New Year, New Goals 2015

Happy 2015! I almost can't believe how fast this year has gone. The older you get, the faster time flies it seems. It's time to look ahead to new goals, travel and otherwise, and reevaluate old goals I had. Hopefully, you made a good dent in your own goals and kept the important resolutions, whether it was to see or do something new, exercise more or spend more time with family and friends. Here are what I'm working on this year:

Actually finish that travel cookbook I have started on

Yes, I know I said I was in the middle of it at the beginning of 2014. I kind of go sidetracked by everything else in life.

Stop dragging my feet on a second book edition

It's been long enough that I should be making this a weekly working goal. I think I got a little overwhelmed by how much I wanted to change/add/subtract that I felt like it would just be a whole new book and I gave up before I barely started on it. I'm going to set myself short-term goals to get this done and hopefully by 2016, it'll be checked off the list.

Continue gaining new clients

I've been doing pretty well on this one. I know last year I had the goal of not having to get a part-time job to make up for the loss in income from leaving my job, but things have been working out really well. I've been working with some past clients and have now started working in earnest with Hipmunk and doing some work for Gogobot as well. It's nice to get paid to do what you love. I've also gained some fun new partnerships for reviews, too.

Go somewhere new

Last year I went somewhere new (Virginia Beach and Washington, DC) and took a trip to Tempe, Arizona for the Travel Goods Show alone. This year I hope to do more. We have planned our next big trip for 2015 already. In the fall we'll be headed to Orlando for Walt Disney World an to see the new Diagon Alley addition to Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I know, I know, we've been there several times before, so it doesn't really count as new, but we're going to spend some time in Treasure Island, Florida and are also going to actually visit Gatorland in Orlando this trip. It's not much, but sometimes it's the little things. 

We have decided that we are going to Puerto Rico in 2016, so that's something new to look forward to. On the list of future destinations are Greece, Malta, Spain, Germany, Ireland, Scotland.

Try new food

This is a year-round goal for life, in my opinion. I tried bibimbap this year, which was super good, as well as Ethiopian cuisine while in Arlington an octopus, and am looking forward to even more culinary delights in 2015.

Do something that scares me

I make it a goal to always do one thing during the year that scares me. Sometimes I do it and sometimes I don't. I'm not sure I accomplished that one in 2014, unless it just wasn't memorable enough recall at the moment.

Things I feel good about

I actually feel good about a lot of things in my life. I still haven't been published in a magazine or newspaper, but I honestly haven't put forth much effort towards that goal, because I've been so busy with other work - which is good! I did earn a few honors this year though:

• Earlier this month I was named as one of the Top 50 Frugal Bloggers by Grocery Coupon Network.
• In September, FlipKey named me as one of the Top 25 Budget Travel Bloggers to Follow in 2014.

These really boosted my confidence as a blogger, especially with the new Facebook feed algorithm making it near to impossible to see many posts that pages you've liked have posted. 

Spend more quality time with friends

I've started a new thing amongst a group of friends where we spend a whole evening together, kid-free, eating good food and playing games and having a fun time once a month. I hope we can keep this up throughout the year and I plan to add more events to our calendar, including our new annual Harry Potter birthday party (in which we celebrate Harry's birthday independent of all the other birthdays we have throughout the year). It was small this year, but is shaping up to be a bigger affair this year. I think this one might actually translate roughly to "making and eating too many desserts and spending more time in costumes than ever before". LOL! Luckily, I have friends who enjoy my love of theme parties.

What are some of your resolutions and goals for the coming year?

Infographic: Top 150 Secret Destinations

When I travel, I love to find those hidden gems about town. Don't get me wrong, I'm totally into the touristy things, but I also like to eat where the locals eat and go places that other travelers may not find. I always ask my waiters and people I meet where they like to go and have never been steered wrong. Know the best places to go all over the world before you leave home with this fancy infographic that was put together from "local" opinion. Something to give you some inspiration for 2015. Have a Happy New Year!

Where are some of your favorite places to go whee you live or from your travels?

Spending Three Days in Virginia Beach

On our trip to the east coast, we spend three great days in Virginia Beach. My husband loves the beach, so we hoped the weather would cooperate enough for us to get a little time out by the ocean. We did, but we did so much more on our trip, too. You know by now I’m not into just sitting on the beach doing nothing. It’s just not fun and I am not a swimmer of the open water unless I’m in a group going snorkeling. So, besides the beach, here are some of the must-do things we did.

Eat Seafood

Can you visit the beach without indulging in a little bit of seafood? I sure can’t, especially when everything comes with hushpuppies. Yum, yum, yum! Surprisingly, Virginia Beach has, like, every chair restaurant you’ve ever heard of. Skip those and head to some local favorites instead. You’ll end up spending the same amount.

Waterman’s is right on the boardwalk, so you can see the beach and people watch while also enjoying fresh caught fish.

It may look super fancy, but there is no dress code at Lynnhaven Fish House. It’s also right on the beach and is worth the splurge. We split an entrée and were still stuffed when we left. If you would rather your fish be raw, there are plenty of sushi restaurants to choose from.

To really get your money’s worth, I suggest heading away from the water and going to Yukai Japanese Buffet. For $15, you get unlimited access to their huge buffet, hot foods and hibachi grill. The only thing I would not recommend are the desserts. I was disappointed with them all.

Visit Cape Henry Lighthouse

If you keep your eye out, you might find a Groupon for this and pay half price for admission. There are actually two lighthouses here, and old one and a new one. The old one is the one you will tour. It has a lot of steps to climb, so bring your walking shoes. It’s also on the Army base, which means you’ll need picture I.D. for everyone, so they can check you out and know who’s on the premises.

Go to the Farmers’ Market

You’ll find some really cool foods at the farmers market, including pickled okra, fancy jams and the biggest grapes you’ve ever seen. We stopped at the bakery there and got a loaf of pepperoni bread! This is where you want to go to load up on things for breakfasts and snacks.

Hit up the Aquarium

Not only will you come face to face with fish and turtles and a giant crocodile, but you’ll learn how ocean currents, waves and other stuff work. Get there when they open, so you have all day to explore, because there are more animals and exhibits than you think.

See a Movie while Eating Dinner

I’m totally into the whole dinner and a movie thing. Well, Virginia Beach is home to a second run theater chain called Cinema Café. You can see the movies you missed at the regular theater and get some surprisingly delicious food. You’ll have your own table and sit in office chairs, which I thought was funny, but they were comfortable.

Walk Along the Boardwalk

You can’t leave the beach without having strolled the boardwalk. We did just that, but with ice creams. Win!

If we had more than three days, we probably would have done quite a bit more. Three days is perfect for relaxing and taking your time really seeing the places you go. We definitely didn’t rush, except to get to the movies.

Have you been to Virginia Beach?