Kitty Deschanel | Food, Wine, and Travel Adventures Across the USA

On our recent Alaskan cruise on the Oosterdam, Sexy Nerd and I were fortunate to visit the Sawyer Glacier in the Tracy Arm fjord, which was unlike anywhere we've ever been. More photos are coming, but I think this is a good one to share for now: All the dark spots on the ice? Seals! There must have been at least 100 of them, just lounging and showing off their rolls of flab for the tourists. The ship got us right up to the glacier. My photo makes the glacier seem somewhat puny, so look at it in comparison to those itty bitty (though actually big and mighty) seals. The ice really does look blue like in the photo. The color is caused by air trapped inside the ice. When a chunk breaks off ("calving", which we witnessed several times), the floating iceberg stays blue until the air escapes, which we were told is usually about 24 hours. I have many more photos to share, but it turns out that Windows 8 is a jerk and the "sort by date modified" option do...

 Travel Hacking Travel hacking expert and guest poster, Laura, shares tips to save $ on your next vacation. No time? She'll even help book your discounted trip for you! I like to think of myself as quite the travel hacker. Sexy Nerd and I have a Southwest Companion Pass  and we've taken cruises for around $25 per person, per night.  Compared to expert travel hacker, Laura with Travel Hacking 101, that's nothing. Travel Hacking 101 teaches you how to use credit card points and miles to make your travel dreams a reality. Just by using your regular everyday spending, you can earn valuable points and sign-up bonuses that can drastically reduce the price of travel.  For example, my family’s recent trip to Egypt only cost us: • $155 round trip for 3 people • $600 for 13 nights in five-star hotels Next we’re headed for Thailand, with three round-trip tickets from the US for $203 total! All of this is possible without incurring any debt, and without hurting your credit score...

I t's soup weather and the SOUPER Bowl is back! Join the fun in Santa Fe, NM this weekend on 1/28/23  from noon to 2:30 pm.   We had such a blast last time! Will Jambo Cafe's Ginger Coconut Parsnip with Roasted Sweet Corn soup make another appearance? How about the Chilled Chocolate Cherry Soup with Espelette Chile Pepper, Almond Nougatine, and Lavender Cream soup from L'Olivier? Uh oh, this post is making me hungry! Don't just take my word for it. Scroll for photos from the 26th annual Souper Bowl. And h urry - 2023 VIP tickets have already sold out!  TICKETS:  https://thefooddepot.org/souper-bowl-2023/ Thank you for supporting The Food Depot, Northern New Mexico’s food bank. Souper Bowl in Santa Fe, NM Instant Pot soup recipe at the end of this post. Sexy Nerd and I had a great time for a great cause at The Food Depot's 26th annual Souper Bowl fundraiser.  We don't live in Santa Fe and you-know-who tried to skip the long drive to the Souper Bo...

Every autumn, SN and I enjoy a visit to the mountains in New Mexico. This photo was taken during a walk around Monte Verde Lake in Angel Fire, scarves billowing behind us and with mugs of cardamom-infused coffee warming our hands. The leaves were golden and the fragrance of pinon firewood hung pleasantly in the air.  The lake cast an irresistible spell on us, with proof provided in the nearby property we purchased shortly after. That was a surprise even to us!  Our little Olive , who is not quite so little these days, has joined us on small drives, but never on a wondrous road trip. She stays behind to mind the house and keep Bernadette and Biscuit company.  Oh, except there was that one time back when she was a young pup; the time Olive set out on her own, seeking a grand adventure. She's our little biker babe. In honor of National Pit Bull Awareness Month, join Olive on a virtual autumn road trip across the USA. There are plenty of wildflowers, fire-hued leaves, and sel...

I shared photos from our trip to Iceland , but none from Denmark. Copenhagen deserves better than that! We had a great time walking the cobblestone streets, visiting castles, and enjoying the Christmas markets that seemed to be everywhere .  Seriously, they were even inside some of the castles. Visit Copenhagen   Timed perfectly to enjoy the dazzling holiday lights, mulled wine, and ebelskivers at Tivoli Gardens, SN and I were in Copenhagen from November 25-30th. (Photos post 1 of 2...because 80 photos seemed like waaay too many for one blog post.)  Ever since our trip to Australia, Sexy Nerd insists I pose like this whenever we come across a cannon. It happens more often than you might expect. The Worker's Museum in Copenhagen. We didn't get it. That look you get when your cactus-obsessed husband has spent too much time in the desert section of the greenhouse. This las...