2014 was a great year filled with great travels and personal
challenges. We began our travels on New Year’s day when we boarded our flight
to San Juan, Puerto Rico. There, we enjoyed the marriage of good friends and then explored
the gorgeous island of Culebra. Later that month, we got married in my
hometown of Rochester, NY. After the wedding, we stayed grounded for a bit and explored
Washington, DC as we got ready for our European wedding in Barcelona in April.
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| In Guayama, Puerto Rico |
Had a nice break of the DC winter with business travel to San Diego in March. I
didn’t get a chance to explore much, but I took in the sunshine every morning
when I went for a run at Mission Beach. In the middle of winter, sunshine definitely
makes a difference!
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At the Hotel Market in Barcelona, Spain
Photo by Italo Morales |
April was an eventful month as we had a
second weddingceremony in Barcelona. We had been waiting for that trip for months! I began
the trip visiting old friends in Brussels, 24 hours in Madrid, and then off to
Barcelona. The trip was amazing. To be in such a beautiful city on the beach
and say our vows in front of our European friends and family was definitely one
of our highlights of this year.
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| Dinner at Brabo Restaurant, Old Town Alexandria |
For the summer, we decided to stay domestic and did a lot of
discovering by small road trips. We got to explore the Finger Lakes wine
country with a spectacular tour of
Hermann J Weimer winery at Seneca Lake. We also had a lovely staycation at the Hotel
Monaco in
Old Town Alexandria. Every time I take the 25 minute drive across the
Potomac to Old Town, I truly feel like I am traveling to a whole different time zone!
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| Crabs in Annapolis, MD |
In June, we took a weekend trip to Annapolis, where we had a
lovely stay at the
Loews Annapolis. On an unusually cloudy and cold summer day
we sailed the Chesapeake and indulged in Maryland Crabs. That trip was a
blessing in disguise as immediately afterwards, I had to head to home to take care of my father, who suddenly became
terminally ill.
He departed this earth on July 4
th, Independence
Day. His illness took him quickly but he had 95 years full of love and
laughter. I felt that that date was symbolic of the person he was, an independent man. I inherited my father’s independence and sense of adventure. Being
with him during those last weeks
reaffirmed that repatriating to the United
States was the right decision at the time.
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| At Pozuelo, the beach in Puerto Rico where I spent time with my dad |
I'm a believer that there are no coincidences in life. As many others who have encountered a deep loss, I began to reflect on my own life. Although I have been blogging since 2009, it was very sporadic with little structure. I wanted to make my blog more professional and one random tweet about TBEX (Travel Blog Exchange) conference changed that for me. In September, we headed to Cancún, Mexico for the conference. I met some amazing people, inspiring fellow travel bloggers, and developed partnerships with great brands. After the conference, we had a small holiday in Tulum, a place I've been wanting to go for years. It was everything I dreamed and more.
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| Tulum Ruins, Tulum, Mexico |
October was all about New York State. From a fun weekend in New York City to being lost in the colors of the fall foliage in the Finger Lakes, it was a reminder of the diversity of the state. People tend to associate New York with just NYC. The state has so much more to offer. I'm hoping to see more of the nature of New York in 2015. In between our New York adventures, we ran the Philly Rock and Roll half marathon. One of the highlights of the trip was our unconventional choice of carb loading with Burmese food, yum!
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| Dessert at Le Meridien Tampa |
We welcomed November with the sunshine of Tampa, Florida for another business trip. I took advantage of my schedule and spent a relaxing weekend at the Le Méridien Tampa before my meetings. We have been fortunate to stay in beautiful hotels this year, but the Dutchman and I agree it was the best hotel we stayed in 2014 due to its beautiful décor, deliciously creamy éclairs, and a bed so comfortable that it was torture to get up for work in the morning!
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| The day of my Travel Channel audition |
November continued to be a great month with some fantastic developments. I decided to rebrand my blog to the name The Dining Traveler. After much discussions with friends and fellow bloggers, it was time to close the Adventures of the Repatriate chapter and come up with a name that reflects the theme of the blog: travel and food. I also had my first print feature article published on Edible DC about veteran food programs. It was a challenging and rewarding experience but feel honored to have been chosen to write about veterans making a difference in our local food culture. Lastly, I had the opportunity go to Astoria, Queens to audition for the Travel Channel 'Next Travel Channel Star'. It was a fun experience and looking forward to find out about the selection to the next round in 2015.
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| Christmas Market in Brussels |
December was a very busy and generous month filled with holiday parties, Wizard games, and a home purchase. The Dutchman and I bought a small home in DC. As much as I enjoy to travel, I enjoy having a place to call home as well. The day after closing, I hopped on a plane to Europe to spend the holidays in the Netherlands. I spent a few days in Brussels taking in the Christmas markets and doing research for a Brussels hotel guide I plan to release next year. Had a much needed relaxing stay at my in law's at Rotterdam and a scenic 24 hours in Amsterdam.
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| My view from my room at Hilton Budapest Hotel |
I conclude this post from Budapest, with a view of the Danube, reflecting on this eventful year filled with success, happiness, and unfortunately loss. I've worked very hard on the blog this year and I'm thankful to see it reflected in the increased number of people who visit the page and follow me on social media. I could not be more grateful to you, the reader for trusting my views. I wish you a 2015 filled with delicious food, scenic travels, and most importantly health to enjoy it.
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