Links To Look At, Volume 11

8 min read by  •  Time Visited: May 2021

I’m bringing back my Links To Look At series, which I’m going to try and make bi-weekly. It’s a random compilation of stories, articles and discoveries covering Orlando, wanderlust, travel, restaurants, at home food & drink favorites, and more. I’ll start it off with this adorable footage of pandas playing in the snow 🐼 at the National Zoo in Washington D.C., because everyone could use an extra smile these days!

From one of our many walks around Lake Formosa in the Mills 50 District of Orlando.

New & Coming Soon to Orlando

The Pandemic Continues

What a crazy ride the past year and two months have been. While many Americans are fortunately being vaccinated, the rest of the world has not been as fortunate. Blogger Lows To Luxe shared a great list of credible organizations to send donations to those looking to help the COVID-19 crisis in India. The numbers are devastating – please help if you can!

Wanderlust Forever

I plan to share an updated travel bucket list this month, but in the meantime, here are some wanderlust-worthy reads. For more inspiration and travel guides, check out my Discover page and my Pinterest Wanderlust board.

  • I’ve been subscribed to The New York Times morning newsletters, weekend briefings, and phone push alerts for the past year or so and am really enjoying it! They added a virtual travel category that’s been a wonderful escape of wanderlust, like this one – How To Pretend You’re in New Orleans Tonight. I visited the city a few years ago with my mom and loved it! I have a New Orleans travel guide here.
  • WARNING: Prepare to be sucked in to this website. If you were a fellow city-hopping traveler like myself before COVID, you’ll enjoy Travel Remotely. It lets you walk or drive or take a train around cities of the world with customizable time of day and ambient noise. You can even listen to live local radio stations. It’s really well-done and so fun to explore!
  • One of my reader’s shared this cool virtual tour of the Dubai Miracle Garden (thanks Margaret and Skylar!). How incredibly dreamy is this magical place?! It reminds me of the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival here in Orlando.
  • For Paris lovers, or people like me who have Paris at the top of their travel bucket list, The Louvre put its entire collection online! I also was in awe of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs virtual experience. Museum buffs would also enjoy seeing Chateau de Versailles in the fall. Lastly, Landon’s walk through Palais-Royal is magnifique!
  • One of my favorite bloggers Meghan over at Wit & Whimsy launched Paris Perfected Trip Planning Services that I am DEFINITELY going to use once I plan my Paris trip! In the meantime, she also has a new Paris, Perfected membership (launched last month!) connecting fellow Francophiles in a virtual community as “a way to bring France to you – wherever you are.” Love that! Through the membership, she’ll share members-only content, first looks at new discoveries, offer virtual events (she’s already done a few!), exclusive promo codes, recipes and more. It also includes a 10% discount on all Paris, Perfected travel planning bookings! Bravo, Meghan. 👏🏻
  • Here’s what’s involved in the restoration of the Big Ben in London. It has been under construction for a few years, including when we visited – check out my epic London travel guide here.
  • I just ordered World Travel: An Irreverent Guide by the late and great Anthony Bourdain, which was finished by his long-time assistant and established writer Laurie Woolever after he passed. Supplementing Bourdain’s words are a handful of essays by friends, colleagues, and family that tell even deeper stories about a place. Looking forward to reading it!
  • Saves to future vacation places wishlist! These 17 swoon-worthy Airbnbs belong in a Nancy Meyers movie. She’s the filmmaker behind many of my favorite rom com’s including The Holiday, The Parent Trap, Something’s Gotta Give, It’s Complicated, The Intern, What Women Want, and more.
  • Have you watched Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy yet? We love it! P.S. Bookmark this list of all the restaurants he goes to with his local guides. Amalfi Coast presto per favore!

Returning To Travel

Now that I’m fully vaccinated, I booked two trips for one of my best friend’s wedding – her bachelorette party in Scottsdale, AZ and wedding in Newport, RI. I’m super excited for her wedding, to see everyone, and to travel to two cities (and states for that matter) that I’ve never been to before.

I’ll Always Love New York

I’ve said it so many times, but I can’t believe I haven’t been back to NYC since I moved back to Florida. 2020 was supposed to be the year I finally visited, but since that didn’t happen, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for 2021. 🤞🏻

Food & Drink Inspiration at Home & On-The-Go

I’ve been doing the keto diet since mid-January and after taking a break this week for my birthday, wow I really feel the difference – in a bad way! It has been fun and educational journey that I’m picking back up tomorrow.

  • I shared my favorite keto finds from Thrive Market on the blog last month and am really excited about some of my discoveries!
  • Chia seeds are an incredible source of fiber and great for dehydration. I always add them to my smoothies! I also love making overnight chia pudding in mason jars. Some of my favorite ingredients to include are cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, MCT oil, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, collagen powder, berries, nuts or grainless granola.
  • Doesn’t these rotisserie chicken lettuce cups with peanut sauce recipe from The Defined Dish look so good?!
  • I personally love a green salad, but I know many people don’t. If you are one of those people, here are 10 summer salad recipes specifically for you!
  • Bon Appetit created a roundup of their “Readers’ “Keepers”: The 67 Recipes They Keep Coming Back To.”
  • Similarly, The New York Times shared their 21 Most Popular Recipes on Instagram.
  • The best low-carb wines in 2021. Thank you for sharing @parkgrowurbangarden!
  • I recently did a comparison of popular canned seltzers and cocktails. White Claw and Truly are both 5% ABV, 100 calories and 2g carbs, just avoid the Lemonade flavors which are higher in sugar at 3g. High Noon is surprisingly have a little less alcohol but are slightly worse in carbs at 4.5% ABV, 100 calories, 2.3-2.9g sugar. Unlike White Claw and Truly, High Noon’s nutritional facts vary by flavor – lime & peach are the best! What’s your go-to?
  • As for cocktails, I’ve been on a paloma kick! It’s made with blanco tequila, grapefruit sparkling water/club soda and lime. If you don’t love grapefruit, you can swap it for an orange wedge (or another flavor of sparkling water) and plain club soda.

What have you been loving, excited for, or inspired by? Leave a comment below or follow along @adventuresingourmet for more.

1 Reply

  1. Meghan says:

    Thank you so much for this wonderful Paris, Perfected inclusion!!

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