Category Archives: Travel

Adventures of the single life.

bonjour, paris!

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After three different trains (The Netherlands, Belgium, France), I’ve made it to Paris! I’ve walked over nine miles today while exploring the city (in the rain). Tomorrow morning I’ll be up bright and early to head to the Catacombs before visiting the Cimetière du Père-Lachaise (where Oscar Wilde in buried) as well a bike tour of the city.

Paris in the Rain #100DayofMiaPrima Paris in the Rain #100DayofMiaPrimaParis in the Rain #100DayofMiaPrima

Until then, à bientôt!

Sarah

This post is #34 of the #The100DayProject. For more updates on my progress, be sure to follow me on Instagram and look for the hashtage, #100DaysofMiaPrima.

running (free) through the bossche broek

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If you’re a runner (or a triathlete), you know how easy it is to get hooked on data: GPS watches, tracking apps, heart rate monitors… Whatever device it is, there is something absolutely addicting about knowing your progress, mile for mile (and often publicly sharing that progress too). But getting caught up in numbers can take away the basic joy of running sometimes. Besides a casual 10k race at the end of this month and triathlon in September, I’m not currently in the throws of training. But still I monitor each run with more gusto than it’s worth. I start to judge the quality of the run based on its length and pace- even for my “fun runs,” which should, after all, be purely for fun.

So today, I left my GPS watch at home and took a (who knows how long!) run through the Bossche Broek. Without a watch, I took moments to pause, take a breath, and really enjoy the scenery. It’s a run like this one that reminds me why I run in the first place.

Den Bosch, The Netherlands #100daysofmiaprima Den Bosch, The Netherlands #100daysofmiaprima Den Bosch, The Netherlands #100daysofmiaprima

Tot ziens!

Sarah

This post is #33 of the #The100DayProject. For more updates on my progress, be sure to follow me on Instagram and look for the hashtage, #100DaysofMiaPrima.

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there is something about a place

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there is something about a place

to gather

(maybe only with books and unused sugar packets)

windows open to spring breezes

or closed to icy chills

but always a coffee

(maybe a tea)

and silence for study

or the hiss of steam and clamor of old friends found

(maybe also a gasp when Elizabeth realizes Darcy’s truth)

from cities of steel

to snow

to harbours

to canals

there is (always) something about a place

for coffee

(maybe tea)

Cafe in the Netherlands #100daysoMiaPrima Amsterdam #100daysofMiaPrima 's-Hertogenbosch Den Bosch, The Netherlands #100daysofMiaPrima Newburyport, MA Plum Island Coffee #100daysofmiaprima D Squared Java Exeter, NH #100DaysofMiaPrima #100DaysofMiaPrima amsterdam hollandthese streets: image of Pittsburgh #miaprimacasaOde to Coffee Shops #100DaysofMiaPrima Ode to Coffee Shops #100DaysofMiaPrimaOde to Coffee Shops #100DaysofMiaPrima

Tot ziens!

Sarah

This post is #32 of the #The100DayProject. For more updates on my progress, be sure to follow me on Instagram and look for the hashtage, #100DaysofMiaPrima.

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the freshest restaurant in amsterdam

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Yesterday, my friends surprised me with the most fantastic brunch I have ever experienced. The Restaurant De Kas, which is situated outside Amsterdam’s bustling city center in a serene (but classy. Think: adorable frites stand and it’s own bird king.) park, serves the bounty of its onsite greenhouses on its every-changing menu. I could describe to you what exactly it was we ate, but no words will do the meal justice. Photographs might be second best to tasting the food for yourself…So “Eet smakelijk!”
Restaurant De Kas Amsterdam #100DaysofMiaPrima Restaurant De Kas Amsterdam #100DaysofMiaPrima 1 Restaurant De Kas Amsterdam #100DaysofMiaPrima 2 Restaurant De Kas Amsterdam #100DaysofMiaPrima 3 Restaurant De Kas Amsterdam #100DaysofMiaPrima 4 Restaurant De Kas Amsterdam #100DaysofMiaPrima 5 Restaurant De Kas Amsterdam #100DaysofMiaPrima 6 Restaurant De Kas Amsterdam #100DaysofMiaPrima 7 Restaurant De Kas Amsterdam #100DaysofMiaPrima 8 Restaurant De Kas Amsterdam #100DaysofMiaPrima 9 Restaurant De Kas Amsterdam #100DaysofMiaPrima 10 Restaurant De Kas Amsterdam #100DaysofMiaPrima 11 Restaurant De Kas Amsterdam #100DaysofMiaPrima 12 Restaurant De Kas Amsterdam #100DaysofMiaPrima 13 Restaurant De Kas Amsterdam #100DaysofMiaPrima 14

As if the day couldn’t get better, we stopped at a vegan gummy store before ending the day with a Narnia-inspired ballet. Not to mention the simple joy of sitting back– coffee in hand–and taking in the enchanting sites of Amsterdam.


 Amsterdam #100daysofMiaPrima Amsterdam #100daysofMiaPrima Amsterdam #100daysofMiaPrima Amsterdam #100daysofMiaPrima Amsterdam #100daysofMiaPrima Amsterdam #100daysofMiaPrima Amsterdam #100daysofMiaPrima Amsterdam #100daysofMiaPrima Amsterdam #100daysofMiaPrima Amsterdam #100daysofMiaPrima Amsterdam #100daysofMiaPrima

Tot ziens!

Sarah

This post is #31 of the #The100DayProject. For more updates on my progress, be sure to follow me on Instagram and look for the hashtage, #100DaysofMiaPrima.

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i <3 disko

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Well, not that much. But I do love this (Jonathan Johnson) ring I found at the IJ-Hallen flea market this weekend in Amsterdam.

Jonathan Johnson Ring, Amsterdam Flea Market

Jonathan Johnson Ring, Amsterdam Flea Market

More details (and photos!) to follow…

Tot ziens!

Sarah

This post is #30 of the #The100DayProject. For more updates on my progress, be sure to follow me on Instagram and look for the hashtage, #100DaysofMiaPrima.

otherwise known as ‘s-Hertogenbosch

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This is certainly going to be the first of many posts on the charming Dutch town, Den Bosch (aka ‘s-Hertogenbosch). After all, this medieval city is my “home base” for my next couple months in Europe! Not surprisingly, I’ve been battling jet lag for the last couple of days, so yesterday, I packed the day with events around the town to keep me moving. I visited the bibliotheek (the library) which included a sizable cafe and modern design, local shops including sweet vintage stores, the breathtaking gothic church of St. John, and the impressive Het Noordbrabants museum. Today, I plan on taking a bike ride through the beautiful  Bossche Broek.

's-Hertogenbosch Den Bosch, The Netherlands #100daysofMiaPrima 's-Hertogenbosch Den Bosch, The Netherlands #100daysofMiaPrima 's-Hertogenbosch Den Bosch, The Netherlands #100daysofMiaPrima 's-Hertogenbosch Den Bosch, The Netherlands #100daysofMiaPrima 's-Hertogenbosch Den Bosch, The Netherlands #100daysofMiaPrima 's-Hertogenbosch Den Bosch, The Netherlands #100daysofMiaPrima 's-Hertogenbosch Den Bosch, The Netherlands #100daysofMiaPrima 's-Hertogenbosch Den Bosch, The Netherlands #100daysofMiaPrima 's-Hertogenbosch Den Bosch, The Netherlands #100daysofMiaPrima 's-Hertogenbosch Den Bosch, The Netherlands #100daysofMiaPrima's-Hertogenbosch Den Bosch, The Netherlands #100daysofMiaPrima's-Hertogenbosch Den Bosch, The Netherlands #100daysofMiaPrima's-Hertogenbosch Den Bosch, The Netherlands #100daysofMiaPrima‘s-Hertogenbosch Den Bosch, The Netherlands #100DaysofMiaPrima‘s-Hertogenbosch Den Bosch, The Netherlands #100DaysofMiaPrima's-Hertogenbosch Den Bosch, The Netherlands #100daysofMiaPrima1's-Hertogenbosch Den Bosch, The Netherlands #100daysofMiaPrima's-Hertogenbosch Den Bosch, The Netherlands #100daysofMiaPrima

Tot ziens!

Sarah

This post is #28 of the #The100DayProject. For more updates on my progress, be sure to follow me on Instagram and look for the hashtage, #100DaysofMiaPrima.

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tulip speculation

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Yesterday afternoon I arrived in Amsterdam, and to conquer jet lag, my sister and I headed straight from the airport to the tulip fields of Holland. The site of the rainbow fields is like nothing I’ve ever seen (and will ever see anywhere else). We rented bicycles and explored the fields in true Dutch style. Along the way we spotted majestic blue herons, unexpected head winds, charming thatch-roofed homes, and, of course, fields of colors that tilted and blinked like kaleidoscopes as we rode past.

The Keukenhof tulip gardens were also an impressive site in their own right. With heavy winds and morning rain, the crowds were thin but the tulips were aplenty. Last year, the tulips peaked in April, so I was grateful to soak up a true prize of Holland in May!

Tot ziens!

Sarah

p.s. Did you know: the speculation of the tulip market in in the 1630s led to the first recorded economic bubble? People were paying serious money to get their hands on a tulip…

This post is #26 of the #The100DayProject. For more updates on my progress, be sure to follow me on Instagram and look for the hashtage, #100DaysofMiaPrima.

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harbourside coffee in newburyport

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Today I made a trip to Newburyport, Massachusetts, stopping at one of my favorite locales…and trying out a new one. And I wasn’t disappointed with either! My first stop was the Plum Island Coffee Roasters, a quaint cafe tucked away at the water’s edge of a marina. A bit tricky to find, the cafe was well worth the search with its delicious coffee (today’s roast was “port wine”) and harbor views.

Newburyport, MA Marina #100daysofmiaprima Newburyport, MA Marina #100daysofmiaprima Newburyport, MA Marina #100daysofmiaprima Newburyport, MA Plum Island Coffee #100daysofmiaprima Newburyport, MA Plum Island Coffee #100daysofmiaprima Newburyport, MA Plum Island Coffee #100daysofmiaprima Newburyport, MA Marina #100daysofmiaprima

The next stop was Giuseppe‘s, my family’s go-to Italian restaurant. Giuseppe’s made a name for themselves with their delicious take out and have recently opened a sit-in restaurant as well. We picked up some arrabbiata sauce and a Mediterranean sandwiches (absolutely delicious!). Makes me very excited to head to Europe- and Italy- in just a week!

Giuseppe's Italian Food Newburyport, MA #100daysofmiaprima Giuseppe's Italian Food Newburyport, MA #100daysofmiaprima Giuseppe's Italian Food Newburyport, MA #100daysofmiaprima Giuseppe's Italian Food Newburyport, MA #100daysofmiaprima Giuseppe's Italian Food Newburyport, MA #100daysofmiaprima Giuseppe's Italian Food Newburyport, MA #100daysofmiaprima

Cheers,

Sarah

This post is #23 of the #The100DayProject. For more updates on my progress, be sure to follow me on Instagram and look for the hashtage, #100DaysofMiaPrima.

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waterfalls + covered bridges

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I spent much of the day Saturday preparing for my first-ever flea market for my Etsy vintage clothing shop, the Gibbson Girl. But I did manage to get away for a run through beautiful Hampton Falls. I slowed down enough to snap some photos along the way at my favorite spot: the newly renovated cover bridge that overlook the town’s namesake.

Hampton Falls, New Hampshire #100daysofmiaprima Hampton Falls, New Hampshire #100daysofmiaprimaHampton Falls, New Hampshire #100daysofmiaprima

I’d be pretty satisfied if all my runs took me through such beautiful territory!

Cheers!

Sarah

This post is #21 of the #The100DayProject. For more updates on my progress, be sure to follow me on Instagram and look for the hashtage, #100DaysofMiaPrima.

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new hampshire seaside views

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A stay at my parent’s home in New Hampshire would not be complete without a trip to the beach. Many people are surprised to learn that New Hampshire has a coastline (18 miles of it to be exact. I ran it all one afternoon, in fact). The shore is rocky and just as, if not more, beautiful in the “off season” than the busy summertime. Today, the wind was chilly but the cloudy sky made for some gorgeous photographs. This was the first time I’ve taken my new Canon to the beach, so I went crazy with the shots, snapping a few that I particularly love:

Cheers!

Sarah

This post is #20 of the #The100DayProject. For more updates on my progress, be sure to follow me on Instagram and look for the hashtage, #100DaysofMiaPrima.

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