The places we've been

  • Tower of Windsor castle, surrounded by the beautiful gardens that used to be the moat

    To Dance a Small Jig on the Grave of Henry the VIII

    Although I’d already had the amazing opportunity to visit Windsor castle twice before, this time was really something special. You see, the first two times I visited, I was with my life long friend, Jules. And our main occupation while taking in the sights was 1. trying to get guardsmen to break their stoic demeanor and 2. to catch up on all the news from the last time we spoke. This time, sans best GF, I was REALLY able to admire the ancestral home of the Windsor’s. And more importantly, to dance a small jig on the grave of Henry the VIII. How DID we get so lucky? You may…

  • The front entrance of the Natural History Museum in London. It is has two towers with a large archway between them. The rest of the building has ornate arched windows.

    What if Hogwarts Also Had Dinosaurs?

    Some months ago we found out that our dear friend, Julie, would be running the London marathon to celebrate a milestone birthday. Since a quarter of a century is SUCH a big deal, we decided to join her in a little trip over the pond. And since Stephen enjoys running a race every now and then, he decided to join her in the run. So how about me? What did I decide to join in on? Well what if I told you there is a museum in London that looks like the school from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter? That’s right, while we were there, we got to answer…

  • Statue of Paul Revere riding a horse with the old North Church in the back ground. There are a line of trees on either side between the two

    How to Spend THE Perfect Day in Boston

    It doesn’t matter if you’re in town for a conference or to run the Marathon, there are things in Boston you DO NOT want to miss on your first trip. Since we’ve been to Bean Town a time or two, let us share with you how to spend THE perfect day in Boston. Preparation is Key If you only have one day here, you’ll want to make the most of it. Do everything you can to make sure you’re ready for the adventure in advance. First Stop – Breakfast at Stephanie’s on Newbury Stephanie’s on Newbury is ALWAYS busy. Not because it’s a touristy place but because it’s JUST THAT…

  • Two men standing on a round platform, there is a colorful mural behind them, advertising Rockaway Brewing

    The Ferry and The Pub Crawl

    One perfect day this March, we met up with our favorite Scotsman. The N.Y.C. Half marathon behind him, Stephen was ready for some relaxation and maybe an adult beverage or two. Our friend, Martin, had just the thing. We’d take the ferry and do the Williamsburg to Long Island City pub crawl. If you like fun places and craft brews, hang with us because we’ve got a story for you! The 10am Ferry…What a View!! Our friend has lived in and around NYC for years now. And like us, he really enjoys getting out and taking in the sites. Back when he lived downtown, he would sometimes take the ferry…

  • Moments you remember the most - trying Amaro in Italy

    The moments you remember the most might surprise you

    We took our youngest daughter and her best friend on a trip to celebrate their graduating high school with honors. The ladies decided they wanted to experience London, Paris and Rome. As we built our itinerary, we made sure to hit all of the famous tourist spots. When we look back on our trip now, the things we saw aren’t really the things we reminisce about. This taught us a valuable lesson – when it comes to travel, the moments you remember the most might surprise you! Join us as we share the highlights of our European World tour and the lessons this trip taught us. London – 2 days…

  • Image of a blue medal that reads NYC Half,hanging from a green ribbon. The Brooklyn bridge is in the background.

    United Airlines NYC Half Recap

    I don’t run many half marathons and I certainly don’t race many but I was fortunate enough to snag a bib in the lottery for this year’s United Airline NYC Half this past weekend. I figured it would be a good tune up and a test of my fitness heading into this year’s Boston Marathon. The Goal My primary goal for the race was to run a hard effort and to challenge myself on the hills. I haven’t been a very strong runner on hills in the past and have incorporated more hill work and strength training to try and fix that. The course profile offered me a great opportunity to…

  • Delta 747, white body with red and navy wings and tail. In front of the plane is a sign that reads “Keep Climbing”. It’s in navy letters on a red base.

    747 – “Queen of the Skies”

    Anyone who follows us knows that we are big fans of all things Delta. They have been a big part of our travel journeys for many years now. A couple weeks ago we had an opportunity to take part in a Delta Road Warrior experience at the Delta Air Lines Training Center in Atlanta, GA. We can’t wait to share all about that amazing experience next week. But first, we want to take you on a tour thru probably my favorite plane of all time, the Delta 747-400.  Keep Climbing 747 History Although the flight museum was closed for renovations while we were there, we were fortunate enough to take…

  • Tokyo Marathon Finishers Medal in front of a cherry blossom tree

    The Great Cookie Toss at the Tokyo Marathon

    As the Tokyo Marathon is this weekend, we thought we’d put a pause in our Atlanta trip to share with you our experience in Japan. We visited grand toriis and drank sake in a roof top igloo. We played with snow monkeys and rode on fast trains. But by far the MOST interesting experience has to be what happened RIGHT before the race. Let’s unpack the great cookie toss at the Tokyo Marathon and the collision at the crevice. First, remember the Collision at the Crevice In case you missed it, let me recap. Our hotel room in Tokyo was small. How small was it? If it were any smaller,…

  • Street lit by Christmas lights, leading to a clock tower

    It’s Like Christmas in a Time Machine

    Since way back in the aughts, there is one place I’ve always wanted to visit for my birthday. I’m sure some ladies would choose a spa weekend, or maybe somewhere glamourous with a beach. But if you know me at all, you know that I love history – thanks to my pop. I can be VERY nostalgic – thanks to my mom. And that I was born in December – thanks to both! So when the commercial for Holiday Nights at Greenfield Village came on the radio last year, I couldn’t help but say outloud, “I’ve ALWAYS wanted to do that. It’s like Christmas in a Time Machine!!” And even…

  • 4 men standing in front of a giant soccer ball, holding Mexico and Norway flags. The person in the middle is wearing a sombrero

    Top 5 Sporting Events I’ve Been a Part of or Witnessed Live

    In addition to traveling, The Travel Oracle is also pretty passionate about sports. Runner_dad has been fortunate to see some pretty epic sporting events live. Here’s a little trip down memory lane with his top five.  1 – Packers vs Lions Oct 5, 2024 – Thursday Night Football, Ford Field. Lions win 34-31  First football game for Savanna, Connor’s first Lions’ win. A heavyweight slugfest. The fourth and one gamble. Field goal by Jake Bates to win the game as time expired!! Total playoff atmosphere. This comes in at number one because I know that 30 years from now the kids will still remember this day, just as I remember…