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The month began with per week in Sicily and ended with a model new, fully unexpected product launch. Fabulous!
Let’s check out what made February nice.
Table of Contents
Locations Visited
- Prague, Czech Republic
- Palermo, Monreale, Castellammare del Golfo, Mazara del Vallo, Marsala, Erice, San Vito Lo Capo, Scopello, Calatafimi, and Balestrate, Italy
Highlights
Launching Passport to Confident Solo Female Travel was an unbelievable experience! I’m going to jot down about this within the “Facet Initiatives Replace” part additional down.
A enjoyable journey to Western Sicily. This was going to be our winter 2023 escape — 10 days in Sicily, primarily based in Palermo for more often than not, then some driving round and exploring!
First off — the climate sadly was not on our aspect, which I’ll go into within the “Challenges” part, and sadly that put a damper on a lot of the journey. However there was loads of nice stuff, too.
Palermo is one in every of my new favourite locations in Italy. It’s such a cool metropolis — energetic and pleasant but surprisingly chilled (and way more low-key than I anticipated — I believed it might be like Naples). It’s additionally FANTASTIC worth for cash, the place you’ll be able to eat extraordinarily properly for beneath 10 euros and get an enormous, filling arancini for a euro.
We dove into Sicilian meals, hardcore. Palermo has loads of uncommon dishes that you just gained’t discover elsewhere in Sicily, and we labored our method via a protracted record I had put collectively. Count on the massive Sicilian meals put up quickly!
Past Palermo, we obtained to go to a number of cool cities. Erice was a spotlight — a lovely hill city perched up within the clouds, with spectacular views from above. And San Vito Lo Capo is a spot I wish to return to in summer time — a North African-flavored city with attractive cliffs alongside the seashore and sq. whitewashed buildings on the town.
The Segesta ruins have been fairly cool, too, and I’m not an enormous ruins particular person ordinarily. The view from the amphitheater on prime of the hill is spectacular!
Lastly making it to Lumina Park. You may recall that final month Charlie and I have been supposed to satisfy our mates at an Alice in Wonderland-themed out of doors mild present — then we obtained trapped within the snow behind a fence!
We made it right here this monthand it was enjoyable strolling round at nighttime round mild sculptures of taking part in playing cards, mushrooms, and the Cheshire Cat.
Discovering a pair of marriage ceremony footwear I really love. I can’t put on most heels because of arch points in my proper foot, so formal footwear are at all times a ache. This month I discovered a pair of low gold peep-toe heels from French model Jonak. On sale, too!
They’ve a stunning retro look and can work for the authorized Prague marriage ceremony and the massive Prague marriage ceremony. (I’ll nonetheless hold the gold wedges I purchased in Massachusetts for the Boston marriage ceremony, because the ceremony shall be on grass.)
Challenges
Sicily was SO MUCH COLDER THAN I EXPECTED. As we deliberate our journey, it regarded like temperatures have been going to be round 55 F (13 C). And it WAS like that the primary day and a half. And the final day.
However in between the climate turned chilly and wet. It was across the low 40s F (5 C). And buildings in Sicily are BARELY insulated in any respect — every day, Charlie and I went to work in our eating room, carrying layers of sweaters and piles of blankets!
You’d assume it might be higher if we went out to a restaurant or cafe. Nope! Freezing chilly air got here in between the home windows and partitions! Bars and cafes left their doorways open all day and simply stayed as chilly as potential!
The one time I used to be heat on that journey was after we have been in our automobile. At the very least we might flip the warmth up in there!
However this serves as a helpful lesson — to me, and to you. The Mediterranean could also be “good” in winter — however it will likely be a lot colder than you assume it will likely be. Carry all of your layers and put on all of them. And keep in a metropolis, not a village, as a result of there could be one bar open and that’s it.
Murray has stopped pooping within the litter field. This has been arduous to take care of so I’d like to solicit my cat homeowners for suggestions, you probably have any. Murray has at all times peed within the litter field effective, however he’s not at all times been nice about pooping — he would typically stand within the litter and poop off the aspect, or sometimes poop on the tub mat.
However now he’s began pooping in entrance of the entrance door on a regular basis (man, that’s enjoyable to return dwelling to). We obtained him an extra litter field subsequent to the entrance door, and he managed to make use of it as soon as…whereas pooping off the aspect. Ah, Murray. Any tricks to repair this??
The US Embassy tousled my marriage paperwork. They listed Charlie as a Czech citizen fairly than a British citizen.
That originally led me into an unlimited freak-out, as you’ll be able to solely get Embassy notary appointments a month upfront and Czechs want worldwide marriage paperwork lengthy earlier than the marriage date — however I contacted the Embassy they usually simply let me pop in and obtained me new paperwork totally free. How about that.
Weblog Posts of the Month
23 Fabulous Issues to Do in Palermo, Italy, Sicily’s Scorching Capital — I actually liked my time in Palermo! It’s one in every of my new favourite Italian cities, and it wasn’t very like I anticipated to be.
40 Italy Landmarks To Expertise As soon as in Your Lifetime — My blogger colleagues helped me with this collab put up, highlighting among the coolest spots in Italy.
This Month on Patreon
On the Adventurous Kate Patreon, I publish unique content material and never-told tales which you could entry for $6 monthly. We even have a personal Fb group and members get free entry to the Guide Membership every month.
This month on Patreon my lengthy type put up was about Sicily within the chilly — and the realities you face when visiting the Mediterranean in winter, as a result of the climate isn’t at all times nearly as good as you count on!
I additionally revealed a preview of a BIG BIG BIG journey I booked for August — a solo journey to what shall be some of the adventurous locations I’ve ever visited. This journey goes to be NUTS, in a great way!
I additionally gave my patrons a free copy of my new $5 Mexico information that I’ll be promoting shortly.
And so they obtained an extra 50% off Passport to Assured Solo Feminine Journey.
Guide Membership This Month
Our subsequent e-book membership will happen on Sunday, April 16, at 1:00 PM Japanese Time. (FYI, at the present time occurs to be Orthodox Easter.) We shall be studying The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories by Afghan-American writer Jamil Jan Kochai.
“Pen/Hemingway finalist Jamil Jan Kochai breathes life into his up to date Afghan characters, transferring between modern-day Afghanistan and the Afghan diaspora in America. In these arresting tales verging on each comedy and tragedy, typically starring younger characters whose bravado is matched by their tenderness, Kochai as soon as once more captures “a singular, resonant voice, an American teenager raised by Previous World Afghan storytellers.”
In “Taking part in Metallic Gear Strong V: The Phantom Ache,” a younger man’s online game expertise turns right into a surreal exploration on his personal father’s recollections of conflict and occupation. Set in Kabul, “Return to Sender” follows two married medical doctors pushed by guilt to go away the US and care for his or her fellow Afghans, even when their very own son disappears. A university scholar within the US in “Hungry Ricky Daddy” starves himself in protest of Israeli violence towards Palestine. And within the title story, “The Haunting of Hajji Hotak,” we study the story of a person codenamed Hajji, from the angle of a authorities surveillance employee, who turns into entrenched within the immigrant household’s life.
The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Different Tales is a transferring exploration of characters grappling with the ghosts of conflict and displacement—and one which speaks to the quick political panorama we reckon with right this moment.”
You can sign up for the book club here. Patreon members have their very own sign-up within the Patreon.
Facet Initiatives Replace
This month I got here up with the thought for a brand new product from scratch — Passport to Confident Solo Female Travel — and did a full launch. Think about ranging from zero and going to a totally created, bought, and launched product — and promoting greater than 70 copies!
How I used to be really ready to do this is one thing I’m going to debrief within the Patreon.
However now I’m trying towards the long run. Individuals who purchase this product get lifetime entry and all updates, and I’m already planning how it will likely be up to date for the subsequent launch.
That took up many of the month, although I did publish Things to Do in Hanover, NH and Things to Do in Concord, NH on New Hampshire Means, my New Hampshire web site.
Issues have been a bit extra quiet on my new area of interest web site that I haven’t revealed but — simply persevering with to publish content material. We’ve got 18 posts stay and some are already rating on the primary web page of Google!
What I Watched This Month
At this level, I’m eternally hooked on Under Deck. How is that this present SO ENTERTAINING?! I can’t imagine I didn’t comprehend it existed till after a dozen seasons had come and gone!
We’re at the moment on Season 8 of authentic Under Deck, the place the blackout drunk visitor Delores jumped overboard at night time towards the Captain’s orders, needed to be baby-sat by the crew all night time, and was kicked off the subsequent day. FUN TIMES!
This month we’re additionally working our method via most of the Oscar motion pictures. I particularly liked Every little thing In all places All at As soon as and shall be rooting for it on Oscar night time! I loved Tár too; I really like motion pictures that dive right into a morally compromised fictional character so deeply. The Banshees of Inisherin began out so lovely however turned SO darkish — I didn’t prefer it after its ugly flip.
What I Learn This Month
The Survivalists by Kashana Cauley (2023) — Aretha is a success-chasing Black lawyer at a prime agency in New York. When she falls for espresso entrepreneur Aaron, she’s enthusiastic about his brownstone in Brooklyn. Quickly she strikes in — and realizes that his roommates are hardcore survivalists, stocking weapons and constructing bunkers and consuming nothing however nutrition-optimized soy.
This was a enjoyable learn. Whereas it was somewhat long-winded in instances, I liked that this was a journey right into a neighborhood that places stereotypes on its head — as a substitute of older white dudes in a rural space, these are Black New Yorkers planning for the apocalypse.
One factor that I liked most about Cauley’s writing is how playful it’s. One cater-waiter strikes to Arizona and Cauley imagines her serving tiny items of cactus with the spikes nonetheless in it. Two individuals ill-advisedly hook up and Cauley compares them to trekkers efficiently summiting Mount Everest and instantly breaking their very own legs to verify it by no means, ever occurs once more. Simply actually enjoyable stuff.
Scatterlings by Resoketswe Manenzhe (2022) — This novel tells the story of an interracial household in South Africa in 1927 whose lives collapse after the Immorality Act is handed, criminalizing interracial marriage. The mom, Jamaica-born Alisa, poisons herself and makes an attempt to kill each kids to spare them from this life; one survives and takes off along with her father as they seek for security.
This was this month’s e-book membership decide, and to be fully sincere, none of us have been feeling this e-book. It felt prefer it had such audacious ambitions, however ended up shedding itself in such long-winded passages that didn’t transfer the plot ahead. I made certain to decide on one thing a bit extra optimistic for this coming month.
Coming Up in March 2023
This month, Charlie and I are heading to Paris for 4 days! It’s Charlie’s birthday and that is what he urged we do. It’s really his first journey there, ever, so I’m feeling plenty of strain to make him fall in love with the town!
We have already got a number of actions booked (a day cheese tasting in a cellar, a market tour and charcuterie hunt), however for essentially the most half, we’ll be exploring, chilling, and consuming good meals.
You probably have any particular suggestions for Paris — particularly in the event that they’re comparatively new locations — I’d love to listen to them.
What are your plans for March? Share away!