Apparently, after two fantastic California trips since writing this blog post, it`s time for an update. 😂 But here`s my problem—I don`t want to remove anything already on the list because they`re all still fantastic!

I`ve been exploring California for more than 25 years, and there is ALWAYS something new to discover. Beaches, wine country, amazing food, quirky attractions, small towns, big cities, and some of the most gorgeous scenery in the country. 💙🌴

And now that I have a kid living there, I have an even better excuse to keep exploring the Golden State!

So tell me: What are your favorite things to do in California? What absolutely needs to make my updated list?

For now, you can find my 47 Fun Things to Do in California at the link in bio. ☀️🌊🍷

#CaliforniaTravel #VisitCalifornia #CaliforniaRoadTrip #TravelUSA

#TBT to one seriously memorable meal at Zehnder`s of Frankenmuth in Michigan`s "Little Bavaria." 🇩🇪💙

On a road trip with friends, we made our way to this legendary Frankenmuth restaurant, famous for its family-style chicken dinners and German favorites.

My standouts? The house-made chicken liver pâté, those simple-but-so-good buttered egg noodles, and the Chicken in Phyllo—chicken, cream cheese, feta, and green onions wrapped in flaky phyllo and topped with Parmesan cream sauce. 😍

Good grief, this was a 10/10 meal in every way.

Have you been to Frankenmuth or eaten at @zehnders ?

#Frankenmuth #MichiganRoadTrip #Germanfood @puremichigan

#TBT takes me back to one of my favorite cities in the world—Athens, Greece. 🇬🇷💙

This wasn`t my first visit, and thankfully it wasn`t my last, but this trip was extra memorable because a friend and I signed up for a food tour. Funny story... I showed up at the wrong meeting spot and ended up running a mile and a half through Athens trying to catch up with the group. 😅 I made it just in time!

It was completely worth the sprint. We sampled incredible local dishes at family-owned spots I never would have found on my own, and it gave me such a deeper appreciation for the city`s food culture.

Years later, I went back and recreated much of that tour myself. I was amazed at how many of the little streets, shops, and delicious stops I still remembered.

It`s one more reminder that food tours are one of my favorite ways to experience a destination. You get to eat like a local, hear the stories behind the food, and discover places you`d probably walk right past otherwise.

And yes... I`ll happily go back to Athens—and the Greek islands—again and again. 💙🍽️🇬🇷

Did something new AGAIN today! 🌶️😂

I took a free Discovering Datils class through the St. Johns County Public Library System, and this was definitely my kind of class.

I’ve loved datil pepper everything for years—mustard, salsa, honey, sauces—and now that I live near the heart of datil pepper country, I figured I should learn how to grow them and save myself some money. 😂

We learned about this little pepper with deep St. Augustine roots, took home peppers to dry for seeds, AND sampled several locally made datil products. Let’s be honest... the tasting portion was the real bonus. 🌶️👏🏻

Our speaker even made pigs in a blanket for dipping in the sauces, and I’m 100% stealing that idea for football season. 🏈

Free class, local history, food samples, and potentially my future datil pepper empire. Not a bad afternoon. 😂

Have you ever tried a datil pepper?
#DatilPepper #StAugustine #StJohnsCounty #FloridaFood #FloridaLife