, there’s a Nora Jones video embedded at the end. Take a moment and enjoy it as you scroll.
Coming home after a lovely vacation can feel a bit overwhelming — one week spent lingering over cappuccinos in cozy cafés suddenly meets an overflowing inbox and mounting tasks. Even so, the trip’s memories and fresh perspective make the transition worthwhile.
Cafe Moomah, SoHo
I feel blessed to have seen so many beautiful and historic places. I never take those opportunities for granted.
NY Public Library
Strawberry Fields, Central Park
I’ve accumulated many travel memories over the years. I’ve floated through Venice in a gondola, ridden the Orient Express from Venice to Paris, sailed the waters of the San Juan Islands, and enjoyed tea in Victoria, B.C.
I’ve slept in a castle, rested in a monastery, and listened to the ocean from creaky inns. I’ve inhaled orange blossom and pineapple-scented air, breathed mountain freshness, and admired the Black Forest and the masterpieces at the Musée d’Orsay. I’ve watched dolphins off the coast of Lanai, wandered cobblestoned streets in Budapest, stood in awe before ancient churches, and soaked up the music, style, and cafés of cities such as Philadelphia, New York, San Francisco, Nashville, Santa Barbara, and Seattle.
Listing the places I’ve visited feels like counting blessings.
That’s part of why I love blogging: it lets me experience beautiful moments again as I write about them.
My umbrella and me on the rainy streets of NYC
You don’t need to travel far to find beauty. Choosing to notice the lovely things around you — colors, scents, textures, and small details — brings richness to everyday life. Real life is not always charming, but savoring special moments helps us remember what matters.
Rain or shine, adventures are all around if we allow ourselves to seek and savor them.
As a child visiting my grandparents on Camano Island, one of my favorite things was to go “out to sea” in a small rowboat on the canal behind their home. In my imagination I was on a grand voyage. That sense of wonder never left me; I still love to go “out to see” — whether by water, on foot through a neighborhood, or over coffee at a local café.
Short or long, near or far, adventures help reveal what is truly lovely. I try to capture the feelings of those moments — the colors, the sounds, the smells — so I can return to them often and keep them alive.
A party in NYC we weren’t invited to, but couldn’t resist enjoying the striped tent and string lights as we walked by — such atmosphere from fabric and light.
Stealth photo in Anthropologie, Rockefeller Plaza.
Going “out to see” the beauty in our surroundings is restorative. It’s a simple way to recharge, re-energize, and reconnect with what brings joy.
Going “out to see” and experiencing beauty can be a powerful form of therapy.
Where do you go to recharge and renew?