ignoring the fiscal cliff....

"I have a New Year’s tradition: I lay all my travel dreams on the table, sort them out, prioritize, and begin the process of turning those dreams into reality."

--- Rick Steves, travel guru

 

Merry Christmas!

comfort & joy

buenos dias!

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

Hola!

(I'm trying to refresh what I learned in my 7th grade Spanish class.)

... because ...

Sal and I have an amazing adventure planned for springtime 2013 ... we're going to COSTA RICA! I can't wait to experience this beautiful place and its exotic flora/fauna and eco-minded culture!

Costa Rica seems to have it all ... exotic wildlife! natural beauty! volcanoes! rainforests! waterfalls! beaches! spas! adventure!

So, can you picture me ziplining ?? Me neither frankly, LOL. I'm not the bravest gal when it comes to heights and/or speed, but I'm gonna push myself to experience this quintessential Costa Rican adrenaline rush thru the rainforest canopy! Travel is about new experiences, personal growth. Right? That said, my palms are already sweating.... tango miedo! (yes, I've already learned how to say "I'm afraid" in Spanish!)

Anyway, I've booked us into a variety of accommodations, to experience different aspects of Costa Rican life... an eco-lodge in a rainforest, a villa overlooking the ocean, a resort (and spa, of course!) at the base of a volcano, and a Costa Rican home converted into a charming inn.

SO excited !! I've already got a 2013 Costa Rica calendar, all ready to hang up on January 1st. (I always get a calendar that features our destination for the upcoming year--- to me, the anticipation is half the fun of travel !!)

There are 2 movies coming out in 2013 that were filmed in Costa Rica... The Librarian, an apparent chick flick (that I can't wait to see!). Click HERE to check out the trailer.

And perhaps more to Sal's taste in movies, Will Smith filmed a sci-fi film, After Earth, in the area around Arenal Volcano (which will be our first stop in Costa Rica).  It hits theaters next summer. Click HERE to watch the trailer.

And I'm beginning to plan some summer travel too... can't wait to share the destination with you!.... hint: compared to lush Costa Rica, it's a barren place. But like Costa Rica, it too is volcanically active. Guesses?

Enjoy the weekend...

Adios,

Susan

ho ho whoa!

Hey Santa... check out my new hat!

Thank you Pier 1 for this sparkly version of what The Big Guy wears!

beach day!

Susie snowflake

Picked up this fun blingy velvet snowflake pillow today at Pier 1... LOVE it !!

stunning!

irresistible!

and did I mention sparkly ??

Thanksgiving 2012

Well, it's back to reality this week after Thanksgiving break.  Another busy semester is coming to a close for me and Sal... although the research lab never slows down!

Hope you enjoyed the holiday weekend?  Sal and I had a fun visit with family.  Spent some time enjoying Florida's delightful fall weather, relaxing under my parents' orange tree and walking in the local park.

We started the holiday off with attending a Mannheim Steamroller concert the night before Thanksgiving. 

 

I've loved their Christmas music for years... their masterful blend of unique instruments (think lutes, dulcimers, synthesizers, snare drums, various flutes) gives an addictive twist to holiday tunes.  And we had front-row seats (!!) which allowed us to watch them work their magic, to see how the music is made, up-close.  And the musicians met with the audience after the concert, so nice.  Hoping they come back to SoFla again next year!

My Mom and I enjoyed some Black Friday fun at (where else?) a few scrapbook stores, Whim-So-Doodle and Scraps of Art and Michaels.  But the deals just didn't seem to compare to last year, for some reason?  What did you think?

And all that shopping fatigue meant that we needed some pampering, LOL !!  So Mom and I spent an afternoon of indulgence at Indaba Spa. 

It was her first visit to a spa and she loved it, we'll definitely be going again sometime!  Indaba is a beautiful facility, with African-themed artwork and treatments with Moroccan oils.  They have a unique labyrinth garden where you can spend a little quiet time reflecting as you walk through, greeted by stones etched with thoughts that invite you to slow down, to ponder.

Enjoy the holiday season!  :-)

Susan

peace love woof

Loving the bumper sticker that I spied in the parking lot today!

already ?!?

I'm in Barnes & Noble and they're playing Christmas music. Seriously?? It's too early!

Gone are the days when stores waited until Black Friday to crank up the holiday tunes.....

Wednesday wanderlust

just voted !!

Election Day

Aruba's ready to rock the vote!

have a fang-tastic Halloween!

inspired by Vermont....

Hi everyone... hope you had a great weekend?

Ready for the Presidential debate tonight? Or sick of it all? Either way, there's excitement in the air here because it's being held in our neck-of-the-woods, in Boca Raton, just down the road from us. Hoping for some SNL-worthy moments tonight, LOL !!

I was so inspired by all the wonderful fall colors and decor that I recently saw in Vermont! So over the weekend, while at the grocery store, I saw these beautiful mums {impulse purchase} and couldn't resist bringing a little bit of autumn to our Florida foyer.

Over the weekend I was also getting my new iPhone set up (thanks for all your help with that, Sal!). We (finally) upgraded to the iPhone 5... we still had iPhone 3's so we were way behind, it was definitely time to upgrade! I am loving the new HD camera (which is what I took this photo with) and I am dictating this blog post using Siri (the iPhone voice assistant) into my iPhone, directly into my Blogger app... how cool is that?!

Feminist-In-Chief

that's the ticket!

So Sal and I are back home from New England, back to reality, and trying to catch-up at home/work. Been sorting thru a stack of mail and found that these lovelies had arrived... tickets I ordered while we were away. Can't wait for these shows!

heading home...

Waiting for our flight at the airport in Bangor, Maine.... had a wonderful time... autumn in New England is special !! Will post details and pics here soon.

Time to return home to my beloved (warm) Florida and to my precious Buddy & Aruba --- I missed them SO much!

heading east ....

Tired tonight from a full day of leaf-peeping along Vermont's fab & foliage-famous Route 100... but I'm staying up to plan tomorrow's route (using GPS, but I still love old-fashioned paper maps + a highlighter!).
We're heading east thru New Hampshire to the coast of Maine to Acadia National Park. A long drive, but I'm so excited to visit another of our amazing national parks!

enjoying Vermont... to the core!

Sal and I are enjoying all things autumn here in Vermont. Yesterday, we picked apples at a rural orchard, surrounded by splendid autumn foliage and crisp, fresh air. We're taking 13 pounds of these beauties home!
I'm loving all the seasonal fall decor too!

living life to the FALLEST

Our first full day in Vermont today... some rain and fog, with a chill in the air, but lots of autumn splendor too!
The view from our room in a cozy B&B... and woke up to apricot-ginger scones this morning... delish!

tracking the autumn splendor

As of October 2, here's the status of the fall foliage colors in Vermont... can't wait to get my first glimpses there on Friday! Until then, we're finishing some business in Boston (including a visit to a huge foreign language bookstore in Harvard Square --- Heaven for Sal !!).

the perfect leaf-peeping snack !

feeling inspired...

I still can't believe that I won !!!

Hi everyone ~ whew, trying to catch-up on everything (including sleep!) after a whirlwind 5 day get-away to attend Inspiration Unlimited (IU).  Had a blast, loved it!  And I have amazing news to share.... during the Closing Ceremony, a ticket was drawn from a basket containing thousands of tickets.  The lucky winner received free tuition for next year's event --- it's a MEGA prize!  Guess who won it?  ME !!! yes, I WON a free seat to the 2013 IU !!!!!!  OMG, can you believe it ?!?!?  I still can't !!!  Everyone said that my face was frozen when my name was called, that I looked totally stunned.  I was -- and thrilled too!  Thanks to all my IU pals who shared the excitement with me --- your hugs and high-fives and Facebook comments made it all the more fun.  See you all next year, yay!

As soon as I get caught up at home and at the lab, I'll post all about IU.... for now tho, I did post some glimpses from the event back on September 22.  

I'll barely get unpacked before packing again for my next adventure--- Sal and I are heading to New England for some world-class "leaf peeping".  I've wanted and waited to go there for many years to see the incredible fall foliage colors, particularly in Vermont; I'm ecstatic that this year we're finally making it happen.  Along the way, Sal will also be presenting his amazing research at a few prestigious universities.  First stop -- Yale University in Connecticut!

Adding to the chaos that is my schedule this week, I had an appt to see my surgeon as soon as I flew home yesterday.  You might recall that back in May I had gallbladder surgery.  I've unfortunately been experiencing some pain related to that (not sure why 4 months later??).  I'm not in agony, but it's uncomfortable and has me worried.  So, I'm scheduled for bloodwork and an MRCP (a specialized MRI for the digestive organs) later this week.  Hopefully, we can get to the bottom of it.  Hoping I don't need any more surgery!  {fingers crossed}

Be back soon... I've gotta sit still (and stay home!) long enough to share about my journeys.... I owe you posts about the National Parks, IU, and the soon-to-happen leaf-peeping in New England.  Back soon, promise!  (Again, a special thanks to so many gals at IU who said that they enjoy following my blog and asked me to post more often --- you're the best!)

Thanks for stopping by,

Susan

almost home!

So tired !!

Florida-bound

Heading home overnight from Nevada on a red-eye flight ... can't wait to see Sal, Buddy & Aruba tomorrow!

sharing some glimpses of IU ....

Inspiration Unlimited 2012 is only 1/2 over ... more fun to come!
Having a blast, but missing Sal, Buddy & Aruba....

bring on the bling!

I'm ready for the Inspiration Unlimited fun to begin today... I'm blinged-out from my head down to my glittery pink toes and sparkly shoes! (the IU colors are pink, black, silver) this event is all about sparkle and I love that!
Sending a special thanks to my IU friends who told me how they love following my blog!