Carole Mac

It’s fall! Several years ago I decided to take back my fall. Before that, I dreaded fall and Halloween because I associated it with kids. Kids at the pumpkin patch, kids and costumes, kids trick or treating. So after I lost my kid, I began to hate fall because of its constant reminders of what I no longer had.

4 years ago I decided that this had to stop! It was time to take back my fall and Halloween. So I planned a ton of adult fall activities with my dear friend . We picked apples at a distillery, hiked upstate, paired candy and wine, and picked out pumpkins while sipping on hot cider and doughnuts. Apples and bourbon sounded like a good start. You know what? It worked. We had a great time that fall. And as the following fall approached, I was actually excited! I did it. I took back my fall and Halloween. So now, the tradition continues. Here we are picking apples, tasting bourbon, and making new friends to kick off a fun holiday season. Next up, pumpkin carving…
If you struggle with the holiday season, I get it. Try creating a new activity that celebrates you, exactly where you are in your life, and see if it loosens things. Sending hugs. Xo
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🍁 🍎

Astoria Food Bliss Tour! We just had to taste Greek eats, seafood, and Middle Eastern desserts. 🤤 We began at a local favorite pick out our specific fish to have it made for us.

Next we hit the well-known spot for octopus, saganaki (fried cheese - yes please), dolmas (stuffed grape leaves), Ouzo (anise flavored spirit), and Greek wine.

Then we tasted some of the best Middle Eastern desserts in the US .sweet.

We ended our tour at the market . Many of the people there made the trip from other states. We tasted feta and filled our carts with cheese, olives, olive oils, honey, tea, fresh avgalamano soup (chicken lemon), and spanikopita (spinach and feta pie). OMG what a trip. All week I’ve been making Greek yogurt with honey and Greek salads.

Highly recommended a food bliss trip to Astoria!
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ITINERARY
Hamido Seafood
Taverna Kyclades
Al-Sham Sweets and Pastries
Titan Foods Greek Market
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I used to be way into bucket lists. Then I lost my son, and I just didn’t care about them anymore.

Until one day, after tons of internal work, I was out with friends and started dreaming about a future trip to France! It literally stopped me in my tracks. I remember floods of tears coming to my eyes in that moment, because of what it meant about my progress, healing, and future. It meant that I was back!! Back to myself.

Now I do bucket list birthdays each year as a way to celebrate life and the fact that I’m back to myself. I’ve cycled from Champagne house to Champagne house in France, become a somm (passed my somm certification test), sailed around Manhattan with my friends for recent birthdays… and tomorrow I’m doing another bucket list bday. We are getting a limo, hitting rooftops, doing a food bliss tour, and landing at a bar with live music. The question is… tacos is Bushwick or dumplings in Astoria? Any other places we must hit?

What bucket list bday can you dream up for yourself? I would love to hear. Send me a pic when you do it!!! ❤️