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Girl Gone Travel

Girl Gone Travel

Travel
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March 11, 2013

Pursuing Your Dreams, Against The Grain

Every so often, here on Girl Gone Travel, I like to share a personal story or two to remind people that the person sharing stories on travel and food, beautiful hotels and retreats, is a real person who experienced some really harsh moments, all of which pushed her to where you find her today. And lately I have been thinking a lot about where I am today, in my career especially, because[...]

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North America
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March 10, 2013

Winery Road Trips Beyond Napa

I love Napa, CA and am working on putting together photos and a little list of places to check out from my most recent visit there. However, there is an endless list of wineries to visit across the US (did you know that all 50 states produce wine?) and now is a great time to start visiting.  Most wineries are taking advantage of the warmer days and hosting all sorts of events and tastings[...]

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North America
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February 27, 2013

Best Brunch Spots in NYC

Brunch is my religion of choice on Sundays in New York City. It’s one of those things that is such a part of the culture of this city, that I tend to miss and want to replicate when traveling elsewhere. As New Yorkers we love to show off our brunch spots to friends or anyone visiting our town. They are our badges of honor and the reason we choose the apartments we live in. Here is a list[...]

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North America
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February 26, 2013

Best Cozy Spots for Cocktails in NYC

The chill in the air might be enough to encourage anyone to stay home and cozy up on the couch, drink in hand. But if you would rather enjoy your drinks and cushy warmth in the company of friends, finding the perfect place is key. Lucky for us, New York City has a lot of options that offer the serene comfort and roasting fireplace temperatures, while also serving some of the best cocktail[...]

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North America
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February 7, 2013

An Evening of Chocolates, Spirits, & Cheese at Fairway Market Café and Steakhouse

Most New Yorkers have a Fairway Market story. Ours is venturing into the Fairway Market on Broadway in the Upper West side on any and every occasion we were hosting a holiday or celebratory meal of some kind, in search of unique, hard to find products and then cabbing back home with our groceries to our apartment uptown - that is, until we had a car. After which point, we just drove to th[...]

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Travel
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February 7, 2013

The Courage to Travel: How to Make It Your Own

The media dog has found a new bone. This time it is the topic of women traveling solo, and why we shouldn't, using as the example the tragic death of 33-year-old solo female traveler, Sarai Sierra, an American, in Turkey. I won't start another post talking about why I support female travel, whether solo or not, because many great women who travel solo have already written wonderful articl[...]

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North America, Travel
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January 30, 2013

An Afternoon at the Morris Museum in Morristown, NJ

What is so great about NJ, I am finding, is that like NYC, it has a lot of different neighborhoods, each with its own personality. Traveling into a different neighborhood can make for a nice list of varied experiences and opportunities to explore. This weekend, we headed over to Morristown, known in history mainly for its strong military role in the war of independence from Britain. It[...]

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Travel
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January 26, 2013

“Who’s with the kids?”

The email came one lazy afternoon, distracting me from an article I had been trying to wrap my head around for hours. It was an invitation, to somewhere beautiful, warm, and overseas and though the deadline to respond was a week away, I responded immediately without hesitation that, yes, I would very much like to be there. For the most part, this is how it has been. I accept invitations[...]

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Travel
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January 10, 2013

That thing that travel does

"I want to go to Finland and Japan, mommy." This is what my 7-year-old shared with me today, as easily as saying he wants to go to the park. His obsession with both countries has everything to do with three things: his favorite video games (Angry Birds/Finland and Mario Brothers/Japan), his love for art, and that thing that travel does: give those who take it on the opportunity to experi[...]

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North America
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January 2, 2013

ONE UN New York: A NYC Experience with Views

When visitors ask me about where to stay in New York City, they almost always want to stay near Times Square. "We want to be in the center of it all". That sounds fun, until you get here. Then you realize that being in the thick of it can actually be a bit more than you bargained for. It's why I like to suggest that people consider hotels a little further away from the zone, if only for[...]

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About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

Contact

  • caincarol@gmail.com

Follow @girlgonetravel

People are sharing memories from 2016 but I think People are sharing memories from 2016 but I think this is my favorite one: going to Jamaica for work with my family. We went on a family adventure and it was the first time the boys were trying snorkeling. 

My youngest was so so scared but I made him get in the water still promising him I would hold his hand, be with him the entire time, and never leave his side. 

When I made him get in the water the other tourists on the boat gave me nasty looks and made comments making it clear they thought I was a shit mom for “ignoring” my son’s fears. I jumped into the water and he was crying tears coming down from behind his snorkel mask. I held his hand as promised and we started swimming.

The coral reef was bustling with life. Fish of all colors, eel, sand sharks, starfish. I wasn’t sure if it would terrify him or excite him. 

I would occasionally check on him with a thumbs up sign and he would confirm with a thumbs up back. After a while he signaled to come up and said “It’s ok mom. I can go on my own from here.” And let go of my hand and off he went. 

I watched him swim away from me and then it was me who started crying feeling both pride in him and that bittersweetness in seeing him not need me anymore. This memory still makes me cry. Today the little boy is pursuing a career in environmental science and forestry and photography (see his work at @liamlcc).

The second best memory of 2016 was Elle King renewing our vows at the Beacon Theater during one of her NYC concerts. Travis had arranged the entire thing…a blur as I was in shock the whole time! We just celebrated 23 years together❤️
@sagra_italia, a newly opened “Brooklyn-style” @sagra_italia, a newly opened “Brooklyn-style” Italian cafe has opened in Rochester, and though I am always skeptical of anything claimed to be “Brooklyn”, I have to say, it was really pretty close. 

We started at the bar for drinks and light bites, where the bartender was friendly and made some pretty kick-ass drinks. We then moved to an open table (no reservations here - walk in and grab an open spot) before ordering from the counter (food is brought to you) You bus your own table, which I think contributes significantly to the affordable menu, and which I honestly didn’t mind. 

The food was solid. I ordered the funghi pasta and we shared a Caesar and fried burrata, which was 😘👌🏾❤️!

The whole vibe was exactly what I needed and the perfect spot to catch up with Rochester friends on a snowy night. 

Kitchen closes at 9PM, bar closes at 10. 

And if you’ve ever been to @tapas177 next door and loved it (if you haven’t, you should go), it’s by the same family. 

Highly recommend and excited to go back. Another Rochester win!

#fingerlakes #rochesterny #rochestereats #newyork #italianfood @visitrochester
The world feels heavy, so here’s some light I no The world feels heavy, so here’s some light I noticed today: this dormant field of wildflowers we planted has been nesting bunny rabbits, birds, and little insect ecosystems this cold season. So even though on the surface it just looks like a field of dead and dried stems, when you look deeper, you’ll notice that it’s also a reprieve, a safe space, a comfort, and a resting place. 

I guess, maybe, that’s a lot of us right now. A little worn out. Tired. Sad. Drained. Overwhelmed. But we can also be someone’s comfort, safe space, peace, shoulder, friend…a little light for those who need it. And maybe that’s what we should remember to keep us going.
I get asked often if I miss the city, and the answ I get asked often if I miss the city, and the answer is all the time, but not really, but also yes, but kinda…depends. 

I think living in a slower paced environment has been good for me. Healthy and challenging in different ways. I sometimes get restless, but often need rest too. I love the space both environmently and in time to be creative. And I love that if I ever do get too restless, I am not far from Rochester (a city I’ve grown to love) or NYC. 

But I also love that when I feel any sense of anxiety, I can step outside, be surrounded by nature, and come back home a little more healed. Life is unpredictable, but during my era of slow living, I want to make sure to appreciate and enjoy all it offers.

#fingerlakes #newyork #slowliving #citygirlinthecountry
As we daydream of cozy winery settings sipping on As we daydream of cozy winery settings sipping on the best of harvest past, the work is already ongoing to prep for future success that elevates us among the best wine region in the country. So grateful for our community of immigrant laborers and farmers.
Twenty two years seems WILD. I still remember our Twenty two years seems WILD. I still remember our first date, and here we are a gazillion adventures and so many kids later, and over two decades together. 

I am the luckiest girl in the world to have met the most patient and kindest human around, and that he would end up being my person and best friend just feels, still, surreal and lucky. 

Happy anniversary, @travisjcain. I will try my hardest to make this year less chaotic and a bit more chill….but then again, you did decide to marry a Sagittarius, so it’s kind of on you. 🤣 Love you to infinity.

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