Hello, Voyagers!

Ever tell you about the time I decided to stop drinking the day before Cinco de Mayo? Or the time I gained about 2-3 times the required 19 lbs during COVID? No? Well, then there was the time I went to a fitness retreat. Trust me: they’re all related.
Recently, I stepped on the scale for the first time in 2021. Then I pretty quickly opted to try and change course.
So, that’s how I found myself headed to Newark Airport, got a car to eastern Pennsylvania, and instead of finding Mare, I actually ended up…

…hiking the Appalachian Trail.

(No one serial killed us! YAY!)

This is part of the story of me at a health retreat in the Poconos. The perfectly reasonably priced and effective Deerfield Spa.
The spa features the opportunity for several workouts each day, including Pilates, free weights, Zumba, and pool workouts…with pool noodles, which is even more fun than it sounds, especially with the amazing Tanya as the fitness coach! I definitely left there with more muscles than I had when I arrived five days earlier.
Plus, hiking with views like this:

Below is the serene porch at Deerfield. I spent a few peaceful afternoons in this rocking chair.

Deerfield definitely served its purpose for me, which was to get a jump start (kick in the ass) for getting back into shape. And by “shape” I mean, real pants. Plus, I made some cool friends there, like you used to when you were a kid at summer camp!
BTW, at the risk of your judgment, I must confess that I really don’t like healthy food. I have the taste buds of a 12 year-old boy (and the budget of a grownup, which is a real problem when you set me loose in a 7-11). Anyway, now that I am no longer, you know, “young,” I gotta force myself to do things I wouldn’t normally do. Like, eat a salad once in a while. #imtrying! But, for someone who avoids such food items at ALMOST all costs, I gotta tell you, the healthy and low-cal food at Deerfield is…

Screen Shot 2021-06-04 at 9.10.47 AM.png — Deeeelicious

…and not to mention, **gorgeous**.

Back in the Big D, I am doing my best to keep the momentum going by sticking to a regular workout schedule of barre classes and other strategies. The book This Naked Mind is a good resource for cutting back on the ole Chardonnay (which, dear Voyagers, you know I love!)
I am also walking the lovely Katy Trail a few days a week, but, lest I end up on my own true crime podcast, I won’t tell you when or what time of day I’m usually there.

Dallas’s Katy Trail.

I like this photo ‘cause it looks like I am running at a high rate of speed. (I’m not.)

Stay tuned for another Poconos post so I can share with you all I learned about the brilliance of cooking with an air fryer, the REAL way to count calories, and - most importantly - the shopping to be had in the adorable downtown Stroudsburg, PA, where I bought a gorgeous pair of “aspirational” pants I hope to wear someday soon…🤞🏻
Until then, Voyagers, get out there. Enjoy #GreatOutdoorsMonth.
And stay Veracious.
-VV

Travelin' Beauty: How to wear a bit of makeup even you've only got 90 seconds to get ready

You know, some people, I've heard tell, are opposed to wearing makeup while on vacation. (WTF?!, you're thinking. I KNOW!!!!) Anyhoo, I, myself, am against that, #obvs.

Start with a local beer & other travel tips for Bali, Thailand & lands in between.

Always, always drink a local beer wherever you go. No, not a Coors Light. A local beer. Start on day one. That and a Pepto tablet each day will keep food sickness at bay. (In Thailand, it’s a beer called Singha.)

Graduation Day: Better late than never

Turns out, graduating as a “non-traditional” (read: older) student? It involves the same level of elation as graduating as a youngster. Maybe more. Wouldn’t trade it for the world.

International Road Trip! England and Wales

Driving along the left side of the road takes patience and practice. Unfortunately, you don’t get any actual…practice. And make sure you get an automatic transmission!

Attending the Olympics: Perfectly Imperfect

The first night we landed in Rio, we went out for pizza on a patio. And, much to my joy & surprise, the ACTUAL OLYMPIC TORCH came by on its final leg to the opening of the Games.

A hometown girl's guide to Uptown Dallas, Texas, USA!

I recently realized that I have never done a blog post about my own hometown. It is time to correct that and talk about some of my favorites in & around uptown (my ‘hood) to see, dine, & shop!

COVID-19? Try COVID-38 (lbs)! Getting outdoors to lose that Coronavirus padding

Recently, I stepped on the scale for the first time in 2021. Then I pretty quickly opted to try and change course. So, that’s how I found myself hiking the Appalachian Trail.

A long weekend in Belize

The sounds of the breeze hitting these trees is intoxicating. Here, the waves crest so far out that there is not a lot of ocean sound, but that’s okay. More than okay. Cue Madonna: “tropical, the island breeze…

Road Trippin' 2021 Part 2! Hints & Hacks to doin' it right on the road

If you are worried about conflict amongst the people who will be in the car, discuss it beforehand, and have a plan for how to make decisions while on the road (who controls the radio, when/where to stop and eat…)

Road Trippin' 2021 Part 1: Hints & hacks for doin' it right on the road

This site gives ideas on the best road trips for each time of year. I’ll focus on the trip itself. It’s all about comfort, relaxation, taking in the sites and sights, and, oh, yeah. Junk food.

Guest Blogger! Time for a road trip…with Fido!

If you’re planning your first trip with your dog, you may be feeling a little anxious. While traveling with pets is becoming more common, it can still be a challenge for dog owners to avoid extra expense and stress during those trips.

Well, it's done. And, no, it's still not over. (Cambridge, my beloved Cambridge, oh how I hardly knew ye.)

So, how’d you spend your 4th of July weekend? I spent mine immersed in murder. To be more specific, immersed in my dissertation’s topic: using intuition to prevent murder.

Yellowstone: A Visual Love Letter

If you have been to my site before, it might come as no surprise that Montana is my favorite place in the world, with Yellowstone as its centerpiece.

Being there is like no other experience. I made a visual love letter to it a while back, and just updated it with some more recent photos:

From Dallas, I wrote a Love Letter to Cambridge, and Cambridge’s Newspaper published it!

It is a bit surreal, trying to research on the Cambridge library web sites, and writing papers to submit on crime and violence, referencing theories of crime and deviance that I learned at Cambridge, with the Dallas skyline as my backdrop.

Just ‘cause you party with 20-somethings doesn’t mean you are one, and other observations.

What’s it like heading back to school, in another country, for another master’s degree, in a different field, and with kids my former students’ age now being my peers? Odd. But whereas I had fears of being rejected like Elle Woods in Legally Blonde…

Lake Geneva Weekend: A Once-in-a-Generation Party…but don’t wait 20 years to go there.

The Fête des Vignerons began in 1797, and only happens every 20 or so years, so we jumped at the chance to go. Turns out, they don’t really export their wines, so, you know, they drink them themselves.

South Africa: Giraffes have super-long lashes…lions do it every 15 minutes…plus wine & coastline & otherworldly sunsets

The Garden Route is one of the main tourist attractions in South Africa. The odd thing, though, is the 3-4 hour drive before you get to the Garden Route is prettier than that. The sunrises and sunsets along the southern drive are simply breathtaking.

Pack Like A Boss & Travel Like a Boss, Part 1: New York City, Baby!

Travel

COVID-19? Try COVID-38 (lbs)! Getting outdoors to lose that Coronavirus padding

Hello, Voyagers!

-VV

Previous Travels…

**You know, some people, I've heard tell, are opposed to wearing makeup while on vacation. (WTF?!, you're thinking. I KNOW!!!!) Anyhoo, I, myself, am against that, #obvs.**

Always, always drink a local beer wherever you go. No, not a Coors Light. A local beer. Start on day one. That and a Pepto tablet each day will keep food sickness at bay. (In Thailand, it’s a beer called Singha.)

What did I wear? A blue one-shoulder dress.

And, of course, ALL the beauty products. #gottabeme

Not everything needs to come from the big chain stores, and when someone has had to solve their own beauty and skin issues in their own kitchen, you often end up with lovely products that work like a charm.

Lots of strange things were afoot at Miami Art Basel. One was a celebration at Arsenale for the launch of a prototype of the world’s first all-electric personal water craft.

Turns out, graduating as a “non-traditional” (read: older) student? It involves the same level of elation as graduating as a youngster. Maybe more. Wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Driving along the left side of the road takes patience and practice. Unfortunately, you don’t get any actual…practice. And make sure you get an automatic transmission!

The first night we landed in Rio, we went out for pizza on a patio. And, much to my joy & surprise, the ACTUAL OLYMPIC TORCH came by on its final leg to the opening of the Games.

I recently realized that I have never done a blog post about my own hometown. It is time to correct that and talk about some of my favorites in & around uptown (my ‘hood) to see, dine, & shop!

Recently, I stepped on the scale for the first time in 2021. Then I pretty quickly opted to try and change course. So, that’s how I found myself hiking the Appalachian Trail.

The sounds of the breeze hitting these trees is intoxicating. Here, the waves crest so far out that there is not a lot of ocean sound, but that’s okay. More than okay. Cue Madonna: “tropical, the island breeze…

If you are worried about conflict amongst the people who will be in the car, discuss it beforehand, and have a plan for how to make decisions while on the road (who controls the radio, when/where to stop and eat…)

This site gives ideas on the best road trips for each time of year. I’ll focus on the trip itself. It’s all about comfort, relaxation, taking in the sites and sights, and, oh, yeah. Junk food.

If you’re planning your first trip with your dog, you may be feeling a little anxious. While traveling with pets is becoming more common, it can still be a challenge for dog owners to avoid extra expense and stress during those trips.

So, how’d you spend your 4th of July weekend? I spent mine immersed in murder. To be more specific, immersed in my dissertation’s topic: using intuition to prevent murder.

If you have been to my site before, it might come as no surprise that Montana is my favorite place in the world, with Yellowstone as its centerpiece.

Being there is like no other experience. I made a visual love letter to it a while back, and just updated it with some more recent photos:

It is a bit surreal, trying to research on the Cambridge library web sites, and writing papers to submit on crime and violence, referencing theories of crime and deviance that I learned at Cambridge, with the Dallas skyline as my backdrop.

What’s it like heading back to school, in another country, for another master’s degree, in a different field, and with kids my former students’ age now being my peers? Odd. But whereas I had fears of being rejected like Elle Woods in Legally Blonde…

The Fête des Vignerons began in 1797, and only happens every 20 or so years, so we jumped at the chance to go. Turns out, they don’t really export their wines, so, you know, they drink them themselves.

The Garden Route is one of the main tourist attractions in South Africa. The odd thing, though, is the 3-4 hour drive before you get to the Garden Route is prettier than that. The sunrises and sunsets along the southern drive are simply breathtaking.

Light packing is right packing. Trust moi, you do NOT want to be schlepping your giant or super-heavy bags all across New York.

Veracious Voyager

Oh, the places you can find me!