[Friday Finds] Tag You're It!

My grandmother would always tie the brightest color yarn she could find on the handle of my luggage so it was easy to spot. It always worked, but these luggage tags area little more fun!

Vintage Inspired - dormify.com

Penguin Classics On The Road Luggage Tag - letravelstore.com

via luckies.co.uk

Schlep from Bob's Your Uncle

[Going] California in October

The date is set and a dear friend is marrying his love on Columbus Days weekend in Hopland, California at the stunning Campovida.

Campovida is a family owned working farm and vineyard. What an amazing place to begin a new chapter of your life together, right?

The trip shall be pretty momentous as this will be a group of friends who means the world to me. The groom introduced me to my husband and through him we joined a group of friends that has been a source of inspiration, support and of course fun times for the past twelve years! What a celebration it will be.

Anyone have tips, must dos, places to stay?

[WEEKEND PICK] Country Living Fair in Austin

I fell in love with Austin after my first trip for the SxSW music festival. The people, vibe and the food are totally up my alley! Today kicks off another event that I would travel for that is decidedly different than Sx. Trading the hipsters of the music scene for collectors at the kick-off of the Country Living Fair in Austin!

As the curator of a modest little flea just outside Boston I am a fan of all things with that vintagey loved patina! The fair will feature over 150 antique vendors and artisans-- and when the are picked by the staff at Country Living Magazine you know they will be amazing. If the shopping wasn't enough to lure you in there is a whole schedule of events that include appraisals, book signings, demos and more.

Retire at night to the ultra hip Hotel San Jose. 

The minimally decorated rooms of the self-described "ultramodern motor court" has all you will need behind it's stucco walls. Let them deliver a breakfast bento box, listen to their carefully selected music collection-- or  borrow a movie-- no doubt it will be something cool you hadn't heard about, or you'll be psyched that they actually have stuff you like-- not the mainstream dribble that's commonly dispersed. Surroundings of Austin got you inspired? You can grab a Polaroid camera from the front desk-- or borrow their typewriter so you can bang out the first few chapters of the novel you've been meaning to start. <swoon>

No trip to Texas would be complete without getting down and dirty with some Texas BBQ. Vegetarians avert your eyes! 

Austin's Franklin Barbecue was named Best BBQ in the country by Bon Appetite Magazine in 2011

Franklin Barbeque

Or if you feel like getting outside the city limits and catch a glimpse of a barbecue pit you might head to the Salt Lick where you should bring cash and BYOB!

Salt Lick

[Friday Finds] Making Travel Easier

From the Container Store

GRID-IT!™ Organizer

Protect that wine!
Jet Bag

So I know you are wondering...

How was Montana? Did we escape the Y2K madness for Big Sky Country?

nope.

He actually ended up going to Vegas with a group of people. Among them-- my date the night we met. 

It was a cute pick-up line either way. 

Map Lust: Origins

from Amy Rice Art on etsy

Seems perfect that these Fleetwood Mac lyrics start this blog as they were often the backgrund music to my chilhood afternoons. It was way back then that my map lust began. Dreaming of all of the places I would visit, imagining the new foods I would sample,  the smells, and exotic people-- yes, even the southern US was exotic to me at this point. Back then my travels didn't lead me very far. Weekend "mystery rides" always proved fun, but never more than a couple hour radius from home.

Growing older I kept a running list in my head of the spots that I would someday visit. Although I would really have gone anywhere it was those romantic destinations that held a sense of mystery and romance that were highest on my list-- New Orleans, Paris, Tuscany, Eastern Europe. The list grew. The check-marks did not.

In 1999 I met the man that would change that-- my husband, Carl. It was November, just before the millennium and everyone was freaking out. Y2K. What was going to happen? Would the world collapse? As we danced together at the house party that we both came with someone else to-- he popped this question. "What are you doing for the millennium?"

"Nothing." I replied

"Wanna go to Montana?" he asked.

"Sure" I replied with no hesitation.

Just enough adventurous and impetuous enough to encourage my dreams I could finally add a few check marks to the list.